| abstract
| - A young man, barely more than a lad, walks out of the convenience store admist a small throng of customers. In his hands is a small package which he opens quickly and extracts a new commlink. A sigh escapes his lips as he looks at the commlink wryly, "Could've used this earlier..." Once clear of the main crowd LeBeau tries to put as much distance from himself and the shuttle as possible. Its the nthat he picks out the voice of Katya and moves towards the smaller woman. "Yeah, god a place en drydock when I arrived las nigh...tank yu fo dat by da way. So fo da nex week o so 'm forced to ged aroun by eider bumming rides off da likes o yu and Jest." He then shutters and glaces back to the shuttle which seems to have just had an engine overheat and fizzle out "O da mo dangerous public transpords." Through the landing bay opening, with its protective shimmer of force field granting a view of the starry expanse of the void between Sol System and Sivad, a slender black vessel with angular prongs jutting forward - like mandibles - can be seen approaching. The vessel is only about thirty feet long and has the appearance of a modest transport. Peliomn floats into the landing bay, the Centauran above the human groupings, floating roughly 10 feet from the floor. Anastasia steps off the shuttle from Antimone, hands in the pockets of her longcoat as she heads towards the convenience store, eyes scanning the people in front of her as she goes. Innokentevna rises on her tiptoes, to take a close look at the balky shittle. "Hoop, eef you vere on zee Rock, coult hafe geefen you a rite." The young Ungstiri bounces on her heels, tilting her head just a bit. "Are you hear to leesten een on zee Odarite meeshun too? I'm ..." Reaching to her collar she makes a small puff of breath and polishes the small red star on her collar, "Beink offeshal tonite, ya am .. last theenk ve neet ees an eexploshun rite next toor, da?" As she speaks, she spies the shuttle coming, her hair tossling as it disrupts the bay air. "Speakink ov zee .... Otarites ..." Amongst the eager crowd is a member of the race, and potentially the organization, that has spawned the necessity of this meeting. Having arrived in one of the plethora of shuttles, Akk'kkkr'kkrik has found a position where he can watch with relative safety and still enjoy the proceedings. As the mandible-nosed transport gets closer to the station, two more vessels of similar shape but more grandiose size drop out of OtherSpace simultaneous ripples of blue light. Those two vessels maintain equal distance from Sol Station, holding without velocity, waiting. Expression skeptical Eric fiddles with his new commlink, "-Really- could've used this before." He shrugs easily and clips the commlink to the collar of his jacket. Blue eyes scan the landing bay, noting the ships with a forlorn expression. Landing on the black vessel, his eyes seem to light up and he absentmindly moves for a better view. LeBeau nods briefly "Id was a tough choice. As much trus as yu may hav en yer work crews I still had a hard time pulling myself away from watching dem do all da refids an o'erhauls I laid on dem. I figured dat wid da problems da Athena has been having id migh be worth id to be aroun...an 'll be sur to take yu up on dat offer o a ride off dis stataion." It is then that Ace passing thru the crowd catches his eyes and he turns to whistle out at the woman. Innokentevna looks to LeBeau with wide eyes. "Eet vas nyi a matter ov trust ..." The young woman chuffs out a short and sharp breath, a single steel hewn chuckle. "I voult hafe been a nerfous vreck seeking zee Gray horse torn tovn to zee structural frame again. usually vhen z'at happens I am unconsious een zee hospeetal, da?" She then comes to a halt mext to the handsome cajun. "So nov ve see ... " she nods to the black ship. "Just hov hungry zee tvo sites are" Volidana steps off the shuttle from Ungstir a faint blue aura surrounding her and a frown on her lips as wipes her bangs from her eyes The first of the three Odarite ships - the smaller one - finally passes through the protective field over the landing bay opening and fires braking thrusters before settling onto the deck, red and green telltales blinking on the ends of the forward mandibles as the ship's engines hum toward shutdown. Peliomn remains floating above those below it. The Centauran emits a weak random interest, but merely remains in the floating position. Torr steps off a newly arrived ship, paying a few credits to the mate that accompanies him down the ramp. "Thanks a bunch," he mutters darkly, eliciting only a smirk from the mate. Shaking his head, Torr steps away from the ship, glancing around the area with slightly narrowed eyes. Ace looks up, attention caught