Since the only exotic things the crew were bringing into Ymir were basically themselves it didn't take long to get through customs. They were given a brief explanation of allowed weapons (nothing that couldn't reasonably used for self defense) and that travel to the interior would require renting special gear and weapons based on the nature of the journey.

Several auto-taxis carried them and their luggage to the hotel-resort Mr. Invention had them booked for. The vehicles were mostly transparent to allow for a good view, especially when flying through the layers of giant branches. The resort itself resembled a large cluster of hanging tree-houses suspended over a lake. Or rather two lakes separated by a dam, with one being fresh water and the other salt to accommodate Phins. There were plenty of structures on and around the lakes as well.

Tasha spent a large part of the trip over simply leaning back and watching either the sky, the trees, or both. This made her smile in that nostalgic way, and with her hands behind her head and her undeniably vacation-oriented outfit, she seemed very relaxed indeed. Whatever oppression the endless green held for her, she'd quickly gotten over it.

By the time they arrive at the resort it seemed like she might be satisfied with the ride alone, but as soon as they touch down she abruptly sits up, hands smacking the cushions, and then takes a moment to pick up her hat and smooth her skirt out. "I wonder if we can dive from our hotel rooms?"

"Yes," Mr. Invention says. He grabs a little floating logo for "The Boughs Resort" near the top of the taxi, and flicks it towards Tasha, where it seeks out her data pad and brings up the resort brochure. But then the doors are sliding open as the set down on the large (yet spindly-looking) landing platform.

A figure made of polished wood waits from them. It looks humanoid, with the resort logo on its chest. It has a hair made of leaves and eyes that look like polished stone.

Tasha transfer the info to her arm sleeves, and from here to display in her vision as she follows the others out of the taxi and in to the foyer.

"Oh, a treant or nymph-styled robot receptionist?" Tasha makes her way to the fore because often as not people have questions for her, and she is ostensibly the leader of the group. "Hello?"

The face forms a smile by sliding pieces of wood around. "Hello! And welcome Dark Horse Limited to The Boughs on Yggdrasil. I am your assigned concierge, Mahogany. Are you ready to be escorted to your cabins?"

Tasha twists around to regard everyone, brows arched and questioning. It does make her look matronly, even if it comes with a rich young wife flair. "How about it?"

"Let's see what this place has to offer," Gabriel says, and the other chime in their readiness as well.

And so Tasha twists back around. "Looks like we're set. Lead the way Mahogany." And when it does, she follows.

"Please follow me through the Arch, so that the resort will recognize you," Mahogany says, then turns in a far too fluid motion and makes for the archway at the end of the landing pad, which looks more like a garden arbor than anything else. It has vines and flowers.

Tasha blinks at the turning, but she's certainly seen weirder, and so only pauses a moment before continuing along. She even stops to quite literally smell the flowers before stepping up to the Arch. After giving the device the eyeball, she steps up to be scanned.

"No need to pause," Mahogany assures, in a warm androgynous voice. "Your belongings are being delivered now."

"Everyone does this differently," Tasha insists, hoping to hide her stranger in a strange land hesitation behind a facade of worldliness. She steps through, the turns to Mahogany expectantly; perhaps to be waiting for directions, actually to be waiting for any strange results.

Mahogany leads them down a right-hand path. The sections of the resort are linked by bridges that seem to be woven from living branches, including the railings. They're wide enough for even Kaa and Moka's walking suits though. There are some open plazas where other groups are gathered, either dancing or eating. The course the concierge follows takes them to a cluster of beehive-like buildings. If they're 'cabins' they're awfully large. There are four of them, so presumably they'll be sharing.

Tasha immediately steps towards a cabin in the do rection of the setting sun, claiming it by presence if not by word. This also marks the cabin as the 'Team Tasha' cabin as surely as any flag, and there she stands, tail wagging. "So shall we do this the usual way or mix things up?"

"Oh you know, by who is sleeping with who." For some reason, Tasha looks at Lacci at this point. "Unless we want to try something new!" And her tail wags more, not at all like how Sam' wagged his at the mention of 'special training'.

"Each cabin can accommodate six bipeds," Mahogany informs them. She then gestures to one of the other three, and notes, "That one is configured to be comfortable for Neo-Dolphins."

"Something new," Tasha repeats, smiling in a way that can best be described as impish.

"We'll stick with Yue," Liza notes, indicating herself and Aaron. "Otherwise it doesn't matter how things are apportioned to us."

Lacci's neck feathers puff a bit. "Are you trying to take me out of my comfort zone again?" she asks Tasha. Which is how things have worked with her so far.

Tasha lays a hand over her heart. "As your mentor it is my duty to help you grow as a person," she insists.

"And I believe someone wanted lessons," Tasha adds to Lacci, brows up and somewhat more serious. The serious tone is there both to amuse Tasha and to partially cover up what kind of lessons; there may even be multiple kinds.

"I know where I'm sleeping," Gabriel notes. "How do you want to torment Lacci? I mean.. organize things? We can always switch things up tomorrow."

"Hmm, everyone should try to relax and settle in. We'll do things the easy way for now, but I suggest we rotate every day in order to keep things fresh and help people get to know each other. That said ... "

Tasha lifts a an arm to point to one of the cabins not yet taken, "Security personnel, Shojo, and Lacci there." She turns to the Phins cabin, "Phins and anyone who'd rather bunk with them there." And then she thumbs at herself, "Gabriel, Katherine, Hakber, myself, Liza, and Aaron here, unless anyone would rather bunk with the Phins."

"I think I can survive without a therapy bunny for at least one night," Yue claims with a smirk. Liza actually pouts for a moment at that claim.

Tasha clucks her tongue, Human-style. "OR you can ask to stay with them, I'm just giving orders because people want orders." Rubbing her nose, she thinks, then says, "Liza, Aaron and Yue to the last room, too. Anyone leftover can decide between the empty spaces."

"Annnd that's enough leadership for today. Honestly, we're here to relax! Do you really want to listen to me bark orders and direction the whole time? You'll be sorry!" Tasha waggles a finger, then promptly plops her hat right on her head, turns, and heads for her cabin. "Come along, Gabriel and Katie dear."

The doors to the cabins dilate open. The main room is large (with one featuring a pool) while the far wall is nearly all glass, with the framing looking like branches. The floors are cushioned by carpets that look like moss. Everything looks very organic, in a tree-like way. Branches support internal balconies that show where the individual bedrooms are. Light comes from a hanging chandelier of vines, twigs and glowing blossoms and bulbs.

Being a ship rat, Tasha's immediate thought after how pretty everything is is to go about claiming a bunk. To this end she claims the highest one she can find, because it appeals to her quasi-avian sensibilities and, perhaps, to whatever feline sensibilities she ended up with by accident. She does this by moving her things close to it, the universal symbol of .this is mine now/. There she stands, waiting to see who joins her. "So, what shall we do with out time today? Or would you prefer to go it alone or in another group?" Who she's talking to ins't clear, intentionally so.

Gabriel joins her on the highest balcony. The bedroom proper is behind a curtain of vines. It's there that the 'everything looks grown from a tree' aesthetic gives way to necessity. The bed looks fanciful, but is still clearly a bed - the corner posters just go up and merge with the ceiling. There's a bathroom that has recognizable facilities as well, although there's a lot of stone there instead of wood. "Nice commanding view," Gabriel says of the window-wall. Presumably the glass is one-way transparent for privacy.

"I like it," Tasha agrees. She walks over to the wall and, hat off and tossed on the bed post, fluffs up her mane and strikes a pose. "Still think I look like a nymph?"

"I've never seen a nymph," Gabriel admits. "So the proper question is if I think nymphs look like you." He grins wide.

"The Human me you mean?" Tasha shifts her pose, holding up her arms as if she had them on the edge of something, then shyly hides her head behind them in an approximation of how she reacted to him back in Charon. She bats her eyes, looking as vulnerable as she might -- which is to say a lot more so than she could have in her old body.

"Well, the Human you looked Human," Gabriel notes. "You can use your wings to help you be coy though, so that gives you an advantage over Human women."

"So I have an advantage over Human women ... " Tasha drops her hands and props her head on a hand, rubbing her chin; the classic gesture of consideration. "There are Human women here ... "

"Not in this room though," Gabriel points out, then cocks his head to one side. "You aren't thinking of luring a bunch of them here are you?"

"Here or in to other places! There are many places on an island this big," Tasha says in her mock-defense, hands spreading to reveal how wide the world is and thus how many places she might lure Human women. Then her hands drop and she looks suspicious. "Unless you want me to?" Her wings arch up and cover her, enough to mostly hide her dress and therefore bring to to question if she's wearing anything past them. "Or would you prefer them for desert?"

The big wolf laughs, and says, "Sure you just don't want to show my off to them? There are probably plenty of them down at the lake. Do you have a bathing suit? I don't know if they're optional or not. I haven't really looked through the Resort guide yet."

