Chapter Ten: Arc Light!

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon Tag!

He turns to Zyorna. "Ma'am, can you tell us more about the pact with them? The more we know about it, the better able we will be to stay within its bounds."

Commander Kirin's expression turns to the mildest of frustrations but as she goes on, it fades, replaced by hope.

"Of the Command staff, I was always the last to understand how the Broo operate. The Meltrandi and the Broo are in many ways polar opposites. I know our pact with them is grounded in the spirit of friendship and genuinely making each other happy on multiple levels. Any of our human crew could probably explain it better." The Meltrandi brightens a touch as a thought comes to her. "Ah! But before we continue, we should introduce you to the Broadsword's Three Rules of dealing with the Broo."

She pauses for a brief moment as if to perhaps ask who among the Wild Cards might tell the rest of these rules, but a single glance in the direction of Captain Sharp has her speeding things along instead.

"The first is never lie to the Broo. Their memory is... far greater than ours. They are often honest to a fault.

"Secondly - and I have our humans to thanks for creating this rule - never fall in love with a Broo. Though I still cannot fathom as to why.

"Finally, let no undue harm come to the Broo. Or to put it in the words of my... previous... superior and the best and most-intrepid leader this vessel has ever known, the late Captain Drake... 'To those who would dare cause even one of our Beasties misery of any sort, I myself will find the rat bastard, cover him in rich gravy, and have him dropped down into a pack of wild Wargoths to feed on. Then I will giggle and record his screams for his fellows to watch and pass along the message. That is how much I love our dear Broo.'"

Commander Kirin pauses and adds. "While The Captain was a gracious human, I never learned if he performed this action. However... it would not be too difficult to imagine any one of us considering it." She gives Eadric a serious grin. "Myself included.

Kirin looks to Toph and Eadric especially. "If any of you have any other questions, make them quick. I believe they are on their way here as we speak."

 

[Psychie]

Toph is curious as to the history behind these Three Rules, but with Taymee on her way with the special knives, there is precious little time. "I think that we have learned enough, for the moment, to be able to approach the Broo, specifically Taymee, and see what we can negotiate for to cover the cost of borrowing one of the special knives with good faith. Unless there is something that Eadric can think of to ask, I am thinking we are ready to start our negotiations."

 

[Kaerri]

Understanding aside, Eadric had rather expected Commander Kirin to have at least the words of the pact available, but perhaps she felt (and likely rightly) that the spirit was more important than the words, in this case, and had little confidence in her own ability to relay that spirit.

In any case, the ship's rules would reflect some, at least, of the crew's relationship with the Broo, and probably aid in his understanding of the Broo themselves (since of course he had a fair understanding of humans already). And so he listened carefully, trying to memorize what he heard.

"The first is never lie to the Broo. Their memory is... far greater than ours. They are often honest to a fault.

"Secondly - and I have our humans to thanks for creating this rule - never fall in love with a Broo. Though I still cannot fathom as to why.

"Finally, let no undue harm come to the Broo. Or to put it in the words of my... previous... superior and the best and most-intrepid leader this vessel has ever known, the late Captain Drake... 'To those who would dare cause even one of our Beasties misery of any sort, I myself will find the rat bastard, cover him in rich gravy, and have him dropped down into a pack of wild Wargoths to feed on. Then I will giggle and record his screams for his fellows to watch and pass along the message. That is how much I love our dear Broo.'"

The first and third seemed easy enough. The second, well -- while Eadric regarded love as being sometimes beyond one's choice, he had yet to really fall in love with anyone yet, and so without really thinking about it, didn't believe himself in much danger at present.

Commander Kirin's relation of the third rule also told him who "the Captain" was that she had mentioned earlier. And the high regard in which she (a Meltrandi) held him (a human, and male at that) told him that Captain Drake must truly have been someone special.

He nodded. "I'll keep these in mind. As for questions, I tend to have a lot at any given moment, but I think they can all be deferred at present, except one. Are the Broo welcoming of questions? By which I mean, if there's a point I'd like clarity on, whether of the deal or of their culture, do you think Taymee will be willing to answer? Or would that be prejudicial to the negotiation?"

"I think that we have learned enough, for the moment, to be able to approach the Broo, specifically Taymee, and see what we can negotiate for to cover the cost of borrowing one of the special knives with good faith. Unless there is something that Eadric can think of to ask, I am thinking we are ready to start our negotiations."

He nodded again at Toph. "I think you're right. Both sides approaching in good faith, and in honesty, sounds key." That wasn't mere optimism, though he could be prone to that. But a species which was itself honest would appreciate honesty in others (besides it being a ship's rule). The lengths to which revenge was dictated in response to harm against them (undue harm, he reminded himself; the distinction might well come up) indicated the deep affection held by all the ship's crew, and that sort of collective emotion had to have been inspired by the character of the Broo themselves, which itself was an indicator that Taymee would be approving of a negotiation equally beneficial to both sides.

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon It's a long post but I hope you enjoy it! =)

The Wild Cards meet... the Rainbow Daemoness!

He nodded. "I'll keep these in mind. As for questions, I tend to have a lot at any given moment, but I think they can all be deferred at present, except one. Are the Broo welcoming of questions? By which I mean, if there's a point I'd like clarity on, whether of the deal or of their culture, do you think Taymee will be willing to answer? Or would that be prejudicial to the negotiation?"

Commander Kirin smiles a little. "That depends on the individual. Some, like little Beema, love to answer questions as well as ask them. Others, like Sheesa the Scout, speak only when they cannot convey their feelings any other way. As for Taymee," she pauses a moment in thought as nearby, Cera tries to conceal herself along the wall while turning away from the doorway, "she is one of the more... enigmatic... and bestial... of the Broo. By our standards, her English is poor - she is one of the Broo you must meet halfway; the more simply you speak and act, the better. Otherwise, she will fail to understand you. Beyond that..." the Meltrandi raises her eyebrows. "...be ready for anything?"

As if on cue, the door to the Mindbender room slides open and there in the doorway is a brawny, smiling figure in a UEEF uniform most of you recognize as Cal from Adamantium. The husky, muscle-bound, and bandaged Caucasian has certainly looked better. He walks with a limp and grimace with every step, but there in the nook of his shoulder is an almost equally-tall figure, hers sleek and dark like a walking shadow. In fact, with that jet black skin and fur, she is without a doubt the darkest of the Beasties any of you have ever seen.

Showing off a very fit and trim frame, she wears a short black tank-top decorated with a skull motif wearing a green beret reminiscent of the U.S. Army Green Berets with the words, "De Oppresso Liber" emblazoned on its front. Her leggings are those of Adamantium's own combat fatigues complete with a battle belt and the remnants of her kit including two thick brown bandoliers that criss-cross neatly about her supple waist. You see no less than six knifes with sheathes strapped on her forearms and thighs. Her unbooted feet with small claws step silently across the floor. Her eyes, twin golden lamps even in the ample light of the medical room, look into Cal's face as she helps him step and stagger along.

Looking excited but weary, Cal gives you all a hearty wave. "Wild Cards! You guys totally saved our bacons out there on the ice. Lemme introduce you to--"

And right then, as the midnight-furred She-Broo's eyes cast around the room, they seem to fail to spot Commander Kirin who is just behind Hercules at the moment. But Cera the Ura-Meltrandi? With her face and body turned away from the door? A small smile across her face? The Broo stares at her long enough to go from looking to observing. In that single moment, she goes from being a concerned and soft-looking military Beastie to something else entirely. And just for a few moments, the Mindbender room seems to explode in chaos!

"UUURRRAAA!!" It is one of the most savage war cries you might ever hear in your lives.

As she roars, she moves to protect Cal and looks as if she is in mid-spring at Cera who spins, her red eyes wide in surprise. From the Broo's hip comes a sleek and sharp-looking knife of incredible quality. Its handle is done up in some kind of leather and the blade seems to hiss (or is it her?) as it leaves its sheath.

Spoiler: It looks like a completely natural version of this.

The sheath seems to be made of the same leather as the handle.

(Image credit: Vladknives.com)

"KILO DELTA MIKE!" roars the Broo as she surges forward.

Spoiler: Phonetics.

Kilo Delta Mike. There is no roll required by any of you. Your characters know without having to think about it that these letters stand for the letters "K," "D," and "M."

Now... if you're thinking like a Broo, what three words could those three letters possibly stand for? (Notice the inflection on the "Kilo.") =)

"Whoa, whoa!" Cal turns immediately and physically blocks the Broo with his body while shouting to you then her. "It's okay, guys! I got this! Hey! Hey!! Look at me, Taymee! Me!!" He grabs the sides of her face so she can look only at him.

Upon feeling him touch her, she obeys and her face says it all. Blade in hand, she looks incredibly confused and longing for answers - anything that might explain why an Ura-Meltrandi (and a micronized one at that!) is not only onboard the Broadsword, but right here in the Mindbender room!

"C'mon, chick! What do you see when you see her?"

She points straight at Cera accusingly. "TAAANIYAAA!"

Cal releases her, grimaces at himself, and rolls his eyes. "Cal, you amateur! Wrong question!" He tries again. "That's Cera! Cera is a Wild Card! I'm sorry! I totally forgot to tell you! She's a good guy! Number one!"

"Ura 'numbah one?!'"

