World Tree MUSH

    EARLIER

    It's been a couple of days since the whole Jarilo-VI endeavour ended. The Astral Express is sitting in deep space somewhere along the silver rail, and the passengers aboard have been summoned to the parlour car for a Warp Navigation meeting.

    March and Stelle are in the residental car, attempting to wake Dan Heng to join in... he seems to be catching up after the experience in Belobog and groggily calls out. "I'm awake! I... I'll be there soon."

    March chuckles. "We trailblazers can go for days without sleep, but once we hit the hay, we have to make up for it! Come on, he'll catch up, we can't be late after all, or Pom Pom'll get mad." she starts to turn away, then seems to remember something. "Oh right, remember you drew the short straw, so you need to wash the coffee cups this week!"

    Stelle groans a bit, but doesn't otherwise complain... anyone who's smelled Himeko's coffee would sympathize.

    NOW

    "Morning Stelle. You're punctual~." calls Himeko.
    Stelle smirks, "Punctual is my middle name!" she states proudly.
    Himeko titters softly. "Well hang onto it, it's cute." she taps her chin. "Since the Trailblazing expedition on Jarilo-VI has come to a close, we need to head to the next planet... we'll be starting the meeting to pick our destination as soon as Pom Pom's ready."

    Talia has been meditating, regaining her focus. It's been a hell of an adventure going through Jarilo-VI, and Talia's sad to leave all the people they helped out, but it's time to move on. So, when she was ready to meet with Himeko in the morning, she made sure her tunic was presentable. Talia even did her hair this morning!

    "I'm eager to decide our next course of action." She said primly to Himeko.

    The Astral Express has a visitor! ... Two visitors to be exact!
    Clara is here! ... And that means Svarog is here in the parlor car too. The underworlders have hitched a ride to come say hello, and that means Clara is settled in a seat having a small cup of tea while Svarog stares out the window at the passage of space.
    "Oh. Hello, Big Sister Stelle." Clara says. "March was just warning us that you might be late dealing with 'a coffee related crisis'." Whatever that means.

    "That makes sense, though," Jessica murmurs as she finds a spot out of the way, trying not to get in front of anyone. "It can take a lot to recover from all that stress!" She bites her lip, shrinking into her seat a little with the ears splaying shyly.
    But, that doesn't stop her from asking, "Can we find a warmer planet?"

    Bi De chuckles, cracking open one eye. The rooster is cozy, plumply nestled somewhere to the side. No one would guess he's a fighter, he looks too... content. "This one could offer to wake up everyone at an appointed time. I am told that I have a talent for that."

    Stelle winces at Clara, "Ixney on the Offecay." she bites through gritted teeth, glancing at Himeko who appears blissfully ignorant... talking to Talia. "As are we all. Take a seat Lady Kyras, we'll be starting soon."

    Welt adjusts his glasses, and chuckles softly next to Bi De. "I am sure you do, but I would ask you to refrain, we don't want to accidentally brea any of the windows. The Vacuum of space has an adverse effect on most beings." he glances at Svarog. "Though some are more resiliant than others."

    Once everyone is seated, Pom Pom arrives, and clears his throat. His voice, while high pitched, manages to reach the entire car without him having to shout. "Passengers and Guests! The warp navigation meeting will now begin." he says, trotting into the middle of the polished floor that holds the seating area. "First order of business. Pom-Pom wants to congratulate you, the Nameless and their friends, for successfully resolving the problems at the previous stop. The Express is now able to continue along the Star Rail!"

    March perches next to Jessica. "We actually managed to pull it off, huh?" she remarks, smiling at the catgirl.

    "It's now time for your conductor... that's me... to reveal the options for our next stop."

    Just as Pom-Pom's about to continue, a hologram appears at the base of the stairs leading to the residential car. A woman with mauve hair, dead eyes and a striking sense of style stands with an umbrella open. "Long time no see Astral Express Crew... It's Kafka." she says, her voice silky smooth and sounding just like a predator that's caught its favorite prey.

    Welt adjusts his glasses, eyes narrowing as he grips his cane just a little bit tighter. Himeko frowns, her face growing hard as she stares daggers at the hologram.

    "I came at a good time, you're all here~." continues Kafka, looking around at the gathered. "Even those plucky out-versers too, I'm doubly lucky~." The hologram walks down the center of the car, gait smooth and sure. "Every, single, one." she doesn't look at Stelle, but anyone could tell she was speaking directly to the newest Nameless.

