"No, I'm not a 'domestic' as you say. I just do the chores for The High Priestess because I want to. Its my way of thanking her for saving me. As I am still in training, I cannot take on any official duties yet. And since I cannot hear the Songs of the Light in my dreams like the High Priestess can, I can never take over that position from her if she were to step down. Nor can I share her burden." Mari let off a small sigh.
She wished she could do more but as she as she was still too young to assume any official responsibilities and lacking in experience nor can she hear the songs in her sleep, the most she could do is what she does now. Eventually she'll assume some duties but the job that her beloved Mother Bianca does cannot be shared to her.
"I'll tell you the first part of my history. I'll keep it brief. I was originally born on Planet Kyushu to a somewhat middle income family. 14 years later my family had saved up for a small holiday that was supposed to last a month. We would take a Liner to Okinawa where we would have a vacation on the planet. As soon as we entered Okinawa, the Trade Lane we were in was disrupted by the Golden Chrysanthemums, and all hell broke loose. They fired torpedoes which disabled our ship, the torpedo strike killed my Parents who were in the cabin where one of hte torpedoes struck. I was captured by their boarding party and stuffed into a cargo hold with many others like me. We knew what was going to happen, we were going to become slaves..."
Mari paused a bit. It was still hard for her to talk about this part of her past. She took a deep breath and continued.
"A Junker slave trader bought me from the slavers and then took me to a Junker slave trading base in a system called 'Texas?' I cannot remember, at the time I didn't know of all the star systems outside of Kusari. I spent almost 2 months on that base, not many were interested in a Kusarian slave like me who had no skills, barely any education and above all I had no status. I had no value apart from being sold to a pleasure district, but then my age was a problem too. The Slaver was becoming increasingly irritated with me and he began to take out his frustrations on me as a result. It was then after suffering a week of constant physical abuse, that the High Priestess found me. Don't ask me what she was doing there. She wasn't wearing her Priestess robes as you see her now. If you told me she was the leader of a religious sect, I wouldn't have believed you. She was visiting the slaver for information when she saw me. I don't know what happened from then on. But I heard the Slaver disappeared never to be heard from again."
Mari paused again, this time the pause was slightly longer. It was the first time she'd shared this with anyone. It wasn't like she didn't have anyone to share it with, but nobody asked her about her past and there was no point in talking to Bianca about it because she already knew Mari's history.
"That's how I ended up following The High Priestess. Since then I've been in her care. Half a year after that I boarded the newly commissioned Axiom and have lived here ever since."
Mari took a bit to process her thoughts. The Elevator reached its destination and the doors opened revealing the large hangar No.3. Inside the hangar were an assortment of small ships and freighters with a transport docked in the centre. On the left side was a door that looked out of place in the hangar. Above the door was a sign that read "Temple of the Light".
"Here we are, once we cross through that entrance we'll be in the Axiom's Temple chamber. And from there we'll go into the Inner Sanctum where The High Priestess is waiting for you. "
Mari walked out of the elevator and turned to the left towards the Temple's entrance.
''I see.'' Nina said nothing else. She did not know what to say to be exact. Hearing people's stories was more a silent moment. Then, without any notice, Nina friendly hit Mari's right shoulder. ''If you want, I can hear what you have on your little heart, hermana.'' Nina was surprised to say that but she tried to not appear to be surprised.
In any case, it was time to meet the high priestess, Bianca Ataegina. The corsair wondered what will happen and what the priestess would like to discuss. ''Let's meet that high priestess.'' Then, Nina followed Mari.
Mari turned to look at Nina making sure she followed her. She kept her thoughts to herself for a bit, trying to sort out some of the feelings that surfaced from recounting her past. The two walked in silence until they reached the entrance to the corridor that lead to the Temple.
"Here we are. Behind these doors is a specially built corridor that takes us straight from the hangar to the Temple chambers. Its a bit of a walk but the corridor was decorated accordingly so the walk shouldn't be too boring. Generally it is recommended to walk from these doors to the inner entrance on the other side of the corridor in silence. This way one can collect their thoughts and arrive at the temple with an open mind."
Mari explained
"But if there is anything you want to talk about, or a question that's within my capability to answer, I wouldn't mind hearing you out on the way. It can be awkward to walk together without saying anything at all. With that said, shall we step forward?"
Mari opened one of the doors on the left and motioned for Nina to go forward.
Nina nodded and walked in company of Mari in the corridor. The corsair was fascinated by the decoration. Sometimes, she stopped walking just to see in details the corridor. ''It's well decorate...'' She said after some long minutes. The she added as a joke. ''Perhaps I should bring you to Crete and you decorate my room. *laughs*'' In fact, it was not really a joke. Nina was somehow a bit serious.
Mari quietly walked down the corridor. From time to time she stopped as Nina admired the decorations.
She gave a soft giggle at Nina's joke.
"We spared no effort. It was designed to allow pilgrims and wouldbe followers to prepare their minds. For a good number of them, the Temple becomes their home for months on end as they begin studying and learning about the faith. When they leave it is as if they have been changed. They are not the broken people they were when they entered here. The High Priestess' songs and her teachings truly have touched and changed the hearts of many."
As they walked towards the temple gates. Mari fell into her own thoughts again. She remarked at the Corsair Woman's curiosity. Having heard about how unwelcoming Corsairs were to outsiders, and how hostile they can be. But Nina was unlike any of the stories and rumors she heard. Perhaps having already encountered The High Priestess, something might be changing. She wasn't certain, so she decided to keep that thought to herself.
