The first time through the Gateway often has a powerful effect on people. Fringe experienced the most common reaction: leaning over the side of the Khattan wagon and dry-heaving (Tasha had advised her to not eat anything before the trip). Shojo's eyes were a bit unfocused and bloodshot, but otherwise he looked stoic, but who knows what was happening behind those eyes.
For Tasha.. well, she'd been through things far more disorienting than being stretched across interplanetary space. The harsh sun of the Himaat desert replaced the cool evening of the Abaddonian desert, causing her eyes to take a moment to readjust back to Sinai's light. The pudgy feline merchant on the bench next to her says, "Ah, you have the bearing of a veteran Gateway traveler, my most exotic beauty. But beware the Nohbakim - they may find you hard to resist, and they can have wandering appendages!"
"I'm a veteran of more than the Gateway, I'll be fine," Tasha responds with a laugh, turning and smiling at the man. "Where are you headed, my fine merchant?" She may never have acquired Layth's master of the flowery prose of the Khattans, but she has had ample time to learn some politics, diplomacy, and her recent encounter with the Khattan Trade Coalition has given her new reasons to try and adopt their civility. That, and seeing someone else dry heave over Gateway travel for a change has her in a good mood.
"My brother's market, where I will trade Abaddonian worked metal goods for soil and seeds," the Khatta notes. "Then I must change routes, and seek out my honored cousin Salim who trades in Arcadian woods."
Like at almost every port, there are crowds of beggars and hawkers overwhelming anyone they sense is 'alien' to Sinai - and that makes Tasha and her group targets for their dress. Nohbakim of many shapes and sizes and degrees of symmetry tout miracle elixirs brewed from rainbow water and sandfish (which are most assuredly poisonous to anyone but a Nohbakim). Fringe scoots in closer to Shojo, who still seems a bit dazed.
"I do love Abaddonian steel," the red woman remarks, shifting to leave back and enjoy the warm, dry weather -- as opposed to the cold, dry weather that is so common on Abaddon. "I'm Aldara Tasha, this is Shojo," she gestures towards the man, "and Fringe," and the woman gets her turn in time. The hand falls, and she adds, "My squad, we're here on business." She then looks up and around, brows raising as a grin spreads across her face. "Its been a while, hasn't it ... I almost forgot this sound. Ha! What a strange feeling, to be treated like a foreigner."
And speaking of sound.. there is a sudden thrum that seems to cut through the noise of the crowds. It's followed by a jarring clash of sound, amplified and modified somehow, and then a rapid series of chords. Many of the locals disperse, covering their ears (or whatever passes for ears on some of them).
Tasha shoots upright, a reflex from one too many recent battles. At first she looks focused, hand sliding towards her weapon, but then as she sees it's nothing but some sort of music, she relaxes. "Never a dull moment in crowds like these," she says with a chuckle, dropping back and relaxing again. "Driver? You have our dock number, right?"
"Alas, I will not be passing through the stormwall tunnel," the merchant notes, cringing a bit from the harsh 'music' that is clearing the area. "The docks are on the far side.. ah.. forgive me but.." The man pulls his kadiban down to cover his ears. The cacophony causes Fringe to all but curl into a ball, but also seems to break Shojo out of his trance. It's not hard to tell where the source of the noise is, since it is likely in the direction everyone is fleeing from.. which also seems to be on the road to the stormwall tunnel.
"Sounds like some Titanians at it," tasha notes, turing her attention towards the tunnek road. "never a dull moment with Titanians, either." She grins, then glances over at the be-turbaned man and taps one of her unusually large canine teeth before looking back. "Still, hear that you two? We'll be walking the tunnel. Don't hesitate to ask any questions."
Shojo picks up their travel packs and hops down from the wagon, then reaches over and picks up Fringe as well, draping her over his shoulder. The Eeee doesn't protest.
"What, no carrying me?" Tasha asks with a teasing grin even as she helps herself down. She grabs her things, puts them down, then checks her gear. She's equipped for a long, hard road -- and for equally unpleasant dangers -- and so goes through her assorted weapons and other items a moment before turning and picking her things back up. "Off we go! Good luck on your trip!" She waves to the merchant, then thumbs towards the tunnel and leads from the front.
Things have thinned out a bit, and Tasha's crew are the only ones that seem to be heading towards the noise. And as guessed, there are some Titanians ahead, sitting on the ground and watching a similarly sized armored figure. The armored Titanian is wearing a cobalt-blue cloak, and has the barred Star-and-Anchor of the Knights Templar on his (or her) tabard. The sounds are coming from a double-headed battle-axe that has been modified to resemble a mandolin of sorts. Steel strings are rapidly strummed while an armored gauntlet fingers them high on the weapon's neck. There are knobs and levers attached as well, and tubes running to sound-horns on the armor's pauldrons. The strange instrument-weapon produces a low growl, which quickly rises into a high squeal as the musician moves his hand along the neck.
Tasha'd only heard about the figure before her; After all, few could resist mentioning something so brazen and exotic, and fewer still could forget it. "It's one of the Cobalt Lance, maybe even the Champion of Sound himself," she remarks to her fellows, sounding particularly impressed. While she's seen a few of the Sinaian Templars her early life either made her too inconsequential for their notice andher choice of hobbies made their notice something she had preferd to avoid -- but everyone in Rephidim knew of the Lances.
