Tasha doesn't remember falling asleep. Or even the room she's waking up in. It looks like a ship's cabin, but it has curtains. She feels hungry. Almost starving! Her teeth even feel funny.. but that could be because she has teeth again, along with her fur. Her left hand and eye are still Vartan though. She can smell that Gabriel was in the bed with her, but he's not around at the moment.
It's no new thing for Tasha to awaken without knowing how she got where she is; Or, at least it used to be. Now adays, with all that has happened and how far she's flown -- not to mention her rocky attempt to cut back on drinking -- waking up in a strange place is decidedly more alarming. She has more enemies and the dangers are greater, even more so than rough Underside and Darkside. She sits up with some concern.
"Gabriel?" She asks, looking around slowly. She looks down at herself and notes that she's back to normal, or as normal as she ever can claim to be. This, along with the strange new location that doesn't appear to be Outpost Caltrop nor her ship only increases the worry.
The door to the room opens, and Gabriel enters.. bearing food. Tasha smells steak and bacon and other things.. most likely Terran cuisine. "Ah, you're finally awake," the Karnor says. "I almost had to carry you up the stairs last night. How are you feeling?"
"Confused," the young woman replies as she looks up at her mate, "And hungry. What happened, and where are we?" She pauses, then tilts her head and breathes in to her hand, sniffing her breath.
"Upper floor of the Surf 'n Turf," Gabriel says. "Seemed convenient to get a room here at the time." He sets the tray down on the bed, right in Tasha's lap. "You weren't drinking.. you were exhausted."
Tasha eyes the plate like a starving woman, which she isn't sure she's not given how she's feeling. Without further hesitation she digs in.
It's a minute later before she resumes talking. "I am so hungry," she admits despite the obviousness of such a statement. "It must be the Niss, they said they'd need more energy. It seems that by 'we' they meant all of we." There's more chwoing down before speaks again, several seconds worth. "Are we okay? Taking a half-concious Vartan up to a room didn't cause any problems did it?"
"It's a tavern," Gabriel points out. "The challenge was not letting one of the Pans carry you up. Plenty of people pass out in taverns."
The food is helping, or at least taking the edge off of Tasha's exhaustion.
Tasha gives a quick nods before she resumes eating. In short order the plate is bare, her ears flattened and out. "I'm still hungry," she admits, looking up with a dispondent look about a lack of food that only a canine face can truly convey. "But at least there aren't any problems. I'm never quite sure what's going to be one, out here. Everything's so new."
"I can get you another round of lunch," Gabriel says. "Want some coffee too? We need to go meet Dr. Sen later at the dock."
"Please do. I don't know how long it will take for the Niss to re-, um, re-express me, by the way, so I'll look in to that while you're getting food. Oh!" The young woman leans across her tray to give Gabriel a kiss on his muzzle. "Thank you for looking after me," she adds, smiling.
"Oh, and yes, on the coffee," the hybrid woman adds in afterthought.
The man licks the meat-grease from his lips. "Bacon kisses, the best kind. I'll bring up some bread and beer as well. Quick energy," he promises before leaving.
With nothing else to do, Tasha flops back on her bed and stares at ceiling as she thinks. "How are you doing, 17.3% of the Niss collective?"
"We are fine. Forgive us for miscalculating your metabolic expenditure limit," the Niss reply.
"/A mistake from the mighty Niss? That's /new./ Nice to know I even confuse /Old Ones./" She winks, although there's really no one to wink /to;/ It's a reflex. "/Can you resume the disguise? Otherwise leaving this building is going to be difficult./"
"Once you have recharged sufficiently, yes. Although we recommend using it only when needed," the Niss replay. "Preparations should be made for leaving us in local care as well before your departure into Sifran space."
"I'll see you're returned to the ship. No reason to risk leaving you out here and away from your family. As for recharged, hopefully that will be done soon. I haven't been this hungry since my drinking contest with Bumper.//" Setling it, Tasha puts her hands under her head and waits for Gabriel's return. She considers planning out the rest of their mission, but decides she'd rather just relax until they're out and about.
