Dragonball M, Chapter 2: Lighthouse! Across the Shores of Shattered Time!

[Cyke]

The safer location was a open grassy field not far from a forest. To reach it, they traveled over the city of Gin As they did, if they looked out, they would see a once strong and vibrant city now mostly in ruins save for some areas on the outskirts of the city center.

Zaofan steps up next to Meagan as they view the ruins, introducing himself with a rather wide yawn. "Oh, man..." he says as his lips keep audibly meeting from exercising his jaw, his mouth dry from slumber.

"This place looks an awfully lot like the simulation we had while we were training for Fife. You know, the one with the creepy sniping priests. THAT was a real lesson on how to keep our senses open."

[Tami]

Zaofan steps up next to Meagan as they view the ruins, introducing himself with a rather wide yawn. "Oh, man..." he says as his lips keep audibly meeting from exercising his jaw, his mouth dry from slumber.

"This place looks an awfully lot like the simulation we had while we were training for Fife. You know, the one with the creepy sniping priests. THAT was a real lesson on how to keep our senses open."

Meagan said nothing, she simply turned away from the sight and waited for the ship to land. The look on her face was hard as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Excuse me if I don't start downing random chemicals I find in locked boxes just for the chance of a larger bust size." Etrina chuckled with amusement.

"It was not one of my finer moments, no ... though perhaps infinitely better than the loss of my arm, and death?" Ishtar asked, with a chuckle.

"An Etrina with a bigger bust size would also require a means of defending herself from a lustful Saiyan."

"I wouldn't consider it oversight as much as simply stating that we exist. Besides...If we want access to the archives at the very least we would need permission. My family still has a lot of pull in the community, but its not enough to simply walk in and take what we want without asking. Honestly......I kind of want to see their reactions to an oni as well." Etrina tried to hide a mischievous grin at the last statement, but wasn't too successful.

"I suppose that is fair ... and I would be lying if my desire to learn more of the magic that was known to the original Coven was simply a passing curiosity." However, when Etrina revealed the truth of why she wished to bring Ishtar to this committee, the Oni couldn't help but offer a smile.

"It is decided then, I shall accompany you when we both have the time. Though I wonder ... will they be more surprised by the magic I possess, or that I am from the Afterlife?"

A rhetorical question really, but it was an amusing one to consider.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

There it is again, that feeling.

And again, Ishtar found herself surprised ... for in that moment, even if the Oni had not known that the first time was not a farce, or some sort of accidental mixing up of emotional offerings; there was absolutely no denying it this second time. What Sarada felt for Ishtar was more than simply lust, or an attempt at offering comfort to the downtrodden woman with whom she shared a connection, no. It was love, of the kind that made most Saiayn's sick, and most other races uncomfortable besides. And that was as wonderful.

And that it was not verbalized, mattered little.

Sarada's actions had ever spoken louder than her words, and that it then took the young Saiyan several moments to simply regain control as she wrestled feelings of nausea and giddiness, and love; was far more telling than even saying those three words- 'I love you'- might have been. So in the moment that passed between them then as both stood shocked at the other's action, and reaction ... it was simply enough for Ishtar; to enjoy it. After all, there was still a chance- and a high probability- Ishtar would lose this ... perhaps not Sarada herself, entirely, but these moments of awe, and happiness that were shared between them silently.

So offering the Saiyan nothing more than a goofy smile, and feelings of understanding and her own happiness alongside the understanding that anything that might be said in light of this could wait until they could speak of it without being surrounded by ... hundreds of people, Ishtar waited patiently for Sarada to regain her calm, so they could discuss plans for the immediate future: training with gravity magic. And the five times of Earth's own gravity was an interesting measure. Six months ago after all, Ishtar had subjected herself to such gravity by locking herself in one of the many chambers ... and the result had been a curious one. To so do again now, with Sarada, would at the absolute minimum be an interesting affair.

So with a nod the Oni stated as much.

"That should be a respectable starting point ... and with the other magics I can bring to bear, besides ... there are a few ways we can make use of the altered weight and pressure provided. It will be beneficial either way ... and in light of the recent developments with the Cyntosian necklace ... perhaps it would be of worth to teach you the beginnings of magic. Though I seem to recall you averse to such things." Offering a small chuckle then, Ishtar found herself smiling at Sarada again ... though for a different reason.

