3/16/99

Niko's arrival is heralded by determined humming, though he's still out of sight. Hum. Scrabble. Dig. Toss. Crunch. Hum.

Riley pauses at the noise, turning away from his work to peer back up the direction Niko's coming from.

Tara, too, glances back, tensing. One hand strays inside her jacket.

Niko comes into sight, finally, by now utterly coated in rock-dust. "Well, now," he says lightly. "That was an adventure."

"Y'okay Nick?" Riley takes the opportunity provided to rest against the piled rubble.

Tara relaxes, turning back to dig through more rock. "Was it worth the trip for a broken comm?"

Niko nods amiably to Riley. "Nobody's allowed to call me breakable any more," he jests. "'cause, apparently, I'm not." At Tara's words, he nods firmly. "I was told when I got here that evil horrible things involving my ability to breed would be done to me if I lost it."

Riley blinks several times, coughing raggedly at the freshly brought up dust and wincing. "Not breakable? Nick, what did you do?" There's a pause, "You and Ela with kids, now there's a mental image involving needing to find toys with sirens..."

Tara wags a finger at Riley. "If you won't say what's wrong with you, he doesn't have to say what tried to break him" She laughs softly at Niko's remark. "I think they'd understand, considering the circumstances."

You communicated "Having problems with the dust?" to Riley.

Niko is very careful about shoring up a section of rock. "Some of the bits back there are a little unstable, and it fell on me a couple of times. Still in the proper number of pieces, though." Riley gets a considering look before Niko adds, "If we have kids, it won't be for a long time."

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "I'm fine, everything's fine."

"More time to pick out things with -loud- sirens," Riley says cheerfully before heading back into the small opening. "You sure you're okay though?"

Funny, Niko sounds almost like he's mimicking Riley as he says, "I'm fine, everything's fine." He pauses a beat, then adds, "Except loud sirens."

You communicated "Glad to hear it." to Riley.

Tara snickers. "Sounds like an experienced uncle." A slightly exasperated look is sent in Riley's direction.

Riley resists the urge to throw something. It's a visible resistance, as he has a rock in hand. But he puts it down, instead resuming excavations. "A dog then? If sirens are out..."

Niko offers Riley a pleasant smile as that rock is put down, then moves to dig and such as well. "The kitten might object to a dog--though I guess she'll be a cat by the time there'll be a kid."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Tara glances over her shoulder at niko. "Y'all got a cat? Get the dog fast, it'll never know the difference."

"A cat?" Uh-oh, maybe Niko shouldn't have mentioned that. He may end up with Riley in his living room.

Niko nods to Tara, absently frowning over a particularly uncooperative rock. "Got it for Ela's birthday. Scutter's a great cat, even if she's a little fonder of feet than I'd like." Riley gets a brief grin, Niko's teeth a brief flash of white in his dusty-gray face. (Hey! He almost-matches those envelopes!) "A kitten, yeah. Bitty little thing."

Tara huhs, turning back to digging. "Cats are worse than kids. If your relationship can survive the cat, y'all might as well start having kids now."

Riley levers a section of wall away, squirming into another tight space to move more dirt. "Kittens are nature's way to make sure we never take ourselves too seriously."

Niko shakes his head to Tara. "We don't have time for kids yet. Not with the weird schedules and all." At Riley's words, he nods, another brief grin crossing his face. "She really is a lot of fun. You've got to meet her, once we get -out- of here." And that's motivation for him to clear a little more efficiently.

Tara nods slightly, intent on moving rocks. "Weird schedules're better than regretting not doing it later when it's too late."

Riley uses his feet to shift another stone aside, wedging himself in and using body weight to move it rather than main force. "Kittens are wonderful, wonderful indeed."

Niko casts a vaguely puzzled look towards Tara, then shrugs. "If the right time comes, then we'll have kids." Riley's words get a firm nod, as he shifts a larger stone out of the way. "Glad we got Scutter."

Tara shifts back, leaning on her hands to kick at a stubborn stone. On the third blow it flies free of the surrounding stone, spraying gravel. "Ignore the myth about cats and milk. Don't feed it milk, whatever you do."

Riley ducks as the gravel sprays, despite the fact that it doesn't reach him. A little paranoia goes a long way. Another flat piece that was once wall is busted up and moved away. "We're to lettering again, maybe the other edge of the room?"

Niko yacks quietly at the gravel spray, mumbling a vague agreement to the comment about milk. At Riley's words, he nods. "Yeah, that'd make sense. Just need to know which way to get out."

Tara looks around apologetically, going forward on hands and knees again. "Keep following the air?"

Riley mmrhrrms, "If we can stop just a moment? To let the dust settle?" He chuckles in a chagrined tone, "I -really- don't want to pick the wrong way..."

Niko nods agreeably, settling down carefully to a seat. "Stopping is good. Dust settling is better. Breathing this stuff is evil, as is going the wrong way. Yay breaks."

