Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - [Interlude.Epsilon] A Jungle Dragon's Lair

[Quantum Fire]

Time Frame: June 1 to July 31 (and partway into August if nessary)

Open To: All PC's involved in the Dragon's Den

Building the Jungle Den was a project of sorts, now that they had gotten the go ahead, worked with the Congolese goverment and gained a few important sponsers, the den was now being built for nova children. Of course, it was being designed for nova's who erupted as children, but also for the secret 2nd generation nova's hidden within the den, but all of that aside, it was being built to meet very unique desires and capabilities, to be a place of learning, growth and even play. After all, some of the people involved felt that the children were being expected to grow up too fast, and they wanted them to have time to enjoy being children.

And then there were the protections, both technological and individual, including the bunker being built under the complex, a safe place to protect against attack if something on that level occurred, even including a nuclear attack. It couldn't protect entirely against teleporting or warping nova's, but that was a different matter, there were other ways to deal with that, some of Einherjar's researchers were already working on a teleport interdiction field, or at least finding a way to build one..

Never the less, the children and everyone involved were buckling down and getting the work done.

[z023]

Sakura had helped clear the area of animals before the construction began; she even managed to relocate most of the vegetation to other areas that even after so many years were still recovering from poisonous strip-mining and clear-cutting that had left the soil sandy and mostly barren. The newly transplanted trees, along with convenient regular showers and rich plant foods brought in from municiple compost piles were ensuring few casualties from the cleared land for the Den. Ein had given her the go-ahead, after careful consultation with the Congolese Council of Environmental Safety and Planning, to allow her to provide buildings to the Den in the form of her Herculean tree-buildings.

She'd conferred with the Den administration and the architects that had been loaned to them by the Congolese government and the final result was a beautiful wooded campus with large commons areas interspersed between the multistory living buildings. From above, the Den was hard to distinguish from the surrounding jungle; only the regularity of the spacing of the trees, the tree limb sky bridges peeking out from the canopy, and the commons themselves gave any indication that there had been human and nova intervention in the landscape. The spaces for the trees had been carefully marked out and Sakura could grow three or four in a day, meaning that the entire above-ground campus could be grown in less than a week.

She'd managed to finish out most of the enclosed ecosystem and functionality of the trees thanks to her conversations with Star, Ein, and Metaphase: the vine drapes had been replaces with strong chitinous-like doors that were actually a symbiotic animal that attached to special strips of bark that now grew along on side of each doorway, taking nutrients from the tree and having a hinged "back" that fit snugly into the opening when closed. The doors could even lock by gently pressing on the small inner feet of the inside of the door. Unlocking was a simply process of stroking the back of the feet to get the toes to let loose of the bark. Windows had been introduced into the design by a simple alteration of the door creatures: clear "backs" and the same hinged lock/unlock system to allow inhabitants to open and close the windows as they chose. Spaces had been left in the design of the tree buildings to allow for elevators to be installed and all of the walls had a hollow cores where wires, for the few technologies that still required them, and other necessary technology could be run through. Piping had been built in as well, with vines that had had shell and chitin-like properties mixed into their structure running through the trees; pumps still need to be installed, but the vines even included beautiful and fully functional faucets and showerheads.

The glowbugs had altered into a long-lived species that stayed within the rooms or hallways that they were born in. Those were able to detach from the trees, but did so only to found another colony in a new room or to consume a dead glowbug that had manged to fall off the ceiling or wall before being caught and consumed by the colony. Each of the colonies were situated on the end of a special vein poking a centimeter or so out of the bark of the tree; this vein provided the trace nutrients that cause the glow that the bugs gave off. Next to the door of each room or hallway were six colored tube-like vines. They were in two rows, looped a little ways out of the bark, and were five or six centimeters in length. They were positioned at a little lower than average chest height; on the top row the first one was pitch black, the second one was a golden yellow, and the last one was a pale silvery-white. Pinching the first one would cause the glowbugs to dim and go out after a few seconds, the second would bring them back to mid-day brightness, and the third would dim them to a good approximation of a moon-lit night. The second row had a red vine, then a blue vine, and then green vine; pinching those along with the top yellow vine would create different colors of light; pinching the silvery-white vine along with any of the color vines would create colors in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums. They glowbugs and their controls were everywhere, lining pathways and lighting up the sky bridges, in all the rooms and hallways, and even on miniature trees hardly larger than saplings that lined the commons and walkways. Sakura offered to work on another iteration that could survive in the bunker that had been built, but it would take her some time.

