Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 2 Chapter 6 - Mortals (NOTE: all posts either to or cc ) From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 21:12:36 -0500 Subject: Aae-Death of a Callahanian Driss's eyes dart to each and everyone here. "Somehow he's gotten to you. All of you. The Light is obviously dead save for me. But I know a way to take all of you out." His hand reaches to another stud on his collar, and this time the armor hums a low pitched whine that seems to be raising in pitch slowly. "I've just activated the overload for the suit's powerpack. I've been in the heart of a sun as it's gone nova and survived. This is only going to be a nuclear explosion of about a megaton. With his superspeed, Roland might be able to get away before it blows in 15 seconds, but it would only prove me right about him." Just then everyone feels Roscoe's conciousness in their minds [No time for niceties, I need power _NOW_!] Just then Driss's face seems to become puzzled as Roscoe breaks through the mental barrier. [Now Morgan! Sing wiht me!] /What? I don't know what you're talking about.../ But then she did... Driss's Song Sung to the first part of Behind Blue Eyes All apologies ot Robert Daltery. ;-) No one knows what it's like, to be the bad man, To be the sad man. Behind green eyes. No one knows what it's like, to be hated. To be fated, To living so many lives. But my Dreams, they're not as empty. As my existance seems to be. I have always, Been so lonely. The cure seems simple. Except to me. No one knows what it's like, to be the con man. To be the gone man With all the gold. No one knows what it's like to be hunted, by those afornted, or so I'm told. But no matter what they want to make me, That's not what I choose to be. Cuz Above all, I'm truly nothing If I'm not.... Truly me! With the last line the song is not just in everyone's minds, but in their ears as well in a choked cry from Driss's lips. His head is raised to the sky and tears stream down his face. "what have I done?" He hits the stud again to try to stop the overload, but the hum continues. Flame shoots down from Driss's back as he fires a jetpack on the armor and flies into the stairwell and up. there is a small explosion and some falling stone, then a much larger one, far enough away it sounds like distant thunder. Then there is just silence. Driss's cloak is seen slowly drifitng down the open area of the stairwell as it flutters past the now moving Dopplegangers of Driss. Krazzan looses his magic on The Controller, but to his amazement the old man seems unaffected. "You are such a fool Krazzan. You taught me the secret of negating magic, but you thought I would not create a defense for myself with it? The Shadow used the magic you taught them to help me craft an anti-magic amulet. I thought you might try something like that." Krazzan's brazenness has turned to cowardice as the Controller turns away from him confidently. "Oh and by the way Krazzan, this is where you fall down." From the courners of the room, small laser turents pop down from the ceiling and slice the drow elf into 5 large pieces. A small robot comes from a doorway and begins to clean up the elf chunks and the minimal spilt blood as the Controller goes back to his moniters. Squee flutters down the hallway as fast as he can, coming out in a large garden looking area. fluttering into some bushes, he morphs again, this time into a green lizard. {neah Neah, Mischief can't find me Mischief can't find me!} =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-Death of a Callahanian Date: Sat, 22 Mar 97 00:08:22 -0000 From: Roland X (Morgan:) >At 08:26 PM 3/21/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > >> "Thanks for the save, Xzerrion," Roland says, touching the >>circle-in-lightning, and suddenly Roland is dressed in blue >>and silver, otherwise a dead ringer for his superspeed mentor. > >name. I read Tolkien, not DC or Marvel. :-)> >> *Morgan,* Roland sends in a tight beam, *I think I should >>point out that in this form, while I regenerate like crazy, >>I'm just as mortal as any man. Dead is dead. Are you _sure_ >>this guy is your friend?* > ><*Driscoll is a very dear friend, and he's in there somewhere, but >someone or something has _definitely_ tampered with his mind. Roscoe >and I are working on it.*> Roland sighs. *I trust you...* He looks at the enraged Driscoll. *...it's him I'm worried about.* >Then at 08:42 PM 3/21/97 -0500, Mayhem wrote: >>> The head and body fall to the ground, and screeching cuts in and >>> out from a few moments, then dies altogether. Driss doesn't >>> however. His hand reaches out, feeling for his head, and pulls it >>> back onto his shoulders. > >[Morgan, stay with me!] Roscoe's voice sounds in her head, snapping >her back from a major disorientation. Since she'd discovered her old >friend was an immortal, she'd assumed he was of the Highlander sort. >Obviously not the case! Roland recoils, his face a mask of disgust. "Light, and I thought Brand was bad..." >The medallion hummed faintly with magic. Warning Roscoe first, she >shifted some of her consciousness into reading the object. Her eyes >grew wide in surprise, and fear, and her lips moved silently, "Oh my >Go...." > >"_STOP!_" Morgan's Voice, with every ounce of her Bene Gesserit >training behind it, rings out across the room. Everyone freezes, some >more reluctantly that others, and all eyes turn toward the source of >the sudden and irresistable command. Roland tries to resist a moment, out of sheer cussedness. Then he realizes that a fellow Callahanian is depending on him. ><*Cover me, _everyone_!*> *You're covered.* Roland's body begins to vibrate. There seems to be three of him sharing the same space. (Driscoll/Roscoe:) > Driss's eyes dart to each and everyone here. "Somehow he's gotten to >you. All of you. The Light is obviously dead save for me. But I know >a way to take all of you out." His hand reaches to another stud on >his collar, and this time the armor hums a low pitched whine that >seems to be raising in pitch slowly. "I've just activated the >overload for the suit's powerpack. I've been in the heart of a sun as >it's gone nova and survived. This is only going to be a nuclear >explosion of about a megaton. With his superspeed, Roland might be >able to get away before it blows in 15 seconds, but it would only >prove me right about him." Roland stares in shock. His eyes narrow in a way his comrades have seen few times before... ...unbridled rage. "Driscoll," Roland snarls, his body literally humming with rage, "I'd consider it my highest-and last-honor to prove you wrong." He takes a football lineman's stance, apparently prepared to ram the armored immortal and take him on a rather wild ride. Then Roscoe begins to sing. > With the last line the song is not just in everyone's minds, but in >their ears as well in a choked cry from Driss's lips. His head is >raised to the sky and tears stream down his face. "what have I done?" > He hits the stud again to try to stop the overload, but the hum >continues. Flame shoots down from Driss's back as he fires a jetpack >on the armor and flies into the stairwell and up. "No." Roland rockets up the stairway, trying to catch Driscoll. Though keeping pace is child's play, he lacks his psychokinesis in this form, and changing forms at hypersonic speeds- He tries anyway. Fortunately, his immortal form takes more damage to pride than body... >there is a small >explosion and some falling stone, then a much larger one, far enough >away it sounds like distant thunder. Then there is just silence. >Driss's cloak is seen slowly drifitng down the open area of the >stairwell as it flutters past the now moving Dopplegangers of Driss. "NO!" Roland roars at the hole in the stone ceiling. He jumps down, sensing the movement below him. *Stop those creatures! If we can transfer Driscoll's mind into one of them, we might still be able to save him!* =========================== Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 21:12:51 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Death of a Callahanian At 09:12 PM 3/21/97 -0500, Driscoll wrote: > With the last line the song is not just in everyone's minds, but in >their ears as well in a choked cry from Driss's lips. His head is >raised to the sky and tears stream down his face. "what have I done?" > He hits the stud again to try to stop the overload, but the hum >continues. Flame shoots down from Driss's back as he fires a jetpack >on the armor and flies into the stairwell and up. there is a small >explosion and some falling stone, then a much larger one, far enough >away it sounds like distant thunder. Then there is just silence. >Driss's cloak is seen slowly drifitng down the open area of the >stairwell as it flutters past the now moving Dopplegangers of Driss. Morgan stares at the cloak, stunned, oblivious to the doppels . She looks at the medallion in her hand, and then at Roscoe. The depth of her shock is evidenced by the fact that, to the rest of the Callahanians, it almost feels like she's gone from the link. "Morgan," Roscoe says softly, and her eyes slowly find his face. "Morgan, he's an immortal. He's lived through far worse than...." "No." Her voice is as flat as her eyes. "No, Roscoe." She holds up the talisman, her arm moving as though holding a great weight. "He's not. Not without this." Their eyes meet, and realization slowly dawns in the wolf's. A soft, almost subliminal, sound starts deep in his throat, and gradually rises to a heart-rending howl. Cutter and Leetah join him in mournful chourus, followed almost simultaniously by Morgan. The Greywolf sinks to her knees, and soon there are four wolves raising an eerie dirge of grief and loss, which raises the neck hairs of everyone within range, and even causes the Controller's tea cup to pause briefly.... The Greywolf /|\ =========================== Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 03:32:13 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Aae- Meanwhile, back