Terra - Ottawantreal

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A huge North American city, built in a mishmash of styles from many eras of architecture. the spaceport is bustling and filled with cruise ships, racing yachts, and transport craft. It's full of shops, clubs, gardens, and tourist attractions.

The weather is currently cool but sunny.

Dawn chuckled softly and shook her head, turning to follow the other two over to the vendor.

Helen was listening to the two barter as she looked at the scarves. Eventually she picked out a few and waited to see what they would cost together.
~~~
"We will likely be on our way from here before he's better but I will let him know you said that when I go to check on him again." Starr said gently "Have fun with your tour."

"I tell you," James was telling the vendor, putting on his most authoritative attitude, "I know a lot about fabrics, and these are nice, but they're not worth that much. A vavare could sell you something of the same or better quality for half this price."

The vendor didn't look convinced. "What do you know about vavare, android?"

"My owner's a tailor, remember? He buys from vavare all the time," James said confidently.

"Then why aren't you buying from a vavare?" The vendor asked slyly.

James hesitated. Oops, that was a good point.

Asher tried to keep a straight face.

~~
"Right. Ready for the tour?" Ellie asked Hytar.

"Of courssse." Hytar nodded. "Lead the way."

Ellie took off at a dead run toward Vestia.

Helen couldn't help but to smile as James talked. "He is not his master, now is he?" She asked softly

~~~
Shane chuckled and would walk with Hytar, not that he could get lost, but it was safer.

Hytar looked to Shane "Isss sssshe alwayssss ssso... eager?"

Mourn shrugged and wandered toward the shop, peering in and sniffing curiously.

Shane shrugged and chuckled "Sometimes" He said happily.

Hytar chuckled. "That issss an evasssive anssswer if ever I heard one." He approved. He followed along, not attempting to match Ellie's pace.

"Shouldn't an android be buying from the same sources as his master?" the vendor said.

James leaned on the counter, almost sitting on it, but not quite because his feet were still on the floor. "Honey, my owner gives me an allowance so I can look as stunningly handsome as he does. I can use that allowance however I want. I want forty percent off the tag price, and that's being very generous to you. Remember, I know what I'm talking about here."

"I'll give you ten percent off," the vendor said.

"Thirty," James retorted. "Final offer." He held up a scarf, eyeing it in a discerning way that hid his complete ignorance pretty well.

"Deal," the vendor said. He looked almost triumphant.

Asher meanwhile was trying to stifle his laughter. The entertainment was well worth it, even if these scarves were overpriced.

~~
Ellie charged into Vestia.
(To Vestia!)

Helen chuckled softly as she watched the exchange until it was done. That had been entertaining to watch. She looked to the vendor to barter the few she had picked out, though hers were to be gifts to the others for being so kind to her, so she was going for a bulk price reduction. Good thing she had opened a shop to be able to pay for it.

James bought a green and gold scarf and draped it loosely around his neck, looking pleased with himself. He grinned at Helen when she was done buying the scarves. "We showed him. We're pros at bargaining. High five!"

Asher was still doing his best not to laugh. He looked around for any stalls where he could find a gift for the hatchlings or Amari.

Helen chuckled and gave him the high five then stored the cloth so she could hand them out later on. "Shall we see what else this market has?"

"Yeah, let's keep looking,"James agreed. "I wanna get a book for Ethan, something really boring and old. And we can find some cheap keepsake keychains too."

"Keep your eyes open for sparkly things that are kid safe," Asher told the group.

"Maybe it'll only make your mind half work differently then," Ethan said thoughtfully. "Hell if I know." He spotted a shop that said [Herbal Remedies and Life Balancing]. "That looks promising, if very new wave," he decided.

He headed into the shop to purchase some catnip from the lady at the counter, who eyed him and his badge with distaste. She started lighting some rosemary incense.

Mourn stared at the lady, curious about her expression. He put both hands on the counter and stared at her. "You no like robot?" He asked.

The lady didn't look overly enthused to see Mourn either, looking at his bizarre metal arm and implants with distrust. "It's a little unusual to have something like that in here. Can I help you with something?" she asked, going for professional politeness.

Ethan narrowed his eyes, but let Mourn do the talking.

Kooshie wrote:"Yeah, let's keep looking,"James agreed. "I wanna get a book for Ethan, something really boring and old. And we can find some cheap keepsake keychains too."

"Keep your eyes open for sparkly things that are kid safe," Asher told the group.

Dawn smiled and nodded "Maybe something to give as a kind of 'welcome' gift for the new arrivals?" She asked curiously.

"Oh yes, that's a good idea," Asher agreed. There were going to be all those hatchlings and adults on board, they'd probably like some housewarming presents. "What sort of things do you think they'd like? Maybe a ton of crayons for the kids..." The hatchlings had loved scribbling on paper, he recalled. He still had Danika's first drawing taped to his computer monitor in the med bay.

Mourn grinned roguishly. "We here for..." He looked to Ethan, he couldn't remember the word. "Cat.. something... yes?"

Helen chuckled softly and nodded, agreeing with that "Yes, crayons, coloring books, simple things to give them something to do to calm any ruffled feelings, or just to help them settle in."

"Even just something like a keychain to let them know we were thinking of them." Dawn added softly.

"Catnip," Ethan said. It was hard to tell if he was glaring at the saleswoman, or if that was just his face.

She frowned. "Catnip? I can sell you that. Do you want catnip leaf, or catnip essential oil?"

"The leaf," Ethan said decisively. He didn't want to accidentally overdose Mourn on his experiment, after all.

"Okay," the woman looked at them , "Can I interest you in rosemary incense and quartz crystals, to help restore balance to your spirit, Sir?" She asked Mourn.

~~
Asher nodded. "Sounds good. We may have to find a toystore, for stuff for the kids. We can find things for the adults here, I think."

James was wandering off again, looking at some cheap, colorful bracelets.

Helen stayed with James, he was entertaining and it was harder for Asher to keep up with the other android.

Dawn stayed nearer to Asher, mostly because he was slower and it was easier for her to keep up without getting pressed in on by the other shoppers.

James hurried around, finding interesting things to look at, and occasionally haggling with a vendor even though he wasn't buying that much stuff. He found some small puzzles with rings and string and wooden beads, and bought some of those. "Someone will like these, right?" he asked Helen.

Asher smiled up at Dawn. "I'm glad Helen's up for keeping an eye on James. That's not a job I could handle," he joked.

Helen chuckled and nodded. "Someone will" She agreed happily, having found a few things to buy too. "Any idea of the numbers?"

Dawn nodded and looked to James and Helen then back to Asher "I am glad too, I would have had to sit somewhere if I was trying to keep up with him." She said with a laugh and a shake of her head. "How about we leave them to this and get that leg sent to the ship?"

James told Helen the number of adults and kids, or at least what he'd last heard from Starr. "We can get them all sorts of fun stuff to cheer them up."
(I can't remember how many kids there ended up being. 20, was it?)

"Good idea. We can head back sooner, and have energy to see how Amari likes trying out his new leg," Asher agreed. "I'll text James so he knows we haven't been kidnapped."

Mourn laughed at the woman. "Spirit no need balancing, spirit just fine." He punched his own chest. "Good strong spirit." He gave her a look like she'd sprouted an extra head for suggesting anything to the contrary. Crazy lady, rocks and leaves didn't make you stronger.