Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Diverse. Well, that would be akin to what I've seen so far. Ystevas is certainly diverse, and many species of being roams its streets." But only on Gaia had she seen magic so tangibly demonstrated. And the furred humanoids were massive in number. Almost too much for her taste. "It's a bit like being in a heart. The Empire stretches far, at least six star systems surrounding Ystevas. My home planet, Carthis, is in the third system from the capital planet. Not far for me, but for you perhaps. Unless you've travelled in space before?"

Thinking a bit, she smiled again. This was rare. Two smiles in as many minutes! Sergei would have dropped dead in shock. "And there are not many adults at the Fleet Academy, save the Instructor Sergeants and the older Lieutenants. It's just how things are, for some of us. Some children go to the Republic House, and become leaders. Some go to the Fleet Academy, and become warriors. And some just stay home with their parents and make their lives what they want them to be. I was sent to the Fleet. And I loved it since I was a small child."

Picking up the wand again, she twirled it lightly, ignoring the stench as the wood and feathers gleamed in the light. "I wonder what these," she looked meaningfully at Luciel's wand, "children will be like. And what they will choose."

"Hell is something that occurs everywhere. It's different to everyone, but they all have some form of heaven and hell, don't they?" It was perhaps the only other link, besides the wands, that the two women had. "So, I take it you're a magical being then?" The space commander nearly laughed with the irony of it all. A few days ago, she'd been on her ship, commanding her world and everyone in it, perfectly content. Now she was tied to this strange planet, where magic outweighed logic, and magical creatures were more common than normal ones.

"An angel? Oh dear, that would be something far too much for me. Perhaps my child will me slightly..normal?" It was almost adorably plaintive, a slightly childish wish for her world to go back to the way it was. She simply wasn't a creature of change, and this much thrown on her at once was almost too much!

And for some reason, she was being unnaturally trusting of the other woman. Perhaps because so far, she was the ONLY one that was willing to talk to her? She'd met someone before. But that conversation was stilted, and not too friendly. More...confused than anything.

"Not a magical being? Mind telling me what you are? Certainly you are not human, and admittedly so." This woman fascinated her. She didn't seem cruel, but for some reason, restrained from getting too close to the commander physically. And didn't she say something about...eating?

"It's just all new to me, and it is stupidity to ignore something when it's presenting itself in such...convenience." The stoic woman indicated the mancubus sitting in front of her with a gesture, though not a rude one.

If Luciel was going to offer herself up as a source, she was damn well going to take it. Starting with learning as much as she could about her.

"Threatened? I don't find you especially threatening, Luciel, and as I said, I doubt you could if you tried." It was probably extremely cocky of her to make such an assumption, but a little bravada never hurt. Especially now that she was extremely out of her depth.

Listening, she was perhaps, a bit taken aback. Ness had been planned for a few things, taking the horns and sharp teeth into consideration but...eating humans? Mancubus, was it? Well. It could be worse. She could eat any human at random.

"Demons is it? Well, perhaps we can find someone with a knowledge of angels. With my worldly knowledge, your demonic, and their angelic, we would be a formidable child-rearing team!"

It was a bad attempt at humor, but she really wanted the woman to be at ease. There was something about Luciel that Nessalyn innately liked about her!

"Well. It can't be too difficult. My parents had quite a few children themselves, and I have a lot of younger siblings that I helped take care of before I went off to the Academy." Her face grew very thoughtful at that point, almost crafty, had it been anyone else. "Perhaps I can even rope my officers into helping me."

Granted, they were busy covering for her in her leave. Sergei was probably having a field day, commanding HER ship. Not that he could do remotely as well as her. Ever. In a millennia.

When Luciel spoke again, she snapped back from her thoughts, and gave the mancubus a sheepish look. "I would offer the use of our database, but I'm afraid it doesn't run high on things like angels. There's so many ideas, and so many diverse opinions on the subject. I doubt little would be factual."

Getting up, she paced a bit, walking a perfect line. It was something she had picked up as a lieutenant. Her commander had always walked a straight line while pacing, and she'd practiced for hours to get it right. Not it was just habit.

"I wish we just knew more! And I don't trust that shop for answers."

"I would think perhaps those with older charges, ones that have already manifested would be best." Her arms were clasped behind her back, a hand wrapped around each elbow as she paced. It also forced her back straight, another habit she had picked up.

Nessalyn always, always, had perfect posture.

And that was something to consider as well. A past? "What sort of past would a wand given to me have? I mean...I'm not mystical, or mythical, or anything other than practical." This was so much to think about. So much she didn't WANT to think about. That was the beauty of her position. At night, when she was in her spacious, beautiful, luxurious cabin, she could turn it all off and sleep.

Now her sleep schedule was hell.

"I suppose either way, we're going to have to wing it. At least you have practice with young children already!"

Now THERE was something she hadn't expected to get. A friendly invitation. Really, Nessalyn didn't expect to make anything remotely approaching a friend. And now she was getting an invitation for lunch. With a mancubus.

Well, perhaps stranger things had happened. That Tangathan raid two years previous would probably take the cake. Slime tentacle monsters that only liked women. That was weird. Give them a teenage girl to talk to and they were docile as kittens!

"A daughter? Indeed, you're just bursting with experience. And I think I'd like that. I've not really gotten a chance to get out. Haven't really wanted to, actually. Lunch would be nice!" Another one of those genuine smiles came from the commander, tossing her braid back over her shoulder.

"Perhaps then we can go through the registry. Or I might even be able to use planetary records as well, if there's gaps. I wonder..." She would have to get in touch with the embassy here. Definitely.

That Strange Woman Luciel:;

As the light faded from her apartment, Nessalyn systematically went through and turned on the two lights that would serve to illuminate the whole apartment for the evening. It was a rather small apartment, just a small bedroom and a living room slash kitchen. And she preferred it that way. It was more like her cabin.

Smiling a bit ruefully at the gleamingly polished, yet still slightly odorous wand resting on the recliner, she sat at her desk. Reaching into her pocket, there was a small silver disc, when pressed, displayed a holographic green screen with the words 'Ready' displayed on it.

Measuredly, almost monotonously, Nessalyn started talking.

"Fifth of March, Empirean year 2543. Today something a bit odd, and yet fortuitous at the same time has happened. A mancubus (note for reference) not much younger than myself, came to visit, and presumably, to ask me questions about these wands." Emerald green eyes rested on her own, remembering their conversation. A child...

Running her fingers through the long satin of her hair, she continued, her voice not betraying her nervousness, or her doubts about the situation.

"I have come to learn that a child of some sort will eventually replace the wand. It was speculated that it would emerge from the wand, but how this is possible I do not know. For sure, this world is more inherently magical than any other previously known. (References to be sought.) I think, with time, my situation will become less permanent, and I may return to my duties. As for the woman, Luciel, I forsee an interesting relationship. She mentions a son, who does not regard her as so, and a young daughter. The woman also has, in her posession, another of the wands."

Recalling the afternoon, and how they had not really done much other than talk, Nessalyn had to think for a moment to bring the appearance of the mancubus' wand to the forefront of her mind.

"In contrast to my own, hers was of a smoother wood, red, with strange claw marks on it. Also, a stinger adorned the finial orb, and perhaps wings? " One hand thoughtfully tapped her lip.

"This will be an ongoing relationship I believe. At least, it could not hurt to make acquaintances." Or even a friend.