Not his usual mischief

[coldsong]

Loki has by no means been hiding since Spring began. He's spoken to a number of people, new and old, and has been almost constantly wearing his Jotun form. The red eyes and cobalt skin shouldn't be a shock to anyone at this point, but he's been his usual height for most of his wanderings. Now, he's put on a few feet. Chances are, few will miss him as he enters the Plaza with a round bundle of fabric in his left hand.

His expression is calm, but utterly serious.

"Nexus, I have a message," he begins, gesturing with his free hand as if to indicate the Plaza around him. "One which affects this entire place, and all who would visit or live here. I have spoken with the beings who so terrorized some of you this past Winter. The Fallen, as they are called by others, or the Eliksni, as they seem to term themselves. They are, as you all no doubt realize, here in large numbers, and they have not left with the melting of the snow."



"I can tell you that the impression I came away with was of a mistrustful people, willing to lash out in anticipation of being attacked if they did not strike first. They are not friendly, but what they seem to desire now is nothing more than to be left alone."

"To that end, they offer a cease-fire. They will mark the territory they claim, and other Nexusites are to keep out of it. In return, they will leave the rest of this place alone, and cease to make any attempt at war."

"I remind you that there are no more torches. They are capable of coming into any part of this place. Whether they can be defeated, I cannot say, but no victory comes without a cost. It is not my place to say what you decide. I am not a peacemaker, only a messenger."

"They offer this, as a proof of their sincerity:" He takes a breath and carefully unwraps the fabric package in his hand. For those who knew Blaze, it should be recognizable at once. It's very clearly her disembodied head, lifeless and pierced through by some sort of weapon fire. "If their terms are accepted, they will also release her Ghost, and she can be restored."



"Now. You may address any hostility to me, as you see fit, but the question I present will not change: Do you accept the terms?"

((ETA: Threadhopping within this post is welcome, because the Nexus residents will presumably have to discuss with one another and not just Loki. Just clear it with the other person in the thread via PM; I encourage it.))

Comments

[red_room]

It's Natasha Romanov's job to notice things. Frankly it would be an affront to her job description if she'd somehow missed Loki's entrance into the Plaza.

Things aren't the way they were in Winter. She can't open fire first and ask questions later. The AV field protects everyone equally. Besides. Her reflexes haven't quite been up to snuff for a few weeks now. Every time she raises her gun she hesitates. Can feel it in her muscles, in her tendons. Her guilt is weighing on her, made all the worse by Steve's completely reasonable anger toward the call she made.

The best she can do is keep to the shadows and watch. Listen.

Nearly have a heart attack when Loki admits to not only trading words with the Fallen but unveiling Blaze's disembodied head. Natasha's choice, her sacrifice to Winter on display for everyone to see. The blood's run cold as a Jotun's touch in her veins. And because it is Loki, Loki the trickster, Loki the Deceiver, Loki, the man who turned Barton into a murder puppet and slaughtered innocents over some bid for power he claims now was all coerced....

Natasha doesn't buy that Ghost is alive. She doesn't dare to believe it could be true. Loki's always trying to find the thing you want to believe in if it makes a soul sympathetic to his plights.

"It's really a shame. If they wanted to prove any kind of sincerity, they wouldn't send you." She has to know. Is it true? Is it real? Would she even be able to tell the truth from the lies? Natasha has to try. If Blaze-37 can be saved, Natasha owes it to her to do it.

[coldsong]

He wasn't especially subtle, no. And now he stands a good eight feet in height, peering down at her as if she were her own namesake. A spider, with a deadly bite indeed, but also very easily crushed.

He expects nothing positive to come from her lips at all, and so he doesn't bat an eye at the insult. But it's not delivered in her usual casual, controlled tone. There is something underlying it. There is anxiety here. This...is personal to her.

"Beggars can't be choosers, Agent Romanoff," he says, and even if he's bigger, even if the red gleam of his eyes is twice as monstrous as when they confronted one another on the helicarrier, his voice is the same mild baritone. "No one else could find them. No one else wanted to. And had most others tried, they would have been slain."

"They seem to have a powerful dislike for humans. They told me to ask Blaze if I wanted to know why, which I admit was not a terribly useful suggestion just now. But I have this," he touches the head gently, "because I insisted they give me some kind of proof to bring."

[outpostcook]

"Those bastards. Those cowardly bastards."

Well, this explains what happened to Ghost and Blaze. At least partly.

Kinner understands distrust, as he is not a trusting man, and he understands being stranded in alien territory. But he looks down on hostage-taking as a tactic, and he considers it cowardly, the refuge of people facing an adversary they can't defeat on fair terms. He's not angry at Loki, but he's simmering at the Fallen.

