The asteroid mining station owned by Aurora, Ceres and Libra spins silently in space, picking up the faint glow of the Tharhome System Sun as they pass out of the shadow of one of the outer planets. A silver circle of fire appears behind the station as the mile diameter dimensional gate catches the faint sunlight and seems to concentrate it. Aboard the mining station, the various crews who were on sleep shift start waking up, or at least stopping what they were doing as they get ready for the "days" work.
Copernicus stretches and purrs, slowly pulling himself out of his family sleeping pile and the padding off to wake his sister and Jenora. He blinks as the door is closed so presses the door chime pad.
Jenora yawns, stretching...
**Mrrrrowwwr**
Andromeda stirs, partly from the chime, and partly from the motion against her flank. With a grumpy purr, "Time to get up already?"
Jenora says, "So it would appear... at least, we're being chimed."
Copernicus purrrs from the other side of the door, "When you two aren't busy, let me know and we can talk."
Jenora calls out, "Wilco."
Andromeda yaaaaawns, showing a large maw filled with carnivore style teeth and then hmmphs, "Funny. I always used to wake up before him. He must be getting old already. ;) See you in a bit littermate!"
Copernicus mutters something about the "old" comment and his steps can be heard padding down the hall.
Jenora chuckles, and stands up.
Andromeda gets to her feet and stretches her whole body, sections at a time, finishing with her wings and then turns to look at Jenora, "So, did you sleep on the idea at all?"
Jenora says, "Yes, I thought about it... still would like to learn a little more about your people before I commit to anything."
Andromeda nods, "I'd expect that. It's not a small thing to commit to Jenora. But I think you'd enjoy it. So, want to go harass my brother? ;)"
Jenora grins. "Sure. That's one thing that won't change."
Andromeda chuckles, "Actually, tell him what you're considering. That should shock him pretty good. The dining hall is over this way" as she presses a wall panel and the door unseals and opens. She waits for Jenora to pad out first.
Jenora nods, smiling, and pads out.
Andromeda pads behind Jenora, watching the bipedal feline with a look that is rather wistful.
Jenora grins, as if feeling the weight of the gaze, and flicks her tail back at Andromeda.
The "dining hall" is a contradiction. It's nearly 20% of the tubular ring that makes up the bulk of the station. It's transparent on the upper half, letting in natural sunlight along with the artificial lamps spaced evenly and fairly well hidden. It looks like an arboretum, trees, plants and even small animals bopping around, though kept in the area by force fields at either end. Copernicus seems to be curled up next to a flat grassy area with a low flat table in the middle.
Copernicus purrrs, "Jenora, Andromeda. Have a seat. We can have a light meal before Kainudy's things arrive."
Jenora nods, and sits down, folding her legs into a sitting position as she lowers herself to the ground.
Copernicus stands up and gives his sister Andromeda a very affectionate hug, rubbing heads, licking her nose and then nuzzling his nose rather lower, getting her to giggle and say, "Enough brother, you have plenty to keep you occupied right now."
Copernicus grins, "True enough. Let's have a seat."
The table, more of a low bench, has a large variety of cheeses, milk, some fruits and fruit juices (for Jenora apparently) and small meats and fish. A light snack indeed.
Jenora chuckles, and starts picking bits and pieces to try.
Andromeda curls up next to Jenora, her flank pressing lightly against the feline's side.
Copernicus smirks a bit as he tries to guess the meaning of all this and then purrs, "Well, in a few minutes, Kainudy's shuttle and her other things will be here at the station, and then we can get ready for the move. It's going to be a logistical and political nightmare."
Jenora purrrrrs at the contact, then nods to Coper. "I don't doubt it. How massive is that thing?"
Copernicus purrs, "Before powered up, about 20,000 metric tons. Due to the gravity effects, much heavier or lighter from one instant to the next when operating."
Andromeda leans over and gives Jenora's ear a playful nibble then purrs, "So what are the political nightmares littermate?"
Jenora nods. "That's pretty massive, but not bad in itself... on the other hand, spread out as a framework over that wide an area it's a mess. You have to accelerate it all at once or it will be damaged by the torsion stresses."
Copernicus nods to Jenora, "And slowed down the same way. As for the political mess, we don't have permission from the Haven government on Nexus to do this. And even if we did, their cities cover only .001% of the planets surface, and it's teeming with life. Some of it quite likely is sapient."
Andromeda's tail coils around Jenora's reflexively as her whiskers twitch, "THAT does sound like a mess."
Jenora rrks, nodding.
Copernicus hmms as he watches Jenora and Andromeda, "Is there something I should know?"
Andromeda just grins this devilishly innocent grin.
Jenora echoes the grin in her own way.
Copernicus's tail thrashes as he hmmmmmms, "Somehow I get this feeling there's more to this than just a couple of enjoyable nights together. What's up?"
Andromeda tilts her head and grins at Jenora, and out of the corner of her eye sees her brother take a BIG bite of cheese.
Jenora smiles back to Andromeda. "Oh, we've just been discussing things."
Copernicus swallows his large bite and purrs before taking another one, "Really? I'm curious as to what? My sister is the families second biggest troublemaker. ;)"
Andromeda sticks her tongue out, "Maybe so, but it's a REALLY distant second."
Jenora says, "Oh, just thinking about future plans."
Copernicus's tail snaps to it's full length like a shot as his eyes widen, "Future plans?"
Andromeda scritches Jenora's ears and just nods to her brother.
Jenora chuckles. "Yes."
Copernicus hmmms and looks at the two females and finally grins, "That poor male."
Jenora hmmmms, her grin getting wider. "Close."