    "No need for the mysterious introduction." says Himeko, looking at her nails and not bothing to keep the disdain from her tone. "Stellaron Hunter."

    The umbrella vanishes in a glitching of the hologram, and Kafka turns, smiling in a way that reaches the eyes, but isn't a pleasant sight. "Himeko, correct?" she shrugs, walking to one of the tables. "Apologies for interrupting your little get-together, but once you've heard my request, I'm sure you'll forgive me." She mimes tapping on a keyboard or other kind of terminal, turning to look askance at the gathering. "I'd like you to make a.. destination alteration."

    "Please, just Talia is fine." THe Jedi says, and she takes a seat besides Clara for tea time. She even helps herself to a delicious shortbread biscuit too. "It was a long and hard process, but I'm glad we went to the trouble of it for the results we achieved. Hopefully the people of Belobog can endure from here, underworld or overworld alike."

    She nods in agreement with Jessica. A warmer world would be nice, admittedly. "Hopefully something with nice beaches, too."

    As the hologram comes on, Talia sits up a bit more presentable. "Ahh, seems we've a guest here." She says, raising an eyebrow as Kafka's likeness comes on. "I think you have some of us at something of a disadvantage, Miss...?"

    Ix-nay on the offecay?
    Clara blinks innocently.
    She couldn't have known!
    Nevertheless, it looks like the Astral Express will be moving on, and that makes the girl pout a little as she pours Talia a cup of tea when the jedi sets next to her.
    And then hologram.
    Clara leans over to Talia...
    "Who is that?"
    She asks as though Talia has any clue herself.

    Bi De just huffs with a little clucking sound. "I am proud of my voice, but to say I can shatter the windows of this place would give me too much credit. I am a warrior and a singer, not a warrior who fights with song." He doesn't look offended, just a little huffy.

    As the image displays, Bi De turns his head. "It is like a message crystal. Are you choosing where we go next?"

    Jessica's eyes go wide at what Talia says. "D-don't jinx it!" she hisses. "If you say that we'll end up on a beach and some volcano will be erupting and we'll be fighting lava monsters or something! If we end up on a beach at all!" She huffs, "My last vacation wasn't very fun because of that."

    She pauses and thinks, "When have I had a vacation that was fun...?" Her thoughts are interrupted by Kafka, and she perks ears up in puzzled curiosity.

    Kafka 'leans' against the table... probably against whatever terminal she used as she seems to be 'floating' an inch away from the one on the Express. "I already told you my name, dear, try to keep up~." she replies to Talia, her acid-sweet smile never leaving her lips.

    Himeko folds her arms under her chest. "I've seen your face before, Stellaron Hunter, even if it was only on a wanted poster from the IPC. They were offering quite the bounty. Dead or alive. Do you know the figure?"

    Kafka silently chuckles. "Doesn't concern me. Then again, a Corporation bounty is a compliment, not an insult, don't you think? The higher the figure, the bigger the compliment."

    Himeko shrugs. "I will say that Herta certainly paid you all a compliment. 'A maniac(Elio) that claims he can see destiny, leading a bunch of wild lunatics(Stellaron Hunters) in pursuit of the most dangerous objects in the universe!' ... And Herta doesn't give out compliments very often."

    Kafka walks closer to the gathering as Himeko speaks, her expression set in that fake friendly mask... even her eyes don't give any hint of how she's feeling under that fusilade.

    "'In pursuit of the most dangerous objects in the universe, huh? In that sense, you Astral Expressers and I are cut from the same cloth~."

    Himeko doesn't seem flustered by Kafka's flippancy, but doesn't try to cover her sheer disdain. "You're in the wrong place, Kafka. We're not about to accept your request, and we're not going to get into bed with a Stellaron Hunter. It was nice chatting, maybe you could come in person next time instead of..." she gestures vaguely.

    Kafka shrugs. "Have you guys heard of the Luofu?" she asks simply. Stelle and March are clearly unfamiliar, Himeko and Welt share a glance, before the latter speaks up. "The Xianzhou Luofu? It belongs to the Hexafleet of the Xianzhou Alliance. We've heard of it, yes."

    "I'll take a bet, that you haven't heard it's quite close to you right now. A couple of jumps away in fact." She finally changes her expression, the mask slipping and a more genuine sense of her emotions showing through. She's /worried/ about something. "Not to mention, 45 system hours ago... a Stellaron Burst occured aboard the Luofu." She folds her arms. "An unexpected calamity... don't you think?"

