Teaser
Captain Robert Dale Personal Log; 13 May 2642. I have spent the last two days trying to get in touch with Mastrash
Ledosh to find out what is going on with the Council of the Order of Swenya, and why they arrested Meridina on charges of "treason". Despite my best efforts, I have been unable to get in contact with him.
The news from Gersal is not good. Reports of Meridina's arrest, and that the charges against her related to her service in the Alliance, have sparked widespread protests between the Dissenters and those in favor of continued membership in the Alliance. The Gersallian government is in turmoil. The Dissenters are demanding a reconsideration of Alliance membership. Meridina's charges are apparently the 'proof' they've needed that the Alliance is corrupting Gersal.
I'm also concerned with Lucy. Since Meridina was arrested she's become… angry. She's taking this harder than I thought she would.
Robert finished writing his log and looked over to his half-eaten lunch. He picked up a ham sandwich and started to wolf it down.
Nearby Angel plopped into a chair. "You know, if we were out there," she said, "at least I'd have tactical watches to take my mind off this."
"I know." Robert rubbed at his forehead. "But we're not. Scotty and the dock manager have virtually taken over the ship for now."
"Except for Little Miss Workaholic, who still can't get out of her office for all the paperwork she insists on doing herself," Angel pointed out, smirking as she did. "You need to make her take a break, Rob."
Robert smiled at that. "I already tried that. Then Jarod got abducted."
"Ugh. This last week has been one non-stop headache." Angel considered her unfinished lunch for a moment. "So, when do we go to Gersal to kick some ass and take names?"
Robert leveled a curious stare at her. "You mean breaking into a secure temple controlled by people who could bat us across the room with a wave of their hand? All to pull out a prisoner who doesn't want to be freed?"
The reply was a frustrated glare at nothing. "And there's nothing anyone can do to stop them?"
"The Gersallian government considers it an internal Order matter," Robert said. "And there's no provisions in the Alliance government for intervening."
"She's an officer of the Stellar Navy, isn't that enough?"
Robert shook his head. "She transmitted her resignation before surrendering. And since this is a private organization passing judgement on one of its members the other authorities can't do anything."
"But we're not going to leave it at that, are we?"
Robert shook his head. "No, we're not. I'm going to go there myself if necessary."
"If you go, I go."
Robert felt a warm feeling in his heart. He didn't think Angel would care so much for this, not when she already detested the influence and time sink that the entire issue was for him. But he could feel her sincerity. Whatever her feelings about Meridina training Robert, Angel considered Meridina a member of the family, and she was ready to raise hell to save her.
"I've got one last card to play on the issue," he said. "But with things so hectic in Portland right now, I can't be sure when I'll get the call." Robert let out a sigh. "I'm also worried about Lucy."
"I didn't realize how close she was to Meridina." Angel picked at a small glob of mashed potato on her plate. "The longer this takes, the more angry she's going to become."
"Which is why I'm hoping the call I'm expecting comes sooner rather than later," Robert said. He took up the last bit of his sandwich. "Until then, all I can do is wait and hope."
In the
Aurora gymnasium, heads were turning at the sound of a series of furious punches against a gym bag. Some half-expected to see Angel there, familiar with the tactical officer's affinity for "beat the crap out of something to relieve stress", but they would have been surprised to see Lucy Lucero there as well.
These days she didn't go with the standard exercise wear of shorts and sports bra, or at least she didn't normally. With Meridina it was usually training vests and trousers. But today she wore something that fit the environment better. She wasn't muscular like Angela, she didn't even have Julia's build with defined, if not bulked, muscle. Her arms and stomach were solid and flat, with some slight muscular definition on her exposed belly.
The crew in charge of the gym's equipment had spent a year quietly shoring up their equipment. The joke around the ship was that Angel had destroyed every punching bag not reinforced with tritanium. She hadn't, but the gym staff had toughened them after she had wrecked two.
But those reinforcements were against Human strength. As Lucy's frustration grew that strength tapped onto the power of her life energies, the
swevyra that Meridina had taught her to tap. She hit the bag hard enough to break it entirely, causing sand to erupt from the wound. She pulled her fist out and watched the sand fall, giving a frustrated cry in the process. Wordlessly she went for the broom and bucket that the crew had left nearby for such eventualities.
She had just finished the sweeping up when a voice called out, "And I thought Angel could be rough on those things."
