Chapter 5 – The Festival
It was a bright and clear day over the Satedan moon. A large light yellow sun shone warm above and a nice cool breeze was gently permeating through the large flat space around the raised central stage.
The bright day was a little bit disorientating for Seeal though, as her internal clock was on the Elite Facility time, where it was currently late evening. Part of her wanted to go to bed, but the larger part of her was too busy enjoying the sunny moon and the regular steady rhythm of music pounding out of the stage's massive electronic speakers.
Stood in a sea of literally hundreds, if not thousands, she was free to move to sway and shake her shoulders along with the Satedan beats. Since an experience a few weeks ago when she had been invited to a massive Alliance Military celebration, following the big success against the Wraith at the former Nest System, she had discovered she had a real passion for music.
Sure, she'd heard music all her life. Every planet she'd been to had its own music, and music had been a big part of the pit fights, always playing in the background to create a certain atmosphere. And on Dreamstation there had been all sorts of music playing in different parts of the station, again to create certain vibes designed to either excite patrons into gambling more or chill them in the lower decks.
Satedan music was clearly never designed to calm anyone in any situation.
It was still good, fun and rhythmic music, and the massive sea of bouncing cheerful Satedans around her clearly enjoyed it. Of course this was just one of the opening bands, with the main band everyone had come to see due on the stage soon.
She'd purchased much of the music due to be played here today, adding it to her rapidly increasing new collection of Alliance music. She'd never had a hobby or personal interest like this before – she'd never had the time or inclination before now. But, in the middle of that Military celebration, she'd found herself around those she trusted and she'd been swept up in the freeing swing of the loud music and the just plain fun of it.
It was still a bit weird for her, this doing things just because it was fun, and no longer needing to be watching her back all the time. Around her set work hours for the Elite's computer project, she suddenly had a life to fill and it was entirely up to her what she did with it.
Madesh had convinced her to spend some of her new regular wages on purchasing things for her quarters and for her wardrobe. In the past, she'd hidden away almost all the currency she'd earned on Dream, storing it off the station in several different locations, which kept it away from scum stealing hands and ready in case she had needed to disappear. Living in the Elite's Facility, she now had regular food, supplies, and access to pretty much anything in the Alliance. So, she had started regular trips off the Facility's moon to trading stations and marketplaces with Madesh. Her new friend had given her the unexpected, and slightly embarrassing, encouragement she had needed to also start trying new styles of clothing, and in new colours. Throughout her life, she'd stuck with basic and functional clothing, designed to last a long time, not get in the way during a fight, and not to show too much skin so to draw male eyes. On Dream she had kept to very dark toned long-sleeved clothes that allowed her to merge into the shadows there while she kept her eye on various criminal scum.
Now though, she had started to wear tops with various sleeve lengths and in a variety of colours and patterns. This evening she was wearing a new favourite – a bright red low-cut top. It was a whole new way of expressing herself and it was ridiculously freeing for her compared to the life she had led until now.
She'd even bought a new coat, new shoes, and a nice patterned bedspread for her quarters. The contents of her quarters' cupboards and wardrobe had become far more colourful and interesting, starting to show a side of her personality that she hadn't indulged in before. Sure, she was never going to be one to wear something outlandish or especially revealing, several examples of which were displayed in the festival audience around her, but it was still happily new for her.
As were these evening outings to listen and dance to music. Again, it had been Madesh who had started her on that. With the Sythus still in its repair dock, its crew were free to fill their off hours with entertainment. As a relatively new crewmember, Madesh had managed to be incorporated into a new social group on the ship, which was mainly made up of members of the former 'Strays' team Seeal had been part of during the Sythus training sessions. They had invited Madesh out on social excursions, and, after the Military celebration, Seeal had been invited along once to a music club and she'd been invited on each outing since. And just like that, she had a social group.
It was very new.
The music started into a new piece, this time far louder and faster, the audience around Seeal ramping up their dancing to match. A lot of neck-damaging head-shaking had started up, but the music was still good enough to move to, though it wasn't the main show. The band everyone was here to see was a famous Satedan group called 'The Trouble Lovers'. They were so prolific that even Seeal had heard their music out beyond the Alliance border, and they were considered the height of a music style known as 'crescendo style', which was uniquely Satedan. Designed to start at a slow pace and build to a rapid and raging dramatic pitch, the music had been well known as a favourite amongst smugglers visiting Dreamstation. The loud and galvanising Satedan music apparently gave them the push to race through dangerous territories. Inside the Alliance border, 'The Trouble Lovers' were a known favourite of the Satedan forces among the Alliance Military, and certainly plenty had turned up today to hear them live.
