~~~ IC ~~~

MARCH 3, 5004

::on the third, after about a year or so of reasonably chaste time spent together, Maria figures it's time to finally head back home and begin smoothing over things with her father... she kisses An goodbye and leaves him to finish turning over teaching duties for Morning, and hopefully get in the last few deeds that will bring him to Alexius' notice::

MARCH 15, 5004

::On Pyre, Martel stands before a triumverate of ranking Avestites... "You've had as much experience with underground Changed society as any of us, Deacon Azo... We'd appreciate it if you could investigate the rumours of a band of cannabalistic mutants in the Ghast desert on Byzantium Secondus"::

MARCH 28, 5004

::after a couple weeks of travel and preliminary investigation, Martel falls in with an enormous Scraver guide named Skorpios on the planet who says he has intimate knowledge of the desert and experience with the mutants there::

APRIL 5, 5004

::Buddy is busy pointing out the scenery of Byzantium II to Lan as they streak across the skyline, rustbucket ship full of snake oil alchemical tonics::

::Buddy had the impression that entering the atmosphere via the Ghast desert would be a great idea to avoid air traffic, though he's not 100% sure as to why that was at the moment::

((feel free to interact for a bit))

Oooh. ::neutrally:: Looks like, a lot of desert. ::squints::

Yes, a vast desert... Is this your first time to BZII?

::nodded:: First time, indeed. ::adjusted a glove:: I trust you know the best places to dine, mmm?

Ah, there is nothing like a desert to make one feel at home and one with the planet. This used to be on one of my main routes... I will show you to the pleasure spots. But that will be some time later. We have a few hours over the desert before we enter the space ports air traffic zone

Very good. Maybe I'll play some solitare in a bit. ::mutters:: I still can't believe some smart alec called our cargo snake-oil. ::grumpily:: People look at manifests, you know.

The guide house workers tend to give faster service to planet based traffic, keeping ships in an orbital queue for many hours. THis will be faster.

::the sand haze clears beneath for a moment, and you can see that you're coming dead on towards an immense statue in a large crater in the desert... seemingly two figures twined together::

Oh, look, look , look... THere is the UR statue that I told you about

::breathes on the glass:: Whoa!

We may need special permission to visit it any closer

::bzzzz... BANG!!... pop pop pop pop... whirrrrrr.... SNAP! ... beep beep beep beepbeepbeep! bzzzzzzzzzzzz::

::cringes::

Nothing to worry about.

::watches him to see what he does next *anyway*::

::theweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee::

I just need to restart this...

::clutches the windowsill::

::goes the sound of most of the engine falling off the junker::

I think that we have a problem.... The engine is not turning over

.... please do! ::looks around for the safest thing to strap himself into!!!::

::from the window, Lan sees it kick up a sand cloud as it hits the rapidly approaching desert floor::

::screams!::

Ah, I see. We don't have an engine.

Can't you FIX THAT?!?

Better buckle your seat belt

::ripppppppppp! goes a piece of stabilizer wing sheeting. WHOOSH! is the sound it makes as it flies off behind you::

::does all the buckling he can manage::

That was not good.

::Screams!::

I'm going to need to make a landing. Can you please stop screaming, it makes hard to concentrate.

::Buddy is rather sure that a highly advanced piece of spaceship tech should not make a sound like a falling biplane when it's crashing... and yet::

((the highly advanced part just fell off))

::quietly:: Sorry.

Hell and high winds. That looks like a soft spot over there. If only I can make the turn.

::struggling with all his wits, Buddy is able to get the repulsors working ... sputtering really... and angle in for the curve::

::imagine it from the ground...

....bleed off some of that speed...

...a primer gray speck out of a clear sky... trailing smoke of a greenish color...

You cantankerous bitch. Keep your nose up.

...as the eyes focus it turns out to be a spaceship the size of many houses... ...it makes no sound from this direction... the dopplering sound of its accident not able to move faster than the speed it's streaking across the sky... ...and then, kicking up against the crossbreeze it finally decreases below mach 1, and the ripple of its problems hits like the sound of 1000 broken synthesizers...

This might be a bit rough...

eep!

...what seems to be heat haze is actually the distortion ripple of the grav-generating repulsor pads as they strain mightily against the kinetic energy of the tub...

::cries::

...with one final, magnificent gesture the tub swoops up from a large dune, backflips in midair, and then lands precisely nose first in the shifting sand::

Damnation. I over compensated.

