Andromedan Orbiting Operations Center (and offworld adventures)

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“It’s something I’ve never gotten around to explaining this but each god has a very powerful ability that they can’t do very often as it completely exhausts us”

"...I.... I see. You are probably going to want to save those explanations for the High Imperator."

Taonoui looked at Oliver.

"By the way, the little guy seems to be confused about something."

"Um, Universe? You said the god of magic had just been created.... are you implying.... are you implying it's me? And if you are... I'm... I'm not even sure where to begin grasping the sheer depth of a power like that...."

 

[Universe]

"...I.... I see. You are probably going to want to save those explanations for the High Imperator."

Taonoui looked at Oliver.

"By the way, the little guy seems to be confused about something."

"Um, Universe? You said the god of magic had just been created.... are you implying.... are you implying it's me? And if you are... I'm... I'm not even sure where to begin grasping the sheer depth of a power like that...."

“Yes it’s a lot to take in”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“Yes it’s a lot to take in”

"No kidding. It'll take millennia to truly settle into a role like that."

"You became it in a good spot. You've got a lot of room to work outside the-"

"Listen, everyone. She's implied four times that we need to give her and her ship some room. We want to be on good terms with mortals, so maybe we should comply. Taonoui, there some kind of large building we can use as an impromptu lair?"

"Well..."

Another green rabbit rushed up to the ship. "Lord Taunoui... there was a sports dome about two klicks out from the ship. Only had the top cracked, but still not a suitable place to house surviving colonists. I'm afraid we don't have a lot of places for survivors to go."

"....that answers that question. Round dome in the distance with its top cracked open, right there. Make a roof and clean it up a bit, and it should serve as a good base for you all."

"I see the dome she's talking about. It looks like a quarter of the size of one of the big sports centers on Earth, but it's plenty of room for the lot of us. How about we use it for a while?"

 

[Universe]

"No kidding. It'll take millennia to truly settle into a role like that."

"You became it in a good spot. You've got a lot of room to work outside the-"

"Listen, everyone. She's implied four times that we need to give her and her ship some room. We want to be on good terms with mortals, so maybe we should comply. Taonoui, there some kind of large building we can use as an impromptu lair?"

"Well..."

Another green rabbit rushed up to the ship. "Lord Taunoui... there was a sports dome about two klicks out from the ship. Only had the top cracked, but still not a suitable place to house surviving colonists. I'm afraid we don't have a lot of places for survivors to go."

"....that answers that question. Round dome in the distance with its top cracked open, right there. Make a roof and clean it up a bit, and it should serve as a good base for you all."

"I see the dome she's talking about. It looks like a quarter of the size of one of the big sports centers on Earth, but it's plenty of room for the lot of us. How about we use it for a while?"

“ok fine”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“ok fine”

"I'll get us there quickly."

Aeternus created a portal to the dome.

The inside area looked like a giant sporting arena, seating and all. The main field had a net on each side... and a huge amount of debris from the collapsed roof in the center of it. Aeternus adjusted his portal so that the entry point wouldn't be on the top of the debris.

"Alright, let's go."

Aeternus stepped through the portal, Oliver and Eclipse following shortly thereafter.

"Now, Oliver, what do you know of dragons? Because celestial dragons-"

"Let me guess. You don't sleep on hoards the way the oldest of the Wasat Prisma do?"

"...yeah. We might collect things on occasion, but we aren't usually the types to sleep on treasure. If we have rare items we tend to take better care of them than that."

((Yes, it's a soccer stadium. I figure that would be one sport very popular across the known reality. Should give an idea of some of the leftover stuff throughout the building too.))

 

[Universe]

"I'll get us there quickly."

Aeternus created a portal to the dome.

The inside area looked like a giant sporting arena, seating and all. The main field had a net on each side... and a huge amount of debris from the collapsed roof in the center of it. Aeternus adjusted his portal so that the entry point wouldn't be on the top of the debris.

"Alright, let's go."

Aeternus stepped through the portal, Oliver and Eclipse following shortly thereafter.

"Now, Oliver, what do you know of dragons? Because celestial dragons-"

"Let me guess. You don't sleep on hoards the way the oldest of the Wasat Prisma do?"

