[b]Redana![/b]

"Our culture here is a shadow," said the Elder sadly. "Our ships are sunken, our knowledge is rusted, our herds are small, our horizons reduced to those places that can be reached with sweat and oar. Have no mistake, despite all of Demeter's gifts we still dwell within the hateful House of Hades. The Hermetics do not need to be conquerors to defeat us; archivists are appropriate for what we are now."

There is an edge of deep despair in her voice, and when she speaks you can see the spark drain from everyone about her. This is a perilous state for any people to be in, you know - if Nero has imparted to you one lesson it's that a population cannot endure without a vision of the future.

[b]Alexa![/b]

The cassette tapes click and play and the hall fills with the music of Hermes. Orchestral and organic music that seamlessly transitions into glaring blasts of artificial synth noise. It's music without centre, or stability, weaving into different instruments and styles and tempos, almost a demonstration of exotic musical wealth collected from across the galaxy and woven together.

You've got the feel for her body now - a cascading wave of cybernetic tentacles from the waist down. Keeping her in the dance has kept her from binding you with them properly because she still needs them to hit each beat but as soon as you are done you have no doubt that you will be bound just as surely. You could, of course, throw her first but she'll take Isty with her when she goes.

"I am Ramses," said the Coherent, breath rising - she's drawn in by the motion. "Scion of the Cobalt Desert, vanquisher of Ragnar the Wretched. What manner of person are [i]you[/i], Alexa?"