Examination Room
While the School of Life at the old College Esoterica campus on Rephidim is not a full-fledged hospital, it does often serve as one. Still, the primary function of the compound is teaching and research, and the examination rooms reflect that. The examination bed itself is mounted in the center of the room and can be adjusted to deal with various body shapes and sizes. This includes the restraints. The floor of the room has a drain set it in, and the walls are lined with cabinets and boxes and carts and ominous-looking collections of tools. There are no windows, and sterile white light is produced by square patches in the ceiling. Mobile, presumably magic-powered lamps are also scattered about, so that light can be brought to bear wherever it might be needed.

After asking at Latania's office, Tasha is directed to one of the examination rooms in the basement. There she finds two morose looking wolves in paper gowns sitting (with some discomfort) on a bench to one side, along with Aaron. Dr. Caravelli is currently on the examination bed – on all fours, his hands digging into the padding and a look of pure terror on his face. Behind him, Mage Emeritus Latania, former Dean of the Sphere of Life, is rooting around with rubber-clad fingers. "Hmmm, you've been eating at Bromthen Heaven a lot, I can tell," the white doe comments, and then looks up to see Tasha. "Oh, we're almost done here," she comments to the hybrid.

Laying her ears back at the sight of the compromised Dr. Caravelli, Tasha tries to look anywhere but at the examination table. "We got done early, so … " She waggles a hand vaguely, then offers Gabril and Eli a tenative smile. "I 'ope you won' 'ate me forever for urgin' you to come 'ere?"

"The stuff she made us drink," Akkers moans. "The… the specimens," Zerachiel says, shuddering. "Hey Tasha, how was the library?" Aaron asks, one leg crossed over the other as he leans back and looks bored.

Tasha grimaces at Akker's answer, and she looks like she wants to lean forward and pat him. "Oi, well, I'll make it up to you some 'ow," she offers. After giving the mage a look, she smiles at Aaron and answers, "Abou' as informative as we expected. No' much is known abou' Sifran artifacts, an' the tripped tol' as much. We did some experimen's with the artifacts themselves, an' after consultin' an' expert, came to un'er'stan' some things abou' them."

"Experiments?" echo all four of the men, even Caravelli. There's a 'pop' sound as Latania's finger is forcibly ejected. "What?! How'd you do that?" the doe demands of the Karnor.

Tasha actually jumps a little at the pop, her ears actually turning redder. "Well, we tried exposin' them to various things an' the like. We think the one we call the 'cheese' as' a resonance with the worl', somethin' tha' isn' soun', bu' plays in yoru 'ead. Layth, clever buck 'e is, put it in water, an' it just abou' made us all vomit. Seems li' it resonates with wha'ever is agains' it, as bein' as we're mos'y water, it started resonatin' with us. Then there was the others … " Tasha relates her experience with the other two, including the 'starfish' and its creative uses of materials.

"But… but… they never did anything like that before!" Dr. Zerachiel claims, with a look of utter betrayal on his face.

"Where did you do all of this?" Aaron asks. "How did you get them out of my vault?"

"Stop agitating the patients," Latania says.

"We think it's because they're 'ere, on Sinai. Somethin' abou' this planet an' it's aura," Tasha replies. She gives the mage a sheepish grin, holding her hands up. "Alrigh', alrigh'. Jus' keepin' me men informed." She turns back, leaning forward to say in a quieter voice, "We used your bathroom, o'course, an' another mage's lab. I 'ad my reservations abou' the 'ole thing, bu' I though' it bes' we learn more abou' them before we risk them at the Gateway."

"We'll need to study them further before we leave!" "And on the surface too." "You didn't ruin my good towels did you?" "This is incredible!" Everyone talks at once, except for Latania, who just peels the rubber glove off of her hand with an elastic snapping sound. "Initial examinations are over. Off to the ritual chamber with you now."

Tasha waggles her hands at the three men in front of her, trying to get them to quiet down before Latania sticks that glove in her. "We'll tell you all abou' it later. I wrote down notes abou' wha' we did at Aaron's, an' Aisha wrote down notes abou' wha' we did at the mage's. You can read them all when we're done 'ere. Oh," and here she glances at Aaron, "none o' your towels were 'urt, bu' Spring Meadow did think one was tryin' to kill 'er." She then steps back so they can stand up, and asks Latania, "Do I need to wait 'ere?"

"You might as well," Latania tells Tasha, as an acolyte appears to lead the wolves out. They're chatting among themselves now, and walking funny, except for Aaron. "Did you want me to stay, Tasha?" the Lapi asks. This earns him a withering look from Latania, so he slouches down and hurries after the others.

Alone now, Tasha holds her hands behind her back and twiddles with them, ears flattening. "Oi, sorry abou' the commotion. I should 'ave known better," she apologizes. Tilting her head, she then asks, "So, 'ow are they?"

