abstract
| - Vollista Outpost Landing Deck This massive round pad is suspended over the sheer gray mountainside. Wind whistles around the weathered structure, which shows little evidence of recent, consistent use. A protective railing serves as a meager barrier to the panoramic view of the rocky mountains that the outpost clings to. Far below and sprawling along the base of the peaks, a rich growth of navy blue pine trees covers like a blanket. A small lake is also noticable among the pine forest immediately below the outpost, reflecting the green-tinted sunlight. The sky itself is a tumult of green plasma tentacles, wrapping across the sky like a fantastic spaceborne highway with the flaring emerald star of Volir at the center. A small structure has been built of the rough gray stone of the mountainside. It stands near the stairway which pierces the protective railing and leads down the mountain. Through its thick plastic windows several Vollistans can be seen; they politely check to be side no visitors to the planet carry psi blockers with small handheld devices they carry. The landing pad is empty. Except for the tall, darkly cloaked figure who simply stands there, not to far from the Haste. The hood of his cloak is back, revealing his face. He appears to be studying the Haste, watching it closely. Ruin and Leodhais are coming from the direction of the Radiance shuttle, keeping together as they come back to their ship. Laughing, Voliast says: ~I vote bar.~ as he disembarks, and dashes along ahead of Scheur, using his lanky legs to his advantage in outdistancing her. He pauses suddenly, seemingly lost in thought, eyes closed. His robe is adjusted, Aura fading slowly toward black. He then shakes it off and resumes his walking onward at a slow clip toward the Radiance shuttle. The figure in black gets a glance, but little more from the former Intermezzo. Volouscheur darts down the ramp of the Haste after Iast, aura shimmering tangerine and gold, streamers of cherry winding around her lower body. She's laughing mentally - for the first few steps at least. She slows when Iast does, aura dimming and laughter cutting off. She blinks at her Joined, ~Iast?~ She pauses, looking over towards the figure in black, tilting her head to one side. It also ought to be mentioned, at this point, that Scheur is absolutely starkers. Leodhais stays close to Ruin, and glances first at the figure in black and then at Scheur - and then quickly back to the figure in black. "Hmm?" The figure in black, well, he watches the two Vollistans disembark from the Haste, his expression doesn't seem to change. He turns his gaze over towards the two humans approaching, and mearly watches them. Ruin sees the figure at about the same time, frowning. "No aura, Leodh," he murmurs, slowing up. Stun gun near his hand? Oh yes. Wary caution. Voliast walks over to Scheur, placing his arms around her form, and then watches Ruin and Leodhais, whispering for Scheur's ear only: "We'll stay until they get on the ship." His hands wander freely over her naked form, tongue dancing along her neckline. Volouscheur leans into Iast's touch, but seems distracted, at least half of her attention on the figure in black. ~I know him from somewhere, Iast. I'm /sure/ I do; his mind feels familiar.~ Streamers of apricot wind around her now, her gaze fixed on Nait. Leodhais instinctively moves closer to Ruin, his fists clenching, hand going to his hip, as they continue their way warily towards the ship. "I noticed," he murmurs back. The two other Vollistans are ignored for now, the figure in black approaches the two humans nearing him, once in earshot he stops. After a moment, he raises his arm to point to the Haste and says "Tomin Kora" that's it, nothing more. His voice /sounds/ Vollistan, but it has another quality to it, almost depressed. Ruin blinks. "...I've been there, yes," says Ruin quietly, his hand now resting on the grip of a gun. "Are you making an accusation or asking for passage?" Scheur's nudity is quite ignored at the moment; Ruin looks to Voliast, waiting. Voliast blinks momentarily, then shakes his head, transmitting mentally to Ruin only: ~Stand down. Be careful, but stand down. He is not one of theirs. Just a confused and lost individual looking to leave this world. Tell him we will take him when we go.~ Meanwhile, he says quietly to Nait on a mental channel: ~You wish to travel to Tomin Kora when we depart?" He keeps an arm protectively around Scheur's shoulders. There's a sudden flare of yellow from Scheur and she pulls away from Iast lightly - not making a real attempt to get away, more an assertion that she doesn't need protection just now. Holding one hand up to Ruin, she echoes Iast, ~No weapons, Ruin. Especially not if this is who I...think he might be...~ Her attention returns to Nait, streamers of apricot winding around her as she says, tentatively, ~....Volissenait? Is that you..?~ Leodhais watches silently, remaining close to Ruin, still tense and on guard. "Passage" the cloaked figure says, still in the direction of the humans, before his eyes flick over to Voliast ~Yes~ is the reply to the other Vollistan, before the eyes dart back to the two humans. His eyes don't seem to have registered the gun Ruin's got his hand on. His eyes suddenly widen, his head slowly turns to Scheur ~You know me!?