Circling M87 is a series of gas giants ignited around a large solar body. To those who have grown up with sun that casts a distorted shadow, it is home. The shadows are not people or objects but weird shapes that follow people around.
Here we find a series of planets each with a longer winter and a slightly heavier gravity than the earth. The winters and summers last four earth years with the transitions varying little from decade to decade. the axial tilt is more extreme that earth likely due to the larger mass and curve as it swings around the sun. As it orbiting gas giants spin in counter rotation the days are longer or shorter. The greater mass of water vapor and mass of the orbital bodies slows this down but twice a month the planets spin faster as the minor fiery bodies streak across the sky. When they sky burns above most every common folk knows to seek shelter in the bastions. The thrill seeker societies, of course go looking for a surf board or hang glider as the winds and waves are faster and harder those days.
It is on M87 Prime, known to the common folk as Summeria, for which they have long forgotten why. Here we find the Arcadians and the Vyrlings. Both exist for the most part in peace their world is far more ruthless than any man alive could be. Large parts of the world exist in ruins from Hanjie Storms and the Chinook winds off the mountains that when tampered twice a month eat the foundations of weak buildings. A man has trouble staying angry at another when the very wind it self tosses both of your swords off into the distance. That does not stop the hot headed bloods but civilization grew up as who could build the most lasting bastion, and who could survive the longest in the wilder parts of the world. That when then now mostly with millennia of history the people simply shrug at the howling youth and tell them they have to build their bastion if they are going to cause problems. This is how we find young Bright Shiny waterfall setting out on his own to find deep ground, at the age of five annuls, or roughly twenty earth years. As he talks to his parents and village elders they tell him that once he find some common sense and new deep ground they might help him build it into a bastion. Otherwise he has to find other thrill seekers to build it. He is mostly argumentative and asking why too much so many people like him, he just drives them nuts. So they bring things they have set aside for when they figure he must set out to find more deep ground. They bring things like chanty poles grow from water plants and water silk to wrap into a backpack. They bring simples like porcelain bowls from the collection he threw for one of the potters. Some bring gifts and keep sakes so that when he is facing the winds of the world he remembers where he was. So with mostly full pack he heads up into the start of the summer rotation.
Weeks go by and clothes scarred by the dust storms and mists that burn, he is no closer to common sense or finding ground that is hard and deep enough to support building a bastion, when he runs into the thrill seeker society. Camped in a circle with steam engines and bright canvas, are a motley of fools, dressed in bright eye searing colors of leather and rayon. They wave him into the circle and great him with loud Ja Vo. He blinks and says Ja and then tilts his head to the side some and Ja Vo? They laugh and greet him as if he were a friend. They say they are the thrill seeker society and that any might join as long as they reach a wee bit further than the least among them. They grin and several hold up their hands or fingers in different distances as it clear how much further is not yet agreed upon. He laughs and says reach for what. They shout Ja. Then someone laughs and says that is the point. Shiny Bright Waterfall at this point is very puzzled and he understands the language they are speaking but might not exactly what they mean by it. One of the women walks up and hands him a roll with that smells intoxicant like meat but something else. She grins as says it is just tubers and fungi, cooked into hard tac but it stores better than other things they have tried to keep fresh through the storms. He winces as he remembers the last storm that tore his tent into pieces and scatters some of his possessions to the far winds. She pats him on the shoulder and says they learn to bury their keep sakes in the ground when the winds are up. But if you flinch from the wind it wins, and whereas the fun in that. Her raised eyebrow suggests many things, and he can not help raising and eyebrow and asking what things, that may be...
