The big boom brings everyone to the airfield. Dragons, Kobolds, Whisper, and all of the Karnors, Vartans and Humans. And presumably demons too. A Phoenix is a bit draw, and Tasha has to manage access. Missing are Kai and Tia, as the latter is not in good condition.
And then there's Sharon, Tasha knows, another victim of the explosion, recuperating in the medical bay. She's better off than the injured, but she's still tired from giving birth -- an action that continues to return to her mind in fits and starts, always a surprise -- and the copious amount of energy she expended in to both defend the Phoenix and also not be burned to ashes herself. And she's more or less naked, wearing only a highly singed and partially burnt bathrobe.
She took a nap and ended up nuking her own base with a child she herself laid. Tasha's still unsure what that means for their relationship, yet her instincts run high, and for now she's a mother with a baby bird to look after, a base to manage, and injured to see to.
And pants. She needs pants.
All the commotion gets to her, and she declares, "Alright. Gabriel and... Katie, Hakeber, Sasha attend me. Everyone can meet my baby birdy in time, but they were just born, and I just laid that egg, and I need to... I need to... I need figure things out. And clothes. I need clothes."
"We expect to see the Phoenix at some point," Wormwood rumbles, but starts ushering away the Kobolds. Whisper is another matter. "I want to be able to pet it," she insists, but does follow the dragons. Katie puts her hand on Tasha's shoulder to help keep her steady as the other Karnors form a ring around her. Vasha puffs out her feathers and starts shooing away any stragglers.
"You can come too, Vasha." Tasha wasn't sure the Vartan would be interested, but then wonders why she thought she wouldn't be. In all honesty, she wasn't thinking, and she recognizes that as a problem. Mantled by her wings, Tasha hols the Phoenix like a flame that might flicker out if the wind should reach it. "Come on then little one, lets go somewhere quieter. I need to figure out what you need, first of all."
"Bugs," Vasha suggests. "Does she need to be outdoors?" Hakeber asks. "Maybe she eats fire," Katie guesses. "This is not the place to figure it out," Gabriel cuts through. "For now one of the residential towers should do while we figure out what a Phoenix needs. That means talking to the dragons and Kai. What they don't know, they can go out and find."
Tasha gives Gabriel an immensely grateful look. "Thank you." And she sounds relieved. As she starts walking towards the tower complex, she says, "Tia is injured. She was there, in the blast. There may be... pieces of her still scattered around the region. I'm going to search when I'm able. I might still have a connection to the Flame of Life. I held it. For a moment." She gives her head a little shake. "And I need to visit Sharon eventually. First things first. Let's go."
There are plenty of unused towers in the residential area - Kai must have assumed there'd be hundreds of people, or else that's just what the template she used was scaled at. One is picked that's closer to the mountainside that didn't get any damage from the blast.
"Well, we can make a nest of blankets if the chick isn't going to burn," Hakeber suggests.
"Should probably be stones, like a firepit," Sasha says.
Katie arrives a bit late, having detoured to get some clothes for Tasha.
"We'll try both. Sasha, can you grab some stones. There should be blankets in the tower. I'll be the blanket in the mean time." Tasha nods to Katherine, and looks around for a moment. She then focuses on Gabriel and unfolds her wings. "I need to get dressed, please hold my little bird. Just, careful. They're very hot sometimes." She realizes she's sounding a bit inane, she must be tired. "What I mean is, just be careful. And let me know if they get too hot." And then very, very carefully, she holds the small bird out for Gabriel to hold.
It looks tiny in Gabriel's cupped hands. "Not too hot yet," the big wolf claims.
"You can talk to them," tells Gabriel. Tasha then leans to the side of the little bird and says, "This is Gabriel. Gabriel." She reaches a hand over to point at him. "Tasha." She points to herself. Then she repeats the words several times, indicating each of them.
The chick seems more concerned with fluffing out its feathers and.. taking a nap. Wolf fur is also an acceptable nesting material it seems.
"Well. We'll work on that," Tasha says, nonplussed. She looks up at Gabriel with a 'am I doing this right' expression.
"I don't know about raising birds," the man admits. "You were raised as a Vartan, didn't you see how the chicks were reared?"
"No, I was born on a ship, and we didn't remain in port for longer than a month or two. I knew women with children but I, ah... "Tasha gestures vaguely to herself. "I was angry and, well, not quite Vartan enough for some people. Vartans are very protective." Tasha frowns at the little bird, resisting the urge to kiss its head and give it a hug. "We'll figure it out. The Phoenix normally gives birth to itself, so it must be at least somewhat independent... Right?"
"Yes," Hakeber says. "It can't die, so it must just grow based on that life flame stuff." Still, she has a pile of blankets in a basic bowl shape.
"Lets set up a little nest then, make sure they're comfortable and safe, and then decide what to do next. I need a shower and something to eat, a, um, a lot to eat. We can also try offering little bits of things and see what they like." Tasha twists her muzzle, thinking. "Yes, lets do that. My reserves are very low, and that's not good. I can't afford to collapse now. And there are safety concerns."
Sasha returns with gravel and stones, giving the chick a choice of stone or blankets. And the Phoenix chooses stone after all. And goes to sleep again, but it looks a little bigger than it did before. Katie gets a camera set up to monitor it as well.
"Want me to carry you?" Gabriel asks Tasha.
"Please." Tasha all but falls in to Gabriel's arms, informing him, "I laid an egg," as he carries her off. "I think I'm a mom now." She does sound like she's slowly running out of energy.
First stop is the cafeteria, and Sasha's sausage omelets.. which are just omelets wrapped around large sausages. Also coffee. "This should help you, otherwise it's off to the med bay," Sasha says.
Gabriel has seen Tasha eat, and eat a lot. This eclipses that. She starts slowly, but as she builds up momentum she puts away entire sausage omelets in less than a three seconds. "Mmhmm," she goes between inhaling food. And, at the same time, her aura flickers slowly back to life, like a low battery readout that now has enough battery life to display that it is, in fact, low of battery and not out of battery.
"Feeling better?" Gabriel asks, as Tasha is still sitting in his lap. "Do you want to see Dr. Knight?"
Tasha does not answer until all the food is gone. Her coffee is gone. She looks like she's considering eating the plate and mug, but ultimately doesn't. "Ahhhh," she goes, curling up in to her own furry little nest. "Yes, please." A pause. "You have a lot of questions." It's not, itself, a question.
"I always have a lot of questions," Gabriel says. "But it's easier to wait for you tell the tale yourself." He lifts Tasha off his lap and sets her back on her hooves to see if she can stand up.
"Whoop," goes Tasha as she settles back on her hooves. She's dressed, standing, and only singed in the bathrobe area, so she looks functional, anyway. "Lets take a walk and summon the good doctors then. I'll explain what happened after I'm checked out." She starts walking, and adds, "You'll have to call them, I don't have my electronics with me."
"We'll go to him this time," Gabriel says, nudging Tasha towards the corridor. "But I'll let him know we're coming. We can check on Sharon."
