Upon Vestia: Chapter Nineteen

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(Day 11 I think)

"Have to find a way to avoid the social butterflies of the world," Ethan said. "What's your technique of choice?"

~~
"Oh no, the festival isn't until this evening. We just wanted to party here on the ship where the murder wolves aren't," Ellie told Amity cheerfully.

Hewitt smirked at Ethan. "You really need to ask?"

---

Amity tilted his head. "I'm not sure I understand. What are murder wolves?"

Ethan snickered. "Okay, I suppose I can make an educated guess."

~~
"They have a disease and it makes them angry during the full moon, but supposedly they can control themselves, but who actually believes that?" Ellie explained. If you could even call that an explanation. "Anyway we don't know if we want to go to the festival with those things, a lot of people don't. So we're having a pre-party here."

Hewitt looked smug and started leafing through his book.

---

Amity nodded as if that made sense, it really didn't.

"The infected" Moone said with a frown then shook her head "But we aren't going to think of them right now."

"Right. Less thinking, more partying!" Ellie said. She lead the way toward Armin's shop. "Yo Armin, you home?"

Armin was in the back but he heard people come in. "Hello? yes? Give me just a moment please!" He called, the sound of moving around as he pulled his breathing mask into place and headed out to the shop front. "Hello my friends." He bowed his head.

Amity smiled back at the Vavare.

Moone smiled at Aramin as he came out to join them "Hello Aramin" She said cheerfully.

"Hey man! Wanna come chill in the cafe with us?" Ellie asked cheerfully.

"Chill?" Armin sounded amused. He thought about it, then nodded. "Why not? Let me just put things away and I will be right with you."
A break sounded like a good idea.

"Meet ya in the cafe!" Ellie said cheerfully. She lead the way out. "You know, I'd invite Hewitt and Ethan, except I can hear Hewitt think and Ethan isn't sympathetic of my plant problems, so I dunno," she said.

Amity looked sympathetic. "That must be extremely disorienting for you. I'm certain the Professor would argue he has better things to do in any event. He would only attempt to start a debate." He chuckled lightly. "As is his general want."

"It's so dang freaky to hear someone thinking," Ellie agreed. "Yo Moone, any reason we should invite those guys, or can we just avoid them this time?"

Moone shrugged "Ethan doesn't seem to like being around a lot of people and Hewitt seems to like sleeping. We should ask, just to be nice, but I would bet they would both say no"

Shane came back from the city, telling Vestia the news then heading in to find and tell the others

"I can do that if you wish." Amity volunteered helpfully.

"Okay Amity, tell them what's up and hope they think it sounds lame," Ellie joked.

~~
"Thanks, Shane," Vestia said to Shane. "Luka will be glad for the update, want to tell her first?"

She considered and then sent a message to Kay's tablet, [Don't go rushing off the ship, but Esk is healed up mostly and apparently Web might be coming to visit.]

Shane nodded and smiled "Good idea, no sense in her continuing to fret is there?" He said then asked where she was so he could go and see her.

Luka had returned to the SD's cockpit, settling in with chocolate, chips and a well thumbed book of adventure stories.

---

Kay and Asher's movie was probably nearly done when the tablet they were watching it on pinged to inform him he had a message.
He looked to Asher, paused the movie and opened it up, blinking a few times in surprise and showing it to Asher.

--

Amity nodded. "As you wish." He smiled, if he understood she was joking he didn't show it. The hologram flickered off and the drone took off down the hall to find the Professor.

Shane went to the SD, going in and looking around until he found Luka in the cockpit. "Luka?"

Asher looked at the message in confusion, not really grasping it at first. "Well," he said after a moment, "That's unexpected. I guess we should tell Vestia to tell us when they arrive?"

~~
Ellie lead Moone to the cafe in search of, uh, party food. Which right now meant scones in her mind.

~~
Ethan heard someone coming into the library, but they didn't have footsteps, hmm. He got up and looked warily to spot Amity. Oh, just the drone. That was okay then. "He tells me he's fine," Ethan told Amity.

Luka looked over in surprise. "Shane?" She sat up straight and swallowed her food hastily. "What are you doing here?"

