Believe in the sign of Theta

[mecha_eihwaz]

[A new ship appeared in the hangar, right next to Lily's old one. This new one looks similar, but it's much smaller, with just enough place for one person and not much else, and clearly built for speed. And unlike that crashed one, this one works.

And then there's Lily herself. Her robotic parts might've changed, with a more armor-like appearance to her dress, but it's definitely her, wandering all over White Chalice, looking at all the oh-so-familiar places, even if some of them changed a bit in the weeks when she was gone.]

I missed all of this...

White Chalice... I am back.

Comments

[emorangerpink]

[Of course, as soon as Lily's out of her ship she's tackled. In the time it took her to land in the hangar, Laura's touched down, unsummoned The Great Pretender, and unbuckled the bulky parts of the body armour she wears underneath it. She wraps her girlfriend in the tightest embrace her unenhanced strength will allow, kissing her fiercely. After a moment she pulls back, an expression of mock anger on her face.]

You took your time, you know that!?

[And she pulls Lily close again, letting her tears fall on to her shoulder while at the same time she can't help but laugh.]

[mecha_eihwaz]

[Lily returns both of those. She might be gentler and softer with them, but it's not at all less warm, or less genuine.]

I'm sorry... If I could, I would move Cosmic Ark closer to Earth, just to bring us closer together...

[emorangerpink]

I wasn't sure I'd pick up any message properly. I thought, even if I did, it'd take you a long time to return. I was trying to find ways to go to you - I'm sorry I wasn't there when...

[After a while, Laura draws back to hold Lily at arm's length, looking her up and down.]

You look different. Are you - I mean, you're okay, but are you... okay?

[mecha_eihwaz]

It's okay, don't apologize. I asked you to wait, didn't I? I travelled back to Earth as fast as I could, and it seems I almost outraced even the message that I got better.

[Lily takes Laura's hand and puts it on her own heart.]

Can you feel it? My parts might be different, but deep down here I'm still me, same as before. And Eve is here too...

[emorangerpink]

[Laura closes her eyes.]

I know. I can tell. It's not the first time, after all. And I know you better now...

[She opens them again.]

You must have missed me a lot, to hurry back like that.

[mecha_eihwaz]

[Nod.] I missed my home as well, after being away for over a year...

But I stayed only for as little time as absolutely necessary. Here, I'm needed more. And here, I have you.

[emorangerpink]

You do.

Everything's how you left it. Well - I packed away some of your things to bring them to you if I found a way to make the trip. And, um. I made a bit of a mess of your old ship...

[mecha_eihwaz]

Well, it couldn't take off anyway. Not without spare parts for some of the broken systems, which I brought with myself this time!

...The main computer still works, right?

[emorangerpink]

Oh, it's fine! I just had to hook up a lot of other things to make sure the radio would work. It'll take a while to unplug it all and make room in the cockpit again.

Speaking of unplugging things... there's also that gold Pepen.

[mecha_eihwaz]

The one you fought? You captured it?

...And plugged it into something?

[emorangerpink]

I thought maybe it was being mind-controlled, or something like that. So I hooked it up to the radio. It translated the message saying you'd recovered.

[mecha_eihwaz]

Umm... We should probably see it as soon as possible.

And hope it didn't intercept any confidential messages...

[emorangerpink]

Well, everything was recorded. There's a whole lot of other stuff hooked up besides it. And it's calmed down a lot... Prometheus has been helping!

...It's over here.

1/2

[mecha_eihwaz]

Your help consisted of Prometheus and a Chaos-built Pepen, and you managed to make them operate a long-range radio receiver, and to tame the Pepen at least a bit?

2/2

[mecha_eihwaz]

Your ability to pull off miracles amazes me sometimes, Laura.

[emorangerpink]

I was motivated.

And I already needed a miracle for you, so I had to assume the universe wasn't being stingy.

[mecha_eihwaz]

Well, it was a correct assumption. Good job.

[emorangerpink]

If we're going to start talking about who pulled off a miracle, I think you'll win.

[Laura squeezes Lily's hand.]

Here we are. Prometheus says its name is Sovereign.

[The Pepen is still in its cage, but one of the sides has been made to open, thought it's locked at the moment. It has a few items keeping it company now, knickknacks courtesy of Prometheus' foraging. It's focused quite intently on one of them, not looking up when the two approach. A cable still runs from the back of its head and out to a console near the cage.]

I've been calling it Goldie.

[mecha_eihwaz]

Hmm...

[Lily squats down so she'd be closer to the Pepen's face, and throws a few nuts and bolts to grab its attention.]

And which name do you prefer, Pepen?

[emorangerpink]

[The Pepen looks up curiously, pecking at a few of the scattered components before making any response. Its flippers flap energetically as it answers Lily.

Apparently it doesn't mind Goldie - it just doesn't want Prometheus using it.]

[mecha_eihwaz]

You won't bite me if I put my hand in, will you?

[emorangerpink]

[Of course not! How could you think such a thing?

...Whatever the Pepen equivalent of inscrutability is, this one displays it.]

[mecha_eihwaz]

Oookay...

[Lily puts her hand between the bars to pet the Pepen.]

[emorangerpink]

[Golden Sovereign approaches with a gleam in its eye. Its beak nears Lily's hand, and...

...nuzzles it cautiously, confirming by touch that she's a version of the fake Lily it was created to obey. It lowers its head to accept the petting, giving a chuff of grudging acknowledgement.

Laura watches apprehensively.]

I'll unhook it, then...?

[mecha_eihwaz]

Sure! But don't let it running around the ship without supervision just yet. We need to make sure it's completely tame beforehand.

...Actually, that'd be a pretty bad idea with normal Pepens too...