by the whistle, a broad smile touching her lips as she catches sight of her favorite Cajun, "Privet, Remy!" she calls over, making her way through the crowd, her smile dimming a shade as she realizes he's not alone. "Katya," she nods before giving LeBeau and enthusiastic hug. "What brings you out here, Remy? And how is the shoulder, better I hope?" Ak'kkkr'kkrik clacks his mandibles softly at the arrival of the vessels is reflected a million times over in his multifaceted eyes, and his antennae raise with apt interest. The back his cloak shuffles as he rearranges his wings. A stream of clicks escape his mouth as he muses to himself, but he doesn't move from his position. As the transport's engines whine down to inactive status, an airlock hisses open and a silver ramp unfurls from within like a shiny tongue from an angular mouth. As the deck makes contact with the deckplates of the landing bay, a single Odarite male emerges from the airlock to gaze around at those assembled as observers. LeBeau reaches around Ace and returns the hug. "I was gedding bored an to worried jus sidding aroun watching a bunch o strangers wrking on da Wolf. I jus don like oder people touching o working on my ship, e'en if I turn id o'er to dem freely." His attention is then drawn back to the ship that has just land to watch the first person emerge. He then turns his attention back to Ace and Katya "Da sholder es doing jus fin now." Eric Heller's expression becomes thoughtful as the black ship lands, "Never seen one of those before..." A pensive smirk rests on his face, blue eyes attentive on the vessel. Volidana gives ace, remy and Katya a wave and a half smile and heads in their direction even as her gaze is transfixed by the landed Odarite ship, a look of more pronounced worry croses her face, something new having occurred to her Innokentevna dusts her leg, nodding back to Lebeau with a smile. "Goot as nev myself ..." The dark haired woman nods. As she does, instincts Ungstiri come to the fore, a mischevious glance to the arriving vessels. "Fife rubles says z'et ton't geet to zee meetink room vithout a eenceetent, da?" Seeing nothing or no one of immediate interest, Torr moves toward one of the cargo crates scattered around the area. Leaning up against the stack, he dips a hand into the pocket of his jacket. Coming out with a small box. He pulls a cigarette from it, lifting it to his lips and then lighting it with a small silver lighter. His eyes eventually end up watching the newly arrived ship that seems to have drawn so much attention. Down the ramp comes the Odarite, slowly fluttering the translucent wings that fan out from the gleaming back of his armored carapace. In his two left clawed appendages, this particular Odarite carries a staff of polished black wood that is topped by a rounded silver head that seems to emulate an insectoid, complete with compound eyes and mandibles. He uses this staff to aid in his walking, which is marked by a rather distinctive limp. His left leg has a joint that has been wrapped in coils of black cloth. As he reaches the bottom of the ramp, he gazes around at the onlookers, then turns the attention of his own glittering blue-black compound eyes toward the two ships remaining outside the station. There's a small commotion traipsing off the Sivadian ship that's just docked. A group of men, artistically clad, headed up by a be-suited man with a fedora comes down the ramp of the ship. The tallest of the group puts out his cigarette and adjusts his beret, taking a remote control from his pocket. Evidently head of the camera crew he directs hovering holo-cameras down the ramp to overtake them and whiz into the docking bay. A smaller comrade with a goatee performs a similar manoeuvre though this time high-tech microphone pods hover outwards and join their camera brothers in on the 'stage' of the spaceport. "Righty ho chaps." The Sivadian at the head of the formation, Crawford, speaks. "Chocks away, lets roll!" he claps his hands and they burst forwards to make a documentary. "Is good to hear," Ace says to Remy, glancing at the Gray Horse's pilot before her attention it caught by Dana's wave. She returns the gesture, smiling at Volidana, "She looks troubled...hope everything, it is okay with her." LeBeau takes a moment to glacne over in the direction of Volidana and watches her start to make his way to the group. HE looks then back to the two women he is with "SO Katya, jus wha di yu hav don to yer baby?" He asks the courier as he loops an arm around Ace's shoudlers while she stands next to him. Glancing curiously at the arrival of the Odarite, Eric absentmindly walks over to the closet spectator, Torr. "Excuse me." A pause. Curiousity overwhelms timidness, "What -is- that?" Torr smirks