[IMPIRUIL BAILE] The Wonders of Fluid Spacetime

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Razorback Impiruil Baile 04:02 PM
In Character Recovery Rooms 01 August 2650
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A spacious area, with a dozen beds, separated by flimsy curtains that can be wheeled around. Each bed has a small holo projector with a headphone jack, and a remote to adjust the angle at which the bed lies. Near the door is a supply closet with a lot of wheeled meal trays, hover chairs, and assorted bric-a-brac.
This room can be tagged. See +tag/help for commands.
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Contents:
Exits:
Out
Eunji arrives from Reception Area.

In one of the recovery beds, a large, black-furred Demarian seems to be just awakening from a long-needed rest. Looking down, he sees that his left arm is in a sling, and his shoulder a mass of bandages. A blanket covers his lower half, just fur his upper one. Aggressive-looking white streaks in the fur of his chest, shoulders, and back (if that became visible), suggest an active, and violent career. Near his bed is a worn and travel-stained backpack. The Cliffwalker shakes some of the medicated fog from his head, wincing a bit as his wounded shoulder instinctively moves to support his weight.

A Korean woman walks into the hospital, wandering into the recovery rooms. “I’m looking for the Demarian that came in from outside the city.” she explains. “I figure he needs a fun visitor to cheer him up and I’m just the person from the job! Can you tell me where he is? Can I visit him?” she asks someone in the ward.

“Name of the person you want to …” the dark-haired nurse at the reception station begins, not looking up immediately. When she does, her sentence ends abruptly, her mouth remaining half open in surprise. She does manage to point in Razor’s direction while she tries to come up with … something to say.

“Thank you!” Eunji says cheerfully after the receptionist points her in the right direction. When she gets to where Razor is she makes a point of knocking outside, “Hello!” she says. “I heard about you and didn’t know if you had anyone to visit you, so I decided to visit you myself? May I come in?”

The nurse is immediately whispering on the intercom as soon as Eunji moves off. The Demarian himself is visibly confused by the appearance of the visitor. His ears lay back a bit as he attempts to figure out what exactly is going on. “Of courrrsse,” he says politely, however, and rotates to get to his feet. Modesty not being an issue for Demarians, he pulls the blanket away, revealing further scarring on his legs, which easily touch the ground from the edge of the bed. “I am Rrrazorrrback, clan Cliffwalkerrr, Missss ….?” he says, ending in a question as he lurches to his feet. His attempt to bow nearly ends in disaster as his balance does not seem to have returned just yet.

“I am Choi Eunji.” the woman explains with a smile as she walks in. “Don’t worry, you can just rest. I know it can be awfully lonely in hospitals and I heard about it so I told my manager I was going to take a break and try to visit you. I didn’t bring flowers since I didn’t know if you would be allergic and giving someone in a hospital that I don’t know food would be difficult, so I decided to just come myself. I wanted to see how you were feeling if that’s okay. Don’t worry, I’m not medical staff so you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, okay?”

The Cliffwalker’s ears rotate forward towards Eunji as he lets himself sit down on the edge of the bed. His brow is furrowed, mystified, though a faint smile shows just a hint of his fangs. “I am rrrecoverrring well,” he rumbles in response, “Thank you. No amputations nescessssarrry. Do you do thiss ssorrrt of thing often?” He glances past the humanoid female as if seeking some sort of handler or escort or something. Not finding one, however, he returns his attention to the smaller being.

Eunji smiles, “I’ve done it before.” she answers. She seems to notice the glancing past her, “My manager isn’t here if that’s who you’re looking for, but she’s more lenient than my last one so I can do these things more often now. I’m glad you’re safe. Anyway, maybe you can tell me a bit about yourself and we can go from there. I don’t exactly know what Demarians do for fun so I didn’t bring any games or anything with me so sorry if there’s something obvious and I just completely failed to do my research.”

“You have done nothing forrr which you sshould apologize,” the big Demarian says with a brief chuckle, “Therrre is little enough to tell of me. I am a farrrmerrr and a hunterrr mosstly. I currrrrrently live on Materrri Ssyna in the forrresstss outsside New Rrresiliensce. And yourrrsself?”

