"Yes," says Piper immediately. "But he might work through the boredom."

"It's a common but inaccurate misconception," adds Sephrenia, "that Azash wants to kill. Azash doesn't want to kill - Azash wants to create murderers. Also torturers, and... worse. Azash doesn't want to kill; Azash wants his worshippers to kill, and to do so in terribly unnatural, depraved ways. Importantly, Azash wants his followers to kill people on a personal level; he'd rather have one person tortured and killed than a thousand painless deaths."

Arkady shakes his head a bit. "Lady, these machines would give him both. But more importantly, they'd make a Zemoch victory very easy; after which his followers could do whatever pleases him. Now the chance that He is hearing about them may not be that big, but it is a thing to consider when we make plans."

"But he would need *actual* fissile material, not the illusory kind, no?"

Arkady nods. "Yes, but if he can pull out the right uranium by magic then any deposit of the ore will do. And I would not put it past Him to have his people build an unshielded breeder reactor, if he's told about them."

"If it would give him intense personal-level suffering and victory, he'd pursue it strongly," agrees Sephrenia. "We might not have any warning."

"The metals we're afraid of, if used as a weapon, can and will cause a large amount of death and bring about a great amount of suffering," Felix says. "Immediate damage can cause symptoms mimicking disease or cause the flesh to look horrifically burned as if by fire. Depending on how much of this metal one is exposed to long term effects can be anything ranging from increased chance of cancer to the agonizing breakdown of the body as the vital processes that keep it whole unravel and the flesh begins to rot and ooze. It's said the pain is indescribable and no medicine can alleviate it. Death in this instance can take days, weeks, or even months if efforts to keep the person alive are spared no expense."

"You think Blackwell can build such a reactor from scratch?"

Sephrenia goes pale. "The Shining Ones," she says. "What you are describing sounds just like the death touch of the Shining Ones. With the single exception of the time required - the Shining Ones can kill with a touch in seconds of indescribable pain, not weeks."

Arkady considers that for a second, then asks: "Are Shining Ones supposed to smell like lightning storms?"

"That's certainly an ominous name..."

Felix thinks for a moment. He pulls out his tablet and starts searching through photos. He might have to pull some up from the database back at the ship, but he'll try if he has to.

"Are they called that because of a glow that's blue in color?"

If he finds the photo, he hold the tablet up and shows it.

"Possibly something like this?"

He pulls up an archived video from what is now an ancient television show based on real life.

"Is the effect exaggerated enough to create a pillar of light like this?"

Sephrenia shakes her head. "Not blue, no. The Shining Ones are said to glow white. Legend has it that they were cursed by their own god - what crime they committed to deserve such a curse is not recorded, but it must have been truly heinous - and now they glow, a bright, visible glow that serves as a warning; and anyone that they touch, their flesh rots and oozes, and within seconds there is nothing left but a pile of clothes and some foul liquid." Sephrenia shudders at the mere thought. "Legend states that anything organic is vulnerable to their mere touch; they are one of the few creatures who could have easily destroyed Ghwerek. However, I understand that they remain vulnerable to mortal weapons; ranged weapons in particular should be effective against them, as it is important to keep them out of touch range. Legend is quiet on the matter of their scent."

Arkady shrugs. "Maybe that is a magical kind of the same poison? Either way, it is nasty." He then looks back to Platime: "So you will be wanting communications, in the palace and to the Pandion chapter house. That should, normally, also let you contact the Terran colony. Anything else?"

Arkady: Empathy: +5 Roll: +0 Relevant Stunts: Cold Read, Heart's Secret
Lady Sephrenia: Resolve: +3 Roll: +0

The good Lady seems to have something personal against the Shining Ones. There's more to her distaste for them than merely the legends she has heard.

It's distant - the anger has had some time to cool - and likely not immediately relevant. But it's there, buried though it may be.

Platime shakes his head. "No - for the moment I believe that the communications will be sufficient."

--------------

Discussion turns to trivial matters; after some time, a few people turn up and are recognised by Platime. It seems he's had them going through the palace, dealing with all the plots that he knows of already or knows to look out for. They ask for the help of one of the Knights to deal with a few more stupid nobles (who have decided that if they're going down, they're taking someone else with them); Sir Ulath heads out and returns very shortly, stating that most of that group of nobles had fled and the others "aren't going to cause any more trouble". Shortly thereafter, and after conferring with a few more subordinates, Platime announces that the Palace is "probably as safe as it's going to get".

Eventually, the Queen returns from her very extended bath. She looks pristine and clean and happy, and is still accompanied by Sir Sparhawk. Sir Sparhawk is blushing bright red and is absolutely not looking directly at her, but is rather keeping a lookout for the approach of any possible danger.

Thinking to himself that for someone as dark as Sir Sparhawk to be visibly blushing is quite an accomplishment, Arkady decides to defer to the locals to speak first. Her new head of security, for instance, has something to say.

But should she address the Terrans, then that would be another matter.

Oh, and because I missed it earlier (regarding breeder reactors):

"If he is told it is possible, can track individual atoms, and be telling how some experiments will come out before he even tries them; then he can probably figure out how to do it by himself."

Felix waits and sees, but is ready to begin talks on whatever he feels he can get away with as soon as possible. For now he wants to see if they Queen is in a... receptive mood?