Excerpt 007: Lay of the Land

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Patrol log

LOCATION: Nexus

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [rekindledtitan], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Costas, Adia [chiron_survivor]



ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Costas, Adia; Blaze-37; Cylons; New Caprica; Demeter Effect



Blaze’s patrols in the Nexus have become less frequent, but the need to keep the place monitored and safe hasn’t diminished just because she wants to distract herself. So she still arrives, on a schedule dictated by strategy and calculated variations. All the better to be unpredictable.

Still, there are certain people they’re not out to surprise, and by the time her boots hit the paved Nexus streets this time, Ghost has already sent a text message well ahead of them:

Hello Adia! If you’re free to come along, we’ll be on patrol in the Nexus three hours from now. Hopefully the temporal variations won’t throw that estimate off by too much. If you can make it then we’ll arrange a rendezvous. -Ghost

Comments

[chiron_survivor]

As luck would have it, Adia is free of obligations (or critical Cylon surveillance) at the time Blaze will be on patrol. She fires off a quick reply, not wanting to have her PINpoint out of her pocket longer than necessary.

I can make it. Where do you want to meet?

[rekindledtitan]

Great! We can meet you by the coffee machines in the main plaza. That seems easiest.

They'll look for her as soon as they arrive, Ghost floating up above head-height to scan the area. Blaze's armor looks more battle-worn than last time they met Adia, but she's always meticulous about cleaning away any potential contaminants before she comes here. Fluids and moon dust included.

[chiron_survivor]

Ok. See you there.

Having arrived a bit early, Adia is already standing by the coffee machines, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands to ward off the winter chill. She doesn't look any worse for wear physically, but there is a pensiveness in her expression, a tiredness that wasn't present at the Halloween party. It seems the new year has brought her more, not fewer worries.

She brightens immediately upon seeing Blaze -- or Ghost, rather, as he is easy to spot floating above everyone. She waves them over with a gloved hand. "Hi, Blaze. Ghost. Happy New Year."

[rekindledtitan]

"Happy New Year to you too, Adia." Blaze lifts a hand in greeting as she comes over, Ghost bobbing down ahead of her. "Are you all right? You look like you've been having a rough time."

"Are your people okay?" Ghost asks, floating closer to peer at her.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia smiles tiredly; she feels bad that this is the first bit of news she will share with her friends, but maybe it's better to get the bad news out of the way before bringing up more pleasant topics. "The Resistance bombed a Cylon armory a couple of days ago. The Cylons retaliated by rounding up a few suspects and increasing their security. It's tense, at work. And I'm worried that this is only the beginning."

[rekindledtitan]

"They're tightening their grip..." Ghost looks down, his voice troubled.

"Hnn. I understand looking to security after that. But they ought to work on smoothing things over with people before things get worse." Her mind's on all the questions this event raises, though, and it being Blaze they don't stay silent. She tilts her head curiously, serious tone easing for a moment. "They say anything yet about how the Resistance blew it? Where the explosives came from, I mean?"

[chiron_survivor]

Adia sighs softly and wishes that she could give Ghost a pat on his... well, on him. His concern is touching. "They're doing exactly what I thought they would," she says, looking from him to Blaze, and there is a morbid sort of pleasure in being proven right, in not being unnecessarily worried, but that self-righteousness is short-lived. "I don't know where they got their explosives. I'm assuming they made them from chemicals at the water treatment plant, but Will has kept me purposefully out of the loop, in case I get questioned."

She takes a small sip of hot chocolate, preparing herself to deliver more bad news. "Several Cylons died in the blast. They resurrected, but... Julia, the Cylon I work with, she says that a Cylon doesn't lose the memories of dying. They relive them when they resurrect."

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze nods and hrmms in disappointment at the lack of detail. It makes sense, of course, she just itches to know how things went down. She's not used to being shut out of after-action reports. Adia's news about Cylon resurrection is an unexpected shift of subject though, so the Guardian's reply is immediate and blunt: "Hm. Well, good."

Ghost blinks at her and she shrugs. "What? It's not pleasant but they could use a smack upside the head. If they remember, maybe they'll learn something from it."

"We both know it's not always that easy," Ghost says very softly. "Even for Guardians."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia cringes a little at Blaze's assessment, but she hates to see anyone suffer. Even Cylons, but especially Caspar, who she had hoped escaped his violent suicide relatively unscathed. But she doesn't interrupt Blaze's exchange with Ghost, just listens silently and wonders if there is more to being a Guardian than simply fighting evil and protecting civilians.

"I think, unfortunately, the only thing they've learned is to hate us more," Adia says quietly. "But what's done is done." As awful as it is, at least the Cylons can come back from the dead, and she can't help but feel a little resentment over that. "How are things on your world, Blaze? It looks like you've been busy."

[rekindledtitan]

"Over that?" Blaze gives Adia a look that mingles surprise and disbelief at that first part, shakes her head. Even she doesn't hate (most of) the people she fights, and they've done much worse than take out a suspiciously-placed armory. She does, however, feel a surge of frustration at the situation - to her the Cylons seem all kinds of immature and irresponsible, and the thought of them holding so much power over a civilian population...

Is that what we'd have been, without the Traveler?

"Hnnh." She waves off Adia's question, trying to shake off the useless anger. "We're always busy. If anything it's gotten quieter. Half the enemy leadership in the system is dead and the rest are squabbling with each other for control. Makes easier pickings for us, but not a lot of good stories."

She nods toward the streets leading out from the Plaza. "We'd best get moving. Got a lot of ground to cover and it'd be good for you to see it."

[chiron_survivor]

"They can be kind of petty," Adia admits with an almost embarrassed look. "They've been sentient less than fifty years... I didn't think something like that would matter, but the one I work with, Julia, she seems really emotionally immature at times. They don't have a lot of empathy for us to begin with, anyway." Sensing Blaze's frustration, she adds, "They don't have much in common with you. Or you," she says, smiling briefly at Ghost.

At the change of subject, she nods hurriedly and takes a quick sip of hot chocolate. "Okay, lead the way. I've been doing some more exploring myself lately, but the winter weather has kept me closer to the Plaza most days."

[rekindledtitan]

"They sound like children," Ghost says with quiet unease, drifting closer to Adia. "Children armed with weapons of mass destruction. That's, um. Terrifying."

"Hmmm." Blaze nods to Adia, and sets a brisk pace for one of the main Nexus streets. She will, after a minute, settle down to match whatever Adia seems comfortable with - the Exo is taller and, unlike her organic friends, tireless. Some adjustment is required.

"Guess the snow does make it harder for people. Shame - it's pretty nice to see how things change this time of year. Give us a heads-up if you could use a minute to warm up or take a breather. I don't know your speed yet."

[chiron_survivor]

"It is," she says simply. "But they aren't as different from humans as some people would have you believe, either. You see far scarier things on your world, Ghost." It is something of a marvel that a little alien machine can show more concern for Adia than a Cylon that is biologically no different from a human. Blaze is lucky to have him as a companion.

