Upon Vestia: Chapter Eighteen

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(Starts on day six at the Guild of Scribes.)

"Yeah I heard the news." Esk snickered. "poor kid. Least she's got Starr, so that's one not shit parent. What are you reading?" he asked. Yeah he had nowhere better to be.

---

Luka shook her head. "I dunno, seems like getting pissed and rebelling against those assholes would be a positive thing to me. Just rolling over and suppressing it? I'd want to make them pay."

"The Followers took refuge in the guild, as Inari's realm has been compromised," Tala said. "They will go insane if Inari dies and so we seek to re home then."

~~
Ellie decided listening to dragon emotions would be just like listening to plant emotions. She went back to focusing on listening to the baby. She tickled the little dragon a bit.

~~
Asher smiled at Kay. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me," he said lightly.

Kay gave Asher a long suffering look. They really were as bad as each other for refusing to acknowledge their own needs. He stood up and retrieved the mug that had slipped onto the floor. [Do you need to charge?] How long had Asher claimed he could keep running? He recalled it was stress related at least. And yesterday had been pretty stressful. Not bad stressful, but still stressful.

"Not immediately, no. I have about fourteen hours left on my battery," Asher said. He looked sheepish; yeah, he knew he could be waaay too good at setting his own needs aside in favor of someone else's sometimes. "I'll plug myself in for an hour sometime today, and I'll be sure to plug in tonight as well," he added. "I'm not going to let myself run out of power completely, that would be extremely silly of me."

"I'm studying medical stuff" Dawn replied and smiled then shrugged "It's not the holodeck, but i can still learn and use my magic at the same time" She took her seat then motioned to the cup "What's that for?"
~
~~~
"Not if that rebellion would kill an innocent. They have the children of those enslaved and use them as bargaining chips to keep the dragons in line" Starr said then sighed softly "Plus many of them believe that their royal line was wiped out with our home planet. Some have simply given up." She said, touching the cloth that was their banner around her neck. Not all had given up yet.

Vela purred softly, tilting her head and letting her pet there. Yep, she liked that feeling.

~~~
Sawna frowned then nodded "They would need somewhere safe, but out of the way so they wouldn't accidentally harm others." She agreed, glad something was already being done about that.

Kay nodded. [Alright. Because I really don't want to have to drag you to a socket, that'll just be extremely awkward.] He smiled. [I'm gonna go shower and grab breakfast okay?] And check up on Starr and Danika, he felt obligated to do that too.

---

Esk glanced at the cup. "It's a mug, what do you think it's for?"

---

Luka's frown only deepened. "I think i'd let my kids die rather than grow up in slavery. If there's no hope, what's the point?" She shook her head, this was depressing. "Sorry Starr. " She lowered her head. "My culture are... super fiercely protective of our freedom. Slavery is like.. the worst thing you can do to someone. Well.. anything that denies someone their autonomy and freedom. " She sighed. "I hope you find a way to save them." She finished weakly, not really sure what else to say.

Dawn giggled and shook her head "It's decorated and has writing on it." She pointed out

~~
Starr nodded and smiled softly at Luka "I know, it's not easy to reconcile for me either, but it is what it is right now. We will get them free once more." Somehow.

"Exactly," Tala agreed. "There are concerns about the morality of it, but we are speaking of magical creatures and thousands of refugees with little magic to protect themselves. It is common sense, and common sense is at times not nice."

~~
Asher nodded, amused. "That would be embarrassing and inconvenient. I'd rather avoid it. All right, I'll go charge then. See you in a while."

Esk blinked, surprised by the giggle. "Yeah, it does." It was kinda pretty, obviously rushed with little care put into it, but still pretty. "It's for my brother." And he'd either be extremely confused, or he'd be mad. Either way was good as far as Esk was concerned.

--

Kay nodded. [I'm really not sure I could drag you in this form either. I'm not that strong. I might have to get an extension cord, or get James... Constance, to help.] He waved.

---

Luka nodded. "I really am sorry Starr." She meant that.

Asher laughed. "I'm sure you'd think of something." He waved back, and then headed for his room to plug himself in. He'd feel better with a full charge on his battery, you never knew when you might find yourself without a power outlet for a day or two.

~~
Ellie had been distracted by Vela, but she looked up at Starr, expression serious. "We'll all fight to free your people Starr, don't you worry."

"What is against the morality?" Sawna asked with a frown "Surely they know how dangerous they can be if cut off? Why would they want to pose such a danger to the majority of innocents here?"

~~
"For becoming a 'father'?" Dawn asked, looking to the cup again. Yeah, she couldn't read that. "It's pretty"

~~
Starr dipped her head at that, nodding  "thank you Luka." She said simply then smiled at Ellie "Yes, we will free them." Hopefully before the Family got to them.

Vela got squeaked at by Kerr, who stood and stretched before coming as close as he could get to Ellie and Vela and looking up at them.

