Personification Life, the Universe, & Everything [IC]

[Giovenith]

There wasn't much to aim at from Willow's few up above. He had been hoping to hit something big, but this seemed to be a small battle with less distinguishing features to it than a few soldiers, and he couldn't even tell whose soldiers were whose.

He could go back down, but what use would be be then? There was nothing he could do from inside a hole. He'd likely get shot on the way. No, he'd just have to do what he did best: Get creative.

Willow flew further out towards the enemy side, keeping an eye on the dots below to see which direction they were moving. He was probably very far away from Sterling now, which worried him, but was also the point. He wanted to make a strong estimation that he was only hitting the enemy.

Once far enough in, he stopped and assessed the sky. Clouds were plentiful in winter, and though he couldn't do a lot by himself, he could be effective with patience. With nothing able to touch him up here, he had all the patience in the world.

"I don't know you," Willow huffed under his breath, looking at the wandering humans below. "But I gotta do this, I'm sorry."

He cracked a few joints, stretched his wings, and brought his hoof down on a cloud. Thunder sprung to life inside it, becoming louder and louder the more he struck it, until the snow falling from it ceased and became icy cold, hard-hitting rain instead. Quickly, he jumped to another cloud and started the process over again, and so on. He was hoping to cause enough weather crisis that the enemy side would be forced to call it quits and lay off Sterling and their side.

[Tiltjuice]

Front desk

Chrys stretched out on the Thinking Bench, staring up at the ceiling. It was an increasingly commonplace occurrence, sometimes with a copy of the Underworld Times draped over her face. She could only clean her and Hans' apartment so many times before things got rather dull...an unfortunate side-effect of having a touch of Time's blessing.

/Mundane utility, what fun!/ she thought to herself, and then sighed.

The pages of Volker's own newspaper folding caught her attention; he only stopped reading when there was work to be done. And there it was! A new blob emerging from the overhead lamp. The desk chair rattled slightly as if Volker intended to get up, but she held up her hands and shook her head with a slight smile. Volker bowed slightly back at her before retreating behind his copy of the Times.

She stood slowly and paced over, arriving just as the medium-sized man fell through. Catching him as best as she could, she staggered, and then looked him up and down.

"Rise and shine, Alerraze Marinos," called Volker, without breaking stride in his reading - and then, by way of exclamation point to that sentence, a buckler and a rucksack dropped through right after him. Chrys looked up just in time to catch an antique-looking revolver full in the face.

"OW!"

[Monfrox]

Frozen Rain

Though Willow's efforts were valiant, they were very much wasted. The artillery guns were far back in the line, and they would be firing any time they so desired due to their range out from the frontline. It would take many hours for Willow to find them, and that was in good lighting. The soldiers below him merely sought shelter in their foxholes and under their wooden roofs. Most wore white, making it hard to pick them out among the snow. Prepared positions shielded them from the assailing hail and most barely even paid attention to it in the first place. To them, it was just something they had to deal with.

The Medic looked to her new compatriot and made a brief attempt at a chuckle about Sterling's comment.

"Son, you just about described half the company, but..." She looked him over and pulled his shoulder towards her more. "Wait...that's not an Airborne patch...you must be-"

She was cut short when one of the other soldiers came running over to their hole. "Doc! We got wounded, further down!"

"Right," She hopped up but then looked back to Sterling for a brief second. "You stick with me. I'll get you back to Battalion and we can sort this mess out real quick. Come on." It wasn't long before she and the other trooper took off into the night.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

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Meritari turned to look at Amanda in surprise as she began speaking almost before she was done. She was, however, glad that she was not the only one who wondered about how they would manage to get by without currency, and she was further pleased to learn that Sandy had plenty of alcohol to sell in case they needed it. One of the things she had learned over the past few months of living at the Building was that alcohol was very much a thing, even in a place so radically different from her own home, so she found it quite simple to agree with Sandy's optimism regarding the possibility of finding a market for beer wherever they were headed.

More intriguing was the notion that magic might not work in the place they were going. She found this interesting because, even though the Building was completely different from where she used to live before, she could still see all the signs that she had been taught to look for by the scholars who cared for her after her tragedy. However, she supposed it made sense; numerous things he had said, including his comment about some of his spells failing to deliver, made it clear that he needed a connection to his gods, and that their reach did not extend everywhere he went.

The topic soon changed to battle once again, and though she understood the need to be prepared, it still worried her: it meant that they thought it likely to end up in a combat situation, and she had good reasons to trust their assessment of the situation over her own.

Before the conversation advanced too much, Maghrl intervened again, stating that if the Belas just played along a little, he would be able to do most of the talking. While it was good to hear that disguises would not be necessary, she was not especially thrilled about posing as a servant, but she said nothing on the matter, as she was far from selfish enough to refuse to help because of something so petty.

The young woman followed the others out of the ship and onto the deck as Maghrl continued speaking. He doubted that they could get the funding required to carry out their mission, and then spoke of various matters she did not understand, as well as a place called Kuat where many droids worked. But then, he too began speaking not just of combat, but of past conflicts, of revolution and of theft. Needless to say, this alarmed her greatly, and she was relieved when Sandy spoke up, bringing up the fact that they might cause the deaths of many innocents, and that there were possible alternatives they could use to accomplish their mission (which, she suspected, was going to change regardless) and still do some good.

Yet, it seemed that things would go in a very different direction regardless of Sandy's suggestions. The conversation continued in the same vein of liberating the land known as Kuat, an idea that she found somewhat jarring; while she could understand that the Belas cared for the people who owed their service in that place, to break that bond without regard for whatever authority might have appointed the rulers of Kuat struck her as not only violent and risky, but also as questionable.

Alas, Amanda seemed determined to go through with it, and Sandy did not appear to want to go against her. Maghrl, too, was willing to commit to such a crusade.