at the ranch..er..TARDIS The KnightShift/Doctor and Pyewackett, the feline God, stand outside the TARDIS. They look at each other. They look at the TARDIS. Then the Port-A-John changes shape into a large refridgerator. Bursting inside, the KnightShift and Pyewackett stop dead 4 feet inside the control room. "GREAT MAKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The KnightShift's voice, loud to begin with, is telepathically enhanced by the TARDIS (who is showing its own displeasure at the 'kids') and narrow-beamed to the two children playing hide-and-seek. Pyewackett suddenly appears in the garden and, catching Mischief by the scruff of her neck and Squee by the tail, reappears in the control room. * I am NOT going to take the blame for this. You two did it. You clean it up. * Pyewackett then escorts the two into the kitchen. Looking at Mischief the cat God says/thinks * You put all the can and tuna bits in the garbage. And you, * indicating Squee * turn into something suitable to scrub the floor. There is a sponge in the sink. * Pyewackett then hops onto the counter to oversee his "cleanup crew." Meanwhile, the KnightShift has been mentally in contact with the rest of the group. Realizing what Driss is up to, and what Morgan found on the floor. he rapidly enters coordinates into the TARDIS computer. As the TARDIS time rotor begins to rise and fall, the KnightShift dashs from the control room into the bowels of the time machine. Driss breaks through the roof of the castle tower and rockets skyward. Suddenly he is wrapped in some sort of energy field. The sky outside shifts and changes into a world of tiny white particles surrounding him. The KnightShift fiddles with controls on a small console in the corner of a room the side of an empty warehouse. Vehicles of all sorts line the walls. A BMW is parked next to an X-wing fighter. There is a Model T next to a Star Fury. In the center of the room is a large section of floor which is currently lit from beneath a grid of panels. In the center of that grid is a shimmering energy field. "Alright...got him...separate organic components from inorganic materials...Complete Transmat sequence for organic material...reroute inorganic material to original location...c'mon...." A computerized voice replies, "Error in matter stream...Subatomic particle chain reaction immenant..." Looking up, the KnightShift can see the energy field flickering and bulging. The nuclear reaction is trying to start. "C'mon, reroute the organic components...Reroute! GET THE EXPLODING SUIT OUTSIDE WHERE IT BELONGS!" The energy field begins to really expand in odd directions. The KnightShift's fist comes crashing down onto the console as he screams frantically, "WORK!!!!!" With a blinding flash, the energy field is gone and Driss lies naked on the Transmat grid. Just then the TARIDS is rocked by a one megaton powersuit exploding outside the ship. As the turbulence ends, the KnightShift is already beside Driss, checking for a pulse. "C'mon, you said yourself you were tougher than that..." There, a very faint pulse. Pulling a geiger counter from a jacket pocket, the KnightShift runs it across Driss's unconscious form. The Geiger counter crackles wildly. Driss begins to stir as the KnightShift tosses a blanket over him. "You're going to need to go through decontamination, and you are going to look beat red for the next week, but you should be fine. And you are welcome to use the wardrobe room." The KnightSHift helps Driss to his feet and back to the control room. Sitting him down in a high-backed rocking chair, the KnightShift sets to controls to return to the rest of the group. "Why do I smell burnt tuna?" Driss asks. =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 13:30:02 -0500 Subject: Aae-Time and punishment. Driss pauses in mid breath as time inside the Tardis itself ends. "It doesn't really matter what you do for him. He will die eventually anyways. He's no longer immortal and was one for too long to retain the sense of self preservation to stay alive." Knightshift turns in surprise to see Chaos hanging upside down from the wing of the X-wing. But then he lets go and drops to the ground, and his bat body and human head shift and he splits into three old women. They begin to chant, "A thousand years his scentance. A thousand years he's served. Immortality is taken. And Death is all deserved." Before Knightshift can do anything else, the women fade away and a small card is left in their place. Time restarts and KnightShift looks at the card. It's a get well card with a post it note and pen attached. _Please sign this for the Chronovore. He hasn't been feeling well lately. I think it's someone he ate. Thanx, Chaos._ =========================== Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 16:18:25 -0500 From: Caprice Subject: Re: Aae- Meanwhile, back at the ranch..er..TARDIS Michael Jon Knight wrote: > Pyewackett suddenly appears in the garden and, catching Mischief by > the scruff of her neck and Squee by the tail, reappears in the > control room. Mischief mews pitifully, only now remembering all the stories of things that happen to bad kittens... > * I am NOT going to take the blame for this. You two did it. You > clean it up. * Pyewackett then escorts the two into the kitchen. > Looking at Mischief the cat God says/thinks * You put all the can > and tuna bits in the garbage. And you, * indicating Squee * turn > into something suitable to scrub the floor. There is a sponge in > the sink. * Pyewackett then hops onto the counter to oversee his > "cleanup crew." Michief begins to pick up the bits of caln, fluttering to put them in the garbage. She disposes of the tuna in the quickest way possible... by eating it. Mentally she mutters to Squee * fluff for brains * =========================== Subject: Re: Aae-Death of a Callahanian Date: Sat, 22 Mar 97 19:28:14 -0000 From: Roland X >From Morgan (ljwolfe@eee.org): >Morgan stares at the cloak, stunned, oblivious to the doppels Roland's flight - that post just came in after I wrote most of this>. >She looks at the medallion in her hand, and then at Roscoe. The depth >of her shock is evidenced by the fact that, to the rest of the >Callahanians, it almost feels like she's gone from the link. *Light have mercy,* Roland says, already in 'overprotective' mode after losing one fellow warrior. He appears at Morgan's side, not even bothering to comment on the success of his teleportation. >"Morgan," Roscoe says softly, and her eyes slowly find his face. >"Morgan, he's an immortal. He's lived through far worse than...." > >"No." Her voice is as flat as her eyes. "No, Roscoe." She holds up >the talisman, her arm moving as though holding a great weight. "He's >not. Not without this." > >Their eyes meet, and realization slowly dawns in the wolf's. A soft, >almost subliminal, sound starts deep in his throat, and gradually >rises to a heart-rending howl. Cutter and Leetah join him in mournful >chourus, followed almost simultaniously by Morgan. The Greywolf sinks >to her knees, and soon there are four wolves raising an eerie dirge >of grief and loss, which raises the neck hairs of everyone within >range, and even causes the Controller's tea cup to pause briefly.... Roland takes a deep breath. /Focus./ Driscoll is gone. But someone...something...else, is present at the edge of Roland's mental awareness. *Order.* Roland does a frantic search for Chaos- *Re-LAX, I'm fine. You're boring, though. Bye!* "Whew." Roland concentrates again. *Control.* "Of course..." Roland's eyes narrow. "Morgan, how would you like to nail the bastich who set this up?" =========================== From: Martin Gerster Subject: Aae-Death of a Callahanian (Yeah, Right!) Date: Sun, 23 Mar 97 00:25:44 PST (For those of us still interested in the, by now, vain, attempt to preserve some kind of continuity in this mess, this post comes before Knightshift's and Morgans's latest posts. Both of which address the question of Driss', apparently, flagging Immortality.) After Driscoll's cloak falls to the floor, all of the present Callahanians look up to see a non-plussed Sentinel-Lensdragon. The draconian Lensman appears unmoved by the recent events. "Yeah," says the adolecent Ruby Fire Dragon, "I believe that, like I believe that a Manhattanite(sp?) can buy a genuine Rolex(tm) watch off any street vendor operating from Times Square. As I've said before, for beings like Driscoll, Roland, KnightShift, The Stranger, and myself even Death is only a temporary inconvienence." He pauses, then continues speaking, "I won't pretend to understand what just happened, however I do know how to prevent it from happening again!" The Sentinel-Lensdragon closes his eyes and, once again, his Lens and his Sentinel's Ring blaze to life. Suddenly, The Sentinel-Lensdragon and everyone present durring the crisis with the "duplicate" Driscolls, suddenly find themselves all in KnightShift's TARDIS' Zero Room. This includes Knightshift, Xzerrion, Pyewackett and Malice but not Mischef and Squee. The Sentinel-Lensdragon open his eyes and his Lens glows with an etherial green flame, /These are only our astral selves, although what I am about to do in here will affect our corporeal bodies in the "real world. The reason we're in here is because what I'm about to do requires the least inference from external stimuli./ He closes his eyes and to everyone else's subjective view two beams of burning, emerald energy conects only them and the draconian Lensman, via his Lens and Sentinel's Ring. After a moment the conection is severed and everyone of the Callahanian's, save the Sentinel-Lensdragon, now bears what appears to be a minature Lens of Arissia. The human, and humaniod, Callahanians bear their Lens on the outside of their right wrist. The non-humaniod Callahanians, however, bear their Lens on their forehead. Again, the Sentinel-Lensdragon's mental voice is heard in everyone's "mind's-ear" /These are not *true* Lenses of Arissia. I've only be