Carpathia IV: Episode 188 - Sketches
NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Amenaru expected, after the white light, that he would be face to face with Mrs. Tiggywinkle again. He was not. He expected that he would be standing in his house at the in-between again. He was not. In fact, he didn't know where he was. All he knew is that he was lying flat on his back with his eyes closed and something was beeping every couple of seconds in the background.
Just opening his eyes proved to be a laborious process as he started becoming aware of just how weary he was. Halfway open, and the first blurry images pierced his eyes. He was in a room with bright lights overhead. He rolled his head away from the lights and then he could open his eyes fully. Green and purple accents. Familiar soft-shelled panelling on the walls with silver accent strips between them.
He was on the Shadowdancer.
But was he? The last day was one nutty thing after another and he didn't want to make any assumptions at this point. He rolled his head to the other side and spotted Kit, unmistakable with his ears draped over the back of the chair in which he was sleeping. At least, Amenaru thought he was sleeping. He never could tell because he already knew that closed eyes were purely optional for a napping tokki. Kit's were open, staring directionless off into nothing.
Amenaru: Kit...
The name passed his lips as more of a croak than a voice, but Kit heard it nevertheless, leaping out of his chair with a start. One second, he was motionless in his chair and the next, clear across the room, astonished expression painted across his face.
Kit: Doctor!
Without waiting for a response, Kit rushed back to Amenaru's bed and grabbed his hand.
Amenaru: Where am I?
Kit: You're in recovery. It's been a whole day since your surgery.
Amenaru blinked and tried to take a deep breath, a painful experience which he rapidly aborted.
Amenaru: So... I'm alive? I thought I was dead.
Sorchae: You were. A couple of times, at least.
Amenaru turned his head to Sorchae's voice, from the door straight ahead from the foot of his bed. She stepped in, stopping at his bed to examine the data console while Tamati followed.
Sorchae: Let's see how that new heart of yours is doing.
While Sorchae examined the console, Tamati pulled his bedcovers down and had a look at his chest. Amenaru couldn't see his chest well, but there was a lot of business going on in that area. Lots of little gadgets with blinky lights and thin, optical cables sticking out everywhere.
Amenaru: I'm so confused right now.
Tamati: Unfortunately, your old heart was no longer viable, so we put in a shiny new one for you. Everything here is functioning as it should, Doctor.
Sorchae: That's good. Let's run some full body scans.
Tamati: Yes, Doctor.
Amenaru: I'm alive? And you too? Kit? The Shadowdancer isn't... Oh no...
Amenaru suddenly remembered the last thing he did before he was taken back to Mrs. Tiggywinkle for the second time. The newspaper article about the loss of the Shadowdancer. The other article about the mystery ship. At the time, he didn't know what that ship was and neither did anyone else, judging from the article. It was surely Vashta and he was the only one in either reality who knew. Already, the memory of the new life was fading and he had to write it down now before it was lost forever. Had it all been a dream? Maybe, but he wasn't taking any chances.
Amenaru: Paper! I need paper!
The blinky lights did not appreciate this outburst at all and they now blinked like they'd never blinked before, prompting grumpy faces all around from both Sorchae and Tamati.
Sorchae: Amenaru, I need you to calm down.
Amenaru: I'll calm down when I get paper and a pencil!
Kit: Amenaru, what is it?
Sorchae grimaced and looked Amenaru directly in the eye. He knew what she was thinking, whether to get him the paper or sedate him. He prepared to plead his case when he soon found out he wouldn't need to.
Sorchae: Kit, go to reception and fetch a notebook and a pencil.
Kit, still clutching Amenaru's hand looked back at him, and then at the doctor before nodding.
Kit: Yes, Doctor.
Kit backed away slowly, gaze affixed firmly on Amenaru, and let his hand slide out of Amenaru's. Then, he darted out of the room.
Sorchae: It must be something indeed if it's making you think of anything other than Kit.
Amenaru: It may be nothing, but if it is something, then I need to get it down now before I forget. By the way, have you heard any news about Blue?
Sorchae blinked twice, as though unsure if she heard right. It was then that Amenaru realized what a radical change of subject his question was.
Sorchae: Blue? Not in the last day or two. Tamati?
Tamati: Nope.
That actually made sense, Amenaru thought. If Blue really has died, it would have been very recent and news wouldn't be out yet. Still, worth a try, but he's proven nothing yet.
Amenaru: Is Captain Valro available? I'd like to see him.
Sorchae: I know he'd like to see you too. He told me to let him know when you wake up. I'll just send him a notification right now.
While Sorchae notified the Captain, Kit rushed back into the room with a notebook and pencil.
Kit: I got it!
Amenaru reached out before Kit even got to the bed and snatched the notebook and pencil from his hands as soon as he was close enough.
Amenaru: Thanks!
Without another word, he furiously scribbled and sketched as fast as he could while the others looked on, unsure of what to make of this little obsession.
