The small island that Tylen has convinced the Haven council to give to the Chirr'T'Thar (for a price of course) is bustling with activity as the felitaurs set up a more permanent ground base. The odd wolf that the crew found is doing better health wise, but the language problems are still there, though improving greatly with Michael's occasional help.
Copernicus pads along the steep "shores" of the island, noting with satisfaction that the landing pads for the shuttles are already in place, including the start of underground bays to store them in via elevator platforms. He pads off to check on the odd wolf they found. That, and he enjoys talking with Jenora and Wolfsinger.
Copernicus purrs out, "Jenora? You around? And how is our friend?" as he approaches the tents still up on this part of the island.
Jenora looks up from behind one of the tents. "Hello! Our friend is progressing, looking much healthier."
Copernicus nods, "Good to hear. Andromeda wants to meet with you once our main power station comes online here. And is Michael still helping translate?"
Jenora nods. "He is, yes. That's progressing a lot more slowly, but there is progress at least."
Jenora grins. "And what does Andromeda want? A jump-start for the station?"
Michael looks over towards Copernicus. "He says he's hungry and would like to eat some grass."
WolfSinger wufs hello to Copernicus as he approaches.
Copernicus chuckles at both comments. "No Jenora, something about needing to think about a mating group. And I thought wolves only ate grass when they were ill Michael?"
Copernicus nods to Wolfsinger in greeting, his ears wincing a little at the report of a distant blast on the far side of the island.
Jenora chuckles back to Coper.
Michael looks from Copernicus to Wolfsinger. "No, he seems to be healthy."
WolfSinger's tail twitches as he tries to figure out what you are talking about.
Michael scratches his head and thinks.
Copernicus pads over to a small cube, "So, the translator is still clueless about what 70% of his words mean? Joy. Well, he's in no danger. We can be patient for once. Also, we need a name for this island. Any suggestions?"
Jenora hmmms. "Well, 'Haven' is already taken, obviously..."
Michael's glance finds an object of interest under a scrubby bush.
Copernicus nods, "Maybe something with a feline or Chirr'T'Thar bent?"
Michael's brows furrow as he looks at the thing; he gets down on his knees and crawls under the shrubbery.
Jenora grins. "What, like a nice spot to curl up in and enjoy the sun? Or 'Sunspot' for short..."
>Back at the temporary camp, the last of the tents and other supplies
have been packed into a final shuttle, along with one still confused
young lady who is coaxed onto it. Finally, it takes off for the new
island base.
Copernicus purrs, "Sounds promising. Course, I'm almost tempted to name it after the reason WHY we are out here."
WolfSinger points in the direction of the shuttle pads. "*arrrfffwooofbarkarrrrrrooo* shuttle?"
Michael crawls out from under the bush with a large rock.
Several felitaurs buzz overhead, carrying some fresh game suspended in nets below them.
Copernicus blinks, "He knows what a shuttle is?"
Copernicus puts the cube down in front of Wolfsinger and hmms.
Michael looks up from the rock at Wolfsinger, "Are we going to get eaten by shuttles?"
Michael says, "I hope not!"
Jenora grins to Coper. "Why we're here? What, 'Hole-in-the-Universe'?"
Michael looks back at his rock.
Copernicus purrs, "No Jenora. I was thinking of "Not in our backyard" kind of attitude from Haven."
Copernicus purrs, "Eaten by shuttles? Are Kai's kids around again?"
WolfSinger sniffs at the cube.
Jenora says, "Ah. So 'Nimby'."
Michael stands and shows the rock to Copernicus. "May I break this?"
Copernicus is very distracted as he ponders all the conversations, and just nods at Michael, "Sure. Break all the little rocks you want to."
Copernicus hmmms, "Nimby. Maybe that is a good idea."
Copernicus purrs, "Nimby's refuge. What do you folks think?"
Michael nods and walks to a larger boulder and puts the rock on it, then lifting a larger stone and crashing it down on the smaller one.
> The shuttle shifts course for final approach and moves in to land
on the island.
Jenora just looks at Michael, then shakes her head.
WolfSinger tilts his head. "Nimmmby?"
Michael picks up one of the shards and studies it for a moment, then brings it to Copernicus.
Copernicus ears flick as he picks up the hum of the shuttles repulsor drives and hmms, then blinks at Michael, "What?"
