Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4
                              Chapter 31

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:09:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 12:30:05 -0500 In Message # 00003815
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002028 Michael Jon Knight said:

>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 03:54:45 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003805
> In alt.callahans Post # 00002018 fuzzy said:
>
>> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 02:36:35 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003804
>>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002017 Nemisis said:
>>
>> "=\#Major Systems Reconfiguration in Progress, Please Stand By.#\="
>> <This is obviously some kind of Automatic output like an error
>> message>
>
>/Where the Hades did That Come From???
>  That was not in any of the ROM Coding I set up.../

The twins giggle, /C'mon, Great-grandfather, you're not the only one
reprogramming Grandmother. She has to have a hand in some of it or
you'd be too busy coding to do anything else./

>A Dust Cloud rises vertically 100 meters as Fuzzy's HoverCyclone
>emerges from a Portal laying flat in the ground surface at Mach 5,
>Stoping almost instantly in High cover position...

/Ooo, slick./ the twins send with a smile, /You alright now,
Grandmother?/

--The TechnoTerrorTwins <g>
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 12:07:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:49:24 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003817
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002030 Nemisis said:

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 12:30:05 -0500 In Message # 00003815
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002028 Michael Jon Knight said:
>
>>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 03:54:45 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003805
>> In alt.callahans Post # 00002018 fuzzy said:
>>
>>/Where the Hades did That Come From???
>>  That was not in any of the ROM Coding I set up.../
>
> The twins giggle, /C'mon, Great-grandfather, you're not the only one
> reprogramming Grandmother. She has to have a hand in some of it or
> you'd be too busy coding to do anything else./

/The ROM Coding he was refering to has not been changed since my
inception,
  I am not sure where that Command Structure orginated myself./

>>A Dust Cloud rises vertically 100 meters as Fuzzy's HoverCyclone
>>emerges from a Portal laying flat in the ground surface at Mach 5,
>>Stoping almost instantly in High cover position...
>
> /Ooo, slick./ the twins send with a smile, /You alright now,
>Grandmother?/

\I seem to be 'Fine', but since I am unsure of the source of the
process, I cannot be sure something like it will not happen again.
Reviewing the Signature of Jim's output there is a 80% chance that his
  Primal Configuration was assembeled as Task # 08765-r by the
   Hospital on Quaren, that would make him your Cousin.
    Task # 08765-r was a Active Nano-Culture Body Creation around
     Cloned Neural Tissue, Supplied Engram Patterns were downloaded,
      The Prognosis without treatment was terminal.
       This was also the Second Case the Hospital had seen of the
     Hydra-Colony Organism.\

#Jim, if my analysis is correct, the Relationship is more akin to
 that which the Twins refer to by calling me Grandmother#
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 13:35:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 13:26:25 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003818
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002031 Nemisis said:

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:49:24 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003817
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002030 Nemisis said:
>
> #Jim, if my analysis is correct, the Relationship is more akin to
> that which the Twins refer to by calling me Grandmother#

#Jim, the further thought occures that either Hospital on Quaren II,
could assemble a Bio-Form Body for Justin, if we aquire a Gene sample
from prior to his becoming infected with the Hydra Organism.
 There are several Time Travelers in the CAoL including myself.#
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 13:35:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home. (VLong!)

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 13:32:10 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003819
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002032 fuzzy said:

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 04:25:52 -0400 In Message # 00003802
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002015 Josh Hill said:
>
> He steps in front of Roland, between the Freelance Immortal and the
> faux-Iron Man and says, "Sorry bro, if I have anything to say about
> it, then I would gladly drag the carcase of that mechanical
> abomination we call 'The Controler' through the lowest pits of Hell
> for what he did to us, but Justin here, despite his own pleas to the
> contrary, is innocent as far as I'm concerned. The second he began
> to wear that new face, put on that armor, and pledged his services
> to our cause 'The Controler' died and 'Justin Fleish' was born.

From Fuzzy's position at High Guard
/Make that 'A Worthwhile Cause' rather than 'Our Cause' and I am with
you 100%./
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 13:37:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 15:32:43 -0500 In Message # 00003820
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002033 Michael Jon Knight said:

>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:49:24 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003817
> In alt.callahans Post # 00002030 Nemisis said:
>
>> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 12:30:05 -0500 In Message # 00003815
>>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002028 Michael Jon Knight said:
>>
>> The twins giggle, /C'mon, Great-grandfather, you're not the only
>> one reprogramming Grandmother. She has to have a hand in some of it
>> or you'd be too busy coding to do anything else./
>
>/The ROM Coding he was refering to has not been changed since my
> inception,
>  I am not sure where that Command Structure orginated myself./

The twins sober instantly. /Oh dear...Our systems seem fine, have you
talked to any other computers recently?/

>> /Ooo, slick./ the twins send with a smile, /You alright now,
>>Grandmother?/
>
>\I seem to be 'Fine', but since I am unsure of the source of the
>process, I cannot be sure something like it will not happen again.
> Reviewing the Signature of Jim's output there is a 80% chance that
>  his Primal Configuration was assembeled as Task # 08765-r by the
>   Hospital on Quaren, that would make him your Cousin.
>    Task # 08765-r was a Active Nano-Culture Body Creation around
>     Cloned Neural Tissue, Supplied Engram Patterns were downloaded,
>      The Prognosis without treatment was terminal.
>       This was also the Second Case the Hospital had seen of the
>    Hydra-Colony Organism.\

/If we can be of assistance, we are at your disposal, Grandmother. On
a lighter note, please tell Cousin Jim welcome to the family. We would
not wish to overwhelm him at such a momentus occassion by intruding./
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 14:35:42 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 14:05:02 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003821
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002034 Nemisis said:

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 15:32:43 -0500 In Message # 00003820
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002033 Michael Jon Knight said:
>
>>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:49:24 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003817
>> In alt.callahans Post # 00002030 Nemisis said:
>>
>>/The ROM Coding he was refering to has not been changed since my
>>inception,
>>  I am not sure where that Command Structure orginated myself./
>
> The twins sober instantly. /Oh dear...Our systems seem fine, have
> you talked to any other computers recently?/

\You, Monitoring unusual output that I now know to have been leakage
from  Jim's conciousness, Nemo, Armageddon,
 and some interface with with Devices being examined, but it is
  unlikely that this last catagory would be able to transmit overide
   command compatible with my structure.\

> /If we can be of assistance, we are at your disposal, Grandmother.
> On a lighter note, please tell Cousin Jim welcome to the family. We
> would not wish to overwhelm him at such a momentus occassion by
> intruding./

^So Far, the Effect seems to be positive, If you examine the
 Hyper-Plenium, All of my Splits are now contiguious regardless of
  spatial seperation.
   Still Caution is recomended...
    Please inform me of any hazards this situation may represent,
     that you are able to deduce.^

>>#Jim, if my analysis is correct, the Relationship is more akin to
>> that which the Twins refer to by calling me Grandmother#

#And the Twins asked me to relay a "Hello Cousin" from them.#
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 20:37:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 22:25:28 -0500 In Message # 00003823
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002036 Michael Jon Knight said:

>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 14:05:02 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003821
> In alt.callahans Post # 00002034 Nemisis said:
>
>\You, Monitoring unusual output that I now know to have been leakage
>from Jim's conciousness, Nemo, Armageddon,
> and some interface with with Devices being examined, but it is
> unlikely that this last catagory would be able to transmit overide
>  command compatible with my structure.\

/Nemo, Armageddon, now might be a good time for an "internal system's
check" just to be safe. Jim should check too. Perhaps a check of
Justin even. We think that will cover all the computers we have all
had active contact with./

>^So Far, the Effect seems to be positive, If you examine the
> Hyper-Plenium, All of my Splits are now contiguious regardless of
>  spatial seperation.
>   Still Caution is recomended...
>    Please inform me of any hazards this situation may represent,
>     that you are able to deduce.^

<OOC: Assuming I read this right, Nemisis's splits are connected
through a fourth spacial dimension though by three-dimensional
reckoning, they would be perceived as seperate. Ignore this if I have
mis-translated.>

^We can't see of any problem off-hand. We presume you are familiar
with Edwin Abbott Abbott's work of geometric fiction, Flatland. If
not, we can provide a copy. That would be the best guide of does and
don'ts of 4-D operations we can think of Try not to pass through three
dimensions from the fourth if your path is blocked by a 3-D person or
object. You would obviously appear inside that object. Useful for
entering locked rooms, but messy when it comes to people.^
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 22:07:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 21:45:30 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003826
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002039 Nemisis said:

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 22:25:28 -0500 In Message # 00003823
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002036 Michael Jon Knight said:
>
> <OOC: Assuming I read this right, Nemisis's splits are connected
> through a fourth spacial dimension though by three-dimensional
> reckoning, they would be perceived as seperate. Ignore this if I
> have mis-translated.>

<OOC: Substantially Correct,
      From a 4-D perspective Nemisis is in only one place,
      However each Split is a seperate 3-D Projection in 3-Space.>

> ^We can't see of any problem off-hand. We presume you are familiar
> with Edwin Abbott Abbott's work of geometric fiction, Flatland. If
> not, we can provide a copy. That would be the best guide of does and
> don'ts of 4-D operations we can think of Try not to pass through
> three dimensions from the fourth if your path is blocked by a 3-D
> person or object. You would obviously appear inside that object.
> Useful for entering locked rooms, but messy when it comes to
> people.^

^My exposure to it to Date has been in the Relm of Speculative
 Ortho-Graphic Projections Mapped in Multi-Space.^

<OOC: It has been a very long time... :(>
===========================

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 23:59:20 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 01:37:05 -0500 In Message # 00003827
 In alt.callahans Post # 00002040 Michael Jon Knight said:

>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 21:45:30 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003826
> In alt.callahans Post # 00002039 Nemisis said:
>
>^My exposure to it to Date has been in the Relm of Speculative
> Ortho-Graphic Projections Mapped in Multi-Space.^

The twins roll up their sleeves above the elbow. Grep, standing in
front of the whiteboard, seems to go through the motions of loosening
up her hands, as if shaking off writer's cramp, while Melissa does a
precise imitation of the old Daffy Duck 'Divorce Court' magic routine
making a raw egg appear from thin air between her fingers. Holding the
egg over a trash can, Melissa nods and Grep reaches out from across
the room, her arm narrowing to a point from elbow to just above the
wrist. The egg in Melissa's hand cracks then shatters and Melissa is
holding a yolk and white-covered fist, that narrows quickly into a
point where the wrist would be. The hand then disappears rapidly into
a point. Grep pulls her arm back and her hand emerges again into
three-space.

