Delvers LLC 5, ch 10

I am not happy with the other 2 chapters I have done after this one.  The original plan was to release multiple chapters.  I kind of still want to, but I've decided to share this chapter anyway. :)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Jason frowned and said, “Don’t even think about doing anything, Henry.”  His friend’s expression wasn’t difficult to read.  They’d known each other for a long time, and Ludus had changed things, but not everything.

“Wow.  That thing is truly enormous.” Exclaimed Uluula.

“That’s what she said,” said Henry.

“What?”  The Areva woman turned with an eyebrow raised.

Jason sighed.  “Just ignore him.  But seriously, nobody do anything.”

“Admit it, you’re also curious what it is and what it might do,” said Henry.

“Well, yes.  That’s why I’m playing nanny and telling everyone to stay put.”

“What do you mean?” asked Henry.

“Because yes, I kind of want to mess with it, but I’ve already thought it through.  Attacking it from up here isn’t cool--what if it’s just some innocent animal?  If I were alone, I could take a closer look and get away if something crazy happened.  But what if that thing destroys the ship?  Ever hear the saying about poking the bear?  Even the goblins on the guns have the common sense to just watch.”

“What, you think it’s gonna be able to fly up here?” Henry’s expression was skeptical.

“Stranger things have happened.”

“Okay, good point.”  Henry looked over the rail again.  “Damn that thing is big.”

“It really is.”  Jason nodded his agreement and looked over the railing himself.  Down far below in the ocean, something was close enough to the surface to see a shadowy outline.  It was very clearly sinuously moving, obviously alive.  Whatever it was had to be over two hundred feet long, maybe even three hundred feet.  It was hard to accurately determine sizes from so high up, but Jason judged it to be a little longer than a football field, which would make it like three times the size of a blue whale.   “Whatever it is, it makes a megalodon look tiny.”

“What’s a megalodon?” asked Nora.

“A giant shark on Earth, existed a long time ago,” said Jason.

Henry nodded and said, “Shark week.”  He rubbed his chin.  “If we want to know what thing is down there, why don’t we just go and ask our resident Ludus Encyclopedia?” he said.

“You mean the High Priestesses?  Don’t we have three of them?” said Uluula.

“No, I’m only talking about Keeja,” said Henry.  “Philana might not know, and Enheduanna is crazy.  I don’t feel like hearing riddles today.”

Nora agreed, “Good point.”

“‘Duanna is on the ship right now!” hissed Uluula.

“Doesn’t make it wrong.”  Nora shrugged.  “And it’s not like we’re going to hurt her feelings.”

Henry nodded and said, “Alright, I’m gonna go ask.”  He left the railing where everyone had gathered after being alerted by the goblins.  The on-duty gunners had spotted the creature in the water first.  Jason shook his head and followed his friend to the back of the ‘Hull.  None of the crew had been brave enough to go back there for a while, and Jason knew why.  He wasn’t looking forward to this.

All the High Priestesses could just be so...weird.

Keeja, Philana, and Enheduanna were all sitting around a table they’d gotten from somewhere.  Drinks, cards, and a pile of gold coins were on the table.

“Yes, I am not particularly upset that Biivan is dead,” said Enheduanna.

“I will admit it didn’t exactly make me cry,” said Keeja.

Enheduanna glanced at Philana and tittered.  “Such a small bird.  Young bird.  Studying the worm.”

Keeja frowned.  “Why are you the way you are?”

“No you.  Stop being so weird, Keeja.”  She held up a yellow round.  “Also, I still don’t understand why we are using gold coins,” said Enheduanna.  She took a sip out of her stein.

Philana frowned down at her cards.  “I don’t understand any of this.  Why does having lower numbers still allow for a win?”

“Why not just drink and gossip?  If I must take a vacation from my research, I would rather be doing something marvelous.  Is this marvelous?”  Enheduanna put a finger on her nose.  “I enjoy that word sometimes.  Marvelous.”

