Hakeber and Yue were still occupying Fred's room. Some of the papers have been cleaned up - moved into plastic binders stacked on one of the tables. The terminal is currently showing the telescopic view of Arcadia's surface as Bellerophon continues in its survey orbit. When Tasha arrives, the human is watching the feed, but Hakeber abandons it to pounce on the new arrival. She doesn't go so far as licking Tasha's face though, at least. "Wha'happen?" the Karnor demands with wide eyes.
Hakeber is picked up and carried inside and the hatch closed before Tasha drops on to the bed and puts the small Karnor woman down. Tasha then leans in, eyes wide withe excitement yet different in a way the other woman has never seen before. It's like Tasha sees her, but also sees through her. They're right there -- and they're far, far away.
"We did it!" Tasha exclains, grabbing Hakeber by the shoulders and giving her a little shake. "I know it didn't seem like much, but that's because I left our time and reality completetly! And, of course, since time doesn't matter I could have been gone seconds, years or an infinity and still come back at the same time. You get used to relative times and interdimensionals and other realities after a while. But enough of that." The hybrid leans back, arms thrown wide. "I met Atum!"
"Did you bring me back a gift?" Hakeber asks. "Pictures? Uh.. recording? What did he look like? Was he a he or is that really just immaterial? Was there 'vril' energy? Angels, chariots, anything like that?"
Yue asks Tasha, "Should I be trying to feel for any irregularities while you describe things?"
"He was big, really big. The sensors estimated he was something like four-thousand feet tall -- way bigger than Mel. Of course, the sensors had been acting strange ever since we enetered the Hall and Mel doesn't remember a thing, so maybe he was, uh, condescending to me. Who knows how old he is in his own time, or even if he's beyond that too now. But Atum, he was -- and I don't think he was a he he but a combination of all the returned vril and memories -- he was like what Archons are described as, but more so. And I saw the Archons, their empty shells, too. I'm thinking of trying to paint it all some time," Tasha describes, making wild gestures as she does so.
"And there was vril," she continues. "It's just like Eve hinted: They're all and one. I think Atum sends pieces of himself in to realities to sow life, learn, and discover, and then recovers them if they even return. Most seem to, but not all. Atum was ... " And here Tasha's eyes widen further. "He was made of stone, with all these amazing patterns, and his eyes were fire and his chest held light, the light of vril."
Tasha then blinks, seeming to just remember Yue is present having lost herself in the story. "Oh, do whatever you want," she insists, waggling the closest hand at her. "Been outside of time and reality. Spoke to Atum and ... another. Keep your brain peeled!"
"Another?" Hakeber presses.. literally, in that she's pressing a finger into Tasha. "Another Vril-ya? Another what?"
The Cadet hesitates just to be infuriating, fingers wiggling and ears shooting, grinning widely. When she thinks the two women might be about to jump her, she throws her arms wide again. "A Waybuilder! It was even bigger!"
"Just where did this take place?" Yue asks. "Not all inside the cylinder, I'm guessing?"
"Where?" Tasha's eyes look about to fall from their sockets, wide as they are. She wagglers her hand towards Yue and then vaguely in the air, indicatingly. "Didn't I just say? Outside reality, in another universe! Another time or, um, time-like reality! And where else would I find a Waybuilder but the Way?"
"And what is that?" Yue asks. "I assumed the Way was.. their culture or code of ethics."
Tasha snorts at this. She looks about to do some condescending herself, but then twists her muzzle and looks thoughtful. After a moment she admits, "It might be that too. I've heard of realities where thoughts take shape -- the dark creatures can do that in dark hyperspace and there are probably a lot of other realities like that. You can't assume anything with other realities, dimensions and what-have-yous." She then rubs her nose a moment, crinkling her face, and continues again. "But it's also a, um, way. Like a roadway, or a skyway. Or a close ring world, really, except instead of a tube around a sun it's a tube from the Beginning to the End."
"A corridor then?" Yue asks. "Running straight?"
"What's it made out of?" Hakeber asks.
"It seemed to. We didn't get very far; I get the feelings they probably weren't going to let me look around, we got pulled back to Atum after the Waybuilder passed us. No one was waiting for us when we arrived, so maybe they don't notice until you arrive. Or maybe they always knew I'd be there and didn't want to scare me by hovering around where I'd show up?" The young Cadet gives a shrug, wide eyed and ears canted out. "Atum seemed to know me. They have a corridor in to other realities, other times. Maybe to Everywhere. To me, it looked like a big tube with landscapes annnnd ... veins Mel choked on, because the best description he could give me was, they're made of "geometry.""
"Reaaally," Yue notes, looking thoughtful.
"Come to think of it, a lot of these beings seem to know about me. Like they all expected I'd be here and know who I am, even the ... " Tasha glances at Yue, now. "The Big-Os. Now Atum too. It's kind of unnerving, but it's also kind of amazing."
