Resizing plot

[galen_erso]

Galen Erso, still small(ish) as if only eleven years of age, is outside retrofitting a bright red inflatable rubber boat with some random high-tech parts from his world, and scraps from Teja's workshop.

Teja, still small(ish) as well, and in charge of little Egil, is helping with the mechanical bits, and learning about futuristic energy.

Egil, actually four years of age, is watching in fascination, and helping by keeping all the cats at bay.

Comments

[iprotectyou]

Oh, cool, more kids! And they're working on something neat!

Baze ambles over, tiny staff slung over his tinier shoulders, and sweat beading on his temples.

"Hoi!" he calls.

"I'm Baze Malbus. May the Force of others be with you! I assume you're both adults, regularly? What are you working on?"

[ostro_goth]

"Course you're Baze!" Egil says, keeping a cat from stealing a spanner. "And they're turning the rubber boat into a speedboat to go on the lake real fast, and I can come with them, but the cats can't. I'm sure you can come, too."

[iprotectyou]

Baze glances at the articulate child, and breaks into a grin.

"And who might you be?" Baze says, looking from him to the other two.

"Do you need help, or is this a two-person job? I don't know anything about speedboats, so I'm not sure how much help I'll be, but I can hand you tools."

[ostro_goth]

"What one needs to do," says the dark-haired boy, "is make some machine turn in the water very fast so the boat goes forward. If it is loud, and leaves a large wake, it is even more exhilarating. I am Teja, and you know me."

The mousy-haired boy turns to look at Baze with rather a shy smile. He looks very much like Roman Fell, only dorkier, and perhaps a year or two older.

[iprotectyou]

"Oh," Baze says. It's Teja. Great. Baze almost leaves then and there, but something about the other boy pings Baze's attention.

"Are you Roman Fell?"

[galen_erso]

"No," the other boy says.

His voice sounds similar to Roman's, but the accent is subtly different.

He stands straight, as if bracing himself for something.

"I'm Galen Erso."

[iprotectyou]

"Oh," Baze says again. He only knows one person who looks just like Galen Erso. Which means Roman Fell is probably Hannibal Lecter. Baze wonders why Lecter would bother lying to him. Why would Lecter want to spend time together?

And now Erso and Teja are standing in front of Baze. He hefts his staff, turns on his heel, and starts walking away.

[ostro_goth]

They are not going to stop him; they are more than willing to offer peace of any kind, but they're not going to force themselves on him.

Egil, however, sees this differently.

"Don't you want to ride the boat?" he calls, running after him. "Stop, Baze!"

He's almost caught up on his short legs.

"Everybody knows the Romans fell! Teja helped end them!"

[iprotectyou]

Baze glances down at the four-year-old. He's getting the impression that the redhead is an actual child, and as such, is far more gentle than he would be if Erso or Teja followed him.

"No. I don't want to ride the boat. Thank you," Baze says, not slowing in his pace.

"Please don't follow me."

[ostro_goth]

Egil stops meekly.

"But the boat is going to be fun!" he says, a bit louder so Baze can still hear him.

He's not allowed to follow, but nobody said he can't shout.

[iprotectyou]

Baze ignores him, and continues walking away. The mini-Guardian wants to part of any fun that involves Teja or Erso.

[ostro_goth]

"Teja says you have a really big gun and are in Security now!" Egil shouts after him, in an attempt to make him stop.

Baze sounded so cool when Teja talked about him, and Egil doesn't get why he is running away now.

[iprotectyou]

Baze has no idea why Teja is telling stories about him to this child. The mini-Guardian continues to walk until he's out of earshot, reaching the bar.

[ostro_goth]

Egil is rather hurt and confused by all this, so he goes and cuddles a cat while Teja and Galen carry on with the boat.