Entry point 1 of 2
AbelardAbelard reflexively wipes the sweat from his brow in a startlingly human gesture, and a telling one — a rare moment where he allows his age and weariness to show through his armour-like veneer of self-assurance. "The lower decks are a source of endless problems. Sometimes I dearly regret that we cannot replace all the locals with servitors."
YOU"Did you hear? They were shouting your name."
NPC"Of course they were. The organisation of the daily, routine life of the ship rests upon my shoulders. The mountain of challenges and problems from which I endeavour to insulate you, Lord Captain. The situation on the lower decks has been a cause for concern, and I have intervened personally on more than one occasion. That must be why they remember me. They do not know your face. To them, you are akin to a creature of legend, one who has stood on the steps of the Golden Throne, no less. Whereas I am the man whose name is attached to every order docking rations or lowering a bay's heating."
YOU"Did you hear? They were shouting your name."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The people dared to disrespect a senior officer."
NPC"They would not have the chance to express such disrespect if we were not here, and if the situation had been dealt with by the relevant officers." Abelard grimaces. "It is a junior officer's worst failing, to pass problems up the chain of command. I have never been able to abide it. I shall say it again — it was a mistake to come here on Lieutenant Vent's whim, Lord Captain."
NPC"I must admit that the lieutenant is by no means the worst material for an officer," Abelard adds peevishly. "But, in the name of Terra, the girl is the same age as my eldest great-granddaughter! And she has the gall to tell me how to manage the lower decks and hunt down cultists. It will be another twenty years at least before she can be trusted to act without oversight."
YOU"Did you hear? They were shouting your name."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The people dared to disrespect a senior officer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Let's keep moving. We need to get to the bottom of this."end of branch
YOU"Let's keep moving. We need to get to the bottom of this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I appreciate your efforts, but there is no need to 'insulate' me from all problems. This is my ship, and these are my people."
NPCAbelard nods with an air of forbearance. "The zeal of the newly appointed. Many commanders and leaders experience it. Wait another five or ten years and you will see that trying to solve every minor issue yourself is ineffectual."
YOU"Did you hear? They were shouting your name."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The people dared to disrespect a senior officer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Let's keep moving. We need to get to the bottom of this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Making hard choices often means becoming the enemy in the eyes of one's subordinates. I understand."
NPCAbelard looks at you in slight surprise, but says with genuine approval, "Wise words, Lord Captain. And very true ones."
YOU"Did you hear? They were shouting your name."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The people dared to disrespect a senior officer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Let's keep moving. We need to get to the bottom of this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will discuss your work later. I want to know what is going on with the strikers."
NPC"What troubles me is that you are putting your life at risk — no matter how negligible the danger may be. But as you wish."
YOU"Did you hear? They were shouting your name."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The people dared to disrespect a senior officer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Let's keep moving. We need to get to the bottom of this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The people dared to disrespect a senior officer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Let's keep moving. We need to get to the bottom of this."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 2
Jocasta Sauerback(no text)end of branch