The Dark Horse crew is probably the largest and most diverse group to arrive together. Katherine is wearing her metallic fur and hair look, along with a shiny red sleeveless-and-backless gown. Yue's dress could be painted on if not for the skirts, and displays a colorful nebula. Hakeber and Lacci are the least dolled-up, since Hakeber just has her hair tied back instead of done-up, but she's wearing a golden, long-sleeved gown that still hugs her best features, despite not showing anything below the neck. Liza wears a sparkly blue gown not to different from Katherine's, but it does strap up behind her neck. Miss Necessity has her hair done up in an over-the-shoulder side-braid, and wears a silver gown with matching elbow-length gloves and a matching beret pinned to the non-braided side of her hair.
The men are a bit more uniform in their outfits. Gabriel and Mr. Invention wear matching tuxedos, with dark jackets that actually taper in towards their waists to show off the broadness of their shoulders. Shojo wears a formal Vartan tunic and half-kilt over his trousers - black since he's not affiliated with any clan, and using Knight Templar patterns would just beg questions. Aaron is only semi-formal, in that he wears a similar Terran-style tuxedo, but with his colorful Zolk vest under the jacket instead of a cummerbund.
And in the middle of them all is Tasha, holding both Gabriel and Katherine's hands, one of theirs in one in her own. Her hair is the Viking style braid derived from ancient TerraGens culture entwinded with black dye and silver ribbons, giving it a kind of elegance between feminine beauty and the elegance of a refined machine. Her dress is primarily a deep black with a matte shimmer, bedecked by golden patterns featuring the animals symbolizing the crew -- birds, wolves, monkies, and so on -- along with smaller stellar features such as suns and moons. The dress fits snuggly, showing off her curves, but maintains a level of conservative covering by only revealing her back and the top of her breasts, looped over the shoulders and tying together in a web of gold-in-to-black at a choker around her neck.
To add to the metallic theme, Tasha's hooves and Vartan hand talons have been chromed, while her Karnor hand has golden nails. She wears lace up half-booties, to show off the chrome, and her braided hair has been lengthened to such an extent it hangs well down between her wings and nearly reaches her tail, and the braiding also runs beneath her hairs for a contiguous and uniformed arrangement. She's smiling, looking more 'girly' than she ever has.
The host, Dassen K'tar, is quick to notice the arrival and hurries over to greet them. The Khattan is wearing a sand-colored tunic and pants, with a black shoulder sash showing the galactic-arm and four-leaved 'clover' of the Seeders. "Miss Aldara, I'm so glad you and your crew could attend!" the feline notes, and since both of Tasha's hands are occupied he leans in and 'air kisses' her cheeks. Which is less forward than Abu-Dhabian breath-sharing greeting at least.
"And we're very pleased to attend, Mr. K'tar," Tasha replies. She does release both hands so as not to appear standoffish, taking his and shaking his delicately. "And thank you for inviting us. I know my crew is grateful for the chance to relax and rejuvinate, and I myself am as well."
Lacci should be used to big gatherings like this.. but on the Eye of Providence she had an actual job during them. She sticks close to Shojo, wearing basically the same outfit, but in her clan's purple and red. Liza hovers nearby Tasha, and Aaron sticks close to the doe, while Mr. Invention and Miss Necessity are arm-in-arm together. Hakeber is already waving down a man with a platter of drinks.
"Well, I do hope you'll be up for a bit of networking as well," the man says with a wink. He then spots a new arrival, and says, "Ah, one of our biggest donors has arrived! I'll introduce you." He then strides over to an Eeee woman in a gossamer white gown that matches her fur.
"Perhaps you'd like to catch us up on the current affairs of the Seeders as well?" Tasha offers as she follows along, assuming Gabriel and Katherine will accompany her, though no prior arrangement had been made to require it. Aside from herself, Gabriel, and Yue none of the crew were given any particular task, save to pay attention, look for anything unusual, watch for danger, and be careful. Otherwise they're free to relax, or to attempt their own productivity, as they like. She and Gabriel are as always stuck on politics and meet-and-greet duty, which Tasha at least doesn't mind, and Yue is there to keep a special eye on things in case her sharp TerraGens Agent senses and training catch anything. Katherine has been invited to learn along side Gabriel and Tasha, but it's optional. "And just who have you brought me to?" The hybrid smiles at the newcomer, looking young and wealthy.
"Miss Aldara, allow me to introduce Miss Egypt, one of our most generous benefactors," Dassen says, introducing Tasha to.. the bubble-headed Eeee with the bag full of money she recently met living in a shack. "A pleasure to meet you," Egypt says, offering her gloved hand.
The edges of Tasha's smile curl up a little more. "Oh, the pleasure's all mine, Miss Egypt," she replies, shaking the hand with delicacy. Learning to shake hands with delicacy was one of the more challenging elements of learning ettiquete and decorum for Tasha, having been raised in an environment that favors obvious shows of strength and and toughness. She's learned you can be tough and delicate, at leats delicate seeming, which she's realized is actually a nice change of pace.
"You have an impressive crew," Egypt says, looking at Katie and Gabriel, who are already drawing a lot of looks, along with Tasha. The Lapi obviously aren't being a proper distraction.
"Our doctor wasn't able to attend," Gabriel says apologetically. Jonas had volunteered to babysit the Jotoki, since he really did not like being at parties.
There's a slight whine of servos as Moka and Kaa arrive in their walker suits. Kaa has a clip-on bow-tie stuck to the support sling of his walker.
"I do, indeed. I'm very proud of them. They've done well to come so far and come together as they have. The barriers between us are not so very large as one might think." Tasha decides to not say more about Jonas, feeling further mentioning his presence might somehow get back to him to make him uncomfortable. "Oh, and here are our Phin crew members." She steps aside, gesturing to Kaa and Moka. "They are of course a bit late due to the necessity of allowing other guests to arrive before them, as a politeness."
Kaa blows a raspberry, and says, "Had to let suits dry off!"
"He's very endearing," Tasha insists to Miss Egypt, turning back and smiling at her.
"I have a t-taser function on my waldo, Kaa," Moka points out. "Not afraid to use it-t!"
"Now now, you don't need to bunch together.. mingle!" Dassen says. "Maybe dance!" Hakeber is already sidling towards the buffet. She might have had her gown made with an elastic fabric, just in case. She's already got a flute of something pink in her hand, but the lip is narrow enough that she'd be forced to sip it. Yue is stalking her, to make sure she doesn't overindulge.
Tasha gestures for her crew to spread out, using a little circular twirl that could do just as well as some form of military encirclement order. "Well, you heard our host! Go on then, I'll be just fine on my own. I'm sure Miss Egypt and Mr. Dassen aren't going to carry me off. You two," she aims her smile and Gabriel and Katherine, " ... are of course welcome to stay with me. If you want."
"Well, until we start dancing," Katherine says. "We'll have to take turns with Gabriel." Mr. Invention and Miss Necessity are already in a conversation with a small group of Silent-Ones. The Lapis are still close by, but have managed to procure snacks and seem to be shielding Lacci and Shojo. There are plenty of Vartans in the crowd, although Confederates and Terrans seem to make up the majority, with Khattans and Silent-Ones (and not even a handful of Celestials) in the minority.
"Nonsense, you can dance with me." After all, Galactic society doesn't seem to have anything against relationships between two women, at least among the majority of players within the Seeders. Only the Silent-Ones ever seem that opposed, and any Silent-One here would, Tasha thinks, have an open mind or at least a mind open to appearing to have one. She sweeps her gaze around, but returns to Miss Egypt. "Well, shall we talk, or shall we drift apart for now?"
"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to talk later, if you'd like to meet others," Egypt says. "There are a few other ears I'd like to bend.. figuratively, I mean. Idiom is so difficult to keep track of."
"Of course." Tasha gives the woman another smile, then drifts off. Rather than head towards anyone in particular, she allows herself to move between the groups, appearing accessible. Going through the people who want to talk to her seems like a good way to start things off, and may reveal any brewing political intentions -- or other intentions for that matter. "It's a nice party, don't you think? Is this what you're used to, Katie?"
"Well, you've been to a typical 'high-society' party with me back home," Katie notes, and eyes the buffets. "I will avoid anything that give me gas this time."
"So don't fill up on cheeses you two," Gabriel agrees. "I'm surprised the tuxedo hasn't changed much. At least they got rid of the lapels and cufflinks and tails."
"I think that's called a 'refined pallet' isn't it?" Tasha makes a shooing gesture for Katie to go. "Go on, I'm sure you're bored to death of these things by now. You don't have to play along for my sake. I don't get to do this very often, and it's nice meeting higher society beings who aren't too high."
"You know she's going to be mobbed by the Karnors, right?" Gabriel asks Tasha as Katie laughs and heads for the buffet line.
"I'm sure she can handle herself, and if not, I do swing a mean stick." Tasha pats Gabriel's arm, then glances around at the TerraGens member sin particular. "And that's true of you too, isn't it? Should I be worried? Will you both leave me for more exciting, more technological, less dangerous individuals?"
