Breckinridge: U Haul We Haul Pt 3
Posted on 19 Oct 2022 @ 6:22pm by Commander Calliope Zahn & Master Chief Petty Officer Callan McNeil CallSign: FishSmoke & Lieutenant Noah Khoroushi
Edited on on 06 Feb 2024 @ 10:25pm
Mission:
M3 - Into the Deep
Location: Obsidian - Itonian Settlement
Timeline: M3 D06 1040 hrs
1690 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure
By the time they had walked across the landing pad to the looming rock face, McNeil was sweating heavily in his flightsuit, He noticed the loose robes the settlement people were wearing, they were similar to the garb of the Obsidian inhabitants and clearly they worked to dissipate the heat and provide some protection from the sun. He made a mental note that the next time they did a run to Kalara he would find time to stop by the market and buy some for himself and the crew.
What has appeared from a distance to be an unbroken wall revealed a cave wide enough to accommodate passage of up to three bodies at a time. The welcome committee waved them inside before activating the doors to close behind them, shutting out the worst of the wind and heat. Entering the tunnel was a pleasant relief and McNeil took a deep breath of the cooler air.
The passage was lit by an almost ambient glow - lights embedded in the walls and ceiling at regular intervals were shaded in such away as not to stand out against the weathered surface of the reddish stone.
"This is the main passage to the colony," Kit explained as they moved along. "The doors are tested to Cat 5 by Terran standards - we have yet to have any winds come close to Cat 2, and even if they were breached, this tunnel is long enough to diffuse the force before they hit the interior access."
Ayalou tugged on her father's arm and he conceded reflexively to his daughter's prompt, leaning towards her as they walked.
"He said they have Terran cats here!" Ayalou had seen her first Terran cats on the station, in a little petshop window and even held baby kittens. She begged her mother incessantly to adopt three of them, just three, and even had to be sent to bed without supper for her belligerent attitude over the matter. She'd kicked over a computer station and thrown a stack of wooden trays.
Her father, who had heard of her outburst and the grief Ayalou had caused her mother, gave her a fresh, stern look. "I don't believe that is what Mr. Dhow is meaning to express," her father said, once more straightening to his full height.
McNeil enjoyed being out of the sun, the rock caverns were cool and quiet, he followed on as the group made their way down the tunnel.
Soon enough they reached the interior boundary. As Cyrus put in the code, Kitaan turned to the group. "The colony has some degree of protection thanks to the natural formation of the rock walls, but there is still the heat to be considered - especially at the height of the afternoon. We're a few hours off for now, but I would advise anyone from looking directly up." He offered a quick smile to the wearied man with the little girl as the doors opened behind him. "Welcome to the Bajada Colony - your new home." With that, he turned and headed into the open.
The first sight to meet the newcomers was a narrow valley bordered on both sides by high walls colored a mottled grey and broken regularly by carved dwellings. "This is the Market street - most of those are either occupied by shop owners or open for rent. Depending on your opinion of noise, they're not bad; however, we'll take you to the corridor that has been set aside for your occupation without charge."
Ayalou tried to wrap her mind around where she was. They had gone through a cave and come out back outside— into the sunshine! There were not a lot of things that looked akin to buildings, but not like the buildings Ayalou knew. Everywhere she looked the houses were carved from or built up out of rocks.
She started to look up towards the sun, curious why they shouldn't, and her father, sensing this would no doubt be the case, reflexively pushed her gaze back down by pressing on the bill of her ball cap.
As the group moved through the crowd, they received their share of curious glances. Nothing outright hostile, though Kit could imagine there were more than a handful who had not bee fully behind the committee's decision to offer space to the Romulan refugees.
Every other person Ayalou saw she waved to. Some she called out to "I'm Ayalou! What's your name?"
"It is rude to call out, Ayalou," her father chided.
But someone waved back to her from a nearby market stall and she puffed out her chest and smiled.