"How do we know they'll keep their word? What's stopping them from taking advantage of our willingness to go along?" But he knows there's no easy answer, precisely because there are effectively two lives at stake. The Fallen are staking their cooperation on their unwillingness to abandon one of their own. They're bastards, but they're clever bastards. "This is all I have to say to them if I accept their offer. If they didn't trust us, all they did by attacking us was give us a damn good reason not to trust them."

[coldsong]

Loki tilts his head patiently as Kinner vents, neither interrupting nor reacting, save to listen, like a priest at a confessional.

"In point of fact, you do not know they will keep their word. They do not know you will keep yours. A Cease-Fire is an intermediary tactic to prevent unnecessary bloodshed while two opposing parties decide what they want and what they will sacrifice to get it."

"Kinner. They do not want your trust. They want you to fear them. Perhaps you should. But there is much at stake in this bargain. Other races may come and demand territory here, as well. What do the rest of us do, in that case?"

[readvondaniken]

"Oh, so now they're interested in talking, but can't get up off their asses to do it themselves? And they still gotta be assholes about it?"

Palmer looks at Blaze's head, then he looks up at Loki.

Well, that explains a lot. Why Blaze was missing, for one thing. And apparently the Fallen are keeping her Ghost as insurance. Probably wouldn't think their deal would be accepted otherwise. To be fair, they're probably right about that. Palmer's siding with Kinner insofar as he doesn't completely trust the Fallen to keep their word, but he was and remains willing to hear their enemies out now that they're willing to talk. Took them long enough.

"So lemme get this straight. These Elik-whosits decided to talk to you instead of me? Because I'm human?" Palmer can't help but be a little offended. "What've they got against humans, anyway? Can't help bein' what I am, just as scorpions can't help bein' scorpions."

[coldsong]

Loki gives Palmer a strange, chilly smile. He's a little amused by the colorful language, and he can't deny the legitimacy of his irritation, but this isn't going to get them anywhere.

"I'm afraid that seems to be the long and short of it, friend," he tells him with a shrug. "I do not share their dislike, for the record. And I have no clear answer on where it comes from. I was told to ask Blaze for the story, and she is in no position to talk of it right now."

For whatever it's worth, he seems to be watching over the disembodied head carefully, unwilling to let it be damaged further.

[totallyadog]

Bob sits hunched in dog form. He had known that there was a hostile alien race in the Nexus and that they'd attacked people. He considered attacking them, but he didn't want them to know what he was yet. Blair is close by, listening to what Loki had to say.

He gives a series of barks, trying to communicate to Loki in dog.

Are these Eliksni hostile to nonhumans? I am an alien, like they are, if one from a very different homeworld. I am unfamiliar with their people. Bob is concerned these Fallen might be leading an invasion force. There's something else. For such violent creatures, it's odd that they suddenly changed their methods. I'm sure they took Ghost to force us to cooperate. Hardly an action of good faith.

Bob bristles at going along with a ransom demand, but they have no choice if they want to save Blaze and Ghost.

Maybe Fallen only trust each other. Things also prefer the company of their own kind. Bob's not interested in creating more Things in the Nexus - with the changes here, he's not sure any budded Things would follow his orders. But the Fallen seem like a violent, suspicious people. As criminals, it should be his job to take care of them, but there's many of them and one of him. Not to mention two lives are at stake.

[coldsong]

Loki gives Bob an utterly bewildered look at the first barks. Dogs, in his experience, speak merely of simple things like walks and food and their favored mate. He can't imagine why one would care about this drama. When he says he's an alien, though, Loki understands.

"They are exceptionally hostile toward humans," he explains. "Less so to non-human aliens, perhaps, but I think they are inclined to lump the majority of Nexus-dwellers together and assume they are all potential adversaries. Were you to come upon them in the Wilds alone, they might take no notice of you at all, from what I've seen. But I could be mistaken."

"And you're right. It's not an action of good faith. It's a carrot and stick routine. Blaze is the carrot. War is the stick. But I will not go to them and say so unless some real plan is devised. It's all well to be angry and mistrustful, but the people of the Nexus must decide what to do with that anger and mistrust."

[liverfree]

Prometheus has not seen Loki since the storm began, so the blue skin and red eyes are, in fact, new to him. However, he is used to gods taking on different forms, so this does not concern him overmuch.

What does are his words. How fitting that Loki would serve as messenger to the Fallen. Curiously, he does not doubt the god's sincerity. He considers Loki a friend and will not turn his back on him unless given good reason to.

No, it's the Fallen that he fails to trust. Blaze's head gets a long, cold look. Some peace offering.

"I see you've been busy," he remarks with a raised eyebrow as he approaches. Despite Loki's increased height, somehow Prometheus is just as tall as him. Funny, that. "I know you are asking the Nexus, friend, but I'm more interested in what you think. Are they to be trusted in this specific transaction? Do you think it will be moot if the anti-violence field falls again?"

