It's been an interesting time for Simtra of late, to put it very mildly. From a mountain sized crystalline brain imploding, to a travel to the moon, and now he's on an orbital station mining rocks the size of his town. And now that Copernicus fellow has had to leave in a hurry, and he's alone with that bizarre dragon lady, Kainudy.
Kainudy, at the moment, seems to be arguing with a white blob stuck to the wall. "Why'd you let them bring it here?! They could have hurt it!" "It's only a shuttle," is the blob's reply.
"Even I know that shuttles need open spaces and sunlight when they're notwombed," the dragon grumbles, and turns to look at Simtra. "Am I not right?"
Simtra looks around inside the mine looking for some ore to take back with him so that this trip is not a total waste for him.
Simtra shakes his head not quite understanding, "I guess not"
That seems to calm Kainudy down a bit. "Are you almost ready to leave? All this metal is making me dizzy."
Simtra picks up one last piece or ore and places it pack, "I am ready. But, I am going back home. Right?"
Kainudy blinks, "To Turning Point?"
Simtra heads back to the shuttle, " I don't care. I just want to get back to somewhere that I am used to."
Kainudy peals the blob off of the wall, and it floats down the corridor after her. "We're not taking the Chirr'T'Thar shuttle, so we have to go down this other tunnel."
Simtra follows the dragon, tail dragging, "A different shuttle? Well as long as I get home."
The dragon is momentarily stumped by the airlock, and looks over the controls. She eyes the intercom and its bright red collision alert button..
Kainudy says, "Do you know how to work this door?"
Simtra looks at all of the blinking lights and shakes his head no, "I did no know that was even a door."
Simtra slips his pack over to the other shoulder, waiting for Kainudy to open this so called door.
Kainudy tries pushing and pulling on anything that looks like a handle.
"It can't be that difficult if Chirr'T'Thar can figure it out.." the dragon reasons.
This triggers something, and a small buzzer sounds just before a heavier blast shield slides over the lock.
Kainudy hmms.
Simtra blinks at another door coming down, "Is there a problem?"
Kainudy taps on the blast door. "Maybe." She presses the big red button, and yells into the intercom, "Someone come open the door."
>Down on the much calmer planet, Chastity is trying to work around
all the felitaur's who are upgrading her home. Both for her comfort,
and the comfort of any visiting felitaurs.
Simtra waits and wishes he knew how help Kainudy.
>Chastity erks, as she squeezes past a pair of felitaurs. Both hanve
their heads lowered down beneath the floorboards, strengthening the
floor that's already creaking dangerously. With a gasp she manages to
squeeze past the two, leaning against the stairs, shaking her head.
>Andromeda squeezes in and purrs, "Chastity? You around?"
The station fills with alarms once again, and a panicked voice purrs over the alarm, "What collision? Nothing is on the scanners?"
>Chas hears a familiar voice, and her ears perk, she looks up, and
stands, looking towards the door over the felitaurs. "Andromeda? Is
that you?"
Simtra ears fold back, "Collision? Kainudy, what is going on?"
>Andromeda nods, "Yep, how are things going?"
Kainudy shrugs to the fox, and presses the button again, "What collision? I need someone to open airlock 6B."
>Shaking her head, she tries to go around the two felitaurs busy
with the floorboards. "Not, well.. not too bad, just... next time remind
me to get a house with good floorboards so we don't have to go through
this again!"
A loud, very angry sounding set of oaths, followed by, "The red button is to sound an alert. The blue one is the intercom. I'll open the door now."
And within seconds, the blast door, and the lock open up onto the bay where there shuttle is located.
>Andromeda nods, "Well, it'll take some work. Also gives us an excuse
to install some security features."
>Chastity blinks. "'Security features?' I thought this was just
going to be a.. I don't know, an odd sort of combination herbarium/felitaur
mission, I guess...."
Simtra shakes as he looks at Kainudy, "After you. I don't know where we are going
>Andromeda purrs, "Well, being associated with us could make you
a target. So we'll have some unobtrusive security systems for you."
