Revenant Bound - Chapter 3: Consequences and Conspiracies

Chapter 3: Consequences and Conspiracies

Vasedra
That very moment, a deck below and half-a-ship to the aft, Cazas cocks a saucy hip to the side, watching the brig's seamless door stretch open. The room beyond is oddly truncated with the cell closed, a six-paces-wide control strip all that's left of the 20-paces-wide space. She saunters in, tilting her head to the side and snapping her tail back and forth as she examines the draenei prisoner with sharp, calculating interest.

Her voice is light as a cloud, at odds with the malice behind her smile as she says, "How fortunate are you, lovely blue thing! Here I am with your dinner, compliments of my darling captain. It's still luke-warm."

Raeisley
Raeisley's left eye opens low, half the ponds in frozen for now, a summer wind rippled across clear blue with flakes if silver floating serine across the water. She rolls he limps stretching as best she can the tension out of her limbs and breathing out the rest in a sultry moan.

she leans forward using the shackles to aid her wake up rather than constrain her."That wasn't long. I thought I'd least have time for a~" her lips presses as a tendril rubs her eyelid. "A little cat nap" .

Vasedra
The sayaad gives a single tap to the control panel, and the bars retract allowing her to click her way over to the prisoner. Close enough. Not too close, for the moment, though she assesses Raeisley with calm ease. When she leans forward to offer her the plate, she naturally makes sure the resultant pose shows off her form to best advantage. Vanity practically drips from the woman's decorated corset and the lines of makeup drawn in concert with her dark tattoos to accentuate them to even more flattering effect.

"She is such a sweet, bleeding heart, our Desire. She probably felt remorse for your empty stomach the moment her friend managed to cool her temper." The demoness chuckles. "And she wanted an excuse to get rid of me, of course."

As if they are already best of friends, Cazas leans forward with a conspiratorial whisper, her tail flicking, "They make a cute pair, don't you think? I'm in danger of becoming jealous."

Raeisley
"I'd not worry, I fear their relationship is parasitic as worse, a bumble of obligations at best. Adorable corset, a gift?"  Her tendrils coil about her throat again, tail lazily undulating between her hocks.

"In fact I'd be utterly disappointed if Vasedra brought a lover aboard. It would be the final assumption I'd ever make of her."

Vasedra
"Oh, this?" With the food safely in Raeisley's free hand, Cazas brushes a palm along her metal-banded top. "I did have a plaything for while who was quite rich. He got me everything I desired and more."

The succubus yawns and settles gracefully to the bench not far from Raeis. "Why would that disappoint you so, impish prisoner? Personally, I think the captain could benefit from a bit more frolicking and less frowning. A live-in lover could be just the medicine she needs. Alas, the little human is cute, but she seems uninterested."

Raeisley
"Are you aware of the feral creature known formally as Sa'khari?" Raeisley looks down at the bowl her nose twitching to the scent she blinks, her eyes shuttering green, purple, then red and finally the ice ponds return to focus on the demonette a hand reaching into Raeis' dress feeling around. She produces her jade chopsticks with the little yak charms plucking a slice of curry to her mouth. She closes her eyes savoring the flavor then promptly swallows squinting.

"The chef does well with such poor ingredients. The seasonings and sauce are excellent or prepared to above their standard... but the meat. It's.. stringy. Tough even. Like it was harvested from a travel yak."

Vasedra
Cazas watches the Paramour eat, a soft smile lifting her lips. "I see you have very refined tastes. Siren, was it? Vaxos was cursing you with impressive eloquence for him when he returned." She crosses her legs, leaning forward to dangle her hands over her knees. It's a pose carefully calculated to maximize her cleavage potential.

"I'm familiar with Sa'khari. We all are. Why?"

Raeisley
"Then I don't need to explain further why Desire should at least do the most basics to keep those she wishes to protect away from your master." She feeds another clump into her mouth mulling the flavors over, a hand reaching into her breast she pulls a cloth free dabbing the edges of her lips.

"Needs a wine."

Vasedra
The sayaad raises an appealing little arching brow, her hand lifting to trail along Raeisley's forearm, almost curious. "Concern? Why, do you mean to say that you care for our dear captain's tender feelings? How interesting for the woman recently thrown into a cell by that selfsame eredar."

Her smile turns hungry as she scoots closer to Raeisley. "You simply must tell me how you know each other. Another friend, perhaps? Oh! Is it a jealous triangle with that cute human?"

Raeisley
She chortles, turning her head to regard Cazas with predatorial eyes, the ponds warm but not enough to break their icelock yet her tail creeps towards the Sayaad's forearm.  "She sent you down here without telling you what I was, love?"

Raeisley smiles her Draenic canines flashes as she stuffs the cloth in her cleavage.

Vasedra
Cazas smirks and raises her brows, folding her arms under her breasts as she leans away. Pragmatic, confident, but not quite foolish enough in the face of uncertainty to risk her wonderful person. "No love triangle, then? I am suddenly disappointed. Now, other than a cuffed and captured prisoner, what dastardly element of your pretty blue nature should I have been warned about?"

Raeisley
Raeisley draws back her form, placing the bowl of on the bench she returns to her place on the wall closing her eyes with a dim amusement entertaining some insanity in her head. "A mystery I gift to you, reason for you to harass Desire ♪ Give her a nuzzle to the neck for me will you?"

