Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 42 Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 03:51:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE5 -- The Showdown, completed. (final) (VLong!) On Fri, 05 Jun 1998 05:06:44 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004601 > On Fri, 5 Jun '98 Shadow Said > (mega-snip) > @Oh, and Dhyrclanc, please come and check this ring that is > supposedly yours, and if safe, please take it. I have no idea how to > use the silly thing... and not the attention to spare for the > learning. Or the teleporting of the thing to you...@ In an eyeblink, the Lensdragon autoteleports to Zia's side, via the C-bands he wears on his upper arms, graciously accepts the Sentinel's-Ring from his fellow Lensman, and then autoteleports away with only a microsecond's worth of a telepathic Lens'-frequencied communcation dump of @^Thank you, _very_much_!^@ to Zia to ever mark his passage, or his temporary presense beside the young amberite. Returning to his original location; about a mile high above the forrest glen where the battle with the fallen God of Light was being waged, he places the emerald colored ring on his finger and, almost simulaniously, the large similarly hued, antique bull's-eye-style railroad lantern/power battery litteraly pours out of the ring and into Dhyrclhanc's other hand. \You might want to sheild your eyes here, my friends\ Dhyrclhanc touches the ring to the lens of the power battery and Jadis' World seems to dissapear in a blindingly bright burst of emerald light. "\In the bright, blessid, Day and in black, sacred, Night; Justice -- I seek, Evil -- I fight. To those who practice Villany, worship Darkness, or cause others' plight; I pledge that All of you shall suffer 'neath this Sentinel's Light!/" The green flash of light fades and everyone's lovable Lensdragon is revealed, and is revealed to be transformed. Instead of his normal garb, the Immortal super-annuated hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon is wearing a uniform that would make his partner in the spandex-set, and adopted brother, Roland, blush with envy. From toe to head, save for his feet, hands, tail, wings, and neck and head, Dhyrclhanc's dragonish body is covered by a black body stocking. His legs, up to his mid-calves, are covered by thigh-length green boots, with knee pads, straps at the ankles, spats which show his feet, and flared tops. Likewise his arms, up to his biceps, are covered with long, green, fingerless gloves which include elbow-pads, straps at the wrists, flared ends, and cut-outs where the edges of his hands can be seen. Also, on his right middle finger, the First-Ring can be seen. His torso is covered with a green-hued leotard-shaped tunic with a turtle-neck collar accentuating where his own neck begins. Also, attacked at his shoulder is a long, flowing green cloak with a flared collar which rises up a quarter the way up his neck. Covering his torso, down to the waist and around his back, is a arcance white "capital-I" shape with a wide base serif, twice as large as its top and a circular centerpiece inside of which is a strange black and green starburst shape. Over his shoulders is draped a bulky green photographers' safari jacket-style vest. Lastly, covering his face from where his jowls meet the rest of his head to where his crest begins, is a large mask which resembes nothing so much as a strange combination of a cubist's representation of the shell of a horseshoe crab and the face of some strange demon. The mask, obviously, has eye-holes for Dhyrclhanc's pupil and iris-less orbs and now also holds his ice-blue/white lens, instead of his, now absent, leather head-dress (Those who are prone to notice such things will realize that this is an unequal mixture of the green-lantern uniforms of Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner and the criminal Tomar Re, as well as the previous Sentinel costume of the ex-green lantern Alan Scott) "/I am Power, Magick, and Life and made Incarnate. Now and Forevermore, I AM PHOENIX!/" As he says this, the Lensdragon/Sentinel's Psi-Aura flares into being, once again mystical, emerald, etched cut-crystaline psi-fire as the Lensdragon's psychic powers are in sybiosis with the near-unlimited powers housed in the First-Ring. Equaly swiftly, the Psi-Aura shifts from being in the form of an ancient elder dragon into being that of a huge, crested, bird-of-prey. "/THE SLEEPER HAS AWOKEN/" The Dhyrclhanc/Sentinel places the railway lantern/power battery into his duffle-bag and then looks at the now, In-the-Flesh, Jadis. "Listen to me you second-rate dark-mage and self-styled spreader of corruption! While your first mistake was taking my ring in the first place, you'll find it never so much as big a mistake as your returning it to me." Dhyrclhanc smiles a grin which seems to threaten to split his face apart, and reveals row upon row of razor-sharp, dagger-like fangs. A sight which causes several of the CAoL with weak stomachs, relatively speaking, to feel suddenly ill. "I would warrent that my repossession of this little beauty would equalize the previous differences in our abilities." says Dhyrclhanc, as his, now equaly mystical, emerald, etched cut-crystaline psi-fire, twisted-hilt, hand-and-a-half claymore Psi-Sword springs into being in his, now clenched, two hands. The Sentinel-Lensdragon charges, inflight, at Jadis, while lifting the Psi-Sword; the representation of the sum culmanation of Dhyrclhanc's new psychic and sorcerous might, above his head for the killing blow. "Let us Prey." =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 03:56:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 05:36:09 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004602 >On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:47:00 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004597 > >@Please re-send at best allowed speed to the rest of the CAoL link as >the mentalities can accept. Include this afterword from me, please. >Begin Quote: Note that John instructs you to take the paths as >directed to face up Jadis. And Jadis states his proviso of slowing >you all. I will stay here and keep as much of his attention and power >tied up as I am able, if he'll stay and fight. Also, he WANTS and >plans to be killed and / or defeated here, no IDEA why. Otherwise, >I'll go with you. Shall we try it? Alternatively, I can go, since I'm >not part of the CAoL, Jadis' word doesn't bind him to slow ME down.@ The four-foot bubble floats out of its hole towards Zia, taking Molly with it, who sits cross-legged within. Molly reachs out and her hand emerges from the side of the bubble. @Zia?@ she sends quietly, offering her hand as if Zia were meant to take it. The telepathic contact is as soft as Molly's hands. ^Playing possum like that was incredibly dangerous and predictable. Thank you for doing it, it yielded results we needed and confirmed my paranoia.^ Molly smiled faintly, ^But don't do it again. 'They' won't fall for it a fourth time.^ Molly then adds, ^Mike and the twins send their best, and that they will be in place on your homeworld when the time is right for their assistance.^ Molly smiles, and lets go of Zia's hand, withdrawing back into the sphere. Pressed into Zia's palm is a (fully-functional) Trump of Molly. [See after the .sig for a description. I'll warn it might raise a few eyebrows, though comic books have shown more IMNSHO. ] On the card, in a sloppy, feminine handwriting (nothing like Molly's), is the oddly ironic phrase 'Keep in touch.' Molly winks and bobs away from Zia. >About few minutes after Zia arrives, Jadis' form flies into sight of >the group. The energy split looks up at Jadis as he approaches, then >flies up and merges with him. He looks at Zia, though speaking for >the others, "I am here, 'in the flesh', as it were. I'll attend to >the rest of you shortly. Right now I have some unfinished business." >Jadis launches into an attack on Zia. /Ah, the jerk of honor has arrived./ Molly sends in an oh-so-pleasant tone. (The Trump is of Molly leaning provocatively against a silver staff, with a dragon claw clutching a cobalt-blue genstone atop it. The pattern of her wizards' robe is identical to her current dress, silver stars and crescent moons on a field of dark blue. Molly's glasses are perched on top of her head as her eyes make 'come hither' promises the rest of her seems quite willing to keep. She rests her silver wand tip against her bottom lip as if deciding what spell to cast, her right hand holding it like a baton. Her robe, having fallen off her right bare shoulder, is gathered at her elbow, Molly's forearm just blocking a full view of her right breast. Molly's left arm and hand grasps the staff, her robe blocking the view of most of her left breast. The silver-cord-belted robe does at least manage to cover her from just below the navel to well above mid-thigh on her left leg, where a small blue butterfly tattoo is just visible. Her silver dagger and blue pouch are about the only things the belt seems to be holding as it was intended to, however. The artwork is quite good, though in a style that is unfamiliar, as is the handwriting. a sloppy, feminine scrawl (nothing like Molly's), written in purple ink with a heart for the dot over the 'i', is the oddly ironic phrase 'Keep in touch.' The card is not signed.) =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 03:56:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: E-ticket ride in Jadisland On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 05:36:14 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004603 >On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:51:07 EDT >Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00004598 > >An image appears to Molly in her searching. > >A block. A great big Hershey-bar of a block. Thin, long, narrow. > >But it vanishes before anything can be figured about it (like size, >distance, color, the exact perportions, who controls it, if it's an >illusion, and other such trivial details). [That is not, in fact, a monolith.] a small part of Molly's mind thinks as she marks it on her list of odd-ball things seen through her (blue) rose-colored glasses. =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 03:56:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: E-ticket ride in Jadisland On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 05:36:18 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004604 >On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:53:26 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004599 > >While Guariens presence in the glade can be felt, the background >noise is predominantly Jadis. There is indeed something going on with >the noose, but guarien seems to be tied to something beyond that, >even. > >OOC:[For all you super-computer minds looking over Molly's shoulder, >it's Guariens basic connection to this universe that is holding him >bound. Working hypothesis would likely be, given enough data, of >course, that Jadis' control over this dimension is what allows him to >dominate Guarien so.] @Fuzzy, the noose looks promising, but it doesn't seem to be the complete key. Even here in the glade, it is mostly Jadis holding things together. I thought Guarien might be it, but he doesn't seem to be handling most of the effect around us. At any rate, freeing him seems to be trickier than I had hoped.@ =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 08:37:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE 5: The Sentinel's Return On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 10:23:44 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004605 :In an eyeblink, the Lensdragon autoteleports to Zia's side, :via the C-bands he wears on his upper arms, graciously accepts the :Sentinel's-Ring from his fellow Lensman, and then autoteleports away :with only a microsecond's worth of a telepathic Lens'-frequencied :communcation dump of @^Thank you, _very_much_!