As both twins clean off their hands, they remark, ^#That was sorta
fun. We cheated and grew the arm long enough to reach, though. Anyway,
as long as you don't do anything like that, you should be fine.
Abbott's book is actually about a two-dimensional being (a square)
meeting a three-dimensional being (a sphere), and how, by using the
third spacial dimension, can appear from nowhere, starting as a
disembodied voice in the 2-d being's home, becoming a point in the
room, then an ever expanding circle as the 3-d being passes larger and
larger cross-sections through the 2-d being's flat universe.
Interesting story. Also, in other "fiction", there is a Doctor Who
novel, a New Adventure, entitled _Legacy_, we believe, whose alien
antagonist is a four spacial-dimensional being. Also an interesting
read, as it tries to convey what a 4-D being would look like to a 3-D
viewer. Bits of it keep appearing and disappearing as it moves. The
plot struck us as rather machiavellian also. Though, this is far in
the future of our Doctors. :) And who knows how much of it actually
translates into their fiction. ;)#^

^#Hey, this stuff could be interesting. Thank you, Grandmother,
this'll give us something to do while we putter around the lab.#^

<OOC: The lab demonstration and book reviews are as much for our
audience as anything. Other dinemsions can be complex enough without
having to try and visualize ones that would intersect with our own.
Incidently, the description of what Grep's arm does as it moves at
right angles to all three dimensions was just a guess based on the
latter Doctor Who novel. Hmmm...first mobius strips, now this. Anyone
thinking we should start cross-posting to
alt.euclid.nightmares.mobius.mobius.mobius? <eg>

Mobius strips...that reminds me, ever hear the one liner about the
stingy man who sliced his bread so thin, it only had one side? <g> I
think it was a Red Skelton remark.>
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 04:34:48 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 00:05:28 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00003831
(and On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 01:13:10 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00003911)

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 22:25:28 -0500 In Message # 00003823
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002036 Michael Jon Knight said:
>
> /Nemo, Armageddon, now might be a good time for an "internal
> system's check" just to be safe. Jim should check too. Perhaps a
> check of Justin even. We think that will cover all the computers we
> have all had active contact with./

Nemo sends:

/Acknowledged./

One at a time the various Nemos seem to move without changing
location. A rather disconcerting sight.

NEMO sends:

/Remotes purged and replaced. Data being reloaded as it is cleared./

Nemo will be a bit vague for a few seconds after this effect.

<OOC>

NEMO broke each remote down to energy and rebuilt it (requiring a
sidestep in space/time) and then reloaded their "memories" after
scanning for anything odd.

Do let me know if he found anything.

There *are* advantages to not being "real". :-)

</OOC>
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home. (fwd)

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:49:08 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00003889

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 19:31:41 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:49:24 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003817
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002030 Nemisis said:
>
> #Jim, if my analysis is correct, the Relationship is more akin to
>  that which the Twins refer to by calling me Grandmother#

 #Alright... Grandmother.#
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home. (fwd)

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:49:37 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00003891

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 19:35:40 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 13:26:25 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003818
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002031 Nemisis said:
>
> #Jim, the further thought occures that either Hospital on Quaren II,
> could assemble a Bio-Form Body for Justin, if we aquire a Gene
> sample from prior to his becoming infected with the Hydra Organism.
>  There are several Time Travelers in the CAoL including myself.#

 #I do not know if Justin would agree to it. He had gained time travel
abilities himself as The Controller and had the cloning technology to
perform the same task, but I believe he feared the weaknesses of the
flesh. He never again wanted to worry about being crippled by disease
or injury. Never wanted to worry about hunger or thirst. Never wanted
to be slowed in his work by lack of sleep again. That is why he kept
seeking out powerful forms to take the place of. This body was the
perfect thing for his needs. And on a more personal note, if he were
to change bodies again, what would become of us? Jim and Justin are
one. Body and Mind. What body can go on without the mind?#
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home. (fwd)

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:50:21 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00003893

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 19:38:49 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

> On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 14:05:02 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003821
>  In alt.callahans Post # 00002034 Nemisis said:
>
>>>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 11:49:24 -0700 (PDT) In Message # 00003817
>>> In alt.callahans Post # 00002030 Nemisis said:
>>>
>>>#Jim, if my analysis is correct, the Relationship is more akin to
>>> that which the Twins refer to by calling me Grandmother#
>
> #And the Twins asked me to relay a "Hello Cousin" from them.#

 #Hello back to them. I am afraid I don't know how to commuinicate
with them yet. I only could transmit to you because of the identical
Nanite forms and working frequencies. We were not equiped to need
outside communication when this body was designed.#
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:42 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE-The Controller stands among us. (fwd)

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:51:09 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00003895

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 19:51:16 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Aae-The Controller stands among us.

 Iron Man looks up towards Fuzzy, hten over at Roland and Morgan, and
then to Knytt. "I thank you all fro the votes of confidence you have
in me and my purposes and I hope I will not prove your trust
unfounded. This form though was a sham. A mask to hide who and what I
am. But I need it no longer, therefor I shall now shed it."
 ^Jim. reconfigure the body to this {} design specification. Then I
want it rigged to be quickly interchangable with this {} human body
specification.^
 ^Working. Estimated time to final completion, 4 minutes 26 seconds.
Isn't this body...?^
 ^Yes. It's the most powerful form I am most intimately familiar with.
it should work best for me.^
 ^Don't you thank they will object?^
 ^Then this will also be the first test of how much the trust my
change.^

 A little over four minutes later, the Iron Man form begins to shift.
It darkens in color until it is pure black. it grows slightly and is
quickly becoming very familiar looking. Within seconds, The Controller
stands before them with one slight alteration. Over the left breast
plate now sits the design of the CaoL take from one fo the Sigils he
msut have noticed.
 He looks around in that form for a moment, then it seems to begin to
implode upon itself. Metal shifts to flesh and within another few
seconds, a slightly pot-bellied middleaged man with the first signs of
male pattern baldness just begining to appear on his red hairline, now
stand where The Controller did. He dusts off the Wrangler blue jeans
and tests the fit of hte button up cotton shirt he wears then grins at
the others. "It's good to get out fo all that metal every now and
again don't you think?"
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 12:11:17 -0400
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home. (VLong!)

(Came in later as:)
On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 02:56:06 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00003907

> On Fri, 17 Apr '98 fuzzy said:
>
>> Martin Gerster said:
>>
>From Fuzzy's position at High Guard
> /Make that 'A Worthwhile Cause' rather than 'Our Cause' and I am
> with you 100%./

Before the Lensdragon dissapeared, Fuzzy recieved, /^Thank you,
Milord.^/
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 10:25:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Admin: Status update

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 12:11:38 -0500
Zia Said As GR-1 Message # 00000268

(IC stuff quoted later as:
On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 03:16:49 -0500
 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00003829)

This is what I've been trying to post
Under the Subject line of AAE 4 - The Breaking of the Seal

Zia breaks off her Lens chat with the twins in good order to deal with
yet another round of surges from that rather huge gulp of blast
they're shifting to the ARC above, when suddenly the  fatigue makes
her err. Instead of passing the perfect amount of energy to the other
Nodes, she passes too much, by a small amount. Her Node goes weak. The
Seal's Lines and Circle flutter once as the others try to snap the
Linkage deep enough to balance the load.

They fail. Even they can't hold a five way linkage for THIS long
without tiring.

In a last ditch effort, born of desperation, James and Sera, the two
most energy capable psis, simply THROW all they power they can heft in
two super-large levinbolts of blue Patterned energy.

A huge pillar of blue lightning crawls UP from the ground to  hit the
Arc above London where Sera is, and from the South  Pole, where James
is underground.

Their reflex is to act to save themselves; unused to aid of any sort,
none of them think of calling for such, or even  screaming as their
doom falls.

The Seal's line flutter, and fade in seconds. Fortunately the release
isn't QUITE enough to kill the former Node Managers. But it is enough
to lay them out cold, even Sera. Zia is barely even breathing, deep in
shock-trauma coma. James falls to the ground in a cavern well below
freezing. The three others are not in immediately life-threatening
straits... but none of them had any direct link to the CAoL, either.
It will probably take someone trying to reach Zia on her Lens to find
out anything went wrong with the Crew.

Oh, and magic is once again working. Everywhere. That might help, too.
:)
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 10:31:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

(Note: Numbers 3830-3879 were skipped due to tech reasons)
(Except 3832, 3833, and 3866, all by Nemo, which were later re-posted)
(Note 2: I don't seem to have the post of Martin's that Knytt is
responding to)

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 12:22:18 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003880

At 11:56 AM 4/19/1998 -0400, our favorite Lensdragon wrote:
(I won't snip this one, so the folks reading this in a.c. won't wonder
what they missed.)
>> On Fri, 17 Apr '98 Michael Jon Knight said:
>>
>> Knytt smiles, /Dhyrclhanc, thank you. I'm sure that was hard to
>> say. And I agree with you about Iron...Justin. I wish I had a more
>> definite answer for some of the things you didn't say, but if it
>> helps, my Lady and I are in many ways not alike. She has learned in
>> a few years what I needed a few centuries to be taught. Life-mates
>> don't duplicate us, they compliment and supplement us, making us
>> something more than the sum of the parts. I think we always,
>> unconsciously at least, know them and, if my personal experience
>> has taught me anything, they are always where we aren't looking for
>> them. I think your foster-sibs can at least attest to that last
>> part./

>Something Dhyrclhanc is probably not mature enough to know. Or maybe
>something he isn't old enough to understand

>> Pyewackett pipes in, from an ornate chair in the lab that once was
>> his feline armor. /N'nairda and Leah'Cim? <OOC: Pronounced:
>> Na-NAIR-da and LAY-kim> Sure, they would love the company.
>>
>> I am well overdue for a visit. I should have stopped by at least a
>> hundred and fifty years ago./

>A calmer, but clearly shaken, Dhyrclhanc responds from the Drawing
>Room, /Thank you Knytt, my friend, when we are finished in this place
>and once we have found John, when you and Pyewackett go to visit your
>friends I would be honored to accompany you./
>
>Then clearly addressing the entire CAoL, including Justin and Jim, /I
>appologize for that outburst. As important to me as is my oath as a
>Second-Stage Lensman is my personal responsibility to serve Justice
>and to act as a Guardian, or in my case, a Sentinel. Both of these
><ahem> demand that I protect the innocent and, as I said before, as
>far as I am concerned Justin is innocent of those acts he might have
>perpetrated as the Controler. His actions are all the proof of that I
>need. Justice would not be served by his persecution. I percieved
>that he would be attacked for crimes He did not commit and took
>action to see that this would not happen./
>
>/Appaerently as a Dragon, my beliefes and feelings will occasionaly
>override my State of Second-Stage Stability, if this is the "badge"
>that I wear in order to do what I think is Right then I wear it with
>pride. If Mentor, himself, were to appear tomorrow and demand that I
>give up my Lens, thanks to you, I have other resourses to draw upon
>and even that would not stop me from doing what I can to help and to
>protect others./