It's always a bit odd to stand on the surface of the Caltrop. It looks exposed to vacuum, but isn't. Although there's no way to tell where the air-shell ends, making it somewhat dangerous. Just in case the looming presence of Melchior wasn't enough of a landmark, Gabriel has the shuttle's warning lights flashing. "She should be arriving shortly," Gabriel tells Vartanized Tasha.
Back in her armored suit and sitting atop the Melchior's right foot, Tasha bobs her head as she inspects herself in a mirror. "Who's piloting the shuttle this time? Anyone else with her, Gabe?" She asks, sounding a bit distracted from the preening.
"No shuttle," Gabriel says. "Kaa was dropping her off about an hour away by broomstick. She's walking, essentially."
"That'll make returning my jewelry difficult. I was hoping I could send it on the return flight. I'll have to leave it with Kem. Maybe 'they' can find something interesting by digging in to the local networls, so it shouldn't be boring for 'them' at least." The mirror goes down and in to one of Tasha's pouches, a bandolier across her armor as the environment suit turned out to have a distinct lack of pockets. "Gabe, are you okay? I mean, um, how are you doing? Are you taking this all well, are you happy we're where we are?"
"It's nice to be moving again," Gabriel notes. "Sitting behind a desk was getting to me. I'll have to do it again of course, but I count this as a vacation. It's certainly been scenic! And being felt up by a dolphin was.. memorable."
"Well, don't go Phin -- I hear you don't come back! So I'd have to drag you back." Tasha reaches out to nudge Gabriel's side insistently with her rleft hoof as a reminder, then says, "You should plan your own expeditions. You're the leader, and we have few members. Expeditions will need a guide, and you're the most qualified along with Eli. Once the paperwork is settled, you should head in to the field."
"Maybe," Gabriel says, and shrugs. "Abaddon is a challenge.. but expeditions to the wilderness there aren't simple scientific affairs. There always needs to be military preparation. Luckily I do enjoy building things though."
"I must not be rubbing off on you enough. Or maybe too much? "Military preperation," when I say things like that I usually hear, "You're worrying too much Tasha." Well, you're worrying too much Gabe!" She nudges him again with her foot, then slides off the much larger talon she was sitting on and walks over to hug on him, leaning around to add, "But, if it really worries you, the Bellerophon will be ready soon. Then, you can bring your own fortress with you. Put some guns on it, spot lights! Build a new office in one of the unused bays."
The Karnor hugs back and chuckles. "What, the guns it has aren't big enough already?" he asks. Then Tasha's Vartan vision detects a twinkle moving through the darkness. A navigation beacon flashing, possibly.. on something too small to really see.
"Oh don't get me wrong, I love the big cannon's ability to reduce a giant monster to a giant crater -- not to mention frazzle our Fred -- but I think you might want something to deal with the smaller creatures -- especially at night! Believe me, I know. Smaller defense guns on the under side might help keep the are saf-" The young woman pauses, head lifting. "I think I see something," she notes suddenly, pointing out in to the abyss.
Gabriel turns his head to look, taking a few moments to spot the blinking light. "That could be her," he says. The light does grow brighter, it must be heading towards them.
"It looks like we'll find out soon." Tasha uncoils from Gabriel and walks over to stand by her machine again, just in case. "By the way, I asked Yue to help me copy the Book of Life. Um, well, break in and copy the Book of Life. From the Kampfengruppe."
"Well.. she is human," Gabriel notes. "I'm not sure if she's the right kind of human though. But that depends on her plan of infiltration, and how desperate Abaddonian humans are for variety."
The blinking light is replaced with a continuous one now. It wavers a bit as bursts of vapor obscure it - the pressure jets of a decelerating broomstick, most likely.
"We can always punch them, too! I like to think of it as 'testing their superiority by physical means.' It's important to test your boundaries and be challenged in your spirituality!" Gabriel can't see it, but he can sure hear Tasha's grin. "And, well, Yue is Human! A superior Human, so, I figure she has a right to look. It's her legacy too! And her superiority has to be some kind of entitlement in a society that values Human superiority."
As the figure approaches, Tasha lifts her taloned hand and gives it a wave. "I hope Mel doesn't scare her, she's never seen him before. Or me, for that matter."
