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There are now FOUR baby Kelpies swimming around in their individual tanks and squeak-neighing to each other in a somewhat teeth-edging fashion that could be partially subsonic.
The latest sub-crisis? The Real mcKoi, Sweetie McKoi to be precise, has been spotted by Oshan, blundering along in the SF's wake, lagging behind, but gamely blundering! After a patched call to Martin, and a whole bunch of pop-eyed staring at his shadow-hopping discowares, Merrisol has retreated to his study once more to look through the terribly incomplete seabed maps of Rebma, searching for areas of freshwater that could possibly hold a whole population of Sweeties.
Meanwhile, the Solar Flare is slowing gradually to achieve a pace where the big dum carp won't fall behind, lose sight, forget what he was following, then wander off and get hopelessly lost.
Raphaela humms a cheerful melody and is balancing on one foot on top of a ladderish installment - not too solid - by the baby tank, as she is elbow deep in installing a toy for the baby monsterlets. Her jacket is over the nearby bench. Humm Hummm...
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Token Description
Kelpie Interactive Toy is, essentially, a simple idea - interactive musical mobile. it is a mechanism suited to underwater use. It has threads of lines which can be spread out and arranged into any contained space. Outside look is that of an aquarium decoration: semifixed threads that float around, with nodes of colorful beads and crystals. They all interconnect and meet in a single music box.
Effect is that nodes of same color, when touched web down the vibration to the box produce the same sound. The box is a puzzle box - with code on it in colors, if touched it plays a combination they have to recreate. If they can recreate the melody, it opens to play them a tune. It then flips to a next, more challenging puzzle. It's not limitless, but they have to cooperate to play.
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Four baby kelpies, and three eggs. Though that smallest egg? It's getting worried glances from Liya every so often.
Merrisol crosses the corridor to walk off some eyestrain.. or blink it off while walking, rather. "Good evening," he greets as he steps through the hatchway and stands at the top of the stairwell, leaning the rail and watching the activity in the lab for several moments. "I hope nobody minds if we come to full stop and drift on the surface for a time. We'll gather the last few hours of sunlight while I try to communicate with the Koi."
Raphaela is facing Fuffy with her derrierre, in her attempt to install the last bits of the mechanism, in between the prancing younglings. She says "Just warn of sudden stops."
Liya looks over and smiles at Kerf. "No, I don't mind. I am not sure quite what to tell the big guy at all, but - surely there has to be a safer spot for him."
Merrisol does spend some time looking at Raphaela's back, if not specifically her backside, as he addresses the group; the Kelpies and the three last eggs also get a glance. If he's noticed one is starting to edge into the DUD category, he isn't ready to point that sad probability out quite yet. "No sudden stops," he agrees. "I've asked him a few times before about his original habitat, Liyandra, and, frankly, I've had more intelligible conversations with... sea squirts." Hah! Bet you thought he was going to say Dirk. "The only thing he seems to recall clearly is that he swam with a herd of Elephant Koi. So, there must be a reservoir of some sort, freshwater or at least brackish water, large enough to handle the migratory behavior of these creatures.. and it has to be in Rebma, as he is a 'real' entity, and, the Menagerie was able to find and capture him."
Raphaela ohs and looks around, pulling out a screwdriver out of her mouth "There's a freshwater level to Rebma? Wow."
"Apparently there is, but we are not sure where," Liya says. She looks thoughtful. "Kerf, where does the drinking water come from, in Rebma?"
Merrisol frowns at Raphaela's antics - you.. you don't hold such tools in your mouth while balancing on a teetery makeshift ladder.. that's dangerous! "Suction.. you are using the suction cups to mount those gadgets, Raphaela?" he demands. Jeez, so critical! Poor Raph. "The water? It's not consumed as voraciously as on land, Liyandra.. or it would upset the salt balance in pureblood Rebmans and have a dehydrating effect. However, it does have its uses." Particularly in the brewing of booze, perhaps? "It comes from some trade with various nations, but mostly Icedeep's vast glacial fields." Lecture done, he acknowledges, "Princess Miriam has offered what lakes exist there for the Koi to occupy. But, that would also mean he'd be alone.. which is why we suspect he's following us in the first place." Also? They'd have to turn this convoy right around and go back to the capital. Not.. exactly ideal, when you have an anxious homesick Kelpie to deal with at the same time.
Raphaela pouts at Fuffy "Buzz off, Flare!" she tucks the screwdriver behind her ear "Is there ocean under the glaciers?"
Moving to the hatch into the lab, Maggie pauses just behind Merrisol. She pauses for a moment or two before ducking to one side so she can peek in. She was there earlier to feed her monsterlet but had to go deal with a trump call from Anderson and now she is back, "Hey, all." Having heard Raphaela's question, she peeks up at Merrisol, "Wouldn't the water be too cold, if so? Under a glacier, I mean. But, that's a good thought. Is there a bay or something near Icedeep that might have caught the glacier melt and held it?"
Privately, to Merrisol, Raphaela has returned to usual deflector, and her general behaviour towards Fuffy hasn't changed much. Except she conviniently never finds herself too close to the man in close quarters.
"Well, wherever there's a river inlet, there should be freshwater, if brackish. But where is there enough for a heard of Sweeties?" Liya asks. No, she did not look at the maps of the oceans.
Raphaela hmmms "By the way did we give them identification tags of some sort?" she returns to fixing up the toy "How will we call them apart. Even sweetie got a name."
Privately, to Merrisol, Maggie places a quiet kiss lightly on the back of his shoulder before sliding around to the side. Just... because.
Merrisol nods to the commonly held point of the queries, after pondering it. "No doubt there were various freshwater pockets created under nearby landmasses, if there were times during the early formation of the realm when the ocean levels weren't quite as high as they are now. But, if there was a colony of giant carp anywhere near the city, I'm certain Rebma would have known about it." He inhales suddenly, as though gripped by a Eureka! moment, but perhaps that was just Maggie coming up close behind him and peeking up over his shoulder. Sidling her a rather pleased smile, he turns back then to the others, noticeably more excited. "However - you're right. There are ancient undersea ridges throughout the realm, that may have formed around such inlets and rivers in the early days. It stands to reason some would have survived the rising of the ocean with the right layering of clay and sediment upon them... in natural subterranean caverns." He beams around appreciatively at them with eager new purpose and a spirit of discovery, turns, and dashes out past Maggie with a brief shoulder squeeze. To the terrible charts! He really needs to do something about those. If only he had a vessel fit for exploring the undersea...
Ahem. Right. The Solar Flare is totally fit for that. And you're perfectly safe in it. It's cool.
Maggie grins at Merrisol's smile and then it grows at his excitement. "Teamwork..." She looks around and winks at the group. The shoulder squeeze is given a warmer look, encouragement to make it through looking over the terrible charts. One day, a trip around the Rebman seabed is in order. Maybe in under eighty days! There is a bet in there somewhere. Watching him dart off, Maggie sighs briefly in quiet contentment, then looks around at the others again. Raphaela's precarious perch is given a lifted brow though she knows what the plan was, "What kind of toy did you come up with, Raph?" Stepping slowly down the stairs, she turns to smile just a tad shyly in Liya's direction. There is much in that gaze, though nothing is said aloud.
Raphaela turns a bit to grin at Fuffy's reaction "Oh, I recognize the symptoms." every mad scientist does "Idea!" She mmms "It's an instrument."
Liya laughs at Kerf's reaction, her gaze darting to Raph at her comment. "Looks like," she agrees, those blue eyes of hers gleaming. She returns Maggie's smile with her own, a hand raising in a wave. And then Liya moves over towards the kelpies. "Instrument. I should try singing, maybe."
