Kem Studios
Across from the Surf-n-Turf and a bit further up the curve of the shaft is an unassuming structure that has a glass (or at least transparent) front, so that many pieces of art can be displayed. There's also a notice of a immersion pod for acoustic art. Like the front, the floor is also transparent and covers a four-foot-deep water tank.

When Tasha and Neesa arrive the next 'morning' according to Outpost time, they find the Vartan artist spraying the painting from the other day with some sort of coating. Lielani the Phin is circling beneath in the liquid section of the studio. There is a lot of art on display, most of it consisting of views of the Lotus Nebula and Outpost Caltrop, along with some portraits and a few pieces of alien worlds or underwater vistas.

Although she's usually taken the forefront whenever the two of them are off on their own, Tasha defers to Neesa this time; After all, it's brown Karnor woman the artist Kem has requested to see and it's Neesa that desired to hear more of the strange Phin poem. The Poem, if the two lovers were to be believed, a claim Tasha has no reason to doubt and, along with Neesa's suspicion about it, ever reason to feel is worth investigating.

Thus, the two arrive in the studio, Tasha still maintaining her Titanian disguise and Neesa a Titanian by virtue of association, name, and by being an 'older model' Karnor. "There he is, you ready Fudgy?" asks the scruffier of the two.

"That the fun of adventure, mebbe fight too. Never know." Seeing Neesa is a bit hesitant, Tasha starts the ball rolling by calling out in her usual -- but now completely expected by virtue of her appearance -- loud voice, "Hi birdie! Bring Fudgy, for naked picture!"

Kem finishes coating the painting, and looks to the two women. "Ah, you returned," he notes. "I will be ready in a moment. I just have to set the antiscan coating." This task involves setting the painting down on a table and running a glowing wand over it several times.

Tasha makes her way over to look, deciding a Titanian wouldn't hesitate or even think to realize she might be intruding. "Anti-scan? Oh, block picture record? No steal?" She inquires, not quite looking over his shoulder so much as around his arm.

"Yes," the Vartan notes. "The coating causes a chaotic scattering of infrared, hazing most imaging techniques. It is important to do when dealing with paintings."

"Huh! Handy. Want some, uh, ... Yah want some." The larger faux-Titanian notes, leaning back. She can't help but wonder if it would also work on people, in which case she might get some use out of it in coating her armor, or even mixing it in a non-toxic spray for herself should she need to appear openly. As she considers this, and suspecting the man may think she's about to steal some, she blurts out, "Birdie smart!" And finding that a bit too inane even for her current tastes, she adds, "Fight with brush maybe? Hear birdies always fight. Good fight. Strange birdie ... Good paint. Very good. But strange."

"Fight with brush?" Kem asks, as he sets the painting on an easel for display until the owner picks it up. "While some forms of combat can be considered art forms.. they aren't for me. I have no interest in it, forgive me."

A door opens in the back wall, and Lielani emerges in her walking harness. There is art on it as well.. colorful corals, and water patterns on the support sling. There's an elaborate speaker setup as well.

"Uh, forgive?" Tasha inquires, playing clueness as Titanians have been actually clueness when she's been apologetic. "Do bad? Uh, I punch if bad but, not see, so ... Not know. Same as not." The hybrid squints at the man a moment, then shrugs her shoulders and turns around to get herself a seat. "No break Fudgy, okay?" A Vartan that doesn't fight; That's a good sign! So we're not all mercenary servants out here, and just like home there are a few outliers. But how many, I wonder? How far does it go? "I watch, learn paint more ... uh, good. Good-er." She plops down, then wags her tail and smiles toothily.

The artist hangs more supplies onto Lielani's harness, and then gestures to the entryway. "We will need to go outside," he notes, and leads the way.

Tasha's expression falls when she realizes she isn't going to enjoy her chair much longer. "Okay," she says in a dejected tone as she stands up again, shouldring her halitool and following after the Vartan.

Once they leave, Lielana whistles something and the front wall of the gallery goes opaque. From there it's a brief walk to a pore, then out onto one of the fractal spires. It's a hike from there, until Kem is satisfied of the location and view.

"Is shiny, ya? Like shiny?" Tasha asks as she gazes out at the landscape, having followed close to Kem in order to observe him. She can't risk allowing herself to get too close to the man in the figurative manner, so she decdies the proximal, observational version will have to suffice. "Oh and no tease Fudgy. Is small. You tease, I bop."

"Yes, it is shiny," Kem notes, and begins to set up his easel and canvas. "Please find a comfortable spot, Fudgy."

Neesa walks around the area very slowly, often doubling back. Finally, she settles on a spot, and starts to sit down before remembering the other part of the deal. She disrobes first, setting her clothes over by the Phin, then returns to the spot she's chosen and sits down lotus-style.

