Inspiration

((Another entry for Silver Night's Tier 3 Battlecruiser Contest ))

Inspiration

Virkold collapsed onto the couch with an exhausted sigh. He nearly fell asleep at that very instant, but he knew he didn't have time. He had to get back to work. Just enough of a break for dinner with the family...

His wife stepped into the doorway, drying off a plate with a dingy towel. “Honey. You can't keep working like this.”

“Nhh. Sure I can. Somehow.” His wife just frowned. “Ancestors will give me... ss...”

“...Honey?” Virkold jolted in his seat.

“I'm awake! I can work!” He blinked around absently before refocusing on his wife.

“Is this secret project really that important? Egbendik knows how hard you're working...”

Virkold leaned his head back against the couch, letting his eyes roll up to look at the ceiling. He tried to picture it in his head. An Amarrian ship with eight of those monstrous lasers cannons. Darting about through space, nimbly dodging around Minmatar battleships as it melted them to pieces. He gritted his teeth.

“Yeah. It's important.”

“Harjolf! Careful!” Virkold glanced up as Harjolf, their eight-year old son rushed into the room. He held two ships in his hands and swooped them through the air.

“Pew pew pew! KABOOM!” The boy tossed the Caldari Drake toy into the air, sending it on a wild spin down to the floor where it bounced across the carpet and against an old storage box in the corner. Luckily, it was as resilient as it's namesake. “Yeah! The Gallente win!” Harjolf danced about with the one remaining battlecruiser toy in his hand. Virkold laughed lightly and let his head fall back against the couch again.

Virkold's wife smiled, setting down the plate and rag on an end table before kneeling beside Harjolf. “Harjolf, you know that's not how it flies...”

Virkold blinked at the ceiling, then looked to his wife and son. He stared at the toy.

“You've got it upside down.”

Virkold's eyes widened.

“And backwards too.”

Virkold's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

“I know, momma... but this is how it looks cool!”

“YES! THAT'S PERFECT!”

Virkold leaped up from the couch as he shouted, startling the two.

“...I GOTTA GO.”

Mentor, Muse

(( Written for Silver Night's Tier 3 Battlecruiser contest  ))

Mentor, Muse
The young Amarrian engineer ran his fingers over those long graceful curves.  He took a short, sharp breath.  He let his eyes drift closed in the dark.  That body...

The lights clicked on in the design room.  The engineer's eyes snapped open anxiously and he leaped back from the holographic design console.  Parud Vakirokiki stood at the doorway, fingers still hovering over the light control.  “...Working late again.  How admirable.  It's good to see such noble dedication in your generation.”

“That's... yes.”  The engineer quickly grabbed up a handkerchief from his work stand and dabbed at his forehead, trying to compose himself.  His efforts were a failure as Parud stepped in, and a tall, elegant woman in simple robes followed her.  The engineer locked eyes with her for but a moment.  She was gorgeous, as always.  Her robes hung loosely, completely concealing, but it only sparked his imagination harder.

“Oh my...” Parud's voice thankfully broke the engineer's concentration.  His eyes darted to her as he dabbed his brow again. 

“Wh-What?  What...”

“Alara had been telling me you were by far her greatest student, but... I was not sure I believed it until now.”  The engineer's eyes slowly drifted back to the lovely robed woman.  She smiled softly, bowing her head.  Everything he knew, she had taught him.  All of his skill, his talent, he owed it all to her.

But it was more than that.  His drive, his inspiration...  His muse...

Parud stepped past the engineer and up to the console where the holographic image of a tall, curved ship floated elegantly.  Statistics scrolled idly past beneath the projection.  They were stunning... 8 turret mounts, and enough generators and reinforcing to load weapons meant for the finest battleships in the Imperial Navy.  The young engineer stepped around to the side of the console.  He glanced down to his worknotes.

Tall
Curvacious Curved
Delicate
Flexible Adaptable

He gently flipped the leather-bound notebook closed.

“Magnificent.  This... What do you call it?”  Parud turned to the engineer.

“A-Ah... I, um...”  He stumbled over his words, before his eyes raised to his teacher, standing simply.  When the Lord created her, he had perfection in mind.  He had only done his best to create his own sad immitation of his teacher.  “Mentor...”

Parud frowned.  “No.  That won't do.”  The engineer blinked, turning back to her suddenly.

“No?  What?”

“I have seen the defeat of our enemies.  This ship is the Oracle that has shown me. The Oracle.”  The engineer stood stunned.  “I must take the plans to The Empress immediately.”  She tapped a few buttons on the console and the hologram blinked out.  Parud withdrew a small disc from the machine and immediately turned, marching towards the door once again.  “Your skill is a testament to the Empire.”

“...But...”

Alara paused, smiled softly to the engineer, and followed Parud Vakirokiki from the room.