NationStates Jolt Archive

Caranda Cruise Lines, The Best In The Universe! That was how the banner above the large and ornate docking tube. And from all the sights around it, this appeared to be the case. Well… at least superficially. Daniel Longstrike would probably look back and think this an obscenely gaudy display with cheesy gimmicks, but for now he was caught up in the aura of the occasion.

It was the maiden voyage of the CCS Syren, the newest and by far largest cruise liner in the Inferno. It was actually a Dreadnought that had been refitted after its order was terminated. After five years of intensive overhaul, it was finally ready for service, and was set to depart from Haven in mere hours. And Daniel was one of the very select few who could go on its maiden voyage to some of the most remote areas in the galaxy. Uninhabited worlds that could support life, deep space nebulas, long-forgotten suns, they’d see it all… or so it seemed.

Daniel walked swiftly past multiple conference rooms, towards a moving pathway to his quarters. Ducking into his small cubicle, he rubbed his hands with glee. My first Farjump, and its on the maiden voyage of one of the newest ships in the Inferno! Daniel had managed to save enough money to buy a ticket, no small feat. Brushing a tuft of black hair out of his dark eyes, Daniel unpacked, getting ready for the casting-off ceremony. Several jumpships had slid in from other nations to watch this event or to even get onboard, and as such it was a very formal occasion.

This’ll be an interesting event, and defiantly a good one to get in good with some important people. After wrestling into traditional dress clothes, he began the long journey to the reception room. “Imagine if this place didn’t have walkways” Daniel muttered to himself, straitening his collar in a reflective wall panel.

The reception room was incredibly modern looking, with illusions projected onto the walls to make it look like it stretched on into infinity. There was a large, double decked bar in the center of the room, one level for each floor of the majestic area. The No Endorsian sauntered over to the bar, and scrutinized the menu. “I’d like a shot of fire-water. Also, could you get me something light? What’s the least alcoholic alcoholic thing you have? I’ll want to have something light for the rest of the night.”

The bartender grunted and brought forwards a thimble filled with a red volatile-looking liquid and a champagne glass with a much calmer red tinge. “All the light stuff we got is a House Greon from Avalon. Still an excellent wine excellent sir.” Downing the thimble of frothing liquid, he croaked out “Ah yes, that will do nicely.” Regaining his voice after sipping some of the wine, he regained his voice. “What’s the bill sir?” The bartender waved him off. “You’re onboard this ship. Your ticket paid for everything, that’s why they’re so darn expensive.”

With his throat still a little sore from the fire-water, Daniel began moving over towards one of the massive windows along one side of the room. Gazing outwards at the deep-blue planet beneath the ship’s docking slip, he began muttering to himself. “Haven… Home… May the Gods hold them until the forge is extinguished and the Master collects his creations. May the fire of our people burn the brighter in this time of occupation.” And leaning there on the wide window sill, Daniel began to hum a tune from beyond the memory of man, completely enveloped by the splendor of the accomplishments of his friends and foes.

ooc: Please drop me or Kaymiril a Telegram if you would like to join. And please try to keep the ooc to a minimum here. We will create an ooc thread if necessary.

So...had to skip Snake Eaters for the time being, kind of a pity, really...and now onto this thing.

Myronia Meldris was looking out the window of the planet. Haven, she thought it was called...commercial and military center of the No Endorsians. They were a very recent ally of Kaymiril...within her own life time. Arrangements, she believed, had been arranged at the launch of the Maelthra.

Foreign policy, looking out among the other creatures that we now know share this universe with us...I don't see why that's so wrong. Then again...my family doesn't approve of the Queen, either.

She'd seen how her family worked over the almost-two centuries she'd been alive, and truth be told, she wasn't a fan of it. The only reason she was on this cruise was so that her parents could let her see for herself that humans weren't worth it. When I get home, they'll likely try and arrange my marriage. Such a bore, politics.

She sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, they might have been right. The human upper class was all sparkle and shine...but little substance. They spoke well among their own kind, but all their words rang hollow in her ears.

The Drow noble looked out at her fellow passengers. Human, human, human...maybe there was a Snake Eater there, she'd heard they were generally good humans. And that one...might not be a human.

Little matter. She was sure she'd find something redeeming about humanity on this trip. Or maybe her parents would be right and she'd go back to the life she'd always known. It could really go either way.

Ahh... to dance and sing across the plains and beaches forever.

Daniel sighed as he turned away from the window, realizing that he was leaving the Haven system for the first time. He had been resting his mind as much as possible to be able to cope, but it is still hard to tear oneself away from the home of ones forefathers. He began to walk towards the large gathering, hoping to see a familiar face.

But somehow, agile-minded No Endorsian felt something unusual, as if he had noticed something but not fully processed it. Swiveling his gaze back to the large bank of windows, he spied a lonely figure gazing at the planet below, almost like he had been mere moments before.

A Drow? We’ve only been allied for a short time, and our cultures are already beginning to join… interesting. Sanos was right, times are changed. Daniel walked over to the lone figure silently, gazing out the window into the eternal void.

“Amazing isn’t it? In merely two-thousand years they’ve recovered so much from the ashes of their old civilization. The ancient slips, the technology, the material marvels that brought about their destruction oh so long ago.” He turned towards the mysterious figure before continuing. “How is it that you came here? That is, if you don’t mind my asking.”

"I don't know much about No Endorse's history...merely that humans will, on occasion, do something stupid as a culture and nearly wipe themselves out. I came here partially as punishment. My family doesn't approve of my fascination with our human allies, so they want me to experience first hand just how "awful" they are."

She turned to look at him. It was amazing how much physical variety there was in the race...one could be barely five feet while the next one well over six, they had dark hair to light hair to no hair, and any number of eye colors, while the Drow color and height palette was far more limited. This particular specimen was a few inches taller than her 5'4", and had dark hair and dark eyes.

But he isn't human, is he?

"Myronia Meldris. Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro, Mr...?"

“Longstrike.” He said, extending his hand in the ancient greeting, ”Daniel Longstrike. I’m pleased to meet you. I’m a nobody from the teeming masses down there.”

Turning back to the window and pointing towards a small island on the mostly aquatic world, he continued. “Look, it’s the island that is almost completely urbanized. Tyria is not exactly the most beautiful city, but at least it’s a home. And nowhere else is there such a shrine to the Forgemaster…”

Pausing, Daniel turned back to Myronia, looking into her eyes with a hint of a smile. Those amazingly deep Drow eyes… “How do you feel about humans, Miss Meldris? I hope we’re not all bad. Sure we get the politicians, the bourgeoisie, and the materialists as bad as any race, but there are still a few glowing lights in the fog.”

Myronia shook his hand, and looked out at the window to see the city he was from.

"We have only a few big cities, and many little ones. Nothing like this."

As he looked back at her, something prickled in the back of Myronia's mind. Definitely not merely human.

"How do I feel about humans? They aren't all bad. Most Drow are what you would define as evil, although we try to refrain from that in Kaymiril...some Houses, anyway. Then again, I've never really spoken with a human, so I don't know for myself."

"Well, you are now" Daniel said jovially, flattening a sprig of hair on the back of his head. "And before now I've never spoken with a Drow. Yet somehow, here we are. Small universe, yet somehow not small enough."

Nodding towards the surface, he continued. "We don't have many large cities like that, at least not on Haven, too much water and not enough land to support a huge population. Sanctuary is another story entirely though.

What's it like in Kaymiril? I've actually never been out of system, so a hyperliner like this is a new experience."

"Kaymiril...has wide open spaces, with small towns that exist in almost a circle, some distance from larger towns, which circle our cities. In the center is the province of Valsh, and in the center of that is the Valshanth...where the Queen lives. My family reigns over a sub-province in the north-west."

She tilted her head, looking at him. "And am I speaking with a human? Because I didn't quite think I was, although you must forgive me if I am mistaken."

A few of the crew had dragged large egg-shaped carrying cases up to a room stripped of furniture save table and chairs. Even these were left more for any visitors than for the Thyrian himself.

Jor-ratherin v'ra was about four feet tall, and easily two and a half times that in length. The wasplike creature had surveyed the egglike objects brought to his room carefully, and then proceeded to pull long strands of a strange substance from it - soon attaching them to walls and ceiling. The structures created in this way were soon coated with a peculiar liquid, which hardened into a small honeycomb-shaped set of subrooms. It had taken quite a while and a demonstration to assure the crew that the structure could be taken down quickly and easily, and was in no way permanent.

Regardless, it had taken Jor-ratherin about half an hour to get unpacked, with the myriad strange implements Thyrians use for entertainment and personal grooming neatly arrayed on the floor with what was presumably some sort of organisation system known only to the Hive creature himself.

Once settled in - Thyrian bed and relaxation Comb included - the white-and-red creature tipped the unfortunates who had dragged up the egg-shaped packing devices and crawled down toward the bar, his six legs making interesting sounds in corridors where wings would not easily function.

After lifting himself up to human-height and asking (unsuccessfully) for a few drinks produced and known only in Thyrian Communities he had settled on an alcoholic substance called "whisky". Careful antennae had investigated this before one foot-come-hand brought the glass to his mouth. The taste was interesting, and the burning sensation most unusual to the vacuum-dwelling Jor-ratherin.

His multifaceted eyes looked around at the many humans in the bar area - Thyrians generally did not get on well with the species...to a peaceful Hive-based race such as the Thyrians, humans were dangerously unpredictable, savage, and criminally-minded. However, there were a few reasonable beings on their worlds, and hopefully this ship would contain some of them.

-snip for brevity-

She’s fast… I wonder if all Drow are like her. Nevermind, let’s see if I can remedy this situation.

Daniel smiled and laughed quietly. "No problem miss, but I am human. After few millennia of isolated genetic drift, any race may seem a bit different from its counterparts elsewhere. About two thousand years ago there were some pretty vicious problems that knocked us out of space travel outside of the Inferno for quite a while. Most of the people you see around us are the results of that.”

“So you’re the daughter of a regional leader? Sounds interesting. Have you ever met the Queen? I’ve only seen images, and they usually never do a person justice.”

"I understand."

Even though most of the other people I've seen are nothing at all like you...we'll go with it.

"It would be interesting if I were the daughter of someone that was more open minded. I have met the Queen, but only twice, and I have never spoken with her. She's a good woman...strong, powerful, progressive, and compassionate. She's been a very good Queen."

"Well, I wouldn't know if she wasn't good, since she's been Queen for longer than I've been alive if I'm not mistaken. One can only know if a leader is good or not by comparing that leader to previous, contemporary, and future ones.

Speaking of which. Well, actually on a different tangent entirely, how are most Drow? I've never met one, excluding you of course."

"...You're only ten years old? I knew humans aged fast...but I didn't know that fast...

And to try and summarise all Drow would take one of our lifetimes and then some. It's impossible to generalize, because different types vary greatly in mannerisms and culture, even in Kaymiril."

Daniel started for a second, and then began to laugh at himself. "Well, I guess I am mistaken. I'm twenty-six standard, and I hope to have at least another good sixty or eighty more. I could of course opt for far longer if I want.

I guess this puts things in perspective. Humans think you live on for eternity, while you think we are like mice."

Glancing towards the bar, Daniel started as he saw a strange insect-like creature drinking whiskey. "Aye!" he said inadvertantly. "What race is that? I've never seen sentient insectoids..." He quickly turned back to Myronia. "Sorry about that..."

"Don't worry about it...I've never seen one either."

She smiles. "Then again, I've never been out of Kaymiril before, so I'm treating everything as normal."

She turned back to look out at the stars.

"And we are not immortal. Some of our Elven cousins are...but not Drow. We live for centuries, compared to your decades...I'm not really surprised at the perspective."

Doug Madsen walked into the lounge as if he didn't exist, his body language practically screaming "avoid me." It was the same kinda language bums used when they didn't wan't to be bothered, the kind everyone learned from a small child meant: "This guy only wants a handout, don't make eye contact!" But Doug managed it without the tattered clothes, the grimy appearance, or the ungodly smell.

Truth be told, he looked almost local as he strode to the bar. His healthy middle-aged face contrasted slightly with silver streaked hair that naturally seemed to stay in place, and his slightly big mouth full of straight teeth suggested that had he the training, he might be a good singer. His clothes were foreign, but that of a nearby nation...not of far off Earth...and he strode with a style that fitted the same nation.