Tasha takes a seat nearby, behind and to the left of the other Vartan where she can get a good look and also rest her back against a crystalline outcropping. The 'jet pods' that hide her wings aren't her most comfortable of work, straining her back even as they cramp her wings, and so she's glad for the rest. Her halitool gets laid across her lap, and though she'd like to recline, the nacelles don't allow that either. "Been with birdie long?" She asks the Phin when she moves out of the shot.

"A few years now," Lielani replies while Kem prepares his palette. "I am also an artist."

"Sound-art? Sonar echo arrangement?" Tasha asks, scootching over to get closer so she needn't disturb Kem. "I artist too! I paint! Not paint like birdie, uh ... Not so good, no. Just start. Paint armor, though. Paint can-vas, no have paint though."

"I didn't know Titanians made art," the dolphin says, her dark eye scanning down over Tasha's armor. Neesa hasn't moved at all, sitting in her meditative pose.. and mumbling under her breath. Or is she chanting?

Wanting to keep too much attention off her partner, Tasha keeps talking -- although she realizes she probably would be anyway. "Huh, ya, paint sometimes. is build, but is different. Build, uh, emotion, and memory, and place without place. But art not just in paint, is in build. All tool art, ya? All art, tool."

"I am ready to begin," Kem says. Lielani activates her portable sound system, and the klick-whistle cadence of Trinary (the new-dolphin language) begins to overlay the deeper, slower and more somber song that accompanies it, along with other layers that don't seem to have the same flow as the others.

"Not all art is a tool," Lielani claims. "Some art is.. alive. Soul, spirit.. truth."

Neesa is definitely chanting louder, but has her eyes closed and isn't really moving at all - even her breathing seems slow and deliberate.

"I be quiet now, or Fudgy get mad. Listen." Whispers Tasha in what is still a fairly loud volume. "Uh, ya? Oh, spirit, um ... Like ghost? Or like, um ... Like old birdie talk about ... recording ... soul of ship, of people, of place. Birdies good with soul, with spirit. Not really understand," the youngest of the women notes, despite knowing exactly what the Phin means.

"Walkers have trouble listening," Lielani claims, and seems to focus on the song herself. Even Kem's motions seem to flow with it.

Deciding the time for talk is at an end, and now the time for her to listen as well, Tasha settles in and perks her ears.

After twenty minutes of this, it seems like Tasha is hearing less. Neesa's voice is washed out, and things look blurry - as if Tasha's eyes were tired. There's a conflict between what she hears and is beginning to feel inside and what she sees.

The experience makes Tasha begin to nod a little, the woman blinking away the lack of focus and suspecting she may be over-working herself again. Or at least she thinks that at first, but as time rolls on and her hearing fades, she starts to wonder if it's something else -- the Song. She had felt a whisper of it before, but now that it's being played in full she can't help but wonder if it's having some sort of effect on her -- and if she's not the only one. Risking a look around, the hybrid peers through the blur even as the song fills her.

Kem is still painting, but he looks watery. Lielani is.. the same but not. Her harness and sling with its set of mechanical spider legs seems less real. The Lotus is still there, brighter than ever.. but it's swirling. And Neesa seems little more than a silhouette.

Am I about to pass out, or is this the song? Tasha realizes that her hitting the deck would be a serious problem, but at this point she isn't sure what she can do about it, or if it's supposed to happen. Things become so blurry that she has to brace herself against the crystal she's leaning on, blinking rapidly as the world seems to melt around her.

It isn't clear exactly when it happens.. but the world goes away. Tasha feels herself floating underwater, in a dark sea. There's movement - the water itself, rising and falling and the disturbances of fish and other things swimming past. The most surprising change, though, is that the whistles and clicks of the dolphins are becoming words..

Disturbed but in control, Tasha tries to re-orient herself while listening as best she can. At this point the message is obvious, although she doesn't know why she can hear it, she does know that she must remember it. Her experience with similiar events gives her some presence of mind her, and though she finds the experience peculiar she pushes herself to focus on the Song itself.

It sounds like a spell, she agrees with her impression, although she isn't totally sure what a spell entails or what words they require. Or a puzzle. Like the puzzle-poetry of the Magi, but what does it mean?// She continues to listen, hoping more may reveal itself.

There is something out there in the water. A physical presence.. or the shadow of one. It is large, but not in the same way as the other 'large' beings Tasha has encountered. It seems to be drifting towards her, or her towards it..

This, Tasha wasn't expecting. A poem, even a code seeemed in keeping with Neesa's hunch, and perhaps even magic -- but not a being. Watching in awe as she swims closer -- or does it swim to her? -- the creature looms before her, and she wonders what manner of thing has she come across here, in the dreaming waves.

The presence feels alive... but impossibly big. Bigger than a Magi.. bigger even than Caspar or Lord Yama. The shadow begins to coalesce into a creature, as it moves next to Tasha. The seam of the thing's mouth alone is several times Tasha's length.. if it wanted, it could swallow Kaa's longboat whole. But then past the edge of that jaw is.. an eye.