"Oh, but when don't I want to show you off to people?" Tasha looks very wide-eyed and surprised at this. Her head shakes; to think of it. "I do have a bathing suit and I bought two more just for this occasion, but I'm feeling so relaxed I might just go without if they let me."

Deciding to find out, Tasha swipes a copy of the guide over to Gabriel, then starts manipulating it where it'd sat in the corner of her vision since she put it there. "Lets see... swimming policies ... "

There are various swimming areas aside from the lake, which has a lot of other activities associated with it. There are actual swimming pools in the upper part of the resort, which are more family oriented. The lakes even have small boats, fishing and swimming. There aren't any rules for what to wear down at the lake.

"I think the lake is the way to go," Tasha mulls, nodding slowly. "Which we can get to ... by ... " She looks around, Mr. Invention did say they could dive from the apartments.

"There are.. bungie-vines.. that can take us down," Gabriel says, and plays the instructional video. It shows wrapping a vine around ones waist then leaping from the balcony. The vine stretches to slow the descent, and then releases at a preset height above the water when downward velocity reaches zero.

Tasha exchanges a look with Gabriel. "Do you want to..?" She thumbs back at the awaiting fines. "Or is there something else you want?" And then she thumbs at herself.

"I may want to wear you out first," Gabriel claims. "I'm old you know." This is followed by.. not a howl but it's definitely Hakeber making a happy sound.

Tasha grins, and is about to comment when she hears the howling. This causes her to blink and her ears to go askew. "I think Hake found the liquor." She looks towards the door. "We'd better get there before we're driven in to debt."

Down in the main room.. Katie is literally sitting on Hakeber while Aaron is holding her arms down. "Nooo, let me goooo!" the scholar whines.

"She found a liquor dispenser or something didn't she?" Tasha hops down from the balcony, landing with her wings and a crouch rather than just take the stairs. It's a lot more action-orientated than her outfit, certainly. "Oh, and we're headed to the Lake."

"She found a pub that has over a thousand kinds of beer," Katie says. "But what really set her off is the pizza buffet.. with a thousand different toppings."

"I think the Sav.. Silent-One has triggered flashbacks to her slovenly college days," Aaron suggests.

Tasha's ears perk at this. "Well why wouldn't anyone be excited by that?" She walks over, then ... also sits on her friend. "Hey Hake," she starts, conversationally, "After we go swimming, want to go for pizza?"

"I think poor Hake is a bit starved," Tasha laments, head shaking. She then stand sup and waves everyone off Hakeber, then picks her up. "And so she needs to cool down before she bankrupts us all. Maybe there will be kitties down in the Lake?" With a wing, she points. "Tie the vine around yourself and jump; it'll take us to the water. Clothing is optional." She puts Hakeber down near the vine, then pulls her dress right over her head, then her matching underwear, which she leaves on the couch. There she stretches, a moment and, when she catches Gabriel looking, hides behind her wings and winks.

"So, do you want me in my speedo or free to the wind?" Gabriel asks. Hakeber is also stripping down. "I have a nice bathing suit I'd like to wear," Katie says. Aaron has pulled his ears down over his eyes and is walking back to the room he and Liza have on the main level.

"I'll let you decide, I can boss you around later," Tasha insists, leaving it open whether she means back at work or here on vacation.

Making her way over, Tasha eyes the vines. "I don't really need these," she considers, eyeing the drop, "But I suppose I should so the hotel doesn't get angry?"

"It could be fun!" Hakeber says, being the first to be 'ready' after Tasha. That's said before she eyes the drop. "Wow.. that's.. a long way down."

"The trick is to grow wings and also be a bird," Tasha explains, professorily. "While you're working on that ... " She steps forward, puts her thumb to her nose, sticks her tongue out, then mock-falls off the edge.

There's a thud against Tasha's back once she has her wings spread. "Woooo! We're rilly high up yeah?" Reeka asks as she clings to Tasha's back.

This momentarily causes Tasha to wobble mid-flight as she braces for someone /heavier/, like Hakeber. When she sees it's 'just' Reeka she's relived they won't be making an emergency crash landing in the late, but still surprised her phantom Kavi managed to sneak past /everyone/. "Reeka!" Deciding she's not going to get huffy /now/, she signs inwardly and just goes with it. "/Yes we are/, but we're about to be a /lot/ lower/ Hold on!" She can at least get /exciting/, and what's more exciting to the land-bound than flight?

"Fear the wrath of a planetary body!" Tasha dives with speed, cutting across the water at a low enough height so that when she banks the tip of her wing cuts a swath across the water in a wide arc before she gains altitude again, dropping speed for height. She repeats this maneuver again, and again, until having too little speed to climb again she tucks one wing and angles it to catch the wind hard, sending her in to a rapid spin before she tucks both wings and hits the lake surface with a cannonball splash!

There's another growing wail as Hakeber descends from the balcony almost fifty meters above, then yelps as the vine releases her to splash down, as if she wasn't expecting the final drop.

"Hake, always so graceful," Tasha says approvingly. She fishes around to ensure Reeka is still with her and not in the process of drowning, asking, "You can swim, can't you?" The not-hybrid can swim, although like Vartans she must churn water with her legs and her wings and relay somewhat on the lowered density of her bones, it's a lot more intensive than she remembers her Human-self enduring.

Reeka sputters. She's wearing her hooded, baggy shirt and shorts. These seem to be waterproof at least so aren't weighing her down. "Ah, salty!" she complains. "Why'd ya go into de drink!"

"I did come down here to go swimming Reeka," Tasha admonishes. She pulls Reeka around and then holds her in the water at surface level so she can experience the water without, she assumes, the added excitement of drowning. "Do you know how to swim? I was going to enjoy myself, but if you need help, I can help you."

"I can swim!" Reeka claims. "Just never tried in water before! I was hanging out under the balcony, didn't know you were gonna go swimmin'."

Tasha lets go, but stands by to grab Reeka in case she starts to sink.Some spy /you/ are, I said it at least five times/, maybe /six/!" She beats her wings and moves away from the Kavi to watch her, treading water and glad they came up with a background for Reeka /before/ her public debute.

"I didn't hear nuthin!" Reeka claims as she flounders for a moment.. then stops and starts to rise up a bit, until her whole torso is out of the water. She looks surprised, then crosses her arms and claims, "See! Toldja I could swim!"

"Very convincing." Tasha swims over and then tries poking Reeka in the belly. "If you don't learn how you'll drown you know! Or, if you really are fine, I'll just swim over ... " She points faaarrr off in to the distance. "There."

Reeka rises up even more, and then gets blasted in the face by a spray of water coming from.. a blowhole. She's apparently been sitting on a Phin's head.

"Wooo!" Hakeber howls, having grabbed onto the dorsal fin of another passing dolphin and being taken for a ride as well.

Tasha barks a laugh at this, then points, "That's cheeting Reeka, you can't have a Phin under you all the time," she insists. Then she inclines her head to the neo-dolphin and explains, "My friend and I were just debating how she can't swim and she's going to proudly drown once I swim away."

The Phin lifts its head up out of the water now, causing Reeka to fall back against the dorsal fin. "Not-t-t your kid-d?" it asks.

"Do I look like a small whatever she is?" Tasha ruffles up her mane, perks her ears, and the flaps her wings. "We're very different! She might as well be my kid for all the trouble she causes me though."

"I'm not a kid, I'm grown up!" Reeka claims. This causes the Phin to blow a raspberry and dive, leaving Reeka back on the surface. Her shirt has caught some air and is puffing up around her as she furiously dog-paddles.

Tasha swims over, pushes down Reeka's shirt, then points at her back. "Hop on, I'll swim you to shore like the good dolphin I am."

Thus begins Tasha's somewhat arduous jounrey back to shore. She looks for any of the others seated there, hoping to find a group she recognizes where she can drop Reeka off and expect some safety and privacy for her Kavi. At least she's getting a workout.

There's a floating platform that has the familiar form of Katie on it, wearing a shimmery one-piece that looks like iridescent fish scales with now distinct edges - it looks like it fades into her fur. There are two Phins next to it that could be Kaa and Moka.

Tasha makes for the Katie-boat then, seeing no better alternative and a little concerned she might be the one drowning if she has to carry Reeka to the actual shore. By the time she splashes up to Katie, she's panting mightily. "Ta-take Reeka," she insists, wanting Reeka off before even bothering to identify anyone except for Katie, pulling Reeka off and pushing her on to the platform before dropping her head and chest down on to the platform herself.

The Kavi flops about like a fish for a moment, then strips out of her clothes. "Where'd you pick her up?" Katie asks. One of the Phins then comes up under Tasha to push her the rest of the way onto the platform.