a little, the expression strangly twisted on the mans face. The display of the odarite limping down the ramp, pretty staff and all, seems to amuse the man. The cigarette still smokes in his hand, and after a moment Torr brings it up to his lips, taking a long drag and then exhaling through his nose. At the appearance of the documentary crew, he seems more entertainted than before, the smirk deepening as he watches the crew. As Eric speaks to him, Torr turns to look at the man, the smirk still on his face. "An alien," he says with a shrug. "Odarite, I think thats what they call em." The Odarite on the landing bay deck tilts his head as he listens to a chattery, clickety stream of conversation coming through the speaker of a commlink strapped around the forearm of his upper right appendage. His mandibles click and his tubular proboscis twitches as he speaks into the commlink's transmitter in response. Anyone with a commlink monitoring Sol Station's public traffic lane management frequency would hear traffic controllers expressing some disdain: Both Odarite queens want to be the first to land, and the bay entrance can only accommodate one vessel at a time. "Marcel!" Crawford barks to the tanned specialist next to him. "Oui?" "Get me a Dom Collins!" "Oui" replies the specialist as he begins to mix said cocktail as Crawford turns to the chap in the beret. "Right Monty, I want close ups of the Odarites." And almost immediately Monty nods and a hovering camera whizzes past Ak'kkkr'kkrik to catch full footage of him. Crawford removes his fedora and brushes back his locks. The cocktail arrives, and he chucks it down his throat before handing the glass back to Marcel. The sound crew begin to get set up in their own right. Innokentevna looks to the blustery arrival of the Sivadians, a brow raised, her teasing grin returning for a second, a quick heartbeat. "I theenk z'at kvaleefys as an eeceetent all by eetself." She straightens her shoulers, sinking her hands deep into jacket pockets. As she watches, she replies to Lebeau. "Mostly eenternal vork. Compsys eemprofements, nev fuel system, sharper fangs an you can see zee hull modeefeecashuns, da?" She does cast a second glance tothe side, returning Anastasia's nod wth one of her own, quiet and friendly. She does, though, end with a tease for the gentleman. "Katriel veel be jealous, da?" The Centauran elevates to a greater level as the chatter below and on the comms continues. Volidana looks down at her purple-suited self as she gets near enough to Ace, katya and Remy she says in a low voice "Make a note. Don't ever hire me as a spy. Just pray to the Sol god that I don't attract unwelcome attention despite being a six foot tall purple clad Vollistan" she sighs Eric Heller simply looks at the documentary crew and asks, "And -him-?" His voice is slightly strained but amusement seeps through, mirroring the smile on his tanned features. The motion of the Odarite captures his attention again. "Odarite huh?" he mutters and as the Odarite communications on its commlink, Eric reachs up a gloved hand and flicks on the commlink attached to his jacket collar. "You know anyone who gives you trouble will get it back tenfold, Dana," Ace says with a smile, reaching out with her free arm to give the Vollistan a welcoming snug. "None of us here would put up with it, da?" She looks back over to the Odarites, then, frowning before looking back to Volidana, "You looked bothered...everything, it is okay?" After more chittery debate, I'kkrikik lowers the arm with the commlink and leans a little more on the staff that supports his damaged leg, his posture suggesting relief. Those monitoring channels would hear that a compromise was finally reached: Xrkrrt'l's vessel will land first and R'lk'trrt'k's will land second. But when the meeting ends, the order of departure will be reversed so that the other queen gets to leave first. That settled, the starship carrying Queen Xrkrrt'l fires thrusters and closes on the station. A first LeBeau doesn't seem get just what Katya is talking about until he feels Ace shift in his arm. He then chuckles and shakes his head "If she does ged jealous she'll only be on o a dozen o so, encluding yerself 'm sur. As fo yer ship..." He looks up to give it a real good looking over. "We'll hav to compare nodes once da Wolf es ready to fly again." Torr watches the Sivadians with some interest, though it is mostly disgusted amusement which can be seen on his face. He takes another long drag from the cigarette, the end of the thing glowing bright red. He blows out the smoke after a moment. "Don't ask me about them," he says, nodding toward the news crew, "'Cause I don't know." He looks at the man, and his commlink, slightly interested. "Anything entertaining