"I, I don't... Are we certain it's preferable to make such a... volatile change?" The Kemetian intervened at last, hoping she would not be shunned for holding views that differed slightly from the rest of her group, though if it came to that, she was still willing to tag along for the ride, not wishing to abandon her friends to their luck when she could do something of worth helping them, and also reluctant to pass up the opportunity to study another distant land. "I mean, the Building is our home now, is it not? Regardless of how long we might want to stay and... regulate the changes we've made, we will return here eventually, won't we? We will not remain to be subject to all the consequences of whatever actions we carry out in this... Kuat. Would it not be better to get what we need from this place and do whatever good we can while trying to avoid changing things so abruptly?" The young woman argued, before falling into silence and looking at the Belas and Maghrl, waiting to hear their thoughts.

[Northwest Slobovia]

"I, I don't... Are we certain it's preferable to make such a... volatile change?" [...] "I mean, the Building is our home now, is it not? [...] We will not remain to be subject to all the consequences of whatever actions we carry out in this... Kuat. Would it not be better to get what we need from this place and do whatever good we can while trying to avoid changing things so abruptly?"

Amanda replied without missing a beat. Her posture and expression shifted subtly as she began: for an instant, she seemed to bristle, and then she threw herself into her response. "Outsiders are rarely subject to the consequences of what they do. If you were at home, in your home city, and you tried to resolve an argument between two strangers, you might never know what happens after you leave them, success or failure.

"I used to help administer the city where we lived, bringing criminals to justice and defending the innocent. I was a minor official, one of many. I was very good at it, but there nothing special about my position." Sandy's eyes shifted suddenly in her direction, and was that a hint of a smile on his face? That's unusual modesty for her!

Amanda didn't notice, and plunged ahead. "My work changed many lives beyond measure: I had some criminals imprisoned for life, and showed that a few people accused of horrible crimes were in fact innocent. I never heard of most of them again; it was simply the nature of the job. Sometimes criminals would threaten me for bringing them to justice. One even threatened to have me killed. They never got close. Those I saved promised me all sorts of rewards for helping them. Perhaps one or two -- no, definitely two -- followed through. Somewhere in Philadelphia, there is a little girl named after me. It will be the same with Kuat, regardless of whether we stay in Maghrl's universe or return here.

"But if we do nothing, if we do too little, the people enslaved on Kuat will face the full consequences of our refusal to help them."

Despite her words, Amanda's face softened after she finished, especially around the corners of her eyes. Perceptive and willing to fight for what she believes despite unsure footing. We'll keep this one.

Sandy seemed to be following the conversation, but the distant focus to his eyes -- he seemed to look through people even as he watched them speak-- and his unconscious rubbing of the back of neck suggested his mind was elsewhere. Several seconds went by after Amanda finished before he said anything. "I agree. With, um, Maghrl, that is: we know too little to decide now. We'll have to go and see before making-- before we can plan. We we can do and what we... should do--". Uncertainly showed in his tentative tone. "--depends too much on the circumstances."

His voice firmed up, and he turned to Maghrl, gesturing at himself. "Is what we're wearing acceptable to Kuat's culture? Do we look the part you were thinking of: members of the social elite?

"On a previous matter: what should we bring to sell to raise a little money? What do they value? Alcohol? Food? Raw materials? It... sounds like they're far more technically sophisticated than Bielefeld, but that doesn't mean there's nothing here they might want. Given the..." -- he made circular motions with his hand, searching for words -- "cultural and technical differences, commonplace things here might be exotic and, therefore, prized there."

[Holy Lykos]

Kuati Dreams

The squib nodded along with Amanda's words.

"Volatile change oft tough, yes yes. But if us do enough-much and set up ways-means to continue change, it helps. Even if helps a few people is worth. Doing something better than nothing, nothing only perpetuates injustice."

Though, the more pertinent questions came up. Money and clothes and culture. Maghrl frowned. "Money... selling. Anything, truthwise. Kuat part Industry part Luxury. Metals good, Alco good. Rarities, such and such. Metals most useful for starship construction just about any, yes yes. Mag thinks our places have similar 'nough metals. Some different ones, though. Good ones for Starships include... " Maghrl thought for a moment. He was a roboticist, not a starship engineer but he did know metals pretty well...

"Hmm. Titanium. Gold. Aluminum and alloys like allum. Beskar. Iron, Steel, such alloys and iterations." He was slowing down by now, Chrome... uh, Mag not know others, no. Most metals used somehow. Shipyard planets find use for any materials. Alcohol appreciated by all too, rich to poor. Rich pay more for perceived exoticness and rarity. Convince of price, all that's needed. Can sell bucket of air and keep bucket with right words." His impish grin at that was probably lost on the others, given what he'd just said was a common phrase describing squib. "If Belas and Maghrl's connections good 'nough, find materials to sell and setup company."

A brief pause, as Maghrl's expression turned to thought. "Though, Maghrl think no need for servitude-acting play. Pretend be founders of new supply and shipping company from... Somewhere. Mandalore option. So is Corellia. Both have history and connections. Squib known for business sense, in way, so not too out-of-norm. Magh say providing ships.

"Maghrl does have useful data on both planets, yes yes. And clothes. Clothes defo not good. No need to go all way to Kuati opulence, gold and jewels and rigidness," The distaste was more than obvious in posture and voice as lips curled and ears laid low. "Styles need changed to fit. Bela and Meri clothing too... old. Wrong material-make and shapes. Clothes easy enough find. Need to send pictures of rich-end styles of galaxy, yes."

A short nod before he continued, switching to more matters at hand. "Maghrl say group split to gather things. Can forward data on cultures to devices people have, and take some time with Meri to explain being Corellian, yes? Or maybe Coruscanti. No one question if someone Coruscanti. World-city too populous even since Vong. So yes, Coruscanti. Amanda be Mandalorian, Sandy Corelian or Mandalorian, not much matter. Belas do have data devices, yes yes?"

"Either way, Break for some time, meet up in Lobby when ready for spywork, yes?" It wasn't exactly a question as much as an affirmation of a plan.

