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Kethren is sitting down by one of the trees at the edge of camp right now, stretched out a bit, and partially leaning on Nuala. Sitting on his lap is the ever present pda, displaying some holograms of trees and caves. Floriana watches the holograms curiuosly from his shoulder.
Xanya walk out of her ship the celeste. she has a pda in hand as well and watches the screen. No hologram here right now, just 2d images. She walks slowly towards the camp.
Sadie walks out from the residential district, looking somewhat distracted. Fionn is padding confidently in front of her, and she is followed of course by her aids and guards and whatnot. She yawns as she moves over to the med tent to check on things. Fionn slinks over to Nuala and barks at her excitedly.
Kethren looks up from his pda at the barking and smiles "Well, hello there. Having a good day?" Nuala stretches out on the ground to be at a more even level with Fionn, and more or less smiles at her. Or as close to that as a tiger can get, anyway.
Xanya looks up at the barking and notices kethren and animals. then she spots the aids and guard of sadie and desides to wonder inside the med tent to see if sadie is around. She stays in the entrance and smiles looking into the med tent.
Sadie gasps as she sees Xanya and skips to her. "Hey!" She grins as she hugs her tightly. "How are you?" Outside the tent, Fionn licks Nuala's nose before sitting up tall and swishing her tail.
Kethren snickers at the foxy antics, and rolls his eyes as Nuala returns the lick. Reaching up to scratch Floriana "Apparently I just to see critters today."
Xanya smiles and hugs sadie back. "who is my beautiful wive doing today?"
Sadie smiles as she is hugged by Xanya. "I'm doing great, how are you?" She looks around and furrows her brow. "Where is Fionn?" She proceeds to look outside the tent, noticing Fionn with Nuala and Kethren. "Hey Keth!" She shouts to him before looking back at Xanya.
Kethren waves to Sadie "Mornin!" and then reaches down to scratch Nuala while the tree and cave holograms manipulate themselves in the air in front of him.
Xanya smiles and kisses sadie for a few seconds. "I'm doing fine, thanks for asking." She says and looks sadie in the eyes.
Sadie smiles and nods to Keth before looking back into Xanya's eyes. "I missed you!"
Kethren stretches a bit, then puts his pda up, and leans over on Nuala.
"I missed you too sweety." Xanya says. "did you have any plans for today?"
Sadie shakes her head as she smiles at Xanya. "Not really. No one seems to be hurt or anything.." She motions gestures towards the medtent, smiling.
Kethren lowers his hat a bit to shade his eyes as he lies back against Nuala. They're by some trees near the edge of camp. Fionn and Nuala seem to be entertaining each other. As are Xan and Sadie WAYYYY over at the med tent.
Xanya smiles to sadie. "no plans today? not even backup plan in case you run into your wife?" She says and then thinks a bit to herself. "lets see what can we do?"
Sadie shrugs as she smiles. "Well, I didn't know that I would run into you today, darling." She laughs as she takes Xanya's hand and drags her over to Kethren. Fionn paws at Nuala, and impatiently barks at Kethren.
"Heyyyyy!" comes an absolute -yell- from over by the landing area, and it dopplers closer as Alhambra comes loping to the field from that direction. The russet, skittering Rikki-blur that zips over to the group and then back to the burly human leads her over in their direction quite rapidly. "H *phew* hey guys," she pants. "I uh. *pant* Phew. I got Vessa. She passed out in my office. Did you people know she done and got knocked up and then was still like... fuckin' trying to do all the jobs around here?"
Kethren grumbles a bit as he sits up, smiling at Fionn anyway. He smirks a bit as Nuala paws Fion's head. After that he blinks a few times in Al's direction "Oh, lordy... I took up armor smithing to keep her safe, and it's just not enough!"
Xanya smiles to kethren as she gets dragged over to him by sadie. When she hears all's little storry she looks suprised. "wait what? she got what? when did that happen? who's the father? when did she got married and why the hell wasn't I invited? am I missing somthing?
Sadie raises a brow at Alhambra, her eyes bugging out in disbelief. "Wait.. Vessa's.." She pauses. "Knocked up, like how?" Fionn's ears perk up as she skitters over to Sadie, looking up at her expectantly.