Meanwhile Cera looks outraged. "How do they always know?" She repeats her earlier wonder concerning how Broo can just pick up an Ura-Meltrandi even from among other Meltrandi. Even with Cera's back turned and face hidden, the Broo just knew! As if Cera were holding a sign saying, "Ura-Meltrandi here!" Cera's frustration gets the better of her. "Just listen to me, you savage--" Cera looks as if she is about to step up and say something fierce to the She-Broo but that deadly creature shoots her face around Cal's big arm. She gives Cera some kind of white-eyed look only Cera is in position to see!

"Shhhaaah!!"

It is a look that freezes Cera's warrior blood! Cera steps back until she hits the bulkhead wall and stays there. Then she closes her eyes, tries to calm down, and puts her hand to her forehead as if realizing the big mistake she just made.

Cal continues to try and calm the Broo down. "Yeah! Wild Card! Uh... Traverser!" But the Broo shakes her head in confusion. She stares at Cal, her large blue eyes almost pleading. Cal taps his head. "C'mon, c'mon, what's the Broo word? Uhh, Mind-rider!" That gets the Broo's attention! "She's a Mind-rider, Taymes!" he uses what appears to be a nickname.

Immediately the Broo called Taymee looks again at the stricken Cera, this time with utter shock. She lowers her blade when the room is filled with a fourth voice. A voice filled with raw authority and naked willpower.

"Taymee!"

Taymee turns and sees Commander Kirin. Cal spins too, more slowly. "Commander!" he shouts, suddenly grinning like a little boy at Christmas.

"Coh-man-dah!" gasps Taymee in pure awe. She freezes immediately. Her mouth drops open showing fangs that are a touch longer than the average Broo. Her eyes, now a deep pink, close as she drops to the floor in a kneeling position facing Commander Kirin. Her palms out, blade underneath pointing away from the Meltrandi, her head is down facing the floor. It is a position of complete obedience.

Commander Kirin steps forward, briefly smiling at the grateful Cal before looking down on this Broo. "Absolute loyalty," says Commander Kirin. "If Dolza's fleet possessed this, Earth would have been utterly destroyed and humanity lost. The Meltrandi do not possess it. Humanity has been fighting each other for centuries. Absolute loyalty. And among living creatures, the Broo alone seem to hold its crown. Rise, Taymee."

Taymee does, her anger and frustration forgotten. Without thinking, she begins to slip her blade back into its sheath. "Wait," Commander Kirin points at the special knife. "See there?" She points at Captain Sharp's quiet form inside his slag-heap of a mega-suit. "Go and tell me what you find."

Taymee skulks suspiciously over to the unknown thing lying on the table. Without touching it, she sniffs, looks, sniffs again. And then, seeing her from behind, you watch her Broo ears suddenly flip straight up toward the ceiling, little furry triangles on her head denoting surprise. "Human!" she points. "Inside!"

"Yes," Commander Kirin nods. "Cal?"

Cal looks a great deal better as he opens his hand in welcome. "This is Taymee, Adamantium's very own first Broo Special Forces-trained soldier. Call sign: Rainbow Daemoness. One hell of a first impression, huh?"

Commander Kirin indicates your team. "Taymee, all of these people are Mind-riders. This is Hercules, Mario, Eadric, Ylva, Eadric, and my daughter, Toph. I believe you know Trouble." Taymee looks at Toph with some interest.

"Meef!" Trouble meefs.

She winks and briefly sticks out a very pink tongue at him. Trouble begins purring.

"Wild Card."

"Yes. This," she looks to the Canadian in the group, "is Eadric. He has something to ask you. Eadric?"

Before your eyes, the Rainbow Daemoness's own flow from a deep pink to a soft luminous green. She hesitates. Then she looks to Cal and he steps closer to her. "It's okay, little killer," He says even though they are nearly the same height. "He's Numbah One too. Cera saved us. Eadric saved us. There now..." he reaches into her kit and pulls forth what looks like a sunflower. A plastic sunflower. "Where's our beauty queen, huh? Where's our cutie-pie?"

As he fits the plastic sunflower over her left ear, Taymee suddenly stops looking at Cal. Her ears are telling you that she is listening to his every word, but her eyes - now golden like the sunflower - look from side to side as the hint of a smile creeps up one side of her Beastie mouth. She fidgets a little and clearly calms. "Taymes, Adamantium owes Wild Cards. They saved Adamantium. They saved Scary Jerry." Taymee's sunny eyes get wider when she hears that. She disengages from Cal and approaches Eadric on her own, her walk is ghost-like, almost hypnotic. Her Kayliss knife is pointed toward the deck.

"Aaay-drrreek?" she tries his name on for size while making eye contact with him. There is no fear there. Her voice, although heavily-accented, is pleasing to listen to.

"What Ay-drik want of Taymee?"

What do the Wild Cards do?

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Lt. Eadric Braidwood

Character Sheet
Action Points: 9/9
Bonus Action Points: 0

Beyond that..." the Meltrandi raises her eyebrows. "...be ready for anything?"

Eadric has time only for a brief nod before the door opens and two quite unalike (and yet, on a second look, rather similar) people enter.

Showing off a very fit and trim frame, she wears a short black tank-top decorated with a skull motif wearing a green beret reminiscent of the U.S. Army Green Berets with the words, "De Oppresso Liber" emblazoned on its front.

Eadric is momentarily distracted by a preliminary effort to translate the Latin, but as it hadn't been his own focus of study, he can only guess it's something about the liberation and oppression. His father would have done better, but that learned gentleman is not, of course, present. Eadric's own effort is hampered by the fact that he is also distracted by the Broo's quite attractive appearance. Hence rule number two. Yes, indeed.

"KILO DELTA MIKE!" roars the Broo as she surges forward.

Eadric has no idea what "KDM" means*, but there's no mistaking Taymee's intent. He quickly moves to stand in front of Cera and settles into his Aikido stance, hoping to be able to hold off the Broo soldier until someone can convince her to stand down. Fortunately, there's a pair of someones present who are able to do just that. He stands down when the first of those two (presumably the "Cal" whom Commander Kirin had described as "eagerly agreeing to help") takes over and advises the Wild Cards to let him handle it, but Eadric doesn't remove himself from between Cera and Taymee just yet.

*I do, though!

Cal continues to try and calm the Broo down. "Yeah! Wild Card! Uh... Traverser!" But the Broo shakes her head in confusion. She stares at Cal, her large blue eyes almost pleading. Cal taps his head. "C'mon, c'mon, what's the Broo word? Uhh, Mind-rider!" That gets the Broo's attention! "She's a Mind-rider, Taymes!" he uses what appears to be a nickname.

Mind-rider. Eadric files the term into his newest mental drawer, labeled "Broo." Also in that drawer:
- the Broadsword's rules,
- the existence (but not yet the terms) of the pact,
- little Beema (who likes asking and answering questions),
- Sheesa the Scout (who speaks as little as possible),
- Taymee herself (garbed in a mix of human and presumably Broo styles, reacting with blinding speed and deadly force to a perceived threat, trust in her teammate regarding that threat),
- that the Broo, or at least Taymee, regard Traversers/Mind-riders as people who are presumed allies regardless of species, even when that species would ordinarily be an enemy to be killed on sight.

Commander Kirin steps forward, briefly smiling at the grateful Cal before looking down on this Broo. "Absolute loyalty," says Commander Kirin. "If Dolza's fleet possessed this, Earth would have been utterly destroyed and humanity lost. The Meltrandi do not possess it. Humanity has been fighting each other for centuries. Absolute loyalty. And among living creatures, the Broo alone seem to hold its crown. Rise, Taymee."

The danger now seemed completely over, so Eadric moved back to where he'd been before Cal and Taymee entered (i.e., next to Sharp and his mega-suit).

Added to the mental drawer: Taymee's clear distinction between Ura-Meltrandi (instant enemy on sight, except -- and only now, after extreme persuasion -- Cera) and other Meltrandi, or at least this one; Taymee's utter trust and acceptance of Commander Kirin's leadership (possibly reflective of the Broo's attitude towards Kirin and the Broadsword's officership as a whole, given Kirin's words?).

Note to self: never, ever betray a Broo's loyalty, should I be granted it. I doubt I'd survive the consequences.

Though, in fairness, if a trusted superior (or even friend) called Eadric's name with that kind of power behind it, he might well react much the same, accounting for differences in species and culture. Or, frankly, if Commander Kirin ever did so, though he'd only known her a few minutes. It was that kind of voice.

Also in the drawer: Taymee's eye color appeared to shift with her mood (common or uncommon amongst Broo? Need more data.).

As he fits the plastic sunflower over her left ear, Taymee suddenly stops looking at Cal. Her ears are telling you that she is listening to his every word, but her eyes - now golden like the sunflower - look from side to side as the hint of a smile creeps up one side of her Beastie mouth. She fidgets a little and clearly calms.

The sunflower and its mysterious effect were filed for later consideration. What is it about the flower? Symbolism? Shared memory or experience? Or is it coincidental, and the effect is instead caused by Cal's words? Eadric wondered, of course, but this might well be too personal to ask about, even if he found someone who was open to asking.

"Taymes, Adamantium owes Wild Cards. They saved Adamantium. They saved Scary Jerry." Taymee's sunny eyes get wider when she hears that. She disengages from Cal and approaches Eadric on her own, her walk is ghost-like, almost hypnotic. Her Kayliss knife is pointed toward the deck.

