Trelab
Episode Name: Trelab
Written By: Belgarath
Cast: Belgarath, K'net-mauri, Pareth, S'veralis, Taevan, Trelan Executioner,
Trelan Guard and Ttomak.
Produced By: Starfleet
Directed By: Belgarath
Aired On: Thu Aug 28 15:17:13 2003
Stardate: 53468.2
Time: Tue Aug 26 17:23:44 2003
Stardate: 53463.6
The Romulan delegation on S419 has been ordered to go to a Romulan base on the other side of the Neutral Zone for an in-person meeting to discuss certain things that should not be discussed over subspace channels. A shuttle arrived at the station, piloted by Uhlan Pareth, and departed shortly afterwards to Romulan space along a path that would brush by Trelab. The first couple of days of travel were quiet, but then...
A whining sound starts up in the rear of the cockpit. Pareth furrows his eyebrows and turns his head away from the console to look at the back.
K'net-mauri raises an eyebrow and looks as well. He doesn't get up from where he's sitting, more or less out of the way of the shuttle's crew. Other people can take care of the whining noises that crop up around Mauri these days, except for the whining noises that originate from other diplomats. Those are his problem.
Taevan twirls a small letter opener in one hand. It's entirely useless, likely an antique, but he likes to play with it. And play with it he does, end over end over end over end, only glancing up at the sound of the whining.
S'veralis turns in her seat slightly her right hand going to her Neca which is sheathed on the left side of her waist. Her eyes narrow slightly as from the corner of her eye she catches the pilots own movements. A flexing of her legs brings her closer to the edge of her seat while moving her feet into a position which a speeding rising is possible.
The pitch of the sound changes and Pareth heads over to the rear of the cockpit to see what is going on. Before he reaches the source of the noise, however, the shuttle rocks violently, throwing him to the floor. One by one, the consoles go offline until finally the lights are also gone. The artificial gravity cuts out as the emergency lights give a glow to the cockpit.
K'net-mauri gets tossed back and forth a bit as the shuttle rocks, but manages to stay in his chair by holding the console next to it. It's only when the gravity cuts out that he loses his dignified position. He starts to drift about slightly, still in his seated pose, tethered by that one arm gripping the edge of the console. "Ulhan?" he asks, looking rather sternly at Pareth.
This, it seems, is enough to distract Taevan from his letter-opener-twirling. As the younger of the diplomat pair drifts upward from his seat, he peers oddly first to Pareth, and then Mauri. He remains silent, raising hands to push off the ceiling and return to the floor, waiting for an explanation.
S'veralis's eyes narrow slightly as the ship rocks, her hands coming away from her chair to find a steady grip, and as the gravity fails her legs tighten under the chair to keep her in position. With a touch of worry in her voice she snaps out to the Uhlan and Taevan, "get to the consoles try to bring up auxiliary power." She moves her hand enough so that she can grasp the back of her chair while she loosens the leg muscles which hold her into place. Her eyes never leaving the place where the whine was coming from, as she gives her self a secure position to either push off from or where she can gain leverage from.
Uhlan Pareth shakes his head in an attempt to regain his senses. He looks over at K'net, "Checking, sir." He grips onto the walls as best he can and launches himself back to his seat. Grabbing onto the back, he maneuvers himself into position to see what his console has to report when he brings the backup systems online. "There was an explosion, but the system is too badly damaged to be able to tell what the cause is. Engines down, communications down...life support destroyed..." He looks over at you three with worried eyes before quickly turning back to his console. "We're near Trelab. I'll try to bring the impulse online and hopefully we'll make it there before we run out of air."
K'net-mauri doesn't seem particularly concerned. He nods to Pareth. "Probably a good idea," he agrees. A faint smile. "And so would be learning the cause of this explosion, I would hazard."
"I was a scientist," Taevan notes. "Of the social variety. Perhaps you and Uhlan Pareth would be better suited to affecting repairs." Because Taevan has no idea how. All that remains now is for Mauri to ask Taevan to stop breathing.
Using the well developed muscles in her arms, S'veralis pulls her self back into her chair, once again tensing her legs enough to keep her there. Upon hearing Taevan's words, she pushes away from the chair towards one of the consoles up at the front of the shuttle, and while Pareth begins to try to bring up the engines, Lis begins to call up the schematics on the shuttle to pin point the damage and if it can be rerouted. She pulls within herself as well, following the disciplines teachings on calming herself.
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Shipboard Systems (Engineering) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
The impulse drives are, fortunately enough, not too badly damaged and with a little work and S'veralis' help, Pareth gets the shuttle flying towards the proto-Romulan planet at half the speed of light. "It'll take us several hours to reach Trelab. In the meantime," he looks over at Taevan, "please check the storage for an air scrubber. That'll make the air we have last a little longer." To S'veralis, "Let's see if we can repair anything else," and he launches himself off to get some tools.
"You won't impress me, Taevan, by telling me about the things you can't do," observes K'net-mauri dryly. He pushes away from the little sensor-station he was seated at and draws himself hand over hand along to a more versatile console, where he commences to poke around, searching, perhaps, for the problem. When the impulse engines come to life he looks up at the two Ulhans and smiles a dryly congratulatory smile.
Taevan pushes off of the seat, drifting towards the storage area with a small smirk. "I would impress you less, I imagine, via destroying your shuttle by attempting repairs I was not capable of making." He dutifully searches for the air scrubber, not commenting further.
S'veralis nods slightly as she continues to work at the console, "Damage is extensive." she comments idlely. focusing back on her work she continues with the console, She looks at one of the screens her eyes widening slightly for only a moment, "We have a leak on our main power source..." she trails off on the listing of damage and tries to reroute power around the damage.
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Shipboard Systems (Engineering) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!
<CONTEST> Pareth contests his Shipboard Systems skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!
After a while of trying to fix the systems, Pareth shakes his head and gently pushes himself away from under a console. "I can't repair any of it. It's just too badly damaged. I'll go check on Trelab to find the best landing spot." To the guard, "Doublecheck the thrusters. I don't want them failing on me when we enter the atmosphere."
K'net-mauri chuckles at Taevan, "Your fears are unfounded," he says. "I wouldn't have time to be unimpressed if you did that." He eyes his console with an expression that is half curious and half annoyed.
Taevan removes the air scrubber, letting it drift infinitesimally slowly towards the front of the shuttle, but frowns at what he finds next. "Our emergency supplies have been destroyed," he notes, turning the same frown back to chase after the air scrubber to the fore.
"Elements!" Lis says under her breath with a surprising amount of vehemence and begins to work on the thrusters to bring things up and all.
And so hours later, the shuttle slows out of impulse as the ball of blue and yellow appear in the viewports. The air is full of carbon dioxide, but not at lethal levels yet. Attempts at repairing the communications system to send out a distress signal failed, along with the attempts at repairing most other systems.
Taking slow, shallow breaths, Pareth says, "The Trelans would likely kill us if they find out we're not one of them, so I'm going to avoid their most heavily populated areas if possible. There's a landmass in the northern hemisphere near the pole that is isolated from the rest of the continents that contain the majority of the population. There shouldn't be too many Trelans at this spot." When S'veralis completes the repairs on the thrusters, Pareth says, "Let's put them to the test, uhlan. Everyone hold on. This will be a very unpleasant ride." The shuttle dips toward Trelab.
K'net-mauri seems to expect the unpleasant ride. He nods. As the air's grown thinner and staler, his expression has grown sourer. Normally a rough ride to a planet's surface would make him grin, but now he just glares with oxygen-shy irritability.
Taevan grabs hold of something nearby, his own breathing growing shallower and maintaining his hours-long silence.
S'veralis uses the mental disciplines that were taught with her martial arts to keep herself calm, she tightens her grip as she looks out the view ports for a suitable landing spot.
The shuttle shakes as it dives into the atmosphere. Large plots of desert lands pass by far below the shuttle, gradually turning more green as the craft makes it way north. Finally, the target landmass is in sight, filled with evergreen trees covered in a blanket of snow. The shuttle eases off on the descent angle and the forward thrusters fire to slow the shuttle - only to sputter vainly.
"That's not good..." Pareth mutters. He then covers his head in his arms and shouts, "Brace for impact!"
<CONTEST> Taevan contests his Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
<CONTEST> Pareth contests his Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
<CONTEST> K'net-mauri contests his Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
Brace for impact. Short of breath or not, those are words that make K'net-mauri grin. Maybe it's not quite a happy grin. But crashing into a snowy landscape is at least far less monotonous than slow asphixiation. The Ambassador braces himself against the console with the practical grace of experience, his arms set to take the shock. He's familiar with the kind of force that events such as this one are apt to create, and while it bashes him back and forth, he maintains his place.
The sudden onset of gravity combined with the intensity of the crash combine to send Taevan forward into a console, the point of impact centering around his left wrist and twisting it at a severely unnatural angle. A sharp hiss emits from the Adjutant, whose only practical experience with spaceflight has been in the inside of a lab, and he grits his teeth against the sensation.
having braced her self, Lis thinks she is going to make it thru this with maybe a scratch, but as she is thrown to the right, her strength does her in as her left hand keeps a tight grip on the console wrenching her left shoulder slightly. The pain while is not enough to knock her out, it is more than enough to bring an actual yelp of pain.
Pareth is tossed forward into the console and hits his head despite his best attempts at protecting it as the shuttle rumbles to a messy stop. He takes in deep lungfuls of air, not moving even after the shuttle has come to a halt. Deep lungfuls of cold, /fresh/ air. Upon realizing this, he looks up to find that the viewport has shattered, exposing the interior of the craft to the Trelan winter. He looks at the others as a small stream of blood flows down his face, "Is everyone okay?"
K'net-mauri is on his feet as soon as the shuttle comes to a halt, though he doesn't leap up in any hurry. The man always moves at the same slow pace. He too takes deep and revitalising breaths before saying, "I am fine," and moving across the cockpit to inspect the condition of S'veralis, frowning. That yelp evidently worried him.
"No," half-says half-hisses Taevan, looking decidedly serpentine as he draws himself up from the pile he'd formed on the floor. "But I am not dead. There is yet hope." First things first, and after wincing once more at the wrist, Taevan moves off to check the shuttle's complement of hand disruptors.
S'veralis is finally able to release the console, her gaze automatically swings towards K'net and Taevan. Her face is a mask of pain and her arm hangs down, almost like it is dislocated from it's socket. "Are you ok ambassador?" she grits her teeth thru the pain that she is obviously going thru. She smiles slightly at Taevan's movements, "My shoulder, I think I have dislocated it." she looks at Pareth, "Your medical training?" she asks.
Pareth staggers to his feet, gripping onto the back of his chair to steady himself. "Minimal," he says to S'veralis. "I can try to make a brace if you think that would help you. Meanwhile, it could take a day before anyone realizes that we're gone, and another day for them to find us. I don't think we can stay here, exposed to the weather and without provisions."
K'net-mauri looks at Lis' shoulder, touches it rather briefly and delicately. "You are probably better off under the Ulhan's care than mine," he observes." He looks out the broken forward viewport into the snow-covered forest beyond, then looks around the cockpit and taps a console, curious to see what has been added to the little craft's already extensive array of damages.
"The disruptors are nonfunctional," Taevan notes darkly. "As, I assume, are the transporters. The shuttle, if the hull is even somewhat intact, will prove better protection from the elements than we might otherwise find. I suggest we remain here."