able to create those when drawing upon the energies contained in a main Oan Power Battery. These are simply a concrete manifestation of our Psi-Web, they also irrevocably tie all of us together telepathically. Now, no matter what our opponents may do to us, the Psi-Web will remain intact./ Everyone's astral forms in the Zero Room evaporate and all of the Callahanians now find them selves contained by their flesh, once more. Everyone's Lenses are present on their corporeal bodies. "By the way," says the Sentinel-Lensdragon, now looking quite teed-off "Enough with this 'Lancett' Jazz and to H*@l with the Shidhe and their Rules. I'm Dhyrclhanc, by Palatine and Tahkis! With all those Drow running around either Llolth has reniged on our agreement or these Dark Elves worship the Demon Lord Gr'azztz, in any case (and especialy in reflection on the recent events concerning Driscoll), as of now it's no more Mr. Nice Sentinel-Lensdragon!" In a flash of emerald/jade light, Dhyrclhanc's heavy weapons gyro-mount harness appears around his torso, while at the same time he reaches back into his dragon-sized, metal-weave, duffle-bag and withdraws his Standish. The huge "over-and-under" weapon, looking like the merging of a 5.56mm multi-barreled, helecopter-mounted mini-gun with a South African, drum-fed, grenade launcher wielded to the bottom, quickly clicks onto the draconian Lensdragon's gyro-mount harness. "I'm going out and hunting members of the Army of Darkness and I'm taking ole' 'Stan' here with me. I'm interested in making a few proactive moves in this battle, does anyone want to join me? =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 23:48:26 -0500 Subject: Aae-confusion and Chaos Driss lays there taking long pained breaths. "Wha..waht happened? Where am I? Oh when have I felt this awful?" Slowly he sits up and notices his reddened skin. He stares at a patch of blisters on one arm for what seems like hours but nothing happens. He notices a small cut that has stopped oozing blood and is just slowly, normally, beginning to clot up. "What's going on? Wh-Why aren't I healing? What happened?" He tries to get to his feet and falls over with the dry heaves. His stomache luckily didn't contain anything to come out, he hadn't been fed the entire time of his imprisonment. He lay there on the deck and just let the pain and weariness overtake him into unconciousness. Roscoe stops howling with the other wolves and cocks his head as if listening to some distance noise. Morgan notices this and pauses as well. [There's no need to howl for Driss. He lives.] Roscoe sends to her. /No, he doesn't. His immortality is gone. No one could have.../ But then she pauses as she feels it as well. Roscoe shifts into the form of a cheetah and races down the corridor looking for the Tardis. Squee shifts into his only form with hands, his natural 1 1/2 foot tall self. Looking at the huge floor to be scrubbed he sighs. {I thought you said these were _nice_ people. Jeeze, like it's _my_ fault they have amrored food you can't open?} He looks at the bucket that stands as tall as he, and the huge sponge, and then gets an idea. Supponing up his energies, he mutters a few words and gestures. The sponge goes shooting off across the floor, leaving a semi clean trail behind it. Then it continues through the door and into the control room where it smacks into the base of the control panel. {Oops} The Controller just begins to look at the moniters again when another noise disturbs him. Turning, he sees one of the Shadow standing there. "Ah, welcome my freind. The traitor showed his hand, just as you predicted. Your loyalty is most apreciated, and once I have used the energy to create my new body, Arcadia shall be yours. But there are still obsticals in our way. Take your shadow and see that they are eliminated. And Thank you again." The shadow gives a slight bow, and shuffles off back through the door soundlessly. "Yes, thank you very much.... Chaos," The Controller mumbles to himself as he turns his attention back to the screens. The Shadow-spider fades away into the shadows as soon as it is out fo The Controller's sight and vanishes. =========================== Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 00:35:30 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: AAE - Reunion Dhyrclhanc said: >"I'm going out and hunting members of the Army of Darkness and I'm >taking ole' 'Stan' here with me. I'm interested in making a few >proactive moves in this battle, does anyone want to join me? And Roland X spoke: > Roland takes a deep breath. > /Focus./ > Driscoll is gone. But someone...something...else, is >present at the edge of Roland's mental awareness. > *Order.* > Roland does a frantic search for Chaos- > *Re-LAX, I'm fine. You're boring, though. Bye!* > "Whew." > Roland concentrates again. > *Control.* > "Of course..." Roland's eyes narrow. "Morgan, how would >you like to nail the bastich who set this up?" It takes a few seconds for their words to work their way through to the Greywolf's consiousness, and for her to process them. The reply is faint, and barely causes a pause in the keening. <*Revenge... is irrelivant. It serves no purpose.*> Then Driscoll wrote: > He tries to get to his feet and falls over with the dry heaves. His >stomache luckily didn't contain anything to come out, he hadn't been >fed the entire time of his imprisonment. He lay there on the deck and >just let the pain and weariness overtake him into unconciousness. > > Roscoe stops howling with the other wolves and cocks his head as if >listening to some distance noise. Morgan notices this and pauses as >well. [There's no need to howl for Driss. He lives.] Roscoe sends to >her. /No, he doesn't. His immortality is gone. No one could have.../ >But then she pauses as she feels it as well. Roscoe shifts into the >form of a cheetah and races down the corridor looking for the Tardis. Morgan, who doesn't have the luxury of a variety of forms, races after Roscoe on wolf feet, only slowly catching up as he has to slow to round corners. She knows Roscoe is homing in on... No, don't think. Too much so fast. Just run. The KnightShift and Driscoll look up as the door of the TARDIS control room bursts open, and a cheetah, followed by two wolves, jump on Driscoll and knock him over in exuberant welcome. When Dris can extricate himself from the furry mass, he notices another wolf sitting just inside the door staring at him. He's already identified the two who pounced on him as Cutter and Leetah , and he looks a question mark at the KnightShift, who shrugs his shoulders. As Dris slowly advances on the unfamiliar wolf, he notices something decidedly familiar. A medallion, hanging around the wolf's neck. <*Dris?*> The voice in his mind is familiar, and as he realizes where it originated the grey wolf changes into the Greywolf. Morgan stands silent, her eyes locked on his, her face unreadable. /|\ =========================== Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 00:40:09 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: Aae-Death of a Callahanian At 07:28 PM 3/22/97 -0000, Roland wrote: >>From Morgan (ljwolfe@eee.org): > >>Morgan stares at the cloak, stunned, oblivious to the doppels >to Roland's flight - that post just came in after I wrote most of >>this>. She looks at the medallion in her hand, and then at Roscoe. >>The depth of her shock is evidenced by the fact that, to the rest of >>the Callahanians, it almost feels like she's gone from the link. > > *Light have mercy,* Roland says, already in 'overprotective' >mode after losing one fellow warrior. He appears at Morgan's >side, not even bothering to comment on the success of his >teleportation. Morgan /|\ =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 10:23:36 -0500 Subject: Aae-Reuinion Driss tries feebly to fend off the heavy hugging of his currently injured form. "Ow, Ow Careful. I'm not healing for some reason and I feel awful. Will you explain what's going on Morgan? Why do you look like a wolf, and when did you add a cheetah to your menagerie and where is Roscoe and, and, and, why are you sitting there in the doorway rather that be over here too?" After a second thought he adds, "Ummm I don't suppose any of you have my Rapier and Cloak do you?" =========================== Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 11:36:16 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: AAE - Clearing up a few things 1. I boo-boo'd when I didn't have Roscoe change back into a wolf before he came into the room and pounced. Explaination in the story below. So, when he heard Dris's question about the cheetah, he quickly left the room. I'll leave it to Dris to write Roscoe's re-entrance in whatever form. 2. Driscoll didn't recognize that the cheetah was Roscoe because he was too confused and in pain to recognize the joyful babble that Roscoe was sending mentally. 