[G-QTRS/P-PAL] JP: Lt. Skyfire + Virah-Latyi + Devlin -- Skyfire, the 14th Doctor (part 2)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

(( Palace, First Kingdom of Peppalexa ))


::There was that undertone of amusement again. Virah-Latyi leaned over
as if to peer behind him.::


Virah-Latyi: It is amazing how good your balance is without a tail. I
think I am more interested i knowing your culture rather than your
anatomy, however.


:: He found the queen’s interest in their culture fascinating, and
decided to explain a little more about one of their great literary
figures. ::



Skyfire: Ensign King used a literary device known as a tongue twister,
which is basically words formed into a kind of poetry. Some of our other
forms of literature include song lyrics, epic ballads, plays and novels.
My personal favorite is William Shakespeare, a playwright who
constructed stories with fantastic characters that came to life for me
as I read his work.


Virah-Latyi: Why do you not tell me about this while we partake in some
sustenance?


::One slender, clawed hand stretched toward the door in an open
invitation. Without waiting for an answer, she turned to pass through
with the silent expectation that he would follow.::

Virah-Latyi: Literature. Stories. We are a people of stories - and are you?

Skyfire: I read in my spare time, yes. Plays and epics, mostly.


Virah-Latyi: Do you tell stories? I would know stories of your people -
for that is how we know who we were and who we are.


::The palace had not changed since his last visit, save for the fact
that the tapestry which had fallen had been returned to its proper
place. They passed through her reception chamber then into a smaller
room where a table of gleaming black wood stood sentry in the middle
with equally ebony chairs surrounding it. Virah-Latyi perched upon the
largest chair, then indicated that Skyfire should sit to her left.

Every chair and even the table had been engraved with forms and figures,
scenery stretched out over the wood. Glass or some other durable,
translucent material provided a protective, smooth surface that allowed
one to study the workmanship yet not have to worry about balancing one’s
wares. As they settled in their chairs, a door at the opposite end
parted open to reveal two other Peppalexans, each burdened with a large
platter, one set before the queen, then Skyfire.

One of the servants approached, then, using a single claw, plucked a
morsel of food from both the queen’s plate and Skyfire’s. Each was
consumed and then the alien straightened.::


Virah-Latyi: We must wait a moment. My apologies for the caution, but we
have had some developments over the cycles since you left us and now we
must take extra care.


:: Skyfire’s brows creased, partially in worry and partially in
puzzlement. As he glanced down at his plate, he asked casually. ::


Skyfire: Can you be more specific about these developments since my
last...visit?


Virah-Latyi: I can.


::Two long, slender chalices were set before each of them. Once more, a
taste was taken of the liquid they contained before either were allowed
to indulge.::


Virah-Latyi: Tru-Dar-Orr betrayed his people. We are now at war with a
faction that has risen up.


::It’s formation had almost caused her downfall, but those who were
loyal to her had protected her, some to their deaths. While it had been
a near thing, she’d managed to remain in control, though Tru-Dar-Orr had
escaped and gathered a small and, thus far, ineffectual army.::


Virah-Latyi: Tru-Dar-Orr wishes to claim the throne as his own.


Skyfire: Is that such a surprise? He wasn’t exactly hospitable the last
time we met. In fact, tried having me and my colleagues executed, if you
recall.


Virah-Latyi: It is and it isn’t. Tru-Dar-Orr swore allegiance to my
family line many cycles ago. A betrayal of such is unheard of - even
unthinkable. Til him.


:: That was interesting. The family line seemed to possess similar
divine right to the old lineage of Earth. ::


Skyfire: I see. And the precautions about the food? :: He reached toward
the plate of food that was in front of him, his food looking to him
almost like a steak of some sort as he picked up a cube of the
strange...meat? Or was it tofu? ::


::Virah-Latyi lifted her chalice which had been designed for the
Peppalexans’ particularly prominent facial features. After a long, slow
sip, she replaced it.::

Virah-Latyi: An attempt to poison me was thwarted when someone who is
loyal was able to become a member of the faction and warn me. Since
then, we have taken extra precautions.

Skyfire: I see. :: He paused. :: What sort of actions are you taking
against the faction? How has the campaign the been going?


:: He raised the tofu-like meat cube to his lips and placed it in his
mouth, chewing on it for a few moments before giving a further reply. In
texture and appearance, it resembled cubed tofu. What it actually
reminded him of was fake crab, which was a common practice in Seattle
sushi restaurants that were unable to get real crab. ::


Virah-Latyi: We’ve managed to have a couple of our own infiltrate, as I
indicated.

::She paused to allow herself a moment in which to partake of the food
as well before she continued.::

Virah-Latyi: And in three days time, I will be joined.


:: He took a bite of the strange crab-tasting tofu and pondered that
word over for several moments. Join could be in like a Trill sense, a
symbiont implanted into the host. Or it could be like a wedding. He
thought, perhaps, given that they lacked the proper body structure for
the first that it would be the second and asked carefully. ::

Skyfire: A joining? Like the equivalent of a human wedding?


Virah-Latyi: Yes. Join. A life mating. There is a family that has great
power and prosperity and we have come to an agreement.


::Yet she would still retain the power of the throne, despite it.::


:: The fact that he didn’t really have a good sense of how their
hierarchy actually worked didn’t help. It was just listen and learn,
hoping to develop a greater understanding as he silently tried thinking
of a way to get back to his own time. ::


(( Present -- Skyfire’s Quarters ))


:: He was back in his room, on the bed, lying prone on his back. He sat
up abruptly and panted hard for several moments. Devlin gave a whimper
and climbed into his master’s lap, bracing his forepaws on the
bare-chested doctor and began licking his face. ::


Devlin: :: whimper whimper :: oO Master! Oo


:: CD couldn’t read the thoughts of his quadrupedal friend, but could
sense the emotions: Devlin was agitated and concerned. The fact he was
able to recognize these emotions was enough to indicate something
had…changed...in his empathic rating. ::


END


Lieutenant Chythar Skyfire

Chief Medical Officer

USS Garuda

NCC 73809


Devlin the Beagle

Therapy Dog

Simmed by: Lt. Skyfire


+


Virah-Latyi

Queen of Pappelaxia

First Kingdom


Simmed by:


Lieutenant Alora DeVeau

Chief Science Officer

USS Garuda