---

Kay nodded, he looked a little bewildered more than anything else.

---

Amity's hologram flickered into life and he smiled politely to Ethan. "I'm not here to check up on him, he's made it very clear he doesn't wish me to continue to, and I quote, nanny him."

Hewitt laughed into his book.

"You've made yourself at home I see sir." Amity said dryly, looking to the Professor.

Hewitt shrugged. "It's quiet here and the robot's not bad company. What do you want?"

Amity chuckled. "Suspicious as always sir." He crossed his hands and stood up straight. "I've been tasked with extending an invite to you both. A small number of the crew intend to have an early pre party party, which you're invited to out of obligation."

Hewitt lowered his book. "Obligation hmm?" He looked amused.

"Yes sir, they felt it would be rude to exclude you but were hoping you'd say no."

Hewitt snickered. "Almost makes me want to go."

"I theorized you would say that sir. " Amity replied briskly. "They are congregating in the Cafe if you wish to participate. "

Asher tried to look reassuring. This had to be pretty weird for Kay, suddenly finding out you might shortly be seeing a family member  you hadn't seen in years was surreal. Even if you believed it wasn't just a joke, it was still going to make you pretty anxious.
"Mind if I compose a reply?" he asked gently. It looked like Kay might want a moment.

~~
Ethan snickered. "I'm not so sure, I think the Professor likes having a nanny." He considered the idea of going to the party. Hmm, could be amusing to go since they weren't wanted there. But also hmm, spending time in a group of people, trying to avoid being bumped into. Stressful stuff. Well he could always sneak out if it was too much, couldn't he? "It'd be rude to not accept an invitation, wouldn't it?"

Sawna smiled to Ellie and Moone as they came in "Hello ladies, what can I get for you today?"

~~
Shane smiled and went over to Luka "I had to let you know, Esk and his brothers are coming to Vestia, he's not fully well, but he's well enough to come back on his own" He said cheerfully.

Kay shook his head and indicated he go right ahead.
It had been years since he'd seen his oldest brother, and tonight of all nights was probably the absolute worst time for a family reunion. Not that he didn't want to see him, he just wasn't sure how up to being social he really felt.
Also, WHY was Web here?

---

Hewitt nodded. "Precisely, and we can't be rude." He smirked.

Amity nodded. "Ellie will not be pleased." He lamented.

Hewitt chuckled. "You couldn't lie?"

Amity frowned. "The idea never even occurred to me sir."

Hewitt rose awkwardly to his feet, putting the book down and stretching. "Maybe the Terran won't hold it against you." He teased.

Amity looked a bit uncertain. Then nodded. "It's statistically more likely Ellie will be too distracted and too polite to say anything, though I doubt I will be sent on any more such errands in the future."

Hewitt chuckled. "never send an Aketi robot to do something that requires tact."

---

Luka blinked. "oh." then she nodded. "alright, thanks... for letting me know?" She looked awkward, not sure what to expect when Esk got back. Would he be annoyed with her? Maybe she should avoid him.

Asher took the tablet and wrote, [Thanks for telling us. Tell us when they arrive, okay? ~Asher]
He sent the message, and looked at Kay again. What terrible timing for Web to show up. Darn.

~~
Ethan smiled oddly. "Well if she complains, we can remind her that she DID invite us and you DID tell us we were unwanted. So you did your job well enough."

~~
"I'd like a scone please!" Ellie said. "And is it okay to bring beer in here?"

Kay smiled weakly. <unexpected.> He signed.

----

Amity smiled and nodded. "People are extremely complicated." He complained. "im not entirely sure I understand how inviting someone you don't want to see is more polite than just not saying anything." He shrugged.

Hewitt laughed. "People are idiots."

"Do you require any help sir?" Amity asked.

Hewitt waved a hand dismissively. "There you go again, fretting.

"Well sir, it IS my job." Amity explained calmly.

Hewitt snickered and reached out a hand to the hologram. "Let's go gatecrash a party"

"I don't think you can gatecrash if you've been invited sir."

Hewitt snorted. "I can and will."