trans_9 | Meat n' Greet

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Meat n' Greet

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. They are also told they must read information about their current situation and a survival guide with their new omnicom. New crew-mates might see a tall dragonish guy with wings (but don't call him that) and purple girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

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"By the Black God, Alanna, I don't remember you being blind or stupid," Thom said. Probably not very sensitive to someone who's just had the biggest shock of her life, but to be fair he had no idea what her problem was. "Of course it's me - check your trinket if you don't believe me. What on earth is wrong?"

Oh how he'd missed her. He didn't want to admit it but he had, terribly, only now she'd come at the wrong time. He wanted to get himself put back together in some semblance of order before she awoke.

((OOC: Roger's Gift is still tangled up with his, so his magic is still tainted, but he has less of a fever than he did originally because he's actually carrying less of the magic - he found a way to bleed off and store some of the excess. He still glows and he still looks like hell though, partially because of sleep deprivation trying to find a fix.))

Probably a good thing that Alanna didn't necessarily expect sensitivity from her brother. And she didn't need to check her amulet, having already recognized the Gift for what it was. Instead she threw her arms around her brother, holding him tightly. If this was trick, then it was a good one. "Great Goddess, I'm so happy to see you," she whispered. Swallowing hard, she added, "It's nothing. I'm just happy to see a familiar face, especially yours. I've seen no one else that I know since I woke up in those odd caverns." If he didn't know of his final fate, she'd not be the one to tell him and there was some truth to her words. She hadn't seen anyone else that she knew yet.

He was still hot, but not as hot as she remembered. Alanna pulled away from her brother finally, stepping back to examine him. Her brother's face was tired and strained, much to her concern. Given the color of his Gift, she could only assume Roger's Gift was still one with his own. After a moment, she glared at him and asked, "Have you slept at all in the past week?"

Something would have to be done about her brother's Gift. He couldn't keep going this way and she wouldn't risk losing him again. She didn't think she could bear it. When he'd died, she'd lost a part of herself.

(OOC: Thank you!)

Despite how outwardly prickly he was being, when Alanna embraced him he squeezed her back as hard as he could. Mithros, it was good to finally have someone here who he could talk to, who would understand him. Who could match him in power and in wits. Who knew him as well as he knew himself, and who knew Tortall. Being the only one from his world awake was lonely indeed.

Of course, then she started in with her scolding. "Obviously," he said. "Otherwise I wouldn't be standing."

She would notice he conveniently left out how much he'd slept.

She wouldn't need to scold him if he'd take care of himself and she hadn't missed his omission in slightest. Frowning worriedly at her brother, her glare sharpened. "And, obviously, you think that I can't see what's right in front of my face," she retorted. "Sleeping only when you've driven yourself to the point of collapse doesn't count."

But then her voice softened. It was very hard to be mad at him when, up until a few moments ago, she'd believed that she'd never see him again. "We need to do something about your Gift. Is there anyone aboard who might be able to help? I've noticed a few mages around. Perhaps they know something that we don't. Something that will help." Alanna was never one for messing around when there were things that needed doing.

Thom frowned, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his robe. Of course that was what she pinpointed. "I have been making excellent progress," Thom said. "I have spoken with several mages who have... valuable input."

He was being vague - he was used to people on board leaving him alone about his own affairs. After that one incident with Hiccup in the library, he hadn't lost control since. But Alanna knew him better, and he fully expected a lecture about reaching out to your peers for help.

He didn't need help. He was slowly picking Roger's magic out of his, and it was working.

"And these mages are?" Alanna asked. Her voice was almost gentle right now, but Thom might well have recognized the stubborn set to his sister's face. He could protest all he wanted about getting help. She didn't plan on taking "no" for an answer. "I'd like to speak with them. Maybe they've thought of some new ideas since then. Is there anyone else that we can speak to about this?"

It was a well known fact that it was not a good idea to hold onto more then your own Gift and she could see the way her brother suffered under the weight of the joint Gifts that he carried. It hurt her to see him this way. And, she knew well how much her brother hated to ask for help, even if he desperately needed it.

