Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 61 Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:21:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Unlikely allies On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:10:45 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005668 OOps! Sent this to the wrong list. Sorry! >On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 00:51:15 EDT >Driscoll Said As GR.CAoL Message # 00001638 > Harlequin noting that trying to help stop Starbreaker is libel to >end up in a freindly fire situation instead has been looking for a >new playmate and smiles. The 10 meter tall form vanishes a moment >and a normal sized Harlequin appears floating in Sinestro's path. > The two bodies crash together and there seems to be an explosion as >tiny objects seem to fly out in every direction and float there in >space. Harlequin quickly slips Sinestro's ring inside his cloak >depositing it in the pocket dimention therein and begins gathering >up the object arounmd him. > "Now look what you've done? You've scattered my rings everywhere!" >he shouts despite the void of space as he begins gathering up the >plastic power ring replicas. "Wh-?!" Sinestro looks around. "My RING! You will _pay_ for this impudence, 'hero,' and far sooner than you think!" Sinestro concentrates... ...and _all_ the faux rings light up! "Wh-?!" Sinestro blinks. "Your trickery will not save you! I can command my Power Ring even at a short distance!" Sinestro concentrates... ...and all the Power Rings float into the air. "Wh-?!" Sinestro stares at the vast array of floating rings. "This is INTOLERABLE! Ring, come to my hand!" His hand is covered in plastic rings in a moment. The remaining rings float in place. "Wh-?!" Sinestro says (AGAIN) and stares at his hand. "INCONCEIVABLE!" He gestures. A giant sickly-yellow hammer flies at Harlequin. "Wh-?!" Sinestro stares at his hand. All the rings fly off, save one. He floats into the air. "Now, this is _quite_ acceptable a situation." Sinestro smiles an oily, confident smile at Harlequin. "You are a clever one, Chaos Lord, and powerful, but you went a step too far with these rings." (OOC: Unless you decide otherwise, Driss, Harlequin didn't have anything to do with all those rings doing that stuff.) "But no one is a match for my will. NO ONE!" A huge emerald fist slams Sinestro into the ground. "You were saying, Sinestro?" Hal says with a smile. "Ah-Harlequin, right?-would you like some help with this louse, or can you handle him yourself?" "BAH! One Legionnaire or a thousand, it matters not! I will crush y-" Sinestro begins. "SINESTRO! Stop playing with the Lantern and help us with these Thirdspace madmen!" Zod booms. Sinestro splutters. "You-you dare-" "Our 'allies' intend to destroy this entire universe! Now do something useful or get out of the way!" Zod replies, ripping a capitol ship open with his hands. Hal looks at Sinestro with narrow eyes. "Well, Sinestro? If you really want order so badly, you can help the Thirdspacers. When everyone's dead, order will reign supreme, won't it?" Sinestro stares back for a long moment. (OOC: Assuming Harlequin 'cheats' ) "Faugh. No style, to these invaders. No flair. I will help you, Jordan, but only to prove a point. Now I will show you how a _real_ ringwielder fights!" He transmits this argument to Zoom, who stops his battle with the Flash in mid-race. The two dark reflections of the Silver Age's greatest heroes join the battle against the Eddorans, and the battle turns against them still further... =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 00:36:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Ethics of a Legionnaire On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 03:12:58 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005669 >On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:22:21 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005660 > > Sil thinks a moment. /I'm not as incredibly powerful as Fuzzy or >Nemo, but I could probably create a surrogatebody for Natalia for a >short while. I...could also boost your own ability, so you could >assimilate her, but...your situation presents a pretty moral dilemma. >I will center you, at least, for the moment./ Sil provides a stable >mental 'focus' for the disparate perspectives of Legion to home in >on. Legion greatfully grasps the center, pulling her personas into alignment, strengthening bonds and stablizing links. /Thank you... at the very least, this has bought us time.../ /Unfortunately, the morality of this situation is not pretty... She potentially has the ability to cause us great harm, or maybe even kill us... when we retake our body, we'll be forced to lock her in the back of our mind if she refuses to co-operate. Some personas... can not deal with the idea of only having a body an average of two weeks or so a year.. some... go mad in the kind of environment we live in... Normally we can tell if a forming persona can deal with things, and leave before it becomes permenant if needed.../ /Natalia is already past that stage./ =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 01:37:20 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ethics of a Legionnaire On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 04:15:09 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005670 > On Mon, 31 Aug '98 Caprice Said > /Unfortunately, the morality of this situation is not pretty... She > potentially has the ability to cause us great harm, or maybe even > kill us... when we retake our body, we'll be forced to lock her in > the back of our mind if she refuses to co-operate. Some personas... > can not deal with the idea of only having a body an average of two > weeks or so a year.. some... go mad in the kind of environment we > live in... Normally we can tell if a forming persona can deal with > things, and leave before it becomes permenant if needed.../ > > /Natalia is already past that stage./ A fraction of Dhyrchanc's intelect "hears" Legion and Sil's statement of their dilemma. Moving itself into a more private area of the Lensdragon's compartmentalized mind, it responds, */Legion, my mental processes mimic yours, however only slightly. You operate as several dozen separate personalities and identities in a lose cooperative gestalt in one body. OTOH, "I" operate as a slightly more cohesive hegemony of several different copies of the same personality and identity. "I" have adopted this manner of cognition and mental functioning as both a defence against external psychic attacks, physical brain damage and damage to my "mind". But this is mostly because Mentor, the Arisian who taught me how to use my psionic telepathic abilities was, "himself" a telepathic "fusion" of a number of several different Arissian individuals./* */In short, ignoring that it is too late for that, "I" will be on board the station momentarily, for reasons that we don't need to go into right now, is there anything "I" can do to help?/* */Oh Legion (and this goes for you, too, Sil) I do not normaly go around telling people about my "condition" and I would appriciate it if you kept is private amongst "yourselves". If the Caprice identity comes into being again, please share the entirty of this conversation with her./* =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 05:36:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rising to Apotheosis (repost & expanded) On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 08:09:16 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005671 >On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:22:21 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005660 > > Susan smiles at Natalia/Legion. *My little sister and I are going >to take out the trash.* Natalia gives Susan a wolfish grin. > ^Come on, Natia. Let's go show Thirdspace that you don't mess with >the Ivanovas!^ Natalia grins, matching her steps to her sisters. ^Alright... but if we are heading out in a ship, I'm piloting.^ ----- Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations. Ivanova is God. And if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out. =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 05:36:40 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ethics of a Legionnaire On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 08:03:59 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005672 >On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 04:15:09 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005670 > >*/In short, ignoring that it is too late for that, "I" will be on >board the station momentarily, for reasons that we don't need to go >into right now, is there anything "I" can do to help?/* Legion's thoughts are wry, /Well... If you'll get the piece of crystal Kryptonite away from Natalia and knock her unconcious than we will be able to overwhelm her and take back our body. The only problem may be that she intuits something of our existance... percieving us as out to kill her.../ Legion drifts off, without commenting if this perception is correct or no. >*/Oh Legion (and this goes for you, too, Sil) I do not normaly go >around telling people about my "condition" and I would appriciate it >if you kept is private amongst "yourselves". If the Caprice identity >comes into being again, please share the entirty of this conversation >with her./* Legion mentally nods. /Understood... 'Caprice' is the name we give the fusion-entity of all personas. It contains all our knowledges and powers, but is hard to maintain for any length of time./ /'Legion' is the name of the group of all personas... when you speak to Legion, you are actually speaking to one persona who is acting as a relay and interpreter. The echo effect heard in our voice is due to the persona who is speaking for Legion relaying things back and forth./ /We avoid telling people the names of our individual personas, as we have found that doing so causes them to play favorites with one over another./ =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 10:07:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Final Solution On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 09:34:40 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005673 > On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:09:19 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005667 > > {Trust me, Commander, the Cylons won't be a threat to us any > more. They're a joke to our allies. Why behave like them?} Apollo > asks. > {Because it's us _or_ them,} Fleet Captain Iblis replies. {Task > Force Omega, fire.} > (OOC: So, anyone have anything to say about _this_ little > subplot? ) Yes. Nemo has had a *very* recent encounter with Count Iblis (see AAE4 chapter 10). So if this *is* the same being, then he's going to know. If it's some sort of avatar, I think Nemo is going to be rather curious at the least. =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 14:07:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 16:43:54 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005675 >On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 17:00:54 EDT >Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005653 > >> Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005648 >> >/I do not believe that Starbreaker is acting out of hunger. Rather he >is acting out of malice, and appetite (which is quite differant from >hunger). I do not believe, either, that it will be necessary to kill >him. He will leave the field of battle (much reduced) long before >that point, if he has any iota of self discipline and instinct for >self preservation. Age Zia? I am hundreds of billions of years old. I >was built, by Aurora, to combat The Stardragon just about the time >that The Stardragon first learned about other intelligences. Killing >is sometimes necessary. /When killing becomes neccesary it means you weren't good enough for the task at hand./ John adds in an undertone, trying not to interrupt the flow of DB's monologue. >Knightmare has blocked time travel, so by the time that Fuzzy's time >travel machine could work, Starbreaker would have destroyed the >machine. Believe me, I considered all these possibilities before >advising Aurora. Aurora could do any of the things that you have >proposed, but the down side of each and all of them out weigh the one >that was chosen./ Dragon's Bane answers. (OOC: Aurora is too busy >keeping the attack up on Starbreaker to concentrate on much else). /Bet ya didn't think of turning him into a garbage disposal, did'ya? True, the containment and intake system would be a stone @#$%& to design, but it could probably be done. And you could also tie 'em into the sewage system, too. I tell ya, soon I'll be marketing the complete Villain(tm) line of home products... How about it, Lord Fuzzy, wanna go into business?