Third Ritual of Detestation: The Great Ocean. Action only

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

[ Garviel walks long the docks of Prospero, as the time approaches the Dark Hour. His blade slung over one shoulder, pistol at his waist, expression cold. Dare you approach the grim warrior? ]

Comments

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

"As you know yourself", yes. You should consult with him, I have a feeling we can trust him.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

If I'm gonna be blunt about it, we might as well trust the other people who can still move around in an hour 'till they prove we should do otherwise.

Anyway, yeah. I'll probably talk with him about it. Actually, I was kind of hoping to test a hypothesis tonight, if you're interested in lending a hand?

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Of course, what do you have in mind?

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

I was going to skulk around and see if any of the defeated shadows left anything behind, and if they did snag it and see if it still existed outside of the dark hour.

Can't really do much study on something that's only around for an hour a day. Was hoping at least part of them could be brought into real time to make things easier.

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Good idea, I'll be glad to help you examine it in that manner.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Hmm... Should I take that as a "Yes, feel free to follow me around like a lost puppy. Just try to pull your weight." or not?

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Take it as you like.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

[She slowly stands, offering the tall man an admittedly less-than-military-standard salute in the process.]

Roger that. I'll try to keep from being underfoot and/or a burden, then.

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Try to keep up. [ He walks along the docks until the Dark Hour itsel hits. ]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

I'll do my best, cap'n.

[She'll follow, instrument now on her back. She does not, however, seem to be of a mood to let the conversation die out quite yet.]

What do you think, though? It's obvious the only real connection we all have is, well, them. But are the shadows really the way out of here?

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Even if they aren't, we have a duty to defeat them. [ He draws his sword in two hands as he waits. ]

And only in death does duty end.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

...Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right. [Her mouth draws into a thin line after she speaks, before shrugging.]

Wish I knew why non-combatants and especially kids were being given this duty, though. The latter's especially perturbing.

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

I can't say, though I like it no more than you do, I suspect.


To be honest though, some of these children are no older than me when I began the long road of becoming a member of the legiones Astartes.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Huh, really? ...No offense, but I'm having a pinch of trouble visualizing you as a kid.

Am I allowed to pry about the, ah, "Astartes", until the Dark Hour hits?

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Do as you like, I don't hold with secrets myself, so I shall hold back nothing.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Well then, guess I'll start from... the start: what exactly is an Astartes?

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

A genetically enhanced human. A space marine. We are made for war.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

[She tilts her head to the side curiously, mulling over the meaning of "genetically enhanced" for a few moments before coming to a conclusion.]

I assume it's not just in preparation for a war, and that there's a defined enemy. Dunno what genetically enhanced means, but it sounds... extreme.

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

We were sent out to conquer the entire galaxy in the name of humanity... our enemies were many.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Kind of a pity. Humanity seems to find enemies no matter where it goes, huh? What are they? Were they.

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

Aliens... Daemons..,. and in the end, ourselves.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

...Couldn't stay unified against even a single threat? [A frown. That's rather sad, if it's so.]

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

They were corrupted by the daemons.

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

What exactly is a daemon? Not human, I can get that much.

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

It is better that you do not know.