The way home from the Silent-Ones Embassy was a bit roundabout. Instead of simply going down the street to the Council buildings, Katie led Tasha in the opposite direction, towards the lone hotel in Elamoore. There, she got Tasha out of her mangled gown and into her normal clothes, and even brushed out her hair to look more 'normal' again. Neither Miss Necessity or Mr. Invention appeared, hinting that even they must sleep - and Katie whispered the whole time. "There," she said in hushed tones. "You look just like you did when you arrived here before going out. Gabriel won't know you got all dolled up!"

"He likes me dolled up though," Tasha insists in a rather sulky sounding voice, far sulkier than she otherwise might have sounded if she wasn't coming down from inebriation. She has a growing headache too, a hangover, but she's long since become used to that pain, and she knows the real pain won't start until she wakes.

But as her mind shifts in the murky water of too much alcohol and too little sleep, the tide brings her to other thoughts. Thoughts about Gabriel, and about the woman that works on her hair. "Hey ... Katie ... do you like my Gabriel ..?" She asks, tilting her head to look back at the woman.

"He's a very heroic figure," Katie replies. "Reminds me of my father a bit, without all the ranting. And he likes you dolled up? Huh.. I figured him for more the.. well.. the type that liked you as you normally are. A bit rough-and-ready, you know?"

Tasha's giggle is just as drunken as you'd expect. "He likes that too, but he likes the other way ... too ... He was married before, you know. A long, long time ago ... I don't know if that's it ... or part of it ... But I know, he likes me both ways." Turning, teh younger woman shifts to scoot closer to Katherine, shifting to lean her head against her shoulder out of exhaustion, but also affection. "We talked about you ... Did I say that? We like you, too ... He doesn't mind, you know that? Doesn't mind we're together ... And, you know ... I asked if we could be more?"

"Mmm-hmmmm," confirms Tasha, who smiles serenely at the idea. She then reaches over and hugs on to the older woman. turning her head to look up at her. "You ... me ... and Gabriel. The people I love most ... Wouldn't that be nice ..?"

"Is this your idea or Gabriel's?" Katie asks, sounding a little nervous. "I mean.. I've never.. uh.." she stammers a bit, smelling embarrassed.

"Miiine," Tasha replies, smiling a little brighter in what she thinks must be comforting, but comes off as a little too much. "I'm a Vartan, you know that ... Don't you, Katie? Not just a Karnor with wings ... We have clans ... Groups ... Larger familes ... Um, if we can." Her smile hesitates, then falls, so that now she's looking a little wide-eyed, ears laying back. "Can't always, of course." She bites her lip a moment, then tilts her head. "Wasn't sure though ... But it's true, even out there. On Varta. So, it's okay ... I asked ... But, um ... " And now she's peering. "What'd you never ..? Am I being too .... um, too much?"

"Three?" Tasha ventures, at first thinkng about Mr. Invention, Necessity and so on -- her business partners. It takes the younger woman a moment more for the question to really sink in. Her eyes widen and she smiles. "Oh, well ... Lots ... You're Katie Kaboom! Everyone loves ... you ... "

It's several seconds later when Tasha's ears flick, the frown returning in a rollercoaster of emotion. "It's not lots, is it ..?" She asks in a quieter voice, sounding worried.

"Aside from everyone currently in this room.. there was one other," Katie admits. "My college roommate. We were drunk and.. experimental.. So I've never actually been with a man, you see. Katie Kaboom can't have a boyfriend - it would ruin the whole image."

Tasha stares at Katie for a long moment, her ears canting back again as she studies teh other woman's face -- really studies it, with clarity at odds with her state. She's trying hard. "Just me and ..?" She has to repeat it, to be sure; To get it to sink in and stick. "And no men ... But then ... Then why me, Katie?" Her head then tilts. "Are you happy, Katie?"

"Well.. it isn't like I planned it," Katie notes, taking a brush to her own hair. "You were there, and Mr. I made you look all shiny, and.. well, it's not like I can spend time with normal people, you know? You were mysterious, and that made me think you could be discrete.. and then things just sort of happened.."