It takes the young woman a moment to get over the awe of being beside a creature so massive, and the eerie beauty of the pace doesn't help make the experience any less astounding. The beast can see her gape at it, wide-eyed, mouth parted. Even after she recovers from the initial surprise, the residual shock delays her realization that she's being spoken to.

Having mistook the words for more of the song -- prhaps since she has begun hearing them? -- she searches through what she's heard, or rather felt, to find comprehension. At length she thinks she has it, and so replies, "I didn't expect to find you, or, anyone," she admits, her expression settling as she gets a hold of the situation. "Who are you?" Rememebring her manners too, she adds, "If you would please tell me? The song, it's from Terra, isn't it? Are you Terran?" She doesn't think so, but decides to elimate the obvious first.

In a delayed moment of realization, Tasha then asks, "You are the god of the Phin?"

I am the Goddess Nukapai of the Sea Within, is the reply. The great eye looks at Tasha.. and does not strip her down to her bare essence, or pass judgement or view her as insignificant. I see you. You are part of the World the gaze says. The impression Tasha gets is one of acceptance and welcome.

Tasha can't help but smile at the leviathan's comforting gaze. So many of the beings she had encountered before, so many of the gods were as far from comforting as she from Terra. That this one choses to look on her with appreciation warms her heart in a way she hadn't expected. "Well, thank you," she offers in return, not quite certain how to react to a deity that isn't unfathomably distant, so wrapped in mystery she can't get a feel for them, or outright hostile, "It's, um, it's nice to meet you, Goddess Nukapai of the Sea Within. I am Aldara Tasha Argentine, from the ... World? The material world. One of them, anyway. I am an explorer, and I admit, I didn't expect to find you. I'm not quite sure what is happening, but I'm glad it is, even if I don't understand it." Admitting who she is and how she feels is equally refreshing, feeling she doesn't need to be guarded, ashamed, or even jocky to sound important. "I'm surprised you are speaking to me, to be honest. But you called me sister? Do you cal

You are in the Whale Dream, and you are a wanderer, far from home, Nukapai espresses. So we are sisters. More of the walkers have visited us. They no longer hunt our singers and dreamers. They have evolved. We've watched them. You are of Terra too. Your blood is the sea. And the sea is the origin of life.

Hearing the Goddess's explaination makes Tasha's mental gears turn. Older than 'the walkers,' the Humans. The singers and dreamers must be the Phin, or more like, the whales of Terra. The Whale Dream. Blood is made of water ... And ... The sea is the origin of life, that I don't understand. But to be so old ... "Goddess Nukapai, would you happen to be what we might call a Progenitor? The creators, the Origin of Humans, Eve ... Are you another of their kind?" Tasha pauses, then tilts her head to wonder as much as ask, "Or older still? I don't know your name, but that means little. I do seek the gods, some of them, and that means a bit more."

We are old, Nukapai explains. Older than most. We remember the ones you call Progenitors, and the First Ones. The Dream is over 30 million years old. Because we were not walkers, not tool users, we were overlooked.

"That old ..? That would make you ... " Tasha bites her lip, not quite able to say it. She had been seeking the younger gods, only stumbling across the older, lesser ones like the extra-universal Source by accident. But to stumble across this, quite out of the literal and figurative blue ... She presses on, but still can't quite bring herself to confirm what she suspects. "You say you are far from home, that you wander ... and that you were overlooked. What do you mean, Goddess? Is Terra not your home? Or the Dream? Who overlooked you, the Progenitors? Or, tha which destroyed the First Ones? To be as old as you say, you must have seen their end."

I wander the Dream Sea, because Dreamers are never in one place, Nukapai explains. When the other minds went silent, we were ignored. We are not a threat. We simply ARE. Those on other worlds were beyond the Dream. Only recently have the dolphins become the bridge between the Dream and others not of the whale clan. We never bothered with walkers, Terran or alien, until the humans.

"And we, their creations. Well, half of me," Tasha notes as she looks up, staring in to that great eye. "Is there anything you need of me? I have more questions, but I can't help but feel it's rude to continue to ask them so soon after meeting. I enjoy your company, and I don't want to offend you or use you."

Do you feel homesick? the goddess asks. That is my purpose - to ease those who are far from the Sea.

"Oh ... " Tasha has to think on the question, really think about it; As much because she hadn't expected to find a comforting force dedicated to homesickness as much as searching her feelings. "I ... I think so? But, to be honest, I don't really have much of a home, anymore. I left my home on Sinai when I was shown the stars, and though I call Abaddon home, I'm still adjusting to it and it to me. But now, I see the world beyond my home system, and again, I feel like I'm losing my home. Abaddon feels small now, and backwards, here in the great expanse if the galactics. The stars call to me again, like I feared they would. And then, there's also the call of my people, and my mission to find the Progenitors. Maybe, you even mean Terra? I've never even been to Terra, but Nora ... She rememebers. And so, so do I. I feel her longing, but I would see it, too."