"The modern Karnor girls a bit too cutesy," Gabriel claims. "Half of them have curled tails. It's hard not to think of them as children, really. Which is probably why they're so popular with the other species."
"I think their tails are cute! As is the rest of them." Tasha smiles in a dreamy sort of way that Gabriel interprets as both teasing, but also decidedly not. "Well, do you want walk around? We'll be dancing later, and I'm curious who will drift over to me when they think my big protector and brain isn't near me."
"Well, we could also take a table or couch, and let them come to us that way," Gabriel says. "Sitting down, I won't seem as imposing."
"Slightly less so," Tasha agrees, making holding her thumb and pointer finger apart. She guides Gabriel to the nearest table and, after brushing her dress beneath herself like she was taught, settles herself in. "Speaking of which, do you like my dress? I wanted to seem like the boss, but I decided I also wanted to try something more delicate. It's been nice so far."
"I like it quiet a bit," Gabriel says, and grins. "It'll force me to be a bit more delicate as well, once we start dancing."
Tasha bats her eyelashes Gabrielward. "Well of course. I'm quite fragile, you know." She reaches over and pats his hand, then settles back. "Do you think there's as much concern over our apparent age differences out here? I thought that always worried you, back home."
"Out here age is harder to gauge than where we met," Gabriel says. "Neither of us fit with what people are used to seeing, so age is less apparent I imagine."
"That makes sense. I know poor Lacci thought I was much older." Tasha spots a server wandering past, waving and watches him until he catches her interest. "Do you think no one's interested in us, this time? Or to put it another way, already expressed their interest? Of course we're a big hit just by being here, very on message as Katie would say."
The server comes around with a platter of drinks, smiling as all Khattas do to seem friendly. "Do you have any preferences?" he asks in accented Standard.
"You know, why don't you surprise me? I'm curious what's popular at Seeder gatherings." Tasha then turns to Gabriel, wondering what he'll order.
"Do you have sparkling wine?" Gabriel asks. The server nods and sets down his tray. The glasses are all empty, and he selects something similar to a wineglass. "Sparkling wine, chilled," the man says, and points his finger into the glass. Straw-colored liquid begins pouring out of it like a spigot.
Tasha perks her ears at this, though she tries hard to not look surprised. She's poistive Gabriel has a 'you can't have one of those' quips on his tongue, however.
The glass of chilled wine is set before Gabriel, where tiny bubbles fix upwards. "And for you, my lady?" the server asks of Tasha.
"I'll have the same, thank you." It occurs to tasha it's nice to actually sit somewhere pleasant and not have to worry about her safety, the future, monsters, gods and demons for a change. The worries are certainly there, but the're outside for now where she can return to them when she;s good and ready.
Another sort-of-wine-glass if filled with the sparkling wine from the server's finger. Tasha notices a little glow at the base of the glass when it's set before her. Probably something to keep it chilled. "If you need anything else, just snap your fingers twice and a server will hear," the man says.
"Thank you," Tasha bids the man before turning to Gabriel. "You know, I think for once no one's going to bother us? Isn't that nice?" She pauses, then admits in a quieter tone as if someone might hear and be scandalized, "I'm actually looking forward to dancing."
"Gods of Fate, what has she been feeding you?" a familiar voice asks, as Thispe appears next to Gabriel. The tall belter woman is as Tasha remembers from her first visit to the Seed Lounge, but instead of a skintight jumpsuit she's wearing something closer to what Yue is, only this dress is displaying a scene of archaic looking spacecraft.
"Well, she started out with roast boar," Gabriel says, as the woman joins them at the table.
"Only the biggest and the best," Tasha assures Thispe, then she reaches over and pats a space at the table for her to join them. "It's very important he provide me shade on sunnier worlds, perform heavy lifting, and scare off the rabble." She winks at Gabriel, who knows those are all things the young woman does herself, including scaring the rabble. "Hello Thispe, it's been a bit, hasn't it? This is Captain Gabriel T. Akkers, I believe I mentioned him when we met."
"You didn't say he was so.. prehistoric," the woman, putting a disturbingly sensual spin on the last word, and leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table while cradling her fingers. Belter anatomy doesn't really make it possible to comfortably rest her chin on them though. "And a Captain. Thawed out from a glacier, perhaps.. or carved from the heart of a giant Sequoia and given life by a fairy?"
"The fairy one," Gabriel claims, and smirks at Tasha.
"Now, who are we calling a fairy? I think he called me an a confused angel, or was it demon. I think it was both, actually." Tasha shakes her head, she remembers how they met almost as if it were yesterday. And wow, does she remember being awkward and having low self-esteem. "And the carving was real work, he's very large you see." She smirks.
"I do see," Thispe notes. "It's a shame there aren't any belter Karnors, although we do have plenty of Pans. Their brains were a little easier to modify for low-gravity, being nearly human to begin with. I had heard your pretty yacht was in port.. and that you'd been poking in some very dark places. Alas, I cannot afford to purchase the data on Acheron."
"And he's the captain of that pretty ship, don't you know." Tasha reaches over and pats Gabriel's hand again, then leans back, settling in. "My other crew members are also around if you'd like to meet them, not that I want you to leave me just yet! As for Acheron, well, it was a very dark place, but the darkest places can hold the most interesting rewards, don't you think?"
"Well, I work and live in the dark, after all," Thispe says, "so yes, it can be quite rewarding. Sometimes.. it sings to me, when I'm out alone in my singleship. But that is my particular madness, I suppose! I also hear that you had a close call near Praxafallopus. A whole world just vanishing like something out of legend. Most people do not believe the vids of course."
"Everyone out here has their favorite madness. Often, I feel, my demons are always hovering over my shoulder, or that there's more going on than mortals can ever easily grasp. Space makes one feel small, I suppose." And so Tasha shrugs, and smiles good naturedly. "I'm sure you've heard Phin pilots also speak of the singing of space, and things like it. I'm of a mind to believe them, and you. There are just so many strange things to find." As for Praxafallopus, Tasha folds her hands together on the table, which might be seen as mirroring exactly what happened, or just an innocent gesture. "That was a very close call. We're all grateful to still be here, and we might well not have been if we had still been deep in our site seeing tour. I'm glad everyone was able to get off the planet before it ceased to be." Well, almost everyone.
"None of the imagery showed what actually happened," Thispe notes with disappointment. "The planet was there, things became scrambled, and then it was not there. I've heard that some witnesses claimed it was devoured by some sort black-hole monster. Obviously whatever ancient mechanism kept the place stable must have finally failed."
"You do really have to be mindful of alien mechanisims. Praxafallopus was an poorly understood wonder involving a ancient and extinct species that somehow left an entire functioning planet behind. While these are somewhat common, Praxafallopus is an example of one of these were its old scars and mistakes eventually came to call, and likewise, it's peculiar technology failed them. From what we were able to gather, they tinkered with darker sorts of technologies, which made the planet vulnerable to certain instabilities. It may well exist somewhere yet, but I doubt it will be a pleasant place for us." Very unpleasant. "We're glad that the collapse mechanisim was slow to act, offering plenty of warning. It took some time to detect, as we had also faired poorly to some unknown defense mechanisim just before that, but the attack ultimately allowed us to warn the others." Which is a big lie, but close enough. I can't just go around suggesting I indirectly -- or directly! -- ended planets.
"So do you think it was pulled into hyperspace, or even deeper?" Thispe asks. Behind her, it seems that a group has cornered Hakeber into giving a lecture about.. something. It probably means she hasn't really been drinking yet.
Tasha glances at Hakeber, but seeing she's not trying to deprive the station of alcohol and is merely talking she decides to set her Hakeber Disaster Status to green for the moment. Not blue, she doesn't know what Hakeber is discussing, but things appear fine and therefore they probably are. Hopefully. She returns her gaze to Thispe. "That's probably what happened, in fact I think so. Once we got a clear view of the mysterious pools of darkness in the assorted pits, it became very apparent some sort of other-dimensional system was in place. The pools themselves exhibited startling flattening of space-time, and, well, who knew what was beneath? It's quite likely whatever they contained failed the planet in some fashion, which aside from the loss of a world and its mysteries and culture, was not a great loss in the sense that the Stonecarvers were not the kindess group of ancient aliens."
"Professor Stanislav is here from Hawking Hyperspace Observatory," Thispe notes. "Perhaps they recorded the event." She nods towards a tall human is apparently not a belter.. he's just all, and sports an asymmetrical cut to his beard. He's engaged in conversation with two Eeee and Dassen K'tar.
"Well, why don't we say hello? I'm sure Mr. K'tar won't mind us intruding." Tasha rises, waiting for the others to follow suite before she makes her way towards the assemblage of important people. "Is there anything we should know beforehand? I'd hate to see ill informed, but I rather have been out in the black for quite some time, and of that recouperating for a bit more."
"He's made a discover that has Dassen all a-twitter," Thispe notes, having to take short steps to keep pace. "I think they were looking to charter a ship."
