[video] a pirate's life for me

[hot_mes]

[much as he really should wait and learn more information generally, Law feels like he has enough to go on to make this...declaration. And question. Mostly question but there's some solid plans up in there too.]

Is there anyone present with the capability of building pressurized underwater vessel technology and passable engines from the parts we have at the lab? If not that, what about breathing apparatus for underwater exploration?

Without a submarine, at the very least we'll need a vessel capable of holding up to lengthy journeys and containing supplies for the trip. Curufin, Floki, it's time we got working.

[those who know him well might note the lack of his casual -ya on those names]

I'm sure our hosts will be on this soon enough, but I'm not waiting for them. I'm also not planning on taking the entire city on a pleasure cruise. When I form a crew it will be of the most capable and functionally useful sailors, fighters, and explorers only. And the position of captain is already taken. [S M U G] As is ship's doctor. I could use a navigator so long as their experience isn't solely a set of stars that don't exist here.

Comments

[glacius]

I am. [He is not sure how this person knows him—he does not make a habit of prying into other people's conversations, so he does not know that he's been namedropped, and he does his best to keep a low profile in a lot of regards. But he also isn't one for hiding once he's been recognized.]

It would be helpful if I even knew your aim to begin with. Once you have these pieces, what do you wish to do with them? And what is your intent with the Door?

[hot_mes]

[fair enough, he didn't mention any of that initially.]

Originally, I had wanted to simply find what information on the Door existed here, per Sorrow's suggestions. Now that we know that information is literal pieces of a being that exists below the coliseum, there can be only one course of action: retrieve its pieces and restore it fully. Control of the Door is no longer a matter of learning how it works and mastering that mechanism to send home those who want to go, it's more than likely we'll need to entreat it to work with us. What better way to do so than by restoring it with our own hands?

[he's couched it in noble words for a reason - not that he has any actual nefarious plans, but Law's not going to let people realize he's using every single one of the gods, including the ninth, for his own purpose: getting the fuck home.]

[glacius]

[Glacius emits a tired rumble.] A solid plan, but it does not fully answer my questions. You have told me how you plan on securing the Door, but you did not tell me your goal. Why do you pursue its power? For what do you plan to use it?

[Masking plans and mincing words is never something that goes well with the alien marshal, and he's smart enough to realize when one might not giving him the whole picture. It is simply ironic that the goal this man is hiding from him is one he could empathize with; Glacius, too, wishes to deliver himself and those he cares about from this place and back to their rightful worlds. Unless Law is trying to make it so that he's the only one who gets the chance to use the Door, the chance of friction should be relatively low.]

[hot_mes]

I did: home. [with only the slightest irritation] I believe I said 'send home those who want to go.' I don't care if there are people who want to stay, they're welcome to. But a certain level of control is needed in order to differentiate between those staying and those leaving.

[glacius]

And I asked for your desires, not what others may want. [Conversely, there's no irritation present in Glacius' tone. It's no coincidence that this ice alien is naturally cool-headed, and butting heads is going to get them nowhere.] In any case, it seems as though our aims are well enough aligned. [Providing this human's aim isn't deception, which is easy enough to manage on the network. Glacius supposes the only way to really find out is to work with him, put himself right in the middle of things so that it's harder to go around him.]

I will aid you. I've been exploring and charting the oceans since we arrived. I can help you navigate safely and can simultaneously defend whatever vessel you put together for this venture. All I ask is that I am allowed to keep perhaps one or two of these pieces in my possession until we are ready to act on our findings. No one person should be in charge of all of them, lest it become easy to manipulate them... I will keep the ones that I am charged with safe until we have a better idea of what reuniting them with the being that they belong to will entail.

[Which is honestly a much better option than him using the provided coordinates to start searching on his own. Glacius doesn't need to wait on clunky equipment or elaborate vessels to make the dive, but he's aware that acting out on his own won't win him any friends here. After all, earning trust isn't just something that Law has to do for him; it's a two-way street. He's no fool.]

[hot_mes]

[biting back the desire to respond with sarcasm...]

No deal. I don't disagree with the underlying practicality, but I don't know you and will likewise not be held hostage to someone else's ideals. Splitting up the pieces is just as likely to end in everyone holding them as bargaining chips to sway the others to their end.

[glacius]

If you do not trust me, any one of the leaders of the Guard will attest to my character, I am sure. I have not hid my motives nor my ideals from anyone, for I have no reason to, and I have spent the years that I have been imprisoned here in service of the safety of its inhabitants. [He cannot say he was expecting it to be that easy and he is not surprised that Law would be reluctant to turn the fragments over to him, but he can only hope this individual is not as shortsighted as he seems stubborn.]

So then, let me hear what your plan is for keeping these fragments safe once they have been recovered. Surely you were not simply expecting them to remain in the possession of this crew, which you seem to be hand-picking by yourself?

[hot_mes]

[trust is such an important and yet terrible thing. To trust and yet not care about being trusted...]

That depends on the nature of what we recover. If it's biological, the clinic should be a repository. If mechanical or otherwise, the laboratory.