/ OOC: Maybe it's the increase in chaos... =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 17:07:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish.... On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 00:47:28 -0700 Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005676 > On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 23:27:13 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005637 > > /Get a mind shield around him,/ Roland replies. (OOC-2: You know > someone trusts you when they let you write their character ). > /The Ploorans won't be easy to block, though, and the Starro-drones > will try to stop you./ > > "/Well, _my_ psi-skills certainly aren't up to that level of > shielding, and neither I think are Mandy's or..../" Morgan trails > off, as she looks at Stranger and smiles. Stranger smiles back. > that Stranger had gotten some Jedi training, but I did a search > through all the posts for AAE3 & AAE4 and couldn't find the > reference. Use whichever of the following paragraphs fits and cut > the other one.> > Morgan says, "/Stranger, unless I'm mistaken, I sense > the aura of Jedi training on your mind-sig. Do you think you could > block the Plooran telepaths? Maybe just long enough for one of our > psi-tech folk to build something that would keep him shielded > without tying up any of our minds?/" "/Possibly, I'm pretty good at shielding and I can back a shield with plenty of willpower, that said the Ploorans are powerful, but I'll be closer to the subject than them and I might just catch them off guard, gotta be worth a try/" > She draws Aramegil, which somehow manages _not_ > to look out of place with her current supers outfit, and smiles > ferally. "/I'm sure Mandy and I can hold off the fish-faces long > enough to get the job done./" Stranger grins back and draws his lightsaber. "/Just lead the way./" Then to Mandy... "/Mandy? Are you up for this or do you want us to drop you off somewhere?/" =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 20:13:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Sundering of a Power On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 20:36:06 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005677 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005665 > >>On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 13:48:51 -0700 (PDT) >>Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005652 >>A Bottle of Quantum disjunction forms around Starbreaker >> At the Quantum level, >> Nothing goes in or out without Nemisis' permission, > > A badly ravaged Amazo falls away, shrinking to his normal size as > he does so. > Starbreaker looks around, briefly relieved at a more powerful > defense against the Dragon's Bane's (OOC: It was Aurora who was attacking Starbreaker's spirit, Dragon's Bane was just supplying her with energy) =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 20:30:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish.... On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 18:49:08 -0700 (PDT) The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00005678 > On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 00:47:28 -0700 > Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005676 > >> On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 23:27:13 >> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005637 >> >>>On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 01:33:54 -0700 >>>Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005635 >>> >>>After running for several minutes, avoiding any concentrations of >>>Cylons or Starros he encounters, Stranger skids around the corner >>>near Mandy. >>> >>>"Hi! How ya doin'?" "Much better now that you're here." Mandy heaved to her feet, using the wall for support. She winced and rubbed the bridge of her nose slightly, phantom pain still flickering along her nerve endings. >> Morgan also appears about this time, having homed in on her >> compatriots' sigs. "Together again," she quips. "Is everyone still >> up to par?" > she should find intrusive, basically a status check because she's >> noticed the change in physique and wants to make sure the Two are >> o.k. If she notices anything or if Mandy asks she'll make any >> repairs within her medical/magickal skills. Mandy, go ahead and >> write this if you want to.> "Eh...well, if you have some painkiller, I'd appreciate it muchly. I'm still getting a bit of phantom pain from Raver," Mandy commented, smiling a bit at Morgan. She sighed with relief as Morgan reached out with a tendril of healing power to eliminate the pain and soothe abused nerve endings. "My thanks." >> She draws Aramegil, which somehow manages _not_ >> to look out of place with her current supers outfit, and smiles >> ferally. "/I'm sure Mandy and I can hold off the fish-faces long >> enough to get the job done./" A hunted look flashed through Mandy's eyes briefly before she nodded. /"I'll do my best. Uh, should I stun 'em or go for the k-kill?"/ > Stranger grins back and draws his lightsaber. > > "/Just lead the way./" > > Then to Mandy... > > "/Mandy? Are you up for this or do you want us to drop you off > somewhere?/" She narrowed her eyes slightly at Stranger. /"Yup. I'll do what I can, until Raver can get back. I'm not really sure when that'll be, tho."/ =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 22:15:49 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: The evils that Chaosi Groo On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 01:04:54 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005679 >On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:26:29 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005661 > > Low-Key rises woozily (not to mention peace-meal), slowly >reconstituting himself. "Well, I must say, you do have a certain... >flair," he replies, shuddering as he recalls his arm being sliced >thinner than deli bologna. "Perhaps I can use you as a guard-the >Mighty Sore shall rue the day!" Low-Key leans closer. "Making my >enemies rue things is part of my position. Groo loks confused for a moment (not too hard) "Rue? is that like err? I'm good at that." >What are your salary requirements? Did you bring a resume?" Low-Key >thinks a moment. "Eh, forget the resume." He pulls out a shimmering >rainbow-colored card. "Do you take Offgard express?" Groo looks at the card. "Can you eat it? Hmmm But did not not just try to kill me a moment ago? Groo does not come cheap! I would demand 7 kopins, or 5, or even more! Groo is a good businessman." Rufferto looks from Low-key to Groo a few times with a puzzled look on his face, then decides to take a taste of godhood by latching onto Low-key's ankle with his teeth. =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 22:15:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Unlikely allies On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 01:04:55 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005680 >On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:10:45 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005668 > > > "Wh-?!" Sinestro looks around. "My RING! You will _pay_ for this (OOC:^^^^ Not to be picky but considering the "Evils that chaosi groo thread, shouldn't these be What The? hehehhe) >impudence, 'hero,' and far sooner than you think!" Sinestro >concentrates... "Hero, what an overused word. What's the difference between the hero and the villian? Simply the publicity. And mine is great!" For a moment he's surrounded by flashing camera bulbs and a toothy smile appears on his glinting in the light as he tilts his head. > "Wh-?!" Sinestro stares at the vast array of floating rings. "This >is INTOLERABLE! Ring, come to my hand!" > His hand is covered in plastic rings in a moment. The remaining >rings float in place. > "Wh-?!" Sinestro says (AGAIN) and stares at his hand. >"INCONCEIVABLE!" He gestures. "Well if you MUST know, the inconceivable IS a specialty of mine!" > A giant sickly-yellow hammer flies at Harlequin. Harlequin tosses a piece of paper at the hammer. "Blade cuts paper, Hammer breaks blade, and paper covers hammer." he qwips and as the hammer and paper touch the hammer becomes a picture on the paper. Harlequin grabs the paper out of mid air, admires the signature, Stan Lee, at the bottom, and them tucks it away in his cloak. > "Wh-?!" Sinestro stares at his hand. All the rings fly off, save >one. He floats into the air. > "Now, this is _quite_ acceptable a situation." Sinestro smiles an >oily, confident smile at Harlequin. "You are a clever one, Chaos >Lord, and powerful, but you went a step too far with these rings." >(OOC: Unless you decide otherwise, Driss, Harlequin didn't have >anything to do with all those rings doing that stuff.) "But no one is >a match for my will. NO ONE!" Harlequin's outfit changes into a plain black suit and suitcase and suddenly he is flanked by 4 more of himself. "We at the law firm of Harlequin, Chaos, and Driscoll wish to bring to the party of the second part's attention that pursuant to the ratification of the amended contract with the party of the fifth part that ib quo po and suma cum legal has given the party of the first part jurisdiction over the realm of all thieves, crooks, murders, internet hackers, politicians AND lawyers and contesting wills is what we're best at! You don't pay unless you collect!" But then... > Hal looks at Sinestro with narrow eyes. "Well, Sinestro? If you >really want order so badly, you can help the Thirdspacers. When >everyone's dead, order will reign supreme, won't it?" > Sinestro stares back for a long moment. > (OOC: Assuming Harlequin 'cheats' ) (OOC: CHEAT???? Never! harlequin cna show you exactly where in his contract it says he can do whatever he wants! hehehe) =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 22:24:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Starfall On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 21:53:35 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005681 >On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 18:49:08 -0700 (PDT) >The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00005678 > >> On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 00:47:28 -0700 >> Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005676 >> >> Stranger grins back and draws his lightsaber. >> >> "/Just lead the way./" >> >> Then to Mandy... >> >> "/Mandy? Are you up for this or do you want us to drop you off >> somewhere?/" > > She narrowed her eyes slightly at Stranger. /"Yup. I'll do what I >can, until Raver can get back. I'm not really sure when that'll be, >tho."/ With the location available, finding Starro doesn't take long. The crate is easy to spot; several dozen Lurkers armed with security PPGs stand guard as four Narns (so far the only ones seen to be Starroed) haul the crate towards a cargo ship. /Mandy, you've got a PPG, right?/ Morgan frowns. /Those things don't have a 'stun' setting, though. Hmmmm... Anyone got specs for a phaser?/ Assuming _someone_ in this group does, she quickly reads the info through the link and uses her Power Ring to convert the PPG. /Watch my back, and use this,/ she TK's a fire extinguisher over and converts it as well, /If any of them get too close. Stranger, as soon as you see an opening, take it. Ready? GO!