"Well what luck, it just so happens I have a ship. And I have a captain, isn't that right Gabriel?" Tasha smiles lovingly up at her big Karnor as they near the group.
"This is probably what Dassen was trying to charter us for, you realize," Gabriel says.
"I do not realize. That's why I have you, Mr. Invention, and Liza to realize for me." Tasha's smile turns in to a lopsided grin. "You know I have other things to worry about." And then they've arrived. Tasha waits for Dassen K'tar to do the introductions, it is after all his party and she's trying to be good about ettiquete tonight.
"Ah, Miss Aldara of the Dark Horse," Dassen says enthusiastically (but he does everything enthusiastically). "What is the saying? 'Your ears were burning'? We were just discussing how a generous gift from Miss Egypt should cover the cost of our expedition, should your ship be available."
Professor Stanislav bows his head. "It is true that you have a Phin pilot, capable of navigating turbulent space?" he inquires.
"We are always available to those with interesting and profittable missions," Tasha replies, turning her omnipresent (and not at all faked) smile towards those gathered. The smile settles on the Professor, but only briefly. She turns and shields her eyes, as if against the sun, and searches until she spots Kaa. "Oh, why he's over there. I was going to ask him if he's a Phin pilot and capable of navgiating turbulent space, but he is over there, and of course he's the Best Pilot Around which he would inform you of intensely." And so the smile returns. "If you like you can hear it from the man himself, but yes."
"We are hoping to reach an extra-planar star system," the professor says. The Eeee next to him adds, "It produced signals which are very similar to our own vessels - that is, organic in origin."
"So, something in D-space then? And possibly organic, or at least mirroring organic signals -- organic cognition waveforms or organic drive signatures?" Tasha taps the side of her muzzle. It is intriguing, a strangely life-like lost world. She nods, having decided something. "Yes, that sounds like the sort of thing we'd be interested in. Do you know anything else about it? And what alternate space does it occupy?"
"Ah, forgive the terminology," Professor Stanislav says. "It is above the galactic orbital plane, in extremely flat space, yet there appears to be gravitational distortion in the region. It may be a ring singularity or possibly a pair of orbiting neutron stars."
"Well not quite what I was epxecting, but still interesting. I imagine you're concerned with the distortion itself and how it would play havok with transfer points, hyperspace approaches, and so on." Tasha flicks her ears, then tilts her head. "And its orbital mechanics would be rather odd, too, depending on where it is above the galactic plane."
"Quite so," the professor notes. "But as the Confederates have no current vessels or ancient ones that could have made the journey, the next best candidate is a Starseed, or as Dassen suspects: a Starseed nursery."
"A nursery." Given just who Tasha believes made the Starseeds, the 'nannies' that might be involved are something to give pause. If it is what the professor thinks it is, it would also be an example of some of the oldest known Ogdoad in-universe construction, an outpost so ancient even the Sifra might have been young when it was old. Of course, she decides, it could be one of many that are recreated over time, but it should still exhibit elements of ancient engineering and outsider influence. "That would make it quite old, wouldn't it? Quite old. If it's not, well, that would mean the nurseries are being reconstructed by something over time. That would be interesting to know. It could also be a artifact of some old civilizations, gods know there are enough of those, but to construct something so far off the plane does suggest a special intent." She works her muzzle, then nods again. "Yes, I'm interested. We'd have to drop off our passengers first, but we could make the trip directly after."
"We are still collecting more data from the observatory," Stanislav says. "And waiting upon other colleagues - we have me, and Dr. Karaktinio here as our exo-biologist. We're still waiting on a few others, so there is time. Dassen has agreed to put us up until the expedition is ready to leave."
"Hmm, we'll likely be out by the time things roll back around, but if you don't mind the wait we will return if we can. As you've probably noted, our little adventures don't always go to plan." And how. Tasha is still dealing with the weirdness that was Praxafallopus, not to mention her turn at maledom. "But perhaps that will allow you to prepare all the more?"
"More time means more data," Stanislav notes. "Our quarry is not going anywhere."
"Now now, we really can never know for sure," Tasha teases, though it's a surprisingly relevant concern given how Praxafallous fell out of reality. "But alright. I'll have my people work out the details. Well," she glances between those gathered and nods, "we won't take up more of your time then, but we really had to say 'hello' and touch on things. Is there anything you'd like to ask before we go, Gabe?"
"Just how much did Miss Egypt donate to you folks?" Gabriel asks. The human looks uncertain, as does the Eeee, but Dassen says, "200 million credits, Captain."
"She seems just full of surprises," Tasha remarks, smiling. And as she continues to smile, she asks, "Do you happen to know her background? Is she associated with Confederate scientific, industrial, or exploratory circles?"
"Possibly," Dassen says. "She is a mysterious benefactor, but many of our patrons are anonymous. Rest assured, though, that the size of her donation is still within the percentage limits we have set."
"Well I'm glad to know we're in good hands." And that she can try and interrogate the mysterious Egypt later, when she's on the ship. Tasha takes Gabriel's hand and inclines her head. "Well, off we go then. I'm sure I'll see you all on the dance floor." The omnipresent smile sweeps, and they're off. She leaves it to her friend if she wsihes to remain and talk, or follow along.
Closer to the dance floor (which still only has a few people on it surrounding an Aquilan couple where the male is putting on an impressive display) is a group that seems to have captured Hakeber and the Lapis, while Shojo, Lacci and Yue sit at a nearby table to keep an eye on things. The dolphins are still trying to work their way down the buffet, and curious guests offer up tidbits for them.
I bet a Phins can really put away a buffet, Tasha muses as she glances at her two Phin pilots, not about to interupt their hunting session. Besides, it's the first time she's brough them to a real party and she's curious how they'll handle themselves. Much like with Lacci and Shojo, she's decided on a 'less is more' management style with the two, figuring Kaa sees her as a figure to impress rathert ahn as a friend, while Lacci and Shojo always seemed overwhelmed by her presence. After watching everyone during their last vacation, she's come to decide maybe handling everyone woth raw direct interaction might not be the best choice after all. Thus, discretion.
That doesn't mean she can't check up on them, however. And out of all her friends and colleagues that might need checking up on, there's Hakeber. Tasha drifts her way, but touches Gabriel's arm. "Us showing up together might disrupt things too much; why don't we split up here and meet up later, for dancing, Gabriel? You'll want the first dance won't you?" She asks him.
"I didn't bring a peacock suit, I'm afraid," Gabriel notes with a grin and a glance to the avian dancers. "But I also see Katie hovering over by the band. I'd wait until she gets whatever she wants from them, which knowing here will be a chance to play. That'd be the best time to dance."
"Then we'll wait for a sign that Operation Katue has been succesful before we move in. I can see the Katie Field drawing people in from here," Tasha agrees, grinning back. "And she seemed to want to dance with you, too? Or do you think that's just tradition talking?"
As the get closer, it's easier to hear the conversation Hakeber is having with a human, an Eeee.. and a figure that makes Tasha do a double-take. It's a moment where she understands how some people must feel when they first meet her. One of the figures is.. mostly Vartan. His visible feathers are golden-brown, but his eyes are violet, and possibly artificial. He has tight headpiece that runs from his forehead over and down the back of his neck before vanishing into his clothing, and is made from a shiny black material that looks like plastic, but doesn't appear to be rigid. He also lacks wings. "Vartans are the current example of a species that lost their ability for spaceflight," Hakeber is saying. "And so reset their eligibility for Client status. But there is precedent in the older records of First Ones civilizations that collapsed or failed and thus placed their species back into Client eligibility. Now, most of those were recently graduated Client species to begin with, so it's always possi
ble their Patrons set them up to fail so they could reclaim them."
"That's not going to happen with the Vartans," the Eeee in the group claims. "As for the Vykarin.. well, I imagine the Silent-Ones are waiting for the Patron-Client tradition to fall. They aren't particularly keen on following Patron protocols. The Vykarin still haven't been developed much, and they're seven millennia into Clienthood already."
Tasha can't help but stare a bit; it's not often she's caught by surprise by others these days, her life being what it is. Her gaze lingers, though she hopes at her current angle no one will notice. She hides her surprise by quipping, "Oh, no. Hake's being scholarly, we might be in dangerous skies. Maybe I should retreat now before I'm trapped?"
The cowled Vartan turns and looks directly at Tasha. Her sight is keen enough to see that his pupils aren't perfectly circular.
"Hi," goes Tasha, whose ears flick and her grin becoming a little off kilter. It's the best thing she can manage on short notice, and even that might have been worse if she hadn't become used to surprises. She clears her throat and adds, "I see you've met Miss Hakeber."
"Oh, there you are, Tasha," Hakeber says. "These gentlemen are with Interstellar Amity. We've been talking about.. uh.. what did we start with?"
"Artificial Clients," Liza reminds Hakeber.
"Yes, that. The Celestials do it, but the.. mezzodes.. aren't in that same category, probably," Hakeber tells Tasha.