“We’ve been over this,” said Keeja.  “This is a good break from training and research.  This game is strip poker, and we needed poker chips.  Getting Henry to get us some gold was a lot easier than making ceramic chips.”

“Why gold?”

“It’s tradition, I think.”

“No it’s not,” said Jason as he approached.  “Nobody plays with gold coins on earth, at least nobody I’ve seen.”

Keeja shrugged.  “They use other worthless materials.  On Ludus, these gold chips would be like...iron on Terra.”

“I suppose that’s true, but why aren’t you wearing any clothes, Keeja?” asked Uluula.

“This is strip poker,” said the demigoddess, like that explained everything.  Her clothing and signature cowboy boots had been neatly folded on the deck beside her.  She was leaning back in her chair in only her underwear.

“False.  You took your clothes off right after we began playing,” said Philana.

Enheduanna didn’t even look up, now she was staring at her cards, shuffling them into different positions.  “Keeja has an exhibitionist streak.  She always has.  A little over a thousand years ago she walked around naked for almost an entire year.”

“Really?” Philana put her cards down on the table face-down.  She seemed to consider it.  "If she were only around other Areva they would just think she was odd, maybe low class, but that's right, Ludus has other species.  Some would be shocked by nudity."

Keeja shook her head.  “A year? I don’t think it was that long, just a few months.”

“You’ve done it more than once,” said Enheduanna.

“Yes, but always only a few months at a time.  There are some practical reasons for wearing clothes, after all.”

“Like what?” asked Uluula, curious.

“Splinters for one.”

“Ah.”

Jason frowned.  “Your skin is stronger than steel, isn’t it?  How can you get splinters?”  He intentionally did not give himself any mental pictures of the implications.

“I’m protected against threats.  If my skin was hardened all the time I wouldn’t be able to move properly, or touch anything.”

“Oh.  I see.”  That had never even occurred to Jason, but it made sense.  In fact, Henry had taken upgrades through his orb that had made him tougher, but his skin had still felt the same when he’d shook hands or fist bumped afterwards.

Henry began, “So Keeja, I have a question.  Do you--”

“You came to me for a favor and didn’t even comment on all of this first?” She gestured at her body with both hands.

“We’ve been through all this.  This is old now.  And aren’t you like a million years old?” asked Henry.

“Just a few thousand, and that just means I have experience.”  She shook her hips suggestively.

Henry rolled his eyes.  “Fuckin’ hell.  I thought you’d stopped this stuff.”

“I can do what I want.  I’ve been drinking.”  Keeja sniffed.

“Is it even possible for you to get drunk?” asked Jason.  He was actually curious. It felt like he still knew very little about the High Priestesses other than they were actually Artifice Holders.  Based on his understanding, they were similar to orb-Bonded, just more powerful.

“My body regards alcohol as a poison.  If I choose, I can override the automatic response to nullify it,” said Keeja.

Eneduanna was still staring at her cards with narrowed, suspicious eyes.  She said, “We can be sober whenever we want.  It is also possible to adjust our intoxication level.  As an experiment in the past, I one stayed drunk for over a month.”

“Big deal.  I have a few friends who have gone longer than that, and they aren’t superhuman, just super dumb,” said Henry.

“Is this why Keeja took her clothes off for no real reason?” asked Uluula.  “Alcohol?”  As she spoke, Jason eyed his wife and hoped she wasn't misunderstanding anything.  Areva didn't seem to be bothered by nudity.  However, propriety was very important to them.  Propriety for Areva was more about rules.  Uluula didn't care at all that Jason had seen her naked before they'd even begun dating since they'd been in a bath, but if she ever violated protocol she'd be deeply embarassed.  Areva culture was...different.

Enheduanna wagged a finger in the sky.  “No, she did that before we’d even begun drinking.”

“Does she do this often?” Philana asked Enheduanna.

“Randomly strip?”

“Yes,” said Philana.  “This is the first I have seen of this.”