    So not so much recording and more an actual holoconference. Great. Talia can work with this. "Forgive me, I'm working off three-hours of sleep." She murmurs, trying to stifle a yawn as she gulps down delicious caffeinated tea.

    Wait, isn't Clara drinking this? Isn't it bad to give caffeine to kids?

    But to business. "And you want /us/ to look into this? Seems a bit convenient we happen to be so close to the system." She gives Himeko a glance. This feels far too good to be a coincidence.

    But what's Kafka's interest in this?

    For his part, Bi De doesn't like this at all. He glances at the others, but nobody is explaining this, so that just makes him flutter his wings and make a soft clucking noise.

    "I dislike being 'told' where to go by someone I have no knowledge of."

    A little tea isn't going to hurt Clara, really.
    It's not like it's Himeko's coffee.
    But now Svarog's attention has turned.
    "The damage the Stellaron caused on Jarilo-VI was astronomical. What do you intend to do with the Sellarons you acquire." He demands rather calmly given the situation. Nevertheless he goes quiet for a beat.
    "Another Stellaron activating however is something that should be looked into."
    "Oh. Are we going on a trip, then?" Clara seems ready for it.

    Welt is in the same boat as Talia. "What exactly are you Stellaron Hunters trying to do?" he asks incredulous... not about the Stellaron Burst, but about Kafka's group apparently going after the Xianzhou Alliance. "The Xianzhou Alliance aren't us -- They won't give you time to explain. Once you draw the attention of The Hunt(Lan), you become THEIR prey. The Alliance will hunt you to the end of the universe and beyond." Himeko adds in, "Stop speaking in riddles. Say what you have to say and be done with it."

    Kafka shrugs helplessly. "It's simple, really. That Stellaron has nothing to do with us, but the Xianzhou are convinced that we're responsible." The hologram the begins to shift. The moving figure of Kafka transitioning from the shoes up into a static image of a male, while Kafka continues to narrate. "My companion, Blade, has been taken away by the Cloud Knights. I want to bring him back, resolve the Stellaron crissi, and clear our names".

    March chimes in, from trying to console an overwhelmed seeming Jessica. "Nothing to do with you? Yeah, right. Sounds like a real weird coincidence to me. You just happened to show up after a Stellaron burst?" she stands and plants her hands on her hips, leaning forward at the waist. "And we're not your friends, why should we even care if one of you is innocent or not?"

    Stelle frowns a bit... "We should seal the Stellaron and help the Xianzhou... it's the right thing to do."

    March is about to protest, but Kafka cuts back in, resuming control of the hologram, and its form shifting back to hers. "Well, you could ignore it, local space hasn't been affected by the Stellaron yet. That means you could make the jump safely to your next destination... But, sooner or later, the Star Rail would just end up more blocked off than it was before." She lowers her tone, a predator circling around for the kill. "I can tell you what the future holds: If you don't go to the Luofu, the Stellaron will eventually contaminate the entire ship, and over half the inhabitants will perish." she looks to Bi De. "I'm just letting you all know the stakes... what you do with this information is on you all, not me." she adds, giving the rooster that acid smile.

    Talia crosses her arms. Kafka's got her in a box. Helping these people and sealing it is the best thing to do. They HAVE the ability, after all, but Kafka has a knack for making this feel like it's benefiting her somehow, in a way that Talia doesn't really like. Blast it. Talia tightens her jaw, resigned to what comes next.

    "Well it's... true we should help those people..." Jessica admits, shrinking into her seat a little bit. Definitely not thrilled at how Kafka seems to be... pushing them. But really what choice do they have?

    Well, technically she's a mercenary so has plenty of choice, doesn't she? But that doesn't mean she wants people to die.

    Himeko pipes up. "This companion of yours, Blade? He'd perish too, right?" she asks.

    Kafka doesn't hesitate, "No comment." she then makes a gesture to someone outside the holocapture device's field, and the various phones aboard the Express ping on recieving a transmission. "Here's the coordinates. What you do with this information is up to you." she says, then gives a little half-bow. "Our destinations may differ, but the orbits of the stars will eventually converge. See you later~." those dead eyes stare directly at Stelle as she speaks, before the hologram winks out.

    Himeko's entire form deflates a little bit, all the tension leaving her now Kafka's gone. "March, go get Dan Heng." she says, causing the pinkette to scamper off.