Log:Ghost Meets Lorelei

Ghost's Story 2013/03/20 	 Ghost Lorelei 1

Ghost is seated in a booth with a untouched cup of strong coffee in front on her, looking out the window in frank curiosity and not a little wonder at the, to her, strange sights passing by.

Lorelei doesn't take long to arrive, since she was in the embassy when called. Given the statement that the stranger is armed, she has brought a bodyguard - though not wanting to spook a stranger to this world she leaves them outside, trusting in her own abilities to keep her alive for the few seconds it would take them to come if called.

Lorelei enters the coffee shop, looks about, and see the young-looking uniformed person, and a look of surprise crosses her face. After a second searching for a memory now decades-old in her personal time, she says, "Ghost?!"

Ghost spots Lorelei as she enters the coffee shop. Who wouldn't after all. Although she doesn't know 'who' Lorelei is, what she is however is pretty obvious to someone with Ghost's background. So Ghost slides off the seat and stands, She's about to speak when Lorelei beats her to it. And names her. "Uh... Yes. Captain Jillian 'Ghost' Nariliin. How did you know my name?"

To someone with second sight Lorelei is quite astounding. One might expect beauty like that to be the result of a glamour, and a very good one. But this beauty. unless the glamour is good enough to fool even second sight, goes to the deepest level of reality.

Lorelei is taken back by the question. "Don't you remember me?"

Ghost shakes her head, "No, Ma'am. I have an eidetic memory. If we had met I would recall it. Unless you've changed your voice and appearance dramatically. But since I seem to be on an entiriely different world and one that's unknown to me... and as a officer in the Sercian Space Navy I know every habitable planet in my home nebula, I can't see how we could have met before."

"Different world" gives Lorelei an idea. "The message said you arrived here in some sort of accident?"

Ghost nods, "Yes, Ma'am. I was transporting back to the Sercian Royal World for an audience with the King. Stepped into the transporter and came out somewhere other than where I should have done. A mis-jump. They're rare. Very rare. But they do happen. And as far as I know, nobody who mis-jumped ever came back. So unless the people of this world know something our people don't I may be stuck here."

Lorelei nods. "I'm guessing you've jumped into another dimension entirely. That can happen. And that you're the world-reflection - the fae term for doppel - of the Ghost I knew, who arrived in similar circumstances a few years ago."

Ghost takes that in. Considers it. "There's another 'me' here? Ma'am, this gets weirder by the moment." She pinches her left arm. "Right now I'd really like to wake up and find this is all a dream. If I can ask, who are you? You're speaking Sercian, albeit with a terrible accent and unknown dialect. And I don't believe any two languages could have evolved independantly and be as close."

Lorelei says, "Excuse me - I failed to introduce myself because I thought I recognised you! I am Stephanie, daughter of Linadere, daughter of King Zoramin Aranien of the fae kingdom of Undermoon in the Twilit Worlds. If that means anything to you. I'm afraid I haven't heard of the Sercians. And to me, you sound like you're speaking an archaic fae dialect - like the language used in oaths. Though I'm no expert."

Ghost blinks, and goes down onto one knee. "Your pardon, Highness." She says. "Fae... is the ancient term for the Sercian people. It hasn't been in use for, oh, 1200 years. Not since the sercians settled on the Sercian Royal planet."

Lorelei says, "You may rise," in a tone that show she has taken no offence. Do you know how the Sercians came to that world? If I had to guess, our peoples were likely separated in the Times of Troubles, perhaps in the Dragon Wars when the vile dragons ravaged scores of worlds."

Ghost stands. "I'm... uh.. not a student of history. I'm only half Sercian. One of my parents was a human. I grew up on a human colony world. So my knowledge of Sercian history is, well, not that good. All I know is the Sercian helped the humans escape from the Empire after being taken from their home world. The Sercians were already enslaved by the Empire at that time."

Lorelei frowns at that. "The Sercians were slaves?" She imagines that would sit less well with fae even than with humans! "But in truth, my histpry is poor too, for a similar reason: though a princess, I too am half human, and I grew up on this world of Earth, not in the Twilit Worlds."