Enheduanna shrugged.  “You were a researcher before, at one of the main bases.  I’m not surprised.  She does it more than she should.  It was cute for the first few hundred years.”  She gave Keeja a considering look.  “Perhaps I should join her after all.”

“What?” asked Philana.

“If we are playing strip poker and I’d already stripped, I have nothing to worry about!  There would be no consequences from ‘losing.’”  Enheduanna held a finger up like she’d just made an amazing point.  "Besides, I'd just be naked.  It's not like it hurts."

“I see your logic.  But none of us still know how to play.  Perhaps even Keeja is not sure”  Philana cocked her head, making the evening sunlight flash off her horns.  “Didn’t my totem have a question?”

“That can wait,” said Henry.  He gave Philana a complicated look and said, “Maybe you should come with me to see Mareen.  She’s reading.  That would be a better way to pass the time than with these corrupting old ladies.”

Keeja finally looked up from her cards and cackled.  “Corrupting old ladies?  Little boy, she is a nymph.  You are her totem.  I am sure she is just waiting to do many, many things to you.”

Enheduanna gestured with her drink.  “The word ‘nymphomaniac’ exists in your native language, right?  Where do you think that word originates?  Tell him, Philana.  What sort of despicable things do you have in mind for your totem?”

“We are not married, and not in a relationship, yet,” said Philana stiffly.  “I will respect my totem’s wishes.”

Keeja rolled her eyes.  “You should just copulate and be done with it.”

Henry grimaced, but Jason could feel a smile tugging the corner of his lips.  In a droll tone, he said, “Doesn’t that sound like something you would say, Henry?  I’m pretty sure you have said something like that before.”  Jason had meant the comment as a tease, but Henry frowned.

His friend awkwardly took a step back and muttered to himself.  Louder, he said, “I’m glad Mareen isn’t up here right now.  She’s been treating Philana like family.”

“Of course she has, you fool,” said Enheduanna.  “She has already accepted her as your second wife.”  She turned to Keeja and took a sip of her drink, managing to spill some of it on herself.  “Why are Terrans always so dense?”

“Repression,” said Keeja.  She continued, “Age helps bring clarity, too.  They are all very young.”

“Point,” agreed Enheduanna.

“These High Priestesses gossip like old men,” said Nora.

Philana stood.  “I do not appreciate jokes being made at the expense of my relationship with my...totem.”

“Are you serious?”  Keeja eyed her.  “Wow, you are serious.  I’ve known you a decent amount of time.  Despite that, I suppose I just never noticed that you were an old maid.  Between you and the Areva prude over there, I kind of want to choke myself.”

“Choking can be fun,” muttered Enheduanna.  She giggled and did figure eights in the air with one finger tip that suddenly began emitting light.

Uluula glared.  “My attitudes about mariage, procreation and...sex, are not abnormal for Areva.  Keeja, you are Areva!  If anything, you are the one who is abnormal, sitting half-naked by yourself!”

Keeja hooked a thumb and retorted, “Says the white-hair girl Of the Blue who married a Terran.  Who would your Family think is more degenerate?”

Uluula sputtered, and Jason was suddenly laser-focused on this conversation.  He’d known there might be issues in the future with his marriage to Uluula, but this was the first time he’d heard another Areva person say anything about it.

“That is none of your business,

“This is true.”  Keeja’s expression grew somber and she

“There is something actually seriously wrong with you,” Henry declared.

“Of course there is.  My rotting title is “Ravager”,” said Keeja.  She burped.

Uluula frowned and muttered, “Lovely.”

“See?” said Keeja.  “Terrans can be repressed, and Terrans are violent and illogical, but Areva are not my favorite race.  Want to know how to take the fun out of something?  Give it to a group of Areva.”

“This is why she spends most of her time in Tolstey and Berber,” Enheduana noted.  She held up an Ace card.  “This is the most powerful card, yes?”

“It depends,” said Keeja.  “Are you finally ready to play?”

