Departure

[Renart Al'Gray]

The word had come as the Fountain Palace began to rise, drawing back the heavy curtains that shuttered the constant light of Hapes. Renart Al'Gray was half way through strapping on the glimmering armour of the Chume'nor when the messenger had arrived.

The news came directly from the chambers of the Chume herself. It travelled quickly through the barracks of Her Majesty's Select Commandos, the ripple of acknowledgement easily marked in the wrinkles on the soldiers brows. The expressions were like wind on water, however. As the only men permitted to live within the walls of the Fountain Palace, the Chume'nor knew their place.

The message was unexpected. It was unexplained. It was also the word of the Queen Mother and therefore, it was the best possible decision that could have been made.

Captain Al'Gray answered the summons and was met by the smiling face of Lira Terranova, as he stepped into one of the many antechambers that lead to the Queen Mother's private residences.

“We are... leaving Hapes?”

[Lira Terranova]

The little queen had just finished breaking her morning fast, the table was being cleared by other servants. Lira was sliding precious child drawn artwork into a folder, pausing to admire each as she tucked it away for now. One had been of Beatrix herself, swimming in one of the many gilded tanks of the Reef Fortress where they had visited. Tentacle like protrusions of sea-green reached for the swimming queen, yet never touched her. Man eating seaweed was a topic of many conversations with Queen Bea since she had heard tell of it.. Thank you, Lord Adair.

The next picture to get filed away was one that must clearly have been people Beatrix considered part of her family, a scattering of familiar figures. In the picture, Beatrix was holding hands with a bigger version of herself, that could only have been Razielle. The hatted figure on the other side of the little queen was obviously herself, Lira noted with a smile.

The doors opened to her side, one Chume'nor departed, another took his place. She could tell without looking up who it was. There was a decided tingle running up her spine. Captain Al'Gray..

Turning to his voice, she nodded. "Yes. Chume'la Razielle has not felt well since the incident at the gates. She believes time away will help correct the situation. So we are taking a holiday on Terephon. Have you been to Villa Solis before, captain?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

There were a lot of rumours about Terephon and few of them pleasant. Located so deep in the Transitory Mists as to be unreachable by long-rang and holocomm transmissions, the resident Ducha had revelled in the solitude that the Mists afforded her and her people. It was a world of marshes, bogs and underground reptilian creatures, whose only export was fierce soldiers lacking any sense of humour. If that wasn't bad enough, it also had a history of attracting pirates.

With all of this in mind, and the knowledge that the Chume'a had chosen their destination, Renart composed his expression into one of respectful neutrality.

“I.. have not had the pleasure, ta'din.”

[Lira Terranova]

"Me neither..", she admitted ruefully.

"Although I have heard that there is an opportunity for hunting." The prospect of getting out of doors and hunting seemed to bring a wash of freshness to the Onderon-born lady's face.

Task nearing completion, Lira angled her head speculatively at the Chume'nor. The was something in her eyes not quite matching the mischievous light that often took over Razielle's gaze, but darn close. She walked forward closer to the captain, the picture still carefully clutched in her fingertips. "If I am not mistaken, I believe this is you.."

Turning the picture over revealed that just behind the child's interpretation of Lira was a figure that was definitely a Chume'nor. The drawn armor, half disappearing into the back ground. "Maybe she did not have time to finish it? You seem to be disappearing."

[Renart Al'Gray]

“I am.. honoured.”

Though he hesitated, there was no slight or sarcasm in the Captain's words. If the young Chume had truly deigned to commit his likeness to paper – if she had awareness of his likeness at all – then that was a true honour. Clearly, the young Queen Mother was gifted in more ways that her subjects could ever possibly understand.

“I will not disappear from her side on Terephon, you may be sure of that, ta'din,” he added.

[Lira Terranova]

Lira too, was honored. Beatrix was just a little girl now, but one day she would be one of the most important, most influential people in the entirety of the galaxy. That she had affection for the glorified servant of her mother was humbling. Lira was mindful that her Queen Bea was not just a little girl, but she was not just the Queen Mother of the Consortium either, she was both. The needs of both aspects of the little queen required her constant attention. It left no time for considerations of her own.

Still, times like this when she could steal a few private words with the most handsome, most unattainable, man she had ever laid eyes on, was Lira's way of making peace with the choices she had made for her life. She would never marry. Never have a daughter of her own, and so she put all of herself into caring for Beatrix.

"I have no doubt of that, captain. Your presence is always very reassuring."

