Phoenix

Megumi didn't get it either, but it wasn't as if there was no precedent for this. "You said surrender signals, right?" Louise came to mind and so far that had been working out. There was also Alriana; it was easy to forget that the Sacarians weren't the only aliens on the planet right now. "I feel like I'm going to lose IQ just suggesting this, but what if they want to join us ... for whatever reason? Maybe their situation is like Alriana's, or they've been hoping for a chance to break away?" It also wasn't clear exactly how this war with humanity served the rank and file, especially with so many of them dying along the way. ... And it seemed just like that, Vera was off, heading back to the Riese without a word. Firmia supposed she didn't have anything in particular she wanted to say to the woman, but still, this battle had likely been harder on her than anyone else. What was she fighting for, now? The Alkaev decided to let the Riese staff figure that out and focus on her own problems. Interestingly, she had a message addressed to her. It was essentially an email that had arrived in the middle of the fighting. It came from somewhere in Russia, so it was clearly unrelated to this or the Sacarian outside. The battle was only technically over, so Firmia decided to look at the message after tending to more pressing issues. A transmission from the Regalia came through, Chris asking about the Sacarian surrendering to the Avalon specifically. Hannah called next, as soon as the Reign made it back to the ship, ready to reengage if necessary. Leaning back in the captain's chair and sighing at the lone machine, Firmia asked, "Thoughts?" The Avalon wasn't the flagship, and the other two fighters seemed to realize that, setting their sights on the Riese, instead. So why this one? Maybe they were surrendering to specific groups, though that implied deep knowledge about their fleet's internal workings ... which they almost certainly had thanks in no small part to the various traitors. Still, it was difficult to take anything at face value, otherwise Firmia would have just concluded that this Sacarian was surrendering to them due to the enemies they killed and the others to the Riese due to their own special body count. It was just better to be sure. "Think they want to get inside just to self destruct?" Tonya offered, doubtful herself, but figuring that was the absolute worst case scenario. She had no doubt Firmia already came up with the idea before asking the others to weigh in. Tonya wasn't feeling particularly on edge, though. If there was a danger here, it was either too distant or nebulous to set off those battle senses. "Two bombs in the Riese and one in the Avalon sounds about right," Firmia noted, merely humoring the idea, "but I don't think that's what's going on here. We're going to land either way so the drones can salvage parts faster. Hannah, come inside so we can start repairs on the Reign. Regalia Team, I want you to stay close to that machine. We're not taking anything in tact on board until we know exactly what's going on or we get an all clear from the Riese." She figured the TKs would at least sense treachery before it actually happened and would be able to respond first, but in terms of safety measures, it was quickly becoming old hat. "Copy that," Brant said. With fresh orders sent, it was time to make contact. "Hey. Captain Alkaev to the lone Praxis. Why aren't you running away?"

"Hmm, Monty?" Firmia was surprised to hear from the doctor ... until she wasn't. The Avalon crew rarely had injuries of their own to deal with for a variety of reasons. Monty wasn't going to have anything to do just sticking around on the Avalon, not unless some of the Riese's injured were moved over, but that was probably unnecessary. The Riese's infirmary was larger. Better to send over doctors and nurses than try to divvy up the patients. Still, it was rather annoying that someone always needed to go over to that ship for one reason or another. "Sure, Monty. Go ahead ..." Firmia glared over at the Heion Riese. The relationship was mutually beneficial, incredibly annoying but mutually beneficial; the Riese would provide them with protection through its sheer size and presence on the field ... and the Avalon would be there to help the crew pick up the pieces. Every single time. "You owe us, Jessica ..." Firmia irritably muttered.

What a magnificent finish ... Firmia sank deep into the captain's chair, heaving one big sigh of relief. It was over ... and somehow, they had survived. "Thank you ..." It wasn't like the usual rough battle. This time they had critical considerations, and a fairly small window in which to do so. This attack had been meant to head them off and prevent them from reaching Apotheosis' main base, and in that regard, they had nearly succeeded. If nothing else, they had bought their King time to rally for one final battle. It would likely be harder, not easier, going forward. "Is that it?" Brant contacted them on the bridge, "Remaining hostiles aren't moving." "They'll leave after the shock wears off. All MS teams return to the Avalon immediately. Luna, stand guard in case something changes, please." Hopefully Brant would get the hint that he wasn't excused to fly off to the Riese, right now. In truth, Firmia had been planning to head over there as well. She ... had her reasons, but the reality of the situation was crashing down on them and they didn't have time for the Jessica ... stuff, just yet. Glancing at her display, Firmia noticed they had a visitor atop the Avalon. She'd ignored it before due to the chaos, but now it was impossible to overlook the Velite idling on top of the ship. "Vera, do you read me? Are you ..." Of course she wasn't okay, but what other questions could Firmia ask that wouldn't be alluding to a rude, 'get inside or get off the hull' demand?

