After several moments, Jerod closes his eyes momentarily and shakes his head as if to clear it. "Too much interference," he mutters, putting the card away.
He looks over at the hatch way and Ossian's inspection. "What do we got?"
"It's one of their tunnels alright. We won't catch Chew there if Huon doesn't. I was thinking about trying to find one of their computer nodes. They should have one here, probably close to the tunnel. I'd like to investigate this end." Ossian starts climbing down unless Jerod stops him. "Does anyone of you know how anything about computers?"
Merlin thinks. "There are many thing I do not know anything about. What are computers?" He follows Ossian.
Jerod follows. "A little, but mostly about how to mess with them," he says.
Ossian finds a hewn stone tunnel, perhaps twice as deep as the floor above. He suspects this was a Klybesian addition to a building they didn't construct. There are shelves and books and a few incidental items along the walls and it opens up into a workroom not unlike the one that Ossian remembers from the Klybesian labs where they found references to Reid. It's electrically lit, like the floor above, and Ossian thinks they just ran wires from the security office.
Huon is in the room. He looks over his shoulder when Ossian enters. "Hello Ossian, Merlin, Jerod." He's got a crowbar and is opening a locked drawer the difficult way. "This is mostly junk, but we'll see what they felt like locking up." There are computer terminals. Huon isn't paying them any attention.
Jerod leaves the terminals and connections to Ossian to pursue since he seems to have an idea of something that might be useful. He will do a fast scan of the room, just to be sure as he waits to see what Huon is able to acquire from the soon-to-be-dismembered drawer.
There's a pile of papers and notes in the center of a workbench. It looks like they wanted to burn it, but didn't. There are also various cabinets and shelves around the room. And one door that looks more appropriate to a dilapidated shed than an high-tech basement. It's swinging open and it's probably where the others went.
Ossian turns on the terminals. "It is likely that you find a scrap of paper with meaningless letters or numbers. I might have use for that. Or notebooks if you find one" (he will try to affect the probability that someone hid their password in the drawer.)
Ossian has the old password from Edan's place. He will try that.
Huon breaks open the cabinet with a sharp klang. Then stops, and stands. "I am being trumped, you all can see what's in here."
Huon turns and smiles. "Ah, Brita. Thank you for the excellent assistance. Jerod, Edan, and... Raven, I think, have gone chasing Klybesians down their tunnels. The Queen took several sorcerers with her to rescue her archivists, and this place is well on the way to being destroyed. Have you had word from the others?"
Ossian fires up the terminal, and sees a prompt. The old password doesn't work. It might be in the pile of notes that Edan stopped from burning on the workbench in the middle of the room, but there's no post-it on the bottom of this keyboard.
Jerod scoops up the papers on his way to take a look at the now "cracked open" cabinet as Huon begins conversing with Brita, taking a look inside at what Huon has discovered.
"Could I look at those?" Ossian says, almost snatching the papers out of Jerod's hands. (He does peek into the cabinet, but is focused on solving the computer issue )
If Jerod were really messing with Ossian, he'd hold onto them for a moment just to make him tug at them. But he's not in that kind of mood today, so he passes them over almost absently as he checks the compartment.
Assuming Ossian gets the papers he starts to rummage through them. He decides he will find a seemingly ordinary letter with the password underlined. (That's probability manipulation)
The password is apparently "The Cursed Siren".
Huon nods. "Good. The Queen entrusted those archivists to me and I will be a bit worried until I hear they're safe. It sounds as if we are the only group still investigating. I'm in some sort of Klybesian tunnel, which had a door that led to a shadow-path elsewhere. Bleys's son and his friends went down it. There are a few others with me. Are you and I making sure everyone remembers to come home? I expect we need a few minutes to fill up crates of Klybesian documents here."
He pauses. "I'm also searching for some cards for Delta and Misao. I told them I'd find their stuff, and I suspect that 'a deck of cards that someone cares about more than escaping a snow-hurricane' is a long-winded way of describing trumps.
"Which makes our guests very interesting, of course. They should have fascinating stories to tell."
Merlin dutifully looks for crates that can be filled with papers. Jerod sees closed compartments labelled "Subject 1", and " Subject 3". They're about the size of shoeboxes, and made of some sort of high-tech plastic that is slightly transparent. He sees something about the size of a small book in each. Or a deck of cards.
Jerod will scoops up the contents of the compartments (after taking a moment to check just in case Klybesians are to try booby-trapping them), along with a check of any other compartments there...after all, he's heard that the monks are real bunch of hoarders, probably in need of therapy. Along with if they missed something in their hasty departure.
Assuming no booby-traps, poison darts, explosions or other such silliness, he will take a quick look at the decks. He is curious as to whether they are standard, or custom decks.
One is a complete deck, and looks like a standard family deck by Dworkin. The other is a partial collection of cards, including Lucas and Misao. The style of those is unknown.
Jerod studies the second partial deck, committing the images to memory. The card of Lucas is significant. Whoever did the card of Lucas also did Misao logically given the style... apart from Flora there would be only cousins likely to have done up a Trump of Lucas... and they would had to have met Misao in order to completed that card which would have introduced Misao to Amber and Family sooner, rather than later.
This tends to lead Jerod to think, given also Lucas' noted penchant for "wandering around", that Misao is more likely going to need to be introduced to Flora. He smiles slightly at the thought of that. He also makes a note to show Ossian the card design... he would likely recognize Lucas' style.
What other images are in the partial deck? Anything familiar - people or places? Unknowns are definitely going to get a once-over.
A place trump is the other major arcana. It's cold, and he could go there. It looks peaceful and organized. The rest are the normal minor arcana.
Another note of the place, for future reference, but as with the other cards for Misao, they are secured for return.
Regardless of what he finds, once the compartment is cleared, he turns to Huon. "Got'em. Two decks."
Huon nods.
To Merlin and Ossian: "Keep an eye out for any documentation. We want it all, but be sure to keep anything marked Subjects 1 or 3. They'll probably relate to our new family members."
There is a tanto, with a taped label that says "subject 1" and a serviceable but not new rapier with a label marked "subject 3". There are a number of small items in with the full (subject 3) deck; fishhooks, coins, a flask.
And there's a sealed can with some sort of liquid in it marked "subject 2". Given the weather above, it's no surprise that it's chilled.
Jerod smiles, vaguely amused, having a pretty good idea of what "subject 2" would have in the can. The other items are tossed into a box quickly, separated by papers to ensure they are returned accordingly to their owners. The tanto gets a quick look, given Jerod's curiosity, to look at the hamon (the visible temper line from the blade's forging), see if it has a distinct pattern or a more conventional "machined" wave form. It gets secured separately, mostly because Venesch would kill Jerod if he mistreated a blade by tossing it in a box.
Ossian will try "The Cursed Siren" at the computer. If that doesn't work he will try to figure out how the computer is hooked up cross-shadows.
The cursed siren is a valid prompt. Ossian is in the computer. It's unclear how much access he has, but he's gotten somewhere.
Huon continues speaking to Brita. "Oh, excellent. Aside from a gunshot wound to one of the new cousins, we didn't really take any new casualties, and there's not a lot of mopping up to do here in Greenwood. Unless Edan and his group find something." Huon pauses. "If you can, please pass word to Delta and Misao that we've recovered their things."
Meanwhile, Merlin says, "Hello, Martin," loudly enough to tell the group he, too, is in a Trump contact. He listens for a couple of sentences worth of talk, and says, "Brennan is going to destroy this building with lines of gas. Martin says we must leave at once. Take what you can and I will send each of you through."
Jerod pockets the trumps and collects any stray boxes of documentation that Merlin may have been able to put together. He motions to the computer as he speaks to Ossian. "If you think it has something valuable, pull it and we'll see about reading it later."
"Stressgubbdjävlar," Ossian curses under his breath. "It's the network that's important here. Can't bring that," he says irritably. "Give me a few moments." He deliberately delays for a few seconds, trying to find out if the network is still up. Can he see other nodes?