"I know you ended with Clientage," Tasha replies, smiling to all around in an effort to deflect focus on her surprise. "And if I'm interupting, you might continue to do so? I'm sure Kaa might like some advice on hors d'oeuvre."
"Well, alright," Hakeber says, and seems to gather her thoughts. "Oh.. the Celestials. Like with Mezzodes, creating new versions of your own species shouldn't count, since they technically inherit the status of their creators. While Jingai may have a lower status within Celestial culture, they don't count as Clients. It gets around the genetic manipulation restrictions regarding actual Clients, but the Celestials push the boundaries of those with their real Clients."
"Aside from the Terragens Clients, the others have all been sapient when taken as Clients," the human in the group notes. "The restrictions for sophonts verse pre-sophants are very different. The Phins have had the least modification as a result."
Now feeling even more awkward, Tasha lingers, not quite certain if she should make her withdrawl or remain and appear to have just been overly polite. It's always been a point of concern for the hybrid that her upbringing never allowed her to stand at the same intellectual and scholastic circles as many of her crew members, loved ones, and friends. Even now there's just too much to catch up on and too little time. She's always been afraid of appearing useless, or of being embarassed, and as she is to danger and daring Hakeber is to scholarship. It's not often tasha ends up in one of Hakeber's conversations, leaving her at a bit of a loss with her own (figurative) demons. Her literal demon remains outside -- probably.
"How are the Phins working out, Miss Aldara?" the modified Vartan in the group asks, pulling Tasha into the conversation. "They are the youngest, and as things stand the last of the Terragens Clients. With the first dolphin-crewed ship having gone rogue, do you feel you can trust your pair?"
The invitation feels like jaws snapping shut. Tasha's smile goes a bit wooden, if only briefly. She pushes herself to answer, as at least it's something she does know about. "I've found both Kaa and Moka to be exemplary within their respective roles, if sometimes a little over eager." To put it lightly, and vaguely. Kaa's always trying to push himself and prove his worth, both as a pilot and in other ways. "They are very good for crew morale, especially Kaa, while Moka has been the more level-headed of the pair. Their special talents for piloting and manipulation of certain forms of data, not to mention their ability to sleep and remain semi-functional, is benefit any crew can appreciate. Maintaining the life support structures they need has taken up space, but it does allow for swimming facilities which very few smaller vessels can claim."
"I shall try to talk to them, then," the odd Vartan says, and dips his beak in a Vartan nod to Tasha. The Eeee notes, "I've been curious to try swimming with them, but.." He then slightly spreads his wings. Winged beings do not move particularly well in water, and the lean, dense Eeee probably don't have any real buoyancy in water.
Tasha makes a face. Speaking of places she feels useless: Water. "I can comisserate," she admits, laying her ears back. "I'm really a land-and-sky sort of mezzode, myself." She reaches up and taps the side her her Karnor head. "Not that I don't mind having a dip! But try keeping up with Phins in an ocean, and you'll feel like a rock." She turns to study the mysterious Vartan a moment, then spreads her hands. "If you'd like to meet them, I'm sure I can pull them away from the buffet long enough for you to make acquaintances, Mr ..?"
"Dr. Amuntaton," the Vartan-headed member says, and makes a slight bow.
Tasha inclines her head and smiles. "Aldara Tasha Argentine, owner of the Dark Horse, but of course you knew that." She turns to Hakeber and smiles a little more. "I never really get a chance to use the full name, do I, Hake?" And then she's back. "May I ask what you're a doctor of Dr. Amuntaton?"
"Xeno-sociology and history," the odd man says. "I'm impressed that you have a specialist in ancient cults and religions in your crew."
"Well, Miss Hakeber is a personal friend, and she's always interested in seeing sites first-hand. As am I, in fact." Tasha's smile eases; at least exploration is something she can feel comfortable in talking about. "Besides, it can be informative to have insight in to past belief systems and ordering of societies when having such a diverse crew. It's also of use should we come across anything unusual and need a opinion that isn't Library or technology based. There are many discoveries not easily explained by logic, but we might find hints in the mysteries of religion." And so true that is, when the religion isn't even more mysterious than the truth.
"A society's religion gives insight into how they see themselves," Dr. Amuntaton notes. "The Stonecutters of Praxafallopus for example. I'm uncertain if they were cosmic nihilists or existential nihilists. They chose certainty over faith, so it is difficult to say if their religion was actually religious."
"Oh I don't know. They certainly seemed to put their faith in at least a little bit of the unknown, even if they didn't seem to realize it. Perhaps it's the fear of the unknown that drove them to focus so heavily on order, or at least the perception of order." And putting their faith in something like that Wizard and his Master would have made anyone nervous. "We suspected they utilized the stonework itself as a kind of non-standard personality storage system, among other things, and that the ancient city was a place where they might dwell with artificial bodies. There's probably more to it all, but, well, their technology had become unstable and we suspect whatever was generating the space-flattening field effects had been subject to a catastrophic failure." A dark god ate it. It's probably technically some sort of failure. Tasha spreads her hands again; what can you do.
"Existential Nihilists then," the doctor decides. "Creating their own meaning rather than searching for it. Social evolution from the Ancients, at least."
Tasha inclines her head this time. "You're probably right. A shame we didn't have time enough to figure out the answers." I'll have to ask Sam later, which it was. It really helps having someone who was there. I wonder what he's doing? Probably staring at a vending machine or something. In truth she feels a bit bad how their earlier conversation went. She had always suspected, but never really knew, how the the servants of the dark beings suffered. Oh she knew of their slave status, but there had always seemed something more to it, more than the obvious, something fundamental in the way they carried themselves: A kind of fear, or perhaps panic. A terror, but given their numerous apparent advantages, it was hard for her to reconcile that sense of terror with the Ogdru-hem, and given their alien nature, harder still to udnerstand the why of it. Now she thinks she understands a part of that puzzle, yet understanding almost turned her against them. Almost..? She thinks. Almost.
"They were crazy," Aaron offers. "Lots of civilizations toy with some idea of achieving godhood before they implode." He takes a sip of his drink, and adds, "Maybe civilizations need to reset every so often, for whatever reason. Like... oh, they get to the point where ambition just can't take them further, so they tear it all down just so they can rebuild it again to have something to give them a sense of accomplishment."
"A return to childhood, if not to innocence, at any rate," the Lapi concludes.
"Are you suggesting that this was the fate of the ancient Vartan civilization?" Dr. Amuntaton asks.
Aaron just shrugs. "Maybe. I can't see Vartans living in luxury for very long before they get twitchy is all. Some species need some sort of challenge to feel fulfilled. Me.. eh. Maybe I'm just thinking of myself."
"Or you've had to much sparkly wine," Liza offers.
"Or that, yes," Aaron concedes.
"I'm not sure Vartans have ever been driven by the need to excel in the same ways as other civilizations, at least not as a whole. I suspect they had achieved a higher state of advancement before deciding they had no need of it, then reverted to a quieter, more natural status that they felt was more desirable. Just because we can progress as a civilization doesn't imply that's the right thing, certainly not for everyone everywhere. It seems that there were still those who wanted more, however, and took it when it was offered," Tasha suggests. She's emant to ask Horus about what the early Vartans were like, why exactly he let them go, and how their early civilization reverted so far that the Khattans -- created around the same time and likely with a similiar technological base -- could so easily gain control over them.
"On Terra, societies competed with one another - a sort of natural selection," the human in the group says. "It was rare for one to collapse purely from internal issues. And with spacefaring races, those seeking challenge can usually just become colonists on a new frontier. I agree that a lot of Vartans might be restless in a society where all needs are met, but they are worldbreakers by trade. Plenty of opportunity for rewarding challenge in that."
"Perhaps there was some mitigating factor that is not well understood, lost to time," Tasha suggests, suspecting that's exactly the case. Horus's interference, or else the Progenitor's mission-wide ennui. If the old fleets believed they were doomed and their masters were fleeing or had given up all hope, what reason could there be to spread out and think of the future? She could easily see Vartans settling down with their families, hunkering down beside the fire against the coming storm they were no longer permitted to fight, nor could they win. And now it's ... us. Me.// She really wishe sshe had brought her drink with her.
"Every civilization is unique," the Eeee offers. "And the older they are, the more they've likely lost or forgotten or had rewritten. I'm certain the Celestials rewrite their own history, at least."
"I can see why you might think that," the hybrid woman notes diplomatically. She can't exactly be agreeing with anti-species sentiments as the owner of a multi-species starship rather at the mercy of Galactic opinion. Collapse of their ability to work with everyone might result in having to take sides, which could pollute the purity of their stance and more alarmingly their overall mission. She just doesn't have time to fight political battles, let alone the other kind, though sometimes she thinks she might want to speak out more about issues like Clientisim. As for diplomatic, she turns to Hakeber and studies her a moment, wondering if she stole Hakeber's thunder inadvertantly.
