HELIOS

Chapter 13

Behind the blameless trees
Old fate slowly builds
Her mute countenance.
Wrinkles grow there...
What a bird shrieks here
Springs there like a gasp of
Warning
From a soothsayer's hard mouth.

And the soon-to-be lovers
Smile on each other, not yet
Knowing farewell,
And round about them, like a
Constellation,
Their destiny casts
Its nightly spell.
Still to come it does not reach out
To them,
It remains
A phantom
Floating in its heavenly course.

                                 Behind the blameless trees
                                              Rainer Maria Rilke

********************************************
      The Majah-tu craft is stationed no more than one thousand meters from our starboard side, which is making me and most of the crew a bit nervous. They, that is the Majah-tu have elected to come aboard the Helios, which Mandy said we have to accept and be gracious hosts. So everyone is in their class A uniform and we will attempt to be... diplomatic. Well, at I will do my best to be diplomatic.

I put a finger in my collar as it feels tight; Mandy clears her throat. I glance at her as she raises an eyebrow at me; I readjust my uniform and hold back the urge to pull on my collar again. The light on the control panel of the bay door entrance turns green, so the Marine Private standing by the door opens it. Mandy steps in first, but just as I start to go I grab Gunny Wilcox. "Stay close by. You and Corporal Banes." The Gunny nods and winks at me his understanding, as he unhooks his plas pistol.

    The Majah-tû shuttle is still buttoned up. I analyze its design and it resembles and arrow head, very sleek and fast looking; it probably is fast. Then the hatch hisses open; the collective tension in the shuttle bay can be felt like energy flowing through all of us. Just then I spot a pair of sliver armored legs coming down the ramp followed by more armored troopers. The one in the silver armor which is from head to toe stops about ten paces from us. The other troopers are wearing dark colored armor more plain the the one in silver. I'm assuming that is some sort of status to Silvers position; Silver, that's what I'll call this one who is... well, I think built like a woman. Silver is wearing a helmet with a face visor, so there are no features yet.

Suddenly Silver inclines, sort of bowing and then proceeds to remove said helmet! One of the dark clad ones speaks in an unmistakable male voice, but Silver dismisses him outright in a language I've never heard before and the voice is female. Though, from his hesitation you know he's not to thrilled with Silver doing that. The helmet comes off and my jaw drops, as does the jaw of every guy in the shuttle bay. Her skin is pale white so much so it almost glows. Her hair is long tied in a pony tail it's white, but her eyes, that's what strikes me; silver colored eyes. She's gorgeous looking... like - an angel.

"I am Jah-jahní, commander of Tôhl-tenak."
She turns her head to the left and speaks in that strange tongue of theirs, and it seems that the big guy there is not to happy, as he removes his helmet. "This is sub commander Kal-Tôhna." He has the same skin tone and even his hair is the same tone, but his eyes are cobalt blue. If Adonis was real this would be him. He eyes us suspiciously; there is definitely no trust in him. The other one takes off his helmet and his eyes are a pale blue, his skin tone is darker than these two. "This Lieutenant Talneh-Kah, my chief of security."

   Mandy shoots me a look. Well here is my time to be a diplomat. "Welcome aboard. I am Antonio Valdez, Captain of the United Earth Alliance ISV Helios." Jah-jahní smiles slightly inclining her head as an equal would. Returning the smile I incline my head as well. Gesturing to my right. "This is Major Mandy Roberts mission commander." Then to my left. "This is Lieutenant Hal Meyers my Executive Officer." I motion for them to come with us; the angel steps through first then Mandy and me. Unfortunately the passageways are wide enough for two people to walk shoulder to shoulder, with just enough room for someone to squeeze by.