"Only the corrupt ones, and you'll have to do the rounding up."

Daniel finds something to lean on, taking a moment before opening his mouth.

"So... I've got... Mixed news."

He coughs.

"Set Beckons proved co-operative before passing out. The agreement is he will help cut the boundary between this universe and the next to bring Death there. We should get him more agreeable lodging when we get back."

A pause.

"...Then there's Sondok. We avoided coming to blows over the use of Malfeas's shards by agreeing to consult Michael about it. Then it became apparent we're both stuck here for the time being, so there was a slight misunderstanding and now I'm due for a date in..."

He checks the time to finish the sentence, not least to avoid looking the captain in the eye.

Ten minutes.

"Wat."

"...Ten minutes. So if you've got any pointers on how not to make this a catastrophe, I'm all ears."

He cautiously raises his eyes from the watch.

"And I might need a change of clothes too."

A First Circle Demon shouldn't look this terrifying.  A vein throbs on her forehead.

"You know what, yes, I have a pointer, cancel the date, slit your own throat, she might enjoy that,"  Her harp takes a discordant note, "By Homer and Aeneas, have you ever gone on a date?  Shower, wear the nicest things you have- and no, I don't have any TAILOR MADE FUCKING SUITS for you in my quarters- read your date, don't talk about work, maybe watch a planet crack in half or something?"

A knee-jerk reaction of anger wells within Lucifer, but he manages to mostly subdue it. He willfully unclenches his jaw and takes a breath.

"I probably deserved that. But to answer your question: No, I have never gone on a date. Especially not with a Demon of the Second Circle."

He swipes under his nose with the back of his hand, meeting the demon Captain's gaze with a look that's at once too proud to back down and fully aware he's in over his head.

"Look, I'm well aware this is exactly what you warned me not to do. In my defense, I didn't exactly mean for this to happen. If you want to say 'I told you so' and steer clear of the whole mess, I won't blame you. But you told me you wished me to regard you as a friend, and one thing I've come to know about friendship is that an integral part of it is being able to rely on someone when you've fucked up and have no right to demand their help."

He shakes his head, mind racing on how the hell he was going to make himself presentable in ten minutes. What escapes his mouth is a stream of consciousness.

"What you've said implies I should approach this like any other date. So... Wait. I think I've got the clothing issue down. Ritual of Elemental Empowerment should shift these rags into whatever I need. Still need a shower. A gift, maybe? I just used up all the good parts from the mess I made, though..."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:41, Thu 12 Apr 2018.

"Sorry I snapped, I just- Malfeas, Sondok of all people?  Sondok?  I was joking about that." If she could rub her temples she would, so instead she tries playing a more soothing tune.  "Look, I have no idea.  I mean, she gets off on violence and war but she had a mortal lover at least once, so it's possible, and the mortal sorcerers tend not to be big on force of arms.  So there's gotta be some chink in her armor.  Quick, we still have time.  How, exactly, did you end up asking her on a date?"

"I'm not quite convinced I explicitly did, to be honest. Like I said we decided to go consult Core on ways to use the Malfeas shards I've collected, but due to interference - what I in hindsight surmise to be the anti-warp field - it became apparent she's stuck here for a while, just like I'm more or less idle till we get back. So I asked her what she does to pass the time, to which she - for reasons unknown - answered by asking if someone put me up to asking her on a date. And followed immediately by asking for an hour to prepare."

It takes him a little moment to try and retrace his train of thought.

"I was... taken by surprise, and I suppose I thought of our earlier conversation, remarking that it was actually me who used the word originally, and that we did just establish we had time to spare. And then she was gone."

He glances around, simultaneously trying to be aware of the time and not let its shortage get to him.

"So... Yeah. I can do the change of clothes - although now I'm suffering from variety of options - and I just got an idea for a gift, but I'm stumped on the shower. Got one nearby? I did get the impression she expects cleanliness."