Seeal was looking forward to it herself, though not to the head cracking excitement she was seeing around in the crowd. She was rather surprised how well behaved the Satedans were being so far, she'd half expected to see the usual small fights and drunken behaviour common among Satedan drinking parties. Instead, the massive audience seemed simply cheerful and expectant of seeing 'The Trouble Lovers'.
Seeal turned to Madesh beside her. He was bopping up and down with the music, Ru just visible on his other side. Ru, the Sythus' Lead Engineer, despite being of the more quiet and reserved type, seemed to equally enjoy these trips for music and dancing. He had even joined her and Madesh on a few shopping trips. He was again a new member of the group she was tentatively labelling 'friends'.
Further along the vague line within the crowd, Seeal could see Nevaeh, Numfar, and Fleta joining in with the head shaking and stomping. These five, along with Toj, who was missing right now, were her new social group and she really kind of enjoyed their company. She wasn't quite sure why they had included her and why they continued to invite her to join them, but she wasn't going to question it.
Soon enough the Sythus was going to be repaired and they would be off on missions, so she was planning to just enjoy their company while she could.
And when they left, so would a certain large oafish Elite too.
Having friends was a very new experience, as was the prospect of missing them.
Madesh leant closer to her, drawing her attention. "Have you seen Toj?" He all but shouted in her ear to be heard over the music. Toj, the currently missing member of the their group, was one-quarter Satedan, a fact that he told as many people as he could when out in clubs.
"He'll be jumping around somewhere," Seeal shouted back into Madesh's closest ear. Toj often wandered off, usually to return with overly attentive females following him.
Madesh nodded his agreement. They all kind of tried to keep tabs on Toj, but Seeal didn't bother since the man clearly knew how to take care of himself. Anyone that tried to pick a fight with even a part-Satedan was asking for any trouble they got in return. Toj was proof that, regardless as to how watered down his Satedan genes might be, the drive to be bold, boisterous, and eager to throw a good-natured punch were strong Satedan traits that always shone through; Toj hadn't even grown up on Sateda.
"When are 'The Trouble Lovers' starting?" Seeal shouted to Madesh.
He lifted his arm to consult his timepiece, though had to pause to gently push the bounding dancer in front of him a little further away. "Any minute," he reported.
Ru leant around Madesh and smiled at her, she smiled back. Even though Ru wasn't as boisterous as the rest of the group, he clearly shared her love of music and could always be trusted to join her on a dancefloor.
The current music dropped way suddenly, and the crowd all cheered. The band all pumped their fists into the air and more cheering followed as the group made their way off the large open centrally placed stage. There was a small area curtained off to one side for the bands to climb up to, or down from, the stage, and presumably 'The Trouble Lovers' were waiting in there ready to appear.
The excitement was almost palpable in the air, and Seeal could feel it affecting her too. 'The Trouble Lovers' were in for quite a greeting when they appeared.
The tempting smell of cooking food wafted to Seeal's nose, and she inhaled it deeply. Despite her body thinking she should be going to bed soon, her stomach was suddenly interested in the source of the smell. There were a load of stalls surrounding the open area of the festival, selling food, alcohol, and random trading items like tankards and necklaces. All Satedan style obviously.
Now wouldn't be the time to go find food anyway with the band about to play.
She took the lull in the music to turn to Madesh and Ru again, while ignoring the grumbling of her stomach. Nevaeh was already looking Seeal's way, around Madesh and Ru, and she pointed off to the far left. Seeal rose up on her toes to look up and over in the indicated direction.
A group of overly-excited Satedans had climbed up on one of the massive electronic speakers to the left of the stage, and among them was a shirtless Toj. Seeal shook her head at the display. A few members of the festival's Satedan security force were stood close to the speaker, but they didn't seem to care about the possible accident waiting to happen. Satedans had the view that if you got hurt doing something, then that was your issue.