“Not yet.  By the way, is that why things ended with us, sweet Ravager?”  Enheduanna was beginning to definitely look drunk, or at least tipsy.  Jason had a random thought, wondering how much property damage the demigoddesses one Ludus had caused over the last few thousands years through drinking.

Keeja waved a hand.  “You know even better than I do what happened there.  For someone so brilliant, you sure do like to ignore reality sometimes.”

“Can we please get back on track, ladies?” asked Henry.

Keeja took a drink and said, “What do you want?  If I tell you something will you leave us alone?  This game has been going to happen for like an hour now.”

“You’ve been sitting around in your underwear for no reason for an hour?” asked Uluula.

“Longer,” said Philana.  “Like has been said, before any of us began drinking.  Apparently she does this sort of thing sometimes.”  She waved at Enhenduanna.  “Ask Duanna.”

“Et tu, Brute!” said Keeja dramatically and took another swig.

“How do you even know that reference?” asked Jason.

“I’ve been to earth, remember?”

“Oh yeah.”

Henry rolled his eyes and tried again.  “Keeja, we saw something huge in the water below.”  He described what they’d seen, then asked, “What is it?”

“How am I supposed to know?” said Keeja.  She narrowed her eyes as she took a slow, long pull on her stein.

Jason gave Henry a look and said, “She has a point.  How was she supposed to answer that question?”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”  Henry frowned.  “That was kind of vague.  Okay, how about I ask what kind of stuff lives in the ocean that gets three hundred yards long?”

Keeja thought for a few seconds and said, “A few things get that big or bigger.  There is a reason why sailing the oceans of Ludus is dangerous.  All the successful traders use water mages to avoid detection.”

Henry turned to Jason and asked, “Can we fuck with that thing down in the water now?”

“No!  Again, what if it’s just a normal animal minding its own business?  Like, blue whales are harmless.”

“Not to krill,” muttered Keeja.

“What?” asked Keeja.

“Little tiny animals in the ocean on Earth,” said Henry absently.

Once again, Jason was reminded of how Henry sometimes knew about the strangest things.

“So it was a harmless animal?” asked Nora.  She sounded doubtful.

“Probably not,” snorted Keeja.  “Not many creatures on Ludus that get big are harmless.  You should know that, Nora.”  She paused and seemed to think about it.  “They aren’t harmless to all of you, anyway.”

“Well, this was a waste of time,” said Henry.

“I’m glad we are all in agreement,” said Keeja.  “Now are you going to keep interrupting me from getting naked and playing cards?”

“It’s not supposed to be in that order,” said Enheduanna.  “But this seems like a pleasant distraction.  Perhaps I should disrobe as well now.”

“No, follow the rules,” snarled Keeja.

Enheduanna took a deep swig from her stein and said, “I am technically senior to you, Ravager.  In fact, I should be ordering you.”  She clapped.  “Do my research for me and...find me...a shrubbery!”

“How does she know that reference?” wondered Jason out loud.

“I regret coming here to ask this creepy old lady anything,” said Henry.

“Old lady?  Look at these firm, high breasts!” Exclaimed Keeja.  She gestured at her chest and mashed her boobs together.

“Yeah, okay there, ‘Ravager.’  You may be a demigoddess but you are still Areva and I haven’t seen many areva that are too blessed with the boobage,” said Henry.  “No offense, Uluula.”

Uluula put a hand over her face and Jason felt a flash of irritation mixed with a tiny bit of amusement.  He said, “Dude, not cool.  Leave Uluula’s boobs alone.”  Shit, he thought.  That didn’t sound right.  Out the corner of his eye, he saw his wife’s cheeks reddening and knew he was going to hear about this more tonight.

“That didn’t sound right,” said Henry.  He cocked his head at Philana and asked, “Are you sure you want to stay with these fucked up old ladies?”

“She is a few hundred years old,” said Keeja.  She rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, but you two are beyond help.”  Keeja shrugged and presented her middle finger to Henry.  Henry said, “You gonna stay, Philana?”

