Dev Shadows of Atrisia

[Junko Ike]

Junko's smile grew wider still.. she didn't know it could but seeing the look from the larger woman... her short hair framing her face, skin catching the sheen of the lichon as it glowed with the force energies around them. The small trail of juice from the fruit as it went down her chin on the side. She stayed there for a moment and had another piece of fruit before she rose up to stand tall. The jedi princess stretching out while she turned around for herself to get herself two plates. THe fruit and the rest was there with meats as well as eggs. THe small silverware gleaming on the plate while she held them under the noses of the other two.

"Wakey wakey... we got eggs and bacon.... Ahri might have to provide the milk." There was a snicker as Barca composed herself with a plate and she sat there with her legs crossed. Miyoung waking up as she groaned only for a moment. "Five more minutes." She said it with a smile though on her face as Ahri rose up bringing her in her arms and held her close. "Hmmm you know that isn't a good answer... she'll just take it as encouragement." A smile was on her face though as she sat there looking at the food. "Please tell me sweetie, there is some tea to go with the milk?" The joke wasn't lost on her and she held a small bite up for Miyoung as the handmaiden took a bite.

 

[Junko Ike]

There were some smiles as Miyoung sat up eating the food. She looked content with it as Junko found a place so all four of them could be together and eating. "Hmm we have a full days worth of exploring this time at least.... and who knows what else we might find down here." SHe was debating what they might find... the cave might be better as a base camp that they could use since it was already secured but if they went deeper then making several might not be helpful... except as she was thinking about it for extra teams that would be coming in after them. She could see Ahri sending in more research teams to document everything that they could.

Ahri finished for a moment as she passed cups back to all of them with a small groan. A smile on her face and amusement in her eyes as Miyoung took a small sip of her tea... then mixed it with her finger before getting some of the food. Barca grunting for a moment her approval as she ate the most of them.. no dainty bites. Junko inhaled the aroma before her mouth was watering and she filled it with plenty of food. The tea was just delicious and smooth as it went down her throat... the sweet tang of the milk before she looked at Miyoung wiping with a finger the drool on her chin. "ALways so adorable, eat up we are going to need your brains."

 

[Junko Ike]

Miyoung's face scrunched up into a small, displeased look, her lower lip pushing out in a tiny pout. Despite her apparent grogginess she continued to eat savoring the warmth of her morning tea. The warm liquid was a welcome tang to the morning with the milk a final push against the lingering exhaustion from the previous night's events. Across from her, the princess sat with them, a calm presence in the early morning. "The same goes for the rest of you." She said it sitting there and leaned against Barca as she used the muscled thigh as a backrest to tilt her head back with some fruit between her fingers. "Hmmm."

Barca seemed to be savoring the moment, her interest piqued as she finished her meal. Between large bites, she cast quick, assessing glances at Miyoung, Ahri, and the princess. A low hum of contentment rumbled in her chest, a silent appreciation for the shared quiet. Ahri, meanwhile, had settled into a comfortable rhythm, her arm now a secure anchor around Miyoung's waist. She used it to balance her plate effortlessly, a gesture that spoke of familiarity and trust. With her free hand, she moved the food to her mouth with a smile at the others. "I want to spend the next night with the princess as the official one who was actually dating her it is my chance to call dibs."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko looked at Ahri as the woman was all confidence and bluster but she had gotten bold with the discoveries. "Oh." Junko looked at her as she raised an eyebrow though with some interesting. "No no, she is mine." The Voice of Phaidor was coming through." "No she is my first." Kanna's voice was there on the headset. "No mine." Several other handmaidens were speaking up as they were all awake in this case and Junko offered a look of challenge. "Well looks like you have some contesting your dibs." It was all in good humor, like Miyoung and even Barca... Ahri was rarely one to get outright jealous but she was also grinning from ear to ear.

"Well I have never overly minded the sharing aspect. I know sweet innocent Junko you only have a harem of handmaidens all willing to share yourr bed because you love life and embrace many of the aspects." The smile was there though as it came away. She had moved forward with her hand out holding the cup as she spoke. "Added a little of that sweet cream you like so much. though as only I can." Junko swallowed and took a longer sip of the morning tea with a smile on her face. "Oh damn, you are all so good for me... I am in love with." She didn't say a name just trailed off into a large bite of the food as it seemed everyone held a collective breath.