Ossian can see that there are other nodes, and even some node names, but he is locked out of them. This may take an expert.
Then he unplugs the computer to bring it with him to Xanadu.
With Ossian and the computer through, Merlin says, "Martin is talking to his father. Do you want to come through now with the boxes, Jerod, or will you go through with Huon? I can take some of the boxes.
At which point Huon says, "We are done here, niece And have been told to leave so that this place can be leveled. Please bring me through," and disappears into the other Trump connection. "I suppose that decision is made for you," Merlin says, reaching to take Jerod's hand to pull him through.
Jerod smiles slightly. "Uncles are so like that sometimes." he says, collecting the boxes and taking Merlin's hand to step through.
Merlin passes Jerod through and then steps through himself, into the Infirmary.
About the point when Brita is completing the sketch, a page arrives. First she speaks to Corwin in the hall, and then she comes in and says, "Lady Brita, Prince Martin says they have the hostages, and he's calling to Queen Celina to get the archivists. Do you have a return message?"
Brita nods but does not look up from her sketch work. "Please Relay that I Will Call Uncle Huon in a Short While and My Brother. If either Come Through with The Rebman Archivists, let me Know."
Another page arrives, addresses himself to Corwin, and then comes in to speak to Brita.
"King Random sends word that anyone who is brought in that is not a guest should be sent to the red pavilion." There are royal guards with the page who are apparently ready to do just that.
Brita stands and turns back to her cousins. "I Completed a Sketch of My Brother, But I should Call Our Uncle Huon Back first." She proceeds to do that - concentrating on the Trump again.
Huon turns and smiles. "Ah, Brita. Thank you for the excellent assistance. Jerod, Edan, and... Raven, I think, have gone chasing Klybesians down their tunnels. The Queen took several sorcerers with her to rescue her archivists, and this place is well on the way to being destroyed. Have you had word from the others?"
Brita responds, "The Hostages are in The Infirmary with Prince Martin. The Rebman Archivists may be Joining Them as Cousin Martin was to Call Cousin Celina, Assuming she was With Them."
Huon nods. "Good. The Queen entrusted those archivists to me and I will be a bit worried until I hear they're safe. It sounds as if we are the only group still investigating. I'm in some sort of Klybesian tunnel, which had a door that led to a shadow-path elsewhere. Bleys's son and his friends went down it. There are a few others with me. Are you and I making sure everyone remembers to come home? I expect we need a few minutes to fill up crates of Klybesian documents here."
He pauses. "I'm also searching for some cards for Delta and Misao. I told them I'd find their stuff, and I suspect that 'a deck of cards that someone cares about more than escaping a snow-hurricane' is a long-winded way of describing trumps.
"Which makes our guests very interesting, of course. They should have fascinating stories to tell."
Brita nods. "We Can Keep This Connection Open to bring the Remaining Back when you are Done. Was the Timing Acceptable?"
"Oh, excellent. Aside from a gunshot wound to one of the new cousins, we didn't really take any new casualties, and there's not a lot of mopping up to do here in Greenwood. Unless Edan and his group find something." Huon pauses. "If you can, please pass word to Delta and Misao that we've recovered their things."
At about that moment, there are some sharp raps on the door from where Corwin has shut it, presumably to keep busy pages out of the way of an open Trump connection.
"We are done here, niece. And have been told to leave so that this place can be leveled. Please bring me through." He reaches out his hand.
Finding her Uncle Corwin in the hall Hannah smiles. "Uncle, has anyone injured been brought back up here?" she asks as the first order of business.
Garrett, holding Hannah's pack, waits for his uncle's answer.
"Hello Hannah, no, I think Brita is still talking to Huon. The staff are setting up some kind of holding area, but if they've taken anyone there, they haven't gone this way."
The baby wriggles. It's hard to tell if he likes Corwin's voice or is just excited by all the movement.
"Good then. Have you been formally introduced to our, uh, guest?" Hannah asks.
Corwin had been standing against the wall shuffling through Trumps, and straightened to give the group his attention. "I have not, formally," he says, and bows to First. "I am Corwin of Paris, formerly of Amber."
First bows in return. "My father the Marshall opposed you at Jones Falls. He speaks highly of you and your brother Benedict. I am First to the Center, and I am hostage-guest to your brother King Random, and battle-sister to Brita."
"Well met, sister of my niece," Corwin says formally. He moves to free the door and raps on it for the benefit of those inside. "I'll keep everyone out of your hair, and if you need, I'll call the pages." There are an army of pages and Corwin's presence here is likely keeping them hovering just out of sight.
"If you could send some for a few bowls of water, soap and towels, then we should be fully prepared," Hannah requests, before opening the door. "I am hoping we can triage anyone who comes this way back down to the infirmary quickly."
Brita looks toward the door as Hannah opens it and enters.
Once Hannah is inside she looks for an empty place that will give her room for the medical pack on one side, and the cradleboard on the other. The latter she slips off and lays down next to her on the floor. "What are you wiggling for, tiger? Do you want the french man to sing to you?" She touches his nose and looks for obvious trouble.
Brita has almost automatically reached out her free hand as she watches the others enter the room. Absently she starts, "Pass me any Others to Come Thr...." She cuts off as her hand is grasped and she turns to find Huon in front of her and the Trump contact closed. She asks wryly, "I Assume the Others have Another Way Back? Was My Brother with You?"
Huon nods towards the group at the door, then answers Brita's questions. "They went with Merlin. You mean Conner, the one I met you with in Bellum? Only briefly. He left sorcerously, and I believe went to find the archivists. I've heard they returned, so I assume he has as well. Unless he's the one who is leveling the compound."
Robin has a warm smile for Hannah and her 'tiger'. And a scowl for Huon. But otherwise stays out of the way.
Garrett sets Hannah's medical bag down in the open space beside her and shoots a quick smile down at the bairn. "Anyone still out there should have trumps of at least an elder," Garrett says reassuringly to Brita, though his gaze is steely on Huon, waiting for his response.
Huon has a courtly bow, and a smirk for Garrett and Robin.
Pen arches an eyebrow, "Ranger Robin, this one looks like trouble. Another relative?"
"Oh yes," Garrett says, but before he can elaborate they are interrupted by a knock at the door.
"And not to be trusted," Robin adds under her breath.
Delta steps into a room with Martin. It's bright here, and warm enough, and she can smell the scent of the ocean. "Welcome to Xanadu," says Martin, and a woman comes to help her into a bed in what is clearly an infirmary. Another healer is helping a woman on another bed.
Delta takes Martin's hand and steps through. He receives a tired nod and a muttered, "Delta," from her before she moves aside to make room for the others.
She's finally free of the unnatural din of klaxons and gunshots, and it's that as much as the gunshot wound along her side that let her slump into the healer's waiting arms. With assistance, she crawls -- drenched and bloody -- into the infirmary bed. She asks no questions, not now.
The smell of the sea is a welcome balm.
Then he brings Alex and Misao through. Misao gets an eyebrow rise from Martin, but he's clearly seen some stranger things. He repeats his name (Martin) and his greeting, "Welcome to Xanadu", to both of them.
Misao recognizes the woman being cared for as Carina.
"Alex?" It's half an introduction, half a question. Uncertainty is the order of the moment
Misao shifts the guard (who is hopefully either cooperative or unconscious) until they have them in a fireman's carry across one shoulder, then reaches out for Merlin's hand. They step through, remembering Otoo-san's lessons, and stop for a moment, to orient themselves. It's hard to tell, but they seem unhappy to be in another hospital room.
Misao is currently in the form of the oni. Short, stocky, muscular, with bright red skin, short dark hair running like a mane from the back of the head to under the neck, with large pointy horns, teeth, and claws. They are wearing a light colored set of clothes that look something like pajamas, close fitting enough to not catch on extraneous items, but loose enough to fight in easily. Their voice is deep, with the hint of a growl in it.