As she approaches, she lifts a hand in a wave and asks, "Hoy, Knight. Nice instrument. Here for us maybe?"
The Knight is lost in his performance, and probably can't even hear Tasha. However, someone does tap her on the shoulder - another tall armored figure that somehow remained hidden until just now. This one is digitigrade, and clearly female (the armor is sculpted to reflect this) and feline. Her cloak is more of a magenta color. She signs with her right hand, "You are the Templar group from Abaddon?"
"In the flesh, such as it is," Tasha signs back, head tilting as she takes in another one of the Lancers. The Magneta Lance was something of a scandal in the time Tasha last heard about it, and by all accounts it had been destroyed. She can only assume that the Knights have been rebuilding, which, to her, seems perfectly understandable given the length of time that has passed, their breaking off from the Temple, and her own organizations rapid rebuilding. "Treach-" She pauses in her signing, waggles her hand as one would clear their throat, then corrects with, "Miss Riddle would have arranged our meeting. I didn't think she'd send Lancers, though."
"We do not have civilian contractors," the Lancer signs back. "You may call me Lily. The Cobalt Lancer is Axe. We are your escort. Is it only the three of you?"
"Just us three." Tasha then nods towards the Lancers, waving her people forward. "They're out escort, lets follow them back to their ship. Magneta one is Lily, the Cobalt Lancer is Axe." The young woman then nods to the Lancers and says, "I'm Aldara Tasha, by the way. Aldara Tasha Argentine, the squad leader. The sack of Eeee is Fringe, and the stoic looking Vartan is Shojo, both your people from Abaddon. I'm with the JEF."
The armored head nods, and then Lily draws a crossbow pistol, loads a bolt, and fires it's right at Axe. It bounces of his faceplate, which seems to be the signal that he has to wrap things up. The big Knight ends with a wailing florish and swings the axe over his head a few times, causing the Titanian audience to howl and pound the ground. Turning back to the others, Lily signs, "I hope you did not have difficulty finding us."
Tasha grins as the humor, despite the other womans' face being hidden and the subdued emotion of sign. "We managed. I'll have to ask him about that thing he's playing later -- Titanian-to-Titanian secrets, you know!" She then reaches over and pats her halitool, which has become mroe haliberd than tool thanks to the removal of its power pack and the affixation of a static blade on its saw end. "Ready to go?"
Lily leads them through the glass tunnel. Aside from the Gateway itself, this is the first 'big' display of magic the Abaddonians have witnessed. Outside of the glass walls of the tunnel rages a black hurricane, complete with lightning, that forms a wall around the Gateway complex itself. Something that will be totally invisible once they get a mile away from it, at that! Luckily it isn't too deep, and they're back in daylight again in a few minutes. The rest of Gateway Town sprawls out, using whatever stable ground it can find. There are hotels, malls and mostly embassies here, and the dockyard beyond, composed of piers stretching out into the Sea of Sand and towers for mooring airships.
"Be careful of the desert here," Tasha notes as they walk, gesturing out towards the far reaches of the camp, "The consistency is very fine, and you'll sink quickly without the right supports. In a time long ago -- after the Expedition planetfall but long before now -- the Savanite Empire cursed the land and its people, turning the land to desert and the people in to ... Well, people that look like me these days!"
"Those people are from this planet then?" Shojo asks. There are still plenty of Nohbakim around at this point. They do make up the majority of the workers in Gateway Town. As they near the docks, there are several of the local sand triremes about, using the bones of giant shriken as essential building elements. That, perhaps, is the least surprising thing to the Abaddonians, given the dangerous megafauna they're used to.
"They are. Apparently they were Zedra at one time -- that is, one of the many uplifted animal species brought on the Ark and given sentience. Now they're, well ... They're a lot of things." Continuing along after the Lancers, Tasha takes a moment to really look around. It's her homeworld, or at least a corner of it, and it feels like she's been gone a long time despite only having been gone for a few months. She realizes then that it's not the time that matters so much, but how much she's changed, and how far she's walked. "You'll meet a lot of new species. In the early days, the Ark -- Rephidim Temple now -- used its terraforming technologies to populate the planet. Sinai didn't have much of the fleet assets, so had to create much of the population you see now. There are even what I think are new-generation Karnor."
The airships are all Khattan in style - which, with the exception of the Mages Guild, are the only ones allowed to dock at Gateway. The surface transports have no restrictions, however, and Lily is definitely leading towards one of those. It looks like a Nohbakim trireme, except that the skis aren't made of bone and there is a massive engine of some sort that makes up the bulk of the sand-ship.
They also pass a group of Offworld Legionaries, who give the Knights a wide berth.
Tasha gives the Kampfengruppe personnel a big friendly wave, not quite being able to resist, before they head on. "An engine huh," she notes of the looming vehicle. "Can't be internal combustion unless you've found a way to prevent catastrophe. Some sort of quasi-Sifran disturbance reaction drive?"
"Titanian," Lily signs. "Very fast, to outrun sand gremlins." The figures that can be seen crawling around the machine must be Titanians then.. which means the sandship is much bigger than previously assumed.
"I'll have to take a look then," Tasha notes with a certain gleam in her eye. "By the way you two," and here she turns back to her fellows, "You're free to your own time during the trip. Rest, relax, and settle in. Talk to the locals if you want, it might help you adjust. I'll be with the Titanians, or else with Lily."
