Riff
While he was relieved to know where the 'home base' vampires were likely located, he hesitated to enter the cave to greet them in person. He looked up at Isaac and motioned at the mat.
"I think we should let them meet us. We have everything here to make the people we rescued comfortable. Perhaps we should do that and wait for nightfall, when our hosts might feel more comfortable?"
Besides, there were not many of "them" even compared to the rescuees. It was hard to tell exactly how many people were in the current camp, but it was not an insignificant number. It might be a dangerous play to make, but Riff felt confident in it. If the vampires were combative types, they could certainly have attacked while they picked their way up the cliff. The lack of silver-loaded weapons was also conspicuous. He didn't even smell any silver on the grounds.
Riff grabbed some blood packets from a generator-powered cooler and started passing them around. There was not much to do but wait.
Camping Is Always An Option
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Camping Is Always An Option
Isaac Fishblatt
"Good idea," Isaac said. "You're right. That would certainly be less likely to give the mistaken impression that we're a threat."
There was some work to do in the meantime - distribute blood rations and blankets, make the shipwreck survivors comfortable - but then there was just quiet. There was little talking between the rescued Vampires, but that seemed more due to exhaustion from their ordeal (and probably many sleepless days and nights leading up to it) than any concern about their rescuers' intentions. Before long they were all resting quietly or asleep.
Night fell slowly.
There was a lull. Then some soft movements outside. Isaac smelled Vampires. They were approaching from several directions; there must be more than one entrance to the cave system. Of course. Having only one point of egress would turn the place into a giant trap. The Vampires approached cautiously, though. They were being quiet, but without the stealth of the notorious Death Dealers or of trained assassins - just normal quiet. Civilian quiet. That was good.
The door of the makeshift mess hall opened, and three Vampires stepped inside, while the rest waited outside. One of the Vampires carried a gun, but it wasn't loaded with silver - the way the newcomer was holding it, it Isaac wasn't sure if it was loaded at all.
"Lycans," the Vampire said. Not a question.
Isaac nodded. "Yes. From the local Pack. I'm Isaac. This is Riff. We mean you no harm. Our Pack does not partake in the war between our species. Quite the opposite. We became aware of your predicament, and wanted to help."
"We're grateful," the Vampire with the possibly-unloaded gun said cautiously. "But... why? Why help us, even if you don't consider us enemies?"
"Good idea," Isaac said. "You're right. That would certainly be less likely to give the mistaken impression that we're a threat."
There was some work to do in the meantime - distribute blood rations and blankets, make the shipwreck survivors comfortable - but then there was just quiet. There was little talking between the rescued Vampires, but that seemed more due to exhaustion from their ordeal (and probably many sleepless days and nights leading up to it) than any concern about their rescuers' intentions. Before long they were all resting quietly or asleep.
Night fell slowly.
There was a lull. Then some soft movements outside. Isaac smelled Vampires. They were approaching from several directions; there must be more than one entrance to the cave system. Of course. Having only one point of egress would turn the place into a giant trap. The Vampires approached cautiously, though. They were being quiet, but without the stealth of the notorious Death Dealers or of trained assassins - just normal quiet. Civilian quiet. That was good.
The door of the makeshift mess hall opened, and three Vampires stepped inside, while the rest waited outside. One of the Vampires carried a gun, but it wasn't loaded with silver - the way the newcomer was holding it, it Isaac wasn't sure if it was loaded at all.
"Lycans," the Vampire said. Not a question.
Isaac nodded. "Yes. From the local Pack. I'm Isaac. This is Riff. We mean you no harm. Our Pack does not partake in the war between our species. Quite the opposite. We became aware of your predicament, and wanted to help."
"We're grateful," the Vampire with the possibly-unloaded gun said cautiously. "But... why? Why help us, even if you don't consider us enemies?"
Re: Camping Is Always An Option
Riff
"Because it's the right thing to do."
Riff gave the simple answer, knowing it wouldn't suffice, but it was still the best answer at heart of their actions.
