BULiK

IC: Arnex, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku Arnex was by no means a leader. "Uhhhhhhh... no? If you have any ideas go for it."

IC: Arnex, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, Cargo Bay "Uhhhh...... maybe me? If something comes up we can radio Triage"

IC: Arnex, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, Upper Deck "Great, thanks pal," Arnex replied, happy that the Taku's strongest warrior would be protecting her on the parked ship. She took the suitcase out of the armory, locked the door, and then walked downstairs to begin loading the new ammo in the zamor turret just in case. IC: Berys, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, The Kahu As Arnex descended into the cargo bay, Berys shouted for her to go lower the Kahu from the crane, so she set the ammunition down by the zamor turret's entrance and rushed back upstairs to man the cargo crane's controls. Arnex moved the joystick to command the crane to raise the Kahu and pull it over the open cargo bay doors on the underside of the airship. She released the latch and the Airship dropped slightly. Berys carefully lowered the levitation to smoothly lower the Kahu out of the Taku and then increased the main engine thrust to push it out from underneath the larger airship. He then increased the levitation so the Kahu was floating well above the ground. The airship started to ascend the mountain with ease, headed towards the strange tunnel carved halfway up the mountain. OOC: @Daniel the Finlander if Niidak boards just say she did, but I'm moving the Kahu along to keep pace with the game. IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside Wait, didn't work 'the last time'? The Ta-Lesterin shrugged. "Dunno. Hope tha world doesn't explode I guess." He pointed towards the airship Zataka entered. "Is tha tall lady with you too? She said she had some plans or somethin', sounded pretty confident in 'em."

IC: Knichou, Ehlek's Fortress Airspace "Good!" Knichou shouted back. "You'll need this, catch!" The Fe-Toa twirled through the air with grace as he reoriented himself to be flying towards Vashni. His Kanohi glowed, and in his arm appeared a large silver metallic slab, another set of adaptive armor that the Ce-Toa might have seen Rose 'borrow' from Knichou and give to Skyra earlier. As Knichou got close, he threw the armor to Vashni and rolled to the side to avoid slamming into her. While Vashni had managed to acquire a jetpack that let her join the fray, they were at rather high altitudes, and Knichou was worried that she would freeze and get lightheaded. This would prevent that. Knichou cut his thrusters, rotated mid air, then activated them again to rapidly change his direction and return. He formed up in a hover beside Nale, recreating the couple's formation.

IC: Arnex, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, Upper Deck "Nice," Arnex said, opening the suitcase to find several Zamor spheres filled with defiled energized protodermis. She closed the case and picked it up carefully. "I'll load this in the zamor turret. If we need to deal with any riteborn, this is our best shot." The Onu-Matoran was about to leave the armory, but the weapons and ammunition lining the walls made her stop in her step. "Unless... are you going on the expedition? You might want to take this down there yourself instead, along with a handheld launcher." IC: Berys, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, Cargo Bay "Pretty sure the phrase is 'the captain goes down with his ship,' Triage," Berys joked. It was perhaps more morbid than he intended, and so the pilot quickly changed the topic by answering Niidak's question as he got in the pilot's seat of the Kahu. "I'm just flying them up there... I don't have to go in the volcano, right?" He turned to Triage, who was riding shotgun. "Right?" The Le-Matoran powered up the craft, the four levitation engines clanging to life and the main engine rumbling into an idle. He adjusted the levitation until the craft was no longer sitting on it's four landing gear spikes but floating slightly above the ground chained to the cargo crane. He continued to fine tune the amount of levitation as more passengers boarded. Berys looked over his shoulder and watched the passengers pile onto the Kahu like it was a clown car, with Enra and Gnabol taking the two seats behind himself and Triage, and the rest taking positions on the large flat bed on the rear of the truck-like airship. "I would've suggested to bring more weapons... but we're pushing the lifting capacity of the Kahu as is, even without dismounting some of the Taku's heavier armaments for portable travel. Is that everyone?" IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside "So... I guess she did it," a relieved Exuze stated. It was over, he'd done it! He kept his mask active, wanting to stay at this height until he was extra sure things had cooled down. The Ta-Lesterin saw Zataka and Viltia return, and while he wasn't sure about how the dark titan made him feel - although from his newfound higher vantage point, she was slightly less imposing a figure, which was relieving - Exuze was adamantly sure how the airship she walked into made him feel. He didn't address the warlord, instead looking to Atamai. If the others needed him, they would ask. "So you knew her, right? Is she done? Did we save the universe or whatever?"