She starts laughing and introduces her self and melody. He looks puzzled and says you don't look like a simply song. She is laughing and one of the men nearby says donnadda encourage her she will have ye riding the winds at the peek of spin. Shiny Bright Waterfall is really puzzled and says you don't seek shelter in the winds? He grins and says No we challenge the very wind itself. He points to the wooden boards lashed to the steam carriages and grins and says those are for riding the waves and the ones on top are for riding the very air itself. Several others standing around ask if he is on his growing up journey. Shiny Bright Waterfall mutters into his scarf as he looks down about asking why too many times. The guy says it is bad to ask why you travel? Shiny Bright Waterfall snaps his head up and says what? oh no I asked why too many times of the elders. They want me to seek the wind for what is common sense if you can not ask why for or why not? The guy roars with laughter and says you will fit right in. Welcome to the seekers. Now that the others have forgotten their manners what is yer name da chailla? Shiny Bright Waterfall blushes bright red and says I am the child of the skies the Vyrling Shiny Bright Waterfalling from the heavens that sparkles in the light of day. The guy stops laughing and blinks... saying they really stuck you with that moniker? Shiny Bright Waterfall says I'm not sure what a moniker is but my name is what my name is. He laughs and Mischief is going to have fun with that. Shiny Bright Waterfall says most people just call me some iluride. The guy starts laughing and says ya really want to be carefull around here some might mistake that for a moniker. Shiny Bright Waterfall tilts his head and says so you never actually said what one was... The guy grins and says my name is Hui Han grow, but my moniker is Pouncing Cat. He points over at the lady who offered him the samich and says her name is floating dafidilia in aeirs, which makes her monikers of silly flower all the funnier.
We know that our elders choose our names with dignity and respect but general without much thought to saying them. Shiny Bright Waterfall just shakes his head, saying I know why I got stuck with my name but how do you make it easier to say. Then blinks and say but she said her name was melody... Pounching Cat grins and says her moniker is silly flower so she goes by any other name than that when she can get away with it. Silly flower pouts and says why canna it be melody? The folk around her grin and say when you are not a silly flower you grow into a new name, ja? She pouts and grins and asks Shiny Bright Waterfall what his name is he blushes and says Shiny Bright Waterfall then looking at Silly Flower and says well it a wee bit longer...
Then there is a short from the west side of the camp as a woman in silver and blue leathers slashed open with exposing bright pieces of red fabric that matches her soaking wet hair, walks up chatting with others in leather all soaking wet. She sees Shiny Bright Waterfall and grins. She shouts at the top of her lungs "a naming day". They society all laugh, and then blinks and when the bright red haired women, says I want this one. They all get really quite and say but he just got here how can you know anything about him yet. She grins and holds up a piece of broken pottery with whirls of blue and silver set into a gun metal enamel. Shiny Bright Waterfall jaw has dropped as he looks at one of the pieces of pottery he set out with. Then he says, it was blown away... She starts laughing and says I want an intact bowl like this in exchange I teach you how to fly. He say sure but I need... as he is speaking they all shout ha, bargain set and a bargain made is a bargain kept.
He says so what is your Moniker? She grins and says I am mischief and I lead this motley of fools until we get back to the societies bastion. Shiny Bright Waterfall grins and says so you do come out of the storms sometimes? She throws her head back spraying him with water as she was leaning over wringing it out as it flares out in an arc of bright red hair and water. As Shiny Bright Waterfall wipes the water off his face, she grins and says you will do. Follow me. She leads him over to Silver carriage with blue worls painted over it have sand blasted away and says this is where you will be sleeping for a while... or until you annoy me and you find your own way. Shiny Bright Waterfall blushes and stammers... aaahh... She laughs and says you are really out of one of the older holdings aren't ye. She laughs and says you have your own room and bunk small may it be. He grins and follows her into her carriage looking around. He blinks and says but that is bastion tech. Staring at craftwork,... that normal does not work away from the mead hall. She grins and says we have had the tech for years but we ran into some strangers who helped us figure out some new ways to use old craftwork. We traded them some pretty stones and they rebuilt our growlers. So in here is the shower, you bring any stranger in here I will hang you by your skull in the next storm. Shiny Bright Waterfall gulps. She blinks and says wow you really are a young kid. Shiny Bright Waterfall says I have survived five winters. She laughs and says young one most of us have survived ten winters. He blinks but your then blushes. She laughs and says kunylia hold that thought until you know me better. She laughs and says stow you pack there and go hang out with others. Then she blinks and say I have got to do something about that name it will never do here. She looks at the water drops all over him and starts laughing a fjord eh? She raises her left eye brow as she says it. He grins and says over one of the howling fjords. Merde or Sa'vor? He blinks and says Tor Hol Heim. She blinks and says you survived in a tent for seven months? He blinks and says the weeks kinda ran together. She starts laughing and says you are going to fit right in. He blinks and slaps his head get on out there. In a bit we get you taught our ways so ye can write a new name that is the same.