Adia keeps pace with Blaze as best she can. It is not her height or a lack of energy that gives her trouble, it's that darn cup of hot chocolate. She can't take a sip without slowing down. "Ah, maybe not so fast at first?" She'd ditch the drink but she hates to waste anything, even if it was free and made with one of those instant cocoa packets. "The snow is beautiful, but I don't want any of it on me when I return home." There is no way to explain snow on a planet where the only precipitation is rain. "But it is very pretty. I'm glad I get to see it here."

[rekindledtitan]

"We get to punch ours, though," Blaze points out, regretful that Adia doesn't have it so simple. She counts herself lucky for a lot of reasons; Ghost's guidance and companionship is just the first.

"...You get to punch them. I only break their locks," Ghost corrects, to a chuckle from his Guardian. "Not that that isn't satisfying..."

Blaze is a little reluctant to slow down, but needs must and she did invite her friend out here in the cold. An easy stroll it will be, until Adia indicates otherwise. "Did you have snow back home? On... Leonis?"

It takes a brief search of her memory to find the rare instance where Adia named her original homeworld: fortunate that Exo memories are hyper-accurate when they aren't utterly blank.

[chiron_survivor]

"You can fight them with a clear conscience," Adia says, smiling a little at Ghost's comment. Not that she desires to punch anyone, but a war fighting pure evil sounds much more appealing than the complicated mess in Adia's world.

"Sorry." She lifts up her cup. "Once I finish this, I'll be able to move faster." The cold doesn't seem to be bothering her, though. She's not even wearing a hat. "Yes, that's right," she says, pleased that Blaze remembered her home world. "We had snow in the mountains, but the winters where I lived were very mild. Only a few inches at most."

The topic of winter is a perfect segue to mentioning its patron spirit, but Adia stalls, taking another sip of hot chocolate first before clearing her throat. "I, um... I talked to Reynard."

[rekindledtitan]

"It's a rare privilege," Blaze acknowledges. She's only too aware how special her position is... though she tends to spare little thought for the downsides.

"We're not in a hurry," Ghost assures Adia. The little bot is peeking at her now and again as they go, noticing her relative comfort compared to how much Steve wraps up when they patrol with him. "I don't know how chocolate tastes, but it smells nice."

Her other news distracts him quite handily, however. Both bots stop dead for a moment, Blaze's head swiveling to look at Adia. It's just a moment though, before the Titan resumes her slow march stroll. "How'd that go? You hash things out with him?"

Adia doesn't appear hurt at all - Ghost would have jumped to call attention to it - and she doesn't seem distraught. Both ought to be good signs, in Blaze's opinion.

[chiron_survivor]

Despite the conditions of her settlement, Adia is a lot hardier than Steve. It also helps that Reynard blessed her with cold resistance for the season. "You have a sense of smell?" she asks Ghost, surprised, before peering at the little bot thoughtfully. "You aren't missing too much. Flavor mostly comes from a human's sense of smell. The tongue only picks up five distinct tastes, so it's smell that carries the most information."

Adia stops as well, less gracefully, not expecting so abrupt a reaction. It takes her a moment to fall back in sync with Blaze, "It went okay. It wasn't easy confronting him, but he knew something was wrong as soon as he saw me. I... I don't think he realized how much it would hurt me, to be caught off-guard like that." To be reminded of her own painful past. "So, um... he explained himself, as best he could, and promised that he would try to be honest with me from now on." She looks up at the both of them, Blaze especially, unconsciously looking for their acceptance, or at least tolerance, of her continued friendship with Reynard. "I don't think he would ever hurt me -- not directly -- but I can't say the same for the Nexus. He's not the same person in the winter. But at least I know what to expect."

[rekindledtitan]

"Yes, although I think I may be biased toward smells my friends enjoy. Or against the ones I find in... unpleasant surroundings. Without instincts to guide us, we Ghosts have to make our own associations. Exos can taste."

"Pretty much like a human can," Blaze confirms absently. "Definitely get more than five flavors though, so I guess it's more like smelling through your mouth. Ghost's nose is more sensitive."

When she looks there's something in Adia's expression (that strange expectant hope) that makes her blink twice, rapidly, then jerk her gaze back to the path. She brushes it aside and gives a nod. "You know where you stand - that's something. What was his excuse for the attack?"

[chiron_survivor]

"Well, if you don't need to eat, then a sense of smell loses some of its purpose," Adia muses out loud. "But it's still important. It's the most primitive sense. Can you eat, Blaze? Or do you use your sense of taste for something else?" Seems kind of a strange thing to give an artificial life form, even one with a similar structure to a human.

Not knowing how to interpret Blaze's reaction, she hurriedly takes another sip of hot chocolate, draining the cup enough to justify throwing it out. A quick toss in a nearby trashcan, and she quickens her pace for Blaze's benefit, as if to apologize. For what, she doesn't know. "He said that this time of year, his own will is Winter's. And Winter wanted to stay in the Nexus for as long as possible."

[rekindledtitan]

"Nah, it's just- more information about my environment, I guess." There's a momentary hesitation in her voice, but Blaze shrugs. "We inherited a lot from humans." Whether it makes any visible sense or not. What does an Exo need with a mouth? A gender?

She's less concerned with hiding her uncertainty when it comes to Reynard, frowning before she shoots a look at Ghost for advice. His will is not his own. She's heard things like this before. Maybe even touched on a state like it herself. Still, this is new, and she's not immediately clear if Reynard really means that or if it's a particularly pretentious excuse.

"Winter's will?" Dark and Light and the Wrath of Queens and Warminds she knows, but... "Winter has a will? So you're saying he doesn't get a say in his actions?"

Intense as she is, it's determination rather than anger or even disbelief. She doesn't know if she buys it yet; she doesn't understand and she's trying to feel it out.

[chiron_survivor]

She hopes she hasn't said something inappropriate by asking. Although it's true, it doesn't make much sense. "Cylons inherited a lot from humans, too, but I much prefer your company, even if we can't share a meal." Or the same walking speed for too long.

"Well... not quite. It's not as though he's possessed. But Winter lives through him. I don't think he could tell it 'no', even if he wanted to." She hopes she's explaining it in a way that Blaze will understand. "Do the people on your Earth have any stories about spirits that they like to share? Creation myths, things like that?"

[rekindledtitan]

"Heh." She can't smile, and yet there's something in the look she shoots Adia's way that suggests it. "I always liked thinking that was important to our creators, whoever they were. Making sure we had common ground. We were meant to share the same world even if we look at it a little differently." She chuckles. "Besides, we can still share a drink, and that's what matters."

Neither of these bots tends to be familiar with popular culture as the Nexus knows it... but myths are a different matter. Myth is a matter of tradition, and Titans are inclined to take note of tradition even if it's not directly related to war. Blaze has to nod, albeit slowly.