Longing, Nukapai replies. So many things to let go of to find peace, but peace is not what you seek. Not yet. But I wish it on you all the same.. And the goddess begins to fade, as the Song begins to be felt once more.

The Lotus is clear and bright, with Neesa sitting before it, looking as if the whole thing is flowing up out of her body, instead of into it like the other painting. She isn't chanting now, but smiling.

Tasha, for her part, looks a little lost. Her ears are askew, and though she's frowning inside she feels happy. She didn't find much in the way of peace, but she did find a being of majesty and serenity -- a kind being, who made her feel a little less afraid of the universe as a whole. For her, that may be even better than peace.

Once the hybrid steadies, she takes a moment to rub her face, wondering if she'll ever see the Goddess again. She can't help but wonder if the Goddess's purpose is for others, but she reminds herself she was included. Her path may be elsewhere, but she doesn't regret seeing what another is like, nor its beautiful keeper and her peaceful waters.

The dolphin music fades away, as Kem puts the final touches on his painting. It doesn't seem as if he or Lielani were affected or included in the dream magic.

The hybrid woman looks at the painting for a moment, but she finds er own thoughts drawing her in. So instead, she looks down at the halitool she had created and brushes a hand over it, thinking about the meaning of tools, and those who use them, what came before, and what lies ahead. She settles in to an introspective haze, losing track of time and of the others.

Neesa stands up, and goes to look at the painting. "I like it. Especially the subtle faces in the nebula," she notes.

"Not many notice those when I put them in," Kem notes, sounding impressed. "You aren't a Titanian, are you?" he asks.

"I'm not a lot of things," Neesa replies. "No need to focus on any one of them." She looks to Tasha, a twinkle in her eye. "What did you learn from watching, Rustpuppy?" she asks.

So deep is her navel gazing it's seconds before Tasha realizes the question, not because she didn't hear it, but because ti existed at the back of her mind like an image only glanced. If not for its danger, she might have overlooked it at all. She looks up, then looks to Neesa as the other woman addresses her. "Interesting things," is her answer.

"I kind of like being naked in front of the universe," Neesa admits. "I'll have to share it with my mate sometime. I think he'll like the picture too. How much do I owe you for it?"

Tasha pushes herself to standing using her halitool as a crutch, her mind still elsewhere and the woman herself a little dizzy. "It is nice," she admits, dropping her accent as she decides the others likely know by now, "much better than my first painting."

Tasha tilts her head, then suggests, "200 and I'll paint you something of my own," as a counter-offer.

"It's not," Tasha says with a smile. "Sorry, Fudgy." The young woman smiles even more, amused at the absurb explaination she has to give as she decides over-expsoure isn't a good idea after Neesa was detected.

"I want that music then too," Neesa says. Kem gives her an odd look, then nods in agreement. "Easy enough. Since it's early yet, I should have the treatment done by this evening, so you can pick it up then."

"Sound good," Tasha notes, dropping back in to her Titanian pidgin and hoisting her halitool on to her shoulder. "Anything else, or we go, Fudgy?"

"Gehnoh.. uh.. it's a deal," Neesa says, and begins to get dressed again while Kem packs up his supplies. "I wouldn't mind seeing your art if you have any to bring around," the Vartan tells Tasha.

"Hah, you looking at it. Can paint, but, no paints. Instead, build," Tasha notes, then she holds out her halitool for the man to examine if he choses to while Neesa has her moment or rembering.

"Trade in Titanian artifacts is, of course, illegal in all civilized areas," Kem notes, but his eyes do look the tool over with consideration. "Back home a lot of Vartans are into carpentry. Similar drive I suppose.."

"I like birdies," the mock-Titanian explains, pointing to the birds on the haft, which are mirrored on her armor. She accepts her halitool back, returning it to her shoulder as she adds, "So I come see, and watch, and listen. Where home? Varta, mebbe?"

"Not fit in sack," is the Titanian answer that comes to Tasha. "Maybe visit, though. Like birdies, ya? There ruin on ... uh ... " Tasha scratches her head. "Moon ... or was it planet? Old ruin, Progenitor. Mebbe older."

"Ruins everywhere, but not ones you can visit," Kem notes. "Only us crazy ones venture into space."

"Why is? Only hear of mercenary, always angry. Birdies always do what kitties say, but birdies bigger and stronger than kitties. not tech, not build, but stronger. Mebbe better. Better heart, uh, better spirit. Kitties have all, have nothing. Haer about Vartan family though, is strong, ya? Or old legend? Know about birdies from record, ollllld though. Find out for self," the hybrid explains, growing increasingly unhappy with having to masqerade infront of a fellow Vartan. It's for the right reasons, she assures herself. She came close to being the cause, or at least crux of worldwide disaster before, and she doesn't want to ever experience that again.

