|
Post by Unokins on Nov 27, 2015 21:44:34 GMT
The creaking of metallic joints and the blaring of green lights, signaling the OK to the scouting ship. Lean, slick, and colored with the black and gold emblem of the Lit Tristii, it passed through the doors to the docking station. All the people dashing about on the docks seemed small in comparison to it. But the crew didn't mind; they were wanting to join the ambling crowds on a well-earned time off.
This is Gultag Terin requesting communication link, came a voice over the captain's intercom. Repeat, Gultag Terin, requesting communication link.
The Captain flipped a switch, and his screen switch to show the scaly face of one of Ikimas's security guards. "What seems to be the problem?" The Captain asked. Already he could feel the metal beams connecting to his ship, lowering it safely to the docks.
Scans show an unidentified aboard your vessel, Gultag said. Unknown build, no identification chip. Request permission to board and conduct an investigation.
The Captain was silent for several seconds. He ground his teeth, and then sighed. "Permission granted."
And all too soon, his scouting ship was surrounded by armored armed patrol. LAYZOR weapons hummed quietly as they were held at the ready. The Captain watched them, worry in his pale eyes. What had gotten aboard his ship?
The storage bay doors opened, sliding down slickly as the guard marched aboard, heavy boots thumping the ground. Whatever was in here, they would find it.
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Nov 28, 2015 4:03:54 GMT
Those footsteps. People were coming, and it sounded like a lot of them. Not Lemarck, but she hadn't expected them to be.
She drew back against the wall, uncertain as to her next course of action. Several large crates blocked the troops from view, but the vibrations and smells were unmistakeable. She rubbed her claws together out of nerves. So... so more of those two-leg and four-leg guards with their terrifying ranged weapons. She'd not experienced a shot from those first hand yet. She didn't want to start now, and she couldn't try to represent her people in their government if this turned into a fight.
This was going to be much more terrifying than she thought it'd be. But she kept in the front of her mind the things she'd seen. The experiments and their few survivors, and the Bad Bugs. A shudder went through her from end to end.
Right. This was something she had to do. She flexed her spiracles.
"I-I do not want to fight. I want to talk. What are your terms for not fighting me?"
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Nov 30, 2015 0:35:06 GMT
The security guards tensed when Gloria spoke. Weapons raised, they slowly approached her, circling around the crates. The LAYZOR weapons crackled, anxious hands gripping tightly around them.
Gultag broke through the ranks, a hand held up. Hold, they told their officers silently. With a quick motion of a finger, they all took a collective step back, and lowered their weapons. The humming died off, and an eerily still silence filled the storage hold. Gultag's tail swished nervously. They had their own teeth and claws to protect themself in a pinch, besides their own LAYZOR pistol. And that they was quick enough to draw. Still, they had no idea what they were up against.
"You need to lay down whatever weapons you have," Gultag stated, speaking loudly and clearly, "and come with us. We have questions that you need to answer."
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Nov 30, 2015 1:16:09 GMT
More steps, and an eerie cracking sort of noise Gloria didn't like at all. Her claws scraped against the wall as she backed away, head and thorax lowering toward the floor. Was she going to have to fight? It wouldn't go well. What could she do, if even after that...
Wait. They stopped. And this new command, to... lay down her weapons. Did they think she had guns like theirs?
The Lemarck's voice hissed back at them from behind the crates. "I... don't... my weapons are my claws, and my mouth, but... do I need to lay those down? I don't know how." She sounded genuinely confused. "I do want to come with you though. I need to talk to your... Lit Tritsii. On behalf of my people."
She was rather proud of her grasp on the sound language used by those elves that had named her all that time ago. Finally it was going to be put to good use.
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Nov 30, 2015 1:37:51 GMT
Claws and mouth? Was this one a Dreiza? Somehow, Gultag was both reassured and a bit frightened. What was a Drieza doing here? What were the elves up to, and would the Lit Tristii even be able to help?
"That's okay," they replied. "Just come out, please. We need to let this ship finish docking." Holding up a hand, they motioned and several of their people stepped out warily. A sharped motion, and they finally left the ship. "I'm putting good faith in you, and sending most of my people away. Don't mess this up for yourself, okay?"
Gultag thought they did a good job at hiding their nerves. Their voice didn't waver in the least, and they kept their back straight and shoulders square. Just get this last thing done for, file some paperwork for it, an they could go home for the day.
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Nov 30, 2015 1:49:01 GMT
Gloria's sigh of relief was a noise like a bagpipe letting out air a little too slowly to make a proper shriek. "I could hear them leaving. If you are putting faith in me, then I will come out and do what you like."
The scraping of claws against metal and the creaking of her carapace preceded the Lemarck's emergence into the light. A great shadow reared up behind the crates, and with a muted clattering like ten people drumming their fingers on a metal drum she crawled out in front of the Drezian guard. Her antennae twitched as her beady eyes fixed on Gultag. Gloria politely lowered her head so it was closer to his level.
"I have not messed it up yet, have I?"
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Nov 30, 2015 2:07:47 GMT
It was a miracle Gultag didn't flinch back or step away. Several of their men called out, the weapons humming again. "Stand down," they called back, keeping their attention on Gloria. She hadn't done anything yet. There was no reason to get violent. This was Ikimas; they were civil and calm.
