An unusual arrival (Roose!)

[Anonymous]

Deep space.  Such a beautiful place, so many worlds to explore, things to see, to study.  A scientist's paradise, surely.  

Rikal was not a scientist, however, and thus deep space drove the social man nuts.  If he had a bigger ship, not the tiny single-man cargo ship, it might have been better.  A crew to socialize with might have kept the raptor from bouncing off the walls of his ship during the long trips.  So when the computer informed him of a nearby station, Rikal decided then and there to make a little detour.  A few days break wouldn't hurt, since he was ahead of schedule and all.

And after docking and checking in, he'd wandered around and found a quiet little lounge, and settled in at one of the terminals.  Besides being a guy that craved companionship, Rikal was, just like the rest of race, possessed by an intense curiousity.  He was browsing through the history archives now, one glove laying in his lap as he tapped delicately at the touch pad with the tip of one talon.  What he had read so far was depressing.  Rikal's people were almost druidic in their beliefs, to see how a world had been ruined by technology and greed was greatly disturbing.  

He stretched out on the seat for a moment, his long tail waving about for a moment before curling loosely around his hips, and sighed loudly, drawing a few looks from the others in the room.  "Geez."  It was depressing, too.  A world ruined was a great loss, for according to his race's beliefs, every world had a spirit, a mind.  And while he lacked the ability to commune with worlds, it did nothing to dampen his faith in those beliefs.

((OOC: Roose, I can rewrite this if it's not enough to catch your character's attention.))

[Anonymous]

Deep within Sol's Nexus, energies and patterns converged.  A grayblack "seed" two hundred feet long, eighty feet wide and sixty feet deep emerged from the Nexus at Sol's core, shot out from the sun's surface, broke through the solar corona, and rushed for the third plantet in the system, all fifteen drivespines fully extended.  In and out the ship wove, riding the local Strings at a pseudospeed equal to light.  Only releasing into normal space as it came around the dark side of Luna.........

Roose sighed a deep sigh, swung his tail over the drive transfer plates, flexed his Ringed fingers as the slidedrive control columns retracted into the floor, and shifted in his Flight One chair, intense green eyes taking in the view outside the main window-prism.  Yes, this once green and living world suffered, and that pain showed clearly through his 'Twill senses.  Patterns distorted... Tainted... patterns broken and wavering, like some diseased animal.  How... how any sentient being could allow such damage... could deliberately destroy Life... Roose just couldn't understand.  All he could do?  Sigh, with a deep and abiding sorrow.

In all his travels throughout the Universe, since leaving Home, he'd never before seen such hopelessness.  Death... he'd seen that.  But not this.  Not this.

However, he'd arrived at his chosen destination, and his sorrow would not help the situation here.  In truth, he didn't know if even being here would be wise.  Gaining knowledge?  That would be valuable, perhaps it would allow other worlds to be saved from this horror.  He would explore and learn, if nothing else!

GreenDay's drivewind subsided.  The frosted doors between Control One and the Prime Accumulator slid open, now that they'd arrived.  Now that they flew in normal space.  A further twitch of Ringed fingers, a touch to sensor controls, H'rik Eye flared.  View in the main window-prism shifted, enhanced.  Two stations came up, iconographic data streams indicated one station suited his present goals and needs.  So, near invisible in the dark of space, GreenDay and pilot slipped towards this station, opened commlinks, presented the necessary clearences...

... and docked, with barely a whisper on any station sensors.

Drivespines folded and retracted, GreenDay's dark hull now smooth.  Except for the three landing shafts supporting her weight on the docking platform.  For a few moments, Roose remained at Flight One.  Then, hands dropped to Ringer ports, came out bare and free as Ringer cables locked.  A lick to each hand, movement shifting his tailed backside out of his seat, then heavy-clawed, oversized feet stepped down, turned, and carried the young 'Twill towards those open doors.  A brief stop at the port niche, to retrieve his Boonwood staff, a look over his shoulders at the station's forward interior view... twitch of all three seelers... then out into the openness of the Prime Accumulator's Room.  Yes, a bow of greeting and respect to the Spirit Within the huge, floating crystal, then a flare of Eye, and a shaft of rods rose up from its mark on the floor.  Rods slid aside with a musical shing, Roose stepped upon the disk, rods slid shut with another metalic note...

... and a moment later, slid open again.

Roose stepped out onto the docking platform, made his way through security and public scrutiny with little in the way of ruffled fur.  Even the nickel ball bearings in his "ammo" beltpouches made it through without detection.  That ruffled fur?  Well, children will be children, and tails will sometimes get pulled.  A bit disconcerting, but nothing serious.  Appology made by parent, incident forgiven and forgotten.  So, he made it to a nearby lounge, safe and sound, yet not quite sure where to go from here.  Hopefully, this social place would provide not only a drink, but, perhaps, some information.  Having large ears helped, even though many considered eavesdropping to be rude... not like he could help hearing things!

Or smelling things...

Or seeing things...

Or feeling....

Visions of Chorri entered his musings.  Like his eavesdropping, he couldn't help it.  Couldn't help feeling that hormonal warmth, the itch in his wings, hidden underneath his Nute.  He'd only been gone for little more than four months now.  But it felt more like four years.  'Twill were social creatures, gregarious to a fault, amongst their own kind.  Very open to other species, though far from naive.  With their ability to perceive patterns... auras, if you will... lying to a 'Twill would be a near impossible task.  The sensory feelers... seelers... possessed by all 'Twill, were not just decorative ephemera.  Like the antenae of insects, these three skull-embedded sensory organs served a very useful purpose.  Along with the Eye in the middle of their foreheads, they allowed all 'Twill to perceive and manipulate natural energies....