Vasedra
"Mmmm." The succubus smiles and laughs with devilish glee. "I may have to steal it, but I do enjoy that look she gets when... hm." Her black, depthless eyes are hooded and enigmatic. "Well, prisoner. I'll leave you to your devices."

Cazas pats Raeisley's knee like a dear friend offering cool sympathy before she shoves to her hooves and saunters back toward the console. Her sashay is pronounced and purposeful.

A single tap of a colorful crystal raises the bars between them. A second one releases Raeisley's monitor cuff from the wall, leaving it locked around her wrist, but freeing her from being shackled to the panel.

"Until later, perhaps." The sayaad blows Raeis a little kiss before she turns and wanders away with a happy little swinging tail, letting the door contract close and disappear behind her.

Raeisley
The Paramour huffs her petite nose flaring to the implication. As if there was any threat of her being removed or disposed. She'd only depart if of her own volition.

A frown festering behind her lips, held in her throat by her current meditation. She may be leaving soon though, she had seen more than enough to discard the whole experience to a whimsical lark. There was a war to incite and she had dedicated far too much with nothing to show for it other than her arrogant deductions was not unfounded. The frown won through, eyes open leering at the bars. Why was she always right.  She knew why but it permitted no comfort.

She dared another breath, letting her internal parliament decide what next. For herself she let her mind wonder to her beloved Admiral, her Centurion, siblings and knights loss. Family present and gone. The fondest memories of a home taunted her, flavors of salt and rain, sand and forests. She had no home. Even her residence  in Centari's house was only that, a place where she slept occasionally. It would not even be her home if he had corrected her on the statement

The leer dies a solemn death, heeding the wake of a sadness. Her mind turned to her greater thoughts bickering, they'd not reach consensus soon.

"It is a cruel thing to let a mind wonder" Raeis mouthed in half a whisper. Reaching down with her tendrils  popping her breasts to reach to pull out a blue purse, a small thing meant for coins now held distraction and salvation from the noise.

pop

She coiled her tendrils around a yellow sphere feeding it to her lips like a squid swallowing a pearl. Once maneuver skillfully under tongue it began to dissolve and so did her worries, thoughts, fears.

Vasedra
A short while later on the deck above, Vasedra abandons poking at her food and lays her fork on the edge of the dish. She considers the smaller human as she leans back in her seat, shaking her head with a grimace.

"No. No, of course I'm not asking about that. I meant what he wants you to do, next. Didn't Eraelan give you instructions? A task?"

Araatris
Ary shakes her head. "Not this time, but I've been hearing rumors. I was thinking of checking on some of them and reporting back if you were available."

Sipping her drink, she grins ruefully. "You'd never let me live it down if I didn't at least tell you what was going on."

Vasedra
The eredar shakes her head with a smirk, her black hair brushing her cheek. "Just consider it a favor for my peace of mind. Since I am assuming that putting a bell on you is out of the question, I would prefer to come with you for the near term." Sedra snorts lightly, toying with her cup.

"If I were not something other than mortal, I'd have you know that you've taken years off my life by now. Given me steel hairs... isn't that how you say it?"

Araatris
"White hairs. I could hope that I'd get steel colored hair when I get older." Ary grins. "Now, since I have free time. Shall we gather our companion and finish the tour? I'm sure she's been down there long enough to pay the price for her... escapes. Which might have also given you... steel hairs." The young woman remarks dryly, amused.

Vasedra
The void knight wrinkles her nose and looks down at her drink.

"Raeisley is worth one or two of those, yes. But you're right." She considers the liquid neutrally as she rolls the cup around the circumference of its base. "It's time to get her. I probably shouldn't have indulged my irritation like that in the first place, but she is... Hm. Is there a word for someone between fascinating and maddening? And irreverent. And amusing."

Sedra smirks and glances over at her friend, reaching back to pull her cowl back into place and settling it over her horns as the glamour disguises her once more.

Araatris
Smirking, Ary replies. "I believe that word is Raeisley." She pushes the chair back and stands, stretching. "Why are you bothering to put the hood up? It must be warm. Surely everyone here already knows how you look unless our draenei guest does not..." The red-head peers past her arm.

Vasedra
"Raeisley does not," Sedra says, glancing away as she reaches for her gauntlets on the table. She hesitates slightly before she mutters, "Not many know. You. And the crew, of course. Shirraz made the glamour for me.... Veldrinas and Elishtar saw on the Eclipse, but I did not explain. I can hope they've forgotten by now."

Sedra slips her gauntlets over her hands, falling quiet.

Araatris
The young woman nods. "I see. Well, it is as it is." Her arms drop to her side. "I will hope for you, but I'm not sure counting on failing memories is the best idea. I have found it's best not to hide things like this."

Ary gestures for Sedra to proceed her.

Vasedra
"Mm." The eredar hums noncommittally, her expression hidden as she idly reaches across the table toward the shadowy nameless blades. If they mysteriously jump the last few inches into her waiting palms, it's tough to tell.

Sedra slides her weapons into their sheathes as she leads the way back out into the hallway. "It's fine. It isn't as if I see either of them often."

Araatris
"Maybe not, but they and the rest of the Netherbane are our friends. It's something to think about. I'd rather you didn't distance yourself from them. I'm sure Poeryth would like to spend some time with you... if her emotions aren't still subdued." Ary grimaces as they head out towards the tube again.

