Catrin gave the AI a bright smile. “I'll try to blend in.” She laughed when Tara interjected. “Why, thank you,” she commented sarcastically. “Though frankly, I'd love to see what would happen if I just refused the honour, should it be bestowed upon me. Do they have people kidnapped?” she asked impishly.
“Hm. Mayflies? That... does seem to describe their life cycle, yes.”
“Hm. Mayflies? That... does seem to describe their life cycle, yes.”
"Kidnapping? Nothing so...vulgar." Tara said with a shake of her head, "Revered Elders are famous - or infamous - for being amongst the most patient and subtle of beings. They orchestrate plans, plots and gambles stretching over thousands of years, entire generations and histories. One such as that would very rarely stoop to the level of mere kidnapping to get what they want."
"Going against the wishes of a Revered Elder is like attempting to go against one of the prophecies of The Oracle; it never works, is usually painful and you end up doing little more than irritate someone of great power." The AI said, "That said, unless they had some very deep, highly complex plot revolving around speaking to you, they aren't likely to press the issue if you do manage to escape. In fact, they might be impressed enough to offer you their patronage."
"Of course, the masters of such plotting are the twins Bastet and Sehkmet. The Revered Elders who lead the Night-Walkers, our semi-mythical elite assassins and spies. I believe a few cults appeared worshiping them on some backwater planet a few thousand years ago when they went on a hunting holiday to a few of the more primitive regions of Senate Space." Tara said, "Of course, if you've caught their eyes, then you're likely to be already dead."
"Going against the wishes of a Revered Elder is like attempting to go against one of the prophecies of The Oracle; it never works, is usually painful and you end up doing little more than irritate someone of great power." The AI said, "That said, unless they had some very deep, highly complex plot revolving around speaking to you, they aren't likely to press the issue if you do manage to escape. In fact, they might be impressed enough to offer you their patronage."
"Of course, the masters of such plotting are the twins Bastet and Sehkmet. The Revered Elders who lead the Night-Walkers, our semi-mythical elite assassins and spies. I believe a few cults appeared worshiping them on some backwater planet a few thousand years ago when they went on a hunting holiday to a few of the more primitive regions of Senate Space." Tara said, "Of course, if you've caught their eyes, then you're likely to be already dead."
Catrin smiled at Tara's choice of words. Vulgar? But she didn't say anything and went on listening.
“Frankly, it seems like this scheming is as much amusement for them as a means to achieve goals,” she commented after Tara was done speaking. “Bastet and Sehkmet – wouldn't they happen to be the Hand and Claw of the King? Now those would be interesting to meet,” she said with a thoughtful expression, then she looked up at Tara and smiled. “But no worries, I won't be trying to find them.”
She looked pensive for a moment. “'Never works' actually sounds like a challenge, but I'm not planning to stay for thousands of years. On the other hand... I might as well. It would only be about a year back at home. Hm.”
“Frankly, it seems like this scheming is as much amusement for them as a means to achieve goals,” she commented after Tara was done speaking. “Bastet and Sehkmet – wouldn't they happen to be the Hand and Claw of the King? Now those would be interesting to meet,” she said with a thoughtful expression, then she looked up at Tara and smiled. “But no worries, I won't be trying to find them.”
She looked pensive for a moment. “'Never works' actually sounds like a challenge, but I'm not planning to stay for thousands of years. On the other hand... I might as well. It would only be about a year back at home. Hm.”
Tara nodded, "Indeed, the Hand and Claw, they've been under royal service since the days of Erisad Silverbrow, Erisad the Wise, himself, the Last King of the Second Kingdom." She then laughed, "I wouldn't worry about you looking for them. People don't go looking for them. They go looking for other people, and those others generally turn up dead, or not at all... or in pieces."
"As for the Elders... well, it does appear that they sometimes plot for the sake of plotting. By the time you reach their advanced age, manipulating entire species and civilisations becomes something of a mildly amusing hobby." The AI said, "Though some simply withdraw from mainstream society all together."
"As for the Elders... well, it does appear that they sometimes plot for the sake of plotting. By the time you reach their advanced age, manipulating entire species and civilisations becomes something of a mildly amusing hobby." The AI said, "Though some simply withdraw from mainstream society all together."
She shrugged when Tara described Bastet and Sehkmet's ways. “That's why looking for people like these usually involves catching their attention and then letting them come to you. How old are they, anyway?”
For a moment, Catrin felt an irrational distaste for these Elders that she chose not to voice. Then again, any of her siblings would wipe a whole species out without even blinking or giving it a second thought, and actually, so would she. For now, she concluded she was simply being snobbish.
She simply nodded at the AI's explanation.