"Good, good." Tasha keeps walking, then she repeats, "I laid an egg," as if she's just now realizing it. "An egg. You're not... mad, are you? It was the only way. Gabriel, I really can give birth to... anything. As long as it's alive. Even a Phoenix."
"I don't think you were impregnated, so it doesn't count as cheating," Gabriel says as they reach the med bay. Sharon is sitting up on one of the bed, naked but unmarred. Dr. Knight turns to the incoming pair and notes, "I smell singed fur."
"I laid a Phoenix egg," Tasha reports, followed by a self-deprecating shrug and a bit of a shit eating grin; you know me. "My aura was barely enough to handle the heat. I've never smelled burnt air before."
"Mmmm, do you normally lay eggs?" the Belter asks, and gestures Tasha to the other medical bed.
Tasha gives Sharon a little wave as she passes, then hops on the bed. "I don't think so? I'm the only one of my kind. And I can give birth to anything that lives. Maybe more."
Dr. Knight starts the scanner, watching the progress screen. "I don't see any damage," he reports. "Some or your brain chemistry is off.. you depleted a lot of neurotransmitters. Do you have a headache, or been experiencing hallucinations?"
"I feel very strange. I had also been fighting a battle on a mountain shaped like a needle in the Dreamlands, on the moon. Mt. Cthon. I had to blow up half the mountain." Tasha blinks. "That's why we had to do it the way we did. To bring the Phoenix here, I was needed as a bridge, to convey the essence of the Flame of Life itself." Another blink. "I was physically asleep during this time. My spirit was elsewhere. I think that's how it works."
"Mmm-hmm," Dr. Knight says as he works at the mini-lab, and returns with an injector. "This should help," he says, and presses it to Tasha's neck. There's a pffft sound and a slight sting.
"OW," Tasha exaggerates. She gives Gabriel a the sting hurt pouty look, which she then turns on Sharon. This is followed by, "How are you doing, Sharon? I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I should have, in hindsight."
"All the glass is out and the cuts healed up, but they still itch," Sharon says. "What happened after the explosion? Where's Tia?"
"Tia is... " Tasha hesitates. "Tia, well, she... She moved the egg to a safe distance for everyone, um, except... herself." Tasha's head shakes. "And Kai has been finding the pieces since, to put her back together. I plan to help the search once I have the energy to cross the plane and search. I'm hoping my connecting with the Flame of Life will let me spot the lingering concentrations of that energy, which may still cling to Tia's... remains."
Sharon just looks shocked. "Is Kai going to fix her?" she asks, a bit shaken. Tia is one of her 'moms' after all.
"I don't know. She's trying. We should... " Tasha trails off and looks to Gabriel. For a moment she looks a bit lost, but then she seems to gather herself, and says, "We need to assemble search teams and coordinate with Kai. She'll have some idea where we should look and where she may have had difficulties searching, and what to look for. The Phins should be dispatched to the lake with orders for search and recovery. Vasha can be dispatched for aerial recon. We might also use the shuttles and their equipment, sooner rather than later, as the parts may still be cooling and might still emit strong readings in IR. Thankfully the explosion wasn't actually nuclear, so I don't think there will be any fallout."
"Okay, I'm getting that going," Gabriel says, and relays things over the radio. "Sasha will finally get to fly," he notes.
"He'll be excited," Tasha agrees. She stretches her long legs, then flaps her wings a few times. "How long until I'm ready, doctor? We all owe Tia our lives; we should all gear up for the search. You're welcome to come, too, if you're not needed here. Maybe join a ground party."
"Out it in the sunlight?" the man asks. "I'll man the hospital in case anyone gets hurt. I can't put Tia back together though."
The effects of the injection are being felt now, as Tasha feels herself thinking more clearly again. "I'll come," Sharon says. "I just need some clothes."
"Lets hope Kai can." Tasha pushes off the table, stands up, waits, hops back and forth on one hoof, waits, and then nods. "My internal energy levels have risen enough to allow me to fly without using my wings, and I've eaten enough my aura can shield me form some heat, if necessary. Here, take my bathrobe for now," she hands over the very singed bathrobe, "and you can go get dressed. We'll meet up on the tarmac, assign teams, and such, ASAP. We won't wait for everyone to gather, because we don't know how much time we have. I am going to try and connect with the Flame and see if I can sense strong concentrations of the aftermath throughout the valley. Sharon, due to your training, you and I think Thermoriax might be able to help."
"I don't know about the dragons," Sharon says, getting into the bathrobe. "They consider Tia to be just like Samael and Kai: scary alien monsters."
"Well tell them too bad, they came to help and now they're being ordered to help. We don't leave anyone to die just because they're scary monsters. That could apply to them as easily as Tia, or for that matter, me." Tasha claps her hands together. "Lets get moving. Time's of the essence, whatever that means."
The Phins are the first to report, finding what they though were burnt bits of wood, but turned out to have toes. Searching the forest areas is harder. Tia's flesh doesn't register on normal sensors, and there is a lot of burnt wood around the lake. But two pieces is at least a start. Kai never said which parts she had already.
Tasha has been focusing on trying to connect with the Flame of Life that she touched, syncing it to her own, and to her magic, in an effort to both cultivate the Flame within her and use that familiarity to reach out and sense heavy concentrations of that specific Phoenix-like energy throughout the region. She had held that Flame within her, had it pass through her very being, and gazed on the Phoenix as it solidified from that Flame. She hopes this potential connection will help her locate parts doused in these energies, for any power sufficient to blow a being like Galatea apart must have left a significant radiative footprint. In this case, conceptually, magically, and essence-based radiative.
And so Tasha sits cross legged on the tarmac with a datapad in front of her and a real-time map of the region displayed, with the location of teams and vehicles.
Moka float over to Tasha, her manipulators holding the severely charred legs. "Where do I t-take these, Tasha?" she whistles.
What ultimately comes of Tasha's efforts isn't detection, but she does make headway in the cultivation of the Flame within herself. Unbeknowest to her, as she connects to, and fans, this inner Flame, her once Red aura begins to ripple and change, fanning out from climging to her form to within half a foot of her person, unfolding out like a lotus made or fire, color, and light -- rainbow light -- before the colors begin to merge in to themselves and she is the center of a strangely beautiful fire, as much flower-petal light art is burning pyre.
It's like this Tasha opens her eyes. The aura seems to follow suit, and Moka herself finds herself emitting a faint white energy of her own. "Kai said to place them seperately outside the Astraea" Her voice is strange. The Phin hears her but somehow also feels her intentions, as if Tasha were an idea, a part of Moka, warm and radiative, soothing. Burning.
"You sound weird, Tasha," Moka says. Then she swims over to the alien starship with her finds.
"Ah," goes Tasha, whose aura collapses until it's just lining her, giving her an odd radiation as micro arcs of light and white fire crawl along her body. She maintains this to keep her progress, not wanting to release the Flame so soon after she managed to connect with it, because she might need it. The lingering, clinging blaze causes her hair and fur to stir in an unseen breeze. It makes her look especially alien. "I've done what I can here, I'll follow you over. Maybe I can help with the repairs." She scoops up her datapad and follows Moka.
