Tasha awakens with a start, momentarily panicked to find herself along in a bed. Abaddon's tepid dawn shines through a porthole, and the muted thrum of the Ajax's engines begin to calm the Vartan's racing heart. She isn't sure what brought on the nightmare; she's been under plenty of stress the past few days preparing for this journey, after all. But last night there wasn't any special shock or trauma to trigger her other vivid, vision-like dreams - and this one seemed more like a normal nightmare. She knows there was fighting and loss in it, but the details just aren't as sharp.
Still.. where did Gabriel get to?
Brushing her hair aside, Tasha stares down at the covers on her bed and takes a moment to center herself. It's just a dream, she reminds herself, the internal conversation seemingly very familiar by now. I need to learn to deal with these things without over-reacting, and now is that time. Taking a deep breath, then exhaling, she drops back down in to the bed.
But it doesn't take; the anxiety keeps her from returning to sleep, so sits up again and slides out of bed. Trudging oveer to the mirror, she stares blearily at herself, then turns and begins to dress and get ready. I'm sure it's nothing; Gabriel can take care of himself, she reminds herself, but it doesn't quite dispel the concern.
There's a rattling at the door to the cabin, and then it opens as Gabriel enters - pushing a rolling tray with covered platters on it that do little to hide the smells of bacon and breakfast. "Oh, you're already up!" the wolf notes. "I was hoping to surprise you in bed."
Tasha, comb in hand and hair in hand, blinks as she looks back annd laughs. "Is that come on line? I had a awful dream, so when I didn't see you here I decided I'd better go look for you," she explains before resuming her hundred strokes. "Thank you for thinking about me."
"Well, it's a special day today!" Gabriel notes as he uncovers the dishes. There are hotcakes and eggs and sausages and LOTS of bacon and ham, several side dishes, a pot of coffee and one little fruit cup. "You'll need your energy."
"It's the day we conqueuer the buffet?" Tasha asks, pausing to sniff the air. A few strokes more and she puts aside her comb, walking over and holding her arms out. "Perhaps the monsters want our breakfast and I'm to go save Elamoore from a baconless future?"
Gabriel pulls Tasha into a hug, and explains, "It's your birthday! Well, best as I can calculate it, anyway. We're going to celebrate Terran style!"
Tasha leans up to kiss her mate on the side of the muzzle after he hugs her, leaning in and getting comfortable after. "Is that it?" She asks with a chuckle, thinking back to what she told Fred. "he put you up to this, didn't you? You know I'm not actually Terran; everything I know about birthdays belongs to Nora. I just mentioned it because I thought it'd be relevant to the conversation. You don't have to do anything!"
"It's important to establish new traditions in a mixed relationship," Gabriel claims, as he sits Tasha down at the edge of the bed and then pins her in with the cart. "Now, you can feed yourself, or I can tie you to the bed and do it slowly.. your choice!" he notes with a grin.
Tasha barks a laugh, throwing her hands up in surrender. "What choices! You know I like taking the hard route!" She laughs more.
So, Tasha is forced to endure being fed in bed, which leads to other things.. but oddly doesn't interrupt the feeding! Gabriel is a good multitasker. Of course, this also means she'll have to get dressed again, and unmuss herself and probably wash up a bit first so everyone with a decent nose doesn't know what they've been up to (bacon smell can only cover so much, after all). And of course Gabriel has to wash up as well, so they do that together.. until they run out of hot water. "Is there anything special you'd like to do today?" Gabriel asks her during the toweling off part - which is dangerously close to causing another incident already.
Looking much happier, Tasha smiles as she's ruffled up and doesn't answer immediately. Instead, she finds herself in a happy zone. These moments happen so rarely now that they're both busy, with hectic, full scheduals and often hours or days apart from each other. For the moment, she's just happy to be in love, with the one she loves. Her tail wags up against the man's leg, which probably doesn't help the effort to get clean.
But eventually she does answer, if just so she doesn't leave him waiting. "I don't know," she says in distracted haze. "I think I like this just fine. Do I have to do anything? I like just being with you, and not having to do anything for once ... "
"Well, I suppose we can work off some of this breakfast before the party then.." Gabriel replies, and scoops Tasha up into his arms and spins around a few times to try and make her laugh.
