Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Government Tower- Governor’s Office

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Government Tower- Governor’s Office

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Government Tower- Governor’s Office
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“Then do that.” Kenzo said adamantly. “Take the time from now until after Batarael to recover and get grounded. It will be tasking for a few days administratively, but we can handle that. And it will be a boon in the long run if you can recover faster. We have to look past the immediate and focus on the long term, Eela. And long-term it will be better to be without you for a week than to have your recovery take even longer.”

Hyrushi, Governor

What recovery? The thought came to her mind so mind so quickly that it surprised her. Yes, the imprint of Dash’s death would likely fade (or so they were all hoping). And she could and would continue doing therapy with Séan. She would move past this moment, but then what? But maybe she couldn’t think beyond this moment was because she was in the middle of it. She didn’t want to be, but she was. There were implications beyond Dash, beyond Cory. Things she had to deal with that would impact not just her but those around her yet again. But that was not now. Eela sighed. “I know Mathis is meeting Kek tomorrow, and we won’t know when we were supposed to have the first formal meeting with all of us. Can that be put off until I’m back? That would help and ease my mind. It matters that I’m there and you know it does. Regardless of what I may or may not bring to any discussions and negotiations themselves, my presence is symbolic of our unity, between all the parts of the colony.” But even as she said this she knew that the colony’s needs trumped her own on something of this magnitude and frustration rose within her. Eela shook her head. “No, that’s not fair to ask. You need to do what you need to do. If I’m going to take time off, then I can’t be a factor in the decision.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Kenzo took her hand a heavy blanket of calm fell across her. “Captain Dasca, we will postpone the first formal meeting between the Vren, Federation, and Oed V representatives until next week. That will give us time to address several pressing issues. One is your health. Two is the investigation into Mr. Jones. And three is the need for the Vren and Federation to create a relationship that will then allow Oed to respond to. We will let them set the expectations and needs; and the Oed will stipulate how we can support those needs. That will also be an opportune time for us to manage their expectations. That is how it will be. There will be no negotiations entertained on that scheduling. Does that help?”

Hyrushi, Governor

She nodded, pulling in more easy breaths into her lungs. Batarael was next week but she was always going to be juggling that. If she was really needed during that time, well they had already planned to work around the events planned. It would be fine. Or not. Eela was realizing right now how little energy she truly had to be juggling all these details. She squeezed his hand. “You mentioned a vigil?” she said softly? That she hadn’t heard about it till his mention spoke to how outside of the news she had actually let herself be since returning home last night.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Kenzo nodded and stood up. He walked to his desk and picked up a PaDD. As he walked back, he tapped on the display. He handed the device to Eela and then sat down.

On the screen was a vid of the outside of Dash’s apartment building. Over a hundred people had gathered holding candles, hands, some with various religious prayer items. Candles and flowers had been set against the wall of the building. “It is the next part that has caused the most stir.” Kenzo said quietly.

Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the scene. She had never been to his place given that the logistics of her position just made it easier for them to be at hers. But there were so many people there! She didn’t know why she was surprised, but she was. Maybe it was because most of Oed really didn’t know Dash in any real way. Unlike Mathis, he hadn’t spoken at a press conference. Like most aides, he had been at the side. So seeing this massive display was overwhelming.

Eela drew in a deep breath and braced herself for whatever was next.

A Oed Police cruiser pulled up on the street, lights flashing, followed by a long black limousine followed by another police slider. As the limo stopped, the door slid open and out stepped the Vren Ambassador. The amphibian biped stood up tall and looked around with his deep red and black-pupiled eyes. He was dressed a a loose-fitting, flowing robe of deep red, gold, and blue with long flowing sleeves. The growing crowd fell silent as his appearance. He visibly sighed and then, wordlessly, walked over to where the votives and flowers were laid. The Vren Ambassador stood there in silence for some time before kneeling before the small offerings of remembrance. He stretched his long arms out wide and lowered his head and a low, continuous rumble-like hum could be heard coming from him. This continued for several long moments as his arms slowly lowered and he reached into one of his sleeves and brought forth a small object. Head still lowered, he reached forward and drew a circular bright yellow glyph on the wall of the building. He then set the object in the flame of one of the votive candles and it flashed in bright green and seemed to vanish. His arms stretched out again as the low hum continued uninterrupted from the time it began, growing louder and louder until it abruptly stopped. Kek didn’t move for a long time, and then slowly stood up. He turned around and saw all eyes on him. He inclined his head and walked back to the limousine, stopping just close enough to two people Eela would recognize immediately: Dorma and Cort. The vid shifted to another individual’s camera and Kek’s voice could be heard saying “On behalf of my people, know that we share your grief. Your friend was a testament to your species, and his loss is a loss for us all.” He inclined his head and then climbed back into the limo before anyone could reply. The sliders slowly moved away and the crowd began talking in loud whispers about what had just happened and the screen went blank.

Kenzo watched as Eela took in the scene and then said “To say that that had an impact is perhaps my greatest understatement ever.” he said flatly.