Adromeda blinks at Jenora as her brother chuckles and purrs, "I think it will be quite interesting. And it's about time someone else gave my father grey fur. Jenora, sometime, despite Andromeda's assuming it's a waste of time, I'll be happy to give you the male perspective on mating groups if you wish."
Jenora grins. "Sure. I want to know a little more detail about this aspect of your culture before I commit to anything, of course..."
Andromeda just shakes her head at her brother and smiles at Jenora.
Copernicus smiles, "Well, it has it's good sides and it's bad sides, like any culture. But from what I've seen, most mating groups are very tightly woven families, by any races standards."
A small chime rings on Copernicus's armband.
Copernicus blinks, and nods, "Well, Andromeda, Jenora, want to help me secure Kainudy's shuttle? We're nearly ready to get the show on the road."
Jenora says, "Good." She stands up. "I'm ready to render any assistance I can."
Andromeda grins and is about to say something when her brother purrs, "I don't think she meant that Sis, and we have work to do. Come on, the airlock is over this way."
Jenora smirks, and swats Andromeda. "You both have dirty minds."
Andromeda chuckles at the swat but looks puzzled, "Why do other races always say that? "Dirty minds?"
Jenora grins. "Because most other races are a bit more uptight about reproductive strategies, as I'm sure you've noticed."
Andromeda purrs, "Well, yes, but I wasn't going to try and impregnate you even if I could. You mean to say that they think lovemaking is...dirty?" The young felitauress is totally stunned when her brother nods confirmation.
Andromeda shakes her head, "Some cultures are just incomprehensible to me. Well, let's get Kai's shuttle stowed."
Jenora shrugs. "Some are worse than others. Some just don't like it in public."
Jenora pads along towards the shuttlebay.
Copernicus nods, "True. It's a very diverse universe."
The shuttlebay comes up, and an airlock cycles and instead of a Chirr'T'Thar, in comes Kainudy's blob.
The white remote is sphere-shaped at the moment, with no visible features to delineate front or back.
Copernicus scritches his ear thoughtfully as Andromeda leans forward, nose sniffing the air. Finally he purrs, "Er, why don't you just take the room two doors down on the left of the hallway?" and wonders if the thing can understand him.
Jenora raises an eyebrow, watching the remote.
"My left, or your left?" the sphere asks in a tinny voice.
Copernicus blinks, "Your left."
Andromeda gapes slightly then hmms, "Maybe you and Kainudy would be too much for a lone male. Maybe too much for me too. ;)"
Jenora chuckles.
The sphere doesn't move, but asks, "Which side is my left?"
Jenora chuckles louder.
Jenora says, "It's got a point."
Jenora says, "Or, more accurately, it has no points..."
Copernicus puts his head in his paws and sighs, his tail pointing to the right of the airlock, left of it from the sphere's point of view.
The remote floats in the direction pointed, and sticks itself against the indicated door.
Andromeda grins at Copernicus, "NOW I understand how they put up with you on that planet. They're stranger than you ever were. ;)"
The airlock has cycled and the shuttle attached to it moves off, making a clear view for Kai's shuttle, floating outside the station.
The Tyrrhyan shuttle can be unsettling to look at, appearing more like an insectile avian than a recognizable vehicle.
Jenora chuckles. "I could have told you that they were strange... admittedly, Kainudy and her people are among the more obviously unusual."
Copernicus remembers the one time he and Ben Mouse rode in one of those, both their minds getting linked into the command system of the ship. "Well, we need to go outside and put it in one of the external bays, it doesn't conform to our airlocks and my mates don't want it inside their station."
Jenora says, "Understandable... how are we going to move it?"
Copernicus opens the large airlock and pads inside, with his sister following, "I figure we can just push it. It's not very far."
Jenora walks along. "Okay."
The door seals behind them and the sudden loud out rush of air is followed by utter silence as the vacuum of space is duplicated in the airlock. On Andromeda and her brother, special membranes seal over their eyes, and their lips, nostrils and other body opening seal shut as if they never existed, the flesh seeming to melt together, as their skin and fur alter composition and become much more durable. Finally, the external door opens.
Jenora's form doesn't seem to change much, except she starts to glow...
Were it possible to scan the odd forms of the Chirr'T'Thar, two circular motions of dense fluid start up at 90 degree angles to each other in the main body of each felitaur, acting as gyroscopes as their large wings fan out and ride the faint solar winds towards the shuttle.
Jenora stays slightly out of their way, using her own form of gravitational propulsion.
The alien shuttle doesn't seem to react at all, anymore than it did while being towed out.
Andromeda and her brother get on either side of the insect like shuttle and start guiding it towards a large area marked by a rectangle on one portion of the mining station. From this angle, the giant asteroid that found Copernicus's mates when he went to marry them can be seen resting in the center of the station's "Wheel" where it is already half gone.
Jenora floats over, and helps stabilize the motion of the object, while adding a little push of her own.
Copernicus helps guide the alien craft/being onto the marked region and radios over his throat voder, *Ok, keep your tails and other body parts within the red lines, when you're ready I'll bring us in.*
The shuttle isn't as massive as it might appear, and moves with little effort..
Jenora broadcasts back on the radio band, *Got it.*
Andromeda double checks Jenora first than transmits *All clear on this side*
Jenora nods, leaning into it.
Copernicus nods, double checks that his back end is clear and then taps in the entrance code into the control panel with his front foot. A minor pull as the section of hull pulls down, bringing all four into a larger, unpressurized bay.
As soon as the shuttle is inside the bay, several scales on its back and belly fold back, and a dozen rope like tentacles splay out to explore.
Jenora looks around to judge the size of the place, then nods..
Copernicus's voice shouts *Oh, by the First Mother's raised tail, what now? I sure hope it doesn't think the mining ship is a potential mate. Aurora would kill me if I got their place pregnant!*
Andromeda leaps back, eyes wide, and not quite sure if her brother is serious or not.