Essentially, that was it for the group for the time being. Maghrl could easily arrange to send off material for the others to read through(or be read to) without much issue, along with forwarding clothing and cultural information for the relevant things. It didn't hurt to send a primer for Aurebesh as well(Maghrl had long ago discovered Aurebesh and English lettering were easily ciphered to each other for some odd reason), and it would pay for the Belas and Meri to be able to read such things. Though Meri would be unlikely to learn in the short time provided and the others would only be passable at best, it would be a start. The plan had legs, even if it wasn't quite steady enough to stand yet.

[Giovenith]

It wasn't very long before there wasn't much more Willow could do... well, beyond striking lightning, but he refused to do anything like that. He wasn't going to hurt others so directly. He couldn't leave Sterling for long though, no need to have two friends to search for.

It was much more difficult navigating back to where Willow had been than it had venturing out, and he balked several times at the cutting wind and snow. No matter how long he'd spent in the past, it was still nearly too much, but he preserved. By the time he reached the point in the sky above where he believed he last left Sterling, he was out of breath, deeply chilled, and half blind from the frozen build up on his lashes. There was no time to complain though; he had to time his descent just right, since he now lacked Sterling's shield. Pegasi were fast, but not faster than exploding steel.

"I have a lot of forces on my side," Willow mumbled to himself, looking downward. He reflected on his princesses, Giovenith, and Rache and his master. "If you're going to give me a favor, now's as good a time as any."

And he shot down.

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams

As the group left the roof, the cat had yawned enormously and had stretched. His paws momentarily had pressed into the girl’s shoulder, then had pulled back in. "Oh, hi…Mary? Nope, Meritari." He’d sounded quite sheepish, although the emotion hadn't actually been transmitted. Blinking, he’d looked around the familiar staircase. “We just were on the ship from Alessio... How long was I asleep?”

Getting some answers (presumably) from the others and picking up the gist of their plans, he headed to 7B his renumbered apartment. That still was strange. He'd grown used to 7B, by that name, as a constant in his life and a real home - and then part of that constant had changed, and he himself had made more changes to it. Biting down on the rubber-coated top of his key, the cat turned it, pulled the low-inset chartreuse handle, and flung his door open wide. Dragon Fire-lizard scales glittered on the walls, iridescent brown.

Turning around, he faced Alexandria's large glass tank, and let her out for a few minutes of “hugging.” The snake admittedly didn't have all that much in the way of emotions or thought, but she was at least as content with Nick as she'd be with any sunny rock, and loved to curl around him - even if that did mean he occasionally needed to thread a paw under to unwind her if she started tightening her coils. Just how would she manage, with him gone again? The very last thing he wanted was to dump her on someone who might resent the task…

His eyes drifted to a particular patch of wall near the front, behind which lay novels that a curious Nick had concluded were embarrassingly mushy and awkwardly steamy - Spencer's cache, in a spot Nick found to be problematically distant from the litterbox. “Me, I'll happily pet-sit.” But...with no notice? And…does he actually like her at all? Spencer hadn't asked to visit with her, Nick had noticed, while visiting the latter’s home. And... His ears perked forwards. Wasn't he simply assuming? This sounded like a fairly quiet assignment, after all. This time, he didn't have to offload his luggage onto, say, Sandy. He could potentially carry her, although he'd need some sort of light container. Which he didn't have. Maybe he could join the shoppers?

Actually, Sandy mentioned dressing to pose as high society...If I get to act as a person in that world, I may need clothes, too. And I still have money from the fire-lizard! Maybe… Firing off a quick text, he dislodged the literally clingy snake from his nose, nudging her onto his back. “You really are goofy, Allie, you know that?” With that, he turned to packing.

He'd learnt his lesson last time: even though he could carry his own bag, packing light would be wise! The potsherds could be problematic to take, and the Alexandrian pebble would be too easy to lose by far. The denarii - More of a piece of my travels here at home, really.

A melanistic head flicked forward, a delicate forked tongue scenting the air. Gently nosing the slender snake, Nick returned to the pile. The tea set would be downright silly...but would leaving it affect his pin? Admittedly, it might be worth leaving it home simply to test that...except it could break! Would the pin’s effect prove suspicious? Then again, he could claim Maghrl was responsible. Maybe. (Although perhaps he could pass for a Jedi? Probably not, however, around actual ones.) The cultists' ornament was meaningful, even moreso with his little Allie-pal, but fragile…It stays.

Starting to lick one paw, Nick fished out a leather pouch with the other. Dropping in an ear-sized piece of polished glass enchanted to resemble the sky outside and a Galli rune, he dropped the pouch into a sturdy bag - his chief carrier of luggage. Sticking to the bottom of this were a few loose scales and a cord. It was tied with silky string to a harness capable of supporting or lifting the cat comfortably and safely, although getting in always took some wriggling. Biting down on the harness, he pulled it forward as he loosened and removed his scarf, out of which he fished his key. I probably ought to try a lanyard or something.

Dumping the harness, he looped Alexandria securely and clambered up his wall to plop her back in her tank. Rather larger than the quite adequate one Amanda had purchased, it was fitted into an alcove in the front wall and festooned as a veritable forest floor, with abundant climbing spaces and hides. <I'll be back soon, Alexandria. If I do have to leave you... I love you and be good for Spencer, please. I love you.>

Nick glanced at her scales as she slipped in, and then at a nearby brown lizard one. He still had plenty of those left. I wonder if they might be a tradable commodity? They're really very handsome and sturdy…Maghrl likely knows. Hopping on his mattresses, he rolled onto his belly and leaned against a pillow, eyes drifting shut. Maybe just a quick nap? A gong rung out, startling him awake: a reply from Sandy saying that he was more than welcome to come along!

Purring, the cat leaned forward and fired off a message to Maghrl via communicator regarding exotic scales as a trade good. He’d photographed one early on, while trying to use his camera - the single non-deleted photo, attached, wasn't artistic but was clear. The scale, stuck to a vivid blue brick, appeared black and reflective, with a strong iridescent sheen. A paw provided some scale: it appeared to be about the size of one of his toes, or hence a jellybean.

Hopping off the bed, he ran to his stuff and wriggled into his harness, which went on over the holder for the cat’s missions communicator and personal phone. As he yanked each strap in turn to tighten buckles, a reply came! Reading it, Nick started purring. “You can come, my little tail! You can come!”