Vasedra
"I admit that I'm concerned for her." The eredar frowns as the tube iris blinks closed and open. As she steps out, she comments, "She was oddly unconcerned with her own withdrawn state."

Araatris
Ary sighs. "She was. Perhaps a friend or two could help her out. What do you think? Will you reach out to her? She did help when you were in trouble. You can trust her." The humans quick steps allow her to keep pace beside the draenei in the hallway. "It's right there, isn't it?" She points at a spot.

Vasedra
Sedra pauses before the hidden door, blinking her false luminous eyes at Ary. "Me? Well, of course I owe her. But aren't you the better one to..."

Araatris
The human woman raises an eyebrow. "Why? Because you're cranky? No, I think you're quite capable of talking to our friends on our own." She tilts her head. "Anyway, you have a better insight as to the death knight part of it. There are some things that I just don't have any experience with."

Vasedra
After a brief hesitation, she nods. "All right. I'll reach out to her. If she needs help... well, I'll see what I can do."

As she falls silent, the door expands open beside Ary, revealing the brig.

Raeisley
The Paramour is where she was left, curled partly against  the wall, partly atop the bench she slumps at the hocks, she is either sleeping or pretending to be though he breaths are quiet like a tide through the shallows. Her skin has a gleam to it, sweat forming across her body, visible where skin is exposed.

Araatris
"Raeisley?" The human strides into the room. "Wake up. We're going to continue to the tour." She notes the dampness to the skin and frowns. "Are you alright?"

Vasedra
Sedra follows her, quiet and tall over her shoulder. She tilts her head, suspicious, and reaches into her pouch to pull out the ship's interface, slipping it over her ear under the protection of her cowl.

With a thought, the bars are reabsorbed back into the smooth floor.

Raeisley
Her head rose meekly, Burgundy curls sticking to her cheeks she mumbles something of sand incoherently. For Sedras' addition sight there is little more to tell other than this is the end of a rather active 'sleep'. Unglamorous in posture she hangs off the bench in a manner not helpful to her breathing, it appear she is just not getting enough air as heat flees from her limbs inward.

Araatris
"Raeisley?" Ary scowls and leans forward to attempt to shift the draenei fully onto the bench. "You should at least lay fully on the bench. That looks... uncomfortable."

Vasedra
Without moving, the other eredar in the room watches, her attention mostly on the ship's limited biometrics. Her brows furrow.

"See if you can get her more air," she says.

Raeisley
Heavy but not unmovable, she's a fully grown talbuk which is a fair bit of dead weight. Her skin is cold to the touch near her arms but sweltering about her breasts and neck. Raeisley mumbles something her eyes glazed half open following some invisible spector till finally resting on the human touching her. Her lower lips pouts and she hands the woman's face. "No touchie -touchie. Kis sensative kyes"

Falling - flopping forward she smothers the poor hoomen's head in between her breast. "Soft, sooooft, Soft~ -- No." She perks up leering, hissing. "Hot. Vaaaaaseeeeedddrraaaaaa!" She squeals, releasing the soft hot thing in her arms rolling onto the floor in a panting mess.

Araatris
Ary flops back on her butt inelegantly and staring incredulously at Raeisley. "That's... eww. Sedra, do you have any way to cool down the room?" She wipes the sweat from her face with a long suffering sigh.

"Or better yet... an ice bath to put her in? I think I'm too... warm to assist her." She scoots away from Raeisley before pushing to her feet.

Vasedra
Sedra grimaces and glances up at nothing for a moment before the room's invisible door constricts shut behind her. She takes a clicking step forward, and around them the air wafts suddenly cold. As if someone opened a door and the peaks of Highmountain were on the other side.

She crouches by the mad eredar, just outside of easy touching range, and watches Raeisley. "I sincerely doubt this is about the food. Did Cazas do something?"

Sedra peers from Raeis over to Ary.

Raeisley
Raeis gasps in relief feeling the brisk air. She smiles nearly content to lay there still letting the cooled air chill her skin. Goosebumps rise and then so does she. Springing up like a flower out of the snow with a shiver hiss and a spit. She slaps her left cheek pushing a finger into her eye collecting herself in a manner akin to a hungover college mage. "Uggh, cold. Too much, too - too much." She rasps pulling her lower cheek.

"You know I was at least excepting -some- time left imprison to enjoy myself." She grumbles hand moving down to pluck at her lower lip, grimacing at the imaginary texture she finds on her gloved fingers.

Araatris
"Enjoy yourself? You mean you did this to yourself?... whatever this is. Why would you do that?" Ary half-turns to Vasedra. "I have some potions in my bag. I doubt my healing would do anything if this is self inflicted."

Vasedra
The void knight considers Raeisley quietly for a moment in light of Ary's suggestion. The cold around them eases slowly, the chill in the air lightening. She finally just shakes her head and mutters with a wave at the Siren's general personage. "It's up to her, I suppose."

Raeisley
"I'm fine, I'm good. I'm good." Ejecting her arms out she rotates them in the air designating her space. A cough and a sniffle she wafts the hoomen away with a tendril.


"I'm good." She reaffirms, rubbing her cheeks in a circular motion one with each tendril. "Turn around and let me put my face on."

Araatris
"If you're sure..." Ary reluctantly turns away and strides back towards Vasedra. "At least I didn't suggest my healing. I've been told it's an... unpleasant experience." She puts her hip against the console, still looking away and respecting Raeisley's request.