[coldsong]

Loki can't blame Prometheus for approaching at a height that matches his. He's anticipating it being posturing, really, but even at that rate it's nice of him not to immediately outdo Loki. The Jotun smiles a little, politely amused rather than friendly, but something in his red eyes warms a bit at the sound of the Titan's tone.

Really, thank you, Prometheus, for being sensible.

"There is a certain futility in addressing this question to everyone," he says with a sigh, "but it must be done. Even if no consensus is made, that will be an answer to take back to the Fallen."

Although, thus far what he's hearing is that everyone wants Blaze back. That's a start. Prometheus gets a downright grateful look for asking Loki's opinion. "I think in this specific transaction they can be trusted. I believe they will return Ghost, alive, if their terms are accepted, and that they will refrain from violent action in the Plaza. What I don't know is what they are doing in the Wild; whether they are establishing a home for themselves or a base of operations to attack places on their own or other worlds, and then retreat."

"I believe they understand that now that the portals are open, reinforcements from other worlds can be brought in, and that they no longer have the advantage they did in the Winter. They are strategizing, but I can only speculate at their long term plans."

[joblin]

Peter is part of the crowd on the plaza. He might be a little hard to see out there, but eventually he makes his way close enough to Loki to ask a question.

"What kind of people are these Fallen? Other than the kind who would cut off someone's head.

What species?

And can't we just make sure the anti-violence field stays up?"

[coldsong]

Fair questions. Loki hasn't met this young person before, but he appreciates the restraint and seriousness of his response, and gives him a polite nod before considering his answers.

"I can only speculate. I'm not one of them, you understand. I was allowed an audience because I'm not human and because I'm capable of sneaking up invisible into their midst, I suppose." And also because of Reynard putting in a word for him, but he's not going to mention that. It won't help his case, or theirs.

"They seem to have a firm hierarchy in their society. Their appearance is somewhat insect-like, for lack of a better comparison. Size seems to indicate rank to a certain extent. Some have four upper limbs, some of the lowest caste have only two, but it appears that the extra limbs were amputated rather than that they grow as the being rises in the hierarchy."

"They tend their wounded and dispose of the bodies of their dead with respect. They call themselves Eliksni and speak of humans with immense disdain. I saw no offspring, but I am under the impression their entire clan is here, for lack of a better place to go."

"As far as the anti-violence field, it has long been unreliable in the Wilds, where they stay. If we knew how it operated and were capable of controlling it ourselves, I would say that would be the ideal solution, but as far as I'm aware, the AV field does what it pleases."

[he_put_the_devil_in_me]

It makes no difference to Matt what Loki looks like; he sounds the same either way, both in voice and the echoes of his shape. They haven't formally met that Matt can recall, but the object he carries... it stops him in his tracks as he hears the shape of it, recognizable even beneath its shroud.

The blind man doesn't look at Loki or his grim parcel, but his attention is clearly focused on the Jotun as he speaks. One of his arms is still weaker than the other, broken bones mostly healed through some magic he doesn't understand, but he clenches both hands into fists anyway, knuckle bones creaking.

"So that's it? It's not an unfair fight anymore, so they want to cry peace?" As a Catholic, Matt is probably suppose to forgive and forget. But he hasn't heard a thing that makes him believe these Eliksni bastards actually repent of what they did. No, these are bullies who're afraid to pick on someone their own size.

[coldsong]

"I doubt they care whether the fight is or was unfair. They are not seeking friendship or alliance. They want strangers out of their territory and want nothing to do with the Plaza or the human Nexus residents. Do be fair, the battle at the end of the season was not really initiated by them."

"I can only guess at their motivations. I am not one of them, not really a friend, only a messenger. With respect, how you feel about what they are and what they've done is irrelevant. I only need to know what you plan to do about it."

[agent_x]

Some people seem to enjoy the direct connection with Loki, while others prefer the safety of the shadows. Today is no different for Kyason, who's careful to not be nearby when Loki begins his statement. In fact, the Pokemon trainer is an entire district away, but it's his Pokemon that manages to overhead what's being said.

Information. That's enough to get him to stop working on his current task and to focus on the winter incident.

A rather unique-looking bird approaches Loki, with a visible PINpoint around its neck. It's safe to assume to device is used for communication and recording conversations alike. With a friendly squawk, the Pokemon bounces onto the nearest chair, tapping the PINpoint with his beak. A lone message seems to be waiting on the device.

Fascinating. These Fallen have a greater history than I expected. Word from my contact was that they expressed hostility quite often during the winter. Glad to see her information wasn't fabricated.

I have no hostility towards you. However, I dare say that the Nexus might be hard-pressed to accept your terms.

[coldsong]

Loki eyes the Pokemon with mild skepticism, at least until he sees the PINpoint it carries. He's not thrilled with a conversation across Norns know what distance, with an unseen individual, but after a moment of frowning, he sits and rests his elbow on his knee, holding out his hand to offer a perch for the birdlike creature.