"Remember, out here the existence of programmable matter can be used to explain a lot.. even when it isn't actually in use," Gabriel says. "We've never corrected Dr. Knight's conclusion that the Dark Horse uses Khattan progmat and artificial intelligence, after all."
"I'm programmable matter. Got it. Did you know Jonas thought I might be the ship's AI avatar?" The woman shrugs at the idea from behind Gabriel. "Speaking iof which, what does it mean if your conciousness is detected from a machine and not your original body? Such as in a connection? That it moved? Does that mean the machine is 'you' for that time?"
"Well.. I'm not really sure," Gabriel admits. "There are advanced methods for detecting and differentiating between organic and digital cognizance, but it isn't something I really ever understood. Nora or Mariel might. Terra doesn't really use AI that much, more for ethical reasons than technological ones. And the different Galactic civilizations have their own takes on how restricted or unrestricted an AI should be."
"Well I ask because when I had the Niss scan Mel, and specifically when the Niss was scanning while I spoke to Ser Heraphel, the Niss said it detected a shift of my conciousness from my body to the Melchior. They also said Mel "exceeded the observer limit of conciousness," and so was sentient," the young woman notes as she watches the figure approach.
"That's all based on the Niss's interpretation of sentience though, isn't it?" Gabriel asks, eyeing the dark collar around Tasha's neck. "I'm surprised they're able to even comprehend the notion of individuality. I've no idea how they're able to think as a combined entity."
"They weren't always seperate. I think that maybe each of them is an individual, but they also work together. I'll ask, sometime. Anyway, she's almost here so we should continue another time." The young woman leans over and pats Gabriel's arm, then leans back against the towering machine's leg and folds her arms. "At least, I think that's her. We'll know shortly."
A figure drifts towards them, and through the bizarre selective magic of Sifran technology, is still in freefall until she actually contacts the surface and 'triggers' the gravity effect. From the size, it's probably Yue. She's wearing a literally skin-tight Belter-style spacesuit, silver with.. little pink kittens. The helmet and backpack seem the only hard pieces.. until she 'deflates' the helmet and pulls it back like a hood. There is a single box to represent her luggage affixed to the broomstick. "Woo, nice view but it still gets boring after awhile," she says once her head if fully free.
"Hi Yue! Nice outfit," the Vartan from beside the giant robot greets the new arrival. She steps forward and spreads her hands, indicating the station. "So, what do you need to get done before you're ready to leave? The stasis pod, right? By the way," and here the non-hybrid gestures back, "This is Mel, my Titan. You know Gabriel of course, and you know me."
"The beak will take some getting used to," Yue admits after looking Tasha over. "And do the feathers tickle? No Vartan I've ever asked had any idea what I was even asking."
"It's weird for me, too. And no, they don't tickle! You'ld think they would, but maybe we evolved to ignore it or something. Anyway!" Tasha gestures back towards the station, "Is it shopping time?"
"I know a guy here that can get anything," Gabriel says. "It also helps if you're a contortionist, Yue," he adds a bit jokingly.
"I think she is, come to think of it. Well, lets go see what he has to offer," the robot pilot notes, turning around and walking off towards the interior access panel.
"You'd be surprised," Yue says.
After shopping for a stasis case that will keep working without constant computer control (they find one that only needs it for starting and stopping) there are a few other things to deal with. A crew account is set up so that Eli or the others can access funds when on the Outpost. Souvenir shopping is also done, with Yue helpfully pointing out the cheap junk from the quality junk. Arrangements are made with Kem for babysitting the Niss until Eli can pick them up, and Tasha and the Niss also practice with the Vartan camouflage, fine tuning the amount of energy it demands. It's a bit like exercising a muscle.
Finally, there's some commotion as the Titanians arrive, with their load of alien fish. It provides a break from having to keep an eye on every female Karnor that takes an interest in Gabriel, at least. As usual, Bumper leads the pack that comes into the tavern. "Cheap beer and lots of it!" she orders.
Tasha waits a while for Titanian group to start parting the crowd, then gestures for the others to follow her in as she uses the disturbance provided by the large canid-like people to approach them. Once she's close enough, she squawks, "That you Bumper? Old scoundrel, you owe me beer! Or I owe you one? No matter, I sitting down for beer. Bringing friends, make room!" And then she elbows her way in to Bumper's party.