S'veralis grits her teeth, and with her right hand begins to unwide the golden silk sash from around her waist, a challengeing ordeal with just one hand. "It will be fine." she says with confidence, probably none that she feels however. She slowly describes how the sash needs to be used to support her arm and keep it firmly to her chest. "Where is the survival equipment located?" she asks as she look out the view port, the broken pieces more than anything else telling her what is going to happen, "See if we can pack snow against the shatereed remains of the view port, to block the wind, but Uhlan Pareth is right, this will be come our crypt should be here to long."
Pareth goes rummaging for the emergency supplies, only to find that most everything is as Taevan found it earlier. He goes over to Lis to help her put on the sash correctly, "I saw a settlement of sorts some distance from here. Maybe there is someone there that could be of help." He wipes his forehead with the back of one hand, causing a green smear. "I wouldn't turn my back on the people, but we might not be rescued in time before succumbing to the lack of food and cold."
"I believe someone has reported our emergency supplies destroyed," says K'net-mauri dryly, assisting S'veralis in tying her makeshift sling as he speaks. He's gentle, but his movements are somewhat brisk and proprietary, as if he's putting tack on a horse. "I suggest we go. I would prefer not to die while waiting on others, and if we remain here too long we will be able to do nothing but that."
Taevan furrows his brow. "We are unarmed," he reminds them, "and despite mine and Uhlan S'veralis' unarmed combat abilities, we are both injured. If the natives are, as you say, unfriendly, we may find ourselves in a worse situation there."
S'veralis shakes her head and rises from her seat. "Unarmed we are not, not as long as the person has the will to make it a weapon." she smiles with confidence, "And I have fought when injured before." she touches her knife as to point it out. Glancing at Taevans hand, "We must get on the move, the longer we are here and still the more our energy is sapped from us." She looks to Pareth, "Lead off Taevan, and K'net-mauri will follow you, and I will follow them. stay well within sight of each other."
Pareth looks sternly at Taevan, "There is a risk in going, but there's also a risk in staying, and I think our chances are better out there than in here." With a nod to S'veralis, he heads over to the door and hits the panel to open it. When the door does not respond, he shakes his head and flips open the panel to try to force it open manually. As he does so, he says, "I've a little knowledge about the Trelans, but not much. Does anyone else know enough about them to help us to blend in? If they think we're one of them, then it shouldn't be a problem." The door slowly creaks open.
K'net-mauri glances at Taevan, "But a better situation than we will be in if the Trelans discover us here, with this shuttle as evidence of our alien status." He starts towards the door even as Pareth forces it open, replying to the Ulhan's words: "They are a proto-Romulan civilisation, and not an advanced one."
Taevan nods slowly. "I suppose we may as well. The Trelans are a rather interesting case," he notes as he steps towards the door. "Their technology is equivalent to that of ours roughly eight centuries ago. They are originally Romulans, victims of an accident who have... misplaced their technology. They are highly xenophobic. I recommend we remove all distinctive RSE insignia and any evidence of technology. If questioned, use the most basic Romulan dialect you know, and claim you are from a different region of the planet. They may pass us off as foreigners, being as they do have limited trade."
S'veralis checks the placement of the in-prompt-to sling noting that the emblem is covered. with her right hand she lays a loose piece of the sahs over the pin.
Taevan turns to regard S'veralis. "Remove it. This is a planet. There is wind." Fairly logical, all told.
The amount of pain and the tension from the situation cause her head to snap around to look at Taevan. Lis pulls the pin away and places it down on the seat. using her free hand and her teeth she then knots the sling into place firmly, but not with out a wince of pain, "Her voice contains an edge to it, "I trust you do not wish me to remove my shirt, considering the emblem there?" she asks.
Taevan furrows his brow. "No," he muses. "Much as they would enjoy it. If questioned, you are a bird enthusiast."
K'net-mauri's clothing, while distinctly Romulan to Federation eyes, is quite lacking in insignia and technological additions. A bit of burned and tattered blanket, the scant remains of the emergency kit, draped around his shoulders and he does look like a member of a low-tech culture. Lis' and Taevan's little quarrel makes him throw the remaining peice of the blanket at them, impatiently. "Have done!" he snarls at the pair, and steps out into the snowy landscape with a scowl on his hawkish face. And so they proceed into the forest. As a companion for a winter hike, Mauri is distinctly annoying. He never does pick up the pace, and he meets any look that seems about to preceed the suggestion with a glare that's far colder than the breeze.
Taevan leaves the blanket for S'veralis, withdraws his hands into his tunic-sleeves, and follows after Mauri without another word.
Pareth heads out, taking off his rank pins in case those fall under the categories Taevan mentioned. The snow beneath his boots crunch and he sinks an inch whenever he takes a step, but the military boots are waterproof, and so the sensation is not completely unbearable. His nose, on the other hand, is running like wild and his injured head hurts in the cold. He pauses every now and then to get his bearings - which, being in a place he has never been to before, is rather tricky - and to wait for the laggers. Hours later, the sun has started to descend to bathe the snowy lands in blue twilight when he comes to sudden stop and hold up a hand to tell the three to halt and be quiet. Not far from him, just around the bend of a corner, comes the creaking sound of wooden wheels.
K'net-mauri is slow, but at least he never stops to rest. He just grits his teeth, clearly finding the walk uncomfortable. At best. He's silent, his the tips of his ears going green in the chill. When Pareth pauses and lifts that hand for silence he takes it gratefully, but the relief of standing still does not show on his face. He only looks angry, alert and interested as he stares off toward that bend and the approaching sound of wheels.
Taevan keeps pace with the others, looking generally sullen and cold and unhappy. Well accustomed to taking orders, though, he ceases movement, and turns his head in the direction of the sound. His arms tense, even the one with the sprained wrist, which brings a wince to the Adjutant's face, but still his attention is rapt.
S'veralis her free hand goes down to the hilt of her knife. She listens closely as she moves slightly into a better postion to repond if there is a threat.
Pareth motions for everyone to take cover behind some big trees while he himself heads toward the sound, but it is too late. Before anyone can make a move, a hairy beast of burden rounds the corner, pulling behind it a wooden cart with a Trelan male all wrapped up in fur sitting on top. "Hello there!" he calls out in an accent of the ancient Vulcan tongue, coming to a stop some distance away.
K'net-mauri ignores Pareth's motion, anticipating that lack of time. He's not going to dart into the bushes and he knows it. He stands there, facing the cart with his scowling expression. He lifts a hand in response to the greeting, inclines his head slightly, and then resumes his taciturn assessment of the beast and the vehicle it's dragging.
Taevan studies the man for a moment, similarly ignoring Pareth's warning, before stepping forward towards the man and his beast. "Greetings," he voices as clearly as he can, lifting his non-injured hand to the man and managing (gasp!) a small smile. "My friends and I have lost our way," he offers by way of explanation for their presence, gesturing to Mauri, S'veralis, and Pareth in that order.
S'veralis watches remaining silent unless called upon to speak. Dark blue eyes take in the cart and the beast. Slowly she appears to relax, her face not quite set in stone, but close enough for government work.
The man on the cart looks strangely at the saluting, but then notices the bleeding head on Pareth and the make-shift sling around S'veralis' shoulder. "What happened?"
K'net-mauri is silent. He smiles rather wryly and flicks a glance at Taevan, waiting to see how social sciences there will respond to that one.
Taevan purses his lips, and his tone is grave as he replies. "The elements have been unkind to us, and some of us were injured when our mounts were..." he hesitates a moment, making a great show of his embarrassment. "/liberated/ from our care this morning. We have been walking since." Ah, bandits. Happens to the best of people.
S'veralis keeps her face straight knowing that Taevan will make a good diplomat in time, if this is any indication. She grits her teeth as her shoulder throbs due to the cold that, despite the warm uniform she wears, permeate her body, not quite numbing, just making it hurt more.
. o O Taevan thinks "Avaerek. You are Avaerek, you were assaulted by bandits at sunrise, and your party requires medical attention. There is no Taevan."
The Trelan looks confused. "Liberated? You mean stolen from you?" He shakes his head, "Must be those thieves that hide out in the woods over there." He scrutinizes the odd garments that the four of you wear, "And you must not be from around here either. Most people know better than to go into those woods."
Taevan nods, offering up a weak smile. "Yes, stolen. I'd hoped not to have to come out and say it. Is there somewhere nearby where we can seek shelter, perhaps, or medical attention? Telara does not take well to cold, and I would..." Taevan bites his lip, now, "prefer she not lose the use of her arm permanently." If yanno what I mean.
The Trelan takes another good look at each of the Romulans before nodding, "I live in the town not a league from here. I don't have much, but my wife makes a decent soup to warm you up in these frigid nights." At S'veralis, "Here, Telara, have a seat in the cart back there. My name's Revaik, by the way."
K'net-mauri lifts a brow at the Trelan, seems to consider him. Then a glance to Lis and Taevan. The Ambassador nods to them. Revaik recieves, for his generous offer, a rather bland smile and another nod, more respectful than the sharpish one Mauris' retinue recieved.
Taevan smiles warmly, gratefully. "You are a kind soul, Revaik. Thank you, truly. I am Avaerek... my brother Vathos, and our father, V'mendin." Pareth and Mauri are motioned to in turn as Taevan approaches the cart to take up station and help S'veralis up.
S'veralis gets into the cart with the help of Taevan. She sits down gingerly resting most of her weight against her right shoulder. she watches Revaik, then her eyes shift waiting for the others to get in as well.
"Thank you," Pareth says to the Trelan, and the group starts off toward town.
The town itself is not particularly large. Most of the homes around the edge of the town appear to be only big enough to house one room, growing larger as one goes farther into the town. Revaik stops outside of a cottage, gets off the cart, and starts unhooking the creature from the cart. "Here's home," he says. "I'll go tie him up and I'll take you in. There's a physician in town, if you happen to have any money left after the thieves attacked you."
K'net-mauri doesn't laugh when Taevan names him and Pareth after incursion frigates in the RSN fleets, but his dark eyes spark with his hidden amusement. An hours long walk in the freezing weather has left him feeling far from pleasant, but sometimes a tiny thing goes a long way. Riding on a cart, however bumpy that may be, is a mercy to him as well. He doesn't speak during the journey, and once they've arrived he waits patiently for Revaik to show them in. A few more minutes of the chill make no difference.
Taevan shakes his head. "I'm afraid not," is the quiet reply, as he looks to S'veralis with a concern not entirely feigned. Moving to the cart's side, the Adjutant looks up to her and helps her down while he queries in a tone loud enough for Revaik to overhear, "Telara, I can splint my wrist, and Vathos' head has already seen the worst. Does your shoulder require the physician? I can perhaps work off the debt, if you feel it necessary."
. o O Taevan thinks "Play the part, S'veralis. Play the part if you wish to see home again."
She thinks for a few moments, "The choice is yours Avaerek, but if he does repair my shoulder, I can offer my aid to several jobs myself," she thinks trying to come up with a way to assist, "Perhaps helping rid the woods of those brigands." Lis casts a glance at Km for any indication this might be a good idea or not.
. o O S'veralis thinks "Elements this hurts!, If I had not left my pin on the shuttle we could of perhaps bartered for the services. Oh joys Taevan will make a good diplomat or a politician...he can lay it all on pretty thick. He thinks of touching me as his wife though...I will show him the /point/ of his error."
