The Elder's Mate

Eleven - Admission

The clan ship was bigger than anything Artemis had ever seen. The thing was long and sleek with numerous levels, each level having a specific purpose. Yautja who hadn't proved themselves yet had to bunk in wide open rooms at the bottom of the ship whereas those who had passed the right of passage had private quarters to themselves on higher levels.

Two levels were dedicated entirely to training while another higher up had the kitchens, strange cafeteria spaces with many metal black tables, and food synthesizers that could make anything you wanted. Higher up were private rooms for the highly ranked Yautja and even higher was the rooms for the crew that flew the ship, the council, and Rhage's own quarters — the size of Artemis and Rhage's space fairly large.

Rhage had given a brief tour of the important areas that they would be using or visiting during the trip to Saqqar. The ship was like a city inside with everything the traveling clan members would need. It vaguely reminded Artemis of a cruise ship, but way more high tech and sophisticated.

The last thing he showed her was a viewing deck where one could watch space go by as they cruised through space. She was able to see the planet, Yautja Prime, as they started the journey. Seeing it that way was so much better than the first time she had arrived. It was a massive jungle covered planet with part of it being radioactive desert and lava fields; such a thing utterly bizarre to her.

At the moment she sat in the bridge with Rhage going over diagrams on a floating hologram before him. The members of his council surrounded him at the rectangular table they stood at, talking about whatever was written in their language. Artemis could make out satellite footage and pictures of a desert planetoid; she assumed it was Saqqar. There were various images of different Yautja presented before them, like they were profiling who they were going to speak with. Watching them stand there and talk at length about each pictured Yautja interested her.

It was when she grew tired of sitting down that she stood up and walked to the viewing window to the left of the chatting group. She stood and watched as they passed through a smoky cloud-like nebulae, various streaks of color streaking past the windows in a rainbow blur.

Such a thing was new and exciting to see. There were so many wonders she wanted to see in space. Multiple lifetimes of traveling through it all would never be enough, sadly. She knew her life was so short compared to Rhage and his kind that she couldn't help but feel insignificant in the vastness of the cosmos. Compared to the wide endless ocean of space, she really was insignificant. Like all things, her life would one day come to an end.

Would Rhage find someone else when she died? What would happen when she was gone and there was no one to fill the space she had left? It hurt to think about such things but she couldn't help but feel the enormity of her future running towards her while she watched space fly by.

Artemis snuck a glance towards Rhage, watching him do what he did best; lead. He was drawing up plans with a male she had seen only once...Kato or something? Together, with Dhare and Khaj, the group went over lines and lines of vertical text.

At some point Dhare passed a meaningful glance her way; his expression was solemn. She gave him a questioning look of confusion to which he shook his head, a silent "It's better if you don't know" kind of look in his golden eyes. The fact frustrated her and for once she wished she knew what they were saying. Being the one person in the room who didn't understand what was being said sucked. Asking Rhage for a translator was out of the question for her — he had done enough for her already and she couldn't ask him for anything.