Later, Ready Room, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Aire sat his chair drumming his fingers on the table and Ryuu seated beside him. Both watched the screen with a profoundly impatient Admiral Zhang glaring back at them.
Admiral Zhang: You really think that Lieutenant Pendergast had this experience and it was not a dream?
Ryuu: We can't be sure, but this is too important not to verify. That's why we need Kuro.
Admiral Zhang: I hope this is worth it. I had to expend some social capital to get this meeting. Kuro really does not seem in any mood for meetings right now.
Admiral Zhang had a glance at her console and then back up at her screen.
Admiral Zhang: That's her now. I'll put her on split screen. Whatever you have to say, make it quick.
A moment later, Kuro appeared on the screen, looking rather cross and her hair sticking out in all sorts of directions. It was an intimidating sight for sure, as she looked as though she might have eaten someone already.
Kuro: This had better be important. I am extremely busy!
Aire's first thought was to dip down in his chair and take himself out of view, but he persevered.
Aire: My apologies, Kuro. I'll keep this quick. Did Blue die in the last few hours?
Kuro's head jerked backward, the way one does when hearing something entirely unexpected. She did not answer, but, after a pause, whipped her head around and shouted at whoever was behind her.
Kuro: Everyone out of the room, NOW!
A commotion of shuffling, running, and slamming doors proceeded immediately until all became quiet and Kuro whipped her head back around to the screen.
Kuro: You will tell me right now how the hell you know that. There are only three people in this entire universe who know that!
Now sufficiently terrified beyond all reason, Aire described quickly what Amenaru had told him about his experience in the in-between. Gradually, Kuro's expression softened from intense frustration to rapt attention.
Aire: If Amenaru really met Blue, which seems likely at this point, that would lend credence to everything else he said. That also means that we should initiate Omega Directive... somewhere between levels three and five. I'm not sure which.
Kuro: You said he met Bastet there. Was there another?
Ryuu: Amenaru said that Bastet had help from the Guardian of Eternity.
Kuro's jaw flopped open, a curious sight indeed to anyone who knew her even a little bit.Always in control and seeming to know more about what was going on than everyone else, this time, her intuition completely failed her.
Kuro: I will call an emergency meeting of the dragon council. Ryuu, you will attend?
Ryuu: Of course.
Aire: This doesn't seem like a run-of-the-mill demigod encounter. Am I right?
Kuro: Captain Valro, we keep a database of every known demigod and the Guardian of Eternity is one of the most mysterious. We've only heard mention of them four times in our recorded history. Now five. We know so very little about them. We don't know if they have a gender. We suspect a possibility that this one may, in fact be immortal rather than a descendent from a long line of Guardians. What we do know is that they only show up in times of great hardship, usually bearing a message of some sort. Frankly, I highly doubt even Amenaru's Bastet realized what she was getting into. There are cosmic affairs afoot that we can only begin to comprehend.
Admiral Zhang: One thing is for sure, the demigods sure seem to fancy your crew. You keep a sharp eye out.
Aire: I'm pretty sure that the Guardian of Eternity was delivering a warning.
Aire picked up the notebook that Amenaru gave him when he visited in the recovery room and held it up to the screen.
Aire: Just before Amenaru left his alternate present, he saw this in a newspaper. The evidence is that the Vashta destroyed the Shadowdancer and returned to their world and informed Lazmaedia of us and nobody here was any wiser.
Admiral Zhang leaned in close to the screen with her left cheek, just under her eye, twitching.
Admiral Zhang: 20,000 meters?
Aire: Amenaru was adamant on that point.There are pages and pages of notes here, but he said he wanted to draw this first before he forgot.
Admiral Zhang: I'll convene a meeting with the Admiralty and Lord Krek. We need to accelerate our shipbuilding if we're to counter that thing. I'll see if I can rope Voxx into this too. He might be able to give us a better idea of what we're looking at. Send me everything you have right away.
Aire: I already have everything scanned. It will be with you shortly.
Admiral Zhang: If you learn anything new, inform me immediately. Please convey my gratitude to Lieutenant Pendergast and wish him a speedy recovery for me.
Aire: I will do that, Admiral.
Admiral Zhang: Zhang out.
Admiral Zhang disappeared from the screen, leaving only Kuro.
Aire: Kuro, you have my condolences on the loss of Blue.
Kuro: It is a loss to both of us, Captain, and for Ramewet, but thank you for your words. As you can imagine, I have a lot of work to do, so I shall depart. I apologize for being cross with you earlier.
Ryuu: You've had a lot on your mind, Kuro. Please don't give it another thought.
Kuro smiled and gave a slight nod before the screen went dark.
Aire: Things are heating up. I'm going to confer with senior staff to assess our battle readiness.
Ryuu: You should include Sylvar. He might have some insights.
Aire nodded and pressed his call button.
Aire: Joust to my ready room.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