The Romulans receive several lasting stares from people on the street. Revaik reappears from behind the cottage and opens the door, revealing a room with two other doors that lead to two smaller rooms. It is rather cold inside, as no fire burns, and there are few furnitures save for the rickety, wooden chairs and table. "I wouldn't suggest that," the Trelan says as he holds the door open. "You seem pretty badly beaten by them."
K'net-mauri lifts a brow at Lis, giving her a somewhat scathing look. Evidently he does not think chasing around the forest after dark-age fargobawlers is a good idea. By the look of him, he might have a few choice words on the subject, all along the theme of mental incompetence. He heads into the little cottage when Revaik holds that so-inviting door open, nodding to the man as he passes. He breaks his silence for a moment to say, "Thank you," imitating the Trelan accent passibly.
Taevan smiles apologetically. "My wife can be a bit stubborn at times," he notes, bowing his head in thanks as he follows S'veralis and Mauri into the cottage. "We were lucky we escaped at all," he says, looking then to S'veralis. "Telara," he implores, "just rest. We will review our options come sunrise, but revenge is not among them."
S'veralis shrugs her good shoulder, "As you say Avaerek, so shall it be." she tries to work withn the accent of Trelan. She closes her eyes feeling the relief from the wind, her face is pale, as pale as one might see a Romulan one might say, but from the cold or her shoulder it is not known, she looks over at Pareth, "Vathos, how is your head feeling?" she asks with a touch of concern in her voice.
"Pounding, but I'll survive," says Pareth. He wipes at his runny nose.
The Trelan closes the door and puts a few small logs of wood into the similarly small stone ring in the middle of the room and tries to get a fire going with flint and a little chunk of metal. "Make yourselves comfortable. The fire should be a welcomed presence after your ordeal.
A woman appears at one of the doors. "Revaik?"
"Ah, N'alae, we've a few guests tonight," says Revaik. "This is my wife, N'alae. N'alae, meet Avaerek, Telara, Vathos, and..." he pauses to recall K'net-mauri's name, "V'mendin?"
"V'mendin," K'net-mauri confirms, settling his aching form into one of those rickety chairs, carefully. The Trelan woman gets a solemn nod. "N'alae."
Taevan smiles to the woman, mimicking Revaik's hand gesture from their first encounter and inclining his head respectfully. "Your husband has been most kind to us, N'alae, and we are grateful. You are a fortunate woman to have him." His tone is soft, grateful, and non threatening, as he remains at S'veralis' side like any concerned husband should.
S'veralis gives N'alae a nod, "i must thank you and your husband for taking us in. I am not sure of how we would of fared without your husbands kindness." Regardless of the fiction of their marriage Lis leans against Taevan as her shoulder gives a painful throb. Pushing back up straight, she fights for the soothing discipline of the martial arts to push away the pain, and once the fire is lit she moves closer to it, kneeling down infront of the flames and closing her eyes to aid her in her concentration. Once she has calmed her self and tries to ignore the pain she looks to N'alae, "If I can help you in anyway I will do so," she offers with a smile.
The kindling starts smoldering and Revaik slowly blows air at it until it catches fire, which he transfers over to the logs. N'alae draws water from a pot in the corner into earthen cups to offer to the guests. She smiles at S'veralis and says, "You should rest; don't want to aggravate your wound." She then goes over to Revaik and tugs on his sleeves toward the bedroom.
"Excuse me for a moment," Revaik requests as he follows his wife into the other room, where a subdued conversation starts.
K'net-mauri accepts the water with a faint smile. But he frowns, as if to himself, when the pair retreat. The Ambassador looks at Taevan, then indicates the area around the doorway into the next room with a little jerking movement of his head. He seems to mean that his Adjutant should idle his way a little closer to overhearing this discussion.
Taevan inclines his head in recognition, nudging S'veralis towards a seat as he finds one conveniently near the doorway. He does not initiate any conversation, instead straining his consciousness to pick up what he can.
Moving just enough to take one of the chairs, S'veralis does so, appearing to be relaxed. From the corners of her eyes she watches the doorway while holding her cup in her free hand, not tightly but loosely. While not in a positin to hear she does move her chair so that it is situated between their hosts and KM.
<CONTEST> Taevan contests his Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
Taevan hears:
N'alae: "But they're complete strangers. How can you be so sure that you can trust them?"
Revaik: "They're hurt. That much I know for sure. I can't just leave them out there in the cold. They could very well die."
N'alae: "What if they're lying? Maybe they weren't attacked by the bandits. Maybe they /are/ bandits?"
Revaik: "They could have attacked me by now, but they didn't."
N'alae: "They could be waiting until they can rob us without anyone finding out!"
Revaik: "Don't worry about it, N'alae. I think I can trust them not to attack us. But maybe you should go over to the neighbor's tonight."
N'alae: "No...I'll stay. If you believe that they can be trusted, then I'll trust them too."
A smile creeps across Taevan's face, but it as just as quickly erased. A combination of quick, surreptitious hand signals and mouthed words convey to Mauri that 'They trust us. All is well,' before he returns to the Injured Traveler act, sipping gingerly from the water.
The two Trelans come back out. Revaik has a couple of wool blankets with him, which he hands out, while N'alae prepares a meal.
K'net-mauri simply nods to Taevan, a scarce instant before the Trelans return. He stays where he is in the chair, drinking the water slowly. His silence is only broken by short but gravely spoken syllables of thanks when Revaik distributes blankets.
Taevan foregoes a blanket, himself, granting their use to his elderly 'father' and injured 'wife' and 'brother'. "See how the warmth helps?" he asks S'veralis with a hopeful smile, a similarly concerned if less sincere look directed to Pareth. "We'll be fine."
With an almost decent meal of watery soup in their stomachs, the time for sleep arrives for the Romulans. Revaik brings out hay from the back, which, while not exactly a comfortable bed, is nonetheless better than the floor. The night passes away and the next morning, before dawn, the Trelans are already up and about, trying to make as little noise as possible.
Pareth, on the other hand, is not as he sweats, tossing and turning while talking about crashing onto Trelab in his sleep.
K'net-mauri stretches out on the straw and attempts something like comfort this night, but he sleeps shallowly. The ache of that long walk and the rough bed and the strange wild air of this chilly region do not lull him into deep and stable rest, if deep and stable rest is ever his to enjoy. He is half-dozing when the morning noises of the Trelans make their movements noticable, and for a while he doesn't respond. Then his eyes snap open and he rolls over suddenly in the straw, stretching out an arm with the intent of giving Pareth a rather nasty crack in the poor Ulhan's already aching head and disguising the movement as the restlessness of a waking sleeper.
Taevan needs only observe Pareth for a few moments before he is in loving, brotherly action. "Vathos," he says quietly, shaking the other Romulan by the shoulder. "Vathos. You're dreaming." Two fingers are set to the man's forehead, in more of a show of concern than anything else. "I think his wound was worse than we thought," notes son to father with a grave glint of warning in his eyes.
S'veralis wakens at the slight noise from Pareth, she sits up stiffly and groans. she looks over at the Uhlan and watches him for a moment. She rolls up from her bed and moves to check Uhlan her hand checking for a pulse, and any indication of a fever.
Pareth has a hard time focusing and responding, until his eyes roll to the back and he falls unconscious.
Revaik approaches the group of Romulans, "He's getting worse?"
K'net-mauri sits up now, and looks at Taevan. He frowns, then scoots over a little to inspect Pareth's condition. The man's state makes him curse. He's skilled enough at cursing and conscious enough of his surroundings to do so in an archaic fashion.
Taevan nods slowly in Revaik's direction. "His fever's gone up, and..." he trails off as the uhlan passes out. "Well." Mauri's curse is echoed only in Taevan's glance to the elder Romulan.
S'veralis's face takes on a worried expression, "He has a high fever," using her right hand she lifts one of his eye lids to peer into the eye as it exposed." She looks up at Taevan, "He needs a physcian, quickly."
N'alae approaches as well.
Taevan draws his lips together with concern. "We can't pay," he notes, ever the pragmatic one, looking to the Ambassador. "We'll have to hope the fever goes down?"
The two Trelan looks on with concern, but do not interrupt.
. o O Taevan thinks "And hope their physician can't tell a Trelan from a Romulan."
K'net-mauri nods to Taevan, "Indeed," he says bitterly, "We cannot pay. We can only offer to remain here and work, and hope we are trusted to do it. I don't hold great hope for that." He touches Pareth's face for a moment, scowling down into the Ulhan's visage with the tender rage born of concern. An instant later he scoots away from the man and reaches up grab one of the rough-hewn wooden chairs by its back, and uses his arms to drag himself off the straw-strewn floor and onto his feet.
Taevan hefts himself up by the use of his good arm, and offers the same back down to S'veralis in silence.
S'veralis looks up at N'alae, "Please if you would," she asks with a politeness but a sense of hurry to it, "A cloth filled with snow so that we might try to bring the fever down." She glances at Taevan, "To work off the debt I must have my shoulder fixed." she closes her eyes and tries to remember just exactly how Haven fixed it last time..." Father." she looks to KM, "I need you to unwrap my arm please."
"I can bring the physician here," Revaik offers while N'alae does as Lis asked.
K'net-mauri nods at Lis, gritting his teeth a little as he straightens up. A night on a bed of straw on this floor hasn't done him any good, and he's visibly stiff as he steps over to S'veralis. He starts to untie her sling, asking, "You want me to try to set it back in place?"
Taevan narrows his eyes as he watches the two, before looking back to Pareth. "Thank you," he offers to Revaik, rubbing gingerly at his own wrist.
S'veralis takes a deep breath as she shakes her head in negation to KM's offer. she walks to one of the doorways in the home, and opens an intirior door. She takes more calming breaths, her eyes closed, to those whom have seen her fight, it is a tell tale sign she is reading herself for possibly great pain....and with a suddeness she slams her left shoulder into the door jamb...
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Medical Sciences skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> S'veralis (claiming disadvantage) contests her Coordination skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Fitness (Strength) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
And a string of curse roll from Lis's mouth ranging from the very unimaginative to the down right obscene as she roll thru the repetoire of many years in the naval service and as a grunt on the ground. After a few more moments she calms herself, and says between clenched teeth, "That hurt."
Taevan's response takes only a heartbeat. "Telara!" he cries, still playing his part as he hurries to her. "Did... did it work? Are you alright?"
Revaik nods and head out while N'alae returns with the snow in the cloth. She catches S'veralis' attempt to fix her own shoulder and her eyes widen. Rushing over to the guard, she asks, "What are you doing???"
K'net-mauri blinks at Lis. "It certainly looks as if it did," he says. His tone is dry, but there's approval in his deep voice.
S'veralis shakes her head, "trying somethign and failing," the arm still hangs out of socket, but she rises, and with a bit of help from Tae moves back towards Pareth. She kneels down, "Please place it on his forehead." she says thru her clenched teeth, but smiles to take the sting out of it. "If I had succeeded then at least I could help honor the debt we are going to have."
"You'll only hurt yourself more, dear," says N'alae. She shakes her head in disapproval and places the icy cloth on Pareth's head.
K'net-mauri looks at Lis. "We shall manage it, one way or another. You have tried." He takes the sash and moves to recreate the makeshift sling, now being quite delicate about it in silent sympathy for her now aggrievated hurt.
Taevan bites his lip, at a loss for words. A silver tongue helps little for a broken arm.
