[Nexus] Bronze Keep-Muh Freedoms

[TechnoScrabble]

Standing far from Inside, on the border between the verdant, rolling hills of the Meadowgreen and the beautiful but dangerous forests of Wode is a small hill. Atop this hill grows a massive, ancient oak tree with branches as thick as the trunks of any normal tree and roots like boulders. The bark is gnarled and cracked and thick with the sap of aeons passed by since it first sprouted, and stands tall, challenging nature's decree that all things must pass in time. It is, funnily enough, the only oak in the area. The other trees are all maple, juniper, spruce, or apple.

Built around the oak is a castle, its overly tall and thick walls crafted from some strange, bronze plated bricks that have grown greenish and mossy with age. The branches of the tree hang out over the walls and wrap around the five cone-roofed towers and the gatehouse chimney, and the entrance is blocked by a spiked iron portcullis and gate that lack any apparent mechanism to open them. Near the gate, a single brick has a strange rune carved into it.

/Π\

This is the Bronze Keep, Haven to those who would seek it, Sanctuary to those who would need it.


More detail will be added when I have a computer, but just know that there's the castle, the tunnels beneath the castle and the forests growing in them, the scary forest, the fields, and the village of Meadowgreen down the road.



To be filled out when I have a computer



The general rules of FFRP and Nexus apply here as well, but there are a few extra guidelines.

Please run any attacks/huge refugee surges/whatever major event by me, first. I'd rather not wake one morning to find eight pages about how Lord Edgy the Superevil tortured everyone to death because nobody could stop his megapowers.

Let me know if you want a character added to the registry here, or possibly even a location.

[Earl of Purple]

Bronze Keep (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336036)

Riley's in such a state that he doesn't even close the door all the way, slipping through a makeshift curtain, from which soon emanate a soft thud and the sound of snoring.

Agape will close the door for him and head back to her room.

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley's Tower

And Riley finally manages to get some sleep!

[TechnoScrabble]

Gate

Keith arrives, Thalia and Bellethille in tow. He doesn't travel slow and easy for the sake of others like Riley does, not even considering the girls' conditions, but he'll make sure they don't fall behind.

"Boss! Open opp!" he shouts, kicking at the gate.

Riley looks over the wall, scowling at first, then sees Thalia and pales.

"****!"

The gates open when Riley kicks the right stone the right way, and he shimmies down a drain point to rush over to Thalia.

"What the hell happened?!"

[Earl of Purple]

Gate

"Harribald happened. He saw her in a bar and had her drugged and taken home. Don't worry- he's dead now. These guys came and shot him in the head." Bellithele is likely in better condition physically than Thalia, but the elf's unwillingness to let anyone touch her suggests that she does bear her own scars. Since I don't think they've stopped to change, she's still wearing a translucent orange dress that makes it clear that she's wearing nothing else.

[Arkhosia]

Gate

"Harribald happened. He saw her in a bar and had her drugged and taken home. Don't worry- he's dead now. These guys came and shot him in the head." Bellithele is likely in better condition physically than Thalia, but the elf's unwillingness to let anyone touch her suggests that she does bear her own scars. Since I don't think they've stopped to change, she's still wearing a translucent orange dress that makes it clear that she's wearing nothing else.

Thalia instinctively backs away slightly, arms raised slightly.
She is dressed in a similar dress, if memory serves correctly.

[TechnoScrabble]

Gate

Riley stops dead in his tracks when Thalia recoils from him.

That's something he'd do.

"No," he shakes his head, "No, this isn't, this...Come on. Inside. You're safe here. We've got clothes somewhere."

He leads them inside, grabbing Keith and having a quick, quietly hissed argument with the hobgoblin. Riley doesn't need slavers and bounty hunters coming here.

[Earl of Purple]

Gate

Bellithele will follow gratefully, though keeps a few steps away from everyone else, recoiling and looking scared if anyone approaches within that range- Keith is an exception, as hobgoblins don't look very human.

[Arkhosia]

Gate

Bellithele will follow gratefully, though keeps a few steps away from everyone else, recoiling and looking scared if anyone approaches within that range- Keith is an exception, as hobgoblins don't look very human.

Thalia follows as well at a distance, despondent.
Keith is an exception here as well

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley notices the distance kept from himself and is honestly really saddened by it. He leads them to one of the dressing rooms, one that still has clothes in it, and stays far out of their way. Even though he didn't do anything wrong, just the fact they're reacting like this makes him feel downright criminal.

"Do you need a doctor?"

[Earl of Purple]

Changing Room

"I... I don't know." It's clear, even through her dress, that Bellithele is mostly unhurt- there's a few bruises on her ribs from where Harribald awoke her every morning, but he never kicked hard enough to break a rib.

Bellithele doesn't care who's looking as she pulls the dress off and replaces it with a t-shirt and a pair of loose trousers; the dress didn't hide anything, and she's turned around so her back's to them.

[Arkhosia]

thalia shakes her head,
she,s in similar condition.
Thalia changes into jeans, a sweater, and some boots and gloves. her back turned, one of the two men may notice the antimagic tattoo

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley stays out of the dressing room. He doesn't like to wear short sleeves, much less be seen naked, and affords others the same respect. Keith stays out of the room in respect for their privacy.

"We have a doctor-in-training and a paladin here, if you need them," Riley's despair is apparent in his voice.

While they change, they may hear a whispered argument.

"Fighting slavers, Keith? Are you insane?!"

"Do you haff enny idea what they d-"

"Yes, yes I do! First hand, in fact!"

There's a moment of silence.

"I...I can't have everyone die for one person."

"So what, I should've left her?!"

"I-I...I..."

[Earl of Purple]

Dressing Room

"Are either of them female?" She might surprise Riley or Keith with how fast she got dressed. She's gotten used to having to put clothes on or off quickly or be punished, though sometimes she had to do it slowly or be punished.

[Arkhosia]

Dressing Room

"Are either of them female?" She might surprise Riley or Keith with how fast she got dressed. She's gotten used to having to put clothes on or off quickly or be punished, though sometimes she had to do it slowly or be punished.

Thalia nods.
I think... I think it may be best for me to find a psychiatrist.
She tells them.

[TechnoScrabble]

Dressing Room

Riley freezes up when they exit, hoping Thalia didn't hear anything.

"They're both girls. Keith and I are the only guys here."

He'll try to talk to Thalia off to the side.