::sniffles, coughs:: Did we? ... Stop?

::Unbuckles and slips from chair onto ceiling:: She was worse that a whore with scabs. But she got us here alive. I'm chceking the cargo.

::the ship, surprisingly enough, now seems rock stable.. luckily there's a cargo door with a manual release near the rear of the ship.. and stowage rings to climb to it::

::drip. drip. drip. ... Lan, due to the smell now permeating his hair... is certain that Formula number 8b is no longer in bottles::

Hurry up man, the bottles are leaking. We can save some of this...

Awww. Crap. ::unbucles himself and promptly flops onto the appropriate surface:: Ow. Hey, uh. Where's the drip coming from? ::looks around::

Maya's teat. Find me something to pour these into.

::looks around and comes up with a watertight bag of some sort::

Ah, good. we can filter out the glass fragments later. ::Pours contents of broken bottles into the bag.::

::and time passes... Lan and Buddy save what they can, activate the SOS beacon and adjust Lan's magnificent camping experience to desert living...

You did take out the insurance that I suggested? ::Smiles::

yet with no transportation and the desert looming to all horizons save where broken by the giant gargoyles nearby::

....

APRIL 8, 5004

::night... cold, dry, silent freaking night... the starlight is kinda beautiful when Lan and Buddy stir themselves from the heat of the fuzion warmer that they've cobbled together with their leet guild skillz... but it's hard to shake the feeling that they're being watched ... by the gargoyles.. or by something... else::

D'you know? Those things. ::huddles:: Creep me out.

You know, I think that thing is laughing at us. ::Looks toward the Gargoyle.::

::Buddy finds, nagging at the back of his consciousness, a thought.. "should patches of starlight at ground level be winking in and out like that?"::

So. How long will it take for someone to pass our way, out here?

Creep you out? ... What th' ... Do you see that. :Point in the direction of the winking light.::

::squints:: See what?

::yes, there does appear to be something along the lines of movement...coming closer.. and from multiple directions::

You know. I doubt things moving around in the dark without ligths are the cavalry.

That can be one of two things. Help on the way...

Are there large predators out here, buddy? ::gets up::

or we are in the middle of a lot of hurt. Do you have a gun?

I'm a doctor. Not a soldier. Jeez.

::on the edge of perception, some kind of keening wail, growing louder::

THAT is predator. Let's lock ourselves in the ship.

You have a good idea. After you.

((Ain't you never seen Vin Deisel in After Dark? ))

::scrambles for it!::

::yeah... the ship... the one with the cargo door that's too heavy to close now that you're using it as a ramp?::

You can just, like, cinch that door closed from the inside, right?

((you mean Pitch Black?))

((Er, yeah! That's what I meant. What's After Dark? Nevermind. ))

We can at least lock ourselves in the control room, inside.

::as the wail gets louder, it almost seems to carry words on the still air::

Is any of this stuff flamible?

Y...eah. Some of it...

::"hopeless... doomed... lost... cornered... dead..."::

Aww, man. Are they talking? ::hysterical:: That's really not cool!

::hand pumping the hydrolics to try and get the door closed.:: Try not to listen.

::sputter, sputter, creak... no use::

So. Um. ::rubs his goatee:: Die quietly? Run for it? I'm for running for it! ::straps his pack down tight, for easy running-like-hell::

::and as the figures came into view... one thing Lan and Buddy would alway remember about the twisted, pale humans... were their solid black eyes, reflecting none of the light from the camp::

::Throws down the handle to the jack:: Oh Paulus, merciful patron on pilots, Let not our enemies defeat us! Protect us from this gathering darkness!

::"surrounded... trapped..."::

::frowns a second:: Hey.... ::quaking:: look at those adaptations.

::one approaches within a few meters of the door, even now keening its terrible wail... smiling through filed teeth rough with the coppery residue of dried blood::

We, uh. Surrender! I'm Dr. Lan Maningzhoue, and this is my associate, ah... haha. Buddi. Hi. Yiii ::backs away::

::"Food..."::

::grabs some of the flamible liquide and throw it on the creature::

::takes quick mental stock of what food they have aboard::

::and then.. an entirely different sound... something not terribly unfamiliar to Lan... a kind of wet gurgle followed by a FWOOSH!::

::and a ball of searing ka oil hits the leader dead center in the back of the head... and it falls to the ground writhing::

Hoh! Damn! That had to hurt.... ::cowers in the cargo hold::

::half a dozen more arcing shots of flame guns sail through the night from different directions accompanied by the bark of an automatic slug thrower::

Take that...what?