"Hah, who you? Not one of Grillfang's groupies?" Bumper asks, then recognizes Gabriel. She returns her gaze to Tasha.. and pinches her on the cheek. "Hah.. that clever.." she admits.
This ellicits a squawk from Tasha, who rubs her cheek as they walk along. "Crumple my feathers, you big pirate," she mutters, though the edge of her beak twists in a grin. "We sit, talk business mebbe? Bring friend. Spy. You meet, we talk, then she go if want."
"Where spy?" Bumper asks, finally looking down. "This little girl?"
Yue smirks rather than become upset. "Gimme a lollie," she chirps.
"Hokay, she can sit on DumDum's lap," Bumper agrees, gesturing to another elder Titanian. "Beer first though."
"Yah little kitty girl. She Terra-spy. Psychic. My lugagge, back to home. Going to steal and sneak book, fun fun," the Vartan explains as she takes her seat at the table beside Bumper. "Oh: Little girl: Bumper, Bumper: Little girl Yue."
"I not a little girl," Bumper protests at the introduction. "You are a little girl!"
"I introducing you old bruiser, saying who what!" This explaination is punctuated by Tasha swatting Bumper on the arm, rather hard, although given their size difference it's much like a kitten swatting a tiger. "You maybe more civilized, like me. Have Karnor, have Human. Civilized. Where beer?"
"I think my first name is causing the confusion," Yue whispers to Tasha. "Best to call me Sen instead."
"Oh." Tasha nods to the Chinese woman, then turns to Bumper and explains, "Name is Yue Sen. Yue not you, but Y U E. YUE. Call Sen too. Doctor. Smart. Got it? Can use small words." The last bit causes the Vartan to grin a little more, though she inwardly wonders if she's about to get it for teasing her mentor.
Bumper's response is to steal Tasha's beer once the oversized mugs arrive, and drink it herself. "You gots to be more clearerer 'bout stuffs," she says. "What you doing back in Caltrop? Break ship already?"
"Noooo~" Goes the young avian who leans across the table to reach after her beer, tugging on it until she realizes she isn't going to shake Bumper's grip any time this century. Forlorn, she slides back in to her seat and says, "Fah! Swingy-things! Get me new beer," before rolling her head back Bumper-ward and explaining, "Need to do thing. Get crew, steal book. Maybe visit ruin. Important, can't do out here unless you give drive secret mebbe. Also going to bother, ask lots of question on trip. Very annoying!"
"I think you already know mother-daughter stuff," Bumper says, nodding towards Gabriel. "What else to talk about? You want to bring little girl too? That.. tricky.."
Tasha twists to eye Yue along side Bumper. "Yah I know that! Ask about other stuff, not-talk-about-infront-of-spy-stuff. You see." There's more evaluating, then the Varatn notes, "Stick girl in stasis pod. Get right pod for trip, you look and appreciate. Use pod for chair or put flowers on, unpack when arrive. Easy."
"Ah, baggage," Bumper says. "But.. pod go inside Titan. Not be in Mauler itself, yeah?"
"Whatever you want, you ship. I respect," the young avain woman replies with a nod as she turns back towards Bumper. "Not want to offend."
"You wanna go back to Abaddon then?" Bumper asks. "Saw Titan. Little ship yours too?"
"Technically it's mine," Gabriel notes. He graciously does not offer to share his beer with Tasha.
"Yah, got stuff to do. Going steal book from Kamp-fen-gru-pee~. Bring Human so it okay! Might need robot for ruin. Big important stuff. May have kill big monster. You know, same thing happen all time." Tasha leans back after answering, craning her neck up. "Hey Swingy! Where beer? This outrage."
"Keep your feathers on, Red Robin," the Pan says at it swings by, holding a fresh mug of beer in his feet.
"Ahh you good Swingy," Tasha insists as she takes the beer with both hands, then curls around it while eyeballing those sitting next to her in case they get ideas. "I mebbe tip better later."