"I'm sorry," Tasha offers, though blurts might be more accurate. It's heartfelt, apologetic -- and a little desperate. She lays her head down to watch the other woman, frowning again. "I didn't mean to complicate your life, Katie. I thought you were seducing me ... I told you didn't I ..? You were different than I thought ... You were nice to me, even though you could have used me ... It would have been easy. I know. I thought you planned it, um ... But then things happened ... and ... now there you. And there's Gabriel ... and ... " Her words trail off as she realizes she just doesn't know what to say, leaving her uncharacteristically silent.

The brush moves to Tasha then, as Katie brushes her hair some more. "You know I have a thing for.. technology. You represented the highest technology on the planet, really.. so yes, I did want you a bit for that reason. I still do, if we're being honest. It's nice to have someone that.. well, nobody would suspect.. who shares my fetish. I don't think it makes either of us bad!"

"Oh," goes Tasha, who waxes thoughtful, clearly chewing on the admittance as she studies her love, eyes half-lidded from the joy of being brushed. "I wanted your fame," she admits after a moment, sounding a little guilty. "If we're being honest. I lost the world I grew up in. I felt like I might lose this one, too. So I wanted Katie Kaboom. Because people loved her. The world ... Culture too, loved her. And if people loved her, and the world loved her, and she loved me, then maybe ... Maybe the they loved me too." Here eyes close, and she adds, "And then I could hold on. If just for a little while."

"I must have been a disappointment," Katie notes, although with a slight grin. "I turned out to just be Katherine behind the image. Being loved is a huge responsibility, and frankly very stressful. It's why we're all really built to only handle a few people, and a few types of love. You can't please everyone who loves you.. You'll want to, of course, but the more there are, the more futile the effort."

Tasha's eyes crack open, but focus is clear as she looks the other woman in the eyes. "You weren't a disappointment, Katie," she says, ears laying back as if she feared she had done something wrong, and inwardly worrying she has. The younger woman looks pained, going from worried to guilty as she admits, "Because I love you."

Katherine pulls Tasha into a hug then, and rocks with her. "I love you too, Tasha. It isn't really a sexual thing either," she says.

Tasha lets herself get scooped up, hugging back. Despite her strength, and her professional, she just holds on and looks young and fragile. "I don't mind sexual things," she admits as she sways, " ... but this is better."

"So.. maybe I'm not ready to include Gabriel," Katie admits. "I don't really know him well. I've got no problem sharing you with him of course!"

"He can be a bit much," Tasha agrees as she leans back, smiling at the other woman. "I'm still learning about him, so I guess I can't be too upset if you'd rather not. Sometimes I feel like I'm a terrible mate for him, so maybe you should think about that too, and us, just to be sure. Idon't want to push you, Katie. I know we have enough to worry about." And then she leans over and gives the older woman a kiss before turning to laying her head on her chest. "So, share me. I feel lucky so many nice people want to. Life has really gotten better, even with the problems."

"Uhhhhhhhgh," goes Tasha at the mention of problems, as much a sigh as an exhalation of distaste. "Problems. Do you want to know? Archon ... The Archon said I shouldn't, right? Shouldn't say, you have enough problems." The hybrid shakes her head, then twists and half-rolls, before snuggling in to the starlet. "I'm tired now. Can I stay here? I don't want to walk home in the dark."

"Won't Gabriel worry if you don't come home?" Katie asks. "Or would you rather be a bit more sober when you see him again?"

"I drink sometimes, with a man called Raehab. But I shouldn't take so many risks ... I have enough risks ... And um, I don't want to get up. He'll understand," The mostly sleep-ready younger woman insists. "He's used to it."

"Alright, be try to be quiet going past Mr. I's room.. and don't giggle if you hear anything either," Katie says, shaking a finger to show that she's serious.

"I never giggle," Tasha insists despite all evidence. She wobbles to her feet, then wobbles in place as she waits for Katie to take the lead. "Oh and I think you're very sexy," she notes a second later. "If we're being honest. I'm glad you like me, too, even my machine-bits."

"Well, I do work at being sexy," Katie notes. "It's my job!" She leads Tasha down the hall, being very careful as they pass one of the closed doors.

Tasha has more to say to that, but even in her tipsy state, she decides to be silent. Risking the wrath of Mr. Invention scares her enough at the best of times, and she knows she's in no condition to handle him now. And so, she tries her best to quietly follow.