"Yeah. Not the ones we're normally listening to, but I've heard 'em. Demeter's one of yours, right? Some of Reynard's powers are named after her, in our records."

[chiron_survivor]

"Whatever they did, they did it the right way." She wouldn't want hordes of evil aliens swarming her solar system, but she can't help but wish that the relationship between Cylons and humans had turned out a little more like the ones between Guardians and humans. "You can drink? How does that work?" She looks over at Ghost again curiously. "How about you? Or do you only have sensory receptors?"

Adia nods, mildly surprised. She had forgotten that Blaze's world had some names and myths in common with her own. "Demeter is one of our gods, yes. She's in charge of agriculture and fertility..." She puzzles a little over any possible connection to Reynard, then shakes her head. "She's responsible for winter, too, but only because her daughter was kidnapped and taken to the underworld. At least, according to the old myths. Stuff that predates the Sacred Scrolls. But the reason I bring it up is that Reynard fits those old myths. The ones that talk of spirits who are beholden to the things that they represent."

[rekindledtitan]

She'd smile at that first remark, if she could, and it might not be her usual sort of smile - but it means something to her, that Adia thinks so. Booze and buzzes are just an easier topic to move onto. She gestures toward her mouth, a mimed movement that looks suspiciously like swigging from a hipflask.

"Just need a powerpack with contacts that can fit my mouth. I don't need it, but sometimes it's nice to get kinda buzzed with some friends."

Ghost gives her a rather direct stare for a moment with his unreadable expression, before he sighs and answers Adia. "Ghosts don't have that ability, which I suspect is a very wise safety measure. I... guess you don't drink much either?"

At least they all have things to puzzle over, here. Blaze chews it over as they walk, optics sweeping over the street ahead. "Yeah. I've heard stories that go that way too. Guess I can understand if he's bound to Winter. Wrapped up in it mind and soul. Doesn't let him off the hook for his actions, either, but I guess snow doesn't have much sense of responsibility."

Hmmmm. Not an easy one for her to come to terms with, but she's working her way through it. Ghost is keeping quiet during this discussion, it must be noted - ostensibly scouting just ahead but looking back at the two of them in a way that makes it clear he's still listening.

[chiron_survivor]

"Oh... oh, I see." She never would have thought it possible for robots to get drunk, except she's had this conversation before. "I had a robot friend in the Nexus who told me that his kind could get drunk on something called energon."

Adia hides a smile behind her hand when Ghost gives Blaze a look. "Not a fan?" she says mildly. She suspects that Ghost wouldn't drink even if he could, likely for the same reasons she chooses not to imbibe much. "No, not very much. I have a low tolerance, and the only alcohol available in the Settlement is the kind you make in a wash basin. It smells like paint thinner."

"No, of course not," she agrees quickly. "It's not like he's possessed, he's still aware of what he's doing." She absently adjusts the scarf around her neck, a thick wool knit in a pretty shade of blue. "He's well aware that he's made enemies here, too. He doesn't seem to care much about that. But... he does care about me, for what it's worth."

[rekindledtitan]

"'Energon', huh? Sounds like an ancient brand name." She'd try it, anyway. Not much she wouldn't try for the hell of it. "Don't see too many other bots around the Nexus- I'm guessing this guy wasn't a Cylon either." That's an easy bet. It's nice to think there are other cybernetic people out there, specifically ones who aren't hostile.

"Well, going for a drink doesn't always stop at a little buzz, especially... um, in the Nexus." Forget it, Ghost, Blaze is merrily oblivious to meaningful glances. "I think the important thing is to spend time with our friends, getting to know people."

There's no halt this time, but Adia's words draw a look from Blaze, golden optics intent on her face for a brief moment. "You trust him." That's not a question. This is: "You believe he's worth it?"

[chiron_survivor]

"It was their fuel, too, but I guess if you had too much of it, it was like being intoxicated." She flashes a brief, wry smile at Blaze. "No, not a Cylon. He was a... Cybertronian." She hopes she's remembering that right. "Human-sized, but others of his kind were much larger. He could transform into a boat." Something she never got a chance to see. The regret shows on her face. "But I haven't seen him lately, not since I started visiting the Nexus again..." She tucks her hands in her pockets and looks away. It's clear that she misses him. It must say something about his character, that he was able to befriend her despite her inherent wariness of robotic lifeforms.

She smiles sympathetically at Ghost. "It isn't easy being the designated driver, is it? But it is nice to unwind a little. Those of us who can, anyway." She certainly could use something to take the edge off, now and then.

Adia looks up at Blaze and nods emphatically. "Despite his powers, he lives as a human. And all this time, he's been rejected and cast out for what he can do. Maybe what he needs is a friend, someone who reminds him of the part of him that isn't Winter."

[rekindledtitan]

"Oh, hey! I know one of those guys. Big fellow called Bulkhead, visits the Nexus once in a while. Good to have at your back in a fight." Blaze's character references are a bit different, but she cares deeply about her friends. She understands the sorrow Adia's trying not to show. The Exo lifts a hand to her shoulder, offering some honest optimism.

"I hope you find your friend again. Everything else shows up here: it wouldn't be fair if he didn't." Hmmm. Now she thinks of it... "Cybertronians have a hell of a war on their hands too, if I got that right. Could be his world's keeping him busy and he'll be back when things settle down."

As she often does, Blaze exchanges a look with Ghost before she nods. "I hope he proves you right, then. I'll trust you to hold him to account if he pushes you, got it?"

[chiron_survivor]

The name is unfamiliar to her, but fits the pattern of other Cybertronians that she's met. "I don't see as many of their kind in the Nexus anymore... hopefully I'll get to meet Bulkhead sometime." The larger Transformers are easier for her to handle, in some ways, bearing little resemblance to Centurions.

She smiles at Blaze's shoulder pat, appreciating the gesture. "I hope so, too. He was a good friend. I'm not sure that's why I haven't seen him, though. I think there had been some sort of truce on his world? He talked about working with the opposing side a few times..." She hadn't asked for any details, not wanting to be embroiled in another conflict where she'd be forced to pick sides.

It's a great relief that Blaze and Ghost are trusting her on this. "I won't let him take advantage of our friendship," she promises. She's reasonably confident about this. She didn't let him get away with his weak excuses on why he hadn't told her anything, after all. "And he knows that I won't stop being friends with people he doesn't get along with, either." If someone asks her to pick sides, she'll... well, probably cry in a corner somewhere. But she's not a fair-weather friend.

[rekindledtitan]

"That's good - all the more reason to figure he'll be back safe and well." She wonders what a boat Cybertronian would look like - what a Cybertronian boat looks like, for that matter. She doesn't remember Bulkhead mentioning any oceans on their planet. "Huh. I almost envy that transformation trick of theirs. Being able to fly would make patrols a lot easier- but I'd miss having my boots on the ground."

