Uncommon Currency


The business section of Haven is spread along a few brick streets that wander in amongst small stands of forest and small fields. Our odd crew of Jenora, the living solar body, Charon, the dragon shaped "remote" of one of the Stela'rhyan, and the winged feline centaur, Andromeda, are gathering a great number of stares. Michael, the last member of the group, and a human to boot, has wandered off somewhere as the threesome started checking out what there is to buy in the primitive colony town.

Andromeda hmmms, "What a quaint little town. I wonder how they survive at such a low level of technology?"

Charon, perched atop Andromeda's head, chirps, "They've got lots of technology. Civilization is a social construct, not a technological one."

Some of the businesses are in actual buildings, some are under tarps with portable tables on which the goods of sale are displayed. Of the three, it's a tie between Andromeda and Charon as to who is receiving the most stares from the people of Haven.

Jenora chuckles. "Not everyone started in a technological society; most of them had to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Trust me, this isn't all that low."

Jenora says, "Though we have an oddity here with all the leftover high-tech equipment from the older spacers acting as near-Clarke's Law level artifacts."

Charon says, "Or not operating. They don't actually use these things on a regular basis."

Andromeda stops and scritches her flank with a back leg, and purrs, "I guess that's what my brother was trying to learn by staying on that world with you for nearly two years. At least technology works here. No subphase interference fields. I know, supposedly they came from a space faring race, how did they lose it all?"

Jenora says, "Equipment breaks down. The more complex a machine, the harder it is to fix when it breaks down."

Off to the side someone mutters, "Look at that thing. Only wearing a few pieces of decoration, and scratching itself like an animal."

Andromeda frowns slightly, but only the flick of her ears betrays her annoyance, "True enough. Well, what shall we look for in the way of "Shopping"?"

Charon grins, "Do you know how to make a light bulb, Andromeda?"

Jenora says, "Eventually, unless you have a whole industry support structure, you won't be able to support the technology anymore. That, and social aspects come in as well; to one generation, it's an important piece of equipment to be used only in an emergency. To a later generation, it's a religious icon where the emergency it's to be used for survives only in broken old stories."

Andromeda nods to Charon, "Which type? Incandescent, fluorescent or inductive Charon?"

"Any kind. From scratch," the little dragon replies.

Jenora says, "Or carbon arc lamp, or cotton gas-wick, or..."

Andromeda nods, "You make a glass sphere, put in a filament of metal, or carbonized fiber, seal it, pump the air out. We are taught engineering as school children. Working on machinery is literally what we were designed for, at least that's what our history tells us."

Jenora nods. "And your people are by far the minority on that."

Andromeda tilts her head and looks thoughtful, "I've never looked at it that way. We're all taught to build and fix things from the bottom up. Our bodies provide most of the tools we'll ever need."

Charon asks, "How do you make the vacuum pump? Or get the metal? I'll bet most of the people here know more about how their technology actually works than an equal number from a more technologically advanced society."

Andromeda frowns, "We know how to get the metal, and how to make a vacuum pump, but I wonder what would happen if we lost all our tools and our own feathers stopped working?"

The little dragon waves a wing around, "All this is the result of evolution, not design. Chirr'T'Thar didnt evolve, never had to learn how to be civilized. You should find this all very interesting."

Andromeda leans over and head rubs the little dragon, "I do indeed. I also understand my brother's interest in such things now."

Jenora says, "Once you get beyond your chauvinism and realize it... not to malign you in particular, but your culture does have some blind spots. Almost all do."

Charon purrs.

Andromeda looks at Jenora, "Blind spots? I guess we do. Feel free to point them out to me, I don't like the concept of me overlooking something because of how I was raised, or how my race was made."

Charon's head looks upside-downishly into Andromeda's left eye. "Do you ever invent new things, or need to?"

Jenora nods. "Well, I know we broke Copernicus of a few of them."

Andromeda hmmms at Charon, "Sometimes. Whenever we have a new need, we can usually come up with something to solve or meet that need."

Charon bobs his head, "See? These people just do that for everything."

Andromeda gets a small smile on her muzzle and purrs, "Are you serious? You taught Copernicus something?"

Jenora grins. "Immersion is the best method of teaching. Doesn't give them a chance to get away from it."

Andromeda chuckles, "Well, my brother usually dives in head first."

Charon hmms. Maybe that explains all of those oddly fractured underwater rocks..

Jenora says, "No kidding..."

A long, lanky looking weasel waves to Jenora from his stall along the walkway, "M'lady! Surely one of your charms would love to check out some of the fine clothing that we have here? I even have some collars for your pets. The guard get upset when visitors let them run loose like that."

Andromeda blinks, "Pets? What is a pet again?"

Jenora sighs... "She is _not_ a pet."

Jenora says, "If I told you, Andromeda, you'd probably get upset and I don't want us hurting anyone our first day here."

The weasel nods, "A work animal then? No matter. I can make clothing and tackle for anyone or anything."

Charon chirps, "Pets are good! I like pets! Where do the collars go?"

