[IC] TEST POST

[dendarii]

[ Miles Vorkosigan cuts an unusual figure even under the most extraordinary circumstances: tiny and somewhat hunchbacked, his curved spine obvious even beneath his custom-cut Imperial Security green military uniform. Unless you're bitty like him (and he's met few adults below his height of 4'8"), he likely comes up to your shoulder or a little lower.

There is, however, a manic energy to the man that makes him fill up more than his physical space. Sharp, penetrating gray eyes take in the world around him as great refreshing gulps of information. Depending on the situation, he may be taking in you as well. ]

A - Canon

[ In his case, you suddenly find yourself in an empty and rather old-fashioned looking house. Old-fashioned except for the high tech consoles installed in various areas, anyway, and if one looks out the window a relatively sci-fi-esque view can be seen interspersed with vaguely Russian architecture. Miles looks up, startled by your sudden appearance. ]

I'm sorry, have we met?

[ In other words, how the hell did you just waltz into the Vorkosoigan House without him being alerted by the guards? Visiting his father or mother, maybe? That's the only thing coming to mind. ]

B - Mask or Menace

[ Staring, Miles can deal with. It's depressingly normal and almost comforting, given the circumstances. But having people approach him like some kind of celebrity is damned unsettling. It feels like some awful combination of being both Lord Vorkosigan and Admiral Naismith at the same time ... which is technically true, but he's not enough at ease with himself to cross those wires just yet.

Speaking of which. He fixes a brilliant smile on his face as his confident swagger threatens to knock over anyone within a five meter radius of him. The space operatic Admiral Naismith persona in full force and practically spilling over. After all, when faced with a wall, Miles tends to charge right the hell on through. First obstacle to be defeated: finding out what the hell is going on and why his head is feeling strangely full all of a sudden.

He's about twenty or so, though with a face like his he could be anywhere between early twenties and early thirties. The tell-tale import barcode flickers at his wrist; he hasn't quite realized what that means for himself or anyone else. In a remarkably flat, pseudo-American accent: ]

You know, I think I've gotten myself lost. Any chance you're more familiar with this place?

[ Heropa is where he's come out first, but by now he could be in any of the Porter cities. ]

Comments

[dendarii]

[ He'd barely been able to handle her spiders, much less their source ... This is such a bad idea.

But what choice do they have? Wait until they're ambushed at Vorkosigan House? No, worse idea. He won't endanger his armsmen and ancestral home. ]

Can I borrow your weapon?

[mythtakes]

[He hesitates for a long moment, struggling with that. There's trust and then there's trust.

He pulls the pen out of his pocket and hands it over.]

See how it feels in your hands.

[dendarii]

[ Sorry, Percy. He looks apologetic at least as he takes the sword.

And - staggers a bit, trying to hold it properly. Yowch, that is heavy. It's a good thing his bones are replaced with synthetics or he'd be worried about breaking something. Still not an optimal weight. ]

This is ... going to be difficult.

[mythtakes]

Think you can handle it or should we wait for her lil friends to visit tonight?

[dendarii]

[ Miles makes a face. ]

If we do that, we'll likely be devoured in our sleep.

[mythtakes]

I'd like to say that couldn't happen.

But it's more like, that hasn't happened to me yet.

Ready when you are.

[dendarii]

The joys of demigod life, eh ...

[ He nods, slowly, and hefts the sword. ]

Let's get this over with.

[mythtakes]

[Percy turns back to the river and gathers his concentration. The water churns, eddies and little whirlpools flowing, and the water surges up against the bank as the flow of the river fights him.

He lets go for a moment, breathing hard. And his expression darkens, taking a ferocious sort of concentration and the water surges back on itself. Sweat trickles down the young demigod's face and he braces himself on the edge of the bridge...

The water below them drops to nothing at all as the river reverses itself, flowing backwards up hill, the water level of the lake feeding it begins to rise wildly.]

any .. time .. now


[It's through grit teeth. And be it through physical siren or communication device, alerts start sounding about dangerous flooding along the riverbanks and lake side...

Behind Miles, a horrifying voice, made of a hundred, hissing insects whispers.]

And what is THAT supposed to do?

[dendarii]

[ Miles' mouth goes a little dry just watching all that. Even with the shows of power he'd seen before, and believing in Percy enough to request something this ridiculous ... Dear god. Gods? It makes his atheist head spin a little trying to consider literal beings of incredible power.

It's such an impressive display that he almost doesn't notice the susurrus of spiders coming up to meet him. Almost. He whirls at that, hefting Percy's sword as best he can. Damn thing is just too heavy - he wishes he could just use his grandfather's dagger instead.

Not that - not that he's sure it will help with this. His skin crawls just staring at the teeming mass, and he skips a beat before he manages to say anything. ]

New farming technique. Controlled flooding.

