MSNPC Luirétt - Seeing my Life with New Eyes
LT Tamio K'Wara
(( Reception room - Halls of Andorenne, the Golden Spire ))
Jovenan: Captain, I think it might be wiser to meet with the Advocate without Luirétt at first. Presenting a representative of the sacrosanct community as an equal party might alter their perspective of us and hinder our standing in the negotiations. Besides, we could take the opportunity for further fact-finding.
Munro: I think that might be best, at least until we see their response to the asylum request.
Luirétt felt nothing short of complicated at that. If they had to be entirely honest, they weren’t relishing the notion of attending the meeting right now. Returning to the Cityship and seeing the Halls of Andorenne as the first thing since their return had brought up far more emotions than they’d anticipated, and not all of them good. Shame, nostalgia, indignation, hopelessness, stubbornness - all emotions that they’d been carefully kept away from for most of their life - all struggled to find their rightful place within Luirétt’s soul, and that was hardly ideal for meeting the greatest negotiator currently living.
And yet, the notion of being deliberately kept from negotiations that dealt with quite literally their status in society? Why shouldn’t they have the opportunity to speak their people’s case? It wasn’t that they distrusted Captain Munro - they believed her a capable orator in her own right - but she didn’t know the extent of their infantilization. How would she be able to argue their case?
Jovenan: I could take a team to investigate the living conditions of the Yurum. Luirétt could guide us there ::to Luirétt:: if that is acceptable to you, of course.
K’Wara: Would the Matriarchy allow you to wander around, Luirétt? You are, technically, a fugitive.
Luirétt: It is difficult to say. A Yurum has never left the Cityship, and as such, no Yurum has ever returned to it either.
The two officers who shared a similar pip assortment as Ensign Meirs - and thus likely were Ensigns in their own right - seemed more hopeful about Luirétt’s attendance at the meeting, and what that would mean for the negotiations.
Cole: Their return might be viewed as an attempt to mend the divide that was created in their absence.
Bancroft: I share Cole’s opinion – plus, this will make it even more clear that we are an impartial third party. I worry that the alternative might be seen as us ‘hiding’ Luirétt from the other Boraxians.
Luirétt: It is unlikely that the citizenry doesn’t know that I am back aboard already. My presence was announced to the Matriarchs, and they would spread it as they saw fit.
Captain Munro took in the opinions of all under her charge, before making an order to her second-in-command, which was what Luirétt now realized that the woman in the blue uniform was. Her Vahljeahn, so-to-speak.
Munro: Commander, select your team.
There was a slight delay as the Commander made her choice.
Jovenan: Lieutenant Bergmen and Doctor Bancroft, if you would come with me. ::to Munro:: Good luck, sir. Hopefully we can provide you with further clarity when we join you again.
Bergmen: Yes, ma’am.
With the team composition determined, Captain Munro nodded.
Munro: Take care, commander.
K’Wara: And good luck.
Luirétt joined their hands together in a crossed manner, upper and lower hands joined, and bowed to the three Starfleet officers who would remain to meet with the Advocate. A blessing to bestow good luck and favorable tidings. Meanwhile, the two younger officers - evidently experiencing a sense of camaraderie in their youth - exchanged a curious farewell.
Cole: ::looking at Bancroft:: Try and stay out of trouble
Bancroft: ::elbowing Cole: No blowing yourself up while I’m gone, yeah? I’d hate to miss the fireworks.
Luirétt realized, with some alarm, that there was a non-zero chance that these individuals - military officers of an alien army - had brought dangerous tools and weapons onto the Cityship.
Luirétt: P-Please, there is no need for violence. As I said, our people value peace quite highly!
Hoping that their concern was noted, and would discourage the two youngsters from defaulting to violence and explosions as a means of self-expression, Luirétt was shepherded away by another stranger.
Bergmen: After you, Mx. Luirett.
The curious prefix attached to their name by the officer wasn’t translated by whatever technology allowed them to understand the aliens, but Luirétt didn’t think it was intended to convey anything specific, and so chose to ignore it.