Only, at this moment, all Roose wanted was a cold fruit smoothie and a place to sit.  Fortunately, this lounge had a bar, served smoothies as well as booze and other drinks, and had quick service.  They also accepted his credit, till he could visit the Exchange.  'Twill were not common in this sector of this particular galaxy, but they were known for being honest.  Even this far away from their common grounds.  So, Roose parked himself on a barstool as he waited, tail carefully guarded.  Soon as his drink came...

... he couldn't help but hear a disturbance, a loud sigh and a nearly as loud exclaimation...

... yes, drink in hand, claws clinking on glass, Roose paced in the direction that vocal disturbance originated, passed by the creature responsible, and took seat nearby, to quietly sip and think.  Though his eyes couldn't help but glance towards the sigher with intent curiousity.........

[Anonymous]

A few more taps on the touchpad, and Rikal finally shut it down, leaning back against the couch with an expression of deep sorrow on his scaled face.  At least his brother wasn't here.  Poor Vixal would have been so deeply upset to see a world like this, for while Rikal lacked the druidic gifts, his younger brother had them in plenty.  And the younger had always loved to talk to Rikal about the things he'd heard.  For Vixal to be here, the raptor was sure it would have been torment.

The passing of another caught Rikal's attention, and he glanced up at the individual, a little surprised by the other's appearance.  And the curiousity on his face...  Sliding the glove back on, Rikal rose gracefully and walked over.  Extending his hand for a shake, Rikal smiled at the other.  "Hey there.  I'm Rikal."

((OOC: Sorry about the horrible wait and the short post, Roose.))

[Anonymous]

Some people, human or otherwise, could have taken Roose's glance the wrong way, given the bright alertness in his eyes, and the way he seemed to look past what stood on the surface... as if he looked under one's very skin.  Which was, in a way, true.  His seelers... those three feelerish antenae emerging from his skull... linked to his brain's visual cortex, allowing him to see beyond the norm.  To "see" even with his eyes closed.  However...

... this particular individual had received Roose's intent perceptions with the exact opposite response.  Friendly, not hostile.  In that one brief glance, Roose had probably learned more than this individual's doctor had ever known about... about...

... Rikal.  That was the name this other male gave, along with a friendly gesture normally used by humans.  Roose licked a bit of peach flavor off his nose, a quick wipe of pale green-pigmented tongue over nostrils.  Accepted the handshake, and added a tail tuft brush to Rikal's opposite shoulder... his own kind's way of greeting...

...  "I'm Roose...."

Informal, yes, but this was an informal greeting... an informal place.  The young 'Twill simply responded in kind by following Rikal's own friendly informality.  Large ears perked forwards, seelers flicked, Eye's bluewhite glow, from the middle of his forehead, gently pulsed in rythym with his heartbeat, a very odd nightlight in this dimly lit place...

...  "Sit, please, if you wish."  A twitch of ears...  "I'm also good at listening, and I've found talk helps the sadness...."


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((ooc))  No problem on the lateness or shortness... just glad to see you back.  ((ooc))

[Anonymous]

"Roose, eh?  Nice to meetcha."  The reply came easily, his tones light and casual as always.  Formality wasn't Rikal's thing.  He sat next to the 'Twill, and though the comment about sadness got a look, the raptor said nothing.  Telepathy wasn't unheard of.  Or empathy.  Whatever.  Or whichever.

His train of thought was interrupted as his wristcomp buzzed, much like an old cellphone would vibrate when receiving a call.  He glanced down at it, brow furrowing in confusion.  It wasn't until he tapped a button on the side, and the screen opened up, that it made sense.  A message from his brother.  And he'd just been thinking of Vixal.  

Scanning through the message sent a mess of emotion surging through the raptor.  Confusion, worry, the desire to protect... and anger at whoever had allowed this to happen.  His brother, with his excellent ability to communicate with planet spirits, had been marooned on the very world Rikal had been mourning just a few minutes ago.  

A simple SOS message, sent out to vessels of their own kind.  He stared at it, silently cursing the lack of exact coordinates.  ...At least he was here, to get the message, to do something.  Like going down there and finding him.

He glanced up and blinked at Roose, having forgotten the 'Twill was sitting next to him.  "Ah..." One of the few times the chatty man was at a loss for words, his just trailed off and he silently gazed up at the slightly taller male, the half formed bits of plans tumbling around his head.

How the hell had Vixal managed to get into such trouble?

((OOC:  Sorry about the wait, hopefully this will get going now.))

[Anonymous]

Telepathy or empathy wasn't needed.  Roose found this Rikal person easy to read.  Expressive in his emotions both through eyes and through seelers.  Patterns clear, body language pre-translated through movement, voice hiding nothing.  The young 'Twill hadn't needed any special powers to comment earlier on Rikal's obvious sadness.  Not that his seelers hadn't helped!  But they were not special, simply a normal sensory organ all 'Twill possessed.  Perhaps special to others, but...

... Rikal's glove vibrated.  Its patterns wavered.

Roose watched carefully while he sipped on his peach smoothie, his own expression formed by a raised eyebrow, turned-back ears (one pointed more down than the other), and a brief rub of fingers over the top of his muzzle, as if scratching an itch.  Had Roose been human, he would most likely have thought how bad Rikal would be at poker, given the young raptor's apparent inability to hold a poker face.  From his look, it stood patently obvious the cards in Rikal's hand were very bad.

The upward glance and blink confirmed everything....

Roose grasped his staff tightly with the hand that had just recently touched his muzzle, his other hand setting down his drink...

...  "Bad news...?"

Form of a question, yes, but with an edge of certainty, as his eyes locked on the other male's face.........