Irell Starling

Escape from Syrae (Irell Starling)

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Escape from Syrae (Irell Starling)

I'm working on a post. Honestly, I've been working on a post off and on all week in my "spare" time. On Monday I returned to work (as an educator) and my online graduate class. Needless to say, I am so ready for a three day weekend. But rest assured, my post is in the works. :)

The Fourth Blight {Irell Starling x Reaper}

I was thinking that Thea could go through the Harrowing while Kaitlyn is being examined/treated.

The Fourth Blight {Irell Starling x Reaper}

Pain pumped through her stomach as Henricks fists pummeled into her. Even with her plate mail still on, the force of the impact cause the air in her lungs to come out with a whoosh. Kaitlyn knew she shouldn’t have hit him, but she couldn’t help it. Her response was almost visceral. She hated how he spoke about Owen almost as much as she hated the way he looked at Thea. The pain in her abdomen was almost nothing compared to the pain lancing through her arm. Kaitlyn gritted her teeth in an effort to cope with the resonating ache.

Beside her, Thea said something. A protest for them to stop? Kaitlyn didn’t know. She was too busy fighting through the pain and concentrating on Henrick. This time when he pulled his fist back, Kaitlyn threw her weight, but nothing happened. He was stronger than her by a long shot, but she still should have been quicker. Another blow fell across her stomach followed by another, and another. It hurt to breath. It hurt to stand. But she couldn’t escape the onslaught not matter how much she tried. Suddenly, a wooden staff whipped down, separating their two bodies. The timing couldn’t have been better. It smashed into the man’s flying fist with a sickening sound. Fleetingly, Kaitlyn wondered if it had managed to break his wrist. She hoped so.

Breathing hard, the female Templar struggled back, no longer on her feet but her knees. It took all of her strength and most of her dignity to not fall any further. Henrick was not so lucky. Within a few seconds, and a well-aimed hit of Thea’s staff, he was lying prone on the stone floor.

Thea managed to help her stand back up just as the First Enchanter and the Knight-Divine came upon them. Kaitlyn still had the good graces to blush, while Thea allowed her tongue to run wild. Did the mage even realize that these two were the highest ranking individuals in their Orders? Probably not.

”Are you alright?"

”Yes.” Her voice sounded exhausted even to her ears. It was a blatant lie but Kaitlyn still had her pride even if she had little else.

”Templars are expected to conduct themselves better than that,” the Knight-Divine replied, unphased by Thea’s angry outburst, ”Those that aren’t quickly find themselves on the front-line.” Stern brown eyes surveyed the duo, the severe scars on his face becoming more severe. The woman next to him, garbed in the robes of the First Enchanter, wore a mask of calm.

”This has been an eventful day,” she stated, her words were low and melodic, ”First the Grey Wardens and now this. These are certainly… trying times.” Kaitlyn was two ashamed to meet the eyes of either of them. ”You will come with me child,” First Enchanter Corynn continued, extending a wrinkled hand to Thea, ”That is unless you plan on being a Templar’s walking stick for the rest of your life… though I fear your position will be short lived.”

The mage seemed hesitant. ”I’ll be fine,” Kaitlyn said softly, her words barley above a whisper. Once again she wished she believed her words. If the taint or infection didn’t get to her, surely the Knight-Divine would. Attacking another Templar was inexcusable, especially in defense of an apostate and a Tranquil.

A sharp hand clamped down on her chin as Hexworth approached and began to rotate her head back and forth painfully. ”I would have expected better, McKarth.” he stated, his words filled with the foul sweetness of lyrium. ”Your father…”
”Is dead.” she stated. Hexworth and her father had been close once, similar to the way her and Owen had been. But things changed. Peopled died.

Hexworth didn’t let go but instead continued to examine her face from her flushed cheeks to her sicken pallor to her listless eyes. He’d seen enough death to recognize the signs. ”You are dismissed.” He turned his attention over to the mage at her side.

”But sir,” Kaitlyn argued back.” I was hoping to be part of the Harrowing since…”

”I said you are dismissed Knight-Corporal.” he said cutting her off, ”You are useless to everyone like this. Picking fights, embarrassing the Order, stinking of infection. Go get yourself fixed.”

