Backdated to Jan 29

Yesterday, Tahi-shei had awoken from chrysalis -- the fight with the dragonbats had left no mark on his body except a much fresher and pinker scar on his chest from where the stone had protruded, but he held internal scars that he'd carry for a long time. He was hyper-vigilant now, moreso than he had been.

He'd spent a bit of time to recuperate with James; he'd spent a little bit of time stretching his legs, eating something, reassuring himself that everything was alright. Now, it was time to face the Master. He recalled vividly the last time he had walked up to Draco -- the Sentinel was still out, at least at the moment. Tahi-shei took a breath and stepped over the Aperture himself.

"Master Vargas?" he called, hearing the uncanny way the walls swallowed his echo. "Are you here? I've, ah-- come to deliver a report." If only Vargas had been carrying fungus or something--! As it were, the only spores in Draco were ones that had been tracked or blown in from Pegasus and Tunnel G. Nothing new here except Valkhounds (and he really needed to ask about Valkhounds, since neither Vargas nor Isra had apparently corrected James in his assumption). But. First thing's first.

Tahi-shei had gone as far as to prepare a little speech; he was here to report, of course, but also to... persuade. Assuming that he could. He hoped that he'd read Vargas properly, appropriately pinged what would turn him to Tahi-shei's side while simultaneously not upsetting James. He'd considered taking the 'he is my subordinate' route, but had known as soon as it had come to mind that he refused to acknowledge James as such, even if it was to keep his head from rolling.

In any case.

Tahi-shei waited patiently for the sounds of Vargas's approach, or his greeting. His sight, unfortunately, got worse by the day. If he'd had to guess, he'd have wagered he had a little less than fifteen percent left. The monotonous color scheme and low light of Draco... did not help.

@vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

"Yes, come then," came the more distant call.

Vargas was checking over the oily chrysalis--it had grown, and was nearing its hatching size. Large. Another week--maybe two--and it would be ready.

He waited until Tahi-shei was nearer to speak again. "Give your report, then," was all he said, for now--attention, and the direction he was facing, wholly on the chrysalis.

@Tahi-shei

Tahi-shei cleared his throat. "As you already know, I took notice of a creature who had been infected by Mother on my way through Cepheus -- I wish I could have performed the, ah, extraction with more grace, but Mother recognized me, and Aethereal began to flee. She said that she was... birthed by her creator? Although she said it as though it was a name. She told me that she was attacking Mother unprompted; suspicious, naturally, even if I was unable to see the fungus within her." Hm. He needed to be less wordy. He combed through the events and thought of how to compress them.

"We gave chase and cleansed her. I was attacked by Lesser servants of Mother." He hesitated, looking a little sheepish. "I may have been, ah, a bit aggressive. I did not reveal any of our plans, but in the adrenaline, I forgot myself a bit. I threatened Mother -- and Dontacael, technically. I sort of assumed that the creator could hear through the creation as I sometimes can. I... should not have done that, but, ah. You know what they say about hindsight."

He cleared his throat. "Also. Her magic was strange -- it had effects upon me that I could not have anticipated. Lingering effects. I had urges similar to those I'd felt when I was struck by Draconua's magic; they, erm, impaired my judgement somewhat. I hope that you are not frustrated with me for pushing back our invasion by being forced to retreat into my chrysalis; in the moment, I was primarily concerned with destroying the dragonbats so that Mother would lose access to them." Tahi-shei genuinely looked guilty -- ashamed of himself, for his hastiness and lack of caution. While he couldn't see where Vargas's head was anyway, he sort of just guessed and looked down and to his right, as if ashamed to meet his gaze.

@vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas turned to hear the report, and found himself surprised. He stood patient, waiting for every word, and only then did he speak. "You surprise me, Tahi-shei!" he boomed, "-pleasantly so. I would not have thought to blame you for your choice, but taking responsibility is always important. No; I do not blame you at all. You did well. Aethereal would have been a powerful tool in Dontacael's hands. As for your threats, I doubt he's bothering to listen at all." The Creator heard them, at times, he was sure; but this was his nest. "I imagine 'Mother' is a tool left here simply to be a thorn in our sides, but we'll see. It's a dangerous assumption to make, if it turns out to be more than that." He shook his head, a little. "It has given us time to fortify a base, in any case. The horse had said that your chrysalis was protected. I assume Aethereal aided in that-? When will you be ready to assault, then?"