So still much dazing by the Society he wanders back to the campfires. He notices that most of the camp fires have wrought iron folding tables sitting on the fires and many people have pottery mugs and plates sitting on them. He asks one person if they burn themselves on them. He laughs and ya, especially when the wind is mean and kicks up early before the metal cools. Then they bounce really well. So they have him have a seat on log that is pulled up to one of the fires and silly flowers walks up and sits next to him. She asks so what does he think of the society. He blinks and says I am not sure but I would guess you all either have a lot of fun or a lot of crazy mishaps that you pretend are fun later on when you tell your skads about them. She starts laughing and says ye got to lighten up and lose the airs of grace. He blinks and looks at her puzzled. She looks at him and says ye na more than any other but your words take ten times as long to say. He looks puzzled as says how would you say it. She grins and says how woud ye ask? He tilts his head and says I thinkin I can. She starts laughing so hard that she almost falls off the log lashing out a hand to grab his leathers. She pulls her self up right on the log leaning against him and says we have to make stop where they make these. The guy who was laughing about the metal frying tables bouncing and say eh the waterfall or the threads on it. She grins and says both. Mischief blobs down on the other side and says ye canna be that overly spoken if silly flower is still trying to figure out how to get your pants off. He blushes and they all start laughing. He say umm I speak the same... then he stops and says I speaka the same kin yet I may not be kenning what ye be saying. Mischief's jaw drops open and says dear gods she has ye speaking arcadian already? At which point several of the others who had walked up to watch snicker and say ya ye may have warned the green wood. As which point Shiny Bright Waterfall turns around rolling the log dumping them all on the ground to laughs as he tried to see who was talking. Mischief and Silly Flower are laughing as they are spawned backwards off the log and say he may need then they start laughing as they can not keep it up. Mischief laughs and says this is the real society laughing at our selves and finding humor in life.
They teach him to surf and hang glide on the spin days and how to use the craftwork navigation systems on the growlers. As he gets to know the rest or the motley they teach him different things about serving out away from the bastions. He meets flaming lotus and sucks on oranges. They are clearly a mix of Vyrling and Arcadians with Arcadian Cant mixed into Vyrling high and low speech. They help him take down a water lizard with the sparkling scales to replace the leathers that silly flower simply decided she wanted and traded him any thing wanted for them. He blinked and says anything? She blushed and says ye nadda bargain for that but something real, ya that be real but as everyone laughs as she tries to justify it not being a bargain. Until Mischief smacks her on the head, saying that is only as it be, but donna ever let me hear any of you bargain for anything. Silly flowers grins and says threads for threads. Byordaeir grins and says water lizard leather. She blinks and says the least is someone else now. They all shout Ha. Mischief grins and says your bargain you help him figure out how to kill on. They usually don't come with skins optional. As people laugh they look at silly flower and she says well their was this thing those strangers had. Mischief looks hard at her and says and what did you offer? Silly flower goes bright red stammering not that. I wanted on but they said they want arum bright or veld ort. Mischief starts laughing. She looks around and says lets go diving for pearls the tel dol trade those for arum bright. Humm may keep a few to trade to the strangers. So Byordaeir learns to swim the reefs in leathers and rayon as he lives with the society to gather rare metals and stones to trade for the strangers weapons.
They drive to where the last strangers bastion is only to find a group of strangers sitting around a tent. They ask what happened to the bastion? The guys level their weapons at the society and start rapid fire asking questions. Their commander is stern pale faced man who looks to be hundreds of years old to the society members and it becomes clear that they don't know what happened to the their enclave. The society looks horrified as they realize the stranger built on dirt. They look at each other and says ah you may have nadda, at which point he screams cut out the idiotic accident you clearly an advanced people. They look around and shout waterfall he says what would a as Byordaeir walks up. My name just call me Vlor or Byordaeir. He blinks as Byordaeir says I am Vyrling and for all they mock me I can still speak high Vyrling. The commander says but you all look the same. Then he turns to one of the soldiers and says I can not understand a bloody word he just said but it has to be better than that awful nonsense the translators keep frying out over. She laughs and says it is eld much like Norse. He looks at her in disbelief he says are you telling me we have a bunch of Viking way out here? She grins and says well those cars are not welded but bolted together. He blinks and says you can translate what he said. She grins and says yep but there is to be recording of it un agreed to that when they lost that war. He blinks and says find out what happened to the enclave.