Nuzzling his snake's tank fondly, the cat excitedly dashed to the stairs, where he slid down several banisters. His stomach rumbled. Closeness to the kitchens was a distinct advantage of his relocation! One small fish fillet later, he bounced to the second floor corridor, where he and the Belas would be meeting up.

[Holy Lykos]

Kuati Dreams

Meri, Sandy, Amanda, and Nick had already gone off somewhere, leaving Maghrl to his lonesome to think and plan. Plan on permutations of the few plans they had, and potentialities of what might happen. Each swirling and growing like a rancor, tearing at his calm and even exterior as he lingered on the roof for a bit longer than he needed. Thoughts tended to become such cancerous things at the drop of the hat. Was it any wonder some people gave into their chaotic minds to pursue the chaos and anarchy of the Dark rather than be driven mad trying to fight the entropy even of the mind.

But no, Maghrl knew how to combat such things. The purple furred being pulled his patched and tattered cloak tight, closing his eyes and trying to center. As he did, he turned around and went for the elevators. It was time to retire to his room and see if he had some blank identichips. The first thing he would need to help the group fake their identities. A combination ID card, local record database, and personal datacard. Not quite as strict as the old Empire, but the Republic and Empire kept the tradition of having citizens hold them. For record-keeping purposes, ostensibly. Maghrl wasn't quite sure about that, but it certainly was convenient to have. And not too hard to fake with how decentralized the Galactic Alliance was.

The squib kept his eyes closed, tapping the correct floor with a subtle probe with the force. It wouldn't take long to reach, with the odd properties of the building. Perhaps enough to think. But the Squib couldn't help feel trepedation whenever thinking of this mission. Was the Force...? No, that would be silly. Maghrl turned his mind away from his worries and let it rest. Soon, the Jedi Code and its many forms bubbled forth as his mind drifted from events that might come soon.

There is no Emotion, there is Peace.

But what being could truly be emotionless? Without emotion, there was little reason to continue going forward every day. There was little reason to care about the galaxy and its many many people. But extremes of emotions were volatile... And a peaceful jedi could be stronger in the Light than a conflicted one. Maghrl still preferred the older, more open version of the code. Emotion, yet Peace, was a truer statement. His mind started meditating on that version instead.

Ignorance, yet knowledge.

To know your limitations as a Jedi and being, yet strive to understand more and learn of the Force and Reality. A simple enough interpretation, but a good one. The elevator dinged, and the alien stepped forward. Eyes still closed, the squib decided to test both his memory and trust the Force. There was no reason it couldn't lead him back to the room that was his home. Despite the dark seeming to surround him, he was still in light.

Passion, yet serenity.
Chaos, yet harmony.

Lines that could describe Maghrl's mind and soul better than many things. The contradiction of his natural passionate and chaotic nature as a Squib, yet his attempts to be serene and harmonious with the universe through the Force. A strange combination, but Maghrl was still a good person. Hopefully. He stopped, turning to face the door of his room still unseeing. Yet he Knew.

Death, yet the Force.

Everything was equal in two things. Entropy, and connection to the Force. All life perished but continued to feed the great cycles of life and the Force for all time. Not a reincarnation, or an afterlife. Just... Being. The ultimate fate of everything. Just like the Squib's arrival at his home once more, inevitable with the Force's guidance. He opened the door, stepping into the messy abode quickly.

Now, where did he put the identichips and credits he had on him when he arrived... The purple alien opened his eyes once more, only then remembering the almost hoardlike state his room was in. Perhaps his living space needed more harmony, and less chaos. Certainly would aid in him finding items. This may take a while.

---

Sterling, left alone in the dark for a few moments, was conflicted. If he stayed, Willow would have a better chance of finding him. But following could be one of the best ways of going about finding Brit too.. And he had no time to make much of a decision at all. In his nervous panic, he decided to follow. Willow was resourceful enough to find him. He needed to find Brit so Willow could find them both.

Sterling made a compromise as he clambered out of the hole and after the medic. The unicorn sent up a flare of light from his horn, colored blue as his magic always was. The magic pierced the dark, illuminating the many foxholes for a moment before fizzling out. Too short of a time to be used by anyone other than someone who was up high in the sky and looking down. Pointed forward it would show Willow his friend's direction hopefully, if the other pony actually saw it.

It was all Sterling could truly do to help direct his friend's search, if he was looking.

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Nick (figuratively) bounced down the second floor corridor towards the Belas. From the scent, the couple could guess that he'd just eaten some fish - tasty fish, if the way he was licking his whiskers was anything to go by. He wore his harness, and the magical tea tray followed in his wake.

Amanda stiffened at Nick’s approach, wary eyes following his progress. She shot a displeased glance in Sandy’s direction. She hissed at him, though that would be little safeguard against sharp hearing. “You could have given me some warning.”

An elaborate shrug started her husband’s reply. “You can do this now or later, but I’m not going to do it for you.”

“Sorry, Amanda.” Nick's tail drooped. “I should have asked you if I could come along shopping, too. Alexandria needs some kind of carrier, and I might need clothes - I guess I didn't think.” He avoided asking what was wrong - he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Nick (figuratively) bounced down the second floor corridor towards the Belas. From the scent, the couple could guess that he'd just eaten some fish - tasty fish, if the way he was licking his whiskers was anything to go by. He wore his harness, and the magical tea tray followed in his wake.

Amanda stiffened at Nick’s approach, wary eyes following his progress. She shot a displeased glance in Sandy’s direction. She hissed at him, though that would be little safeguard against sharp hearing. “You could have given me some warning.”

An elaborate shrug started her husband’s reply. “You can do this now or later, but I’m not going to do it for you.”

“Sorry, Amanda.” Nick's tail drooped. “I should have asked you if I could come along shopping, too. Alexandria needs some kind of carrier, and I might need clothes - I guess I didn't think.” He avoided asking what was wrong - he wasn't sure he wanted to know.[/quote]

Amanda swallowed what she’d otherwise say; that sort of permission was the least of Nick’s problems. She knelt down to be closer to Nick’s height. Her voice was strained; dealing with mobsters was easier. “You need permission to enter other people’s minds, Nick. We don’t like people invading them.”