@Tahi-shei

Tahi-shei breathed out a sigh of relief. He'd been terrified that he'd be in trouble -- now, here he was being praised. It was a nice feeling. He inclined his head slightly at the question about Aethereal aiding in protecting his chrysalis. "I do not know; if she did, she wasn't there when I awoke, but James was. The horse, that is." He glanced down at himself. "In any case, I emerged in one piece, so I suppose it doesn't matter who did it at this point." It did matter. It mattered to Tahi-shei that James had been there; had been there to comfort him and to protect him and to make sure the Collector hadn't snatched back the Crown.

He mulled over the timeline of things for a moment. "I do need time, but no more than a few days. I have to make sure I'm physically up to snuff, of course, stretch my legs and such, but I also have a few last-minute preparations to make. Contingency plans in case I am captured, so that I don't become a liability rather than an asset." He swallowed hard. The possibility of capture in the first place was... unpleasant, to say the least. But he had a plan and a back-up plan, and ideally would have a third, though he was still trying to puzzle out how to make that one work.

He breathed in and out through his nose, steadying himself. "I, er, wish that could be the last of it? But, ah, Master Vargas -- I was told that you threatened James's life. I heard this second-hand, of course, and I would hate to make assumptions. Would you mind explaining?" he asked, hoping to get the full story. He knew Vargas to be reasonable -- he also knew him to be a killer. He had offered to try and reason with the Master -- he was hoping that the request wouldn't make Vargas regret giving him praise.

@vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

A nod, and again it was of approval, or at least permission. "Good: at least you are aware that you need rest after... rest. A strange contradiction, but it seems to be a truth." The mention of a contingency plan took him somewhat by surprise--given that Vargas had his own. He hadn't thought that any of the Gembounds would have bothered to think of such a thing. "What is your contingency plan?" he asked bluntly. He saw no reason it ought to be kept secret, particularly with their plans intersecting as they were.

As for James--"Yes. I told him that if Aethereal returned to the Hive, it was on his head. They seemed eager to leave together, and I have no intention of letting her roam, under his eye, without such a warning." His voice was imperious, his eyes unblinking: this was a warning; his decision was final. As yet it was no threat, nor hostility--the deer had asked a question, and he was granting that an honest answer. But it was clear from his tone that it brooked no argument.

@Tahi-shei

mentioned

self harm

but like, for strategic purposes

Tahi-shei smiled slightly at Vargas's acknowledgement; he was glad that this was not another weakness of his form, but instead something that even a great Master could empathize with. As it were, laying down for two weeks was an excellent way to leave you winded after a run. At the question of his plans, though, Tahi-shei cringed slightly. He didn't like to think about them, and was wary of even sharing any information than anyone outright needed to know... but this was a Master, and he would not disobey him. It didn't really matter, he supposed, if anyone was listening.

"I have heard of a spell that can allow you to link your consciousness -- thoughts, feelings, senses, pain -- with another creature's. If I were to link myself to a creature who could see, it would not only allow me to gain another level of awareness of my surroundings -- not true sight, not like I had, but close enough -- but it would also alert my partner if I were to be compromised. Mother urged me to lie and deceive when I was infected at the Raid; if someone else can hear her through my magic and feel how she has compromised my mind, then I won't be able to hide at all. Especially if they are staying out of the worst of the danger themselves." Namely, James.

He also wanted to do it for the sake of simply being close to him, but he didn't think Vargas would have cared about that. He continued. "I have also been learning more powerful magic. In the event that I am compromised and cannot be rescued, or rescue myself, and assuming that I have enough of my mind left to do it, I plan to target myself with a potentially lethal spell and return myself to chrysalis. I would also like to have a third plan, something else to maintain an extra level of security, but as of yet I've been unable to come up with anything that might help me." He recalled the sharp sting of lightning, the all-encompassing tingling and then the pain before chrysalis took him.

He knew that he would find the strength, if he needed to.