The boarding ramp is down, so Moka just swims up into the Astraea. Then soon swims right back out, her grapplers empty. It's hard to read a Phin's expressions, but something about Moka makes it seem like she feels ill.
"It's not good, is it?" Tasha reaches over and tries to pat Moka, the area where Tasha reaches taking on a faint glow as her hand nears. "It'll be alright. We'll make it alright, Moka."
"I'm not used to seeing charred corpses," Moka says apologetically. "It's different from just the pieces."
"I imagine you didn't see a lot of direct combat, and that fire isn't a common danger in a water filled environment." Tasha does not add she is used to seeing charred corpses, feeling that may not convey the reassurance she might hope it would. "I'll direct people to place the remains outside the ship from now on. Anyway, I... " She looks in to the vessel with hesitation and more than a little trepidation until she sucks in a breath and nods. "Well, I'll be inside trying to help. Contact me if you need me." And then she's clip-clopping up the ramp.
There's a narrow table just past the airlock, in the middle of the lower corridor. Pieces are arranged on, in varying conditions. The torso's remaining ribs look like charcoal. The disconnected pelvis and skull (sans jaw and.. face) burned but not about to crumble, and the legs are in comparatively 'good' shape, as they still have flesh on them. Kai is bent over the torso when Tasha arrives.
Tasha stops as surely as if she had walked in to a solid wall, halted by the raw force of emotion and tragedy as it comes to her. Even her white-light aura flickers as her concentration absorbs the shock. Yet for all the pain and horror she feels, she's not new to charred bodies, nor corpses, nor the dead.
Tasha's just never had to look on them when they were a friend only a short time ago. The contrast between 'alive' and 'dead' messing with her brain; she can't help but think of Dianarood's remarks bout dolls. Dead people remind ehr a little of dolls. All the life gone, just pieces. Objects, in the shape of life.
And then it all makes Tasha very angry at something she's not certain of. Not angry in aggression, but angry in a sense of motion; that this cannot stand. She won't let it stand. It was a worthy and heroic death, but she won't let it end there if she can help it.
Tasha's aura flickers back to stability, then pulses, growing larger and somehow thicker. "Tell me how I can help."
Kai looks at Tasha and her aura, and says, "Burn away all of the dead matter if you can."
"I think I can do that." Tasha realizes it will be delicate, she's going to need to sense inch by inch the difference between life and death, ash and alive. She walks around the array of parts and repeatedly has to swallow down her emotions in order to focus. She gets there, it just takes a moment.
Hunching down, she looks between the torso and the head with a artisnal eye, trying to see the work and not the person. "Head or torso first," she asks.
"Torso," Kai suggests. "I'm pretty sure the timestone cores are in there somewhere."
"I have one, maybe I can find a resonance or similar connection." Tasha steps closer and extends a hand, her aura rippling from her own center of mass down her arm and to her hand, where she reaches down to hover it over the seared remains. Life from not life; ruin and burn from that which isn't. She uses her experience with the nature of destructive flame along side the essence of life itself to tease out which is which.
The ribs crumble away first, and then the clearly charred areas. Once those have cleared there is.. flesh? It's white and gold, not the familiar red (and white for fat and bone). Pieces of lung, and what might be the heart survived, but they're disconnected lumps. The spine itself collapses last, the vertebrae dissolving to reveal blue-purple crystal and golden cords binding them together. The cords twitch.
"A response," Tasha reports, shifting aside so Kai and get a look. "From the cords attached to the crystals, there." She continues her work, as Kai hasn't asked her to change her task and, despite her new found connection to the Flame of Life -- or perhaps more accurately the surging of her Flame, a Flame of Persephone and of herself -- she is no more knowledgeable in Galatea's construction as Moka is.
"Alright.. let's try the skull next," Kai says. The front of the skull gone, exposing the sinus and a faint golden glow coming through the cracks between it and the brain area.
Tasha finishes up, then shakes her hands out. She's only just connected with her Flame, and so there are minor inconsistence and control mistakes, which she's been absorbing in to her hands when it seems like her control might be slipping destructively. Unlike Galatea, however, she is alive and vital and full of magic to absorb the damage, even if it does sting. "I think I'm getting the hang of this. Here we go." And so she gets to work, looking like a faith healer in her motions, with the distinct advantage of glowing with obviously vital energy and creating very real effect.
The difference is that her 'healing' is actually destroying the skull. Eventually there's a golden blob, with bits of surviving brain matter clinging to it. A golden cable of twitching golden 'wires' extends from it.
"Well," goes Tasha, stepping back, "I've done what I can do with... With this." She pulls in a deep breath through her noses, reminds herself now is not the time to lose control and she has a job and and obligation to keep herself together. Never in her life has she stared at both life and death so directly, however. The antipodal forces grind her soul; she feels like she's aging years just standing here. "I'm going to try and contact Galatea. She may still be able to communicate directly, perhaps at close range? Other forms of communication may not... Aren't really viable, are they?" And so she scoots closer, kneels down, and makes an attempt.
"Galatea?"
"..." is the reply. Kai is a bit more direct, and moves things closer so the wires from the 'brain' link up with the ones from the spine. The leftover surviving flesh is just pressed to the spine in an attempt to make it stick.
"Static," Tasha reports. Trying to sound positive despite the gnawing feeling in her gut, she adds, "But that is a response. The system replied to me in a direct communication. Communication functions could be scrambled, destroyed, or... Or cognitive functions may be. But that the system responded means something, at least. Something in there knew to reply. I... I don't know whatthese elements... These elements do. Exactly. Timestone is a power source, but how much of these crystals hold other functions... She... She did have. Had. H-had a brain. I don't know how much that handled core... Maybe a backup?""
"Well, I'll put her in one of the tubes and see if she starts regenerating now that the power and controller are reconnected," Kai says. The blue crystals are glowing now as well, so that might mean something is drawing power. "Hopefully she'll be recovered before Kainudy and Nyarlathotep are done with their battle."
"That may be for the best. If we don't see results, I suggest we attempt to contact Persephone. She may be able to come, or else instruct us remotely. I believe... I believe she has forgiven me for my mistakes. Or, at least the part of her within me has." Tasha looks at the bundle and has to inhale sharply through her nose again. It reminds her somehow of Mariel. She should talk to Mariel. Now more than ever; now that she can face Mariel without feeling like a monster that doesn't belong in her life. That shouldn'tbe in her life. "We need to keep her safe. Kainudy is predicted to be victorious by Dianarood, whom we met in the Dreamlands. And, now I've snatched the Phoenix from Nyarlathotep's hands. I don't know if the being holds grudges, or if this too is somehow a part of his plans, but we should be wary."
"I'll take care of it from here," Kai says. "I'm not needed for anything else am I?"
