When Anwyn arrived, Kay was in the middle of sending off a short note to Louis. The message was very short, and deliberately made no mention of any of the unresolved issues which lay between them. It said simply "I've got a great new student intern who's looking for a second sponsor. Perhaps you could use her to handle some of your paperwork. Her name's Anwyn MacCarron. If you're interested, here's her new comm code". She then very carefully copied the number of her list, before getting up to answer her door.
"Hi Anwyn", Kay greeted her new young friend with a grin, "Are you ready to go ? You look like you could use some fun; had a rough morning, did you ? Care for a cup of tea before we leave ? Or the loan of some warmer clothes from my closet ? I feel cold just by looking at you".
"Hi Kay," Anwyn said tiredly. "Yep! I'm ready to go! Got my accounts all nicely wrapped up, got my quarters, got my studies started, got more messages off to my parents."
Shivering slightly for a moment, she continued. "Some tea would be nice, thank you, as would the loan of a couple of cloaks." Anwyn giggled slightly, pointing out the differences in height and all. "I think we'd better hold off on the clothes, though, I don't think we could find a match."
"Hmm...", came the thoughtful reply, "You're definitely right that you'd be swallowed up in one of my cloaks". Kay giggled at the thought, as she poured hot tea from the ketle sitting on her desk. Anwyn was easily half a foot shorter, and likely almost 40 pounds lighter. "But my windbreaker jacket might only come down just past your knees", she suggested, "It's colder out there than it looks -- and will feel even more so after we've been out there for a candlemark or so"
"Mmmmm, thanks, Kay," Awnwyn replied, doing her best NOT to snatch at the cup of hot tea, reveling in the warmth of the cup AND the liquid as she sipped it. "'Tis more than welcome, as is the offer of your windbreaker. You'd think that SOME of the higher ups would get the idea that this *cough/grin* 'all weather gear' isn't." She gave Kay an impish grin and a rogueish wink. "An if it be a-gettin tae cold, I'll jes' be a-singin' 'Th' Orange an' Th' Green' or mayhap 'Th' Scotsman' an' see who chases me. Th' runnin' will be a-keepin' me warm, aye?"
A flurry of giggles bubbled out from Kay's lips, and filled the room. If Anwyn should actually TRY such a thing in any of the spaceport bars, that would indeed cause quite a bit of trouble. "I can think of safer ways to keep warm", she grinned.
Then a thought occurred to her. Kay suddenly frowned, and added "Some of the lads round here aren't the sort to play nicely (especially with girls your age), so I'd prefer if you were a bit more selective". Secretely she admired the younger girl's daring. But it would have been irresponsible of Kay to have admitted such a thing.
Anwyn nodded and said softly: "Aye, so can I, Kay. Still, m'Da taught me three things: an attacker needs to walk, breathe, and see." Anwyn mimes kicking out a kneecap. "I can do this, and run." Then she mimes a vicious hit to a throat. "As well as this." Another miming action, this time doing a vicious rake across the eyes. "Also this." Anwyn suddenly giggles impishly.
"Then, there's the attack that takes care of all three in the same blow", she added, as she mimes a destructive kick to a certain part of a man's anatomy that, if it connected, would do considerable damage. Then she gives Kay a sober look. "You'd be surprised how many so-called civilized planets seem to delight in trying to take advantage of someone just because she, or he, -seems- undersized and, therefore, helpless." **snickers evilly** "Still, rest assured that I'll be keeping a thorough watch over myself at all times."
Anwyn broke off and gave Kay a serious look. "Seriously, though, for all that I'm the runt of the family, I seem to be able to handle bad weather than the rest - even m'Da... and -he's- an Imperial Marine! Mum says it's because I seem to have gotten a double portion of that... um... brown fat? It helps with... um... non-shivering heat production or some such."
A picture of Anwyn as a small-but-sturdy pack-pony (with all the pride of a parade horse) popped up in Kay's head. It was doubly amusing when she recalled that she herself was thought of in the same way by Melissa.
"So whatever you have planned is fine with me. I can adapt my schedule to just about anything, just ask me Mum!" **giggles** "If'n ye can -find- her, that is!". Anwyn grinned impishly for a moment. "So, what's on the agenda for this afternoon? Food?"