It's pretty. He still finds Pokemon peculiar, he'll be as gentle with this one as he would with a normal bird.

"The terms are not mine, friend," he says to the PINpoint. "Make no mistake. I am not one of the Fallen, and just because they have indulged me does not mean they think of me as their ally. I have no ability to negotiate. I can only relay what I am told."

[bigmagnetbiologist]

"If I may say a word."

Blair shakily stands. He's followed the gist of what's going on. Blaze is a friend of the Nexus. His first thought is that the other Guardians will be pleased to hear their comrade can be saved, then he realizes that the Fallen sent the head back as both a threat and an offer. They have Blaze's Ghost as a prisoner, and his life depends on their choices. It's not an easy decision, necessarily. Blair knows that sometimes there are situations where the good of the many must be put ahead of the good of the few. Big Magnet was one. This could be another.

Blaze could be revived, but only if they agree to the interlopers' demands. He doesn't doubt that the Fallen are capable of making good on their threat. This puts everyone in a dilemma. Kinner's furious, as expected, but Blair takes a more philosophical approach. They have two choices. One option is to ignore the offer and try and drive the Fallen out of the Nexus, probably at the cost of more lives. The other option is taking the offer, letting the Fallen stake out territory for themselves and do as they please on that land. Neither one is a "good" option. The second option has less immediate bloodshed, but Blair's wary, given the implicit warning that anyone wandering on Fallen territory will forfeit their lives and the truce. It's hardly a permanent fix.

"These Fallen creatures aren't human. We shouldn't assume their values are anything resembling human. Maybe what seems evil and excessive to us is perfectly reasonable to them, though how such a culture arose and how it functions I have no way of knowing. However, a culture based around piracy and theft, and a secretive one at that, is hardly the most comforting of neighbors. Can you tell me a little about these creatures, Loki? Their society, their biology? Their general manner? Did they give any clues about why they attacked us?"

[coldsong]

"That is quite a question, friend," he says, regarding Blair thoughtfully. "And you may find my answers unsatisfactory. They were not hostile to me, compared to their behavior with humans, but I would not call them friendly, either. I was not welcomed into their midst to sit and chat. I was brought before their leader with armed guards."

"Their technology is as advanced as any I have seen in my own section of the galaxy in my home universe. They seem to be a very strongly hierarchical, war-oriented, and clan-driven society. Should others arrive here, of their species but not of their House, I have been explicitly told those others are on their own as far as this tribe is concerned."

"They are here in large numbers, larger than they have shown in battle. That suggests to me an entire society on the move. In exile, or nomadic. Their furnishings are fine and suggest intellect and artisanship, but they are old and worn down, possibly a sign of a long, long while under siege or hardship."

He considers a moment, then adds, "Their commander's title is Baroness. They may be matriarchal or simply indifferent to sex or gender where leadership roles are concerned."

And then his brow creases slightly. "There is something of fatalism in the way she spoke of death, not just threats but in the situation of her own people. Whatever else they may be--and I do not think they are pleasant new neighbors--I have no doubt they have come through some sort of terrible struggle. Perhaps that struggle, too, is something they brought upon themselves, but the marks of resolute endurance are there, and I cannot in good conscience dismiss them."

[hybriddino]

There's something here that worries me. I am not human, and I have reasons to distrust humans, but I assume they would hate me, too. I can relate in some ways. I once hated all humans as they do, but the ones who wronged me are not the same as the humans who live here. Do they understand that the humans who live here are not the ones who wronged them? Hate only brings more hate, and they can break it. If they want us to believe them, why not give us Ghost back right away, without the threats? The way they act now gives us no reason to believe they'll change.

The Indoraptor stands on his hind legs to make himself look bigger. He can't say he's thrilled about the terms. He never faced the Fallen directly, though he did have the grim task of cleaning up their handiwork.

I live in the Wilds. It is where my pack and I make our homes and hunt. I rely on the Wilds for prey. It's asking a lot for us to cede a portion of our resources, especially our prey, to the Fallen. I assume under this truce Blue and I can no longer hunt on that land. How will I know where these Fallen are so my pack can avoid their territory?

[coldsong]

Loki gives the Indoraptor a polite little nod of greeting. They haven't spoken much since their first meeting, but he thinks of the dinosaur quite fondly, and the perspective is certainly unique.

"I believe they are used to having their backs to the wall, metaphorically speaking," he says slowly. "I don't think a good-faith gesture would occur to them. I say that we are negotiating terms, but I think what they are really attempting here either a test, or simple coercion."

"That said, I saw no indication they're hunters. I don't think they would give a damn about your prey, and I'm not sure how much water they require but they have sophisticated facilities for recycling it if they do use it. It's your presence in their territory that would be the issue."

