Vigdis took a few seconds to study the drawings, more general design sketches than blueprints of specific parts. It reminded her of the first semester at university where they were required to draw by hand before moving to CAD software the next semester. God, how she hated that, trying to erase one wrong line and taking two more with it and smudging the paper. ”Off the top of my head, I could show you a more complex cog shape that makes the mechanism run more smoothly and increases the contact area, thus reducing the strain on them without changing the size or material of the gears. I could also show you a type of gearbox that can merge two inputs into one output or do the opposite, though at the cost of being more complex.” Helical or herringbone gears and planetary gearboxes, the former harder to manufacture, the latter to assemble and maintain, but both with significant advantages going forward. Not only would it slightly improve Kareet's machines, it would future-proof the way machines were designed for when the time came to take full advantage of them. ”I could also explain a metalworking technique that hardens the surface of a steel piece, making it more resistant against wear while leaving the core soft and tough to make sure it won't snap under stress. You may even be doing this already without knowing it. It requires precise temperature control, but that shouldn't be a problem for a heat mage.” She continued, glancing at J'eon as this was up his alley as a blacksmith. Carbonizing worked best in an airtight furnace filled with carbon-rich gas or liquid, but charcoal could also be used and if they could make charcoal, they could get a vessel to be airtight enough.

”Of course since we have no mages, I also know at least three ways to make these work without the involvement of any mage, beast or manual labor at all.” Steam, combustion or electric engines. Maybe they shouldn't tell the locals about fossil fuels and then start buying K-A oil at cheap prices. Planet definitely had trees, had been here long enough to develop sapient life, so definitely long enough to form oil and coal and if the local life wasn't carbon-based, they would have known by now. ”We’ve also figured out a less cumbersome alternative to paddle wheels, especially better suited for rough waters.” A propeller was a lot less likely to come out of the water when the waves were high.

Shrink then came by, dropping off a piece of the sea monster they caught with Ixtaro. Vigdis briefly pondered how weird it was that a treant was preparing meat before she remembered some plants on Earth were carnivorous. Now she had to get the mental image of Shirik discussing the culinary arts with a Venus Fly Trap out of her head. ”I've just had breakfast before coming out here, I'll save it for lunch, thank you.” It wasn't a lie, but it did provide a neat way of not being rude, yet waiting for the lab to say it was safe. Another whiff under a lifted up mask made Vigdis want it to be safe even more than before.

Kolvar Stilmyst

Kovalr was excited by the fact that he would be able to study the humans. But he would need someone to tell the humans that he would not do anything nefarious. The only person he assumed could vouch for him was Kareet or maybe Nellara. “Your terms are very reasonable, I will speak to someone to vouch for me. As well as reframing from transforming into one of your crewmembers.” He was excited by the change to study the anatomy of humans. He was curious about how they reproduce and how they cycle air into and from their bodies.

He knew the first person he would go to was Kareet since she had a good relationship with the humans. The perfect opportunity to speak to Kareet was the incoming dinner arrangement that Ixtaro and Shirik had prepared. Arriving at the location the food was being served. He found it could be satisfactory to the human’s taste buds. The type of fish that had caught was something he had not eaten in quite a long time. So he was excited to eat this fish after so long. But when he got there he noticed Kareet and the others had not arrived yet. Casually walking away searching for Kareet before finally noticing her, the technical human, and the arsonist tree.

“Kareet I apologize for bothering you. I was told by your captain Zeynap that I would need someone to “vouch” for me and let my intentions be known that I have nothing nefarious in mind studying the humans. I know we do not know each other that well, but I feel you can make it clear to them that I mean them no harm.” Kolvar said but felt like he was only making himself look crazy. He was extremely annoyed by all the loops he has to go through to study them. And was bothered they seemed to trust a bureaucratic bird, an angry fire spewing fauna, and an avian that is as much of a hypocrite as Silbermine. He was just a wandering scholar looking to learn everything about these foreigners. Was just a little bit of research so much to ask.

Zey’s eyes widened slightly out of concern when Ibarra told her about their close encounter that morning. She reached over and gave her crewmate’s shoulder a squeeze.

