"Guilt"
(Previous Post was Tallulah's "Trouble is not the word")
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Stardate: 61014.2330
"Are they still following us?" A distinguished young maiden inquired,
her voice floated through the recycled air of the small craft like petals
on the wind. Even had she wanted to, there would have been no way for her to
hide the years of vocal training and proper behaviour that her father had
put her through since as far as she could remember.
"They just won't quit." The young man at the controls of the small craft replied, his voice echoing a much more common upbringing than that of his passenger. As the pilot watched on his instruments the massive federation vessel once again close in on their location, the Irrajian youth engaged the engines once again and tried to find somewhere where the ship possessing the marking of the USS ANUBIS would not follow.
"Maybe this was not such a good idea." Adeja offered, her voice having
finally reached a level of concern that she could no longer hide… from
neither of them.
"The off-worlders gave us the opportunity we had been waiting for years. Because of them we can be together without fearing for any of our people. Your father would have laid waste to the entire capital had he suspected that you had been with a commoner. Now the blame for your disappearance will be on these people instead of ours." The young man explained as he continued his efforts to elude the persistent search of the ANUBIS.
"I am thankful for the opportunity they have given us… but I feel for
the pain that they will be made to suffer because of us." The Princess
countered with, her soft voice echoed with an empathy which could only fit that of a ruler towards others.
"Please… don't say it… I know exactly what you are going to ask of me
next… and I just can't do it. I had to sell everything I own, which was not
all that much, in order to *borrow* this antique ship and I had to make
several promises to some less than reputable merchants in order to secure the
cloaking device that is onboard and keeping us from being detected by
that ship out there or your father's forces. If we are discovered, you will
be sent to who-knows where and I will surly be hung in the main square and
tortured until pass death." Rehaw pointed out in a matter-of-fact way
which had left no doubt in his beloved's mind that he had been serious about
seeing this to the end and leave the crew of the ANUBIS to pay for
their freedom.
An awkward silence filled the small craft as it continued to dodge the
many ships which were coming and going from IRRAJ's many space ports and
trading markets. Had it been the only thing, Rehaw would have had no problems, but the addition of having to evade the pursuing Federation cruiser had made the this part of his plan much more difficult than the young commoner had expected.
"Rehaw… have you ever lied to me?" Adeja inquired every so softly. The
tone and words of the question had been such that the young pilot found
himself chocking on his actions.
"Adeja? How can you ask such a question? Of course not. I have
always been truthful with you. Never have I said anything that was not the
absolute truth to you." The young man replied, at first feeling
slightly hurt but rapidly understanding that he had been bated into a trap when he glanced at the eyes of his heart's desire.
"You once said that you would do anything for me… I now ask you to
spare the stranger's lives. Our happiness cannot be built on the sacrifices of so many for a cause that they knew nothing about." The Princess pleaded as
only one of royal blood could, her words carrying with them a level of
empathy that few could claim to share or even understand.
The young man hesitated for a moment then slowly sighed as he lowered
his head and slipped out of the pilot's chair to kneel before the Royal
Princess. As a commoner Rehaw had been taught long ago that the
desires of the higher class were to be respected and obeyed… and as a man deeply in love the desires of the Princess surpassed any need of
self-preservation he
might have had for himself. He would do as Adeja wished… even if it
meant the end of his life.
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"Got It!" Mattias exclaimed from the science station where he had set
himself up in order to assist with the efforts of the crew to identify
and locate the source of the cloaking field they had picked up earlier.
"For some unknown reason the source of the field seems to have come to
a complete stop." The Oltharian reported with a clear hint of scepticism,
the chase having been both long and hard up to this point.
"Confirmed… now that it has stopped moving we can get a better idea of
what *it* is." The ANUBIS' Avatar reported as she scanned the Ops console.
"Sensors are picking up a small craft… maybe some sort of scout ship at
the centre of the cloaking field." The Oltharian Engineer offered, the
sophisticated Intel equipment of the ANUBIS having been more than
sufficient to see what no one else could have now that the level of interference caused by the other ship's had finally been reduced to somewhere more within the normal range.
"A small scout ship… perfect! Annie… lock all transporters on whatever that thing is and beam it directly into the docking bay." The Enaran ordered as he rapidly moved towards the turbolift located at the back of the bridge.
"May I inquire as to where you are going?" The Oltharain asked,
obviously believing that the MCO's place had been on the bridge.
"If you think that I am going to let Tes'Karka have all the fun with
whoever has been giving us the run around for the past hours or so… you are
gravely mistaken my friend." The Marine CO replied as he boarded the turbolift
and the doors closed in front of him, both ending his case and making it
impossible for anyone else to offer any sort of counter-argument.
==========
"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the
Darkness and the Light" 2006 post #201
Setting: Silver Lotus, IRRAJ Scout Ship currently in orbit
Stardate: 61014.2335
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
