The Chirr'T'Thar shuttle has been moved to a barren field at the outskirts of Haven. Copernicus has just arrived and is talking to the council members back on Tharhome as his sister, Andromeda, and Jenora land outside the shuttle doors.
Andromeda continues to look at the ring in her paw as she moves towards the door, "I wonder what my brother will make of this ring Jenora? Or worse yet, that Maser cannon lying around."
Jenora says, "I have no idea... given the number of obviously spacer relics still hanging around, one has to wonder what more is out there."
Chimera asks Andromeda, "Is your shuttle male or female?"
Andromeda nods, "Indeed. Much of it at least a millennia old too. Or maybe much older." as she stares at the corroded gold ear ring. Copernicus can be heard to grumble, "Be reasonable. These people only know of space travel as 1000 year old legends. I see no problem with making sure we don't over run their culture as part of the agreement. Fine, fine, put it to the council as a whole. But remember, that gate is now working, and rather well too. No, I think the belching part is with us for good. Consider it good practice for our pilots. Copernicus out."
Jenora shakes her head. "I suspect that this world was enough of an improbability magnet before that little accident with the gate."
Andromeda blinks at Chimera, "Oh, that's right. All of your ships are actually...people?"
A voice comes from the hatch as Copernicus pads outside, "So, how was your shopping trip? I'll bet a lot more fun than politics. :P"
Chimera waves to Copernicus, and whispers to Andromeda, "That depends on how you define a person."
Jenora says, "And _that_ depends on how you define fun..."
Copernicus looks at the group and hmmmms. o O (I don't hear any sounds of a riot or a mob. Maybe they had a normal outing after all. Oops, maybe not.) "What happened Jenora?"
Jenora says, "Well, let's see... got accidentally insulted by a vendor, had to convince a worried mother that we weren't dangerous, and discovered a mining maser with some charge remaining on it in the back of an old shop."
Jenora says, "Oh, and then there was the ring..."
Chimera says, "And I had to wash off some honey. :}"
Andromeda nods and purrs, "Brother, you were the one stuck taking our ancient history puzzles courses. What do you make of this?" She carefully puts the ring into Copernicus's paw.
Jenora says, "Not to mention running into Michael again at the shop with the mining maser."
Copernicus wrinkles his nosepad, causing his whiskers to quiver, "A mining maser? So how much of the town is missing?"
Andromeda hmmmfs, "We disarmed it brother. I'm more interested in the ring."
Copernicus hmmms and looks at Jenora and Chimera?
Chimera smiles to Copernicus. :}
Chimera says, "You have a nice sister, Copernicus."
Copernicus notes the smile and the comment, and looks at Jenora instead?
Jenora says, "We drained off the charge. Not in the most quiet of methods, thanks to the little probability warp from the gate, but without any significant damage to anything but Andromeda's dignity."
Copernicus giggles, "Ah, then no harm done at all. ;)"
Andromeda reaches out and *SWATS* her brother's ears, "Enough about that! Look at the ring!"
Copernicus hmmfs and looks at the large golden earring in his paw. "Well, it's very old, that's for sure. It takes a long time for gold to corrode, and there's a lot here. And the pattern...it's partly worn, but that looks a lot like...???"
Andromeda smirks, "A lot like one of us?"
Copernicus nods, "It does look like a Chirr'T'Thar, but with the corrosion it's hard to tell. Jenora, I need an unbiased opinion. Could this be an engraving of one of our race? Chimera, I want your opinion too."
Copernicus carefully shows the part of the ring indicated to Jenora and Chimera. It looks like a Chirr'T'Thar broken in parts. The torso here, the taur body after a gap. Very incomplete.
Jenora looks over the ring again. "Could be. I agree it's difficult to tell, and the engraving is somewhat stylized to start with."
Chimera looks at the worn image. "Yes, it could be. I don't know of any other feline taurs with wings."
Copernicus nods and looks at the group, "Where did you find this?"
Chimera says, "Michael found it."
Andromeda nods to her brother, "He gave it to us. Oh, and we owe him a bit of the local currency too. What do you think about the ring?"