The study becomes wall to wall mappage, lots of woefully blank spaces in the detailing. Some get the benefit of a dab of adhesive and a sketchpad page stuck into place, as Merrisol's own exploration notes become puzzle pieces added to the great dark unknown. Meanwhile, an order is relayed via intercom to the bridge, and the submarine begins to cycle air into the ballasts and rise. Speed drops off more imperceptibly. After several minutes, ventilation intakes will slide open, and the stale recycled air of the interior will be replaced with fresh, invigorating seabreeze.
Raphaela pads over to Merrisol when she's done with instalment, to peek at the maps "Need help?"
Maggie watches Liya move over to the instrument as Raphaela ducks past to go to the map encased room. Walking closer to Liya's position, she nods, "You could. Maybe should. If you feel like it. Maybe they will learn notes and play along with you. That would be cool. Giving music to a new species... Though maybe they sing too? Like whales...?"
Liya looks over at Maggie, and briefly to the map room. She leaves Kerf and Raph to that task, instead turning to look back at the babies. "I don't know really. Maybe we can find out." She pauses, thinking for a long moment. And then she starts with a simple ballad, letting her voice sing clearly, "I suppose that I look different without the robes and crown, I come this day before you with no riches, no renown. For here I am no leader, I am just a humble man And I only ask you take me, you take me as I am ... "
Merrisol rustles some corners down and makes registry adjustments so things are lining up better on the scaled maps. He looks up and over quizzically when Raphaela comes in, and straightens up slowly, just looking at her at first. Then he turns to consider one of the festooned walls. "I don't know.. do you have a dowsing rod in your pocket, by any chance?" ..Or is she just happy to see him? As Liyandra's voice rises and resonates gently in the larger chamber of the laboratory, and rings off every glass surface, Merri glances towards the hatchway.
Privately, to Raphaela, Merrisol's gaze is initially completely cognizant of everything of significance that came before between them, although his interest in cartography overtakes his thoughts in the next instant. Anyway, what happened to avoiding him in close spaces?
Privately, to Merrisol, Raphaela is not apologizing or denying what happened. She's just Raph. And she got curious, dammit! maps!
Raphaela looks back, headtilts as she says "Just a tuning fork, as it happens." she looks back and smiles, leaning on the hatch to listen.
Maggie smiles at Liya as she begins to sing. Stepping back a bit to avoid distracting the wee ones, she folds her arms in front of her and listens. At first, there is little reaction from the Kelpie babes. But, then the one Liya's been feeding the most floats on over to the edge of the tank. That one sort of tilts its wee head to one side, demon horse eyes focusing on the strange air-breathing two legged food and comfort provider. A whinny sounds, curious and uncertain. What is this odd sound? Whether by design or accident it rests a hoof on Raphaela's instrument. A tone sounds within the water and chaos ensues as babies flock to the instrument, the glass, the instument. Oh, well now...
"I'm not looking for perfection, I'm not offering a saint; I'm not looking for a pretty bird to put in some restraint. The only thing I want is that you love me if you can And I only ask you take me, you take me as I am... " Liya continues to sing, her voice clear and robust, quite obviously trained. She did mention she is a bard right? Seems she does more than just write songs. As the babies come to check out Raph's New Toy, Liya's smile grows and it can be heard in her singing. Encouragement to the babies, empathically, as she reaches one hand to touch the glass. Liya is aware Maggie is there still, darting her a glance, but her attention stays mostly on the lil ones.
Raphaela's face as she listens is entirely blank. Shut down. Must listen.
The pandamonium continues as each of the babies vies to be the next to press a button. Of course that means that all the buttons get pushed in quick succession and the cacophany drives them all away. Poor little things. Raphaela gave them a sonic screwdriver but nothing to use it with. Slowly, shyly or tentatively, one by one, they come back. Listening to Liya, watching the babies, Maggie stifles a chuckle at their plight.
The pearls twinkle in different colors as the chords twine in the aquarium. Each color brings out a different tone. They should touch them all to see what they sound like! GASP!
Merri nods sagely to the idea of the tuning fork.. obviously. But not going to help him for this particular task, unless she can somehow smack his head with it until he's pitch perfect and omniscient. He starts red-markering some spots with postulates and educated guesses, kneeling down as he works on the southern half of the maps... but then he stops. Lowering the pen to rest his hand upon one bent knee, he lets his gaze trail as eyelids fall to half-mast. Just listening now. The song travels to the main corridor, more hollow and ghostly as the tones thin out.
Liya's laughter interrupts the song after the first two verses. The kelpies are just too adorable. But even that sound is musical. She takes a moment, and then finds something to use as a small drum, tapping lightly as she pick up the song again. All the while she's encouraging the kidlings to play with their new toy. "I offer you a look inside, I offer you that trust. I need your strength to help me fight the battles that I must. I need you to remind me of the light we bear within; That there's more to life than struggle and the things we seek to win..."
The babies hear the song and feel the thumping of the drum. They whinny curiously to each other and cluster together to return with moral support or absolute awe at the flashing colors and chords. One, more daring or braver than the rest, moves a touch faster. A hoof rests on one of the buttons and it is almost pushed when the others murmer to it. They all hover near the glass and nudge each other until relative silence falls. Then the button is pushed and a note sounds beneath the water.
Listening to the song as much as she is watching, Maggie's brow lifts once as a soft smile grows. Her gaze leaves the baby sea monsters and turns toward the map room and the man kneeling there. Her look and smile soften unconsciously.
The the crystals of warm colors wake up the bell's chimes, and those of cool colors strum the stringed sound - deeper the color, deeper the sound. Solid colors stirr the rattles and drums. Few basic notes, and the combinations are already so vast.
Raphaela smiles vaguely, leaned on the door, maybe waiting to see what the experiment will end up like.
Privately, to Merrisol, Raphaela, oddly enough, seems to tense up. The smile is not a genuine one, it's the one she wears for court. Something about that song pisses her off, and a good friend will be able to tell, even with her back to him.
Merrisol comes out of the private reverie as the complex light patterns flock through the aligned hatchways at an oblique angle and faintly colour hanging parchment. He turns on his lowered knee, and his regard slides back to the hatch and Raphaela leaning there, wreathed in the soft glow. He observes the lines of her back once more, gaze crinkling a bit around the edges, then clearing as he releases a quiet sigh. He looks askance and finds a point on the map to frown at. When he stands, it's to walk over that way, to fill in another blank swath with some depth indications, presently circling a sector twice.
Liya's song comes to a slow end, as she finishes. She now is watching as the babies play with their new toy. "They are so cute," she murmurs sofly. And then mischief flares. When a note sounds, Liya matches it, just to see what the baby kelpies will do next.
Raphaela nods approvingly when she hears the monsters playing with the toy then looks back at Fuffy at all that flare of activity "Got a clue?"
Maggie's gaze lingers on the map room's door, shifting from Raphaela to Merrisol behind her and back again. Drawing in a slow breath, she lets it out just as slowly. Stepping back as her eyes return to the babies and Liyandra, her smile holds more complexity than before. Without interrupting the song or the excited exploration, Maggie eases to the stairs then up them. As she passes, Maggie touches Raphaela's shoulder briefly. Noting Merrisol's continued examination of the maps she sends a wink his way. If she sees the double circle she does not comment on it as she moves off toward the cabins.
Merrisol nods slowly, recapping the pen, and sliding it absently into a hip pocket. "Several clues. Some possibilities. We may be looking at a venture to some rather deep points, just to be able to access these places without saline contamination." He glances over as Maggie leans in briefly on her way elsewhere, but doesn't manage to smile in time. "...But now I have to try to talk to the Koi," he mutters. After spending a moment looking around the for the pen he misplaced, he excuses himself to go out.