"...yeah. We might collect things on occasion, but we aren't usually the types to sleep on treasure. If we have rare items we tend to take better care of them than that."

((Yes, it's a soccer stadium. I figure that would be one sport very popular across the known reality. Should give an idea of some of the leftover stuff throughout the building too.))

*I stepped through the portal singing the Star vs the forces of evil theme song*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*I stepped through the portal singing the Star vs the forces of evil theme song*

Aeternus chuckled. Universe's singing was a bit of an understatement.

"So... where do we begin?"

"You came from a junkyard, right? And it didn't have basically any of the social advances of a good chunk of the known universe. I think it's time we ease you into a lifestyle with a little more class. Universe, any ideas?"

"Son, you sure we shouldn't teach him about the nature of his abilities first?"

"I'm quite certain, Dad. The right mental base is critical for spiritual enlightenment, Solaris has had to tell us this over and over again."

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

Taonoui typed out a message on a communicator to Ahrakas (@Baron Tredegar ).

Spoiler: From user Galactic Bunnyhop

Recovery team is still en route. Meanwhile, I've landed on Formosa and we've begun administering aid to the civilian population... but the dragons hitched a ride with us. Ship is stranded here because a bloodlusted celestial targeted the dragons just after I landed. Fire type from the looks of it. No casualties, but there were a couple hull breaches to major areas in the ship. I've learned a couple things from that encounter.

First, it appears that each of the dragon gods has a super move that completely wears them out. And one of them is basically an instant version of the bloodlust purging thing, much like what became of Zadkiel except without the darkening and can be done to others. If I had to guess, it's the dull gold one's super.

Second, apparently the little one, Oliver, is their god of magic. Given I was on the ship when he became this and got to see the process, I find it very strange that these dragons believe turning someone into a god is the best way to save their life. Especially into a really powerful god.

Which brings me to point 3... trying to get these dragons out of the area so that their enemies don't harm innocent people... it's like trying to herd a tornado! I had to tell them four times just for one of them to take the hint, and even then they're only a couple kilometers away. I was hoping to get their help rebuilding Formosa, but... I'm not sure I can convince them.

Will keep you up to date as I find more.

Also, who's been building the archive on Lucifer's misdeeds? I feel like I have a lot of propaganda I need to undo after meeting these dragons face-to-face. I still hesitate to call them nice, but nothing about their behavior - aside from their stubbornness - suggests these dragons to be power-hungry maniacs.

 

[Universe]

Aeternus chuckled. Universe's singing was a bit of an understatement.

"So... where do we begin?"

"You came from a junkyard, right? And it didn't have basically any of the social advances of a good chunk of the known universe. I think it's time we ease you into a lifestyle with a little more class. Universe, any ideas?"

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

Taonoui typed out a message on a communicator to Ahrakas (@Baron Tredegar ).

Spoiler: From user Galactic Bunnyhop

Recovery team is still en route. Meanwhile, I've landed on Formosa and we've begun administering aid to the civilian population... but the dragons hitched a ride with us. Ship is stranded here because a bloodlusted celestial targeted the dragons just after I landed. Fire type from the looks of it. No casualties, but there were a couple hull breaches to major areas in the ship. I've learned a couple things from that encounter.

First, it appears that each of the dragon gods has a super move that completely wears them out. And one of them is basically an instant version of the bloodlust purging thing, much like what became of Zadkiel except without the darkening and can be done to others. If I had to guess, it's the dull gold one's super.

Second, apparently the little one, Oliver, is their god of magic. Given I was on the ship when he became this and got to see the process, I find it very strange that these dragons believe turning someone into a god is the best way to save their life. Especially into a really powerful god.

Which brings me to point 3... trying to get these dragons out of the area so that their enemies don't harm innocent people... it's like trying to herd a tornado! I had to tell them four times just for one of them to take the hint, and even then they're only a couple kilometers away. I was hoping to get their help rebuilding Formosa, but... I'm not sure I can convince them.

Will keep you up to date as I find more.

Also, who's been building the archive on Lucifer's misdeeds? I feel like I have a lot of propaganda I need to undo after meeting these dragons face-to-face. I still hesitate to call them nice, but nothing about their behavior - aside from their stubbornness - suggests these dragons to be power-hungry maniacs.

