World Tree MUSH

    It's been a little bit and everyone's had time to patch up, rest some, heal, and repair. Clara and Svarog are waiting at Svarog's base for everyone to show up and... Well... It appears everyone arrives to hear something rather interesting between the two.
    "Mister Svarog, are you okay now? Your language module is functioning well?" Clara asks. It certainly is an odd sight to see, the small silver-haired girl just absolutely fussing over the nine foot tall mechanical man. Nevertheless, Svarog is silent for just a beat before he answers her:
    "Assessing... Language module operating as normal. Thank you, Clara."
    "How about your memory module? Is it working properly?" The girl asks. "If you need me to fix it..."
    "Retrieving memory module..." Svarog drones for a beat. "Architect machine war era records: intact. War of defense combat data: intact. Geomarrow development group era records: intact." There's a momentary pause as he rattles off more memories.
    "Record of Clara's crafting of miniature magnetic drill rigs: intact. Record of Clara's explanation of human 'sleeping in' behavior: intact."
    For a second, a horrified look flutters across the girl's face before she rallies.
    "S-so! Your memory module is okay?"
    "I have made a backup of all records pertaining to you, Clara. Do not worry."
    "... E-even the ones about sleeping in...?"
    "There are multiple backups. I can recover them at any time." Svarog explains, earning a pouty look from Clara.
    "Mister Svarog... Can I delete some of them?" She asks. This makes the robot shake his head.
    "I cannot grant this request. Records pertaining to you constitute important data. They must remain intact. ... They are memories of family..."
    Clara immediately stops pouting. If anything the girl seems relieved to hear what Svarog just said.
    "... I understand."

    Stelle wanders back in, having escorted Rebecca back to a Vine so she could find a Ripperdoc to replace her shattered arm. March, Dan Heng, Bronya and Seele follow along behind. Sampo is nowhere to be seen, as usual, and Natasha bid the group farewell to return to the clinic after performing some patch-up work. "Hey big guy, your head back on straight again?" asks Stelle, looking ready to throw down again... until March bats her in the back of the head. "... Ow..."

    "We /just/ got patched up, don't go picking fights again." grumbles March with her fists on her hips.

    Bronya looks at the group, then up to Svarog. "Please, Mister Svarog. Show me everything. I need to know." she says, "I'm ready, whatever may come."

    Jessica giggles softly, though whether at Stelle or at the sleeping in bit is unclear. The catgirl fusses a bit with her pistol, then tucks it aside before fully stepping up. "It's good to see you're working again! I hope we can get everything sorted out," the catgirl suggests.

    For his part, Bi De is looking a bit better than before. Getting some sun helped him, though he's still clearly uncomfortable doing so much underground. The rooster still walks with a dignified air, somehow, watching the entire exchange with a wing stroking his wattles.

    "Sleeping in? I have heard of this. Miss Clara, would you like for me to sing for you in the mornings, as well?" Uh oh.

    With Rebecca outta the picture Talia is a bit worried, but let's hope this isn't another fight to get into. Rebecca would be mad she missed it.

    "Let's get going, then." She says, stretching her back and preparing for this. "Show us what you have." She asks Svarog softly.

    For a moment; for just a second, a horrified look flutters across Clara's face. Oh dear, people heard that, huh. "N-no, it's fine, it's okay!" She replies a little hastily to Bi De, lest she never ever get to sleep in again thanks to the mighty rooster's crowing in the morning. Svarog however turns his attention to the party at large, pointedly not responding to Stelle's jab as everyone seems ready to hear what he has.
    "I have finished collating the Stellaron data and records." He announces. And when everyone seems to be ready and all...
    "Database materials cache serial number 13175. Encryption level: highest."
    With that said a hologram display appears in front of the massive mechanical man, displaying a video of a researcher and a woman; a past Supreme Guardian of Belobog. The scientist speaks up first:
    "This is the fruit of many years of research, Madame Guardian. The evidence is irrefutable: this so-called "Stellaron" is the source of all the destruction."
    The Supreme Guardian frowns briefly before shaking her head.
    "The people will struggle to accept this conclusion doctor. If we were to tell them that the almighty Alisa Rand activated this thing and triggered the Eternal Freeze..."
    The scientest sighs. "It's the truth, madam... The truth won't chance with the opinions of the people. The reports before you are the precious result of painstaking effort on the part of Belobog's greatest scholars. You must trust the weight of its conclusion..."
    "I have never doubted you, doctor." The Guardian replies. "On the contrary I am resolute in the face of this conclusion. From the moment I took up this mantle, that voice... Their voice- has made its home in my mind. I cannot shake them. --I shouldn't be telling you this- let's return to your research, doctor. I'm afraid I cannot make these reports known to the public. Unless..."
    "Unless? Unless what? Please proceed, madam..."
    "Unless you have found a way to completely destroy the Stellaron."
    A look of pain crosses the researcher's face as he nods gravely.
    "I understand. In the name of Preservation... I will fulfill this mission."
    This is where Svarog's voice breaks in as the video ends.
    "Cache number 13175 transmission complete. I will begin the next when you are ready."

