[Ancient ch`Rihan....]
Rhagarokk and Vyynd continue on their quest to bring the two missing officers back to the Morrhae`Vnu after being slightly sidetracked with meeting a mysterious old man. As the two walk along on the outskirts of the farming settlement, Rhagarokk asks the Daise`Dehno, "So, who did that guy say he was?"
Vyynd shakes his head, watching his hair wave around his face a moment, "Did he....?" he asks distracted.
"I'm pretty sure..." Rhagarokk answers after a pause to think about it, "He said he was the High King of Clan Eshu?"
Vyynd thinks about that for a moment, then nods and corrects the Leih, "Ah, ie! Said his name was tr`Monk...or something to that sort. High Priest of the ..." he thinks hard about this, then finally remembers, "Khelliana...?"
Rhagarokk scratches his head, "Na, that wasn't it." he replies, sure that Vyynd had it wrong, "He said he was Life Seat of the Cryonic..." he distracts himself, "We're coming up shortly on that settlement."
Vyynd looks insanely odd-eyed at the scientist, "Off the record, rekkhai..." he begins, "Are au clinically insane, or is it just a hobby?" he focuses back on the direction they were headed in, then adds with an almost sarcastic tone, "Ie, shall we take evasive action?"
Rhagarokk doesn't appear to hear this last, as he answers the boy's first question, "I don't know what au are talking about." he pauses to look up at the sky, then adds contemplatively, "Au know, with some properly projected solution waves, I think I could easily destroy the sun...." As Vyynd gives the Leih a slight glance, Rhagarokk's ears catch up with the Dehno`Saehne'a words, and he stops his footsteps. "Temporal Assessment Group training states that we are to disturb the timeline as little as possible unless given permission of a TAG agent of..." he pauses slightly to think, "EnEredh rank or above. So let's try to look native before we go in."
Vyynd laughs a bit at this, "So, we've na-thing to worry about then...ie?" He looks down at his uniform, then takes his jacket off. Re-draping his chest belts over his tight undershirt, he watches the Leih turn away from him. Rhagarokk taps a few controls inside his coat, and as he turns back to face Vyynd once more, the Leih's clothes change into a more appropriate ancient style. Vyynd pauses a moment, then glares at Rhagarokk. Shrugging, Vyynd accuses, "Au said *na* hightech mumbo-jumbo...."
The Leih looks at him steadily, "On the contrary," he explains, "I said na disruptors. Besides, my apparatus will na get stolen....it's like a part of me." He turns to head towards the farm, cutting off further argument, "Let's go."
Vyynd shrugs again, letting the Leih get ahead of him a little. "Technicalities....bah!" he hurries to catch up to the mad Rihan. "So, what's the plan?" his expression turns almost to worry in anticipation of the response he was expecting.
"We go up there and find Rylan and D`Tarik, and take them back." Rhagarokk answers immediately, "Simple as using a quantum model particle accelerator."
Vyynd nods at this statement, "Spoken like a scientist once more..." he smiles, then glances up, memorizing the surroundings.
As Rhagarokk climbs up over the hill, he stops and gazes around himself. "Let's see...there's some people over there near that large house looking structure...." he gestures at the barn.
"Ie..." Vyynd answers, looking through his binoculars at the settlement, "Thermoptics indicate there are six or so in the other structure."
Rhagarokk, for some reason, suddenly seems overjoyed at having to grab the two wandering boys. Grinning, he suddenly challenges, "Come on, Vyynd -- or can't the Agency train it's agents to keep up?" then takes off running towards the house.
Vyynd laughs quietly at this, "Fine...make it a game then!" he agrees, sprinting off, actually chasing the Leih. The out-of-shape, older scientist is no match for Vyynd, but the two arrive at the farmhouse a short while thereafter. Rhagarokk, steps up on the doorstep. Huffing, but laughing, he knocks on the front door to the house. Vyynd, laughing with the scientist, stands on the doorstep a little farther from the door as the two await for the owners within to acknowledge their arrival.
[Meanwhile...at the Farmer's House...]
As the two boys are ushered into the farmhouse by the Elder and his sons, Rylan leans over DT's shoulder and whispers low so the natives wouldn't overhear his words, "Au can't help her if she's sick, au know. The whole timeline thing...." he warns.