For a moment, Catrin felt an irrational distaste for these Elders that she chose not to voice. Then again, any of her siblings would wipe a whole species out without even blinking or giving it a second thought, and actually, so would she. For now, she concluded she was simply being snobbish.
She simply nodded at the AI's explanation.
Tara blinked, "How old? Oh... uh... let me see... They served under King Erisad during the last few centuries of his reign, so that means they predate the present Era... then there was the three centuries interregnum after the Second Kingdom fell and then Nathaniel founded the Third... then his twins ascended the throne and the Fourth Era started...so... somewhere around eighteen and a half and nineteen thousand years old... or maybe it's between nineteen and a half and twenty..." She shrugged, "Either way, they're pretty old, but since our species is biologically immortal that doesn't really matter, except that it means they've had a hell of a long time to get good at what they do."
"Suffice it to say, we would rather you didn't do anything to get their attention." The AI said, "I rather like seeing Tara breathing and intact. You will admit she would look far less attractive as a corpse."
"Um...thanks...I think." Tara said.
"Suffice it to say, we would rather you didn't do anything to get their attention." The AI said, "I rather like seeing Tara breathing and intact. You will admit she would look far less attractive as a corpse."
"Um...thanks...I think." Tara said.
Catrin nodded. “That's a lot of experience in killing. Hmm. And they must really enjoy it to have been doing it for that long. “
She smiled at the AI and then took a good look at Tara. “I see your point. Indeed, her fur would probably become lank, and depending on how she would be killed, there'd probably be blood stains, or something like that. Unbecoming,” she concluded solemnly.
She smiled at the AI and then took a good look at Tara. “I see your point. Indeed, her fur would probably become lank, and depending on how she would be killed, there'd probably be blood stains, or something like that. Unbecoming,” she concluded solemnly.
"Indeed." The AI, "I've found that corpses generally give an unfair impression of their former living selves. They tend to look either ghastly, ugly or just plain comical."
Tara shook her head "You have a macabre sense of humour."
"I am a former military AI. I picked up a bit of soldier's back humour here and there." He replied, "And as for Bastet and Sehkmet... well, they are very good at it, I bet they could even give a Shinobi a run for his money, but whether or not they enjoy it... well, I suppose it is more the hunt than the actual kill."
"Indeed." Tara said, "I've heard that the best part of hunting is actually the tracking and trapping of your prey, not the actual killing part. Though I suppose eating the beast afterward is also enjoyable." She said as an afterthought."
Tara shook her head "You have a macabre sense of humour."
"I am a former military AI. I picked up a bit of soldier's back humour here and there." He replied, "And as for Bastet and Sehkmet... well, they are very good at it, I bet they could even give a Shinobi a run for his money, but whether or not they enjoy it... well, I suppose it is more the hunt than the actual kill."
"Indeed." Tara said, "I've heard that the best part of hunting is actually the tracking and trapping of your prey, not the actual killing part. Though I suppose eating the beast afterward is also enjoyable." She said as an afterthought."
Catrin nodded. “That's a very good point. I've never enjoyed hunting, and tend I to be very crude when it comes to killing, but I suppose it's different for a race of hunters. Hm.” She smiled at Tara. “Well, in order to keep you pretty and attractive, if I ever decide to draw attention to myself, I'll shapeshift into a different species and assume a completely different identity, unconnected to you. In fact, shapeshifting into a different appearance at least might be a good idea if I end up attending the festival.”
She gave it more thought and nodded. “Yes, that would probably be best. And I'll leave anything that isn't inert behind, and learn some shielding spells against prying mages. In fact, I should be able to throw in an illusion of energetically being someone who can't handle magic at all, if I understand the local magic enough.” It was almost as if she was speaking to herself and forgot that Tara and the AI are there.
She gave it more thought and nodded. “Yes, that would probably be best. And I'll leave anything that isn't inert behind, and learn some shielding spells against prying mages. In fact, I should be able to throw in an illusion of energetically being someone who can't handle magic at all, if I understand the local magic enough.” It was almost as if she was speaking to herself and forgot that Tara and the AI are there.
The AI nodded, "Wise precautions. We will, of course, assist in whatever way we can."
"Hm, the party should be fun." Tara aid, "I should just watch myself, I tend to overindulge at festivals like this."
The AI smiled slightly, "Yes... oh, Catrin, perhaps it would be best if you changed into a Terelain for the duration of the festival; your presence would arouse less attention than an alien."
"Hm, the party should be fun." Tara aid, "I should just watch myself, I tend to overindulge at festivals like this."
The AI smiled slightly, "Yes... oh, Catrin, perhaps it would be best if you changed into a Terelain for the duration of the festival; your presence would arouse less attention than an alien."