Jenora nods.
Copernicus hmms and carefully hands it back to Andromeda, "I think it'd be worth finding out where he found it. It may be old enough to tell us something about our past. I can't leave in the middle of negotiations with a bunch of idiots. Luckily the people on Haven are a little more sensible than our own council."
Chimera says, "Which bunch are the idiots then?"
Jenora smiles to Coper, then makes a show of biting her lip.
Andromeda giggles as Copernicus purrs, "Just a few people on the Chirr'T'Thar council of elders Chimera. But PLEASE, don't repeat that comment to anyone else? So Andromeda, rather than get anyone else worked up like you are, want to take the ring, and see what you can find?"
Andromeda nods and looks to Jenora, "Want to come along?"
Jenora says, "Sure."
Jenora grins. "Could be fun."
Chimera perks up, "Fun?" :}
Copernicus looks down at Chimera, and then at Andromeda and mentally smirks a bit, "Well then, get going. And you have permission to run up a reasonable tab in the process of looking. But I'd appreciate you telling your findings directly to me when you get back. Have fun, and..please..be careful?"
Jenora says, "For sufficiently broad definitions of the word 'fun', anyway."
Andromeda grins, "Why of course brother. ;)" and turns away from the shuttle, flicking her tail at her younger brother as she purrs, "Let's go find Michael. Maybe he can be a bit more forthcoming on where he found this."
Jenora gives Copernicus one of those 'I'm so innocent I must be hiding something' looks. "Careful? Why ever would you feel you had to warn us about that?"
Chimera says, "I've never started a riot. :}"
Copernicus grins, "Why? Because I know all three of you, and what you're capable of on your own. ;)"
Jenora grins, and turns around to follow Andromeda.
Copernicus ahems, "Well, try to keep it that way Chimera. ;)"
Andromeda leaps into the air and takes off towards the part of Haven where Michael's shop resides.
Chimera spreads his wings and follows.
Jenora steps up into the air, and leaps straight up, floating along after them.
The people in Haven are treated to yet another strange sight. First, one of those flying chirpytaurs or whatever they call themselves go by, then an odd, sort of dragon like creature, and then a floating feline without wings. Several wonder if this is a portent of the end.
Andromeda lands quietly in Michael's front yard and pads up and knocks on the door, obviously excited.
Charon pokes his head out of the mail slot to see who it is.
Andromeda starts but then giggles, "Hello Charon. Is Michael home?"
Charon nodnods, and vanishes back into the building.
Michael opens the door (with Charon still in it). "Yes, right here..."
Jenora settles in, and looks back down the road. "I think I should work on invisibility next time we fly over..."
Michael smiles. "You are back very soon."
Andromeda smirks, "Then they'd just gawk at me, Jenroa. Michael, where did you find this ring?"
Charon continues to mess around in Michael's mail basket.
Michael opens up the door fully. "Oh, very far away. It was in...that way. I think." He points off to the east.
Chimera looks to the east.
Andromeda frowns slightly, "Can you be a bit more exact than that?"
Michael cocks his head. "Well, not really. Someone else found it, gave it to me."
Chimera says, "Who was it?"
Andromeda looks at Jenora and Chimera, then back to Michael, "Is there any way we could meet this person? It's very important we find out as much as we can about the ring."
Michael says, "Some family."
Michael chews on his lip a little. "It is very important?"
Andromeda nods, "Very important. It has to do with the past history of my race Michael."
Andromeda looks to Jenora and Chimera for support.
Jenora nods to Michael. "It could be quite important to them, yes."
Michael sighs deeply. "Yes, I can take you."
Andromeda frowns a bit at Michael's reluctance.
Michael says, "It is a long trip. When do you need to go?"
Jenora says, "How long?"
Andromeda tries to keep her enthusiasm up, "Well, I think we're ready to leave anytime. We can either fly you there ourselves, or I'm certain my brother can lend me a small shuttle."
Michael nods. "Wait a moment, I will be back." And with that, he disappears into the vastness of his house.