Nick slumped. “Oh. Did I...I guess I did project without permission. I sometimes do that by accident if I'm planning to say something, but...erm...I'll try to do better?” It was a question because he still was figuring out just how this relatively recent development worked. “Please, please don't become afraid of me,” begged the fifteen-pound cat.

“It’s a bit late to worry about ‘become’. My question is whether you can behave.”

Shaking, the cat curled into a tight ball. He debated covering his ears - words could really hurt - but held off in the hope that, maybe, things still could end up being okay.

Amanda looked up at Sandy. “Well?”

“I’d say you hurt his feelings.” Sandy joined the other two closer to the floor. “What’s the matter, Nick?” He reached out to stroke the cat’s back, waiting for the feeling of contact with his mind.

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

It didn't actually come. The collar spoke up. “Is it okay if I show you? I don't want to prove...that Amanda... should be scared, but it's not...I don't really know how to explain anything without showing.” The cat’s voice, while still stressed, was less so. This time, he actually had someone... probably, hopefully on his side, but at the very least neutral, and not scared by his powers. A little exasperated, perhaps, by the need to define all these boundaries.

But exasperation was nothing, really.

“Yes, of course, Nick.” The sorcerer tried for soothing familiarity, and felt the cat’s tensed muscles relax under his hand. “I wouldn’t have touched you if I wasn’t … seeking, um, telepathic communion.” He let his hand rest on Nick’s back, waiting to see what Nick wanted to show him.

A room - gray, of course. A leash, known to be around his neck. It was ten feet, attached to a post. A drawer opening - his owner was pulling out her bible.

“Perhaps, demon, if you repent…” The scene trailed off. Frustration, sadness enough that it might well move Sandy himself to tears. <All I did was try to say hi, because I was lonely, and they were SCARED, thought I was evil, wondered what I looked like on the inside...but mostly, they were SCARED of me, and now AMANDA IS SCARED...and you might be too! I just wanted to talk to someone instead of only having friends in books! Sandy, it wasn't faaaaaaaiiiiiiir!> A miserable meeeyowl came rather involuntarily, being the closest to a wail that Nick really could manage with his own mouth.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Amanda flinched and started to move away, suddenly conscious that she was unarmed. Sandy wiped moist eyes with his free hand. He looked over his shoulder at Amanda. “You should see this.” Her eyes went big; she started to make a defensive gesture, refusing to even consider it. “No, you should see. You know why I was prepared to help people if our war was discovered… why… we had such problems in Bielefeld. But I don’t think you understand it. Fear isn’t one-sided, Amanda.”

Amanda looked at her husband like he’d asked her to grab an angry cobra. He persisted anyway. “You’ve done it once before, in my workroom, to See what I Saw.”

“That was bad enough, and for a better reason.” She crossed her arms. “I think I understand well enough. What’s that expression you like, ‘The alliance of the weak against the strong’? There are few supers and many civvies, and you fear what would happen if the civvies found out about you. We--they do have good reason to fear, though, Sandy. This isn’t news.” Nick slumped some more.

She sighed, looked annoyed. “You’re not one of the bad ones, dear, at least not yet. Giovenith isn’t. Maghrl is a Jedi. Nick…? What would you have me do?”

Sandy gave Nick a gentle pat; even if Nick wasn’t receiving, he should understand. “Try trusting him for the moment.

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Nick sat up a bit, eyes peeking out from behind his tail. He looked… not quite at his neighbor’s eyes, as that might scare her, but rather somewhere around her bellybutton. “Amanda? Who are the bad ones...and why do you think I'm one?! You said it yourself - you trusted me with access to your mind. I didn't do anything bad! What's changed?”

“Sandy tells me you can touch other people’s minds at a distance. Yes?”

“Um, yes?” Nick sounded puzzled. “I have to know where they are, and unless I know their minds enough or they try to respond the link not only is one way, it doesn't even persist, and all I really can send without that stronger sort of connection is emotions and words, and it's HARD sending anything complex, and it basically cuts off after people are a few rooms away...although I guess I yelled a bit at first, but I really thought only the intensely focused on stuff would come through that link as opposed to every single thought! AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, then ask Sandy! He helped me figure some of this stuff out in the first place in time to use in Alexandria!”

The cat just couldn't BELIEVE that THIS was the problem. He debated mentioning that Maghrl’s telepathy, too, was ranged - but that's not my secret to share, if they don't know. Then again, apparently Maghrl's Jedi status rendered him trustworthy, and Nick certainly wouldn't mind… “Maybe Maghrl could see if something about me is bad? If he said I wasn’t, you'd believe him...right?”

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Uncertainty crossed Amanda’s face. “I don’t know. I don’t know what he can tell about other people. We know a little about Jedi. Not much, but it seems that when they misuse their gifts, when they’re drawn to the Dark Side, it’s obvious. They don’t seem to take baby steps towards evil, they slide in head first. But that’s something for another time.”

She took a deep breath, clearing her mind, relaxing. Nick wasn’t a solid opponent, nor did he have an expert’s control over his gifts. Think of him as a child. A furry child, a smart furry child, but not yet a threat. “The difference is the range, Nick. Before, I was in control. I could break the connection just by letting go of you. Now, you’re telling me you can read my mind over distances.

“Yes, I heard you: it’s hard, especially since you don’t know me very well. But that’s a matter of practice and familiarity. Supers get better with practice, the same way everybody does. But maybe I can trust you today.”

Nick relaxed. “Oh. I can't read your mind at a distance, Amanda, unless you actually try to reply or we've recently had a two way link - it's been years, and even longer on your end! Even then, it's either one way where I'm likely to share my private thoughts unintentionally, or it's two way where, frankly, we'd still have to focus to send anything to one another. I can pick up on it if you mean for me to or maybe I could if you focused really hard - strong emotions, mostly.” His left ear flicked. “For instance, IF I sent you something right now and IF you actually intentionally tried to reply, I could probably pick up on your fear of me.”