"We.." Shojo starts to say, as Fringe still seems a bit overwhelmed by everything. Then the Vartan looks to the hulking armored Titanian with them, and realizes, "We are free to associate with Titanians on this world, aren't we?"
"As far as I'm concerned, you're free to associate with anyone, Titanians included, on either world. We in the JEF don't make distinctions; In fact, I spent several weeks with the Titanians just recently. The teeth look familiar, yes? So, you could say I'm 1% Titanian!" The hybrid winks at Shojo, then waves the two of them off. "Go, have fun! Meet people! Or vomit over the side, just don't get in to too much trouble and watch your things."
"I'm not used to meeting people," Shojo notes. Fringe seems to feel extra fragile.. even as another Eeee passes them. Sinaian Eeee seem a bit more robust in general than the Abaddonian sort, but that could simply be due to competition. The races of Sinai have to mingle and compete in ways that generally (usually) don't involve mechanized warfare after all.
They go out along the long pier and notice a lot of banging and other noises from their transport, as Titanians wack on anything metal (and there's a lot of metal) with their hammers. It has a bit of ritual to it.
"Well now's the time. Adventure is discomfort, and discomfort is the road to growth. You'll get used to it if you follow me enough," says the group leader, who walks on board without much further ado. "Just remember, no staring, be careful, and being polite doesn't hurt either."
Their arrival is noticed, and a crane swings out over the side of the ship and lowers a loading platform for them. It rises rather quickly, and there's nothing to hang onto but the ropes, but nobody gets flung off into the sand. A grinning Titanian meets them, and waves some sort of staff around each of them. It has incredibly strong incense billowing out of one end, and the greeter makes sure everyone in the party is saturated with the stuff.
Used to Titanian oddities by now, Tasha plays along without any fuss, merrily grinning at the commotion. She does wonder what exactly the incense is supposed to do, hoping that whatever ceremony is taking place isn't going to take offense at her presence. After all, she realizes she's more than a little touched by strange spirits and extra-universal horrors these days. I almost miss the days when the only thing I worried about when boarding a ship was if I was sober enough, she thinks.
"Gremlins no like smoke," the staff-bearer explains, and then more Titanians circle around and bang on metal pots. Apparently gremlins don't like the noise either. From here, the engine looms like a gaping maw. It's a jet-turbine of some sort! And like all Titanian machines on Sinai, it is ridiculously overbuilt with components that probably don't do anything except 'attract gremlins' so that they fail instead of the important parts. The machine is already starting to roar to life, shaking everything violently.
"I'd like to go back through the wormhole I think," Fringe yells to Tasha, just to be heard.
"Too late now!" Tasha yells back, reaching over to pat poor Fringe's head. She does wave towards the front of teh vehicle with a free hand though, showing her people the escape route while she herself intends to remain behind. "Am I needed anywhere, Lily? Are you also here to discuss Knight aid and the operation, or will that happen later?"
"We are here to escort you where you need to go," the Knight signs, which is rather handy given the noise and shaking. "You will need to tell me that destination when we reach Abu Dhabi."
Deciding it is handy, Tasha switches to sign as well. "Very well. i think I'll bother your friend Axe for a while, please come and get me if you need anything or if there's a problem. And, thank you for your escort."
Lily takes Shojo and Fringe to a marginally safer part of the ship near the prow. Axe is standing wide-legged, arms crossed over his chest, and using the breeze from the engine intake to make his cloak billow dramatically. At least until the engine hits its peak, and then everyone is just trying to stay upright as the sandship pulls away from the pier and sends up rooster-tails of sand as it accelerates across the desert. Even at top speed, it will still take several hours to reach Abu Dhabi, assuming a few stops along the way to repair or rebuild the engine - although several of the crew are clinging to the thing and seem to be doing just that, while it's working.
The solid ground comes as a shock after the jostling ride, especially the parts where the giant sandship left the surface entirely before slamming back down. It was a challenge even to someone who already had their sea-legs (or air-legs), and Fringe and Shojo were having a lot of difficulty regaining their balance on unmoving ground. "I will notify our transport if you give me your next destination," Lily signs to Tasha. "Do you have business to attend in the city?"
Tasha is just picking up her tools when Lily arrives, having spent a majority of the voyage discssing the finer points of personal equipment, combat, engineering and gremlins with Axe. When the last tool goes back in its belt slot, Tasha stands and signs, "I need to stop by the local Mages Guild and have a ritual performed. If it's like any ritual I've seen, it will take several hours. From there, we will be heading south to Safar, and, once we have resupplied, further south in to the Beast Lands."
"Axe will be your escort in the city, while I go ahead to arrange things," Lily signs. She then bows, and lopes off. She might be a Savanite under that armor, given how tall she is.
Tasha considers that for a moment, but it's none of her business and she knows it. Of course that has never stopped her before, and so she reminds herself it's also not important, and so she leaves it for idle consideration later. After assembling her team and ensuring none of them are sick, dying, or mutinous, she brings them back to Axe and says, "We need to stop by the Mages Guild. This will take a few hours, while Lily is arranging transport. Ready to go, big guy?"