"We do tend to be embarrassed by the activities of our younger selves," the human admits. "For individuals and civilizations. Or we might want to hide certain things to protect our friends." He doesn't look to his Eeee companion when he says it.. but it is a common suspicion that the Confederates fabricated evidence that the Aquilan and Korv were already spaceflight-capable civilizations when they joined up. Especially since no Galactics have ever visited any of the Confederate homeworlds.
"I'm quite looking forward to being embarrassed by my youth when I'm older," Hakeber claims. "That way I'll know I didn't miss out on anything. It's important to make sure your older self doesn't have regrets after all!"
Tasha looks back, careful not to look to the Eeee, as well. If they did hide their ancestory, I'm not about to reveal it. The universe has enough slaves as it is; it could do with a lot less. "Well, there's definitely something to be said for growing up, too. I know I used to be a lot more wild before I needed to take on major repsonsibilities, but at least now I feel like my life has a meaning it didn't before. A, well, an immensity. I might have been freer to do what I pleased, but that can feel shallow. At least, it did to me." And so she gives a little shrug. "Not that I'm old. Some of my crewmembers think I am, but I think that highlights the difference the effect rapidity, density, and accumulation of knowledge can have on a sophont. It's hard to seem young when you know too much. I can see civilizations growing tired from it, especially if that knowledge isgrossly negative."
"Civilizations can be considered to be individuals, with personality and emotion I imagine," Dr. Amuntaton notes. "Rapid development due to external forces - be they Patrons or merely encountering more advanced civilizations - can cause stresses that can lead to radical changes in their personalities."
"My personality is aleady pretty radical," Hakeber says with a grin. "And I learned things through normal study and curiosity. I think civilizations can be like that too - it all comes down to their personalities when they're young."
"Maybe a certain idealization of a previous, natural state?" Tasha nods towards Hakeber. "A thought maybe things were better when they were simpler? Though, even vast age doesn't seem to completely protect a civilization. I think," and here Tasha taps her chin, head tilting as she stares off towards the ceiling, " ... a lot of beings seem to play at being gods and focus mainly on the tasks, or the power, the potential, without as much though as to the mindset. The power to effect change, an unassailable mind, knowledge and wisdom, and martial strength. It seems like these things are needed, or at least that's how it seems to me, when I think of civilizations of their gods."
"Following the civilization-as-person analogy, it does match up with the ability to influence and control their surroundings. Infants crave adults to protect and nurture then, and adults seek the ability to master their fates and protect and nurture their offspring.. until they grow up enough to challenge the parent for freedom," Dr. Amuntaton offers.
"I wonder if there's more, though," Tasha remarks. She bites her lip, staring off somewhere beyond the walls, in to the past and in to her mind. "Parents and children, old age, and death, and again. There are beings who have left that state, or never were part of it, bt even then they sometimes create. But, I wonder if there isn't something more than that? It seems to me many civilizations measure what is and could be by their own limitations, religions that are self-serving, they tell the world what it is rather than ask. Yet, to become more is frightening. The orders of life don't interact very well, and the more advanced ones are hard to know. I wonder if that's all there can be ... But this is only on universe, and we're only a tiny piece of what is."
"So there is quite a lot of challenge left to discover," the Eeee claims, trying to put a positive spin on things. "For individuals and for civilizations. I believe the Patron-Client relationship came about because older civilizations needed to feel useful. To be parents. And then bureaucracy did the rest."
"So raising clients was the only challenge left in a crowded galactic civilization?" the human asks. "I'm fine with that, just.. let's dump the bureaucracy about it. And the onus of a Client somehow owing their Patron for their uplift."
"And it became another way to compete, to demonstrate superiority." Tasha snorts quite before realizing it, she blinks, but then resumes smiling quite like nothing happened. I'm slipping. I really shouldn't be discussing gods and civilizations, not after Sam. Not at all infront of others. I'm too close to the mysteries, I'm right in the middle. She nods to the Human, hoping her Terra-Primest cover will help cover her taste for Clientage. "I don't see the problem with gratitude or even some work, but for so long? And so many changes, even if the Client objects. Many Client don't even seem to grasp the implications until it's well too late, then there are tricks to hold on, and a Client becomes another source of power. A tool. Not children, but a device, and I don't even mean like AI who deserve their own dignity."
"The Celestials are at the opposite end of things, if you put Khattans in the middle of the scale and Terrans at the other end," the Eeee offers. "I don't understand how the Celestials can modify their own species so drastically. They're reptiles, not insects. Of course, we've been accused of similar with our sapient starships, but they still count as AI right now."
"I've never liked the idea of enslaving sophonts to another's will. It's one of the things I could consider truly evil in this world," Tasha remarks, glancing off and chewing on her lip. She wonders if she said too much already, and really ought to leave before she blows her cover. Even these days, it seems like she still can't resist speaking her mind against things that truly bother her. What's more, she's been saddled with the responsibility of control for a number of intelligences, both AI and enslaved beings, unable to find a way to loose their bonds. It should be easy, but in practice it's extremely complicated. "Maybe the Celestials are driven by some need we as non-Celestials don't understand. I've heard they don't maintain family structures like we do, and so must go at the world in a much more lonely state. It's no wonder they might like to become as resilient as possible, when self is the only real refuge and trust is limited, unappealing, and difficult to understand."
"Admittedly, I've never spoken with one of these Jingai servitors," the human notes, and the others nod as well. "I'd not equipped to comment on their state of being."
"I'm just guessing based on what I know, and through other beings I've met with a similar situation. People adapt to their situation, and no one wants to be weak. If you can't rely on others, then you must rely on a strong self. That seems to be true of most beings I've met -- only beings divorced from the need seem to think differently." Tasha glances back, then frowns. Definitely too much. She pulls in a breath. "Well, look at me, maybe I've had too much 'sparkly wine', myself. It's hard not to think big when faced with big questions!" She gives a little laugh, then turns to Hakeber. "We'll start dancing if Operation Katie succeeds, you'll know what I mean, and you'll know where to find us. I think I should go check on the others."
"Oooo, dancing," Hakeber says. "That beats experimental philosophy! I'll watch for it!" She then gives Tasha a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you for stopping by our little discussion," the Eeee says to Tasha. "Your input was illuminating."
This makes Tsha giggle, because she hadn't been expecting it so soon after heavy conversation. She holds a hand to her cheek, as if keeping the kiss for a bit longer as she looks up. "Oh, was it? Sometimes I think I ramble. I'm a bit weird, and my upbringing is different. I spend a lot of time thinking about the stars, these days, and what's in them. It's hard not to wonder, but maybe I go on too much."
"No, it's good to meet someone genuinely thoughtful on such topics when they aren't formally educated in them - which causes a bit of objectivity that can keep the subjects a bit distant. But you and your diverse crew are directly effected by them. You're more on the 'front lines' of the issue."
Tasha scratches her nose, not catching the motion. "I suppose that's true. We occassionally see the remnants of other civilizations, too, and I spent a lot of time working with AIs as a pilot. When I see so many minds, it's hard not to think about them personally, who they are and what they could be." She looks around a moment, glad she can't really blush, or at least that she's so red few people ever notice. "It's been more important now that I have a ship to command, even if I'm not the captain."
"As a captain, I don't see much difference between the crew," Gabriel notes. "Everyone functions well together. The Phins of course are the exception, in that they are more exceptional when it comes to certain tasks."
"Like right now, they're exceptionally devouring the buffet," Tasha notes, giving a little smile as she regains her footing. It's the recovery and Gabriel's words that help her decide something that's been nagging at her, along with a few words that were spoken to her before. "You know, Gabe, not everyone is here -- I know Jonas prefered to take his vacation on the ship, but don't you feel someone is missing? Someone who could maybe use a little light in their dark life?"
"I assumed he didn't want to come," Gabriel admits. "He knew the invitation covered him as well."
"I think ... I think that might have been my fault. We had a talk before this and, um, it was a little ... " Tasha waggles her hands towards the scholars, indicatingly, " ... deep. For both of us, I think. And he gave me a little, erm ... taste of what he'd been going through. It's like what I said, about loneliness and desperation and, um ... Yeah." Tasha lays her ears back, not even bothering to hide her guilt. "He's hard to understand sometimes, you know? And I'm not sure he wanted to be. But ... I think I'll go get him now."
"If you can't find him, don't take too much time," Gabriel says. "Call Jonas first, and see if he's back on the ship."
"Somehow I think he'll know. He's insightful, at the very least. Well!" Tasha wiggles her fingers in a wave. "Sorry to doscuss crew business infront of you all, but I need to go find someone. Hake-bear, I'll be back soon, hopefully."
"You have to try some of the buffet when you get back!" Hakeber says to the retreating figure. It doesn't take long to pass through the ballroom and into the area of the hub adjacent to the Khattan Embassy.
Dressed to the nines, Tasha feels particularly exposed now that she's outside the bubble of what serves for high society on the station. To say she feels out of place, both inside and out, would be an understatement. Still, there's no time to change, not if she expects to return before the party is well and truly over, and that would help neither Samael nor heself, so she'll have to soldier on while dressed like a society debutant. "Uh, Sam? Are you ... lurking?" She tries, glancing around and whispering under her breath. She decides to angle off towards less populated areas, in case he doesn't want to appear to simply pop in from nowhere.
