Vartans can be very poofy when their feathers all stick out. It takes lots of soothing and patting to calm Lacci down after she swears the Titanians wanted to cook and eat her. It helps that Tasha can give her a distracting task once they're back within Caltrop: grocery shopping. Tia takes Hakeber with her to the Library to help with her research, and Gabriel begins accumulating free 'historical' data on 'obsolete' technologies. Tasha isn't sure of what she'll need to bring for her training with Kai, but does run into someone with some advice on the matter.
"Acid," Samael suggests. "Or a ship-mounted communications maser."
"I'm okay with the maser so long as you carry it," Tasha insists as she walks along. She's purchased a few expandable modeling dummies, for use as target practice (or actual modeling since she needs to acquire a planet-side Vartan wardrobe), some comfortable workout clothes in everyone's sizes in a uniform and business-like gray, and a basic auto doctor portable diagnosis system in case someone breaks something. "So, acid?
"Kai should be affected by it if she's really human," Sam says, carrying some of Tasha's haul. "And I should be there to watch out for you."
"I'm not sure you can take Kai," Tasha admits as she walks, head shaking a little. "I'm not sure any of us can. Why, are you worried about me? Does Thotep still need me around?"
"To be honest, Tia said she needed me there to help with something," Samael responds. "And I don't want anyone else corrupting your soul. I should have first crack at it."
"I killed all the demons who tried to eat me last time, as a warning. Besides, what good is my soul to you, anyway? You can't eat it, I'm increasingly poisonous, and, well, what use is it?" Tasha's disappointed to hear Samael is just here because he has to be, and that he doesn't really care, except to protect an investment. She's steadily wondering why she ever treated him like a friend and ally. Do the people around her want her around, or do they just need her for something? Or, has she just grown up enough to understand what she's actually created over what she thought she did? "Besides I might need Kai."
"It's the principal of the thing," Samael claims. "I'm just a part of the ship, and now I'm also the lowest ranked supernatural being. I suspect the cats are plotting against me as well."
"They plot against everyone, it's part of their charm, along with their cuddliness." Tasha stops, peers in to her bag, then shrugs. "Well, I guess this will do. It's not like she gave me a shopping list. Lets grab the others and head for the idyll."
Since Katie and Shojo were dealing with training the mercenaries, the group going out this time around would be Gabriel, Tasha, Hakeber, Lacci, Yue, Sam and Tia. This was convenient in that they all had their own spacesuits already, except for Sam and Tia. Gabriel also took Navigation this time, to let Tasha get some practice piloting the Dark Horse (since the Phins were still exploring Caltrop and visiting with the local Phins). Jonas was in the Med Bay, since he seldom left the ship.
Tasha hops in her seat, or rather, over her seat. "I get to fly and don't have to stare at the evil orb? I'm so doing this."
"It's a lot different than the shuttle," Gabriel warns. "Inertial control and simplified orbital mechanics. It's the first spaceship I've been on that can actually move in a straight line."
"It's probably too easy for me to be flying if I plan to learn anything, but I'll take the opportunity anyway." Tasha brings up the pilot controls, which she knows about and has practiced with (in simulation) but never had to actually use for purpose before. She wonders if she's reached a point she can use other, supernatural, senses to pilot, but decides she'd best have primary control kept to tried-and-true methods just in case. "Are we ready to head out?"
"Yes, if you want to take us away from the docking shelf," Gabriel says. There's a sensitivity knob on one of the joysticks to control how far the joysticks need to move for any given scale of motion.
Tasha sets the nob to its lowest setting to get a feel for it, then gently brings the ship away from dock. They'd already decoupled the airlock, so all that's left is to move away. She spaces the ship from the dock, then begins to move the ship aft and away from the station; when the navigation software indicates they'll have the space at the right frame, she also begins to rotate the vessel, so that it reverses and begins to spin so that the aft turns towards the dock a few seconds after they clear it, allowing the ship to move away and face outward. "It's all about doing the most with the least." In many ways it reminds her of her new flight ability.
"If they made a ship that let you steer by using a whip, would you want to try it?" Gabriel asks. The Dark Horse is more obedient than a Ptera though.
"You mean a ship that makes my arm sore while also making it impossible to hear and making Eeee angry?" Tasha isn't sure why everyone assumes she likes whips just because it was part of her job; it's like saying Gabriel should pilot a ship flown by guns. The whip was so that the pteras, which are quite large, can hear and feel fear despite the distance to the droving house, heavy wind and rain, and the noise on deck. She'd have found having a console a delight. "Now get me a ship with a sense of motion, direct neural control, a FTL drive, style, and a cockpit I can see out of, that I'd like. Make it fast. It could have flames painted on it."
"Point taken," Gabriel chuckles. "I like this ship, but it isn't fair that Kaa is the only one that can actually feel it moving."
"I agree completely. All I've ever got to do is stare at the evil orb, which no one likes. You'd think with all the enhancement I have now I could fly using some other senses, maybe then I could feel it." The ship aligns with its initial course, and accelerates out. Of course it's a dummy route intended to act as a kind of leisure cruise outting, to be diverted to the asteroid several steps in. "I kind of want my own custom small ship."
"You could try painting flames on the Tadpole," Yue says, coming onto the bridge with a mug of coffee. Not good coffee, since they didn't bring either of the two men who could operate the steampunk monstrosity that produces the good stuff.
"I can't get too attached. I prefer machines and neural interfacing, since I don't have to worry about dragging another life in to danger with me. Emotional baggage has become a real distraction." It's more than Tasha wanted to admit, but now that it's out there she can't do anything about it. So she keeps flying and hopes no one inquires further.
"There's the alien ship," Yue says, and sips her instant coffee. "Although I have no idea how it's piloted."
"I think that would be stealing. Tia migth seem gentle and kind of helpless, but she's not defenseless, and she's probably more dangerous than Samael is sufficiently upset. Lets not provoke her." Because I don't need another executioner with an axe over my neck having second thoughts, Tasha does not add. Currently that list includes: The Titanians, the Null, Thotep, Hastur, Tia. She's probably missing a few.
"Maybe there are abandoned ones in the asteroid belt that can be salvaged, but probably not with a hyperdrive," Yue says. "There's no laws out here, no jurisdiction.. who knows what goes on in the asteroids."
"Look for junk I can steal and reuse, that's very Titanian of you, Yue. I like you more every day." Tasha reaches the first transit node, then begins the arc in to the second, which is supposedly a pleasure cruise. As Yue said, its lawless out here, so she does wonder when some over-eager band of space hoppers will try and hijack them, but for now their cruises have gone unimpeded. "We'll keep an eye out. I'm sure we can upgrade anything we find."
"I'm sure there are Belters with stories of lost ships," Yue suggests. "So, has the old mining base been made habitable already?"