"I...I thought you were mad at me about the drow and took off...I'm sorry..."

[Earl of Purple]

Dressing Room

"I'd like to see the paladin, please." It's the 'in-training' bit that's making her nervous.

Plus, I dislike characters of mine interacting directly with each other- most of the time, at least.

[Arkhosia]

Dressing Room

Riley freezes up when they exit, hoping Thalia didn't hear anything.

"They're both girls. Keith and I are the only guys here."

He'll try to talk to Thalia off to the side.

"I...I thought you were mad at me about the drow and took off...I'm sorry..."

It's okay.
Talia replies softly.

[TechnoScrabble]

Dressing Room

Riley nods and blinks, gnawing on his dry lower lip. It's not okay. He doesn't say that, though.

"A-alright. Keith, you're the hero, you g-"

"Not happening. You want this place defended, Boss? Hy gotta refill my stash. You kin take, 'em to whatever paladin you found."

Riley glares at Keith, his heart not really in being angry right now. He doesn't feel comfortable being around the girls with how obviously uncomfortable they are around him.

"Fine. Come on."

He'll lead the way to Weiss's grotto, hoping the paladin is there.

[Earl of Purple]

Dressing Room

"If she is there, would you mind terribly if you weren't?" Bellithele sounds nervous about asking this of her host, but she's going to be nervous and jumpy for quite a while- already she feels as though she's outnumbered, and Keith's only just left.

[Arkhosia]

Dressing Room

Riley nods and blinks, gnawing on his dry lower lip. It's not okay. He doesn't say that, though.

"A-alright. Keith, you're the hero, you g-"

"Not happening. You want this place defended, Boss? Hy gotta refill my stash. You kin take, 'em to whatever paladin you found."

Riley glares at Keith, his heart not really in being angry right now. He doesn't feel comfortable being around the girls with how obviously uncomfortable they are around him.

"Fine. Come on."

He'll lead the way to Weiss's grotto, hoping the paladin is there.

Thalia nods.
I'm going to head to GLoG. They may have a psychiatrist there.

[TechnoScrabble]

Grotto

"That's fine...I'll...I'll leave. Thalia,I won't stop you, but...be safe?"

He starts walking away to let Weiss handle things with Belle, turning around to say one last thing.

"You're safe here. I promise."

[Arkhosia]

Grotto

"That's fine...I'll...I'll leave. Thalia,I won't stop you, but...be safe?"

He starts walking away to let Weiss handle things with Belle, turning around to say one last thing.

"You're safe here. I promise."

Thalia nods before leaving.

The two will see Weiss, a raven-haired beauty with maroon eyes and pale skin, in shining steel armor, sleeping while leaning against the inside of the cave entrance, hands on her sword hilt, which is stabbing the earth below.

[Earl of Purple]

Grotto

Bellithele waits, cautiously, for Weiss to wake up. She's had bad experiences waking people up in the past.

[Arkhosia]

Grotto

Bellithele waits, cautiously, for Weiss to wake up. She's had bad experiences waking people up in the past.

The holy knight stirs.
Hello, miss. I am Weiss Solis, paladin of Avandra. How may I help you?
She asks politely, her eyes still closed

[Earl of Purple]

Grotto

"I'm Bellithele. Are you capable of assessing and healing injuries?" Bellithele stays a distance back, not wanting to get too close.

Is Thalia still here, or has she gone elsewhere?

[Arkhosia]

Grotto

"I'm Bellithele. Are you capable of assessing and healing injuries?" Bellithele stays a distance back, not wanting to get too close.

Is Thalia still here, or has she gone elsewhere?

Elsewhere!

I can heal injuries, yes. Do not fear, Bellithele, this grotto is under the blessing of Avandra, goddess of Freedom. You are safe here
Weiss informs her in a calm tone, noticing the discomfort.

[Earl of Purple]

Grotto

"I think it's just bruising, but could you check? Without touching me?" The last bit is quite important.

[Arkhosia]

Grotto

"I think it's just bruising, but could you check? Without touching me?" The last bit is quite important.

Weiss nods.
show me.
She offers entry as well.

[Earl of Purple]

[B]Grotto[/B

After she enters the grotto's aura of freedom, she isn't quite as nervous as she pulls up her shirt to show the bruising on the right side of her rib cage. It is bruising, with no other injuries- at least, not there. But Weiss might want to do a full check up, I don't know.

[Arkhosia]

[B]Grotto[/B

After she enters the grotto's aura of freedom, she isn't quite as nervous as she pulls up her shirt to show the bruising on the right side of her rib cage. It is bruising, with no other injuries- at least, not there. But Weiss might want to do a full check up, I don't know.

Weiss simply casts a simple healing spell that will heal all bruises or small cuts on Bellithele.

[Earl of Purple]

Grotto

"Thank you." She smiles, and shivers slightly as the magic washes over her. She'll turn to leave, unless stopped.

[Arkhosia]

Grotto

"Thank you." She smiles, and shivers slightly as the magic washes over her. She'll turn to leave, unless stopped.

Weiss does not stop her!
She waves slightly as she leaves.

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley's Room

It's late at night. Riley finally managed to get some sleep.

So, of course, the sound of shattering glass and bloodcurdling screams practically explode from his room.

[Arkhosia]

Riley's Room

It's late at night. Riley finally managed to get some sleep.

So, of course, the sound of shattering glass and bloodcurdling screams practically explode from his room.

Thalia wakes with a start, and darts over frantically, dressed in a simple nightgown, and knocks on the door of the tower.
Riley?!

[TechnoScrabble]

Thalia wakes with a start, and darts over frantically, dressed in a simple nightgown, and knocks on the door of the tower.
Riley?!

The door is locked!

There's no more screams, but no response, either. A sickening smell leaks out of the room, like bloated sewage and seawater.

[Arkhosia]

The door is locked!

There's no more screams, but no response, either. A sickening smell leaks out of the room, like bloated sewage and seawater.

Thalia tries to kick the door open and rush upstairs!

[TechnoScrabble]

Thalia tries to kick the door open and rush upstairs!

It takes a few whacks, but eventually the old door gives qqy, splintering beneath Thalia's foot!

Riley's room is crisscrossed with fishing lines, blankets hanging from them and sectioning off and obscuring the room beyond the entrance...

[Arkhosia]

It takes a few whacks, but eventually the old door gives qqy, splintering beneath Thalia's foot!