^@ to Zia to ever mark :his passage, or his temporary presense beside the young amberite. She just nods absently, her attention concentrated far more on preserving her own skin at this particular moment. :The Sentinel-Lensdragon charges, inflight, at Jadis, while lifting :the Psi-Sword; the representation of the sum culmanation of :Dhyrclhanc's new psychic and sorcerous might, above his head for :the killing blow. : :"Let us Prey." Zia looks up at the (several tons!) of diving power in the form of a dragon in green and black.... and makes a very wry expression, sort of like that chagrined look any woman who walks bang into a door she expected the man in front of her to hold does... after selfsame man doesn't even THINK of it, thus the lady rebounds off the door instead. @Lensman.@ The telepathy cuts cold and clear through the power surging about both of them, although Zia's is mere reflection of Jadis' attack off her shields. @He is mine first. And I have said I would fight him alone. Not as part of a mob. You have the leadership of this group to maintain. Are you not concerned for your fallen leader?@ Roland is still inside Zia's shields, and still unconcious, from when she appeared with him. She has had no chance to give him unto anothers protection yet. @Besides which, males must have gender deafness. Ask Nemesis to securely brief you again. You have more important problems. Do your Duty, not your Desire.@ =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 09:07:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 10:43:21 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004606 :The four-foot bubble floats out of its hole towards Zia, taking Molly :with it, who sits cross-legged within. Molly reachs out and her hand :emerges from the side of the bubble. @Zia?@ she sends quietly, :offering her hand as if Zia were meant to take it. The brunette looks surprised, but gently lowers Roland off her back Then she slowly reaches towards Molly, letting her shielding flow to encompass Molly's rather than exposing her hand to a crack between the two. The telepathic contact is as soft as Molly's hands. Zia's contact is surprisingly shallow, especially given her preoccupation with defense from Jadis. It also completely lacks any subconscious component, making her seem much less human in mental perspective than in her physical form. :^Playing possum like that was incredibly dangerous and predictable. :Thank you for doing it, it yielded results we needed and confirmed my :paranoia.^ Molly smiled faintly, ^But don't do it again. 'They' won't :fall for it a fourth time.^ Zia just grins, an odd expression that seems half-insouciance and half pure agreement. @Never underestimate the will to be stupid.@ : Molly then adds, ^Mike and the twins send their best, and that they :will be in place on your homeworld when the time is right for their :assistance.^ @That they were and will be, I do not doubt. Pleased to meet you. I take it you're the other daughter. The brainy one.@ Zia actually smiles in some private amusement. :Molly smiles, and lets go of Zia's hand, withdrawing back into the :sphere. Pressed into Zia's palm is a (fully-functional) Trump of :Molly. On the card, in a sloppy, feminine handwriting (nothing like :Molly's), is the oddly ironic phrase 'Keep in touch.' Molly winks and :bobs away from Zia. Zia ... winces slightly on recognizing the handwriting, but sticks the Trump away with a nod at the departing Molly, and settles back to float tailor fashion inside her own shields, enjoying the temporary respite from Jadis' attacks as Nemesis flashes her intelligence to the rest of the CAoL. :/Ah, the jerk of honor has arrived./ Molly sends in an oh-so-pleasant :tone. Zia waits a half dozen "beats" just to make sure she can actually take what Jadis is dishing out. Then, almost too late for effectiveness, she yawns. "Jadis, you're a dear villain when you try, but you're _boring_ me. Slash and bash all you got, really?" Of course, anyone not prone to being easily duped would realize that it's just for show; the Amberite is not having it anywhere near as easy taking all that energy as she is trying to make it appear. Fortunately, she didn't include the crucifiction bit in her report to the CAoL and the healing scars are under the fancy black and silver dress. So, anyone except those not needing such signs to tell, and the Lensdragon and Molly (who could tell of a recent "great pain" and healing through the mental contact with her, won't know. Sorry about the "great pain" thing.. couldn't resist. Diana Troy was such a silly character.> :Her robe, having fallen off her right bare shoulder, is gathered at :her elbow, Molly's forearm just blocking a full view of her right :breast. Molly's left arm and hand grasps the staff, her robe blocking :the view of most of her left breast. The silver-cord-belted robe does :at least manage to cover her from just below the navel to well above :mid-thigh on her left leg, where a small blue butterfly tattoo is :just visible. Her silver dagger and blue pouch are about the only :things the belt seems to be holding as it was intended to, however. Gee, have you looked at Sarah's Trump in my page, or is the resemblance accidental, Mike? :The artwork is quite good, though in a style that is unfamiliar, as :is the handwriting. a sloppy, feminine scrawl (nothing like Molly's), :written in purple ink with a heart for the dot over the 'i', is the :oddly ironic phrase 'Keep in touch.' The card is not signed. Heh. There aren't enough Trump Artists outside the Courts to need signatures.... =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:13:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE 4: The Sentinel's Return (VLong!) On Fri, 05 Jun 1998 16:15:47 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004607 > On Fri, 5 Jun '98 Zia Said > > (mega-snip) > > Zia looks up at the (several tons!) of diving power in the form of a > dragon in green and black.... and makes a very wry expression, sort > of like that chagrined look any woman who walks bang into a door she > expected the man in front of her to hold does... after selfsame man > doesn't even THINK of it, thus the lady rebounds off the door > instead. Dhyrclhanc is, at best, currently weighing in at well under 1 ton.He's only 21 ft. tall. I say _only_ because most of the dragons I've run into on alt.fan.dragons are anywhere between x3 to x4 that, at least. Of course, this is not counting the handfull of Pernese-style flame lizard-sized dragons currently in residense in Alfandra > @Lensman.@ The telepathy cuts cold and clear through the power > surging about both of them, although Zia's is mere reflection of > Jadis' attack off her shields. @He is mine first. And I have said I > would fight him alone. Not as part of a mob. You have the leadership > of this group to maintain. Are you not concerned for your fallen > leader?@ Roland is still inside Zia's shields, and still unconcious, > from when she appeared with him. She has had no chance to give him > unto anothers protection yet. @Besides which, males must have gender > deafness. Ask Nemesis to securely brief you again. You have more > important problems. Do your Duty, not your Desire.@ Dhyrclhanc peals away up into the sky, and away from the youngfemale amberite lensman and Jadis, both locked in mortal combat. @^ My oppologies, Detached Lensman. He is also _My_Enemy_ but if you are in the midst of some kind of honor duel ritual far be it from me to interupt you. Blame it on a combination of bloodlust and a temporary feeblemindedness due to the equally tempory draconic equivilent of testosterone poisoning.^@ /#^ Grandmother Nemisis, please use this private cyber-psi frequency {} to do a secure tightbeam dump breifing of all past events including all of the experiences which Zia just bulk downloaded into you. ^#/ (to the group psi-web) /*Anyone, besides myself, who is a healer, I suggest you give Molly a hand with Roland. I would do it myself but I have my hands full dealing with the logistics of keeping you rummies organized.*/ /Void, do what you can to help Nemo and Hydra in containing Guarrien in some kind of a magnetic bottle field. The rest of you WildCATs, keep trying to keep him immobilized as best you can./ /#^ Nimrod, where are you and Synthea? ^#/ /#^ We are with the WildCATs. I seem to be crucial to their being able to keep this 'Fallen God' of yours immobilized. However, Synthea is not having any effect on him. ^#/ Dhyrclhanc responds /#^ While I fo have a multitude of Gods I pay homage to, I am happy to say that Guarrien is _not_ one of them. Have Synthea get over to Molly and see what she can do for Roland with her paramedic training. ^#/ /#^ Message recieved, understood, and relayed ^#/ /^ Molly, a young lady with a dark, southern european/middle eastern complexion is going to be coming towards you. She is one of my traveling companions as well as my sister. Her name is Synthea and she has paramedics training; I am sending her over to you to give you a hand with Roland's injuries. ^/ And finaly, /^ Rhia -- niece -- where are you? How are you holding up? The real Jadis has just shown shown up. Tell me, am I imagining it or is my Mage-Sight showing that he somehow has John with him? ^/ =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:13:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 13:19:05 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004608 > On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:47:00 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004597 > > *@*Nemo! CALLING ALL Nemos! S.O.S. Give me reconition signal, > multiple location triangulation, something Jadis can't fake well > NOW. In the electrical bands. HURRY!*@* She projects telepathically, > over the Lens, and radio wave bands, at the most volume she can > summon, figuring that might stun Jadis a half-second, and she can't > hurt Nemo. Simultaneously, she pulls Roland into an awkward > fireman's carry, barely able to do it at her height. "Why are heroes > always TALL?" She complains. The nemos give her a multiplex transmission, portions from each of them, and incorporating info gleaned from Zia's "double" as a check (Jadis won't have that). The multiple data streams *only* mnake sense at the location they converge, which is where Zia is broadcasting from. :-) ^Home on this magentic signature^ Nemo gives the magnetic "sigature of his "pole" of the mag field he and Hydra are setting up, such that she'd land on the side of him *away* from Guarien. =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:14:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 17:15:02 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004609 >On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 10:43:21 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004606 > >:^Playing possum like that was incredibly dangerous and predictable. >:Thank you for doing it, it yielded results we needed and confirmed >:my paranoia.^ Molly smiled faintly, ^But don't do it again. 'They' >:won't fall for it a fourth time.^ > >Zia just grins, an odd expression that seems half-insouciance and >half pure agreement. @Never underestimate the will to be stupid.@ Molly beams, ^Whose will?^ Then she shakes her head with a faint mental giggle, ^I just thought I should mention it.^ >: Molly then adds, ^Mike and the twins send their best, and that they >:will be in place on your homeworld when the time is right for their >:assistance.^ > >@That they were and will be, I do not doubt. Pleased to meet you. I >take it you're the other daughter. The brainy one.@ Zia actually >smiles in some private amusement. ^If I am the brainy one, I fear for my sisters. I'm Molly.