That's #$%&ing weird.
Vivian had slid all the way down, almost bouncing back up when she hit the floor since the gravity was missing, but managing to grab the ladder instinctively and hold herself in place.
Now she sat as still as she could manage and stared, one hand still holding onto the ladder and watching with fascination the creature moving out among the space, too mesmerized at first to follow after Trouble as the other finally spoke and then kept going.
Vivian had slid all the way down, almost bouncing back up when she hit the floor since the gravity was missing, but managing to grab the ladder instinctively and hold herself in place.
Now she sat as still as she could manage and stared, one hand still holding onto the ladder and watching with fascination the creature moving out among the space, too mesmerized at first to follow after Trouble as the other finally spoke and then kept going.
Gem lets out a series of high-pitched, entirely involuntary squawks. "You don't know what that is?" she trills, and pushes her way up to the nearest handhold. "You've known about everything so far! Don't you... live out here? Aren't you from space?" She searches for the next handhold, decides it would be easier to move through this gravity-free space if she were slightly larger, and focuses inward.
Within a few moments, she can feel her body tensing and shifting once again, and soon she is back in her cat form. She pulls herself up to sit on her current handhold, sits back on her haunches, and prepares to leap to the next handhold. Despite her best efforts, her tail is at maximum puff; even when that thing is only in the corner of her eye, she still feels a sense of deep foreboding.
Within a few moments, she can feel her body tensing and shifting once again, and soon she is back in her cat form. She pulls herself up to sit on her current handhold, sits back on her haunches, and prepares to leap to the next handhold. Despite her best efforts, her tail is at maximum puff; even when that thing is only in the corner of her eye, she still feels a sense of deep foreboding.
0814 turns back to Gemma momentarily and simply states. “It is not within the Lotus’ codex, it is outside the knowledge of the Tenno.”
At that same time, the box, still in the vicinity of Vivian’s shoulder, begins vibrating... violently.
At that same time, the box, still in the vicinity of Vivian’s shoulder, begins vibrating... violently.
Staring out into the void, Vivian's thoughts became lost somewhere in the darkness between the stars until the box she had wrapped in an arm above her shoulder started to rattle.
Glancing over at it buzzing against her skin, she let out a sigh and rolled her eyes.
"If nobody wants this...gun, I'm just gonna leave it." She said as she curled her arms and feet through and around rungs on the ladder while carefully shifting the box down from her shoulder.
If there's no one who speaks up about the gun--Vivian will pass the box to them if so, after removing the tome--Vivian will send the box back up the ladder once everyone is past her with a gentle push once she's got the tome in one hand.
Still entangled with the ladder, she'll open the book, grumbling something under her breath about 'better be important.'
Glancing over at it buzzing against her skin, she let out a sigh and rolled her eyes.
"If nobody wants this...gun, I'm just gonna leave it." She said as she curled her arms and feet through and around rungs on the ladder while carefully shifting the box down from her shoulder.
If there's no one who speaks up about the gun--Vivian will pass the box to them if so, after removing the tome--Vivian will send the box back up the ladder once everyone is past her with a gentle push once she's got the tome in one hand.
Still entangled with the ladder, she'll open the book, grumbling something under her breath about 'better be important.'
Upon the books pages the flowing script once again appears.
It is true, so we must act. Quickly, tell me... is it as beautiful as he described?
It is true, so we must act. Quickly, tell me... is it as beautiful as he described?
Vivian's eyes widened as she stared down at the book, the reality of her situation slamming into her blindside.
Her instincts screamed for her to snap the book shut, to drop it like it it had been set aflame in her hands, or maybe throw it out the window or up the ladder to follow the box.
She glanced up to see how far the others had gotten, stealing another peek at the monstrous beast who seemed insatiable.
Fear gripped her heart this time and she tore her eyes away, hand diving into her pocket and grasping at the lidless red pen she'd shoved there earlier, leaving a long streak of ink down the side of her palm as she quickly turned the writing utensil right-side-up in her grip and scrambled to scratch words onto the open page.
Who are you, really?
She watched the book with trepidation, knowing before it gave an answer she was in way over her head.
What do you want?
Her instincts screamed for her to snap the book shut, to drop it like it it had been set aflame in her hands, or maybe throw it out the window or up the ladder to follow the box.
She glanced up to see how far the others had gotten, stealing another peek at the monstrous beast who seemed insatiable.
Fear gripped her heart this time and she tore her eyes away, hand diving into her pocket and grasping at the lidless red pen she'd shoved there earlier, leaving a long streak of ink down the side of her palm as she quickly turned the writing utensil right-side-up in her grip and scrambled to scratch words onto the open page.
Who are you, really?
She watched the book with trepidation, knowing before it gave an answer she was in way over her head.
What do you want?