She turns to Byordaeir and says. My name is Sargent Major Thorn, well met. He grins and ja vo mei bramble patch. She goes bright red and back hands him into the ground. The commander says are you sure you don't want a recording made. She blinks as she realizes that Byordaeir understood what everyone said. She looks at him and says you speak standard don't you? He blinks and says I am not sure what standard is but I think your sorta speak a mix of eld and cant. She blinks and says in Vyrling ja eld dinna hallia yel tohammi? He blinks and says ah they may have taught me to be polite. He says so what your commander wants to know is where the bastion went right? She says yes. He says the bastion was built right here on dirt not stone right? She says yes of course it was built right here. He looks at her and says where do you come from to not know what happens at spin? She looks at Byordaeir as if he is simple. Spin the world spins around a pole. You can see that from space. He looks at her and says space is the area around me only female friends are allowed to sit in or enter. She looks at him and the other people and says commander, there is not plastic on anything of theirs is there? He says what does that matter. She looks over at him and says I think these are indigs... He blinks but that clothes would cost a fortune in Paris... She starts laughing. She looks at Byordaeir and says you have not been up there and points at the clouds. Byordaeir grins and says of course we are the society. She looks at the hang gliders and surf boards and says this is not something I have ever dealt with.
Then she says treat me as if I am not from this world what happened to the enclave. Byordaeir makes a wry face and says it likely blow apart and away. She blinks and starts laughing. She turns to the commander and says either they are bunch of rich kids having a laugh at our expense or they just said it then stops and says explode or drift? Byordaeir looks puzzled then holds his fist out right and rotates it around and then turns the fist over and rotates it around and say this is het. She blinks and says yes. He holds his fist out again and says this is spin and snaps his fist around fast. She blinks and starts a laughing and says worlds don't work like that. The Byordaeir says so if the bastion is not here we have to move to safer area dirt become Hajie like on a potter's wheel if you spin it too fast. The Sargent Major's face pales to white so pale you can see her veins in her face. She looks at the commander and says they just said this area is sand storm area. He blinks and says how does that explain a concrete enclave just going missing. She looks at the metal tanks for lack of better word for all the bright colors and six inch thick metal tires on the steel post wheels... and realizes what ever really happens the locals likely know better what the truth is. At least from their perspective. She asks what Byordaeir's people normally do, he gets a puzzled look and says Mischief is the leader of the motley. She blinks and says a motley of fools?
Byordaeir and the rest of motley grin and says we stay out in the wilds instead of couped up in a bastion to ride the winds and waves. But this area is not safe spin in next weekend. We came to trade for weapons your people, well I think they were your people wanted arum bright or vert ort. We went swimming for pearls to trade for arum bright and vert ort, but we only camp when we have time to strake the carriages down to the ground and never over dirt. She looks over at the commander and says this might be safer to watch from orbit. Then blinks and says maybe not even there. He looks at her and says what are you babbling about. She looks over and says mid com sand storm no equipment working and likely concrete blew apart under four hundred mile an hour winds. He blinks then says everyone pack up. He looks at her and says when and how do they know when. She turns to Byordaeir. He holds up a rope with braid and says this is today and then he counts ten days to the top of the rope and says this is when we need to be a thousand miles from here. She blinks and turns to the commander and he says ten I get but ten what. Then she blinks as she remembers that the day is ninety six hours long and says nine hundred and six hours from now...