Tara peers toward Riley, and leans back against the nearest stony protrusion. "Sure, break's fine."

Riley settles down, indicating the dust. "All this makes it hard to tell which way the fresh air's coming from."

Niko nods his agreement, shifting so that he's closer to the wall, the better to lean against it. "Once it settles, it'll be easier."

Tara nods smoothly. "Sure, whatever ya say."

Riley doesn't bother to protest, if Tara's not going to pick a fit about it, he's not going to complain. He's just going to sprawl here. "The air's getting stronger at least, compaed to yesterday especially. Maybe we won't have to spend another night down here..."

Niko brightens just a little at that. "Good thought. Very good thought. Food, bed, hot water. Talk about motivation."

Tara's eyebrows rise over a faint smile. "That'll be nice, yes." She pokes at Niko's shoe with her boot. "You don't get hot water, Skippy-namer."

Riley licks a finger tip, and then immediately makes a face. He does know where his hands have been, and it doesn't taste good. He attempts to judge air direction a moment.

Niko says vaguely to Tara, "I'll settle for not having pudding come out of my shower." Riley's finger-lickin' gesture gets a brief wry look, but he lifts his head in an attempt to figure out where the air is on his own.

Tara wrinkles her nose. "As much as your fiance'd enjoy that, even I wouldn't go to that much trouble."

Riley sighs after a moment and turns onto his knees to climb down into a hole, beginning to widen it. "Only Anya is so evil."

Niko blinks at that. "-Anya-'s the one who did that? Huh. I'd try to get revenge, but... well, she'd likely revenge back."

Tara blinks a few times, and snickers. "Your Lieutenant Pendleton, right? Remind me not to get on her bad side." With a creak of joints, she rises once more to join in digging.

Riley attempts to stifle a snicker, edging along almost backwards as he moves rubble. "She didn't mean it to happen when it did. Remember that note Ela sent? Well then, everything went to hell, and she forgot and all..."

Niko snickers as well, with a shake of his head. "Talk about backfiring," he mumbles, aiding where he may in the rubble-moving before confirming to Tara, "Lieutenant Pendleton, yeah. She's definitely not one to cross."

Tara shakes her head, snickering. "And here I thought y'all only led exciting lives getting shot at."

Riley uses a flat stone to scrape at piled dirt, widening an opening allowing in decided air flow. "And getting buried alive, don't forget that."

Niko murmurs something about exploding pudding as well, grinning broadly as he catches some of the air flow. (Is he a lesbian, now? No... wait, it's not -enough- air flow that causes that.) "Looks like that's the way."

Riley clambers up over the dirt, "Looks it, yeah, can I borrow the light a moment?"

Tara scrambles up near Riley to take a deep breath with a grin, murmuring thanks to deities from four different planets.

Niko fumbles for a moment but does not, it may be noted, drop the flashlight. He reverses it, offering the card in a manner that lets him avoid shining the light into Riley's eyes. Good guy, eh?

Riley nods his thanks, accepting the light. Suddenly it gets -really- dark as he edges it up well in advance of his position. "It looks like there's maybe another dozen feet to this, and either there's a really black wall, or open air of some kind."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Tara's murmured thanks turn to prayers for a moment. "I nominate air."

Niko pipes up, holding a hand in front of his face in an attempt to judge the darkness, "Second the nomination, or motion, or whatever I'm seconding."

Riley passes the light back. And Lo, Riley did hand back the flashlight, and it was good. "Yeah, nearly there...Nearly there, almost..."

Tara mutters, passing the light back to Niko, "Careful... don't bring the tunnel down on us /now/."

Niko echoes quietly, "Careful." He attempts to angle the light so that some of it shines Rileywards.

"Being careful, honest." Riley sets about widening the gap through which the light had shone. "If we can just get to where folks are trying to dig us out.. They said something about being most of the way through clearing that staircase out more or less."

Tara blinks. "'They said'... huh?"

Niko brightens just a bit at Riley's words. "Good. That's a lot less that we need to dig through." Tara gets a chipper grin. "Mmmhmm." How's that for vague?

Riley squirms further in, displacing rocks as best he can. "If it's a wall, it's a very airy wall."

Tara nods slightly to Riley. "Wait a minute... you've been talking to folks this entire time?"

Niko edges in after Riley, the better to get rocks out of the way. "Hmm?" he inquires of Tara.

You communicated "Guess she didn't know about the toys, then." to Riley.

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "Guess not, sorry, shouldn't've said anything."

You communicated "Hey, it's your call, that sort of thing." to Riley.

"May the devil admire me, if ever I hope to see, the end of that embroidery," Riley murmurs, hauling rubble aside.

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "Wasn't thinking."

Tara lets out an exasperated sound, giving up.

You communicated "S'okay. You're not required to think every minute of every day." to Riley.

Niko starts to hum once more, sounding rather chipper, and assists with the rock-moving where he may. Tara gets a cheerful grin. Isn't he just obnoxious?