I'm not here to play tyrant either, cooperation is the nature of a crew as much as it is any effort to get us out of here. But I would be a fool if I didn't make contingency plans to prevent others from squashing that cooperation.

[glacius]

I must admit—human? I never did get your name—I find the thought you have given this matter heartening. One more question. What if the nature of these fragments is not biological or mechanical at all? What if it is other, as you have suggested? My people have experience with metaphysical forces, light and energy-based, so I could perhaps offer advice in that regard.

[hot_mes]

Trafalgar Law. It is a possibility, and I have zero experience in that regard. Advice is fine but I will also make sure there are those in the crew who can carry out any magical needs.

[glacius]

[There's a little puff of breath that could be a snort.] And if it is not something magical? There are a whole myriad of other forces in the universe beyond such and I am well-versed in many. I am not here to be simple hired muscle. Your crew will be better for having me along; to discount the experience and perspective that I can offer you is hardly enticing.

[hot_mes]

Very well. If you can take orders when necessary and aren't going to get up my ass about the containment procedure, I would welcome expertise outside my sphere.

[see, he can be...um. nice? when he wants to]

[glacius]

So long as the containment procedure is extensively researched and planned, which you thus far seemed to be doing your best with, I can see no reason to, ehm... "get up your ass". [His tonal shift suggests he's not quite sure what that means but is absolutely sure he doesn't want to know, but he's just trying to. Go with it. What are humans, what is slang. At least Glacius also seems a little more amicable now that he feels like he is being heard, rather than simply being viewed a tool to be controlled or a means to an end. He's had more than enough bad experiences with that as is.]

Which is to say, I will suffer no risks with this expedition. If I am there, then I will give all that I am to say that it is successful. It is... important to me. [And now, finally, the otherworldly being's tone switches to something a little less guarded. He's not going to bare all here on the network to someone he does not know, but he figures it might help to know why he's after this.] The people that I love are suffering... I must keep my promise to deliver them.

[hot_mes]

[while he doesn't care about feelings, this guy rings sincere and definitely helpful. Can do, man.]

Then, we agree. That's all I need.

If you don't want to go into metaphysical education here and now, find me at the clinic at any point. I would rather be informed before we set out than have to catch up while at sea.

[glacius]

[There's a pause where Glacius' expression breaks into something odd. It's likely hard to decipher given how unfamiliar Law is with him and his alien features, but it could be approaching...startled abashment, just for a moment. The ice alien regains his composure once he realizes what the human is actually getting at, but there might be other connotations of "metaphysical education" that Glacius isn't willing to broach with a ten-foot pole.]

Not here. The clinic is fine. [Even if they're just discussing the theory behind it and surface-level applications that don't touch on deeper meanings of this particular power, the alien is still incredibly secretive.] I will teach you what I can only because it betters the chances of the mission's success; I would hope you do not go passing this information around freely or carelessly.

[hot_mes]

I can consider it a doctor-patient privilege, even if I'm not treating you. Though, as a matter of course, I am versed in studying other humanoid species in order to treat them if necessary, so it's not much of a stretch from there if you want me to have any information which can save your life in a pinch.

[glacius]

[Now that is interesting, and most certainly noted... though Glacius is not ready to take Law up on the offer just yet. The alien's culture dictates loyalty and he himself is so protective of his own people that he would rather allow himself to pass on than risk divulging information that could be used against them. It is possible that he could come to trust Law enough with information about his biology and physiology and even allow treatment, but it will take some work over time.

So for now Glacius does not commit to sharing anything of the nature that Law is inquiring. He is, however, clearly interested.] I see. You are a xenobiologist..?

[hot_mes]

Surgeon. [as a matter of fact] But there are no less than seven non-human or demi-human species in my world, and I make a point to be proficient in treating any of them. I'm already making myself familiar with three more here. Consider it a specialty.

[glacius]

Duly noted. [He hopes a human will never have to open him up on a table, like so many of them back on earth seemed to want to... but at least with this one the intent seems to be to help, not just to poke around or exploit. Maybe. Either way, he still seems a little bit uncomfortable with the idea, though he's still trying to be cordial.] Well, it is heartening to know that you have experience not only treating but coexisting with non-humans. That is, assuming your relations with those other species of your world were friendly?

[hot_mes]

Of course. My navigator is from the Mink Tribe, and he's the best navigator and friend I could ask for. I owe my present state of health to a pair of dwarves. Just a few examples.

For now, I'd prefer to focus on what's relevant to our mission, as I'm sure you would. The rest can come later, if necessary.

[glacius]

The individual does not always reflect the culture or species at large... but at least you seem to set a good example. [And really, they've already agreed to work with each other so what's the point of needling Law with suspicions now? Glacius will find out just how true this all is for himself shortly, or so he imagines.]

Yes, that is agreeable. Keep me informed of your efforts in this regard and let me know if I can assist you. We will retrieve these pieces. [The ice alien won't let it happen any other way; his is an indomitable will when he has his hearts set on something.]