[b]Pinehelm[/b] [b]Heilagur[/b] Abraham tried to brush the sleep out of his eyes, as he stood on the concrete platform beside his numerous colleagues. Abe checked the curls of his 'stache with his thumb and forefinger, tracing the hairs as the nearly looped themselves over his scarred cheeks. A tram above the underground station made it's presence known with heavy rumbles that shook he pillars and the ceiling. "Is it true...that this station...is as old..as the human colony here?" said a lumbering, aged alsibass. With the intermittent blurting of common-heilaguran all alsibass spoke with. Abe looked up to his travelling companion, Akstadissijjo, his skin was shaded more grey and worn than that of a younger alsibass. "I believe so, though some of these tunnels run through old fortifications built by the original heilagurans" Abraham told the alsibass, watching his eye stalks as the peered over the platform's edge and down the dark maws that the tracks flowed through. Akstadissijjo was the elder of his clan, he had joined Abraham on his journey back to Heilagur and it was the alsibass' first time off world. As was alsibass tradition, Abraham had gotten him the gift of a camera. Akstad hadn't stopped taking photos to take back to his clan. Abraham didn't know what to do with his gift, a war-hatchet made from obsidian and wrapped in patterned cloth. Around them were a small escort of clergy, wrapped in pale robes. Certainly making Abraham, in his dark suit and half shoulder cape in blue, along with Akstad and his leg wraps and leather harness seem out of place. Abe looked behind the clergy and the tiled pillars to see shrines imbedded in the walls, the lifts and stairs in and out of the station wedged between candles and various icons. The smell of incense that reminded Abe of cinnamon, graced his nostrils as it permeated the station. A dull screech rolled down the tracks as announcers to the arrival of the tram. The clergy around them picked up their cases and other religious paraphernalia in preparation for embarking and for the experience millions never get. The lights of the tram panned out in from of the long tram. Through the windows Abe could spot various people, some in communal prayer, others in silent meditation or reverent chat between themselves. As the tram squealed to a halt, select doors were opened and out emerged dark armoured figures, dispatchers with helmets laced with orange and red lights and electronics. Each was armed with various firearms, and each rippled authority across the platform as Abe and Akstad stepped onto the train. To the bow of the train, sat numerous clergy and pilgrims in a whispering choir of prayer, some sat on seats and others on the gangway. To the stern waited a dispatcher with her helmet removed, her brown eyes were locked on Akstad as he ducked his eye stalks and bend his legs to fit inside. Alongside her was a drone, shaped like a shell and floating from the ground with a hefty lens peering to the two new passengers. "Welcome, welcome. Envoy Var Constavos and Akstadissijjo of the Fire-Chasers. I am Tekmi-20, the Godhead's assistant" The drone echoed out of it's shell to the two newcomers, bowing it's lens to them. "I am Lieutenant Tethys" the dishelmed dispatcher with her hand extended for Abraham. As Abraham took up the shake with a smile, he saw the lieutenant's eyes look to the Alsibass' clawed hands. As Akstad extended his own hand, the lieutenant bowed to him instead. Akstad politely bowed back to the dispatcher and Abe could feel an underlining tension press against his mind. "We have an appointment to keep" the drone swung around and floated with a bobbing motion down towards the back of the train. The lieutenant stepped to the side to allow Akstad and Abraham passage down the gangway. The envoy trailed behind the lumbering alsibass as they followed shortly behind the drone. The train was starting it's departure as they walked between carriages, each one becoming more and more diluted of clergy and passengers until finally they came upon heavily guarded doors. Some dozen or so dispatchers assorted themselves on the seats and along the gangway of the carriage, clearing themselves out of the way for the quartet as they finally entered the final carriage. It was decorated rather resplendently, cloth and silk curtains draped lavishly over the edges and narrowed the windows. In the centre sat a rectangular box, made from steel and plastic, sat on a long and burgundy pillow. It was engraved and etched with glyphs and symbols, to help determine which tomb it was. A mask, it's eye sockets filled with bright blue light, lifted itself up with it's appendage and looked up at the newcomers. A knot in Abraham's stomach tensed again as he stood and bowed before the Godhead, before kneeling beside a squatting Akstad. "I'm glad you both have managed to join us today" A voice simmered out from invisible gaps in the tomb, echoing with such gravity that the carriage sounded quieter after. "It is... an honour to... be in your...presence" Akstad said, his eye stalks were low and reverent. "I too am honoured your holiness" Abraham added with his face facing the floor of the carriage. "I am sorry that we could only meet while my tomb is in transit, but we must prepare for extinction remembrance" the Godhead's voice was a collection of voices, cast into one united sound with essences of the masculine and feminine tones. "It is splendid to see two excellent representatives of their species before they are sent to their duties to the Doctrinate" the Godhead remarked, Abe glancing at the drone that lingered like a buoy floating on calm, invisible waves beside the tomb. "I would like to tell you both that your tasks ahead of you are different but ultimately the same. To bring understanding and strengthen ties" the Godhead continued. "Akstadissijjo of the Fire-Chasers, I would like to thank you again for coming to Heilagur, I know you have many functions to attend and lectures to give, I trust everything is to your liking?" The Godhead gently glided it's mask over to Akstad, who bowed his head forwards and back. "Yes... everything is good... thank you... your holiness" Akstad said with his eye stalks raised more to match the four eyes of the mask. As it moved, Abe could see the Godhead's eye lights trail behind it's movements, like time slowed down in the brief moments it moved. "And Envoy Var Constavos, you are settled on the [i]Frostbiter[/i] well, are you not?" Abe nodded. "Yes your holiness, I am well-replenished and ready for mission" Abraham told the Godhead. "Good,good. The Lieutenant will accompany you as your dispatcher coordinator, for the mission with the [i]Frostbiter's[/i] crew and research teams. I hope you will require her expertise as an advisor and not as a soldier." The Godhead nodded it's mask. Natural light poured into the carriage, the duration of the tracks underground had ended and the sights of Pineshelm stood for miles around the tracks. "Your holiness... if I may..." Akstad said as he lifted an arm into the weaved satchel pulled around his torso. "May we... take an image... to commemorate... and take back... to my clan?" Akstad finished, pulling his camera and gripping it clumsily in his claws. The Godhead nodded an affirmative, and Akstad lifted his camera to someone who would take it. Abraham stood up and grabbed the camera, watching the as the alsibass moved into position beside the Godhead and the tomb produced a new appendage for a hand shake photo. "Okay ready" Abraham said, as the flash subsumed the carriage for a brief second. -=-=- As the Seal dropship wailed and hissed it's landing into the loading bay, Abe had the last of his packed bags beside him along with the remaining crew and passengers set to get to their new offices and stations on the [i]Frostbiter[/i]. The rear hatch of the ship folded open and it's bare interior was quickly filling up with bags and people, Abe turned to Akstad beside him. The train departed from the latest station behind them, clergy aboard the transport set off down stairs and towards other parts of the travel hub. "You're staying in this tower aren't you?" Abe asked Akstad, who nodded his torso. "Yes... my hotel...room is on...the higher...levels" Akstad said positively. "Well, good luck then Akstad" Abe reached down to pick up his bag, before he felt Akstad's claw on his shoulder. "Wait...Last image" Akstad pulled the camera out of his satchel as he slid his arm over Abe's neck and shoulders. Abe was more than willing to oblige, pulling up his cheeks as he peeled a grin across his face, just as Akstad bowed his eye stacks in similar elation. The flash went off, and the photo was done. Abe picked up his bag and shook Akstad's claw. "Catch the fire...Abraham" "You too Akstad"