My bunny slippers just ran for cover

[will_you_still]

Morgan doesn't strictly need to sleep. Even if she didn't want to put up with the annoyance of constantly having a caffeine buzz and having to ask for coffee on almost every summon, there are naps. Naps can keep a daeva going for quite a long time.

But there's something unutterably pleasant about curling up in a proper bed in pajamas and just sleeping. And then waking up and getting breakfast in those pajamas. So she does that, because immortality's a long unpleasant time if you don't enjoy the little things every now and then. Like adorable bunny slippers and soft pajamas and sleeping in.

She's midway through a fruity salad thing that counts as the standard fairy breakfast when she feels the summon. Showing up to a summon in pajamas? Eh. If they're proper summoners she bets they've seen worse, and she doesn't particularly care if they think she's unprofessional.

She puts her spoon down and accepts the summon.

Comments

[will_you_still]

She can just move the jet. This involves going to the cockpit so she can see what she's doing well enough, but that's not very hard. She accelerates slowly so as not to hurt the jet or its passengers, and starts to decelerate before they get there for the same reason. At no point in time do they reach her top speed, but she needs them to show her where the telescope is. So, she'll keep it sane.

[acanofworms]

It's still really fast, though Legend catches up with them mid-trip (he's mostly made of light at that point).

"We found Mary O'Brien and brought her somewhere safer," Alexandria says at one point during the trip.

[will_you_still]

Well, Morgan can't turn any part of the jet into light, so she has to put up with it being breakable. She doesn't have this problem when flying herself or things she's trying to murder!

"Oh, good. Thank you. I might want to visit her later, if I can without putting her at risk. She trusts me a great deal, and... might need someone to talk to."

[acanofworms]

"Absolutely," says Alexandria.

Eventually they arrive. Legend stops being light.

[will_you_still]

Telescope!

"Nobody get their hopes up, I doubt this'll actually work."

Let's find the Simurgh! Where is she?

[peterxy]

She is:

...somewhere, probably, but it's not immediately obvious where even if Morgan looks approximately where she'd taken the Leviathan.

[will_you_still]

Mmhmm.

"Is there a place she's usually located? Have you been keeping tabs on her?"

[acanofworms]

"Yes there is and yes we have, but she hasn't returned that we've noticed. The only reason the Protectorate is not freaking out about her is because we know you're behind her disappearance."

Well, mostly know.

[will_you_still]

"Ah. ... Think she's hiding behind the Moon?"

[acanofworms]

"That would be entirely within the realm of possibility." Alexandria doesn't mention Clairvoyant because: other people.

[will_you_still]

Yes, that makes sense.

She frowns, thinking.

"... How does this telescope hold up in vacuum?"

[peterxy]

...well it is now time for the Tinker in residence to brag! Brag using words like 'titanium alloy' and such, about his this telescope could withstand being thrown at the Moon, yadda yadda. Basically it's really really strong and holds up pretty well in a vacuum.

[will_you_still]

"Excellent. So how does everyone feel about putting this in space with some doodads that make navigation easier and having it orbiting the Earth during the the next Simurgh attack? Since I can't get near her anyway..."

[acanofworms]

"That sounds like an excellent idea," says Alexandria, who really can't mention Clairvoyant knowing exactly where the Simurgh is. "The next attack is likely to be the Behemoth, though, if the Simurgh is evading us like this. We need to assume she'll find a way to continue doing so, if she has been able to work to prevent you from finishing the Leviathan off, until she decides to attack."

[will_you_still]

Morgan nods.

"I don't actually expect to be able to kill or seriously hurt her, but even if she's got bullshit precognition, making it harder for her to do things without getting shot is not nothing."

[acanofworms]

"Of course." He looks at the Tinker. "How long do you think it would take you to build something like that?"

"Er, a year? Propulsion or rockets or stuff like that aren't actually my specialty, very resistant and durable things is."

[will_you_still]

"No rockets are necessary to get it into orbit," she assures. "What if it's just a navigation system to help with corrections to orbit?"

[peterxy]

"Well, with someone else's help I could get something done in four to six months, probably."

[will_you_still]

Nod.

"Can you make it modular, so I could bring this with me into space and then bring it back when I'm done with it, if Simurgh happens to be present during that build time?"

[peterxy]

"Yeah, definitely."

[will_you_still]

"Excellent. Are you willing to do that, and what do you need in order to do it?"

[acanofworms]

There is a large list of materials and parts, as well as the need for people willing to help with building (it's a telescope you can't build it by yourself and now that they have this one the research agency he works for isn't willing to pay for more) and an actual location.

Legend reassures him that the Protectorate will cover his expenses, this is very important and might just be the best shot they've had against the Endbringers in a long time.

[will_you_still]

Morgan is pretty okay with leaving the logistical details of this thing to Legend.

"Right, so since we can't just blast the Simurgh out of the sky yet - brainstorming session on where I can be used? Besides Endbringer attacks, I mean."

[acanofworms]

"Some of that will depend on your public image," says Legend. "But we should probably talk about this in the jet."

[will_you_still]

"Sure." She thanks the tinker sincerely for his work, and then: to the jet!

When they are on the jet: "So! The big question. Am I joining the Protectorate?"