The Winds Of Change

The pair of men walked from the Quaestor's Office calmly, quietly. The chill of Morroth's air bit at their skin, as usual, but neither seemed to care. Aedile Vorrac and Commander Arcadian had grown used to the chill. The two men walked in the same direction, the hangar bay, but each showed different moods. Kal's golden eyes betrayed the gleam of excitement, of impending battle and opportunity, both of which he loved above all but his wife. His walk had a bounce to the step, and his hands twitched from time to time toward his belt and the saber there. For Arcadian... it was a very different story.

The Commander, clad as always in his combat armor and not his off-duty uniform, walked with a slouch, eyes looking defeated and expression despairing. His breath came in sighs. As the pair neared the hangar, he looked to Kal, his Aedile and friend, and spoke.

"We really have to lose them both, don't we?" The Commander's voice was grim.

"Indeed, Arc. Two old prisons and the lives of the weak are hardly a loss, though." Kal's smile was sadistic and alarming, and the Warrior truly found the predicament amusing. "You have your orders, as do I. Begin preparations, we'll all likely have to fight it out."

Arc nodded, then went to the ship he'd used. Kal also went to his ship, an old shuttle he'd stolen from a civilian about two weeks ago, and accessed his comlink on the HSK frequency.

"All HSK personell, report to Alpha and Beta Base Briefing rooms immediately. Anyone not in said briefing rooms when you Quaestor and Aedile arrive will be classed as hostile and killed on sight."

Kal chuckled as he switched the device off. Sitting at the shuttle's controls and typing in commands, he couldn't help but hope that some of the less-capable Ketoans were late. The last part of his message had been his idea entirely.

Hearing the words of her Aedile over the intercom in her room, she quickly rolled out of bed and launched herself at her closet. The doors bounced off of the walls on either side, almost hitting her in the process.

Clutching at her sentinal garb as well as her typical weapons, Taliana crossed back across the room and threw everything onto her bed. She quickly dressed into her garb and hit the hall running towards Tuathal's and Morombath's quarters, hoping that they had also heard the call to gather.

As she reached the door to Morombath's quarters, a tall blue figure filled the frame of the door. Screeching to a halt, Taliana looked up at her friend. "I take it you heard the orders to gather?" She asked.

"Yeah, we should make sure the newbe makes it on time as well," He replied as he shut the door and strode in the direction Taliana Had been going.

They strode down the hall and turned the corner and rand directly into Tuathal. "We need to get to the Breifing room," Tali stated firmly, "follow us so you don't get lost."

The three turned around and went back to the intersection and headed straight across the hall towards the Breifing room to await their leaders.

After hearing the annoucement Callus calmly set the box contiaing some personal effects down on his new desk in his new office as Envoy and pulled the belt that held his lightsaber and DX-2 tight around his hips.

As usual Callus was disgusted by his robes and instead was wearing a white tank top shirt and a pair of black mesh shorts. He wiped some sweat from his face with a nearby rag and made his way down the hall toward the breifing room.

Callus didnt rush like many of the house but instead he moved calm and deliberately as he always did. People were bumping into him left and right paying him no nevermind. Callus knew that not many in the house knew his face yet, or that he was the new Envoy of House Satal Keto. He didn't mind he was actually glad people didnt know who he was just yet. He enjoyed being part of the crowd, for now.

When he arrived at the breifing room it was alive with whispers and the energy of people's excitement all around him. He took a seat near the back wall and waited.

Rayne sat lounging in her quarters, relaxing and reading over a holo-novel. Looking up from her thoughts at hearing her AED's announcement. She sighed softly, and got up from her chair, placing the holo-novel on the table next to her.

She went and changed into her normal wear, and grabbed her weapons before heading towards the door. Upon her door opening she noticed several of her fellow Ketoians racing full speed to their destinations, fearing the words of their AED. Well, they did have good reason to, she thought to herself with a slight smile. Rayne shrugged off the thought and walked quickly towards the briefing room.

Once arriving, she saw some of her comrades she had already arrived. Making eye contact to them, before taking a seat near the middle, yet out of anyone's way and awaited for her superiors.

Cipher sat on his desk, legs dangling off, wings folded back. Her seductive voice drifted to his ears.

"Shall we go my love?" she queried. She knew she would not be late... being the QUA's woman had its advantages...

He reached out and caressed her wing, slowly trailing down from the joint to the tip...

"I suppose we should... but we have to give the others some chance to get there..." he replied.

Cipher stood, her outfit draping scantily over her lithe and powerful form. Light chains brushed agains the metal of her saber hilt in the holster attached to her leg. She turned to face him, pupiless silver eyes scanning his features. Anochiir got up from his desk and moved towards her. Running a hand down the side of her face he smiled.

"We'll leave shortly."


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OOC - For those that do not know me... you'll need to read my Wiki... I am NOT the character that my CS depicts. I am a custom species that I have yet to have approved. Please read my wiki so that you will understand my character. A link is provided for you: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/wiki/in...oranian_Isradia
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Althalus looked at the woman seated on his desk, “Very well, beloved. I suppose we should make our entrance now.”