Seeal had been surprised how relaxed the Satedan security were here, which wasn't what she had heard or expected. Given the Satedan eagerness for a fight, she'd assumed they were going to be somewhat heavy-handed, but instead they looked like they were here to enjoy the show as much as they were to keep watch over it.
Seeal looked back to Nevaeh and shook her head; Nevaeh grinned back.
A roar rose up from the masses and Seeal snapped her attention back to the stage. Getting to the festival early this evening had paid off, as recommended by Toj, because they had the best view. Stood directly in front of the centre of the stage, only about ten lines of people back from the front, she had a fantastic view as 'The Trouble Lovers' stepped out onto the stage.
It sounded like the entire mining moon's population screamed in delight.
Seeal couldn't help getting caught up and clapped her hands excitedly over her head as the six member band took up their traditional spots on the stage. There were two on the massive drum systems, two on electronic instruments, and the last two were the main singers of the group, one female and one male. The two leads stood, legs braced, body language full of confidence that was magnified by their elaborate brightly coloured and metal embellished outfits.
The male singer lifted one arm and held the microphone to his mouth. "We are 'The Trouble Lovers'!" He announced into the device and his deep voice boomed out of every massive speaker set around the festival space.
The crowd's delighted response was deafening, and Seeal had to cover her ears. She looked at Madesh and Ru next to her, to see that they were doing the same. Except Nevaeh, who was jumping up and down and looked like she was joining in the screaming, but it was lost in the din and Seeal's blocked ears.
After a few seconds, Seeal slowly eased her fingers from her ears. The cheering had lowered to a more comfortable loud level as 'The Trouble Lovers' strung out the first notes of their first song. In keeping with the crescendo style, the first pieces would be slower and more about the words and rhythm, which would build through each subsequent song until the final one of the set would be at a frenzied mad pitch.
Notes rang out through the air and the drums kicked in hard, creating an instantly entrancing rhythm that had Seeal immediately moving along with it. The whole crowd around her were all moving too, everyone grooving and swaying together to the music.
The singers started out on the words, recounting the old days of the Satedan homeworld and their most famous first warriors. Seeal swung her hips in time with the rhythm, Madesh doing the same next her, his elbows bumping hers – it was a common game they played now when out dancing.
This was definitely worth the late visit.
As loud long, almost sensuous rhythms played out from the large speakers. Seeal rose up to see that Toj was still on the speaker, though a few had been thrown off by the vibrations of the thing. Toj had a good grip of a pole behind the speaker and was swinging his shirt over his head.
The drums increased slightly in speed and the crowd responded, shifting and swaying in perfect time. It never ceased to amaze Seeal the power music had on all peoples across the galaxy, and presumably in Sheppard's home galaxy too. She would have to ask him the next time she saw him.
She returned her attention to the band and scanned her gaze over the members, seeing them in the flesh now rather than in the captured images that had accompanied the music she had purchased via the Facility's massive database. A few of the band's males were nicely shaped, lines of body paint highlighting strong arms and shoulders on one of the drummers. She'd never really allowed herself to focus too much on such things back on Dream. She wasn't blind to a handsome man, but her entire life had revolved around keeping strong-headed overly dominant males under control.
Which took her back to one particular male in her life.
Presumably Oneakka was still alive wherever he had disappeared to on a mission a few days ago. She had kind of missed him, since they were still working together on analysing the Toshka and Dreamstation databases, and Oneakka had also insisted on training her and Madesh every two days. He had some weird new obsession about ensuring both her and Madesh were skilled at using every weapon ever made. Still, the workouts were good, if not exhausting. The few days without Oneakka around had at least given her and Madesh a break from the intensity of those workouts. Of course Oneakka had left them with a set practice routine to complete while he was away, and she and Madesh hadn't quite kept to it; which had stressed Madesh. She had insisted Oneakka wouldn't know, but Madesh had his whole mentor thing with Oneakka going on and was always desperate for Oneakka's approval.
She didn't have that problem.
As long as the big oaf of an Elite stayed alive to get back to their training. Truthfully, she'd been enjoying Oneakka's regular company these past weeks. They had fallen into a routine of sorts in working together on the databases after her work day as they ate their late meal in the usual canteen. Though he occasionally disappeared off-world on a mission for a day or two, it had become a successful way of getting work done on the databases around their other work.
The former apprehension between them regarding certain attractions had settled, following their mutual agreement that they were colleagues, perhaps even friends. A firm boundary had been drawn and she was pleased that neither of them wanted to go near that line.