“I’m Choi Eunji!” she declares cheerfully. “Well, if you’re a farmer you might not know of me, but I sing songs and dance for people. Well, I do other things like act and show up on shows sometimes, but generally I’m mostly known for singing. You could say it’s my duty to try and improve the lives of others through use of my songs and performances, but sometimes it’s as simple as visiting someone in hospitals that might be a bit too lonely otherwise.”

Kethren arrives from Reception Area.

Eunji is in one of the recovery rooms with Razorback, the human woman conversing with the Demarian. Eunji, for her part, seems to be quite cheerful.
Kethren comes walking in with a smaller contingent than usual. Just a calico kitten-ferret on his shoulder, and a penguin at his side. “How’re folks doing today?”

Razorback still seems more or less perplexed by the woman’s presence and demeanor, but taking it in stride. “So you are a performer,” the Cliffwalker concludes with a nod, “Well, I thank you forrr yourrr visit.” The nurses’ station seems preoccupied with excited whispers and glances towards the room where Razorback and Eunji are located.

“I heard about an injured Demarian, and not seeing Demarians around here thought he might be lonely so decided to try and visit, so here I am.” Eunji explains. Then she smiles at Razorback, “I am a performer, yes, that is a good way of saying it.”

Kethren pulls up a suitable visiting chair and plunks down. “Feeling any better? I know it’s not fun getting stuck out in the wilderness here.”

“Quite, thank you,” the Cliffwalker says to Kethren, “Though as to it being wilderness, that is no novelty for me. My lands on Materrri Ssyna arrre ssimilarrr. As is my anscesstrrral home on Demarrria.”

“I know a little bit about wilderness survival, but certainly would not want to go out into the wilderness here unless absolutely necessary.” Eunji says. “Though that is true for almost any planet.”

Kethren nods “Suffice to say we have some unusual things. Encountered one awhile back. Before this city got grown… was recovering in the med tent for the better part of a month. Keeping tourists away from where that happened is one of the biggest reasons we have so many guards around.” Wark.

Razorback nods to Eunji, “I was trained for many years and even I have nearly been called to the Sand Mother on several occasions.”

“So if outside the city is so dangerous, what do you do to make the city itself safe?” Eunji asks. “Is it just a great number of guards?”

Kethren smiles enigmatically “The short answer is that the planet accepts us.”

Razorback says, “New Rrresiliensce had ssimilarrr prrroblems. Eventually, the Mirrrrrrwolves began to avoid the city.”

“So everyone just stays in this city for the most part and you remind visitors to not go outside? I suppose that makes enough sense.” Eunji says.

Kethren scratches the penguin at his side “I wouldn’t say it’s just a case of nature avoiding us cause we’ve got a settlement. With a couple of exceptions, the life on this planet is very intelligent.”

“Yes,” Razorback says, his fangs peeking out with a wry smile, “I noticed. Though the jungles of Kamssho have been the mosst dangerrrouss plasce I have visited thuss farrr.”

“It’s not surprising there are a large number of places that have very dangerous environments.” Eunji considers. “Thankfully I never had to spend much time in them.”

Alhambra arrives from Reception Area.

Kethren nods to Razor with a chuckle “Yes, I daresay you ran across some of the smarter things out there. Probably some of the idiots, not that we have many of those.” Keth’s having a nice sit down, chatting with the bed-ridden Razor and the perpetually bouncy Eunji on hand. Keth’s got Floriana perched on his shoulder, and a penguin at his side.

“Well,” the Cliffwalker says with a faint chuckle, “It was harrrdly a pleasant sstrrroll to get herrre. I am not a parrrticularrrly good sshot, and hand weapons werrre not a parrrticularrrly good option forrr obviouss rrreasons.” He lifts his sling-wrapped arm and winces a little.

“Still, you made it this far, so hopefully everything will be well for you.” Eunji says, looking over Razorback’s wounds again. “Hopefully your recovery doesn’t take too long.”

“Norrr was burrrying my pilot and his crrrew,” Razorback says quietly, his ears going a little limp, he turns to Eunji, pushing the moment of melancholy away. “I doubt it sshall,” he says to her, “The doctorrrs herrre know theirrr worrrk. I likely could alrrready move about with little difficulty if that would not brrring the nurrrsses down on me like a herrrd of bumblerrrs.”

