[G/P-OK] LtCmdr Skyfire, Devlin + Virah-Latyi: The Fall

[Amanda Nordstrom]

OOC: The final installment in the 14th Doctor series. For the new
people, if you look upVirah-Latyi in the archives, you can ready through
the posts and the story. :)


IC:


(( Skyfire’s Quarters, USS Gorkon ))


:: Chythar felt like he hadn’t been aboard very long. It seemed like
only a few days. It probably was only a few days, and his quarters were
bare. He hadn’t had time to unpack much of anything, as he didn’t have
the time to do anything except shower, sleep, and feed Devlin. Was it
fate or luck that brought him back to the Menthar Corridor? Part of him
wanted to ask why he was here. Then again, it had been explained already
in his orders: he was here to staff an understaffed medical department
at Captain Reynolds’ request, which could mean that Fleet Captain Egan
Manno was involved as she was the commander of the region. Ordinarily,
when faced with transfers in the past, he assumed that someone in the
upper command structure had a sense of humor. In this case, he knew both
Reynolds and Egan Manno. Neither one seemed to have a sense of humor
that he was aware of. Neither officer had a streak of malice he was
aware of. So both those theories were ridiculous, therefore very
unlikely. ::


(( First Kingdom, Peppelaxia ))


::Although not much time had passed for Skyfire, that was not the case
for Peppalaxia. The mighty halls that had once breathed life had been
abandoned. Around them, stone was marred with lines of soot and dust.
The tapestries which had once filled the throne room with vibrant colour
hung loose upon the walls, save for one which had given up and tumbled
to the ground, only to be left with no regard for the value it once
held. Of everything in the room, only the throne remained untouched,
unmarred, somehow escaping whatever chaos had whirled through, a lonely
soldier in the silence.::


::The form that might have once sat upon the throne did not occupy it.
Instead, the queen stood before one of the great windows, the sill half
collapsed in. In the distance, stacks of smoke rose and the sky was
shaded in pale, sickly pinks ands and dust-filled red. After a moment,
the reptilian body shift and she turned. Time had not been good to the
queen. While she had not seemed to physically age by much, weariness
rested upon her soul and reflected in the darkened eyes. A bland
dullness had settled about their depths and the voice that greeted him
cracked not with age, but with a boundless depth of fatigue.::

Virah-Latyi: You have returned, Friend Skyfire.


:: The dimly lit room, in all its dreary and desolate surroundings,
caused Chythar to blink a few times as he realized his surroundings. As
he looked toward the unmarred throne, he raised an eyebrow. The voice
that spoke to him seemed filled with pain, though he could sense nothing
more. ::


Skyfire: Indeed. What’s happened since my last...visit? :: He hesitated
on his last word, his voice filled with concern. ::


:: As he waited for a response, he took the time to cross the room and
join her by the window. He ran a hand along his face and noted the five
o’clock shadow as he stood alongside her. The kingdom looked to him like
it was coming apart, though what could he do? He was helpless in these
moments, relying on only his senses and the strange sensation of feeling
normal - not able to use much of his gift. ::


Virah-Latyi: Much, though not so much time has passed.


::Those eyes, heavy with sadness turned toward the city which, now that
he was closer and could see, was in ruins. In several areas, houses had
either burned or were still burning and the smoke assaulted the nose as
the wind wafted it through the window.::

Virah-Latyi: Tru-Dar-Orr. I have lost my mate in this war. My children
have fled and are in hiding with guardians. I have nothing left.


::As she turned away from the window, a tiny spark danced in her eyes
ever so briefly once her gaze fell upon the human.::

Virah-Latyi: At least I have the chance to see you one last time.


:: He stood dumbfounded for a moment as he stared out at the wreck and
ruin that was formerly her kingdom as he processed the information. He
was listening, though he seemed somewhat distracted as he came to the
realization: when she dies, perhaps his temporal incursions would stop.
Although he hadn’t lost a mate, he lost family.::


Skyfire: I am deeply sorry to hear of your losses. I...I know how hard
it is to lose family.


::She nodded slightly and moved further into the room.::

Virah-Latyi: My children, at least, will have a chance, hidden away from
Tru-Dar-Orr and his bloodthirstiness. But tell me, what has happened to
you? How much time have you lived through in yours?