"Just because she's in the past, Rylan, does na mean I'm na going to give her medical treatment." DT protests, just as quietly, "That's like...umm....Time-Line discrimination!" he adds, quick-thinkingly.
Rylan nods his head at this just the same, "Ie...ie...just make sure au *don't* help her!" he warns again, passing off a glance to their escorts, "Give her a sugar-pill or something, so's we can get that ladder and get out of here..."
"Au know I have to do everything in my power to try and help her!" D`Tarik whispers back, almost annoyed at the taller boy.
Frowning severely, Ry answers, "Au do, and I'll kill her later." he pauses slightly as he steps inside the dark coolness of the house, "If she's to die, let her die...like the timeline says she should."
Shocked at that, D`Tarik scolds the boy quietly, "Au are *na* going to kill her, Rylan." he turns his face to look at him, "Au do, and I will...um...Well I don't know, but it will be something bad!" he threatens with a nod.
Rylan watches the Elder speak with his wife a moment, then whispers once more, "Au heal her, and maybe *au* will disappear from the future. Something's sure to be altered at any rate."
"Rylan, au should know I'm na going to let some-io die!" DT whispers firmly, "Na matter what!" he finishes and quickly steps away from Rylan before the boy had time to respond and headed closer to the farmer and his wife.
Growing pale at that last statement, Rylan tries to make a grab for DT's collar to yank him back, but misses completely. "DT!" he growls low and hurries to stand beside him, only to have his path stopped by one of the farmer's sons. D`Tarik only looks back at Rylan and shrugs, casting the taller boy an 'I'm sorry' kind of look before he's lead up the stairs by the farmer and his wife.
The farmer's son motions towards the front door behind Rylan, "Au said au could work a farm. Go to the barn then, and clean that out."
Looking more then slightly worried, Rylan suddenly gets an idea. "Au don't understand." he shakes his head and points towards the stairs as he tries to explain to the boy, "He's na a *people* doctor...he's an *animal* doctor! He can't help her, he's libel to kill her!" and adds silently to himself, *...or I will...either way, she's dead.*
The boy's suspicious eyes widened with worry before he turns and suddenly bolts for the stairs, only to stop as he saw D`Tarik descending them. Glowering at D`Tarik, the farmer's son demanded, "What did au do to my sister?"
Looking confused by the boy's manner, D`Tarik offers, "I helped her. She's up, and walking around...." then moves out of the way so the relieved looking boy could head up the stairs to see for himself. D`Tarik hesitates a moment more, then descends the stairwell again, stopping a short distance away from the angry form of Rylan.
"Au *helped* her?" Rylan glared at him, his question formed more like a statement of fact. He paused a moment more, then demanded as DT didn't answer, "How?"
"Some of that stuff of mine au like so much..." DT shrugs and says with a hint of sarcasm. "She was going to die within a matter of days, Rylan. I could na let that happen!"
"Au idiot!" the taller boy suddenly slaps DT's forehead, "What's going to happen to the timeline now, if she's gonna' live?"
"It's io farmer's daughter...what could possibly go wrong?" DT asks confused, then reaches a hand up to his head, "...and OW!! That hurt!" he gives Rylan a wounded look.
"*Io* farmer's daughter will *breed* DT!" Rylan angrily whispers, not paying attention to D`Tarik's later remarks, "She'll make more...." he trails off suddenly, seeing the Elder descend the stairs. The sounds of faint laughing could be heard from behind the front door; a moment later, a knock followed of someone requesting entrance.
The Elder, who had seen the two new arrivals running towards his domain from his daughter's room window, heads to the door slightly confused. Opening the door slowly, he questions their identity with an impatient but curious, "Ie?"
Vyynd stopped laughing immediately as the door opens. Turning his face a bit, he stands up straight and normally. Rhagarokk straightens himself up as the Elder addressed them. "Aherm. Jolan`tru, honorable io...." the Leih begins, "I am looking for two of my .... clanmates. I was wondering if they wandered through here recently..."
Not wanting to cause trouble to the boy who had saved his daughter, the Elder casts a coolly stern eye over the two on his doorstep as he questions them with a suspicious air, "And why are au looking for these clansmen of ninte-a....if they *are* ninte clansmen?" The Elder's eyes fall to the kaleh at Rhagarokk's side, and suddenly looks taken aback. "Ninte kaleh...is that a ...." he pauses slightly, "...a Pierceblood blade?" he looks back up to Rhagarokk's face a little worriedly, wondering if he had offended the Nobel-born by his earlier manner.