Amanda nodded. “That will have to do. You’re telling me you will behave, though mostly because you can’t misbehave that easily. That’s an uneasy detente, but it will do for the moment.”

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

“Amanda…” Nick's tone was earnest. “I wouldn't misbehave if I could. I wouldn't try to read your mind, at least not unless we were in a truly dire emergency. But I don't know if you’ll believe that, and I didn't know, at first, what you meant by behave. I may accidentally project thoughts at you. It's awkward, especially if they're private.”

“Nick, we’re having this conversation because you didn’t behave before.” Her tone was shifting back, hardening. Nick’s ears flattened. “Before it was a lark: spooky voices in my head. Now, you’ve got a bit more power to play with. And when you master your gifts, then what?”

“Spooky voices?” While apparently Nick’s sending of a cat-mummy overdramatically promising REVEENNGE had made an impression on Amanda, Nick had LONG ago forgotten his little prank. “Then what? Er.” Licking a paw, he started washing his face. “I hopefully will be more useful in the field? My power helped us coordinate rapidly and well enough to fight fire lizards, at touch range. Maybe we could have been more effective if we hadn't all had to be in the same spot.”

His claws extended into the carpet. He was hardly about to attack, but Amanda's poor impression of him was frustrating. “I'm not Voldemort, Amanda! I'm not going to go around invading minds if I end up able to somehow - I'd tell you I couldn't but last summer I would have said my range was touch because, well, it was.”

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Amanda stood up; being stooped over was getting tiring, and it was hardly a normal posture for discussion. “Try putting yourself in my shoes, Nick. What if I had mental powers of unknown and unverifiable power, which I could use to read your mind undetectably. What would you do about it?”

“I…” About to retort that of course he wouldn't mind, Nick stopped and really thought about it. “I guess... I'm not sure? I might ask to be told if it was happening, or for it to be stopped if I ask - people I connect to pretty much end up reading my mind anyway. Then again, I can always pull away or break the link, and I know when it's happening…”

He mewed, surprised. “You think I can read your mind, untraceably? I can't, at least not for the moment. I actually can pick up some things passively if I'm touching someone long enough,” not something he was entirely comfortable revealing given Amanda's attitude, but if it came out later and Sandy stopped trusting him… “But it's mainly emotions and other unconscious processes - language, for one. It's a big part of how I learned English. Sandy - you've been connected such that I could basically read your mind, multiple times. It's pretty obvious to someone if I'm linked to them, right?”

“Well…” Sandy shifted to sitting cross-legged, then changed his mind. “I think this would be easier if I picked you up.” His discomfort was starting to come through the mind link: stiff legs, and a back slowly growing sore.

Nick figured Amanda would be more comfortable with a spoken answer: his assent came across a moment before he replied. “Sure. Thanks.”

Sandy rocked backwards to get his feet under himself, then stood straight up with Nick in his arms, a graceful, practiced gesture.

He looked at Amanda squarely. “Nick’s control isn’t that great. There’s a fair amount of, um, emotional cross-talk in the connection. It’s unmistakable when he’s sending something, but…” There was a long pause filled with Sandy’s introspection, as he glanced around. “The mind link is at best a quiet murmur of Nick’s emotions, and sometimes I get fragments of his thoughts, even when he’s just sustaining the connection.”

A crooked grin spread across Amanda’s face. “But I’m not asking about Nick’s abilities, I’m asking about mine.” She lowered her gaze the couple of feet needed to make eye contact with the tomcat. “Everything mundanes do is detectable some way. People try to hide things, but it’s very difficult, and scientists have gotten good at spotting their efforts.

“Supernatural abilities are a bit different. Some spells can’t be noticed by physical methods. Sandy has some: the Eyes, the Ears, the keep-cool and -warm spells. His behavior is often a giveaway, but he could easily eavesdrop on people if he wanted.” Amanda’s grin widened. “Except for other supers. Nearly all spellcasters, and some other supers, can see magic. The Sight seems a common gift for supers back home. So if I think Sandy’s up to something, I can ask somebody else to check for me. Relying on experts is part of my job anyway: nobody can know everything.

“But telepathy isn’t magic. So my gifts wouldn’t --” her smile briefly became feral -- “or don’t make sparkling ribbons in Sandy’s Sight. Maybe I’m so good in court because I don’t anticipate opposing counsel, I read his mind. And maybe I’m going to win this argument because I’m reading yours. How does that feel?” Amanda’s tone wasn’t quite victorious, but there was something more than merely playful to it

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Nick washed a paw. Presently, he spoke up, although Sandy understood well before that - the tomcat really had tried to think as though the scenario were real. “Erm, two emotions - no, three. First is anger. I'm not angry that you've been in my head. I'm angry that you've been acting mean despite that - using bits of my past against me, even. I admittedly want control over who has information that... potentially humiliating. Second, I'm honestly relieved, because if you've been in my head you can't not see my point, my perspective. Third... I'm embarrassed. Not having control over which of your thoughts others are seeing can get REALLY awkward - and, hopefully, I haven't been having any thoughts that aren't malicious but would make ever encountering you in the hallway a terribly uncomfortable prospect.”

Amanda nodded, still smiling. “So now you understand my problem. Back home, we have an expression: ‘Trust, but verify.’ I can trust that you’re being good, but I have no way of verifying it. Which is indeed very uncomfortable.”

The tenor voice emanating from Nick’s collar was rather more muted. “I hear you. That does make sense, and I wish we had an artifact which could alert you. Maybe we could find one? That's the best chance I can think of to verify anything, but I wish you didn't feel uncomfortable around me. I can stay here, although I'd much rather come!” Nick’s emotions matched his words. “Oh! I know that powers being undetectable might be stressful, but mine helped us repeatedly in Alexandria. It didn't tip off the Librarians, even when they tested me.” Moderate embarrassment (as the more extensive tests had of course come about because the cat had gotten too absorbed in something to remember that he was supposed to act like a pet) and some excitement - assuming he went, he'd be visiting another universe as a sentient tourist!