Copernicus sighs over the voder, *We need to get it off the platform so we can seal the bay. Any idea what it's doing Jenora?"
Jenora laughs, then pats the ship. Resting her hand on the ship so the sound will conduct in, she says, "Hello."
"Hello," the shuttle vibrates back. "I can't find my wombport."
Copernicus purrs, "*What's it saying Jenora?"
Jenora rebroadcasts this over the radio bands, just modulating the shuttle's own voice. "You're not in a place with a wombport."
"I am inside. Inside means return to wombport," is the shuttle's response.
By this time, the tentacles have found the airlock, and begun poking at it.
Copernicus purrs over the radio, *Tell the ship that it's not inside a living ship, it's inside a mechanical one Jenora. And tell it to leave the airlock alone. It'll depressurize a whole section of the station!*
Copernicus motions to Andromeda and they both pad over and grab the tentacles playing with the airlock. He punches in a safety override so that it can't be opened accidentally.
Jenora nods. "You are not inside a wombport, not inside one of your living ships. You are inside a mechanical construction, and if you keep probing there you could remove the air some of these people need to breathe."
The tentacles withdraw back into the body of the shuttle. "Where do I connect?"
Copernicus mentally phews as the tentacles give up. He pads over to Jenora, *What does it need?*
Jenora says, "There is no wombport here... what do you need to connect to?"
Jenora keeps up a running broadcast, modulating both what she's saying and the shuttle is replying into the radio bands.
"Wombport," is the shuttle's obvious reply. It doesn't seem terribly bright..
Copernicus hmms and shakes his head and radios, *Andromeda, you have a spare voder?*
Jenora says, "What do you get from the wombport?"
Andromeda nods and pads over to Jenora, the bay still eerily silent in vacuum, and puts the disk in Jenora's hand.
Jenora takes the disk, and looks curiously at Andromeda?
"Sleep. Food. Return to mind," the shuttle says.
Jenora sends just over the radio, *Coper, I think we'd better ask the remote what it needs...*
Copernicus nods, "The disk is one of our voders Jenora. Picks up vibrations and transmits them into radio waves, and vice versa. Place it on the ships hull. I'll try and talk to it."
Jenora nods, and places the disk against the ship.
*Hello Kainudy's ship. This is Copernicus Skygazer, friend of Kainudy. You are in a mechanical ship, with no 'wombport'. We have limited facilities for a living ship, once we move you off the platform, what can we do to make you more comfortable while we search for Kainudy?*
"Nipple," is the ship's answer.
Copernicus mentally gahs, and says *You'd think it was from the Nova Clan. We have no nipple, nothing like that. This is a machine you are in, not a living being. Can you survive without care for a while longer?*
"Inside means return to wombport to suckle. I am inside," the ship insists.
Andromeda is watching one of the wall panels light up with requests to get things moving, and types in a "delay, docking complications" to the fleet.
Jenora sighs...
Copernicus relays to Jenora and Andromeda, *The ship is apparently fairly primitive. This may be purely instinctive, there may be no way to reason with it. Andromeda, hook up a voder relay to the speaker in the hallway where Kai's...blob...is hanging out. *
Jenora nods. *Once we figure out what it needs from the 'nipple', we can fake something that should keep it satisfied. That or we have to move it outside again so it doesn't keep trying.*
*Relay established Copernicus. Good luck* purrs the feminine voice over the radio.
Copernicus nods to Jenora in the silence of the bay and relays *Hello, Kainudy's er..device? We're having trouble with Kainudy's shuttle in our bay.*
"Hello voice from wall. Define trouble," the other remote replies.
Copernicus sighs mentally then, *Because we took it inside our ship, it is looking for a wombport and a nipple. This station is a machine, not a living being. We need to find a substitute or some way to get it to quit looking for a wombport.*
"Use pacifier or leave outside," advises the remote.
Andromeda's voice purrs over the radio *Pacifier?*
Copernicus purrs, *What can we use as a pacifier?*
The remote explains, "False nipple. Shuttle is self-sufficient. Use something big."
Copernicus looks at his sister with a sly grin.
*Don't EVEN think it brother.*
Jenora projects, *What does it expect this nipple to look/feel like?*
"Like big nipple," is the obvious retort. Meanwhile, the antsy shuttle begins poking around with its tentacles again.
Andromeda motions to her brother, making it clear the fleet is getting peeved.
Jenora sighs. *Okay. We got anything that fits that description around here? If not, I'll make one.*
Copernicus shrugs, *Nothing that I can think of Jenora.*
Jenora nods. *Okay. But I'm going to need a serious recharge after this.*
Copernicus nods to Jenora, unsure what she needs for a recharge.
Jenora hmms. *We got any useless material I could use?*
Andromeda drags over a stack of used self sealing stem bolts, mining slag, and worn out "Play Tom" magazines of Copernicus's that his mates threw out.
Jenora nods, and takes them... her hands start glowing as she starts melting what's meltable, and simply absorbing the mass from the rest of it.
Jenora melts it, and starts shaping it into a reasonable approximation of a very large nipple, about the size of her entire torso. She then places it on the wall across from the airlock.
Jenora leaves it there and starts trying to pull the tentacles over towards it.
The tentacles quickly find it, and the shuttle turns to press an orifice on the top of its 'head' against the nipple, letting the rest of the body curl up.
Jenora shakes her head. *This has got to be one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.*
Copernicus ponders explaining this to his mates, then just shakes his head, *Ok, let's get out the airlock and get to the command center. We've got folks waiting.*
Jenora nods, and pushes off back towards the airlock.
