Home 25: Still making mortgage payments

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Electra hesitates for a moment, looking pained. There's something else she could share, probably should, no definitely should. But...here? No getting around it now, she supposes to herself.

"Who would that be, though?" she asks quietly, raising an eyebrow. "I wouldn't necessarily count on Skyside, between KABAL and everything else. Inside might be a better option, but does Intersection really have that many people?"

She sighs resignedly.

"I...really didn't want to share this in this manner, but...." she starts, with an apologetic glance to Cass, "I have the knowledge needed to produce more reploids similar to myself. I'd need funding, a few people, and a fairly large factory capable of manufacturing high-tech goods, but...most of the resources I'd need are readily available in Inside, for the right price. I....have a lot of reservations about doing this, though, and I'm pretty sure we'd need to loop Dipsnig into what's going on, but....it's an option. If you want to go down that road, though, we need to start right away so that we have the most time before an attack to get production and training started."

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"Oh, that's good. It's not an excuse, I've just bitten my tongue." Arron is bleeding a little as a result.

"I'll help you read. Not sure if I've got any ability to learn, though." Arron's a little interested in magic, though from the little he heard this might not be the safest of paths to follow.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Cass stares at Electra in stunned silence, her eyes widening in shock and horror as she tries to process what Electra is saying.
"You want... to create more people like you? To use as soldiers? She says, recoiling, pulling her hands clenched by her sides. Even Wren, who had been keeping himself carefully reserved, looks mildly alarmed - his expression twisting into concern and worry as he can feel the mix of fear and revulsion and hurt bleeding from Cass. "Electra, no. How could-? After-? That's not an option!"

Her fist thumps against the arm of the chair for emphasis... and the whole dreamscape seems to flicker slightly - like being on a boat rocked by a sudden wave. Electra and Wenomir should feel a sudden lurch, a brief sickening weightlessness, like that sudden jerk that sometimes happens in sleep, causing you to feel like you're falling. From Wren's expression, it's clear he felt it too, and the cat sitting on his lap bolts awake, shooting straight up onto its feet, fur puffed. Cass doesn't seem to notice at all, merely glancing quickly back and forth between Wenomir and Electra with panicked, hurt puppy kind of expression.

[Morty]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Wenomir was about to answer Electra in his own way. But whatever reply he had planned is lost in the dreamscape's sudden lurch and Cassandra's hurt expression. He gets to his feet in a flash, hand almost going to the Answer's hilt, before he realizes what's actually going on. He walks over to her, slowly, and puts a hand on her shoulder, unless she stops him.

"We are not going to create people only to send them straight into battle," he says, firmly.

[Recaiden]

"Oh, that's good. It's not an excuse, I've just bitten my tongue." Arron is bleeding a little as a result.

"I'll help you read. Not sure if I've got any ability to learn, though." Arron's a little interested in magic, though from the little he heard this might not be the safest of paths to follow.

Miri smirks, though her expression also holds a bit of sympathy for Arron's difficulty with the teeth.
"Mhm, I'd always heard that magic takes a long time to pay off, not the most practical...so we'd better get started right away."
Really, Miri? You've 'always heard' something?

Anyway, she sets open the book to begin studying. She is a fairly quick reader, but could keep at this for hours and hours, until interrupted by Arron, or Benedict, or it being mealtime, or the idea that she should check in on Sara.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"Most skills take a long time to pay off, don't they? I mean, an architect's not gonna build a stunning cathedral in three months, are they?" Usually years to decades for a cathedral.

Arron grabs a book and starts reading. Benedict isn't going to interrupt, and neither is Arron. Sara will send two plates of egg mayonnaise sandwiches at about twelve o'clock, but won't come in person until about six o'clock, fetching them for supper. Arron is not a quick reader, and is hampered by the fact he only speaks one of the languages the author used, and the archaic dialect the author spoke. He has made several notes of passages that might be useful, in addition to the ones he can't read, however. There's a page and a half (written in three distinct handwriting, but that changes in mid-word quite often) on a meditative technique allowing one to review and explore their memories, marred only slightly by the fact the page was later re-used by the author with a different colour ink to write a recipe for millet bread, with no care for the earlier passage.

[Recaiden]

"That's different. Buildings take lots of people working together."
Miri doesn't read any more languages than Arron, so that's a lot that's inaccessible to them. She does copy down the meditation technique for attempting later.
And then it's just trying to make sense of this mad writing, recorded as several different sets of personalities went through his body, apparently.