Martin scans them for visible injuries, and says, "If you two don't need immediate aid, I need to see if I can get those archivists out. They've been through a shipwreck as well as everything else."
There are a couple of youths in what look like a uniform of some sort peeking in the door. Martin says to them, "Pages, please tell Prince Garrett and Lady Brita that we have some of the hostages, and I'm about to call Celina to see if I can get the archivists."
Alex sits down abruptly on anything convenient. Bed or chair, doesn't matter. The floor? Sure. "I'm fine, thanks. Where's Oliva... screw it, too tired, can't promo."
A long breath. "Holy crap, I think she killed a man."
Martin pats him on the shoulder reassuringly, but doesn't say anything.
One of the hospital workers comes to kneel by Alex. "Hey, Alex, I'm Allie. Are you hurt?" She has a blanket and wraps it around Alex's shoulders.
Misao is carrying a wounded guard over their shoulder. As soon as they orient themselves to the new environment, they move over to an empty bed and slide the body off their back onto the mattress. Then they straighten and face Martin, then bow from the waist.
"We meet for the first time. I am of Hikariguni, the child of Kimiko-dono. My name is Misao. I am well. Are you well?"
Misao's expression is tired and wary. This feels like Otoo-san's power, but these people are not Otoo-san.
Martin makes a passably polite bow to Misao, one that says he's probably never been to Hikariguni but has been somewhere like it. "I am well enough, Misao, thank you. I am Martin, son of Random of Amber and Morganthe of Rebma. Welcome to Xanadu." Misao intuits he's a little wary of their form but not hostile. "Since you're not injured, let me find someone who can take you out of the infirmary and see you otherwise cared for."
About this point an older man rolls in in a wheelchair. He's got the biggest upper arms and shoulders that even Alex has ever seen. He might not be able to stand but he looks mighty. With him is a woman, perhaps older than he is, who walks alongside him, not pushing or even guiding his chair. Martin speaks to them. "Uncle Gerard, we have one with a gunshot wound over there. Not serious, but she needs a check-in. Lady Corvis, this is Misao of Hikariguni, and they don't seem to be injured. Can you see to them?"
"Of course," Corvis says. She is gentle, but there is steel in her voice. "I am Corvis of the Isles of the Dannan. Will you come with me, and let the healers work with the injured?"
Misao's expression becomes even more unhappy, but they obediently turn towards their "escape companions" and bow deeply.
"Mata ne, Arekusu-san, Deruta-san. Be well until our next meeting."
They move over to where Karina-san is being treated, moving to where she can see them, but out of the way of the healers.
"Mata ne, Karina-san. Be well until our next meeting."
These formalities concluded, Misao turns and follows Korifusu-dono out of the room.
Gerard nods to Misao and rolls over past Alex to Delta. "Hello, young lady. I'm Gerard of Amber. Let's see your injury."
There's a lot of noise and work going on in the infirmary. Someone called a guard to deal with Misao's unconscious prisoner, and that person is being carried out. Martin, having passed Misao on to Corvis, is using another Trump already.
Alex lifts himself back up from wherever he found to sit, heavily, and bows to Misao. "And you, Misao-san. Hope it's soon; it was great escaping with you. You too, Delta!"
Deep breath, and a long stretch in a couple of directions, testing. "Um... nope, Allie, I'm okay. Little sore, but I didn't get shot or anything. Sounds like Martin's encouraging us to get out of the way of the doc, which is fine by me."
"Yeah, let's go into the office, and we'll send for whatever we need. It'll be quieter in there."
Conversation drifts around Delta as she snuggles into the infirmary bedding. It's tempting to close her eyes, but...no. All these are strangers, still. She watches the older man and his companion approach. After Gerard speaks, she answers his question with, "Your 'guns' are horrible. Do you have them here too?" She drags the coverlet down to show her side. "They're too fast. Can't see it coming. It's like cheating."
She tugs her tunic away from the wound with a hiss of pain. "And...Delta. I'm called Delta."
Alex and Misao both get waves and nods, but only that, given her conversation with Gerard.
"Guns are terrible, Delta," Gerard agrees. "Roll up a bit and let me see if the bullet is out or in. If I've got to dig for it, I'll give you a morphine drip, lass. Where d'ye come from?" His hands are large, but clearly competent. Someone hands him a bowl and soap to wash his hands before he probes at the wound.
Meanwhile, Martin is apparently bringing more people in; there is an upwelling of voices and footsteps, and if Delta looks at him, she can see people emerging from nowhere, as if it were magic. Perhaps it is. Some of these people have greenish or bluish skin, as the legends of Rebma say Rebmans do.
At the door, Kyril bobs his head. "Your majesty," he says, loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"No need to be formal here. You all are working," says the King. Beside him is Folly. "Casualties?" he asks Kyril.
"The girl took a bullet. The rest are scrapes, battering, and covered in someone else's blood," Kyril replies, clearly disapproving. "The Rebmans are coming in next. I need a bigger infirmary."
"We're here to help with that," Folly says. "We can co-opt some space nearby for those who don't need a bed or immediate intensive care: sort of a Scrapes, Bruises, and Someone-Else's-Blood clinic. I can help with those." She turns to Random and confers briefly in a low voice about the spaces she thinks will work; she's also keeping an eye on the emerging Rebmans to see which obviously need to stay here, and which might be okay to direct to the auxiliary space. She's not a doctor and will follow Kyril's or Gerard's lead, but in her time away after Lark was born she took enough basic EMT training to be not-completely-useless.
Random nods. "Start with the card room. Two rules: no samples in the beer cooler and no blood on the felt tabletop, unless necessary. Get the Rebmans as much water as they want. Coming here, especially coming from a jail, is going to be hard on them. They don't know to hydrate."
"Mmm, so no salt tea for a while, then," Folly says. "Or beer."
Random sings, softly, "In Rebma There Is No Beer..."
He pauses. "Anyone in particular need of the King's Touch? It seems like it's pretty under control."
Folly arches an eyebrow. "Does it cure dehydration?"
"I choose not to answer that question, your honor, on the grounds of you already know the answer...."
Martin says to someone on the far side of the Trump, "Only Merlin; I don't know where the rest are. But I agree with flattening it to the extent that whatever the others are doing hasn't done it already."
To the extent Folly overhears and reacts to that, she does not disagree. She steps out into the hall to wrangle pages to get the card room set up and to bring plenty of water and other supplies.
Delta rolls obligingly, revealing a bloody but not-too-deep furrow where the bullet grazed her side. "Here and there," she says as an answer to Gerard's question. "Up and down the islands, always on the move." Her shoulders hunch up at any touch to the wound, but she makes no noise of pain.
The new arrivals do catch her attention; she specifically watches the greenish and bluish-skinned people with avid attention. "Rebma," she says, almost dreamily. "Should talk to them, eventually." But that's just a fancy spoken aloud. To Gerard she continues, "We're not in the Islands now, are we? No one I know can walk through still air like it's an open door."
Gerard laughs, friendly, if not infectiously. "That can be arranged. If you want to talk to the Queen, she'll be about somewhere." He starts moving to bandage up her graze. "You'll be right as rain in a little while, lass. This is naught but a graze." Which is said loudly enough that it's for the others to hear as well as Delta.
"And no, you're in Xanadu now. But perhaps we can find your islands and once you're settled, we can see you home."
Signy and Tomat pass through the Trump contact. Tomat looks like he's been through a shipwreck and possibly a beating since then.
Coming through to Martin, Conner, and Celina arrive. Neither seems injured. Celina looks around and thanks Martin. She moves to clear the space and then finds a moment to say something to each of the Archivists.
For those who have not seen her yet, Celina looks disheveled, wearing Edwardian chemise bloomers and a jacket as a kilt. She is a deep green complexion with green eyes and hair.
Vere arrives through the trump connection as well and immediately falls back to a wall of the infirmary, his gaze sweeping the room and silently noting everyone who is present and what they are currently doing.
