The walls of the townhouse are very good at blocking sound, but not as good at scent. While Hakeber was given the smaller guestroom on the second floor, Tasha can tell the scholar isn't there as she passed by. Nor is she in the bathroom. When she reaches the door of the bedroom that she and Gabriel share, she's pretty certain that Hakeber is across the hall in the master suite with Aaron. To preserve some privacy, she doesn't sniff deeply enough to be able to tell what the young Karnor is doing in there but it's pretty obvious.
As she enters the guest bedroom, Tasha sees Gabriel already in bed, propped up with all of the pillows as he reads one of Aaron's books by gaslight. He smells freshly washed, and even looks groomed. The Karnor looks up from his book and smiles.
Tasha smiles back as she closes the door, a smile that lingers as she walks around the bed and has a seat in the same chair she occupied months ago, when Gabriel had been recovering. "Enjoying your book?" She asks, leaning in to see what it is.
The title is Temple Conspiracies and Secret Societies, visible before Gabriel marks his place and sets the book aside. "It's pretty sensational, but there might be some truths buried in it. But I haven't found anything actually helpful in it yet," Gabriel notes. "How are you doing? Between your mother and going to see a Mage, I'm surprised you're not drinking."
"I considered it," Tasha admits, leaning back and folding her hands in her lap. "But we have work to do tomorrow, and maybe I drink too much. Do you want to know what the Mage said? Did you know, he's the child of a hybrid, a parent like me?"
"I don't know the mage, so.. no," Gabriel says, but looks curious. "Child of a hybrid? I didn't know that was possible. What did he say?"
"It seems to be very rare, anyway ... " Tasha takes in a breath, ears canting back. "He said the reason why I was able to exist was because of magic. Not any sort of grand magic, but something subtle or coincidental. I had feared magic my entire life, and yet, without it, I wouldn't exist." She gives a sad little smile, head shaking. "Talk about ungrateful, right?"
"Well, you don't seem that averse to taking advantage of magic when you need to," Gabriel points out, grinning. "I wouldn't be here without magic either, after all."
"I know. The problem of magic has had a lot of faces to me, and that's changed with time. Now ... Now there's really no excuse other than being stubborn, is there? I guess I give up," Tasah says, giving a half-hearted toss up of her hands. "Magic wins. I like magic. Thank you magic for letting us live. How's that?"
Gabriel chuckles, and asks, "Did the mage have any definite ideas about this magical fertility effect?"
"Unfortunately not. All he could discover is that 'some event' occured during my conception and that is why I could exist, which is also true for him. I guess Sifran technology just really likes us," Tasha replies with a far more amused smile. "Anyway, I wished him well in his research. Maybe some day we can invite him to tour our facilities, or help him in another way. Hakeber enjoyed the trip too, so that was good."
"At least she didn't bring back any souvenirs," Gabriel notes. "Feeling positive about tomorrow now, or still nervous?"
"I feel a lot better about everything, really. I've overcome my irrational distaste for magic and my doubts about what we're doing. And, while I sometimes feel alone, I know that's not really the case unless I make it so. The feeling is just a consequence of power and authority, but I can manage." Tasha glances towards the a door a moment, adding, "I thought Hakeber might be a problem, but she never turned out to be. It's not perfect, but I think I have a handle on my worries now." She looks back, then asks, "How about you, Gabriel?"
"I'm having a ball," the Karnor claims, crossing his hands behind his head and grinning. "Digging through history for clues, meeting royalty, exploring ruins. What sort of trouble were you expecting from Hakeber? That she'd be more like.. the old you?"
Tasha laughs as she listens, undoing her neckerchief and pulling her top over her head. "Oh, that she would be a temptation," she admits as she carefully folds the clothes. "That I would realize something unpleasant or a flaw in my character I wasn't prepared for. I thought she migth test our relationship, but she never did. She was never so much of a temptation that I almost slipped. tempted yes, but every time I considered going farther I thought of you, and suddenly, what i thought was a strong feeling towards her was gone, and I just thought, "I don't want to make Gabriel suffer." That's all I needed."
"Oh? You know she did ask me about a threesome," Gabriel admits, grinning while bringing his arms forward to defend against any retaliatory slaps.
