Adana's doing some touch-ups on her wings. She's got them both off of her, there was something - weird about the balance earlier. She thinks it has something to do with the feather placement, if she just tweaks it a little here and there -
She gets a summon.
Damnation. She's not even ready - ugh, she might miss the summon entirely and that will bother her. She hates missing summons, hates missing chances of persuading someone to let her have a phone so she can talk to her brother or her father, hates missing chances to help people even if they won't give her comm access. But she also dislikes doing rush work, especially when she's going to reattach her wings and have to wear them, and have them feel wrong for the entirety of the summon. She does rush work anyway. Her wings are reattached, she flexes them, finds them feeling just as wrong and unbalanced and icky. But then she accepts the summon, somewhat late.
...
Okay, she was a bit late to answer the summon, but not that late. Where is everyone? Why doesn't she have a binding?
"Summoner?" she asks, confused, and then she looks down at the summoning circle.
Oh, that explains everything. Children drew this. It's done in colorful chalk, in all kinds of colors - really it's only happenstance that it turns out to be a circle at all, around the outside are squares and triangles and flowers and little drawings of cute creatures. The circle itself is done mostly in lime green, but it looks like it was touched up after by someone with a steadier hand and hot pink chalk. Okay, well, no biggie, some kids are going to get grounded, but maybe she can sweet talk their parents into comm access.
Or. Or she could ditch the wings, pretend to be human, and pretend she's lost and needs to call her dad. Technically true. She doesn't know where she is, and she does actually need to call her dad. Just - half truths, she hasn't gotten any better at lying in the past two years.
Wings come off and get turned to air, and then off she walks.
She realizes pretty quickly that she isn't on Earth. Or Luna, for that matter, or even Mars. She's on - some planet called Barrayar? Obviously she is - very, very far from home.
Adana finds a place to sit, and think, and try not to be frightened. She weighs pros and cons in her mind, weighs her options, and then comes to a decision. It's not like she's going to die of old age, and there's a lot of good a lone, unbound angel can do on a planet that obviously doesn't know about daeva. She just needs to - adapt. Figure out what's going on, deal with it, and use her angel abilities for good.
She stands, and then asks for directions to the nearest hospital. She's got work to do.
Generated:
Post last updated:
Trip to the park
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Nearest hospital? Are you sick, do you need help?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Uh, no, no I'm fine, just um - trying to do volunteer work, that seemed like a good place to do it."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
Ivan blinks. "Uh, sure. That's nice of you. This way, I'll show you. What's your name? I'm Ivan Vorpatril."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Thanks! I'm - um, just call me Adana."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Pretty. Is that a Betan name?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
She laughs a little. "Not quite, I'm actually not sure of where it came from. Blame my mother. I like it, though."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"What brings you to Barrayar, anyway?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Kind of a complete accident, I'm still a little lost, but I'm coping. I... Think."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"...you sure you want directions to the hospital and not the Betan embassy?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Yup! I mean, that would probably be helpful, too, but really I think it's a bit more informative of the culture to - not be in an embassy. You know, go out, meet people. Volunteer for things."
Plus she would be just as lost there as she is here, but. Still.
Plus she would be just as lost there as she is here, but. Still.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"No, I mean, the Betan embassy will probably figure out how to get you home, if you have managed to accidentally wind up lost on Barrayar?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Oh, thanks, but pass. I don't get many chances to see other planets, I'm considering this to be an adventure."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Okay, up to you. You have someplace to stay?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Uh. Well. Nnnno."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Want help with that?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"I'll be fine," assures Adana. "Thank you, though."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"I didn't necessarily mean asking m'mother about a guest room - I'd be happy to, but I could also give you directions to a decent hotel."
It charges by the hour, but it is a very nice hotel.
It charges by the hour, but it is a very nice hotel.
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Oh, well in that case - directions to a decent hotel?"
She has no money. She is not going to stay at the hotel, but she is going to get directions from Mr. Helpful so he doesn't have to worry.
She has no money. She is not going to stay at the hotel, but she is going to get directions from Mr. Helpful so he doesn't have to worry.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Sure. When we get to the hospital you'll be able to see a fountain from it, and if you go that way, just across the square, yellow awning. The room service has fantastic honey groats if you get the breakfast."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"I'll have to try them when I'm there, thanks!"
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Oh, but, I'm not completely sure on whether Ma Bagrov will gouge you if you go in with a galactic accent. Do you have enough of a budget?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Eeeeh. Depends, how expensive are we talking?"
She has no money. None. She also has no idea how to turn this line of questioning away from something that doesn't require her to lie, because he'd notice if she did, and then it would be - mostly over. Adana's pretty sure she's coming off as an airhead, but - that's fine. If it's a plausible story for why she's here, then it works.
She has no money. None. She also has no idea how to turn this line of questioning away from something that doesn't require her to lie, because he'd notice if she did, and then it would be - mostly over. Adana's pretty sure she's coming off as an airhead, but - that's fine. If it's a plausible story for why she's here, then it works.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Eenh - maybe a couple hundred marks a night? Do you even have marks? Did you get your currency changed?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Adana coughs.