"They say they will mark what they claim with their symbols, which I have seen and can reproduce. But they did not give me any suggestions as far as recourse or negotiation with respect to the size of the land they claim, or what's on it."

[darkmountainfarmer]

"So they want to stay. I expected as much."

Clearly Henry's missed a lot since he last came to the Plaza. He's aware there were hostiles in the snow, and considered offering his help and his marksmanship, but had decided against it. He's a recluse by nature. In some ways, he was grateful for the winter. It kept the Mi-Go even further at bay. His Houndour is now a large Houndoom, sitting beside him as Henry listens to Loki's speech.

He mentally compares the Fallen to the Mi-Go - alien in appearance and in morality. Except the Mi-Go were usually content to leave humans alone unless disturbed, and the Fallen seem to be outright hostile from the start. He never thought he'd have anything positive to say about the Fungi from Yuggoth, but here he is. They both are in the habit of removing heads from bodies, but the Mi-Go were scientists and miners, not pirates. They at least had some class.

"An end to hostilities is a tempting offer, but the threat under it isn't lost on me. Do you have any idea what their larger goal might be? I doubt, given their behavior over the winter, it's a peaceful one. The Nexus has many things that they might want, for peace or for war, and they are not a peaceable people. I wouldn't provoke them further, but I can't say I'm fully comfortable making a deal without a bigger picture of their motivations."

[coldsong]

Look, Sir Francis Drake thought he had plenty of class.

"My impression is they merely seek survival at the moment. Whether they hope to build up forces in a peaceful environment here, to then return home and wreak other havoc, I cannot say. It's possible. Without the knowledge of their world that only they and Blaze possess, I am forced to go on what I saw. They are overwhelmingly powerful in the context of this place, but in a real universe, against the might of another planet's army? Perhaps not so much."

"With respect, however, your comfort is not required. You don't have to like this, merely to say yes or no."

[antarcticpilot]

"How nice of 'em," a sardonic voice says. "They brought us a gift."

Van Wall, the newest of the Big Magnet crew to stumble into the Nexus, raises his eyebrows when he sees Blaze's head. Well, that's one way to make an impression. The helicopter pilot doesn't know Blaze, but he knows an implied threat when he sees one. Neither Blair nor Kinner's reactions surprise him. Kinner's irritable and carries grudges, and Blair is, well, Blair.

Van Wall's a pragmatist first and foremost. He approaches it from the perspective of someone out for himself first. "So. Lemme get this straight. They want to fence off some land in the Wilds for themselves and will leave us alone on the condition we behave ourselves. If we refuse, they kill Blaze and Ghost, and probably a lot of other people, too. Seems to me they're holding all the cards here. Hardly a fair bargain. Then again, we might not have much of a choice. Something I'm sure they know."

[coldsong]

"I beg your pardon," Loki tells him archly. "I brought the gift. Mind you, since Blaze can evidently be resurrected, it's not the worst proof they could have offered."

He has no idea who this man is, but everyone in the Nexus deserves a chance to speak, and he was braced for blame, rants, and rambling from total strangers. At least this one is civil and succinct.

"I don't know about all the cards. The AV field is notably more effective in the Plaza area, even if it cannot be 100% counted on. They are in more danger of attack than this population center, if you consider it that way. But I would hesitate to rely on the antiviolence field exclusively, either."

[anticdispossession]

Geoffrey sees the crowd and goes over to investigate. An old woman leaning on a cane, full of self-importance at witnessing something potentially historic, fills him in, and he hears some later points as they are raised.

But the whole thing just doesn't make sense, and Geoffrey, while he doesn't necessarily expect perfect sense in all things, is professionally bothered by motivations that don't line up.

"If portals are really as fickle as they seem, there's no way to accede to their demands, whether anyone wants to or not," Geoffrey says. "A portal opens in their territory, someone who isn't them wanders in, they blame everyone who isn't them. Truce over. It's so inevitable, why bother?"

There's a dinosaur here. Geoffrey thinks he's seen the dinosaur before, but maybe all dinosaurs look alike. But either way, being in a crowd with a dinosaur makes him nervous. Being nervous makes him talk more.

"Unless they just don't care whether they're left entirely alone so long as there's no organized threat, no army assembling to push them out. They can just quietly imprison or murder single trespassers, small groups, no fuss, no bother, no one will know, of course the truce still holds, don't look at us..."

Could Ellen have gotten lost and accidentally trespassed? Geoffrey's construction of possibilities becomes brittle and truculent.

"If you agree to their terms, you might very well be agreeing to trade the lives or freedom of innocent strangers for the life of your friend. A meaningful truce, here, would have them peacefully escort unexpected visitors somewhere outside of their territory, at the very least."