"They complain a lot," Latania says. "No obvious physical issues though. We'll know more when the sampled are analyzed." The doe then picks up a clipboard and flips some of the attached sheets of paper until she finds the one she wants. "But now it's your turn, Miss Hybrid!" the mage says almost cheerfully. "Have a seat, please."

"Oi, joy for tha'," Tasha complains, walking over and taking a seat. She rubs at an ear as she watches the mages, saying, "They may complain a lo', bu' they've been through more than you or I can imagine. They're ol'er than anythin' I know, an' their machines coul' do more than we might ever know. They're the real treasure, aye?"

"A treasure that few will ever know about, however," Latania notes, and pulls up a stool so she can sit in front of Tasha. "You, on the other hoof, can be written up and shared with the world. Now then," she says, quill poised over the paper, "where were you conceived?"

"It's a small price to pay to keep them safe." Tasha lets her hand fall from her ear, then glances down at her hands. "'Cordin' to me mum, it was pro'ly on The Rake, me mum's ol' airship an' where I grew up an' worked until jus' a few days ago."

"And where was the airship at the time?" Latania asks next. "Location could be important – especially altitude."

Tasha thinks on that – her mother never did detail her conception, and she never did actually want to know the details. "I think it was 'ere, at the docks. Mum was unloadin' an' da was, oi, inspectin' the goods."

Latania makes a note. "Which parent was the Vartan?" she asks next.

"Me mum. She's … ," Tasha stands up, then uses her hand to show how tall her mother is, followed by how wide, " … like this, an' red. Oi, you won' ask 'er name, will you? She migh' no' like me tellin' the worl' abou' her tastes an' such."

"Her name isn't important," the mage says, and then asks, "But her age at the time would be good to know."

"I'm no' sure. She was aroun' my age, I think? Migh' be a bi' older – eighteen to twen'y years. Mum doesn' like to talk abou' 'er age much," answers the Vartan. "Me, I'm eighteen years."

"I think," Tasha adds, after a moment of thought.

The doe writes down '18' for now. "We don't know much about Vartans, you realize," she explains. "They don't seem interested in being examined, and none of them attend the College. Was there anything unusual about your father? Exposure to a Forbidden Zone or ancient ruins, for example? Liked spicy foods maybe? Been treated by magic for something?"

"'E was a noble, tha's wha' mum says. A Jupani with gray fur an' blon' 'air," answers the younger woman. "An' as for we Vartans, well, mos' o' us aren' comfortable with magic. Mum says mages'll steal your soul, an' the like. Some Vartans think mages are jus' plain evil, suckin' the souls out o' everythin'. Ain't never met a Vartan mage, no' anywhere. Only reason I'm for magic is 'cause I 'ad to be, an' I saw it wasn' so bad when it saved me an' me Karnors."

"Mmm-hmmm," Latania says, bobbing her chin as she writes. "And your mother was red then?"

"Aye, very red. No' all the same color red, bu' red o' fur an' feather, in diffren' shades. 'Er eyes are gol', like mine, bu' bird-like where as mine are Jupani-like," explains the hybrid.

"We'll have to be sure about that," Latania notes. "Now, have you ever been pregnant?" she asks next.

Tasha laughs a little, but shakes her head. "No' tha' I know o', an' I'd know," she replies. "I've 'ad me plenty o' boyfrien's an' a few women like me, bu' never pregnan'. Tha's all behin' me now, though. I'm thinkin' o' settlin' down with Gabriel, the ol'er Karnor you jus' examined. It'd be good to know if 'e an' I, well, coul' 'ave kids."

"Mmm," Latania goes. "The younger generation these days," she mutters, then asks, "Do you have a monthly fertility cycle, a seasonal one, or something more on-demand like a Lapi? And please don't tell me that you lay eggs."

"Monthly, an' no, no eggs!" Tasha laughs at the very idea of eggs, shaking her head. "I wasn' born from an' egg either, jus' so you know. I did 'ave me cycle worked over for a ritual in Amazonia, bu' tha's the oddest o' it."

"Fascinating," Latania comments laconically. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to donate a few eggs for research? It's… nearly painless."

Tasha raises a brow, as if unsure if the mage is serious or not. "Would I learn if I can 'ave kids or no' tha' way?"

"Probably not," Latania admits. "But we might be able to tell if they favor Jupani or Vartan biology. Well… Jupani anyway. We can measure that. I think. Never tried but… any-way… let's get to the examination."

Tasha nods a little, giving the mage's glove hand a concerned look. "Wha' will this require? An' is there any way for me to know if I can 'ave chil'ren?"

"I suppose you could keep trying?" Latania suggests. "For now though, please change into one of the paper gowns, while I prepare the tests. You haven't eaten anything blue today have you?"