"Unless you could put armor around her goddamn -head- I don't think it's gonna work. She said people -told her to do it- so she did. Fuck me Margaret, can tell her to eat and sleep and she won't do that, but just 'cause a bunch of the folks around here won't take 'no' for an answer she's been folding like doormat made out of crepe paper and bubblegum," Alhambra snorts, looking around like she's going to -catch- some of 'the folks' lurking around waiting to make Vessa cater to their whims. "So she said she gets all the complaints goin' directly through her office. I have intercepted them. Told a good fifty percent of your population to shut up, twenty percent of it if they're so unhappy they can fix their damn yards themselves, ten percent of it to go move to B'hira if this planet's not good enough, and the other ten that I'd be visiting them -personally- to see to it that they stop complainin. Missy Vessa was fuckin' poppin' pills to stay awake, and somehow thinks that's all right to do with a child already done implanted. She didn't get married, she had a fuckin' kid -installed- and no I got no idea who else it's made out of. Fuckin' dumbshit. If she was gonna go all science she shoulda just had a tube kid, since apparently she has lost the goddamn sense to know that you don't go poppin' pills when you're preggers."
Kethren sighs "Well, the armor has a helmet, yes... but man, what's become of her lately? She used to be this great decisive force that held us all together.... found us the nicest planet I've ever been on..." Really, Keth just looks lost right now.
Xanya nods agreeing with kethren. "I know what you mean. this doesn't sound like the vessa I know. agreed I haven't seen or spoken to her much lately, but still."
Sadie stands there, staring at Alhambra with her mouth open in complete shock, completely speechless. When she finds her voice, it is full of anger and disbelief. "She WHAT?!" She begins to shake as she looks to the ground, her hands balling up into fists. "And then she doesn't even know how to fucking take CARE of it?! My dear lord!" Sadie shakes her head, putting her hands on her hips. "Well that was /smart/ of Vessa. Damnit. Was that stupid girl that can't remember her name not enough for her?" She rolls her eyes before huffing. "Why the hell would she do /that/?"
"Yep," Alhambra drawls, in that rumbling-thunder sort of way that she sometimes has before putting someone into a Dumpster. "She said because 'the people,' and I have no fucking idea who these people are because I did not THINK she had filled a planet full of entitled wankjobs... she said 'the people' said she had to have an heir because a clone ain't good enough. And I was like tell 'the people' to suck your buttcheek, and then she's like 'well I want one anyways'. Like she's too stupid to make her own decisions now. Zu said she let some folks drag her to Comorro to get one engineered offa that fuckin' pimp doc, of all people. Anyhow she's sacked out at my place, me an' Mira are takin' turns looking after her, and I rerouted her 'personal dumbshit complaints' department to my PDA. I also had some folks tell THESE FOLKS that -I- would be handling the complaints from here on in, with uh the power vested in me as a Shaman and shit. Nari went and got me some of them wingy wolves to help me out, too. Anybody caught givin' her drugs and I'ma throw them a beating."
Kethren nods at Al "Well, welcome aboard, then. And feel free to yell at myself or Aina if you need some extra hands... Though I'd honestly prefer you pluck her for this. Not only am I not particularly intimidating, but I do have a city to plan, and an artificial cave to design..." and he just sighs deeply "I just have too much to do as it is. Can hardly find time to see Aina most days... the boss has gone screwy... We'll have tiny people moving in..."
Xanya shakes her head. "if vessa wasn't knocked up I would be knocking some sence into her. what was she thinking. an heir for what? I thought this planet was gona be ruled by a group of people not just one king or queen." She shakes her head a bit then turns to Al. "glad you did what you did. if you ever need help you let me know."
Sadie just shakes her head, unable to speak. She breathes heavily, obviously upset. "Well I'm glad that you're helping, because if she's going to be /that/ irresponsible, she doesn't deserve to have a baby." She huffs in annoyance, folding her arms over her chest. As if picking up on her mood, Fionn growls quietly.
"Oh no -shit-, honey," Alhambra agrees with Sadie. "I mean it's like she ain't thinking for herself -at all- no more. It's like somebody took her goddamn brain out and left it somewhere. But she's in good hands. Me, an Mira an a bunch of other folks from the hospital trained to look after Vessa back when she lived on Eiru, all taking shifts. We make sure she's getting plenty of good stuff and no friggin' drugs." She nods to Xanya. "Hey you can feel free to take a shift too, plenty of room at the house still, I done moved a lot of the exercise equipment and brought in the foldup beds from the old med tent." Everyone's standing by some trees. The conversation is -animate-, to say the least; people are avoiding the general group. She raises an eyebrow at Kethren. "...tiny whut now?"
Kethren blinks a couple times at Al "Oh... we had a visit from a Nemoni ambassador last night. They're interested in setting up a colony here."
Zu has just arrived on the scene, flapping quickly towards the group, a speaker of some kind attached at his hip, that is currently silent. The shoulder he chooses, after making sure she's seen him of course, is Sadies as he adds to the group in general, "Don't forget her cheif of security looking after her." Looking to the rest of the group he adds, "I've been with her making sure she didn't do anything else stupid as well."
