Ohanzee informs Sam and Chino of what he is about to attempt and makes sure they are comfortable with their preparations. The first part should be innocuous enough - try to fight against the overwhelming brightness of the artifact and study it astrally, as well as in the physical world. The second part would be trickier - actually touching the artifact. He hoped that wasn't what triggered the amnesia from before, but even so, compared to step three, it was low-risk. The final part of the examination would involve communicating with it - touching it with his mind and listening to its ancient whispers. He shivered at the thought as he steeled himself and opened his mind to the vivid shapes and colors of the astral.
Immediately he is forced to look away by its brilliance, and finds himself starting into a pair of shimmering eyes. It takes him a moment to realize that it is the Spirit of Air that he had summoned earlier, and slowly the rest of the spirit's body drifts into focus. No, that's not what happened. The background faded OUT, revealing the deep black body of the spirit. But not all black - pinpoints of light, like stars, winked in and out across the body of Celestial Crow.
I can tell you what you need to know about your prize, Celestial Raven said, the mirth evident in its voice. As a gift. Or perhaps for my amusement. It should not matter to you which.
Ohanzee's avatar, normally that of a medicine man, but tall as a human while still being unmistakably dwarf, appeared to shrink beneath the gaze of the powerful spirit. The intelligence and long lived wisdom the spirit possessed were nearly a physical presence here on the Astral, and they were impressive. The black raven he had summoned earlier surely had this same effect, being even more powerful, but in the heat of combat, Ohanzee had not had the opportunity to bear the focused attention of the spirit for long. But Celestial Raven watched the tiny dwarf with intensity. It was all Ohanzee could do to keep his voice from not coming out as a peep.
I would be grateful, oh spirit, for any assistance you would offer.
It is to be a weapon - more specifically, a bomb. The great bird preened, but the near eye never left the dwarf.
I know that already, Ohanzee thought. I don't need to know what I already know.
But under the withering attention of the vast spirit, such an affront as accepting a gift without grace would be unconscionable. Thank you , great spirit. Ohanzee started to turn back to the artifact, but Celestial Raven laughed.
You do not see the value of my gift. I could tell you about the artifact itself, but it would cost you, and that is not what you need to know, merely what you wish to know. Your pursuers are persistent, and have vast resources. It has been stimulating to foil their attempts, but even I cannot hold them at bay forever. They will find you soon enough, and when they do, you will be prepared or you will perish. Knowing the original purpose of the artifact will have little affect on the outcome, but to know why you have it - that is knowledge you can leverage against your foes.
The background of the Astral faded back into view, again leaving just the eyes, two starry pinpoints, then Celestial Raven blinked, and was gone from sight. He was still there - Ohanzee knew because he could still sense him through the link he had to any spirit he summoned - but he did not wish to be seen. The spirit had said its piece, and now stepped aside for Ohanzee to continue with his task.
He knew that it was a bomb - a powerful one, if Katsina's warning was not an exaggeration - and he had suspected that they were taking it somewhere to destroy. No, not destroy - detonate. The pieces began to fall into place. They were weapon smugglers. They had obtained a bomb that was powerful enough to rend the fabric of the universe. The artifact itself was a MacGuffin, it didn't matter what it did, just that it was magically powerful enough to cause the desired damage if it was destroyed.
That presented two possibilities; the more likely was that they were delivering it to Mom for some buyer - a Johnson of unimaginably foul intent - or that they had intended to use it themselves. Were they would-be terrorists? He could see no other possibility.
Or could he? What if it was related to the infection they had? Perhaps there was a source that they had discovered and they intended to destroy it before it spread beyond control. Or perhaps it could somehow save themselves - if it was technological or magical, it might be controlled by some central entity like a hive mind.
He should probably wonder why Celestial Raven had chosen to provide this information unbidden, but with the revelation fresh in his mind, he could think of nothing else.
>>@Team [Ohanzee] I have had an epiphany that might impact how we deal with "Mom".
He relays his thoughts to the team, then turns his attention back to the artifact. It might not be valuable in surviving their enemies, but it might be something they could sell for resources, which could indirectly help them survive. And it'd be easier to sell it if they knew more about what it was.
Celestial Raven chuckled briefly again. Ohanzee really wished he'd stop doing that.