"Well, I've done all I can to keep her stable," Megumi sighed in frustration, "but I'm still not sure what I'm dealing with." Where exactly, particularly in Jessica's head, did the organic parts end and the android parts begin? Having Ignatius around to help with the latter was good, but the doctor was still feeling a little overwhelmed. The closest she'd ever dealt with were patients involving prosthetic limbs. Nothing approaching this or even a cyborg. Part of the issue was actually minimizing the impact of her work on Jessica's consciousness. After all, if she did anything to reduce it or inadvertently knocked the captain out, they would be sitting ducks again. And as if she wasn't feeling anxious enough, Jessica began interfacing more fully with the Riese and involving herself more and more with the battle raging outside. "Hurry and take them out so I can focus," Megumi grumbled. ... One quick followup from Tycho and the second Chaldene was sent back to the Earth in flames. Good teamwork, though as Brant confirmed the ship sunk on the Regalia's sensors, he realized just how much of an absolute mess they were making. Between Firmia's salvaging shenanigans and the desperate repairs needed for the Riese--and her captain no less--they might be stuck here for a little while. Sure, they could patch up the ship along the way, leave the various wrecks untouched for later and simply push ahead to Apotheosis' base, but was that really the wisest course of action? They might face even stiffer resistance there. At the very least they had the Sacarian leadership to deal with. That alone was a tall order. "What a mess ..." Brant shook his head as he glanced in the Riese's direction and saw a Phobos disappear, overtaken by violet justice. ... "I read you," Firmia replied having briefly forgotten Thorvald's callsign in the chaos, "We'll handle it, just be ready if we can't quite punch through it." Firmia wasn't sure if the Avalon had enough firepower to finish off the Hexis, if only because the machines of Sacarian knights were difficult to gauge in general, but the pissed off Alkaev was certainly willing to pour her ship's remaining stores into it. If nothing else, it would hurt. It would hurt like hell. "Get ready, Marcia. I'm shutting off any system limiters that won't compromise the reactor and giving you the guns. Take him out!" Firmia casts Dreams: Fury (Calina's) and attacks the Hexis with Excalibur!

It looked like the Avalon crew's focus was getting divided, which left Brant a little hesitant to focus on the Chaldene. He wouldn't say they were no threat, but the final Sacarian Knight they had to deal with certainly warranted the whole team's full attention. As if sensing that rationale about to be put into action, Firmia sent what was more or less an attack order. The second Chaldene was marked on their IFF as the Regalia's primary target, while the Sacarian Knight's signature remained unchanged. "Alright, fair enough," Brant conceded, his hyper beam rifle already primed to fire. "Let's hurry and take this thing down so we can deal with the main problem. Brant attacks Chaldene #2 with Full Burst! EndWar (Prospective: Chapter 1)

Brant casts Strike! Sworn Through Swords (Full)

So Xalrei would fight? With Requiem and not her lesser weapons, yes? The cursed blade supposed that even if Xalrei's weakness became an issue again, the others had benefited enough to take up Requiem in her place, even if temporarily. At least in theory, there shouldn't be any issues. 'Very well ...' Requiem began to glow faintly as it reached out as far as it could to sense what it could, all the while trying to ignore the fact that it was surrounded by precious magic. Once its senses reached far enough, however ... 'What's this ...?' Souls and unclaimed power, a field of dozens of victims ripe for harvest! 'Heheheheh ... hahahahahah! I will kill you all!'