The outsides of the building-trees and all the smaller decorative trees she had grown around the campus were also bedecked with most any fruit imaginable (though some obviously altered to grow 1) on a tree or vine, and 2) in the tropics) and quite a number of new inventions that Sakura had assured the King, the Den, and the Environmental Council were mostly just variations on natural fruits for different flavors or higher nutritional content. Several other altered animal species besides the glowbugs had also been brought in: the badger-bearcubs as a natural cleaning crew for the campus, who were incredibly friendly and loved to be petted; a species canines that were quite a bit smarter than wolves but as domesticated and person-friendly as the majority of large dogs patrolled the edges of the campus proper to keep out natural predators and act as one of the many, many warning systems in place for the safety of the children. Several species of colorful and beautiful-sounding birds were also in residence as assistants to the badger-bearcubs, helping to remove any dead foliage from the outsides of the trees and drop it to the ground below as well as discouraging incursions by destructive insects and grubs and providing soothing birdsong through the campus.

It was going to take at least a good two weeks to have everything set-up and running, but it was a good start and the perfect expansion of what she'd been working so diligently on in the small field at the palace.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Star was on hand to provide engineering consultation ... in this case, civil engineering. Having worked with Skuras amazing plant creations Star was able to come up with some good ways to integrate the non-living systems that the standards officials and Den committees wanted - like op-net runs, the best way to transition from grid utilities to Sakura style utilities, and so forth. Really, if the government engineers had thought about it a bit more, they would have eventually come up with similar solutions. It also helped that Star wasn't all that affected by Sakura herself, and could thus be a go between to assist the process.

The bunker and all its redundant backups were more straight forward but had high standards. Likewise were the infrastructure around the site was lacking. New access roads and open parking had to be constructed, improved drainage and fault-break-channels had to be dug - so that it would be much harder for some Nova to destabilize the foundation of the whole site with seismic, tunneling, or water control powers. It would also greatly aid the durability of the bunker in case of energy transferred from those events or a nearby strike. The Japanese had developed quite an understanding of how to manage the flows of energy in the earth thanks to Saisho funding for public programs. That same earthquake protection technique could be taken to its next logical extreme - and Star just happened to know quite a bit about the Japanese civil technologies.

The rubble and fill would even work with Sakura's plan ... Star was able to help landscape and create desirable micro-climates for her to work with. It also helped in the creation of a small resolved and cistern to do year round rain catchment with all the seismic channels and site grades ... something that would greatly increase the available water on site ... even if the aquifers in the region later became stressed. Sakura's plants could thus depend on the moisture they needed for health.

The rest was small improvements ... a fifteen percent decrease in commute times between the site and key urban locations around via some restively easy traffic system changes and road work. A light rail station for deliveries ... since industrial rail was never far away in this resource rich area of the Congo. A couple heliports placed so that they were partially sheltered from wind and even storm conditions by the form of the site itself - much safer for sometimes tricky landings.

[Sailor OOC]

July 6th, 2027

Kinshasha, Palace Grounds, early morning.

Kamiko was ever vigilant. Even between her duties as Lieutenant Commander and Chief Science Officer onboard the Hikari Maru, and as one of the chief members of a rescue team being formed using GNS resources on her time as well as Stars, this was her first mission. To see to the Den being born in the Congo and to protect it. She was keenly aware of the stakes and she knew she must be up to the challenge. It's been a rough road getting to this point. In this still early July morning it was her scars still bothering her. Something ate at her inside, but not like a sense of failure or regret, but something that is just at the surface wanting to grow in full bloom. A word she cannot place on her tongue yet it somehow existed in her mind. The unattainable yet achievable.