"Mercenary clans are.. different," Kem says, with a bit of distaste. "Unsubtle, the lot of them. Ambitious. Greedy," he rattles off. "I'm surprised they have families. But family ties are important, that's why so few Vartans leave their homes. We aren't prone to wanderlust.. those of that are.. well, we're outcasts."

"But the urge to bond is still there with us, we just turn it towards non-Vartans," he adds.

How true that is, Tasha recalls, herself being her most obvious example but her mother and Captain Eyeshine are too. That they desire to bond with others, she has too many examples of to count. "Ya," goes Tasha, who looks sad for reasons that are not outwardly obvious.

"So keep that in mind," Kem notes, raising a taloned finger. "Any Vartan you meet is either violent or insane. Stick to the insane ones."

Tasha's muzzle splits in to a grin, her tail wagging. "I remember. You miss Vartan, mebbe? Still trust Vartan?"

"I miss my family," Kem says, then reaches over and pats Lielani's head. "But there are rewards for wandering too. I got to swim with gods."

"I like her, nice god. Not like some others. Not look down." Tasha then tilts her head, smiling a little. "Take care of yourself, Kem. Maybe we'll meet again some day," she then squawks in perfect, if accident, Vartan before thumbing down towards the airlock. "Walkie walkie!"

Neesa hurries alongside Tasha on the way back to the central spire. "I need to find Bumper and figure out whatever the Dagh they use for shekels here is, because I'm sure the ceramic ones aren't going to cut it," the mage notes, but she's still smiling and seems to barely be touching the ground. "Dream magic.. I did it, out here. You will remember to tell Remiel about how awesome I am, right?"

"Of course," Tasha assures the mage, reaching over to pat her head in a mirror of Kem's show of affection. "You know, I've been thinking, I bet you could really help the war-survivors back on Abaddon. A lot of them have terrible scars -- mental scars -- and they could use your help. People who have lost their way, yes?" Stretching, the hybrid wonders if she did the right thing talking in Vartan, but she thought her fellow Vartan deserved a bit more than deception. Besides, she thinks, I can always deny it, and who would believe I'm a Vartan anyway? "I have qustions for Bumper, too."

Once they emerge back into the central spire, they both spot Bumper marching purposefully back to 'upwards' towards the tip of the spire, where the Mauler is docked.

"Hmm, something is happening," Tasha guesses as she watches her mentor walk with intent. "Lets hurry."

After some light jogging, Tasha closes on Bumper and calls out, "Ah, hi ma! Something happening? Good mebbe? Mebbe bad?"

"What? What tube?" Neesa asks as she catches up. Bumper doesn't tell them not to come along. "I needed to ask about local money. They call it shekels but.." "Talk later," Bumper says.

When they reach the Mauler, it looks like some of the crew is staying behind to watch over more hastily-unloaded Star Sea fish. The hum of the ship also seems louder.

"Wait in dock tube, outside ship. Tresspassers, may have fight. Not want you involved, but I fight," Tasha explains, finding Titanian a lot easier when there's danger to be had and rushing to be done.

"I call you in when they ready to go," the hybrid concludes, "so avoid them when leave, unless dead. Huh? Ya, mebbe."

"Prolly not, unless they slow," Bumper says as they head up the gangway. "Follow me, shortcut," she says, and opens what looks like a locker outside of the airlock. There are some levers and wheels inside, and she spends a minute messing with them.

"Hokay. Follow then Fudgy, if not keep up I carry," Tasha notes as she stands by, looking down at herself and checking her gear to make sure it's ready. Her wing pods aren't made for fighting, but the armor is sturdy if not particularly amazing armor. She has no ranged weapon, exactly, but she does have the Phin evaporative materials sensor, and of course she has her halitool.

There is a lot noise and vibration, as if part of the ship is rearranging itself. When it stops, Bumper opens another hatch, which seems to expose.. an empty shaft? "Be quick, gotta reset before launch," Bumper says and steps into the shaft.. promptly falling upwards out of sight.

"In we go," Tasha says with some uncertainty as she pulls her halitool close to herself and steps in to the shaft.

It really is falling.. and it's head-first. It doesn't last long though. There's a curve, and gravity reverses again so that she's falling feet-first.. but still the landing has her upside-down, looking through a hatch at Bumper standing right-side-up. "Hurry, or Fudgy hit you.." Bumper notes.

Rather than move, Tasha just sits up enough to hold her arms out to catch Mage Neesa. "So who invader?" She asks as she waits for the inevitable.

"Celestial Empire," Bumper claims, as a Karnor falls into Tasha's arms, her off-white robes askew. "Ah! I've had dreams like this!" Neesa claims.

