~~~IC~~~

::The silence of the labyrinth is broken only by the rustle of paper in An's fingers as he finishes reading Beth's note::

::folds the note up neatly and sits it down next to her::

::is speechless for once::

::puts his shaking hand up to cover his eyes and sobs::

((::is presumably, back in the lab, finding out the people he set to guard Aleph blew it!:: ))

((::er, triage room:: ))

::Moves half a step towards An, wanting to do something but without the conditioning for how to show sympathy::

::choking through his tears:: ... tell her.

((well... you weren't quite specific enough but, yeah, the body is being guarded from further desecration, but is not being kept from those that wanna see it))

I... ::moves down to the body... kneels and looks over, uncertainly, obviously never having seen a body... at least one that wasn't quickly destroyed and made no longer human::

::touches her arm for a moment, and quickly pulls away from the cold:: I don't understand.

((Told 'em I wanted to make him look decent for burial before anybody disturbed 'im. ::grumble:: Will have to rage impotently. ))

::coughs wetly through the light sobs that rack his body:: ...what?

::seems to be caught up in the emotion reflected from An enough to get through her own barriers of logic... her eyes grow wet and her voice breaks slightly:: <q>Why wouldn't she want to be alive?

<q> Because sometimes, things get so bad that its easier... just to... ::coughs:: ...she was hurt and couldn't go on. That's why.

<q> She wasn't that much older than me...

::shakes his head:: No, she wasn't.

::Finished cleaning up the common room, will start looking for AN and Morning.::

((or you can delay me as long as you think I was meditating))

::Tien bumps into Martel and Lan who have finished dumping the body::

((I think you meditated just long enough to heal))

((OK))

((...and is groaning))

Brother, Lan. How did it go?

damn shoulder, I'm gonnahave to get this thing looked at when we got time.

::outstretches his arm toward Morning with his palm upwards and his fingers spread out, in a motion for her to grasp his hand::

::grumbling. On edge like a cat with its tail clipped off::

::Martel, you notice, looks like crap::

Oh. Hey. ::irritable:: Someone was at Aleph while we were gone.

::sees the motion from her contemplation of the floor, and tentatively takes An's hand::

Oh, dear. But has have been seen to?

::you guys probably still are lugging along the unconscious psychic::

yeah, took a good hit or two, been to busy to get them looked at by the sawbones

::the, fried guy?::

I will be happy to take a look at your shoulder.

((the Kossak was fried, the Psychic, Sergei Morning calls him, just took a Tien to the head))

Oh. Yeah, sorry. I... ::sighs::

::looks up towards Morning:: Every action in this world has reaction. No matter how terrible. But a day will come when you will rule your house. I feel it. When that day comes remember two things... Decisions once made in this world can never be un-made, and... That nothing done out of love can truly be evil.

::nods, wiping a tear away with her other hand:: I... I'll remember that

::nods and pulls her to him wrapping his arms around her, crying::

yeah, i'd love that. damn thing is startin to split.

((I thought we were lugging the fried Kossack. ))

::stiffens for a second, again unused to even such a simple expression of humanity, and then breaks down too and begins to cry... becoming a girl of 6 again::

((mmmm, tasty. ))

((I figured you dropped him off in the triage room, but probably would like to find better guards for the one that could still wake up and cause trouble))

((Is that Crying that I hear?))

::yes, at this point the three of you can hear the quiet sobbing from up ahead::

::sigh::

((oh. Right! ))

::frowns:: That's the girl, isn't it?

this is probably bad.

::Move toward the sound::

Her, affect, seemed awfully... flat... ::follows::

I hope that she is not hurt.

::after turning corners that are much more quickly navigated when not involved in a heated debate you reach Beth's room...

she isn't, we would have heard yelling first.

::didn't think it sounded like injury crying, but if royal scions are getting hurt nearby, it must be bad! Quickens pace::

Yelling?

from the lights of the hall you can all see An and Morning in an embrace, crying, kneeling in congealed blood::

::Running to Morning:: Oh, no. Where are you hurt, little one?

