Welcome to Gaia! ::

Rhysi stepped into the common room, a canvas bag of parts and equipment in one hand, a box of Earth's convenient and delicious Uncrustables under the other. Coming up and out of intensive work was not unlike stepping out of a spaceship once again. The world felt new and strange, and her body had a list of unmet needs.

It would likely be best not to re-enter her lab for a little awhile, and she fully intended on returning right away. But Commander Vyn's message had intercepted the impulse in a timely manner, being with others in a different work environment counted as a full break, right? Perhaps, if she worked slowly, it would count as resting.

Settling in near Vyn, she gave him a nod and a terse, "Commander." It was good to see him working with the more practical and controllable sciences, though she was sure his flowers were appealing to...other people. She offered a smile that she felt was adequately encouraging.

Rhysi's uniform was covered in oil spots, dust, and something unidentifiable but intensely purple. From the canvas bag came a set of much smaller parts and some calibration equipment. Satellite pieces suited for this kind of shared space and activity.

As she set up, she asked Vyn and the others who had gathered, "Summer Festival 2023. Unique lightning and flora bursts." Those particular pieces of summer phenomena had never quite left her mind. But the data simply wasn't there for a full report or further research. Still, she found it interesting, the same way much of Earth's other odd events. Those of this locale most especially.

"Signs?"

Like Vyn, Aliez wore normal human attire that evening. A lightweight baggy sweater and comfortable floral shorts. His wavy hair was fashioned back in braids, gathered at the back in a small ponytail, although functionality was more of the focus than style.

He’d been working in the kitchen, gathering a pot of hot water and several teacups on a tray to bring into the living area. It was set on an unused surface and selected a flavor of tea that the earthlings decided was supposed to be calming. He poured a cup for himself and Vyn, but there was a clear indication that it was available to anyone who wanted some.

To say he was stressed lately was an understatement. There was so much to do and so little time to do it, especially when compared to what was normally a short time for them.

He made himself comfortable beside Vyn and set his tea on the table out of the way, before looking up at both Rhysi and Andreiya, interested in the potentially documented floral bursts, but didn’t interrupt. He picked up a component of the satellite to start working on fastening the pieces together as he listened.

Oh yes, there had been the large, fairly aggressive insect swarms. They'd been satisfying target practice. Rhysi's expression turned a little smug at the memory. Nodding toward Aliez and Daesva, Rhysi briefly eyed the tea the former had brought in before opting to pull out a Mountain Dew from her subspace. She planned to stay up at least another 24 hours after all.

"Briefly observed on Earth," she nodded. "Recently at the Lysithean wonder of Halle. Still assessing the data for report."

She paused and the stared flatly at Andreiya, silently assessing him for a moment. "You should go. A forest full of flowering endemic life." He did have those odd proclivities toward small creatures.

Back on topic, Rhysi continued, "A general summary would be sharp bursts of rapid growth, sometimes followed by rapid aging. There were some 'dead zones' native animals clearly avoided." She made a considering face, then added, "Perhaps the humans in the city are having their life spans depleted."

Rhysi didn't seem too concerned with that possibility, it just seemed fairly interesting to theorize.

Aliez glanced up from his work when Vyn tapped his hand, and then realized that he was placing the wrong two pieces together. He sighed and removed the one from top and placed it back on the table. He would have to look more carefully at the blueprints again. Or maybe he could make himself useful another way.

“I do not count the year we arrived,” Aliez frowned as he picked up the correct piece. He had spent most of his studies on medicine and healing. Which was also why he was a horrible shot with the blaster that he no longer had.

Seeing Daesva arrive was bittersweet, and he tried to offer her a smile, but was really just trying to hold himself together and not embarrass everyone with uncontrolled emotions. He was pleased to see them coming together like this, but also sad that it took something horrible to make it happen.

“That was not the year we were taken to Astraya,” he further confirmed, ducking his head down again and was grateful that at least Rhysi hadn’t been there to witness his outburst once they’d returned home.

"Abducted? By aliens?" Wide-eyed, Rhysi gazed at those who had been on Earth well before she had arrive. Earth's alien abductions were so strange and interesting. "Were there really cows?" Fascinating.