Andromeda gives Jenora a stare, "If I promise not to hurt him, will you tell me what he means by "pet"?"

Jenora groans. "We're going to have to deal with this misunderstanding all day, aren't we?"

Jenora says, "The term 'pet' is normally reserved for non-sentient companion animals."

The weasel blinks as he notices that both pets seem to be talking even when their mistress's mouth is totally closed or talking. He hmms, "An amazing trick m'lady."

Charon hops from Andromeda's head to the vendor's table top. "Can I see your brain? Is it for sale?"

Andromeda blinks a few times, then her ears go back and she half snarls before she finally shudders and regains control of herself. "I see."

Jenora steps calmly over to the weasel, and places her hand on his shoulder. "The larger of the two 'pets' as you call them is a fully-qualified spaceship technician from another world. Given the lack of ability you have shown on picking up on this, I wager she's significantly brighter than you are."

Charon's poking about and snuffling and groping of the wares leaves a bit of a mess.

The little dragon's comment utterly startles the mustelid and he errrs, "No. I'm er, I'm using it right now. M'lady, I realize you may have a different sense of humor where you come from, but I don't find this very funny. And this little one is making a mess of my goods."

Charon chews on one of the leather collars, and pronounces it the oddest tasting candy he's ever tried.

Jenora says, "I'm not trying to be funny. I'm trying to keep you from insulting a diplomat from another world again."

Andromeda growls softly, "My brother is the diplomat. Well, actually, he's SUPPOSED to be a diplomat. Jenora, do you ever buy clothing, or just make your own?"

Jenora says, "I've been known to buy clothing when I find something I like..."

Charon busies himself with one of the crunchier bits of the collar.

The weasel blinks as he begins to figure out this is NOT a trick, and seems to be at a total loss of words. He looks at the dragon and then Jenora, not sure WHO to ask to pay for the damaged leather.

Jenora says, "Charon, let's not damage this poor fellow's grasp on his world view anymore, shall we?"

A small voice from behind them chatters, "Mommy, Mommy! Are those spacers? Can I ride the one with two bodies?"

The weasel stutters, "No insult intended. But, I mean, er, your friend here just ate a collar."

The little dragon looks up innocently at Jenora, the frayed end of the collar dangling from his mouth.

Andromeda suddenly gets a grin on her face and purrs, "Mind if I handle this transaction Jenora?"

Jenora says, "Go ahead."

Jenora looks over at the table, and sighs. "Charon... I don't suppose you have anything to pay for that with?"

Andromeda pads up to the weasel, and towers over him as he purrs, "I see, so how much is this...pet collar of yours worth?"

Charon coughs up the buckle.

Jenora goes back to nonchalantly looking around to see what else is interesting around here... at least, that's what she looks like she's doing.

The weasel looks up at the 400 pound plus predator and ahems, "Er, well, he returned the buckle. I can just replace th th the leather. Say, two coppers?"

The mother of the child who is begging to ride Andromeda is trying desperately to shush her child.

Andromeda chuckles, "The universe should be thankful there is only one Coper. But I believe I have a few coins that were given us on our arrival. Will these work, or would you prefer a trade instead?"

Another, less frightened stammer, as the weasel ponders spacer goods and churrs, "Trade?"

Andromeda grins and pulls the weasel snug against her generous torso, "Yes, I could show you an incredibly good time this evening. ;)"

Charon looks up and blinks.

At that the weasel turns red with embarrassment and finally anger, "Me? With you? How...How insulting. I mean you have four legs! You you...."

Jenora snickers.

Andromeda tosses the weasel the two coins and scoops Charon up, "Well, I won't hold the fact that you have only two legs against you, but it's your loss. Jenora, why don't we see if we can find a better shop, or, to put it more accurately, a better shopkeeper?"

Jenora shakes her head, chuckling. "Okay. I can see the waves of culture shock spreading through this town already..."

Charon scrambles up Andromeda's nearby arm to perch on her shoulder.

Andromeda giggles slightly as she notes an odd house down a side street, "Well, it seems my race is not the only one with "blind spots". That place looks interesting, want to check it out?"

As the trio moves on, the weasel is still sputtering as some of his neighboring tradesfolk start giggling at him.

Jenora turns to take a look at the house. "Wouldn't hurt to look, anyway."

A small tug on the back of Jenora's dress gets her attention.

Jenora turns around slowly, and smiles down at the figure. "Yes?"

The little otter kit chitters, "Are you really from space?"

Jenora crouches down, and smiles. "Yes, I am."

The little cub reaches out and touches Jenora's cheekruff, "Wow. Can your friend really fly with those wings? Can I ride her? Huh?"

Jenora purrs softly at the touch. "Well, you'd have to ask her about riding."

An older female otter in a stiff peasant type dress races up, "Charlie! What are you doing? They're dangerous!"

Andromeda chuckles at the little otter, "Yes, I can fly. And I'd be happy to give you a ride later, if it's OK with your mothers."

Charon whispers into Andromeda's ear that people here only have one mother and father.

Jenora looks up, still crouched, and smiles. "Now, we're not all that dangerous."

