The morning after the visit with Vorgulremik, Nicora awoke feeling a bit ragged - even though everything happened inside the dagger. The feeling vanished when she became Nikky again, off to see to her morning duties. As usual, this meant breakfast with Orca, and after-breakfast exercise with the Skreek - who was being a bit more tender and affectionate by now, at least during foreplay.
After the pleasant romp, the first mate says, "T'night is the Last Chance Feast, where we finish off all the stuff we're gonna replace at the paquebot. Norm'ly I eat wi' the Captain, but because of there being so many VIPs I'll be taking my seat in the mess with the rest o' the crew. I'd be honored if you'd sit next to me, Nikky."
"Is de crew dining at de same time as de VIPs?" Nikky asks from where she remains draped over a crate. Her legs swing back and forth idly, enjoying the pleasant after-feeling. She hopes the dinner isn't at the same time since she will be otherwise indisposed.
"Well, the cook fixes stuff for the Captain's table separate," Orca notes. "And the crew eats in shifts. It goes shift one, then Captain, then shift two."
"An which shift are you?" Nikky asks, "Cuz I woul' love t' be yer arm skreek, but I was lso asked to help organize some of de passengers stuff fer dem while dey dine. Girly stuffs dey aren't comfy wit a guy touchin' it." She grins widely as she adds, "An 'ow many can claim dey gets to see priestess underthingies, eh? So as long as I kin eat before or after de Captain, dat be okay. During dere meal I be busy organizin."
"Well, I was gonna sit for Shift Two, with Temis taking the first one," Orca admits. "One of us gots to be on deck when the Captain is off duty."
"Ah, after de captain, den. I think I can manage dat," Nikky agrees. The skreek then flutters her eyes as she comments rather coyly, "An y'know, I t'ink you be a bit sweet on me."
"A bit?" Orca asks. "I'm a little sweet, yeah.. and a lot salty!" the rat laughs. "Gonna miss you when he set down in Zannara, a'fore heading to Babel."
"You'll jus' have t' be sure to keep my tail up as much as ya can before den," Nikky teases the other skreek. "An I might jus' add a new bit o' jewelry in yer honor someday for bein' one o' me best 'customers'." That last bit includes her trademarked cackle of near-insanity.
"Maybe I'll do that too," Orca claims, grinning. "You'll pose for a tattoo, right?"
"One on you?" Nikky asks as she rolls on her back and looks at Orca upside-down like. "Sure, I can do dat. No sure where to put any more jewelry on de ol' body here; I goes a lot now! Hmm."
"Gold capped teeth!" Orca offers, then buries his nose into the exposed Skreek-belly and blows a zerbert.
"Yark!" goes Nikky as she quickly curls up to protect her stomach! She swats him with her tail afterward! "So, where ya gonna gets inked up? Y'might have to get shaved."
"Well, maybe.. my palm!" Orca suggests, holding his naked hand out and wiggling the fingers.
Nikky giggles. "Aw, I coul think of much more interesting places den dat," she teases as she finally sits up and curls her arms around her knee for stability. "So, shoul' I see to de rest of de crew, or do yas want a little more of de Tail?"
"I gotta go on duty," Orca sighs. "But the crew been treating you good, right?" he asks.
"Oh, yah. Very kind if a bit messy at times!" Nikky claims, "But you an Temis treat me de best. Always look forward t' your visits. I be seeing ya at dinner t'night den, as long as some other request don' come up."
"Well, a girl's gotta eat, right?" Orca says with a wink, as he puts his pants back on.
"Of course we do," Nikky comments and winks right back. "An if ou didn' have t' go on duty, I would be having me a skreek appetizer," she adds, reaching over to give a suggestive tug on Orca's pants! "Seeya!"
"You make it hard to work, you know dat?" Orca says as he escapes the woman's clutches.
"Jus' doing me job!" Nikky cackles after the fleeing Orca. It's now her turn to leisurely get up and dress for the day. "It's a lot easier to deal with the blessing like this. I didn't expect it to be so intense when I'm back Eeee," she thinks as she dresses, "And it's even messier, if that's possible. I feel sorry for the young Yodhinala that had to undergo it."
