Order from Chaos 4: Supplies and Demands.

[Faith Augustin]

15th Cylus 719

She hadn't thought she'd ever get to this point, but Faith was starting to be able to look to the future for the Order of the Adunih. To start the plans she and Gennadiya had begun with sacks, literally sacks, of unopened correspondence. Now, however, they were ready to start planning the network of supplies, utilising the portal stones which they had been given permission for. Faith was delighted with this and she was starting to really see a way forward.

This was the backbone of the Order and so she had to get it right. In this particular moment, Faith was standing and looking at the table in her office at home. It was a large oak table, on which were lists - and more lists. A large map with a number of pins in it. Sighing, she glanced down at the large glowing blue dog which was looking up at her. "What we need to do, Cosmo, is get a clear idea of the resources produced, and required, by each Order outpost." Cosmo wagged his tail and gave a soft 'wuff' of agreement. Faith smiled down at the dog. "I'm glad you agree," she said with a chuckle as she scratched him gently behind the ear.

It was, very much, what they needed to do and so Faith had a plan. No one who knew her would be surprised by this. She had written to all the known Order outposts with a letter, a copy of which she had kept.

That letter - usually filed in her "correspondence" folder which had more subsections (one for each outpost, one for all - over organised was not a phrase Faith knew of) - was on the desk, too. The letter had gone out a few trials ago and she was impatient to get things done. On her note labelled "To Do" she wrote, carefully. Echo Scrolls 1 x each Order Outpost.

letter

To: The Head of the Order of the Adunih in <name of place>

Further to my previous correspondences, I am writing to request the following information from you:
1. What resources your Order outpost produces.
Please consider the term "resources" in its broadest definition. This might be:
Items you grow: like herbs or food.
Items you create: like glassblown beakers, wooden benches.

2. A brief overview of each member of your outpost. For this, please, may I have, for each person that works there (not just the healers):
Name
Current Rank (If applicable)
Additional skills which may be of benefit to the Order (crafting, creating, growing, inventing, etc)

3. A list of what resources you need in any given 40-trial period and how well you meet that need.

4. A list of what training, education etc has been provided at your outpost, alongside that which you plan to provide.

5. Anything else which might be useful as I attempt to centralise our resources to the betterment of all. (this would include staffing needs).

My aim is to ensure that we all have access to supplies and the most efficient supply lines possible. However, in order to do that I need to know the current demand. Thank you, in advance for your time and assistance.

Yours

Faith Augustin.

The dog suddenly lifted his head and let out a soft, but somehow more cautious than the previous, wuff. Faith looked up.

"Hello, Qit," she said, with a smile to her ghostly friend. "How are you?"

[Qit'ria]

Date

Five days.

Qit had been a ghost for five days so far.

The first day, she was sad, spent much of it moping about, having first figured out that she could move back and forth from Faith, Caza, and Oonah. Apparently they were her "anchors". That word alone had been a whole explanation ordeal because while Qit knew what an anchor for a ship was, in the Xanthean tongue, the ghost anchor didn't translate so cleanly from Common. Plus she'd never heard that Xanthean word before either. It was a whole mess.

The second day was spent learning how to interact with Caza. That had been her favorite day so far. She was so happy that she could still touch and talk and love her daughter as much as she wished. It truly made everything worthwhile. She was so happy she could still do that, and she had Faith to thank for that.

The third day was spent in boredom. For some reason, she was exhausted of her ectoplasm and was hardly able to do anything. She mostly just followed Caza around making sure she stayed safe.

The fourth day was depression. She missed eating, breathing, roaming the wilds. She was going stir crazy stuck in this house. She wanted out. She wanted to be alive again. To feel alive again.

Today, the fifth day, she was guilty. She was realizing just how much Faith had done for her, throughout their friendship. Faith truly was her rock. She was always there for her. Faith never turned her away, never denied her, gave her everything she needed.

And Qit never gave back.

She was selfish. All she'd ever cared about was herself, and her survival, and later, her baby. She'd never even realized this before. Why was Faith so loyal to her then? Was Qit only loyal to Faith because she'd been so useful? Qit brooded on this for a couple of hours this morning, as she roamed the halls of the house, spreading her self pity and wallowing in her misery.

