Chapter 3.2: Old and new friends, old and new enemies

[zuhrovet]

Sasha has distributed flutes of sparkling water and small glasses filled with a clear liquor. She finds a clear place to stand near the edge of the party--Jedao and Alaric are to her left, the cluster of people around the mothlings falls at about 3π/8--and signals the grid to adjust the light so that she is highlighted and the other partygoers are very slightly in shadow. She asks the grid for a ringing sound and waits for people to quiet. Her voice slightly amplified by the grid, she says, "Welcome, everyone. We have a unique combination of expertise, on the Cantata. I'm glad that you are here." (It's a formal situation, so she uses the plural 'you'.) "While we are gathered, let us toast to the success of the rebellion."

Sasha waits for an answering murmur, then raises her own glass and knocks it back. The liquor tastes like snow and homesickness; but these are her people now. A slight gesture of her left hand makes illumination linger on Jedao for a moment, before the room lights return to normal.

Sasha sees Remi trying to explain that shot glasses are not for mothlings, and grins in genuine amusement.

[We have some really fascinating conversations running in the previous move. I don't want to cut them off, but please put new threads here!

Also, an out-of-character public service announcement: Remi is a youthful, apparently non-sociopathic version of Kujen, plucked from an earlier timeline. He has not yet interacted with Jedao.]

Comments

[yhlee]

Jedao finally sees not just Remi's face, but Remi gesturing with a shot glass. He freezes for a fraction of a second, then drains his entire glass of liquor. His face has gone white as he watches, making no secret of his interest. Remi, preoccupied with the mothlings, hasn't noticed.

less than subtle hawk hovering

[kese_seyli]

Seyli's still watching Jedao, never getting in his way, never lingering in his space, but always watchful. When the light hits his face from Sasha's toast, they don't look away, not caring if Jedao sees them staring. So they catch that moment of ...panic? With no sense of subtly (not that you can ever be subtle in a sequined dress) they approach the fox. "Problem with someone?" It doesn't quite come out casual, but at the very least Seyli keeps from sounding defensive.

A silent alert (Paging Jedao, Eddox,and other sign speakers)

[hoardingpearls]

Reshad has a shot of the anonymous liquor, and a discreet sniff has revealed it to be both strong and delicious. She drinks in time with the rest, the cold flavor a reminder: new place. New people. New role, relatively speaking.

Habit sends her eyes sweeping the group, noting reactions and faces, who stands together and who apart. The subtlety of the lighting is not lost, and she spares a smile for it, drawing the gaze to Sasha and Jedao. She herself is in shadow, as suits.

Jedao's face blanches as if he's seen a ghost. Reshad uses her glass, pretty bright crystal as it is, to glint what little light there is, trying to gain his attention. Her free hand shivers in Shuos sign.

Status? She inflects it with the twist of worry.

Moar fox!

[yhlee]

I'm running late again, Istradez thinks fretfully. He slips into the ballroom just in time; he doesn't think Sasha would have approved of his missing out on the toasts, although maybe she would make allowances for slow recoveries from injuries.

The liquor smells great, but he's going to stick to water.

[Istradez (NPC) is, of course, Hexarch Mikodez's spitting image, although Istradez is rather defiantly wearing a pale pink suit with pearly white buttons. He is not making any particular attempt to ape Mikodez's mannerisms at the moment.]

Re: Moar fox!

[hoardingpearls]

If she hadn't been preoccupied with the lights, with the dramatic reveal of Jedao as teammate, she would have spotted Mikodez sooner. It's near shameful, the degree of relief his face brings.

No - not the Hexarch. The stance is wrong and he's holding a flute of water, but it takes a moment for Reshad's face to catch up to her thoughts. Shock and excitement are followed swiftly by a reassertion of her sociable smile.

She lifts a hand and waves to the man in the pink suit, remembering a conversation with Sasha, the description of him as an evil twin, and a name she'd not heard before. Making her way over to him from the buffet, she bows greeting. "Do you go by Strashik?" she asks. "I'm Reshad."