"Aaay-drrreek?" she tries his name on for size while making eye contact with him. There is no fear there. Her voice, although heavily-accented, is pleasing to listen to.

"What Ay-drik want of Taymee?"

This is no time to quibble over who was and was not actually a Wild Card; and anyway Eadric had taken part in that most recent battle. Act and speak simply, Commander Kirin had advised.

Eadric met Taymee's gaze without hesitation. His own hazel-brown eyes likely seemed a dim reflection of the bright sunflower-gold of hers, to any who were of a mind to compare the two, but were (he hoped) as open. Having noted that her expressions seemed to match her moods in much the same manner as a human's, he gave her a slight smile much like the one she currently wore. "Hello, Taymee. I'm glad to meet you." Without turning his eyes away from hers, he gestured towards the mega-suit. "Captain Sharp, the human inside the suit, is trapped because the suit is too damaged to open itself. Like Cal says, I'm a Mind-rider, and I asked the suit how we could get him out. It told me that we need to cut at its fasteners, but we can't use heat, or much vibration, because that will hurt the man inside. Commander Kirin says a Kayliss knife would be perfect. Are you willing to help us? What can we do or provide to you in return?"

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

(Part 1 of 2)

Note: Maybe it's worth reading this one slow and without distraction? A lot happens in this scene and things move fast, but I think it's the best way to speed things along to where everyone can contribute and (hopefully) post more often. Hope you like my solution! =)

"Hello, Taymee. I'm glad to meet you." Without turning his eyes away from hers, he gestured towards the mega-suit. "Captain Sharp, the human inside the suit, is trapped because the suit is too damaged to open itself. Like Cal says, I'm a Mind-rider, and I asked the suit how we could get him out. It told me that we need to cut at its fasteners, but we can't use heat, or much vibration, because that will hurt the man inside. Commander Kirin says a Kayliss knife would be perfect. Are you willing to help us? What can we do or provide to you in return?"

Early on in Eadric's cordial and well-thought-out greeting and explanation, Taymee listens to him fully, her lithe form still, her dark ears perked up and her eyes upon him. However, somewhere between Eadric's explanation and request, Eadric notices the Broo's head begin to slowly tilt to the lift as one eyebrow gets a bit larger than the other. She says nothing at all but hears him fully. However, she does reply whatsoever but remains in this... confused-looking state, staring at Eadric, thinking God-knows-what.

Cal leans in toward Eadric. "Good start. Your message is in the right place. Just... remember her English sucks. Taymes? Where'd he lose you? Uhh.." Cal thinks a moment. "Uhh, what Taymes copy?"

Hearing Cal's voice, one of Taymee's furry ears turns in Cal's direction while the other remains aimed at Eadric. Then she speaks softly, clearly willing to continue this social transaction. "Taymes copy Sharp inside suit. Suit broke. Ay-drik Mind-ride suit. Suit say... fast- ten? Vai-brayt?" Cal nods in understanding as Taymee's head rights. "Purr-fekt? Pro-vai-d?"

Cal looks to Eadric as if to say, "See what I mean, buddy? Uhh..." His gaze turns to each of you and Commander Kirin. He holds his head. "The drugs in me aren't helping."

"Ay-drik help some. Taymee get lost is all. Taymee thank Ay-drik."

Commander Kirin replies crisply. "Faydra? Bong?"

Cal nods along, "Yeah, but I don't know--" Suddenly his eyes brighten. "Beema! She's perfect for this!"

A short intercom call later and you hear Hitomi say sharply. "Fine, Cal. Beema's allowed in the Mindbender Room. But if she tries to Mindbend herself again or even touches any medical equipment, I'll do something you won't like!"

Faintly, in the background, you hear Scary Jerry's delirious voice call out. "I... LOVE you, Hitomi! That's it! I say we find some way to clone Hitomi! I want at least three of her!"

"Ohh, don't clone me," Hitomi smiles. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself." (Note to Sherwood: You're welcome to use that one on your family if you think you'll get a good groan out of them. =) ) "Good luck in there. Doctor Kirin? Call me if you need me. Bye now."

Spoiler: Sunny Beema music

"Artangels" by Grimes

Moments later, Beema comes scampering in. Bright-eyed, bushy-furred, breathing rapidly in her excitement. "Heh-hheh-hehehh! Wild Cards! Hee-hee-heeee! Hi hi, Wild Cards!" The first thing she does is find Hercules and hug him. Her little skinny arms look like twigs against Hercules's Hulk-like leg, but she doesn't seem to care. Cal, looking relieved, fills Beema in while Taymee watches. Commander Kirin appears equally relieved to see her and points to Toph.

"Tell Taymee, Toph is my daughter--"

At this point in Beema's translation, Kirin is having to suddenly tell Taymee to rise from the floor from her earlier submissive posture, this time with Toph as her focus. Once Taymee is righted with the help of a Beema yanking on her arm, the Rainbow Daemoness faces Commander Kirin, listening to her every word as Beema translates.

"-- and Toph will be performing the cutting. If Taymee allows?" Taymee's eyes change colors several times; all of the colors are soft and kind of pretty. Then Commander Kirin and Cal step back where Cal and sit down and they watch, putting their faith in the Broadsword's youngest Broo. Then Beema speaks to a willing Taymee, whispering rapidly in what appears to be the Broo's native language. Taymee does a lot of nodding.

Beema points at Eadric and briefly shouts to him. "Dis Ay-drik! Ay-drik! You CUTE! Ay-drik want know if Taymee want trade?

"Trade?"

"Trade for Toph Kirin use of Kayliss!"

Taymee stares at Ay-drik and her eyes go... dead-black. Absolutely lightless. There is a slight but important shift that the Extraterrestrial Liason spots (and anyone else paying close attention). Taymee's fur rises. She frowns, her fangs slightly showing. "No!" Taymee exclaims. "No trade. Sharp is Broadsword. Must save him." She calms and a light green color comes to her eyes matching the stem on her plastic sunflower (the same sunflower Beema occasionally peers at but in no way makes any effort to touch). "Taymee prep. Keep Kayliss ailve. Toph Kirin cut. Free Sharp, save Sharp, res-kee-yoo Sharp."

"Yah!" Beema points up to the titanic form of the Wild Cards' Greek-born warrior, Herc. "Afta dat? We climb Mount Hurk-yoo-leez!"

"Climb Mount Hurk-yoo-leez?"

"Yah! View so much betta when you see wif Hurk-yoo-leez!"

"Ohhhh!"

Beema aims with a Kayliss-like thrust of her tiny claw. "But first? Shaaarp!"

"Shaaarp!" Taymee gives truly bestial cheer that sounds more like some woodland creature , her fangs longer than perhaps a Beastie's ought to be?

(More in my next post.)

 

[Purr]

(Post 2 of 2)

Toph finds herself beside Captain Sharp's still and quiet form. He appears to be sleeping as his breathing into the oxygen machine is slow, deep, and rhythmic. He may have exhausted what his aged body didn't have and now its trying to get that back. In the meantime, the old soldier is out like a light.

Beside Toph is Taymee, just out of arm's reach. Taymee is staring at the Japanese-Meltrandi, her eyes a soft blue that contrasts remarkably with her jet-black fur. Beside her is Beema, quiet, obedient, happy to be any part of this, her little hands out and waiting for Taymee's instruction.

Taymee slips the Kayliss blade she went after Cera with into her hand. It smoothly comes out of its brown sheath without a sound. "Toph Kirin," she explains, speaking as clearly as she is able in the foreign tongue of English. "Kayliss is... skin. Is... steel. Look?" She holds out her arm about hip-level with the Kayliss's knife-point aimed straight down at the Broadsword's armored deck beneath your feet. Her eyes on Toph, she lets it fall.

*Ting!* sounds the blade as it bounces gaily off of the floor and clatters to the floor, completely unmarred. It performs exactly like any other S.D.C. knife Toph has ever seen.

"Kayliss... is... wind. Is... spirit!" Without taking her eyes off of Toph's, the Rainbow Daemoness picks up her Kayliss blade as if she had been staring at it all along. Using the leather cord nestled in its handle, she wraps this cord around her thumb and hand twice, neatly forming the handle into her able hand. Then she moves - and oh does she! Taymee spins about, whipping, slashing, performing some of kind of knife "kata" none of the Wild Cards have ever witnessed - a deadly dance of unpredictable fighting motions, each as swift and dangerous as if Taymee were cutting something living. This lasts for maybe 15 seconds. She never takes her eyes off of Toph's.

Then Taymee pauses, her arm oustretched again, her Kayliss blade aimed at the floor as before. Without throwing it, using gravity as its only force, Taymee lets it fall again.

*Shuk!* The damned thing sinks into the Broadsword's hull up to its handle!

Spoiler: Shop Talk

Any of the Wild Cards who have even a single Ancient Weapon Proficiency know the following:

The vibro-knives of your day do 1d4 to 1d6 M.D. The fore-arm blades of your Rifleman Cyclones do 2D6 M.D..

This knife, forged by an alien savage, shows that it can cut for 3D6 Mega-damage or more. Probably closer to 4D6 Mega-damage. Per cut!