Though, she had made sure not to wear any of her new tops with low necklines around Oneakka – best not to test the line.
She slid her eyes off the drummer whose arms reminded her a little too much of her Elite colleague/friend, and looked off to the shaded area beside the stage. One of 'The Trouble Lovers' team was watching from the side, probably their manager.
The man's profile caught at Seeal's attention.
She froze, studying the man's face as best she could through the sea of swinging arms and bouncing Satedan heads. The man was stood mostly out of view, his arms crossed and his head moving up and down steadily to the music.
But she knew him from somewhere, and the feeling of alert sharpness told her instantly that it wasn't a good connection.
She narrowed her eyes at his individual features, letting her memory turn to place him. She'd seen him in pictures somewhere, not in person before. They had been digital images that Creass had obsessed over for a time...
It snapped into place in an instant.
No, it couldn't be Nessus.
She kept her eyes on him, studying his features again as best she could at this distance, but became only more convinced that it was him. He had a distinctive angled left eyebrow and a heavily lined face.
There were few as wanted as this man. The bounty on his capture, both in and outside of the Alliance, was worth a lifetime of currency. A war criminal originally from the Alliance planet Manaria, who, when he was about to be officially charged, had somehow stolen a battleship and escaped Alliance territory. After that, he had started up his own little crime syndicate across a wide range of planets and systems outside the Alliance's reach. He had killed any who stood in his way and pirated on smugglers, stealing their cargo and further built his reach by threatening them into working for him. When things had started to impact Dreamstation, Creass had joined forces with Nessus' powerful criminal enemies to remove him. No one knew exactly what had happened, but most of Nessus' syndicate had been slaughtered, though his body had never been found. As far as she recalled, the bounty on his head had never been removed due to that fact, but everyone had assumed he'd been killed.
And yet here he was, a good six years later, alive and well in Alliance territory.
Seeal turned to Madesh next to her, pushing her elbow into his side. He elbowed her back, thinking she was messing around with him, but she caught his arm and he finally looked around at her with a questioning look. He instantly looked concerned and stopped dancing. She guessed she looked worried. She pointed off to the side of the stage, indicating Nessus. Madesh looked back from the man and frowned, clearly not understanding her.
Madesh was wearing a jacket, despite the warmth, but that was useful today. She dug into his closest pocket. "Do you have your pad?" She shouted, but he couldn't hear her.
His hands took over the search and his small thin pad appeared in his hand. She wasn't allowed to have a pad that could connect with other world computers, but Madesh's did. She made to grab for the pad, but he pulled it back. She batted away his worried unheard words and pulled the pad from his hands. She knew he trusted her.
She triggered it awake, but it needed him to confirm access. She held the pad up to him. He frowned. She pointed off to the side of the stage again, which probably made no sense to him. He frowned but waved his wrist against the pad and his identity implant activated the pad for her. She nodded her thanks as she worked to connect the pad with the local Alliance communications and data station. Madesh had Elite crew permissions, so could easily access the wanted criminal lists put out by Enforcement.
A few taps, the music ignored around her, she finally found the aged wanted listing for Nessus. She pulled up his image and showed it to Madesh. He studied the pad, then off towards where Nessus was stood watching the band, and then back to her, his mouth opening in shock.
She nodded, pleased he agreed, and then turned her attention towards the Satedan security near where Toj was still hanging onto the vibrating speaker.
"I'll be right back," she shouted to Madesh as she pushed past him, then Ru and the jumping Nevaeh.
It took annoyingly long to get through the exuberant dancing crowd, but soon enough she was able to extract herself into a small length of higher ground on which the big speaker was set. It was also where three Satedan security were stood vaguely watching the crowd, while moving their shoulders and heads to the music.
Seeal headed straight towards them, which got their attention even before she reached them. She knew it was too loud for them to hear her clearly, so she just held up Madesh's pad with Nessus' image and the wanted listing. All three of the guards frowned at the pad's screen and when all of them recognised the name and looked suitably interested, Seeal pointed off to the far side of the stage towards where Nessus was clearly in view from up here. She also noticed that Madesh had followed her and was stood close behind her. She suspected that it wasn't just their friendship that kept him close at times like this, instead she would bet good currency that Oneakka had told him to make sure she didn't get into any trouble away from the Facility.