Axe nods, and looks around. He then points down one of the central avenues, and leads the way. It isn't a very direct route, however - the armored Knight is deliberately taking a path that keeps them mostly in the shade, since it's Abu Dhabi and Knights never open their armor in public. Who knows how hot it is in there? The Mages Guild is, unsurprisingly, an Abu Dhabi-styled villa, with a central courtyard cooled by a fountain and suspiciously convenient cool breezes. Even so, the resident Mages seem to prefer staying indoors. A well-dressed Khatta in some sort of uniform greets them with a bow. "I am honored to make the acquaintance of travelers from afar, and the brave and impressive Knight Templar of the Cobalt Lance," he says. "I am Iddi, the Mages Guild seneschal. How may I serve you?"
"I am Aldara Tasha Argentine, pilot-cadet of the Joint Expeditionary Force of Abaddon, and leader of this squad. These are my associates and squad members Shojo," the man gets gestured at again, "and Fringe," and now it's the Eeee's turn. Tasha's hands then spread as she continues, explaining, "I'm here to hire the services of an Earth Mage for the casting of a ritual, to be placed upon a suitable object. Can you help me?"
"We have many Earth Mages here, of various sub-Sphere specialties," Iddi notes. "Is there are particular branch of Earth Magic that you are seeking?"
"If there is a specialty dealing with plants -- particularly exotic and resilient vines and vine-like plants -- then that would be ideal. It will be a 'Wilting'" The young woman pauses, looking to the seneschal to see if she got the spell type correct, "spell, of significant power."
"An herbicide," Tasha then adds if it helps, feeling more confident with the Abaddonian technical term for their own poison concoctions.
"We do have a visiting Weed Mage," Iddi notes. "I will be happy to make your introduction." He bows again, and leads them into the building proper. Tasha's been in the Lightfoot villa before, and this one seems similar, with a residential wing and a business wing. Between them is general-purpose area that probably serves as a meeting and dining room, and overlooks a small garden. Iddi situates the visitors, and then goes to fetch the Earth Mage. This seems to take some time, but eventually he returns with an odd looking Naga. The scales are all in shades of purple, and there is even a purple gem fixed in its forehead. It has a mutation - a long scarlet mane, like a Rhian's, flowing down the neck. The upper-body robes are covered in flower patterns.. and there is an odd, square hat strapped to the Mage's head, like a box from a take-out restaurant. "This is Mage Fuschia the.." Iddi says, and then seems to pause as if unwilling to say the rest. "Weed Whacker, as she is known to her peers."
The Mage raises her right hand and wiggles the fingers in a sort of wave.
Tasha pauses, the reaction visible on her face as her smile falters and for a moment she looks concerned. It's gone quickly enough, but the doubt remains. A naga ... Can I really ask a naga to craft the spell that may kill a legend from its own history? The possible source of their starfairing, perhaps even an angel of its own Progenitor? Not liking the position she finds herself in one bit, she none-the-less knows she has to say something, and so pushes herself to deal with the matter and suffer the fallout.
"I'm sorry. It's nothing against you personally, Mage Fuschia, but, um, would it be possible to have a practioner who isn't a naga?" tasha asks, quite realizing she probably sounds speciesist despite her earlier talk of acceptance and openness.
"Of course," Fuschia says in a surprisingly squeaky voice, "if you prefer someone of lesser ability and experience. Most Earth Mages you will find here specialize in growing things under adverse conditions, however. May I ask why you would prefer a non-Naga? I am not aware of any ill will between Nagas and Nohbakim."
"Uh ... " Tasha scratches at her head, then glances towards the senescahl, then to her fellows. "I'd like you two, and you Mr. Iddi, to wait here a moment. Come with me, Mage Fuschia." And with that Tasha starts walking towards the exit without looking back. When she spots Axe, she waves him over and then steps towards the shade of a distant corner, outside and far from prying ears.
The Knight follows along, providing a bit of a privacy wall all by himself. Fuschia continues to look slightly amused and curious as they gather in the corner. "Your companion is an Eeee," she points out. "Unless you wish to converse in Silent Sign, she will surely overhear."
"Not for long. Axe?" Tasha glances to the Lancer and makes a strumming move with her hands, then looks back and begins to sign. It may be a bit much, but she knows her mission becoming common knowledge could be far worse -- even he cause of war. When the music starts up, Tasha signs, "I require a powerful 'Wither' spell, which may be used against a being significant to the nagai people as a whole. You wouldn't know his name and you may not understand the entirety of his significance even if I explained it in full -- which I won't. For another race, they could be shrouded by their ignorance, but for you, the burden is much worse. Or nothing. It's difficult to say, but it's significant enough that I didn't want to hire you and lead you in to taking the burden blindly. But now you insist, so I'm telling you as much as I think I should. Knowing too much is also a danger, you understand?" The hybrid woman pauses long enoughto rest her hand, looking around and clearly somewhat flustered by this turn of eve
nts, then she signs, "So the choice is yours, now that you know. Please decide quickly."
The mage signs, her movements rather elegant.. as if she's singing her signs. "I am a Mage. That is my identity above all else, including my species. I am pledged to no culture but Magic. I observe no gods, for they are only overblown spirits. I am incapable of blasphemy. I kill things. Plants.. but still living things. Some things need to be killed in order for others to thrive. Now, how large is the plant you want to kill? What details can you give me?"