3. When he said, "Why do you look like a wolf...," he meant "Why _did_...." He's never seen her do that before. _I'd_ even forgotten that when Morgan first appeared on Oa with her wolves, she was in wolf form :-). Also, it should have been either "why are you _standing_" or "why _were_ you sitting". Minor point. Also, a question to Martin/Dhyrclhanc: for those of us who shape change, does the psi-lens stay where it was based on the form we were in when we got it, or does it change from hand to forehead based on our current manifestation? Roscoe and I would like to know. :-) And now, back to our regularly scheduled story ;-)....... At 10:23 AM 3/23/97 -0500, gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Driss tries feebly to fend off the heavy hugging of his currently >injured form. "Ow, Ow Careful. I'm not healing for some reason and I >feel awful. Will you explain what's going on Morgan? Why do you look >like a wolf, and when did you add a cheetah to your menagerie and >where is Roscoe and, and, and, why are you sitting there in the >doorway rather that be over here too?" After a second thought he >adds, "Ummm I don't suppose any of you have my Rapier and Cloak do >you?" Morgan gradually recovers from the effects of the series of shocks. She reaches out again mentally, confirming that this is indeed her dear friend, and that the "wrongness" she sensed earlier is gone. She sends his question about his things to the Callahanians, with a picture of the rapier laying on the floor where he dropped it before taking flight. "A wolf... I do that sometimes. Not _always_ on purpose." This with a small smile. "Roscoe _is_...." She stops as she notices the cheetah is no longer in the room. She hears Roscoe through the link from outside, reminding her that up until today he'd never let Driscoll see him in any form other than the wolf. "Roscoe'll be here soon." She decides to ignore the question about the cheetah, and hopes that in his confusion he'll simply forget about it. "And you...." She finally _sees_ his physical condition, notices his medalion around _her_ neck, and takes it off to hand to him. "You need this bac...." She stops in mid word, and stares at the medallion in her hand. It feels different. In fact, it doesn't "feel" at all. "That's wierd. When you lost this earlier I noticed a glamour on it. I "read" it and realized that _this_ was what gave you your healing, your immortality. That's why Roscoe and I thought you were really dead. But there's nothing there now." Another look at his ravaged body sends her for the nearest med kit. As she sets to work on his burns (the medallion still hung absently on her arm), she asks, "So maybe _you_ should tell _me_ what's going on?" Morgan /|\ =========================== From: Martin Gerster Subject: Re: Clearing some things up, etc. Date: Sun, 23 Mar 97 23:37:41 PST On Sat, 22 Mar 97 Roland X (rolandx@ix.netcom.com) Wrote: > "Of course..." Roland's eyes narrow. "Morgan, how would > you like to nail the bastich who set this up?" Then, on Sat, 22 Mar 97, Morgan O'Daire (wolfstead@eee.org) said: > <*Revenge... is irrelivant. It serves no purpose.*> (OOC: Yeah and, to paraphrase Lady Sally, it gets your soul all gross and sticky) Then, on Sun, 23 Mar 97 Morgan O'Daire (wolfstead@eee.org) queried: (OOC: Please excuse the rewrite ; ) ) > For those of us who shape change, does the psi-lens stay where it > was based on the form we were in when we got it, or does it change > from hand to forehead based on our current manifestation? Roscoe and > I would like to know "Well, says Dhyrclhanc the Sentinel-Lensdragon, still lugging around his Standish, "I don't know what the rest of you people are doing but I'm going to go outside to stand watch. I'm still kinda upset that our adversaries would try to geas one of us into suiciding (?) and I figure it'd probably be better to be shooting at some of those Drow still wondering around outside than to start firing in here. Plus, I don't know that KnightShft's TARDIS has a working "Temporal Grace" weapon neutralizer or not." In saying so, the draconian Lensman hits the door switch on the TARDIS' control console and starts walking towards the two sets of double doors to the outside. Before he exits the Time/Space machine he turns around and addresses Morgan, and the other metamorphs in the group, "By the way, for those of you who change shape, you'll find when you shift forms, those mini-Lenses will appear to 'disapear.' If your 'default' form is non-human, it'll just submerged into your skull, if you're 'normally' human or humaniod, then it'll just enter your body and place itself between whatever passes for the two bones in your forearm." He then walks outside, but as the TARDIS' inner and outer outer doors close, he sends /Don't worry, everyone, if I need any help I'll just 'holler!'/ =========================== Subject: Re: AAE - Reunion Date: Mon, 24 Mar 97 11:07:56 -0000 From: Roland X >Dhyrclhanc said: >>"I'm going out and hunting members of the Army of Darkness and I'm >>taking ole' 'Stan' here with me. I'm interested in making a few >>proactive moves in this battle, does anyone want to join me? > >And Roland X spoke: >> Roland takes a deep breath. >> /Focus./ >> Driscoll is gone. But someone...something...else, is >>present at the edge of Roland's mental awareness. >> *Order.* >> Roland does a frantic search for Chaos- >> *Re-LAX, I'm fine. You're boring, though. Bye!* >> "Whew." >> Roland concentrates again. >> *Control.* >> "Of course..." Roland's eyes narrow. "Morgan, how would >>you like to nail the bastich who set this up?" > >It takes a few seconds for their words to work their way through to >the Greywolf's consiousness, and for her to process them. The reply >is faint, and barely causes a pause in the keening. > ><*Revenge... is irrelivant. It serves no purpose.*> Roland nods understandingly. "Revenge is, at best (or worst) corollary here. I'd say it's a safe bet that whoever did... whatever was done...to Driscoll, is at least a part of whatever is happening to Arcadia." Roland smiles. "Welcome back. Not exactly what our kind is used to when we return from the dead, is it?" Roland pauses a moment. "Driscoll, if you don't want to talk about it, I understand, but every scrap of information will help now. Do you remember who did this to you, and why? Aside from killing me, that is." =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 17:06:58 -0500 Subject: Aae-Driss's Story This post assumes someone brought back my things for me ) Driss sighs whistfully, partially in releif from the medical treatments he's resceived, and partially in rememberence that a short time ago, they would not have been needed. The curse he had lived with for so long. The curse he had wished to be free from so many times; Was gone. And the strange thing was, part of him was relieved, but another part was regretful that it was over and fearful of the future where death would only be met once more. Driss took his cloak and layed it out on the floor, the outside down. A pit apeared in the floor of the Tardis, at the bottom of which was a treasure trove of assorted junk. Driss leaned in and rummaged around in it a while, tossing out a few things here and there. Then excusing himself, he took it all into the bathroom. Roscoe returned in wolf form while Driss was dressing. [Gods Morgan, I can't believe I made a fool of myself like that. He didn't realize who I was did he?] But before she could answer, Driss returned. Now he was dressed in studded leather armor that glowed a soft green that matches his eyes. His hair was tied back into a ponytail and held there by a small length of gold chain. On his right hand, he wore a leather gauntlet that glowed with a yellow aura, and the yellow and green seemed to dance around his elbow. His left hand was bare, but he now wore a large ring on the middle finger. The ring had five main stones, a Diamond, a Ruby, a Saphire, And Emerald and an Onyx, and they were placed in a circle and attached to a ring of gold and silver wire braided. His Rapier hung from his belt, and also upon it were 5 round pouches with quick release snaps to open them. The tights he wore had his right leg white and his left black, and his feet were in knee high swashbuckler style boots that didn't quite touch the ground. "It's been a long time since I pulled this stuff... ROSCOE! You're back!" Driss exclaimed, dropping to one knee to hug his lupine freind. Rising again, "Well I guess you're all wondering why I went off the deep end, and to tell the truth, I'm not sure. Everything is kind of cloudy up until I woke in my cell. There was this old guy on a video screen in the chest of this robot who called himself hte Controller. Between his gloating to me about his plans and what I learned from Chaos, it seems in his dimention, there was a rare disease that aflicted him all the way down to the celular level. It rapidly deteriorated his body, but not his mind. He was a brilliant scientist, and with the help of some freinds, they built a robotic life support suit for him so he wouldn't die." "But life like that wasn't good enough. He wanted to truly live again. He found out about other dimentions and began to travel between them using an X-window generator he designed. He tried cures from many dimentions, but nothing worked. Then he decided to try magic. He travelled to a few places to find out more about it, and learned of Arcadia and Oberon. He doesn't care about Arcadia at all. What he wants, is to become Oberon. He learned about Oberon getting his power from the land and people, and became determinded to have them fo rhis own, so he could not only create a new body, but a new immortal, all powerful body." "He collected an army fromt eh outcasts and renegades of several dimentions and had an opertunity to test them by loaning some of them to the advesary on Oa. Here's the disturbing part. He learned about all of you and of his troops abilities, by watching the happenings on Oa, from a table at Callahan's." "He decided The Stranger was dead, adn that of the others from the Army of Light that came to Arcadia, that Roland was the most dangerous. So he plotted to capture Roland and brainwash him, and got me instead. How long was I there? I don't even know if minutes or years have passed since I arrived in Arcadia. He tortured me by killing me over and over again weakening my resolve and my mental defenses. Then some Drow elf came and cast a Suggestion on me. The next thing I remember, I was armoring up with 5 guys who were suposed to be rebels within The Controller's army, and we were looking for you." =========================== Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 19:24:46 -0500 From: Caprice Subject: Re: Aae-Driss's Story gamer@mail.hvs.com wrote: > Roscoe returned in wolf form while Driss was dressing. [Gods > Morgan, I can't believe I made a fool of myself like that. He didn't > realize who I was did he?] But before she could answer, Driss > returned. Mayhem whispers mentally to Roscoe ** I don't know... I think you look good like that. ** --- Caprice - Sorry, I