Hestia and I have always worked well together. One day, that ability to work seamlessly bled over into our personal lives and then we became inseparable. Maybe that is why I never take her into danger. I want her home, safe. I encourage her to learn skills that automatically force her into a support role.
We are half way through processing all the data when Remus walks back in the room. He waits to speak until we both reach a stopping point and look at him.
"There is an Entreat tomorrow at 11. Be ready to present all your findings and a plan if you can."
"Both of us?" Hestia asks.
"Both of you. Hestia you should take the lead in the presentation."
"Makes sense," I respond, "any plan we come up with will be better received from her. Especially considering recent events. Should I avoid the meeting?"
"No, Elder Isis wants you there, " Remus confirms before turning to leave, "oh, and it's been decided your and Alyssa's punishments will be deferred until the current problem is solved. As part of your atonement, you are both to take an active role in solving our current crisis. Impress us and your punishment may be lessened." Then he walks out of the room.
Well, that is a positive development. The elders are finally acknowledging there is a problem. We have a decent chance of getting out of this with a slap on the wrist. At the very least, I am no longer at risk of execution.
"Love, have you found any evidence of the dragons' betrayal?"
She keeps typing, looking through data while responding, "the dragons betrayed us?"
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"They handed me over to the humans. Vulcan and Cory."
"That is a huge betrayal. If they are going to get in the way, we need to know."
"Agreed. I doubt there would be any evidence in the ship's database."
"No, that kind of information would likely be held by the NSA, CIA, or other agency."
"We are going to need to erase our presence from those databases as well."
She finishes typing on the laptop, and lets whatever program she wrote run. When she is sure the program is working as intended, she gets up and heads to the door, "I need my laptop for that. Are you hungry? I'm going to drop by the mess on my way back."
"Starving, bring me a double portion." I don't look up from the papers I'm going through. She kisses me on the cheek, then sashes through the door. I love watching her walk away, and that spring in her steps means she will forgive me soon.
I turn back to the analog notes. The notes are disturbing. I really don't want to read this, but they are revealing important information: how they determined if people were members of a magical race, who they have already identified, and when they expect them to be brought in. There are also references to a second site, with data shared from that second site. There are more of us missing than we thought.
We desperately need to do a census.
Heista returned with her computer and four large mugs of warm blood. The second I smell it, I remember how hungry I am. Both mugs are empty before I fully register taking them.
"There is a second site." I say.
"Looks that way," she confirms, "but I haven't found it yet."
"Neither have I, but I do have names of people they intend to bring in, and approximate dates. Though with our recent escape those dates may have moved up."
"Send the list to Remus?"
I pull up a computer and type it quickly into an email. Remus can organize teams to secure those already identified as being at risk. With what the human governments are doing, it would be prudent to extract all of our people from the human areas of the planet.
Hestia is oscillating between two computers, processing the data we've retrieved while looking for the second site and trying to find definitive data implicating Vulcan.
Reality is, even with our faster speeds, there isn't enough time to have everything written up by the Entreat. It is going to be a long night.