Balem Abrasax
- In the Duggins -
Space Douche On The Loose
Posts: 73
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Post by Balem Abrasax on Feb 14, 2015 12:38:22 GMT -5
Well, the dominant culture weren't a soon-to-be extinct species as such; if not for their customs and technology the natives still resembled their original seeding. Terribly uninventive, and better off dead.
"A few curiosities, I think, potential objects of interest. You're welcome to take your pick of whatever may catch your eye."
Balem gestured graciously, and against the far wall, a viewscreen cascaded into life; the projection cut between pre-recorded images and live footage of the planet's surface, its more interesting fauna skittering around in the dark. Absolutely nothing of economic value, they'd checked, but it couldn't hurt to let the old man have his fun.
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 14, 2015 20:33:51 GMT -5
Tivan ventured a little closer, with a slow, rollicking walk.
"Mm," he said, drawing it out unnecessarily.
A look of sleepy interest passed over his face.
"How exquisitely fragile," he murmured. "I admire your spine, Lord Balem- I am of softer stuff than you are. My heart would be destroyed to see such beauty crushed. "
Tivan gave a short cough.
"By necessity, of course," he added.
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Kalique Abrasax
- Masterful Virgin -
[ontd-circa-2008-"bitchpls" powers activate]
Posts: 44
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Post by Kalique Abrasax on Feb 14, 2015 20:35:45 GMT -5
Kalique smirked fondly.
"Do you have the same sentimental feelings for flowers crushed to make perfume?"
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 14, 2015 20:41:56 GMT -5
"Oh, certainly," Tivan said.
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Balem Abrasax
- In the Duggins -
Space Douche On The Loose
Posts: 73
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Post by Balem Abrasax on Feb 14, 2015 21:03:51 GMT -5
Balem stood haughtily stiff, arms folded behind his back, aching eyes lowered. If he'd ever made an omelet in his life, he'd have had an idiom of his own readily to hand, but he hadn't, and he didn't.
"There is no shortage of beauty in the universe, Mr. Tivan. As a resource it renews itself through infinite rearrangements. But if it soothes your conscience, you may salvage whatever you like."
For a reasonable fee, of course.
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 14, 2015 21:26:11 GMT -5
"But never in quite the same pattern," he said, perhaps a little mournfully.
Tivan chucked his tongue softly.
"But yes, the fee. Have you any other use for the planet?"
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Balem Abrasax
- In the Duggins -
Space Douche On The Loose
Posts: 73
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Post by Balem Abrasax on Feb 14, 2015 22:13:59 GMT -5
"After the first harvest? At the present time, we have no plans for this portion of the estates. Does something appeal to you?"
There was no great demand on the market for any of the mineral deposits the planet had on offer, or for the energy reserves the locals would have no use for come tomorrow. But if there was something he'd omitted, something he hadn't thought of -- the whole affair would sit much more comfortably with him once they'd seen the first profits.
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 14, 2015 23:05:07 GMT -5
"It's not a pressing issue, I can assure you- I would so hate to presume on your lordship's generosity, attested as it may be," Tivan began, as airily as his drone of a voice would allow.
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Kalique Abrasax
- Masterful Virgin -
[ontd-circa-2008-"bitchpls" powers activate]
Posts: 44
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Post by Kalique Abrasax on Feb 14, 2015 23:10:50 GMT -5
"Mr. Tivan," Kalique said carefully, glancing between her brother and his guest, "I'm sure it's no presumption at all."
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Balem Abrasax
- In the Duggins -
Space Douche On The Loose
Posts: 73
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Post by Balem Abrasax on Feb 15, 2015 0:21:15 GMT -5
"My sister and I would be pleased to make any concession to an esteemed guest." Smiling enough to show perfect teeth made his face ache. If this was what age felt like, his sister must have been a lunatic. "Name your request, and I'm sure it will be accommodated."
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 15, 2015 8:14:42 GMT -5
Tivan looked impassively over the landscape on the viewscreen with heavy-lidded eyes.