And she does laugh, holding on tight for more than just safety ...
After the spinnign stops, tasha wobbles, dropping to lean against the older Karnor. "I love you," she says, finding she never gets tired of saving it. "I love you, I love you ... "
A few hours (and another tank of hot water) later, both of them are a bit exhausted yet wide awake. This time it's possible to get dressed all the way! "So you don't have any birthday traditions in your family?" Gabriel asks (again), just to be sure Tasha isn't missing out on anything.
"Like I said, we don't have anything like that. Calenders aren't common unless you're in a field that needs precise dating, and they're expensive, since paper is uncommon and so is the knowledge to accurately make them. The Temple makes some that ... " She blinks, realizing she's rambling and getting in to work mode, so she just shrugs and blinks vapidly at her mate, finishing with, "I'unno," grinning widely. She winks, adding, "We celebrated by drinking, which was also how we partied, sex, promotion, demotion, because the sun rose ... "
"Well, we'll have to do something similar when the sun sets then," Gabriel promises, before opening the door for Tasha. There's actually some traffic in the corridor, since the run from the Pit to New Zion is generally a bit crowded, given the limited passenger space on the giant airship.
"Now you're thinking like a Vartan!" Tasha glancs out the door, taking a moment to look herself in the mirror, but aborts and mentally shrugs -- today she doesn't care if the world thinks she's horny and in love with her commanding officer. The world, she decides, will survive.
As she heads out with Gabriel at her side, she says, "It's nice to see such a crowd. I was feeling a bit pretencious last flight; I'm not used to being a passanger, and certainly not in accomidations like this!"
"I hear this is the busiest route for Ajax," Gabriel says as he leads the way towards the forward lounge. "Faster than the train, and that's important when it comes to getting produce to market. Plus it brings in heavy equipment and vehicles for the pit." The lounge has a few clusters of passengers already in it; merchants from the look of them, either returning to New Zion after selling at the Pit, or bringing fruits and vegetables back from it - and certainly a few extroverted ones have done both. Near the front, where the view includes the forward hull of the airship, are Hakeber and Aaron. Gabriel heads towards them.
"That makes sense. The more I learn about this world, the more I learn we've really barely scratched the surface of its people and culture. Even with a relatively smaller population base, the history and infrastructure here is deeper, and so are the people," Tasha remarks as they walk across the lounge towards their companions. "Hakeber could probably fill us in; so could Aaron for that matter. They're both pretty astute and focused on the cultures they occupy."
"For me that mostly comes down to knowing when to run," Aaron comments as Tasha gets closer. Bunny hearing strikes again. "Tasha!" Hakeber all but squeals, as she hops to her feet and gives the hybrid a big hug as if she hadn't seen her for weeks. "Happy Birthday! We're gonna get so drunk!"
Tasha squeals right back, giving her friend a hug in return. "We so are! But don't abuse me too much, I need to save some for later," she confides in mock-whisper. While part of her winces at suggesting she might be a sexual creature in public, today, she happily tells that part of her to stuff it. She's done a lot for the people of Abaddon, they'll forgive her a day of letting loose.
Taking a seat, she grins over at Aaron and admits, "You do know how to run. It's a skill I'm apparently terrible at; I should take notes next time."
"You can fly," the Lapi points out. "Which probably makes it harder to dodge arrows though, admittedly." The buck has a ribbon-wrapped box in the seat next to him, while Hakeber has a hastily-wrapped bottle at her side. "Are you okay to sit down, or still recovering from whatever you spent the first half of the day doing?" Aaron asks with a knowing wink.
"Hey I didn't question your expertise in running, I'll trust you not doubt mine expertise in my chosen vice," Tasha replies to Aaron, grinning widely. She then leans back, spreading her hands. "I'm new to this whole 'birthday
' thing; it's a Terran tradition, that I know, but its all new to me."
"All I was told is that it was a party with cake and to bring a gift," Aaron says.
"The BEST kind of party!" Hakeber notes. Then thinks, "Well, second-best after the age of sixteen, at least!"
"Then you know about as much as I do," Tasha says. She then turns to Gabriel and explains, "He's here for the cake, I assure you."
