trans_9 | (no subject)

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She'd found this place easily enough, it was one of the largest sources of mana in the City. A mass of plants, and in the center, something that looked rather a lot like some kind of temple. Perfect for what she desired, it would allow her to let out a call from the astral into the metaplanes with ease.

She'd set up a few dozen yards away from the temple, there was no telling who stayed there or what kind of security they'd have. After she'd set everything up the way she liked, drawing a ritual circle in the dirt with a knife, she sits. And closes her eyes. And then, with a hissing breath, she begins to let the mana flow through her body, feeling the life-energy fill, then exit her form. Shaping it into her call. All she wants is her mentor, Dragonslayer, to come. She feels serveral spirits begin to answer her call, but dismisses them swiftly.

After about ten minutes, blood starts to dribble from her nostrils. After twenty, she gasps and falls forward, catching herself with her hands. She stays there for a moment before pounding the ground once and letting out a frustrated "DREK!" Mei-Xing stays like that for several minutes, breathing heavily until she stops trembling. Then she starts to push herself to her feet, wiping at the blood running from her nose to her chin, and begins to wipe out the circle with a foot.

He didn't answer.

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There was a call.

Intrigued, he set off across the city at a run, following the call like a homing beacon in the Force. It led him across unfamiliar roads and past unfamiliar buildings but, confident in his ability to find his way back, he plunged on. Where the call was strongest, there was a mass of foliage -- with a handful of plants Ben thought he recognized, and hundreds more that he'd never seen before in his life.

And then the call stopped.

Slightly disoriented without the steady tug ringing in the Force, he plunged further into the greenery. There, rubbing at an etched circle, was a girl. "Was that you?" he asked.

Mei-Xing looks up, blinking owlishly at the sudden company. Some kid, maybe seventeen or so? Hastily, she wipes at her face again, trying to get rid of any remaining blood on her face, nods, and stops rubbing out the circle.

"Yeah." He'd felt that? Mei-Xing scowls. She must've been projecting pretty heavily on the astral, if that was the case. Next time, she'd be more careful a mistake like that was a good way to end up being killed. "You felt that, huh?"

He obviously must have, but any information she could drag up on how would be useful. She hadn't expected any Awakened crewmembers, after all. And a quick peek into the astral world revealed that not only was he at least aspected, he was pretty a powerful one. I hope he's a friendly, in that case. If not...

"Loud and clear," he admitted. "What was that for?

She sighs and runs a hand through her hair, then freezes and looks at her palm, a disgusted look crossing her face. Ew. "I was looking for someone." She pauses, then shrugs and looks away, a little uncomfortably. "My mentor, Dragonslayer. He's usually there whenever I need him, but I haven't seen him since I've come here. So I figured that if I put out a call, he might come."

"Was he in one of the goo pods?"

"They wouldn't be able to hold him." She gestures vaguely before sighing. "He's a spirit. The material world doesn't have any kind of barrier for him."

"But he can't get to wherever we are now," he surmised.

"I don't know why." She crosses her arms, letting out her breath in a huff. "I figure that, if we're really in another universe, he's probably lost in the metaplanes somewhere."

He shook his head. "There's no stars outside," he said. "Not even the tracks you get in hyperspace. I don't think we're in any universe."

"Maybe we're just passing through a nebula or something?" Who knew if they kept those colors up close? "Besides, who says what we're seeing is what's really out there? If they have telepathic AI, I'm pretty sure they could just hook up some trid screens and call them windows."

"Maybe," he said, thoughtfully. He closed his eyes for a moment, reaching out around the ship in the Force. He could feel his father's brilliant, familiar presence, and the people he knew mixed in with the rest of the crew. The hibernating minds below were perceptible, but only barely, and jumbled close together like snowflakes in a Hoth storm. But outside the ship, he felt nothing. That didn't mean there wasn't anything -- for all he knew, there could be ysalamiri living on the walls of the transport, blocking him -- but it seemed that the great web of living energy simply didn't extend beyond the hull. "But if there's any life-supporting planets in lightyears of us, I can't feel it."

She snorts. "Of course there isn't. Astral space becomes a void a few miles out any gaiasphere." Mei-Xing kneels and taps the ground. "And this is far from a complete gaiasphere. The flow of qi through the city is something hellish to see, and even the mana in the hallways is significantly weaker than Earth."

She stands and circles a bit, looking up at the Plant Temple. "Of course, if they were really prepared to handle a bunch of magic users, they'd have all kinds of masking wards up, which could also explain why we can't see anything."

He shook his head. "Astral space might hit a void outside the atmosphere, but the Force connects all living things -- even across empty space. Either they're blocking everything outside the ship, or we're a long way from any other life."

The Force? She narrows her eyes, examining him for a moment. "I don't know what this 'Force' thing of yours is, but I can tell you that magic doesn't work that way. You may wanna rethink that kind of thing."

"It's not magic," he said, rolling his eyes.

"But you could feel me calling in astral space through it." Sir, she doesn't believe you.

"Sure," he shrugged.

Obi-Wan's senses washed over with the wave of Mei-Xing's call like the first kiss of the rising tide. He opened his eyes where he sat meditating in the Jedi Temple, and stood. It wasn't a terrible call, not a scream of distress. It was...young. Like a student calling for her teacher.

Now that was intriguing.

Obi-Wan homed in on the beacon and followed it— hesitating only when it cut out and waited for Mei-Xing to calm herself before greeting her in his most serene self.

"Hello, there."

She blinks and looks up at the sudden intrusion, taking a second to wipe at the remaining blood on her face with a plantsleeve. As an afterthought, she stops rubbing out the circle, no need to be caught doing anything suspicious. "Hey." Have a tiny wave of the hand, Obi-Wan.

Was he a mage, or was he just some curious guy wandering the city? She couldn't tell, not without peeking into the astral, but doing that would give her away nearly instantly. Like standing in a ritual circle wouldn't.

At least he sounded friendly. Like some guy just there to talk about the weather.

"Forgive me, but— are you alright?" He asked, gently, bending to offer her a gentlemanly bow and a hand up, "If you're trying to contact someone, I'm not sure that prostrating yourself is the best way to do it."

Ah. He was a mage. She risks a quick peek into the astral, as she takes his hand, and finds... Concern. Weird. Mei-Xing tugs herself up and coughs. "Actually, with his ego, prostrating myself before him would probably help things." Not that she'd ever bend a knee to Dragonslayer. Ever.

"You heard me, huh?" She must have been pumping more energy into the summons than she thought. It would explain why she's so drained right now. And the nosebleed.

"To be honest, half the ship probably heard you," he replied mildly, tucking his hand back into his sleeve, "Certainly all the Jedi. You are very strong, miss ah..."

Ah, they hadn't introduced themselves, had they? Obi-Wan executed a polite little bowing nod, "I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. You are—?"

Drek. That wasn't the kind of news she liked to hear. Still, Mei-Xing gives him a nod in return. "Mei-Xing." She doesn't have any sort of special titles or anything like that.

Jedi... Probably some magical order, then. "A pleasure, Master Kenobi." She gives him a weak little smile. "Sorry to disturb you."

"Can I offer you any assistance?" He tried, patting her shoulder awkwardly, "I'm not much of a healer, myself, but you don't look...so good."

"I'm fine." She waves and grins a bit. "Just a little drain, that's all. I'll be good in a bit." Like, maybe half an hour or so.

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