tushanshu | [Console: Video] | [Subject: Arrival, RE: KVR, Libra]

[He taps the screen gently, and there's a bit of a shake to the camera. But congratulations! Klaus can operate bio mechanical machinery! And you get a nice view of a rather... imposing and somewhat bewildered face.]

Is it working...? Ah, yes, there's the little light. Marvelous.

[He clears his throat and leans away from the camera, sitting upright. His posture is impeccable, and his gaze stern. Or maybe that's just his face.]

Good... [He glances to the time in the corner of the screen.] ...evening, everyone. I am Klaus Reinherz, the Executive Director of Libra. As I'm sure you've fathomed, I'm a new arrival to this city. Much of the situation has been adequately explained by the gentleman who found me. [He neglects to mention he was discovered unconscious on a pumpkin.]

I do have a number of points I'm a little hazy on – namely these baby turtles... turtlings...? Apologies, I'm unsure of the correct terminology. And perhaps if there are any electrical outlets I can use to charge my phone? Also this.

[He holds up his right arm, undoes the buttons on his shirt cuffs, and rolls up his sleeves, revealing a silver cuff set with what appears to be a rectangular piece of carnelian.]

I don't recall purchasing any jewelry and the only information my benefactor gave me on the matter was that if I take it off, I would expire. You can imagine my reluctance to test this, though I think he's... ah... what's the phrase...? ...yanking my chain?

My final inquiry is on the matter of local customs and culture. There seems to be some latent tension with the locals and, as you can imagine, I would not want to cause undue offense and add to the troubles. Details on practices that are commonly considered polite or taboo would be most welcome.

I do appreciate any assistance or information offered, and I am more than happy to return any favour in kind.

Thank you, and good evening.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's me. Tony Stark. Leave your phone at with Anton, and I'll pick it up and rig a charge cord up for you. Don't worry about paying for it - think of it as part of the welcome package. [Tony grins.] No charge for the charge. [Har har har.]

And yeah— don't lose the bracelet. It holds your soul, if you believe in that kind of thing. It definitely does have something to do with keeping you tied to this universe. Nobody's ever lost theirs long enough that they've died, but I wouldn't test it, if I were you.

[There's a small laugh at the pun. It's not a particularly unpleasant laugh- it sounds like someone who's genuinely amused in spite of himself. The smile that accompanies it, however, looks horribly sinister. Those are a lot of sharp teeth.]

[Thankfully, it's short lived.]

A pleasure to meet you, Mr Stark. I already have a cord for the phone, though I'm curious if anything can be done for the laptop?

And thank you. I'll definitely keep all of that in mind.

[Oookay, that's kind of a creepy smile. Tony will give the new guy the benefit of the doubt and assume it's not intentional. Maybe it's just the teeth.]

Laptop, tablet, portable gaming rig, holographic multifunction personal device, artificial heart, flux capacitor, whatever. Anything that needs juice, I'll get it hooked up for you. Bring the phone, too— I'll make sure it's compatible.

[He can fix a phone with a dead battery. He might not be able to fix a phone fried by being plugged into a socket with the wrong voltage.]

[Alas, Tony, he just has one of those faces.]

Gladly. I'm loathe to lose my files. [Oh Edith Piaf, he'd be lost without your dulcet tones to lull him to sleep!]

You must have a knack for machinery. I suspect it's served you and others well here?

Yeah, you could say that. I'm an engineer. One of the best in my world. Kind of a supergenius. Little bit of a cyborg. [Ah, yes. So modest.] It would serve better if the technology here was more advanced, but I get by.

You sound as though you have everything worked out, Mr Stark. Though, Mr Shudder told me metals were rare here. I confess, I'm curious how you manage.

Recycling, complaining, and industrial ceramics, mostly. And I trade for all the scrap I can afford any time we make landfall.

Ah- this is the second time I've heard mention of landfall. Does this happen frequently?

Not all that often. Once every few months. It's not planned - sometimes the turtle just ends up drifting to a landmass. And then it's usually a week or two before the currents pull us away again.

[He's genuinely fascinated. The fact that they're in the city on the back of a giant turtle is absolutely astonishing to him.]

Has the turtle gone on land? Or does it generally keep to the water?

It stays in the ocean. I think it's too big to go on land. Actually, all the land on this planet is just the shells of other turtles that died. And, uh, also, this one's in a coma. Or something. So it doesn't go anywhere. It just, you know... drifts.

[...Yeah, this gets complicated pretty fast.]

[The whole world being dead turtles makes for a sad Klaus.]

Ah... I see. Have there been encounters with others like this one that are alive?

[And hopefully not in a coma.]

[Pretty grim, isn't it? Try not to think too hard about it.]

Not for a while. There was another one that died recently, but that was before any of us got here. This one's the last one, except for the hatchlings.

Gott erbarme...

[He just shakes his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose.]

At least the children survive. Is there anything that can be done for the parent?

Yeah. Some of them. [As Skulduggery has just explained.] We're not sure about Tu Vishan. That vision of the hatchlings that died— it happened when one of us tried to contact the turtle. He might still be alive, but we don't know if there's any way to wake him up. We're working on it.

Yes. Some. [Someone is still a little twitchy about the fact five children were murdered.]

I don't know if there's anything I can do to help but if there is, I am at your service.

[Tony shrugs.] I don't know either. If there's anything we can do, it'll be magic, and that's not my specialty. If anyone learns anything, I'm sure we'll all hear about it.

I see.

[Klaus frowns. Many of his abilities constituted as 'magic', though he doubted any of them would be helpful to waking up the turtle.]

You've been very kind, Mr Stark. I'll leave my laptop and phone with Mr Shudder for you to look at at your leisure. And if you ever need anything, I am in your debt.

Sure, any time.

[Tony doesn't know what to do with the 'in your debt' thing - all he did was tell Klaus about the turtles and offer to set up his phone and laptop.]

And if you ever want housing outside of the Hotel, hit me up. We built a bunch of foreigner housing in the Sky Sector, and there's still room.

Truly? That's quite remarkable.

I may look into it when things are a bit less... hectic. For now, I'm relieved to have a roof over my head.

[What, building some houses? Man, Klaus, you're really easily impressed. Just wait till you see the armor.]

Yeah, the Hotel's a good place to start. And Anton's a great guy.

[Technically, Anton isn't running the day-to-day business of the Hotel anymore, but in Tony's mind, it will always be Anton's Hotel.]

[Easily impressed by people working together and helping each other? Yes. Sad but true.]

Mr Shudder certainly seems so, and I've seen nothing contrary to it.

You're not going to, [Tony says with a chuckle. Anton is about as good as they come.]

Anyway— welcome to Keeliai. I guess I'll see you around.

I'm glad to hear it.

And thank you. I'll look forward to meeting you in person, Mr Stark.

[Console: Video] | [Subject: Arrival, RE: KVR, Libra]

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