::face takes on a grim set as I stride over to examine the body::

::comes in the room after them::

::and, needless to say, as soon as Morning is in line of sight her emotion hits you all through her aura, evoking similar emotions in you, even without knowing the cause::

AN, what have you done to her?

::blinks back tears. Wathes the Avestan. Then looks back at An.::

::Will try to remove her from AN's arms::

::breaks the embrace with Morning and places a light kiss on her forehead::

::settles into quiet, broken breathing with light tears... avoids Tien's touch and moves out into the hall away from the blood::

Oh, no. Is she.... ? ::looking in the direction of the Avestan and Beth::

::looks at the body, sees what has happened, and kneels in the blood to begin the death rites::

::rises sloppily to his feet::

::Concentrating on Morning:: What's wrong dear? Tell me so that I can make it feel better. ::Knells beside her, not touching her::

::the note is on the ground in front of An::

;:bends down and picks up the note::

::waves absently at the room then withdraws futher into herself::

::Turns toward the room::

::turns to Lan::

::offers the note out towards him::

::turns towards god::

Dear, Pancreator... ::Moves towrd the room::

::frowns. takes the note, and reads it::

::starts shaking. hands it back. Doesn't say a word::

How did this happen? ::Looks at Lan:: AN, what happened? ::turn attention to AN:: Who attacked her?

::raises his head:: same as it always happens tien, story old as time.

::quietly.:: I'm just. A fucking. Physick. ::Backs toward the door::

::takes the note::

::moves towards Lan::

::fists balled up. Backs out of the doorway::

::Tien stands there, confused until he notices the wounds on the young woman. Crosses himself.::

::continues toward him:: ... I...

Tell me that it is not true. Please tell me.

::stops and bows his head:: <q> You couldn't have known.

Tien, tend to the fallen. She is the one who requires our immediate care.

::Bows in acknowledgement:: I will tend the body.

::turns to the body and walks over kneeling next to it::

::reaching down he carefully rolls her over on her back lightly aranging her wings to wrap up around her::

::To AN:: Where can I take her, to prepare for ...:: tears are streaming down tien's cheeks::

::wipes tears away resolutely. still shaking. Considers pointing out that nothing can be done for Beth. Remembers the first point of the hippocratic oath. Turns and bolts back to triage to start work on the krispy kossack.::

::reaches under her shoulders and under her knees lifting her up::

::stands:: burial. prepare for burial. her sould has been releived of its burden and sent on its way, all that is left is the shell.

::she weighs, even as dead weight, hardly anything::

::nods and carries her out the door down towards Aleph's holding place::

::Follows AN::

::follows lan::

::glancing over his shoulder as he moves towards the medical center, Lan can see his fellows bearing down on him, carrying Beth's body::

((actually, i think i'm the only one going to the med center))

((An: ::nods and carries her out the door down towards Aleph's holding place::-))

((The med center being where Aleph's body is))

((ooooh, tricky!))

((ooooh what a sly weasle))

::falls in behind the group::

::hesitates not one bit before he goes over and tries to flop kossack remains up onto a table::

Oh, Pancreator, aid us your servants, as we tend to the remains of our sister, Beth. Give us strength to do what is right and respectful... Guide our hands and our hearts in the duties which are before us. Amen.

::doesn't need much in the way of physiology info, so it's a pretty straightfoward organ and tiusse sample collection procedure. Watches the others surreptitiously::

Amen.

::to Lan:: <q> if you feel you have sinned in this matter, seek me when you are done here.

::To one of the changed, either guard or someone we meet in the hall:: Please bring me freshwater and linen.

::lays her body on a nearby table and slides it over towards Aleph's::

::looks hot death at the avestan::

::not that a threatening look from this guy would wilt so much as a blade of grass::

::you're in the med center.. if there isn't fresh water and linen here it prolly isn't anywhere::

<q> do not misunderstand, I am not judging you, i am merely doing my duty. a precept with which you are familier. ::begins performing the rites on the dead kossack::