He blinks and says oh. Forty days? Why are they worried? She looks at the level of tech and says they said a thousand miles and I have no idea what powers those but they were not moving that fast when they showed up. It might take them twenty days to get that far. He looks around and says so a sand storm ate the base my report can cover that but what happened to the people? The Sargent Major blinks and says if the base was not there what happens to an animal left out in a sand storm that does not lay down? He blinks and curses. That bad. He turns to his signals operator a blond Russian who gets the cruiser on the line. He calls up to the captain and says it looks like weather destroyed the outpost, apparently it is really bad in this area. How come a better field survey was not conducted? The coms officer tells him to wait one. He waits then the coms officer says they reported balmy weather a paradise planet. The commander looks around him and says unless that officer was an idiot the ground around here has grass as far as you can see but no trees. Byordaeir says they grow in the fjords and the tors. The coms officer says who in the world was that. The commander says their is a local who apparently speaks more languages than the translator chips do. Who ever derided all explorer missions require a linguist was smarter than we thought. I have a Sargent Major down here as a medical officer who got to wear her coms hat likely for the first time since tech school.
He said we should likely set up a com sat and wait until a proper science team gets here. The coms officer says there was a science team we are here for a mayday call. The commander looks around and says boots on the ground say it is not safe what does the captain say. The coms officer says wait one. He comes back after ten minutes and says bring one of the locals up with you and give one of them a com set. We can pin point them with that. The commander turns to Byordaeir and says who among them can understand us? Byordaeir turns to the society and says they want someone who can understand them who wants to go? He looks at Mischief and says with your permission of course. She snickers and says your going to have to learn cant all over over again when you get back. Let melody have the com unit maybe we can rig it to work with the craftwork unit. Byordaeir turns to the commander and says it looks like I am your local. Then looking at the sergeant major he says dor ein elian ha nadda ha? she starts laughing and says to the commander should he try to learn standard or stick with the words he knows we can translate? The commander says if we can get to the point of having an conversation there are some questions I have. Byordaeir says da ja va vold I might ken speaking veld standard yet nor el est ord. The commanders jaw drops as he blinks and says roman? The Sargent major starts laughing and says svenge. He blinks have him keep speaking in what ever that other one was that makes my head hurt.
He said Sargent Major he is your responsibility thankfully we don't have to figure out how to... ah she starts laughing and says just don't stand too close to him the sick hall should be able to check for vaccines until then don't sweat on him or be share fluids, lords above only know what he might have in his veins it is a new world. The commander shakes his head and then blinks and says how do we decon a field coms pack? She looks around and says oh that is an issue. If they were citizens out for a stroll about the universe I would expect them to be vaccinated but maybe lash one to one of their tanks? She looks around and grabs on of the sealed coms pack and says I know you all can understand me where do I lash this it might make you sick? Mischief looks at it and says why do we want something that might make us sick? The Sargent Major laughs and it lets us find you so your friend does not have to wander around looking for you. Mischief says lash it to the rear most and none go near it. Then she looks at the circle they normally form up in and says who wants to bargain? They all look away. She sighs and says lash it to the one the bright green one. Silly Flower says why mine.
Mischief says you drive it and then you ride with me to the bastion. She looks over at the sergeant major who has a puzzled look on her face, clearly not able to speak high arcadian. She looks at Byordaeir and says you come back you have a river lizard to catch remember. Then she says grab you pack you never
know when you need it if you forget it. Byordaeir grins and says not a problem he goes into their carriage and pulls the pack out and slings his sword against the pack. At which point the commander says wow what do you think that is for. Byordaeir, says every kin carries a svort, weird yet nor do hallia? The sergeant major starts laughing so hard she clutches her stomach. She gets out that he just said that even in heaven everyone carries a sword, why would you ask why he has a sword... The commander looks and says just make sure he does not stab anyone with it this report is going to be weird enough as it is. Then he calls the com officer and requests an lz.
The com officer says it is inboard on your two o'clock. The society just stare as the craft comes in to stop about a hundred feet from the group and starts to cool off.
