mogmelodies | To All Heroes

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To All Heroes

To Everybody:

Whether we've met or not, I'd appreciate a reply from as many people as are willing, especially if you didn't just come from a version of Earth.

So, let's talk holidays. Christmas, I was willing to let pass as a coincidence. Any civilized planet out there with a winter season ends up with some version of a winter solstice. It doesn't matter the time or the planet or the alien race, they've got some kind of tradition that we would recognize. Celebration for being 'almost out of the dark,' as a friend of mine would put it.

But Valentine's Day? Definitely a product of Earth, of a specific time period of Earth, to be sure. At least, in my experience. And that's where you guys come in. Anybody else, not from Earth, have a custom or a legend like this? Something specifically surrounding a holiday, something that's celebrated. Also, is anybody else reading up on Aqures Ixen legends enough to know if we're going all going to be dealing with rabbits and eggs in two months? If so, I'm calling shenanigans now.

-Captain Jack Harkness

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If you wish to meet in person and discuss this matter more privately there seem to be a number of pubs in town that could work nicely. For the time being I could meet you around this city's crystal. It seems as good an initial point as any.

-James Kidd

Certainly. Well, the crystal would be the best spot, because I do admit I'm not sure who I'm waiting on.

-Jack

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Jack, himself, stands out from the rest of the crowd near the Crystal of Fire, decked out in the Captain's coat, rather than the gear for either of his jobs. He stands tense, but is keeping an eye out for any of the other heroes, expecting someone he's seen in passing, just not introduced himself to, yet.

Odd dress helped the heroes stand out in this city just as well as their moogle company did. Kidd however was still sticking to old habits and was waiting slightly out of sight on a nearby rooftop until Jack arrived. Her moogle, Bonnie, was the one to confirm his arrival.

She couldn't help but give her companion a smirk, amused by the way she had taken to wearing a hooded cloak similar in style to what she herself wore back home. From what she heard, Bonnie had proven herself to be a brave little fighter during the recent invasion. She'd earned a scolding but Kidd was proud of her as well.

Dropping from the rooftop, the seeming young man casually approached the Captain, her own pirate/gunner garb standing out. "Well now, Captain Harkness was it? Good to lay eyes."

Seeming young man...to anyone other than Captain Jack Harkness. He's seen a lot of every possible kind of gender-bending, disguise, and drag. And Kidd is very good, but Jack just has too much appreciation for the craft to not instantly see through it.

But, still. Male-presenting, male name, so Jack merely files the information away as interesting and doesn't even pause before approaching with a wave. "Mr. Kidd. A pleasure, of course."

1721. As curious as it is that Kidd is in disguise, the reason behind it is also immediately apparent. Survival tactic of some kind. It makes Jack question whether or not he'll reveal to Kidd that he's figured him out or not.

"Shall we, then? There's a good place up the road," where the other heroes dont go too often.

Mary was at least blessed with a lack of a chest to interfere in her costuming. Of course, it was part of the reason she was able to start in the first place. Now and then she DID find herself a little jealous of Anne, but at least she had the opportunity to appreciate them from her own side before she wound up here.

Kidd nodded in assent to the direction and began to walk with Jack. "If you don't mind my asking, what sort of Captain were you back where you came from? Military? Or did you have some experience on the seas?"

"Ahhh," 1700's didn't have a concept of paramilitary! He has to think about it for a second. "You could call me military, but not in the traditional sense. I was never Captain of a ship." Pause. "Okay, there was that one." Longer pause, and he pulls a face as he remembers. "Two. And I kind of got them blown up."

"Damn." Jack shakes his head. "Um, short answer military? I worked with a special group under the jurisdiction of the British Crown." That much, at least, he should understand.

Kidd's eye went up at his comments of the ships blowing up. How could they not. Still, the man was amusing. He was outlandish, and yet he was honest. She could feel it.

"An agent of the Crown are you?" Her lips pulled into a sly smile, "I guess that makes us enemies then. I've done a lot to get on their bad side."

That only makes Jack laugh. "Hey, I work for 'em, and I've done a lot to get on their bad side. Plus, to be fair, 1700's? Was there anyone who wasn't on England's bad side at that time? Every other power out there was either a colony, or a partial colony, or attempting to be colonized, or viewed as an obstacle to expansion." He shrugs. "At least, that's the way the history books tell it."

Kidd smirked. At least this man seemed to have a clear view of the world and he didn't seem broken down by it. Of course, she knew how well "seemed" could be an act as well.

"Hah! Fair enough. But I don't think either of us want to talk about the conquests of the crown. Now then. Is this where you wanted to have our little chat?" She gestured at the pub they had stopped in front of.

"By all means," Jack gestures for Kidd to enter first. It's plenty loud, the harder for the two of them to be overheard. Jack moves to a table, and takes enough time to order a drink, waits for them to be alone before beginning.

