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Meesei shook her head to Janius. The Khajiit was no one she recognized, nor were any of the others she saw gathered around her. The thought had crossed Meesei's mind that she might see some of those she knew, but she had not put much consideration into meeting those she did not know. Any lycan from history could be among those in the Hunting Grounds.

While Jerrick and Vera were taking their time together, several of the other lycans finally approached Meesei's pack. The Khajiit was still the most prominent among them, but it was a Dunmer man who stepped the closest, and finally spoke. "So, today is finally the day we meet the successor." He remarked.

"The successor." Meesei repeated, crossing her arms as she looked the Dunmer over. Unlike the Khajiit, there was nothing outwardly remarkable about him, but Meesei gathered enough from the context to understand who he was. "I can assume you are referring to me. And so were you all bearers of Hircine's Ring."

The Dunmer gave a light shrug. "Hmm, not all. Some of us did not bear the Ring itself, some never held the title of Champion in life, but we have all been champions of our lord Hircine. And so, you are our successor. You, all of your pack, have the great challenge of holding the respect you have earned among the living, and extending it to those souls who have the greatest champions of Hircine in history to compare you to. Hmm, I suppose I can just wish you all luck. I am hardly in any position to doubt you; all I managed to do as Champion was to be killed by an Orc. At least, that's what anyone else here will tell you."
Falul 'Taham - Briefing Room





Falul had given his offer to the Humans, and a generous one at that. Though, as much as it frustrated him, he could see that they were not as efficient in their decision-making as he was. They had, a few times, referenced their own shipmaster and implied he was not among those present, which meant they were envoys who would have to relay their knowledge and opinions to their superior. It was an inconvenience, but not something he could not tolerate. For now, Falul had more he could do.

The mercenary had approached Falul, and seeing as he did not yet believe her to be beneath his attention, he did at least acknowledge her questions. "You may begin by demonstrating some measure of patience, mercenary. I do not have a task for you, but if this problem of returning to our home universes requires more than we have aboard our ships, that may change. Should I have need of you, then I would pay you as I pay my Kig-Yar: weapons and technology. If it is true that we are from different universes, then what I offer is technology entirely alien to your reality. I am sure you can find some value to that."
Falul 'Taham - Briefing Room





Falul softly growled to himself. Of course there would be questions. He at least partially agreed with the female, if only so he would not need to answer the questions himself. However, practically speaking, it would be better for him to simply give the basic answers they needed right away, especially as it pertained to the nature of the privileges he was giving them. "The ship's spirit, the Humans of my universe would call it an...artificial intelligence. A thinking machine. The spirit of my vessel is of Human design. An artisan-engineer is a master of the design patterns for our weapons and technology. And a Huragok is a creation of the Forerunners. Imbued with some of their knowledge, they bear the legacy of the Forerunners' technological prowess. A Huragok should be able to understand your simple devices without effort."

Even after answering McKay's questions one after another, Falul realized his answers were incomplete. They had no notion of what his universe was like, nor the civilizations within it. However, Falul did not want to waste his time with more explanations than he needed to, as long as the Humans were satisfied with his answers. "However, any of your research with one of my Huragoks must be carried out on my ship. On no circumstance shall I ever allow a Huragok to leave my vessel."
Falul 'Taham - Briefing Room





"Hmph, your accomplishments may be impressive...depending upon the strength of your enemies. But there is no purpose to weaving stories about a universe I have never seen. In the end, only action matters." Falul replied. He was not sure if the answers the Humans gave were just stories, but he had seen at least some degree of evidence that the Humans possessed some knowledge of science that would be helpful. Ultimately, that was all he needed right now. Their ability as warriors was secondary.

Falul nodded his head to McKay. "I will grant you all of the information my vessel's sensors collected when we were pulled to this place. The Immaculate Aegis is a military vessel, but there is an artisan-engineer and a scientist aboard you may collaborate with. I shall also grant you permission to employ the assistance of my vessel's spirit and, if necessary, a Huragok. As you are not of my universe, I will inform you that these are exceptional privileges that no Sangheili commander would grant lightly. But, these are...exceptional circumstances."
Falul 'Taham - Briefing Room





If there was anything in common between Falul and Ronan, it was that they were equally as unfazed by one another. Falul was familiar enough with Humans to recognize their aggression, or defensiveness, in this case. Falul's only direct reaction to either Teyla or Ronan was a quick snarl, though it was not completely clear at whom it was directed, if anyone. He simply continued with what he had to say, regardless of any threats or diplomacy.

