Daniel is silent for a long while as Sondok speaks. He crosses his arms, his gaze wandering from Sondok's stare to nowhere in particular as he ponders. Finally he speaks, his tone signifying he's still formulating his stance on the matter but confident nonetheless.

"It is true I might blur the lines between types of Chosen", he admits, "But it is a new age. Perhaps the only line that matters now is that between the Living and the Dead."

Lucifer is given pause by Sondok's latest words. After a moment he shrugs, though.

"Malfeas's or Sol's power? One could argue neither is mine. The latter was given to me without supplication, the former I've ripped from the hands of the unworthy. Yet Sol's power belongs with the righteous, and Malfeas's with the wrathful king. Am I not both? Do I not use these powers for purposes that Ignis Divine and the Yozi King would approve of? The power may not be 'mine', but it is mine to wield and inseparable from me so the difference is philosophical. And yet, were I not me, would these powers ever have come together? There is more to me than an amalgamation of Sol and Malfeas, the man I was before who still remains at the core."

There's a definite ardor to his words, but it is more than blind dogma from a zealot. After the fall of Sol he'd had to toil over the matter quite a bit.

"But yes, there is potential for much that was thought impossible before, and now that goes for the enemy as well. For better and for worse."

"Sol's power is yours.  Take heart.  If he didn't want you to have that, then you wouldn't have had it."  She answers him, "And it is true you spoke to my Lord within the heart of a star.  I can still see the marks of His fingertips on your neck.  But that doesn't mean He would have wanted you to take that unto yourself when there are alternatives."

Sondok steps towards him, "Touch Me and grant me the fragments of His power.  I am one of his last Souls.  His fragments belong to Me.  They are a part of Me.  I long to be reunited with them."

There's a faint... awkwardness on Daniel's face at the mention of Sol's power. Not embarrassment, but rather knowing what he's about to say could be misconstrued easily. Well, not like Sondok was exactly the icon of tactfulness either.

"Whether or not I deserve my power, or if it even belongs to me in the first place, is secondary to me. What matters is that it's used as well as possible for the cause of the Living."

As Sondok steps closer, he inhales deeply and crosses his arms, meeting the imposing demoness's gaze firmly.

"Your request is well-founded. Your claim to your progenitor's remains is legitimate. You are among the foremost warriors of the Living and I see your sacrifices and losses weighing on you. Yet I will not hand the shards over just yet."

He sighs heavily, shaking his head faintly before resuming eye contact.

"I will not presume what you've done with your time, Sondok, but you have been elusive and I must know the investiture is wise. If, like with my hospital stay, your efforts have merely gone unnoticed, I would hear it - and, once restored, I would have a promise of your active involvement."

"I have been crippled since Stone Place," She tells him, "And My work is... limited... to the policing of the Last Refuge.  There are many spies.  Dark workers.  People who have tried to force the doors of the Neomah ghetto.  But without Biryu I am lesser.  Biryu cannot be restored to me as I am now."

This admission seems to cause her physical pain.  The Deathlord had targeted her dog-soul first at Stone Place.

"Who are you to decide that I am not to have them?  If you do not, I will discuss this with the other demons of the Last Refuge, greater and lesser."

Although he clearly sympathizes for Sondok's loss, Daniel remains firm.

"I am Lucifer, and my task is to do what's best for the Living. I have no doubt you would make good use of Malfeas's power, but would you make the best? You are one of the last worthy inheritors, but you are not the only one. Perhaps Michael could use it for more useful improvements to the Last Refuge, perhaps The Red Queen would use it to make a flagship that turns a critical battle to the favor of the Living."

He uncrosses his arms, spreading them slightly in a conciliatory gesture.

"Know that I have no intention of withholding these shards from their kin for myself, Sondok. So far I've merely been collecting them, knowing their worth but unsure of their ultimate purpose. You have provided a worthy option, but for once I believe I should consider before acting. Perhaps I have enough to fill several needs. Now that the need is made apparent I assure you I will not delay."

Sondok hefts her axe up with an arm, "And I am Sondok, Warden Soul of Ligier, fetich soul of Malfeas.  My job is to guard Ligier and Malfeas as best as I am able.  It seems our tasks are at cross purposes."  Her face twitches, "Does Core know?"

"I have not yet brought the matter up with him but I wouldn't be surprised if he knew regardless. My intent is to contact him as soon as I get the opportunity and get his input on the matter."

Daniel glances at Sondok's hefted axe before returning to face her.

"Or do you not consider him suitable to have a say in the matter?"

"... He may have a better say than either of us."  Sondok admits, lowering her axe, "More than either of us combined, in actuality.  I would still prefer to be there during the conversation."

Daniel nods.

”I’m glad you understand. Of course you may join. We could try reaching him right away if you’d like - this ship should have the necessary equipment somewhere - or if you prefer I can summon you when I get in touch with him. Should be when I get back to my quarters in the Last Refuge at the latest.”
This message was last edited by the player at 00:44, Tue 06 Mar 2018.

"When you reach the Last Refuge.  Core is too busy to take our calls about these matters.  But I am always by his side,  one way or another, even if he doesn't know it." She tells him, "And I had considerable difficulty reaching this doorway.  Space here is... wrong.  I may not have the energy to return to the Last Refuge as we are now."

"We seem to have different views about Core's priorities or capabilities, but as you wish. So you'll accompany me to the Last Refuge the old-fashioned way?"

