Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 64 Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:04:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:38:09 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005824 >On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:25:48 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005821 > >> On Sat, 12 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said >> The Gate generator churns with the magickal power of a >> planescape. >> A spirit of Primal power comes to life within the runes. >> Six spheres appear around the projector at the top of the Tower, >> each bearing a single sentient, arrayed in the cardinal directions. On the small asteroid, Michael's prone figure stirs. "Uuuguhhh..." >> Two new figures appear in orbit. One is a...THING...that beings >> limited in nearly any way in perception see as a metallic-skinned >> amoeba with slug-like eyestalks, a hooded eyeless toad face, and >> dozens of tentacles of varied lengths astride its transportation. Lying on his stomach, Mike's eyes flutter open. >> Which is a neutron star. >> This star is small but massive, even for its kind. The entire >> star system should come apart at the seams from its mere presence. >> But the entity is _feeding_ off the gravity, light and heat >> generated. With a sharp intake of breath, Mike wakes up fully with a start. >> Those with the ability to perceive cosmic/fundamental reality >> see a...knot...of reality, twisted into something impossible in >> most planes, a self-contained 'loop' of sentient unreality. An >> Outsider Thing. Aadschlaggha, the Crawler in the Pit at the End of >> All Worlds. Mike blinks. >> The other looks like Shard's _very_ big brother. >> Pure brilliant light on one side and utterly black jagged metal >> on the other, it-he?-is a humanoid twenty feet tall. He laughs. >> Stranger definitely, and several others in all likelihood, >> recognize him as Mournblade. Mike turns to look and blinks again. >> The Dome fades away. Getting slowly to his feet by now, Michael glances 'down' at the dome. >Over the Astral Dhyrclhanc's piggyback link tothe rest of the CaoL, >the following can be heard > >/Oh boy! (tm)/ Michael Seven mulls this all over, dusting himself off. /Personally, my first thought was 'What the Hell?' But, that sums it up as well. / If anyone is physically on the asteroid, Mike will smile and thank them for keeping an eye on him, and ask them to take flight from the rock back into space. If no one is on the thing, he will simply offer his thanks for guarding him. Taking off the harness, Michael stows it back in a pocket, then withdraws the sword, jutting out of the rock as he mutters something obscure that the Lens has difficulty translating, more a verbal mathematical concept than anything. Those who grok Old High Gallifreyian and several branches of physics relating to the inner workings of a TARDIS recognize it as a formula to shrink the asteroid and store the power it's channeling. Otherwise it is just a lot of formulae to the Lenses. With a sound like an aluminum can being crushed, the asteroid suddenly shrinks to marble size, the pitons and rope forming a thin elastic cord that Mike attaches around his neck like a necklace. Hanging halfway down his neck, it looks like an iron marble attached to a red, blue and black cord for a pair of eyeglasses. Mike winces slightly as he flexs his still-injured right hand. /Forgot about that. At least I didn't cut deep. Anybody got a bandage?/ He then looks over at Dark Lhanc. /Some guests just don't know when they have worn out their welcome./ =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 01:00:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:35:59 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005825 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:38:09 -0500 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005824 > >>On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:25:48 -0400 >>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005821 >> >>> On Sat, 12 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said >>> The Dome fades away. > >Getting slowly to his feet by now, Michael glances 'down' at the >dome. Seeing Mike recovering, Morgan extends one of the Valkyrie's 'hands' to help Mike up. >Michael Seven mulls this all over, dusting himself off. > >/Personally, my first thought was 'What the Hell?' But, that sums it >up as well. / /Or, "ter-fraggin-rific"?/ Morgan adds. /How about 'oy?'/ Roland quips, still making as much a nuisance of himself as he can to DP. >If anyone is physically on the asteroid, Mike will smile and thank >them for keeping an eye on him, and ask them to take flight from the >rock back into space. Morgan returns the smile. /Any time, bro,/ she replies. The last survivors of House El nod in response. Supergirl gives him a jaunty salute. "Glad to be of service," Superman says, and both fly up, up and away. And disappear a moment later, teleported to Earthspace by Z'On'Dar. They have mindly surprised looks as they vanish. Anyone checking will notice that both Legions (Justice and Doom, not our resident amalgam-entity) have done the same. >Mike winces slightly as he flexs his still-injured right hand. >/Forgot about that. At least I didn't cut deep. Anybody got a >bandage?