S'veralis allows KM to rewrap the sash about her shoulder, once again pinning the arm to her body, "This does not make sense, "She mutters to herself, "With only a head wound he should not be facing a fever this high." Her face becomes rather stoney, "We are going to have to check him for other injuries," She looks at Taevan, "your brother is remarkably stubborn, if he was wounded seriously, He would conceal it so we would not worry." with that said she begins to open his tunic to check his torso.
S'veralis shakes her head as she finds nothing on the torso and nothing on his legs, "Elements!" she mutters, "I cannot find any other injuries." she states,"None that are visible to my sight, though his..." she pauses for a moment remembering N'alae's presence, "he might be suffering a hurt on the inside of his body past the skin and the bone..." she trails off looking really frustrated now.
After a while, Revaik returns with the physician. He looks from Pareth to S'veralis, not certain as to who to treat first until Revaik pointed the target out. After checking him over, the physician offers what, in his professional opinion, would help Pareth: "Leeches."
K'net-mauri stares at the physician for a moment, somewhere between outraged and amazed and hiding it behind a flat and unfeigned drawn weariness. He looks around to his conscious 'son' and 'daughter-in-law.' "Typical," he says. A glance back at the doctor, "Thank you. No."
Taevan narrows his eyes. "Leeches?" he asks dubiously, looking to Mauri for some measure of guidance, before following the Ambassador's lead and shaking his head.
While Tae and KM are more relaxed in their objections, S'veralis, burdened with pain, and the failure to fix her own shoulder, gives the 'Doctor' a look, you know the one, if looks could kill this one would of oblitereated the Dr. with just a bare glance, "Leeches." she says under her breath, holds the Doctors gaze, "And what do you need to fix my shoulder?" she says thru clenched teeth.
The physician shrugs, "He'll only get worse if you don't, but that's your choice." To S'veralis, he stays rather calm. Hey, he's getting paid just for being here, after all. "Let me take a look at it."
S'veralis moves to let the doctor take a look at the shoulder. "it is just out of joint and needs to be reset." she tells him evenly.
Adding belatedly Lis looks to N'alae, "please bring in more snow to put on him," she glances at the water that is now pooled around Pareth, "It will help cool him."
The physician examines it before saying, "I can fix it." He looks around for something for her to brace up against, "This will hurt."
N'alae goes to fetch more snow.
K'net-mauri watches the physician attend to S'veralis with cold attention.
Taevan narrows his eyes, folding his arms and watching the two with evident concern.
S'veralis steels herself against the pain, and leans against the wall signalling that Revaik should restrain her, "Do it when I am held."
Once all is in place, the physician uses one hand to hold Lis' hand, and the puts the other up against the shoulder before yanking. With a loud pop, the bones reset. "Don't do anything major with that arm until it fully heals," advises the physician.
Taevan walks to S'veralis with concern. "Is the pain still there?"
PAIN OH GODS THE PAIN! that look is primarily evident on Lis' face as she goes from a woman passively being restrained by Revaik to a moveing twisting warrior with one thing roaring thru her mind, pain is a gift taht should be shared. Curses come from her lips again as muscles trained and honed to almost peak perfection for a woman her age and her abilities, tries to tear free of the hands that lock her to the wall. Intelligently however she has placed her arm in such a way that she cannot, unless she breaks something on the one that holds her, get to her blade, that would just leave one heck of a bloody mess.
The physician collects his fee from Revaik and departs. Not long afterwards, the door opens and two Trelans walk in, wearing light armor and a sword at their belts. They look at the Romulans, and one says to Revaik, "We got reports that you were keeping outsiders here. You know that's not permitted."
K'net-mauri makes a bitter twisted face at the primitive physician's back. He doesn't question S'eralis about her obvious pain, just sits down in a rickety chair and watches her, seeming to wait for her face to untense. The Trelan soldiers don't give that time to happen. Mauri takes one look at them as they enter and rises from the chair he so recently took.
Taevan stands at S'veralis' side, casting a look first to her and then to Mauri, and finally to the soldiers. Might as well give it a shot. "We were waylaid during our journey," he explains, motioning towards his 'brother' and 'wife'. "Our mounts were... stolen..." this causes him to hang his head somewhat, "and our money with them. We mean you no ill will."
S'veralis smiles and thanks Revaik for his help and apologizes for anything she might of done, the soldiers arrival and their words however has just made this day worse. Her shoulder is not totally healed, but if they lay hands on any here...the gift the doctor gave her might be shared. She seems to relax, when in fact her body prepares itself for action. She glances at KM, her eyes have gone from pain filled orbs of dark hue, to the color of the dark blue sea locked in ice, her face set and relaxed all at the same time it screams one thing, She is commited to what she may have to do.
Revaik adds, "I found them, injured, near the road. I had to help."
One of the armed Trelans says to Taevan, "Where are you from and whom do you serve?"
A heartbeat passes before Taevan's response. "Lirash. My brother," a gesture to the man on the floor, "and I are farmers there."
One of the guards looks at Revaik. "Are they, now?"
The Trelan host looks confused at first, opened mouth not uttering any words, before realizing that Taevan is trying to get out of trouble by lying. But the realization dawned too late.
That is all the guards need, and they draw their broadswords. "You are all under arrest."
K'net-mauri lifts his head and glares at the blade as they are drawn. He casts a questioning look at S'veralis, urgent. But he still does not speak.
Taevan doesn't slip from the act, taking on a fearful sort of expression. "Please," he implores, "My wife and I are hurt and my brother is barely alive. This is the last thing we need."
"Please have mercy!" Revaik almost begs, but the words fall on deaf ears.
One of the guards says, "Everyone move over there." He points to a spot near the center of the room, then kicks Pareth.
K'net-mauri does not move.
Taevan's response is accompanied by a narrowing of his eyes. "Leave my family alone." Stubborn little bugger, he is.
. o O Taevan thinks "To think I could be asleep in my Federation bed."
Seeming to understand the guards and their position Lis seems to meekly submit to their authority. She makes to move to where they have indicated, but she knows what is needed now, the sash which bound her arm now hangs in her right hand, the slightly weighted tip hanging towards the floor, as the guard is distracted by the kick he makes at Pareth she whips it at him with all of her strength aiming for his neck.....
<CONTEST> S'veralis (claiming advantage) contests her Primitive Weapon (Garrote) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
The sash wraps around the guard's neck, but he reflexively swipes his sword as the other guard moves in on S'veralis.
K'net-mauri picks up the chair he was so recently sitting on, and hurls it with considerable force, sending it tumbling through the air towards that second guard as the Trelan moves towards Lis.
<CONTEST> K'net-mauri contests his Athletics (Throwing) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
As the first guard swings his sword, it catches the sash and S'veralis jumps back. He quickly grabs the loose end and unwinds it from around his neck. The second guard is hit by a flying chair and falls to the floor.
Taevan exhales forcefully, moving for the other guard. "Revaik! I do this for my family. Protect yours. Wife, if I have not recently told you I love you..." this, of course, with a bemused smirk as the Adjutant drops into a Ch'vashrek stance modified to protect his injured hand and kicks for the first guard's head.
K'net-mauri looks somewhat suprised to see his hurled chair smack into the head and shoulders of the guard and drop the man. He nods sharply at the scene, evidently satisfied, and turns to look at Lis and her predicament with the sword-weilding Trelan. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be another chair in easy reach.
Using the distraction of the guard with the sash Lis uses this for a chance she pulls her knife as she glides forward. Pivoting on her left foot she snaps up her right in a hard kick twisting her self slightly at her hips to add force to the blow...aimes not at his mid section but his upper arm, as it goes past her.......
S'veralis wields her Neca.
<CONTEST> Taevan (claiming advantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Ch'vashrek) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Unarmed Combat (Romulan Naval) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
The guard flies backwards at the combined kicks and his sword goes skittering across the floor. The second guard is back on his feet and is definately on the defensive as he reaches down to grab his partner while keeping careful watch of the Romulans. The downed guard gets back up and says the usual, "You'll regret this!" before both of them flee.
K'net-mauri watches them go with a stare that seems to suggest he'd be following if he had something sharper than a chair. He sighs when the guards have gone, though, and says, "I already regret it." A look at the unconscious and seriously ill Ulhan. "We need to leave." His tone is grim. This is not news, but it is a major problem. The Ambassador then looks at his Trelan hosts. "I am sorry to have repaid your kindness so poorly."
Taevan kneels down to lift the Uhlan over his shoulder, looking apologetically to the pair. "We are, as we have been, grateful. Thank you." A look to S'veralis, and then Mauri. "We should leave now."
S'veralis moves to take the dropped sword, grimacing in distaste at the length of the blade. Gingerly she hold it in her left hand as she sheathes the neca, She looks at both N'alae and Revaik, "We are at fault on this tell them we fooled you, "she speaks crisply all trace of her faked accent gone. Lis moves to Pareth, if he is not dead from the added injury. To Reviak, "The woods, how far away from here are they?"
Revaik is holding N'alae at the farthest corner of the room. "Who...who are you?"
<CONTEST> Taevan contests his Fitness (Strength) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
K'net-mauri looks at Reviak. He says, "We are very unfortunate travellers. Will the guards return for you? And more so, will it matter to them what you tell them?"
Taevan nods slowly, holding the barely-breathing uhlan and waiting.
"The woods. How far. Quickly Man!" Lis requests again, as she looks out the door the guards left thru.
Revaik and N'alae look into each others eyes. "The guards would take us if we stay here," he says to her.
N'alae's eyes drop to the floor, "We have nowhere to run to."
Revaik looks back at the Romulans. "All is lost for us. Go. The nearest woods are the ones you came from yesterday, a league to the east."
N'alae burys her face into Revaik, sobbing.
. o O Taevan /does/ feel bad about this. They're still Romulans, in a way.
K'net-mauri looks at the pair of them, unsympathetically. "Well. All is lost for you, then. That being the case, I am going to steal your dray-beast, and your blankets. You may as well come along if you wish to try to recover them when I have gone. Otherwise, wait for death with my regrets. I had no mind to meet you and am sorry to bring you this trouble." He looks around to Taevan, "Go find that animal, you can't be carrying your brother too far."
Taevan looks to Revaik for a moment before nodding briskly to Mauri and going off in search of the beast of burden. He's walked for miles, and his feet are hurting.
S'veralis looks towards Taevan and KM and makes a choice, not that the choice was that hard to make. "I will distract the guards." her voice is commited, there is no arguing with her tone, she is exerting her rank now. to Taevan, "Protect our father while I am gone, I will join you as soon as I can. To forstall any arguments she also states, "If they are looking for me they will not look for you and you will have time."
K'net-mauri bends to pick up the blankets of last night, draping one over his shoulders. He heads out after Taevan, casting a final glance at the two unlucky Trelans as he goes.
Taevan pulls around the front of the cottage in the 'driver's seat', the unconscious uhlan already on the cart. "We should go," he notes rather blandly.
S'veralis darts out of the doorway, making no move to even disguise her movements, even though her left arm hurts she moves at a dead run. She glances around quickly to get a lock on the heading she will need to make after she has done what is needed, and moves with all speed. she is constantly glacing around to spot the guards, she shift the sword to her right hand and continues on moving in the open street, making sure she is spotted as she ducks between buildings.
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Athletics (Running) skill vs Trelan Guard's Athletics (Running) skill and Fails!
Peasants watch as the Romulan woman runs past them, and soon a handful of guards are running after her. One guard in particular is faster than she is, and catches up.