Xanya nods to Al. "sure thing I'll see what I can do. I got work to do too. but I think I can manage it from a chair while taking a shift."
Sadie huffs again before seeing Zu land on her shoulder and nodding. Her face lightens up a bit - just a tad /too/ happy. "This is absolutely ridiculous. Vess? With a kid?" She begins to laugh hysterically. "This is going to be so funny!" She continues laughing.
"Oh, Nemoni. Cute," Alhambra drawls, shrugging. Somewhat distracted by the matter at hand... that being that Vessa has somehow managed to reach staggeringly new heights of stupidity. "Anyhow can you guys find out who the fuck isn't happy about living here? Because really I think you'd have to be retarded to not like living here. An' I think all the same if they don't like it here they should get the fuck out instead of complaining to Missy Vessa. An' find out which fundamental assjackals started the idea that she needs an heir, too. Because yeah it's like Missy Xanya says this ain't no fuckin' monarchy. This also ain't no muhfuckin' dark ages where woman got to be preggo."
Kethren nods "Indeed. They like caves, but I'm sure you've seen what lives in ours. Can't let em settle in there. So, we're gonna use a tree or two and make em something cavelike to build in. If they like the plans I send them, anyway... And I really have no idea who's been raising a fuss about this place. Only person I've actually heard being pissy about the venue is Conner... and given how much Conner has ticked off Vessa with said pissiness, I don't think her complaints would carry much weight."
Zu Looks over at Sadie as she begins to laugh a rather small forwn forming, "Would you quit your laughing woman, this is serious. Your sister, and my boss has lost enough spine to think that a few suggestions from the aide and some old conservative bastards is enough to mean she wanted a kid. Worse yet, apparently all of a sudden they were more important in swaying her opinion than the council." He's calm, but very clearly unhappy.
Xanya turns to sadie and puts an arm around her. "relax sweety, we'll get her trough it. Vessa doesn't have to do this alone. Besides,... the child will have an amazing aunt like you to help her out when she needs it." she then turns to Al. "I as hell aint gona complain about this planet. Hell I like it here enough to get a home here for me an sadie."
Sadie bites her lip as she calms down slowly. "Well, duh, Zu." she remarks quietly. "I just think it's stupid. She should be our leader, but we are all supposed to help her with stuff like this. It's just.. just ridiculous." She looks at Xanya. "Yeah, right. She didn't even come to our wedding and then when I talked to her she didn't seem to care about it." She sighs. "I need to be alone. I'll be at the Inn." She frowns as she begins to walk off, Fionn reluctantly chasing after her.
Alhambra nods seriously, and then rummages a battered pack of cigarettes out of her jacket. Tucking one into the corner of her mouth, she lights it. "Yeah I mean she ain't never been the sharpest tool in the shed, but -this- shit is like nigh-on -terminal- stupid. This is dumber than a box of hammers stupid." With a heavy, smoky sigh, she watches Sadie walk off. "This is alienating your family and friends stupid."
Kethren sighs as he idly scratches Nuala "Indeed..."
Zu flaps offof Sadie, now falling upon Alhambra's shoulder, should she let him, "For once, sheriff, you and I agree completely. I've lost a lot of respect for her over this ordeal, and....Speakof the devil." It's then that the speaker at his hip starts to convey a few moaning and groaning noises, most loosely associated with the word work, as their boss gains momentary consciousness, only to fall back asleep a moment later.
Xanya looks to sadie walk away with a sigh. "oke sweety. you know where and how to find me if you need anything."
Alhambra sighs, turning to exhale another puff of smoke over her shoulder and turning the other way at the last minute to not smoke up the landing Tupai. "Man, this is bad, bad shit," she drawls. "We can not have this shit happening to Missy Vessa, we can not have this shit happening to the planet."
Kethren nods "Very true. I've put in too much work on this planet to see it ruined. I won't let this city be ruined..." Careful observers may notice a slightly manic glint in his eye. Nuala looks around a bit more alertly.
Zu nods at this, "I'm not about to let Vessa get lost to stupidity, either. And I have no doubts in my mind that once that child is born it's going to be somebody else raising it, she'll be far too obsessed with her work. She already ignored her sister's wedding of all things, what's to stop her from ignoring her child?"
Xanya shakes her head and looks to the group. "I want you all to promise me one thing. To let me know if anything happens to vessa from now on. I don't care how you have to get it to me. tell it, page it, phone it, I don't give a shit. Just let me know what the fuck the woman does... especialy if it's so stupit as what she aparently did now."