The mother otter grabs her son by the scruff, "I'm not about to let you take my son up in the air. I heard about your fight with the Larctos."

Andromeda blinks and nods to Charon, whispering "Sorry, most races have only one, but I slip sometimes."

Jenora stands up slowly. "Pardon?"

Andromeda nods at the mother otter, "I would never harm a child. Nor would any of my kind. I heard about that fight. What did you expect my friends to do, let the Larctos kill them?"

The otter calms slightly, as she realizes just how large this alien is in comparison to her. And she also notes that the creature seems to be calm also, she humphs and then a bit more politely says, "Well, no. But you also can't expect me to let my son go flying with creatures who have exploding wings either. I'm sorry he bothered you. Charlie, apologize to the, er...ladies."

Charlie chitters, "I'm sorry I can't go flying with you." as he looks down sadly.

Andromeda chuckles, "I am too young one, but maybe some day your mother will change her mind."

One of the bystander's chuckles, and whispers to his friend, "Lady? She's only wearing her fur, it's flat obvious that she's female. Talk about having no secrets."

Andromeda hmmphs at the comment, while Charlie gives Jenora a quick snug before his mother drags him off.

Jenora purrrs back at the snug.

Jenora smiles mischievously. "If you want to deal with prejudice, you start with the next generation."

Andromeda idly scritches Charon's ears as she purrs to Jenora, "Cubs are cute, aren't they? I'm looking forward to having cubs of my own someday. Yes, very true Jenora. Think, you could help raise a Chirr'T'Thar cub and remove his or her, or even their blindspots. ;)"

Charon blinks, and suggests, "Install more eyes."

Andromeda gigglepurrs loudly at that, finally saying, "Well, that might not be so easy for us Charon. Let's check out that building, I overheard someone say that the owner is a maker of metal objects."

Jenora says, "Oi. Sociological experiments."

Andromeda pads over towards the house with Jenora, while Charon still perches on her shoulder. "Have you ever had children before Jenora?"

Jenora says, "Yes, though not for a long while."

Charon asks, "What spectrum were they?"

Andromeda nods, "I think you'd enjoy being a mother to a Chirr'T'Thar child. We're pretty harmless until we turn 20 or so. Ah, here's the door, I think. Where is the announcer panel?"

Jenora says, "You just knock lightly on the door."

Jenora glares at Charon. "They were considerably more 'normal' than I am, in general."

Andromeda blinks and hmmmms, "Oh. Well, that is energy effiecient." and knocks rather loudly on the front door.

Charon blinks, wondering how something can be more normal than another.

The sturdy door creaks open, revealing a slight room. The metals on the wall catch the light and sparkle it back merrily. The small place seems to be vacant, but the door wasn't latched.

Andromeda tries to hide her smirk at Charon's comment, quietly thankful that SHE no longer has to ask that question. So, if Jenora does join her mating group, her children will basically be Chirr'T'Thar.

Andromeda purrs, "The door seems to be open, shall we just walk in?"

Jenora says, "Well, peek inside anyway; if nobody's in there, we'll just try some place else."

Andromeda nods and pads inside and looks around. Apparently Chirr'T'Thar don't even "peek" subtly.

Andromeda purrowls, "Anyone here?"

A blond human pokes his head up from behind the counter, then smiles. The ever-peculiar Michael looks back down under the counter for a moment, and a soft metallic jingling is heard, soon followed by the reappearance of his head and the rest of him.

Andromeda hmmmmmmmms, "So this is where you went off to hide. C'mon in Jenora, our other friend is here."

From somewhere in the back of the building, a voice calls, "Do you have any more towels, Michael?"

Michael smiles and steps around the counter, then glances back towards the main part of the house. "Yes...I found Chimera."

Jenora blinks, and leans in. "Oh. Hi."

Michael shouts back, "Towels are in top drawer."

"Thank you!" returns the voice.

Michael smiles. "Your walk..." he begins, then quickly corrects, "How is your walk?"

Andromeda's eyes light up, "Towels? You have a bath here? Oh, my walk is fine, why, am I still limping a bit from that fight I had?"

Jenora steps inside the shop, and leans back against the door frame.

Andromeda's ears flick a bit as her curiosity about the human, his bath, and his odd shop make it difficult for her to figure out what to look at first.

Michael's brow furrows. "Fight?" He gestures to the large stone building abutting the little wooden one. "Well, I have a bath back in the house."

Andromeda nods at Michael, "And you're bathing with someone called Chimera? How come you're dry? Is it a sand bath like some races use?"

Michael says, "No, I am not bathing. Chimera is bathing."

No sooner does Michael indicate the house than Chimera emerges. The draco-kirinoid is naked, slightly damp, and his fur and blue-green mane are full of snarled clumps. He smells like soap and honey. "Oh, hello."

Michael smiles and laughs. "With water, of course."

Michael turns and gestures at the naked Chimera quite unastonished. "You see?"

Andromeda blinks at Chimera, "My, a lot of dragon types around. A friend of yours Charon? And honey? Oh my. I'm sorry if we interrupted anything Michael. We didn't mean to invade your privacy. We can leave."