S'veralis hearing the quickly closing footsteps she skids to a halt and snaps out a kick behind her knowng thru battle instict where the guard is.....
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Unarmed Combat (Romulan Naval) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
The guard directly behind her is kicked in the stomach and he comes to a sudden halt, doubling over. The other three guards catch up, forming a circle around her. "Surrender!" one of them demands.
The grin that spreads across her face is one that Klingons and Othans in the Othan theater knew to well when Lis killed them, turning quickly she spins her sword filled hand coming up as she releases the sword at one of the guards and then quickly follows it's path at a dead run....
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Athletics (Throwing) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
The sword flies at the guard, who tries to move out of the way, but is unable to do it fast enough. The sword slices into him and the remaining guards give chase once again. A horn blows somewhere in the town.
S'veralis continues to run now flat out now the guards are after her, KM, Pareth, and Taevan have a chance. Now she fall back on the skills she learned on Otha, to escape..to use them against themselves, Guerilla warfare.
The sound of hooves hitting the ground at a run reverberate down the street as horseman quickly close the gap between the Romulan and themselves.
S'veralis makes a sharp turn only an unmounted person can make and slips between one of the buildings, her hands flying out to whatever may be laying between buildings to block her path to make the horses stumble or out right balk...
<CONTEST> Trelan Guard (claiming advantage) contests his Primitive Weaponry (Bow) skill vs S'veralis's Dodge skill and Fails!
An arrow from seemingly out of nowhere flies at S'veralis, barely missing her as the riders slowly make the turn and chase after her again.
S'veralis lowers her weapons.
S'veralis turns and stands stopping her flight, almost negligently she waits for them to come to her. Casually she tosses her Neca aside well away from her so well at least she is not armed.
Several more guards appear, swords and bows aimed at her, ready to attack if she does not surrender.
S'veralis drops her Neca.
"Surrender!" one of the guards shouts.
S'veralis she nods to the guards, "I so surrender." regardless she smiles at them, she has bought her comrades the time needed to get away.
The three male Romulans and their new pet make it out of the town without much trouble, since the distraction from S'veralis took all eyes away from these three. They make it to the forest that they came out of the evening before. Fresh snow has covered up the previous night's tracks.
K'net-mauri rides on the rickety cart. Comfortable. Smells great. He keeps the unconscious Pareth well-covered in blankets. "Well," he remarks, eying the forest and its pristine snow-cover, then looking back at their own wagon tracks behind them. "I see no better choice than to return to our crash site. In any case, we cannot remain on the road. You managed to hitch this creature to the cart, do you suppose you can unhitch it?"
Taevan nods, looking ahead of him. "It should not be too difficult." Ba-bump. "You intend to send him as a diversion?"
K'net-mauri shrugs. "I intend to have him carry Pareth. However, if you think you would like to undertake that task and can do it without jarring him around too much, send him and the wagon down the road, and we will knock snow from the branches to cover our passing and hope these people are stupid enough not to notice the greenery showing."
Taevan purses his lips. "It would be better for me to cover our tracks behind us, and let the beast carry Pareth. I do not know that I could carry him such a distance."
K'net-mauri nods, "Indeed," he says. "I know that I cannot." He looks over the man, frowning, and lets Taevan take care of the hairy animal. Hopefully it's a sort that can be led and ridden as well as hitched to a cart.
Taevan dismounts from the cart, and detaches it from the beast, passing the reins up to Mauri while he goes to search for a suitable branch to sweep snow with.
K'net-mauri leads the animal around to the back of the cart, talking to it in an absent way. He tries, with slow care, to get Pareth into a reasonably stable and comfortable position on the creature's back.
Taevan dutifully bends to begin clearing hoofprints.
The creature blows a puff of air out of its large nostrils, shooting some stream out into the frigid air.
The beast seems tame enough, and its tack and the blankets ought to serve to keep the Ulhan on board, if frequently adjusted. And now it's time for another long walk. K'net-mauri, looking more rumpled and medieval by the minute, leads the beast into the forest.
Taevan follows along behind, sweeping away their trail and hoping the falling snow covers it further.
After a while of traveling, the sun has risen to high in the sky, but refuses to provide very much heat to the area. The woods sometimes seem familiar, sometimes totally alien. They were still some distance from the downed shuttle, however, when loud barking erupt from behind.
K'net-mauri looks back over his shoulder. He sighs. "Well. Primitive biotechnology appears to have prevailed over our guile, Taevan. You may run, and I suggest you do so. I'm afraid I don't have it in me." He doesn't stop leading the dray-beast at his perpetual slow pace, though.
Taevan does drop the leaf, it being a moot point, now, but does not do as instructed. "Yes, you do," he replies rather stubbornly. "Leave the uhlan and the animal to delay the creatures. We will make good our escape."
K'net-mauri shakes his head, "No, I am quite literally incapable of it." His expression does not brook questioning. "Go."
. o O Taevan thinks "You have made me what I am, and it is through you that I will become what I will be."
Taevan's expression is a pained one, a definite first in recent memory for the man. "Mauri," he implores, looking once in the direction of the shuttle before back to the Ambassador.
K'net-mauri fixes a glare at Taevan. "Go," he repeats.
The Adjutant hesitates a moment. "I will not be the one to tell Selera I abandoned you here. I will carry you if need be."
"Like hell you will," snaps K'net-mauri. "Run." He's angry, his tone demands a response and fleeing might be the most natural one. "I'll see if I can follow on this creature." He turns, his face twisted into a snarl, and starts rearranging Pareth on the back of the animal, paying no more mind to Taevan.
Taevan nods slowly, having at least set ablaze some spark of the desire to live within the Ambassador, and does as he is told. He runs.
The Trelans catch up to K'net-mauri, swords raised, arrows ready to be pulled, dogs barked their heads off. "You!" one of the Trelans shout. "Surrender or die!"
K'net-mauri really isn't in much shape to be getting on a horse, or horse-like beastie, but he doesn't give up on the prospect, whatever Taevan may believe about his will to live. He just works on this painful project in his slow way, cursing about it under his breath. Not to much avail, as it happens. The arrival of the dogs and the archers does indeed make him give up. He stands next to the animal and turns to face the Trelans. He holds out his hands at them, palms up. Surrender.
One of the Trelans walks up to K'net, harshly grabs him by the hands, and proceeds to bind the Romulan at the wrists.
"There was another one," the leader of the group says loudly. "You four, take these two to jail. The rest of you, press on. The dogs still have the other's scent."
Taevan runs. In the general direction of the shuttle. As fast as he can, pumping full on with one arm and gingerly with the other. Leaving a distinct trail of foot-sized prints in the snow and a substantially less noticeable trail of tear-sized prints alongside, which taper off as his resolve grows. Because someone must get word back. And he, unfortunately, is the only one left.
K'net-mauri lets it happen, not resisting those who bind him in the slightest. Being impaled by arrows does not agree with him, and while it is true that Romulans are expected to die rather than endure capture, this is, to him, more of a guideline than a rule. The Trelans are not exactly a security risk, in his opinion. He says to his captors, "That was this one," indicating the unconscious Ulhan on the beast's back with a jerk of his chin, heedless of the fact that Taevan's tracks give away his lie.
"Don't believe his words," the leader orders as the two groups split up. The chase continues.
Taevan slows to a stop as he sees the shuttle, taking another leaf-covered branch and diverting his trail to one side, letting it end at a tree, before making for the shuttle while clearing his tracks behind him. He attempts an entry into the shuttle without disturbing too much of the snow, and piling it up behind him.
The Trelans follow Taevan all the way to the shuttle, where they all come to a sudden stop, stunned by the sight before them. "What in the elements is that?" the leader asks in a quiet voice. Silence is his only response. "Move in. Slowly." And so they cautiously approach the shuttle, but no one wants to get too close to it, and so the group ends up just standing outside of the craft, staring at it, for a while.
Nothing comes from within the shuttle, either. Basically because Taevan is beneath the control panel, with the hatch locked, and very glad they can't see him from the broken window. Nope, folks, nothin' to see here. Party's over. Move along.
"You two, go in it and see what you can find," orders the leader. Ah, the joys of delegating responsibilities. The two Trelans targetted for this job look at the shuttle, then their leader, then back to the shuttle. With a sigh of submission, they begin to search for a way in. Oh look, a shattered viewport...
... Where they find a rather placid looking Taevan, with hands serenely clasped at the small of his back. "Greetings and benedictions," he offers with a slow incline of his head. "My awakening has been a long, long time in coming. Today marks the first day in a new era for our people."
One of the Trelans readies his sword. The other readies his crossbow. Both look like they would not be falling for any tricks. "Drop any weapons and come out," one of them says.
Taevan smiles demurely, and raises both hands. "Allow me to open my sanctum for all to bask in its warmth?" He motions towards the hatch in a grandiose, sweeping gesture.
The Trelans look at each other, their expressions showing puzzlement and a little bit of doubt. "Come out," the guard repeats.
Taevan barely ducks his head as he exits the shuttle, arms hanging at his sides palm forward. "The chamber has served its purpose. I am reborn, first among the disciples, and the tide will now be stemmed."
Some of the Trelans look puzzled, but the leader is single-minded in his task. "Bind him up!" he shouts above the barking of the dogs. A Trelan guard approaches with ropes.
Taevan ignores the leader, instead softening his grey eyes and looking to the guard with a warm and gentle smile. "Would you deny destiny so easily? You bear witness to a momentous occasion... and you would end it so prematurely? Come, child. Let me cleanse your spirit."
The Trelan looks oddly at Taevan, then questioningly over at the leader. The one in charge growls, snatches a crossbow from another of his guards, aims, and squeezes the trigger.
<CONTEST> Belgarath contests his Primitive Weapon (Bow) skill vs Taevan's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
The bolt gives Taevan's prattling a pause, and a long, indrawn breath, but the clenched teeth are not visible behind the still-maintained smile, and the fists only clench a bit tighter. "You will be forgiven, child, in time," Taevan says slightly less serenely as he raises his wrists. "All will be absolved, once you know the error of your ways."
. o O Taevan thinks "Savages."
A few of the Trelans noticeably shy away as Taevan appears unharmed by the crossbow bolt. Even the leader seems unsure now, until he notices something green flowing down the Romulan's shoulder. With a wicked smile, he says, "Blood. He's just pretending. Seize him!"
"You will seize no one," Taevan corrects. "I will join you. You are troubled souls, in need of me." The guards shying away are smiled to gently. "You need not fear me, children. I am The Taevan." The Adjutant looks back to the leader, then. "To where will we return?"
The leader gets a firmer grip on his sword. "To town. Follow me." He then turns around and walks off. The others watch Taevan, some looking unsure about who this Romulan is, the others readying their weapons to indicate that Taevan should get a move on it.
Taevan sets his hands on his stomach, fingers intertwined, just the same way he walks into the Neutral Zone every once in a while, and walks right after the leader, smiling all the time, crossbow bolt still in his shoulder.
. o O Taevan thinks "Sa. Va. Ges."
<CONTEST> Taevan (claiming disadvantage) contests his Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
The trip back to town is cold and torturous for one with a bolt sticking through his shoulder. Yet, the Romulan manages to keep up the fascade that he is uninjured. Back in town, the guards bring Taevan to his jail cell, which is a stone room with a wooden door that has a small window to allow the guards to look into the room without needing to open the door. In there already are S'veralis, K'net-mauri, and the barely conscious Pareth.