"Well, it would make sense," Hakeber says. "I mean if you could do that to everyone you met, you'd seem pretty impressive, right?"
"And what was the Waybuilder like?" Yue asks. "Did it and Atum arrive together?"
And Tasha looks back. "I don't think it's a trick though," Tasha insists to Hakeber, leaning forward. "These beings have shown they can probably see the future and maybe even move along the timeline in a non-forward direction. Some of them don't even live in our universe, they only enter it by proxies like Atum does. They could show up any ... when. Or where." Another overwhelmed shrug before she turns back to Yue. "It showed up first, a starship -- capital ship -- sized bio-mechanical creature, kind of like a ... fish maybe? It didn't stop for us, it just kept going. I guess it had places to be, or maybe it passed us to not scare us. Atum said it didn't want me to be frightened."
"That's usually a good sign," Yue agrees. "So.. were you scared?"
"Well it seemed like it was going to run us over, so yeah," Tasha admits, giving a smaller shrug this time. "I mena, it dwarfed us and I didn't know what it was. None of it was exactly what I was expecting, and I'd beened warned Atum might not be alone, and it sounded like whoever was with him might be dangerous. That was my first thought. Of course ... " Head tilt, lip purse. "The Waybuilder kind of reminded me of Nukapai."
"The goddess of.. uh.. lost souls?" Yue asks. "From the Whale Dream?"
"The who-what-dream now?" Hakeber asks.
"I hadn't heard of her being 'of lost souls,' but she's definitely from the Whale Dream. I saw her back on Caltrop, the when Kem was painting and his girlfriend was singing," the taller of the young women replies. "Big, like a Phin or ... One of the large Phins. Giant eye, floating in water. That's how I knew the Waybuilder saw me, for a moment it was like that. But Atum says they're hard to speak to, that it's easier to speak to the younger ones. he helped create them, did you know that? They're like Yue and half of me -- uplifted by Archons. I bet they let Atum in to the way as thanks."
"That sounds.. bizarre," Yue says. "The Book claimed that the Vril-ya worshipped the Waybuilders. But just that they created the Way. Now that we know it's a place it seems even odder. But Atum is a Wayfarer, so it seems like he defines himself as a traveler of the Way.. which, again, made much more sense when I thought it was a belief system."
"I don't know what a dolphin or whale looks like," Hakeber admits. "Tasha, you have to paint this stuff for me! So.. what really happened with the Markers? What are they?"
"I don't think describing it as just a road really, uhm, encompasses the Way. I think they're trying to accomplish something there. Something together. But even if they aren't, they seem to share certain beliefs and intentions, and the Way is like a place that's a religion. I, uh ... " The young woman dithers a moment,chewing on her lip and glancing away. She picks up a piece of Hakeber's notes, turning one end to another and creating a tube, which she peers down in to. "Part of me wanted to stay. I guess Liza knows me better than I know me, because the Way felt like ... Being home. The end of the road. But also the way to all roads. You could travel forever, and always be home. The center of everywhere and everything. It's, um, hard to describe."
"It's a place that's also a deity," Yue suggests. "Atum and the Waybuilders are its disciples."
After admitting that Tasha neeeds a moment, seemingly content to peer in to her paper tube for a long moment before she gets around to answering. "Oh, I'll paint," she agrees, nodding slowly. "I've been thinking about it. I have ideas now. Everything seems so much more important now, more interesting. I guess now that I've seen in to forever, I've started to think about what I'd do there, and well, I'd want to see everything. So why not now?" A little shrug. "As for the Markers, they're 'embers' as Atum called them. The remains of Archons. Records. Vril-storage. And if the Way is a god, well, sign me up."
"That makes the Mandala a church," Hakeber says, looking a bit giddy. She takes a few deep breaths, to clear her head, and then says, "Alright.. now for the big one: is Atum going to help us with.. uh.. the situation?"
"Uhhhh ... Kind of," Tasha answers hesitantly, making a wavy motion with her hand, up and down. Iffy. "Atum said he can't effect our universe directly." But then the hand falls a bit and is soon joined by the other in a thumbs up, the young woman's ears perking. "But I did volunteer! I stood before Atum -- uh, all of me actually -- and I volunteered. If you need help, well, I'm here to help." She turns teh thunbs back towards herself, grinning. "So he gave me Horus. Archon Horus, who is in the Marker now. Or in Mel. I'm still working that out. But, but! He failed, so Atum asked me to see he succeeds this time! I am working for Atum."
"At something an Archon couldn't handle?" Yue asks, eyes wide.
"Do.. do you get paid?" Hakeber asks in confusion. "Uh.. what's Horus supposed to have done?"