Kainudy presses the blue button, "Thank you." The dragon then steps out into the freefall shuttle bay. Hanging from a big rubber disk on the 'ceiling' is something that looks like a cross between a swan and a lobster.
>Her ears droop a little as she looks at Andromeda. "T-target?"
She sighs and leans against the wall. "And here I thought I could finally
sleep without a shiv or laser under my pillow."
Simtra quickly follows in after Kainudy, "Is this thing safe?"
>With a droop of ears she snugs Chastity, "We don't think it likely,
we're just being careful. I see no reason for you to sleep with a weapon."
Kainudy clambers long the neck of the shuttle, with the white blob floating along behind her. "Of course not, that's why I went to get away from it as soon as possible."
>Chas smiles quietly, returning the snug. "Thanks. The only time
I ever didn't sleep with some sort of weapon was my wedding ni--" She
blinks suddenly, and frowns, looking around quickly. After about half
a minute, she murmurs, "I was married...?"
>Andromeda snugs, "Married? I've never understood that concept, or
at least not very well. What happened to your mate. ;)"
Simtra watches Kainudy to see where she is going.
With a bit of effort, Kainudy frees the shuttle from its mooring. Once it's far enough from the wall, the top of the shuttle's 'head' opens up to reveal a cockpit of sorts. The edges of the canopy seem to have tiny teeth.
>Chastity shakes her head slowly, almost in a daze as she wrings
her hands together furtively -- no, she;s wondering what happened to the
ring she's certain -- well... almost certain was there. Once. "I..
don't know." She finally sighs in frustration. "This can't be right.
It's like I've had a bits and pieces taken out of my life."
Kainudy waves the fox over, "Okay, you can get in now. Just sit a little further back on the tongue."
>Andromeda nods and snugs a wing around Chastity as they felitaurs
remove more of the floor, putting in a lot of reinforcing, along with
circuit conduits.
Simtra seems to have started shedding and slowly enters the ship.
>Chas continues speaking quietly, but there's a faintly fevered tone
in her voice. "God knows how I got here, I can't even remember hours
before I did, I can't even recall the last thing I was doing." She
looks at Andromeda quietly. "Do a lot of visitors here go through this?
Memory loss, amnesia, whatever it might be called?"
The cockpit isn't too mouthlike after all, and seems to consist of a long leathery cushion and padded-leather walls. The long cushion is probably the tongue.
>Andromeda snugs, "No, you're the only one who seems to have lost
their memories. Maybe something else happened to you. Who knows. Do you
need anything installed for your herbs? A stasis cage maybe?"
Simtra places his pack down and finds a comfortable place for the ride in the back.
>Chastity takes in a breath, and tries to get her mind off of the
loss of memory. "Uhm... no, thank you, maybe best not to. They used
to say at the Praxaeum that most herb have to breathe and age properly,
and stasis can damage the properties of some of the more delicate."
Kainudy climbs in and lays on the tongue, setting her head in a sort of saddle at the very front. The clamshell canopy closes, cutting off all light.
Simtra shouts, "Ouch", after he hits head on the back wall when the light is cut off.
>The young felitauress nods, then notes with satisfaction that the
crew is now replacing flooring faster than it is tearing it up. A good
sign.
There's a hiss of air as the cabin pressurizes, and then something tickles the back of Simtra's neck. Several somethings, actually. Like tiny tentacles..
Simtra eeps!, "Kainudy, something is back here."
>Chastity, stretches a very little, carefully. "Well. At some point
I'd best try to make contacts with the ships coming in, do some walking
in the forest and see what I find...." She shakes her head. "Sometimes
I wonder why I wanted to do this!"
Kainudy doesn't respond. More of the tentacles attach themselves to the fox's body, firmly pulling him down until his chin rests on the central cushion. Two hand-sized flaps of leather press up against the sides of his head.. and suddenly the darkness vanishes.
It's rather disorienting, as Simtra's senses seem to condense into a point that sees in every direction at once.
Simtra erps and tries to move under the straps, "Kai, What is going on?!?!"
Kainudy says, "Don't worry, just waking up the shuttle. I figured you'd want to see what was going on, since there are no windows."