After the Pan has moved on, the hybrid looks to Bumper and asks, "Hokay, well, learn Hammersong maybe? And other Hammer things. Talk to Rush, mebbe?"
"Mebbe," Bumper says. "Hammersong is cultural treasure.."
"What kind of not-Titanian am I if I no know Hammersong. I tell people, Bumper not teach me. Is very sad. Make me kill god, try to murder me. Poison me with drinking contest. Mean. So mean." And then Tasha tilts her drink -- which actually involves tilting her whole body so she doesn't lose her full-on grip -- and has a ear-flattened, sad-eyed drought.
"Yeah, I pretty awesome," Bumper says. "Legendary! Icon to all Titanians!" She apparently took it all as a compliment.
"Hokay. Not work. I just keep asking until agree or throw out airlock. Very persuasive. Or maybe bribe with treasure. Hum. Bribe before out airlock." Another sip goes down, then Tasha shifts to lean on Bumper like she's some sort of giant sofa. "Or ask Rush. He easy."
"I still paddle him if he misbehave," Bumper claims. "As for treasure.. what you got to trade?"
"Depend on what I find when back. Find something, you see. Kind of low on treasure right now, new ship and all." Tasha risks uncoiling her arm to rub her beak, then asks, "When we leave?"
"Morning," Bumper says, and gives Tasha a cagey look. "Not find anything in fancy ship, hmm? How you get a spy?"
"I best everything, very convincing. Make friends. Charming, friendly. People love me! Right little girl kitty Yue Sen?" Is Tasha's answer, complete with turning to Yue and perking her ears for agreement.
"I couldn't resist seeing where the crazy train stopped," Yue claims with a big grin.
Gabriel covers his reaction with his beer mug.
"Hmp. Ship full of traitors. I charm wrong people. Mentor is pain too. Universe against me." Looking down, the young avian woman tells her drink, "I love you though. Best friend, always there -- 'cept when Bmper steal. Or drop. Or forget where leave. Oh well." Then she tilts her head back and takes one long swing, then another for good measure. "Hmp."
There's something soothing about the Star Sea, at least when it's calm and not teaming with monsters. Gabriel spends a lot of his time on deck, snooping around the sail control systems. Tasha also learns that they aren't the only passengers: there are Silent-Ones on board, but they haven't left their cabin so far. Yue is sleeping in her pod inside of Melchior, and after checking on her, it looks like the stasis wasn't affected by the transition into the alternate space.
Relieved, Tasha drops down to the deck and takes a moment to stretch as she decides what she should be doing. It's a brief affair, as she really only has two goals for this trip: Learning Hammersong and learning how a Hammer is used to communicate with the Titanian fleets. The latter seems to her the more important of the two, though she suspects she may need the former to use it, and so she heads off to find a suitable teacher. As Bumper is as resistant as Tasha has always found her to be, she aims for someone easier: Captain Rushfighter.
As she proceeds through the ship the young woman considers the other passengers, too. This is the first time they haven't been the only passengers, and so decides to go meet them if there's still time to do so.
Grillfang is in charge of the command deck when Tasha checks there, so Rushfighter is off duty.. somewhere. It takes some time to finally track him down to an odd chamber. The light is brighter here, sunlight bright. There are little tables and shelves of potted plants. The captain is sitting at one of the tables, hunched over as he trims a miniature tree that seems to be growing out of a rock.
Uncertain if she should be interupting what she can only suspect is some strange new Titanian ritual or engineering feat, Tasha carefully edges inside and watches. When nothing looks like it might explode, and the man isn't holding sharp objects, she finally ventures forward to get his attention.
"Captain?" She asks, close enough to talk quietly. "Are you too busy to talk a moment?"
Rushfighter grunts, then holds his clippers poised over one of the tiny branches. After a moment of decision, he trims off one of the twigs, then sets the tool down and looks to Tasha. "Rustpuppy," he says. "You stayin' out of trouble?"
"Of course not," Tasha replies in a tone that suggests she thinks it's the correct answer, smiling as she does. "I have more rouble than I know what to do with, these days. And that's what I want to talk about, especially how to help it. I don't suppose you, or maybe someone you know, could teach me Hammersong? And beyond that, I'd like to know how Hammers are used. To talk, I mean. Across space. My ship is a Hammer, after all."