"I'm supposed to get Horus to do what he was supposed to do. Atum isn't very good at understanding us, or, um, really his won Archons. It makes sense when you think he probably has who-knows-how-many realities to deal with," Tasha explains fingers wiggling and the young woman bouncing a little. "Horus was supposed to opposed the, um ... The ... " And then she stops bouncing. She does, however, turn to Yue and bite her lip a moment. "The ... You know. The Big-Os. And the Little-Ks. And Hs. Horus has some thing that can do it, but he doesn't want to. So there's, uh, me."
"So.. everything we've been going through is because Horus was.. afraid?" Hakeber asks. "He didn't deal with one of the problems, and so all of the other Archons either gave up or started fighting?"
"I'm not sure." Tasha frowns, reaching over her shoulder to pull her dufflebag forward and beginning to unzip it. "The story goes the Cill discovered the ... Problem ... And then everyone panicked. But if what Atum says is true -- and it probably is -- then the Cill, Titanians and Vartans would have probably been tasked to prepare the galaxy or universe at that time so, did the Cill despair because they found what they found and didn't think their combined army could do anything? Or did they despair because Horus had already let the Vartans go, and that's why they couldn't do anything?"
"There's a bit of gibberish from the Book," Hakeber says, and seems to chew on her own tongue for a moment.
It's Yue that says, "It might be directions to the Cill homeworld.. or home base, at least. It may be the main core of the Galactic Library for this galaxy."
Tasha frowns all the more, leaning in to peer at Hakeber. "You're not going to go all crazy-nuts, are you? I know it's rough the first few times, but I really would like it if you kept it together," she insists. She then leans back enough to glance at Tue without smacking the scholar with her muzzle when she turns. "You think so? I was expecting some kind of spaceship or gigantic Archon body or something. According to the Titanians, the Cill were the leaders, explorers and scientists, so if any of the species had the command center and data hub it'd be them."
"The Book calls it Tiamat," Yue says. "The rest is.. still gibberish right now. Enochian was pretty limited when it comes to math apparently. It's something else to crunch though, if we can devote bigger brains to it."
"Maybe Horus will tell us?" Tasha suggets, though she doesn't sound too positive about it. The Marker is pulled out of the bag and put in her lap. Next, the sword she found near the Marker site -- Apollyon's sword. "But when I saw him with Atum he was resisting the others. Atum thought it was strange -- new -- and called it conflict. The others pushed him to my, uh, side where Ser Heraphel had been. The conversation was ... Hard to explain." And so her ears skew.
"So.. what others where there?" Hakeber asks. "Neith and Ahriman.. and Mafdet? Did they all come out of the Markers?"
Tasha holds the sword out to Yue to take. "Neith, Ahriman, Mafdet and Horus. The first three returned to Atum and Horus came back with me. They, um ... " The young woman pauses, fingers wiggling once free of the sword. "They didn't talk. They looked liek glowing versions of their species, but mostly they just ... moved. They looked upset with Horus. Mafdet picked up Ser Heraphel and he became a child, and she seemed to love him."
"He's the one that made this all.. possible," Hakeber reasons. Then blinks. "Wow.. if you're successful, then Ser Heraphel saved the universe.. or made it possible, anyway."
"Oh, Atum did say I could return other Markers. I see why only certain kinds of minds can enter the Hall -- and why there were rumors about the wrong sorts having their species ended. Atum or the Waybuilders seem like they could do that -- even see it coming and act on it. I'm not sure how it works, but I do want to learn more about dimensions and realities and time travel now."
Tasha then turns and nods to Hakeber. "He might be! Of course, he didn't chose me, he chose Apollyon. That's his sword by the way." The Cadet nods towards the artifact. "I don't have any idea why it was there or what it's for, but given how important Apollyon's role was and that it was found with the Marker I figured I'd better have it looked at. But, uh, I guess old Yama would have saved things too. It seems like Yama edited Heraphel's plan, tried to make it work correctly."
"But how did 'Yama' get involved in the first place?" Hakeber asks. "I mean... who really started the Magi Mission? None of the Progenitor Cults ever cooperated before. They were secret societies."
"Ser Heraphel said they built the Magi using AI. Many of us have looked in to the Magi's construction and we think they might have been made from Library records. As far as cooperating, maybe they didn't have a choice if they wanted 'in' on the Expedition. The Khattans were the major backers so if the Cults wanted to hide they had to work with the Khattan elements. Old Yama met Ahriman ages ago, back when Ahriman uplifted the Naga he was still on the planet since the Thennenin created Yama as their last ditch revenge against the Sifra." Tasha pauses for a breath, leaning back and resting against the wall, exhaling. "So, it seems like it's a hodge-podge plan made from old preperation and relatively new effort, all mixed together and with random things thrown in here and there -- things like me. But, maybe that's all how it's supposed to go from Atum or the Waybuilders' perspective. I don't know."
"Oh, I feel much better about just bumbling through it all then," Hakeber says. "It's confusing because nobody knew what was supposed to happen. Only that 'the time wasn't right' when the Expedition arrived. And it's only right now because.. uh.. crazy stuff started happening on Abaddon?"