Looking back to Hakeber, she asks curiously, "Just how old are you, anyway? And why is sixteen important?"
"I'm nineteen, but sixteen is when you can legally drink and.. other things.. in the Expedition. Well, for Karnors at least," the scholar explains.
"Really?!" Tasha asks, revealing perhaps more than she had intended about herself. After all, she's been in culture shock for weeks from other things! "I had no idea there were laws preventing you from drinking at certain ages ... Or, from doing other things for that matter. You're not just teasing me, are you? They don't really have a law like that right?"
"Well, yeah, you can get into trouble," Hakeber claims. "Young people don't know how to handle all that stuff, and are already pretty reckless. But.. well, we do have a lot more childhood protection on Abaddon than you probably get on Sinai.."
"So I see ... " Tasha says with an air of surprise. "I started drinking when I ... Well, as long as I can remember. Not a lot at first, but you know, here and there. Alcohol keeps better than water. My first time was-" Tasha suddenly pauses, glances at Gabriel, quickly turns back and promptly changes the subject. "Hey! Are those presents?!"
Hakeber thrusts the obvious bottle at Tasha, claiming, "Yeah! Although it's okay to share them too, you know.."
"You know I like to share!" Tasha takes the present and tears in to it, exlaiming to Gabriel, "Alcohol! How did she know?"
Gabriel chuckles and looks over the label. "Expedition City Rum. 1001 Uses," he reads.
"I'm sure I can find a few more," Tasha insists. She then turns to Aaron and holds her hands out.
"There're recipes on the back for sauces and cakes and other things you can do with it.." Hakeber claims.
"Happy Birthday, Tasha," Aaron says, and places the long, narrow box into her hands.
Tasha blinks at this, looking over and asking, "Really? You can cook with ... " She gets that far away expresion Gabriel has come to associate with Nora's memories kicking in; her head shakes a bit, as if to clear it, only cinfirming the situation. "I didn't, but now do, know that. But who ever heard of a Vartan baker?"
Returning her attention to Aarn, she murmurs, 'ooh,' and accepts the present. This one she's more careful in unwrapping, knowing Aaron's tastes tend to be more delicate.
The ribbon just slides off, and the box contains.. a box sized leather case! It's about twenty inches long and three thick.
"A box!" Tasha explaims, looking up. "You remembered my love of moving boxes! Oh, this brings back memories." She brushes the case lovingly, looking for a moment like she might be serious, but then she looks up, grins, and winks. The box is opened a second later.
Inside is.. a flute! At least, until the third glance, when it is clearly not a flute, but just made to look like one. It's actually a cleverly disguised blowgun. "I'll get you some darts when we reach Sinai," Aaron promises. "It doesn't fire exploding shells, but it will work wherever you are and is silent."
"Wow, this is pretty clever ... " Tasha picks up the device, turning it this way and that, then looking down the barrel at Aaron. "I guess you never know when you need to deal with a problem quietly. And, I do have a big mouth ... Not sure about quiet though!"
"I almost thought about getting you a real flute to go with it.. but I think it'll be easier for you to learn how to use the blowgun," the buck claims with a grin. "Plus, none of us could teach you.."
"I do okay on the guitar," Hakeber claims. "I know like two chords and.. granted, I never heard myself play while sober.."
"I'm afraid I'm not much of a songbird," Tasha agrees, placing the flute back in its case, which in turn goes to rest beside her where it will be safe. "You can play for my party Hake, I've never seen a guitar. We do have some recordings of Terran music, so I've heard them."
"I didn't bring it with me," Hakeber notes, looking suddenly guilty. "Two of the strings broke and I never had them replaced.."
Tasha reaches over an pat's Hakeber's hand. "It's alright! This is supposed to be a fun day! No frowning," she insists. Leaning back, she then adds, "It's also not a work day, so, just have fun -- right Gabriel?"
"Well, it's not a work day for you," the big wolf notes and winks. "I had to arrange the party stuff."
"What do we do, exactly?" Aaron asks. "Share embarrassing stories about Tasha?"
"Well that's why you're the best mate and captain anyone could ask for," Tasha insists before leaning over to kiss him again. She then glances over at Aaron as she leans back, admitting, "There are plenty of those."