couldn't resist. ;) =========================== Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 07:31:25 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: AAE - Don't look now.... Morgan steps back after completing her ministrations on Driscoll's no-longer-immortal body, and does a slow fade to the back of the group. At 05:06 PM 3/24/97 -0500, Driscoll wrote: > Now he was dressed in studded leather armor that glowed a soft green >that matches his eyes. His hair was tied back into a ponytail and >held there by a small length of gold chain. On his right hand, he >wore a leather gauntlet that glowed with a yellow aura, and the >yellow and green seemed to dance around his elbow. His left hand was >bare, but he now wore a large ring on the middle finger. The ring had >five main stones, a Diamond, a Ruby, a Saphire, an Emerald and an >Onyx, and they were placed in a circle and attached to a ring of gold >and silver wire braided. His Rapier hung from his belt, and also upon >it were 5 round pouches with quick release snaps to >open them. The tights he wore had his right leg white and his left >black, and his feet were in knee high swashbuckler style boots that >didn't quite touch the ground. Those near Morgan might hear a small "Woof." Her eyes start to light up, but with a faint <*No,*> her face returns to a dispassionate neutrality. At some point, when Dris is too involved in his storytelling to notice, Morgan sends to Roscoe, using the "private" link that existed before either joined the Callahanian Army of Light. *I don't think he noticed, and, no, you didn't make any bigger fool of yourself than _I_ did. And you have far more right than I. All he saw from me was that brief moment of shock, and that's all he's _going_ to see.* The others on the psi-web catch maybe just the faintest hint of this, just enough that should they ever consider telling Driscoll about the howling they'd decide, "Nah." Throughout this, Morgan stands leaning against a wall, her calmness a sharp counterpoint to her earlier display of emotion. As she listens, nodding at his confirmation of what they'd heard of the Controller's plans, wincing slightly at the descriptions of torture, she eyes wander around the (controll?) room. A motion on a monitor catches her eye. "Frack. Well, folks, break's over. There's at least one squad of Drow moving rather purposfully in this direction, and some other shadowy movement that I can't make out but that, knowing who we've been up against, I'm not going to discount." A ferral smile spreads across her previously composed features. "Battlestations." The Greywolf /|\ =========================== Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 15:12:30 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: Re: AAE - Everybody out of the pool...er...TARDIS! At 07:31 AM 3/25/97, Morgan wrote: >Throughout this, Morgan stands leaning against a wall, her calmness a >sharp counterpoint to her earlier display of emotion. As she listens, >nodding at his confirmation of what they'd heard of the Controller's >plans, wincing slightly at the descriptions of torture, she eyes >wander around the (controll?) room. A motion on a monitor catches her >eye. The KnightShift/Doctor almost subconsciously notices Morgan's sudden interest. Following her line of sight, he sees the monitor. Deftly, he flips a few switches on the control console where he was leaning... The KnightShift then throws the lever for the door... >"Frack. Well, folks, break's over. There's at least one squad of Drow >moving rather purposfully in this direction, and some other shadowy >movement that I can't make out but that, knowing who we've been up >against, I'm not going to discount." the link to absent friends :-)> > >A ferral smile spreads across her previously composed features. > >"Battlestations." "All right, everyone, out of the TARDIS..." the KnightShift says, ushering the group to the door, "I have already had Chaos roaming the corridors. I don't want a bunch of Drow...Who aren't on our side..." smiling at Xzerrion sheepishly "...or Shadows...trying to take over my ship." "AND, from Driss's story, allowing the Controller access to a time machine as sophisticated as the TARDIS would be...unfortunate." Pyewackett meows at the KnightShift loudly. Striding over, the KnightShift notices Sqee and Mischief. "Ah...ummm...you two had better come along too...Mayhem, Driss, Roscoe, anyone? Would you look after these two? I would prefer they were not left alone here...and Pyewackett, now that he's had a whiff of adventure, refuses to stay and watch them." =========================== From: Martin Gerster Re: AAE - Don't look now.... Date: Tue, 25 Mar 97 19:07:23 PST On Mon, 24 Mar 97, Morgan O'Daire (L.J. Wolf, ljwolf@eee.org) said: >Morgan steps back after completing her ministrations on Driscoll's >no-longer-immortal body, and does a slow fade to the back of the >group. Dhyrclhanc who's gone off hunting.> /No/ sends back Dhyrclhanc ? /I changed my mind. I'm just here, outside the TARDIS taking the point, so no more "black-hats" sneak up on us, again./ The adolecent Ruby Fire Dragon briefly switched frequencies and sends, to Driscoll, /Hey Driss, glad to see you're (ahem) all right. By the way... here -- catch!/ Driscoll sees Dhyrclhanc, in his mind's eye, despite the interveining distance and space/time dimensional interface which separates them. He then sees the draconian Lensman do an underhand throw, seemingly tossing something to him. In Astral Space, as well as in his corporeal form, a mini-Lens appears on the outsdie of whichever of Driscoll's wrists coresponds with his "off" hand. /As I explained to the others,/ continues Dhyrclhanc, in Driscoll's mind's eye (mind's ear?) /Even with possesson of what Roland hsa christened the "First-Ring," I can't reproduce a "true" Lens of Arissia, at least not without the energy provided by one of the main Oan Poweer Batteries. I am, however, able to create those little things as metaphysical mainfestations of our Psi-web. They also strengthen our, afformentioned, Psi-web so that none of us can ever be "removed" from that web ever again. This simply doesn't give our adversaries, whoever they are, the luxury of being able to do to anymore of us, what they did to you./ The Lensdragon switches back to a broader beam broadcast, gets a silly look on his face, and the rest of the assembled Callahanians overhear a snippet of / / =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 17:35:18 -0500 Subject: Aae-Into the Fray! Squee looks at the assembled Callahanians and notices Driss. {Hi Driss, You feeling better? Why does she have your pretty necklace?} Driss looks over to him wiht surprise. "I remember you. You were in the lab. He might be a better guide through here than I. He seemed to have pretty free roam through the walls, I was usually dead when I was being moved." Roscoe notices Squee for the first time too and walks over until they are nearly nose to nose. [You're from the village aren't you] he asks telepathically. [How many others are here? what happened? When did it happen.] Squee's telepathic answer is neither word, nor pictures nor emotion, but all of them together at once. It draws the picture of a village under attack from an ancient enemy armed with alien technology. Villagers dead everywhere. A young boy seperated from his parents. Slaves in chains being marched into the mountains. Executions. Loss. Fear. Lonliness. Roscoe just sits there for a moment, tears welling up in his lupine eyes. [You're not alone now. You've found me. And your parents may have made it to the gates in the caves and be in another place. I will protect you until we find them.] Squee scampers up to Roscoe and nuzzels his rodent nose into Roscoe's fur. Roscoe looks at the rest of the people [Well, shall we go? Wait, where's Driss?] Movement on the screen shows where he is. The air seems to seperate, and Driss appears in front of the Drow. His hands go to the round pouches on his belt, and from them he pulls two crystal spheres which he throws, with explosive results. Drow cry out in pain and confusion from fire and crystal shards alive. Driss runs down the hall with blinding speed thanks to his 7-league boots, but the Drow are in close persuit. Around one corner he pauses long enough to drop something dark on the ground, and then a peice of cloth on top of it that immediately makes itself look like the stone floor. Driss takes off again. When the Drow show, 4 fall into the portable hole trap. The others spot it and go around. At another corner, Driss reaches into his cloak and pulls out a small bag, then sprinkles something on the floor and disappears into his cloak again. The Drow round hte corner, and from nowhere a green beam hits the floor and trees begin to grow. Tentacles hanging down from the trees grab Drow all around them and drag them towards teeth-laden mouths. Driss suddenly re-appears in the control room. "Somehow I doubt that's all of them, but that group is going to be occupied for a while." =========================== Subject: Re: AAE - Don't look now.... Date: Tue, 25 Mar 97 21:22:20 -0000 From: Roland X >Morgan steps back after completing her ministrations on Driscoll's >no-longer-immortal body, and does a slow fade to the back of the >group. Dhyrclhanc who's gone of hunting.