"It is the size of a large building, roughly fourty feet, but most of its mass is concealed. It is an alien lifeform of significant age, intelligence, durability, and possesses an unknown ability to create energy in a manner that appears to be different from magic and other sources of energy. It has been said it's immortal, but my research shows that's false or at least dubious and not the whole truth. Its touch is dangerous. The plant is vine-like, and alike a seed as well as grown plant. Currently, it's housed in a suit of armor of the same size and only parts of it are visible from the outside," Tasha explains, dredging up everything she knows about Lord Yama, save his history and name.
Tasha then pauses for a moment, considering something the mage said earlier, then signs, "Not all who claim to be gods are spirits. These worlds are not the only ones, and our universe isn't alone."
"I only deal with this universe," Fuschia replies. "This sounds similar to the Smashengrab, created by the Sylvanian plant-wizard Alaghastor a few centuries back, along with the dryads - if he is to be believed. With all vine-like entities, striking at the central mass is critical. Can this be done?"
"I will see it's done," Tasha promises, althiough she knows it's part bravado. She also knows the price of failure, having seen a glipse of it in Balthasar's cockpit.
Fuschia seems to be doing calculations in her head. "This thing does not sound as if it is rooted to one spot, if it wears armor," she signs.
The red woman nods to the well-reasoned guess. "The entirety of the creature itself is mobile, and it can mobilize its armor as well," she confirms in sign.
"It is violent in its defense?" is the next question.
"It was violent in peace, until I was able to negotiate with it. We have spoken before, but I can't be sure it will continue to be peaceful and the danger it represents can be immense, and not just to me. Were it to become genuinely aggressive, it has the power to destroy cities, airships, and easily crush a humanoid -- and those are the abilities I know for certain. There may be others," is Tasha answer.
"It sounds perceptive," Fuschia signs, then grins. "I have never had to craft a spell against a thinking weed before. Violent ones, yes. Carnivorous ones as well. But not knowingly malicious. It will be a challenge."
Tasha smiles a little as well, though her's is grim. "It will be, I can promise you. If I return and if it needed to be used, I will tell you how succesful you were, if that helps."
"If you kill it, I will want samples," Fuschia signs. "For now, I will need an ounce of your blood to start with."
"I'm not sure I can do that. But, if you ever come to Abaddon or would like to return with us, I can put you in to contact with the people who will handle the analysis for us. I'm sure we could work something out, and that you could participate on the research team," is Tasha's promise. She then nods, turning to make a throat-slice gesture to Axe, ending the cacophony under which they are concealed. "Lets head back then and get started, Mage Fuschia. And, thank you for your willingness towork with us."
It turns out the spell will take quite a bit of time to prepare, and require Fuschia to get the help of a few other Mages, although she doesn't give many details, or why she needs Tasha's blood. It also means waiting another day in Abu Dhabi. This works fine for Lily, since transport to Safar will not be available until then anyway. And while there are many interesting things to do in Abu Dhabi for tourists, it's quite a different matter when dealing with Templars (two of which are ominously armored). But Tasha does have friends in town, luckily, and Alexander Lightfoot is fine with putting them all up for a night. This gives the Knights an opportunity to get out of (and clean) their armor, and Shojo and Fringe to be introduced to Lapis. And specifically, Lapi children, who think a Titanian and a Vartan are just large toys to climb on. And it turns out that Lily is a Savanite - and that the Magenta Lance is now based in Safar to boot, as the Champion of Roses was specifically invited to rebuilt her La
Lance there by the Queen of Xenea.
Fringe and Tasha are given a room to share for the night. "I'm glad I filled up at lunch," the Eeee notes. "But I've never seen such a variety of vegetables before! The roasted thingies were good. So many spices.."
And along with all the new guests is Tasha, who has been here before on multiple occassions. But this time around, she more than a little different from the girl Alexander met, and from the woman with far-gazing eyes that replaced her. Her eyes are no less distant, but she has authority now, and her face is a mask of change, Titanian teeth, and inner and outter scars.
At the table with the others, Tasha turns to smile at the Eeee. "Sinai has a wealth of cooking, that's somethign you'll find as you travel more and more. Each region is different, but, Abu Dabi is one of the finest -- and the Lightfoots have always been excellent cooks. I know from experience." She winks, then smiles to Alexander with that mosaic face. "How have things been with the Lightfoot family?"
"Oh, Barika is expecting, so we will have a few more coneys running about soon enough," the Lightfoot patriarch explains. "Business is also good, thanks to certain lucrative new contracts. And Aaron is doing well, though is perhaps a bit bored after adventuring, if you can believe such a thing. I am obliged to let him know how you are doing, of course. You may wish to write to him in your own words though, to keep him from worrying over your.. injuries?"
"Adventuring is never boring, at least," Tasha says, gesturing towards her face in an airy motion with her left hand. "I had a run in with something a bit bigger than me, that's all. But we won and it didn't, and I'm fine, and that's all that matters." She smiles, but maybe not convincingly. "I'll let him know. I would have said something sooner, but I've been recovering for the last few months and wasn't able to do much of anything -- speaking of boring. But don't worry, I'll write a letter before I leave."
"Your friend is rather quiet," Yasmin notes, indicating Shojo. Axe is happily juggling children, and Lily is allowing Hana to style her hair, showing great patience. But Shojo seems reluctant to do.. anything. Even Fringe has survived having her ears tugged by a fluffy child so far.