Catrin smiled and nodded a “thank you” to the AI, then she smiled at Tara. “Really? So you're not a withered thousand-year old scientist? Watching you overindulge could be fun!” Or at least Catrin seemed to think so.
She pondered the AI's suggestion for a moment, then she gave Tara a mischievous smile. “Let's see how that would go.” She got undressed in a few moments and then started to change shape. Her head shape changed, ears moved up, the upper chest expanded a little, her hands changed into paws and so did her feet. Then she started growing fur, rather quickly. Some detail adjustment later, a second Tara, slightly heavier and taller, was standing before Tara and the AI. She smiled, revealing sharp teeth. “How do I look?”
She pondered the AI's suggestion for a moment, then she gave Tara a mischievous smile. “Let's see how that would go.” She got undressed in a few moments and then started to change shape. Her head shape changed, ears moved up, the upper chest expanded a little, her hands changed into paws and so did her feet. Then she started growing fur, rather quickly. Some detail adjustment later, a second Tara, slightly heavier and taller, was standing before Tara and the AI. She smiled, revealing sharp teeth. “How do I look?”
"Like a taller version o me." Tara said with a curious expression, "Is... is that how I really look?"
"Ah... yes Mistress, most similar." The AI said.
"Hm... I thought my tail was longer." She said.
"You look fine, Mistress." The AI said with some amusement, "Though I would suggest that you make a few other alterations, Miss Catrin, to prevent confusion."
"And maybe put on some jewelry." Tara said with a chuckle, "You're still entirely naked by my people's standards, such as they are."
"Ah... yes Mistress, most similar." The AI said.
"Hm... I thought my tail was longer." She said.
"You look fine, Mistress." The AI said with some amusement, "Though I would suggest that you make a few other alterations, Miss Catrin, to prevent confusion."
"And maybe put on some jewelry." Tara said with a chuckle, "You're still entirely naked by my people's standards, such as they are."
Catrin smiled at the AI and belatedly realized that she'll have to smile less widely from now on. “Of course. This was just a practical joke.” She waggled her tail and then she tried a few basic moves to get used to the new body.
She smiled at Tara, too, when she mentioned the nudity, and then suddenly three simple interwoven rings appeared on her left hand – a dark grey, green and blue one, without any ornamentation. She looked at Tara hopefully. “Better?”
Then she set about altering her appearance – turned her eyes golden brown and changed their size and shape a bit, widened her face a little and did some other minor alterations there, then she proceeded to the body, where she mostly just changed fur colour. She ended up being dark brown, with greyish linear markings, and her face was probably less attractive than Tara's now, and shaped quite differently. It only took a minute.
She smiled at Tara, too, when she mentioned the nudity, and then suddenly three simple interwoven rings appeared on her left hand – a dark grey, green and blue one, without any ornamentation. She looked at Tara hopefully. “Better?”
Then she set about altering her appearance – turned her eyes golden brown and changed their size and shape a bit, widened her face a little and did some other minor alterations there, then she proceeded to the body, where she mostly just changed fur colour. She ended up being dark brown, with greyish linear markings, and her face was probably less attractive than Tara's now, and shaped quite differently. It only took a minute.
Tara smiled, "Well, I suppose so, though custom would dictate that you should have more than just finger rings on, but it isn't all that important at the moment."
Once she was done changing, the AI said, "That seems sufficient. Rather attractive in a Moralinri sort of way." The AI smiled, "Though you might want to take care of how you move your tale. You just insulted seventeen generations of my ancestors in an anatomically impossible fashion... if I had true ancestors... who had an anatomy..."
Tara giggled, putting a hand over her mouth, "Oh, I may as well warn you. Never touch a Terelain's tail without permission. It is considered to be... well, too personal, rude. It is taboo and it is quite insulting, as in duel-to-the-death kind of insulting."
Once she was done changing, the AI said, "That seems sufficient. Rather attractive in a Moralinri sort of way." The AI smiled, "Though you might want to take care of how you move your tale. You just insulted seventeen generations of my ancestors in an anatomically impossible fashion... if I had true ancestors... who had an anatomy..."
Tara giggled, putting a hand over her mouth, "Oh, I may as well warn you. Never touch a Terelain's tail without permission. It is considered to be... well, too personal, rude. It is taboo and it is quite insulting, as in duel-to-the-death kind of insulting."
Catrin nodded, touched one of the rings, then touched her arm and it was suddenly a simple grey arm band. “How about this? Is that acceptable?” she asked Tara and then gave the AI a truly horrified look, which probably turned out funny, when he mentioned the tail. “Damn. Um... I don't suppose there's an instruction video on offensive tail moves here somewhere. Not touching tails I can do, but not being offensive with mine?” She looked at Tara now, a little helplessly.