Jenora says, "I think it's a good name."
Michael says, "Your digging people may have problems. This island is made of sibritir: Black glass.""
Copernicus nods, "Nimby's Refuge it is."
Michael shows Copernicus the shard of obsidian inside the stone.
WolfSinger's tail wags excitedly as a shuttle flies overhead.
Copernicus nods to Michael, "We're blasting, and in some cases burning our way in through the volcanic basalt and obsidian."
Jenora looks over at the obsidian. "Not bad..."
Copernicus picks up the cube and purrs, "Well, he seems to like shuttles. Let's go over and meet this one as we land. We have yet another of our odd arrivals on this one."
Michael says, "Rare stone...but terrible to dig mines in."
Michael pockets the stone.
Jenora nods to Michael. "Volcanic glass."
Copernicus hmmms, "True, but we don't have to go too deep luckily. Shall we head over to the shuttle pad?"
Michael smiles at Jenora and pulls it from his belt pouch to study it more.
Jenora says, "Let's."
Copernicus motions for Wolfsinger to follow and heads towards the new landing area as the shuttle prepares to touch down.
Michael walks along, his attention focused on the black glass.
WolfSinger follows Copernicus, his tail wagging excitedly. He looks off in the direction of the shuttle pad.
From the shuttle, Camilla presses her face against the glass and looks out over the island.
Jenora rrrrs, stretching a bit as she walks.
Camilla says, "Wow. It's so ... ugly."
Copernicus pads along lightly, things have apparently settled down for him lately, and he enjoys helping plan the new base. He stops at the edge of the landing field and watches the distortion waves in the air as the shuttle's repulsors bring it to a smooth landing. The shuttle doors open and several felitaurs wave as they start to unload supplies and equipment into an opening in the field to chambers below.
Michael seems barely to have noticed their arrival at the landing field, other than that he moves to place the small stone on another large boulder.
Camilla steps out slowly, giving wide berth to the shuffling 'taurs about their business. She looks up and squints at the sky.
WolfSinger barks excitedly and starts to head for the shuttle, his tail swishing faster and faster. "*ARRFFWWOOOFF!!* have one *GRRRR!!yipHOWLAROOO!!* this!"
Jenora blinks. "I think he said he had a shuttle sort of like that once..."
Michael looks around, seeing if anyone's paying any attention to him.
Copernicus's whiskers twitch amusedly as he turns to look at Jenora, "Well, shall we go meet Camilla? I had her brought here, I doubt the Havenites would be very patient her, sad to say. Nimby's Refuge indeed."
Jenora chuckles, totally ignoring Michael for the moment. "Let's."
Camilla folds her arms across her chest, more self-consciously than from the cold. She quickly steps out of everyone's way and makes herself unobtrusive, her clawed toes tweaking nervously at the ground.
WolfSinger looks back at Copernicus, and asks "wuf?" looking like he wants approval to get a closer look. His tail wags excitedly.
Copernicus tickles Jenora's tail with his own as he watches the wolf and worries about Camilla. He also chuckles as a couple of the felitauresses give Wolfsinger a snug. "Let him look around the shuttle. He seems to know about them, ok Tanji?"
Michael leans over the boulder...moments later there emits a slight red flash and an audible *snap*.
Copernicus turns around to look at Michael, "What happened?"
WolfSinger yips!! at the unexpected snug. his ears start to flush red in embarrassment.
Michael is holding a small slice of the obsidian up to the sun, gazing upon it in amazement. "R'kkana!"
Jenora blinks, looking at Michael.
WolfSinger points to himself, then to the door of the shuttle. "*BARK WOOFYIP ARRROO* inside?"
Michael drops his arm and looks at the piece. "This is new..."
Copernicus grumbles to Jenora, "You know, I used to be silently proud of being considered one of the weirdest known races. I feel more and more NORMAL here. :P"
Michael smiles and looks around, seeming to finally notice he's somewhere new.
Copernicus hmms at the wolf and notes that the controls have all been password and pawpad locked since Chimera and Charon, so he nods.
Copernicus purrs, "WHat did you find Michael?"
Jenora chortles to Copernicus.
Copernicus pads over to Camilla and purrs, "How are you doing Camilla."
Jenora says, "What is it, Michael?"