Tasha is so grateful for this she doesn't even mind being nosed while naked. Looking a little like a drowned bird, she pulls herself next to Katie and flops down on her back. "I-it's more accurate to say s-she picked me up, b-by jumping on me when I was d-diving." After a few more breathes, she adds, "And s-she can't swim. I'm not as ... " She gestures to her exhausted self; I'm not as strong as I used to be.

"It s-sounds like someone wants to go back in the water then," Tasha counters, and only now lifts her head to see who the Phins actually are.

They're definitely Kaa and Moka. "Anyone else c-coming down?" Kaa asks. Looking past though, it's clear that Gabriel is swimming towards them now.

"I think the other groups are making their own plans," Tasha explains, then she drags herself over so she can try to rub both Kaa and Moka's bottle-noses in thanks for saving her, because she doesn't know who did, and because she always wanted to.

Moka actually mouths Tasha's hand in what's probably an affectionate gesture. "Fingerssss. Best part of humanoids," Kaa claims.

Gabriel reaches the float and pulls himself up, not seeming to be winded at all. "I think I saw a fish," he says, and notices Reeka. "Where's she been hiding?"

"I have mighty Human hands," Tasha agrees," playing with Moka back by wiggling her fingers and and trying to pinch Moka's tongue. "They can feel everything."spoof And so Gabriel finds an exhausted Tasha sprawled out like a dead bird with her hand in Moka's mouth. "She was hiding in the small of my b-back, I had to swim her here or she'd h-hiding on the bottom of the l-lake."

"I didn't even bite her, she shouldn't complain," Reeka says. Then comments. "Oooo, you're as big as my leg aren't you?"

"You shouldn't bite the a-admiral," Tasha wheezes, but at least she sounds less wheezy and will probably be able to get up soon. She glances over and nods, "He's very big ... of heart."

"Every one of you is too big!" Reeka complains. "But I'll let you carry me around if you want."

"A-as long as it's not me." Tasha sits up, scooting over to sit with the Phins since they did keep her from sliding in to the murk. "Hello Phins," she says conversationally, "So how are the other Phins here? Glad we came? You know, we never get to talk much, and I regret that."

"Alright!" Reeka replies and jumps onto Kaa's back. Once she a death-grip on his fin, he.. just slowly circles the float. "Lots of Phins here," Moka says. "Gotta be careful we aren't outed as pirates."

"Are we pirates?" Tasha looks around; if she is a pirate, she would have liked to perform some actual piratical maneuvers, such as boarding at least one ship, and having some kind of treasure. At best she was a pirate intern, which isn't exactly the same thing and like all interning, doesn't count. "How would they know? Some kind of sonar system?"

"Kaa and I are pirates, officially," Moka notes. "We stole the Ningyo. Officially."

"Pirate Phins," Tasha says, impressed, "I once boarded a Confederate ship and helped make it fly in to a severe gravity event to look at something." She makes her hand 'mouth' Moka's rostrum back, as if it were chewing. "Pirate Phins are an exciting prospect."

"Greatest Pirates in the Universe!" Kaa claims on his next orbit around the float.

"Gabe says I'd have made a good Phin. I like Phins, you know that? If you ever need me to turn my universe-destroying power for the Phin people, you say the word," Tasha insists, having meant to say so earlier but never having quite found the tight time. "I'll save the Ningyo, too."

"In what sense?" Tasha rolls over to meet Moka eye to eye, looking less like she;s dying and more focused, which on her face makes her look sly or up to something, if in an impish way.

"I don't think they're for sale," Tasha admits, thought she did like them, too. "I gave the little on a hug and it rolled for me. Is that good?"

"I think so too," Tasha pats Moka when she rolls, then slips in to the water next to her. "I'm not very graceful in the water, but want to go for a swim?"

"I'm game if you are!" Tasha climbs aboard Moka, using her dorsal fin as a grip point, wrapping her legs around and angling her wings. "Flight-pack Tasha, ready for take off Command Moka." She even goes so far as to try to mimic her Human voice, because every TerraGens )except, perhaps Humans) wants to boss around a Human. It's the ultimate power fantasy.

And off they shoot, with plenty of leaps out of the water (followed by skimming just below the surface to pick up more speed) with plenty of dolphin laughter along the way.

After taking a ride around the lake, and being introduced to 'dolphin volleyball', Tasha is fairly worn out. This culminates in the group visiting the 'shore' facilities, which have a primitive aesthetic of thatch-roofed bamboo buildings hiding thoroughly modern facilities. One of these is a barbecue restaurant, complete with a three-meter long coal pit and meat that's been slow cooked since the previous night.

Tasha always finds facilities like this amusing on some level. Here she is, the essential primitive, a being who grew up amidst real wood structures built not for a sense of aesthetic or nostalgia for a place never been, but for mostly practical reasons. She wonders what the designers would think to have such a person as she here in what they built; she images they'd be surprise someone like her still exists, that they came so far from the 'nostalgic past.'

But that has nothing to do with food, nor being sore here in the physical present. She has her head planted on a hand as she watches the meat slowly spin. "Everyone having fun?"

"I'm exhausted," Hakeber says. "I like the automatic drying magic when we got to shore though. No wet-wolf smell."

"I don't think Hakeber understands the concept of 'pace yourself', Katie notes. Both Hakeber and Tasha were offered sarongs, which at least they recognize from New Calafia. Although apparently grass skirts were also an option, from how the human staff is dressed. They're all bronze-skinned and dark haired and smiling. Apparently barbecue is an art form that cannot be mastered by machines. Both Hakeber and Gabriel are caught giving lingering glances at several of them, while Katie's gaze is hidden behind shaded glasses.

"I really need to spend more time among Phins, they're a lot of fun when I can figure out how to get past our land-air and sea miss match." She yawns, cavernously, and back in her clothing after she ordered them brought to her down below. Except this time she's in something more casual. if only half as cute: Shorts with lace-like trim and a bare-backed halter top with the same aesthetic if in different colors. Her tail has a ribbon bow to match and she's pattern her arm gear to match it all, too She glances between wolf and wolf and asks low, "Feeling like a different sort of meat, are we?"

"I'm not immune to bared bosoms," Gabriel claims in defense. "I think some of these folk have Samoan ancestry. Very large people from a warrior culture."

"Is that another breed of Human?" Tasha knows about Human breeds; Yue, she knows, is Chinese-breed. "I wonder what--" she glances around, coming up with a cover, "I wonder what breed of Human I was ... based around."

"Northern European, possibly Scandinavian," Gabriel posits. "They weren't very prominent back in my day, just coming back due to the Ancestral Restoration Project."

"Oh." Tasha does not know about places on Terra, at least not in any manner that could be considered useful in this matter. At least she knows her Human breed now: Scandinavian. It sounds exotic at least, if hard for the Karnor muzzle to pronounce. Gabriel seems to Tasha to do an admirable job, but she trusts her muzzle-of-unknown-type somewhat less with it. "Have you -- any of you? -- decided what you'd like to do while we're here? I need to schedule some time with with Sam and my instructor, but other than that I'm free."

"There seem to be several 'safari' tours," Katie notes. "All going into legends and sightings of native sapients that almost certainly mythological."

"I could do with some exploring," Gabriel says, and looks to Tasha. "You need to be out in the wild for your stuff, don't you?"

"Yes, I think so. Then are at least three deciding on a joint expedition, then?" Tasha turns to Hakeber. "What about you, Hake? Personally, I'd suggest your rest as much as you can, perhaps consider your special knowledge and how we might go about drawing on it as much as is safe. Our next destination after our vacation here will be aimed at resolving your issue." She pulls in a breath; even the sound of what comes next feels unwelcome to her, like a bad odor, but she needs to address it before they can settle in and leave it to rest, if for the moment.

"Well.. there's mythology here.. I should study up on that," Hakeber notes. "Who will I rest with though? Shojo will be taking the new guys out for training. Not sure what Lacci will be doing though. And where did Reeka get to? Wasn't she with us?"

"Reeka is everywhere and nowhere, but always close at hand." Tasha has the sudden urge to call Reeka her Kavi Marker, because she always seems to appear out of nowhere and may be attached to her soul somehow, possibly as a punishment of some kind. "Lacci is also a researcher, if not so dedicated. I'm sure she'd appreciate the company, and could be of great help with Galactic records. She is an instructor."

"Yeah, I forgot," Hakeber says. "I remember now that nobody listened to her before we did."

Drum music starts up, and the 'chef' begins setting out the platters for freshly cut meat while a group of skirted men begin to do a traditional dance of sort. It involves a lot of foot stomping.

"Even now, sometimes I don't listen to her." But Tasha grins; she suspects they know she's always listening, even if she acts like she isn't. "Just make sure she gets out a bit. Get her to do something wild but not too dangerous, I hereby temporarily hand you the power to tease and test her to get her to grow." She's never really come out and said it like that, but Tasha suspects many of crew members realize she teases Lacci for more than just her amusement. Her amusement, to be sure, but more.