"I have one through there,"  She nods towards the back of her chambers; he sees a door waver into view.  "So, it's stopping all sorts of teleportation, not just FTL.  Interesting.  We'll have to let the motonic scientists know about this.  Now go, go, go shower and clean up!"

The shower is much larger than it should be, a deep walk-in pool with areas for steam cleaning and clean marble.  It'd be a great place to relax if he wasn't already running low on time.  Hell, he's barely in the place before there's a booming knock on the Captain's door.

Relaxation had never been his strong suit, but at this moment it was more of an advantage - he'd never been one to spend long in the shower.

Combining cleaning up and dressing himself, Daniel practically dives into the pool and starts chanting the Ritual of Elemental Empowerment: Water. As his weathered clothing tears, shifts and roils around him in the scented waters, the wet rags dance on his skin and clean him up like a makeshift car wash.

Very quickly he's able to step out and finish the spell, causing the whirlwind of wet rags to squeeze themselves dry and shift into a smart casual suit around him. It was the nicest getup he could reliably visualize at the moment. Some last remaining strips of fabric swirl through his hair, drying it before tying themselves into a knot for a ponytail.

It's much faster than most would expect, but would it be fast enough?

He steps out of the shower to find Sondok and the Captain sharing a cup of tea in quiet, tense silence.  If anything it's like a young man sitting with his prom date's father, waiting for his girlfriend to finally finish getting ready.

Sondok, for her part, has done her hair into a long, ropy braid, put on a long black dress with a slit up to the right thigh, and has made her lips redder than usual.  All in all she's rather fetching, if not for the fact that she's still got that giant axe slung across her back and her sword's strapped to her right leg.

"Ah good.  You are prepared."

The Captain's eyes either say "Help me" or "Well you're fucked now".
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:47, Tue 17 Apr 2018.

Turns out Daniel's little Disney princess moment in the bath wasn't the end of it. He's reminded of a moment on Earth discussing the interpretation of the Morning Star as Venus. Eh, as always, he apparently wasn't capable of half-measures even in stepping out of his comfort zone.

He arcs a look between the two demons, seeing a rather lopsided version of the stern father - nervous suitor dynamic and reading both meanings in Magdeldrigal's eyes at once. He does linger on Sondok quite a bit longer, though. Most might find the giant armaments clashing with the rest, but for Daniel it'd be much harder to imagine her without them. The lack of armor was quite different enough.

Walking up to Sondok, having no idea what would be an appropriate greeting, he ends up giving something between a nod and a bow.

"As best I can. You look exquisite."

He offers a hand to help her stand, surprisingly free of trembling or perspiration. Mind over matter.

"Yes, I am."  She stands up herself- such niceties might be a bit much for a warrior-demoness.  Captain Magdeldrigal clears her throat.  Sondok clears her own throat and takes Daniel's hand.  Her palm feels calloused and rough.  "You also look- powerful."

"Well, isn't this nice.  You two have fun,"  The Captain tells them, starting to shoo them out of the room.  "Please let me know before you decide to blow anything up!"

Sondok takes the initiative and walks them out of the hallway.  She turns to look up at Daniel.  Black, inky eyes stare penetratingly at him. "I have been told that traditionally you are to dictate the pace of this date.  I was also told to wear gloves but I wouldn't be able to swing my axe as well."

Daniel's masculinity isn't fragile enough to be threatened by Sondok taking his hand and leading him, so he follows nicely. His grip is firm but not overly rigid. His hands certainly aren't the softest either, having been broken, cut, burned and who knows what else many times over, but it seems he's in similar company.

He meets the demoness's gaze, staring back at the glimmering void. It was actually less awkward than looking a human in the eye, you could just focus on the starlets that seemed to be set much deeper than they could be.

As she speaks, Daniel's gaze drifts to Sondok's hands and the massive axe slung on her back.

"You expect to swing your axe on this date?"

He tilts his head slightly, more curious than alarmed.