“Heyyy, I heard y’all are keepin’ one of my buddies here,” comes a likely familiar sounding drawl from down the hall. Praises upon whatever entity determined that HIPAA and other ridiculous lawsuit-inducing (and horribly ineffective) privacy controls were completely useless in this day and age. Al’s unkempt head soon follows, as she pokes around the doorjamb. “Well, butter my ass and call me a stack of flapjacks, it -is- you! Hot damn, old man, where in the blue side of hell have you been??”

“Hello again.” Eunji says to Alhambra, “It sounds like you already know him.”

Kethren offers Al a friendly wave “C’mon in. We were just talking about the whys of the city here being safer than wandering about outside.”

“Indeed sshe does,” Razorback says to Eunji, his smile now splitting his muzzle and his fangs clearly visible. “Good evening, my frrriend,” he says warmly, “It has been farrr too long.” He once again moves to get to his feet, any injury or pain forgotten for the moment. The new injury is clearly one of many he has received, as he is down to just his fur at the moment. Streaks of white slash across his chest, arms, shoulders, and back.

“Awww my gawd man, it’s been like, Jesus, -years- since you up an’ vanished! Folks thought you was dead and gone but I said uhn-un, not my big ol’ buddy, he’s too damn badass to just -die-,” Al crows, pausing before she opens her arms for a great big hug, “But I’ll be honest, Razor, you look like something a much -bigger- cat dragged in. You pick a fight with a woodchipper or somethin?” She jokes.

Eunji laughs a little as Alhambra asks Razorback if he had just picked a fight with a woodchipper, but otherwise remains quiet.
Kethren smirks at Al’s colorful greeting, but stays out of things for the moment.

Razorback _allows_ the hug, though he seems unused to the practice. Then a word explodes across his mind. Years. “Wait …” he says, pulling back and looking down for eye contact with the much smaller creature hugging him, scanning her face, “What yearrr is it?” His ears are folded tightly against his skull, his tail swaying in agitation.

Alhambra’s brow furrows, but despite the fact that she’s really, really close to a really really big Demarian, doesn’t seem nervous at all. “Twenty-six-fifty,” she offers, looking up at him with a ‘are you okay?’ expression.

Kethren raises an eyebrow “Should I be arranging us a table at the bar?”

“2650.” Eunji confirms, “Though I think I am getting used to that being a valid question to ask.”

The Cliffwalker sinks onto the bed with enough force to make it creak, almost down to eye level with the human woman now. “Well,” he rumbles, “Unlessss we have adopted the dating ssysstem of the Orrrion Arrrm as it is on the otherrr sside of the rrriftss we have found, within the passt thrrree days, it sshould be 2965.”

Al’s eyebrows do a remarkably accurate ‘confused large dog’ expression. “Well… I uh… guess that’s where you been then, huh?” she finally says, rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead. “That is, uh, -obviously- a lot more years than you been gone. I mean I’m thick in the head but I know that’s a lot of years right thar.” She rubs her forehead again, and moves to sit down on the bed next to Razorback. “But I mean, it’s you, ain’t it? It’s obviously you, because you look like you, and you sound like you, and you know who -I- am…”

“Any reason you came up with that year?” Eunji asks, “Because it sounds like something happened because it is definitely 2650 here.”

Kethren raises an eyebrow “That’s a lot of years… Seems that sort of thing’s been happening a lot, lately.” Wark.
The string of feral growls that come from the Cliffwalker now are not likely an invitation to a teaparty. “I musst rrreturrrn home,” he states upon regaining control of himself. He rises to his feet with every intention of going right out the door.

Alhambra gets up too. “Whoa whoa whoa whooooah now, let’s not go off half-cocked, man. First off, if you crashed, your home is prolly alll fucked up. Second, if… if you been in twenty nine something or other, clearly something has gone terribly sideways between point A and point B. You remember how -I- got here, right? Fell out of nineteen ninety nine? Sounds like when you disappeared you did some kind of… timey wimey shuffle. Or somethin. Also seriously you’s wounded, don’t make me…” she looks up, and then up some more, “…severely injure myself tryin’ to keep you from leavin’ the hospital. Not that I ain’t done my share of idiot moves this week but I should probably cut down y’know before I break my own ankle or something.”