"Wha...?" Rhagarokk looks a little confused by this question, then moves to cover the top of his kaleh with his hand. "Err...my clansmen were...um...separated from us." he continues, not answering the Elder's question about the weapon. "Are they here?" Vyynd has his hands ready at each of his weapons, quietly observing the happenings with a distant and turned head.
Curious as to the faint sounds of talking, DT looks around the Elder to see who had come calling, and smiles slightly at seeing who it was. He reassured the Elder, "We know this...I mean these men..."
Ry, looking even more worried then before, steps forward slightly, "Ie..." he pauses to nod at the Leih, "We're here..."
Rhagarokk looks over to the two boys, "Ah! Great. Vyynd and I are here to take au back to the shi....shack." he corrects himself quickly. "The shack."
The Elder, bows his head slightly, and motions to the two -- Nobel-born he was sure -- on his doorstep inside, "Since they've let themselves be known, aefvadh to my humble house."
The Leih nods slightly as he steps inside the small house and looks around, "Hann`yyo...."
The Elder stops a moment, and looks back to Rhagarokk with a slightly raised brow. Sure he hadn't heard the Nobel correctly earlier, he repeats "The shack...?"
"The shack..." D`Tarik nods, then hurries on, "Remember...umm....Dad, we live in the city." he gives a series of stupid looking winks to Rhagarokk.
"Ie, yes...our outpost!" Rhagarokk looks at the Elder, "We call our outpost the shack. Our home is in the city, though." he taps his nose in D`Tarik's direction; the two science types acting extremely 'subtle'.
The Elder's slightly confused by this, but refuses to show it. "I see... and where is ninte outpost, if I may inquire?"
"Good thing au came to get us...Dad." D`Tarik holds back against laughing, then suddenly supplies to the Elder's question, "In the woods!"
"Ie, in the woods...to the sou..." the Leih looks over, "..eas...north! To the north. Ie. That should do nicely." he nods and looks back to the two wandering officers, "Ready to go, umm, boys?"
Ry looks the other way, as he quietly says of D`Tarik's previous statement to the Leih, "Ie....too bad it wasn't before the animal doctor decided to heal a girl...." Rhagarokk raises an eyebrow and casts a glance at Rylan, but waits to discuss the matter.
Elder had been looking in each direction as Rhagarokk had said which the outpost was in, trying to remember if he knew of an outpost mentioned before. Deciding to nod agreement anyway, the farmer offers, "Ie. I see. Well, now that au have found ninte clansmen, will au be on ninte way, or staying for the night?"
Apparently not hearing this question, D`Tarik continues to babble rapidly, "Our outpost is in the woods...that's why we call it the shack. It used to be called the love shack, but we got made fun of too much for that." he claps his hands together, and suddenly exclaims, "Well, na point in staying now! Let's go..." he pushes past everybody and quickly starts to walk off.
At D`Tarik's steady stream of words, Vyynd whispers behind the Leih's back, "We should stay the night, it's a long journey..."
Rhagarokk clicks on his IP so that he can subvocalize his statements, "Too much risk to further timeline contamination..." he answers Vyynd, "We'll have to rough it." Turning to see D`Tarik walk off, he answers the farmer, "Na, we should be on our way. I hann`yyo for ninte hospitality towards my sons. They weren't any trouble, right?"
"On the contrary," the Elder bows his head respectfully to the Nobel-born. "I am indebted to ninte sons for saving my daughter."
Rylan shakes his head at the Elder's statement, and mumbles quietly, "I didn't do it...." as Rhagarokk motions for them to go. Vyynd bows to the Elder before turning to leave, Rhagarokk walking off after them all. After the four strangers had left, the Elder shuts the door and dashes off upstairs again.
Once more walking slightly behind Rhagarokk, Vyynd says to the Leih as they continue on their way, "We need to correct D`Tarik's mistake. A life is too much to mingle...." Ry, who had become quiet and lost in his own thoughts since leaving the house, gives a sideways glance to Rhagarokk waiting to see what he'll say to this remark. D`Tarik stops his footsteps when he realizes that he's quite a distance from the rest of the group. Wondering what they are talking about, he walks back towards them.