"It has. I'm going to accelerate and get us there ASAP. By habitable it's less 'renovated' so much as 'portal to the beyond, an abyss which a reality has been made on top of'." Tasha does as she says, pushing the ship to head out in to the convoluted touring-slash-evasion route. It should only be another twenty minutes until they arrive. "You'll see."
Kai listened to previous complaints about the walk to the base. This time there's an ornate coach ready, with a truly bizarre looking creature hitched to it, looking like a snake grafted onto a goat.
"This isn't what I imagined," Yue notes. Lacci clicks her beak rapidly, before looking to the sky and calming down. Hakeber asks, "Is the lake safe to swim in?"
"I think she's mocking you Sam," Tasha notes of the snoats, which she avoids because she grew up around big animals and has -- had -- the scars to prove it. "Only if you like getting eaten Hake. Nothing here is as safe as it looks, and it might trick you. That's the rule of fairyland. Don't wander alone. Only the base can be considered relatively safe."
"It's actually a Questing Beast," Kai says. She's dressed in old fashioned livery and setting on the bench of the coach, reins in hand. "Harder to tame than unicorns. I didn't think you would be bringing so much stuff.. and people. Who wants to ride with me on the bench?"
Tasha raises a hand, mostly because she knows the others largely won't. Besides, they'll all expect her to want to be in the droving seat anyway. "Any other volunteers?"
"I need to discuss things with Kai, so I can sit there too," Tia says.
Lacci looks at the coach, then the sky. "I'd like to fly. Is it okay to fly here?" she asks.
"Sky is safe, just don't go low over the forest," Kai replies.
Tasha places an internal bet that Tia will sit on the far side from Kai, putting her in the middle. "Just stay close to the carriage or in the air, we're not really sure what happens if you try to fly in to space from here, because we're not really sure if space is out there or something else."
"Oooo," Hakeber goes, hugging Yue around the shoulder. "We get Gabriel alll to ourselves then!"
Apparently, Kai stays in the center of the bench, so Tasha gets her choice of left side or right side.
Tasha thinks about contesting it, but doesn't Gabriel probably deserves some fussing over, especially since she's been more distant, what with the matter of children, raids, and all too much on her shoulders. Once in she choses the left side, because she's right handed.
When everyone is settled, Kai gets the coach moving. Tia is quite, but it's possible the conversation is purely telepathic. The Questing Beast moves strangely, but they're soon around the bend and the base comes into view, with a third of the landing field taken up by the Astraea. Lacci is taking her time in the air.
And so pasha settles back and enjoys the ride, arms behind her head, legs folded one over there other and top hoof bobbing to some unheard melody. It reminds her a lot of home, especially her travels after meeting Aaron. A coach, after all, would have been beyond her income and resources before then. Since no one's talking to her, she decides to enjoy the silence.
The valley is deceptively pretty. Even the cliffs remind her a bit of Parthos and Elysia. Maybe a villa could be constructed. Even the lake looks serene and not probably filled with monsters. It's a relaxing ride, the coach no longer jouncing once they're through the armored gate and onto the airfield, with its metal ground. Kai brings the coach up to the control building, then announces, "We've arrived! At least this is as far as the coach can be driven."
"Everyone out." Tasha does the same, having some practice with dismounting such things, she's off first. She takes a moment to walk around and flap her wings to stretch them, then stands by the entrance to the control center even if she isn't sure they're headed there. At least, not her group. "Who do you want and where to, Kai?"
The Questing Beast is unbridled and immediately runs off to the forest. "Well, you have a lot food, so.. that should probably go to the cafeteria. But you, Tia and Sam should come with me. Gabriel can keep the others out of trouble. Except for the flying one," Kai says, and points up to where Lacci is still soaring about.
"Hopefully Lacci has learned her lesson about avoiding scary places by now," Tasha remarks of the flying maiden as she cranes her head and covers her eyes. "If not this will become a strong reminder of caution."
"I have a whistle," Gabriel says. "That should get her attention."
"Are there outside lounge chairs?" Yue asks.
"I forgot to get plans for those, sorry," Gabriel says.
"Always prepared," Tasha remarks, patting Gabriel's side. "And no furniture except what we brought. Just improvise, and if you have to, there are a lot of trees." She then makes her way over to Kai, waiting on Tia.
"There's grass!" Hakeber claims, as she works to unload the coach. Samael is lurking near the rear of the coach.
"Should we head out, then? Or will we be practicing in the street like rrruffians?" Tasha's tail wags.
"Before that, we need to take care of something else," Kai, and gestures towards the Astraea. "You wanted a disguise. Tia has gathered the ingredients," she notes. For some reason she seems to include Sam in her gesture. "We'll need some of the facilities on the ship."
"This is a lot ominous than I expected, and I expected it to be very ominous." But Tasha heads for the ship anyway. "I assume you took in to account duration, durability, resistance to scans, that sort of thing? DNA?"
"Tia gathered the ingredients," Kai reiterates. "Do you trust us?" she asks Tasha.
Tasha just shrugs with her hands in an extremely vague form of answer. "Does it matter? Lets get this over with."
"First though, please request it of me," Kai asks, smiling but serious.
"Oh, my first wish." Tasha takes a very deep breath, exhales, and looks to the two others with them. The first is an actual demon; the second is some sort of cosmically abused, resentful, house with mother problems. She'll get no help here. She looks back to Kai. "Kai, please transform me in to a convincing likeness of a planetside Vartan that will be undetectable to Galactic sensory technology and senses, that will last until it's undone, and preferably be cute and attractive. Please do not use my request against me in any fashion, nor anyone I care about, things I care about, and likewise in that manner."
"I will do my best to accommodate this request," Kai claims. "With Tia and Sam's assistance." She then turns and walks towards Tia's ship. "Don't worry," Tia says. "You'll be safe."
"I feel safer already," Tasha says as she follows along. She does not, in fact, feel safer already. She feels like one of those people who just made a wish in the stories, except unlike those people, she has a pretty good idea of how it could be used against her.
Once aboard, Tasha is let to the series of suspension tubes. At least she's been in one before, when she was going insane. Tia opens it for her. "You don't have to take your clothes off or anything," she explains. "But you need to be unconscious for this. Mostly unconscious. You may have some dreams."
Being exposed to horrors is always nicer when she doesn't have to actually think about them, Tasha decides. "Alright. I should probably leave my electronics outside the tank." She then puts her datapad aside, then removes her armbands which are normally hidden through adaptive camouflage to look like the fur on her forearms. Finally, she removes her contacts and puts them inside a protective case. "There we go." She then heads for the tube, taking a moment to stretch as she does. Walking to some new doom has certainly become rote, in its way.
"How dangerous are these Nameless things?" she hears Samael ask Kai just before Tia closes the tube and activates the suspension process.
No doom at all. Nope. None at all. The calm before the storm is very relaxing indeed, so she lays back and closes her eyes, deciding she may as well enjoy it. Who gets stabbed next, maybe a planet will get destroyed again. It's the uncertainty that makes it all exciting.