Blaze won't pretend she isn't concerned, but she's got no authority to order Adia around either - nor does she see that she's got any business telling her friend not to act brave and principled. "Good. But if he does threaten anyone, we won't hesitate to stop him. Nothing says you can't fight Winter."

"He's not the only one who answers to a higher power," Ghost adds quietly.

[chiron_survivor]

"Oceanglide knows how to take care of himself," Adia says with a small, wry smile. No, it's not that she's worried that something bad has happened to her friend. Her concern runs deeper, a matter of her not being in the same Nexus as before. But there's nothing wrong with hoping. She's made some good friends in the meantime. "You could have been given wings," she says light-heartedly. "Then you wouldn't even have to transform."

"As you should, but I'm hoping it won't come to that." She's not thrilled about waiting to see if Reynard can keep out of trouble this year, but it's not like she can do anything about it. "He promised that he wouldn't put me in the middle of any conflict, at least."

She looks over at Ghost and smiles reassuringly. "Hey, before I forget to tell you, I got to ride a horse in the Nexus."

[rekindledtitan]

"Heh, think I could pull off wings?" She's tickled by the idea, though one glance over her shoulders and she decides they'd get in the way of her weapons. "The only person I know with wings is an angel. Touches down like a feather. Me, I'm more like a crashing warsat."

Promising retribution to Reynard this way holds none of the joy she felt last year, charging out to answer his challenge in the snow. But it's a true promise and she's glad Adia understands the necessity. (Even if a small part of her wonders whether Adia's feelings will be so simple, should warning turn to battle.)

For now she nods, with a low grunt of acceptance. There's some reassurance in knowing Adia (and any civilians standing next to her) will be left out of future trouble.

They both look up curiously at her news - and the happy change of subject. "You did?" Ghost perks up. "We've only met one up close. Although I... don't think that was a normal horse either."

[chiron_survivor]

"Absolutely," Adia says with a bright grin. It's easy for her to imagine a pair of stylized wings on Blaze's back, the same colors as the rest of her armor. "You could swoop down like one of the Furies." Her eyebrows go up at the mention of an angel. "Are they nice? We don't have anything like angels in our mythology... well, except for Eros, but he's a god, not a spirit."

She seems at peace with the situation currently, but Blaze is right to wonder if she will feel differently when push comes to shove. But that is a problem for another time. "I did!" She beams, remembering the event fondly, before blinking at Ghost in surprise. "Oh, I wonder if it was the same horse. What did it look like? Was its owner a woman with black skin and horns?" It's always possible that there is more than one strange horse in the Nexus (which would be totally awesome, by the way), but it's more likely that Blaze and Ghost also met Paladin and her steed.

[rekindledtitan]

"Hah, I'd like that!" Like a Fury, huh? It's a good image. She imagines how easy it would be to stoop in, to light out and reposition at will, hammering her enemies from a different angle every time they tried to regroup, striking them with Light and vengeance-

Yeah. It's a very good image.

"Angel's great," she assures Adia. "Kinda shy, but she's loyal and brave in a fight. Uses her power to protect and heal people. I should introduce you two sometime, you'd have a lot in common." Well, so far as Angel gets mortal people. Blaze hasn't actually seen her socialize in the usual sense, but she assumes it'll work out for the best.

And on the subject of friends in common, she brightens right up at Adia's description. "You met Paladin too, huh?"

"A big black horse who sort of... floats when it moves? That sounds right. You really rode on him?"

[chiron_survivor]

It's flattering to hear that she has something in common with an angel, especially one held in high esteem by Blaze. "I'm assuming you mean the shyness, and not the fighting. I'd like to meet her, if the opportunity comes up. And her name is Angel?" An angel named Angel... Adia would find it strange if she hadn't already met a paladin named Paladin.

Speaking of... "I did, when she first showed up in the Nexus." And judging by the open smile on her face, they got along quite well. "We've hung out a few times now. I like her a lot, she's really nice." It's not entirely surprising that Blaze seems to like her, too, but it is also a relief after the whole Reynard fiasco.

She grins at the small bot. "Yep. She let me name him, too." She shrugs thoughtfully and adds, "Honestly, he doesn't ride that differently from a regular horse. What did he think of you, Ghost?"

[rekindledtitan]

"No, not so much the shyness. More the loyalty and compassion, even after she got a hard time from all sides back in her world." Blaze explains this quite casually, adding with a chuckle, "Even if you don't demonstrate it on the battlefield so often. But yeah, she calls herself Angel. Got a few things in common with Ghost that way, too."

And Paladin, well- Blaze's tone says that she's already rather fond of the Tiefling warrior. "She's pretty great, isn't she? Only ran into her once, but we got a drink and she told me how she fought a chimera once. You know she actually killed one?"

"What name did you pick?" Ghost asks at once, all curiosity. "I don't really know what he thought, but I think perhaps he was curious. He didn't shy away like the other horses I've seen. He just took a good look at me."

[chiron_survivor]

Living up to her shyness, Adia ducks her head and blushes, but she's unable to hide the smile on her face. "So often?" She echoes with a laugh. "Maybe on a metaphorical battlefield... why was Angel getting a hard time?" That, she can relate to, even if the feeling of being pulled in different directions is mostly in her own head.

"She is. And yes, she told me about the chimera. She's fought all sorts of monsters. Kind of reminds me of what you do, actually." Both Paladin and Blaze have a straight-forwardness that Adia deeply appreciates. She grows tired of the subterfuge that some people engage in, even if they are looking out for her best interest. "Did she tell you about the giant bees? She and her friends were able to tame them, and now they make honey for the town." It seems only natural that her favorite story so far is the one with the happy ending for all involved.

"Shadow." She waves her hand in a so-so gesture. "Not the most creative name, but his appearance is so striking, and I couldn't think of a good hero name to give him instead. I think you're right about him being curious. Some horses can be high-strung about new things in their environment, but I'm sure he's been exposed to all sorts of sentient beings."

[rekindledtitan]

"Everyone fights in their own way, Ghost reminds Adia quietly. Blaze might get a little carried away with her wording, but she's not actually wrong in the little bot's opinion.

Blaze goes ahead and answers the question. "She was captured by demons a while ago. They were still holding her prisoner when Jesse and I ran into her back during the invasion. So far as I can understand it, her own kindred didn't make an effort to come to the rescue. They think she's- hnn, tainted somehow. Just by being captured." Her tone's hard and heated at that part. She'd have a few words for those angels, for all the good it would likely do.

Being compared to Paladin is nice though. Blaze takes well to the direct approach herself, and Paladin's a very easy woman for her to get along with. "She didn't get to that one, no- I didn't know you could tame bees. Thought you sort of put them where you wanted and hoped they stuck around." She doesn't remember if she ever saw one, either. She has a vague impression of something cute and winged and fuzzy with dubious aerodynamics.

"Shadow suits him. He's very quiet."