/ And the Highlander launches herself into the fray. The Lurkers turn sluggishly and open fire, but their aim is poor; between Starro's resistance and their own, the Ploorans are having a hard time forcing their puppets to attack. On the down side, there are a _lot_ of Lurkers... A couple of PPG blasts would be nothing to the immortal, but this was more than she was comfortable playing with. Using the TK she'd learned from Roland, she puts up a blast shield, and moves in to start surgically removing Starro's from faces. Her blade was a blur, and the fact that she could control it's length only helped with the precision required. The de-Starroed Lurkers fall back, shaking off the effects of control-then immediately rejoin the fray, trying to help and free their friends. Unfortunately, as often happens with this sort of control, the zombies have hysterical strength- no problem for the likes of the CAoL, but more than a match for wiped-out ex-zombies who have spent months being ground down by Downbelow. "Fall back and get out o' the way!" Morgan shouts, having no time for subtlety as she wades through the army. More than once, the zombies try to overwhelm Morgan through sheer numbers, but well-placed fire from her comrades as well as Morgan's hit-and-run tactics prevent them from surrounding her. The drones make a final stand at the ramp to the ship, and it looks like they might actually escape with their cargo; the remaining Starro victims form a human wall to block Morgan's path. (OOC: Assuming Stranger creates the psiblock) There's a long moment where all the drones stop, the single bulbous eye in each Starro staring blankly into space. Then every Starro falls off simultaneously. Meanwhile... Starbreaker has fallen. Starro is contained. The Cylons are running for their 'lives.' The Legion of Doom has defected. Things are not going well for the forces of evil...and Blaze is having the time of his life. "YAHOO!" he cries, crashing through fighter after fighter. /Hey honey, if you're done with the seafood special, why don't you come out here and join the fun? There's some virtual-control mecha in the Storage Cubes; the Valkyrie, in particular, would probably suit you-akk-/ TBC... (OOC: Okay, okay, there's no more question-I am _definitely_ a stinker. ) =========================== Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:21:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:17:32 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005682 Starbreaker has fallen. Starro is contained. The Cylons are running for their 'lives.' The Legion of Doom has defected. Things are not going well for the forces of evil...and Blaze is having the time of his life. "YAHOO!" he cries, crashing through fighter after fighter. /Hey honey, if you're done with the seafood special, why don't you come out here and join the fun? There's some virtual-control mecha in the Storage Cubes; the Valkyrie, in particular, would probably suit you-akk-/ The forces of Boskone do not have the advanced tech of the CAoL, or even their counterparts of the Lenswar universe. That does not mean, however, that they are stupid. One person, of all assembled, knows all the forces involved, and while strong-willed, can be certainly overwhelmed by the combined offense of the Boskonian telepathic amalgam. The entire invading mental force, denied the army of Starros, shifts focus to subvert Blaze. Fighting with all his power, Roland tumbles out of the battle, falling into orbit. Into the artificial atmosphere provided by Z'On'Dar. And plows right into the pile of Sinestro power rings charged by Chaos... "Whuh-" the corrupt energies and the mental strike proving too much for Roland, the rings fly around him, a dozen settling onto each hand and the rest transforming his costume. The blue sections are now golden, and the normally gold portions (phoenix, gloves, boots and belt) turn jet black. The mask remains yellow. "Wh...wellll...well. Fun and...games." The Reverse-Blaze smiles a dark, feral smile. He turns and glares at the dome, his smile never wavering. "I'll be back for you later." He then rockets into the sky, watching the battle progress with faint amusement. "Hmmph. The Eddorans would be useful if they could manage to upgrade their tech. Too bad they're so stuck on themselves." A concerned Hal bounces off a yellow forcefield. "*Don't even bother, Lantern,*" RB laughs, tossing the Legionnaire into the next solar system with ease. /*I know you all. Your strengths. Your weaknesses. That's why those fools the Ploorans _chose_ me. For all the good it will do them.*/ Morgan freezes in the middle of extracting a Valkyrie from a storage cube. Her face is stricken, and it's all she can do _not_ to reach out her mind to her beloved. /Folx,/ she sends, deliberately shutting Roland out of the loop, /We have a _serious_ problem. Dhyrclhanc, Mike, I'm going to need your help on this - you both have more command experience than I do, and you've both been XO's for this herd o' cats./ /But the only way we're going to get Roland back is by working together, and _I'm_ taking point./ Presumably several objections come in simultaniously. /No, no matter what's happened to him, there's still at least part of my husband in there. And if there's one person in this group that we can be sure he won't hurt, it's me./ Morgan gets into the Valkyrie, takes a moment to get the feel of the controls, and launches out of the shuttle bay. /Form up on me as soon as you can finish whoever you're doing./ All her life magick can't keep the hurt from her voice. /Meanwhile, someone help me think of a way to take my husband down without damaging him permanently./ Fortunately (!), harming Roland doesn't seem to be a problem, as he bounces both Flash and Sinestro off his defenses. *Oh, come on now-you can do better than that! Give me at least a _little_ sport!* The Reverse-Blaze laughs as both Sinestro's ring and Flash's go dead, leaving them adrift-but unharmed, as their life support seems to still be active-in space. "By Rao!" Superman breathes, holding a capitol ship in each hand. He tosses each aside and flies at Roland. "Blaze, snap out of-nnh!" Roland, moving even faster than the Man of Tomorrow, snaps out the Phoenix Rod and lets Kal-El slam head-first into it. As the weapon is enchanted, this leaves a fairly impressive impression on Superman. *Does anyone _else_ think I'm stupid?* the Reverse-Blaze sends, laughing as he tosses the shaken Superman aside. As Zod flies toward him, RB simply concentrates, strengthening the nanites left by Bond and weakening those put in by Z'On'Dar. Zod tumbles away in pain, pieces of him falling away. And Blaze glows all the brighter. Anyone scanning him at this point realizes what has happened. Roland always has a burning reserve of rage within him-earned from years of isolation and loneliness-combined with a need to prove himself. Normally, these drives are more than tempered by his desire to help others and his kind nature. Those parts have been torn cruelly away by the Boskonian amalgam, and all that remains is the rage. And the need to prove himself. Force bubbles pop into place around any CAoL members who attack him, draining magick or psi if the Callahanian in question has either, otherwise any tech is isolated in force bubbles of their own, and pulled into the golden armor thickening around the increasingly powerful psion. He also exploits any known weaknesses with ruthless efficiency, though he avoids any lasting harm. One member, though, approaches without launching any attacks. /^Roland.^/ The Valkyrie with the green markings floats in front of him, 'hands' on 'hips' in a gesture classic to women of Gaelic descent. Roland's golden energy form grows to the size of the Valkyrie, and cups the 'chin' of the mech in one hand. /^Ah. Morgan. My heart.^/ Though the tone is slightly different, the sentiment is disturbingly familiar. Ignoring the psychic 'expression' of annoyance she gives off, he continues, /^You have always told me that it is foolish to spare our enemies. You are right. Let us destroy those who stand against us, and remake our worlds...properly.^/ Morgan hesitates only briefly before responding evenly, /^And _you've_ always spoken against needless killing, my love. Just who do you consider 'those standing against us', anyway?^/ /^Why, KnightMare, of course. And the Eddorans, I suppose, though with my new power, it would be easy to take over their little empire.^/ His eyes glow with that same golden light, and his face lights up with a devastatingly handsome smile. /^The spider has created the perfect setup for me. We could slay all the monsters at once, without risk or effort. I could create a utopia beyond imagining-and with you by my side, I would be unstoppable. Just say 'yes,' my heart.^/ That smile, his voice.... This _was_, after all, the man she loved. And ridding the multiverse of the likes of those assembled in the Dome was hardly a Bad Thing. The 'hand' of the Valkyrie started to reach out to the giant Reverse Blaze, but then Morgan remembered the way he had tossed Hal and Barry - two of his dearest friends - aside, treating them no differently than the former enemies that were now working with the Army of Light to defeat KnighMare's forces. The 'hand' withdraws again. /^I don't think so, m'eudail,^/ Morgan sends with a note of saddness. /^Even a supposedly benevolent "utopia" is still totalitarian. I'll no' be a part of that. And I'll no' let you attack any more of our friends.^/ She draws Aramegil and, with the help of her Power Ring, expands it to the size of a great sword equivalent to the 'body' she's now using. ^You want to prove how powerful you are, beloved? Than start by taking out the best swordswoman you know.^ Roland - the real Roland, not the Reverse-Blaze - is stricken for a brief moment. ^Morgan-my love-^ And vast, unmeasurable rage, burning far brighter than before, surges forth. *FOOL!* And with a wave of his hand, Morgan joins the rapidly returning Hal, though none the worse for wear. */So. This is how it is to be then, is it? Very well! I will show you all that Blaze is no one to be trifled with!/* With that, the cape swirls with a flourish around the dark Freelance Immortal, and he shrinks to a vanishing point, reappearing on top of the Dome on E-3. *As for you, spider, you have toyed with my mind for the LAST time!* A giant golden drill sparks against the Dome, crashing against it with enormous power. The attack has no effect whatsoever on the field. Hal catches Morgan on the fly. *Are you okay, Greywolf?* *Yeah, fine,* Morgan answers, although her tone doesn't quite mesh with her words. *I hope you have a plan. Blaze may feel slighted-we may not have made him as welcome as we could have, but being extradimensional, he didn't stick around much-but I developed a healthy respect for his power when we faced the Shadows. And now he's got the raw force of a hundred Green Lanterns.* Hal frowns. *Even Superman and Zod _combined,_ didn't so much as break his stride. Do you think we can reach him?* *Gods, I hope so,* Morgan sends quietly. =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 07:07:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 05:54:43 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005683 > On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:17:32 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005682 > > *I hope you have a plan. Blaze may feel slighted-we may not have > made him as welcome as we could have, but being extradimensional, he > didn't stick around much-but I developed a healthy respect for his > power when we faced the Shadows. And now he's got the raw force of a > hundred Green Lanterns.* Hal frowns. *Even Superman and Zod > _combined,_ didn't so much as break his stride. Do you think we can > reach him?* > > *Gods, I hope so,* Morgan sends quietly. \Morgan, I think we can solve this without hurting him.\ \Dhryclanc, do you have knowledge of the Arisian atomic powered thought screens? The ones that Only the Eddorians could get thru, and then only with difficulty?\ \Thanks.\ \Ok, I'll have to ask for help....\ The psis all sense a Presence emanating from the Velvet Glove. Those who've been near it before recognize NEMO's signature. \Ok, I've got plans...\ The Presence is gone. There's a burst of energy and several dozen generators appear in a globe around the Thirdspace gateway, with more around B5, and the planet. These aren't powered by atomic energy. Nothing as trivial as that. Each is linked to a *star*. And if that proves inadequate, Nemo will provide feeds from his own power sources. \These are going to cut off psi contact. Anybody needing to get messages thru, do it *now*.