going on there?" "These Creatures may seem alien to us." Crawford's charismatic, honey dripped Sivadian accent slides through the room. "Yet even they experience trials and tribulations." At the moment in a bit of a nature program maker mode, "These Odarites have gathered here to try and end tensions between two rival factions. Trade Minister I'kkrikik.." evidently he has practised the pronunciation.. "Is going to try and bring these factions to agreement on neutral territory." And the camera in front of him stops rolling for now as he turns..instead the cameras rise to focus on I'kkrikik and the arriving ships. Ak'kkkr'kkrik clicks irritably as a camera focuses on him, but the unaffiliated Odarite does his best to ignore it. He slowly crosses all four arms and his antennae take a more neutral pose as he slowly skitters towards the ships, but with no seeming intention of actually interacting with the proceedings of yet. Innokentevna chuckles quietly, letting her shoulders rise and fall. "Jealous, ya? Nyet nyet nyet ... but I'll make sure you catch zee bouquet at my vettink, da? Z'en you'll hafe to make a choice. As for zee ozer, you may hafe to try an catch me feerst." She keeps her eyes on the arriving spacecraft, the jockeying for position, fingertips adjusting the volume on hercommlink. "You much experience vith Otarites, Reemy?" Eric Heller shrugs, "Apparently there was a mixup on which ship comes in first." A nod towards the last two Odarite ships, "Those two seem to be holding royalty of equal stature. Each wanted enter first, or at least thats what I picked up from the controllers." He smirks, "I don't exactly speak Odarite." Catching part of Crawford's speech, Eric turns to face the camera crew. Volidana shrugs "I was stuck on Quaquan when the odarites attacked the athena so i'm a bit confused on which faction attacked us. I'm hoping I don't learn in an unpleasant fashion" In the end, however, it turns out that Queen R'lk'trrt'k gets to go first *anyway*. Sort of. As the other queen's transport angles toward Sol Station, the second queen's transport cracks open about mid-hull as something explodes within. Hull breached, the mandible-nosed vessel suddenly vents atmosphere in a quick burst before imploding into a twisted wad of alloys, plastics and crushed organic material. Moments later, Queen Xrkrrtl's ship is within ten yards of the landing bay entrance when it too cracks open, vents atmosphere and implodes. Desperate comm chatter can be heard by the traffic controllers before they switch the landing bay field to full force to prevent the wreckage of either ship from penetrating the barrier. The remnants of the closest ship bumps against the field, causing a flash of energy, and then drifts backward from the velocity of the impact. The trade minister's mandibles spread wide in horror as static crackles over his commlink. As the ships crack open, Peliomn begins to emit open emotions of disgust, and an alertness. The Centauran does not move immediately, instead remaining in position, above the crowds still. "Hoop!" Ace shouts, instinctively moving to put herself between Dana and the explosion. She balances on the balls of her feet, hand dropping to her empty holster as she searches the crowd for any signs of trouble. LeBeau smirks and looks to Katya thru the corner of his eye as he turns to focus a bit more of his attention back onto the arrival of the dignitary ships. "I though da guys tried to catch da garder, an 'm mo den sur Da Wolf could catch..." da sudden explosions outside draw the man's attentions away from the conversation. The bright energy flash of the second ship striking the barrier of the landing bay forces hims to cover his eyes from the blinding flash. Torr nods to the other man, though is distracted by the Sivadians again. He shakes his head at the commotion they seem to be causing, but just then the ships outside explode. "Damn, that must be bad," Torr comments casually, watching the bits of wreckage bounce from the energy shield, blinking against the glare. "And yes, it would appear that the two monarchs, equal in status have attempted to land at the same time. Each wishing to proceed the other as some mark of status, looks like these negotiations will be awkward and lengthy to say the least." Crawford's voice husks out once more. The cameras focus on the blundering ships, and then. "Oh my! Oh by Sivad!" Crawford shouts and rises to his feet and the whole crew runs forward into the camera-line to watch the events unfold. The ship is caught on film, crashing and exploding and tearing itself apart..as if that wasn't enough. As the flickering explosion ends the ship at the front splits and implodes as the other did. "Bloody hell! Excuse my Ungstiri, but it seems that