Tasha peers, but thankfully doesn't resort to violence, feigned or otherwise. Then, she admits, "She'd mentioned the same to me, too. But I've never been interested in that sort of thing. I guess for me, I'm jealous. I want my lover to myself, and I don't want to share the attention with anyone else." She smiles, then goes abour removing the rest of her outfit. "I've noticed a lot of my motivation in life comes down to that -- that I want people to like me. Don't you think so?"
"A lot of people are like that," Gabriel notes. "Sometimes they try to hard, and lose themselves in the image they want others to see. It takes some courage to be yourself, and hope to be liked for that."
"It sure does," Tasha agrees as she pulls off the last of her clothes and sits down to fold them. "More than I ever imagined. It seems like pitfalls are everywhere, and there's just going to be more of them in the future. And now I have the Seraph, and whatever that will bring down on us, but I think I can handle it. I'm just going to have to think very hard on what to do with it, and why."
"How about this: don't go looking for a use for your new tool," Gabriel advises. "When you all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail if you aren't careful. Look at the problems you do have to solve before looking for ones you might be able to solve with the Seraph, or Melchior or Harmonia."
Tasha tilts her head a moment, then nods slowly. "That seems reasonable. I still need to prepare it for anaylsis and repair, but after that I can leave it to be analyzed in storage and worry about other things. I was also thinking we might want to explore that Khattan base on Sheol, to see how far their influence has gotten, and to see if there's anything useful, or if the base itself is useful. I'm sure the Queen would appreciate someoen keeping her communications array functioning. Anyway!" The young woman heaves a breath, "Lets get some sleep. Tomorrow we have to face ... bureaucracy."
Gabriel pulls the blanket aside for Tasha, and says, "I suppose you'll want a pillow. You can wrestle me for it.."
"Oh no, I'll use the diplomatic approach and use you for a pillow." And true to her word, she slips under the covers only to plant her head on Gabriel's chest. Over time, he's come to learn she likes tucking her muzzle just under his while she sleeps, and tonight seems like it will be no exception.
The Rephidim Temple is divided into many groups, each with their own levels of bureaucracy and protocol. Unsurprisingly, the top level, The Bridge, is not directly accessible. Because of this, Gabriel and Aaron have prepared paperwork for both the Inquisition (on the notion that Abaddonians are 'aliens' and fall under Exile jurisdiction), the Audit (because they have gifts, and the Audit tracks such things to ensure there isn't any bribery going on) and the Technopriests (since there is Expedition technology involved). It takes quite some time to file all of the proper paperwork and requests to see which group responds to them favorably (or at least without too much of a wait).
In one of the many lobbies, the group of Karnors, half-Karnor and Lapi wait, while a Jupani guard tries to avoid the flirty looks Hakeber occasionally shoots his way.
Like the Jupani, tasha does her best to try and ignore Hakeber's actions, adhering to a strict level of self discipline and comportment while inside the Temple. For Tasha, this was the greatest source of power and authority she had ever known; an unreachable mount from which those powers that seemed akin to godhood ruled the masses. A place she would never know, forbidden to a lowly person such as herself. But if time makes fools of us all, then it is surely amused to see Tasha standing at the threshold of heaven.
"Hakeber, enough," she whispers gruffly after the woman's third attempt. "No here."
"They could at least have some magazines," Hakeber replies quietly. She doesn't seem to do well with boredom. Aaron, however, has both ears perked up, and appears to be tracking something through the walls. "I think we're about to have company," the Lapi notes. "They don't sound happy."
Tasha grimaces. "Lets hope they're just having a bad day. Get ready everyone." The young woman a moment to check herself in a mirror she's brought along, adjusting her uniform and hair until she anxiously decides enough is enough, putting the accessory away and folding her hands, watching for their visitors expectantly.
A set of doors are opened by attendants, and two ornately robed figures enter the lobby, shooting dirty looks at one another. The taller one is a lanky, white-furred Eeee wearing the austere robes of the Audit. The other is a short and stout Rath'ani in the robes of a Technopriest, complete with ceremonial wrench-scepter. "We clearly have priority on Expedition artifacts," the Eeee is telling his counterpart. The raccoon just huffs, and says, "Working technology is our domain, Officer Raphe, as you well know."
"Should have known this would happen," Aaron mutters, earning a sharp glance from the equally sharp-eared Eeee.
Tasha almost mutters just how bad the situation sounds, but reminds herself an Eeee is present, narrowly evading a disapproving look of her own. Rising with Gabriel and the others, she takes a moment to gather the gifts they have brough and then moves to stand to rear, to the right.