Raphaela sighs and slips sideways so he can pass "In your pocket. And say, there are underlaying currents in the ocean aren't there. There can be whole rivers in the middle of the sea."
...said the topsider to the REBMAN.
Raphaela knows where your pen is, you don't. Take that, drowned one.
The Kelpies point their cunning ears straight up as Liyandra's echoed note ripples the surface of the waters, and grants them its muted sensation. Then next time it happens, the little heads do that puzzled aroo? tilt. Finally one of them headbutts a tone, then immediately swivels to stare out the tank at Liya. Bing!
Here's hoping that contraption doesn't hit a note Liya can't then! She matches the note, clapping her hands as the little Kelpie gets the idea. And then breaks off with laughter, empathic gleeful happy cheering, and a "Oh, well done!"
Raphaela stretches and yawns "I'll go out on the deck, getting claustophobia in here." she waves fingers at he little ones (including Liya) at play. So far, nobody on flare saw her sleep.
***** LATER *****
All the extra fishes were left with friendly Rebman families to take care of them. There are two main tanks here now that hold everyone interested. The first is the Mei tank. The one that Mei is pretty much living in, along with 3 - yes 3 - approximately soccer ball sized eggs. The other tank is the one with the 4 baby kelpies. And a very cool musical instrument put into place by Raphaela that lets the Kelpies work together to show different colours and play music. Liya is currently getting the food barrel ready. It might get crowded in here. Mayhem is on purse patrol, with instructions to not let Meijanri's purse into this area at all. Kerf - erm Merrisol - is on deck talking to a gigantic koi who really should not be following the Solar Flare at all. The submersible ship is currently at the surface, charging batteries and letting Merrisol talk to the big fishy and find out what is going on.
"Well that should make work a challenge. I foresee a lot of commuting in my future." Ryika glances down to the little Kelpie greedily gobbling away at its goop and chuckles softly. "Grow quickly, little one. Some of us have a travel sort of job."
Miriam doesn't look bothered by her own surprise bonding. "As long's I can get to Rebma some around all've this, I'm okay. I don't have a travel sort've job, though." She looks like she does understand Ryika's concern. She keeps feeding hers, and her free hand occasionally tickles it.
Liya laughs outright at that, and says, "I hear that! Poor Prince Benedict must think I've deserted him." Ahem. That's likely not a surprise, is it? Oh well, if it is, it is. "I have work to do in Amber and in Arden, and I'd really like to go home for a visit. And - I have about 8 different places out in Shadow to go see, as well. But - these little critters are totally important too. We'll have to see if we can't get trumps out of Kerf somehow."
"Hence why I say that I'm destined to be commuting for a while. It's not like I'll just leave him to not eat, even if I do have to work. Set up a tank in my office." Ryika winks, probably teasing. "Alhambra will just have to wait, I dare say."
Miriam smiles. "I don't think Oshan'll let them be away from'm yet. Or I'd see about bringing this one with me when I travel back t'Rebma."
Merrisol meanders in, after word gets around the SF was tracked down by another unexpected entity. Only this one is the opposite of a foolish gargantuan carp. He offers a smile to the laboratory in general, bringing in more of that sharp ocean breeze that is loads better than recycled air. "Hullo. And good evening, Ryika. I see you've met the..." He pauses as he gets a better look and realizes another egg has hatched in his absence and the acting ambassador has been roped into motherhoodness. "Oh.." His smile gets a bit teetery, and he looks to Liyandra significantly.
"I suspect they might be communicating themselves, if the babies are able to," Liya says, agreeing with Miriam. She gives Merrisol a shrug. "Not enough hands, Ryika was here," she says simply. Two eggs left, that's all. "And - seriously, Kerf, has it occurred to you that there's a reason Oshan is leaving the eggs with us?" She leaves it there for now. "They need us, and not just one or two of us."
"Evening Merri." Ryika greets as she contineus to control the rate of goop ingestion of her newest responsibility. "Apparently you're stuck with seeing more of me, which should be.. interesting."
Merrisol slowly nods once after Liyandra has made her point, considering it in silence. He glances to the others present, curiosity echoing Miriam's over Ryika's remark. "If you went into the 'contract' willingly, I would be happy to see you oftener, Ryika. It hadn't been apparent until the hatchling Liyandra had hand-fed refused food from Princess Miriam's hand.. but now that we know.." He leaves that there. "Liyandra," he then looks back to his Sukhoti friend, head tipping as he regards her again.
Liyandra looks over at Merrisol, her good humor fading away rapidly. She finishes feeding the wee one, concentrating on that, and then lets it float off to bug its younger siblings. Then she looks over at Merrisol, and says, "Had you been the one to walk in, I'd have asked you to feed the little one. I was already busy, it was being born. Practicality says feed the baby first, worry about the rest later."
"A distinct lack of full disclosure until after the fact, but.. well." Ryika gives a touch of a shrug, scritching the freshly hatched Kelpie as he/she/it gets to a pause in the first gorge to consider the other usual task of newborns, sleeping. "How are things with you, Merri? I keep having you on my list of people to write to, but haven't gotten that far yet." She leans against the tank for the moment.
Merrisol may have not expected Liyandra's next response to carry that note of annoyance. Although.. he should have. She's been giving him those '..Men!' looks for a while now. And he hasn't touched one Kelpie foal/spawnlet himself, yet, has he! So.. yeah. MEN. Scientific men! He shifts his focus to Ryika when she both confirms uninformed consent and seems to have reconciled with it already. With a thoughtful incline of his head, he turns and takes the stairs down to the floor level, saying, "I'm.. not handling affairs.. uh.." He ahrms, then continues, "As I was when.. oh, say.. war was looming, Ryika. Unfortunately. We will have some time to trade notes soon, I suppose," he smiles, but approaches Liyandra again.
"Ah ha. Ha ha. You think you're free of the dumbassery that easily. You are /funny/, Merrisol." Ryika comments dryly and then offers a flash of a grin towards him as she gently scritches the newborn Kelpie with the nap attack. "We've some notes to trade, I'll bring snacks. In theory. If this abrupt foray into motherhood affords me /that/ sort of flexibility to nip off. Which it should, unless these little guys eat every ten minutes or something."
Miriam has just been listening, and seems fine not really being involved in the conversation.
Liya does look a bit apologetically towards Ryika. "I am sorry for not telling you. It honestly didn't occur to me right off," she admits. "Though I suppose it should have." She reaches a hand to rub over her eyes, settling down on the bench she'd been standing on to feed the kelpie that's decided she's his pet toy. Or hers. whichever. "Ryika, would it have made a difference?" And then she blinks a bit owlishly. "No, not that often! Not even at first." She looks over at Merrisol, but does not say anything more, just yet, waiting to see what he has to say.
Merri nods to support the response that the Kelpies don't seem to require constant feeding, since they do take in quite a serving in just one session. He comes to stand for one shuffling moment in front of Liya's bit of bench, then if she seems receptive to it, sits on the bench as well, turned inward her way. "I don't think you're wrong, Liyandra. I never do," he tells her quietly. "I was a pure naturalist first, you know, and it was you who taught me to look at critters in a different way." He does lift his gaze briefly to Meijanri, since she does get credit as well for shaping the marine side of this attitude. "You see the needs of these Kelpies, Liya.. I trust that. I watched as you, and Meijanri, and then Princess Miriam and Maggie.. all nurtured one in turn, and said nothing," he points out, smiling ruefully at Liyandra. "And I know, all too well, how imprinting works.. my friend." One of his very first friends, Liya is, and he always finds his way to her. "Now.. as for what Oshan wants? He wanted Meijanri to caretake those eggs. He will accept if she sees fit to recruit you and others to the cause, but I doubt even his wisdom was behind the acts that will mean future relations between mortalkind and the Kelpie race will run smooth." Hunkered a bit to rest his hands on his knees, he lifts one to offer to her, if she takes his meaning, and what could be taken as an apology.