both ships have been destroyed. It's a catastrophe, who's behind this? We don't know." The cameras also focus on the horrified trade minister. "It seems that negotiations won't even happen, could it be that this insectine race has witnessed terrorism?" his voice is loud, dramatic and hyped. It fits the scene, really. Ak'kkkr'kkrik winces as the ship blows up and as the wreckage approaches the, his cloak flies off his shoulders as his wings flap out to their complete span. They buzz as the Odarite crouches in a natural response to a dangerous situation - look bigger than he is as well as being more able to escape quickly. His mandibles gnash together as he slowly forces calm. "This is certainly unprofitable," he notes irritably after a moment's reflection. Volidana covers her own face at the glare from the explosion for a moment, her own aura flashing bright purple "Vol's Dark. I expected it to go a bit further than that....how many deaths will the legacy of the kamir cause even after their gone" "Gospadi ..." is a quick whisper from the Ungstiri ambassador, a hand brought up first to shield her eyes, as the debris and venting gas sparkle and shimmer upon the station's shields. She takes a step forward, reflexive instinct, as she then lets her gaze sweep the bay ... and end up focused on the remaining Odarite ship. "Gospadi ..." she repeats, and then calls out to I'Kkrikit. "Gospahza Guiltmaster ... perhaps you shoult conseeter geet'nk off your sheep ... nov." She takes another step forward. "Against zee chance ov loosink tri sheeps een one efenink." Crawford runs forward with cameras and mics hovering behind him like a swarm of electric hornets. "Sir! Sir!" he tries to attract I'Kkrikit's attention. "Are you in any way linked to this atrocity? Have you any idea what caused it?" Sivadians aren't always fiendishly polite, usually inquisitive on such occasions as these. Marcel meanwhile, feels an urge to sweep up the debri and begins doing so with his portable mop. I'kkrikik isn't on his ship. He has staggered about three steps toward the landing field, staring with that implacable-seeming gaze out at the ruin of the two queens' vessels. When he hears the Ungstiri ambassador speak, he turns toward her, catching myriad reflections of Innokentevna in the aspects of his compound eyes. "Nko," he finally clacks, shaking his rounded head back and forth. "Nko thkird bkomb. Flkew mykself. Rikvals dkid thkis. Akm nkeutral." "Is not something I would take chance with," Ace calls over, still alert and looking sharp, "If someone wishes this war to continue, killing the mediator would serve their purpose, da? Think maybe we should let security check your ship, evacuate it to be safe." LeBeau reaches out to grab Katya's shoulder "Don ged to close. An I really tink yu should ged en touch wit Ungstir righ now an hav dim encrease yer securidy precautions. If dees groups could do di to each oder..." He motions with a nod of his head towards the clouds of debris floating just beyond the energy field used to hold the vacum of space at bay "..den da Athena crew migh be a lod o danger." A hover camera flies about LeBeau's head...capturing the isolated pair as if they somehow seem suspicious...another set affiliate themselves with the Ungstiri, while the last is with Crawford, still trying to talk to the Odarite. "Rivals? So is there a third party involved? Or was the fact both factions planted some kind of explosive device simply coincidence?" Marcel continues sweeping...Crawford turns to watch Ace for a moment...and then the other two. I'kkrikik turns his attention to Ace, mandibles clacking as he thumps the staff a few times from nervous energy. "Triked tko killk mke bkefore dkeparkted Okdari." He gestures with one of his left hands at his damaged leg. "Akvoided fkatal inkjury." He then fixes his gaze on Crawford. "Nkot coinkidence. Bkad bkusiness." He bobs his head up and down, mandibles flexing. "Thkird fkaction. Mkust bke." Innokentevna takes a step and stops. Stops dead. She nods as Anatsatsia contnues, but her attention turns. Very quickly, very sharply, she turns and calls out loud. "VI! YOU!" Her attention is focused on the Sivadian news crew and its persistent anchorman. "Sifatian ... vas z'at a hoopin' LIFE FEET?" She then barks out again, stayed for the moment by Lebeau's hand as she asks her question. "Kvick! You got a nevsfeet comink out ov Odarii ... like RITE NOV?" With another drag from his cigarette, Torr edges closer to the crowd gathering around the minister. His eyes focus on the odarite, and on the sivadian questioning him, for now not amused or annoyed by the newsman, only interested on what is going on. Crawford is a galactic celebrity, he usually gets his answers. "Excellent answer I'kkrikik, a