::the keen turns to a wail of fear as the changed turn on their attackers... eyes turning night into day but not liking what they see... as the FUCKING INQUISITION boils out of the desert::

YAe!. >::Pating Lan on the back:: We are saved!

Ahem! ::shouted over the desert:: repent, or be warmed up serverely!

((Nobody expects... ))

::"Die..."::

well, can't say i didn't offer. ::wades into the fray, whistling a little tune::

::as the squad of avesti create cover fire for Martel, a giant of a man covered in tattoos stands against the starlight smoking a cigar and pegging the runners with his SMG::

::Laughing with shear delight.::

Those're avestans. Man. I wonder if that's...

::work his way towards the freighter:: Anyone in the freighter? preferrably non mutie scum anyones?

Yeah! Is that you, Deacon Azo? ::pokes his curly mop out of the cargo hold::

Sent to us by our most sainted Paulus. ::Smiling:: An answer to my prayers.

::few seconds pause for processing as he torches muties over his shoulder:: umm....whassup doc?

Ha! Hot damn, it is! ::clears his throat:: No offense. You're welcome here, Deacon!

Praise be unto the Pancreator. They are men, not angles.

::and then with a last searing thwoomp of flame gun and a last ratatat of smg, the changed are either dead or completely fled::

((Is that a slur on the british?))

::Runs out to meet the leader of the Avesti::

::once the coast looks clear, hops out himself::

Thank you , thank you. ::Falls to his knees before the aveti:: Thank you brother for saving us.

no problem. Just your average bloody ravening mutant cannibal cult from the burning wastes.

::wipes his sweaty brow on his shirt, coming forward:: My sentiments exactly.

::wanders up, scratching idly at the eye of Ben Hadir on his face as he drops the stub of his cigar on the ground:: Told'ya there was a distress becon this way

all right, allright, so's you was right. ::flicks Skorp a firebird::

::catches it and pockets it, fishing out a cigar for Martel in the same motion::

Yes, yes. We lost out engine and main stabblizer.

::takes cigar while fishing out lighter for the both of them::

::Lights match and offers it to the priests::

Thats no good, I'm guessin. ::nodding to the wreck:

We are ever so grateful for your arrival.

If it's just two of them I guess they'll fit in the other jeep... we'll have to send for their cargo later, probly

hey, thanks buddy! always better offa match! ::lets the match light his cigar::

yeah, how bout the troops, any wounded?

::looks up at the giant:: But where are our manners. I'm Dr. Lan Maningzhoue. This is my friend, (Lieutenant? Ensign? Captain?:) Buddy.

((just a clarification, Skorpios is obviously a Scraver, not a priest))

...um, buddy here is NAMED buddy? ...fair enough.

.... ::glances at a nearby corpse. Glances back at the deacon and the giant:: Will you... excuse me a moment?

Yes, Budi. Commander Budi Ramesh

Jonin Skorpios Ben-Hadir

o course. ::nods to Lan:: Pleasure to meetcha Buddy. glad we got here when we did. Deacon Martel Azo.

::goes over to corpse and flips it over to examine. Takes out pocket flashlight::

It is a pleasure to meet you both

::looks over at the nearby crater:: I remember bein here before... buncha folk I brought out here got a vision off of that thing

I feel just the same! ::looks up, smiling, adds to the Charioteer's comment::

Lan, what are you doing to that ...thing?

excuse me for a sec, gotta check up on the troops. ::goes to make ammo and injury chack::

Look at their ocular development! ::quietly::

::the avesti squad is quietly checking their weapons, performing last rites, praying penetence, and dragging the bodies for a mass pyre... in that order::

I think that we should be getting our things ready to leave with them.

::will be fairly oblivious until corpse jumps up and bites him, or someone nearby clearly seems wounded::

::makes sure they are all fine, and returns to skorp:: so, vision huh? souns interesting. what of?

Oh, uh. I suppose that's true.

I'll turn the dissress beacon off, we do not want anyone else coming here and salvaging the cargo while we are gone.