The rest of the morning passed by at an almost leisurely pace for Nikky. The crew was very busy with whatever pre-landing preparations needed dealing with, which mostly seemed to involve inspecting everything that might fall of or explode or otherwise be used to deny them dock-space. During her own 'inspection' of the deck, she found Gotrekis parked at the prow, perched atop the dragon-shaped flamethrower nozzle.
"Y'look all serious an lost in thought," Nikky comments as she saunters towards the bat atop the gun. "Y' feeling okay? Need cheering up? Hear somet'ing in de distance?"
The Eeee soldier turns from his gazing at the horizon to gaze at the Skreek. "I haven't been sleeping well," he admits.
"Too much bobbin in de breeze?" Nikky asks as she leans her backside against the barrel of the gun. "Airships can really mess with sleep due to de movements and such."
"It isn't that," Gotrekis notes, looking at the horizon again before turning to look back at the Skreek. "Are you a religious person?" he asks.
"No terribly, no," Nikky comments as she idly crosses her arms and looks up at the airbag. "You?"
"Yes," Gotrekis says. "I'm from Babel. I walked in the realms of the Sisters in my dreams. I thought it was behind me, but recently it seems as if it is starting again."
"Really? I never hear good t'ings about dem," Nikky admits, "What little I hear anyway. De two Priestesses coul' help you wit dat, couldn't dey? De dark one seems pretty grumpy an don' say much t'me, but mebbe she talk to you? Also, I sure de white one would; she pretty friendly.""
"I don't think talking to them would be a good idea," the Eeee claims. "It is dangerous to lie to a Yodh, and I fear I would have to lie about certain things, should I be asked."
"Eh? Can dey tell if you lied?" Nikky asks as she gives Gotrekis a sidelong look. "An I dunno if it help, but y' can tell me anything. No like I know enough to judge anyone about anything religious. 'course if it be dangerous for me t' know, prolly better I don'. I like t' stay out o' trouble."
"Suffice it to say that my actions and duties are at odds with my religion," Gotrekis says. "But there is little I can do about it."
"Oh, I dunno about dat, really. Y'choose both. Mebbe you just need to pick one or de other an just see it through," Nikky says and shrugs. "Or speak wit someone who knows more, ya? Wish I coul' help, but dis is outside o' me experience."
The Eeee seems to contemplate the Skreek for a bit, and then hops down to the deck. "Can you show me your.. nest?" he asks.
Nikky's brow goes up a bit at that. "Uh, yah, sure. It down in de hold. Follow me," the skreek requests. She waves her hand, then sashays back across the deck to the hatch leading back below.
Once there, Gotrekis seems at a loss, and just sits down in the blanket-covered hay. "It seems rather primitive," he points out. "And you serve the crew here?"
Nikky scratches at her neck. "Yah? Dey ain't de most educated sort. A comfortable spot and a place fer me to hike me tail and dey are happy enough," the skreek explains. "No a glamorous job, but it pay well an safer dan pickin' pockets."
"Is that why you do it, for the coins?" Gotrekis asks, quite seriously.
"A little. It also be fun most of the time. Y'meet interesting people. De first mate an de fnerf have become good friends," Nikky says and shrugs.
"An it was a challenge t' satisfy de fnerf," Nikky adds with a toothy grin.
"You don't seem the type, if you pardon my assumption," Gotrekis says. "Most I have met in your profession are.. like old soldiers. Tired, but doing what they know to support themselves. You seem... a bit too shiny, I suppose. Happy. There must be something more you are getting out of this, yes?"
"It a means to an end. I get money, I get to see de world, and I get to have a little fun," Nikky remarks and shrugs a bit. "I gets to try new stuff, and people, too. It no like my life was easy growin' up. I kinna learned to just find fun in de moment. If dere nothin' t look foward to an enjoy, what be de purpose of livin'?"
"I see," Gotrekis says, nodding. "It is not like the soldier who enjoys killing, then. I thought perhaps you had a more personal reason for it, but you sound very practical."
"Y'know, all yas Eeee seem to think too much and be grumpy," Nikky comments, "No offense intended dere, just an observation from de few I met. Y' remind me of one dat passed through Rephidim, oh, a year ago? Mebbe longer. He was younger den you, I t'ink. Grim fellow. Just escaped Babel, I t'ink;. Musta seen lots o' bad t'ings dere since he seemed kinna haunted. Lots like you looked up dere on de gun. Didn't talk to him much, outside o' tellin' him I hoped he found a reason t' smile. He looked at me like I was crazy. Wonder what happened to 'im."