“You’re still quite wet even now. That climb back must have been hard work.” She chuckled lightly, then looked to Shirik.

“Thank you. For looking after my crew, on the water and with this delightful fare.” She nodded gratefully and listened as the burning tree explained the longevity of the meat they had prepared.

“If this protein isn’t harmful to us, I’d be interested in negotating for a steady supply of cooked produce. We have enough artificial food to last a while, but fresh fish would make a nice supplement. Is that something you’re interested in? What would you need in return?”

Zey took the leaf with a hunk of fish on it.

“Thank you.” She looked around. Lo and behold, Dr Iris Lambert was skirting round the Jotunheim towards her, having exited the ship holding a handheld device. Zey waved her over.

Shortly after, she could hear the sound of multiple Glen approaching. Zey turned and saw Silbermine with his retinue cresting the ridge from down below. They were armoured, but with their weapons sheathed. Silbermine’s set really was impressive, she though. He even had gold rings and religious-seeming ornaments attached to his antlers that shone in the sun.

The dynamic in the camp instantly changed, yet the Captain stood her ground.

Silbermine spread his arms and began talking. Zey’s translator didn’t pick him up at first over the distance, with the first words being ‘large box’. It took her a moment to understand what he was talking about.

“What? Oh, large box! Yes. Are you hungry? We were just cooking some lunch.”

“I’m afraid we cannot eat such things. We do have some mushrooms (or at least a close approximation, Wodan assured them.) that cook nicely. Go fetch them.” That last part, Silbermine directed to one of his people, who duly cantered away towards their camp.

Zey turned to Ibarra as Silbermine approached, turning the translator off.

“I’d send the survey team but one of them has to be with the comms relay until we can be sure the hunters don’t come back. No one is leaving with them unless they have a buddy.”

She activated all-crew comms.

“Do i have any volunteers for an EVA to retrieve the shuttle and cargo from the swamp?”

Dr Lambert arrived at the makeshift dinner table, staring at Silbermine.

“Fascinating.”

“Food first, Glen later. Here, test this fish steak.”

Dr Lambert took the proferred leaf, tore off a bit of the flesh and stuck it into the small box that clicked out of her device’s underside.

---

The Captain’s request for volunteers came in right after Mallory asked for questions. Zhao chimed in immediately.

“Finding shuttle is menial task, the civilians can do that, right? My engineers are too valuable.”

“Oh, will that be in the marshes? I’d like to take some soil samples. However, i have some concerns about Dr Lambert inducting the new recruits into the department…” Dr Fortin murmured, trailing off.

“I can have my trainees bring the bodies out for cremation as per your last message, sir. My only question is when you want to do that?” Dr Feng asked.

---

Kareet had quite a bit of writing to do this time from Vigdis’ answer. Even just at a glance, there were multiple improvements the Humans were capable of making. Most of it seemed to be centered around the shape and manufacture of the gears themselves to improve efficiency and durability. Even just knowing that the potential improvements were there was valuable, and if they had the time to go through them, that would be even better. There was even apparently a way to improve their river boats, which were quite important to the Ascendancy’s trade.

Of course, it was not long before there were more interruptions. Shirik, shortly followed by Kerchack, this time. At least no one was trying to pull her away from her interview. She recognized the scent of the fish they brought to them. Soreltails were only regularly found in the rivers and lakes of the Ascendancy. Without hesitation, she ripped off a piece of the fish and swallowed it whole. Humming softly, she gave a curious look up and down the Iriad. “I do find myself curious how a being with no ability to taste learned to cook.”

Kerchack, on the other hand, was actually asking something from her directly. Fortunately, it was nothing particularly disruptive for her. In fact, what he wanted aligned quite nicely with her own goals. “It is funny you should mention that. I have already been speaking with Vigdis about the capabilities of Life magic. Being that they have never encountered magic before, I suppose it is understandable that the Captain is not convinced on your word alone.”

With just a moment of thought, Kareet turned her attention towards Vigdis. “Perhaps a demonstration of the healing capabilities of Life magic would be helpful? I imagine some of your people suffered physical trauma from the crash. On average, how long does it take your medicine to help someone recover from severe injuries?”