"I think that's best saved for the drinking part of things," Gabriel suggests. "Dinner is first!"
"Hokay," says the birthday girl, who leans back and smiles. "I guess I'll just go with the flow and take in the culture. This might be our last break before we return to Sinai, so lets enjoy ourselves!"
Dinner is brought out to them in the lounge, as Gabriel arranged. It isn't lavish, but it's prepared by an actual chef, so the meat is tender and tasty (and pink, so at least it's from some sort of mammal most likely). Aaron never once complains about the odor either, having long ago learned not to criticize a carnivore's meal when it doesn't involve himself being part of it. He seems to enjoy his giant baked potato anyway.
During the course of the meal, there are plenty of jealous looks from the other patrons in the lounge - and Aaron helpfully repeats anything he eavesdrops that sounds funny. Most of the others in the lounge are humans, who seem to think Gabriel is the father of both girls, and Aaron is somehow their pet.
After hearing the comments, Tasha just laughs -- somthing she's been doing more than usual today. "I knew that would come up eventually," Tasha asides to Gabriel regarding his 'parentage.' "I'm honestly surprised it hasn't sooner, but I guess we never had the ears to hear it. I wonder if they also know you're my commanding officer? Do you think it'll be a problem?"
"No, but we can always blow their minds later if we feel like it," Gabriel says, in an obviously cheery mood as well. After the main meal, the porter asks if anyone would care for an aperitif. Hakeber asks for a 'hard coffee', and Gabriel requests a small brandy. "Would you like to try something different?" Gabriel asks Tasha with a glint in his eye.
"Yes," Tasha answers, but also adds, "And I would like to order a dictionary. Nor- ... um ... Nor-mal Terran ones have failed me."
"It's just an after-dinner drink," Gabriel says, and turns to the porter to order a 'crem-de-menthe' for Tasha. Aaron asks for something called an espresso, and then the porter leaves while someone else busses the table.
"More culture for the pile. Back home, we would just call it 'a drink'. Or as my mother would but it, "You too skinny Tash, have beer,"" Tasha remarks. She rubs her nose a moment, then smiles, looking around. "This is really nice. I haven't had a chance to really relax in a long time. There always seemed to be something that needed to be dealt with, or something to worry about, or ... something. Today I can turn my brain off, for once -- and not by machinery."
"I'd think you were still getting used to having it on," Aaron teases from the safety of the other side of the table.
Hakeber helpfully pokes Aaron in the shoulder, since she's next to him.
Tasha gives Aaron a look, but then shrugs and admits, "You're completly right, of course! This year has been the year of the new, intellectual, sophisticated Tasha. I've gone from moving crates and whipping rahktors to international politics and infrastructure building. I have a mature relationship with an intelligent man, and I have reliable, interesting friends. Things have really changed for the better in my life, even with all the stress; more reason to celebrate."
"So this birthday party is your first in two ways!" Hakeber says. "First time celebrating it, and first birthday of your new life!"
"That's right -- the first new year of life for the new Tasha," the birthday girl confirms approvingly. "I just hope my mother is as appreciative. I'm still dreading going home, but I'm sure it will be all right."
"Well, you've got shiny stuff to distract her with, just in case," Aaron says. "She seemed level headed to me, and 'success' generally trumps personality changes. They expect your personality to change, after all."
Tasha suddenly snaps her fingers. "I just remembered, I forgot to mention I had an epiphany the night before we left you-know-where, and had Fred make a model on the Ark. That should get you-know-who's attention, since few would know the original design, nor where it ended up, and as what."
"You mean what it looked like before it became the Temple?" Aaron asks.
"That's right," Tasha confirms, smiling to her friend. "We figure you-know-who will know what it means, and infer what we know. He might be curious just where we got such a thing, and how we knew he would appreciate it. Records like that are hard to find, and harder still to understand in this age."
"It would make a good gift to get his attention," Gabriel agrees, just as the drinks arrive. The glass set before Tasha is full of green liquor with a layer of white foam on top. She can smell the mint pretty clearly.