 

[Junko Ike]

THeir meal continued with each of them getting to enjoy a little. Junko stretching out when she looked over some of the details on her interface... she had the map in her head and the map from the drones who had continued to chart the ancient city for them. Including areas that might be of interest but they would have to go first. She was dressed with the others as Miyoung finished combing her hair. Getting dressed had been an affair in its own not because they couldn't but because they were debating if they should have more teams or drones for reinforcing the glacier above... it had managed to hold this long but there was always a risk.

While they were doing that... Miyoung had preformed her duties in making sure that Junko's hair was nice and well maintained. Barrca had her armor on and was scouting ahead while Ahrri made sure they had visuals and back ups of everything that was going on for them. She would be able to give them a lot more though... she was presenting it as the AI brought up historical records, their digitized archieves being used to find the smallest references and possible descriptions of the court, the city orr even the area.. if they could form a reference and overlay it they could figure out where to look as a point of reference.

 

[Junko Ike]

"It isn't pretty but the computers are finding the smallest maps and references that we are able to from all of the archives. I have to hand it to Io herself.. she might be a sheltered rose you found princess on an island in the middle of the country that her father tried to isolate not just from the world but from people as well as potentially any influences. She would just be there on the island untouched if you hadn't crash landed." She said it and Junko nodded her understanding.. Io Murasaki was well a marvel of a woman.. more so since she had taken a position as chronicler of Atrisia.. she wrote their newer histories and holo journals.

Miyoung offered a large smile. "I love Io, she is always so excited to see me or the princess or sweet cream.... and chocolate." She said it while listing it all off on one hand using each finger as she walked with an excited bounce to her step. Barca returning as she checked on some parts of it. "I got some good new, the areas the drones weren't able to get into are not as intricate or as dangerous which is a good thing.. the bad news is.. the armories here are in even worse shape. The explosives are sweating after so long. We should avoid it and I marked it with hazardzones. We'll need to send disposal drones in to be safe for the future but also watching for rocking it."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko nodded in approval, a sense of relief washing over her. The team's strategy was sound, their plan of action clear. Monitoring the glacier was a top priority, a task that demanded constant vigilance. Just as critical was a thorough sweep of the rooms that had once served as armories. Ancient explosives, unlike many modern weapons, rarely lost their potency with age. In fact, they often grew more volatile and unpredictable over time, becoming ticking time bombs just waiting for a misplaced step or a sudden jolt. The team would have to proceed with extreme caution, treating every chamber as a potential deathtrap.

Junko's gaze fell on Barca, who stood beside her. She reached out and tapped her armor, the metallic sound echoing in the stillness. "Good work," she said, a sense of pride in her voice. "Now let's get to it." The team fell into formation, their movements precise and synchronized, ready to face the dangers that lay ahead as she was flanked by Miyoung and Ahri. The four proceeding through the streets towards the main avenue with drones sending more information that they had been mapping throughout the night. Ahri was moving quickly but not rushing ahead as they scanned, mapped with better detail and took in the lichon covered streets.

 

[Junko Ike]

She moved through them, the lichon casting the streets in a shadowed glow that contrasted for them. They couldn't see the sun they were too far down but they moved under the massive lip above which took the glacier out of sight. The city wrapping around as the walls in the distance showed... the sounds of water were echoing as they got closer. This deep down and in she could see with the low light of the drones the areas where city sections had fallen away. Growth had cracked the streets and buildings but there was a beauty to it all and looking down as they got close. Junko could see the roots of trees making bridges to areas of the river as they rested on rocks.

Miyoung was looking down more as Barca braced her in case with her feet firmly planted on the ground. Miyoung was only at the edge but safety and care before Ahri spoke. "It looks like the caverns go deeper, an underground river here might e why they dug. If this was all sand and heat... then a lake this far down would have been amazing I imagine and more so being able to filter it naturally with the currents or use it for hydroelectric power would be important." She said it as she was speaking and offered them all a look of interest. A smile forming on her lips. "And if they channeled it there might be springs or baths down lower."

 

[Junko Ike]

Hmm the prospect of bathing houses was something.. she knew many of the older cities used the massive pumps ot manage the waters but this would have all been desert at the time.. They would have had to be careful about using it. "Maybe, but if this was still desert then water would have been more precious at the time. THey might not have used it that way when they could have just had a channel it went through maybe with some geothermal vents so that it wasn't freezing." There was always a chance she was wrong.. there was always the chance that they had something they planned to do with it.

