Prisoner Transfer

Posted on Sat Nov 17th, 2018 @ 3:13pm by Commander Rita Paris & Captain Enalia Telvan & Hera & Baroness 2nd Class Schwein von Alcott
Edited on on Fri Sep 6th, 2019 @ 4:17pm

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: USS Hera, Deck 10, Starboard Airlock Hatch
Timeline: One Week After Leaving Meroset 347

The USS Hera had just finished docking with the Odin's Breath and while the airlock procedures were still ongoing, Enalia tapped a finger against her crossed arms thoughtfully. This would be the last time they would see the ship's namesake if they were lucky. Commander Paris and Lieutenant French, as well as a security contingent were holding her in a waiting room just a short ways away so the team from the Nordic ship could take custody of her and they could process any custody documents. For now though, she was here at the airlock with the Baroness because stars forbid she be alone at an airlock.

As the final seal was relieved and the doors unsealed, they slid open to reveal a giant of a man followed by a pair of the most muscular women the pair had ever seen. Long golden hair, crimson cloak, six relics on his dark armor, muscles the size of Enalia's waist, and a short handled sledge hammer hanging at his hip... This was definitely Thor.

Stepping onto the deck of the Hera, the man motioned to the two behind him. "Greetings. I am Thor, God of Thunder and these are Hervif and Gerifa, the Valkyries that will be keeping the mighty Hera in line today."

Even Enalia was taken aback but quickly recovered. "It's a pleasure meeting you. I'm Captain Enalia Telvan of the Federation starship USS Hera and this is by personal attendant, Baroness Second Class, Schwein von Alcott. If you'll follow me, we have the mighty Hera in a holding room just this way."

Motioning for her to continue, Thor smiled winningly. "Please, by all means."

Enalia smiled back and turned to lead them all the few feet to the small holding room that had been cleared for this use. As they entered, she continued introductions. "May I present to you Hera, Queen of the Olympian gods, Commander Rita Paris, my first officer, Lieutenant Seregon French, my Chief of Security, and Crewmen Donner and Kebab, who have been watching over Hera diligently."

Thor greeted them all with a slight bow of his head. "My greetings to all of you. I am Thor, son of Odin, God of Thunder. These are my Valkyries, Hervif and Gerifa."

Once French closed her mouth, she found it hard to open it again, but she did manage a slight. "Oh my God!" Before trying to overt her eyes unsuccessful from Thor. "Is it hot in here? I'm feeling just a bit damp, I mean hot." She said almost low enough not to be heard. Then focusing on the CO, in an effort to regain some semblance of professionalism. She got with the program, feeling she had said enough, she would take all further cues from the boss.

Apparently French’s reaction was either precisely what the commander had anticipated, or she hadn’t noticed, which seemed unlikely. Or she’d just won a bet.

For her part, Paris returned the nod and offered her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Odinson, Hervif, Gerifa. I’m Rita Paris, first officer of the Hera. We’re grateful to you for taking the Queen of Olympus off our hands, although with a little luck, she shouldn’t give you any trouble. She’s resolved to turn over a new leaf, so the one thing I’ll ask is, if you can, please give her a little benefit of the doubt, and the chance to show she’s changed. I know it’s a lot to ask, but the Asgardian pantheon have always been renowned for their fairness.”

Thor reached out and took the blonde bombshell's hand. Raising her hand to his lips, he maintained eye contact as he lightly pressed his lips to her fingers, sending a tingle of electricity up her arm and literally making her hair raise a bit as he did so. "It would seem your Captain is not the only one among your crew touched by my people."

"As for Hera, or Juno... Or Ithwa..." Thor squinted at the Olympian queen as he recalled a few other names she had gone by. "Didn't you also go by Galiathopa to the Bomites?"

"I did... Zeus and I were young back then and we..." Hera looked around at everyone else in the room and at the grinning God of Thunder before scowling back at him. "Ok, have your fun. It's not like there's anything I can do about it, anyway."

"You really have changed. Before, the slightest tease would set you off." Thor turned and motioned to the two Valkyries to take custody of Hera. "I assume there is much documentation that needs to be accomplished? The Federation is renowned for it, after all."

"A few signings, the PaDD will walk you through it," the surprised spacefarer handed over the tablet in her hand. "You are NOT what I was expecting," she muttered under her breath before cocking her head curiously. "Thor, something you said there... touched by your people? I don't understand, what does that mean? Could you explain, please? I'm a little behind the times."

That joke would have worked with the old uniform and I never thought of it until now? Dammit!

Thor smiled like a ray of sunshine had just been unleashed upon the room and looked between Rita and Enalia as he took the PaDD and signed in the places indicated by the PaDD. "Have you not told her of your namesake?" As Enalia looked down in embarrassment and shook her head, Thor chuckled softly. "It is quite the amusing tale, just as your great... Grandmother? Was it? Every so often, her family names a woman..."

"Four or five generations..." Enalia interjected.

"Right, every four or five generations her family has to name one of their women after one of our people because of a curse that Aphrodite put on them for being vain. I mean, the curse is spent after so long, but family traditions being what they are..." Thor looked to Enalia, Amusement in his eyes for what he thought was the most amusing part of it all. "Go on, you tell them."

Enalia just shook her head again and waved it off.