[For timeline: Reshad will spot Istradez shortly after her sign to Jedao.]

Sulen & Dar, by the Kitchen

[chomiji]

[I'm going to stop worrying about serving the food, because it seems to be getting out to the party-goers without my interference ... the next course was spicy pork ribs, peppered crisp breads (like papadums - vegan), potato curry pastries (like samosas - vegan), assorted sauces/dips, and the Kel-approved spicy cabbage pickle, as well as other, less incendiary pickles. The labels she printed out earlier cover these dishes and also the desserts she prepared herself ... the people who made other goodies will have to pass their own recipes to the grid.]

---

"Ah, a toast?" Dar has accepted one of the glasses of liquor as they went by. She knocks it back: the strong stuff. Not her favorite, but far from the worst she's had to down in the name of camaraderie.

It doesn't seem to have any effect on her perception of the strange floating critters out in the room, which she was not certain she was seeing properly, but the rest of the crew seem un-horrified. Perhaps these are the alien creatures that were mentioned.

A twitch across the room gets her attention. A leanly muscular fellow is looking startled at or maybe even terrified of one of the group playing with the little alien monstrosities. She isn't sure which.

Re: Sulen & Dar, by the Kitchen

[hoardingpearls]

[Samosas! Yes please...your food description keeps making me want to cook.]

Re: Dar & Sasha, By the Kitchen

[zuhrovet]

Dar is the one new person Sasha hasn't spoken to yet, and she seems to be looking in Jedao's direction, so that's two reasons to approach her. Sasha wends toward her, whistling a greeting to the mothlings as she passes them.

"Zayit Dar. I am Sasha. Thank you for the spread, it is astonishing."

Sasha hasn't touched the food yet. Prophet's cloak, she ought to know better.

Re: Sulen & Dar, by the Kitchen

[venndaai]

"I can show you around the ship after the party, unless you would rather rest," Sulen says. They make the toast, because after a past cultural misunderstanding with Sasha they are very keen to follow other people's leads when it comes to toasts, but then make their excuses and head off to investigate what's happening with Jedao.

They've eaten maybe half of a pastry, and are definitely not properly appreciating Dar's work.

New people mingling [paging Xiulan]

[sageling]

A toast! Toasts are very exciting. Hana at this point is enjoying life, two euphorics down and experiencing the longest period of relative happiness in recent memory. The clear liquor burns on the way down, but that's how you know it's working, isn't it? (Privately she promises herself that this is not, no more drinks, no more little pills, just some food and... talking? Maybe?)

She snaps up a few curry pastries, nibbling thoughtfully as she scans the room. She sidles up to Xiulan, trying and failing to recollect when they'd talked before and what they had talked about. "Hello," she says, offering a pastry. "These are very good. I'm Hana. Have we met? I don't mean to be rude, it's just been a very busy few weeks and honestly I'm not sure if I'm coming or going." She manages to cut her ramble off before further embarrassing herself.

Re: New people mingling [paging Xiulan]

[stormglass]

Movement in the corner of her eye sees Xiulan turn to Hana before she actually speaks. It’s a modulated, casual sort of motion, alert rather than alarmed, though she does seem genuinely somewhat startled at the presentation of the pastry.

“Thank you. I hadn’t tried one of these.” Glancing around at the food spread - and not incidentally, other people in the room while she’s at it - she adds, “What do you bet we’re going to be living off of leftovers for a week?”

She studies Hana, but her expression is not unkind and she doesn’t frown to hear her existence had not made an indelible impression before. “We did meet, but—“ A flap of a hand as she takes a neat bite out of the pastry, “—it’s not as if there aren’t fifty other people on base. I’m Xiulan.

“A few weeks? I’ve only been here the one. What brought you here?”

