(Untitled)

[leftthecradle]

The Door opens.

Rather it's shoved open by a dappled, grey nose. Said nose is followed by an equine body...a filly not quite a year old.

"Cai! Come back here!"

The filly whickers playfully and trots quickly into Milliways. There is a mildly irritated man in robes who follows her.

Let's all welcome the Ranger and Cai back, everybody.

Comments

[krisofvaldemar]

As Kris doesn't know either of them, he can't welcome them "back." Welcome,
certainly. He's new here, so he's a little surprised when he looks up at the sound of a horse's hooves. The Herald smiles at the filly's antics.

[leftthecradle]

Smiling human! Good for treats and scratches.

She trots over, coolly ignoring the Ranger who rolls his eyes and follows.

[krisofvaldemar]

Treats? Yes, good plan. There's a salad on Kris' table that hasn't been touched yet. He snags a piece of apple before Cai reaches him.
"Hello."

[leftthecradle]

Ooooo, yes! Smart human! Cai eagerly sniffs the apple before lipping it from his hand.

"Cai has such a simple view of the world," the Ranger says laughingly as he catches up. "It's all there for her delight. Our function is to provide said delight quickly and efficently."

[krisofvaldemar]

Kris chuckles. "That's young ones for you, whether it's horses or something else." He leans forward a little to stroke Cai's nose.

[leftthecradle]

She nuzzles his hand, licking of the last reminants of apple juice. The Ranger smiles down at her...and then his head tilts quizically to the side as he senses something. The faint mental reverb of a fellow telepath.

Cautiously, he brushes a 'feeler' against the outer edges of Kris' shields in greeting.

"Since my charge has forced the matter, allow me to introduce myself. Many people here call me Spero. I am a Ranger."

He bows slightly.

[krisofvaldemar]

Kris can't help but grin at her.
He tenses for a second, before he stands, bowing in return.
"Herald Kris, of Valdemar," he answers courteously, aloud. He manages a wry smile.
His shields are tough, but one might pick up that they've recently been stressed due to physical pain/worry. There's a sense of friendliness/general warmth, if reserved, on the surface.

[leftthecradle]

His smile is warm and reassuring. His shields...well, let's just say that 1,000,000 years of evolution and over 3,000 years experience have an effect.

"I am honored," he says. "May we join you, Herald Kris?"

He has not met many telepaths on coming here. Kris' mind is a comforting familiarity in the sea of 'otherness'.

[krisofvaldemar]

"By all means," stepping back he motions toward the nearby seats.
Another thought occurs to him. "Ah. Is Cai from a sentient race, too, or no? I'd been warned not to make assumptions here." Not that he needed to be told that, really. But animal Mindspeech wasn't one of his skills.

[leftthecradle]

The Ranger settles into a chair and extends a hand to stroke Cai's mane.

"I fear she is not," he says. "Perhaps in another ten or twenty thousand years...at least we hope they might start to achieve sentience by then if all goes well."

[krisofvaldemar]

Kris smiles as he sits, too. Can't help but think that she's rather wonderful regardless. "Ten or twenty...?" It's hard for him to imagine planning that long.

[leftthecradle]

The Ranger's expression grows slightly sheepish.

"I'm afraid evolution doesn't like to be unnecessarily rushed. The universe has a tendency to become rather disagreeable when you try."

[krisofvaldemar]

Kris gives him a puzzled look. "Rushing natural events...? well, yes, I'd think so. Is that even possible?"

[leftthecradle]

"It is," he says grimly. "With the right knowledge and sufficient power, one can certainly play God. But the results tend to be less than divine."

[krisofvaldemar]

Kris looks down at Cai, frowns, nods his comprehension.
"Or sufficient greed. Human arrogance...Power just makes it simpler." He shakes his head. "If there's one lesson
any human could use, it's that the world...Isn't theirs alone." Something impossible to avoid knowing, for a man or woman bonded to another sentient creature who's not at all human.