"No. I'll be back to sit with her when I can. I'll bring our new little baby bird, too. They should met Galatea, understand her sacrifice. Or, just sit with her. Galatea deserves to be with the Phoenix as much as anyone, more than anyone, really." Tasha lets out a long exhale, head shaking. "She really didn't have to, you know that? I'm sure she understood what moving the egg away would mean. She could have saved herself. After all, we're just mortal beings, and... And I don't like what I'ms saying. She chose. She chose right. Not for us, but definitely for us. For the little bird and the hope and life it represents. For the change in direction they mean, for both of us. To save ourselves at the risk of ourselves. If I start sounding like I doubting her sacrifice and its meaning, go ahead and smack me."
"She should have thrown it and put up a shield," Kai says. "But I think she got the timing wrong. Ironic since she perceives time so much faster than we do. There may have been some other reason. Galatea is pretty broken, after all." Kai taps her head with finger at the at that last statement.
"I know." Tasha looks to the mass for a long moment, then turns to Kai, not quite able to meet her eyes. "There's the possibility she chose this. I know. I also remember her desperately wanting to forget. To find a way to forget. To be able to. How mad she was, when we spoke against such things." She pauses, then adds, "Maybe I should retrieve the piece of me I left with her."
"The black marker?" Kai asks. "Or something more physical?"
"The black marker. She can't forget, so as long as she has it, she'll always feel the pain of that side of me." Tasha turns back to the remains of Galatea, nodding. "I think, after a while, she held on to it because it connected her. As painful as it was, it connected her. To me. To understand why I did what I did, in the hopes she might understand Kainudy, and all her hurtful actions, all in the name of trying to save something. And, that absolute blackness, that Demise of the soul that brought Kainudy to ruin."
"I doubt it's gone," Kai says. "Those sort of things get burned into the soul. I've seen it often enough. Maybe Sam could eat it out, maybe not. Plus it would really guilt trip Kainudy."
"Kainudy doesn't need another guilt trip. This endless cycle of blame needs to end. The path of destruction leads only to destruction of the self, from which there can be no growth. We must be better than that." Tasha licks her lips, looking up to the ceiling. "I realized it there on the mountain top. I had come to the Phoenix to save me, but they couldn't save me. They couldn't even save themselves. And so, I realized in that moment, that I would save them, and in doing so, I saved myself. I saw what it was I create: hope for the hopeless, a place for for forsaken, and life from where it has come to ruin. And so I connected to the Flame of Life. We must be better, Kai. An end to all this suffering won't come with punishing Kainudy. And, it won't come with forgiveness. It will come with no strings attached. We'll all walk in to the sun, together. And the past can fall away, and we'll build new things."
"If I were broken, I would take you up on that," Kai says. "Luckily I'm perfectly balanced, the only unbroken person in the world. But I'm not sure that's the final step. Just letting go of pain won't unbreak people."
"No, but it's a start. It will give them a place to rest and to heal, without their spirit being crushed by what has come before. A place to grow and to expand in to. A sea, without leas." Tasha looks back, and she offers a little smile. "I think Galatea believed in that, too. She saw the promise of a chance for better, in the Phoenix, in me, and maybe in herself. Whatever her reason, she safeguarded the seed of a new beginning. The Flame of Life is growing in me, Kai. I may be becoming something else. But that's fine. I like where we're headed, now. I think everything will be alright, in time."
Kai smiles. "Well, just remember I'm here if you still need anything killed. Or just tortured a bit, maybe driven insane. It doesn't bother me any more than raising up a building or creating bodies. And I'm sure it'll come up."
Tasha smiles at that, if perhaps a bit hesitantly. "I'll keep that in mind. I haven't forgotten where I came from with my revelation. I know we'll still have to fight, after all, the Phoenix taught me another lesson: hope is worth fighting for." Then she taps her nose. "I may be disinclined to destruction now, but I haven't forgotten how. I just followed that road as far as I could and found it wanting in the end, but I remember the road still. Kai," the finger lowers, and Tasha fixes the woman with a look, ".... you know we may have to fight Kainudy, don't you? Can you do that?"
"That depends on if she lets me," Kai says. "She can take control of me at any moment after all. I'm ultimately her puppet, but one she sometimes just gives a directive to and lets me accomplish it on my own. She is also disinclined to destruction, so lets me handle that."
"Hopefully that hasn't changed. From what I heard of her battle, it's been maddening. Nyarlathotep is a being of torment, it is his nature. She may not be in a place of reason when we encounter her." Tasha considers for a moment. "If I thought it was in Kainudy's best interest, would you want me to try and interfere with that control?"
"It doesn't matter to me," Kai says. "I'm here to serve you right now, and I don't care about future conflicts of interest."
"Alright. I will trust in my judgment when and if the time comes, then. That you're both here shows she put her faith in me. And, now I know Persephone has, too." Tasha blinks, then blinks again, reaching up to run a finger along the edge line of her right eye. "By the way... have you seen my baby birdy?"
"Is it lost?" Kai asks.
"It is adorable." Tasha pulls out her datapad, then brings up the camera. "Have a look. You know, laying an egg wasn't as bad as I imagined."
"That looks rather large to have come from egg you could lay," Kai points out. The Phoenix is now several times its original size. "Is it the Phoenix?"
Tasha goggles at the bird a moment. "It was a lot smaller only an hour or two ago." She scratches her head. "Gabriel did say they grow up faster than you expect. Yes, this is the Phoenix. Just. Well. Bigger now."
"An interesting potential power source," Kai notes. "Be careful using the Flame of Life. It's using your Life, after all. It is not unlimited like it is for the Phoenix. I probably should have told you that before you cleaned up Galatea's remains."
"That is the sort of thing I need to know, yes, Kai." Tasha gives the woman an admonishing look, but it's not too harsh. "Still, the Flame is stronger than it was before. It may not be unlimited, but I don't feel like it's a finite well, either. I can feel it regrow with time. Or, maybe I want to believe it? Ah, ... I may be reaching a point I can't afford to be mortal much longer."
"I'll help you with your control and efficiency," Kai promises, as she levitates Galatea's remains. "Let me get Tia into a tube first. I'll check on her later and see if I need to provide her more flesh to work with."
"Thank you, Kai." Tasha turns to regard the scorched remains, the twitching connectors, the faintly glowing crystal. It's horrifying, she realizes, horrifying on a level she's never felt before. She'd been putting on a strong face and forcing herself to go through the motions, to take charge, but now it's all catching up with her.
Only an hour ago Tia was there talking to her. They were saving someone.
Now, Tia is smoldering, faceless remains of twitching parts. A living, thinking, human-looking being reduce to components on a tray. A broken doll, all its decoration, paint, and hair removed to reveal what remains. All that is Galatea reduced to a few objects.
"I'm going to sit down on the ramp for a while. Let me know if you need anything else, I ... " She looks around, not really seeing anything, just looking. "I need to check on my bird."
"I'll need to meet with the Phoenix at some point too," Kai says, floating everything up to stairs to the next deck, where the stasis tubes are.