"I'm definitely going on the Purple Devil tour," Katie decides, as she gets up to get in line for meat. "Legendary cryptic, supposedly, that gets sighted every so often."

Tasha stands as well, though all the foot stomping makes her want to look around for Amazonian Lapi. "I assume it's purple? What is it supposed to look like? Sentient?" She then glances at Gabriel and adds, "What about you? Any special tour that catches your eye?"

"That sounds like an especially dangerous and and mysterious tour, to be sure. A rare cryptid indeed." Tasha jokes, but quickly she realizes that given what she is, she probably qualifies, if anyone besides the crew new enough to know why. "Well, since Katie has a target, we'll do that -- unless you'd rather go alone?" Katherine gets ears perked at her.

"It's a tour, so I expect there to be a lot of people," Katie says. "I think it'd be fun for us too."

"I'm all about the mythterious," Hakeber says, returning with a plate piled high with a variety of meets and sauces.

"Exciting to see these things from a more mundane perspective. Maybe it'll be grounding?" Tasha could us grounding. It feels the farther she goes, the harder it becomes to remember where she'd been, and who she'd been, and what it was to be just another person in a sea of people. It's a double edged sword, going beyond; something gained, something lost. She just wants to make sure she remembers what she lost, or else risk never realizing it was gone, and therefore what her journey has cost her. With Katherine here and her home world -- if it still is that -- so far away, she needs replacements, even if imperfect ones. "That settles it then, we're the Purple Party."

After getting her own meal Tasha sits herself back down, forgetting briefly she's not in a skirt and doesn't need to go through that routine, which she'd begun to get used to. "I heard something about needing to rent supplies and ... /weapons?"

"If we're going on our own into the interior," Gabriel says. "Shojo's group will likely do that."

"We can consider that later, for now I'd like to do something that doesn't require me to carry a weapon." Tasha isn't even sure what kind of weapons she should carry anymore; she certainly couldn't heft her old halitool, even if she still had it. The though of her old work, a weapon that'd been through so much in its short existence not unlike herself, makes her blink with sudden emotion. Somewhere beyond time and space it may still be, resting where she dropped it in paradise; her self made grave marker. If she ever meets Charon again, will she find it again, there where its rested between now and forever?

The young woman pulls in a breath; she hadn't meant to let her thoughts drift so far. "W-well, I'm looking forward to it, anyway." And then she stuffs her mouth with meat.

Midway through her meal, Tasha gets a ping on her com. Apparently from Aaron. There's no message with it, just a request for communication.

"Oh, I wonder what this is? 'Sage' advice? Teasing? Another tail war?" Tasha stands up. "I'll be right back, it's Aaron." And then she's walking to the balcony overlooking the water, touching her sleeve to bring up the communication system interface with her lenses, systems coming to life before her eyes. "This is Tasha," she subvocalizes.

"Good, you're the one I wanted to talk to," Aaron replies. The lenses over her eyes are showing the table in the main room of the cabin, although the view is a bit odd, and jerks around a lot. "Can you see what I'm looking at?" Aaron asks. Giving the wider-set of Lapi eyes, that could explain the odd view.

"Yes. Cold you squeeze your head some? Your eyes are hard on my eyes." Tasha props her arms on the overlook's railing, head resting atop as she watches swimmers, would-be swimmers, and the lake they inhabit sparkle. "Is there something wrong?" She feels like she almost doesn't need to ask anymore; it should be on her business cards, the symbol on her mask.

"Something showed up for you," Aaron says. "We didn't hear anything. Nobody came to the door we think." Instead of squeezing his head, the Lapi just closes his right eye, and uses his left to stare at something on the main room's polished wood table. It's golden card, bigger than a business one, and has her face embossed on it in some fashion that makes it look like a hologram, just all in gold.

"Someone rendered me in gold. Either they know how to seduce me or this is a trap," the red woman remarks, even chuckling aloud at this joke only she and Aaron can hear. "It almost looks like Tasha-money. One Tasha-shekel, Interdimensional Bank of Tasha." She frowns at it though, even from this distance. "You say no one came by to drop it off? It just appeared? Literally, appeared? The hotel staff know nothing?"

"I didn't try calling anyone else yet," Aaron admits, sounding.. paranoid. It doesn't take much to get his old habits going. "But then there's this too," he says. Tasha sees him pick up the card - it's about three times bigger than a typical 'business card' that allows for communication. He flips it over and reveal a black symbol on the opposite side. "It's gotta be a cult marking of some sort!" the Lapi hisses. But it's also one Tasha recognizes, since Hakeber showed it to her long ago: the Eye of Horus, from Terran history.

"Oh, that looks like the Eye of Horus," Tasha notes, trying to sound reasonable about things, even if unreasonable thing has appeared. "Hake showed it to me, it is cult-ish, but it's a Cult we know -- and a god we've met. I've worked with him for a while now. Strange, to have this two sided business card with the symbol on it, though. It almost seems like an invitation, but I've already met the god. Could his Cult have somehow located us? Or is this from him?" More frowning. "I'm going to come by and pick it up." It's the safest choice, even if it's a meatless choice.

"It isn't doing anything," Aaron notes. "I can move it to your room though. Neither Yue or Liza have seen this."

"Still, better safe than sorry." It's a Terranisim Tasha feels in her heart, even if she learned it from Nora. "I'll be there soon, keep me informed should anything else happen."

And so Tasha closes the connection and returns, shrugging with shoulders and hands. "It seems something has come up and I need to return to the hotel briefly. Something interesting." She does however pick up her plate and begin shoveling food in her face quickly, but not as quickly as she could.

"They have take out you know," Gabriel says. "Need me to come with you?" he asks, even though he can't fly so would take longer.

"We'll go together, unless anyone wants to stay." Tasha does at least put her plate down, patting Gabriel's hand. "I'll be sure to take out, then. Lets go."

By the time the carnivores returned to the cabin, Aaron was pacing back and forth. "You smell smoky" he notes to the Karnors and Tasha, then points up towards the topmost balcony. "It's on your bed," he Lapi-whispers.

"It turns out smoke makes meat a lot better. Have you ever tried smoking vegetables? You should," Tasha remarks absently, eyes glued to her bedroom where the mysterious object resides. "Well, lets go have a look then." And so she heads forward, ears up, brows arched. "Aaron says it's in here."

The Lapi takes up the rear, as the other head up. "Your bed is bigger than mine," Hakeber notes. It's also bare, with no sign of the golden card on it.

"Aaron, the mystery card is not here." Tasha thinks to reply to Hakeber, but the card having moved has her full attention. She frowns, then, having a sudden idea, reaches in to her pocket.

This time, there's nothing in Tasha's pocket. So this probably isn't related to the Markers.

"Well that answer that, anyway." Tasha looks around for a long moment, having a new idea. "Reeka? If you have my card, please return it. We don't know how dangerous it migth be yet."

"What's in de bags? Anything good?" The voice is coming from the outside balcony. The bags in question hold their takeout meat of course. Hakeber clutches hers to her chest.

"Not Reeka then." Tasha decides she can order more takeout and begins to search around the room. "We're looking for a gold card only Aaron has seen and it should be on the bed unless it's cloaking itself or otherwise trying to make sure only he and I see it." For whatever reason that would be; she's used to seeing things only she can see, but Aaron? Why Aaron?

Tasha pauses, resists an eyeroll, then turns to walk back out and over to Reeka, where she bends over and puts her hands on her hips. "Reeka, the card could be dangerous." She also doesn't want to encourage Reeka to steal from her and the crew and expect payment, that's a road that can only end badly. "Return my card, and we'll let you share our meal. Also, I wil not toss you in to the lake."

"Dangerous?" the Kavi asks. She must be hiding under the balcony. "Can I destroy my enemies with it?"

"Right now your enemies have food, you don't have food, and you're between them and the lake." Tasha wonders if deploying a scouting drone form the ship might be overkill and dealing with Reeka. Perhaps the security team ... But no, she has a better idea. "And they can use torture." She steps back, picks up her bag, then begins to eat -- noisly. She glances at the others with a mouth full of food as she sits herself down right there and continues, nodding to their bags; dig in.

So with everyone eating nosily (except for Aaron), Reeka pokes her head up over the edge of the balcony. "Hey, stop eating my food!" she demands. Then waves the golden card around, claiming, "I have the Golden Ticket! I claim all meat and bunnies with it!"

Reeka gets treated to the very rare (these days) rude gesture from Tasha, who then pops a slice of roast in her mouth and smiles. She the wiggles her fingers; hi there, I'm over here and you're over there.

The Kavi ventures closer, and says, "I will give you the card for the rest of that plate and immunity for one future mistake. Final offer!"