"I worked in the Underground for awhile, but even before then I was part of a community made up of Lycans, Vampies, Hybrids and Fae of all kinds. We lived, worked and played alongside each other and it was a good life. I think...I think I never liked the fighting. I resented being pushed into it by becoming a Lycan. It makes my life worth living when I can live it in harmony with others."
He gestured at the rest of the people who had come from their community.
"It is what we all want. To live life in harmony and peace. Sometimes we have to defend that peace from others who want to destroy it and we do that well. We protect. We defend. It seems to me that we may have something in common there - you also do not seek conflict. Is working with us something you would be open to considering?"
"Because it's the right thing to do."
Riff gave the simple answer, knowing it wouldn't suffice, but it was still the best answer at heart of their actions.
"I worked in the Underground for awhile, but even before then I was part of a community made up of Lycans, Vampies, Hybrids and Fae of all kinds. We lived, worked and played alongside each other and it was a good life. I think...I think I never liked the fighting. I resented being pushed into it by becoming a Lycan. It makes my life worth living when I can live it in harmony with others."
He gestured at the rest of the people who had come from their community.
"It is what we all want. To live life in harmony and peace. Sometimes we have to defend that peace from others who want to destroy it and we do that well. We protect. We defend. It seems to me that we may have something in common there - you also do not seek conflict. Is working with us something you would be open to considering?"
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Camping Is Always An Option
Isaac Fishblatt and the Vampires
The three Vampires conversed softly for a moment in a language Isaac didn't speak - he thought it might be Turkish. Although he couldn't understand the words they were saying, he could surmise from the tone that they were discussing what they had just heard, potentially favorably. There was no indication of disagreement or aggression in any of their tones. Confirming this, the Vampire with the gun lowered it and returned it to the holster at his waist.
"Yes," that one who seemed to be their spokesperson said. "We are open to working with you. Please forgive our distrust. We have had bad experiences in the past."
Isaac nodded. "So have we all. Please, don't mention it. I'm glad to hear you're open to cooperation."
"We are..." A brief pause while he located the English word in his exhausted brain. "We are not warriors. We were working on a project. You know... meteorology? Is that how you say it?"
Isaac nodded again. "Yes, we know meteorology."
"Very good. We were in a remote camp. Some of us brought our families. We thought it would be safe. But the humans found us. We fled. We took the two ships - we didn't know much about how to pilot it or navigate, but it was the only means of escape we had, so we did our best. Our vessel got here first, and then the other... well, you saw."
"You did well. We're glad you made it here," Isaac said sincerely.
"So you truly want us to stay?" the Vampire asked, his tone cautious and guarded. "Knowing we are not an army? We just study the weather?"
He could not, of course, know he was talking to a musician and a librarian.
The three Vampires conversed softly for a moment in a language Isaac didn't speak - he thought it might be Turkish. Although he couldn't understand the words they were saying, he could surmise from the tone that they were discussing what they had just heard, potentially favorably. There was no indication of disagreement or aggression in any of their tones. Confirming this, the Vampire with the gun lowered it and returned it to the holster at his waist.
"Yes," that one who seemed to be their spokesperson said. "We are open to working with you. Please forgive our distrust. We have had bad experiences in the past."
Isaac nodded. "So have we all. Please, don't mention it. I'm glad to hear you're open to cooperation."
"We are..." A brief pause while he located the English word in his exhausted brain. "We are not warriors. We were working on a project. You know... meteorology? Is that how you say it?"
Isaac nodded again. "Yes, we know meteorology."
"Very good. We were in a remote camp. Some of us brought our families. We thought it would be safe. But the humans found us. We fled. We took the two ships - we didn't know much about how to pilot it or navigate, but it was the only means of escape we had, so we did our best. Our vessel got here first, and then the other... well, you saw."
"You did well. We're glad you made it here," Isaac said sincerely.
"So you truly want us to stay?" the Vampire asked, his tone cautious and guarded. "Knowing we are not an army? We just study the weather?"
He could not, of course, know he was talking to a musician and a librarian.