As he reached the bar however, his choice of drink was definatly Earthly, an expensive import Tequila from old Mexico. Then again, people on maiden voyage pleasure liners tended to have the money for such luxuries...even the ones that took roundabout trade routes to go through the galaxy's many disputes...and that might not, but probably was covered in ticket costs anyway.

Shotglass in hand and bottle beside him, he turned his back against the bar apparantly to watch the procession of guests elsewhere in the beautiful room. It would take amazing eyesight indeed and not a little staring to know from across the room that his gaze followed naught but empty space. Whatever he was drowning in liquer already had his full attention.

"Hmm." Daniel glanced down at his hands, but realized that the drink he had been carrying was all of a sudden not there.

Now where did I set that little bugger down...

"Miss, would you like to come with me and grab a drink at the bar? I appear to have set mine down somewhere. It will only take a second."

Maybe on the way I can meet this insectoid... interesting looking creature.

She nods. She hadn't had a drink quite yet, so it would be all right.

Daniel held out his arm. "Miss Meldris? I'd be honored if you accompanied me."

As she placed her arm in his, he began moving over towards the bar. "Have you tried any of the drinks here tonight?"

"I haven't actually. I can't really claim a good enough knowledge of human drinks to know which ones are good and which are not."

She finished explaining this as they stepped up to the bar.

"Really, then you'll have to try some of this. You've had alcohol before, right? I don't want to sound stupid, but it would help if you had."

Daniel motioned for the attention of the bartender. "Hey, can I have a House Greon? Just a cup please."

The bartender nodded and prepared the drink. "Here you go sir."

Daniel moved around a slightly glazed looking foreigner, trying not to disturb him while still trying to get his drink from the crowded bar. "I'm sorry sir, excuse me."

Turning back to Myronia, he sipped lightly. "The bar may have some Drow drinks, but it appears to be mostly stocked with human stuff. You might want to try what I'm holding. Light, not too alcoholic, and tastes pretty good.

Avoid fire-water like the plague though. At least if you value your esophogus. I had a shot earlier, and they have some strong stuff here."

"I have had alchohol before...it's only some classes of mage that are forbidden it."

She looks over the assortment of drinks and chooses a wine that she hopes to be both mellow and flavorful.

A speaker got up on a platform in the corner of the room. Above his head, a large hologram appeared, with the time until cast-off in huge numbers.

"Hello and welcome aboard the Caranda Cruises newest liner, the Syren! We are preparing to cast off now. Anyone who wishes to watch may go to the windows all along the walls.

Some here have raised concerns about jump procedured. However, this ship will not be going as fast as a military ship, and is designed more for comfort than speed. Therefore, no procedures will be needed, the ships dampers will control the accelerative force.

As for stops, our first one will be a longjump to a system on the galactic fringe. It is an ice planet, and there will be numerous winter excursions to be had there. We'll stay there for two days and move on.

I would like to welcome any foreign passangers on the ship. If there is any thing we can do for you, please tell us." Glancing up over his head, he continued. "Aaaaaand its time to cast off! Cheers!"

Raising his glass, he drained it in one gulp and left the platform. A band moved into his place. A slight vibration could be felt throughout the ship, but that was completly stifled in less than a second.

Cast off!

The ship moved gracefully towards the edge of the system, and prepared to longjump out.
________________________________

Daniel shook his head. "They certainly like pompous occasions here... But it'll be interesting nonetheless. There's not much ice on Haven, so it'll be a fun experience.

"Ice is okay. For a little while. My sister and I always found it a good excuse to go inside and have a warm beverage."

She laughed. What any educated person would expect from a Drow laugh is that it would be harsh and abrasive...but not hers. Her laugh would remind the listener of a little bell chiming.

"Then again, I got plenty of experience in Kaymirilian winter sports, coming from the coldest province in the entire country."

She shrugged. "As for the pompousness...it's a luxury cruise ship. What else do you really expect?"

"True..."

She was incredibly quick at seeing through me... maybe this was a bad idea... Though she's not experienced much all with humans, and is alltogether quite charming. And her laughter...

__________________________________________________________

The Syren heeled about in the void, entering an exiting hyperzone. Suddenly, stars began to turn into infinity. The ship legnthened into eternity, and winked out of space-time. All around the ship, the blue glow of hyper vibrated.

Inside the main room, the largest sections of the viewports became opaque, with only reasonably sized strips at the bottum remaining open.

__________________________________________________________

"Looks like we're hyper. I wonder how long we'll be in here?"

Not having really travelled in space, Myronia gripped the closest available stable surface as it sped up towards its jump. As it jumped, she winced.

Space was a very...nervewracking experience...at least the first few times.

Daniel shot his hand out to attempt to steady her. As the ship crossed the light barrier, the effects lessened and he loosened his grip, looking intently at Myronia's face.

"Aye! You alright? You must not have had many jumps before, at least not like our drives. They're a little rough, even on intra-sytem jumps."

She straightened up and gave the "human" a shaky smile.

"I'm fine...it's my second faster-than-light experience...and the first transition was far smoother."

Doug Madsen had not noticed the couple's approach. When Daniel had spoken up; "I'm sorry sir, excuse me," Doug had just begun to turn his head only to be interupted by the speaker on stage. The moment lost, he had turned back to the room at large, the drink having taken off enough of the edge for him to start noticing things again.

But now the drink was positively in his system. He wasn't drunk just yet, but most certainly feeling a lot better...and loose lipped enough to comment on a private conversation he had been evesdropping on.

"There are worse ways to get around the galaxy," he said aloud, grin still apparant on his vace even though he had not bothered to look towards the 'couple.' "Trust me, I know."

If there was some irony in that voice, it certainly wasn't lost on the speaker. Up until recently, he hadn't any experiance in spaceflight, at least not in superluminal spaceflight. His own flight had changed all that, and with the booze in his system, he could look at the situation with something other then a mixture of dread, sorrow, and a strange new bitterness.

Indeed, besides the slight ironic tone, his voice was positively joyful. "What I wouldn't give to ensure I wouldn't ride on one of those things again..." he said, mostly to himself but still audiable as he watched some people begin to dance.

Myronia looked at the tipsy human who had addressed them.

"I'm not entirely certain what you're speaking of. Up until this point, teleportation was the most uncomfortable form of transportation available...even though it was very fast."

"Everyone has a first." Daniel attempted to ease Myronia down into a chair. "Have a sip, it might help."

He started apon hearing the man begin, jerking upright and whirling around. Moving around Myronia could see this newcomer into the conversation, Daniel began talking happily.

"Wha... oh hello! You're the guy I moved around to get my drink! I'm sorry if I inconvienienced you... What types of travel are you thinking of? The worst I've done is a sidejump on a rickety old intra-system freighter."

She sat down, taking a sip of her drink as directed.

She was seriously hoping that the sensation became less uncomfortable the more times it happened...because if it didn't, there could be problems.

She was still alert, so she listened to the men as they began to converse.

"Teleportation?" he seemed to ask himself more then anyone else, but turned and answered the lady's question first...he was afterall not really drunk, at least not yet. "Maybe I'll pass that one up too."

As he poured another shot, he responded to her escort. "My first trip out from Sol was on a small clipper, not rickity by any means, but old and pretty low tech. It could barely make Alpha Cent, just over 4 light years, and took a day to do it. Worse, you had to sleep through it, or risk insanity." It was kinda odd to hear this person speak with the accent of a neiboring country, even though it was obvious from his story he couldn't have come from there.

"I tell you, there is nothing like being drugged up so you won't wake up for 24 hours, just to wake up hungry, dehydrated, and sweaty. Kinda like a hangover." he finished explaining cheerily, savoring the smell of his shot but not drinking it yet.

"Fortunately for you, you should never have to do that!" he smiled. "Now, tell me what you two love birds are up to...." It was an honest mistake...they looked like a couple after all....

"Love birds? Oh, I'm afraid you're mistaken. He and I barely met ten minutes ago."

It was odd hearing a human associate her with anyone...especially a human male that she had only (and could have only) just met.

Normally, he wouldn't have blushed for making a faux pas, normally, he would not have made a faux pas in the first place, but the past few months and the past few shots had changed him. "Uhhh, I'm sorry," he said, despite being quite amazed Myronia hadn't taken offense...less because she was a drow (a species he was not too familiar with) and more because she was female...or perhaps just because she was on the other end of the blunder.

"It's just that you two look good together, maybe you should b--" he cut himself off, but his face reddened more as he realized it was quite likely too late. "Uhhh," he started again, "If you'll excuse me...."

Doug quickly emptied his shotglass, put it down on the bar counter less then softly, and made a beeline for the nearest bathroom before he could embarrass himself again...or piss off her "escort." As he left the two patrons, the empty shotglass, and it's accompanying bottle behind, he could not help but think to himself, You idiot, you've lost your cool, what are you doing?!

[[OOC: got work to do now, typically can't post on Tues/Thurs (too busy)...didn't want to force anyone to hold up the RP. I'll bring Doug back out Friday. Cheers!]]

Daniel felt his ears turn a slight shade of pink at the phrase 'love birds,' but shoved the feeling away quickly. He admired the way that Myronia had handled the situation, but it almost seemed like she treated it as normal.

Maybe she's used to this kind of thing.

Watching the back of the retreating figure, he managed to say, "What an... interesting... fellow. I'm afraid I'm not sure where Sol is, but it is certainly in the news a lot."

"He was a bit intoxicated...people say odd things in that sort of state. And Sol..."

She thought for a moment.

"If you were to go from Haven to Sol, you'd orient until you could barely see Rigel on the right hand side of your screen, and go straight for several hours. I don't know the distance."

"Must be a long ways, there's not much in that direction as far as I know." Daniel turned towards her, meeting her eyes. "How do you know so much about the galaxy?"

As he finished, he realized that mutiple people were trying to get to the bar. "Um, if you've recovered from the jump, let's move out of the bar so others can cut in."

"Of course." Myronia stood, moving through the crowd deftly, murmuring apologies where appropriate, exchanging greetings when greeted.

When she was through, she stopped, waiting for her temporary companion to rejoin her.

"I know so much because I feel that if I'm going somewhere I've never been, it is my responsibility to find out as much as I can about it."

"Interesting way to put it."

What is it that draws me to her?

Daniel held an almost uneasy silence for a second, debating what to do. "Hey, looks like some of those seats over there are open. Let's head over and grab a pair before someone else does."

She nods. "Sounds like a good idea."

When they were comfortably situated, she turned to him again.

"So, what exactly is it you do, Mr. Longstrike?"

Daniel pulled a chair across from her and leaned back. "Not much. I own a small technology company. We're not quite off the ground yet, but we've already made some big sales, so the future looks bright. We dabble in this and that, survival gear, electronics, even blaster componets. We produced something on this ship, I think it was part of the gravatic drive system, so I got a barely reduced rate for this. They still love their profits, even from the people who helped them get theirs."

"Small companies do tend to have a hard time starting out, and yes...big businesses seem to think they're all powerful. That's why we don't have terribly many in Kaymiril."

Daniel nodded, trying not to sneeze as a passerby lit up a cigarette.

"Yes, very hard. I'm surprised that you don't have very many. There are quite a few large companies in No Endorse. This one is one of two cruise companies, and they've essentially cornered the market. Fortunatly they keep trying to undercut each other, so prices aren't too bad.

But what about you? What do you do?"

"I look pretty, act charming, and say little. I'm a nobleman's daughter. They want me to marry another nobleman and have his children. Somewhat dull."

She sighed. All the education she'd recieved, and for what, in the long run?

"Sounds like it. What would you rather do, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Almost anything. Especially since my family is incredibly traditionalistic."

"Ah, is that so?" He nodded, shifting about to avoid the curling smoke from a nearby smoker. "Tradition is not necessarily a terrible thing. It can be a curse and a blessing. For example, my family has been devoutly religious in the local religion. Fortionatly, they are quite willing to let me define my own path though."

Daniel coughed quite loudly, startling a few nearby guests. His eyes started to water, blurring his vision for a quick second. Blinking vigorously, he shook himself out of a haze. "I'm terribly sorry, but the smoke in here is really getting to me. Can we take a walk for some slightly fresher air?"