> Roland smiles. "Reporting for duty, Morgan." > > > >Throughout this, Morgan stands leaning against a wall, her calmness a >sharp counterpoint to her earlier display of emotion. As she listens, >nodding at his confirmation of what they'd heard of the Controller's >plans, wincing slightly at the descriptions of torture, she eyes >wander around the (controll?) room. A motion on a monitor catches her >eye. > >"Frack. Well, folks, break's over. There's at least one squad of Drow >moving rather purposfully in this direction, and some other shadowy >movement that I can't make out but that, knowing who we've been up >against, I'm not going to discount." the link to absent friends :-)> > >A ferral smile spreads across her previously composed features. > >"Battlestations." Roland, in a fit of melodrama, removes his talisman belt and holds it high in the air. "All these things are part of me. Right now, though, I must be whole. I call on the power of the Silver Phoenix!" Roland is sheathed in lightning, and the Silver Phoenix is reborn. His armor is slightly different, with a more 'normal' helmet, and with actual armor plates and joints rather than 'liquid metal' style, but the phoenix on the chest is the same. "Hey, Lancett! Let's play duelling psi powers!" Roland-Silver Phoenix-gets a wicked grin on his face, and the entire mountain shakes. Various parts of the mountain, in an incredible display of psychokinesis and teleportation, exchange places. The chamber in front of them has apparently traded places with the Controller's, well, control room, if the shocked expression on the Controller is any indication. Roland's smile vanishes, and the lightning blazes in his eyes once more. "Controller. You thought I was the greatest threat to you? "You were right." The 'Controller rises from his chair. "I am not the Controller you seek." Roland glares. "Figures. You'll do, though." Psychokinetic blasts fly out, and the Controller^2 begins to run... *You _know?_* the second Controller asks, trying to tight- beam the message to Roland. The psiweb transmits the broadcast to the entire group. *Yes. And I won't allow it.* (OOC: Feel free to ask... ) =========================== Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 20:47:51 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE - Don't look now.... At 09:22 PM 3/25/97 -0000, Silver Phoenix wrote: > > <_big_ wicked grin> > The 'Controller rises from his chair. "I am not the Controller >you seek." > Roland glares. "Figures. You'll do, though." > Psychokinetic blasts fly out, and the Controller^2 begins >to run... > *You _know?_* the second Controller asks, trying to tight- >beam the message to Roland. The psiweb transmits the broad- >cast to the entire group. > *Yes. And I won't allow it.* > > (OOC: Feel free to ask... ) [OOC: OK, I'm asking. ] Morgan, who along with the others has been watching this display, suddenly kicks in all her sensors full blast - and frowns. <*Folx, I got a pretty good fix on the Controller's organic battery when we were... (a painful memory is quickly squelched) over by where we fought the Dris-el-gangers. From that distance it was hard to miss.*> <*It was also hard to miss that the stored 'voltage' was increasing. It has now reached the point where I can feel it from _here_.*> <*We don't know how much this Controller needs for what he plans, but waiting would definitely be _bad_. *> She checks to make sure her claidheamhmór, blaster, and other assorted weapons are in place. <*We came to Arcadia to find Stranger,*> she smiles warmly at him, <*and we've found him. We came in _here_ to rescue Driscoll,*> her smile turns on the snappily-dressed former immortal, <*and he's safely back with us.*> <*Now, we can either run around here playing tag with Drow and Light only knows what else, or we can go take care of this guy with his organo-cell and delusions of Oberon-hood.*> She looks over at where Roscoe sits, a sidhe rodent snuggled in his fur and two wolves teasing him good naturedly about being a daddy. <*I think I know how to deal with the thing, but I could use some help from the other nature-spirit types in the group.*> She quickly looks around at the others. <*Dealing with the battery itself, that is. We'll _all_ need to work together to pull this off.*> <*Any ideas the best way to go about this?*> Morgan /|\ [BTW, I hadn't forgotten about Cutter's injuries - I'm just assuming they've been dealt with.] [And I'm assuming Stranger's still with us, although he hasn't posted since before we took off looking for Driscoll. RL get you again, Gareth?] =========================== Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 10:33:47 -0800 (PST) From: " Capricia Davis" Subject: Re: AAE - Everybody out of the pool...er...TARDIS! >Pyewackett meows at the KnightShift loudly. Striding over, the >KnightShift notices Sqee and Mischief. > >"Ah...ummm...you two had better come along too...Mayhem, Driss, >Roscoe, anyone? Would you look after these two? I would prefer they >were not left alone here...and Pyewackett, now that he's had a whiff >of adventure, refuses to stay and watch them." Mischief looks indignent. * i'm a big flutterby! i can look after myself! mrp! * Her protests are cut short by Mayhem pinning her with a paw, and starting to bathe her. ** I'll be glad to deal with the cubling, Knightshift ** Mischief mews and wiggles, vainly stuggling * help! notta bath! mew! * Mayhem replies ** Hold still, or I'll ask the wolves to help. ** -- Caprice - Sick IRL... and besides that, I have a cold. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE - Don't look now.... Date: Wed, 26 Mar 97 19:32:41 -0000 From: Roland X > >> (OOC: Feel free to ask... ) > >[OOC: OK, I'm asking. don't clash with what you've got on your mind ;-)>] [OOC: I had to wait to see Into The Fire on B-5 before I could really write this. ] *I don't understand!* Controller^2 fought with surprising psychic strength. *You should fight _with_ us, Roland! You have always sought to impose order on your _own_ chaos! You have seen what the Chaos-avatar has done, what it is. This place, Arcadia, is a testament to madness!* *NO! It is a testament to _dreams!_ Arcadia may be crazy, but it is a wonder!* Roland staggers back as his own belief in the possibilities of 'normal' reality are turned against him... >Morgan, who along with the others has been watching this display, >suddenly kicks in all her sensors full blast - and frowns. > ><*Folx, I got a pretty good fix on the Controller's organic battery >when we were... (a painful memory is quickly squelched) over by where >we fought the Dris-el-gangers. From that distance it was hard to >miss.*> > ><*It was also hard to miss that the stored 'voltage' was increasing. >It has now reached the point where I can feel it from _here_.*> > ><*We don't know how much this Controller needs for what he plans, but >waiting would definitely be _bad_. *> > >She checks to make sure her claidheamhmór, blaster, and other >assorted weapons are in place. stuff back, BTW. :-)> > ><*We came to Arcadia to find Stranger,*> she smiles warmly at him, ><*and we've found him. We came in _here_ to rescue Driscoll,*> her >smile turns on the snappily-dressed former immortal, <*and he's >safely back with us.*> > ><*Now, we can either run around here playing tag with Drow and Light >only knows what else, or we can go take care of this guy with his >organo-cell and delusions of Oberon-hood.*> Controller^2, picking this up through Roland, frowns. *You misunderstand. We only wish to aid you against the tyranny of madness. Chaos has imposed itself upon your world.* Roland regains his equilibrium. *Of course. *Controller, you've been deceived. This other Controller who attacked Driscoll isn't interested in discipline or freedom. In fact, some chaos is necessary for freedom.* *But the Adversary attacked you!* *The Adversary is not Chaos. This other Controller, if I'm not mistaken, is to Order what the Adversary is to Chaos-rigidity corrupted. Tyranny incarnate.* *Great watchmaker...* The Controller^2 vanishes, as do several of the MiBs and cybernetic enforcers displayed in the control room's screens. *The traitor will have to fight his _own_ battles.* >She looks over at where Roscoe sits, a sidhe rodent snuggled in his >fur and two wolves teasing him good naturedly about being a daddy. ><*I think I know how to deal with the thing, but I could use some >help from the other nature-spirit types in the group.*> She quickly >looks around at the others. <*Dealing with the battery itself, that >is. We'll _all_ need to work together to pull this off.*> > ><*Any ideas the best way to go about this?*> Silver Phoenix smiles. *How about putting the energy back where it belongs? One living power conduit, reporting for duty!* =========================== Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 16:33:05 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Re: AAE - Everybody out of the pool...er...TARDIS! At 10:33 AM 3/26/97 -0800, Mischief and Mayhem wrote: >Mischief looks indignent. * i'm a big flutterby! i can look after >myself! mrp! >* > >Her protests are cut short by Mayhem pinning her with a paw, and >starting to bathe her. ** I'll be glad to deal with the cubling, >Knightshift ** > >Mischief mews and wiggles, vainly stuggling *help! notta bath! mew!* > >Mayhem replies ** Hold still, or I'll ask the wolves to help. ** Leetah, feeling able to be playful again after dealing with Morgan's emotions and Cutter's injuries, overhears Mayhem's remarks. She looks at Mischief and makes a licking motion, indicating her willingness to assist if asked, while sending a picture of their earlier bath-fight and a certain fondness for the taste of kitten. Her eyes sparkle in merriment at Mischief's no-doubt less-than-enthusiatic response. ;-) The silver wolf then returns to the side of her darker mate, nuzzling him in affection, as they wait at Morgan's side to see what the Callahanians are going to do next. /|\ =========================== Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 16:57:44 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: Havok! (was Don't look now....) At 07:32 PM 3/26/97 -0000, Roland wrote: > *I don't understand!* Controller^2 fought with surprising >psychic strength. *You should fight _with_ us, Roland! You >have always sought to impose order on your _own_ chaos! You >have seen what the Chaos-avatar has done, what it is. This >place, Arcadia, is a testament to madness!* > *NO! It is a testament to _dreams!_ Arcadia may be crazy, >but it is a wonder!