[REG] A Formal Introduction (Nea, Charonite, Uphane) [FIN]

[cibarium]

Janice had been at home, engaging in some much-needed catchup duty at the greenhouse (despite her parents promising her they would "find extra time" while she was at Barren Pines, they hadn't) when she was summoned-- for a baffled moment she remained kneeling on the floor, leaned over and arms outstretched into what had been a mass of leaves and tendrils just a few seconds ago, but was now nothing. One set of long, slender fingers was still wrapped around a healthy-looking tomato.

The familiar, artificially-earthy environment had outright vanished around her with only a small pop! and a hazy static smell to signify that anything even happened. That, and there was a distinct feeling that she'd been brought here, that some force had grabbed and yanked her through space to get her where she was now.

The floor was obsidian-- either that, or something very much like it-- dark, polished and reflective, giving the impression that one was floating in some walled-in bastardry of the emptiness of space, with dull pinpricks of light given off by crystals in the edifice. And then there were two other lights she could see in the mirror under her feet: harshly green, casting a ghostly haze over her own reflection, but she could still recognize it for what it was, and herself for who she was revealed to be in this silent, subterranean cathedral she'd been brought to. Her mundane, human identity had no place here, it would only grant audience for Uranophane. This place was property of the Negaverse.

Quickly, she pulled herself up to a standing position, the clacking of her boots against the floor almost sounding a cardinal sin against the tomblike quiet of the place. It really was almost oppressively silent in here, and weary; even breathing too loudly felt like an act that would end in retribution against you.

"Standing by..." she announced anyway. And she stood at attention, the tomato in her hand almost comically red and bright against the drear and darkness of everything else.  

[candy lamb]

Across from her, at the other end of the cathedral cavern, there was a throne -- newly swept free of cobwebs, the area around it polished and shining (not by any mystical means; the floor smelled highly of detergent the closer she got). And by the throne there were two people; one the tall, intimidating form of the General-King, the other a shorter, pretty girl with orange hair who seemed disarmingly familiar, distantly familiar. They were as quiet as the tomb allowed: they were talking together, heads close, apparently discussing something of import.

Had she been closer, she would have heard that all they were discussing was a mini-argument about what to order for dinner. Apparently the General-King had a ruling against sushi.

When Uranophane's voice rang out in the cavern, Charonite looked up, in waiting -- "Lieutenant," he said. "Good." As though he hadn't known she was going to arrive. He'd summoned her, tomato and all. "Come here."

She walked towards the two of them, and the General-King extended one hand tersely towards her in a pointed gesture. "Nealite," he was saying to the other. "Don't argue the goddamn toss with me here. You're a Queen. And this is your handmaiden. No -- you get one. I'm putting her under your command."

The hand was dropped. "Uranophane, you still answer to me. But you also answer mainly to your Queen, who is the Negaverse. You serve the Negaverse. Lieutenant, this is Captain Nealite; also Beryl, the once and future queen of the Earth."

This seemed to be no joke.  

[cibarium]

As far as Uranophane was concerned, the General-King's perception when it came to determining genders was a bit better than most. He'd never said anything that implied he'd thought she was anything other than female-- probably because he both didn't care and was smart enough to wait and hear her speak before pinning a label on her, but that still gave him a lot of credit in her book.

But she wouldn't have gone into the Negaverse willingly if she thought its commanding officer was stupid.

She listened to Charonite give her the briefing, and watched as the woman-- Nealite-- reacted to the news. Something was definitely recognizable about the shape of her hair, the color of her eyes, the way her expression was souring in confusion and distaste at her introduction. The lieutenant had seen this exact scene somewhere else before. Granted, she'd seen a fair number of pretty faces cringe at her appearance, but something about this particular pretty face cringing at her appearance was attempting to tug at a memory from somewhere.

Uranophane took in a small breath, and raised her free hand, parting her lips slightly to speak. She'd intended to respond to her briefing, ask Charonite some questions and get a better grasp on the expectations that came with her position. However, then Nealite snapped her to attention with a question of her own.

And, well... she had just been told she would answer mainly to the Queen.

"The only reason I can think of to reject sushi as a dinner option..." she cleanly replied, after a short pause, "...is if you are a buffoon who does not know how to properly handle a pair of chopsticks, Highness."  

[candy lamb]

Charonite's eyebrows hit his hairline: obviously in this Choose Your Own Adventure, Uranophane had just unknowingly picked: insult your commander. Go to page 54. --

-- Your commander is insulted. Your story ends here.