Tasha does dream, but they're mostly seemingly disjointed memories of her childhood, the people she knew and mostly mundane things instead of her adventures. She has no idea how much time has passed when she feels consciousness returning, since she removed her electronics.
If anything Tasha's kind of groggy, and in the way of sleep, ins't quite sure where she is, why she is, or what's going on. Flitting pieces of ideas blip in and out, images, words, without much rhyme or reason.
"Hmm, probably should in pumped in more neurotransmitters," Tia says. "Do you feel hungover, or have a headache?"
"I want some sausages and some coffee," Tasha answers. She reaches to rub her head. "What time is it?"
"Almost dinner time," Tia says. Tasha's head feels.. like her head. Furry for the most part.
As things come back to her, Tasha begins to wonder if the effort failed. "Did you do it? The ... " She strains a moment. "The disguise? Are we still on your ship?"
"Yes," Tia says, a bit cagily. "We went with a lower risk but proven methodology. Well, folklore proven." She holds a hand out to Tasha in case she needs help.
"Folklore seems very iffy," Tasha notes, then she reaches over and takes the hand. "You don't sound as certain as I'd like. Are you uncertain?"
"Well.. there are aspects that Kai assures me are normal," Tia says. Once out, Tasha gestures to the next tube over. Inside is a civilian Vartan that looks like.. Desdemona. Tasha's mother, if she were younger and more petite. The next two tubes also seem to have figures in them, but the Vartan is right in front of Tasha. "The brain isn't purely Vartan, because Kai needed to include the organic ansible, which is mainly based on telepathy.." The Vartan is unconscious, but also clearly breathing, and nude, which is the least awkward thing about her.
"A changeling," Kai explains. Or states, as if it's supposed to mean something.
"And they needed Nameless ones to make them alive, so I was told," Samael says. "But since shadow-matter can't interact with or be duplicated by this unformed stuff, since it's literally a shadow of a higher dimensional structure, I'm to provide something comparable, if you want this one."
Tasha rubs her muzzle and peers, leaning in. She does not actually need to get closer, it's just a gesture she's learned to do from the Karnors. "So something like a remote then? I'll be unconscious back on the ship and piloting these entities from afar?"
"Well.. they're a bit more like Kai," Tia says. "They have your memories, although personality will tend to follow form in my experience. So they can be autonomous if needed, then perform memory synchronization as needed."
"So like Tasha ... robots?" Tasha leans back a little, blinking. "They're alive in other words, semi-free willed beings?"
"Well.. they're you," Tia explains. "Just.. extra. It's much safer to do this than try to shapeshift you. Do you want to activate her?"
"Oh, I'm multiplying now. And without even having children. May the universe shudder in fear." Tasha steps back and nods, folding her hands behind her back. "I bet everyone will want one."
"It wouldn't be as easy with anyone else though," Kai points out.
"Why am I so easy?" Tasha walks in to the joke, because humor at her expense is less distressing than meeting several of herself.
Tia sets the wake-up sequence, and the Vartan's eyes flutter open. The tube is opened, and the bird stares at Tasha. Then the Vartan reaches behind her head and feels around. "No studs..". Face feeling is next. "Beak. This.. is not what I expected." Tasha senses a new entry being added to her ansible menu: Vartan. And under are 'ride' and 'synchronize'. This is followed by a moment of vertigo as she sees herself through the Vartan's eyes for a moment.
"You have an ansible implant already," Kai explains to Tasha. "And are more experienced and interfacing with a different body."
"My soul does get around," Tasha admits. She then steps up to her new self and meets her gaze. "We need to synchronize so you don't experience disorientation." It occurs to her she could possibly be replaced this way, which is disturbing, but less disturbing than it might have been a year ago, or a week ago. "You'll understand in a moment."
And then Tasha choses 'synchronize'.
Synchronizing doesn't feel like much, other than now sharing each other's memory of waking up.
"You should probably give her a different name," Tia suggests.
"I should or this is going to get confusing quickly. Lets see, how about ... " Tasha leans in again, frowning. "Vasha? It's a Vartan name and it's understandable to the others. Vartan Tasha."
Vasha doesn't seem to have an objection.
"If you're satisfied, I can do the implantation now," Sam says.
"No objection? Then it's done." Tasha peers a bit more, then suddenly tries to ruffle up Vasha's feathery face because it's very cute. "Implantation?"
"We can't reproduce the spore," Kai explains. "But with my guidance, a piece of Samael, properly integrated, should be a viable substitute.
"This sounds distinctly like Samael will have control of them to some extent," Tasha notes, looking between the three.
"No, because there will be some transmutation involved," Samael says, and doesn't look happy at the prospect. "Like what was done to the Source."
"That doesn't sound pleasant for you, will you need a recharge?" Tasha again looks between the three.
"It's just a small part, it's not like a big bite," Samael assures. "Tia says she can handle the dimensional shift after I've disconnected from the piece."
"It sounds like you've worked it out then. Do I need to stand back?" Tasha stands back anyway, it's usually a safe call. "Well don't let me stop you."
"You may want to break synchronization for this," Tia says. She puts one hand to one side of Vasha's head, and Kai puts her to the other. Sam raises his hand, and the index finger stretches out into a spike.
Tasha does so, then takes a seat on the floor just in case. "Good luck, Vasha."
"This is probably going to hurt," the Vartan laments, just before Sam stabs the spike into her forehead. The body shudders and shakes as if an electric charge was being run through it, until Sam pulls back the spike.. which is now about an inch shorter.
Vasha is put back asleep, apparently, while Kai and Tia focus. Sam.. sucks on his finger tip, as if it were burnt. "What do you want to do with the other two?" he eventually asks Tasha.
"You're definitely right about the hurting part," Tasha observes with a touch of positivity. She's been in such situations herself, so she can commiserate, and having it happen to her double feels like a rite of Tasha passage. It's just not 'A Tasha' unless it's suffered some bizarre, painful experience delivered by an alien ally.
"Other two? I haven't even seen them yet." Tasha does stand though, walking over to see what other horrors have been wrought.
The next two tubes hold familiar shapes. The human one is clearly Tasha's human form, although this is her first time seeing it from outside. The other is a modern Karnor that is also familiar, but in a different way. Tasha has seen the face in the mirror before, but a mirror in a different timeline. The male Karnor is fluffier, but the face is still that of Sasha. He's also male, to match.
"The weirdness never ends does it?" Tasha looks between the two, this gallery of herself. "Well, we should probably ready them as well. I can't bring myself not to keep them now that they're here, it would be figuratively and literally self-destructive, and I have emotional attachments now. Maybe they can help me run everything."
"I suggested Sasha," Samael says. "Which one first?"
"Good idea. Lets go with the Human first, I remember her better. In fact lets get the first one out with me so the next ones will feel less out of place." Tasha looks over to Vasha, and asks, "Can she be moved, operate independently?"
