Lady in Red
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Arcadia # 4831 | |
| — Dinaqa — | |
| |
| year | 344 CE (2407) |
| posted | November 3 2007 |
| previous | Dance with the Devil...and Change Partners |
| next | I 'Q' Test |
Responding to "Dance with the Devil...and Change Partners"
Lieutenant Paul Thunder had been giving a hard dose of thought – painful, uncomfortable thought – to his own future, and Arcadia's. In the moments that he learned then absorbed the news that Arcadia was under attack, his mind went ablaze, trying to decide who it could be... who had attacked. His throat tightened; he felt like crying. Arcadia was his home. It was in peril, and he was out here, across the galaxy, in Bartokian space. The transmission gave no particulars on the enemy's strength or numbers or even identity – they wouldn't, whoever sent it – but the fact that it came bespoke of its earnestness. He had no doubt of its authenticity.
To hell with Bartok, he decided in an emotional instant. He needed to return home.
So lost in thought was he, eyes fixed on the com-terminal's message screen, that he didn't notice another woman had entered the room – or beamed in? He wasn't sure. She was just suddenly there. Whoever she was, she didn't wear a Bartokian military uniform. A red dress... a black jacket. Leather? Did Bartokians wear animal skin? Maybe Dinaqa carried civilians.
It was of no concern to him. He resumed thinking about Arcadia; how to get off this ship, get across the quadrant... he would need a transwarp conduit, or a wormhole, which meant a ship with the tech and permits to use one or the other, or at least the tech, which narrowed the available possibilities either way. He eyed the com-panel again, wondering if he might be able to send another message.
The woman in red tsked with a glance in his direction.
"Paul... you really need to take better care of yourself."
He studied her more carefully this time, baffled, glanced at Ringo, glanced at the woman. He didn't know who the hell she was, and didn't bother to hide his confusion.
"Who are you supposed to be?"
▷ continued ◁