Charon waves to his cousin, then goes back to exploring Michael's counter space.

Jenora waves to Chimera. "Hello."

Chimera smiles to the feline, "Hello, Queen Jenora! I'd offer you a hug, but I'm afraid I might stick."

Michael looks closely at Andromeda, thinking. Then he smiles and almost blushes. "You misunderstand, and you are not interrupting."

Jenora grins. "Probably. I'll let you finish up first."

Michael gestures to Andromeda. "You come see. I have a question for you." He heads over to a shelf near the back."

Jenora says, "Just when I thought the day couldn't get any stranger."

Chimera eyes Andromeda with interest, but quietly asks Jenora, "Do you know how to dissolve honey?"

Jenora seems more amused than anything else when she says that.

Andromeda chucklepurrs and pads off after Michael, and purrs back, "You're considering joining the Skygazer clan. You'd best get used to strange days. ;)"

Jenora says, "Dissolve honey? Hmm. Complex carbohydrates, mostly. Some heat for a start, so it becomes more fluid."

Chimera says, "How much heat? I think Michael has some acids."

Jenora says, "Water will only work if it's quite warm. Acids aren't all that good an idea, you'll get the sugars recrystallizing on you."

Charon helpfully suggests using lots of saliva.

Michael reaches to the top shelf for something. "Chimera, hot water melts honey. Blueroot will, too, and burns less.

Jenora grins. "What is your skin made out of, so we don't dissolve it as well?"

Andromeda's attention wanders back to the object Michael is lowering off the shelf, and her eyes go wide.

Chimera ahs, "I should try hot water instead of cold then. Or else I could just shave the affected areas. I use keratin for my external surfaces, Jenora."

Jenora hmms to Charon. "Organic enzymes are actually not a bad idea, as some of those are used for the sole purpose of breaking down sugars."

Michael pulls down a large, heavy looking object, about 5' long, and at least a handspan wide. He hefts it easily, and it appears to be some sort of large cannon or gun, which he innocently points at Andromeda. "What is this?" You can hear the useless clicking, probably some sort of trigger mechanism.

Jenora says, "Keratin... good, that's fairly resistant."

Andromeda yowls and leaps up instinctively into the rafters, her wingspurs snapping open and she nearly slices at Michael by reflex alone, "BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU POINT THAT THING!"

Jenora spins to see what's going on.

Charon pokes his head into the open barrel. "What is it?"

Michael heh's? and looks up at Andromeda, then spins the thing around and looks into the end of it. "I don't know...It does not look dangerous to me."

Andromeda calms down as she realizes there is no power-pack for the weapon and purrs, "It's a phase pulsed maser. Over a millennia old. They were used for punching holes in asteroids, and in Chirr'T'Thar. If it had a power-pack we'd all be dead."

Chimera thanks everyone for their advice, and returns to the stone part of the building.

Jenora whistles. "And probably a good number of people in the stores in a straight line all the way to the edge of town."

Andromeda blinks as she realizes she's stuck up in the rafters, having jumped up into them instinctively. She sighs, "Er, Jenora?"

Charon blinks, "Really? Why do you need to punch holes in asteroids? To make a big necklace?"

Andromeda shakes her head at Charon, "For mining them. You can get to the center more easily. Jenora? I'm...stuck."

Michael says, "Ass-steer-oids?"

Jenora looks up at Andromeda. "Well now, here's a fine kettle of fish."

Charon bobs his head and asks, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of an asteroid?"

Jenora says, "What do you need to get down?"

Andromeda sighs, "I could bust out, but that would wreck his roof. Can you tell me where to move my hind legs so I can back up?"

Charon looks around for the fish.

Michael raps on the barrel of the thing, making a hollow sound, then puts it back on the shelf.

Michael shrugs in conclusion and looks up at Andromeda.

Jenora says, "Okay... back about... three quarters of a meter back, and preferably about a paws' width to the left."

Andromeda growls obscenities at herself and carefully follows Jenora's instructions, though she nearly slips when her armband starts beeping. She growls, "Can't even put them on hold. By the first mother's behind, you have horrible timing brother."

Jenora steps back a little herself, watching. "Okay. Now the right rear leg... About ten centimeters shorter on this side."

Andromeda purrs, "Ok Jenora, I think I'm nearly free, where to next?"

Jenora nods. "Now I think we've got some clear space... turn about forty-five degrees to your left and you should be lined up along the rafters, and can drop down between them."

Jenora looks around to make sure nobody's standing underneath Andromeda.

Michael leans back against the counter, looking up with curiosity.

Andromeda sighs, "If I hadn't let that thing startle me so badly, I could do this myself. Thanks Jenora."

Andromeda lands fairly deftly on her feet and folds up her wings, shaking herself.

Michael smiles, "I did not know I had so much room there."

Jenora says, "You're welcome."

Chimera reappears, dry now and wearing his recently washed blue tunic and shorts. "Hello again! Did I miss anything?"

Jenora says, "You could say that, yes."