"I'll be back to take watch from you when you need me to, I might grab some sheets and pillows and stay in the ship for a while." Tasha sucks in a deep breath. She exhales. "I need to brief everyone as well. Maybe I'll do that now, while I still have the energy. I don't have time to sit, do I? I'm going to go check on our baby bird, then debrief, then sit down. I'll hold the debriefing outside so we can keep watch at the same time."
Tasha can't quite believe Galatea nearly died. More so, that she didn't die battling for Kainudy's soul, or against some far flung monster, to defend the ship, some fight near or far, but not here, at home. If they hadn't reacted as fast as they did, would Galatea have remained scattered, her power level slowly running down until she was nothing more the one more pile of debris scattered through the ages?
Tasha doesn't know. All she knows is that Galatea saved them, but no one should die here, where they're supposed to be safe. She'll be thinking about what happened for a while.
For now she turns and heads on out, expression pensive and a little lost.
The sun is warm once she's past the ship's shadow, although even that is a bit weird due to some of the not-quite-there dimensions surrounding the engines. Gwyndrael is curled up on the tarmac. "Have you gotten the Phoenix settled?" she asks. "You look pensive, I think. Still getting used to lupomorphic expressions."
"What happened to Galatea is difficult for me. Galatea is the strongest out of all of us, so much so it had always been a foregone conclusion she could handle almost anything, except, maybe, her own emotions. Seeing her like that... Seeing that it happened here at home... It's been hard to accept." Then Tasha lifts her head and adds, "What she did was both heroic and necessary, and for a good cause. It's a worthy way to die. I don't want to undermine her sacrifice. I'm just saying it's hard for me as her friend, as her comrade, and as a leader."
"She's actually dead from the Phoenix burst?" Gwyndrael asks in surprise, lifting her head. "I have mixed feelings if that is the case."
"No, not dead, but as far as we can tell very close to it. We don't know if she'll recover. We don't know the full extent of her injuries, as her nature is beyond our understanding. The damage is considerable, but key components seem to be intact. There's... There's not much left, really. I hope it's enough." Tasha shakes her head. "There would have been less than 'not much' if the Phoenix's burst had occurred near -- or inside -- me. Maybe I could have survived but... " Tasha gestures to their surroundings. "This would have been gone, all hands."
"Destruction is part of being a dragon," Gwyndrael claims. "The Phoenix and the destruction it can cause is more familiar to us. Galatea disturbs us on an existential level though. The same goes for Kai."
"They're both a bit weird, I agree. All the more reason seeing Galatea fall so suddenly is disturbing. No one predicted it; not even her." Tasha then walks over to Gwyndrael and, without another word, steps over and in to her, head down and pressed in to her side. "Give me a moment. Just a moment."
The dragon's scales are hot from being in the sun, but her regular breathing is a soothing, slow metronome.
Tasha enjoys the touch, taking a long moment to gather herself and remind herself she is not alone and that there people who still need her to do things. She pushes off and pats Gwyndrael's side. "In a short while I'll be calling a meeting here to discuss what happened. If you don't mind I could use your help collecting people. A area-wide notification will go out soon. Maybe in... an hour. An hour's when we'll meet."
"I'll notify everyone at the castle," Gwyndrael agrees. "Are you alright?"
"I'm as I need to be. That'll have to be enough. Galatea didn't sacrifice herself so I could sit around and cry." Tasha straighten, then nods. "See you in an hour, then. I'll be with the Phoenix."
What she doesn't add is that she needs to check one more thing: The security footage from the base, to understand what happened, and, perhaps, the implications. Kai made a good point, and it's her duty as a friend and as a leader to understand what happened.
Even if she doesn't want to know.
Gwyndrael stands and stretches before spreading her wings. "Whisper still wants to play with the Phoenix," she warns, and then takes flight.
"Whisper can wait her turn," Tasha calls back, which immediately makes her feel more motherly than she did before. It's a strange feeling, unexpected along side everything else, but not necessarily a bad one she realizes. Another thing to process, and not enough time to do it. She spreads her own wings and soon she's headed for her balcony.
On arriving at the temporary lair of the Phoenix, Tasha sees the bird has grown considerably. Her plumage is more extravagant the tips of some feathers are glowing, as are her eyes when she turns to regard Tasha.
"Children really do grow up quickly," Tasha remarks to the Phoenix, stepping inside and planting a hand on her hip, weight shifting that way, as she regards her not so little little bird. "Well. Good evening! You're looking bright and fluffy." With the Phoenix's growth so rapid she's even more uncertain what their relationship actually is, for all she knows the bird has gone through its entire young adult life in only an hour and may well be smarter and better educated than she is at this point. She waits to see how her words go over.
"Tasha," the Phoenix 'says' in a voice that's different from the last one. "I remember you. Still.. sorting. A palace with many rooms, each room a life, but no.. map. No guide."
Tasha walks over and sits herself next to the Phoenix, then she reaches carefully and clearly, showing she's going to try to pet the bird on its head. "I think I understand. As the Phoenix, you experience many lives, each in turn, but each separate. You can chose to embrace or disregard any of them, based on whatever appeals to you. And, you can always change your mind, I think, if you decide what's important to you has changed. Every day we're someone a little different, and sometimes, a lot different."
The bird bows it's head down for pets. It's got some feathers that sprout like antennae from its brow, which bob up and down.
Tasha is careful to avoid the antennae-like feathers, in case they're required for balance or some more obscure function. "And I want you to know all of me, Gabriel, Hakeber, Katherine and many of the others are here to help you if you need it. And me, especially. I am always here to help you, and I'll guide you as best I can. You can feel safe here."
The bird shuffles about in its rocky nest. "Comfort," she says, for the voice is definitely feminine this time. "This place is strange though. It isn't a cave."
"Are you not comfortable? Do you need anything, do you need a cave? Want anything?" Tasha continues to pet, the slow, deliberate motion calming her frazzled mind. They did the right thing. For all it cost them, she believes in this outcome. Neither she nor Galatea would have lived well knowing they abandoned Hope and Life itself. She hopes this thought comforts Galatea, too, in whatever place her mind now rests. "As for this place, this is a building. Specifically what is known as a fire base. It was created in the image of a military installation from Gabriel's memories, and it is designed to be comfortable for humanoids."
"Where is the fire?" the bird asks.
"The fire?" Tasha asks, head tilting in an avian fashion, which she realizes the Phoenix might appreciate. And, she appreciates that appreciation. "Do you need a fire?"
"I don't need.. I am curious. It is a fire base. There should be fire then," the bird explains.
"There you are," Kai says as she lands on the balcony outside. "What have you been feeding the Phoenix?"
"Oh the fire is... It's more metaphorical. I think it refers to a kind of fighting." Tasha turns to look back at Kai. "Feeding? Well, nothing. I've been asking her if she needs anything."
Kai steps up to the Phoenix. "Alright, this is impractical," she notes. "And I don't have time to teach you two the long way, so if you don't have an issue with it I'm going to do it the fast way."