“Please don’t go.” Eunji says. “You’re injured and you might get more hurt.” then she looks over at Alhambra, “And it looks like she isn’t letting you go.”

Kethren nods “Yeah, I really would prefer you wait to be properly discharged by the staff. Or failing that, by Al. Either’s good.”

There is some change that comes over the big Demarian. It would be easily clear to Alhambra that the light in his eyes is completely different. Wilder. Predatory claws come out, followed by an earsplitting roar of rage that reverberates throughout the recovery ward. Then, as suddenly as it came, the terrible moment passes. The felinoid’s eyes squeeze tightly shut and he drops to his knees with a crash. The right paw that catches his fall has its claws sheathed. Razorback says nothing, his breath coming in heaves.

There is a long period of silence. Al hasn’t moved, per se, but whether it was strength of will or just outright -freezing in place- becomes explained after she finally exhales. Then there’s an inhale. Then there’s a quiet: “Fuck me, Margaret, I may never shit again.”

“We should probably get someone to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Eunji says calmly. “Or at least harm can’t be caused.”

Kethren blinks a few times and takes a deep breath with his eyes going slightly out of focus for half a second “Security. Get a couple guys into the hospital. Just in case.”

“My apologies,” Razorback rumbles quietly now, but does not rise. He looks up to Kethren and nods in understanding to his comm call, then his eyes find Alhambra. “My people,” he asks, “Arrre they sstill on New Rrresiliensce?” The question could be misleading since that might not even sound like a name to someone who did not know what he speaks of.

There is another long period of silence. Al’s brow furrows very, very deeply. “It’s okay,” she says, although there’s a significant squeak on the ‘kay’ syllable. “You’re still my buddy, I just… ain’t never been that close to the… roar thing, it’s okay, I’m your buddy, you’re my buddy… annn…” She seems to weigh the options of answering here, and apparently chooses honesty. “…I er… don’t know the place you’re talking about, honey. But your people, was us, right? Me an’… well. You disappeared… V went crazy and ran off with Vicky… Dean disappeared too, um… Nix threw a rod after we saved him from the moodring mafia and just -left-… Diri… um. Yeah, really I ain’t got no good news for you in that vein other’n I’m still alive so please don’t put on that angry face again ’cause I’m pretty sure I’d pee myself and die.”

Eunji seems to have some awareness of the situation and just stays silent.

Kethren nods “Yeah… I think we’d all appreciate that not happening… whatever that was.” Wark.

“It will not,” Razorback says, finally pushing himself to his feet with an effort, “Thiss …” he gestures vaguely to the world around him, “has happened beforrre. It has not become any easierrr.” He shakes his mane, still collecting himself. “Onsce again,” he says, looking to each of the humans in the room, “I musst apologize forrr my behaviorrr. I have not losst contrrrol in that mannerrr in overrr a decade.”

Alhambra swallows dryly. “So. Um. Okay, obviously you’ve… been somewhere else. Somewhen else? But well that’s weird as shit because clearly you know who I am, I mean… I know who -you- are, I don’t hug no other Demarians, I tell you whut. Um. Well, why don’t we just have a sit back down. The both of us, really because now -I’m- feeling a little time-wobbly, and maybe we can go through a coupla things and see whut’s the same and whut’s different.”

“I’m glad no one was harmed.” Eunji says. “I assume people from Earth are not common where you are from.”

Kethren reaches up to scratch the still somewhat shocked ser on his shoulder.

“Terrrrrrans make up arrround fifteen perrrscent of the population of New Rrresiliensce,” Razorback says, shaking his head, “Therrre arrre Terrrrrrans amongsst the memberrrs of my own houssehold.” He sits down as instructed by Alhambra, seeming to have accepted the situation as reality at this point. “Wait ….” he pauses, studying Alhambra for a moment, “Yearrrs ago, we went to Hekayt Prrrime togetherrr. Upon ourrr rrreturrrn, I gave you a gift. Do you know what it was?”