Junko motioned for the drones to head down while they pulled Miyoung back. THe mapping could be done but they would look for a safer way down. Kanna had beacons above them now that she knew where they were and from the scans she showed there was a massive capstone above the glacier which was why it hadn't melted... the stone being there and from the scans it was stronger then they had been expecting... but still something to be careful about.Junko could see Ahri and Miyoung looking at the information as they seemed to be mulling it over in their minds. "Well at least i won't fall on us."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko had a look and she wasn't entirely certain but she was glad to hear it at least. "Well that is a small load off my mind... but we were erroring on that side already weren't we? It had stayed up for so long so a few days shouldn't matter." She said it when she was moving now with areas of the city prepared and filled with old carts. THe buildings had older books, scrolls and even the scent of older food. She could see what had been salted meats were solid, dry husks now essentially stone on the ropes that they had. The pumps for water and she could feel it while they were scanning pipe under the floor and in the walls.

"It looks like they pumped heated water from the geothermal pools below into the floors and walls. The conductive material she was looking at as Miyoung pointed out parts of it. "We have seen other palaces like this of the era and afterwards.. the design is genius in its simplicity but instead of being able to freeze in the night or needing to burn a lot of wood and resources. They would have each home natural warmed, the floors and I imagine we'll find some in the ceilings as well.. maybe vents designed to bleed off some heat to circulate it and rewarm the waters." She was looking at some parts of it while Ahri looked at the ceiling.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko followed her gaze as they were looking over the buildings and the streets here opened up into other sections. The buildings varied in age but they shared for the area being three floors and watching the alley ways going down into sunken areas. Like markets with carved areas that went into smaller alleyways. THe mapping showed they were around the buildings between the main avenues. The ceiling overhang was massive but she could see the drones lighting up sections and leaving glow rods all around that cast larger amounts of light around them. It allowed Junko to see more as the above stonework was beautiful with hanging crystal formations that caught the light to illuminate the city.

THe lichon glowing around them as it opened more and more but she was getting n idea of how the crystals, the lichon and the sun or moonlight worked with the force as a reaction down here. "I think I am seeing what the city used, even this far underground they knew how to do some wonders of engineering." A smile played on her lips while she was thinking and seeing it... where she was able to looking over a few parts of the city from her position. "We should get up to one of the roofs for the view but there are from the lighting and dating the drones are showing the older sections of the city here and here."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko was pointing but also showing on their displays the map itself. She had aa better idea as the lichon illuminated the crystals and the lighting was amplified... during the day with the shafts catching the crystal she could see if it was being the right time as a desert... this city could have been bright and even shiny. Warm maybe not so much but the geothermal springs would have given them the water to circulate through the pipes... that seemed to warm the houses and buildings. So that only left the streets to need extra warmth... but as it was now. She had a smaller look at Miyoung who seemed to be working on some calculations on her own.

Ahri was looking at more of it as well. "These old stalls are sadly intact... no signs of a battle but someone rushed to get things out. Likely when the climate shift above happened they needed to evacuate or the dangers were too great." SHe was thinking about the potential threats that could haave come here... the snows were one when the shift came but it had shifted at some time to being a desert awhile ago and then it had gone back to being snow and desert several times they knew. It was what made it one of the more dangerous regions being between the two larger and more dangerous climates.

 

[Junko Ike]

JUnko was thinking about what they had found... or lack of what they were finding. An abandoned city was not entirely the best thing to see... abandoned meant something had had to happen here that was drastic... for no one to come back and it to be forgotten or buried was even worse. They knew a few things that could help them in this case when the drones were coming around for them. "The drones haven't found anything unusual at least and the air quality shows no toxins in the air. So that could mean it was the fear of an invasion but those usually would have the city and courts at least ruined."

JUnko gave a nod of her head in agreement. "We have a lot here to look over still... it could turn out everyone was taken to a single building and forced inside... we'll learn about it from the research teams rather then ourselves... or there was something similar that seeped into the waters at the time leading to danger and death. ANy number of different explanations for what could have happened in what the people did or went through. We know some had to survive for the tales and legends to grow... we know some of the influences had to carry over or at least they interacted to leaarn things."

 

[Junko Ike]

AHri looked over as she spoke. "MOst likely, there is a lot here to indicate the court and the city in general were highly protected, valued even.... but these were simple people. Most of their things arre left including some clothing... it is coarse, without adornments and plain colors. The rulers at the time might have been oppressing and hoarding all of the wealth for themselves as opposed to ensuring it went ot the people... to make things better for all of them." She said it but was making notes both physically with her interface and likely mentally as things to talk about with Miyoung when they got the chance.