"Once she recovers," Samael says, as he starts waking up the human. "She's basically you. So as long as you aren't paranoid about yourself you can let her do as she pleases, although it will be hard for her to find her own voice, as she can't just slip into your existing relationships."
Soon the blue-eyed, blond human is waking up. She too immediately feels the back of her skull, and looks alarmed. But, having been in a similar situation before, she adapts quickly. And tries to cover herself with her arms. "So if I'm here.. am I missing from you?" she asks Tasha, as her menu entry appears.
"That's why I'm glad you made the others, they'll be able to rely on each other to fill the very disturbing gap of lost relationships. I'd be concerned one or more of them might try and seize my relationships, because they want and need them, so having a pre-existing support structure would go a long way to help all of that." Tasha takes a breath, exhales, and nods. "Of course, I'll help, too. I'll assign them work and see what I can do in other ways."
"In a sense," Tasha explains, stepping forward. "You're me, but a separate entity created from the Human part of me. Your existence begun only a short while ago, while I am the original, or at least the current iteration of Tasha from back when we died and were remade. The same is true for the others." She then gestures left and right. "I know it's not ideal, and not what I expressly asked for, but we'll have to make it work somehow."
"Well, that's why I suggested Sasha for the Karnor," Samael says. "A female would cause conflict between you and Gabriel. This way, Hakeber can have a dedicated male to play with."
"Hmm," the human goes, and closes her eyes for a moment. "Alright, I remember now. You didn't get any clothes for me though, just for a Vartan. Tia can't complain if I look through her stuff then. It's weird, I feel different. I mean, like I did before, when we were in pieces."
"I don't think we should be dedicating any, um, facet of me to any purpose just yet. Let them figure it out on their own. They'll be under enough stress as it is," Tasha tells Samael before turning back to Human Tasha. "Yes, I remember feeling complete in a different way when I was Human. That means you can probably feel complete, too, and if you chose, embrace that. As we know, there's always something gained and lost across forms. Maybe you'll find what I couldn't."
"I'm sure that Tia and Kai would be willing to go naked to make you feel more comfortable," Sam notes. Human Tasha just narrows her eyes a bit at him, before turning back to Tasha Prime. "I need a name," she tells Tasha.
"Yes you do," Tasha agrees, she also narrows her eyes at Samael a moment before turning back. "How about Tanya? Or is that too easily mistaken for Tasha?"
The girl bites her lip. "Hmmm, I was made by Charon originally," she notes. "Not exactly a feminine name though. And I don't look anything like you so similar names might be weird. Sharon?"
Tasha smiles at that. "You chose your own name, that's good. I like that, and I like it. I'm not going to object to it or even think about whether I should or not. You made your choice." And so she inclines her head to that choice and its chooser. When she rises she then warns, "This next part's going to hurt. You can meet the others afterwards."
Sharon looks from Tasha to Sam, and then rubs her forehead. Then Tia and Kai come over. "Vasha will need to rest a bit. The grafting is stressful," Tia says.
"Alright. Well, why don't see to Sharon and then to Sasha, and we can all take a well deserved break," Tasha suggests. "Maybe outside, where it's less cramped."
"Can I have something to bite on at least?" Sharon asks.
Tasha considers this, then pulls off her jacket and rolls it up tightly. "There you go."
"You can wear it after," she adds.
So the human with the disturbingly small mouth chooses one leather strap to bite on before the others stab her in the brain. Once she's done twitching and put into sleep, there's just Sasha. Which could be the most awkward, since it's clear which set of memories he is going to prefer.
The Karnor does seem the most confused when he wakes up. "Sam?" he asks, looking at Tasha.
Tasha wonders if she could do it in his place. If she could wake up to nothing, with little else to hold on to except being a copy of the person in front of you, all to help this supposed 'prime' entity with her task. She might break down in his place; she might try and kill her.
So Tasha sits on the floor, wraps her hands around her knees, and lays her head on them. If she tries to kill herself, well, maybe she won't stop it. Or maybe she will. But Sasha will know what she's thinking from how she's sitting, hopefully. "No. This is the other way, and I'm Tasha. You were created from my time as Sasha, when our worldlines were reversed. I'm the original, or at least current, Prime Tasha, the female version of you, or original version to this reality."
Sasha rubs his head. "That weird stuff on Praxafallopus.. with the yellow.." He stops, then (predictably) rubs the back of his head. Then looks down. And wiggles his toes. "Oh god, do I look cute?" he asks.
"Very, you're a version of me after all," Tasha says, which is followed by a slow grin. "The others do, too. You might not remember what happened later, but the original was destroyed and remade. That's me, and why I look different from the original. You're wholly Karnor, the Human me is, well, Human, and there's a Vartan me as well. You'll meet them soon."
"Do I get some pants before then?" Sasha asks. "So.. why am I?"
"Adventure," Tia says.
"Excitement," Kai offers.
"And really wild things," Sam says. Sasha stares at Sam, since Sam.. looks like Sasha thinks of himself as looking like.
"Uh, well, I wans't expecting any of this," Tasha gestures around vaguely, " ... so no pants yet. I actually just asked for a Vartan disguise, but they elaborated on that considerably. Maybe they think I need more help, which I do. But instead I'll ask if you want to help me. We both know how overwhelmed we were getting, how much we might want to try other things, return to how things were, or just run away. Now you can explore those options and help me save this reality."
"Oh and Sam always looks like the opposite of the original, so he looks like you think you look like," Tasha notes, nodding to Samael. "This is what he looks like to me."
Sasha blinks a few times. "Of course we need to finish the mission.." he says, then pauses. "Okay, switching memories now.." Then he looks pained. "This will be tricky. But nobody would expect a regular Karnor on Daltoona. I just have to not think about Katie."
Tasha lifts her head a little, and now she's thinking about Katie and Sasha. "If you manage it, which you probably won't, let me know." She'll need to decide if she wants that memory or not.
"We both know it wouldn't work," Sasha says ruefully. "She wouldn't switch for Gabriel, and she's got you. And human you too. She's really coming out ahead on all of this, isn't she?"
Tasha laughs at that. "She always does, it's the Kaboom way," the red woman agrees. "Sometimes I feel both in charge and directed all at the same time."
"Okay, you're all looming at me," Sasha notes, as Tia, Kai and Sam close in a bit. "I should be worried about something other than pants right?"
"This will hurt," Tasha confirms. She begins to stand. "But afterwards you'll be as much a copy of me as they can make you, so there's that. We can probably see about neural studs later, now that we can source them from Galactics."
"Really?" he asks, before the his head is grasped and the finger goes in.
"Really," Tasha confirms, even if Sasha can't hear her. She takes in another deep breath, exhales, and then starts walking for the exit. "I need a drink."