>Andromeda snugs, "It'll settle down, I know it will. It's just rough,
starting over."
There's another sensation now, like running ones fingers over metal, as the shuttle probes the outer door. "Rats.. I should have asked how the outer door is opened." A thick tentacle extrudes from the shuttle's head and knocks on the outer door.
>Chas looks around, and briefly wonders what else she's forgotten...
and silently promising herself to find out. She nods slowly. "Yeah,"
she says quietly. "Always is." She looks over to Andromeda, smiling,
now. "So what brings you here?"
Kainudy grumbles. Why do technological races have to make everything so complicated..
After a quick check on the bay cameras, the doors are quickly opened up as the bay depressurizes.
>Andromeda purrs, "Oh, just checking to see how you were. My brother
is off to a council meeting today, so I'm temporarily responsible.
And I wanted to see how my friend was doing. Are you going to be ok Chastity?"
The shuttle moves out of the bay, giving Simtra a really good view of the mining station..
>Chastity gives something like a wince at the mention of 'council
meeting' but nods. "I'll be fine, honest. IN a way, not remembering
everything is.. helping. I'm not as homesick as I thought I might be."
Until I remember something else, she thinks to herself.
Simtra shakes for a bit as he sees the view of the mining station and then faints.
Kainudy sends the shuttle off towards Nexus, which grows large very quickly. There's a sense that dragon is getting a much more complicated view of things though. "Did you pass out, Simtra? Did you want to go to Haven first?"
Simtra remains quiet.
"I'll take that for a yes," the dragon remarks, and guides the shuttle into the atmosphere and towards the coast where Haven is nestled.
>Andromeda nods, "Maybe I'll take you for a flight sometime. Always
helps me unwind. And we can go searching for plants."
>Chas chuckles softly, 'Thank you. I loved flying, very much."
Far below, a robed figure on the roof sips from an earthenware mug. His attention is drawn away from the ruckus across the street, and up over the town as a contrail streaks across the sky.
Kainudy brings the shuttle to a stop a few kilometers above the town, and tries to find the Embassy house.
>Andromeda purrs, "Flying is wonderful. I really know that, having
been unable to fly, or do much of anything for a while."
"There it is," Kainudy says, even if Simtra is oblivious. The shuttle drops like a rock, turning over onto it's back in the process.
>The technicians all blink, as the newly installed sensors set off
an alert. Something big is about to land on top of them?
>Chastity nods quietly, smiling. "Sanctuary -- I remember this much
-- it was wonderful flying there. The entire shoreline with high chalk
cliffs as far as the eye can see, with warm, uplifting winds, utter
peace...." She blinks, hearing some commotion outside.
Simtra lays and the seat with his tongue hanging out of his open muzzle. He is most defiantly out of it.
The shuttle stops a few meters above the roof of the building, and the clamshell canopy doors open. Simtra is lowered down by a dozen or so tentacles.
Chastity pads out the door and looks around. "What in the world is -- Oh, my!"
Kainudy drops down as well, so she can catch the fox.
Andromeda blinks, "Where DOES Coper find some of his friends?"
Across the street, from the roof, Michael laughs at the scene.
Up in the shuttle, the white blob has taken over the pilot position. The tentacles retract once Kainudy has a good grip on Simtra, and the shuttle rises and heads off towards Nimby's Refuge.. still upside down.
Kainudy blinks and looks behind her, "Oh, hi Andromeda, Chastity. Got any smelling salts? I think Simtra is space-sick."
Andromeda looks at Chastity, "Coper told me about riding in Kai's shuttles. He may need something very calming too."
Chastity blinks at Simtra. "Er, I have something, one moment..." She hobbles into the shop, retrieving her satchel and rummaging around in it as she pads back out.
Kainudy hands over the fox to Andromeda, and rubs her own temples. "Flying those always gives me a headache. Or else it's just an aftereffect from all that metal you build with."
Chastity pulls some springs of a small, densely-leaved plant from the satchel, looking up after the shuttle. "Biogenic?"
Kainudy nods to Chastity.