IC: Berys, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, Cargo Bay As Berys was about to descend the stairs to the cargo bay, Niidak got his attention with a tap to the shoulder. He talked as they walked down the to the lower deck. "From my understanding, Ulkarr says that's where those giant monsters have been coming from. They're trying to make sure no more of them are made. Anything beyond that is above my pay grade, so to speak. I don't know how they plan on stopping whatever is inside, but I guess we'll all find out when we get there." Berys reached the cargo bay, in the center of which was the Kahu, the Taku's smaller airship used for scouting and transportation to and from the larger airship. It looked relatively makeshift, for while it was of Knichou's design, it was lacking the classic silhouette and the refined polish of factory built airships. Berys began to unlatch the Kahu from several bindings that kept it securely in place, and attached the airship to the Taku's cargo crane. The pilot climbed aboard and began performing a pre-fight check on the Kahu's systems. "Are you coming with us?" Berys asked, making small talk with Niidak as he performed his duties. IC: Knichou, Zakaz Airspace, Mi-Kiri Proximity Knichou listened and considered what he had learned from the conversation as he followed the course of the soaring Kaita ACR. It wasn't much new information - mostly a confirmation that the reason for Mi-Kiri's sudden collapse was still unknown. He was glad that at the very least he and Nale had allies with them for the raid on Ehlek's compound. << What ever this 'special maneuver' of your is, it sounds like one of my plans. We'll stand by, NUVA. >> As the commander reached the altitude of the floating fortress, he put himself into a hover and observed the maneuver as it played out. As the Kaita ACR drew it's weapon, Knichou spoke up again, though his protestation was too late to make a difference with Kilo's opening attack on the fortress. << Careful! We probably need some things in there intact! >> He was surprised to see an object rapidly approaching from below on his adaptive armor's radar. He looked down to see... "I'm here." "Vashni?"

IC: Berys & Arnex, Irnakk's Tooth, The Taku, Bridge "Neither do I," Berys agreed. The trip had been uneventful. The looming smoke-spewing spire and the charred, deformed landscape was not conducive to lively conversation. Seeing the island in daylight at the Taku's cruising altitude made it so much more evident how little of it was left. Berys hoped that whatever Knichou was doing wasn't completely stupid. Then again, Berys was the one flying towards an active volcano. Whiile they could spot an entrance halfway up the mountain, the steep slopes didn't let the Taku land anywhere near. Berys deployed the landing gear and set the Taku down on a plateau a quarter of the way up the mountain. He opened the cargo bay doors, but left the boarding ramp closed, as they would take the Kahu the rest of the way. "If you're going to the volcano, make your way to the cargo bay," the pilot announced over the intercom, before idling the Taku and beginning to move there himself. Arnex, Navu, and Rose had managed to unlock the armory by now, although the suitcase full of the experimental defiled EP zamors was still locked. "Can you melt the lock without melting the zamors?"

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro Airspace, The Taku, Bridge "Alright then..." Berys maintained the Taku's course. The volcano slowly began to occupy more of the field of view of the windshield.

IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside The overgrown Lesterin took several steps backwards as soon as the Stasis ended, eyeing Axxon carefully in case the titan made a move. IC: The Taku, The Taku Vhisola’s searching lead her to a door below the countertop, which she opened to reveal an assortment of unique and strange ceramic mugs. One was a plain white with “K + N” written inside a large red heart shape. Another said “Unity. Duty. Destiny,” vertically aligned in a tacky, old-school font. A third said “Captain’s Favorite Toa.” The last mug at the front of the cupboard had a cartoonish horseshoe magnet on the side and said “I’m Attracted To Coffee.” OOC: @Vezok's Friend IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro Airspace, The Taku, Bridge Berys mirrored his captain’s concerned expression. Why was the Aqua Sphere crashing? What the Karz was Knichou up to now? Most importantly: was Triage still in charge? After a moment of consideration, Berys knew that of course Triage was still in charge of the Taku. Why should he bother asking Knichou? Until Knichou or Captain Vella said otherwise, Triage retained all authority. Best to not bring it up, then. For now, Berys maintained their current heading towards the volcano, with the Le-Matoran triple checking that the airship's path wasn’t near the potential impact zone of Mi-Kiri. “What now?” IC: Knichou, Zakaz Airspace, Mi-Kiri Proximity Knichou’s smile grew wider as Nale jumped out ahead of him. He quickly leapt out of the hatch and into the roaring winds of the open skies. His adaptive armor’s thrusters activated instantly and it wasn't long before he formed up on Nale's right with the expert pilot performing a flashy roll in the process. The two Toa flew up ahead of Aurax's bulky airship, gaining on the Kaita ACR. Now that Knichou and Nale could see it for themselves, they recognized it as Kilo's Kaita ACR, the same one that had decisively come to the Taku's aid in the battle with Nektann. As they drew nearer, Knichou was surprised as two new icons appeared on his visor's HUD, both appearing inside the center of the mech. First they were two squares in the HUD's green color scheme, both designated as UNKNOWN. After a few seconds, once everyone's nanosuits had remotely synchronized and aligned with their wearer's subconscious feelings and intent, the two square icons rounded out into circles and shifted color to a bright blue hue that stood out from the default green of the visor's HUD. The designations of the two icons updated to KILO-M9 and JUTORI. Knichou was surprised - where the Karz did those two get adap- Oh… right... Well, at least the extra pairs were going to good use. Knichou moved his fingers gracefully to manipulate his adaptive armor's menus with precision gestures while he kept his hands at his sides for maximum aerodynamics and coordination of his thrust vectors. Kilo and Jutori would see a message pop up on their head up displays, accompanied by a notification sound to grab their attention. INCOMING GROUP CALL FROM: CMDR. KNICHOU & CPT. VELLA ACCEPT: Y/N? The armor's final query blinked for a moment, waiting the split second for each wearer to recognize the options and subconsciously decide to initiate communications before it automatically connected them. << This is Commander Knichou. What are you two doing up here? >> OOC: @pokemonlover360

IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Boarding Ramp When it became clear that all who wished to embark on the Taku's next voyage were aboard, Arnex pulled the lever to raise the boarding ramp and re-seal the hull. Berys took this as a sign to take off, and increased the levitation power. The Taku slowly inched upwards as the suspension on the landing gear had less weight to push against, before even the tips of the landing gear left the ground. Berys retracted the legs, and soon the Taku was once again it's smooth pod-like shape as the landing gear sat flush against the lower hull panels. With that task done, Arnex lead Rose up to the others deeper in the ship as it turned to face the volcano in the distance. The Taku soon began to accelerate and slowly rise to a cruising altitude. "Navu, do you remember where the armory key is? We're gonna need it." OOC: @Toru Nui @Tarn IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Airspace, Aurax's Airship Knichou felt the weight of Nale's gaze as he entered the ship - reforging her former lover's weapon was not something the engineer did lightly, nor should it be. A month prior, before their love and trust had bloomed to the degree it was at now, the weight of that responsibility would have been too much for Knichou. He was relieved to see in her optics that she understood it was a symbol of each of their growth, individually, and together. Their mistakes made them strong. Their legacies, much like Datrox Karvan's, were still malleable, as Knichou had shown a month prior in the zealot's funeral and just now in the Obsidian Blade's rebirth. A terror to many, the Ta-Toa's story was not yet over, for those he left behind could apply the lessons he had learned and he taught others in death. Caedast's - no, Stannis's Companions could do the same by preserving the lessons learned in this cycle to create a better future instead of melting it down in the crucible of history. Nale and Knichou both knew from the ghosts of their past that could not grow beyond their pain and mistakes without confronting them. In that way, the Obsidian Blade stood as a reminder that even the most stubborn could change, even the most broken could be repaired, and even our greatest mistakes be tempered to forge our greatest strengths. Nale and Knichou's love was a testament to that, and the Obsidian Blade was a physical manifestation of the strength of their Unity. Wisdom and cleverness. Old and New. Flawed and flawed. Together, like Datrox's inspirational hilt and Knichou's advanced blade, they were unparalleled. Knichou took a seat in the passenger compartment beside Nale. He held her hand and squeezed. They were so close to salvation - one last quest, and there would be peace for the first time they could remember in ages... As Aurax's airship flew towards Mi-Kiri, Knichou looked out of a port side porthole while he sat in the passenger compartment. Were those... Kanohi Dragons attacking the godhead? Perhaps they caused the wildfire earlier? Knichou was glad he and Nale weren't headed there. Bound to be trouble for Aurax, though. Wait... were Mata Nui's eyes... alive? Knichou activated his suit's radio and began to message the Taku during this brief moment of respite. IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Bridge << Taku, this is Commander Knichou, how copy, over? >> Berys almost spit his coffee out as Knichou's voice burst forth from the bridge's radio. The Le-Matoran set down his mug and swiveled his chair to face the dashboard again, picking up the radio transmitter in the process. "Knichou? This is Taku, I read you five by five - are you and Nale finished with your, ah, expedition...? Over?" << Expedition? Yeah, we made it to the deepest part of the ice temple, sorry about not keeping you in the know - Nale and I went off the grid for a bit while we - >> The intercom on Aurax's ship chirped and Knichou stopped speaking suddenly. << Break! >> There was an uncomfortably long silence on the airwaves. The crew on the Taku's bridge waited in anticipation. IC: Knichou, Mi-Kiri Airspace, Aurax's Airship Knichou turned to Nale, utterly flabbergasted by this revelation. They both kept their cool together. "Maybe... that's certainly a good theory..." Knichou replied. He cursed under his breath at the dire stakes - as if they weren't already dire enough a minute prior. The Administrator wasn't kidding. The Fe-Toa prayed that whatever Stannis needed wasn't destroyed along with Mi-Kiri. There was nothing they could do with the Aqua Sphere until it made impact... but perhaps Ehlek stole the information Stannis needed before the floating city's was sent hurtling to its doom. Knichou performed a familiar gesture to continue radioing over the Taku's frequency. "Taku, be advised, the Aqua Sphere is rapidly losing altitude. We are in Aurax's airship, on course to intercept Ehlek's fortress to make him pay for whatever the Karz he just did. How copy, over?" There was silence over the airwaves as a stunned Berys tried to process this information. Knichou didn't skip a beat, however, doing a quick transmission over the frequency of Aurax's airship to contact Saybo on the bridge. "Saybo, get us closer to that flying robot robot, and get it's attention," Knichou ordered, walking to the nearest emergency exit hatch. He flashed Nale a grin that made her know the next step in his master plan before he spoke it. His armor was already becoming more aerodynamic, forming jets and an airtight seal for the high altitude. "Ready for your next flight lesson, Captain?" OOC: Everyone on the bridge of the Taku will hear the radio conversation.

As the lucky winner of two pages (71 & 76), I have two questions: What happens if multiple aspects achieve grand wishes, particularly if they are at odds with one another? If, say, I dunno, some kind of legendary mask that was, idk, a mono-reality item was infected by a kraata, would that damage the timeline in irreparable ways, or because our characters are in the time between time, it doesn't really change things too much?

