Not With A Bang, Nor A Whimper

Shein blinks a couple times but doesn't respond to the tapping. He blinks again as she speaks, then looks at Jenova. He doesn't smile. "Why?" He's making no sense. Or perfect sense.

The datapad is upside down.

Not sure how Dmitri would have heard about this particular incident, but maybe about the Republic Council being captured. Either way, he's allowed to land.

Some more medical guys come out to help. Dmitri requests to see Shein. If granted, he's there in a flash.

"Because I'm asking you to," Jenova responds. "Or, if that doesn't cut it, because you're strong enough to. Or even deeper, because your cause is just, and you must whatever the cost. 'Duty is heavier than a mountain. Death lighter than a feather.' You needn't carry that mountain alone."

She holds out her hand to Shein to pull him up. All he needs to do is take it.

Shein doesn't. He just sits there, still stunned. "Why?" It's more like he's asking himself that rather than her.

Yes, Dmitri would be granted that and directed to Arren, who would tell him where Shein is, though to watch out. No explanation given.

Dmitri pops in and sees Shein looking dejected. He goes over to pick up the datapad to hand it back to him. He doesn't look at it.

Jenova tilts her head to the side in thought, and considers slapping him. Discarding that idea as well, she picks up the datapad and presses it into Shein's hand. She then summons a stool from some orbiting vessel and sits on it, waiting for Shein to win his internal battle, confident that he will win his internal battle.

Shein finally stands up. "I have to know why." He doesn't even pay attention to the fact that Dmitri is now there. Hell, he doesn't even pay attention to Jenova's being there either. He doesn't even really hold on to the datapad, leaving it on the floor where he had been. He starts to leave the room.

He starts following. He asks Jenova, "What's going on?"

Jenova stands up and follows Shein. She picks up the datapad and puts it in her pocket before leaving. She pulls out her own commlink.

TO: Arren
FROM: Jenova

Shein is not responding to me, and is now walking to some unknown location.

You probably know what this is about, so if you want to be where he's going now, just telling you.

Sincerely,
Jenova

To Dmitri: "I have no idea. Arren told him something. Obviously bad news. I fear it has something to do with Kennah."

To: Jenova
From: Arren

I'd suspect he's going down to the cells. I do know what it's about. It's probably a good thing you're with him. Right now, I don't need to be. Blaming the messenger and all. He's done it.

Arren

***************************

And Arren would be right. That's where Shein is headed. All nineteen Councillors are still hooded. Shein stops in front of one of the cells and just looks in. He's quiet for a moment, still apparently unaware of the fact that he was followed. "Why?" There's no response, other than a slight movement from the hooded figure. "Damn it! Why!" He's done being quiet.

If the hooded figure notices anyone else, it's not apparent. Nor does the individual respond.

Some of the others start laughing though. Doesn't register with Shein. Probably a good thing.

"What." Yes, he's that shocked.

When the others start laughing, Dmitri phases through the doors and starts slapping them around.

Jenova tilts her head to the side in thought again, and watches Shein carefully. "Kennah?" She asks. It's addressed to the hooded figure.

They all stop laughing once they're smacked.

Shein flinches and looks at Jenova. "It's not Kennah." He looks back at the hooded figure. Well, hey, at least that got a response. "Thank the gods it's not Kennah. I was worried it might have been."

The figure removes the hood. Now, Jenova may have no clue who this is, but Dmitri might. Anyone remember... Adriane? The companion who was supposed to have died in childbirth? Looks like the doctor treating her made it appear she was dead, or this is one hell of a trick to get to Shein somehow. But how would she have known about the tech?

Shein looks back at the figure. "Why?"

This Adriane raises a brow. "Because you started getting too friendly with outsiders." She hisses at Shein. "They came in, took jobs, took our people's food." Oh, xenophobe. "They shouldn't have ever been allowed in. You messed it all up. We had to do something."

Shein just shakes his head. "How long..."

Adriane just stares at Shein for a moment. "Two years before Christian was born. I arranged that it would appear I had died. Everyone was so willing to believe it. We knew you'd mess up sometime. This last little galactic incident was perfect. Just too perfect. I've kept contacts." She laughs. "There could be spies crawling all over here and you'd never have known it." Taunting now.

With that, Dmitri starts launching off into economics lecture mode. He goes off about how as long as there is demand for goods there will never run out of jobs. Stuff like that. He goes on and says, "As for the Sith? Their Emperor was preparing to send a scouting party anyway. They just picked Morbus and Lanius because they were already familiar with the areas involved."

Jenova closes her eyes and recalls the personal history brief on Shein in the Burninite official computer. It mentions Adriane as Shein's companion, but she doesn't remember anything on xenophobia.

"Apparently some contacts are better than others," Jenova says coldly, in the demeanor of the empress that she is. She punctuates the sentence by tapping one of the bars of the cell with her fingernail, making a clinging noise echo throughout the room. She steps behind and to the side of Shein, to visually present her support for whatever he should say next.

Well, both Shein and Adriane are still on the same wavelength as they both look at Dmitri when he starts his lecture, and both comment, at the same time. "Shut up." They do look at each other and Adriane actually smiles at Shein, coming toward him as she does.