"If I couldn't smell the mint, I'd wonder if you brought me an alcoholic beverage made from something out of a canal," Tasha remarks, grinning and peering at her drink. She leans in to sniff the drink all the more, apparently enjoying it so much she doesn't notice the cream that gets on her nose. "Mint liquor; now I have smelled it all!"
"Most after-dinner drinks are.. well, alcoholic candy, really," Gabriel notes, taking a sip of his brandy. Aaron nurses his surprisingly small cup of coffee - it looks like it's only an once - while Hakeber is only slowed down by the fact that her beverage is too hot to guzzle.
One thing about fine liqueur; it isn't harsh at all. Tasha is used to drinks that feel like they're fighting back, instead of ones that feel luxurious.
"I feel knobby drinking this," says the young, red woman. "But I'm enjoying feeling knobby."
"What's this about your knobs?" Hakeber asks, and stares at Tasha's chest to see if the hybrid really meant 'perky' by the remark.
"She means upper-class," Aaron helpfully explains to the scholar.
Tasha hides her chest behind her drink. "Just some of the old words; I guess I could say 'fancy' or 'hi-brow.' Upper class, austure ... elegant ... rich ... I have all sorts of words for 'knobby' now."
"Don't forget 'noble', which is where 'knobby' comes from originally," Aaron notes. "A 'knob' is a noble."
"Ohhhh," Hakeber says, as it dawns on her. "Depending on gender, it means different things to me.."
"I think of dial controls," Gabriel admits.
"There you go," Tasha says, pointing to Aaron. "Noble. I guess in a lot of ways, I am a noble these days. I have a high-profile position, I'm technically rich, I have access to a broad education and a lot of sociopolitical contacts. It's kind of stunning to realize."
"I think of my mother talking about fancy things," the Vartan throws in.
"I think of a particular sort of mushroom that's used for certain medicines and rituals," Aaron adds in, not to be left out. "They look like door knobs.."
Tasha spreads her arms. "We are a gathering of diverse cultures!"
"Or diverse slang anyway," Hakeber says, raising her mug. "To diverse knobs! May you never squeeze one inappropriately to the situation!"
"And that reminds me ... " Tasha reaches over and pulls out her datapad, does something with it, then lays it on the table. "Harmonia, it's your mother's birthday. For some reason i felt like I should tell you that, and I thought you'ld like to join in."
"To knobs," Gabriel says, raising his own glass.
Tasha looks up and just stares at Hakeber, then at Gabriel, and finally, she shrugs. "To knobs," she relents, holding up her drink.
"Please clarify," the PDA replies. "Surely your day of birth occurred many years ago."
"Latches too," Aaron toasts with his own, tiny cup.
"Search Terran cultural database, rituals, rituals related to person, birthday party," Tasha prompts her datapad even as she turns. As she finishes, she asks Gabriel, "Was I as bad as Hakeber? Am I the pruddish one now?"
"Is Hakeber bad?" Gabriel asks, perfectly straight-faced.
"Depends on if you want to spank me," the scholar suggests.
"I like Hajeber jus ... Oh I give up!" Tasha throws her hands up, then laughs, head shaking.
"You weren't that bad, Tasha," Aaron claims, having known Tasha the longest. "Then again, you didn't have access to the same opportunities. I'm sure she'd like the shiny portrait though."
"We are not talking about the shiny portrait, nor shall we ever speak of it again," Tasha insists, but the cant of her ears suggests she's expecting the worst.
"What's the shiny portrait?" Hakeber predictably asks, looking especially interested when Gabriel and Aaron both put on blank expressions.
Tasha looks between her two male companions, then, face going blank, simply stares at Hakeber.
Or at least, she would be if she could maintain the reaction without her muzzle splitting in to a dumb grin. "You really want to know?"
"Of course! You can't call something a 'shiny portrait' and not expect me to ignore it!" Hakeber says. "Following my nose for trouble and forbidden knowledge is what I do."
"I'm a Vartan," Tasha says with mock-hautiness. "Calling something shiny is what we do!" She grins, then dropping her voice, explains, "Back before I met Gabriel -- which was very early in my adventure -- I ended up in Abu Dabi along with Aaron here, Layth, and the other bunnies. The others were busy, so Aaron showed me an area called 'the street of dreams,' which, well, was a red light district, just a bit more artsy than most I've seen. There was this couple who we met, and having never seen a half-Vartan like myself and thinking I looked like one of their legendary djinn demons, wanted a picture painted with me ... and my whip ... and them in collars. The damn thing has followed me ever since! It's my punishment for stealing the poor man's shiny bits, but what did he expect after I got them?"