"As part of the planned program, or because it's unlikely to actually have more than a fleeting moment of peace? Because I'm prepared for either."

A curiousity sets in, then.

"I think you made the right choice. As for tradition, what you've been told is true enough but I haven't been a stickler to it for quite some time now so don't feel you need to restrict yourself because of it. I'm curious, though: who did you find to consult with about the subject here?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Tue 17 Apr 2018.

"I can never not be armed." Sondok tells him, "My axe will always be within reach of my hand, no matter what.  It's as much a part of me as Biryu was, or my sword, or the doors I guard."

She walks along with him, aimlessly moving through the Jagganathika's halls.  It's eerily quiet, almost abandoned.  More likely than not the other demons know not to get in their way.

"There're only two human women on board the Jagganathika.  One's a Lunar, the other a Sidereal.  I asked the Sidereal," Sondok tells him matter-of-factly, "I've never gotten good information from a Sidereal, but I've always gotten horrible advice from Lunars.  I could've perhaps asked Smoker, but he is very protective of you.  Demons don't date.  Courtship tends to be bloody, intricate, or quick- pick two."

"I'm aware that being armed is only natural - I would feel deeply concerned if you didn't have your panoply along. What I meant is whether by forgoing the gloves you're merely being prepared for surprises or intending to fight of your own initiative."

Not knowing too much about Jagganathika's layout or features, Daniel decides to start leading the way toward the hangar. A giant window to space should be easier on the eyes than the warped architecture of the ship.

"Smoker would probably just have advised you to bring along some pocket sand. I think you made a reasonable choice, although I wasn't aware of a Sidereal woman on the ship."

He stops for a moment at an intersection. Did it look like this before? This ship and its alien design...

His gaze quickly wanders back to Sondok and he decides to forge onward to the best of his memory. What's the worst that could happen?

"My usual approach would be quick and bloody, but I believe both of us are treading unfamiliar ground here. Here's to shuffling the coil of tradition."

"Perhaps not the best way to put it, given our opponents.  Shuffling of coils."  She remarks to him.  She seems to have the same idea, at least.  It's unclear what metaphysical connection a demoness of doorways has with the stars, but she certainly has one, and she at least knows the layout.  He's not so much guided as roughly nudged in various directions at various intersections.  "You were unaware?  Of course you were.  The Sidereals are not easy for most to track.  Secrets is here, no doubt to watch over these proceedings for posterity's sake."

She glances up at him again as she all but bullrushes him to the left of another twisting, dank hallway, "We could fight, if you'd like.  The spilling of blood is good for the rising of it."

"I think it's good to reappropriate some of the terms normally associated with the enemy, actually. Death and entropy are not our enemies, after all - the Neverborn are. And despite the latter's mastery over the former, there is a meaningful difference between them."

Daniel accepts the guidance, rough as it may be, without much fuss.

"True enough, I'd imagine she'd want to be here for an event like this. No doubt she's had a hand in the field's design."

He glances down to the demoness, then her armaments, then recalls the condition of Manifest Destiny. Not that he was _that_ dependent of it.

"I'm not opposed to the idea if it's something you'd find appropriate for the occasion. If we do I would suggest we do it after the mission is finished, though. A battle worthy of us would eat enough energy and scenery to cause disruption."

"It depends.  I've seen human movies, that Mr. and Mrs. Smith movie was a favorite of mine.  But you're right.  We may need the energy in case there's a problem."

They reach the hangar, but Sondok is evidently displeased with the view, because she immediately grabs him by the arm and leads up him up a stairwell to the observation deck.  This is much more quiet and secure, with a second level that looks outside the hangar. She takes him there and then drops his arm, walks up to the glass, her nose almost touching it.

They can see ONYX SPIRE in the center of the starfield, a small black angry worldlet.  The faint red dot on one of the largest buildings must be the Konnidan.

"They are close."

