Carpathia IV: Episode 156 - Valro
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer
From the window of the Shadowdancer bridge, there wasn't much to see. Just stars and space. Once again, Aire turned the ship's stern to the Vashta ship to hasten the crew transfer. Captain Azrael had his security team on the Vashta ship scanning their crew and Teren was in charge of scanning them again once they arrived. After that, it was up the service lift, the same one that brought Blue to the atrium several months ago. In the atrium, the Vashta crew didn't find the most comfortable accommodations, but plenty to take care of basic needs. Cots, blankets, food and drink, all under Trex's watchful eye with Shep's team supplementing hers.
With a highly competent security team on the job, Aire remained on the bridge keeping an eye on the big picture, monitoring the Vashta ship and the constant stream of shuttles going in and out.
Kit: Transmission from the Cerberus, Captain.
Aire: On viewer.
With a button press, Azrael appeared on the viewer.
Azrael: That is the last shuttle. We read no life signs on the Vashta ship. Commander Tyler and the others that Captain Pendergast selected for his team remain in the shuttle bay.
Aire: Understood. I'll send Sylvar and the rest over as soon as I have a final chat with him.
Azrael: I will inform Commander Tyler. Azrael out.
Sylvar stood to the side, brushing his hands up and down his pant legs and Aire motioned for him to come nearer.
Aire: Try to relax, Sylvar. Yes, most people go through intensive command training and you haven't. This isn't a normal assignment. The team you have selected will support you and advise you and we will all do whatever it takes to help you succeed. Captain Azrael and I are always just a comm link away.
Sylvar: I will do my best, Captain.
Aire: Take it slow. Be safe. I'll send your team to the shuttle bay to join you. Now, report to the shuttle bay.
Sylvar: I will, Captain.
Sylvar trotted off to the lift for the trip to the shuttle bay while Aire remained in his chair, drumming his fingers on the armrest.
Joust: Something on your mind, Captain?
Aire: Indeed, Commander. I'm considering a visit to the atrium.
Joust: Do you think that's wise, Captain?
Aire: Honestly, I don't know. Still, I think there's value in just being seen so that their crew can see with their own eyes that there is such a thing as merit and equality.
Joust: I don't think I need to state the danger, but I think that risk might be worth it.
Aire: I would encourage you to go too, but not together. I think we should be very strict that neither of us should be in the atrium at the same time until this is over. If something happens to me, you need to be able to take command.
Joust: I agree. In fact, we should ensure that level of redundancy for all crew. Right now, we have nearly all of our security personnel in or near the atrium.
Aire: Good idea. I'll make that a point of discussion when I go down there. Kit, contact Teren and tell him I'm on my way to the atrium.
Kit: Right away, Captain.
Aire: Commander, you have the bridge. Perhaps take a look at the duty roster to see ways we can improve security with shift adjustments.
Joust: I'll get on that, Captain.
Aire stood and, with a tug at his uniform, headed to the lift.
Atrium, NCCS Shadowdancer
It wasn't far from the lift down the wide corridor, as large as a two-lane car tunnel, to the equally wide doors leading into the atrium. It hadn't struck Aire before as a problem, but now it looked to him like a glaring security risk. Just outside the atrium doors, Teren awaited him.
Aire: Ah, good. I see you got the message. I think the first thing we should discuss is this corridor.
Teren: Agreed, Captain. I noticed it is a security risk. I think we should have an engineering team come in and install more force field generators.
Aire: That's a good start and we might be able to do more. I'd like to tour the atrium while we chat.
Teren hesitated before answering possibly, Aire thought, to make sure this wasn't a joke.
Teren: Very well. May I ask why?
Aire: Simply put, I think it's important for someone like me to be seen. That there is such a thing as merit and equality.
Teren: I understand, Captain. I shall remain close to you while you're in the atrium.
Aire: I expected you would. Shall we?
Teren gave a nod and then turned, inputting a series of button presses that Aire knew as a special security code for lockdown situations such as this. Moments later, the doors parted, not the gentle swoosh of most, but heavy, industrial slide across seven meters of corridor width. Inside, Aire didn't see much of anything, aside from the usual. Trees. Shops. Paths. Game parlors. All closed down now, mind, but the things that give the crew a place to go for a feeling of homeyness. It was the aft end that was more modular, able to be converted into whatever the occasion called for, such as a roller derby rink. It was that end where the defectors were kept. Peering into the distance, Aire could see much activity taking place beyond the faux townscape in the forward part of the atrium.
Teren: As you can see, we're housing the Vashta crew at the aft end.
Aire passed through the doors with Teren following behind. With Teren through, the doors rolled closed.
Aire: Current status.
Teren: All Vashta crew are transferred. No life signs present on the Vashta ship, but we don't know if there are any places we can't scan. Ryuu is checking each for any signs of demigod abilities. None to report so far. The food tables are set up and serving. Still getting all the cots set up. Dr. Teagan is doing check-ups of all crew. I learned that Shep and several others on his team have training as field medics, so Dr. Teagan has picked out a couple of them, including Shep.