third faction? My, a turn out for the books indeed." he steps back and offers a hand to shake. "Assassination attempt eh? My this is getting interesting." he turns to Innokentevna and calls back. "No it's not a bloody live newsfeed, though my crew is requesting permission to send the footage and a rough report to Odari." he gestures behind him to some Sivadian's fiddling with communications devices. Volidana sighs "Pallisade or no Pallisade. Odarai is going to be covered in blood" she remarks softly to ace As Katya deals with the news crew, Ace shifts towards I'kkrikik, ebony eyes constantly moving as she checks doors and exits, ship airlocks and shadows, recognizing the Odarite as a potential target. "Pallisade," Ace says to Dana, "Is that what all of this is about? Are you in danger because of this?" LeBeau reaches above his head to knock away the hovering camera. "Katya, I doub id was a liv feed. da way da ambulance chaser es talking dis was jus a story dat all o a sudden migh be worth someting. Doh I don tink day should be brocasding id back to Odari. All da foodage migh do es cause a riod an plunge da sysdem ento anarchy o e'en some sord o guild civil war." Torr is close to the crowd that had gathered before, and now close enough to hear snatch's of LeBeau's comment. Looking somewhat incredulously at the man, he speaks. "You think they can just cover this up?" Sol Station maintenance hoppers zoom out from auxiliary bays, closing on the wreckage of the two ships, grappling the twisted debris in insect-like claw arms before hauling them toward the waiting aux bays. LeBeau's words are caught....."... es cause a riod an plunge da sysdem ento anarchy o e'en some sord o guild civil war." a hovering microphone repeats. The footage is already on its way though, being sent to Sivad, not Odari...and La Terre.....even Mars. Everything has been edited and aside Crawford is making recordings to add onto the finished program now being sent around Orion's Arm. In K'kr'frr: Chitin scratches against deckplating as Akk'kkkr'kkrik approaches I'kkrikik. It is disgraceful enough we are not safe dealing amongst ourselves, but the death of Queens is unacceptable. They are Odari's greatest asset. The clacking from the Odarite is obviously irritated, the he takes a moment to fix his cloak so as to hide his disfigurements. This is an internal matter of our people, I would tell them nothing more. I have the resources to investigate such a matter, and deal with those responsible if you so desire. "Leesten to Tana, zee Volleestan z'ere an kvite beeink a blooty raspeezdeyi ..." The bits of sharp mierznykovy mix in with Innokentevna's heavily accented terran. "Vhats goink out ees nyi as eemportant as vhat ees happenink on Otari ... rite nov!. Forgeet your byline ... sometheenk z'eese coortinate't ... z'ey are eizer vaitink for your report to treeger a hoopin' riot ... or alreaty start't. Theenk responseebly, da? Knov vhats goink on zere ... FEERST. Like. Rite. Nov!" She looks back to Lebeau with a nod. "Da, da, da ... an he's sittink on ekvipment ty't eento zee nevs backbone. Static floads Eric's comlink, causing a loud screeching noise. With an irritated flick of his wrist he turns lowers its volume, his eyes captivated by the wreckage floating in space, expression serious. I'kkrikik turns his gaze toward Akk. "There is not much to investigate. The guild has fragmented and fallen out of control. It will only grow worse now, I am afraid. But if you wish to assist the authorities here, you may do so. I am needed on the homeworld." He then turns, staff in hand, and limps toward the ramp leading up to his ship. Volidana nods " I could be I suppose assuming I'm on his footage, which is why i was kicking myself for wearing my uniform...one of those factions supposedly had a map to pallisade. I wanted to see if things would turn out alright" she frowns at Crawford's words."somehow I think getting out of here would be a good idea" LeBeau listens as his voice is captured by the hovercam. He then moves past Katya and storms over to Crawford and his little gang of techs. " 'll giv yu dis one chance to stop recording an sening oud anymo enfomation. If yu don, den I assure yu 'll do id myself, an I can no garuntee dat 'll leave yer equipmen en one serviceble piece, do we understan each oder?" The cigarette has been all smoked, or at least burned, to the filter. Torr flicks the stub away, scattering ash across the hanger floor. He crosses his arms over his chest now, watching LeBeau confront the newsman. The smirk has returned to his face, as he is again entertained by what transpires. Ace nods to Dana, "Should probably get you back to Ungstir then quick, da?" she says, looking to Katya. "Safer there than here out in the