Katie's room here is nothing like her place in Expedition City. There's an open suitcase with her everyday clothes in it, a few bottles of unknown fluids on the dresser top, and a not-very-wide bed with a potentially stiff mattress. "This place needs another hotel, just so there's competition," the Karnor says. "I shouldn't complain though - it's still better than an army cot!"

"I miss my hammock," Tasha admits as she steps inside, looking around. To her, it looks perfectly nice, even spacious. But for most of her life a hammock and a old, rotted chest were the sum total of her living space, and as such everything since has seemed roomy. "I can sleep on the floor." After finishing her look, she walks over and sits against the bed, then yawns copiously.

"I'm sure we'll both fit, if you don't mind your wings dangling over," Katie notes and turns down the bed before undressing. "Hammock? With wings? How did that work?"

Tasha undresses too, piling her clothes beside one of the footpegs before pulling herself up and then sliding in to bed. She then props herself up on hr side, arching the higher of her wings so Katie can slide in before she lowers it. "They're specials," she explains as Katie gets ready for bed, "wider, for Vartans. You pull your wings around yourself, or, you can let them hang out. I know it sounds complicated, but it's what I slept in all my life, so you probably get used to it?"

"Yep, let me show you ... " And with that Tasha settles in, her wing tucking around Katherine as she snuggles closer for a good night's sleep.

Tasha's Room
The buildings of the city center have been converted over to be used by the PHTO Council for their offices. One wing of the old City Hall serves as a dormitory for guests and staff (with most of the Council members lodging at their respective embassies instead). Tasha's room was probably once an office back when the building was on Sinai - but now it's a cozy apartment, with it's own private bathroom and heavy curtains to block out the large window.

The room that was once solely Tasha's is now more Gabriel's. Many of the former office's functions have been restored, mainly due to a large desk that has a lot of bound documents stacked on it. Morning light is slow to reach the window, due to the depth of the Pit and the placement of the room, but it's creeping through the curtains by the time Tasha returns.

Home sweet home, such as it is. New to having space of her own, the she was never quite sure what to do with her apartment. She tried moving furniture, stacking her things, adding or subtracting this and that; Eventually she just settled in to a kind of mutual acceptance with the room: It's there, she's in it, and the both of them will just try to get along while hping not to bother the other too much. She was still at this phase when Gabriel requested more space, and so she was glad to give it.

"I'm back!" She calls out, sounding cheery as she spots Gabriel at his desk. "Miss me?"

Gabriel turns in his seat and smiles. "Well, finally a woman shows up wearing clothes this morning!" he says. "And yes, I missed you. I take it you did not get into as much trouble as the others?"

"Katie told me I punched the Colonel, the Ambassador, and threw the Archon against a wall," Tasha admits, blushing and grinning a little lopsidedly. "So no." She then walks over and promptly plops herself down in Gabriel's lap, then hugs and kisses him before leaning back and asking, "Did Age and Treachery come and accost you?"

"Is that what they're called?" Gabriel asks with a chuckle. "Yes, they did. Around three in the morning! I assumed it was you, so didn't bother putting anything on when I answered the door. Was not expecting a naked human and Vartan woman looking for their clothes.. which they seemed to think you had."

"It's what I call them after they tricked me. I think they made me betray Tomorrow's-Hope somehow, but I'm still working it all out. Poor man," Tasha admits as she leans over to see what her big wolf has been working on. "Oh and we did have their clothes! Serves them right too, disrupting our drinking, riling me up, tearing my gown, and then tricking me! And making me punch them! Honestly, I'd better grow up fast or I'll end up like those two!"

"Well, they were at least polite," Gabriel notes. Apparently what he's 'working' on is the captain's log book Tasha brought him. "After the orgy, I loaned them our bathrobes. Apparently the Silent-Ones haven't invented them yet. So.. we're out of bathrobes."

"Well I'm glad you had fun then," Tasha says, looking back and patting the man's cheek. "I bet Rapatia is noisy and Riddle has all the positions. It'd be like sleeping with a museum or something!" She grins again, gives the man another kiss, and then notes, "I'll grab some more when I can. And, you'd think they'd love bathrobes, since they put robes on everything else."