Her mind has been opening to the possibilities in meditation. Her words have become ever more clear and her intent all the more focussed. She almost fell. She almost burned out but she now stood in front of the palace to the capitol of Kinshasha.

With flowers?

She rings the doorbell and raises one of the butlers.

"Ma'am. It has been a while, Miss Hideyoshi. Or should I say Lieutenant Commander?"

"Science Officer Hideyoshi will do. I'm not in the Navy after all."

"You look like it."

Kamiko brushes off what's become her "Dress Uniform" for the Hikari maru. Something crossed between something from Super Dimensional Fortress Macross and Gundam.

"Well, it sort of does, but I am not on official business."

The butler comes out and bows. "His majesty is currently occupied, and I am currently unawares as to the whereabouts of the rest of the Den members. The prince as well."

"Could you please ensure then that these flowers reach Prince Shaman? It is important that he does, so that my message is also recieved."

Kamiko blushes. "Please, tell him it's from someone who cares for him deeply and hopes for the best, and to stay in touch."

She bows as she hands over the finely crafted origami flowers wrapped in ornate tissue paper. "It... should be clear where these came from."

"Indeed, Ma'am. I will rush these to his quarters. I am sorry he cannot be present in person."

"It would be rude to interrupt the matters of state. His Majesty and the royal family have suffered the Den in their borders and they deserve our respect and our avoidance in interfering with their endeavors."

"Quite... You know, you should speak with His Majesty. He has need of an ambassodor or a diplomat."

"While I would ask if he could use my services, my duties lie with the GNS and with establishing the Den here. Also as a Citizen of Japan I must remember my duties as a citizen as well."

"I understand. I will relay your gift and message immediately."

"Oh, and give this crane to him as well. It's a message for him personally."

"I will not pry, Miss. Good day."

Kamiko bows politely. "Arigato." Then she turns once the butler leaves.

She leans against the gate door and breathes heavily, it felt like her heart was screaming...

"Shaman... Please return my message soon... I don't think my heart can take it anymore."

She starts walking away, knowing she had more duties to perform. But he'll have a way to contact her.

[Adrian Moss]

Well, there was more beating his head against the wall, and against the mats, and against the ceiling in one unfortunate maneuver, but Shaman was trying to learn the basics of human combat. His teacher was undoubtedly learning the finer points of patience. Finally, they both noticed a servant standing at the edge of their small training area.

"Take a break," his sensai told the Prince.

Shaman rolled up and walked over to the servant. One aspect of his nature was that he almost never sweat. Well, accept that one time, recently, but that wasn't really combat, was it. Or was it?

He realized the man was holding a card and a bouquet of flowers. He reached out and touched the flowers dwindling, but still vibrant life force. There was no regret on his part. Flowers were born for a fast existence and a quick death anyway.

Shaman took up the Crane Origami first.

It was Kamiko's OpMail address in her paper crane, and a few words reading:

"Shaman... I can't ignore it any longer. We should get together. Outside of duty and commitment, even if only for an hour. Let me know when and I can open my schedule accordingly.

-Kamiko"

Unfortunately for the two of them, Shaman totally misread Kamiko's heartfelt plea. Seriously, what girl would be wanting him for him? It never occurred to Shaman that there would be another Infinity in his life, and Kamiko was promising even more. Worse, he chose that moment to get poetic.

He went over to his computer and typed a response.

"Any time your heart desires. My schedule is open."

Shaman

She was one of his best buddies, right? How could he not make time?

[Sailor OOC]

Kamiko's opnet tablet chirped. She puts on her earbud with eye HUD and whip-mike and opens up her email via voice commands as she sat near the two statues terrestrially put up in her Mother and Father's honors. The moon glinted off of the black granite pillars.

"Yggdrasil, open inbox."