"To think though ... six months ago, I barely knew the first thing about combat ... and now here I am, or rather we are, actively planning to fight and push limitations for the sake of growing strong enough to fight ... How passing strange."

That goofy looking smile said it all. Sarada was exposed. The cursed bond between her and Ishtar had outed her for good. Her true feelings for the Oni woman in front of her were out in the open, as it were. There would be no denying it.

...

...

****.

This wasn't something that was supposed to happen. It was supposed to just be a casual sexual relationship, just like literally every other time she hopped in bed with someone. How was Ishtar any different? Was it the empathetic bond between them that allowed for complete and total honesty, and for her to get to know another person better than she knew herself? Sarada didn't know; in a way, she didn't want to know. A small part of her was glad this was out between them.

She had been feeling guilty ever since Ishtar told her she loved her earlier that day... or yesterday, or whenever it was. She had been feeling guilty because she couldn't admit she felt the same, even though in hindsight, she knew she did. With this now out there, they could move on as they always had.

Honesty, she learned, was always the best policy, no matter how painful that truth was. In the end, it always worked out for the best. If not, then it became a learning experience.

After several moments of awkwardly staring at each other, Ishtar broke the silence. Five was a good starting point for her. And there were ways they could make use of the altered weight and pressure. She was curious as to how, but she preferred to just find out when that moment came.

What really piqued her interest was Isthar offering to teach her some rudimentary magic, in light of the discovery that the amulet around her neck being of magic. "No thank you," she answered immediately. "I don't wanna be infected with any of your nerdiness." She let out an exaggerated shuddered. "I can't imagine what a couple of nerds like you and Etrina get up to when you start going on about magic. I bet you two play Caves & Wyverns, don't you? Nerd."

She smirked playfully.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Totoma had expected them to charge at him with wild abandon. They were, after all, kids, saiyan or not. He was pleasantly surprised when they didn't, instead choosing to stagger their attacks and force him to divide his attention. Likely the result of training from both Sarada and the CTC.

He moved to block the flurry of blows, and did so without much trouble. Contrary to what one would expect, this bulky form of his was just as quick and agile as his normal form, losing only a bit of flexibility from the bulk. Still, he did not use his superior speed to counter-attack, instead focusing on defense. After all, he wanted to gauge their skill levels.

That didn't take long, to be honest. After just a few exchanges, Totoma could tell that Sarada had instructed Rutaba, at least, in the rudiments of her Crimson Fist form. Knowing this, it was possible that Rutaba had been taught some of Sarada's more basic ki moves... or perhaps copied them. The same likely applied to Pinach, but he had entered the CTC by now, so he probably knew how to project his energy into a blast.

Perhaps... even the Galick Gun? It was possible--they little tykes were both talented.

As he defended against Rutaba, Totoma sensed a certain power begin moving. He'd sensed Mato when he'd stepped onto Vacado's soil, and, frankly, Mato had probably sensed him when he'd arrived. And when he'd powered up into this form, Mato, unsurprisingly, had started moving towards him.

That was fine by him, since having Mato in the audience would make, er, getting an audience with him much quicker and easier. It shouldn't be too hard to convince him that he was no threat--either to the Saiyan race or to Mato's rule--and was instead there to pledge his assistance in the matter of Jagam.

Totoma taking notice of Mato's approach made him mis-time a block, and one of Rutaba's punches got through, striking him on his cheek. He... felt it, sort of, but his defense was over four and a half times as potent as her offense right now, so all it did was move him a tiny bit and bring a grin to his face. Her strikes weren't hollow, like his had been at her age, though. She had spirit, and she was putting her all into her strikes. That was something he himself had really only learned recently, thanks to Mister Ochazuke.

"Good eye. You saw that slight opening and seized it." He clenched his fist harder and punched... to the side, sending out a Phantom Fist that was then redirected through a Void Lens right into Rutaba's back, slamming her into the ground in front of him. His leg shot forth and he launched the girl away from him mid-bounce. Seemingly, he had become so focused on Rutaba that he had forgotten Pinach.

In reality, he had intentionally made an opening for the young Saiyan to exploit, as, like with Rutaba, he wanted to see what he had learned in the past six months. Would it be a sneak physical attack, an energy blast, or perhaps some sort of specialized technique?