"Bah, you didn't react to my tease like I thought you would," Gabriel complains, licking Tasha's nose. "I'm too old for them, you know. And they were more interested in clothes, really. I wouldn't mind drinking with them though.. I'm sure they have interesting stories."

Tasha goes crosseyed at the lick, but smiles for it. "Oh you're not, trust me. They asked. Or teased? You can have them if you want, think of it as an apology from me. I need to be more mature, and they're very mature, so that must count somehow. If not, I recommend drinks." She winks, then says, "So, you know I'm heading to the Dome this evening?"

"It'll take a few days travel to get there, but yes," Gabriel says. "I expect you to be a proper leader, and keep your troops out of trouble. Neither of them are very experienced.. and that Fringe girl seems the type to chase off after anything interesting she sees."

"Good advice," the hybrid agrees as she settls in, leaning back and puttng her feet up as she settles in atop her mate. "To be honest, I'm nervous. I know I lead the team back on Sinai, and ostly lead us here, but I know Sinai, and I had a lot of help for both of those. This time, it's only good to be a few of us, and it's all on me in the end. I don't want to let them down -- or worse."

"Be careful yourself, too," Gabriel says. "The 'untamed' areas of the Life Dome are an unknown, full of who knows what by now. If you come back with some weird fungal infection or leaves growing out of your head I will have to spank you."

"You mention that a lot," Tasha notes, scootching to look Gabriel in the eyes. "How about this: If it all goes well, when I get back you can spank me all you want?" She gives him another lopsided grin, which meshes with her new fangs and punkish hair to make her mischivous grin quite a lot more wild. "And maybe if it doesn't? We'll see, won't we? But I'll be careful; Or try to be anyway. I plan to go fully equipped."

"You're taking me along then?" Gabriel asks with a grin. "Aren't I your biggest tool?"

"You are big, but if I took you I'd be distracted and end up relying on you too much. And you know how 'distracted' I can get." And then Gabriel gets another kiss from his love.

Gabriel closes the book, and scoops Tasha up as he stands. "Have you had breakfast yet?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

Tasha gets a familiar look in her eyes, a look at Gabriel knows means his mate has been up to something. A half grin, too-cheery look with her ears canted back a little. She doesn't answer at first, she just grins, and then she finally says, "I could use something to eat."

"Alright.. something light though," Gabriel notes. "I want to help you work up an appetite for lunch, since it will be our last meal together for a bit." He waggles his eyebrows. "So.. oatmeal? Pancakes? Sausage-in-pancakes?"

"They all sound good to me," answers Tasha, whose tails wags too and fro. "I'll let you decide, since we won't be seeing each other for a while."

"Pigs in Blankets it is then!" Gabriel decides. "Even if they aren't made from pigs. I'd rather not know what goes into Abaddonian sausage.."

"I only really like one type of Abaddonian sausage. We should talk about that later, in fact," Tasha notes as she's carried along, that grin never leaving her face.

That evening, Tasha met up with Malachite, Shojo and Fringe at the train depot. Like herself, everyone seemed a bit overpacked, with the Green Lancer even bringing his armor. The botanist and medic wore leather armor at best, and neither of them appeared to be armed. The Vartan had packed the equivalent of a small field hospital, while Fringe was burdened with a small laboratory (very small - Eeee are not known for carrying a lot of weight around). "I ssssee you sssurvived the Ambasssador," Malachite notes to Tasha when she joins them.

"She's a treacherous opponent, isn't she?" Tasha says in a jovial tone much at odds with her equipment. While her subordinates are primarily support, Tasha's main focus has often been specialized frontline duty. She's dressed in her unpowered version of the Achillies Powered Armor, her arm balances her halitool, while at her side are Apollyon's sword bereft of its crystal and a heavy automatic pistol common to Vartans not using biotechnological weapons. "I like her though, but I think she might be out to get me. Good thing we're leaving!"

"Yes ma'am," Shojo replies with a salute. Fringe just seems a bit distracted, then blinks and bobs her head. "Ready and.. uh.. ready!" the bat declares. She looks as if she hasn't slept in a few days.