Conner sheathes his green bladed sword and after a moment joins the doctors and nurses. He gives his opinions on triaging the wounded archivists and helps get them settled.
Delta tilts her head at Gerard's words. "I'm in no hurry. I mean...I know the Islands. This is new. I'll get back there soon enough." The word 'new' is spoken with a grin, despite the strangeness of the day. "New is my favorite thing."
She tugs her tunic back down once Gerard has finished bandaging her wounds. "Can all of you do that? Look at a card, and step through the sky?" She tilts her head. "Can my picture cards do that too? Grandmother never mentioned that." She coughs then, and clears her throat. "Could use some water, if you show me where the well is."
Gerard hands Delta a wineskin. "Water first, I think." He leans back in his wheelchair. "Yes, under some circumstances, anyone with the right card can do that. I'd have to see your cards, or possibly speak with your Grandmother. Who is she? If she has a deck of Trumps, I'd like to meet her." Delta can almost hear him capitalize "Trumps".
As if on cue, Folly steps back into the room and says in a voice that, though not overly loud, commands attention: "Those of you who don't require urgent medical attention, we've set up a room down the hall where we can tend to more minor injuries and provide you with some food and water." Noticing what Conner is doing, she makes eye contact with him and makes a gesture asking that he either send or bring those he's deemed lower-risk in her direction. "Doctors, while I'm wrangling pages, what else can we bring you?" She moves to a cabinet and pulls out a small first-aid kit, then stands ready to escort the less-injured down the hall.
"Oh, and I'd like a quick briefing from whoever knows how it is that we just ended up rescuing a half-a-half-dozen new family members from Klybesians. Who volunteers to tell me?" Random looks across the room for volunteers.
Martin is busy with a new Trump contact, so it won't be him. "Merle, it's Martin. I've got Celina back, and all the archivists, and everyone who was with them, including some prisoners. Brennan's blowing the place up with the gas lines, so you and whoever is with you needs to come through."
Delta raises the wineskin to Gerard in a silent toast before drinking deeply of whatever is within -- wine, water, who knows?
Water: pure, clear, delicious.
When satisfied, she wipes her mouth with a filthy sleeve - grimacing - and says, "Coral, that's her name. I always thought it was half talk, eh? Like it was just her way of saying she needed to get away from the rest of us. 'Gone to Rebma.' Took me years to figure out it was real." She shakes her head as she watches Folly and the archivists file out. "I'm bandaged up. I can get out of your way, if it'd be --"
She stops short there, really looking at Gerard for the first time. Her gaze flicks to Random and then back. "Damn, but you look familiar." She's still staring when Random asks his question about the day's events.
"I don't know her, lass, but we'll find out who she is. The Queen of Rebma is about here, and she might know," Gerard tells her. "We'll find your cards, and sort out who your nan is." He pats her shoulder with a gentle hand.
Vere quietly moves around the edge of the room until he is near Gerard. "Is there anything I can do to assist, Father?" he asks quietly. "I do not feel myself conversant enough with what occurred to answer the King's request for information." He nods a greeting to Delta. She might or might not remember having seen him appear in the hospital office along with all of the other people who came at Huon's call.
Gerard says to Vere, "Can you keep this lass company and answer some questions for her? Delta, this is my son Vere. Vere, this is Delta, whose grandmother went away to Rebma and brought back some picture cards. He'll take good care of you while I talk to my brother over there."
"Indeed, Father," Vere says, lightly laying a hand on the man's shoulder.
"My thanks for the bandaging," Delta says by way of farewell to Gerard.
Allie offers Alex a hand up, whether he needs it or not, and ushers him into an office, closing the door firmly behind the two of them to shut out the noise.
The office looks a bit like an old-timey doctor's office: paper files, a big heavy wooden desk, wooden chairs. Metal and wood cabinets. No plastic, for all that Alex caught sight of a couple of IV tethers outside. No telephone, not even an old-fashioned one. She gestures to one of the chairs. "If you feel faint, lean forward and put your head between your knees. I'd put you in a bed, but I think you need quiet more than you need to be flat. It's gonna be okay, though. This place is nuts, but it's not all bad. Mostly good even.
"You want to tell me what happened?"
Alex cocks an eyebrow, regaining some cheer. "That'd be awesome, except I'd have to understand it, and I'm pretty sure I came into this one halfway through."
He considers the chair, then uses it as a platform for a stretch, painstakingly loosening every muscle which got heavy use in the last little while. Which is to say all of them. While he stretches, he talks.
"So I woke up in a cell with, shit, Tomat? Yeah, Tomat. I don't know how I got there exactly, which is not totally unusual in my line of business. But for lack of a better idea, I busted down the door, then I busted down the next door, which is how I met Delta. She's the one who got shot. Um... right, then we met Huon, which I think is where people started talking about family."
He swaps legs. Stretch.
"Made our way upstairs, looking for Delta's stuff. Met a couple of nurses... huh. Weird, for a prison. Met a couple of guards, that went badly for them. Met Misao-san, which to be honest is about the point where I decided Huon wasn't trying to run a game on me."
He frowns. "And then like a dozen people showed up in that tiny damned office, which might have been okay except everyone brought their ego with them, so it got crowded. Not that I'm one to talk. For lack of a better idea we helped charge the guys who were wanting to shoot us, and there was a blizzard, and Delta got shot, and uh.
"So where am I?"
"I think you're from the kind of place I'm from, but if I'm wrong about that, stop me and I can try another approach to telling you all this. There's a lot to tell." Allie takes a deep breath and begins.
"Okay, so you've read books or seen movies or whatever you have at home about alternate universes and multiple dimensions, that kind of thing? This is one of those. It's called Xanadu. The people who run this place, the royal family, have what are either magical or 'sufficiently high tech to be indistinguishable from magic' powers that let them get around the multiple universes. My uncle Kyril, who's out there--" Allie gestures at the door and by inference into the infirmary beyond"--is dating one of them. He went missing from our homeland a long time ago, and then I went missing in a different way--long story-- and arrived here. Apparently that's the normal way people get to Xanadu. You got special delivery," Allie tells Alex with a grin.
"There are a bunch of guys out there who are apparently universe-travelling Illuminati monks, called the Klybesians, and they're trying to get the secret of longevity--like hundreds or even thousands of years--and universe-controlling power out of the Xanadu royals. And if the Klybesians had you in jail, which they did, that means either they think you know something, or they think you're one of the royals. Either way, you're well out of their hands, and you're safe here."
"Huh." A lengthy pause -- no, it's still going on -- he's still doing stretches -- very lengthy pause, yes -- and then:
"Huh."
"Okay. It's not any weirder than an undead motorcycle thug feuding with his desperately scarred brother, so I can at least go along with it, and that thing where I wound up here was really strange. So sure. You know, for a while I thought it was some kind of complex scam but I'm broke right now so there's not really any downside for me either way. And also Misao isn't wearing a mask. I'd be able to tell. So. Okay."
He remembers himself, and flashes a grin back. "Hey, so here's a question for you. Why are you sticking around here? What's Xanadu offering you that your hometown doesn't?"
"Oh, couple of things. First, when I said Kyril's my uncle? He's a lot older than I am, because time runs differently here to what it does at home. So the home I'd go back to would be really different, and more different the longer I stay. Second, and probably more importantly, I was with a military team fighting off a literal zombie invasion when I got my special delivery, so all things considered, I'm probably better off here." Allie says this brightly, but there's a brittleness around the edges.
"Even with the recent issues, it's a hard place not to like."
Alex winces. "World champion Foot-In-Mouth Sticker, here, two years running. Sorry."
She shakes her head and grins a little ruefully. "No way you could have known."
He looks around, a little bit unsettled, trying to find something that might reasonably contain a beer. If there's a likely candidate, he'll fish two beers out of it and offer one to Allie.
