[Voice, locked to residents] --EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--

[malnosso]

[At 2:15AM, the journals suddenly blare out an alarm, followed by this message.]

EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. This is an emergency.

The following occupants of the Luceti enclosure must report to the teleporters in twenty minutes. You are required as reinforcements in Region 13. Bring all necessary armaments with you. You will be teleported directly into combat.

Anyone who fails to comply will be forcibly escorted to the teleporters by droids.

This is not a drill. I repeat: this is not a drill. You have twenty minutes.

[The message repeats twice more, the alarm continuing until the twenty minutes has elapsed. No questions will be answered.]

Comments

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

[That's a definite relief, and he relaxes slightly.]

That's very kind of you. I'm sure everyone here will appreciate the support in such tense circumstances.

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

Thank you, Richard! I hope I'll be able to help everyone go off to do their important work with a smile.

[And it looks as though she's already well on her way with Richard! How lovely!]

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

Can you also help look after the people who are still here in the village while we're gone? No doubt they'll be worried about everyone who is off fighting. They could use your cheerfulness to help lift their spirits.

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

[She beams. What an important job to have!]

Okay! I promise I'll do my best!

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

[More important than she'll likely realize, but Richard knows quite well just how critical something like that can be for keeping morale up.]

Thank you-- I knew I could count on you.

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

[Somehow, her smile grows. Now it's even more important than she does her best, because Richard is counting on her.]

I'm going to bake a cake for everyone when they come back. What kind would you like to eat?

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

I would be happy with whatever you made. It's hard to be picky where cake is concerned.

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

Yes, isn't it? They're all so good.

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

They are indeed, which is why you should choose whatever flavor you want to make.

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

Let me see.... Chocolate is very good. Maybe I should put some strawberries on it.

[Think think think.]

Oh, but cheesecake is very good, too. Hmm....

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

What about a chocolate cheesecake with strawberries on it? That way you could have all three of those things.

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

What a good idea, Richard! That sounds delicious!

[Too bad she only remembered the "chocolate" part later....]

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

Can I expect a chance to taste it when I get back?

[Teleporters!]

[lostinmyway]

Oh, yes, of course! I can't wait to share it with you.

[Beam!]

[Teleporters!]

[ledbythewind]

And I can't wait to try it. It will give me something to look forward to until we return.

[And at this point, that means more than she knows.]