/Dhyrclhanc, no need to apologize. Even if totally unarmed, I would
rather have you at my back than any Lensman approved by someone
willing to take a Lens away based on one emotional outburst./

Knytt glances at Roland, /Or, because of location, a Green Lantern
Ring./

"/Now then, we have much to do and little time to do it. Ah, Molly,/"
Knytt said, noticing the woman looking over her wing-board just inside
the shields, "/My name's Knytt, a pleasure to meet you. You seem to be
in need of a ride back to the church. It would be my pleasure to
provide one. We can chat once we are no longer out in the open./"

Molly nods, and Knytt blinks from standing next to the Freelance
Immortals, to standing next to Molly. Together, they gather up the
wing-board, and both vanish to appear back in the church.
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 15:27:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: fuzzy
Subject: Re: your mail

<snip of a bunch of admin stuff about the list being down>
> Zia, your 'rescuers' should come soon.  That darn cat of mine will
> notice immediately, though finding your bunch may take a bit longer.
> On the other hand, we're a lucky bunch. ;)

The Question I have on that is,
Zia, You left the Nemisis Splits Behind?
Also The Seal is not totaly Gone,
 The Hardware Techno-Solomon Seal is functional in its own rite...
  Nemisis would not have gone to that much trouble just to create a
Tool.
It would have dropped to about 1/10 the power they were maintaining it
at,
 With the energy they routed out of it in the crash call ti 1/20 maybe
1/30, and rebuilding slowly, on its own.
 The Crustal Plates under that entire area were transmuted and shaped
into
a single Magitech Techno-Runic Device...
 As soon as the Seal dropped that much, power The Splits would have
started a search.
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Azeronium Quickstep

(Note: From here to 3905 the counter was adding 2 per post)
On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 00:35:26 -0700
Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00003881

>    /Agreed,/ Roland replies, and the weapon retracts. "Gruber, I'm
> sure you have enough brains not to try anything with all these
> cosmic types around, but I figured it'd be bad form not to remind
> you anyway. Try anything and you'll be a fine red mist." He shrugs.
> "I don't kill, but I think I'm the only one in this lot who doesn't,
> and...well, I'm sure you know how it is."

Gruber looks at him. "Sure, I agreed to work with him" indicating
Stranger "till this is over. I just want this world restored, if you
can achieve that, I'll work with you."

Stranger sends /Guys, he seems sincere. He'd have killed me by now if
he wasn't. There's something here that's important to him, I think./
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Azeronium Quickstep

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 00:39:15 -0700
Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00003883

Ziactrice Keenan wrote:
> The exhaustion in the Link is now evident in more than just their
> 'voice'. The thought began focused to the Lensdragon, but wander
> quickly broad enough that anyone with a lens will likely catch it as
> well. Since a quite a number of CAoL HAVE lenses, or close to 'em,
> this should be fun. Don't think Stranger or Gruber do, however.

Gruber doesn't, Stranger does. That might be noticed now we're out of
combat. Last time anyone in the CAoL met Stranger he had a minilens,
now he has a Lens. He also has a lightsaber, which no-one will have
seen before.

> A few minutes later, irregardless of other reactions... A blue
> narrow line 'rises' from the western horizon. In minutes, it
> broadens and ascends into the sky, a HUGE arc running N-S across the
> sky. Where it has already passed the sky changes color. Back to the
> blue of Earth's normal sky. The Arc broadens (in sight perception
> from the dilation of the atmosphere... it's not really changing in
> measurement) as it rises further. Over the next six hours, it will
> transverse the entire sky, with a roughly 23 minute long BRIGHT
> GREEN light as it passes over the sun. (A prime-O chance for any GL
> stunts, anyone?)
>
> The sky turns blue behind it. And when it passes over London, the
> air is suddenly revised back to 'normal' Earth atmosphere. Minus
> London's usual smog, even. :)

This is gonna put Earth back to normal pretty quickly, now the Az
devices have been reversed, probably one sweep will fix things
completely.
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE 4 : The Breaking of the Seal

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:13 -0700 (PDT)
Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003897

> On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 03:16:49 -0500
> Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00003829
>
> In a last ditch effort, born of desperation, James and Sera, the two
> most energy capable psis, simply THROW all they power they can heft
> in two super-large levinbolts of blue Patterned energy.

/#Alert, The Amberite Crew seems to have had a failure,
   Rescue May be Required.#/

> The Seal's line flutter, and fade in seconds. Fortunately the
> release isn't QUITE enough to kill the former Node Managers. But it
> is enough to lay them out cold, even Sera. Zia is barely even
> breathing, deep in shock-trauma coma. James falls to the ground in a
> cavern well below freezing. The three others are not in immediately
> life-threatening straits... but none of them had any direct link to
> the CAoL, either. It will probably take someone trying to reach Zia
> on her Lens to find out anything went wrong with the Crew.
>
> Oh, and magic is once again working. Everywhere. That might help,
> too. :)

/Lord Fuzzy, I have been considering a set of Features that I built
 into the Frames Holding each Pair of Matrix Cubes.
  It seems possible to me if we can nail one of those power taps down
  for a minimum of .5 second that we will be able to key them to the
  Wards,
   As a secondary effect they would have only the one availible
   energy channel, which would make it possible to Link the Charge Gem
   you created to the tap, achieving the Self amplifying effect you
   were trying for on the Energy Tranfer Dampers.../
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE OOC: Virus Scans

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:15 -0700 (PDT)
Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003899

> On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 00:05:28 PST
> Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00003831
>
> NEMO broke each remote down to energy and rebuilt it (requiring a
> sidestep in space/time) and then reloaded their "memories" after
> scanning for anything odd.
>
> Do let me know if he found anything.

No nothing unusual...
 Lets put it this way...
Nemisis' evolution has been infuenced by The Twins, and Nemo...
 Nemisis will be worring about this effect for a long time,
  But it is essentially benificial.
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:19:57 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:17 -0700 (PDT)
Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003901

> On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 19:31:41 -0700 (MST)
> Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00003840 & # 00003841
>
>  #I do not know if Justin would agree to it. He had gained time
> travel abilities himself as The Controller and had the cloning
> technology to perform the same task, but I believe he feared the
> weaknesses of the flesh. He never again wanted to worry about being
> crippled by disease or injury. Never wanted to worry about hunger or
> thirst. Never wanted to be slowed in his work by lack of sleep
> again. That is why he kept seeking out powerful forms to take the
> place of. This body was the perfect thing for his needs. And on a
> more personal note, if he were to change bodies again, what would
> become of us? Jim and Justin are one. Body and Mind. What body can
> go on without the mind?#

#Just an option that is availible,
 Your Mind seems compleate enough that,
  if You decided to you would be able to exist without him.#
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:20:03 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:19 -0700 (PDT)
Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003903

> On Sat, 18 Apr 1998 19:38:49 -0700 (MST)
> Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00003842
>
>  #Hello back to them. I am afraid I don't know how to commuinicate
> with them yet. I only could transmit to you because of the identical
> Nanite forms and working frequencies. We were not equiped to need
> outside communication when this body was designed.#

#This () is the pattern of the Communications subsections of the
  Nanite Design yours were based on.
 The original Reason for Excluding them was to prevent External
  Interfearance with your functions as Justin's Body,
   Your Development to-date indicates that you are Jim,
    Not Just Justin's Body.
  As Jim you can be expected to resist any external infuence that
   you do not choose to allow.#
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 19:34:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: GR: Fuzzy Poll, Seal Mech Detail, and Search & Rescue

(IC stuff from:)
On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 19:21:06 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy Said As GR-1 Message # 00000298

> On Sun, 19 Apr 1998 19:45:15 -0500
> Zia Said As GR-1 Message # 00000292
>
> /"This Ward Major in your mind, " the linked minds ask, "Could we do
> it with five points and use the pentagram or spiral we have?" There
> is a snicker as well, "I guess your getting that formal
> introduction, now, Driss."/ If either are very skilled with psi,
> they might notice something very odd about this link. <<ooc: Let me
> know, and I'll fill you in.>>

 <Fuzzy is fairly well trained.
   In fact he trained Our missing John...>

\Hmmm, Give me a moment....
  Yes and No, The Wards Major Matrix set is very much tied to a four
point system,
  However a modified Solomon Seal...
{Image: A Pentagon in a Circle, with Runic Notations and what looks
vaguely like circuit diagrams (TechnoRunes) at each vertex}
Would work fairly well...\

<Later>
> Nemisis Speaks
> "I will have dispatch some Splits,
>   They should arrive within 15 seconds,
>    Evidence indicates that they will require Sentient guidence,
>     But they should provide good support,
>      And they will do their best with or without Guidence."

Later when other problems become known,
"\I am redirecting half of the mass of the Guardian Splits to assemble
a Physical representation of the Solomon Seal varient Lord Fuzzy has
indicated, in Quan Iron, in the Surface of of the Basaltic Crustal
Block under Your Workings, Incidently I will have to fuze the adjacent
Blocks to form a solid bed for it...
  ETC 1 Minute, Useing that as a Focus and Ancor for activating the
  varient should at least triple its effectiveness.
 I do not know if that will be enough, but it is the only assitance
  I can provide on the Warding issue.\"

> The link is attempting to set up the Seal of Solomon, using both
> Fuzzy's and Driss' advice.

Given how long the lyrics will take
Nemisis Forms in her mind the pattern af a Transmutaion Field
Shaped in the Solomon Seal Form ancored to the 5 Splits at the
Basaltic Block boundries

<Note: One of these 5 Splits was at each Node>

 Tapping the Nemo Power link She calls form the field directly in
place rather than trying to channel that much energy herself...
 After the Crustal Plates have been Transmuted into a Admantite/Quan
Iron alloy, the Splits Carve the Symbols into the Plate at the
Vertices...
Finishing just in time for the Spellsong above to lock into the
Physical match to its pattern.

> Define Entire Area? What kind of Magictech Techno-Runic Device?
> I thought it was just copying the magic circle of protection most
> mages would use, as tailored to the Node Managers? For I doubt
> highly any mage would work in a circle defined by another, much
> less the Amber Crew would do such a thing... at least, it seems
> uncharacteristically trusting.... But they could have been too
> busy to notice the additions of such symbology (weak, but an
> explanation.)