"Well, I don't have much going back home so... hey, OK, wait. Xanadu is a poem, right? Is this, like... the inspiration for the poem? Mrs. Morrigan back in elementary school would be so smug, she told me I'd be glad I read it some day. If I ever read it. Which I didn't."
"I don't know if there's a river elf here or not, but it probably is. That's the kind of place this is and people the royal family--and maybe you--are. They're pretty nice and helpful and all that, but also really weird. Like people out of fairy tales or legends, except sometimes what they really want is a Nuka Cola and a Speedy Burger." She shrugs.
Allie lets Alex rest and regain his bearings for a few minutes while things go on outside, giving him water as needed. A few minutes later, there's a knock on the door and Kyril sticks his head in. "The King is here, and asking about everyone who arrived."
"Come on," Allie says to Alex, and helps him to his feet. "He's really not that scary." Together, they go out into the main room.
Vere watches as his father's chair rolls away, then turns back to Delta and smiles.
"Well met, Delta," he says with a small bow. "I have no doubt that you have many questions, but I do not wish to overwhelm you with facts and details. Would you prefer to ask questions, which I shall answer to the best of my ability, or would it be of more use to you for me first to give you a brief explanation of where you are and who we are, which may then give you a better framework for asking your questions? Or perhaps even for you to give me a brief biography of yourself and where you are from, which I can then use as a basis for deciding what information would be of the most use to you most immediately? The choice is yours." He smiles. "We could also retire to a less crowded area and have food brought, if you are hungry."
While she listens to Vere's conversational options, a slight half-smile broadens into a real grin. She keeps her voice low as she responds, given that others might be answering Random's request for a report. "I think I sailed past 'overwhelmed' a few hours ago." She drags blood-spattered fingers through her close-cropped hair. "Tell you what. I'd give a limb -- your choice -- for a washstand and a clean set of clothes. And food, aye. After that, overwhelm me to your heart's content. I'm a fine listener."
She winces as she hops down from the bed. "Lead on. Less crowded sounds good to me."
Vere nods. "Follow me," he says. He leads her from the room and down a corridor, catching a page on the way and ordering food and appropriate clothing for both of them sent to one of the small dining rooms. "I had just arrived at the palace from a sea voyage," he explains to Delta as they leave the page. "And I have not had a chance to freshen up or change my clothing since arriving." Once they reach the room he points out the attached washroom where she can clean up and change, and once she is finished he does the same while she begins to eat.
He joins her in eating after a few minutes, and waits until her attention is no longer solely on food before he begins talking.
The Delta who finally pats her stomach in contentment and leans back in her chair looks nothing like the woman Vere met earlier. Clean, garbed in soft, loose clothing, warm, and fed, she's finally ready to hear whatever Vere has to say.
"Right. Let's have at it, then. I know you have your own words in mind, but three extra things you could address, if you please?"
She holds up her thumb. "Why do you think I'm kinfolk to you? I'm brown, you're not, some of you are green, at least one of you is whatever Misao is, and...you get my point, eh?" Her index finger rises. "Where are we? Because where I come from, there aren't guns or howls that never end" (those klaxons! She hates those klaxons!]. Finally she raises her middle finger and asks more eagerly, "Sea voyage, aye? Any good tales come out of it?"
Vere nods. "I do not know what has already been told to you by Father and Uncle Huon," he says. "So some of this may be redundant. But, as a quick background, you are now in Xanadu, the realm of King Random, son of Oberon, son of Dworkin. There are an infinitude of worlds, and the descendents of Dworkin have the ability to travel through them. We are, generally speaking, also stronger, quicker, and more resistant to injury and illness than the common run of humanity. You were imprisoned by members of the Order of Klybesians, who seek to understand the source of our power. We presume that this is due to a desire to replicate it, although I do not believe anyone of the Family has yet had a chance to sit down with them and have an in depth discussion of their reasons for hunting us. The fact that you were imprisoned by them leads us to believe you might be a relative, or at least closely associated with a relative." He smiles slightly. "As to the matter of appearance, Oberon lived for many thousands of years, had many wives and more affairs, and his offshoots vary widely."
He raises his goblet to his lips and takes a sip, then continues with a smile. "As regards my sea voyage, it included a royal hostage, an unsolved murder, a sword of power, and a shipwrecked treasure ship. I am more likely to compose ballads about these events than stories." He sighs, slightly. "I fear my music has been somewhat ignored of late, due to an excess of events."
He tilts his head to one side. "From that last question, do I take it that you are a sailor yourself? I was raised in the Isles of the Dannan, and took some of my first steps upon a tossing deck."
Delta listens to all this, but instead of responding to his last question, she instead blurts, "Well, how the blazes did one of the Klybesians snatch me from a card game below-decks, a day's journey from any shore? Do they have the magic as well?" She lifts her arms and mimes splitting the air, as if more Amberites (or Klybesians) might pour through. "And ...gods below, you're saying that if -- if -- I'm one of you, I have a grandfather thousands of years old?"
She huffs out a breath as she sits back in her chair, hard. "You want one of the best card-sharps in the Pearl, that's me. You want a steady hand and steady legs during the roughest storm? Me. You want a swimmer like a born fish, that's me yet again. But I'm still... how'd you put it. The common run of humanity." There's no anger in her voice, no mockery -- just bafflement.
Vere leans forward. "What is the last thing you remember before you found yourself their prisoner? You were at a card game? Were there any strange odors, or an odd taste to a drink? They might well have drugged you. They have accumulated much wealth, and can often find greedy people to do their bidding." He shrugs slightly. "We took some guards prisoner, some of them may have more information."
He sits back. "As to the matter of whether you are kin or not, all I know is that other members of the Family have referred to you as being a Cousin, and I trust their judgement on these matters. Whatever the case, you have mentioned a connection to Rebma..." That fleeting smile reappears once again. "Which your comment about swimming supports. Celina, the Queen of Rebma, is my cousin and was among the group who performed the rescue. She may well know your grandmother. Coral, was it not?"
"I was winning the card game," Delta says. "One-Eye Morgan tossed in his family's ring. I was going to win big." She huffs out another sigh, but refocuses. "I have no idea who laid down with my mother to make me, and she's never said. As for Coral -- that's my grandmama's name, Coral -- she's always had a wandering way too. She'd 'go to Rebma' like I'd join up with a crew for a season." She grimaces. "Last time she came back, she was changed. Unhappy, cold. Not her way. So I'm not sure Rebma's a fine place to be at the moment? It's not like she'd tell me."
Delta shakes her head. "Which is a lot of nonsense to spill on someone I've met today. Sorry." She drags fingers back through her hair again. "I don't drink while I'm playing. But there was a stink to the smoke Morgan gave me. And he was desperate." The words drift off as the implications of her having been targeted for kidnapping sink in.
Vere nods. "Indeed. I think it highly likely that you were taken due to the knowledge, or at least suspicion, that you are our kin." He tilts his head to one side. "I do not recognize the name Coral as one I have heard associated with the court of Rebma, but then I have only been to that realm a few times, and the politics there are murky and convoluted. Celina has only recently taken the throne. Her mother did not give it up willingly, and is suspected to be plotting an attempted reacquisition of power. Your grandmother might have been involved in that in some fashion. Did she ever mention any names of the people of Rebma, or tell you any stories of it?"
Delta's eyebrows rise. "My grandmother the revolutionary? Doubt it. If so, she knows she lost, given how ...grey, she's been." She shakes her head. "I don't know. She told me childrens' tales. Breathing in water, mirrors and green spires and golden gates. Fish in the street instead of pigs and dogs. No people, no talk of rulers or thrones."
She spreads her hands, palms up, in a gesture of confusion. "I'll hear you all out, but I'm making no promises. I've done just fine without much kin so far." She smirks, but it fades into a more rueful smile. "Always wanted to go there, at least before Coral came back so changed. Fantastical Rebma. The real sea of the world." The last sentence sounds well-used, a recitation from another tale. "You've been there, eh?"
