[ ooc: Kel has a IOTA symbiote to enhance her physical capabilities. For any assumed CR, Kel adjusted very poorly to having other people in her head, and she's often at odds in what she's expressing physical to what she's thinking and feeling. She isn't sure how she likes the collective, it's not something she's ever encountered before, because she doesn't really see a need to understand only to accept the outcome. She's very determined about doing as she's told and never complaining whatever the work, she'll always accept and make sure her task is done. She's also 100% uncompromising about her morals, stick in the mud. Got a bad habit of getting far too invested in her missions, especially when they concern saving someone. ]
I.
[ She's frowning over the briefing, eyes flicking over the words quickly. A finger tapping at the side of her thigh where she's sat reading it, slight indications of mood as she finishes it off and flicks the papers down again. There's a ripple of sheer displeasure at what she reads. Curls her from the inside out, sets something firm. ] They're heartless.
[ Straightens it out though, as her back goes straight and eyes go up to stand up, nodding her head to said commander in acknowledgment and acceptance of the mission, and turns to go with the others milling out of the room. Turning briefly to whoever might be beside her. ] Are you going to see the ships? I'll come with you.
[ It'll be good to see what they're working with before they head off in them. Standard preparation, but she's got a particular stiffness about seeing this through. ]
II. a
[ It's times like this, that the extra strength comes in handy. She's looking over the panels, and she can understand most of them these days but she's no where near the levels some of the ROTA symbiote enhanced are at adapting quickly or reading situations are these days, but she's not exactly here right now to be clever. She's here to buy time. She looks around once more, at whoever might be beside her, and shrugs. Then she unslung the long pole arm from her back, settling it into a grip to drive down. They hadn't said how to stall for time, just the more it, the better. Nothing for it, then? Breaking it seemed like a good enough plan.
So she turns to whoever is closest, gesturing to the wires and the cooling vents. ] Shall we?
II. b
[ The place is a maze of tunnels, platforms, small control rooms, and larger open floors, and for the most part, the railings help when they step over the pits of lava, open and gaping through metal grids, keeps the worst of the prickling feeling back. She manages just fine, and it's been years, she tells herself, she had climbed Balinor's needle and a dozen other things besides that, since she'd gotten her symbiote. Having the other mental connections helped, not her only option and could manage it by herself but it's... nothing she would turn down, when she makes the mistake of looking down as she walks between two elevated points. It's instant, and feels the small oh no in her mind as her head seems to turn over itself and her stomach drops through her feet. She can feel the metal grate under her feet, looking to it for reassurance but it's not helping as much as she'd like. The heat comes like a solid wall, prickling the back of her neck, her forehead with sweat. She sucks in a brief breath trying to get her head working again, but for a second, she's transfixed by the height.
How high up are they, asks the morbid voice. Had to be a few hundred feet, maybe a thousand. What if the metal melted through, or the destabilization of the planet caused it to tip and she went over the edge? Would her skin sear first, or would her body catch on one of the jagged rocks? Her vision swims a moment as without wanting to, she thinks on it. The thoughts are loud, clambering over the top of saner ones that she clings to as she forces one foot in front of the other. She can work through it, keep moving so she's not just stuck like she used to be when she was younger.
It's hard to pry it out by herself though - but she's not alone in her head these days. So it comes out with a prickling edge. She needs to hear something else right now, other than her own mind. It's not the first time it's happened, and it's where she relies hardest on this -- connection. ]
Anyone? Update? [ Garbled perhaps by distance, and the rush of unbidden vertigo she can't help, but she's not too fussed at the moment who responds to her. Distraction in conversation, or a calmer mind to brace against. ]
III.
[ She settles into somewhere local in the intermediate waiting time. Starts out sitting at somewhere to eat. Nursing a drink, dragging it over a period of time, but it's probably nostalgia that she ends up feeding the strange dragonbirds. She misses her sparrows, for more than just their intelligence and use as sentries, missed the mornings where they'd burrow into the warm spot in her bed when she crawled out of it. So it's a nice reprieve in between the work. Getting something that passed for jerky, and flung it to them, until she's got a few of them around her feet at a park bench. They squabble, and she fusses after them for it, after all, what was this to a griffon? Doesn't mind getting her hands midst them when they go to bite at each other. Snatching the piece that two of the dragonbirds were fighting over and easily rips it two, tossing one each way between them. ] There is more than enough, share.
[ Treats them like they can hear her just fine. Another old habit. Feel free to join her on her bench. ]
IV. WILDCARD [ Toss whatever you feel like at me! Kel will be keeping her nose down to her work and mingling. If you're unsure, feel free to PM me on this account! ]
Keladry of Mindelan | Tortall Series
I.
II. a
II. b
III.
IV. WILDCARD
[ Toss whatever you feel like at me! Kel will be keeping her nose down to her work and mingling. If you're unsure, feel free to PM me on this account! ]