She toyed with the omnicom that she'd received for a moment. The smith mage, Daja, had told her a little about it, although it was still quite the mystery. Presumably, it was intended for communication. Would it allow her contact other magic users on the ship? Perhaps she could make a plea on her brother's behalf? He'd be angry at her certainly, but if it helped him... She stared at it critically, not sure how she'd go about using it. Apparently, it worked without magic if the mage was to be believed, which was both mystifying and frustrating. If it had been magical in nature, she might have been able to manipulate it with her Gift, assuming that it wasn't guarded against such things. She wasn't sure what to do with this thing. Well, she would just have to figure it out and that was that.

"There will be more time to talk about this later, Alanna," Thom said. She might want to talk about it, but Thom wanted nothing of the kind. "You've only just woken up and you're doing nothing but fret over me. I did survive ten years under His Grace's scrutiny, sister dear, I'm hardly going to let his magic get me now. You need to be shown to crew quarters, and there are a host of other things about this ship that aren't immediately obvious. The omnicomm, for example."

He saw how she looked at it like she couldn't figure the thing out, and took it from her without really asking. "It works just by touching the display. Most of the buttons look like what they do - see this one looks like an arrow, that takes you back. You can enter letters with this pad-" by the time she got around to getting Thom back to the important subject, he would have taken her through a crash course in omnicomm technology.

Alanna's eyes narrowed, not about to let the conversation be diverted, although she did listen to her brother's explanation of the omnicom with interest, a plan forming in her mind. She hated the idea of going behind his back, but if he wouldn't ask for help himself, then she might have to make her own inquiries. It had worked the last time when George had requested Master Si-cham's help, although she winced as she recalled her brother's reaction to discovering why the older Master had come. Still, he had finally consented in the end. She knew he'd be angry, but she also could see that he needed help. But first she'd rather try to talk some sense into her twin.

The reference to Roger made Alanna visibly flinch, as she tried to hold off all the memories that came with it, none of them pleasant. "I can't see anything more important to discuss right now, then this situation with your Gift," she told him stubbornly, her voice laced with worry. "It's okay to ask for help if you need it, Thom. I know well how capable you are and I don't doubt your abilities in the slightest, but even those with great might sometimes need help. There's no insult in admitting that you might need some yourself." Her voice softened a moment later as she added, "I love you, Thom. Please let me help you."

Thom pressed his lips together. No chance of diverting her attention, it seemed. "You won't even sit down, find your quarters, find your way to the tavern - I have been on board this ship for months, sister dear, and I have yet to burn up in a flash Gift-fire. I have found it possible to untangle his Gift from my own in meditation, although I must be careful where I expel the excess."

Alanna had a similar experience with the crystal sword in the desert, although Thom didn't know it. "Yes, it is important. No, it is not an emergency, and it is under control, thank you."

Thom's words went right past Alanna as a look of horror crossed her face at the mention of burning up in a blaze of magic. Ishak. Young, ambitious, intelligent, willful Ishak, who had so desperately wanted to learn to harness magic that he had not yet been ready to control, that he had not truly understood. It had been her fault. That much she knew. Perhaps if she'd been clearer on the dangers associated with the higher level spells that he'd so dearly wanted to learn, perhaps if she'd kept a better watch over the magic sword he'd stolen from her, perhaps had she sought another avenue to appeal to him then the one that she'd chosen, perhaps if she'd not been so afraid of magic, then she'd have been able to get through to him somehow, perhaps .... the possibilities were endless. Magic could be a useful tool if handled with enough respect, but it was also perfectly capable of devouring all that crossed it's path if it got out of control.

The words that she'd told her young apprentices back when she'd just started to teach them mocked her. I may not be able to raise the weather or see the future, but I know something about protecting myself; and each of you, if I must. She certainly hadn't been able to protect poor, innocent Ishak. In fact, it was her own actions that bounced the spell that he'd sent at her back at him, even though all she'd intended to do was to protect herself from the spell while she tried to get him to see reason. And, as with Ishak, she hadn't been able to protect her beloved brother when he'd truly needed her. No... Not again! It wouldn't happen again!