The Phoenix blinks and asks, "What are you teaching us?"
"How to actually use your flame for practical things," Kai claims. "And you're first, birdie."
Tasha's ears shoot up and, reflexively, she scoots closer to the Phoenix, shielding her. "What are you teaching--" She pauses as they both end up saying the same thing, then redirects, clarifying, "What do you mean, fast way?"
"The fast way is I just.. make you know," Kai explains. "Telepathically, but via a higher bandwidth connection," she adds, holding up her hand and wiggling the fingers.
Despite the specification, Tasha still reacts at the mention of birdie unused to having avian beings around other than Vasha, who is herself, and Lacci, who is obnoxious. "Oh." Then she frowns. "Oh. This is going to be unpleasant, isn't it? Well..." She turns to look at her little birdy. "This is probably practical, but it's going to be unpleasant. I had hoped to spare you from these things for at least a little while, but there are complications beyond my control. Sometimes living with us demands sacrifices, from all of us, for a greater good. I'm sorry we can't provide better. We are all beasts and creatures of myth, and the world can be... It can be difficult."
"Apparently the Phoenix never learned to use its Flame, or else may have lost the knowledge during a reincarnation," Kai says. "It won't be that bad, I'm just going to teach her one thing."
"I'm trusting you here Kai. What happens next... It's Important to me." And Tasha believes in Kai enough to not elaborate further; Kai may be soulless, but she's not brainless, and she can put two and two together: Harming the Phoenix now will cause a rift between them. "But you need her permission, too."
"Well, want to learn a really cool trick?" Kai asks the Phoenix.
"If Tasha trusts you, then I will too," the Phoenix replies, and fluffs out her feathers. "So long as it isn't dangerous."
"It's the opposite of dangerous," Kai claims, and puts her hand on the Phoenix's head. There's some smoke rising from the contact. The Phoenix closes her eyes and remains still for the duration.
Tasha doesn't interrupt, fearing the danger in it. Fearing more, the potential harm in it. She wants to trust, but something insider her is anxious for the Phoenix's safety. Always anxious. Anxious of everyone, protective. It surprises and scares her both.
After several minutes of sizzling, Kai pull back her hand, which has to do some healing. The Phoenix opens her eyes, and says, "That.. seems too easy."
"When you have as much power as you do, it is too easy," Kai points out. "Give it a try." She turns and winks at Tasha.
"It often does. If it seems dangerous, then trust your instinct and be wary," Tasha instructs. "Kai is a being without a soul. She's loyal to us, but she has no conscience, nor can you expect one of her. What comes easy to Kai may be reprehensible to us. Always remember that."
Tasha's face goes very stoney at the wink, not comfortable with her lack of understanding.
The Phoenix begins to glow. Her feathers become flame, until she's burning like her older end-of-life incarnation was.. and then there's a flash, and in her place is.. a Kujaku. Well, something very like a Kujaku. Her colors are reds, oranges, yellows and gold, her feathers shimmery. She's not fully adult, but close to an adolescent, like Whisper. She looks at her lightly-taloned hands and flexes them.
Tasha blinks several times, then blinks again. Her immediate instinct is to sniff, then she has to suppress a very high pitched squeely "eeeeeee" noise by covering her muzzle with both hands. When she notes the gold, she has to hold on harder, tail wagging furiously.
The avian's eyes cycle between gold and blue, depending on the angle of light. "Ma ma ma, me me me," the bird tweets and trills, testing out the voice.
"You can call me mama," Tasha blurts out,tail still wagging. Quieter, "If you want to." Her ears lay back. Is parenting always this... accelerated? She's gone from having or at least rehaving an egg, to a baby bird, to pain and suffering and now this. It's doing so many things to her brain she may need to talk to Dr. Sen.
The Phoenix is still going through the sounds she can make, and Kai gives Tasha an odd look at her outburst. "She'll need a name to use in this form," she tells Tasha.
"WHAT" goes Tasha more loudly than she expected. More quietly, she adds, "Well I did... lay the egg... and... I don't know I feel things now." She flails her hands. "Gabriel didn't mention any of this!"
A blink, then, "How about Pheeny? Is that too cute?"
"Oh, maternal instinct," Kai says. "Happens all the time. And I suppose she is cute so a cute name should be fine."
"Pheeeeeeeee," the Phoenix tweets.
Tasha looks like she's just barely able to avoid hugging the small bird girl. "Why am I always so worried about her, Kai? Is that going to keep happening? I was anxious handing her to Gabriel!"
"It will get easier with the second kid," Kai promises. "By then you'll have learned that they aren't made of glass."
"I can taste the inside of my beak," Pheeny claims.
"Yeah, you can eat things too now," Kai says. "You'll like that."
"But what if they are made of glass," Tasha counters. For anyone else that might seem like a joke or a hyperbolic over-reaction, but Tasha may be one of the few flesh-and-blood beings where such a thing is possible.
The beak comment breaks Tasha's restrained and so the little bird gets hugged like the precious thing she is.
At least Tasha didn't have to go through the breast-feeding phase. Pheeny squeaks like a toy, but doesn't burst into flame from the surprise. Her feathers flash different colors instead.
"She didn't explode!" Kai says with a laugh. "I got the control system right after all."
Tasha, while hugging, lays her ears back and glares at the human-esque woman. "Kaiiiii..."
"I meant in a self defense manner, by bursting into flame," Kai says. "Nothing dangerous to the Phoenix."
Tasha is immediately relieved to know only she would have been horribly burned. This makes her head hurt, so she eases off on the hug and rubs her own head. "Soooo... What's my turn going to be like?"
Kai sits down cross-legged on the floor. "Well, you don't have to worry about exploding," she notes. "Come sit in front of me."
"I always have to worry about exploding. I almost exploded like an hour ago," Tasha pout-complains. She looks tired, emotionally and physically, and flumps down on to her butt near Kai.
Kai holds her hands out. "Take my hands," she instructs.
"Okay but no funny stuff." Tasha's muzzle quirks in to a tired grin. She takes the hands and looks expectant.
Almost immediately, Tasha feels Kai rooting around. It's like she's looking for slots that things can be inserted into. And then Tasha begins to understand things. She knows how to enhance her Flame through meditation and exercise. She knows how to move the energy through her body to strengthen muscles or stave off fatigue. Even wounds and tissue damage can be healed faster using the Flame. And it can be transferred into others for the same purpose. There is a hint that this can be reversed, but that skill isn't included this time. But careful cultivation of her Flame can extend her life as well.
Tasha kind of wobbles backwards. "Well that was better than the lecture hall," she exclaims. She wonders when she became so used to beings putting stuff in her like she's a collage and the community project, but whenever it happened, it was long ago. Her eyes then widen. "Then... could we... help her, couldn't we? If magic can... do what it did... then...?"
"Always remember that your Flame needs time and energy to build back up after you use it," Kai notes. "And if you mean helping Galatea, it isn't necessary. Her life Flame is practically unlimited, only the rate of use has an upper bound."
