St.Petersburg, Capital of the Russian Empire. Nov.11th, 1908, 4:32am

 The Hostel was on the outskirts of town. Here in the dead of winter, the cold rushed to meet them as snow almost continually fell outside. All their gear was on the train, but it hadn't yet reached St.Petersburg and wouldn't until later in the morning. Not even the light of the morning sun could be seen yet, but within the stable at the Hostel, light began to grow once again between the five after they'd got a few hours of rest...

 First culminating with the young Asian man again. Then each other person, the slivers began to stream power into the glowing ball forming before Nic...Now it seemed different though, the enemy was gone, he had to think of some other way to channel the energy they were giving him. It was then that the tuning fork sound began to crescendo within Nic's head, and harmonize with the others he could feel. Something was happening...under the skin. Like some sort of unconscious puppetry, Luminary's hands swing around to face the East, and with it some measured sense of peace accompanies it. The light focuses down to a particular directional point as if locating something far beyond their sight and presenting the direction he must travel.

(OOC: Nic roll a psyche feat if you'd like to stop everything. A Yellow result will do it. Cornelius, let me know if you'd like to try diplomatic relations with the slivers too. Talk amongst yourself to give and get permission and if you'd like to discuss a general plan, please!

Characters present: Nic, Cornelius, Helen, Tagusa Cho, Philip and Tanya)

Nic listened to the other man as they spoke of God multiple times, attributing almost everything to God. Nic kept his face impassive as he listened. While he believed in God, he wouldn't call himself religious. And he certainly didn't believe his 'gifts' came from God. Nor that they were gifts.

"My...abilities...came from a piece of a meteorite. And they come with dangers."

He let out a grunt as he felt, more than saw, what was starting up again, and he quickly began stepping outside and away from where the other sliver vessels were. He didn't want to start the 'union' or whatever up again. He tried to mentally 'push' the other slivers away from him, away from each other. He wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing, but he wasn't ready for...whatever it was. Especially if Geo was right.

He wasn't dressed quite as warmly as he needed to be, but at least he was dressed well enough, only a slight shiver running through him for the moment - but they would need fire and warmth soon enough. "We'll need to get somewhere warm soon...and we'll have to split up those...survivors. For now. I don't know if that...Geo person...was right about what would happen, but I'm not currently in a hurry to find out."

11:37, Today: Luminary rolled 48 using 1d100.  Psyche (+40 to roll).
This message was last edited by the player at 01:33, Tue 21 Sept 2021.

The older man kept pace with the younger man for several steps, nodding in agreement at the need to keep the five apart, but casting a concerned glance back at the barn door every so often.

"Nic...  If not respected, Russian cold can kill a healthy man, much less one recently injured.  Have you been here before?  Do you know where you are going?  Can you speak the language?"

"We need to help keep an eye on the others, lest they start trying to follow you out into this cold.  After nearly losing them so few hours ago, we need to help take care of them now."

"Now that we are awake, you and I can work together to prevent you five from all getting too close together, even while keeping in the shelter of the barn."

"Besides... I may be able to get some useful information about these slivers.  If successful, I suspect you might be interested in hearing it...?"

Nic gave a sort of nod and half-shrug to the other man. "Been this way before? Aye." He tapped the small scar on his forehead. "Got a souvenir on that trip as a matter of fact."

But then he shook his head. "I do not speak Russian well. I know bits." He had only stepped a little ways outside the barn so as to be out of close proximity to the others.

He hesitated and then gestured. "By all means, feel free to speak with them. If I speak with them, I will have to talk very firmly about self-discipline and self-control and..." He narrowed his eyes and began walking towards the other, preparing himself to ward off another 'attempt' by the slivers. "Time to get this under control."

The older man led the way back in, and gestured invitingly for Nic to ascend to the barn loft.  This would allow the others to hear, but would hinder them from approaching with Cornelius monitoring the ladder.

Once comfortable, the older man prayed silently for a moment and closed his eyes, grounding himself.

Then he opened his eyes with a piercing empathic gaze toward Nic's sliver.

"'Peace be unto you', Sliver of Nic.  I am Cornelius.  Can you hear me?"

RPoL Dice Roller:

19:34, Today: Outreach rolled 94 using 1d100+40.  Communication with Non-Living Matter: Nic's Sliver +40 Team Karma.

OOC: Yellow result!  Woo hoo!  And so the Q&A sliver-whispering fun begins... :D

 The sliver inside Nic has a feeling of vibrating in his now old wound, not a pleasant feeling but it didn't hurt that much.

 A voice came from within Outreach himself as if he were creating a conversation with himself, but the voice was not his and it sounded strange to both the men's ears and Helen actually gasped from below the loft and nodded her support. "<zzzztttkkkrrrr>....I am able to perceive your sounds Cornelius, peace? Yes, you are an ally to Nic....<zzzztttkkkrrrr>"

Nic stared at the other man in front of him, talking AT him, but not TO him - instead trying to reach out to the meteoric sliver inside of him. He blinked and started a bit when the sliver actually responded to the teleporter. Nic wasn't sure he expected that or not, though it had sort of proven capable of communication in the...attempted joining previously, he supposed.

He waited patiently, trying not to be an ass or fidget or anything, to let the 'talk' play out.