Alhambra takes a long, hard drag on the cigarette. "Then we better find out who the fuck's got it in for Missy Vessa," she rumbles, "And give them the business end of whut we do to folks who are aiming to piss on this particular parade. I reckon we ought to put 'em in a sack with some bacon and throw 'em in the haunted moor."
Kethren shudders at Al's mentioning of the moor, and grabs hold of Nuala, suddenly looking around rather nervously.
Zu gives only a glance to Kethren at the mention of the moor, having nto ventured out there himself, replying to Al, "Well, I've already arrested the aide. Those treason charges have yet to be pressed, though. What I do have however, is something very interesting that was confiscated during a raid of her quarters after the fact. It's the scheduling book she'd been using to control Vessa's life, very meticulously from what I've been told. I haven't had a chance to read through it myself yet, but from what my subordinates have told he she slowly made things exponentially worse on Vessa."
Xanya listens to the convertations for now. unsure what to add but thinking alot.
Alhambra's lips curl away from her teeth. "That's crafty shit. I don't reckon I like crafty shit. This is all like underhanded overthrowin' Grand Vizier shit. I can't suppose it was just that pickle-twatted bitch aide neither. But I mean who the fuck has anything to gain from knocking the whole empire out from under her?"
Kethren manages to calm down just enough to glance over at Al "Well, the sub council, for a start. Or really, anybody who wants to seize power..." He hasn't loosened his death grip on Nuala though.
Zu nods at Vessa, "Anybody who wanted to take power for themselves, and was convinced they could get through me and my troops once the time came. I am, however, reasonably certain that these complaints are a part of it, and not actual citizens. I'd never heard anything about them until just recently, after all, and I was her security guard for quite some time."
Xanya sighs a bit. "I wish I had a punching bag right now." sounding a bit less calm then before.
"Yeah and when I said I was takin' shit over, things slowed the fuck down, I tell you whut. Mostly because I started answering them in no uncertain terms that if they was unhappy, they could fix it themselves or move the fuck somewhere else." Alhambra rumbles, hissing smoke between her teeth. "So wherever these things are comin' from I reckon they were banking on little miss suggestible doormat answering those calls."
Kethren smirks over at Xan "Try some trees? I know Vessa's used em for that purpose before."
Zu glances over at Xanya, "You want a punchign bag go head to the gym, now if you want to try getting something useful done, try staying around and talking with us." Al has his attention once more, "Exactly. Something is happening. It's partially why I was perfectly fine with keeping her off planet for a while."
Sadie wanders back into the field, the skip slightly back in her step. She finds her way back over to the group as she claps her hands together. "Does it seem weird around here to y'all?"
Xanya nods a bit to kethren and zu. then notices sadie and smiles to her a bit. "wierd how?" She asks her curiously.
Alhambra takes another pull on the cigarette. "We was just discussing how shit seems to be weird, but I ain't supposing it's isolated to 'around here'." She gestures to Zu. "Well. She's at my place now and NOBODY gets in there if I don't know them, so if it's an inside job they are going to be hard pressed to go infil-trating. Sent her muhfuckin' guards HOME and now it is my boys and my wingy wolf squad on guard." Al ticks off on her fingers. "My medical staff, too, each and every one of them fully trained in how to deal with Missy Vessa's particular brand of thick-headedness."
Kethren nods distractedly at Al, and leans more into Nuala as she sits up to support him.
Zu nods at Al, "Right, and I plan on keeping a shift for as long as she's asleep. Perhaps I shouldn't even let her get to work even after she's rested up. I think there's a real serious threat here, but they can't do much if Vessa isn't there to corrupt."
Sadie shrugs her shoulders. "The air seems tense. Maybe it's just me, but something seems.. off." She nods to Al. "Do you need my assistance of any kind, Al?"
"I'm glad she is at your place Al." Says Xanya.
"Right. If we can get this shit straightened out and flush the roaches out of the woodwork, we can get 'em trussed up an' dropped off before she sets foot back on this planet. And if I see any folks hanging around my house that I am unfamiliar with, I will tie them up and hang them offa the back of my horse until they rethink their life choices," Alhambra muses. She nods to Sadie, and everyone else. "Yeah anything you folks can help with, takin' shifts at the house, intercepting her messages an' emails, and finding out who or whut is threatening her and our way of life here, that'd be helpful."
Kethren nods "right..."
Zu nods back to Al, "I'll do what I can to try getting the rats out of their holes." Looking back to Kethren he notes, "I have a bad feeling that we're going to be needing to have a prison built and ready before this thing is through."
Sadie hmm's for a second before looking to Al. "Where should we start?"
