PT 012: Xho and Viktor

USS Adventure at 6:09 PM

Ok, so it's been a few hours since the Other USS Adventure has taken off. You find yourself free to move about the ship.

[6:11 PM]

You go track down Viktor in his cabin?

Xho at 6:11 PM

checks his cabin first, yes.

USS Adventure at 6:12 PM

You walk in, and he seems to be in a sort of meditative state with his mask on. Eventually, his voice comes from the mask.

[6:12 PM]

"Is it my turn for guard duty?"

Xho at 6:12 PM

No. I simply was hoping to speak to you for a few minutes, if you do not object.

USS Adventure at 6:13 PM

Viktor removes his mask. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

Xho at 6:14 PM

The Oni are comprised of many peoples united in their rebellion against the Bureaucracy, correct?

USS Adventure at 6:14 PM

"Yeah. Some are just seeking refuge, but that's our general unifying factor."

Xho at 6:15 PM

And you are a mage.

USS Adventure at 6:15 PM

"I am."

[6:16 PM]

"Well...you'd call me a mage."

Xho at 6:16 PM

You would not?

USS Adventure at 6:17 PM

"We don't have the same terms as you. Magic isn't called magic where I'm from. My technical term is a Shadow Bender."

[6:17 PM]

"But mage is a nice catch all and has less baggage."

Xho at 6:17 PM

... my cultural associations with "shadows" are not the same as most other people's on this ship. Nor likely your people's.

[6:18 PM]

That would be a title indicating protection and refuge where I am from. Perhaps defensive magic or a healer.

USS Adventure at 6:19 PM

"It kind of means that to the Oni, as well. Except less about healing and more about hiding. But still about defense."

Xho at 6:20 PM

How did you learn?

USS Adventure at 6:20 PM

"I initially discovered dark energy on my own. When I joined the Oni, I had a teacher."

Xho at 6:22 PM

You have also traveled extensively.

USS Adventure at 6:22 PM

".......I get the feeling you're kind of...dancing around the real question you want to ask me."

Xho at 6:23 PM

I am attempting to find out if it is worth asking you, and how much I can trust you.

USS Adventure at 6:23 PM

"..............is this another situation where you might recommend shooting me out of an airlock?"

Xho at 6:24 PM

I did not recommend shooting you out an airlock. ... the thought did occur to me, but I did not actually recommend it.

USS Adventure at 6:25 PM

"...ok then. Yes, I have done several scouting missions which does mean I have travelled to a number of planes."

Xho at 6:25 PM

For one thing, that would be against regulations.

USS Adventure at 6:27 PM

"...............not sure how to respond to that."

Xho at 6:28 PM

That was a joke.

USS Adventure at 6:28 PM

"...your delivery's a little dry."

Xho at 6:28 PM

sits down beside him.

[6:30 PM]

We have encountered something unusual and I was hoping you could perhaps look and see if you recognize it.

USS Adventure at 6:30 PM

"......ok."

Xho at 6:31 PM

It is, of course, privileged information.

USS Adventure at 6:32 PM

"How privileged?"

Xho at 6:33 PM

The captain, myself, and two others on this ship have access to the information. Likely Dr. Forgewight could obtain it through nefarious means if he wished.(edited)

USS Adventure [6:36 PM]

"...ok."

Xho at 6:37 PM

holds out her hand to him.

USS Adventure at 6:37 PM

He takes it, but seems confused.

Xho at 6:39 PM

carefully puts his hand on her neck, two fingers where you'd normally feel someone's pulse. Normally. She doesn't have one. And has stopped breathing, too.

USS Adventure at 6:40 PM

".......you're undead."

Xho at 6:40 PM

No.

USS Adventure at 6:41 PM

"........I mean...what's your explanation, then?"

Xho at 6:41 PM

I do not have one.

[6:42 PM]

lets him go.

USS Adventure at 6:42 PM

".......ok."

[6:42 PM]

"...I'm not a necromancer or a diviner...but this seems an awful lot like being undead."

Xho at 6:43 PM

Ordinary cure spells still cure me. I have no negative energy signatures. You may look if you like.

USS Adventure at 6:44 PM

"....................you do not.....which is....weird."

[6:45 PM]

"...you're probably hoping I have more to say than that."

Xho at 6:45 PM

I was.

USS Adventure at 6:45 PM

"...this is way outside of my field of study."

[6:46 PM]

"So, anything I could add would be...extremely speculative."

Xho at 6:46 PM

As far as I have been able to determine, it is not in anyone's field of study.

[6:47 PM]

Speculate. I have likely heard it before.