Byórðæįr is strapped in a laughing as he looks at the shiny white leather seats as all the marines lock their helmets down before embarking into the ship for final ready check. The sergeant major shrugs and says we have an aqua rebreather we can use or a set of tanks we can use from the air here for you because we ride up in vacuum. Byórðæįr looks at them and asks vacuum? She laughs and says none of this and ways her hands at the air around them. At this point Byórðæįr looks at them like they are crazy. He says this and makes the same hand motion. The Sargent Major grins at something he does not know anything about. She looks at him and realizes most of the marines are five eight to six four where they are earth centric and used to dealing with twenty gravities of acceleration but still were born on worlds closer to earth standard. Realizing that all the native were skinnier and really ripped irony of their clothing aside and they might be at more gravities or air pressure due to the larger cloud wall. She walks up to the pilots and asks them what the standard millibars are on this planet. The pilots grin and say it is not that bad only 1100 millibars like an extra thousand feet of air. She blinks and asks where people are not choking on too much air and the pilot snickers and says most scuba tanks are rated for 1200 millibars so that you get more oxygen. She says so it is not like crush depth but more oxygen? She grins and says the scuba tanks it is. He blinks and says we are taking a native up to the ship? She says yes he looks human. He says have a corpsman scan him down here as his home of record for id purposes otherwise he might have trouble coming back here. She says good idea. She walks back to the crew dec and says you with me and points to the marine corpsman and they walk Byórðæįr down the ramp and they scan his retinas and finger print him as an indig to M87 Prime known as surfer's paradise. Then she grins and tells the corpsmen they need to collect medical air down here in case of any issues with the air pressure change. She blinks and says we have all been breathing the air fine. The Sargent Major says have you ever seen a bad case of the bends? She blinks and blanches pale white. Then the Sargent Major says focus on the scanning and documenting first. They document Byórðæįr as a native of surfer's paradise and when they ask what country he blinks and asks if that is the same as a bastion? She thinks and says a bastion is like a city state? How do they get along? Then asks how do you prevent war? Byórðæįr says the moot or world gathering is between the Arcadians and Vyrlings happens every summer at the Tor. She blinks and says so one group controls the entire world? He grins and says Ja VO. or yes indeed. The corpsman says what do I write down? The Sargent Major says just write down Tor. It is simpler when the pencil pushers get here they may change it with an addendum but for know they have working government. The corpsman says but how if no one is there every day? The Sargent Major sighs and says you saw the locals that are wandering around did they look hungry? The corpsman sighs and says they looked like they walked off the runway then giggles and says the fashion runway. The Sargent Major sighs again and says they likely eat better and work out every day but the very air beats them into shape. The corpsman sighs and says I would like the air to beat me into shape instead of doing pt. Byórðæįr looks at them and says I understood the words but not what you said. Both women look at him and say men...He blinks and says I think... at which point they cut him off, saying no you stay right there we have to document you and get you up to the ship before the captain sends someone down for us. They lead Byórðæįr up the ramp and tells the marines that the air pressure might kill them if they don't suit up before taking off so the suits can readjust their air pressure before they get back on canned air in the battle cruiser. They all blink and grab their helmets off their seats and snap them down. Then she tells the commander that they likely need to gather medical grade air for a scuba suit and tank for take off. He blinks and says I figured he was going to have to go up in a space suit for the depressurization flight considering the aero pilots up front. He says the armory has something that should fit him since the regs still require five ten to six two for pilots. He says hey you, then blinks and says that is not going to work. He looks at the Sargent Major and says what do I call him there is no way I can pronounce that word you keep using when talking to him. Byórðæįr says Byó is what my friends call me when annoyed the commander says I am not going to put in my report I called an indig byo it sounds too much like boy. Byórðæįr says it is from fjord with a bee sound. He looks around and vee ored... someone says vector, and other says zoom zoom... and he says serious people he is going to likely get stuck with some time people can pronounce as a nickname. then one of the troops laughs and says what about v pipe or or