• 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 9 & 10 Intermission 2

Ray of Meep

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Co-authored by: Ray of Meep (GM), Acewing13, ArsenicJohn, Ikate Keda Studios, PaladinGreco, Piston1937, TheCountryWarrior

2320, 1st day after landfall on Earth

London

The Big Ben bell chimed eight times, signalling a new dawn over the new old city. The clocktower watched over the city like a sentinel, several hundred meters above ground. Indeed, standing next to it were the historical buildings of Westminster: the ancient Parliament building that Britain still uses for its domestic affairs, St. Margaret's Church, etc, all on the roof platform of a massive arcology building that straddled the River Thames.

The entire arcology covered an area the size of the historical city, and then some of where its suburbs used to be three centuries ago. The arcology of London was built as a layered hill with hundreds of floors. With each handful of floors there was a large outdoor area on the roof that lined the perimeter, before the arcology moved upward with a smaller area. All the walls were plastered with solar panels. Inside were the millions of souls who resided in the city, with their dwellings and businesses and utilities and academic centers.

A railway shuttle carrying Juan and Joan's two children zoomed into the northern, Enfield passageway into the arcology. Artificial lighting contributed to whatever sunlight that could seep in. The headspace above the railway station was several stories, with crisscrossing bridges above the passageways that connected floors and rooms.

Juan had been instructed to make sure the kids made it to their Grandmother's house safely, an order he intended to complete with 100% efficiency. The only obstable he faced was Joan's Mother, and she was only an obstacle because he had no idea how she'd act. His only interaction with her was at the trial, where he had thought quite poorly of her, even if her final betrayal of Tyler had been in Joan's favor. He would be civil of course, and grateful that she would help them at all. Not to mention grateful for the extra day away from training he managed to squeeze out of the interaction.

He breathed the Earth air again, smiling bittersweetly at the scent of air. It was home, as cursed as his memories of it were. He couldn't wait to go back to Joan, away from this place. But for now, his job was front and center.

JAcob sat next to Juan, going over some math problems on his tablet. Not because he wanted too, but because Joan had given him several months worth in homework and told him to do it all or he would get in a bunch of trouble. Miranda, however, had been pouting for hours now.

Juan looked over to her, noting Jacob was doing his homework, which he greatly approved of. He spoke gently to Miranda, smiling. "How are you feeling Mira?" This was a classic parent question, which meant they knew you weren't looking happy and wanted to know why. He had rehearsed these at some point, for this very occasion.

"Fine..." Miranda mumbled, curling up a little more.

"If you're sure. You seem upset is all. You can tell me if you want, I understand things."

"You in Jacob was really mean ta dat dog lady," Miranda said, narrowing her eyes. "She just wan'ed ta 'elp, in she looked sad when she weren't allowed. She lives on da ship, ah wouldn' fink she were a stranger!"

This was news to Juan, given that he hadn't actually spoken to the Aos Si at length yet. Perhaps it could be said he didn't care to, but that was also true of most other people on the ship. He did understand how she could misunderstand the situation. "Oh no honey, that wasn't mean. Granted Jacob could use a little work on his social skills, he was trying to politely decline. Trust me, it's one of those things that adults just accept about kids and never worry about again. I bet the dog lady is eating a cookie right now and has forgotten all about it." He pat her head, ruffling her hair a bit. "There's no need to think too hard on it. We'll work on talking to people and politely saying 'no thank you' some time."

"Jacob also lied..." Miranda muttered, shooting Jocob a glare.

"Course ah did," Jacob suddenly defended, looking up from his tablet. "Ya saw wha' dey did ta mum! Twice now, ah didn't wanna be next!"

Juan sighed, looking over to Jacob. "I know it's hard to believe, but that dog lady is an Aos Si, from a far off world. Not... entirely sure how the dog part happened. Science is weird, trust me." With a breath, he stretched in his seat, and ruffled Jacob's hair. "I know what you were going for, you were trying to protect yourself and your sister, but try to more polite next time. There are many ways to say no in a kindly manner. No need to make enemies where there are none."

"Ah dun like it," Jacob muttered. "Why dey even let it on da ship? E'ryone knows mum's afraid o' da bloody fings. She can even walk no more, now dey jus' torture 'er some more? 'ow would ya feel if ya 'ad ta deal wif somefing ya were fraid of e'ry day?" He asked, getting even more irritated. "It kin keep it's muzzle outta our business."

Juan looked down at Jacob, a pang running through his heart. So young and already feeling the burgeoning stages of hatred. Worse yet, Juan couldn't just dismiss it as stupid. Had he been in the kid's position, he'd be worse. "There's a lot more to it than just what they look like. Those people aren't in charge of themselves. They are used as pawns against their will. The one that got your mother didn't know what it was doing. So, what I do, is focus my anger at the ones who made them do it, and hope that the ones that are free aren't a threat. The dog lady isn't a threat to you, I believe. Actually for a myriad of reasons I'm not sure she would care to do much at all to harm anyone, but you can't hate an entire people based off of a few of them. If you hate every individual of a kind because one has wronged you, the universe will never be safe. You'd hate humans too."

