After she was cleared for duty, Arsha put her duty uniform back on and examined herself in the mirror. She sighed as she felt herself returning to old habits. She then thought about her rose hairpiece. She then guessed that it must have been lost when Oyed beat her up half a year ago. She then heard the door chime. \u201cCome in,\u201d she called. Elgrad then entered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat look suits you better, Sweetie,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt certainly feels better than that hospital gown,\u201d she replied. \u201cAlthough, it feels like it\u2019s still incomplete. I guess it\u2019s just me missing my hair ornament.\u201d She then shook her head slightly. \u201cOh well, I guess I\u2019ll have to go without it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen what am I gonna do with this?\u201d Elgrad then pulled his hand out from behind him and revealed Arsha\u2019s rose hairpiece! Arsha\u2019s eyes lit up in surprised happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought it was gone forever! Daddy, where did you find that?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn Wysper City, of all places. Someone found it four months ago and held onto it until they managed to get my attention. I kept it in my quarters the entire time.\u201d Elgrad handed it back to her and she set it into its proper place in her hair bun. She then felt a swell of strength coming from within her as she looked into the mirror once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMuch better! Thanks for holding onto it, Daddy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnything for my little girl.\u201d Arsha gave the mirror one last glance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, I better get to the bridge. We should be arriving at the Plains by now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood luck, Arsha!\u201d bid Elgrad as they left the room and went in opposite directions. Arsha then entered the bridge with the confidence she was known for. Denstra left the Captain\u2019s chair and took her own. Arsha sat in the Captain\u2019s chair, feeling like she was returning to an old friend of hers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cApproaching the Plains,\u201d Nazay reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve accepted our codes and are giving us a landing path,\u201d called Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNazay, set us down,\u201d ordered Arsha. \u201cIt\u2019s time to get some work done here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBeginning landing cycle,\u201d confirmed Nazay. The Endeavor<\/em> then glided down and slowed down so it wouldn\u2019t kick up so much debris or loose ends. She then touched down and a group of Centaur soldiers came up to greet them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arsha, Denstra, Endea, and Bashoon were led to a bunker where Aldarval was talking to a pair of people, a Neko woman and a Human man. \u201cSabotage? Are you sure?\u201d asked Aldarval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt about it,\u201d replied the Neko. \u201cSomeone\u2019s against us rebuilding the Realmgate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd whether or not it\u2019s the Trinnies or the Council,\u201d muttered Aldarval, \u201cmakes no difference.\u201d One of the Centaur soldiers cleared her throat, attracting their attention. Aldarval grinned at seeing Arsha again. \u201cWhen I heard you were actually alive, I couldn\u2019t believe it!\u201d she chuckled. \u201cBut it\u2019s great to see you again, Arsha!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to see you too, Admiral,\u201d returned Arsha. \u201cWhat\u2019s this about sabotage?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s been going on for about a quarter of a year now,\u201d explained the Neko. \u201cEvery time we\u2019re close to a breakthrough, some nitwit decides it\u2019s good to undo the work in some capacity! We were supposed to have finished it by now, but we\u2019re still three-fourths of the way!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd nerves are really getting frayed here,\u201d continued the Human. \u201cAlthough, with Bashoon\u2019s help, I might be able to help people and get them to calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Do we know each other personally?\u201d asked Bashoon. The Human smiled softly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve been enjoying freedom for a long time. \u2026I willingly chose imprisonment over my sins.\u201d Bashoon\u2019s eyes then lit up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNovice Norvorok!\u201d She was about to hug him, then recalled something. \u201cWhoa, hang on! Last time I saw you, your hospital was breeding Chimeras for experimentation!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve sought redemption, Bashoon!\u201d answered Norvorok. \u201cEver since my arrest, I\u2019ve been seeking forgiveness under his guidance! If you help me now, you\u2019ll be able to help the Realms in the process!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not working with you, buddy! Not after the torture you helped that hospital put those Chimeras through!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou need to come with me, right now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh no, YOU\u2019RE coming with ME!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLieutenant, enough,\u201d interjected Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Bashoon,\u201d said Norvorok as he pulled out a bracelet, \u201cbut the situation is more dire than you thought! Malutan!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDON\u2019T YOU DARE!\u201d Bashoon and Norvorok then vanished. Arsha blinked, then looked at Aldarval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNorvorok\u2019s been rather spun up about his project,\u201d explained the Admiral. \u201cIn any event, we must talk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, what\u2019s this about sabotage?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVarious supplies are being stolen,\u201d explained the Neko. \u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to construct a Realmgate without them, but we\u2019re just not able to make a stable portal!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are the supplies you need, Miss\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPouncara. Nekini Pouncara.\u201d Arsha blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe harem outfit model?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI needed to put my engineering degree to use in these times of war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026I\u2019m amazed. Anyways, what supplies do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bashoon and Norvorok managed to land flat on their faces. \u201cOof! Ow!