The hallways of the Horus are cramped and dark. Spacers get used to  dim red emergency lighting for most purposes. Warships do not need to look pretty, so much of the space and effort that would go into aesthetics or cowlings is put into other areas.

Exposed cables and pipes crawl over head and the deck is a mere grate in many cases. Access and electrical panels line the walls. Some of this is intentional: Anyone who gets aboard the ship who doesn't belong there faces lengthy, narrow and confusing hallways, separated by strong hatches and bulkheads. The extensive infrastructure is redundant across multiple access-ways and makes it hard for someone in an assault suit to march two abreast around the ship, forcing boarders to line up against defenders.

The hallways serve one more important purpose: This is where you go to speak when you need privacy. Most of the time, hallways are clear unless someone is heading somewhere in specific.

Maire trailed her fingers along a revealed pipe, staring absentmindedly ahead of her at the Shivari, who seemed to be waiting for someone. "You know, this reminds me of home." She said, pointing at the walls and thin walkways. "The back-walks of it, at least. We couldn't get outside without an environmental suit, so I spent... all of my life, until the Academy took me, inside." She'd been just as conversational as the Shivari on the shuttle to the Horus, meaning not at all, but the hallways did remind her of home enough to relax her. "Are you allowed to tell me who we're waiting for, or do I just need to wait and see for myself?"

"We'll be meeting with the captain of the ship, and several members of the OSI, much like yourself who will be accompanying us and filling several acquisition and infiltration roles. However, for the time being, we have to wait for the XO. Even I know better than to interrupt a captain on her ship." He grins, wondering if you know he's merely following formalities, rather than actually showing genuine respect.

"Ah, here he comes now."

The Executive Officer, Master Adeem al-Qabis, met you at the airlock as you boarded the vessel.

The XO was a tall, handsome man. Dark of skin, lengthy tribal dreadlocks and piercing eyes that hinted at the soul of a poet as much as that of a warrior. He bared much of his scar ridden skin and on his hip was a curved sword and a laser pistol which looked to have been crafted as a matching set.

He offered you a dutiful expression and a crisp naval salute once you were on board.

"Ma'am, Sir." He held the salute for a moment. "Commander Han and Mistress Venn will meet us shortly on the bridge." Adeem begins to lead you down the corridors through the ship, passing by various stations and crew members at work.

"It's good to have you both safely aboard. Is there anything I can do to assist either of you on your mission?"

"Not that I need at the moment, no." Maire said, gesturing at the Shivari. "No idea about him though. And Mistress Venn?" She quirked her head. "As in Selena Venn, the woman on the Shackleton? She said she would need to teach me, and then left. Never figured out that damnable cube. Still think that woman was playing a joke on me."

"Nothing at the moment, Assad." He bowed his head with somewhat uncharacteristic respect and continued on in silence, fingers clasped together, pressed against his own lips in thought.

"I can't say I know much about her, beyond her file. You either, for that matter." He inclines his head in the general direction of the core of the ship, the bridge.

"Cube?" He laughs at your comment, a rich deep sound. "So perhaps she does have a sense of humor after all."
This message was last updated by the player at 03:27, Mon 27 July 2015.

"You know what that cube is...?" Maire asked, her eyes narrowing considerable as she stared at Adeem. "Are you capable of telling me, or would that spoil the fun?"

"I can't say that I do. Sounds like one of your psionic toys? We have picked up a few of those for this mission. We can go over that later, en route."

Stepping through another hatch you find yourself on the bridge of the Horus

"Ah, here we are."

>>>To Bridge