Juan wasn't sure if he was saying the right things, or even if his words were being heeded. Oh god, he thought, is this parenting?
 

Ray of Meep

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Jacob huffed, going back to his tablet, and Miranda just curled up some more, resting her head on her knees.

Juan pursed his lips, staring forward. Maybe they'd remember this someday, a lesson they wouldn't really get until they were older. That was fine. That was the hard part of parenting, letting them understand things on their own. He pat the kids gently, and waited. They'd be there soon now, not much of a wait at all.

~~~~~

Margarette stood at the station, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked far from an old british woman other than the way she dressed, and she gave anyone who looked at her funny a glare that could freeze plasma in place. "Leaving me waiting for a half hour," She muttered, looking at the analogue watch on her wrist. "I swear, I don't get some answers to what is going on soon so help me god..."

The shuttle came in, behind shedule only slightly in the grand scheme of things. Juan brought the kids out, recognizing the woman immediatly from, somewhat awkwardly, the trial where she worked against them before switching sides. What a tumultuous time. He put on a smile, holding both children's hands, and approached her. "Hola Miss Ambrose. Apologies for the latency, but there's not much we can do about public transportation."

Margarette glanced over, narrowing her eyes a little at the sight of Juan, but then Jacob and Miranda got her to smile. They were, in reality, his only shield right now. "Hello my little darlings, are you excited for some time spent in the true outdoors?" She asked, look at Jacob and Miranda. Then she looked at Juan, the smile straining a little. "Where is Trixie?"

Juan tried to keep up the smile, but it faltered, settling into a frown. Not so much a frown at her, more of a general sad frown. "She's in orbit on the ship, working technical now. She's glad you're willing to watch the kids, we couldn't leave the boss to run the whole ship alone. This will be a nice expiernce, like you said," he gaze drifted to the sky, before looking back at her, "real nature. Better than recycled air eh?" He smiled a bit, trying to ease the tension here. He hoped the kids could help, but honestly they weren't faring well either it seemed.

"Come on kids, give abuelita a hug, hugs make everything better." Jacob and Miranda did so, and Margarette returned the gesture, looking at the kids. Then she turned around.

"Mark!" She snapped, and a young teenage scurried out of the crowd. He looked like a farmer boy, and he seemed to regard Margarette with some level of fear based respect. "Take the children to the car please? I can find my way there," She said, pulling out her purse and giving him some money. "Get the kids something to eat. Mcdonalds or whatever it is children enjoy eating," She said, and at the mention of the fast food Jacob and Miranda perked up. "I need to speak to my... Well I don't even know what to call him at this point. Go on. I'll be with you soon," She said, and Mark nodded, doing what he was told and herding the kids off.

"Care to explain?" She finally asked once they were gone, kindness evaporating from her features faster than water on the sun.

Juan frowned at this entire exchange, and was reminded that this woman was a piece of shit. That tracked, given what he knew from Joan. He knew, or at the very least was mostly sure, that she wouldn't hurt the kids, but that didn't absolve her of essentially bullying teenagers into becoming minions. He looked around, noting they were in public at the time. Not a very covert spot to talk about things, but he didn't really want to spend more time with this witch than he had to. "Which part? The visit or the reason for the visit?" He sighed sadly, and dropped his gaze. "We had split up, raiding... well actually I'm not allowed to say much in public but Chongwu were being used as slaves, and the bitch who owned them hopped them up on drugs. Didn't have their own minds. One of them had some cloaking technology, a big cat, and it..." He hated having to relive that in any way. It hurt him, hurt him so deeply he could barely keep his voice from shaking.

"That's the gist of it."

"A fantastic job you're doing," Margarette muttered, shifting her purse a little. "I suppose if she can't walk anywhere dangerous you can help her," She added, shaking her head. "Anyway, try to do better, the kids are safe. I have moved since Tyler so you don't have to worry about him. Trixie knows how to get a hold of me," She finished, turning around and walking off.

Juan was really expecting more from her, in any regard. He was still in pain from the entire ordeal. Perhaps she had been used to hiding pain such as he had, but he at least had the common fucking courtesy to look after the damn kids when he was asked to. "Hope you have a fun time telling your minion to take care of your grandchildren. Nothing like quality time with grandma's stooge." This bitch had the audacity to smile at the kids and give them a hug, and then shoo them away. Was this bitch really the only person on the face of the literal Earth they could trust with the kids? She couldn't even bother raising her own kid to the best of her ability.

His lips pursed in disgust, he wasn't entirely sure what to do now. He had the day off, so he about-faced and walked into town, shaking his head.
 
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