Crossroad

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

A Huntress Captain of the Cizerack Trade Navy was tasked with many things. These could range from the thrill of battle, to the honor of representing the authority of the Pride Mother, to the mundane task of transporting cargo from point A to point B. Most of a skipper's career involved the latter. Korri-class battle galleons were above all else capable bulk freighters. Heavily armed bulk freighters, but nevertheless. Of the millions of tons of cargo that T'yeellaa Meorrrei had delivered as skipper during her career, the cargo she now oversaw was by far the most unusual - and also the largest. That cargo was known to the Trade Navy as Station G-42. To nearly everyone else, it was named for the system it was built in - Jovan Station.

Her ship, the Haifa'Iro'Iro was but one of twenty galleons involved in moving the massive space station from its resting space deep within the Gordian Reach to the threshold of the Carshoulis Cluster. The task was grueling and tedious. Twenty capital ships with their tractor beam emitters working diligently for nearly two weeks, trundling along a laughably small amount of distance to deliver an old Galactic Republic relic to the gateway to the Cizerack Pride. Two galleons had fallen out of formation during the voyage - one with reactor coolant issues and another with a discrepancy in tractor beam harmonics that had regrettably sheared a section of docking spar off the station's superstructure. It was unfortunate, but would be repairable. Some amount of breakage was to be expected in such an unorthodox journey. Captain Meorrrei was happy that the damage hadn't been even worse than that. Her own engineering staff had been kvetching without end about the stress, and the word 'overhaul' had appeared more times during such bouts of complaining that she cared to count. Indeed, even the normal running sounds of her galleon sounded strained and unnatural - to the point that T'yeellaa was running on a severe shortfall of sleep, owing to the fact that the ship sounded wrong enough to cause her to sleep in fits and starts, waking up at the slightest change in her vessel's timbre.

This time, however, she was awoken by something else. The overhead comm trilled, causing her reddened eyes to open with great resistance.

"jYess."

"Captajin, we arre pjickjing up a contact comjing out of hjyperrspace at one-sseven-njine bjy zerro-fourr-ssjix. Alljiance Nebulon-B frrjigate."

The Captain frowned in the dark of her quarters, stirring on her bed until she propped up on her shoulders. An unscheduled rendezvous? The flotilla wasn't scheduled for resupply or any assistance, and Meorrrei acted guardedly any time she encountered their allies. She still wasn't convinced in the mutual benefit of her government's alignment with the Alliance of Free Planets, and she considered their presence meddlesome.

"Hajil them." Already on her feet, the Captain moved in the dark of her cabin naturally, her night vision easing her transition to duty mode as she found her uniform ready in a nearby wardrobe.

"Thejy have alrreadjy hajiled uss, Captajin. A Majorr Kess Akjiena to ssee jyou."

T'yeellaa paused in the midst of dressing, her duty jacket hanging on one shoulder as her ears ticked back.

"Me?"

"jYess, rrou'a." the duty officer's voice affirmed "bjy name. He'ss rrequessted to come aboarrd."

The implications of meeting in person when HoloNet transmissions existed were always significant. What was previously an annoyance was now an outright matter of concern. Why? Who was this Major Akiena, and what was so important that he couldn't just send a message and stay out of her way?

"Prreparre to recejive the Majorr. jI'll get to the bottom of thjiss."

"Underrsstood, rrou'a."

The line went dead, and again T'yeellaa was by herself in the dark. In the dark in so many ways.

[Kes Akiena]

It always seemed like there was something else to do, somewhere else to go. The never ending line of duty and action all had become blurred into one single, amorphous beast that made up his career. If there was one post he'd not been assigned, he did not know of it. There had been so many. But that was the nature of life in the military; even a military that had begun its' life as nothing but a motley band of angry men and women who resisted the very thought of tyranny. Of an Empire bent on ruling through fear. And so the loose band of freedom fighters had come together, and over the years they made a name for themselves. Even further than that they had become a force of their own, and after a time even the Empire had to acknowledge the fact that the Rebel Alliance had become an adversary that was not to be written off.