The cursed blade didn't like being mentally prodded, though admittedly, it had been the very definition of dormant. Doing anything other than quietly observing its surroundings exacted a toll on Requiem, and observing these peaceable arena goers was a special kind of torture. Having opened its spiritual eyes just long enough to take in its new surroundings, it was clear that something was off. There was also something extremely unpleasant about this place. Requiem had an extremely difficult time acquiring energy through nonviolent means, which made extracting magic from this area impossible in its current state. The cursed blade tried anyway and failed. Maybe the source of this area's magic was physical, something that could be struck and properly drained. 'This place resists.' Feeling conservative with its scarce energy and information, Requiem answered Xalrei with questions of its own. 'What do you intend? Will you fight or flee?' If she admitted her intention was to fight whatever came their way, then perhaps the cursed sword could be bothered to reach out farther with its senses and try to be more helpful. If the plan was to avoid a fight, Requiem had other plans, and enough stored energy to facilitate them, albeit with some minor risk. On top of leaving the group perturbed, potentially dead or worse, calling out a challenge into the mist to try and draw the danger to them was an investment of precious energy that might not pay off.

Well, at least the Gamma was gone. At this point it was easy to tell where everyone was and what they were doing, and seeing the Regalia attacking one of the Chaldenes made Firmia a little nervous. They ought to be fine, but 'ought' and 'would' were two different things. "Missiles," Brant instructed as he moved the Regalia just close enough for a good angle on the enemy warship. "Be careful, you two," Firmia warned over the comms, "You're too far away for the Avalon to support you." Bris autoshifts to Flight Mode, moves to 11,6 and attacks Chaldene #1 with TK Missiles!

Astin had definitely chosen the wrong side, just like so many others. It was way too late for regrets now, and with the battle not letting up, there was no time to even speculate about other possible outcomes. Their allies had to weather a coordinated counterattack for a time, but the weaker enemies had put themselves in bad straits by committing to the fight. One by one they were being taken out, and then ... "Alright... We're cleaning them out." Brant glanced back at his copilot wondering what she had in mind. "Earth to shit for brains, come in, shit for brains ..." Classic. A scathing, fur ruffling rebuke followed and Brant knew once and for all that Chris' psych game was strong. Brant took a moment to slow the Regalia's speed and transform into MS mode. They needed to decide where to go and what to attack soon, and that would be easier if they weren't zipping around as much. Meanwhile, the others wasting no time in ganging up on the Theoria. To Brant's surprise, Thorvald scored the finishing blow. It looked like it was going to be Hannah, but all things considered, the outcome was about the same. No point in kill counting today. It wasn't a good day. ... With Astin and Marianne dealt with, they could focus on the remaining enemies, none of whom would be spared if Firmia had anything to say about it. If they didn't flee, then the fleet wouldn't have to worry about them showing up later when they hit Apotheosis' main base. Thinking on that for a moment had been a mistake, actually ... Firmia didn't know what kind of threats were waiting for them, but the Riese had suffered near irreparable damage this time around. It would be one thing if they could delay the final attack until the ship was fully repaired, but that was more time for their enemies to regroup. If the Athena and ANF escorts weren't enough to make up the difference, they might actually lose the next one. Walking back that awful train of thought, Firmia was just in time to see the Theoria destroyed. Making a mental note to pick over the wreckage if and when they secured their victory, she searched the field for vulnerable targets. It was good timing, given the support request that followed. "That's Gamma number nine ... Let'em have it!" Firmia waited, carefully gauging the hits the Gamma was taking from the combined volley of missiles and heavy beam fire. It was certainly damaged by the attack, but by no means finished. Just one attempt wasn't going to cut it. "Marcia, full power! Blow that furball out of the sky!" Firmia attacks Gamma #9 with Excalibur! Brant Autoshifts in to MS mode (still flying) Revolutsiya (Chapter VI)

Firmia casts Strike (Marcia)! (Fluff and such in next post)

The battle was over all too soon, and the cursed weapon felt no contentment. It certainly didn't help matters that the last kill was lost ... by mere inches. What a tragedy. On the other hand, the battle offered a more concerning insight, a potential setback Requiem had never before considered. This collection of arena lovers was really good at murdering people. Almost too good. It wouldn't be too long before others decided they were too dangerous to fight. As things stood, only a few kills could be expected during each slaughter, even with them taking turns using it, and eventually the threat they posed might keep them out of most fights. There had to be a better way to feed, a way to use their efficiency to its full advantage. Most likely it would have to bide its time and make due. With more power, new avenues would surely open up, but for the moment, their admittedly clever shenanigans were as good as Requiem was going to get. 'Grow stronger, Xalrei,' Requiem demanded, 'This power is far more valuable than an axe,' the cursed blade continued with obvious contempt for the earlier swap.