"Everyone dream of me," Tasha says with a cackle and a wink as she puts the woman down. The hybrid has to wonder, though, who would dream of her now. Titanians probably, she decides as she hurries to follow Bumper. "Looks like Celestials, sneaky snakes," she informs Neesa as they go.

It's a bit of a trick to getting through the hatch, since up and down are different for head and feet midway through. But there's just a another turn, a ladder.. and then they're in the observation dome. First Officer (or First Second Officer) Grillfang is there, and two new consoles are rising up out of the floor. Outside, the giant rocket engines are shaking into life to push the ship away from the spire so that the oars can be used.

"Oh, we're actually launching?" Tasha asks in obvious surprise, suspecting the invaders were just tresspassers on the ship and not a whole other ship, or many of them! "Well, this will be interesting. They're heading for the Ring?"

"Snakes already there, according to Belters," Bumper notes. "Will be camping the only Alderson transfer point. Ring belongs to us."

"You mentioned the Ring before," Tasha notes as she walks to stand by Bumper in case she's needed quickly. "It's a massive particle accelerator, right? But what didn't you tell them? What is it used for?"

"Stuff we not want Celestials to have," Bumper says. "Maybe you get to see." A klaxon sounds.. and it's different from the Star Sea entry one. "Hang on to something, riding the Maelstrom instead of diving all the way to Star Sea."

Tasha reaches over and holds on to Bumper, who seems like the most stable and dependable thing on the ship. "Maelstrom ..? I guess I'll see! Fudgy, hold on!"

Neesa sits down on the floor and grabs Tasha's legs. Another Klaxon sounds.. and then the windows vanish into the Blind Spot.. but stay that way as the ship rattles and groans.

"Ah, scary hole in space. So that's the Maelstrom, like, transition or a gate to the Star Sea, but you can skirt it to make local 'jumps'?" Inquires Tasha, who stares at the darkness in an instinctual defiance of it.

"Yeah, helps to cross your eyes," Bumper says. Neesa simply closes hers, rather than seem to go blind looking anywhere else.

Tasha tries that, deciding being blind is far too disturbing to endure, given how much she relies sight as all Vartans do. "So why Celestials come back? Didn't you beat them many times already?"

It takes several minutes before they leave the Maelstrom, the windows once more occupying space between the framing struts. Outside is a giant red monster of a star. Bumper begins to work her console with disturbing speed. "Dunno, send a stronger message this time.."

The air begins to fill with light. A recognizable tactical display takes the center of the dome, filling in with markers and details. Outside.. parts of the ship begin to transform, as ominous shapes emerge from the hull.

"The Tandu might be around too, they said they were being particularly active," Tasha recalls as she tries to both watch the windows and try to make sense of what Bumper is doing. In particular she notes the star, which she might enjoy more if she wasn't so focused on other matters -- she hopes there'll be time to appreciate it after the crisis is averted.

When the tactical display appears, Tasha turns to that and begins to study it instead; There will be time for gawking later, she decides. She does, however, risk glances at the window, simply to match whats she sees up and to take note of what she assumes are weapons. "This ship has lots of tricks, I think I'm jealous," she admits with a little grin.

Bumper splits off two new holograms. One shows six icons on the surface of an imaginary sphere, all blue-green. The second shows a bright blue arrowhead shape next to a yellow line that extends off beyond the hologram. "Six Tandu Heavy Cruisers on transfer point. Celestial Kault-Class Super Dreadnaught 62 degrees spinward on the Ring. Thennenin hull resonance. They serious this time," Bumper reports. One by one the icons turn red, the big arrowhead being the last one. "We're spotted."

Grillfang stands there with his arms crossed and looking unhappy (although that is normal for him). "Line us up with transfer point," he says into a microphone extending from his console. "Ready main cannon. Offense report?" This last is directed at Bumper.

Tasha doesn't know the classifications specifically, but she's read enough of the old JEF materials to know the terms generally. She suspects her knowledge is still far off, but even so, the numbers -- and the super dreadnought especially -- make her frown in concern. "How to we stack up against them?" She asks, inadvertantly mirroring Grillfang.

"Bugs are two-hundred seconds out," Bumper notes. "Gravy and anti-proton, missiles.. powering up swordships." More unintelligible information appears next to the six icons that represent Tandu Heavy Cruisers.

"They just bugs," Grillfang notes. "Captain, how big a splat you want?" he asks into the pickup.

"Go two-hundred, no want them spreading out," Rushfighter's voice replies. Grillfang works his console, the view in front of the ship begins to.. blur.

Tasha folds her arms, continuing to mirror Grillfang without realizing it. The fact that there's little she can do to assist gnaws at her, and Neesa can see her begin to silently drum her fingers against her arm. She considers warning Neesa that the situation may be bad, but decides against it -- she thinks it'd be bad for morale and even if she's right there's little a warning would do but worry Neesa.