Esk shrugged. "I managed to NOT get covered in glitter so I think i'm one up on those two idiots anyway." He looked a little awkward. He really wasn't good at taking compliments. "Yeah, I guess Kay can't be any worse a dad than his own... or mine though right? Knowing him he'll find some way to fuck it up but with our family, the bar's set pretty damn low already. "

---

Reptiles shouldn't squeak, but damn it was cute. Luka couldn't help but smile at the babies. "You said they'd learn to change forms at some point right? like you? "

Tala shrugged. "Something about confining a racial group to a single area, possibly against their will. I see their point, but the situation is too dangerous for us to be kind. They listened to reason, they will do what they can to be humane but will also do what must be done. At least, so I hope."

~~
Ellie held out her arm for Kerr so he could climb up too. She tried to return her attention to listening to the babies and their emotions, but she still couldn't quite manage it. They were waaaay too cute.

Dawn nodded at that, yay for no glitter trail everywhere. "I think that is something most parents are afraid of, failing their kids." Yeah, his father was an odd duck, even though she barely knew him.

~~~
Starr nodded again "Yes, they will in a month or two" She said happily, watching Ellie and the two babies as Kerr joined Vela and squeaked for pettings from the excitable female. That was cute

Esk looked skeptical. "Not all parents Dawn." He shrugged. "How's the studying going?"

---

"They love you Ellie." Luka laughed. "what IS it with you and dragons?"

"I have no idea but I'm glad they like me!" Ellie petted both dragons happily. "I'm their aunt too! Adopted Auntie Ellie!" She looked pleased with that name.

"I didn't say all, I said most" Dawn said then looked to her books again "Surgical procedures. It's not an easy subject, but I'm doing what I can to learn it." She sighed a little and shook her head "I will need to have the holodeck to try some of these techniques."

~~
Starr chuckled softly "You are pretty much 'squeeing' at them constantly. They like that and you." She smiled, glad to have Ellie there with them.

Shane chuckled too then shrugged "Yeah, us dragons do like you Ellie."

"Good idea." Esk nodded. "not as messy as practicing on real people." He smirked.

---

Luka laughed harder. She couldn't help it, Ellie covered in dragons was amusing.

Dawn nodded agreement "Yeah, no need to kill anyone with my fumbling as I learn" She said and shook her head.

"They like the telepathic squeeing?" Ellie laughed. "Things I never thought anyone would like." She tried to listen to the dragons again, and this time, finally, she heard their happy emotions in her head. "Ohmigosh I hear them!" She yelped, before the sound promptly vanished under her own thoughts.

Esk snickered. "At least someone's learning. James seems to have decided working's for suckers. " He rolled his eyes. "He went to go find out about magic, which sounds like a particularly bad idea. Because random magic to learn to control is just what the androids need right? " Damnit James, he thought he'd convinced that guy NOT to go accept unknown handouts from these Guild guys.

---

Luka shook her head. "Have fun Ellie." She headed out. Funny though it was to watch Ellie squeal happily at dragons, she had a day to start. Not that she actually had any real plans, except maybe a nice morning jog around the upper decks.

Kooshie wrote:Tala shrugged. "Something about confining a racial group to a single area, possibly against their will. I see their point, but the situation is too dangerous for us to be kind. They listened to reason, they will do what they can to be humane but will also do what must be done. At least, so I hope."

Sawna nodded then shook her head "They should know already, just from those that are separated for other reasons." Yeah, she had no problems segregating them, so long as they were not treated badly also.

~~~
"James went to learn magic?" Dawn asked. Oh boy, that didn't sound entirely good. Magic took a long time to get right, study, discipline, control. Hm

~~~
"Have a good day" Starr called after Luka and waved then looked back to Danika, sleeping lightly in her lap.

Vela and Kerr were trying to get pettings again, chirping at Ellie then to Shane as he reached over to pet them too.

"I am certain they will understand," Tala agreed. They reached the dining room, and she headed for the kitchen to get some kale and root vegetables.

"Bye Luka!" Ellie called. She petted the hatchlings obediently. Yep, she was totally wrapped around their fingers.

Sawna paused and looked to the dragons, smiling a little at the group before going to get her blood in a cup. When she was around others, she used a cup so they wouldn't freak out on her.

"Remember those pamphlets?" Esk shrugged. "I dunno, magical upgrades or something. He took the tailor with him so maybe he won't come back malfunctioning and owing the guild something to cash in later." He shook his head. "Sounds like a bad idea to me. Giving magic to non magical people. But you also gotta wonder, WHY they'd want to do it. The Guild I mean. LIke.. what advantage is it to them if androids can read minds or throw fireballs or something? " he frowned. "They're big on training people up, making them better, stronger. I don't trust their motives."

Dawn frowned and thought about that then shook her head a little "I don't know, it sounds like something you would do if you wanted an army or something." Yeah, training those not born to magic just didn't sound right to her, but then, she had been born to it.

Ellie smiled at Sawna. "Hey there Sawna! Nice to see you again!"

Tala set to work cooking things in a pan. She liked actually cooking her own food.