Vere nods. "The things you mention as children's tales are all true. It is a realm that lies beneath the waves. Breathing water is a shock the first time it happens, but one quickly becomes used to it. I found learning to drink while underwater was more of a challenge. The architecture is magnificent, and the way light reflects from surfaces can be breathtaking. The sculpture and music are superb, and Rebma's courtiers can wield etiquette like a rapier. I look forward to visiting again." He smiles. "Alas, my betrothed has a dislike of being underwater, so I suspect in future I shall not visit as often as I might have otherwise wished."
"Ties do bind," Delta says, though she sounds distracted now. She shakes her head. "Vere, right? Vere. Tell me. No one does anything without wanting something for it. I'm well and truly grateful for the escape, eh? And for the bandaging-up by your father, the food, the clothes, all of it. Undersea's blessings over the lot of you." She makes a sort of sweeping gesture, a benediction perhaps unique to her own world. "But I think the other shoe has to drop just about any time now."
She leans back, balancing her chair on its back two legs. "I'll get my cards back, and then what? What happens then?"
"King Random will want to speak with you. While not the oldest of Oberon's children, he is the head of the Family. He will be the one to make any decisions about your place in the Family." Vere smiles once more, briefly. "He is not given to immuring recalcitrant princesses in towers because they refuse to take part in Family picnics. While I cannot speak for him, I would suspect that he will explain what it means to be part of the Family, discuss ways to determine in fact whether or not you are of the Blood Royal, and lay out your options. If you choose to simply walk away from all of this, he will most likely allow it. Although he might point out the dangers of doing so, once you have been identified as a member of the Family. Power draws enemies, unfortunately. As you have already experienced."
Delta barks a laugh at the mention of 'recalcitrant princesses.' "Never met a King," she says. "How likely is he to lop off my head, in the grand scheme of things?"
She almost immediately waves away her own question. "I'm jesting. Probably. But...I suppose we're waiting, then? I know warlords, if not kings, and they're fine letting people stew until they're good and ready to come chat." She lets her chair settle back down on four legs. "You're a balladeer, right? Sing something, if you miss it so."
Vere nods. "As kings go, Random is less concerned with protocol than most. I believe that is because he has no doubt of his own power, and does not need to see it reflected in the behaviour of others to feed his sense of his own worth."
Steepling his fingers together, Vere looks thoughtful for a moment, then says, "Here is a ballad from my doomed homeland. It was very popular among the common folk of the Isles, less so among the wealthy."
Vere's voice is rich, and the words throb with emotion as he sings.
"Bliss Redhair crept into the town
When the shadows started to fall
And she list to the boasts of the merchants rich
And the moans of the common and smallShe saw the post the sheriff had left
A thousand crowns it said
To any who'd help in bringing down
The thief with the hair of redShe sat at table in the inn
She's played at cards and dice
She toyed with the sharps and the dandies as well
As a cat among the miceShe heard the Priestess and miser speak
In their pride and their vanity
And she watched as they ordered the servants about
With ne'er a 'Thanks to thee!'She heard of the matchless blood red silk
That was meant for a councilor's robe
And she smiled to herself as she left her chair
And slipped through the darkened townAnd she's stole the gold from the miser's chest
And kissed the Priestess' son
And ta'en the bolt of blood red silk
And away with it she's runAnd when she came to the deep blue sea
With the sheriff close on her track
She whistled high to a dolphin gay
And she rode awa on its backShe shouted farewell to the sheriff's crew
And laughed to see their surprise
And she called 'Tell the merchants I'll soon return,
For the money they got with their liesAnd when the midnight moon does shine
And the pretty boys long for a kiss
Tell them they'll no have long to wait
For their darlin' Redhaired Bliss.'"
Delta listens with avid attention, and the line "a cat among the mice" earns a crack of laughter. Soon she's drumming along with the song's cadence on the table, though soft enough to not drown out one word of the song. At its end, she says, "Huzzah!" and claps. While grinning, she says, "Well, damnation. If we truly are kin, then I know now why I can't sing without scaring the birds from the trees. You siphoned away all the talent before any could get to me."
With that, she stands. "I've changed my mind. Your Bliss Redhair wouldn't wait for a meek tap on the door, would she? Well, neither should we. Come on, balladeer. I'm inspired." She fluffs her short hair with both hands. "Let's go see a king."
Vere rises. "Let us return to the infirmary first, and see if he remains there. If he has moved to another room they should be able to tell us."
Delta nods once, heads out of the room with a spring in her step, and then pauses a few steps down the corridor. She moves to the side. "Maybe you should go first," she says. "King knows you and all." She waves Vere forward with a courtier's bow, complete with flourish and pointed toe. "I'll be on my best behavior."
Vere takes the lead, and when they come to the infirmary he walks in without pausing to knock.
Martin says, "Give me a moment and I'll see what I can do," as he pulls Ossian through. Ossian is carrying a laptop complete with dangling cords (looks like power and possibly connections).
"Signy," says Random, "I need someone to make sure everyone we sent to do mischief came back. Can you do that, and report back to me? Gilt may already be getting this info, but he probably doesn't know who came in down here."
Ossian looks around. "Anywhere I can help?" He still holds the computer under one arm. "Do we have a computer expert somewhere?"
Conner looks over to Ossian at that comment. "I've studied much algorithm theory and symbolic logic and have some basic electrical engineering under my belt but I've had little occasion to actually use one."
Conner gives a shrug of apology and turns to the King. "Well if you wanted the full saga we should have kept the Archivists but I can give you the short incomplete version." Conner comments. "We all trumped into a small office. Huon had gathered the three new people during his time in the facility and seemed convinced that they were family. I'm not sure where we were. Some kind of a hospital or research lab controlled by the Klybesians. When we arrived they had just ripped a metal hatch from the door that led to a shadow tunnel. We think most of the brothers fled that way leaving their security staff to slow us down. They had firearms, pistols mostly and were prepared to use gas weapons. I split off from the main group at that point. Some were going into the shadow tunnels and others getting ready to face the guards. I took Vere, Brennan, Celina and Signy to the basement by Sorcery in search of the archivists. We overcame some token resistance and rescued the archivists. As you saw, they were injured but received medical treatment. I only got part of their story but it seems the Klybesians ambushed them on the waves, captured them from the shipwreck, and brought them to wherever we were. About that time is when Martin contacted Celina saying we had to go now. Brennan stayed behind intending to create a fiery explosion as a parting gift before leaving."
Random nods along. "So I need to meet 3 more new people, to add to Pen, who some of you haven't met, and First, who is definitely not a member of the family. Celina and Signy are back, and Brennan isn't yet. The others were with Ossian."
Random pivots to his redheaded grand-nephew. "Ossian, is there anyone who isn't back yet? Oh, and the answer to your earlier question is 'I think we're standing down until dinner unless someone else comes up with a need for focused team violence.' You can see what's in your computer, but don't expect it to work here. We can't get recordings, so electronic memory is highly likely to fail."
While Random is explaining about the computer to Ossian, the office door opens and Allie emerges with Alex, who catches the tail end of the discussion.
The short new guy cocks his head at those words, and reaches for his cell phone in an experimental kind of a way. It's not in any of his pockets, of course, so that experiment won't work out well. A sigh.
He murmurs to Allie, in a tone that's actually quite well modulated to carry to her but not to others, "Formalities? Bow? Don't sit in his presence?"
Allie shrugs. She answers in a low voice, "He's a drummer. He's really good at poker. If you bluff, don't be surprised if he calls you on it. Formality: treat him like a-- president? Respectful but serious until he decides not to be."
Jerod rainbows into form, balancing a few boxes of captured documents that promptly get dropped onto a table when space gets found. He collects a box that appears to contain a number of objects, and he also has a rapier in hand that is clearly part of the "collection" of items. Upon seeing Random, there is the obligatory nod and "Majesty." but he does not interject into the conversation Random is having with Ossian and others.
