2008-06-02 - Unwelcome News

HMS Black Matriarch: Docking Chamber
Opening onto a vast and cavernous deck, the massive repulsorlifts in the aft stand ready to shuttle large numbers of troops or equipment to or from the staging bay, for boarding of smaller craft of fast debarking planet-side. This chamber is enormous. 
At least thirty meters from grey polished deck to pale blue paneled roof, the chamber is slightly domed, and a great white light has been set at its pinnacle. Directly below this light, a huge circular whole has been cut into the deck, large enough at need that a small corvette could pass within. This whole looks out on of the ship, and all that stands between this deck and depressurization is a magnetic shield, apparent by the glowing around the circumference of the hole.
Radiating from the light overhead like the spokes of a wheel, durasteel fighter racks keep smaller craft up and out of the way, ready to release them into a quick descent through the hole at a moment's notice. For larger ships, landing spaces have been marked out across the deck with white paint.
Effie Bellamy stands in the massive docking chamber, in her crisp Blacks fleet uniform, her eyes bright and dangerous, her hands folded in front of her. She looks less calm than usual, brittle, like the sea before a storm.
The Sentinel dropship Angelwing is permitted to dock and it passes through the forcefield effortlessly, landing flawlessly onto the deck. A few moments later, the loading ramp decends revealing the innards of the ship. Another few moments and Seifer shows himself and he walks slowly down the landing ramp. His walk wasn't confident, driven or in anyway a happy one. His head was lowered as he finished his stride.
Euphemia's head snaps up before she even sees Wolf--she can feel his presence coming closer, and her mouth opens just slightly, hovering over a groan of disappointment, almost of despair, before choking it back. Stoically the young girl thrusts out her chest and straightens her back and stands, in the air of a great queen, waiting for her Knight's approach.
Seifer looked up as he folded his arms. He knew how this was going to go, he began his march towards Euphemia, unfolding his arms as he went. "Effie." he said, his tone not of a commander of the Black Imperium, or the Dread lord of the plague. But of one who cared for the lady mediator. A deep sigh came from his lungs, and he looked down at the durasteel deck. He couldn't find the courage to tell her what had transpired, he looked up finally having that small amount of drive, to be replaced by silence through his open lips.
Euphemia quietly holds up a hand. She takes a step closer to Seifer, to put a hand calmly on his shoulder. "Seifer. I will survive."
A hard swollow for Seifer before he finally speaks up, "Lady Admiral-" he paused, "Rem Dolor has been executed." he said without blinking, his eyes not straying from Effie's. "She is dead, my Lady."
Effie swallows hard. For a moment there is something very brittle about her face, as if the slightest touch could shatter it in an outpouring of -- something. Then she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Another deep breath. Another, faster. 
Another -- and Effie begins to hyperventilate. Finally, with a gasp, she seizes control of herself and her eyes snap open. They are sun-bright gold, like an eagle's eyes staring at a sun. "Where?"
Seifer shakes his head, "I'm unsure my lady. I have a feeling it was either Corellia.. or Seinar. There is nothing we can do now, and for the sake of my contact we must not take action until after the republic have made a statement. I will force them to." the boy said a hand coming out to touch her shoulder.
Euphemia's neck tightens. Small muscles twitch and dance. Her eyes burn, and tears form in the corners. She says, "If it was Corellia, we will raze the planet. If it was Sienar, I will suspend my policy of humanity and --" Her voice chokes. "Well. Whoever did this will pay with his life. How?"
"She was shot.." Seifer said, placing his other hand on her other shoulder his eyes moving in to look directly into hers. "You must not take action yet." the boy said, "Do you understand? If you do then we will ruin alot of hard work we have accomplished." he shook his head, "Let me be certain, I will find out where and we should do this tactfully." the maturity of Seifer was shining at it's brightest.
Euphemia looks directly into Wolf's eyes. Her eyes are bright, savage, gold. She says quietly, "Seifer, I can wait for my revenge. But I have to hear everything. Was she tortured? Was she humiliated? Did you see her corpse?"
"She was shot in cold blood." he said, his eyes dropping, "I didn't see anything, that's all I know." he shakes his head. "I wish I could tell you more, Effie.. I really do."
Wolf says, "She was executed.. to prevent me from rescueing her.."
Euphemia grinds her teeth. Her eyes burn. Her voice is cruel and icy. "I can be kind ... to the civilized, or the ignorant, or the foolish, or the needy. I can be merciful ... I can forgive. But -there are limits to my forgiveness-." Her lips peel back. 
The young girl looks ready to rip out a throat with her teeth. With immense effort, she tries to control herself ...
Seifer stands back from Effie, letting her shoulders go. "Use it, my lady." he said, "Use it to fuel the power you posess. It can make you powerful, and it will help you to get revenge." he sighs, "Don't hold back.. just let go of it all."
"They /shot/ her," Effie says, her fists balling up, her eyes narrowing. She turns suddenly and slams her fist into a bulkhead almost hard enough to take the skin off her white knuckles. "Like an animal or a criminal!"
<FONT COLOR=#33CC00>FORCE:</FONT> Effie's anger gets the better of her and somehow it feels good...
Seifer didn't know what to do. Revel in the fact Effie was finally giving into her hatred, or be sympathetic to the girl he cared for the most. He was torn apart by his own emotions now. He went silent, thinking of Rem himself was also making him angry.
<FONT COLOR=#33CC00>FORCE:</FONT> Effie experiences a loving feeling, but cannot imagine why.
The girl's frame spasms and shakes with sobs of fury and she claws at the metal with her fingernails. But the first fury of her anger passes quickly, and is replaced by an icy calm.
Euphemia turns around, wipes her eyes on her sleeve, and says, "I won't cry again until I see her body and bury her myself."
"I understand my lady." Seifer said with a bow, "My hunt continues." he looked rather sorrowful. His own mind was tearing apart. "I will.. continue my efforts." and with that he turned, heading back towards his ship.
"There will be a funeral," Effie says in a choked voice. "We'll celebrate Rem with funeral games the likes of which nobody's ever seen."
Seifer stopped his march to turn and look back. A slow nod was all the response he could muster, before dissapearing into his ship.
Category:June 2008 RP Logs