Thankfully, page 54 didn't entirely look like that. Instead, the General-King said, "Or maybe," he said, "someone is entirely ******** sick and tired of little bits of carbohydrate masquerading as a full ******** meal, and knows their way around of pair of chopsticks anyway. Here's an introduction to diplomacy: find a way to not ******** take sides with your Queen and your General-King, Lieutenant."

Apparently she answered to her Queen, but still got dicked over by her General-King.

"I expected better of you than that."

Disdain.

"Captain, Uranophane was taken from the Barren Pines project. She's a student type B. Fitzpatrick, you'll be going back to attend goddamn Meadowview."

Fitzpatrick?  

[cibarium]

Uranophane's wisecrack had blown up in her face spectacularly, which... was decidedly not pleasant, not that one could tell she felt that way with her classically deadpan expression. She'd unknowingly been brought into a petty argument the moment Nealite voiced her question, which was honestly kind of irritating, but at least the first time she'd given Charonite a reason to be disappointed in her was from a lover's spat over dinner and not something more important.

"Understood... my apologies, sir," she said, and at least that was something about her-- if she was to learn about diplomacy, she would learn well-- Uranophane was quickly picking up on the fact that voicing her opinions in Charonite's presence was like walking through a minefield; a harmless remark sent in the wrong direction could potentially set him off. She would have to be careful.

And then, idly flexing her thick-gloved fingers (or her free hand, lest she damage a perfectly good tomato), "If it would please the General-King and Her Majesty, I can suggest an alternative."

Of course, then realization hit Nealite, and she addressed Uranophane by a name she'd never expect to hear down here-- there was a pitching of her own brow when that single syllable explained her own sense of deja-vu. She didn't make any moves herself, but a corner of her mouth did pitch up into a plesantly surprised smirk:

"Ursula! May I still call you that, Highness, or should I stick to the formalities while on duty?"

This probably spelled bad news for Killingworth.  

[candy lamb]

Two women who knew each other. Was there anything more daunting in the entire ******** Negaverse.

"Stick to formalities," he groused, while knowing that while Ursula was Ursula, she'd let Uranophane get away with any number of informalities. Oh, well. God. Whatever made Nealite happy made Nealite happy. "She is your goddamned Queen. You two know each other? That'll make it easier." For them.

Uranophane was smart. Smart enough. She'd get smarter.

"Lieutenant, you're on duty with the Queen. She'll give you your orders. You're still on starseed detail -- I explained that to you -- " And so he had. "But any mission from your Queen outweighs simple ******** seed pulling. Keep that in mind. You're her messenger. I don't care if you become her carry girl, you're the Queen's hand."

He jerked his head at Uranophane. "Be goddamn worthy of her."  

[cibarium]

Carry girl.

This probably should have been a lot more alarming to Uranophane than it ended up being; the girl hated shopping as much as she hated the corporations the concept helped to bloat. But apparently being dragged off to carry bags or-- God forbid-- watch as Nealite tried on endless mountains of shoes was going to become as much her duty as pulling star seeds and attempting to gather intelligence on the opposition was.

And then there was the other information she was having to parse. Such as Nealite's mention of "Audrey" and "Khal" in the same breath as "Negaverse."

"Audrey Collins... and Cilentani... are going to be my colleagues." It wasn't a question. She had made very sure not to tone it as a question. Her voice was flatter than Nebraska and more neutral than beige with that observation. She was fairly plainly expecting a yes they are and you better learn to ******** like it from Charonite with this, which pretty much put a couple of bold underlines under Nealite's curious emphasis on the word 'friends.'

Uranophane was also now wondering terribly if anyone else she knew happened to be under Negaverse employ without her realizing-- but figured she could deal with whoever was thrown at her as long as it wasn't Andeon Boskovic or ******** fail in these duties would be to disgrace the agenda of the Negaverse-- and so you have my assurance that I won't, General-King." She ended that one with a short but respectful bow, and, at Nealite's beckoning, broke her standing position to approach her. It was time to start realizing her duty as the Queen's hand... by trailing behind her carrying half her weight in colorful bags.  

[candy lamb]

Charonite didn't even bother with a yes they are and you better ******** learn to like it; Janice knew what to say and knew how to say it. That immediately put her in a better class than around half of the other Negaverse officers; and therefore he could leave her alone and get back to other things (arguing the toss about sushi with his future wife).

"Good," he said instead. "You have your orders."

And then he blinked out of existence (possibly to get ahead on ordering dinner before Ursula did).