"Now then," the Eeee says, finally addressing the group. "I am Bridge Officer Raphe of the Audit," he introduces himself. "And this is my ... colleague.. Technopriest Gazmo. I understand you have gifts from Abaddon for the Astromancer?"
The half-Vartan stiffles a gasp, never having actually seen a Bridge member, let alone heard of anyone who had met one in person. Despite her newfound position and power, she realizes there's still a part of her mind which still hasn't grasped the reality of her situation and sees her adventures as akin to a dream. Urging herself to sap out of her reverie before the situation turns in to a nightmare, she steps forward and begins offering the gifts.
After placing all but one of the gifts down, she steps forward to offer the first. "A data-disk of records recovered from the Expedition vessel Orpheus," she announces, offering it forward and inclining her head respectfully.
The two Temple officers eye the disk, then each other. "Well, is it an artifact or technology?" the Eeee finally demands.
Tasha blinks at the question, taking a moment to consider and still sounding uncomfortably nervous when she answers, "Both? The disk is a technological artifact, and the records are historical with some technical and stellar cartography."
After the explanation of the disc, the two Temple officers start arguing with one another. "It's an artifact," the bat from the Audit claims, while the raccoon engineer notes that it requires a data reader to be of use, and that falls under the purview of the Technopriests. Neither seems to be getting anywhere, until Aaron timidly asks, "What about the Temple Library?"
"Uh, the Library," Bridge Officer Raphe squeaks. "Clearly.. uh.." He doesn't seem to have a good excuse on hand for not turning it over to the Library. Technopriest Gazmo just chitters to himself as he chews on the end of his ceremonial wrench.
"Clearly this gift should go to the Library," the Eeee finally admits, with a bit of distaste.
Meaning, Tasha's eyes have been darting back and forth between the two Temple officer with her smile becoming ever more strained as she increasingly fears drawing their ire. When the two finally come to an agreement, she lets out a breath and reaches for the next gift. By the time she's standing up again, her friendly smile is back in full force, if somewhat more forced.
Holding a small box forward, she opens it to reveal a pot full of peculiar metallic sand carefully seated in a form-fitting interior. "Khattan ProgMat," she explains as she runs a finger along the pot's bottom, causing the grains to shift an undulate. "This one is programmable to take the form it's given. It's a form of programmable matter that was once -- and perhaps still -- used by the Khattan Trade Coalition."
Both the Eee and Rath'ani take a few moments to play with the device in silence. "This seems harmless," Raphe notes, looking to Gazmo for confirmation.
"Yes," the Technopriest agrees. "It can be safety-screened and passed along to the Captain-Astromancer."
Tasha's exhale is internal this time, but no less nervous for it. Talking directly to a Bridge Officer may as well be like talking to a representative of god as far as she's concerned. She lived under the shadow of Rephidim for so long, even now, when her own power and influence might put her much closer on the political scale, she still can't quite escape the surreal and unsettling feeling of being far out of her element, not to mention her place in the world.
The young woman muses on this a moment as she picks up the last case, this one larger than the others and long besides, easily the length of her arm. This too is opened; inside is another metallic item, but unlike the last, it has the static form of a starship -- and not just any starship. "I don't think I need to mention what this is?" She asks in uncharacteristic timidity.
"Of course you should mention it," the Technopriest claims, apparently not recognizing the Ark. But then, the model in Freedom Park is a bit more artistic than realistic, and the structure of the Temple completely covers the ancient ship now.
Tasha's ears cant backwards at the request, but she nods. "Oh, well ... It's the Ark. That is, the Ark in its original form. Joint Expeditionary Ship Ark." she explains.
"Really?" the raccoon asks in surprise. "What's this bit here?" he asks, pointing to a humanoid statue set into an alcove, among a line of similar structures.
"Really, Gazmo.." Raphe says with a sigh, and swats the pointing hand away. "It counts as art, so can go to the Astromancer. I'm sure it will look good on his desk."
"The Ark was an international effort, so it reflects the cultural asthetic sensibilities of its owners," Tasha answers as she leans forward to look. "Here we see a mixture of Terran and Silent-One artistic values; the Silent-Ones as builders are particularly fond of the grand arched decor featur-" She pauses when the hand is swatted away only inches from her nose, which she rubs a little as she leans back. "Um, well, it's decoration," she says finally, hurriedly bringing her explaination to an abrupt conclussion to try and avoid any of that ire coming her way.
