Subject: Grail: The Great Brightness - Arda
"On Your Shore"
Lt Arda Kaje
"Strange how I falter
to find I'm standing in deep water
Strange how
my heart beats
to find I'm standing on your shore"
-"On Your Shore", Enya, "Watermark"
Arda had set her alarm early that morning. She figured to take
her time getting ready for the meeting at 11. As she did, she noticed a
message. That was when she saw the meeting had been changed to 9. She
blinked. 9? 9 am? She glanced at the clock. 8:15. Damn!
Now, she was rushing. She had to get herself ready, *after*
feeding Kaede, get Kaede dressed, drop her off at the nursery, then run
back up to the Bridge and the Observation Lounge. She walked in,
breathing a little heavier than usual, and took her seat. Luckily, she
wasn't that late. A stolen glance at the clock indicated that she wasn't
late at all. She was impressed by herself.
She noted that she was the sixth to enter. Already present were
Tony Verde, Jhari Ryes, Logan Castle, Jarel Deschaine, and Eve Mallory.
She caught Epic looking at her. He turned, seeming to
contemplate something, but she had already seen him. She tucked a loose
piece of hair behind her ear in response to feeling as if someone was
looking at her.
Lt. Major Brinn took her place to Epic's right. Corvette Hunt
did not sit, opting instead to stand by the door. This made Arda a
little nervous, but she said nothing to the Ops chief. Dr. Ramius sat
silently studying a padd. It must have something to do with the virus
that Epic had issued the GQ for. Counselor Tzavaras whispered something
to him. He nodded. Alison Donucci sat near Kaje, the similarities in
their departments putting them near each other in position. She did not
speak with the other pilot, but instead watched the room. Lt. Fionn
entered and stood opposite Corvette Hunt at the door. Kaje sighed. It
gave an almost prison-like feel to the room, not that the ship didn't
already have that feel. She waited for them to hold PhasERs on their
sides like sentries. Janice Hargen and Kait Brennan were almost the last
to enter. Epic smiled slightly at Janice, which she pleasantly returned.
Finally, the two Ambassadors, T'Nek Destazio and Kyp Firespray, escorted
by En. Kwan Lo Pan and En. Tifa Charr entered.
Epic stood then, bringing the subdued murmur of nearly a score of
people to an end. He nodded, and spoke.
"Thank you all for your attendance. Before we continue with
reports and anything else, I would like to formally introduce you to
Ambassador T'Nek Destazio of the Torrilion Empire. It is my hope that
the Empire and we, the Ambassadors of the United Federation of Planets,
might find in one another a common ally.
"But the Ambassador brings us news of Kerestia. None of it good,
apparently. I want you all to give him your attention as he explains
their plight.
"Ambassador?" All eyes turned to him.
Jessica-Lynne Sullivan
-+=+- anuther viktum uv the publik ejukashun sistum -+=+-
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