Brother Martel, if you could please organize a group to gather wood or anything that will burn, I will prepare both bodies for the pyre

::shakes his head looking at the two bodies:: ... so much death.

And so much more if we do not act soon. ::Shakes his head::

::walks to the door of the medical center and looks for someone around::

i have all i need for them to burn Tien.

::besides the one guard that's here at 4 am or whatever ungodly hour it is, nobody is visible in the nearby halls::

::to the guard:: Please... wake everyone... I have news.

::he nods, looking sad at Beth's body, and heads out::

::finishing up putting his new samples in the jars, quietly:: I have to get these samples to where I can study them. They're crucial.

::looks at morning:: you have never seen a body before have you, little one?

((New samples?))

((The kossack. ))

((Ah))

::looks up, startled from her reverie:: I... well... the guards have killed people who were trying to hurt us... but they never looked like that... like they should still be breathing but... but just weren't

::packing up his jars::

Any death, little one, makes the worlds darker and more lonely a place to be.

Aleph's is going to save these people.

::kneels next to the little girl, blood squelching quietly from his knees:: her actions were not logical, but know that man is not a creature of logic. you would not use a poem to fix a computer, and you cannot use logic to make right the flaws of man.

We can only hope that you are right. But it has made this world more lonely for me.

::Just kind of stares at Martel, clearly not ready for any more philosophy just yet::

ruling a people is not a numbers game little one, If you learn nothing else, learn that. now give us a hug, and we'll go get you something to drink.

::Begins the rites for Beth::

::leans against the door frame, looking out towards the hallway, arms crossed, hands drying with blood::

::shoulders his pack, feeling fairly sure he remembers the route they took to the Amalthean place, before::

::on second thought, goes washes, changes into peasanty-looking clothes::

... and the Pancreator shall call us unto His Light...

::picks up the little one, and goes in search for hot tea of some sort::

::hot tea and piece of mind::

::heads back to the sewer tunnels, once he's ready::

::prepares himself mentally to address the masses::

::after about fifteen minutes the throng has begun to assemble. Each Changed is taken aback at the sight of the three bodies.::

::enters last, her eyes still puffy from crying begin to tear up at the sight of Beth:: An, what's going on?

::waits for everyone to assemble::

::looks to meredith:: ... I'm sorry. please ::motions over to the other changed:: I don't want to tell this more than once.

::It looks like that's everyone what's likely to show.. hence the "enters last"::

I'm sorry to be the one to inform everyone of this... but earlier this evening Beth, grieving for our lost Alephe took her own life...

::the assembled crowd is several dozen strong, and mostly spills into the hall::

I'm sorry to have to wake you all from your sleep, but I feel that since so many of you knew Beth so well you would want to know. Words cannot express the sorrow I feel right now... no one should have to bury someone so young. And I am saddened that I have lived to see this terrible day. But I know that she is strong and that death has no pull on her... So let her not die from your memory, she is with her beloved and their souls will find their ways to the halls of the pancreator. Where the darkness has no sway and fear and sorrow end. I am sad that we are here while they are gone, but I rejoice for now on wings that could never bear them in life they rise, triumphant... toward the sun.

::turns and pulls a sheet up over her body::

::a groaning sound comes from next to the body of the Kossack as the tied up Sergei regains consciousness::

::Tien shakes his head::

::places the folded note up on her chest::

::wipes the tears from his eyes and leaves the room to clean the flaking blood from his hands::

::looks out at the assembled menagerie through black eyes::

::Tien removes the note and sheet and begins to wash the body::

((that's through black eyes as in shiners from being beaten on the ground.. not like jet black eyes or anything))

((Whew... good))

::finishes up the tea and heads to the med center, ready to light the pyres as needed::

Who are these two?

::indicating the charred body and the newly awakened man::