WolfSinger yips excitedly and gives one of the felitauresses that snugged him a little lick on the nose before he runs inside.
Michael smiles and passes the slice to Copernicus. "Sibritir I have found that is purple, and sometimes red, and I have heard histories of blue. But never before green."
Camilla mutters something in surprise. "Oh, goodness. I'm all right, thank you for asking. Um, it's Mister Copernicus, isn't it?" She bows slightly.
Jenora frowns. "Green? May I see?"
Michael offers Jenora the piece which looks almost black, until it is backlit by the bright sky, when it shines a brilliant deep teal color.
Copernicus passes the slice to Jenora without thinking and purrs, "Just Copernicus, or Coper if you wish. How have you been doing? Your memory any better?"
Once inside the shuttle, WolfSinger looks around excitedly. He heads for the cockpit.
Michael smiles and nods to Camilla, "^rrrath kta, nrtiss."
Jenora lifts the piece up to the sky, peering through it. She whistles.
Camilla smiles politely to Michael. "Um, hello."
Copernicus ohs, "Camilla, the odd fellow missing most of his fur is Michael. One of the few natives to Nexus around."
Copernicus purrs, "Michael, this is Camilla, yet another of our "drop ins"."
Michael smiles and nods hello, his golden scales glittering.
Michael says, "There are many of those around, lately."
WolfSinger plops himself down in the pilot's seat, looking at the controls, trying to guess what each one does. He doesn't push any buttons, though.
Michael nods to Jenora, "It is very pretty, isn't it?"
Copernicus hmms as he watches some work being done at the base of the mountain. Finally his attention goes back to Camilla and he offers his arm, "Shall we go see what they are looking at?"
Jenora holds a finger up behind the sliver of obsidian, and looks through it as her finger starts to glow, watching the colors.
Camilla looks at the offered arm. "Um, I suppose. What is it you're doing here, anyway?"
Copernicus purrs, "We're setting up a permanent land base. We do most of our work up in orbit, but we all need some time in the wilderness to relax and hunt, so it's best to have a spot on the surface."
Jenora hmmmms. "I wonder what impurities could be causing that..."
Camilla nods. "What sort of work, up in orbit?"
With a sideways glance at the shuttle, Camilla takes Coper's arm.
In the cockpit, the "flight couches" are just that, couches. Large, and obviously designed for the 'taurs. No buttons, but flat display panels that are touch sensitive are on easy to reach surfaces.
Copernicus purrrumbles softly and heads over to Jenora and Michael, "So, what's so unusual?"
Michael holds up the little disk of dark glass, the sunlight shining a teal-green spot in the center of Coper's forehead.
After looking at the cockpit for several minutes, WolfSinger runs back out like an excited pup. He looks around for his friends.
Copernicus hmms as he looks at the green obsidian, "Pretty. Must be a lot of copper in the lava here."
Jenora says, "I'd love to see what impurities gave rise to this. Never seen something that filtered out both ends of the spectrum and left the middle before."
Michael smiles and shrugs, "It is your island."
Camilla changes color to snowy white.
Michael lifts an eyebrow at Camilla. "Interesting."
Copernicus turns to look at Camilla and blinks as her color suddenly starts to match his.
Camilla blinks at all the blinking. "Hmm? Oh ... Sorry. I didn't mean to distract anyone."
Camilla changes color to reptile green.
Michael smiles. "It is a bit late for that."
Jenora smiles, putting down the little sliver for now.
Copernicus chuckles, "It's ok. I'm rather fond of that color. I'm just impressed with your ability. I think we can head back to camp and talk some more. I need a break, and we have some snacks. Now, where is our wolf friend?"
WolfSinger wufs!! and prances over to the group examining the colorful rocks.
Jenora says, "Ask, and ye shall receive."
Michael barks and woofs at WolfSinger, holding out the sliver of obsidian to him.
A subtle whisker twitch is all that marks the felitaur male's amusement before he purrs, "We need to give him a name. I always thought "Rotifer" was a good name for wolves. No idea why."
Michael blinks and growlbarkbarks at WolfSinger.
WolfSinger smiles and takes the the rock sliver, looking it over. He makes a motion around his neck, the holds the sliver to his upper chest. he seems to be indicating it would make a pretty necklace.