^ >Gee, have you looked at Sarah's Trump in my page, or is the >resemblance accidental, Mike? I had seen it, but the resemblance is coincidental. :) >Heh. There aren't enough Trump Artists outside the Courts to need >signatures.... Hmm, so there aren't... =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:14:10 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE 5: The Sentinel's Return On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 17:15:06 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004610 >On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 10:23:44 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004605 >@Lensman.@ The telepathy cuts cold and clear through the power >surging about both of them, although Zia's is mere reflection of >Jadis' attack off her shields. @He is mine first. And I have said I >would fight him alone. Not as part of a mob. You have the leadership >of this group to maintain. Are you not concerned for your fallen >leader?@ Roland is still inside Zia's shields, and still unconcious, >from when she appeared with him. She has had no chance to give him >unto anothers protection yet. @Besides which, males must have gender >deafness. Ask Nemesis to securely brief you again. You have more >important problems. Do your Duty, not your Desire.@ @Pass Roland through or extend your shields around me if you can.@ Molly sends, her force bubble returning to Zia's shielded side. @Either way, do not enter this bubble, unless it is your wish to be out of reach of Jadis. (I hope it is anyway, as Roland and I will be behind it.)@ =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:36:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE5 -- The Showdown, completed. (final) (VLong!) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 19:20:20 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004611 > On Fri, 05 Jun 1998 05:06:44 -0400 > Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004601 > > Returning to his original location; about a mile high above the > forrest glen where the battle with the fallen God of Light was being > waged, he places the emerald colored ring on his finger and, almost > simulaniously, the large similarly hued, antique bull's-eye-style > railroad lantern/power battery litteraly pours out of the ring and > into Dhyrclhanc's other hand. The battle against the god is almost finished, as the tattered and flickering form of the God fades away entirely. The dimensional gates slowly lock into place as well. > "\In the bright, blessid, Day > and in black, sacred, Night; > Justice -- I seek, > Evil -- I fight. > To those who practice Villany, > worship Darkness, or > cause others' plight; > I pledge that All of you shall suffer > 'neath this Sentinel's Light!/" Jadis is keeping half an ear cocked toward Dhyrclhanc's doings while he continues to pound on Zia. He smiles. > "/I am Power, Magick, and Life > and made Incarnate. > Now and Forevermore, > I AM PHOENIX!/" Jadis quips to Zia, "And how many of them do I have running around here now? I don't think that Phoenix is covered by the pest control industry." > As he says this, the Lensdragon/Sentinel's Psi-Aura flares into > being, once again mystical, emerald, etched cut-crystaline psi-fire > as the Lensdragon's psychic powers are in sybiosis with the > near-unlimited powers housed in the First-Ring. Equaly swiftly, the > Psi-Aura shifts from being in the form of an ancient elder dragon > into being that of a huge, crested, bird-of-prey. > > "/THE SLEEPER HAS AWOKEN/" Jadis shakes his head, "Astounding. A faux-dragon delivering a faux-original line. Next he'll sing a faux song at me." Jadis becomes intent on Zia, trying to break her barriers. =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:36:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 19:27:52 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004612 > On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 13:19:05 PST > Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004608 > > Nemo gives the magnetic "sigature of his "pole" of the mag field he > and Hydra are setting up, such that she'd land on the side of him > *away* from Guarien. Shortly after Zia arrives, the mag feild begins to destabilize. The essence of Guarien begins to slip out, gets caught in the first strengthening of the field, then finally breaks free entirely just before Jadis arrives. He seems very, very weak, his form flickering and fuzzing around the edges. The form curls up into a ball, then shrinks down to nothing during the fight between Zia and Jadis. The cause of this all can be traced to the pendant on Jadis' breast, which has the feel of John. =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 16:37:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE 4: The Sentinel's Return (VLong!) On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 19:32:16 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004613 > On Fri, 05 Jun 1998 16:15:47 -0400 > Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004607 > > And finaly, /^ Rhia -- niece -- where are you? How are you holding > up? The real Jadis has just shown shown up. Tell me, am I imagining > it or is my Mage-Sight showing that he somehow has John with him? ^/ Rhia's reply is hesitant, /Yeee.. Yes. That's John's signature, all right. I'm by the WildCATs, I was holding a gun on Guarien./ =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 18:35:46 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: OOC: E-ticket ride in Jadisland On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 21:06:44 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004614 In a message dated 98-06-03 19:30:36 EDT, you write: << Shadow wrote: Ah yes, step on the being made of liquid light. (more or less, I remember saying plasma earlier.) I'm glad you all had that R scale discussion before I got back. Per the below, I haven't forgotten about Nemo's diruption of the Jadis. That response will follow and take place before this happens, if my timeline is straight. >> Please remember, that Hydra is no more matter than is Guarien. He consists of energy and forces, AND he FEEDS on ambient energy. =========================== Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 19:21:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: Never send a human to do a magnet's job... On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 21:51:26 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004615 In a message dated 98-06-05 00:38:52 EDT, you write: << Nemo wrote: /If Hydra will co-operate, we can set up a strong dipole field between us. The only place the plasma can leak out is at the ends. Which means it'd have to leak thru us. I can handle it, and I'd guess that Hydra can too./ /It'll be especially nice as it only takes energy to set up the field. Maintaining it is a zero energy operation./ >> Hydra instantly responds, by setting up his side of the mag. resonance field. To safeguard the others in the area, he creates wormholes behind both himself and Nemo, such that anything leaking past them will pass into inter-universal hyper-volume (N-Space). =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 02:35:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE 5: The Sentinel's Return On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:06:17 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004617 :@Pass Roland through or extend your shields around me if you can.@ :Molly sends, her force bubble returning to Zia's shielded side. :@Either way, do not enter this bubble, unless it is your wish to be :out of reach of Jadis. (I hope it is anyway, as Roland and I will be :behind it.)@ There is a momentary flash of surprise, quickly disciplined so as not to distract her shields against Jadis. @Great. It'll hold until he brings down magic around your ears. I think. I'm betting that the CAoL can rescue John before Jadis manages to outright kill me or drive me off the plane, so the faster you can move, then better. I'm not sure what Jadis did to him... I was, wellll, I was rather loopy from power influx right then. All he seemed to do was touch in on the forehead.@ =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 02:35:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE 4: The Sentinel's Return (VLong!) On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:10:32 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004618 :@^ My oppologies, Detached Lensman. He is also _My_Enemy_ but if you :are in the midst of some kind of honor duel ritual far be it from me :to interupt you. Blame it on a combination of bloodlust and a :temporary feeblemindedness due to the equally tempory draconic :equivilent of testosterone poisoning.^@ @No, no, not even CLOSE to an honor duel. It's a bet. But I think Jadis has sensed my underlying strategy, by now. You need to hurry. I'm just the distraction, the CAoL is the attack. Get moving as soon as you can. I might still be able to get out before he kills me, eventually, but I'd really rather not have to try it under those conditions. Honor duel??!? Heh. No, I tend to just do my work... pretty much like any Lensman, or at least I try.@ Zia seems a bit embarrassed at the idea of a duel... and the Lensdragon might also note the lack of any subconscious mind in Zia's contact. =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 02:35:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:12:55 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004619 :Nemo gives the magnetic "sigature of his "pole" of the mag field he :and Hydra are setting up, such that she'd land on the side of him :*away* from Guarien. Works beautifully when Zia shows, with a Roland draped over her in fireman's carry... then blasts an intrcate Lensed thought to Nemesis, even as she is setting down the frame of the Freelance Immortal... which well nigh dwarfs her own. =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 02:35:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:15:30 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004620 :>Zia just grins, an odd expression that seems half-insouciance and :>half pure agreement. @Never underestimate the will to be stupid.@ : :Molly beams, ^Whose will?^ Then she shakes her head with a faint :mental giggle, ^I just thought I should mention it.^ @Mine, of course, as you thought just then. (mental grin)@ :>@That they were and will be, I do not doubt. Pleased to meet you. I :>take it you're the other daughter. The brainy one.@ Zia actually :>smiles in some private amusement. : :^If I am the brainy one, I fear for my sisters. I'm Molly.^ @I take it we haven't met yet. Call me Ziactrice.@ : :>Gee, have you looked at Sarah's Trump in my page, or is the :>resemblance accidental, Mike? : :I had seen it, but the resemblance is coincidental. :) Still cool, though. :) :>Heh. There aren't enough Trump Artists outside the Courts to need :>signatures.... : :Hmm, so there aren't... So, watch Sam be COMPLETELY off base about who the lady is who drew it. =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 02:36:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE5 -- The Showdown, completed. (final) (VLong!) On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:23:30 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004621 :Jadis is keeping half an ear cocked toward Dhyrclhanc's doings while :he continues to pound on Zia. He smiles. Zia looks highly annoyed. "So, you managed to manuever that one. I'd not have managed to prevent it's use without undue suspicion. And you probably SHOWED me getting it to them, you stinker. Doesn't mean your plan will work out. Small battles do not win the war." :> "/I am Power, Magick, and Life :> and made Incarnate. :> Now and Forevermore, :> I AM PHOENIX!