An Expedition to Ciata

[miokalia]

In the mountains over the metro area, in the Tycho Wilderness, east of Hokyladryon, was a small Goiyta village. The Dincotian/Daeronese parallel of buddhism, called Ghitavism was a spirituality practiced here by the mostly Daeronese dragon population.
There were few to no Malych anywhere around here. Not that the Szupta (temple) would turn them away, but simply because of the cultural seperation. Though this seperation was due to respect and not disdain between them.
The village was one very large Zen garden, where it's residents, Dahybe (Monks) and Sahoiy (Artists) would contribute to it's constant creation and upkeep.

Ryoukate Selador, was the Ghitala (Master or Lama) of the village and it's Szupta. After some discussion with the Leefen of Cal on the matter of sending an appropriate delegation to Ciata, he summoned forth Yim Moytov, a Sahoiy-Gan (Martial Artist) of the Parkour and Taikoho styles, and Quci Xan, a feline Dahybe Monk.

The messages were placed on small wooden bricks which flowed down the many tiny canals filled with goldfish through the village until they found their way to a foot messenger. The messenger then delivered the messages to the recipients homes.

"Ryoukate.", said Yim and Quci while looking downward, a gesture of respect common in the disciplined atmosphere of the Szupta.

"The Inleefen to the west are sending an appropriate delegation to Ciata. I wish to send two to accompany them. It is appropriate that I send you, people who spend a great deal of time away from 'the modern world'. You would be appropriate for Ciata's unique setting.

The Leefen wish to seek their history and heritage. However, I hope to perhaps gain a better understanding of them. I know not if we would be able to understand eachother or not now... I hope that this question is answered by this expedition.", said Selador through the carved holes depicting teeth around the bottom of his Sage Mask.

Selador was a brown Daeronese dragon, that is, basically a winged raptor with spikes. He was draped in red-and-white robes with a hand-Batik-wax pattern on them. His most clearly indentifying item of dress was his headwear. A White-and-black mask. One which covered his entire head, and made his eyes fade back into empty holes in the mask's carved surface.
In Daeronese tradition, the Ryoukate-Ghitala were supposed to always wear this mask in public when they take on the role of a spiritual sage. This was so that others would not be distracted by the natural appearence of the individual, and instead be able to concentrate more on other things.

Yim and Quci were dressed in somewhat simple, but far less elaborate clothing. Clothing they made from hemp-fiber cloth made in the village. It was mostly brown, but featured brightly colored ties and laces.

"Are the machines in Zye not going to stop us?", asked Yim, who didn't hate them, but wasn't particularly fond of their attitudes sometime.

"They cannot stop such a thing, and they wouldn't anyway.

I have the personal approval of Secretariat Andertol who granted us money for the trip.

You are to represent both of the schools of Ghitavism with honor.

Do not force our ways on theirs. Even if you feel the desire to.

Respect is paramount. Even if all else is lost between us, if we maintain that, we both at least have something.

You may go.

Xarizho will take you to Inleef where you will meet with the Leefen before departing to Ciata"


(Yim and Quci arrive in Inleef after a while)

[Kingdoms of Cal]

High priestess greets the couple and invites them in to her temple she was the priestess of Ocania, the sea. She was an old fur, she looks at Yim and simply says "You will not do"

Yim looks shocked.

Tulieonie (It was not her given name) continues "I will not be the one to travel with you but I do know that the Ciata will find you odd and your intellectual interest will cost us.

Leave us to find the past, perhaps it is not the source but it might give a lead.

But if it matters that much to you fine come on." she ends.

[miokalia]

Yim was sent back home, shamed.

He confronted the Ryoukate, he bowed very low and said, "It seems my presence on this journey is a liability."

"Then perhaps the Leefen are right that this is not the right time for us. However, the schools do desire to send someone there. Perhaps someone of closer species. Xarizho will have to take your place on this trip.", said the Ryoukate.

[Kingdoms of Cal]

The miokaliaen had a pleasant flight from Inleef to a base in Cal and then to the HMS Water. It wasn't ideal but it was the best base to start from, even with the current situation.

They were quickly transfered to the the Buzzard via a viking transport aircraft. This was obviously to be their kick off point, this was confirmed when the flight landed, the arrested landing was less than pleasant but they had been told a VIP flight was ahead of them.

The flight VIP flight that had been brought in before them was being mucked out. The VIPs were horses.

It was very surreal to be taken below to meet their houses, they also met their fellow travelers. Priestess Yikie a Senior lecturer in Hierographology of the temple university of Acline and also a master at arms.Vie the senior lecturer of mythology and folk-law from the same university was talking to her house in the hanger come stable. With them were seven temple guard, bow men.

