03 - though shadows fall

[innercactus]

Who: Asteffiel
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Tourist
When: June 9th

Guess who hadn't noticed the planet had a hold on him? The plantman!

Guess who just figured out that his fascination with it wasn't just because they finally got to another planet.

Asteffiel's use of video is probably not good for anyone's stomach. He's shaking (like a leaf, hahahaha-), and appears to be hiding under a table, given that it's not night time, and he's glowing. It just has the side effect of making his eyes appear particularly bright off-white, which doesn't help his nervous rambling at the video. Which he managed to turn on after he started talking...

"-t just me, or was it others? I don't want it to be just me, I don't I don't! If something could talk to me, does that mean that other things could talk to me? I was fine against Mor... Mord... More Dead Moths, but is it because I am not home? Am I too far from Mother? Mother I am sorry I made bad friends, I don't want More Dead Moths to get me like Lilac!" Is more or less the gist of his rambling into the device. There are repeats, but it's pretty clear that he's rather terrified of something being able to mess with his head.

So he's hiding in one of the medical bay cabinets.

Comments

[thezerothlaw]

[A very peculiar person. Daneel doesn't know much about that. But he does know that it alarms him terribly.]

You are not well. Am I able to assist in any way?

[innercactus]

[ The pale purple is confusing to a lot of people, isn't it. ]

Do you know how to keep things that are not me out of my head?

[ Said in a small, but very serious tone. ]

[thezerothlaw]

[He hesitates. He has some mental ability, and he can certainly be in other people's heads and tamper around a little, but as far as keeping other people out? He's less sure of that.]

I am... not certain. You feel that someone is tampering with your mind? Who?

[innercactus]

The planet with all the plants on it. It stopped, but....

[ He doesn't want anything else in his head. ]

[thezerothlaw]

There was something there that has disturbed you, then?

[Forgive him, he's never heard of a sentient plant, and the idea doesn't even cross his mind. Daneel frowns, considering. He doesn't like this.]

Did it attempt to make a change in you? My experience is that more subtle changes are more difficult to enforce. You must have some mental ability of your own if you were able to resist.

[innercactus]

Think so? [ ... Well, the planet is there. That works! ]

...I don't know. It didn't make a big mess, like More Dead Moths did for Lilac.

[ He looks kinda clueless about that last part. Well, Winter Rose hadn't pushed for him to do the meditating thing quite as much as she had her sisters.... So maybe? ]

[thezerothlaw]

I... am not sure what you mean. What is 'Death Moths'?]

[innercactus]

I don't remember its name, but it sounds a lot like More Dead Moths. [ A little sheepishly. ]

But it's a big dragon, and it attacked Mother. Or, it sent a smaller but still very big dragon to attack mother.

[thezerothlaw]

By 'dragon,' you mean a large, reptilian monster, usually depicted as being capable of flight and breathing fire?

[That's... unexpected.]

[innercactus]

[ Lots of nodding. ]

I don't know if that one breathes fire, because the one that attacked Mother was vines all wrapped up to look like one. I know the one that bothers the Norns breathes ice, and the one that made it so dead people didn't stay dead breathed something nasty that wasn't fire....

[thezerothlaw]

I see. There are no such creatures, where I am from.

[He sighs a little, troubled. He's not sure he's ready to confess this, but so far it's been... okay, and this might be important.]

Still, if a telepathic attack has been made on you, that is... troubling. I have some small mental ability, and though things of this nature are out of my experience, I would be willing to help you learn to resist, if that is at all possible.

[innercactus]

... That is probably a good thing. They are not nice.

[ Really.. not nice... ]

... That would be good. [ He rubs at his hair, and settles a little more calmly... still in his cupboard. ]

I live on the Tourist.

[thezerothlaw]

I am on the Wonderduck. I can perhaps arrange a visit shortly, if you wish it.

[Actually, he's more than a little curious what his new acquaintance's mind might feel like. Because he's obviously not human. He knows that much.]

My name is Daneel Olivaw.

[innercactus]

... That might be better.

[ Landing is the driver of this ship. ]

I am Asteffiel! I do not have a second name.

[thezerothlaw]

I am glad to make your acquaintance, Asteffiel. I will make the arrangements, and I will see you shortly.

[innercactus]

I am also in the medical bay.

[ That seems like an important thing to mention!

... And he'll actually leave his hide-a-cupboard to wait. ]

switching to action then!

[thezerothlaw]

[Daneel isn't too long, and he has more than enough experience with spaceships to find his way around a new one to find the medical bay. He's not entirely sure this will work, but it's at least worth a try.]

Asteffiel? I am here.

o/ Action

[innercactus]

Oh! Hello!

[ Asteffiel had remembered to take care of his plants, which... are pretty much on every surface in the medical bay. So he heads over with a mug of water that's mostly empty.

And he is most definitely made up of purple plants, weaving together to make him look more or less like a human, and wearing colored leaves that pretty clearly are sprouting from him. ]

[thezerothlaw]

[...Well. This is a surprise. He was aware he was dealing with someone who wasn't human -- which is, in itself, a difficult idea for him -- but, well. This person is a plant. A plant.]

I admit that you are... not what I expected.

[innercactus]

[ Asteffiel thinks on that for a moment. ]

I am a Sylvari. At the moment, I am the only one in the Fleet. [ Which is a little scary, and a little exciting. ]

... Sylvari are a lot like humans, but we don't have flesh-things like humans do. Like ... cardio vascular systems... [ He's this ships lab tech, he learned all sorts of interesting.... human things. ]

[thezerothlaw]

What of a central nervous system? Plants, to my knowledge, do not include such structures, and yet you are clearly sapient. That intelligence might arise in such circumstances is a surprise to me, but then I confess I know little of botany.

[He draws back suddenly, aware that he is dealing with an unknown. While he's learned something of how humans behave and react, he doesn't know how Sylvari might react.]

I apologise. I don't wish to offend, and perhaps you find my interest unpleasant. To be quite honest, I am not human either, nor am I made of flesh, despite how I might appear. I am a robot.

[innercactus]

... I don't think so? I get dizzy, but it doesn't always come with someone whacking me on the head?

[ He's confused twice now. He'd been thinking on those big words, and then there's drawing back. Why?

Oh! ]

It is okay. Curiosity is very okay! Just don't hurt me in your curiosity.

[ He perks up even more after. ]

Oh? Like a golem? You are metal or stone and something else made you? Although probably not an asura.

[thezerothlaw]

I have no desire to cause you any sort of distress or harm, Asteffiel. Still, a mind without a brain is quite an extraordinary thing.

[Which is quite true. Perhaps Sylvari aren't covered by a robot must not harm a human but there's no reason to want to hurt him, either.]

I am not familiar with the term "golem," nor "asura," but I am made of a combination of metals and plastic, designed in such a way to very closely mimic a human being. It was humans who made me, in fact.

[innercactus]

Okay. [ And so Asteffiel stays cheerful. If somewhat confused. ]

Most people have been more startled by Mother being a tree, than by me being able to speak.

[ Ah, but less confused again. He knows a bit about asuras and golems! ]

Asura are little people [ He indicates his knee or so. ] and they make golems to help them with things. They do lots of.. science things. Like making the asura gates so you step in at the Grove, and step out at Lion Arc! [ He hops from one spot to another. ]

[thezerothlaw]

A form of teleportation, then, or a sort of small-scale hyperspace jump. How fascinating.

[This is all... slightly off-topic. He came here to help?]

I would be be interested in what you can tell me of this Mother, and of the Sylvari in general. Perhaps it may help me understand how to help you.