Vasedra
"You've used it on yourself enough that I'm sure you know firsthand by now, Ary," the eredar observes idly, giving Siren one more glance before turning the most obvious elements of her regard away from the other woman. One additional advantage of the glamour in her hood is that it hides the distant look in her black eyes as she observes the situation through the ship's senses.

"Let's move, soon. Are you interested in the rest of the Revenant, Siren? Or did you see enough behind his walls?" She can't quite resist the little dig, a sign of lingering irritation.

Raeisley
"I've seen alI needed to " she mumbles looking at her wrist with hazy determination.

"Well almost everything~ I can be patient for the last inquiry of my investigation..." a syringe, small like a gnomish pin bounces from her sleeve into her hand. Pulling off a thin leather casing she uses one hand to bring the needle to bare behind her ear near the jawline. The other hand holding her curls back. A airless gasp and her eyes shut tight grimacing in silence. It last a whole second before they open again. The simper synonymous with her name appears and she gingerly puts the medicine away.

"Did you ever find out why were here, Ary?" Raies rolls her wrists and a compact jumps to her awaiting palm. It opens with a click, the Paramour admiring or critiquing herself in the small mirror.

Araatris
"Nothing more than you've already heard. Is there another reason beyond the tour, Sedra?" Ary raises an eyebrow at her friend. "I came into this a little late so it's possible that my inclusion did change your plans." The young woman's eyes glow with curiosity.

Vasedra
The void knight makes a face beneath her cowl, one that's difficult for either of them to see as she glances away. "Fine," she finally bites out. "But let's not talk in the brig. If her highness will at least deign to come along for one last stop, I'll tell you both the full story."

Raeisley
"Her highness" Raies chortles covering lips with two fingers and a tendril. She springs hands at her hips lofting to Sedras side.

"I'm merely your Paramour, love. Trusted confidant and the one to worry about your needs when you've discard the notion." Her tail coiled then whips to her right.

Araatris
Ary glances over her shoulder at Raeisley. "You're looking much better. Are you ready to go then?" She tugs a couple of the wrappings on her arm straight as she turns around. "I think you're likely just as curious as I to hear this... full story."

Raeisley
"The life of a entertainer and nurse, heavy crashes and quickly recovery~" she leans shaking her shoulders at Ary. She plucks a cloth from her somewhere between her breast and begins to dab away the sweat. She is back to her apparent self at least externally. Internally however her body heat rises to feverish levels, her heart beating like troll ritual drum.

"Where shall we be taken then? Perhaps it's the Belly I've been suggested I should fear." She hymns taking Sedra's arm in her own like a proper escort or chaperone.

Araatris
Ary smirks in wry amusement behind them. "Entertainer, hm? Should I dare ask who you tend to entertain?" She follows behind them.

Vasedra
Sedra mournfully shakes her head, trying to peel Raeisley's hands from her chilly armor. "Certainly not me," she mutters, her mood having taken another chimaeric turn.

"No one goes to the Belly unless it's to die... or kill." With that enigmatic statement, she leads the way around a white corner.

Raeisley
Siren let's go at Vasedra's protests. Noses rising to the air she attempts Arys arm instead leaning now to loudly whisper into her ear. "Judges, nobles, peasants and lords. Soldiers and mercenaries, spies and of course... captains." She leans up chanting her head with a wink at the Captain.

"Who doesn't truly matter as long as they have good traits. I help them as any lover would and eventually their hearts change and they won't have need of me, or they begin to no longer desire be seen in my company." Her eyes flick back to Ary. Her simper softening to a smile.

"It's a profession of many roles and few high marks. Are you a nurse also? Attempting healing with the shadow arts? "

Araatris
Ary snorts softly. "I'm a terrible nurse, but I know enough to help someone survive. My shadows tend to sting so most choose to forgo it for minor injuries."

She tilts her head thoughtfully. "I guess... you could call me a shadowmancer for lack of a better term. I manipulate shadows to do as I wish." The young woman allows Raeisley to hold onto her. "Good traits... that seems hard to define. Many people have done terrible things for what they thought was good."

Vasedra
Said captain walks ahead of them, keeping her peace and her thoughts to herself as her hooves click along the halls of the Revenant. They round another corner, soon stopping before a large door, twice the width of most in the ship and each half ringed with sinew and organic ivory structure traced with geometric silver around some sort of clear membranous center. It is, if anything, decorative. Elegant and relatively lovely if one doesn't mind a hint of biology in their aesthetic.

Though the panes are clear, the space beyond is currently dark and too shadowed to make out.

Raeisley
"They can do as they please, love. Lie to themselves all they want, a terrible act is not made good by the cause or reason. But traits however shine through even thickest muds and it the foundation is good even atrocities can be rectified. Your room, Desire?"

Araatris
Ary glances about the room. "It doesn't feel like living quarters." She frowns and locks onto Sedra. "Sed?"

Vasedra
The void knight smirks a bit, the expression hidden but the sentiment in her tone. "Firstly, I did tell you not to expect an invitation to my quarters, Raeisley." But that tone quickly sobers with her second statement. "Secondly, do not call me by that name. For you, I am Vasedra. It's the only name either of you need to be concerned about."

Her disguised glance darts to Ary as well, impossible to read in the dark and beneath the glamour. She doesn't wait for responses, stepping forward with her hooves making a different sound on the floor than the one from the hallway.