\ Nemo will cut in the screens one at a time. First the one around the gateway, then, if that doesn't work, the ones around the planet and station (assuming they are getting thru to this space *without* going thru the gateway. =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 13:14:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 11:29:45 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005684 >On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 05:54:43 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005683 > >Nemo will cut in the screens one at a time. First the one around the >gateway, then, if that doesn't work, the ones around the planet and >station (assuming they are getting thru to this space *without* going >thru the gateway. > > Yeh But I think he broke his own mind control a while ago, now we just need a cosmic psychiatrist. =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 13:15:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 11:29:45 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005685 >On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:17:32 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005682 > >Morgan freezes in the middle of extracting a Valkyrie from a storage >cube. Her face is stricken, and it's all she can do _not_ to reach >out her mind to her beloved. /Folx,/ she sends, deliberately shutting >Roland out of the loop, /We have a _serious_ problem. Dhyrclhanc, >Mike, I'm going to need your help on this - you both have more >command experience than I do, and you've both been XO's for this herd >o' cats./ > >/But the only way we're going to get Roland back is by working >together, and _I'm_ taking point./ Presumably several objections come >in simultaniously. /No, no matter what's happened to him, there's >still at least part of my husband in there. And if there's one person >in this group that we can be sure he won't hurt, it's me./ /Just remember that you CAN still be hurt tho Morgan and stay safe. If they're still messing with his mind, a momentary involentary action could prove fatal./ sends Roscoe from the planet's surface. > Force bubbles pop into place around any CAoL members who attack >him, draining magick or psi if the Callahanian in question has >either, otherwise any tech is isolated in force bubbles of their own, >and pulled into the golden armor thickening around the increasingly >powerful psion. He also exploits any known weaknesses with ruthless >efficiency, though he avoids any lasting harm. Globes of pure Ordered energy attempt to entrap the God of thieves as he attempts to draw his rapier. He examines it for a moment, and then a twinkle comes in his eye. Laying his finger aside his nose, he vanished from the globe, straight into a new one. Seemingly perplexed, he begins using a variety of other gestures, each time vanishing from the globe he's in only to be entrapped again when he reappears. Then, if anyone notices, a single figure seems to be tiptoeing through space from behind B5. =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 14:01:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00005686 > On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 16:43:54 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005675 > /Bet ya didn't think of turning him into a garbage disposal, did'ya? > True, the containment and intake system would be a stone @#$%& to > design, but it could probably be done. And you could also tie 'em > into the sewage system, too. I tell ya, soon I'll be marketing the > complete Villain(tm) line of home products... How about it, Lord > Fuzzy, wanna go into business?/ ^ Sorry, I consider Death to be more benevolent, than long term imprisonment... And any form of Enslavement is Much Worse.^ =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 17:36:13 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 20:14:46 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005687 Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005683 > > \Dhryclanc, do you have knowledge of the Arisian atomic powered > thought screens? The ones that Only the Eddorians could get thru, > and then only with difficulty?\ > > /If he doesn't, I do./ Dragon's Bane offers. /Here {}./ =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 19:14:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfall On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 02:08:19 -0700 Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005688 > On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 21:53:35 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005681 > >>On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 18:49:08 -0700 (PDT) >>The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00005678 >> >>> On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 00:47:28 -0700 >>> Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005676 >>> >>> "/Mandy? Are you up for this or do you want us to drop you off >>> somewhere?/" >> >> She narrowed her eyes slightly at Stranger. /"Yup. I'll do >>what I can, until Raver can get back. I'm not really sure when >>that'll be, tho."/ "OK, stay close to Morgan." > /Mandy, you've got a PPG, right?/ Morgan frowns. /Those things don't > have a 'stun' setting, though. Hmmmm... Anyone got specs for a > phaser?/ Assuming _someone_ in this group does, Stranger knows the specs so he is able to give them to Morgan via the link. > she quickly reads the info through the link and uses her Power Ring > to convert the PPG. /Watch my back, and use this,/ she TK's a fire > extinguisher over and converts it as well, /If any of them get too > close. Stranger, as soon as you see an opening, take it. Ready? GO!/ > And the Highlander launches herself into the fray. "Right..." > A couple of PPG blasts would be nothing to the immortal, but this > was more than she was comfortable playing with. Using the TK she'd > learned from Roland, she puts up a blast shield, and moves in to > start surgically removing Starro's from faces. Her blade was a blur, > and the fact that she could control it's length only helped with the > precision required. Stranger followed in Morgans wake, trying to take advantage of her shielding, he had replaced his lightsaber with his paired swords, which proved to be more useful for slicing off Starros without injuring their hosts. > "Fall back and get out o' the way!" Morgan shouts, having no time > for subtlety as she wades through the army. Sloughing his wat through the carnage Stranger angled off to the right, leaping a melee of Lurkers and zombies that had tumbled to the floor. > More than once, the zombies try to overwhelm Morgan through sheer > numbers, but well-placed fire from her comrades as well as Morgan's > hit-and-run tactics prevent them from surrounding her. Glancing back towards Morgan, Stranger dismissed the idea of helping her, he had a more important task for the time being, she should be able to take care of herself anyway. > The drones make a final stand at the ramp to the ship, and it > looks like they might actually escape with their cargo; the > remaining Starro victims form a human wall to block Morgan's path. Likewise Stranger faced a wall of zombies. HE ran at it, seemingly suicidally, but leapt at the last moment, a perfectly executed salmon leap carried him over the wall, releasing his swords he grabbed the nearest zombie as he landed, wrenching the Starro off he threw him at the other zombies closing on him. Then his lightsaber was in his hand, two more Starros were removed and their released hosts pushed towards the zombies. He only needed a brief respite, hopefully the chaos caused by these releases would do. He'd have to apologise to the Lurkers later. Turning he stepped up to the crate and sliced off a corner with his saber. Reaching in, he grabbed Starro and threw up his block. He staggered the Ploorans were strong, very strong. He gasped and sagged to the floor, maintaining his block. The Ploorans, surprised at losing their servant, probed the Strangers shield then they hammered at it. It weakened. Stranger was kneeling now, the lens on his wrist burning brightly in the dull confines of the hold, sweat trickled down his brow, as he gritted his teeth and drew his line. "This far, no further" he hissed between gritted teeth. The Ploorans, sensing he couldn't bear much more, redoubled their attack. Strangers mindblock faltered under their attack and... held. Inconceivably, the Ploorans could not break his shield. > There's a long moment where all the drones stop, the single > bulbous eye in each Starro staring blankly into space. > Then every Starro falls off simultaneously. /"Mike, Zia, anyone, now would be a real good time to get something in place to replace me. I'm holding for the moment, but how long I can last I don't know."/ =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 21:37:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: The evils that Chaosi Groo On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 21:27:11 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005690 >On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 01:04:54 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005679 > > Groo looks at the card. "Can you eat it? Hmmm But did not not just >try to kill me a moment ago? Groo does not come cheap! I would demand >7 kopins, or 5, or even more! Groo is a good businessman." > Rufferto looks from Low-key to Groo a few times with a puzzled look >on his face, then decides to take a taste of godhood by latching onto >Low-key's ankle with his teeth. (OOC: ROFL! Okay, though, this has gone far enough.) Low-Key howls and hops on one foot, cursing in Old Morse, New Morse, Morse Code, and Yiddish. "Accursed get of Fenris!" He rears back, one hand grasping Offgard magic... ...and the Reverse-Blaze, having had enough, drops a golden avatar into the battle. "That will be QUITE enough!" A burst of yellow light, and the What The-?! residents return to their realities of origin. At which point the '24 Skidoo' (Duck Dodgers' rocket) fires a volley of Anvil Torpedoes at the duplicate, who is squashed flatter than tracing paper. "That does it. No more working with children or animals," the 2-D Blaze mutters. =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 22:12:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 21:43:15 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005691 >On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 11:29:45 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005684 > >>On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 05:54:43 PST >>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005683 >> >>Nemo will cut in the screens one at a time. First the one around the >>gateway, then, if that doesn't work, the ones around the planet and >>station (assuming they are getting thru to this space *without* >>going thru the gateway. >> >> > > Yeh But I think he broke his own mind control a while ago, now we >just need a cosmic psychiatrist. Unfortunately for all concerned, Driscoll is quite correct. Nemo's plan _would_ have prevented the interference of the Boskonian amalgam, however... "I'm impressed," RB says, turning into a golden replica of Citizen V.(1) "It's a good plan. I see no reason that it wouldn't work. Except, of course, for _me._" And with that, once all the screens are in place, golden globes surround them all, and they vanish... ...only to reappear in the spinal mount of the Dragon's Bane, torn open and unleashing the full power of the stars that energize them on that juggernaut. "Next," the Reverse Blaze says, returning to his 'normal' form and smiling confidently... (1)Citizen V was the leader of the Thunderbolts-a group of supervillains masquerading as heroes-until his allies decided that they _liked_ being heroes. (OOC: The Reverse-Blaze is there to have fun with-and for me to have fun with as well. Once Mr. Bond shuts down the Eddorans and everyone's had their fill of crunchies, we'll move on to the REAL finale. MUA-HA-HA-HA! ) =========================== Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 22:12:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Who's He Working For...? On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 21:56:36 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005692 Gharlane of Eddore does not smile. But if it were inclined to, it would be smiling now. [This has proved more fortuitous than even conquering the psion's mind,] he thinks. [But now, he fights creatively, cleverly, and savagely-for us.] *Helmuth-* "Helmuth," Roland says, a golden replica appearing next to Gharlane's humanoid projection, "is an incompetent fool. Though given his limitations, he can almost be forgiven them." Gharlane does not jump, or turn in shock, or attack in reflex. But his surprise is such that a lower-Stage mentality would have done at least one of the above. "I see you have come to serve the Eddoran Empire." RB smiles coldly. "Hardly. I have come-" A single concentrated blast disrupts the Gharlane-projection. "-to rule it." He steps up to the 'throne' Gharlane commanded from and sits in it. *Helmuth, you idiot. A fleet the likes of which few realities have seen, and you can't catch one woman, much less defeat a handful of cosmics. Here.* A shocked Clarrissa MacDougal appears in Helmuth's command center, caught in a forcefield that both traps her and protects her from the Speaker's vengeance. *Now stop WASTING time and get that railgun through the gate!