"Blue?" Tasha hops off the chair again, walking over to the array of paper nightgowns and looking them over. She then steps out of her skirt, pulls her blouse over her head, and slips into the garment.

"Yes, blue," Latania notes, as she goes to stand next to the eye-chart.

"Don' think so," Tasha replies, after a moment of pondering. She glances back at her tail, wagging a bit to test it. "A migh' bit breezy, these are. No wun'er Aaron wan'ed to stick aroun'."

Latania leads Tasha through a series of tests, checking her eyesight, hearing, balance (which was awkward) and even her sense of smell. Every feature is then measured, and Tasha might have enjoyed if the doe was older or had warmer hands. Finally, a blood sample is taken. "Hmmm," the mage intones, after making more marks on her clipboard.

"Tha' was the mos' awkward feelin' up I've ever 'ad," Tasha mummbles to herself, rubbing her arm and looking a little sore.

"Well, I'll check these results against Jupani norms, but I can safely say you do not have your father's eyes," Latania notes. "And the ritual should be ready for me by now. Did you have any questions?"

"I don'? Is it because I can see better than mos'? Oi, an' the kids bit was' wha' I mos'ly wan'ed to know. I already know I'm 'ealthy, so this is jus' for you," Tasha says.

"We know very little about Vartan hybrids, since they seem to take after their parent's dislike of mages," Latania notes. "I don't know if hybrids can have children or not; the only evidence for this seems to be from the sky island of Paradys, but nobody is able to visit there to study the phenomenon. It may even be uninhabited by now."

"I guess I'll jus' 'ave to find out the ol' fashion way," Tasha says, smiling a little. "I'm plannin' to try an' join the Expedition on Abaddon, learnin' abou' their culture an' machines. Maybe they know more abou' Vartans an' Karnors than people 'ere do. From wha' I learned, I know the Vartans were once part o' a group named the Confederates, who also seem to be out there. One way or another, I'll know."

"If you find out anything interesting, the Collegia… that is, Caroban… may be willing to purchase the information from you," Latania offers.

"I'll be sure to remember tha', I'd be nice to 'elp young men an' women like me know more abou' themselves. We 'ybrids always seemed like a sad, bit lost lot," Tasha agrees.

"Well, mixed heritage can do that," the doe sniffs. "If you'll excuse me now, I'll go begin the ritual to really examine your 'Karnor' pack."

"My pack?" Tasha's ears perk, and she grins wide. "I like tha', me pack. I think I always wan'ed a pack – I jus' never knew i' until I 'ad one. You take good care o' them, now. If they complain too much, tell 'em I'll be makin' them all sa'mmiches for when they get 'ome, an' backrubs for those who wan' one."

"I'm sure that will help them endure," Latania notes. "You can get dressed now," she adds before leaving.

"Good, me butt was gettin' col'." Tasha quickly hurries back to her clothes, glad to be free of both the flimsy gown and the woman's proddin. Why couldn' she be cuter? I think I miss the priestesses, she decides before heading out.

Aaron waits outside. "I think the Karnors miss the priestesses," he comments to Tasha. "How'd it go?"

"Les' jus' say we both agree on tha'," Tasha answers, grimacing. "'Ow are me pack mates 'oldin' out?"

"Snoozing," Aaron reports. "They were knocked out for the duration of the ritual – which should be done sometime tomorrow morning or early afternoon, I'm told."

Tasha nods a little, then shakes a stray hair out of her face with a toss of her head. "I'm beginnin' to think bein' borin' is 'ow mages steal souls, no wun'er other Vartans don' like magic." She shakes her head, which just causes the stray lock to fall back in front of her face. "I'll 'ave to 'ave the sa'mmiches made t'morrow then. Is there anythin' else we need to do 'ere? Goin' to be lonely sleepin' alone."

"Take one of the bunnies to bed," Aaron offers. "More room for me in mine that way! And nothing more to do here, yeah. I want to head home and see what horrors you've unleashed on it while I was babysitting."

"Your 'ouse is in one piece, bu' your vault 'as been defeated. Don' feel too bad abou' it, remember we took on The Fenris' systems an' won," says the Vartan. She pats Aaron on the shoulder, then leaves her arm there as she steers him around towards the door. "Maybe I'll ask Calli, 'ow abou' tha'?"

"Sure, you're her good luck charm," Aaron agrees with a grin. "And if the amount of money this is costing her gives her nightmares, she can strangle you instead of me!"

"I'm sure she'll make it up sooner or later, an' if all goes well on Abaddon, she'll 'ave connections to the firs' Abaddonian priestesses on the actual planet, plus trade with the Expedition!" As they walk towards the door, Tasha rubs up Aaron's hair. "Thanks for 'elpin' me with this. You've been a real friend, even if you are such a pervy bunny man!"