Commander Julia Andreys was standing nearby. In contrast to the more conventional workout clothing Lucy had, she was wearing a white martial arts gi with a black belt around the waist. Her long blond hair was the kind of rich color most blondes wished they were. She had pulled it into a bun at the back of her head. "How are you feeling?", she asked.
"I'm upset and angry and trying like hell to hold it back," Lucy answered. "Meridina's done everything they've ever asked her to do. She's stood up for everything they're supposed to believe. And this is how they repay her."
"Maybe there's more to this than we thought," Julia offered.
"They wanted me to leave the
Aurora and join their damned Order, you know," Lucy continued. She took the bucket of sand and the broom and put it against the wall. The punching bag was rolled to keep the hole in its surface upward and dragged over to join them. Lucy looked up after doing this and said, "Now I'm glad I said no. These people aren't half as good as Meridina thinks they are."
"That may be part of the problem," Julia murmured. "Robert's trying everything he can. He hopes to have a response to a couple of calls he made by tonight."
"Good." Lucy crossed her arms. "So, what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. I wanted to help you."
"How?"
Julia grinned. "Well, I can't teach you how to pick things up with your life energy or whatever, but I think I can teach you something to help focus your mind and body. Maybe it'll help you deal with this situation over Meridina. You've heard of
t'ai chi?"
"Slowly swinging your arms around."
"Not just that. It's about focus. Learning the movements and how to do them and keeping it all in your head." Julia assumed a starting stance. "And it's a pretty useful martial art. It's about flexibility instead of power." She moved her arms and shifted her posture in an initial movement. "The point is to meet strength with fluidity."
"So, judo?"
"Judo is more about turning an enemy's size against them, this is more 'go with the flow'. Let your enemy punch and kick, but instead of trying to block everything and meet your strength against theirs, you let their strength go to waste. And then, when the moment is right, you strike." Julia made a motion that, if done at a quick speed, would have been an effective counter-attack against a foe. Julia chuckled. "How else do you think I spar with Angel? She's got the advantage in muscle, after all."
"I just figured you made her insanely jealous with that tall, statuesque figure you've got going for you."
Julia laughed at that. "Angel's not the type to feel jealousy over that. She's proud of those muscles. If she had it her way, we'd all be wearing sleeveless uniforms."
Lucy stepped up beside her. Julia kept her gentle smile at noticing that she was assuming the same stance Julia had shifted into. "Okay, let me show you one of the first forms my teacher showed me."
They began. As they worked through the series of moves together, Lucy realized what Julia was talking about, how the precision helped to instill focus even as the movements made her feel limber.
It still didn't keep her from worrying about Meridina, but maybe she wouldn't explode into anger at their continued inability to do anything for her.
The Great Temple of the Order of Swenya had been built as a place of learning and contemplation. It had never been meant to be a jail. But experience had taught those who ran the Order that sometimes, such things would be necessary.
The dungeon of the Temple was buried within the mountain rock under the main structures. There were only a few because there was never any anticipated need for many of them.
Swevyra'kse - those who gave into the darkness - were more often killed than captured, and many of those captured were turned over to state authorities for criminal trial. for members of the Order accused of crimes within Order law and rules, confinement was usually house arrest, and punishment much the same.
Now the cells of iron and steel had a single occupant. Meridina was in the plain linen robe she had worn upon her arrest. She sat in the damp cold, far from the sun, with the only sources of light being the electric lights strung along the cavern ceiling. Her trintanium chains kept her locked to the middle of the room, just within range of the toilet and the sleeping pallet. And here she stayed, kept company only by a roving patrol of the Temple Knights and by the feelings in her own heart. The feelings of darkness festering there, of fear and pain and despair.
Meridina had believed so strongly that the time Swenya prophesied was at hand. Now… now she felt doubt. And thanks to Amaunet possessing her, and using her power for darkness, she felt that evil power within her as well.
"It pains me to see you like this."
The voice made her look up.
Mastrash Ledosh was standing quietly in front of the cell. "I will tell them I instructed you," he said. "Then your punishment will be reduced."
"No,
Mastrash. You did nothing wrong. I did all."
"Meridina, the world is shuddering from this news. A Human, trained as a
swevyra'se without the Council's approval. The Senate attack, now this… " Ledosh stopped. He could see that wasn't reaching her. "Captain Dale sends messages almost hourly. I dare not reply right now, not even to warn him to stop. I think he may come here."
"That is his right," Meridina murmured.
"Meridina, we must do something I do not know what Goras has planned, but the meeting is tomorrow…"
"I will face my judgement."
"Even if it means expulsion? Or even worse?"