Finally, battle. Unrestrained, nourishing battle. Xalrei wasted little time in felling one of their enemies, and Requiem in turn consumed their spirit completely, leaving behind a searing mess. Now this was more like it, the cursed blade's goal if not its purpose. Requiem had been on the cusp of making a tactical suggestion, or a nudge toward further carnage if you'd prefer, when it was promptly returned to Xalrei's belt. Why? Forsaken for an axe of all things. Was the strain of wielding such a powerful weapon too much for Xalrei? If that were the case, then why hold onto it? Too strong to wield, yet too alluring to part with? 'I will not spectate idly whilst blood is spilled,' Requiem protested. It wasn't long before the empty one approached, and through Xalrei, Requiem learned that there were others interested in taking advantage of the cursed blade's power in this brawl. Excellent. Better still, Xalrei proved to not be as attached as Requiem suspected. The feast would continue. For a time, at least. Things became a little strange when the cursed blade found itself changing shape, not into a melee weapon or a bow like before, but a firearm. Right away, Requiem realized it was going to be projecting a small part of itself at very high speed at an enemy, and to say that was novel would be an understatement. When the shot came, Requiem felt like a part of itself had disappeared entirely. Quickly though, it found what was missing, a small piece calling back to it, promising a now vulnerable soul ripe for devouring. The body left behind was, like all the others Requiem had feasted on, an unsightly heap of cooked meat and bone. 'Well done, strange blade ... You actually make a pretty good gun.' The empty one's words were casual enough to slightly annoy Requiem, but that was more than offset by the incoming energy. A gun hadn't been the ideal form for gathering souls or magical energy, but Requiem supposed that as long as it was used and fed, its various shapes, however strange, didn't matter, nor any praise. In fact, with enough energy built up, the nigh starving weapon could probably find a way to ease the burden on its wielders. There were no guarantees, but perhaps the promise alone would be enough to encourage them. All Requiem knew for certain was that it could kill more easily with more power. 'The greater the power gathered, the less the burden. Strike them all down.' From the look of things, the cursed firearm wouldn't need to do much in the way of encouraging them, as Jade tried to take down another enemy by shooting them. Requiem wasn't able to claim their soul this time, but it was close. One more shot would easily do it. Just as the second bullet dissolved into magical energy, Requiem was scooped up by one of the others. How vexing, and yet, this Bladen's intentions were clear enough. Transforming into a blade, Requiem prepared to bask in blood. 'More ...' the cursed blade couldn't help but call out as its power finally began to increase, 'More!'

Changing Rooms Next came the part Carmen wasn't looking forward to. In truth, she could have stalled a bit longer, but she wanted the girls to know what they were in for if they were going to let the scarabs give them the full serf look. "Since Euphrosyne's busy now, I should show you the next two steps," Carmen began, grabbing one of the unused scarabs from the bag and holding it up to her cheek. The little metallic creature tried to get a foothold, but she held it just far enough from her face that it could only grab a loose strand of hair. "If you're going to be serfs for the afternoon, you'll need your skin and eyes changed, too." "Umm," Hitomi winced, trying to picture a scarab changing the color of her eyes. The procedure wasn't going well in her head. "H-how's that going to work, again? Changing eye color sounds like straight up surgery." "I'm going to show you," Carmen frowned, more concerned with the potential reactions than anything. Fortunately it wasn't surgery, just a strange experience. Front Courtyard Irvine groaned as Linus headed over to check out the commotion. He supposed it was better to finish his meal. He wasn't getting food this high quality at better prices anywhere around here. It wasn't long after Linus started off that James approached from the exhibit entrance. He looked positively pissed ... and considering he would have had to get passed Sheridan to make it over here, he was probably even more upset before. Irvine waved to him. "You're late, Sage. What took you so long?" "Shut up, Irvine," James hissed, coming straight to Irvine's table, "I never said I'd be here at a specific time. And what's going on over there?" "Relax," Irvine winced, "Like I said, you're late. They're about to start that show of theirs." "The G-frame demonstrations were supposed to be outside, not in the docks," James noted, his tone dubious. "Yeah well," Irvine shrugged and then nudged his head toward the Journeyman, slowly beginning to levitate above the crowd. The Field Euphrosyne glanced at Linus, trying to remember if she'd seen him before. She quickly pegged him as one of Carmen's friends, and his second question confirmed it. "Things could be better, but for now we can manage. That's to answer both of your questions, just so you know." "Everything's optimal," Nero's voice reached the crowd from on high. "Now to show you what real combat maneuvers look like!" Even using just its telekinesis, the Journeyman was able to take off into the artificial sky at high speed. Only the violently displaced air made any sound overhead, leaving an almost ghostly impression as the frame reached the peak of its climb. From there, Nero put his TK maneuvering to full use and propelled himself toward the mansion, aiming to just barely miss the structure, as well as wave hello to Thomas and Ninos. From there, it was probably best to circle back around and make sure the crowd could fully appreciate the high g maneuvers up close. It wasn't the safest way of doing things, and Nero didn't have as much room to maneuver as the backdrop of the exhibit suggested, but he trusted his piloting skills.

