Above It All

Nexus Docking Control - Morning

"What do you mean they wont leave?" The docking supervisor glared down at the view screen where a woman was standing hand on hips glaring back up at them.

"Like I said sir, she says we have short changed them on the medical supplies and she is threatening to dump their load into the Maelstrom."

The controller was sweating as he glanced between the screen and his supervisor.

"Insolent Dusk rat, have a squad of wardens take them in for processing."

"But sir I..." the controller began to object but was cut off as a third voice sounded sharply from the doorway behind the two men.

"You will do no such thing." they turned to see a tall, imposing figure dressed in the long flowing robes of the High Imperium. Her bright green eyes sparked with barley checked fury as she stepped into the room.

"Give them what they ask for," she raised a hand sharply to forestall any questions, "We can not risk losing the stone."

"Yes my lady." the controller started to bark orders over the radio system to comply with the demands of their visitor below.

"Lady Meldarrin," the supervisor licked his lips as he chose his words carefully, "If the Skyriders are allowed to make such demands will it not put a strain on our own supplies?"

She met his eyes with a hard stare causing him to visibly fight the urge to scuttle backward away from her. After what seemed like a painful eternity she gave a small nod and replied,

"Send word to the Dusk authorities, and have her arrested upon landing. Let the rats below deal with their own."

"Yes my lady, of course." the supervisor gave a brief bow an scurried away to follow his orders.

Lady Meldarrin remained staring at the screen for some time as she watched the airship crew unload their precious cargo. Her hand grasped the back of the controllers chair in silent rage as she watched the presumptuous bitch on the screen. How dare she make demands of Elesium like this. It was a sign that things were slipping, she was sure of it. Of course the others would dismiss her concerns, they always did. The balance had worked for five hundred years, why would it stop working now? The Delve mined the stone, Dusk refined the stone and delivered it to Elesium, and in return... in return Elesium provided life; fresh water and food, medical supplies and a hope for the future.

So entrenched in her thoughts was she that she had not noticed that the controller had turned to stare up at her. His face was pale and his eyes wide. Her anger it seemed had caused her to squeeze too hard on the back of his metal chair and her fingers had pierced clean through, leaving the metal in a warped mess. She released her gasp and the soft whirr of mechanical augments could be heard from beneath her milky white flesh.

"I will send you a new chair." she snapped as she turned and marched out of the room; silently making a mental note to have the man removed before the rumours began to spread. Personal augments were illegal within the city, but as every member of the Imperium knew, the law was for the people, a system to maintain order. They were as high above the law as Elesium was above the black hell below the Maelstrom.