"No?" she says.
"No?" she says.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Gonna ask one more time about the Betan embassy. It's ten minutes' walk, hardly out of your way."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Right, well, Adana frankly doesn't care if she comes off as kind of crazy to Random Helpful Person, going to the Betan embassy wouldn't help anything and this guy seems to be the sort that would check up on her later. Best to not even play that game.
"No, I'm fine, really. Thank you, though."
"No, I'm fine, really. Thank you, though."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"You have no local currency, you have nowhere to stay, you don't want to go to the embassy, at this point I think it would be actually irresponsible of me to just drop you off at the hospital and wave. I have a Betan aunt, would that be more comfortable? I can get you my Betan aunt to talk to."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Adana weighs her options. She weighs them against the sort of persona she's giving off, if she can manage to get away with what she needs to do while under someone else's roof and all of the - stuff that entails. Worth it, to get a better handle of the culture?
... Yes. Barely.
"I can borrow a guest room, if you're worried?" she says, playing up the 'vapid but pleasant airhead' a bit. "If you let me - I don't know, do helpful things in exchange for it. The Betan aunt isn't necessary, though, I'm fine anywhere."
... Yes. Barely.
"I can borrow a guest room, if you're worried?" she says, playing up the 'vapid but pleasant airhead' a bit. "If you let me - I don't know, do helpful things in exchange for it. The Betan aunt isn't necessary, though, I'm fine anywhere."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"All right, swell. I don't know that Mother'll let you pick up chores around the house, but you won't be putting us out, th'house is big. I can wait while you see if the hospital has a use for, ah, you."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"It probably does," says Adana, with a smile. "Uh - are you sure you'd like to wait, though? I can get directions, show up at your house after?"
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Well, how late are you planning to stay?" Ivan asks, looking at the sun. "If you're going to be having an exciting galactic adventure you'll want to adjust to the time zone. Besides, house is a bit far to walk, I'd drive you."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
'Until I'm done' is not an appropriate answer here. Hmm, and it would be - very suspicious of her to walk into a hospital in front of him, then walk out, and the next day the news says 'Miracles at hospital' on that specific day.
Well, there's a way to deal with this problem.
"Fair point, I don't want to be sleeping on the job," she says, musingly. "I'll go in, check if they do volunteer work, then come back tomorrow and actually volunteer?"
At another hospital.
Well, there's a way to deal with this problem.
"Fair point, I don't want to be sleeping on the job," she says, musingly. "I'll go in, check if they do volunteer work, then come back tomorrow and actually volunteer?"
At another hospital.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Sure."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
She smiles at him. If she were not actually immortal and going to be fine no matter what happened, some poor girl in the same situation she's pretending to be in would probably be very thankful. It just - happens to be kind of unhelpful in her current situation.
"Thanks," she says, genuinely, anyway.
"Thanks," she says, genuinely, anyway.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"You're welcome."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
And then, hospital!
She waves at Ivan, says, "I'll be back in a bit, this shouldn't take long."
In she goes! First thing to do, see if she can switch dialects, it seemed the one she picked was - foreign. Helpful for acting confused, and she'll use it, but as to right now - nope.
"Excuse me," she says politely to a receptionist in a Barrayaran dialect, "I got directions here from a friend, but I think I'm at the wrong hospital. The one I'm looking for starts with an - M? I think?"
She waves at Ivan, says, "I'll be back in a bit, this shouldn't take long."
In she goes! First thing to do, see if she can switch dialects, it seemed the one she picked was - foreign. Helpful for acting confused, and she'll use it, but as to right now - nope.
"Excuse me," she says politely to a receptionist in a Barrayaran dialect, "I got directions here from a friend, but I think I'm at the wrong hospital. The one I'm looking for starts with an - M? I think?"
"Mmmm... Marin?" guesses the receptionist. "With the big dermatology wing?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"That's the one!" says Adana, brightly. "Do you think you could give me directions to it, please?"
"Sure, but it's nowhere near here -" The receptionist produces a plastic flimsy and draws a simple map of the intervening roads between this hospital and Marin.
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Yeah, I figured, you'd think I would have realized I was in the wrong neighborhood before I walked in here, sometimes I swear it's like I'm blind," snorts Adana, smiling. "Thank you very much!"
"You're welcome. I hope whoever you've got in there is doing all right."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Me, too," she agrees. "Actually - it's made me think of doing some volunteer work, do you know where I go to sign on for that kind of thing?"
So she can - well, not lie, but answer questions with only half-truths better.
So she can - well, not lie, but answer questions with only half-truths better.
"Mm, what kind of volunteer work?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Probably something simple and straight forward, I'm uh - not a doctor, as you can probably tell."
Adana is better.
Adana is better.
"Well, if you want to clean bedpans I suppose they won't turn you away, just find whoever's got my job at Marin and ask them to refer you to the scutwork people, I suppose."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Yeah, that'll be fine. Gross, but fine. Thanks! Have a nice day."
"You too!" says the receptionist.
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
And then out Adana goes.
