Chapter 3: The delegation
AN: I only own a few characters and names of weapons so don't get your hopes up. Also, re-read chapter 2. I updated it as I left it open-ended last time. Sorry! And in regards to a review, I only gave Jonathan Jo's last name because I believe that Jo said they were married, like in the end of Titanic.
The chancellor of the Skedar high council stepped out into the sunlight of the planet Earth flanked by three advisors and two bodyguards.
"Chancellor." Carrington said, in his white suit. "Welcome to Earth. Allow me to present my employees. David Foster, Harold Grimshaw, Robin Taylor, Linda Parker, and Joanna and Velvet Dark, our two best agents."
"Mr. Carrington," The one that had to be Krinnji said very pleasantly. For a Skedar. "Face to face at last. You have my thanks. Allow me to present my daughter, Crinn."
As he spoke, the smallest and by far the most graceful Skedar stepped out and bowed.
"My military advisor, Brigadier Nakaal,"
A huge and nasty looking one came out. Joanna's hand went slowly for her MagSec.
"And this is General Ekinnj, my chief of staff."
The last official Skedar came out and leveled up Joanna. "Miss Dark, I have so wanted to meet you."
"I'm not quite sure how to take that." Joanna said, as her hand squeezed the butt of the pistol.
"Sincere admiration, Miss Dark." Ekinnj said, almost six inches from her face as if her were testing her capacity to flinch "From one warrior to another."
You're a murderer, not a warrior. Joanna wanted to protest but said instead "This way. I think you might enjoy a brief tour."
Four hours later
The full delegation and the Institute employees sat around the table in the redecorated mess hall as the writers poured the blue liquid that was Maian ale. As soon as Krinnji had his, he lifted his glass. "I offer a toast." He said. "The undiscovered country." Seeing as the entire table was looking at him oddly, he added "The future." All the glasses went up and followed suit. "Hamlet, Act III, scene I." Grimshaw said. Joanna blinked. She never knew Grimshaw, or the Skedar for that matter read Shakespeare. "To be, or not to be." Ekinnj followed up. "That, Miss Dark is the question that preoccupies our people. We need breathing room." "Earth." Joanna quoted. "Hitler. 1938." Ekinnj blinked. "I beg your pardon?" Joanna sighed. She had to remember that they may have read Hamlet, but they hadn't gone through old man Banes' history class. "Perhaps we are looking at something of the future here." Foster said. "Tell me, Miss Dark." Ekinnj said. "Would you be willing to give up the Institute?" Carrington coughed at the other side of the table. "I believe Joanna thinks that the Institute's mission has always been one of peace." "I believe that peace should not always be obtained through force as..." Joanna began. "Oh, come, come now, Miss Dark." Ekinnj said. "This dinner is off the record, you needn't mince words. In any case, all warriors are cold warriors." "We believe that all planet have a sovereign claim to inalienable human rights." Velvet said. "In alien." Crinn said. "If you could only hear yourselves. Human rights. The government is merely a Homo sapiens only club." "In any case," Nakaal said. "We know where this is leading: The annihilation of our culture." "That's not true!" Carrington said. "No?" Nakaal said. "No." Joanna said. "We are merely interested in technological advancement and scientific..." "Science!" Ekinnj countered. "A great deal of science went into the construction of you RC-P120, I daresay!" After a short silence, Krinnji spoke. "Well, I see we have a long way to go."
"We must do this again." Joann mocked courtesy as the Skedar left. Krinnji went up to her and spoke silently. "You don't trust me, do you? I don't blame you. If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it." He left and Ekinnj went up to Joanna. "Well, that was kind. Parting is such sweet sorrow. Have we not heard the chimes at midnight?" He left as well and the Skedar vessel took off. A collective sigh of relief went through the employees. "Thank God." Linda said. "Did you see the way they eat?" Velvet made a very disgusted face. "Terrible table manners." Grimshaw said. "I doubt our own behavior will justify the motives of..." Carrington began. "I'm gonna sleep this off." Joanna said. "Please let me know if there's any other way we can screw up tonight." "I'm gonna find a pot of black coffee." Foster said.
Agent Dark. Mission log. 049 hours. The Institute hosted the Skedar delegation to dinner last night. Our manners weren't exactly Emily Post. Note to kitchens, Maian ale never to be served at diplomatic functions.
Grimshaw's hands trembled over the keyboard. The hooded figure wanted something and was capable of killing him if he didn't comply. He handed over a small data wafer. "Here, take it!" He pleaded. "Just don't hurt me!" "If you breathe a word of this to anyone, you're dead." The figure said and pistol-whipped the hacker.
Joanna shut off her log recorder and went to her bed. She undressed. She never saw the need of pajamas and if she was needed, she had plenty of clean clothes. She slipped her loaded Falcon 2 under her pillow and nestled under the covers. She kissed the small hologram of Jonathan good night and went to sleep. Her CI communicator beeped in her ear. Joanna cringed and hit it. "What?" She said, aggravated. "Joanna, would you mind coming down to the Institute?" Carrington said. "There's something I'd like you to see."
End of chapter Ok, Your turn. Time for reviews. The last ones kept this story going, I almost deleted it. So, please, review. I accept all suggestions short of "Go fuck yourself."