Ghost asks, "Your Highness, mmm... On Sercian my birth counts against me. It took a lot of courage by my patron to adopt me into his family. Are the Src... the Fae... of these Twilight Worlds more tolerant?"

Lorelei pauses before answering. "That's a difficult question to answer. When the court first learned about me, there was shock. But the king recognised me and I was grudgingly accepted, and, well, I've come to be accepted rather less grudgingly lately for complicated reasons. Though the conservatives still clearly are not happy with me. All that said - my general acceptance has probably helped the half-blooded in recent times. And also - though the nobility remain very much alive, Undermoon is largely otherwirse a meritocracy. With good manners and high skill one can rise far, no matter one's race. And there are many in the kingdom who aren't fae, especially in the Provinces. Are you Sighted?"

Ghost nods, "Yes, your Highness. Although I lack the fine discrimnation that many Sercians possess."

Lorelei says, "That can come with time - my own has improved. But that, in practice, is the main thing: unfortunately there just aren't many Arts the sightless can practice. or trades they can do.

Lorelei smiles. "I'll speak plainly, probably plainer than I should. The fae do tend to think themselves superior. But they also pride themselves on their manners and their honour. If you can have skill and manners you will be treated accordingly. no matter what they might /think/."

Ghost smiles, "How good is your space navy, Highness? I was the best starship commander the Sercians had. Give me a chance and I'll show you what I'm good at."

Lorelei is taken aback by this. "The Sercians have a space navy? I'm afraid we're much more primitive. Earth has yet to develop stable faster than light travel, though prototypes have existed. And in the Twilight worlds, though magic is sophisticated, technology is not. I don't understand the reason, but electronics don't work there, which I assume is the main cause of sytmied technological development."

Ghost nods slowly. "The founders had the same problem. Journey's End nebula is rich in magic. The technology they brought with them started to fail. Things got pretty primitive before we started back up. I'm a mage... Well I used to be. On this dead world I can barely cast a training cantrip. So I know some of the history of the rise. Everything has to be done in the magic environment if the final technology is to work. From mining the ores to final assembly. Take any shortcuts, use a tool not made in situ, and whatever you make will fail."

Lorelei says, "Hm. That sounds typical of magic! But that's very interesting - with trade opening up between Earth and Undermoon getting electronics that will work in the Twilight Worlds is highyl desirable! But anyway, I'm afraid, no space navy. Undermmon is what I would call pre-industrial, if that means anything to you. But the standard of living is no less that that on Earth heere, on balance. I'd think a bit higher, actually. Though if you come from a spacefaring fae society, I imagine you must be used to much better!"

Ghost shrugs, "There's an enchantment that will protect technology from the mana effect. In theory at least. By the time it was formulated there wasn't any working old technology to try it on. Pretty long winded and labour intensive as well. Not worth the effort since we had built up a internal industrial intrastructure by then. And, your Highness, I spent half my childhood sleeping under a trashcan. I'm used to living rough. I doubt the worse, the very worse, of your society is anything close to what I've experienced."

Lorelei says, "That as least Undermoon *can* boast. There isn't really any abject poverty, even ampng the siightless. Even though I fear this is in many cases just because the well-off find beggars unsightly. I wish the same were true on Earth - not four from here is a neighbourhood of terrible crime and poverty neglected by the authoriities."

Ghost says, "That, your Highness, sounds like the planet I grew up on. Outside the Corp enclaves the only time anyone in authority cared was when the crimes affected the Corps. The shadow culture was hunted one day, hired to do some deniable task the next, and hunted again the day after."

Lorelei nods. "Do I take it, from what you've said, you're hoping to take up residence in Undermoon? Earth has much to be said for it as well, though I suppose you have a language barrier to cope with there."

Ghost says, "If I can get access to a dictionary and grammer in electronic format I can download them into my headware and run a workable translation package until I learn the language naturally. But, to be honest, your Highness, I have no idea where I can fit in or even if I can. My skillset doesn't seem to be in demand on your Twilight Worlds. There isn't enough mana on this Earth to empower most of my enchantments and far too little for me to cast any significant spells. Is there a place for me anywhere here?"

Lorelei raises a finger to her cheek, pensively. "What is your skillset. And what do you have in the way of functioning equipment and enchantments?"