vlor? Byórðæįr says pipe est ore? The guy laughs and says it is coding but since you speak so many languages it is just one more to learn. Byórðæįr looks at the Sargent Major and says are they laughing at me or is it just funny? She blinks and says maybe neither? Vlor shrugs and says if it works my name is simply longer now. The Sargent Major points to the laminated id hanging around his neck and says that no matter what people call you that is your name on file. Then she laughs and says Vlor help up carry the equipment out side to gather some medical grade air. He looks at them funny but then shrugs and says where to? She leads him and several marines to the armory below the flight dec where the equipment is stored. The unbolt the cabinet to move the equipment outside and they laugh and say it is four person lift or two people are trestle arms. Then they laugh and say hey Vlor come lift this side. Vlor not getting the joke walks over and lifts one side of the five hundred pound equipment. He blinks and says who is on the other side. The sergeant Major says stop acting like a fool those slot have two carry poles to carry it outside. He says oh, it's not that heavy. She snorts and says even if you dead lift it carry it twenty miles to sight is why it is a four person carry. She sighs and Gunny Murphy and Corporal Hazer, you idiots are carrying the back side. Vlor you are behind me so I can steer. She points to the poles bolted to the wall. They unbolt the four sets of poles and slide them into the equipment to carry through the shuttle. They slide them in from the front and then lock them into place. Murphy and Jason grumble as they stand between the poles on the back side and the corpsman says remember lift with your backs. Murphy grumbles you can say that not having to lift one. The corpsman grins and says if I trip and break my leg carrying one the paper work would take you weeks to explain. The commander says people use hurry up and do like the lady says. Pardon me do as the Corpsmen says. Corps woman... ah what ever just do what you know you are supposed to be doing. The Sargent Major sighs and says just lift it up and murphy and Jason laugh and says ours is lifted...the Sargent Major grins and says forward march, and then Vlor use the same foot and don't spend time staring at my butt. Vlor grins and says I imagine it is a pretty butt but who can tell when it is covered up by armor. She snorts you will if you are not careful. Some one chokes and mutters something. The first shirt says move while you talk
Byórðæįr going by the handle Vlor so that the troops can pronounce his name, follows the Sargent Major down the drop ships load ramp. This is Vlor's first introduction to military cadence. Being used to a motley of fools, he takes to making up silly cadences right away. Once they set down the machine and it begins filling several large tanks of cryogenic tanks, Vlor asks how it works. The corps woman starts explaining how it works and the troops commander speaks up and ask Vlor are you sure you want to know how that works? We are playing a game of cards over here. He looks at the commander and says so if this is how I can be certain to, then he gets a puzzled look on his face as he realizes there is a word for drowning but not for breathing... Vlor looks at the Sargent Major and says et to nied est... ? She blinks and says breathing est... then starts laughing. rapidly says est tu est no, nor, not. Ja? He blinks and says est tö, est tu yet est nyglet? She blinks and laughing says ja est yes. He blinks and say tor grok ja huloom. Then Vlor shakes his head and mutters about strangers.
He asks the corps woman if she can explain the rest to him later. She giggles and says sure. Both the corps woman and the Sargent Major are laughing as some of the translation is not exactly what both sides think they are saying. Then the corps woman laughs and walks over to the logs or stones the troops had pulled up to sit one and says Vlor sit here let me teach you the necessity of poker otherwise you will likely end up losing your shirt to these apes. The sergeant major laughs and I have to see this. One of the troops says really out here in the open? The first shirt blinks and says can it, he is going to have enough trouble understanding us if everything you idiots say is slang. Then he looks at the blushing corps woman and says are we going to have a problem that needs to be addressed now? She blinks looks and Vlor and says that it is partly her fault as she might be distracted by the new face. He shrugs and says you should know better than anyone else here he has to go through decon and has to take the personal choice test before anyone can try to sleep with him or form any interpersonal relationship. He says his head and says anyone who forgets and crosses that line loses their explorer tag. All the troops cover one of the patches on their arm and say nooo... overly dramatic. One guy asks if anyone has ever lost their explorer tag. He shrugs and says you can spend your spare time back on the ship looking it up. Now we have some cards to play.