Riley's room is crisscrossed with fishing lines, blankets hanging from them and sectioning off and obscuring the room beyond the entrance...

Thalia darts up, moving the blankets to get a view of the predicament!

[TechnoScrabble]

Thalia darts up, moving the blankets to get a view of the predicament!

The first area she manages to get into is a hygiene area, with a claw footed bathtub surrounded with empty bubble bath wash containers and scrubbing pads with coatings of dried blood, a simple metal washbasin on a stand, and a mirror over the wash basin that appears to have been smashed several times.

There's dried blood everywhere, on the mirror, in the basin, in a ring around the inside of the tub. There's also a strange green ichor dried in some places. Words and drawings of eyes have been carved into the old wood and paint or scrawled in blood and green gunk everywhere.

FILTHY

FREAK

UNCLEAN

[Arkhosia]

The first area she manages to get into is a hygiene area, with a claw footed bathtub surrounded with empty bubble bath wash containers and scrubbing pads with coatings of dried blood, a simple metal washbasin on a stand, and a mirror over the wash basin that appears to have been smashed several times.

There's dried blood everywhere, on the mirror, in the basin, in a ring around the inside of the tub. There's also a strange green ichor dried in some places. Words and drawings of eyes have been carved into the old wood and paint or scrawled in blood and green gunk everywhere.

FILTHY

FREAK

UNCLEAN

Thalia faints.
And ends up falling all the way down the stairs.
K.Oed until morning.
:smalleek:

[TechnoScrabble]

She'll wake up resting against a comfortably mossy root in the courtyard, an ice pack taped to her head and smashed roots rubbed over her bruises.

Riley sits on a bench nearby, looking the opposite direction, picking at a white wasp orchid.

"I told you to stay out of my room."

[Arkhosia]

She'll wake up resting against a comfortably mossy root in the courtyard, an ice pack taped to her head and smashed roots rubbed over her bruises.

Riley sits on a bench nearby, looking the opposite direction, picking at a white wasp orchid.

"I told you to stay out of my room."

Thalia wakes up and looks around groggily.
Ugh... oh, hi Riley. ...what happened las tonight to me?

[TechnoScrabble]

"You were in my room," Riley says. He doesn't face Thalia, his words carry the scowl for him.

[Arkhosia]

"You were in my room," Riley says. He doesn't face Thalia, his words carry the scowl for him.

I... I can't remember anything at all last night.
Thalia replies, rubbing her head

[TechnoScrabble]

"Good," Riley says curtly. He stands up and storms off, but the look on his fave is more worried than angry...

[Arkhosia]

"Good," Riley says curtly. He stands up and storms off, but the look on his fave is more worried than angry...

Thalia watches him to, confused.
...Riley, what's wrong?
She asks

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley doesn't answer, leaving Thalia to recover beneath the tree while he fixes his door. He's a bit upset with her, apparently.

[Arkhosia]

Riley doesn't answer, leaving Thalia to recover beneath the tree while he fixes his door. He's a bit upset with her, apparently.

Thalia gets up unsteadily and approaches Riley.
She sees the door.
She remembers.
And faints.
:smalltongue:

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley's quick enough to catch her this time, almost as if some greater being were watching over him...

He'll be holding Thalia steady when she comes to.

Stop doing that!"

[Arkhosia]

Riley's quick enough to catch her this time, almost as if some greater being were watching over him...

He'll be holding Thalia steady when she comes to.

Stop doing that!"

She comes to in a couple minutes.
I-I remember n-now. S-so t-that's why you w-wanted us to stay out.
She says with a chuckle despite her obvious state of utter horrifiedness

[TechnoScrabble]

"What all did you see?" Riley asks sternly, looking Thalia so hard in the eyes it hurts.

[Arkhosia]

"What all did you see?" Riley asks sternly, looking Thalia so hard in the eyes it hurts.

blood... eyes... and... words.
Thalia manages to day,, horrified and shuddering

[TechnoScrabble]

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone," Riley says with a sigh that says nothing, "I don't need them worrying. Fear is the last thing we need brought here."

[Arkhosia]

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone," Riley says with a sigh that says nothing, "I don't need them worrying. Fear is the last thing we need brought here."

Talia nods wordlessly, still horrified

[TechnoScrabble]

"Also," Riley says a bit solemnly, pursing his mouth, "I'm sorry if this hurts."

He reaches out with his flesh hand to try and touch Thalia's forehead, his skin literally squirming and crawling briefly as he tries to yank the memory out of Thalia and dispose of it.

[Arkhosia]

"Also," Riley says a bit solemnly, pursing his mouth, "I'm sorry if this hurts."

He reaches out with his flesh hand to try and touch Thalia's forehead, his skin literally squirming and crawling briefly as he tries to yank the memory out of Thalia and dispose of it.

He succeeds!
Talia braces herself

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley pulls the memory out if he can, and then gets up and walks away, not a word said. He's debating with himself the morality of what he just did, but it's too late now to undo it.

[Arkhosia]

Riley pulls the memory out if he can, and then gets up and walks away, not a word said. He's debating with himself the morality of what he just did, but it's too late now to undo it.

Success!
Thalia lies down on the bench, and falls asleep.

[Lord Magtok]

Outside the Iron Portcullis

The MagMobile rolls to a stop in front of the Keep. A Magbot chauffeur opens a door in the back, and our notorious cyborg steps out, studying the building with his cold, mismatched eyes.

"This is the safe place mentioned on Wall, Z-92?"

"Affirmative, sire. The Bronze Keep."

Magtok frowns, still staring intently at the massive complex, as if the answers to all of life mysteries were written on the strange bronze bricks that the fortress is made from. After a minute or so, he shrugs.

"Eh. I suppose it could be worse. Keep the engine running, though. We don't quite know what to expect."

He steps forward, patiently waiting for someone to greet him from the opposite end of the iron gate.

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley's head pops over the wall crenelations, a shaggy mess of black hair from beneath which pokes the boy's dull hazel and grey eyes. Next to him is what appears to be a horned bush covered in flowers, but is really just a skiddo in a bad need of a pruning. Riley watches Magtok blankly, quietly, eerily, for a long time. He's heard things about the cyborg. Bad things.

After a bit, he calls down from the gatehouse roof, his voice firm and clear as opposed to the shaky, quavering tone he had not too long ago.

"This place is rightfully laid claim and occupied, find your treasure elsewhere."