Andromeda and Copernicus pad into the station's command center. They still have to use their voders to talk till their mouths unseal. Aurora stares at the video image from the bay a few more minutes then shakes her head. "We're ready Copernicus."
Jenora follows along behind, less obviously affected by having been in vacuum.
Copernicus nods, *Ok, are we CERTAIN that all the engines on the gate are equally spaced and going to fire at the same time.*
Europa's voice purrs, *As certain as we can be fuzzbutt. Just give the word.*
Copernicus would frown if he could and purrs, *Ok, Aurora, is the station ready to follow?*
Aurora nods, *Ceres is manning the station maintenance systems, and Libra is on the tractor beam holding the asteroid in the center of the ship. It's your show...fuzzbutt. ;)*
Jenora looks at the displays, searching for a stress reading. "If you want, I could go back outside and act as an emergency thruster."
Aurora purrs, *We should be fine. Andromeda, you want to monitor the sensors while I pilot and our mate here coordinates?*
Andromeda nods and curls up on one of the command couches as Copernicus takes his. She purrs, *You're welcome to sit on my back Jenora. ;)*
Jenora says, "How can I refuse an invitation like that?"
Jenora walks over to Andromeda, and slips up onto her lower back, peering over her shoulder at the displays.
Copernicus just chuckles and purrs *Ok, start up the engines on the gate, and keep the gravity fluxes to a minimum. We don't want the thing triggering spontaneously.*
Andromeda snugs Jenora with a wing and brings up the sensor controls on her display.
Jenora mrrrrrs, watching what's going on.
In the distance, 313 points of light fire up as the engines on the gate start up, slowly accelerating the gate. Copernicus's mouth unseals and purrs, "Ok, when the gate hits about .1 light we'll move the station to follow. Meanwhile, to all scoutships, you keep pace with the gate, and the other two shuttles go about 30 minutes in front of the gate and remove any debris, meteors or asteroids."
The gate gets smaller and smaller and nearly disappears when Andromeda purrs, "Now Aurora. .101 light."
Copernicus is reviewing trade law with primitive societies as he watches the progress of the move, when the station catches up and matches pace with the gate in about a half an hour he sighs, "Well, that's the most dangerous part for now. Stopping will be the second problem. I need to do some study on what to do when we get there safely. Till then, you're free till we start slowing down, in about two days."
Jenora says, "Sounds good to me, Coper."
A rather boring two days pass, until finally a new star comes into view. Copernicus is sleeping with his mates and cubs as the gate enters the edge of the Nexus system. It seems to start picking up mass and acceleration as it comes into the system. The engines try and compensate, but fail. An alarm sounds in the command center.
Copernicus rushes groggily out of his sleeping quarters, and bumps into Jenora and Andromeda as they head out of their room, "C'mon. We've got problems."
Jenora nods, and starts running up to the command center.
At the command center, Copernicus and Andromeda thump into their couches and just stare. Copernicus growls, "What an idiot. I brought the gate here because of the local instability of the space/time continuum. It's acting like a magnet to the partly primed gate. Andromeda, try and turn off half the engines and flip the gate so we can fire them backwards. Any advice Jenora?"
Andromeda sends the instructions to the fleet and waits to see if the gate can be saved.
Jenora says, "Sounds like the best for now..."
Jenora says, "Here, I'll head out to try and keep it stable just in case."
Copernicus watches as the gate flips..and flips and flips again and he ruh rohs as it heads towards the moon closest to Nexus, "If you can. Just don't get yourself hurt Jenora."
Jenora nods. "All right. How long do we have before it hits anything?"
Andromeda sighs, "At present rate of acceleration, about 20 minutes."
Jenora nods. "Just enough time. Be there in a few minutes." She zips out, running towards the airlock at a speed somewhat faster than she should be able to...
Copernicus hmms, "Andromeda, can you get a close up of the impact site?"
An image comes up, of a flat surface with a few large, dust covered spires here and there.
Jenora gets outside... and doesn't head towards the gate at all. Instead she seems to be making a bee-line towards the sun, pretty much dead-on light speed.
Jenora is barely visible for a few minutes... then suddenly seems to appear between the gate and the moon, with a trail behind her moving back towards the sun... she obviously went FTL on her way back, and the light from her passage is still catching up to her. She's glowing like a small sun on her own right now...
Copernicus orders the engines cut as Jenora appears. All but one shuts off properly. The remaining one causes the gate to spin in a circle as it moves towards the moon. Gravity, space and probability all seem to be altering around the gate and oddly enough, the mining station where Copernicus is at.
Jenora seems to be a lot bigger, now that you get a good look at her... and still growing. In fact, she's almost as big as the gate as she gets up to it... and grabs it.
Jenora reaches down with one hand, and taps the one bad engine... which sputters off as she drains it of power. She then starts slowly adjusting the gate's course, first priority missing the moon.
Andromeda blinks as Jenora gets to be REALLY big, and blinks again when her brother doesn't even blink.
Jenora manages to almost stop the spinning of the gate... and slams back into the moon, back first. The ring shakes, but Jenora seems to have absorbed the worst of the impact herself.
Jenora rrrfs... she pushes the gate slightly away from the moon, then rapidly shrinks back down, almost collapsing.
The gate, now just barely moving, seems to gravitate (no pun intended) towards a location between the inner moon and Nexus, and finally stops, as if anchored in space. Meanwhile, a scholar mage in Haven is institutionalized after claiming to have seen a giant feline with a huge silver ring fall on her back on the moon when he was using an ancient far seeing device.
Jenora flies back to the ship, still glowing brightly as she sheds excess energy.
On a side note, he's let out a few hours later when a huge bipedal imprint is seen in the dust on said moon.
Andromeda hmmms, "She does this all the time?"