"They do accept volunteers," says Adana to Ivan brightly, switching back to Betan dialect.
"They do accept volunteers," says Adana to Ivan brightly, switching back to Betan dialect.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Huh, lucky you. I'm parked around this corner and along a bit," he says. "Come on then."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Coming!"
And off she goes, following Ivan like a lost duckling.
She'll need to practice changing herself, too. She's absolutely sure that this'll get out and it'll get out fast, but before she's properly discovered, she'd like to have a proper history of saving lives and terraforming before the authorities catch hold of her. Best to stave it off as long as her - well, lackluster acting skills and complete inability to lie allows, anyway. That way, when they hear what she can do, they don't freak out or try to use her as a weapon. Nice, pleasant history, of saving and improving people's lives, to show competency and how they really don't have any reason to interfere with her.
And off she goes, following Ivan like a lost duckling.
She'll need to practice changing herself, too. She's absolutely sure that this'll get out and it'll get out fast, but before she's properly discovered, she'd like to have a proper history of saving lives and terraforming before the authorities catch hold of her. Best to stave it off as long as her - well, lackluster acting skills and complete inability to lie allows, anyway. That way, when they hear what she can do, they don't freak out or try to use her as a weapon. Nice, pleasant history, of saving and improving people's lives, to show competency and how they really don't have any reason to interfere with her.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
Ivan leads her to his car and opens the door for her, all very gentlemanly, and then drives like a maniac until they get to his mother's house.
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Well. It's a good thing Adana's immortal, isn't it.
She'll just - tell her pointless-but-still-intact self preservation instincts to go shut up for a while. And distract herself from the terror with plans. Lovely plans.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
And here is the house!
It is a big fancy house.
"Mother!" calls Ivan, letting himself in. "Galactic houseguest, hope you don't mind, she was very lost!"
It is a big fancy house.
"Mother!" calls Ivan, letting himself in. "Galactic houseguest, hope you don't mind, she was very lost!"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Ooo, fancy house. Much better than the car. She will not be getting in a car with Ivan ever again, immortality or no. Not unless someone else was driving it. That's the stuff nightmares are made of.
"Hello," says Adana, disguising the latent terror with amusement. "I was indeed very lost! I'm sorry to be a bother!"
"Hello," says Adana, disguising the latent terror with amusement. "I was indeed very lost! I'm sorry to be a bother!"
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
A lady who, presuming she is in fact Ivan's mother, is very well-preserved, moves into view.
"I assume the galactic houseguest has a name, Ivan," she says.
"Ah, yes, sorry, Adana, this is m'mother Lady Alys Vorpatril, and Mother, this is Adana."
"I assume the galactic houseguest has a name, Ivan," she says.
"Ah, yes, sorry, Adana, this is m'mother Lady Alys Vorpatril, and Mother, this is Adana."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Likewise, of course. What brings you to Barrayar?" inquires Alys.
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Kind of an accident, taking it as an adventure and making the most of it."
Airhead. She's an airhead. Think airheady thoughts. Airhead with little to no self-preservation, those are her character traits.
Airhead. She's an airhead. Think airheady thoughts. Airhead with little to no self-preservation, those are her character traits.
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"What a peculiar sort of accident," says Alys, but she doesn't pry further. "Ivan, why don't you put her on the second floor, the room with the big window."
"Sure," says Ivan, and he leads Adana up a flight of stairs into a room with a big window. "Lav's ensuite, Mother retains a marvelous cook if you show up to mealtimes but he's none too happy about snacking between them so bear that in mind, and I have a week of leave so let me know if you need rides anywhere."
"Sure," says Ivan, and he leads Adana up a flight of stairs into a room with a big window. "Lav's ensuite, Mother retains a marvelous cook if you show up to mealtimes but he's none too happy about snacking between them so bear that in mind, and I have a week of leave so let me know if you need rides anywhere."
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
She stops herself from saying what she really thinks about getting rides from him.
"Thanks," she says, instead. "That's very nice of you, but I'm not going to make you cart me around."
"Thanks," she says, instead. "That's very nice of you, but I'm not going to make you cart me around."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"Suit yourself. Want me to leave you be to settle in?"
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
"Yeah, thank you though! You've been very kind."
Ivan Xav Vorpatril
middlingalong
"You're welcome! Dinner's in twenty minutes if you want it."
Off he goes.
Off he goes.
Adana Emma Sanders
ask_nicely
Hmm. Dinner?
Yeah, makes more sense than 'Adana mysteriously gets her meals outside' and leaves her more materials for other purposes. She will go to dinner.
And then she will take a nap, and then tonight she's going to go to the Marin hospital and do some angeling. Because she still wants to get on doing that. If she's fast, she might even be able to manage to do some terraforming before the morning.
Yeah, makes more sense than 'Adana mysteriously gets her meals outside' and leaves her more materials for other purposes. She will go to dinner.
And then she will take a nap, and then tonight she's going to go to the Marin hospital and do some angeling. Because she still wants to get on doing that. If she's fast, she might even be able to manage to do some terraforming before the morning.