Logfile from Envoy. (OOC) Log start: d:\logs\fenris\2022-02-17_threes-company.htmlVartans can be very poofy when their feathers all stick out. It takes lots of soothing and patting to calm Lacci down after she swears the Titanians wanted to cook and eat her. It helps that Tasha can give her a distracting task once they're back within Caltrop: grocery shopping. Tia takes Hakeber with her to the Library to help with her research, and Gabriel begins accumulating free 'historical' data on 'obsolete' technologies. Tasha isn't sure of what she'll need to bring for her training with Kai, but does run into someone with some advice on the matter.
"Acid," Samael suggests. "Or a ship-mounted communications maser."
"I'm okay with the maser so long as you carry it," Tasha insists as she walks along. She's purchased a few expandable modeling dummies, for use as target practice (or actual modeling since she needs to acquire a planet-side Vartan wardrobe), some comfortable workout clothes in everyone's sizes in a uniform and business-like gray, and a basic auto doctor portable diagnosis system in case someone breaks something. "So, acid?
"Kai should be affected by it if she's really human," Sam says, carrying some of Tasha's haul. "And I should be there to watch out for you."
"I'm not sure you can take Kai," Tasha admits as she walks, head shaking a little. "I'm not sure any of us can. Why, are you worried about me? Does Thotep still need me around?"
"To be honest, Tia said she needed me there to help with something," Samael responds. "And I don't want anyone else corrupting your soul. I should have first crack at it."
"I killed all the demons who tried to eat me last time, as a warning. Besides, what good is my soul to you, anyway? You can't eat it, I'm increasingly poisonous, and, well, what use is it?" Tasha's disappointed to hear Samael is just here because he has to be, and that he doesn't really care, except to protect an investment. She's steadily wondering why she ever treated him like a friend and ally. Do the people around her want her around, or do they just need her for something? Or, has she just grown up enough to understand what she's actually created over what she thought she did? "Besides I might need Kai."
"It's the principal of the thing," Samael claims. "I'm just a part of the ship, and now I'm also the lowest ranked supernatural being. I suspect the cats are plotting against me as well."
"They plot against everyone, it's part of their charm, along with their cuddliness." Tasha stops, peers in to her bag, then shrugs. "Well, I guess this will do. It's not like she gave me a shopping list. Lets grab the others and head for the idyll."
Since Katie and Shojo were dealing with training the mercenaries, the group going out this time around would be Gabriel, Tasha, Hakeber, Lacci, Yue, Sam and Tia. This was convenient in that they all had their own spacesuits already, except for Sam and Tia. Gabriel also took Navigation this time, to let Tasha get some practice piloting the Dark Horse (since the Phins were still exploring Caltrop and visiting with the local Phins). Jonas was in the Med Bay, since he seldom left the ship.
Tasha hops in her seat, or rather, over her seat. "I get to fly and don't have to stare at the evil orb? I'm so doing this."
"It's a lot different than the shuttle," Gabriel warns. "Inertial control and simplified orbital mechanics. It's the first spaceship I've been on that can actually move in a straight line."
"It's probably too easy for me to be flying if I plan to learn anything, but I'll take the opportunity anyway." Tasha brings up the pilot controls, which she knows about and has practiced with (in simulation) but never had to actually use for purpose before. She wonders if she's reached a point she can use other, supernatural, senses to pilot, but decides she'd best have primary control kept to tried-and-true methods just in case. "Are we ready to head out?"
"Yes, if you want to take us away from the docking shelf," Gabriel says. There's a sensitivity knob on one of the joysticks to control how far the joysticks need to move for any given scale of motion.
Tasha sets the nob to its lowest setting to get a feel for it, then gently brings the ship away from dock. They'd already decoupled the airlock, so all that's left is to move away. She spaces the ship from the dock, then begins to move the ship aft and away from the station; when the navigation software indicates they'll have the space at the right frame, she also begins to rotate the vessel, so that it reverses and begins to spin so that the aft turns towards the dock a few seconds after they clear it, allowing the ship to move away and face outward. "It's all about doing the most with the least." In many ways it reminds her of her new flight ability.
"If they made a ship that let you steer by using a whip, would you want to try it?" Gabriel asks. The Dark Horse is more obedient than a Ptera though.
"You mean a ship that makes my arm sore while also making it impossible to hear and making Eeee angry?" Tasha isn't sure why everyone assumes she likes whips just because it was part of her job; it's like saying Gabriel should pilot a ship flown by guns. The whip was so that the pteras, which are quite large, can hear and feel fear despite the distance to the droving house, heavy wind and rain, and the noise on deck. She'd have found having a console a delight. "Now get me a ship with a sense of motion, direct neural control, a FTL drive, style, and a cockpit I can see out of, that I'd like. Make it fast. It could have flames painted on it."
"Point taken," Gabriel chuckles. "I like this ship, but it isn't fair that Kaa is the only one that can actually feel it moving."
"I agree completely. All I've ever got to do is stare at the evil orb, which no one likes. You'd think with all the enhancement I have now I could fly using some other senses, maybe then I could feel it." The ship aligns with its initial course, and accelerates out. Of course it's a dummy route intended to act as a kind of leisure cruise outting, to be diverted to the asteroid several steps in. "I kind of want my own custom small ship."
"You could try painting flames on the Tadpole," Yue says, coming onto the bridge with a mug of coffee. Not good coffee, since they didn't bring either of the two men who could operate the steampunk monstrosity that produces the good stuff.
"I can't get too attached. I prefer machines and neural interfacing, since I don't have to worry about dragging another life in to danger with me. Emotional baggage has become a real distraction." It's more than Tasha wanted to admit, but now that it's out there she can't do anything about it. So she keeps flying and hopes no one inquires further.
"There's the alien ship," Yue says, and sips her instant coffee. "Although I have no idea how it's piloted."
"I think that would be stealing. Tia migth seem gentle and kind of helpless, but she's not defenseless, and she's probably more dangerous than Samael is sufficiently upset. Lets not provoke her." Because I don't need another executioner with an axe over my neck having second thoughts, Tasha does not add. Currently that list includes: The Titanians, the Null, Thotep, Hastur, Tia. She's probably missing a few.
"Maybe there are abandoned ones in the asteroid belt that can be salvaged, but probably not with a hyperdrive," Yue says. "There's no laws out here, no jurisdiction.. who knows what goes on in the asteroids."
"Look for junk I can steal and reuse, that's very Titanian of you, Yue. I like you more every day." Tasha reaches the first transit node, then begins the arc in to the second, which is supposedly a pleasure cruise. As Yue said, its lawless out here, so she does wonder when some over-eager band of space hoppers will try and hijack them, but for now their cruises have gone unimpeded. "We'll keep an eye out. I'm sure we can upgrade anything we find."
"I'm sure there are Belters with stories of lost ships," Yue suggests. "So, has the old mining base been made habitable already?"