You have 1 new message: Origin: HRHShaman@KOC.gov encrypted.

Any time your heart desires. My schedule is open.

Shaman[/code]


[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Kamiko screams out on that beach. "YATTAH!"[/font][/color]



[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Yggdrasil! Begin Dictation."[/font][/color]



[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
[code]ThePaperKH@ygg.gns.co.jp

I am open today actually, if that works for you.

I'm moving my belongings to a staging area to get them moved to BS.

Also with a project on that station, I've got to take a break.

I'm converting one of the large central warehouses into a artificial lake.

Moving ice boulders around is... a grind.

Anyways, what do you feel about a Sushi house in the Roppongi in Tokyo?

I will open a gate in 2 hours. Be at the garden where we embarked on the raft trip.


Business Formal dress required. I will be in uniform.


- Lt. Cmdr. Kamiko Hideyoshi

- JSCC - 03 GNSS Hikari Maru - Chief Science Officer

- GNS Terrestrial Rescue Field Commander

She tugs at her personal uniform, straightening it. "There, should be a proper resonse."

"I think I'm going to get focussed for an hour."

She opens a tesseract for her old home in Tokyo, her bedroom. She heads to her closet and grabs a grey cloak with her rank pins on it for some dramatic flair, then takes a few private moments in her room attached to the closet to sort herself out and chase off the nervousness inside her.

mature note

Yah, no willpower spent, she's indulged herself. Takes about a half hour.

She then makes her way out of the Hideyoshi Estate. She looks back on it and sighs before forming a paper airplane.

"Well... let's hope for the best, right?"

She hops on and flies off for the center of Tokyo.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

July 6, 2027 ... In Tokyo, at Exalt! Japan

This Star is finsihed for the day. Done with Exalt!, as good few hours put in there. Done with the redesign of the neural penetration lasers ... designed to inflict equisite and high fidelity pain on her real self. Certainly, it worked on the volunteer clone. The memories were diminished becuase of the tortured self having meditated to center herself toward the event ... but that too was done with. Enough of her were on the Far Star, and her main self didn't come planetside much these days ... she was starting to show and the clones weren't.

Exalt! itself was unusually occupied, the gestalt was humming. Puck was busy, busy with things she could not directly assist in too.

She started to check who might be free at this point, who she hadn't put in some face time with lately ... 'secure' op-net chirps, and a few dead drops had lead to no contact so far.

Maybe Sakura? Star formed a portal and stepped into her Congo quarters. Hmmm ... no work here either. The government boys and girls had installed all the new computers in her domicile and they were happily crunching data. Time to rendering model completion .. seventeen hours.

Well - off to the Garden. Star didn't like disturbing the Blossom Princess without calling well ahead, but maybe this once ... she pressed the intercom and hailed the appropriate guard station. She'd take a treat just in case.

[z023]

The guard on duty informed her that the King's guest was not on the Palace grounds for the day, checked Star's security clearance, and then directed her to the campus of the Dragon's Den. The location was already well on it's way to be functional: the underground bunker was in the final stages of interior decorating and installing the last round of redundant systems; the above-ground campus was about half grown, with Sakura's various animal creations wandering around on the duties they were designed for. A small pack of guard dogs approached Star carefully as she exited her second warp. They circled her, sniffing curiously, then the alpha came to stand directly in front of her. Once he had her attention, he nodded slowly, once, and the pack stepped back. The alpha turned at lifted his nose, pointing to one of the tree-buildings until Star turned to acknowledge the directions. When she turned back, the pack had silently faded into the landscaping. She could hear the faint sound of paws on dirt for a moment, and then it was as if they'd never been there.

There were a number of people milling about the tree-building that the alpha had directed her to, but she could hear Sakura's voice over the din, speaking in flawless, Congolese-accented French. "-t's fine, really. If you cut one of the light lines, it'll just grown around the cable until it reconnects again. Run as many of the cables as you need, I can adjust everything to work out once I know how much space you'll need in the walls. I'd rather get that figured out here, once, and grow the other buildings with enough hollow space than do this a dozen times."