* Helmuth splutters for several moments, then gathers his wits. *As Eddore commands.* RB sighs and leans back into the chair. [So much to do...] He smiles. [...well. Mr. Bond. I almost forgot.] Roland considers for a moment. [No. If Helmuth can discover the Resistance fighters and defeat them, then he is a worthy speaker for Boskone. If not...perhaps the legendary Commander Bond will do better.] =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 01:35:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Deja Vu On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 01:08:22 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005693 The Reverse-Blaze frowns. Starro would have been useful. And he's split too many ways to deal with- -he suddenly remembers the date, and smiles... An X-Window opens in the hangar bay, revealing what looks like the doors of Callahan's, right down to the dent made by Big Beef McCaffrey's head. The doors to the place burst open, and in rush a motley, but heavily armed crew of thugs, armed with everything from Phaser Rifles to Chainsaws. One of them, a one-eyed Cardassian C.P.A (Certified Public Assassin) points at The Stranger and shouts "There he is! GET HIM!!!" "That should keep them busy," RB mutters. (OOC: There are just as many baddies coming through the X-Window as Stranger and Mandy/Raver feel like pulping. Happy Anniversary, all! 8^) (OOC-M: For those of you who don't get the reference, it was exactly two years ago today that The Stranger posted to alt.callahans, with the subject line "Action, Adventure, Excitement": "I'm bored, and I'm a bit low. I want some excitement and adventure. Anyone feel like joining me?" Randy Martens obliged with the above-quoted barrage, and the rest, of course, is history ;-).) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 04:38:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 06:24:21 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005694 : On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:52:50 : Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005663 :>On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:27:58 -0500 :>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005646 : :>Zia thinks to herself a moment, gathering arguments. /What if your :>positions were reversed? I've seen evil, Dragon's Bane. And I'd have :>to say you're closer to it than that creature you're helping Aurora :>and Nemesis murder is. I don't know how old you truly are, but I for :>one am attempting to live my entire existence without killing a :>sentient. Perhaps I might even manage it, I have so far. If you all :>do this, your hands are bloody to me. I don't care HOW you :>rationalize it by calling yourselves heroes./ :> :>/Please, don't do this. Find another way. Even if it means I have to :>leave James to fight alone while I get this guy out of here by :>shadow shift./ : : /First off, I never said I was a hero,/ Roland interjects. : /Heroes are people who make sacrifices to save others, and I've : never had to do that. Zia looks puzzled, where she stands on the Velvet Glove, and just shakes her head slowly, once, to the negative. /Yes, you have, Roland. I know of one instance for sure, because you did it for me. I know of another you've mentioned./ : Dragon's Bane, mercy is one of the things that separates us from the : bad guys. Zia, Starbreaker is a sadistic monster-he _could_ feed on : dead worlds if he wanted to, but he gets off on the fear of his : victims. Believe me, there are few things anywhere more monstrous : than Starbreaker. /Roland, you just haven't been around enough places yet. Starbreaker is hardly a true threat. It would take more intelligence.../ Zia looks up frowning. "I have the worst feeling when I say that... I +hate+ precognition, it's perfectly useless, and just serves to annoy you." She remarks, not over the link, into the quiet of the tactics room. : /THE MONOBLOCK!/ Roland breaks into a wide grin. /Of course! One : of the few things that can contain the Stardragon! Zia, a monoblock : is a collapsed, pre-Big-Bang universe! Can you find one and shove : that SOB into it? I'll cover James' back for you...if you think he : needs it,/ he finishes with a grin. Grimly, Zia smiles. "That is one way of saying it." She says, with a tinge of irony. She gives Sil a cheerful salute. "Want to watch a burning re-entry? It's more fun to watch than to do." She shakes her head, "Yes, I know I'm not making sense. Later, then, Sil... At least John and Rhia'll be there for SOME kinda backup." /He will need it, but he is capable of doing without it a bit./ The petite Amberite calmly answers Roland. She draws on the jeweled Kryptonite store, and grabs the most advanced design for a mecha that will suit her strength and size (and relative lack of experience), forming it with the aid of nanos and TK around her. She soon appears in the vicinity of the Starbreaker. She grabs hold with the least amount of TK she can use (knowing that Starbreaker will absorb some of it's energy), and as both start to move, vanishes in a polychromatic display of light within their mutual outlines. : (OOC: I actually didn't think of this solution until today, so it : doesn't feel like 'cheating' to have Roland do this. I love it when : the characters write themselves. ) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 05:06:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 06:44:31 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005695 : On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:17:32 : Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005682 : Morgan gets into the Valkyrie, takes a moment to get the feel of the : controls, and launches out of the shuttle bay. /Form up on me as : soon as you can finish whoever you're doing./ All her life magick : can't keep the hurt from her voice. /Meanwhile, someone help me : think of a way to take my husband down without damaging him : permanently./ /Zia has something up her sleeve, but because Roland can still listen in, she hasn't even told me what it is, Morgan./ James says calmly. With a slight frown, he glances down. "No choice, if we want to be secure. Hopefully the Helm of Order can heal the damage I'll do to my own mind." A Lens begins to form, althougth the light it sheds seems less like the Lens of Arisia, and more like the polychromatic displays that happen when the Amberites are shadow shifting. After a few minutes, the task is accomlished, although it takes another minute for the Helm to regenerate enough energy for James to lever himself off the convenient bulkhead. He scans again, and spends 3.4 seconds forming a truer Visualization of the Cosmic All. Then, on the Lens Only, screening himself from the CAoL, @All teams converge on Gharlane's ship and the rail gunner, whichever you can make. Teleports as needed, but keep the amount down. Head for the gun's controls, I'll take the ship.@ With a mouth twisted in his cruel, cold smile, the assasin unleashes the death-thought that came originally from the Second-Stage Lensman Worsel of another Shadow plane. He does NOT like being forced to kill,even the forces of Boskone, in this manner. But he knows the stakes, and does not feel guilt over it. Just extreme distaste. As the rest of James' crew deserts the Pirate Queen to follow him in, every other living being (excepting spies, on his side, since James DID scan her first) on the railgun ship, quietly and without a chance, dies. James' eyes are icy blue, the Helm of Order shaped back into almost a cowl as he stalks quietly down the corridor for the engine controls. : Fortunately (!), harming Roland doesn't seem to be a problem, as : he bounces both Flash and Sinestro off his defenses. : *Oh, come on now-you can do better than that! Give me at least a : _little_ sport!* The Reverse-Blaze laughs as both Sinestro's ring : and Flash's go dead, leaving them adrift-but unharmed, as their life : support seems to still be active-in space. "As you wish..." James says, from another galaxy beyond the gate almost fiercely. : "By Rao!" Superman breathes, holding a capitol ship in each hand. : He tosses each aside and flies at Roland. "Blaze, snap out of-nnh!" : Roland, moving even faster than the Man of Tomorrow, snaps out : the Phoenix Rod and lets Kal-El slam head-first into it. As the : weapon is enchanted, this leaves a fairly impressive impression on : Superman. : *Does anyone _else_ think I'm stupid?* the Reverse-Blaze sends, : laughing as he tosses the shaken Superman aside. James takes the flight control seat, having absently kicked a dead... monstrousity... out of the chair without even knowing it. Parts of his mind are still working with the Lens, as it flashes and dances from it's place on the back of his left hand... he doesn't really know what it's doing, but has no time for worrying about it now... Cloaking the deaths and faking conditions as normal here is taking some effort. : And the need to prove himself. : Force bubbles pop into place around any CAoL members who attack : him, draining magick or psi if the Callahanian in question has : either, otherwise any tech is isolated in force bubbles of their : own, and pulled into the golden armor thickening around the : increasingly powerful psion. He also exploits any known weaknesses : with ruthless efficiency, though he avoids any lasting harm. James observes, both scanning and more passive mental feelers, as he waits for the other Rebels to get into place with the suddenly changed plans. *Nemo, Mike, or John? Can any of you shield any of the CAoL link from Roland? Your and our communications are compromised, with Roland.* : *I hope you have a plan. Blaze may feel slighted-we may not have : made him as welcome as we could have, but being extradimensional, he : didn't stick around much-but I developed a healthy respect for his : power when we faced the Shadows. And now he's got the raw force of a : hundred Green Lanterns.* Hal frowns. *Even Superman and Zod : _combined,_ didn't so much as break his stride. Do you think we can : reach him?* : : *Gods, I hope so,* Morgan sends quietly. *We'll get him out of this, Morgan.* James says, with his typical (and usually factual) certainty. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 12:36:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment? On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 04:33:17 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005696 > On Sun, 30 Aug '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > >>Dhyrclhanc Said >>{C&C? Babylon 5? What are your curently unused cargo bays? This is >>the OTC-NX "Charles Xavier", and we need somewhere to make some >>major repairs. At least for the duration.} > > {C & C here,} Corwin replies with a slight Russian accent. > {Please go to docking bay 7 for repairs, and enter _slowly._ The > station is being moved away from the battle for the safety of the > civilians on board.} A slightly hesitant Lensdragon replies, {Ah... Forgive me, Mr. Corwin,but how am I supposed to get to docking bay #7? Is there an access point on the exterior of the station? Besides the obvious one, that is.} >>Then Dhyrclhanc's face lights up. >> >>"Wait a moment will you." >> >>Then he sends the following to his brother, /Hey Roland! You >>wouldn't happen to have the 5-D coordinates for New Genesis handy, >>would you? I want to talk to High-Father (All-Father?) about >>borrowing a Mother Box./ > > Roland blinks. /Uh, here {} is the vibrational > frequency for the Silver Age New Genesis, but they > don't exactly hand those boxes out, sib./ /Yeah bro, you would be right there save for three factors. One; I have had dealings with High-Father before./ OK bro, is it "High-Father" or "All-Father"? It's been a while since I read Kirby's "New Gods" stuff and I don't remember if they mentioned it in the Fox Superman cartoon /Two; I have more than just a passing aquaintance with Orion. Three, and finaly: we are going to be dealing with Darksied here, after all bro./ I saw a copy of the Trinity RPG at my local Boarder's today as I went in to purchase a 101 book on "Tragic: the Blathering" (Pity me, my friends have gotten me hooked. Actualy it isn't that bad I have yet to spend a cent on cards and what I have spent is about $9 and that's covering the two half boxes and the close to $8 handbook). Speaking as one RPG Collector to another, is it worth my 15 kopecks (or whatever currency and price) to buy the game? Even if one of the primary reasons I'm buying it is because it may give me a better understanding of your character? =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 12:36:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ethics of a Legionnaire On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 04:50:02 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005697 > On Mon, 31 Aug '98 Caprice Said > > /'Legion' is the name of the group of all personas... when you speak > to Legion, you are actually speaking to one persona who is acting as > a relay and interpreter. The echo effect heard in our voice is due > to the persona who is speaking for Legion relaying things back and > forth./ > > /We avoid telling people the names of our individual personas, as we > have found that doing so causes them to play favorites with one over > another./ /While the humor of your first statement is not lost on me, I am offering my services as a near-peerless psion, not as a warrior only in the physical sense. Although, your statement, even made in jest may prove to have some merit./ /Also, thank you for the information about your internal alliance. Like someone else I encountered not that long ago, you are indeed a "tribe of one". If it is possible that I may be of any further help to you, please do not hesitate to call on me./ No more further communication is forthcoming but the Legion collective will be aware that the line is still being maintained as an open channel by Dhyrclhanc. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 13:12:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 16:05:20 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005699 > On Tue, 1 Sep '98 Nemo Said > > \Morgan, I think we can solve this without hurting him.\ > > \Dhryclanc, do you have knowledge of the Arisian atomic powered > thought screens? The ones that Only the Eddorians could get thru, > and then only with difficulty?\ /Ah... Thought Screens? Oh yeah. I suppose that if you count allotropiciron converters as atomic power, then they would be atomic powered. This {} is the collection of technical specifications you are looking for. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 13:36:24 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 16:30:09 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005700 > On Mon, 31 Aug '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > "Whuh-" the corrupt energies and the mental strike proving too > much for Roland, the rings fly around him, a dozen settling onto > each hand and the rest transforming his costume. The blue sections > are now golden, and the normally gold portions (phoenix, gloves, > boots and belt) turn jet black. The mask remains yellow. Dhyrclhan sends /To quote a certainDr. Samuel Becket: "Oh boy!"/ > Morgan freezes in the middle of extracting a Valkyrie from a storage > cube. Her face is stricken, and it's all she can do _not_ to reach > out her mind to her beloved. /Folx,/ she sends, deliberately > shutting Roland out of the loop, /We have a _serious_ problem. > Dhyrclhanc, Mike, I'm going to need your help on this - you both > have more command experience than I do, and you've both been XO's > for this herd o' cats./ /I am here Morgan, what can I do? If you do not have any ideas at the moment,do not worry. Sis, I am going to be following up one or two ideas of my own./ > *I hope you have a plan. Blaze may feel slighted-we may not have > made him as welcome as we could have, but being extradimensional, he > didn't stick around much-but I developed a healthy respect for his > power when we faced the Shadows. And now he's got the raw force of a > hundred Green Lanterns.* Hal frowns. *Even Superman and Zod > _combined,_ didn't so much as break his stride. Do you think we can > reach him?* > > *Gods, I hope so,* Morgan sends quietly. /This is just what we need; Roland doing an Emerald Twilight/Dark Phoenix shtick on us. Especialy now./ Dhyrclhanc sends. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 14:06:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfall On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 16:52:04 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005701 > On Wed, 02 Sep '98 Stranger Said > > /"Mike, Zia, anyone, now would be a real good time to get something > in place to replace me. I'm holding for the moment, but how long I > can last I don't know."/ Suddenly it feels to Stranger as if his sheilds were hard plastic before then they are steel reinforced concrete now. The sense of preasure from the Ploorians' attacks has also lessened. /Hey Stranger! How are you doing?/ Stanger "hears" the jovial voice of the Lendragon in his head. Meinwhile, the Ploorian mental collective hear the following, /NO! THESE BEINGS ARE MY FREINDS! ARE MY FAMILY! THEY ARE UNDER MY PROTECTION! YOU CANNOT HAVE ANY OF THEM! I AM A LENSMAN! YOU WILL FIND OUT WHAT THAT MEANS!/ The mental link that the ploorian collective was trying to construct to Stranger's mind is instantly and painfully set ablaze with a familiar (to the CAoL) green psi-fire. Inch by inch the ploorians are forced back all the way back up the nacient link by a combination of heat, pain and Dhyrclhanc's imitable force of will! /You are Ploorian and, once again, you have made a crutial mistake!/ =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 14:12:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfall On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:17:43 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005704 >On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 02:08:19 -0700 >Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005688 > >/"Mike, Zia, anyone, now would be a real good time to get something >in place to replace me. I'm holding for the moment, but how long I >can last I don't know."/ Mike smiles as all sorts of energies flow around him. A giant metal dome, covered inside with quartz crystals, forms over Stranger and Starro. It levitates in the air as magic energies fly from Mike's fingers to it. "Starro, the dome is charged for when it drops, but you will have to use your own psi almost immediately to hold the block up. But better that than the Ploorans. Stranger, get ready to release and dive out of the way......... RELEASE!" As Stranger does, the dome drops, covering Starro, crate and all. As the dome hits the floor with a metallic peel like a bell, Starro's mind is suddenly covered by a powerful mental block. By the time the ringing dies down, the charge ends and Starro will have to pick up the slack. "That's done, now what?" TBC in Crisis Management... =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 14:12:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:17:40 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005705 Continued from Starfall... >On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:17:32 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005682 > >Morgan freezes in the middle of extracting a Valkyrie from a storage >cube. Her face is stricken, and it's all she can do _not_ to reach >out her mind to her beloved. /Folx,/ she sends, deliberately shutting >Roland out of the loop, /We have a _serious_ problem. Dhyrclhanc, >Mike, I'm going to need your help on this - you both have more >command experience than I do, and you've both been XO's for this herd >o' cats./ /You have it,/ Mike sends, leaving Roland out of the loop. >/But the only way we're going to get Roland back is by working >together, and _I'm_ taking point./ Presumably several objections come >in /Like hell! He knows you best of all, you can't fi-/ >simultaniously. /No, no matter what's happened to him, there's still >at least part of my husband in there. And if there's one person in >this group that we can be sure he won't hurt, it's me./ /Alright,/ Mike concedes quickly, realizing Morgan has the best chance. Of course, no one asked him to like it. >Morgan gets into the Valkyrie, takes a moment to get the feel of the >controls, and launches out of the shuttle bay. /Form up on me as soon >as you can finish whoever you're doing./ All her life magick can't >keep the hurt from her voice. /Meanwhile, someone help me think of a >way to take my husband down without damaging him permanently./ /Of course.../ TBC again in Emerald Knights...(No that is not a plug. ;)) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 14:12:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE4: Emerald Knights On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:17:46 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005706 Concluded from Crisis Management... >On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 21:43:15 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005691 > > Unfortunately for all concerned, Driscoll is quite correct. Nemo's >plan _would_ have prevented the interference of the Boskonian >amalgam, however... > "I'm impressed," RB says, turning into a golden replica of Citizen >V.(1) "It's a good plan. I see no reason that it wouldn't work. >Except, of course, for _me._" > And with that, once all the screens are in place, golden globes >surround them all, and they vanish... > ...only to reappear in the spinal mount of the Dragon's Bane, torn >open and unleashing the full power of the stars that energize them on >that juggernaut. > "Next," the Reverse Blaze says, returning to his 'normal' form and >smiling confidently... *Roland, I do believe you have forgotten a couple things,* Mike sends levelly, *One, as you used to be fond of saying, 'Do not become your enemy to defeat your enemy.' And two...* Mike flew out of Babylon 5, dressed in a familiar green, black and white costume. He shouted out mentally... *IN BRIGHTEST DAY, IN DARKEST NIGHT-* Tink flew out, flanked by Melissa and Grep, and followed by Molly, all wearing the same costume as Mike's, A single suit of spandex-like material, with a green torso, green calf-high boots and green masquerade-ball style mask... They join Mike in the oath, not missing a beat. *-NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT-* More costumed figures joined the formation and the chorus, human and alien, all wearing that same standard costume with the black arms and legs... *-LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVIL'S MIGHT-* Two hundred in all, staring across the void at the Reverse Blaze, white gloves raised with the white continuing up almost to the elbow, a white circle on each chest with a green circle and two horizontal bars above and below it that matched a green ring worn on the middle finger of the right hand that gave off a brilliant green glow... *-BEWARE MY POWER, GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!* *You still believe in that,* Mike sent, *Whether you have a power ring or not, you still uphold that oath, those systems of beliefs that made the Green Lantern Corps great. The Oans may have taken the Central Battery from this universe, but The Corps lives on. The power comes from the people here, not some distant race too lazy to do its own dirty work. *But now you're making the classic mistake. The one Sinestro made. At least the one I know. The mistake that got him thrown out of the Corps, that of using his power to control others, not help them.* Mike smirked, *Not to mention, you look like a yellow Parallax.* =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:36:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: Emerald Knights On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 18:16:19 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005707 > On Wed, 2 Sep '98 Mike Knight Said > *But now you're making the classic mistake. The one Sinestro made. > At least the one I know. The mistake that got him thrown out of the > Corps, that of using his power to control others, not help them.* > > Mike smirked, *Not to mention, you look like a yellow Parallax.