planetary

[dark_light]

Over the next week, Isabella gets the alethiometer to tell her that the planets they looked at don't contain microorganisms that know what to do with a human body (although the one with the giant bugs has some multicellular parasites that might be able to make do with the foreign macro-scale features of a human body if they got the chance). "The present", it includes in one of its answer phrasings, which is kind of worrying. But Adarin makes enough progress with his scry in little enough time that it's worth the double-check.

Isabella also hires ticket-takers, gives them little pots of ink to verify the authenticity of the passes she handed out, and opens the Los Angeles - New York route for the employees of her three companies of choice and anyone who shells out a cool fifteen thousand dollars per round trip (ten K for a one-way). This is steep, but it's within an order of magnitude of what people sometimes pay for short-notice first-class cross-country flights - with less novelty and more hassle. Albeit she doesn't supply inflight meals. She expects to have to raise the price when more people hear about it in response to volume and then be able to drop it again.

By the time the thing has been open for a few days she's fired and replaced one ticket-taker and the others have settled into a routine that she's willing to try out leaving unsupervised for awhile.

If Adarin's up for some up close and personal planet shopping and his results suggest it'll go well, anyway.

Comments

[dark_light]

Isabella giggles.

[prodigal_miser]

"I can plan, months in advance. Bwuahahahaha. It will be glorious! I can check Wikipedia to get the traditions right!"

[dark_light]

"Should I be afraid? Is it going to be like six florists nested in my house?"

[prodigal_miser]

"Possibly. I have plans, you see. Well, I mean - I will have plans. Eventually. In the future, at some point."

[dark_light]

"You plan to have plans. Gotcha."

[prodigal_miser]

"Yup. That. That is what I have."

[dark_light]

"I love you."

[prodigal_miser]

"I love you, too!"

[dark_light]

"Good. That is the thing intended to be celebrated by Valentine's, you know."

[prodigal_miser]

"Good, good. Otherwise it would be terribly awkward. I'd go trying to be obnoxiously coupley, and you'd say, 'What, no, Adarin, I meant we should actually be obnoxious to each other.'"

[dark_light]

"Wow, that sounds like a terrible holiday. If it existed I wonder what would purport to justify it?"

[prodigal_miser]

"Hmm. Probably made and kept active by those that are sick of anyone being obnoxiously coupley. So, they just want the couples to be just obnoxious, instead."

[dark_light]

"But how would they get the couples to observe the holiday, is the real question."

[prodigal_miser]

"Bribery, I assume. Bribery and blackmail."

[dark_light]

"Oooh, could we be obnoxious to each other and apologize later and collect valuable prizes?"

[prodigal_miser]

He laughs. "Hmm. Maybe, but do you know anyone that would give out prizes for that?"

[dark_light]

"No, I do not. Alas."

[prodigal_miser]

"Ah, then I'm afraid we have no reason to. It will remain an option if the holiday is ever made."

[dark_light]

"Yes, that's reasonable. I knew there was a reason you were a priest of the Church of Sense."

[prodigal_miser]

"You doubted me? Goodness, it's almost like you don't jump into making opinions without making sure you have all of the facts. Carry on, Inquisitor."

[dark_light]

"I love you," she sighs happily. "Right, since we're probably too spooked to do much more exploring today, remind me how long until you can teleport us back? I don't think we're spooked enough to demand it of Zeviana."

[prodigal_miser]

"I love you, too. I think it should just be four or five hours, shorter if I nap, but eh - kind of makes me nervous to fall asleep here."

[dark_light]

"I can stay up - do you wake up any faster in emergencies?"

[prodigal_miser]

"Somewhat, yeah. I mean I don't think any spells I do will be cutting edge or well-done immediately after waking up, but adrenaline is a powerful thing."

[dark_light]

"Okay. Well, if you want, you can nap and I'll sit up and not go too far, but it's not essential."