“Yes, I am enjoying being inebriated.”  She suddenly seemed to think of something and leaned forward.  “Do you think Mareen would be...disappointed?”  Hearing a High Priestess, even a recently elevated one opening wondering about the opinion of a young human woman, Blood Mage or not, was odd.

Jason shared a look with Henry and his friend sighed.  Jason knew exactly what Henry wanted to say, something probably like: It would probably depend on whether Mareen had been drinking too.  These days, who knows?  Instead, his friend said, “I’m not sure, ‘Lana.  Maybe you should ask her later.  Since you want to stay I guess I’ll go back to working in the shop.”  Henry paused.  “In fact, as long as Keeja promises to not to strip any further, I’ll ask Mareen if she wants to join the three drunken demigoddesses here.”

“The more the merrier!” shouted Keeja.  She took one last swig, put her stein down, and wiped her mouth.  She pointed and said, “Not you, though, you are not invited yet.  I don’t know who you are.  Maybe you can announce yourself?”

“Ahem, excuse me.”  The voice came from behind them.  While the High Priestesses didn’t seem surprised in the slightest, Jason just about jumped out of his skin.  He wasn’t the only one.  Henry whirled and drew one of his pistols in one smooth motion.

Behind them stood three winged women.  They were all very tall and thin.  The women could not be mistaken for humans.  In addition to the winged arms, they had angular faces, taloned claws, and long feathers instead of hair.  Their eyes were large and avian.  All three wore extremely light armor, not much more than greaves, bracers, and breastplates that covered the torso from the belly, up.  They carried long spears.  The one in the center said, “I am called Hiira.  We are Adom, from the Adom civilization of the Wild Lands, Teteth.”  She bowed to the High Priestesses and respectfully said, “Your Excellencies.”

“Harpy guard?” asked Keeja.

“Yes, Your Eminence.”

“What is the correct way to talk to the High Priestesses?” Henry wondered aloud.  “Everyone is always using different words.”

Jason ignored Henry.  “Uh, hello.”  The fact the Hull was over the ocean and almost a thousand feet up at the moment meant he hadn’t expected to meet any visitors.  “How can I help you?”

“Your flying ship is approaching Teteth.  We have come to request you visit the island of Wakeharbor for processing.  This is the first flying ship we have see, but all craft must be processed before entering Teteth.”

“Uh, we are in kind of a hurry,” said Henry.  “What if we don’t wanna go?”

“We must insist,” said the Adom woman.  She kept the same polite tone of voice, but cracks started to show in her expression.  “Nobody wants any trouble.”  She glanced at the High Priestesses then back.  “Please?”

“She did say please,” said Nora.  She produced a piece of bread from somewhere and was thoughtfully chewing.

“That’s true.”  Jason gave Henry a look.  “I think we should go.  What do you think?”

“Well, we’re early, and I would rather not make enemies right off the fucking bat…” said Henry, letting his worlds trail off.  “Hey Keeja,” he called.  “This Wakeharbor place, is it legit?  The name sounds kind of generic.”

“Yes, it is where the Adom of Ludus conduct most of their trade and process new citizens or hopefuls,” said Keeja.  She looked into her empty stein. “I need more beer.”

“Okay,” said Jason.  “Let’s go to Wakeharbor.”

The Adom women relaxed somewhat.  Their grips on their spears loosened.  Jason glanced over at Keeja as she apparently grew bored of the conversation and got up to get more alcohol.  She pulled her underwear further up her ass and glanced back, blowing a saucy kiss at Henry.  Nora laughed.

Hiira seemed to have great selective vision and her eyes didn’t even flicker towards the demigodess table anymore.  She was still visibly nervous as she said, “Thank you for agreeing to go with us.  I will guide you to wakeharbor. We were extremely concerned.  The Adom civilization doesn’t get many visitors.”  She grinned ruefully.  “This situation is unprecedented, and...strange.”

Jason winced as Keeja fell down and muttered, “You’re telling me.”