"Would I have fled, with full disclosure? No, likely not, but even an illusion of choice still soothes the soul, so to speak." Ryika gives a shrug, unconcerned again. "Not that it does any good to lament it after the fact." She settles quiet, letting Merrisol and Liya chat.
What, you mean Oshan's not that smart? Liya sort of gives Ryika a somewhat sheepish and tired look, both at the same time. But she's got nothing else to say there. She does look over at Merrisol, listening to him, and then after a moment, she reaches a hand out to his. She would hate to lose friends over this, and she knows she's tired, cranky and irritable in general. There is a long moment of silence, at least on her part, as she weighs things, and then she speaks up. "Did you know someone broke into Rose House and I wasn't there to help protect it?" she asks, after a moment. "I feel like - I am not doing my job for His Highness as I should be. As I promised him I would."
Is Oshan smart? He certainly is an intelligent fellow, no doubt there. Is he especially fond of people, after being imprisoned and humiliated by them for fifty years? No doubt there, either, that he is not staying up nights scheming up ways for his kind and those two-legged nogoodniks to be closer. Merrisol takes Liyandra's hand in his open palm, and covers it over with his other, gently pressing it for comfort. He doesn't mind that she veers on a seeming tangent, although he is specifically not sympathetic to the security problems of the rich and godlike. With a slight grumble in his throat however, he considers her dilemma regarding said break-in. "I think I did hear of it while I was in the city," he admits. "But I did not make the connection to it being your duty to have been there. You don't reside there, Liya.. even if you had been at House Luck at the time, would you have been able to stop the deed? Was anyone hurt?" he frowns over that.
Ryika leans on the tank, absently petting and scritching the sleeping Kelpie that was recently feeding as she shamelessly listens in to Merrisol and Liyandra. "I didn't hear about it.. apparently I need to spend more time in the city. What happened?"
Miriam has long since finished feeding her baby kelpie, and has just been listening quietly to the others. One hand's remained in the tank, and it's holding a napping kelpie.
Merrisol excuses himself and steps away from the bench and wall of tanks, as his trump sense tingles. He is mildly surprised to hear from Mercier in this manner, but seems pleased that the fellow does have a method of contact. A few leading phrases later, and he nods and extends his hand, pulling Mercier through into a clear spot on the steel grated floor of the laboratory. "Welcome back to the SF, Templeton."
The lovely Solar Flare has surfaced. There's a big old scary sized koi following along, causing consternation aboard the sub, as they try to figure out what to do with Sweetie. Meanwhile, aboard the ship, there are two kelpie eggs in one tank, with a Mei tail. And there is a brand spanking new baby kelpie curled up and sleeping there. When it wakes, it'll get moved to the other tank, with the four other babies. The babies are a mixture of awake and asleep. There are what looks like turkey basters and sushi mush set up near the tanks. Liya is sitting on a bench, Merrisol previously beside her, holding one of her hands. He gets up with the incoming trump call, and so Liya looks over to Ryika and Miriam. "No, nobody got hurt, but - even if I wasn't there when it happened, I could have been there swiftly to look into it, and make sure. And instead, I completely missed it." Liya might be feeling a little worried about her job, at the least like she's doing a bad job of it. "And I'm sorry if I'm getting irritable and grouchy, but I don't know what to do."
"I don't know how you've been managing for as long as you have, Liya. It makes sense that you're irritable and grouchy. You've one of the older ones, don't you? Any hope that it's getting more independant?" Ryika asks with a note of sympathy in her voice as she replies to Liyandra." She turns at the shimmer indicating that another has joined them. "Evening Templeton. Good to see you again."
Miriam smiles when Mercier is brought through. "Hello again." she says to him, and finally lets the baby kelpie go gently so she can take her hand out of the tank. "I hope you're well?" she asks him.
Mercier steps forward, and takes a moment to steady himself, transportation by trump being a bit disorienting. At least for him. He glances about the room, eyes craning towards the hatch above, before he gives a polite nod to Merrisol, "Thank you. I just had to saite my curiosity on how the eggs were doing." He says, giving a nod to the others assembled, "Milady, Ambassador, your highness." In turn, answering Miriam's question, "I'm doing quite fine, thank you. The fresh air did me a world of wonders." He says, finalizing the greeting with a tip os his hat, "I trust things are well here?"
[Merrisol goes topside to work on the Koi again]
Liya smiles at Ryika, feeling at least a bit better now that her upset is in the open. She offers Mercier a big smile. "Things are going well, I suppose. It's good to see you again, Mr. Templeton. Were you in Amber? How are things there?" She leans back against the tank, and behind her, one of the little kelpies starts sneaking up on her. Even if there is that clear barricade between them. She sighs a bit, and then she nods to Ryika. "Yes, some. The two oldest are eating now about three times a day, so much less than the others. I am fairly hopeful that this is just a baby stage."
"This little one just hatched not so very long ago.. aobut long enough to gorge himself on goop.. or herself.. er.. should I be checking?" Ryika looks to Liya at that question, the diplomat not one ofr animal husbandry really. "Anyhow, that seems promising Liya, just back at mealtimes, if you've the luxury of convenient travel, I suppose."
Mercier glances up and hmms, "Lord Dirk had a bit of a tussle with a knife and lost, and from my understanding, the Prince's wedding went off without the chapel and a city block erupting in armed chaos, so things are going as... well things will go." Mercier says with a wide smile, "I cannot say I don't appreciate the relative lack of humidity." He glances to Ryika, then behind her to the tanks, taking a step forward and peering at the little things, "Well aren't they a picture."
CRACCKKK. One of the two remaining eggs suddenly has a little crack in it, and the egg is starting to move, just a little. "They are," Liya says. The one behind her looks like it's riding on her head, if she only knew, little feet and fins galomphing as it stays in place. "And they're very particular." She closes her eyes, relaxing a bit, without even noticing the little crack.
"I was sad to miss the wedding, but I was somewhere under Kitezh at the time." Ryika muses thoughtfully and then mmms. "Corwin said the party after was pretty relaxed though, he made it that far at least. I did chat with Dirk recently. Poor kid." She glances to the eggs that are still eggs and then hmmms softly. "So, how busy are you these days? Between jobs would you say?"
Mercier glances to Liya and snorts at the bebeh Kelpie behind her, the first question to her coming out first as a bit of a laugh, "Heh-hah... how do you mean particular" he asks, before taking a double glance at the tank with the eggs and squinting, taking a step forward. He's drawn from his examination by Ryika's comments, glancing to her quizzically, "Ambassadorial duties do take you to strange places it seems." He nods, "Dirk seemed to be chipper and well at the reception, at the very least." He looks back to the eggs again, "Oh, I wouldn't say... that." Mercier notes. Boy he wouldn't say that, "I keep myself busy. Between my routes, and odd jobs, I have to, to keep the flop house paid."
Mercier's reaction has Liya look up, and she grins as she spies the little kelpie playing games. She raises a hand to touch the glass and wins a whinny from the little thing. One of the others darts by, gleefully starting a game of tag between the three older kelpies. "They seem to hatch when they are good and ready," Liya says. "As you can see - we only have two that were born at the same time, and they were in the same egg." She looks over to Ry and then she looks over to Mercier. "And I think that one hatching has its eyes on you." queue star wars imperial march.
"Routes? What are your routes?" Ryika asks curiously with a quirk of her head to Mercier. She takes a step back from the newborn tank, gesturing for him to come closer. "See? Come have a look. That one there."