"It's very finely made, for being metal," the Technopriest notes while shooting the Eeee a dirty look. "Who is the artist?"
"We had it rendered by our chief engineer using computer aided cutting tools, such as lasers, using scavanged materials of high quality. His name is Fred, Fred Kohler," Tasha answers, tail wagging a little. "He'll be happy to know you like his work. We used a operational blueprint contained within the records we extracted from the Orpheus, and have included blueprint as part of the records contained within the disk. It should help repairs if you don't already have a copy."
The Technopriest seems to bristle at the suggestion, and turns to Raphe, saying, "Did you hear that? The disc has information that belongs to the Inner Mysteries, so I should take it."
The Eeee is unmoved, and shakes his head. "I'm sure it has lots of information, but that information will need to be reviewed by the Library first, then classified or disseminated as necessary. You do trust the Library, do you not, Junior Engineer?"
"The Inner Mysteries?" Tasha asks, ears perking. "May I ask? Or would that go against it being, well, mysterious?"
The raccoon blanches a bit at the use of his status title, and nods quietly. "Of course, Bridge Officer. The Library is.." he stops when he hears Tasha's question. "The Inner Mysteries are the bailiwick of the Technopriests, young lady. For a non-Technopriest.. or Bridge Officer.. to know of them would be considered heresy.."
"Well I certainly don't want to commit any heresy," the half-Vartan insists, holding her hands up. "I was just curious in case it was something we could help with, or, for that matter, if you would like our assistance accessing the disk. We also have some inqueries we would like to make of the Library, should that please the Temple."
"The Captain and I have some engineeering experience, and Scholar Hakeber is familiar with record keeping mediums of Abaddon," Tasha adds, hands falling.
"We are grateful for the offer of help," the Bridge Officer says smoothly, while his companion looks like one could fry an egg on his head at the moment. "But we are capable of handling all Temple functions ourselves, and have strict security protocols that would prevent outsiders from direct access to such things. Perhaps it is different on Abaddon, but here on Sinai we need to protect our advantages over the surface nations."
"It's fine, I'm used to the poltical considerations of power and information. Ettiquette demands that I offer, no offense meant," Tasha replies, then urns to address the Technopriest specifically. "And I mean that. We, the JEF, have been working hard in a mutual effort to recover and propigate technolgy, so we're used to working not only with each other, but with patron nations, independents, and individuals in a web of mutual assistance. It's not uncommon at all for us to offer our own expertise, and not a commentary on your abilites. To not have offered may come across as favoritisim against the Temple."
"Ah.. but you are not offering these same secrets to the other nations of Sinai, are you?" the Technopriest asks. "Not that they would have the ability to access the information anyway.."
"It is as you say, there would be little benefit to do so," Tasha answers, nodding.
"Please wait here, and an escort will bring you to the Library where you can deliver the disc," Raphe explains. "Gazmo, take the model and the toy and perform the safety screen on them, please."
"Of course, Bridge Officer." Tasha steps back and glances over to her mate, giving him a hopeful smile.
The Technopriest is a bit grumbly about being the one to do all the work, but takes the box with the model and the ProgMat dish. Raphe bows and exits before the Rath'ani, forcing him to reopen the door awkwardly.
"Well, we weren't executed," Aaron says with relief.
"They don't seem very.. cooperative with one another," Gabriel points out.
"I know," Tasha agrees, giving a sharp exhale. "For a while I wasn't sure how they would react, or if I was saying the right thing. It's almost like dealing with conservative Silent-Ones, they're both unforgiving of mistakes and perceived slights. I haven't been that anxious in dipomacy in a while."
Tasha then nods to Gabriel. "I had only heard about it from heresay, but it was uncommon knowledge that the Guard and Audit were at odds on the docks."
"Thousands of years of bureaucracy will have fragmented the whole into separate camps hoarding what power, resources and information they can for themselves to avoid the other groups from supplanting them," Hakeber suggests. "Thus, the distaste for the Library; giving them knowledge gives the Library an advantage over them, plus they can't control information relevant to their own operations once it's in the hands of the Librarians.. probably."