Grabbing his cloak, he pulled it about his shoulders though not to protect him from the cold. He wore his cloak mainly because most people from the House still did not know him. When he wished for secrecy of movement, he wore his cloak and spoke to almost no one. Motioning to Cipher, the woman took her place on his right side, the place of honor.

Moving down the halls, the Quaestor walked in near silence, only speaking to where Cipher could hear him, “How many do you think we are going to lose, beloved? Half of them? Ninety percent? All?”

She sensed his unrest and did her best to calm him a little, “We will surely not lose them all, my love. Only the weak...”

Nodding distractedly, he continued on towards the raised platform which sat at the far end of the meeting halls. Looking out, he noted all of his apprentices and motioned them to take a place behind him. Looking over his shoulder at Kal, he chuckled slightly. He knew one day either he or his Aedile would perish. He was going to make sure it wasn’t him.

Pulling the hood of his cloak back, he looked over the gathered members with disdain. He spoke and his voice carried a certain amount of venom, “This is all of the House that listens to the Aedile’s orders? Perhaps I misjudged the lot of you...but, we will address that further.”

He motioned to a screen that stood to the left side of the hall and brought up the security vids. The vids showed a large number of Wyrms moving in near unison towards Beta Base causing an uprising in the hall.

Callus spoke softly, “Althalus...couldn’t we just fortify the position at Beta Base? We have more than enough people to defend it.”

The Quaestor shook his head, “I’m afraid there’s more, Bo’Amar. Watch this one now.” Pressing another button on a small remote, he brought up several more screens depicting both Alpha and Beta bases and the storm of Wyrms approaching both.

“We cannot possibly hope to hold one or the other. So, these are your orders. No one is to remain in the bases after sundown today. Those who do, will be killed by either myself, Kaliidrad, or the wyrms. I suggest you ALL leave the bases immediately. Arcadian, you are in charge of the evacuation procedure. You will take all members you can find to the base I have ordered to be built on the Isles of Aleema.”

The silence in the hall was deafening, looking to Cipher he spoke in a whisper, “If any of them step out of line...kill them on sight. Including the Aedile or Arcadian. You are the Quaestor’s Hand. See to the problems before they get out of hand.”

Looking back to the room, his face became a mask of enraged amusement, “Why are you still here?! MOVE!”

With that the hall erupted into movement of the assorted journeymen scrambling over each other to flee from the Archpriest’s anger. Moving silently, he returned to his office saying only one thing to his Aedile.

“You will return to Beta Base immediately, Kal. You will await for my orders there.”

With that, he left without giving the Aedile a chance to respond.

Taliana took one more look at her master before signaling Morombath and Tuathal to follow her down the corridors towards the evacuation point. She did not worry about all of their personal items, they could be replaced, but the lives of those in her house could not be replaced... That was the point of evacuating those that had arrived to the meeting.

Cipher looked at Althalus. "Of course Quaestor."

She looked to the House as they filed out, so few, so few... Perhaps they would pick up a few more on the way to the new base and save their lives. If not, it would be a dark time for the House.

Before heading out into the chilled air, she placed a hand on his cheek... "Be wary..."

"Always, Cipher. And to you as well." he returned.

Cipher simply nodded, then turned, her wings flexing as she did so. As soon as she stepped outside, she looked out to where the Isles rested. She did not head for the transport.

Arcadian, while leading the assembled to a waiting transport, noticed her and spoke up to her. "You should be on the transport, Cipher."

"I will not need the transport." she spoke, then shifted into her Drake body. Thirty feet from muzzle to the tip of her tail, she unfurled her massive wings, reared up on her hind haunches and crossed her arms. To anyone that didn't know her, they would find the sight terrifying.

"I see... then meet us on the Isles. Tell anyone else you see to do likewise."

~Understood. I will meet you there soon.~

Arcadian nodded and headed on board. He glanced back in time to see Cipher lift herself from the ground, gracefully taking to the skies. "Beautiful..." he breathed.

Callus gave a passing glance to the winged priestess as she passed him without as much as a second glance, carrying out her Quaestors orders to the letter. He watched as the members filed out, some nervous, anxious, excited, Callus also felt genuine fear, somthing he thought had ceased to exist.

Callus took the short lull in important activity to speak with his Quaestor,

"Sir," Callus spoke to his superior in a low voice so dissproportionate to his size.

"Yes?" Althalus replied seeming calm, despite te situation at hand.

"Sir, if I may, I would advise you fall back to the Isles aswell," Callus paused a moment, "these are perilous times, and if the wyrm nubers are as great as you say you will need to be safe." Callus cast a glance at the tail end of the line filing from the briefing room. "Arcadian, and the priestess will certainly need your assistance to handle the situation on the Isles, and not to sound egotistical, but I'm the best fighter you have and a competant commander. My service record more than proves this." Callus took a breath "Your safety, as Rollmaster, is my number one priority. If you wish not to go to the Isles then let me stay by your side." Callus closed his eyes and exhaled as he bowed. "I will do whatever you ask sir."