Mercier hmms and steps forward, leaning in with that same squint. He scratches the glass with one finger, speaking in an unknown langauge that sounds like it has roots in the Romantic group, the way someone might talk to a particularly adoreable puppy. Only briefly, however. He leans back up. Awww, wasn't it an adoreable. He chuckles again, before looking to Liyandra, "Just a /picture/." He emphasizes, before furrowing his brow, "How do you mean that? I imagine its like a chicken. They hatch when they hatch." He looks to Ryika, "Oh, whatever I can make them. Its tireing work, for sure, but I can't seem to climb up just the level yet. I mostly tromp through Arden looking for crafted goods that might find good market at the docks or with the peddlers in the city. I've got a few.... other ideas, of course, that might be more rewarding, but I have to gird for risk first."
The egg that is in process of practically jumping up and down continues to do so, the crack increasing, and then another one forming. "They are cute, yes. And I'm glad to hear that Dirk is okay. I don't think I'd even heard about him getting hurt." Again. "Is that one about to hatch? I think it is." Liya is empathically sending encouragement. Because she can. And because by now this is becoming old hat. "Mr. Templeton, would you like to feed that one when it hatches? You find us all exhausted, I think."
"In the interest of full disclosure, it is a longer lasting responsibility than one feeding, but we're all rather in it together at this point." Ryika notes as Liyandra asks Mercier to feed the new critter and Ryika moves to offer him the goop in baster. "Dirk was healed up when I chatted with him, but having a crisis of not knowing what he wanted to do with himself, a crisis I can well empathize with."
Miriam says to Mercier "If you feed't when it hatches, it'll only let you t'feed't after that. But it's really worth't. If you can stay around here for a while. While't needs you."
"Yes I can." Mercier says, as the Kelpie hopefully does what instinct requires and head towards the food. Mercier supports it properly and looks like he's fed at least a few head of livestock in his life, at the very least, "There you are, trotter." It did look a bit like a horse, after all. Mercier glances up to Ryika, "Never, hmm? Found your calling early?"
"I returned to Amber quite keenly aware that I'd returned with nothing to my name. Generosity, and there was plenty, dont get me wrong, only went so far with my pride. I didn't take a lot of leisure time trying to figure out what I wanted to do. The Embassy was a good fit early, and I've stayed. Somehow." Ryika quirks a little smile. "But while my wee one is sleeping, I should take care of a bit of business. I won't be long, nor far, if he wakes."
Merrisol reaches up and gets a dry-ish part of the towel to scrub lightly across his hair again, while leaning on the top of the stairway rail to observe the action not far below. "That's six," he murmurs. It's gone about as well as they could hope for, considering they started out with six eggs. And there's one left over, still.
Miriam stands. There's a smile to everyone, and she says "I'm going to let Oshan know two more hatched. Of he doesn't already know." With that, she heads off.
Mercier and Ryika, the latest victi- erm volunteers for the kelpie infant feeding brigade. Liya is sitting on a bench by the tank with the slightly older kelpies. Mercier is feeding one. Ryika's baby is sleeping by the small lonely little egg. Which - Liya is still worried about. She frowns at it, sending empathic thoughts its way. Oh, yeah, And Mayhem is totally keeping Cucumbers out. with a capital O even. "Thanks, Your Highness," Liya calls out to the departing princess. And then she looks to see how Mercier is making out. He's doing just fine, baby kelpie sucking back the seaweed/eel mash gleefully, little feet and finds kicking, and eyes all glazed over with baby "feedme" rapt attention to that baster.
Walking slowly back toward the labs, Maggie waves to Ryika as she passes, then offers a quick smile for those remaining in the room or on the stairs. "Hey, all." Looking up at Kerf, then down to the kelpie tank, she grins on spotting Mercier with a kelpie baby and the baster. "Y'know? We're lucky the babies don't need some kind of milk as their first meal."
Mercier nods, unable to tip his hat to the two new entrants, "Welcome back, Captains." He says, a bit occupied with feeding the thing, "Yes, yes, its quite the central need." He says at the thing, before calling it something in that language again. He looks to Maggie, "Oh, they likley would be better of, but life has a way of making do." He glances around the submarine, briefly, "For example." He says, motioning his head around for emphasis. He hrms, "So what is the plan here? Is this bunch enough to keep a species going?"
Merri stands straighter as Ryika, then Miriam leave on their individual missions. He smiles at Maggie when she enters, making room for her at the square of landing beyond the hatchway, unless she's headed down in the lab proper. "Milk means mammal, means air-breathing," he says simply, meaning he doesn't think that makes things better. He did manage to skip a step on the word association chain, of course.. "Hm? Yes, we could have made do, Templeton. We have plenty of nipples here." ..Or not. "No laboratory is complete without a drawer of rubber nipples," he points briefly to the supply cabinets. "And no, I don't think six is enough, if one is looking to create breeding stock - but we are not. As far as I can surmise, Kelpies are effectively immortal beings."
Maggie waves to Miriam too, albeit a bit belatedly. She smiles up at Merrisol and slips an arm about his waist, clearly quite happy to remain on the landing. Darting a glance toward the smallest of the Kelpie eggs, the smile fades. It still has not hatched. Dangit. Looking up at the clarification, she nods, "Ah. Okay. I..." She stumbles a bit over something or other, blinks owlishly up at Merrisol and clears her throat, "Uh. I guess that means Kelpies are not mamalian. Good to know."
Liya seriously is still catching up on sleep. The bench is marginally better than the grate. Mayhem mrowls and pads over to put a paw up to the glass, peering through at the kelpies, and then he floomphs to the ground by Liya in silent protest, as Liya just closes her eyes for a few moments.
"I find it difficult to parse the rules of zooology through a watery city that I can somehow survive in without gills." Mercer says with a smile, "I mean, regardless of the appropriate diet, I'm sure their parents have something else for them to eat then this particular mixture. Or maybe they feed their young like birds." Mercier ponders, the baster's contents diminishing, He smiles at Maggie's stumble, "Of course, yes."
Merrisol arranges his arm lightly across Maggie's shoulders, though the wet patches of his shirt might provide a clammy chill - but not for Ms. Sea Queen here. He regards Liyandra while she tries to snooze on the bench, then inclines his head to consider the study. No, the walls are still plastered with incomplete charts, which he needs. But the comfy couch could be moved out and into the lab, it could. "Feel like moving some furniture?" he browlifts to Maggie, catching her owlish look. Ooh hoo hoo~ Then he's considering Mercier's remarks with a patient nod, if not addressing them at the moment. No lecture today, kids.
Maggie settles against Merrisol's side, the dampness of his shirt not even registering with her. Clammy? Not a bit of it. She looks back to the study as he does, then back into the lab. Considering Liyandra's slightly better snoozing spot, she nods, "Let's do it. We can move the couch in and that bench out." Looking over to the tank of older Kelpies she smiles a bit, seeking hers. Nope. Still full from earlier. Good.
---___----____-----_____------_____-----____----___---
It must be crew feeding time or something. Mei...probably alseep. Raph is sitting, folded leggedly on a bench, eating a cookie and watching the Kelpies play.
Liya is sleeping. On a couch. right there by the tanks. Mayhem flopped protectively with her. And of course, Liya stirs, starting to wake up. The kelpies are awake, six of them now in the tank, and only one wee egg left in the Mei tail. Two of the kelpies are sort of exploring, while the other four are pressing on the musical instrument, making noises and colours.
Raphaela watches intently. One of the Kelpies finally touches the color code on the music box itself and mechanism whirrrss to offer a simple round of sounds - melody that suits the color code. Oh ho ho! Will they get it?