After making several leaps from handhold to handhold, Gem's ears start to swivel around a bit, listening for the sounds of others traveling behind her. She can hear a couple distinct sets of climbing sounds, but not enough to meet the number of her traveling companions. She glances back over her shoulder to see Vivian still, scribbling in the spooky book from the room she'd woken up in. The fur on Gem's shoulders pricks up, and her tail, only now starting to return to its usual sleek state, fluffs right back up again.
"Hey, kid," she calls, trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice. "Didn't you hear the other kid? We need to motor."
"Hey, kid," she calls, trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice. "Didn't you hear the other kid? We need to motor."
My name is Dominic Heath. I, like you, once held this book.
As to what I want, I simply want to save all worlds.
As to what I want, I simply want to save all worlds.
Vivian flinched, startled out of staring this time at the answer in the book by a voice she didn't at first recognize and back into the reality of her current situation.
She shoved the pen back into her pocket and snapped the book shut like she'd wanted to earlier, but felt torn.
On the one hand, she was fairly certain the gun she'd disposed of belonged here.
On the other foot, she was really tempted to punt this book just about as far as it could go. And if she could pull it off in this no-gravity, she was pretty damn sure that would be really far.
Not to mention continuing to drag this thing around was going to be a pain in the ass.
Untangling herself from the ladder, she used her hold on it to position her feet on the wall and--assuming the tunnel was be large enough to accommodate her slender frame along with anyone else's she might shoot past--pushed off it to send herself gliding forward, clutching the book to her chest.
She shoved the pen back into her pocket and snapped the book shut like she'd wanted to earlier, but felt torn.
On the one hand, she was fairly certain the gun she'd disposed of belonged here.
On the other foot, she was really tempted to punt this book just about as far as it could go. And if she could pull it off in this no-gravity, she was pretty damn sure that would be really far.
Not to mention continuing to drag this thing around was going to be a pain in the ass.
Untangling herself from the ladder, she used her hold on it to position her feet on the wall and--assuming the tunnel was be large enough to accommodate her slender frame along with anyone else's she might shoot past--pushed off it to send herself gliding forward, clutching the book to her chest.
0814 reached out without looking and grabbed the speeding ankle of Vivian as she flew past.
"We're here."
In front of them is an unassuming grate, not unlike the one Vivian removed so easily upstairs.
"We need to move with haste. We need that tablet you are carrying, the ornament on the other side of this grate and the energy in that woman." They pointed at Kathy. "If we want to get back to your planet."
"We're here."
In front of them is an unassuming grate, not unlike the one Vivian removed so easily upstairs.
"We need to move with haste. We need that tablet you are carrying, the ornament on the other side of this grate and the energy in that woman." They pointed at Kathy. "If we want to get back to your planet."
Vivian was pretty sure she would never get used to the way her clothing wasn't held down on her body in zero gravity, the loose bits of it just sort of floating around her once Trouble made the grab.
She looked over at the grate and gently reached out to use the nearest wall to get herself situated close enough to the ladder to grab hold and not be free-floating any longer.
Moving closer to it as she was able, Vivian peered through the criss-crossing metal.
"I get the feeling you're not talking about Christmas, Trouble. What's this thing look like?"
She looked over at the grate and gently reached out to use the nearest wall to get herself situated close enough to the ladder to grab hold and not be free-floating any longer.
Moving closer to it as she was able, Vivian peered through the criss-crossing metal.
"I get the feeling you're not talking about Christmas, Trouble. What's this thing look like?"
Peering through the criss-cross of the grate you see, not two feet from where you are floating, a golden necklace fitted with a ruby at its center. There are no robots visible in the hall.
The book vibrates.
The book vibrates.
Vivian blinked dumbly at the necklace and deadpanned, "You sure this is where it's supposed to be? I don't see anything," and then nearly jumped out of her skin when the book vibrated against her.
You have GOT to stop doing that.
She shot a look at the tome in her arm, a mixture of disgust and trepidation, and just beyond it Vivian caught sight of the small grey cat struggling to adjust to the lack of gravity.
Face still as blank as before, she calmly released the book in Trouble's direction--"Here, hold that, will yah?"--and without pausing to see if the tome would be left to float on its own or be taken into Trouble's grasp, Vivian reached over and gently wrapped her fingers around the feline's middle to pull it closer.
"Here." She stuck the cat on her shoulder, holding Gem-cat there until it seemed like she got a good grip if she wanted, "Shirt's already mess. Just grab on. Yah can't hurt me." A ghost of a smirk crossed her features briefly. "Much."
You have GOT to stop doing that.
She shot a look at the tome in her arm, a mixture of disgust and trepidation, and just beyond it Vivian caught sight of the small grey cat struggling to adjust to the lack of gravity.
Face still as blank as before, she calmly released the book in Trouble's direction--"Here, hold that, will yah?"--and without pausing to see if the tome would be left to float on its own or be taken into Trouble's grasp, Vivian reached over and gently wrapped her fingers around the feline's middle to pull it closer.
