The Mirror: Vestia

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

"Yeah." James finished cleaning Luka's scratches and started putting things away. "I get why they did it, but at the same time, it's really scary that they did, and I can't help worrying whether we should really be allowing ourselves to be executioners too." He shook his head, "I didn't say anything, I just let it happen. I didn't know what to do. It's funny, that's exactly the sort of thing the First Law is supposed to prevent."

~~
"As long as it's mostly other people doing the sacrificing, I guess that's acceptable," Ethan said.

~~
"I really have no idea. Have fun, I guess?" Vestia said to Shane.

Kay nodded slowly. He didn't really feel much better, though he knew she was really trying. he forced a smile. Mostly for her benefit.


---

"Did... did you see it happen?" Luka asked tentatively. "Could you have really stopped it? I mean..." She thought back to Esk telling her to avoid Matt, she frowned and hissed. Ow, frowning hurt. She kept her voice down. "We.. don't really know these people and I wouldnt have known what to do either. It's not like there's a special training course of how to deal with assassination attempts right?"

---

Mourn laughed. "You funny robot." He shrugged. "you no want be free? Have own rights and ownership?"

"I couldn't have stopped Esk, he wasn't in the room, he was at the cells. I could have at least tried to argue with Matt, he was right there. I just didn't know if I should, so I didn't do anything at all. And now a guy is dead, and I have no clue whether I made the right call or not." James sighed. "Man, my brother so wasn't kidding when he said freedom was rough."

~~
Ethan shrugged. "I'd love to be free, I'd just rather not do the work to get there myself."

Shane frowned a little then nodded "Alright, if I hurt you, just let me know and I will stop, alright. I am not certain how this will feel for you" He said then thought about what this room was on their Vestia. "Our universe this is a big pool, but we have enough room to do better than that here." He said then moved to the center of the room, closing his eyes to concentrate on the components of a pool and the slides to make it more of a water park than just a pool room, adding posts for plants along the walls so Ellie could do her thing too.

~~
Dawn fell silent after that, just being there until he wanted her to leave. Sometimes just having someone near helped more than any words.

It did hurt, but honestly Vestia was way too fascinated to say anything. How many ships had gotten to see a water park grow inside them in a matter of minutes before? She just watched in amazed silence.

"Whoa," Ellie breathed.

Shane had to sit down after that, that took a lot of energy to build. He just sat with his eyes closed and panting softly to regain his breath.

Luka tried to look supportive. "I don't know what to say James. There's a lot we'd all change i'm sure if we could, but... you make a judgement call and you live with the consequences. " She sighed. "Matt always seems so easy going and well... cheerful. " She shook her head. "Esk said Matt was dangerously unstable and cold. I wasn't sure if he was just being you know.. him...  but... " She sighed.

---

Mourn smiled. "Good. You already good way there, robot code here much easier to trick."


---

Kay did just sit in silence, eyes closed. He didn't know what else to say or do.

Ellie went and snuggled up against Shane, petting his hair and sort of holding him as he regained his breath. "That was pretty badass," she informed him quietly.

~~
James nodded. "Yep. It kinda sucks, but I guess that's the sort of crap you have to live with for being free." He added, "Yeah, nobody really is like they first appear here. It's kind of freaky."

Shane looked to Ellie and smiled then motioned to the planters "Now it's your turn, what plants would do good with this much moisture around?" He asked tiredly but happy for what he had accomplished.

"Hmm," Ellie considered that. "Is the ventilation in here good enough to keep the damp from building up? I thought Vestia was supposed to keep the air fairly dry."

Shane glanced to the cameras again, that was a question for Vestia. "With the water from the pool and the slides, it'll be wetter than any other room except the bathrooms."

Luka nodded. "I'm still not used to it. The scary people turn out to be super nice, the ones who look normal end up being scary magic wielding lunatics. " She sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could just go home, where things made sense."