[Lord Magtok]

Gatehouse

Magtok smiles at the accusation, ignoring it completely as he looks back up at Riley. "Surprise inspection. Don't tell Skyside, but I have a shipment on its way. Dunno if GLoG and HALO can care for them all, and apparently the Lotus Gardens have a sort of indentured servitude thing for a year, for the new releases, so that's no good. Figured I'd explore my options, see if this is the sort of place I'd recommend to the newly liberated."

Magtok hovers upwards as he speaks, intent on making eye contact with Riley from only a few feet away, at a matching altitude if he can.

"So...is it alright if I float back down and you give me a tour of the premises? Can't really vouch for this place if I don't know what it's like, after all."

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley scrambles back on the roof from Magtok as he floats up, his arm shifting halfway to shield mode before turning back, and Fourteen-Ball bleats angrily. Riley pus himself up, trying to ignore his short bout of panic and hoping Magtok didn't notice or is too self absorbed to remember.

"Newly liberated?" he looks Magtok in the eye, an incredulous look on his face, "Since when do you free slaves?"

[Lord Magtok]

Gatehouse

"Since the slave buy-back program a few months back. Rousing success, if you can call a bunch of plague-ridden bodies that had been stuffed in small spaces a success. I mean, I'm glad a couple of them made it, but..."

Magtok shakes his head. The elf responsible for that was killed by a sniper or something; it's not something to be so haunted by anymore. Better to focus on the net good than all the pain and suffering the magical tuberculosis-ridden masses underwent.

"Anyways, the new plan is much less likely to be exploited like that. Also, due to a hilarious series of ridiculous coincidences and shenanigans, I'm now currently commander of HALO. I know, I know, it doesn't sound the slightest bit believable, but that's Nexus for you. It didn't take much to claim the job, but now I've got to earn it, y'know? Win HALO's hearts and minds over right from the start, so they stop leaving cyanide capsules in my candy jar."

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley's face runs a gamut of emotions, none of them positive, and ends in something that surprises even him.

Anger. Mild, but potent.

He doesn't scowl at Magtok, but a clearly upset look crosses his face and he stares horrible, slimey, tentacle-y daggers at the celebrity cyborg. He stamps up to the side of the wall and jabs a finger in Magtok's direction to emphasize his words.

"Listen, I don't know what it's like up top having all that money and power and luxury, being able to run away and dull yourself to the world whenever you want, but down here we're ****ing struggling, awright?" his voice doesn't raise at all, but it does deepen considerably, "I don't joke around here, right? Noone does. We've been through too much, seen too much, some of us forced to do too much, and we didn't get fame and god damned fortune for it!"

His arm lowers, but his face has contorted into a smoldering glare.

"No doublespeak. No jokes. I want serious and honest."

[Lord Magtok]

Gatehouse

"The serious and honest truth is I'm going to be freeing some slaves, and want to make sure you people won't be eating them if I send some here. I don't want to just assume you're legitimate and then come back to find out I sent someone to their death, or worse, because I was too lazy to check your credentials."

Magtok looks at the Keep all about and around Riley, and frowns.

"Down here. Struggling, he quotes. "You have a very nice place for someone claiming to be at rock bottom, you know."

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

"Looks about that way, don't it?" Riley says with half a hoarse laugh, "Come on."

He shimmies down a drain pipe into the courtyard where the giant tree's roots twist around boulders and beautifully made stone and stained glass benches, Fourteen-Ball following via a set of stairs.

"I didn't make the place. I found it. The villagers in Meadowgreen just...let me have KT. I don't tax them, but they bring me food and clean water. Not enough for everyone, but it makes it easier."

[Lord Magtok]

Gatehouse => Stairs

"About how tight is food rationing right now? Like, on a scale of one to ten?" Magtok asks, following along and trying his best not to get too distracted by the pretty scenery along the way. If this sort of thing is still here, the fancy benches and whatnot, it makes Mag wonder what's already been sold off to pay the bills. Not too much, though. They're still fairly new here after all, right?

[TechnoScrabble]

Stairs-->Courtyard

"There isn't any right now," Riley says, "Any rationing, I mean. But I've only got so much money, and if we get more people coming in, I'll need to set somethin' up. Can't be runnin' back and forth all day doing the groceries. Then there's medical supplies, power, amenities, worrying about the *******s coming through looking to get their product back or some easy loot, recreation for the people livin' here. Protection when they go out. Some of the people here don't freakin' learn, and it's a bit of a stress to keep them safe even when they run willy nilly all over the place being superheroes."

He shoots a glare at Keith, the hobgoblin napping atop a pile of branches.

"To be honest...I didn't really think this out too well when I started. But there's no quitting now. Gotta keep the ball rollin' till we hit something good, right?"

[Arkhosia]

Magtok may notice Thalia sleeping peacefully, leaning on a tree.

[Lord Magtok]

Courtyard

Magtok shakes his head. He recognizes Thalia, but makes a point of not making that too obvious by looking her way for more than a moment. Don't give Riley anything to work with; don't allow him to exploit your familiarity with one of his subjects. He'll be more likely to hide whatever dark secrets he might have from her, if he knows she's reporting to the cyborg.

"You can't just sit in a corner and hope good things will come your way. You have to reach out, leave your comfort zone and seize what you need. I don't mean that in the 'villain trying to seduce someone to the dark side' sense, more the whole carpe diem thing. Making deals for those things, promoting yourself as a charity or whatever, getting help from GLoG or whoever's got resources to spare."

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard

"The last time I 'left my comfort zone'," Riley says in a bored, matter-of-fact tone, "My arm got shot off, eighteen children were fed to an elder god, and I was tied down, ripped half to pieces, and sexually assaulted by a snake-woman."

He's lying, though. His arm was shot off before then, and he's left his comfort zone plenty of times since then.

"Probably shouldn't be talkin' to you, really. At least, not this much. Why do you care? When and why did you start freeing slaves? Didn't really give me a straight answer the first time I asked."

[Lord Magtok]

Courtyard

"I gave you the straightest answer there is, you just refuse to accept it because it doesn't fit comfortably into your narrow-minded, cynical worldview. I started a couple of months ago, and I'm doing it not because if whatever crazy villain shenanigans you think I'm up to, but because I should. There's no secret agenda, no MagSlave Emporium in the works that needs all those other slavers out of business, no convoluted take-over-the-world scheme that starts with me winning trust and confidence from people in HALO, boy. I'm just doing what I can to help others. I really don't know why that's so hard for you to believe. Free will is sacrosanct, and people who violate it should be marched into the streets and shot."