Luirétt: Of course...
Luirétt cast a cautious glance towards the woman with the red mane, happy that she was at least to accompany Captain Munro, who’d seemed to embody a Negotiator’s temperament. If Luirétt was to place their trust in any of these aliens, it would be the Captain.
The group that they were with walked through a separate hall than the one Luirétt suspected the Advocate would arrive by, walking through the Gardens of Sacchine to arrive at the transportation hub. Everywhere Luirétt looked, memories would well up within, memories of Great Matriarch Andorenne reading to them as a youth, of Great Matriarch Elirielle and them debating each other in preparation for some public ceremony and of the countless times they’d been invited her to ease the suffering of Great Matriarchs, who knew that their minds were withering and wanted a last chance to speak before commencing their Masque, hiding themselves away to die out of the public eye. If the Halls of Andorenne were the embodiment of everything that brought Luirétte shame, the Gardens of Sacchine were a reminder of the life that they’d led once.
Bancroft: ::muttering:: Right. Big fan of your personal space. Noted.
Off to the side, the young Ensign had a brief interaction with one of the plants contained within the gardens, while the Commander instigated a conversation to pull Luriétt from their musings.
Jovenan: Thank you for agreeing to guide us, Luirétt. In case you didn’t learn our names yet, I’m Lieutenant Commander Jovenan, and these are Lieutenant Bergmen and Doctor Bancroft.
Bancroft: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Luirétt. I had the opportunity to treat some of your comrades this morning – including your friend Vahljeahn. I’m excited to learn more about your peoples’ story.
Having the opportunity to put names to the aliens they now accompanied, Luirétt nodded to them all as they walked. Realizing that their work was of a somewhat time sensitive nature - it would benefit Captain Munro to receive news as soon as possible, after all - they would delay the proper greeting for later.
Luirétt: I understand that it is you and your colleagues to whom I owe the wellbeing of the Yurum under my charge. ::bows their head:: I owe you a greater debt than I can ever repay.
Bergmen: May I ask, Mx. Luirett. Considering how this... city of yours... is such a striking replica of a planetary display, have you ever set foot on the surface of a planet?
Luirétt: Unfortunately not. We lost our homeworld many years ago, so we were all born and raised within the Cityship. Before boarding New Hope, I’d never stepped off of the Cityship before.
Jovenan: Interesting. Is that true for all the Boraxians, or is that only so for the Yurum?
Bancroft: ::brow furrowing:: Do Boraxians even do ‘away missions?’ Or do they simply invite the universe for a bit of tea in this delightful palace?
The more Luirétt listened to the Doctor, the more he confused them, and so, they simply focused on the Commander’s query.
Luirétt: It is not so for all of us - some amongst the Boraxian citizenry choose a trader’s vocation, or may apply for leave to go exploring. It is also not unheard of for an expedition to set off in a small craft on a Pilgrimage, in search of Ellet. However, I would say it is the norm.
Bergmen: Response
Jovenan: We want to learn as much about your people, Luirétt, about how the Yurum live compared to the other Boraxians. Perhaps you could show us. Where could we see more about what your life is like?
Bancroft: Are the Yurum – pardon my bluntness, I can’t think of a better word – physically segregated from the rest of Boraxian society?
Luirétt: Yes, for our own safety we are kept separate from society at large. As children we live here ::gestures around them:: within the Golden Spire, wards of the Matriarchs and Holy Patrons, who prepare us for our life of service. Once we reach maturity, we are assigned to a Spire, where we take up solitary residence for the rest of our lives. I, myself, was the Yurum of Sunhaven. We can go there.
Bergmen: Response
Jovenan: How would we get there?
Bancroft: ::pointing out the window in thinly veiled excitement:: Do we get to take one of those?
Luirétt smiled, unable to not be charmed a little by the Ensign’s exuberance.
Luirétt: Yes, we do.