* Roland staggers back as his own belief >in the possibilities of 'normal' reality are turned against >him... <*Yes, it _is_ a wonder, and wonder is a very necessary thing. Too much order would be just as evil a thing as too much chaos. Both, in the proper balance, are necessary.*> >>She looks over at where Roscoe sits, a sidhe rodent snuggled in his >>fur and two wolves teasing him good naturedly about being a daddy. >><*I think I know how to deal with the thing, but I could use some >>help from the other nature-spirit types in the group.*> She quickly >>looks around at the others. <*Dealing with the battery itself, that >>is. We'll _all_ need to work together to pull this off.*> >> >><*Any ideas the best way to go about this?*> > > Silver Phoenix smiles. *How about putting the energy >back where it belongs? One living power conduit, reporting >for duty!* <*Thanks, Phoenix, but this one's mine.*> Morgan looks at Roland, at the rest of her comrads, and smiles at the thought of all their devotion to the cause of Light. <*So many of you have put yourselves on the front line, in harms way, to protect the rest of us or the fictions we love. It's _my_ turn.*> <*I'm a Druid. Nature energy is what I do - what I _am_. The specifics will have to wait 'till I see just what sort of a set-up he's got, but I've got a pretty good idea what to do.*> She motions her wolves to her side, and Roscoe joins her as well. As she looks at the assembled lupines, a grin spreads across her face. <*I've always wanted a chance to use this line....*> In her best "monarch's voice", the Greywolf calls out, "Cry, 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war!" /|\ =========================== Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 17:33:16 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Campbell Subject: Re: AAE - Don't look now.... > <_big_ wicked grin> at any male who's worth it; none of the rest of you have given any > descriptions one way or the other... although KnightShift's Indy > outfit and Stranger in his blue silk shirt both got my attention > ;-)...> < OOC : hmm, maybe I should insert a character description :) > > <*We came to Arcadia to find Stranger,*> she smiles warmly at him, > <*and we've found him. We came in _here_ to rescue Driscoll,*> her > smile turns on the snappily-dressed former immortal, <*and he's > safely back with us.*> > > <*Now, we can either run around here playing tag with Drow and Light > only knows what else, or we can go take care of this guy with his > organo-cell and delusions of Oberon-hood.*> > > She looks over at where Roscoe sits, a sidhe rodent snuggled in his > fur and two wolves teasing him good naturedly about being a daddy. > <*I think I know how to deal with the thing, but I could use some > help from the other nature-spirit types in the group.*> She quickly > looks around at the others. <*Dealing with the battery itself, that > is. We'll _all_ need to work together to pull this off.*> > > <*Any ideas the best way to go about this?*> Xzerrion finally makes an appearance, looking much like any other rakish drow elven noble in deep purple tunic, black cloak, black hose, and black boots, his silver hair nicely set off by his silver bracers and gold house sigil. `Personally, I don't think sticking around here fighting the grunt soldiers is going to accomplish much of anything. We do, on the other hand, have enough of us to ...' he pauses to hit a few drow who got to close with poisoned arrows, ` ... make an assassination squad. This may not be to moral, but I'm in favor of hunting down the head of this crew and removing it.' Xzerrion unsheaths his ice-blue sword and envenomed dagger. `Anyone with me on this?' =========================== Subject: Re: AAE-Havok! (was Don't look now....) Date: Wed, 26 Mar 97 23:55:09 -0000 From: Roland X >>>She looks over at where Roscoe sits, a sidhe rodent snuggled in his >>>fur and two wolves teasing him good naturedly about being a daddy. >>><*I think I know how to deal with the thing, but I could use some >>>help from the other nature-spirit types in the group.*> She quickly >>>looks around at the others. <*Dealing with the battery itself, that >>>is. We'll _all_ need to work together to pull this off.*> >>> >>><*Any ideas the best way to go about this?*> >> >> Silver Phoenix smiles. *How about putting the energy >>back where it belongs? One living power conduit, reporting >>for duty!* > ><*Thanks, Phoenix, but this one's mine.*> Roland nods understandingly. There are times when we must all face...realities that we need to face. >Morgan looks at Roland, at the rest of her comrads, and smiles at the >thought of all their devotion to the cause of Light. > ><*So many of you have put yourselves on the front line, in harms way, >to protect the rest of us or the fictions we love. It's _my_ turn.*> > ><*I'm a Druid. Nature energy is what I do - what I _am_. The >specifics will have to wait 'till I see just what sort of a set-up >he's got, but I've got a pretty good idea what to do.*> > >She motions her wolves to her side, and Roscoe joins her as well. As >she looks at the assembled lupines, a grin spreads across her face. ><*I've always wanted a chance to use this line....*> In her best >"monarch's voice", the Greywolf calls out, > >"Cry, 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war!" "A queen," Roland says, a teasing smile on his face, "needs guardsmen." Suddenly, four images of Roland appear around Morgan, each facing outward. Those who use the psiweb to link with Roland, or with the power to sense what is happening, can 'see' that he is using his superspeed to be all around her at once. Any non-relativistic attack (like most Fantasy-ficton attacks) will have to pass through the now-heavily-armored, forcefielded, immortal form of the Silver Phoenix-who also has a mass that is approaching infinity at the speeds he's moving. And any attacks moving at speeds sufficient to bypass this odd defense will have to cut through the force contrail he's creating before he can react. Above them, the field closes in a dome-shape. "Don't worry, I've got the floor covered too. Do your thing, Morgan," the Silver Phoenix says in an odd, echoing voice... =========================== From: Martin Gerster Subject: Re: re: AAE -- Havok! (&etc.) (Long) Date: Thu, 27 Mar 97 02:59:55 PST (economy-sized snip) >>> Silver Phoenix smiles. *How about putting the energy >>> back where it belongs? One living power conduit, reporting >>> for duty!* >>> /No, Roland, *two* actually/ sends *Dhyrclhanc* the Sentinel-Lensdragon, who simlutaneously switches off with Morgan as the central node for the Psi-web. Just so the Greywolf'll have one less additional thing to worry about, you understand. As the switch takes place, all of the gathered Callahanians can "see" him, even though he's still, physically, standing guard outside the TARDIS. >>> She motions her wolves to her side, and Roscoe joins her as well. >>> As she looks at the assembled lupines, a grin spreads across her >>> face. <*I've always wanted a chance to use this line....*> In her >>> best "monarch's voice", the Greywolf calls out, >>> >>> "Cry, 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war!" >> >> "A queen," Roland says, a teasing smile on his face, "needs >> guardsmen." >> /I agree, wholeheartedly! / sends the draconian Lensman and along with the message, the adolecent Ruby Fire Dragon sends three separate pulses of energy, from the combined power of the Sentinel-Lensdragon's "First-Ring" and Lens. One goes into all of the Callahanians; strengthening the Psi-web beyond what anyone would've dared imagine (also tossing out the last vestiges of the Controller^2's link), the second goes to Morgan; adding strength and power to her efforts at moving the node of Life/Magic-Energy and the third goes to adding power to his, soon to be appearent, hyper-speed abilities and making the "forcewall," he's about to create, stronger. Last, but not least, two more forcefields appear. One is an additional "forcedome" protecting Morgan and the other completly encases the TARDIS, adding additonal protection to the members of the miniature Army of Light within. >> Above them, the field closes in a dome-shape. >> "Don't worry, I've got the floor covered too. Do your >> thing, Morgan," the Silver Phoenix says in an odd, echoing >> voice... (O.C.C: There's my two cents. Sorry about the problem with the Time Sinc . Maybe that was one of those realy rare instances of a GL Ring giving it's wearer a flash of Precog? (Mental Shrug) Gee, I can't wait to see what happens next. Can you?) =========================== Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 03:54:18 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: AAE - Havok! Having ushered everyone out of the TARDIS, the KnightShift/Doctor turns to Dhyrclhanc. > "We won't be needing the forcefield, I am going to keep the TARDIS "in orbit" in the Vortex until we need...uh, wait...if you can spare the energy, I think I have a small diversion, should the Controller wish to take us up on it." Fiddling with the TARDIS remote for a moment, the dematerialisation circuits kick in, but the large door does not fade away. As the gring-wheeze dies away, the KnightShift smiles. "There. The TARDIS is gone, but I left a 'husk' to hopefully tempt the Controllor into sparing a few men to get it. It will fade away in 12 hours, but it might divide the Controllor's attention." Turning to the Greywolf, the KnightShift says sternly, "Morgan..." then appears at a loss for words. He comes to a decision. "Good luck." Calling Pyewackett to him, the KnightShift pulls a large black cloak from his backpack. As he flips the cloak around him, it seems to move with an unnatural breeze. For a brief moment, it engulfs the duo. In that moment, through the Psiweb, The KnightShift and Pyewackett's minds went from two distinct entities to a new, intermingled one. As the cloak falls around his shoulders, the KnightShift's eyes seem to burn from beneath the brim of a slouch hat, They appear now as a cat's eyes. Black slits in yellow-green irises. Otherwise, his face is