Strong words, coming from a cyborg just as guilty of infringing upon the free will of others as any slaver. HazMag's still waiting for you to set him free for all his months of dedicated service, y'know. How long do you intend to keep him waiting, Magtok?

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard

"You're about as good at talking to people as a squid faced cultist, arnchta now?" Riley says, his tone indicating he has the experience to make the comparisons of things to squid faced cultists, "Empathizing with 'em, too, if you really don't understand why I don't take what you say at face value even after most of the bad humour and bitter sarcasm has been cut away. You make the kinda comments that make airport security tackle people just saying hello."

He stops in front of the entrance to the hall of the keep.
"But alright. Let's suppose I won't regret ever meeting you. How many are we talking about, and what kind of care will they need?"

[Lord Magtok]

Courtyard

"I was all set on respect and empathy and the whole kit and caboodle, but then you had to go bragging about how terrible your life is, and how sheltered mine is, how I've never so much as sprained my ankle before. You get what you pay for, Riley."

Magtok glances at his wrist, and frowns. Ugly goings-on elsewhere in the Nexus. He'll have to hurry this up.

"I imagine approximately thirty to sixty right now. In total, that is. Only a fraction of those would be coming here, as I'm going to try to recruit anyone interested in joining HALO, send others to GLoG, and see if I can't find existing family members of a couple of them. The phony orphanage ones will need standard child slave stuff, the ones from SLAVE will likely be victims of sex slavery, and the gentlemen from MALE...I don't actually know much about the male slave market. I imagine it involves heavy manual labor, mostly."

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard

Bragging?
Bragging?

Riley's hair stands on end for a fraction of a second, before he realizes any more outbursts would be nothing more than a hindrance to anyone living here, if not just drive Magtok away.

"Sorry, I just have a hard time believing someone is serious when they joke about cyanide and plagues and whatever. I have about enough money to keep the upper number well fed for about two weeks if I send Keith shopping, I'll find more income or as the farmers for help. I'll find a therapist, maybe arrange trips to GLoG. For everyone, you'd be unpleasantly surprised to find out how little age or gender matter in how a slave is treated."

[Lord Magtok]

Courtyard

"The plague thing wasn't a joke. I nearly came down with the stuff myself while trying to help them. Had to have the clone recycled for my own safety. The cyanide thing I'll give you, though. Definitely hyperbole, but still more plausible than I'd like; HALO is still full of people who don't approve of my being in office. Part of the reason for this whole anti-slave operation, y'know. Got to start off strong, hit the ground running and whatnot."

Magtok peers at his wrist for a moment, before smiling.

"I'm being told GLoG is practically rolling in cash, since Reinholdt's little auction. Whatever they're willing to offer, it's bound to be at least ten times what you might expect."

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard

"Not really a fan of charity," Riley says with an awkward laugh and an even more awkward attempt at a smile, bundled up in a scratch at the back of his head that could inflict social anxiety on any observing too closely, "But I can't say it wouldn't be useful at this point, can I? Alright, I'll hit up GLoG and see what I can't find elsewhere."

[Lord Magtok]

Courtyard

"For someone who doesn't care for charity, you definitely seem to be running one," Magtok points out, eager to get the rest of this tour done with so he can give this place his stamp of approval and move on.

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard--->Castle Tour

"People do charity because it's 'right', or they want to feel good about themselves," Riley says with a small amount of derision, "I do this because I know what they've been through."

He opens the door into the keep's grand hall, which now is sparsely but finely decorated and connected to kitchens, storage, and stairwells up the towers. The architecture is distinctly Germanic, but the decorations are inspired by Turkish and Islamic art, with lots of geometric patterns and carefully woven tapestries.

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

"That's why people donate to charities, sure. Folks running the show and making it their jobs generally have more empathy about it, though. Generally, I mean." Magtok would be the first to admit he has doubts about some of GLoG's staff, where the distinction between a caretaker and a person being cared for by the organization can be rather unclear. There were quite a few adventurers shamelessly using it as a glorified motel back in the day.

"Y'know, as important as this work is, part of me thinks that we're both coming at this from the wrong angle. That there's some fancy, clever way to just cure slavery, wipe it out in all of its forms across the Nexus, and make it one of those outdated sort of things that nobody polices because nobody does it anymore, like telegraphs and horse-drawn carriages and gasoline-powered engines." Magtok? Erm...people still drive cars in the Nexus, actually. I know, it's silly that they aren't using cold-fusion or magic (or magical cold fusion), but some habits die hard. Remember that kid with the yo-yo that didn't wind itself on its own? Silly primitives are everywhere, Magtok.

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

"Simple," Riley says, leading Magtok through one of the underground tunnels full of evergreen trees and glowing flowers and mushrooms, "Slaughter the slavers. Round them up, break their legs, stick them in deep, dank pits full of swampwater and hungry ghouls."

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

"If it were so easy, we would've done it already. Slavers are like roaches in that respect. Roaches in iron castles, guarded by a wall of innocent bodies," Magtok shakes his head in disgust. Firebombing Fallows would be so easy, but then he'd have gallons of innocent blood on his hands, and Fallow would probably get away somehow, anyways.

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

"Some would suggest arming the slaves," Riley says with something between a cough and a laugh as he shows Magtok through the kitchen and on to the halls and lower halves of the towers, "But that leads to heroics. Which leads to martyrdom."

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

Magtok shakes his head. "There's nothing wrong with martyrdom. That is, so long as the right people are doing the martyring. A cyborg with too many lives, a adventurer-for-life from Watch, the werewolves in HALO, etc. You don't feed the mutt six inch sirloin when you've got some perfectly good dog chow for it."

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

Riley looks slightly taken aback, his eyebrows disagreeing on which way to furrow.

"Gotta be honest," he says, "There's a lot of different ways to take that."

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

"I'm saying that some people, by nature of their own choices in life, are more expendable than others. Slaves and ex-slaves, they deserve a second chance at life. People who make getting into danger their profession, their way of life? Who have every opportunity to find safer, less hazardous work, but keep throwing themselves into violence anyways? They don't. Someone who continually lives by the sword is bound to die by it, sooner or later. Better that they do, than someone with a purpose and function above and beyond all of that killing and dying."

Magtok shrugs.