Andromeda takes a deep breath before talking to Michael, and then purrs, "Well, we're very flexible for our size. I'd like to have a look at that thing again, Michael. There's a part of it I want to purchase, if you don't mind?"

Michael nods. "A assteeroids hole-maker.

Michael leans over and retrieves it, handing it to Andromeda. "Yes, of course..." He breaks off as something sparkly catches his eye.

Andromeda calms down enough to notice Chimera and chuckles, "I think you looked cuter wearing just honey."

Chimera smiles, "Thank you."

Jenora starts pondering the ionization effects of a tool like that being set off inside an atmosphere, and shudders.

Charon perches on Michael's shoulder, to see what he's looking at.

Andromeda carries the maser to the counter top, "No need for thanks, it's true. Jenora, could you burn through this part right here? Cutting it used to set off a failsafe, and even as old as this is, I don't want to risk that."

Jenora walks over to look. "What sort of failsafe?"

Michael absently pats Charon on the side of the neck and slips into the storage room in the back, rummaging around in amounts of small metallic objects, from the sound of it.

Andromeda purrs, "It shorted out the focusing crystal and caused it to feedback upon itself. Even without a power-pack that would be like one of our demolition feathers going off at close range."

Jenora says, "Ah. This would be bad if there was any residual charge, yes."

Chimera leans over Andromeda's shoulder to look as well.

Jenora's clawtip traces over the side of the gun. "Here?"

Andromeda holds the cannon steady and nods, "Yes, about 12mm deep at most. Don't go past that seam right there."

Jenora nods. Her claw starts glowing white hot, and she shifts her hand to extend it, pushing into the hole she's making.

Andromeda's tail scritches Chimera as she focuses on her work, still ignoring the flashing gem on her armband.

Chimera returns the favor by scritching Andromeda's taur-back. "What's that little blinking light for?"

Jenora goes in just short of the seam, then pulls her claw back out.

Andromeda shrugs, "Just my brother or someone wanting to talk to me. Let's disarm this thing first. Ok Jenora, that looks good. Can you hold that end while I work on it?"

Jenora grasps the proffered end. "Got it."

From the back room, the jingling stops with a soft cheer, and Michael comes back around to the front.

Andromeda nods and one finger touches the cut piece, and seems to stick to it as she draws it out. Then her wings curl around and the spurrs carefully cut through other parts of the casing as her fingers and clawtips remove the equivalent of screws, bolts and fasteners deftly. Again, it's very clear that her kind were made to be tools. Finally she exposes a glowing blue crystal that looks a lot like a magnolia flower and she purrs, "Still a little bit of a charge. I'll have to remove it and drain it some how."

Chimera waves to Michael with his free hand!

Michael cocks his head at the crystal. "It is very pretty.

Charon asks, "How much charge?"

Andromeda growls as she carefully removes the crystal, making sure NOT to touch the sides, "Oh, about a megajoule or so. Enough to get your attention... oh, kitty litter!" as a small cockroach like insect that had been hiding in the ancient device walks out and completes the circuit on the exposed crystal. The young felitauress has enough time to dump Chimera off onto the floor as a loud sizzling CRACK!!! blasts her against the far wall. Unfortunately, Michael was behind her.

Jenora runs over to see how Michael is doing. Andromeda she's not worried so much about, she could survive that...

Michael's arms fly forward as he is thrown against the wall behind him. As the smoke is clearing he tries to stand up, shaking his head a little.

Chimera gets up and looks around for any fires that might have been caused by the capacitors discharge.

The room smells a bit of singed felitaur furr, and burnt cockroach.

Charon bounces up and down. "Can you do that again? Can I try next time?"

Andromeda blinks as she slides down the wall onto her back, holding the now inert crystal in her hand. Her fur is standing on end, and it's unclear if that was the discharge's doing or not.

Chimera goes over to Andromeda, and first inspects her wings to see if any feathers are about to go off.

Michael blinks and wrinkles his nose at the smell of ozone in the air. "Achh."

The light on Andromeda's armband is glowing less insistently at this point. She's still a bit perturbed, "I can't believe it! The odds of an insect getting inside one of those things, and waiting till WE disarm it to short it out! I mean...that's ridiculous."

Jenora helps Michael out first. "Welcome to the wonderful world of Murphy's Law. Or Finnegan's First principle. Or whatever your race likes to call it."

Chimera smiles, "If you say so. Are you all right, Andromeda?"

Michael fingers the new hole in the front of his robes, the gilt scales underneath shining unharmed.

Andromeda growls and hits a stud on her armband, still sprawled rather unladylike on her back, all four legs in the air. A message comes on, "Andromeda, the gate alignment is going well, but there seemed to be a momentary burst of negative probability put out by it, and it seems to focus on those who worked on it. Make sure not to do anything risky for the next hour or so, ok sis?"

A loud, growling, hissing and spitting set of obscenities come from Andromeda for nearly a minute.

Michael half smiles to Jenora. "Who?"

Michael waves his hand and snorts in amusement. "Ah, nevermind..."

Charon is now investigating the mechanism of the cannon from the inside.

Jenora chuckles. "Okay..."