Lira placed the picture with the others and finished packing up Bea's art supplies, certain they would be required during their sojourn to Terephon.

"Is there anything you can think of that I should know about Terephon before we go? Something the Chume might require that I should see packed?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

If the Captain was not already unbalanced by the Chume's artwork, Lira's request for advice only served to nudge him further off kilter. A woman – not least of all a woman of significant standing in the Royal Court – wanted him to counsel her? It wasn't the first time that Lira had asked for his opinion but the experience was no less unsettling for it.

“I.. couldn't say, ta'din. Terephon is a private world, one not.. famed for its beauty.”

Renart swallowed, casting about in his mind for any pertinent memory that would make his contribution to this part of the conversation worthwhile.

“Moors,” he blurted. “There are lots of moors.”

[Lira Terranova]

Lira completely stopped what she was doing for a moment. She held a small pile of Bea's pages, gathering them together she tapped them just once against the table, before she set them down in an orderly stack. Turning around she leaned back against the table, folding her arms before her and regarding the captain thoughtfully.

"You mean to tell me, captain, that there is somewhere within in the Hapes Cluster that is less than magnificently beautiful? How shocking."

With a wry turn of her lips that did not quite qualify as a smile, Lira gave the supplies over to a servant. "See that all of this get packed, please. The Chume is quite fond of drawing at breakfast." Or with her breakfast.. Who knew berry preserves could be art?

When the servants of the Royal House left them, Lira resumed the conversation with the captain. "Moors. Alright, so there will be new creatures for Ereneda to observe and draw later. Game birds, perhaps even hunting birds! If the villa serves as a hunting retreat there will be other game as well, most probably a variety brought in from all over the Cluster."

She was rambling about hunting, Lira realized a little bashfully. Too late to take it back now. Besides, she had discovered that many Hapan ladies also enjoyed hunting. She honestly had not known they did anything other than sit and look beautiful, order men around like servants, or fly fancy warships..

"Do you enjoy hunting at all, Captain Al'Gray?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

“I am not required to hunt, ta'din.”

Renart took a step backwards to remove himself from the path of the servants who had set to filling trunk after trunk with ereneda's clothes and possessions.

“I understand that it is a pursuit that many other Hapans enjoy, however. Queen Mother Ishara often spoke highly of its.. character-building qualities.”

[Lira Terranova]

"I was privileged to have been in the presence of Queen Mother Ishara.", Lira remarked with a suitably crafted tone of reverence on the subject. Ishara had been very lovely, but also very acerbic, and that was the kindest thing she had to report about the dead woman. "I did not know Chume Ishara well, admittedly, but it sounds as though she did perceive the hunt exceedingly well.", she allowed diplomatically.

Lira waited once again for the house servants to collect the last of the boxes from this room and depart before speaking to the captain further. She took the time to choose her words with care, not wishing to offend Captain Al'Gray. This was also her last chance to grab breakfast before it too was cleared up. Queen Beatrix had boundless energy, and she would need the fuel. Pouring a cup of tea, Lira plucked up a piece of toast that had not yet been coated in Bea's favorite jellied preserves.

"I know you are not required to hunt, captain. I just wondered if it was a pastime you might have enjoyed?" Surely he hadn't been born a Chume'nor? He must have had a life before he took his vows? The desire to ask was awful..

She stopped her interrogation by snapping her teeth neatly around a bite of toast.

[Renart Al'Gray]

"The Chume'nor do not have time for pastimes."

Theirs was a largely uneventful, yet all-consuming, role. A vocation, even. What time they spent away from the Chume was best used honing the skills that they needed to protect her. Renart ventured a little further, anticipating that his answer may not have been sufficient.

"There is not a great deal to hunt on the Moons of Relephon. It has always been my preference to practice combat against another Hapan, rather than a beast."

[Lira Terranova]

It seemed a satisfactory answer, Lira decided. Setting down the piece of toast, she sipped her tea and wiped her mouth on a folded pristine white napkin. All the while picturing Captain Al'Gray knocking the superior smirk off another Hapan in combat. It was good stuff.

"On Onderon hunting is less of a pastime and more of a necessity. The creatures of my world all sport fangs, tusks or claws. Some have all three. Some are reptavian and can move between the planet and the nearby moon, Dxun, through a corridor of oxygen. Larger predators still call that moon home. Queen Adraudia's Beast Riders tame such creatures, and train them to fight. My father was a Beast Rider..", she admitted, pride in her voice at his memory.