As she at turns spoke and listened, Rhysi's hands stayed active, making minute adjustments, testing, then readjusting once more. "Rebuilding dead worlds, finding resources. It's all one." She gave Andreiya an encouraging nod. Avoiding senshi worlds would be cutting off the closest examples to their own work and collective goal. It would be beneficial for him to get over it.

The question of rapid aging was one that interested her intensely, particularly given her own focus on energy research. "Adult humans live too long without notable changes. Perhaps human infants should be tested." Her brow scrunched at the thought. She didn't want to be around those. "Or short lived insects?"

Rhysi shrugged, "The creature is a battery, but possibly a rechargeable one." The increased energy levels may be due to the creature and attendant storms, but that didn't mean the extra energy originated from them. She wouldn't be surprised if the energy instead was forced out of the target world, fueling its own oncoming destruction. But that was just a fun little thought. What truly matter was the Vanguard being able to master and use that battery to their own ends.

“Oh,” Vyn said, pausing to blink blandly when Aliez mentioned Astraya. He grimaced again, more noticeably this time. Like Andreiya, Vyn had an aversion to haphazard hijinks. “I meant the disappearance before Astraya. With the fissures and the strange creatures. I think the Earthlings called them gargoyles.”

Vyn would rather not think of Astraya any more than he had to. After the emotions from the battle on the hilltop had faded, he had been able to hope that the Vanguard could still work together, that their shattered faith and differences of opinion would not come between them, that Earth hadn’t changed them all so much that they couldn’t see a way forward, that they were each still working with the best interests of Velencya and Velenia in mind. Astraya had been a reckoning for Vyn—proof that the Vanguard could still fracture.

Before then, when they’d fought the gargoyle-like creatures together, Vyn had been reassured. Now he remained uncertain of where they all stood. He could only do his best at what he was best at—protecting those under his command.

Study and experimentation and the building of shields, those were things Vyn was versed in but didn’t necessarily enjoy. He listened to Daesva recount her recent adventure with a pensive frown. Vyn was sure it was all very intriguing, and the data may very well benefit them when they inevitably dealt with the creature, but enthusiasm was hard to come by for him.

“I haven’t traveled off Earth since…” Vyn couldn’t make himself discuss Astraya, so he simply trailed off, at least until another thought came to mind. “Oh, but there was the museum. With Almadel. That wasn’t such a bad experience, although I think we were lucky to miss the worst of it.”

Andreiya glanced at Daesva’s pizza somewhat longingly; it smelled good but there were so few Earth foods he thought he could enjoy. His stomach protested even when his mind did not. It smelled good, in any case. His willpower might not last forever, and he realized he’d been staring at it for a few seconds. Blinking, he shook his head and returned his focus on the panel he was working on. He wanted to see Rhysi’s recordings and nodded enthusiastically to indicate his encouragement.

“I’d like to call home,” he agreed. He’d managed to reach them a while ago, and he was happy with his research, but it still wasn’t enough. He wondered if they knew about ‘the Calamitous Hollow’. He wondered if they were afraid for them.

He wondered if they were just so certain that they could divert it that they didn’t have to be.

Andreiya stood up a little straighter and worked a little faster, committed to the idea that if his family–if Velencya–had faith in them, they should be successful.

Lyndin wouldn’t let them fail.

“When this is all over, we should try. If we are visiting other worlds, maybe we can even take a trip home!”

He tried not to sound too excited but his heart was already set in it.

Quick to reel himself in, he cleared his throat and added, “And maybe more trips to the Senshi worlds, and all the Knight Wonders. If you do travel anywhere, please tell me how it is. And come visit my greenhouse, I want to show you what I’m working on. I want to find a world like Velenia, I want to know what they did to replenish it. I want to research the plants, maybe I can make something compatible. I want–oh, the shields.”

He was gesturing too much with his tools and sighed heavily. “I am focusing. I just don’t have anything useful to say about these storms. And I am anxious and having a hard time keeping quiet. I am eager to be done with this trouble so I can go back to my research.”