Pinach watched Rutaba's attack closely to gauge what kind of defense and speed Totoma was working with. After observing up until Rutaba managed to get a punch in, his expert analysis was that he was strong and fast. He winced when Rutaba was punched and kicked away, but quickly realized that this was his opportunity. Quickly, he dashed into the air.

Just today, his class was taught how to fire energy blasts. It was a lot easier than he thought; so easy that he wondered why Sarada hadn't bothered to teach him when she was here. Oh, yeah; 'Baby steps' she said. Whatever. He wasn't a baby. He was Pinach the Magnificent, hero to all Saiyans everywhere!

The instructor told them to visualize their ki as a fire. All they had to do was center that 'fire' into the center of their hand as if they had scooped it up and were holding it. At first, it hurt, but after a few tries, it stopped hurting so much. It took him all day, but he finally managed to fire an energy blast. It wasn't very strong yet, but that would come in due time.

And now, it was time for him to show Just Saiyan what he had learned.

He stretched out his hand and took aim downward. His brow furrowed with concentration. Slowly, a blue ball of ki materialized in the center of his palm, and grew larger with each passing second. And now, to shout something cool to catch him off guard!

"Justice Cannon!!" he bellowed right before the ball erupted from his hand and shot toward Totoma's back.

[grampagen]

With Adam’s help, the ship engines are fixed after a day or so. With Midori and Shiro’s help, the bridge’s interface is fixed and Tran and Tron are able to access full control of the ship’s systems, including the weapons.

A day or so later, the much faster ship drops from hyperspace and descends towards Chroma. The failsafe now gone, Chroma lay open, it’s self imposed quarantine to trap the Nagadarr there gone.

The ship locates a safer region than others to land at, closer to another GP signal, and they start heading towards the city called Gin.

In the empty space of the cargo hold, the noiseless lurch of the vessel dropping from empty space into weighted air caused the slightest shift, and the snap of a capsule bolted fast in the dim light.

Ochazuke had sought a quiet place apart from the huddled masses of Chromakai and what other shepharded alien refugees they'd brought with them on their exodus from the Slavers' asteroid. Muttering to himself, seated before the iridescent flicker of a suspended orb of dull blue energy, he sequestered the #14 in his pocket but its light and exhaled slowly. Reaching toward it with his right hand, the orb twist and spread into a tendriled web and he studied it further.

So it seems we've arrived. He was aware of the thought and it passed through him as insubstantial as the air.

What did the Chromakai war mean to him? Very little, other than happenstance and a shift of fickle fortune. They'd wrest themselves from the vision of a dour future to a present, held fast to still more aimless drifting. Visitors from above descend upon the Earth and turn up their noses, even as they tread upon it and consume the fruits of its living. If this was Galactic Culture, he could hardly fathom what had captured Jinzi's Pantaloon's interest but for his unrestrained craving to behold unseen and untested things.

Too much to do still in the silent war we know of.

Ochazuke exhaled shortly and raised his left hand. Casting ki toward that suspended matrix, the loose energy snapped to a fixed shape as it washed over, unmoving as it began to sweep toward him.

Certainly if it was a threat the Guardian Evangeline saw there, deep in her desperate reachings into the secret inner workings of the universe, it was no surprise. The most savage law of nature spread far beyond Earth. What predator had she felt looking upon them there, waiting to strike even as she frantically sought to find it?

Raising his right hand he snatched the energy out of the air and compressed it into an orb before snuffing it out.

Let the war come to the warriors, then, he thought. Gripping his hand to a fist, the flesh felt chill, exposed with nothing between it and the greater world around it. After two-thousand years, part of this legacy passes to me. If that was all for nothing...

He let the thought roam silent, unfinished, as he moved toward the present moment. Once he'd fought through this, there would be a future to return to. Perhaps then this technique would be crafted in full, but for now what he held at his side and in the capsule may have to be sufficient.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

With Adam’s help, the ship engines are fixed after a day or so. With Midori and Shiro’s help, the bridge’s interface is fixed and Tran and Tron are able to access full control of the ship’s systems, including the weapons.

A day or so later, the much faster ship drops from hyperspace and descends towards Chroma. The failsafe now gone, Chroma lay open, it’s self imposed quarantine to trap the Nagadarr there gone.