Eventually her feet carried her into the office where Faith was working on something. Writing away. Another pang of guilt. Qit hadn't taken the time to learn to read and write before going after Yeye. Another way she'd let Faith down. Wait. No. That was her mother that wondered that. Qit had quite the confused look on her face as she tried to unjumble her memories, as the dog looked up at her and wuffed.

Settling her head back, she looked at Faith, not even trying to hide the sadness upon her face. "Hi Faith."

She took a deep breath, irritated at not actually feeling in air in her lungs.

At Faith's question, "I sorry."

The room grew a bit colder as Qit dipped into her sadness even more. Caza crawled on in, having been following her mother around, giggling the whole time. "I want help you sister." The temperature dropped some more. Caza didn't notice, for she was in the onesie Faith made her, so she warm and content. The dog's breath was now visible though. "I not... I not good sister. You do muchly me. I no do muchly you."

Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes were avoiding Faith's at all costs. "I sorry I die. It hurt you heart muchly. Oonah heart muchly. Paddyrags heart muchly."

She knew how much it hurt her own heart when Yeye died. He was the best man she knew, not that she knew so many. He could make anyone smile. Qit hadn't smiled in so long. And she didn't know the last time she tried to make someone smile. She couldn't remember the last time she'd even cared.

"I want help you, sister. I want do muchly you. To show heart."

Colder the room grew, frost on the inside of the glass. "I want feel..." She didn't dare say the world, realizing it was another selfish thought. Alive. Her throat tightened, and it was hard to breathe, despite not needing to or being able. Her eyes filled with tears, and she held an arm against her body. "Can I do help for you?"

[Faith Augustin]

15th Cylus 719

There was so much to do and Faith was aware that the things she had to do here were likely to take a lot of concentration and focus. The leadership of the Order of the Adunih was something which was still overwhelming to her, and she needed - and wanted - to get this sorted. It would be a major step and one which took a lot of organisation and concentration. So, she had most of her mind on this, but then she lifted her head and she looked at Qit'ria. At which point, concerns about what was happening for her dear friend completely over took her worries about the Order. "Whatever for?" Faith looked genuinely surprised as Qit apologised.

And then, Qit explained.

Faith listened, quietly watching as Qit spoke. She listened and she felt the cold around her. It didn't bother Faith, not in the slightest - she could adjust her own temperature, after all. But even if it had, she'd have said nothing. Because Qit needed to speak. When she'd finished though, Faith moved over till she was standing next to Qit. If she had to, she tilted and dipped her head to meet Qit's gaze. "You are my sister, and I love you." Faith really didn't do expressing emotions often, but she was utterly earnest in that moment. "You saved us, Qit. You gave your life to save us. My babies..." Tears shone in Faith's eyes and she looked at Qit stubbornly, determined to say what she had to. "You saved my babies, my husband, me." She could not say this loudly or clearly or persuasively enough to mirror just how much she meant it, but Faith was doing her damndest. "Because of you, the attack failed. Because of you, we can fight back. And you gave your life," Faith's voice cracked with emotion as she said that. "I owe you everything, Qit'ria. You... I can not thank you enough for what you did. We can't." Padraig wasnt there, but the flapping hand gesture would indicate that she meant him.

However, Faith knew enough to know that Qit needed to feel alive, useful and productive right now. So, she looked at the young Sev'ryn and she nodded. "We can.. I think we should talk about choices for you, now. I can help you with learning to be more solid, and give you energy. But, there are other things, too." Faith smiled at her friend and wished in that moment that she could just put out a hand and touch Qit. "I would love some help, if you would give it. They put me in charge of the Order of the Adunih. All of it, in the world, and it's so big, Qit, I don't know what to do." She glanced back at the table and smiled to Qit, rather wistfully. "I have lots of lists, but it feels like.. too big. It would help, really help, if I could talk it through with you?" It would, she realised. Faith had been focusing on the lists, on the pieces of paper and now, she needed to think about the people.

And for that, she needed to talk. So, looking at Qit she smiled. "We could talk about both things? Choices for you, choices for me?"

