07-18-2017, 08:44 PM
A tingle of familiarity nestled itself inside Ratione's stomach. The technology he observed in the massive island metropolis was an odd combination of space-age and pre-industrial, similar to the many colonies he had visited where old met new. At least, until everything was flattened.
The duo made their way across a long bridge with iron supports but cobblestone arch, leading directly from the beach head and into the city. Street lamps made of bamboo and electric bulbs lined either side every few meters, sharing space with a wrought iron fence right at the edge. Individuals, young couples, tramps and families were leaning over the edge looking down into the water. The tramps mostly had fishing poles and old, dirty bait-and-tool-boxes. The Novan and the Yordle were cutting through the thick crowd on the left sidewalk, some eyes turning and giving odd looks to the pair. On top of Ratione being about a foot taller than the sea of heads, Janna gave their frame an extra two, thus putting them on par with the occasional alien or other creature making its way along.
This also allowed the girl to see far ahead down the bridge, eventually making out the Imperial checkpoint at the front of the city.
"Alright, just stay cool and don't speak english."
"....why?"
"Just because, you're carrying a big ass sword. None of the locals will give a shit but the Navy might. Just speak your own language and look really friendly."
When they finally approached the four large gates at the end of the bridge, Ratione could see more of those self-moving machines lined up and waiting for permission to enter the city. Some had more rubber wheels, others hovered in the air by whatever means. Ratione snickered at the the floating machines, anyone could slide under and break the mechanics that kept it in the air.
Currently, all four gates were wide open, with a walkway running along the top being patrolled by guards in white armor with more boomsticks. These ones, as far as Ratione could tell, looked vastly different from the one Janna possessed.
When they got close enough to the gate, a single guard waved their hand at Ratione, gesturing towards a line of others who had weapons on them. When they reached the front, after a solid ten minutes of torture on Ratione's heels, Janna hopped off the Novan's shoulders and releived the stress on his lower back.
She strutted up to the guards, and began conversing rapidly. At some point she handed over a small card and a black box, and the guard handed back a similar looking card to Janna's. Then the guard made their way up to Ratione, pulling out what appeared to be their species' version of a camera.
"Stand still, citizen. Keep your eyes on the lens."
"Discunt autim parer teus-aum." Ratione replied, putting on a wide grin.
"Thanks pal." The guard replied half-heartedly, and a bright flash captured the Novan's face. A sticker was printed out from the camera, which Janna put on the card. She had her's back, giving the new one to the Furtumin.
"These are registration cards. You need one for every weapon you bring into the city." She hooked a thumb to her rifle, "Lucky for you, I know people. Enough people that I can take this bad boy in and convince the stormtroopers that it's okay to let you haul around a big-ass sword."
Ratione blinked once after Janna finished, staring blankly for a moment before holding his weapon out in front of him, one hand on the grip, the other halfway down the blade, passed the second set of prongs. "Why do they need to keep track of this? It seems..." Just then, he noticed Janna staring at his right hand intensely, eyes wide and her own tiny hands outstretched. She clenched her teeth and moved forward.
"Gah! What are you doing?!"
"I'm... holding my sword?"
"Yeah but why are you holding the sharp part!"
Ratione raised an eyebrow at her, flicking his eyes to his grip for a small second before looking back. "....because... I wanted to grab it there?"
Janna paused for a moment before closing her eyes, shaking her head and muttering "Fine, whatever, I guess I'm not the sword expert anyways...". She walked forward through the front gate of the city, the Novan following suit with their mouth agape and mind fumbling for an explanation to the conversation that just occured.
[You are indirect and lazy.]
The duo made their way across a long bridge with iron supports but cobblestone arch, leading directly from the beach head and into the city. Street lamps made of bamboo and electric bulbs lined either side every few meters, sharing space with a wrought iron fence right at the edge. Individuals, young couples, tramps and families were leaning over the edge looking down into the water. The tramps mostly had fishing poles and old, dirty bait-and-tool-boxes. The Novan and the Yordle were cutting through the thick crowd on the left sidewalk, some eyes turning and giving odd looks to the pair. On top of Ratione being about a foot taller than the sea of heads, Janna gave their frame an extra two, thus putting them on par with the occasional alien or other creature making its way along.
This also allowed the girl to see far ahead down the bridge, eventually making out the Imperial checkpoint at the front of the city.
"Alright, just stay cool and don't speak english."
"....why?"
"Just because, you're carrying a big ass sword. None of the locals will give a shit but the Navy might. Just speak your own language and look really friendly."
When they finally approached the four large gates at the end of the bridge, Ratione could see more of those self-moving machines lined up and waiting for permission to enter the city. Some had more rubber wheels, others hovered in the air by whatever means. Ratione snickered at the the floating machines, anyone could slide under and break the mechanics that kept it in the air.
Currently, all four gates were wide open, with a walkway running along the top being patrolled by guards in white armor with more boomsticks. These ones, as far as Ratione could tell, looked vastly different from the one Janna possessed.
When they got close enough to the gate, a single guard waved their hand at Ratione, gesturing towards a line of others who had weapons on them. When they reached the front, after a solid ten minutes of torture on Ratione's heels, Janna hopped off the Novan's shoulders and releived the stress on his lower back.
She strutted up to the guards, and began conversing rapidly. At some point she handed over a small card and a black box, and the guard handed back a similar looking card to Janna's. Then the guard made their way up to Ratione, pulling out what appeared to be their species' version of a camera.
"Stand still, citizen. Keep your eyes on the lens."
"Discunt autim parer teus-aum." Ratione replied, putting on a wide grin.
"Thanks pal." The guard replied half-heartedly, and a bright flash captured the Novan's face. A sticker was printed out from the camera, which Janna put on the card. She had her's back, giving the new one to the Furtumin.
"These are registration cards. You need one for every weapon you bring into the city." She hooked a thumb to her rifle, "Lucky for you, I know people. Enough people that I can take this bad boy in and convince the stormtroopers that it's okay to let you haul around a big-ass sword."
Ratione blinked once after Janna finished, staring blankly for a moment before holding his weapon out in front of him, one hand on the grip, the other halfway down the blade, passed the second set of prongs. "Why do they need to keep track of this? It seems..." Just then, he noticed Janna staring at his right hand intensely, eyes wide and her own tiny hands outstretched. She clenched her teeth and moved forward.
"Gah! What are you doing?!"
"I'm... holding my sword?"
"Yeah but why are you holding the sharp part!"
Ratione raised an eyebrow at her, flicking his eyes to his grip for a small second before looking back. "....because... I wanted to grab it there?"
Janna paused for a moment before closing her eyes, shaking her head and muttering "Fine, whatever, I guess I'm not the sword expert anyways...". She walked forward through the front gate of the city, the Novan following suit with their mouth agape and mind fumbling for an explanation to the conversation that just occured.
[You are indirect and lazy.]
"Our fear is our weapon."