"It has. I'm going to accelerate and get us there ASAP. By habitable it's less 'renovated' so much as 'portal to the beyond, an abyss which a reality has been made on top of'." Tasha does as she says, pushing the ship to head out in to the convoluted touring-slash-evasion route. It should only be another twenty minutes until they arrive. "You'll see."
Kai listened to previous complaints about the walk to the base. This time there's an ornate coach ready, with a truly bizarre looking creature hitched to it, looking like a snake grafted onto a goat.
"This isn't what I imagined," Yue notes. Lacci clicks her beak rapidly, before looking to the sky and calming down. Hakeber asks, "Is the lake safe to swim in?"
"I think she's mocking you Sam," Tasha notes of the snoats, which she avoids because she grew up around big animals and has -- had -- the scars to prove it. "Only if you like getting eaten Hake. Nothing here is as safe as it looks, and it might trick you. That's the rule of fairyland. Don't wander alone. Only the base can be considered relatively safe."
"It's actually a Questing Beast," Kai says. She's dressed in old fashioned livery and setting on the bench of the coach, reins in hand. "Harder to tame than unicorns. I didn't think you would be bringing so much stuff.. and people. Who wants to ride with me on the bench?"
Tasha raises a hand, mostly because she knows the others largely won't. Besides, they'll all expect her to want to be in the droving seat anyway. "Any other volunteers?"
"I need to discuss things with Kai, so I can sit there too," Tia says.
Lacci looks at the coach, then the sky. "I'd like to fly. Is it okay to fly here?" she asks.
"Sky is safe, just don't go low over the forest," Kai replies.
Tasha places an internal bet that Tia will sit on the far side from Kai, putting her in the middle. "Just stay close to the carriage or in the air, we're not really sure what happens if you try to fly in to space from here, because we're not really sure if space is out there or something else."
"Oooo," Hakeber goes, hugging Yue around the shoulder. "We get Gabriel alll to ourselves then!"
Apparently, Kai stays in the center of the bench, so Tasha gets her choice of left side or right side.
Tasha thinks about contesting it, but doesn't Gabriel probably deserves some fussing over, especially since she's been more distant, what with the matter of children, raids, and all too much on her shoulders. Once in she choses the left side, because she's right handed.
When everyone is settled, Kai gets the coach moving. Tia is quite, but it's possible the conversation is purely telepathic. The Questing Beast moves strangely, but they're soon around the bend and the base comes into view, with a third of the landing field taken up by the Astraea. Lacci is taking her time in the air.
And so pasha settles back and enjoys the ride, arms behind her head, legs folded one over there other and top hoof bobbing to some unheard melody. It reminds her a lot of home, especially her travels after meeting Aaron. A coach, after all, would have been beyond her income and resources before then. Since no one's talking to her, she decides to enjoy the silence.
The valley is deceptively pretty. Even the cliffs remind her a bit of Parthos and Elysia. Maybe a villa could be constructed. Even the lake looks serene and not probably filled with monsters. It's a relaxing ride, the coach no longer jouncing once they're through the armored gate and onto the airfield, with its metal ground. Kai brings the coach up to the control building, then announces, "We've arrived! At least this is as far as the coach can be driven."
"Everyone out." Tasha does the same, having some practice with dismounting such things, she's off first. She takes a moment to walk around and flap her wings to stretch them, then stands by the entrance to the control center even if she isn't sure they're headed there. At least, not her group. "Who do you want and where to, Kai?"
The Questing Beast is unbridled and immediately runs off to the forest. "Well, you have a lot food, so.. that should probably go to the cafeteria. But you, Tia and Sam should come with me. Gabriel can keep the others out of trouble. Except for the flying one," Kai says, and points up to where Lacci is still soaring about.
"Hopefully Lacci has learned her lesson about avoiding scary places by now," Tasha remarks of the flying maiden as she cranes her head and covers her eyes. "If not this will become a strong reminder of caution."
"I have a whistle," Gabriel says. "That should get her attention."
"Are there outside lounge chairs?" Yue asks.
"I forgot to get plans for those, sorry," Gabriel says.
"Always prepared," Tasha remarks, patting Gabriel's side. "And no furniture except what we brought. Just improvise, and if you have to, there are a lot of trees." She then makes her way over to Kai, waiting on Tia.
"There's grass!" Hakeber claims, as she works to unload the coach. Samael is lurking near the rear of the coach.
"Should we head out, then? Or will we be practicing in the street like rrruffians?" Tasha's tail wags.
"Before that, we need to take care of something else," Kai, and gestures towards the Astraea. "You wanted a disguise. Tia has gathered the ingredients," she notes. For some reason she seems to include Sam in her gesture. "We'll need some of the facilities on the ship."
"This is a lot ominous than I expected, and I expected it to be very ominous." But Tasha heads for the ship anyway. "I assume you took in to account duration, durability, resistance to scans, that sort of thing? DNA?"
"Tia gathered the ingredients," Kai reiterates. "Do you trust us?" she asks Tasha.
Tasha just shrugs with her hands in an extremely vague form of answer. "Does it matter? Lets get this over with."
"First though, please request it of me," Kai asks, smiling but serious.
"Oh, my first wish." Tasha takes a very deep breath, exhales, and looks to the two others with them. The first is an actual demon; the second is some sort of cosmically abused, resentful, house with mother problems. She'll get no help here. She looks back to Kai. "Kai, please transform me in to a convincing likeness of a planetside Vartan that will be undetectable to Galactic sensory technology and senses, that will last until it's undone, and preferably be cute and attractive. Please do not use my request against me in any fashion, nor anyone I care about, things I care about, and likewise in that manner."
"I will do my best to accommodate this request," Kai claims. "With Tia and Sam's assistance." She then turns and walks towards Tia's ship. "Don't worry," Tia says. "You'll be safe."
"I feel safer already," Tasha says as she follows along. She does not, in fact, feel safer already. She feels like one of those people who just made a wish in the stories, except unlike those people, she has a pretty good idea of how it could be used against her.
Once aboard, Tasha is let to the series of suspension tubes. At least she's been in one before, when she was going insane. Tia opens it for her. "You don't have to take your clothes off or anything," she explains. "But you need to be unconscious for this. Mostly unconscious. You may have some dreams."
Being exposed to horrors is always nicer when she doesn't have to actually think about them, Tasha decides. "Alright. I should probably leave my electronics outside the tank." She then puts her datapad aside, then removes her armbands which are normally hidden through adaptive camouflage to look like the fur on her forearms. Finally, she removes her contacts and puts them inside a protective case. "There we go." She then heads for the tube, taking a moment to stretch as she does. Walking to some new doom has certainly become rote, in its way.
"How dangerous are these Nameless things?" she hears Samael ask Kai just before Tia closes the tube and activates the suspension process.