"Ehh I can probably get another card. If it was that important, whoever sent it will check up on me again," Tasha considers aloud as she studies a potato with bacon and chives, holding it up as if it were an object de arte to study critically. "Of course stealing from the leader aboard a ship comes with stiffer penalties. I wonder what Bumper would do? Laser?" Tasha turns to the others. "Death claw? The blender? No food for a week? Oh, how about boring lectures about Galactic laws?"

"Can I at least have the tuber thingy in your hand?" Reeka asks. "Someday you will need to be steal something you know!"

"There's probably at least a hundred thieves I could use. I'm rich and pretty and everyone near me is pretty, plus I talk to gods, they're really handy with a lot of things, you know," Tasha insists. She studies the potato a moment more, then shrugs, as if having decided upon a great burden and, having made her decision, is resigned to it. "But very well. I am known for how nice I am to my employees. Return the card and you may have this; know I am doing you a favor because I like to help my crew understand. Just ask Lacci."

Reeka holds the card out in one hand, and reaches for the potato with the other one.

Tasha makes sure she has the card in talon before she releases the potato. Kavis are not new to her, they were a problem well before she ever reached the stars.

Potato jammed into her mouth, the Kavi bounds on all fours back over the edge of the balcony.

"Kavis," Tasha laments, scooting around in a circle on her butt, card in hand. She holds it up to the light and turns it this way and that, even going so far as to examine it with her 'third eye'. "Well, here it is. A pretty thing, isn't it?"

When she turns it a second time, the Eye of Horus is gone. Instead are a series of hieroglyphics that then change into script she can read. "Mister Pharoah requests your attendance at his latest showing. Present this card at The Observatory in 37.3 hours." As she watches, the countdown actually increments to 37.2 hours. That would be nearly local midnight of the following day.

"Well, that was fast. I can't exactly say as I'm surprised, however." Nor was she. Some beings are even aware of her before time itself, such as the Ogdoad, while others have the good sense to exist across multiple timelines, multiple universes, and so seem -- or actually be -- precognitive or omnipotent. That this 'Mister Pharoah' has detected her interest or, more banally, been informed by of it is not so surprising in such a light. She drops the card in her lap and picks up her second potato. "Mr. Pharoah would like to see me in thirty-seven hours."

"Mysterious collector with likely ties to Terra, uses a lot of Egyptian -- that is, old Terra civ. from back when the Vril'ya were walking around there -- iconography and language. Language and iconography that's very popular with, say, Thoth, who was there at the time. Popular with Cults too, such as alchemy cults." Tasha takes a bite of potato, sets it back down, then picks up the card to shake it at the group. "He's also the one who employed Miss Egypt. You remember Miss Egypt, don't you? Personality drained out of her, vessel for memories? Sounds a bit demonic doesn't it? Or Vril'ya?"

"Seth," Hakeber says out of the blue. "Sorry, Seth was another Egyptian god, who got into a fight with Horus where Thoth had to step in as peacemaker. By then Horus had lost an eye and Seth a testicle though."

"Ouch," goes Tasha, who has seen such bar fights and would rather she hadn't. "I hope he isn't thinking of settling with me." She peers at the card in her hand again, frowning. "Interesting choice of iconography, too, if it is him. Not his symbolism, but Horus's. Horus's eye. A reminder? But the Eye seems like a common symbol for Horus, too. You see," the card goes back in her lap and here Tasha looks to the others, "Thoth has suggested I take over his old role, play the role of a god. I suspect Horus has similar ideas. If this is Seth, he may see me as the inheritor. I could be a new chance to deal, or a chance to settle things. I suspect he wants to know which it will be, unless he already decided."

"Or he's just an eccentric, right Belter with a weird art collection," Gabriel offers hopefully.

"Actually, didn't Mr. Invention mention trying to arrange just this sort of thing?" Gabriel asks.

But Tasha smiles. "Hopefully. His mysterious card showing up addressed to me specifically suggests it's more, unless Mr. I. set this up. But even so, he could be a Belter with a interest in collecting memories, and dangerous in his own mortal way." She then nods to Gabriel. "Yes he did. I'm surprised he didn't warn me ahead of time, but perhaps Mr. Pharoah skipped the 'middle man'. An interesting choice in itself. Trying to isolate me from my aides?"

"Where's Sam?" Hakeber asks. "I.. uh.. lost track of him during the cabin assignment. He's with Shojo and the recruits, right?"

"Sam's where he wants to be," Tasha replies, but then she raises her head, "Sam? Do you want to be here with us, now? This is very interesting!"

"I blame the higher oxygen content," Katie says. "It's making us overlook crew members."

There's no reply from the shadows. So Sam may be elsewhere. Maybe wherever the other guests' children hang out.

"Sam's not given to following the mortal way of things. I know he plays the role, when he wants to, but he can just as well be off doing who-knows-what at any time," the red woman elaborates. She looks around once more though, head shaking. "It'd be a lot harder for me to locate him here, I don't have the range to sweep the entire tree."

"He should have a com set," Aaron notes. "If I have to use one he should have to as well."

"Why are you wearing one?" Hakeber asks the Lapi. "You hate getting the spray on your eyes."

"Liza asked me to for.. uh.. recording.. something.." the buck mutters. "Even if Sam doesn't have one, he probably can fake having one."

"Oh, he does. He doesn't like being left out on things, I think." Tasha taps her arm again, returning to communicationmode. She dials in Samael and attempts contact. "Sam? Are you there?"

"/Here in a way that lets you communicate and, if you like, come by and see this exciting golden card Mr. Pharoah sent me. I've been /invited/./" Tasha holds the card before her eyes, turning it in her hand. "/Eccentric Belter with a hunger for memories? Old rivalry between gods? Exotic guise behind another guise? Iiiit's exciiiting."

"They have an ice cream bar AND a ball pit here though," Sam notes. "There's going to be a puppet show too."

"That does sound very exciting," Tasha agrees. She thinks on it, then makes shooing gestures where Samael can see them. "Go have fun. I haven't forgotten what you did for the crew wile I was incapacitated. This is your vacation, too. I'll only bother you again if it's a real emergency or if it's vacation-related."

"Ball bit and ice cream, I haven't the heart to deny him," Tasha replies, spreading her hands. "It's his vacation, too. Thoth's probably a better choice anyway, unless he's also enjoying his vacation. Lets see what he says."

Opening communications again, Tasha targets Thoth. "Teacher? Mr. Pharoah sent me an invitation." The card is held up again.

"And?" Thoth replies. "Do you wish my advice on whether or not to accept it?"

"I thought you might know him. Hakeber suspects it may be Seth. The card originally used the Eye of Horus, and if it is Seth, he'd be calling out my connection to Horus." Of course Tasha knows Thoth doesn't exactly appreciate his 'father' and may actually enjoy and encourage such a confrontation, even abandoning her to it to let Horus's unwitting spokeswoman handle things to see what she does, seeing a victory either way. She wonders which it'll be when she adds, "Didn't you negotiate a truce between them?"

"Mythology isn't always true," Thoth notes. "The Egyptians had dozens of deities. Seth was the god of deserts. He wasn't real."

"Oh. Well, probably not him then." Tasha wouldn't put it past not-real things to end up being real, if they so chose. She's seen stranger. "Well, that's useful to know at least. Do you know this Mr. Pharoah in any other capacity then? He does love the iconography of your time on Terra, at least one of them. You use much the same, so I thought of you."

"Fashions change," Thoth notes. "Even ten-thousand year old stories come back around every so often. Humans like stories. It's how they think. I cannot give you any information on Mr. Pharoah."

"Thank you, teacher. I'll forward you the itinerary for our journey in to the interior later, we should be able to at least have a cursory look at the spirits of this place during it. Let me know if you want the times changed or anything adjusted. Tasha out." And so Tasha focuses on the group. "He says Seth is fictional and he doesn't know Mr. Pharoah, that stories get re-used."

Tasha's squints. "He said he can't give me any information about him," she corrects herself. "So it could be he does know something. This may be some kind of test."

"You need to be more paranoid, Tasha," Aaron says, putting his fingers to his forehead. "You can't assume anything when talking to Thoth or Samael."

"Here's the problem," Tasha begins, touching her own forehead, "These beings are literally thousands or even millions of years old. Some of them billions, some of them? Time doesn't matter to them, it's optional. Some are stranger." She then draws a circle in the fur of her forehead. "If I second, third, or fourth guess every little slip or weird phrasing I have an infinity to consider. Instead I try to read between the lines and look to the entity and their reasons. I can't know their every nuance, every little word play, but I can try to know them and their limits."

"You don't have to guess," Aaron claims. "Ask them. Be specific. They can't lie, remember, but they don't have to tell you they're hiding information."

"So grill them," the mention of grilling makes Tasha open her bag and see how much she still has; still quite a lot actually. "It seems rude, you know. I don't go around grilling everyone on the ship for every secret they might be hiding from me. They also don't have to stick around and help."

"You literally cannot hurt their feelings," the Lapi presses. "It's not being rude. It's how they operate. They aren't like.. people. They really don't even try to pretend that they are." The buck tugs on his ears as he rambles about this.

