The last of the Council members leave the gangplank, talking amongst themselves. Aaron hangs back a bit, since he really can't return to his room yet, and Gabriel lets the security detail return to their charges. "So, did it go well?" he asks Tasha.

Tasha watches the Council walk with an almost lost expression on her face, adrift somewhere in a world of her own thoughts when Gabriel addresses her. She blinks, but doesn't turn immediately, gaze lingering until the Council is finally away. Then, she suddenly smiles a tired, resigned sort of smile.

After a deep breath, Tasha admits, "I think they were very impressed. You should should know though, Captain, that I revised our plan and disclosed fully the existence of Nora, Fred, and Mariel, their connection to the artifact array, and allowed Archon Strength-of-Stones to speak with Fallen-Star. I believe we made a mistake in our original plan, and chose to correct it without notifying you, due to circumstance. I know this is a violation and a danger, but I have faith in this direction. Still, I accept any punishment and fully support it."

Gabriel looks stone-faced at the pronouncement. "By full disclosure, do you mean that you told them about the cloning equipment to restore their lost bodies?" he asks quietly.

Tasha blinks, ears flicking. "Oh," she breathes, sounding a little stunned. "No, I didn't mention that. I retract my choice of 'full disclosure' as a description. I don't seem to have mastered Nora's vocabulary."

"So you just showed them the Sifran resurrection setup, and the dead crewmen," Gabriel says, for clarification. "You didn't include the doctors or my double in your description, so are they still a secret?"

"I only explained the array and also explained it wasn't understood. I made it clear that Nora, Fred, and Mariel are not well understood, either, and that calling them "ghosts," or anything else is a stance born of ignorance. The Council was very sympathetic to seeing its heroes in such a terrible situation, and the Terrans have suggested attempting to help them. I did not show the tanks or mention them, show Fallen-Star to anyone but the Archon, who will keep that matter private, nor did I show the doctors or your double. I felt I did as much as I could, and the rest will come in time." Tasha turns to face her mate, and stands at attention. "Captain, I could not, in good conscience, make suffer the very people I idolize, members of the very institution I have tasked us to revive."

"It does mean we will have to expose the cloning system though, eventually," Gabriel notes. "Over time, those who've met Nora and the others will notice that our 'children' take after them considerably. But that's not an immediate concern." He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I'm just glad this part is over with. These people aren't politicians – they're more like an academic grant review board. It's hard to know what will work best."

"I also take after Nora, that may help," Tasha offers, although without much force. The young woman listens, then nods slowly. "Its been explained to me they are … 'eccentric' among their people, and not representative. I have spoken with half of them personally, and I believe they are, by in large, good people. Also, I showed them a recording from the Orpheus of the original fleet. It was … ," Tasha bites her lip, taking a short breath, head shaking, " … very moving. An … Example of scale."

"I'd forgotten that we had the data from Orpheus," Gabriel says, rubbing the back of his neck. "That should keep Nora and Mariel busy for a year or two." He glances around, and whispers, "Your apothecary is lingering. Is he waiting for you?"

Tasha's head turns, and she regards Aaron for a moment before replying, "He was on the tour; I thought he deserved to see our ship, having been on the Fenris. But … " Glancing back, Tasha asks, "Captain, may I take an hour or two off-duty? I'd like to catch up with him; it's been a while and I could really use a break after all that. Whew."

"We could all use a break," Gabriel says. "I'm going to change out of this formal uniform, it always rides up around my shoulders. So I'll be in my cabin, probably debriefing the others and the crazy robot."

"Oh, I showed them the robot, too. We really need to find him a more fitting body – and get him some ambassadorial experience," Tasha includes, smiling a little. "And Gabriel, I really do think this was the best choice. A JEF that does not sacrifice the welfare of its people, whatever they may be, for its goals is the kind of future I want for us. I saw what happened when things went the other way. I am sorry for complicating things for you, though."

"I somehow doubt the Potato Heads will be blabbing about our… legacy crew members," Gabriel says, then closes his eyes and rubs his nose. "Damn, why did Kitty have to mention that nickname to me?"

"I can't get it out of my head, either. And since I'm already in trouble … " Tasha grins, then leans on her hooftips and gives Gabriel a big kiss, right on the muzzle. "I may as well go all the way!"

Gabriel grins. "Technically, 'all the way' means doing it on the bridge," he explains.

