The Leonine Games [Afternoon 1]

[Nirilli]

Nirilli was breathing hard, a bloody mess. Barely able to keep her balance.

"Pankratos," she said, in awe. "You saved me!"

And then she turned to the others. People she had not met. Names only overheard. "You were all so brave. Thank you, Emcas." That was a person she had met! And he'd been a heck of a lion wrestler.

But also. "Lady Gray is it? And ... Laila? Thank you for coming to help. I ... I'm Nirilli. A slave of the Archon and a performer here."

"I ... I might sit down for a moment." She tried, lamely, to hold the torn pieces of her clothes and headdress together. And not pass out.

[Emcas]

Emcas's pace slowed when the second lion went down...but he was still on edge. Something in Pankratos unnerved him, he could not say exactly what however.

But seeing the wounded and bloodied he decided his course of action

''Hold a moment Lady Gray, Nirilli, I will go fetch a doctor.'' he informed them with some stern concern before leaving to do just that.

[Cuyler Gray]

"There are others who need help." Cuyler said. "They'll be busy. Make sure the lions are secure and healthy."

[Laila Bridger]

Laila still had the old adrenaline singing in her veins, of course, but that was all right, that was fine, that was normal, she'd done this sort of shit before...

Remain human.

She took a moment to deactivate her shield, no matter how little she wanted to with the Tleilaxu thing right there.

She nodded at Nirilli's introduction, didn't know shit about medicine, and

Hadrian's okay, Hadrian's okay, Hadrian's okay

"We got some way to truss these things in case they wake up sooner than expected?"

[Hadrian Martikova]

Hadrian made his way over to the others. Starting with the patient that was in the most danger he got to work treating Nirilli.

"That was incredibly brave. You have my admiration." His eyes glanced at Emcas. "You all do." But he acknowledged everyone who fought the lions including Pankratos. "Are you in need of healing as well my lady?" He asked Shinah. "Laila? Emcas? Sir?"

He would look around for Dr. Xard, "Should we perhaps find some rope?"

_____________

Medicine check | Nirilli: 1eP+2eA+2eD 2 successes, 2 threat


I can absorb the threat if need be.

Medicine check | Cuyler: 1eP+2eA+2eD 2 successes

[Kannon]

Once the lions were down, the cleanup was relatively quick. Security joined in on crowd control, and a lion handler appeared on the scene to investigate their condition and properly sedate them. Hadrian's triage had been mostly effective so far, but medical personnel finally reached the section as well to take care of the casualties, which were about a dozen, including one of a stampede. Nirilli and Cuyler were also helped, one earning a sling and the other a crutch. It was clear than from then on they no longer had any responsibility for handling the aftermath.

The Oon rang with announcements that the resolution of the race had been postponed. Damage control had already begun, with transmissions diverted to the commentators, who had been desperately trying to guess what the official line should be. For the most part, they were hailing Pankratos, who had apparently surrendered his lead when the had accident happened, had sent his lions free sandwiched between two force-fields and then had done a controlled fall through the remaining ones, penetrating them at just the right speed. The valiance of the Zensunni slaves involved in subduing the lions was also commended, though so far they remained unnamed in the broadcast. Nimais hadn't had the instinct and would have tried to race on if she hadn't been sealed off from going up. In the end, she had to evacuate as Ben Ghali's lions started chasing her. Dyrrachion and Ben Ghali had fallen to their deaths, though whether this could have been prevented was a question that would remain unanswered for now. As would the one why the lions could have got out into the galleries in the first place.

The Archon had left the Oon, the Strategos didn't, apparently coordinating the effort from his aerie at 180 W, just above them, to contain the fallout. But there was no way to sugarcoat any of it - for House Ptolemaios, it was a disaster.

[Kannon]

"I am sorry, Nirilli. I didn't expect the race to end like this." Pankratos said. Turning away from Shinah, he took in the bloody wake of the lions' passing with his emotionless metallic eyes with a melancholic smile. Then he looked up. "Good job, Emcas. Facing you one day may be interesting. But now I guess I need to take care of my lions before they cause trouble."

[Kannon]

Vim or the Sisters were nowhere to be seen. They must have evacuated in time.

[Cuyler Gray]

Cuyler carefully rose to her feet. She needed a shower and a change of clothes. But, that would have to wait. After all of the chaos, she needed a moment to make sense of things and figure out what her next steps would be.

[Laila Bridger]

Laila gave Hadrian a weary smile.

"Not a scratch, as it happens."

But so much for even pretending to keep a low profile.

[Emcas]

Emcas had come back with the medics and giving a silent nod to Pankratos's praise. He looked at the people present to make a head count.

''To any of those wishing to return to their lodging I can fetch a transport.'' he proposed

[Laila Bridger]

And those of us without lodging yet will just mill around for a while.

[Hadrian Martikova]

"Ahh, Mr. Vim and the other sisters seem to be gone. I do hope they weren't swept up in that mass of people." He gives a quick glance at Cuyler before looking at Laila with a tad more worry that he soon masks. "I knew you could handle yourself." His voice is warm but there's no masking the concern in his voice. He was suppressing every desire he had to hold and comfort her in the moment.

That he'd been ignored by Pankratos was no real surprise. That Pankratos and the slave girl were perhaps something more was a strange revelation.

To Emcas, "Yes, I think it high time we find some lodging. We will wait until you are good and ready, sir."

[Nirilli]

Nirilli smiled warmly at Hadrian as he patched her up. "Thank you."

But her expression turned more sober taking in the deaths. The disaster for her mistress. Oh no. Oh no.

"You could not have anticipated or prevented this," she said to Pankratos. "How could this have happened? Oh... I wish this hadn't happened."

What could they do to make this better?

"Please, everyone, you have done so much. Is there anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?"

[Cuyler Gray]

"Yes, lodgings...." Cuyler looked herself over. "That would definitely be a good idea."

[Hadrian Martikova]

Nirilli smiled warmly at Hadrian as he patched her up. "Thank you."

"Please, everyone, you have done so much. Is there anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?"

At the time he would have returned warmth with warmth. His admiration having been completely genuine given the circumstances and how she had acquitted herself.

"Your concern is admirable, but given your wounds it might be prudent for you to take some time to recover my lady." He smiled, "And here I was thinking of offering to reward you for your heroism. Perhaps treat you to breakfast or lunch."

[Laila Bridger]

Nirilli's question was...

Laila wanted to scream at her. Scream for her. She wasn't armed or armored or even all that skilled at fighting by the looks of things, and had thrown herself into the lion's path.

And now she was asking if she could help anybody?

Harmonthep was officially the maddest world she'd ever set foot on. Grumman had been insane, but insane with war. This place...

She took a cleansing breath and simply moved to flank Hadrian. As per their cover story. And conveniently freeing her from having to speak to anyone.

Having thus far eluded Pankratos' direct conversational notice, she was perfectly content to keep doing so.

[Sister Shinah]

Shinah was processing what she had seen, especially the part where her observations had, themselves, been noted.

An unfortunate outcome, but painfully little time for subtlety as it was. The price was worth paying.

She hovered about the edge of the crowd, taking in the interplay between the others.

[Emcas]

''Very well Lady Cuyler.'' he replied with a nod ''Do you know where your companion is?''

[Cuyler Gray]

"Hopefully, somewhere safe." She answered. "I assume he was evacuated with the others we left up there. I doubt they would have been pressed in with the rest of the masses fleeing, however."