• Nobles of Null is a forum based roleplay site where sci-fi and magic collide. Here, Earth remains fractured and divided despite humanity reaching out to the stars. Worse still, the trans-human slaves of one major power have escaped, only to establish their own Empire, seething with resentment at abuses of the past. Even the discovery of aliens, though medieval in development, has failed to rally these squabbling children of Earth together with its far darker implications. Worse still, is the discovery of the impossible - magic. Practiced by the alien locals, nearly depleted and therefore rare, its reality warping abilities remains abstract and distant to the general populace. All the while, unseen in the darkness of space, forces from without threaten to press in. For those with eyes opened by insight, it is clear that an era is about to end, and that a new age will dawn.

Chapter 4: Old Habits Die Hard

Ray of Meep

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Co-authored by: Ray of Meep (GM), CadetNewb, TheCountryWarrior, Wallflower

Solaris Lihana, Planet Lihana
Continent of Goedwig, Lake Obdurate's Solace

Shi Cheng stared at Sai with her demand: return what is rightfully theirs. The Aos Si knew there was no way around this. The invader probably knew as well.

The invader leaned into his ear, with a metal piece visibly buldging out of it. "Tāmen yào tāmen de wénwù."

He frowned, then raised his voice, and massaged his nosebridge. "Wǒ yǐwéi wǒmen bǐ yīngguó rén gèng hǎo! Lishi quan wang le me?!"

There was then an audible sigh. "Kending bu xing, dan wo keyi shi shi. Bie shuo wo mei jinggao ni men."

The invader looked back at Sai. "This is out of my jurisdiction. They've taken most of it back to my homeworld, primarily to study. There are a few left in the city. If you are willing to participate and provide us your input, we can expedite the process and return them to you." He replied with a frown.

"And I am certain that they are the most choice selections," Amisra calmy noted. It was something she had noted over the decades of war - that the invaders' minions were very far from stupid, even if their marching orders were. Musing over this however, she realized something even more important. "You lost many of them, didn't you?" the redheaded ranger asked, eyes wide with surprise. But only for a moment, right before amusement seeped back in. "Your soldier-slaves? Whatever you call them, they took things with them, didn't they? Things you do not understand?"

The invader nodded. "How many we lost when my predecessors were killed off is still unclear. The creations of my predecessors, Zhuli, as we called them, were savvier than they were."

The calm look on Sai's face betrayed the emotional demand. It was a rightful request, one that clearly had meaning and justice behind it in her eyes, and she fully expected it to be denied as it had. "A shame." She spoke blandly, tapping a finger against the books. "There's a lot we could all gain if our own books were returned to us. Besides, many houses hold great value in their heritage. They would likely be very warm to the chance to have artifacts returned to them."

Shaking her head, glancing away, a momentary scowl overtook her. "I must express my distaste in the lack of response when it comes to our rights. Surely you understand why we hold such factors as important if anything is to be worked among us."

Gwaed stood as rigid as ever, an the only emotion he willingly betrayed was anger. It had been that way since he walked in, and would probably stick with him for a good couple hours after he left. "Yes, apologies, but as people we would very much like to be trated as such." He gives a mocking smile. "If your 'betters' aren't too busy playing us all like instruments. I recognize you have very little actual power here. You can't have anything returned to us, you want us to come with you and be good little lesser beings, because that's the only way you can think we'd ever get anything of ours back. I think perhaps you even want to help. But you can't. We need to play like good little children and listen to Father Parasite if we want anything."

"Rights? Lesser beings?" Shi Cheng raised an eyebrow, and in his tone betrayed frustration. "The whole point of inviting you into the city is so you can get educated, not just in our sciences and technology, but our culture and politics, so you can one day participate in our society as equals, in both the work force and in governance. Is that not your reason for meeting me at this lake in the first place?"

"Why such anger? Why such sorrow?" Amisra pondered aloud, her words soothingly gentle to her peers. "Though we must be dilligent, we need not make haste," the redheaded maiden pointed out. "All things will come with time, and I am certain that this is no different," she added, her small, faint smile almost indiscernable like fading mist in the morning. Of course, what she trutly hinted at was far more important. "For now, we must focus on the most important of things. The things that are rightfully ours can wait in their safe havens." Amisra then turned her gaze onto Cheng. "I would say that the superior culture will prove itself in time. That, is of no doubt," she calmly answered. There was a smile on her lips as she leaned forward ever so slightly in her maiden's dress, her own superiority becoming a bit more apparent to any male gaze. However alluringly playful her expression was though, there was a certain amusement to it that was not entirely friendly."Now, how do your verbs function?" the redheaded ranger asked.

Gwaed barely kept his eyes from rolling. She had done this before, and no doubt she would do it again. Amisra had a way, though he wasn't entirely sure he was immune. It didn't matter now. She knew entirely his position on this Parasite, but her subtle reprimand was fair enough. This was not the time to vent the entirety of his rage at this hapless intellectual grunt. He would leave the talking to Amisra, or at least he told himself he would. Deeper though, he knew he would most likely speak out of turn again when the chance arose. Not like he could be stopped. He simply stared at their Parasite, eyes burning quietly with anger. The rest of his face was stoic.

The answer, clearly, did less than nothing to satisfy that disgruntled glare in Sai's eyes, which were only intensified by the blatant actions of her female companion. "Teach us as equals." She stated quite bluntly out of line ."It is not your place to teach us to be as such." Her face twitched on it's scarred side, and she rolled her shoulder that lacked an arm. "Now continue the lesson, heir of your forefathers."

"Yeah." Shi Cheng grunted, then tried to use his childish arm to scratch his chin. "We'll get to the verbs soon enough. Now let's get started."
 
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