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]

[prodigal_miser]

They're going to be a while.

[dark_light]

Eventually Isabella and Path giggle too.

[prodigal_miser]

"I will - make him play with tacky ponies if he does it again," wheezes Vern. "He will have to wear the - the customary flower wreath. So the ponies accept him."

"I can see it now -" (Snicker.) "It would be glorious," adds Adarin.

[dark_light]

"I can actually see you wearing a flower wreath apologetically. Having a tea party with plastic pony toys."

[prodigal_miser]

"I would look dashing," he replies.

[dark_light]

"You would look preposterous and I would love you for it anyway."

[prodigal_miser]

He snorts with laughter. "Thanks."

[dark_light]

"You're welcome."

[prodigal_miser]

"If they're tiny it would be even better, you realize. Me towering over a teensy little tea set with ponies, gently giving out little tiny sugar cubes..."

[dark_light]

"Awwwwwwww."

[prodigal_miser]

"Would you wear a dress?" asks Vern.

Adarin laughs, petting his bird. "No."

"Awww."

[dark_light]

"But we were so scaaaaared," says Path in a piteous voice.

"He's mocking you," Isabella clarifies.

[prodigal_miser]

"Never would have guessed. Sorry, I can pull off many things, including the flowers, but a dress is just out of my league," says Adarin.

"What about a pretty hat? A nice and pink and frilly hat?"

"... That is negotiable."

[dark_light]

"This is starting to look awfully expensive. Maybe I should just put Adarin on fixed retainer and he can spend it on as many silly bird-placating objects as he likes."

[prodigal_miser]

"It's not silly," he replies. "I am looking into the health of our personified souls." Vern nods along, loyally.

He is trying so hard not to laugh.

[dark_light]

"I think I might know more about what our personified souls require for their health than an ex-zombie."

[prodigal_miser]

"Aww," he pouts. "But I could have pulled off the hat."

[dark_light]

"You still may, if you choose to spend your retainer on it."

[prodigal_miser]

"But then I wouldn't be able to pay for all of the ponies! Think of the ponies, Isabella!"

[dark_light]

"You'll just have to silver-star them along with that one cat."

[prodigal_miser]

"Oh goodness, no. My heart. It breaks. I'm irredeemable, now."

[dark_light]

"You might even need to put *bronze* stars in the book, you villainous awful creature."

[prodigal_miser]

Adarin gasps. "I'm not that far gone. I don't eat children."

[dark_light]

"It is not far off!"