"Here." She stuck the cat on her shoulder, holding Gem-cat there until it seemed like she got a good grip if she wanted, "Shirt's already mess. Just grab on. Yah can't hurt me." A ghost of a smirk crossed her features briefly. "Much."
Gem adjusts and readjusts her paws on Vivian's shoulder. "Sorry in advance," she says as her claws involuntarily dig in as a means of stabilization. She follows Vivian's gaze through the grate and spots the necklace. "Maybe this whole situation is making me paranoid, but just grabbing that and taking it with us seems too easy a solution to our whole "trapped in space" problem, right?"
Vivian almost shrugged her shoulders at the apology, the pricks of claws hardly worth noticing when she had all but welcomed them, and returned her now-free hand back, fingers clutching at the holes, to the grate.
I mean, just because I get it doesn't mean I know what to do with it.
Vivian gave another experimental tug on the grate, all too aware at the moment that the LAST time she did this, gravity had been a thing.
"I dunno--hold on tight--I don't even work here." She repeated, still clutching onto the ladder so she could try and not fling herself too far when she went to wrench it off, Vivian gave a pull meant to separate the grate from its screws.
Barring any immediate red alerts, Vivian would gently let go of the grate to float somewhere nearby. And unless Gem-cat seemed like she didn't want to go along for the ride, Vivian would go ahead and maneuver her way through the new opening to retrieve the necklace.
I mean, just because I get it doesn't mean I know what to do with it.
Vivian gave another experimental tug on the grate, all too aware at the moment that the LAST time she did this, gravity had been a thing.
"I dunno--hold on tight--I don't even work here." She repeated, still clutching onto the ladder so she could try and not fling herself too far when she went to wrench it off, Vivian gave a pull meant to separate the grate from its screws.
Barring any immediate red alerts, Vivian would gently let go of the grate to float somewhere nearby. And unless Gem-cat seemed like she didn't want to go along for the ride, Vivian would go ahead and maneuver her way through the new opening to retrieve the necklace.
0814 and Kathy take the book and discuss in hushed tones while Gem and Vivian adjust themselves and work the grate.
It comes free easily and due to your foresight you don't fly across the open space.
No alarms blare, no robots move, Vivian takes the necklace in her hands as gravity is restored.
"I require the final piece." 0814... or 'Trouble's voice has a slight shake to it, they are holding the book which appears to be bleeding with Kathy's hand pressed firmly on the page and extending their other hand to Vivian. "And you will want to hold on to me."
It comes free easily and due to your foresight you don't fly across the open space.
No alarms blare, no robots move, Vivian takes the necklace in her hands as gravity is restored.
"I require the final piece." 0814... or 'Trouble's voice has a slight shake to it, they are holding the book which appears to be bleeding with Kathy's hand pressed firmly on the page and extending their other hand to Vivian. "And you will want to hold on to me."
Standing after floating for so long is very grounding.
In a loss-of-freedom sort of way.
Turning back to the other two, the tips of Vivian's ears twitch at the timbre to Trouble's voice and as she slowly moves closer, she scrutinizes the pair, but comes up with nothing that particularly sets off any blaring alarms of her own and her former wariness fades.
Vivian glances at the cat still clinging to her shoulder and shrugs once, giving her a gentle jostle with the smallest of smiles, but not saying anything aloud about how she was on her own on this 'holding on tight' business.
Passing the amulet to Trouble, Vivian comes to a stop on the side of the military-ish woman with the free hand and glares up at her for a beat. Suddenly holding out her hand between them--Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I want you to get left behind either. Bloody hand or no.--but leaving it to the other if she wanted to take it or not, Vivian takes Trouble's slight shoulder in her grip, unless the alien indicates it would be better around a wrist or something.
In a loss-of-freedom sort of way.
Turning back to the other two, the tips of Vivian's ears twitch at the timbre to Trouble's voice and as she slowly moves closer, she scrutinizes the pair, but comes up with nothing that particularly sets off any blaring alarms of her own and her former wariness fades.
Vivian glances at the cat still clinging to her shoulder and shrugs once, giving her a gentle jostle with the smallest of smiles, but not saying anything aloud about how she was on her own on this 'holding on tight' business.
Passing the amulet to Trouble, Vivian comes to a stop on the side of the military-ish woman with the free hand and glares up at her for a beat. Suddenly holding out her hand between them--Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I want you to get left behind either. Bloody hand or no.--but leaving it to the other if she wanted to take it or not, Vivian takes Trouble's slight shoulder in her grip, unless the alien indicates it would be better around a wrist or something.
Without hesitation, 0814 takes the geode from the center of the fixture and presses it firmly into Kathy's hand which in turn is on the bleeding book.
That, predictably, opens the wormhole... to the source of the blood.
~*~*~*~
Please post in "Some Assembly Required" The wormhole is going to drop this merry little band on top of Grier.
That, predictably, opens the wormhole... to the source of the blood.
~*~*~*~
Please post in "Some Assembly Required" The wormhole is going to drop this merry little band on top of Grier.