Reaching Mergha

Miscellaneous

The ship is quietly humming; a steady, smooth rhythm.   Levi and Delphi each have dreams that unsettle them. Levi dreams of the dying earth, disasters, and his mother. Delphi dreams of things she doesn't remember--and wakes with the question in binary code which quickly flips into Common, "Who am I?"   Evelyn, on the other hand, dreams well and undisturbed.

They all get up eventually and join up in the Cockpit where Evelyn has set up. The card she was given by Shellov has guided them through Alpha Avior space and into Mergha territory within a few hours of them waking. They enter the atmosphere to see the planet covered in water. After a loop upside down to get them where they need to be, they see it: The Moving Castle, Mergha's space port, of which they are swiftly flying toward. As they are approaching, they are contacted by Control and, upon telling them that they are returning the Manta, they are given passage to dock.   Docking is an easy experience for Evelyn and they all land safely. However, they are greeted by a group of individuals wearing a uniform with different colored stripes down the arms. One, an especially serious woman, has a purple stripe, and demands information. Evelyn gives her the card, and the three are allowed, while followed by a security officer (red striped), to gather their things. Here, they are lead by a security officer and the official woman to the administration office. The way to Administration is a maze within the Moving Castle, going this way and that, but the two leading them seem to know where they are going quite easily. Eventually, they come across a large door with the likeness of Olympian gods and goddesses on it. The doors are pushed open by the woman, and she and the security officer lead Levi, Delphi and Evelyn inside. In front of them is a large, round table.   There is no one to greet them inside, at first. However, there are echoed footsteps, and across the room on the other side of the table, a second set of doors open up, allowing a tall, solemn black man inside. He wears a business suit, neatly pressed, and business shoes. His expression is not severe, but carefully disinterested as he questions the adventurers on why they're on Mergha. He is given the card and, after examining the information it contains, he continues; it is surely not only to return a ship. However, before he can get much further, a woman opens the doors behind the three, almost hitting the security and administration officers as she does so.   She is beautiful: pale skinned, statuesque, with short light hair blending into rosy pink. She wears a long, gorgeous dress that trails behind her and a crown of flowers. "Theren Goodov," she says the other's name with a sharp-toothed smile, carefully pleasant. The two obvious powers exchange words, and the woman, whose name Goodov grits out with a harsh "Maria", gestures for two other women to enter the room, again from the door behind Delphi, Levi, and Evelyn. Both women are dainty looking, one with short turquoise hair, the other with long, pale lavender, with similar outfits to Maria. Their dresses trail behind them, the crown of flowers set upon their heads. Maria introduces them as her sisters. Here, the two girls are told to send the three off to where they want to go.   The group of five begin to leave the room. Just before the door closes, they hear the beginning of an argument about who exactly has the power on Mergha, with Maria's furious, heated voice taking center stage. The doors close.   Levi, Delphi, and Evelyn are lead to the transporter room, and into a VIP-only room. Before activating the transporter, the two girls introduce themselves as Flora (lavender hair), and Kisken (turquoise hair). They are transported into a VIP room that appears completely locked down. It is a mess of a room, paint everywhere as if a group of art students were given free reign over it. However, Evelyn remembers this room and is able to find the pad to open the door. Upon pressing it, bright light enters the room.   Stepping outside, they find themselves on one of Mergha's major sights, the Institute. A great island in the sky, surrounded by other small islands with the help of gravity. Above their heads, connected by a great bolt of purple, is another island. In the middle of the Institute are groups of large buildings, with a large cone in the middle, connected the other island above. At their feet, they can feel the turbines keeping the Institute afloat. There is a salty breeze, the sky is blue, and the Institute is beautiful.   Evelyn, officially a Child studying here at the Institute, knows of three people who could help them. Moira and Steven Gimmick, and Alicia. She contacts Steven Gimmick who was her educational advisor, and eventually they meet up at his office. Levi, the entire way, ends up holding Delphi's hand so that she doesn't get lost while she's distracted by the sights. When they reach Gimmick's office, they find it as a roundish room with a rounded L desk. There are two chairs, his computer chair, and a couple drawers open. He, however, isn't there yet. After waiting, Evelyn calls him again, and finds that he got distracted with another Child's project. "You're going to change everything, I know it," he says gently to the Child, seeming to, for a moment, forget that he was on the line. Then he tells Evelyn he'll be there in a few minutes.   It's ten minutes before he shows, and he is a tall, tanned Neo Terran with neon green hair and gray eyes. His business vest is messy, his shirt loose with paint at the sleeves. However, his expression is kind as he sits at his desk. The two girls sit in the chairs, and Levi stands against a wall. Evelyn tells him what happened, adding, "Why didn't anyone tell me there was slavery here?" with Gimmick replying, confused, "There's slavery?" Upon hearing Delphi's situation, however, his voice is gentle and calm as he explains Delphi's options. One, she could stay here, and could be hidden with her original body. Two, the ID of her body could be scrubbed, but that doesn't guarantee anything, or third, she could get a whole new identity, new body, everything, although it's a process. Either way, he offers to her, calling her a princess, she could still be a Child of the Institute; this, he also offers for Levi, digging out two brochures with a list of classes they could take.   Levi takes this moment to mention Archimedes, saying that Evelyn told him that she could get him parts to repair the old Earth bot. Gimmick agrees, but tells him that those types of parts, unless you gain specific permissions, are hard to come by. Even if you were in specific classes, the teacher still has to go through proper channels to gain access to certain types of materials. However, they could be found in Stem, one of Mergha's other cities. Stem is a manufacturing plant and a city of scrap and technology, he says.   With a little more talk, Evelyn asks him if the two of them could room with her, and he says yes, as long as she talks to the Dorm Master to arrange a new room. They leave, and by the time they reach the Dorm Master, they state that they could give them a room a little more out of the way. It's a little isolated, but it has enough for up to four people. It has a kitchen, three beds, a living area, and a full bathroom. There is a community kitchen and recreational area for them as well. Their room is 551MCT. At last, the three adventurers can rest for awhile.   The three of them, after some rest, go out to get something for Levi to eat. It's a collection of 3 soups, mashed potatoes (and gravy), and mac and cheese. All of the foot is made on Mergha, but the ingredients are imported from other sources. Levi manages to hold his own until the Gravy, in which he starts crying over the food.   Afterwards, they go shopping, mainly for Delphi because she has no extra clothes. They forgo the big name brands in favor of a smaller, not-well-known store across the way called the Bohemian Rhapsody. Manned by two women, Kati (Afro-haired woman) and Maia (Long dirty-blonde hair), who speak like Valley Girls. The two girls are welcoming students from the Institute, using the Store they'd created as extra credit and finishing thesis, along with a source of pay. Evelyn pays 603c for Delphi's clothes. The store owners are very happy to help Levi get a new outfit with their experimental wear. He pays 125c for an outfit plus a new bag. They leave back to the dorm.