A sudden uproar from a nearby room had Lira taking a last gulp of her tea and rising. Before she was out of the chair, one of the house servants had returned wringing her hands. She knew that look. Beatrix was unhappy about something. Lira held up a hand before another word was spoken. "I'll be there directly."

Hapan ladies did not excuse themselves from leaving the company of their males, but Lira was not Hapan. Furthermore she was not about to leave the room as though she had been speaking to something as inconsequential to her as the crust of her toast.

"Captain Al'Gray. I do look forward to having you by the Chume's side during our holiday on Terephon."

[Renart Al'Gray]

By mid-day, dozens of shuttles streamed from Fountain Palace towards the sky. Renart was not the only Chume'nor to be departing for Terephon - the entire ranks of the Chume'nor and the Chume'doro had been called upon. Half would remain within the palace, guarding the royal residence and keeping the peace, while the remainder would accompany the young Chume on her first visit to the extremities of her sovereign territory. Many were packed into transports, that could flank and protect the young Queen Mother's shuttle, while Renart and a dozen others traveled with ereneda and her entourage. If they looked carefully, beyond the pale clouds, they could see their destination.

High above the Hapan throne world, outside of the planet's atmosphere and hidden from view, Star Home awaited.

[Lira Terranova]

"Please, ereneda? You will be most safe if you would sit and let us fasten you into your proper seat!"

The plea from the chume'doro went largely unheard by Her Wee Magnificence who instead was turned around in the seat on her knees. Both hands pressed to the view port just behind her seat, as well as her nose as watched Ta'a Chume'Dan disappear beneath her with obvious delight on her perfect face.

Once it was no longer as engaging as the initial departure had been, the hand which had been at Chume Beatrix's back the entire time moved, up and down once. "Would you like to see this information about your residence on Terephon, my chume? Villa Solis sounds like it has many ways for you to have fun."

Lira peeked askance at the young queen who peeked right back, clearly aware she was being managed, but curious enough to ask. "Like what?"

Smiling, Lira opened the holo-display of the creatures that were native to Terephon, and those that as she had suspected, had been brought there for purposes of enhancing the hunt. Bea righted herself in the seat, scooting close to lean her head on Lira's arm as they looked together.

[Renart Al'Gray]

Stepping out of his shuttle onto the dock-plates of Star Home, it was as if they hadn't left Hapes at all. The docking chamber – like the rest of the vessel – were fashioned in an exact replica of the Fountain Palace. Every intricate piece of artifice and architecture had been duplicated with painstaking detail, providing the Chume with all of the comfort and familiarity she had come to expect, in addition to the mobility offered by the class 1.0 hyperdrive. The vaulted ceilings that Renart stood under served as a banquet hall inside the real Fountain Palace, but functioned adequately as a shuttle bay aboard the Chume's flagship.

Polished boots clicked on polished floors as the Chume'doro moved ahead of the Chume'nor, greeting the standing guard aboard the Hapan flag ship by striking their fists to their beasts and their pikes against the ground. Renart watched the exchange for a moment, seeing a brief glimpse of informality between the women as they clapped each other on armoured shoulders and smiled. Postings to the flagship could last for months at a time, during which time the Royal Guard stationed on board were responsible for protecting empty rooms and patrolling empty corridors. It was an honour nonetheless, but one that only the Chume'doro received. The Chume'nor came aboard only when the Chume herself deigned to set foot on the flagship.

The young Chume had yet to emerge from her shuttle and so the ranks of the male guards stood awaiting direction or instruction from their female superiors. Renart fixed his eyes on the shape of the royal vessel, as one of the Chume'doro stalked towards his group and began calling out where each man should be stationed.

[Lira Terranova]

"I'm afraid not, my chume. It requires much training to become a qualified captain. I'm not sure who would forbid you to learn anything you wish in time and then perhaps." Lira's patient response to the insistence from the child monarch that she should be allowed to pilot Star Home herself.

"Also, it is far beyond the ability of a single person. A whole crew must be responsible, surely. Shall I inquire about a visit to the...." The queen's lady struggled for the right word. The bridge seemed the appropriate location for a vessel's command, but this was not just any ship and likely had no simple command deck. "..to visit the captain for yourself, Chume?"

Stopping just before the slope of the shuttle's ramp, the little queen nodded and then released Lira's hand. She moved from her side, to a place just in front of the familiar adult presence. Her shoulders squared, her small stature straightened and she walked down by herself, as her mother would have wanted. Lira remained just behind her along the way down, and then at a more respectful distance as they walked through the shuttle bay. There was a tasteful bit of pomp regarding Beatrix's first visit aboard. Nothing ostentatious, and just enough to attract the attention of a mostly bored little lady.