Tasha lifts her hand in a salute. "I will try harder in the future, Sir!" She winks and then lowers her hand, shaking a finger at the man. "It's your fault I have a sense of justice and fairness, you know!" She then glances at Aaron, and waggles the finger at him, too, mock-admonishing, "And yours! I was just fine with my sense of … shouting and punching people, what do you call it, … Bravado! Now I can't even do this without feeling bad!" She smiles.

"Hey, all I did was dress you up as a muse to sneak a blessing out of a priestess of Abaddon," Aaron claims.

"Before that!" Tasha counters, throwing an arm around Gabriel's waist as she points a finger accusingly. "I thought about it and you were the first. The first one to believe in me, the first one to treat me like a person rather than a freak, a bedding opportunity, a rogue, and what-not. I should thank you! In fact … " The young girl glances at her mate, then tells him, and whispers, "I should, shouldn't I? We wouldn't be together without him. You can blame all this on him starting it in me, too. I'd better have a talk, then. I'll see you tonight?"

"Just knock three times so I can hide any incriminating bedmates first," Gabriel says.

"Wow," Aaron realizes. "I wonder how many other girls lives I've improved by not sleeping with them… I'm practically a saint!"

"I'm sure Fred's very good at hiding by now," Tasha agrees with mock-solemnity. She releases the man, then steps back, snapping to attention and saluting before turn to grin at Aaron. "We'd better go before you put that big foot in your mouth any further. I have some rounds to do, but they're just casual preparations. Why don't you join me?"

"Sure, since I don't know when the does will let me back in," Aaron says. "I can make all the soldiers jealous."

"Be careful, their flexing is rather impressive." Tasha puts a hand on Aaron's shoulder, guiding him back in to the ship. When she's past the airlock, she looks over and offers, "I'm sorry I dragged you in to all that. You heard everything, as I know your kind always do, so you know I broke ranks and made a decision on my own during the tour. While I feel very good about the decision, I'm quite uncomfortable with acting around the Captain's authority. It must be strange, for you to see me this way."

"Impetuous?" Aaron asks. "You've always struggled with leadership, Tasha, but what you did… it was from your heart. You're usually the heart of a group. Sometimes the stomach, but usually the heart."

Tasha cackles at being called 'the stomach,' patting the man's shoulder. "Ah, it's true. I do eat a lot – I think I still win that role on this ship, too." She shakes her head, grinning widely. "I guess impetuousness is very like me, but that's not what I meant, exactly. I mean here, part of an organization – one I re-founded, no less. Here, wearing a uniform. Here, speaking with diplomats, arranging alliances, speaking with leaders. Even my accent is nearly gone. I must seem like an entirely different person to you? And you weren't even far off about magic."

"I'm not the same person I was when I was your age," Aaron notes, patting Tasha's back in return. "See, nobody is. Everyone grows up. You're still you though, even though you're different."

"I wonder about that some times. You see, back in the Fenris, what was done to me to save us … It wasn't safe. I could have very well gone insane, but instead I ended up in the role Nora once held, and I wonder, some times … was this my decision? Or, am I not really Tasha, so much as an amalgamation? Even my words aren't mine; my vocabulary is Nora's. But then I think … " Tasha shrugs a little, "Does it matter? I'm happy, and I believe in what I'm doing. So, why worry about it. It's just sometimes I do, when I'm by myself and thinking. I even wonder if I'm caught up in something bigger, still."

"So, are you worried that if you were plugged into the magic projector, your old self would pop out and complain that you'd gone all boring or something?" Aaron asks. "Take my advice: don't think about your own mind too much. It'll turn you solipsistic, which is not as fun as it sounds. It sounds like the nice buzzy part of being drunk."

"Mind Mages are solipsistic," the Lapi points out with a shudder.

Tasha's head cocks to the side and she looks blank for a moment, then blinks and nods. "Ah, I see. Well, I think I'm far too attached to this world to exchange it for one made of entirely my mind. Although … " The young woman tilts her head upwards, peering as if through the ceiling plates, "I do know what it feels like to have no emotions; to be a creature of mind unfettered by anything but memory and logic."

"I've never been that drunk," Aaron notes, giving Tasha an odd look.

Tasha grin turns lopsided as she looks back down. "Not drunk; I actually don't drink quite as heavily anymore. No, it's a cybernetically enhanced and selectively modified state: a system of my Titan. You've seen the sexy black metal giant in the hangar above, right? And you've seen my cybernetics? Well, it's capable of linking my mind to its and enhancing my thought processing by removing 'non-essential' data – emotions, and the like. It's a state of pure mind, and disturbing only after disconnection."

