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Mother Confessor:

Outside the in the busy corridor standing beside the Captain at attention pressed up against the wall tightly to not hinder the flow of busy soldiers as they pass by. The sounds of the General barking at the Sergeant, highly angered at the subordinate. Her heated delivery is muffled considerably by the metal wall making it impossible to understand what is being shouted in the room to our backs. Looking up at Captain Graxis standing at my right shoulder mere centimeters parting us.

“Permission to speak freely, sir”, I ask timidly at the hard expression of his statuesque stature beside me.

“You may. What is on your mind Private”, he says in a low tone not moving from his rigid posture.

“Sir, how is it you are so well practiced with a sword? Secondly, why did you violently remove the Sergeants nose ring”, I double up on questions. Unsure of how much time I will have before we are to rejoin the angry General.

“Well the first you answered, a lot of practice on top of more practice. As for stripping the other of the ring. From where the Sergeant is from on my planet, it is a rite passed down from a parent. An old custom that some still exercise. It is a symbol of status as a dedicated and formidable warrior. What I had done was insult her family pride and clans honor. Though now a days we are more of an open society instead of truces among clans. For Miss Nimix, however is a part of a clan of sorts that still practices some of the old ways and customs”, he explains in the low tone still keeping his eyes pointed forward.

Only the two of us paying any attention to the aggressive noise filtering through the wall. Doing our best to not let the tempered barking of the General show, as we wait like statues in the busy corridor.

Marckus:

With the final docking protocols met, the practiced pilot guides the ship smoothly onto the docking platform between the hulls and large airlocks. The small female lizard seems particularly interested in me for unknown reasons. Well at least unknown to me. She sat on my side of the cockpit leaning up on the metal plating where the high density glass and the metal paneling meet. She sat there on the far end of the console glancing between me and all that lay within the viewable range of her vantage point and the window. The two other tagalongs, now out cast from their peer group and works. On the seats behind the main portion of the cockpit, looking like small children pretending to be adults. Their small bodies set in the expanse of the Terran sized seats. Neither one large enough to allow their feet to even dangle over the edge. Each with a bound lab coat in his lap, setting quietly as we made our trek back to the battleship, and still quiet as we begin docking.

That was not at all how I expected things to go, but it could have completely gone to shit at the very worst. Perhaps it is a good thing that I will never be returning back to Helene for any reason. Had no idea that even the most intelligent lacked the ability to empathize with others suffering. Even my fellow Terrans had simply written off the pains of those on Callisto as a statistical blip in annals of the universe. I should let it go, not worth getting pissed off over the events that have already been branded on the weave of time. It feels nice to be able to meet the small goals thus far. Just hope they will lead me to achieve my overall end goals. One step at a time, I tell myself. Be in the present, learn from the past, and plan for the future. The thought bounces around in my mind, reminding me to worry about the task at hand and to prepare for the tasks ahead. The past a blueprint of successes and failures to be referenced, to be altered or improved on as the present sees fit.

Bringing my mind back to reality as the ship is pulled through the inner hull airlock on the landing pad. The pilot busy powering down the engines, and setting the hatch to open as it is slow to perform the action. Standing up and waiting near the growing opening as we are taxied through the hangar on the pad. Coming to rest at the far end of the hangar near the maintenance crews station. Not counting the events of the morning, this was starting to turn in my favor a few degrees.

Walking down the ramp beside the pilot, the three smaller beings just behind.

“What are you going to do with those three, sir”, she asks as we reach the bottom of the dual purpose hatch.

“I will find them a place on this ship. Seeing how they are my responsibility”, I inform her. Nodding her acceptance at my answer she heads off to log the ship and have it maintained.

Turning to look at them, tilting my gaze to their small stature.

“You three are coming with me”, I dictate my will to them,” first I must relieve a few items, and then I will get you sorted out, understood?”

They acknowledge in unison with their own acceptance of my plans for them. Reaching down to take possession of the two bound lab coats from Ryniss and Steve. Despite my reservations about carrying a non injured party, I will have to make an exception in the interest of time and their safety.

“Alright, up on my shoulders, hate for any of you to get stepped on. That and I am on a strict time frame”, I direct them placing my free arm out and down while kneeling to make their climb easier.

Now seated across my shoulders, I begin to exit the hangar. I was stopped on my way just before the entrance to the corridor leading into the heart of the ship. The seasoned Corporal detained me long enough to inform me that Captain Graxis would like me to meet him on the bridge. Having the Corporal take me to the comms, as I must inform the Captain of my delay in meeting him. Entering the control office, make the call to the bridge. The helmsman informs me that the Captain had stepped out. As well as not knowing where he had departed too. Terminating the link with the bridge, I turn and face the Corporal.

“You find Captain Graxis, and let me know at the armory. Plenty of time to find him”, I instruct the Corporal before exiting both the office and the hangar with the three small creatures perched on my shoulders.

Graxis:

It has been a little over twenty minutes and the General is still going off on the Sergeant. Hope the Ober-Commander does not try and meet me on the bridge. Not sure what has transpired inside, but whatever it is it cannot bode well for the recipient. Still it continues the angry howling and growling, like an enraged predator with food kept just out of reach. My joints are beginning to lock up as the minutes pass standing so rigid against the cool metal wall. Stifling the urge to growl in frustration of being in such a position. Not daring to allow my frame to move a millimeter until we have been relieved of this degrading post. The Private looks like she may buckle any moment, and release her joints a minute or so. I subtly shake my head in warning to the private on my left, as she looks ready to submit to gravity.