Chastity nods slowly, kneeling beside Simtra. "I've seen a handful. They always made a huge impression on me...." She crushes the leaves in her hand, carefully slipping the root back into the satchel. A sharp, pungent, almost sweet smell rises from the crushed leaves as she waves it close beneath Simtra's nose and mouth, murmuring something under her breath.
Michael climbs down from his roof and wanders across the street towards the house with the felitaurs climbing all over it.
Simtra coughs and tries to sit up, "Where am I."
Kainudy waves to the human.
Simtra suddenly remember where he was and tenses up and with fur on end tries to run away.
Chastity merps! and tries to lightly hold Simtra to calm him. "Whoa, easy, Simtra, take it easy...!"
Andromeda waves at Michael, "Hello!" and blinks as Simtra makes a break for it.
Simtra wiggles under the older fox, "That ship. It grabbed me and then I saw things I have never seen before. ."
Chastity says, "Relax, dear, take it easy.. it was just a living ship....""
Michael waves his mug to Kainudy, and upon getting closer, bows low and greets her, "Eh tx ksar, eh tx fri ^kkkana krilao."
Kainudy blinks, then returns the bow. "I'm afraid I don't know that language," she apologizes.
Simtra stops squirming as he notices he is not on the ship but is still shaking and shedding heavily.
Michael's complexion reddens slightly, tho he only smiles. "Roughly translated, it means 'To you, clear skies and smiling spirits.' Hello, I'm Michael. I don't believe I have seen you around here before."
Andromeda chuckles, "Michael is cute when his face pinkens like that. Is that a human "blush"?"
Simtra recognizes Chastity, "Oh, Chastity it is you. Where am I?
Kainudy offers her paw, "Pleased to meet you, Michael. I'm Kainudy Schantryssrhyn. I've been advised not to spend too much time in public."
Chastity tilts her head to the fox, smiling matronly. "You're in Haven, dear. Just outside my home."
Michael nods and shakes the paw like he's seen all these other people do. "I've heard of you. Your friend Jarik had a message for me to give you. That was some time ago, however."
Simtra smiles slightly, "Oh good, I am finally to somewhere that is normal" He then starts to try to brush his fur back down but not having much luck.
Chastity blinks, glancing up between Kainudy and Andromeda, then back to Simtra. Ahhhh, maybe better I don't ask yet, she thinks. "Well, you seem to be in good health right now."
Kainudy says, "Yes, I did get the message on my own eventually though."
Michael says, "I am sorry for not having gotten it to you sooner."
Simtra says, "I am much better that I am back here. "
Kainudy smiles, "Well, I don't see how you could have, since I didn't visit this world before running into Jarik again."
Simtra looks around for his pack, "Chastity, have you seen my pack. I had it with me."
Chastity blinks and looks around. "Ah, I'm not sure... Kainudy...?"
Kainudy hmphs at the fox, "Some explorer you are. You weren't this shaky when you stepped out onto the moon."
Kainudy looks around.. then concludes, "It might still be in the shuttle. You can pick it up on the island, Simtra."
Michael smiles and shrugs.
Simtra grrrs, "I did not have a anything attacking me on the moon."
Michael looks about at all the changes to the structure, and the various Chirr'T'Thar working on it.
Chastity blinks. "Moon?" She shakes her head. "Oh boy."
Kainudy turns back to Michael. "You seem much more comfortable around dragons than most folks I've met on this world. Are you a native?"
Michael nods, "A native, to the world, but not Haven." He smirks wryly.
Simtra's blood drains from his ears after he looks up at the small looking moon and thinks about where he has been for the last few days.
Andromeda notes with satisfaction that the repairs are going well, and thinks the crew is doing a good job of hiding and camouflaging any of the installed devices.
Simtra says, "Is there some place I can sit down for a while? I don't feel so good."
Michael busies himself examining several of the mysterious devices being hidden about the place.
Chastity nods, and is about to suggest inside but then remembers that the felitaurs are still inside. "Uhm... maybe best you get some air, first."
Kainudy hmms, and taps on the walls and furniture. "The Chirr'T'Thar are sturdily built.. I'm still undecided about their constructions though.."
