Winter of Intent
The bridge itself is a combination of both old world and new world design to come to a functioning mixture. Sprawled out across the entire length of the floor is brilliant red carpeting. Dark chocolate brown classic looking wood paneling covers the walls. Ornamental metal cast lanterns are strategically placed along the walls to provide efficient lighting. Golden wrought framed posters of various circus acts from the earth-that-was hang in decoration on the walls.
The foremost edge of the bridge is a protruding octagon shaped viewport providing the crew with a large field of view. Each console is set up with ornate brass workings that give it an aged look. At each console is a black leather chair posted into the floor that swivels around in order to provide ease of movement. At the forefront are the Pilot and Co-Pilot consoles. Flushed near along the right wall is the Sensor and Communication console which hosts a variety of different read-out screens that are framed with antique brass boxes.
Set upon a dais with three steps leading to it is the most impressive console of them all, the Captain's Chair. A plush black leather executive chair with brass riveting along the back and arms of the chair provide seating. At the front and either side of the chair are three separate podium-style consoles, though separating them from others is the fact that in place of the regular metal protective coverings is a match for the wooden paneling along the walls with brass accents.
Still bundled up in a thick thermal layer of coats including a woolen cap snugged down far enough to cover the tips of her ears, Calira has her hands wrapped around a hot - steaming hot in fact - mug of coffee. She is seated at one of the spare, non CAPTAIN type chairs in the cockpit staring out at the falling snow while watching the cortex screen playing the current round of 'important news'. <English>
Odell makes his way up to the bridge, having searched the rest of the ship for Calira, as usual the last place to look is where he'd find her sprawled out on one of the chairs on the bridge. Odell looks to be shivering as he'd left his parka with someone else when he visited the sanctuary.. " So what is it you needed me for dear lady. " <English>
Calira smiles at Odell over the steam rising from the cup of coffee she's holding, "Well, aside from saving you from the grip of winter?" she asks with a laugh. "Come. Sit. Tell me how you've been? How are you children?" <English>
Odell snorts and walks over to give Calira a kiss on the cheek. "I was all warm and toasty, when you called. " he comments with a grin. "I've been okay, dead bored but okay. The children are fine, I'm sure that erins fine as well. Though I've not seen nor heard from her in over two months. " he flops down in the other chair and props his feet up. <English>
"Considering how choked the Cortex is these days, getting WAVE's through is and can be a serious pain," Calira sympathizes with a nod, a smile following the kiss on her cheek. "I'm glad that they're fine, though. How is everyone else?" <English>
Odell shrugs, "I honestly don't know.. " he sighs. "the only thing I do know is that none of them have requested to quit or leave but I've not seen our beloved crew in months. They are all off doing their own thing. " <English>
"I believe that Phelan is moving his ship at the moment to keep some sort of profit rolling, I never really know what Mia is up to, to be honest," Calira replies with a small shake of her head. "Cricket and Babbage are always taking something apart and or fixing something, so that's business as usual. I haven't seen Guy in months either, to be honest. But, it's Guy, I imagine he found something or someone to amuse himself." <English>
Odell sighs,"well damn, at least someones having fun. I hate having my bed empty and being alone. Just nice to see a friendly face. " <English>
Calira makes a small sound that is equally disgruntled, "I know how you feel. But," she moves one shoulder in a shrug, "c'est la vie, oui?" she murmurs with a fine trance of a smile. "I'm not the easiest person to sleep with. I usually have at least one gun on the headboard or beneath the pillows, a blade sheathed and tucked between the mattresses, and others stored around the room. I don't imagine that's what most men would consider to be 'comfortable' or 'sexy', but then I'm also pretty damned old at this point so," and again that calm shrug. "Such is life." <English>
Odell laughs , a nice rich warm laugh. "hell you think your bad you should see my bed and room, When erin was here she swore she needed a metal detector to find all my hidden weapons. just to remove them so that she could sleep without having something poke her in the ass while she slept. " he grins "as for your being old well thats a line of bull, your as young and spry as anyone I know, and as for being sexy well that depends on who'm your asking as I think your still a sexy and lovely woman. " he says with genuine affection <English>
Calira chuckles in reply, "Well, it's kind of you to say so." She takes a long drink from the coffee mug she's holding and nods subtly, her amusement fading to a look that is more pensive. "How about Max and Theresa and the children?" <English>
Odell grins. "well as far as I know they are still in their room but I've not talked to them a long while, nor heard about their kids. " he looks at you and smiles. " kindness had nothing to do with it, as its just the simple truth."