Alhambra perks up, and plunks down on the bed herself. “It was an ear!” She beams, proudly. “Off one of them moodring shitheads, he was all laughin’ and laughin’ until you come down off that building like BOOM, and RAARR, and then they was all just runnin’ and peein’ themselves, oh my gawd.” She scratches the back of her head briefly. “Which I totally get now, yeah that’s real effective. Uh so yeah, we hadda go get Nix because he like, borrowed money offa them or somethin’ to open the shop, which he never -told- me, and you came and helped me convince them to stop threatening the kids…” She trails off. “…yeah you disappeared a little bit after that. That was a few years ago now…”

“But no Earth where you are from?” Eunji asks. “What kind of people from Earth were there? I want to know what happened to my people. If that’s okay.”

Kethren idly scratches Kail, listening to this oddly fascinating topic.

“Yess,” Razorback says, some life returning to his dark face, an odd touchstone that ear, “Yess, it was.” His expression is more muddied when Eunji asks her question. “Therrre is an Earrrth,” he says, “But … it is morrre complicated than that. If you werrre frrrom the ssame Earrrth I knew in thiss time perrriod, you could not be on thiss worrrld at all.”

Alhambra breathes a sigh of relief, and leans over to rest her head against Razor, if he doesn’t mind. “…weeeird shit, man, but hey, it’s you, and you’re all right.” Her brow furrows again. “Earth? Yeah, we got Earth. I ain’t sure if it’s the one I came from, but… heh, I never actually went. I just felt like it would be… awkward, you know?”

“Probably not the same one, then. What was yours like?” Eunji asks.

Kethren rubs the bridge of his nose for a moment. “Feels like a lot of this sort of thing has been going on lately…”

Razorback seems about to move out of Alhambra’s way for a moment before he realizes that she has intentionally moved against him. He looks back and forth between Eunji and Alhambra, confused. “Sso, you arrre not talking about the same Earrrthss eitherrr?” he asks.

Alhambra echoes Kethren’s gesture, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her knuckles. “Does seem to come in phases, don’t it? Things get quiet, and then all of a sudden, pop pop pop again.” She looks up at Razor. “Maybe not, like I said, I never went to visit Earth; at first I thought it might weird me out, and then after a while it’s like, man I’m too busy to go diggin’ around to find out if there was any Al’s on this one. Whut if there was, and I did somethin’ bad? Or… whut if I was really successful? That’d be embarassin…” Eyedart.

Aina arrives from Reception Area.

“I was born there.” Eunji explains, “And really, I still live there. I mean, there are problems with the Consortium and I think they should be addressed, but overall it’s not a horrible place. Alhambra said she’s from the past, but I’m from the present.”

Kethren gives Al a nod “It does indeed. And most of em seem to pop near this city lately… odd, that.” Keth’s still seated in his visitor chair, with his penguin next to him and a slightly stressed ser on his shoulder. Al’s leaning against the large, injured, visiting kitty person, and Eunji seems to be milling around whilst chiming in with the occasional comment. The topic of the day is rifting, and the frequency thereof.

“Yess,” the Cliffwalker, shaking his head, “we had the ssame difficulty. I rrrememberrr the day that you rrrifted on to Comorrrrrro.” He nudges Alhambra with a chuckle. “Sso … thiss is 2650,” he says, thinking, “I wonderrr if my family is alive herrre.”

Alhambra chortles with good natured self-consciousness. “Oh geez, yeah. I kept callin’ you Bagheera. Heh heh heh… I thought I had a concussion and woke up on the wrong dang side of Universal Studios. An’ now it’s -me- scoopin’ up half these people. Psh. You ain’t got ’em all, Keth, I pulled -two- outta the ocean on Eiru just t’other night. Damn near got throwed up on.”

“So many rifted people.” Eunji comments. “Was it like this the last time it happened?”

Kethren blinks a couple times at Al “A pair at once? That’s a bit unusual. How’re they taking it?”

Aina hums lightly as she slips into the recovery room, a tablet in her hand. She pauses a moment and looks up, a smile forming before she heads toward the group, “Well, you’re looking better. How’s the arm?” Once at the bed she snatches up the chart to look it over, “How’s everyone else doing?” She glances at Al, a brow arching, “Like being thrown up on is the worst thing that’s happened to you.” With a grin she winks at the woman before looking back to the chart.