::neither happens to Lan, but the body he's examining does get dragged off in about 10 minutes::

Dunno, they seemed to find it useful though.. never found it worthwhile to ask ... It was glowin like it is now, right before it happened though

::manages to get a good basic idea of physiology in that amount of time. Stands up. Comes back to where their rescuers are:: It was... the statues that gave them visions?

ehh, seen some weird things. find its good to know what the loonies are followin. helps keep ya outta there way. what happened to em anyways?

::everyone feels suddenly like a warm wave has splashed over them, washing away the current scene... vision resolves to show the desert, day... a large red hawk is lying, fallen from the sky and broken, in the sand... hundreds of tiny mantises and bloated vultures pick at the carcass, devouring everything... another wave, another loss of focus... vision resolves into a black night sky... slowly the stars are overwhelmed with fire... jumping from one to another until a massive inferno sweeps across the heavens... only a thin, slivered gray stone holds back the torrent... and there's no telling how long it will last... another wave, another loss of focus... vision resolves into a blonde young man, fine features but no longer impossibly beautiful... he stands on a battlefield amidst countless corpses wearing the livery of Hazat and other, indistinguishable crests... across the field is a legion of iron... and he is all alone against it... he draws a broadsword with a defiant scream as the wave of iron men tramples him underneath their feet... his blood soaks into his tunic, turning it the same color as the uniforms around him... the vision waves recede, and reality is revealed::

::stands there blinking for a while::

::sigh:: so, who wants to walk away from the avestites for a minute right the fuck now? ::begins walking::

Wooh, lan. We will need suits to reclaim all of those chemicals. ::Comes stepping out of the wrecked craft.:: Had me seeing things the fuses did.

::shakes his head:: I don't think that was... agent 8a. Deacon? Are you ok?

No. Follow me.

::mutters:: Crap. Buddi. C'mon. ::follows the Deacon.::

::hosts my pack and follow::

::walks away from the avestites long enough to say:: <w> DON'T talk about that in front of the other avestites. Ever. They can be...touchy about visions. ::walks back::

But... you're an.... Okay. ::follows him back::

We are not leaving?

::later, when the other avesti aren't listening...::

::stops:: i don't know. anyone got guesses as to what that thing meant?

Well... I've never had a waking hallucination before.

You have never been to the Skata Palace on Criticorum, my freind. Hooh

Hey skorp? those other people who had visions around here? who were they?

Well, no. But. Mantises and hawks, and ... well. ::shuts up::

::driving the jeep that you're all in off ahead of the avesti jeep:: Buncha folk a few years back... Hazat funded...

::wait patiently to be told exactly what he's expecting ::

I thought I was having visions from the chemicals in the Daughter of Delight (name of ship).

There was a knight, a dervish I thought, a short little priest, an engineer...

one possibly go by the name An?

and a big tall white haired guy with a black feather cloak and his crazy black-armored bodyguard, if I recall right ... Yeah, that rings some bells

::snaps fingers:: An! Was in the vision!

::sigh:: figures. Lan, you know where An is right now? he's in danger.

Who is AN?

... I mean. Hallucination.

::turns to Buddi:: Friend of our, who might be in serious trouble.

You mean the one that was killed by the iron men?

Well... he was going to keep tutoring the girl...? You remember the girl who stayed with us breifly in the sewers, Deacon?

Yup. Did you see him facing off against them, or actually dead?

Well. He was alive at first. Then... sorta squished. ::cringes:: Do you... uh, take that literally? I mean, no offense, honestly.

I think that this was a tale of what has happened. The dead bird was the craft inwhich we rode and I would say that your friend has died as well.

Ah. But what is spreading from star to star, as a result of us crashing here? Or, maybe it's not a result. I just... assumed... ::shrugs::

Well, where ever he is, he ain't likely in this desert. Take us to the nearest city Skorp, we gotta find An.

With the lose of your medication, desease most likely. Your friend is a Hazat noble?

Sure thing

no, but his old lady is.

He has married into the house. Then mostlikely he is fighting on the border worlds.

listen, An is a Reeve, would they know how to find him?

trying to earn himself a fief

has left the room.

Hey, look, if he's tutoring the girl... wouldn't he, um, be here?

If anyone would

has entered the room.

We can easily ask

fair enough, lets go hunt us a morning.

what girl was he tutoring?

illigit daughter of silandra decados, and possibly the emperor...why?

((BAH, I am Lag))

has left the room.