"Oh, aren't they? Sam has more people in him than all of us combined, some of whom he burned to shield us." Tasha spreads her hands, leaning forward as things heat up. "And Thoth? He doesn't seem like a person, does he? Until you feel the simmering rage he harbors, or Horus, he doesn't, until you feel his self-loathing." She then turns her right hand down, tapping her knee with a finger pointedly. "They have their own problems and don't need me grilling them. Do you think all these beings talk to me because of my incredible skill, or power, or influence? Oh, maybe they saw it in the weave of fate, some of them can, but sometimes they just like it if someone talks to them. It is very unusual for any being to show kindness to the Shadow. The Niss like me because I chose to help them. Being what they are ... All of them ... It's not easy. Ones like Thoth get ground down, and beings like Sam? They never had a chance."

"Well then, does Thoth feel any regrets about not stepping to prevent something terrible from happening?" Aaron asks. "They're old, yeah. But do they really even care about.. anything? History is a bloody mess, and Thoth was there. When the Vartans sold out to the Khattans, what did he do? When the humans spent the entire history of their civilization killing each other, what did he do? Has he ever tried to make a difference in any way that isn't directly tied to his own desires? Does Sam regret eating all those souls? Or do they just not care. Because if they did care, they would not be what we see today."

"Sam doesn't care, as you put it, because that's what Samael is. He showed them to me." Tasha walks her fingers across her leg. "Showed me what was left of them, inside himself. I've been within Samael several times, I haven't forgotten what he is. I never do. Several times, I considered killing him. I almost decided to, but then I thought, if I kill Sam ... wouldn't I have to kill everyone else, too?" She sweeps a hand to the world around her. "Aren't you all guilty? Oh, what did Toth not do. Well, Humans, what did you not do? Samael eats souls. It's what he is, there may be no other way for him to restore himself. But, poor souls, yes? Did you know they asked him to do things in exchange? Kill this person, help me cheat that person, I need you to hurt people for me. They knew the deal." And so she sniffs. "Here's a story: Mariel's father hated her because she had a better card than he did. Humans did that. Want me to distrust them? Did they care? You see-" And here Tasha stabs out towards the window. "You're all alike, you know? Why do you think I wanted to stay on Charon?"

"I just don't want you to end up like you did before," Aaron says, a bit more apologetically. "Being used, and not realizing it."

Tasha snorts at this. "I'm always being used, it's just that I realize it now." But Aaron's tone causes her to lean back at least, sound less angry. "If they're going to use me, fine. They know what I'm about, they know what I offer. I eitehr trust them until they betray me or I may as well not trust anyone. And if they do betray me, a curse on their head for betraying someone who supported them. That's why I try to know who and what they are, because even if they are using me, at least maybe I can tell if they're using me in the right ways."

"And I try to be endearing enough to not be so easy to throw away," Tasha adds, head tilting. "Something that seems to work even at the highest levels. Not that I'm making it up. It's not easy to want to know these beings or like them, but I try."

Tasha seems to consider this question, staring at Aaron at length with a steel he's never seen before. This, then, must be what Tatha-hem saw when a mortal chose to bear down on her. "There's no justice in the universe save for what we make. Fairness is just a concept not shared amongst sentients not gods. It's just my opinion. Samael and Thoth are closer to our kind than their creators, so I offer them that mortal place if they chose to inhabit it. That means respecting their avoidance, unless I feel it's dire. This is hardly die, not yet. Did you know I was thinking of stunning Reeka to rip that card out of her hand, because I thought it might hurt her? Don't mistake me for being soft just because I act like it."

"I know you aren't soft," Aaron says. "Just remember that how you treat them isn't likely to change them. Maybe nothing can change them anymore. And always keep in mind the rules they operate under, because those are the only thing you can hold onto when dealing with them. Gods and monsters follow rules, but we don't have to. That's our only advantage."

"Not exactly true, we still have physics and social rules, but I know what you mean." Tasha pulls her bag over and begins rummaging through it, if only to hide her expression now that she realizes how disconcerting it is. She's showed others the darker side of her personality, her rage and frustration, and far more often than not it leaves people afraid of -- or for -- her. Or both. It's even worse when she's the soul behind a deific thing, like the Melchior, or the Star Horse. "It's not true. They do change. Horus changed; Atum told me. "How I change when I'm away." "Opposition; this has never happened before." They change when exposed to us, just as we can change when exposed to them. We bleed in to the other, we acquire bridges that let us transcend one state to another. We aren't limited to what we are."

"Just don't take on their limitations," Aaron says. Then he sighs. "I won't always be around to spank you, and I don't trust these goofs to keep you in line," he admits, indicating the Karnors. "So I have to yell at you more than usual so you don't forget. That way every time you try to decide on something, some part of you will think: will an angry rabbit yell at me for this?"

Tasha snorts again, in to her bag. "Well, I appreciate the concern, anyway. Sometimes I think the others are too afraid of me or themselves to tell me to stop." Since she's being honest, she may as well answer Aaron's concerns, she owes him that much. "No matter how dangerous what I'm doing is. It's just--" She finds a third potato; she doesn't remember getting a third, but then she was in a hurry. It gets pulled out and placed aside. "What Aaron means is I have a tendency to take on people with problems because I know on some level they're missing something and I fill that emptiness, but that also makes them afraid to challenge me."

Tasha puts aside a sandwich as well, made from the same cuts of meat as the rest. "I can't promise anything. This is a scary thing to do; even the old civilizations couldn't manage it in the end. I already died once. No one really knows how to navigate beings who eclipse them in time, who are alien, who have such power and such grand plans. I can only hope that if I respect them they'll respect me. Or, failing that, find some other way. Mutual benefit. Common enemy. Entertainment."

"Hmmph," Katie goes. "So I don't get how you collected Aaron then. What's his hole?"

"Just don't go jumping into any more holes, please," Aaron tells Tasha, probably referring to the Source's hole.

"I'm Aaron's hole. He has a weakness for sad, lonely females because deep down he wants to help people but is never sure how or why. I think maybe he doesn't value himself enough," Tasha answers, since she's airing dirty laundry anyway. "He wants to leave a mark in other people's souls, something about filling the emptiness in the world to fill himself." A pot of potato salad gets added to the growing stack. "And I like holes. I met some nice people in them. The Source could have ate my soul, but it didn't. We talked. Don't underestimate what a connection means in this universe or any other. One more thing," she stops rummaging, but doesn't look up, "Don't assume I'm on the side of mortality and civilization. I judge everyone."

Hakeber snorts and hides her muzzle behind a hand for a moment. But it's Gabriel who asks, "When you say you're his hole, you mean metaphorically, right?"

"I mean what I said. He has a weakness for females." And then Aaron gets beaned with a French fry made from wide potato slices. That must have been in there, too. Finally, she looks up. "I don't know about cool, but you do seem to be my uncle." She stares at him for a long moment, then reaches in and hands him the carton of (non-thrown) French fries, or what remains of them. "Indispensable. Sorry for getting heated. I guess I was holding that back. I guess it's something you all ought to know."

"Yes, and you're right about my weakness," Aaron, and nibbles on a fry. Then waggles the remainder at Tasha, and says, "So I get to give you away at your wedding. Unless you have an actual dad now. And didn't already get married before I got back."

"I think Persephone is my everything now. Or, I have three moms and a dad. I'm not about to drag that poor man in to my life now. Whoever he was, he got used by the gods, so at least lets let him live in whatever peace he might have. So, it's you." Tasha points her potato back at Aaron. "And I've been waiting for Gabriel to ask but I think he's not sure what to make of me and my existence. We don't even know how my children work yet. My daughters are like me, I think that makes me .. . " What was the insect she read about once? Maybe Nora ead about it. Somewhere, she saw it, and then there it is, she remembers. "A bee. A Shadow-soul sharing bee."

"Well, don't wait too long," Aaron say, putting the fry back in his mouth. "My kids will want a pet after all."

"I'll see what I can do," Tasha offers, then bisects her potato with a bite. Her muzzle may be more delicate, but it's still just as full of teeth as the old one. To Aaron, she says, "My daughters can decide where they want to go. Bumper made an offer, too. I'm sure Nora will want a friend, maybe Mariel will, too? Assuming I don't share a mind with them like some sort of ... " She snorts. "Hive-mind."

Aaron gives Tasha an odd look. "Are you saying that you and your daughters will have heads full of bees?" he asks.

Tasha returns the look. "No I mean they will be like bees. Persephone said my daughters will be me; copy of my soul, copy of my spore. Exactly like me." And so she taps her forehead. "Which means I'm a species of the same female. Not exactly like bees, but we -- I -- will all be daughters. I am a species of one. That might mean I become a hive mind -- which I suppose is what you meant by head full of bees? -- or multiple instance of the same person in different lives with the same soul."