Alhambra rumbles thoughtfully. "Try and find out whut societal -group- or whut the fuck ever supposedly was pressurin' Missy Vessa to provide them with an heir. Like are they actual folks who live here, or some snakes planted in the population to make it -seem- like this is some manner of big concern. An' we need somebody to find out whut the hell got planted in her. Like who's the daddy? Whut other genetical material is in on this, and does it belong to any one who would stand to gain the Empire should something happen to Missy Vessa?" She exhales a snort of smoke from her nostrils. "I will handle the 'complaints department'. But somebody's gonna like... need to do the diplomatical shit. I ain't on no council; just cause the planet thinks I'm kickass don't mean that the politics will... and well shit we all know ain't nobody needs me speaking for 'em unless they just need one loud word that starts with 'whup' and ends with 'in'."
Xanya looks to sadie then to Al and the rest. "I think we already made a good start by putting vessa at Al's place. and Zu doing what he has done to get some awsners from that aid." She says summerating what she remembers from the convertations so far then listens to Al. "hmmm... I think Sadie and Aina can be the right people to help with finding out whats been put inside Vessa. There both qualified for that. as for finding out who or what is behind this. I can help Zu along with that as much as posible. I'm no detective but I'm sure I can help with something."
Kethren nods at Zu, as he pulls his PDA back out and summons up a fairly sizable hologram "Don't have a prison as such designed yet, but the police station'll have a few cells, and the plans are nearly ready. It's slated to go up with the next set of buildings... So you might want to start sounding out some potential staff for the place. Just have a few minor details on a few buildings to work out, and we'll get them all up at once. Not the rest of the city, mind. Just the next addition."
Zu nods at Alhambra, "I don't think that they're even citizens at this point, and if they are, they probably came for the sole purpose of doing this. As for what's inside her, she was impregnated that day, from what I make of it. Either it came from Alastair's stores, personal or otherwise, or he just pulled some biogenetics on one of her own egg cells to make it compatible." Kethren's turn now, "Well, work fast, I've got a feeling that we'll have some very close cellmates, otherwise, unless you'd like me slacking and have this end with the lot of us swinging by a rope from one of those trees." And finally to Xanya he replies, "You can help me investigate leads if you like. I hear far better than I see, another set of eyes would be good."
Sadie grumbles softly to herself. "So much for a honeymoon." She sighs and nods. "I will find out what -or who- is inside her as much as I can. Aina and I will be good to work on stuff like that. Besides it will keep me away from Vessa so I don't have the urge to kick her ass." She purses her lips together.
Xanya nods to Zu. "I'll gladly be your wingman Zu. Just let me know when you need my eyes and I'll do my best to be there." She then turns to Sadie. "Don't worry about our honey moon sweety. I got that one covered. We may do it a bit later then most newlyweds would but we will still have our honey moon. don't you worry about that." She says with a bright smile. "I'll leave the destination a suprise thought, if you don't mind."
Alhambra chortles unpleasantly, puffing away on the cigarette. "Just dig a big fuckin' hole and put a nice sign on it that says 'Prison'. Betcha -that- shit'll make them think twice. Not that I am saying you gotta throw folks in a hole..." She trails off, and then grunts. "Although if we find the folks that are messin' with Missy Vessa I might strongly recommend that folks find something interesting to look at whilst they are... dealt with." She nearly bites the end off of that 't' on the end of 'dealt'. Raising an eyebrow at Zu, she squints at him through the smoke. "Well if you think we that outnumbered, maybe I should go and do s'more recruiting amongst the native critters here."
Kethren nods to Zu "Well, if need be the hospital can wait a little longer, though I'd really like to get that up at the same time... I suppose I do try to get too much done at once, sometimes." then sparing a moment to glance over at Al "Give a yell if you need some help rounding up some suitable critters."
Zu nods at Xanya, "Wingman, indeed." It's Al's turn to get a look as he replies, "Well, if w've got three cells, and even only 20 conspirators, they're going to be close, and the last thing we need is them being able to talk to each other after interrogations. As for outnumbered, the fact is we have no idea. It could be 2% of the population, it could 20."
Sadie nods to Xanya apprehensively before sighing. "I guess I'll get to work now."
Xanya gives sadie a loving kiss. "i'm sorry fi this puts a damper on your hopes for a honeymoon hapening soon. but I promise I will make up soon enough."
Alhambra continues to rumble thoughtfully. "Welp, that's what the hole will have to be for..." she muses, and then sets her teeth in her bottom lip, loosing a piercing whistle. "Rikkitttch!" comes the response from the grass, which bows back and forth as something tiny and immeasurably fast goes darting through it. "Rikki go on and get some pals. We got work to do." Pause. "...and would somebody kindly order up some food because I have a feeling if we are recruiting from among the Ser... well. We gonna be up to our ankles in little mooches. Keth can you see if Floriana's willin' to go help Rikki find some folks?"