Along with them was a drewn desert fox the calie emissary Way Taclan an and with him he had thirteen northern mountain tribal warriors and two others that seemed to be dealing with very bad mannered small shetland pony like horses.

"What do you prefer stallions or maiers?" the guide asks.

[miokalia]

"Uh", said Quci, reffering to an equally confused Xarizho. Then Quci could have sworn he heard a voice from the chest containing both of their personal effects, as well as a formal gift, which had arrived shortly after the horses. The voice said, "Mares". Quci went with this intuition and said, "The mares."

She could have sworn the chest weighed more than it did when it was first packed.

[Kingdoms of Cal]

"Have you met your horses?" the guide asks?
"Yes...I think, mine bit me!"Quci said.
"Well she had good taste" the guide repels with a fake smile
They walked up a corridor with the rest and the captain.

She smiled and said "Right your transport and luggage is being transported via our best means. You will be catapult launched off the ship at dawn tomorrow"

As the miokaliaen delegation walks up to their quarters the captain follows them and says:

"You guys won't have a plane...you have have five minutes to explain this stunt....It you can't well the case will be detonated, and you will be launched sans plane...I only said I would launch you"

[miokalia]

"Quci. What the hell is going on? Why are they now threatening to hurl us through the air?

Quci, maybe we should go home, these people are bat shit nuts...", said Xarizho.

"I think someone that wasn't supposed to come technically came.

You know, I know of someone who can contort themselves for an extended period of time... who weighs about 140 pounds.", said Quci, as she opened the chest.

There was Yim, all folded up.

"Oh it's just you. hm.", said Quci, not really all that phased or surprized by it.

"THIS is what you all were threatening us over!", yelled Xarizho,
"You were going to dump us overboard for this!
Quci. Do something."

"Well he wasn't supposed to be here, but I don't see how this is a huge problem. The only reason why he was sent back was because you all seemed to think he was a liability. It's not like Ciata has a sign right at the entry gates saying "NO DINOSAURS". Now we are all compliant with the rules they DO have, with what we have packed and have on ourselves.

I'm sorry about the unexpected additional passenger, but really. Is it worth killing some people over something this trite?", said Quci.

[Kingdoms of Cal]

Morning dawned and Taclan had managed to calm the captain down. She was still more than a little annoyed by the miokalia smugging, as she saw it, a person on board her ship. It was not like he was a stow away on a commercial ship, this was one of her majesty's fleet and doing so could be see as an act of sedition or espionage.

But Taclan had persuaded her that it would be better to let it slide in the interests of diplomacy. Though she was still not happy with the situation she had made arrangement to provide for Yim on the expedition.

The expedition team were on deck and their viking air craft where fueled and ready. The first group, consisting of the priestesses, their guard and a few of the lupine mountain tribes men were the first to be catapult launched off the ship, a new experience for most.

The second viking moved into position and Yim was brought up from the brig, where he had spent the night. Taclan had only calmed the captain down so far and had thought it best to let the captain throw him in the brig as it seemed to make her feel a little better. He also knew that the buzzard was the fall back, well it and leefen marines that had set up a temporary air base on the Ciatan boarder. So it was best not to annoy their back up if things should go pear shaped.

The group had all surrendered all the tech they had on them that may not be appreciated by the Ciatan. In the case of the miokalia they had been searched as was their luggage on the instance of the captain. Taclan had pointed out that this was a breach of diplomatic protocol but this had fallen on deaf ears, as they were on one of her majesty's ships the captain could do pretty much what they wanted. Taclan also reckoned that the miokalian were unlikely to make an incident out of it as they had smuggled (how ever unknowingly) an unauthorizes person aboard a naval vessel of the commonwealth. He reckoned both side would want to hush this up.

The only tech that they did carry was a small number of long distance Coms to call in help should it be needed. Though he doubted they would be needed, it was reassuring to know help was there should it be needed. The group board the air craft vial it's rear ramp, it's engines where already powering up and preflight checks were nearing completion. The Viking air craft was designed as a freighter/troop carrier/air drop craft and had no windows on it's sides, it's interior was well lit as would be required for military personal to check their equipment before deployment.

As they take their seats Taclan turns to Yim and says "You know if you guys had come to the foreign office we would have had no problem with you being here and we wouldn't have had all this unpleasantness. The sisterhood are not in charge of this, we are, some of these goddess bothers tend to get above their station at times.

Have you ever been catapult launched before? I must confess I am not looking forward to this"

Taclan was not alone, the tribal lupines were to a fur looking worried. They had been selected as they were from the mountainous northern baronies so were used to the kind of terrain they would have to traverse and the use of traditional weapons, rather than their experience with this kind of thing.