"Or you could have clones, and be expendable that way, instead."

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

Something about that just doesn't sound right to Riley, even though it's pretty much exactly the argument he's used for years. It's not fun having your defense for your own cowardice thrown back in your face, even if the person doing it seems unable to take things seriously for longer than a moment.

"...I'm sorry 'bout how I spoke to you earlier."

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

"I've heard worse, don't worry about it," Magtok waves a hand in dismissal. There was a time where even his closest of allies thought decapitating him was just harmless fun and shenanigans, after all. "So is there anything else we still need to cover?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

"You'd know if I didn't," Riley says with a slight sigh, "I'm not sure what all you want or need or what should be done, really. I'm just doing what I can here."

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

"I know. If the solutions to all our problems were easy and obvious, there wouldn't have been any problems to begin with. That aside, I think I'm done here for now. Your place checks out," Magtok nods, before lifting up his wrist to start inputting his coordinates to telewarp back to HALO VIGIL.

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

Riley nods and scratches at his face a bit.

"alright. Just gimmena warning before you come back, I wanna be awake to get everyone situated.'

[Lord Magtok]

Castle Tour

"Done. Be seeing you," Magtok answers quickly, before suddenly leaving the room without so much as a single beep, vworp, or ringtone.

[Zefir]

Entrance.

A very unusual guest seems to knock on the door. It's a big stone scorpion with several kids on his back. Wonder what that might mean.

[TechnoScrabble]

Entrance

A boy in a worn hoodie opens a door at the base of the massivr gate, brushing messy black hair out of his eyes.

"H-hello..." he says, nervous grey eyes darting between the scorpion and the children on its back.

[Zefir]

Entrance

The kids on his back are all slaves. Tovpir bought them to free them.

"Hello." the scorpion says. "Magtok send me here. I think this should be the new home for these kids."

[TechnoScrabble]

Entrance

"Magtok se-Oh!" Riley's eyes light up with recognition. He kicks the stones at the base of the door in a pattern and the gate slowly creaks open.

"Bring them on in a-and we'll get them s-situated. I've got plenty of space, especially for k-kids."

[Zefir]

Entrance

Tovpir will move in. On his back are 6 kids. I should note I would like to keep controll of one, a fire elf girl. maybe she felt asleep and lays on Tovpir's back where she can't be easily seen?
There is one boy and five girls on it. The boy is a nine year old human and the girls are a nine-year-old tiefling, an eight-year-old fire elf, a ten-year-old human with heterochromatic blue and green eyes, a half-elf (eight) with bright blue eyes, pale skin and frizzy red hair and a black-skinned drow.

"Can i just elave them to you or should I bring them somewhere." The scorpion says after he passed the gate.

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard

"You can stick around a bit, if you'd l-like," Riley says, "They obvious-sly trust you."

A hobgoblin in red power armour watches carefully from on high in the massive oak tree's branches while Riley and Tovpir speak, sharp eyes keeping guard over everything.

"We don't have any other children t-their age here yet, but there are some clothes and beds their size f-from the previous owner."

[Zefir]

Courtyard

I wouldn't say the kids trust Tovpir. Most of them fear him. He is after all something that kids might call monster, just from his look. As they are in the courtyard, Tovpir will drop his body down so the kids can climb down from it. Fro the youger once he will use his sting, grab them and put them down from his body.

"Oh no, I just freed these kids. It maybe best to leave them to someone more qualified to handle them, instead of me." Tovpir says.
"All is better then where they have been befor."

[Recaiden]

[Entrance]

Someone approaches! A humanoid, wearing a robe and crown and mirrored sunglasses, riding on a nonhumanoid, a large dark-furred beast whose six hooves thud along the road. It slows as they get closer, the rider pulling on a complicated set of reins that looks more like a marionette's control strings than a tool for guiding a mount.

The humanoid is now, with more detail, a feminine figure, with a metallic belt and a cautious, hopeful smile as she dismounts and knocks on the door.

[TechnoScrabble]

Courtyard

"That's f-fine," Riley says, waving his arms to try and herd the children together so he can show them around, "It was good of you t-to do this for them. T-thank you."

Entrance

A small teenage boy pops his head over the walls of the gate, brushing messy black hair with an odd greenish sheen out of his eyes to look down at the lady.

"Y-yes?" he calls down.

[Recaiden]

[Entrance]

The lady - no, she would object to being described as a lady - the visitor looks up at the boy, suddenly conscious of the messy tangle of her black hair, and smiles.

"I heard this was a good place. Taking care of former slaves. I wanna help."

[TechnoScrabble]

Entrance

Riley smiles, the frowns, then smiles again. It's hesitant, and his smile is shaky as always, a small, uncertain thing. Like the dying bird you found in your yard as a kid and tried your best to save. He's full of mistrust, but with all the help lately, even from Magtok of all people, he's starting to open up a little.

"Y-yeah. It's a sanctuary f-for anyone, r-really. I'll be right down."

He disappears, but the slap of his shoes on stone can be heard, and soon a small door at the base of the gate opens, Riley standing on the opposite side of the gatehouse and waving.

[Recaiden]

[Entrance]

Leah waits, not yet annoyed by the wait, since she can hear him, and then walks in, leading the two-headed riding creature.
She's a little suspicious, but, eh, no place she's been before has had a reasonable greeter.

"Thanks. I don't need sanctuary, at least, I hope I don't. But if there's space for people to help provide it to others? I'm Leah. Part of AEGIS, if you've heard of it. But not much is happening without our 'leader'."

Oh. He was waving. How embarrassing. Awkwardly late, she waves back.

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley awkwardly stops waving, the restarts, then puts his hand halfway away, entirely unsure of what to do. He backs up a good distance, keeping a very close eye on the riding creature, clearly intimidated no matter how hard he tries to hide it.

"I'm Riley, and I-I'd appreciate the help. Can't say I'e ev-ver heard of Aegis, though."

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

"No problem if you haven't; we weren't - aren't - big on publicity. You got something to start with, or should I tell you what I'm good for?"

Leah chuckles slightly, and pats the beast on one of its heads. Riley's adorable, if not exactly confidence-inspiring. She glances around for a place to tether the riding-creature, or at least let it rest.

"Don't worry. It's pretty harmless."

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Harmless. Right. Like he hasn't heard that one before.