"Interesting," J'eon rumbled, feeling the machine taking shape in his head. And a means of hardening the surface of metal while the rest remained pliant? Incredible!

"I am eager to get started, once I have the materials," the Glen beamed, although he wondered what a 'paddle wheel' was, as the image that made in his head seemed strange.

He was going to need to set up a proper shop instead of trying to do all this from the work cart, both to control the temperatures as well as to keep away prying eyes. Still, they could get started.

"I need to understand how you measure these?" the blacksmith said, eyeing the odd shapes they used for letters.

---

"Then do it yourself," Jack responded, staring at Dr. Fortin.

Jack turned his stare at the rest of the department heads.

This was so... damned casual. Some of them were people they had worked with for weeks or months, and yet the attitude here was like they were just going to be burning the trash.

But on the other hand, they couldn't risk possible soil contamination, or having one of the locals dig up the bodies.

"Please pass word that the ceremony will take place at dusk. Crew not on duty and civilians who wish to attend should be there 15 minutes prior. Make sure the ash collection detail have suitable containers for holding the remains, we have no means of milling the ash to break down the bone fragments. Wodan, at what time is dusk?"

Jack paused. What would the natives think of this?

”She may not be convinced by your word either, given that Kerchak has just stated plainly for me to hear that you two don’t know each other that well.” Vigdis said matter of factly, far from trying to throw stick under their feet, rather simply allowing them to view the situation through a human lens. ”The time it takes for an injury to heal depends heavily on the injury and where the injured part is. Some bones in my ankle were so damaged they had to replace them with metal ones, the full recovery took about sixty days because it’s a joint and because it had to be cut open. When my father broke his forearm in two places, he was back working in just thirty days. The burns on my hands took around seven days until I could move my fingers again and ten days for the facial lacerations.”

”Diseases are another matter entirely. Some pass on their own in days, others we can cure quickly. But many acquired ones take a long time to completely cure, and some of them grow resistant to medicines over time. What’s even worse, despite having made major strides in combating them, there are still numerous inborn ailments and maladies acquired not from injury or infection, but damage on such a foundational level that our bodies start growing wrong.” Cancer and radiation sickness were proving to be some of humanity’s most stubborn enemies, ones that couldn’t be fixed with ‘easy’ transplants. ”But a demonstration would certainly be in order, especially if it can halt aging as you’ve claimed. I could think of a few things to do with an extra decade or so.”

”Yes, measurements, that was something I was going to try to illustrate four days ago before it got buried in better ways to communicate. Wait here for a few minutes, and when I get back I’ll explain how long a minute is.” Vigdis excused herself and disappeared inside the Jotunheim, inwardly proud of that joke. She returned with a measuring tape, a lab scale, a box of M8 bolts, a few graduated cylinders, a measuring cup from the galley, a protractor and a contactless thermometer.

Using this scavenger hunt worth of seemingly random stuff plus the clock app on her wristpad, she proceeded to illustrate the measurement units of length, time, weight, angle and volume, putting the temperature in context of 0 and 100 degrees celsius and using the box of bolts to accurately measure out one gram and one kilogram. Abstract quantities such as energy, work, electric current and voltage would have to wait.

Lastly, she grabbed the bigger tablet and copied the second, unsolved set of mathematical operations from the shuttle bay wall onto it, this time expanding the exponentiation and roots using multiplication and division - such as “2³ = 2 . 2 . 2” - and copying the Pythagorean Theorem problem. By now she was certain they knew how it worked, but might as well.

Itxaro's face flushed at her commander's comment but it was hardly noticeable, her skin still tinged pink after hauling the massive fish from the uplands. Zey invited Silbermine and his retinue to join their little get-together, which was now dwindling with his arrival, and Itxaro was tempted to join those who fled. Anytime this jackass is around, things get sketchy. She was about finished with all the politicking between the Ascendency and Mythadia; it seems like the two nations had long been looming near the brink of war, and there was little she could do to stop it.