((Tsk. ))

has entered the room.

((*sigh*))

Maya's teat.

((I sat there for a minute trying to reinvite Rob, and couldn't because as far as my AIM was concerned, he hadn't been punted yet))

bastered child of the emperor and thr decados witch.

::folds his hands quietly:: She seemed nice enough.

The child or the witch?

::shrugs:: seemed like a nice girl...::grins evilly:: you'll like her i bet.

::right.. moving onward...::

then that proves that he is dead. The decados do not let their teachers go easily.

APRIL 20, 5004

::a letter is handed to An after breakfast, sealed with Maria's signet...

"My Dearest An,

I still don't really buy that greeting, do you? Somehow it just seems to girlishly romantic after everything. Still, I couldn't just say An, could I? It's too bad that you couldn't have made it, as it turns out that the family is going to a ball at Castle Furias on the 20th that is supposed to be quite grand. I know you'd hate it, but it's the kind of place you need to be seen. It might be over by the time you get this, but so goes the imperial post. It's something of a family reunion, but most of the other upper family members should be attempting an appearance. Father has forgiven me yet another long-term stowaway, after a few days of being cross. Ricardo is still missing, and I can tell that pains him deeply. You should see him spoil Caradoc like the grandfather he is. I dropped off the packet you wanted taken to the Reeves here, and they said it shouldn't be a problem. I also mailed Elena again for you, and hopefully this one will make it to her. I have the most gorgeous dress picked out for the ball. Again, it's a terrible shame that you won't make it. I guess I'll have to give in to wearing it twice so you can see it when you get here. Any progress on the knighthood? I know it would be great to ride to father's house in with a pheonix crest, but Alexius is taking forever to notice you and it's probably nearly time to look for something elsewhere. Let me know when you plan to arrive, and I'll make sure there's a place for you at the table.

With deepest love (and I mean it),

Maria"::

::smiles and folds the letter placing it in his pocket::

MAY 1, 5004

::the mayday parade is the talk of everyone for hundreds of miles and half a dozen jumpgates... everywhere in the Imperial City the trees are in bloom, the roads are cleaned to an acceptable shade of grime, and the high-tech buildings are buffed to a mirror sheen... a nearly deafening fanfare is heard throughout the city as the parade begins at the palace, planning to meander through the city for several hours with Alexius at the head being trailed by guards, important folk, and imperial guards .. not to mention nearly every Questing Knight in the vicinity... there is some talk of how few Hazat Questers are in the parade, but then the counter rumor indicates that many of them went home for a grand ball under two weeks ago, so there's little chance they could have made it back... but the remaining parade is indeed grand::

::about half a mile back, flanked by Decados Questers and Imperial Guards travels the car of the Consort... still Salandra, despite the violent rumor mill that she has thoroughly manipulated for years... in the back seat, Morning and her past and future tutors, hidden from view as much as possible... An keenly misses the use of Vasili, but can't complain much having sent him to protect Maria two months ago... Morning, with childish glee barely restrained by her well-schooled demeanor, watches the people of the city as keenly as they are watching her mother::

::Meanwhile, on a tip, Martel, Lan, and Buddy struggle through the crowd to see if An is actually still with Morning and in the parade::

OKay, so. Is somebody going to shout for him or not? ::looks to Martel and Buddy::

What does he look like?

So... is this poor, middle class, working class, or what?

oh all right...::boomingest voice i can muster:: ANNNNNNN!!!

::Martel is barely heard above the cheering crowd::

Well, these people are just people for today you see... ::perks up and looks around::

::waves, then realises that everyone else is waving, and so sulks to set himself apart.::

Did you see him?

What are they normally? Not people?

::Martel thinks he saw Salandra's car, but can't tell who else is in there from this vantage::

::peers, to catch a glimpse::

::smiles still looking around::: No, I mean that in a time of celebration all people can be equal. The lowest class can feel like the highest emperor.

Oh, I see. So they don't normally dress like that?

ANNNN! MORNING!!!

::nods appreciatively:: Good one.

LOOK AT HE BIG RED AVESTITE!

::Thinks to himself if he might be able to join the parade and get along side Salandra's car.::

::supresses a chuckle::

::starts pushing through the crowd to the front::

::shakes his head:: No its just... ::looks around again for a Big Red Avestite::

A shame. ::looks curiously for a moment and An feels her expanding her senses:: Is that Deacon Azo and Dr. Maningzhoue?

