Carpathia IV: Episode 153 - Twaddle
Shuttle Bay, NCCS Shadowdancer
The moment Aire offered his guests to have a seat at the conference table set up to the side in the shuttle bay was all that Kali needed to hear. She stomped to the conference table right away, running her fingers down the side as she passed as though marking her territory, and took a chair at one of the heads with her back facing the bulkhead. Not unexpected, thought Aire. The only thing he was unsure of is whether she would take the chair with the bulkhead behind or other side, nearest to the shuttle.
Nyana followed, but with a little more dignity than Kali, not that it was a high bar to clear, and selected a chair kitty corner from her. Lamia stood at the corner to the side of both. With a quick side glance at Joust, Aire followed and took a chair opposite Nyana with Joust having a seat by his side. Kit, Baal, Phobos, and Ryuu took the remaining seats.
In the center of the table was a tray with a pitcher of water with overturned glasses circling around it. Aire picked up the pitcher and a glass.
Aire: Would anyone care for some water?
Nyana: We shan't be staying long, so no.
Aire replaced the pitcher and the glass, folding his fingers together on the table after.
Aire: I understand you have something you wish to ask?
Nyana: In due time. Before then, I would ask you to clarify some things for me. This Azrael. He is your servant?
Though Aire mentally prepared himself for just about anything in this meeting, he still didn't quite expect this fixation with Azrael to continue here. Nevertheless, after only allowing the slightest of pauses, he answered as diplomatically as he could.
Aire: Captain Azrael and I are equals, Madam and we are both fully in command of our respective starships.
Nyana: But surely you must have someone in charge?
Aire: Yes, Madam, all starship captains report to the admiral in charge of the sector, no matter the species.
Kali leaned back in her chair and turned to the side, seemingly disinterested in the entire exchange. If there were any question as to whether she was even listening, that came to an end when she decided to have a little outburst.
Kali: Oh, come off it! Everyone knows demons are incapable of decision-making, much less capable of running a ship. Can't even think for themselves! They'd all be dead if they didn't have us to give them orders.
A momentary twitch. An ever so slight narrowing of the eyes. It was subtle, but clear that Lamia did not care for this declaration one little bit.
Aire: I respectfully disagree, Madam. Captain Azrael is one of the finest in our fleet and we are lucky to have him.
Kali only responded with a huff and an eye roll. Thankfully, Nyana seemed keen to change the subject.
Nyana: If you insist. I suppose we're not going to get anywhere with this one, but at least you can tell me how you all came to be way out here? Looking around this cargo bay, I can see more vashta and other species I don't know.
Aire: That is...
Aire paused, for he was just about to say precisely the same thing he said to Ksenva when she asked a similar question and she didn't react well to that.
Aire: That is difficult to explain.
Kali: Ha! The lighter you are, the more feeble-minded. He probably couldn't explain how to get a nut out of a shell.
Aire realized that it was probably hopeless to answer in a way that would not draw Kali's mockery. Nevertheless, he endeavored to answer as succinctly as he could, without giving away too much information.
Aire: There used to be a malfunctioning wormhole portal on my world which would draw people from other worlds to ours. It exploded nearly two centuries ago but not before bringing many species to us. Most people on our planet don't know where we came from. Now, we're a member of an interplanetary commonwealth, working together for the betterment of each other.
For once, Kali didn't seem to have anything snarky to say right away and there was silence, but only for a moment.
Nyana: That's some story. You'll forgive me if I'm skeptical.
Kali: It's brainless twaddle and I'd rather not hear more of it.
Nyana grimaced but otherwise ignored Kali.
Nyana: I suppose we should wrap this up. We're looking for two ships that we believe are lost somewhere around here. Have you seen them?
Aire knew this question was coming and that he had to answer very carefully. Having already rehearsed the answer, he took a moment to replay it in his head to not screw it up. The hard part, of course, would be to wait for their response and react accordingly.
Aire: I'm sorry, Madam, but there are no other ships like yours anywhere near our space, as far as we know.