Males.
But, for now, she had three male Satedans to do what was important. All three of the big Satedan security were still looking from the pad to the distant Nessus with growing frowns. One started speaking into his concealed radio link in his collar as he turned away and headed towards several more security off the other side of the large speaker.
Good, they were taking it seriously.
Her work done, she relaxed down her arm holding the pad and turned to Madesh. Madesh reached for his pad and examined the wanted listing again as she handed it over. The music pounded loud and the audience were still screaming delightfully, but Seeal wasn't in the mood to dance now. Instead, she fixed her eyes on Nessus. She had no idea how he had managed to go unseen in the Alliance all these years, but she suspected it would be a case of time slipping him from people's awareness, forged papers, burning off his fingerprints and possibly by having connections with 'The Trouble Lovers'.
The arrogant nerve of the man to be hiding in plain sight! Though, Seeal considered, perhaps it had actually been quite clever, because everyone would be paying attention to the celebrity band all the time, not some assistant in the wings. Still, it had been risky. Anyone could have recognised him over the years. It always amazed Seeal how people could miss the obvious when they didn't think it was possible. Most people had accepted the theory that he had been killed six years ago, and no one would have expected him to ever turn up in the Alliance. She had to wonder though how many random unexplained killings near a 'Trouble Lovers' concert had actually been Nessus removing the occasional person who had recognised him.
The Satedan security abruptly brushed past her, so she stepped aside, keeping close to Madesh; only for more Satedan security to appear from the right, jogging past her and Madesh towards the stage.
Seeal watched, shocked, as the first group of security simply leapt up onto the stage, batons and stunners in hand, and started blasting stunner fire towards Nessus. Right past the noses of 'The Trouble Lovers'.
Nessus had spotted the sudden attack though, and had started ducking to one side, but stunner fire converged on him from three directions, and Seeal saw him shake with stunner energy and drop out of view.
Another group of Satedan security were storming the stage from the back now, and the second group were climbing up the front of the stage after the first wave.
The music stopped in a sudden instant as the band, reacting in what was, unfortunately, the typical Satedan way, rushed forward to meet the swarming security with their fists. The audience started up a roaring noise of protest, and Seeal saw several grabbing at the security, pulling some of them off the stage. As they fell down, they started fighting back.
The brawl exploded to life.
What had been a well tempered and engrossed front of the audience suddenly became a sea of swinging fists, shouts and protests. And they weren't just fighting the security, smaller fights were breaking out as someone stood on someone's foot, or someone decided they weren't going to see their friend punched.
Like fire spreading across dry tinder, Seeal watched, mouth open, as the fighting spread. Within seconds, it seemed that everyone was fighting, wrestling, and yelling.
On the stage, she saw one of 'The Trouble Lovers' drummers throw himself off the front of the stage, launching himself out of the reach of security and down towards the carpet of fighting fans. However, a long-haired Satedan security member, threw herself after him, actually tackling him midair before them both dropped into the fight below.
"What the-?" Seeal uttered in bewilderment at the sudden madness.
What was wrong with Satedans?
A cracking sound from behind her and Madesh had her sweeping round to see that a drinks stall was rocking, with far too many people crammed inside the wood and fabric structure. Seeal watched as the whole stall began leaning to one side and people began bursting out, barrels of alcohol in their hands as they rushed away.
Okay, it seemed looting had started up now.
She turned back towards the fight, glad she and Madesh were on the higher ground out of the way. She looked across the mass brawl, trying to locate the rest of her group. Madesh was thinking the same and was already reaching down towards where she could see Fleta and Numfar struggling out of the fight. Fleta was grabbed by some overeager, and clearly drunk, Trouble Lover fan who had decided to live up to his heroes' name. Fleta jabbed his elbow up into the man's jaw, while Numfar pushed the man aside. Madesh reached down and helped pull them up the short distance to the higher ground. Behind them, Nevaeh was following, one of her dress' sleeves missing and she was dragging Ru with her by the back of his collar. The two clambered up out of the fighting mess, and, fortunately, they all appeared unharmed.
Where was Toj?
Seeal turned and looked back up to the top of the speaker next to her, but he wasn't there. Instead there were two others fighting, grappling with get each other.
What was it with Satedans? At least the fighting was 'polite', in that there were no weapons in sight, but she saw more than a few bloody noses in the fighting mess around her.