open...are you only crew here?" she asks. "Fine ... fine .. fine ..." Innokentevna pushes herself forward too, pointing back to the wreakage out beyond the forcescreens. "Look you hoopink eediot. Zee folks een z'oose sheeps vere kill't because zey ver tryink to STOP a hoopin' cifil var. Nov you got a choice ... play vulture upon z'ere corpses an make z'at effort een vain ... or to you vant to help us feegure out vhats goink on to perhap lessen zee opposeeshun's heafy hant't execushun?" In K'kr'frr: Ak'kkkr'kkrik sidles towards I'kkrikik and the other Odarite's vessel. I am of little use here as well. They will skitter and chatter to no real use. Perhaps I can join you on the return journey to Odari? You can use an Odarite of my skills, especially if another attempt is made. His mandibles spread apart in the Odarite equivalent of a wry smirk. And I would propose that betting that another attempt is going to occur would be more profitable than not. Eric Heller frowns at the documentary crew, and thoughtfully looks at his commlink. Shaking his head he walks briskly over to the commotion, ignoring the clicking of the Odarites. Volidana nods "I was pretty sure things had the potential to end badly but I at least was hoping they would get started i came on my own via shuttle to see what would happen." I'kkrikik bobs his rounded head at Ak'kkkr'kkrik, then leads the other Odarite up the ramp into his transport. The ramp begins to retract once the two Odarites reach the airlock. Crawford just laughs, quietly and calmly he raises his head to face the Lunite. "They have a right to know. We all do, that's why I'm here." The report has been sent, the headline is in the making. Crawford dusts his palms together and Monty beams proudly. He turns to Innokentevna and flashes her a winning smile. "It's too late." Torr raises an eyebrow as the woman gets involved with the situation even more. He begins to elbow through the crowd, closing in on the news crew and others, smirking even more when he hears Crawford's response. Reaching the edge of the crowd, he slows, happy to watch from a few steps away. "Where?" Eric Heller steps up beside the people surrounding Crawford, "Where has it been sent?" Grabbing his commlink off his collar, his finger hovers over its interface awaiting an answer." The Odarite transport closes its airlock door and the engines begin to whine to life. Sol Station security officers start filing into the landing bay. One of them shouts, "Clear out, folks. Allow the minister's vessel to depart - but we're not taking any chances. Get clear, just in case." He then speaks into his commlink. "They can launch once the bay is cleared and the blast door is sealed." LeBeau takes in a deep breath and sighs as he glances back over his shoulder to Innokentevna "Katya ged da ship ready to ged us back to Ungstir. I hav a feeling id'll be awhile befo any sense es made o da wreakage." He then turns his attention back to Crawford "As fo yu.." He gives a quick glance to the news crew and smirking before looking back into Crawford's eyes. "Dis den I suppose since yu god a free data sen off I can hav a free one o dees." The cajun's fist is then ball up and sent flying square towards Crawford's jaw. Ak'kkkr'kkrik disappears into the transport behind the minister before the airlock closes. Ace nods, "Will see you safely back to Ungstir when you wish to go," she says to Volidana, "Make sure there is no problem, da?" She continues to watch, backing off as instructed so long as Volidana moved with her. She looks over to LeBeau and Innokentevna, "Everything looks clear, but is too crowded to say it is secure." Volidana follows Ace "A day just isn't complete without remy remy getting into a fight. unfortunately I'm afraid it comes to late to do any good Crawford lets the fist strike him in the chin, his jaw moving back along with his body which sprawls into the capable arms of Monty and Marcel..a line of blood running from the corner of his lip and he snorts. He turns his eyes back to LeBeau, wincing but still finging time to utter the words "I won't retaliate, I don't strike specialists." and with those curt words, he puts his hands to his aching, aching jaw. Torr winces as the blow strikes the newsman, and he shakes his head slightly. He chuckles softly to himself, watching the situation with some interest, though mostly he seems to find it a source of entertainment. At LeBeau's roundhouse Innokentevna just narrows her eyes and barks out a rockopper's curse. "Vi'ebnulsya i tut zhe poluchil pizdy ..." brows furrowed she takes a step forward, hands cominmg out of her pockets balled into little fists. "Vi byt promudobl'adsksya pizdopro'ebina ... Idi na khuy ... to nyi pass go, to nyi colleck tvo thousant rubles ..." Eyes