"If he escaped, then his worries were over," Gotrekis says, "unless he left behind family. I have family in Babel, so I do not have the option of running away or even just dying. It is Gorphat's City right now, although I doubt any there pray to Her about it. Soon.. it may be someone else's city. I question my loyalties - but my choices of loyalty are all equally bad."
"Is dere really no one t' believe in, in dat city? None at all?" Nikky asks. "No one dat actually tries t' make it any better or even seem to care?"
"There are, but none are popular," Gotrekis notes. "The common person has no say in it, as the nobility owns them, for the most part. One who rules now pushes for giving everyone a voice, which is counter to tradition and common sense. The one I serve promises a return to tradition and glory.. but not without considerable bloodshed and terror. The Sisters are silent, even Sunala who sits enthroned in her Temple."
"An what would you like t' see happen dere?" Nikky asks. "Of everyone, is dere one you like de most ... or are you hopin' dat someone new will step in?"
"No matter what, there will be change," Gotrekis sighs. "The Sabaoth kept the nobles in line. Thath courts and cajoles them yet refuses to give them exactly what they would want. The General, I believe, wishes to wipe the slate clean and start with a new set of nobles which she appoints. And instead of a Sabaoth we would have.." Here he just trails off.
"Nothin' in life is consistent; everyt'ing changes," Nikky notes and shrugs. "Sounds like to me dis That person might be less scary? Since yo won' even say what dis General person will bring, well ... that's sorta tellin' in it own way. Eh, but what do I know? I just a street skreek; politics aren't me thing. I don' have any real answers for you, sorry."
"Thath's policies could lead to civil war among the nobles, is what I fear," Gotrekis claims. "I've killed enough of my fellow Eeee. I don't want to do it for a lost cause. Besides, my family is at stake, so my own choices are made. I apologize for using your time like this, when you could be enjoying yourself."
Nikky waves her hands. "My duty is t' make sure de crew and passengers are happy. Dat sometimes means I jus' sit an talk to em about whatever dey want to," she says. "I hope dat your family ends up safe through all of dis. Family is important, ya. Jus ... don' give up all hope? Maybe somet'ing better is coming dat hasn't even made itself apparent."
"I think I may not have that long to wait," Gotrekis notes, standing up again. "Death haunts my dreams, you see. Thank you for your time, Nikky, it helped me clarify my thoughts and fears better."
"Death? And dat be good?" Nikky asks, brow arching a little at that. "I don' understand."
The man smiles thinly. "Well, it gives me inspiration to make a choice," he says.
"An have you made it?" Nikky asks.
"Not yet," Gotrekis says. "I still have to decide how much I'm willing to sacrifice."
"Well, help comes from really weird places sometimes," Nikky offers, "Jus' don't give up hope, ya? Ya don' seem all bad; y' just have some weird bed habits." She grins a little at the last bit.
"Oh, I'm a horrible person," Gotrekis claims, but grins, before leaving the cargo hold.
"An I better see ya horrible person at least once more before dis trip ends!" Nikky calls out after Gotrekis. Once he's gone, she shakes her head. "So, his family is in trouble after all. If I help them, perhaps I would get the Guardians on my side." she ponders.
Early afternoon brings lunch, and a bit of activity, but excitement over the coming dinner has the crew too distracted to keep Nikky occupied. And once afternoon proper comes around, it's time to get ready for the Captain's Dinner, which means returning to the cabins shared with Mave and Tulani.
"Whew, the crew is demanding," Nikky claims once she's back in the cabin safely with Mave and Tulani. "Time for me to return to normal and get ready for this ... dinner." Dinner makes her scowl, but not much to be done about that. She then heads for the bunk and flops down on it on her back.
Tulani leans over and smiles. "I think there's going to be fish tonight," she says. "Fish and bugs! Need to charge up?"
"I will after I change back," Nikky admits as she starts shimmying out of her clothing while still lying on her back. She's disturbingly good at doing that apparently. She tries to not think too much about fish and bugs. Neither are really appealing!
"Kaira, I need to return to normal. Important dinner is coming up," Nikky thinks
The shadow extends and engulfs Nikky, placing her in a black limbo of disembodied consciousness once more. "Do you need me to impersonate Nikky?" Kaira asks during the process.