She’s curious about what brought others to the rebellion, but detecting some underlying tension from Hana, she words it more vaguely in case there’s a wish to avoid the topic directly.

watching from the edges [paging anyone else who's anxious about this]

[flowersforgraves]

Now that Deyna's had a shot or two, she stands to the side and lets the alcohol burn down her throat while she watches other partygoers interact. She's decided she likes Shess, and Sasha, and that Dar is a very respectable person, but she's withholding judgement on everyone else until she watches them more.

Her attention wanders a bit as she lets her eyes unfocus, lost in thought.

Re: watching from the edges [paging anyone else who's anxious about this]

[hoardingpearls]

[Hm, I can have Reshad visit? I don't think they've met yet.]

a quiet room - paging Jedao and Reshad

[zuhrovet]

Sasha leads Jedao toward the door she has created. It opens on a small room, with low benches and tables hastily extruded. Sasha has placed a second door at the far right; she suspects Jedao shares her feelings about rooms with one exit. She sits, breaks her sanbosak apart experimentally--predictably, it is made of carbs filled with carbs--and looks at Jedao. "Tell me what's happening. Unless you would prefer to wait for Reshad?"

[n.b.: at this point I am just making fun of everyone who has ever spurned my cooking in favor of their workout plan.]

Re: a quiet room - paging Jedao and Reshad

[yhlee]

Jedao has left the earlier plate of cake from his encounter with Alaric behind. His gaze flickers to the second door, then back to Sasha. "I think it couldn't hurt to have another perspective," he says, "in case I am badly mistaken, but it is you I'm sworn to."

Cruising the buffet - paging Dar (or anyone else Seyli hasn't met yet!)

[kese_seyli]

Once Jedao is whisked away by Sasha, Seyli...well they don't relax but they finally make their way to the buffet and load up a plate full of food and get another drink for the night. "Holy shit," they mutter to themselves after bite, not realizing that the cook in question is there to overhear them swear over how good the food is as they shove a bun almost whole into their mouth. This food is more than good enough to make up for how weird the night is going.

Re: Cruising the buffet - paging Dar (or anyone else Seyli hasn't met yet!)

[yhlee]

Remi and his entourage of mothlings makes his way over to the food. "Pardon me," Remi says cautiously to Seyli. He's looking around for the cook. "Do you think anyone will mind if I feed the mothlings some of this repast? They seem to be hungry..."

A Second Interview (Paging Remi, Ione, Sulen, Xiulan, and Sasha)

[hoardingpearls]

Out into the party: habit has Reshad assessing the flows of people's movement, the little eddies made by chatting groups. Tensions and connections, none of them drastically different than they were a moment ago. It's an unspoken reassurance, and that in turn helps her quell her own worry.

Not that anything is going to camouflage the ripples she's about to create.

Reshad skirts the wall, keeping herself between Jedao and Remi until the former steps away, headed for the buffet.

Xiulan is near, sleek and elegant, her military clothing advertising danger restrained. "Sorry for the interruption," Reshad says. "But there's been an assessment of a threat. Would you come and keep an eye on it?" She gestures to the little door.

Ione is next, spectacular in her gown, and nearest of the group around the mothlings. "Would you take a moment? Sasha would like your presence to speak with Remi." Just that, but with the context, hopefully it's enough. Again she points out the new door.

Sulen is conveniently near Remi, and so Reshad presents herself and smiles at both of them after Xiulan and Ione are in place.

"Would you come chat with Sasha, please?" A flat hand indicates both XO and scientist, to eliminate confusion.

She leads the way to the room, lets herself in last, and waits.

Re: A Second Interview (Paging Remi, Ione, Sulen, Xiulan, and Sasha)

[yhlee]

Remi's expression is worried. "Do you want me with or without the mothlings? I understand they can be distracting. If someone would volunteer to look after them..." He looks at Seyli, Dar, and Shess in appeal.

exiting the party

[yhlee]

Jedao will grab a carefully calculated amount of high-protein-looking food on a plate to-go and quietly exit the party unless anyone interrupts him on the way out.

[He has a report to write for Sasha and Reshad, after all! Paperwork doesn't do itself...]