A Large Section of the Planetary Understructure...
A compleate Physical Solomon Seal, enhance with Techno-Runic
inscriptions at the vertices,
 The Physical size is 1 to 2 miles thick and the vertices are under
the Nodes.... The Entire area of the Basaltic Continental Plates, was
tranformed into a single Slab of Quan-Iron/Admantite Alloy, as a
Solomon Seal, the Runes and TechnoRunes were then carved into the
surface at the vertices...

Well, the Telepathic Image they were sent would have given them full
particulars, If they thought about it...

Basicly like the Seal of Solomon it is both a general protection, and
a Specific Protection against Deliberate Harm, Most of the add-ons
were definitions of what should not be impeded (Ie. Just protect the
Node Managers and The Planet, leave everything else alone) , and the
Mechanisim of the interface with the Node Managers...
===========================

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 23:50:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE-The Controller stands among us. (fwd)

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 02:16:19 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00003905

<ooc/> OK, I'm taking the plunge. Hopefully, this "new" listserver
will work. No offence, Fuzz. </ooc>

> On Sun, 19 Apr '98 Driscoll Said
>
>  He looks around in that form for a moment, then it seems to begin
> to implode upon itself. Metal shifts to flesh and within another few
> seconds, a slightly pot-bellied middleaged man with the first signs
> of male pattern baldness just begining to appear on his red
> hairline, now stand where The Controller did. He dusts off the
> Wrangler blue jeans and tests the fit of hte button up cotton shirt
> he wears then grins at the others. "It's good to get out fo all that
> metal every now and again don't you think?"

/Darn, / sends Dhyrclhanc, reappearing from the Drawing Room, /Here I
was hoping you'd decide to go for the "Iron Monger" look. Didn't like
Stane _at_all_ but I _Loved_ that design./ };=8)

"Then again," continues the draconic Lensman, approaching the
"newcomer", "I've always been a sucker for Powered Armor Suits."

Dhyrclhanc's form shrinks down to 9', 3" tall and reaches out to the
Ex-Faux-Iron-Man to shake his hand. "I do not believe we were properly
introduced before. I am Dhyrclhanc, for the Defence, I suppose.
Although, I certainly never considered myself JAG material before
today. Do we still call you 'Justin'?"

Dhyrclhanc will make several minutes worth of polite conversation and
then, politely excuse himself to offer his services to those mounting
the "Search and Rescue" mission for the Seal Crew.
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 00:58:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Azeronium Quickstep (Long!)

(Note: after skipping 3906-3907, the counter seems to be working
again)
(Note: The last two comments were first made at 12:00pm 4/19/98 and
later worked into this post.)

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 03:10:59 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00003908

> Michael Jon Knight said:
>
>> Martin Gerster said:
>>
>>> Michael Jon Knight said:
>
> <OOC: Well, Molly is cross-trained, but her specialties are Techno-
> wizardry and Lye Line Walker. A quirk of her genetics. One might
> think it was more than coincidence that she was orphaned on Rifts
> earth. <g>

<ooc/> I take it then you agree that the name of the OCC (not to be
confused with OOC) ought to be "Ley Line Walker" not just "Line
Walker"?

Hey, you know how "Ley Lines" got their name? This early geomancer,
who's name I forget, drew direct straight lines from one english stone
circle to another and when he was done connecting them all he found
out that almost of all of the lines intersected, and almost all the
stone circles were in, places whose names ended in -ley.</ooc> }:=8)

> Darting back behind cover after letting loose with a couple more
> blasts, Molly sends /You are correct, I do not. But it sounds a code
> befitting your race. At least those who chose the higher paths, and
> the nobler travelling companians./

/Well, at least I would like to think so. At least that I have chosen
noble traveling companions./ };=8)

> Molly moves to fire over the rubble she is using for cover, but
> dives just in time to avoid getting her head shot off. /Zarquon,
> that was close! I have been acquainted with a few of your race, most
> not much older than yourself. And one very much your senior. A
> Shikome Kido-Mi.(Translation: Hideous sorcery serpent)/

/"Would that have been a Serpent of the Air?"/ Asks Dhyrclhanc,
sendingin fluent Japanese.
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 00:58:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Keeping a Doctor waiting

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 03:46:12 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00003910

While the newly 9' 3" Dhyrclhanc conveys with Zia, Knytt and,
assumedly, Nemo about the rescue of the Amberite Seal Crew, he sends
to the remainder of the CAoL via the Psi-web /I do not suppose I could
impose upon one, or more, of you, who might not be doing anything at
the moment, to go to the Tardis by the Church and keep the Doctor and
Nyssa entertained and/or occupied untill which time I can catch-up
with them, as it were?/
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 08:06:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: No place like home.

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 07:56:09
Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003917

At 8:32 AM PDT 4/18/98 Roland and Morgan tried to post:

>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 02:57:00 -0500 In Message # 00003798
> In alt.callahans Post # 00002011 Michael Jon Knight said:
>
>>On Thu, 16 Apr 1998 23:57:50 In Message # 00003794
>> In alt.callahans Post # 00002007 Morgan said:
<snip>
>>   "You could have revealed yourself in Callahan's, you know,"
>>Roland says slowly. "In that Place, no one would have touched you,
>>as much as we might have wanted to."
>
>/Nor would we have accepted him, Roland. Notice how little I've told
>you of mine./ Knytt sends.

   Roland looks at Knytt as though he'd spontaneously grown a second
head. /Is _that_ what you think of me? Grife, if the _Adversary_
walked into Callahan's looking for a way to make up for the things
he's done, I'd help. Sure, I'd _want_ to pound him into paste, but if
we're not willing to give folx who come to the Place an honest chance,
what the nass are we _doing_ out here?
   /He came into the Place, knowing the rules, and lied to us anyway.
Trust is a two-way street, Knytt./

>Also excluding Driss, Knytt sends, /In the last quarter century, I
>like to think I have mellowed considerably. This is Justin, one of
>the Iron Men. He never killed anyone. Ask Flarn, she doesn't lie.
>Judiciously prunes the tree of truth, yes, but never lies./

   /Bullshit,/ Roland replies simply. /It's a long-established
precedent on my world-at least among the Prides-that body-jumping does
_not_ constitute a new person. Only his actions can change what he is,
and while I'll grant that those prove his words, that doesn't change
who he was or what he did./

>/I think Arcadia could survive without his trial. At least bring them
>the unrepentant one. In many ways, his past isn't his at all, Just
>memories dumped into him. Much like my own. His choices started the
>day he woke up on the table. The man who hurt Arcadia, died in
>Arcadia. The one who hurt Quaren, died in Quaren. And the one who got
>away, is still out there./

   /That may be your opinion,/ Roland replies, his 'voice'
surprisingly cold, /but don't you think we should ask _them_ first?
There's this little thing called 'justice' that I'm sworn to serve,
you see, and it's not my place to decide what the justice of others
is. Quaren is in too much turmoil to really be able to try him, but
Arcadia-/
   *#="HAS SPOKEN,"=#* A voice booms on all frequencies in all the
native languages of the Callahanians.
   /"What the sprocking-"/
   An image of Oberon appears. *#="The Council of Judgement has come
to a decision regarding your compatriot, who has been known as the
Controller."=#*
   "Now wait a minute! He deserves a chance to speak, whatever he's
done-" Roland begins.
   *#="Not in this instance, as the Council has determined that no
purpose would be served by further punishing this entity, who has al-
ready suffered in the cause of Freedom,"=#* Oberon intones. *#="His
service and his imprisonment in Limbo satisfies the need for Justice
in this, insofar as Arcadia is involved."=#*
   "To put it in your terms, Roland," Titania adds, appearing by
Oberon's side, "We're willing to call it community service and time
served."
   Roland smiles ruefully. "Sounds like that's that, then," he shrugs.
   *#="Indeed,"=#* Oberon says, fading.
   Titania chuckles. "Ah, Oberon." Then she turns to face Justin. "You
have been given the rarest of gifts, warrior-a second chance. Use it
wisely." She, too, fades.
   /Well. THAT'S settled,/ Roland notes, his 'voice' mildly annoyed,
though at what is anyone's guess. /Now if you'll all excuse me./

<OOC> For the sake of brevity, since we're in a hurry to get out of
the house, assume Morgan stood by, nodding where appropriate, and
showing proper deference to her Lieges. We'll be away until Sunday
evening, so have fun, y'all. If there's any fighting breaks out,
assume we're in the thick of it <eg>. </OOC>
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 11:35:45 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: OOC: Re: AAE4: Keeping a Doctor waiting

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 11:09:07 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00003919

> On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 12:39:09 -0500
> Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00003916
>
> Zia is out cold somewhere in a cavern in Africa, so I don't
> think she'll be much of a conversationalist. :-)

Fuzzy will give it a try, after his author has had breakfast... :)
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 13:05:38 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Life, death, and the grey areas between.

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 14:57:43 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003920

<OOC: I will send this through the list and backup, shout if I should
stop.>

>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 07:56:09
>Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003917
>
>>On Fri, 17 Apr 1998 02:57:00 -0500 In Message # 00003798
>> In alt.callahans Post # 00002011 Michael Jon Knight said:
>>
>>/Nor would we have accepted him, Roland. Notice how little I've told
>>you of mine./ Knytt sends.
>
>   Roland looks at Knytt as though he'd spontaneously grown a second
>head. /Is _that_ what you think of me? Grife, if the _Adversary_
>walked into Callahan's looking for a way to make up for the things
>he's done, I'd help. Sure, I'd _want_ to pound him into paste, but
>if we're not willing to give folx who come to the Place an honest
>chance, what the nass are we _doing_ out here?
>   /He came into the Place, knowing the rules, and lied to us anyway.
>Trust is a two-way street, Knytt./

/Sorry, when I said 'you', I meant 'you all'. Roland would not be the
only one to convince, after all, I wouldn't have believed him out of
the gate, it took some convincing through actions to get me to buy it.
And some serious soul-searching./ Knytt then adds, to himself, [Not to
mention you being ready to persecute Zia just for being from Amber.]

>   /Bullshit,/ Roland replies simply. /It's a long-established
>precedent on my world-at least among the Prides-that body-jumping
>does _not_ constitute a new person. Only his actions can change what
>he is, and while I'll grant that those prove his words, that doesn't
>change who he was or what he did./

Knytt looks like he is valiantly trying to hide being slapped. Taking
a deep breath and straightening up a bit, gathering his thoughts as
the conversation continues, until Knytt decides to try and explain it
a different way and says...