Tasha glances at Hakeber and frowns. "I think I'm beginning to feel what that's like. The secrets game, everyone hiding their best material and ideas, the appearance of trust, the actuality of mistrust. When we started on this path, I never realized how complicated things would get. And I'm as guilty of it as anyone."
"Well, nobody said it would be easy dealing with the Temple," Aaron notes. "But at least we know now not to offer to help - aside from the security claim, it probably makes them feel mildly insulted or something."
The door opens, and a pair of Jupani guards enter the room. "We're hear to escort you to the Library," the senior one notes, and then seems a bit surprised to see so many wolves in the group.
"The Technopriesthood must hold their technological skills in high regard and feel our offer was belittling, but ... " Tasha aborts whatever she was about to say as the guard arrives, stopping to listen and then nodding. "Thank you for taking the time to meet us. We're ready to proceed when you are." Catching the odd look, she adds, "We're more homogenized than we'd like, but necessity and ... coincidence brought us together as we are."
"I don't recognize your uniforms," the guard notes, looking at Tasha and Gabriel.. and to a lesser extent Hakeber, who is also wearing her 'formal' Templar robes - but 'Templar Scholar' fashion apparently wasn't in much use by the Knights Templar of Sinai.
"We're members of the Joint Expeditionary Force, our uniforms are the same uniforms worn by the Terran crew of the Ark and other Terran ships, such as the Fenris. You could say they're the original Temple uniform, at least for the Terrans. The other space fairing nations had their own uniforms," explains the hybrid.
"I'm with the Knights Templar of Abaddon," Hakeber explains. "Records and Research."
"I'm just a local apothecary," Aaron notes. "It's a long story."
"Well.. please follow us then," the guard says, looking somewhat impressed.
Tasha smiles and nods, letting Gabriel take the lead and following along afterwards. "I've always wanted to see inside the Temple," she whispers aside to Aaron, a fellow Sinaian.
"So have I," the buck whispers. "On the condition that I be allowed out again of course."
"Aye, I hear that. The only way I thought I'd ever see inside here was from inside a prison cell," the red woman agrees. "It's even weirder that I have this pervasive duality about this place, a sense of nostalgia mixed with awe and disbelief. Two different memories and people who see this place in near polar opposite."
The corridors are both familiar and different. There are ceramic walls, and dark lighting tiles in the ceiling, while more conventional gaslights are used for illumination. Pipes and cables have been added to the walls and ceiling for whatever purpose, although something can be heard moving through the pipes every so often.
What doors they pass have levered covers where intercoms may have once been and convoluted junctions of pipes and cables. A few of the light panels still work, if dimly, in some sections. Intersections have guards, and there are painted lines in different colors on the floor, which often curve off down side corridors. The one they're following is straight and green.
As they walk, Tasha doesn't waste a second in looking around, her head craning this way and that. Every so often she'll comment on some of the work, or a piece of technology, either musing at what it may have been or how it has been repaired. "Fred would have nightmares of this," she adds at one point.
"You'd be surprised," Gabriel notes. "Fred was crowned King of Kludge in college. I think he'd be impressed by the pneumatic tube network." He points to the sometimes rattling pipes that go all over the place.
"So it is a pneumatic system. I saw several of them in the Pit, and wondered if I was seeing the same thing," Tasha replies, watching on of the aforementioned pipes. "The more I learn about technology the further I realize I really don't understand it as well as I thought. I guess my experience as an engineer is as cludgy as these repairs, which makes a kind of peotic sense since I was born on this world. It's still infuriating some times, though!"
"The more you learn, the less you know," Aaron claims, sounding like he's quoting something.
"Aye, true wisdom," Tasha agrees. "But at least I've come a long way. The old me couldn't have done this." She then eyes a serpent's nest of exposed wiring and says, "I also have this increasing urge to reach over and fix something."
"Please don't touch anything," the lead guard requests. The green line ends at a large double door. Two more guards flank it. They nod to the approaching group, and open the doors as the escorts lead them into the Temple Library. Originally it was probably a storage vault, since the room itself is huge. It reminds Tasha of the library at the Winged Citadel, with hundreds of stacks of bound volumes. It isn't quiet though, as the sound of the air system and some other machinery near the back of the chamber are a bit distracting. People in a style of Temple robe not seen in public push carts full of papers, charts and books to and fro, and a large circular desk surrounds a tree-trunk of pneumatic tubes - these ones clear, so the message bottles can be seen flying back and forth.