"I guess i-if you could let me know w-what you're good at? Keith does most the manual labour a-around here with my legs th' way they are. Hasn't b-been a fight yet but it's n-nice to have him around just in case."

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

It's almost true! This chaistan is totally non-agressive and has no real weapon other than its size. It hisses contentedly.

"Well, I'm okay if it ever does come to a fight. But I can make things, as long as it's not food, got some basic medical training, and I could probably help counsel people who need it."
Because that last one isn't a terrible idea at all.

Leah shoes the beast outside the gate, though. Best not to distrub Riley.

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

"Awesome," Riley watches the chaistan go with no small amount of relief, "Anyone with medical skill is a b-blessing around here. Counseling, t-too. The stablest person here is probably Weiss, but not everyone w-wants t' talk to a paladin."

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

"Excellent." Leah steps up and holds out a hand to Riley to shake. The one matching his flesh-and-blood hand. both as a sign of agreement and because he looks relieved. Relief is delicious.
"I can understand that. How many people you got here? Both helping and taking sanctuary, I guess."

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley hesitates before shaking her hand, dancing his arm back and forth nervously. He focuses on keeping from stealing any of her thoughts, a bit queasy from suppressing the Mark.

"There's fifteen of us, I think."

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

That's not so bad. She can handle fifteen people, maybe. Leah focuses differently, trying to take away any lingering nervousness that the riding animal caused Riley.

"Something wrong?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

"N-no, sorry!" Riley says too quickly, pulling his hand back in the blink of an eye, "Just...not big on touching people."

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

"No, no. I'm sorry. I just, haven't been able to most of the time, and it's like, a common gesture."
Leah pulls her arm back like Riley is a fragile china teacup that she might break by being close to.

"I, uh, maybe you can show me where things are in the castle?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley nods hurriedly and turns off without a word, gesturing for Leah to follow. Right beyond the gatehouse is the courtyard, surrounded on all sides by the walls of the castle, a massive and aged oak growing out of its center. Plants are still growing over some of the geometric patterns of colored tiles and stone and tile benches, but for the most part Keith and Riley have managed to prune back the plant growth.

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

Leah follows along slowly, looking everything up and down and over again.

"Wow. This is kind of a new place, your shelter?"
Obviously the keep is old.

[TechnoScrabble]

Gatehouse

Riley shakes his head at the awful joke and leads Leah around. He shows her the grand hall, the kitchens, the numerous rooms of the castle and its strange geometric art, the tunnels down below with their pine forests and glowing flowers, there's a lot of space.

Just don't g-go into the tallest t-tower," he warns, "'S off limits."

[Recaiden]

[Gatehouse]

Leah lingers in the tunnels near the glowing flowers, expressing interest in everything shown.

"What's up there?"
I wonder how long it will be before she heads up there anyway.

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

"My room," Riley says very sternly, his eyes meeting Leah's directly for the first time with an uncomfortably intense gaze.

[Recaiden]

[Castle Tour]

NOPE! Wears the shades for just this reason. No one has met Leah's eyes her entire life, and she doesn't plan for it to start now.

But she smiles and nods.
"Got it."

[TechnoScrabble]

Castle Tour

He knows where her eyes should be, and that's enough for him.

"Good," he nods back and finishes showing her around.

[Zefir]

Courtyard

"That's f-fine," Riley says, waving his arms to try and herd the children together so he can show them around, "It was good of you t-to do this for them. T-thank you."


Courtyard

As mentioned only five clime off the back of the scorpion. They groupe togther so it's not really a problem to herd them around. They only know each other and a stone scorpion brought them to a foreign place.

"Thanks, but it's my job as well." The scorpion says as he turns to leave, if Riley got nothing else.

[TechnoScrabble]

Walls

The arrival of a large, dark pterosaur prompts Riley to scream, prompting Keith to rise up from his post and fire a warning flare past the beast's head!

Thunk!Schweeeeeeee!

Yueh claps and giggles excitedly at the flare.

[Recaiden]

[Skies]

The pterosaur freaks out and wheels away, tilting the two of them back near to falling.
"Riley, it's okay!"
Leah calls down.

"That was a 'flare', Yueh."

"It's me, Leah!"

[TechnoScrabble]

Yueh shrieks excitedly as the pterosaur reels, clinging to Leah but laughing as if nothing is wrong. Keith, in the meantime, shuffles off, reloading his canister rifle and mumbling angrily about False alarms.

Riley clutches his chest, breathing heavily.

"Jesus, Leah! Come in like a normal person, will ya?"

[Recaiden]

Leah lets go of the pterosaur's saddle and reins, and the two of them plummet to the ground, landing with a crash that stresses the armor's shocks and inertial balancers to their limit.

"Sorry! Sorry! get the gate open for us?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley yelps again as they fall, scrambling to the edge of the wall to get a look at them. Yueh, on the other hand, giggles and screams happily.the whole way down, and even for a few moments after landing.

"L-leah! Don't go hurting y-yourself! What the h-hell?!"

[Recaiden]

Leah shrugs, carefully, without letting go of the excited goo-creature.

"The armor can handle the fall for us. And I didn't want to frighten you any more."
She now realizes that this may not have been the best way to do so.

The nano-mesh is held up so Riley can see.

"This is Yueh. I rescued 'em from a firefight in Inside. Yueh, Riley."

[TechnoScrabble]

"A-alright, just-aaaeehhh..." Riley recoild a bit from Yueh while she playfully reaches out towards him and chirps, "Look! See! Riley!"

"Yes! Uh, h-hello, little...kid?"

[Recaiden]

"Don't frighten him, Yueh. Riley's scared of everything."

Leah shrugs one shoulder.

"Not sure what Yueh is, actually. Childlike. Wants to know words. Yueh, this is a keep, and that there is a tree"

[TechnoScrabble]

Yueh wriggles loose of Leah's grip and toddles on over to the tree, climbing up one of the roots and giggling.

Riley leans a bit closer to Leah, only an inch, really, but hey that's as good a distance as any to lean, and asks, "Where did you say you f-found her? Him? It?"

[Recaiden]

"In the bombed-out zone of Inside. It's a terrible place, but there are people there."

Leah leans a tiny amount in as well.

"Not sure about the pronouns. Doesn't seem to be made of flesh and blood."
Not sure Leah is either. Plenty of blood went into making her, but I don't know that it's in the finished product.

[TechnoScrabble]

The less about that Riley knows, the better.

