EliteCommander

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Oh, the way they did it was to create these massive machines called airplanes, and helicopters. They could fly higher and faster than any bird, and some were designed to carry weapons. In order to get to the moon, they used these things called rockets, though I don't know as much about those. Obviously, all of those things are far more complicated than anything I could hope to build. I doubt even the Empire we are facing could hope to get those machines working again, so there is really no way that..." Tarentek began, but he stopped himself as another thought came to mind.

"Actually, wait, there is another thing I remember. They called them...parachutes. I remember them from a translation of a text on a war the humans fought amongst themselves. They were made of cloth and caught the air, much like your wings, to slow their fall. They used them so their soldiers could jump out of the airplanes safely. But...I would have no idea how to make one, at least not one I could carry safely. The humans carried them in backpacks, and I have no idea how to make it so that it will release from the pack only when you are falling." He explained.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek took in another deep breath before Onyx grabbed a hold of him and took off into the air. His heart wasn't beating quite as fast as before, but he still had an accelerated heart rate, and was still noticeably nervous. Since conversation seemed to help before, he was glad to distract himself by answering Onyx's question. "Well...I guess I'm afraid of falling from a great height to my death. I can't fly on my own, so I'm relying completely on you. I trust you, of course. You've shown time and again that you are great in the skies. It's just...I don't like not having a backup plan. I wish there was something that could keep me safe if I fell." Tarentek explained, keeping his gaze firmly on the horizon instead of the ground.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek took in a deep breath once Onyx returned and asked if he was ready to leave. "Yeah, sure, I should be dry enough now. Let me get dressed." He said as he stood to his feet, then put back on his robe and collected his other belongings. He picked up Onyx's shawl, which she had left near his belongings, and handed it to her.

"Here you go. I'm...I'm ready when you are. Did your flight help you clear your head?" Tarentek asked, trying to start a conversation to keep him occupied while they were in the sky.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Thank you, Onyx. I look forward to it. I'll wait here. Don't go too far through; I don't think I know my way back on my own." Tarentek answered with a chuckle. He stepped out of the water in a good mood, glad to have done something positive for Onyx. He laid himself down on his back next to his belongings and let out a relaxed sigh as he looked up at the sky. Already, he was going through his memories trying to think of good places to bring Onyx. He did not have a map on him, but as a scout, sources of water were something he particularly had to be familiar with in the area. Often, their patrols were designed to take them between fresh water sources. He was still not too thrilled for the flight back, but he supposed it wouldn't be as bad as the flight to the sea.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek stood back up and approached Onyx. "We can leave if you like, though I would like to have a few minutes to dry off. I'd rather not get my robes wet. I think you've had more than enough progress for today. You've seen that the water isn't quite the monster that you thought. What do you think, though, might you want to try this again some time in the future, perhaps when we have more time? I would still like to teach you how to swim properly, probably in a different body of water without so much salt." The expression on Tarentek's face was one of genuine hopefulness, as he believed that teaching her to overcome her fear of water would be good for her in the long run. She had made progress for today, so all he needed now was for her to agree to do it again.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"I do not believe so. This much salt would kill pretty much anything. Some of our translations of Human writings did speak about creatures so small that they cannot be seen, creatures that are around us, on us, and even within us at all times. Some of them can survive where nothing else can, but even if some of them live in this sea, they would not be able to harm you." Tarentek explained. Pausing for a moment, he placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with a smile. "You're doing really well, Onyx. Even if you're not comfortable, you're doing better. Here, how about I demonstrate what it is like to float in the water."

Tarentek stepped forward slightly deeper into the water, then laid down on his back. He expected it to be easier to float, but he could not have guessed exactly how easy it would be. In the salty water, he could float on the water's surface with no effort whatsoever. In fact, it would probably be harder to get under the water than it was to float. Lifting his head up slightly, he looked at Onyx with a slight grin. "Well, even I didn't expect this. I don't even have to try to stay afloat; my body just stays up on its own. Honestly, I don't think you could sink here if you tried." He said with a chuckle.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Understandable. I just wanted to feel the water." Tarentek commented as he stood up to his feet and walked up alongside Onyx. "I should say that this water is quite a bit different from most bodies of water you'll find because of the salt. Nothing lives here, so there is nothing in the water besides you and me, and from my understanding, it is very easy to float on top of it. I would try to avoid getting any of the water in your eyes. In any other lake or sea, you would be perfectly fine to submerge your head under the water, but here, the salt might cause it to sting your eyes. Of course, you don't have to get anywhere close to putting your head in the water if you don't want to."