Ghost lifts her right hand and turns it so the back of the hand is facing you, "My Spetdod works but getting reloads may be difficult. I imagine I'll have to get them custom made. For that I'll need whatever passes for currency here. She touches her belt, "Spacesuit and force armor. My cyberboost and headware is functional. Self checks out 100%. Most of my personal enchantments are dormant. I have a couple of the lesser protective runes functional. Stormcast," she touches the hilt of her sword, "is nothing more than a blade here. Although Silver Lady is still bound within it so it has a manifestation on the Astral. In cronological order, I'm a hacker, worked with a number of shadow merc teams, made a living gambling, playing blaze and callit. Card games. I'm a tactical genius. Pretty much any problem that can be expressed in tactical terms, I can solve it. That's why I was adopted and sent to the navy. As I said, I was the best starship commander the Sercian navy had."

Lorelei mods. "As if happenns, I may be able to offer you a position to which you may be quite well suited. How are you at personal combat?"

Ghost smiles, "Your Highness, I avoid it whenever possible. However I'm still alive. Which means I've not encountered anything I haven't been able to either defeat or run faster than. And I'm not a fast runner."

Lorelei smiles. "That sounds wise to me, and competent. Well, let me explain. I'm assembling a company with twofold duties, based at the embassy here. The first duty is to defeind the embassy and any members of the rpyal family while they are on Earth - which usally means no more than me and my parents - my mother, Princess Liandere, is the ambassador. The second duty is more complicated to explain:

Ghost nods, "I haven't got anywhere else to be right now, your Highness. You can take all the time you need." she says with a smile.

Lorelei says, "I don't know if it is the case where you are from, but here on Earth a number of humans are massively more powerful than the norm for one reason or another - I mean in such thngs as personal combat, rather than social power. These are known as /metas/. Many of them - 'super villains' - use their abilities in antisocial, criminal or destructive ways. They are for the most part too powerful for the authorities to cope with. And so other metas, called 'super heroes' perform the job of policng them. The other function of the group is to act as 'super heroes' defending against 'super villains' and other threats."

Lorelei smiles.. "You can appreciate such a group would benefit from a tactical genius. And I suspect you are from an advanced enough culture to be on a level with metas, even if not everything is working. We can test for that if it is in doubt."

Ghost nods, "My home nebula had a similar circumstance. Adepts, Mages, Alphas. Far beyond the normal person in combat abilities. And many of those used their abilities solely for personal gain no matter what the collatral damage. I don't recall many that would be what you called superheroes. Although some shadow mercs had scruples. If... If this position involves personal combat... perhaps like that I saw on my arrival? ... then before I accept, and before you offer, a test seems a sensible perequsite."

Lorelei says, "There is a building across the street from here called Steel's Gym. In there is a room designed for the training of 'metas' - and it's suitable for testing as well. It's some of the most advanced technologu on the planet too. Please don't laugh too hard."

Ghost shakes her head, "I doubt if I would feel any urge to laugh. I saw the powered combat suit that one of the people at the place where I arrived was using. It was as advanced as anything on Derwood or Sercia."

Lorelei smiles. "Maybe we're just backwards in space travel.... well, there are reasons for that."

Ghost glances at the table, in particular the cup of coffe. A small grimace passes over her face. "If we go to this Gym now and try this test it will give me an excuse not to drink that bitter tasting brew." she says.

Lorelei says, "Let's do that. You don't like coffee, though? It's perhaps Earth's second most popular export to Undermoon, after chocolate."

Lorelei says, "I admit I drink it with milk and sugar though."

Ghost over-dramatically shudders. "You actually drink it? That's incredibly brave." Then she asks, "What is milk and sugar?"

Lorelei blinks at the question. "Um, milk is the liquid that come out of mammary glands, in this case of a cow, whcih is a domesticated animal. Sugar is a ... I can't explain it in fae. It's the stuff than tastes sweet, extracted and refined to pure form."

Lorelei says, "The milk takes the bitter edge off, and the sugar makes it sweet as well. Believe me, it helps. But there are many other things to drink instead..."

Ghost nods, "I imagine I'll have time to learn, Highness." and moves to the door to open and hold it for you."