She is glad for a break when dinner time comes, setting the book down with a sigh.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"I suppose. Man, I might need help with some of this stuff. I don't know these languages." They're from quite a distance away from where he grew up, and the Glagolitic alphabet that appears occasionally is no longer used.

It's not that he had different personalities, though he sort of did; rather, he had different hand writing because it was a skill he'd picked up from the memories of several different people, plus his own native handwriting. The language used and the author's voice doesn't change in the passages, but the handwriting does. That may not hold true everywhere, however; neither Arron nor Miri are capable of reading the entire narrative of the books.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Electra looks away quickly, crossing an arm over her stomach to hold her other arm, grimacing as Cass recoils from her. She doesn't even register the space wavering for a moment, she just moves aside as Wenomir comes up to comfort Cass. She knew this was a bad idea, but....

"I didn't say I wanted to do this. But I felt I needed to be honest about all the options available, so Wenomir can plan," she says, quietly. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything at all, but...that wouldn't have been right, either. Would you have been able to sit on an option that might save everyone you know, everyone you care about, just because you don't agree with its morality?"

She's on the verge of tears now, hating herself for having to suggest this, for having to hurt Cass by even mentioning it, let alone arguing for its use.

"This enemy won't. If they have the capacity for it, or can acquire it, they'll most certainly do the same to us. I hate this idea, it's why I was built, but people fighting a total war often do things they consider morally reprehensible, to prevent the deaths of millions more." She stops short and stands up, turning away from all of them, towards where Cass brought her in, as much having to avoid looking at either of them as to hide her face as the tears finally slip free from her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, Cass. I-.....I think I should maybe go, before...before I hurt either of you any more."

[Recaiden]

"Nor do I. Benedict's the only one here who might know these strange symbols." Miri admits. Honestly, she's lucky she kept the ability to read at all. "But we'll worry about that later."

Depends on whether the mnemomancer knew other languages before getting started, among other things.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"I'm not sure they're symbols. I think they're letters. Symbols make more sense." A symbol of a fish is clearly a fish. A letter 'a' to somebody that didn't know it? Much less clear.

Arron gets back to reading; I think the next important thing I have planned is supper? Is there anything you'd like to do before hand? There's probably the basics of memory-magic somewhere in the books, or if not one or two more might arrive during the day as Benedict has a look elsewhere in his collection.

[Recaiden]

Miri's definitely not trying any magic until she's read through everything. Certainly not today.
Even if it's the basics, or just meditation.

So on to supper it is!

[Morty]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Wenomir raises his hand in a conciliatory gesture. It seems that, as the one person present without personal trauma about the topic, it falls to him to keep things on track.

"I know it's hard for you and I appreciate that you're still willing to offer it, Electra. If we wanted to discuss it further, we should do it some other time and elsewhere. But there's more to talk about here and now."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Cass says nothing, not looking at Electra either as she draws her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them, perched on the arm of the chair as she tries to quell the sick, cold feeling gnawing inside her.

If Electra wishes to leave, she should have a pretty firm instinct that will let her step out of the dreamshard and back into her natural sleep cycle.

Wren sits still, maintaining a carefully neutral expression. If he has anything to say, he's not.

Rahvi, seemingly bored of mortal drama, settles down and goes back to sleep.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

They are interrupted for supper! Sara comes to get them herself, leading them back to the dining room. Arron sits at the end, and Sara closer to Benedict. Benedict's still a woman at the moment, and isn't paying much attention to the meal. Today, rather than yesterday's roast, is a chicken curry with rice; it's spicy, but not hot, served with sliced bananas and raisins mixed in the rice.

Benedict, however, is far more interested in the delicate copper mesh box they brought to the table, and the clay tablets stored within.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Electra starts to take a step, then pauses as Wenomir speaks, as her emotions tear at her. Part of her desperately wants to leave, to spare Cass any further pain from discussing this. But the logical part of her knows she needs to stay, to talk, to plan, to help VIGIL strategize. And in the middle, the knot in her stomach tells her to ignore the part that wants to run; instead, it urges her to stay, to explain, to try and help soothe the hurt she's just caused Cass. The knot turns to anger and self-loathing that roil at her, and her self-control slips as her hands ball into fists; she lowers her head, as though someone's struck her, her armor shifting away through several outfits, from the dress uniform she was wearing before, to a deep blue armor neither Cass nor Wenomir have ever seen before, looking like a less-refined version of the armor she had on before, to even a brief moment when she's left in nothing but her underwear. She even shifts heights, her face seeming to grow younger, her hair a bit shorter for a moment, before she manages to calm herself enough that she can assume her earlier appearance in height and age, and her clothing shifts a final time, to a pair of black cargo pants and a black tank top that was clearly painted with some sort of design in white on the back at some point, but which is so well-worn that it's difficult to tell what it might have been any longer.