"A very good idea. One would think there would be some few rules expected among guests, for the comfort and courtesy of others."

She stood, quickly, gracefully, but unhurriedly.

Jor-ratherin v'ra had not enjoyed the entry into Faster-Than-Light. Thyrians never did, except in their own ships - something to do with the Hive mentality and their tri-lobed brain. Not to mention that their physiology is significantly different to that of most other sentient races.

Nonetheless, he had endured entry and was now re-acclimatising himself to the ship. The strange sensations caused by "Al'cohol" had proved to be interesting, the burn something rather unusual for the normally vacuum-dwelling Thyrian.

His multifaceted eyes noticed a pair of people leaving - one a Hume'ann, and the other of an unknown species that vaguely resembled the individualistic and often barbaric species of Sol.

Leaving suddenly seemed like quite a good idea - an opportunity to explore the ship, stretch his wings, and get more familiar with the craft he was on. He reached the door in short order, motioning the two Others through before him. Thyrians are polite like that.

Daniel strode towards the door, trying to shake the smell of smoke out of his nose. Finally, after a few violent sneezes, he recovered. "I'm terribly sorry," he began weakly, wiping his hands on a cleaning cloth from his pocket, "I am almost allergic to cigarette smoke."

His recovery was quite timely, as, he had time to not run into the insect-like creature motioning him through the door. "Oh! Uh, hello. Thank you."

Taking a double take, Daniel continued. "I'm Daniel Longstrike, a local, who are you?"

"I've heard that cigarettes and the smoke caused by their burning contains many toxins," was the gracious reply.

Myronia acknowledged the wasp-like stranger, as well.

"Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro," she said, in the standard Kaymirilian greeting.

OOC:
"Peace and long life"

Jor-ratherin would have blinked, if he could have. Without effort the white-amd-red Thyrian lifted himself upon upon rear-and-mid legs again, lifting his vaguely cone-shaped head up to a level between the heights of the human and drow. His impressively long body managing to compress and shift itself to avoid inconveniencing either the two in front of him or the other passengers moving nearby. Thyrians tended to be considerate of others - at least partially because people do not like having walk around ten feet of alien body.

When he speaks, his voice is melodius and fluid and with no interruption for breath - as if his lungs were grown specifically for speaking, which they were.

"I/We are pleased to meet you, Dan-iel L'ongstrike. I am Jor-ratherin Lead-Artificer of the Sol Astral Community. I forsee pleasure in speaking with you concerning your culture."

The strangely shaped head was pointing at somewhere between the two of them - multifaceted eyes do not really need the Thyrian to be facing the subject of conversation. However, it swung ever so slightly toward Myronia as an indication of conversational direction. Jor-ratherin spoke then to the drow, his latent passive psychic abilities allowing an interpretation of the meaning of Muronia's words, although not a translation.

"I/We are also pleased to meet you. With you I also forsee the pleasure of conversation, and hope that I am not mistaken?"

Daniel stepping through the door, Daniel turned and responded to the creature.

"Sol Astral? I'm afraid I don't know where that is. Although I have heard of Sol before, I believe that it is far away from here. I'd really like to hear about your culture, I'm afraid I've also never encountered one of your kind before."

All these new sights... it was looking like going on this cruise was a great idea after all. And to think he initially didn't want to go...

"Not at all mistaken. I am Myronia Meldris, of Kaymiril. But come."

She stepped through the door, motioning the other two out.

"Our human companion finds the atmosphere in this room disagreeable."

The large insectoid followed the two twin-legged creatures from the room.

"I do not find it so, although it seems that the gaseous substances could be harmful to sensitive breathing apparatus."

Thyrians always spoke like that - when you think communications to others of your species, language can become unusually pedantic.

"It is pleasing to learn your nomenclature, Myr-onia M'eldriss of the Kaymiril Individuality.
"And to answer your curiosity, Dan-iel, Mother has caused the construction of two Communities in the Sol System. The Sol Belt Community is larger, and located in Sol's primary asteroid belt, whilst the Sol Astral Community is between the Verdant World, called E'rth, and the Red World, named M'ars. This Community is home to my Creche, and we specialise in Artifice of various products mined in the Sol Belt Community.
"It is not necessary to feel any awkwardness in your curiosity, I am happy to answer most questions, although there are some answers that Mother has decided are not to be disclosed, such as the location of the Central Commune."

"Of course. There are questions that most civilized beings will not ask, Jor-ratherin."

Jor-ratherin was actually a name quite close to several Drow names, and shouldn't be too hard to remember.

[[OOC: Sorry about that, school/work had me busy for a while. It shouldn't happen again...at least not until Thanksgiving. After that, no promises. As it is, this looks like the perfect place to enter.]]

Doug Madsen walked out of the bathroom a little too sober for his recent taste, he could tell because the first thing he noticed was that his seat at the bar had been taken, and the two kind souls he had inavertantly insulted were vacating...along with that strange alien.

This perked his interest, and he thought about following it up as he walked back to the bar. But first thing was first.

Doug poured himself one last shot, slammed it down, and placed the shotglass softly back on the bar counter. Then with a wink and the sliding over of not a small amount of the local currency, he asked the bartender in low tones, "hey, put this out of sight, would ya? I'd like a little later. And ahh, could you hand me an Oweija."

Now, Doug was neither alien nor mutant nor borg, he didn't have any kind of enhanced hearing, but he had practiced selective hearing over many years. Being able to hear what one person is saying in a room full of clamor was an important skill for an "actor" to have. Sometimes, as now, that skill picked up on something he wasn't actively trying to hear, thus, the words "E'rth" and "M'ars" caught his ear. With that, he finally made his decision, he'd have to follow up on that conversation.

As the door closed behind the trio, Doug Madsen, beer in hand, removed himself from the bar to tail them at a respectful distance...making sure to sway and stumble a little more then the liquer he drank should account for, and seemingly pay attention to anything but the conversation of the three people a fair distance ahead of him. Afterall, it was impolite to eavesdrop.

-snip-
"Of course," Daniel responded, nodding his head. "There are things that I would also balk at answering. Especially with the type of oversight one like me gets around here. But without the choice to say what we choose and withold what we want, the game of diplomacy would quickly tire politicians, and we'd be up to our gills in war."

Grinning at the creature, he continued. "Miss Meldris and I were going to wander around the ship and try to get our bearings on her. Would you like to accompany us?" He looks at Myronia. "If you don't mind, that is."

He tuned back towards Jor-ratherin, waiting for his answer.

"of course not."

Vanyel Ashkevron finally came out of his room, he had been feeling ill when the voyage began, and had required some time to get better, but now the medicine he had taken was working, and he was well on his way to revcovery, which meant it was time to mingle among the rest of the ships passengers. So he headed for the largest concentration of people he could Sense that were not members of the crew, which, by process of elimination, would be where he wanted to be.

"It is interesting that with humans to speak one's mind would result in a warlike state. Amongst the Communities of Athyrn, what One knows, All know. It is a state that is hard to describe to people from Individualities, as for us there is a degree of individuality, but alos a degree of Hive mentality and control.
"Generally, the One's experiences are left alone out of respect for the One's privacy and individuality, but it is hard to imagine a state in which the Hive does not ultimately direct the One's actions...
"As for politics, it is an area of human activity that we find confusing. Although naturally inter-nation politics would be necessary, the idea of polititians within a nation striving toward their own aims seems most unusual...among the Communities, Mother directs the overall aims of the Hive, and agreements between Communities are easily reached either by consensus or decided by the Creche Matriarchs."

Jor-ratherin pauses for a moment.

"I-and-We apologise if my discussions are proving tiresome or confusing, it is peculiar not being able to communicate through the Oversoul.
"As to traversing the ship, if neither of you object at my presence I-and-We would be delighted to explore with you both."

"Awesome!" Grinning a little, Daniel motioned for the others to follow. "Let's get to the bow of the ship and work aft from there."

Then turning away, he started wandering towards what appeared on the holomaps to be the bow observation deck. He looked over his sholder sevaral times to see if anyone was following.

Myronia walked with her new aquaintences, well aware of the "drunk" following them, but if he didn't want to talk, that was fine.

The problem with acting drunker then you really were, was that sometimes you are drunker then you think....

Doug realized later that this must have been what had happened to him. One minute he had been walking, trying (not to successfully) to not look like he was listening in, the next he was running headlong into one Vanyel Ashkevron. He must have blacked out...or more likely, spaced out. What had he been dreaming of? He couldn't remember. Was that because of the collision? He couldn't decide as he picked himself off the floor and offered a helping hand to the stranger he'd just knocked himself senseless...or rather sensefull into.

"Errr, sorry sir," he said, offering hand wavering slightly in front of him, "I didn't...I wasn't...errr...just sorry."

Daniel lead the group about the ship, pointing out different things he seemed to recognize. And when simple logic or knowledge failed, a holomap could help. From the bow observation deck and landing bay to what appeared to be a part of the old weapons systems the ship originally carried, they meandered through the forward section of the ship.

Pausing at an intersection in the main corridor, he leaned against the wall, checking a nearby wall panel. "Whew. It would appear to be getting quite late. We're just fore of the reception room I think, so that can help you get back to your rooms. I'm beat, so I'm going to have to ask your leave. Miss Meldris, Mister Jor-ratherin." Shaking their hands, he continued. "I hope to see both of you at our next stop. Room 215 if you'd like to call."

ooc: please say if you'd like me to back up a little.

She shook his hand. Definitely not human...

"Good night...I'm in 1224, but I won't be retiring for another two or three hours yet."

The problem with acting drunker then you really were, was that sometimes you are drunker then you think....

Doug realized later that this must have been what had happened to him. One minute he had been walking, trying (not to successfully) to not look like he was listening in, the next he was running headlong into one Vanyel Ashkevron. He must have blacked out...or more likely, spaced out. What had he been dreaming of? He couldn't remember. Was that because of the collision? He couldn't decide as he picked himself off the floor and offered a helping hand to the stranger he'd just knocked himself senseless...or rather sensefull into.

"Errr, sorry sir," he said, offering hand wavering slightly in front of him, "I didn't...I wasn't...errr...just sorry."

"Quite alright" The quite baritone seemed almost too much for the mans slight frame, but it also fit surprisingly well with the aura of calm and friendliness that he seemed to exude, even as he accepted the hand that had been proferred to pull him off of the floor. "I'm guessing that you did a little overindulging tonight, didn't you?"

::bump:: for Athyrn

"Is the smell that strong?" Doug asked rhetorically, pulling somewhat uneasilly and perhaps not aware enough to feel the calm and friendliness...or perhaps just not aware enough to know he was feeling it. "You wouldn't be headed that way would you?" The last was an attempt at some sort of talk, one thing Doug was feeling was a bit odd in front of this stranger. That in itself being odd. Normally he had little problem.

"Is the smell that strong?" Doug asked rhetorically, pulling somewhat uneasilly and perhaps not aware enough to feel the calm and friendliness...or perhaps just not aware enough to know he was feeling it. "You wouldn't be headed that way would you?" The last was an attempt at some sort of talk, one thing Doug was feeling was a bit odd in front of this stranger. That in itself being odd. Normally he had little problem.

"No, but you certainly do not Feel like anyone I've ever met who was sober, and, in fact, I have nothing better to do, so I might as well head that way." Vanyel started walking in the indicated direction, he really didn't have anything better to do, and maybe he'd meet some more people, specifically some less drunk ones...

The Thyrian nodded his wasplike head.

"That sounds most agreeable. I and We are in stateroom number four-seven-seven."

[[Many aologies for post brevity, but my motherboard's just died, and I'm using someone else's computer - plus I have other posts to make on other nations/train times to check/etc.etc.]]

"Then I will see both of you again, perhaps when we get to the ice planet, or maybe before. Now, I really have to go find A'Vashael...my aide. She has a tendency to get lost if left to her own devices...she's brilliant...but absent."

With a smile, the Drow female walked off.

ooc: Mobo fried? Dang... that's easily a hundred bucks in the hole to fix. I've had one go bezerk and zap the whole box. No problems at all dude. I hope she's salvagable.