/" : :Jadis quips to Zia, "And how many of them do I have running around :here now? I don't think that Phoenix is covered by the pest control :industry." "Or your fire insurance? Personal injury? You could always declare barbecue your favorite new fashion look." She quips right back as nicey nicey a voice as she can manage, although she seems a bit short on breath. :Jadis shakes his head, "Astounding. A faux-dragon delivering a :faux-original line. Next he'll sing a faux song at me." Jadis becomes :intent on Zia, trying to break her barriers. "Ugh!" She takes a moment to stabilize this new level of attack. Cuts down the feed rate straight through to her again, and rebalances the shielding. THEN, she looks at Jadis, "It's better than a villain whom is intent on mangling English vocabulary. I believe you meant a filk song, a quote, and a full dragon." =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 15:06:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE 5: The Sentinel's Return On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 16:45:49 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004622 >On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:06:17 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004617 > >There is a momentary flash of surprise, quickly disciplined so as not >to distract her shields against Jadis. @Great. It'll hold until he >brings down magic around your ears. I think. I'm betting that the >CAoL can rescue John before Jadis manages to outright kill me or >drive me off the plane, so the faster you can move, then better. I'm >not sure what Jadis did to him... I was, wellll, I was rather loopy >from power influx right then. All he seemed to do was touch in on the >forehead.@ Molly shrugs at the remark about the bubble holding until Jadis turns magic on it. @Those are the breaks. Just means I must make best speed out of here.@ She nods at the remark about rescuing John, pulling Roland into the bubble with only a minimum of strain. Molly manages to arrange the Freelance Immortal so he is seated across her lap, leaning against the curve of the side wall of the sphere, his legs drawn up almost halfway to his chest. After a few moments, she seems satisfied that her passenger is as comfortable as he will ever be within the sphere. Supressing the urge for comment about Zia's remarks about being loopy from power influx, [The woman has enough on her mind.] Molly nods at the description of Roland's ailment, remarking @His lady would be the best woman for the job, I should think, but we shall try to fill her shoes as best we can in her absense.@ Molly looks up at Jadis, squinting slightly, having just heard the remarks from Dhyrclhanc and Rhiannon. @Call it a premonition, but try and not hit the pin. If what Rhia senses is right, it would be just like the pompous ass to flaunt the key to his captive right in front of us.@ [Assss? Don't demean donkeysss by comparing uss ssso.] Jack scolds, her small forked tongue flicking out, wings flapping indignantly.. [Sorry, meant the slang word, not the animal.] Molly thinks, with a small smirk. Molly moves away from Zia so the latter woman can continue with her 'bet', the bubble moving quickly to Synthea's side. She frowns. [No room for three in here, and if we get Roland awake, no way he'll want to stay in here when there is a fight going on, so may as well collapse the bubble now. Ready, Jack?] The bubble comes to rest and pops, leaving Molly and Roland sitting on the ground. The interdimentional hitch hiker stretches the Freelance Immortal out and runs a practiced eye over him with her Techno-wizardry glasses. [So, Roland, why aren't you conscious and throwing insults at our less than charming host?] =========================== Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 15:07:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: The Showdown, completed. (final) On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 16:45:54 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004623 >On Sat, 6 Jun 1998 04:15:30 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004620 > >:^If I am the brainy one, I fear for my sisters. I'm Molly.^ > >@I take it we haven't met yet. Call me Ziactrice.@ ^Ziactrice, alright. We might have met briefly in passing, perhaps, at the church. Though I was more busy working with Sheila and Justin at the time for much formality.^ =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 14:37:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (I) On Sun, 07 Jun 1998 14:08:32 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004626 (OOC: Ye gods. At _this_ rate I'm going to run out of B-5 titles! ) Molly said: >[So, Roland, why aren't you conscious and throwing insults at our >less than charming host?] > > (OOC 2: This can all be 'read' by anyone who wants to look in, but actual communication or interference is all but impossible. At the moment his mindshields are at almost godlike strength. It's as if all his power were devoted to that one function...oh, and apparently, Jadis just knocked him out. He isn't maintaining it...) Roland groaned and held his head. "Ouch. That was about as much fun as the antimatter bomb..." He looked around at his surroundings. On three sides were walls of the same type of masonry that Jadis had used for his prison/battlefield. Above was a shimmering forcefield. Below was apparently healthy grass. Ahead was a tunnel that stretched into the horizon. "Well, at least this a little more interesting than being impaled on a wall. Not to mention a lot less painful. Wonder what psycho-boy is up to this time?" Not getting a response, Roland shrugs and begins to walk. [Amazing how much calmer I feel. I guess there's nothing like a good knock-down drag-out to work out some aggression.] "You're telling me," Roland heard behind him. He whirled around, reaching for his Ranger pike as he summoned his psychokinetic power. The power wasn't there. Neither was the pike. All he had were his 'civvies:' a trenchcoat (sans hyper-pocket), jeans, black sneakers, and a yin/yang T-shirt. Shadowclaw was, however. A 7'6" Roland with cat's eyes, pointed ears and a very thin layer of black fur stared at the 'standard' Roland. "We've needed that for a while." Roland frowned. "You _can't_ be Shadowclaw. _I'm_ Shadowclaw." "Yea, ain't life a pain sometimes?" Shadowclaw grinned at the flustered Freelance Immortal and grew to the 9'+ warform directly between cat and man. "Come on, kid, figure it out." "Well, you're implying a dreamscape, but Jadis could easily have manufactured this reality. Or this dreamscape, if it is such." Shadowclaw sighed. "So who's maintaining that mind shield, huh? The Stardragon?" Roland frowned and reached outward. "Huh. You have a point. Okay, so I've gone MPD.(1) And since this is a dream, PK isn't viable. Telepathy is omnipotence." (1)MPD: Multiple Personality Disorder. "Well, sort of." Shadowclaw waved, and a chair appeared beneath him. He shrunk into a body identical physically to Roland's except for a cat's eyes, and he wore a simple white gi rather than standard psion fare. "Will has something to do with power here as well. And if we're a split personality, it's only temporary. Except insofar as we've always been." "Make sense," Roland snapped, faux lightning beginning to crackle around his fists. Shadowclaw yawned. "We don't have a split personality. Except when we do. I'm yer id, moron. Hunger, rage, lust, you know. The works. Not the evil you're so afraid of." The feline Roland leaned forward, a snarl transforming the placid face. The white gi became jet black in an instant. "You've kept me in a mental cage for too long, Roland. I'll give you credit where it's due-you kept trying to accept me. Just couldn't cut it, though, could you? Until you killed Gaunt." "He didn't leave me much sprocking choice, did he?" Roland snapped back. "No he didn't. But even though you killed him without a touch of hate, you still felt angry. You _had_ to accept me. "So why didn't you?" Shadowclaw asked, leaning back, his face turning placid once more. "You were stronger than ever," Roland said, an astral forcefield springing up around him. "I had to contain you." "You know what happens when you bottle up rage, kid-it just gets hotter the longer you keep pressure on it." Shadowclaw sighed. "Not to mention your irrational fear of this sort of thing." "Irrational?" Roland snorted. "I rather _like_ having an identity." Shadowclaw stood and gestured at the chair. It vanished. "You're missing the point. You _have_ an identity, Roland-but we're all parts of it. You can at least face the truth-you _like_ being dangerous. We enjoy being a force to be reckoned with. You want me more than you fear me-if you didn't, I'd be long gone." Roland frowned at the last part as Shadowclaw faded. He shrugged and continued on. "He's right, you know," Roland heard after some time. He looked up and saw himself again-this time in his Green Lantern uniform. "That's not ours," Roland said coldly. "Like hell it's not," the GL replied. "I earned this uniform. We were _worthy._ The ring was taken because of accounting, not incompetence." "It's still not ours," Roland said stubbornly. The GL sighed. "Have it your way." Behind him, a whirlwind battered Roland as his Flash-self appeared. "This better?" Roland dusted himself off, though there was no dust to brush. "Okay, o wise and generous inner voice. What do _you_ have to say?" The Flash shrugged. "Have faith in yourself. You should _know_ that one by now." Before Roland could even begin to open his mouth to reply, the Flash-Roland was gone. "Man, did _I_ ever pull that nass?" Roland sighed, and wandered on. Finally, the corridor opened to a glen during the cool, early hours of the morning. The sun was shining brightly, and a clear pond sat placidly before him. "Huh. About time," Roland smiled. He began to take off his trenchcoat. "Hey, what are _you_ doing?" a voice asked, and a cloud of leaves later, Roland was on his posterior looking up at a 12-year old, incredibly thin version of himself. "Wha-?" "Yea, you." Roland-Pan pointed a dagger no longer than one of his child's pinky fingers at the older self. "You're not _allowed_ to have fun, remember? You're busy leading this big ol' 'Army of Light' and saving the multiverse." "Oh, so you're going to hassle me now, right? Well, you can just shut it down _right_now!_ I _am_ the leader of that little shindig, and with that kind of power comes major responsibility. Excuse _ME_ for taking it seriously!" Roland stood, then floated into the air, as his tirade brought him nose-to-nose with his sprite-like child-self. "Yea, and a fat lot of good you did 'em, bein' a grumpy old sourpuss!" Pan shot back, grinning as though he were brother to the Cheshire Cat. "You have _got_ to remember to relax, buddy boy. Or do you _want_ those ulcer-things you keep talking about? What good is fighting Hook if you don't tweak the codfish's nose?" "Sometimes it's a bad idea," Roland mused. "And sometimes it's not," Pan replied as he floated up. "Don't get so caught up in being the paragon everyone expects you to be that we forget to _enjoy_ ourselves!" Another burst of activity among the branches heralded his departure. Roland sighed, smiled, and jumped into the pool. He fell through the thin reflective field and landed on the floor of the corridor again. "Little brat," Roland muttered. "He _is_ that, isn't he?" Roland sighed wearily and looked up. Darkangel-formerly the armored Blaze-looked back down at him. "You look like you could use some sympathy. Getting beat up is never any fun, but it's worse when _you're_ the one doing it, isn't it?" Darkangel offered him a hand. "Sympathy from myself?" Roland chuckled. "This has got to be a first." He accepted the offered hand gratefully. The armored figure easily hauled the Freelance Immortal to his feet. "You should try it more often. The others all _did_ have good points, but they each have limited perspectives. They are, after all, only pieces of you." Darkangel handed Roland a gauntlet from his armor. "And you're not?" Roland asked, putting the gauntlet on. "Well, I am," Darkangel admitted, "but I guess you could say that I _am_ perspective. You took a job of riding herd over a bunch of individualists, then asked for recognition of that leadership to save an entire species. You didn't think you were ready, but you did it anyway because you thought it was the right thing to do." "Was it?" Roland asked quietly. "Well, the Greys are still alive, aren't they? Besides, you were in the process of...well, of _this._ You've done an amazing job, all things considered," Darkangel said. "Yea, 'all things considered.' I picked a _bad_ time for an identity crisis," Roland muttered bleakly. "A person doesn't 'pick' a crisis. They choose you." Darkangel shrugged. "Go on ahead. Blaze still needs to talk to you." Roland took a few steps, then turned back to ask Darkangel another question. He was gone, of course. Roland sighed and trudged on... TBC =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 14:37:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (II) On Sun, 07 Jun 1998 14:09:04 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004627 After a short while... "You look like you've been through a meat grinder-both ways," Blaze said after a short while. He grinned from his perch on the top of the corridor wall-apparently ignoring the forcefield-and jumped down next to Roland. "Yea, well, it's been one of those millenia," Roland quipped back. "Exaggerating just a tad, are we?" Blaze noted dryly. "Yea, well, that's one of my strong suits, isn't it?" Roland said sardonically. "Look, I just went over this with the Flash and Darkangel. I'd really appreciate a straight answer. What am I doing here?" "Reclaiming yourself." Roland blinked. "Beg pardon? I mean, that almost _did_ sound like a straight answer-" "It was," Blaze replied simply. "You've been 'integrating' each of us as we come to you. Sure, we'll probably get stronger and weaker, fragment and merge...we do that. But you've been a mess for a while now-ever since Sil's body showed up on your doorstep and told you the weight of creation was on your shoulders-and you need to clean house." Roland shrugged. "Nice speech. So what do I _do?