Tara shrugged, "Not really. It is the sort of thing one picks up in their childhood. A good thing too, since most Terelain languages rely rather heavily on body language in order to be fully understood." She laughed, "I suppose I'll be spending the rest of our trip home teaching you how not to swear like a sailor with every tail-twitch." She seemed to find the whole thing vastly amusing.
"I shall endeavor not to take offense at any inadvertent insults you may throw at me, Miss Catrin." The AI said with a smile, and then in a joking manner he said, "I will similarly refrain from throwing you out of the airlock for your prior insult."
"I shall endeavor not to take offense at any inadvertent insults you may throw at me, Miss Catrin." The AI said with a smile, and then in a joking manner he said, "I will similarly refrain from throwing you out of the airlock for your prior insult."
For a few moments, Catrin had the expression and stance of a thoroughly wet Terran cat. Then she looked at the AI. “Wait. Where did you learn about what is offensive and what isn't?”
After asking her question, she went back to looking crestfallen when she considered spending the whole time like this and learning about etiquette.
After asking her question, she went back to looking crestfallen when she considered spending the whole time like this and learning about etiquette.
"Seven hundred years of direct experience, and an entire preloaded database and gesture recognition software suite." The AI said cheerily, "I could read the body language of virtually every species in Senate Space the instant I was first brought online."
"In other words; AIs cheat." Tara said.
"It's not cheating." He protested, "It's a natural advantage of the species... well... um... kind of."
"You do not have that luxury, unfortunately." Tara said, "And I do not possess a learn-sim that would help you."
"A learn-sim, or learning simulation, is basically a virtual reality lesson in a particular subject, so hat days, or even years of study can be compressed into a few seconds or minutes." The AI explained, "But we don't have one for Terelain body language."
"In other words; AIs cheat." Tara said.
"It's not cheating." He protested, "It's a natural advantage of the species... well... um... kind of."
"You do not have that luxury, unfortunately." Tara said, "And I do not possess a learn-sim that would help you."
"A learn-sim, or learning simulation, is basically a virtual reality lesson in a particular subject, so hat days, or even years of study can be compressed into a few seconds or minutes." The AI explained, "But we don't have one for Terelain body language."
Catrin moved her ears so that she gained a thoughtful expression, and waved her tail again in a no-doubt insulting fashion. She didn't look all that downcast anymore. “Hmmm. I could cheat, too. Everyone culture has a sort of a database of symbols, on a... eh... metaphysical level. I can try taping into it and accepting it into my body. Then I still wouldn't consciously know what is offensive and what isn't, but my body would.” She frowned. “But I'd probably have to be in the same space as the Terelains to be able to do that. And I'd still have to learn about etiquette just to be able to discern when someone is insulting me. Hmpf.”
She smiled at Tara. “At least it should give you a week of my cursing like a sailor. Still, I suppose I should get used to this body, which means basically exercise. Do you have an area reserved for that? Or can I just do it anywhere?”
She smiled at Tara. “At least it should give you a week of my cursing like a sailor. Still, I suppose I should get used to this body, which means basically exercise. Do you have an area reserved for that? Or can I just do it anywhere?”
"Hm, how curious. I'd love to have an ability like that." Tara said with a smile, "As for exercise, just do it anywhere. The ship's too small to have a gym."
"Or much of anything." The AI said, "I miss being a cruiser."
Tara's ears and tailed twitched into a gesture of frustration and mild amusement, "Yes, well I'm a scholar, not a soldier. So you'll have to put up with being in a tiddly, unarmed little yacht."
"If the company was worse, I'd call it hell. Luckily, your presence more than makes up for being stuck in this tiny pathetic excuse for a spaceship." The AI said.
Tara laughed, "If you weren't a computer I'd swear you were flirting with me."
"Then thank the gods we both know I'm not." The AI replied with a smile.
"Or much of anything." The AI said, "I miss being a cruiser."
Tara's ears and tailed twitched into a gesture of frustration and mild amusement, "Yes, well I'm a scholar, not a soldier. So you'll have to put up with being in a tiddly, unarmed little yacht."
"If the company was worse, I'd call it hell. Luckily, your presence more than makes up for being stuck in this tiny pathetic excuse for a spaceship." The AI said.
Tara laughed, "If you weren't a computer I'd swear you were flirting with me."
"Then thank the gods we both know I'm not." The AI replied with a smile.
You are on: Forums » Sci-Fi Roleplay » Travellers (Semi-Open RP between Tara and Catrin)