Kethren nods at Al, and smiles faintly as he scratches Floriana "Yeah, it's for a good cause. Yes there'll be food! Giminy, have we ever not fed you guys? Yeah, I'll be ok without you. It won't be like that other time..." And with a quick affectionate scurry around his neck, Floriana zips off to join Rikki in the recruitment effort.
Zu raises a small brow at Al and Kethren now, "Alright, you guys care to fill me in on what exactly those guys can do for us?" He doesn't seem adverse to the idea, more just wanting it explained to him. Looking back at Xanya he notes, "Hell, you help enough with this I'll pay for a honeymoon for the pair of you."
Sadie looks to Al and Keth. "It might be possible to get Thor and Valkyrie to recruit some Ubijit's - even though they haven't exactly been around the others since they were little. I think that Fionn could go with them to make sure everything is understood?" She smiles slightly. "Is that even possible?"
Xanya nods agreeing with sadie. "the Ubojit's would be a great help indeed. but I would like to ask if you would try to tell or ask thor and valkyrie to get help. I'm still not sure if Valkyrie understands me enought."
"They're tiny, fast, and -everyfuckinwhere-," Alhambra drawls, shaking her unkempt head with a dry chuckle. "They c'n recognize words, and intentions and shit. If there are people on this planet who don't -like- this planet... Well. The way I figure it is, the critters will know that better'n we will." She rumbles thoughtfully. "I know the uh. I know the wingywolves and the Ser at least can understand. Not sure if the kitty things do; I ain't tried talkin' to anybody else yet but I mean whut the hell it's worth a shot. I went on the spirit journey here, after all, and that ought to count for somethin'."
Kethren nods "Bout the size of it, alright. They're very perceptive. Wouldn't surprise me if the ubojit understand, though. Most things on this planet are smarter than usual."
Zu gives a nod to Al, "I'm all for any help I can get." After a moment he adds, "Though there is the matter at hand of her child that's on the way now, sheriff. She's insistent on carrying it, and clearly can't handle it. The rate she's going I'd place my money on a miscarriage or stillborn, anyway."
At Zu's words, Sadie sucks in air sharply. "Why would you even.." She shakes her head softly. "Please don't talk like that.."
"I have to agree on sadie with that" Xanya Says to zu. "If you want vessa to become a wreck, and I mean a real wreck. pray hope that happens. I personaly hope she will have a healhty child. no matter the cercomstances of it's creation. ..or however else you should say that."
Alhambra's slackjaw response to Zu comes complete with dangling, smoldering cigarette, but thankfully she gets it under control before it drops from its precarious perch. "The fuck, man. I am takin' care of her ass now, thank you very much. Dude you don't talk like that about babies, no matter the stupidity surrounding their conception or scientific fac-simile of it. That's creepy shit. That poor child will not need any more darkness surroundin' its growth than it's already got."
Kethren nods quietly, and just leans back into the tiger next to him.
Zu is quite unphased by the looks from all but Kethren as he replies, "You act like I said I wanted the poor child burning in a fire. I'm just saying that this child is in danger because of Vessa's current bull-headedness, and I have to be afraid that it won't just disappear once she's awake."
Sadie nods to Zu, biting her lip. "I worry about after the baby is born.."
Xanya puts an arm around sadie. "we can help her after the baby is born sweety."
"Well no but it ain't something you ought to be saying. Put that on the inside voice," Alhambra drawls, taking another draw in on the cigarette. "An' besides she's like surrounded by docs now who don't give a fuck if she's stubborn, 'cause we're used to it and she's not our Empress or nothin' so she can't tell us whut to do."
Kethren glances up at Al "I do hope you still have that shipment of Hello Kitty duct tape."
Zu gives the sheriff a once over before replying, "Ignoring it doesn't make it go away, sheriff, and that child is a very important matter. Somebody who doesn't like Vessa wants that kid around, and managed to convine her that she did too, while she was overworked enough to need stimulants." He looks back to Xanya and Sadie to note, "Frankly, that would make me feel far better once the child is born. My suspicion at the moment is that whoever wants it born, wants to use it to get to Vessa even moreso than they already had. Perhaps force her hand in stepping down with it."
Sadie listens carefully to Zu and nods her head. "Yes, that does make sense."
Xanya nods. "if vessa does step donw for whatever reason we should make sure then the council, only the council and nothing but the whole councile picks a strong new leader." Xanya says. "But I hope it never has to come to that."