    Stelle chuckles at March's glower, but then Svarog starts his archive recall. She watches and listens, brows furrowed as she takes in this information. The Express members don't speak, and the two locals keep their peace for now, though Bronya is looking a little dazed. Seele reaches over and lays a hand on the other woman's shoulder, which seems to steady Bronya's nerves a bit.

    Jessica watches this, but turns to Stelle. "CAN it be destroyed? I mean... I don't know much about this thing, but would destroying it be worse than the freeze? And if it can't be destroyed, is there a way to turn it off and get rid of it so it can't be used again?"

    Jessica glances at Svarog. "I know that he said people tended to want to control it, so just turning it off means that someone would still go after it."

    Talia remains stoic during the message, folding her arms while watching. She remains impassive, gritting her teeth as things continue. Eventually she settles, and the message ends. "Destroying it would prevent a lot of problems, but possibly cause others. What says it isn't just repaired later?"

    The rooster listens to both the messages, and the discussion around it. He bobs his head, "Hm. The pursuit of power is not, in itself, a bad thing. However, all too often those who do so are blind to the true costs, or perhaps do not care. I made that mistake once, it is a harsh lesson to learn." He fluffs his feathers a bit. "Making it unavailable would be the best means of stopping anyone from abusing it. Even if the current population can be trusted, the next generation may forget the reasons."

    Clara is largely silent for a long time as the ancient machine relays the video playback. Though Svarog himself turns that baleful red optic upon Talia.
    "Assessment: If the Supreme Guardian and generations of researchers were unable to destroy the Stellaron previously, the likelihood of its destruction is negligible." He replies pessimistically.
    "Watch." He says before pulling up another hologram: "Cache number 24830:"
    This time the scene that plays out is between a much younger researcher, a young girl in fact, and a now MUCH older man from the previous video, leaning heavily on a cane.
    "I don't understant, doctor! Why do we have to hide such valuable research results away? They're the work of a lifetime..." The girl says, indignant and outraged.
    The older researcher smiles tiredly. "You're... You're still young, child. There will come a day..." He pauses here due to a coughing fit, "A day when you do understand... The Supreme Guardian... Sh- she sees further than you or I. All her decisions are for the security of Belobog."
    To this, the young girl looks hurt.
    "I just think... It's a shame. Our research has hit an obstacle. Meanwhile your results will be buried in the snow..."
    The old researcher shakes his head slowly.
    Don't be upset, child. You still have lots of time ahead of you. When you find a way to destroy-" he coughs again, "To destroy the Stellaron... Our efforts will have been worth it."
    "Cache number 24830 transmission complete." Svarog says slowly. "To this day no viable means of destroying the Stellaron have been found."

    Stelle looks back to Jessica, rubbing the back of her head with an expression like 'Uhhh, dunno?' March and Dan Heng respond. "We have... methods, of sealing these things. Mister Yang and Miss Himeko have been dealing with Stellarons far longer than March and I have been on the Express." "Yeah! They figured out how to get me out of the ice I was in, and they figured out how to fix these Stellarons so they stop hurting people. We've got this, trust us."

    The next cache draws the Nameless' attention back. "Destroy? No. Seal and depower? Yes. These things are spawn of Nanook the Destruction... even another Aeon would find them difficult if not impossible to outright destroy." remarks Dan sadly.

    Bronya shakes her head. "They... they knew, the whole time..." she murmurs, disbelieving.

    That's unpleasant. Jessica makes a few faces, giving Bronya a sympathetic look. "Okay, so no way to destroy it, at least not without something so big it'd cause more damage than it's worth. Then I guess we have to seal it! I hope you all know what you're doing..."