Tahi-shei ducked his head slightly as the Master gave his explanation. He was not a fool, and he did not miss the tone. It was not to be argued with, and Tahi-shei would not risk arguing with it. Even if he volunteered to take the responsibility upon himself, he did not think that Vargas would agree. If anything, it would probably make him look childish. "Thank you, Master Vargas. I understand." It was a bit frustrating, and a lot worrying, but he'd help James if he lived to tell the tale. He'd do what he could to protect him.

@vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

He listened, and was equal measures impressed and disappointed. Somehow he'd thought that Tahi-shei had a CONTINGENCY plan, like he himself had prepared. But he should have realized that the deer wouldn't have planned something... quite so drastic, or destructive. No; his own plan regarded only himself, but the note on smashing himself back into a chrysalis was a good one. "Good; either of those will do. I imagine they would kill you. If you went missing in the assault, and simply turned up unharmed later, undoubtedly there would be suspicions even without a link--but it is a good idea, regardless, to have it as a safeguard." As for the destruction of self, the success of that would very much depended on where the chrysalis landed--but they'd have to take that as it came.

He was silent for a moment, studying Tahi-shei. "Do not mistake my tone now for complacency. I meant my words to the horse. However, if all goes well in Ursa, you may return to me--if you wish--for an... elaboration on my motivations regarding this threat. If you care to." His tone was measured indifference: he was offering a little reassurance, a note that he had some unspoken reason for his threat to James. But what it was he didn't say; nor why he wouldn't speak it now. Whether Tahi-shei asked him or not mattered little to him, but his usefulness had apparently warranted at least this offer; and the measure of his voice, as if to an almost-equal, suggested that it wouldn't have been an offer afforded to very many.

@Tahi-shei

Tahi-shei dipped his head slightly. He was not surprised by Vargas suggesting that he might be killed -- he had accepted it. If he was forced to return himself to chrysalis, he was intelligent enough to know that his chances of ever escaping Ursa again were low at best. He had seen the shattered chrysalises in Draco before, the first time he'd come here -- even if the Harbingers and the Lessers and any other servants Mother had could not destroy him by rending his chrysalis, they certainly would not let him escape uninfected if they had two weeks to prepare.

His stone was inside of him, but it would not have been impossible to tear it out. Tahi-shei had seen first hand what that did to a Gembound.

Tahi-shei did not want to die, of course. If he had it his way, he would live forever, until he'd discovered every last secret that the universe might have held and unraveled every mystery of his existence and that of these caves. The world was vast and enchanting -- he was desperate to see every bit of it. But down here in the caves of the Creator, there were more important things than curiosity at stake.

He looked up in Vargas's general direction at the suggestion, a bit startled. "Oh." Tahi-shei had assumed that it was as clear-cut as Vargas had stated it to be previously -- do what the Master says or be cut down for it. But now his curiosity was piqued, and he smiled slightly despite the grim subject. "Well, I suppose that is another reason to survive." He hesitated for a beat, feeling as though he needed to... explain himself, somehow. He flicked an ear and looked slightly askance. "I also do not want you to feel like I am asking out of frivolity or mere curiosity, Master Vargas -- James is someone that I care for deeply. I suppose that your threat is, likely unintentionally, in equal part further motivation for me to make sure that there is no Mother to return to. If the option no longer exists, then his life cannot be put at risk by her actions."

Tahi-shei would not let anyone hurt James. Not if it killed him. In the meantime, he was sort of hoping the Master did not think less of him for his admission -- he knew that creatures in Vargas's time were soldiers, culled and raised on a whim. He did not know if any of them had ever truly loved one another. Perhaps it was simply in the nature of a stag to be sentimental.

@vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas dipped his head sideways in acknowledgment. "That is not my intention, but I am aware. Was there anything else?" His question was not a dismissive one, but businesslike, and after asking, he waited for a beat.

It wasn't clear how he'd have known about the pair--either an assumption on body language, or a spy, or maybe he hadn't known at all. He wasn't mentioning the 'how,' in any case, only watching Tahi-shei patiently.

He simply had little more to say, or perhaps he did, and was waiting to see if the deer did, first.

@Tahi-shei