Meridina's heart quailed at the word "expulsion". Her entire life was devoted to the Order. She had done what she had done in the name of its future health. "I am guilty," she said. "Let the people have me as their sacrifice for this crisis."
"And if your friends come? If they come to defend you?"
"There is little they can do. But…" She lowered her head. "I
would feel better if they were here," she confessed. "I feel, even now, that our destinies are intertwined."
"The whispers of destiny can be misheard," Ledosh said. "Please, do not sacrifice yourself needlessly over your interpretation of them."
Meridina did not answer that. She kept her head bowed and focused again on the darkness she felt within, trying to come to grips with it and send it out of her.
Ledosh recognized there was no more to talk about. He bowed his head and departed, leaving Meridina to her thoughts.
Undiscovered Frontier
"Whispers of Destiny"
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As soon as Robert got the notification, he summoned Julia, Angela, and Lucy to join him in the bridge-side conference room. This way everyone relevant to the thoughts he had in his mind on the situation were there when Admiral Maran arrived. The dark-haired Gersallian looked no worse than he had a few days prior at the Senate, but Robert could feel his fatigue and worry. "Captain, Commander, Lieutenants." He nodded. "I received your calls. I thought it best to meet you here on the
Aurora."
"Thank you, sir. I know your schedule lately has been hectic."
Maran didn't quite sigh at that. "You could say so." Maran took a seat beside Julia, to Robert's left. "The video files from the Senate Chamber have already been spread across the multiversal public networks." He looked to Lucy. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you were trained in the arts, Lieutenant."
"Thank you, sir."
"Unfortunately for Meridina, this has Gersal in an uproar. Meridina training you two as she has been is against long-standing traditions and laws for our people."
"Then why did she do it?", Julia asked.
"I can't tell you." Maran shook his head. "I've known Meridina since she was
Mastrash Ledosh's star pupil. She's always been deeply committed to the Order. I don't understand why she would break its rules like that."
"I think I do," Lucy said. When everyone looked toward her, she went on. "Before the Knights came for her, she was talking about something, she was upset over it. Something about how we were supposed to be… " Lucy went through her memories for a moment. "She said we were supposed to be 'the Dawn Bearers'. Something about a shield of Light."
Everyone noticed the surprised look on Maran's face. The Gersallian admiral was clearly thinking about what had been said. "She said those words? Those exact words?", he asked.
Lucy nodded.
After taking several breaths and recovering from surprise, Maran had a look of someone who just had a slight epiphany. "I… I think I can see that point, actually."
"What was she talking about?", Robert asked.
Maran leaned back in his chair. "It is said that before she died, Swenya laid out a vision she had of the future. That the Bearers of the Dawn would come and herald a new age of peace and prosperity." Maran shook his head. "I always thought it was metaphor, or perhaps some half-remembered text that was recovered after the defeat of the Brotherhood of Kohbal twenty-nine centuries ago."
"Meridina believes this," Lucy said. "Or, at least she did. Everything that's happened lately has, well, I think it broke her faith."
"Perhaps. If she thought that you were the Dawn Bearers… then I can understand her conduct. It does make sense."
"This is all well and good, but we're not getting to the real issue," Julia said. "We need a way to get her back. They shouldn't be allowed to keep her locked up."
"The Order has no authority to imprison," Maran said. "They can only hold one of their own for a few days before a trial is necessary. And their sentences are binding only if their charge remains in the Order, and most sentences culminate in expulsion as it is. The only cases where they will act further is if internal corruption is involved."
"You mean if they argue the person has given into their darkness," Lucy said. "Which they might do to Meridina. What happens then?"
"Then they are tested. And if they fail, then the Order has leave of the Interdependency Government to kill the offender."
Lucy paled at that..
"They can actually invoke the
death penalty?", Julia asked. The admission shocked her. "But they don't have state authority."
"On this matter, they do," Maran explained. "The Gersallian Knights of the Temple are recognized as having the right and duty to execute those proven to be tainted by darkness." Maran put his hands on the table. "As for getting the Commander back, we have no power to compel her return at the moment. The Order and Interdependency have laws regulating their affairs going back millennia. If the government tried to intervene, then it would cause a fracturing of our entire society that could lead to civil war."
"And if the Alliance Government got involved…"
Maran frowned at that. "The Gersallian people would turn against it. You would see Gersal withdraw from the Alliance. The Dorei might or might not follow suit."
"And other member states that like the Gersallians would be against it," Julia added. "And any state that opposed Alliance Government intervention in their internal affairs."