* Likewise, a mulitude of Dhyrclhanc's, in "their" Sentinel uniform(s) appear around the Reverse-Blaze. They say, in unison, "Roland, Hal Jordan fell from grace after the death of his friends and family died durring the distruction of Coast City. Please do not make the same mistake he did. Might does not Make Right. Might should Serve Right." "Although you never said so, you believe this, although perhaps not in these words. I know that you still believe this, despite your actions here. *We* believe this. As Mike said, do not become another Parallax. Do not be another to go down that path of decent." "I took an Oath as a Lensman. I take an Oath as a Green Lantern. I take an Oath as a Priest of the Phoenix and the other Egyptian Gods of Light. I believe these oaths. I believe *in* them. I do not know if you took ever took an oath to become what you are but I do know that we both believe in these same things. We both hold them sacred." "Please, Rember what you and Morgan said; what G'kar said: The Universe speaks in many languages, but only one voice. The language is not Narn or Human or Centauri or Gaim or Minbari. It speaks in the language of hope. It speaks in the language of trust. It speaks in the language of strength, and the language of compassion. It is the language of the heart and the language of the soul. But always it is the same voice. It is the voice of our ancestors speaking through us. And the voice of our inheritors waiting to be born. It is the small, still voice that says we are One. No matter the blood, no matter the skin, No matter the world, no matter the star, We are One. No matter the pain, no matter the darkness, No matter the loss, no matter the fear. We are One. Here, gathered together in common cause We agree to recognize this singular truth and this singular rule: That we must be kind to one another. Because each voice enriches us and ennobles us, And each voice lost diminishes us. We are the voice of the universe, the soul of creation, The fire that will light the way to a better future. We are One.'" =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 16:08:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 18:47:02 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005708 >Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00005686 > >^ Sorry, > I consider Death to be more benevolent, > than long term imprisonment... > And any form of Enslavement is Much Worse.^ John stops, and his grin fades. "Yes, well..." He says, to himself really. He puts on a hardhat, conjures up a jackhammer, and sets to work on the dome. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 16:12:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 19:07:36 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005709 >On Tue, 1 Sep 1998 05:54:43 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005683 > >> On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 23:17:32 >> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005682 >> >\These are going to cut off psi contact. Anybody needing to get > messages thru, do it *now*.\ John stops what he was doing, throws off the hardhat and rockets up from the surface of the planet, "Crap!" >Nemo will cut in the screens one at a time. First the one around the >gateway, then, if that doesn't work, the ones around the planet and >station (assuming they are getting thru to this space *without* going >thru the gateway. John flies through the gateway, destroying _everything_ in his way as he goes. He emerges on the other side, where the the Spoiler is still holding it's own. He approaches the ship and is hailed. ^What the Hell are you doing here?^ Rhia sends to him. ^They're about to cut off all psi-contact. Given the odds, I thought you might need a hand.^ John replies. ^You know, this is why I ditched you back on Pludas V and struck out on my own for a while.^ she retorts. ^Yeah, and you almost got strung up by those^ John stops, realizing his mistake. ^We are _definitely_ going to have a little talk after this is all over,^ Her sending is ice, though she reads the latest enemy ship estimates and it thaws slightly, ^Welcome aboard, Admiral.^ ^Aye, aye Captain.^ John grins and boards his ship. ^Don't even _think_ your forgiven.^ =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 16:36:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 19:27:47 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005710 >On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 06:44:31 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005695 > >James observes, both scanning and more passive mental feelers, as he >waits for the other Rebels to get into place with the suddenly >changed plans. *Nemo, Mike, or John? Can any of you shield any of the >CAoL link from Roland? Your and our communications are compromised, >with Roland.* John, *Does the link need to remain useful? I have two methods, both untested. I could just static the link, rendering it useless and really annoying to anyone who can't shut it out, or I could take part of it, but some of us will be cut off entirely, probably the ones with full lenses of their own. We don't have the capacity to do the entire link.* =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 17:06:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 16:53:26 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005711 > On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 18:47:02 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005708 > > John stops, and his grin fades. "Yes, well..." He says, to himself > really. He puts on a hardhat, conjures up a jackhammer, and sets to > work on the dome. ^ When you get that open, I have a few brigades of Elemetals standing by, to begin the disassembly.^ =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 17:36:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfall On Thu, 03 Sep 1998 00:57:15 -0700 Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005712 > On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:17:43 -0500 > Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005704 > > "Starro, the dome is charged for when it drops, but you will have to > use your own psi almost immediately to hold the block up. But better > that than the Ploorans. Stranger, get ready to release and dive out > of the way......... RELEASE!" "Dive out of? Oh!" Stranger dives to the side as the dome descends, as he hits the floor he turns the dive into a roll, ending up on his feet lightsaber at the ready. And also... > Suddenly it feels to Stranger as if his sheilds were hard plastic > before then they are steel reinforced concrete now. The sense of > preasure from the Ploorians' attacks has also lessened. > > /Hey Stranger! How are you doing?/ Stanger "hears" the jovial voice > of the Lendragon in his head. /Better now, thanks/ > The mental link that the ploorian collective was trying to construct > to Stranger's mind is instantly and painfully set ablaze with a > familiar (to the CAoL) green psi-fire. Inch by inch the ploorians > are forced back all the way back up the nacient link by a > combination of heat, pain and Dhyrclhanc's imitable force of will! Stranger backed up the Lensdragons counterattack with his own willpower, relishing the chance to push back the Ploorian forces. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 17:36:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Deja Vu On Thu, 03 Sep 1998 01:02:50 -0700 Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005713 > On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 01:08:22 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005693 > > An X-Window opens in the hangar bay, revealing what looks like > the doors of Callahan's, right down to the dent made by Big Beef > McCaffrey's head. > > > The doors to the place burst open, and in rush a motley, but heavily > armed crew of thugs, armed with everything from Phaser Rifles to > Chainsaws. One of them, a one-eyed Cardassian C.P.A (Certified > Public Assassin) points at The Stranger and shouts "There he is! GET > HIM!!!" > > "That should keep them busy," RB mutters. > (OOC: There are just as many baddies coming through the X-Window > as Stranger and Mandy/Raver feel like pulping. Happy Anniversary, > all! 8^) > > (OOC-M: For those of you who don't get the reference, it was exactly > two years ago today that The Stranger posted to alt.callahans, with > the subject line "Action, Adventure, Excitement": "I'm bored, and > I'm a bit low. I want some excitement and adventure. Anyone feel > like joining me?" Randy Martens obliged with the above-quoted > barrage, and the rest, of course, is history ;-).) Stranger turned and faced them. Now he was in trouble, it would take days to defeat all of them. Parrying the various random blaster bolts with his lightsaber Stranger waded into the mob. Their attacks were vicious, but they were unco-ordinated, by keeping mobile he was able to avoid most of them, half the time they hit each other by mistake. His sense-of-perception and Jedi perceptions kept him alive as he whirled through the mob, lightsaber flashing. Stranger =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 19:37:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 19:08:37 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005714 >On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 06:24:21 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005694 > >: On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:52:50 >: Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005663 >: /First off, I never said I was a hero,/ Roland interjects. >: /Heroes are people who make sacrifices to save others, and I've >: never had to do that. > >Zia looks puzzled, where she stands on the Velvet Glove, and just >shakes her head slowly, once, to the negative. /Yes, you have, >Roland. I know of one instance for sure, because you did it for me. I >know of another you've mentioned./ Roland looks puzzled, but doesn't 'say' anything. >/He will need it, but he is capable of doing without it a bit./ The >petite Amberite calmly answers Roland. She draws on the jeweled >Kryptonite store, and grabs the most advanced design for a mecha that >will suit her strength and size (and relative lack of experience), >forming it with the aid of nanos and TK around her. She soon appears >in the vicinity of the Starbreaker. She grabs hold with the least >amount of TK she can use (knowing that Starbreaker will absorb some >of it's energy), and as both start to move, vanishes in a >polychromatic display of light within their mutual outlines. Starbreaker, disoriented from mutliple indignities, tries to drain the TK, but between Fuzzy's sheath and the previous spirit-attack, can't do much. He tries, also, to fight physically. He isn't even that bad. But against Zia, he's in _way_ over his head. Starbreaker, too, vanishes. (OOC: Unless you had something else in mind, Zia. 8^) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 19:38:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 19:25:51 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005715 >On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 06:44:31 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005695 >As the rest of James' crew deserts the Pirate Queen to follow him in, >every other living being (excepting spies, on his side, since James >DID scan her first) on the railgun ship, quietly and without a >chance, dies. James' eyes are icy blue, the Helm of Order shaped back >into almost a cowl as he stalks quietly down the corridor for the >engine controls. A man dressed in the uniform of a Boskonian soldier walks up quietly. "Agent Theodore Jones at your service, sir." The earnest young man (who must have been able to simulate a Boskonian stormtrooper) salutes sharply. >James takes the flight control seat, having absently kicked a dead... >monstrousity... out of the chair without even knowing it. Parts of >his mind are still working with the Lens, as it flashes and dances >from it's place on the back of his left hand... he doesn't really >know what it's doing, but has no time for worrying about it now... >Cloaking the deaths and faking conditions as normal here is taking >some effort. The Roland-form in Thirdspace frowns, leaning forward. [He's gone. But where...?] Scanning carefully, he can't find any trace of where the Pirate Queen's crew has gone...but he does pick up a faint trace of a _type_ of energy. "Heh. So. Doctor Fate, is it?" Roland leans back again. *Now then, you idiotic Ploorans, Delgonians, and whatever, you're going to be useful.* *Do not presume to command _us,_ servant. You are under our-EEYAH!* The entire amalgam screams as one. *THAT is the pain I feel EVERY MOMENT because of what YOU DID to my MIND!* RB roars. *But it gives me POWER! The power to mke you strong-or to DESTROY YOU! Now you WILL serve your creation-or you will DIE!* There is a long pause. *As you will,* the amalgam sends as one, though the tone is sullen. (Or at least as sullen as a horde of Second-Stage minds can be. More on Roland's condition forthcoming.) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 20:37:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment? On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 20:03:12 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005716 >On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 04:33:17 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005696 > >A slightly hesitant Lensdragon replies, {Ah... Forgive me, Mr. >Corwin, but how am I supposed to get to docking bay #7? Is there an >access point on the exterior of the station? Besides the obvious one, >that is.