Kaitlyn wasn’t foolish enough to temp his temper any longer. She knew he was being kind. He was right. She needed help. Now. ”I’m sorry,” It took more strength than she even knew she possessed to remove herself from Thea. Only she wasn’t sure what she was sorry about. That she wasn’t going to be there for the Harrowing? Ultimately, Thea would have to face the daemons in the Fade alone whether Kaitlyn was there or not. That she’d gotten the mage into trouble? That she’d even escorted her to the White Tower at all? No, Thea was strong. She would do just fine. Just fine. The world swirled, steadied itself, and blurred again.

Restraint (MST3K 4ever & Starling)

I hesitated briefly at my new neighbor’s invitation. From the sound of her explanation, she’d practically ran away from home. While it wasn’t heretical to live on your own, the fact that she had made the decision only today, had packed up, and had managed to find a place, seemed extraordinary. Right now between Claudette’s disappearance, the changing relationship with my roommate (meaning the fact that we were actually communicating), and my extra-curricular research, I didn’t want to add anything else extraordinary. I needed ordinary. Plain and simple. Ellen Westlake didn’t appear to be ordinary.

That’s when a thought ran through my mind. Its contents were so terrible that I was tempted to bolt. Maybe the reason Ellen Westlake had moved in across the hallway because of the copied files. Had the government moved her in so she could work as a spy?

I looked into Ellen’s face. The woman was still waiting for an answer. ”Stop being so paranoid. You’re acting foolish.” I chided herself, ”If the government really knew what I’d done they’d have hauled me off like they did with my brother- no questions asked. If I act weird all the time, someone’s bound to get suspicious.” I held my breath to try to calm down.

”Sure. Do you have anything herbal? I try not to drink things with caffeine, too late in the afternoon.”

Like most of the upper and middle class apartments, this one came pre-furnished. I took a seat on the couch that was the twin of the one in my own apartment and waited while Ellen prepared our drinks in the kitchen. In the meantime, I asked about Ellen’s occupation, her age, and if anyone else was moving in with her. Since Ellen had mentioned living with her parents, I assumed the other woman was also waiting for her husband to be assigned to her.

”I moved out of my parents place a few months ago. I thought, at first, when I was contacted about my new living quarters that I’d be moving in with a new husband. Turns out it was just a roommate. My parent’s place was a little cramped and this apartment is much closer to my job, so it’s nice.” With false ease, I spooned some sugar into my cup and stirred. My family had gone through some changes after my brother had been taken away. Our housing status had been down-graded and some people in their neighborhood had been less than pleased about my parents “breeding a Rebel”. We’d moved into a smaller place, closer to the heart of the city after that. I thought it was cozy but I was the only one. ”Charles’s is pretty good as far as roommates go. He’s clean, respectful, and quiet. I couldn’t really ask for a better one.” Plus, he doesn’t ask too many questions about borrowed computers or listing vitamins.

Restraint (MST3K 4ever & Starling)

Working on a reply

Restraint (MST3K 4ever & Starling)

Okay. Let me know if you need anything from me.

Escape from Syrae (Irell Starling)

Sorry, the post took me longer to write than I'd anticipated because... well it ended up being longer than I'd anticipated.

Escape from Syrae (Irell Starling)

Title of the Recording: Definitions 00076

“Des-per-a-tion. Noun. A state of despair, typically one that results in rash or extreme behavior. Example: My excuse for joining up with Lazlo was sheer desperation.”

Ryen wanted to jump out of her skin as the ring leader’s face got within inches of her own. She was suddenly aware how much bigger and stronger he was and it was all too clear her actions hadn’t put him into a good mood. But she didn’t step back and she didn’t look away.

”That’s enough of that, miss.”

Ryen swallowed hard as she felt the blood drain from every part of her face but her cheeks. She was embarrassed about her desperate attempt for approval. Even if she needed to go off world, it did not excuse her childish behavior. She knew better. Her own inner turmoil affected her more than the stranger’s words ever could have. Instead of seeing how her companions reacted to the AI incident, Ryen studied the sealed concrete under her boots.

She could feel the ring leaders gaze rake across her, as he took in the mechanics. Yet her eyes remained lowered. ”Maybe I should just leave?” Ryen thought worrying at her lip. ”Obviously he’s not going to pick me. I’m just wasting time here.” Nevertheless, what little dignity she still currently possessed rooted her to the spot.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly although no more than a few minutes had passed. Even without looking up, Ryen could feel the crowd at her back was getting restless. Feet shuffled anxiously, claws clicked together, murmurs became angry rumbles. Even she couldn’t help fidget, shifting weight between her legs.