_ Just decide I'm not a 'mess' any more and play nice with my 'selves?' How the grife do I do THAT?!" "Well, I'll help, of course. But _he_ can help you more." Blaze gestured beyond them both with one thumb. "Who?" Roland looked behind him, then winces and sighs as he looks back to find- -that Blaze is still there. "Huh! Now _there's_ a pleasant surprise," Roland chuckled. "So how about that help?" Blaze tossed Roland a small cylinder. Roland caught it easily, and immediately recognized it as the compressed Phoenix Rod. (Or at least a reasonable fascimile. ) "Um...am I going to need this?" Blaze smiled gently. "It's a reminder. 'Who are you?'" he asked in a faintly echoing voice. "Don't worry, I can answer that." Roland boggled. "You CAN?! Blaze shrugged. "Courage. Justice. Rage. Laughter. Love. We're not a complicated man, Roland." He gestured forward. "Go on. You've got one more 'self' to talk to. Our friends need us." Roland blinked. "Um, I'm not sure, but I think you're it. I haven't taken on any other forms except Cosmic Boy, and I have a feeling he sort of gets lumped in with Flash and GL." Blaze smiled again. "No, it's not Cos. Go on, Roland." He faded out. Roland sighed and walks forward. Soon, he entered a new room. "A kitchen?" Roland asked, blinking and looking around in confusion. It was, indeed, a kitchen-in no discernable way like the stone corridor down which he'd walked. It was a bit cluttered, and the flower-pattern wallpaper was a touch faded, but except for the computer on one wall it was a fairly ordinary kitchen. "Okay, so where are you, voice number six?" Roland asked. "I take it you're counting Flash and GL as one," he heard behind him. "Can't you guys appear in _front_ of me?" Roland sighed as he turned. And stared. "Who are _you?_" Roland asked, looking at the newcomer. He was a man, slightly shorter than Roland, with a bit of a potbelly showing from underneath a Flash T-shirt. Light blue jeans and the same black sneakers Roland wore completed the look. He pushed up a pair of glasses that threatened to slide down a nose very similar to Roland's. "Hi. My name's Peter. Sorry about the voices out of nowhere thing-it's sort of de rigeur for this sort of inner quest." "That doesn't answer my question," Roland said softly. "Not exactly, does it?" Peter sighed. "I'm you. Or you're me. I haven't quite figured that out." Peter turned on the computer and sat down in front of it. "Here. This'll help." Roland watched the screen...and stared, stunned, as the history of the CAoL was slowly displayed before him. "You...know...?" "Everything," Peter replied. "I wrote you. I'm not sure what that makes us-Heinlein's World-as-Myth theory would make me your 'father,' I suppose, but you feel a lot more like a _part_ of me. Or maybe the me I want to be. I'm not really sure of a lot of this. Thing is, in your world, you're a lot more powerful than I am in mine. You're sort of cathartic." "So, what, I'm just a _projection_ of you?" Roland snarled. "You're not 'just' anything," Peter replied. "You're important to me. If I ever get off my butt and write your stories, you'll be a lot more real than I'll be in a century or so." The writer shrugged. "It's kind of a Zen thing, I think. We're not the same person, but at the same time we _are,_ if that makes any sense. I want to _be_ you some day." Roland nodded. "Okay. So where does all this dream stuff come in?" Peter gestured at the computer. "You were 'running away' from me. My anger, frustration, and confusion were making it harder to project myself purely. You wouldn't have gone over the edge-you're a lot better than you give yourself credit for, which is half the problem-but you _did_ need to look at that side of yourself. Or maybe I did. Hell, maybe we _both_ did." Peter grinned. "I hope this is making more sense to you than it is to me." "Actually, yea, I think it is," Roland replied. "You can't know how far you can go...until you get there." Peter blinked. "Damn." He smiled broadly. "I knew there was a reason I didn't just bail. You are some piece of work, Roland Phoenix." Roland blushed (tm). "Um, glad I could help. So, what now?" "You go back. Gotta save the multiverse, you know," Peter quipped. "What, again?" Lorena asked with a smile. "Hey, this is my dream sequence," Peter replied, though the smile on his face told his love that he was joking. "You can write yours later." "Is that-" Roland began. "She writes Morgan, yea," Peter said with a very happy smile, "and we're as much in love as you two. We kind of owe you two for that, in fact." "I have a feeling that works both ways," Roland noted. "Look, am I ready to go back in? You're all right, you know-I have to get back and help." Peter looked at Roland for a long moment...and nodded. "Yea, I think so. How do you feel?" Roland smiled. "Better than I have in a while. I guess...I just need to be...myself." He laughed. "Beam me up, Scotty." Peter groaned, picked up the two peanuts on the monitor, and threw them at Roland. When they struck, Roland vanished. * * * * * As Molly watched Roland, his costume began to shift and change around him. The torn Blaze uniform healed, then warped, his chest being covered by the Darkangel armor, a tiny belt dagger forming in a forest-green sheath on his right, his belt plain black except for a yin-yang buckle, his eyes are a cat's, and the clasps for the absent cape each bear a symbol-one the Flash, the other, the Justice Legion symbol. The arms and legs are still in the style of the Blaze costume, though they seem thicker, as if slightly padded. The Darkangel armor, of course, has the Phoenix symbol on it; the armor itself in gold, and the symbol inscribed in silver, much like his wedding garb. He sat up. "Molly? Ah. Thank you. And my apologies for my earlier rudeness; I...wasn't myself." He smiled faintly at that. "Where are the others-" A flash of light erupted among the combatants. Roland concentrated, and a filament rose from the armor and became a one-piece visor over his eyes. He watched for a moment. "Of course." His smile broadened. "Silly me. Shall we?" He stood and offered his hand to Molly. =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 18:46:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (II) On Sun, 7 Jun 1998 20:15:35 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004628 : He sat up. "Molly? Ah. Thank you. And my apologies for my earlier :rudeness; I...wasn't myself." He smiled faintly at that. "Where are :the others-" : A flash of light erupted among the combatants. Roland :concentrated, and a filament rose from the armor and became a :one-piece visor over his eyes. He watched for a moment. : "Of course." His smile broadened. "Silly me. Shall we?" He stood :and offered his hand to Molly. Zia notes Roland's return to the here and now out of a corner of one eye. The unseen shielding around her had begun to take on a slight nimbus of heat warp, under Jadis' full might and concentration. As Guarien's disappearance, and Nemo's multiple appearances distract the mage, her shields quickly regenerate or lose the extra heat, becoming unseen once more. She ignores that, however, in favor of a two second staring match with one of her fists, clenched tight around Roland's ring. Suddenly, a brilliant flare of white flames licks up around that fist, then is sucked completely into the ring. "More than enough Pheonixi already... and I don't need MORE problems," the sharp-tongued Amberite mutters to herself. Noting quickly that Jadis is still engaged with flinging insults at Hydra and company, she uses the time of slight distraction to once more become a lightning bolt. An after-image of intense blue-white jaggedness is all Molly and Roland see (unless they see something different, or whatever) before they're eye to top of head with Zia again. The black velvet and silver decorations of the rather incongruous ball gown rustle as she twists Roland's ring off hurriedly. Whatever shielding she is using prickles nastily along Roland's arm, as part of it is engulfed when she grabs one hand and shooves the ring into it, then wraps fingers around it. There is simultaneous discharge of lambent white power, snapping like static, through her hands to his, "All of what you gave me wouldn't fit in that your Ring, without damage. Extra info, too. Thanks. But I gotta run now." While she was talking, the outfit shifted to Spanish style pants, a loose shirt, a half-cape, and a flat hat all done in black with silver designs. Including the ebony-handled rapier with swept hilt (ooc: Think Zorro meets Spanish bull fighter.) Without so much as a look behind her, she takes off running (at about the speed of a good quarter horse, or a little bit faster than most motorcycles). She takes the trail out of this meadow, leaving behind a taunt for Jadis edged with the irksome silver quality of her voice, "Come on, Jadis, if I get away AGAIN, they're liable to seize back your Villian's Union Card. You're supposed to keep your eye on the one you're FIGHTING, hombre." She hurdles the at least 6 foot round trunk of a fallen tree (from the earthquake moments before) by simply lengthening and heightening a running stride, not so much as using a hand to help her over. On her Lens, broad cast to all, she sends, singing mentally (or at least as close as you can mentally), @If you go down in the _woods_ today, you better go in the sky...