"As you say, ma'am. I have to say, buildings that can heal themselves, you're going to have a lot of construction workers cursing your name." The voice was light but male and Star caught sight of skinny cocoa-hued man running OpNet fibers carefully into a hole cut into the on of the inner walls on the first floor of the building.

Sakura laughed, sitting comfortably on some leaf-made cushions sprouting from a horseshoe desk set in the main room of the first floor, a welcome/information center grown directly from the wood floor. "Well, they can curse. I admit, if this catches on, they'll need to learn some different skills, but it will also make life easier and healthier for everyone. So I'll take a few curses for that."

"Yes, ma'am." The man, a baseline Star was pretty sure, was obviously smitten with the pretty nova, but his hands worked perfectly without much direction from his mind, delicately threading the fibers without breaking or tangling them as he flirted.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Hello. Just came to visit." Said Starseed seven, who did not look or seem pregnant in any way, continuing "I know my phases of the project are over, but I found myself with three hours free ..."

Looking around, things had really come along. Star had only been around for site preparation, and then mostly when Sakura was busy with matters elsewhere. Then, they'd worked around each other ... but Star would have to avoid her areas due to the natural flow - things grow in or on the ground, and ideally the ground needs to be ready first.

Then Star had been so busy, adjusting her plans due to the pregnancy. The big plans would all go ahead, but trying to trigger he own apotheosis had to be approached with much greater delicacy. Now that they were sure she wouldn't miscarry even under extreme stimulation ... that work was again proceeding. It would be a longer way off too, with more reliance on mental techniques and precise neural excitation. She wanted to tell Sakura about her little one, and about her plans ... but the Blossom Princess was already overworking herself. Burdening her further is just not what a friend does.

"I brought a treat ... " ... there she was, on the cushions just out of where Star had been able to see "Skaura! Hi. I brought a snack, and tea." she said as she pulled a big container from an otherwise inconspicuous iris-orifice in her apparently hollow torso. Her torso closed again, and the orifice looked like the uniform button it had seemed to be.

[Sailor OOC]

July 6th, 2027

7:00 pm Tokyo time.

At the time allotted, she opened her portal. She sat patiently at a municipal park near where she wanted to have her dinner date.

She watched the energy from her dance to the paper as she formed the gate, and watched politely. Waiting for her guest.

7:05 pm

The gate still was open.

7:10 pm

Kamiko started to tire.

7:15 pm

Kamiko looked longingly at the portal until she noticed someone toss through a note. The pixelation of the gate distorter the figure enough to make it unknown the messenger.

Kamiko hurriedly ran over to read it.

"Kamiko, due to my obligations, I am unable to come tonight. I am sorry... this was a bit spur of the moment."

Kamiko trembled. Was it something she said? Something she did?

She trembled. Then she fell to her knees and cried.

7:30pm

A police officer walks by the sobbing Kamiko, lying on the ground near a pile of paper where her gate was.

"Ma'am? Was this your mess?"

He didn't put one and one together until Kamiko formed one last portal. "Sorry, officer... I was emotionally compromised. I will clean up after myself shortly."

She had opened a gate to her Bibliotheca Sacra, walked through and quickly closed her gate behind her.

She stormed through the halls of her station to the lake being formed in a upper-level warehouse purposely designed to be a recreational area. She pulls out a raft from a storage shed and rows out, burning off her steam until she reaches near an artificial island in the center of the lake. She drops anchor and starts sobbing again. Hugging herself.

Tonight... she'll be alone.

[z023]

Sakura grinned happily at Star and blinked when she pulled the snacks and tea out of her chest. She laughed, "Wow....you know, with as much time as I spend around Shiv, you think that sort of thing wouldn't surprise me, but...." She shook her head, still chuckling, and motioned for Star to set things up on the large desk.