The ship locates a safer region than others to land at, closer to another GP signal, and they start heading towards the city called Gin.

Sarada swore she heard someone say that it would take a week to reach Chroma. Apparently, she heard wrong, as it was announced that they had just dropped out of hyperspace and were preparing to land on the besieged planet. That was fine with the Saiyan; she hadn't occupied herself with anything other than teach Ishtar how to control her tail for finer and more delicate uses. Nothing too perverse; mainly just showing her how to wield a weapon or an opponent's arm. They were getting ready to fight enemies with a weapons fetish, so that lesson would come in more than handy.

As the ship descended, Sarada yawned and stretched. She had just gotten out of the shower, eaten, and was ready to kick some Nagadarr ass!

The city they were heading for, Gin, was in ruin. Once upon a time, it may have been a bustling metropolis, filled to capacity with life and joyous people. Now, it was nothing but hollowed out husks towering over scorched and cratered earth. The Nagadarr had without doubt left their mark. But, the Chromakai fought back and held their own. For six years, they fought against the much stronger invaders, even pushing them back and out of several continents. The war was almost over, and Meagan's people were nearly free.

Speaking of Meagan, Sarada noticed Zaofan say something to her, but receive no response. The girl's face was hardened, a tactic to keep emotions from leaking across her face. It was a go-to Saiyan method of hiding their inner thoughts from outsiders. She wanted to say something to her, but the only thing she likely listen to was the pained dying breaths of any Nagadarr unfortunate enough to try and stop her from ending this invasion once and for all.

"Are there any prisoners here we need to keep a lookout for?"

[Tami]

Sarada swore she heard someone say that it would take a week to reach Chroma. Apparently, she heard wrong, as it was announced that they had just dropped out of hyperspace and were preparing to land on the besieged planet. That was fine with the Saiyan; she hadn't occupied herself with anything other than teach Ishtar how to control her tail for finer and more delicate uses. Nothing too perverse; mainly just showing her how to wield a weapon or an opponent's arm. They were getting ready to fight enemies with a weapons fetish, so that lesson would come in more than handy.

As the ship descended, Sarada yawned and stretched. She had just gotten out of the shower, eaten, and was ready to kick some Nagadarr ass!

The city they were heading for, Gin, was in ruin. Once upon a time, it may have been a bustling metropolis, filled to capacity with life and joyous people. Now, it was nothing but hollowed out husks towering over scorched and cratered earth. The Nagadarr had without doubt left their mark. But, the Chromakai fought back and held their own. For six years, they fought against the much stronger invaders, even pushing them back and out of several continents. The war was almost over, and Meagan's people were nearly free.

Speaking of Meagan, Sarada noticed Zaofan say something to her, but receive no response. The girl's face was hardened, a tactic to keep emotions from leaking across her face. It was a go-to Saiyan method of hiding their inner thoughts from outsiders. She wanted to say something to her, but the only thing she likely listen to was the pained dying breaths of any Nagadarr unfortunate enough to try and stop her from ending this invasion once and for all.

"Are there any prisoners here we need to keep a lookout for?"

Breaking her silence, "It would be in their nature for the Nagadarr to gather together the slaves and prisoners that they haven't already executed or sold and moved them to the Grand Colossus, the largest and the most dangerous of the invasion ships. I can not say for sure if they have done this or not." Meagan's voice was calm, perhaps a little too calm.

[grampagen]

Zaofan steps up next to Meagan as they view the ruins, introducing himself with a rather wide yawn. "Oh, man..." he says as his lips keep audibly meeting from exercising his jaw, his mouth dry from slumber.

"This place looks an awfully lot like the simulation we had while we were training for Fife. You know, the one with the creepy sniping priests. THAT was a real lesson on how to keep our senses open."

"Nor one we should be remiss to remember," Ochazuke said.

Indeed the hellish remains of the Chroma cityscape, its colour bled to grey ash and smoke, had almost an unnatural quality of darkness above it in spite of the mid-day skies. It must have been beautiful, once, a marvel of industry and trade and what other manner of crowded urban works civilization builds in celebration of himself. Now, who knows what twisted threat awaited them in the shadows here?

"Still it is the Nagadarr's battle to lose, from what I understand. A weak enemy grows desperate, but often that is when they are at their most dangerous."