As if she needed another reason to flee, Dr. Lambert also arrived. Oh great, here comes our very own mad scientist. Really the makings of a great party. Arriving to test the food, and hopefully not splice their genes with the Tekeri. As Zey's voice echoed through the camp on personal comms systems, Itxaro saw her opportunity to absquatulate and seized it the best she could.

"I can go stomp around in the swamp if you need me, commander. I've already got my sea legs. Kanth-Aremek legs? Sea legs sounds better," Itxaro said to Zey with a shrug. "I know what to look for, what's important, and hell, I haven't even unpacked from my last hike. We could just throw some beacons on the gear and have the drones pick it up." She paused to consider the logistics. "Might take them multiple trips for each crate, but it beats us slogging through the mud, no?"

Itxaro never considered if it was necessary for her to make the trip; she just wanted to. Once she set her mind to something, she'd rarely steer from the course. The engineer was stubborn like that. Zhao might not like it, Itxaro thought with a flicker of a smile, but what's she gonna do? Fire me?

All she needed now, in her mind, was a partner to go along with her. Itxaro would prefer a native, someone who would know the land, or at least the creatures that trod it, but she'd settle for one of the Norwegian rockers at this point just to get out of the party she helped create. Always thinking two steps ahead, even midstride.

"Shirik might be sick of me by now, but I can play well with others," Itxaro said as she rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms as if preparing for another strenuous hike. "Our shapeshifting friends come to mind. Maybe they could turn into a pack mule if I showed them a picture. Or something better?"

---

Vigis’ description of their medical capabilities was interesting in a few ways. Kareet had never known a world without Life magic, and the idea of spending weeks or months to recover from the injuries she described felt like an eternity. Yet, Kareet knew her history, and she had read what the world was like before magic. Shattered bones and joints, burns and deep cuts, they may be trivial for Life magic now, but such injuries used to be crippling. It was, in its own way, impressive that the Humans were able to recover in such short times, or even at all, without the aid of magic. Nevertheless, that did not devalue the power of their magic.

The measurements that Vigdis took the time to explain, Kareet dutifully copied into her notes. Mathematics and geometry were all something she worked with regularly, so she was well-positioned to try to understand all of these new units the Humans used. It would take some getting used to, without a doubt, but it would be necessary to understand the conversions if she wanted to learn what they could teach. With it written down, Kareet could study it on her own time, but the subject of Life magic was a bit more pressing.

“I think it would be helpful to show you firsthand what Life magic can do for you. It is true that I do not know Kerchak too well, but if anything, you should keep that in mind with what I would like to show you.” Kareet said before looking to Kerchak. “I’m sure you can heal a fellow Tekeri, yes? If so, I would like you to numb my hand and restrict blood flow to it, if you please.”

Nellara heard to General Kvarr's words in silence reflecting upon them. While it didn't really please her that they would have to abide for the Mythadians' traditions and culture, it was undeniable that it was the safest way to solve that situation, without risking a potential war. To turn his own allies on Silbermine himself by displaying how disrespectful he was as a guest on Ascension lands was a smart move. It would both stop his advancing upon Ascension lands on it's tracks and it would also jeopardize his reputation with the very allies he called for... And potentially with his king himself.

"In the end, depending on how things go, all of Silbermine's actions would be put in doubt regarding both their legitimacy and reason. I understand." Nellara said, nodding her head, indicating that she both understood and agreed with General Kvarr's plan.

"Everything should be ready for our next move, General. I am quite sure the humans wouldn't deny a request for a meeting. Both as a means to introduce you to them and to talk about granting them the rights to this stretch of land." Nellara said, pointing towards the specific place they were on the map.

"This time, Silbermine's presence might be preferred instead of us doing so by ourselves. After all, there is still a chance that he will dig his own grave with his reactions to our small 'gift' towards the Humans." she finished, indicating that she was ready to move with their plan.

Zey eyed Dr Ibarra carefully, then glanced over at the flaming Iriad.

“Shirik did save you earlier. They seem to know the area well too. Though if you think one of the birds would be more suitable, I'll leave it up to you. I would prefer you take one of the crew as well though. Maybe Bosko? He can fly the shuttle back with you in it if it's still intact. Failing that, one of the survey team.”