[mythtakes]

Miles... I think ... we got a problem...

[Percy staggers a bit, tapping the reserves of his energy tearing a white hot hole in the pit of his stomach and takes the breath from him.

In the mean time, the spiders surge around them, a writhing, bumpy carpet circles around the two demigods, covering the bridge and the rails alike. The voices hiss...]

Bold... you're bold... but not smart enough... How weak HER blood has gotten. You do not have time now...

[dendarii]

[ He would like to say that he planned this from start to finish. But no, that would be giving himself too much credit. Miles is not exactly a long term planner. Where he shines - truly shines - is in seizing the opportunity when it presents itself.

And in looking back at Percy's strained face, to the press of water far upstream, then back to the spiders surrounding them - Miles sees an opportunity. ]

Percy. Let go.

[mythtakes]

[In better circumstances, he might have checked to make sure Miles knew that that meant. Maybe asked if he was sure.

But right now? Right now, it's all he can do to take a ragged breath before he lets go. He staggers back, grabbing onto Miles' arm the second before a twenty foot wave of angry riverwater smashes into the bridge, them and the mass of spiders.]

[dendarii]

[ Miles gets just enough time to regret this decision a little before the water hits him. He has no idea if Percy can help him now but it seems like a damn good idea not to lose his grip on the son of Poseidon. It's fortunate that he recently had the last of his bird bones replaced with synthetics or he probably would have died outright anyway.

As it is... He's not. He's surprised he's not. That's about all he can think of with the water rushing around him. He tries to swim awkwardly with one hand, but he can't tell which way is up. Is he about to drown? Is that what's going to happen? ]

[mythtakes]

[The water is a muddy brown, heavy missiles of fragments, rocks and a vehicle in it. Somehow, somehow none of them slam into either of them while Percy is still struggling for consciousness. The problem is, instead of another miracle, Percy's grip on Miles' arm goes slack..]

[dendarii]

[ Miles' lungs smolder, then catch fire. Percy's clearly out, the mud is making it impossible to see - he's reminded of a similar incident at Cyril Island, where he awoken to find himself half-drowned in frozen mud. Same desperate scrabbling for air; less sense of which way to go, and still fewer tools to use to try and right himself. Besides, he's not leaving Percy. Even now.

The muddy water pours into his lungs at last. He gags - has time for one more coherent thought -- At least it isn't cold -- before the world spins away in fragments. Mercifully, he loses consciousness quickly. ]

[mythtakes]

[It's somewhere outside of the entire city itself, possibly by many miles, in the muddy, damp, debris filled banks of the river, Miles may awaken to the raw, disturbing feeling of water getting literally pulled whole out of his lungs.

Having recovered shortly after, Percy found Miles on the bottom of the river, and shot back out with him to the banks. Thank the gods, there was still a faint, struggling heartbeat. He hadn't quite had the strength to pull them entirely from the water, or even sit up, himself. Just did what he had to do with an unsteady raise of one hand.]

[dendarii]

[ Miles chokes on that. He's reminded uncomfortably of having a breathing tube taken out of him - at least this isn't solid. But it's still alarming and weird and desperately uncomfortable. As soon as Percy's pulled enough out for him to breathe again, he turns over and leans on his forearms so that he can retch and cough the rest up properly. It's then that he realizes that they're still sitting in a shallow layer of water.

No flopping down, then. No matter how much he may want to. He settles for a faint groan instead. ]

Th ... thank you.

[mythtakes]

[He's still soaking up what strength he can get from the water. Percy isn't moving for a while now.]

No prob... [he croaks,] that... was one beast of a river, man.

[dendarii]

[ Percy get a weak pat on the shoulder from Miles. ]

One of the largest on the planet. Should have ... warned you.

[mythtakes]

[It starts out as a little huff of air, then a snort, then an outright, full, long laughter.]

Maybe... maybe a lil bit. Yeah.

Guess we call that a wash.

[dendarii]

[ Miles just snorts loudly at that. He doesn't have the breath to laugh, or else he would. ]

No chance it killed her then?

[mythtakes]

Hate to break it to you, unless she reformed like that...

That wasn't her at all. That was just spiders she was controlling.

[dendarii]

Then where is she? How do we find her? Obviously calling her isn't a good idea.

[mythtakes]

Probably in the city somewhere.

... probably underground. [He says that like it's the last place he really wants to be.]

Usually there's some really vague not always rhyming prophecy thing that gives you a vague direction to run in. Unless it's Mars. That's the only thing Ares ever does right- clear directions.

[dendarii]

[ Miles frowns, thinking about it. ]

There is an extensive sewer system under Vorbarr Sultana. And the palace itself has a number of secret passages. Mostly sealed off for Gregor's safety.