Yes. :)

Riley scoots aside enough to let Niko get a better angle at things, willing to let his weight rest against the tunnel as he shifts stone. "Not too much further now..."

Tara squats back on her heels, folding her arms over her knees, just sort of staying out of Niko's way.

You communicated "That was more fun than kicking her, at least." to Riley.

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "More fun? Kicking her?"

You communicated "Tormenting her. We know something she wants to know, but we're not telling." to Riley.

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "Ohh, okay."

Niko scoots a hair closer to the source of the rocks-to-be-moved, still humming. My, oh, my what a wonderful day. Fingers edging under a particularly annoying rock, he casts a bright grin to Riley.

Riley can't manage to stifle a snicker at Niko's 'cheerfulness', instead setting about hefting rocks to the side and using them to shore up the sides of the tunnel. "Nearly, nearly..."

Tara casts a glances toward Riley, and smiles. "So you've said. About half a dozen times now."

Niko casts a look over his shoulder to Tara. "But -this- time," he says, his cheer this time patently false, "He -means- it."

Riley casts a look backwards and then takes a long breath. Planting his shoulder against a large rock he shoves his weight against it. It gives, and the rock, and Riley, go scattering off into the blackness with a soft yelp. There's a long pause indeed and then Riley calls back raggedly, "Told you so."

Tara acks softly, calling out, "you okay?"

Niko grimaces at the sound, leaning into the blackness and using the light to make the blackness dissipate. He doesn't reiterate Tara's question, but the concern is evident on his face.

Riley's voice echoes back, "Yeah, yeah, wasn't expecting that." There's another pause, "In Peesh's name, y'all have got to see this..."

Riley walks towards the Massive Underground Space.

Riley has left.

Massive Underground Space

This area is positively -massive-. And it has to be, considering what it contains. Built on a scale suitable for giants, a massive obsidian faced pyramid looms here. A massive arch leads into its depths, easily twenty feet high, and topped with a heavy lintel. Snarling faced sculptures of oddly stylized dragons guard either side of the entrance. Brackets containing vaguely luminescent stones are located just inside the curve of the hall leading from the door. And if the doorway is massive when regarded, it is dwarfed by the rest of the pyramid, a tiny opening into the vast hugeness.

More luminescent stones are located along the walls of this empty cavern, providing light enough to see the inscribed patterns on the side of the pyramid. A stylized dragon at war with another dominates, crowned by a boiling sun. Smaller images are incised into the stone at regular intervals.

Contents:

Tara

Riley

Obvious exits:

Massive Entranceway Rickety Stairs

You walk here from the Arched Entrance Hall.

The majority of the cavern is empty, although the stairs seem choked with large chunks of loose rubble.

Riley is in a seated sprawl against a chunk of pressed aside rubble, "See what I mean?"

Tara's eyes widen as she takes a few hesitant steps forward. "Oh my god..."

Niko lets out a low whistle. "Wow. Uh... yes. This is... wow."

Riley uses the rock to lever himself up to a seat on it. "That's our way up," he gestures to the stairs. "Least we should be met, maybe even they're nearly here, who knows."

Niko finds a seat somewhere as well, taking a slow, deep breath, then gets to his feet and moves away from the others, so he can ruffle his hair and rid himself of some of the dust. "And then we can get -out-."

Tara folds her arms, turning to lay her gaze on Riley. "Let them come to us here then. Whoever 'they' are."

Riley regards the mass of broken beams protruding from the shaft of the dingy staircase, "As tempting as that sounds..."

Tara shakes her head, reaching forward to poke at Riley. "You've done enough digging and rock-shifting and..." She glances dubiously toward the stairs. "And falling today."

Niko, making his way back to the small group, peers towards the beams as well. "So I can clear it," he offers. "Riley, you've been leading the way this entire time, taking the brunt of the moving and all. You can give someone else a shot at the fun, eh?"

Tara nods her firm agreement with Niko. Historic occasion, this. Mark your calendars.

Riley shifts away from Tara's poke, but, and this is even more historic, he agrees as well. "No falling, just skidding, but yeah. It sounds like a plan. I'll catch up in a minute or two..."

Tara's eyebrows rise. She wasn't expecting acquiesence.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko clambers to his feet, then, and starts for the stairs. He's young, he's energetic, but he's still moving slowly. Of course, he starts to whistle as he heads over there. Irving Berlin, this time.

Riley just slides down the rock to slump against it, using the one semi clean spot left on the inside of his shirt he smears some of the worst of the grime from eyes and brows.

Tara watches Niko for a moment, then reaches into her pocket and pulls out that last bit of chocolate, offering it to Riley. "Here, eat this. I hear ya need the stuff."

Riley shakes his head at Tara, "I appreciate the offer, but I really will pass. Especially seeing we're likely out of here relatively soon."

Niko is very careful about his clearing efforts, as he really likes -not- being squished by rocks. He works fairly efficiently, though, again, carefully.

Tara stares at Riley for a moment, then turns to call to Niko, "Is he always like this?"

