You nod to XO Ekhi, "lead on to the meeting. I slept well enough on the shuttle, and I'm only bringing what I'm carrying anyway." You shrug the backpack on your shoulder.

Ekhi raises an eyebrow, "no luggage Lady Dannan?"

You give a small smile. "no one likes to touch a Navigator's things. And I don't like carrying extra things when I don't have to. I expect to be aboard for quite some time, so I'll fill out my wardrobe and such as we travel. Now lead on, It won't do to keep Shipmistress Von Sebastion waiting."

The XO can only bow and lead the way. You glide along behind, wondering what exactly has your cousin so tied up that she didn't greet you herself. A half mile of corridors and lifts later, you have some inkling. Two men stand sentry outside the conference room. One is the expected Von Sebastion armsman, dutifully guarding his Shipmisstress. The other is in the white-on-orange of the bodyguard of a ranking Bishop of the Ecclesiarchy. Inwardly you sigh. Priests. Why did it have to be ground-bound dogma-wed Priests. Outwardly you still your expression and lower the cowl of your robes, displaying your Navigator's headscarf as your mark of rank.

The armsman comes to attention, while the bodyguard comes on-guard. Hardliners then, who are going to have problems with psykers of all stripes, no matter that you are the only person aboard the Ignis who can guide her to whichever destination Faunia requires. XO Ekhi makes the needed introductions, and the armsman and bodyguard step aside. The latter with a clear degree of reluctance, but he is a professional.

The doorway open and you enter. You drift over and take a seat left open for you at Faunia's side, placing you bag at your feet and leaning your staff on its arm. "Shipmistress. Navigator Ethna Nic Vir Dannan reporting as ordered."

Faunia nods in your direction. "Welcome aboard Navigator." Her soprano is as smooth and silky as always, despite the strain you can hear in its depths. The Bishop sitting at the other end of the table must be a real pain in the neck to negotiate with. "Now that my Navigator is aboard, we can begin preparations for departure to Oasis."

The Bishop puffs out his chest indignantly. "You were waiting for this tainted heap of flesh? That is what we were waiting for?"

Faunia stares levelly at him "Bishop Rynald, as I have told you several times before, no Imperial ship is capable of moving between systems without a Navigator. This Includes the Ignis. If you are incapable of showing her the respect her profession deserves, then I'm more than willing to confine you to your quarters for the duration of the journey."

Rynald bristles, indignant at the fact that Faunia isn't fawning all over him, and clearly hasn't been for quite some time. His bodyguards are too professional to show their opinions openly, but their hands have been close to their weapons since you entered. He opens his mouth to start another tirade, but Faunia slaps her hand down on the table.

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"The Ignis was contracted by Archbishop Romanus to conduct you to Oasis to assume your Bishopric. I have no intention of breaching that contract, but it means that you are a guest aboard my ship. You will conduct yourself as such, or I will have you confined to your quarters until it is time to disembark. Is that understood?"

Rynald clearly wants to argue, and you have to wonder if this is his first time aboard a starship. He is clearly young for his rank, probably just raised to it, and looking to rub others face in it. Equally clearly, Faunia has no intention of being bullied and has reached the end of her patience. Rynald backs down. "Understood Shipmistress."

"Good. I'd suggest you make sure everything is stowed and secure for departure. With Navigator Dannan aboard, we will be departing as soon as our stores are topped up." She stands to depart, with Ekhi trotting and you gliding along in her wake, the armsmen bringing up the rear.

"I'm guessing Rynald is a first-time traveler then, Shipmistress?" You venture as the party moves down the corridor.

Faunia nods. "And as self-important as they come."

"First Transition will humble his ignorant ass then."

"I know that tone, what's rubbed you on the raw now Ethna?"

"Mostly that he's the type to get his neck broken by shoving it where it doesn't belong in an effort to exert his 'power'."

Faunia sighs, "and I can't let him hurt himself, or the contract goes out the window."

Ekhi shrugs. "Treat him like a new midshipman? Yank him up just short of burning his eyebrows off so you only have to do it once?"

You shake your head. "I'm thinking that he's too stupid for that to work. Estimated Time to departure?"

Faunia passes the question, "XO?"

"If the stores are topped up on schedule, we'll be leaving Viking orbit in three hours, and be at the translation point in another ten."

"Just enough time to get my things stored away then. XO, my quarters please?"

Ekhi flips a hand at one of the armsmen. "I need to see to the cargo storage. Armsman Chaplain, if you would escort the Lady to the Navigator's quarters?"

A short while later, you are in your quarters and putting your few things away. The staff you leave leaning by the hatch, for when you head back out again. The relic Laspistol that Aunt Yasha gave you goes into the arms chest alongside the customized Hellpistol with its Ferinwood grips from your mother. Your few changes of clothing go into the closet and dresser, your toiletries into a cabinet in the head. Your Xenomesh armor and cowl hangs on the armor stand in the closet. You consider leaning the bolt shell charm on the shrine, but decide against it. Your father Vir gave it you you, patterned after his own. From the drake-head headstamp on it, you know that the material for it came from the same source as his and Aunt Yasha's, no small honor in its own right.

With all of that done, you check the clock mounted on the bulkhead. You could take a proper nap before it is time to depart, or you could head to the bridge now and start plotting the jump early.