Down the Rabbit Hole: Capter 13

[Seraphina Morris]

"I'm starting to like this one already." Seraphina said with a chuckle and glanced at Gale. "And I thought your mother taught you better."

"She did... but I did pick up a lot of bad habits living above a bar." Gale said and crossed his arms. "And hanging out with spies."

[Lilith Stormtalon]

An alarm buzzed, and Lilith turned back to her console, "We have ship approaching. Unknown type and configuration."

[Diana Talon]

"Their posture Lil?" Diana inquired as she pulled up the sensor scans on her display. "Interesting design... definitely nothing we've encountered."

[Lilith Stormtalon]

"I believe their shilds are active, if their weapons are armed I can't tell."

Arthur went and stood behind the tactical station, and Astrid slid into the Ops station next to Lilith at the helm. "Orders captain?" Arthur asked his sister.

[Diana Talon]

"Yellow alert, stand by weapons, fly... casual..." Diana said with a half smile. "Passive scans only. This rust bucket may be old by our standards, but we have no idea how advanced we are compared to them. And if they are friendly... we may need allies in this galaxy, especially if we were followed by Astrid's brother."

[Astrid Vogler]

"We're being hailed," Astrid announced.

"Weapons are on standby," Arthur reported.

"We will be in weapons range in twenty seconds," Astrid added.

[Diana Talon]

“On screen.” Diana ordered and sat up straighter and fixed her jacket a bit. “Don’t fire unless they give us reason to. We’re a long way from home.”

[Astrid Vogler]

A dark alien with deep cranial ridges and thick heavy brow appeared on the screen. He wore no shirt, and a twin of black braids hung over his shoulders and down his bare chest.

There was a leather bandolier strapped crossways from his right shoulder to left hip. A dagger handle poking out of the center. Above the dagger were a series metallic pins that could be rank insgnia or unit markings.

"I am Ur'gonquin Trosk of the 12 Council Fires. You are in our territory. State your intentions."

[Diana Talon]

"I am Diana Talon of the Phoenix and we are simply travelers from a great distance away. We are explorers." Diana gave Arthur a look. "We mean no disrespect or ill will, if we are trespassing we can change our course, but we would like to make a proper first contact with you."

[Trosk]

"We have heard that from other peoples such as yourself. You wish to help us. Give us technology, or food. Treaties are signed, and their words are as reliable as the wind." Trosk said with a scowl.