"Wind. Spirit." Taymee repeats as she respectfully bows her head to her Kayliss as she carefully retrieves it leaving a neat and clean slit in the Mindbender room's floor about as long as one of your knuckle to any one of your fingertips.

Beema cheerfully grins up at Toph. "Iz troo! Most human can swing-swing de Kayliss, but Kayliss no mega-cut for dem! Must have spirit! Taymee always have dis spirit!"

Taymee presents her twin bandoliers. They hold twelve knives not counting the eight on her own person. "Toph Kirin need not one Kayliss, but four. Look?" She points at the horrid gouges and "pot-holes" caused by searing fire and some kind of Mega-damage metal-eating acid to Captain Sharp's mauled mega-suit. There is no question that this beloved man would be dead without his suit. But the small craters and crevasses all over his armor make it very difficult for any one length of knife to cut through them.

Toph knows she need but examine the schematics Cera provided to see where the suit's fasteners are, the best angles to use, and the best knife length and type of edge for optimal cutting. But how to keep these blades sharp?

Taymee and Beema look to each other, the forest devil looking down, the forest child looking up. They grin. Beema says, "We trance now. We ask family. Dey aid us. We keep de spirit. Four Kayliss be sharp for Sharp!"

Taymee looks to Toph and indicates each of her four Kayliss blades. "Dis one, dis two, dis three, an'..."

"Four!"

"Four!" Taymee grins to Beema. "As Toph cut, say numbah. We pause in trance and give. Say 'notha numbah, we give dat numbah. Toph Kirin copy?"

What do the Wild Cards say or do? Do you have any ideas to improve Toph's chances of freeing Captain Sharp from his Mega-damage prison?

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Hercules was half-listening to the conversation about the Broo, as he pored over the schematics he had been handed. He noted every variation in the thickness of the armor, especially along the line of the seams, where the clamps that held it together were located and the thickness of the flexible sections of the suit. His plan would be simple, step one would be to cut open the chest panel, exposing the Captain's own to allow Toph and her team a means to properly assess any chest or abdominal injuries, step two would be removing the helmet. He completed his assay of the thickest points of the armor, especially around the closures that held it in place, just as the two new faces entered the MIndbender room.
His muscles tensed and he almost hurled himself over the table and Sharp's immobile form as he felt the waves of murderous rage erupt from the Broo, but forced himself to relax as the Adamantium soldier calmed her down. Hercules watched the strange interaction between the two warriors, his eyes taking in the obviously close relationship they shared that went beyond simple loyalty and trust. For a moment, he wished he had someone he could share that sort of connection with.
He watched as Taymee demonstrated the ease with which her Kayliss blades could cut through even ship armor with no apparent effort and frowned. Toph would have to be completely on her 'A' game to make the necessary cuts witout filleting the human inside the armor. And that meant he had to be precise beyond the possibility of a doubt with his measurements. With that thought in mind, he grabbed a marker pen from his uniform pocket and started writing the exact depths of the armor along the chest's seam lines.

 

[Purr]

Commander Kirin crosses her arms and visibly relaxes (Psychie: this is something she never does unless she is certain). The confidence in her voice is the kind that inspires soldiers as she looks from Traverser to Traverser and speaks. "I see now. One Wild Card provides the schematics, the other decides the route, while yet another has the surest hand. Captain Sharp could not be in better hands."

 

[Psychie]

Toph slowly nods. "I am going to need to study these cut markers very carefully. And when I do begin to operate, I'll need all distractions gone from the room; I'll need total focus to do this without cutting the Captain. Hercules, let me see what you have for me." She is in full doctor mode now, preparing for one of her most difficult surgeries that she has yet to perform.

 

[Sherwood]

Mario is silent, letting Toph examine the measurements carefully without distraction, wishing he could do more to help but knowing that Captain Sharp is in good hands with Toph.

 

[Kaerri]

"Ay-drik help some. Taymee get lost is all. Taymee thank Ay-drik."

Eadric smiles wryly. "Taymee is welcome." He's about to say that he'll try to do better, preparatory to the actual do-better attempt, but Commander Kirin has other ideas. Instead, Eadric simply nods. Translators would be more efficient just now than him experimenting with communication, and efficient is what Captain Sharp needs.

Commander Kirin replies crisply. "Faydra? Bong?"

Cal nods along, "Yeah, but I don't know--" Suddenly his eyes brighten. "Beema! She's perfect for this!"

He adds "Faydra" and "Bong" to his mental list of Broo individuals (context indicates the latter is an individual rather than an object). Tangent: is the name "Bong" merely a coincidence of sounds, or has that particular individual taken an English word for their name? If the latter, why? Context suggests this Bong is proficient in English well enough to serve as a translator, and therefore likely to know the meaning of the English word. Is it relevant to their interests, vocation, or occupation? Or do they simply like the sound of the word? It's early yet to be making linguistic analyses, but within the limited sampling so far (the names "Taymee," "Beema," "Sheesa," and "Faydra," and the object "Kayliss"), "bong" doesn't seem to fit the nascent pattern.

Moments later, Beema comes scampering in. Bright-eyed, bushy-furred, breathing rapidly in her excitement. "Heh-hheh-hehehh! Wild Cards! Hee-hee-heeee! Hi hi, Wild Cards!" The first thing she does is find Hercules and hug him. Her little skinny arms look like twigs against Hercules's Hulk-like leg, but she doesn't seem to care.

"Little Beema" is not just small, Eadric notes, but appears to be a good deal younger than Taymee, based on size, physical proportions, and behavior. The latter might be deceptive (cultural norms vary, as do personal idiosyncrasies) but the biological characteristics are probably reliable. Speaking of personal idiosyncracies, and in light of his earlier curiosity regarding Taymee's shifting eye color, he watches Beema's face, noting that her eyes remain a constant orange throughout the conversation.

Then Beema speaks to a willing Taymee, whispering rapidly in what appears to be the Broo's native language. Taymee does a lot of nodding.

He wishes he could listen to Beema and Taymee's conversation. Even if he can't understand it (yet!), just hearing the sound, shape, and rhythm of the words would help. However, they are speaking rather rapidly, and too quietly for him to make out patterns in their speech, at least at this distance, and moving closer just to eavesdrop would be rude. And possibly offensive (they are whispering, after all, and he isn't sure whether that's for privacy or simply to not interfere with whatever the others in the room may be up to).

Beema points at Eadric and briefly shouts to him. "Dis Ay-drik! Ay-drik! You CUTE! Ay-drik want know if Taymee want trade?

Eadric can't help but smile at the compliment.

Taymee stares at Ay-drik and her eyes go... dead-black. Absolutely lightless. There is a slight but important shift that the Extraterrestrial Liason spots (and anyone else paying close attention). Taymee's fur rises. She frowns, her fangs slightly showing. "No!" Taymee exclaims. "No trade. Sharp is Broadsword. Must save him." She calms and a light green color comes to her eyes matching the stem on her plastic sunflower (the same sunflower Beema occasionally peers at but in no way makes any effort to touch). "Taymee prep. Keep Kayliss ailve. Toph Kirin cut. Free Sharp, save Sharp, res-kee-yoo Sharp."

Added to the mental file: Taymee is not just dismissive, but apparently offended, at the thought of trading for the safety of a crew member. It's a viewpoint Eadric can sympathize with, and makes her feel that much more relatable to him -- an emotion he'll have to be careful with. Similarities can aid understanding and communication, but placing too much reliance on them can blind one to important differences.

"Kayliss is... skin. Is... steel. Look?" She holds out her arm about hip-level with the Kayliss's knife-point aimed straight down at the Broadsword's armored deck beneath your feet. Her eyes on Toph, she lets it fall.

*Ting!* sounds the blade as it bounces gaily off of the floor and clatters to the floor, completely unmarred. It performs exactly like any other S.D.C. knife Toph has ever seen.

Eadric can't help the slightest of winces, for the sake of that lovely blade smacking into the mega-damage floor. Fortunately, it seems perfectly unharmed by the experience. (That the floor is likewise unharmed is so unsurprising that he doesn't take note of it.)

"Kayliss... is... wind. Is... spirit!" Without taking her eyes off of Toph's, the Rainbow Daemoness picks up her Kayliss blade as if she had been staring at it all along. Using the leather cord nestled in its handle, she wraps this cord around her thumb and hand twice, neatly forming the handle into her able hand. Then she moves - and oh does she! Taymee spins about, whipping, slashing, performing some of kind of knife "kata" none of the Wild Cards have ever witnessed - a deadly dance of unpredictable fighting motions, each as swift and dangerous as if Taymee were cutting something living. This lasts for maybe 15 seconds.

Eadric watches with eager curiosity. He's no stranger to blades, and this is as beautiful as anything he's seen. Even as he appreciates Taymee's grace and skill, however, his mind continues observing. "Kayliss is skin, is steel." Was that a general description, or did it refer specifically to the Kayliss's state pre-kata? "Kayliss is wind, is spirit." Again: general description, or was this its post-kata state? Did the wielder add his or her spirit (wind?) to the Kayliss to enhance its abilities, or did it have its own spirit/wind that the wielder simply increased? The analogy (and even equation) of air, wind, and/or breath with spirit and spiritual things was extremely common among human cultures and languages, reaching far back into ancient times. Was that also the case for the Broo? Were wind and spirit the same in this ritual, or were they different things, added separately? Or described separately?