Random nods back to Jerod.
Upon seeing Alex, Jerod smiles just slightly and digs around the box, pulling out a can. "Catch." he says as he underhands it to Alex.
Ossian snorts. "Well, there were a lot of people. But I think everyone is back."
To Conner he says. "Well. Even if the computer does not work here, I'm curious about how they make them connect cross shadow. Will you take a look at it with me?"
Conner turns to Ossian. "If Celina does not insist on an immediate return to Paris, I'd be happy to help. Though, it would be better to analyze it away from the center of things."
Signy nods at the King's request. Jerod, Ossian, Celina, Vere, and Connor were immediately accounted for in the room. Huon, Fletcher, Raven, and Edan were part of the trip out. After visibly scanning through the faces of everyone there, she quickly slips out the door to head off to see if she can find Brita, as the last person in touch with Huon.
Random turns to Jerod. "Hello Jerod, I see you bring spoils of war. Who's your new friend?"
"That one, Majesty?" Jerod nods towards Alex. "One of the family that the Klybesians decided to keep as an involuntary guest it seems. Bad choice on their part. I'll let him introduce himself, though I gather from the personal effects the monks had acquired from him that he has a preference for cold canned beverages. I've no doubt he'll get along quite well here." and he smiles.
He motions to the box, moving things around. "Other personal effects the monks had collected from their other two guests," he says, looking around. "....who are not here. Gathering they're being taken care of at the moment."
Delta and Misao's items are separated, with Delta's definitely being the larger pile. Two items Jerod holds onto for the moment. "These were specifically requested by our new family members. This is Delta's, young lady with some wit and likes her blade," he says, proffering the full deck to Random.
"Full deck, standard design. Not sure she knows how to use it, but she recognizes they're unique," Jerod says, before pulling out Misao's. "This one is more interesting," and he pulls out the partial deck, showing the design logo on one top card before flipping them over, simultaneously fanning them out to show Misao and Lucas.
"Auntie Flora is definitely in for a treat," he says simply, passing the partial deck to Random. "I don't recognize the style but I assume it's his. Anyone who has seen his work in detail should be able to verify that assumption."
Alex pulls Jerod's beer out of the air and gives the label a curious glance before looking back up. He spends a moment watching Jerod riffle through Misao's cards before speaking. "Hi, sir. I'm Alex Wallenberg. Uh, I -- let's say performer, I guess. I do that."
Vere and Delta enter the infirmary as Alex is talking. Vere nods to the King and steps to one side.
"Thank you Jerod. If you want to tell your Aunt, I'll happily delegate that task. When you're all back, I'd like to know what happened and what our best options are for responding might be. You'll want to talk to a bunch of your cousins." Random looks at his newest nephew and niece. "Hi Alex, call me Random. You must be either Delta or Misao. Are these things yours?" He lets her pick her pile of stuff.
Regardless of her answer, Random speaks louder. "Okay, we are now officially getting in the way of the proper functioning of the infirmary. While I am technically in favor of improper functioning, I hereby declare that anyone who needs medical help or who provides medical help should stay here. Anyone who doesn't need to talk to me should go elsewhere until dinner, and those who want to talk to me should follow me to my studio. All newcomers are in group C, which is with me."
He turns towards his brother. "Ger, can you send our third along when she's ready? Also Captain Pen, if she comes back this way, but not the Moonrider."
Gerard nods. "Aye."
Ossian puts down the computer (with a sigh) and takes a peek at the cards. Are they Lucas'?
They are not, but they could be by one of his students. They don't look like they are by anyone Ossian knows. There's also definitely a shadow art style in the mix.
While Ossian is checkin the cards, and before Random departs, Jerod summons a page to deliver a message to the Lady Carina, advising that he will be with the King for a period of time to discuss a small matter, but that he will attend upon her once that is matter is concluded.
As the king leaves Vere steps to his father's side and leans down. "I need to speak with Celina, Father. I've explained to Mother already that I may be leaving with her, if I am not able to speak with you again before then she will explain."
He'll listen to whatever his father may wish to say to him, then leave and find a page who can tell him where Celina currently is.
Once out of the hospital wing, Misao turns to Korifusu-dono and bows.
"We meet for the first time. I am of Hikariguni, the child of Kimiko-dono. My name is Misao. I am well. Are you well?"
Corvis is an elder, and she wears robes of cotton and wool, held in place with a leather girdle tooled with colored knotwork of a pattern Misao isn't familiar with. She wears jewelry of gold and silver, and the themes of the knotwork continue in them: a torc around her neck and a long bracelet on one arm. Her hair is silver with age. She is shod in sandals of leather that are similar to geta, but not raised from the ground.
She is taking the form of the oni in stride.
"I am Corvis, priestess of the Goddess from the Isle of the Dannan, and here in Xanadu I am wife to Prince Gerard. I am well, thank you. I gather you were a captive, Misao, and my husband's kin have freed you. Do you need food and drink, a bath, a room, a change of clothes? We did not know anyone was coming, so we are still making things ready for our visitors."
Once out of the hospital wing, Misao has begun to relax. A little.
"I would gratefully accept food and drink, Korifusu-dono. And help. My captors took valuable items from me, and I am promised that they will be restored. My mother will be anxious for me, and I wish to return, or at least notify her that I am safe.
"But first, I wish more information. I was captive, yes. What am I now?"
"You are a guest, though I would advise you remain here until we can secure your belongings and the King can speak with you," Corvis says. "You are unusual, and begging your pardon, I don't mean for your looks. The people who stole you away are enemies of my husband's family, and you will understand that we are all curious why. And anxious to prevent you from being taken again, if you return home at once."
Misao nods, thinking. Then, after a moment, they begin to shift, slowly, so as not to startle their companion. Now they appear to be a slight, but not fragile woman, perhaps in her late 20s. Her skin appears to be grayish blue in color, with blue lips and blue eyes. Misao's long black hair contains streaks of blue and silver and is styled in an elaborate updo, complete with a jade comb. Misao's clothing transforms into an elegant bright green robe with a pattern of gold fans rising from the hem. The robe has long sleeves falling to Misao's waist and is fastened by a dark green sash tied in an elaborate knot in the back bearing a showy pattern of red peonies, blue hydrangeas, yellow chrysanthemums, and white camellias. Misao wears a white underrobe, the collar and cuffs of which are just visible, and white tabi.
Corvis turns away when she realizes what Misao is doing, not from fear--though she is probably not used to shapeshifters, Misao intuits--but from politeness, as if she were in a room with someone changing clothes.
"I do not know the foods and drinks of Hikariguni; if you will tell me what sorts of things you like, I will ask the kitchen to prepare them."
Misao suggests chankonabe. "It's a soup made with chicken broth, pieces of chicken, and vegetables. Onions, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, usually. And a bowl of plain steamed rice, please. And tea. Does Xanadu have ohashi? A pair of wooden sticks to eat with?"
"I'll send for it and see what the kitchens have. We have many visitors from different lands here, so the kitchen is used to serving many different cuisines." Corvis summons a page, who heads off for food and tea.
Misao nods to the page with a "thank you," then turns back to Korifusu-dono.
"Food and information. What is this place? Who are these people? I have many questions."
Corvis settles again in her seat and gestures for Misao to do the same. "This place is calledXanadu. It is the new capital of an ancient empire, formerly called Amber. Random is King here; my husband Gerard, whom you saw, is his brother. My husband's family, including our son, are--you might call them gods, if that term makes sense to you. Persons of great innate physical, magical, and spiritual power. Usually there are not so many of them present, as they like to travel and explore the universe."
Misao kneels gracefully on the carpet in front of Korifusu-dono. It's obviously not a subservient gesture, but rather the form of sitting they feel most comfortable with. They give Korifusu-dono their complete attention.
"Please go on."
Misao continues to listen, nodding occasionally.