"Paladin would need a horse who didn't scare easily," Blaze judges. "He's a real old-fashioned battle charger. Only smarter and tougher, I'd guess."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia smiles at Ghost. He would know that best, she supposes. "I'll keep that in mind," she tells the small bot, before turning her attention to Blaze and her explanation. "Oh, that's horrible. They didn't try to help her at all?" Adia sounds a little heated, herself. "I'm glad you and your friend found her, though. What does she do now?" She can't imagine Angel going back to a world where she's been rejected so thoroughly.

"Tame might not be the right word... keep them calm, I guess, so that they wouldn't attack when you took their honey. She even gave me a jar of their honey. It's really good, although it doesn't taste different from regular honey." She adds wistfully, "I always thought it'd be nice to have an apiary. But I'd stick with regular honeybees."

"Yes, he is. Quiet and smart. Maybe smarter than a horse normally is, but it's hard to tell. I hope I get to ride him again. I forgot how much I missed it."

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze shakes her head in grim answer to Adia's first question, though the second makes her pause. "She lives in the Nexus now. I've asked her to heal people once or twice but- actually I'm not sure what she does the rest of the time. Ought to check in on her more often."

She's not entirely clear on the nature of the contract she shares with Angel, only that it spares the 'demon' from having to struggle for the sustenance she needs. As long as Angel is safe and free, Blaze hasn't worried too much about her.

"They're good and useful creatures. I think you'd be good at that. Keeping them calm and taking care of them, I mean."

She gives Adia a glance, at that last part, and guesses: "Missed the freedom of it?"

[chiron_survivor]

"I'm glad she has the Nexus, then." Adia really needs to stop being surprised at how many people live in the Nexus as opposed to traveling between worlds. It's not like all there is to the Nexus is the Plaza... which reminds her to pay more attention to where Blaze's patrol is leading them. Without the hot chocolate, she's been better at keeping up with her friends, and she still seems unperturbed by the cold. "She sounds like the kind of person this place needs more of."

The compliment makes her smile and shrug modestly. "Well, I'm not scared of them, and I'm not allergic to their sting. I'd have a lot to learn, though." And she'd need some bees and a place to put them. "I'll have to ask Paladin if there are giant flowers that the giant bees pollinate. Otherwise I'm not sure how that works for them." She smiles a little, imagining a giant bee trying to alight on a tiny wildflower. "Are there bees on your Earth, Blaze? Or are they gone, too?"

She automatically nods in a reply, then frowns softly as her thoughts grow more complex than a simple "yes" or "no". "I think I miss everything a horse symbolizes. The freedom, sure, but I miss where I used to ride, and the fact that horses even exist..." She sighs. "It's so barren on my world, Blaze. Nothing grows. The only animals are what we've brought with us."

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze nods in agreements. So far they've been heading down one of the better-traveled roads leading away from the Plaza. Blaze wants to get some distance quickly, and starting from a relatively familiar thoroughfare will give Adia an easy way to find their route again. That said, there's a bit of smog on the breeze, and the buildings around them are slowly beginning to include less cafes and clothing stores, more mechanics and wholesalers. They're headed for the heart of the Industrial District.

"Well, I haven't seen one. But I'm pretty sure we have them. Something's got to pollinate all the flowers. Maybe folk down in the City keep them."

The two bots exchange a troubled look. How is humanity to begin rebuilding on such a world? What good is that going to do a wounded soul?

"It's no place to rebuild," Blaze says. "Even the Cylons oughta see that. Maybe they're too afraid to look for anywhere better, but could you even adapt the planet for habitation?"

"I'm not so sure that would suit the Cylons," Ghost observes with quiet disapproval.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia has never been to the Industrial District, having had neither reason no desire to explore it. She makes note of their surroundings and the path that they are taking, not that she plans on traveling by herself. "What do you usually see when you make this patrol? Anything unusual? I haven't seen much of this part of the Nexus."

That's a relief to hear, that Blaze's Earth still has flowers. "There are some other animals that pollinate flowers, but bees are the most prolific. What other animals does the City have?"

The look that Blaze and Ghost share makes Adia little embarrassed. Not for herself, but for the series of events that led to humans settling on New Caprica when they should have kept searching for Earth. "We originally settled there because the planet is in a nebula that prevented the Cylons from finding us... even though they eventually found us, anyway. I think if we hadn't been found, we could have eventually done something with the planet. Terraformed it, maybe.... I don't think the Cylons like living on New Caprica, either, but I imagine it's in much greater comfort than our Settlement."

She doesn't bother to comment on why the Cylons would allow the humans to suffer their mistakes, but her mouth twists into bitter frown as she thinks about it. She's the first to take responsibility for her fate, to find empathy for a race that was attacked and vilified merely for wanting to be recognized as sentient. But hadn't the Cylons gotten their pound of flesh? How long would humanity have to keep paying for its sins?

[rekindledtitan]

"All looks pretty normal so far. This road's got a lot of the mechanical workshops - see that one?" She points at a shop with a hamster-wheel looking vehicle left outside. You wouldn't know what it was if not for the dashboard and the seats visible inside. "They do custom repairs on tech that's not cross-compatible with the more common machines round here. And down that way is a big salvage yard, that's why the road's so wide. You might not be parts-hunting any time soon, but it's a good place if you need cover."

She cocks her head and points out a very short figure in brown robes and hood, as it hurries down the street and into an alleyway with something shiny in its arms. "Hang on, here's something we'd better check out."

There's no reason to interrupt the conversation as they head that way, though. "Lot of fat pigeons around the Tower, little lizards hanging onto the walls when the sun comes out. And I see eagles overhead sometimes. Not sure what's down in the City besides all the usual farm animals - I've seen pictures with donkeys in them, and I know folks have dogs. You see more out in the wilds though. I don't know much about animals, but it makes me glad to see 'em."

Blaze nods at Adia's explanation. "See, that makes sense. If you were free to terraform the place it'd be different..." She pauses, gives her friend a puzzled look. "Wait, I thought the Cylons were living with you. Don't tell me they built their own separate village next door."

"Actually, that's probably less awkward than having to be room-mates..."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia peers curiously at the hamster-wheel vehicle. She wishes that she was more mechanically inclined, a salvage yard sounds promising. But before she can ask any questions about what sort of tech need custom repairs, Blaze points out the tiny robed person hustling into the alleyway. "That's not a child, is it?" she asks worriedly, even as she dutifully follows her friends.

It wouldn't be much, compared to a planet like Leonis, or what Adia has heard of other Earths, but it sounds wonderful to her. Pigeons, lizards, dogs... you don't realize what you take for granted until it's gone. "The eagles are probably hunting the pigeons, especially if the pigeons are fat. Do people feed them?"