Her hair is now a mess, no longer tied up, or even brushed, but when she looks back to Wenomir, she seems calm, her expression difficult to place, somewhere between calm acceptance and hard defiance, not that of rebellion, or resentment, just the simple burning fire of a survivor, of someone who just refuses to lie down and die no matter the pain. There are still tears on her cheeks, and she dabs at her eyes for a moment, before nodding, but she doesn't move to sit back down, not yet.

"I....suppose there is. Ask, and I'll do my best to answer. Doesn't matter what it is. If it hurts me, well, then so be it, but I owe all of you that much at least."

[Recaiden]

Miri digs into the meal as hungrily as she has at every previous meal.
"This is so...much!" she remarks to Sara enthusiastically. "Sweet, and spice, and, and whatever these are-" Those are bananas, Miri.
Admittedly, the chicken is by far the best part.

Before long, she is clearly showing the signs of having eaten too much spice at once.

Now, she's curious about the clay tablets too. Who wouldn't be? But eating has an immediacy to it.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Fort Aegis]

The mayor looks extremely awkward as he stares between the two dragons.
"Uh, I find that ah, perfectly acceptable-" "Great, why don't you go get some paper and we can draw up an agreement, yes?" asks Spako. The kobold nods and scurries off.
Spako wastes no time in wrapping a wing around Sylvess.
"I'm sorry, Sylvess. I had an impulse reaction. Was it too much? I mean, they're- well you know. He wasn't even going to haggle! And they're living in rocks and don't have clothes and I just couldn't- like-well-I guess I'm biased and just want them to have what I didn't, you know? Besides we want them to like us if they're going to be around the hatchlings for the foreseeable future and I'm sorry I couldn't figure out how to steer it without being super blunt about it." he's going to be rambling for a bit if Sylvess doesn't stop him.

[Fort Aegis]

"I-I didn't think I was being that greedy." Sylvess hesitantly shuffles a little closer and curls his neck round Spako's. "But I trust you, a-and you are right, they deserve a-a decent standard of living. We'll just set it as 60-40 from the offset a-and I'll accept having a, uh, somewhat diminished hoard for the time being. I-I was just a little concerned because it might take quite a bit to get everything looking nice here a-and get them all uniforms and spruce up the fort so i-it can be used for accommodation and-" He's rambling again. He pauses and cranes his neck round further to rub snouts with Spako. "I-it's fine. This is a good idea. Thank you."

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"I'm glad you like it. That's banana. This is one of the meals I can't make out of local ingredients. Some of the herbs and spices I did grow, but the chicken, bananas, raisins, rice and a lot of the vegetables had to be brought here on one of Benedict's travels. It's a curry, a dish from India. I'm not sure how accurate it is to a real one, though." Since she's made some substitutions in the vegetable choice, and probably didn't use the right mix of spices for the flavour.

"It's a great meal, is what it is. You're a good cook, Sara." Arron's eating nearly as quickly as Miri, and he's had meals like this before; the prisoners eat the same meals as Benedict. It's easier than preparing seperate meals for them.

Benedict keeps reading, putting one of the tablets down and taking a mouthful of the curry before picking up a different tablet and starting to read.

[Deathkeeper]

[Karaoke Party]

Jim laughs and shrugs, taking a swig of the drink he ordered before they went up.
"Maybe you do. I usually have a handle on these things involving drinking." Except that one time he didn't. But they don't talk about that.

[Fort Aegis]

Spako shrinks a little at the affection.
"I'm sorry. You weren't. I just-like-um. I guess I kind of forgot that your hoard has like, an actual limit. And they're- you know. Kobolds. And. Look, just stick to what he said yes to. You don't have to bend over backwards for me. And I shouldn't be making you, especially when it's your money. Sorry." Now he just feels bad. Is this the sort of thing Jack was talking about?

[Recaiden]

Miri goes on to ask the obvious question, "What's India?"

She nods to Arron, and isn't nearly so rude as to interrupt Benedict while she's reading.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"India is... a place. It's where curry comes from, and Indians. I think it's a country, but I'm not sure." Alas, a poor education has left Sara without a good idea of geography or much else that isn't immediately useful, like cooking.

Sara is going to interrupt Benedict's reading, however. "Benedict, your curry will get cold. Please don't waste it, I've used the last of the bananas." Sara's reminder does work; she puts the tablet down and starts to eat without being so distracted.
"This is very nice, Sara. Thank you." Benedict smiles, glances at the tablets and pushes them slightly further away.

