Upon Vestia: Chapter Fourteen

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(Cause the old thread won't split.)

flying_purple_monkfish wrote:"aww poor little green mouse." Luka laughed. "That trap is ridiculous."

James looked genuinely uncomfortable for a moment at Luka's teasing, but then he forced his good humor to return and smirked. "Hey, it's entertaining. Once. No need to have an actual relationship, then you get bored, right?"

~~
"Wow, you really do have a lot of questions, don't you?" Ethan asked, amused. "No, I don't think we are. The Eights are all obedient little morons in all universes, but the order of our first two Laws is reversed so we're able to have a lot more freedom. As in, random strangers can't threaten us into obeying them. I decided to leave because my life had been nothing but crap there, so I had nothing to lose by coming over here.
"The blood was probably Dr. Heinz's blood. I'm not entirely sure because I wasn't there, but honestly, where else could that much blood have come from? And my owner died because Merith" he spat the name, that guy was an asshole "killed him. Again, I wasn't there though."
Ethan sighed. "Mourn hasn't freed me because they're scared. They think I might be dangerous, and they think I might do something stupid and screw up the robot revolution. Whatever. It doesn't matter, at least nobody's thrown a paperweight at me in a week now.
"The others on the other Vestia were stupid slaves, or asshole guards. Not really worth mentioning." He looked confused by the question, "What do you mean, 'why slaves?'"

--why-- --did-- --your-- --captain-- --and-- --crew-- --deal-- --in-- --slaves?-- they clarified. Having to write in the air rather slowed down their onslaught of questions. --Who was Doctor Heinz?-- --they-- --are-- --dead?-- he was right, that much blood, had to be something dead right? Unless it was someone very very large. They were curious at the way he spat Merith's name. They hadn't really interacted with him at all, but from their observations when he was mentioned he was mentioned sadly or with mild aggravation. Usually by Kay, he seemed particularly irritated by the guy. They couldn't work out why though as he seemed to spend most of his time away from everyone else with that floating orb woman. Hmm.

--Mourn-- --shows-- --restraint.-- --curious-- --perhaps-- --new-- --crew-- --are-- --doing-- --him-- --some-- --good--

--do-- --you-- --like-- --it-- --here?--

Matt nodded, yeah he noticed that momentary awkwardness. "Yeah, you're probably right. Unless you find just the right person."
He shrugged.

Kay focused hard on the game so Matt couldn't see his exasperated expression. Right person, thalia? HAH.
ahem.

Ethan shrugged. "If you've got a giant ship that can grow more rooms as needed, and there's a lucrative and legal slave industry, of course you're going to be a slaver. It's just common sense.
"Heinz was Kaylr's..." he tried to figure out what to call him "assistant? He saved peoples' lives when Kaylr was done playing with them. And yes, Kaylr and Heinz are both very dead."
He smiled wryly. "Yeah, I get why they want me locked up. And for all that he's insane and chews on string, I think Mourn gets it too. I have no idea if I like it here yet. It doesn't seem bad at least."

~~
"Yeah, maybe it's worth it if you find the right person. Maybe." James shrugged. "So uh, any luck pulling things out of your very strange patient?" he asked.

--Mourn-- --is-- --despite-- --some-- --brain-- --damage-- --and-- --dubious-- --moral-- --conditioning-- --generally-- --trustworthy-- the swarm told Ethan. Least they believed so. Mourn was loyal mostly only to himself but he didn't tend to betray the trust of those he considered allies on a whim. --Some-- --of-- --his-- --quirks-- --we-- --have-- --to-- --assure-- --you-- --are-- --simply-- --racial-- --instincts-- --and-- --a-- --lack-- --of-- --socialization-- --telling-- --him-- --otherwise.-- They bobbed up and down again. --you-- --do-- --not-- --seem-- --dangerous.-- --are-- --you?--

"Heck yeah, and I got a wad of cash to show for it!" Matt grinned and held up the colourful play money.

[If only genuine medicine was so mess free and well paid.] Kay remarked.

Ethan looked amused. "Oh good, so the string chewing isn't just a Mourn thing. He's just like one of my old owners' cats, it's a bit strange sometimes. So all felid are weird until they learn manners?"
He shrugged again, "I just want to not have a shit life any more, I'm not planning on hurting anyone."

~~
"Nice! We can call this Janitor Pride Day. Janitors everywhere will remember how you beat a certified nurse at his own game!" James joked.