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza "Actually, Mi-Kiri might be waiting for us... and that's why there's one thing I should do before we leave," Knichou responded. "The island's disappearing, the universe is ending... we'll never be back in Metru-Koro." "But that doesn't mean it all has to be gone..." He reached an arm out towards Datrox's cenotaph. The iron fingers of the Ta-Toa's statue curled out of the way and the Obsidian Blade flew out into Knichou's grasp with frightening speed. The Fe-Toa took hold of the massive sword, one hand on the hilt, the other the blade, and smashed it over his knee. With the assistance of his powers over iron, the force was enough to snap the oversized protosteel blade off, which his other hand absorbed. In his right hand was left the precision-engineered grip of the weapon. This was what he wanted. "We go up there to fight Ehlek, we're undoubtedly walking into a trap," he began, inspecting what was left of Datrox Karvan's signature weapon, twirling it in an imaginary slash to get a feel for what he was working with. "And we're probably going to be in close quarters..." "I need to be prepared for anything, and while my armor is, my weapons, however, are not." Knichou pointed his open left palm at the hilt of the bladeless weapon. His Kanohi began to glow. "Not yet." A stream of nanites, blacker than night, spewed forth from his armor and into the space where the blade should be. The mist of particles coalesced into a fog and then a jelly, before crystalizing like snow and compacting into icelike crystals. The entire blackened blade rippled when it was fully formed, the wave washing over the surface and perfectly aligning the molecular structure into a self-correcting, molecularly sharp blade. Not even actual obsidian was this sharp, and yet the re-forged Obsidian Blade had the strength of the finest protosteel like its progenitor. The commander panted from the exertion of using both of his powers at once at such a level of precision, and slowly rotated the sword slightly to inspect it's flawless surface and feel it's auto-calibrating, perfect balance. The blade was shaped like a simple rectangle - almost like it was an ingot that had been elongated, or a sheet of metal that had yet to be machined. Its surface was eerily black, as if nearly all light that reached the weapon was absorbed. On the edges of the blade, the sword was slightly lighter, to help the wielder understand it's outline instead of seeing the shapeless black mass. The only other thing made visible by this outlining were five matoran letters embossed on each side of the blade: - a throwback. Knichou held the sword in one hand and did a practice slice. The blade transformed mid-stroke, forming the hardened edge of a katana that whizzed through the air in front of him. He then lunged forwards with a stab, and the Obsidian Blade sharpened to the precise, armor piercing point of a rapier. Knichou's left hand joined his right to tighten his grip as he pulled the hilt upwards in a diagonal block, and the blade widened to offer better protection. Both hands still on the hilt, Knichou raised the sword over his shoulders in a powerful strike, and the massive claymore formed similarly to Datrox's original weapon, ready to strike with intense force. Knichou twirled the Obsidian Blade in one hand, admiring its perfect balance, and it took the shape of a crystalline flamberge he had seen once before in a dream of Legend. The adaptive weapon shifted it's shape to suit its user's needs with every blow, forming the best tool for each particular action. It was a sword that was a jack of all trades, master of all. The self-correcting nanite blade filtered the noise of Knichou's movements and shaped itself to the historical blade that was a perfect marriage with the intent of the strike he was about to make. It was lightweight and yet had heft, and this nimble nature combined with it's computational foresight of adapting to commander's own thrusts and parries made it exceptionally easy to use. Every swing calibrated the weapon further, increasing Knichou's familiarity with it and its familiarity with Knichou. Even a novice swordsman like Knichou was a formidable threat with such a weapon. Finished inspecting his work, Knichou steadied his new weapon, with it returning to it's original blocky shape, and then commanded it to stow itself. Nanites retreated into the hilt and into his own adaptive armor until just the hilt remained, which he placed near the waistline on his adaptive armor. While the former Ghost foresaw that he would summon many weapons in the coming battle, if this was the last weapon he ever designed, he would be satisfied. The Obsidian Blade was reforged from the supermaterial that powered the universe, it was the culmination of every technology the Ghosts had developed into an elegantly simple but impossibly deadly weapon that would be a force to reckon with in any age. With the metaphysical conundrum of its Theseus-like history and the advanced technology that made its operation indistinguishable from magic, the Obsidian Blade was truly one of a kind. "Now we can go," the commander said, boarding Aurax's airship with haste.

IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Entrance Ramp "We'd need a bigger gun..." Arnex mourned. But how could they make a newer weapon that could hurt riteborn if Knichou was go- "Say... do you think you can try to, uh, 'unlock' the suitcase of dirty EP zamors Knichou has the armory?"

IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Entrance Ramp Arnex gave Niidak a thumbs up. The Onu-Matoran walked to the nearby communications station and pressed a button to dial the bridge. Those on the bridge heard Arnex's voice through the intercom as she transmitted, although by now Triage and Vashni were deeper in their own conversation. "Bridge, this is Arnex, Niidak reports the engines have been inspected and are good to go, over." << A-firm, let us know when everyone is aboard and we're clear for takeoff, bridge out. >> "Good question, Vhisola..." Arnex replied. The Onu-Matoran pressed the button to transmit again. "Hey Berys, one more thing, where are we going exactly?" << The volcano, that's where those giant monsters are coming from, >> the speaker outputted. "Ah.... right.... thanks," Arnex responded with a gulp. Once she stopped transmitting she looked over her shoulder at Rose. "Might get that action after all..." IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Bridge Berys continued to check his systems, listening in on the bridge's conversation now that his call with Arnex was over. He sipped his coffee and swiveled his chair so he faced Triage and Vashni. "Sounds scary..." IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins Knichou chuckled as Aurax sped off before he could solve the Su-Toa's speed problem with a new creation. He thought about plans for the future as Nale conversed with the Barraki's minion. There was a lot to do... "Great, Exo-Toa Unit," Knichou said to the machine. He stopped Nale's shoulder massage to turn to face it. The commander pointed to Aurax's airship "Go ahead and board, then await further orders." Knichou turned back to Saybo, crossing his arms. "Go ahead and get her started up, we'll be there in a moment."

IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside "He started it."

IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Entrance Ramp Arnex heard the intercom's announcement, interrupting her train of thought about Vahki. "Leaving so soon? Where else is there to go?" She shrugged, considering the options. Maybe Kini-Koro was declared all clear, or more likely, Knichou needed a quick pick up. "Maybe they got ahold of Commander Knichou again?"

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Bridge "Aye aye, Triage," the Taku's pilot responded, using the hand that wasn't holding his mug to give a loose salute, before strolling to the bridge. The Le-Matoran sat at the co-pilot's chair, sipped the coffee, and began the Taku's boot up sequence, with the ship coming to life in short order. He switched the radio over to use the airship's intercom and loudspeakers, and began to transmit. "Taku personnel, this is your pilot speaking. All crew, get aboard and prepare for our next voyage. All passengers, please disembark, unless you are volunteering to travel as a part of our next expedition." Berys decided to omit the fact that they were flying to the volcano in his PSA. IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside "Wut," a strained Exuze muttered. He didn't know anything about this makoki stone nonsense.

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Meeting Room Berys's shaking stopped as the Doctor steadied him. Definitely not a Knichou move. Triage had years of experience dealing with frightened patients, and clearly knew just what to do to calm them. Knichou's people skills, on the other hand... "T-Thank you... Triage..." There was a beep as the coffee machine indicated it's task was completed. The steaming, dark beverage automatically poured into the mug below. Berys cradled the warm cup and took a sip, turning around to look at Triage. "I can get- well, flying near it is no problem. The Kahu would be best for going inside... but also... yeah..." IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside Exuze's eyes were wide in shock. What was going on? He doubted this would suddenly solve the problem between Tuyet and Axxon. He kept tense, waiting for the stasis to end and the chaos to resume. He said nothing, only watching Axxon.