“Eiru,” Razorback says quietly, “Arrre you sstill ssherrriff therrre?” He asks the question of Alhambra before turning towards Eunji. “Many of the people in my time and plasce arrrrrrived therrre that way,” he says, then turns to Aina, a faint smile appearing on his muzzle again. “Ah,” he says, “Much betterrr yourrr doctorrrs arrre verrry sskilled.” He looks down at the sling around his arm. “As long as I do not move it, therrre is no noticeable pain.”

“Well, Keth, considering I almost got throwed up on, I’d say they didn’t take it particularly well,” Al says, making a silly face at Kethren and then nodding in agreement with Aina. “Last report they was both stable, I’ll prolly check in on ’em once they’re cleared. Yessir, I’m still the Sheriff on Eiru, and a horse farmer, and a Councilwoman, and a paramedic, and Sin and Hania are livin’ with me… and sometimes their buddy Newt…” She trails off. “Jesus Christ, I’m like a soccer mom on crack.”

Eunji laughs a little, “Well, I’m glad some things stayed the same. One day I’ll have to ask both of you questions of my own to compare. When you feel better.”

Kethren looks up at Aina “Well, it certainly sounds like I’m doing better than some other folks… It’s been a pretty uneventful day, though. Mostly been here.”

Aina flashes Razor a smile, “Good to hear. They’d better be doing a good job. They know who their boss is.” She winks, then chuckles at Al, “And you’re doing an amazing job at everything. We need to come visit soon.” Kethren gets a smile, “Uneventful is just fine with me. You’re safe, I’m sane. All is good in the world.”

The Cliffwalker chuckles faintly, glancing at Alhambra. “How is Newt? I have not sseen him in ssome time eitherrr,” he says, then turns towards Eunji, “I would be happy to ansswerrr any quesstions I can.”

“He’s adorable! I ain’t sure whut the hell’s up with his parents, lettin’ him roam around like that, but Sin vouches for him, so he can just y’know crash at the house if he wants… an’ if he keeps helpin’ with the farm, of course,” Al replies to Razor, and then makes an ‘aw shucks’ face at Aina. “Kinnnd of a mess goin’ on right now, but absolutely I would love to have you guys over an’ visit and stuff. You too, Missy Eunji, Rikki’s been mooning over that autograph so much I hadda have it framed so he wouldn’t wear it out on his littke punkass face.”

“I wanted to know about what happened to Koreans.” Eunji admits. “We never left in a mass migration so we’re all still on Earth, most of us speak Terran now, and, well, I wanted to know what the future held so maybe I could do something about it even if all I do is perform for people.”

Kethren blinks “Newt? Seems alright. He passed through the other day to see if he was still on the payroll here.” Wark!

Aina grins at Al, “Well, if ya need help with anything, just let me know. I’ve got the big guy if you have heavy lifting. I need to test him on a few things.” She shrugs and puts the chart away, “Everything looks great. Should be able to get out of here soon. Once we make sure you’re not dehydrated or malnurished. And we’re still trying to get a crew together to check out the crash sight. Buncha cowards…Gonna end up going out there myself.” Her nose wrinkles, but she shrugs again and flashes Razor a smile, “No worries though. We’ll get it taken care of. All you gotta do is focus on healing.”

“Ssinopa,” Razorback says with deep chuckle, “Sshe musst be all grrrown up by now.” He looks over at Eunji, puzzled. “I am afrrraid I cannot ssay I would know much about that,” he says, “I have not trrravelled to Earrrth in any time perrriod and know little of theirrr culturrral hisstorrry. And even if I knew anything about it, it is unlikely that the nesxt thrrree hundrrred yearrrs will passss herrre as they did wherrre I am frrrom.” He smiles back at Aina and nods. “If I am rrready to trrravel beforrre you arrre able to put togetherrr a team, I would gladly accompany them,” he says.

“Sin? Sin’s like, fourteen. Ish, I mean it’s definitely one of them ages where everything’s the goddanged end of the world and I’m either their best friend or a salty pain in the ass…” Al muses, making another one of those self-deprecating grins. “I have got to be either the best parental figure ever or the worst.” She squints at Kethren. “…whut d’you mean, on the payroll? Ain’t he like, -eleven-??”

Eunji nods as Razor answers her question, “Thank you.” she answers. “I know it was a strange question, but I had to ask.”

Kethren shrugs as he plucks Floriana from his shoulder so she can sit on the penguin for a bit “He looks it, yeah. But that part of his record is sealed off for some reason. Still, eleven or not, he’s a damn good pilot.”