@ And continues. Her voice has GOT to be the most blood-chillingly BAD singing voice you've ever heard. Nothing is lost of the silver quality of her speaking voice, but it's merely an additional horror with the sheer off-tune and pitch singing. Even the wrongness doesn't stay constant - the degree of BADness varies so much it's impossible to get used to. Nails on a chalk board would be merciful compared to this. But since it is merely broadcast, and not strongly thrust at anyone's mind, any sort of shielding should serve to protect the victim, er, listener. Of course, it DOES get her noticed, which was primarily what she wanted to do, that, and annoy Jadis she hopes. =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 20:14:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (I&II) On Sun, 7 Jun 1998 21:50:04 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004629 >On Sun, 07 Jun 1998 14:08:32 > As CAoL Message # 00004626 And >On Sun, 07 Jun 1998 14:09:04 > As CAoL Message # 00004627 >Morgan and/or Roland Said > > (OOC: Ye gods. At _this_ rate I'm going to run out of B-5 titles! >) > (OOC 2: This can all be 'read' by anyone who wants to look in, but >actual communication or interference is all but impossible. At the >moment his mindshields are at almost godlike strength. It's as if all >his power were devoted to that one function...oh, and apparently, >Jadis just knocked him out. He isn't maintaining it...) [He'ssss in the Dreaming?] Jack thinks, her surprise apparent. [No, but it is damn similar. His mind hasn't left like yours or mine would, but he's definitely pulled inside himself, like when we Dream Heal.] Molly replies. [Since he isn't hurting, we'll let him be.] > The Darkangel armor, of course, has the Phoenix symbol on it; the >armor itself in gold, and the symbol inscribed in silver, much like >his wedding garb. > He sat up. "Molly? Ah. Thank you. And my apologies for my earlier >rudeness; I...wasn't myself." He smiled faintly at that. "Where are >the others-" Molly smiles. /Its all right, you made some good points, and it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't held this all in to begin with. Besides, family has privledges. Like being able to vent, and being forgiven for venting./ > A flash of light erupted among the combatants. Roland >concentrated, and a filament rose from the armor and became a >one-piece visor over his eyes. He watched for a moment. > "Of course." His smile broadened. "Silly me. Shall we?" He stood >and offered his hand to Molly. As Molly took Roland's hand, she squeezed it gently, ^Do you feel up to a cyberpsi burst? There's a lot of new information since you and Jadis went off to play. I can send normally also, it will just take a bit longer.^ ^#Zia has claimed dibs on Jadis, some bet she and he are involved in from before we arrived. I think alternately she feels endebted to Dad (long story involving a temporal loop, suffice it to say Dad will be the friend who came to her aid with the Arc) and/or she was touched by Rhia's story. More the latter now, having heard some of her chat with John. I'll come to that in a sec. She filled us in on her locating John as well as some of the battle between you and Jadis. She neglected to mention who was on the cross. I presume that was her, which explains why she would avoid it. Jack and I tried to follow through, but the doorway shifted to a viewing screen before we could get to it. At least I got the pleasure of surprizing Jadis. Anyway, here's what she sent. {Zia's sending through Nemisis.} And here's what happened while you were out. {Events from both Molly and Jack's POV, private communications between Molly and other CAoLers and non-CAoLers and private remarks amongst Family included, starting from Molly and Jack diving after Roland to current.}#^ ^#Since Zia wants to have it out with Jadis on the hope we can get John back before she wears out (a likely event, the girl can heal almost as fast as you and Morgan) I slipped her a Trump of myself for her to use should she need a quick out to catch her breath, or in the event she gets even more over her head. Right now, she's holding her own, a good feat in and of itself. Bet she's walked the Logrus as well as the Pattern, considering the energy she is shrugging off, not to mention if big brother can do it, so can she. (mental grin) Cute in it's own way. Depending on what side of the family she is from, she ought to walk Corwin's pattern. It seems the sanest one of the three. At least that's the one I would pick to walk, had I the choice. (mental blush) Sorry, got to be a bit of an Amber Novel fan recently. Back to business.#^ ^#Rhia senses John's presense around Jadis. I suspect the pin he's wearing is important, just cause it seems a bit flashy and it seems like Jadis to flaunt what we are after in our faces without us knowing.#^ ^#One more highly speculative note: Zia says Jadis is quite prepared to die, at least to lose. She says she isn't sure why, but what she related from John as well as some of Jadis' own remarks leads me to think Jadis wants the power John has. If Jadis dies, I presume with the proper precautions, he might become like John and be able to finally reach John on the Astral Plane. If as Jadis claims, John is mostly unreachable to him, this would be about the only way to get at him. But, this is some hairy guesswork on my part. Your mileage may vary.#^ =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 20:35:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (II) On Sun, 7 Jun 1998 22:15:38 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004630 >On Sun, 7 Jun 1998 20:15:35 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004628 > On her Lens, broad cast to all, she sends, singing mentally (or >at least as close as you can mentally), @If you go down in the >_woods_ today, you better go in the sky...@ And continues. Her voice >has GOT to be the most blood-chillingly BAD singing voice you've ever >heard. Nothing is lost of the silver quality of her speaking voice, >but it's merely an additional horror with the sheer off-tune and >pitch singing. Even the wrongness doesn't stay constant - the degree >of BADness varies so much it's impossible to get used to. Nails on a >chalk board would be merciful compared to this. But since it is >merely broadcast, and not strongly thrust at anyone's mind, any sort >of shielding should serve to protect the victim, er, listener. > > Of course, it DOES get her noticed, which was primarily what she >wanted to do, that, and annoy Jadis she hopes. Privately to Roland, Molly sends, ^I guess this proves she isn't good at everything she sets out to do. Don't forget, the link isn't secure. Jadis through John through Rhia. Going to have to watch what we tell her. Though that gives us two layers of protection, so keeping her totally in the dark shouldn't be needed. I asked Nemo if he could provide backup, but dead silence would be a giveaway and John is purported to be a very good telepath. Personally, I'd let him listen to everything. But plan in private and only reveal what we are doing as we do it, give him less time to plan for us. Meanwhile, let's move on, shall we?^ >P.S. I'll work on the bio, really I will... I am just trying to >figure out just WHAT an Amberite would be comfortable telling on >herself... Well, Zia isn't writing it, Sam is. Tell whatever you like. :) There's more in my bio than I let on in character, but I think what's on your page might be enough, updated to cover the brief stint with the CAoL. =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 22:06:40 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE5 -- The Showdown, completed. (final) (VLong!) On Mon, 08 Jun 1998 00:57:02 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004631 > On Fri, 5 Jun '98 Shadow Said > > Jadis shakes his head, "Astounding. A faux-dragon delivering a > faux-original line. Next he'll sing a faux song at me." Jadis > becomes intent on Zia, trying to break her barriers. Dhyrclhanc says nothing in reaction to Jadis' most recent comment but, while he is still in midflight, the First-Ring flares into life and Jadis is slammed into by a huge kelly-green rhino whose impact feels like a belly flop into the heart of a neutron star. =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 23:07:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (II) On Sun, 07 Jun 1998 22:36:59 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004632 >On Sun, 7 Jun 1998 20:15:35 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004628 > >"More than enough Pheonixi already... and I don't need MORE >problems," the sharp-tongued Amberite mutters to herself. (OOC: You think we should form a union? ;^) > Noting quickly that Jadis is still engaged with flinging >insults at Hydra and company, she uses the time of slight distraction >to once more become a lightning bolt. An after-image of intense >blue-white jaggedness is all Molly and Roland see (unless they see >something different, or whatever) before Nope...without the ring, Roland's reaction time isn't good enough to see anything else. >they're eye to top of head with Zia again. The black velvet and >silver decorations of the rather incongruous ball gown rustle as she >twists Roland's ring off hurriedly. Whatever shielding she is using >prickles nastily along Roland's arm, as part of it is engulfed when >she grabs one hand and shooves the ring into it, then wraps fingers >around it. There is simultaneous discharge of lambent white power, >snapping like static, through her hands to his, "All of what you gave >me wouldn't fit in that your Ring, without damage. Extra info, too. >Thanks. But I gotta run now." While she was talking, the outfit >shifted to Spanish style pants, a loose shirt, a half-cape, and a >flat hat all done in black with silver designs. Including the ebony- >handled rapier with swept hilt (ooc: Think Zorro meets Spanish bull >fighter.) "Whoa," Roland says as his eyes bulge from the power surging through him. "Um..." > Without so much as a look behind her, she takes off running (at >about the speed of a good quarter horse, or a little bit faster than >most motorcycles). She takes the trail out of this meadow, leaving >behind a taunt for Jadis edged with the irksome silver quality of her >voice, "Come on, Jadis, if I get away AGAIN, they're liable to seize >back your Villian's Union Card. You're supposed to keep your eye on >the one you're FIGHTING, hombre." She hurdles the at least 6 foot >round trunk of a fallen tree (from the earthquake moments before) by >simply lengthening and heightening a running stride, not so much as >using a hand to help her over. ^Nice outfit. Your welcome, and my apologies to you as well for earlier rudeness.^ Roland examines the energy flowing through him, smiles, and concentrates. From the clasps, his cape flows out, waving lazily in the wind. Then Molly said: >As Molly took Roland's hand, she squeezed it gently, > >^Do you feel up to a cyberpsi burst? There's a lot of new information >since you and Jadis went off to play. I can send normally also, it >will just take a bit longer.^ ^Don't worry, I'm feeling surprisingly well, actually,^ Roland sends, more surprised at this than Molly is (probably). >^#One more highly speculative note: Zia says Jadis is quite prepared >to die, at least to lose. She says she isn't sure why, but what she >related from John as well as some of Jadis' own remarks leads me to >think Jadis wants the power John has. If Jadis dies, I presume with >the proper precautions, he might become like John and be able to >finally reach John on the Astral Plane. If as Jadis claims, John is >mostly unreachable to him, this would be about the only way to get at >him. But, this is some hairy guesswork on my part. Your mileage may >vary.#^ ^#Ick. Considering how much trouble he's given us _collectively,_ I should have figured that I was winning too easily when we fought earlier. Well. Water under the bridge, as the saying goes. I'm afraid Zia's probably going to be rather annoyed with me in a moment. You might want to restore your shields.#^ Roland creates a forcefield around the two of them, then a lightning bolt follows almost the exact course Zia's took a moment ago. (He deviates somewhat at the end so as not to land on Zia. 8^) "Excuse me a moment, would you?" Roland asks, then rockets up to where the Lensdragon glares balefully at Jadis. /Dhyrclhanc, do something drastic to Jadis, please,/ he says with a wicked, pleased grin. Once Roland has Jadis' attention: *Jadis. To coin a phrase, 'all bets are off.' If you wish to quit the field for the moment-somthing I highly recommend, while I'm still capable of dividing my mental image of you with one involving dismemberment-you may consider this an abrogation of your agreement with Ziactrice due to external interference. *Unless you wish to do something as sensible as returning John to us. I'm feeling extraordinarily generous; we'll leave without further incident if you do so. I will categorically NOT forswear any further action against you; you have said yourself that you are remorseless and that you fully intend to continue your sadistic ways. Choose quickly; I doubt my generosity will last for any length of time...