Andromeda sighs and rolls over onto her stomachs, then staggers to her feet, "You know, I'd be tempted to try and kill my brother someday, except for two reasons."

Jenora grins to Andromeda. "You will eventually look back on this and laugh. It just may take a year or so..."

Michael shoots look at that once-glowing crystal. "Knrata bi haprasu."

Chimera says, "What are your two reasons, Andromeda?"

Andromeda snorts at Jenora, then nods, "Yeah. Probably. Well, the first is I do love the silly idiot. He was my first, and still means a lot to me. Second, everytime someone tries to kill him, they seem to end up looking silly, or end up dead, or both. Must be that chaos stuff he talks about."

Chimera ahs.

Andromeda pants for a bit, then looks at Michael, "How much?" as she waves the crystal in her hand.

Charon's head pokes back out of the cannon, "Hey, there are a bunch more of those glowing capacitor gems in here!"

Andromeda blinks, "There should be only one focusing crystal. Oh, those ARE the capacitors. How brightly are they glowing?"

Charon giggles! "Psyche! Nothing's glowing." The little dragon vanishes back into the cannon.

Michael looks at the thing a bit disgustedly. "50 rod."

Michael smirks mischievously and raps on the barrel again.

Andromeda blinks and puts the crystal into Michael's hand and purrs, "Just a moment."

Michael gingerly handles the thing.

Andromeda pads up, and sticks a feather in one end of the barrel behind Charon and breaks the end. She then pads over in front of the cannon barrel and counts, "5...4...3...2...1..."

Chimera blinks at the countdown.

Jenora says, "Umm... you sure you want to do that?"

The feather explodes...and releases a fair amount of compressed air that shoots Charon out of the cannon and into Andromeda's waiting arms.

Andromeda holds Charon by the neck after she catches him.

Michael jumps and almost drops the crystal. "R'kkkana!"

Charon blinks three times, then squeals, "AGAIN!!"

Jenora groans.

Andromeda purrs very softly, almost dangerously softly, "I just wanted you to know that I didn't think that was very funny."

Michael looks a bit startled and disgruntled.

Andromeda gently puts Charon down on the floor and pads back over to Michael.

Charon asks, "Why not? I thought I was getting better at humor."

Chimera shrugs to the little dragon.

Andromeda sighs at Charon, "I nearly killed a new friend because of that crystal, and the thought of several more of those things is scary, not funny. I'm sorry Michael, what does 50 rod convert to?"

Michael looks a little lost. "Ah, convert?"

Jenora says, "We're not used to your money system yet."

Michael smiles. "I am not very good too."

Andromeda looks at Michael, "You look pretty good to me. But I need to know how much 50 rod is, so I can keep this thing."

Michael picks up a rod and looks at it, then makes an imaginary mass with his hands. "This much silver."

Andromeda blinks, "Oh. Ok. Shoot, I don't have that much silver. What about you Jenora?"

Jenora pulls out her little stash from the amount she was given before, and checks.

Michael motions to the crystal. "What is that, too?"

Andromeda purrs, "It's a special crystal designed to focus the energy of the Maser into a cohesive beam. Nasty little things."

Charon apologizes to Andromeda by scritching her ears.

Michael says, "What do you need it for, then?"

Andromeda checks her pocket and pulls out a lump of shiny yellow metal, "Yuck. The charge melted the gold coins I brought. Oh, I want it so no one else can use that thing. At one point it was used more to kill my race than for mining."

Michael says, "I will destroy it. It will cost you nothing..."

Michael looks at it. "Or...hmmm..."

Andromeda purrrs in spite of herself at Charon's scritching, "I'm sorry Charon. It was just a bad moment to pull a prank. The crystal is very hard to wreck Michael. And it has a tendency to focus any energy aimed at it. There are ways, but we can't do it here easily. And for the next 30 minutes, I don't dare try."

Michael holds it up and looks at it closely, holding it up to his eye.

Jenora hmmms, thinking this over as she checks through her money.

Michael says, "I can try, yes?"

Andromeda hmmms, "If you want to, just don't hurt yourself. Again, if you have any type of energy weapon, it'll backfire on you."

Michael rummages around under his counter, and positions it in the middle, then steps back.

Jenora looks up to watch what's going on. "Energy weapons seem above the usual personal tech level here..."

Chimera observes quietly, and wonders what is meant by 'energy weapon'.

Michael looks up at everyone. "You all stand away..."

Andromeda curls her wings out to act like a blast wall, curious as to what this odd being is going to do.

Jenora backs up towards the door, but not blocking it.

Michael concentrates on the crystal and makes motions as if he's grasping for the air and pulling it about. His hands begin to glow white, and the crystal rattles a little.

Andromeda's vision changes as she slides the protective nictating membranes over them, just in case. She's not sure where the light is coming from on Michael's hands, but it looks like energy to her.

Michael's face passes an irritated look as he takes a deep breath and pulls at the air more strongly. The crystal raises off the counter a little and spins around, his hands glowing very brightly, lighting up the whole room.