Bergmen: Response
Luirétt led them onwards, exiting onto the balcony that allowed one to board the Skycrafts with ease. Luirétt felt the familiar twinge in their brain as the balcony registered their presence, and a Skycraft started heading towards them. A few moments passed, allowing the alien visitors to take in the view ahead of them, before a Skycraft arrived in front of them. Luirétt briefly wondered why the smaller Skycraft had arrived, before realizing that the balcony wouldn’t have registered the three aliens properly.
Bancroft: ::sucking his teeth:: That is… genuinely really cool. Luirétt, are these fully automated? Or is there a control room somewhere?
For the first time, Luirétt was stumped. They’d ridden the Skycrafts innumerable times - it was the only form of transportation the Yurum were allowed, ensuring their safety from accidents or interruptions that might occur on the ground - but never once had Luirétt considered how the Skycrafts worked.
Luirétt: I am... Unsure? It was summoned by us walking onto the balcony, but I can’t speak to the specifics.
Bergmen/Jovenan: Responses
Ensign Bancroft, clearly intent on getting more information on his own, walked closer to the Skycraft.
Bancroft: ::squinting:: Hm. No obvious user interface. ::clearing his throat:: Um… hello? ::tapping the side of the craft cautiously:: Are you… voice-activated? Or… I don’t know. Emotion-activated? Do I have to give you a hug and gently whisper my destination?
That elicited a small smile from Luirétt. The Ensign’s conduct reminded them so much of the innumerable times they’d seen Yurum children first encounter the Skycrafts as part of their induction into society.
Bergmen/Jovenan: Responses
Luirétt: I know how to direct the Craft once we board it.
Luirétt wanted to inform the aliens of the issue of space, but they had no idea how to summon a larger Skycraft, so they said nothing. The three aliens were smaller and slighter-in-frame than most adult Boraxians, so hopefully there would be room enough for them all.
Only, Ensign Bancroft alerted them to something that he had noticed in the distance.
Bancroft: ::frowning:: Well, that’s usually not a great sign. Is something on fire? Or is this some sort of ceremonial thing?
Luirétt looked to the direction that Ensign Bancroft was indicating, seeing a great plume of smoke rising into the air. Had the smoke risen from the Halls of Fire, they could understand it, but would be alarmed at the density of the smoke. When the Halls of Fire were used, burning the remains of Boraxians to release their spirits so they may find Ellet, the amount of smoke was small, brief - the soul’s path - but this was different.
Luirétt: No. That smoke is rising from the commercial area. It’s highly irregular.
Luirétt wringed their hands uneasily. Something was wrong.
Bancroft/Bergmen/Jovenan: Responses
Luirétt reacted with alarm at being asked for their opinion on the next course of action, and their breathing holes showcased this with an exaggerated breathing pace. The very notion of heading towards the plume of smoke was ludicrous - if this was an ordinary day, the Patron accompanying them would have ushered them back to Sunhaven Spire without a second thought, and only allowed them to leave once whatever irregularity this was had passed - but today was not an ordinary day.
This, Luirétt realized, was their chance at redefining what ‘ordinary’ was to their people.
Luirétt: I can take us there. The Skycraft will respond to my inputs.
Bancroft/Bergmen/Jovenan: Responses
Luirétt walked towards the edge of the Balcony to board the Skycraft, but stopped just an inch short. With a brief moment of alarm, Luirétt realized that they were standing at the precipice of a very tall Spire, about to step over the edge of the Balcony, and this time, there was no Patron to hover behind them. No set of arms prepared to, at any moment, grab onto them in case they stumbled. It was a silly thing to feel exhilarated by, realizing that they were expected to do something that could - in a very small way - turn out harmful to their physical well-being, without someone there to ensure it couldn’t happen.
Then, the moment passed and Luirétt boarded the Skycraft with the ease that spoke to having done so literally thousands of times.
Luirétt: Everyone ready?
Luirétt placed their four palms upon the sleek and minimalistic front panel of the Skycraft, making the computer hum to life.
Bancroft/Bergmen/Jovenan: Responses
TAG/TBC
MSNPC Luirétt
Sectarian Faction Leader
LT Tamio K’Wara
Operations Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1