"And I can't produce extra flesh for her," the homunculus notes. "It's more complicated than regular humanoid tissue."
"I understand. Tragically mortal, no matter how much I need to do the impossible. As for Galatea, I was thinking she might appreciate being... expanded. It's been a point of pain for her for some time that she has limitations in her Flame. As a gift, for her hard work. And if we need a source... " Tasha turns and looks out past the walls to the mountains and the sealed gateway. "We could do some gardening."
"I'm pretty sure those limitations are there to prevent her from becoming like the Phoenix," Kai notes. "Kainudy would have put them there for a reason, since she had to put limiters on her own Flame to prevent things like the Queen of Demise from happening."
"You never want more power than you can control," Kai points out. "Otherwise you run the risk of it taking control."
"And we all that and Galatea have worked completely fine and without any problems what-so-ever," Tasha agrees in what may be the single more concentrated bit of sarcasm Kai has heard yet.
"Well, that is certainly what happened," Tasha agrees with no sarcasm. "What else could we do for her? I know she's sick of her memories... Maybe we could deal with that?"
Kai shrugs. "I wouldn't know how, to be honest. I only understand some of what she is. Not how she thinks. I'm built from a human, and my thinking process does not extend much past that."
"She needs therapy," Kai suggests.
"Well, I'm built from... " Tasha starts counting off on her hands. "A wolf, a exotic alien bird, part of a servitor demon, part of Galatea, part of Persephone... uhh... part dragon... part... Am I missing anything? Maybe I can reach her in there when her system stabilizes. I'd send her to Yue but I'm not sure Yue can handle that... much."
"Don't lose any limbs, because I would have a difficult time creating new ones for you," Kai says. "But you are both patchwork creations. Galatea was created to be a door greeter. She's evolved, but it is.. not the same. Growth is difficult for her."
"She told me that. That she used to greet people at a temple, and then... And then a lot more was thrust upon her, and suddenly. Daniarood refereed to her as a 'doll' when I summoned her to the Dreamlands and asked about her." Tasha scratches her nose, then she snaps a finger. "Oh, I met a human who can utilize Vril of all things. One of the few left. Maybe the only."
Kai's eyebrows rise up. "In the Dreamlands?" she asks.
"On the moon. King of the Moonbeasts and others, he apparently fled from his brother, a golden man who was with -- and maybe you've guessed already -- Daniarood." Tasha shrugs, overwhelmed. "I was busy getting to where I was going, so I couldn't talk with him long and I was being tailed by someone called The Harlot, and I'll tell you, he's not an ally. He may be an enemy eventually. Really bad at letting the past go."
"An issue with immortals in general," Kai claims. "Well, we are hopefully unlikely to encounter him. I don't know how I would fair in such a battle."
"Honestly I don't know how any of us would fair, his powers are almost a complete mystery to me. Galatea was able to fend off his probing, so that's promising, but the Vril-ya could tackle the Sifra and I mislike anyone's chances against him one-on-one. At least he seems busy trying to rule the Dreamlands now that... " She glances at the Phoenix. "You-know-who-don't-say-it-bad-idea is elsewhere."
"They seem to think he won't be back," Kai says. "Whomever holds the throne will have to surrender it eventually."
"That's what I figured, too. They're all very powerful, the contenders, but I feel like they're on a lower level than what had come before. They're smaller predators fighting now that the larger is gone. But they're still small. Bigger than me, that was clear, but smaller than what was. I tried to warn them, but, well, they have their drives." Tasha shrugs, what can you do. "I think he'll be back. Daniarood predicts victory, however, which may mean the matter becomes our problem eventually."
"Kainudy may disperse or banish that avatar, but it's only a matter of time before someone summons him back," Kai claims. "Gods like that are hard to get rid of permanently."
"Don't I know it, I've been plotting that such these for years now." Tasha's head shakes at the enormity. "Not impossible, but you have to get creative and high dimensional, think on equal or greater infinities in hyperbolic dimensions. Once you get used to infinite scales it's a bit harder to plan, even if you can't comprehend them directly, since that's only needed in execution annnd... " her gaze shifts to the bird girl, and her eyes go wide, "... annnnnd people want to meet our newest member!"
"They should all be in the control center, or milling about," Kai guesses. "Should we dress her?"
"Dress?" Pheeny chirps.
Tasha looks over. Having spent so much time barely dressed running around, she had forgotten. "Yes. That's important. Um, well, contact Vasha and see what she can spare, and look through my wardrobe as well. I need to get a shower and compose myself if I'm going to be addressing everyone. I had Gwyndrael round them up, so they should be assembling outside the Astraea soon."
"I'll deal with an outfit for her," Kai says, makes shooing motions to Tasha. "Go clean up. Hopefully your bathroom wasn't destroyed."
"Oh right... The destruction." Tasha sighs, she may have to also assign cleanup duties. No one loves cleanup duties. "Off I go then."
And soon Tasha's in her bathroom, such as it is.
Everyone is indeed milling about in the shadow of the Astraea when Tasha and Pheeny arrive. Rather than find something for Pheeny from existing wardrobe, Kai conjured up a dragon-scale tabard that matched her colors well, and was simple enough for the girl to manage.
And so the two land together, with Tasha holding Pheeny's hand, in case she needs the support. It's a little strange to her to hold the hand of an entity both new and impossibly ancient, but then she feels both young and ancient herself sometimes, so she tries to reassure herself she's doing fine. "Hello everyone, sorry for the delay. I know most of you have some idea what's going on, but I felt a formal announcement is in order."
Whisper hops down from one of the curved structures of the spaceship to get a closer look, and the Kobolds need to be held back by the dragons. Gabriel says, "That's not the bird you left with. So what happened?"
"This is the bird I left with, Kai taught her to manage her Flame and assume this form -- for convenience and to integrate better I believe. Her name is Pheeny, she is aslo known as the mythological Phoenix, beacon and bastion of Hope and Life. This is her current incarnation." Tasha looks over and gives the girl an encouraging nod, gesturing to everyone present. "These are the people you will be living with her. They may be friends, family, mentors, and perhaps colleagues, in time. They are all here for similar reasons, yet they all come from different places, and different times. I know Whisper especially has been eager to meet you." And she nods to the other girl.
"Hey I'm Whisper," Whisper introduces herself. "Princess Whisper! I'm the local god. I like your outfit." She offers her hand, which Pheeny looks at, then offers hers, which Whisper takes. "Hello," she chirps.
Tasha beams. Her two local gods-children may finally have someone their own -- age? Immortality? Boundless power level? To play with. She tries not to think too hard on the specifics, but it's nice. "Whisper has been dying for someone like her to play with. She's very nice, if a bit wild. Be nice to her, Whisper."
"I'll show you everything!" Whisper promises, and then gestures to encompass the world around them. "And we can make things!"
"How long is she going to stay like this?" Katherine asks. "Will she mature at a normal rate now?"