"Space is at something of a premium for my collection at present. I am close to exceeding the most recent storage planet, and will soon be in need of another."
He brought a hand to his mouth as he furrowed his brow. He gave the tattooed center of his lower lip a pensive tap.
"Though I must say, this particular society has not done much to create repurposable structures. It may be better suited to housing some of my own- ah. Sample populations, as it were. But then that means so much relocation... hmmm..."
His voice trailed off unhelpfully.
"What is their general genetic hardiness?" he asked. "No slight against your skill at cultivation, of course, but these unfortunate things do happen nonetheless. Are there any particularly interesting disorders you may see fit to eliminate from the general population before the harvest?"
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Kalique Abrasax
- Masterful Virgin -
[ontd-circa-2008-"bitchpls" powers activate]
Posts: 44
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Post by Kalique Abrasax on Feb 15, 2015 8:21:12 GMT -5
Kalique frowned in distaste.
"We prefer not to waste resources," she said. "At least, that's my understanding- I've never witnessed a harvest myself. But write-offs of the kind you're suggesting are usually planetwide, if they happen at all. It's rare that one finds completely unusable raw product, even if it's a bit blighted."
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 15, 2015 8:32:25 GMT -5
"Only a question, madame," Tivan replied. "Only a question. I respect your methods, and I mean no offense, to either you or your mother, rest her soul, as ever."
He smiled, eyes still flickering over the display.
"And a fine woman she was, too. Whatever ideological differences may have come between us, a fine woman indeed."
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Balem Abrasax
- In the Duggins -
Space Douche On The Loose
Posts: 73
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Post by Balem Abrasax on Feb 15, 2015 15:15:49 GMT -5
As if the man had known her well enough to judge her quality, or her own methods -- as if he'd understood her at all, how many people had encountered Seraphi in the course of her lifespan and came away loving her, knowing nothing more than before. The sheer nerve of such presumption was something stomach-turning, and three guesses as to why.
Balem continued in his fixed smiling, for fear that if he opened his mouth something deeply impolitic would come out. He didn't want to be thinking about mother or her cultivation techniques just then. Her own children had only been practice, and no one she hadn't personally turned her hand to could be expected to know what that had been like from beneath. Her busy little cultivars on the planet's surface might have had an inkling of what it meant.
If it pleased Tivan to comb the planet's surface for freaks, let that be the first order of the day. They might consent to allow his collection of smelly deficiencies to run wild over what had once been Seraphi Abrasax's own experiment in evolution, but they didn't have to be happy about it.
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The Collector
- Masterful Virgin -
oh jesus christ not this asshole again
Posts: 27
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Post by The Collector on Feb 15, 2015 15:41:14 GMT -5
"Carina," he said, holding out his arm to allow his cloak to drape heavily from it. "My pipe, please." "Yes, master."
The girl trotted forward, ponytails swinging, and reached into a panel of Tivan's cloak to produce a small rounded vial with a mouthpiece and a small matchtube. Tivan took the vial from her while she heated it from below with the matchtube, and when the liquid began to steam within the vial, he took a pull on the mouthpiece.
"Mmm. Thank you, my dear. Would you care for a taste?"
The girl's whole body jerked just above the level of perception, and her lashes fluttered rapidly while a few indistinct short sounds came from her lips. Finally, she managed to say "No thank you, master," with a servile nod. "Suit yourself," Tivan said. "I only wished to make your visit more comfortable." "Thank you, master."
He gave his hosts an apologetic smile.
"Carina is still growing accustomed to her station," he said, as though this was at all relevant. "One can only hope she grows to be more appeciative than her sister."
The girl winced delicately but said nothing.
"I'll take it from here. Thank you, Carina."
She passed him the flame and bowed deeply as she retreated back with the sims.
"Have you ever thought of taking on Krylorian servants? They're really quite the bargain; they all do it for a few years before they return to society. Wonderfully pliant beings."
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