Orivar: Deep Black

09 - Brief

"Corporal Zara," Kyora called in the wake of Fiori's sudden, unexplained failure and subsequent, spontaneous restoration. The modest-chested, white-haired Elestan approached the blonde Terran. As always, Virn was accompanying the phantom. Krystal had followed the pair of Aurora officers instinctively after leaving the bridge. "I understand you are not a formal member of the service." Krystal nodded. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, she held one arm over her chest gripping her other arm.

Kyora approached Krystal until they were face-to-face, and in a low voice she continued, "I have been instructed to separate you from the rest of the units. There are private quarters reserved for potential VIPs—"

"Are you offering me one?" Krystal asked quickly, leaving Kyora a little surprised.

"I suppose I am. Virn and I will show you."

Together, they walked to the lifts, taking one to reach the private quarters near the officers' dwellings. Kyora noticed on the way that a lumigraph user interface was projected on Krystal's right forearm, but she didn't say anything until they stepped into the room.

"Here we are," said Virn, "your home away from home. It's about as spacious as a bunk room, but you're not sharing with seven other women." Krystal blushed. She had lived in a bunk environment for the past several years and was no longer accustomed to this type of special treatment.

"Thank you," she told them, bowing her head.

Kyora asked, "Do you have an NI for your Accellus?"

"For Accellus Three. Not Four."

"All you'll need is a quick swap," said Kyora. "It's a quick procedure far simpler than having your first NI implanted." Krystal took a step back, recalling the fear she had for her Accellus 3 NI implantation. "I'll have you scheduled for one tomorrow. The sooner, the better."

"U-understood," said Krystal with hesitation.

Virn said, "If you need anything at all, let us know. We will be starting Accellus Four training courses for the Acting Officers soon. Feel free to join us." And with that, the two Aurora officers left Krystal alone in her spacious quarters.

Lieren stepped off of the gravilift and into the buzzing hive that was the Kelsor's engineering department. Technicians moved from one end of the giant space to another, many standing at consoles or kneeling before service hatches. Small spheroid drones hovered above each deck before flying off into ducts opening to tight service corridors. Flanking both sides of the department were the tops of the ship's twin spherical hyperwarp drive cores. Between them and towering over the rest of engineering was the master synergistic drive regulator module—referred to simply as the mediator.

The Larissian cadet, still dressed in her cadet uniform, stood her ground after leaving the lift, giving her time to scan the surroundings but forcing others to flow about her. In the middle of this clean, industrial expanse was a large table upon which a collection of 2D and 3D lumigraphs were being dissected by a committee of senior engineering staff. At their center was their gifted leader—and the one Lieren was looking for: Xannissa Cetalo. The engineering chief had her back to the cadet as she approached, leaning on the table, drowning herself in run logs and event data.

"Professor Cetalo?"

Xannissa bounced up from the table and spun around, eager to see another report from a crew member until she realized it was her student who called her.

"Lieren!" Xannissa left the table and closed the few steps distance. "You came all the way here to talk to me? What do you need?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, professor, but I just wanted to remind you that you're my mentor in the AOTP."