"You were asking about the Queen? I know very little, but even that is telling, because nobody knows very much. Most of the regular people are being kept in the dark about the fact that she's missing at all, and Biggs and Wedge are putting on a very complicated show to keep anyone from catching on. And yet, it doesn't seem so straightforward as 'Queen vanishes, retainers profit.' If anything, those two are getting a lot more hassle over the fact that they don't have whatever information the Queen apparently did."

Kidd looks around the room for a moment before finally taking a seat with her back to the wall. This place will do well enough. She remains tense though, never letting herself grow complacent or stop watching those around her.

"Mmm, makes sense to keep things hushed up. How did you get your information if I may ask? I didn't get the impression that they were sharing it with us." She's not sure she completely trusts Biggs, Wedge and Jessie, but it's as much healthy mistrust as anything else. "And what was it the Queen was supposed to know?"

"People who've been here since the beginning. The Marshall, Sparks, he's been a reliable source of information, even if he's busier than the rest of us."

"So, you might have noticed that the city is remarkably well-equipped to handle people suddenly showing up out of nowhere once a month? There's been a legend about the Heroes of Light for centuries, but the Queen was apparently the only one who knew when we were arriving. She might have even known who we were. But then she vanished, and the only thing left behind was some instructions to her top people, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie."

"From what they've told us," and Jack knows that means that what he says next will be taken with a huge grain of salt, "they didn't know the specifics, not the who, for example. If I were go to up there and bitch them out for the Doctor showing up here, or the fact that we've got so many teenagers that are expected to fight," Jack sadly shakes his head. "Wouldn't do any good. So I'm trying not to give them a hard time, even if they do make for an easy target."

Kidd nodded as she listened. She'd mostly been keeping to herself, unsure of who to trust. It was clear that it would be important for her to reach out to other people if she wanted to get to the heart of things.

"I did notice that, aye. I was wondering how they were able to manage it. How long before our arrival did the queen go missing?"

Jack raised a good point about their benefactors in the city. Perhaps she should be a little less critical of them for a time. It wasn't going to help in any regard.

I-" Hunh, Jack realizes he doesn't actually know. "You might be better served asking someone who was here in the first 'batch,'" complete with air quotes, "so to speak. I get the impression that it hasn't been very long, but it might just be the advisors doing a very good cover-up job."

"When you say it all out loud like that, it really points out what we don't know. We should be making this more of a priority." Jack frowns, not happy at having to admit that they aren't quite doing their jobs.

"I may have to do that. You mentioned Sparks. That's Marshall Nevada, isn't it? Perhaps I'll have a word with him. As for priorities. I think we both know what is first. Once we deal with that, then we can turn our attention back to finding out more of why we're here." And with any luck they may find a clue in the Empire.

Jack nods solemnly. "Of course. I can only hope that the people we're- or that I'm going to talk to will listen to some measure of reason." Jack snorts. "Hell, I can only hope that our allies will listen to some measure of reason. If we can solve this without anybody having to fight." Jack frowns.

"It sounds too hopeful to be true. But, it's how a friend of mine would do it. And he's not here." Well, sort of not here. Jack folds his arms, and he gets more resolute about his idea when he says it. "We need him. But we don't have him. So I have to be him. Haven't always had the best luck with trying that, though."

Kidd nodded but was skeptical. A peaceful outcome would be nice, but given that their allies were taken from a battlefield and given the details of the recent dream they all shared, she din't believe that the would get them back without a fight.

"Perhaps, but as I see it we face a specific adversary who is hiding behind a larger group. The problem is we need to go through them to get to her." Kalki was the serpent head, at least the one that was visible. Come to think of it, what DID they know about the Emperor?

"Your friend sounds like an impressive man. Still, many of us have people stuck back where we came from that we'd rather have here." Her eyes told another story. She'd seen someone from home recently. Someone she was worried about.

"Don't get me wrong, the Doctor needs to be back at home, doing what he does. This is a hell of a threat, not just a small-scale threat to a Republic or a landmass, or even just a threat to us, but what is happening here is a danger to every reality and universe. Somebody's got the power to just pull us out from where we come from and bring us here. It's going to blow up in their faces. Or maybe it already did once, from what I hear."

Jack sighs and leans on a hand. "Doctor's better than I am about handling something on this scope. I'm just sorry people from worlds like yours have gotten dragged into this. You're taking it awfully well, though."

Jack spoke of scale that Kidd couldn't fathom. The words made sense to her, and she was sure he knew what he meant, but she simply couldn't picture it all. "Yes, I think I saw some of Miss Zelda's notes mentioning another research location had exploded. That was the first sighting of crystalized people, was it not?"

She sat back as the waitress brought them their order. Kidd took a swig from her bottle of ale as she sorted her thoughts. "To be honest, I think I only manage because this is all too fantastic to be believed. I suppose it helps that I was...dying when I was brought here. For all I know none of this is real."

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