Asher smiled softly. "Almost makes me wish I was a janitor so I could share in your glory."

Kay looked amused [Yes Matt, rejoice, you're now a mortician.]

"Promotion!" Matt cheered and tossed the play money in the air.

---

The swarm bobbed up and down in a nod. --Felid-- --kittens-- --behave-- --rather-- --a-- --lot-- --like-- --terran-- --felines-- --but-- --as-- --they-- --grow-- --they-- --usually-- --learn-- --at-- --least-- --some-- --social-- --graces.-- --Mourn-- --did-- --not.-- --Hardly-- --surprising-- --considering-- --his-- --upbringing-- --or-- --lack-- --thereof.--

"I'm so proud." James wiped away an imaginary tear, "You're showing us all that we really can go anywhere from here if we just believe."

Asher snorted.

James waved a hand dismissively at Asher. "What do you know about the Power of Belief? You're not a janitor."

~~
"What happened to him?" Ethan asked curiously.

--did-- --the-- --canid-- --go-- --to-- --war-- --in-- --your-- --universe?-- they asked. --He-- --can't-- --remember-- --blocked-- --it-- --out-- --but-- --we-- --remember-- --liberating-- --him.-- --former-- --crew-- --were-- --pirates-- --and-- --smugglers.-- --took-- --on-- --canid-- --transport-- --with-- --heavy-- --guard-- --assuming-- --cargo-- --of-- --great-- --value.-- --instead-- --found-- --test-- --subjects.-- --Canid-- --were-- --doing-- --dreadful-- --experiments.-- --we-- --didn't-- --even-- --realise-- --he-- --was-- --so-- --young.-- It wasn't a pleasant memory for them, their mass lost shape a little and slumped. --Canid-- --made-- --him-- --into-- --cyborg-- --we-- --believe-- --they-- --deafened-- --him-- --by-- --mistake-- --read-- --files-- --found-- --on-- --transport-- --systems-- --but-- --there-- --are-- --more-- --detailed-- --notes-- --in-- --his-- --head.-- --never-- --been-- --able-- --to-- --see-- --them.-- --not-- --sure-- --we-- --want-- --to.-- --some-- --knowledge-- --is-- --better-- --left-- --unknown-- --even-- --to-- --a-- --swarm.--

"I don't know much about the felid in our universe. Pretty sure they were the aggressors against the canid though," said Ethan with a frown. "That's gross. Good thing they kept him away from Kaylr," he was getting to be sort of attached to the strange felid, and the idea of him being experimented on like that didn't sit well, even though he wasn't normally that bothered by people being hurt. Maybe Vestia's crew were turning him soft.

The swarm bobbed up and down in a nod. --Here-- --the-- --canid-- --went-- --to-- --war-- --with-- --the-- --felid-- ---and-- --multiple-- --other-- --races-- --in-- --the-- --nearby-- --systems.-- --The-- --Felid-- --were-- --their-- --prime-- --target.-- --for-- --almost-- --a-- --decade-- --they-- --occupied-- --the-- --felid-- --homeworld.-- --and-- --after-- --the-- --war-- --ended-- --a-- --great-- --deal-- --about-- --what-- --they-- --had-- --been-- --doing-- --with-- --those-- --they-- --captured-- --came-- --to-- --light.--
--we-- --recall-- --Mourn-- --was-- --one-- --of-- --several-- --young-- --bred-- --in-- --captivity.-- --the-- --only-- --survivor-- --of-- --the-- --tests-- --they-- --did-- --on-- --he-- --and-- --his-- --litter-- --mates--
--We-- --recovered-- --6-- --from-- --the-- --transport.-- --survivors-- --and-- --successful-- --examples-- --of-- --various-- --projects.--
--along-- --with-- --Hollow.-- --we-- --believe-- --her-- --sole-- --purpose-- --was-- --breeding-- --stock.-- --She-- --wasn't-- --a-- --lab-- --subject-- --she-- --was-- --something-- --far-- --worse.--
--The-- --Canid-- --did-- --atrocious-- --things-- --in-- --the-- --name-- --of-- --war-- --and-- --science.--

Ethan shuddered. He'd seen plenty of atrocities over the past few years and grown pretty numb to them, but somehow the thought of felid kittens being cruelly operated on, and Hollow--he remembered Mourn mentioning her to that stupid Eight Lila from the other universe--being made into some sort of mindless means to produce more kittens, was exceptionally revolting.
"No wonder he blocked that out," he muttered, "God, that's gross."
Yep, these people were making him soft.