"How have you been? Everything's been so busy lately we haven't had time to hang out. I need to stick around while the electricians and everyone figure out the adjustments I need to make to the buildings, but we can hang out here if you're up for that." Once everything was set up and they both had teacups in hand, Sakura grinned, "So, I've been growing a city, which has helped me figure some things out for the treeships. What's been going on with you? Anything new and exciting?"

[Bombshell]

Though she had the skill and know-how to design and build a house - and was right proud of the one she had - designing and constructing an entire campus was more than Jason was comfortable with, at least not without a great deal more study on the subject. Fortunately, there were those involved in the creation of the Den who had skills eminently suitable to the endeavor.

She sighed, sitting in the permanent residence set aside for her in the Royal Palace in Kinsasha, glancing through some files on the developing curricula and potential faculty members projected by the holographic display of her custom OpPhone. If Sakura's fantastic grown design wasn't something she entirely favoured - harder to develop a connection to the rest of society when the children and youths are living and learning in a place unlike any other on Earth (at least for now) - she couldn't deny the beauty and warmth intrinsic to its organic aesthetics.

Plus, she knew the vast majority of the students would absolutely love it. Danica was utterly delighted with the tours she had had already of the maturing campus and was coyly angling to get a 'treehouse' of her own, and found the badger-bearcubs completely adorable. Well, I suppose I could see if Sakura can manage a small one for Dani...

But if she didn't have much to contribute on the design of the campus beyond some suggestions on the out and indoor physical activity facilities as an athlete both before and after her eruption, there were other ways she could contribute, beyond taking a place on the faculty herself. That had caused a great deal of surprise and consternation among the media. Some had questioned her credentials and were further surprised when it was revealed she possessed degrees in childhood and general education from a number of universities, which she had studied remotely for the benefit of her daughter.

What she also had was a great many friends and acquaintances in a large variety of fields all around the world from her many years as a model and actress and other business ventures. The main branch of the Dragon's Den in Tokyo was providing some faculty and personnel, more had been found in and by representatives of the Congolese government, but there were still many positions open. Jason was doing what she could to fill them.

A slim finger gliding across the touchscreen made the holographic display fade as Jason stood up and smoothed her diaphanous gown across one hip before pressing a button on the intercom. "Esperance, I'll be leaving the palace for now. Would you send my regards to Ein and Morri when they are free and tell Morri I have some things I'd like to run pass her concerning the Den?"

"Of course, Jason. When can I say you will be back?"

Jason considered, then shook her head, flicking her long silver hair over her shoulder. "I'm not sure, Esperance, but Morri can reach me at my private number, usually. Later."

Jason took one gliding step and disappeared in a faint flicker of indigo light. She had friends and acquaintance to propose a new and unique opportunity to.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Sakura grinned happily at Star and blinked when she pulled the snacks and tea out of her chest. She laughed, "Wow....you know, with as much time as I spend around Shiv, you think that sort of thing wouldn't surprise me, but...." She shook her head, still chuckling, and motioned for Star to set things up on the large desk.

"How have you been? Everything's been so busy lately we haven't had time to hang out. I need to stick around while the electricians and everyone figure out the adjustments I need to make to the buildings, but we can hang out here if you're up for that." Once everything was set up and they both had teacups in hand, Sakura grinned, "So, I've been growing a city, which has helped me figure some things out for the treeships. What's been going on with you? Anything new and exciting?"

"I see things have been going really well here. I wish there was more I could do to help, but really I have been looking forward to seeing the full growth here. It's amazing!" Star said.

She ran her fingers along some of the smoother parts of the tree walls ... "It is so different than the places I build. A new direction, and it should be really healthy too. Sometimes I wonder if we really should be dealing with the populations we do, the way we do it now. I'm not talking about population control or anything ... just that this gets me thinking that we could bring nature back into cities. The city is a very useful thing, but if there were touches of this sort of environment that everyone could access. It might make for significant social changes, compensate for some of the unhealthy pressures urban living introduces. Counter some of the things we do to our selves with environments we don't fit into."