"/Not yet I don't think, though Nikky has to make an appearance at a dinner after mine. Hm. Might be a good idea to be in the cabin as Nikky in case anyone comes looking," Nicora thinks in the weird world of nothing-limbo.
"Alright, I'll be sure to manifest before you leave for dinner, then," Kaira promises, as the shadow begins to recede and Nicora feels.. batty.. again.
"It's nice to have everything back, even you," Nicora mutters on the bed, then reaches down and gives her serpentine tail a squeeze. When she finally manages to sit up, she looks for Mave's pipe to deaden the urges that are already building back up within her gut.
The Yodhinala helpfully packs the pipe and offers it. "If you must sit though, use this towel," she offers.
Nicora takes the pipe, then the towel. As she drapes the towel on a chair then sits upon it, she asks, "What is the towel for? I know I'm a little drippy ... but it's not that bad!"
"You are closer to your peak of fertility," Mave notes. "The blessing will get stronger as you approach it. Also, I wish to collect the resulting dew."
"Oh, so then you would appreciate if I ... relieve my tension before dinner so that I can focus better there," Nicora remarks a bit dryly before puffing on the pipe. "Or should I keep the towel all through dinner too?"
"You may relieve yourself," Mave notes with a grin. "Or sit on your tail during dinner, if it will ease things."
"I'll probably do both. It will keep the tail out of the way," Nicora remarks. "But ... I should recharge first." She flashes a grin towards Tulani and remarks, "Oh ... Tulani...?"
The Sphynx brings a sheathed saber along with her. "Tell me you want me for the Light.. and not the other thing?" she asks with a grin.
"You know ... that could be interesting..." Nicora actually teases Tulani before laughing. "But no, I just want to recharge my hand. I'll tend to other issues in private."
After a brief exposure, the orb in Nicora's hand is glowing at full power again.. at least until she covers it up with fur once more. "Sure you don't want me to fetch Mr. Temis for you?" Tulani asks with a wink.
"I would love to relieve this itch with Temis," Nicora says as she swats Tulani, "But, no. Excuse me for a bit." The Eeee rises and heads for the other section of the cabin with her towel in tow. Time passes and there are a few small sounds from that other cabin. Given the intensity of the blessing, though, Nicora doesn't need a lot of 'build-up' to find her temporary relief from her 'need'. Another twenty minutes pass and Nicora exits from the other cabin section. She looks a little less tense and stressed and she's once again dressed in full robes and her right hand looks normal. Her gait is a bit slow, though. "I put a pad in place to continue collection," she remarks to Mave as she hands over the towel from earlier. She then twitches a bit and lets out a soft breath. "This blessing rarely lets up," she mutters.
"I assume you two will be wearing your Yodh robes for dinner?" Tulani asks Mave and Nicora.
Mave nods. "Yes, I had planned on it," she notes.
"I planned on it as well. It will make sure no one is too forward with me," Nicora remarks ... right before draping her towel over Tulani's wings.
Tulani acks at the towel, and offers it quickly to Mave, who takes it with equanimity. "So, how should I dress then, if I'm your bodyguard?" she asks.
"Naked, in a spiked collar," Nicora says with a completely straight face.
"You'd loan me your spiked collar then?" Tulani replies with a smug grin.
"Sure. Mordecai said it looked good on me," Nicora counters with an equally smug grin.
"I wouldn't want to intrude on Nikky's turf though," Tulani points out. "I could just go with my Chronotopian outfit though.."
"That may be reasonable. It is a semi-formal dinner I expect, so you shouldn't look too rough and tumble. So, as long as you don't look like your normal self, that should be good enough," Nicora remarks as she claw-combs her white and patterned hair.
"Well, that just leaves make-up," Tulani says, raising a finger. "Do we use any? Is that even a thing to consider?"
"I would not, I assume. Mave would given her position, as for you, I believe it would be your choice," Nicora notes. "Am I correct, Mave?"
"Neither of you should require it," Mave notes. "I will tend to myself."
"And I will be sitting next to Mave so that my ... condition will be associated to Mave," Nicora remarks.
"Think they'll pick up on it?" Tulani asks.
"I take no chances," Nicora claims.
"Since when?" Tulani asks again, teasingly. "Well, the Captain is cute.."