Her face was white as she grabbed her brother's hands and held them tightly, needing to reassure herself that, in this time and place, Thom was alive. She couldn't set right all that had gone wrong, but at least she had another opportunity to help her brother before it was too late.

"We need to find help," she said, her voice a harsh whisper as she just barely managed to keep the fear for her brother from her voice. "Now, Thom. Please. We... we can't just keep waiting!"

(OOC: I am so very sorry about how long this response took. If you'd prefer not to continue this thread then I understand. Thank you and I'm sorry.)

Thom frowned. This was not Alanna the overprotective, who worried far too much about him when it wasn't at all warranted. This was something completely different, something he supposed he ought to actually take seriously.

"Alanna," he said, tugging at the grip she had on his hands. It was tight and strong - he would expect nothing else - and he wouldn't have been able to break free from it if he tried. "Can we at least discuss this somewhere private? If you feel that strongly about it, I can go into more detail. But can not have this conversation on the observation deck of all places? It's hardly discreet."

"I don't think discretion should be our main concern right now, Thom," Alanna responded stiffly, the panic she'd felt a moment ago starting to recede some, although the worry remained in full force. Feeling her brother pull against her hold, she released her grip on his hands. "Your health is more important." Still, she did finally nod. Her brother had a point and at least it sounded as though he might be willing to discuss the issue, rather then trying to ignore it, which was a step in the right direction.

"Okay, then," she said softly. "Where would be a good place for us to talk?"

(OOC: Ah, since it probably should have been mentioned in the previous post, the italicized line of the above post comes directly from the third book as Alanna's words to her apprentices. Since the posts are written from Alanna's point of view, I thought it made sense to include it given the situation and the fact that it's a part of her canon past, but I can remove it if it's a problem. I hope it's okay.)

"I've been keeping quarters in the Tower of High Sorcery in the City, but I don't suppose you'd like to quarter in the same place. It's hospitable amenities are limited. I'll assume you haven't claimed a bunk in crew quarters yet. Perhaps that would be the best place to start." Thom said. He resented the implication that he wasn't trying, or wasn't doing enough. It wasn't like Alanna to underestimate him, so he could only assume she was rattled by the ship. So had he been when he first arrived, he could make allowances. At least Alanna hadn't thrown anyone into a bookcase yet.

"After you, Sir Alanna," Thom said with a smirk and a somewhat mocking bow. He had missed teasing her. He had missed her, period, and was glad to have her here now.

((OOC: A-okay with me! Don't worry, I'm so stoked about your Alanna I'm having a blast :D ))

"I've no particular preference about where to stay," she admitted, allowing herself to be redirected long enough to answer her brother's inquiry, but far from letting the topic drop. She could tell that Thom wasn't totally thrilled with her persistence right now and she understood, but she also couldn't just ignore the situation. Alanna did, in fact, have a great deal of faith in her brother, but she also felt a great deal of fear for his sake and she knew that he wouldn't be likely to ask for help even if he desperately needed it, which frightened her all the more. "Wherever is convenient. I'll leave that choice to you. And, no, I haven't claimed anywhere yet. I've been too busy trying to figure this place out. That's a chore in itself." And one that she didn't much care for, if she was perfectly honest.

"But you'll at least show me where you live though, right? I'd still be able to come see you?" she asked softly, just managing to keep the quiver from her voice. She'd just been reunited with her brother and the thought of being separated from him again was a difficult one, especially with the loss of their world still fresh in her mind. The young knight knew nothing about the set up of this strange place and she wanted to be sure that she would be able to find him.

Alanna snorted in a very unladylike fashion at her brother's teasing. "Probably better if you lead, Brother dear, given that you actually know this place and I don't." But she did start to head for a nearby exit.

(OOC: I'm having fun too. Thank you. :) )

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