"But Meridina has rights!", Lucy shouted. "Under the Alliance laws too! We can't just let them kill her!"
"Could we give testimony?", Robert asked.
"Or better yet, deny her resignation," Julia added.
Maran shook his head. "I'm not sure the Order would accept that. At best, if they are only interested in her training of you, then they will expedite her trial and likely expel her. And if they believe Meridina's current problems make her a threat of falling, they'll defy any approach like that on the grounds of protecting others from the threat she poses."
"This is the kind of thing Hawthorne and Davies are waiting for," Robert grumbled. "Having the Navy and the Order butting heads would justify their entire line of argument.
"I agree." Maran nodded. A contemplative look came to him. "But there is another way. Not to get her out of the trial, but to be there to support her, and perhaps to show the Council that the two of you are not a threat."
"What's that?", Angel asked.
"It is permissible for a limited number of close friends to attend such events, by invitation of the Order or of the family," Maran replied. "By being present you could allow Meridina's advocate to call you forth as witnesses. If the rest of the Order observes you and decides you've been taught well, they might be willing to accept a defense of Meridina helping you to establish a Human discipline."
Lucy and Robert looked at each other. They got the gist of what Maran was referring to, and understood what it meant. After a moment they nodded. "We're ready to say that's what we're up to," Robert said.
"It will be not be easy to persuade them," Maran said. "My people try to be tolerant of many things, but we have a long cultural memory. Alternative approaches to
swevyra led to the Brotherhood of Kohbal and its horrors. They're still watching the Dorei Orders for corruption and they were formed centuries ago. I expect they will keep a similar eye on you regardless of the trial's outcome."
"Let them. The important thing is helping Meridina."
Lucy nodded. "All we need is a jump and we can fly the
Rio Grande there."
"I can arrange that," Maran said. "I'm sending the
Drunal to bring Councilman Palas' remains back to his family. They live on Tanatal, but the
Drunal will be jumping at Gersal. You can jump with them."
"Sounds good to me," Robert said. "When do they leave?"
"In two hours," Maran said. "And you'll need every minute of your time. Meridina's trial begins tomorrow."
"Let's go pack," Angel said.
Julia nodded. "Jarod and Scotty can oversee the repair work while we're gone."
"Commander, wait." Maran shook his head. "As I said before, the number of who can join the proceedings is limited. Only three may do so."
"So one of us has to stay behind," Lucy said.
"You and Robert must go," Maran answered. "But yes. You can only take one other with you."
Julia and Angel exchanged looks. Each could see the desire, and the intent, in the other. It was Julia who nodded. "Okay. I'll stay then."
"We'll let Meridina know you wanted to go," Robert assured her. "Admiral, may we?"
Maran nodded. "I'm not here as your commanding officer, so there's no need for formality. You needn't have asked… and yes, you may. You'll need the time."
Everyone stood up to head toward the doors. Robert, Lucy, and Angel were heading straight for the lift on the near side of the conference room, Julia was heading toward the far door leading to the bridge. As she got to it, Maran called out, "Commander, a moment?"
She turned. "Yes sir?"
"I would like you to join me at the Fleet Base tomorrow morning," Maran said. "I'll be at the main dock terminal at 1130 hours. Please meet me there. It is important."
Julia's look was carefully neutral. "Yes sir, I will."
Maran nodded and went the other way, leaving Julia to wonder what was going on when she returned to the bridge.
The three met up at the lift. For the moment they were still in uniform, with civilian clothes packed away for when they got to Gersal. "Deck 10," Robert said, and it sped its way to the ordered deck, where they filed out and headed toward the front airlock. Leaving the ship was necessary; with
Aurora in drydock, and her main shuttlebay a wreck, they couldn't launch from her at the moment. The
Rio Grande and their other surviving craft had been transferred for the moment to the Fleet Base pool, held as reserve craft until the
Aurora was ready to depart with them aboard again.
When they came up to the hall leading to the airlock, they stopped.
Between them and the airlock, their comrades were standing lined up, Julia at the head of the line. "They wanted to wish you goodbye," she said. "And good luck."
"Thanks," Robert answered. "I know that all of you wishes you could be with us. We'll tell Meridina for you."
"Bring our lass home, sir," Scotty said. "This is where she belongs."
"She's one of us," Locarno said. Kane nodded in agreement.
"She's family," Jarod said.
"Yeah, and we can't let them take her from us." Caterina hugged her sister closely. Beside her, Violeta was nodding. She'd never seen the command crew together like this before and Cat had insisted she come too.
