[center][color=red]Imperial Drydocks, Cero, capital of T'sarae[/color][/center][hr]
[center][sub][written by Lovejoy & Drakey][/sub][/center]


"Tell me, T'sukasa, what does it take to get accepted into MUSE?"

The inquisitor's query caught the Head Engineer off-guard. Did the the young warpriest wish to attend the academy? MUSE was traditionally only open to those of T'saraen blood, which according to the reports he had read on the inquisitor, was the same blood that flowed within Father Rodion. Having such a talented and brilliant mind in the academy would be quite the get for MUSE, and the city of Cero as a whole. It really was a shame the Varyan church had gotten to him first. 

"Well, Your Reverence, a mind of your caliber would certainly thrive there! I imagine you would easily be able to secure all the funding and support you would ever need for your projects. Unfortunately, your uh, superiors in the Faith would never allow--"

 Head Engineer Amir's words were cut short when a young woman clad in a grease-streaked workman's uniform nonchalantly walked up to him and practically yelled in his face.

"She's ready for you, pops!"

Amir immediately went white. His face contorted in both anger and nervousness, and he mouthed a silent apology to Father Rodion before turning to the young mechanic. The woman seemed to be about Rodion's age, and her eyes were the same pale blue as Amir's. 

"Deva. Do you not see that I'm in the middle of something?" the engineer scolded the mechanic. He turned to Rodion and, forcing a smile, attempted to smooth over the interruption.

"Please forgive my daughter, Father Rodion. She is a talented engineer but still has much to learn when it comes to showing respect to her betters."

The young mechanic narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her father-- before seeming to finally notice Rodion standing there. She stared at him in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time, seemingly not sure of what make of him.  Amir looked back and forth between the two, hoping, desperately that his daughter would say something. When she noticed the mechanical wolf sitting by Rodion's side, her eyes immediately lit up.

"Wow! Cool wolf, dude," she exclaimed, immediately kneeling down to examine the creature more closely.

"Deva! That is not how you address an inquisitor of the--"

"This is incredible! What does it run on? Ether? Is it Omestrian ether? But, how is it possible... How does it have sentience? Is there an etherdrive in there? Nah. Can't be. Those things are theoretical. Then how... How are you alive?" she asked the wolf itself in a hushed, almost reverent tone.

[center][b]***[/b][/center]

Rodion's eyes snapped to the T'sarean as he spoke of the Academy. Hmmm, apparently the man was of the mind that the Church would not allow Rodion access to the Academy. Well, that would have to change. Cataloging the goal within his mind, Rodion's attention snapped forward to a newcomer.

She was pretty, However, unlike other hot-blooded men of his age, Rodion's observation was just that, an observation. Rodion listened as the girl and her father conversed. When it finally ended, Rodion spoke to T'sukasa. "She was not rude. The girl, Deva, merely stated an accomplishment of pre-ordained task. It is rather counter intuitive to scold her for that, is it not?" Posing the question to the clearly flustered man, Rodion turned his attention back to the girl as she crouched down next to Madrys. Her questions coming out like a rapid-fire gatling gun.

"Madrys is alive, theoretically, in the same manner that you are." Dropping down to sit on his heels, keeping balance with his toes, Rodion tapped the middle of Madrys' back. "Release," the command came out as a whisper. Only Deva, Madrys, and Rodion could hear it. Almost immediately a hiss and a blast of vapor escaped as Madrys' back opened up. The steel fur rippled as her core, spinning and shining in place, became visible. The core floated in a sea of golden ether. Pulling a steel gauntlet out of one of his bags, Rodion donned the glove. Reaching out, he pulled Madrys' core out.

"Sadly, I cannot answer if it is an Etherdrive or not as my studies have been mostly self-conducted. So, I ask that you, who is apparently somewhat versed in the topic, judge whether or not Madrys does in fact use an Etherdrive." Holding Madrys' core up, Rodion began pointing out certain traits of the core. "If you look into the middle you will see a dot of blue ether. That is my own, and what imbues Madrys with her personality. If you move your attention to the actual construct of the core, you will see about fifty steel rings. However, there are hundreds of rings within her core. They are constantly spinning, constantly circulating the ether. THis keeps it in motion and stops the ether from dissipating."

Letting the girl study Madrys' for a bit longer, Rodion turned his attention to T'sukasa. "T'sukasa, If I remember correctly your daughter was speaking of something being completed. WOuld this be the Karamzina by chance?" Thinking for a second, Rodion responded to the earlier topic. "Also, T'sukasa, do not worry about the Church. As you know, I will be on a journey for a while and I do not know when I will return. As such, I ask that you will work within Cero to get my papers and acceptance into Muse while I am gone. Of course, I will not force you to do this. It is only if you wish to take up the task." Letting his comments translate within T'sukasa's mind, Rodion turned back to Deva.

"Any more questions, Deva?"