Subject: Grail - The Great Brightness' - `First Contact, pt. 1"
<<OOC: Hello All. I only JUST noticed that Blake Cromwells address has
not been included in most of the posts of the last two weeks. Please be
sure to include it from now on. Blake, major apologies. Hopefully, I
haven't lost your interest.>>
<<Stardate: 47307.29- 23:45>>
<<ShuttleBay 2>>
Captain Epic Terrakian stood between, and slightly behind,
Ambassador Kyp Firespray and Counselor Mirka Tzavaras. As the Shuttle
Bay doors opened, he noticed Lt. Arda Kaje approach, getting her report
from the active duty officer. She offered him a quick smile which,
oddly, took away most of the gloom that had settled over him.
He watched as the doors opened and saw the slender shuttle being
forced toward the door by the emerald aura of the Grails tractor beam.
When it could no longer compel movement, the exterior beam was
deactivated, and the unit inside the Bay itself was activated, grabbing
the craft and pulling it forward.
As the craft settled onto the glossy floor, its hatch already
hissed steam, equalizing the interior pressure to match the exterior.
Epic moved to go forward, but stopped himself.
No. This was exactly the mistake he had made with Brinn. Instead of
allowing her the right to assume her responsibilities, he had taken away
that right by superceding her. And he had done it to her more than once.
Unfortunately, he had not realised that soon enough to prevent an
endless string of conflicts that he had blamed her for, in his mind. He
didn't know if he could ever make it up to her, but he knew that the way
to start was to stop acting like he was the only one who could do
anything.
And he was going to start doing that now.
"Ambassador Firespray.", Epic spoke softly. "Please greet our newly
arrived guest. Assure him of our peaceful, if paranoid, intentions.
Offer him our hospitality and any assistance he might require. Also,
find out whatever you can from him about Kerestia. I'll expect your
report at the meeting that you and I are scheduled to have tomorrow at
0900. Lt. Donucci will also be in attendance, of course."
Then, he turned to Mirka Tzavaras. "Counselor. Avail yourself to
our Ambassadors. I'll want your impressions of the Torrilion Ambassador
at the Away team mission briefing at 10:00. Thank you."
And then, quite against his natural inclinations, Epic turned and
exited the Shuttle Bay and let his crew do their jobs. Without his
interference.
As he walked, he had a dangerous thought. `Brinn's shift is about to
end. I wonder if she wouldn't mind having a drink with me. She's
had....', he thought about it. `About 10 minutes to cool off.'
He laughed at himself. `Besides. All my bruises are gone. I'm due
for a few more.'