"Welcome to the Revenant's observation gallery." The eredar raises her hands as lights on the outside of the vessel flare to life, illuminating the clear-membrane walls and ceiling and floor around them by dint of lighting the dark ocean and small, wreckage-strewn island below their feet. All along, unnoticed, the night sky winked in stars and clouds above their heads.

Raeisley
"I'll recall that when we begin negotiations and inevitable rejection~ Are we still off the coast of Val'sharah?" Raeisley let's go of her hoomen drifting towards the edge of the room.

Araatris
Admiring the view, Ary gazes about the room. "It looks like we are. I recognize the curve of the land there." The young woman points. She remarks dryly to Sedra, "Does this count under showing off?"

Vasedra
Vasedra shrugs slightly at her friend. "I suppose it could, but as nice as I find this space, my purpose wasn't to impress you with the current view."

As she says it, the soul engine's background shriek pitches slightly higher, and the vessel swings up and over the peak of rubble-strewn rock that forms the bulk of the shadowed island they can see dozens of yards below their feet, revealing the long, dark mass of a truncated portion of a downed and damaged Legion warship.

About 300 yards in length, the Soul Cleaver lays across the small island, very nearly from tip to tip, snipped nose on one beach and ill-defined tail drooping off along broken, cracked lines to disappear into the dark water off the opposite shore. In the black of the ever advancing night, details are hard to make out, even in the Revenant's lights, but most obvious is the strewn and chaotic rubble of loose dirt and boulder chunks that nestle around the majority of the vessel as if they were all dropped together onto the smooth rock of the rest of the volcanic island.

The bright, whitish light of the floating ship catches the sharp, truncated edges of its downed counterpart, revealing the puddles and wisping stains of void magic that cling to the felsteel panels and cleanly-cut rocks and chunks of Argussian soil.

Sedra watches the two of them when the warship is revealed, her voice smooth as she says, "If it were day, it would be more obvious that the rubble is ... pieces of Mac'Aree that came along for the ride." There's some wry amusement in her voice.

Raeisley
The Paramour turns to the new sight, stepping back to Sedra's side her arms cross behind her back, scanning the hull there is a glint of envy, or murderous lust manifesting in a surge of silver flakes in her frosted eyes.

"Can it be raised?" she asks in a half whisper, the breath caught in her chest perking her breast up. Even her tail rises to a tense hold behind her in a S.

Araatris
Ary watches silently, allowing Sedra to answer any other questions. She stares at the ship with a fond, but tiny smile.

Vasedra
For once, Sedra stands comfortably beside Raeisley, looking down on the broken corpse of the once-magnificent and horrible ship with an unreadable expression.

"The entire aft quarter was left behind on Argus. The nose and command spire as well." Her voice is soft and a bit reverent despite the grim words. "It would take two years, three tons of raw materials, and a small army of artificers to get her flying, again, by my estimate. It would be better to try to claim the one in Felsoul Hold."

The eredar gives a little start, glancing at the others with a sheepish look. "Not... not that... I've given it much thought."

Raeisley
"Three tons isn't much when it comes to raising ships, love. The artificers could be a issue... Who knows she is here? Are you talking about getting her fully operational or perhaps we can convince her to simply just move." She cants her head towards Vasedra pointing with a tendril. "Were the soul furnaces left behind...? Maybe even split her up into two smaller ships."

Vasedra
Sedra shakes her head. "Both furnaces and all four engines are in a thousand pieces, strewn across the side of the Mac'Aree shelf or dropped into the nether beyond it. They are a total loss."

She wanders a few paces away, crossing her arms across her breastplate, and glancing back at Ary. "Very few know where she is, and I intend to keep it that way. Whether she ever moves again or not..."

Raeisley
Raeisley huffs crossing her arms under her breast. "And the narrative for us being invited to this site is tied to the wounded creature?" she opines, clicking her hooves together.

Araatris
Ary sighs and pinches her nose. "I didn't exactly expect for you to bring us here. Though, I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise. Next time some warning would be nice. Why are we here anyway?"

Vasedra
The eredar stands still for a moment at Ary's question, a silhouette in the dark with luminous blue eyes vaguely lighting the planes of her face as she looks down at the ship below them through the membranous deck. She answers her with a question of her own.

"How does someone like me get a large chunk of a crashed Legion warship that cannot fly from Argus to Azeroth?"

Raeisley
"Selling your future I can only disappointedly presume." Raeisley's simper dampens, she keeps her eyes on the vessels.

Araatris
"You owe someone powerful who can move it for you," Ary replies flatly. "Please tell me you didn't do anything too crazy for this."

Vasedra
"No. And no." The void knight turns toward them both, her frown caught in the reflected spotlights. "I did it. Alone. But I have no idea how, no idea what ... what spell or ... mad old-god words or... insane idea I used to move it and a chunk of the landmass to this spot on a different world."

She looks at Ary, her gaze piercing. "It wasn't with purpose. It was... sloppy. And I was not... I did what I intended, but I also did this." Her lips press together into a tight, displeased line before she slants a look at Raeisley.

"Ary needed to see the Revenant as well, so when she called, I asked her to come along. But you already know tonight was for you, Siren. To keep my promise... and judge whether or not to ask for your help."