She gives Ghost a faint smile, grateful that the little bot understands her situation so well. "They live on their basestars -- their ships. Some of them work with us. There's a Six in my lab, for example. But aside from running the detention center, we don't see them often." She pauses, her frown returning, but softer this time. Sadder. "Caspar's model doesn't work with any humans, so far as I know."

[rekindledtitan]

"Some kind of little alien, I think," Blaze explains, though the Titan adds after a moment, "I hope so anyway. You see them running around the Nexus all the time." And sure enough, the alleyway contains four of them, adding to a small pile of varying-condition mechanical gadgets on a sled.

Their heads snap up at the Guardian's approach, revealing nothing of their faces except glowing yellow eyes. One of them makes a muffled sound that comes across suspiciously like 'uh-oh'. Might have something to do with the rod-shaped sensor beacon in his arms. One of his friends steps forward to jab a finger at Blaze, scolding her in a language even the Nexus apparently doesn't feel like translating. The Titan strides past him like she doesn't even notice and picks up the sensor beacon... thief and all.

"Hmh." She gives it a shake, trying to encourage him to let go. "Come on, that ain't yours. Don't make me do this the hard way."

Speaking of scavengers... "Some people do. Especially if they've got lunch to share. They seem pretty tame; I even had one of them sit on me before and I didn't have anything to give it. Besides, they don't backtalk like the birds in the Nexus."

"That's odd. I wonder if that's preference or a strategic decision?" Blaze doesn't see how, but what does she understand about Cylons aside from 'they're bad at making friends'.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia watches the scene unfold from the safety of the mouth of the alleyway. Not that the little aliens are paying her any attention. She looks poorer than a backwater nerf herder, with nothing of value to scavenge and no credits to her name to purchase even one busted droid.

She'll wait for the small robed figure to give up the sensor beacon in his arms before she replies. "Pigeons are pretty friendly. The can carry diseases, but that wouldn't be a problem for you. What birds backtalk in the Nexus?" Adia has not yet run into the crows that occasionally hustle for change in the Plaza.

"Probably both." Adia shrugs and put her hands in her pockets. "I know some of them still hate us. And the less you know about the enemy, the harder it is to fight them." She smiles wryly. "Even I know that."

[rekindledtitan]

The little guy (or whatever gender they go by) lets go about as soon as Blaze stops shaking him. He lands on his butt, and with a chuckle the Guardian reaches down to set him back on his feet. He doesn't seem terribly appreciative of the gesture, mind you, and Blaze has to wave off the renewed harangue she's getting.

"You make certain none of that belongs to anyone else," she warns them, pointing at their sled. "If I find out it does I'm going to be back, understood?" She examines the beacon as she returns to Adia, lifting it up for Ghost's inspection as well.

"Looks all right, doesn't it? -Yeah, the immunity is a pretty good perk, but it's still important to know when to get a decon shower. And there's a flock of crows around the plaza most days, don't know if you've seen them. Arrogant and mouthy little things, up close. Almost as bad for tampering with our beacons as those guys." She points over her shoulder with the one in her hands.

Adia's stuffing her hands into her pockets draws the Exo's notice as they resume their patrol. "You aren't getting cold, are you? Wind's picking up a little." Tickling her antennae a little, actually. She may have to get her hat out. She doesn't get enough opportunity to use it.

"Hmm. Maybe." Not that Adia isn't right, under most circumstances. Blaze is trying to imagine why she might avoid someone, however, and it makes her wonder- could the Cylons have more in common with Exos than she thought? It's not something Adia can answer, though - not something she can even ask without confessing things that won't help either of them.

"That's the cowardly way, though," she says, vocaliser running while her mind is half elsewhere. Who's mouthy now? "And Caspar wasn't a coward. Do models share base personality traits?"

[chiron_survivor]

Adia tries not to smile, but there is something comical about Blaze shaking the little alien off the beacon only to help him back to his feet. She keeps an eye on them while Blaze talks, watching them sort through what looks like a pile of garbage. "I haven't seen the crows, no. They're clever birds... smarter than pigeons, anyway." She points at the beacon. "Is that what that is? What does it do?"

"Oh... no, I'm fine." She feels the wind blow through her hair as if on cue, pleasant and not at all chilly. "It's nice. Less stuffy than the humidity on New Caprica." She assumes it's been a very mild winter in the Nexus, and silently thanks Reynard for taking it easy so far.

Adia is a little surprised when Blaze's attention drifts. Her non sequitur about Caspar only enforces that surprise, and it's a moment or two before she answers. "Well... in theory. I don't know how much of that is them hiding their individuality from us. But... well, I only know Julia well, but I've heard that most of the Sixes are rather pious. The Eights are hard workers, and the Fours tend to be doctors." She frowns to herself and adds, "I've yet to see a Five who looks like he wants to be on New Caprica."

[rekindledtitan]

Asking about the beacon prompts Blaze to hold it out so Adia can take a good look for herself. It's a simple-looking piece of equipment, well-made but sturdy rather than elegant. "It stores encrypted messages from authorized people back in the Tower - usually that's some mission or request they want any Guardians in the area to handle. And it collects environmental data, ambient temperature and so on. There's a bigger type that co-ordinates our transport systems in places we want to land regularly, but we didn't plant any here."

"You must be very used to the cold," Ghost notes. It's harder for either bot to judge, but the other humans around seem to be bundling up more than Adia is. "I agree, though: I don't like humidity much either."

Blaze is getting watched by Ghost too as she mulls things over. "Guess they aren't getting out and having new experiences either, by the sound of things. Makes me feel kind of sorry for them." Not enough to outweigh everything else, of course.

She pauses for a second. Adia's remarks aren't doing anything to stop her suspicions, and she has to at least try and ask. "They aren't built for combat, are they? I mean as a core function. Primary, even."

[chiron_survivor]

"You put these here?" She sounds surprised. "I didn't know you'd invested so much in the Nexus..." She's continually surprised by how much people care about protecting this place. It warms her heart and she smiles up at Blaze. "Thanks for looking out for the rest of us."

"Oh, well... I guess. I must have built up a tolerance at some point." She frowns a little in puzzlement before shrugging it off. If Adia was aware that Reynard had blessed her with cold resistance, she would have shared that information. It might put the Winter spirit in a better light, or at least cause Blaze to worry less about how he treats Adia. "Does it interfere with your sensors? How do you do in harsh weather, Ghost?"

Adia makes some sort of non-committal sound, wondering why Blaze is asking so many in-depth questions about the Cylons. It's natural to be curious, particularly if you are a sentient robot yourself, but she's not really following Blaze's line of thought. Her next question, at least, she can answer. "I don't think so. They are stronger than humans, but they leave most of their fighting to the Centurions." She sighs and adds, "The original Cylons, the robotic ones, were built for combat. And dangerous labor."

[rekindledtitan]

"It's nothing." She tries to rub an antenna with the beacon in hand and ends up waving it in a an abashed sort of way. "Just what we Guardians are here for. Besides... our universe contains some terrible things, Adia. Word has it some of them know a thing or two about warping dimensions themselves. If anything of the Darkness ever finds its way here, we have to be ready to halt it in its tracks."