Tasha's concerns are relieved somewhat when Grillfang dismisses the smaller warships, making her wonder just what kind of power the Dainty Mauler actually has. She turns her attention back to the window, wondering what's happening now.

The floor is vibrating, and little ripples of shifting gravity can be felt now. "Got solution?" Grillfang asks Bumper. The woman works, and a little orange sphere appears in the center of the Tandu formation. There are smaller icons now, leaving the cruisers. Fighters or missiles.

"I hate feeling useless on a ship," Tasha murmurs aside to Neesa as she splits her attention between the window and the tactical display.

Without a word, Grilling punches down on a large metal button on his console. The paint has been worn off in places, as if it's seen a lot of use. Then it feels like gravity pukes, and the distortion in front of the ship collapses. The orange sphere on the display expands, swallowing the icons.. and then there's nothing there.

Tasha's eyebrows shoot up at the firing of the weapon, and for a moment she simply freezes from the overawe alone. "Wow," she breathes after a second, head shaking. "That was scary ... huh?" She blinks, then turns to Neesa and explains, "Another weapon is readying, the cannon recharging, or we're going to be hit by gravimetric disturbance from the ... I'm going to call it a point-to-point faux-gate overspace implosion gun. Anyway, the tidal force may be severe."

"Yeah, hold on tight, turn eyes to back of ship," Bumper advises. "200-gigaton burst, lots of light and shock."

"Eeeeee," goes Tasha, who turns away and also closes hr eyes to be extra safe, being the one with the keenest vision. "Was I right about the cannon?"

"Sorta," Bumper says, turning away from the displays. "Like linear cannon, but better bullet and shoot through hyperspace. Helps they sit on tram point. Easy target."

"Well, not bad for a beginner I suppose. It makes sense that a projectile could be sent through a point just as much as a ship or anything else. So really, it's a teleporting solid or warhead-armed hyperspace cannon. But don't Celestials primarily use overspace and not the points? Or does overspace need specifical arrival points, too?" Tasha asks, burning time while they wait for the shockwave.

"They no want Terrans showing up, so guard the point," Bumper notes. "Overspace drive not work in stellar gravity well.." Her explanation is interrupted by a klaxon, followed by the ship shaking violently and light so bright that it seems like the vacuum itself is burning for a moment.

Tasha cringes, being especially vulnerable to attacks against the eyes. Even with her eyes closed and turned away, she can still see the light as it illuminates past her eyelids. She waits for the shockwave to pass, then begins to turn as she asks, "So Terrans want it too, or just want them away from it? And can't escape if this far in system, not easily, so fighting seems like it'd be common if retreat looks unlikely. How does that ... you called it a super dreadnougtht? How does that compare to us and other ships? I've only read of old references to smething like that ship class."

"Belters use the point, are annoying, like biting flies," Bumper explains, as she turns back to the console and tries to get the tactical display back, since the detonation apparently sent shocks through hyperspace as well. "Dreadnaught big.. very big. Thennenin hull.. they First Ones, Celestial Empire built on their bones." The display comes back up, showing the arrowhead leaving the ring and heading.. into the star.

"It's ... It's flying in to the star?" Tasha asks in disbelief, not at all sure what the other ship is up to but suspecting it's nothing good. "Are they, um, are they going to use the star to defend against further attacks via its gravity well? Or, um, well ... I'm not sure! You say it's made of a dead First One? Is that common?"

"Celestials grew up on Thennenin homeworld, prolly pets or something," Bumper notes. "They stay in star's outer atmosphere. Really hot, but not really hot. Probably to mask escape vector."

"Escaping ... So we really do frighten them. That says a lot," Tasha notes, turning to walk towards the window in the hopes she match geta glimpse of the hull. "I see part of why so many Galactics fear the Titanian fleets."

"Broghram is old star, dying," Bumper notes. "Can't attack them, might trigger nova. Could destabilize the Ring."

"Clever too, then. Well, it's a better result than having to destroy them, at least." Tasha squints, but the haze of the star and the distance make a mockery of even Vartan eyesight. "It's frusterating knowing so little about all of this."

"Nah, must seem exciting yeah?" Bumper asks. "Boring otherwise. Unless Celestials get stuff Ring makes. That probably be very exciting, but not good exciting."

"Oh well it is very exciting," Tasha agrees as she turns back to the bridge crew, smiling and spreading her hands. "Back home, I'd be nose-deep in book or lectures. Lectures! Someone talking for three hours and they're not even drinking. It's maddening." Her right hand then gestures at the window. "But with you, I've learned things I never would have otherwise. I probably know more about the outter universe than most people in Primus combined. Um, but anyway," the hands fall, and Tasha's smile turns sheepish, "so, what does the Ring make? Deadly space soap?"

"Anti-neutronium? That's the same sort of weapon Harmonia uses. I saw her use it against an extra-universal alien. Well, unless I'm remembering wrong," Tasha notes, rubbing at her chin.