hidden in shadow. The KnightShift's body is swallowed by the cloak. But from beneath it, two black-gloved hands emerge, each holding large silver pistols. "I believe you will need someone to take the point and clear a path," voice echoing slightly, "I am at your service." The pistols vanish beneath the cloak, and without waiting for an answer, the KnightShift turns and strides down the hall. As if an invisible mist rolled through, the KnightShift vanishes. His footsteps echo briefly, but they soon go silent too. Far down the corridor, four drow appear. Two are immediately slammed against opposite walls by an invisible force. The other two run in opposite directions down an intersecting corridor. Through the Psiweb, the group can see the drow are running from an explosion that occured in the center of the intersection and is speeding rapidly down the corridors after them. But the Callahanians recognize it as an illusion. A malevolently evil laugh echoes through the corridors and the Psiweb. "Alec Baldwin, eat your heart out." =========================== Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 02:05:52 From: "L.J. Wolfe" Subject: AAE - Such gallant gentlemen! At 02:59 AM 3/27/97 PST, Dhyrclhanc wrote: >/I agree, wholeheartedly! / sends the draconian Lensman and >along with the message, the adolecent Ruby Fire Dragon sends three >separate pulses of energy, from the combined power of the >Sentinel-Lensdragon's "First-Ring" and Lens. >One goes into all of the Callahanians; strengthening the Psi-web >beyond what anyone would've dared imagine.... [OOC: Cool, you gave me a chance to work in something I wasn't sure how to work in. Thanks! Consider this a possible opening for a sub plot if anyone wants to play ;-).] Morgan laughs, a deep chuckle of wonder and appreciation at this show of support. The sound, combined with the link kicking into overdrive, causes several of the Callahanians to become aware of something that had been skirting around the edges of Morgan's conciousness since the series of emotional jolts she received concerning Driscoll. Something that _she'd_ barely started becoming conscious of when Driscoll donned his swashbuckler garb. It was beginning to sink in that she was (if one didn't count the non-humanoids) the only female in a group of at least reasonably attractive(*footnote), adventurous males. She wasn't quite letting this rise to the surface, because she had more pressing things to deal with, but the males were, in varying degrees, starting to become aware that one of their number _wasn't_ just "one of the guys". (*footnote: Yes, Xzerrion, I saw your post. A rakish silver haired Drow, hmm? Sounds intriguing .) >(O.C.C: There's my two cents. Sorry about the problem with the Time >Sinc . Maybe that was one of those realy rare instances of a GL >Ring giving it's wearer a flash of Precog? (Mental Shrug) Gee, I >can't wait to see what happens next. Can you?) (OOC: No, so I'll do something about it ). Morgan sends a feeling of warmth, sort of a mental hug, to her "guard" (including any of the rest of you who may have considered joining but hadn't posted as such). <*Good gentles, I _do_ appreciate the protection! And if it can get me to the battery intact then it will serve our purpose. But what I have in mind, what I may need to do to rain on the Controller's parade, I can't do if I'm energy shielded.*> The Greywolf has a quick mental conference with Squee, and rechecks her "sensors" (assuming the force fields don't interfere ). <*I was right, the battery is down those stairs. And the voltage has stopped increasing. Whatever we're going to do, we'd better do quick.*> <*I hope this bubble you've put me in is mobile, because we need to move out.*> Cutter and Leetah take off to scout ahead and run interference, sending through Morgan to the link that they expect her to be close behind. Morgan /|\ [OK, I just got KnighShift's last before I sent this (and I thought _I_ was up late!). I think everything can stand more or less as written, with Cutter and Leetah taking off down the corridor after KnightWackett ;-). KnightShift, consider yourself included in that mental hug for the "Morgan... Good Luck." :-) Now let's go kick Controller butt! ] =========================== From: gamer@mail.hvs.com Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 06:29:46 -0500 Subject: Aae-Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to the battery we now go... As the group begins to move down the hall, Morgan suddenly notices Driss right next to her. over their private link, he says solemly, "If there's anything I can do to help you, even if it will cost me my newly mortal life, I would like to do it. You know of balance, and I have a great mistake in my past I need to find a way to balance as best I can, though I know I can never do it completely." An image like a clip from a movie snaps into her mind. Driscoll, dressed in a harlequin costume with a glowing stone around his neck, confronting Chaos. Driss grasps the stone and raises it up, energy building in it. Then in a white flash, everything is gone save for Chaos. The entire dimention ceased to be. Then chaos gestures and unmoving forms of Driss and Roscoe appear, and Chaos splits into a courtroom full of Chaosi(?) and he silently argues with himself. Then the gavel falls and Driscoll and Roscoe awake in a grassy field on Earth. Morgan looks over to Driss, only to see that like many times in the past, he is gone again, but somehow she knows he is nearby still. She looks over to Roscoe who seems oblivious to everything else as he holds a private conversation with Squee as they walk. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE - Such gallant gentlemen! Date: Fri, 28 Mar 97 00:04:03 -0000 From: Roland X Recently, Lady Morgan did command: (and you can't object to that title any more! Nyah! ) >It was beginning to sink in that she was (if one didn't count the >non-humanoids) the only female in a group of at least reasonably >attractive(*footnote), adventurous males. She wasn't quite letting >this rise to the surface, because she had more pressing things to >deal with, but the males were, in varying degrees, starting to become >aware that one of their number _wasn't_ just "one of the guys". Roland blushes bright red. A deep-set sense of chivalry is a part of his fundamental nature-and forever at war with an equal belief that all sentients are created equal. And though he is deeply in love, he is a man, and... Roland suddenly realizes that, on Oa, he used his powers to idealize his features. He sees his reflection in the glass of his helmet...a dark-haired, amber-eyed knight with clean features. And an immortal warrior, of course, does not have problems with weight, strength or stamina... The blush deepens. >(*footnote: Yes, Xzerrion, I saw your post. A rakish silver haired >Drow, hmm? Sounds intriguing .) /Whew-off the hook./ >Morgan sends a feeling of warmth, sort of a mental hug, to her >"guard" (including any of the rest of you who may have considered >joining but hadn't posted as such). Roland returns the 'hug,' then clamps down _hard_ on his emotional state. ><*Good gentles, I _do_ appreciate the protection! And if it can get >me to the battery intact then it will serve our purpose. But what I >have in mind, what I may need to do to rain on the Controller's >parade, I can't do if I'm energy shielded.*> *At present,* Roland sends, still embarrassed, *I cannot affect magick. Your powers should pass through the field quite easily. This means, of course, that I cannot protect you from a similar attack, but no physical force can reach you without passing through me first.* >The Greywolf has a quick mental conference with Squee, and rechecks >her "sensors" (assuming the force fields don't interfere ). <*I >was right, the battery is down those stairs. And the voltage has >stopped increasing. Whatever we're going to do, we'd better do >quick.*> > ><*I hope this bubble you've put me in is mobile, because we need to >move out.*> Cutter and Leetah take off to scout ahead and run >interference, sending through Morgan to the link that they expect her >to be close behind. "Oh dear," the Silver Phoenix(es) say(s) aloud. *I hadn't thought of that-I figured your 'attack' would be purely magickal.* The field dissipates but does not vanish entirely. Roland's 'circuit' around Morgan becomes slightly wider and more elliptical. *With my superspeed, I can easily keep up - but if we'll be moving, the energy shield will be slightly more compromised than a fixed position. *But I will not allow harm to come to you.* Roland's determination alone seems enough to ensure that... =========================== Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 01:47:43 -0600 From: Michael Jon Knight Subject: AAE - Onward and Downward!?! From: "L.J. Wolfe" >[OK, I just got KnighShift's last before I sent this (and I thought >_I_ was up late!). I think everything can stand more or less as >written, with Cutter and Leetah taking off down the corridor after >KnightWackett ;-). KnightShift, consider yourself included in that >mental hug for the "Morgan... Good Luck." :-) > >Now let's go kick Controller butt! ] Cutter and Leetah head down the hall, but stop halfway. Knytt reappears as if from a fog and treks back down the corridor, cloak sweeping behind. As he approaches, he can plainly be heard talking to the two wolves flanking him. "Fine, I *know* I went the wrong way ... At least those Drow won't be following us now ........ I *know* I looked foolish ............ Cutter, you *can't* tell me you have never shown off for a pretty lady before ...... Oh, *right* ........ See? Leetah knows better! ........ Alright, I'll drop it ... Yes, Leetah, I will stick with you two from now on, 'kay? Right, down the stairs. Lead on!" As Knytt and his lupine guides sweep past the rest of the group (and especially Morgan) towards the stairs, a distinct blush can be seen even beneath the shadow of the slouch hat. ===========================