"Mmmm," Rushfighter says, and wipes his hands on his trousers. "You want talk to Mauler from hammership?" he asks.
"That's right. It might help to speak to other Titanian vessels, too, especially if they don't know we're not hostile and we want work things out peacefully. I may have important information that you all would want, as well, and it'd be easier and safer to get it to you that way," the young woman explains, briefly turning to peer at the tiny plant with some confusion.
A pair of tiny eyes in a tiny furry face peek out through the tiny leaves at Tasha. And then the creature hisses and vanishes.
The young woman recoils at the tiny, disgruntled display and blinks several times before shaking her head. "I didn't realize Titanians also built tiny little worlds," she remarks, "with tiny reatures who tiny do not like me."
"Hmmm...." Rushfighter goes, looking up at the ceiling, then at Tasha. "I know sure I want you talking to other Titanians. I give you code resonance to signal Mauler, yah? Only we talk, yah? No can trust all Titanians."
"You sound like Mel, the AI of the Melchior. He didn't want me talking to Titanians, any Titanians." Settling down on the floor beside the captain, Tasha cocks her head to the side and asks, "It's like us, isn't it? Vartans? You can't trust all of us, either, even if I wish you could. Not easy to say, is it? I'm not new to pirats or pirating and I don't like it, but sometimes I need to work with them or talk to them. I'd like to avoid conflicts with them if I can, but if you really do want me to avoid them, then I will Captain. I trust you."
"Yaaaa..." Rushfighter says, looking a bit embarrassed. "See.. not expect you get Horse running again. Tnuctipin language cryptic, they all geniuses. Now other Captains ask me 'bout it. Why the Horse moving around on its own, Rushfighter? Why it go to dark nebula? Why it go to dolphin world? You working with gods? They all really interested. I tell to avoid. Secret Progenitor stuff, yah? They good for now with that."
"Ha, you're all toying with me, aren't you? Plotting." The young woman leans forward from the floor, and up, peering at the older man's face. "Just like your mom, too! Offer me ship, think I'll die, come back and surprise everyone. Like Nora, think I'll fail! Well, it's fine. I don't care." She relents, setlling back as she had been and working her muzzle a moment before speaking. "Sorry, I know you mean well. You mother, maybe not? Not for me, anyway. Don't get me started on Nora. I guess as long as people help me by interest, confusion, manipulation or seeing how it will all fall apart -- as long as they help. So, ya. The Horse woke up when I touched the core, and the Niss figured out how to operate the ship. It seems to be fully functional now unless we mised something. And as for Progenitors, well, hat's just fine. True, too. Might get worse soon. Rush, did you know that Primus might be waking up?"
The big wolf shrugs. "Sifra not our duty," he claims. "Plenty other gods out there still. Hard to get to.. for Titanians," he says, eying Tasha with purpose. "You help us, yah, we help you.. or stay out of way at least. You gonna meet one anyway, I think. You'll be drawn to them."
"To 'them'? The Sifras?" Tasha inquires, ears shooting up. "You know, as the first alien race I'd ever heard of, and the ones involved in so much of what I'm doing and where I'm from, I know very little about them. I think I know more about Harrowers than Sifras. Or "Xilfirm," from the Old One Era."
"Nono, to gods, not Sifra," Rushfighter corrects. "Not just Harrowers. Harrowers better than Horse, but not big big. Much bigger. Suspect sneaky kitties dealing with them, maybe. You guess which ones probably doing it."
"Gods ... That word is such a loaded one, even if it's often the right word. Or, at least, there doesn't seem to be anything better. Gods ... A universe full of gods. And, beyond." Tasha takes a deep breath, then exhales. It's a lot to wrap her head around, something she's had ample experience with and yet still hasn't reached a comfortable position on the subject. "So, gods. Something bigger than Harrowers? The one I met on Encante could move worlds, so bigger than that? And if I had to guess, I'd say House Khomen. I can't help but think House Khomen and I are going to be enemies; Maybe we already are."