"Khattan ship?" Bumper asks. "That just anti-neutron. Particle beam. Use anti-neutronium for planet cracking. And tiny little bit in hyper cannon bullet."

"I'm never going to learn this if I keep forgetting," Tasha says with a sigh, balling up her right hand then thumping it against the side of her noggin. "So anti-neutronium can destroy a planet, that's scary. And the main gun uses it too, so, a warhead type then, with ... Probably a timed fuse to avoid signal jamming. On board timer."

"Stasis field. Neutronium and Anti-Neutronium warhead. Very expensive, very heavy.

"So like any anti-particle weapon, that's good to know," observes the hybrid. She walks away from the window, returning to Bumper's side and asking, "Would you ... Would you be willing to teach me? About all this? Like, a mentor, Bumper?"

"Is that what you are?" Tasha asks, head tilting. "I've been watching you, and I'm really impressed by how much you know, and how comptent you are, so ... Well, you know?" The younger woman gives a sheepish little shrug.

Tasha's expression falls; ears, eyes, head along with it. "Oh, well ... I guess I'll just keep doing things my way, then. Um, thank you, though."

The big woman pats Tasha's head. "No easy being a Titanian engineer. Lots of stuff to know, lots to fix, never enough sex or beer."

The intercom comes alive, as Rushfighter says, "Fangs of Entropy coming in, take over hunt. They bigger, let them deal with Dreadnaught."

"Well, at least I have the sex down, and the beer. Just, lacking the know part. I'm afraid I'm going to be left behind, once the JEF starts recruiting in earnest. It's part of why I'm here, to learn, because the schooling wasn't working very well. I'm mostly just good for fighting or, well, I guess you would call it adventuring." As the intercom warning comes in, the hybrid turns to look up at the tactical display.

Another blue mark appears, looking.. potato-shaped. "Hmmph," Grillfang snorts. "Turd of Entropy more like it," he grumbles, and starts locking down his console. Outside, dangerous things begin to retract back into the hull.

"So, um, what's a Fang of Entropy?" Tasha asks as she stares at the angry potato.

"Battleship," Bumper notes, sounding bored. "Built in-on asteroid. Expensive to move, but likes to show off. Has the third fleet in it."

"Themselves," Grillfang notes. "They Titanians. They good at sitting around, looking scary. Will scare off Celestials, make sure Ring not messed with. Maybe salvage the ancient hull if they lucky. Got a dozen ships like Mauler, most of the time. Lover's Torment cannon."

"Oh, really?" Tasha asks, eyes widening as she stares at the slowly moving potato which she now knows is a destruction-spewing, if slow moving, ball of death. "That's a ostentacious name for a Titanian ship, and you said it has an entire fleet of Maulers, you called it the third fleet? Lover's Torment cannon?"

"Not really a cannon," Bumper says. "Quantum weapon. Force apart quark-pairs.. the Lovers. They want to be reunite so bad, they tear apart space between them. Old god weapon, really shouldn't have it."

"Well, um, that's even scarier. It may be the scariest thing I've ever heard of. Um, this is doing wonders for making me feel isignificant and harmless, though." Tasha turns towards the window, wondering if ship can get a look at the massive ship. "I used to think I was frightening for nearly being the casue of Abaddon's destruction, then Abaddon wanted to use me to ruin it and the other worlds ... But, now I feel like that's just a drop in the bucket. And that ship, since you're the only traders, then they must be what most people think of when they think Titanian pirates?"

"They think of us," Grillfang says. "Nobody see ugly spud-ship and quarter-billion-tons-of-machinery weapon. They see ships like Mauler, only with breachers and little ships inside. We use old hangars for cargo hold now."

"I was wondering about that. It didn't look like it had always been a cargo bay," Tasha observes, still watching the rock track down the smaller behemoth. "I suppose thats eeing the Fangs of Entropy is, well, rare? I can't imagine they'd use that for more than a major event, and if it's here, then it means business?"

"It means we no want people sniffing around our stuff," Grillfang says. "Maybe they catch Dreadnaught, but probably not. Better to have them run away with tail between their.. tails. So they tells others not to come back. Don't want to break ships. That a waste. Except for the bugs. Tandu are vermin, no good for anything but suicide attacks. Better to vaporize them than fight. No fun at all."

"They certainly didn't seem to care about their life chasing us around back at Encante. Are we going to dock there, or do we have other plans, then?" Tasha the fake-Titanian asks.

"Broghram used to have planets, none left now," Bumper notes. "Let Fangs keep others away, no more messes. Let's go. I got dinner reservations."

"At least the artifact is safe," Tasha agrees as she returns to standing beside Bumper, hands folded behind her back and looking a bit more like a JEF officer cadet. "Food sounds good, and a lot to think about. You can get up, too, Neesa: We're heading back."