((... echo?))

::walks in with a sigh:: a fool and his guardian, who chose the wrong fight.

::Breaking his meditation:: guardian and teacher of Morning

the unsorrowful kind.

Who, or what, is Morning?

The daughter of the Decados Ruler

::motions to the child at his side::meridith, this is morning, morning this is meridith.

::a giant wave of quite conversation spreads throughout the crowd::

This is Hyram's daughter?

::Then Tien begins to talk to Beth, under his breath:: Why, little sister? Why? You are not the first that I have attended on my journies. I fear that you will not be my last.

ummm, actually, this ISNT the daughter of hyram, he spoke in error. Morning is the child of Selandra Decados.

::moves back towards the medical center after cleaning up and changing::

Yes, that's right ::Tien says to the croud:: And if you could please find another place to hold this conversation, I have prayers and rites that need to be conducted.

::An hears the conversation reaching the edge of the crowd.. "We have the child of a Duchess as a hostage!"::

... exscuse me?

Don't worry about it tien, i performed the neccisary rites when we found the body. all that is left is the disposal of the shell.

She is no hostage. ::Turns to the crowd:: Now, please...

::pushes harshly through the crowd::

::Looks hopefully at AN::

::Meredith and Morning stand regarding one another in front of the crowd as Sergei watches in mingled disgust and concern::

::makes his way up to Morning::

::puts his hand down towards morning so that she can take it if she wants::

::unconsciously takes An's hand, then looks over at Sergei, stiffens for a minute, shrugs, and goes back to watching Meredith::

I would like some privacy while I finish washing and dressing these friends of mine.

::loudly:: Hear this! We have NO hostage here. We have ONLY a visitor. She is here on her own free will. NO one will keep her here and if she wishes to return to her family. She may at any time.

::addresses the crowd:: we have a guest among us. and as this guest is underage, i will be apointing myself her guardian for the duration of her stay. I hope you all will treat her kindly

WE will not hold another against their will. I would have thought better of you all. ::looks around the crowd:: For I know you know how it feels. If there are any plans to be made she will be a part of them. ... now please... go. Mourn the dead, we will speak of this soon.

Meredith, can you help me please?

::Finally realizes Tien has been talking, shrugs, and motions for a couple of guards to drag out Sergei as the crowd disperses::

::leads Morning out and too his room, to let her sleep:: It is late.

be careful with that man, he's a psychic. lan, if you please, i would appreciate the attentions of a doctor. ::follows morning to her room::

::but, what's this? Lan's nowhere nearby!::

::Plan on wrapping the bodies in tight linens, but need guidence from Meredith concerning their wings.::

We'll be interrogating the prisoner in the gathering room. Morning is welcome to stay as long as she wants.

::looks around confusoredly, then shrugs::

::could it be that this dastardly devil has dissappeared with Gotham City's prized diamonds, find out next time... same bat time, same bat channel::

((ROFL! I didn't even realize I was channelling that show! ))

::takes morning to his room, and gives her one of his shirts to change in to, and leaves the room while she changes::

::stands outside the door, flamer in hand::

::enters when she is done and tucks her in::

::really, really looks like she'd like to complain about the sparse accomodations, but thinks better of it:: Goodnight

Good night.::then laying gently on the cold ground, hurt and exhausted from the day, he wraps his mental wings around him, feeling the imaginary warmth and smelling the burning feathers, and sleeps::

::bloody, beaten, but not broken, the towering Martel leans against the door, to think about things and await the rising sun.

~~~OOC~~~

darn

thas coo.

good session.

The results of Sergei's interrogation will have far-reaching consequences

Good game.

good

thanks

And you guys worry too much about Morning.. she's the only one with an aura of god :-)

It was the people out of line of sight that were seriously proposing using her as a hostage

god?

yeah, it lets her reroll all ones and double her successes... says so in book of mirrors

let's keep her around then. ;-)

ROFL!