[DSX-AD] Lt. Alora DeVeau - "Saying Goodbye" (Kells)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

(( Jump: Deep Space 10, Arachnid Dome ))


DeVeau: Hello, Sheba.

Sheba: Greetings, Maker.

Kells: I take it you two know each other.

DeVeau: We've met before.

::Alora grinned and, now that the spider had accepted her presence
without hostility, relaxed visibly. As her arm stretched out a little
more, she allowed her fingers to stroke the metallic appendage.::

Sheba: You have returned.

::Perhaps it was simply because she'd associated a gender to the
quasi-robotic arachnid, but the voice, as tinny as it was, rang with a
feminine undertone that almost satisfied the young female human.::

Kells: I guess -- we just thought we'd -- come visit. You know. As you do.

::Words spoken were digested a moment as the spider processed the
meaning behind them.::

Sheba: It is not customary to receive visitors.::

::Unfortunately, such a monotonic voice reflected little in the way of
emotion, so it was difficult to gauge whether or not there was anger in
those syllables. From his reaction, Aron took it as a bad sign.::

Kells: We certainly won't stay around if you don't want us to. But -- we
thought....

::There was a pause and a soft clicking, but if there was anger, the
spiders didn't react in that manner.::

Sheba: Is there a purpose to your visit?

Kells: Well, this may be one of the last times we, or any folks like us,
may visit.

::Another moment passed before Sheba responded with another query.::

Sheba: Explain.

DeVeau: There's a new space station. We're most likely going to be
transferred there.

RESPONSE?

Sheba: Makers are...leaving?

DeVeau: Not all of us. Just some of those. Those of us whom you have
met, we're leaving. I'm leaving and wanted to see you once more at least.

Sheba: Some makers. Alora maker is leaving?

DeVeau: I'll be back from time to time, just not as often as I used to.

::Although Alora hadn't exactly been a regular visitor prior. The queen
spider processed the information.::

Sheba: Original makers promised to return as well but failed. Alora maker?

RESPONSE?

::Alora's nose scrunched, crinkling the bridge and her forehead. With a
hint of hesitation, she answered the queen.::

DeVeau: I can't make that promise. Something might happen to me out
there and then I can't return. Although I'll certain want to return and
do so when I can, I also can't deny that there might be things that keep
me away.

::And Alora was, at the very least, going to remain honest, even if she
didn't care for the subject matter. Another pause was followed by the
queen's attention on Aron.::

Sheba: Maker?

RESPONSE?

::Alora seemed to realise what the spider was trying to get.::

DeVeau: His name is Aron.

Sheba: Aron-Maker. You leave as well?

RESPONSE?

::If she had been a humanoid, the spider might have nodded. As it was,
she considered the information once more before finally responding.::

Sheba: We will wait as we have continued to wait and we will continue to
serve.

RESPONSE?

****************

Lt. Alora DeVeau
Chief of Science
USS Garuda

&

Sheba
Queen of Spiders!