Niko is very involved in not going kersquishypoo on the floor. At Tara's words, he pauses. "Hmm? Like what?"

Tara gestures impatiently. "Stubborn, self-sacrificial, and... and watching out for everybody, dammit."

Niko pauses at that, one hand resting on a rock. "Of course," he says mildly. "Well... no, maybe not always, I'm not with him -all- the time. But most of the time, yeah." And with that, he gets back to work.

Riley gives Tara a mildly annoyed look, but cuts off his reply, unwilling to pick another fight so close to escape. "Need any help, Nick?"

Tara throws her hands up. "Of course he is. Should've known." She whirls to point at Riley. "Sit. Stay. I'll help him if he needs it."

Niko shakes his head, with an airy wave of one hand. "Nah, this is easy stuff. Stay where you are, no pr--" Crack. Okay, that was the stair he just climbed, breaking. Apparently his additional weight was the camel-back-breaking straw. Fortunately, only that stair breaks, and it sends Niko to the ground with only a few smaller rocks landing atop him. He looks more surprised than anything else. "Huh. Spoke too soon, maybe. That was fun."

Riley looks like he's entirely game to both sit, and stay, although asking him to roll over might be out. However at that crack he startles half up, leaning against the rock, "Y'okay?"

Tara acks, turning back to stride toward Niko. "You o... what he said."

Niko takes a moment for internal inventory, then nods, sitting up and brushing small stones from his clothing. "Yeah. Just fine. Remind me not to just hop on steps like that, kay?"

Riley sinks back down against the rock, half curling on one side so as to more or less watch the goings on. "Can you hear Kath's crew?"

Niko carefully makes his way up the stairs again, pausing to listen. "Yeah--barely." He carefully clears off some more, adding, "I can meet 'em halfway--or wherever."

Riley stays where he is, calling. "Check. Kath says to be careful though, they're using equipment and all."

Tara shakes her head. "Two of a kind. Casymed, why not just wait?"

Niko pauses to flash a quick grin over his shoulder. "Sure, Riley. And I want to get out of here, Valentine. Don't you? 'sides, it's something to do."

Tara sighs. "Sure, I want out. But we seem relatively safe here for the moment, and they're coming anyhow. No need to go looking for trouble."

Riley regards the pyramid a moment, then the digging. He remains without comment however, seemingly as content with the situation as he's going to get.

Niko says patiently, "I'm not looking for trouble, Valentine--just to get out of here." And so he moves rock, still carefully, yup.

Tara shrugs, dropping to a seat on the floor. "Y'know, half of me hopes you run into just a minor little mishap, just so I can say I told ya so."

Riley shakes his head slightly at that, "Don't even say that, Valentine."

Niko offers Tara a rather brittle little smile. "Your vote of confidence is overwhelming," he says, moving up a step. Carefully.

Tara glances toward Riley. "Too late. Already did." She turns back to Niko. "Of course it is. If I wasn't confident you're going to do just fine, I wouldn't have to /hope/ for it, see."

Riley crosses his arms over his chest, head and one shoulder leaned against the rock. "They're anti-graving stuff out as best they can she says."

Niko just shakes his head at Tara as he shifts another stone, then pauses to listen. "Next time something like this happens, Riley," he says, with a hint of dry humor, "Let's bring a portable antigrav unit." After another pause, he heads back down the stairs. "I can hear them much better."

Riley chuckles softly, "And a crowbar. Never leave home without them."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Tara leans back silently against the pyramid. After a moment, she adds, "And more chocolate and unbreakable comms. Not that y'all seem to have a problem with communication."

Niko settles to a seat near Riley, legs folding tailor-fashion. He mumbles something vague about a telepathic connection between SecOffs, adding, "Food is good, though. I'd even eat a banana."

"Butterscotch pudding?" Riley questions, his tone dryly amused from his slouch against the stone. "Yeah, see, some of us are psi Valentine..."

Tara rolls her eyes. "Uh huh." She peers curiously at Niko. "What's wrong with bananas?"

Niko nods to Riley, with a crooked grin. "Of course. I'd be up a creek if I didn't like butterscotch." To Tara, he explains, "Not a lot. I just don't like them."

Riley stifles another snicker, casting a glance towards the staircase. "After the vinyl..."

Tara ahs softly. "Oh, I dunno, I was rather amused by those outfits, even as I wondered what idiot ordered such a thing."

Niko clambers lightly to his feet as the clearing-of-rock sounds become more and more audible. "It's almost time again," he murmurs. "And those outfits were pretty horrible, yup." At least they weren't kilts.

"Almost time?" Riley questions softly, staying put.

Tara's eyebrows rise. Riley gets the question out before she does.

Niko gestures towards the stairs. "Can't you hear it?" He pauses a beat. "It -is- getting closer, isn't it?"

Riley ahhs softly as understanding dawns, "Yeah, yeah, that."

Tara glances toward the stairs. "You sure that's... who'd you say it was? Kath?"