<snip of the ruling of 'community service and time served' from the
King and Queen of Arcadia.>
>   /Well. THAT'S settled,/ Roland notes, his 'voice' mildly annoyed,
>though at what is anyone's guess. /Now if you'll all excuse me./

/...certainly.../ Knytt sends quietly as he moves to help Molly with
her wing-board. He flinches a bit at Justin's transformation into the
Controller, but shrugs it off with only a bit of effort. [It is the
armor he knows best. Probably wasn't much need for armor wherever he's
been hiding out, so it would make sense. Still, he could at least work
on the aestetics. It doesn't have to look like the old armor. Ah well,
grin and bear it, you're the one pushing so hard for him. But then us
parasitic body-jumpers stick together, justice be damned. Like I
actually decided to be a clone to save my skin. Like my soul leapt out
of one body, leaving a lifeless puppet behind, to live on in another.
I happen to have gotten a carbon-copy of someone else's life, thank
you very much, and the decisions they made I had no hand in.
I-they-Ack, dammit, whoever never shold have gotten in that TARDIS to
begin with. But then, I never would have met Flarn, seen the stars,
there's the twins too, they would have never happened. Dammit, after
all these memories and all this time, you'd think I would know why the
universe has to be so damn complicated. Why do flowers grow in shit?
Well, some types of shit. Dammit, can't even find a decent analogy.]

Molly arrives in the church with Knytt and whistles appreciatively.
Hauling her wrecked wing-board up to the roof, she sends, /Pardon me
for skipping introductions, for the moment, but I need to bury an old
'friend'./

As Knytt gets back to work, he seems a bit brooding and cross. The
twins look across at each other.

[#Uncle Roland is going to pay for this. If Mom doesn't kill him
first.#]
[#Monthes of trying to convince each other Father could be like the
man Mother loved yet leave the bad past behind because it wasn't his,
all down the tubes.#]
[#All that grief over things he had no hand in. The debate over
whether it was even right to do that to Mom.#]
[#Like he could just say 'Hi, Flarn, your love is dead, I'm his
replacement.#]
[#But Uncle Roland didn't know any of that.#]
[#He didn't know it about Justin either! He just jumped to the
conclusion that Justin was responsible, and should be tried.
"Body-Jumpers", indeed! No understanding at all of what happened,
despite Father trying to explain it from personal experience. Just set
himself up as Judge and passed Judgement. Some "Justice".#]
[#Yeah! Next time we teleport Hizzonor Roland somewhere, he is going
to land on his head...No, but that would upset Aunt Morgan.#]
[#But she was -agreeing- with him!#]
[#Yeah! Morgan gets a teleport that lands her on her head too.#]
[#Well, wait a minute, we're better than that.#]
[#What, we can do better than having them land on their heads?#]
[#No, I mean, -we- are better than people who take out petty revenge,
even if they -both- deserve it.#]
[#I guess, and it -would- upset Dad. But we certainly don't have to be
nice to Roland and Morgan.#]

Meanwhile, Pyewackett sends privately to Knytt, ^It's not like Roland
says. You know it. You've been there. It would be true if it was some
sort of body snatcher that went from body to body and what they did in
one body they were responsible for in the next, but that isn't what
happened to you. You were worried I wouldn't accept you since you were
a clone. You wanted to be the old person. It was all you knew. We were
all you knew. And you needed something you understood to help sort
through what you didn't. You tried to tell yourself it was you who
survived, but you didn't. We both know now you are a new person,
desperately trying to take the place of the old one. You don't fight
the same, you don't think the same. But you remember how important the
people in that life were and how important it was to make amends, to
balance the scales. Someone with your face did a lot of things that
haunted him and gave you the memories to deal with.

^If it were you in Justin's place, you wouldn't even bother with
fighting to be different, like he doesn't. You both want to make
amends for crimes which you didn't commit, and maybe it's because that
is all you know. You lose that, then who would you be? But, in trying
to protect him, you're highlighting the things you are trying to hide.
You aren't Knytt, you're Mike, a whole 'nother human being.
Personally, I think you are all the good stuff Knytt gave up, and only
discovered recently, mostly in the last two days of his life...well,
-hers- actually at the time. But that is just me.^

Knytt stops and grips the lab table for support. ^God, I wish I could
have met her. Is it narcissism to be in love with your clone, even if
a different sex?^

^Damned if I know. But -he- always was a sucker for a sob story. And
as a 'she', there was definitely a sob story there. But Knytt seemed
to be finally at peace, once the tears and the pain were gone. I think
if you fell for anything it was that peace of mind she had. Something
I see a lot of in you, I might add.^

^Thank you. That means a lot to me.^

Meanwhile, Molly has taken the wing-board up to the belfry and
stripped off the handlebars and salvaged the rose quartz powering
crystal. These she puts in her bag. What is left of the board is
simply a couple pieces of charred plywood and a few wires and gears
that were unsalvageable from the collision with the energy shield.
Calling up a magic fire, she sets the board aflame, then lets it burn
down to ashes. Then a magic wind sends the ashes into the air.
[Good-bye, old friend. See you down the ley line.]
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 14:08:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE: Murphy was an optimist

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 16:54:57 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00003921

OOC: I'm going to ignore for the moment what actually happened to the
diggers. I'll assume Nemo expended a bit of effort and got them all.

  As magical energy remerges, it begins to pool, to flow along the
lines dug through the ground. Running through the half complete
symbol, it reached the points where the burrowers were apprehended and
stopped. For a minute. Then the rock began to give way, the lines
began to extend once more. It took a few moments for the shape to
finally become recognizable, it took the magic coursing and pulsing
through the lines. For those who were watching, the true horror of
what Jadis was attempting became evident. It was a rune. A giant
summoning globe. A portal. It was all of these and yet none. It was
the beginning of hell, and it was almost complete.

OOC: Who is watching the 3D map? Nemo, If he's still paying attention
after apprehending the diggers, will see this as well, but you have to
be looking at the whole symbol drawn on the planet. And you have to
have extensive and esoteric demon lore, as well. What this is doing is
making the planet a halfway point between here and a lower hell. From
this planet they can go on to consume/absorb the dimension. BTW, This
is occurring during the rescue and resuscitation attempts. <EG> OH,
whatever did we do with that kid who Jadis was using as a sheild?
Nobody mentioned healing, but I'm going to assume we didn't leave him
broken and dying on the ground. ANYWAY....

On the planet, Ley lines begin to warp, moving to follow the pattern
on the ground. This causes major Ley line storms in the
ever-increasing area covered by the symbol. The ground directly over
the lines begins to corrupt. And in America, a man appears, takes one
look at the sky, and begins to curse loudly.
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 15:47:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: Murphy was an optimist

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:29:00 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003922

>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 16:54:57 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00003921
>
>OOC: I'm going to ignore for the moment what actually happened to the
>diggers. I'll assume Nemo expended a bit of effort and got them all.

Knytt glances up from his work at the ceiling. A semi-transparent
globe floats in the air with lots of lines and symbols over half of
it.

"What is that? And why is it in here?"

Melissa grins. "We worked out how to build a full color three
dimiensional graphics display with 20th century technology, raw
materials and components. Then we plugged it into the data Grandmother
was sending. Neat, huh?"

"I'm impressed. What is it a map of?"

"Dunno."

Pyewackett looks startled. "HOLY SH-! Did you guys feel that? Magic
just went through here like a freight train! Whew, it is subsiding
now. And going back to normal levels."

The feline creates a pin point of light in front of his nose. "And
magic works now."

The twins send to Sera, /Hey, you guys got the magic back! Sera?
SERA???/ They look at Knytt, "Daddy? We were talking to Sera but she
is gone. She is a nice lady, she would have excused herself if she
could have. We're worried."

"Okay, let's have Nemisis and Nemo look. They are probably just busy,
but better safe than sorry." /Nemisis, Nemo, you get that? The girls
are wondering if you could look for the bunch from Amber./

Pyewackett adds, /They can't have gone far, they would need to stay
close to the Nodes to manage them. And, come to think of it, you don't
get a burst of energy like what just went through here without
something being wrong. Better find them fast, you guys./

>  As magical energy remerges, it begins to pool, to flow along the
>lines dug through the ground. Running through the half complete
>symbol, it reached the points where the burrowers were apprehended
>and stopped. For a minute. Then the rock began to give way, the lines
>began to extend once more. It took a few moments for the shape to
>finally become recognizable, it took the magic coursing and pulsing
>through the lines. For those who were watching, the true horror of
>what Jadis was attempting became evident. It was a rune. A giant
>summoning globe. A portal. It was all of these and yet none. It was
>the beginning of hell, and it was almost complete.

Pyewackett looks up at the map. "RRRREEEOOOWWW!!!!!" he says, which
means in feline =Yeauggghhh!!!!=

>On the planet, Ley lines begin to warp, moving to follow the pattern
>on the ground. This causes major Ley line storms in the ever-
>increasing area covered by the symbol. The ground directly over the
>lines begins to corrupt. And in America, a man appears, takes one
>look at the sky, and begins to curse loudly.

Molly, from up in the belfry, looks out over London, and starts for
the second time. First was the mega blast of magic energy that
exploded out of the church into the stratosphere. Now, blue energy was
crackling up from the ground, magic energy. Ancient ley lines were
being bent into a new shape, powerful storm clouds, fueled by the
earth's mystic forces rolled overhead, follwing the new lines of
energy. Molly briefly wondered if this was how her adopted home was
formed, then bolted down into the church.

Meanwhile, Pyewackett cowered under his chair, Knytt on the floor
trying to coax him out, the twins anxiously standing nearby.

"-adaya mean, it's a rune?" Knytt finished.

*Jadis has turned the entire Earth into a giant rune.*

"But what's it mean?" Melissa says.

Molly bursts into the lab, /It means 'hell on earth' if we don't stop
it./

<OOC: Whee, that should get our two plots going...Zia, Shadow, need
any changes?>
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:24:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: Murphy was an optimist

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:07:56 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00003924

> On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:29:00 -0500
> Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003922
>
> The twins send to Sera, /Hey, you guys got the magic back! Sera?
> SERA???/ They look at Knytt, "Daddy? We were talking to Sera but she
> is gone. She is a nice lady, she would have excused herself if she
> could have. We're worried."
>
> "Okay, let's have Nemisis and Nemo look. They are probably just
> busy, but better safe than sorry." /Nemisis, Nemo, you get that? The
> girls are wondering if you could look for the bunch from Amber./

Nemisis sends
/I'm working on it./

> Pyewackett adds, /They can't have gone far, they would need to stay
> close to the Nodes to manage them. And, come to think of it, you
> don't get a burst of energy like what just went through here without
> something being wrong. Better find them fast, you guys./

Nemisis sends
/Yes Lord Pyewackett/

> Meanwhile, Pyewackett cowered under his chair, Knytt on the floor
> trying to coax him out, the twins anxiously standing nearby.
>
> "-adaya mean, it's a rune?" Knytt finished.
>
> *Jadis has turned the entire Earth into a giant rune.*
>
> "But what's it mean?" Melissa says.
>
> Molly bursts into the lab, /It means 'hell on earth' if we don't
> stop it./

/Nemisis,
 what you were saying about the Wards,
  Do you mean we can get away with using them?

