#dovahcom

The room was empty. The familiar lights of vibrant pink glowed among the faint white within the Domeplex control room. Hands would grip the edge of the center console as blue eyes gazed downward. Off in the corner was a powered down android within a charging station, hooked up with wires.

"Is there anything that plagues your mind, sir?" That familiar, digitized voice resounded in the room. "You have been standing there in idle for ten minutes. Are you not staring into space?"

Theus shook his head slightly, snapping back into full attention.

"…I can't help but feel like I'm not done." He sighed, adjusting his posture as he leaned against the console. "Like there's… Something in the back of my mind that is telling me that this is still some sort of beginning."

"This implies that there is an end you are anticipating, sir."

Theus' fingers traced the console, pushing down occasionally to bring up different holograms.

"I- Ugh, I know." He runs his fingers through his hair as he browsed through the different interfaces. "It's a ridiculous thought to have. To- To constantly feel like something might start to crumble right beneath my feet."

Theus would tap on one of the buttons, bringing up an image…

"You… Already know everything there is to know, DovahCom. So I don't really have to say why…"

…It was an image of Theus, Jebodiah, their mom, and their dad together from many, many years ago.

"But… Knowing that he's right here, right underneath my fingertips…" The expression on Theus' face dropped, his eyebrows furrowing as his gaze went from the image to the console. "This is his coffin, right? He said it would be like guiding my hand. But how much more would he be able to do, even if he is just watching from beyond? I…"

His voice would trail off into silence, the air around him almost becoming still in the contemplation. Ever since that night… And those warnings… All the work he did making sure he heeded them, to make the right choices, to make sure he didn't up creating some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy by mistake…

It was a vow to himself. But the uncertainty… The fear…

"I… I don't know. I'd want to think that he'd be proud of me. But… I'm not even sure if I'm at the point where I can be proud of myself."

Theus would close the holograms, letting his grip of the console go and returning to proper posture. There was a short shrug as his arms swung back to his side, hands slightly slapping his thighs as they rested. The circling icon within the center of the screen would flash as DovahCom would speak up.

"Your efforts have proven to uphold the Legacy, some suggesting that it has even strengthened. There is certainty that people would say that you should be proud of the work you have done. I am inclined to agree with this statement."

A slight, soft chuckle escaped Theus as he tugged on his jacket slightly.

"Thank you, DovahCom. I just…" He crossed his arms and looked towards the side a bit. "I guess the thought of what could have been still haunts me… If I had not stopped my father and gave him the help he desperately needed…"

Silence filled the room with both parties without a single word… Theus would eventually start to move again, getting ready to head out of the control room.

"That's… For another day. There's still work to be done and… I can't stop now-"

"If I may interrupt, sir, our satellites have picked up on an object approaching our orbit."

"What?!"

DovahCom would immediate load up different holographic scans of the planet. Some showed the different satellite locations, others their statuses. In the center was a camera view from one of them. It didn't look to be any debris nor did it look like an asteroid of sorts.

It looked like…

A small spacecraft?

"An extraterrestrial shuttle is closing in on Nadoria without any signs of cessation. Its speed was noted to have slowed as it started to approach the atmosphere and its appearance does not suggest that it is a combat vessel. Do we engage in first contact, sir?"

"Scan for any signs of life."

"Scans show six different lifeforms, one in critical condition. There are no signs of having endured attack during its travel, suggesting that the one lifeform must have been wounded either before departure or mid-voyage."

Theus thought back to what he could remember from his visions… He remembered a transmission being sent… But it was from a single, skeletal figure. This wasn't just one person. This was six. One of them in need of medical attention.

He doesn't know who these people are. Or what species they were. Or what language they spoke.

But if this is what is being shown to him?

He doesn't care.

"DovahCom. Initiate the live translator and establish a connection to the vessel's comms."

"As you wish, sir."

It was one thing setting everything up on the Nadoria side of things. It was another thing waiting to see if they would pick up the phone. Theus would wait patiently as the Domeplex's adaptive translation system would launch and for the signal to reach the vessel. Eventually, the connection would be established. The holograms changed from their previous display to a single one; a live waveform visualizer.

"Communication has been established. Translator active."

Theus took a breath, gathering the words to say as he got into the proper demeanor of a leader.

"This is Theus Valentin of the Valentin Legacy. I extend my greetings to you and welcome you to Nadoria. We mean you no harm in any manner. If I may ask, what is it that you seek?"

There was a pause before a deep, masculine voice spoke from the other side… The tone… Pleading.

"We- We need… Help."

Theus' heart jumped.

"…Who is speaking right now?"

Another pause as the translation would pass through.

"I… M-my name is Xavier."

The old haircuts art in question! I still love how I drew his scowl~