IC:
Daniel headed off towards his room, leaning against the rail of the moving walkway and feeling quite tired. It had been a while since he'd had to keep so tight a lid on everything, but the Drow was such a nice person.

Besides, she's probably never had any relations with anyone from our world, except that diplomatic pair, and they were just like me.

He stretched a little and shut his eyes, concentrating hard and opening his mind to the network. It had been a while since he'd done this, and he wasn't one of the best at it.

Sandy and Nikola, please tell me you didn't spill anything...

A split second hesitation, and then a message in the negative. He felt even worse as he regressed from that pressing mass of neural matter, nearly stumbling on the walkway.

Good. She'll be in the dark.

He moved off the walkway soon after and entered his room, flopping down on the bed almost immediatly. He knew that when he woke up in about ten standard, they would be in orbit around their first stop, a very comforting thought.

There'll be snow everywhere... I've never seen snow in large ammounts before. I wonder what it will look like? Will it taste as bitter and machined as that stuff back home?

He drifted off to sleep, awaiting the next 'day.'

A'Vashael was wandering the lower levels, generally trying to find friendly people that Myronia might wish to talk to.

It took Myronia some time to find her, so that by the time she had, it would be about time to get some rest before the ship came to the first stop.

"No, but you certainly do not Feel like anyone I've ever met who was sober, and, in fact, I have nothing better to do, so I might as well head that way." Vanyel started walking in the indicated direction, he really didn't have anything better to do, and maybe he'd meet some more people, specifically some less drunk ones...

Doug watched the man walk away from him feeling somewhat put off while wondering if he'd been groped. What did he mean 'didn't feel sober'? Doug wondered, mouth agape in shock. The man's attitude seemed quite a turn around from the initial "no worries mate" to the sudden abrupt back-turning and marching off.

Maybe it was time to sober up a little.

Doug decided to find a more private public place and wandered off to eventually find a smaller observation deck. Hopefully, no one besides cleaning staff would be up at this time in the less frequented parts of the ship.

Doug watched the man walk away from him feeling somewhat put off while wondering if he'd been groped. What did he mean 'didn't feel sober'? Doug wondered, mouth agape in shock. The man's attitude seemed quite a turn around from the initial "no worries mate" to the sudden abrupt back-turning and marching off.

Maybe it was time to sober up a little.

Doug decided to find a more private public place and wandered off to eventually find a smaller observation deck. Hopefully, no one besides cleaning staff would be up at this time in the less frequented parts of the ship.

Apparently he was drunker than I thought, I go in the direction he indicated he was heading, and he wanders off somewhere... Oh well, I'll just have to have a talk with him once he's sobered up, until then I'll see who else is up this late...

This was before Myronia had gone to find A'Vashael, so her servant was still wandering the halls.

This was before Myronia had gone to find A'Vashael, so her servant was still wandering the halls.

Approximately 5 minutes after the drunk wandered off, he found a seemingly lost female with dusky skin and pointed ears, fine features and an almost ethereal beauty, he was automatically on his guard, she was obviously Drow, but wether or not she was a Mage was the important question... Oh well, no matter really, she was still down here, might as well be polite. "Hello, are you lost?"

She made the half-bow common to her people in greeting.

"Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro...and I may be a little lost, but not for too long."

She was well dressed, in a pale blue. A House mark was visible over her heart...identifying her as a servant of that particular house.

"A'Vashael Harl-Meldriss."

She made the half-bow common to her people in greeting.

"Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro...and I may be a little lost, but not for too long."

She was well dressed, in a pale blue. A House mark was visible over her heart...identifying her as a servant of that particular house.

"A'Vashael Harl-Meldriss."

"Nice to meet you A'Vashael, I'm Vanyel Askevron, and I couldn't help but noticing that you seemed rather out of place down here, since you should surely be with your master or mistress, shouldn't you?" He knew enough about Drow culture to recognise the badge for what it was, if not the house she served.

"She wished to see some of the ship and its inhabitants for herself. I will find her later, or she will find me. It is not for a servant to queston the wishes of her superior."

"She wished to see some of the ship and its inhabitants for herself. I will find her later, or she will find me. It is not for a servant to queston the wishes of her superior."

"I see, and, just for my own curiosity, what is your mistresses rank, is she a Mage, or simply a noble? I've always found Drow culture rather interesting, and a better understanding of your social structure and mind set has alwqays been something I wanted, but without talking to actual Drow for myself, there was no way to get any better understanding of anything about your people."

"The Meldriss are nobles. Many of their children have become mages, but most of them do not pursue that path."

There would be questions she would not answer...what did this man want?

"The Meldriss are nobles. Many of their children have become mages, but most of them do not pursue that path."

There would be questions she would not answer...what did this man want?

He knew all he needed to now, he was safe from discovery, there were no Mages onboard, and only a Mage would know what to look for...

"I know I must seem strange, but Drow Culture truly does fascinate me, is there any way I could meet with your mistress and discuss some questions with her?" And it's not even a lie...

"Perhaps she would be willing to meet with you. I will tell her of your wish to meet with her, and tell you either tomorrow at the snow world, or the next time I see you. Until then, have a pleasant time."

"Perhaps she would be willing to meet with you. I will tell her of your wish to meet with her, and tell you either tomorrow at the snow world, or the next time I see you. Until then, have a pleasant time."

"Thank you A'Vashael, I will. I look forward to meeting your mistress very soon..." Sensing that she was getting curious about his reasons, he took this opportunity to take his leave of her.

A'Vashael went to look for her mistress, and found her/was found by her eventually.

The behemoth cruise liner moved swiftly but silently through the realm of jumpspace, navigating a rapid but calm path to its destination. Immediatly on cue from the guidance computer, the great vessel crossed back into realspace. The ship stretched into infinity, and compacted back to normal legnth, a disorientating and shocking experience for many, but ignored by the masses of sleeping sentients onboard.

The craft slid through the void, moving towards a pure white marble amidst the eternal black of the galactic rim. Yatol Erm-Hei, the Planet of the Endless Snow in the long dead local language. It was a small island of ground before the once great intergalactic express routes, and was the only reason this planet was ever inhabited at all. However, long has it been since those high born days of obscene wealth and technology, the torrents of intergalactic ships, and the Merchant Empire. This planet was abandoned to its fate.

Around the ship, several old relics of the ancestors floated eternally, slowly being bombarded to nothingness by radiation and meteorites. However, the ship moved past these, intent on the other side of the planet below, far removed from these reminders of the fall.

------------------------------------------------------

Daniel Longstrike awoke refreshed. Had it really only been nine standard? It had felt more like twelve... yet the clock registered it as such... he'd woken up an hour earlier than he'd needed to. No problems though, there were still preperations to be made before hitting the surface. Such as breakfast...

Breakfast! That's what I forgot yesterday! I knew it was something... Now where was that again? He thumbed through his information packet as he gathered his clothes together. Ah, main hall at seven to nine standard

Daniel hopped into the shower, waking himself completly and washing away the smell of last nights alcohol and the inconsiderate smokers. I must have had a little more than I'd intended... hopefully not to much for anyone I met He hopped out and dried off, dressing for cold weather.

Gathering up his outer layers, a survival pack, and a few other necessities, he made his way towards the Main Hall.

Mmm... smells good...

ooc: not my best...

The transition had woken both A'Vashael and Myronia. After making certain that her mistress was all right, A'Vashael asked her if she had met any interesting people the night before.

"Well...I met a human that seems interesting...if he's human. I'm not entirely sure. Daniel Longstrike, he called himself."

A'Vashael brought in some tea she'd made...Kaymirilian adults normally don't eat breakfast. "How do you mean?"

Myronia shook her head. "I don't know. You'd know, though, if you met him."

The servant smiled slightly. "Then maybe I will, today."

"Yes...today should be fun...almost like home in the winter. I also met a wasp-like creature. Jo-ratherin v'ra, he called himself. Or she called herself. Seemed to be part of a hive mentality. What about you, Ava?"

The servant paused a moment. "I met a human that seemed very anxious to know that we were not mages. Vanyel Askevron. As we are not mages, he wanted to speak with you...eager to learn about Drow culture."

Myronia sighed. "Maybe, then, I will speak with him today."

Vanyel had gotten plenty of sleep last night, and now he was hungry, so he headed to the mess hall, after getting his food, he walked over to a table and began eating.

Daniel grabbed his food quickly, and headed over towards the first open table he could see, his load percariously balanced on what appeared to be two newspapers, an old datapad, and a mitten.

He moved towards the seat, setting his tray down across from Vanyel. "Umm, hi. I'm Daniel. Is anyone sitting here?"

Daniel grabbed his food quickly, and headed over towards the first open table he could see, his load percariously balanced on what appeared to be two newspapers, an old datapad, and a mitten.

He moved towards the seat, setting his tray down across from Vanyel. "Umm, hi. I'm Daniel. Is anyone sitting here?"

"I'm Vanyel, the seats empty." The man seemed disoprganised, but that was completely fine with Van, it wasn't like he was going to get to know the other passengers too well in their short time onboard together.

"Thanks!" Daniel grabbed the mitten and shoved it into his pocket. "Ice planet today. Supposedly they're going to have an excursion to an abandoned city too." He pulled a crinkled pamphlet our of his pocket, flipping a few pages as he bit off another bite of toast.

The two Drow were likewise planning for the trip. Being from a cold province, they knew what to wear in temperatures like the ones they'd be facing. Being from a wealthy House, they could also afford clothing that while functional, was also attractive.

But it was still a while before they had to leave.

Jor-ratherin relaxed in the large stateroom that the wealth of his Community had hired for the trip. Mother was interested in seeing other areas of the galaxy, and so a very few Thyrians had left their communities to satisfy personal curiosity as well as the interests of Mother. This particular specimen had been the most appropriate for the region of space in which he lived, and so had been chosen by the Oversoul to fulfill Mother's desire.

However, sometimes it was nice just to relax in comfort, segmented body curving around the structures in the area, shimmering wings outstretched into the air of the room. If his multifaceted eyes could close, they would probably be half-hidden by lids as the content creature dozed, consiousness drifting in the Oversoul.

As the time drew nearer for the planetary visit, the Thyrian rose slowly, stretching segmented legs and realigning vision. With his peculiar, almost dainty, steps, Jor-rathering left his room and headed toward the canteen, intent on sampling some more human foodstuffs prior to heading out onto the ice world.

He made no special preparations for the excursion...after all, to race whose natural habitat is the vacuum of space, an ice world was a reasonably warm climate.

"Thanks!" Daniel grabbed the mitten and shoved it into his pocket. "Ice planet today. Supposedly they're going to have an excursion to an abandoned city too." He pulled a crinkled pamphlet our of his pocket, flipping a few pages as he bit off another bite of toast.

"I had not heard about the abandoned city, but I knew it was an ice planet, I wonder who the people were that used to live on this Icy Hell-World?"

Daniel swallowed the a bite of toast as politely as possible, hoping to not appear rude and unmannerly.
"... pardon me.

According to the information this city was an outpost of the old Merchant Empire. Last stop before the next Galaxy. The only reason that it was important was because it commanded an Intergalactic Highway. However, when the highways around here dried up, so did the waystations.

Probably not much left here, this was one of the first Highways to go during the decline, plus this way had the distinction of having two starting points, meaning each was smaller."

Daniel bit into his toast again, waiting for Vanyel's reaction.

Daniel swallowed the a bite of toast as politely as possible, hoping to not appear rude and unmannerly.
"... pardon me.

According to the information this city was an outpost of the old Merchant Empire. Last stop before the next Galaxy. The only reason that it was important was because it commanded an Intergalactic Highway. However, when the highways around here dried up, so did the waystations.

Probably not much left here, this was one of the first Highways to go during the decline, plus this way had the distinction of having two starting points, meaning each was smaller."

Daniel bit into his toast again, waiting for Vanyel's reaction.

"Merchant Empier, I didn't think it reached this far on the perifery, and even if it had, why would one of their cities have lasted this long on such a hostile planet?"

"They had a pretty good monopoly on trade almost everywhere around here. I think... man, history class was so long ago..."

Daniel closed his eyes, reahing inwards with his mind. He snapped them back open, hoping he rememberd that history lesson correctly. Mental note: sleeping through history class was a really bad idea...