Taevan turns to face his captors before the door is closed, returning to the demure smile and bowing. "Thank you for the accommodations, child. When you are prepared for salvation, return to me. I will await you."
S'veralis looks anythying but happy as Taevan is pushed into the cell. Switching to Fed speak, since they could understand the Trelans in their native Romulan it is a reasonable idea that the trelans can undestand them, so she switches to fed speak. "I see you got caught as well, Howmany did you hurt?" she asks as she goes to check his shoulder, having already checked KM for injuries, "I am sorry," she says to both of them, "That I was not able to keep them away from you."
K'net-mauri's hands have been untied, at least. But he looks the worse for wear, his face haggard. Too much marching and getting pushed around. Still, he's taken no outright injury. Lis' comment just gets a sharpish nod from him. He leans against a rough wall, not yet willing to deign to lower himself to the filthy floor, and looks around his prison with weary consideration.
Taevan allows S'veralis to examine his wound, looking to Mauri and responding in Fed Standard. "A number of them believe I am a divinity. For the sake of the illusion, act as if you are my disciples. I wish to maintain /some/ modicum of power over them as long as possible." He smirks, continuing, "I am evidently a very humble divinity."
. o O S'veralis thinks "Oh thats all his ego needs is to have these Savages believe he is a GOD!"
K'net-mauri eyes Taevan, raising an eyebrow. It would seem he's not in such sorry shape that he can't be sarcastic. "A divinity?" he asks in Federation Standard. "And what, pray, number of them believe this? Thirty-five percent of one?"
Taevan glowers briefly. "Had it not been for the leader and his crossbow, I may have led them back instead of vice versa. As it stands, I am now a divinity inhabiting the body of a deceased Avaerek. If you must refer to me in casual conversation, I am The Taevan."
S'veralis probes the wound around the bolt, "It does not appear to be barbed." she tells Taevan as she rolls her eyes slightly and takes a hold of the bolt, "This will hurt, Alot." She pauses for a moment thinking of what he has told the ignorant savages, and releases the bolt, so she can reach inside Taevans clothing, and rip some of the inner cloth away. She then grabs the end of the bolt and yanks it out with out any other warning. Her cloth filled hand slips up behind his tunic to press the wad of material to the wound.
. o O Taevan cues mental scream of pain.
Oh. Good. It will be go-aaaaargh. Again with the gritting of Taevan's teeth, the labored breathing, and the clenching of fists. But we must not scream, Taevan, we must not. You can scream all you like when you're dead. "Thank you," he mutters darkly.
K'net-mauri rolls his eyes at Taevan. "Historically, gods in mortal form, or people claiming to be gods, do not have a good record when it comes to lengthy life-times," he observes. "Barring some impressive proof of your holy powers, I don't see you getting much help from this. Particularly," He eyes the bloody end of the crossbow bolt in Lis' hand, "Considering that their leader is clearly unimpressed. Do you have any idea, S'veralis, just who it is they -already- think we are?" He crosses the room to look out the little window in the door.
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Dramatically Succeeds!
Taevan takes the wadded up bit of cloth from S'veralis, holding it to the wound and moving over to K'net-mauri. "My alternative was to simply surrender. They kept their distance from me and looked at me fearfully the entire way here. Can you say the same of yourself?"
S'veralis bounces the bolt in her hand, even though they are imprisoned, for some odd reason now she looks a bit happier, "We have a weapon now." she says just as KM speaks and glances to him, "Bandits, possibly an enemy from other lands." she grins slightly, "They have not really talked with me though, not even to thank me for giving them their sword back, but I have over heard their conjecture on who we are." She arches her eyebrows at Taevan her gaze cool, but says nothing, in a verbal fight KM is the master, and does not need help.
K'net-mauri looks back from his inspection of the little window in the door. He smiles at Taevan with black humour and says, "No, I cannot say the same for myself. But they did not shoot me to see if I'd bleed, either." Lis gets a raised brow, "They conclude that we are bandits?"
S'veralis nods her head, "or enemies from another land. I do not think they are united, and are based on a Feudal system."
Taevan furrows his brow. "Then we have two courses of action, I think. Prolong our lives as long as possible, and hope whatever rescue is sent can lock onto our translators among the lifesigns, or attempt to escape."
S'veralis moves to the doorway, ducking down low enough to stand close to the window, so that she might be able to hear if there is a guard posted close by, but not be noticed.
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
K'net-mauri nods. "That much seems relatively obvious," he says in reply to Lis. "Though it is exceedingly unfortunate that we know none of the details of it." A flicker of an irritated glance at Taevan, "Hope is not an action," he says dryly, then goes back to looking at the door. "Escape does not, at the moment, look viable. Even if we can get out of this cell, we cannot travel at any speed."
S'veralis agrees with KM, "Not to mention if we were to escape, they would be rather diligent in tracking us down." she pauses slightly as she moves away from the door, "When I gave them their sword back I threw it at them, point first, and may have killed one of them."
Taevan rolls his eyes somewhat. "This is most helpful. One of them is dead. That changes our situation very little."
S'veralis shrugs her shoulders, "What is done is done, very little can be altered by bemoaning the situation." she says calmly as she looks at both Taevan and KM, "We are considered over due now, A search will be in progress." she moves to look out the window of the cell, angling herself to try and get as much of a view of the area immediately around the door.
K'net-mauri nods to Lis. He steps away from the door. "Bandits are unlikely to have long lifetimes here. We are probably not particularly believable as bandits anyway. Whereas we can hardly help but seem foreign. I suggest you do your best to appear to be up to something. This should not be hard. If we are fortunate enough to be questioned before anyone does anything more about us, we may be able to drag things on for quite some time. Just tell them that you will answer their questions fully if they give you the word. When they give you the word, tell them it is the wrong word, and to ask his lordship to come tell you the correct one. And when this curious noble person arrives, simply repeat the process. I imagine there are several tiers of authority whose arrival and questions we can await in this fashion."
Several guards approach the door, one of which looks through the small opening to see that it is safe, meaning no S'veralis near the door, before he opens it and reveals a tray of food and some water. He slowly enters and puts the tray on the ground as the other guards watch the prisoners.
"Gods do not need to eat, do they?" Taevan asks dryly in Federation Standard.
S'veralis smiles sweeetly at Taevan, "No I do not believe they do." she rises to take the tray and bring some of the food to KM, and tries to get some water into Pareth. "However if you need to eat I will distract them when you do, if they are watching."
The guard swiftly makes his way back out. The heavy wooden door slams shut, and the clanking of keys indicate that it is once again locked. The guards move off.
K'net-mauri stands looking at the guards. In fact, he eyes them from head to foot in an assessing manner that's calculated to intimidate and is probably familiar to those who've served under him. He accepts the food from Lis without looking at it.
S'veralis's eyes do not widen,however the muscles on her jaw stand out as she suddenly clenches her jaws tight. she takes up a peice of parchment from the tray and moves towards KM, signalling Taevan to join them.
K'net-mauri stops staring after the guards once they've shut the door. Lis' suprise is not lost on him and he leans over a little to look at what she's found when she approaches with it.
Taevan approaches the other pair, shaking his head no to the food but looking generally curious.
S'veralis shows them the note, "We have a way out, provided we can arrange a miracle for you to do Taevan."
Taevan raises a brow, and reaches for the note. "Let me see?"
K'net-mauri seems somewhat suprised at this news. He smiles at Taevan with half of his mouth.
Taevan glances to Mauri with a half grin. "Trust in The Taevan. The Taevan is good."
K'net-mauri shrugs, "Stupider things have happened," he says. "But what kind of miracle can you arrange?"
S'veralis her mind races, "If they consider Taevan a God, and us his deciples, then we are speaking the language of the gods." she frowns distatefully considering they are speaking in Fed, "Check your Translator Taevan, is it operating fully?"
Taevan purses his lips. "The translators, yes." he reaches down to his belt to remove the surreptitiously small device. Thank you, Lux.
S'veralis smiles cheeruflly, "The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it, or so a human once said." she chuckles and thinks, "If we make him think he can understand the languages of the gods, then it will be a miracle."
Taevan nods slowly. "I can have him perform some simple Ch'vashrek mediations as a benediction of sorts. Who will we be performing the miracle /on/? I would prefer it be their leader."
S'veralis shakes her head, "The offer came from the one bearing the food, He is the one who will help us. The leader already doubts your divinity, and that will end the deception, if we do this right we can have the populace turn against their leader."
Taevan fingers the translator in his hand. "Alright. Arrange it, disciple." This said with a glimmer of amusement in his eye.
S'veralis takes the tray and goes to the door, pounding on it to garner one of the gaurds attention hopefully the one whom brought the food.
After a short wait, someone appears at the window. And yes, it is indeed the one who came in with the food. "What do you want?" he demands, then glances around to see if any other guards are nearby.
S'veralis puts on her most disciplish expression, "The Taevan will prove himself to you" she says in Romulan. "I will stand against the far wall, so that your communicatin with The Taevan is yours and yours alone." this is said quietly so he alone can hear it.
Taevan smiles demurely, with hands intertwined along his stomach and the Translator concealed within them.
The Trelan looks a bit worried, glances about once again, but stays where he is.
S'veralis she moves to the far wall, well within his view, and switches to Fed speak, "You are the one that must get him in here," she says to Teavan, thanking the Elements that the Trelan does not have the UT just yet.
"Come forward, child," Taevan says quietly, still with the same smile.
The Trelan guard scoots a little closer to the window, but does not dare to open the door.
Taevan shakes his head slowly, approaching the door. "You must be cleansed of malice before you can converse with the words of the heavens. You will not be harmed, I assure you."
The Trelan at first looks like he has no idea what Taevan is talking about. Then, "You...want me to go in? I..." he glances around again, "I can't. I'm n...not allowed to."
Taevan answers almost apologetically. "It would likely be worse were I to come out. It will take but a few moments, unless you can enlarge this portal."
S'veralis speaks as if intone a prayer in Fed speak, "only for a short time will he understand it,you need the Ut for them to beam you out remember."
The sounds of feet passing by makes the Trelan jump back from the portal and scan his surroundings again. When the footsteps die off, he shakes his head, "I can't...I won't...not without proof..."
Taevan answers in the same droning chant, in Federation Standard. "Mauri has his." The nervous Trelan is graced with the smile, again, and a softening of his eyes of steel grey. "In the last few hours I have died, been born anew, shot and survived, and walked in the snow to your land. I suppose a door is little problem, now." The translator is cupped in one hand, and he steps right up to the window. "Bow your head, child."
The Trelan does not seem completely convinced of the list of accomplishments, but he nonetheless lowers his head.
Taevan says quietly, "Breathe deeply. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Feel the evil flow out with every breath. Clear your worries and concerns from your mind. This must be between us, with no distractions."
The Trelan's heart pounds hard in his chest, but the guard tries his best to do as told.
Taevan begins murmuring in Federation Standard. It's mostly nonsense about how much he hates Jaylas Idrani and how Gr'laH is a spoiled baby who must bellow for what he wants. When he deposits the translator on the Trelan, though, he shifts to something remotely meaningful. Or not, depending on your perspective. "...and let this man's soul be cleansed of the impure, the evil, the malice, the Gr'laH. Let him converse with us in the Sacred Tongue. Can you hear me, child?"
Eyebrows furrowed, the Trelan says, "Yes, of course. You're speaking Trelan."