of steel just look to the reporter, "Hoop .. I't deck you ... except you just are nyi vorth eet ... but you knov z'at alreaty, ton't you." She then spins on her heel, turning to the line of berthed ships. "Reeemy, Tana, Ace ... zee Horse ees gallopink back home ... like rite nov." Volidana bolts for the ladder "What part of 'clear the bay' do you people not understand?!" a guard shouts upon seeing the scuffle between LeBeau and Crawford. "MOVE IT!" Crawford is helped back to the Sivadian ship by Monty and Marcel..not really in a fit state to walk, energy spent on the witty retort. The Documentary crew clears the area. The young pilot watches Crawford fall backwards, "So much for that." Turning towards LeBeau he asks, "Wha-" The guard's bellow cuts through his question, and sighing Eric walks briskly towards the exit, glancing at Anastasia and Volidana leaving. LeBeau gives Crawford on last glare "To bad yu could no o godden dat on film huh?" before turning to head with the others towards the Gray Horse as the guards begin to clear out the deck with a bit more furvor. Ace seems to take the blow in stride, almost as if she had been expecting it from her Lunite friend, "You are looking to get hit again, aren't you?" she says dryly to Crawford as she ushers Volidana towards the Gray Horse. Once she sees her friend at the ladder, she turns to head towards the shuttles, coming to a slow stop at Katya's words - one foot, then another pausing on the cold deck. She looks back over her shoulder, her dark eyes coming to rest on the courier, weighing the words, the offer and the woman all at once. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she adopts that odd, neutral expression of a bodyguard before giving a single nod and turning to follow Remy towards the Horse. Pace fast and light, the Ungstiri ambassador crosses to a small scout ship, scrabbling up its front gear until she can draw down its boarding ladder. fast and sure she scrambles up, vanishing into the ship's small hatch. Torr sighs a little as the scuffle draws to an end. As the guards begin to be a little more insistant, he takes another cigarette and lights it, inhaling deeply and then exhaling. His pace is somewhat slow, as it seems he is taking his time as he moves toward the doors. Its landing gear rising, the small scoutship pivots in place, lining up for departure. With a dull grumble its fairings spread, the roar of the oversized engines ... once muffled now as obvious as thunder. The business ends of the triple drive bells point straight back, and at the Sivadian newsship ... Eric Heller watches with admiration the scoutship move, "Now -theres- a ship I'd like to fly." One of the guards glowers at Eric. "I can arrange to tie you to the landing gear, if you like. Or you can keep moving." With a roar the Intruder slams out of the dock at full gallop, the Gray Horse swiftly passing through the forcescreens and then out into the dark. The UKT Gray Horse lifts off an departs the docking bay Eric Heller shrugs, eyes trailing the scoutships departure. "Yea yea.." he mutters, and turns to continues towards the exit. The guards follow Eric's path toward the common area, ready to give the signal to seal the bay, just in case an explosion is to follow. "Go slower," one of the guards grunts at Eric. "We'll leave you in here." Eric Heller says, "Right, I gotcha." He picks up his pace, and walks into the Common Area. The guards emerge from the landing bay. One of them signals to an engineer waiting at a control panel. The bay entrance is quickly sealed by a hissing blast door. Torr stands by a viewport, looking into the Landing bay. He seems curious whether or not there will be a third Odarite ship exploding today, though judging by the somewhat bored expression on his face as he takes another drag from the cigarette, he wouldn't care much either way. Eric Heller steps up beside Torr, throwing a glare at one of the guards, "What do you make of it?" A gloved hand motions towards the forcescreen, "The explosions. Assassination seems to be the most obvious answer." Through a viewport, one can see the departing form of the smaller Odarite transport as it picks up velocity leaving Sol Station. Once it is a safe distance away, the FTL drive kicks in and the transport vanishes in a flash of blue light. Satisfied no more disaster is coming, the guards nod to the engineer. The landing bay door unseals. The guard who's been grumping at Eric grins at the pilot. "Aw. No fireworks. Sorry, kid." Another guard scowls at his underling. "That's enough, Patcher." Then the leader turns toward Eric. "Bay's clear for access. Have a nice day." The Sol Station guards then head off toward the auxiliary bays.
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