"I was a bit of a bully back then," Tasha adds, to further clarify.
"Stealing a poor man's shiny bits?" Hakeber asks. "And you look like a demon? What kind of demon? You haven't explained the shiny part yet!"
"You didn't have to mention my involvement, did you?" Aaron asks, and sips his espresso.
"Well, it's shiny," tasha explains, as if that answered everything. Seeing Hakeber's continued blank expression, she adds for the non-Vartan, "I wasn't wearing very much. To be precise: very little at all. " "Yes I did Aaron." "- most of it was shiny. " "Yes I did Aaron." "-=" "Yes I did Aaron." "-don't ask me why I seem to look like everyone's favorite sinister mythological; it's just the way I am!"
"I had to wear shiny pants," Aaron notes, to share the embarrassment.
"So where is this.. I guess it's a painting?" the young Karnor asks. "I definitely want to see it!"
"I suppose you might get to if you're nice to my father-figure. I'm still a little disturbed he keeps it in his cabin," Tasha says.
"He's a Vartan then?" Hakeber asks. "And is the painting literally shiny?"
"It's pretty shiny," Tasha admits, waving her hand. "My taste in shiny things is much more refined and expansive these days," she adds with a tone of mock-hautiness. "And yes, he's a Vartan. Didn't I tell you? I grew up on an airship, and he's the Captain."
"And now you have a Captain of your very own," Hakeber giggles. "And he's taller than you! Aaron is shorter than me, so it's kinda weird.."
At that point, the Lapi starts coughing, as if he suddenly inhaled his coffee.
"Ooh, you two? Aaron, you're so much more busy than you ever let on. I'm glad you two are having fun," Tasha says with a wicked grin. She then glances at Gabriel, giving him an unnecessary once-over. "I've always had a thing for Captains. My psychiatrist tells me its a misguided attempt to gain the affection of a phantom father, but I think it's my lust for power combined with my lust for other things."
"Power?" Gabriel asks, then looks thoughtful. "Well, I suppose it is nice to be able to yell at people and they can't hit you for it.."
Aaron mutters something about just checking that there wasn't permanent damage from his 'injury'..
Tasha nods in agreement. "This is especially important when they may be extraphysical, or metallic." The woman pauses to lean over and pat Aaron without looking over. "Of course, by the Vartan Law of Relationships, your shiny ship gives you the attraction advantage, but of course, now mine is shinier, so you'll have to try extra hard."
"Are you saying your flying pocketwatch is prettier than my elegant swan?" Gabriel asks, then turns to the PDA and says, "No offense there, Harmonia."
"Swans are vicious and noisy," the PDA retorts.
"Everyone knows the pocketwatch is the alpha predator in the wild," tasha tries to say with a straight face and fails miserably.
Tasha even pats her PDA. "You tell 'em Harmonia."
"Next you'll be comparing me to your Titan," Gabriel jokes.
"I would never compare you to my Titan ... " Tasha insists, waggling a finger at her mate. "He's almost half me, so really I'd compare him to Nora, who is clearly inferior ... Although she's acting more and more like me so that's improving." She grins.
"I think I just felt a chill," Tasha remarks, looking around. "Like someone is going to get me for saying that."
"Did I mention she made a pass at me?" The Vartan rambles.
"Did you wish for me to relay this conversation to Bellerophon, Tasha?" asks the voice over the PDA.
"Would you make a pass at yourself?" Aaron has to ask, ears perked up high.
"No, lets save the apocalypse for when we get back, Harmonia," Tasha insists. "We have to keep a full schedual of disasters or else there will be a disaster."
Glacing at Aaron, Tasha skews her ears, answering coyly, "Maybe." Her ears then wiggle, and she adds, "Nora's older though, and she's an alpha."
"So, you submitted to her then?" Aaron teases.
Both Hakeber and Gabriel watch Tasha's response.