*Shuk!* The damned thing sinks into the Broadsword's hull up to its handle!

That puts a pause on Eadric's thoughts! Enhance its abilities, indeed! Why, if he believed in magic, he'd have said Taymee had enchanted it! That thought sparked others, and his brain was off and running again. And why should it not be magic? "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic*," after all. Though "magic" will be the wrong term to use, when he asks about this later. Neither of the Broo had used that word. As Commander Kirin had said, this is much more akin to religion than wizardry. If anything, I'm the wizard here, he thinks with amusement. And the other Traversers.

*Arthur C. Clarke, "Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible" (1962)

Any of the Wild Cards who have even a single Ancient Weapon Proficiency know the following:

The vibro-knives of your day do 1d4 to 1d6 M.D. The fore-arm blades of your Rifleman Cyclones do 2D6 M.D..

This knife, forged by an alien savage, shows that it can cut for 3D6 Mega-damage or more. Probably closer to 4D6 Mega-damage. Per cut!

Eadric does not have a single Ancient Weapon Proficiency - he has 6-8, depending on one's definition of "ancient." (Also of "weapon.") He is very impressed by the Kayliss demonstration, and his gleefully awed expression does not hide this.

Beema cheerfully grins up at Toph. "Iz troo! Most human can swing-swing de Kayliss, but Kayliss no mega-cut for dem! Must have spirit! Taymee always have dis spirit!"

Eadric's hands are fairly itching to give it a try, not to be the first to manage the "mega-cut" (though that would indeed be an accomplishment!) but simply out of admiration for that sweet knife. He manages to restrain himself, but this is certainly something he'd like to make a deal with Taymee for -- later, of course. Possibly much later, alas. And most definitely with an interpreter to ensure no offense is given.

Taymee and Beema look to each other, the forest devil looking down, the forest child looking up. They grin. Beema says, "We trance now. We ask family. Dey aid us. We keep de spirit. Four Kayliss be sharp for Sharp!"

Again, mental wondering (not to be confused with mental wandering, which Eadric is trying to avoid). "We ask family. They aid us." Do the Broo believe in ancestor spirits? Had Taymee channeled them when she enchanted -- there was that word again, need to find a more appropriate one -- the Kayliss? Or does Beema mean living family? Do the Broo have a spiritual connection with each other, one that can be drawn on for purposes such as this? That reminded him of modern fantasy stories involving werewolf packs. Possibly an irrelevant analogy, possibly not. He'll have to find someone to ask about that later. Taymee doesn't seem the right person, and Beema might be too young to explain such matters.*

*Player note: hehehehe. He'll learn.

Taymee looks to Toph and indicates each of her four Kayliss blades. "Dis one, dis two, dis three, an'..."

"Four!"

Eadric follows Taymee's indications and makes note of the number for each Kayliss knife. Question for later: why four blades? Could they not enspirit the same Kayliss multiple times for this one purpose? Or was it "would not" rather than "could not"? Was there some sort of ritual limitation? Or could the knives themselves only be enspirited a limited amount in a given timespan? ("Enspirit" seemed a more appropriate verb than "enchant," but he really ought to ask the Broo what they called it. However, that could wait for a more convenient time.)

"Four!" Taymee grins to Beema. "As Toph cut, say numbah. We pause in trance and give. Say 'notha numbah, we give dat numbah. Toph Kirin copy?"

"Excuse me," Eadric interjects politely (Toph's own answer notwithstanding). "You're saying the two of you will be in trance to provide the spirit for the mega-cut. As Toph is about to make the cut, she will call out the number for the Kayliss she's holding, and you will give that blade the spirit for the mega-cut. Then she will take up the next Kayliss and call out its number, and you will give the spirit for that one to mega-cut. And the same for the other two, in turn. Is that right?"

He looks at Toph, and then back at Beema and Taymee. "Surgeons have assistants to pass their surgical tools to them when each is needed. May I do this for Toph? May I hold the Kayliss blades until they are needed, or pass them to her? Then I can tell her the number to say, and she can stay focused on cutting, like surgeons do."

There's a bit of ulterior motive, true (he does want to get his hands on these beauties), but in the main, his offer is altruistic.

With that thought in mind, he grabbed a marker pen from his uniform pocket and started writing the exact depths of the armor along the chest's seam lines.

"I see now. One Wild Card provides the schematics, the other decides the route, while yet another has the surest hand. Captain Sharp could not be in better hands."

Eadric smiles. Commander Kirin is right: each to their own strengths, to contribute as best they may. A good team. He wonders if there's room for him to join, since he's also a Traverser. (Completely forgetting, for the moment, that he has another assignment still on him -- Antarctica Base -- and might need to at least arrange for its being covered by someone else.)

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Sherwood Silanon (OOC: Let me reply to this now while all of this is still fresh in my noggin.) =)
Psychie (You might want to pay close attention to this too for Toph.)

Eadric follows Taymee's indications and makes note of the number for each Kayliss knife. Question for later: why four blades?

As Eadric watches the interaction between the Beast People, he (and again, anyone who is observing and not just looking) notices the Rainbow Daemoness indicating the four aforementioned Kayliss blades to Beema - each of them is of a different shape, a slightly different style, and length. If you were a savage trying to pry someone out of a melted Mega-damage suit made of tank-grade steel, each of these tools could definitely come in handy especially when combined with the schematics Armorer Hercules has made such effort to make notes for.

(OOC: Hercules's notes will very likely come in handy once Hercules has given them to Toph. At that point, Toph can decide which Kayliss blade fits best where on Captain Sharp's mega-suit which will largely be determined by die rolls for the sake of efficiently moving things along.)

"Excuse me," Eadric interjects politely (Toph's own answer notwithstanding). "You're saying the two of you will be in trance to provide the spirit for the mega-cut. As Toph is about to make the cut, she will call out the number for the Kayliss she's holding, and you will give that blade the spirit for the mega-cut. Then she will take up the next Kayliss and call out its number, and you will give the spirit for that one to mega-cut. And the same for the other two, in turn. Is that right?"

The sheer amount of words loses the overhearing Taymee quickly and also succeeds in losing Beema. Still, Cal, your previous interpreter nods and grins encouragingly to Eadric. Eadric appears to be "getting it" (especially so soon) but he is not quite there yet.

With her skinny hands on her jutting hips, Beema looks up with a confused expression and scratches the side of her head. "'Pro-vai-duh?' 'Call-a out?' Cute-Aydrik say slowa, please? Re-peet? Beema want copy much-much!"

Cal calls out, providing the following. "Too many words and you'll overload their Beastie brains. Especially Taymee's. Keep trying to meet them in the middle - that's how Adamantium does it. Oh, and it's more difficult when they have to read."

After "much-much" back and forth between the Canadian anthropologist and Broo shaman-in-training, Beema finally looks up to Eadric with a little grin on her ever-friendly features. Speaking clearly and slowly, she tries to answer him. "Taymee an' Beema trance. Why? Easy. Trance is betta than no-trance." Beema pauses to see that Eadric is following. "Toph Kirin look at Sharp-armor. Toph Kirin say, 'Gimme Numba Two,' an' we gimme Numba Two Kayliss." She points at one of the four blades Taymee has selected. "Den Toph Kirin say, 'Want Numba Four."

"'Four?'" Taymee asks Beema.

"Yah. Four come afta three." Beema starts counting starting with her thumb. "Taymee focus now. One, too, tree, four!"

Taymee focuses. "Four! Got it!"

Smiling now, both Broo-gals turn back to Eadric and Toph. "When Toph Kirin say, "Me need Numba Four, we take Numba Two back an' keep Kayliss alive for when Toph Kirin need again! Ahhh," thinking aloud, she searches for a word, closes her eyes for a moment, and gets the word she needs. "How Bong say in Pan-Galactic... Yah! Ahh, Toph Kirin an' Eadric... undastand?"

He looks at Toph, and then back at Beema and Taymee. "Surgeons have assistants to pass their surgical tools to them when each is needed. May I do this for Toph? May I hold the Kayliss blades until they are needed, or pass them to her? Then I can tell her the number to say, and she can stay focused on cutting, like surgeons do."

Taymee's now-whitening eyes narrow suspiciously at Eadric but immediately soften as Beema rubs her head against Taymee. "Taymee. Ay-drik mean good. He copy but no undastand yet."

The Rainbow Daemoness's turns her greenish glare to Eadric. "No. You no can keep Kayliss alive. If no can keep Kayliss alive, Kayliss can no cut... soot." She points at Sharp's mega-suit. Her answer seems final, but Beema rubs her head against her tribemate a second time.

"Taymee! You be nice-nice to Ay-drik." She points at all of you. "Ay-drik wif Toph Kirin, Mar-ee-yoh, Eel-vah, Hurk-yoo-leez, Ser-ah, Leada Mack, an' Trouble! So Ay-drik Numba One! You be nice-nice to Numba One or Tribe Look Bad!"

"Oh!"