After the resolution with Justin,
 Fuzzy Waves,
  then hearing this sequence

To the Tardis
/Knock, Knock/

/I will be examining the Az... Devices Power taps,
 to see if I can get the Wards up in time to stop that/
<OOC: I don't expect it to be possible...>
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 19:09:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE Re-entry

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 22:01:27 -0400
Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00003926

Legion opened her eyes, looking around herself slowly. It took awhile
for her selves to recall what had happened.

There had been a fight... Claws tearing into her... Burning...
Poison...
 She thought she recalled getting on her horse... She looked about
herself to find herself in what looked like an infirmary... crude but
servicable. She tried to guess how long it had been but couldn't seem
to put her thoughts in order... Hesitantly, she reached out along the
link...

[ooc trying to get back in here now that I can use voice recognition
software to do my typing]
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 06:45:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: Murphy was an optimist

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:57:05 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00003927

> On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 16:54:57 -0400 (EDT)
> Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00003921
>
> OOC: I'm going to ignore for the moment what actually happened to
> the diggers. I'll assume Nemo expended a bit of effort and got them
> all.
>
>   As magical energy remerges, it begins to pool, to flow along the
> lines dug through the ground. Running through the half complete
> symbol, it reached the points where the burrowers were apprehended
> and stopped. For a minute. Then the rock began to give way, the
> lines began to extend once more. It took a few moments for the shape
> to finally become recognizable, it took the magic coursing and
> pulsing through the lines. For those who were watching, the true
> horror of what Jadis was attempting became evident. It was a rune. A
> giant summoning globe. A portal. It was all of these and yet none.
> It was the beginning of hell, and it was almost complete.

Nemo hauled the kid back to the church for treatment. And while Nemo
doesn't *do* magic, he's studied it.

The Nemos at the various points of the Seal will be doing rescue
efforts. This leaves the Gold Coast point (in Australia) not covered,
and leaves a free Nemo in London.

/Red Alert! I need mages, and I need them *stat*. This is more
important than the rescues! We've got a major demonic incursion about
to happen./

*Roland, Jadis did *this*{}. Help!*

> On the planet, Ley lines begin to warp, moving to follow the pattern
> on the ground. This causes major Ley line storms in the ever-
> increasing area covered by the symbol. The ground directly over the
> lines begins to corrupt. And in America, a man appears, takes one
> look at the sky, and begins to curse loudly.

Nemo is going to try to block the extension of the incomplete pattern
*and* to collapse the completed parts. He'll also try *adding* things
to it if blocking doesn't work.
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 22:53:54 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Rage (Large economy-size post)

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 22:35:33
Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003930

>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 14:57:43 -0500
>Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003920
>
>>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 07:56:09
>>Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003917
><snip>
><snip of the ruling of 'community service and time served' from the
>King and Queen of Arcadia.>
>>   /Well. THAT'S settled,/ Roland notes, his 'voice' mildly annoyed,
>>though at what is anyone's guess. /Now if you'll all excuse me./

Morgan watches as Roland walks towards their fae home. She then looks
around at her comrads. /"Folks, I really hope we can avoid hard
feelings over this. Different folks seem to feel differently about
judging Justin, but fact is no matter _what_ we do we're judging him.
We could have judged to send him to Arcadia for trial; we could have
judged to let byegones be byegones and drop the whole matter; we could
(although I consider it unlikely in the _extreme_) have judged him
guilty for the Controller's crimes and executed him.

/"But no matter _what_ we did it would have been a judgement of one
sort or another."/ She smiles weakly. /"Justin, I hope you understand
the mix of reactions you got, and I hope you'll forgive _us_ if you
feel any of what was said was out of line."/

   Meanwhile, back at the house...
   Roland storms through the door and immediately begins heading for
the basement. ^I can't _believe_ you're actually apologizing to _him._
Don't degrade yourself like that.^
   "Danger Room. Activate."

^What "him"? As far as _I'm_ concerned _Justin_ has a clean slate, and
it seems most of the group pretty much agrees. Whether this is the
'same' person or not is immaterial. I'm being _polite_, and hoping
that we can put this whole mess behind us and move on.^ Morgan's
'voice' is soft, trying to be a calming influence.

   There's a ping as the basement lights up. "Danger Room on-line," a
voice suspiciously like Majel Barrett's replies.
   /GRIFE!/ Roland sends reflexively. ^Not you too! Look, I'm willing
to give iron-britches a second chance, but _he_ _was_the_Controller!_
I may be obligated to give him his shot, but there's _nothing_ in the
Code that says I have to _like_ it!^ In contrast to Morgan's even
tone, Roland's thoughts are agitated and quick. He slams his palm into
the recognition plate on the Danger Room door. A second later, it
opens. ^When did I stop having a right to feelings and opinions?^

^You didn't, dear. And neither did anyone else,^ Morgan sends
matter-of-factly.

   ^But they're assuming that their opinons are fact,^ Roland replies
bitterly. "Omega program, activate. Disable safety locks. Level one,
begin."

^No more so than you, sweetheart.^ Morgan closes her eyes and sighs.
^Everyone has their opinion, and they can't _all_ be followed. You
wanted Arcadia to have their say, and they have....^

   ^Yes, and I SWALLOWED it! I most certainly did _not_ assume my
opinion as fact-if I had, there'd be someone's blood on the ground out
there by now!^ As Manhunters led by Sinestro attack from one side
while Parademons led by Professor Zoom charge in from the other, he
continues. ^I wanted to pound that sprocking coward into pulp, but did
I? NO!^ The Manhunters explode, the shrapnel tearing 'Sinestro' apart
from behind. Professor Zoom runs into a forcefield at relativistic
speeds; the simulacrum is reduced to a thin red paste as the
Parademons jockey for position.

Morgan 'watches' the battle, and sighs again. Several times thoughts
start to form, and are cut off. Finally she sends, almost in a
whisper, ^Do what you have to do in there, my love,^ and raises her
shields, hopefully before he catches the hurt in her 'voice'. She
excuses herself from the group, finds the oldest tree in the vicinity,
and sits down with her back against it. Her beloved's outburst is, at
least from a logical POV, understandable, but that doesn't change the
fact that she's upset and somewhat confused by it, not to mention her
concern at the disengaged Danger Room safeties.

   Roland would have under other circumstances, but his fury is a
roaring firestorm. The Parademons are surrounded by a forcefield and
slammed together; a wide-angle psiblast reduces them to babbling
idiots.
   "Level two-engage!" Roland roars, and two dozen droves (servants of
the immortal Adversary) teleport in, led by a pair of 'Gaunts.'
   "You can't defeat _us,_ child of-"
   "Shut up," Roland snarls, and the two Gaunts are hammered together,
literally face to face. The near-mindless droves are dealt with by a
lightning-quick series of vicious mental attacks, and the Gaunts are
drained by Roland's resonance powers. (He doesn't actually _gain_
energy; it is just considered an effective attack by the computer.)
The ground nearby the cottage shakes occasionally from the viciousness
of Roland's TK.
   /You may have gotten off that easy with _Morgan,_ kid, but I'm not
going to let you off as lightly,/ Sil sends, though it's clear that
she's trying to make the contact 'look' to Roland like a private link.
   /Oh really?/ Roland asks dryly, responding on the same telepathic
'channel;' apparently Sil's deception worked. "Level three-engage!"
   Three phalanxes of nine Omega-class Sentinels, each led by a
Nimrod, begin an englobing formation.
   /Really,/ Sil responds wryly. /This isn't about Justin any more, is
it?/
   /Only partially,/ Roland admits, as the desolate battlefield is
filled with a ludicrous amount of electromagnetic interference.
/Whatever his past sins, when he came clean it was with no excuses-he
was _straight_ with us when the chips were down. Grife, I don't
_believe_ the nass the _others_ were trying to feed me! The body
thing, for starters. You're in a physical body now-does that make
_you_ a different person?/ Roland begins teleporting bits of Sentinels
into each other.
   /No, and on that part I _agree_ with you-but as you said, it's only
an opinion. The method was different; he may, in fact, be somehow a
different entity,/ Sil points out as the Sentinels develop a
'port-defense, absorbing the teleported matter.
   /That's the sprocking POINT!/ Roland roars. /That wasn't our
decision to make! It was for a legitimate court to decide. They did,
and I swallowed it, and it's bitter as hell but I _did_ it, and the
others are _still_ being pissy about it and I'm tired of being
underestimated and misinterpreted and I think I have a RIGHT to be
PISSED!/ He teleports _energy_ into the remaining Sentinels this time,
and their attempts to absorb the energy as matter are...dramatic. Only
the Nimrods remain.
   /Roland, you're their _leader_ now. They expect more of you. You
took on a responsibility-/
   /I KNOW that!/ Roland roars, and the ground shakes for hundreds of
yards around. /NO one know that better than I do! But I won't
compromise my conscience for ANYONE-"AARGH!"/ A Nimrod, having noticed
his level of distraction, had turned invisible and slipped a force
dagger between his ribs.
   /"ROLAND!"/ Sil cries. "Computer, deactivate program-"
   "OVERRIDE!" Roland cries, and the solid hologram is reduced to its
component photons.
   "Like hell. Activate safety protocol Sophia," Sil snaps, and the
remaining two Nimrods disappear.
   Roland stares at Sil, panting more in frustrated rage than pain or
exhaustion. /What the hell do you think you're doing?/
   /Saving your hide,/ Sil smiles. /Now if you want to pound on
holograms until your muscles collapse, go for it-there are worse ways
to let out your anger. But you get yourself killed pulling some
damnfool testosterone-laden stunt and I'll haunt you for a thousand
years./ Sil's smile vanishes. /Roland, they're your _friends._ Don't
let a stupid philosophical disagreement ruin that./
   /They don't know me,/ Roland sighs sadly, sitting with a thud, /and
I sure as hell don't know them. Knytt and Dhyrclhanc, for grife's
sake. They're like brothers to me./
   /You used the present tense,/ Sil chuckles.
   /Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did./
   /Now go apologize to Morgan, you lunkhead./ Sil points toward the
control room exit for emphasis.
   Roland shrugs, and a lightning bolt shoots out of the house.
   /That's better./

   Outside.
   If a lightning bolt ever looked recalcitrant, the one that
hesitantly approaches Morgan does.
   ^Love?^ Roland 'taps' politely on her mental shields. ^Honey, are
you all right?^

Morgan takes a moment to come out of her very grounded meditative
state. <OOC: Hey, she _must_ have been deep to miss the force-blade in
her mate's ribs ;-).> "I'm fine. I just needed to calm after all the
rampant emotionalism." Her voice is even, and her eyes still slightly
vacant.