Having all but given up on that deer for the evening, Requiem was 'excited' by the prospect of another battle. Not too excited, but its usual crimson glow was just a bit brighter. Still, there was so much that could go wrong, here. Requiem could only hope they weren't heading back to that incomprehensible arena. 'Do not hold back. Strike them all down. If you fall, another will take up this power for themselves. It will be too late for regrets then ... strike,' the cursed blade opted for some words of encouragement as Xalrei prepared for battle.

'You understand,' Requiem replied, glowing again in lieu of a grin, 'Then you know what you must do.' Whether or not Xalrei would opt to find that special individual or simply give the cursed blade what it wanted, Requiem wasn't sure, but the time was soon coming when she couldn't rely on other solutions. Sooner or later, the mere act of possessing the cursed blade would force her hand.

Changing Rooms "Its fine," Carmen sighed, "I think it's fair to just let you keep one for helping us out with the exhibit to be honest." Carmen was also considering it an advanced apology for whatever nonsense was about to go down. She doubted anyone would get hurt with Thomas so close by, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing to think of Euphrosyne and Nero arguing in front of the guests. She'd managed to treat Monika's lip in the meantime and was putting the little tube of medical paste back in the box. That left Monika with a shallow cut (that was getting shallower by the minute) and a few blood stains. "That's nice," Hitomi smiled, "I'd ask for one too but I'm not sure if Sensei would mind." Hitomi wouldn't say they were inherently cute, either, but the way they gently worked their magic was certainly had its charm. They seemed to blur the line between insects and robots, as well. "Can you get them in specific colors? I wouldn't mind one with my own theme." "You can, actually," Carmen nodded. "Definitely want one then, hehee~" The Field "Huh?" Nero caught sight of Euphrosyne coming straight for him. G-frames had virtually no blind spots within a few hundred meters, but even then the woman's approach was difficult to miss; she was taking advantage of her esper abilities and the lower gravity in the hangar to literally fly over the field and straight to the Journeyman. Moving the same as she would while piloting the Cavalier, Euphrosyne was covering twenty or so meters a second to reach him. "Wonderful," Nero murmured. "Nero! Don't even think about showing off inside the hangar!" Barely managing to slow down, Euphrosyne's approach ended with her delivering a flying kick to the plate just above the Journeyman's visor. The head actually moved, but only because Nero had reflexively recoiled at the sudden aggression. Euphrosyne grabbed the blade antenna on its head to secure herself. "Get out of there!" "Hah, no way, you hypocrite. With the kind of mood you're in, the next kick's going to be to my face. I'll pass, but feel free to protest while I give these people a good show." With that, Nero brought up the Journeyman's hand, and it made a grasping gesture at Euphrosyne. With the Journeyman boosting Nero's own abilities orders of magnitude beyond anything a human was capable of, Euphrosyne was gently plucked from the Journeyman's head and held in place by an invisible force in front of the machine. Euphrosyne sighed, wishing she'd just made a beeline for the Cavalier instead. She'd opted not to because an impromptu sparring match wasn't a part of their exhibit plans anymore than Nero's shenanigans were, and that would only create more of a mess, not to mention putting the guests at risk. Nero had won this round ... "This is ridiculous." Euphrosyne didn't have to use much of her strength to break free; Nero wasn't restraining her. She came down and landed as part of the crowd spread out to make room. Once she was on the ground, she crossed her arms in a huff.