"Right," Alhambra agrees, "We gotta keep an eye on whoever has an unseemly interest in where Missy Vessa is and whut's goin' on with this kid..." She trails off and squints at Zu. "I ain't ignoring nothing, I'm just saying that if she's with me she is not going to be mistreating herself to a sufficient extent as to -lose this here baby-." There she goes, snapping the ends off of those t's again. "And when we catch this whoever... well there ought to be whuppins."
Kethren looks around at people as they talk, but just listens, still leaning on his tiger.
Zu gives a nod to Al, "Any and all treason trials go before council, it's something unique about that charge. Punishment will also depend upon what the council decides. Normally of course, Vessa would get a vote herself on the matter, but given the state of things, I feel we may need to do so without her." His gaze goes to Sadie and Xanya and he asks them, apparently very serious, "I do need to ask the pair of you something, however. Should it happen that once the baby is born that Vessa is unable to care for it properly, would you two really be willing to take care of it. It would set my mind far more at ease if we had something like that to rely on. I'd even be willing to help you if it came down to it."
Sadie shrugs. "Well I have always wanted a baby, I just didn't think it was possible with everything now.." She looks to Xanya and smiles softly before speaking quietly and nodding quickly. "I would love to take care of the baby if it comes to that.. Xan?"
Xanya smiles and kisses sadie. "I know. thats why i suggested it sweety."
Alhambra exhales smoke from her nostrils. "Well, that's a relief. I got like three jobs, Nix's brother an' sister to look after, Mira to keep away from her idiot husband, the farm, the horsies, an' a boyfriend of my own. I do -not- have no time for raisin no baby."
Kethren yawns, and falls asleep against Nuala. Surely people will tell him later on if he missed anything important.
Zu nods to the pair, replying "Thank you, you two. I might hate everything about the way that kid came into being, but...well, it is still Vessa's kid, and it deserves a better home than what Vessa in her current state could give it." Looking to the pair he adds, "Well, we're all council members here, aside from the sheriff. Sadie, I think you'd be the most objective in deciding if your sister can raise her baby or not. I want to leave the final decision to you when the time comes."
Sadie grins at Xanya's kiss and turns to Zu, nodding. "I can do that, Zu." She looks to Al, then Xanya. "It's imperative that we find out everything we can about this baby before it's born so that we're prepared for anything." She bites her lip as she speaks, moving her hand to link with Xanya's.
Xanya gently takes sadie's hand then nods agreeing. "thats the plan my love. find out anything we can about this situation."
Alhambra rumbles thoughtfully for a bit more and takes a hard drag on the cigarette. "All righty. Welp, she had it done at Doc Hall's. If Missy Vessa is not inclined to cooperate as to its genetic whutnots we may have to go... I don't know. Find out the hard way, either by gettin' access to the record somehow or doing our own testing. I am taking over complaints, Mister Zu here has completely taken over security... we need somebody to handle any diplo-matic bullshit that Missy Vessa would usually handle... y'know, kinda spread out her responsibilities and all..."
Zu nods at Al, "Right...Well, I don't think I'd suggest Aina or Kethren for that task, Sadie and Xanya, I don't really know how you two handle politics, and I'm already in security far too hard to try doing that on top of it. Perhaps it would be better if we just slowed things down and had the council as a whole handle these matters."
Sadie looks at Al and bites her lip. "I would do it, but I don't know one thing about it. I mean, I could learn, of course." She shrugs at Zu's answer, turning back to Alhambra.
Xanya looks to Al and Sadie. "I don't mind taking up that task. Hell I'm even willing to devide it between myself and Sadie, if needed."
"Good," Alhambra drawls, folding her arms across her chest. "An' while you're at it let's set some better expectations as per what Danu will and will not do. I mean I ain't saying turn into total bitch hardass ridiculous bullshit but a little less tolerance for being ordered around will likely help us weed out who's on our side and who's just being a dick."
Sadie grins at Xanya before nodding to Alhambra, smiling. "I can definitely divide up diplomatic responsibilities between be and Xanya. I think that we could definitely do that."
Xanya nods. "that should be easy. and while I agree we can be a bit harder. we should make sure not to make enemies in the process. At least not if we can prefent it."
Alhambra exhales twin plumes of smoke through her nostrils. "Which brings us right into another line of thought... do any of you KNOW of anybody who stands to profit from Danu gettin' all fucked up? I mean maybe this ain't just about Missy Vessa maybe this is like y'know a bigger picture kinda thing."
