• 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.

IDS Yīnghuā - Log 1.0: Swift as the Wind and Quick as Lightning (風馳電掣)

"Hey! I protest that notion!" Wen spoke up, raising his fist up to chest height. "They are Imperial Guard, servants to the Empire, like the rest of us! As far as I can tell, they do not hold actual command! I do not care what soft powers they might have, they do not have actual authority over us! In the eyes of Imperial Law, they are just soldiers!"

"他媽的!" The Bull spat angrily, "Even if they were the Five Tiger Generals, I still would have said the same thing, but within the bounds of the code of conduct! We are not irrational humans! Assets are to be valued, not diminished so casually! If we simply standby and watch such culture fester within the upper echelons of our government and military, we are doomed to fall, as did our creators!"

As he ranted, his form in VR space enlarged and reddened, a subconscious act on his own emotional state, morphing his form to match closer to his modified biological template. Steam visibly poured out of his nostrils, until he sighed from his mouth. His form shrank down, returning to his original humanoid dimensions, after which he slumped down, sliding down against a wall that was conjured up by his mental state. One hand rummaged through his hair in frustration.

"I am not stupid, you know. They put me on pirate duty, then bureaucratic busy work for a reason." Wen admitted, then looked up at the group, the two princesses specifically, with a glare. Clearly, the embers still burned hot. "But I have yet to see others speak up, so I will. I refuse to be silenced."
 
"Rules are made to be broken!" Jun replied cheerfully. She didn't quite know who that statement was supporting at the moment but also who cared? She was a princess now and she could say stupid things sometimes. She's pretty sure that was a rule.

Given that control of the room settings were up for grabs, Jun would be the one to grabs them. She quickly changed from the default settings over to a spa setting, and from her own clothing over to fuzzy bath robes. She'd waste no time sitting down in one of the chairs so that NPCs could bring her a bubbly drink, and start massaging her shoulders and feet. Soon, cucumbers were applied to her virtual eyes so she didn't have to see Wen. Another NPC would start setting incense to give the area a pleasant fragrance while still others would come out to give attention to Jun's hands.

They all had the proper implements with them for manicures and pedicures... but that was just window dressing for this space. The NPCs couldn't actually affect the real world so they didn't bother with that part of the spa day.


++


Now that the higher ranking guards were gone, Xian felt more comfortable speaking up.

"Wen. You may want to consider that Imperial Law is something that is carried out by individuals. The Law only holds as much power as those that enforce the laws deem necessary. If no one around you respects the law, or if everyone around you accepts that someone has extralegal powers, than it IS so." Xian would approach Wen more closely, wanting to speak a bit more privately. "Perhaps your protests would find more purchase should they be quieter. Find those that are receptive to your message first. No amount of protests will sway those who have already made up their mind."

"My mother also would not hesitate to point out that sharing the bed of the Mother Empress would provide your words with some more weight."
 
As Hoshiko summoned another flip-flop, raised high in hand, she stopped as Xian tried to speak some sense into him. Instead, she decided to throw it at Jun instead, smacking her right on her right breast! But it didn't seem to give the Tiger Princess any satisfaction, as she simply turned around and crossed her arms to sulk, ignoring that the place had turned into a spa at the Cow's whim.

"Ara," Sakamoto began. "I imagine you must be feeling overwhelmed," she cooed to Wu. "If you want, you could stay at base camp and be our mission control as well," the feathered woman offered, fondly patting the Chongwu on the head and rubbing her ears for good measure. She then smiled at Royama. "Make sure to include some specimen containers and extra ammunition on that caboose of yours. I fear we'll need it."

As a result of Jun's actions though, their planetfall was made in great, pampered comfort within the glamorous spa she had conjured. Never mind that they were all harness-locked within meatspace. Offboarding at the surface basecamp, it was clear that the path to their objective down below was already marked with lights and cables embedded in stone.

"Last chance if anyone wants to stay at base camp, or grab supplies," Hoshiko gruffly remarked, rather irate. Despite being suited up, it was clear that something was bothering her as she checked the charge on her laser rifle. Several bats, their Chongwu scouts, clung on to nearby lamp posts and overhanging wires as they waited. And not far off at all, plenty of other troopers were loading up to head out to the portal itself, while others returned, some walking, some limping, and some on ominous stretchers.

But that place wasn't for them. They were heading down, into the ruins below.
 
Uso said:
Now that the higher ranking guards were gone, Xian felt more comfortable speaking up.

"Wen. You may want to consider that Imperial Law is something that is carried out by individuals. The Law only holds as much power as those that enforce the laws deem necessary. If no one around you respects the law, or if everyone around you accepts that someone has extralegal powers, than it IS so." Xian would approach Wen more closely, wanting to speak a bit more privately. "Perhaps your protests would find more purchase should they be quieter. Find those that are receptive to your message first. No amount of protests will sway those who have already made up their mind."

"My mother also would not hesitate to point out that sharing the bed of the Mother Empress would provide your words with some more weight."
Click to expand...
"I am not making love with the Mother Empress!" Wen stood up in virtual space and blurted out, his face reddened with embarrassment, just at the thought. "It would be beneath her to do so with a commoner like me, anyways." He leaned back against his conjured wall, a hand scratching his horns. "I do not have any allies. I never would have thought my brethren would be so hostile to important criticism of the Empire." He looked at Xian. "Your mother is one of the Tiger Generals. Would she hear me out?" His tone was pleading, and desperate.

In stark contrast, his body in meatspace acted with mechanical precision. He took note of the injured Daqinren, then ignored them. Everyone had their duties. Taking casualties was just an unfortunate part of the process. The Bull-Form stretched an arm out, offering for one of the drone bats to land on his forearm so he may commune with it and obtain intelligence of what they found ahead.
 
"What's love got to do with it!" Jun yelled out, "She wasn't looking to make you Emperor, Calm yourself. Your dick isn't magic."

"You may want to start with more approachable allies, rather than going directly to the Tiger Generals. You will be weighed on your strength, your alliances, those that will support you. Don't waste an audience with my mother when all you have to offer is words." Xian replied, starting to feel really bad for Wen as he struggled against a system that didn't work the way he thought it did, or thought it should.
 
Inside their virtuality, Hoshiko seemed to give in and allow the Jun-conjured spa to take over. Changing into a bathrobe, she let her feet get massaged while her nails were getting done. But in meatspace though? She quietly took the lead as the bat chongwu on Wen's hand told them what it and the others found. A sprawling network of underground tunnels that eventually opened up into a large cavern. And according to their sonar, what seemed to be a door.

"You've been quiet, newbie," Hoshiko decided to verbally prod at Sakura. "What do you think of all this? Worrying about repeating history, making Chongwu our slaves and them rebelling if we don't treat them well?" She peeked out from under a slice of cucumber over her eyes in their virtuality. Their physical bodies were practically on autopilot now as their suits switched to IR and sonar as well to follow the bat chongwu scouts. There wasn't any light, and they didn't need it. It made her think, and hide a smirk under her helmet.

"Careful Jun. Wen's dick might actually be magical now." Despite having been initially excited about the mission, Hoshiko seemed a little more dour now, but it was hard to say exactly why.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top