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Grendyne groans and starts pulling on her boots when the alarm goes off. Again. She quick-marches to the broom hangar, sits on her machine and is handed a plethora of loaded weapons by attentive corporals.
"Two flyers in one day? They're getting way too common."
"It's worse," the commander informs them, "South Karlsland got hit with three at once. We're taking Lytee's express and sleeping there. You can sit out if you absolutely need to, but Freya's still recovering so we could use you as a comms relay."
"No, I'll come. I just reserve the right to complain about it."
The 42nd United Forces Witch Wing takes off, bracing to fight yet another city-destroying monster, and assembles into a perfect synchronized formation as Lytee charges her teleport power.
...This is not South Karlsland wilderness.
Near the Golden Coven capital, in Aurum
Near Savarasse, in Thilanushinyel
Near Whately Academy
With Unbitwise
+ Show First Post
witchwatcher
witchwatcher
"Her probation ends on August 5 if no violations occur. That would be August 7 here, since we've established that the dates do not match up exactly."
"We have the signed interim treaty and foreign aid agreement, I will personally see to miss Normanson's enlistment contract when we return... I think that's all for now?"
"We have the signed interim treaty and foreign aid agreement, I will personally see to miss Normanson's enlistment contract when we return... I think that's all for now?"
witchwatcher
The diplomats get up to leave. "Incidentally, we have a system to provide extra mana to witches with high-value specials. Nonmilitary witches are paid a small premium to charge silver bars that are then tapped by those who need them. We will provide mana for miss Normanson's trips in the short term, but you may wish to implement something like this for yourself eventually."
Lytee says, "I'll be back tomorrow morning. Can I bring my sis or not yet?"
Lytee says, "I'll be back tomorrow morning. Can I bring my sis or not yet?"
luminous_regnant
"I'll keep an eye out for any witches who might wish to work for me in that capacity. Lytee, your sister is welcome to visit and complete an application form."
witchwatcher
And they disappear.
"I think that went pretty well, all things considered," remarks Gren.
"I think that went pretty well, all things considered," remarks Gren.
luminous_regnant
"Yes. How often do duplicate witch specialties appear?"
witchwatcher
"There's rarely exact duplicates, but there are enough of us that similar powers crop up all the time. I know four witches with enhanced vision, Miyako included. And at least a dozen telekinetics of various stripes. Some things are more common than others, though. I'm the only copier currently young enough to be useful without being constantly fed mana."
luminous_regnant
"So while Lytee in particular is rare and valuable, she is not unique and will not be unique at the time her mana runs down?"
witchwatcher
"Not necessarily, she still might be unique. What got her here is the ability to teleport to specific people. You'd have to get other teleporters to try and cross worlds to see if they can do it. I don't know of anyone who makes permanent portals, before you ask. UDF will probably give you a list of known specials to peruse at some point."
witchwatcher
So Gren goes off to find her wolf.
Lytee is back with her older sister the next morning. Said sister has a severe limp from a badly-set bone and does not speak english, though her Suomic is intelligible to someone who knows Finnish.
Lytee is back with her older sister the next morning. Said sister has a severe limp from a badly-set bone and does not speak english, though her Suomic is intelligible to someone who knows Finnish.
her_imperial_radiance
Elspeth knows Finnish, and can make herself understood just fine. Here is the form.
witchwatcher
Imalla Normanson was born on Feb. 22, 1319. She is not a witch and has no relation to any supernatural person except Lytee. She is not interested in carrying a half-vampire baby. She wants her limp fixed, and immortality appeals to her. She is not owed reparations from vampirekind. She hopes to live alone but would be willing to work for the Golden Coven if they do not trust her to do that. Lytee told her everything, but she reads the Finnish version of the pamphlets anyway.
her_imperial_radiance
And, for conflict of interest reasons, they call Maggie to confirm.
her_imperial_radiance
In that case she may be scheduled for the next batch if she plans on permanently immigrating to this world, or placed in a high priority slot for the eventuality that it is decided that vampires get exported to her own.
witchwatcher
She'll immigrate, but might want to return someday if this is ever allowed. Lytee, meanwhile, settles into a rhythm of six round trips per day, fed by at least three Witches' mana.
There is a wealth of unique media in a world where history is different. The manuscripts of famous novels arrive, and theater companies from the far side start producing recorded and somewhat sloppily edited versions of their live performances with literally magical special effects after a few days.
The UDF makes efficient use of its shiny toys. Neuroi caused deaths drop sharply as radios and rifles disperse throughout the organization. Radios, cars, freezers, cameras, medicine, plastics... Several companies are already investigating how to produce these things locally after a week.
Progress on a permanent treaty is rather slow as politicians quibble over minor points, but moves along steadily. The list of known specials arrives.
There is a wealth of unique media in a world where history is different. The manuscripts of famous novels arrive, and theater companies from the far side start producing recorded and somewhat sloppily edited versions of their live performances with literally magical special effects after a few days.
The UDF makes efficient use of its shiny toys. Neuroi caused deaths drop sharply as radios and rifles disperse throughout the organization. Radios, cars, freezers, cameras, medicine, plastics... Several companies are already investigating how to produce these things locally after a week.
Progress on a permanent treaty is rather slow as politicians quibble over minor points, but moves along steadily. The list of known specials arrives.
And when Lina's services are available plenty of people want to make use of them. Being a half-vampire is more appealing to some people than turning altogether - including some people who are already vampires.
witchwatcher
It turns out that being a half vampire makes Strike Witches more powerful - slightly stronger than their best as a human. They no longer lose power as they age, either. And other teleporters turn out to be able to cross worlds as well. There is no more danger of losing access to the other world.
That's very convenient then, isn't it?
Transit is still inconvenient enough that the Golden Coven does not establish a capital site there, but there are small embassy offices and full vampires may live there as soon as reliable animal food supply chains are available to support them.
Transit is still inconvenient enough that the Golden Coven does not establish a capital site there, but there are small embassy offices and full vampires may live there as soon as reliable animal food supply chains are available to support them.
witchwatcher
She starts getting turning and half-vampiring applicants from the other side. Just a trickle, at first. And their society, already familiar with sudden tech advances, is taking to being hauled forward 200 years rather better than one might have expected.
A few months later, the Neuroi have been pushed back to the giant hurricane floating over Ostmark. Large sections of the recovered land are uninhabitable, but it's celebrated none the less.
The hurricane itself is a different matter. It proves almost impenetrable to Witches.
The UDF would like to take her up on the offer of a nuke, now.
A few months later, the Neuroi have been pushed back to the giant hurricane floating over Ostmark. Large sections of the recovered land are uninhabitable, but it's celebrated none the less.
The hurricane itself is a different matter. It proves almost impenetrable to Witches.
The UDF would like to take her up on the offer of a nuke, now.
Boom.
witchwatcher
...The hurricane does not disappear.
At least it stopped producing new Neuroi for about a week. The UDF refrains from asking for a bigger nuke. Instead it sets up a huge network of defense perimiters and hunkers down into research and development of ways-to-kill-this-thing.
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