Eventually Tasha finds a spot that has actual shadow to it - difficult to find in a place where the walls glow in swirling colors. Caltrop residents must have adapted to be able to sleep in any lighting conditions - or just wear sleep masks. "Did you find the party dull?" the shadows ask.
"Oh, um, no, it's a fine party. It's fun. It's just, uh ... " Tasha doesn't exactly look anywhere, but she does begin to pace around aimlessly in their dark little corner of Caltrop. The pacing helps her anxiety, and apologizing is never easy at the best of times. It's even more complicated when they being you're apologizing to is a millions year old demon of vastly different nature than you. "See, un, Sam. See, I was thinking about what you said, and what I said, and, well, I was thinking how things went wasn't ... good, exactly, and yes I know I said it was awful and it is and you know it is, but what's been done to all of you is also awful, and when you don't have anyone else or any comfort well why wouldn't you want to be happy? And it'd be even worse if you were made of literal unhappiness, and for so long, and I guess what I'm saying is ... You said warmth and comfort, sooo, what about a party?"
"I have attended many such events," Sam claims. "However, I cannot attend this one. Lord Thotep gave me the knowledge of what I had missed in my epoch of deathly confinement. There are entities that would recognize my nature still extant in this current age.. and one of them is attending the party. Something not so different from myself in certain ways.. but extremely different in most. I prefer to remain undetected at this moment."
"Oh." Tasha scrunches up her brow as a list of people she's encountered scrolls through her mind at a rapid pace. She plants a hand on her hip, then begins ticking off on a hand. "The white Eeee, the purple-eyed Vartan, or the dancing peacock?"
"It is not the Eeee we encountered earlier," Samael claims. "I sensed nothing from her. I do not know of the others."
"Well, she's still really shady. She was perfectly normal and intelligent when I met her inside. Obviously she was testing us, but no one knows who she i-- Wait that's not important!" Tasha stops with a huff, then turns to peer back at the complex as if she could stare through the wall. "So what's this other kind of being? Are we talking a Vril-ya? Or something else? Not a dark being, you said it was very different? I didn't sense anything inside either, but I usually don't unless they contact me first or I know they're there to reach out to in the first place."
"It is different, but not in the way the Niss is different," Sam notes. "Younger, perhaps. The Vril-ya were giants, I do not imagine would could fit into the ballroom without notice. But my experience with them is second-hand, and does not contain how they might feel to be in the presence of."
"Well this is very mysterious. I really was hoping my night out would not involve this sort of thing for once." Tasha reaches for her side ... and finds nothing. She curses vehemently. "And I don't even have my datapad to search through! Not that it's much help, you know how far off old legends and myths can be. I might have to do this the old way, by talking." She heaves a sigh, looking around, but then she pauses. "But, I'm not done here yet." And so she turns to face Samael directly. "Well, hokay, this will have to do. Come here."
"What do you want of me?" Sam asks but does not immediately manifest.
"Are you ... hiding in the dark? Wait, are you sulking?" Tasha asks, leaning in towards the darkness. "I said I was sorry, it's a lot to take in! But since you can't come inside, I thought we could dance right here. Just, um, for a little while. A little warmth and light, was it? Well ... how about it?"
"You want to dance with me?" the shadows ask. "Are you certain?"
"Am I not being clear? I do mean dance, like actually dancing and not some metaphor or figurative ... thing," Tasha explains, still leaning in and now squinting.
"Very well," Sam says, and a dozen or so dark tentacles extend from the darkness and yank Tasha into it! It's.. very dark. But there is music.. sort of. Drums, but somehow disturbing and discordant, with no perceptible rhythm, and behind them flutes that produce wailing, tortured tones. She can't see Sam at all in there, but something does put an arm around her and take her hands. Both of them. Sam isn't limited in the limb department, after all.
After a rather undignified "waaahhh" at being yanked uncerimoniously in to what she can only describe as 'the void', Tasha blinks heavily as she catches her bearings and is at first rather stiff backed. It's not her first trip to who-knows-where, nor the doorsteps of dark beings, but usually she has some notice before these things happen. As shadowy abysses go, she decides it's not too bad, even if the music could use a good tuning.
In an effort to regain some dignity and not cower before un ineffible blackness, Tasha makes a fuss over straightening her dress a moment before retaking what are probably not hands. She straightens and tilts her head upwards. "I heard Thotep had an interesting taste in music," she notes, trying to sound conversational and not at all flustered. "And I notice you all really like to fly with the darkness metaphor." She wonders who will lead for a moment, given Samael's rather fluid gender, and so waits for him to decide. It's his apology dance, after all.
And so Samael leads. It is.. odd. There's no reference frame to know if he's moving her upside down or in directions she can't actually grasp. And there are the tentacles. But at least the darkness is broken by own glowing decorations, and the eyes she begins to notice. They're all different sizes and apparent distances, but they don't seem to be attached to anything. It's a bit like the gears in Harmonia's bridge, seeming to go into infinity and always moving. At least the darkness hasn't grabbed Tasha inappropriately yet.
Well, this isn't so bad, is it? Tasha considers. I mean, sure, she has to admit most people she knows would find this place to be a screaming horror, but then most people from the world she came from would think her datapad is some sort of spirit-trapping magical painting. It's all about perspective, she decides, thinking back to the Source, He-Who-Moves, Tatha-hem and others. They too surrounded themselves in similiar decor, even actual bodies, and they might have been real beings in pain, but then they are also beings in pain. And at least here she doesn't know if any of the eyes -- and there are a lot of eyes she notices -- represent some greater horror or are just expressions of something more benign, or at least just plain incomprehensible to her.
So ultimately she decides this is nice. It really could be a lot worse, and nothing is hurting her and Samael knows how to lead. The eyes, eyeballing her as they seem to be, have a certain charm in their orderly-yet-disorderly sort of way, like Harmonia's own gears, and she wonders if they have a similiar meaning. She thinks they might even be kind of pretty, the way they float in forever. Like a metaphor for all explorers. "So this place is pretty neat," she admits after a while, having settled in to be lead, following in step. "It is a place isn't it? Or a you? I'm not being insensitive again am I?"
"It is me," her dance partner claims. "The part that exists inside of my outside. Few have seen it."
"Well, it's neat," Tasha repeats, and even if she's a bit intimdated, she still means it. After all her inner space isn't nearly so exciting, and you certainly can't dance in it, at least she's never tried to. Mostly it's just full of elements of herself, an old pirate, a piece of her maker and probably a lot of Gabriel. "I didn't know you were full of decorations." She definitely doesn't have any decorations. "The eyes remind me of a friend of mine. Her bridge displays nested gears. I always thought they were comforting." She pauses. "Am I talking too much?"
"You are not screaming, which is the usual response as the sacrifices are consumed," Samael notes, and spins Tasha in.. directions that don't seem to exist, but at the end of it her limbs are back where she expects them to be.
The spin rather does interupt her respone, leaving her blinking. She'd say she'd got her bearings, but in hindsight she decides he never had them in the first place. She does grip a bit tighter for the uncertainty. "You're not going to ... To do that, are you? The, um, consuming part. Not the screaming." She chews her lip, head tilting. "I'd be rude to eat someone who was trying to apologize."
"You have not had the proper rituals for a sacrifice," Samael notes. "There are rules, even for chaotic beings. Especially for lesser servitors."
"Oh. That's right. I knew that, I did!" And she did, it's just hard to focus on interior space voids, Tasha must admit. "Besides, um, wouldn't you miss me? Life can't be all about sacrifices, can it? I know I'm mortal and ... that leads to certain things ... but, well, have you considered instead of consuming others for their spark, making more tragedy, you could do something else? It's not like you can hold on to the spark, right? Wouldn't it be better to try and become the light yourself? Then you wouldn't need to scavenge, you could look to yourself. That's kind of what I did, and it's worked pretty well for me."
"I do not have that sort of capacity for change," Sam claims. "My abilities and limits were set at my creation. I can try to imagine being different however, which does not help. I am a creature of the abyss, after all."
"Oh there has to be some way. That you can imagine it means you understand what that change could mean for you, and that you want it. You've clearly been trying to express how unpleasant your existence is to me, and to hide it at the same time, but that I'm here when you dodn't need to bring me here shows me you want me to understand you -- and maybe to help you. And you're right, maybe I don't understand, but we're also similiar aren't we? Servitors. Nora made me out of some weird off-chance I'd do what she wanted, I'm probably the hundreth Tasha. I did it, sure, but then ... I'm still here, you know? I changed. Though, Mel does lecture me about not understanding him, sometimes, and hew as made as he is. The Source, though, he didn't eat me when he could have." And so Tasha untwines a hand to gesture around herself. "You might think you're all darkness, but this is beautiful Sam, and you chose to make it this way. Tatha-hem chose to help me. The Source showed me mercy. Katha-hem knew compa
ssion. There's wiggle room, and sometimes the darkness can be really helpful."