/ /I'll do you one better,/ Morgan moves her hand over Mike's injured one, and the cut heals seamlessly. /How's that?/ she smiles. >He then looks over at Dark Lhanc. /Some guests just don't know when >they have worn out their welcome./ /Tell me about it,/ Roland jokes, still dodging. =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 01:00:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:48:09 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005826 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:40:45 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005823 > >>On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 14:56:32 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005819 >> The Dome fades away. >> > Roscoe taps everyone's mental shoulders to what's going on while >Driss sees how close he can sneak towards the tower invisibly in the >hopes of being able to throw a monkeywrench in something. The Tower appears to all senses as a fairly seamless piece of work, but Darkseid has a number of Kirbytech contraptions manned by parademons, Takhisis' dragons have siege engines (sized for adult wyrms), Jha'Dur is busy designing bioweapons to go along with the bioroids already in her service, and Shard's peering at some weird-science devices that a handful of immies in his service seem to be tinkering with. (Anyone familiar with the tech recognizes it from Barsoom.) Bester, meanwhile, is now playing chess with Dara. A handful of Psi-Cops stare uncomfortably at Dara's demonic aides. =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 01:00:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:39:57 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005827 >On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:57:58 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005822 >"James, Sil; my friends, I am sorry to have gotten you involved in >all of this. This is my fight, but _you_ but _you_ _are_ _welcome_ >_here_. How would you like me to help me kick this freeloader's butt >out of here?" *I thought you'd never ask,* Sil sends from 'within' James, channelling as much of her power as he can handle comfortably (probably all of it) to him. >Dhyrclhanc, notacibly a bit larger than he was before, then turns his >head to address the representaion of the Dark Phoenix, "As for you >Lady, and I do use the term loosly, I WANT MY MOLECULES BACK!!!" > >"Nooo!" *Oh come on, there's lots of molecules in the multiverse,* Sil quips. =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 09:35:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 12:06:05 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005828 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:48:09 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005826 > The Tower appears to all senses as a fairly seamless piece of >work, but Darkseid has a number of Kirbytech contraptions manned by >parademons, Takhisis' dragons have siege engines (sized for adult >wyrms), Jha'Dur is busy designing bioweapons to go along with the >bioroids already in her service, and Shard's peering at some weird- >science devices that a handful of immies in his service seem to be >tinkering with. (Anyone familiar with the tech recognizes it from >Barsoom.) > Bester, meanwhile, is now playing chess with Dara. A handful of >Psi-Cops stare uncomfortably at Dara's demonic aides. Driss pauses for a moment then sneaks first over towards Jha'Dur. Pausing only for a moment he kneels down so he canreach the ground still covered by his cloak. As close to the bio-weapon production area as possible, Driss plants three small devices where they won't be easily seen and moves on towards Darkseid's devices. Thinking for a moment he retrieves some more of the subzero devices he used on greyworld and plants them on the devices before moving on. With Takhisis's seige weapons he come pulls out a small glassine box. Putting it in contact with the engines he touches they keys in sequnce and some bio engeneered worms come out, boring into anything and everything except glassine using their spitted acid to soften up anything they can't chew up. He smiles as they all borrow into the seige engines and disappear only leaving behind a few small holes to show they ever existed. He pauses looking at Shard adn the immortals and decides that without knowing the exact nature of the devices he'd better just try to break them fast. Jumping all around witht he 7-league boots, Driss starts planting explosives and incindiary devices wherever he can find to hide them then looking at the demons, smiles and adds some special devices a vampire hunter once gave him that explode spraying holy water in every direction. Once satisfied he gets the hell out of htere as fast as he can and has Roscoe tightbeam everyone with the preparations Driss has made and the fact that he's ready to set them all off. (OOC Note: The devices planted near the bio weapons will explode releasing a bio-engeneered bacteria that will begin eating through anything organic it comes in contact with. outlawed in several galaxies in the dimention Driss