Meagan said nothing, she simply turned away from the sight and waited for the ship to land. The look on her face was hard as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

It did not escape Ochazuke's notice that the only one on the bridge native to this planet shrank from the sight. Doubtless, the situation was at once filled with as much homeward nostalgia as horror for her, and who would blame her reluctance to face it?

"This is your war," he said to Meagan. "If you will not deign to lay eyes upon it, why should anybody else fight it with you?"

[rhyvurg]

With Adam’s help, the ship engines are fixed after a day or so. With Midori and Shiro’s help, the bridge’s interface is fixed and Tran and Tron are able to access full control of the ship’s systems, including the weapons.

A day or so later, the much faster ship drops from hyperspace and descends towards Chroma. The failsafe now gone, Chroma lay open, it’s self imposed quarantine to trap the Nagadarr there gone.

The ship locates a safer region than others to land at, closer to another GP signal, and they start heading towards the city called Gin.

Departing the ship, Adam surveys the planet. "Widespread but small scale combat, minimal threat. Reconstruction would be considerable, few viable structures remain. I advise building a new city rather than tearing this one down first."

[Tami]

"Nor one we should be remiss to remember," Ochazuke said.

Indeed the hellish remains of the Chroma cityscape, its colour bled to grey ash and smoke, had almost an unnatural quality of darkness above it in spite of the mid-day skies. It must have been beautiful, once, a marvel of industry and trade and what other manner of crowded urban works civilization builds in celebration of himself. Now, who knows what twisted threat awaited them in the shadows here?

"Still it is the Nagadarr's battle to lose, from what I understand. A weak enemy grows desperate, but often that is when they are at their most dangerous."



It did not escape Ochazuke's notice that the only one on the bridge native to this planet shrank from the sight. Doubtless, the situation was at once filled with as much homeward nostalgia as horror for her, and who would blame her reluctance to face it?

"This is your war," he said to Meagan. "If you will not deign to lay eyes upon it, why should anybody else fight it with you?"

Looking up at him, "I do not look away in fear or shame, I look away to hold my emotions in check. I will reserve those emotions for the time when I face the Nagadarr Leaders and use my power to turn them into dust, to destroy them as they have tried to destroy my people. I have seen this sight my whole life, I only ask that each of you face it as I have and burn it into your memory. When you face the Nagadarr, consider all the lives they have destroyed and show them no mercy."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Breaking her silence, "It would be in their nature for the Nagadarr to gather together the slaves and prisoners that they haven't already executed or sold and moved them to the Grand Colossus, the largest and the most dangerous of the invasion ships. I can not say for sure if they have done this or not." Meagan's voice was calm, perhaps a little too calm.

Sarada noted that unnaturally calm tone Meagan was using when's he answered. She said nothing, but made a note to keep an eye on her. "Alright. I think checking out that ship should be a priority. If we delay, they may execute whatever prisoners they have in retaliation."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

With Adam’s help, the ship engines are fixed after a day or so. With Midori and Shiro’s help, the bridge’s interface is fixed and Tran and Tron are able to access full control of the ship’s systems, including the weapons.

A day or so later, the much faster ship drops from hyperspace and descends towards Chroma. The failsafe now gone, Chroma lay open, it’s self imposed quarantine to trap the Nagadarr there gone.

The ship locates a safer region than others to land at, closer to another GP signal, and they start heading towards the city called Gin.

Sarada swore she heard someone say that it would take a week to reach Chroma. Apparently, she heard wrong, as it was announced that they had just dropped out of hyperspace and were preparing to land on the besieged planet. That was fine with the Saiyan; she hadn't occupied herself with anything other than teach Ishtar how to control her tail for finer and more delicate uses. Nothing too perverse; mainly just showing her how to wield a weapon or an opponent's arm. They were getting ready to fight enemies with a weapons fetish, so that lesson would come in more than handy.

Over the course of two days, while the others were left their own devices as well, Ishtar had busied herself in training up the use of her tail with Sarada, a thing that had yielded result enough to allow Ishtar to brandish her Katchin Blade while keeping her hands, free. Added to that effort however, had come the realization that that the tail could be summoned and dispelled at will ... offering another layer of usefulness to the prehensile tail, as a means of sudden surprise ...

At the cost of the Oni's pants, of course, but little else.