"Losing our system to the Darkness would be bad enough..." Ghost doesn't even want to think about it spreading to others. Not least because at this point, they feel more than a little invested in the safety of all their friends' homes.

Better to commiserate about the cold, right? "It does make it harder to take good sensor readings, but I especially don't like how it sticks on my shell. Getting rained or snowed on isn't so bad unless it starts to freeze onto me." The little bot shivers with the memory. "Actually though, high winds are the worst part. Before I found Blaze, I had to find shelter by myself. I um, got blown away more than once."

Blaze probably didn't intend her grunt of understanding to come out so... relieved, there. "So maybe they do need to keep those barriers up. Even though you're not supposed to be enemies any more." She snorts. "You ever just want to grab them by the shoulders, give 'em a good shake and yell 'Explain!'? Because I sure as hell do, and I'm only hearing about them."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia's smile turns into something of a grin, in response to Blaze's modesty, although she loses it all together when the conversation turns serious. She nods soberly. "That's why I haven't told anyone on New Caprica about the Nexus. No one is in a position to use that knowledge usefully and if the Cylons found out..." She sighs. "It probably wouldn't be as bad as what the Darkness would do, but it still wouldn't be good."

The cold is a better topic, although hearing about her little bot friend getting buffeted around by the wind makes her frown sympathetically. "Oh, Ghost, that sounds awful. Is there any way you can keep that from happening?" Maybe he needs a stronger propulsion system. Or at least a little snow hat to keep him dry. (And not that tea cozy that Reynard shoved on him when Blaze wasn't looking.)

She's not sure what to make of that relieved noise Blaze makes. The Guardian is usually so forthright with what she's thinking, but whatever has her ruminating over the Cylons isn't making sense to her. "Not really," she says, laughing a little at the absurdity of shaking a Cylon by the shoulders. "Maybe Julia, a couple times... Blaze, why do you want to know about their motivations so badly?" She looks up at her friend, hoping that she isn't imposing. "Is it because they're sentient robots, too?"

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze nods. "I think you made the right call. If you asked a while back maybe I'd have hoped the Cylons'd get some sense knocked into them here. Now I think they'd be just as likely to get the worst of themselves reinforced and blind themselves to the good. They're not yet ready for a place like this."

"It's all right, Adia." But Ghost drifts down in front of her, grateful for the concern. "I have my Guardian now. I can always take shelter inside her systems when I need to. And if it does snow, I have a hat to keep me warm. Well, we both do."

Blaze, meanwhile... Blaze hesitates. "I'm trying to understand where they're coming from. What kind of people you're dealing with, what's going on in their heads." She takes a moment to scan the street again. "They aren't Exos. I know that. Our creation's a parallel thread, not a shared one. But some things we ought to have in common. Maybe if they were combat models I'd be able to understand them better."

She shrugs, giving a shake of her head. "And yeah, I guess the situation feels more personal because they're machines. But I care about both sides in this." She finally looks back at Adia, optics brightening. "And the people who'd rather not have sides."

[chiron_survivor]

"They'd use it to their advantage," Adia replies. "To wipe out the Resistance. I'm not sure if they'd try to hurt humans from other worlds, but I think you're right, they wouldn't listen to anybody's advice. Julia acts like the Cylons know everything already." She's pleased that Blaze agrees with her decision, although it takes a while for the worried expression to leave her face. The Cylons discovering the Nexus is not a thought exercise that she likes to indulge in.

She'd give Ghost a hug, if she could. She settles for smiling at him fondly. "I'd love to see these hats sometime. I'll bet you look very nice in yours."

When Blaze pauses to scan the street, Adia takes a moment to look at her friend, grateful that she hadn't let her own prejudices get in the way of becoming her friend. "I look for those things, too, when I come to the Nexus. Someone's story will resonate with me, or I'll hear about an Earth's history that reminds me of my own world. But you aren't much like them, for what it's worth. You're honest and forthright. Maybe that's because you don't have anything to hide, but I really appreciate it." She ducks her head a little at Blaze's comment and smiles modestly. "I'd rather people were more like you and simply tried to do the right thing without playing games about it."

[rekindledtitan]

"They'd bite off more than they could chew in about five minutes. That just wouldn't do much to protect your people. As much as I'd love to talk to one, it's not a justifiable risk." Blaze glances at Adia's face and makes an attempt to lighten the mood. "Hey, I think this beacon's got a scouting mission on standby. Want to try a taste of some real patrol work?"

She could absolutely get away with hugging Ghost, but Adia can be forgiven for not wanting to hug his spiky metal shell. "Oh, well, it's a very nice hat. I have it right here." There's a little white flash as he summons the woolly unicorn hat atop his shell. It ends up a bit lopsided, as it tends to do. "Oh. Um... could you maybe...?"

Blaze is quiet again for a moment before she says, "Everyone has secrets. I don't have a lot of time for lying about it, though. As a rule it's dishonorable, and when you end up in my position you- you need to be able to trust the people around you." She looks Ghost's way, at that, before her gaze shifts to Adia. "And they need to trust you. It means a lot to me that you do, Adia. Thank you."

[chiron_survivor]

The attempt to lighten the mood works; Adia brightens considerably at Blaze's offer, eager to help. "Sure! Um, what would I have to do?"

Maybe someday she will attempt a hug. For now, she is content to stare at the cuteness that is Ghost in a woolly unicorn hat. "Oh, that is a lovely hat, Ghost! Hold still, I'll fix it for you." She adjusts the hat so it's on properly, then stands back to admire her handiwork. For a moment, she is overcome with the cute and very nearly squees out loud. She settles for gently patting the top of the woolly horn instead.

"I don't begrudge anyone their secrets. But withholding information that could help someone else seems unnecessarily cruel." She smiles at Blaze again. "You're welcome."

[rekindledtitan]

"Well, first thing we have to do is retrieve the message. Ghost, want to do the honors?" She lifts the beacon up to the little bot. He dips down to access it with a sweep of blue light from his optic, relaying an audio message in a male voice quite different to his own.

"All right, Guardian. It's another beautiful day in the Nexus- at... least that's what the sensors say - and you know what that means: I need a new map. I'd send you specific scouting co-ordinates but- you know. Nexus. Just see if you can find something tall to climb. Details follow."

Ghost adds, "That's Cayde-6, one of our Vanguard commanders. He specifies getting a view of the Industrial District, so at least we're in the right area."

The tiny bot bobs under Adia's pat, peeping out from under his woolly cover. "Thank you! It was a very kind gift. Blaze should have hers too..." It's not in shipboard inventory, so...

She glances down at him, then reaches into a pocket of her armor to fish out a larger but similarly styled panda hat, which is duly pulled over her head and tucked around her antennae. "...What, we're showing off now? Here, how's this?"