*I took a deep breath to focus*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*I took a deep breath to focus*

Oliver watched his older brother as Aeternus and Eclipse argued about what he should be taught first.

He decided to sit down, shut out the bickering, and think about his 'lost' magic connection and what Eclipse had previously told him. He had a more direct link now, huh?

He remembered that he relied on elements, a 'code' for the world around him, when he had his mortal body. That was no longer an option. He'd have to learn how things worked without a code to identify them.

He decided to start with the basics. He was a celestial dragon now. How had this started? It started with learning about raw energy. He had a basic version of that. It progressed to learning about space. He had less need for the things of mortality, like air and food, when he had attained that space element.

Where it broke down was the sleeping dragon that he saw when he was on the Universe-7. As he watched that dragon, his body had tried to take on another element - and that had been the tipping point for the collapse of his spirit. What was it about that dragon that caused him to need to be saved by the Architects and Solaris, to become this?

The answer appeared as a vision in front of him. What was the issue with the sleeping dragon? Was it a problem he'd have to face as a celestial dragon... or a positive aspect of who they were?

 

[Universe]

Oliver watched his older brother as Aeternus and Eclipse argued about what he should be taught first.

He decided to sit down, shut out the bickering, and think about his 'lost' magic connection and what Eclipse had previously told him. He had a more direct link now, huh?

He remembered that he relied on elements, a 'code' for the world around him, when he had his mortal body. That was no longer an option. He'd have to learn how things worked without a code to identify them.

He decided to start with the basics. He was a celestial dragon now. How had this started? It started with learning about raw energy. He had a basic version of that. It progressed to learning about space. He had less need for the things of mortality, like air and food, when he had attained that space element.

Where it broke down was the sleeping dragon that he saw when he was on the Universe-7. As he watched that dragon, his body had tried to take on another element - and that had been the tipping point for the collapse of his spirit. What was it about that dragon that caused him to need to be saved by the Architects and Solaris, to become this?

The answer appeared as a vision in front of him. What was the issue with the sleeping dragon? Was it a problem he'd have to face as a celestial dragon... or a positive aspect of who they were?

“Wisdom uncle WISOM”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“Wisdom uncle WISOM”

Aeternus and Eclipse stopped their bickering the moment they heard Universe say that. They couldn't argue with their truth-telling relative.

Oliver had been thrown into this suddenly. He'd had his elevation of power occur in basically a single day, rather than the many many years it generally took. There were two general reactions to that kind of power jump: panic and arrogance. Oliver's was mercifully panic, the far easier one to learn to tame.

Teaching wisdom was already a necessity, but with Oliver's bewildered state teaching wisdom was actually an option.

This mattered far more than trying to undo any of the disruptions resulting from Oliver's past, or a direct teaching of basic ability.

Though, of course they could not teach Oliver everything when it came to a subject like wisdom. Some of this wisdom - most of it in fact - could only come from millennia of learning. They could at least get him started.

While they thought about how to teach him, Oliver opened his eyes and looked at Universe. "Was there any of this... wisdom in that sleeping dragon we saw? My soul might have seen something my mind didn't. I'm just... trying to figure out the events that led up to this..."

 

[Universe]

Aeternus and Eclipse stopped their bickering the moment they heard Universe say that. They couldn't argue with their truth-telling relative.

Oliver had been thrown into this suddenly. He'd had his elevation of power occur in basically a single day, rather than the many many years it generally took. There were two general reactions to that kind of power jump: panic and arrogance. Oliver's was mercifully panic, the far easier one to learn to tame.

Teaching wisdom was already a necessity, but with Oliver's bewildered state teaching wisdom was actually an option.

This mattered far more than trying to undo any of the disruptions resulting from Oliver's past, or a direct teaching of basic ability.

Though, of course they could not teach Oliver everything when it came to a subject like wisdom. Some of this wisdom - most of it in fact - could only come from millennia of learning. They could at least get him started.

While they thought about how to teach him, Oliver opened his eyes and looked at Universe. "Was there any of this... wisdom in that sleeping dragon we saw? My soul might have seen something my mind didn't. I'm just... trying to figure out the events that led up to this..."

“I’m having trouble processing that myself”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“I’m having trouble processing that myself”

"The best I've been able to do is get it down to two possibilities.... either my body tried to attain an element that isn't known to this reality.... or my body wasn't ready for both the energy and space elements together."