During this time as well, Ishtar had put some effort towards the better realization of manifested abilities, as well as a third, a yet to be used melding of magic, and Ki ... that would perhaps see its use in the battle to come. And so it was that when the ship finally left the cover of Hyperspace, and aided by the unspoken love that had been exposed between herself, and Sarada; the fear that had all but crippled the golden-eyed Oni found itself under control for a time.

The safer location was a open grassy field not far from a forest. To reach it, they traveled over the city of Gin As they did, if they looked out, they would see a once strong and vibrant city now mostly in ruins save for some areas on the outskirts of the city center.

Upon seeing the city, Gin, as it was told by Meagan herself, Ishtar found herself however, somewhat at a loss.

It was not that the Oni did not care however, about the plight of the Chromakians, and of the horror they had been subjected to at the hands of these Nagadarr, no. It was, rather simply, because the sights and even those acts themselves; were things Ishtar had experienced time, and time, and time again. After all, the Oni had been made to witness it, as world after world, after world had succumbed to war, and sickness, and its residents own destructive nature.

This in the end, despite what connection there was to this world in particular, was no different.

And so as Ishtar continued to stare at Gin, she found herself wondering if it would simply be more practical to just destroy this "Grand Colossus" outright. The cost, to the golden-eyed Oni at least, would be minimal. Simply a continuation of a cycle she had become quite used to. Yet with the way Meagan seemed to be shell-shocked at the sight of her former home ...

Perhaps such a thing would not be wise.

It did not escape Ochazuke's notice that the only one on the bridge native to this planet shrank from the sight. Doubtless, the situation was at once filled with as much homeward nostalgia as horror for her, and who would blame her reluctance to face it?

"This is your war," he said to Meagan. "If you will not deign to lay eyes upon it, why should anybody else fight it with you?"

"Ochazuke has a point." Ishtar said then, echoing her grim companion.

"This is yours to see done. Do not turn away."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The ground the ship landed on shifts and suddenly a cloaking field drops, revealing Miras Thane, two GP ships, and a handful of Chromaki fighters. Miras raises an eyebrow.

In person, Miras is taller than almost all of them, her skin a Carmel color, and her lithe form glad in a GP uniform. Fury and blood cover some of it, but her smile and attitude seems oddly cheerful.

“Well well, is Pants with you? Tran! Tron! And P-sta, an odd surprise. And I see we have some extra fighters and civies.”

As the Chromaki former slaves leave the ship, the Chromaki with Miras quickly start leading them into concealed passages that lead into the ground and away from the ship’s landing place.

[grampagen]

Looking up at him, "I do not look away in fear or shame, I look away to hold my emotions in check. I will reserve those emotions for the time when I face the Nagadarr Leaders and use my power to turn them into dust, to destroy them as they have tried to destroy my people. I have seen this sight my whole life, I only ask that each of you face it as I have and burn it into your memory. When you face the Nagadarr, consider all the lives they have destroyed and show them no mercy."

'To face the Nagadarr as she had.' Meagan asked for the impossible.

"A great deal more than simple revenge depends on you," he replied. "If you cannot look upon the battlefield from up here, what will you do in the middle of it? And when you finally stand before them, will your memory temper your fist? Or burn it to dust as you would your enemy?"

It was not an enemy many of them had known. For him, they had no quarrel until the very moment this vessel chased the Nagadarr from the market of slaves to hold them culpable for their revealed misdeeds to a planet only their passengers, those that depended on them, could call familiar.

"What I know is among our group, this is your fight alone Meagan. There is no great love of slavers here, certainly, but leaving justice in the hands of strangers and cosmic accident is a poor course of action," he said. "If you would have us fight beside you, then this is not the time to still your tongue and fall silent to thoughts affixed to lethal closure."

Breaking her silence, "It would be in their nature for the Nagadarr to gather together the slaves and prisoners that they haven't already executed or sold and moved them to the Grand Colossus, the largest and the most dangerous of the invasion ships. I can not say for sure if they have done this or not." Meagan's voice was calm, perhaps a little too calm.

Ochazuke looked out to the horizon through the canopy of the ship's bridge.

"How unfortunate for us that we're returning your kin right back to them in this very ship," he sighed. "You know the lay of the land. What do you propose we should do then?"