Of course now days they had become a governing body of their own, bringing in so many other worlds in the hope of recovering the old peace that had once been so widespread. The Rebel Alliance had now become the Alliance of Free Planets, and in an effort to extend a conciliatory hand in the face of a truce brought about by more than worrisome circumstances, they had sought out and found one of many tools to bring more stable ground to the shaky foundation of their forced peace with the Empire.

A station.

Once a hub for the Imperial military, it had been all but abandoned as the Empire lost ground to the Alliance. It was a monstrous station in its' own right, and required the help of the Alliance's Cizerack allies to bring back to life.

No small task.


Even as the Nebulon-B frigate Rokaia dropped from hyperspace, Major Kes Akiena was preparing himself. His limited exposure to the Cizerack only helped him so much, and the redhead guessed that he would need to become familiar with the felinoids much more so than he was already. Particularly due to the fact that the mother of the captain in charge of the flotilla was one that he wished to never cross. He'd already heard the horror stories from Meiers.

The shuttle that ferried him to the Haifa'Iro'Iro was piloted by a stern-faced woman, and looking out through the transparisteel windows at the escort of A-Wings that accompanied him, Kes couldn't help the slight frown that pulled down the corners of his mouth.

It was all so official now. Gone were those days of frantic meetups and hurried encounters. Even the drinks in the mess seemed to have less punch than they used to. He missed those old days, but also knew the necessity of forging ahead into new territory.

"Coming up on the Cizerack galleon now, Major."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

The massive hangar doors loomed ahead in the viewport, and from his peripheral vision he saw his escort peel away.

What had he gotten himself into?

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

T'yeellaa had sent the call, rousing her senior staff to reception. K'ohta'rrou Nauthaaia and Preita'rrou Sivarroa met her in the docking bay as the Alliance shuttle began its final approach. Though neither officer asked, they were barely restraining their curiosity. And to be honest, Captain Meorrrei had none of the answers they were looking for. It seemed only Major Akiena did. She could only hope that the human didn't share his species tendency for hand-holding and signs of mutual cooperation and other such matters. She wanted the truth - straight no chaser.

Four Jaanni'saari fanned into a welcoming perimeter as the shuttle touched down, the hiss of thrusters and repulsors mingling with the thumping of hydraulic landing skids as the ship finally completed its landing cycle. Captain Meorrrei stiffened her stance somewhat, a blink and an ear flutter and she assumed an aloof expression. The Major wouldn't get the satisfaction of knowing that he'd disturbed her poor sleep over whatever was so damned important.

[Kes Akiena]

The hiss of hydraulics was like the final nail in the shipping crate, and for just a moment he felt as though he'd been packed up and shipped out to the unknown. Which, in a way he supposed that he had. Despite it all he was still willing to answer the call of those above him, and ready to perform his duties as he was asked.

As the boarding ramp touched the metal deck of the docking bay, he was already striding down its' length. His pace was brisk, and his boots hit the deck without missing their measured beat. The sight before him wasn't unexpected, though it still gave him slight mental pause. While his exposure to the Cizerack had been minimal at best, he had used his time in transit to familiarize himself with the more basic points of procedure and etiquette. Yet, above all he was an officer of the Alliance, and carried himself as such. His features were set in a neutral yet somewhat stern countenance, and his posture remained straight and squared as he stopped before Captain Meorrrei.

He gave a genteel nod and slight bow.

"Captain Meorrrei."

It hadn't escaped his attentions, the fact that the reception was well met; officers and soldiers alike standing at attention. It almost made him sorry that all he could offer was himself. No command staff or even an aide; those individuals would be arriving at a later date. For now, it was none but the Major.

"Your hospitality is appreciated."

His hands went to clasp at the small of his back, and he gave another nod.

"Shall we?"

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

Your hospitality is mandatory.

It was how his vacuous introduction was interpreted in T'yeellaa's mind. He'd scarcely breathed a handful of words and she already detested him. Still, protocol didn't leave room for trampled feelings, and the Captain gave proper salute, even if her tail stiffened and her ears ticked back slightly in the process.