"Well...I'll see what I can do about g-getting a room ready, u-unless you want Yueh to stay with you?"

[Recaiden]

"I think it's probably best for her to stay with me for now, since she knows me."

Leah glances over at the hopefully not dangerous nanomesh child with a smile.

"Speaking of which, could I bring my home here? It moves around, hovers and floats, to be specific. And it would give us a bit more space here, that's been developed into a building, anyway, if it's needed ever."

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley's eyebrows raise up slightly.

"Didn't know y-you had anything like tha-that. Go on ahead, but I'll b-bet you money Keith will use it as a watchp-post by the end of the week."

Yueh plucks a small piece of the bark from the tree, pushing it into the surface of its hand, where the bark disappears and a yellow flash goes through Yueh's body.

"Please tell me it doesn't do that to people."

[Recaiden]

"Don't think so. Did something like that when Yueh grew a face."

Leah heads over towards the tree.

"Yueh? What did you do with the bark?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley follows about a meter behind Leah, peering nervously past her, as Yueh turns and smiles brightly at Leah.

"Bark!" Yueh says and holds out her hands, which shift and change shape to take on the colour and texture of the bark.

[Recaiden]

"Very nice, Yueh. Be careful with it, though."

Leah detaches the gauntlets from her armor and goes to feel the goo-child's barky hands.

"Maybe ask me before you do that again?"

[TechnoScrabble]

The hands are definitely bark now, but the bark fades away as an embarrassed look crosses Yueh's face.

"Learn. Yueh will do better."

[Recaiden]

"Hey, that was a whole sentence there! Good job. You are learning quick."

[TechnoScrabble]

"I am. Smaaaaaaaaarrrr-tuh!" Yueh says proudly, rippling and flashing with yellow light!

[Recaiden]

High five!
"Yes, very smart."
Alarmingly quick, actually.

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley watches with trepidation as Yueh explores more of the courtyard, stumbling over its own gooey legs and absorbing various materials and commenting on them.

"Cold. "

"Too hard."

"Fluffy!"

[Recaiden]

"What are you made of, Yueh?"

Leah watches her, and offers her a little bit of solidified shadow after a bit.

"Try this."

[TechnoScrabble]

Yueh happily chirps a formulae, unfortunately it is in an alien language and is thirteen thousand lines long and compressed into the space of two seconds. It comes out sounding like a happy dog's howl.

She reaches for the shadow, her body flashing yellow as she touches it.

"Ssssturdyyyyyy. Dark. Nnnnnnninja!"

Yueh's body shifts black and takes on a slimmer, smoother shape with sharp angles and no hair, only the space around her eyes still bright and orange.

"Yueh am night!"

[Recaiden]

And Leah has no reason to suspect its true nature.

"Good Yueh. Time for you to learn about pronouns, maybe?"
Teaching ensues.
I-Leah, You, Yueh, He, Riley, We-all of us, but for the ninja-mesh girl, the corresponding words.

"Hey. I'm the night here."
Leah steps out of the armor, being see-through for just a second before being solid again in a black shadow-cloth ninja outfit.

[TechnoScrabble]

"L-leah," Riley says, trying to keep calm, "What the ****?"

Yueh concentrates for a moment, then grows taller and definably more female, though not obtrusively so.

"Wwwweeewww can both be night!"

"What the ****. "

[Recaiden]

"Lighten up, Riley. Did you never transform into a ninja when you were a kid?"

Even Leah's done that. Speaking of, she looks over the new variation of Yueh and smiles.

"That we can. Or, have you thought of being the day? She's exploring, Riley. No harm."

[TechnoScrabble]

"Nah, being the day soooouuuunnnnnd-d-d-ds boring."

Riley throws his arms up in the air, defeated, and storms off to clamber back up the tree to his spot with a view in every direction.

[Recaiden]

"It's a lot of work, I'll give you that. But it could be interesting too. Lots to do, everyone attentive..."

Leah turns and waves.

"We'll see you around, Riley!"

[TechnoScrabble]

Riley grumbles a barely coherent and entirely inaudible response.

"I'm not glowy enough," Yueh protests.

[Recaiden]

"You were glowing earlier. When you absorbed things. How was that?"

It is easier to be dark than light.

Faaaaaar away, Leah's house might be visible as a black speck approaching the keep.

[TechnoScrabble]

"It's just an electrochemical phosphorescent signal sent along to make sure all of my body gets the information," Yueh says proudly, "I'm an organism!"

[Recaiden]

Leah laughs happily.

"Growth, regulation, response, we've certainly seen. So you can make more people of the same as you are, then? That's needed to be an organism too. I think you might also need organs. I forget the exact relation of those, ya know?"

[TechnoScrabble]

"I'm not sure how to make more people," Yueh says quizzically, "But I can do organs!"

She concentrates for a second, and the black washes away back to the glittering semitransparent orange to show a heart-like shape pumping in her upper torso.

[Recaiden]

"That's nice Yueh."

More laughter.

"But you don't need a heart, do you? So why have it?"

It's just not very practical.

[TechnoScrabble]

Yueh shrugs, and the heart starts to peel away in strings, like a ball of yarn being pulled apart and slowly disintegrated. It's actually kind of creepy to watch.

"Still an organism!"

[Recaiden]

How fascinating.

"Okay, Yueh."
Leah goes to pat the nanomesh girl on the head.

"You're still an organism like the rest of us."

[TechnoScrabble]

"Yup!" Yueh says, wiggling a little, "Except in the end, no blank void of oblivion waits to consume my being and all evidence thereof!"

[Recaiden]

"Uh, that's pretty grim there, Yueh. There's plenty of evidence for living organisms."

The child gets a concerned look. Has she jumped all the way to angsty teenager already?

[TechnoScrabble]

"It's not grim! It gives you something to work to eliminate!" Yueh says, "Don't leave evidence of life, eliminate evidence of death! "

[Recaiden]

"It's not that easy, but okay!"
High five, Yueh!

[TechnoScrabble]

Yueh happily high-fives Leah, shimmering again.

"If stuff was easy, wouldn't be fun!"

[Recaiden]

That black speck slowly grows into a giant mass of stone. Shaped into a humanoid skull, with a few structural improvements to make it a reasonable building.

"Right! You don't suppose we could just eliminate death?"

[TechnoScrabble]

"Don't see why not."

Riley can be seen on a further part of the wall, trying urgently to talk Keith out of unpacking what appears to be a mortar.