But weapons and armor aren't all Tasha brough: She has her datapad and some tools along as well. The datapad gets pulled out with her free hand, and then she punches the screen with her thumb. 'Message sent' flashes on screen, and then the datapad gets stuffed away again. She looks up and nods. "Good. Fringe? Try and gets some sleep along the way. It'll be a long trip, so make sure you're rested." The half-face turns towards Shojo next. "Shojo, you should too. We all should. Anyway, lets get going!"

"I gave Fringe a sedative," Shojo notes as the train whistle blows and they begin to board. "And she has earplugs."

"Good man," Tasha says with a smile, climbing on first and then gesturing down the isle. "Lets see if we can get a rear car." Then she's headin that way.

Malachite leads them to their booth, and then coils up in the center of the floor between the two benches. "First ssstop will be Expedition City, then we transsfer to New Zion. We will have ground transsport from there."

"This will be my time time seeing New Zion in person," Tasha notes, ears perking. "In fact I haven't been back since a few days after we first arrived on Abaddon. It feels like a lifetime ago."

"We will likely not be entering the city itssself," Malachite notes. "We will have a few hours in Expedition City at bessst before we catch the dawn train to New Zion."

Fringe hangs upside-down from one of the bars of the luggage rack, making sure she has a good grip before the train starts to move. "I plan on sleeping as much as possible," she notes.

"Well, we can get something to eat then. I've heard there's a new restaurant. Or we can get some pizza. I'll pay," says the commander, who leans her halitool against her seat, letting it rest against her arm as she settles back with her hands behind her head. "Otherwise, lets take it easy. We cna go over things if we get bored, but for now, may as well rest while we can."

Once the train is underway, everyone seems to take that advice to heart. Although with the Lancer it's difficult to tell, as he sleeps with his eyes open and still flicks his tongue occasionally. Contrasting that is Shojo's almost complete lack of animation, beyond the rise and fall of his chest. Good soldiers can sleep during any sort of downtime, it seems.

While Tasha might not be a good soldier, she was a good crewman -- and crewmen of airships take their naps where they can. For Tasha, that often meant where ever and on whatever was available, ranging from sacks of grain, to boxes, to the envelope of the ship -- and occassionally with the squawking of pteras nearby. It's little wonder that the young woman is soo fast asleep, arms wrapped around her halitool and head tucked against her wings.

She dreams of angels singing, and of a spire-city rising high in to a blue sky ...

Expedition City never really goes to sleep, since quite a lot of its Eeee population are nocturnal. That makes it easy to find an open restaurant in the wee hours of morning. None of Tasha's companions had ever had pizza, and the results were mixed as to them liking it (Shojo complained that it stuck to the roof of his beak). The next leg of the journey was the longest, but at least not as long as the trip to the Gateway was. The depot was outside the New Zion dome, near the industrial and 'free trade' district. It was late enough that things were closed, as New Zion had a more diurnal populace. There were still some food trucks at least, as the industrial part tended to work day and night. Malachite brought them to a construction supply company, where they would catch their ride to Celestial Life Dome in one of the trucks taking building materials there.

The ride across the open desert was less than comfortable. The 'road' was unpaved, and often covered over with drifts of sand that made for bouncy encounters. The cold-then-hot temperatures made it all the worse. Malachite didn't seem to mind any of it, while Fringe had the hardest time - requiring another sedative from Shojo. The noise also reduced any conversation to Silent Sign, and the smell of hot metal and burning alcohol was less than ideal for Tasha as well. After sixteen hours, the glowing green dome finally appeared ahead, looking impossibly large for something that was alive.

Deciding that at some point she'll need to talk Gabriel in to acquiring or building a atmospheric vehicle for demployment over long distances, Tasha's road-weary mind is just about to call it quits again when she gets the heads-up the Dome is approaching.

Cracking her eyes open, the young woman peers at the distant -- and monolithic -- construction with raised brows. "It's certainly something, isn't it?" She asks no one in particular.

The others stir as well, as the caravan pulls into a staging area. Up close, the dome is even more impossible, since the structure is made of overlapping, transparent leaves.. but leaves with stems thicker than the largest of trees. Another flatbedded vehicle approaches, piloted by a large pink Naga (likely an albino). "Malachite party?" it hisses in heavily accented Standard.

"That'sss uss," the Green Lancer notes, and starts to unload their gear onto the flatbed.