Shein backs up, making sure he doesn't bump into Jenova as he does so. "I loved you, more than anything, and you did this to me. And you honestly think I'm going to let you get close to me?"

Arren picks that moment to wander down. He ignores the other prisoners as he walks up to Shein. "Just got word. Sandoval surrendered. Once these clowns had their fingers off the trigger, they lost the will to fight. It might not be a long time before this is completely over." He doesn't even look at Adriane.

Adriane does look at Arren. "Hello, Arren."

Arren stiffens a little. "You have no right to call me by my name."

Adriane chuckles. "Very well, Lieutenant."

Shein rests a hand on Arren's arm, stopping him from pulling his sidearm. "No. Not here. I can't sentence her to death, Arren." He shakes his head, stopping anything Arren might say. "However, it was very unfortunate, wasn't it? The fact that Adriane was found among the Isolationists. The fact that they faked her death and captured her, just waiting for the right moment to unleash her on me as a distraction. Very unfortunate that she died in a horrific accident before she could fulfill her purpose."

Adriane shakes her head. "Shein, no...."

Shein reacts much like Arren did. "You have no right to call me by my name! You gave that up when you faked your death!" He turns to her, taking a step forward. "No! Right!" Yeah, he's shouting at her now. She actually recoils a little.

"Even Burninite transporters have the occasional technical glitch," Jenova puts in. It's unlike her, but from the way she's looking at Shein sideways, she's trying to save him from pressing a button himself she thinks he might regret later. And she'll back off if he does as well.

She probably also hopes that the calm in the voice will turn Shein's anger cold. Much better than hot anger.

He start vibrating his fingers. He looks just about ready to reach into her head and cause a stroke.

Shein does pull back a bit. He looks at Arren. "Take care of it. I can't be here anymore."

Arren nods. "Kennah also got back. I warned her not to come down here."

Shein nods. "I'll go explain to her what is going on." He looks at Jenova. "I'm honestly glad it wasn't Kennah. I was afraid it might have been." He looks at Dmitri. "Don't worry, she'll get what's coming to her for this." Back to Arren. "The rest of them will be shot for what they've done." He starts to walk away, then stops. "Oh, have a telepath do a deep scan on all of them first. Especially her. I want to know who fed her information."

Arren nods again. "I'll take care of all of this, Shein. Go get some rest."

Adriane looks like she's about to speak, but stays silent.

He starts to leave.

Jenova is obviously torn between deciding whether to stay with Arren or go with Shein. The limitations of a mere biological body! She takes the risky assumption that Shein will actually go get some rest, and waits for he and Dmitri to be out of sight before moving.

She remembers that when she woke up a few hours ago to rescue The Raptor, she had been roused from her sleep, and hadn't caught up yet.

And finally satisfied that she's done enough, she says to Arren, "You'll all be OK if I go up to the Craftworld? You'll call me if you need anything?"

If Adriane starts a sentence unbidden, she'll pull her pistol and point it at Adriane's face. She won't shoot, but the motion will make her feel better after seeing how she tore Shein apart.

Arren nods to Jenova. "There's really only one thing left." He inclines his head toward Adriane.

Adriane does start to say something, but the pistol in her face makes her think better of it.

Arren shrugs. "Any ideas? Since Shein wants it reported as an accident, I can kill her here and make something up, or I could really make it look like an accident. The rest of them are for the firing squad, so to speak."

Adriane glares at Arren, but doesn't say anything.

And yes, Shein really did go to get some rest. With Kennah back, he's in good hands since she'll make him rest if necessary. Though if Dmitri followed Shein, Shein wouldn't go get some rest immediately.

He leaves Arren to do his thing and heads back to his ship.

Jenova frowns. "I'd actually rather we didn't have to kill them at all." Now that's much more like her. "But if that is what we must do, you really can make it look like she was teleported in wrong. It's technically impossible, so some Burninite techs might not go for it, but no one will listen to them. She also could have committed suicide in some way rather then let herself be captured."

Jenova puts the gun away.

Arren does listen, then nods. "Oh, I'm sure if we leave, a majority will likely find a way to commit suicide. Adriane, though, probably not. It's likely she wanted to torment Shein. That or she hoped she could convince him to side with her. I'm sure she wasn't betting on him marrying Kennah."

Adriane mutters something in her cell. Sounds suspiciously like 'thieving bitch'. Arren ignores her.

"I'm not sure what to do, actually. I might sleep on it. Let those that want to take the honorable way to do it." Arren shrugs. "Honestly, were I in their place, I'd find a way. Rutians just don't make good prisoners. They know what faces them. These ones will likely fail. They won't be granted amnesty. As such, they'll be put to death for treason." He falls silent for a moment, then sighs. "Besides, Kennah might actually have the right to decide her fate. Not Shein." He looks at Jenova. "It's an old law. One that hasn't been contradicted or overruled. In situations similar to this, the spouse has the right to determine what happens to someone who lays any kind of claim to an individual. If Adriane, in any way, attempts to win Shein back, which this could be construed as such, Kennah makes the choice." Why he's saying all this in front of Adriane, who knows. Could be that he wants Kennah to take Adriane off his hands.