Ghost is much cuter, in the Titan's opinion, though she appreciates her hat well enough.

"When it's important." She nods in agreement, though that qualifier is an admission that things are slightly more complicated in practice. But she's glad Adia agrees with her philosophy, and the look Blaze gives her is equal parts fond and grateful. A pity her face doesn't do such nuances justice.

[chiron_survivor]

Hearing a different voice come out of Ghost is surprising, at first. She listens attentively to the message, then nods thoughtfully to herself. It makes sense to her, with the Nexus as ever-changing as it is, that Guardian's commander would want to get a periodic layout of the land.

"Great. So... what do you think you'll climb around here?" Hopefully there will be stairs or an elevator involved, otherwise Adia will have to wait around on the ground.

The panda hat on Blaze is admittedly not as cute as Ghost, but it comes in at a close second. At least based on how Adia's eyes light up all over again when she sees it. "Oh, Blaze, that is such a cute hat!" It makes her wish she had something nearly as fun and whimsical to wear. Not that she needs a hat, currently, and scarves are more her thing, anyway.

Not a nuanced look, but one that Adia accepts warmly. if Blaze reminds her of anyone, it's some of the brave, honest humans she's known over the years. Not the Cylons.

[rekindledtitan]

It's a good thing Blaze can't grin, in this instance, because she'd give away her thoughts much too fast. She takes a look around them, then nods at a windmill tower with a bit of walkway near the top and a scattering of lower buildings around it.

"I reckon that'll take us. What do you think?" she asks, her tone a little bit playful as she heads that way.

Adia's reaction makes the Titan duck her head and chuckle a bit self-consciously - although given how shameless she is about sticking vegetables and paper masks on her head come Halloween time, she really shouldn't feel silly showing her friend a cute hat. "It's a good hat. Keeps the snow off. Too bad it doesn't cover my antennae but it'd have to be a pretty funny shape for that, hah. You'd look cuter in one, you know."

Rest assured, 'Adia likes cute hats' is going on her internal notes for next time she's looting shopping. She gets stuck on gifts for civilians too easily not to use every bit of intel she has.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia follows along dutifully. "Uh... sure. So long as I can get up there." There is a walkway near the top, so presumably there is a way to climb it, although the Nexus is full of plenty of beings who can fly or otherwise access inaccessible places. But Blaze wouldn't ask her to do something she isn't physically capable of doing, and the boots she has on, while mud-caked, are sturdy. She'll manage.

It's her turn to duck her head, in response to Blaze's compliment. "They make everyone cuter," she says, smiling modestly. A cute hat would not be a bad present for Adia, although she'd only wear it in the Nexus. Wearing cute clothing in a grim and dirty environment like New Caprica is reserved for either the very young or those few humans who have zero fraks to give about what other people think.. Adia fits into neither of these categories.

[rekindledtitan]

"You need a boost, that's all." Blaze isn't heading directly for the tower, but stops a little way off from one of the smaller buildings and holds a hand out to Adia. Her optics are bright, the mischief sounding in her voice. "If you think you can trust me."

[chiron_survivor]

"A boost?" Adia echoes skeptically. She trusts Blaze, but she doesn't know what to expect, and that makes her a little nervous.

Still, the physical unknown beats the social unknown by a longshot. She takes Blaze's hands and nods resolutely. "Okay."

[rekindledtitan]

On the bright side, whatever else happens Blaze has to give her credit for taking up the gauntlet. She leans closer and wraps an arm around Adia's waist, tightening carefully and secure as any safety belt. "All right, hang on to my shoulders."

She crouches a little bit before she springs upward, hitting her thrust pack as they sail above the building's height and land with a jarring thump on the roof. Hopefully nobody inside comes out to complain. They'll need a couple more jumps to make it safely onto the tower, but first Blaze relaxes her hold and checks on her human friend. Ghost flashes into view beside them, quite happy to teleport-spam his way around instead.

"Not so bad, huh?"

[chiron_survivor]

Adia does as instructed, tightening her grip on Blaze's shoulders a bit frantically as her friend launches them both into the air. The strangely familiar lurch of upward momentum keeps her from doing more than letting out a startled gasp, although she does oof rather loudly when they land, feeling the aftershock in her bones. All that traveling in space has prepared her well.

"No, n-not so bad." She giggles involuntarily, a natural reaction to the sudden burst of adrenaline coursing through her, and smiles. "Kind of fun, actually."

[rekindledtitan]

"Haha! It is that! Ready to go again?" Adia only has to give her the nod, and Blaze will take them bounding up on to the next roof - and the walkway of the tower - and then up again for a slightly gentler touch-down on the uppermost maintenance platform, around the roof. She'll give Adia a second to adjust before she relaxes her hold again, the Titan right there to grab onto if she feels unsteady. Although the platform does groan conspicuously under her weight...

"This is more like the view we need," she says, turning to give the Industrial District below a good look. Ghost floats out above them and turns in a circle, scanning the area. "Take a good look at the streets, see what landmarks you can pick out."

[chiron_survivor]

"Okay," Adia says, once she gets her bearings. She doesn't make any more sounds during the jumps, although she's holding onto Blaze's shoulders like her life depends on it. (Which it does, technically, but Blaze could likely keep her safe without her enthusiastic contribution.) She recovers from the last landing more quickly than the others, although she's not about to let go of Blaze until she can transfer her grip onto the safety railing.

Gosh, they are up high. Untroubled by heights, Adia admires the view as a whole before she tries to identify anything. Everything seems stable, but perhaps not as orderly as she had assumed on foot. The Plaza and the Wilds are easy to spot off in the distance, distinct from the compactness of the Shopping District. "I see the Plaza's fountain... and the Wilds over there. Oh! That meadow is where I went horseback riding on Shadow." She points it out eagerly, a pleasant open space between the Shopping District and the Wilds.

[rekindledtitan]

"Right there? It's closer than I thought." Ghost stops scanning to peer that way. "Just a couple of minutes and I'll have all the data we need for Cayde."

"Looks like a nice place," Blaze notes. "Good spot for a beacon. Hey, see that part of the residential district? You can't see it from this angle, but there's a river running right through it. And there's an underground shopping area that's good for taking shelter in a hurry. Got an armorer with some interesting designs in there too."

[chiron_survivor]

"I didn't want Paladin to have to go too far out of her way," Adia explains. The meadow looks so small compared to the vast expanse of the Wilds, but it had been more than enough space for a horseback ride.

She re-directs her attention to the residential district. "A river? Wow. I didn't know about the underground shopping area, either." The shopping district is another part of the Nexus she hasn't explored much. Having no currency of value, she hasn't bothered to window shop much, not wanting to be tempted by things she cannot have. "Oh, I see Crossroads Cafe, too." Where's the weird place where she got lost and surrounded by ice mirrors? She doesn't see any evidence of that anywhere, no matter how hard she looks.