[Qit'ria]

Date

Qit listened, feeling the tears welling up behind her eyes. She knew they weren't real, just as she wasn't real, but still, they were there. Qit didn't think her defense of the family, her death, was of the same value of everything Faith had done for her. Everything Faith had done for her was out of the kindness of her heart, was above and beyond the normal, was more than anyone should or could ask for. She'd accepted Qit, as she was. She never tried to change Qit. She'd helped Qit, she'd shown patience and understanding. She was firm with Qit when she panicked, and comforting when she was lost.

Qit felt that far outweighed the life she'd given. Because defending those you love was something you had to do. Was something you needed to do, that you must do. And Qit would do it a thousand times again and again. Because that's what you do for family. It was not for a reward, it was not for thanks, it was not to feel good. You do it because family is always more than yourself. Her life simply was not close to the value that Faith's kindness had been.

Qit didn't want thanks, but Faith had already said what she wanted. In a bare whisper of her own, "I love you too." And from her stabbed heart of hearts, she meant it. Before Faith moved onto more official business, Qit stepped in close, and embraced her tight. The room immediately warmed back up to normal, even a bit more as Qit was pulled from her despair.

Qit stepped away, and scooped up Caza, who glowed, "Ama!" Qit nuzzled the girl's nose and then faced them both back toward Faith. Aunt Faith. She told Caza so in this moment, in both languages. The little girl looked at Faith blinking and smiling, "Fuh!" Qit smiled. "Yes. Be better ghost mama. It... hard. Move from Beneath muchly hard. I try open door two break. Much mad."

She dipped cold again. "I get mad muchly. I not want be."

At Faith's mention of the Order, Qit perked up. Faith was their leader now. And Qit's mind was immediately cast to her father, to their final moments together in Rharne. But Faith wanted to talk about it, and it sounded to Qit like she needed it. Qit moved over, sitting in a chair nearby, setting Caza down to roam. The girl was restless, always crawling about.

"We talk you choices. We talk my choices later. I here to help you. To help Order."

Qit couldn't help the next bit, not that she ever truly could help herself. "Yeye would like you muchly. Be muchly proud." It was the first time she'd said his name aloud since she returned from Rynmere.

[Faith Augustin]

15th Cylus 719

Faith Augustin did not do hugs.

In fact, she really did not like physical contact from most people; it was a hangover from her arcs as a slave that tendency to avoid physical touch. It had been a very different thing for her, being touched in any way, when she had been a slave and as a free woman she had developed a liking for her own space. There were, of course, exceptions to this; her husband, her children ~ and her sister. Faith held on to Qit and she smiled at her friend with encouragement in her eyes. The small cry of "Fuh" caused delight to bubble inside her and Faith beamed. "That's right, beautiful bird. Faith. It's a hard word, and you are so, so clever. So clever!" She nodded to Qit'ria and tried her best to explain. "That is something that happens, I believe," to dead people whose best friend had told them to not move over. Faith felt such an enormous sense of responsibility. "It is important that you keep on... remembering who you are. Focus on Caza. But, Qit, what happened when Padraig opened the box" Qit knew, Faith had made sure that everyone in the house did. Vri's box had been opened. "It means that you can't...grow. You will be like this until, I think about Saun-time. But that means that you can learn, overcome that anger - beat it. Keep focused on Caza, on home, on family. On being you. "

They talked about the Order and Faith realised something. As Qit spoke of her father, Yeye, Faith saw the look in Qit'ria's eyes, she understood the pain that her sister was going through. What had happened in Rynmere had been beyond difficult for Qit and Faith was without a doubt that there was so much pain in the young woman who had saved her, her family, their home. And in that moment, Faith saw a way to help.

"Yeye, he was in the Order a long time, yes? If he was here, Qit, do you think he would be able to help?" She looked at Qit and spoke, softly. "I can bring him back, for seven trials only. But in those seven trials, he would be him. Here. He could hold Caza, she could see him. He could be with you, and he could help me with the Order." Looking at Qit, Faith made sure that she was very clear. "It would be for seven trials only, and then he would be gone again. But I could do that, and I would very happily do it." Looking at Qit, she waited to see what her friend - her sister - thought of the idea.

[Qit'ria]

Date

Qit remembered feeling that... whatever that box nonsense was. She hadn't thought much of it, and wouldn't have known much more, or even thought on it, had she not been informed. She wasn't sure exactly what Faith meant on that. Ghosts could grow? But apparently they could. But until Saun, Qit was not able to. Was that a good thing? Bad thing? She had a million questions. She didn't need to ask them though. Qit trusted Faith. And Faith told her to focus on her family. To not lose herself. And so, Qit would.