USS Adventure at 6:48 PM

"...I did once break up an experiment the Bureaucracy was attempting. A means of keeping their own soldiers alive."

[6:49 PM]

"They typically used revivification prayers. But, while they are very effective, they are not reliable. They require a lot of supplies and quick action.

[6:50 PM]

"They were attempting a new method that could seal a still living body in a particular...mindset I guess that would allow for the body to come back with just enough of the original's soul to not be mindless."

[6:51 PM]

"Often times it was the emotional state of the soul at the moment of its death. Enraged, mournful, cold."

[6:51 PM]

"They weren't especially successful. And I did my best to keep them from ever being successful."

Xho at 6:51 PM

eyes him.

USS Adventure at 6:52 PM

".......you told me to speculate."

Xho at 6:53 PM

If you are making a comment about my personality, I assure you there has not been a substantial change. Also, I do feel alive. I still eat food most days.

USS Adventure at 6:53 PM

"...do you need to, though?"

Xho at 6:53 PM

No.

USS Adventure at 6:54 PM

"...like I said, not my field. And the Bureaucracy disapproves of necromancy and undead magics, so none of my targets really apply otherwise."

Xho at 6:55 PM

It does sound similar.

USS Adventure at 6:55 PM

"It's not perfect, though."

[6:56 PM]

"The beings that were brought back did have a sort of...magic on them. And they often were fixated on a singular place or target. Something that bound their feelings."

Xho at 6:56 PM

... there is something else.

USS Adventure at 6:57 PM

"...what?"

Xho at 6:57 PM

I am not a mage. But...

[6:59 PM]

makes a fist for a few seconds, and then opens it, to show a little crackling ball of black energy.

USS Adventure at 6:59 PM

"...............are you adept?"

Xho at 6:59 PM

I am not sure what that means.

USS Adventure at 7:00 PM

A non...mage who can still use dark energy or magic.

[7:00 PM]

But to a VERY limited degree.

[7:00 PM]

Unless trained.

Xho at 7:01 PM

As far as I know this is the only thing I can do. Apart from ordinary darkness.

USS Adventure at 7:01 PM

"...huh."

[

7:02 PM

]

"...no idea what that is."

[

7:02 PM

]

"I mean...it's magic. It's definitely magic."

[

7:02 PM

]

"But otherwise...no idea."

Xho at 7:02 PM

I haven't told the others about that.

USS Adventure at 7:03 PM

"Not even the captain?"

Xho at 7:04 PM

Not the energy, no. It doesn't seem relevant, and it also is not difficult to control.

USS Adventure at 7:05 PM

"...ok...well..you'll need to find someone else to help you with that."

Xho at 7:06 PM

Unsurprising.

USS Adventure at 7:06 PM

"Sorry."

[

7:06 PM

]

"I'll keep an eye out, though."(edited)

Xho at 7:07 PM

... sometimes I remember things I haven't experienced, as well.

USS Adventure at 7:08 PM

"...you sure you don't want to check with the Counselor?"

Xho at 7:08 PM

She's aware of that. All of it except the energy discharge.

USS Adventure at 7:08 PM

"Including the memories?"

Xho at 7:09 PM

It is in my file.

USS Adventure at 7:09 PM

"I see."

[

7:09 PM

]

"...I'm sorry. I'm a scout. Not a researcher."

[

7:09 PM

]

"More than anything, I deliver messages across enemy lines."

[

7:10 PM

]

((I need to go. Dinner's ready.))

Xho at 7:10 PM

I am not surprised.

[

7:10 PM

]

((Okay!))

[

7:10 PM

]

... what happened to them?

USS Adventure at 7:10 PM

"To who?"

Xho at 7:11 PM

The Bureaucracy's... experiments.

USS Adventure at 7:13 PM

"...we took the more lucid ones back to Tang. The more feral ones couldn't be helped."

Xho at 7:14 PM

"More" lucid?

USS Adventure at 7:19 PM

"Most of them did not vome back as themselves, or even as truly sentient beings."

Xho at 7:20 PM

If you are making another comment about my personality I may forget about regulations.

[

7:20 PM

]

... that was also a joke.

USS Adventure at 7:22 PM

I got that one that time.

[

7:22 PM

]

"But I wasn't. Just justifying."

Xho at 7:23 PM

nods.

Well. Thank you for the attempt, in any case.

[

7:24 PM

]

stands up, and brushes herself off so her uniform doesn't wrinkle.

USS Adventure at 7:28 PM

He nods and goes back to meditating.

Xho at 7:28 PM

departs.