Aina nods and smiles at Razor, “I’ll keep that in mind. Might be just you and me and the big guy. He’s pretty good for hauling things around.” She chuckles lightly at Kethren and Al, but remains quiet and pulls her tablet out again.

“I have known Newt forrr ssomething on the orrrderrr of fifteen yearrrs,” Razorback says, a deep laugh coming up from his chest, “And he has been eleven forrr the entirrre time I have known him.” He then turns towards Eunji, shaking his head. “Not sso sstrrrange,” he says, “I mysself am verrry currrious to know what has become of my own clan.” He toys with the large ring on his finger, contemplating.

Alhambra pauses, and then shrugs. “Welp, I’d say ‘wow, that sounds like some weird shit,’ but let’s be honest! That would not be the weirdest shit I heard of today and I am severely doubting it will be the weirdest shit I hear tomorrow. I mean seriously I’m raising my ex’s siblings, my police department is staffed with talking dogs, I got a tiny alien critter hanging around my house listening to Korean pop idol albums all day, and a displaced knight in shining armor living on a horse farm with me. Oh and my best buddy just teleported back after bein’ missing for years and he’s apparently from a different timeline entirely! So a junior spaceman of indeterminate age is just not even on my goddamned radar right now. There could be thirty of the little dude, who knows, right?”

“And you still think variety shows are the strange thing in this universe?” Eunji asks Alhambra.

Kethren raises an eyebrow at Eunji “The cockroach tube is weird, you can’t get around that.” Aina gets a nod “Be sure and take Nuala with you when you go. Or maybe I’ll go with. I don’t get out as much as I’d like.”

Aina nods to Kethren, “I figured you’d want to go with. Nuala for sure. She’s got the teeth and claws.” Al gets another chuckle and a head shake, “Eesh…Remind me to be thankful for what I have here. Things are pretty simple.” Something on her tablet beeps and blinks, causing her to frown, “Speaking of simple…Looks like we got a delivery at the Tree. I’m gonna head out.” To Razor she smiles, “If you need anything, you let me know, alright? Any of the nurses or doctors here can get ahold of me.” Moving over to Kethren, she leans down, wraps an arm around him, and kisses the top of his head, “And you be sure to get some sleep, and try to behave.” Straightening she waves to everyone before heading out.

“I will do that,” Razorback says to Aina, “And I thank you forrr yourrr kindnessss.” He then looks over at Alhambra, his eyeridges rising. “You sseem to have quite the busy life,” he says, “I am ssurrrprrrised you had time to come out thiss farrrr in all of that.”

Newt arrives from Reception Area.

“Night, Doc! Don’t worry I’ll make sure your feller behaves himself,” Al calls out to Aina with a wave. Maturely, she sticks her tongue out at Eunji. “Yes, yes I do! I’m a stupid Amurrican and I can be ignorant if I wanna.” Eyedart. Razorback gets a shrug. “I come out to the Baile every weekend, it’s my home away from home! Sometimes I even get the kids to come along, but most of the time they just wanna stay home instead of campin’. One of the neighbors comes over, keeps an eye on things. Sweet little old lady, and a helluva shot with a twelve-gauge, I tell you whut.” Razor appears to be the patient in this scenario, he is sitting on the bed, and Al is sitting next to him and leaning on her old friend. Kethren is here, with Floriana and the penguin-bot. Eunji is also visiting, and Aina, the doctor in attendance, appears to be on her way out.

Eunji laughs as Alhambra replies to her, then says to Aina, “Good night!”

Kethren smiles up at Aina “G’nite. I’ll catch up with you soon enough.” Razor gets a nod “Well, whether you came from this universe or not, we do like to help out the rifters. Hell of a thing winding up in the wrong time and place.”

Newt enters the room and is about to shout out when he actually hears, then spots Al. He takes his green self over, looking around a bit and, once near enough, says, “Hey. Who’s sick?”