At the continuation on Yeye though, Qit was saddened. But following Faith's advice, she scooped up Caza and looked her straight in the eyes. The little girl smiled, reaching out to touch Qit's face. Qit spoke to Caza, though the words were meant for Faith, and the sadness was not so strong. "Yeye in Order before I born. No know how long arcs, but many. I.. leave home muchly young. Family break." That one stung Qit, and at the word break, a window pain cracked. She winced. It had been an accident. "I sorry. Yeye not do Order while he sad. He work in home. Help some who come to him." She smiled, "When with child, I go home. He smile. No more sad. He go back to Order."

But Qit's ethereal blood was running cold. Faith could bring him back. It would be temporary. But he could be back. There was a problem with that though. One that Qit. She couldn't remember how much Faith knew or how much she'd told her. So she said so now.

Rage and sadness both flowed through her now, "He not same. Mantis take Yeye magic. It..." Her face scrunched up angrily and another window pane shattered completely, "break his mind." Caza grew wide eyed at the sudden sound, and then tears began to fill the little girl's eyes. Qit'ria's focus on that event though didn't allow her to notice, "They tear magic from soul, no care. They rip his soul." She was snarling now, Caza crying into her chest, "I kill him. He want free."

Her eyes turned onto Faith's, seething, though not at her sister, "Thanks muchly. No. No bring Yeye back. He free now. Free from his broke soul." Then she felt the tears of her daughter upon her chest, and Qit's demeanor changed once more. The rage dissipated almost instantly, and she was back to cooing and talking softly to the little girl, calming her down. Qit was smiling, and was back to happy.

Qit now spoke again. "I want... I want do some nice for Yeye. I bury him under tree in Rynmere. He would muchly like that. But no one know he gone. They need know. Hork'alin, brother, in Desnind has Yeye cloak." Qit wasn't sure what she wanted to say next, but the words sort of just spilled out, "I want Yeye cloak. I want wear for Order. I want earn. I want help, for Yeye, for you. What I do to help?"

[Faith Augustin]

15th Cylus 719

Either, Faith considered, she was going to have to work harder with Qit to stop her emotions breaking things, or she was going to have to get a full time repairman. Come to that, between Qit, three children, Padraig and everyone else in the house, maybe that wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. She stored that away to discuss with Padraig and she kept her attention on Qit'ria. She listened to what had happened to Yeye, and she nodded. "I understand," she said, and she did. "Qit." Faith looked at her friend and spoke in a soft voice. "It is possible to do that, to take the magic, without hurting the soul. I can. For Necromancy only. I would never do to anyone what they did to your Yeye. I want to start working on ways to heal the soul, if I can. For people that has happened to." She sighed slightly. So much to do.

And then, of all things, Qit said that she wanted to join the Order.

Faith looked at her friend and there was no mistaking the expression on her face. Delight. "Qit'ria. That is... excellent news." She was beyond delighted and she thought about it for a moment. "And yes, please, I would love your help." Frankly, at this point, Faith was of the opinion that she needed all the help she could get. Moreso, it was people like Qit who would truly be the most useful. "I have... so much to work out, my head is full." She had been working things out a particular way and now, she was of the opinion that she needed to make it more clear. Both for Qit'ria, and for herself.

Pulling a piece of parchment forward, she quickly sketched a stick-figure of a female with long black hair. "This is me," she said, with a smile. Underneath that, she drew a line of four drawings of buildings. One had a tree behind it, one looked more like a church, one a volcano and so on. "These are the places with the Order. Desnind, Rynmere, Scalvoris.." There were others. Inside each building, there was a person. "This is the person who is in charge of that Order Outpost." Lifting her head, she stopped and checked that Qit was happy with that. If there were questions, she answered them.