Andromeda squints as Michael pads off, "A very unusual male. And remember, I'm saying this and Copernicus is my brother."
Charon pokes his head out of the mail basket on the door, and peeps, "You may have already won the Grand Prize though, Michael!"
Chimera says, "Michael is nice. He likes dragons."
Andromeda nods thoughtfully, "OH, I never said he wasn't nice. In fact, I'm certain I'll try and get to know him better later on. But he is unusual."
Jenora chuckles quietly, shaking her head.
Chimera says, "He doesn't seem unusual to me."
Andromeda tries to suppress it, but gives in and starts giggling at Chimera.
Andromeda ahems and finally catches her breath, "I'm sure he isn't to you Chimera. ;)"
Chimera watches Andromeda's chest as she giggles. Giggling is a good thing, he decides.
Michael arrives back at the door, wearing a similar black robe, but shorter, without arms, and with gold embroidery on the edges. His scale-clad arms and legs glitter brightly in the sun. He's also wearing a different belt with several larger pouches filled with some things.
Michael smiles and plucks Charon out of his mailslot.
Andromeda hmmmmmmmmms, "Clothing does have some uses after all."
Michael closes the door and locks it with an incredibly intricate key. "You are all ready?"
Charon bobs his head and perches on Michael's shoulder.
Andromeda nods, "I am. Jenora?"
Jenora says, "How far is it?"
Chimera says, "Over the horizon?"
Michael says, "Farther than that."
Andromeda frowns, "It is on this planet though, right? We may need a shuttle, though I know Jenora and I can fly that far."
Michael pats Charon's back absently. He's obviously still hesitant, but still taking everyone where they want to go.
Michael says, "Planet? Yes, I think so."
Jenora says, "Michael... how did you go there, and how long did it take you? Just to get an idea of the distance..."
Michael thinks. "It is on the other side."
Jenora says, "Of... the world? The ocean?"
Chimera looks west now.
Michael says, "The other side of the ground."
Chimera says, "Underground? In a cavern? Or Underhill? Are there elves there?"
Charon asks, "Or giant prehistoric lizards?"
Andromeda hmmmms, "That sounds like the same thing as the planet Jenora. So we're talking a good 20 to 30,000 kilometers Jenroa."
Michael blinks at Chimera and Charon.
Jenora says, "I can understand his reluctance to get started if it was that far."
Michael looks from Jenora to Andromeda.
Andromeda nods, "Flying at speeds we can carry passengers would take quite a while. I guess I need to get a shuttle. What do you think Michael?"
Michael says, "Your metal bird-shuttle doesn't get tired? We should use that."
Chimera blinks in confusion. "Are we looking for someplace on the surface or not?"
Michael says, "Yes, on the ground. Not in it."
Charon spreads his little wings and ducks down, making whoosh-whoosh sounds.
Michael smirks.
Jenora smirks, shaking her head.
Chimera says, "Could you recognize it from the air then, Michael?"
Michael nods. "Very much yes."
Andromeda shakes her head and activates a panel on her armband, "Yo, brother. We need a class 1 shuttle, with all the control's except one set on safety lock out."
Chimera says, "Why would you want to lock out the safety?"
Charon suggests, "Maybe there isn't enough room for it."
Copernicus's voice can be heard over Andromeda's armband, "No problem Andromeda. I'll have one left in that remote forest clearing we landed at last time. And I was going to do the lock out anyhow. We we're just lucky the Havenites like cheese spread."
Michael smiles and chuckles.
Jenora snorts as she tries to hold in a laugh.
Andromeda nods, and signs off to her brother. "It should be waiting for us. You can ride my back Michael. I don't normally do that for anyone, but you're the guest of honor. And fairly cute."
Charon chirps, "Cute cute cute cute and cheeeeesy smelling!"
Michael says, "Thank you, I think..."
Michael tugs on Charon's tail.
Charon urks and quiets down.
Andromeda purrs, "You need any supplies, or can we just get going?"
Michael says, "I have all I need."