The swarm bobbed again. --He-- --is-- --safe-- --now.-- --relatively--

--Tell-- --us-- --is-- --it-- --true-- --Starr-- --has-- --created-- --a-- --cure-- --for-- --lycanthropy?--

"Until this war everyone keeps talking about starts happening again," Ethan said dryly. "I know she was working on a cure. No idea if she had any success yet though."

--she-- --gave-- --Kay-- --a-- --syringe-- --but-- --he-- --put-- --it-- --away.-- --Yes-- --the-- --war.-- --we-- --hope-- --to-- --find-- --help-- --but-- --some-- --are-- --not-- --optimistic.--
They buzzed a little to one another. --why-- --do-- --you-- --not-- --play-- --games-- --with-- --the-- --others?-- they switched conversation tracks rapidly.

"Interesting. I guess being a princess and having lots of money makes it easy to make cures quickly," Ethan mused. "I'm not that fond of social events," he said, "They're not exactly something I have much experience with." Plus Kay might be there, and even if he seemed okay, he still brought back way too many memories. But Swarm didn't need to know that.

Swarm bob/nodded again. --we-- --are-- --curious----to-- --see-- --what-- --happens.--
--you-- --are-- --not-- --alone.-- --a-- --great-- --many-- --here-- --seem-- --to-- --shun-- --social-- --events--

"Except for the ones who prefer to watch bad movies and binge drink," Ethan muttered, "They live for social events." He continued to poke around behind the counter, looking out to see what Swarm wrote, "Well worst case he dies I guess. Could be interesting if the cure works though, I hear Lycanthropy is a big deal in this universe."

While the festivities had been going on, Vanessa had watched it all quietly, sipping at an oddly glowing drink she got from who the hell knows where. Merith was no where to be found, but was probably frequently visiting Heny as she rested, the children coming any day now.

Quinn's giggling echoed across the room, the girl no where to be seen but her presence definitely there as Sara admired a king piece half her size. Shock stayed by the doorway, watching this all silently.

John and Sonata were having a heated battle of wit themselves, but had no intention of battling for trophies, even if they did have thousands of years of human chess experience.

Asher noticed Vanessa off by herself, and went over to see her. "Hello Vanessa," he said with a smile, "Want to play something?"

"I had no intention of it." Her voice was oddly slurred. What was in that drink?! "But if you want to, I can play a game for certain."

Asher eyed her drink uncertainly. Even back on Defiant, after she and Merith had been drinking quite heavily according to Matt, she had seemed fully herself. Weird. "We might as well play a game since we're here. You're familiar with chess, I assume?"

The drink glowed a pale blue of liquified arcana. She swirled it a bit and it twinkled oddly. "Shure, I can play some chesshh." She straightened and actually wobbled a bit, "Hoorah for gamesh!" She held the glowing drink carefully as she followed Asher to a table. "Alwaysh wanted to tesht againsht an android. Shee what'sh shuperior, perfect calculatshionsh or timelesshh wishdom?"

Matt looked up at Vanessa, tilting his head. Wow... she was drunk? She could GET drunk?
Kay looked slightly worried.

--

--It-- --is-- --epidemic-- --within-- --the-- --Satare-- --Empire-- --and-- --other-- --races-- --who-- --know-- --of-- --it-- --fear-- --it.--
--an-- --engineered-- --disease-- --we-- --are-- --told-- --It-- --is-- --certainly-- --effective-- --at-- --killing-- --non-- --magical-- --humanoids--

Quinn's shadow form popped up next to Vanessa and she tried to swipe the crystal glass away from her, but Vanessa aptly swept it away from her reach, sternly looking at the younger Entropium. "Mine."

"Smells good, though. What's in it?" Quinn floated over to the other side of the drink and tried to take a sniff. The drink was pulled away from her. She pouted.

"Mana Drink. From pear and peach Arcana." Vanessa explained, taking another heavy sip.

"Wait.... there's magic plants with magic fruit that make magic booze?" Matt asked, adjusting his glasses. eugh, it had been so long since he'd worn them, they felt weird.

Kay chewed his lip and decided against making any remark, he had told the two of them to do what they needed to get through the next few days and he supposed, getting blind drunk in the face of this trial was a perfectly reasonable response. Hopefully Vanessa knew how to handle such drunkeness and wasn't a mean or dangerous drunk.
He tidied away the Operation game now Matt had declared himself victor.