Shall we?

Shall we what? The Cizerack Captain blinked inscrutably, feeling the confusion of her junior officers at her back. She hadn't the slightest what the bloody point of this visit actually was. She wasn't even the command officer of the flotilla. If Akiena was so damned interested in a progress report there was a saying in Cizeri circles. You went to ask the butcher and not the buffalo carcass. The Major wasn't glad-handing with Captain Su'taairraa of the Maataarri. What did he actually want?

A sidelong glance to her K'ohta'rrou, and the first officer barked a call to dismiss, sending officers and troops on their way with a flurry of activity.

Shall we get to the goddess damned point?

"Pleasse come wjith me, Majorr."

Captain Meorrrei really had only one destination in mind - her ready room. Better to be proactive than give the human license to dawdle and stroll about for a tour.

[Kes Akiena]

Kes smiled in thanks, and for the barest of moments he let his eyes go to the assembled group as they broke formation. It was all so meticulous, and made him miss the old days even more. But, the Rebellion had become a legitimate entity, and that meant order and precision. Though still, it was of a fashion set far apart from the Empire's definition of such words, and the Major knew at least the value of his government's steps into the future. They had to change. They had to become organized. It was with this thought that he followed after the Captain.

As they left the docking bay , he spoke.

"My superiors wish me to extend the Alliance's gratitude in everything you're doing," he started, eyes wandering about his surroundings as they continued on.

"We wouldn't be able to do this without you."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

T'yeellaa's frown didn't budge. The Major was wasting his best uninvited compliments on her.

"What jI am dojing? Wjith all due rresspect Majorr, the worrk jI am dojing jiss actjing asss a cog jin a machjine. A machjine that jiss dojing good worrk, to be ssurre, but therre arre twentjy otherr Huntrress Captajinss jinvolved jin thjiss mjisssjion; twentjy otherr crrewss."

Her need for immediate resolution overrode her desire for polite discretion, and Captain Meorrrei paused in the corridor in which they walked. Thankfully, they were alone. Facing the Major, T'yeellaa didn't mince words.

"Whjy arre jyou on mjy sshjip?"

[Kes Akiena]

And there it was.

Kes gave only a thin smile, glad that the Captain had finally come out from behind formality. He let her stand for a few moments more before answering.

"I am here to meet you."

Infuriatingly simple for an answer he knew, and before she could speak he went on.

"The two of us will be working together, it seems. I wanted to meet you before the station was brought back online, and felt that now was a good time."

His smile vanished then, and his tone lost its' normal joviality.

"We are allies, Captain. If this endeavor is to be at all successful, we must be a united front."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

The two of us will be working together, it seems.

News to her. She hadn't heard anything so much as a whisper from the Huntress Admiralty of any missions on the horizon. Strange to get news by this channel. Was that how things were to operate now? The Alliance says jump, rather than Carshoulis? As disturbing a notion as that might be, T'yeellaa let it be for now. The Major still wasn't speaking plainly enough for her, but she could see where his breadcrumbs were leading.

"jI am awarre of the sstakess of ourr Alljiance, and what jit meanss jin terrmss of ourr expectatjionss. The Galactjic Empjirre jiss not sso farr awajy, and we majy verrjy well be the frront ljiness jif the warr werre to rressume."

Her ears rose a bit, and her eyes studied his cryptic expression.

"But jyou djidn't come herre forr brroad mjisssjion sstatementss, Majorr. jYou mentjioned the sstatjion. jI asssume that ourr futurre worrk jinvolves G-42 then?"

[Kes Akiena]

At that, his smiled returned, disarming and genial as ever.

"Sometimes the simplest 'mission statement' is the truth."

It was easy enough to see that she was agitated, and while to a degree it worried him, it was not something that he was intent on fretting over at this point in time. He would need his first officer to be calm and collected in the face of unexpected happenings, not outwardly frustrated and - to a degree - hostile. But this was an issue that could be addressed over time. He was well aware that things in the Pride military were run on a very different scale, and while he was more than will to make accommodations for that, he would need his Cizerack officers to meet him in the middle. This was not a project that only one side would have to make concessions for.

