Re-entrance

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

She hasn't been here for a while.

But today, the door opens to admit a woman in a smart business suit, a large briefcase, sunglasses, and a mass of long black curls.

Entering the bar, she takes off her sunglasses, and as she strides towards the bar, her clothing shifts to a light ancient Egyptian linen dress, with a beaded collar, and dainty straw toe sandals. She orders wine, takes it to a table, sits down, opens her briefcase, pulls out a number of papers, and begins to read.

Some of them are burned at the edges.-

Comments

[mogget_cat]

Luckily, one of the resident fuzzy things of the bar will make sure her feet don't get cold.

It might even purr.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

While she is reading, Ma'at bends to stroke the cat on her feet.

Good things never need to change. Cats are among them.

Long ago, when her people first built granaries, these sweet little predators had come in from the desert to hunt the abundance of mice and rats that were after the grain, and had found a way to worm themselves into the hearts of the humans.

Where they remained, to this day.

[mogget_cat]

Cats may come and go, but their nature never changes.

Why change perfection, they would ask.

The cat's purr loudens at being petted, green eyes closing in contentment.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

This isn't just a cat.

It's not Bastet -- for one thing, the cat is male -- but it's not just a cat.

"Nice to meet you," Ma'at murmurs.

[mogget_cat]

"Likewise," he mwrrs, gazing up at her with half-closed eyes. "Though much of the pleasure is mine."

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

She keeps scritching his ears.

"I've been petting cats," she says, "ever since cats came and joined people."

[mogget_cat]

Who joined whom? The cats tell the story a different way.

"Then you've been putting that time to good use," he purrs, pushing his head up against her hand.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

She laughs, and pats her lap, invitingly.

"I've been doing other things as well," she says. "But there were always cats."

[mogget_cat]

"Always," he purrs, lightly leaping up to her lap, at her invitation.

"Other things than petting cat? What other, less deserving aims have you been entertaining?" he says, settling gingerly into a slightly curled crescent of fur on her lap.

[morethanprops]

Moist is at a table not far away and notes the change of clothes, in front of him are some brochures about spas in Uberwald and he has a map of the Sto Plains.

He's in the shirt sleeves of a nice suit and has a coffee and a pastry, as she sits, he tries to see if he can spot what the papers are about.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

Most of the papers are in Arabic, which might look Klatchian to Moist.

However, Ma'at is looking at a sheaf of documents in English right now, and snorts.

[morethanprops]

"Are they saying the wrong thing?"

Normally he wouldn't be this rude but Milliways has different rules.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

"Hello," Ma'at says, looking up. "No, they are saying darkly amusing things. Very darkly."

Beat.

"What year are you from?"

[morethanprops]

"According to which religion?"

Dates are one of those things that Moist hates trying to keep track of, they change depending on where you are.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

Oh dear.

"In my time, we use the Christian scale as a common time," Ma'at says. "We have some others, but not really much in use any more."

[morethanprops]

"Are you from Earth?"

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Ma'at says. "Egypt. I take it you're not, then?"

[accipiterpuella.livejournal.com]

Kendra enters Milliways via the back door after a long and relaxing flight around the lake. It's brisk yet peaceful outside, a welcome respite from terribly exciting events back home. She's just had a huge fight with Roy and is contemplating going to the practice area and asking someone to spar with her, but first she wants a glass of water.

She sees Ma'at and stops short with a sharp intake of breath. Her first inclination is to disbelieve that one of her own ancient pantheon is here, the second is to know in her bones that this is the real deal, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars.

Deities at Milliways? Why not?

She approaches Ma'at's table reverently and kneels, her head bowed in supplication.

"Great lady Ma'at, I am one of your humble servants."

Which is to say that her ka was born in ancient Egypt.

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

Ma'at looks at the woman, earnestly, for some time.

"So you are indeed," she says. "You are one of our hawks, belonging to Hâru, who was later called Horus?"

[accipiterpuella.livejournal.com]

Kendra, as always at Milliways (thankfully) is in full costume, and wears the stylized head of Horus in the center of her flight harness, positioned directly over the center of her chest.

"Yes. We took Horus's image in worship and homage, for by his gracious hand we achieved flight. So we then thought."

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

"And what do you think now?" Ma'at asks.

[accipiterpuella.livejournal.com]

"That it was Horus's hand that guided my lover's discovery and enabled us to find the metal that gave us flight. A metal from another world," she clarifies, although she's of the opinion that Ma'at might have already sensed the fine thrum of Nth metal that courses over her body and aura. The only person so far to sense it is Clark, and she had to have him really listen for it, but it's there. Surely the gods know what belongs to their Earth and what belongs to another?

"My ka has lived many lives, Lady Ma'at, but I am ever faithful to Horus. We both are."

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

"I can see that," Ma'at says. "And who cares if it's called Horus or aliens, as long as it works the way it does with you?"

Yes, she has seen it.

"Who cares if it's calle ma'at or 'human rights' as long as the people get it and are happier for it in their lives?"

[accipiterpuella.livejournal.com]

That silences Kendra for a few good, long moments.

She raises her head to look at Ma'at's face. She hadn't expected such a response.

"Thank you, blessed Ma'at. We defended the realm as best we could until...Hath-Set took our lives for the first time. May I ask a question?"

[ancient-justice.livejournal.com]

"Yes, ask," Ma'at says.