Taevan shakes his head. "No, child." Taevan steps back, hands again clasped over his stomach as he speaks in Federation Standard. "I have simply attuned you to our words. It is as if you have used them all your life, yes?"
The Trelan frowns, "But I hear Trelan."
Taevan moves one hand to his heart. "You hear my words here. We speak without the barriers of fear or hesitation. Trelan is the language of your heart, yes? The one your parents spoke to you with when you were a child? That is what I speak to. The core of your being. And it is /only/ you, child. Bring your companion; he will be deaf to our words."
The Trelan looks skeptical at first, and finally says, "Wait..." before heading off.
Taevan nods slowly, looking to S'veralis with a slight shrug.
S'veralis gives Taevan that trust me look. "He will know the truth. and be much enlightened by it, his faith in you will be re affirmed, and will guide him along the true path. "No she did not really need to say all that but the guard might come back at any time soo....
When the Trelan returns, another guard appears as well. The second one looks rather eager to see what will happen.
Taevan looks to S'veralis, saying in Federation standard, "I knew he would return. He is of the devout... the good in him is strong. You could sense this, could you not?"
S'veralis intones with respect in fed speak, "My faith in you and your graces gives me all that I need to see his faith in you as well."
The two Trelans look at one another. The second one shakes his head and shrugs, "I don't know what they're saying."
Taevan looks to the first Trelan then, with the same kindly smile, as if a grandfather looking upon his children's children after a long separation.
"You try it," the first Trelan says, and gently hands the universal translator over to his companion, as if afraid he would break it.
Taevan nods, and says to the other man in Romulan, "Breathe deeply. Clear your mind."
The second Trelan does as told.
S'veralis keeps her face straight and while speaking to Taevan she begins to make up words, intoning them as a prayer.
Taevan looks down to the floor, murmuring proper nouns and names in an ever-rising pitch. "... cristobal balin tegedaar tarquin d'mora solos..."
The Trelan continues his breathing exercise.
S'veralis watches closely and when Taevan completes the blessing she allows her self to slip into fed speak again, "..and we must Praise the Taevan in his glory, allowing him into our hearts to guide us and give us strength in our path."
Taevan does not praise himself, but looks to the second Trelan kindly. "Can you hear me now, child?" In Federation Standard, of course.
The second Trelan looks up. "Ye...yes, I can." He looks over at his friend, who shakes his head and makes a facial expression that says he has no idea what Taevan just said.
Taevan admits apologetically, in Romulan, "It is straining to channel myself through the Artifact, and I wish to exclude neither of you. That breeds only envy and malice."
The Trelans nod, as if understanding how that could be. "You should let them out," the second guard says to the first.
Taevan merely waits, hands clasped serenely over his stomach.
S'veralis stands against the wall still within full view of both guards, a benficiant smile on her face.
The first Trelan fumbles for his keys, slides one into the lock, turns, and opens the door slowly so that it would not creak as much. The second guard is on the lookout for any nonbelieving heathens who would want to stop them.
Taevan looks to the second Trelan expectantly, still with the same smile. "The Artifact?" he queries, extending a hand.
"Oh, yes, of course," the second Trelan begins to extend his hand out to return the universal translator, but freezes when he hears someone shouting from behind him.
"What are you doing?" a voice roars. "No one is to enter unless I give permission!"
K'net-mauri, having silently taken in this attempted ruse with a flat and expressionless face that hid his skepticism about the whole thing, seems unsuprised that some higher authority is shouting an objection. After all, these are -almost- Romulan people, and probably similarly intelligent. Deities so rarely stand up to rational analysis.
Taevan returns his hands to his sides, waiting placidly.
The two guards jump back and face their captain without returning the universtal translator. "Sir," the first Trelan says, "the Taevan really is a god. This artifact proves it. You can understand the language of the gods with it!"
The captain briskly walks up to the two Trelans with half a dozen other guards. "Give it to me!" he extends a hand out.
Taevan nods, speaking in Federation Standard. "Bestow the light of truth on your commander, child."
The two Trelans glance over at Taevan, and the one holding the translator passes it on to the captain, who in turn throws it to the ground, draws his sword, and raises it over his head to destroy the object.
Taevan intones sternly to the man, "You would condemn your soul, and that of your family, to the Fire Caves until the final dawn so easily? He who destroys the Artifact will gain no reprieve, no salvation, no relief from his anguish." His tone softens somewhat. "Instead of war, and hatred, take it up with kindness. Hear the words of the heavens."
S'veralis intones like her voice is speaking of a doom, in Romulan, "Be warned to destroy the artifact is to doom yourself, ye whom defies the god by hatred and violence shall meet the same fate of which they give."
"Sir, no!" one of the Trelans shouts while the other takes out his own sword. In response, the other six Trelan guards ready their weapons too in case they need to fight off the Taevan worshipper. The captain does not bring the sword down, but the reason behind that is because of the traitors rather than Taevan and S'veralis. "You have been tricked but these foreigners. What god would bleed from mortal weapons and cannot leave prison by their own will?"
"What god would want to leave prison at all, when the souls he seeks to cleanse are right here? What better way to /start/ than at the beginning, with one man-" And here Taevan motions to the first guard he convinced, "and continue from there? One of my disciples sacrificed himself that I could inhabit his form and come to you. Salvation is offered to you on a platter of gold and you turn it aside?"
"I don't need your salvation, foreigner," the captain spits out. "Get them back inside their cell!" Four of the guards move in while the other two ready their longbows.
K'net-mauri looks on, standing near the door and slightly to the side, which might make him somewhat harder to hit with a longbow. He watches Taevan, hiding his amazement at the younger man's performance.
Taevan turns to S'veralis and K'net-mauri. "Let us return, then, and pray that at least the two are saved from Gal'Gathong. This man would consign his people to damnation without a second thought."
There is no food that night. No fire and no blankets to stave off the harsh winter night. Just the smelly, dirty straws strewn sparsely across the dirt floor. Pareth's condition continues to worsen. By morning, several guards return, one with a rope to bind the Romulans. "You will come with me."
K'net-mauri doesn't miss the food. The fire and the blankets, that he misses. There's not much choice but to lie close to the injured man. At least there is the heat of Pareth's fever. Mauri hooks his fingertips into a rough spot on the wall and hauls himself to his feet when the rattling sounds of the arriving Trelan guards disturb his restless dozing. He looks over at them with a cold expression. "And where will we be going?"
Taevan rises, looking right at the first guard. "I require no bindings. I will accompany you." And he hasn't attacked anyone yet. Nothing to fear from the benevolent deity.
Should they decide to tie her hands together, Lis will allow it for now, but tenses her muscles to that the restrained appendages are larger than they normally are. She watches taking her cue from Taevan and KM.
"You will see," the guard answers K'net-mauri. To Taevan, "You will be bound."
K'net-mauri sighs a little at the guard. "If I shall see, there's hardly any point in you keeping it a secret. This is a village of aggrivating people. You ought to listen better." He glances at Taevan.
Taevan shakes his head slowly. "Welcomed but misplaced, my disciple. They are intent on this path. We can only offer salvation, not force it upon them."
S'veralis stays quiet, and thinks. Moves when they move to where they are leading them.
The guard goes to bind the Romulans' hands, with or without consent. He forces Pareth awake, who tries to stand but is clearly very dazed. Once bound, the guards lead the prisoners to the center of town, where a large wooden platform has been erected. A large gathering of the townspeople crowds the streets.
K'net-mauri just lets himself be bound. He can be bound, or get shot, or battered until he can't resist. Which probably wouldn't take much. And so, off they go.
Taevan allows himself to be led off as well, taking in their surroundings intently.
The guards bring the Romulans to the top of the platform, and another Trelan appears, shouting to the crowd, "These foreigners, enemies of his highness and impersonators of the divine, will now know the price for their actions! Know not to harbor any fugutives, or your fate will be the same as theirs!" He turns to face Taevan. "Do you renounce your claims, and in so doing save yourself from this fate?" He points to the sharp tools laid out on a table.
K'net-mauri gets shoved about in the process of getting him up those stairs to the platform. His face twists into a silent snarl.
Taevan looks out over those assembled rather stoically, before finally looking to the man who speaks and responding in Federation Standard. "When the Pacification Fleet comes, I hope they take their time with you."
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Fitness (Strength) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!
S'veralis's face becomes unreadable as she looks at the many sharp instruments, and relaxes her muscles in her arms, and tries to test th slack of the ropes with small movements. Her eyebrow arches slightly at the words issued by the headman.
S'veralis's face becomes rigid and she closes her eyes trying to reach within herself to push past the pain, as she slips free of the ropes. The muscles on her jaw clench as she listens but does not watch. from the corner of her mouth comes a small drop of freen blood as she has bitten her lip to keep quiet. Her breathing quickens slightly as she tries push past it not doing very well at it at this moment.
The man frowns at Taevan's gibberish. "You have made your choice then." He turns to the crowd. "Let the execution begin! Bring up the first prisoner!" One of the guards grabs a tipsy Pareth, cutting off the rope between him and S'veralis, and half pulling, half pushing him towards the wooden bed near the front of the platform.
Taevan watches with a growing scowl, eyes searching the crowd for the pair of devout guards.
S'veralis winces as she is yanked before the rope parts. Her eyes almost glow with the supressed anger she feels, and the feeling of helplessness she faces while in pain and others of her party are in danger.
The executioner picks a small and very sharp sickle and prepares to bring it down on the barely conscious uhlan.
"Now!" someone shouts. The voice is not from anyone on the platform, but rather in the crowd. Polearms appear out from around the corner of buildings, mostly farm implements that can double as weapons when sharpened a little. In short time, the poles sticking out of the crowd close in on the platform while archers try to pick the wielders of the weapons off.
K'net-mauri startles a little at that, twisting around to look. He wrenches his wrists against the binding ropes, heedless of the rough fibers tearing at his skin.
<CONTEST> K'net-mauri contests his Fitness (Strength) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!
Ropes. Ropes are for hands, silly. And hands are bound. So what does a good little Ch'vashrek practicioner do when his hands are bound? Try and get the heck out, picking at the knot with his fingers, while watching the uprising with a satisfied smile.
<CONTEST> K'net-mauri contests his Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!
<CONTEST> Taevan contests his Fitness (Strength) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> Taevan contests his Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
K'net-mauri succeeds in tearing raw and bleeding rope burns into his wrists, but nothing more. He grits his teeth and doesn't stop his twisting.
S'veralis moves forward obivously fighting the pain off but now letting the ropes fall free of her hands, she lashes out with a kick at one of the near by guards to send him into the crowd. They want him now they get him....
<CONTEST> S'veralis (claiming disadvantage) contests her Unarmed Combat (Romulan Navy) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
The kicked guard was too busy paying attention to the attack to notice S'veralis, and consequently goes flying off the platform. The fifteen or so attacking Trelans get near enough that they can lower their polearms to ram into the guards. The executioner is stunned at first, but then regains his composure and swiftly digs the sickle down into Pareth's abdomen.
Taevan shirks the ropes from his wrists with little problem, immediately selecting the nearest distracted guard to Mauri and turning his momentum against him with a leg before him and a push to the shoulder, with the intention of sending him into the crowd as well. "For your families!" he calls into the crowd. "Rise up, that you all might be saved!" A glance stolen to K'net-mauri before he drops back into his Ch'vashrek stance, guarding his injured wrist.