* Jadis' citadel. THUD "ow..." Shard slowly regains his feet, his Quickening 'blade' fading from his hands. Bits of the barrier fall to the ground (and fade if it wasn't material). "Ah, Jadis? I didn't break that Hadrian's Wall of yours, but I definitely put some major cracks in it..." =========================== Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 23:07:11 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE:Grudge Match (Longish) On Sun, 7 Jun 1998 23:54:54 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004633 (OOC: Ok I'm putting a food warning on this because even though the bodies are mechanical in form the violence could be a bit disturbing) The Controller works with obvious frustration at the panel before him while the Borg about his keep their distance having seen a couple of others "recycled" for disturbing the master in this mood. No matter how hard he tries owever he just can't manage to lock in on the CaoL except for the dimention they are located in. Jadis's dimention. Finally even his mechanical patience is worn thin and he changes tactics, attempting to contact Jadis instead. He manages to raise Jadis on the equipment quickly enough. "Jadis. I have a proposition for you. I know you are dealing with the Army of Light right now. I want to help, but beginning with the destruction of my counterpart. Thorne failed me and threw his life away before we could try again so I shall take matters into my own hands this time. And thus doing I can not fail but I need to gain entry into your dimention first and to be able to find the Army of Light." Jadis seems to mull it over a moment but seems preoccupied by something else. He never answers but instead transports The Controller and 6 of the borg surrounding him to appear on the battlefield. Justin pivots quickly from where he stood monitering the fight between Zia and Jadis. "YOU! I did not expect to find you here. But ti matters not. Finally I shall not have to worry about what terrors you are spreading throughout the multiverse that I must suffer the guilt for." "Though I may not share your reasons I too am more than delighted to finally have the chance to destroy you." Justin fires his plasma cannons as he launches himself at The Controller. The Controller dodges the blasts easily and braces himself for impact as Justin crashes into him and they both tumble to the ground. Identical combatants rise and face each other, identical save for the CaoL symbol one wears proudly on his chest. "You're right about this ending now but wrong about who will destroy who. I've planned too much to fail now. I've grown and changed. You've styed stagnent and predictable." "Predict this weakling!" snapped The Controller as a small compartment on his chest opened and a dozen mirco missiles swarmed at Justin who began blasting them out of the air with perscise shots from eye beam lasers. Then Justin moves as if to brace himself to launch a counter attack. ^Now Jim^ A half dozen cartidges blast off on Justin's body landing in a rough circle around the two Controllers. Energy leaps from one to another creating a bubble of energy isolating the two. The Controller looks around at the "cage" "You expect this to be able to stop me from killing you?" "No." replies Justin coldly. "I expect it to protect the others as I kill you." Reaching into himself he retrieves one of the matter-antimatter bombs The Controller had planted on Earth. "Recognise this? I just armed it. It'll detonate in thrity seconds." The Controller began to laugh. "You think I would come up with any weapon I couldn't defend myself against?" "We'll see." ^Jim. Are the energy collectors readied and set?^ ^Yes. both in the body and the surrounding shield. I wish there was another way.^ ^This is the only way to be sure.^ Thirty seconds later the bomb detonated, the bubble polarizing to keep any bystanders from being blinded. when it clears again, both warriors are still standing though everything else in the bubble has been disintigrated. The Controller throws back his robotic head in laughter. "I see you set your energy collectors to boost your shields as well. Maybe we think more alike than you thought. Is that the best you can do to attempt to destroy me?" "That wasn't meant to destroy you. It was meant to charge Jim's shielding. Have you ever wondered why we can touch?" "What are you talking about?" "You're me.. I'm you. we're from seperate realities. Theoretically we should be like matter adn anti matter when we touch because of the paradox of our being in the same place at the same time. But we've touched. ever wonder why?" "No. Not really." replies The Controller launching himself in a flying hurricane kick at Justin's head. Justin ducks and sweeps The Controller's leg as he lands, sending the robotic villian to the ground. Justin jumps on top of The Controller pinning him to the ground. "I figured it out. It's because our bodies are differnt enough in their origins from our realities. seperate enugh in design to be able to co-exist together. but our minds. Our minds are a different matter." Justin struggles with The Controller, reaching for his chest. Metal fingers dig into the chest cavity ripping away the protective armor and systems to reveal the human brain inside. The Controller continues to try to struggle but it's to no avail. Justin's head begins to seem to melt as it opens itself up to reveal his own brain. Justin bends down closer and closer to The Controller's chest until BLACK The ubble turns completely black and the energy walls actually stretch with the force of the reaction, then implode in on themselves and collapse. A 20' diameter crater is all that remains of the fighters. Slowly the six cartigdges begin to move and flow together, absorbing other matter around them to add to their mass until they form a teenage boy kneeling before the crater with fresh tears cascading down his face. =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 02:08:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Sleeping in Light (II) On Mon, 08 Jun 1998 04:39:07 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004634 > On Sun, 07 Jun '98 Roland Said > >>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004628 >> >>"More than enough Pheonixi already... and I don't need MORE >>problems," the sharp-tongued Amberite mutters to herself. > > (OOC: You think we should form a union? ;^) Works for me! };=8)Only what are we gonna call ourselves? "The Phoenix Force"? (snip) > "Excuse me a moment, would you?" Roland asks, then rockets up to > where the Lensdragon glares balefully at Jadis. > /Dhyrclhanc, do something drastic to Jadis, please,/ he says with > a wicked, pleased grin. /^Gee, bro, it is nice to see you and all but, doyou think that what you are suggesting is such a good idea? BTW, you have got the "conn"^/ > Once Roland has Jadis' attention: > *Jadis. To coin a phrase, 'all bets are off.' /^Gee, I guess you do. Sorry, bro, I had an agreement withZia about this but I would say that and interference isn't an interuption^/ Dhyrclhanc points the First-Ring at the ground directly below himself and sings out, "/'Going down -- Underground -- to a Dive Bar in a West End Town.'/" An emerald beam of energy lances out and where the beam hits the ground it transforms in a Jules Vern-ish Mole Digger vehicle/device, complete with cork-screw drill head. A swift few moments later, both rig and Lensdragon have dissapeared into the earth. > *Unless you wish to do something as sensible as returning John to > us. I'm feeling extraordinarily generous; we'll leave without > further incident if you do so. I will categorically NOT forswear any > further action against you; you have said yourself that you are > remorseless and that you fully intend to continue your sadistic > ways. Choose quickly; I doubt my generosity will last for any length > of time...* When Roland has finished his speach to the insane mage, Dhyrclhanc pops out of the ground right behind his foster sib and in front of Zia. @Milady Ziatrice, forgive this momentary delay and interuption@ /^ Hi bro!^/ "/Hello Jadis -- mind if I 'cut-in'?/" Dhyrclhanc then sings out, "/In the House of Stone and Light./" and two huge casms break open separating the four of the from the rest of the CAoL and making it imposible for Jadis to get away from the three on foot, in either direction. Additionaly, Dhyrclhanc makes a thrust at Jadis' head with his psi-sword which Jadis will find extreamly easy to dodge. When he does, however, he will realize that the thrust was nothing more than a feint as Dhyrchlanc, almost simultaneously, makes a riposte with Redemption which carves away both a circular piece of skin over where Jadis' heart would be. As if any of us believed that Jadis actualy *possessed* the afformented organ As well as removed, and wisked away, the patch of clothing where the star-shaped gemstone pin that held John's essence was located. Dhyrclhanc then TKed the pin and flap of cloth into the hand of his Freelance Immortal brother. /^Roland, If I were you I would get that out of here at Warp 10, if not faster! ^/ Hey Paul }>=8P =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 02:08:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE:Grudge Match (Longish) On Mon, 08 Jun 1998 04:50:45 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004635 > On Sun, 7 Jun '98 Driscoll Said > > (OOC: Ok I'm putting a food warning on this because even though the > bodies are mechanical in form the violence could be a bit > disturbing) While I didn't find it necessary, I appriciated the warning anyway. > A 20' diameter crater is all that remains of the fighters. > Slowly the six cartigdges begin to move and flow together, > absorbing other matter around them to add to their mass until they > form a teenage boy kneeling before the crater with fresh tears > cascading down his face. After pulling his last trick against Jadis, Dhyrclanc is now pulling several G's and moving at a high, although single-digit measurement, mach rate to get away from Jadis as fast as posible. Even so, on the edges of his perception he is aware of the battle between Justin and the Controller and its results. Utilizing a telepathic/cyberpsi frequency he had been aware of before, but as of yet he hadn't used, Dhyrclhanc tries to make contact with the prone form. The form which he hopes he is correct in his assumption that it is Justin's. /#^Ah Justin, is that you? Are you alright? ^#/ =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 07:06:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE:Grudge Match (Longish) On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 08:20:46 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004636 >On Mon, 08 Jun 1998 04:50:45 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004635 > >After pulling his last trick against Jadis, Dhyrclanc is now pulling >several G's and moving at a high, although single-digit measurement, >mach rate to get away from Jadis as fast as posible. Even so, on the >edges of his perception he is aware of the battle between Justin and >the Controller and its results. Utilizing a telepathic/cyberpsi >frequency he had been aware of before, but as of yet he hadn't used, >Dhyrclhanc tries to make contact with the prone form. The form which >he hopes he is correct in his assumption that it is Justin's. Molly had been moving to back up Roland when Dhyrclhanc made the move she was going to. >/#^Ah Justin, is that you? Are you alright? ^#/ @I have the boy, friend dragon.