Andromeda nods and whirls around and pads outside, waiting for the rest, including her rider, to follow.
Chimera looks over Andromeda's rear, and finally figures out that 'you can ride on my back' means something other than what he first thought.
Jenora pads back outside.
Charon flits from Michael's shoulder to Jenora's.
Michael climbs up on Andromeda's back skillfully, but gingerly. "I'm not hurting you?"
Jenora skritches Charon a bit.
Andromeda grins and purrs, "Course not. Just sit tight right behind my torso, so as not to get too close to my wings and hold on."
Michael nods and shifts weight accordingly.
Charon quietly ask Jenora, "How do you do energy-to-matter conversion to make yourself big?"
Chimera spreads his own wings in preparation.
Andromeda's sharp eyes catch the faint contrails of two shuttles coming down a good 16 kilometers from town. She notes they are doing their best to be discrete. She purrs, "You secure Michael? I leap pretty high to take off with a passenger."
Michael wraps his arms around Andromeda's midriff, for lack of reigns or any other sorts of handle.
Andromeda mrrrrrrs and sits on her haunches, then propels herself up into the air with her hindlegs and snaps her large wings open and takes off towards the clearing.
Chimera waits a moment before following.
Jenora replies to Charon, "The matter is already there, just shunted off into a little 'pocket' universe."
Charon bobs his head and goes, "Cool!"
Jenora smirks at Charon, and flies off to follow Andromeda.
Michael just sits along for the ride, rather comfortable and skilled, almost like he'd done this before.
Andromeda grins, flicking her tail as she flies along, then drops down towards the clearing as she sees the second shuttle take off, now that the pilot of the first one is onboard.
Andromeda lands quietly by the shuttle and purrs, "You're an excellent rider Michael. I'll have to get you on my back more often. For now, I need to power up the shuttle. You need to get down now. ;)"
Michael hops off and nods. "I have ride-ed many horses."
Andromeda pretends to be miffed, "Well, I hope I'm cuter than any of those 'horses'. ;)" A moment after she pads into the shuttle, she growls, "Very funny" and tosses a pile of cleaning supplies into storage bin and sits down at the command couch.
Jenora says, "I'd mention that your line could be taken multiple ways, Andromeda, except I'm reasonably certain you meant it to."
Chimera lands after Andromeda and Michael.
Jenora lands in a sitting position atop the shuttle.
Michael taps on the shuttle sides curiously as he waits for it to 'power up'.
Andromeda just grins at Jenora and remains silent as she palms the control pads and, after a pawprint verification, she starts powering up the various shuttle systems.
Chimera pokes around the exterior of the shuttle.
From inside, Andromeda purrrs, "We're ready. Everyone onboard!"
Chimera says, "Do you mean inside?"
Jenora pushes herself off the top of the shuttle, and drops onto the gangway. She turns around, and walks inside.
At this point, a few colorful, but well meant Chirr'T'Thar invectives come from Andromeda. Finally, she purrs, "Yes Chimera, come inside."
Michael climbs inside. "Yutoo, sai gurti swah.
Chimera follows after Jenora.
Charon hops off of Jenora's shoulder once inside, and starts poking and prodding all the shiny lights and screens.
Jenora says, "Charon, I'd advise not touching too much."
Michael looks out one of the windows.
Charon blinks at Jenora, then nods and just uses the very tips of his claws to touch things with.
Andromeda rests on a futon like couch in front of the command console. Her paws claw into the couch for security. "Not to worry Jenora. Only my control panel works right now. He did code in some pretty patterns to keep our friends entertained it seems. ;)"
Chimera says, "What do you feed this shuttle?"
Jenora leans over to look at the control panel.
Andromeda chuckles as she closes the shuttle door, "Anti-matter, tritium, and a few other things. Have a seat. I've modified the couches to be a bit more chair like. We'll get airborne, then have Michael narrow down the direction we need to go."
Jenora stretches out on one of the couches.
Michael pokes one of the couches experimentally, then sits on it. "Go towards the sun rise.
Chimera has a seat, and holds Charon in his lap.