Raeisley
Raeisley's simper brightens crooking just to a smile. Her eyes flicks to the woman, the hunger under the ice abates for now with the new distraction. "Progress ♪ Did I ever tell you how much it excites me to be proven wrong, love?" She chuckles covering her lips, her tail gains animation twisting into a figure eight.

"Proceed with the story~♥"

Araatris
The young woman looks with honest surprise between Vasedra and the Soul Cleaver. "You did this without knowing how." She shoots a quick look at Raeisley then Sedra again. "Well, I'd be more pleasantly surprised if I wasn't concerned that you don't know how you did it."

She runs a hand over her pulled back hair. "Please continue."

Vasedra
With a quick gesture, three transparent seats flow out of the membranous floor, a triangle formed at the center of the room. Sedra waves toward them. "Let's sit. This might... take a minute or three."

Raeisley
Raies makes no motion to move, contents of insistent to stand where she is and not let the Soul Cleaver out of her sight lest it disappear. Her lips part mumbling a half coherent thought pulling two locks of hair with her tendrils to her cheek. "Make sure not to omit any details, love."

Araatris
In contrast, Ary strides to the couch and sits, crossing one knee over the other and placing her hands in her lap. "Three minutes or three hours because I believe the latter is more likely from the way you're talking, Sedra." Despite the words themselves, her tone is curious and not nearly as harsh.

Vasedra
Sedra follows after the little redhead, pausing by the seat to pull her sword belt free. She sets the nameless blades beside her, leaned against the edge of the couch as they whisper and chortle something at her quietly.  Finally, she sits, sinking hard armor into the fleshy cushions and leaning back, her hands clasped. "I will try to keep it short."

She looks over at Raeis, but when it's clear she has no intention of joining them, the hooded knight shrugs slightly and looks over at Ary.

"Do you remember when I first took you to the Cleaver, Ary, and we passed through the void scar? You recall that ... that something that I felt, there?"

Raeisley
"Define void scar," Raeis interjects, flicking her tail at the duo.

"The phrase conjures the imagine that you traversed through the void, or the shadowlands is more believable."

Araatris
Ary shakes her head. "Passed over would be more descriptive. The Soul Cleaver was originally on Mac'Aree. The whole area gave her an odd feeling though." She pauses and sighs. "I've passed through the shadowlands; this didn't feel like that."

Vasedra
With a nod for them, the void knight clarifies, "Yes, it's really just my name for the void-infused part of northwest Mac'Aree. The region that the ethereals have infested of late, by the Seat. The Soul Cleaver used to rest there, crashed such that it was partly buried into the shelf roughly beside and beneath it."

She looks at Raeisley, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. "When we passed through about a week ago, I... well, an 'odd feeling' is close enough. It felt a little bit like something was prying at the barrier between there and here. Ary knows how... uncomfortable it was."

Her head turns to the little human.

Raeisley
Her lips perk from the simper for just a moment, pressing her tongue against her upper lip. "And?"

Araatris
The red-headed human nods. "At the time we just hurried through it, but it seems that there was more to it." She leans back in the seat. "Did it have something to do with your ability to move it then?"

Vasedra
"In a way, yes." Sedra shifts uncomfortably, looking down through the transparent floor at the still-lit Cleaver far below.

"When we returned from the Gate and parted ways, I went back to the ship. I intended to rest, and I did try for a time. But... it... they were scratching at something, ripping at it and making that thing worse. I couldn't not be bothered by it.

Her grimace is lit by the outside lights. "So I did something about it. I've been able to see it all differently, since... I returned." Her blue gaze flicks to Ary before it goes back to the ship below them.

Araatris
"So , you were prompted to move it away because of the sensation," Ary guesses. Her gaze glances over to Raeisley watching her expression. "Would you mind going into what you can see differently? Did you see something in the rift?" She tucks a stray hair behind her ear. "Of course, my questions are interrupting your story. Should I let you get there in your own time?"

Vasedra
Ary's string of questions and statements is met with a long silence before the eredar beside her reluctantly says, "You have it wrong from the start, Ary. I wasn't trying to move the Cleaver. Why would I even think I could?"

Sedra leans forward. "I wanted to stop whatever the Shadowguard were trying to do. I went up to the scar and followed- ... found the place where they were trying to rip things apart. I ..."

She makes a vague, meaningless gesture with her hands before growling and dropping her face into them. Her voice is muffled when she says, "I... ugh. I don't rotting know how to even tell you what I did. I put it back together. I unbound many ethereals and then ... Between that and the void fissure in the Eclipse, I ... "

Araatris
Ary grimaces. "Perhaps you did stabilize the rift into a giant portal." She sighs and looks up at the ceiling. "It's all conjecture, but it could have dropped you somewhere familiar. I don't know why this place though unless you were thinking of it."

She stares at her friend. "Oh fel. I don't know, Sedra. This is all new to both of us. I walked the shadowlands, but I never could have opened a void portal like these void elves do."

Raeisley
Raeisley continues to look at the wreckage, simply listening with a imperial stance and arrogant coil to her tail.

Vasedra
"Yes," the eredar said, glancing away from Ary to Raeisley. "This is all new to two of us. I  can't account for three hours after I stopped the ethereals' summons from breaking through. I woke with my back to the Cleaver's broken hull as if I'd just sat down for a nap, both of us here, off the shore of a region I've rarely even visited. I don't... like that. Any of it."

