The Mirror: Vestia

First topic message reminder :

Asher nodded. "I'll be careful. Stay safe, and don't let anyone be too stupid." He'd head for the bridge.

Starr nodded and looked to James then at Kaliyani. "You are going to take care of the heir and raise him until he is old enough to rule. That will do well to prevent unnecessary deaths in a war."

Andre and Sawna were quiet, not seeing why they were called yet.

Kaliyani managed a soft smile to James. "Fate has chosen a new emissary... The Ishvara and Kanistha are gone. I do not believe the Elders will question this... so long as Fate makes her will known."  She glanced to Starr and Starr warily. "We... cannot have a war. I... I will do all I can to keep the heir safe." She bowed her head.

"The heir isn't healthy," James said, "Right? So Shane thought maybe you guys," he looked at Andre and Sawna, "could help him to get better."

Both Starrs dipped their heads to her in return "You are taking on a heavy responsibility, becoming the Regent for your next king." The white-haired one said gently "We will not start a war with you."

Sawna and Andre looked to one another then Andre bowed his head "We can go with her or call on our family to see if we can cure the child."

Kaliyani bowed her head again. "Someone must do it, and as the Kanistha's double said, Fate spared my life for a reason. I must trust her in this." She looked to James and nodded. "Fate keeps him alive, but she cannot heal him. "

"So uh, is there anything else we need to cover here?" James asked uncertainly. Oh come on, guys! He was a robot, he so wasn't meant to be stuck in conversations about kings and successions like this!

Kaliyani bowed her head to James, speaking softly. "You have been kind to me friend of Matt, for that I thank you." She looked to the two carpathians. "Outsiders seldom come to Andhakara'a, we would have to be wary not to have your intentions misinterpreted. "

"Yes, it would not be good to have an entire race of people think we were there to harm the heir. What would we have to do?" Andre asked gently

Kaliyani thought about that. "I... am not certain. First I must convince the people that the Ishvara is dead, Fate must make her will clear and prove the boy is her chosen prophet and the Elders should be freed. I am uncertain how they will take freedom after their incarceration and how they will view the heir, but if fate makes her will clear they cannot question it. Once he is accepted and the ceremonies completed, then will be an appropriate time for outside help to be sought. I may be able to convince the elders that seeking medical assistance from outside is in the best interests of the new Ishvara, and that his continued heath is crucial. Fate lead me to you for a reason, i have to believe that, I simply much make the people see that too. "

Andre nodded then looked around for a piece of paper and a pencil to write on it before handing it to her "Then here, take this and give us a call when you are ready for us to come. In the meantime, I will offer to heal your wounds, if you wish? We will send word to our people so that they can be prepared for a peace mission to your planet."

Kaliyani stared at the paper, trying to make sense of it. Nope, someone who manned the coms would need to handle this.
She nodded and tucked it away safely.

"You... can heal old wounds?" She asked, unsure as she reached up to touch her scarred face. Did she want to let them try?

"We can heal any wounds." Andre said then smiled softly "We just must have blood and rest to recover afterwards"

"Blood? Any blood or specific blood?" She asked, noting that for later if they were going to heal the heir.
She nodded. "You may try, if Fate wills it, it shall be done." She nodded.

Andre bowed his head then stepped closer to her to look at the scars "My sister and I can work together to start these healing, but they are older, so they will take time to heal. As far as the blood, Vestia has a good supply of blood we can drink while we are here, we prefer blood from willing donors, but when away from home settle for bagged blood more often than not. humanoid is better for us than animal, though both can keep us sustained so long as the creature is warm blooded." He explained as he touched a scar. Sawna put her hands on his arm to let him share her strength also. "Your eye cannot be healed, it is too long gone to be recovered, I am sorry about that" Andre said as he focused on the visible scars and her hair first. To heal her of all the scars would take at least a few days with several sessions a day with just the two of them there and it would likely still leave lines where the scars were, but it would be much better than the burns as they were now.

Kaliyani flinched a little at the touch, but nodded. "there will be blood in Andhakara'a" She told them, there was always blood. She closed her eyes and let them work, it felt weird, instinctively she wanted to pull away and hide her face, shy away from the light but she knew she couldn't do that any longer. It was not her destiny.

James watched worriedly. He knew the carpathians knew what they were doing, because they had healed Kay, but he was still going to worry. He liked Kaliyani, and he wanted to protect her.

After a minute or two, Andre pulled his hand away, looking drained. Both Carpathians looked for a seat to recover a little from the use of their power, but there would already be some signs that the magic was doing what it was meant to whenever she tried to look. Most would be her good eye not being as sensitive to the light and the scars under her hair healing so that hair could start to grow back.

Kaliyani touched her face, feeling the ridges and dips of the scars and nodding her head in thanks as she ran a hand through her tangled hair.
"Thank you." She murmured. She didn't much care how she looked so much as she could already feel the tightness of the scar tissue loosening up. It was easier to talk, less painful to move her face. That was good.