Without warning something slammed into her side, making her stumble. Ryen whipped her head around just in time to see a Roxrell barreling towards the ship’s main entrance. Beside her, Dr. Perthel yelled in protest. The crowd began to push forward, eager to see what was about to happen next.

“I’m getting out of here!”

Ryen opened her mouth, intended to add her voice to the protests. It never came. As quickly as the creature ran forward, it sped in the opposite direction, a sickening crunch the only explanation for its maneuver. It toppled over a few feet from where she was standing, one blue, horse-like foot trapped under the green whale-like torso of its body. Its mouth hung open in agony, double rows of flat incisors flexing in the wind for all to see.

Ryen turned her attention back to the ring leader just in time to see him brushing off the solider. Her brows furrowed as she looked between him and the wounded Roxrell on the ground. It was clear he’d done something… something brutal. When she looked back at him, she found he was walking closer, any pretense of calm now vanished from his features.

Unconsciously, Ryen stepped back at his approach. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as instinct told her to run. But the murmurs of the crowds grew louder, words of various alien languages forming an unending hum, like an angry hive. She could almost feel the heat of their anger. Ryen didn’t have to turn around to know they were edging closer.

His piercing eyes studied her as if they were trying to seep in and read her deepest thoughts. Ryen shuddered under the scrutiny and let go of a breath she didn’t know she was holding when he gaze turned to the other prodigy. A few moments later his eyes changed their focus, studying something behind them.

In the blink of an eye, his weight shifted and he stepped towards her. His hand, warm and firm, clamped down on her upper arm. ” Welcome aboard, sunshine.”

”I’m not your…” but her words were lost in the roar as she was practically drug towards his ship. Behind her she could hear the other mechanics protesting the decision. Dr. Perthel reached out to pull on the girl’s hair as she passed but fortunately caught only a few red strands. Her escort turned his attention back to the crowd as they walked and Ryen followed his gaze.

Her mouth went dry when she saw metal flash in the skylights. A couple of aliens in the crowds were brandishing weapons. They weren’t really going to shoot, were they? Where was the dock patrol when you need them. This is getting out of hand! But she knew. Most of them were probably either off for the holiday or patrolling through the shopping areas. ”Damn it!” she cursed. A small niggling in her brain reminder her about the danger of her real situation. Maybe these gun waving aliens weren’t your average travelers, maybe they had somehow tracked her from the apartment?

Another glint of metal shone off the pistol in the ring leader’s hand. A deafening pop rang in her ears as he emptied a round into the gathered crowd. Was it her imagination or had something just screamed in agony. Not wanting to look, Ryen buried her face in her free arm, all the while still being drug closer and closer to the ship.

Suddenly people were standing around her as the ship’s outer metal door slid together. For a heart stopping moment, an alien from the crowd rushed towards them before the air lock was completely in place. The young woman turned away, expecting the impact to come. If the thing really had been desperate enough to charge at the closing doors, the sliding panels would have split its body in two. And if that were the case, she didn’t want to witness it.

Ryen only looked up after the airlock’s tell-tale click echoed through the small chamber. Thankfully no bits, alien or otherwise, littered the floor. The room was almost silent in comparison. She let out a sigh of relief and found she wasn’t the only one.

A dull pounding noise from outside reminded the crew that they weren’t out of the hot water yet. Ryen rubbed her right arm, the one the ring leader had used to pull her from the crowd. Now that her nerves were calming down the little minor throb was starting to bloom into a vengeful ache.

”Glad you made it, kid,” she felt her hair being mussed up by the solider behind her.

”Me too,” she whispered back.

”Alright… If I give a command, it is to be followed exactly as I say it. Any insolence or insubordination will be severely punished. IS THIS CLEAR?”

Was it clear? As clear as glass. As clear as the Peruviant sky. If it hadn’t been clear by the way the man had selected his crew, treated the Roxrell, or shot into the crowd, it was irrefutably clear now. Ryen was on a ship with a brutal dictator. If not for the continued noises from outside, she would have considered jumping ship, but that possibility was now lost.

The solider recovered from shocking speech first. ”Sir, yes, sir. Uh, captain.” he said, offering Lazlo a salute. The poor technician stuttered her assent. The woman looked like she was going to fall on the floor, right here and now. The doctor just nodded after reach down and picking up his dropped cigarette.