Corvis continues, "I do not know how well it is known in Hikariguni, but there are many worlds, all of which reflect some of the facets of this great empire. Some time ago, there was a great war between Amber and the forces that oppose them, and a road was opened up between Amber and the far end of the universe: we call it Chaos. It will have manifested in Hikariguni as well: as a dark road, as fairy circles, as a river of black ink, any of which would be full of foul creature: malformed things, unliving, unnatural. Such creatures would have fought against those who dwell normally in your homeland, perhaps corrupting some, definitely killing others. Do you recall such happening in Hikariguni?"
Misao's face darkens. "Kurogawa." A pause, and then they continue. "The Black River. Tanigawa ran black as night and malign yokai manifested along its banks. And then began to spread. It was as if the days of chaos had come again, the age that my mother taught me about, before Ten no Shikoo no Okami gave the rule of Hikariguni to my mother and she caused order to manifest. It was during those days that I learned much about combat, and about forms of strength, stamina, and flexibility that could be made to serve in battle."
"Most of my people are of a single form, but our arts of war were similarly put to the test. The victory was ours after Amber broke the road, as it was in your homeland. Then Amber'forces pressed their victory to the far end of the road, and won there as well, but at the price of their King's life. And in giving up his own life, the King of Amber destroyed his realm, so his people came to this new place following the lead of his son, who was made king on the horn of the Unicorn. Because it is a new place, many people come here from other lands, or are drawn here by the force of the life here. Others come as you did: with members of the royal family." Corvis stops there to see how much sense Misao is making of all this.
Misao processes this. "One of them...Burenan-san...called us cousins. Arekusu-san, Deruta-san, and myself." It isn't quite a question, but Misao obviously wants more information on this.
Corvis takes a moment to parse the names from Misao's accent. "I don't know what Sir Brennan's line of thinking was, exactly, but if you were in the custody of the Klybesians, they had some interest in you. They seek information about my husband's kin. They have taken... samples... of blood and hair, to learn about them, in the past. So perhaps they believe you are one of that kindred.
"In Brennan's generation--my own son Vere's generation as well--they call each other cousin whether they are cousin by strict definition or not. Some are cousins in the half blood, some are cousins a generation or two removed. But that is a general way of acknowledging the family relationship.
Someone knocks on the door before Corvis can add more, and she says, loudly, "Enter."
It's a page, who says to Corvis, "Prince Gerard sends his compliments, Lady, and says that the King asks--" the page looks at Misao and settles on "--his guest Misao to join him in the studio. I can escort you," the page adds, for Misao's benefit.
"The King may be able to enlighten you more on those matters you seek to learn about, Misao," Corvis tells Misao. "You will be safe on the way to the studio. It is a place of art and music-making."
Misao gracefully rises and bows to Korifusu-dono. "Thank you very much, lady, for your time and care. Be well until our next meeting."
They follow the page, asking questions about Palace customs, etiquette, and manners. At the door to the studio, they politely thank the page and request that the chankonabe, rice, and tea be redirected to the appropriate place.
Brennan watches cousins, archivists, and prisoners all evacuate to safety and finds himself in a suddenly silent hallway of prison cells-- empty except for the blood of the guard Signy stabbed.
He sets out in search of a boiler room, or machine room, or wherever is responsible for sending warm air up to the rest of the building during winter. He exercises reasonable caution-- he doesn't expect to find anyone else down here, but making the assumption that a place like this is cleared is a good way to die before your time.
Brennan goes down to the end of the hall where Signy captured her two guards and into a room with a large assortment of Heating, Cooling, Ventilation, and backup electrical systems.
It looks like things are already straining, both because the mechanical plant is unmanned at this moment, and because this hospital was not designed to withstand a blizzard/hurricane.
The only tricky part will be choosing which disaster to have happen first.
Well, the first thing Brennan does, after closing and locking the door behind him, is bobble the furnace. This will be important later, and he's not in a hurry, so he takes a leisurely minute to set it up and lets it last for a watch. Then he'll poke around the room carefully making sure he hasn't missed any sources of open flame, pilot lights, etc.
The furnace is bobbled. There is no open flame here, but Misao left an uncontrolled building fire nearby, so who knows what will happen with that? The gas lines, not feeding the furnace, are temporarily backed up, as expected.
And then finally, he'll use one of his almost-standard workings of Space to move the source of his own otherwise mundane vision around the complex. He hasn't seen it from the outside, so he doesn't really know how big it is. Remedying that is the goal of the scrying, to learn how many floors this place has, how the rooms are laid out, etc. He's going to need that information for the next phase of the plan. Brennan doesn't want to blow up anyone who doesn't need to be blown up, so he both takes his time with this and does make a point to survey the area he last saw Ossian and his team in.
Brennan starts by looking at the office they started in, before Conner parted the veil. That room is empty, but by extending his presence into the trap-door in the floor, he quickly finds that he's approaching a place where Pattern is in use. It's also even deeper underground than here, so it's not clear that there would be any effect from the explosion. Probably.
When Brennan turns his inner eye to the grounds, he sees the ruins of a great estate beside a majestic and restless river, too wide and dangerous to swim across No place is peaceful in the midst of a hurricane/blizzard, and this place is no exception to that rule. There are other buildings, nearby and they may be damaged by an explosion, but they're already being damaged. Unless they're storing Ammonium Nitrate in quantities in unused cells, the damage will be to this building. And maybe the gas supply facilities.
If Brennan had the leisure of a few days to really send a message, he'd bother himself to Pattern-find some quality explosives, or work long enough to cause the same effects with Sorcery. As it is, time is short, and professionals work with what they have to hand. And Brennan, consummate professional, has effectively infinite reserves of natural gas conveniently piped to him by the tech Shadow he happens to be in right now.
So he puts on his serious face and gets to work. Using the result of his scrying and surveying, Brennan takes care of any other open flames with sorcery-- Entropy can shut down chemical reactions really fast if there is nothing opposing it. Then he shuts down the emergency generators to the building-- no stray sparks today.
Then the delicate work begins: Most people, when seeing a Parting of the Veil or similar effect, immediately wonder how big an area can be affected. Brennan isn't most people, though. Brennan begins to Part the Veil over and over again, in small stitches from inside the backed up gas feeds to strategic locations on the floors above. Some of those locations will be drafty because of the blown-out atrium window-- not much to be done about that. But most of the rooms and corridors should be intact and, thanks to security protocols, should have their doors and windows shut. If they're not, little whips of Gravity can take care of those, creating lots of pockets for natural gas to accumulate. Whether the room with the trap door into the tunnel system is drafty or not, Brennan spares that room from the gas fountains he is creating. The room will be destroyed anyway, he just does not want to surprise Raven and Fletcher with a superheated shockwave of gas heading right for them. (Edan, however, would probably enjoy it.) He does not spare the basement or the furnace room itself.
And, having Parted the Veil thus, so many times, another working of Entropy can increase the rate of diffusion from the pipe into the room. Yet another can supercharge the natural gas's explosive potential, when the time comes.
Finally, Brennan leaves a message for whatever sensitive individual might stray into this location into the future. He gathers his cold anger about him like a cloak against the coming fire, and hisses with a voice extending into the Astral plane in Thari, echoing across the countryside for a long time to come: "We do not forgive or forget."
That done, Brennan pulls the duration of the original bobbling of the furnace in so he has only about a minute remaining before it collapses. When the spell expires, the bobble will collapse, the fire will resume burning, the natural gas in the machine room will take a few seconds to diffuse into the space of the furnace and everything will go up like a sorcery-enhanced thermobaric explosion.
But before that happens, Brennan Trumps Folly saying, with some haste, "Bring me through right now." He'll go through with much more alacrity than usual.
He cuts it thin, but not so thin that he'll die if Folly doesn't pick up-- he'll just use his Trump of Amber, instead.
The connection opens immediately and strongly; without a word, Folly's hand is in Brennan's and he's stepping through to Xanadu.
Last modified: 27 April 2021