Space Oddity

[Bjorn]

"Well," Bjorn replies cheerfully, "I'm not entirely human at the moment, you understand."

[Brian]

That comment maintains an awkward silence all the way to the elevator's stop, where the doors swing open.

"I suppose I must," Aliester says, stepping out into a carpeted hallway.  It's curved, suggesting a circle around the outer perimeter of the tower, and a sign shows a familiar symbol: A red cross on a white background.

"T...the infirmiary," Balmer says weakly, gesturing at the already obvious room.

Aliester continues ignoring Balmer, and strides into the infirmary.

Inside, Tim is standing up, looking a bit weary, battered, and almost like his earth-self.  Considering how different everyone else turned out, at any rate.  At the sideboard, scrupulously pushing two mostly-empty tumblers behind the door of a cabinet is a large, bearded man.  Standing next to the nearest bed is an elegant woman in a dress of some very nice, expensive looking fabric; Nathan recognizes her instantly from the painting in his house.

All three of them look very smudged with smoke and grease.  "C...cousin," the woman says, offering a weak smile.  "What a ... surprise!"

"And a joyous welcome to you as well," Aliester says, unable to hide a smirk.  "You'll have to apologize to His Majesty yourself for the upset and suffering he's endured in your absence, understand, but I at least am pleased to see you in good health."  He pauses then, studying Tim and the bearded man.  "You've kept yourself busy, it seems, Tim.  But enough of this; there is no longer enough time to indulge your escape fantasies.  Matters of severe importance require your presence within the safety of the palace.  At the very least until you've spoken to His Majesty."

[Rezantis]

"Catherine?" Nathan says, rather stupidly.

Oh$#@%howthehellamIsupposedtobereactinghere?!

I really should have thought about this before now!

[Carthrat]

Tom leans against one of the infirmary walls, feeling somewhat relaxed at a return to a more modern setting.

"Nothing like a reunion, eh..."

[Brian]

"Y...yes," Catherine manages, a blush showing through the ash on her cheeks as she spots Nathan.  "Oh, dear.  Ah, I can explain, dearest intended, only...."  She trails off and looks embarrassed, her blush intensifying.

Aliester turns his attention away from the lady, and rounds on Angus.  "Good Master, my cousins will require their things sent to the palace.  I have confidence in your ability to see to this."

"C...consider it done, Lordship!" Angus barks, saluting with one hand over his heart before he scurries down the corridor.

Aliester makes a bit of a show of not noticing Catherine's embarrassment, instead turning his attention to Tim.  "I trust that there will be no difficulties to prevent you from greeting His Majesty shortly?  My ornithopter awaits."

[Halbarad]

"None as far as I'm concerned," Tim replies with a slight sigh.

Just what the hell am I supposed to say when I do?

[Rezantis]

"I'd thought you might both be alive," Nathan says, smiling at Catherine, "But I hadn't expected to find you this quickly."

[Brian]

For Tim, no answers to the unspoken question are immediately forthcoming.  For Nathan, however....  Molly looks enviously at Catherine's dress (where did she come from?) and compares it with her maid's uniform.

The elder Shuker merely beams smiles at everyone, as though he were included in the group, somehow.

[Rezantis]

Nathan, so as not to look insane again, doesn't acknowledge the ghosts just now.

He does, however, extend a hand to Catherine.  "Shall we go?  His Majesty, I'm sure, would prefer not to be kept waiting."

[Dracos]

Dracos shifted his attention to Tim as Aliester was talking, catching Tim's eyes.

~You okay, Hal?~

Dracos

[Halbarad]

Tim glances over at Dracos. Been better, I'll be better still when I have some bloody clue about what the hell is going on.

[Dracos]

~You and me both.  You and me both.~

Dracos shifted back his influence, staying silently awkward at the reunion.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

"Well, if you don't mind me choosing now to ask, then, Lord Sondheim," starts up Tom as everyone else seems to go silent for a moment-  "-as we travel, could you fill me in on a few details of this place? Only the scarcest details are known to me, both those about Anabara in general, and of-"

He pauses for a moment, with a bit of a curious glance at all the other occupants of the room- "-this situation I have found myself in."

[Brian]

"Some of it," Aliester agrees.  "More, I'm confident your friend Bjorn should know; given what else he knows."

Catherine struggles to clear her throat and finally says, "Of course, dearest intended.  But I'm hardly dressed to meet with His Majesty, and-"

"That will be taken care of," Aliester says curtly.  "Now, we must hurry, or it may be wondered why my ornithopter stopped here so long on the way back to the palace."  Motioning towards the hallway, and the waiting elevator, he continues, "As it happens, my cousins here had been supposed to die in a fire some months ago.  Enemies of the king, of course.  They'd been quite careful to cover their tracks, and while we have suspicions, we lack proof.  Finding that they survived the fire is a joy, and the king should be delighted to know that his family is not as diminished as it once seemed.

"As far as the state of things here in Anabara, where should I begin?"

[Carthrat]

"Perhaps with these apparent enemies of the monarchy, and the influence they wield? That, and just what was going on in Windhurst prior to my- I believe it's called 'regression'?"