[Renart Al'Gray]

The assembled ranks of the Queen's guards waited in two near rows, forming a corridor along which the young monarch could proceed further into the ship. Behind them, in equally orderly lines, were the lesser members of the protective detail. Naturally, the Chume'doro stood front and centre while the Chume'nor remained at the rear, Renart among them.

As Beatrix descended from her shuttle, with her own retinue in tow, the guards remain as still and picturesque as statues. Only the captain of the Chume'doro on board was not frozen in place. A tall, impossibly pale woman with hair the colour of starlight, she struck her fist to her armoured chest in salute, her eyes never meeting the young Chume's out of deference. For the captain, like many of the other women and men on board, this would be the first they had glimpsed of their divine monarch in the flesh.

"Welcome home, Chume," said the captain, and Renart chanced a look out of the corner of his eye at the group leaving the shuttle.

[Lira Terranova]

Lira knew, having observed Beatrix every day and night of her few years with few exceptions, that she would have made a study out of the pale lovely captain before her sparkly sandals left the ramp. Her small stature did not slow, or stop at the captain's greeting, that would have incorrectly presented just who was in charge.

"Captain. Ta'din Lira says I'm to be given a tour. Tell her when to bring me."

It was the ta'din herself who fell into step with the captain at that point. "Her Magnificence has an interest in Star Home's operation."

That was as much of an explanation as Lira would be providing. It was her job to care for Beatrix, and watch her like her own child. The notion that this child would not be indulged in her every delight was an impossibility. Beatrix commanded, others jumped to her bidding. Lira did her best to instill at least a measure of restraint, but this was Razielle's daughter. Her efforts seemed doomed from the onset.

With the threat of an amused grin, not yet brought into reality still hovering on her lips, Lira followed the Chume of Hapes toward the royal suites. Most likely Queen Bea wanted to check everything for accuracy.

[Renart Al'Gray]

As the Chume and her ta'din strode ahead, the ranks of the Chume'doro closed behind them. Like his brothers, Renart fell into step behind them, and the group moved in a seamless formation further into the cavernous expanse of Star Home.

Though he was familiar with the Fountain Palace, Renart could not help but stare as they passed beneath gilded arches and between marble columns. Every part of the vast starship had been crafted to match the royal seat of the Consortium. That the halls were empty, save for the guards, was in itself an accurate replica of the real palace.

From his place behind the Chume'doro, Renart could see nothing of Beatrix and only the narrowest sliver of Lira. Soon, however, the phalanx of guards began to split. Women and men alike peeled away, taking up guard positions in doorways and other points of strategic importance.

By the time they arrived at the first of many doors that would admit Beatrix to the royal suites, the number of guards had diminished significantly.

[Lira Terranova]

All of the way down the ramp, through the gathering awaiting Queen Bea's stately arrival, twisting through the labyrinth of gold and marble halls, Lira felt it. A sensation at the back of her neck. An impulse to soothe the area with a touch to her nape. It was strong, but she was stronger.

Don't you dare look. She told herself.

Lira kept walking, just behind Beatrix as Her Tiny Grace rounded the corner, finally approaching the double doors that entered her private rooms. That was when Lira lost her resolve and chanced it. A cautious, subtle turn of her head. Her eyes lifted, seeming to know just where to look.

Big mistake.

Her eyes went straight to those of Captain Al'Gray. Instant blush stole over Lira's cheeks, which certainly was not a normal occurrence for her. Blessedly, she was given a reprieve by the corner and with a little luck could manage to pull it together before they were caught up with..

[Renart Al'Gray]

The notion of a smile began to form on Renart's lips, but the silver-haired commander of the Chume'doro's voice demanded focus and attention. The royal escort had halted at the entrance to the suites ahead, and the commander called out orders to the remaining women and men. In twos, they broke away to find their posts. When she called his name, among a short list of others, Renart stood as straight-backed as he could as she distributed orders. He was last to learn his studies.

"Captain Al'Gray." The commander regarded him with a slight wrinkle of her brow. "You will accompany ereneda."

In his struggle to look anywhere but into the commander's eyes, Renart found himself briefly matching gazes with Ta'din Terranova. She smiled coyly at him and, his eyes twitching back to the commander, Renart gave a crisp nod.

"Yes, commander."