AN: I only own a few characters and names of weapons so don't get your hopes up. Also, re-read chapter 2. I updated it as I left it open-ended last time. Sorry! And in regards to a review, I only gave Jonathan Jo's last name because I believe that Jo said they were married, like in the end of Titanic.
The chancellor of the Skedar high council stepped out into the sunlight of the planet Earth flanked by three advisors and two bodyguards.
"Chancellor." Carrington said, in his white suit. "Welcome to Earth. Allow me to present my employees. David Foster, Harold Grimshaw, Robin Taylor, Linda Parker, and Joanna and Velvet Dark, our two best agents."
"Mr. Carrington," The one that had to be Krinnji said very pleasantly. For a Skedar. "Face to face at last. You have my thanks. Allow me to present my daughter, Crinn."
As he spoke, the smallest and by far the most graceful Skedar stepped out and bowed.
"My military advisor, Brigadier Nakaal,"
A huge and nasty looking one came out. Joanna's hand went slowly for her MagSec.
"And this is General Ekinnj, my chief of staff."
The last official Skedar came out and leveled up Joanna. "Miss Dark, I have so wanted to meet you."
"I'm not quite sure how to take that." Joanna said, as her hand squeezed the butt of the pistol.
"Sincere admiration, Miss Dark." Ekinnj said, almost six inches from her face as if her were testing her capacity to flinch "From one warrior to another."
You're a murderer, not a warrior. Joanna wanted to protest but said instead "This way. I think you might enjoy a brief tour."
Four hours later
The full delegation and the Institute employees sat around the table in the redecorated mess hall as the writers poured the blue liquid that was Maian ale. As soon as Krinnji had his, he lifted his glass. "I offer a toast." He said. "The undiscovered country." Seeing as the entire table was looking at him oddly, he added "The future." All the glasses went up and followed suit. "Hamlet, Act III, scene I." Grimshaw said. Joanna blinked. She never knew Grimshaw, or the Skedar for that matter read Shakespeare. "To be, or not to be." Ekinnj followed up. "That, Miss Dark is the question that preoccupies our people. We need breathing room." "Earth." Joanna quoted. "Hitler. 1938." Ekinnj blinked. "I beg your pardon?" Joanna sighed. She had to remember that they may have read Hamlet, but they hadn't gone through old man Banes' history class. "Perhaps we are looking at something of the future here." Foster said. "Tell me, Miss Dark." Ekinnj said. "Would you be willing to give up the Institute?" Carrington coughed at the other side of the table. "I believe Joanna thinks that the Institute's mission has always been one of peace." "I believe that peace should not always be obtained through force as..." Joanna began. "Oh, come, come now, Miss Dark." Ekinnj said. "This dinner is off the record, you needn't mince words. In any case, all warriors are cold warriors." "We believe that all planet have a sovereign claim to inalienable human rights." Velvet said. "In alien." Crinn said. "If you could only hear yourselves. Human rights. The government is merely a Homo sapiens only club." "In any case," Nakaal said. "We know where this is leading: The annihilation of our culture." "That's not true!" Carrington said. "No?" Nakaal said. "No." Joanna said. "We are merely interested in technological advancement and scientific..." "Science!" Ekinnj countered. "A great deal of science went into the construction of you RC-P120, I daresay!" After a short silence, Krinnji spoke. "Well, I see we have a long way to go."
"We must do this again." Joann mocked courtesy as the Skedar left. Krinnji went up to her and spoke silently. "You don't trust me, do you? I don't blame you. If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it." He left and Ekinnj went up to Joanna. "Well, that was kind. Parting is such sweet sorrow. Have we not heard the chimes at midnight?" He left as well and the Skedar vessel took off. A collective sigh of relief went through the employees. "Thank God." Linda said. "Did you see the way they eat?" Velvet made a very disgusted face. "Terrible table manners." Grimshaw said. "I doubt our own behavior will justify the motives of..." Carrington began. "I'm gonna sleep this off." Joanna said. "Please let me know if there's any other way we can screw up tonight." "I'm gonna find a pot of black coffee." Foster said.
Agent Dark. Mission log. 049 hours. The Institute hosted the Skedar delegation to dinner last night. Our manners weren't exactly Emily Post. Note to kitchens, Maian ale never to be served at diplomatic functions.
Grimshaw's hands trembled over the keyboard. The hooded figure wanted something and was capable of killing him if he didn't comply. He handed over a small data wafer. "Here, take it!" He pleaded. "Just don't hurt me!" "If you breathe a word of this to anyone, you're dead." The figure said and pistol-whipped the hacker.
Joanna shut off her log recorder and went to her bed. She undressed. She never saw the need of pajamas and if she was needed, she had plenty of clean clothes. She slipped her loaded Falcon 2 under her pillow and nestled under the covers. She kissed the small hologram of Jonathan good night and went to sleep. Her CI communicator beeped in her ear. Joanna cringed and hit it. "What?" She said, aggravated. "Joanna, would you mind coming down to the Institute?" Carrington said. "There's something I'd like you to see."
End of chapter Ok, Your turn. Time for reviews. The last ones kept this story going, I almost deleted it. So, please, review. I accept all suggestions short of "Go fuck yourself."