Taymee smoothly slips her Kayliss blades back in her sheaths. Without warning, she moves closely to stand directly Eadric (displaying that Broo evidently have no concept whatsoever of what humans often call "personal space"). Her demeanor changes drastically. Fondly smiling now, her fangs not showing, she adjusts the sunflower above her ear and blinks her now sunflower-gold eyes rapidly. Suddenly, the Broo's eyes begin to glow softly! They are like the lights from smartphones but not blinding and comfortable to gaze upon. Before the anthropologist is this shapely vision of Taymee looking directly into Eadric's eyes in a way that tends to make most humans feel... well... bare.

Then without asking permission (unless Eadric thinks to resist and acts to prevent it), Taymee slowly wraps Eadric up into this clearly-intimate hug, pressing her body and one thigh against him while gently nestling her head against his shoulder. It is an obvious demonstration of affection and trust. Behind Taymee, Beema "beems" and laughs in approval while Eadric feels the gentle yet very pleasurable sensation of a Broo up softly rubbing against his chest and audibly purring while she's doing it.

"HEY!" shouts a shocked and frowning Cal who, at least the ladies in the Wild Cards probably notice, is blushing. "You don't hafta to be THAT nice-nice to him!"

Commander Kirin lets out a rare laugh. "Cal. Stand down and cease your jealousy. It is her decision to make."

"Aye aye, ma'am." Fidgeting and taking one big gulp of air, pink-faced Cal does immediately as ordered. He doesn't look too happy at the moment, but he seems to be grappling hard to understand, and thus respect, Taymee's affectionate action.

Taymee releases Eadric and poses rather cutely as she watches his face. The glow of her eyes slowly fades though their goldness remains. She flips one ear towards Toph and looking just enough to make eye contact with the Japanese-blooded Meltrandi, she asks in her deceptively soft-sounding voice.

"Must free Sharp. Toph Kirin have ask? Or Toph Kirin is ready?"

(OOC reminder: Toph still lacks Hercules's notes.)

How do the Wild Cards act or react? =)

 

[Psychie]

Toph closes her eyes at the sight of the Broo woman and Eadric sharing a moment together, trying to keep her focus on the task at hand. She then looks over at Hercules, and asks, "May I please see the notes you have? I need to familiarize myself with them before I start to cut the suit."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Toph closes her eyes at the sight of the Broo woman and Eadric sharing a moment together, trying to keep her focus on the task at hand. She then looks over at Hercules, and asks, "May I please see the notes you have? I need to familiarize myself with them before I start to cut the suit."

Hercules nodded, his expression grim but collected.
"I've looked over the schematics that Cera provided as best I can. I've marked on Captain Sharp's armor where the seam lines are and the original locations of the locking clamps. I've also marked the thickest and thinnest parts with the exact thicknesses of the armor at those points. Sadly, I couldn't account for ablation of the armor due to the damage it's taken, so in areas where there's extensive damage, take the thicknesses as a guide, not an exact measurement."
He indicated the markings he'd made on the battered and burnt armor, pointing out the clamps and running a finger along the seams.
"If you need it, Mario and I can look to find some prybars to spread the armor once you've made some cuts, the easier to see where you're going?"

 

[Psychie]

Toph smiles at Herc, saying, "You have outdone yourself, my good man. As with every time I go in for surgery, there is a bit of variation that presents itself that only a reasoning mind can react to. I must say, if you ever tire of the technical side of things, you have the proper mindset to be a good doctor. As I cut, I would like you and Mario to stand by to help wedge the plates open. Just remember that this is not some ordinary repair job, but we are dealing with a human life. The saying, 'measure twice, cut once' applies to this in spades." She turns to look at both Mario and Hercules, saying firmly, "If you are uncertain if you wish to help, I need to know now. Plus, once we start this operation, you do nothing without being directed to do so by me. It is not that I don't trust you, because I would place my life in your hands. It is that the surgeon in the operating room is the one to call the shots, and there is no room for debate once we start. Capt. Sharp's life is in our hands."

 

[Sherwood]

Mario nods, saying, "Understood, ma'am. You are the one in charge here, and I will do whatever it is that you need me to do as you tell me to do it. If I have any questions, I'll make sure to ask before trying to act on my own."

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Music I listened to while typing

Cal calls out, providing the following. "Too many words and you'll overload their Beastie brains. Especially Taymee's. Keep trying to meet them in the middle - that's how Adamantium does it. Oh, and it's more difficult when they have to read."

Eadric nods. "Thanks! I'll keep that in mind."

With her skinny hands on her jutting hips, Beema looks up with a confused expression and scratches the side of her head. "'Pro-vai-duh?' 'Call-a out?' Cute-Aydrik say slowa, please? Re-peet? Beema want copy much-much!"

Eadric is more than happy to "re-peet" as many times as necessary, adjusting his own words (and the number of them, as Cal had advised) each time to better accommodate Beema's understanding.

After "much-much" back and forth between the Canadian anthropologist and Broo shaman-in-training, Beema finally looks up to Eadric with a little grin on her ever-friendly features. Speaking clearly and slowly, she tries to answer him. "Taymee an' Beema trance. Why? Easy. Trance is betta than no-trance." Beema pauses to see that Eadric is following. "Toph Kirin look at Sharp-armor. Toph Kirin say, 'Gimme Numba Two,' an' we gimme Numba Two Kayliss." She points at one of the four blades Taymee has selected. "Den Toph Kirin say, 'Want Numba Four."

Eadric nods when Beema pauses, to indicate his understanding. The Broo-girls will enter a trance to better access their spirit; that makes sense to the aikido practitioner. It sounds not unlike meditation, and for much the same purpose. He listens with equal focus to the rest of Beema's explanation.

"'Four?'" Taymee asks Beema.

"Yah. Four come afta three." Beema starts counting starting with her thumb. "Taymee focus now. One, too, tree, four!"

Taymee focuses. "Four! Got it!"

Someone else might have taken this to mean Taymee is only just now learning to count beyond three. Eadric doesn't. Her limited proficiency with English is well-established now, and clearly she's only learning a new word for a concept she already knows. He wonders why she hadn't learned it before now; had she only needed up to "three" with Adamantium? Possibly. Counting to three is a common way (among humans, at least) to make sure everyone starts their predetermined action at the same time. His mind wanders just a bit to Monty Python and the Holy Hand Grenade, and he indulges himself in the supposition that she might know "five" without knowing "four." But that's a silly thought, and he reins it in before it can get very far.

Smiling now, both Broo-gals turn back to Eadric and Toph. "When Toph Kirin say, "Me need Numba Four, we take Numba Two back an' keep Kayliss alive for when Toph Kirin need again! Ahhh," thinking aloud, she searches for a word, closes her eyes for a moment, and gets the word she needs. "How Bong say in Pan-Galactic... Yah! Ahh, Toph Kirin an' Eadric... undastand?"

Eadric listens, and correlates what she has said with his observations of the knives. "Yes. I understand."

He turns to Toph. "Do you?" The question is asked simply and honestly, not a trace of patronizing. He only wants to make sure she has understood what the Broo are explaining. "Taymee has four different types of Kayliss, and she and Beema will keep them ready for use. You just tell them the number of the knife you think best for the cut you're about to make, and they'll hand it to you, and take it back when you're done."

Even as he speaks, however, his mind revolves around another new term. "Pan-Galactic"? It seems to mean English, but if so, why not say so? It doesn't seem the sort of term a Broo would come up with, even on his short acquaintance with them. But if they hadn't named it thusly, who had?

Taymee's now-whitening eyes narrow suspiciously at Eadric but immediately soften as Beema rubs her head against Taymee. "Taymee. Ay-drik mean good. He copy but no undastand yet."

Too true, and he ought to know better. A French exclamation of frustration (at himself) comes to mind, but he silences it, as he has throughout this conversation. Broo to English and back is confusing enough at times, without adding a third language to the mix.

The Rainbow Daemoness's turns her greenish glare to Eadric. "No. You no can keep Kayliss alive. If no can keep Kayliss alive, Kayliss can no cut... soot." She points at Sharp's mega-suit. Her answer seems final, but Beema rubs her head against her tribemate a second time.

Eadric nods understanding again, taking no offense at her tone or glare. Ritual or no, it seems there are practical limitations on who holds the Kayliss blades in this instance, which perfectly explains the refusal of his offer. Probably just asking has made him seem foolish in Taymee's eyes; he hopes she remembers what Beema said about him not understanding and gives him benefit of the doubt.

You be nice-nice to Numba One or Tribe Look Bad!"

"Oh!"

Mental file: Broo do not want to make their tribe look bad (he can almost see the capital letters of Beema's emphasis on the words), and Beema, the younger, feels perfectly comfortable reminding her elder of this when she thinks that elder is going astray. Moreover, Taymee seems to take the rebuke as if Beema had every right to do so. For later observation: do all the Broo feel that same freedom to remind (correct?) each other?

Suddenly, the Broo's eyes begin to glow softly! They are like the lights from smartphones but not blinding and comfortable to gaze upon. Before the anthropologist is this shapely vision of Taymee looking directly into Eadric's eyes in a way that tends to make most humans feel... well... bare.

Eadric has already observed Taymee's lightning-swift shifts in mood (indicated by eye color as well as general demeanor), but the glowing of those rainbow eyes still comes as a surprise. Do all Broo do that? Her forthright stare is not precisely comfortable -- it almost feels as if she's staring into his soul -- but it is at least friendly, and he meets her gaze openly, hoping she doesn't dislike what she sees in him.