“Toxicology looks good. What else?” Dr Lambert interrupted.

“Thanks. Would you bring the wounded outside? Some of these creatures claim to be able to heal them.” Zey replied distractedly.

Dr Lambert sighed.

“Aye aye.”

“What say you?” Silbermine asked politely, fingers knitted together.

“We’ll go with you - we’re just deciding who will go. Can you guarantee our protection?”

“Commander, the citizens of Sudenúr look to me for protection. You can expect the same consideration on their territory.”

“Very good.” Zey purred, picking up the rest of the fish steak and taking a bite.

---

Dr Fortin scowled, then looked down at his belt buckle. “Alright. I’ll set something up.”

Dr Feng nodded solemnly. “Copy that.”

“Oh, also!” Zhao Jiayin piped up again.

We need to take cannon offline for three, maybe four hour tonight to inspect rotary system. That’s ok?”

---

There was a brief, friendly smile from Kvarr. “Indeed so. I was confident you would understand. Keep courteous, keep polite, but do not give any ground. Figuratively speaking. We will make it clear that this land is ours to give without having to argue about it. I think your confidence and conviction shall be a boon here. When you speak what you know, beyond any doubt, to be right, then you will make it true by the force of that conviction.”

After a moment, the General shifted his focus. While he was not especially stern to begin with, he still seemed to loosen up measurably. “But I know plenty of our Glen neighbors. I would like to know more of these Humans. From everything I have heard, our unexpected guests arrived in quite dramatic fashion, but probably not of their own accord. At least, I would hope it would not be normal for them to travel inside a fireball. I want to know them better than just the superficial details, though. Is it possible for me to speak with them, outside of a…formal meeting? Or are they reclusive inside this flying machine of theirs?”

Kolvar Stilmyst

Kovalr didn’t think he could convince Zey to let him study the humans. But perhaps he could demonstrate how useful life magic was. Maybe showing how useful he would be in healing their injured crew would convince her. He hoped he didn’t seem like a threat to the humans like Sibermine was, but he understood that they were not as trusting of him as he first assumed. But he was confident that he would be able to prove beneficial to the humans once he demonstrates his life magic.

Kolvar turned to face Kareet who was addressing him. He looked concerned when she asked to numb and stop blood flow to her claw. He didn’t know what she was planning, but perhaps this was to demonstrate life magic. “Yes, I can but are you sure that is a good idea? I could demonstrate my life magic some other way.” He whispered so the others could not hear him. He thought for a moment before doing as he was told. Numbing one of Kareet’s arm and starting to restrict blood flow to her arm. If she was planning on amputating her arm and him regrowing said arm, he thought there would be more practical methods.

---

Kareet seemed to pay little mind to Kerchak’s objections. They needed to show their healing capabilities, and she felt this was the most expedient method of providing a clear demonstration. Regardless, Kerchak did as she had asked, so once she was appropriately numb, she reached out her other hand towards her bag and magnetized her knife into it. It had a weighty blade, and from a Human perspective, looked to be more like a machete.

While Kareet’s intentions were likely plain at this point, she did not give much time for objections. She laid her hand flat on the table, then delivered a single, heavy chop straight to her own wrist. She aimed well, and the cut was clean to sever the hand from her arm. Kareet looked up from the table at Vigdis, maintaining eye contact with a calm, collected expression. She had felt no pain, nor any other sensation from the act, and while there was blood, the bleeding was not nearly so severe as it should have been for such an injury. Without that, there was a fairly clear view of the torn muscles, bones, and severed tendons within her wrist, if one could stand to look for long enough.

“Now, Kerchak, regrow my hand, if you please.” Kareet said with a brief glance to the Life mage.

@EliteCommander

Kolvar Stilmyst

Kovalr watched anxiously as Kareet cut off her own hand. Again he thought that perhaps there would have been a less extreme of demonstrating life magic. But never the less doing so would show how effective it would be in restoring lost limbs and even organs. He turned his head away when she slammed the blade of the knife into her wrist. Turning his head back towards her he nodded his head to her request. He placed his clawed hand on her stump ss moving his hand from her stump and forward in the air. Those around them could see that a lump of flesh was starting to grow where the stump was. The lump of flesh slowly turned into the claw of a Tekerian. Kolvar started admiring his handy work thinking he did a good job reconstructing Kareet’s hand.

