Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.
~~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe~~
38th of Ashan, Arc 721
Vega stood, well wrapped against the cold, and she looked at the ship which had dropped anchor off the shore of Hopetoun. It took all her self control not to bounce on the soles of her feet, and then she realised that self-control was for wussies anyhow, and so she did just that. The ship was met by the Waking Dreamer and the Wanderlust and her father and cousins were helping with the rowing aboard of the boxes and crates. Vega's eyes widened at what was happening here. She'd written to the Council some time before, and received a reply and now, here they were. They had actually arrived.
There were a number of people there, and Vega knew none of them. But, one, an elderly man with kind eyes stepped forward. "You are Vega Creede?" He asked and Vega nodded, holding out her hand. "I am. It's right nice to meet you." His hand wrapped over hers gently and he smiled. "I am Nyji Toraj, Master of the Spirits Rest Oasis. This is my assistant, Lissa Maewell. We are here to help. Councillor Bao put out the call and it is our pleasure to do so." Vega was, frankly, delighted. "There's so much stuff," she said and Nyji nodded. "However, these are the people you need to speak to," he said, and he gestured to a mixed race woman and an eidisi man, both of whom were carrying things off the boats. Vega made her way to them and smiled.
"Wotcha," she said. "I'm Vega Creede." They both smiled and the man spoke. "Hello! I'm Refed and this is Elise. We're from the Rangers," Vega shook both hands and spoke honestly. "I'm right glad you're here. Let me tell you about what's happenin'," she said. They turned their attention to her as their companions continued to unload the rowboats. "So, long story short," Vega said. She noticed that Nyji and Lissa were also listening and she included them all in it. "Xiur came by an' asked me an' my friend Doran to build a beacon of hope. He said that there were people comin' here. A ship-load of former slaves who'd been mistreated." They listened, nodding here and there. Elise made a few notes.
"They're goin' to need help those people. Thing is, I don't exactly know how many people or when exactly they're comin'. But Xiur said to watch for him in thirty trials, so that's what we're workin' towards. That'll be the fifty sixth." They shared glances, but Vega kept on regardless. "I've got people from the Order of the Adunih, I hope, but I were hopin' that we might be able to build like a place to keep them safe, these people."
Elise looked at Refed and he thought about it. But not for long. "Large, barracks-style building that can be repurposed if needed." Vega had been thinking of something similar and so she was pleased to hear that. "We've got some designs what have been given to us by some of the members of Saoire's School," she said. "They're here, but they're wokin' on the beacon. But I'm sure they'll be happy to discuss things." Refed and Elise nodded. "That's all that we need right now, " Elise said. "Give us a few breaks to get all this set up, and we'll get started."
Vega nodded. "I can't thank you enough. All of you." She meant it. Even in the darkest moments, Vega had hope - it was simply her way. But one of the reasons that was true for her - that hope was always there - was because of people like these.
There were a number of people there, and Vega knew none of them. But, one, an elderly man with kind eyes stepped forward. "You are Vega Creede?" He asked and Vega nodded, holding out her hand. "I am. It's right nice to meet you." His hand wrapped over hers gently and he smiled. "I am Nyji Toraj, Master of the Spirits Rest Oasis. This is my assistant, Lissa Maewell. We are here to help. Councillor Bao put out the call and it is our pleasure to do so." Vega was, frankly, delighted. "There's so much stuff," she said and Nyji nodded. "However, these are the people you need to speak to," he said, and he gestured to a mixed race woman and an eidisi man, both of whom were carrying things off the boats. Vega made her way to them and smiled.
"Wotcha," she said. "I'm Vega Creede." They both smiled and the man spoke. "Hello! I'm Refed and this is Elise. We're from the Rangers," Vega shook both hands and spoke honestly. "I'm right glad you're here. Let me tell you about what's happenin'," she said. They turned their attention to her as their companions continued to unload the rowboats. "So, long story short," Vega said. She noticed that Nyji and Lissa were also listening and she included them all in it. "Xiur came by an' asked me an' my friend Doran to build a beacon of hope. He said that there were people comin' here. A ship-load of former slaves who'd been mistreated." They listened, nodding here and there. Elise made a few notes.
"They're goin' to need help those people. Thing is, I don't exactly know how many people or when exactly they're comin'. But Xiur said to watch for him in thirty trials, so that's what we're workin' towards. That'll be the fifty sixth." They shared glances, but Vega kept on regardless. "I've got people from the Order of the Adunih, I hope, but I were hopin' that we might be able to build like a place to keep them safe, these people."
Elise looked at Refed and he thought about it. But not for long. "Large, barracks-style building that can be repurposed if needed." Vega had been thinking of something similar and so she was pleased to hear that. "We've got some designs what have been given to us by some of the members of Saoire's School," she said. "They're here, but they're wokin' on the beacon. But I'm sure they'll be happy to discuss things." Refed and Elise nodded. "That's all that we need right now, " Elise said. "Give us a few breaks to get all this set up, and we'll get started."
Vega nodded. "I can't thank you enough. All of you." She meant it. Even in the darkest moments, Vega had hope - it was simply her way. But one of the reasons that was true for her - that hope was always there - was because of people like these.