Then without asking permission (unless Eadric thinks to resist and acts to prevent it), Taymee slowly wraps Eadric up into this clearly-intimate hug, pressing her body and one thigh against him while gently nestling her head against his shoulder. It is an obvious demonstration of affection and trust. Behind Taymee, Beema "beems" and laughs in approval while Eadric feels the gentle yet very pleasurable sensation of a Broo up softly rubbing against his chest and audibly purring while she's doing it.

Suddenly the anthropologist is gone, left in the background of the young human man very much aware of this attractive young Broo female embracing him. For a long moment, he can think of nothing else but Taymee and her purring. And the hope that she isn't aware of his physical reaction to her action. He isn't sure how to respond. Hug back? Do nothing? Pushing her away is surely the wrong answer, and anyway he doesn't want to.

Into his mind rises the voice of one of his anthropology professors. "As you begin to study an unfamiliar culture, you will come across behaviors that seem strange to you, possibly offensive, possibly attractive. Always bear in mind that your interpretation of such behaviors is unlikely to be the same as that of the people you are observing. Therefore, observe, correlate, and analyze within the context presented to you, but Do. Not. Interpret until you have a wider context to understand what lies behind what you are observing. This is even more important when you have been invited to participate, not merely observe. Remain aware of the reactions of those you are observing, and keep your own visible reactions appropriate to what you see in them. Do not react as if you had seen the same behavior from one in your native culture."

Right, Eadric tells himself. This is not a human girl, with a human girl's motivations. Context. Beema told her to be nice. She wants to make her tribe look good. Well, that's certainly working. This might be an apology for behavior Beema thinks is rude; it might be a statement of friendship; it might be a number of things, but it is unlikely (given the context) to be a personal invitation to intimate physical activities. Probably. His body insists otherwise, but it doesn't get a vote, no matter how strongly it voices its opinion. He steadies his breathing (his heartrate will follow when it chooses, as will other things, sooner or later) and gives Beema a friendly smile and nod.

"HEY!" shouts a shocked and frowning Cal who, at least the ladies in the Wild Cards probably notice, is blushing. "You don't hafta to be THAT nice-nice to him!"

Commander Kirin lets out a rare laugh. "Cal. Stand down and cease your jealousy. It is her decision to make."

"Aye aye, ma'am." Fidgeting and taking one big gulp of air, pink-faced Cal does immediately as ordered. He doesn't look too happy at the moment, but he seems to be grappling hard to understand, and thus respect, Taymee's affectionate action.

His brain, now that it's working again, replays Cal's and Commander Kirin's words. Poor Cal. I'll have to talk to him later and make sure we're OK.

Taymee releases Eadric and poses rather cutely as she watches his face. The glow of her eyes slowly fades though their goldness remains.

Eadric smiles at her. Despite the reawakened-anthropologist side of his brain, it's much warmer a smile than he had given Beema. But that's probably all right. He hasn't a clue what would be appropriate to say in response, so for the moment, he says nothing, and hopes the smile will be enough.

She turns to look at both Mario and Hercules, saying firmly, "If you are uncertain if you wish to help, I need to know now. Plus, once we start this operation, you do nothing without being directed to do so by me. It is not that I don't trust you, because I would place my life in your hands. It is that the surgeon in the operating room is the one to call the shots, and there is no room for debate once we start. Capt. Sharp's life is in our hands."

Eadric doesn't really feel left out as she speaks to Mario and Hercules. For one thing, it's an awkward sort of thing he was just involved in (from a human perspective), and she might be giving him space to deal with it. Or she might be as offended as Cal, for her own reasons. Hard to tell, with her so focused on the upcoming procedure (and rightly so). Ought he talk to her about this later? Maybe best to see if she raises the subject herself. In any case, she herself mentioned trust, and she's only just met him. There hasn't been time to form much trust yet. Moreover, there's only so much room around the "operating table" and he definitely doesn't want to be in the way. With that in mind, he moves aside with another smile to Taymee, and waits to see what happens next.

 

[Psychie]

Toph doesn't touch the knives, but she does examine them closely. "A question. These are no ordinary knives, so what would happen if I were to try and Traversing with them? Would it be a help or a hindrance? I don't wish to do anything that will put the Captain in any more risk than he already is."

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon Tag!

With that in mind, he moves aside with another smile to Taymee, and waits to see what happens next.

Taymee just keeps her eyes upon Eadric. Her sunflower-gaze is calming and positive. But always, that one ear of hers is aimed directly at Toph as not to miss a word from the Japanese-Meltrandi doctor. This proves to be a wise move on the part of the Rainbow Daemoness.

Toph doesn't touch the knives, but she does examine them closely. "A question. These are no ordinary knives, so what would happen if I were to try and Traversing with them? Would it be a help or a hindrance? I don't wish to do anything that will put the Captain in any more risk than he already is."

Beema's and Taymee's ears perk up in surprise, aimed like arrows toward the starship's ceiling. They pause and slowly turn toward one another with wide eyes and silent mouths. They make eye contact. Beema's eyebrows raise. Taymee looks aside, then shakes her head once. Then Taymee's eyebrows raise. Beema's looks at the Kayliss blades, then towards the ceiling as the youngest Beastie thinks to herself. Finally she looks back at Taymee with a gulp and a shrug. Together, evidently dumbfounded, they turn back to Toph and shrug as one.

Commander Kirin sees this and takes a deep breath. Her tone is uncertain. "If The Captain, by whom I mean Captain Drake, ever did this... thing you do... with Kayliss blades, he never saw fit to share it with me."

Cal looks the most confused, his frowning and mouth and expression of dismay clear on his handsome face. "Uhh," he cautiously points to all of the Traversers in the Mindbender lab. "Nobody on the whole Broadsword ever had any idea how The Captain pulled off the impossible stunts he pulled. He kept that under his hat." The look on Cal's face says it all but he gives voice to his feelings anyway. "You doing your, uh, dealie with a Kayliss blade. You mean... you guys don't know?"

Cera of the Ura-Meltrandi folds her arms and brushes one hand through her short brown hair. Her statement is short and final. "To my knowledge, Traversing with a Kayliss blade has never before been attempted."

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Lt. Eadric Braidwood

Character Sheet
Action Points: 9/9
Bonus Action Points: 0

Eadric watches the two Broo, wondering whether they need a translation, but it seems that they understand Toph's question well enough to answer -- albeit the answer is "I got nothin'."

Eadric smiles wryly at Cal. "The, er, experience can vary from instance to instance." New to Traversing he might be, but he knew that much just from his own few encounters. "Hard to say what will happen in this case since it's never been done before that we know of." He nods to Toph. "If I may, I'd suggest saving the attempt for later, when we aren't so pressed for time? Either help or hindrance might still be disorienting, and you'll need all your wits about you."

 

[Psychie]

Toph nods. "I concur. White I would enjoy breaking new ground, now is not the time. Let's begin. There is no benefit to Captain Sharp to waiting."

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

(Part 1 of 2)

Commander Kirin offers a soft smile in Toph's direction. It is a rare smile, for her mother is not the kind of person to show them at all unless her heart is truly stirred. Now is such a moment. There is pride in her face. But if Toph looks to see, perhaps sensing her mother's love, Zyorna Kirin holds the look just long enough for Toph to see it and remember it and no more - she would not distract Doctor Kirin from her task. She proves this by her next actions.

"Come, Cal." She slips underneath his arm and shoulder and hefts him without trouble despite their differences in size and build.

"Ulp! Uh, we're not staying, ma'am?"

As she carefully helps him leave the room with her, she looks once over her shroud of silver hair, her piercing eyes upon her only daughter whom she is loathe to leave or even lose sight of. But her reasons are clear in her tone. "This is Traverser territory, Cal. As we did with The Captain, we must leave them to their methods."

As the door to the Mindbender medical room slides open, Cal lets out a short laugh. "Heh. I get it, ma'am. Captain Drake used to shoo us out when he needed to concentrate. You're just doing the same for the Wild Cards." They leave together. As they exit, anyone looking in their direction notices a single Sam unit standing stock-still watching you from outside through the window. How long has "he" been there? None can tell.

* * *​

Cat-like, Taymee licks her teeth. "Must prepare Kayliss now."

Kayliss blades in eager fists, Taymee and Beema face each other. Beema cannot help but shoot "Hurk-yoo-leez" one very happy beaming Beema smile - she is helping! Helping in something big! - before returning to follow Taymee's every move.

"Rakidas..." murmurs the taller, deadlier Beastie with a frown.

"Paaan-Galactiiic!" whispers little Beema at her with a chiding fierceness.

"Oof." The far stronger Taymee relents and relaxes. Her shoulders and ears begin to droop, not in defeat but towards something else entirely. Those rainbow eyes slowly shut, her mouth opens. The Adamantium-trained slayer inhales once and very, very deeply filling her lungs with air until it appears no more will go in. This single breath takes some thirty long seconds from start to finish. Trance-like, the Broo seems to simply... let go... of everything but the Kayliss blades held firmly in her hands. Her attractive face, her body, even her fur seems to relax as all of the stress inside of her appears to flow out of her like some invisible, intangible waterfall - and something is gained in its place.

Without warning, her eyes snap open, stark white and frightening to behold. "Hrrr!" Irritated, she growls from deep within her throat. It is quite the savage inhuman sound! And then, softly, gingerly, a strange smile causes her mouth to curl as she relaxes once more.