"The Ogdoad," Rushfighter says. "They first to come to this universe, supposedly. Before Outsiders. Before Life. It their playground. Outsiders start seeding carbon life though. One of first were Xilphrim. Worship the Ogdoad.. at first. Then banish them. They were the Angels, before they became Sifra."
"That what Old Ma think, anyway," the Captain offers as a caveat. "Records from a billion years ago not so good."
"Ogdoad ... The name even sounds foreign. Alien, hard to say. Hard to wrap your head around. And greater than the Sifras, their god, and they, angels." The young woman runs her fingers through her hair, back through her mohawk. "And you think I'll meet one of them?"
Rushfighter shrugs. "Mebbe. Dunno. Khattans... some crave power, like House you mention. Maybe go to big trouble for it. If they can find old gods, make promises to them they no intend to keep.. Who knows? If Ogdoad return, need Sifras to stop them. If Khatta can return them at all. Might all be misdirection, yah? Dark god whispers, makes history where none really there."
"I bet they can make reality where 'none really there' too. I've seen what even the smaller ones can do, and it's immense. I can't imagine how I could even talk to something like that! Harrowers make my brain hurt, but, well, at least they've been civil. Even understanding. So. So, maybe I can rely on their intelligence to reach across the gap, just like with Harrowers?" Tasha can only shrug back at the man, not having much idea what to do about the oldest of powers in their universe. The scale, the ability and the mind of such things is beyond her, and yet she may well be destined to meet one -- or more. She can only hope she's ready when and if that day arrives. "This is all making my entry in to the Hall of Souls seem like a walk through the outpost Caltrop Bazaar, you know. Progenitors almost seem safe and quaint. But if I need the Sifra, but need the Progenitors to stop the Sifra, then this is going to become a huge mess. And, you call them dark gods. Are they that bad?"
"They dark," Rushfighter says. "Like the Horse is dark. It what they made of, where they come from. Only Outsiders know truth, prolly. They were there to see it. Alien, higher-dimensional.. our universe look like game board to them, mebbe, heh?" He then gestures to the miniature tree. "Or topiary garden.."
Tasha turns to peer at the garden, biting her lip and doing her best to resist the urge to hug herself. After a moment, she says, "Maybe," in a non-commital voice. "I've been told I'm probably someone's 'game piece,' did I ever tell you that? Interwove, um, 'quantum linked' or something like that. 'Destined' to be somewhere. The Niss saw it. I've thought it must be the Hall of Souls. Now I don't know. Sometimes, things happen that seem too coincidental. And, there was something else ... The Orcale ... A sifran machine. Warloq, the Khattan agent, used it and saw the power he could steal from the Sifrans. Blackwings saw her death. I saw ... me. A hundred-thousand dead 'me's, from as many lives. All trying to do something. It's faint, now, but I remember that part. And what you say ... Maybe it means something? Or maybe not. I don't know." She instead rests her head on her kneels, pulling them up from under her and staring at the topiary with a long, lost gaze.
"Gots to find someone who know more, or just maybe ignore everything and do what you wants to," Rushfighter suggests. "Not sure 'bout destiny. Other realities either. Easier to deal with what in front of you, because.. you gots to deal with that. It right there! Real."
"And most real problems can be solved with a hammer," the Titanian concludes.
"That's what I usually do. When we talk like this, though, I wonder." The young woman stares at the tiny little world for several seconds more, then finally looks up. "A hammer," she repeats, head tilting. "So, going to show me how to swing one?"
Rushfighter throws his head back and laughs.. although it's a bit like a howl too. "Your hammer too big, Rustpuppy. It swing itself, yeah? Maybe you need inside-head hammer," he says, tapping the center of Tasha's forehead with a claw.
"I tried hitting your mom with my head when she stole my beer. It didn't work," the young woman points out, going cross-eyed as she looks up at the finger.
"I see if you got hammer-sense," Rushfighter says. "That tell if you god-mark enough to work with."
"I really should have made you my mentor," Tasha notes, sliding her legs back under herself and sitting cross-legged again, ears up and expression attentive. "You actually answer me! Don't tell you mom though ... "
The young woman looks behind her, just to be sure Bumper isn't going to clobber her with a wrench or something.
"Hokay, we're safe! Teach away, Captain!"