The kelpies all scatter immediately, but then they return curiously. Not too sure what caused that bit of whoa, they are slower to touch the music box this time. Liya blinks, rubbing at her eyes, not yet awake.
If they touch the color code on the box itself, the music code repeats itself. If they press one of the floating pearls that suits the first in the code, it will light up. But if they don't guess the next one, it goes off again. AAAH SUCH A PUZZLEEE! Raph grins "I wonder if you'll get it, fishies."
Liya blinks again and then smiles. "Hey, Raphaela," she greets, sounding somewhat groggy. Mayhem mrowls, but isn't leaving the young Sukhoti's side, even for Raphaela skritches. One of the kelpies eventually picks a random pearl to nose at, and then the box plays that simple pattern again cauing them all to skitter.
And if they guess the right order in their noseing of the instrument's tentacles, music box will give them a treat! Raph yawns. "Sociological experiments are always so boring."
Liya blinks, looks back at the kelpies who are still just hitting random pearls. She reaches a hand to pet Mayhem automatically and then she says, "Experiments?"
Raphaela looks up at Liya "I'm curious if/when they will realise they have a task to do, and what it is and how to go to next level of the game. But it's boring to watch."
Raphaela ahs "Also really curious as to how they percieve patterns and will they cooperate, if so in which way. As a team, or will the oldest take charge..."
Liya glances at the kelpies and then she chuckles. "Ah, I see," she says, as she wakes up. "Give them time. They are very young yet." She pauses and then says, "And if you want to see all that, you're going to have to keep watching them, even if it is boring."
Raphaela sighs "See... I miss technology. Elsewhere I could just tape it and fast forward..." she mutters grumpily. "True. I suspect we're most idiotic of all the speices. We spend years just being a big headed imobile sponge."
"Maybe you can convince someone else to watch for you? And write down notes or something?" Liya pauses and then says, "if you can find someone who is not busy already, I suppose."
Raphaela gives her a look "I'm least useful person here with you at the moment. I might as well watch."
"You are always useful, Raphaela," Liya replies, with a smile. "But if it keeps you amused to watch, by all means." She gets to her feet and stretches, careful not to step on Mayhem. "Seen cucumbers lately?"
Raphaela arches a brow "What? Why do you want cucumbers?"
"Mei's purse," Liya tries to explain. "Cucumbers is what Mei named it."
Raphaela arches another brow, that makes it a pair. "Name for a bag. And it's... CUcumber.S."
"There's something living in Mei's purse," Liya manages, though she is obviously amused. "And it likes eating eggs."
Raphaela headtilts "And they call ME weird..."
Raph is talking about a woman with an eel tail. How can she not be odd? Liya shrugs at that, and says, "Don't ask me, it's not my purse. I just am keeping it out of here."
Raphaela eyes the last remaining egg. "Hm. I wonder what it is in the purse. What does it look like?"
That one egg? It's smaller than the others, and not moving at all. but it's still there, silently. Almost accusingly. "Oh, the purse? whatever it is has big googly eyes and pincer claws," Liya replies.
Raphaela is really curious now. It's visible, as she looks around. However she says "You know, success rate of this whole thing is remarkable as it is." she's not trying to be horrible, just states the fact, as her eyes settle to study Liya.
Six eggs, six hatchlings, and one little egg still sitting there, unbroken. Liya's gaze goes swiftly to Raphaela and then back to that egg. Her voice is neutral, but there is some worry perhaps identifiable. "I suppose so. And there is some time. That egg is smaller, perhaps it's just not ready yet." She does look a bit perturbed, but it's hard to say why that is.
Raphaela says "Did you consider it might be a different sort of egg or something?"
"It's not," Liya says automatically, her gaze going to the egg. "Though it might be less developed. Or it might be too weak to make it, given how long these eggs were stored away."
Raphaela hmms "Maybe it's a girl."
Liya shrugs. "You figured out how to tell if those ones - " a guesture to the ones already hatched - "are boys or girls?"
Raphaela shrugs "Well...there must be a different factor about that one egg. I doubt they were made at different time. In which case they should be all similar. They spent same amount of time in same conditions."
"yup," Liya agrees with Raphaela. "But we don't know what that factor is." And she's not impressed about it at all. "I wish we did. It could be a girl. Or a boy. Or different mothers or - " She shrugs. "Or just a weaker baby that isn't quite strong enough."
Raphaela adds "Yet."
Liya smiles at that, and nods. "Yet," she agrees, sounding a little bit happier. "Good point." And just then the little kelpies all hit a different pearl at once, causing a cacophony of noise. "Ow."
Raphaela chuckles "Sorry...SHould I make them a playground aquarium for later on? This is basically that hanging rattle thing on the crib. But we want them to develop motoric skills as well as curiosity, eh?"
"I'm not sure how long they'll be in tanks, and not out in the big ocean," Liya says. "Though I do think you're right, we do want them to develop such skills. I wonder if there is something useable at the stables at Itr'la."
Raphaela says "Maybe we can make them a sort of mobile safe area around subway or ship, wherever you plan to put them, as they grow. SO they get used to it but don't...err... vanish moment we set them free."
"Corral," Liya murmurs, listening. "That is a great idea. Sort of a training area."
Raphaela nods "Well. Playgrounds are corrals for children. Fun and learning. Plus it gives you safety buffer to study the unfamiliar spieces and their potentials as they go and develop them."
"I'm convinced," Liya says. "Though you should talk to Kerf as well, I think."
Raphaela says "Well, I'm merely a contractor. YOu're in charge of them...and someone has to tell me to do it if you want to." she grins. "After all, I have to know where to send a check." she waggles the brows, joking surely.
Liya laughs. "In that case you should talk to Ryika, I think."
Raphaela smiles and stretches "Where is everybody?"
"Sleeping?" Liya hazards a guess. "I am not sure, honestly." Hey, she did just wake up after all.
Raphaela looks at her as if she said something crazy. "Honestly, how do you people get anything done?" sleeping, eating. TCH! TCH I SAY!
Merrisol is working in his study that is still wall-to-wall maps. The SF had cruised through the night, turning after a few hours at the Captain's order, and arcing to more of an eastward heading. Going slowly enough to not leave the bumbling Sweetie behind in the moonlit waters, it is not very jarring even when momentum slows right down.
Liya blinks at Raphaela, and then she says, "We do it well, so we have time to sleep." Amused. She moves to look through the door to the hallway, spying a Merrisol hard at work. "Our friend Kerf is over thataway. Ignoring us."
Raphaela leans in to look at him "Oh. I thought he turned into a map!"
Merrisol is just gently tugging one off its adhesive strip at the top of one wall shelf. He looks around curiously after the sub comes to a stop, feeling rock of the waves more keenly as it drifts. The map comes free and curls down over his head as Raphaela looks in, making her not only Always Right, but a Prophetess. "Raph? What's happened?" he says through the parchment, while feeling for the outer edges.
Raphaela says, matter of factly "A map fell on you?"
Raphaela does, however, come to help him in his epic battle.
The intercom in the study kicks on with an audible thump. "Captain..?" Mr. Moore's voice inquires, just a little quavery. "The.. sea monster, the.. the Kelpie! It's blockaded us, Sir... I don't think it likes us going east."
Merrisol rustles the map down in a nest of creases, looking first at Raphaela, then over at the intercom. "Ah damn it.. so much for that. I'd hoped he wouldn't notice." Reaching over, he switch-flips and speaks towards the funnel-shaped comm piece in its holder, "It's fine, Moore. Hold steady and I'll take it from here.." He turns back to get Raph to help him reroll the map more carefully.
Raphaela is helpfull "Can I help?" she rollrollrolls.