"That may be necessary.  I don't know why it took so much Essence.  I don't feel I have enough in My weakened state."  She turns to look at the doorway behind her.  "I think I may be missing quite a bit within the Last Refuge.  I will be upset if anything happens to My charges while I am missing."

Daniel has a momentary troubled expression as the discussion he'd had with Captain Magdeldrigal mere moments ago plays back in his head. Well, teaching was the best way to learn, wasn't it?

"My first guess would've been the unnatural geometry of this place, but I don't think demonic architecture should be a hindrance to you. It could have to do with the Abyssal onboard, as he demonstrated aptitude in Sorcery - or Necromancy, more likely. Nonetheless, if you expended what little you have left to return now, you would risk being unable to perform your duty regardless - and be vulnerable to assassination."

He shrugs faintly.

"For now it seems you only really have one choice. Preserving yourself is part of your duty. We will depart for the Last Refuge and contact Michael as soon as we can."

"And how soon is that?"  Sondok asks, "I recognize this as the Jagganathika, but what are we doing out in these wastes?  Aside from catching Abyssals."

"As soon as the mission's done. This is some sort of factory complex of the Dead, run by rogue Dragon-Blooded calling themselves the Immaculate Order. They have demonstrably made some significant breakthroughs and Jess, who was sent to investigate, went MIA, so we warped in and..."

There's a moment of realization.

"...Put up an experimental field to prevent reinforcements from warping in. On second thought, that must be what caused your difficulty as well."

He sighs. "We should be able to confirm that soon enough. We destroyed their fleet but the complex itself is still being infiltrated by a few Exodites and an undercover Lyla. The difficulty is in Sigereth - who has apparently been bound as a protector to the facility - being instructed to blow the entire complex up if Pre-Exodites are detected within the premises."

"Sigereth.  The Player of Games."  The disdain practically drips from Sondok's voice- she isn't one for games.  "A good thing you have that field, then.  I have no doubt she has hundreds of ships lying in reserve- but even she couldn't have foreseen a way to completely stop a warp.  But she is no friend to the Dead.  She must have written in dozens of small loopholes, or has been adjusting for their presence within this facility in a way to fulfill her binding as well as assist them.  To her, a binding is a game to be played."

"No doubt. Let's hope it works in our favor. Maybe she'll even be able to be freed and join us. Got anything specific in mind the infiltration team would benefit from knowing?"

He glances to the corridor.

"So, now that we're here I guess we should find something to pass the time."

"No, nothing specific.  Outside of the fact that her baidak are only part of her arsenal, and attacking her will lead to her army counterattacking from her soul.  But that's it." Sondok gives the barest of shrugs, "... I take it you have a suggestion."

Daniel shrugs back. "You already heard all the suggestions I had. I would ask what you do to pass the time, but I'm told the answer is solitary stargazing. Not like my ways are much more interesting most of the time."

"... Did they tell you to take me on a... date?"  Her eyes narrow, "This is hardly the appropriate time.  At least give Me an hour to prepare."

"It was actually my choice of words, but-"

>ERROR: Daniel.exe has encountered an unexpected error and must be rebooted

For once, Daniel is well and truly unprepared and spends a few moments processing what exactly happened here. He blinks, then blinks again, then opens his mouth along with a finger raised in confusion, then retracts it and finally takes a deep breath.

"...Well, we've established we have time to spare whether we like it or not."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Tue 13 Mar 2018.

"Then it is acceptable.  Good.  You will meet Me here in one hour.  Dress appropriately.  The blood spatters are quite chic but unnecessary."

Sondok disappears with a faint clap of green light.

((Learning to figure out wtf he got himself into: 24+15+10 = 49)

Daniel frowns, unsure what exactly he'd gotten into and how. It was somehow more daunting than any battle, though.

...What exactly was the demon idea of a date anyway? What was appropriate attire for such an occasion? Black hooded robes? He spends a few moments contemplating whether he should just launch himself from the airlock instead.

He quickly reaches the point where he needs to do something else, though. So after a few glances around in hopes that nobody caught their conversation, he shakes his head and heads for Set Beckons' cell.

((Difficulty:  50))

Daniel has no.  Goddamned.  Clue.  By all accounts, Sondok is famous for eschewing this sort of stuff.  This is new, uncharted territory, especially since what little he does know about the more martial demon reproduction is that it involves a dozen participants, swords, and a pit of blood.

The cell opens to his touch.  The door is afraid of him.  Inside he finds the Abyssal suspended by hundreds of taut brass and copper chains, splaying him out like a gutted fish.  The Abyssal has seen better days.  The armor ripped off of his body has torn off vast chunks of his flesh.  If he was a mortal, he'd have long died of blood loss.

Set Beckons is conscious.  Barely.  One eye is a swollen mass of black tissue, but the other stares at him with a surprisingly green pupil.  He gives Lucifer a painful nod.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:55, Sat 17 Mar 2018.

Well, this was a much less unfamiliar sight.

Daniel pans his gaze through the demons' work before meeting Set Beckons's stare and returning the nod.

"I'm not here to waste either of our time. Give me something useful - prison ship locations, for instance - and I'll have you relocated to a more humane prison. Or don't, and what you've experienced will be but a prelude of things to come."

((Inspire to interrogate: 29+20+10 = 59
Float 3-3 ))