"Yeah, sounds worse than being drunk," Aaron notes, shaking his head. "Like… knurd."

"It's … It's, well, it's very peaceful, at least. But, empty. And you won't know how empty, until it's over. It might be how computers 'feel.' But, I've sidetracked us!" Tasha chuckles, patting Aaron's shoulder again, then indicates the Mech Bay ahead. "I need to upload some schematics to my dataslate. It's just a small side-project, but since we have time and since I apparently can't take a break fully without feeling I must do something, we'll see to that." The young woman glances over, raising her brows, "Anyway, I bet you were surprised when I defended magic? So was I."

"I'm more surprised that you're against being lazy now," Aaron quips, and peeks into the Med Bay. "I see you have that scary robot thing."

"The JEF is my baby and I have to be a good den mother as well as a good role-model. No rest for Tasha," says the red woman, cheerily. She glances in to the room as well and waves to the machine. "It's still perforating me, too! And it managed to get one of these awful collars back around my neck. I even know a little how that machine works."

"Can you drink through it?" Aaron asks. "Although that probably would take out most of the fun. Good defense against vampires though." After a moment, he adds, "They don't have vampire Eeee on Abaddon, as far as I know."

Tasha rubs at her neck instinctively and nods and they continue towards the Mech Bay. "I think you're right. From what I can deduce, Abaddon contains most of the original fleet species, except Khattans. It's possible they do exist here, given how relatively unexplored this planet is, but at present we have the Terran, Humans and Karmor, the Vartans who are now part of the Confederacy, the Confederate Eeee, the Silent-Ones, and the Celestial Empire Naga. I've seen only Naga, and Silent-Ones appear to all have the same basic body. My theory is SPF mutation and the lack of the Ark's genetic library."

"Probably," Aaron notes. "But Sinai doesn't have as many monsters. I mean… monsters that move in swarms." He reaches up to feel the life-collar under Tasha's suit collar. "I hope you don't miss being nibbled on the neck. I'm curious to see if the funny hair color on the humans is natural or an Abaddonian mutation."

"I do, but Gabriel is a very creative explorer of a man, and we do just fine." The young woman grins widely, and looks a little somewhere else for a moment before she focuses again. Knocking on the edge of the Mech Bay, she calls, "Anyone home?" before turning to nod to Aaron. "I wonder at that, too. It seems so many things we took for granted, or assumed always were, or even were true, are different, or false. In fact, I've been cleared to pursue a particular group of mysteries."

The door opens and SAINA rolls out, (and over Aaron's feet) to chirp at Tasha. The Nannybot is still where Mariel left it, inside the door of the Titan Bay.

"Oh, hello SAINA!" Tasha can't help but pat the robot's head, no matter how inappropriate her mind insists this is. "Did you enjoy meeting the ambassadors? Are Fred and the others plotting my downfall now?"

"They went to the crystal room," the bot notes. "The talking meatbags were very interesting. Did you know that they were of different ages and genders?"

"Hmm, I suspected, but couldn't confirm," Tasha replies, nodding slowly as if this were big information. Stepping forward, Tasha walks over to a console and places her dataslate nearby, beginning to type across the hepatic console. "I'm glad you had fun, though! Your primary purpose is to associate with and learn from people like them, for the good of your nation. We'll help you as best we can." Tasha's own armored suit is here as well, currently recharging.

Aaron can't help but stick his head into the open neck of the suit. "How do you clean this thing out?" he asks. It only take a few seconds for Fred's mini-shaard schematics to be transferred to Tasha's pad.

Tasha picks her pad up once it stops blinking, and returns the console to idle. "Automation primarily, although we can do it manually using specialized tools. My undersuit – the skimpy white hexagonal thing I'm wearing – prevents a majority of dirt and such from reaching the suit," she explains as she head for the door. "SAINA, I'm heading in to Tartarus. Do you want to come with us?"

"Yes," the robot says. "Will there be damned souls?"

"You haven't had enough of the ones already around you?" Tasha winks, then departs the Mech Bay for the corridor. "I'd better swing by and get my uniform before we enter the base; no need to work up the soldiers wearing this. I'd have changed sooner, but it kept the Senator awake. Oh, and isn't the robot nanny adorable?"

"It's very disturbing," Aaron notes. "It looks like armor that has been given a skin. But maybe that's just me. I have issues with feminine shaped armor."

The Lapi naturally follows Tasha, along with SAINA, as if expecting to be let in to her cabin.

