Indigo's Owl [Indigo Rewrite]

Chapter 16 - Interview

Athira followed the two Elites inside the room with Raph close behind her.

Four other Elites were already inside the room, conversing in low voices. They glanced up as Athira entered, and regardless of Raph's earlier advice, she couldn't keep the smirk off her face as she and Discord made eye contact. He lifted his chin, scowling down his nose at her.

"Now we're all gathered, would everyone please take their seats so we can begin?" said the Red Elite. "Athira, please take your position at the mark on the floor. Raphael, your seat is beside me."

The room was larger than Athira had expected, windowless but well-lit with a high ceiling and neatly arranged equipment against the side walls. Six one-person desks were curved in a slight arc around the middle of the room, and it was in the centre of those that Athira found the floor mark.

Athira stood on the mark, arms folded, watching as the six Elites — one of each Colour — sat down and took their time getting organised.

From his seat beside the Red Elite, Raph caught Athira's eye, motioning for her to pull her hood down.

With a restrained sigh, Athira obliged, shaking her short ponytail free of her hoodie.

"Thank you, everyone, for your attendance despite the short notice," said Discord, finally lifting the tablet on his desk and swiping a finger across the screen. "We've gathered today to discuss a potential candidate for the position of Purple Keeper on the Indigo Keeper team. A Purple with primarily Indigo-based abilities, Athira..." He frowned at the tablet. "...Dukehart. Is that correct?"

"Yes," said Athira, even as unease curled through her.

Of all the things to catch her off guard, she should have been ready for this one, but hearing Raph's surname with her own again was... strange.

Discord's attention flicked to Raph. "Keeper Dukehart, are the two of you familiar with each other?"

"Yes," said Raph. "Athira is my adoptive sister. It was in the paperwork I filed last night."

"At Starpoint, you informed me that she was a civilian," said Discord, tablet flat on the desk. "Why did you feel it necessary to conceal your relation to her?"

"Starpoint's collapse was an already chaotic event, and Athira was unconscious," said Raph calmly. "Her status as my sister added no value to our conversation at the time, and I knew she wasn't likely to leave Indigo base once she woke."

Discord's jaw set. "Yet she did, and somehow, Reader was able to abduct her afterwards."

"Elite Discord," said the Blue Elite — the dark-haired woman with the Blue tattoos that set Athira on edge. She had no tablet, simply sitting at her desk with her hands neatly folded in front of her. "Perhaps we should circle back to that at a more appropriate time."

"As you wish, Elite Karma," said Discord. He cleared his throat, eyes on the tablet once more. "I'm sure everyone is aware that it's highly unusual to consider recruiting an untrained civilian when there are suitable candidates in our Keeper training programme, however, Athira comes highly recommended. Keeper Dukehart, would you care to explain?"

"Of course," said Raph. "Athira's Colour is highly flexible and well suited to combat. Her abilities would provide a much-needed defensive element to our team, especially in situations where removing civilians from danger is critical. I know her to be strong, intelligent, and capable of remaining calm under pressure. She has experience in combat, as shown in her recent encounters with Reader, and in addition, Athira attended several months of pre-Keeper training in the past with Zoe and I, where she proved herself capable of working with a team."