Mothling Babysitting (Paging Dar)

[kese_seyli]

When Eddox slides off their arm, Seyli drifts over to Dar to answer her question: "I think there is a minor incident," Seyli says. "I'm sure there will be a debriefing." Hopefully. "I'll watch the moths if you want to go get different foods for them."

Re: Mothling Babysitting (Paging Dar)

[yhlee]

The mothlings are docile, friendly, and musical as usual, but for a couple moments all of their tentacles wave in the direction of the room that Sasha created, and that Remi entered, before they're distracted by their babysitters.

Deyna, unsupervised [paging Eddox]

[flowersforgraves]

Deyna hums quietly to herself, pacing a short distance back and forth. She scans the crowd, and her eyes light on an alt who seems to be introducing themself to various groups. That one, Deyna thinks. I can handle one attractive person at a time, and it seems like I should get the hard ones out of the way first.

Re: Deyna, unsupervised [paging Eddox]

[mawgs]

[For timeline, I’m gonna assume Eddox notices Deyna after introducing themself and talking to a bit]

Eddox is steadily matching names to faces, personality to transcribed text. As they are watching the mothlings suck the juice out of a battery, they feel eyes on them.

They look up and see a woman looking at them. Eddox smiles and waves.

lingering near doorways - paging Ione, Sulen, and Xiulan

[zuhrovet]

"Sure, I already cleaned the correspondence for Remi." Sasha sends Xiulan the data she has requested, and starts a trawl for information on Vulture, Crow, and their intersections with Quill. [yhlee, let me know if she turns up anything interesting when you get a chance?]

Ione is still here. It would not be inappropriate to comment on her dress--dresses like this are, presumably, intended to be noticed--but Sasha has no idea what to say about it. There is a lot of it, and it is very blue. Ione's gloves are also blue, and closely fitted.

Easier to fall back on work. "Ione, did you notice anything, that I should be aware of?"

Re: lingering near doorways - paging Ione, Sulen, and Xiulan

[yhlee]

[Expect a response tomorrow or Thursday, and sorry for the delay--I'm still dealing with migraine/med aftereffects. sorry for the delay!--YHL]

How about that alcohol (paging Deyna)

[hoardingpearls]

[This thread takes place a bit after the end of Remi's interrogation.]

With several members departed back to the Cantata, the gathering has lost some of its festivity. How much could have been avoided, Reshad wonders, if they'd taken more care to introduce Jedao to their preexisting crew members more carefully? And what dynamics is she missing now?

After a time of observation (and, if she were honest- which she is not- calming herself) she approaches the buffet, taking items entirely based on decoration. With a small plate in hand, she approaches one of the new members she has yet to meet.

"Hello, are you the one to thank for this spectacular meal?"

Re: How about that alcohol (paging Deyna)

[flowersforgraves]

Deyna watches Reshad approach, swallowing her anxiety with another sip of her drink. When Reshad asks the question, Deyna almost laughs.

"Stars and moons no," she says. "I'm an extra set of unskilled hands where I need to be. Which I expect will be my role in this organization all over. No, Dar's the cook. Chef." She's running off at the mouth, so she probably needs to cool it with the alcohol. "I lift things and move things. How's the party for you?"

Questions (Paging Reshad)

[stormglass]

Xiulan studies the ballroom, a rapidly darting gaze picking out continued occupants and absences. One pass, two. Considering, she pockets her slate and heads in Reshad’s direction.

“So,” she asks. “How does one go about freeing a moth?” A wave of one hand. “At a high level.”

Re: Questions (Paging Reshad)

[hoardingpearls]

[for Reshad's personal timeline to make sense, lets put this one before the thread with Deyna?]

Reshad is standing by the door, taking stock, when Xiulan appears and does likewise. She's too unsettled to enjoy a snack, too focused to enjoy a drink. The question is a welcome distraction.

"I'm no grid diver, but as I understand it, the moth is made insensate by a device, the harness. That's linked to the mothgrid." She studies Xiulan for hints that this is all new, or all known.