As soon as their men had settled and the weapons were turned off, Gultag shook their head. "No, you're okay. I want you to come with me, now." Gultag suppressed a sigh. They needed a raise, a month of vacation, and an early retirement. What the hell were they supposed to do with THIS?! Still, they motioned and, quite hesitantly the rest of their people left. Gultag turned, feeling the stress tense their back muscles and legs, and followed them out.
"We have a lot of paperwork to file and questions to ask," they said, allowing a brief flash on confusion and disbelief cross their face now that it was hidden from Gloria. "So let's move quickly, please."
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Nov 30, 2015 2:19:45 GMT
Gloria tucked her claws closer to herself at the alarm of the guards, but she stood her ground and didn't do anything. They wanted her to cooperate, right? And she WAS cooperating. This person who was speaking for them had put his faith in her. So it would be okay, probably.
And she was right. The other guards left. Still she had been very tense, even though she hadn't noticed. She relaxed, her head sinking a little closer toward the floor, and she began to follow this person toward the exit. "I am glad they listen to you. I did not know what they might..." She hesitated. This person... everything about their posture and their tension and their pheremones...
"You are stressed?" she asked.
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Nov 30, 2015 4:19:29 GMT
Gultag glance back at her, their face working its way into a frown. "What?" He asked, surprised. "No, I'm not." How could it tell?
They exited the scouter ship and Gultag paused, exchanging quick works with a crew member. Relief washed over the young Kelgidon's face and it floated up to the hatch, off to tell xir captain they were in the clear. Gultag started walking again, weaving their way through the crowd that mixed and mingled on the walkways. So many things passed through Ikimas that the officer and their tagalong was of no consequence.
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Nov 30, 2015 4:34:33 GMT
"Hsssss..." Gloria was confused. Why were they lying about being stressed anyways? That wasn't helpful to anyone. Certainly she was less well acquainted with the scaley six-limbed ones than elves, but it was still clear there was something not right.
She did at least try to restrain herself from asking more questions as they moved onward. They might think she was just asking questions to be problematic, and that was also not helpful to anyone. Either way it was getting hard to focus on only them. There were so many people of all kinds swirling all around them, some with scales and some with naked skins, and some that floated like fish in a pond. Her torso swayed this way and that as she turned to take in things, though she kept following Gultag doggedly. After the guard had stopped to talk with one of the floaters, however, she drew a little closer.
Yes... certainly they were under a good deal of stress. Her pedipalps twitched; she wanted to groom them a bit, maybe help them to relax. It always worked quite well on Lemarck. But instead she just leaned forward.
"I could carry you if you want. I have carried elves before and I don't think you would be too heavy."
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Dec 2, 2015 0:02:04 GMT
Gultag glanced back at her, a deep frown on their face. "No..." They replied slowly. "No, thank you." What respect they had as an officer would vanish. And they would be the laughing stock for weeks. Not that any of it was hurtful, but they just didn't need each order met with a teasing comment.
Conversation quieted down as Gultag reached the station. The precinct was several stories high, the metal almost glistening blue. Officers entered and exited, nodding towards the Drieza as they and their charge entered. The doors were almost too skinny for poor Gloria. Gultag glanced behind themself to make sure the Lemarck was following before continuing to their office.
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Dec 2, 2015 0:16:36 GMT
Gloria negotiated the door with remarkably less trouble that might be expected. It wasn't graceful by any means, but she lowered her head, steadied herself on the outside wall, and crawled through the door like a scorpion crawling under a rock. After about five minutes of shuffling, she stood inside the main room, claws held close to her torso. Secretly she thought perhaps this was why the guard had declined her offer of a ride; riding others inside of burrows generally ended badly.
"Well. We made it inside. What are we inside of?"
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Dec 2, 2015 2:20:04 GMT
"This is the Ikimas Centurion Precinct 11," Gultag explained. As they continued walking, several officers nodded or waved wordlessly. Some smirked as they glanced at Gloria. They knew someone was getting overtime hours. "As it stands now, you are an undocumented, unidentified being. Before you can do anything, there is paperwork for you to fill out, and procedures that need to be done."
They stepped into their office, already feeling a pounding headache coming on. A single day. That was all Gultag wanted. A single day without working over their shift, or having all these.... strange things happen. Just one, normal, easy going day. But it was never like that.
Suppressing a sigh, Gultag sat at their desk. "Let's get started then, shall we?"
|
|
|
Post by Buggy on Dec 2, 2015 4:55:48 GMT
"I'm not unidentified. I'm Gloria the Lemarck." She carefully followed Gultag into his office, as much of her would fit, and accidentally knocked over a chair. "And what is paperwork? I will do whatever I need to do."
This person was not happy. She wished she could figure out a way to make them less tense. Gloria crept a little closer to the desk.
|
|
|
Post by Unokins on Dec 3, 2015 4:13:42 GMT
Gultag nodded as she spoke, pulling out a metal rod from one of the drawers. With a twist and a tug, they split it down the middle length-wise and pulled the rod apart. A sheer, light blue screen stretched between the two pieces of metal, glowing as it powered on. "Gloria..." Gultag muttered, tapping on the screen. It beeped and buzzed, and flashed different lights as their claws touched it. "Lemarck..."
Then he passed it to her. "I need you to fill this out completely. Can you do that?" There were many blank spaces; name, age, weight, eye color, species, parental information... it seemed endless. Gultag was already reaching for his communications device to make arrangements for a place for Gloria the Lemarck to stay until she finished.
|
|