The wind is cold tonight

Posted on Thu Mar 16th, 2023 @ 11:13pm by High Priestess An'Dalus & Commander Sthilg

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Surface of Class P Planet
Timeline: 4/09/2397 - MD4
1012 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

How curious, the high priestess thought as she eyed up Sthilg in the darkness of the camp, her equine eyes glistening from the few lighting fixtures that dotted the outside of the tents beside her.

She watched as he climbed out of a tent, a tent she was intending on visiting this evening. Then she watched him huddle up in what layers he had, shivering from the cold and scowling at the light snow falling on his scales.

"You should stay inside tonight, it's too cold for predators like you..." The priestess hummed as she approached him wearing just as little as she normally did.

"How is the little filly anyway." She asked, coming to a stop no more than a foot away from Sthilg, her eyes on the tent that S'hib and Naxea were sitting inside.

"Predator?" Sthilg said letting out a faint reptilian chuckle. " Madam you honer me. You've cleary never ssseen me with a bow and arrow. I couldn't hit the ssside of a gorn dreadnaught from five metersss away. "

Clearing his throat he carried on. " As for little filly ssshe'sss doing well despite the current conditionsss. Ssshe'sss a fighter jussst like her parentsss."

She smiled, though it didn't appear sincere… more of a curtsey than anything else. “She is a fighter because she is a Sequus…” Anne said softly despite her tone being of the utmost authority on the subject.

“Though I must congratulate you since you have the honour of being the first male to deliver one of our kind… of course, I would have preferred to have done it myself, though things were hardly in our control at the time.”

"And Bajorian. I have fought and patched up many a warrior and no finer one than the major." Sthilg replied. " She will carry her mothers ridgesss into her bloodline for many a generation."

"I hope so..." Anne remarked, her voice deep with sadness. "I would hate for her never to be able to see the dunes of Sequella... but if we can't get back, I will tell her stories instead when she is old enough..."

" I can asssssure you the crew of the Eysssium will get usss all home." Sthilg said starting to walk on the spot to keep his legs moving.

She didn't say anything at first, simply smiling at him as she looked down at the sound of snow crunching under his feet. "Where is your tent? do you have far to go?"

"I'm sssleeping in the runabout or at leassst trying to." the doctor gestured towards the runabout which was being used as the camp's hospital. " Though I have my roundsss to do."

"I see..."

She hummed thoughtfully after this, looking around at the night sky and its unfamiliar stars. "Then I should give you this," She continued before reaching for one of several small leather skin pouches that hung on her curvaceous equine hips. "A simple ward to keep you warm tonight and thereafter..."

She reached inside and pulled something out, small and unassuming before vanishing into her palm as she clutched one of Sthilgs's hands with her other.

"Keep it safe," Anne added as she pressed the object into his palm and closed his fingers around, clutching his balled fist with both her hands. "And return it to me when we are off this world of ice and snow."

Sthilg was about to reply when he felt something in his hand. Faint at first but soon a glow of heat was spreading out through his body from his arm. " What the...." he began before remembering his own experience with the all-mother. Looking at An'Dalus he gave her the best smile he could manage. " Thank you."

Anne nodded deeply with a smile before inclining her head to one side, still keeping a single eye fixed on Sthilg. "If you end up unable to sleep, in that Runabout of yours..." She glanced over as she spoke, seemingly unimpressed by it. "Come see me... I'll have you hibernating on my lap in no time..." She teased though her offer was genuine.

" I'll manage my dear. " Sthilg said as he tucked the object into the pocket of his uniform. " Do you or your bodyguard need any attention, extra vitamin tablets...." he asked.

"No... you need not worry about me or my Sovereign, we'll manage..." She replied with an air of confidence that stood upon the shoulders of a long life of experience. "We always have."

" Well if you do make sssure to ssstop by." The old doctor said with a smile.

She nodded and bowed slightly before standing tall once more. "Goodnight Doctor... stay warm." Anne said softly before turning and gently walking back the way she came.

" You too." Sthilg said as he started trudging towards the next tent. A doctors work was never done.

An intriguing man to be sure An'Dalus thought to herself, glancing back to see him entering another tent... one to keep an eye on if nothing else.

Still, she felt unnerved by this world... it felt cold and not because of the snow, it was lifeless, or so it seemed.

She frowned at this, trudging further through the camp and glancing at an open fire some of the crew had erected, it was crude... simply an assortment of superheated rocks glowing from phaser fire, but it was effective.

the smaller ones crackled, their super-heated cores staying hot while the frigid cold sapped the heat from their exteriors until they cracked and split.

shards fell, hissing on the wet soil and burning dead leaves in an instant. occasionally a cloud of embers was puffed up high and quickly extinguished.

all but one as An'Dalus contorted her hand at her hip, twisted her fingers and beckoned the tiny flame towards her.

It was too small and inconsequential for anyone to notice, too insignificant compared to the radiant heat they were all busy huddled around.

but was all she needed, she smiled as the ember stopped above her palm and continued to glow, pulsing gently with every heartbeat as she walked on.