Copernicus grins, "Mostly when I flirted too much with her. Course, she usually just used a frying pan across the face, at least, once I realized that was supposed to DISCOURAGE me. ;)"
Jenora pulls herself back into the airlock, and almost bounces into the control center. "Hi."
Copernicus bounces up and snugs Jenora, "Thank you very much. We couldn't replace the gate in 50 years."
Jenora says, "Oh, kai, I haven't been on that high a buzz in _decades_..."
Andromeda hmmmms, "Can you do more than just adjust your size Jenora?"
Jenora nods. "Sure. I'm just a self-sustaining field that mimics solidity, I can look like just about whatever I want, just some things I'm more familiar with."
Copernicus lets Andromeda snug Jenora and purrs, "Ok, well, we need to take a shuttle down to Haven and let them know what's going on. Odd, I thought my wings were glowing for a second?"
Andromeda purrs, "Is it true they think quadrupeds are not...sapient? Oh, and any sign of Kainudy?"
Jenora is almost literally bouncing about in here. "Could be, who knows... the local space got pretty twisted with that thing."
Jenora grins. "Don't worry, I'll calm down soon enough... just have to either shed or store the excess energy."
Copernicus purrs to Jenora and Andromeda, "Well, the crews are checking the alignment on the gate and running a trace on Kainudy's portal. You two want to join me in talking with the locals?"
Jenora says, "Sure!"
Copernicus gives a few last minute instructions to the other ships and then leaves a message for his mates who were with Melora and the cubs. He grins and pads off to the shuttle, looking a lot more confident than he feels.
Jenora does a little pirouette, then leaps down the hall after Copernicus.
Andromeda giggles and bounces after Jenora, pondering the possibilities of a shape changer in a mating group.
The three hop into the shuttle and it separates from the mining station, which Aurora, Libra and Ceres are getting into a stable orbit next to the gate. As the shuttle moves down towards the atmosphere, the standard radio signals are sent off automatically, searching for a landing zone on a world that has none.
Jenora's foot taps while on the shuttle... at one point, she licks her finger and starts doing doodles in mid-air. The doodles leave a glowing trail behind that stays stable for several seconds before dissipating.
Far below, on the planet below, there is a place known as Tu'Ktar Circle, in the middle of Haven. A child staring at Tu'Ktar's needle tugs his mother's skirt and points as he hears the needle begin to hum. She shoos him away for a moment, until she notices three red beacons (which have never been there before) flashing on top of the gilt spire.
Copernicus is piloting the shuttle as Andromeda watches Jenora with a wide grin, till suddenly he seems to blur and shouts, "Oh kitty litter! Not NOW!"
Jenora says, "What?"
The adult male felitaur shimmers blue and is replaced by a not so tall winged snowleopard.
Andromeda is momentarily startled, but then chuckles as she takes over the controls from her brother, "Your timing is perfect as usual brother."
Jenora says, "Wheep!"
Copernicus growls, "Very funny. I thought I was finally stabilizing after, er, relocating the solar system. I think the gate destabilized me again. Lovely. Say, what the heck is that Andromeda? Are we getting telemetry from Nexus?"
Andromeda checks the controls and nods, "It's coming from where you said Haven should be, but the coordinates are for....our bathroom back home? I think whatever it is is a bit out of alignment."
Jenora says, "Looks like something reactivated."
Copernicus nods and uses his forefeet to work some sensor panels, but slowly. His forelegs in this form are not only less agile as his hands, but less agile than his normal forelegs. "I'm trying to find a good place to land near the city. Most of the flat areas are farms. There is a clearing near the beacon that's malfunctioning."
Andromeda nods, "I'll take my time. No sense wrecking the city we want to trade with, right? You comfortable Jenora?"
Jenora says, "Oh, I'm just fine, don't worry."
A scholar mage pads into the home of the elderly Starling Dactyle and gives him a message. He hmmms and states, "Call my bodyguards. I need to visit council member Tylen immediately. You follow along Zanix."
Councilbadger Birnat practically runs into his sister, Councilbadger Tanna, as he gets the news. Several cheap tourist knicknacks fall from his pockets, making his more conservative sister sneer at him.
Starling knocks on Tylen's door near the waterfront, his bodyguards flanking him.
Tylen pauses for a long while before getting the door, a pile of papers scattered over his desk and ink all over his wolfen paws. "Yes, what is it. I'm very busy today..."
Andromeda makes a wide spiral descent, slowing cautiously, making an obvious trail for those on the ground to see.
Jenora peers out the window on the way down.
Starling, an elderly stag, bluntly states, "They're about to land. Seems that fool scholar mage was right. Let's head to the central square and greet them. Zanix, the scholar mage is rounding up a few others."
Arriving in the square, Birnat looks about for the best spot to great the spacers from. A few moments later, Tanna arrives and looks for the most sturdy object to hide behind..
One by one, those who don't have something that needed to be done 5 minutes ago notice the vapor trail of the shuttle. Some of those run off, some just stare. Soon, more people crowd into the busy place. Eventually, all in the circle are either too busy to notice, or staring up blankly.
A group of the city's guards move in and start moving people to the sides to clear a large area for the shuttle, noting the odd behavior of their monument.
Andromeda hmmms, "Well, you ready Copernicus?"
Copernicus sighs, "Not really, but that's pretty normal. Make sure they have a clear area for us to land before you make the final approach."
Andromeda hmmphs at her brother, "I'm not a member of the Nova Clan brother."
Tylen is beckoned along to the circle, complaining all the way. "What precisely are you going on about? I'm very busy...What could possibly be more important than negotiating a new docking treaty between the Star Crescent and the Waterknife Traders?"
Copernicus raises his head to his sister, "Sorry, I always get grumpy when I lose the top half of my body."