It wasn't long and they reached the gates. They were again a set of two large doors. This time stylised to look like a pair of well decorated stone doors. But something stood out on them. In the centre of the two doors was a large insignia. It was the insignia of the Axiom. Mari stopped at the gates and turned to look at Nina.
"We have arrived. Mrs. Nina Rodriguez, welcome to the Temple of the Light. The heart of the Axiom Congressional Services' operations, and the main location for the teachings of The Songs of The Light."
Mari gave a slight bow and the temple doors opened.
When they arrived, Nina Rodriguez was without a word. The beauty of the place blew her mind. ''Wow...'' The only word she said. After some moments of admiration, Nina looked at Mari and putted her left hand on her right shoulder. ''Call me Nina and not Mrs blablabla. I already told you it makes me older. I highy doubt you want me to call you Mrs Marie, si?'' On this, Nina was serious. She hated to be called Mrs. But as soon as Marie acknowledged that, Nina removed her hand from Marie's shoulder and kept following her.
The corsair took a look over here and over there while they were walking.
"I am often called Mrs Mari by the many pilgrims that come here, it stopped bothering me after a few months. The Temple Chamber is probably the most impressive part of the Axiom. It is not just pacifism that the Axiom is unarmed, but because the power core was rigged to provide power for the Temple Chambers instead of weapons. So its not that we chose not to have weapons, its more that while we chose not to have weapons, we also cannot put any on this ship since the Core's capacity won't allow it."
Mari explained as she walked. They walked to the large statue in the centre of the platform. Mari gave a short bow to the statue and put her hands together. After a short while she finished her prayer to see the Corsair woman was waiting for her.
"Its an impressive Temple isn't it? But this is not our final destination. The High Priestess is waiting for us at the Inner Sanctum. Those are her personal chambers where only her, her special guests like yourself and I am allowed in there."
Nina couldn't disagree about the fact that the temple was impressive. Even for a non-pilgrim, she was impressed by the beauty of it. She was even more surprised to ''like'' Mari and this environment. The woman was also surprised being calm. When Mari explained some details, Nina listened to her and nodded. ''So, the high priestess is waiting for us.... I do not know why but I feel a bit stressed even if it is unusual.'' Explained Nina a bit ashamed.
''Tell me a bit more about the priestess. What kind of person is she? I know she told me a bit about her but I want another perspective... in other words, from you.'' Said suddenly Nina while they both walking.
"There's no real need to get nervous around the High Priestess. Out of everyone here, its as if she has no malice at all towards anyone. There are times when she can be quite scary, in like there's something inhumane lurking inside her. The only times I've seen glimpses of it were when she rescued me, and when the Temple was being threatened by some unfortunate pirates. What's scary is that there was never any malice, anger or hatred in her actions regarding those incidents. Not that I could see it anyways. Either she's really good at hiding it, or she's devoid of those emotions..."
Mari paused a bit to think about how to carefully word her next sentence.
"If I were to put it, I don't think there's a bad side that she has to get on. But she does what she must when the Axiom, her beliefs or her followers are threatened. And I think its possible she's done things in the past that cannot be spoken about. If she has, I have never heard of them. Despite spending most of my time with her, I know very little about her. I know more about this ship and this faith more than I know her."
Mari turned around to begin walking once more towards the Inner Sanctum's entrance.
"I guess the mysteriousness around her is the reason she has so many followers as well. Most of the people here that have stayed aren't even concerned with learning more about her anymore, and stay only to hear her songs and prayers she gives. She's a mystery, but she's at the very least in my eyes, a genuinely good person. You won't find another like her in the whole sector. Even I don't come close to her since I have the emotions that she seems to lack."
Mari gave a slightly pained smile. What she said now about her not knowing Bianca so well takes its toll on her. She wishes to know more but every time she asks Bianca skillfully directed the conversation away from herself resulting in Mari never learning more than what she knows now. She's almost given up on it.
"In the end, I think a face to face discussion with her will reveal much to you. You have more life experience than I do and I believe you'll realise something that I haven't. There's no need to be nervous around her. The High Priestess took an interest in you, so I am sure she'll reveal more of herself than what can be said over comms."
They arrived at the Inner Sanctum's doors, Mari took a deep breath before opening the door.
"Welcome to the Inner Sanctum. I cannot accompany you further as I have other duties to attend to. Although I'll be back in 3 hours to bring dinner." said Mari.
She gave an elegant curtsey and stood to the side. Allowing Nina to enter the Inner Sanctum.
Nina Rodriguez did not talk. She just listened Mari. She nodded sometime as ''Ok, I get it'' or ''I see''. Althought, Nina was surprised that even Mari did not know her a lot. But Nina planned to at least know a bit more the high priestess. Like Mari said, she was interested in Nina. Of course, the corsair wasn't sure why or the reasons behind this ''interest''.
When they arrived, Nina finally broke the silence. ''Gracias for the visit.'' She said while she was entering in the inner sanctum. It was a beautiful place. Nina looked a bit everywhere because she was curious. After some minutes passed observing the inner sanctum, Nina found a place that seemed comfortable to sit and that's what she did.
Looking around to see if there was nobody, she talked to herself. ''I wonder why the high priestess has an interest in me...'' But meanwhile, she was just looking around until the person in question arrives.
![[Image: 56TqHKs.png]](https://i.imgur.com/56TqHKs.png)