"I believe they got territories on either end of most of the great intergalactic highways. It meant that they did hold planets in seperate galaxies, but they had an effective monopoly on fast and safe intergalactic trade. Made them pretty rich back when the trade still flowed. They were centered in this quarter of the Galaxy I think... which would have helped.

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember very well, I think that's somewhere near the reality."

"They had a pretty good monopoly on trade almost everywhere around here. I think... man, history class was so long ago..."

Daniel closed his eyes, reahing inwards with his mind. He snapped them back open, hoping he rememberd that history lesson correctly. Mental note: sleeping through history class was a really bad idea...

"I believe they got territories on either end of most of the great intergalactic highways. It meant that they did hold planets in seperate galaxies, but they had an effective monopoly on fast and safe intergalactic trade. Made them pretty rich back when the trade still flowed. They were centered in this quarter of the Galaxy I think... which would have helped.

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember very well, I think that's somewhere near the reality."

"I'll take your word for it man. Hey, I'm just about done, so I'm gonna take myself off and get ready to head down to the surface, so I'll see you later."

"See ya on the other side!"

Daniel wolfed down the rest of his breakfast and spent five minutes trying to fix his old highschool datapad. He managed to fit all of the parts back in the case... it remained to be seen if it worked.

He pressed the power button, and it booted up sucessfully. I've still got it! Take that applied technology 101!

Tucking the flickering screen under his arm, Daniel went down towards the departure terminal. Beings of every concievable shape and size were preparing for the trip down, and several lines lead to a shuttle hangar.

Daniel stood on his toes, catching a glimpse of the planet below through the shuttlebay door. He then activated his datapad, trying to get some more information about his destination. It seemed that the temperature where they were going was not too far under the frezing point of water. Something like 255 degrees Kelvin. Daniel quickly converted that to Celsius. Minus eighteen... not bad. And there's not much wind... only a few clicks.

The datapad wasn't as repaired as he thought, and it suddenly began projecting a hologram full of static and white noise. A quick opening of the faceplate and a little twisting fixed that though, and the screen returned to normal, even if it did have some color problems.

However, Daniel was so entranced by his work that he accidently bumped into someone in front of him. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I wasn't paying attention..."

The figure turned, revealing a Drow.

"It is quite all right."

While not Myronia, she was likewise beautiful, if more subdued in manner.

The person next to her turned as well, and it was Myronia.

"Good morning, Mr. Longstrike. Ava, this is the gentleman I told you about last night. Daniel Longstrike, A'Vashael harl-Meldriss, my aide."

A'Vashael remembered being told of him. "Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro, Mr. Longstrike."

They were dressed warmly, adequately prepared for the cold. They appraised his ensemble.

"I think you'll freeze fairly quickly, dressed like that," noted Myronia, after a time. "The fabric is not designed well for insulation."

Daniel was taken aback.

"I...err... Pleased to meet you." He held out his hand in the ancient greeting.

Daniel reached down to a large pocket on his pants. "Yeah, this is just the inner layer. Mostly wicking stuff." He pulled out a thick packet and opened it, pulling a folded coat out of it. "We were never able to sell this thing, so we have quite a few lying around. This coat is expensive, but it has a great thermal profile, especially for its size."

He unfolded the coat and put it over his sholders. "Too expensive for the general public, and it wasn't a name brand so we never were able to catch the rich market. We're negotiating with a big brand for a limited run... but I digress. This thing is so good you can't wear much under it."

The line moved forewards as they talked, only a few places remaining in front of them. The first shuttle departed for the surface, and another one started loading up.

ooc: think like a nice cloth version of those survival blankets in form of a coat.

Ava looked at Daniel's outstretched hand, unsure what was expected of her. She looked to her mistress, who shrugged.

She then turned to the human again.

"I apologize, Mr. Longstrike...but I am unfamiliar with this form of greeting..."

The Drow weren't dressed in thick layers...just practical weaving. Then again...descended from a culture that practically worshiped spiders, one would think that weaving would be a fine art.

Myronia nodded at the coat. "Better. Yoiu'll be fine for a few hours, if you're moving. Half an hour, if you're not."

"I apologize, Mr. Longstrike...but I am unfamiliar with this form of greeting..."
"Oh... sorry." Daniel withdrew his hand. Nice one... Drow, remember?

"Where I'm from, people will grasp hands in greeting. Strange custom I admit, but it's something you don't think of when you grow up with it."

"Better. You'll be fine for a few hours, if you're moving. Half an hour, if you're not."
"It's only two-fifty-five Kelvins, not atrociously cold yet. I should be okay out there in this, but it's been a while since I've been that cold. If I remember, this thing is rated to something like two-fourty, though I don't want to test that

Do you think there'll be a ton deep of snow? I've actually never been in real snow before... only a small rec-room..."

A'Vashael looked out. "Looks like there'll be a fair amount of snow. Might be enough for a human to sink in...but unless it's really only fluff, we don't have that problem."

Myronia was surprised. "You've never been in snow? Well...I don't know what a Kelvin is...but we figured it to be about 25 eyas below the temperature water freezes. Not pleasant if you aren't accustomed to it."

"A kelvin is about a hundredth of the difference between the freezing and boiling points of water at normal pressure, whatever that is. Except zero degrees kelvin is the point at which there is no energy left in an object. Two seventy three point something is freezing, so we're only minus eighteen."

Daniel looked ahead and saw no one left ahead of them. "Uhh... we're next. We'd better go."

"All right."

They started walking, Ava keeping to Myronia's left, and letting Daniel be on her right.

She wondered if the other human would show up...or the wasp-like creature her mistress had spoken of.

Jor-ratherin had decided that he was not particularly fond of human food. This might be because Thyrians do not have much in the way of taste buds for carbon-based substances, or possibly because he was being fed a rather peculiar combination of foods by eager-to-please staff. When dealing with alien races, it is normally a bad idea to assume that the race reacts the same way as the Terran equivilent - Jor-ratherin had already been given enough honey to turn him off the substance for a good while.

He returned briefly to his rooms to don his Carry-Combs - a number of miniature void-seal containers that attached to his limbs through the ever-peculiar Thyrian technology. Each contained an assortment of objects for different functions - some contained Artificer-tools, others small portions of rocks for consuming, one thoroughly sealed and shielded container contained a small amount of alpha-radioactive material.

The wasplike creature headed down to the shuttle, noting the diverse others preparing to make planetfall.

Vanyel avoided contact with the others for the rest of the morning, he wanted to talk to the drow, yes, but he wanted to do it privately, and that meant waiting for his proper chance, hopefully one where he could meet the servant first, and get an introduction to the mistress from her...

A string of shuttles scurried between the ship and the surface. A medium-sized prefabricated structure had been erected to serve as a base, with several repulsorcraft shuttling people to different areas.

---------------------------------

Daniel was amazed as his shuttle touched down. Nothing but snow in every direction, except what appeared to be a dark smudge far out on the horizon. Maybe the city? He didn't know.

Towards the north was the southern slopes of a huge mountain, far larger than anything back on Haven.

A wave of cold hit him as he exited the shuttle. The cabin temperature had been dropping towards the surface ambient temperature for several minutes to prevent a sudden drop, but it was still shocking on his face and hands. He pulled his hood up and threw on his mittens, throwing back the cold.

I've never seen so much snow... It is really bright. Daniel fumbled around for his goggles. That's better... so darn bright you can hardly see a thing...

Daniel followed the crowd towards an informatoin area, Myronia and Ava in tow.

They'd already prepared themselves for the cold, eyewear included. Drow eyes were even more photosensitive than human eyes.

Myronia laughed.

"I doubt we get this much snow even during the harsher winters."

A'Vashael shuffled her feet through the snow where she had observed few footprints. "It's tightly packed enough that it should be safe to travel along."

Myronia grinned behind her scarf. "But still powdery enough to pack into missiles and throw."

Ava -- "If you feel childish enough."

"Well... you know what they say... 'You're never too old to have a happy childhood.'" Daniel stooped and grabbed a handful of snow, rolling it about in his hands. "A lot finer than that artificial stuff in rec rooms or that slurry at the poles back home."

He dropped the snow, smoothing it out and smiling. "Not to sound juvinile, but this is awesome."


He syncronized his datapad with the information desk's terminal and glanced over it quickly. Then handed it to the pair of Drow to see, hoping that they didn't mind how ancient and beat-up it looked.

"There are a few ski slopes to the north, with the skii rentals about a hundred yards that way. A city is about ten minutes towards the east by repulsor."

As he finished, he inwardly winced. Should've studied the pad longer than that... hopefully they'll assume I have a photographic memory...

Ava looked into the distance. "I can see the ski rentals...and there looks like the best place to ski, but if you've never worked with snow before, I suggest there, first. Although we might want to be sure we see the city."

"Ah, then the city it is!" Daniel pulled his scarf up over his mouth and nose as the wind picked up a little. "There's the repulsor over."

He hopped in the side door, making sure the other two were following, and grabbed a seat near the front. He forgot completly about his datapad, intent on the city and not appearing unhuman.

---------------------------------

The small craft sped quickly along the surface of the snow, moving rapidly towards that black smudge on the horizon. It soon expanded to a large shadow, and then to a derelict city with huge landing towers.

Ava made sure he didn't lose it...after all, that was somewhat her job...to make sure that her mistress (and her mistress's party) didn't misplace objects.

They got in the repulsor for the city, and sat still until the ride ended.

Vanyel walked through the snow alone... Has it really been so long? Am I so changed since then? No matter, I will enjoy myself here...

The others had headed for the city, Vanyel went to go skiing...

"Amazing..."

The huge form of the derelict city stood out in sharp relief against the pure white snow. Huge skyscrapers and landing towers were in pieces, but still monsterous in such states. there was a single ancient ground craft or exotic design under an overhang. It looked possibly usable, but probably infunctional after these thousands of years.

The shuttle set down in a large park, the remains of the old environment sphere forming a meager shield against the wind. Daniel climbed down from the shuttle and looked about, paying only half attention to the announcer.

"... sync your datapads here. They'll help tell us where you are if you get injured or stuck, tis easier than a bioscan. They'll display a map of the, however do not leave the red line on the map. We haven't scouted that area very well."

Daniel turned, taking in the ancient derelicts. An small and ancient tradeship stood sentinel on a landing pad, its undercarriage having collapsed long before. There was yellow tape all the way around it, a research beacon had been placed for follow up teams. It seems that this cruise was helping other groups as well.

As the tour wound around, his thoughts began to wander. This place feels familiar... wierd. Meh, probably looks like a much larger and nicer but derelict version of home. Yeah.

Daniel turned to Myronia and Ava. "The Merchant Empire didn't half do anything it appears..."

They were looking around, Ava, in particular, taking note of every detail, while Myronia appreciated the whole.

"Yes," she (Myronia) finally said. "This would have been quite grand at its height. Amazing, isn't it? That people can create a way of life on such a planet."

"The concept doesn't seem to far removed from a space craft I guess. A little too cold for my taste though."

Daniel felt around for his datapad, feeling in several pockets. "I wonder what this area was... from all the pads around here, I'd guess some sort of commercial district... Hey! Must've left it on the shuttle. Ah well, those mods weren't too hard to make."

Daniel tried his best to sound nonchalant about it, but the loss was extremely troubling. Some of the emotion crept out in his body language and face, a fleeting show of emotion.
Damn! Hopefully they won't search the databanks... after all, it's so old and broken down that no one would dream of keeping it.

Ava started. She'd forgotten she'd grabbed it.

"Oh, you dropped it. Here."

She held it out for him to take. "I thought it might be important enough that you wouldn't want to lose it."

Hecks-yeah! He thought, taking the pad back. The relief was visable in his features. Daniel was not a skilled actor, and this was an important matter.

"Ah, thank you. It isn't too important, just an old datapad I used in high school, but it has sentimental value. Me and a friend of mine got into so much trouble. Well... till she left..." Not now! Dang it, back out of this before it gets hairy! You don't need that now!

"But enough, I don't want to talk your ears off." He clutched the pad to his chest and bowed his head. "Thank you miss Ava." Lifting his head back up, he smiled at her. He thumbed the screen a few times and a small hologram of the area appeared, hovering just over the surface of the pad. "Well, it would appear that this was an administrative district, at least they think."