Niko shakes his head. "Nah, s'probably a tall midget." He does tend to get sarcastic when he's tired, and this is proof.

Riley chokes on another snicker, eyes closing after a moment. "Yeah, sounds like construction equipment to me. The echoes in here just make it odd is all."

Tara grits her teeth. "Hey, Casymed?" Sweetly she tells Niko what he can do with that midget.

Niko stretches lightly, rubbing at one shoulder. "I'll keep that in mind, but Shan would probably hurt me if I tried."

Riley just remains where he is, half curled against the rock. It seems like a nice place to be. As compared to thinking of another place to be. "Despite comments to the contrary, Shan is not a scruffy midget. He's taller than Valentine even..."

Niko pauses a beat. "Oh, I thought Kathlyn was the midget in question." He snickers quietly. "With my luck," he adds, back to the stairs, "She just came through there."

Tara's hands clench, and it's only through a supreme effort that she avoids throwing something.

Riley ahhs quietly. "Kath is a midget." He's still in this nice muzzy zoned state. It's fun.

Tara frowns in Riley's direction, and glances toward Niko. "They bringing a medical type with 'em?"

Niko flashes a determined grin at Riley--see, he's not worried--then nods to Tara after a pause. "Kath won't tell me who, though," he adds, with a mumble about Vryce the evil.

Tara's eyebrows rise. "I can't imagine Aleron sending anybody else to check on her precious Riley."

Riley just stays where he's at. He starts to say something, but catches Tara's last comment and clams right up.

Niko casts a positively evil look at Tara. "She's been transferred," he explains, voice barely above a hiss. But before he can explain further--or threaten Tara, which is what is expression suggests is more likely--the rescue team finally breaks through and comes down the stairs.

Kathlyn, first down, inquires, "Everybody okay?"

Tara's eyes widen. "Seriousl..." She trails off as the team enters, and responds to Kathlyn with a firm, "No."

"Out of my way, out of my /way/." A figure shoves itself through the crowd of SecOffs. Yep, it's our favorite medic with the bad bedside manner- Vryce! A big hand for Vryce, everybody.

Niko seems more than willing to get out of Vryce's way, instead heading over to Kathlyn, the better to speak quietly with her. Despite the conversation, though, his eyes are on Riley.

Riley starts to make an answer to that as well, but is once again brought up short, this time by Vryce's entrance. For a long moment he's seriously considering trying to fake his way out of this one. Vryce is evil. Evil with some capital letters involved. He is however unsurprised that the pyramid seems to captured the attention of the bulk of the SecOffs.

Tara does not look happy, for several reasons. Just being around this many SecOffs at one time makes her fidget nervously.

Vryce does give the pyramid a glance, but his mind is on other things. Niko seems to be up and around; Tara's at least awake... his gaze rests on Riley. "I should have known." The doctor advances on the poor man, diagnostic instruments at the ready.

Riley would escape, but that would require effort. Instead he just winces somewhat and glances Kathlyn-wards, "This is what O get for the short joke, isn't it?"

Niko casts a profoundly sympathetic look to Riley, but his attention is quickly caught by a question from one of the SecOffs. Hand gestures, apparently, are essential in his response. (No, not obscene gestures. That's for later.)

Tara gets to her feet with a stretch, eyeing the stairs dubiously, then pauses to watch Riley and his demon. Well, one demon, at any rate.

Kathlyn pauses as she catches Riley's words. "Sure, boss, whatever you say. I borred Anya's omniscience for the evening."

Vryce descends on Riley with the usual poking and prodding and shaking of his head. "You like making my job harder, don't you?"

Riley is trying not to wince overmuch at the poking, but finding the exact worst spots to poke is after all Vryce's hallmark. "I do try," he manages. "I go to great lengths to plan these things."

Tara creeps closer, the better to hear the good doctor, though his shrill tones echo in the chamber.

That comment elicits a snort from Vryce. "We're really going to have to have a talk one of these days about foolhardy ventures." He mumbles into a comm unit, calling for a stretcher and corpsmen, then waves to Kath. "Have somebody show 'em the way here."

Niko ends up a bit closer to doctor and patient as well, though that's likely just bizarre chance, as he really doesn't like Vryce. He's involved in some sort of explanation that involves the word 'rock' a lot.

Kathlyn nods agreeably enough to Vryce, sending someone up to meet the people in question.

Riley acks softly, giving Vryce a decidedly displeased look. "I can walk for goodness sake. I got here after all..."

Tara crows, "I knew it! I knew you were injured, you self-righteous, self-sacrificing, suicidal son of a <censored>!"

Well, Vryce meets that displeased look and raises Riley a disgusted one. "Damn near killed yourself in the process too. Just... lay there." He pulls hypos out of his bag, adjusting for dosage.