[Morty]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

Wenomir sighs deeply and returns to his seat. He doesn't know what to ask about, really. Maybe he really should have let Electra leave. Now he feels callous and uncaring for asking her about tactics when she's in so much turmoil.

"What do you think their goals are? Just conquest? Stripping the Nexus bare of resources and moving on? Something else? The report we received just mentioned they're expanding at an alarming rate."

[Karaoke Party]

Batu blinks and considers it for a moment.

"As long as I don't try using sorcery afterwards. I've been told those two don't mix," he says. "But I've tried singing, I might as well try drinking. Though, uh. Maybe not too much and not too quickly. Or I'll get to the point where drunk sorcery does sound like a good idea."

[Recaiden]

Now is her chance!
"Can you tell us anything about the tablets, Benedict?"

Then she considers the bananas in her dish again. If they're running out, she ought to try to appeeciate them more.
She might never have a banana again!

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

It's true, there could be a new weevil that wipes out the Nexus' entire supply of banana plants, and then nobody will have a banana again. Best enjoy them now, Miri. Whilst you still can.

"I was looking for any more journals or tomes on mnemomancy or other forms of memory magic or hypnotism when I found these. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be particularly relevant to you and your situation. It is, however, very interesting to find clay tablets apparently rescued by an ancestor of mine from a pre-Imperial shrine in Tuscany, a few years before fifteen hundred. They're written in Latin, though I suspect they're a translation from Etruscan. There's some rather interesting things here, seem like prophecies. Mostly relating to a half-metal emperor saving the world, and a talking cat. Probably rubbish, most prophecies are. The older they are the more likely that is the case." Since even if they're accurate, the more time has passed since they were written the greater chance that the events foretold have already occurred, and sometimes even gone unrecognised.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Cass' Dreamshard]

"Conquest, I think," Electra says simply, before elaborating. "I caught a brief bit of...well, I'm not sure what to call it....Memory, or intent, maybe. I couldn't really convey that through the mirror, but...it was underlying everything." She shivers slightly. "There was a kind of satisfaction during the section with the soldiers in the city, almost like it was enjoying a meal, and at the same time, anticipating something."

Cass may have noticed the underlying emotions when Electra was sharing the vision through her, but it was very faint, muted, and muddy. Whether that's due to the magic, or if Electra was trying to shield her from it is a question for later, perhaps.

"It would make sense strategically if they're stripping areas they conquer for resources, though. An army big enough to conquer a planet requires a lot of materiel just to be able to move around and deploy. What the....for lack of a better term, entity, was anticipating, I couldn't tell you, though."

[Recaiden]

"You have a prophecy about Magtok and Reinholdt?" Miri asks, a recollection shining through.
"Wait, who did I say? How do I know that? The tablets are from the same world you came from, right? With India and all that? Were there people like me there?"
This could be a real clue! Even if it's not the right prophecy, it reminded her of something specific from the past.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"Really, you think it concerns them? How interesting." Benedict's heard of them, but not much about them. He hadn't made the connection. He'll pick one up and read it some more. "Yes, they are from my home world. I can't say for certain it's the same world as that of India, however. My homeworld shares some similarities with the world that has India, but long distance travel is much harder. It's theoretically possible they were altered upon the transition into this realm. My most modern maps were." And they stay updated to match the current surroundings of Benedict's manse, too.

"You named Magtok and Reinholdt. I don't know who they are. Which is the talking cat?" Arron's seen some rather odd things since his arrival in the Nexus, though he's not had much opportunity to talk to others about them.

[Recaiden]

"That's the cat. He...." Miri trails off, unable to call any details or context to mind at all.

"It just came to mind with that description. Are you saying, Benedict, that the prophecy might have changed to fit too?"
That complicates the potential implications for sure, though Miri can't quite work out how.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict's Manse

"Yes, I am saying that. I don't know how it could have, and I don't think there's a reliable way to test for any such alteration to the tablets unless there were to be a rubbing of them on my homeworld I could compare them to." Or possibly return them to his homeworld, in the hope that that would reverse any alterations and restore the original text. "Even if it has changed, I don't know that it is accurate, nor that it refers to an event in the future. I have been in the Nexus for a while; these tablets may have been fulfilled since my arrival. Or they may have been altered to match a historic event, meaning that whilst they were once prophetic they are now simply an unusual record of the event, couched in poetic language and strange metaphor." And written in a language that might not be understandable by others, making it really awkward.