Michael smiles and nods at Wolfsinger.
Jenora blinks at Copernicus. "Rotifer?" She suddenly starts laughing...
Copernicus purrs, "Looks like you have a client Michael. I think he wants a necklace. Shall we head off to the camp? What's so funny Jenora?""
WolfSinger wufs back to Michael. He points to himself and says "WolfSinger"
Jenora says, "Just the name..." She looks over at Wolfsinger. "He's not that small. Nor does he have that many 'legs'..."
Michael smiles, "You could have asked, you know."
Copernicus ohs, "Wolfsinger? Well, I like Rotifer better, but Wolfsinger it is, c'mon, lets get away from the shuttle landing area. They'll be bringing down some of the defensive hardware shortly."
"Defensive hardware?" Camilla's tail curls around her ankle. "What's going on? Is this a hostile area?"
Michael slips the small disc into his beltpouch along with the rest of the stone.
Jenora bows to Wolfsinger, and points to herself. "Jenora."
Copernicus's tail curls around Camilla protectively, "We were attacked by invaders of some sort while you were unconscious. We can't afford not to be able to defend ourselves." he turns and points to himself, "Copernicus" as he grins at the friendly wolf.
WolfSinger smiles back at Jenora, his tail swishing slowly. "Jennorrra"
Jenora smiles, nodding.
WolfSinger tilts his head a little at the felitaur. "Coooperrrnicuss?"
Copernicus nods, "Close enough. I've been called worse. Camilla, want to introduce yourself to our friend?"
Michael smirks.
Camilla changes color to grey with white, black, and brown.
WolfSinger yips and jumps a bit as Camilla changes color.
"Okay." Camilla takes a diffident step towards Wolfsinger, and she offers her hand. "I'm Camilla." She smiles warmly. "I'm a chameleon,don't be surprised. It's what we do."
Jenora pads back towards the camp with the others. "Don't worry, we should have lots of advance warning of any invasion. We've been putting defensive nets up all through this system."
Michael looks up at the bright, cloudless sky and does his own color-changing routine, taking off his black robes.
WolfSinger barks, "Cammilllla?" He takes her hand in his paw, bows a little, and gives her a little kiss/lick on the top of her hand."
Copernicus nods, "It's nearly as well designed to detect invaders as Tharhome. Though the defenses there are MUCH heavier."
Camilla hmms at the lick. "Thanks. .. Um, does anyone know who this fellow is, either?"
Copernicus purrs, "Well, other than that his name is "Wolfsinger" and he seems to have been attacked by some form of nasty bucktoothed animal...no. ;)"
Camilla says, "He looks like he's had some dire experience, yes."
Copernicus offers his arm to Camilla again and prepares to follow Jenora to camp.
Michael stretches and yawns.
Camilla frowns, but takes the arm. "I really don't mean to impose upon your hospitality. Things look busy here. Isn't there a city or some other bastion of civilization around here, somewhere I *wouldn't* be in the way?"
Michael says, "There are very few bastions around here."
Jenora says, "And the nearest major city is a little concerned about the recent disruptions to the normal way of things... trust me, you'd probably be more 'in the way' there."
Jenora smirks. "That's why we're out here in the middle of nowhere."
Camilla ahs.
Camilla changes color to dull yellow.
Copernicus's tail twitches with mirth at Michael's comment and nods with Jenora, "We don't mind having people around Camilla. Especially beautiful ladys such as yourself."
Camilla watches the way Coper's four legs pad the ground, compared to her two. "Um, yes. You are kind to use such complements, sir."
Michael stretches out on a rock, looking all the world like a golden statue of a basking lizard.
Copernicus ahs as they arrive at camp and he pulls out a solar powered cooling unit and opens it to reveal a mix of cheese, bread, crackers, some fruit and juice. And some sort of fried animal legs. "Well, I'm hungry. Anyone else can just help themselves and then we can chat a bit. I do like the name we've worked on for the island though."
Copernicus tosses a few of the chunks of meat into his mouth, chomps a few times, and swallows before curling up on the ground and offering some to Wolfsinger, Camilla and Jenora. He notes Michael relaxing and doesn't bother the human.
Camilla says, "Nothing for me, thanks."
Jenora smiles to Copernicus. "Thanks."
