<em>Meanwhile, on the surface...</em><br/><br/>The arrival of the flotilla had not been commented on in the news-casts as of yet, but the word was quickly spreading through military and certain select members of the civilian side.  The energy readings of the arrival of the ships had, fortunately, been caught by one of the monitoring stations that was mostly keeping track of one of the small handful of satellites in orbit.  By and large the reaction wasn't visible from outside as the armed forces began to prepare.  A number of flights were quietly grounded, even as other, smaller craft began launching and spreading, moving persons of import to distant, secure locations.<br/><br/>Including one less than wholly agreeable princess.<br/><br/>------------------------<br/><br/>Telaliel frowned as the royal guard in front of her opened the door to the rooftop orni-pad, the bay doors still closed, and began walking purposefully towards one of the smaller craft.   "Would you mind telling me what is going on that has you in such a hurry?"   The guardswoman didn't even pause in her strides as she led her charge to one of the vehicles.  "One of the sensor watches caught a burst of energy where there shouldn't have been anything.  A followup scan found multiple energy signatures sitting in space some distance away and..." she paused, listening again, then said a number of choice words she was not supposed to speak around royalty.  "Some of the energy signatures are beginning to move this way.  We have to get you out of here, NOW!"  The guard moved to grab her charge by the arm, meaning to force her into the 'thopter if necessary.<br/><br/>The princess lightly danced back a step and out of the grasping hand as she considered a moment.  "Then we should take my orni.  I know you prefer the Diving Hawk, but it's slower and more well armored, but the Screaming Swallow is much faster, not unarmored and much better armed."<br/><br/>The royal guard frowned at her charge, considering how best to get her into the armored luxory ornithopter rather than her well worn military craft.  "You've been over the same contingency plans as the rest of the family, your highness.  They hold the orbitals.  You're father has been working so that we can hold our own orbitals, but you know as well as I that is some decades off.  For now, there is nothing you can do for your people save to make yourself safe.  Your mother is being moved to another location and...your father will remain here, should we receive peaceful contact.  But you need to move<em>now</em>your highness!"<br/><br/>Telaliel nods and moves towards the Swallow, the hexawinged fighter 'thopter.  "Then we need to move quickly.  The Hawk is simply too slow."  Her tone didn't brook any argument, she simply slid into the pilots couch and began bringing systems online.  "I do wish they hadn't said I couldn't keep her armed at the palace...she almost feels unbalanced without her shredder bolts."  The guard slid into the co-pilot couch with a slight grumble.  It wasn't that she disagreed with the princess, simply that she really, really disliked not being in control of a situation.  And if ever there was a situation of her being out of control, it was whenever her charge sat in this bird.<br/><br/>------------------------<br/><br/>A few moments later the doors pulled back quickly and the ornithopter stepped into the sunlight, translucent wings unfolding from their stowage, stretching as if to feel the warmth of the light upon them with a little shudder.  A moment later, when system checks were complete, the six wings raised and beat the air once, twice, then began to blur as they quickly accelerated to take off.  The arched, delicate legs fold up into the main body as soon as they are clear of the roof edge and the small craft moved to its full cruising speed, heading almost due east at nearly twice the speed of sound.