"Alaric and Remi were able to attack it somehow. Cantata is awake now - I'm afraid I don't know the particulars, but you can always ask it. Speak anywhere aboard the moth and it'll hear you, I believe."

I think I recognize that dress. Maybe. (Paging Seyli)

[stormglass]

Reviewing the weapons system information Sasha had sent once more, Xiulan sees that Seyli is currently unoccupied and heads in their direction.

She had thought it before and does again now: Seyli’s outfit is making her think of something from one of the Seiners’ interminable parties that had featured Archaist costumes. It brings a jolt of something crooked and nostalgia-like, because the harvest ship had been ‘home’ no more than a hexarchate moth, but it at least was the right universe. If only she could put a finger to what the dress reminds her of....

“Seyli? Hi, I’m Xiulan. Got a moment to talk about moth weaponry?” She smiles her ‘yes, I know this is a party’ smile again.

Re: I think I recognize that dress. Maybe. (Paging Seyli)

[kese_seyli]

At the very mention of weapons, Seyli's relaxed posture shifts into a more military stance, which is a weird juxtaposition with the sequins and sheer amount of leg exposed. "I'm always ready to talk about moth weaponry." They give Xiulan a once over. "You're not a Kel, I don't think, but a solider of some kind?" They're not great at guessing, but it seems obvious enough.

Eddox attempts to do what they are hired for (paging Cantata)

[mawgs]

As Eddox makes their way through the party after so much obvious subterfuge, they get that familiar feeling of being part of a conversation they can’t quite understand. Something is going on. With the moths. With Remi. Obviously, with Jedao. They aren’t looking to get shot, so they stick to what is technically their job: Xenolinguistics and diplomacy.

They pull out their slate and ask the grid, “Excuse me, but are there any other moths aboard this station? Any adults? Or at least any individuals capable of a more complex conversation in one form or another?” The kids are cute, but probably not the ones to ask about missions.

Re: Eddox attempts to do what they are hired for (paging Cantata)

[yhlee]

The grid replies that there are three moths currently docked: the Cantata, the Sedulous Eel, and the Typhoon. It inquires whether Eddox wishes to engage the translation program to converse with the Cantata.

Titles are hard (Paging Dar)

[stormglass]

“The feast has been going over well.” Xiulan indicates the mothlings with the incline of her chin. “Including with the non-two legged attendees it looked like. Nice job.”

She has met Dar before, the both of them having been on the base prior to the Canata’s arrival. Xiulan had made an effort to meet everyone she could, but a week isn’t much time for anything much more than some hellos.

“Sasha talk to you about logistics?”

Re: Titles are hard (Paging Dar)

[chomiji]

"Thank you. I was pleased at how good the supplies were here. That helped a lot."

[In response to the question about Sasha]

"She did, yeah. Got me thinking about the ship supply sityooson and how much range we have before re-supply if we can take a full load here." Although she muddles "situation" in the High Language, the context make it obvious what she means.

[ETA: I'm coming down with a cruddy cold, so that's it for tonight.]

A break of sorts - paging Jedao

[zuhrovet]

Sometime later that night, Sasha knocks on Jedao's door. She's carrying a bottle of tequila liberated from the party, and two small glasses.

Re: A break of sorts - paging Jedao

[yhlee]

"Come in," Jedao calls, and the door opens to her. Jedao is seated, apparently working on the report that Sasha requested. He straightens and regards the tequila with interest. "I'm sorry, did I depart the party too early? I thought I'd get started at this"--he waves at the slate--"so you'd have the information sooner rather than later."

Just in case (Paging Remi)

[stormglass]

[Does Remi actually start drinking a lot at the party after the questioning or was he just kidding about doing so? (Not that ‘kidding’ is a great word for the situation! but I have failed to think of an alternative quickly enough.]

Re: Just in case (Paging Remi)

[yhlee]

[Remi's version of "drinking a lot" is grabbing a glass of red wine and drinking maybe half of it, buffered by some nice savory buns. He does not appear to be impaired by this quantity of alcohol.]