"You are not the Humans I know, not the ones that have earned their alliance with my people. Yet, I wonder, do you still have anything close to the same traits as them? Do you have the same tenacity and cleverness that allowed them to stave off their extinction at the hands of a superior foe? Would you be worthy of the same alliance? If so, I might extend my...cooperation to you." Falul began, seeming at first to be speaking to the whole of the group. Although, his focus did soon return to McKay. "You spoke as if you understand what has transpired, at least moreso than most. Are you competent as a...scientist? Are you capable of providing a solution to bring us back to our homes?"
Falul 'Taham - Briefing Room





While it was perhaps an uneasy accord, Falul did seem to have an understanding with Erthos. So as long as the Supreme Commander did not attempt to force Falul unnecessarily into his war, they could cooperate. Falul could recognize the limits of himself and his crew, and he did not think it likely that he would be able to get back to his home universe alone. With any luck, at least most of the other factions would come to the same realization that cooperation served their mutual advantage. Falul, of course, did not fully trust any of them, but he did, by this point, believe that most of them did not particularly trust one another either. If nothing else, that fact lessened the likelihood of conspiracy.

Since Falul had attended the meeting personally, he did not have to deal with the inconvenience of conferring with a superior, like some of these other envoys. For the Immaculate Aegis, the decision was made, and Falul was free to take his next steps. He had taken notice of the one who called herself a bounty hunter. Though not as familiar with that term, she did make it obvious that she was a mercenary. Several of the other military commanders present seemed to scoff at the idea, but Falul was perfectly accustomed to dealing with them. Every Kig-Yar on his ship was a mercenary. As long as it was a worthwhile trade, he could pay for a warrior's service. After Erthos started to leave, Falul stood up and looked down at the armored Human. Or at least, she looked like she was likely Human. "Not all trust purchased loyalty, but I am used to dealing with your kind, mercenary. If you can actually prove yourself worth hiring, you may yet have your...employer." He commented to her.

However, before they could have a chance to leave, Falul made sure to turn his attention to another of the groups of Humans: those who represented the vessel Daedalus. Given all this meeting had taught him, he had reason to speak with them. "And you, Humans." Falul announced loudly enough to be sure his words were not missed as he approached them, now even more obviously focused on McKay than before. Especially considering that he was still sitting, Falul completely towered over him. "I would speak with you."
This is just a copy/paste of the character I intend to use. I'll doubtless need to edit some things.

Meesei had not anticipated being greeted so quickly, though she supposed it did make some sense. Hircine would have had control over where the portal arrived, and any lycan souls he wished to dedicate to the invasion would have needed to be in approximately the right location. Though, she wondered if it had just been chance that Jerrick had been in just the right place, or if he had earned the privilege of being among the first to meet them?

When summoned from another plane, souls on Tamriel appeared ethereal, and were not always entirely corporeal. However, being in a plane of Oblivion was another matter entirely. Jerrick's body, and those of any of the other lycan souls around them, were just as "real" as those of Meesei's pack. There was much that Meesei, Ahnasha, and likely some of the others would have like to say, but in this instance, Jerrick and Vera deserved their moment together.

Among the other lycans present, they too were allowing Jerrick his chance to reunite with his wife, though the majority of their focus was upon Meesei. Several stepped closer, though not in a manner that seemed threatening, but rather more curious. A werevulture flew down from one of the trees and landed nearby, quickly shifting into the form of a Bosmer. It seemed like a physical transformation, but was almost effortless, even moreso than Meesei's transformations with the Ring of Hircine. That did not necessarily imply perfect control over the mind of the beast, but rather that transformations themselves were fundamentally different for a lycan spirit. For now, Jerrick was still Meesei's focus, though she did also notice the approach of another lycan she did not recognize. She was a Khajiit woman with mostly black fur. She did not seem to be a different form of Khajiit than Ahnasha, but she had teeth and claws far more ferocious than any Khajiit Meesei had seen before. She still wore furs and hides, but they were well-kept and almost regal in appearance. Most notable was the fact that, as soon as they noticed her, other lycans moved from her path and seemed to bow slightly before her.
Falul 'Taham