Although the anatomy of the people in Kanth-Aremek was child’s play to him, it would be much hard to restore the lost limbs of the humans unless he studies them. “I believe that was a good demonstration of my abilities. I am sure that was quite enlightening.” He said contradicting his concern towards Kareet. He was sure this would be enough to impress Vigdis to have her convince their captain to study the humans in exchange for his help.

J'eon frowns, but listens gravely to the long discussion on how the humans measured lengths, volume, temperature, weights. Admittedly, it was confusing at first with all the various items they had to measure with, but once he grasps the central concept, it suddenly seemed so simple.

However, they could also work their curious numbers - not just simple sums, but elaborate arrangements of numbers and symbols that frankly made his head spin! But one thing became clear to him.

"Your ship is all about the numbers, these e-qu-as-tions," the blacksmith said. "Can you work them to make yourself a new ship?"

”Jesus fucking christ, you’re joking.” Vigdis groaned in a mix of disbelief and disgust. She wasn’t as disturbed as one might have expected. For one, just a week ago she saw a man get fried alive, and two, Kareet’s avian appearance was putting enough of a gap between her and a human that Vigdis’ brain rated it closer to watching a deer get run over rather than a person being maimed. The weirdest part of it all was the serene calm and determination with which Kareet mutilated herself. ”You couldn’t have just had him make a flower wilt and then bloom again, could you? Fuck me. Good thing I wasn’t eating, somehow I get a feeling that wouldn’t have dissuaded you.”

The demonstration was definitely an impressive one. If they could regrow limbs, they practically had limitless meat supply. Cut off an animal’s legs, regrow them back. What is the animal gonna do, complain? What about, they could numb it, clearly Kareet felt no pain so even all the bleeding hearts gluing themselves to slaughterhouse equipment could rest easy. And since they apparently could halt aging as well, they would only need one set of animals for decades, maybe longer.

”Can you, without magic, make an anvil without a foundry? Or can your shipwrights make a ship without a dock?” She answered J’eon’s question with questions, ”Abstract concepts cannot create concrete objects, but yes, our grasp of mathematics helps us design things, and was crucial in developing computers,” Once again indicating her wristpad and the tablet, as J’eon hadn’t been present when this word was first used, ”which further aid us. But imagine how complex your ships are, and the facilities required to build them.” She tapped the drawing in Kareet’s sketchbook before pointing to the Jotunheim, ”Now imagine what’s needed to build that. Mending the damage sustained in the crash will be hard, but we believe it possible. Might be a good idea to send someone to let Silbermine know that we will not take kindly to some troglodyte who has never seen an allen wrench thinking they know what they’re doing and poking around the ship.” Every time Silbermine said anything about his engineers doing something to the ship, she felt a growing urge to smack some sense into him or at least ask why he thought his people would even know where to start.

”More on that note, could you show me your measurements of what I just described? It would make further communication even easier.”

---

For a moment, Kareet rotated her wrist and articulated her fingers through their full range of motion. Now that feeling was returning to her arm, it felt like nothing at all had changed. Vigdis’ reaction had been predictable, so Kareet did not hesitate in replying. “Trust me, even without the pain, it is not a pleasant thing to see happen to yourself…but that is the point. Kerchak can shapeshift, so I know he can handle healing. I would not have done this if I were not completely confident in Life magic.”

As for Vigdis’ request, Kareet had little difficulty in complying. Being able to speak directly about the differences in their notation made it much easier to translate between their number systems. The first thing Kareet had done when copying the examples Vigdis had written was to create a key comparing the Human symbols to their own. Even between people, between worlds, the mathematics themselves were identical. She tore out a blank page and wrote out the same equations and expressions in S’toric notation using small, but neat, handwriting.

Once finished, Kareet slid the page across the table to Vigdis, though her gaze lingered for a moment on the severed, bloody hand still laying on it. There was a brief, somewhat awkward silence before Kareet gestured to it. “You can keep that too, if you need proof for your captain.”