Myronia and A'Vashael looked at each other.

Not important. Riiiiight.

Instead of saying this, Myronia looked out at the ruins.

"It doesn't seem like an administrative district. More like a market."

"Maybe they were one and the same? The pad says that it was more of an economic empire than a political one. Maybe there's a marking that the pad can read to us?" Daniel moved over to explore some of the ruins, scraping ice off a sign in hopes of being able to read it. He crouched down in front of it, manipulating a small hand-warmer.

Nice one. You nearly regressed into thinking about HER. You also probably showed them that this thing is worth far more than it looks like it does. EGH! Why did it have to be like this? Constant secrecy from everyone... she seems nice too... even while I am surrounded by the bones of the past the knives of the present stab me.

Daniel did his best to hide his feelings and the innet turmoil. The sign turned out to be inconsequential, just an add for a strip club apparently. Cute... He wandered back towards the two, smiling a little.

"Well, I can't really tell what's right here. Maybe they'll have a better answer when they scout it a bit more? All that sign said was there's a strip club somewhere about."

Ava rubbed her forehead.

"This district of the Undesirables. So many towns have them."

Vanyel spent most of the day alternating between skiing and freezing, as he waited for the others to return from the city.

The shuttle at the city started warming up, and everyone's datapads began to hum.

"Everyone this way please. We're heading back to the base. There are still a few hours of daylight left, you are free to spend them however you wish. However, please be there for the last shuttle at ten, or you will have a very chilly night."

Daniel turned towards the speaker. "Guess it's time to go... This was certainly an interesting visit. Miss Meldris, Miss Ava, after you."

They walked with him back to the transport, and settled into it to await the ride back.

There was a short scramble to make sure everyone was back, and then the craft set off for the base camp.

The small, prefabricated structure zoomed into site quickly, a slightly faster trip back than the trip out had been. Maybe they had the wind with them... or they took a more direct route.

Whichever it was, it didn't really matter to Daniel. He was cold, and was craving a hot chocolate or something equally warm at the base, as well as something to de-ice his feet.

The shuttle set down softly at the marked location, sinking slightly into the packed snow. He got up, more than a little chilly at the cold blast of air coming from the opening hatch. "After you."

They smiled at him, heading out before he did and waiting until he got out.

Daniel moved out into the cold reluctantly. Dang... those Drow were right, this coat isn't the best on an ice world.
"I'm about to freeze. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head into the little food stand they've set up and get something warm, and maybe find someplace to de-ice my feet."

Ava looked to her mistress.

"Will we be skiing?"

Myronia nodded. "I wish to see the inside of the little building they've set up, though."

Ava nodded. "Then I will meet you out there...find the best places to ski."

With that, they parted ways.

*A little later*

A figure sped down the slopes, easily, gracefully...as though she'd been doing this for an eternity and then some.

Vanyel headed inside, it was too damned cold to stay out there any more. He walked through the door, and the first thing he noticed was the dark skinned woman, definitely Ava... "Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro A'vashael, I missed seeing you at breakfast this morning."

Ava had gone in a completely different direction, so it wasn't Ava that he'd greeted.

She turned, revealing herself to be another Drow woman.

"Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro, stranger. A'Vashael is currently elsewhere...and we do not tend to take a morning meal."

Daniel ordered a warm mug of soup, and moved over near the heater that had been set up. He sat down in a soft chair, taking off his outermost layers to help him warm up. Sipping his soup, he thought back over the day so far. Ahh... that's much better now. That trip was a lot of fun... I wonder what the others would think about it?

He lay back, shut his eyes and concentrated, looking inwards. He finally made contact with the network, something that took far more effort than he'd expected. He relayed some of what he'd seen up, letting the collective mind process everything.

What do you all think? A torrent of signals were sent his way, and he was forced to sever the link to prevent breaking down. It was almost painful, not something he was used to.

He came to with someone standing over him in a Caranda Cruises uniform, looking quite concerned. Several other people had turned to look. Apparently he'd dropped his soup mug, still partly full, during the chaos.

"Sir, are you alright? You've been out for five minutes!"

Daniel felt lightheaded. "I'm fine now at least. Maybe a little dehydrated, but other than that, I feel good." Five minutes?! What the heck happened? That's never happened to me before...

"Very well sir, here's some more soup. I recommend you take it easy for the rest of the day if you intend to stay on planet, it's a liability issue."

"Thank you. I planned to ski a little, but I'll stick to the easiest slopes. I'm still a beginner anyways."

"Very well sir. Please keep your datapad on though just in case."

"Sure thing..." Daniel squinted a little, trying to make out the nameplate. "Ben. I apologize for this, I don't want to cause trouble." He glanced around at some of the staring guests, wishing they'd go back to their buisness.

"None at all sir. Have a nice day."

He went back to sipping his soup contemplatively. I guess I may have so skip on skiing today. Not exactly the best...

Ava had gone in a completely different direction, so it wasn't Ava that he'd greeted.

She turned, revealing herself to be another Drow woman.

"Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro, stranger. A'Vashael is currently elsewhere...and we do not tend to take a morning meal."


The instant he saw her face he knew he'd made a mistake, she was drow, yes, but definitely not Ava, it must be her mistress... what was her name??? Oh, right Myronia.

Vanyel looked almost apopleptic when he realised his mistake, he'd seen a Drow woman and reacted without thought, not even considering that Ava's mistress might be the one he was addressing instead, oh well, he'd screwed up, best to salvage what he could. "I'm sorry, I spoke without thinking, you must br A'vshael's mistress, she mentioned you in passing. I am Vanyel Ashkevron, I met her last night in the corridors, and we talked for a little while."

She looked at him. "Vanyel Ashkevron...yes. She mentioned a human that had wanted to speak with me."

She noticed Daniel passed out in his chair, and was moving to see if he needed help when he came to.

"Now is not the best of times, as I merely wished to briefly explore this building, before spending a little while skiing. A'Vashael is already out there."

"I understand, I'll either be here when you're done, or I'll see you again up on the ship, I've spent most of my time up till now out thre, and it's a little chilly for my tastes..."

She nodded and left.

She and Ava spent an hour out on the slopes, before going back to the ship.

Daniel stopped by the health clinic before grabbing dinner.

They've got almost everything here don't they? Next thing you know they'll start gambling down in the main hall...

A short exam left the doctor feeling almost as puzzled as Daniel. He'd never seen a patient with that exact health profile, and it matched with no known species. The doctor shrugged it off though, his patient said that everything was within the normal margin for his species, and left some money behind to keep his visit on the down-low. After all, it was a big universe. Maybe they just hadn't catalogued his type... and one patient is easy to forget. Especially for such a 'donation'... he thought he should get something for that cute waitress he'd been seeing...

Daniel was perplexed. The mental and physical analysis was right on the money, exactly the same results he'd learned to memorize. What does that mean? It's well within the margin of error for us... But why did I pass out?

He passed through the buffet in a daze, barely acknowledging the server as he refilled a tray. He moved over to the closest empty table and sat, his eyes almost glazing over as he contemplated.

I wonder...

Ava and Myronia had again parted for the evening, and Myronia went to get something to eat before going to walk around, while Ava just struck out on her own.

She saw Daniel, looking quite dazed at one of the tables.

Taking her food, she went over to him.

"Is anyone else sitting here?"

Vanyel had a drink, and ate a small meal before returning to the ship and his room, all the skiing he had done had made him less than pleasant company if you had even the most rudimentary sense of smell, and he was going to need to clean himself up before he had any further interaction with the rest ofthe passengers.

Ava and Myronia had again parted for the evening, and Myronia went to get something to eat before going to walk around, while Ava just struck out on her own.

She saw Daniel, looking quite dazed at one of the tables.

Taking her food, she went over to him.

"Is anyone else sitting here?"
Daniel was staring into space. It took him a second to register Myronia. He started as she spoke, shaking out of his reverie.

"Woa! ...Oh, hello Miss Meldris. I apologize for my lack of manners, I'm afraid I was off chasing butterflies. I'd be honored if you'd join me though.

Did you enjoy skiing?"

She set her plate down and sat.

"They weren't bad slopes...although I prefer the ones near my home. You also looked fairly dazed back in the building. I was just wondering if you are all right."

"I stopped by the onboard doc earlier. He said I looked fine, perfectly normal. He thought it was just dehydration, the exertion, and the proximity to the heater. I took it easy for a while, hydrated up, and then caught a shuttle back up here, went to see the doc, and then came here.

Seems that I was out for about five minutes. Gave a few of the guests a little bit of a turn."

"Well, it is good to see that you suffered no harm. Perhaps the environment did not agree with you, as you're not accustomed to that sort of cold and weather."

"Yeah, it's quite cold down there." I hate this... but I must keep the charade "I hadn't expected it to be quite that bad. In the future, I may have to layer better. And I was worried about being hot too... that was a fantasy, eh? They don't have winters remotely like this on Haven. I should've known."

Does she suspect? Gods I hope not. It would suck to have to report her as one who knows... such a nice person.

Right

"Well, you did wear a coat that I would normally say would suffice for a tent. What you want is a pair of light sweaters, a heavy sweater, and then something to keep out the wind. Your coat, while I'm sure it's warm, would have let in too much air. Cold air, which isn't something beneficial in that sort of weather."

"Okay. I'll write that down!" Daniel pulled out his old beat up datapad and entered the information as a memo. He'd hopefully remember it tomorrow.

"The coat is nice, but you're right, it did let in the wind a little too much. Probably not my size at all, but oh well.

It was very perceptive of Miss Ava to pick this up for me by the way. I really should do something to thank her."

"If you wish...but it's what she's paid for. She's been picking up after me since we were little."

An awkward silence filled the air. Daniel didn't really know what to say. An expert at tact he was not, and he continued to eat his dinner.

"So... What did you think of the city we saw? I was amazed at how well it was still standing."

"I'm amazed that the part we saw first was left standing so well. Areas like that tend to attract a lot of damage. But I'm not really surprised that it dried up."

Myronia could see that if anyone was to keep the conversation going well, it would have to be her. Because he was a technician...not a conversationalist.

Daniel absent-mindedly started fingering his fork, but stopped himself quickly. Ugh, I shouldn't do that! Twill make her think I'm not listening when I am.

"How so? They were right on an intergalactic highway. They charged tolls for entrance and everything. They could have kept going for years! I wonder why this highway completly dried up in the collapse, yet others were only reduced in flow..."

"When a society becomes blatantly corrupt, it dies. Newer, bolder, more moralistic forces come into play, until they, too, become corrupt. If the entrance to the town...and it looked like an entrance to me...was the District of the Undesirables...then it is time to move on."

She watched him fidget. Definitely used to working with his hands...and maybe not accustomed to speaking with other people...strangers...

"I guess so. But, this is a strategic waypoint. If this highway were brought back up, then it would literaly rake in money. Assuming the guys on the other end are still there and willing."

"Then maybe they aren't."

That was a simple explanation for a complex matter.

"Maybe..." Daniel ate another mouthful thoughtfully. "I guess we are quite a ways from the core all the way out here. Must have been expensive to run too... so when the trouble started brewing, it was cut off."

She seems used to talking with people she doesn't know well. Must be something she does a lot as a noble's daughter.

She nodded.

"That does sound a reasonable hypothesis."

Jor-ratherin padded into the room, melting frost and ice still clinging to his exo-skeleton, but his multifaceted eyes were bright and gleaming with the joy of discovery.

The small storage pods fastened to to his limbs and back are now considerably larger than when he set out, the honeycomb design seeming to have expanded to accomodate the contents - an unusual storage device, an interlocking expandable solid.

He spied the two bipeds that he had met earlier and which seemed to like him - a feeling reciprocated by the insectoid creature - and so headed off to join Daniel and Myronia, carapace steaming in the temperature change, to the consternation of several other passengers.

Daniel spied Jo-Ratherin padding towards them. He seemed to be pleased with himself, at least as far as Daniel could see, which wasn't much when speaking of insectoids. He seemed to be... steaming? Oh well, to each his own and then some. Daniel was actually sort of relieved that Jo-Ratherin had come. He was slightly nervous speaking with Myronia right now, especially after the incident.

"Hello Jo-ratherin, you certainly look pleased. How did your trip down there turn out?"