"Shojo is just ... Shojo. It's difficult for him, and not him being difficult," Tasha explains, turning to glance towards the man, sitting as he is off alone. "At least, most of it isn't. I'm afraid he and I share being outsiders, butthat he hasn't yet come to terms with his lot. I get the impression he's suffered a lot, even beyond the stillness that he's cursed with. he may seem quiet, even stoic, but ... There's a fire behind his eyes. A black one. I hope I can help him."
"Ah, one of those 'he was such a quiet fellow' types that end up going on a killing spree?" Alexander asks, ears raised.
"Oh, he's a medic actually," Fringe notes. "So.. he unkills people.."
"I hope not," says the young cadet, ears shooting up as well. "But ... " She then winces, bites her lip, then spreads her hands. "I don't know. I'm not sure if his superior saw it, or if anyone sees it except a few of us. I just hope he's never pushed too far." She then nods to Fringe, seated nearby. "He hopes to get his revenge through healing the world. Not like me, of course, who tried to fight it! Though," and here tasha tilts her head, "I suppose I still am? And I worry Shojo still wants to do the same."
"He seems more concerned with accidentally breaking something," Alexander notes. "He needs to relax."
"He does, but he won't let himself and I don't want to push him. I even though of taking him to the street of dreams, and seeing what we could find, but I don't know. He might just tense up more. And, really, I'd prefer my people stay on edge and ready than risk their stability right now. Sorry Fringe," says Tasha, who gives her squadmate a apologetic smile. "It's for the best, right now."
"I'm not on edge!" Fringe says, although really that seems to be her normal state of being. Her chosen name wasn't random after all.
"We're all on edge. It's fine. We should be. I'd be worried if any of us were too calm," the squad leader insists, reaching over to pat Fringe's hand. She then turns to Alexander and says, "Sorry. Like I said, we're not here for fun, but you could probably guess that by the Lancer escort. I'm not that important." And she smiles.
"I don't think I should mention the Knights to Aaron," Alexander admits. "Or where you're off to next. It is good to see you again though - how things with Gabriel and the others?"
"Probably for the best," Tasha grees regarding not tellinf Aaron about the Knights. As for Gabriel, she tilts her head and smiles a serene sort of smile, far at odds with her almost haunted earlier one. "Gabriel and I are doing well. We managed to settle some of the difficulties we were having, and now we've settled in to things more. It's peaceful, and, I like to think he's happy where he is. Busy, but happy. Remiel is doing just as well, and he now has a mate too. Neesa; She's wonderful. And Eli ... Well. Eli needs to get out more, but at least he's enjoying his work. I'll help him yet."
"Eli seemed a gentle person," Yasmin says. "He needs a nice quiet smart girl."
"I think he found one, but, well, she's a little different. But! If things go well for us in the next few days, I think I'll be able to bring them closer together. Or if not soon, then later, if I get what I'm hoping to get." Tasha can't quite hide her grin at 'what she's hoping to get,' and her tail even wags a little. "Speaking of which, I might not be around as much in the future, if things work out. It's hard to say. Maybe I'll take the Shojo with me."
"More adventures then?" Alexander says. "You know Aaron would tell you not to take on things alone. Unless you're having children. But it's a given that you won't be doing that alone.."
"You never know. Where I walk, even that's possible. It's a wonderful, terrible universe, don't you think? To say nothing of the oth-" Here the young woman pauses, glancing at the friendly, family home and its warm, simple peace. She shuts her mouth, grins apologeticly, then says, "Anyway, yes, more adventures. I think I'll be doing this for a long time yet. But don't worry -- and don't let him worry either -- as I'm done trying to do everything alone. At least, not things I don't have to do alone, and I have enough of those! No, I have good people. I'll need more, too, to go where I'm going."
"Well, I hope you'll visit again before you head back to Abaddon," Alexander says. "Sometimes you need to just take a break. Lie back, and be covered in children. It's very relaxing."
"That's what the JEF needs, more children. I knew I forgot something!" Leaning over, Tasha reaches over and scoops a connie that had been speeding by, putting the child in her lap. "And speaking of relaxing, seeing poor Shojo all alone over there is breaking my heart. Want to help me cheer up the big birdie?" The question gets directed at the child, and Tasha wiggles her ears.
"Bird!" the Lapi child says. "Feathers tickle all the time, don't they?"
"All the time," the red woman insists, poking at the avian side of her face as she walks over to Shojo. Looking down at him, she clears hr throat and says in her best voice of authority, which is really Nora's voice. "Medic! This is a connie. She's adorable yes?"
"They are very adorable," Shojo notes. "I had a pet rabbit once."
"Then you should know all about them." Tasha sits herself down beside the Vartan, the connie in her lap. "And you should give her a hug, or she's going to feel very sad. Isn't that right?" The female Vartan frowns in a very melodraamtic way, nodding to the child, then turns the frown on Shojo.
Little chubby finger reach out for a hug. Shojo takes the Lapi and.. cradles her. "I'm too strong to hug a child," he notes. "I could hurt her."
The girl solves this by hugging Shojo instead.
Tasha snorts, then leans over to punch Shojo in the shoulder. "Strong? See?" She waggles her other hand at the child. "There's your answer. She's smarter than I am, because I was just going to going to point out we're both Vartans and I'm just as strong as you are. Her arguement is much better: 'Sometimes you need someone to hug you, when you can't bring yourself to hug someone else.'"