Zu shurgs a bit to Al, as he replies, "Well, only one, but we keep rather close tabs on the doings of any Caryas immigrants. I've yet to hear anything reported from any of them, and that little bit of bad blood seems to have died down since it started so long ago." Looking back to Sadie and Xan he adds, "Right. I'd like to be there for the important ones, though. Trade agreements and such I don't particularly care about, anything of a bit more priority I want in on. As Ms. Alhambra has so kindly said we can't let ourselves be tolerant. And I believe the pair of you know as well as anybody that I'm not a person to be shoved around."
Sadie nods to Zu. "Yes, of course." She then shakes her head. "I've been so busy with the wedding that I didn't think about people trying to overthrow Vess or Danu."
Xanya shakes her head as well. "I have no idea either. never realy looked out for that kind off stuff. I guess I will have to after today."
"Oh, you believe me, if there's any trouble from Caryas remotely in the direction of Missy Vessa and or my household there's gonna be -hell- to pay," Alhambra thunders, exhaling puffs of rolling smoke with every syllable. "So fuckin' help me, with all the spirits of heaven and earth as my witnesses, there will be muh. fuckin. hell."
Zu raises a brow at that reaction before replying simply, "Like I said, it's not something I'm too worried about anymore, those tensions are rather dead now. Still keep a bit of an eye out for them though. Never know when bad blood will creep to the surface. But there's been nothing from that camp for quite some time, so either there's nothing to see, or they're incredible at what they do." Looking back to Sadie he notes, "Don't you worry about it, Sadie. I needed something like that to take my mind off this mess. And you two are about the only thing in the past year that've really gotten to this old bat's heart." Well he seems genuine, if not terribly emotional at the present, but hey Zu admitting to being able to feel emotion is a big deal in general.
Sadie smiles at Zu and nods. "I like you too, Zu." She giggles.
Xanya smiles to zu. "Like sadie says. we like you too."
Alhambra raises her own eyebrow and looks like she's really stifling the urge to palm Zu's face, as 'nice(?)' as he's being. "Hnnnnn," she sigh/growls. "Yeah I'll keep an eye out. Keep an eye and a half out. Be a fat shitstorm if'n it's Caryas, so I'm rather hopin' it aint. May wanna do like, background checks on the folks Missy Vessa brought in outside of, y'know, -us-. Find out where they came from, who they worked for before... shit like that. Inside job does -not- dis-qualify outside interference. Especially with Missy Vessa's penchant for hiring who the fuck ever asks, practically."
Zu gives a small grunt, "Yeah, I know, I know." Looking over at the giggling member of the pair of lovebirds he adds, "What? I'm not allowed to like weddings?" Looking back to Alhambra he adds, "I do background checks, usually before they're actually hired, but it's possible the people in on this were from before I started that practice. This could have been going on for an incredibly long time, after all, and they've only acquired more to gain from it the longer they waited."
Sadie nods at Al, then listens to Zu as he talks. "What about the people that aren't hired? Just the citizens? What do we do about them?"
Xanya nods and listens to the convertations. nothing to add or ask just yet.
"Well hopefully the Ser will help us sniff out who's got bad intentions, and when we track down the complainers, that'll help out too. Y'all were saying Missy Conner has a lot to complain about... an' yet she ain't left yet. That's a bit suspicious, if I do say so myself," Alhambra muses, and stretches her neck a bit (away from the shoulder that currently houses the Tupai; it is not headbutts time yet.) "Yeah an' we'll need to make sure that them background checks are good and not like hacked or fake or forgery or like i-dentity thefting and shit."
Zu nods at her, replying to Sadie, "I don't have the manpower to just background check the entire empire, so yes, we'll have to trust the Ser on this one." Al gets a contemplative sound from the Tupai, "Well, identity theft is always possible, but forgeries are usually easier to detect. As for hacking, we've got good people to prevent that, and I've have heard if they found anything. My guys are still loyal, as far as any reasonable person can ask them to be, anyway, so I'd have heard if there were something. I start getting people asking me for a kid and I'll strt worrying about them."
Sadie laughs at Zu's last remark. "Oh, Zu. You with a kid? Now /thats/ funny!" She shakes her head softly.
Xanya smiles and then yawns. "oh sorry fokes. I think I will get some sleep. The day has been bussier then I thought it would be." She says and gives Sadie a loving kiss. "I'll see you later sweety."
"-That- is downright unsettlin'," Alhambra drawls, shaking her head a bit and taking another hard drag on the cigarette. "Hell," she sighs. "I ought to get back to the house, make sure things are good."
Zu nods, flapping to the only person left in Sadie, perching on her shoulder to say goodbye to the departers.
Sadie waves at Xanya as she leaves, then look at Al and smiles. "May I come with you?"
"Sure thing, hon. You ought to check on your horsies anyhow," Alhambra drawls, leading the way to the shuttles.