Araatris
"No, I can't imagine you do. You don't like that sort of loss of control. At least I still remember..." The young woman stops, glancing at Raeisley. "So, what are we going to do about it? The Cleaver is here, but you're obviously more worried about yourself and what happened in the process."

Vasedra
"Yes, Ary. I am worried." Sedra stares pointedly at Raeisley and says, "I need to learn about this power I have. I need to control it."

Araatris
Ary follows her gaze. "And this is where Raeisley comes into the story?"

Raeisley
Raeisley cants her head looking at the duo over her shoulder. She smiles sweetly at the two. "No. You can tell her what I told you last time ♪" chiming with a inflection just as tooth rotting, winking her left eye she waggles her tail at them.

Vasedra
Vasedra turns her head so that the light no longer catches her expression, her blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Why don't you tell her yourself, Siren? I can just never get your inflection quite right, love. ♪♥"

That last part actually is a passably good impression of Raeis' voice, but it drips with disappointed mockery.

Raeisley
"One of your many failings." She coos turning back towards the wreckage. "I won't help the suicidal, let alone one that can't even muster a single selfish reason for me to do so. Vasedra has no future as it stands."

Raeisley reaches into her breast pulling out the blue pouch again.

Araatris
The human scowls. "Suicidal? What are you talking about?" Her gaze flickers between the two other woman in exasperation. "I feel like someone needs to catch me up on something."

Vasedra
Sedra grumbles, "She puts words in my mouth. To Raeisley, my willingness to fight at the Gate forever means I have no desire to live a real life."

Raeisley
"What else would you call a willingness to stay under the sword till it falls? And don't say a soldier; soldiers go home after the war. All I asked is for anything after the fighting. You couldn't even give me that." Her nose wrinkles, and she huffs.

She pauses pressing her tongue to the roof of her mouth with a hiss, her voice calming. Melting like summer snow. "Without the will to keep pushing forward anything I teach you will eventually fail you without that. You're on borrowed time, and you know it."

Araatris
"I believe she does know it. She's borrowed a purpose for me, but it won't last forever. Nor will the Gate. It's giving her time to settle all the facets of her life." Ary looks out at the ship.

Vasedra
There's a long moment after that where Vasedra is silent and still, her body language tense and giving away nothing. The false luminous blue of her gaze rests, unseeing, on her clasped hands as she wages her internal debate.

"... 'the will to keep pushing forward'?" She finally growls the words, frustrated, pushing up suddenly from the seat and striding away from them both to the side of the room with a view out over the dark ocean back toward lighter land. She presses a palm to the ship there, cold armor against foreign flesh.

"Raeisley doesn't know much about me," she says, her tone hard, to the wall... and to Ary. "Maybe what she searches for is just natural for the draenei she sees when she looks at me. Vasedra had purpose."

Raeisley
"And here we go again with the third person speak." Raeisley rolls her eyes.

"Does Ary speak for you, too? You don't have a purpose, you're just borrowing hers till you have everything 'settled ' and you're ready to die?"

Raeisley clicks her hooves over to the lost knight. "I still haven't been given a reason to even consider to aid you." She rasps pushing her face inches from Sedra's.

"Should I risk more than I already have to ease your course to the grave? That's selfish to even consider and a strike against my title to abuse your position so." Her nostrils rise, her expression settling to something more cordial. Arms crossing under her breasts.

"Don't you find it rather unsettling I have nothing to gain from helping you and I'm the only one pleading with to you to see past the gate?"

Araatris
Ary grins humorlessly, answering Sedra first. "You purpose isn't under attack from me. I'm in the same situation as you, serving a master which likely won't last forever." She places both feet on the floor and leans down staring at it. "How can I judge when I'm still learning myself?"

She rests her elbows on her knees. "Raeisley, you challenge and rail against her purpose as suicidal. Sedra and I are doing what any soldier would do for those they care about. We stand against impossible and deadly odds to protect that which we hold dear whether it is a mortal foe, demons, or whatever the fel might beyond those gates." She sighs. "You are an entertainer by your own description, perhaps our desire to fight to the dire end is... insane to you, but isn't it worth it if we can manage to make a difference? The neverending story of survival and protection of the greater world."

"There is always something else to threaten. When that threat arrives... we will fight it and our purpose will shift. Also, I don't speak for her, but with her. If she doesn't agree, she will definitely let me know."

Vasedra
Sedra nods slightly and meets Raeisley's gaze. "Someone who just sacrificed himself to see that we could protect you all from just one of those impossible and deadly foes told me, once, that he found purpose in making every moment better for others. Even if their paths were still heading toward inevitable death."

The little hint of grief on her face is lit by the lights outside. "Taldarion had a mate. Students. Friends. A life outside of the war... and beside it. He was a weapon, as I am. And he lived. He was far from suicidal, Siren, but he was willing to give it all when it was the only path left to him."

Sedra sighs softly and glances over at Ary. "Yes, I borrow daily purpose from Ary for now. I learn from what we do together for her master, as I learn from her. But I already know the starting point of my own purpose. The purpose of the new Vasedra, the one who's existed for a mere pair of years. And it is why I'm willing to commit to the fight at the Gate. Forever, if I must."

The void knight stands straighter, her false gaze swinging back to Raeisley. "I want to protect life. I want to give every life a chance to have meaning, even it it will end in inevitable tragedy and death."