~ he says aloud mentally, his psionic voice imposing at the least, eyes still wide, possibly with fright, possibly with sheer surprise. Voliast doesn't seem inclined to interfere with Scheur's progress, but does cough and announce aloud: ~You know, we had plans to mate like ferretmonkeys until sunrise...~ He glances over at Nait, and says telepathically: "Behave, invade no-one's mind, and rest. We will not leave for a little bit." He looks at Scheur, expectantly, smirking and gazing over her naked form. Ruin takes his hand away from his gun, nodding at Leodhais. "Scheur?" he asks, approaching. "You know him?" Volouscheur nods to Ruin, ~He's my uncle. Volissenait. We...we all thought he was lost, with the rest, when Sanctuary left; I never knew him. But all of us kids were taught what his mind-pattern feels like, in case he /wasn't/ lost.~ She glances at Iast and then at Nait again, saying, ~My Joined and I have...plans already, for tonight. But we can talk tomorrow, if you want, uncle.~ Leodhais relaxes a bit more, following after Ruin as he approaches the Vollistans, still quiet and somewhat on guard. Everyone on the pad is ignored by the darkly clad Vollistan, except for Scheur. He looks at her, the look of surprise and fear embrazened on his face. He backs up a step, then another, mouthing "No...No...No..." Laughing, Voliast actually walks over and gives a faint smile, though it does not extend to his eyes, and his aura is matte green in the present. His arm shifts around Scheur's naked waist as he tilts his head to Nait, then prepares to drag the female Vollistan with him. He pauses as Nait proceeds to back off, sighing. He then says, quietly and telepathically, but with force: ~If you're going to have a nervous breakdown, don't do it all over our ship.~ The doctor tenses, watching closely. "...Uncle," Ruin echoes distantly. And then, "...Lost." He reaches out, almost absently, to touch Leodhais' shoulder. "Onto the ship with you," he says to Leodhais. Volouscheur hugs Iast lightly, not fighting if he does start to drag her off. She watches Nait as well, though, confusion - and a strong feeling of comfort - radiating from her. Leodhais looks up at Ruin, a questioning look in his eyes. "Okay," he says, sounding puzzled. "You'll be on shortly, yes?" Voliast does indeed drag her off, leaving the area only once Ruin and Leodhais seem to have relaxed, but, they are indeed gone for the night at this point, unless true distress occurs, in which case the doctor will come running. "Once I have some idea what's going on, yes," Ruin nods, his tone still rather distant. "You can watch from the cockpit if you like." Volissenait continues to slowly back off, still giving Scheur the fearful look, although he seems to have recovered from the shock, and stops mouthing words. Leodhais looks at Ruin for a long moment. "I'll see you in a while then," he says, and then heads off to the ship. Volouscheur lets herself get dragged off by Iast, glancing back towards Nait a few times. She still seems confused, towards him, and continues to offer the feeling of comfort as long as she's in range. Ruin simply waits, radiating a kind of calm still blankness. "Not yet," he says, quietly distant. "When you've had time to talk to Scheur, and we're ready to go. But not yet." When Scheur is out of sight, and out of range, the strange cloaked figure seems to regain control of himself. He stops backing up, and his face returns neutral once again. ~No questions, passage to Tomin Kora~ he says, his psionic voice just as imposing as before, in fact, it probably sounds something like a shout. He turns to look at Ruin, eyes focusing on the human. Ruin draws his stun gun, pointing it at the Vollistan. "I am the Captain," he says flatly. "Not Voliast or Volouscheur. I will decide if you board my ship. Not them. Don't try anything on me or on my crew, or the question won't be whether we take you to TK, but whether we kill you." The Vollistan stares long and hard at Ruin. "Bring me to Tomin Kora, and I will not touch you" is his slow, and forceful reply. The IND Saviour's Haste the turret guns come out as the weapons system powers us, and they make a slow grinding mechanical noise as they shift, aiming. Ruin puts his gun away. "You have it backwards," he says quietly. "Don't touch my crew, and I'll be willing to talk passage with you, wherever you want to go." The Vollistan continues to watch Ruin, eyes never moving from the Captain of the Haste, even with the movement of the guns "I wont touch your crew" he repeats. "Or me," nods Ruin, indicating the turret guns. "...It wouldn't go well. For a variety of reasons." Volissenait seems to ignor Ruins comment "Do you leave today?" he says, still watching the man. "No, we do not," says Ruin quietly. "We just got here. If Scheur and Iast will vouch for you, and you leave my crew and I untouched, I'll let you know when we're ready to leave." "I will return" is all the strange Vollistan says, cloak billowing behind him as he turns, heading away at a rapid pace on his long legs. Ruin shakes his head, a degree of normalcy returning to his demeanor as he heads up the ramp. "I'll just bet you will," he says, disappearing inside.
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