Once Sio got used to the artificial gravity on board, she felt more at peace flying in a hunk of metal through a vacuum. The gravity on Helix-One was easier on the joints. Sio's back cracked in protest when she first set her weight properly on her feet. The admiral did say she wanted to talk to Sio, and so the young woman went to retrace her steps back to the bridge. She didn't get a proper look around at first and took her time ogling at the smooth white and gray interior. Without her things weighing on her she felt the halls were spacious enough for two-way traffic. She bowed her head at the pacing crew members and all responded in kind. She didn't know who ranked where on a starship, but being in any crewman's presence felt like she might as well have been in the Royal Court already. She wondered how much more overwhelmed she'd be in the actual place.
She followed the directional signs to the bridge, not really trusting her sense of direction within the ship. It was disorientating to say the least, not as disorientating from the bottom of a mine, but still this was a strange place for a planet-bound human. She arrived and took in the sights of all the holo-monitors and information ports. Two men in front were piloting the ship with the admiral in center-chair observing all the stations around her. But what struck Sio the most was the stars in the viewing screen. They were moving at a steady rate, or rather the ship was. It was amazing to see these orbs float by and the constellations change place. If Sio had to guess they were following the Path of Jericho, a route in the Great Void that would avoid most of the supermassive blackholes that were devouring the rest of space. Sio walked forward drawn to a digital map that charted their path to what looked like another ship, only much more massive.
"So, Sio, what do you think of being off-planet?" The admiral asked catching sight of Sio wandering about the bridge.
"It's remarkable, admiral. Truly, I don't have words." The admiral stood, tapping a few switches on her main console as she went.
"I hope lift-off wasn't jarring for you." Admiral Argus smiled kindly, Sio smiled back sheepishly. Admiral Argus motioned Sio to follow her to the viewport. She did, careful not to bump into the crew working at their stations. They had a little room between the piloting stations to stand, and it was enough distance that Admiral Argus and Sio could comfortalby chat.
"I was taken by surprise," Sio said. "But I got my bearings."
"Good to be quick on your feet, that's a good sign." The Admiral mused as she faced the viewport. "I've been meaning to ask you, what is salt worth to you?" It was a rather odd question out of the blue.
"It's my village's lifeblood, that's what I know." Sio replied.
"Yes, but what is it worth to you." The Admiral emphasized.
"Let me rephrase, my village is my life. Salt, therefore, is a means to this life." Said Sio.
"So it is a means to an end for you. How practical." The Admiral corrected the cuffs on her sleeves. "It is also put into perspective. Helix-One's life is the process of salt for the civilised, but do you know why?"
"Helix-One's salt in particular has superconductive qualities, making its molten production vital for powering our civilization." The Admiral inclined her head in agreement.
"That's certainly part of it. Do you also know its religious significance? What has your family and village taught you of the Ancients."
"Salt was used for purification, particularly in religious ceremonies. It signifies sanctity."
"Very good, Sio. Not many know of this particular significance." The Admiral added smiling while giving Sio a sideways glance. Her eyes twinkiled with a kind of mirth that reminded Sio of her grandmother when she was about to tell one of her tales, but she remained silent. It was curious.
"What significance are you trying to show me, Admiral?"
"Let me ask you a question in return, what significance are those who mine the salt if salt is as you say a means to life?" Sio did not know what to say. In her village, Dunestriders were revered. Was it not that way for the rest of the galaxy?
"The ones who mine are the ones who carry the lifeblood to the heart. We are the ones who make it beat."
"I want you to remember this, Sio, when you are faced with decisions that will change you. Remember who you carry the lifeblood for." The Admiral said. "Soon, we will meet the Court, and you will realize the life you have built in those mines means very little to those who dine on the lavish fruit of your labor. Take heart to remember these words you speak to me now, while you are untainted by their scorn."
"Is it so bad?"
"Not always, young one. Their Majesties have been proof of such good in this galaxy. They are the Dunestriders of their village. Their village being a good portion of this galaxy. And like all Dunestriders, will the good of their people."
Not all, Sio thought, thinking back to Otheyo. But surely there is some truth here if she speaks so highly of Their Majesties. Sio never gave the Royal Lineage much thought. Helix-One was so isolated from the rest of the civilised world. She didn't have much of an opinion on politics, nor could she say the rest of her village did. There were some luxuries being so far away from everyone else and cut off from off-world trade for a significant portion of the year. The luxury of ignorance from galactic intrigue might very well be bliss, thought Sio, but she had yet to find out.
The Admiral took the lull in the conversation as an end to it. She dismissed Sio to her quarters, and Sio bowed and exited. It was something to think about, what the admiral mentioned. She wandered back to the barracks, thoughts passing by.
—
They arrived at the SS NEST in about a month's time, and Sio was already sick of space travel. The close quarters, the same synthesized meals (although they were much better than the gruel she had during the Stride), and the never ending void were all too much. It was a wonder how none of the crew went insane, she supposed it was the tasks they had to complete each day that made things easier. As a guest on the Lark, she was expected to perform simple officer duties on deck, much to her relief, but they were simple inventory logging, system checks, and debriefs with the chief petty officer every so often. It was maddening to say the least. But the SS NEST was an entirely different beast.
Sio half expected the corridors to be packed like the mess hall during meal times, but upon entering the SS NEST, it was like stepping on a planet of its own. The halls were spacious, enough to fit several Larks in its corridors. Sio had never been to a city, but she imagined the SS NEST was the closest thing. It had leisure marketplaces, luxury restaurants and bars, and something called fashion retail. That one was interesting to say the least, she didn't know clothes could function as a decorative on one's body. She supposed it was much like the ceremonial garbs she wore back on Helix-One but less practical.
The Admiral dismissed the crew from the Lark and personally escorted Sio to the bridge all the while the young woman watched the world around with wide eyes.
"You've got to work on keeping your face less expressive, Sio." The Admiral said as they boarded one of the elevators.
"Forgive me, Admiral, it's just all so…" Sio made a gesture with her arms indicating the scope of everything around her.
"There will be much more surprises, remember Sio, the Court is all about subtleties."
"I've been raised wearing a mask my whole life, I suppose I never thought life required masks without a rebreather." Sio said. The Admiral laughed.
"Indeed, court life does." The elevator arrived at the bridge, and Sio could hardly believe it was real. Stacks of catwalks littered the walls with shielded windows as tall as the eye could see. The Admiral had to pull Sio from her stupor. After a few dizzying turns and vertigo inducing ledges, they arrived at the Command Room which was set up similarly to The Lark, however there were several distinct stages separating monitors and holo-displays to make the view port the main monitoring system. And, of course, it was much, much bigger. Sio was so caught up in her admiration for the craftsmanship of the ship, she barely heard her name when the Admiral began speaking with someone on deck.
" —Sio," said the Admiral as she turned to her. Sio stood quickly at attention. She saw someone in her peripheral stand from the Command Chair, and walk around the Admiral with hands outstretched in a display of openness, much like the Admiral did in her first landing on Helix-One. "Meet Captain Renna of Skies."
And something clicked in the back of her head. The other woman stood before her, steel-blonde hair, green eyes, and a smirk that seemed all too familiar. Sio had a peculiar sense of deja vu as she also inclined her head and faced her palms outward in greeting. Her mind went back to the figure facing the darkening lampstand. Renna of Skies. So that was her name. The name of the one who would betray her.