No doom at all. Nope. None at all. The calm before the storm is very relaxing indeed, so she lays back and closes her eyes, deciding she may as well enjoy it. Who gets stabbed next, maybe a planet will get destroyed again. It's the uncertainty that makes it all exciting.
Tasha does dream, but they're mostly seemingly disjointed memories of her childhood, the people she knew and mostly mundane things instead of her adventures. She has no idea how much time has passed when she feels consciousness returning, since she removed her electronics.
If anything Tasha's kind of groggy, and in the way of sleep, ins't quite sure where she is, why she is, or what's going on. Flitting pieces of ideas blip in and out, images, words, without much rhyme or reason.
"Hmm, probably should in pumped in more neurotransmitters," Tia says. "Do you feel hungover, or have a headache?"
"I want some sausages and some coffee," Tasha answers. She reaches to rub her head. "What time is it?"
"Almost dinner time," Tia says. Tasha's head feels.. like her head. Furry for the most part.
As things come back to her, Tasha begins to wonder if the effort failed. "Did you do it? The ... " She strains a moment. "The disguise? Are we still on your ship?"
"Yes," Tia says, a bit cagily. "We went with a lower risk but proven methodology. Well, folklore proven." She holds a hand out to Tasha in case she needs help.
"Folklore seems very iffy," Tasha notes, then she reaches over and takes the hand. "You don't sound as certain as I'd like. Are you uncertain?"
"Well.. there are aspects that Kai assures me are normal," Tia says. Once out, Tasha gestures to the next tube over. Inside is a civilian Vartan that looks like.. Desdemona. Tasha's mother, if she were younger and more petite. The next two tubes also seem to have figures in them, but the Vartan is right in front of Tasha. "The brain isn't purely Vartan, because Kai needed to include the organic ansible, which is mainly based on telepathy.." The Vartan is unconscious, but also clearly breathing, and nude, which is the least awkward thing about her.
"A changeling," Kai explains. Or states, as if it's supposed to mean something.
"And they needed Nameless ones to make them alive, so I was told," Samael says. "But since shadow-matter can't interact with or be duplicated by this unformed stuff, since it's literally a shadow of a higher dimensional structure, I'm to provide something comparable, if you want this one."
Tasha rubs her muzzle and peers, leaning in. She does not actually need to get closer, it's just a gesture she's learned to do from the Karnors. "So something like a remote then? I'll be unconscious back on the ship and piloting these entities from afar?"
"Well.. they're a bit more like Kai," Tia says. "They have your memories, although personality will tend to follow form in my experience. So they can be autonomous if needed, then perform memory synchronization as needed."
"So like Tasha ... robots?" Tasha leans back a little, blinking. "They're alive in other words, semi-free willed beings?"
"Well.. they're you," Tia explains. "Just.. extra. It's much safer to do this than try to shapeshift you. Do you want to activate her?"
"Oh, I'm multiplying now. And without even having children. May the universe shudder in fear." Tasha steps back and nods, folding her hands behind her back. "I bet everyone will want one."
"It wouldn't be as easy with anyone else though," Kai points out.
"Why am I so easy?" Tasha walks in to the joke, because humor at her expense is less distressing than meeting several of herself.
Tia sets the wake-up sequence, and the Vartan's eyes flutter open. The tube is opened, and the bird stares at Tasha. Then the Vartan reaches behind her head and feels around. "No studs..". Face feeling is next. "Beak. This.. is not what I expected." Tasha senses a new entry being added to her ansible menu: Vartan. And under are 'ride' and 'synchronize'. This is followed by a moment of vertigo as she sees herself through the Vartan's eyes for a moment.
"You have an ansible implant already," Kai explains to Tasha. "And are more experienced and interfacing with a different body."
"My soul does get around," Tasha admits. She then steps up to her new self and meets her gaze. "We need to synchronize so you don't experience disorientation." It occurs to her she could possibly be replaced this way, which is disturbing, but less disturbing than it might have been a year ago, or a week ago. "You'll understand in a moment."
And then Tasha choses 'synchronize'.
Synchronizing doesn't feel like much, other than now sharing each other's memory of waking up.
"You should probably give her a different name," Tia suggests.
"I should or this is going to get confusing quickly. Lets see, how about ... " Tasha leans in again, frowning. "Vasha? It's a Vartan name and it's understandable to the others. Vartan Tasha."
Vasha doesn't seem to have an objection.
"If you're satisfied, I can do the implantation now," Sam says.
"No objection? Then it's done." Tasha peers a bit more, then suddenly tries to ruffle up Vasha's feathery face because it's very cute. "Implantation?"
"We can't reproduce the spore," Kai explains. "But with my guidance, a piece of Samael, properly integrated, should be a viable substitute.
"This sounds distinctly like Samael will have control of them to some extent," Tasha notes, looking between the three.
"No, because there will be some transmutation involved," Samael says, and doesn't look happy at the prospect. "Like what was done to the Source."
"That doesn't sound pleasant for you, will you need a recharge?" Tasha again looks between the three.
"It's just a small part, it's not like a big bite," Samael assures. "Tia says she can handle the dimensional shift after I've disconnected from the piece."
"It sounds like you've worked it out then. Do I need to stand back?" Tasha stands back anyway, it's usually a safe call. "Well don't let me stop you."
"You may want to break synchronization for this," Tia says. She puts one hand to one side of Vasha's head, and Kai puts her to the other. Sam raises his hand, and the index finger stretches out into a spike.
Tasha does so, then takes a seat on the floor just in case. "Good luck, Vasha."
"This is probably going to hurt," the Vartan laments, just before Sam stabs the spike into her forehead. The body shudders and shakes as if an electric charge was being run through it, until Sam pulls back the spike.. which is now about an inch shorter.
Vasha is put back asleep, apparently, while Kai and Tia focus. Sam.. sucks on his finger tip, as if it were burnt. "What do you want to do with the other two?" he eventually asks Tasha.
"You're definitely right about the hurting part," Tasha observes with a touch of positivity. She's been in such situations herself, so she can commiserate, and having it happen to her double feels like a rite of Tasha passage. It's just not 'A Tasha' unless it's suffered some bizarre, painful experience delivered by an alien ally.
"Other two? I haven't even seen them yet." Tasha does stand though, walking over to see what other horrors have been wrought.
The next two tubes hold familiar shapes. The human one is clearly Tasha's human form, although this is her first time seeing it from outside. The other is a modern Karnor that is also familiar, but in a different way. Tasha has seen the face in the mirror before, but a mirror in a different timeline. The male Karnor is fluffier, but the face is still that of Sasha. He's also male, to match.
"The weirdness never ends does it?" Tasha looks between the two, this gallery of herself. "Well, we should probably ready them as well. I can't bring myself not to keep them now that they're here, it would be figuratively and literally self-destructive, and I have emotional attachments now. Maybe they can help me run everything."
"I suggested Sasha," Samael says. "Which one first?"