Then, from each outpost, there were three or four people. "The staff who work there," she explained and then, underneath that a bed with a stick figure laying on it. "The person who is ill. It has always been like this. But I want to make it different, Qit. I want this." She pulled another bit of paper in front of her and put a bed-ridden stick-figure in the middle of it. "This person. They should be where we start. What do they need?" Faith drew things around that person, each one pointing into them. A plate of food, bandages, a person, a mug of something steaming, blankets and pillows, two faces talking. "This should be where we start. What do we need to give to the people who come to us? Then, we go back here," to the first hierarchy diagram, "and these people," the staff of the Order, that was. "They tell this person, who tells this person who tells this person and we provide it. Gardens, herbs, food, warmth, furniture and the company of someone, someone to listen to them, to help them. They need to be provided all of those things." Looking at Qit, Faith gave a slight smile.

"I know what I want to do. I want to change the focus. But I don't know what to do first." She looked at Qit and smiled, then pointed to the diagram with the patient at the middle. Gesturing to the things around, those services provided to their patients, basically, Faith asked a simple question. "What would you like to be giving, here?"

[Qit'ria]

Date

Qit nodded at Faith's words about healing the soul, of not destroying mages. She trusted Faith in this as well, but it was not as easy of a trust. She'd seen what the Mantis did. She had not yet seen what Faith could do in that regard. She believed the intent, she just needed to see the ability. Qit kissed the top of Caza's head, glad to hear that Faith accepted her into the Order.

She watched curiously as Faith began to draw, and spoke. And Qit listened. This was just how Yeye used to teach her things. Her mother too. As Faith spoke, Qit understood. Qit stayed quiet as Faith spoke. She understood the hierarchy of things it seemed. Hierarchy was something that existed in nature, and with spirits. It was not a difficult thing to get a basic grasp on.

As Faith continued, explaining her desire to focus on those that needed help first. Faith asked Qit a question, but Qit was thinking. Person first. Qit had questions, but she was trying to focus her mind on the problem at hand. She tried to think of it in terms she knew better. As she thought, she closed her eyes, and she said her questions aloud as she went.

A patient was something to be hunted. Faith wanted to find them all, she assumed. She wanted to cure everyone of whatever was needed to be cured. That was like a goal Qit had in her youth, to hunt every beast in the world, to prove herself the greatest predator. But it still required that starting point.

"How find person? Why person come you? Order go to person need help. Order hunt sickness. Not wait..."

Qit thought of other things she did while hunting. "Can follow...sickness?" She didn't know if such a thing was a thing, merely speaking aloud. "Watch sick person. Learn what do..." Her brow furrowed as things began to get confusing again. She huffed and plopped down into seated position on the floor, Caza on her lap.

She thought about things that happened to her, reasons she had to be healed, by Faith or by herself. But she wasn't sure if that was a good measuring stick to go by. City people were weak. She was strong. And she couldn't expect weak people to be stronger. They were like babies. All you could do is teach them...

"Teach persons how not sick better. Not just Order persons, all persons."

But still, none of this felt any good to Qit, yet she thought something was making sense in her mind, and was just unable to express it. Something was nagging at her. She opened her eyes and looked down at Caza, seeing the vine on the girl's wrist wriggle about, playing with her daughter. She remembered being scared of going to the Order when she knew she was pregnant. She remembered not trusting strangers. She remembered not wanting to be alone when it was time to give birth. She remembered Yeye and how he was part of the community first and the Order second.

She wasn't sure how to word it in Common, but she gave it a go anyways. "Family first, Order next." She stood up now. "Sick and hurt much afearfill. Order afearfill as place of sick and hurt. No be place for heal. Be place of family. Family no afear."

At Faith's question of her from earlier though, Qit took a more practical approach, "What ghost do that person not do?" Qit knew she could walk through walls and venture to the Beneath, but she didn't know really how that was helpful.

[Faith Augustin]

It would be so easy to underestimate QIt'ria, Faith knew. People undoubtedly did, because of her way of speaking, her attitude, her somewhat direct approach to things and her lack of comprehension of many cultural norms. But Qit'ria was strong, she was determined and she was smart. Faith did not doubt that, not for a moment. So, when Qit started to speak, Faith listened. A smile lit her face as Qit'ria suggested that they needed to hunt sickness, to look at what sick people did, and she nodded. "That's one of the things I teach," she said. "That we have to hunt illness. Track it. Know it." Faith considered that it was so important to do just that - if they didn't then there was the very real possibility that they would miss important details, things which needed to be looked at. Without a doubt, in Faith's mind, Qit'ria understood the importance of what so few others did; because she was a huntress.