With a mild rumble inside, the ship's repulsors push away from the planet, till they are a good 1000 feet up. The rear thrusters kick in and they rocket off into the sunset. Well, sort of. They head west, cruising at a good speed.
Andromeda blinks, "Oops."
Andromeda quickly turns the ship around.
It is at this point that many will understand why, after 500,000 years, the Chirr'T'Thar have never found their original homeworld.
Michael watches out the window.
Andromeda's blushing through her fur and ahems, "Well, er, Michael, let me know when we're getting close. What should we look for? An ocean? Mountain ranges? ;)"
Michael says, "An ocean."
Michael says, "A small one."
Andromeda nods and pulls up a rough chart of Nexus, done on some recent orbital surveys.
Chimera asks, "Is the small ocean inside a larger one?"
Andromeda she points, "So, somewhere in this region then?"
Michael walks over and points to a blue smudge on the map. "Near here."
Andromeda blinks, "Rather remote area, ok, I'll program that in, and we can be there in a couple hours. Faster, but Coper wants us to minimize sonic booms on an unknown planet."
Michael nods blankly.
Jenora says, "Understandable..."
The hours pass fairly quietly, though Charon still keeps trying to push everything that might be a button that he can find. Andromeda gives Jenora some instructions and she helps do some of the charting of the land they are flying over. Finally, the region Michael indicated comes into range and the shuttle slows.
Andromeda purrs, "Ok, Michael, which way now?"
Michael humms and peers out the window.
Jenora nods back to Andromeda, and sketches over the map that she has.
Michael says, "See that field over there?"
Andromeda slows the shuttle to a mere 60 kilometers an hour and purrs, "Over there?"
Michael nods. "Land there. We will walk the rest."
With a flick of her ears in assent, Andromeda carefully pilots the shuttle over to the field and sets the shuttle down smoothly. Almost makes you wonder if she was adopted into the Skygazer clan.
Andromeda cycles the airlock and purrs, "Well, let's get going. ;)"
Chimera says, "Does anyone live around here?"
Charon perches on Chimera's shoulder this time.
Michael says, "Nearby here, yes."
Michael stretches.
Andromeda nearly leaps outside in her impatience and stretches, both body and wings. "So, which way?"
Jenora sits back up, stretching as well.
Michael looks around for a moment, then begins walking off towards the forest nearby, mountains raising in the distance. "This way."
Jenora pads out of the shuttle in the rear, trailing along.
Andromeda bounces after Michael for a bit, then calms and sidles up next to Jenora, purring softly, "I wonder what we'll find?"
Chimera and Charon take in the scenery. The former watches Andromeda and the latter watches everything else.
Jenora says, "You'd have a better idea than I would."
Michael walks through the forest along a small dirt path, smiling, running his hand along a tree here, a rock there, as if he knew each one personally.
Andromeda shakes her head, "No, not really. Too much of our past is just unknown."
Jenora says, "And yet you'd expect me to know more about it?"
Chimera says, "Why not, Jenora?"
Andromeda grins, "No. But your guess would be as good as mine Jenora. ;)"
Jenora says, "I haven't even been in this section of space before. Or the one that the Chirr'T'Thar lived in previously."
Onwards the group walks into the wilderness...As the rolling hills turn into mountains, the air turns a little colder, and the minutes turn into hours. The only links to civilization being the path, and Michael in the lead, who, oddly, has been rather quiet through this hike. Finally, after several hours, he stops in the path, waiting for everyone to catch up and regain their breath.
Andromeda is grumble growling, "We're designed for space, not for walking around continents."
Jenora pads up, and sits down at the edge of the path.
Michael smiles, leaning back on a rock. "Patience. This is important, so you say."
Chimera says, "Why do you have so many legs then?"
Andromeda tries to glower at Chimera, but just can't, "I don't know. I didn't design us. ;)"
Michael feels his various pouches, looking for one in particular. When he finds it, he undoes the knot and sorts through it.
Andromeda pats her back and motions for Jenora to have a seat while they wait for their guide to finish what he's doing.