Abruptly, the crystal clatters to the counter and Michael's hands stop glowing. He breathes heavily and leans against the wall behind him, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "There..."

Andromeda bends over to peer at it, "What did you do?"

At first glance, the crystal seems untouched. Looking at it closer, however, sees one of the sides changed in shape. Where before it seemed to focus, now it disperses, sending bright little beams of sunlight to spread prisms all over the room.

Michael smiles wearily. "I broke it."

Jenora says, "Impressive."

Andromeda is looking rather stunned, "How...? Did you use...magic?"

Michael smiles and pulls a bench over to sit on and catch his breath. He nods to Andromeda.

Andromeda wrinkles her nose, whiskers quivering, "Someday I'm going to have to find out more about this energy called "magic". But considering what it's done to Copernicus, I'll wait."

Michael looks up to Andromeda. "That did not bother your brother?"

Chimera says, "Well, a few times it did."

Jenora says, "Probably a good idea. You think the gate can warp probability... magic can do the same sort of thing, except focussed by the will of the person doing it."

Michael takes a deep breath and stands up again, not looking as wilted, but still a little pale-skinned.

Andromeda hmmfs, "A few? His shape keeps changing, he has the weirdest luck of any living being, and he misplaced our entire solar system. I think that's more than a few times Chimera. I'll keep it in mind Jenora, but right now I think I'll leave that to others. Well, we had come in here to shop. You up to selling us something Michael? I was planning on getting some red jewelry for someone very special to me."

Michael makes a small frown. "I am sorry...I did not mean to change your brother's shape...Only the crystal."

Andromeda chuckles, "Oh no. My brother did that to himself. Well, he says a song did it to him. You didn't do any harm Michael. You know, you look kind of cute when you frown. ;)"

Michael puts the new and improved muon focus gem under the counter. "Red? What sort would you like?"

Michael frowns a little, then realizes what he's doing and blushes momentarily.

Andromeda's tail curls around Charon and snugs him, apparently she's totally calmed down now. She purrs, "Do you have any red gems set in silver? Say a necklace?"

Michael leans back down under the counter, pulling up a long box full of glittering chains.

Andromeda watches Michael with mischievous eyes, then looks at the necklaces being displayed, "Charon or Chimera, do you know much about jewelry?"

Michael peers into the box and fingers through it, eventually pulling out a intricate silver chain with three rough garnets hanging from the center.

Michael says, "How is this?"

Chimera says, "I know about it.. but that's about it."

Charon adds, "It's usually shiny."

Andromeda reaches out to look at the necklace and whispers to Chimera, "Do you think this would look nice on Jenora?"

Jenora blinks at Andromeda, then grins and poses.

Michael's eye is caught by something shiny again and he blinks and smiles.

Chimera nods, and whispers back, "Everything looks nice on Jenora."

Jenora says, "Flatterer."

Michael rolls his eyes.

Andromeda grins, "She also looks rather good with nothing on, but you're right. I just think this will go well with her green dress and green eyes. The red is a nice contrast."

Chimera smiles at Jenora and wags his draconian tail.

Andromeda purrs to Michael, "How much?"

Jenora says, "My, my... and with me in the same room, too."

Michael looks the necklace over. "10 ro...er, this much silver."

Andromeda smirks, "What good are compliments if the person isn't there to blush at them? ;) Michael, I have very little silver, but I do have this small lump that used to be gold coins. Will that be enough?"

Michael scratches his chin. "It is too much, really."

Michael smiles. "You will owe me."

Andromeda blinks, "It's too much, but I'll still owe you? So silver is worth more than gold?"

Michael says, "No...you have too much gold."

Jenora says, "He's saying that he won't take the money yet, and will let you pay later."

Chimera hmms.

Michael smiles and nods.

Andromeda's tail twitches idly as she nods, "I see. Well then, Jenora, may I give you your gift?"

Jenora says, "No time like the present, as it were."

Charon tilts his head. Was that a pun?

Andromeda grins softly and pads up to Jenora and reaches around her, closing the clasp behind her neck and then giving Jenora a light kiss before letting go and looking, "Red does go well with the green, doesn't it?" as she looks to the three males for comments.

Michael scratches his hairless chin. "Garnets and green...Definitely."

Charon comments, "Shiny!" Chimera smiles and nods, "Very nice."

Michael smirks and leans over to tap Andromeda on her haunch. "I have something for you, too."

Jenora blushes a little.

Andromeda grins and nods, "I think she'd look better if she just wore that, but she's very beautiful as is, isn't she? Oh, what Michael? I was going to look for something for my newest sister in law and her kits."

Michael hands Andromeda some small little shiny thing. It looks like it might be gold, but its a little too red-orange. "I found this a long time ago...I thought you would want it. Or should have it."

Jenora says, "What is it?"

Andromeda's eyes widen a bit as she rubs some of the red-orange corrosion off of it, "Where did you find this? It looks very familiar."

Michael waves his arm off behind him. "Very far away..."

Chimera peers closer.

As the ring cleans up, the engraving takes the shape of a male winged feline centaur, or at least pretty close, the ring has worn smooth in areas.