"And there's no honey involved at all then?" Aaron asks to be certain. "If you need lots of flowers I have an Earth Mage friend who is good with plants."

"I don't think I'm going to be a literal bee, Aaron." And so Tasha leans over to pat Aaron's head as if he were a small, somewhat slow child. "At least, I don't think so." She settles back, spreading her hands. "Of course I am in a gigantic tree, so who knows right?"

"I haven't seen any gigantic flowers, I think this tree is a species of one itself," Aaron notes. "Do you have a fancy dress for the shindig?"

"Maybe we can exchange species-of-one notes," Tasha considers, half-serious since she never knows when a godlike being might stop by to say hello. "A dress?" She then glances at Katie and Katie's analytical alarm, eyes going wider, "A gown? I ... " She bought some clothes, but certainly not a gown. "No? Do you want to handle it, Katie?"

A grin slowly spreads across Katie's muzzle from the tip and nearly reaching her ears. "I'll call Nessy."

Tasha exhales, resigned to her fate of standing around and going from may-bee to dress up doll. "Just let me know when you need me." She then stretches, as if letting go of every problem, and lays back. "Golden card with mysterious man, dress appointment, we did dinner? Or is it lunch for us? What else?"

"I don't think you can beat the darkness within by crowding it out with food Hake," Tasha insists, but then she is some kind of Karnor derived being, so she adds, "But ice cream sounds good to me. Maybe there's a place where we can talk and eat, look at what this world has to offer?"

"Ice cream just needs tongues so talking wouldn't be rude," Hakeber agrees. "Who should drag along?"

"I think everyone here is invited by default, it'd be rude to say otherwise. If anyone meets us along the way, we'll offer." Tasha sits up, then pulls herself so her legs are beneath her, ready to rise. "Everyone ready then?"

"I can only rescue smaller people now, so that's wide advice." Tasha pushes herself up, adjusts her high tech arm warmers, and then heads for the exit. "So who wants to hold my hand and look wealthy and powerful?"

"Can I hold your hand?" Hakeber asks Katie. "Sure, but don't wag your tail too much."

Modern Terran ice cream is apparently made of 'conditioned' water, but still tastes like hand-made ice cream. Which means there's no sugar rush or upset stomach. But once they get there, Tasha becomes the center of attention for the children there.. who were apparently drawn away from Samael at that point. The little demon is looking a bit down though.

"I didn't know the ice cream was where you were Sam, I promise," Tasha assures the demon as she walks over, surrounded by a gaggle of children and Gabriel, and so her approach is slow. "Come over here and walk with me and we can be interesting together." She holds out her free hand.

Sam takes the hand, and grumbles, "These children are spoiled. They don't want anything worth selling their souls for."

"It's like with the Karnors," Hakeber offers. "These are fully domesticated humans."

Tasha would smack Samael on the head, but her hands are full. "What did I say about that sort of thing? You know how cross I would be if someone accepted." Her grip does become more firm, however. Much more. "We're going for ice cream now." She smiles at the children, having instantaneously learned the skill of smiling while dealing with dire threats through the power of not wanting to terrorize children.

"I'd wait until they died of natural causes you know," Samael claims. "By then their souls would be nice and fat with experiences. Just like your deal with the Source. Try the raisin rum ripple. It's the most evil non-chocolate flavor."

"You don't have to play up the cliche you know. This is why people don't like your kind, you need to make an effort." Tasha gives a very motherly head shake, if she knew to consider it she might be surprised by the motion. "Anyway, try to fond someone a little more sinister? I'll draft some rules, it would be unfortunate if you ended up on the wrong side of our hunting list." She then looks at him, brows up; do you understand?

"I think you do, too." Tasha sticks her tongue out. "When did you ever get to have this much fun? I think mortality is" corrupting you." The last said in a sing-song voice. She then glances at all the children, considers her own ice cream (chocolate peanut butter chunk swirl with whip cream and cherries) and asks. "Would all of you like ice cream?"

"Yes!" they all chorus. Of course, it's an ice cream bar so that might have been a given. And the ice cream is free (thanks to it being made from water). "Yesssss," Hakeber says, tapping her fingertips together.

Tasha hands Samael off to Hakeber as she goes about distributing ice cream. She'd have paid, from her own personal account if need be, but at the least she can be fun and pass out ice cream. She even starts handing them out to parents. "I hope you don't mind," she asks one couple.

"Oh not at all," the mother says and smiles. "How often do they get to meet a real live mezzode. Are you a professional mascot?"

"I think I see why the Lapis decided to stay at the cottage," Katie whispers to Hakeber.

Tasha almost chokes on that, laughing as she does. "Oh no, though sometimes certain people suggest it." She casts a side-long glance at her companions before looking back. "I am the acting owner of a for-hire yacht. Perhaps you saw it at the docks?" She considers saying more, but does this woman really need to know she loans out for special operations? "I suppose that does make me the mascot of my own operation, doesn't it? We're here for some R&R are, so the little terrors can get some rest." She nods to Samael, and then to Hakeber.

Katie also gives Tasha a little wing-tug. "You aren't the only one garnering attention here," she notes quietly to Tasha.

"More ... professional," Tasha tries, reaching up to scratch her nose in an old habit. "It depends on the client, of course. Often it's scientific or investigativ-" She blinks at the tug, then feigns a laugh, "My significant others need me it seems. You know how it is, mother of children or mother of business, all the same. Have a nice day!" And then she lets herself be tugged away.

When she turns, Tasha sees.. many Karnors. Male and female both, sort of.. milling about. But whenever Gabriel or Katie glance towards them, tails wag hopefully.

"Oh goodness. I think our ice cream time is done. Come along." Tasha lays a hand on Hakeber's shoulder and steers her, and thus Samael, towards the exit. "Not," she begins, whispering to Katie, "that I mind at all, but we can't afford to draw too much attention of any sort. Didn't you prepare for this? Or was it washed off?"

"This isn't pheromones," Katie claims. "We had our shots. I think it's just because Gabriel is a real wolf and I'm.. you know.. me. Don't let Hakeber loose though."

"You are a lot of you," Tasha agrees, wagging her own tail. "Not tempted to have a good time? I think I see a gaggle of the cute ones with floppy ears; did that one wave when you looked at her?" Tasha's smile is broad. "I won't be jealous at all. Or would you prefer Liza?"

"I'm not the quantity over quality sort," Katie claims. "I think you need to have a really need for validation to take advantage of groupies."

"I wouldn't know." And she wouldn't; Tasha has never had groupies, whatever else she's gained in these years. "I suppose I think of everyone as special, but I've never been a star exactly, have I?" She considers the group of groupies for a lomng moment, learning something about life, and then turns to Hakeber, "Did he?" She follows her gaze now.

He's tall and white furred with black spots.. and floppy ears. He looks guilty when Tasha looks at him though. "You were a star to me," Katie reminds.

"And I love you for it," Tasha says, abandoning her current investigation to squeeze Katie's hand and tuck her head against the woman affectionately, both for her sake and as an example to the group that Katherine is already taken. "I just don't always understand it," she adds, rotating her head on Katie's shoulder to re-examine the group. "What do you think? He looks harmless enough. I don't want the crew to think they have to be locked in to only being with crew. I know the risks, but I worry that it might cause harm to stifle interpersonal growth."

"I'm more concerned about Hakeber backsliding," Katie notes. "Especially with Mr. Gold not showing interest."

"Would that be bad? Is she really happier this way than before?" Tasha continues to examine the man, possibly to his discomfort. "At the very least we shouldn't linger here. Tell me as we go." She starts for the exit, but not before having her lens scan the spotted Karnor's face for identification.

"Well, better to just ask her," Katie admits. "I don't need to control everything."

"You can control me later," Tasha promises, smiling. Once they're away from the ice cream parlot, Tasha turns to face the others. "Well, now we know what kind of response we'll be seeing here. Do we want to go back and rest for the day? Katie, we can see about that gown. I have an appointment with the card to get ready for, and we don't know what dnager that entails."

"Let's go shopping," Katie agrees. "I'm full," Hakeber laments. "I really feel the need for pants," Gabriel adds. "You aren't taking Mr. Invention with you too are you?"

"Yes, we'd better take him. Maybe he an provide some extra insight in how best to prepare for a meeting with a mystery party of unknown intent. He can elucidate us on whether this was his arrangement or not, as well. If not, I'm sure he'll be very interested indeed," Tasha replies. And so she looks around again. "Well, lets return to the hotel, rest, and anyone who wants to come with us may do so. I'd prefer the group be small this time, to avoid crowds."

The shop they go to doesn't have a storefront. There isn't even a name on the door. It's part of the shopping area though, and Mr. Invention knocks on the door. Despite the warm day, he's wearing his business suit with it's very intimidating lines. And sunglasses for some reason. The door opens and the foursome are let inside by a robotic dress model. There's a plain room inside with an illuminated ceiling and a door in the back.