<CONTEST> Taevan (claiming advantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Ch'vashrek) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
K'net-mauri finds the rope around his hands loose now -- not because he's unbound, but because his companions have managed to writhe free and left it dangling from his wrists. He moves forward, a sudden, awkward, ugly lurch. His silence is broken as he moves, for he emits a cry of pain, a brief and harsh exhalation that is too rough and low to be properly called a shriek. Bloodsoaked rope and Mauri's fists, closed tight around one another, come up to strike at the executioner standing over Pareth.
The normally serene calm face suffuses with blood, making her complexion a bit green, as anger fills Lis. Long legs carry her towards the executioner, dark blue eyes fixed upon him promising death, and a slow one at that. Her leg muscles tense as she closes the distance. when in range her foot lashes up almost as if aiming for the genitailia but the toe of her boot is aiming for a more sensative spot, that section of the pelvis where the hole is leading to the body cavity with all her strenght that leg rises in the kick, this is a dirty move one designed to kill not injure.....
<CONTEST> S'veralis (claiming disadvantage) contests her Unarmed Combat (Romulan Navy) skill vs Trelan Executioner's Primitve Weaponry skill and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> K'net-mauri (claiming disadvantage) contests his Unarmed Combat skill vs Trelan Executioner's Dodge skill and Fails!
Another guard goes flying off the platform from Taevan's kick. The executioner has just pulled a few feet of intestines out when he notices the commotion and looks around. K'net-mauri is closing up on him and he jumps out of the way. When S'veralis approaches him too, he is off balance and so tries to swipe at her with the sickle instead of dodging, only to miss widely and crumple to the floor from the kick. More guards rush in from the barracks and arrows go flying into the mass of people.
K'net-mauri's awkward attack carrys him into that blood-strewn table, jostling it. He's utterly graceless, trying to move on his feet. His bound fists hit the wood near the unfortunate Ulhan and his legs seem to crumple. The Ambassador forces himself upright again with his hands, gritting his teeth as the motion makes the ropes dig into his raw wrists.
Taevan launching a quick snap-kick at the guard nearest the Ambassador and follows after Mauri, taking hold of one of his shoulders. "We must lose ourselves," he says in Federation Standard, trying to lead Mauri off the platform.
S'veralis moves forward some more. Her face is a mask of pain and anger, but control is beginning to win out slowly now that the executioner has been executed. The fight for control is one visible on her face as she lashes out another kick at one of the guards on the platform to clear a path..."We must go now." she snarls in Fed standard....
<CONTEST> Trelan Guard contests his Primitive Weaponry (Bow) skill vs Taevan's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> Trelan Guard contests his Unarmed Combat skill vs K'net-mauri's Dodge skill and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> S'veralis (claiming disadvantage) contests her Unarmed Combat (Romulan Navy) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Fails!
Whiz! Among the hail of arrows, one manages to embed itself into Taevan's leg. Another grabs K'net-mauri from behind and pulls a knife to the Romulan's neck.
"Stop!" the captain shouts from behind his line of archers. Looking at Taevan, he shouts, "Call those people off or the old man dies!"
K'net-mauri tenses when he's grabbed, but there's really little he can do about it; he has no strength but his own weight to escape it. He doesn't try, just turns his head slowly in spite of the knife to fix a glare at the hostage-taker from the corner of his eye.
Taevan winces at the shot, shifting his weight to remain upright. "Hold!" he calls in Romulan to the rebellious peasants, looking to the captain. "Let us go without pursuit. We, and whoever wishes to join us. We will trouble you no further if evil is your path." A hand motions to the crowd. "The alternative is the conclusion of this crusade. You and I will both lie dead, and it will be another millennia before I rise again. Neither of us want that." He fixes his eyes on the captain, then, lowering his voice. "And the last thing you want is a martyr."
S'veralis freezes in position her eyes locking with those of the captain, what she says in not words though. The dark blue eyes say it all, harm him and you will die...slowly.
The Trelan attackers gradually come to a halt. The captain snarls at Taevan's words, then addresses the crowd. "Look at this man! He claims to be a god, but he has no power to save even himself! Do you really want to follow him? And go to your deaths too? He has done no miracles, given you no proofs of his divinity. He is just a man!"
K'net-mauri's gaze is searing. His body cannot back it up; without the power of the Star Empire behind him he's nothing. But he doesn't seem to know it. He stands in the grip of the knife weilding gaurd and casts a terrible and indominable glare over the crowd and to the Trelan captain, where it rests, fearless and wrathful. He speaks suddenly, loudly, the words slow: "Do you think so?" This time it's a bluff, but there it is, Mauri's costly question, well practiced and deadly conversational trap. Spiked jaws lie waiting to snap behind it.
Taevan opens his mouth to reply, but is cut off by the Ambassador. He nods to his 'disciple', hands ever-calmly moving to the small of his back.
S'veralis stands and watches the captain, her leg muscles are tensed, like springs under pressure just waiting for release. her face is devoid of expression.
. o O Taevan thinks "I hate this planet."
The Trelan grabbing onto K'net-mauri slowly sinks his blade into the Romulan, making a slight cut and drawing blood.
"Yes, I do," the captain says matter-of-factly. "Gods beaten by mere mortals are no gods at all." To the crowd, "Now watch as these powerless mortals, foreigners and enemies of his highness, die by the will of his highness." He makes a gesture to some swordsmen, who then draw their blades and start walking towards the Romulans.
K'net-mauri just keeps glaring at the man. He can bleed and glare at the same time. "And has his highness seen these 'enemies' and said that this is his will? The edict you enforce does not apply here. You will regret your laxness in investigating this lunacy more throughly."
Taevan glowers. Mostly at the Trelan cutting Mauri, but even as he returns his words to the crowd. If he's going to die, he may as well make life as miserable as possible for the establishment. "Defeat them!" he calls out, awaiting the swordsmen with tensed muscles. "They who would kill you and your bretheren do not deserve to rule. Expunge the evil from within you, and treat your brothers with peace and kindness! /That/ is the way Trelans were meant to /live/!" There. A revolutionary seed. And now, a kick to the sword arm of the nearest Trelan, because there's not a chance he's going to go down peacefully.
<CONTEST> Taevan (claiming advantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Ch'vashrek) skill vs Trelan Guard's Primitive Weaponry (Sword) skill and Succeeds!
S'veralis turns to face the guards who have drawn their swords, warriors they are as is she, her face is unworried, committed one might say. At Taevans shout lis changes directions hoping for surprise as she rushes to the one holding K'net her face is a mask that promises death. from her reckless charge one can tell she no longer cares about her own life, and pushes past whatever hinderances she faces. She might not get there in time to save KM but if he dies then so des the one that kills him. The bolt she pulled from Taevans shoulder slides down from her sleeve into her waiting palm of her right hand. the well muscled arm rises quickly and then slashes down loosing the bolt, not from a cross bow but from h er hand as she throws it at the guards exposed head with as much strength as she can muster....
<CONTEST> S'veralis contests her Athletics (Throwing) skill vs Trelan Guard's Dodge skill and Fails!
Some of the Trelan insurrectionists resume the fighting, but the others do not seem so sure any more. The guard nearest to Taevan swings his sword, only to have it kicked out of his hand. The guard holding K'net is caught off guard by S'veralis, and swings the ambassador away and into the path of the bolt as he dives out of the way. The bolt's strength, however, comes from the mechanical energy of the crossbow, and a thrown one just does not have the right thrust, so it merely grazes K'net-mauri's head and bounces off with a slight trajectory change, drawing even more green liquid from the diplomat.
K'net-mauri winces, even before he gets hit in the head with a crossbow bolt. This getting bashed about just growing worse and worse, isn't it.
Taevan exhales forcefully, and limp-runs to Mauri, trying to take hold of the Ambassador and get off of the platform into the crowd. And yes. Yes, it is.
S'veralis continues to move towards KM even after the throw and stands behind moving with them facing those that may come at them. Her hands are up not folded into fists but set for open hand strikes that let her hit more sensative areas, "Get him out of here." she shouts in fed speak.
. o O S'veralis thinks "Elements where is the search parties? What I would not give for a squad of Tal'Shaven troops right now."
The fighting breaks out again - until interrupted by a loud boom that send particles of dirt from the street spraying upwards. Then an elongated, green teardrop crashes into the ground, sending more debris flying through the air as the Trelans gasp and scatter. Up in the sky, a green shuttle with wings and a pointed head zooms by.
. o O Taevan thinks "I hate this planet. And I love whoever is flying that ship."
K'net-mauri lets Taevan drag him to his feet and down off the platform. He wasn't lying. He can't run. He lurches. And he grits his teeth because lurching hurts.
"You see?!" roars Taevan, pausing in his flight as he gets down the steps. "Is that not proof enough for you?" Oh yes, he's enjoying himself, now. "Peace does not suit you, it seems - I invite you to witness the fist of the heavens." With a final scowl, he hefts Mauri's arm about his shoulder and waits for the inevitable extraction.
S'veralis almost jumps for joy, but not quite. she watches the crowd for movement as she comes to stand by Taevan not saying a thing loud enough to be heard by the crowd, "The timing was just perfect.." she whispers with a slight edge in her voice.
. o O Taevan thinks "And /that/ is what the Empire does to savages."
A few people remain to stare dumbfoundedly at the Romulan craft, including the Trelan captain, until a few more shots from the shuttle's disruptor banks make him flee too. The shuttle comes to a stop overhead and, seconds later, the three delegates and Pareth's corpse materialize inside the shuttle. Two people are already in there, one piloting and the other holding a medical kit.
K'net-mauri glares about in a ragged and battered and exceedingly pissed off sort of way. He does not seem particularly grateful to be rescued, and the first thing he says is, "Did you recover the crash site?"
Taevan looks about ready to collapse. There's an arrow in his leg, and a boltwound in his shoulder, and he's hungry and tired and has been lying for the last thirty hours or so without even more than a cup of water. So he looks plaintively to the medic, and motions with his head to Mauri.
S'veralis waves off treatment for now, "See to the Ambassador and Taevan." she says to the medical officer. she sits down in one of the chairs actually slumping. her hands begin to tremble first, and then her body, typical come down from the amount of stress they have been dealing with. she licks her lip free of the blood that is still there and cradles her left arm. Even as drawn out as she is she watches to make sure her orders are followed.
The shuttle rises and other shuttles can be seen flying about the area. "It was the first thing we found," says the pilot. "It's being transported back up to the ship."
K'net-mauri lets the medical officer attend to him without even looking at that person. His eyes are narrowed. "We must learn what happened to that shuttle," he says, almost hissing. He settles back, heavy-limbed and tired, into the chair.
Taevan doesn't bother with a chair. He slumps back and down into the junction of bulkhead and floor, arrow sticking up from his thigh, and closes his eyes. "They left it when they took me," he says tiredly. "I convinced them it was a rebirthing chamber."
K'net-mauri looks over at his aide, "And I'd belt you for it, but they have already done that for me. Next time you lie, you will be better at it. We will discuss this later."
S'veralis sighs with relief, and actually closes her eyes. fighting off the pain that is going thru her body now that the endorphin rush is gone.
"Excuse me," Taevan counters darkly. "As I have said. It was that, or blindly surrender. Say what you will about my 'cult', but it worked."
K'net-mauri closes his eyes and repeats, "Later."
The craft punches through the atmosphere, revealing a black expanse dotted with millions of tiny specks of light. The shuttle turns, and a huge green warbird fills up most of the viewport, elegant yet lethal. A sight for sore eyes.
