Expendable

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

“Sir, the Captain has made a deal with the aliens. They’re going to help heal the wounded. Personally, I can’t wait to see what happens, but I don’t know my way around the civilians yet. Do they all have masks? Do we just get them out here and see what happens? I could use some help.”

@Catharyn

"I see, Dr Lambert," Jack replied, an irritated look flashing across his face but never reaching his voice. He glanced back at the other department heads. "I was unaware they'd progressed so far in their studies of human anatomy. Did the captain say how soon she'd want this?"

On the one hand, they'd have wounded people returning to duty quickly, less work for the medical department. On the other hand, once the locals knew how to fix humans, they'd also know how to injure and kill them, as well. But humanity had been doing it for millennia, why expect any advantages here?

His cool gaze shifted to the doctor and he gave him a slight nod.

Escape from the Prison Mine

Rizx frowned, touching the paper, studying the layout.

"There was a very fancy house," the goblin theif whispered, "It had a special floor with a bird's name. When you stepped onto the floorboards, they made sounds. I did not enjoy how they 'sang'. We should expect traps like this."

"Are any of you good at climbing?"

~ Welcome to Sanctuary ~

Kat Theodora Clark

---

Location: Festival | Interaction: Open / Nixie @Almalthia

---

Kat could feel the heat in her cheeks flaring.

She's a woman, of course she's going to notice everything.

"This.. is uh, just temporary," she sputters, taking a step back and waving her arms. "I lost my luggage, somebody stole it." And me with it.

Did I miss a tag? Kat smiled as her mind raced. I did, didn't I? Oh god, she thinks I'm homeless and I'm only asking about the forest so I can go sleep there!

"I uh, have a place," Kat insisted. "Well, it's my uncle's place, he's letting me stay there and to look after it for him...."

How fast am I talking? It's too fast, much too fast!

"I don't mind old clothes, I paint! Pictures, not houses, heheh. And you don't have to worry about old clothes...!" Except when you step in a puddle of spilled red paint and there's your bloody footprints in dried paint tracked through the rug and the bed....! And some idiot sells your rug at some art show as 'murder in the bedroom'. Oh god, don't tell her that! She's going to think you're an idiot...!

Too late.

~ Welcome to Sanctuary ~

Kat Theodora Clark

---

Location: Festival | Interaction: Open / Nixie @Almalthia

---

Kat paused, frowning. Was that a forest ranger? And was she armed?

She silently reminded herself that she was Theodora Clark, a struggling artist from Hickory, Virginia, letting it run through her head before finally squaring her shoulders and walking towards Nixie. Unlike the sheriff, this was a woman, she would see more.

"Excuse me," she said, brushing her temple in case there was stray strands of blonde hair there. "Sorry, I'm not much good with crowds, but is there a state park near here? I'm new in town, you see."

State forest meant roads and trails. Lots of hiding places, not that she think she'd need to run, but best to be prepared.

Sanctuary Hills

"Sam! We need towels back here!" Emily yelled from the back.

"Coming!" Sam yelled back, placing the miniaturized chair back on her display. Turning, she headed to housewares and grabbed two stacks of their good seconds towels, those that still had life but were too worn to be firsts. Of course, it would be her job to get them washed, dried, and stacked again.

While both stacks were tall, they weren't too heavy, just hard to see past as she headed down the aisle for the back room. Slipping inside the storeroom, Sam called out, "I got the towels!" as she put them down on the small desk, next to the industrial gold-tan time clock.

Turning towards the loading bay, she groans at the muddy footprints the boys were bringing in.. Wait, was that Georgia helping them?

What, is this your witch scout good deed for the day? Sam sighs, watching the mechanic.

"Emily, I'm going to go across the street for coffee, okay?" It would warm them up some, and faster than setting up the coffee urn. Maybe if she was lucky, they still had some donuts left.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

J'eon the Blacksmith

J'eon frowns, but listens gravely to the long discussion on how the humans measured lengths, volume, temperature, weights. Admittedly, it was confusing at first with all the various items they had to measure with, but once he grasps the central concept, it suddenly seemed so simple.

However, they could also work their curious numbers - not just simple sums, but elaborate arrangements of numbers and symbols that frankly made his head spin! But one thing became clear to him.

"Your ship is all about the numbers, these e-qu-as-tions," the blacksmith said. "Can you work them to make yourself a new ship?"

~ Welcome to Sanctuary ~

Kat smiled as she wandered among the booths, taking in the wares and exhibits behind a pair of sunglasses.

She almost wished she'd brought her camera, but she'd need release forms if she was ever going to sell the pictures. Still, she wore her photographer's vest over a pale blouse and a pair of jeans, it was nice to have something with working pockets.

There was a splash as someone behind her went into the dunk tank, but she didn't see much when she glanced back. Kids were screaming, people talking loud, and generally everyone around her was having a fun time.

Soak it in now, Kat, she thought grimly, If the feds find you, this may be the last moment of freedom you'll have to cherish in your cell.

Still, if nothing else, she was going to get to know this town a little better before this night was through.

Escape from the Prison Mine

"Too much drunk," sighs Rizx softly, swaying on the big man's shoulder, "perhaps?"

The sleeper bomb was a surprise. Hopefully she'd get a chance to learn how it was made. There was still some chance this was a trap.

Already she could hear the guards, laughing and drinking, really enjoying it all.

"More sleep?" she asked.

~ Welcome to Sanctuary ~

Kat Theodora

---

Closing the refrigerator door, Kat sighs, and giggles. "I can't believe I did that."

Her first foray into town, and she actually went up to the chief of police. And its sheriff? Kat pauses, frowning. Could one person be both?

Now that she'd gotten her immediate issue over, it was just the question of what was she going to do for the rest of the afternoon?

"It would be weird if I don't go now, right?" she asked. "Seeing how I just found out about it?"

And just what was a 'night market'?

She pauses, taking a glass from the cupboard and filling it with cold water, then gulping it down thirstily after turning off the tap.

Okay, it wasn't too far, and maybe those other people disliked her shorts or something. There were a couple of dresses, time to see what she could put together.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

J'eon the Blacksmith

"Interesting," J'eon rumbled, feeling the machine taking shape in his head. And a means of hardening the surface of metal while the rest remained pliant? Incredible!

"I am eager to get started, once I have the materials," the Glen beamed, although he wondered what a 'paddle wheel' was, as the image that made in his head seemed strange.

He was going to need to set up a proper shop instead of trying to do all this from the work cart, both to control the temperatures as well as to keep away prying eyes. Still, they could get started.

"I need to understand how you measure these?" the blacksmith said, eyeing the odd shapes they used for letters.

---

Jack Mallory, X.O.

"Then do it yourself," Jack responded, staring at Dr. Fortin.

Jack turned his stare at the rest of the department heads.

This was so... damned casual. Some of them were people they had worked with for weeks or months, and yet the attitude here was like they were just going to be burning the trash.

But on the other hand, they couldn't risk possible soil contamination, or having one of the locals dig up the bodies.

"Please pass word that the ceremony will take place at dusk. Crew not on duty and civilians who wish to attend should be there 15 minutes prior. Make sure the ash collection detail have suitable containers for holding the remains, we have no means of milling the ash to break down the bone fragments. Wodan, at what time is dusk?"

Jack paused. What would the natives think of this?