Now that they were starting to get into slightly deeper water, Tarentek had the option of trying to float on his back to see how it felt, though for the moment, he remained standing with Onyx. "If you do get to the point where you actually want to learn how to swim, we'll have to go to a different lake or river, but I'm not going to rush you into that. I just want you to get a feel for what water is really like. Personally, I think this place is peaceful. The water is warm and calm. What do you think about it?"

The Depths of Deception

"Just checking." Rareth said simply to Telmeck. The others were quickly arriving, so it would not be long before they set out. Shiva still seemed particularly worried about the night they all had after the mission, which did make sense, though Rareth wasn't nearly as worried. "I don't think so, though it's hard to say for sure. You did carry me all the way to the hanger through the ship. What I can say, though, is that if anyone did know, it wouldn't matter. No one is going to attempt to contradict me on the small things." She explained.

Once the last of the team had arrived, the shuttle set off immediately for Concord. Thanks to their government clearance, they were able to bypass most of customs and save a few hours of waiting. The windowless hold of the shuttle offered no kind of view of the descent, but they could hear the pilot being directed to the same building they used during their first visit to the city. The shuttle set down on one of the landing pads reserved for diplomats and other officials near the top of the building. As the shuttle's ramp lowered, Rareth immediately saw a familiar face at the front of the welcoming party.

As usual, Ghirn was in his professional, formal attire. He always seemed to carry with him an air of authority, but this time, he also looked to be in a noticeably good mood. "It is good to see that you are all alive and unharmed. Well, currently unharmed. I have read your reports, just as the other representatives have. As such, there currently is no need for any formal debriefing with all of the representatives, so I volunteered to fill you in on all that has happened. Follow me; I reserved a few rooms for you."

It was a short walk and elevator ride to the apartments the team would be using. They were different rooms from their last visit, but all of the rooms were rather similar, so it did not matter. Ghirn picked one of the rooms and led them inside, waiting a few moments before he began his briefing. "Overall, the mission was a great success, so our respective governments have taken a great deal more interest in this program. We've been rebranded three times over the past few days. Currently, we are the Office of Joint Species Affairs, and I am at least sixty percent certain that we will be keeping the name. But, the part you most likely want to heard about is how things will change for you. There has been a lot of restructuring in our organization, and is has impacted your team, though a lot of you will be staying together. Currently, your team consists of Rareth, Telmeck, Shiva, Shuo, Bitheroi, and Ashley. The rest of you will be receiving separate assignments. Also, I would like to note that it is very likely that you will be receiving new team members before your next mission."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I am sure the trial with give all of the explanation needed for most of them on our involvement in this, and the lieutenants will likely explain to anyone who asks why they do not suspect us. If anyone questions you about it, you have permission to explain the evidence supporting the fact that none of us are guilty, but do not give away anything else relating to the investigation, if you can." Meesei instructed as she took Rhazii. The loud murmuring of the crowd seemed to be upsetting the child, so she had to make a continued effort to keep him calm. "I suppose we should all get to work. Hopefully, we are nearing the end of this terrible affair."

Meesei and Sabine separated from Fendros and they went to their own tasks. Harriet had been left under guard close to the dining chamber, so it did not take long to reach her. As soon as they approached, the stressed Rhazii started to whine and reach out to his mother, so Meesei quickly handed him off to Ahnasha. The boy was generally comfortable with all members of the pack, but there was no one who could calm him like his mother and father.

"The announcement has been delivered, Harriet. You should have been able to hear it from here. Right now, there is something I would like to do that you may want to be present for. I recall you questioning the veracity of the test we performed on the poison, so I would like to perform another to confirm or refute the results. If it turns out that the test was inaccurate, then I will retract my accusation of you as the traitor and continue the investigation. I have mentioned this to the other lieutenants, and they are sending members of their packs with knowledge of alchemy to the scholars' loft. Would you like to join in this?" Meesei asked.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Memories have a way of becoming more...skewed the more you recall them. Sometimes, I've found that my own memories of events in Amman were almost startlingly different from the written records." Tarentek answered. "What you remember is probably your fear, and what it did to you. You were very understandably panicking, which caused you to sink. I'm not surprised you remember it the way you do. In a calm sea like this, and especially taking it at your own pace, you'll find that the water hardly hinders you at all. In fact, it is much easier to move something that is floating in the water, including yourself. As I mentioned before, your body will float naturally in the water if you have enough air in your lungs, especially in this salty water."

Tarentek laid slowly laid himself down on his back, since the water was shallow enough that it wouldn't reach above his head. It did cover his ears, so he placed his free hand behind his head and lifted it up slightly so he could hear Onyx. "Even if I'm not swimming, I just find the feeling of the water against my scales to be refreshing." He commented.