"We are not necessarily good or evil," Sam claims. "Or helpful without a reason. And you've been in here with me long enough - it isn't a healthy environment."
"I guess good or evil depends a lot on what you do, and what you think about what you do. Either way, I don't like watching my crew members suffer, and i feel bad for the Ogdru-hem." Tasha frowns, but turns to regard this strange place -- this strange self. It reminds her a great deal of a Harrower's doorstep, and He-Who-Moves warned her of the dangers of such places after she had stayed overlong. She also remembers 'sleeping' with the Source, and the strange dreams. Places. She decides to take Samael's advice, even if she'd have liked to dance a little longer. "I'll be heading back to the dance, then, Sam. Oh, there was one more thing ... "
"Would you like a uniform? You're part of the crew now, aren't you?" Tasha offers; it's another thing that had been bothering her. She hadn't had the time to ask.
"A uniform," the darkness repeats. "Would it be black, or the white-and-black sort?"
"It'd be Dark Horse standard, you've seen out uniforms. You can be our ... engineering technicial, or chief engineer, but I think that would draw a lot of attention in certain circumstances. You'd probably wnat a boring title no one will ask after," the young woman answers, head cocking to the side.
"Quantum Field Mechanic, perhaps," Sam suggests.
"Something amusingly accurate but vague and boring at the same time," Tasha agrees. She looks around again, takes in a breath, then nods. "Well, even though it was short, I hope this was nice for you. I enjoyed it, and I liked seeing this 'inner you'. Don't forget to swing by the office and tell Mr. I. you need a uniform, tell him I sent you."
And then Tasha is where she was just before stepping into the shadowy part of the alley.
Well! That was something. Tasha takes a moment to smooth her dress down, then leans over to peer at a reflective bit to check her hair. Good enough. She gives the darkness a little finger-wiggle wave, then turns and begins her way back. So, someone inside is something different enough to make Sam want to hide out here. Younger, but still alarming. Not an Ogdru-hem, maybe not even a Dark being. I guess I'd better 'network' a bit more intensively.
Back in the ballroom, things haven't changed much.. Tasha is pretty sure the band is still playing the same piece as when she left. One difference is that Lacci and Shojo are being engaged by graying Vartan who has the look of an 'Aerie Vartan' - a city-dweller instead of a mercenary.
That's interesting, aren't Aerie Vartans supposed to be rare off-world? Tasha wonders. She uses her reassessment of the party to try and pick out who might be the one Samael warned her about. It's not Egypt, Tasha has decided she's probably of the mortal variety of trouble. Next there's the mezzode interested in comparative sociology, the one with the strange eyes. Given how weird she is, she wouldn't put it past him to be something more than he seems, but from their conversation he didn't sound particularly off -- but then neither does she. She'll keep an eye on him. Next is the peacock grabbing attention on the dance floor, but she hasn't seem him engage with anyone, so if it's him he's probably just observing.
Her gaze returns to the grey Vartan. Aerie Vartans are unusual, and both Lacci and Shojo are some of the more socially shy members of her crew. Yet, Shojo is no dummy and she expects Lacci knows enough about ship security to spot someone probing for information. Still, Tasha doens't have any other leads. She heads that way.
The table that the Vartans abandoned now holds the Lapis and Gabriel.. and it's obvious (to Tasha) that the Lapis are eavesdropping. But as far as she knows, neither of them speaks Vartan, which the feathered trio most certainly is speaking. Maybe rabbits just can't help but pay close attention to large predators.
They're paying attention, that's another vote for 'this guy is interesting'. Time to go say 'hi'. And so Tasha drifts towards the group. She tries to not make her approach a straight line, she has no idea how dangerous their exotic visitor might be after all and would rather not appear confrontational if she can help it. Stead she puts on a smile and makes her way slowly, trying to look merely interested in what her shy crewmembers are up to.
"Kara'roon'calla is barely tamed you know," the old bird is telling the younger pair. "But it is an archaeological reserve, so the outposts there hardly count as a colony. I know some Vartans like 'wilderness challenges' and all though.."
Nothing weird so far. Not that Tasha expected the stranger to be spouting off immortal secrets; if he had been Lacci certainly wasn't going to remain in anything less than a puff. "There's nothing wrong with a good wilderness challenge, but I for one always find myself looking forward to a return to civilization," Tasha offers, using the quip as a segway to insert herself. She'd have prefered to let Lacci and Shojo enjoy the party apart from her, but things have changed. "I find the constrast helps a sophont enjoy the details of the other so much more."
"This is our.. employer," Lacci introduces Tasha. "Miss Argentine."
The old Vartan raises his eyebrows at Tasha but then takes her taloned hand in both of his and gives it a squeeze. "A pleasure to meat you young lady."
Tasha beams a smile all the while resisting the urge to ask what the hesitation on employer is supposed to mean. She inclines her head at the courtesy, meeting respect with respect. "Likewise, Mr. ..?"
"Dr. Arakeen, retired," the man replies. "My friend Dr. Amuntaton convinced me to come along. Claims I need to mingle with aliens more."
"I'd like to support his stance, but of course I'm biased," Tasha notes, giving a wink and then wiggling her two mismatched hands indicatively. So they work together. I wonder if that's indicative or not, I'd expect them to work alone, but it's not like I work alone and I have a Vril-ya, Servitor, Ogdru-hem and an entire civilization hanging out with me. "So you and Dr. Amuntaton have worked together a long time? I admit, I don't often meet many mezzodes. Was he also made for the role?"
"Mezzode? Old Amun?" Dr. Arakeen asks in surprise. "Oh no, my dear, he's just.. been through a lot, I suppose. Traveled. It can wear on a man.. and on old Amun more than most I suppose. Always off to some conflict area or other. 'Clash of civilizations' and all that."
No a mezzode? A cyborg maybe? War veteran? Tasha doesn't know if wings can be replaced in Galactic society. It often seems to her like anything is possible out here, but she knows that's not always the case and what can be done is often limited by access and credits. She'll have to investigate later. "Oh, I apologoze for assuming. He's just very different, and the conversation had been drifting in to mezzode rights. I thought it was a hint by dear Hakeber. He must have seen quite a lot. I've only been doing this a short while, and I can see how it can be difficult on a person."
"Ah, well, there aren't any wars going on now I suppose," Dr. Arakeen admits. "Now he's joined up with these men who want to investigate some anomaly out in the galactic halo. Flat space, as empty as you can imagine! Gives me the shivers to think about it."
"Yes, they just so happen to have hired us for this enterprize of theirs. Does that mean you and Dr. Amuntaton will be joining us on the flight out? It will be gratifying to see our little ship used for dedicated scinetific research and the promotion of inter-civilization cooperation." Tasha cocks her head, ears forward. All ears, as it were.
"Oh dear, not me, no," the elder says. "I like to see the light of suns, you see. I couldn't bear to be surrounded by so much nothing.. not when they're hoping to find some sort of space-monster at the end of it. Amun will want to go. Probably expects to find a ancient battleground or something. He has a beak for finding such things."
"Does he, now?" And so does she, which is a a definitive mark in the 'more likely to be more than he appears' catagory. Tasha reviews her mental checklists: Strange appearance but not a mezzode, has been around a long time, feels like he's been around a long time and seen too much, investigates wars and strange alien leftovers, knowledgeable, unafraid to venture in to the dark places. It's certainly suspicious, and more than what she has on the others. It could all be deflection, but she doubts her quarry knows that she knows he, she, it, or what-have-you is here. Most such beings pass unnoticed for aeons, shielded by both a lack of knowledge and the difficulty in detecting them even if you know they exist. "I may just have to tug his feathers and find out what his secret is."
"Oh my, they'd likely come loose if you did that," Dr. Arakeen chuckles. "And who knows what he'd replace them with."
"Might I recommend Karnor bits?" Tasha reaches up and tugs a little at her head fur. "It's stayed on well so far, but we'll see how it goes with me in a few decades. Well," she sweeps her gaze between the three, " ... I won't keep you. I just wanted to say 'hello' and see how you were all getting on, don't let me interupt any further."
"Oh, you know how it is with youngsters," the retiree says. "Always eager to hear the stories of us old timers." Out of the corner of her eye, Tasha sees the band switching out instruments, and Katie stepping onto the state with a guitar.
"Oh, and if my beak -- so to speak -- doesn't decieve me, I think things are about to get even more entertaining." Tasha inclines her head, then turns towards her crew members. "Do let me know if you need anything, I'm going back to my Gabriel, we'll be needed on the dance floor, I think."
Lacci and Shojo apparently aren't the dancing sorts, but Gabriel is already standing up as Tasha heads for him, along with the pair of bunnies.
"I don't think we can really all dance together, we're just so varied in size," Tasha quips, grinning lopsidedly. "Though, Aaron, it seems we have a special guest with us today -- do keep an eye out, won't you? I'm sure he -- or she, or -- would rather remain hidden." And then she turns to Gabriel. "I'll tell you all about it in a moment."