Nyana's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward. More surprisingly, however, is that Kali didn't seem to react at all, seemingly peering at something in the distance.
Joust: I've never seen one.
Ryuu: We've never had one in our space.
Nyana grimaced, eyes narrowing further and brow getting more wrinkled by the moment. Still, Kali took no notice.
Nyana: All of you are choosing your words very carefully if my translator is to be believed. Now if you could...
Whatever else Nyana had to add was drowned out by Kali exploding from her chair and screeching at something clear across the shuttle bay.
Kali: STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!
Now everyone was standing and Aire looked fast to find whatever was drawing Kali's ire. It didn't take him long to spot. On the other side of the shuttle bay were two elves, a male and a female, doing some maintenance. Aire didn't know what Kali saw, but it could have been anything as innocuous as the female handing the male a tool. Whatever they had been doing certainly stopped now, for they, along with everyone else, heard Kali's shrieks and appeared even less pleased that they were directed at them and the situation did not improve when Kali started marching toward them.
Kali: How dare you treat a vashta female as an inferior!
Kali didn't get very far, for Teren was in her path before she could get past the conference table.
Teren: That's quite far enough, Madam.
Kali: Step aside, you... whatever you are!
Teren: I will not allow the disruption of ship's operation.
By now, Aire had joined Teren in blocking Kali's path.
Aire: I must insist that you do not harass my crew.
Kali backed off, only slightly, and folded her arms across her chest.
Kali: Such an uncivilized people, thinking you can give me orders. She should be running this ship, not you.
Nyana came up on Kali from behind and placed her hand on her shoulder. Kali reacted with a start, looking as though she were about to punch whoever the hand belonged to in the face, but stopped and grunted when she realized who it was.
Nyana: I think we've learned enough, Kali. We should return.
Kali: Fine. I don't want to spend any more time here anyway.
Kali stomped to her shuttle with Teren tagging close to her.
Teren: I shall escort you, Madam.
Kali: I DON'T TAKE ORDERS FROM HAIRBALLS!
Hairball or no, Teren accompanied Kali, without further protest, to her shuttle, leaving Nyana and Lamia.
Nyana: Captain Valro. What would be the appropriate way to end a meeting in Carpathia?
Aire stumbled for words for only a moment, as this was a question he was not prepared for.
Aire: Oh, well, lots of ways, really. We could bow. Many humans prefer a handshake...
Nyana: A handshake should do nicely.
With some trepidation, Aire extended his right hand and Nyana reciprocated with hers. However, what Aire felt was not entirely hand, but something else. Nothing sharp. More of a curiosity. When Nyana drew her hand back, Aire took a quick glance to find a piece of folded up paper in his hand. Some sort of secret communique, perhaps, and he quickly turned his palm down again, cradling the paper so that it did not fall.
Aire: Perhaps a future meeting will be more productive.
Nyana: Perhaps.
Aire escorted Nyana and Lamia to the shuttle door and they stepped inside. Without another word from either, the door closed and the shuttle powered up. Aire and his team retreated to a safe distance while the shuttle lifted off the deck and made a 180 degree turn, pointing toward the force field and space beyond. With a small push from their engines, the shuttle was away.
Aire: Close the bay doors.
Phobos: Closing bay doors, Captain.
While the shuttle bay doors descended, Aire finally had a chance to look at the paper in his hand.
Baal: What is that, Captain?
Aire: I don't know yet. Nyana put this here when we shook hands.
Teren, ever vigilant, scanned the paper while Aire unfolded it.
Teren: Nothing but paper and ink, Captain.
Aire unfolded the paper and indeed there was a slight amount of ink on it. Though he did not understand what was written, a different alphabet from anything he'd ever seen, it was easy to tell that it was written with exceptional haste.
Aire: Ryuu, can you read this?
Ryuu raised his snout up to meet Aire's hand and peered at the paper.
Ryuu: An old vashtari script. Let's see...
Ryuu's head twitched with an accompanying grimace.
Ryuu: We all need to get to the bridge, now. It says, "Wait for my signal."
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