His smile remained, and he cocked his head just so.

"Captain Meorrrei, I told you my reasons for being here already."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

He was trying to exasperate her to death, wasn't he?

You haven't *told* me anything, you cryptic double-speaking ape! Her blue eyes betrayed her impatience along with her body language, and she opened her mouth to tell Kes exactly what she thought of his reasons, when a pair of crew women turned a corner ahead, moving down the corridor towards their Captain and the Alliance Major.

"Rrou'a." came the acknowledgement of their superior in unison as they passed, and Meorrrei nodded in acknowledgment. That was probably a blessing in disguise. What she had on the tip of her tongue probably shouldn't be said, candor or no. Instead, she chewed on her unspoken words, which evaporated into steam that simply exited from flaring nostrils. Thin-lipped, T'yeellaa stood straight, rolling her shoulders back slightly.

"We sshould djisscusss thjiss furrtherr jin mjy rreadjy rroom."

With that, she turned to head there directly. Her stride was brisk, and it was up to Kes to keep up. Maybe he'd lag behind and she'd get a good thirty seconds alone in there where she could scream.

[Kes Akiena]

If she was trying to leave him behind, Kes was determined to not allow that to happen. His own long legs kept pace easily enough, and still with his genial expression, the Major pretended not to notice the distinct air of frustration coming from the Huntress Captain. He knew the tension between them at the moment was high enough, but there was no telling how much higher it would elevate once they were alone and without distractions. Was there more to his visit? Of course, but the overlying reasons were as he'd said before. He needed to meet this woman, and get a feel for her before delivering the 'news'. He had a slight notion on how it would be received if initial observations were any indication.

Only a step behind her, he followed dutifully as she led the way through her ship. Through corridors and around turns he followed. It was almost as if she was trying to lose him, and in that endeavor he was unwilling to oblige her. It was simply not how he would begin his assignment with her. Whether she wanted it or not, he would be ever-present.

Even as they passed through the doorway to her ready room he remained at her heels. At least though, he came to a slow stop as they moved far enough inside to allow the door to close.

Now he was in her domain.

His hands moved to the front pockets of his trousers, sliding inside in a deceptively casual display. He would let her speak first, as it was more than apparent she had words waiting at the tip of her tongue, desperate to be unleashed.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

The doors to the ready room slid closed with a sigh. At last, they were alone again. The meeting room was furnished with cherry wood grain running boards between gleaming accents, with a large matching table. The wall opposite the expansive viewport into space was an aquarium teeming with tropical fish. It looked cozy. T'yeellaa was anything but. She didn't bother sitting. She turned to face him the moment they were away from any possible prying eyes.

"Majorr..." she purred, keeping the iron barely within the lace. "...jI underrsstand that we majy have...djifferrent...wajyss of dojing thjingss. jYou arrjive on mjy sshjip wjithout sso much asss a whjissperr frrom the Huntrresss Admjirraltjy of anjy ssuch mutual underrtakjing. That annojyss me. jYou want to meet me? jI am Captajin T'yeellaa Meorrrei of the galleon Haifa'Iro'Iro. Therre. We have now met."

Clasping her hands together in front of her, Captain Meorrrei quirked an eyebrow.

"Now, do we have anjythjing furrtherr to djisscusss?"

[Kes Akiena]

He could see it in her eyes; there was more that she wished to say, but even now she held herself in check.

Kes gave a courteous nod, and drawing one hand back out from his pocket, he held out a datacrystal for her to take.

"Your government wishes you to have this."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

Your government.

It was as if protocol were dead. An Alliance officer carrying official documents from Carshoulis on behalf of the Pride Mother to be given to one of her own officers? If Captain Meorrrei dwelled on the matter any longer she'd drive herself mad. She carefully took the crystal from Kes. Turning it over in her hands, it certainly looked the genuine article. She turned from the Major, heading to the meeting table where she sat at the head seat. A discrete terminal flickered to life adjacent to her, and she slotted the data crystal in. Half of her expected this to be the moment where the farce broke down, but no. The datacrystal validated, showing it was an authentic directive.