Geoffrey stares around at whoever might be listening to him, and then sighs. "And then you can either hope for the best, or make some sort of arrangement to keep an eye on them and make sure they're keeping their side of the deal and not undermining what order there is here..."

Shop keepers requiring peace knots for swords. Besides the anti-violence field, that's all Geoffrey can think of by way of order. Which makes him wonder why this kind of land grab hasn't happened before...or if it has and was fatally undermined by the essential disorder of this place.

Which is a force that applies equally to all of the people in the nexus, including those who might oppose a land grab, and gives another angle to the original question of motivation.

"Is anyone actually assembling that army to go against them? Because it could be that they offered this truce because they were overestimating the possibility of a unified threat, or just wanted to distract or deflect anyone who might have been considering it ... or it could be that they don't want what's essentially a useless truce so much as an excuse to return this hostage?" And if that's what they want...

((This is a contribution to the general discussion. If I understand the term correctly -- it's other characters besides Loki joining this part of the discussion, yes? -- threadhopping is fine.))

[coldsong]

"You bring up an interesting point," Loki says. "In my limited experience, it does seem that the majority of portals open up in the Nexus proper, around the Plaza, but it's not as if anyone has been monitoring those statistics, that I'm aware. You're quite right; a portal could pop open in their living room, and it behooves us to clarify what their response would be in that instance."

"Unfortunately, I suspect they would just kill the intruder, if they could, without asking questions. I disagree with your assertion that it would be trading lives to accede, however. There is no central authority here, merely glorious anarchy. Do you propose to monitor comings and goings yourself? I am certainly not responsible for every new wanderer in this realm, and the Eliksni are not the only potentially dangerous creatures in the Wilds. I have seen many. It is a distressing thought to imagine a stranger arriving lost in the Wilds and promptly being eaten by a predatory beast, but given the unreliability of the AV field there, I'm not sure we can say it has not happened yet."

"As far as an army? I myself am quite done with those. They're not nearly as useful as you'd think."

He hums quietly. "Your point about an excuse to return the hostage is one I had considered. I thought perhaps I was excessively paranoid, but the semantic details of their language stood out to me. To seal the cease-fire, their commander said, she offered Ghost as a gift-that-binds. I do not know enough about Blaze, Ghost, or the Fallen's abilities to make a judgment call as to whether their actions could in some way alter her."

[lovesuwithknives]

Azwel looks up from idly dipping chips in malt vinegar. Well, Loki's grown since he'd seen him last, hasn't he? He puts the remainder of his food down on a table and listens carefully.

Then he frowns, wide-eyed, at this 'proof.' "'Sincerity?'" he fairly squawks. "About what? Their willingness to take hostages? To dismember prisoners? To send threats? This doesn't look at all like the message of a people willing to take an armistice, let alone a treaty, seriously."

Then he takes a calming breath. No point shouting at the messenger. "The lack of torches and the fact that the anti-violence field has proved fallible doesn't fill me, or, likely, anyone else, with much confidence regarding our safety. And Indoraptor raises a good point--how much territory and where? The Nexus has the potential for infinite space if I understand the physics correctly, which renders the question both moot and vital at the same time."

"Furthermore, who is going to represent us in any talks that might be held with these beings? We'd have to decide that, first."

[coldsong]

"Now, now," Loki's tone is light, but his gaze on Azwel is quite serious. "They didn't dismember a prisoner, they found a corpse and removed the head as a war trophy. That is both more and less horrific than slaying a prisoner, be fair."

"I rather suspect they would not have returned the head at all had I not requested a proof, knowing how unlikely certain parties here are to believe me. You're welcome."

His lips quirk in a dark smile. "Yet you are generous to assume they want talks. They do not. They want a yes or a no, and while I will do my best to bring your concerns to them, I promise nothing. You are more than welcome to appoint an individual other than myself to speak with them, but I will not be responsible for that person's safety."

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley had been in the area when Loki first arrived with his message to the Nexus. She had listened to him. And watched as person after person approached him to respond.

She had not felt terrorized in the slightest during the Winter. Nor does she blame the Fallen or even Reynard himself for what happened. Or her own struggles. People were in survival mode. Hard decisions had to be made, were made, and many are still trying to understand. To make sense of what happened... for in a way, they are all suffering from PTSD.

She is aware of that. They all have to find ways to get answers to move forward.

She moves away, to give Loki time to deal with those who approach him first. And after an absence, is visible with a tray of half a dozen beers.

"A drink for the messenger. Who managed to not get himself killed." Harley nods at her tray, as she approaches. "A drink for Blaze, one for Ghost, one for Winter, one for the Fallen, and one for me."

[coldsong]

Loki absolutely anticipated the anger he's seeing, but not the direction it appears to be taking. He assumed he would be accused of allying with the Fallen, or even turning on Blaze, himself. Instead, most people seem to be taking his stated role here at face value. He is only the messenger, but they really really want to have it out verbally with the Fallen. Something he cannot provide.