Myronia turned, as Jo-ratherin had been coming from beyond her field of vision. She smiled.

"Hello again. Enjoy the planet?"

If a Thyrian could have grinned in a way that a human could understand, Jor-ratherin would have. As usual on the ship the insectoid delicately pushed a chair out of the way with one foreleg, and positioned himself so that his head was on a level with those sitting.

"Good day to you both. The planet and trip were most enjoyable, although I did get a little distracted in the mountain ranges a short distance to the south."

He did not have to mention that there was not actually any transport to get to the southern mountain ranges, but he does have wings.

The insectoid popped one storage-comb from a forelimb and, by some process hidden behind its bulk, opened it. The contents looked suspiciously like rocks. Yes. Definately rocks.

"I managed to find some four unknown mineral composits, including several that could be used to improve the Jump systems and maybe even make the process relatively painless for human travellers! Not to mention this one..."

One foreclaw picked up a sample of a pinkish rock not unlike quartz. As he lifts it the others can see that the section of his forelimb directly above the claw, and on the reverse of the leg, has a small hollow section containing dozens of smaller finger-like claws, explaining how the Jor-ratherin could actually be the Master Artificer he introduced himself as.

"...this is looking like a peculiar alteration of Mer'anium and could be most useful for the strengthening of a larvae's carapace.
"There are also some minor deposits of the so-called valuable metals, but almost non-existant, a few diamond-fields that I may return to for gifts to the Matriarch or to others in the Community.
"Something that I will definately be returning for is a concentration of almost pure Nar'anic, with a perfect radioactive scale."

The insectoid looked at them, eyes bright and obviously not quite able to understand that others might not get the same thrills out of discovering strange minerals.

"What about the pair of you? Was your day most enjoyable or lacking in interest?"

Daniel glanced quickly at Myronia, and then right back, smiling at the insect. "It was an interesting but quite tiring day. Miss Meldris and I went to one of the old cities. Quite an interesting place, they have a derelict tradeship there in very good condition. I have a feeling they'll haul it off with us and do some research.

The undercarriage had collapsed, and the portside drive unit appeared to have been hit by a piece of the falling enviro-dome, but the hull's integrity was great everywhere else. The pulser turret on the dorsal surface looked like it could still fire! It was a C-variant of what most people call the Mu class I think... Those things could supposedly take a beating that a modern ship-of-the-line could only dream of." Daniel had been getting more excited as he talked. However, he noticed this and turned a little pink, cutting himself off.

Act like a kindergartener, why don'tcha?

"Miss Meldris, I am curious about how your skiing went."

"The planet has good slopes for skiing, but Ava and I have skied together a hundred thousand times before, so there wasn't really anything new or exciting."

She waved her hand dismissively. "And please, don't call me Miss Meldriss. I hear enough of that at home. My name is Myronia."

"Sure Myronia. I guess skiing has always interested me, not a single slope on Haven that is public and worth going to."

Her name has a really nice ring to it. Guess that's a perk of being Drow. Well, along with living several hundred years.

"We can teach you how to ski. It actually isn't that difficult."

::bump:: for others

ooc: apologies to all, but I'm trying to tie this to another RP.

IC:
The cruise ship took one last look at the planet. It had spent its day at the Ice planet, and was now aiming for something a little warmer... A nice planet with some huge beaches and jungle.

It slowly turned from the Ice World, leaving behind a meduim sized freighter it had been carrying. The freighter would land at the city and conduct research for a while.

As the cruise ship moved to the jump, the approaching stress was announced over the loudspeaker. "All sentients! Prepare for jump."

Daniel grabbed onto his chair and shut his eyes, bracing. Everything extended to infinity, and winked out of existance.

Daniel opened his eyes and saw that everything was back to normal. I will never get used to that... Extend to infinity and then return. There must be a better way.

Myronia had braced for the transition, so had less of a reaction than she'd had the first time.

"Well...it appears that we're on our way to a warmer world. I'd likely suggest sleeves and pants that insects can't bite through, but fabric breathable enough to not kill you from the heat."

ooc: ::bump for others::

"Ah, a place I'm used to! I hope we get to spend some time near the beach, there's little a good swim won't cure." Daniel was glad the next stop would be warm. His coat had proven itself to be capable of keeping one alive, but not in any state of happiness whatsoever.

"So, was this jump better than the last one?"

She smiled.

"One is less affected by what one is expecting. It still was not a plesant experience, though."

"But at least it's over for now. They'll probably spend a little longer at this newer planet. Some of the more... afluent in No Endorse really like their beaches. Hard to make a decent living in equatorial Haven anywhere near a coastline. It just costs so much."

"During the summer, some beaches get a little crowded. But this planet sounded pleasant, with plenty to do."

"Aye. Hopefully they'll have several drop sights. Make it less crowded. That's a nice upshot of shuttles, you don't need to land in only one place."

"Neither Ava nor I have travelled outside of Kaymiril very much. For all we know, this is normal, instead of luxurious."

"This is quite luxurious. Well, the toast could definatly be better, but I wouldn't mind taking the room from here and plopping it at my flat.

Too many people in the Inferno are homeless nowadays though. They'd think this gaudy. Society in No Endorse is starting to decline, people aren't as friendly as they used to be, the streets aren't as safe as when I was young."

"We have a very static society...we don't have so many of these problems. And Ava thinks this is guady, as well."

"Even static societies have their ups and downs. I'm sure that your race had or is having a golden age. And I'm equally sure there was a time when it wasn't so good. We can't stop the culmination of thousands of years and millions of beings, too much momentum to lightly turn aside."

I wonder if she's ever read some of the works of the greater psychologists?

The insectoid swung his head back to the other two, compound eyes glittering.

"A warm world would be interesting, the differences in mineral superstructure should be significant."

The Thyrian seemingly unaware that there has been a considerable time-lapse between the mention of a temperate world and the current topic. There is a small delay between his comment about a warm world, and then he speaks again.

"Dan-iel, I am sorry to hear about the problems in your country...I am sure that the Communities would be willing to lend assistence if it is needed, housng constructs are very simple to produce.
"And Myr-onia, a static society can be a useful platform of stability, although there is a possibility that they can stagnate. I am certain that such will not happen to yours."

"Our current Valsharess is trying to prevent that. In the first few years of her reign, we launched our first space craft...and our navy is sizable now. We use a lot of magick...but we've been learning technology."

"James Talon is a good man. I'm sure he'd jump at the thought of your housing being able to help. But nothing can stop so much pent-up psychological energy. Well, nothing short of a miracle."

A passing waitress overheard Talon's name and pulled near. "I'm sorry, but I overheard your conversation. The Prime Minister is no longer active. He announced his resignation the day we departed. But almost everyone was onboard before that point, so not many got to hear. Check the news."

Daniel pulled out his datapad, searching the news. "No... Not good. Wait... this explains a lot... Will there be a stop outside of No Endorse before we return?"

The waitress hung back. "We weren't planning on making a stop, but there probably will be one somewhere in light of this. If you need one, Gods bless you."

"And you." Daniel leaned back, looking thoughtful. Suddenly, though, he lightened up. "Oh well, we still have probably a week left in this cruise! No use worrying till then, everything will be more than in hand when the time comes."

A'Vashael found her mistress and sat beside her with a plate. She'd heard the conversation (not much escaped Drow hearing), and it made her uneasy.

"Clan politics gets messy with a democratic system. It can get messy with a monarchy...it might be safer for you from here on out to not give anyone reason to suspect you have sympathy for non-humans."

Myronia looked over at her servant. She had spoken both bluntly and out of place...not like her, but not unlike her when she felt the necessity.

"Ava may be right."

After all...you look human enough to pass, lothra uss.

"So the word is out for Xeno-excuse me-non humans to stay out of there? Good. The Laskis are not known for their... politeness towards non-humans, the more news spread the better. They're completly psychotic, opposed the equal rights movement a while back with violent riots. That must have been fifty years ago though..." He paused for a second, glancing into space.

And yet I could remember it like yesterday... the perks of being an almost hive-mind... everything for a hundred thousand years if I wished...

"I'll probably lay low for a few years if things go bad, even leave for the Eshirian Soverignty or another nearby nation if it's impossible. They'll not mess with the Haven population too much hopefully, its pretty open and mainstream. Though that might make us a better target for their lockdown."

A'Vashael and Myronia exchanged glances.

"We thought you were human?" Myronia had long suspected that it was not true, Daniel d' Longstrike's humanity...but they had allowed him to keep it.

Until and unless he should of his own will leave the pretense behind.

"Wha?" A small flutter in the eyes, almost inperceptable. "No, I just hire a few. There are a few nut-jobs though who are going through the 'Abominations taking jobs from hard-working humans' motions. Kind of boring really, they tend to protest a lot."

And so we begin the dance, neh? Nah crap Sherlock, you knew this would happen. 'I'll go meet high up people to sell stuff to and open new markets!'

Myronia leaned forward slightly, while A'Vashael started on her meal.

"Then why the need for pretense? We are hardly human ourselves."

Eyes glance around quickly. A hesitation. He leaned in a little, speaking rapidly and softly. "It's a dangerous enough to live with it. Without, I'll need more than a pair of disrupters under my pillow. Let's talk later." He leaned back and smiled, speaking in a normal tone again. "No, I meant that I hire a few non-humans. Few in the Inferno don't, so I'm not too worried."

"Oh. Of course. My apologies, Mr. Longstrike. I mis-interpreted."

Ava set her fork down. "What could, potentially, happen to these non-human employees of yours?"

"Perfectly alright Miss Myronia. However, that, I'm afraid Miss Ava, would be inappropriate for polite coversation. However, they most likely would find themselves most likely spread over a rather large area, hanging from clotheslines. Or at least what parts remain.

Those that don't will more than likely have their rights stripped, be enslaved or deported, and alltogether not have pleasent lives."

A'Vashael and Myronia looked at each other.

This was an interesting new development...and due to the nature of their travel plans, they might have to pass through Haven again on their way back.

Ava took a sip of her drink.

"Hard to believe a nation could go from tolerant to intolerant in such a short span of time."

"Hard to believe that it got as tolerant as it did in the last fifty years. This country is too steeped in tradition to let go. And since it was dragged so far to what for it is an extreme, it will snap back to its slow linear progression towards Nonhuman rights. However, we'll see many years of whiplash."

He leaned forewards, acting as if he was trying to decide what to eat. Quietly and rapidly he spoke again. "Looks like we have several people taking interest in our conversation. Watch yourself. Most are harmless, but that one behind me with the massive facial scar is a little too interested." He slipped a napkin with a number and a message to her. Above the number, it read. 'Meet at my room if you'd like to discuss this further.'

He'd barely touched his food, but the show must go on. He leaned back and smiled at the pair of Drow. "Well, I'm afraid that it is late and I must retire. Thanks for the buisness pointers and the envigorating political discussion. Good night Miss Myronia, Miss Ava."

===========================

The man in question thought the display humerous. Obviously not used to any REAL subterfuge. Cute, but worthless. Just another pawn, and I am the rook, biship, and knight all in one. He finished his drink and walked away, off to do his devil's work.

"Good night, Mr. Longstrike."

The napkin found its way into A'Vashael's hands...she was less likely to let it get lost, and the two Drow females watched the human leave, and then finished their meal themselves.

They'd visit later, so that there was no suspicion.

What's done is done. Best to tell the whole story and impress the need for secrecy than go halfway and start a rumor mill.

He made it to the room and swipped the key, palming the lock quickly. There was much to do, mostly in the form of getting underwear into drawers and shirts into the closet.

But some had to do with an odd plethera of gadgets that dumped out of a briefcase. A cone of silence. An short and ornate looking blade. A pair of menacing pistol-looking devices. Finally, a blank black box. This last part was attatched to the back of his datapad through a recess.

Anxiety and sweat. The temperature rose as everything was prepared and perfected. Everything tucked away and hidden. All the cruise liner's cute little bugs were registering him being asleep and the lights off. One of the menacing devices tucked into the back of his belt, the other returned to its briefcase. Finally, it was done. Daniel stepped back, admiring the work done. In a mere twenty minutes standard, the room was completly his.

Now he sat on his bed, leaning back against the wall in darkness. It was time to wait.

