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

Re: she gets it, folks (paging xiulan)

[sageling]

Hana sits heavily in the indicated seat, the world spinning a bit around her. She doesn't regret the euphorics - she's actually a bit terrified of what she'll face without them, or would be if they weren't currently coursing through her system - but the alcohol was a mistake. At least, three units of alcohol were a mistake. She leaves the water untouched until Xiulan comes back, taking the packet from her and staring at it for a few moments.

"I really - sorry. I'll take this. Just give me a second, I don't want to be - euphorics help," she explains, or tries to explain. Finally she tears open the package and takes the meds with just enough water to swallow.

[No worries! Good luck with travels, stay safe, etc etc.]

Re: she gets it, folks (paging xiulan)

[stormglass]

Xiulan makes a light gesture in response to Hana’s somewhat garbled words, waiting as pills are swallowed and water drunk. She reflects on the words ‘euphorics help’ and looks around the room. It’s done in a considering sort of way, but she doesn’t end up leaving.

Instead she asks Hana, “Rough time of it since leaving your timeline?” Her voice is quiet, sympathetic. She has her own experiences to channel to make it so.

It’s something they were taught to leverage, she and others. Far, far from here.

Re: she gets it, folks (paging xiulan)

[sageling]

"Something like that," Hana replies weakly. The pills aren't instantaneous but she swears she feels her stomach start to turn already. "Don't - don't really wanna be here, when everything stops." She breaks into a cold sweat, or rather, her body tries to break into a cold sweat, and she wonders if these are the kind of anti-inebrients that have purging as a side effect.

She gets her answer a few moments later when she puts her head between her legs and tries very, very hard, and fails very, very hard, not to dry heave. It makes sense, since she didn't have too much water and almost no food. All that's in her stomach is alcohol. A Mwennin curse slips out, something she used to know the translation to but long forgot. She just remembers her mother using it when she thought Hana was out of earshot.

Re: she gets it, folks (paging xiulan)

[stormglass]

Not knowing the Mwennin language, Xiulan doesn’t catch what Hana says in any literal sense. In another sense though, oh, yes. It’s a sentiment that echoes in her head for her own reasons just then.

Once the dry heaving has paused enough that Hana can affect her plan to depart, Xiulan helps her make her way down the hallway.

She returns to the ballroom afterwards, alone and expression inscrutable, and makes her way to the buffet table.

[From here, this will tie back to where Reshad spoke to her before Remi’s questioning.]