>>6024693Proceeding through the center of the palace leads you to the open-aired throne room, but what you see sitting upon the throne may be the strangest thing you've seen on this planet yet: A human.
At least, you're pretty sure it's a human. The only frame of reference you have for what humans look like is your squadmate Forlow, but he's a cluster of nanobots that just resembles a human for political reasons. Plus he's got a removable paneling on his face. This... woman? Appears to be the genuine article.
Lady Jasper is an awe-inspiring sight. Humans are the stuff of legends - they're unbelievably rare since the dragons ran them into extinction across thousands of worlds. You've only heard of them, and the stories you've heard have built them up to be mythic in charisma, determination, adaptability... yet at the same time, she seems <span class="mu-i">unthreatening.</span> Even from her position atop her gemstone throne, she's small - half your size - and appears frail, like you could bisect her by squeezing a single hand around her.
When she speaks, her jaw doesn't move, and despite the mask over her face, her voice isn't muffled. It sounds to radiate from her. Maybe that's just how humans speak? You make a note to ask Forlow later.
"You made it, treasure-seeker." She doesn't acknowledge the imp either. Dee's occupied with looking around, as if more interested in the building than in the proverbial unicorn.
Jasper continues, "I know you're searching for the Crown of Thousands, but I don't think you know that it belongs to me."
That complicates the mission, but wasn't there something more important at stake?...
>Demand. She must know the whereabouts of my squad.>Question. If her guards took my squad, why didn't they take me?>Investigate. What does she want with the Crown - does she not have it? 