Nevaeh arrived next to Seeal and grinned despite her slightly dishevelled appearance. Ru was next to her, Fleta and Numfar squeezing into the relatively safe spot as they all looked out at the madness around them.
A large number of the fans had gotten up on the stage now and were wrestling with security and each other. However, Seeal could see that there was a tight group of security on the far side around where Nessus had gone down. They had him at least.
Movement across the other side of the audience drew her attention and she watched as a large group of fans clambered up the large speaker near the far end of the stage. The speaker was clearly leaning to one side, and, with a loud crackle that sounded like something shorting out, the thing started to topple over. Seeal watched in horror as the huge speaker crashed down into the quickly formed open space next to it. Dust billowed up in a huge cloud as it landed, and a loud electronic squeal was emitted like an angry dying cry from the speaker.
As the dust settled, Seeal saw a worrying glow had started up behind the speaker. A fire was catching on one of the long billowing drapes hanging from the side of the stage. The breeze didn't help, and within seconds the fire raced up the long piece of fabric.
Fortunately, it appeared that security was on it, and billows of fire suppressant blasted up over the former speaker and the fabric.
Seeal looked away from the chaos, to find the others of her group all turning towards her.
She met their accusatory but faintly amused looks.
"It's not my fault!" Seeal exclaimed.
Nevaeh began laughing. "It's never dull with you around, Seeal!" She grinned.
"Look!" Fleta laughed loudly as he pointed off to the sage. "There's Toj."
Seeal looked round and spotted Toj on the very edge of the stage. He had someone in a headlock, but there was a large Satedan woman pulling at his hair and a guy hanging on his leg, attempting to pull him off the front of the stage.
"Should we help him?" Seeal asked the group.
Fleta, still laughing, shook his head. "Let him have fun."
"It won't be fun if Tyoosi hears about it," Madesh suggested loudly over the noise of something new breaking and falling over in the distance. Seeal didn't look round to see what it was, but she suspected the looting had probably spread to the outer stalls around the field.
"He'll be fine," Fleta waved off the concern for Toj. Toj had gotten into a fight in the last club they had visited a couple of days ago and apparently Tyoosi, the Sythus' Security Lead, had had a few choice words on the matter on seeing Toj' resulting bruised eye. Seeal knew what Tyoosi' long lectures were like, and being in a fight was far preferable.
Seeal finally realised what Nevaeh had said. "What do you mean things are never dull with me around?" She demanded.
Nevaeh grinned. "Come on, there was that incident in that club the other night."
"Toj started that," Seeal argued.
"And that place with the pickpockets," Madesh added unhelpfully from her right.
Seeal glared at him, whilst steadfastly not focusing on what was clearly a column of smoke rising in the near distance over Madesh's right shoulder. "Hey, those club bouncers had direct line of sight of those pickpockets; they were clearly ignoring it on purpose. It was my civic duty to report them to the club manager!"
Madesh just seemed to find that funny, which was annoying. It was probably the irony of her talking about 'civic duty'.
"It was the right thing to do," Seeal insisted.
"And there was that time you almost broke that guy's hand," Numfar supplied.
Feeling ganged up on, despite being aware that they were teasing her in good nature, Seeal tried not to get annoyed. "I didn't break his hand; it was a mild sprain at the most. He certainly won't be putting his hands were they're not wanted again."
Nevaeh nodded her agreement to that.
"It's not my fault if there are these kinds of people everywhere you take me," Seeal defended herself.
Ru leant into her view. "You did do the right thing, Seeal," he defended her.
"Thank you, Ru," Seeal smiled at him. "Maybe you should all ask yourselves why you keep taking me to places with criminal activities," she turned it on them.
"They're clubs and bars," Numfar shrugged his shoulders, "there's always something going on."
A sudden shout close by snapped all their attention round and an entirely naked Satedan male streaked past behind Numfar, a security guard fast on the man's naked heels.
"What is wrong with Satedans?" Seeal exclaimed into the stunned pause.
"Don't let Toj hear you say that," Numfar warned, but he was smiling.
"There is one safe place we could take Seeal," Nevaeh considered thoughtfully. "We could take her to Myrtle's."
For some reason that suggestion got all of the group's attention.
