A slightly smaller Mess

Laurence: "That doesn't stop their aura hurting like hell."

Charles: they're fully trained. They can suppress it at will.

Laurence: "I don't particularly want to be collateral."

"Pardon?"

"When they turn it on in combat. We'll get hit regardless."

"Not if we're elsewhere in the station. Careful deployment, laurence."

*Serah and jax enter the hangar, fully suited for combat. Serah's damaged power armour adorned once more with her rosarius, her bolter clipped to the small of her back. Jax walks beside her, his rifle over his shoulder, and his sword at his hip*

Laurence: "Exactly what i meant, avoiding them like nurgles rot."

the custode saggitarum turns to watch them as they enter

Charles: indeed

*Serah stops dead.* "Jax..."

Jax: "Oh... my..."

Laurence: *notices them enter. he looks past charles at them.*

Charles: something wrong, laurence?

Laurence: "Nothing. Some old acquaintances just wandered in."

Serah: "What do we do?"

Jax: "Not a clue." *They're both just sort of standing just in front of the door*

Charles: ah. *walks over to them* Don't be shy *grin*

Serah: "Those are custodes..."

Charles: I know. They've come to give us a hand apparently.

Serah: *Stunned silence*

Charles:...it's alright, deep breaths

Serah: "I thought they never left the palace..."

"that seems to have changed"

Serah: *Silence*

the saggitarum approaches

*more wide eyed silence*

he speaks "Are you alright?"

"uhhh. I... um."

"...are you afraid?"

*she drops to one knee* "In awe my lord."

he's obviously not sure how to react
"um..rise"

*She stands, looking him the eye. Well, eyepiece to eyepiece*

"You need not emasculate yourself, ma'am"

"You are a custodes... It is only polite."

"it is completely unnecessary...you are not less than me"

Serah: "I..." *Looks at jax. he gives her a reassuring look* "Thankyou."

he puts down his weapon. its nearly as large as she is. he offers his hand.

*She hesitates, then takes his hand*

"What is your name, ma'am?"

"Serah Delatine Immalia, my lord."

"Tribonian"

"This is my husband... Jax Immalia."

he nods in greeting

*silwnce from both of them. To be expected really, a pair of old vagrant soldiers meeting the emperors personal guard*

Tribonian: *after a bit of a pause* I hope you won't be like that when the bullets start flying. Rather hard to fight when your jaw's dragging on the floor.

Serah: "No my lord. We're experienced warriors."

jax: "We'll hold in the awe if you hold in the snark."

they can tell he's smirking a little at jax's comment
"I suppose that's fair"

Jax: "Are those sisters of battle?... we might have problems here..."

Tribonian: *looks at them* You have not heard of the null maidens of the sisters of silence?

Jax: "I... Vaguely. In the sort of. Holy shit stories way."

Serah: "By the emperor."

Tribonian: you two are sure you'll be alright?

Serah: "...You know much about sisters of battle?"

"Enough. My captain was there at your founding. When Alicia dominica met with the the emperor."

Serah: "I... was one."

Jax: "Emphasis on. Was."

"are you still loyal?"

Serah: "I sometimes wonder if our actions would be judged as such... but we try."