This post's authors have general content warnings that might apply to the current post.
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
It turns out that Adana's space station is not in Bartalamos' jurisdiction. She wouldn't be inclined to care much, except that means that in her new jurisdiction, she does not have a license. Since she is very much a summoner, and would not like to be an illegal summoner - she will take their test. She's fortunate in the fact that this particular government plays fair with foreigners that have summoner's licenses. She does not have to go through the grueling paperwork process, or wait ages in line, or take a test she knows all of the answers to, anyway.
What she does need to do, though, is demonstrate a capability to summon and bind a daeva, securely. Their definition of secure is different from hers. Theirs involves binding a daeva to two phrases and a task. This isn't the kind of thing Adana likes to do to her summons. It's mean, and it feels like she's reducing them to being less than people. There is one that she knows of that's used to it, at least. She doesn't know if that makes it worse, or better. So she will ask, first.
This circle is quite a bit neater than the last one, and is missing the 'no talking' clause. Calling friendly neighborhood demon, want to get summoned?
ask_nicely
ask_nicely
She nods. Cam is returned to his home and his sandwich.
Honestly she needed the five minutes to add the gagging to the circle, but she will pretend it was entirely based on his preferences. When the five minutes are up - summon?
Honestly she needed the five minutes to add the gagging to the circle, but she will pretend it was entirely based on his preferences. When the five minutes are up - summon?
ask_nicely
She does, though. "Hi! Sorry about this, I realize that you can't wave or do anything but I will treat you like a person regardless. So, deal that was definitely not planned out in advance at all, if you accompany me to Harmony, make me a pretty hat, and a data stick I will get you music. You up for it?"
Being cheerful about it is about the only way to lessen the horror of the situation. She'll try her best, anyway.
Being cheerful about it is about the only way to lessen the horror of the situation. She'll try her best, anyway.
ask_nicely
"Cool. And uh - thank you. For this."
He can now leave the circle! She leads him off to a shuttle (an adorably tiny personal one, this she knows how to pilot) and off they go!
He can now leave the circle! She leads him off to a shuttle (an adorably tiny personal one, this she knows how to pilot) and off they go!
ask_nicely
Adana is pretty sure that it will just be an uneventful trip to Harmony, if rather quiet due to Cam's inability to talk. She sets up the auto-pilot to head to the station, and then looks at Cam.
"Sorry, again," she says, again. "You can't even like - summon a book or something to pass the time, huh? Do you want to borrow one? I've got several here, I'm not sure if you've read them or not."
"Sorry, again," she says, again. "You can't even like - summon a book or something to pass the time, huh? Do you want to borrow one? I've got several here, I'm not sure if you've read them or not."
ask_nicely
"Ugh this is so inconvenient," she declares, "Why do people willingly do this? I'll grab you a novel or something. Sorry! So sorry!"
She goes to grab him a novel or something. She isn't sure what he likes, and is pretty sure that he's probably read all of the classics, so - something from a newish author that she is fond of. Book is offered.
She goes to grab him a novel or something. She isn't sure what he likes, and is pretty sure that he's probably read all of the classics, so - something from a newish author that she is fond of. Book is offered.
ask_nicely
Well that's about all she can do to make him comfortable, considering. She smiles at him, grabs a book of her own, and then gets to reading. This is just a quick trip, she will keep an eye on the sensors and comm, but otherwise not worry about it. Read, read read.
ask_nicely
Adana closes her own, confused. What, did she accidentally wander into a section of orbit that has weird sanctions? Is there a satellite or something that is off course and heading right for her? Whatever it is, she will answer the comm first and then look over the sensors.
She turns on the comm. "This is Adana Sanders, on a routine trip to Harmony, what can I do for you?"
Sensors say she is not going to run into anything, which isn't really surprising. It's space, you typically don't run into things in space. Just a ship. Maybe they need help?
She turns on the comm. "This is Adana Sanders, on a routine trip to Harmony, what can I do for you?"
Sensors say she is not going to run into anything, which isn't really surprising. It's space, you typically don't run into things in space. Just a ship. Maybe they need help?
from_scratch
"Hiiiii, Adana," says the ship. "What you can do for me is transmit a copy of your manifest reaaaal quick."
Cam is frowning now.
Cam is frowning now.
ask_nicely
".... Er. Why do you need that? Are you in an emergency situation? My shuttle isn't really equipped for helping but I can certainly try. Or go off to get help, if your comm isn't reaching anyone you need."
from_scratch
"You should definitely consider this an emergency," chirps the other ship.
The comm makes a displeased noise. It's having some trouble making routine pings to other destinations.
Cam's tail is lashing nervously.
The comm makes a displeased noise. It's having some trouble making routine pings to other destinations.
Cam's tail is lashing nervously.
ask_nicely
What, is this some kind of comm dead zone or -
... Oh. Oh.
Shit.
"Is it the sort of emergency where I start telling you that I have absolutely nothing of value? Because I don't!"
... Oh. Oh.
Shit.