"No, I considered it," Tasha corrects. When she notices she's being stared at, she waxes innocent. "What?"
"It was kind of nice, though," Tasha adds a moment later, plopping her head on a hand, as if in deepl contemplation of the matter.
"Well, I'm proud of you, Tasha," Gabriel says. "It could have been another Blackwings situation and you didn't fall back into it."
"I know," Tasha agrees, ears laying back. "A part of me still gravitates towards abusive-aggresive relationships, but it's not stronger than my sense, thankfully. If Nora' exhibiting aspects of my personality, then she's likely suffering my old abusive relationship habits, and who better to try and submit to them than me?"
"It's a good thing you ran into Lapis to break you of your old habits," Aaron claims.
"Yes, Aaron helped me see there were people in this world who liked me for more than what they could get out of, or do to, me," Tasha agrees, patting Aaron's knee. "I just never expected to be faced with my reflection using the same techniques and mindset as me, nit like that. She probably knows my weaknesses too ... Poor Nora, she really got the short end of the stick."
"But she got the stick at least," Gabriel says. "Although I don't know the significance of that saying. Maybe I should say: she still has the chance to play the game."
"Drawing sticks is something we use on ships to assign chores randomly, if there's a problem distributing tasks. We didn't have computers to randomize for us, so we took sticks and pulled them from the First Mate's hand ... Whoever got the shortest one got the worst of it," Tasha explains. "But you're right. She's here, and that's better then what could have been. If things work out, she may end up winning out over us all in the end." The young woman smiles a moment, but seems to realize she's going down a dark road on what should be a happy day, and so switches topics, offering, "I'd been considering a new deed-name; this seems like a great time for it? Or am I took drunk? I shouldn't have had all that when we were ... um ... indisposed."
"Well," Gabriel starts to say, but is interrupted when the porter returns.. with a cake! A pink one with yellow trim (which is as close to Tasha colors as frosting is likely to get) with a close approximation of the JEF standard on the top. A small colorful candle is planted at each point of the Star and Anchor, which doesn't come to nineteen of them but is still more than Tasha's ever seen on a cake.
Tasha's reaction is to stare at the cake, her face going through several emotions: first she's surprised, then she's curious; when she sees the JEF symbol she looks touched, laying a hand over her heart, then finally the candles, which she grins at. "It's very touching. I'm puzzled about why it has candles in it, and I know I'll feel guilty eating the JEF logo, but I love it all the same."
"Tradition is that you make a silent wish, then blow out the candles in a single breath," Gabriel explains.
"That shouldn't be a problem!" Tasha leans forward, head hovering near the closest candle as she thinks on what to wish for. I wish for the health and happiness of my friends, my family, and to this world and its people, wicho I have made my home. She then takes in a deep breath, her wings flaring out a bit, and blows!
There's a slight flare up before the candles go out - maybe that green stuff was stronger than she thought! But Gabriel and Hakeber applaud, then Aaron joins in quite a few others in the lounge, just because that's what you do apparently. "Happy Birthday, Tasha," Gabriel says.
"Thank you," Tasha whispers, caught up on the moment. She sniffs, wiping at her eyes and smiling widely. "Thank you all."
"Now cut the cake so we can get to the rum and sex parts!" Hakeber suggests.
Tasha just sighs, happy and amused. She reaches over to grab the knife, squinting as she angles it, then cuts in. "I'm not sure what I'm doing," she admits after doing it. "Think we have enough for everyone here?"
"I'm fine with one slice," Aaron claims. "Hakeber will eat the whole thing if you let her.."
"Sugar is just alcohol that's being lazy," Hakeber claims.
"I think I like her skinny, so lets go with my plan," Tasha agrees. She goes about cutting the cake, and after everyone at the table has theirs, she takes in another deep breath and yells, "ANYONE WANT SOME CAKE?"
"Happy Birthday!" the first man to come over congratulates Tasha. Followed by a line other well-wishing strangers, of course...
"It feels appropriate to share the JEF birthday cake with the people, doesn't it, Gabriel?" Tasha asks as she passes out slices. It reminds her of how she came to be here and why she has the friends and support she does. Step by step, resource by resource, one person at a time, she's grown, and in turn, offered her life to others.