"With feminine shaped anything, I think!" Another one of Tasha's cackling laughs echoes through the ship,and soon,she's stepping in to her cabin and throwing her arms wide. "Here it is! My home inside my home." Tasha's cabin is packed. The walls hold a number of images on flimsy, flickering material: one is of a blue and green sphere floating in the stars, another shows what might be a Karnor, if not for being on four legs, and still others show alien cities or countrysides that could be Sinai except for the details. There's also no small amount of shiny junk, including a large crystal that looks like it was broken off some bigger structure. "Sapphire," Tasha explains, gesturing at the big shiny rock. She doesn't seem to mind others following her in, either, and is soon digging her neatly folded uniform out. It's very crowded.

"I see why you gave away some of it to the delegates," Aaron notes. "Is this the first actual room you've had to yourself?"

"It sure is," Tasha answers as she wiggles in to Nora's modified uniform. "Look how much room I have to myself!" The closet-like space left could be considered claustrophobia-inducing, but to a woman who grew up with nothing but a hammock and a chest to call her's, it may as well be a mansion. Once she's dressed, she checks herself out in the mirror a moment, messing with her hair. "I thought the Archon would appreciate the image of Zion more, and the Karnor university from Terra made Gustav tear up so much, I had to give it to him. And of course, the Colonel appreciates shinies!" She's done in short order, and waves everyone back in to the hall. "Just think, I may have a room on the ground soon. The ground!"

"Good grief, was my brother's house the first one you stayed at on the ground too?" Aaron asks as he leap-frogs over the robot to get out first.

"For a longer time than a day? You bet'cha! It always made my fur stand on end, the way the ground is so … still." Tasha shudder, but continues towards the base and the ground it's on, anyway. "Let's stop by the artifact bay briefly to see if everything is fine, and if I'm not lynched we'll head out after. And since we have a bit to get there, Aaron, have you ever seen anything like this?" Tasha pulls out her dataslate and after manipulating it in an arcane movement of fingers, displays what looks like a number of Vartans in very foreign uniforms all standing around what appears to be a stone-like artifact. Odder, a male and female Vartan are depicted on the artifact.

"Reminds me of one of the old Knight Templar Lances, except you can see their faces in this," Aaron says. "The drawing on the tablet is pretty odd though."

"Knight Templar armor is derived from the original fleet's combat armor, that's why they look so similar. They are a police force derived from the fleet species, tasked to keep order. You see how that's gone," Tasha explains. When she reaches the ramp, she slows to make sure SAINA can descend safely. "My personal armor is an environmental suit, not a combat model. Those people you see are Harbinger-clan mercenaries, from six-thousand years ago, in their combat armors. The artifact you see is an Origin Marker, something I intend to find when I have leave to do so."

"Well… you mean it wasn't on Sheol?" Aaron asks. "How do you intend to find it after so long?"

"I believe the artifact possessed enormous political and spiritual significance to both the Clan and the powers behind the original JEF, so I doubt it went unrecorded, or if it was lost, effort would have been made to at least determine where. That all means I plan to inquire with the Ar- … At Rephidim Temple, to see if they have it, and if not, if they have records as to the Clan members who did, and where they may have gone." Once down the stairs, Tasha heads for the Artifact Bay, but pauses, turning towards the two. "I'd strongly recommend you not mention this to anyone outside this ship's crew. Even today, these artifacts have a certain significance and I would prefer to avoid attention until it's in my possession and safely secured here."

"Since I've never heard of them before, that should be easy," Aaron says, but he has an odd look on his face. "But if this is about some ancient conspiracy… "

"I am a toaster," SAINA claims.

Tasha's eyes linger on the robot, brow raised, then she just shakes her head. "This time, it is a conspiracy. A six-thousand year old conspiracy, and I can prove part of it. Do you remember when I said I felt like I might be part of something much larger? Well that artifact is the key to knowing more. I have the lock."

"You are going to tell me everything riiiiiight?" Aaron asks, folding his ears back and giving her the big-eyed bunny face.

Tasha folds her arms, locking eyes with Aaron for a moment before nodding. "Yes. Because I trust you, and I know your advice is good. I won't pretend it won't be potentially dangerous, though. Are you sure?" She eyes the man a moment longer, too short to answer, and holds up a hand to interrupt any response. "I don't need you to tell me – you want in. Good. Here it is: there is the strong possibility the powers behind the original fleet were members of a 'Progenitor Cult,' a cult dedicated to the research and appreciation of our so-believed progenitors. I don't know much about their beliefs beyond that, but I do know they had prophecy regarding these worlds, and they may have been behind why we were doomed to them. They also intended to do something here, perhaps many things, but I know one: three Titans like mine were created to carry three Origin markers, which is – or is in addition to – a 'gift,' to be presented to the 'savior.' I have also accessed hidden files aboard my Titan, revealing these artifacts open something called 'The Vault of Creation.'"