::Follows the deacon and enters the street::

Hey, Deacon... maybe ... ::skeptical about people charging thru crowds toward persons of note::

:::looks around:: You know, I believe it is.

((umm, i was just getting through to the front. NOT in the street. i dont like getting shot))

How very curious.

((is the car covered and darkened?))

((yep))

::thinks at them hard find us later, we need to talk then realizes that might not work::

::WIll signal the car by waving both hands up and down::

::Buddy signals the car, just like everyone else is doing::

FIND US LATER! WE HAVE TO TALK!!!

Strange... what's he saying?

((More like your arms do while doing jumping jacks))

I think he wants... an escalator? defribulator? He has a wok? Sorry, I can't make it out.

::Was just worried for the deacon, that's all::

:;Start giving boat signals indicating where we are staying::

TALK LATER DAMMIT! TALK LATER!!! ::noticing her lips saying difibrilator::

((you know the signals using flags to spell out letters))

::motions to Budi:: Who's that one? Is he trying to land a plane?

::belatedly makes to wave::

A starship I think.

::nods:: I think we should find them after this thing is done with.

::nods and settles back in::

::Repeat the location three times, waiting for a confirmation signal::

::sighs, and hopes they got the message::

::settles back in as well::

::Turning back to the Dr and Deacon:: I spelled out the hotel name three times, but got nothing confirming that he understood.

Oh, was that...

::shrugs:: they have spies and stuff, they'll likely find us.

::and time passes, but not much... perhaps a block or two later, the crowd begins to wash with a particularly exciting piece of news. Some look shocked, others happy, other saddened::

Possibly they don't know that signalling system....

((uh oh))

((The current 19 year old pop diva just got married. ))

If they have spies then they will know how to contact us. ::Smiles::

Oh. Jeez. ::mutters:: I don't want to be spied on.

::nods:: exactly. lets go back to our hotel ((before the evil rumor gets to us))

::it reaches Martel, Lan, and Buddy through the crowd about when it is passed more seriously via an Imperial Guard to An's car...

Er.... okay. Lead on.

Tell me Deacon, does your order allow ... relationships with the opposite sex? I know a place...

"The Hazat ball a week or so ago at Castle Furias? A space shuttle crashed into the building. Freak accident. Dozens of nobles dead, maybe all in attendance. Giant explosion, castle fallen... and St. Bernardo Globe, symble of Eduardo rule, is missing."::

.... ohhhhh..shit. ::looks at Ans car, and tries to get behind something durable::

::quietly looks at An after the news and puts a small hand on his to comfort him::

...I know women there that will ... What is wrong?

::looks confused:: ...I don't understand.

fallen hawk anyone?

::tries to decide if the castle's os some sort of strategic importance, then realizes lots of *nobles* are dead:: Oh, crap.

You both look panic stricken. tel me what is going on between you?

::shakes his head:: I... I don't understand, what's happened?

They're saying a shuttle crash into Castle Furias may've killed a whole lot of house Hazat Nobles.

You have to get back to Aragon, An. Maria was at that ball.

If An knowns, i REALLY hope he doesn't flip out. at least not until I'm a few blocks away...

ANd that is the house that your Friend AN has maried into! Ah, I see. He may have lost in-laws.

::kind of snaps bak to himself:: I have to go...

::thinks...:: Right.

Shit. Budi, get us a flight to the ball. Its an emergency.

Please bring my bag to me at the port. I will go and get us passage. 5 or 6 of us?

plan for 6, just in case.

I hear and obey.

::the fantastic parade kind of disintegrates with the news, as people disperse, cars drive back to consult or plot.. and the Emperor barely manages to cover up the look of disgust that he didn't know this earlier::

Thank you.

:;Starts shoving violently through the crowd toward the port::

::frowns:: Er... ::has nothing better to do:: You know. If Hazat were suddenly. Um. ... ::finishes the train of thought wordlessly. Is not swift on the uptake with politics. but.::

::Stays here:: I guess I'll stay with you for now, Deacon?

yeah, lets go get our stuff from the hotel.

::nods::

((does anyone want to jump ahead to a conversation, or end it here for the night?))

::marches through the crowd like only a pissed off avestite can.

((end is fine here))

((ending is fine))

((End is good))

~~~ OOC ~~~