In his current state, this is really all he could see as the reason why this happened.

"There are elements that don't correspond to this reality, right? I'm not just going off on a wild tangent, I hope."

Oliver quickly narrowed his eyes.

"Don't show me any if there are, I don't want to break the fabric of this reality."

 

[Universe]

"The best I've been able to do is get it down to two possibilities.... either my body tried to attain an element that isn't known to this reality.... or my body wasn't ready for both the energy and space elements together."

In his current state, this is really all he could see as the reason why this happened.

"There are elements that don't correspond to this reality, right? I'm not just going off on a wild tangent, I hope."

Oliver quickly narrowed his eyes.

"Don't show me any if there are, I don't want to break the fabric of this reality."

*I couldn’t lie and I was trying hard the other gods could see this was hurting me greatly* “I don’t Ow know”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*I couldn’t lie and I was trying hard the other gods could see this was hurting me greatly* “I don’t Ow know”

"Do not strain yourself too much. I have accepted that I may have to work off of the two theories I know. If there are truly elements outside this reality, they will come to me when I need to visit there."

"Nephew? You're pushing too hard again."

"Oliver... 'come to you when you need to visit'? You are... not in a rush to know all the elements of your core?"

"Not doing me any good until I know the basics. There's a possibility that I couldn't handle what I knew, how about I start there? It will flow to me as needed."

"That is... hmmm... you got lessons directly from Solaris before you became this, didn't you...?"

"Yes, Eclipse, and those lessons were exactly as obtuse then as they are now. Apparently that's the point of his teachings."

"Almost, Oliver. Direct teaching is... stifling, in a way. It only goes so far."

Aeternus looked at Universe.

"Nephew, please... do not strain. Let the answer come to Oliver later. You should help explain the common things all of us can do first."

 

[Universe]

"Do not strain yourself too much. I have accepted that I may have to work off of the two theories I know. If there are truly elements outside this reality, they will come to me when I need to visit there."

"Nephew? You're pushing too hard again."

"Oliver... 'come to you when you need to visit'? You are... not in a rush to know all the elements of your core?"

"Not doing me any good until I know the basics. There's a possibility that I couldn't handle what I knew, how about I start there? It will flow to me as needed."

"That is... hmmm... you got lessons directly from Solaris before you became this, didn't you...?"

"Yes, Eclipse, and those lessons were exactly as obtuse then as they are now. Apparently that's the point of his teachings."

"Almost, Oliver. Direct teaching is... stifling, in a way. It only goes so far."

Aeternus looked at Universe.

"Nephew, please... do not strain. Let the answer come to Oliver later. You should help explain the common things all of us can do first."

*I sighed really loud scaring everyone even myself because of how loud it was* “Ok that was the loudest sigh I’ve ever heard come out of my snout”

 

[Universe]

*I looked like I was about to scream from frustration* “why can I not lie that’s so unfair”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*I sighed really loud scaring everyone even myself because of how loud it was* “Ok that was the loudest sigh I’ve ever heard come out of my snout”

Universe could swear part of the cracked roof was vibrating after that sigh.

*I looked like I was about to scream from frustration* “why can I not lie that’s so unfair”

"Unfair how, exactly? Being able to do them, I can tell you it's not worth it. Lies catch up to you at the worst possible time. And not necessarily in the lifetime of the person to whom you're lying. It can be generations before a small lie comes back to hurt you."

Aeternus hesitated.

"Your inability to lie is like Solaris's freakouts when his hard work gets destroyed, Nydos's complaints whenever he doesn't get a chance to destroy something, and probably like Neptune's reactions to this burning and dried-out planet. And how I get when something that was supposed to be protected suddenly isn't. Lying hurts because it's antithetical to who you are."

"....I dread to think what this will mean if I run into someone who doesn't sense magic. Oh wait... I already have. And she understood it despite her inability."

 

[Universe]

Universe could swear part of the cracked roof was vibrating after that sigh.

"Unfair how, exactly? Being able to do them, I can tell you it's not worth it. Lies catch up to you at the worst possible time. And not necessarily in the lifetime of the person to whom you're lying. It can be generations before a small lie comes back to hurt you."