Calira nods subtly again, "I'll have to make a trip to Paquin, then, and check on them." She exhales a slow breath, "I want to adopt Maxim," she says in a quiet voice. "I'm never going to have a child of my own, and if I could have, I would have wanted him to be the man that Maxim has made of himself. I'm hoping that he'll allow me to do so, and if he does, it means I get to become a grandmother at the same time," a hint of a small, hopeful, almost shy smile ghosts into place with a small curve of her lips. "I hope he says yes." <English>
Odell chuckles, "so you didnt call me back to the ship just to catchup on the crew did you?" <English>
"Partly yes, partly more," Calira agrees as she takes a seat again, this time curling her hands into the cuffs of her thermal winter coat and gives a fine shiver while waiting for her bones to stop aching and complaining against the cold. "The Freedom Movement," she says simply. "I'm a member, and after a talk with Salin today, I'm more than just a member, I'm an organizing member of what will eventually be some measure of judicial department. I've written some bullet points for what will be, I hope, the formal declaration that we put before Parliament. When that day comes, I'll be stripped of my title and I fear that my lands will be forfeit if I can't figure out a way to pass my title to Maxim and his children so they are safe. I am a soldier, Odell, and this is my last war. I need to know where the ship and her crew are going to stand. War is already been declared, it's been stated, it is real. It is now. I won't risk the crew or this ship without one hundred percent agreement of all crew members. It won't be safe for children or non combatants to be on the ship if everyone agrees to join the movement." <English>
Odell sits back and listens. " I see.. ' as he rubs his chin and and noticing that its been a while since he last shaved. " What can you tell me about this freedom movement, what does it include and how would it affect me and this ship? Though we definately need to speak to maxim to see if he'll agree to your proposal."
"I had hoped to in time build up my wealth to maybe get a decent spread of land of my own. so that Erin and I and the kids will have something that is truely our own and be able to get off persephone as that house can only hold so much room as the kids grow up. "
"I can tell you that it's going to be a bloody mess of a fight, no matter how it sorts out. I can tell you that we will lose good men and women, we will lose members of our families, friends and comrades in arms. I can tell you that no one will be safe until the dust settles and we either win or we all face a firing squad en masse. I can tell you that those of us who have put everything they have into this effort recognize this is an all or nothing battle, it's not a game of win lose or draw," Calira answers in a quiet voice. "I can tell you that we aim to bring an end to the grip of the Alliance and encourage the freedom of each member world to seek and fulfill it's own manifest destiny. Not every world wants to be the tech center of the universe or the farming center of the universe. Our goal is to recognize and then enable personal freedom on all member worlds. Our goal is to no longer be in fear of the grip of the Alliance on commerce or health care or anything else, to no longer and never again allow any segment of the population to be deemed second or third class citizens like they did to the Romani. Our goal is to disband parliament and build a confederation instead. With each member world having their own central government that sends members to a centralized forum to sort out a fair measure of government for the lot of us, not just one or two worlds deciding for everyone. That's our goal, in a broad sweep." <English>
Odell nods his head. "I see.. " he looks out the window for a moment, then looks at you. "So what do you need from me? I have a feeling that erin being who she is wouldn't wish to fight. Though being a merc Im always up for a good fight if the cause is right. "
"I need you to see your children and wife safe and off the grid," Calira suggests in a gentle tone of voice. "I need you to cover them as carefully as you can or withdraw them from Persephone and secure them in one of the worlds that we hold. Salin has a new base that is going to be secured six ways from sunday and layered on top of that, it would be a safe place for your family to seek shelter. In fact, securing a place for our loved ones is a top priority. Those that we love are hostages to our good behavior, we have to secure them so that we don't have to behave when the time arises. Will you fight with us?" <English>
Odell ponders the question, biting his lower lip. " Well I know she and the kids are with her parents. Though I forget which planet that is. Im just not sure she'd want to just abandon her folks just to keep herself and our kids safe. If this is going to be as bad as your saying then I'd like to get my step parents as well safely put away with hers as well as herself and our kids." he sighs. " If you can manage that then yes.. I'll fight. Now if you pull this off, how will your new government adjust the ruling for civilians in protecting themselves and their ships. " <English>
Calira nods along as Odell talks, answering lastly with, "We're working on that. I know that Salin is turning out weapons and gear so that those of us who are fighting are more than adequately prepared and armed. I know that the fleet of ships that are gathering are in the process of being armed and made dangerous. I know that if we win, we have no intention of taking the weapons or gear back, as that would be ridiculous. I know that my idea is to leave existing common sense laws in place for a full solar year after the end of the war, to give everyone and everything a chance to take a deep breath and the dust and adrenaline to settle. I know that there are a lot of laws that I haven't even begun to look at or untangle. But the rights of ships and crews to defend themselves is one of those common sense laws that really needs serious attention and effort. The Alliance has forbidden serious weaponry on civilian ships because they did not want an armed armada of ships taking down one of their destroyers. Which is exactly what we're arming up to be capable of doing." <English>
To be continued . . .