Tasha joins in to help, not about to stand by and watch while her fellows work. She may be hot, uncomfortable and a bit grouchy, but that too is nothing new to a crewman. "All that we see came from the Seed? Or was that grown prior?" She asks as she hauls supplies.

"There were gardens before, but the ssstructure you sssee is from the Holy Seed," Malachite notes. "It hasss swallowed the boundaries of the old Life Dome, and may ssstill be expanding."

"It's the most amazing plant ever!" Fringe says, unable to stop staring at the dome. "Does it provide power and communications too?"

"Just what are the Holy Seeds? I know they were used to bend space in to overspace, but they seem to be a lot more than a power source and FTL drive combination," Tasha asks, partially mirroring Fringe's inquiry.

"That iss classsified," their guide remarks. "You will not be going into any inhabited or reclaimed areasss."

"Classified huh? Welll, I'll find out sooner or later ... " Tasha murmurs as she drops the last create in to the truck. "Lets climb in, I'm sure you're all wanting to get in to the shade."

With everything loaded, the flatbed leaves the staging area and heads around the curve of the dome. "Do you wisssh to camp insside or outsside tonight?" the guide asks. "My name is R'kshaw. I will be with you for the duration."

"Inside, my people could use some time out of the dust and sun," Tasha answers, sounding a little gruff after the long ride. "You're our escort then? Monitor?"

"Chaperone," R'kshaw replies. The further around they travel, the more and more warning signs they pass. "You will each be isssued a machete. You mussst carry it all timess. You mussst wear clothing at all timesss ass well." The guide is wearing a pocket-spangled fur-trimmed vest-coat himself, with a sheathed machete strapped to his back.

"That's fine," Tasha agrees, already carrying two close combat weapons and thinking one more won't make a difference but migth save her bettergear some wear. "Why clothes though? Infection?" She glances at Shojo now.

"Outfection," their guide says. "Anyone not wearing clothess iss to be consssidered a podling and cut down on sssight."

"I'll keep that in mind then," says Tasha, whose eyebrows raise. "I'd only heard a little about the podlings, and its been months since I heard it. Just how dangerous are they?"

"We do not want to find out," R'kshaw explains. "That iss why they are desstroyed on ssight. We have been told by our.. expert.. that they sssomehow copy one's spirit. It isss conceivable that if left to fully mature, a podling could successsfully impersonate the original."

Wondering what the world would be like with more of herself, then recalling her repeated battles with her 'sister' Nora, Tasha shakes her head. "I can see why," she admits. As she thinks about it more, she realizes just how disturbing being copied and replaced would be -- having her uniqueness, even her place in life stolen. And yet a part of her wonders, would she be killing a empty clone? Or a real person? "It must be hard on morale, killing people that look like friends and family -- or yourself."

"You get used to it," R'kshaw claims, and brings the vehicle to halt a few dozen yards from the edge of the dome. "No vehicles beyond this point," he explains, and points to the tree-trunk-sized stems. "Gather your gear."

"Everyone out," Tsha orders as she climbs out. She gathers her things shortly after, looking almost perversely overloaded for her relatively short size. Loaded down, she looks like a walking supply cache. Once the others are ready as well, she heads for the Dome.

The outer ring of stems shadow an inner ring.. and another. It's like walking through a widely-spaced forest, except the trees each produce a single leaf. It makes one feel a bit like a bug, due to the scale. It's also apparent that the giant leaves move, ever so slightly fanning inwards to create a cooling breeze. This outer-layer forest gradually gives way to something more jungle-like and on a normal scale, if overgrown.

Tasha had long watched the avian fauna of her native world. Often birds of various types would follow her airship or fly along side it, and she wondered what their life must be like. Here in this monsterous forest, a small bird amongst giants, she think she understand them a little better. Then realizes other aspects of her life are much the same in metaphor, and understands them a little more. "It all seems mechanical," she notes of the trees and their movements. "Like a life form breathing, a concerted effort."

"It is a sssingle organism," R'kshaw notes. Fringe is beside herself, clearly wanting to run up to the nearest stem-trunk and get a sample.. or just as likely run into the jungle. It may be the sedative that's keeping her in line for now. "I ssssugest you make camp outside the jungle, until you are more familiar with it," their guide says.