"Ahhh!" Beema whispers excitedly, heard by all unless interrupted. "Who you get?"

Taymee's head tilts oddly to one side in a lopsided grin that does not seem like her. "Sakar!"

Beema's feet tap happily. Her face is filled with suspense. "Ahh! Hee hee! Sakar numbah one! Him say yes? Yespleaseyes?"

"Him say... Pan-Galactic... 'Beema follow Sakar now.'"

This gets the cutest piping squeak of excitement you have heard out of Beema yet as Taymee crouches into a very barbaric-looking, very masculine, stance - she looks like she could suddenly leap, strike, and kill at any moment. So deep is her stance, perhaps your own leg muscles begin to burn just looking at her. Beema blinks her eyes rapidly and a gentle orange radiance warmly comes to life as she studies Taymee intently, mimicking the older Broo's every move. The glow from Beema's eyes fall upon Taymee's rich black skin and fur and does not reflect back.

Then for just a moment, perhaps unable to help themselves now, they slip into their own language, this time without complaint from either of them.

Taymee's voice suddenly gets much lower, deeper, and... well... more man-like than you have ever heard it. "Beeeee-MA! Ooch-yar!" she commands.

"Sakar! Kos!"

"KAISH!"

Immediately, the Broo females begin to move and move with undeniable purpose. They do not stop. Taymee begins shifting and slashing through the air with full power, full speed - your being soldiers, you have no illusions that anything getting cut by that isn't likely to remain attached for long. Beside Taymee, looking small and incredibly happy, a completely-focused Beema mimics the same movements just a hair behind the Rainbow Daemoness's ruthless strikes.

* * *​

The more sensitive of the Wild Cards begin to feel a... strange unseen feeling permeating through the air around the Broo. Toph is closest. Below her, Captain Sharp on the table makes no sound nor movement. Toph, being the most naturally skilled of the Wild Cards in realms of perception, observes very quickly that this is no kata, no static repeated form of dancing limbs, but instead real strikes - slashes that can disembowl, thrusts that can pierce fully, and more - being performed but mere feet away from her.

Without looking at Toph, wide-eyed Beema, her glowing eyes lancing about the room like twin lighthouse lamps possessed by ghosts, is without a doubt having the time of her life! She exclaims, "Toph Kirin! It begin! You say numba! We give! Hee hee heeee!"

Toph, with Hercules's carefully-written notes on Cera's schematics has a strong idea of how not to cut and therefore immediately kill Captain Sharp underneath his hopelessly-damaged mega-suit. The schematics show her precisely how deep the armor should be in all places, where each of the fasteners are, and how best to get each piece of the armor off of Captain Sharp. Soon, it becomes clear that she could use an extra pair of hands - not to use the prybars aforementioned by her friends, but simply to remove the armor plate the moment it is safe to do so. This will allow Toph to keep focused on cutting and cutting and cutting until Captain Sharp is free.

With Toph's education and background, she also understands what she doesn't have - she has zero experience handling any of the four of these alien super-sharp instruments. Each blade has its own purpose and Toph believes she knows best how to use each and when.

But can the young Japanese-Meltrandi make the right choices at the right time?

 

[Purr]

Toph has WP Knife as a part of her doctor's training, providing a +4 to her attack roll, along with a 98% in her Medical Doctor skill. I also plan on using a Action Point to help boost my roll to counteract the expected negative modifiers. I plan on trying to traverse the knife to have its help in keeping the Captain safe.

(Part 2 of 2 with a possible Part 3 of 2.) =)

The Kayliss blades have been numbered 1-4 depending on their length with 1 being the shortest and 4 being the longest. For Toph's first route, she knows from her medical skills that she is best off using Kayliss #2. The moment after she asks for it, Taymee thrusts it, pommel first, toward Toph and stops. Toph notices Taymee is holding it by the rear of the single-edged blade.

Taking it, Toph makes the mistake (an easy mistake to make) of treating the Kayliss like the vibro-knives the Army of Southern Cross is used to using. Using vibro-knives, one applies force to deepen the cut. Not so with the Kayliss under these circumstances!

Toph's first cut dives faster into the mega-suit than she could have anticipated. When she looks down into the slice she just made, the result is her seeing not Captain Sharp's uniform when she lifts the blade up, but his bare chest and skin.

In other words, the Kayliss knife in Toph's hands not only cut through the ruined mega-damage shell, but also Captain Sharp's uniform underneath it. Toph has just gotten what some field medics refer to as a "second chance." This means she understands the Kayliss well enough to use it properly and Toph is highly unlikely to make that mistake again.

Continuing her work with a start like this, she makes about 33% progress. There is still work to do

How does Toph go about it? ( Psychie See Fat Gandalf's).

 

[Purr]

(Part 3 of 2, Gang! =) Anyone else here wishing Psychie & Toph luck right now after that last roll?)

Cut after cut, switch-out after switch-out, time passes very slowly for Toph Kirin as she asks for and hands back the Kayliss blades until she has long past lost count. Toph feels her mind getting tired from the sheer exertion of this delicate, precise work where literally one mistake - just one slip - and a mega-damage alien artifact goes into one beloved human being.

Mercifully, Hiram Sharp seems to sleep through it all. His broad chest rises slowly and rhythmically as the sounds of him breathing through Hitomi's jury-rigged oxygen mask. Toph's understanding of the situation proves true as she needs both Hercules and Mario to help remove the forever-blasted Army of Southern Cross A.T.A.C. mega-suit, piece by piece, limb by limb, until finally the Wild Cards are seeing more skin than steel on the table.

Just as things are starting to get foggy in Toph's head, the sound of music - unobtrusive and soothing - appear inside her very mind. She hears Californian classical music. Beach rock. And a chorus that seems to say it all:

Spoiler: Don't Worry, Baby.

Chorus:
"Don't worry, baby.
Everything will turn out all right.
Don't worry, baby.
Everything will turn out all right."

"Don't Worry Baby" by the Beach Boys

Then Toph's own mental acuity and perceptiveness realizes its source - it is Hitomi's technopathic transceiver. Hitomi must be playing this music on some player with the microphone of the transceiver near it, just close enough for Toph to hear without it intruding into her work. There is no way this was not done deliberately.

Time passes again to the point even little Beema's limbs are having serious trouble keeping up with mimicking Taymee's fighting strokes.

But it happens. But perhaps not like even the Wild Cards could expect.

At some point when it is obvious even to the untrained eye that Hiram Sharp is going to make it, there comes an unseen burst of what can only be called... a joyous force.

Spoiler: Kaerri.

Eadric instantly recognizes this force. Because he has met it face-to-face.

"My protocol..." he hears only once more, "... is complete!"

All of the Wild Cards in the room feel that singular and brief surge of something... suddenly rising... lifting... carrying its way upward and onward... as if it is no longer needed here. There is a sensation of fulfilled purpose and ultimate contentment.

And then it is gone.

Afterwards, slowly, methodically, this medical marathon finally reaches its end with Toph and her Wild Cards companions coming across the finish line. Once Toph is done, Captain Sharp has been reasonably cleaned up, in a fresh new bed (there are two in the Mindbender; for the guys to carry him over is easily done for soldiers in their shape). There is the addition of a UEEF space-age version of an IV delivering much-needed hydration, salt, sugar, electrolytes, or whatever UEEF might use to provide its patients to give them that boost they need to recover.

At one point, Toph looks up to see Captain Sharp's eyes - minus his rectangular spectacles - halfway open and watching her. "I didn't want to disturb a professional in action, miss," that bold voice of his says with a moment of clarity and strength.

But that is all he says at the time. Toph can say for certain that Sharp's body took on all manner of unnatural shocks, blasts, and possibly brain-injuring vibrations from all of the violence - except that his armor saved him. There is no doubt that without it - and the Wild Cards - Sharp would not be alive. You have succeeded in saving his life. One moderately-winded Taymee and one very exhausted Beema sit smiling on the Mindbender Room's floor, Taymee's Kayliss blades flawlessly cleaned and returned to their sheaths by their mistress. The Broo are nothing short of silently satisfied. Captain Sharp is peacefully sleeping (for reals this time).

Now hear this. All of the Wild Cards, just being here and helping out plus post-combat, are hereby fatigued. But Toph? Toph is more than fatigued - the little lady is spent. It is not quite bedtime for any of you yet, but rest assured, when you do hit the sack, you can feel that none of you will be getting back up anytime soon. Guaranteed. And guess why?

Looking at the clock, six and a half hours have passed. It is now 2030 hours (8:30 p.m.) and each of the Wild Cards are not only running on thin rubber tires, but now are officially almost out of gas ; a serious pit stop was in order about three hours ago. =)

You can spend a little more time here if you'd like to tie up any loose ends. But.. do you think is it time for your characters to leave the Mindbender Room and Sickbay and grab a much-needed dinner in the Mess Hall? It should still be open if you do not dally.

Just outside the Mindbender Room, things are quiet. You see two figures - Commander Kirin and that very same Sam unit, still watching. Cal is out cold in his bed behind them with the rest of his Adamantium ne'er-do-wells. Hitomi can be seen drifting from patient to patient.

How do the (dutifully-pummeled and in dire need of food, shower, and sleep) Wild Cards proceed?