Hours later and many rounds of cards later, Vlor says he really does not understand the game. The commander says how can you not understand it, you have won that last ten hands. He says but what is the point of getting the best combination of cards if all we do is shuffled them back into the deck? The first shirt laughs and says normally we play for money but the military frowns on that so we play for working extra duty shifts doing maintenance or cleaning. We can't work more than so many as it interferes with our normal duties but on a year long cruise there are plenty of things that happen that no wants to do and some times people really want to do. Like sitting the helm through a jump or checking all the conduct for wear. Vlor blinks and says that made less sense than the card game. The First Shirt says are there things you would not do? Vlor blinks and say oh that made sense but sitting on your head or wearing sparks? The first shirt blinks and says we really do have to treat you as an indig. Vlor looks at the Sargent Major and says doesn't indig mean I live here? She sighs and says it means indigenous population. It means that you are part of a world that is below the minimum technology level for entering the Allied Sovereign Worlds. Members of those planets once they take a test to prove they can understand our laws and legal system, join not as citizens but as foreign traders or if they can pass the entrance exam foreign military. Anyone can attempt to pass either test but personal are screened before they can enter service to attempt to gain citizenship. Vlor looks at her and she sighs and says citizens are either born to citizens of chartered nations have at least one government with two hundred year old constitution or have passed those nations requirements for citizenship. She said there are many citizens who are born on charter worlds who move to less settled worlds and find themselves without voice in the assembly of allied Sovereign Worlds. The only outposts that are recognized to date are knight orders and churches that move their chapter house or mother house respectively... One of the quieter troops speaks up and says that is a bigger deal than most people think. My parents petitioned their church to move to a new world because they wanted to have land to train on and the church told them it was too far away from the church. He sighed and said some all the knights had to join the ASWM. Vlor looks at him and says that is... ? Doug laughs and says all this around you is part of the ASWM... then blinks and says well the world is not. The first shirt is laughing as the troop tries to explain the gaff. Vlor finally blinks and says your motley is the Ahswim... Most of the troops are laughing hysterically at that. The sergeant major says laugh all you want you goofs you may find the next time you come back here the people here refer to military units as motley's of fools. As which point two of the lower ranks fall backwards off the log laughing.
Then the commander says pay attention the last thing we need is you goof balls tripping and dropping one of those tanks spraying freezing cold gas on everyone. Everyone carefully moves the equipment back to the dropship. They hook the tanks into the medical air lines and load the two personal tanks the corps woman set aside for Vlor's ride up to the ship.
After locking Vlor down into the acceleration seat, if we forget something it is likely going to kill you on the way up but the tech doc did not even cover the air so up we go. The first sergeant goes through and makes sure all the flashing is locked in on the troops and sits down as the commander double checks all of the web belts and flashing. Then the sergeant major checks both of their web belts as the pilots run a power check to make sure they get power from one side of the lock down to the other. Then they make a visual check to make sure everyone is buckled in and prepare for a closed suit flight. They run down the flight check list and confirm all the seats have medical air and water, the locks register as closed on their suits and close the hatch and vent the air to tanks.
After verbally confirming go no go they taxi forward over the rough ground using ground effect fans to pneumatically lift them for a fast lift off. Once gaining enough speed they ease the stick back into vertical ascent. As they push the throttles forward the drop ship accelerates to escape vee and lurches as the winds cross draft sways the ship as it puts on more acceleration to escape atmosphere at the vector the pilots need to get to the ship without wasted fuel.
After a few seconds of extreme pressure the pilots announce over the suit radios congratulations to our new astronauts. Vlor blinks and says no ast? The sergeant major speaks over com to com and says Vlor just shut up and enjoy the ride for once. The commander says belay that chatter we in Ship's AOR and their regs apply. Spit and polish people. Spit and polish.
After about twenty minutes of minimal weight the ships begins to match vees with the battle cruiser. The pilots have it up on the main screen and Vlor has no idea what he is seeing it is vast and shiny. The pilots over the ship radios say this is the ASWMS Sea Chaser. They start describing the beam and breathe of the ship and Vlor coms to the Sargent Major est breathe medical air? She starts laughing and coms the pilots that the picture is doing a much better job than the stats. One of them coms back and asks why. The sergeant major coms back and says that breathe and width are more confusing when you think the air you breathe is breathe... The pilot sputters to a stop and says the information is available in the ships library. The commander goes back through the coms and starts laughing and says people remember be on your best behavior you may be explorers but you are on a ship of the main. The chatter slows to a halt.
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