Shojo awkwardly hugs the girl.. well, pats her on the back, and smiles. His smiles never look quite right, since he has to practice them, but it's a good effort at least.
Tasha smiles too. Shojo's smiles may be off, but to her, they may as well be some of the most beautiful smiles in the world -- after all, what could be better than the genuine smile of someone who's suffering?
"That's the spirit! You know, Shojo, I was going to wait. But, I think this is the best time, while you're happy. While you're not closed off from everyone. ou said once that you wanted to see the universe, to help people. When our journey is done, if we succeed, I'll have the means. And you ... You could come with me. I'll arrange it. I'll show you the universe, if you want. As far as you want to see." She then reaches over to pat the connie too, smiling as she leans over. "It sounds nice, doesn't it..?"
"Will there be candy?" the child asks.
"Only the best candy in the universe!" Tasha answers, throwing her hands up wide to show just how grand space candy will be.
"I'll think about it," Shojo says. "This excursion will tell me if I am ready to mingle with civilians on a regular basis, and not seem like a robot."
"Don't let the robots hear you say that. They'll be offended. I could tell everyone you are a robot, then you can impress them with how lifelike you are. It'll be our secret!" Tasha then puts a finger to her muzzle, nodding towards the connie too to make sure she's on board with Secret Robot Shojo.
"Wassa oobot?" the girl asks. "Like Mister Honks?" she clarifies, pointing to the family Hookah.
"A robot is a metal man or woman, who is very disappointed in my illogical emotion and thinks my cooking is terrible. But aide from that, they're actally very nice. Shojo isn't a robot, though he thinks being one is awful, but I bet he never even met a robot," Tasha explains. She also eyes Mr. Honks, who quite the opposite from finding Tasha's cooking bad, found her tail delicious. Which makes him less a robot and more Gabriel, she decides with a grin.
The colorful alien creature stares at Tasha with it's sunken, beady eyes. "Whooaaaank.." it croons.
"Don't honk at me! My tail remembers you!" Tasha insits, shaking a finger Hookah-ward.
"It is a nice tail," Shojo claims. "Shiny."
"I know it-" Tasha pauses, then she peers at Shojo and leans in to eye him. "Was that a joke? Or flirting? That's not very robotic of you ... No, wait that is robotic of you, but not the kind of robotic you're thinking of! I think the birdie is hiding his funny side!"
"I have a very dry sense of humor," Shojo claims. "And flirting would be a bit pointless, given my condition."
"How pointless?" Tasha asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Certain required functions are involuntary, and thus an issue, since there is no voluntary equivalent," the Vartan notes, apparently not embarrassed about it by this point.
'Hrrm,' goes Tasha, who arches an eyebrow and stares at Shojo for a long moment. She never really thought her libido and what it got her in to would be of any real use; It'd get her in to trouble most of the time, except with a very few people. Even now it threatens her relationships, even as it helps keep them together. But in all that, she has a lot of experience to draw off of. She's met a lot of different kinds, some with their own problems. She props her head on her hand, thinking, and then says, "But you still feel, don't you?"
"Yes.. but that isn't enough to trigger things," Shojo says. "Others have tried," he notes. "Please do not consider this a personal challenge. Or talk Fringe into anything."
"This isn't over," Tasha insists, giving the man a raised brow look. "I'll get you happy yet. Until then, don't forget to hug the connies, and, I can at least offer you the stars. Who knows what you can find in them?"
"Flaming gasses?" Shojo guesses.
"Dry ... Very dry." Tasha leans over and kisses the connie on the forehead, then pats Shojo's shoulder as she stands. "Hug the connie. Relax. That's an order. I and going to go see if I can style Lily's hair."
The Savanite looks alarmed at this suggestion.. given the current state of Tasha's own hair.
"Oh don't look at me like that! This was a sacrifice for the mission. For knowledge! It's not my fault everyone says they like it, and apparently 'tooth glue' is Titanian for 'never-ever comes off,'" Tasha insists as she plops down beside Lily, then points the overseeing connie to her own hair, showing she's free to switch. "If I ruin your hair you can ask the Queen to have me, I don't know, executed or something."
"Shaved," Lily corrects, but does submit to hair futzing. It's not like anyone ever gets to see it under her helmet anyway..
"You could ask one of her advisors to curse me with silence. The universe will thank you, you'll be a big hero!" Tasha suggests, who puls out her comb and gets to work. In truth she has no plan, no style, she just really wants to, and she so rarely gets the chance. As Alexander says, sometimes you just have to sit back, relax, and let children climb all over you -- or in this case pet the kitty.
The following day, Tasha returns to the Mages Guild and is brought to a rather dark room. Fuschia is there, and holds up a bit of cloth. "Please wrap this around your head to cover your eyes," the mage requests.
Considering a smartass remark but deciding the better of it, Tasha dutifully takes the cloth and afixes it around her eyes. She even actually covers her eyes, knowing full well that some eye covers protect as well as conceal. "Can I ask what this is for?" She at least allows.
"So that you do not see what comes next, of course," Fuschia explains. "Pleasssse hold out your left hand, the taloned one."
"Please don't cut if off, I just finished growing it," Tasha insists, not quite able to resist a second go as she holds out her taloned hand.
"Oh, you should have mentioned that before," Fuschia says. And then something cold touches the scaled hand, and starts to coil around it.. like a Garter Naga made of ice.