“Hey! There’s my little buddy! Lookit who we found, eh? It’s our buddy Razor!” Al calls, scooting over to make room for the junior spaceman. “Now this is a lil weird, he’s from a different time, but he remembers us anyways so we’re just that cool we’re still pals even in other places.” After a moment, she peers at him. “Also Mister Kethren here’s tellin’ me you got a -job- here? You know you don’t gotta pay me no rent, little buddy, that ain’t right. I mean I am sure you are a perfectly competent pilot but at your age you ought to be learnin’ stuff and playin’ in the yard.”

“Hello!” Eunji says. “But I need to say goodbye now, I have to practice more tomorrow so I’ll see everyone again soon!”

Kethren nods to the departing singer “G’nite.” Newt gets a nod as well “Evenin, there.”

Newt cocks his head slightly, looking a little weirdly at Razor. He looks up at Al, raises an eyebrow at the mention of friendship and looks back at Razor, still puzzled. Then something clicks and he looks back at Al, “Yeah but I /wanna/ explore and stuff.” Keth is, for the moment, ignored. There’s things afoot!

“A pleasurrre to meet you, Missss Eunji,” Razorback says, dipping his head in a kind of half bow, “May you have a ssafe jourrrney to wherrreverrr you go.” Newt’s reaction to Alhambra’s statement elicits a smile from him and he shakes his head. “Nothing trrruly everrr changes,” he says, “Not rrreally, at any rrrate.”

Alhambra waves. “Gnight, Missy Eunji! Whuff, it -is- gettin’ late, ain’t it? Well, I still got a little more time left in me, I suppose. Ain’t every day we get folks comin’ home, after all… Oooh, you -wanna- explore? Well okay, but only if it’s with the Baile folks, don’t you go runnin’ off with strangers, you hear me? I don’t wanna have to go chasin’ some shitheads up and down the universe. It gets tirin’ and damn if I can’t keep track of all the damn planets and where it’s legal to punch somebody in the mouth and where it ain’t.”

Eunji has left.

Kethren smirks “Well, we are a nominally neutral government, so we don’t make a habit of sending pilots into place they won’t be safe.” Chitter. Wark.

Newt looks back at Al, “Oh, totally!” Gives best look ever before turning back to Razor, “You know me and stuff?”

That gets Razorback’s attention and he studies Newt for a moment. “Forrr the passt fifteen yearrrs,” he says, “Orrr nearrr enough to that. Ssinsce you flew aboarrrd the Athena.”

Alhambra chuffs agreeably. “Well it ain’t like anybody here would let you get into danger, then they’d have me to deal with, and I make an awful mess.” Pause. “Even when I -ain’t- in a bad mood, lately, har.”

Kethren smirks at Al “Well, we can always get the bar to deliver if we need something to fend off bad moods.”

Newt blinks and tells Razor, “No way. I never met you on the Athena and that wasn’t that long ago, either. You’re weird.”

“My grrrapess,” the Cliffwalker says with a wince, “I put sso much efforrrt into rrreviving the varrriety.” Newt’s response snaps him out of it. “Sso you do not rrrememberrr me,” he says, “Of courrrsse, not.”

The effort of the conversation seems to be telling on the wounded Demarian, despite his attempt to suppress his impulse to pass out. Finally, a wide, leonid yawn escapes him and he blinks a few times. “I do believe,” he says, “That I may be falling assleep againsst my will. Sstrrrange ssenssation.”

“Just don’t lose any of my kids, Keth, ain’t no need to get me shitfaced. Not that that would help any.” Al drawls, and whatever she was going to say next is interrupted by a yawn as the power of suggestion kicks in. “Jesus, whut the hell time is it? I’m gettin’ old. You an’ me both, old man. Har. Hokay I’ma get my ass to my tent before I pass out in the hallway. Don’t stay up too late, Newt.”

Kethren glances at Al and chuckles “I think this planet would be rather displeased if I did something to get us on opposite sides of a struggle. You’re right though, it *is* rather late. Think I’ll go catch up with Aina, and probably pass out.”

Alhambra has left.

Newt replies to Al, as if on automatic, “I won’t.” but keeps on staring at Razor, “Whaddayamean ‘Of course, not’?”

Razorback’s eyes blink shut a few times. He did just walk for two days through a terrifying forest with a piece of metal sticking out of him. “It would sseem to be the kind of day that I am having,” He tells Newt before starting to lean back. From the sound of his breathing, it’s likely the big Demarian is asleep before his head hits the pillow.