As the smaller boy approaches closer, Rhagarokk's eyes fall on him. "So, what was the situation?" he asks without halting, "What did this girl have?"
Looking back at the Leih, D`Tarik explains himself, "Rekkhai....I did save the girl's life. I could na let her die." he says almost apologetically, thinking over the best way to respond to the question put to him. "She had a neural metaphasic shock." he shrugged a little, "There's na way to know if she will even last much longer. But my serum at least gave her a few more days." D`Tarik paused only a moment more, then admitted, "But with the help of it, she *may* recover. I'm na really sure..." Apparently ignoring the whole thing, Vyynd has his isd out, calculating some things, continuing to silently walk behind everyone else.
Rhagarokk stops and sits on a large rock to ponder over this new situation with a "Hmm...." The boys stand around nearby waiting to hear his decision. Vyynd positions himself on the rock, standing over the Leih. Raising a brow slightly, Rylan offers quietly, not looking exactly thrilled by the prospect. "We could always go back in the night, rekkhai. Make sure that his cure won't work..."
D`Tarik becomes alarmed at that, "Rylan, we are na going to do that. Are we...?" he looks to Rhagarokk uncertainly.
"Ie.." Rhagarokk says absently, thinking it over, "But here is where temporal theory gets sticky. Maybe this is a predestination paradox, and DT was supposed to save her. Or maybe we have to go kill her to prevent changes to the timeline... or maybe she's destined to stop us and..." his eyes suddenly grow wide, "Maybe she grows up to be T`Rehu, the Ruling Queen!" he looks from Ry to D`Tarik, "Did au get her name?"
"I didn't...." Ry shrugs, then looks to the smaller boy, "Did au?"
"I did na get the name..." D`Tarik admits a little forlornly.
Vyynd, meanwhile, attempts to open a private line to Aeris, but only gets static for his efforts. Rhagarokk rubs his head a moment, "Argh, I didn't want to have to make these kind of decisions...."
"I'm sorry, rekkhai..." DT's head lowers a little, "But I was na going to just let her die. If she has to die, I'll do it. And I'll make it quick and painless..."
"Well....how can we find out?" Ry interjects hopefully, "Would the ship's library have anything on the Ruling Queen? Where she came from, if she was a farmer's daughter?" he shrugs a little, "We could always go back and find out..."
Vyynd looks up, putting his isd away quickly, "Ninte call on the predestination." he addresses the Leih, "I say, correct what we did, as I doubt our time counted on us returning to pre-ch`Rihan." casting a cool eye towards Ry, he adds, "The ship is out of range, and all power diverted to medical and life support...."
"Vyynd...how can au so easily decide we should just kill her?" D`Tarik shakes his head in disbelief, "Ninte cold-blooded....ah, never mind..." he turns away, discussed with the whole argument.
"She was meant to die...or so au say." Vyynd answers, "I do na condemn, I merely verify...."
Rhagarokk looks between them all. "I think our best move would be to suspend judgment until we get back." he gives his decision, "We can always come back to the farm. But it's getting late. Do we camp for the night, or do we force march back to our beds?"
"I say we go back to the ship. I may be needed there..." D`Tarik is the first to answer. Rhagarokk nods at him, then looks to the other two boys for their opinions.
Rylan's next with, "Hike it to the ship." he casts a curious eye to Vyynd, before continuing his statement, "If she's predestined to live, we'll find out. If na...we'll come back and correct the mistake."
"Force march..." Vyynd looks down at Rhagarokk, "We cannot risk being found." he nods over to Rylan, growing quickly tired of his officiality with temporal correctness, "Good call...let's go..."
"Ie," Rhagarokk answers a little wearily, "I guess I should have expected as much from au young people." he groans as he stands up, still recovering from his race with Vyynd. Rylan waits a moment for the Leih to regain his feet, then turns to head off towards the ship.
tr`Khaine grins, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out an 'energy bar'. "Here...this should help a bit..."
Rhagarokk turns his nose up at the offering, "Those things taste terrible. Come on, let's head back to the ship..."
Vyynd sighs, eating the bar himself, "Taste fine to me...."
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