Simtra says, "If you think that will help. "
Michael places his mug gently on something nearby to get a better look at a particular box.
Simtra pants as he takes deep breaths and while he is doing that he watches the human to see what is going on.
It's not clear what any of the odd objects are, but they are carefully being installed under the roof repairs, along the chimney and eaves. And when the cosmetic fixes are done, they can no longer be seen.
Michael stands back and retrieves his mug as the objects are sealed away, scratching his chin and looking thoughtful.
Chastity has a hand on Simtra's shoulder, keeping an eye on his color, pupils, general heath, and so on. She doesn't really pay much attention to what the felitaurs are doing.
Kainudy eyes the two foxes, and wonders if Simtra is maybe overreacting to get more attention out of Chastity..
Simtra looks ok, if anything he looks like he is still in a state of shock.
Andromeda hmms, "Maybe we should bring some of this inside?"
Chastity bites her lip, and looks into the house. "Well.. if we can squeeze him up into the top floor..."
Michael seems to awaken from his reverie and looks about to catch up on what he might have missed.
Andromeda hmms, "The living room is nearly put back together."
Chastity nods, "Okay, we can let him rest in there...." She looks up at Kainudy. "Uhm... I'd invite you in, Kainudy, except...."
Michael says, "What is all this stuff?"
Kainudy says, "You don't want me to break anything?"
Michael smiles. "There is room across the street."
Chastity says, "Not that, I'm sure that the felitaurs made it more than strong enough...." she adds wryly, "Besides, I don't have many furnishings there. I'm just no sure you'd, well, fit inside...""
Kainudy grins, "Oh, I've been inside before, don't worry."
Kainudy looks across to the building Michael came out of.
Chastity smiles "Oh! No problem, then! Let's get Simtra inside...
Simtra looks up from where he is sitting on the ground, "Hmmm? We are going in now?"
Michael stretches his arms and leads out of the the construction, across the street.
Andromeda grins after Michael and purrs, "Well, they finished putting the floor in, and they're putting in some of the floor couches we use, till we can get something more designed for bipeds. Let's head on inside?"
Andromeda purrs, "Want me to help carry him over to Michael's, Chastity?"
Chastity nods, 'Yes, please, Andromeda."
Simtra wobbles as he stands up, "I can walk."
Andromeda nods, but offers an arm to steady the stressed fox.
Michael waits patiently for the parade to follow.
Chastity stands, and retrieves her cane from just inside the door to her home.
Simtra grabs Andromeda's arm, "Well, I guess I could use a little help"
Michael smiles, avoiding his shop and going directly to the enormous wooden door, unlocking the intricate device on it, and pushing it open.
Simtra leans heavily on Andromeda as he follows where she is leading him.
Chastity pads along behind, her satchel over her shoulder now.
Andromeda helps Simtra inside, and ponders how to find an exception to the odd rule Michael lives under? Has to be a loophole somewhere.
Michael closes the heavy door behind him with a solid *thwoom*. All is darkness and cool air, until he waves a hand, igniting several candles about the place, illuminating the great, central room of the place, the ceiling raising 25' from the floor, and two floors of rooms along the back wall.
Kainudy smiles, "Now THIS is a proper room.."
Michael smiles, "Aye."
Chastity blinks, looking around in the sudden light.
Simtra looks around not thinking about how the candles were lit.
Andromeda nods, "I agree. Shame we couldn't tear the house down and rebuild it bigger, but I think Chastity doesn't want THAT many changes. I'll have to invite you to one of our rooms over on Nimby. And I do like the bit with the candles. I wonder if you could teach me that someday?"
Michael says, "Its simple, with practice."
Michael smiles and gestures for people to make themselves comfortable. Oddly enough, there are several massed piles of cushions on the floor.
Andromeda nods and looks around, purring, "So, Kai, what have you been up to lately?" She watches Chastity caring for Simtra, and thinks they'd make a cute pair."
Kainudy claims a good portion of those cushions as she sprawls out.
Chastity murmurs dazedly, "I just need a place to sleep and work with those herbs...."
Chastity helps Simtra over to a small pile of cushions.
Simtra lays down on the cushions.