Oooh, the look Tara gets tops even the look Vryce got. Riley isn't exactly the happiest of campers, and that particular series of new nominitives does not add to his generally thrilled state. He does not however move, it is best not to challenge Vryce overmuch, lest something even less pleasant occur.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko pauses in his explanation to shoot a profoundly disappointed look at Riley. He mutters to himself, "... just fine... understand not wanting... tell Valentine... -me-..."

Tara just grins, looking particularly pleased.

Vryce administers the shots- one's a painkiller (he's in a good mood)- and gives Kathlyn an impatient look. "Think you could get them here a bit /faster/? I'd rather he bled to death in medbay rather than here."

Kathlyn says coolly, "They're coming as fast as they can."

Riley gives Vryce an almost incedulous look, "Did you have to take lessons to be like this?" Okay, maybe it's not bright to ask, but maybe he's also snozzed.

The good(?) doctor reaches down to give Riley a condescending pat on the shoulder. "Yes, and my mother was quite happy to teach me." Good heavens, he sounds serious. Vryce does, however, look pleased as the stretcher arrives, and he gestures for the corpsmen to load Riley onto it.

Riley endures the indignity of being loaded onto said stretcher, once again unwilling to contest the issue at this stage of the game. One does wonder however, how long Vryce will remain in charge of MedBay at this rate. "Very kind of her."

Tara snickers softly, and wanders over in Niko's direction. "Hey, heard anything about the kidnappers or are they still on the loose?"

Niko gives Tara a quick look. "Some of them, at least, are dead. Still tracking the rest."

Vryce stops scowling. For him, this is beaming pleasantly. "Wasn't it though. Pity she's not here now. I never could quite match her manner in dealing with patients." Yes, his mother's worse. "Alright, let's get him out of here. How's the next two weeks in medbay sound, Chief?"

"Like I have a deadly weapon and I am a remarkably good shot, and your pointy head's a danged good target Vryce." Ooh, Riley liked that suggestion a -lot-.

Tara nods. "Next question- what caused the... the cave-in or whatever it was?" She glances over her shoulder to blink in Vryce's direction. "Damn, he's excessive."

Niko is having quite the time, between questions from SecOffs and questions from Tara and an attempt to listen to the exchange between Riley and Vryce. To Tara, he says, with taut patience, "You were there when it happened. What do -you- think?" Okay, maybe the patience snapped.

Vryce continues smoothly, pausing for the smallest beat. "Or, I could just patch you up and send you home if you promise to take it easy."

"This would probably result in far less in the way of plasma bolts to your hide, yes." Riley agrees quietly, some of the menace of his words lost in the muzzyness of his tone.

Tara looks back to Niko with a blink. "I /think/ that everything went boom, and lo, we were squished. Other than that..." She shrugs.

Niko says crisply, "You know as much as the rest of us do, then, Valentine."

Vryce nods agreeably. "Fine then. I'm sure you'll be happy on the regenerator then. I expect a /smile/."

Tara shrugs. "That's all you had to say, handsome."

Riley murmurs something that involves transferring Vryce to a small forest moon to live with midgets in fur suits.

Vryce pales.

Kathlyn prods, "I thought you wanted him to bleed to death in Medbay. Last I checked, this isn't it." Despite her sharp words, there's no small amount of concern in her blue eyes.

*Cough* "Indeed, Lieutenant," the doctor murmurs. "Let's get him out of here, boys."

Riley climbs up the rickety stairs.

Riley has left.

Vryce follows, obviously. Tara looks torn between doing so, and nosing about whatever the SecOffs are planning on next.

Niko casts a look after Riley that is apparently very long, then shakes his head and goes back to answering questions, drawing a crude diagram of the hall o' heads in the dusty floor, then gesturing in the appropriate direction.

Tara watches for a moment, nodding occasionally, and eventually murmurs, "He'll be okay, Casymed."

Niko's tone holds a hint of irritation--a sign of his worry, likely. What better target, after all, than Tara? "I know he will."

Tara merely nods, showing surprising patience considering that half an hour earlier she was ready to chuck a rock at this man. "Just wanted to make sure of that."

Niko makes a vague noise of acknowledgement, dust-covered brows looming like so much dryer lint over his eyes. A pair of smaller SecOffs start to investigate the rest of the rooms, and Niko peers after them for a moment, before informing Tara, "It isn't necessary that you stay here."

Tara tilts her head, nodding slightly. "Ah, my curiosity begs to differ. 'Sides, I got my own reasons for sticking around."

Kaycen finally escapes from whatever it was he's been doing. And he comes bearing towels, and portable food. Niko waves away the latter, but does help himself to a towel, which he uses vigorously. Hey! His skin is actually skin-colored, even if bits of it are purpling prettily. "Good thing you're not a Zaeltan. Y'know about them and curiosity." Newly-dusted brows lift, and he adds, "Your own reasons?"

Tara gives the food a wistful look. "Huh?" Her eyes are dragged away from eatables to Niko. "Yeah. For one thing, I'm hoping y'all can discover why we all got squished."

Kaycen is a very nice guy, if somewhat stressed-looking. He offers some of the food to Tara.