[Monfrox]

Frozen Rain

The medic followed one of the soldiers and Sterling followed the both of them until they headed around to one of the other lines. The medic, to her credit, looked back a few times to make sure the pony was still back there before coming up on a few soldiers huddled around one lying down. His leg from the knee down was lying a couple feet away from him.

"Okay, hold him down." The medic said, taking out a heavy bandage and slapping it onto the mangled stump where the leg used to be. "One of you find me a stick. Hurry."

She took out a small box and opened it, sliding a small syrette that she took the plastic cover off of and stabbed it into the other thigh. The wounded soldier suddenly stopped trying to thrash around and laid back. When a stick was produced, she took it and wrapped some gauze along the short thigh with it and then twisted the stick around a few times before tying the gauze over it. She then took her bloody hands and drew an M on the man's forehead.

"Alright, where's the litter?"

"They got it on the way."

As Willow came down, a jeep sped it's way to the scene and arrived. The medic and the other soldiers picked the wounded one up and put him on the stretcher on the front of the jeep.

"Alright, you guys need to get back to battalion. Come on."

She all but shoved the two friends into the back of the jeep and got in the passenger seat before it took off. It was a bumpy road and the shell holes certainly didn't help, but they had to get back to the aid station fast.

"I bet you two have a lot of questions!" The medic shouted back over the sound of the engine. "I can't say I can answer a lot of them but I'm sure I can give you a bit to go on!"

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

Amanda’s gaze jumped to Sandy. “Your opinion, Dr. Bela?”

“I gave it: trust Nick. His control… He needs a lot more practice, and probably a teacher. His control isn’t as bad as Kale’s was -- and definitely not like Susan’s”. Momentary fear crossed his mind, along with a memory of a huge building collapsing in on itself, surrounded by dazzling, braided streamers in impossibly many colors: a spell to search an area for a specific person gone horribly wrong.

“Even things he wants to do don’t-- they don’t always work right. It took him forever to get our senses fused, and he deeply wanted that. If he can manage surreptitious mind-reading of... “ Sandy rocked his head, trying to come up with a word, then gave up. “Strangers, effectively, he’s been putting on a huge act. I don’t think he’s that good, at least not yet.” After a pause, he added, “My professional opinion, Counselor.”

Amanda chewed her bottom lip: there didn’t seem to be any alternative at the moment. “OK, then. Ask first, please.”

[Fvaarniimar]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor

“Okay, then!” The cat’s head swiveled to face Amanda. “I might not always be able to, though - you could be knocked out, or similar. I can wake people up rather effectively.” Amanda missed out on a rather amusing image of Nick as an alarm clock. “If there's enough danger and I can't ask your permission, is asking Sandy's OK?”

Nick however really, desperately wanted to know something else. “This is off topic, but one thing you said has really been bugging me, Amanda!”
”But in a GOOD way - sorry Amanda!”
“A thermometer couldn't detect either Critique, Sandy? Not even, say, a forehead thermometer in a really cold environment? If so, that's weird - but in a really awesomely cool way.”

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Second Floor Corridor... and beyond!

The cat’s head swiveled to face Amanda. “I might not always be able to, though - you could be knocked out, or similar. I can wake people up rather effectively.” [...] “If there's enough danger and I can't ask your permission, is asking Sandy's OK?”

Amanda's smile warmed, changing from competitive to pleased: Nick was doing what she wanted. He was also thinking the subject through and working out reasonable contingency plans. If all supers did that, the world... the worlds wouldn't have such tension between them and mundanes. "Yes, of course. And you can ask me if Sandy's in trouble, not that I think he cares." A flick of her eyes confirmed it: Sandy pushed out his lower lip into an exaggerated pout and gave a minute shake of his head.

“A thermometer couldn't detect either Critique, Sandy?[”]

Several seconds of confused blinking followed, then a wry grin crept onto Sandy's face. "Well, no. Thermometers measure temperature, not magic." He gave Nick a moment to think about his phrasing. "I'm not quite-- I'm not at all sure where the Critiques' effects end. I'd need other ears for that sort of fine analysis."

Sandy cocked his head down the hall toward the elevators with a glance at Amanda. "We should get going." He carried Nick along as he spoke. "It's... probably reasonable that the spells extend to the surface of the skin, but no further... not given the way steam rolled off of us during the fire. If they do, a thermometer would find that the subject's skin is, um, at a surprising temperature for their circumstances."

Sandy pressed the down button with his elbow. "But it wouldn't say why. That's the key.

"Amanda and I used to walk around in Philadelphia winters wearing only windbreakers, staying warm with the Critique of the Chill. We drew the occasional look, but um, if anybody thought about it, they apparently decided we were tough... or very cold."

The elevator arrived with a ding, and Amanda hit the lobby button after the group boarded. "A scientist in the lab would be..." Sandy tried to make some gesture, but he couldn't with arms full of telepathic cat. "...very surprised by our body temperature, but they'd never figure out how we manage it.

"A half-drunken physicist once answered my 'hypothetical' question that would be hard to say which would be more surprising about the Ever-full cup: that it created wine ex nihilo or that it brought it from somewhere else."

Somehow, the group had arrived at the jeep in the underground garage without Sandy tripping on the stairs. He set Nick down. Amanda started for the driver's door, then turned to her husband. "Who's driving?"

Sandy was already making his way around the front of the jeep. "I will. We'll swing by my bottler, have them... do a rush order for me. You can search for places to get anything Maghrl mentioned." Amanda nodded: she was faster looking things up on the phone.

As they got buckled up -- and of course, took Nick with them -- Amanda spoke excitedly. "No, not raw materials. Spices! Common spices are probably unknown where Maghrl's from. Pepper... parsley, and sage, all could be worth a fortune! And in wholesale cases, we'll look legitimate."

Sandy started the engine. "Fine, you find us Scarborough Fair while I drive."

[Giovenith]

It was too difficult to tell what had or could be done in terms of swaying this battle. It would be too much to grapple with that futility in the heat of the moment though, and so Willow banished it to the back of his mind as he landed and was swallowed once again by the chaos on the ground. Deal with one thing at a time.