Raeisley
"You both just said a obscene amount of words to say nothing. Don't think you can hide behind his sacrifice to justify your own. You've yet to give a single reason of why I should help you. Someone who doesn't even believe they're a person." She flicks her tail at Ary

"No more of your self centered interruptions till she gives me an answer or two of us will perish."

Vasedra
"Fine. Why should you help me?" Sedra narrows her eyes at Raeis and gestures to Ary. "Because I am a person, and I'm afraid of what damage I can do without control and understanding of this power I wield. I don't want to- No... I cannot be a danger to the people around me."

She growls. "Because I want to survive whatever comes, be it the Gate or the next deadly threat that I choose to defend against. Because I don't want to fail. Because... because I will not go to some Legion voidcaster to be twisted further. I want to choose my own teacher before... one is dictated to me. Because, Raeisley, I am asking you...  one last time."

Raeisley
The Paramour closes her eyes her arms drawing behind her back, tail coiling up behind her wrist her chest rises and falls with a faint breath. She leans forward whispering at the knight "Now was that so hard?"

Popping back to a more refined posture nodding. "Very well Vasedra, I will take you under my tutelage you are warned though that I have a steep front cost for my lessons, many of which will make you feel uncomfortable in ways you'd not expect." She flicks her sight to the human narrowing her vision. "And you are not permitted to share what you learn with others... they can earn their own lessons."

Vasedra
After a moment where she just blinks in surprise at the Siren, the void knight's gaze flicks with Raeisley's to Ary and back. The false blue eyes under her cowl narrow, and the light through the windows reveals her wary frown.

"What is the... steep upfront cost?"

Raeisley
Raeisley beams her tendrils rising up to push her cheeks up. "Firstly, I will require you and your ship on a mission of importance to myself. I'm inciting and swinging a war you see and your help would prove ideal in this single mission ♪ Second I want a bar of Saronite, two would be ideal but I'll settle for one. Third, I will be installing a device on your ship that will allow me to come and go as I please." She lofts around the knight watching her with an excited intent, her tail flicking like a raptor being fed a meal.

Araatris
Ary raises an eyebrow as she watches, but doesn't comment. Instead she sits back in her seat with a deep sigh.

Vasedra
Sedra is silent for a long moment, and she turns her face back out the windows, shifting her angle to stare at the Cleaver. Her expression is hidden as she raises one hand and presses it against the membranous panel.

"I won't have yet another Master, Raeisley. I want you to teach me, but there must be trust between us rather than blind obedience. Tell me what the mission is, and let me install your device. I will decide when you give me enough information. I will not follow you blindly or bow to your whims without reason or understanding.

"If you can agree to that much, then I think we can work together." Her glance catches Ary's reflection in the panel.

Raeisley
She cover her mouth with two tendrils chuckling. "Please, the only title I require is Paramour. None of that master nonsense." She looks over her shoulder at the hoomen winking. "It is safe to speak, I've heard what I needed and your commentary on my list of demands should be humorous. Aww - shall I continue then?" She looks back at Sedra. "I'll give you the briefing of our mission once I've gone over everything ♫"

Araatris
"I don't actually have any comments on your demands. Those are Sedra's decisions to make. Nor do I ask for you or Sedra to teach me. My... talents are slightly different." Ary inclines her head. "I hope you're not disappointed." She closes her eyes.

Raeisley
"Though I specialize more with the mind than the body my ward can tell you herself of my mending abilities using the shadow arts." She raises her left hand wiggling her fingers. "Now, number four. You will inform your crew that my word is parallel to yours and to disobey it is to face both our ires. Fifthly, they are henceforth banned from entering your room under no exception."

Vasedra
Sedra snorts. "That fifth one will be nice. Fourth... again, trust. But there can be only one captain, Raeisley. You will have to accept second place." She finally turns to look at the Paramour. "To ask them to do otherwise would only be a disaster."

Raeisley
"A concession I'm happy to accept, I'd be put off if you'd be willing to give me everything before the first night~ finally then I will in fact be sharing your bed, where you sleep so will I as long as we are in company, and no wiggling out of it by changing rooms. It is for my safety and yours. "

Araatris
Ary raises both eyebrows, "Perhaps I should leave you both to these negotiations. Regardless of the reason behind it." The young woman stands and stretches. "Vasedra?" The single word question has many layers.

Vasedra
After a conflicted, unhappy silence at that last request, the void knight seizes on Ary's distraction to avoid discussing it. She glances at Raeisley and mutters, "We can talk about sleeping arrangements when it becomes necessary."

The cowl and the sudden darkness as half of the exterior lights wink out make sure that her expression is well hidden, but the rambling speed of her words has its own message. She turns and beats a hasty retreat over to retrieve her swords and belt.

"Perhaps it's time we finished the tour. And you have yet to choose quarters. There are three berth rooms empty and available. They are all roughly the same."

Araatris
Ary inclines her head. "Let's finish the tour as long as Raeisley doesn't mind. I can choose my quarters after that." She glances at the other draenei and raises a questioning eyebrow. "Shall we?"

Raeisley
"No need to ask for my permission, darling. I'm not second in command - yet ♪"

Araatris
The human woman snorts. "You're certainly angling for it though. I'm  ready when you are, Sedra." She walks toward the doorway.

Vasedra
The void knight nods slightly and follows her, pausing to glance back at Raeisley. "Come along, Siren. We can speak more when we're done."