Charon flies up into the trees to look for bird nests.
Michael holds out a glazed earthenware amulet on a leather rope for everyone. They all have matching symbols on them. "Wear these, please?"
Jenora grins, and leans back against Andromeda. "If you insist."
Andromeda blinks and takes two, and purrs, "Well, I'll put yours on and you can help me with mine, ok Jenora?
Chimera looks at the amulet in confusion. "Wear them where?"
Michael says, "Your neck."
Jenora says, "What is this symbol for?"
Jenora nods to Andromeda.
Andromeda reaches around Jenora and ties the amulet around her neck, and rubs noses before handing the other one to her.
Michael says, "It is my symbol. Like a signature. And it protects my people from you."
Andromeda blinks, "We wouldn't hurt your people Michael."
Jenora says, "I knew we should have asked for more details before coming out here..."
Michael smiles. "Not on purpose, no."
Chimera pulls the amulet over his head, and calls down Charon.
Andromeda frowns, but realizes she can't argue with that statement.
Michael says, "But you may have sickness they can not survive."
Michael says, "And it shows you are my guests."
Andromeda chuckles, "Unlikely in my case. Our systems keep us pretty disease free. Jenora even less likely. But no idea about the dynamic duo there. ;)"
Jenora says, "Ah..."
Andromeda shrugs, "It's ok. I think it goes well with Jenora's dress. ;)"
Charon perches on the shoulder of his 'cousin' once more.
Michael smiles. "Thank you. Shall we continue?"
Michael unties his belt and his robe, re-tying his belt against his gilt armor, letting the robes drape freely over his shoulders. He looks off down the path.
Jenora smirks, and finishes arranging Andromeda's new 'necklace'. "Let's."
Andromeda flexes her footpads with a groan and nods, "Sure. So long as we can fly back to the shuttle."
Chimera smiles, "Walking is nice too. You can smell the flowers better."
Michael leads the group on, once more, into the forests. But before long, up ahead, you can see the forests begin to thin. Soon, you are walking out of the forests, along a pathway towards a sizable village, probably supporting no more than 1000 people.
Jenora says, "I don't mind a good walk..."
Andromeda pads along quietly, realizing this is not something Michael normally shows to outsiders, and wonders why he's doing this. She chuckles, "Well, maybe we do spend too much time in the air or in space. My brother says he did a lot of walking on that planet of yours Jenora."
Chimera smiles to Andromeda, "You look nice when you walk too, Andromeda. What is the name of this village?"
Jenora says, "He certainly did."
Andromeda grins back at Chimera, "Flatterer. ;)"
As you get closer to the town, you can see the stark contrast between this community and Haven's. This jumble of structures makes Haven's look astounding. Most are either of crude stone or stout timbers, none more than a single story tall.
Andromeda's whiskers twitch, rather startled to see that Haven is not the most primitive town around.
Michael says, "This is Lissin'to. 'Man's Travel'."
Andromeda nods her head, "And someone here found that ring?"
Michael says, "No. The person who found it is here."
Andromeda shakes her head to clear it, and then just nods to Michael.
Jenora skritches one of Andromeda's ears.
Michael finally leads into the village. Human faces peek out of doorways and windows as the group walks by. People you pass on the street bow deeply to Michael, glancing at the rest with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.
Chimera says, "Is everyone who lives here a human?"
Michael smiles. "Yes."
Andromeda purrrs softly, "If I ever walk into a new area, and people don't react strangely, I probably should be worried, shouldn't I Jenora?"
Jenora says, "Probably."
Michael says, "My people have not seen any others in many lifetimes."
Michael says, "Is it any wonder they react so?"
Andromeda's ears go back a bit, "No, no wonder at all. I only wonder how much trouble this is for you, bringing outsiders here?"
Michael says, "You are my guests, it is no trouble...I am...very important here."
Charon asks, "What do they eat? Where's the garbage dump at? Do they keep domesticated animals? Do they come in green?"
Jenora says, "Charon?"
Michael finally gets to what can only be the center of the town, which is ringed with people.