Michael smiles proudly.

Andromeda takes a deep breath, "It is Kech't. One of our pledge rings, worn in our ears to honor our pledge to our mates."

Michael ah's and nods sagely, not so discreetly looking at Andromeda's rings.

Jenora says, "Nice workmanship..."

Andromeda shakes her head, "But he found it here! And it's been around a long time, gold doesn't corrode very quickly."

Jenora says, "No, it doesn't."

Chimera says, "So, the Chirr'T'Thar have been here before?"

Michael says, "I knew it was important."

Andromeda lets Michael get a closer look at the two pledge bands that he was peeking at in her pouch. One bears a likeness of Copernicus, the other of a butterfly winged felitaur. His fourth, Melora.

Michael hmms...

Jenora says, "Well, the fact that the beacons were on the same frequency would seem to make that possible..."

Andromeda's whiskers are quivering, "But the beacon wasn't Chirr'T'Thar in design. We have been wanderers for millennia, but in this galaxy? Either way, I need to show my brother this, and ask him for help to investigate."

Michael scratches the back of his neck absently.

Chimera says, "Can you show us where you found this, Michael?"

Michael says, "Perhaps..."

Michael smiles, "I can try."

Andromeda nods, "We'd appreciate it Michael. But first I have to show this to some of our archivists. And my brother. I guess I'll have to owe you for this too."

Michael smiles and shrugs. "That is yours anyway. I was just giving it back."

Andromeda looks at the ring one more time, wishing it was clearer, but finally puts it away carefully in one of the pouches tied to her waist. She purrs, "Well Jenora, I think we've had enough shopping fun for now. What should we do next?"

Jenora says, "Well, nothing risky just yet..."

Andromeda smirks at Jenora, "Ok, then I'll cancel the jello wrestling for tonight. :)"

Michael says, "Jello?"

Charon suggests, "Let's blow something up!"

Jenora sighs, shaking her head. "Ai."

Andromeda sighs at Charon, "You're just like my brother sometimes."

Chimera says, "How do you wrestle jello? What makes it risky?"

Michael says, "What IS jello?"

Andromeda gives Jenora a look of *Help* as the barrage of questions continues.

Jenora chuckles, giving Andromeda a look of 'You got yourself into this...'

Charon asks, "Where is Copernicus? When does the riot start?"

Andromeda hmms, "Well, we could make some jello back at the ship. Copernicus is still talking to the city officials. And hopefully we can put the riot off till another day."

Andromeda sighs and thinks . o O (These people were a GOOD influence on Copernicus?)

Michael says, "Why will there be a riot?"

Charon blinks at Michael, but has no better answer than, "Tradition?"

Michael blinks back.

Michael says, "It is a very weird tradition."

Andromeda raises an eyebrow at Jenora, "Tradition?"

Jenora grins to Michael. "Running joke. Copernicus has caused a couple of riots before, for various reasons. It's not really a tradition, just an unfortunate common series of events."

Chimera says, "Traditions are supposed to be irrational and weird, aren't they?"

Andromeda mutters, "Great. My brother is a living tradition."

Jenora says, "No, he's just an improbability locus."

Michael says, "Mine are not...Not all of them."

Andromeda smirks, "Yes, an improbability locus that has a super strong sense of justice, and an even stronger devotion to his friends. A very dangerous combination."

Jenora says, "Rather."

Michael watches and listens quietly.

Andromeda purrs a bit quieter, "It's also what I like about him. Ah well, shall we go to our ship for some lime jello? Maybe that will answer some of the males' questions. ;)"

Michael mutters something about jello.

Chimera says, "Lime?"

Andromeda shrugs, "I just know it's green. Shall we go?"

Chimera smiles, "Sure!"

Jenora says, "Jello is a gelatinous substance."

Andromeda purrs, "Fairly high in protein, though it has a lot of sugar and water too."

Michael says, "Geala te nuso?"

Charon hops onto Jenora's shoulder, the better to see her shinies with, and asks, "Does it talk?"

Andromeda watches Charon apparently look down Jenora's blouse and giggles a bit.

Jenora says, "No."

Michael blinks.

Chimera says, "What does lime jello do then?"

Andromeda grins, "It's nice and slippery on fur. ;) It also tastes pretty good."

Michael ah's and nods to Andromeda, absently tidying up his little shop.

Andromeda pads outside, with Jenora, Chimera, Charon and Michael following. After some minor mishaps with the replicator in the shuttle, each person has a large blob of wiggling lime jello in front of them. For inexplicable reasons, the jello is plaid in color however.

Jenora looks at the Jello. "There are some things that we simply weren't meant to know."

Andromeda sighs, "Oh, just eat your jello."

Michael gazes at the jello for a while, but seems much more interested in the replicator, and attempting to operate it.

Chimera and Charon don't eat, but Chimera wonders out loud, "Hey, this would be neat for rolling around in!"

Jenora rolls her eyes.

Andromeda smirks, and is about to flirt with Jenora when suddenly the shuttle starts filling up with cheese spread. The felitauress sighs, "Michael!"