Jenora says, "Wow, Nova clan isn't liked much, are they. Admittedly if Titan was any indication I can see why."
Several small sonic booms rumble along the city as the outline of the shuttle becomes clearer as it approaches to land.
Copernicus chuckles, "They let themselves get too inbred. They're not ...very smart. Presently we're altering their breeding agreements to try and build the clan back up."
Starling sighs, "I think these could be a bit more important. Guards, keep the crowd back and calm. Ah, there's Zanix."
Jenora chortles. "Seen that happen before."
Starling says, "Birnat, Tanna, come over here."
Birnat looks up, distracted from organizing a display of decorative spoons. Tanna arrives at Starling's side almost immediately, though.
Tylen looks down to the river as the booms pass over. "Spirits. Did Ganote's factory explode AGAIN?"
Andromeda purrs, "Ok, as we're going slow, no need to buckle in, I'm firing the landing repulsors now, this is going to be boringly slow, but very safe."
Starling sighs, "There are times when I regret getting a conscience in my old age. No Tylen, that object you see approaching bears some new trading partners. Spacers."
Andromeda coils her tail around Jenora, holding her secure, though it's not necessary.
Jenora purrrrRRRRRRrrrrs...
Tylen completely oblivious, cranes his neck towards the river. "What new craft?"
Copernicus mutters something about hating having to look UP at everyone.
Zanix, a chipmunk scholar mage relates the story of what someone saw up in space.
Birnat's mood dims at the story. Giant spacers won't be wanting rooms at his Inn..
Starling shakes his head and watches as the ship makes it's final landing approach. Whoever the giant was,she's not on THAT ship.
Somehow, in all the confusion, a curious figure, all gold and black, has made its way to the center of the circle, and is looking upwards. Whether at the spire or the ship, no one can tell.
Andromeda brings the ship down smoothly. The wind and dust kicked up by the repulsor fields is impressive, and the last 50 feet of descent the ship seems to be moving in slow motion, giving ample time for anyone to get out of the way if needed.
Tylen stops muttering abruptly and takes on the open-mawed face of astonishment as his attention is drawn to the matters at hand by the whir of the repulsor fields and the dust and wind.
Tanna mutters something about littering.
The shuttle, tan and brown and orange, and striped like a tiger, lands smoothly about 40 feet from the needle, and powers down, the hatch irising open.
Andromeda finishes the shutdown sequence and purrs to Jenora,"So, want to head outside?"
Jenora says, "After you."
Starling nods to the group, "Well, let's see what we get. Guards, be cautious, but DO NOT attack unless attacked first."
The crowd's noise, which was overwhelmed by the sound of the landing, is now muted, mostly with fear. But a few mutterings can be heard.
Andromeda snugs Jenora and pads outside, motioning for Jenora to follow.
Tylen is started out of his amazement by the voice nearby. He takes on his typically gruff and no-nonsense attitude, trying to keep his knees from bumping together to noisily.
Jenora peeks out, then pads outside as well.
Starling watches with some amusement as the odd 6 limbed creatures pop out, "Well, looks like that Timothy character was telling the truth...say, who's that?"
The crowd's noise goes up a great deal as Andromeda pads out, but seems to calm when Jenora follows. Their interest peaks as an obvious animal, some feline with wings, pads behind the group.
Jenora jumps down to the ground behind Andromeda, rather than walking down whatever plank is there.
Birnat's hopes go back up at the sight of the tall biped. Someone like that would surely be interested in comfortable beds and nice restaurants at good prices..
Tylen mutters, "Well at least their ket'pillars are kept close to their keepers."
Tanna frowns, thinking of how messy those oversized pets are sure to be.
The elderly scholar mage, just now let out, starts to point at Jenora and says, "That's her, that's her."
Tanna reaches out to smack the mage's hand, "It's not polite to point."
Jenora blinkblinks, and smiles innocently.
Starling hmms, "He only has 4 legs though. And these can not be the Northerners. So be careful. I think it's time we go up to talk to them. Ready?"
Tylen says, "As ready as I'll ever be."
Tylen whispers, "Which isn't very."
Starling nods, "I'll start. Follow me."
Tylen nods almost imperceptibly and walks by Starling's side.
Copernicus moves to the side of Jenora, leaving her in the middle of the two Chirr'T'Thar, rather looking like they are "heeling" next to her. Starling's hooves clop lightly on the stone bricks of the square and bows lightly to Jenora, "Well, it is good to see that the spacers sent one of their members, and not just their pets this time. I am Starling Dactyle, council head. This is Tylen, in charge of River trade, and this is Zanix, a scholar mage, and Tanna and Birnat."
Andromeda sputters rather loudly at being called a "pet".
Copernicus giggles softly at Andromeda, and notes it's good he was able to get most of the local dialect of the space trade language last time he visited. Allowed him to update the translators.
Tylen makes a curious face at Andromeda, like perhaps she carries an illness, but says nothing.
Birnat bows in his best maitre'de manner.
Jenora blinks. "Ummm, actually, I'm not the one in charge of this mission, I'm just along to help with things."
Starling blinks, "You're not in charge? Well then...you?" as he turns towards Andromeda quizzically.
Andromeda growls, "No, and if I was I'd slap you for that pet comment."
The crowd gasps as the creature not only talks...but insults the head of the Haven Trade Council.
Jenora turns, smiling down to Coper.
Tanna smirks, feeling justified now for her assertions that spacers would upset the status quo..
Jenora tries flashing a quick wink back at Tanna when everybody else is looking at Andromeda.
Tylen stands and squints at the other animal. "Him, then?"
Birnat hastily hides the bit of spiced jerky he was going to offer the spacer's pets.