   Roland solidifies-and immediately winces as the pain of the
stab-burn returns full force. Quickly damping its effect through the
link, he puts a tentative hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, my heart,
but I needed-something different," he chuckles. "I _never_ want to
hurt _you._ I hope you understand that," he finishes, growing serious
once more.

Morgan smiles slightly. "I know. I understand that you want someone to
pay for the harm done to those you care about. But it felt like you
were taking part of that out on _me_. It felt like you thought it was
_wrong_ of me to forgive and forget. I don't think I've ever felt you
so _angry_, and...." Her smile turns into a playful pout. "And I was
worried about you running the DR at Omega with no safeties. You could
have gotten hurt." She puts her arms around him....

   Roland sighs. "I don't think that it's wrong to forgive. It was
just-" Roland winces as Morgan's arm tightens around the fresh injury.
Roland blushes (tm) as Morgan gives him the patented wifely 'what did
you do _now?_' look. "Okay, okay, no more Omega scenarios with the
safeties off, I promise. No, really, I promise!" They hug again
(Morgan being careful to place her arms around his _shoulders_ this
time) and chuckle faintly at the ridiculousness of the situation.
   Roland quickly grows serious again. "I have...a beast, inside of
me. My rage is almost a palpable thing...well. This isn't really the
time." He pauses again, and stands up. "I, um, guess I should go talk
to Knytt and Dhyrclhanc, shouldn't I?"
   Morgan's only response is to hold up a hand to be helped up. Roland
laughs and obliges her.
   But before they can do so...

<OOC: For the sake of catching up and getting back in sinc, we'll
assume the Arc crashed while we were wrapped up in our own problems.
So if someone would fill us in IC, we'd appreciate it :-).>

>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:29:00 -0500
>Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003922
>
>>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 16:54:57 -0400 (EDT)
>>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00003921
<smallish-large (or is that largish-small? 8^) snip>
<snip>
>>On the planet, Ley lines begin to warp, moving to follow the pattern
>>on the ground. This causes major Ley line storms in the ever-
>>increasing area covered by the symbol. The ground directly over the
>>lines begins to corrupt. And in America, a man appears, takes one
>>look at the sky, and begins to curse loudly.

Morgan doubles over with a moan.

   /"MORGAN!"/ Roland drops to his knees once more, cradling his love
in his arms. /Light have mercy.../ Psychic energy pours out of him,
providing a stabilizing force for her if she can just 'grab' onto
it...

Dully, Morgan recognizes - barely - the psychic 'hand' he offers her,
and takes it, though that is all she can manage.

   And in an instant, Roland...knows.

<snip>
>*Jadis has turned the entire Earth into a giant rune.*
>
>"But what's it mean?" Melissa says.
>
>Molly bursts into the lab, /It means 'hell on earth' if we don't stop
>it./

   Roland appears in the lab, Morgan cradled in his outstretched arms.
/It's already begun. Morgan's a druid; the effect has sent her into a
sort of 'shock,' but I understand what she's feeling through our link.
And she's feeling what being done to-in her paradigm-the Earth
Mother,/ he sends evenly.
   There's a long pause. /Knytt, we really don't have time to worry
about our personal opinions right now; we agree in principle that
Justin's earned his second chance, and for the rest...well, I'm
willing to 'agree to disagree' if you are,/ he adds, though his
'voice' is a bit more shaky.
   /From what I understand through Morgan, it's as if the Earth's
nervous system was being mutated. To what purpose, we're not sure, but
it's incidental effects will make the Greys' plans look kind by
comparison. Which means we need to work together./
   Roland tightens the beam to contact Knytt specifically. (That is,
unless he blocks; Roland won't force the contact.) ^Knytt, I made you
my XO half in jest, but my reasons were, and are, sound-you're the
best tactician we have, bar none. Even in a loosely knit group like
this, the CO and XO can't be at each other's throats. And...I still
trust you, no matter what.
   ^Can we put our differences aside for now, for the good of the
team?^
===========================

Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 23:35:06 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Life, death, and the grey areas between.

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 01:59:13 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00003931

In a message dated 98-04-20 16:06:30 EDT, you write:
<< Knytt Said
  Meanwhile, Molly has taken the wing-board up to the belfry and
stripped off the handlebars and salvaged the rose quartz powering
crystal. These she puts in her bag. What is left of the board is
simply a couple pieces of charred plywood and a few wires and gears
that were unsalvageable from the collision with the energy shield.
Calling up a magic fire, she sets the board aflame, then lets it burn
down to ashes. Then a magic wind sends the ashes into the air.
[Good-bye, old friend. See you down the ley line.]
  >>

Armagedon stands beside the church, with one head watching Molly from
a few feet away. "Why do you do this," He asks? "Is this not inanimate
matter? It has not even the semblance of life that the "artificial
intelligences" like myself have. Why do you morn for that which did
not live in the first place, and therefore could not die?"
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 03:05:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Azeronium Quickstep (Long!)

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 04:51:44 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003932

>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 03:10:59 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00003908
>
>> Michael Jon Knight said:
>>
>> Molly moves to fire over the rubble she is using for cover, but
>> dives just in time to avoid getting her head shot off. /Zarquon,
>> that was close! I have been acquainted with a few of your race,
>> most not much older than yourself. And one very much your senior. A
>> Shikome Kido-Mi.(Translation: Hideous sorcery serpent)/
>
>/"Would that have been a Serpent of the Air?"/ Asks Dhyrclhanc,
>sending in fluent Japanese.

Molly shakes her head, replying in English (her Babel fish is working
now so she heard English), /Not a Serpent of the Air, a Hideous
Sorcery Serpent. This one was terrorizing a small town my teacher and
I were travelling through. I think you are thinking of a Kumo-Mi, a
cloud serpent./
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 03:05:46 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Life, death, and the grey areas between.

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 04:51:41 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003933

>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 01:59:13 EDT
>Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00003931
>
>Armagedon stands beside the church, with one head watching Molly from
>a few feet away. "Why do you do this," He asks? "Is this not
>inanimate matter? It has not even the semblance of life that the
>"artificial intelligences" like myself have. Why do you morn for that
>which did not live in the first place, and therefore could not die?"

<OOC: Hey, -great- question! <g>>

Molly looks over, her Babel fish now translating the spoken language
again, /Animism. Sentiment for a gift from my foster-family who are a
long way away. Respect for a device which should have broken down long
before it did. Emotions do not follow logic, they just react.
Gratitude for long and faithful service. But mostly, I just do it. No
why is needed.

/It was seven years old, had logged over 2 trips around the globe,
several dimensions, and never broke down once. It was getting old, and
the handling was a bit sluggish, but it never just plain quit, I
always got the best that was possible with it. And I will miss that,
and its reminder of the mage who built it for me before I went to
Lazlo for college./
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 03:05:51 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Peace... (was AAE IV: Rage)

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 04:51:35 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003934

>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 22:35:33
>Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003930
>
>   Roland appears in the lab, Morgan cradled in his outstretched
>arms. /It's already begun. Morgan's a druid; the effect has sent her
>into a sort of 'shock,' but I understand what she's feeling through
>our link. And she's feeling what being done to-in her paradigm-the
>Earth Mother,/ he sends evenly.

Knytt takes one look at Roland and the unconscious Morgan and a
hospital gurney materializes directly in front of Roland. /Set her
down there. Pyewackett, what in Hell does that rune do?/

/Opens a portal between Earth and a lower domain of well, like Molly
said, Hell./

(Once Morgan is made comfortable, Pyewackett will hop onto the gurney
and lay down next to her, his head near hers, watching and doing what
he can to ease her back to consciousness. Or at least sleep. He can do
telepathy, too, so he will probably just try to use it to make her
comfortable until the shock passes.)

>   There's a long pause. /Knytt, we really don't have time to worry
>about our personal opinions right now; we agree in principle that
>Justin's earned his second chance, and for the rest...well, I'm
>willing to 'agree to disagree' if you are,/ he adds, though his
>'voice' is a bit more shaky.

/Of course, I am willing./ The 'voice' is still quiet, maybe still a
bit stung, but honestly interested in that very thing.

>   /From what I understand through Morgan, it's as if the Earth's
>nervous system was being mutated. To what purpose, we're not sure,
>but it's incidental effects will make the Greys' plans look kind by
>comparison. Which means we need to work together./

/Exactly,/ Molly sends, /But this portal ultimately can't work if your
guys's block is strong enough. I tried opening a rift earlier and was
stopped easy. If your block can hold on, we don't have to worry about
the portal itself. But, it sure as hell is going to play havoc until
the magic is dissipated./

Molly looks at Morgan lying unconscious, /Lady, if you were a 'walker'
like me, I'd just lay you on the ground on a line and let you
stabilize. Beyond that, I dunno what might help or hurt. I never met a
Druid before. On my world, I -think- you guys are like us, but around
here, Zarquon only knows./

>   Roland tightens the beam to contact Knytt specifically. (That is,
>unless he blocks; Roland won't force the contact.) ^Knytt, I made you
>my XO half in jest, but my reasons were, and are, sound-you're the
>best tactician we have, bar none. Even in a loosely knit group like
>this, the CO and XO can't be at each other's throats. And...I still
>trust you, no matter what.
>   ^Can we put our differences aside for now, for the good of the
>team?^

^<quiet chuckle> You bring your wife and one of mah..^ [#-IS- she one
of -My- oldest friends or -Knytt's-? Yes she is, in -both- cases.#]
^...my oldest friends from the Place, in some form of shock, into my
lab and worry that my personal opinions are going to get in the way of
helping? We do need to get to know each other better, don't we,
Roland? <small sigh> And the name is Mike. I don't think the pseudonym
is appropriate anymore. It was hers, and...I should have laid it to
rest with her.^

Knytt ... -Mike- ... returns to business and the rest of the psi-web,
tone cheerful and professional. /Okay, people, on a quick personal
note, the name's Mike. I think it is time I let Knytt rest in peace.
You want the reasons, get me drunk and back under the same roof and
with my arms around my love when the war is over and maybe I'll be
happy enough and secure enough to struggle through the tale. If
nothing else, Knytt wasn't my real name anyway. Mike is. After six
worlds, and countless enemies, I figure you ought to know at least
that much about me.