By the time Teren finished his update, the pair came upon the outer edge of Vashta crew area. After passing a line of security guards, they made a turn to walk around the outside of the cot area. This was the first time Aire spotted Nyana and Lamia, at the very aft end of the atrium. He rather hoped she would stay there. A debriefing, or likely an interrogation, would come in time, but he was not keen to start now. Many of the vashtari took immediate notice when Aire came into their view, an effect that he'd very much hoped to have.
While they strode past the line of cots, some with vashtari already resting on them, Aire lowered his voice, so that they could not hear much, and chose his words carefully, just in case they did hear.
Aire: We should have a chat about how we should divide up our resources. Joust pointed out that we should be careful not to have too many of one department in the atrium at any time and I'm in agreement with that. If it comes to the worst case scenario, we don't want to lose our entire security team.
Teren: I have considered that. With the short time frame we've been dealing with, we've mostly been focused on accommodation.
Aire: I've asked Joust to go through the duty assignments to find where we can make adjustments. You can work with him on that. I'll make sure other department heads are included too, but yours is the most important under the circumstances.
Teren: We'll need to temporarily increase the number of security officers. I'll look through the manifest to see who else has security training or aptitudes.
Aire: Good plan. Get started as soon as everything is settled here. We need to put this into action quickly.
Voice: Captain! Captain!
Teren's whiskers twitched, as did his ears, just before the voice called out and he stepped between the Captain and the blonde vashtari that now jubilantly trotted toward him. He looked young, perhaps, Aire thought, early 20s. His clothing, a simple white shirt sitting beneath a pair of overalls made Aire think of a traditional look of a janitor. He recalled someone in the background during his first contact with Nyana with a broom in his hands. He was too far in the background and Aire had other things to focus on, so he wasn't keen to say that this was definitely the same person, but it was certainly a possibility.
Teren: Hold. I will scan you again.
The boy stopped and immediately held his arms out, allowing Teren to give him a full scan. When he was done, Teren gave a curt nod and stepped aside.
Teren: I will stay close, Captain.
True to his word, Teren kept a mere two steps away, allowing Aire to converse with the boy.
Vashtari Boy: I don't know what to say! I certainly did not expect to find one such as you all the way out here!
Aire listened carefully, not to just his words, but of their quality as well. His manner of speech wasn't Shakespeare by any standard, but it was definitely on a higher level than Faelon's or Sylvar's. Perhaps, he thought, Nyana treated her, what she might call, "inferiors" a little better than Ksenva did.
Aire: That is a bit of a long story, young man. Tell me, what is your name?
The young vashtari leaned in, causing Teren's ears to go aflutter. There appeared to be no danger, as the young vashtari simply spoke to Arie at a volume barely above a whisper.
Wyn: My name is Wyn Valro.
Aire's eyes widened and he took note again of the unusual emphasis on his last name. He wondered if he might be coming close to an answer to this strange fixation. Not only that, but Wyn was his great grandfather's name, which was not a memory that he held in high regard. His great grandfather was a detestable man who was the first of his family to arrive in Ramewet through the portal and he refused to associate with any non-elves until the day he died, a lonely and miserable old cuss.
It was not the time for an interrogation, however, so Aire settled on hoping that something would simply pop out eventually. Besides that, he couldn't help but wonder if this young man might possibly be a distant cousin of his.
Aire: That is certainly interesting. I recall seeing a young man on Nyana's bridge on the viewer. Was that you?
Wyn: It was! I usually do not take much interest in whatever happens on the bridge. It's usually boring nonsense, but then I saw you. Tell me, how did you take control of this ship and acquire all these obedient servants?
Aire sighed, knowing this line of questioning would likely be happening a lot in the near future.
Aire: I'm afraid there is a misunderstanding. I worked my way up to this position with hard work and dedication to Carpathia's mission. Many of the others you see here have similar goals.
Wyn's face turned, his smile melting away, but not to a frown. More confusion, if Aire had to guess.
Wyn: Come on, you can tell me now that you know who I am. The Great and Mighty Empress Lazmaedia does work in mysterious ways. I do not know how or why she managed to send operatives this far out, but it must be her plan that we meet this way. What is the plan? Are we to work together to subdue all these lowly species?
Stubborn, this one, but disturbing as well. Aire noticed a twitch of Teren's ears at the mention of Lazmaedia with all her honorifics in place.
Aire: There is no such plan, Wyn. You no longer have to pay any honor to Lazmaedia. You are safe here. We will be taking you to a place where you can acclimate to this new way of life and then you will be free to make of your life however you like.
Wyn's face soured completely, immediately after Aire's mention of Lazmaedia. Wyn took a step back, shaking his head.
Wyn: No... no... This can't be... but it must! How could you defile the Great and Mighty Empress Lazmaedia's name without her duly required titles?!
And then, many things happened. Wyn reached up to the clasp of one of the straps on his overalls. Aire only just started getting a notion that something terrible was afoot, but Teren already knew, springing into action.
Teren: Captain!
Wyn: Glory to the Great and Mighty Empress Lazmaedia!
Some say time seems to slow down in a catastrophe. At least, in this moment, Aire found it to be true. Teren was already in mid-tackle of his captain by the time Wyn finished his final words. He saw Wyn press and hold the clasp of his overalls and then everything around him disintegrated into a thunderous explosion. The last thing he could remember was tumbling across the floor, unable to see, unable to hear, wondering where he might end up and if he would be alive at the end of it.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