CW: Emetophobia

---

Itxaro barely stopped herself from jumping up and celebrating when the commander gave her permission to search for missing cargo, but she couldn't suppress a small smile. This faded when she realized Silbermine would be joining her on the hunt. Well, as long as I don't bring Nellara, Shirik, or J'eon, it'll be chill enough. I hope. Itxaro tossed a smug glance of satisfaction toward Dr. Lambert, having intuitively known, or more accurately, guessed, that the fish was safe to eat before her analysis.

"I'll gather the work crew after our little picnic, Commander," Itxaro said before taking her leave. "Oh, and I appreciate the chance to join you, Lord Silbermine," she lied, walking away quite pleased with herself.

---

Itxaro didn't make it far before she saw Kareet, Vigdis, J'eon, and Kerchak gathered around a table deep in discussion. "Who st-," the half-formed sentence had barely escaped her lips when she saw Kareet brandish a massive blade, glistening malevolently in the afternoon sunlight, and cleanly slice flesh and bone. His own. Itxaro heard a dull clang as the metal blade struck the metal table, muted by the weight of Kareet's now-severed hand.

"Huh."

Any color in Itxaro's face from her morning hike drained until her skin matched her hair. Itxaro turned slowly, drunkenly, and walked away carefully at first, as if she might fall, head swimming. Faster now, as the bile stung at her throat. Itxaro barely made it back aboard the Jotunheim and into the bathroom. Violent convulsions racked her body and she kneeled over and surrendered to the mechanical churning of her insides.

Eyes burning and mouth now coated in a film of bile and mucus, Itxaro cursed and spat and cursed again. It wasn't the violence of the act, necessarily; she'd seen her share of gruesome workplace injuries. No, it was this specific injury that so disturbed her. Itxaro reflexively opened and closed her prosthetic hand as it burned with an irrational pain, one that grew the more she dwelled on it. Her own amputation hadn't been nearly as neat and tidy as Kareet's; a shotgun blast at close range didn't really compare to a surgeon's scalpel, and Itxaro's loss wasn't as voluntary. Still, it was a gruesome reminder.

Itxaro spat once more, wished desperately she had a cigarette, and sucked in a deep breath as she stood. A final shudder ran through her and she shook out her limbs and ran to the medbay. Better late than never.

---

"Fuck out of the way!" Itxaro growled as she pushed her way past Vigdis, who was still milling about as if nothing happened. In fact, they were all in the exact same place as when she'd left. She looked around at them in astonishment. Idiotas. Itxaro gently pushed the lifeless claw away and flung the half-opened medbag on the table next to Kareet. "Ok, Kareet, let's see your scratch. I've had worse," Itxaro said as she pulled out a tourniquet, organic hand trembling. Stop the bleeding, get the hand on ice next. Go from there. At no point in her frantic thoughts did Itxaro consider finding someone actually qualified to treat horrific wounds, and Kerchak's alleged magical healing abilities were the furthest thing from her mind.

She took one of Kareet's feathered arms in her hands and studied it in confusion, glancing at the severed claw. Am I losing it? She scrambled for the other arm, also intact. She looked at Kerchek. She looked at Kareet. She looked at Vigdis.

"Alright, what the fuck guys."

---

Kareet, on her part, cocked her head to the side as she looked over Itxaro. “You…want me to scratch you?” She asked, somewhat misunderstanding Itxaro’s wording. “I can understand wanting to test the capabilities of Life magic for yourself, though with the size of my talons, I think they would deliver a fair bit more than just a ‘scratch.’”

Kareet looked down at her fresh hand, curling her fingers inward to look at her new talons. “I think I have sufficiently demonstrated my confidence in the reliability of Life magic. It has been a great boon to our world, and that can be shared with you. Just keep in mind that Kerchak, or any other Life mage, will need to study the Human body before they can give you this sort of healing. Though…Kerchak could allow you to experience shapeshifting right now, if you wanted. A Life mage can always transform someone into the previous form they held, even without knowing it themselves.”