"We'll take that advice, thank you." Tasha scans the areas and thinks about what she's been taught. On Sinai as on Abaddon, the wilds hold many dangers and the Celestial Lifedome is much the same. She points towards an open area, away from concealing trees and flora. "That'll work. We don't want anything sneaking up on us." She then glances toward the guide and asks, "Will we need a watch, this far out?"

"Not ussually," the guide notes. "Inside would be different. But the podlings do not venture too far out."

"We'd better do it to be safe then, and to get used to things. Shojo, I want you on evening watch. Malachite and Fringe, late night. I'll take morning watch," Tasha directs people, nodding to each person or group in turn.

Shojo begins setting up his tent. It's desert-camouflaged of course, so stands out amidst the greenery. After a bit of dazed staring, Fringe also begins to set up her necessities. Malachite didn't bring a tent, nor did R'kshaw apparently. Having scales is proof against most weather, after all.

Tasha begins setting up her own tent, although she finds the concept to still be somewhat novel: A portable home! Back on Sinai, she'd get a blanket and her wings. Once her tent is set up, she turns towards the center of camp and asks, "How about a fire? Will that be a problem?"

"We are far enough from the greenery," R'kshaw claims. "It will get cold at night near the outer edge. Do you have a chemical fuel for it?"

"Yes, we'll be fine for a few days at least," Tasha answers. While she didn't predict it, it was recommended that she bring some. Like the tent, special fuels for fires is still novel to the cadet as she'd have normally relied on firewood. "Same with other secondary supplies."

"I am not familiar with your mammal rituals," R'kshaw says. "Ssso please forgive if I ssseem forward at times." He watches the tent construction closely.

"It doesn't bother me. Besides, I'm a JEF officer-cadet -- encouraging exploration and inquisitiveness is in my training," Tasha notes as she finishes up securing her tent, then walks over to begin arranging the fire pit. She uses a small shovel for the task, arranging rocks appropriate to keep the pit sequestered. "Just ask if you have questions. I know I have some. This is my first time inside the Celestial Lifedome, and I don't have much experience with Celestial technologies."

The guide's tongue flicks out, before he notes, "You will not encounter much technology here. The Seed isss a mystery still to us, but we are learning to harnesss its gifts."

"What are those gifts anyway?" Tasha asks as she clicks away at her flint, sparks glinting in the dim light of the overgrowth.

The hybrid rolls her eyes, grinning a little. "Of course." There's more clicking and finally the mound she'd assembled flickers with faintly glowing life. "Is there anything you can tell me about the Seed? You can tell me personally if you're uncomfortable informing the Knights, as I do srve your country's interests in an explorative and discovery capacity."

"I do not have a high enough sssecurity rating to actually know anything," R'kshaw admits. "I have never ssseen the Seed, even before the Blossoming."

"I guess we're all in the dark then. Although ... " And here Tasha leans forward, the warm glow of the firelight making her look unintentially sinister. "I've seen ... pictures. At least, of what we believe is a Seed. An old one."

"Pictures generally do not do the ssubject justice," R'kshaw claims, tongue flicking again. "The Seed is said to have a presence. Sssomething that can only be experienced in perssson."

"Something like a personality? An avatar, or, a projection of one? I know they're vine-like, and that they produce copious energy of an unknown type and source. They can bend space-time, so distorting locale space should be within their abilities," the Commander Cadet notes. As she does, she shrugs out of her dust cloak and puts it aside, then begins fishing out her MRE.

"Nothing ssso sspecific," R'kshaw replies. "Jusst.. pressence. It isss the Holy Seed for that reason."

"I've got more questions about the Seed, but I think we could all use a break and a chance to eat, then some rest. We'll continue in the morning. Shojo, after you're done eating you have watch, and the rest of us will get some sleep -- nice, quiet sleep." Tasha tears open her MRE, peering at it to see what she got this time. She made a point of mixing the different kinds for a little variety and adventure. According to supply officer that helped her pick out their gear, they all taste like either an old shoe, or an old shoe, or an old sock, and come with cookies. Thusfar she's only tried the cookie tin, which she has decided she likes. After sorting a bit more she sees she has 'beef brisket' with a side of 'macaronie and cheese' and some other stuff besides. Well it's beef, that has to be a good sign, she decides as she sets up to cook it. I hope it lasts.