Soon enough, Kit was detouring off into a quiet corridor. Here the dwellings were simpler than the main passage - the facades more plain in appearance. "Much of the decoration you see in other areas of the community is a reflection of the people living there. I specifically requested these to be left in their natural state so that you can choose how you wish them to be decorated and personalize the passage as you choose."
The long bland row of rock faced forms stretched out and Nathor seemed to be taking them in. He judged the interiors likely to be expertly laser carved. The street was lengthy and some corner offshoots suggested the carvings were blocked out deeper in other alley ways. Even thought the sun was overhead, in the double-cart wide street, they were covered over by morning shadow. Direct sun would only ever strike around noon and then be relieved by the shadows cast in the other direction.
Nathor looked speechless for a moment, shuffling ahead and looking up at the facades of what seemed was a portion of a town, reserved for them. "There... there are enough homes?" He judged by eye that there were more than enough, but he couldn't quite let his heart believe.
Cyrus nodded to the man. "This corridor easily houses 200; there are other locations with smaller offerings, should more space be needed, and in the neighboring corridors there are a handful of elderly residents who have expressed they would welcome a smaller family to share their home as well." He glanced at Kitaan, as well as the Diplomatic officer before continuing. "I will not deceive you; there are those of both the El Aurian and Obsidianite communities who have been ... less than amenable to the arrangement, but they are in the minority. Our community council is made up of members from both groups, and the grand majority agreed that not only are your people welcome here, we also invite your leaders to join our council for future decision making."
Ayalou looked angry, her lip started to tremble. "This is not *our* home." She told her father.
"Ayalou, please, not now. This will be alright."
She started to stamp her feet. It was not alright. "Our home has a watering hole, and a live stock pen, and a trail in the woods!"
"Quiet!" Her father said it sharply and the punctuation in his voice made up for the volume he was not using.
Ayalou pulled out of his hand and started off like a shot to run back to the Market.
"Woah!" McNeil put down his hands and caught the little girl as she ran past him, sweeping her up.
Kicking wildly the child squealed at the Pilot.
"Hold on there, tiger!" he smiled to her "You can't go running off like that." He held her lose enough to let her trash around a bit but tight enough not to drop her or let her wriggle free.
Seeing that his daughter was safe with the shuttle pilot, Xerne turned back to the important business of conferring with Nathor and Jazeele, the three of them forming a private knot, although not shielding their conversation entirely.
"They said they had other possible arrangements. Perhaps we should see them all?" Xerne advised.
"You do not think they would show us the most generous accommodations first?" Jazeele chided gently.
"No, he is right. If there are other arrangements to consider, we would be remiss not to visit them all." Nathor conceded.
"I can go nowhere else with Ayalou. As instrumental as her presence may have been in Kalara, she is being a little Granknth today."
Watching the interaction, Shirin tilted her head in thought before offering, "I might have something Miss Ayalou would like to see." She glanced at the girl's father, and then Noah. "Perhaps the Lieutenant could accompany us as well?"
"That would be preferable." Her father agreed. "She may go with you."
McNeil carried Ayalou over to Shirin. She had calmed down a little and, although not kicking at him now, she seemed to be ready to sulk and pout.
Ayalou was being more than a little dramatic with her body language, her arms corssed and her hat pulled down so the cap almost hide her face completely. She wanted them to think she was mad, but she was also hiding her shame at the behavior her father was tired of.
Peering at the girl, Shirin offered her a rare smile. "So you like animals, do you? How would you like to meet the animals who help us live here?"
Ayaou didn't want to be placated, but she didn't protest either."Animals are okay, I guess." She admitted, still trying to put up a resistance. She knew it was just a tactic to busy her, but she also knew if she pitched another fit about it, the results would be worse. Miss Shirin was offering her a way out of trouble. "I guess I could see the animals."
"Well, then. I will need your promise that you will behave as a young woman; if you act like a wild animal yourself, you will confuse our not as wild ones and that would not be good."
"Fine." Ayalou kicked a rock and looked up at the pilot. She was sorry she had kicked him, but too embarrassed now to apologize and admit to the outburst at all. She looked back down and kicked more rocks.