Teach people? Faith nodded, and thought about that. "Free classes? For ... anyone? On how to not get sick. So, for people who might be more likely to get sick?" Those were specific groups, and she did some quick sketches. Faith's drawing ability was not great, but she used it the best she could, and it worked well enough. On the bottom of a piece of parchment were the people. Each one recognisable (mostly... more or less) by the drawings. "Pregnant women. Children. Elderly people. Most likely to get sick, yes? But also." Faith frowned. Qit was right. She was more than right, she was.. ".. you are so clever. I hadn't thought of it. Cooking. Cooking to keep healthy. To stay strong. How to do that. Free classes."

That was the way to do it - to start it. Free classes. Teach people how to grow things, to cook things. Basic first aid. It would get the members of the Order of the Adunih known by the people, and vice versa, it would be useful and it would help people. Faith beamed at Qit. "It's perfect. That's so clever." Her expression was, quite obviously and genuinely delighted. When Qit spoke of people being afearful, Faith nodded. "This will help, yes? Make people know us, know that we are here to help. Like family?" Faith knew, without a doubt, that Qit'ria had just hit upon something important; something really important.

Really important.

She asked a question, though, and Faith considered it. "There are a few things. You can.. it's called possessing. You can put yourself in someone. Make yourself solid. And make illusions, I think?" Faith smiled softly. "Mostly, I help them move over, not tell them I think they should stay."

That was so very true. But Qit was her sister and Faith knew that she had said the right thing. Because Qit needed to live. She needed to. Breathing in, she came to a decision. "Qit, you said you want to help the Order?" Qit had said it and so Faith knew that she meant it. It was just how she might do that which hadn't been obvious at first. But now? Now Faith knew.

"Will you be in charge of organising the lessons? What is taught, who to, when? I can get someone to help you with the planning, but you know what's needed. Better than anyone I know. Would you feel that you might do that?" Because, as far as Faith could see, Qit'ria would be the perfect choice.

[Qit'ria]

Date

Qit listened, and listened carefully. She watched the sketches and understood. Pregnant women. Children. Elderly. But Faith was missing two. Qit grabbed the charcoal pencil Faith had been using. Or rather, she tried. Her fingers disappeared into it. Her brows furrowed and her face grew stern. Her daughter saw this change and mimicked it upon her own face.

Qit focused her stubbornness into her fingers. Faith said solid. That meant it was possible. So Qit forced it. It took a long while, but she could see her fingers growing whiter. Soon, the pencil was no longer visible through her hand. She reached out again and found she could hold it. She could feel it, sort of. But it was muted. More like, she could tell it was there, but it didn't feel like anything. She couldn't tell by feel alone that it was made of wood. It could've been made of feathers or fire for all she knew.

But still, she picked it up.

And she reached forward on the paper and drew two incredibly crude shapes. One was a spear, one was a head with a sad face. She looked at Faith, pointing at the spear, "Fighter." Then she pointed at the sad head, "Mind. Broke. Yeye." She didn't know the words to say it, but she was referencing to soldiers, guards, hunters. People with a high risk of combat based injuries. The second figure was people with broken minds and other mental disorders. She just didn't know the technical terms.

Qit knew what it was to be pregnant. Qit knew about raising her child. Qit knew about broken minds, for her own was. She knew that. But she was able to keep it in check with the spiritual art of meditation. She knew about combat injuries and having to take care of yourself. The only area she didn't know anything about was old people things. She could learn that, she supposed.

And Faith wanted her to be in charge.

Qit had never been in charge of anyone before, other than herself and her child. It was... daunting. But... She was not alone in this world anymore. She was part of Faith's family. She was Oonah's sister. She was part of the Order. This meant that she would have to deal with more people. A part of her blanched at the thought. She'd had too many bad runins with people to ever trust them.

But Faith had earned that trust. So had Oonah. So had Padraig. So had Mack. It was a short list. Trust would have to be the cornerstone of all of this. Family meant trust. The order needed to be family to the city, to all the people they needed to help.

She would have to give, and get, trust, from strangers.

She looked down at Caza, kissing her child upon the forehead, "I do that."

She didn't know how she would. She didn't know what she didn't know. She didn't know much, but she knew she would do this.

She looked over at Faith. "I do this."