@ A silver choker forms around Molly's neck. It glows and the Lucy Lawless voice translates Molly's thoughts into audible speech. "Jim?" Molly 'says' gently, "We mourn your loss, but we need to move now. Our window of opportunity is shrinking and we likely won't be back this way." =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 09:44:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Teenagers, Angels, and Swordplay, oh my! (was: Sleeping in the Light (II)) On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 09:43:02 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004637 :> Roland Said :>>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004628 :>>"More than enough Pheonixi already... and I don't need MORE :>>problems," the sharp-tongued Amberite mutters to herself. :> Roland Said (OOC: You think we should form a union? ;^) :Dhyrclhanc Said :Works for me! };=8)Only what are we gonna call :ourselves? : "The Phoenix Force"? (snip) :> Roland <: >creates a force-field around the two of them, then a lightning bolt >follows almost the exact course Zia's took a moment ago. (He deviates >somewhat at the end so as not to land on Zia. 8^) >"Excuse me a moment, would you?" Roland asks, then rockets up to >where the Lensdragon glares balefully at Jadis. /Dhyrclhanc, do >something drastic to Jadis, please,/ he says with a wicked, pleased >grin. Zia startles into a defensive position, not yet used to be on the receiving end of near-miss friendly lightning bolts. >:/^Gee, bro, it is nice to see you and all but, doyou think that what >:you are suggesting is such a good idea? BTW, you have got the >:"conn"^/ :Once Roland has Jadis' attention: *Jadis. To coin a phrase, 'all bets :are off.'* Zia frowns, seeing her plans go useless. "Great. I spend that much pain and effort, and he doesn't even ask. Of course, he knew from the ring, so that means... hmmm, he didn't like it for some reason. Fine; go to plan B. Now what should plan B _be_?" The somewhat disgusted annoyance was gone before the sentence was finished, however. She frowns thoughtfully, now. Her eyes busy with calculation, she turns to keep putting on some distance down this trail toward Jadis' stronghold. :Dhyrclhanc then sings out, "/In the House of Stone and Light./" and :two huge casms break open separating the four of the from the rest of :the CAoL and making it imposible for Jadis to get away from the three :on foot, in either direction. @ It's amazing - if I crossed you people up HALF as much as you do me, you'd have sided me on the opposition already. It'd be easier to forgive you if you'd give me a choice, instead of just following the "easier to be forgiven than ask permission first route" EVERY time.@ Zia remarks glumly, having skidded to a serious emergency stop on the edge of the newly made chasm. @All right, plan third for three minutes...You know, _Jadis_ can fly - I'm the only one you're really hindering.@ [I don't think anyone listened to ANY of the intelligence from John - don't they realize Jadis is unbeatable here? If we actually HURT him, that is precisely what he needs. It's a lose-lose situation. And they won't even let me stall it out. Bulls and china shops. Or is it they can't LET me be the distraction, or fight alone? It's not as if I wouldn't have the best chance except for Nemo, perhaps. Male ego? I just don't understand this at all...] : As if any of us believed that Jadis actualy *possessed* the :afformented organ "Sera, I think we need to trade places, if you can still reach me here." Zia states, completely ignoring (or at least seeming to) the boiling conflict in swords behind her back. "Oh? All right, double it up, then. Fine, fine, you can heal it - LATER, all right? Sheeesh. I'm a little _busy_ right now. URk." The short woman stiffens, clamping down her jaw a moment, face showing intense concentration and pain. Slowly, her face subtly changes form a bit, bones shifting slightly (if anyone can see her face or catches up to current locale) while she slowly gains several inches of height. But the most notable (and probably the only thing real visible from behind her where the other three are) is the slow swelling of flight muscles, then the cape falling loose to the center of two emerging brilliant red wings. Landing slightly behind the teenager with the tears and grief on his face, she unties the robe, and gently stands him up. Throwing it about his shoulders, she re-sets the folds for his height matter-of-factly. Although not garbed, the angel doesn't seem naked. Or at least, that she is aware of it being different than being fully clothed, that is. She nods gravely at Molly's comment, "Zia was quite worried about getting to a stronghold of Jadis before he had time to call in re-inforcements. But then," she smiles at Jim, "Zia tends to just worry a lot. Would you like a lift?" She offers Jim an arm, and looks skyward invitingly. Then to Molly, "I could take another as well, if you have need of sending another." =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 09:50:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE:Grudge Match (Longish) On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 10:42:10 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004638 > On Mon, 08 Jun 1998 04:50:45 -0400 > Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004635 > > /#^Ah Justin, is that you? Are you alright? ^#/ The figure doesn't even look up, his deep sorrow is even evident in his transmission, #No...Justin is dead. Father gave up his own life to end that of The Controller. And I had to help. I wish there had been another way...# =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 09:58:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE:Grudge Match (Longish) On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 10:46:11 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004639 > On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 08:20:46 -0500 > Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004636 > > "Jim?" Molly 'says' gently, "We mourn your loss, but we need to move > now. Our window of opportunity is shrinking and we likely won't be > back this way." Jim loks over at Molly then back at the crater and slowly rises. "I know... It's just not as easy to get going as I thought it would be. As soon as these dimentional barriers are back down I have to go though. I'm maintaining the "deadman" link The Controller had to prevent his next brain from being activated until I can track it down and finish the work my Father died for." =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 14:40:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Teenagers, Angels, and Swordplay, oh my! (was: On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 15:39:40 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004640 >On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 09:43:02 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004637 >@ It's amazing - if I crossed you people up HALF as much as you >do me, you'd have sided me on the opposition already. It'd be easier >to forgive you if you'd give me a choice, instead of just following >the "easier to be forgiven than ask permission first route" EVERY >time.@ Zia remarks glumly, having skidded to a serious emergency stop >on the edge of the newly made chasm. @All right, plan third for three >minutes...You know, _Jadis_ can fly - I'm the only one you're really >hindering.@ @I had meant to ask that myself.@ Molly replied, @But other priorities stepped forward.@ >"Sera, I think we need to trade places, if you can still reach me >here." Zia states, completely ignoring (or at least seeming to) the >boiling conflict in swords behind her back. "Oh? All right, double it >up, then. Fine, fine, you can heal it - LATER, all right? Sheeesh. >I'm a little _busy_ right now. URk." The short woman stiffens, >clamping down her jaw a moment, face showing intense concentration >and pain. Slowly, her face subtly changes form a bit, bones shifting >slightly (if anyone can see her face or catches up to current locale) >while she slowly gains several inches of height. But the most notable >(and probably the only thing real visible from behind her where the >other three are) is the slow swelling of flight muscles, then the >cape falling loose to the center of two emerging brilliant red wings. >Jadis couldn't resist a vulnerable looking target. [Nice trick.] Molly thinks as she catches a fleeting glimpse of Zia/Sera through the psi-web. >Landing slightly behind the teenager with the tears and grief on his >face, she unties the robe, and gently stands him up. Throwing it >about his shoulders, she re-sets the folds for his height >matter-of-factly. Although not garbed, the angel doesn't seem naked. >Or at least, that she is aware of it being different than being fully >clothed, that is. She nods gravely at Molly's comment, "Zia was quite >worried about getting to a stronghold of Jadis before he had time to >call in re-inforcements. But then," she smiles at Jim, "Zia tends to >just worry a lot. Would you like a lift?" She offers Jim an arm, and >looks skyward invitingly. Then to Molly, "I could take another as >well, if you have need of sending another." Molly smiles and she and Jack seem to lose their solidity, looking more like human and dragon-shaped pale blue liquids. The forms merge, shifting and rippling. The vaguely female humanoid shape's neck extends snake-like, large bat-like wings sprouting from the back as a second pair of arms form just beneath the originals. A tail grows down from the back and the feet seem to stand on tiptoe as the knees bend and the heels rise, the space between heel and ball of the foot growing to a couple feet. The pale blue liquid solidifies into pearly white scales, For a moment, the muscular female dragonoid stands naked, then gold filaments race across her body, weaving themselves into a golden chainmail skirt and halter-top. Sword belt and plasma gun holster form on opposite hips. "Thank you, no." she rumbles, testing the wings experimentally. A powerful downbeat stirs the grass and lifts her easily three feet off the ground, then she slowly sinks back to earth. "Though, those who can not fly might feel otherwise. Raver, if you can stand the company, we would like you along. We can carry one other who would like to come and Sera implies she can carry two?" the dragon asks in confirmation. "Since Roland and Dhyrclhanc have elected to distract Jadis, we suggest the rest of us have fun storming the castle." The dragon extends herself, with an "Mmmf", stretching to a towering (for humans) ten feet tall. Her tail flicks, catlike, as she swings her head to look around the glade. Stretching her wings out, revealing a twenty foot wingspan, the dragon lady > settles back down to a more human level, her wings folding behind her, her upper arms folding across her chest, the lower pair resting on her hips. Three small golden horns on her head in a pattern similar to a triceratops and golden talons on four fingered hands and three toed feet glitter in the sunlight. The center toe of the left foot taps expectantly into the dirt, gouging a small hole. "All aboard that's going aboard," the dragon growls cheerfully, a gleam in her pink irised, cat's eyes with a fanged smile that would either turn the resident Sentinal-Lensdragon's stomach or his head. =========================== Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 16:13:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE5 -- The Showdown, completed. (final) (VLong!) On Mon, 8 Jun 1998 18:44:36 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004641 > On Mon, 08 Jun 1998 00:57:02 -0400 > Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004631 > > Dhyrclhanc says nothing in reaction to Jadis' most recent comment > but, while he is still in midflight, the First-Ring flares into life > and Jadis is slammed into by a huge kelly-green rhino whose impact > feels like a belly flop into the heart of a neutron star. The rhino slams into Jadis' shields, which flare blindingly about a foot away from him. Jadis is unaffected, though he did stop attacking Zia while the rhino fizzled on his shields. ===========================