That prompted another few giggles from Kay. "Aye ... a tavern or cookstall ...", she replied, "then to find you some warm clothing ... and perhaps the Sweetshop if we have time. But first I need to pay a visit to a friend of mine. He's a fine man and a wonderful artist as well". Kay then lowered her voice, "And I do believe he's one such as us as well. However, he highly prizes his privacy ... so it would be rude to ask such a thing outright, and might attract unwelcome attention from them dangerous sorceress-women in the red robes".
Anwyn gave Kay a quizzical look. "Dangerous sorcereress-women in red robes? Why? Do they steal one away like the old tales of the fae? There the queen of one of the higher fae lords and ladies would be taking a fancy to a mortal and the normal world never saw them again?"
This was going to be somewhat awkward to explain. Kay pulled out a sheet of paper from a file folder on her desk and handed it to Anwyn. "The next time you access the library computers, I'd suggest that you take a look at these songs and folk-tales, and ask yourself 'what if this isn't all fiction?'".
Anwyn took the paper and put it in her pocket, replying seriously. "Aye, Kay, that I will."
Kay nodded in approval, then continued "As for folks being stolen away, there may or may not be some truth to it. According to some digging I did in the records, the history of this base does list an unusually-high number of personnel who've gone AWOL (absent without official leave) and were later listed as either 'gone native' or 'missing; presumed dead'", Kay continued seriously. "Official policy is that the Fae and fey powers don't officially exist -- and I expect you to maintain that pretense just like the rest of us"
Anwyn gave Kay another thoughtful look. "Took a climb over the wall, did they? I've heard tell of that happening in more places than just here. It's not so surprising when you realize that most of the grunts have been classified as `misfits' and are just looking for a place to belong." **shrugs**
Kay shrugged back. "Aye", she said, "... 'tis so ... we all want to belong somewhere ... and all too often, many of us don't care to share our REAL reasons for coming here (and some don't know quite what it is that they're seeking here)--- especially those of us who know the old stories of the fey folke".
"Aye," Anwyn replied softly. "And the strangest folk go over the wall as well. Some of them you'd never expect to do so."
With a sigh, Kay nodded in agreement, then added to her explanation "The reality is that, on _this_ world, such things can be all too real. The sorcery of the Fae is known here by the name 'laran', and there is a long tradition of certain noblefolks practicing it openly. But not all of these practioners (called 'leronis' or 'laranzu' here) can be trusted. And it is far easier to remain overlooked by them, than it is to oppose their plans if they decide that they want to use you as a pawn in one of their games".
Anwyn nods thoughtfully as Kay continues some rather puzzling explanations. "Seems like some of the officers in the Imperial Marines. The ones who got their commissions through family connections and not through their own skills. �Those- you stay as far away from as possible. Don't worry, Kay. I'll no be shakin' hand wi' those I don't know. AND I don't think I'll be shakin' hands wi' those I �do- know! Not after�" Anwyn just�stopped, blushing furiously before continuing. "And I'll be guided by your better knowledge of how things work in this place, Kay. You can count on that!"
"Don't worry too much about it ... you CAN learn how to SAFELY shake hands with folks who're part-fey. It takes some degree of skill (and a bit of practice) to shield well enough (and subtly enough) to make fey folks doubt that you're one of them", came the reply. Then Kay blushed beet-red at the thought of some of her own past shielding-failures, adding "However, I still slip sometimes. That's why I started bowing to people instead, even if they stick out their hand. You could try doing the same thing. The more you respect someone, the lower you bow".
"Ah," Anwyn said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Bowing would save one from making a terrible mistake, that's for sure."
Suddenly realizing that she'd almost forgotten something important, Kay pulled out another piece of paper and wrote a name and address upon it. "One more thing ... My oath-sister Melissa is one among them whom I would trust even with my life. She can tell you more than I've managed to learn yet. If you're curious, you may send a message to her at this address. Tell her that you're my 'new apprentice', and that I wish for her to treat your privacy as she would treat mine".
Then, with a shrug, Kay reached for her cloak, saying matter-of-factly "If you're ready, let's be off. Thendara really isn't that bad, once you've learned to recognize its dangers". She then led the way out.
"Tis that way in most places, Kay," Anwyn replied softly as she followed her new friend. "At least I've found it to be so."