"We will continue this when we have recovered, unless you want to come to our homeworld on the way back to yours. With more of us and on our home soil, this will be much easier and faster." Andre offered then smiled again "But for the moment, we should get to medical and find some blood to drink"

Kaliyani nodded to them.
"I... I do not need transportation to my home world... I can shape space." She explained. "Once I have my... my story in place and I have had time to process what has happened, I will return home. " She closed her eyes, looking overwhelmed. "I never thought I would be able to say that. " She opened her good eye again. "You will need coordinates!" She declared. "if you are to find us again. There is.. there is much to prepare."

"That there is" Starr said and smiled gently to Kaliyani. "We will help as much as we can." She added then sent for some androids to bring some bags for the carpathians to drink and recover. "Would you like to send a message or just rest and take all this in for now?"

"I will rest... thank you..." Kaliyani bowed her head, giving the carpathians her thanks once more as she took her leave. She would return to her room to sit in the dark and gather her thoughts as to this strange turn of events.

James looked around at the others. "I'm, uh, gonna go do some paperwork," he said, making a hasty retreat. He didn't like politics.

Starr flinched a little at that phrase but quickly turned back to the monitors and looked at them. Yeah, this meeting was over now, but the two Starrs still had talking to do about going home. At least now Prime Starr knew where her homeworld was located, so when this all was over she could take her people home and make a new world for them to live on.

--a little later--

At some point Kay would find out about what had happened.
He stormed off to find his brothers.

They were still drinking, both of them a little more merry with alchohol in their systems as Kay burst in with a look of abject fury on his face.

"Uh oh." Esk remarked.

"Hey little bro." Matt started.

Kay marched over and slapped Matt across the face.

"HEY!" Matt protested.

Kay whirled to face Esk. You'd get one too if I wasn't afraid to touch you!

Esk stared at Kay impassively. "So... gotta assume someone told you about what happened yeah?"

Matt rubbed his jaw.

What the hell were you two thinking?! Kay glared at them both. Conspiracy, regicide? You've just made yourselves heretics and traitors!

"It was the only way Kay! the greater good..." Matt didn't get a chance to finish.

Don't YOU DARE talk to me about the greater damn good Mattias! Kay's face flushed with fury.

Matt gulped.

"Calm down Kay." Esk sounded bored.

Don't you tell me what to do

"If.. if we could have found another way we would have" Matt was defensive. "It's not like we wanted to hurt someone!"

How could you? He was contained, he wasn't a threat!

"Yeah... he was. " Matt continued.

And YOU, I thought you were better than this Stellan. You've just murdered someone in cold blood and the pair of you are sitting here DRINKING!?

"Why the hell do you THINK we're drinking!" Matt frowned.

Esk looked faintly irritated. He sipped from his bottle. "Matt's right, there was no other option. Despite what you might think about me Kaylr, I don't just wander around murdering people with no reason. I'm not a monster. "

He was your brother!

"No he wasn't. He was a lunatic dictator and an imposter. That was NOT our brother Kay. " Esk shrugged.

I don't think I even recognize the two of you any more.

"If it makes you feel any better, I hesitated." Esk told him cooly. "And he didn't suffer."

Not that doesn't make it better! You killed a defenseless man and YOU he looked at Matt. You ordered the execution!

Matt nodded grimly. "For the greater good Kay. We likely saved millions of lives. One live for millions? That's a trade i'll make any day."

Kay's eyes narrowed.

Esk nodded and swigged more from the bottle. "This self righteous fury isn't helpful Kaylr."

Kay reached forward and wrenched the bottle out of Esk's hands. You know what I think about you and your greater good? He threw the bottle forcefully against a wall, shattering it with a satisfying crash.
You both disgust me! He stormed out again.

"Yeesh." Esk remarked. "talk about an overreaction."

Matt pulled another bottle out of nowhere and handed it to Esk. "He'll come around..."

Esk shrugged. "Not our problem."

Matt sighed and rubbed his temples. "We... we did the right thing right?"

Esk shrugged. "No idea. But can't change it now."

"yeah... what's done is done... " Matt looked miserable.

Esk snorted. "You didn't do anything Matt." He looked serious. "If anyone tries to guilt you on this, remember, you don't control me. Just because you say I should do something doesn't mean I will. I pulled the trigger, not you."

Matt nodded slowly. "Yeah.. I.. I know.. " He finished his bottle.

--

Meanwhile, Kay stormed off to find somewhere quiet to sit and collect his thoughts. Why WAS he so angry? Matt was right of course, the greater good was more important than the life of a single person, so why was Kay so sickened by it all? Why was he so mad at his brothers for this?
It was the same argument wasn't it? The greater good, always the damn greater good, turning the people he loved into soulless monsters.

Damn this place. It was easier to blame this universe wasn't it?

He curled up and buried his head in his hands. What if Asher was right and he couldn't save him? He'd never been able to stop Matt from doing horrible things, why would it be any different with Asher?
He felt so utterly helpless and hopeless.

Who the hell were these people around him now? Wanting to torture sentient beings into submission, ordering executions, killing people who couldn't defend themselves. Who the hell were these people?

Ellie went looking for Shane, bean plants twining all over her body.

~~
Ethan had stayed well back for the duration of Luka and Mourn's fight, not wanting to be called on to take part. It was fun to watch them beat each other up though.