"We'll be waiting," Leo promised.
"Right. Don't worry, we're bringing her home," Robert promised.
"An' we'll be workin' t' get our lass back in shape while ye're gone."
Robert smiled at that. "I'll hold you to that, Mister Scott. They're telling me we've got at least another five weeks in drydock."
"Won't take more than a month, sir," Scotty pledged. "I'll see t' that."
"
We'll see to that," Barnes corrected. Beside him Zack nodded in agreement.
"We'd better get going," Lucy said. "The
Drunal is waiting for us."
The
Drunal was waiting for them above the North Pole. Lucy brought the
Rio Grande in at three quarters impulse. They only had a few minutes to enjoy the sight of the newest
Discovery-class starship in the Alliance fleet. She looked every much like her sisters, including the
Challenger, who were essentially built like as the
Aurora's small cousins. With only two warp nacelles, angled upward, and a smaller hull altogether, it was clearly a different ship, but the layouts of the launch and recovery deck for the small fighter wing aboard, the main shuttle bay, and the proportions of the primary and drive hulls and how they flowed together were evocative of the
Aurora herself.
"I wonder if they'll ever build a ship like the
Aurora," Angel said from the side seat behind Robert. Technically she could manage the
Rio Grande's communications and defensive systems there, if it were necessary..
"Oh, I'm sure they will," Robert replied. He was beside Lucy as the co-pilot, but that effectively meant monitoring everything else while she did the flying. "In time."
Angel nodded. Herr console let off a beep. "The
Drunal is preparing to generate a jump point. Five, four…"
"We're in position now," Lucy assured them all.
As soon as Angel reached "One" space split up ahead of them. An emerald-colored vortex opened in space. The
Drunal let them go first and Lucy quickly made use of that opening.
After the usual experience of transitioning to another universe, they found themselves in near orbit over Gersal. "I'm asking for landing permission now." After a moment Angel nodded. "We've gotten it. They're vectoring us in to land at Jantarihal Spaceport."
"It's been awhile since we were on Gersal,"' Robert mused.
"Somehow I don't think the reception we get will be the same as we did before," Robert sighed. "Let's put in and get a ride to the Great Temple. I'd like to see Ledosh turn down my calls now."
After Robert and the others had left, everyone dispersed to go back to whatever work they chose to do while the ship was under repair. Zack followed Julia to her office. "What can i do for you Zack?", she asked.
"Well, to put it simply… I need a Chief Engineer on the
Koenig."
Julia gave him a concerned look. "Karen?"
"Derbely is going to be out for the next three months. At least." Zack frowned. "It's going to take her that long to heal."
"I see." Julia sighed. "Well, do you have anyone in mind?"
"Tom knows those systems inside and out," Zack said.
"Tom's also helping to get our repairs done," Julia pointed out. "Still, if he's willing to do the temporary transfer, I'll see if Scotty can let him go."
"Thanks," Zack answered. He remained seated in front of her. "How are you doing, by the way?"
"Well, I'm alive," she said. "That's better than some. And I'm…" She thought of the word she wanted to use. "I'm bette rthan I was a ocuple of days ago, how about that?"
"Okay. I just know how you felt about not being at 425TD."
"I had to work through it," she confessed. "And I did."
"Right." More silence filled the room for the moment. "Do you think they can do it?", Zack asked.
"Those three? There's not much they can't do." Julia gave Zack a reassuring smile. "They'll get it done. Don't worry."
"Yeah." Zack nodded. "I know I've got to think positive. I just wish we could all be there. That we could show those robed jerks what we think of them treating Meridina like this."
"Oh, I know the feeling." Julia looked to her computer. "Now I've got to get to work finalizing more leave requests and going over crew replacement."
"Yeah, I've got to do the same," Zack said. "I'll be in my quarters on-ship if you need me."
Admiral Maran's arrangements hadn't stopped with the berth at the spaceport. As soon as Robert and the others secured their things, a Gersallian air-car pulled up. The vehicle was winged near the back, with space for five or six riders aside from the driver. An older man was in the driver's seat, gray-haired and bearded in a way that reminded Robert of some of his grandfather's war buddies that had come during reunions when he was just a child. "Captain Dale and others, yes?", he asked.
Robert nodded. "Here."
"The Admiral asked me to give you a ride," the older man said. "Things in the capital are tense right now. You might not get a ride if people figure you're Alliance."
"We can change out of uniform if it'll help."
"Willing to put away your multidevices? Everyone knows the military model ones."