She considered some more and added "Not take up so much land for agriculture ..." ... "I have been to the Utopia arcology. It cool, but I can see some problems arising from the environment. The Addis Abbaba domes are an achievement to be sure, but there are long term effects they clearly haven't thought of."

When the workman ended up being nearly finished, Star said "I actually didn't come to talk shop, there is something private I wanted to share with you. Good news ..."

Star gave the workman a friendly glance, but the non-verbal was "sorry ... private stuff, not for you"

[z023]

Sakura pulled over a dozen of her flowers from her hair and handed it to the man. "There, as promised; I hope your wife enjoys them. I'll see you tomorrow, Fraçois?"

The man flushed and nodded, surreptitiously fingering the blossoms once the two novas had linked arms and stepped out of the tree-building. Sakura pulled them off the paths and into the wilder areas of the campus; slowly a pack of the Huskie-like dogs filtered in around them, rubbing up against them both as if they were just as much pack members as the other dogs. Eventually they stepped into a small clearing ringed by trees and with a thick, soft carpeting of grass and several suspiciously conveniently placed and shaped rocks good for leaning against or making low tables out of. The wolf-dogs spread out in the clearing, playing and enjoying the streams of sunlight that dappled the clearing. Sakura pulled Star down to sit on the ground with her and leaned close to her.

"Okay, spill. There's just us and the lupiscire. And they'll only tell me and the other lupiscire." She grinned and rubbed the belly of one of the lupiscire that had nudged his way into the personal space of the two novas. "They're pretty much incapable of keeping secrets from each other, but they'll keep mum around the bipeds."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Star huddled in close to Sakura and in a nearly giggly girlfriend to girlfriend way said - in a whisper faint enough not to carry even for many novas ears around "I am going to be a mother!"

Adding in the same hushed tone, but excitedly "We've been keeping it secret, and has to stay under wraps but I wanted you to know. It was sort of unexpected too, as I thought Puck wasn't fertile ... he had been having so much sex for months and no one became pregnant ... but something clicked I guess."

Star brought out some pictures "The little one, is healthy. We can't determine gender yet, but think he is a .. he. He has lots of energy, and right now between my own quantum cloaking effects and the little guy's energy form he can't really be read. The readings just come out blank, or too weak and scattered ...but the basics register well. He takes physical form a tiny bit at a time, like he's testing out his environment. Except for the occasional kind of kick though, he's as insubstantial and shieled as I can be at my best. The running theory is that he's in some sort of slightly accelerated gestation, or is also able to shift like me ... see the hand print in the one scan? We think he was practicing forming a hand."

Sakura looked at the pics, and Star's biology was sort of semi-formless with the suggestion of definite organs that varied depending on her state of flexibility and presumably energy level. At least, that is what the notes with the attached scan charts indicated ... but the child did look healthy, and perhaps far along for this date. Certainly, the little one was completely formless ... more tied to Star's node with a high energy feed than anything else.

"Sakura ... I am so excited. A little afraid, which is why the prime me is more or less in hiding ... but I think its only caution. Plus I just feel more at ease in space, safer than anywhere planetside for me because it my environment. The idea of it though, the idea of being a mother and having a family again. I really want that now, and Puck is great to me. He really has a good, true heart."

[z023]

Sakura blinked in surprise and then hugged Star. "Congratulations!" She started to say something else, then stopped and then adjusted what she was going to say. "Would you like to meet with me? The original Star, I mean. To check on the baby?"

She grinned and then giggled again as she looked over the pictures. "Although....if the baby is usually energy, I don't know exactly how that would work. If it would work." She smiled at her friend and bumped her shoulder. "I'd be willing to give it a try, though."

Her expression turned speculative as she stared at the pictures. "How is Puck taking this? I mean...I don't know that much about him, but he seems a little....I don't know...just...." She bit her lip, hesitant about saying too much about things Star didn't know about and that Puck might not have told her about his own background and what happened with his sister and the Nursery.

[Quantum Fire]

End of Thread

XP: 4 Standard, 3 Baseline, 3 Nova

Bonus: + 4 Standard