Copernicus hmms at Camilla, "I'm rather curious as to how you can survive for so long without food. Do you remember ever eating?"
WolfSinger takes one of the chunks of meet and gnaws the meet off the bone.
"No," Camilla says flatly. "Frankly, even the thought of it makes me ill."
Copernicus swallows some cheese and purrs, "I wonder where you get your energy from then?"
Copernicus ers, "It doesn't offend you that we are eating in front of you, does it?"
Camilla changes color to golden yellow.
Jenora hmmms, looking over at Camilla.
Camilla says, "Oh, no, it doesn't offend me, no."
Camilla looks off at the horizon.
Michael turns to lay on his belly and watch the group.
Copernicus pats his back and motions to Camilla to have a seat, "Well, we can figure that out later. For now, I need to know what you plan to do? You are welcome to stay here, but I know that if you are like us at all, you will need something to do with your time."
WolfSinger looks over at Michael, tilting his head a bit. He takes a piece of food over to Michael and offers it to him.
Copernicus tosses Wolfsinger some cheese and purrs, "I'll have to take you up in a shuttle some time." and waits for Camilla to respond.
Camilla says, "Something to do, yes. ... I was hoping to see some of that city I've heard you talking about."
Michael smiles and props his head up, woofing thanks and slowly nibbling the piece away.
Copernicus hmmms, "Well, it's small and rather...rustic I guess. And not to friendly to anyone who seems to be a "spacer" right now. Though I doubt it would get to the point they'd harm you, just some would be rude."
Michael says, "I could take you. The people are accustomed to my difference."
Camilla says, "What are the authocthones like?"
Michael says, "They mostly will leave you alone if you don't cause trouble."
Camilla hmms.
Camilla sits down, pressing her knees to her chest. "But they're not hostile?"
Michael says, "Some will come after you if you don't give them money."
Michael says, "If they are, most try to ignore it."
Copernicus purrs, "If Michael can't take you, I'm sure my sister would. No one would ever challenger her to her face. What are "authocthones"?"
Camilla hmms. "i don't have any money. Come to think of it, I don't have any pockets? ... Um, is there a nudity taboo? Religious mores that must be followed? Rigid codes of social behavior to be adhered to?"
Camilla says, "Autochthones. Um, the 'natives'."
Michael says, "I would wear some kind of clothing, especially without you having fur."
Copernicus purrs, "Nudity is tolerated, though considered a bit ...er...rural I think was the term? And I'm run into few mentions of religion so far. They do think that creatures that walk on all fours can't be sapient." and grins slightly at this, "Or at least, they used to think that.""
Copernicus hmmms at Camilla, "It does get cold in areas this time of year."
Michael smiles at Copernicus. "Who told you they don't anymore?"
Camilla nods. "So I've noticed. I should get something."
WolfSinger tilts his head as he tries to take in as much of the conversation as he can.
Jenora nods to Camilla. "I'm sure we could set something up for you."
Camilla changes color to grey with white, black, and brown.
Camilla watches Wolfsinger curiously.
Copernicus thtptptptptptptptps at Michael in a display of his intelligence, then turns to Jenora, "Sure. If you want to help Camilla we have some funds to spare."
Jenora nods. "All right."
Michael says, "If you can help it, I would try not to change colors in front of people too. There is no reason to attract more attention than necessary."
Michael attract
Copernicus hmmmmmmmmmms, "I could have sworn I heard them say something about dragons in Haven once."
Camilla smiles self-consciously. "You've done quite a bit to help me already. And my control's coming back, I think."
Michael chuckles amusedly.
Copernicus purrs, "My race is known for being friendly. Some races say a bit too friendly, but ah well. We're in a new galaxy, we can use all the friends we can. "
Jenora says, "Good. Self-control is _always_ a good thing."
Michael sits up on his rock and stretches.
Camilla says, "Are you at war?"
Michael says, "If you need a tour guide, you can ask me. I have lived in that city for some time, I know it pretty well."
Jenora says, "War? You could call it that, but considering that we're still having trouble figuring out who we're fighting and what they want, it's not a normal war..."
The afternoon ends when Copernicus has to rush over to deal with the power crew that punched a hole in the side of the volcano BEFORE the thermal power units were available. Plans for Camilla's shopping trip (and maybe Wolfsinger's are put on hold for the time being.