Charon looks to Jenora, "Yes?"
The slowly gathered group of people following the group fills in around the edges of the square, everyone murmuring softly amongst themselves in Michael's strange language.
Jenora says, "Could you please stop the questions for a little while?"
Andromeda quietly whispurrs to Jenora, "I certainly hope none of our cubs end up like those two. ;)"
Charon nodnods rapidly.
Jenora says, "Thank you."
Michael just waits in the center of the village, standing rather regally, smiling and nodding to people here and there who give him deference.
Michael says quietly. "I am sorry if this makes you nervous."
Jenora says, in a low voice, "I'm not nervous, I just would rather not make them too nervous."
The humans around seem more curious about the strangers, pointing out and talking quietly, yet they still keep a healthy distance.
Chimera waves and smiles to the villagers! "Hi!"
Michael nods slightly. "I can't give you my words so that you can understand now, but I can answer your worries later, if you like."
Andromeda folds her wings carefully, but stands proudly, ignoring what she guesses are comments about her not wearing clothes over her thick fur.
Jenora nods...
A couple of small children's eyes go wide at Chimera and they move to hide behind their mothers' skirts.
Michael begins to speak to the crowd. They go silent as he remarks several almost musical sentences, then stops and waits expectantly. The mass of people whisper for a few moments.
Charon bobs his head up and down in repressed excitement at the being the center of attention.
At one side of the ring of people, the voices grow a little louder, then quiet as they part to let someone through.
A man slowly walks forth towards the center. He looks old, but couldn't be much older than 50 years.
Andromeda's eyes and ears watch the commotion carefully, and notes the elder walking towards the group.
Michael smiles and rests his hand on the older man's shoulders, when he finally gets there. He talks to the man, gestures at Andromeda, and makes a circle with his fingers. The man scratches his chin for a moment, then smiles and nods, responding with a few words.
Andromeda hmmphs, "I'm being called crazy again, aren't I?" as she notices the circling motion.
Michael addresses the crowd again, and when he finishes, they all bow in a haphazard unison and file back to their jobs after taking a last glance at the strangers. The old man and a few scattered people are the only ones to stay.
Jenora says, "Probably not... more likely a reference to the ring, or some such."
Andromeda ponders that and chuckles, "I hadn't thought of that. Well, it won't be the first time. Races that know us think we're insane. ;)"
Michael turns to Andromeda. "You have your guide."
Michael smiles and claps the man on the shoulder.
Andromeda ahs, "So this is the man who found the ring?"
Michael nods. "This is Frasil."
Jenora says, "I won't comment on the 'crazy' part..."
Andromeda grins, "Thank you Jenora. ;)" and then turns back to Michael, "So, how far from here did he find it?"
Chimera stays close to the group, despite wanting to go watch the people do whatever it is they do normally.
Michael relays the question to Frasil, who responds after a pause. "Not far, but up a mountain.
Andromeda's whiskers quiver, "Can we, ah, fly him there?"
Jenora chuckles.
Michael shakes his head, "I wouldn't ask it. The winds are very strong."
Michael says, "More so at this season."
A small child behind a window plays a sort of peekaboo with Charon.
Andromeda mutters something about being perfectly capable of flying through high winds with a passenger, but resigns herself to a climb.
Charon bobs and hides behind his wings to play along.
Jenora says, "Walking uphill isn't that bad... I'd assume with a quadrupedal form that walking downhill would be more of a problem. More off-balance."
Andromeda nods, "Well, my feet will be sore, and so will my legs, but that's not the part that really bothers me."
Chimera says, "I'll massage your legs and feet for you afterwards if you like, Andromeda."
Frasil smiles and asks Michael something, to which he responds a chuckle and nod.
Andromeda chuckles at Chimera, "You're not bad Chimera. ;) No, the worst part is my brother rubbing in the fact that I'm not in good shape for land travel. Course, do we have to go right away? ;)"
Michael says, "The house I can provide is less than you are used to, but I can provide."
Jenora says, "I'm used to a lot of different things over the years..."