"Is it the sort of emergency where I start telling you that I have absolutely nothing of value? Because I don't!"
from_scratch
"You're a summoner, aren't you?" sings the other ship. "Stick a killswitch in your head where a fairy can't budge it without you bleeding out and an angel can't change it without brain damage and you're suddenly very valuable to whoever knows the deadman code."
The ship is approaching in a leisurely sort of fashion, but they're outfitted in a manner that indicates she won't have much luck trying to outmaneuver them.
The ship is approaching in a leisurely sort of fashion, but they're outfitted in a manner that indicates she won't have much luck trying to outmaneuver them.
ask_nicely
Adana goes very still. Her shuttle's tiny, it's got two things for offensive capabilities: jack and shit. If she can't outmaneuver them then she certainly can't - can't fight. Summoners don't get the flashy powers that daevas get, they summon things and do tiny little parlor tricks. Alone she is basically defenseless.
"I have no idea what you're - what you're talking about," she says, voice shaking a little. Damn her inability to lie, that wasn't even remotely convincing.
"I have no idea what you're - what you're talking about," she says, voice shaking a little. Damn her inability to lie, that wasn't even remotely convincing.
from_scratch
"Adana, sweetie," says the other ship. "You told us your name."
The ship sidles closer.
"Might wanna hang onto something, docking can be tricksy. And don't make a run for it, you wouldn't want me to miss with the clamp and decompress you."
Cam's tail is swishing very insistently.
The ship sidles closer.
"Might wanna hang onto something, docking can be tricksy. And don't make a run for it, you wouldn't want me to miss with the clamp and decompress you."
Cam's tail is swishing very insistently.
ask_nicely
"Shit," she hisses. Then, she looks at Cam.
There is no way to - relax a binding. It's not possible. It is either on or it is off, there is no in-between once it's been set without dismissing and resummoning. Which she does not have time for. If she removes the binding entirely, then - then Cam can just do - whatever he wants. She's not even sure that he won't kill her if he gets the freedom to do so, let alone not kill other people. He will probably not actually kill her, considering how she has been nice to him, but there is nothing protecting the pilot of the other ship. Adana doesn't want people to die, even when they're - threatening a killswitch in her head.
"M-My brother is - you have absolutely no idea just how badly he will hurt you if you stick a killswitch in me," she says, because she does not want to give away that she has a demon in her shuttle with her that she can unleash at anytime.
'Are you going to kill anyone,' she mouths, desperately to Cam.
There is no way to - relax a binding. It's not possible. It is either on or it is off, there is no in-between once it's been set without dismissing and resummoning. Which she does not have time for. If she removes the binding entirely, then - then Cam can just do - whatever he wants. She's not even sure that he won't kill her if he gets the freedom to do so, let alone not kill other people. He will probably not actually kill her, considering how she has been nice to him, but there is nothing protecting the pilot of the other ship. Adana doesn't want people to die, even when they're - threatening a killswitch in her head.
"M-My brother is - you have absolutely no idea just how badly he will hurt you if you stick a killswitch in me," she says, because she does not want to give away that she has a demon in her shuttle with her that she can unleash at anytime.
'Are you going to kill anyone,' she mouths, desperately to Cam.
from_scratch
"I'm going to guess, 'not at all, because, killswitch'," says the other ship. "I mean, assuming he likes you. Does your brother like you? Prepare for dockiiiiing..."
There's a noise as the other ship suctions itself to the little shuttle's door.
Cam can't even nod or shake his head.
There's a noise as the other ship suctions itself to the little shuttle's door.
Cam can't even nod or shake his head.
ask_nicely
"You haven't seen him when he is on a mission, he is - he's scary," she whimpers. It's a terrible argument, she realizes. "He would find a way to make sure you can't activate it."
Adana weighs risk levels, in her head. Definite risk of killswitch, and then whatever she will be forced to do on threat of killswitch, versus letting a demon loose. She doesn't know enough variables, she can't tell if it's worth it or not - how much damage could Cam do to the solar system? Would he be undismissable, would someone have to kill her in order to send him back to Hell? (No. The answer is no. Because she would kill herself before they got to her.)
She's shivering. She doesn't know what to do. "Please don't do this," she begs the other ship.
Adana weighs risk levels, in her head. Definite risk of killswitch, and then whatever she will be forced to do on threat of killswitch, versus letting a demon loose. She doesn't know enough variables, she can't tell if it's worth it or not - how much damage could Cam do to the solar system? Would he be undismissable, would someone have to kill her in order to send him back to Hell? (No. The answer is no. Because she would kill herself before they got to her.)
She's shivering. She doesn't know what to do. "Please don't do this," she begs the other ship.
from_scratch
"I said deadman switch, darling, the idea is I don't have to activate it. Prepaaaare for boarding."
There is the noise of forcible door opening.
Cam's tail is going insane and his wings are clenched very tightly to his back.
There is the noise of forcible door opening.
Cam's tail is going insane and his wings are clenched very tightly to his back.