"Nng," goes Tasha, who appreciates having something cool in this dry, hot land, but would have prefered to be warned about it, and for that matter, not have it feel like her hand is about to freeze off. "You didn't ask," she grunts a second later.
The coldness fades, leaving just the weight of something wrapped around her wrist like a bracelet. "There, you may remove your blindfold now," the mage says.
Tasha does so, logically turning to look at her left and with raised brows.
Something glitters, but it isn't clear until Fuschia opens the shades to let light into the room - which turns out to be a magical laboratory of sorts. It still takes a moment for Tasha to see what's on her, since the bracelet exactly matches the color and texture of her Vartan talon. It's a snake, made of wood - or something similar. It has various bits of shiny, colored glass embedded in it, including two green stones for eyes. There's something about the glass gems that seems liquid, almost. "You mentioned that you were on speaking terms with the target," Fuschia notes. "Your blood is incorporated into the enchantment, to mask it as part of you."
Tasha turns her arm this way and that, holding it up to the light. That it's a form of jewelry makes her feel less awkward about being so powerfully enchanted -- her old Vartan bias creeping in uninvited. "That's very clever of you," she notes, looking down now and towards the naga woman. "I'm not sure it can sense magic, but it doesn't hurt to be safe. It can sense other things, after all, and can likely see as well as we do, and probably better."
"If you decide to use it, you must activate it with your own blood," Fuschia instructs. "So if you are being killed, be sure to bleed on the bracelet, then touch the plant. The snake will animate and seek out the core before delivering the wither spell. As a backup, I had a colleague who has studied at the Earth Tower place a transmutation spell as well, in case wither alone does not stop it. That one will mineralize the plant matter. Flash fossilization, in effect. You don't want to be touching it still when that goes off."
"Fearsome magic ... For a fearsome enemy," Tasha says in a thoughtful tone, trying not to think too hard on becoming a tragically tasteful Yama-and-Tasha monument. "And blood activated. Well, I was hoping to avoid bleeding over everything, but, that never goes as well as I hoped." She makes a wry face, realizing it's actually true, having meant it as more of a anxiety-riding joke. Her head shakes and she glances at the bracelet again. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"If you do not use it, bring it back here for removal," Fuschia says. "No refunds if you don't use it though. Guild Rules. Can't just break it back down and all. The enchantment should last for twenty days. That should be long enough?"
"Yes, it should be. I'll make sure we're not delayed, and if I have to, I'll fly there myself under my own power." The hand is lowered again, Tasha's head shaking. She really hopes her mother doesn't materialize out of the air and browbeat her with a spoon. Again. "I wasn't expecting any refunds, anyway. Oh, speaking of which ... "
Reaching in to her clothes, carried in a bag close to her heart and above her undersuit but below her traveling garmets, is an underslung body-tight bag. From within it she pulls out an air-sealed black package, which she then hands to the Mage. "According to Mage Neesa and other others at Camp Caroban, this should be more than enough ..?"
The Naga opens the pouch and looks inside. "This should be worth 18 Silver after the moneychanger takes his cut, yes," Fuschia says, and the pouch vanishes into the sleeves of her robe. "If you enter a Forbidden Zone, it may randomly accelerate or extend the expiration date of the enchantments, so the faster you move the better."
"I'll keep that in mind. We'll be in a Forbidden Zone for some time, so we'll try and be quick and save any other research for later." Tasha tugs down hr sleeve, then flexes her Vartan hand a moment before looking up again. "Thank you for your work, Mage Fushica. And, if you don't mind me saying so, your talents might be of use on Abaddon -- we have quite a lot of flora we'd rather do without. The ambassadors would know more, of course, but think about it."
"I am already under contract with the Emir for his Zoological Gardens," Fuschia notes. "The Guild's jurisdiction on Abaddon is still being debated. Just because there are some mages there now, that is no indication that we will be there permanently."
"Well, I wouldn't know the details -- they use me mostly for field work rather than ambassadorial or accounting duties. That's why I'm here, after all!" Tasha grins, then squeezes her taloned hand in to a fist. "Hopefully all this money will be wasted and I can contentedly be lectured about wasteful expenditures."
"Accountants," Fuschia says, and actually shudders. "Try not to die, it would reflect poorly on my record."
"I do hate ruining peoples records," Tasha agrees, smiling. "Mine as well. On the plus side, at least i won't have to worry about it being humiliating or without glory."
"Good luck to you then," Fuschia notes. "Oh.. I owe you an apology as well. Your blood was not Nohbakim, so I was mistaken in thinking that was your origin."
"Thank you." Tasha then tilts her head, grinning. "I wasn't going to say anything, I can see why you would think I'm a Nohbakim. Even I think I look like one, these days. By the way ... " Her head tilts the other way. "You didn't notice anything strange in my blood, did you?"
"Only that it was not toxic," Fuschia notes. "Nohbakim blood requires special processing."
"I'll remember that in case one ever asks to join us. Well," the young woman glances at her arm, then back again. "I'd better be going. It's a long trip and now we're on a set time table. Have a good morning, Mage Fuschia. With luck I'll ahve a report for you -- with more I'll have nothing at all."
"A shame if not.. it really is a very good enchantment if I do say so," Fuschia says. "Fare well then."
"I'll considering murdering a tree just for you then," Tasha says with a grin, then she tips her head before heading towards the door, waving back behind her as she goes.