"Oh come on, it's a good story!" Thor reached over and slapped Enalia on the shoulder good naturedly. "Anyway, to add insult to vanity, they chose Enalia as their family name, which is the aspect that Aphrodite split from herself and threw into the sea to create the sea foam! Do you know what that really is? Fish urine! She's named after the aspect of Aphrodite that leapt into the sea to turn fish piss into sea foam!" With that, Thor couldn't hold it in any more and let loose a roaring laugh.

One eyebrow rose incrementally as Rita adopted a prim smile. "It's not that funny..."

Enalia took a deep breath and smiled mischievously. "It's almost as good as the tale of the time you were the bride of a frost giant that stole your hammer."

Thor sobered up quickly, cleared his throat, then turned to Rita. "As for you, you're easily the match for Aphrodite's beauty, but I sense that a bit of Hera's power lingers in you. Perhaps she has granted you a boon. I know not the specifics, but it does not seem malicious."

"Hmf. I'm no goddess of love, that's for certain. I found one love in this life, and that's only because he was one in a million, probably more. No..." Rita stood picked up her chin, looking regal for a change. "The wise owl sits at my shoulder, my spear is a trusty old phaser pistol and I'll lead the troops to war. You'll always find olive oil in my kitchen, and while I may not be that smart, I do demonstrate uncanny wisdom. I myself think I am far closer to Pallas Athena, if you are looking for an archetype I favor." Paris paused at that to grin mischievously. "But hey, what do I know about gods and men, right?"

Turning to Hera, Rita Paris offered an encouraging smile. "You'll have to prove yourself to everyone who knew you, and that's going to suck. And if you do change, lots of them won't believe you. But you are immortal, and that should have given you patience, if nothing else. Good luck, Hera." Rita raised her right hand, and in complete seriousness, splayed her four fingers in the traditional Vulcan salute. In this case, the words held a somewhat more significant meaning.

"Live long, and prosper."

"Peace and long life, Rita Paris of Earth. I will do what I can to hold true to your trust in me." Hera would have returned the salute, but one of the Valkyries were placing the rogue goddess in runed binders and removing the Starfleet issue ones.

“Are those really necessary?” Paris asked, turning to Thor. "Hera was a model prisoner for us, and escaping from us would have been far easier than escaping from you. I did ask, give her a chance?”

"In her case, it's more of a formality," Thor explained. "If the others get wind that we didn't at least do this much we'd have a possible riot on our hands and I'd rather not have to deal with that. Don't worry though - she will be in the best gilded cage we have until a trial of her peers can be assembled. We will be requesting your mission reports as well as character witnesses from the... Merosians? We will be quite thorough and it will likely span greater than any one of your lives, if I'm to be honest."

There wasn’t anything to particularly say to that, so Paris offered Hera a conciliatory nod, and silently mouthed the words ‘good luck’.

The other Valkyrie looked over Lieutenant French. "You look as if you have fought a mighty enemy. It is good that you survived to tell the tale."

“Yes, and lucky to be alive. Minatuars are no fun to be sure.” Said French not wanting to relive the story.

"Indeed they are not. I look forward to meeting you in combat if such a day should arise." The Valkyrie nodded to Lieutenant french respectfully as Hera was transferred to their custody.

Thor then smiled like the sun was shining again. "Well, it's been a pleasure meeting all of you. I would invite you all to dine with us, but I assume you have pressing business elsewhere. Federation people all seem to be in a hurry like that."

"I could eat..." Rita Paris muttered to herself, then looked around at the assembled officers. That was when she noticed the Baroness, standing somewhat dazedly at the back of the room, in reverent awe of the very manifestation of a being she actively worshiped. The woman was friendly and cheerful to a fault, a patient teacher as she was still giving Rita swordfighting lessons whenever she asked. While she seemed to enjoy Rita's company, the sailor of the stars still hadn't found a way to repay the super-soldier's kindness.

Besides, at heart Rita Paris was an explorer, and this was an opportunity to explore that she couldn't pass up.

Turning to Captain Telvan, the crimson-clad commander leaned in a bit. "I've never seen an Asgaardian starship, ma'am. I could eat. Right, French? You're still recovering, you could use a good meal, couldn't you? It would be rude not to... I mean, we could dine with Asgaardians, and that is literally legendary." At the slight nod from the Captain, Paris called out to catch the attention of the Teutonic tornado of trouble. "Baroness? You wanna go dine with Thor?"

"Yes!" Her first reply came out sudden and squeaky, causing the Baroness to blush hard, so she cleared her throat to compose herself. "Ja, it would be an honor and a dream come true." She'd never asked Enalia for much, but if she did, this would be it.

"The crew do have a lot of preparations to make before we arrive at our next mission. Besides, we should take time to stop and smell the roses now and then, right?" Enalia glanced over at the others as well, a knowing grin on her face. "I mean, if you don't mind."

"Nonsense! It would be a pleasure to have you! As soon as we escort this one safely to her new bunk we will head straight to the feast hall!" With that, Thor slapped Hera on the shoulder, nearly knocking the woman over, which earned him a dirty look but no more.

It was abusive, and Rita Paris wanted to stand up to the god of thunder over it, and get him to lay off. But Hera had led a very long life of trouble, and possessed a well-earned reputation which she would have to put in a lot of time and work to undo. Plus, Rita had just given her the speech about how she'd have to prove herself. Thor was testing her, and Hera was taking it with humility, so Paris had to know when to butt out, and let gods be gods.

Besides, what was she going to do? Threaten to nag the bearer of Mjolnir? Use harsh language to hurt his feelings?

"Table of the gods," Paris mused aloud. "Led Zeppelin is going to be playing in my head all night for this..."