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Datrox Plaza Nale's smile was mirrored on Knichou's face with a slight delay. "If you're happy, I'm happy." The Fe-Toa turned around, smoothly moving to stand up against Nale, slightly behind and to the captains left, as Caedast drew the attention of her compations. His right hand swung across Nale's back to reach her right shoulder, briefing brushing against the Kraata on accident. Knichou shivered slightly at the unexpected bump. His left hand moved to her left shoulder, with both giving Nale's shoulders a massage as Caedast bid them farewell. It wasn't only for Nale's benefit - it was clear the repetitive motion was also effective are relieving Knichou's anxiety, with his breathing steadier and lacking the tension from before. Something to focus on, one small thing in this strange world that made sense, a problem Knichou could try to solve that wasn't cataclysmic. When Caedast left, there was a lull in the air. So much had changed in such short time. Knichou looked to Aurax. "Need a ride, brother?" IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Boarding Ramp Arnex turned to her fellow Onu-Matoran, glad someone sounded like they knew what they were talking about. "You do Vahki repairs before the impact or something?"

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Knichou watched the rite happen, more worried as the Avohkii's light was no longer granting him the same level of inner strength, and his other source of courage was being changed before his very eyes. He fought back against his worries regardless, steeling himself as he couldn't dare look away as the slug burrowed beneath her armor. Knichou's focus was absolute - in fact, it was almost like Aurax and Caedast weren't there to him. When the procedure was over, Knichou stepped closer to Nale, placing his right hand on her left shoulder and looking at her closed optics. Supportive, yet not without a little concern, but with his characteristic curiosity shining through. "How do you feel?" IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Meeting Room Berys was glad the beverage wasn't ready, because if he was sipping his drink, he would have spit it out. "Fly into the volcano?!?!" The pilot's hands trembled, almost making him knock over another mug as he grabbed the nearest one - a plain white mug with "#1 Pilot Captain Commander" inscribed on the side. He placed the mug under the device's spout and anxiously steadied himself against the countertop.

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Meeting Room The Le-Matoran lethargically accepted the bag, utterly confused. He still teetered in a poor posture, barely awake, as he tried to comprehend what the doctor had given him as well as what he was saying. Upon reading the packages label, the Matoran's spirits suddenly began to brighten. He wasn't chipper just yet, but the motivation was now there. A clear goal that overpowered all others. Berys walked over to the nearby table and deposited the pouch's contents into one of the contraptions in the Taku's makeshift kitchen. One of the many perks of being in the crew of the mask of creation's bearer was that such luxuries as a high quality coffee brewer were available. One of the many perks of said commander being a Nynrah Ghost was that said device was more advanced than any brewer that had ever existed. Knichou's coffee maker had enough advanced computing power to make Nuparu blush, could perform miracles that would surprise a Toa with a mask of alchemy, and could brew more types of coffee than Skyra had speeding tickets. It made brewing coffee not only easier, but faster, and produced results with unmatched flavor. One time, Berys asked how it worked, but the Toa only spouted technobabble the pilot didn't understand. Something about quinic acid levels. Needless to say, Berys was excited again. As he waited for the device to complete it's sacred duty, the Le-Matoran commented on the mission. "I can fly us... where exactly?"

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza The Fe-Toa raised an arm towards Nale in protestation, but paused midway through, retracted it towards himself after a moment, then dropped it by his side. She was right. He wouldn't understand. Perhaps one day he would, but until that day came, he would have to trust Nale. That, he would do. Knichou gave Nale a firm nod, his body language still expressing concern, but with a decisiveness that indicated that his doubts were quelled. She didn't need his support in her decision, but he would offer it regardless.

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Knichou reflexively shook his head back and forth out of shock when it wasn't Aurax who answered Stannis, but Nale. He turned to his partner, concern filling his emerald optics as they darted back and forth, rapidly focusing on each of hers as he tried to understand what she felt. "What?" Is... this what she wanted? She saw what it could do to Aurax and still...? IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Boarding Ramp "I don't know," the Onu-Matoran said with a shrug, answering both of Rose's questions at once. "Have you ever seen Vahki act like this before?"