Tasha came to her gown fitting wearing, perhaps appropriately, a plain dress. Her's is knee-length, pale yellow, with red, green, and other-yellow shades of animals, ruffled trim, and a Summer feel. She wears booties and her sun hat, which she's transfered to her hands. Compared to Mr. Invention they may as well be opposites. "And here we are. Stand in the center and don't move?" Tasha has been in many situations where being in one place and not moving are key.

"Yes," Mr. Invention says. "That's how it usually works, and the robot isn't saying anything different." Miss Necessity is dressed like a female version of Mr. Invention, and Katie is in one of her jumpsuits, bus is 'compensating' by wearing an unflattering hat.

Tasha hands her hat to Miss Necessity to hold, then makes her way to the center of the room and stands there looking around. She can almost feel connected here, doing this, standing still, looking around as she has so many times before, with all past and future selves, so interchangeable does it often feel. "And here I am," she prompts.

The walls become mirrors - or rather, holographic mirrors, since each wall is showing Tasha in a different basic gown. They're all backless, or scoop-backed to begin with, and shimmery black with different necklines, sleeves, over and off the shoulder.

"Are you disappointed?" Tasha assumes one of Katie's classic poses, then blows a kiss. After straightening she gestures around her. "Experts, lend your expertise."

"Hmm," Miss Necessity says, putting her forefinger across her chin. "Single shoulder with a draping sleeve," she suggests, and the wall that Tasha is facing changes as requested. It looks her left arm has it's own gown now, and the whole looks like it's only held up by that shoulder to maintain the backless requirement.

"That shoulder should have a spray of feathers too," Katie offers. And now it looks Tasha is wearing a pauldron of black feathers for the shoulder.

Tasha's immediate -- and unvoiced -- concern is that her arm gown will end up in her food or drink. She'll just have to be careful, she decides, and putting up with these things is just part of her life now. She examines herself and decides she looks nice, but she's hardly an expert on these things, and so that's why she has people to dress her. Still, she does have opinions. "Black polished nails?"

Her nails become black in the image, although that's probably not a function of the dress. "Sleeve split in front up to the elbow," Miss Necessity adds (thus dealing with Tasha's unvoiced concern). "Sides split to... how high is comfortable for you, Tasha?"

"Oh, may as well get used to good taste and fashion some time. I leave it to you," Tasha answers, her thoughts the same as her words. She's been making a strong effort to accept herself for what she is now, and she has added that it should include her life. Better to get comfortable with it now, she decides.

This causes a slight battle between Katie and Miss Necessity, which seems the slit go from mid-thigh to hip (and once nearly to her lower ribs, with the justification that the gown could probably manage it). It ends up at a more reasonable mid-thigh though in the end. "What about belly window?" Katie then suggests, having lost out on the battle of the side slit.

Tasha knows better than to intrude on these battles of fashion, even if she is the doll being dressed up. "Belly window?" But she tries to sound absent about it, as if it were not a concern, and her opinion and interest merely academic. She does hope whomever this Mr. Pharaoh turns out to be, he appreciates the effort.

"You can both wear electrical tape later," Mr. Invention says. "To be noticed, Tasha should not be on exhibit. Now choose an effect."

There are a lot of options for that, from swirling smoke effects to flames to artistic starfields. And for some reason one that involves fish swimming around.

"Not the fish," Katie insists. "Any of the others strike your fancy, Tasha? I think the flames can be different colors."

Tasha hides her smile at Mr. Invention's defense. There may have been a time when she wanted to be on exhibit, but that time seems to have passed. She studies the effects with interest, as this sort of detail ranges much more in to the 'magical' range of technology for someone from such a barbaric world. Cloth and cut she's seen, if not with the nuance and complexity modern Galactics can make, but effects are something only mages could have created. "I've always been very fond of stars." She looks then suggests, "Perhaps with some stars closer than others? So the detail of the star becomes apparent, the cosmic fire, the leaping flames."

There is one that allows for solar prominences to burst and splash outward. It's a bit like multi-colored ripples that wash over the dress from different directions, occasionally colliding or spawning a new star.

Tasha laughs, though it is of course a forced laugh, and made harder for trying to watch herself.

This causes the ripples of multi-colored plasma to burst faster than usual, lighting up the dress.

Tasha grins. "I like it. Katie is always calling me the sun, so it fits." She then glances at Katherine and adds, "We should wear a sun-and-moon ensemble sometime, don't you think? I bet they could make your hair glow like the moon does."

"Where are you getting all this 'window' nonsense from, Katherine?" Mr. Invention asks.

Tasha has to cover her muzzle to hide her laugh, and even that fails. She erupts with solar flares making concealment go from unlikely to ridiculous. "Your dress sessions must have been so much fun," she remarks, and then she's laughing again.

By the time Tasha has finished with the giggles, the other door opens and the robot returns with a plain-looking box.

"That box should be gold with a neat little lace wrapping," Tasha tests, to see if the screen makes the box also dress up.

The box does not change, nor does the robot move. Mr. Invention picks up the box and tucks it under his arm. "You wrap some lace around your ankles if you like, Tasha," he suggests.

Mr. Invention explains to Tasha, "Mr. Pharaoh is very rich and presumably excentric, and that is all that is really known about him. He likes exotic things though, and you are an exotic thing. I have not found anything to suggest he collects people though." This is in the air taxi is still climbing up through the various levels of the canopy.

"So you're hoping you won't have to rescue me from some people collection in the near future," Tasha paraphrases, "but can't be sure." She looks down at herself, and does agree she looks very collectible tonight. Somehow it makes her feel more vulnerable than less to be so polished, perhaps because she never had the lifestyle to get used to it, until now. "At the same time I will investigate him for any malicious activities, then if those activities are within our sphere, or otherwise detrimental on a large scale. I should take special care and caution as he may well collect memories from unwilling persons. If he's just a rich and reclusive person. I should make conversation and attempt to secure business connections. Do I have that all right?"

"It is not clear how he acquires his art, so I would be wary of offering our services," Mr. Invention cautions. "If he asks for our card, it would be rude not to offer him one of course."

"Then I'll do that. Hmm," she puts a finger to her muzzle, tilting it, "I'll stay two hours, no more. Even if I insist on staying longer, we'll interpret that as me being coerced. Anyone with that fine a control over minds may be able to manipulate me in ways I can't predict and may not know if they happen. If I do think something is going on, I'll contact you and say 'I'm having a wonderful time,' as the code phrase." Tasha nods. She does pay attention.

"I'll be listening," Mr. Invention promises as the taxi lands outside of an odd structure.

The Observatory
Set on the upper canopy of Yggdrasil, is isn't clear if this structure is natural or cultivated. Branches as thick as ordinary trees weave together to form a half-dome above, with the other half provided by actual glass (or something stronger, since the structural elements are made of the same transparent material) which provides a commanding view of the ocean. Several support structures are attached at the wooden side, and the interior has multiple levels of wooden flooring and shelves that grow from the wood. At the bottom, the floor is about 50 meters across.

After going through a security cordon, Tasha finds herself on the main floor. There are a lot of humans, but also Khattans and a smattering of other Galactics, along with the art displays that also wander around on motorized pedestals. They are all rather disturbing looking.

Tasha walks in, folds her hands, and immediately takes a moment to look around. This isn't a motion special to the event, but a common assessment and appreciation of both danger and beauty, such as she might find. The location is impressive in an understated way, relying on natural beauty with a minimum of modern technology, something she's come to appreciate more since meeting Charon. The large group of Humans is unsurprising for a Human host, as are the Khattans this close to wealth and presumably power. And then she turns to the art, muzzle creasing in a reserved frown as she takes in one with focus.

It is in the same vein as the Black Flame - something that looks crystalline but with organic curves and angles that just seem difficult to focus on. And fuzzy around the edges in a very shadowy way.

Tasha lets her frown melt off her face. The place is nice, but these pieces of art make her decidedly nervous. She isn't sure what sort of person would display unsettling, geometrically questionable items to others, but none of the reasons for it save one are good. As she walks around the piece and considers it with what she hopes is mildly interested and assessing air, she reviews the possibilities: subtly intimidating rivals and partners, interest in the disturbing, these are artifacts from civilizations with connection to the Shadow, or the most innocent, and eccentric's love of unusual things. To be safe she decides to eyeball them in another way, with her third eye.

They seem to be more more alive viewed this way. But that isn't as bad as when a Khattan woman approaches her and says, "My, I love your genome. Who is your designer?" She's smiling warmly, but little shadow tentacles are writhing just past the surface of her eyes.

Tasha has faced demigods, and so she marshals all her experience and steel when she turns and smiles right back. "Oh now, you know such things are proprietary. And the shadow in your eyes, what a wonderful effect," she counters, as if were all friendly sparring. "I see this will be an interesting party."