Myronia and Ava stayed went back to their own room after they'd finished eating, and remained there for about an hour.

Myronia went down to visit Daniel, while A'Vashael went back to wandering the ship.

It would be easier to explain one of them being anywhere at any given time, if necessary.

Daniel herd the knocking at his door. He flipped the lights on and moved to it, the small device still resting in the back of his belt with his hand on the handle.


He opened the door slowly. Seeing she was alone and unaccompanied, Daniel visibly relaxed, bringing his other hand into view and motioning her inside.

"Hello Myronia, come on in. There is a lot to talk about, definatly, and we still need to be fresh enough in the morning to keep up the act that nothing happened."

She stepped in with an easy, unconcerned grace. It seemed as though no matter how odd things could get, that was a quality that you couldn't separate from the person, even if you tried. So it was for all her race...beautiful...deadly...mysterious...Drow.

"Well, if there is much to discuss, then we should begin. After all...you probably have a greater need of sleep than I do."

She, like all her kind, required only short amounts of rest, in comparison to humans, who required a full eight hours. She only required half that.

Daniel was almost taken aback by her attitude. But he shook the feeling quickly. Things had to be done and fast. He shut the door behind himself, bolting it doubly.

"There is a cone of silence active in this room, no listeners can hear us. Also, all of the bugs the cruise people have in here are registering a ten minute loop of me sleeping last night.

But I forget my manners, please sit down." He motioned to a chair, pulling the disrupter from the back of his pants and placing it on a table beside her chair. "Yeah, they're illegal. But you can't be too careful." He sat down across from her.

"Now, you're probably wondering who and what I am properly. However, if you'll forgive my saying so, I still do not know you that well. Every word I say is completly and utterly secret beyond the bounds of mortal endurance.

I just need to ask you one question before we begin. Completly friendly I assure you. Can I trust you?" He looked deep into her eyes, searching for anything that might give away false statements.

"The only other person that will hear of this from me is A'Vashael, tomorrow on the planet. And she is perfectly trust worthy. However...the only person that can tell you if you trust me...is yourself."

The Meldriss were known in their own country for holding secrets for ages...not letting them go until the necessary moment...and not necessary for their sakes...but for the greater good.

Her eyes were clear and open...they held no trace of deciet or fear. But like she said...the only one that Daniel d' Longstrike would be able to know that he could trust her from was himself.

He stared for a second longer, watching for any sign. Satisfied, he began reaching for his datapad. "Good answer.

Well, what exactly do you want to know about me? There are some things I can't answer and many things I don't know myself. Everything I've said about where I'm from and my name is true."

"But that only tells me your name and where you come from...I want to know something infinitely more simple...and infinitely more complex. To sum it up simply...who are you?"

"What you might call a relic in a modern galaxy of Humans. There is honestly no knowledge of our origins, the distance into the past is so huge that only the bare fewest minds can bridge it, and those that do never tell. It makes one wonder sometimes.

You've probably never heard of the little myths they tell children about a race called the An'Dyne, have you? Absolutly shoddy job at getting our name right, but I guess it's the best they can do. No spoken words can really approximate the meaning."

"I've never heard of the An'Dyne before. Until recently, Kaymiril was isolated from the rest of the galaxy."

Vanyel was walking the halls again when he noticed a familiar form. "Ava! How are you?"

A'Vashael was standing by one of the windows, watching the stars go by. Her arms were folded, and she'd been contemplating something when Vanyel called out to her.

She looked at him, then back out.

"Something has changed. Can you not feel it? There is a new tension...a new knowledge...and whatever it is, it is not for the good of any concerned."

A'Vashael was standing by one of the windows, watching the stars go by. Her arms were folded, and she'd been contemplating something when Vanyel called out to her.

She looked at him, then back out.

"Something has changed. Can you not feel it? There is a new tension...a new knowledge...and whatever it is, it is not for the good of any concerned."

He walked up behind her, "I know, I feel something. I don't know what it is, but I feel it..." He was so tempted, but it was best not to bow to temptation...

Ava looked out, turning her head slightly, as though tracking something.

It begins to appear that Jaluk and Jalil Meldriss had poor timing in sending their daughter away...

She still had the human to deal with.

"Tell me something...you seemed very anxious that neither myself nor my employer were mages. Why...one would think that one mage would not mind the presence of another."

Ava looked out, turning her head slightly, as though tracking something.

It begins to appear that Jaluk and Jalil Meldriss had poor timing in sending their daughter away...

She still had the human to deal with.

"Tell me something...you seemed very anxious that neither myself nor my employer were mages. Why...one would think that one mage would not mind the presence of another."

"How did you know? I never told either of you..." He looks briefly worried, "Ah, screw it... Yes, I'm a Sorcerer, but I did not want to reveal that until I felt safer with the only two on this ship who could identify me. I have other reasons as well, but they are mine to keep secret as I wish..."

"Keep your reasons, as you wish...but you want to know how it was very easy to tell that you were not what you tried to make yourself appear to be?"

She looked at the human for a moment, but did not give him a chance to answer.

"Everything that exists uses and creates energy. It just tends to flow differently around people that can utilize it more than others. I noted it, as did L' Waelin Jalil d' Meldriss when you addressed her earlier."

"Keep your reasons, as you wish...but you want to know how it was very easy to tell that you were not what you tried to make yourself appear to be?"

She looked at the human for a moment, but did not give him a chance to answer.

"Everything that exists uses and creates energy. It just tends to flow differently around people that can utilize it more than others. I noted it, as did L' Waelin Jalil d' Meldriss when you addressed her earlier."

"I see... I draw all of my strength from myself, so I wouldn't know about that... On the other hand, my reasons are more a reluctance to tell more than I must, more than a dislike or distrust of you..." He smiled, and continued talking. "It's a little awkward, my history..."

"Most people would say that about themselves...because no one can see themselves as 'normal.' I would very much like to know how anyone defines normal."

"Most people would say that about themselves...because no one can see themselves as 'normal.' I would very much like to know how anyone defines normal."

"Very carefully Ava, very carefully... I think that Normal may just be a label to stygmatize those of us that do not conform..." He gets a haunted look in his eyes, but quickly shakes it off, and smiles again.

"But how does anyone conform and remain an individual?"

"But how does anyone conform and remain an individual?"

"They don't." He said it darkly, as though he had some experience with conformists.

"Then normalicy is not a thing to be desired...or even fretted over."

"Perhaps, but tell me, is isolation as a thing to be feared so much better?"

"Not really. If there are things worse than death...and there are, trust me...there are things worse than isolation. But I, for one, like to believe that everything will turn out for the best, at the end."

"I would not know... Being alone, to me, is much worse than being dead Ava. I have been alone for so long, I think I'm going numb..."

"Dangerous, in a mage."

"Dangerous, in a mage."

"Possibly, but it's been so long, and it's so cold... I don't even know if I'm real anymore..."

"That's fairly sad...and also fairly difficult to acheive."

"It has been so long, almost since I hit puberty, I've been alone. It is not that difficult at all Ava... Trust me on this."

"If hope is lost to you...completely foreign, unimaginable, and undesirable...then, yes, you are lost. But not until."

"Not quite yet, but soon... I've been alone so long Ava, for me the last few years have been like decades, dragging on, one loss after another..."

"You know, it isn't likely to stop if you don't stop pitying yourself for being alone and start doing something to rectify that which you see as a problem."

"And what would you have me do? What can I do when I am abandoned and reviled by my entire family, abandoned by those I loved, and hated by everyone I grew up with? What am I supposed to do Ava?!"

"You're supposed to seek out other non-conformists...those that will accept you, instead of wandering around aimlessly, blaming life on the fact that you suffer, when instead you put yourself through every bit of agony you allow yourself to feel. My employer's family does not approve of her, either...and yet she continues on. She does not sit and mope."

"Then maybe I should stay with you hmm? Or am I so disgusting to you that you will not help me?"

"It is not for me to respond to that. I have my duties...and those come before aquaintences."

"Then who should I ask, your mistress?"

"Yes. Although at the moment she is speaking with an aquaintence she has made in these past few days."

"Then I'll wait until she is done. Is there anything I should know before I ask?"

"You don't greet anyone formally unless they are looking at you...and you do not call the mistress by the servant's name."

"You don't greet anyone formally unless they are looking at you...and you do not call the mistress by the servant's name."

"I understand. I don't know much about the Drow, I assumed that was the ONLY greeting. And mistaking her for you was an accident..."

"She will always be in a more vibrant color. And no, that is not the only greeting...but it is standard."

"More vibrant color? I have no comprehension as to what that means, but I will take your word for it."

"Her house colors are pale blue and gray. She will always be wearing them both in some combination. And I, as her servant, will always be wearing paler versions, with less blue."

"Her house colors are pale blue and gray. She will always be wearing them both in some combination. And I, as her servant, will always be wearing paler versions, with less blue."

"I understand now, thank you. Is there anything else, anything at all?"

"She has more limited patience than I do."

Within his cabin the glow of intelligence returned to Jor'ratherin's eyes as he "woke". Thyrians never truly sleep, not in the way that Isolates would understand it, but rather send their consiousness deep into the Oversoul and wrap their superconsious in the thoughts of the uncountable trillions of Thyrians throughout the universe, scattered Communities and massive Hive Systems, Thyrians in love and those focussed upon a single objective, those who are slumbering between work periods and even those few Thyrians bred as Warriors.

Jor-ratherin of v'ra scuttled out of the sleeping comb constructed in his chambers and shook himself, enjoying the sensation of silicite muscles being stretched and relaxed. He could feel the tension building on the ship through the psychic emanations of his "friends" and, though both unable and unwilling to determine the reason, the psychic pressure was new and unpleasant to the pacifist creature. A slight shrug - an impressive feat with six shoulders - and the insection strolled out of his room to find something to eat or, at least, to attempt to eat.

[[Yes, still around...just a very hectic RL at the moment...will post again later]]

"That was you being patient??"

"That was me telling you that self-pity isn't going to get you anywhere with anyone, human or otherwise."

"I've never heard of the An'Dyne before. Until recently, Kaymiril was isolated from the rest of the galaxy."

"Meh, and it's unlikely you'll hear of them in an actual scholarly sense very often. We're like the boogeyman.

You see, that ice planet we visited, heck, a good near half this quadrant, was part of our old empire, a collection of ancient human colonies. Then some people from a place called 'Earth' or something decided to take back their old colonies in this region. As you can imagine, this ended in a pretty expectable way. We were mostly traders, and when a cohesive military force hit us by surprise, we pretty well crumbled.

We still fought the good fight in a few areas, that's what we think the Great Drift is, the sight of the final battle. Not to bore you with history, but we got some people infiltrated into their side, kept a small planet hidden and melded with their culture. Their fleet had been hit hard enough that they were stuck and had no F-T-L communications, so we quickly brcame demons in their eyes. Now, we're an ancient but living myth in their minds, kinda like, what do they call it... Satan?

The long and short of it is this: I'm related to humans. Somewhat. But there was a little hivemindage evolution that crept in. Nothing like an Overmind, but enough that I could hook up and instantly learn pretty much anything and communicate with anyone in a few seconds."

"That was me telling you that self-pity isn't going to get you anywhere with anyone, human or otherwise."

Vanyel looked rather sheepish, "Heh... Ok. I guess I deserved that..."

~Snip~
"Interesting...but I fail to see the need for continued paranoia."

~Snip~
"Indeed."

Vanyel was unsure how to respond to that, and lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

Ava wasn't any more inclined to talk.

"Interesting...but I fail to see the need for continued paranoia."

"Umm... hmm... In No Endorse, the religion is based around a Forge Master, who wrought everything in a great fire in the first time. Anyways, most people don't believe that in a literal sense anymore, but they do believe that there was a creator.

There was also a negative figure, like in many other religions. It attempted to take over the Forge in the beginning. He got his butt kicked, and he and his creations were banished to the physical plane. We got grouped in with his creations.

Imagine what would happen if the people realize that the supposed creations of their equilivant of Satan were living alongside them, and a simple X-ray is all that's needed to tell our identities. To draw a parallel to one of the ancient religions, it would be like Christians realizing that Satan was their next-door neighbor."

Myronia took this in, and nodded.

"Humans seem a more difficult species than is honestly necessary."