} Corwin sighs a heavy, weary sigh and downloads the directions to the 'Xavier.' {Go through the main docking bay and follow the lights. Yield to outgoing passenger ships; we're trying to get as many of the VIPs out of here as we can.} >/Yeah bro, you would be right there save for three factors. One; I >have had dealings with High-Father before./ > > OK bro, is it "High-Father" or "All-Father"? It's been a while >since I read Kirby's "New Gods" stuff and I don't remember if they >mentioned it in the Fox Superman cartoon (OOC: Highfather, though your confusion is understandable. _Odin_ is the All-Father, and just to make things interesting, during Amalgam they were combined into 'All-Highfather Odin.' But Izaya the Inheritor became Highfather. I love my Apokolips DC supplement. ) >/Two; I have more than just a passing aquaintance with Orion. Three, >and finaly: we are going to be dealing with Darksied here, after all >bro./ /Light, you know _everybody,_ sib!/ > I saw a copy of the Trinity RPG at my local Boarder's today as >I went in to purchase a 101 book on "Tragic: the Blathering" (Pity >me, my friends have gotten me hooked. Actualy it isn't that bad I >have yet to spend a cent on cards and what I have spent is about $9 >and that's covering the two half boxes and the close to $8 handbook). >Speaking as one RPG Collector to another, is it worth my 15 kopecks >(or whatever currency and price)to buy the game? Even if one of the >primary reasons I'm buying it is because it may give me a better >understanding of your character? (OOC: Don't buy it to get a better handle on Roland; though I did borrow a few things from it (I wasn't using the term 'psion' until it came out, though the thought had occured to me) Earth-9 has very little from Trinity. The Earth-9 Aeon Covenant bears little resemblance to its Trinity counterpart. OTOH, if you want a rip-roaring sci-fi universe with plenty of psi action, Trinity's for you. I personally ditched the 'psi point' concept-how often do psis tire so quickly in fiction?-but it's Storyteller (with a few changes) so rule one is: there are no rules. And IIRC, it's about thirty kopecs. ;^) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 20:37:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Crisis Management On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 20:09:49 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005717 >On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 16:30:09 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005700 > >> On Mon, 31 Aug '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said >> "Whuh-" the corrupt energies and the mental strike proving too >> much for Roland, the rings fly around him, a dozen settling onto >> each hand and the rest transforming his costume. The blue sections >> are now golden, and the normally gold portions (phoenix, gloves, >> boots and belt) turn jet black. The mask remains yellow. > >Dhyrclhan sends /To quote a certainDr. Samuel Becket: "Oh boy!"/ /You said it!/ Sil replies emphatically. >/This is just what we need; Roland doing an Emerald Twilight/Dark >Phoenix shtick on us. Especialy now./ Dhyrclhanc sends. /Emerald Twilight? I think not,/ RB replies icily. /But Dark Phoenix...oh yes, rage, passion and unbridled power.../ the ravaged mind of the CAoL's leader turns on Dhyrclhanc. /You, who dare to claim the mantle of Phoenix-prove yourself worthy of it!/ And with that, a giant golden bird of pure flame, looking exactly like the Phoenix aura that surrounded the pseudo-Jean Grey, flies right at Dhyrclhanc... (OOC: If Dhyrclhanc actually gets _hurt_ by the Phoenix-construct, it vanishes like a burst soap bubble.) =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 21:43:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: Emerald Knights On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 20:23:50 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005718 >On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:17:46 -0500 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005706 > >>On Tue, 01 Sep 1998 21:43:15 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005691 >Mike flew out of Babylon 5, dressed in a familiar green, black and >white costume. He shouted out mentally... > >*IN BRIGHTEST DAY, IN DARKEST NIGHT-* Roland leans back into the chair that forms behind him and sips from a golden champagne glass. *Oh, _this_ should be good for a lark.* >Tink flew out, flanked by Melissa and Grep, and followed by Molly, >all wearing the same costume as Mike's, A single suit of spandex-like >material, with a green torso, green calf-high boots and green >masquerade-ball style mask... They join Mike in the oath, not missing >a beat. > >*-NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT-* Roland frowns. Sweat begins to bead on his forehead, despite the fact that he's in vacuum. >More costumed figures joined the formation and the chorus, human and >alien, all wearing that same standard costume with the black arms and >legs... > >*-LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVIL'S MIGHT-* Roland's frown deepens. * I think not-* >Two hundred in all, staring across the void at the Reverse Blaze, >white gloves raised with the white continuing up almost to the elbow, >a white circle on each chest with a green circle and two horizontal >bars above and below it that matched a green ring worn on the middle >finger of the right hand that gave off a brilliant green glow... > >*-BEWARE MY POWER, GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!* *GAAH!* The Reverse-Blaze recoils from the light, his cape swirling around him almost like a vampire fleeing the sun. But he does not retreat. >*But now you're making the classic mistake. The one Sinestro made. At >least the one I know. The mistake that got him thrown out of the >Corps, that of using his power to control others, not help them.* Roland begins to waver. Though his mind has been savaged horribly by the Boskonian amalgam, something inside him fights to return to his friends... >Mike smirked, *Not to mention, you look like a yellow Parallax.* ...until Mike takes that _one_ step too far. "/*I AM NOT PARALLAAAAAAX!*/" A burst of golden light becomes a hammer the size of Manhattan, crashing through the pseudo-Corps. It shatters, most of it vanishing...leaving just enough to become exact duplicates of the 200 members of Mike's Corps. Armor pads form on each of Roland's shoulders for a split second; one glare from RB, and they explode harmlessly. *And neither was Jordan,* RB hisses. *The real Green Lantern wouldn't have had the stones.* An emerald fist slams into Roland. {And it was _you_ that cleared my name, at least in one reality,} Hal replies, joining the Corps. A yellow Parallax went after that greatest of Green Lanterns. *I...I was a fool,* RB replies, recoiling. Anyone who scans him can tell that he's in truly incredible pain, due to a gaping psychic wound. The would would have healed over by now-apparently Roland can regenerate mental damage as well as physical-but the corrupt energies of the Sinestro rings is preventing it, acting on his mind the way poison does on his body. That wound is the loss of most of his 'higher' emotional self, the superego and a large chunk of the ego. Leaving an almost untempered id, with the intelligence and imagination of Blaze, and the power of a mad Primal... *Parallax was RIGHT! There must be order-and there WILL!* TBC in the response to Dhyrclhanc. =========================== Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 21:43:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: Emerald Knights On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 21:06:27 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005719 >On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 18:16:19 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005707 >Likewise, a mulitude of Dhyrclhanc's, in "their" Sentinel uniform(s) >appear around the Reverse-Blaze. > >They say, in unison, "Roland, Hal Jordan fell from grace after the >death of his friends and family died durring the distruction of Coast >City. Please do not make the same mistake he did. Might does not Make >Right. Might should Serve Right." Frighteningly, despite his protestation, Roland echoes Parallax in his next statement: "I'm not _impressed,_ dragon! I can colocate as many times as _you_ can!" And a Reverse-Blaze appears in front of every Dhyrclhanc.(1) (1) When the Spectre appeared in front of Parallax in a rage, the pseudo-Hal replied: "I'm not _impressed,_ Spectre! You want BIG? I can do BIG!" And did. >I believe these oaths. I believe *in* them. I do not know if you took >ever took an oath to become what you are but I do know that we both >believe in these same things. We both hold them sacred." "I am Freelance-disavowed! The Lanterns rejected me! Every oath I ever took turned out to be a LIE!" Still, despite his rage and vehemence, so long as Dhyrclhanc talks calmly, Roland does not attack... >"Please, Rember what you and Morgan said; what G'kar said: > Because each voice enriches us and ennobles us, > And each voice lost diminishes us. > We are the voice of the universe, the soul of creation, > The fire that will light the way to a better future. > > We are One.'" Roland's eyes go wide. Dhyrclhanc's blow has struck home. He curls up into a ball... ...and vanishes from the surrounding Dhyrclhances, appearing near the gate. His giant form seems 'torn,' with gaping gashes like he'd been mauled by a berserk lion on a dozen drugs. He crouches on a self-generated platform, almost feral in his intensity. Most of his duplicates have dissipated in screaming terror, though enough remain to give the Lanterns and dragons a hard time. *None of you are a match for me...none of you...* he sends, sounding more like he's convincing himself than anyone else. {You're right. Proud of yourself?} the Flash asks, appearing next to Roland. *B-Barry?* Roland's 'voice' is very quiet. {That's right, son. It's me.} The father of the Silver Age extends his hand. {You could beat us all. But the _real_ you is strong enough to win even against...this. Come on. We'll fix you up.} Roland extends his arm... ...and Professor Zoom cuts it off. {Got him!} {NO!} the Flash cries. {Zoom, you fool, DON'T-!} *TOO LATE!* RB roars, and before even the Reverse-Flash can react, a golden fist clamps around his neck. *Thawne,* he snarls, his eyes roaring infernos. *You murdered my childhood when you killed Iris.* "i-hkk-i didn't-" Zoom protests. *Different time. Same old Zoom. Shut up and die.* "{NO!}" the Flash protests again, doing what Zoom cannot (as usual) and vibrates the evil speedster out of Roland's grip. Roland scowls. *Remember that, Zoom-the man you've dedicated your life to killing just saved your hide.* Then he grins like a madman. */I'm sure you've seen a Blaze without a grin, but have you ever seen a grin without a Blaze?/* And with that, everything but his lunatic's smile disappears. The Flash turns on Zoom, a rare anger in his eyes. {If we lose him because of you...} he begins, but doesn't finish the sentence. Zoom swallows as the Fastest Man Alive goes back to pulverizing cyber- fighters and looking for a trace of Roland. He doesn't have long to wait. The Reverse-Blaze sits on the edge of a cargo 'receiving bay' -one of the twin projections above the main dock. His Pan form regards RB from the other bay. The Darkangel armor appears over the Galactica, and Shadowclaw hisses at the Dome. *I'm tired of this angst nonsense.* His smile becomes almost vicious. *Let's have some FUN!* This time, replicas of _all_ the CAoL members, or vessels if in ships, appear...but as cartoon versions thereof. Only Morgan is absented (for reasons that will become apparent in the next post) as the ships 'attack' with 'toon versions of the Callahanian's weapons-rubber staves, singing swords that don't cooperate (see Who Framed Roger Rabbit?-heck, see it anyway, it's the best comedy of all time), fazers (they 'faze' their targets ;^), guns that shoot pies or shaving cream, confetti grenades and various and sundry insanities... ^suh...sib.^ A tiny Roland-energy construct, but the real 'him'-appears next to Dhyrclhanc'd ear. (Or whatever passes for one.) Even that miniscule form is torn and tattered, to the point of missing his left arm entirely. ^th-thuh-the rings. source-of power-ghk-^ He vanishes. ===========================