Aeternus hesitated.

"Your inability to lie is like Solaris's freakouts when his hard work gets destroyed, Nydos's complaints whenever he doesn't get a chance to destroy something, and probably like Neptune's reactions to this burning and dried-out planet. And how I get when something that was supposed to be protected suddenly isn't. Lying hurts because it's antithetical to who you are."

"....I dread to think what this will mean if I run into someone who doesn't sense magic. Oh wait... I already have. And she understood it despite her inability."

“I always have to speak my mind when I don’t want to”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“I always have to speak my mind when I don’t want to”

"When you get right down to it, it isn't your fault if someone else is hurt by your words."

Oliver stood up, looking at the debris in the center of the field. He lifted a hand, almost subconsciously, and the debris started to float towards the roof.

"One thing you learn from junkyard squalor is-"

More debris kept rising to the roof. As this was going, Oliver refocused on and then never lost focus on Universe.

"-to brush it off if someone is too direct, because-"

The debris began to tie itself to the roof, with magical threads that all the dragons could perceive. Aeternus and Eclipse noticed, but Oliver did not seem to despite being the one to make the motions.

"-you don't survive in such conditions if you take too much offense."

The roof was secured, for the moment. It'd need a welder or some better ropes to sustain for more than a day, but it'd do for now. Unless Universe, as a god of light, willed it otherwise, the stadium was quite a bit darker.

"Does that help with your concerns about speaking your mind?"

 

[Universe]

"When you get right down to it, it isn't your fault if someone else is hurt by your words."

Oliver stood up, looking at the debris in the center of the field. He lifted a hand, almost subconsciously, and the debris started to float towards the roof.

"One thing you learn from junkyard squalor is-"

More debris kept rising to the roof. As this was going, Oliver refocused on and then never lost focus on Universe.

"-to brush it off if someone is too direct, because-"

The debris began to tie itself to the roof, with magical threads that all the dragons could perceive. Aeternus and Eclipse noticed, but Oliver did not seem to despite being the one to make the motions.

"-you don't survive in such conditions if you take too much offense."

The roof was secured, for the moment. It'd need a welder or some better ropes to sustain for more than a day, but it'd do for now. Unless Universe, as a god of light, willed it otherwise, the stadium was quite a bit darker.

"Does that help with your concerns about speaking your mind?"

“It just stinks that’s all”

 

[Universe]

*I smiled at Oliver* “trust your instincts that’s how I discovered most of my powers I just don’t know what I’m truly capable of just yet”

 

[Universe]

*Solaris was able to flex his creative muscles and created a beautiful building on the outside but cozy on the inside* “there This good enough for everyone?”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“It just stinks that’s all”

"It is an unfortunate fact of our lives to which we adjust. We have a focus and it dominates us."

*I smiled at Oliver* “trust your instincts that’s how I discovered most of my powers I just don’t know what I’m truly capable of just yet”

"....you noticed, huh, nephew..."

"Noticed what?"

"Look up. That was you, Oliver."

Oliver finally looked up.

"WELL. I only briefly thought about it. And my body just... did that on its own?"

Oliver smiled.

"I still see a few cracks where the outside gets in. Did Nova ever know how to be precise with his flames? He could probably melt the pieces together."

*Solaris was able to flex his creative muscles and created a beautiful building on the outside but cozy on the inside* “there This good enough for everyone?”

"Or that. Yeah that will work."

 

[Universe]

Universe could swear part of the cracked roof was vibrating after that sigh.

"Unfair how, exactly? Being able to do them, I can tell you it's not worth it. Lies catch up to you at the worst possible time. And not necessarily in the lifetime of the person to whom you're lying. It can be generations before a small lie comes back to hurt you."

Aeternus hesitated.

"Your inability to lie is like Solaris's freakouts when his hard work gets destroyed, Nydos's complaints whenever he doesn't get a chance to destroy something, and probably like Neptune's reactions to this burning and dried-out planet. And how I get when something that was supposed to be protected suddenly isn't. Lying hurts because it's antithetical to who you are."

"....I dread to think what this will mean if I run into someone who doesn't sense magic. Oh wait... I already have. And she understood it despite her inability."

*Solaris looks at him sharply* “Excuse me I don’t freak out!”