Maybe he underestimated the lingering trauma of the whole season. Perhaps some of these people cannot even be relied upon to make a rational political decision right now. But he is neither therapist nor community leader. He needs a yes or no answer to take back, and the fact that he's getting nothing of the kind is irritating him.

By the time Harley comes up to him, he's ready to start lashing out, acid on the tip of his tongue, but she's brought a drink to cool that impulse, and after the first initial exasperated glance he can't quite help, his entire demeanor softens.

"Harley, may gods, Norns, and every other being of power you encounter here bless you for your kindness. You are a rose in the midst of an annoying, prevaricating garden of thorns."

He kisses her temple, gently so as not to disturb her grip on the tray. "Sit with me a moment, and drink? Is this a human strength brew or is it likely to affect me?" Either way, he's into it.

"On that note, I have spoken to Winter--or to Reynard, rather--and I promise you, he can use the drink, too."

Open to All

[sumarusfinest]

"We should accept their terms."

Katsuya's been watching the group gather and discuss among themselves for some time. He's not surprised at the level of discourse Loki's message or his proof of what he's speaking about are causing but there's clear discomfort on his face at speaking up in any capacity.

He's looking around the group of people gathered here as much as his gaze is being drug back time and again to Loki and the familiar face he holds in his hands.

"Just how many of you live here full time? What good would a prolonged fight bring anyone here? Especially the people who have no kind of powers or abilities to protect themselves. For their well-being alone we should be looking to make peace."

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley is glad to see Katsuya. And is very glad he speaks about one of the of the key messages others are missing.

Her home world might not have been a 'war zone', like others she has met. But it was definitely a difficult place to live -- watching your back every day.

"We have a lot of great minds and people here. I am sure we can figure out a way to make it work."

[ottershawastronomer]

A middle-aged man in Edwardian-era clothing steps forward to speak. The aliens' apparent aggression towards all other sapient life is alarming to Ogilvy, though at least what he had been afraid was an extermination campaign has been halted. The Fallen (Eliksni, he'll do them the honor of referring to them by their people's name) are offering terms. Not the friendliest of terms, but it's a start. His naivete didn't completely die at Horsell Common.

"Why the Eliksni are so hostile is unclear. Perhaps humanity wronged them in the distant past, or there was a misunderstanding of some kind. The Guardians and Eliksni might have been fighting for so long even they might not know why anymore. We've always been at war with the Eliksni." Thinking of a book he read in the Great Library, he cracks a bitter smile. "Or the Guardians, depending on which side you're on."

From what little he knows about Blaze's world, both Eliksni and Guardians have been at it for millennia. Ogilvy's surprised that in all that time neither side destroyed the other, got tired of all the fighting, ran out of resources, or sued for peace. Sixteen thousand years of mutual hatred, lost lives, and violence, with no victory in sight. What could possibly be worth that? Ogilvy shakes his head in confusion and disgust. The only clue is something about "light-thieves", and Ogilvy doubts the Eliksni mean "light" in the sense of matter's reflective qualities. That kind of light can't be stolen. He's hardly going to ask them, though. As a human, he'd be dead meat before they'd talk to him, regardless of intentions, and Gavin Ogilvy learned from the Martians.

"We've heard a lot about Eliksni and Nexusers. There is a third party no one's mentioned - the Guardians. While I respect Blaze, her people are intensely hostile to the Eliksni, which does not help tensions here. They may have held us guilty by association with them. I would argue both sides may share the blame for whatever's going on back home, or at the very least neither seem interested in a lasting peace with each other. Now we've been dragged into their war. But we know where the Eliksni stand. Can we trust the Guardians to hold the truce?"

Ogilvy gives Loki a quick smile of respect. It's no small feat to meet and talk to such a seemingly hostile people. The Martians hadn't done him the same favor. As a neutral party, he doesn't feel the Guardians are beyond criticism if their actions contribute to hostilities.

"At the moment, I believe we should accept the Eliksni terms, as harsh as they seem, both to set a precedent of diplomacy and to buy time to work on a lasting solution. Someone in this whole bloody mess needs to set an example. Going from your description I can't imagine they'd tolerate a human diplomat, and if they are so warlike they may not have trained diplomats among their own people. It speaks volumes that they don't approach us themselves. We will need someone all three parties involved - Eliksni, Nexusers, and Guardians - will trust. As an aside, from personal experience I fear that well-meaning gestures to these Eliksni may not be understood as such, never mind returned. What's friendly between us may be a grave insult to them, or they may not recognize the gesture at all."

[coldsong]

"We'll never know why," Loki points out pleasantly. "Unless they tell us, or unless Blaze tells us. Preferably both, because either side is bound to have a biased point of view and it will take extrapolation from both to get a fair tale."