It wasn't the same as sleep, no, Requiem didn't have the luxury of sound slumber anymore. It was better to describe the cursed sword's current state as a haze brought on by a combination of intense desire and the resulting torment of being a forgettable sidearm. It seemed that Xalrei was more likely to trip and impale herself on the blade than find a suitable sacrifice. Of course, just about anyone was a 'suitable,' even deer if it would redden up the place. Yes, even ghosts were suitable for Requiem, though nothing was ever that simple. 'You strike at flesh,' the blade gave off its faint crimson glow briefly, 'Thus, I strike at flesh. Find one who confronts spirits, then use this power. If you cannot, offer more. The more power consumed, the more power you will wield.'

The Ceres was destroyed and Avery was gone. Marianne was gone. Chris had confirmed it and was practically celebrating, albeit angrily. Brant would be lying if he said he was completely happy with the way things had turned out, but those two had chosen their side long ago. Hannah's thumbs up was a much needed reminder that the friends, family, and allies he had now were far more important than anything else. Either way, it was too late for regrets. Of course, even those benign regrets had no choice but to disappear when Astin turned the other Luna's fury on them all. It was going to go 'nuclear?' Brant felt a fresh wave of disgust wash over him as he contemplated what might happen to any suits or ships caught in the blast radius. This warzone really was no place for Liliana and Akilina ... "You guys need to take that thing down quick," he muttered, knowing the Regalia and the Reign weren't close enough to get in position in time. Chasing down the Ceres had put them far afield and heading back to try and help might, at best, simply increase the number of casualties. If anything, they should be spreading out away from the Luna and taking shots all along the way. Firmia almost couldn't believe what she was hearing over the comms. Then again, considering what had just happened to Marianne ... fine, then. A person's true nature was often revealed in times of great stress, and it was clear that Astin had never been an ally of theirs, potentially or otherwise. Time to take out the last mole and rid themselves of Apotheosis's presence once and for all. "Tonya, make sure we stay out of the blast radius. This is personal, now." As soon as she'd finished her directive, the Avalon's six funnels raced out in front of the viewport and toward the Apotheosis Luna. "Don't hold back! Everyone that's in range start shooting and don't stop until there's nothing left but a smoking crater!" A shame they might not be able to salvage the thing, but there were much bigger prizes where that came from. Marcia casts Strike! Firmia casts Dreams (Calina's Fury), moves to 10,10 and attacks Astin with the Avalon's Funnels! Revolutsiya (Chapter V)

Close. Marianne almost landed a hit on the Regalia, but neither the counter nor Brant's quick maneuver to evade it through off his aggression. The traitor wasn't getting away this time ... though from the sound of things Kim was worried there wouldn't be enough left for her. Likely true. "Can't make any promises, but you can bet we'll get her," Brant tried not to chuckle. Chris wasn't about to risk Marianne escaping a second time, not even for a good show. They would just have to split the traitors fifty-fifty. "Hannah, she's still on the move! Let's end this!" Revolutsiya (Chapter IV)