"Hmmm," Ellie considered that for a bit, "We do have another problem, the fact that we pretty much only have food crops." She smiled, the idea of having corn and beans growing in the water park was funny.

~~
"I know what you mean," James agreed. "I used to think my brother wouldn't hurt a fly, but what do you know? He shot his own boyfriend six times for the greater good. Everything's fucking scary out here, and I don't like it."

"That IS pretty scary... " What the hell greater good involved doing that!? crazy people! "At least.. at least we're in this together right? I mean.. you're not crazy or scary are you?"

Shane chuckled softly and lowered his head again, thinking as he rested "Well, maybe you can just let her know what to get and they can get it later on and replace whatever you grow in here?"

"I don't think I'm scary," James said, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "But when everyone who seems like they're nice does things that stink of crazy, you start to wonder what might be hiding in your own mind just waiting to come out and destroy things."

~~
"Whatever I grow in here is staying," Ellie said with a grin. "The plants deserve a forever home, you know?"

Shane looked to her again then nodded and shrugged "Alright, then maybe we could ask this Matthew's crew if they have anything. How long are we staying here anyway?"

Luka frowned, shook her head and stood up to hug James. "I don't think you're crazy or scary."

"I hope you're right," James muttered, hugging her back and closing his eyes. He was sane. He had to be sane, right? Oh God, this was nerve wracking.

--timeskip-- --a few hours-- --an announcement would go out, it was time to go home.--

Luka had bid her double a fond farewell, and hugged Eckhardt extra hard. <<"You both be amazing okay?">> She told them. They nodded in reply.

---

Armin had given mirror Starr her gown, bowing his head to her and wishing her much luck in her endeavors in this universe.

He took his sewing, but left a lot of the medical supplies they'd previously stolen. It didn't seem right to rob these people now, they were no longer the enemy after all.

He left his shrine in place, placing one final offering and a final prayer to the Weaver for safe travel and good fortune on their return.

---

Mourn bid girl robot a fond goodbye. He left a note for mirror Starr and pressing one of those thumbdrives into her hands, explaining that everything she needed to know was in the note and telling her “Help the robots.”

---

Esk and Matt were fairly drunk. Matt was snoozing in his chair when the announcement was made, snoring gracelessly. Esk set his pad and pencil away and kicked him to wake him up.

<<“Time to go.”>> He told him flatly.

Matt nodded blearily. “Oh.. yeah.. cool..” He stood up, swaying a bit.

<<“I can't support you.”>> Esk told him, slurring his words a bit.

“I's cool... i's cool.. “ Matt made his way in mostly a straight line.

Esk followed in a far more dignified manner, only stumbling occasionally.


Stellan didn't really care to bid anyone goodbye, he was busy. But he sent a note to Esk with one of the final returning guards. He was a little too drunk to read it so he tucked it away safely for now. Maybe later. He idly wondered how long before this universe's Hytar pissed him off and he abandoned him. Man, almost a shame he couldn't stay to watch what Stellan would become. He was morbidly curious.

---


Kaliyani would watch them leave on her screens, pressing a hand to the screen and murmuring a faint prayer of safety for them.

-- to primordial bridge

Starr looked at the note and the thumbdrive then read it as she sat in her captain's chair. Hm, that may be something to look into doing now.

~~
Andre looked to the monitors then headed to knock on Kaliyani's door.

Kaliyani tensed, but rose and opened the door. She bowed her head. "yes?"

Andre smiled at her when she opened the door "I just wanted you to know, when you are ready to go, I can come with you." He said gently

Kaliyani nodded, bowing her head. "What of your companion?" She asked, she had no idea what relation they were to one another, just that they always seemed to be together.

"My sister is going to the other universe, she is very curious about them." Andre said then smiled "And I have studied enough to take the form of your people so that I will not be attacked for being different looking." He added

Kaliyani's eyes widened. "You can change forms!?" Well that was unnerving.