"I wanted to dance with Liza," Aaron notes, but sits this one out. The Aquilan couple also seem to take a break, but they've been dancing since the Dark Horse crew arrived. A few other couples are still up though, including Dassen and a woman who might be his wife.. they look close in age.
As Gabriel takes Tasha onto the floor, he asks her, "Do you actually know how to dance? It's.. been awhile for me."
Tasha takes Gabriel's hand as they approach the dance floor, the young woman side-stepping in to the older man, appearing to be affectionate but also giving her an excuse to get closer. "Katie taught me," she explains, turning to face the man now. "Not that I'm good at it, we mainly did slow dancing, but no one is going to expect us to be amazing dancers. I think it's better for us, for the crew, and for what we're supposed to be, to just enjoy ourselves and be natural. What's a better sell for interspecies get-alongs that love?" And so she wags her tail encouragingly.
The music starts with Katie strumming her guitar in a slow, gentle tune.. which suddenly picks up with the band joining in. It's not a slow-dance tune. It almost demands lively stepping.
Tasha blinks up towards the stage, ears canting back before she quite has time to help herself. "Um, yeah, I don't know how to do this at all. Well," she turns and shrugs towards Gabriel. "Shall we explore the unknown? Want to improvise?"
Gabriel grins and lifts Tasha from the waist and spins around with her, grinning wide enough to show his teeth.
Unlikely many, Tasha has good memories of gigantic lupines grinning toothily at her -- especially when they're Gabriel. She laughs and laughs, having quite forgotten about mysterious immortal aliens, problems, and just about anything other than being picked up and whirled. And to make things better, she doesn't even have to know howto dance when her hooves aren't touching the ground!
Sailors all know how to dance a jig, and Gabriel.. improvises one. Once he sets Tasha down, he still tries to dance like a gypsy with her. At least her gown isn't so leg-hugging that it can't flare out a bit.
Tasha doesn't mind being manhandled in the slightest, had she wanted a gentle man she could have looked elsewhere. Yet, Gabriel is feral gentleness personified, the wolf in the forest and the captain on the bridge combined, it's what she loves about him -- whatever form he might take, in whatever universe or worldline. It's all she can do to keep up and not trip, but with her mate leading she can focus on the basics. It's been a while since she last wore a dress, and she didn't dance in it.
Tasha decides it's something she'll have to make a habit of.
Both of their hearts have picked up a few extra beats when the set ends, and the musicians begin changing out instruments again, including Katie. Most of them seem to be picking Celestial instruments, even an instrument that looks like a guitar, although one meant for someone with fewer fingers than Katherine Vesuvius possesses. Aaron and Liza join the others on the dance floor, along with Yue and a shortish Khattan. The new music is still not the sort Tasha is familiar with, but Gabriel begins leading her into a tango. This time, Katie sings.. and it seems she's singing to Tasha - or to a younger Tasha at least.
"I look at you all.. see the love there that's sleeping," Katie sings. "While my guitar, gently weeps. I look at the floor, and I see it needs sweeping.. Still my guitar gently weeps."
And so it's time to settle in. Tasha stays close to Gabriel and once again tries to keep up. This results in a few missteps and some hoofed Gabriel toes, but it's hardly the first time that's happened. She's sure he'll forgive her, especially with what she has planned once they get back to the ship. Dresses and dancing puts her in a mood, she decides, making it all the more reason to do it again. Something about being to let go and be vulnerable, along side the intimacy and exertion. In hindsight, she decides it's not so mysterious at all.
Once she has the rythm down and isn't tripping, Tasha turns her mind towards the lyrics, surprised to realize the song is about her -- and she almost missteps again! Gabriel can see the reaction on her face as she blinks several times to maintain her composure, but then she smiles at him and she's okay.
"I don't know why.. nobody told you.. How to unfold your looove," Katie sings.. essentially to Tasha. "I don't know how.. someone controlled you.. They bought and sold you.." It definitely seems to be about Tasha's relationship with Blackwings, when she was.. a lot weaker than she is now.
The other dancers don't seem to realize it, of course. Gabriel might not either, since he's focused on Tasha. Whatever tune the Lapi are dancing too, it doesn't seem to be this one. They aren't even trying to match the rhythm.
Gabriel can see Tasha struggle at times to keep that smile. Tasha never did tell Katherine the whole story of Blackwings, but it's come out here and there, and others have mentioned her former lover. She suspects they've mentioned her even outside of her hearing, answering Katie questions about her earlier life when she might have been unwilling to ask Tasha herself. Unwilling to hurt her, or not sure how to ask, but knowing whatever happened had been unpleasant. And for Tasha, it's not easy to tell your new girlfriend you murdered the old.
"I look at the world and I notice it's turning.. While my guitar gently weeps," Katie sings.. about the passage of time? It isn't clear who the guitar is, but it might just be Katie herself. "With every mistake.. we must surely be learning.. Still my guitar gently weeps."
It's the weeping that really gets to Tasha, she isn't sure why Katie would weep over her situation. Was it her past, or Blackwings? Their seemingly endless and impossible struggle against things far more ancient than even their peoples can claim to be? Or is there some element Katherine sees in herself that makes her weep? Is Katie the guitar, or is she thinking too deeply? Maybe, she thinks, weeping is just another word for singing on Abaddon. She doesn't know, but she does know who will get the next dance.
"I don't know how you were diverted.. You were perverted too.." the wolf sings, probably drawing more attention for her appearance and voice than the song itself. "I don't know how you were inverted.. No one alerted.. you. I look at you all.. see the love there that's sleeping.. While my guitar gently weeps.. Look at you all.. Still my guitar gently weeps.."
"I never heard her sing with proper music before," Gabriel whispers to Tasha. The last time Katie sang for them, after all, was when they were going through Urgo-hem's mad inner universe.
"I don't know why she doesn't do it more often. I always thought she liked to sing, but maybe it's because she didn't want to sing because she might sing about what she felt?" Tasha's voice cracks here and there, her mind still trying to puzzle out what the song might really mean, while also being terribly flattered by it. her biggest worry is that she had made some mistake, missed something Katie needed. She's been so busy.
When the song ends, there's some applause from the crowd - it isn't hard to see how 'I look at you all and see the love there that's sleeping' could easily apply to both Interstellar Amity and the Seeder movement. That's also when Tasha feels a top on her shoulder as Hakeber says, "Mind if I cut in? I think you have another partner waiting for the next dance, Tasha." Katie is indeed setting aside her guitar as the band retools for the next number.
"Thank you for relieving me Officer Hakeber, I turn the watch over to you," Tasha tells her friend. Gabriel gets a kiss, then so does Hakeber,, before she pushes the two of them together. She almost steps away, but catches Gabriel's gaze a moment and whispers, "Sam, special guest here, keep an eye out." She hates to ruin the moment, but she'd hate far more for something to happen and the two to be caught by surprise. Such is the burden of leadership.
But it's only momentary, and Tasha has Katie to worry about. She makes her way over, gently clapping as she approaches. "I really don't know why you don't sing more often," she murmurs, her ears swiveling forward. "Maybe you'd like to tell me why, Miss Vesuivius? Would you like to dance with me? Or ... " She hesitates. "Do you have any ... questions?"
"The next set is going to be Confederate," Katie tells Tasha, putting her hands atop her shoulders. "They don't really have a partner that leads.. but they do dance slow on the ground. Hollow bones and all, I suppose. If you put a piano in the ship's lounge, I'll sing every night." She has a big grin then, and says, "I'm glad you like my singing. I think the song struck a chord with the crowd."
"I didn't really notice," Tasha admits self-conciously. Tasha is too red to blush properly, but she can certainly smell embarassed. "My mind was on other people. Persons." She follows Katie to the dance floor, happy to follow along and be lead. "And my mind says, 'we really need a piano.' Just like that! Just now."
Katie laughs. "I don't think they have any on Caltrop, but I'm sure the plans for one must be somewhere," she says, and then pulls Tasha into a spin before holding her close. "You look good in a dress, you should wear them more often. Especially the ones slit up the side almost to your hip.."
Nearby, Mr. Invention and Miss Necessity are also dancing. Nessy is not a short woman, but even heels she barely comes up to Invention's shoulder. The Lapi are closer in height, but they're cheek-to-cheek and probably whispering to each other. You wouldn't think people with such big feet could dance that close without tripping over one another.
"So my mind also says I need to wear dresses more, ones that slit up almost to my hip," Tasha says with a smile and a giggle, a real giggle. She thinks it must be the dress, because she never really got a chance to be delicate before, to let go and stop having to match men for bravado and toughness, face down the terrors, try to be tough inside and out. Here and now, she realizes she can be tough inside without having to compromise. It'll be there, when she needs it, and being able to let herself be gentle now and then seems to be good for her spirit. Her old life never allowed anything like it before, and so she never realized how nice it could be. Never had the chance. "We'll just have to find those plans, and you know, Katie, my hip gets a little cold in this dress." And so Tasha lays her head against Katie shoulder, where it's not cold at all.