Chimera says, "I like this architecture. It looks artificial but still natural."
Andromeda nods, "Well, my brother claims that trees are ok too. All we need is a clean, relatively flat area under a roof of some sort."
Michael says, "It also leaks."
Michael smirks.
Andromeda smirks in spite of herself, "I'll remember to use my wings to cover Jenora and the twins here. ;)"
Chimera and Charon ask in unison, "What twins?"
Jenora shakes her head, and drops her forehead into he upstretched hand.
Michael looks a little lost in thought.
Andromeda grins, her point made.
Michael says, "So then, we will rest before we start?"
Andromeda streeeeetches and purrrs, "I'd like that. And some food possibly too."
Jenora says, "I have no problems with that."
Andromeda looks at Charon and Chimera, "Do you two ever sleep?"
Michael nods and has an exchange of words with Frasil, to which he starts off down the road, beckoning, a gesture which Michael repeats. "Come along."
Chimera shakes his head, "We like to watch people eat and sleep, though. They make funny faces sometimes."
Andromeda sighs and shakes her head to Jenora, "Can we trust those two while we sleep?" and pads along after Michael.
Jenora says, "All right." And pads off after Michael.
Jenora says, "I have no idea. Strictly speaking, I don't need to sleep either, I just burn more power that way."
Michael glances back at Chimera and Charon. "I hope so. I do not need their trouble on my name."
Chimera says, "We don't get into trouble, Michael."
Charon bobs, "Yeah! Trouble just finds us sometimes."
Frasil leads through the town and ends up at a stout stone building of decent size. He knocks on the door, which is answered by a female carrying a earthenware plate of vegetables of some kind. Seeing Michael and his guests over Frasil's shoulder, her eyes go wide and she drops the plate.
Jenora sighs.
Andromeda raises an eyebrow at Jenora, "Want me to sleep on top of them maybe?"
Michael says, "Well try to hide from it this time, yes?"
Chimera bends over to examine the spilled vegetables.
Jenora hopes someone can catch the plate, she'd have to push past Michael to do it.
Jenora turns to Andromeda. "Might be a thought."
Chimera smiles to Andromeda. "I am flexible, and don't mind being on the bottom."
The woman bows and mutters apologies to Michael, leaning down to gather the plate and its contents. Still apologizing when she stands up, Michael chuckles and hugs her, kissing her on the cheek, then ruffling her hair.
Michael chuckles and motions everyone inside.
Andromeda purrs to Michael, "Would it be inappropriate to greet her in my fashion?"
Michael says, "I do think so. What fashion is that, anyway?"
Chimera follows along inside, Charon still perched on his shoulder.
Andromeda pads up and bends, and rubs foreheads with Michael, "That is our way of showing our friendship.J"
Michael ah's and nods.
The woman babbles on to herself and hurries off into a back room.
Michael smiles, "That wasn't our fashion of hello, she is just a silly girl."
Andromeda nods, "Would she understand that it was a form of greeting?"
Michael says, "I don't think so, unless it was explained."
Andromeda begins to understand a bit more why her brother liked to explore such places, you learn nearly as much about yourself as you do about others, "Then I'll leave it for some other day."
Chimera asks Michael, "What is your position among these people?"
Michael smiles and nods. His eyes adjust to the darkness, and he waves hello to several children he sees playing in the corner.
Jenora peeks over to see what Michael is looking at.
Michael says, "It is hard to explain...I am not the head-man, but more important. But also less in charge."
Michael says, "I am one of the most honored amongst my people."
Chimera says, "Ah.. royalty."
Michael says, "Er, sort of."
Jenora waves briefly to the children as well.
Andromeda grins as she watches Jenora and the children.
The night begins to close quickly, as a few people return to the house from, it seems, their work, then a dunk in a river. Of the food which was brought back, it is cooked and served to all in the house, a large, hearty, but plain meal, before everyone retreats to their rooms; Michael and his guests it seems are given the best room in the house all to themselves. After the long trip and the thinner mountain air, those who can have little difficulty dropping into sleep.