"Good idea. Lets go with the Human first, I remember her better. In fact lets get the first one out with me so the next ones will feel less out of place." Tasha looks over to Vasha, and asks, "Can she be moved, operate independently?"
"Once she recovers," Samael says, as he starts waking up the human. "She's basically you. So as long as you aren't paranoid about yourself you can let her do as she pleases, although it will be hard for her to find her own voice, as she can't just slip into your existing relationships."
Soon the blue-eyed, blond human is waking up. She too immediately feels the back of her skull, and looks alarmed. But, having been in a similar situation before, she adapts quickly. And tries to cover herself with her arms. "So if I'm here.. am I missing from you?" she asks Tasha, as her menu entry appears.
"That's why I'm glad you made the others, they'll be able to rely on each other to fill the very disturbing gap of lost relationships. I'd be concerned one or more of them might try and seize my relationships, because they want and need them, so having a pre-existing support structure would go a long way to help all of that." Tasha takes a breath, exhales, and nods. "Of course, I'll help, too. I'll assign them work and see what I can do in other ways."
"In a sense," Tasha explains, stepping forward. "You're me, but a separate entity created from the Human part of me. Your existence begun only a short while ago, while I am the original, or at least the current iteration of Tasha from back when we died and were remade. The same is true for the others." She then gestures left and right. "I know it's not ideal, and not what I expressly asked for, but we'll have to make it work somehow."
"Well, that's why I suggested Sasha for the Karnor," Samael says. "A female would cause conflict between you and Gabriel. This way, Hakeber can have a dedicated male to play with."
"Hmm," the human goes, and closes her eyes for a moment. "Alright, I remember now. You didn't get any clothes for me though, just for a Vartan. Tia can't complain if I look through her stuff then. It's weird, I feel different. I mean, like I did before, when we were in pieces."
"I don't think we should be dedicating any, um, facet of me to any purpose just yet. Let them figure it out on their own. They'll be under enough stress as it is," Tasha tells Samael before turning back to Human Tasha. "Yes, I remember feeling complete in a different way when I was Human. That means you can probably feel complete, too, and if you chose, embrace that. As we know, there's always something gained and lost across forms. Maybe you'll find what I couldn't."
"I'm sure that Tia and Kai would be willing to go naked to make you feel more comfortable," Sam notes. Human Tasha just narrows her eyes a bit at him, before turning back to Tasha Prime. "I need a name," she tells Tasha.
"Yes you do," Tasha agrees, she also narrows her eyes at Samael a moment before turning back. "How about Tanya? Or is that too easily mistaken for Tasha?"
The girl bites her lip. "Hmmm, I was made by Charon originally," she notes. "Not exactly a feminine name though. And I don't look anything like you so similar names might be weird. Sharon?"
Tasha smiles at that. "You chose your own name, that's good. I like that, and I like it. I'm not going to object to it or even think about whether I should or not. You made your choice." And so she inclines her head to that choice and its chooser. When she rises she then warns, "This next part's going to hurt. You can meet the others afterwards."
Sharon looks from Tasha to Sam, and then rubs her forehead. Then Tia and Kai come over. "Vasha will need to rest a bit. The grafting is stressful," Tia says.
"Alright. Well, why don't see to Sharon and then to Sasha, and we can all take a well deserved break," Tasha suggests. "Maybe outside, where it's less cramped."
"Can I have something to bite on at least?" Sharon asks.
Tasha considers this, then pulls off her jacket and rolls it up tightly. "There you go."
"You can wear it after," she adds.
So the human with the disturbingly small mouth chooses one leather strap to bite on before the others stab her in the brain. Once she's done twitching and put into sleep, there's just Sasha. Which could be the most awkward, since it's clear which set of memories he is going to prefer.
The Karnor does seem the most confused when he wakes up. "Sam?" he asks, looking at Tasha.
Tasha wonders if she could do it in his place. If she could wake up to nothing, with little else to hold on to except being a copy of the person in front of you, all to help this supposed 'prime' entity with her task. She might break down in his place; she might try and kill her.
So Tasha sits on the floor, wraps her hands around her knees, and lays her head on them. If she tries to kill herself, well, maybe she won't stop it. Or maybe she will. But Sasha will know what she's thinking from how she's sitting, hopefully. "No. This is the other way, and I'm Tasha. You were created from my time as Sasha, when our worldlines were reversed. I'm the original, or at least current, Prime Tasha, the female version of you, or original version to this reality."
Sasha rubs his head. "That weird stuff on Praxafallopus.. with the yellow.." He stops, then (predictably) rubs the back of his head. Then looks down. And wiggles his toes. "Oh god, do I look cute?" he asks.
"Very, you're a version of me after all," Tasha says, which is followed by a slow grin. "The others do, too. You might not remember what happened later, but the original was destroyed and remade. That's me, and why I look different from the original. You're wholly Karnor, the Human me is, well, Human, and there's a Vartan me as well. You'll meet them soon."
"Do I get some pants before then?" Sasha asks. "So.. why am I?"
"Adventure," Tia says.
"Excitement," Kai offers.
"And really wild things," Sam says. Sasha stares at Sam, since Sam.. looks like Sasha thinks of himself as looking like.
"Uh, well, I wans't expecting any of this," Tasha gestures around vaguely, " ... so no pants yet. I actually just asked for a Vartan disguise, but they elaborated on that considerably. Maybe they think I need more help, which I do. But instead I'll ask if you want to help me. We both know how overwhelmed we were getting, how much we might want to try other things, return to how things were, or just run away. Now you can explore those options and help me save this reality."
"Oh and Sam always looks like the opposite of the original, so he looks like you think you look like," Tasha notes, nodding to Samael. "This is what he looks like to me."
Sasha blinks a few times. "Of course we need to finish the mission.." he says, then pauses. "Okay, switching memories now.." Then he looks pained. "This will be tricky. But nobody would expect a regular Karnor on Daltoona. I just have to not think about Katie."
Tasha lifts her head a little, and now she's thinking about Katie and Sasha. "If you manage it, which you probably won't, let me know." She'll need to decide if she wants that memory or not.
"We both know it wouldn't work," Sasha says ruefully. "She wouldn't switch for Gabriel, and she's got you. And human you too. She's really coming out ahead on all of this, isn't she?"
Tasha laughs at that. "She always does, it's the Kaboom way," the red woman agrees. "Sometimes I feel both in charge and directed all at the same time."
"Okay, you're all looming at me," Sasha notes, as Tia, Kai and Sam close in a bit. "I should be worried about something other than pants right?"
"This will hurt," Tasha confirms. She begins to stand. "But afterwards you'll be as much a copy of me as they can make you, so there's that. We can probably see about neural studs later, now that we can source them from Galactics."
"Really?" he asks, before the his head is grasped and the finger goes in.
"Really," Tasha confirms, even if Sasha can't hear her. She takes in another deep breath, exhales, and then starts walking for the exit. "I need a drink."