Copernicus is giggling in spite of himself. He pads up to Starling, sits on his haunches and offers a paw, "Hi I'm Copernicus Skygazer Talorn, one of the council members of the Chirr'T'Thar. Sorry, I left my arms in my other suit."
Tylen murmurs to Starling. "If their pets work for them, like a draft horse, then they're not really pets. I guess that would be insulting."
Starling reaches out a hand like someone reaches out a hand to grab a venomous snake. He's surprised when the paw is able to hold his hand, though not very firmly. Copernicus purrs, "It's a pleasure. I've been sent to talk to you about the trade agreements, and about the gate we recently had to move here."
Copernicus turns to Tylen, "I work for myself and my race, Tylen is it? Jenora here is a visitor to my world. And a good friend."
Jenora bows at the mention of her name.
The gathered throng is getting very wound up as this...animal, talks trade to their leaders?
Tylen's eyes flash in surprise at the seeming culture of Copernicus, but keeps his face trained to its typical seriousness, nodding to Jenora.
Copernicus purrs, "And the lady on the end there is my sister, Andromeda Skygazer. Her form is much more typical for my race. I've had, some problems lately."
Starling finally gets his thoughts together and says, "I see. Well, trade is what we're here for, and I'd like to know about this "Gate" of yours."
Jenora chuckles quietly. "No kidding." She then shuts up and goes serious again.
Copernicus pads over and offers his paw to the twins, "It is good to meet you."
Birnat pokes he muzzle around Starling's shoulder, "Will you be needing a place to stay while you visit our fine city and it's many high-class establishments? Will more of you be coming soon?"
Andromeda sighs to Jenora, "I'm SO glad Copernicus inherits the diplomatic responsibilities of the family. It can be SO boring. I'm curious to see what the town is like. How about you Jenora?"
Tanna eyes the paw, "That remains to be seen. Do you intend to dump your baubles and beads on us, or ruin our economy with cheaply made goods we can't compete with?"
A low growling sound comes from the opening to the ship, attracting a few peoples attention to that odd, hairless person, who's up on the ramp, peering into the dark interior.
Copernicus purrs, "We have 5 ships in orbit, including an orbital mining station. Neither Tanna. We mostly need a place that allows our gate to work. We can be as behind the scenes as you need."
Jenora nods to Andromeda, and blinks as she turns to peer at the source of the growling sound.
Andromeda and Copernicus whirl around, with Andromeda shouting "Hey, be careful" while Copernicus blinks, "I think I know him. Michael?"
Tylen finally pipes up. "Not to be inhospitable, but we really can't have your ships coming and going here...This is the center of the city. You can see how all the traffic is tied up."
Michael looks up at his name and turns around, seeing the everyones eyes on him. Quite used to this, he just smiles and waves. "Yes. Hello!"
Copernicus purrs, "Hello Michael, have you seen Jarik or Delachiel lately?"
Jenora says, "Well, we landed here because of the beacon." She nods up towards the spire with its lights.
Michael shakes his head. "No Delachiel. I have not seen Jarik in a long time."
Andromeda purrs, "I'm certain we'll talk about appropriate landing sites as soon as my brother gets his mind back on his work."
Tylen says, "Beacon? What beacon? The Needle?"
Copernicus nods to Michael, "Well, look around the ship all you want, just don't try and go in, ok?" and turns back to the council.
Jenora says, "Yes, it reacted to the landing signal our shuttle put out."
Andromeda nods, "Your navigational beacon. It's sending out very inappropriate landing coordinates."
Copernicus whispers quietly, "But I'll bet dad would get a rise out a shuttle landing while he's taking a bath. ;)"
Michael smiles toothily and does just that; looking around the ship. He tries poking at the doorway and gets the same result, the low growling sound.
Birnat nods, "We will certainly have that seen to as soon as possible, honored spacers!" He obviously has no idea what a landing beacon is, but wants to make sure more tourists come.
Tylen scratches his chin.
Tylen says, "Beacon, huh?"
Jenora nods.
Starling sighs and notes this is going to be about a organized as he feared, when Zanix pipes up, "Who is "Jarik and Delachiel"? And why does our eldest scholar mage claim the lady here landed on our moon with a ring in her hands?"
Tylen says, "I wonder who put a beacon in the center of Tu'Ktar circle?"
Copernicus purrs, "Jarik is a bipedal fox, an old friend. And Delachiel, is also a friend. She wears a lot of clothing as she doesn't like sunlight."
Jenora blushes. "Well, that ring was the gate. We had to stop it from hitting the moon too hard or it would get damaged."
Zanix nods, "You look much smaller in person."
Jenora says, "It's a long story."
Michael climbs up atop the craft and looks into the cockpit by hanging off the roof.
Zanix looks at Copernicus as if he were more of a specimen than a representative of a distant race, and purrs, "Well, your friend was seen disappearing with the apprentice you talked to before, Timothy Zabender, into a portal with the person in veils. A few days later, we saw the portal flare up and a...dragon of some sort was sucked through."
Copernicus eeps and looks at Jenora and Andromeda, who look at him.
Jenora says, "Sounds like Kainudy."
Copernicus nods, "Well, Jarik did want her help. I think she would have appreciated having a choice though."
Tylen looks up, awakening him from his reverie about Beacons. "Dragons? We don't need any more dragons. I really can't deal with all these rumors and chasing. Although if they were able to hunt down a real one, perhaps they'd leave this silliness alone for once.
Jenora turns to Andromeda. "I've lost track. How many levels deep in digressions are we now?"
A little black dragon spirals around the Needle, and then lands on Copernicus' head.
Andromeda hmmms, "12." and notices the dragon, "13".
Tylen laughs. "And this is the little thing they've been so scared of?"