"No, we can't take her there!" Numfar protested. "We can't let her shutdown Myrtle's!"
"Yes, we have to take her there," Nevaeh grinned back ignoring his complaint.
"I am right here," Seeal pointed out as they continued to talk about her.
"Elite drink there," Numfar ignored Seeal's point about politeness. "Military top leaders."
Fleta, who had been mostly watching the brawl like he was watching entertainment, leant in. "I saw the Athosian Bantos Champion in there last time."
"He's tasty," Nevaeh said with feeling.
"That wasn't my first thought," Fleta frowned at her with a smile.
"It would be a safe place to take Seeal," Madesh gave his opinion.
Seeal glared at her friend. "To take me? Am I a child?"
"It's a great club, great music, mostly military and celebrities," Madesh explained. "It's run by a retired Elite warrior."
That caught her interest. "An ex-Elite opened a club?"
Madesh nodded.
"There's rarely ever any trouble there," Nevaeh put in, clearly a fan of the place. "I'm free tomorrow, anyone else?"
"I'm free," Ru agreed happily.
"What if this happens there?" Numfar protested as he gestured to all the fighting. "Imagine if we shutdown Myrtle's; the Elite would be mad."
"No one is shutting down Myrtle's," Nevaeh calmed him, the group now entirely ignoring what was happening around the stage and field. Seeal worked hard not to wince as she saw another large tent falling to the ground in the distance, but at least security had gotten the speaker fire under control. That was something.
"The Wraith could invade and take over the entire Alliance territory again, and Myrtle's would still stay open," Nevaeh clearly exaggerated.
"I'm in," Fleta stated. "There's usually some lovely ladies there."
"Toj will go, he loves it there," Nevaeh nodded, glancing off to where Toj was still part of the havoc on the stage.
"It sounds good, as long as we're not restricted to the Sythus for all this," Madesh put in as he frowned round at the chaos around them.
A horrible thought crossed Seeal's mind.
She fixed Madesh with her most determined look. "None of this is our fault," she stated logically. "The Elite don't need to hear about this. Oneakka," she clarified, "doesn't need to hear about this, Madesh."
"Honoured Elite Oneakka," Madesh added Oneakka's proper title, as he did every single damn time.
"Madesh!" Seeal stressed, catching hold of the front of his open jacket. "This is security's fault, not mine. Who rushes a stage like that?"
Madesh inclined his head in agreement, as he glanced around at the fighting.
"He doesn't need to know," Seeal very nearly pleaded. She'd never hear the end of it otherwise; Oneakka was still mentioning her high kick that he had disapproved of in her 'incident' with the Recruits and that had been weeks ago.
Madesh looked back at her. "You promise that tomorrow we'll catch up on the training programme he left us?" He negotiated.
"Fine," she willingly agreed.
"Very well," he nodded, which surprised her somewhat, considering his hero-worship for Oneakka. "I will not say anything."
Seeal breathed out a sigh of relief and released his jacket.
"Unless Honoured Elite Oneakka asks me directly," Madesh added his addendum.
Typical; but it was the best she was going to get out of her honesty stricken friend. Besides, it really wasn't her fault. If Oneakka found out, well, she had been the one to spot a dangerous and wanted criminal. How could that be bad?
She noticed a shift in the sea of people – it looked like more serious and focused Satedan security back up were arriving. "I think we should probably grab Toj and head for the Portal," she suggested to the group.
"Good idea," Fleta agreed, having spotted the newcomers too. "I'll get him," he volunteered and headed along the high ground to where he could reach the stage. Seeal followed, preferring Fleta to have someone to watch his back.
Toj was close by though, on the nearest edge of the stage. He had the upper hand in a wrestling match and had his opponent in both a head and arm lock. The quarter-Satedan saw them approaching and grinned at them.
"Come on, we need to go," Fleta shouted to him. "We're going to Myrtle's tomorrow evening," he then added for some reason.
Seeal guessed that these kinds of things weren't all that worrying for an Elite crew who frequently went into battles against the Wraith, but it sure was surreal for her. Usually she had been the one breaking up a brawl on Dream, not letting them spread into this kind of madness.
Toj, having heard Fleta's announcement over the chaos, instantly released his opponent and jumped upright. "I love Myrtle's," he announced eagerly, a second bruised eye having joined the first.
She certainly knew how to find some interesting friends.
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TBC