'Dealing with it,' at the moment, entailed drawing within himself as the wills of those around him pulled him along, his eyes kept downwards and his expression stoic. He wasn't in the middle of an episode, nor was he seeking sympathy from the allies around him. Rather, the beatnik in uniform was fortifying from within, seizing the moment to organize his thoughts and feelings for the journey forward.

Don't get caught up in the similarities, Willow reminded himself with a deep breath as they entered the jeep. If you think you know the situation better than you do, you'll make mistakes. There is no room for any more mistakes. Put it behind you, stop freaking out, stay in the here and now.

That was Logical Willow said, anyway. Willow had always trusted Logical Willow. He was the path of clarity through the muddle often caused by that shrieking melodramatic sad kid that still lurked around the corners of his psyche, pouting and sulking and occasionally made a lunging grab for the controls. He'd almost gotten them a few times today, but with time to set him straight, logic could reign supreme and they'd survive the day.

That was the plan, anyway.

He was soon stirred from these thoughts by the human soldier addressing him and Sterling. He sighed and pursed his lips.

"So begins the dance, eh?" he mumbled quietly to Sterling.

What to ask that would tell them what they needed to know without making them look like complete amnesiacs? It was oddly specific skill Willow never would have guessed he'd wind up having to develop.

"What were we sent here for?" It sounded like a good place to start. He'd considered 'Where are we?,' but given this was still humanland, he wasn't sure any answer they gave would have meant anything to him.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Kuati Dreams

After the discussion was over and everyone went their separate ways to prepare for the adventure ahead of them, Meritari retired to her room, continuing to think of what Amanda had said to her. While she still had some apprehension about the way she and Maghrl seemed to want to go about their task, the words the older woman had spoken did have their impact on the Kemetian: she had her qualms about the method, but she agreed with the sentiment that drove them to such measures.

With all these matters in mind, the young woman slid her key into the lock that kept her room safe from any sort of outside intervention--though she had long begun to suspect that in the Building, such cautions were not entirely necessary--and walked into her humble abode, her 'apartment'. Though much of it was adjusted so as to fit more modern notions of interior design, the walls and furniture looked archaic enough to ressemble her old home, giving her a sense of belonging by analogy.

Stepping up to her bed, she turned to her right to face her drawers and pulled out the top one (the bottom one was filled with some of the papyri she consulted most often, along with a journal, but she had no need for any of that for now). Out of it she pulled two particular objects she felt might be of use even in a distant, unknown land: the first was a simple white glove, perfect for concealing her fleshless hand among unkown and potentially unfriendly individuals, while the other was her protection amulet; she doubted that, if magic existed in the land they were to visit, it would be too similar to the one from her own land, and she also did not know if wearing such an amulet might interfere with the identities that Maghrl wanted to forge for them, but either way she felt it was not a bad idea to take it along. She could always hide it if necessary.

With that done, she decided to begin heading down to the garage. Before the Belas headed off to do their own thing, they had invited her to go along with them on their shopping trip, telling her to meet them down at the underground garage if she wanted to come; she actually felt it was better than simply staying behind on the Building and waiting for the others to be ready, as she doubted there was a whole lot she could do to prepare with her lack of information. Thus, she spent a while navigating the winding corridors of the Building and even interacting with the strange room that was called an 'elevator', before eventually arriving at the appointed place.

Stepping into the garage after making her way down the stairs, she spent a few moments looking around; even though she had lived in the Building for a bit now, there were still some things she hadn't become used to, partially due to their infrequency in her daily life and partially due to simple unfamiliarity. Cars were an excellent example, and a few moments passed before the Kemetian was able to spot the two familiar faces through the glass that protected them. The Belas must have undoubtedly seen her before she spotted them, but she paid little mind to that and instead gave a friendly wave as she made her way to them.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Kuati Dreams
Concerns and Commerce
Spirits and Spice

Sandy drove away from the Building cautiously; it seemed like it had been years since he'd done so. The street layout came back to him quickly -- if it had ever really had been gone -- and he swung the jeep into traffic as he headed for the highway to the far side of town. Mid-day traffic was relatively light, and the jeep roared along the highway, both engine noise and the wind rushing along side it making conversation difficult. Amanda spent the entire trip studying her phone, trying to figure out who might sell large quantities of spices.

Sandy's bottler proved to be a whiskey distillery, looking like it had been transplanted from an earlier time and place than Bielefeld's modern Germanic architecture (this being Galli, one couldn't rule it out). The owners, a sprawling family, knew him and Amanda well, and accepted introductions to Nick and Meritari warmly. While Sandy haggled over his rush order with an older man who seemed to be in charge, three of the younger members of the family -- two women and a young man -- offered the others a tour. Amanda begged off, saying he needed to run another errand. The tour, should anybody have gone on it, would have shown the whole production process: fermentation, distillation, the immense oaken aging barrels, and finally, the bottling plant. By the time the tour was over, Sandy's order was nearly done. Family members carefully packed bottles of wine and liquor -- but only their own whiskey, not Sandy's conjured stuff -- into cardboard boxes.

(Had anybody gone with Amanda, they would have seen an enormous wholesale warehouse with a cash-and-carry desk at the front, where she bought cases of bottled spices; and a small spice dealer, who provided Amanda with a few cases of small packets of other seasonings. Amanda ended up with spices from Earth and elsewhere, all in professional packaging.)

Amanda returned to the distillery after a short wait. Sandy had already paid for his order in kind, conjuring alcohol and other drinks into a variety of containers, from spare bottles to barrels. Between the spices and the alcohol, the back of the jeep was nearly packed with boxes.

After some discussion, the Belas agreed to try a large costume store in the Market District, Mask and Masquerade, about halfway between the Building and the waterfront. They found on-street parking right in front of it, and entered the shop, looking around to see what might be suitable. Amanda spied the proprietor and waved her over. "We're looking for something a bit out of the ordinary." She turned her phone so that the owner could see the images Maghrl had given them.