Re: Camping Is Always An Option
Riff
He breathed a sigh of relief when the vampires said they were willing to work together instead of keeping to themselves. The smile on his face was perhaps larger than most people were used to seeing, but it was offered so naturally that hopefully they'd see how genuine the feeling was.
"Oh this is great! I'm the lighthouse keeper - it's at the highest point in town, so it'd be a great spot to set up some equipment! I...don't really know the science-y stuff. I'm a musician. I play guitar. And while I have fought for freedom - and still fight - I don't think any of us would say we're an army either. It's just not our way."
He paused, appearing thoughtful. "Honestly, if you had been an army, we would have made the same offer...but I have a feeling that this conversation would not have been the outcome in that case."
He breathed a sigh of relief when the vampires said they were willing to work together instead of keeping to themselves. The smile on his face was perhaps larger than most people were used to seeing, but it was offered so naturally that hopefully they'd see how genuine the feeling was.
"Oh this is great! I'm the lighthouse keeper - it's at the highest point in town, so it'd be a great spot to set up some equipment! I...don't really know the science-y stuff. I'm a musician. I play guitar. And while I have fought for freedom - and still fight - I don't think any of us would say we're an army either. It's just not our way."
He paused, appearing thoughtful. "Honestly, if you had been an army, we would have made the same offer...but I have a feeling that this conversation would not have been the outcome in that case."
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Monkey Kitty
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- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Re: Camping Is Always An Option
Isaac Fishblatt
The Vampires seemed pleased - both with Riff's statement that he was a musician rather than something more threatening, and with the offer of high ground at the lighthouse for their meteorological equipment.
"And you...?" Directed toward Isaac.
"A librarian."
More smiles. No Lycan warlords here.
Isaac was relieved they were establishing a rapport, but there were more logistics to consider. "This site seems relatively safe," Isaac said. "Between the camp and your tunnels, you should be pretty well situated for the immediate future. I promise we'll come back for you, but we need to get some things ready for you first. You'll need a place to stay - we have rooms for you at the motel our Pack operates. That's why we have the motel, so we can house visitors and people who need to relocate in a hurry. But it's not sun-proofed yet, and it will need to be before we move you. We also need to make sure we have time to get everyone to shore between sunset and dawn, so none of you are caught out on the water when the sun rises. We need to establish a food source; the artificial blood supplies you have with you won't last forever, so we need to locate a new source. And we need some kind of cover story. The people of Fog Island are openminded. They've carefully ignored the presence of Lycans and Fae for many human generations. But they're not used to Vampires yet. There's only one Vampire in town, currently, and he's still fairly new. It would probably be a good idea to let them become accustomed to your presence and give them time to decide not to worry about you either, rather than having some big dramatic arrival scene."
The Vampires nodded their acceptance of all of these suggestions.
The Vampires seemed pleased - both with Riff's statement that he was a musician rather than something more threatening, and with the offer of high ground at the lighthouse for their meteorological equipment.
"And you...?" Directed toward Isaac.
"A librarian."
More smiles. No Lycan warlords here.
Isaac was relieved they were establishing a rapport, but there were more logistics to consider. "This site seems relatively safe," Isaac said. "Between the camp and your tunnels, you should be pretty well situated for the immediate future. I promise we'll come back for you, but we need to get some things ready for you first. You'll need a place to stay - we have rooms for you at the motel our Pack operates. That's why we have the motel, so we can house visitors and people who need to relocate in a hurry. But it's not sun-proofed yet, and it will need to be before we move you. We also need to make sure we have time to get everyone to shore between sunset and dawn, so none of you are caught out on the water when the sun rises. We need to establish a food source; the artificial blood supplies you have with you won't last forever, so we need to locate a new source. And we need some kind of cover story. The people of Fog Island are openminded. They've carefully ignored the presence of Lycans and Fae for many human generations. But they're not used to Vampires yet. There's only one Vampire in town, currently, and he's still fairly new. It would probably be a good idea to let them become accustomed to your presence and give them time to decide not to worry about you either, rather than having some big dramatic arrival scene."
The Vampires nodded their acceptance of all of these suggestions.