JUnko was looking at several things as well now that Ahri mentioned it. The city looked lived in but it hadn't been harmed which could mean a few things... there wasn't stuff left out but it also wasn't stored still... some food, armor and weapons but they didn't have granaries or massive stores of food. There was running water that circulated compared to a well or something that might be stagnant. "We'll figure it out orr the teams will and we'll be able to go around being awesome... getting the praise of all the women who are excited whenever there is news of a new discovery. Oh I can see it now with some of the noble ladies at court."

 

[Junko Ike]

Barca looked at her. "THey are going to be pretty excited aren't they... wonder if those twins will be there. Their dad seems to think your palace is a place of hedonism only." Barca saaid it with a small look on her face though Miyoung spoke as she came around. "I mean have you seen the palace? It is the definition but hedonism... but also a place where creative minds and beauty are allowed to flourish. THe princess just happens to require all able bodied legal age females to do it in revealing outfits... sometimes the outfits themselves are optional." There was a smile on her face when she was moving and Junko looked at the two of them.

"Oh come on, it isn't that bad. Think of it like this... we've all seen worse and now we all get to be in a place that encourages us to grow and experiment. it is like university." Miyoung said it with a smile as Ahri was there next to her wrapping an arm around her. "Miyoung you were like twelve in university, trust me experimenting has a completely different meaning... but I wouldn't trade Junko's court for all of the discoveries... where else am I going to get to indulge in massive naked puppy piles of people... outside of Barca's clan of mandalorian females weekly gatherings or as she calls it team building."

 

[Junko Ike]

Barca looked at AHri and stood there as if in challenge of her actions. "And." She said it getting a grin from JUnko.... nothing really wrong with it though Barca organized for all of her clan not just the one gender.. she was good like that and Junko wouldn't have people think they were some misandristic groups... she loved and respects the men but... she enjoyed the form, feeling, emotions and time with women. SHe knew at least that was what she fostered and with many of the dangers and problems of the Commonwealth that they faced after the war... they didn't dislike many aspects of the men... just didn't have a lot of them to do things.

"As long as it isn't about denigrating one over the other." Junko said it while walking with the others but she had Miyoung right there with her... Ahri moving ahead and Barca was at her back for protection and ready. The air was still when they approached some of the sections that went down into the lower levels near the river. The sounds of water rushing past, the humidity changed to be slightly hot and there was a bigger risk in some cases. Junko didn't want areas of the city possibly falling into the water... a risk maybe. Ahri was moving carefully when they came to some areas and buildings as she pointed it out. "Water damage."

 

[Junko Ike]

JUnko looked at it and she gave a nod of her head. She was looking at the building and it was polished stone... smooth and cold to the touch. Beautiful though these were not houses they were warehouses in many cases. She could see the beginnings of what were spots for fishing poles... rings in the ground that could hold them or even larger casting nets. The wooden nets were right there as Ahri and Barco moved one over to the rings to check with a nod. "Alright they did like many did on the surface, put it there between the rings." She pointed to the other side of the water and there was a similar set up that could be used and warehouses with a bridge down the way.

JUnko could see it and some more in a similar way. "If they managed to set it up right they could do two things.... trap the fish in the nets but also filter them or have several days worth of caught fish. Even if the waters ever went still or lower they could do this once a week and just bring in a net or two a day which should give them enough to sell. Have several in different waterways and a knowledge that the fish would be abundant and you could live." Ahri said it while Junko and Miyoung were near the waters edge but looked i before going back towards the warehouse. "Alright we have an idea of where we are, but if they were full of people how many would they need to have a day?"

 

[Junko Ike]

Ahri and Miyoung were looking at it. "If we are looking at it the right way... it could be less about quantity then quality... there might haave been larger fish here at one point. We know from fossils and records there were a lot of fish hunted to extinction because they provided a lot for entire villages and cities. The numerous nettings was something that could have been used for a lot laarger." Ahri said it while walking and she was checking it as Miyoung pulled up a map looking at them. "There is also the possibility of what we have here." She said it while showing the drones were recording various channels going around and through areas of the city itself.

"If each of these chaannels down here is similar it would meant they have around twelve waterways where nets are set up. Fish would come through not just one but all of them in theory, be collected daily or even everry other day... if the fish was large enough it could be easily portioned for severrral people... multiple that by however many you catch a day and given population density at the supposed time you could easily feed the majority. With some left over which would be good to store in a larder out of the heat and sun... if they used the same ideas for the heaated buildings pumping the chilled water through they could make an early freezer or cooler."