"And to get that why, we will have to accept their terms for now. In the interest of full disclosure, that is what I want, as a relatively neutral party in this debate. I want to know their history and their culture, and they're not going to be very talkative if they're fighting off all the angry mortals in the place."

"Obviously, I am presenting myself as a messenger, not a participant in this discussion, but I cannot pretend I have no bias. No one would believe me."

Ogilvy brings up a few good points, although Loki grimaces a little at the mention of the Guardians, mainly because they're already here, Norns-damn-it, and he wasn't interested in that additional complication. It can't be helped, though. "I've only known Blaze. The Eliksni, though, seemed to think the Guardians would not act without human encouragement, or perhaps that human protests could hold them back. Which humans, I don't know, whether the residents here or their own associates back home."

Again, he nods. "As I said, I'm not here to negotiate for them, but that does not mean negotiations may not be had in the future. Sooner or later, I imagine, they will need to speak to the Plaza."

[fiveofnone]

All Caspar wanted from the Nexus today was a decent cup of coffee, but Loki's arrival puts an immediate halt to those plans. He pulls out his PINpoint, prepared to nope on out of the conversation. Let the heroes talk about a ceasefire, he's not getting involved.

But then he sees Blaze's head.

The anger that flares to life within him is unexpected and intense. It's a little refreshing, honestly. It feels good to hate something other than himself for a change.

He does use his PINpoint, but only to send a text warning Adia to stay out of the Nexus for a little while. The last thing she needs to see is her friend's lifeless, shot-through head.

By the time he tucks away the device into his blazer's pocket and looks at Loki, there's nothing to his expression except a fiery glint in his eyes. "Sure," he answers with a tight little smile. "Tell them we agree to the ceasefire. Hell, tell them whatever they want to hear. So long as they give Ghost back."

[coldsong]

The danger-signals emanating from Loki are immediate. It's like watching a big, icy snake coiling up and tensing to strike. And frankly, he's expecting Caspar to meet him with equal hostility. While he and Adia have made up after their Yuletide argument, he hasn't spoken to Caspar.

He's learned a couple new things about him, though. Enough to pause and wonder on how many levels the sight of a dismembered robot bothers him.

A couple people move away, sensing the Jotun winding up toward...something they don't want any part of. But when Caspar speaks, the tension eases off, like a hiss of air coming from the valve of a balloon that looked like it was about to pop. Because that's a neutral tone, and the conclusion he's come to was very quick and definitive, and there's been little of that today.

"Blaze is a friend?" he surmises quietly.

It's worth noting that he's handled the head with as much gentleness and respect as could be done. The wrappings are still settled at the base of it. Say what you will about him, at least he respects the dead.

[rekindledtitan]

Loki's diversion may have held the Guardians only for a time, but it seems like their business with Steve Rogers has kept them safely out of his way. The discussion - and debate - has gone on quite a while unhindered. One might think he's gotten away with it.

The first he'll know otherwise is a burst of chill wind behind him, a flare of strange particles and the flash of a yawning shadow in the corner of his eye, power warping the space around it... then someone taps him on the shoulder, and a voice says, "Tag."

It's the Warlock with the strange tendrils curling back behind his robes. He drops to the ground lightly and cranes his head back to look up at Loki. His Ghost materializes behind him, metallic green shell a-flutter.

"I'll let the others know we've caught up with their 'Awoken' friend," she says to her Guardian quietly. He nods absently. His hood masks just where his gaze is focused, but there's a motion of his head downward, just once, that makes it obvious he's taken in what Loki holds. The stare his Ghost turns toward their comrade's head is much more obvious, but she makes no comment, hovering poised behind the Warlock's shoulder.

"Hello," he says to Loki. "I think we need to talk."

[coldsong]

And, really, bless Steve for helping with Loki's diversion! Okay, so that was in no way part of anything Loki planned or expected, but he can certainly pretend it is. To himself. Everything running smoothly, in accordance with his designs.

Except of course, it isn't, because he did not expect quite so much discussion with the peoples of the Nexus, nowhere near this much irritation and determination to give the Fallen a piece of everyone's mind, and then Natasha threw him a bit of a curve ball, too, though he's grateful for it.

Actually, by the time space starts twisting behind him, his knee-jerk reponse, rather than to start and make a defensive move, is to give an epic eyeroll and a soft groan. Damn. Just his luck.

He turns, and in so doing pulls Blaze's head closer to his chest, as if to imply they will have to pry it from his cold dead fingers if they want it. He's got it wrapped up, though. There are certainly less respectful ways to carry it, including the pike it was on when he was handed it.

"Do we?" He asks, and his eyes are very red, very bright, gaze unflinching. "I think the people have spoken by now, for the most part. The consensus seems to be that we would rather there be no further conflict here. And I was given no message for you."

"That said, I am curious what you have to say."