After stepping inside, Tasha takes a moment to look around before asking, "I see a great deal of hard copy; does this mean there are no computer terminals available? Or are those also restricted?"
The guard blinks. "I'm not sure what you're asking about," he admits, and leads them to the big desk. "This is Librarian Valeria," he introduces an aged Kujaku. "She can help you, if anyone can. And I understand you have something for her?"
"That's right," Tasha confirms. Stepping up to the counter, she presents first the disk, then the stack of inqueries, placing them down infront of her. "Hello. We were told to present these to you by request of Bridge Officer Raphe. We're the Joint Expeditionary Force party, along with our associates: Hakeber, Scholar to the Knights Templay, Abaddon and Aaron Lightfoot, apothacary. I'm Pilot-Cadet Tasha, and this is our Captain, Gabriel T. Akkers."
"Tk-tk-tk," the bird clicks her beak. "Is this spiral holographic encoding or optical binary?" the elderly-looking Librarian asks as she picks up the disc.
"Optical binary," Tasha replies, smiling.
The librarian puts it into a coded envelope, and hands it to an assistant. "Now, what can I help you with?" she asks, finally really looking at the group. "You aren't an Exile are you?" she asks Tasha. "The last one wanted to recategorize all of the reference books."
"No, I'm just a half-Vartan," Tasha insists before she gestures at the pile of requests. "We'd like to submit these for assitance as well as learn of any rule of procedures we should be aware of. I'd also like to know if the library can be search via terminal." She then looks back to her cohorts, pausing to give them a chance to put in their inqueries, if any.
Gabriel seems content to look around at all the books and reading areas, while Hakeber is.. drooling. Aaron seems to be trying to tune out the machine noises.
"All requests must go through the desk," Valeria claims, as she takes the stack of requests and rifles through them quickly, sorting them into two separate stacks.
"I guess that's it then," Tasha finises as she turns back to the librarian. "I am trained to utilize Khattan, Vartan, Silent-One and Terran systems."
"It's nice to see the young people take an interest in things," the librarian notes. The left-hand stack she hands off to another librarian, and then taps the other stack with a painted talon. "These requests will require Bridge approval," she explains. The top paper on the stack is the request form for information on Henry Cannan and the mutiny.
"History and technology are both my career and my life," Tasha explains, smiling a little more. She glances at the stack and nods. "Ah, Henry Cannan. I can see how that might be a security concern. Will approval take very long?"
"You do have some priority due to your gifts," the librarian notes. "If you will have a seat in one of the reading areas, your books will be brought to you there while the authorization is processed."
Tasha nods. "Thank you, we'll do that." She turns to her group and and says, "You heard the librarian, lets have a seat and get started," before she heads towards the a table, this one somewhat out of the way and farther back, likely for privacy.
It's also closer to the noisy area - which would cover conversation well. Apparently the library has it's own printing press and binding system, and probably handles the printing needs for much of the Temple: no small feat, given the size of the bureaucracy.
"So.. what did you ask for?" Aaron asks.
"This library is quite impressive," Tasha observes as she has a seat, then turns to Aaron. "Well, information on the Vartan Marker -- although somewhat obfuscated -- a personal inquery about a man called Apollyon Stormbreaker, information about Henry Cannan and the mutiny, information about the distribution of the Harbinger Clan and it's assets after planetfall, the disposition of ships at the time of planetfall and their projected impact points, and a special request detailing command structure and names of Ark personnel which is, in turn, written in such a way we hope it gets the Captain Astromancer's attention. We hope he may put two and two together that, along with the model, that we have knowledge of the time of planetfall and are aware he may be the same man as existed centuries ago. Gabriel added a personal report and some code language that would be unlikely for anyone but a fleet captain to know."
"Ah, so that's why some of the stuff had to go to the Bridge?" Aaron asks. "I can't see the Vartan histories being an issue, if they can find them - unless there's some military stuff involved. But it was 6000 years ago.."
"These books don't look very old," Hakeber points out. "They must reprint them every few years. Maybe they've got them all stored on computer but only print them out for access."