Starling is covering his eyes with his hands as any semblance of order leaves this crucial first meeting.
Copernicus blinks, "Hiya Charon!"
Charon looks upside-downishly at Copernicus. "You still look funny without hands."
Copernicus looks up to Charon, "It still feels funny to not have hands. I figure I'll be able to change back in a couple hours again."
Tanna hmms. The spacers certainly seem to know a lot of people here.. even they are strange people that they know. "Have you been here before?"
Jenora steps closer to Starling, and smiles. "Don't worry about it. This is just a lot to take in all at once for both of our sides here, I'm sure things will settle down and be reasonable soon enough."
Starling nods to Jenora, "These..friends of yours. What is your opinion of them?"
Copernicus hmms to Charon, "Oh, we sort of lost Kainudy. I think she's with Jarik now."
Andromeda starts checking out the crowd, bored with all the talking.
Charon bobs his head, "He wanted to talk to her anyway."
Tylen continues to mutter to himself about ports and beacons and trading contracts. Suddenly, he looks up. "Well, until we decide IF you're going to be here regularly, or be trading, I don't have much that I can contribute or decide on at the moment, and there are going to be two irate otters at my throat if I don't decide who gets what pier."
Michael slides down off the top of the craft and lands on the ramp with a *whump*, striding over towards the off worlders.
Jenora says, "Which, Copernicus and Andromeda? They're good people. Thier society isn't as organized as others I've run across, and they reflect that, but they are good people in and of themselves."
Charon waves a wing to Michael.
Copernicus nods to Tylen, "Of course. Maybe we should go somewhere more quiet and just get to know each other, talk a bit? And would you mind if my sister and Jenora wander around? I'm certain they'll be bored with all the shop talk."
Starling hmms, "Yet they have a fairly large trade system set up?"
Birnat has recovered enough to hand a nice color brochure to Andromeda, which describes his Inn and several other businesses in the city. It seems to be hand-drawn and -written.
Michael smiles at Charon. "Rrrs, 'kkafa~n."
Andromeda is truly impressed, not with the ads, but the fact that it is a hand done piece of art. She leans over and rubs heads with Birnat, "Why thank you kind sir."
Birnat eeps and jumps backward at the rub, which causes Tanna to bark out in laughter.
Jenora says, "Yes, they do... well, most of it isn't around this region of space. Individually they can seem somewhat distracted, but they do settle in when something is important, and they work together well."
Charon takes this moment to add, "And they can blow stuff up with their feathers!" to Jenora's commentary.
Tylen blinks, and has a look almost of nervousness. "If that's what you like, I don't think there's much I could do to stop you. But you and your sister aught to know that people probably won't think too highly of you. I don't know how I'm supposed to think myself..."
Starling hmms to Jenora, "I'd like a chance to talk to you more about this later. Feel free to enjoy the city. Here is a small amount of money as a token of faith for the trade agreements. And some for..Andromeda."
Tylen nods to Copernicus. "Ur, sure...we can talk. But later...Maybe when you've got your arms back and I don't have a mountain of paperwork."
Starling turns to Tylen, "I'll have an escort go with them Tylen. I'm certain they can behave. Also, I'd assume that they'd know enough to not...display any of their destructive abilities, such as the one the little dragon mentioned?"
Charon begins to lose interest in the crowd. He's here with Copernicus.. in a city.. and yet no riot has started. The little remote is almost disappointed.
Copernicus nod to Tylen, "Certainly. And Charon, please don't go shouting out such things. It tends to make people nervous."
Jenora nods to Starling. "All right. And thank you." She bows, more deeply this time.
Charon blinks down at Copernicus, "They're already nervous though."
Tylen scratches his neck and nods. "Yeah...A guard would make the people feel safer.
Andromeda purrs, "Well, can he at least be a CUTE guard?"
Michael looks over Coper appraisingly. "You were different last time."
Andromeda purrs to Michael, "Yes, he had his normal body. He'll get it back eventually. Say, would you like to show us around town Michael?"
Tylen raises an eyebrow. "A cute guard...I suppose...Does it really matter?"
Michael smiles. "I will do that if you want."
Andromeda grins, "Well, it would make it easier to deal with, right Jenora?"
Jenora grins to Andromeda. "Oh, I suppose so..."
Charon blinks up at Jenora and Andromeda, "I'm cute, I'll guard ya!"
Tylen turns to go back to his office, but turns around to look at Copernicus. "Oh, one last thing. If this is YOUR ship...You might want to think of moving it someplace less...busy."
Andromeda grins and picks Charon off her brother's head and places him on her shoulder and motions for Jenora and Michael to follow as a fairly handsome skunk guard pads up, a very odd look on his face as he views his four charges for the day.
Tylen smiles and nods. "Nice to have met you three." With that short farewell, he turns and disappears into the crowd.
Copernicus nods to Tylen, "Well Starling, Birnat and Tanna, shall we go someplace more quiet?"
Tanna nods, "Definitely."
Michael smiles and moves up closer to Jenora and Andromeda, motioning towards the large road to the northwest. "You are hungry?" and begins to move in that direction.
Jenora smiles warmly to the skunk guard, and pads off with the others.
Jenora grins to Michael. "Not really, I just... ate."
Andromeda, Jenora, Charon and Michael head off to have fun in the unprepared city of Haven, with the overwhelmed skunk guard more in tow than actually guarding. Andromeda is purring, surrounded by Jenora, Michael, and the skunk. Three very lovely folks. Copernicus pads off with Starling, Birnat and Tanna, and the meeting goes on for hours, interrupted only when Copernicus suddenly sprouts arms. The gate, high up in orbit, seems to be slowly tuning itself to the local space, and is working well on all fronts. Apparently.