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Knichou nodded along and looked to the Toa of plasma with curiousity. It was Aurax's choice to relinquish his power, just as it was Caedast's choice to relinquish her control over him. Knichou knew that power could be intoxicating, and that it would certainly be useful in the fight ahead, so it was also a tactical choice if and when to remove the Kraata. While Aurax now had an opportunity to alter his deal with Caedast, Aurax's choice was Knichou's gift, not his command.

IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Boarding Ramp There was a lot going on but Arnex kept quiet, not wanting to upset the Vahki further. The Onu-Matoran glanced at Rose awkwardly, before the Vahki spoke directly to her again. "Uhhhh... concerned?" OOC: @Toru Nui @Harvali @Tarn IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Nale saw an equally 'doomer' expression on Knichou's face. Not even the only surviving record of his home was free from the memories of its annihilation during the war or the self destructive hubris of the Ghosts. Knichou never met Kimi, but the story of a Ghost falling on their own sword at the request of their superiors was all too familiar in Matoran and Nynrah Ghost culture. To kill oneself by merging mind and machine to become a glorified encyclopedia, purely on the hopes that it would preserve the legacy of hundreds of others... Knichou wasn't sure if that was a fate worse than death or not. It certainly reminded him of his own tendencies, for better and worse. Knichou had not seen the League's fleet off of the coast of Nynrah or fought to defend the island from the invasion as Stannis had. The Fe-Toa had merely heard the stories of those battles that were retold in Artakha and in the glassy eyes of Stannis when Knichou brought up his homeland in the past. Knichou had engrossed himself in these reports from the front so often that he felt like he had seen that fleet many times before in his nightmares, and so the Fe-Toa was still visibly shaken by seeing it, even from such a distance, in a dead Matoran's memory. However, Nale's glance did reassure him, and as he saw her sleek adaptive armor form, Knichou felt that he also saw the calm Matoran he just met underneath, and he grew a slight smile of thanks, accentuated by a thankful nod. He had gotten to do what he previously assumed was impossible - show her a glimpse of the home he had longed to return to ever since his exile long ago. It must have hit home enough for her to remember herself from a more peaceful time. Her life before becoming a Toa was something she could barely recall when they discussed it a month before on the Taku, after Knichou revealed his anxieties about his Toa transformation distancing himself from his Matoran self. Them seeing their old universe again must have been enough of a catalyst for those memories - no, feelings, to bubble up to the surface again. Seeing himself and his partner together as Matoran made Knichou's internals swirl with a concoction of somber yet beautiful emotions - Nynrah was gone and they could not be Matoran again, but this had reignited a deep longing for those idyllic villages in peaceful fields and the ability for them to just... enjoy life without the burdens of their duty as Toa. They were burdens that Knichou and Nale happily shared together, burdens eased by their unity, but wasn't the point of all the struggles Toa persevered to achieve their destiny? To not only reach, but enjoy a lasting peace? A peace that wasn't just for the Matoran, but for the two Toa lovers as well? Knichou prayed that Caedast could bring about such a Destiny. In the past two wars, Knichou had assumed his sacrifice was necessary to achieve that peace, but seeing Caedast torture her body to use the Avohkii gave the commander hope that not only such a peace could be achieved, but that Knichou and Nale could live within it instead of holding it up on their shoulders. Caedast could be that bastion. He deeply respected Caedast's commitment, and wouldn't let this opportunity be unfulfilled - it was the best way to ensure a future for not only his people, or even just his love, but one that he and Nale could enjoy together. At Aurax's prompting, Knichou refocused. He stood up, adaptive armor returning to its desert garb. Knichou had upheld his part of the deal, so he was expecting Caedast to oblige his earlier request once she was no longer hampered by the powers of the Avohkii. "Don't forget your Kraata, Aurax." OOC: @~Xemnas~ @EmperorWhenua @Tarn