Hyrushi, Governor

Eela struggled to pinpoint one emotion out of the flurry that ensued. She held the PADD in her hands still, knuckles white. The scene replayed in her mind and she held her breath through Kek’s ritual. She had spoken true after that first subspace call they had had with Mathis and Kek: she and the Vren had rituals deeply in common. “Yes, I can imagine it has,” she said at length. Eela held onto the PADD and nodded. “I need to go see it for myself.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Kenzo didn’t speak, he simply stood up and held his hand out to her.

Sucking in a breath, Eela grabbed her cane with her right hand and pressed it firmly into the carpet. She laid her other hand in Kenzo’s and pushed on both till she was on her feet. He had seen her having bad pain days, but she had mostly been able to relegate it to the background and carry on mindfully. This was very different.

Once she was on her feet he led them to the office door and walked out. “The Lieutenant Governor and I are going out. Have the slider brought up.” Dorma only nodded as they stepped onto the turbolift and went to the basement parking garage.

Eela gave Dorma a nod, knowing she’d need to talk to Fen and Cort about her new extended time off, but that could be done after.

As they stepped off, the slider was waiting. Kenzo stepped aside so Eela could get in, and then climbed in after her. As the vehicle began to move, he said “How are you feeling?”

Hyrushi, Governor

He really didn’t need to ask as she already knew he had her pegged, but the process of articulating herself seemed important, not just today, but in general lately. “Sore, tired. Sad. Angry. Everything I couldn’t feel yesterday. Guilty about how I dropped a Dash’s death onto someone who also cared about him, and I know I have to make that right somehow.” She shook her head and looked out the deeply tinted windows. “I’m still reeling from yesterday too. Not just Dash, but the Kuskaaritz and what that was like and how we solved that problem.” Eela looked back at him. “Are we going to talk about that, or is it a topic for later?”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Kenzo was looking out the window, the passing city reflected in his black eyes. “If you would like to, we can. I simply do not wish to over-exert you.” He turned his head and looked at her. “But yes, let us discuss. What do you remember?”

Hyrushi, Governor

“Too bad, life beat you too it,” she deadpanned.

Drawing in a deep breath, she shook her head. “It’s hazy at times. Like trying to hold on to a vivid dream after you’ve woken up. But I could feel this solid… barrier I guess is the best way to put it. Hear a voice. I think even if I couldn’t consciously identify it a part of my knew it was you.” She assumed it was because of their previous connections, in the same way empaths could pick out the presence of someone close to them from a crowd. “Then at some point everything shifted and it was like being slammed into a wall. Everything hit at once and I have bene processing that every since. But since I keep replaying those first experiences over and over again I can now dissect them as Dash’s experiences. I would dearly love it if you could say you didn’t pick up that, but I fear otherwise, even if I know the effort of breaking through that wall immediately affected both you and Sharah.” Or there were emotions about all of that, but those she pushed away as being less helpful right now.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“The barrier you describe was… substantial.” Kenzo said. “And it was keeping you from the reality around you in many ways.” He took a breath. “To get through to you, we took a very unique approach. You are familiar with my and Dr. Fayth’s abilities, yes?”

Hyrushi, Governor

She nodded. “And I know you amplified everything through the canar, though because I was drugged so I didn’t resist the help, it obscured and clouded some things.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Hyrushi’s head rocked back and forth slightly. “To a degree, yes, the canar was used. It was the connection directly to the barrier. To be blunt: Dr. Fayth was the gun and I was the bullet. Through us, and the others after, we were able to break the barrier and then find you and reconnect with you. And yes, through that connection I experienced some of what you had shared with Mr. Jones.” He looked at her and said “And I would hazard to guess that connection went both ways?”

Hyrushi, Governor

She nodded slowly. “Not at first in quite the same way, but as you probably understand better than others now, the canar creates a powerful connection that lingers. No one in my life quite gets it. Not even my kids, whose abilities are not the same.” Eela gazed deep into his onyx eyes. “I am Smoke,” she said softly.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Eyebrows over black eyes raised in shock, then furrowed in concern. He leaned back and exhaled. “Eela, I-” and he stopped. He looked at her and said “After. Once we have all of this settled, I will explain. No, not explain… I will tell you what that means. Among other things.” He sighed. “And then you can decide what to do. Is that acceptable? Or do you need to know now?”

Hyrushi, Governor

Sitting in a slider on their way to a vigil seemed a slightly off time to have what was surely going to be a long and deep conversation. But it was more than the words she had experienced. He knew that right? Because of the canar. “Later,” she said with a nod. “Right now we have other… things.” So many different things that she needed to unpack and while it was tempting to just have it all come at once and just deal with it, it was an unwise option given her current state.

As the slider moved, she could see then turn a corner and the building from the vid appeared. Her stomach tightened even as her eyes took in people gathered and that sight filled her with a sense of connectedness. She could all but feel the sadness but also the respect in the air even from a slight distance.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.