"A lot of things. Yama said the Sifra are awakening and travel is also possible now. Then there's me, and he said I, "acted when actions would mean something," or something like that. Atum and others all seem to know who I am and some of them were warned to look for me and how to identify me. It's like it's all random, but it's not, it just looks that way to us," Tasha explains, having begun to idly twist her blonde her around a finger of her Vartan hand as she talks. "Maybe they know about all of us here, including you Hake-bear. Anyway, whatever it is, my job is to find the artifact, get Horus to cooperate, and maybe find Markers. Oh, and find Thoth. Thoth is my, um, payment." The young woman bites her lip, giving an apologetic shrug.
"Thoth isn't really associated with any one species," Yue notes, gesturing to the stack of loose-leaf binders. "On Earth, Thoth was a god of knowledge and wisdom. In this case.. I have to wonder if he was created to replace Marduk."
"We, uh, I asked for a mentor. Annnnnd ... " Tasha bites her lip again, twirling finger pausing as she looks up and away. "So, um, I asked for a mentor. And, um, a people."
"What do you mean, a 'people'?" Hakeber asks. "Aren't we your people?"
"I know, I know," Tasha insists, reaching over to nab one of Fred's pillows and flopping down next to it. She pulls the pillow over and puts it over her face, clutching it. "See," she goes on, her muzzle tucked under the base, " ... when I said 'I' talked to Atu, what I really mean was we talked to Atum. All of me. Like how Neith, Mafdet, Ahriman, Horus and Atum were all talking together, standing together. Well, there was me. Us. We stood oppositie. So when I said I volunteered and I asked for a people, it was really somehow all of me. It was different. I was different."
"What do you mean bey 'all of us'.. you mean I was there?" Hakeber asks.
"No, no!" Hakeber is prodded with a hoof for her incorrectness. "I mean me. Remy made me think on it, otherwise I might have forgotten, but it was definitely all of me. There was the Karnor me who looked like a younger Nora, there was the Vartan who looked like my mother. There was the ... uh ... the Empress, Tisiphone my creator, Mel, Ser heraphel off to the side, annnnd ... the Shadow. The shadow is the part of me connected to the dark beings. And I was there, but I was all of them. I can still feel it. The Karnor and Vartan did all the talking, but I remember the others. Listening. Thinking. I can almost hear them, but I can't quite remember. Yue, you're a weird psychic monkey, do you know anything about this?"
"Weird psychic monkey powers really don't cover spirit possession or multiple-personality-syndrome," Yue notes, with a shrug. "They have Mages for this."
"Ugh," groans Tasha, who holds the pillow tighter to her forehead. "It makes my head hurt. Anyway, the mes' that were there felt like I'd been cut up in to pieces and sorted out. The Karnor was one way, the Vartan another. Everyone meant something. They were all me. So, um, I guess that means some part me ... Well, I still feel left out." The pillow moves as she shrugs. "I must. Just like how I wanted to stay. I asked only what was necessary and said only what I believed and was truthful."
"You still haven't explained what you meant by wanting a people," Hakeber claims.
This results in Hakeber getting gently trampled by hooves, but Tasha does answer eventually. "Fine, see if I share my secrets with you. Next time I'm going to tell you nothing happened, or, I know, talk in riddles. What I meant was a species. Atum can't effect our reality, but he does sent out Archons and create species. So when he couldn't do the other things I asked, some part of me saw the possibility and asked for it. I originally asked if Atum would be my, uh, god I guess. But he said he wasn't a god, and couldn't be my mentor either, and for both he said I should find Thoth. So that's my price, I guess."
"A species?" Yue asks. "You'd need.. uh.. well, Karnors and Vartans wouldn't you? A lot? There needs to be a minimum pool of genetic diversity.."
"I guess I thought I'd figure it out. Or they would. It's hard to explain what I'm thinking when I'm thinking in multiples." Tasha pulls the pillow back, peaking out. "So can we talk about some other part, maybe? Like how once we get back I'm returning to the Dark Horse to begin my mission and how you think the Galactics might react to all of this, Yue?"
"They aren't going to react to 'all this' because they aren't going to believe it," Yue notes. The raises a finger as she explains, "It's a numbers game, you see? One in ever 10 galactic citizens likely has a pet conspiracy or other weird theory. Of them, maybe 1 in a 1000 will seriously pursue it. And of those, 1 in 10,000 will cause a sensation or attract a following. So that accounts for several billion people spouting nonsense across the galaxy. You have too much competition, in other words, for anyone to take you seriously. Which is a good thing."