    She looks at the robot again. "You said people kept trying to get to it and cause trouble? Do they think they can control it somehow? That just seems like a bad idea."

    Stroking his wattles again, Bi De hms. "Did they continue to search for a way to stop it? That is the real question." He doesn't say the implication aloud that they might not WANT the Eternal Freeze gone, that would be a bit cruel.

    Talia's mood darkens. "Had to open my mouth." She mutters to herself. She continues to listen, and she sighs at what she sees. "Controlling it seems impossible. Or at the least, not likely."

    "Humans always seek sources of power." Svarog replies to Jessica. "Hypothesis: The Stellaron in human control, would only lead to more destruction, as proven when Supreme Guardian Alisa Rand activated the Stellaron initially. But then Bi De asks something. The robot's optic shifts to look squarely at the rooster as he pulls up another video file:
    "Next transmission: Cache 57614."
    This time the video focuses on a young lady, looking squarely at the 'camera', an armed Belobog soldier at her side, aiming his weapon at the camera as well.
    "This is..." The young, next generation of Supreme Guardian starts to speak. "Why is there a robot here?" Her bodyguard answers her.
    "During his life, this was Doctor Mearsheimer's personal robot bodyguard. I heard it's a prototype from the great war. ... Since the doctor and all his assistants passed away, it has remained here. It hasn't moved an inch."
    "Oh," The Supreme Guardian says. "I see. Well let's start. We must unearth the doctor's research conclusions- all of them."
    "Madam Guardian." The bodyguard says after rifling through nearby files. "I've found them. All the documents are here."
    "Mm... Good. That'll do." The supreme Guardian says. There's a pause.
    "Madam Guardian, what should we do with the robot?" The soldier asks.
    She purses her lips thoughtfully. "Ah... It would seem a great waste to destroy it. Find someone to reset its system and then arrange for it to be sent to the Underworld. I hear that the development group is in need of a robot with defense capabilities." She decides while running her fingers over the documents placed in her hands.
    "I'm sorry, doctor... But these results must be taken care of by the Architects... One day, somebody will be able to carry out your behest..."
    "Cache number 57614 transmission... Complete. Concluding data transmission." Svarog says. "No further pertinent caches of record."

    "So... the truth is clear now, right?" asks March, looking around the group with a wary gaze. Stelle frowns a bit, "I didn't quite understand, can someone go over it again?" she asks, as Bronya falls into a tense silence.

    Dan Heng pipes up. "Putting minor details aside, this is the conclusion... Eminent individuals, not to mention the guardian herself, knew early on that the Stellaron was the source of the disaster on this world. But in order to maintain the peace, they decided to hide the truth. Secret research detailing a method for destroying a Stellaron ended in failure." he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose and frowning slightly. "Now only one question remains... Why would Cocolia exhibit such a sudden change in her attitude towards us?"

    Bronya's entire form is tense, to the point she's shaking just a little from her muscles cramping up from how tightly she's clenching herself in place.

    March spots this, and tentatively asks, "Bronya...? Are.. Are you okay?" she asks, shifting position just a little bit, a subtle movement to clear line of sight with her crewmates, and give the two melee fighters a clear path in case something drastic happens.

    Bronya blinks, releasing tension and seeming to 'come back' from wherever she was at that moment. "... I'm... I'm fine, I just... feel a little faint."

    Stelle gently reaches over, and places a hand on Bronya's shoulder. "This, must be a lot to take in." she says, which seems to cause Bronya to let go of her emotions a little. "Why..? Why, mother...? M-Maybe she wasn't away, maybe she..."

    Bargaining, the Guardian Apparent goes through the stages of grief before the groups eyes. Seele, blunt hammer of character development that she is, butts in. ".. I'm sorry, but it's no use lying to yourself, Bronya. It's time for you to make a decision."

    Natasha's voice wafts over then. "Hey... Miss Stelle, could I have a word with you? I know we'll all need some time to process all this, but we need to decide our next actions as soon as possible."

    "I don't know why, but maybe it has something to do with the Stellaron," Jessica says. "Or maybe... maybe she's just afraid of what would happen if things changed. I know it kind of sucks, but at least people are getting by. I know a lot of people are afraid of change." The catgirl shrugs lightly. "I don't get it, myself."