Merrisol gets the fastening band around the newly-tubed map. "I /was/ taking us to what might be one of the highest points on the sea bed.. if there's a freshwater reserve anywhere, it would be there." He shunts the map back into a waterproof case and fastidiously replaces it in a bin. "If I can't get Oshan to let us bring the Koi there..." he pauses for one frustrated, pondering moment, then turns and starts past Raphaela to leave through the hatchway.
Raphaela says "WHy in the seven sea gods don't you split in two groups? ONe with Kelpies and one with stupid fish?"
Raphaela isn't trying to insult the fish. It's not insult, it's classification.
Merrisol turns in the corridor to look back at Raph. "There's only one sea god," he pedants, "and that is precisely what I am intending to do. I'll take the Koi."
Raphaela snerks "Of course..." getting fond of fish? "You know... we can always deliver it as main meal for Kitzeh celebration?" she is. Teasing. Probably.
Raphaela follows Fuffy, to drive him insane. Probably.
Nnnh.. a reminder of Kitezh, and other things that need doing. Combining Koi and Kitezh would not only be neatly alliterative, but also would cut down on travel time.... no. No no. "It will mean half a day's jaunt undersea," Merri remarks over his shoulder, when he notices Raphaela going along.
Raphaela asks "Hey, how come Koi is only thing that got a name? Nobody named tinyies." she will, probably, be bothering him with nonsenical observations until he gives her something to DO.
Raphaela suggests helpfully "We can call them Ke-van through 7." get it? Get it? K-1 through 7? Get it?
Merrisol stops. "Seven.. did the last egg hatch?" he demands, turning to Raphaela too distracted to frown at her this time.
Raphaela says "No, but I'm positive it will, seven is lucky number." hopefully this carries over to Liya.
Merrisol and Raphaela are having words in the starboard corridor, while the SF drifts and bobs at water level in the red dawn. It had begun veering gradually eastward a few hours ago, and now the former Last Kelpie has swum in front of the sub, effectively blocking it from proceeding so far off the projected course. In the lab, Liyandra is snoozing on a couch that was hauled in sometime in the night, so she doesn't have to go far from the lonely last unhatched egg in the tank.
Raphaela hms "Oh, that reminds me. She gave me task of finding egg eating Cucumber purse." she taps Merri's shoulder. "Shout if you want me, Fuff." she turns just like that and is off.
Meijanri sits coiled around the last egg, her chin just above the water as if the tank were a hot tub. One that probably needs some serious cleaning after having so many Kelpies born in it, but for the sake of a dying species, she shall endure. Her fingertips brush over the shell of the remaining egg, expression calm if not a little distant. She knows how rare it is for every egg in a clutch to hatch, and though she is more than willing to give this last little guy her warmth and care, it's written all over her face; her hopes are not high.
Cucumbers is nowhere to be seen. Which, like a suddenly misplaced spider, only furthers the impression that he's close by.
Merrisol stands where he is after Raphaela breezes off, narrow-eyeing the far wall. He doesn't look inclined to shout for her.. although if she does find Cucumbers in the pantry, someone'll be yelling. With a low huff of a sigh, he goes back to the laboratory hatchway and looks in towards the tanks, observing Meijanri in her vigil, then the egg itself. "I'll be off the ship for some of the day, but the crew knows how to get back on track to It'rla," he says after the pause.
Meijanri slides her hand back and forth across the surface of the egg, reminding the little one that she is here. And there, and all around, really. "I'll be here." Her voice is soft. Forlorn, even, as her fingertips brush that smooth shell.
Merri nods, but doesn't turn right away to dash off again, instead caught by the tone of her voice to linger and gaze. The eggs must have each been determined to be viable after the clutch was delivered to the tanks, and could only have thrived since then, what with the warm tail nest, Liyandra's ministrations, and of course, each other. There might be a defect in the internal membrane, the yolk supply, or the fetus itself, slowing or halting development. The smaller circumference of the egg suggests there was something amiss, all along. Still. "The tyke didn't make it through massacre and infestation, and then the rallying of its kin, just to give up now, Mei."
Meijanri gives Merri as much of a smile as she can muster. It's sadder than if she hadn't even tried. "There's a reason some species lay eggs, Mister Merrisol." The way she's holding the egg makes it clear she hasn't given up yet. Or maybe she's just trying to make the little one as comfortable as possible. "Have you seen Cucumbers? No matter what happens, make sure he doesn't get to this egg. ...The least I can do is... keep it from being anyone's meal."
Whoa.. the purse horror doesn't even get the dud egg? Merri pauses over that, then nods. "It will be returned to Oshan, of course. If there are funerary rites for the unborn, he should be the one to see to that," he says, works on a bit of dryness to his mouth, then shakes his head. "I haven't seen your bag.. if you'll tell me later how you came across this thing.. is it a confused hermit crab?.. perhaps I can speak to it on your behalf. I have to see to the Koi so the convoy can get going again." He looks at the egg again, sternly. "And you, little one, had better be paddling around with your fellow spawnlings by the time I get back," he adds, because why not.
Meijanri can't help but smile at that, a genuine one. "You'd make a good father, Mister Merrisol. Say hello to the koi for me. Sweetie, right?" She could tell him all about Cucumbers' exciting and baffling origin story but sees that the man has more pressing matters to attend. It'll be a story for another time.
Merrisol looks surprised by the unexpected praise, smiling back then. He nods, looking uncertain for a moment. There might be other people wanting to say hello to Sweetie, too. Or, more pointedly, goodbye. "Right.. perhaps I can convince Oshan to let us take this detour. It will give the babies more time to feed and grow." And in one case, hatch. He taps the frame briefly as he turns and departs the hatchway.
Mercier slips in with a yawn and makes his way towards the baster and food, rolling his neck to one side. It pops subtly, "Minister-Captain, good.... day, evening?" He reaches into his vest and produces a watch, popping open the hunter case and looking at it, "Afternoon." He says with a final nod, preparing one of the basters.
As the tank has been vacated of all but one egg, Meijanri can now submerge most of her body with just her head sticking above the surface, her long body coiled about that final little parcel. Her hand lifts from the water in greeting, expression calm enough but hardly serene. Pensive. When her hand lowers back beneath the surface it rests on the little egg and brushes over its surface soothingly.
Mercier fills one of the basters and stalks towards the tank with the hatched Kelpies, crossing his arms and looking for the right one, "Ah, there you are." He says. He pauses for a moment, deciding how best to go about things and looks back to Meijanri, peering, "That one still hasn't hatched yet?" He says, the corners of his mouth turning into a slight frown.
Meijanri shakes her head, the motion making a soft splashing in the water. "No. Not yet." Her fins beat the water to keep it moving about the undersized egg, her smooth coils cradling and warming it. "...It's small," she comments, with significance.
Mercier frowns and goes about feeding the one Kelpie he's been designated to feed, "Yes, more food, so desperately surprising." He notes to it with mock mockery, before looking back to Meijanri from his position, "Ah... well sometimes not every foal makes it. Its sad but... we've been exceedingly lucky that any of them did."
Entering the research area, Maggie also makes her way to the basters. She fills one of them as she listens, her gaze flickering to the smaller egg that still has not hatched. "Hmm. Maybe the shell is too thick?" Yup. Maggie has shown in the past that she does not really understand the animal kingdome and this just proves it. Walking over to the tank where the older sibs are, she smiles as the Kelpie assigned to her bounces a few times, then darts to the side for a feeding. "Hello, wee beastie. I can't help but want to give you a name but I think that is Uncle Oshan's job."
Meijanri nods to herself, caressing the poor little egg. "Yeah," she replies softly, in a manner quite unlike someone who feels lucky by any degree. Her tail shifts, careful not to jostle the egg too much. In an equally distant and depressed tone she adds, "Captain, if you try to break this egg I will take your arm and I will not give it back." Her eyes are locked on the other woman now, unblinking, with all the warmth of a brooding adder.