"If this room is indicative my numbers are even worse." Tasha sticks out her tongue, then stuffs the pillow under her head and lays back. "Well then we only need to worry about the ones who believe it. Or know ahead of time. House Khomen, the Os, Hs, and Ks, other Archons and maybe others. Our first target will be Varta, or more likely, the Vartah colonies. We can check in on the Doctor if we can find them and do some digging. Like Remy said, it's easier and good practice. It'll help us all learn to work together and maybe help me with Horus."
"And to gather further intelligence on House Khomen," Hakeber says, in a slightly off tone of voice.
Tasha arches her brow, prodding Hakeber with a hoof. "You're not doing it are you? Because I feel like you're doing it. Compelled. I know that tone -- I've had that tone."
The Karnor blinks, and looks guilty. "Okay, yeah, a little.." she admits. "I.. need.. to find Sadu-hem." She taps her head. "I've got the key or spell of formula for.. doing something to it."
"Realistically, Tasha needs to locate all of the Ogdru-hem," Yue points out. "Which from the Book's description could be tricky, if some of them are spirits."
"I think we're looking at them wrong," Hakeber says quietly. "We think they're beings.. but they're really all just pieces of a big machine."
"See I know these things. I'm not fresh-to-Abaddon Tasha anymore. I passed the Gate, I have a Task. You're talking to the Girl From Forever." Tasha taps her head knowingly before nodding to Yue. "Spirits, lurkers in dimensional pockets, beings that as thoughts-made-manifest or the dreams of plants. A year ago it'd have all driven me mad, now it all feels like I'm used to it. It's my everyday. I can't go back, so I'm just going with it this time." And then back to Hakeber. "That sounds suspiciously like you have inside information, Hake, but if they work like this whole Magi conspiracy or like the Archons, and I think they do, then they're angels -- expression of a plan from beings outside of time and space."
"It would be nice to know the plan though," Hakeber says, and licks her lips. "The Cill archives would be handy for that.." she says suggestively.
"Right, well, find the Archives, find what Horus needs, find Thoth. Watch Hake-bear in case she sprouts tenticles and tries to doom the universe. Check." Tasha taps her head again. "You can count on me. So that means you're both coming with me, right? Katie, Shojo and probably Gabriel will come too. Maybe even Eli or Remy."
"Don't forget your other errand," Hakeber says. "We gotta take that.. uh.. thingy.. from Mr. Vasterlion to the Confederates to get a hypership that will fit through the crack leading to Primus. For the moon-boys."
"The moon-boys ... Can't I just yell at another dark creature or something?" Tasha pulls the pillow right back up over her face. "Fine, right, thingy. What thingy is it again? I need another Lisa just for keeping track of my itinerary."
"Some sort of package?" Hakeber suggests with a shrug. "Credentials, or a bribe or something that's supposed to be worth handing us a living spaceship."
"You'll need a Confederate intelligence agent to contact then," Yue says, smiling like she just ate a small bird.
"That sounds like something we'd do lately. I'll make sure it's done." Tasha pulls the pillow down just enough. "It sounds like I'll be making Yue make sure it's done, isn't that right, Yue?"
"I might know some people who know people," the human replies.
"Well tell me where you need to be, when, how, and how much and I'll work it out with Gabriel." And then the pillow goes up again. "Make sure you've got everything taken care of before we leave, Hake. We may not return for some time."
"Ack! You mean I have to organize my findings, add all this in, write it up and get it into the Black Shelves before we leave?" the scholar asks.
"Adventure comes with a lot of boring paperwork and rush-rush moments Hake. You've already seen the insanity part," Tasha mock-lectures, hoof waggling at her like a finger. "You'll need to have your physicals done too. I should consider uniforms. And postings. Katie will probably be intelligencing -- intelligencing? -- so maybe you and her should consider forming a info-gathering section aboard ship. That'll be, uh, bridge crew, command staff, medical ... I'll work on it. What am I forgetting?"
Tasha is silent for a moment, but then suddenly sits up. "That's right, I was going to suggest to Gabriel we pick up the Themis-Skoll! I could use some time to gather my thoughts in paint and work out other details and retrieving the Titan would be good for morale while we're gone, give them something to do, and be a huge story we can use to cover up out work out in space."
"So I do have some time then before we return to Abaddon," Hakeber says in relief.
"Well.. good thing I've got my sleeper case with me," Yue says. "You can unfreeze me for the interesting parts."
"Maybe two weeks, more if the Titanians aren't in town. And I have to talk to them too. If I'm pushing Horus to retake his mission then that means we'll be on the same track as the Titanians who are still doing their mission as passed on by Vulcan. It wouldn't hurt let them know I've accepted a mission directly from Atum. They'll help us. Maybe they all will." Tasha drops back on to the pillow, arms behind her head. "Maybe I'll stay out of recovering the Titan. I've taken the lead a lot and maybe too much of the glory. I found what I was looking for; the Elite can find what they need in the Titan."
"You need to be painting," Hakeber says, and pokes Tasha again. "And writing things down, or.. uploading your memory or however that works."