The Lapi is nearly drooling, as Aaron's conspiracy fetish wakes up. "Progenitor Cult… got it," he says. "I'll see what I can find out through my sources back on Sinai."

"I doubt you're in as much danger on Sinai as here asking those questions, and I can't quantify what danger that might be, or from whom, but my gut says there could be trouble and I think we should take it's advice. I do know the Kampfuzengrupe has a core of Progenitor Cult believers, however, so be wary of them. I suspect if any interested parties are watching, I will meet them soon, in the Pit of Himaar. But come, let's check on the others." Tasha smiles, letting the seriousness melt off her face as she approaches the door. "Surprise inspection!" she yells as she reaches the hatch.

Six virtual crew members are lounging in the bay, and one ghost. Aaron wasn't prepared for the ghost, and so did not follow Tasha inside. "That was quite a stunt you pulled," Nora accuses Tasha. "You could have just called us, instead of trying to trick us."

Tasha holds her hands up! "I wanted to absolve you of any mission or chain-of-command conflict," she insists, looking around for support. "As it stands, any repercussion from the Captain is on my head. Annnnnd, … " her hands lower, settling by her sides as her tail wags a little, "I wanted it to be a surprise. As in, "Surprise, this is for you." It wasn't a deeply constructed plan, I admit – not beyond the nagging feeling that making you three hide was a moral and formational injustice."

"I say we strip her naked and tie her to the wall and see if she's ticklish," Fred suggests with a grin.

"Isn't that a bit extreme for a punishment?" Zerachiel asks.

"Punishment?" Fred asks, looking innocent. "Who said anything about punishment… "

"I knew you were planning revenge!" Tasha waggles a finger at the three who were revealed, especially Nora for some reason. "I risk my position, the ship, my life, all to make clear I won't betray my idols, nor the people of the JEF, just to further our goals a little, and this is what I get!" She then glances at Dr. Caravelli, and declares, "Can a person be traumatized by ungratefulness? How about a sister's nagging?"

"That's pretty much what all families do, Tasha," Dr. Caravelli claims.

"I vote for the tickling too," Aaron says from outside.

"Well, we duplicates are still a secret, along with the cloning plan," PC Gabriel says. Then looks to the Lapi in the hall. "Got that? We'll haunt you if you tell anyone."

"Hey, I pulled Tasha out of the Themis-Skoll cockpit after she'd been playing in it for days," Aaron notes. "And I got into the shower with her. I'm not afraid of anything at this point."

Tasha taps her chin with mock-thought. "That does explain my mother," she equally mock-decides, then looks up. "Hokay, this is an order: I want a hug from all of you – unless you don't want to." She holds out her hands, and her wings too. She glances at Gabriel's phantom-clone and wrinkles her nose, canting her ears in annoyance. "Well, we'll deal with that in time." At Aaron's comment, her she might be consider switching 'hugging' to 'crushing, ' given her expression.

The PersoComs all pile on with the hugs, giving form to the expression 'dog pile'. Fallen-Star doesn't join in though, showing more decorum. SAINA rolls up and bumps into Tasha's hoof, which is about as close to a hug as the robot can manage.

Tasha settles in, leaning on the pile of family gathered against her, and closing her eyes. "All jokes aside, I want you all to remember I'm here for you, and I will make your lives better in time. Today is just one more step towards that goal. Just give me time." She then shifts her head, bonking her forehead to Nora's and grinning as she keeps it there. "I'm here to help, even if you're too proud, stubborn, or shy to ask."

"If you're too shy, then whose hand is that on my… FRED!" Nora barks.

Tasha turns and eyes Fred, but can't manage the XO-face for long, because she bursts in to laughter. "I love you all," she declares, stepping back from the group hug. "Now, you all behave, and don't do anything I wouldn- … Well, you know what to do. Fallen-Star, I'll check back with you later. And in case you're all wondering, this," she gestures at the buck beside her, "is Aaron Lightfoot, he was with me aboard the Fenris. And yes, I spent a day in that Titan trying to live up to it and you," Tasha nods towards her sister, "but as you can see, I clearly have!"