\u201d groaned Bashoon. \u201cRough teleport! Then again, that always happens with a Tele-bracelet.\u201d Her expression then hardened again. \u201cBut you can teleport us back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI only had the power for one trip!\u201d replied Norvorok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen get some more! Where are we?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re at the Capital City.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood! Then you can tell King Heenda that I\u2019d like a word! They\u2019ve got hundreds of their people trapped in other Realms! THOUSANDS!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut you\u2019re in the Royal Castle! Right now!\u201d Norvorok then flicked the lights on to show Centaur statues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026What\u2019s with the artwork?\u201d asked Bashoon, confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s just say the sculptors were Gorgons, renegades that tried to kill Erudsa after she sided with us.\u201d Bashoon then realized what, or rather, WHO, the statues were. She got a good look at the statues around the throne and realized they were King Heenda Untarfu, his harem with his harem head, Laumney, and their son, Kunfar. \u201cA voice was silenced,\u201d continued Norvorok. \u201cIf he attended the Realmfleet Council meeting, then he would have struck down the motion of not rebuilding the Realmgates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow long has it been like this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust a month after the Realmgates were destroyed, the day before the decision to keep the Realms closed off to one another. This petrification wasn\u2019t the result of the usual Gorgon\u2019s Stare. The renegade Gorgons disguised themselves as travelling merchants and sold a new potion to the people of the castle. When it evaporated, it released a virus that resulted in turning them into living statues. It died before it could leave the castle. It froze the local government in three minutes flat. There was only enough time to close the castle off from the outside world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou said living statues. How did you-?\u201d a scared moan then escaped from Kunfar\u2019s statue, answering Bashoon\u2019s question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019ve been unable to die or move,\u201d continued Norvorok. \u201cThey\u2019re stuck forever in their respective poses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo you\u2019ve been trying to find a cure and give Aldarval the voice she needs to pass an executive order to rebuild the Realmgates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have enough medics, even with their help! They\u2019re doing all they can!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho\u2019s we? How are you still flesh and blood?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of them told me about this! They\u2019ve all been waiting for the Endeavor<\/em> these long years!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNorvorok?\u201d called a woman\u2019s voice. They both turned to see a Chimera woman enter the throne room. She had the legs of a goat, a mermaid\u2019s tail, a tiger\u2019s torso, talons for hands, the eyes of a lizard, and a pair of tiny horns on her head, just barely visible under her auburn hair. \u201cAh, there you are,\u201d greeted the Chimera woman. She then saw Bashoon and gasped. \u201cOne of the Saviors! Bashoon Barmek!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEr, I\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m at a disadvantage. Who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m Lanbuldii Lorntar, Savior Bashoon!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStop that, I\u2019m as mortal as you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe and her fellows have called the Endeavor<\/em> crew their Saviors since they were saved from the Monastic Hospital\u2019s Womb,\u201d explained Norvorok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026She\u2019s one of the Chimeras from the Womb?!\u201d realized Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd thanks to the research, I\u2019ve been cured of my pain!\u201d explained Lanbuldii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks to Crossgene Hospital\u2019s newer research methods, we\u2019ve saved them all,\u201d continued Norvorok. \u201cI was made the head of the research team as penance for my sins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe received news about the virus about a day after it hit the castle. The Centaurs smaller government officials are doing what they can to keep the Plains running, but without a central figure to guide them, the Plains would have gone tribal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo you saved them,\u201d summarized Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe tried to cure them,\u201d supplied Norvorok as he gestured to the petrified Centaurs, \u201cbut we simply don\u2019t have enough people to help. Even the Gorgon doctors are baffled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are other countries in the Over-realm that have doctors to help,\u201d reminded Bashoon, \u201ceven those initially from other Realms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot nearly enough,\u201d replied Norvorok. \u201cWe need Marshii\u2019s genius. We couldn\u2019t get a message to her until we got reports that the Endeavor<\/em> found Arsha.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo you\u2019ve stayed here all on your own for the entire half-year?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had no choice! I can\u2019t leave these people to their suffering!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Can\u2019t is a matter of fact. You actually can, but you won\u2019t. That makes it a choice.\u201d Bashoon finally gave him a warm smile. \u201cYou really ARE serious about repenting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBashoon, we need the Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s help more than ever!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd you\u2019ll have it. This, I promise.\u201d The two then hugged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After she was cleared for duty, Arsha put her duty uniform back on and examined herself in the mirror. She sighed as she felt herself returning to old habits. She then thought about her rose hairpiece. She then guessed that it must have been lost when Oyed beat her up half a year ago. 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