"Probably all of those," Tasha admits, grimacing. "Mostly painting. I have an idea for painting the entryway artifact as a giant flower, I think I'll call it the Flower of Life. I hope I brought enough paint."
"You know you can 'paint' on your datapad, right?" Yue asks Tasha.
Tasha's grimace deepens. "That feels like cheating and wrong," she insists. "I know I can, but it's not the same. I might as well be painting in Mel's simulated space!" Her head shakes -- painting with computers!
"But if I run out of paint I guess I must," the Cadet admits, albiet reluctantly.
"You can always just use the digital reference to do a proper painting later," Yue suggests. "A sketchbook, in essence."
"That's ... That's acceptable," the hybrid permits. "I just feel when I do this I have to be as close to the painting as possible, close to heart. Oh." Tasha blinks. "I'll need to bring Lisa. How am I going to keep track of everything without Lisa? I have painting and planning and aliens to think on!"
"I'm sure Liza already has a fill-in-the-blanks schedule for you," Hakeber says.
"That's my bunny. I'm so glad I got her, you should really get a Liza too Hake." Tasha stretches a moment,t hen waves Hakeber to come over and cuddle with her. "So you know Hake-bear, you said Ser Heraphel might have saved the universe, but maybe we couldn't have done it without you."
"I want a statue," Hakeber says. "And a University. And a beer. Pizza-beer. I know it's possibly, in my gut.."
"Who knows, maybe we'll have more by the time this is all over. Iknow I've come to have a great deal since it started, and if you follow me you may too," Tasha insists. She doesn't wait for Hakeber to come over, instead sitting up and pulling her over and down. Then she gets hugged on, rather like her namesake. "I still haven't heard, 'thanks Tasha for helping me prove my life's work,' you know!"
"Thank you Tasha for for helping me complete four years of frustration and dead ends," Hakeber says. "Which will be locked up in the Black Shelves because the main reference is from a book that I should not legally have access too, which certain people may raise a stink about if it were public."
"I'm giving you back to Yue." And Tasha does so, picking Hakeber up and handing her off to the spy. Then she stands up, picking up the sword and the Marker and shuffling them back in to her bag. "You know Hake, even if that's true, you got to see the truth yourself. All the fame and glory doesn't matter as much as being there, or at least I think so. Anyway I should hit the bridge before Gabriel loses his scent control worrying."
"They're in the wardroom," Yue tells Tasha. "Gabriel and Eli, that is."
"Probably doing the usual'what did tasha find and is she crazy' debrief and planning session," the Cadet remarks. She pats Hakeber's head, then turns to head out. "Don't go too crazy without me! And if you need to pray to an angel -- find another one, I'll be busy!"
Only half of the display table in the wardroom is used to show the planetary survey data. On the other half is a holographic blueprint of a hangar-like structure with several outbuildings. This is the part Gabriel and Eli are hunched over when Tasha enters, and the two men look up. "Are we about to be eaten by anything?" Gabriel asks... at least 65% seriously.
"Naw, I had a carbo-bar before filling Hakeber in," Tasha replies with a big grin. She then walks right over to Gabriel, salutes, then gives him a big hug. "You can stop making jokes now, I'm really alright. Remy will have my debrief for you to read soon. It's big, but we always knew it would be, didn't we?"
"So, how much older are you now than when you left the ship?" Gabriel asks. "I need to know if you're catching up to me."
"A few hours percieved time, of course I was outside of reality and flew down the corrridor between the Beginning and the End so depending on how you look at it I'm a few hours older, however older I got flying forward minus however younger I got flying back plus two hours, or infinitely older because I was outside of time and it lacks reference. Plus two hours. Can I sit in your lap?" Tasha cocks her head to the side, giving Gabriel the big eyes. "Because after that I really want to."
The chair is shifted so that Tasha can sit in Gabriel's lap. "I appreciate that you took the armor off before doing this," the man notes.
"Don't worry, I'm carrying the weight of the universe," Tasha insists. She slides in to Gabriel's lap, then shifts until comfortable before leaning back and pulling his arms around her. "Alright I'm good. So, what's this you're looking at ... Did the artifact give us an ancient alien hangar plus support buildings as a freebie or something?"
"No, this is Fred's Phase 3 base design, for Expedition City," Gabriel says. "Eli and I were looking at logistics and materials and other costs while the survey completes. I have a feeling all of our data on Arcadia will be obsolete within a year though."
"Oh well. But we got to see it, didn't we? We came here, we found the Gate, and I was able to pass through the Door. Just being here makes use a legend. Even if we have nothing else to show for it, the universe will know we succeeded as explorers. We'll know. Or we should anyway." Gabriel gets elbowed lightly, but then Tasha shifts right back to her comfortable lounging. "So, a base. We really do need one. Is the money okay? I can probably figure out a means to get enough from out in the Galactic or from Sinai." She drops hr gaze, scanning over the building. She hadn't expected to be reviewing architecture.