Field "Why don't I show you what a G-frame can really do ... up close and personal~" Nero leaped straight up, and he seemed to keep getting higher and higher until he reached the Journeyman's open hatch. With a smirk and a gesture at the crowd, Nero disappeared into the machine. The hatch closed and within a few moments, the Journeyman's visor lit up a brilliant blue. "Consider it a pre-show demonstration for you early birds." "Immersion's fully active ..." Nero flexed the Journeyman's fingers and inspected them closely as the crowd reacted, some cheering, others a little on edge. No one was quite sure what this demonstration was going to entail. Some even thought back to the warnings they received from the station's network as they crossed out of Eupraxia's safety net. One couldn't help but be reminded when standing beneath a giant capable of un-quantifiable amounts of destruction with no direction interaction whatsoever. That said ... it was still a very cool machine. Changing Rooms "Are they even legal on the station?" Euphrosyne asked in return. She wasn't quite up to date on Eupraxia Grand Station's 'pet policies' but she did know that Babylonians tended to have a hassle getting certain items into port. Granted, that was mostly the Iron Kingdom's fault, given how insanely cunning they were with their traps and other improvised weapons. "Ichor are mostly legal so you'd think ..." Hitomi chimed in as her hair began to change color. Sure enough, at this rate, she'd be a platinum blonde in a few minutes. "I mean ichor have been around for a really long time, but still ... so many varieties ... "She couldn't help but play around with some of the finished locks, feeling around for any loose residue. Surprisingly there was none. It was as if her hair had always been this color, and even though she didn't feel like they were tugging, the scarabs on her head were even getting down to the roots somehow. These things were amazing! Assuming legalities extended to at least some types of scarabs, "Well, if they are legal here, you would need to track down a seller and see how much they're willing to part with one of them for." "Are you selling them?" "No, but now that you mention it ..." Euphrosyne wasn't going to shoot down the chance to make a few extra credits out of hand. It was at least worth considering. Most people buying scarabs wanted them for ship maintenance and the like, so they would purchase them in bulk. As pets, they weren't particularly interesting, but at the same time they weren't a hassle to deal with, either. They could also be reprogrammed non-intrusively for a variety of tasks. Parting with one from their own stock wouldn't even put a dent in their working capacity, especially since the Sipa Lugal always operated with a small surplus of supplies, ichor, and scarabs. "... we might be able to come to an agreement." "Euphrosyne?" Carmen interjected with a grimace, "Do you feel that? Did one of the frames just activate?" It wasn't a disturbance in the air or even a tremor reaching the mansion that Carmen felt. It was more a biofield so large that it overlapped and interacted subtely with her own. It was something even the weakest espers could potentially pick up on in the relative quiet of a mostly empty ship hangar. "... NERO!!!" Euphrosyne flew out of the changing area heading for a different room on the second floor. "He must have gotten impatient ..." Front Courtyard "Whoa, speaking of stuff coming up," Irvine jutted a finger over at the two G-frames in the field. The light from the Journeyman's visor was intense and easy to spot at this distance. "Is Master Nero starting the show early?" Leto cocked her head slightly at the spectacle about to unfold. "I ain't done eatin' yet!" "Strange ..."

Brant moves to 11,20, uses Propellant Tank and Chris attacks Marianne with the TK Missiles!

Changing Rooms "Fine, have a seat while Carmen handles that," Euphrosyne said, gesturing at the remaining blood, "I don't know if you people have issues with 'bugs' but they'll be taking care of the dye and complexion issue." "So you're going all the way with them?" Carmen asked, taking the small kit from Hitomi. Probably best to save practicing one of her crafts for later and just use this. "You bit your lip, right? Can you show me?" Once she had the spot, one good dab ought to do, really. As for cleaning the blood, there was a cloth for her skin but the clothing was a lost--"Oh, and can I borrow on of the scarabs? They might be able to clean some of this off." "Sure." Euphrosyne grabbed the scarab on her shoulder and tossed it over to Carmen. "Now, just hold still while I put them on you. They already know what to do and how to do it. You just need to sit still and let them work. It won't hurt but they will be getting a little intrusive. Just hold your clothing down tight anywhere you don't want them poking around. They're only after your hair and skin." And eyes ... but she didn't want to address that directly just yet. With that, Euphrosyne began placing a few of them on the girls, with one per limb and at least two per head, though Hitomi got saddled with three up there. The serf also took note of Melanie's tail and placed two of the scarabs there. "You just pass them to each other like that?" Hitomi was surprised these beetle-like creatures were handled so lackadaisically. She wasn't about to call it abusive but surely the little guys didn't enjoy that sort of thing. Field "Well, we didn't lose anything from the add-ons," Nero mused, "Ishkurite legs are tricky to work with, though. The balance is all off so even though they respond like you'd expect, in practice you could find yourself making some preemptive corrections. Can be annoying when you're trying to line up a shot and evade potshots at the same time." Nero recalled a BVR engagement from not long ago where the Journeyman's tendency to over-pitch had him focusing more on his balance than his opponent's maneuvers. It took some getting used to. Euphrosyne tended to sidestep AMBAC related issues by relying more on thrusters and zipping around like a missile. Nero heaved a heavy sigh, figuring he might as well let off some steam. "Change of plans, people. Let's make things more interesting~" Suddenly, the Journeyman's chest began to whir as its systems came online. Nero glanced back at it just in time to see the hatch on the torso slide up and open. "Yeah. This should be fine." Time to put on a little pre-show warm up.

(Sorry for double post but there's a spoiler tag in my last one and they ALWAYS break if I so much as glance at them) Brant casts Strike!

Revolutsiya (Chapter III)