While it might become his problem soon, the squabbling between any of the others was not Falul's concern at the moment. The Supreme Commander had given the navigational data, so Falul brought it up on the device that had been given to him, then placed it on the table while he again activated the display on his own holographic device. His ship's readings on the start positions around them had been transferred to his device ahead of the meeting, so he was able to compare the star positions that his people had observed with the charts that Erthos has presented them. Falul's eyes did not have the precision of a computer, but even he could see that the two maps lined up perfectly for their immediate area. And, of course, Erthos' navigational data was far more complete for the rest of the galaxy.

Based on what Falul had seen so far, this was the final piece of evidence that he needed to have his answer. Again, he spoke loudly, and with a voice that demanded attention. "This navigational data appears to be accurate. While it does not prove your word against the Empire, it is sufficient to be evidence that I cannot ignore. I can now believe that this is your universe of origin, which means you have information of direct value to myself, and any of the others here. Your claims about this Galactic Empire...may carry some weight after all."

With only a brief pause, Falul's gaze started to shift between the others in the room. "My only goal is to return to my homeworld, and unless here is someone here hiding secrets, none of us know how. But...there are those here with understanding of this strange occurrence who may be able to find that answer. None among my crew would be able to find this answer alone, but I can provide protection to those who can. If the Supreme Commander's word is true, then the Galactic Empire he so fears will attack us, regardless of our disinterest in their affairs."

With the quick interruption of a low, rumbling growl, Falul's tone grew yet louder, and with no hint of doubt in his conviction. "Any foe that intends to challenge me shall be faced with the wrath of ten thousand of my warriors. Any ship of this 'Empire' that challenges the Immaculate Aegis shall be cleansed by the fires of its fury. And if there are any here so foolish as to deny my protection, then you may leave without harm, while the rest of us get to work." Falul's eyes, after a moment, again focused solely on Erthos. "But know this, Supreme Commander: while it serves our mutual advantage, I will fight the Galactic Empire in the defense of any who agree to cooperate with us, but I am still not here to fight your war."
As they were stepping out of the portal, the first group was already fanning out to check the immediate area. Though, in contrast to some of the others, Meesei was calm, even smiling to a slight degree. The air felt much fresher than the cavern, and as Janius had alluded to, the whole area had a peaceful feeling to it. Meesei did take a moment to simply enjoy it all, though she still did give her input to the conversation. "It is the perfect home for a hunter. Endless forests, meadows, marshlands. Though, you should not mistake its beauty for safety. The Hunting Grounds are filled with both swift and sporting prey, and dangerous predators against which skilled hunters can test themselves. But, for all of us entering his realm here, Hircine has extended his protection. None of the creatures of his realm will harm us, so as long as we do not stray too far from the portal."

Sabine's attempt at detection might have bore results, had she used a spell to detect the dead. However, those that were awaiting their arrival did not delay long before revealing themselves. Stepping out into plain view from the forest were several beings, both man and beast alike. Some were werewolves, others in the forms of men and mer. All of them looked just as physical and "real" as any member of Meesei's pack, but they also all possessed a distinct magical aura around them that could be plainly seen with just the naked eye. They were lycan spirits. Meesei wondered briefly why they, specifically, might be the ones to greet them, but those thoughts were all pushed away when she saw one man that stood out to her above the rest. "Vera, you...may wish to come over here." Meesei announced. The man was a Redguard, wearing furs and other trophies presumably from his kills, and with a face that all of them would recognize. It was the first alpha to the Bruma clan: Jerrick.

Meesei had known this was possible. All of her pack would have known, even if they did not put much thought to it. The Hunting Grounds were the home for the souls of lycan dead, and not all those they had lost over the years had been claimed by the soul-tearing gas. They could well meet anyone they had once known. "Jerrick, I..." Meesei began, though as much as she wanted to smile in her greeting, she could not help but to lower her head and show a hint of shame. "I am sorry. I failed to protect you."
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