"This is a ways out still," Gabriel notes. "Phase 2 is relocating to the Winged Citadel first. They've got a hangar we can use, and it's also where all of our 'research' is being done anyway. We'll eventually need the larger industrial base of the city though."
"This is a secret plot to make me go back to class isn't it," the Cadet asks, half-joking. Based in the Citadel, there'd be little reason for her not to attend classes during her off hours. Lucky for her, she's saved by having a part in being the salvation of the universe -- she can only hope it's enough of an excuse. "But I agree about needing a base. I like the old base, but getting there is so inconvienent and it'd be nice to leave the base and go have a pizza or just ... Walk around town. I have a feeling we'll all need to remind ourselves of what being oridinary is like. I know I will. It's a good choice, Expedition City."
"It's also got our labor pool," Eli notes. "Young, educated and mixed. And there's the historical significance of basing the JEF where the original one.. uh.. crashed."
"It'll mean having closer ties with the Knights Templar, but.. frankly that just makes things easier, thanks to mission overlap," Gabriel says.
"I prefer 'strategically landed,'" Tasha insists, grinning. "But that too. It's also neutral ground and centralized, so if we need to be anywhere it'll be eaiser, and easier for goods to reach us. Plus we can remain neutral and out of any wars, though I hope it doesn't come to that." She then nods. "I don't have any problems with being closer with them and they need us in return. If we seem to be allies, the nations will be less likely to act against either of us, and that's good for maintaining balance in the world." She rubs her nose a moment, then adds, "By the way I have another mission for you: What do you say to doing all the hard work and getting the Themis-Skoll while I hide in my quarters and paint?"
Gabriel blinks at that. "You haven't mentioned that to Nora yet have you?" he asks. "It would add a few weeks to our flight time... but that could be useful too. We need to run hibernation drills on the recruits, and Fred can take care of a few things that require vacuum. We need to update the gravity maps as well. I think the Titan Bay is big enough.. but we may need to move the shuttle out to the hull."
"A map of the Procession could be valuable," Eli adds. "It does occasionally drop pieces on the equatorial belt, and the Khattan Emirate would probably like a projection of what will drop and when."
"We can finish the Fenris Survey.. from orbit," Gabriel mutters.
"Well," and here Tasha sits up, as much as she can in Gabriel's lap. She still looks absolutely tiny compared to him, however. "See, I was thinking, it'd be good for morale. If we head out in to the Galactic they'll have nothing to do and they'll feel left out. Besides recovering the Titan would make a good cpver story to explain what we were doing; Titans are always big news." The young woman listens a moment, then nods again. "Those are all good too. I need to focus on recording my experience with the Hall and planning for my trip in to the Galactic. And, I need to think about, uh, me for a bit. So I'm going to ask to be on standby for a while."
"And this recovery isn't just so Nora will have something to obsess over while we're gone?" Gabriel asks with a cocked eyebrow.
Tasha holds her hands up. "You don't think I might need some time off after completing my first big research experiment, time traveling and speaking to two different godlike beings? Just wait until you read the part about what I'm supposed to do and how we talked," the girl insists, ears canted out.
Yet belatedly -- and because Gabriel is looking at her -- she eventaully admits, "Maybe a small oart is for Nora. Very small!"
"I'll let you inform her of the itinerary change," Gabriel says, grinning.
"Nooo, she'll figure it out and it'll be ruined," Tasha cries out, turning to lightly hammer Gabriel's chest with her balled fists. "You know how she is, if she thinks anyone's being nice to her she'll get grumpy and she's already a bit grumpy with me after I cried about her going in the tank. Have someone else do it, I have enougbh problems!"
"Well, you're the backup navigator, so you have to plot out the preliminary course to Sinai orbit and present that to her," Gabriel insists.
"I should retire," Tasha complains, putting her back to Gabriel and crossing her arms. She still wiggles to get comfortable against him, however. "Fine, fine. Save universe, yell at creator, make Nora grumpy. I can handle it."
"You didn't make any other beings capable of Divine Wrath angry, did you?" Gabriel asks, and tickles under Tasha's arms.
"Wha-- no..! Ahh!" This causes Tasha to squirm; Gabriel has the unfair advantage of knowing all her weak spots as well as being a tactical and strategic expert. She curls up in to a ball, wings and all, and squirms to try and fend off the tickling as she insists, "They all like meee!"
"Then you shouldn't have any problem with Nora," Gabriel insists, and then pinches Tasha while Eli is... looking at the survey feed with feigned interest.
"But sheeee's gruuump-- Ahh!" Tasha's squeel is rather loud and she jumps a bit. Of course, she then squirms around to stradle the Captain and, wriggling away from his fingers, leans up to give him a kiss.
"You can handle grumpy," Gabriel assures.