:: He moved to join her as he did some quick math in his head. Time was
a very fluid subject for him, with all these strange incursions that
took their toll. And when he got back, he’d have a hard time with it
because nobody who knew about his history was aboard the Gorkon. ::


Skyfire: A couple months. I was shuffled back to this region of space.


:: He couldn’t get more specific than that, despite how much he wanted
to. He always had problems finding the balance between the temporal
prime directive and his tongue. CD was only allowed to say so many
things... ::


::The explanation caused Virah-Latyi to tilt her head to one side, then
the other as she tried to understand. Unfortunately, their technology
was not enough to allow such understanding.::


Virah-Latyi: And here you are again, to comfort me.


::She paused, then sighed.::

Virah-Latyi: My time is coming, but I am glad to have it here with you.
How long will you stay?

:: He gave a somewhat clueless shrug. His time had always been brief,
and all sense of minutes or hours faded whenever he was here. Something
about being locked in a holding cell however long ago that was along
with waiting a full week before their first audience might’ve had
something to do with that, though the real explanation was that he had
lost his sense of time during his appearance here. ::


Skyfire: I have no idea.


Virah-Latyi: I wish had more to offer. I have nothing left to offer
but my companionship, however long you are here.


:: CD nodded, and for once, he could not sense her. He was still
recovering from his visit to Henix, and could do nothing. ::


::From the shadows something moved and, just as both turned toward it, a
figure emerged. Dark, eyes glistening, a single clawed hand clutched
around a sword. While the appearance of the strange man had been
unexpected, Tru-Dar-Orr was not concerned. His target was the queen -
the other would be easily dispatched afterward.


Immediately, Virah-Latyi twirled Skyfire around and pushed him toward
one of the other doors.::


Virah-Latyi: Run!


:: He barely had time to process what was going on. Tru-Dar-Oor arrived
and had a mean look in his eye. Part of CD wanted to stay behind as her
defender, yet the more rational, survivor half of his brain agreed with
her and he started running toward the door. ::


::A cry echoed behind him as Tru-Dar-Orr lunged at the Queen. She
darted back and placed the throne between her and her attacker, but it
offered little protection. As he advanced, she launched herself to the
right and grabbed a long, cylindrical tube, a leftover from some sort of
device. Twisting about , she brought it just just in time to block a
stroke. Metal clanged against metal and the sword dented her rod, but
it was enough to make him reel back for a second attack and give her
time to return to her feet. The next slash barely missed her tail as
she circled around the room once more. As soon as she was away,
however, Tru-Dar-Orr remained upon her heels. She turned to face him,
her bent rod lifted, but it was too late. The blade slid through her
body with no effort. With a strangled gurgle, Virah-Latyi stiffened
and then collapsed while the world around Chythar began to fade.::


(( Skyfire’s Quarters, USS Gorkon ))


:: CD winced as he ran into his couch and tripped over it, falling over
the arm and face first into the pillow on the opposite end. He had just
witnessed death. The fact he didn't sense it as it happened indicated to
him that he was still unable to sense things. Then again, he didn't
recall how many lobes the Peppelaxian brain had. The final gurgles of
the Peppelaxan queen were still echoing in his mind. Devlin ran over to
his master and placed his paws on Chythar’s arm, starting to lick his
face. ::


Devlin: oO Master! Oo


:: The doctor slowly pushed himself into a sitting position and picked
up the PADD that was on the coffee table as he began to compose an AAR
for the captain and being sure to send a copy of it to Alora as he gave
Devlin a scritch behind the ears. His head hurt, though due to the
present lack of his gift did lessen the pain of it. Once it was
complete, he got up and headed to sickbay. ::


END


****
Lieutenant Commander Chythar Skyfire

Medical Officer

USS Gorkon, NCC-82293

History Team Co-Facilitator

Medical Duty Post Facilitator

Dear Doc Columnist

O239002CS0


Devlin the Beagle

Therapy Dog


&


Virah-Latyi

Queen

The First Kingdom

Peppalexa


as simmed by


Lt. Alora DeVeau

Chief of Science

USS Invicta