Niko says, after a moment of thought or radio-listening, "We will, but maybe not tonight. Look, someone will let you know what we learn. You were involved, after all; it's your right to know." He still sounds annoyed, and worried, and rather tired as well, as is only natural.

Tara beams at Kaycen grateful, stuffing food into her mouth. "Kaycen, you're off my enemies list." She gives Niko a surprised nod. "'ppreciate that, han... Casymed."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Kaycen pauses a beat. "How did I get on your enemies list, Ms. Valentine?" His tone is tired as well, and mildly surprised.

Niko, turning to answer yet another in a series of questions, says vaguely, "Not a problem, Valentine." See? He didn't say 'Skippy'. Maybe he wants hot water after all.

Tara shrugs slightly. "You and Mayes both. Remember the night Sarducci was brought in?" Niko gets a vague nod and a grin.

Kaycen ahs quietly, with a brief nod. "Well, then, I'm glad that I was able to make reparations." With a faint smile and a wave that's half a salute, he heads after a younger SecOff with a mutter about lunatic kids that's obviously directed at said SecOff.

Tara continues scarfing, glancing around after the eating binge slows. "Guess I'll leave all this in your capable hands, Casymed," she calls amiably, approaching the stairs warily.

Niko calls, without looking up from the datapad he just swiped from another SecOff, "Mind the step above the broken one, Valentine. It's somewhat unstable."

Tara nods in acknowledgement, gingerly making her way up the stairs. "Thanks. Oh yeah," she adds just before slipping out, "Thanks for saving my sanity and my life and all that."

Tara climbs up the rickety stairs.

Tara has left.

[Time passes. Travelspam deleted. Scene resumes in Ela and Niko's room.]

Bound, bound, -pounce-! Except it's not really a true pounce, as Elasia does not wish to squish the poor battered Niko. She does however intend to hug him rather tightly if she can egt away with it, "Love!"

Niko blinks a few times. He's tired. He's allowed to be confused for a minute. "Hi, hon. I missed you, too." After another moment of blinking, he returns the hug, naturally, with an intensity bordering on fierceness. "I missed you," he repeats softly.

Elasia buries her face against your chest, seemingly not minding the dust. "I missed you too, terribly." She chuckles softly, and adds a smile, although the ragged quality of it attests to just how worried she was. "I swear, just when things appear normal again, you get buried alive."

Niko does, however, mind the dust--he's been breathing it, after all, and would rather you not do that. He edges away a bit, assuming that's possible, and offers you a vaguely apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, hon. I didn't -mean- to be buried alive. Next time, I'll stay out of dragon heads, and away from their teeth and all."

Elasia opens her mouth as if to reply to that, and then just blinks. "Dragon heads?" She reaches up to gently brush at dusty curls with a fond caress. "I bet you'd like to get cleaned up, yes? Want me to rummage up food for you?"

Niko starts to explain the temple, then pauses, then tries again. After he realizes that this just kind of defies explanation, he nods. "Food, hot water, those're top priorities, yeah. As long as Valentine didn't rig the shower, I'm set." He starts towards the bathroom, tugging off various dust-covered clothing as he does so. "And if she did, I get to kick her."

Elasia's brows arch as she moves the the kitchen, "As do I," she notes with wry amusement, "My shower too." Her expression however is one of decided relief. She also rescues you from Scutter's attempt to follow. She explains quietly, "She finds the shower fascinating. Can't figure out why people would voluntarily get that wet I guess."

Niko pauses and starts to pet the kitty, then peers at his hand and realizes that he likes Scutter butterscotch-colored. "I'd offer to take her with me, but, well, that would be dumb." With a tired smile, he heads into the bathroom, and the water starts a moment or two later. "Hot," he calls, apparently reporting that Tara did not, in fact, sabotage the shower.

Elasia scritches the kitten by way of apology and drops the little animal on the couch, heading into the kitchen to mix together gyros. "Good," she calls back by way of return.

Niko emerges from the shower after an appropriate amount of time, dust-free. He pauses to snag clothing, then hunkers by the couch for a moment to make up to the kitten before he heads kitchenwards. "Much better. Hot water is a wonderful thing."

Elasia beams at you as you re-emerge, and leaves aside for the moment to claim another close hug, this one dust-free. "Oh, it's so good to see you, I was worried...What happened? Or can you tell me?"

Niko returns the hug in kind, and does not, in fact, let you go this time. The food can wait. "Well," he says softly, "Remember about the women who've been disappearing from the Underground?" He would've mentioned that at some point, of course, as a cautionary thing.

Elasia doesn't appear to object in the slightest to not being released, in fact she snuggles in quite close. "Yes, I recall."

Niko rests his cheek against your hair, speaking quietly, but not so much so that he can't be heard. "Kathlyn volunteered to try to get picked up, so we could find out who was doing it. She did, but they must've seen her weapon or something, as they dropped her. Riley and I--and Valentine--followed them. And the rest... hon, it should be made into a holo or something, it's that bizarre."