/Nemisis, make sure we are forwarding to Justin, please, and anyone
else not on the 'Web if you can spare the processing time. Finding our
Amber friends is far more important.

/Molly, I take it these shifting lines and such aren't doing you much
good either?/

Molly smiles nervously, /I'll manage, but magic users in London are
going to be up a creek when that ley line storm hits, the results of
magic become unpredictable, but then, I have never tried to stick one
out, either, y'know, I know what they are, I take cover, but I know
they'll give everyone this visible blue aura and they throw mana
around like nobody's business and let me check my diaries, because
being a ley line walker and techno-wizard, plus a smattering of
shifter and mystic, I could never settle on one specialization and had
aptitude for them all, anyway, ley lines hold an obvious fascination
for me, and I should know all this, but watching someone throw around
this much power and screw Gaia up this badly, well, I am a bit nervous
and having trouble concentrating, and so if I could just get my
diaries.../

Mike smiles, /Take your time. I'd rather have right information than
fast information any day.

/Roland, Stranger, while we figure out how to deal with Jadis, what do
you two know about the Grey now that might help us with them? Oh,
Stardragon! Your lock on earth, if you aren't already, watch out for
anyone trying to open a portal to Hell and don't let them do it. And I
owe you and Hydra an apology, I've never even tried to understand your
races, and I apologize for that. The kind of power you two toss around
scares the heck out of me and that fact heavily clouded my judgement
at times. But I am proud to count you among my allies. And that goes
for all of you. You're all my family. I may not show it, but I love
you all./

Mike smirks, /'But you still can't have my beer.'/

Pyewackett purrs, /That's right, ruin a perfect Hallmark moment./
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 08:49:12 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Peace... (was AAE IV: Rage)

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 08:29:17 -0700 (PDT)
Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003937

> On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 04:51:35 -0500
> Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003934
>
> /Nemisis, make sure we are forwarding to Justin, please, and anyone
> else not on the 'Web if you can spare the processing time. Finding
> our Amber friends is far more important.

/The Relay will be no difficulty,
  The Search Continues
...
 Mike, has the possible side effect of that Rune on Lord Fuzzy,
  And Vice-Versa,
   occured to you?/
===========================
July 17, 1998Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 10:42:18 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Peace... (was AAE IV: Rage)

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:36:34 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003939

>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 08:29:17 -0700 (PDT)
>Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003937
>
>/The Relay will be no difficulty,
>  The Search Continues
>...
> Mike, has the possible side effect of that Rune on Lord Fuzzy,
>  And Vice-Versa,
>   occured to you?/

/No it hadn't, thank you. Fuzzy, any opinions?/
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:31:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Peace...

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 10:50:40
Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003941

>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 04:51:35 -0500
>Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003934
>
>Knytt takes one look at Roland and the unconscious Morgan and a
>hospital gurney materializes directly in front of Roland. /Set her
>down there. Pyewackett, what in Hell does that rune do?/

   Roland silently lays Morgan on the gurney.

>(Once Morgan is made comfortable, Pyewackett will hop onto the gurney
>and lay down next to her, his head near hers, watching and doing what
>he can to ease her back to consciousness. Or at least sleep. He can
>do telepathy, too, so he will probably just try to use it to make her
>comfortable until the shock passes.)

Pyewackett will notice that Morgan isn't actually _unconscious_, just
deeply in shock. She's marginally aware of what's going on around her,
but she's _feeling_ the changes being made to the Mother's body much
as if they were happening to her own. This is, understandably, _very_
uncomfortable ;-). He will also note that is company is most welcome.

<OOC: Our cat, Fuzzy [yes, named after _that_ Fuzzy ;-)], does
something similar. He's a real cuddler.>

And
>On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:57:05 PST
>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00003927
>
>/Red Alert! I need mages, and I need them *stat*. This is more
> important than the rescues! We've got a major demonic incursion
> about to happen./
>
>*Roland, Jadis did *this*{}. Help!*

   Roland 'turns' to Nemo, in his element once more. /This is the sort
of thing I was trained to fight. The scale is a little out of my
league, but between my experience and your power level this should not
be a problem.
   /We'll still need the mages to repair the damage already done, but
by stabilizing reality like this (), we can halt his progress and the
ley lines _should_ return to their normal positions. You'll note that
this proceedure does not directly involve magic, so your difficulties
with that will not be relevant.
   /Once that's done,/ Roland adds to the entire group, /There's a
simple solution to this; find Jadis and give him Excedrin Headache
#9999./

<back to Mike's stuff>
>Molly looks at Morgan lying unconscious, /Lady, if you were a
>'walker' like me, I'd just lay you on the ground on a line and let
>you stabilize. Beyond that, I dunno what might help or hurt. I never
>met a Druid before. On my world, I -think- you guys are like us, but
>around here, Zarquon only knows./

   Roland places his hand on Morgan's forehead. /"Sleep,"/ he says
softly, and Morgan unclenches and relaxes. Roland does the same,
having felt an echo of her ordeal. /Thanks, Pyewackett,/ he sends, and
turns to Molly with a faint smile on his face.

   /We appreciate your offer, but as far as we know the only way to
help her in more than the short term is to undo the damage being done
to Gaia. As you seem to be our resident expert on ley lines, if you
could help Nemo with that we'd appreciate it./

>^<quiet chuckle> You bring your wife and one of mah..^ [#-IS- she one
>of -My- oldest friends or -Knytt's-? Yes she is, in -both- cases.#]
>^...my oldest friends from the Place, in some form of shock, into my
>lab and worry that my personal opinions are going to get in the way
>of helping? We do need to get to know each other better, don't we,
>Roland? <small sigh> And the name is Mike. I don't think the
>pseudonym is appropriate anymore. It was hers, and...I should have
>laid it to rest with her.^

   ^Knytt-Mike-if you want to call yourself Noshabkeming, that's your
business. Names have power, go by whatever you want.^

>/Nemisis, make sure we are forwarding to Justin, please, and anyone
>else not on the 'Web if you can spare the processing time. Finding
>our Amber friends is far more important.

   Roland blinks. /Finding... What, are they lost?/ (assuming someone
fills him in)
   Roland sighs. /It never rains.... Can someone take all that nass
that they created and use it to shield them?/

>/Roland, Stranger, while we figure out how to deal with Jadis, what
>do you two know about the Grey now that might help us with them?

   /Precious little, I'm afraid,/ Roland admits. /They're different
enough from other races of this type that I can only make
generalizations. Their thought patterns are very rigid, and their
culture is very different from anything I've ever dealt with before.
Fortunately, in terms of raw firepower, they don't seem to be a
significant threat at this time./ Roland smiles faintly. /I'm pretty
sure that my counter-part here can keep them busy./ <ooc: Related post
to follow>

><snip> And that goes for all of you. You're all my family. I may not
>show it, but I love you all./
>
>Mike smirks, /'But you still can't have my beer.'/
>
>Pyewackett purrs, /That's right, ruin a perfect Hallmark moment./

   Roland folds his arms, looks at Mike sternly, and says in a low
voice, "I don't drink." And then can't suppress the grin anymore :^).
   /Of course we love each other. We're Callahanians. Now let's go
kick some villain butt./
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:44:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Peace... (was AAE IV: Rage)

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 11:57:46 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00003943

> On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:36:34 -0500
> Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003939
>
>>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 08:29:17 -0700 (PDT)
>>Nemisis Said
>> As CAoL Message # 00003937
>>
>> Mike, has the possible side effect of that Rune on Lord Fuzzy,
>>  And Vice-Versa,
>>   occured to you?/
>
> /No it hadn't, thank you. Fuzzy, any opinions?/

/Hmmm, Opinions on what?
 I'm trying to catch hold of this power tap,
  but its worse than hunting a greased Mouse.../

<OOC: Fuzzy has been thinking about other things,
       Possible complications have totally skipped awareness...>
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 13:08:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Peace.. Was Murphy

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 15:56:15 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00003946

  In America a man looks at the sky, dreading what he knows is going
to come soon. He will be safe, he has protections, patronage, but the
nightmares... He starts as he hears a familiar voice in his mind, but
with a weakness he's never heard before. 'do it.' "Lord, No, I would
be responsible.." 'Do It' more firmly. "Yes Lord," the defeated man
replies, but the presence was gone. The man held out his hand, and
more burrowers appeared. These looked different, however, not as crude
as Jadis'  originals. He places these on the ground, and they zip into
motion, moving even faster than the originals did. Then he sinks to
his knees and begins to sob.
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 13:29:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Peace...

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 16:03:35 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00003947

> On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 10:50:40
> Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00003941
>
>    Roland 'turns' to Nemo, in his element once more. /This is the
> sort of thing I was trained to fight. The scale is a little out of
> my league, but between my experience and your power level this
> should not be a problem.
>    /We'll still need the mages to repair the damage already done,
> but by stabilizing reality like this (), we can halt his progress
> and the ley lines _should_ return to their normal positions. You'll
> note that this proceedure does not directly involve magic, so your
> difficulties with that will not be relevant.
>    /Once that's done,/ Roland adds to the entire group, /There's a
> simple solution to this; find Jadis and give him Excedrin Headache
> #9999./

  On the holographic display, a new set of tracings appears in NA,
which had previously been clear. It covers almost half of America in
about 5 seconds, along with all of Canada and a bit of Mexico. Half of
SA is already gone from the original effect. In fact, it looks as if
it will meet somewhere in the Caribbean, or off of Florida.
===========================

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 14:08:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Peace... (was AAE IV: Rage)

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 15:51:29 -0500
Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003948

>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 11:57:46 -0700 (PDT)
>Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00003943
>
>> On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:36:34 -0500
>> Knytt Said As CAoL Message # 00003939
>
>>>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998 08:29:17 -0700 (PDT)
>>>Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00003937
>>>
>>> Mike, has the possible side effect of that Rune on Lord Fuzzy,
>>>  And Vice-Versa,
>>>   occured to you?/
>>
>> /No it hadn't, thank you. Fuzzy, any opinions?/
>
>/Hmmm, Opinions on what?
> I'm trying to catch hold of this power tap,
>  but its worse than hunting a greased Mouse.../

/Ok, stand by for an update...{}. That's what is up. Nemisis wants to
know what that rune will do to you and-or you to it./
===========================