"Who knows? The Harbinger Clan was transfered to the Ark under mysterious circumstances; they should have been on Orpheus. Given the mutiny was fleet wide, their transfer could have been part of the overall strategy Henry Cannan employed to prevent what he and his followers feared. There may even be a tie in to the Melchior, which was abandoned along with the rest of their equipment and a lot of personal belongings. We really have little idea what took place on the Sinaian and other non-Abaddonian fleets," Tasha explains to Aaron. She then nods to Hakeber, suggesting, "It may be part of why they're uncomfortable with allowing direct access. these books may be carefully edited copies or the database could be unstable and too value or too unsecure to risk outside access."
A librarian comes by, rolling a cart full of books. She pauses at the table and consults a clipboard. "History of Fleet Maneuvers?" she asks.
"That's us," the red woman chimes in.
Gabriel accepts the books - there are several volumes, covering different fleets and years apparently. He passes the Abaddonian volumes to Hakeber, and opens the first Sinai volume. "Hopefully we'll be able to use this and that map you made to pinpoint things better," he says.
"I hope so," says Tasha encouragingly. "I wish I could be more help with this part, but my operational knowledge doesn't stretch as far as yours, especially not with that era." She pats Gabriel's shoulder, then turns to watch the librarian expectantly to see if there's more coming.
The cart bearer has moved on already, but another person is approaching. This one is tall, blonde and human, wearing a nearly all-black uniform with no clear insignia besides the a silver Star-and-Anchor, also circled in silver, on his breast. He comes right to the table, and says, "Captain Akkers and Cadet Tasha, your presence is requested on the Bridge."
Tasha almost utters 'uh oh,' even as her expression melts in to a solemn, and deadly serious, mask of hidden emotions. Rather than question it, she begins to stand. Both Hakeber and Gabriel can smell the cold chill that must be running down her spine, that Karnor scent that merges fear with confrontation.
"Understood," is the only word she utters.
Gabriel passes the book to Hakeber, saying, "I'll leave the research here to you, Scholar." Then he stands and nods to the officer in black. Aaron is frozen in his corner seat, apparently with fear or some instinct to hold still so as to not draw attention.
"This way, please," the unnamed officer says, and leads the way out of the library without looking back.
After the unnamed officer begins to move, Tasha casts a worriedly glance back towards her friends; they can see her take a deep breath as she begins to turn back, but Hakeber doesn't need to see it to smell her fear. Hurring after, she falls in line beside and to the rear of Gabriel.
Once outside and back into the corridors, they pick up a silent compliment of Jupani guards, and follow the blue line for a ways - until the lines all stop. At least the original lighting seems to be working better here. The escort is silent, and the doors they pass look more impressive somehow - this must be the section devoted to the Audit. Ahead is what is clearly a large elevator. The ride up is a little shaky, but also probably the longest enclosed elevator ride Tasha's been on.
Inside, Tasha stands with her hands neatly tucked in the small of her back, starring forward in a gaze that doesn't waver. The chill doesn't leave her; the young woman has never heard of anyone meeting a Bridge officer, and let alone the Bridge. The Bridge. Even the thought of it sends amother chill down her spine. On Abaddon, the nations share power, but here, the Temple reigns supreme. It was from the Bridge the great war was fought, and from the bridge mighty nations defeated. Nowhere else is as close to the heart of power on Sinai. It is the high throne of the Captain Astromancer; unreachable, untouchable, and yet only seconds away. Perhaps the last seconds of freedom she'll ever have.
Tasha clutches her hands together, unable to keep them from shaking.
The doors open, and the pair is led into a nice lobby (although there are still the telltale pipes and other signs of 'downgrading' and repair. A human woman in the same black and silver uniform as their guide says, "Madam, if you will please come with me? This is just a routine security check, nothing to worry about."
Gabriel reaches over to give Tasha's hand a reassuring squeeze.
The man can feel Tasha's muscle tense under the touch. "O-of course," she stammers out, nodding and forcing herself to walk forward and follow the starkly dressed woman.
Tasha is led to a small side room, where another female guard waits (this one a Jupani taller than Tasha). There's a chair and a table. Once the door is closed, the human asks, "Are you carrying any weapons on your person?"
"N-no, we disarmed before coming to the Temple," Tasha insists, more ferverently than she would have liked.
"Just relax," the woman says, her voice warming up. "Please empty your pockets onto the table. Then I will give you a pat-down, and that will be that."
"Of c-course," Tasha agrees, not sounding any more relaxed despite the guard's efforts. She steps forward and begins emptying her pockets, which include her notepad, a pencil and pen in a case, neatly folded identification papers, a wallet containing both Abaddonian money and Rephidim shekels, and a list of what appears to be names with items attached to them.