”Fine.” The word came out of Ryen as a soft exhale. It didn’t sound quiet as placating as it ought. Fortunately the AI’s announcement saved her from whatever wrath the captain would bring down on her head, or so she hoped.

”Notice: Unauthorized hull maintenance detected. Activating level-one hull shielding.”

”Can we leave?” Ryen suggested, still cradling her arm. ”Soon. Please. Captain? The last word was tacked on at the end. As if to answer her question, the hazard door slid open and Ryen slipped through to the main hull. ”I’m going to go to the shielding subsystem panel. We don’t want to lose it all before we breach the atmosphere.” Most ships had two panels to control the ship’s shielding. The first, and main one, was in the cockpit, but she didn’t want to be in the captain’s way, nor did she want to be around him anymore than necessary. The second would be in the shielding subsystem itself.

The air inside this hallway had a sterile feel to it, like it’d stayed clean for too long. A few doors down she located the center elevator and took it to the middle floor where she was hoping she could find the correct control panel. Unfortunately the glass doors didn’t close fast enough and the doctor managed to squeeze in. He didn’t say anything, just subbed his spent cig against the elevator’s metal door frame. Ryen glared over at the man.

A chime announced they were on the next floor and Ryen stepped out into the eerily impersonal corridor. The man, thankfully, only followed her as far as the threshold. Leaning back against the wall, he reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled another cigarette from its case.

”Level-one hull shielding at 75 percent and dropping. Evasive maneuvers recommended.”

Ryen looked down both sides of the corridor. She wasn’t familiar with the layout of the ship and the rooms weren’t as clearly labeled as she would have liked.

”Ship!” she called into the air.

"Yes, mechanic"?" The female voice almost sounded snippy.

”I need to locate the control panel for the shielding substation.” Ryen called.

”Three doors down on your left.”

She found the panel soon enough. Red words across the top of the screen indicated the shielding was holding steady at 67 percent. Ryen cursed under her breath and preyed Lazlo was getting ready for take-off at this very moment.

”You know,” the doctor said, taking in another drag, ”I figured the shields would do better.”

”This is different,” Ryen said and shook her head, ”The shields are designed for large impacts like asteroids and missiles or they have the ability to diffuse a single large charge over an even larger space, like when the ship gets hit by a laser rifle. The shields weren’t designed to be pounded on by a bunch of angry aliens.”

Carefully she unlatched the pack across her back and set it at her feet. Pain lanced through her right arm as she reached for the control screen. Sweat beaded off her brow as Ryen entered an override code and began scrolling through various maintenance sections. Like many of the processes on the ship, the shields were usually powered by excess turbines on the ship’s engines. Nevertheless, the shields could easily obtain power from the energy reserves. She swiped her fingers across again and cursed, although this time it wasn’t from pain.

”Ship. The reactor core is only showing fifteen percent. What the hell is going on?” The pain of her arm on top of a growing sense of panic was putting her on edge.

”The core is warming up.”

”Warming up? Since when do uranium-tri oxide cores need to warm up?”

”The first time they are turned on.”

Ryen’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ at the AIs response. She had guessed this ship was new. She hadn’t known it was that new. ”Is that all, mechanic?” There went that snippy town again.

”Yes, Ship.”

For the moment there was not much else she could do besides hope that their captain was all but ready with his preparations. Given enough time and energy, the hull shielding could repair itself. Feeling emotionally exhausted, Ryen slumped to the floor right beside the panel.

”Seems to be pretty difficult.” This came from the doctor who, the woman suspected, had been watching her the whole time.

”Don’t you have anything better to do?” she spat.

”I suppose,” he walked over to her and kneeled down. Before Ryen knew what was going on, he was touching her, his strong hands planted on her right elbow, the other on her shoulder. Only a few words of protest escaped Ryen’s mouth as a dizzying pain lanced through her arm. Then, just as suddenly it felt much better. Satisfied with his work, he released her and began ruffling through his pockets. After pulling out a few metal objects he finally produced a lime green sucker wrapped in clear plastic.

He handed the object to Ryen and patted her on the head, eyes full of amusement. ”Try not to dislocate that again. Okay?”

The Fourth Blight {Irell Starling x Reaper}

I was about to keep going but I figured you'd want to respond. I have a few suggestions for how this could pan out. Either Thea could stop the fight (thus proving herself an apt mage) or the First Enchanter could finally arrive and step in.