Citadel Archives
Jun. 25th, 2013 03:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aaaaaaaagh_sky“Paladin 101.”
Ellen slipped a scrap of pre-War money between the pages of her book and immediately came to her feet. “Ma’am,” she said.
Star Paladin Cross smiled. “At ease, Paladin,” the older woman said. “I didn’t think I’d find you here in the Archives.”
“Well-“ Ellen hesitated. “I got back from Project Purity duty and didn’t get a new assignment yet. I had a few free moments, and I thought I’d see what Moira Brown had reprinted from the Arlington archives for us. I’m not sure why she decided to reprint a book called How To Avoid Huge Ships, but…”
“One would think the answer to that would be obvious,” said Cross dryly. “Perhaps our ancestors weren’t as clever as we’d always believed. I hope you haven’t gotten too caught up in the reading, though.”
“Not especially,” Ellen said, indicating her impromptu bookmark. “Why do you ask?”
“You’ll be hearing from Paladin Tristan soon about your new assignment,” said Cross. “More specifically, you’ll be hearing about your new assignment with me.”
Ellen blinked. Cross was the third-highest ranked member of the Capital Brotherhood, after only Elder Lyons and Sentinel Lyons. Her particular rank placed her outside the usual structure; she reported only to Elder Lyons, and had no subordinates under her command. Generally, if she was working with someone, she chose to accompany them rather than asking them to accompany her. This… Ellen raised a finger. “Come again, ma’am?” she said.
Cross chuckled quietly. “You heard correctly, Paladin,” she said. “I’ve asked your commander to release you to work alongside me for a time. Elder Lyons tasked me this morning with tracking down two of our people who’ve gone missing, and I believe I could use the assistance.”
“Two of-“ Ellen frowned. Who had gone missing lately? There weren’t nearly as many funerals-in-absentia these days as there used to be, with Vault 87 destroyed and the Enclave no longer a threat.
“It hasn’t been publicized around the Citadel yet,” said Cross. “But the Duchess Gambit’s returned from Point Lookout. Paladins Whydah and Morgan weren’t on board.”
The paladins who’d been sent to investigate the punga fruit tribe Tobar spoke of, and negotiate for the sale of live plants. Ellen hadn’t known them very well. “I see,” she said. “And we’re going after them?”
“Ideally, as soon as Tobar can be persuaded to head back out,” said Cross. “I doubt he can be persuaded very easily, but please be ready to go by nightfall.”
Ellen nodded. “Of course,” she says. “Um. One question, ma’am, if I may?”
“Certainly,” said Cross.
“You said you asked for me to come with you,” Ellen said. “Can I ask why?”
“Officially?” said Cross. “You have a startling talent for coming back alive from situations where you really had no business surviving. Your original Pitt mission, for example.”
Ellen winced at the memory, but nodded. “And unofficially?”
Cross might just possibly have been smiling as she said, “If I’m going to be traveling far from home in unfamiliar territory with unknown hazards, unable to communicate with my command, cut off from any hope of reinforcements, trying to find a pair of soldiers who may not even still be alive, it’s probably a good idea to have someone with me who can go all the way to the end of the universe for help.”
Ellen slipped a scrap of pre-War money between the pages of her book and immediately came to her feet. “Ma’am,” she said.
Star Paladin Cross smiled. “At ease, Paladin,” the older woman said. “I didn’t think I’d find you here in the Archives.”
“Well-“ Ellen hesitated. “I got back from Project Purity duty and didn’t get a new assignment yet. I had a few free moments, and I thought I’d see what Moira Brown had reprinted from the Arlington archives for us. I’m not sure why she decided to reprint a book called How To Avoid Huge Ships, but…”
“One would think the answer to that would be obvious,” said Cross dryly. “Perhaps our ancestors weren’t as clever as we’d always believed. I hope you haven’t gotten too caught up in the reading, though.”
“Not especially,” Ellen said, indicating her impromptu bookmark. “Why do you ask?”
“You’ll be hearing from Paladin Tristan soon about your new assignment,” said Cross. “More specifically, you’ll be hearing about your new assignment with me.”
Ellen blinked. Cross was the third-highest ranked member of the Capital Brotherhood, after only Elder Lyons and Sentinel Lyons. Her particular rank placed her outside the usual structure; she reported only to Elder Lyons, and had no subordinates under her command. Generally, if she was working with someone, she chose to accompany them rather than asking them to accompany her. This… Ellen raised a finger. “Come again, ma’am?” she said.
Cross chuckled quietly. “You heard correctly, Paladin,” she said. “I’ve asked your commander to release you to work alongside me for a time. Elder Lyons tasked me this morning with tracking down two of our people who’ve gone missing, and I believe I could use the assistance.”
“Two of-“ Ellen frowned. Who had gone missing lately? There weren’t nearly as many funerals-in-absentia these days as there used to be, with Vault 87 destroyed and the Enclave no longer a threat.
“It hasn’t been publicized around the Citadel yet,” said Cross. “But the Duchess Gambit’s returned from Point Lookout. Paladins Whydah and Morgan weren’t on board.”
The paladins who’d been sent to investigate the punga fruit tribe Tobar spoke of, and negotiate for the sale of live plants. Ellen hadn’t known them very well. “I see,” she said. “And we’re going after them?”
“Ideally, as soon as Tobar can be persuaded to head back out,” said Cross. “I doubt he can be persuaded very easily, but please be ready to go by nightfall.”
Ellen nodded. “Of course,” she says. “Um. One question, ma’am, if I may?”
“Certainly,” said Cross.
“You said you asked for me to come with you,” Ellen said. “Can I ask why?”
“Officially?” said Cross. “You have a startling talent for coming back alive from situations where you really had no business surviving. Your original Pitt mission, for example.”
Ellen winced at the memory, but nodded. “And unofficially?”
Cross might just possibly have been smiling as she said, “If I’m going to be traveling far from home in unfamiliar territory with unknown hazards, unable to communicate with my command, cut off from any hope of reinforcements, trying to find a pair of soldiers who may not even still be alive, it’s probably a good idea to have someone with me who can go all the way to the end of the universe for help.”