"He is, and this body is pining for an Eeee male to satisfy the fertility lust," Nicora admits, "But I know better than to give into that. It threatens my disguise for no real gain."
"I will protect your secret," Mave vows. "You may need to get Gotrekis out of the cabin though after dinner.."
"You intend to seduce him?" Nicora asks Mave.
"If he reacts to your secret scents, it will be a mercy to him, would it not?" Mave asks.
"Ah, perhaps. Perhaps," Nicora says, "I never knew you liked strong Eeee, though. Now, lets all finish getting ready. Dinner awaits and the sooner this is over with, the better."
"Try not to be too gloomy at the table," Tulani requests.. and then it's time to get ready.
The table is small for five people, but cozy. The food is, as Tulani predicted, largely fish-based with some twice-baked beetles. Gotrekis is in uniform, as he sits next to Tulani and across from Nicora, while the Sphynx and Mave are next to the Captain at the head of the table. The men don't seem too terribly twitchy at least.. but the Captain does eat his beetles in a somewhat sensual manner. "Little Rephidim West will give us all a chance to stretch our legs.. and wings," the Captain promises. "Have any of you ladies been there before?" he asks.
Tulani has, being a sailor. In fact the whole quest for the Light of Nala really started at the paquebot. But she looks to Nicora rather than saying anything.
With the shadow in place, Nicora can eat a bug without worry of vomiting. The crunch is a bit disquieting, though. Still, a dour expression helps hide that. "I have not," Nicora remarks a bit dryly just before taking a sip from her cup. "There is little that interests me in such places. They are distraction from duty."
"Even there, people die," the Captain notes, and glances to Mave, adding, "And also create life.."
"The bars are pretty good," Tulani offers. "Plenty of variety."
Gotrekis withholds any opinion for the time being.
"If the dead require service there, they can petition me to tend to it," Nicora remarks and takes a drink.
"I believe there is a local cult that sends the deceased to the strange creatures of the deep that they revere," Captain Soldano notes.
Nicora's brow arches a bit at that. "They had hope that I do not cross their path, then. That is an improper handling of the dead," she remarks with hints of acidity to her tone.
"The Cephantians," Tulani notes, nodding her head. She hasn't really touched her bugs, but has reduced her fish to a skeleton.
"Heretics," Nicora mutters.
"Well, it sounds like there will be much of interest on Little Rephidim West then," Mave notes, sucking the guts out of her beetle suggestively.
Nicora's jaw crunches her bug. She can't help but feel annoyed watching Mave flirt with such a handome Eeee that she can't touch. She tries to mask her annoyance with another sip from her cup.
At least the wine is good, and somewhat strong. It adds to the general warmth of her belly (and regions south).
"You serve potent wine on this ship," Nicora remarks after her last sip. She eyes the glass critically.
"My crew is full of robust men," the captain claims. "And it is the best wine aboard. Is it not to your liking then, Sister?"
"It is fine. I just need to practice temperance in its consumption, lest I act in a way undigified," Nicora claims as she sets her glass down. "I mean no slight to you, Captain. You have been a gracious host; it speaks well of your respect for us."
"I doubt you are capable of anything undignified, Sister," Soldano claims, and raises his own glass. "A toast, to our wonderful guests," he says. "The most elegant passengers we are likely to ever have."
Nicora's brow aches slightly at that claim. Still, she does lift her glass to meet his and the others. "To those who honor, serve, and protect Babel's legacy and its Goddesses. I am sure that each of you will recieve the honors due to you," she adds to the toast.
Mave adds her own, and Tulani.. and Gotrekis last.
After the sip, the Captain asks, "Now, what would everyone like for dessert?"
"You, tied to a bed, and ready to be licked and enjoyed," Nicora finds herself thinking for a moment. Her head shakes slightly to clear away that thought, and instead she answers with a question, "What is it that your can offer us?"
"I think the chef is working on cheesecake," the Captain says, in a lowered, secretive voice.
Nicora finds herself thinking about what she could do with cheesecake. This causes her to tap her toe-claws on the floor for a second. "I believe that would be quite satisfactory, Captain," she says to the captain. She instinctively licks her lips before she can stop herself ... then inwardly feels horrified that he might take that action as a flirt. Well, it was, but it's the blessing! She's not in her right mind! She's ... hopeless is what she is. So she tries to recover by taking a dignified sip from her cup.