"I can answer that," Kai says. "She can appear at any age, but she chose this one. A child is generally best for learning new things, and everything is new to her right now."
"Yes, that's my interpretation as well. For now, until she choses otherwise, we should respect the form she takes," Tasha chimes in.
"So, what should we be teaching her?" Hakeber asks. "How much does she already know?" "She can't stay in that tower like this, she'll need a proper room," Katherine notes. "How come my feathers no look shimmery like that!" Vasha adds in. The dragons have been quiet.
"Um, in order starts Tasha... " The red woman takes a deep, deep breath, "Teach her what she asks to learn and what you feel she needs to learn, and what she has an interest in. For now avoid the... heavier topics." Next. "Her knowledge spans lifetimes, eons, but it isn't complete and it's a lot to sift through for her. It may be boundless but there's a lot of it." Next. "I agree, we'll need to get her a proper room." Next. "You got older, you're not made of magical Fire, and I don't think ours ever looked that nice." Next. "I know dragons, I know. This is more than it seems."
"We didn't ask anything," Thermoriax says. "But.. the Phoenix is safe and disguised. That is what matters."
"And Galatea is recovering," Kai adds, possibly just to make Thermoriax uncomfortable.
Liza says, "Good, because I feel a bit more vulnerable right now." Aaron hugs her reassuringly.
"Who is Galatea?" Pheeny asks Tasha.
"You didn't but you did, and you just replied to my answer of your unspoken question." Tasha rubs her chin. She nods to Kai, and changes topics. "The next important announcement is that Galatea, in defense of our home and membership, risked her life at great cost to prevent a catastrophe occurring within the housing complex of the base, which would have likely have seen a loss of most, if not all, hands and the base's destruction. It is only because of Galatea many of us stand here right now. She is currently recovering but her prognosis is unknown. If necessary, I will reach out to higher powers to help her."
Tasha looks down, lowering herself to better be on Pheeny's level. "Galatea is someone who cares about you very much. She was the person who helped me rescue you and bring you here. There was a complication and she was injured; sometimes we get injured doing what we do. I'm sure she'll recover in time, and then you can meet her, too."
"Injury.. that's new too," Pheeny says.
"Let's get her settled in a room first," Gabriel says. "One without broken windows."
"We need stronger windows," Sharon says, still showing a few bandages outside of her hospital gown.
"It's when mortals and many immortals like me have their minds, bodies, spirits, or other parts of themselves damaged. The damage needs to be repaired, but we don't heal as well as you do. Too much injury and..." Tasha pauses, then nods to Gabriel. "We can talk about this later. Right now you've had a long day, we all have, and there will be time to learn more later after we settle in and rest."
"I agree with Sharon, poor sapphire can't stand up to our abuses," says Tasha.
"Fiiine, I'll switch them to transparent aluminum.. which is tougher sapphire," Kai promises.
"Only the best sapphires for us," Tasha agrees, tail wagging.
"Well.. who's hungry?" Sasha asks.
"We're Karnors," Katherine points out. "We're always hungry.. to a certain degree."
"Mmm, sapphies," goes Tasha, letting her inner dragon take the reign a moment.
"They are nice and crunchy," Thermoriax agrees, before the dragons and the Kobolds start heading back towards the castle, except for Whisper, who stays for the promise of food.
"I'm hungry. I had a few energy bars, but almost melting and blowing up a Dream mountain takes a lot out of you." Tasha nods towards the canteen, then pauses. "Actually, I need to do something here, first. Why don't you all head over and I'll be there in a little bit?"
Everyone heads back into the base, including Kai who is presumably going to help Pheeny with eating. So now it's just Tasha and the two spaceships.
Tasha pulls out her datapad. She access's the base's security, and then its cameras. After a few minutes of locating all the right settings and devices, tracing back to the time before explosion. With everything set she starts the record, trying to track Galatea, hoping the base's aerial tracking followed her up.
It captured a blur streaking over the base, but were not fast enough to track it. The ones facing Dark Horse captured the explosion over the lake, which did not look like any explosion Tasha had ever seen. It was more like a fast blossoming of a flower.
There were a few dark specks, and two glowing bits.
Tasha frowns. She tries to zoom in, scrolling back to try and see the situation right before the explosion. She takes time to zoom on each of the specks, and each glowing bit.
The glowing bits must be the head and torso, and the specks the rest of the surviving pieces like arms and legs and pelvis. The specks didn't look big, but given the altitude they could have been spread out anywhere over the lake or beyond its edges. And would have also been on fire. The pieces that hit the lake would have had the best chances of not just burning up.
Tasha reviews all she's seen. And lastly, she checks the arc of the movement, She tries to tell if Galatea paused, and gauges the rough radius of the blast. What she is looking for -- and does not want to find -- is any evidence Galatea used the opportunity to die. She hasn't forgotten Kai's words and it's her duty to see this through -- only then can she know how to proceed.
After more video analysis, it appears that the explosion took place some distance above Galatea.. but close enough for the blast to overwhelm her kinetic shield. She might have thrown the egg or used telekinesis to propel it higher up.
Tasha exhales a tremendous sigh of relief. Suddenly she needs to sit down, and walks over to sit on the ramp. She opens up communication with Galatea, not expecting a response, not even expecting to be heard, "What do did was brave and noble, you saved so many lives, lives precious to me, to other people here. We'll do everything we can to help you, and if we're not enough, we'll find someone who is. We'll protect you until you recover. I'll be here as much as I'm able, and I'll be here every night that I'm home. For now, just rest, and focus one recovery. You deserve it."
There's no reply, but the channel does seem to be open. And Tasha has no idea how long the recovery is supposed to take, because Kai didn't know. But the tendrils were active when they reconnected what was likely the ansible and the power system.
Tasha wishes she knew more about Galatea's construction, but even if she did, what could she do with it? She's no quasi-god dragon, no infinity-wandering goliath, she's not a Vril-ya nor a wizard, she's a cobbled together drover with bits and pieces of power from all of these and more. "Kai said we're a lot alike. I think that's true. We're both small people who ended up with enormous responsibilities and powers handed down from those beyond us." What else can she say? "The Phoenix is safe. She's growing, and she's talking. Right now she's learning about eating from Kai. I should probably be there, but I'm here, so take that as you like. I told everyone what you did. They better come by and say something or leave momentos. I'd be disappointed in them if they were so ungrateful." What else... "We'll take care of your ship. Whisper seems to have made friends with Pheeny -- that's what we call her now. I guess that's all I have to say for now; I hope you rest well and recover soon. If you need something I we can do it, and you can tell us, don't hesitate to ask. We'll keep trying to reach you."
Was there a response that time? Nothing definite, but.. something indefinite. Nothing Tasha can recognize as an emotion or thought. It may have just been a flicker in the system, a side-effect of regeneration.
It all reminds Tasha of Mariel in the tube. But Mariel got better; Galatea will get better. And if she doesn't, Tasha will find a way to fix it. This she vows. "I hear you. I'll be listening."