"That was very a direct and specific threat...." Mercier says, glancing between the two, and then oops and readjusting his support on his own charge as it wheedles about, a little too eager for the fooooood, "Oop, no, steady as she goes." He turns back to Meijanri, "Well... don't lose so far. These eggs have been dorment for a long time, who knows the variences of gestation."
Maggie lifts her brows but does not turn to look at Meijanri until she is sure that the beastie is eating well. When she does, the look is returned, though Maggie's holds all the warmth of a Winter in IceDeep during a blizzard. Her tone is quiet, "Why no, Maggie. That might hurt the critter. Oh? Thanks, Mei. I did not know. We won't be doing that then." Her gaze does not faulter nor lower and, while she does continue to feed the infant, no warmth returns to her.
Meijanri doesn't further exacerbate their standoff, nor does she take her eyes off Maggie. It is not in her character to posture or threaten, but there is an animal fearlessness still in her nature that has little patience for any misunderstandings, especially regarding the young in her care, which she has taken to protecting as though they were her own. She and Maggie will likely need to have words about this at some point. Maybe more than words, should Maggie prove less forgiving once Meijanri feels less broody. That point is not now, and Meijanri contorts her long tail enough to side her torso under the water and curl the egg even closer into her coils, watching Maggie through the glass.
Mercier however, isn't about have any of it, "Ladies." He says, "I've had about enough of watching people posture and threaten over little things this month." He glances to Meijanri, "Minister-Captain, she clearly doesn't have a malicious thought at all about the eggs. She's trying to help." Eyes to Maggie, "And Captain, the Minister-Captain appears, as we all are to some degree, distraught by the poor thing not hatching." He adjusts the baster, looking back towards the Kelpie, "and if I have to spend this much time in a sinking metal coffin with that this zipping between you two like a psychokenetic guillotine, I would find my life a tad unpleasent." He looks back to them both, "I understand tensions are high, but there's no need for a tiff. We're all doing our best here." He says, before looking back down to the Kelpie, "Yes, yes, silly things, aren't they?"
Maggie's capacity to forgive will probably need to be explored. Later. Now? She watches Meijanri tuck in around the edd and stare at her with increasing irritation. A commen grows and is almost released. She holds it, however, to hear what the "Merchant" has to say. As he finishes, she turns her back to Meijanri to concentrate on feeding the small one. Mercier's words are heard and he is offered a nod but she does not look back at the Undine woman nor speak. Her free hand does snake down into the water to help support the wee one.
Meijanri bloops a small plume of bubbles from between her lips and glances to Mercier, which means she's not staring at Maggie anymore. That's progress. After a moment she turns her gaze away from him as well and blurps something quiet but tonally apologetic. Even if she's no longer threatening people who could handily fillet her, she looks like she'd rather sulk than engage in any meaningful conversation.
Maggie's capacity to forgive will probably need to be explored. Later. Now? She watches Meijanri tuck in around the edd and stare at her with increasing irritation. A comment grows and is almost released. She holds it, however, to hear what the "Merchant" has to say. As he finishes, she draws in a breath slowly before allowing her gaze to seek Meijanri's once more, "It is not a good idea to threaten a Minosian Captain." The chill slowly leaches from her tone, "But, you are right, Templeton. We are all worried about that smallest one." Turning her back to Meijanri to concentrate on feeding the small one. Mercier's words are heard and he is offered a nod but she does not look back at the Undine woman nor speak. Her free hand does snake down into the water to help support the wee one.
Mercier looks again between the both of them as they both back down a little. Only a little, but at least swords aren't about to be drawn, or people about to be unlimbed. Attention back to the baster, "I do love being a merchant, I don't have to worry about such things." Mercier says, "We need someone to bring down a fiddle."
Merrisol returns again, looking in through the open hatchway to scan the lab. He nods to the group in general, his gaze pinpointing Maggie. Then he steps back and half-leans into his study, looking around that smaller chamber. "Good morning," he says as he returns again some more, to the laboratory, standing upon the top stair. "I made my case to Oshan.. how there was still the one egg, and the others could use even a day's time it would take to detour, to get stronger." And fatter! "He said it was too dangerous an area to risk going any further east while the babies are on board," he relays the conclusion to the discussion with a scowl working its way unconsciously to the expressive muscles of his face. Very possibly Oshan's phrasing had been a lot more fearsome and/or dismissive than Merri's summation.
Most of Maggie's irritation has faded. It is hard to stay annoyed with a baby critter is looking up at you with that adoring 'you're /feeding/ me' look. Really that should melt the hardest heart. So, when Merrisol pokes in, Maggie smiles up at him, "Hey, Kerf." The smile fades though, for the news is not good from her perspective. Looking back, she lets the Kelpie have the last mash in her baster before she softs along its wee head, "There you go, kiddo." It murbles beneath the water and Maggie smiles at it, "Right. You should go play with your siblings and that excellent toy Raphaela made for you. I need to talk to Kerf." Taking the baster back to the pot o'mash, she spends some time cleaning it and setting it to dry. Looking back, she inhales, "Well. Did he say why at least?"
Mercier still has a bit to go, his charge perhaps more luxeriant in enjoying its food. Whatever the cause, it takes Mercier a few more minutes after Maggie steps away. Finally though, he's done. He cocks his head at the Kelpie, "Go on then, gossip about the mad people feeding you." He says to it, before stepping down himself. He looks to Merrisol, "I'm afraid I haven't been filled in. What's the consternation on the large fellow's plate?"
Merri regards Maggie's tender manner interacting with the bonding babe, never suspecting she had been one half of a chill exchange only minutes before. He shakes his head, and looks a little askance down at Mercier, like, he just got done saying what the consternation was.. "The vessel is not being permitted to detour eastward to find what is said to be one of the highest points in the sea floor, as Oshan believes it is too dangerous for the brood to be taken in that direction," he reiterates. "He spoke of deep hunters who would like nothing better than to finish the slaughter the Chthingies started, even if they had to swallow the SF up whole. So. The Solar Flare will turn about and proceed back to the route bound for It'rla. I will remain behind take the Koi east to this place I believe to be the location of a freshwater reserve large enough to hold a colony of his species."
Maggie turns to Mercier as he speaks and makes her way up to the landing where Merrisol is as merrisol replies. Her frown grows slowly, "Well. Oshan is assuming that the creatures will know that the wee ones are aboard. Maybe alerted by his presence?" The irritation of before returns gradually, "Kerf... I'll go with you. I can use the diving equipment." She looks up at him, her gaze holding concern not only for the babes, the Solar Flare and all its passengers and Sweetie the Elephant Koi, but more personlly for him. "What is to keep them from coming for you?"
"I was uncertain for the motives of our particular route, thank you." Mercier says with a slight smile, but he looks confused, "Ch-thingies? I don't believe I've heard that Rebman word yet." He says, scratching his head, "Well, if thats the play, thats the play." He nods to Merrisol, "I'll mind things here, of course. Do be careful out there."
Maggie studies Merrisol for a moment, one brow lifting slowly. "Well... Yes, we do have other options and while I would be willing to pull you back, I don't think you should be asked to guide Sweetie and watch for threats all on your own. I don't know that we can trust Sweetie to be much help against an undersea threat. Not in his current condition anyway," she adds charitably. "I'm sure that my little Kelpie buddy would not mind being fed by someone else once or twice." Her glance flashes toward where Meijanri is huddled deep in the water, tail tucked protectively around the smallest; as yet unhatched, egg. Looking toward Mercier, then back, she keeps her smile relaxed, "And I could really use some exercise." Fresh water?