"Haven't seen that one, but I've heard of it. The premise of a significant other working for an enemy..."

Sondok's sudden change of direction disrupts his sentence at an opportune time, as he has no idea how he should've continued it. He willfully discards that train of thought and leaves the sentence hanging. Not the best thing to think about right now.

As they reach the observation deck, Daniel tilts his head with an approving expression. Somehow he hadn't registered its existence earlier - probably because of the ship's alien architecture.

He steps near the glass next to Sondok, gaze wandering from a few wrecks he was pretty sure he'd caused to ONYX SPIRE.

"They are."

He shifts his weight from one leg to the other, a sudden wave of unease washing over him. What was going on in there?

"It's... unfamiliar for me to observe rather than participate. What if..."

What if there were complications - hell, of course there would be complications - and he was watching idly from afar as his comrades were dying? He should-

"...No. For now, watching is the best I can do.", he reasons, not least to himself.

"No, I meant the fighting that leads farther." She steps away from the glass, "I can feel the doors in there.  Closed, artificially, warded against me in particular.  How interesting."  She turns back towards him, "But we're not here to stare at the enemy any more, are we?"

She stares at him, eyes staring almost through his.

"We should have drinks."

Sondok's gaze was felt more than seen, Someone with a functioning self-preservation instinct would probably find it disconcertingly intimidating.

"That's strange. Perhaps the wards they've put in place to cage Sigereth also apply against you? Or they've upped their security at important sites since Stone Place."

Daniel's eyes are inexorably drawn to the demon's. He responds with a less overt but nonetheless intense, uncowed look.

"We are not. There's definitely better things available to lay one's eyes on."

His brow quirks momentarily at the mention of drinks, but then he tilts his head in a 'eh, why not' gesture.

"Sure. Any idea where to find some? It's my first visit to the ship and you may have noticed I have... some difficulty discerning its design."

"No.  We're too different in form and function.  But this isn't the first time- I'm sure most of their doors are warded against myself after Stone Place." She gets both a smirk and a haunted expression in those black eyes:  a good fight, but a horrible wound, something to celebrate and mourn simultaneously.  "Oh.  Yes, much better things to gaze on.  Servants!  I'd like a drink!  Black whiskey!"

Well, that's one way to ask for drinks.  Sure enough one tomescu passing in the hallway catches Sondok's eye, realizes he's FUCKED, and decides the only way he's surviving is if he gets them some goddamn drinks.

"And yourself, lord?"  The tomescu simpers in Lucifer's direction.  At least he thinks the demon's looking in his direction.  Tomescu are, after all, just floating clouds with weapons sticking out.

It's strange how a roiling mass of weapons could look pitiable. Then again, it wasn't the first time he'd seen one in a pickle. Better not to dwell too long on how the poor cloud arsenal would acquire their orders either.

"Whiskey. Preferably Irish."

"Yes, Lords," It responds obsequiously and bows several times as it backs out of the observation deck.  It closes the door after it, leaving them alone in the mostly barren room.

"It's not a mistake that you can't find your way around the Jagganthika easily.  You are handicapped."  Is she teasing him?  A little smile on her lips says she is, "You're too used to your space, not how demons reckon direction.  In your ships you have floors, ordered in general layers.  Demons prefer spirals, circles, winding passageways that weave in and out.  But you can always find your way with one simple rule:  sensing power.  In this ship, it would normally be the reactor, but you and I are here.  But we've also that field, whatever it is, which has enough to even give me pause.  Power is like a gravity well, and we orient ourselves through it."

There's a momentary frown that quickly transforms into a smirk as the teasing becomes apparent. When you were known as a stonewall, it was easier to surprise people with jests.

"Heh. I suppose I am."

He nestles his jaw between his thumb and index finger as Sondok explains, nodding after a bit of thought.

"So I should orient myself in terms of spiritual gravity rather than physical. Makes sense. But shouldn't our presence or the anti-warp field disorient the demons too, then?"