"Accesss fjile, authorrjizatjion Meorrrei Tai'Naa'Uurra'Fei'Fei'Zua."

The computer blinked an affirmative, and a file filled her screen. A letter from the admiralty. She scanned through the fluff. Thanks for honorable service. Credit to the uniform. Blah blah blah.

And there it was. It was as if they suffered a hull breach and there was no more air in the room. T'yeellaa's mouth was dry. She read the orders again just to make sure she didn't hallucinate the entire thing. And then, just as suddenly, she terminated the screen with a tap. A careful hand brushed to her hair, trying to slick back an imagined errant strand. The Captain rose from her seat, carefully tugging down the hemline of her jacket as she did so.

She didn't say a word.

[Kes Akiena]

He let the silence continue, knowing that words from him would likely be unwanted. He would speak if addressed, but he'd certainly not volunteer anything.

Instead, Kes remained standing, both hands once more shoved into the pockets of his uniform trousers. So far Captain Meorrrei had shown incredible restraint and professionalism in the face of something that flew sideways of what she considered normal. It was comforting to know, and gave him a sense of ease. Going into this project with someone who blew up at the unexpected was not on his list of things to do.

And so he stood, patient and waiting.

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

How hard had she worked for this posting? If you asked her, she'd given it her all. Just making it through the Academy was difficult enough. A posting to space was even harder. An officer's commission harder still. Command of a starship even further out of reach, and then the rareified air of command of a galleon. There were only seventy five or so women in the entire Pride at any point in time with such an honor. There was always talk of who her mother was, which only spurred T'yeellaa to work harder. Not to make mama proud. Far from it. She wanted to remove any doubt whatsoever of the reason she had risen to her status. She wanted to be her own person. Someone who shone bright of their own service and character, bright enough to be seen from under the long reach of Taataani Meorrrei's shadow.

And now?

"Majorr..."

The posting was prestigious enough, certainly. At the visible meeting place of the union between the Alliance of Free Planets and the Cizerack Pride. There would be no shortage of eyes on them. But she would no longer be in command. She would no longer have her own ship. The wounds felt deep.

"...who rreccommended me forr thjiss posstjing?"

She had to ask. Maybe he didn't know, or maybe he'd stonewall her. Or maybe he'd tell her. Captain Meorrrei could feel the shadow's chill looming.

[Kes Akiena]

"That I cannot answer."

In truth, he did not know, and it had never been an order for his to question the origins of. Only that he'd been tasked with delivering. In this, he was truthful. Despite the nature of this new turn of events for the Captain, Kes was determined that their first interactions would be based on a foundation of honesty and truth.

"I truly don't know who recommended you, only that you were. It's my intention for us to begin things on an honest footing, and if I knew, I would tell you. Unfortunately, I am as in the dark on this matter as you are."

[T'yeellaa Meorrrei]

"Of courrsse. jI underrsstand."

She waved a hand slightly in a sign that it didn't matter. Of course it mattered, but even if Kes were lying, she didn't feel like killing the messenger. Especially now that apparently she worked for said messenger.

Out in the distance of the window, the massive form of the G-42 station caught her view once more. The Captain walked to the window, staring at the hulk as if seeing it for the first time. It's contours were brusque and alien. An imposing facade of grey durasteel built during the height of the Galactic Empire's rule.

"jI jimagjine thjiss jiss a ssjignjifjigant change forr both of uss. What brranch of sserrvjice djid jyou come frrom? Majorr jissn't a naval rrank."

[Kes Akiena]

"I started in the navy, if that means anything."

Which was an understatement. Kes had been a loyal servant of the Rebellion in its' infancy, and had served faithfully with General Brecklin through so many years. Eventually he'd been posted to Dac, and his role had changed rather dramatically over the years.

"I moved into a much more ground based position when I was stationed to Dac. After years on a ship, it was a bit of a change. But, they were years that I don't regret."

He looked at her, then went on.

"I was an operations overseer for many of the Alliance's... less public projects."