"Well, you're home now." Elasia hugs you tighter a moment. "Home and everything's just fine."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko nods his agreement to that. "Just fine," he echoes. "Nothing broken," he adds, with a hint of amusement overlaying the tiredness in his voice. "Falls and falling rock and that sort of thing, and I didn't break anything. Hah."

Elasia laughs softly, although she acks and disentangles herself to rescue the food, just this side of overcooked. "We're going to have to stop calling your breakable I guess. Hungry?"

Niko, following at a somewhat more sedate pace, nods. "Very. Though I did have some chocolate, down in the caves or whatever we're going to call it. Mmm. That smells a lot better, though. Maybe because I know I'm not going to be eating dust with it. Eating dust is bad, makes everything taste very dry." He pauses. He's rambling. "Thanks, hon," he adds.

Elasia reaches past you to tug open the fridge and offer a soda with one hand, while snagging down a plate with the other. "Chocolate's a good thing, dust isn't. Food is." She grins, "You're welcome."

Niko watches the plate with interest, though he shakes his head at the offer of the soda. "No, thanks--I'll just snag some water," he adds, putting actions to words. "Sleeping would be good, after all. Rocks don't make very good pillows." He snorts softly at something, with a mutter about Tara that sounds vaguely amused.

Elasia tucks the can back away and sets about constructing your dinner onto the plate and the offering it. "Sleep would be very good indeed." She pauses, one brow arched in amusement, "Dare I ask?"

Niko takes the plate with a murmur of thanks, pausing to take a few obviously hungry bites before adding, "Valentine. She wanted a pillow." He decides not to mention what Tara had said about getting close to him, concluding only, "She didn't get one." Doesn't he sound crushed, too?

Elasia chuckles quietly, snagging a glass of water of her own. "When you're more awake, I'm going to have to hear the whole of this." She heads to the couch, scooping the kitten up and seating herself on one end of the couch with Scutter in her lap.

Niko nods agreeably, gaze following you for a moment before he turns his attention back to the food, figuratively inhaling it. "Interesting story," he says, with marked understatement. "Working in Security is definitely not boring."

Elasia sets to scritching the kitten's ears. "That much I've noticed. I was scared well witless. At first nobody'd known what happened. Thank goodness for those radios though."

Niko inquires, "Someone told you what'd happened, then? Good. I asked Kath--and then Kaycen--to try to do that, but everything was so chaotic that I wasn't sure if it'd happened." He scarfs down the last of the food, then, apparently sated, disposes of his dishes before padding over to the couch. "My comm-unit's dead, or I would've called you."

Elasia edges directly over to curl up against you, Scutter getting shifted half into your lap. "They gave me a call, yes. Several in fact as things changed, I was very grateful."

Niko gently strokes the kitten for a moment before putting his arms around you, head pillowed against the back of the couch and your shoulder. "Good. I'm glad they kept you posted. Good folks, in Security. Specially Kayce. He was so upset about those women disappearing." He bites back a yawn, blinking a few times.

Elasia glances up at you, although she does not let go. "Bed maybe? Tucked in under soft blankets with a purring kitten? Nice and warm and safe?"

Niko inquires hopefully, "Can you come, too? The kitten won't take up much room. Otherwise, that sounds absolutely wonderful."

Elasia laughs quietly, nodding, "Wouldn't dream of being anywhere else, love. I'm holding on tight to you, lest something else insane decide to occure."

Niko gets slowly to his feet, scooping up the kitten as he does so. "Nothing insane'll happen til morning--at least," he mumbles, making his way to the bed. "I've decided. I want sleep, so nothing insane can happen."

Elasia follows along close behind you, tabbing off the lights as she does so. "I think this is a wonderfully sane plan."

Niko clambers under the covers with a muffled yawn, settling the kitten near the foot of the bed before curling up. Sure, she'll come up with the people, but he can pretend to decide where she'll sleep. "Sane is good. Sane isn't dusty."

Elasia clambers under the covers after you, curling up around you. Of course the kitten stalks right up to the warmth producing people to cuddle as well. She's learned where she belongs. "No dust in the bed, nope. You sleep yourself out."

Niko muffles a yawn, then returns the kiss in kind, laughing quietly as he spots the kitten and her new spot. "Sleep... sure, hon. I can do that. Lots of sleep. You sleep, too. Sleep is good. Love you."

Elasia looks a little sheepish, "She stayed up here with me while you were trapped. Guess she hinks she's supposed to be here." She mmrrhmms, "I will, good night love."

Niko mumbles, eyes sinking closed, "She -is- sposed to be here. 's her home. Her people." With another yawn, this one unmuffled, he drifts off to sleep.

Elasia just beams at that. Good. The kitten isn't getting banished to the end of the bed. She snuggles in close and settles down to drift off as well.

Niko mumbles something about Riley and children and toys with sirens, then, with a sigh, gets smacked upside the head by the sandman, and falls into a deep sleep.

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