Tasha slides back down into Gabriel's lap, arms folded. "Fine, fine. I'll tell her. Everyone rebuffs me today. I come back from the beyond and no one gives me a break. I should have found a better universe; I'm sure there was one!"
"This is the only one with me in it," Gabriel says with grin. "And probably the only one with Liza as well. Without us, you'd go mad!"
"Oh, probably. Liza sorts my life and you give me harbor, and that sort of thing." Tasha lays her head back in the crook of Gabriel's arm and unfolds her hands. "I mean what I said about needing some time, though. I really do want to get everything out. I need to think about what happened, and about myself. When I spoke to Atum it was a different kind me me, and I want to know what that means. I want to think about what I want to do and be now that I have this in my hands. The me that accepted it and ... Asked for the other things isn't exactly what I thought I'd ask. You'll see -- you'll probabky want to talk to me after reading the report too."
"So I should read it without you present?" Gabriel asks.
"Either way, it's not like I want to hide it it's just, uh, complicated." Tasha shrugs a little, then reaches over and picks up Gabriel's hand and puts it on her head. "A lot to read and a lot to think about. I made some promises, a big one, and I was given things in return. I'm still not exactly sure what I was asking for, but I know I must want it. I do want it. I never lied to Atum."
"Generally, you should be very clear about what you want when asking a godlike being for something," Gabriel notes, and scratches Tasha's ears.
This causes Tasha to wag her tail -- meager and horselike as it may be -- and melt, eyes closing. She sinks a little deeper. "I was. I think I was clearer then than I've ever been. But Atum doesn't speak like we do. When I spoke to him I was a group, I'm still trying to figure out what that means and which parts were me and which weren't and why the ones who were talking were a Karnor and a Vartan instead of me me."
"Your Archons," Eli suggests.
"My Archons? I'm not a Vril ... I don't think I'm a Vril." Tasha frowns, momentarily wondering if maybe somehow she'd become one in the exchange -- but that can't be. Can it? She doesn't think she's made of any glowing energy and there's been no signs of it; she'd seen echoes of these other beings inside her long before meeting Atum. "Maybe ... Archon-like. I'd have to be able to split them off from me, wouldn't I? And why do I have so many? I'm sure one was a shadow -- the connection berween me and the Source. Dark blood. Another was the Empress, but she was just a dream I had! Once!"
"But still real to you, and.. distinct?" Eli asks. "Created to serve a specific purpose, would you say?"
"Not by me," Tasha insists, eyes opening. "I've been trying to forget that dream. Maybe Yama did it to me, just like how that mage crammed old Blackwings in to me. Tisiphone's always been there and I guess the Karnor and Vartan represent my two halves. Maybe that's important? Maybe it means I'm still not ... One person? That'd explain the other part ... "
"What other part?" Gabriel asks. "If Atum is one person made up of others, that's probably how he saw you."
"I thought that was the case too, but it's still disturbing that the Empress was there. I knew Tisiphone and Blackwings were therem but the others ... The others must be too close to /me/ for me to see seperately normally. I don't know." Tasha wiggles a shrug, then scratches her nose. "The other part is, um, what I asked for. /Please. don't tell them this, but I asked for Nora and Fred to be returned to life. But Atum /can't./ So the Karnor me and the Vartan me asked for a god, then a mentor, and a /people./ Atum told me to find /Thoth./"
"I'm assuming Thoth is not one of the original Archons?" Gabriel asks. "Since.. uh.. they're all gone now aren't they?"
"Hmm, it's possible the others were there because Atum was considering Melchior to be the 'person', and everyone in it to constitute the.. pilot?"
Eli suggests.
"The Archon shell and the souls within -- the vril-ya. Or something like a vril-ya, because that's how Atum works? That does make sense, it fits what I was thinking too." Tasha nods a little, then explians, "Thoth was produced from Horus and Ahriman. he's called the god of knowledge and wisdom. The moon of Zion is probably named after him. He's a second-generation Archon; Atum doesn't know anything else about him."
"Only what Horus and Ahriman would know," Eli says, nodding.
"Maybe they didn't talk much after Thoth was formed. It means Horus maybe not know where he is," Tasha agrees. She then extends her legs out, leaning back and looking up. "It's a lot to think about, isn't it Gabriel? Do you mind if I just sit here and think a while? I know it's inappropriate, but I'd feel better of I could."
"Alright, but at some point I'll have to carry you out," Gabriel says. "At least the survey feed has lots of pretty colors to watch, it's almost hypnotic."
"I'm going to make a holographic or wall projection of the Gate for my quarters," the Cadet admits. And then she closes her eyes, content to just lay there and be. Safe and sound back in as close to normalcy as she might hope for, there with the man she loves. She doesn't forget what transpired, not anymore -- it strains her but it isn't too heavy a load. Not these days. Not after knowing what she could accomplish and the faith shown her. No, the memory is there but put aside. For now, rest.