Upon Vestia: Chapter Nineteen

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(Day 11 I think)

James found his shoes and put them on, which made him look much less silly and much more respectable. It was a definite improvement. He decided to go visit Luka and show off/make sure Acus hadn't made her cry. He really wasn't sure if letting Acus talk to the girl had been a good idea.

Luka had resumed her sitcom marathon, though she couldn't stop thinking about Acus wanting to leave. Was it safe to leave? Where would they go? Just how dangerous was it out there?
She turned the video off and started browsing the news instead.

James peered into the cockpit. "Psst, Luka, do I look ready for my prince?"

Luka looked up, startled by the sudden appearance of James. She stared at him in bewilderment for a moment or two, then it clicked and she started to laugh. "All you need now is a pumpkin carriage and a horse butler."

James grinned and came into the room to lean on a part of the console that didn't have any buttons on it. "Yeah, I'll need to work on that part a bit more. Not sure how to get a horse butler or a pumpkin carriage outside the holodeck." He looked curiously to see what she was watching.

Luka frowned at her tablet. "Just news. I was... wondering what was happening out there. It feels so disconnected here, so isolated from the outside you know?"

"Yeah, it's weird being here. Like the rest of the universe doesn't exist," James shook his head. "Are things okay out there? My sister hasn't written to me in a couple this week and I don't read the news that often."

"I dunno, there's a lot of chatter about news agencies not wanting to report stuff, other people telling them to stop being conspiracy theorists. " She shook her head. "It's hard to figure out what's happening and what's just rumor. "

"Hurrah for not knowing a thing for sure," James said dryly. "Well at least we can look lovely while the universe secretly melts down, I guess?"

Luka smiled softly. "I guess." She sighed. "The captain wants to leave asap."

"What? That sounds dangerous and-or cowardly," James said, frowning.

Luka shook her head. "He has a point. this place has a huge target on it, the family will come here. My fear is they're already on their way and if we leave, we'll run straight into the oncoming army." She sighed. "He doesn't think the guild will fight." She looked away. "He might be right."

"The Guild have to fight if the Family comes knocking," James protested, "I mean they might lose, but they would try, wouldn't they? They wouldn't just put up a white flag and call an unconditional surrender, not when the Family would kill, torture, enslave, or experiment on all of us. They know the Family isn't to be trusted."

"It depends on whether they can even get in. You don't think they have massive defenses they could call up if need be? this place is a magical fortress. What's to stop them just... just barring the gates and leaving the universe outside the burn?" Luka shook her head. "I don't want to think they won't help, but do they really care about out there? They haven't lifted a finger yet, they.. they blew up Avia and the guild did nothing. " Her voice faltered. "W.. we don't know what will come, we have to wait... we have to ask. " She nodded, as if convincing herself. "They have to help... they're the only ones who can."

James sighed. "You might be right. I'm not entirely sure the Guild are organized enough to create an unbreakable defense, but you never know." He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at Luka again, "At least we'd be safe here. But if we leave, then what?"

Luka shrugged. "I'll go where my captain tells me to go." She said decisively.

"Even if it means we'll be hunted and virtually defenseless?" James wasn't a soldier, and right now it really showed.

Luka smiled softly. "Acus was a soldier, He knows warfare. And he is our captain. We have to trust his judgement."

James opened his mouth to protest that Acus wasn't *his* Captain any more, but realized that wouldn't change Luka's mind at all. He rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "This doesn't seem like a good idea. I know Acus likes to be running free with his ship, but our friends are here. We can't leave them, not like this." He didn't want to lose Asher again, not during a war!

Luka nodded. "I know. It doesn't feel right to leave our friends and allies behind. Maybe he'll change his mind, but if he wants to leave, i'm going with him."

James sighed. "Told Acus I would go with him today, too. Of course, I didn't know he was planning to leave so soon when i said it. God, I don't want to leave Asher. I'd go rescue Lark to feel better, but Asher insists we can't even do that." Bleh, politics and plans and death. He hated this stuff.

"He said soon, we still have the trial and whatever plan these guys have to get the family on side. Maybe something will change. Try not to fret about it James, not till it's a definite thing. " Luka smiled sadly at him. "And we'll find your sister, somehow... and Tala's mate and anyone else we need to find."

"You're right," James said after a moment, "I guess I should try to not worry too much. But man, there's a lot to worry about."

Luka nodded. "There is." She sighed. "So you gonna go to the party? You should go, and tell me all about it okay?"

"I didn't want to go without you," James said. He tugged his tie a bit in thought, "Besides which, this place hasn't exactly filled me with confidence lately."

Luka tilted her head. "that's sweet James, but it's not like you can really get properly hurt right?"

"I still don't want to be mauled by werewolves or cornered by racist dicks," James said. "Doesn't hurt, but it's still no fun."