The Jupani guard sniffs them, then nods to the human. "Alright, you will get your items back when you leave. Please follow me now," she says, and unlocks the door.
Tasha follows along without a word, not even thinking to complain or question the lost of what could be sensitive materials.
She is reunited with Gabriel and their original escort in the lobby, and then they are led down a hallway to a small reception room. One Jupani guard stays with them while the human goes through one of the doors leading from the room - only to return a moment later. "This way, please," he requests.
After a stiff nod, Tasha is following again. It occurs to her that's she's been a lot more permissive than she would have liked, or even is safe, but the thought of speaking out is almost too much to bear, let alone act upon. She might even be embarassed, if she wasn't already mind-numbingly terrified.
The pair are led into a high-ceilinged chamber which is otherwise not very large. Light enters through a single narrow, oval window that reaches from floor to ceiling, and illuminates several bookcases, framed maps and charts, several chairs and two desks. At the smaller one, tucked into the corner, is a uniformed Savanite girl wearing glasses. At the larger desk sits a red-haired human teenager in a similar uniform, with a cloak and robe on a coatrack off to the side. There's a globe of Sinai on the floor next to the desk, likely moved to make room for the model of the Ark that rests on one corner of it now. "Hello," the boy says. "I'm Tahir Archelaus, Captain-Astromancer of the Rephidim Temple. Please have a seat. That will be all, Abrams, you can wait outside." The last bit seems directed at their escort, who bows and leaves through the door.
It takes Tasha more than a moment to process what she had just heard, obvious in the delay in her response as she moves in a very stiff fashion towards the chair. Gabriel is sure he saw her mouth 'the Captain Astromancer' with eyes as round as saucers when her back was momentarily to Rephidim's leader as she took a seat. Once in her chair, she folds her lap and fixes her gaze at the far wall.
Gabriel sits next to Tasha, a bit more composed - but he's used to dealing with higher-ups. "It is our honor to meet you, sir," he says. "We thank you for this audience on behalf of the Joint Expeditionary Force of Abaddon."
"That's a term I haven't heard in a long, long time," the Astromancer says, smiling. He really does look like all of the other Astromancer's depicted in the Great Hall statues. "Along with several other things, like this," he says, and holds up the request for information on Henry Cannan. "May I ask what your interest is in the Mutiny or the legendary Markers?"
It's here Tasha's gaze flicks from the wall to watch the Captain Astromancer. She begins to open her mouth, but pauses, swallows, and suddenly looks down instead. Inside, she struggles against her emotions; every fear and story she had ever heard of the Temple seems to her to have risen up against her, burying her recent exploits in a torrent of her old life. She even reaches for her notes, hand pausing she she realizes they're still back in the security checkpoint.
"Go ahead, Tasha," Gabriel says encouragingly, putting a hand on her knee. "You're here to uncover the past, not let it hold you back."
"I-I knows, I'm just ... " Tasha takes a deep breath, eyes closing as she holds it for a moment only to release it seconds later. She nods to herself, then forces herself to look up again, if not exactly eye-to-eye. "I am ... That is, we, we ar the Joint Expeditionary Force. B-but you know ... you, I mean, sir, you know that." Her ears flick, her expression momentarily darkening as she realizes her mistake, and then she presses on again. "I am a scholar. I am researching the Markers, to attempt to unravel a mystery. We ... we are aware that Henry Cannan caused the fleet to collapse and make planetfall, but not why. There are inconsistencies as well as patterns. Why did the Harbinger Clan transfer to the Ark? What was Henry afraid of? Is it connected to the Markers? Where are they?" Tasha gaze begins to rise as she gains momentum, finally meeting the Captain Astromancer's once again, although she does lay her ears back. "There are secrets. Maybe important secrets. It's been my mission to find out
what they mean, both for my own sake, and for the JEF."
"My, that's.." the Astromancer says, looking a bit embarrassed by Tasha's discomfort. "Well, that's mainly why I asked to see you."
"You see, in a previous life, I was Henry Cannan.." the boy says.
In a peculiar twist, Tasha suddenly looks embrassed when she sees she has embarassed the Captain Astromancer. She looks about to offer an apology, but it dies on her lips at the introduction, only to be replaced with wide-eyed, muzzle-parted shock.