"Got any good replacements?", Lucy asked.
"Afraid not," was the reply.
"Then it's better that we don't." Lucy looked to Robert. "I've got things set up in case we need an emergency beam-out."
He nodded. "Alright. We'll go in uniform for now, but we should probably change if we meet Meridina's family." Robert looked at the driver. "And you are?"
"I'm Haklir," he answered. "I was a rate in the fleet for ages. I've known the Admiral since he was a ship commander. Man's saved my life a dozen times, easy. I'm one of many who'll come calling if the Admiral gives the call."
"Well, Haklir, I'm Robert, and this is Angel and Lucy." Robert gestured to the others. "I know you're doing this for the Admiral, but thank you anyway."
"You're welcome. Whenever you're ready."
They settled into the vehicle. Haklir drove it out of the hanger area where the
Rio Grande would remain. Lucy's multidevice let her remotely close the hanger behind them.
Away from the spaceport, the car gained altitude and joined the thick aerial traffic over the city. Below Robert could see crowded streets. His senses helped him feel what was going on below. He could feel the anger of the crowds. They felt betrayed, angered, by a breaking of the ways that three thousand years of experience had turned into accepted tradition.
"Is everyone joining the protests?", Angel asked.
"A lot of people are, but not all are against you," Haklir said. "Some of them like the Alliance. And they think it's time that we accept not everyone's going to want to use their gifts the way we do." Haklir shook his head. "It's going to be worse tomorrow. The Order's agreed to a request from the Directorate. They're going to allow a holo-broadcast of the entire trial."
"So the entire planet will see it live?"
"The entire planet? The entire
Interdependency. The Dorei too, probably. And I wouldn't be surprised if someone put it on the IU network."
"Huh." Angel crossed her arms. "No pressure then, huh?"
The vehicle flew onward, over the tall and majestic curved buildings that were shining like crystals in the light of Gersal's sun and over the pristine green parks outside the city center, bordered by towering residential arcologies. Haklir increased power to the anti-gravity field below the vehicle to increase its altitude, bringing them higher along with the winding road and pathways below. A winding river joined said roads, guiding them up toward the mountains.
It was visible for minutes before they arrived. The Great Temple of the Order was a large circular structure, joined by similar smaller ones. The architecture was like nothing you could see on Earth. The circular buildings had elegant, beautiful designs engraved into their round surfaces. Light colors dominated their color scheme, and the roofs were a nice brownish-red, like stucco in some Human architectural styles.
"The offices for the Council are this way," Haklir said, bringing them toward one of the vehicle parks. "I imagine you'll want to speak to
Mastrash Ledosh. Good luck getting in with the way things are right now, but I'll be here reading over some things while you're busy."
"Thank you, Haklir," Robert said.
"You can thank the Admiral when this is over," the old man answered. "Now get going before those red robes get antsy about us."
They climbed out of the vehicle together. Robert gave them both a look that they returned, as if to say "Here we go", before they walked together toward the main door ahead. There were door guards present with weapons already in hand, but not activated. The man and woman, with tanned complexions of similar shade, were clad in the red robes of the Temple Knights. It was the woman who said, "These are the private chambers of the
Mastrasham of the Order and are restricted. Do you have business here?" Her eyes narrowed. Robert felt himself being scrutinized and knew they would feel the energy he held within, as they would Lucy. Indeed, the two seemed to be getting a little more tense.
"You can say that." Robert looked to the others, who nodded. "I am Captain Robert Dale of the Alliance, commander of the Alliance
Starship Aurora. I've come to see
Mastrash Ledosh and to look into the treatment of one of my crew, Commander Meridina."
The two never looked at each other, but Robert could sense they were communicating mentally. "Your presence is not desired, offworlder," the man said. "This is an affair of the Order, not your Alliance."
"I'm not here to intervene as an Alliance officer. I'm here as Meridina's friend and student in the ways of
swevyra," he answered. "I believe I have rights under your Code, correct?"
They clearly didn't quite like that either. Finally the woman tilted her head in that way Meridina usually would when accepting a point. "You are correct. I will inform
Mastrash Ledosh you have come." The woman closed her eyes.
For seconds nothing happened. Angel gave Robert a pensive look. He could see why. Other red robes, and blue robes, and even a purple robe were all looking their way from around the Temple. They'd made an impression.
The woman's eyes opened. "He is coming to escort you."
"Thank you," Robert said, and he put a diplomatic smile on his face. It never hurt to be diplomatic, after all.