stole it in. The subzero devices if you don't rememeber freezes whatever it's attached to down to very fragile temperatures. the rest I think was pretty well explained) =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 09:35:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 11:18:32 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005829 : On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:39:57 : Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005827 :>On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:57:58 -0400 :>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005822 : *I thought you'd never ask,* Sil sends from 'within' James, : channelling as much of her power as he can handle comfortably : (probably all of it) to him. James has no trouble working with Sil; he seems long and well-practiced at carrying spirits, although he thinks of the past ones as something called Loa. Sil is a whole different class of lady.<:-)> His own ability to conduct power seems limitless and nearly effortless. ^Just think of me as a superconductor, and punch it, Sil,^ he encourages - completely unneedfully, as Sil has already ascertained the same by doing so. His closed eys leak tears of silver fire a moment as his hands clench, then all tension flows out of him as the balance steadies between himself and Sil, their efforts now combining seamlessly. The Dark Pheonix, however, seems to have a rather sharp "labor dispute" in her own home field by contrast. :>Dhyrclhanc, notacibly a bit larger than he was before, then turns :>his head to address the representaion of the Dark Phoenix, "As for :>you Lady, and I do use the term loosly, I WANT MY MOLECULES BACK!!!" :> :>"Nooo!" : : *Oh come on, there's lots of molecules in the multiverse,* Sil : quips. "Come now, dark lady." James says, with his and Sil's power flowing as one to the Lensdragons strengthening effort to reclaim himself. "That truly doesn't belong to you, you didn't ask nicely to play with him, and even destruction must become creation eventually. Let your vengeance become satisfaction, or else you'll never slake your thirst for it. Listen to me, lady. I too, am a killer, it's not what you do, it's what reasons you do it for. If you've lost your reason, rest and try to regain it." Still in the depths of the Lensdragon's mind, James' skin flows to silver again. [Isn't this where I came in?] He quips, to himself, and ineivitably, Sil as well. She can feel his tangible relief as Zia reappears again in the battle outside, the two having a deep, fullmind link as a near-instinct. He moves to the Dark Pheonix, and smiles with James' incomparable air of temptation, invitation, and sense of adventure, "Come, your ladyship." He says, with a smile. "Let's not fight when we could dance, instead." He offers her his hand as a lead, addding, "I have better targets for our ire than our poor scaly friend there. Join your sister and I, and let's go play with the big villains. It's more fun to fight together than each other, I've always found." He pauses for her decision, standing so close that their respectively powerful auras brush against each other. She can tell James' concern for a lady in distress still includes her, although he'd fight her without remorse if she made him. "Come, m'dear." He breathes softly, "It'll be fun to get some variety in your life." James James is a bit dark himself, at times. This is a bit extreme even for him, but then... he'd rather make a.... lady friend... than another enemy.> =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 09:39:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 11:34:59 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005830 : Though powerful, Roland is no match for Dark Phoenix, even : without her connection to Phoenix itself. There is a sound like a : world tearing open, and Roland is... : ...in two places at once? : No-not unless one Roland is a short woman. : {Zia!} She hears from the Power Ring she's wearing (yep, Roland's : JL Ring-getting to be a habit, isn't it? ) *Huh?* Zia double-takes at the ring, being in a state not unlike someone roused at 4 AM on two hours sleep after a double-shift. {What the - Uh, Roland? What's up, Blue Guy?} She looks about a bit confuddled, then links back to Nemo's Velvet Glove and has the routines there update her by nano on the events she has missed. : as Blaze-back in his supers costume (and sans ring)-continues to : harry Dark Lhanc. {Good to have you back. You might want to get out : of the blast radius; the big guy's possessed by a rogue shard of : Phoenix with a mad-on for me. : {Where were you, anyway?} {Don't worry about Scaly there. James is already on it, from the inside - with your other lady friendly. Which is SO typical of the man. Always where you need him, and with a pretty lady, too, usually.} She chuckles over the connection. [But I will probably figure a way to... ah, yes.} One of Roland's force constructs appears about the lady, and she makes tracks for the nearest ship to get some footing on. : And Z'On'Dar, already powerful, is at once bursting with more : psychic power than most races ever display as a whole throughout : their entire history. : And in that one incredible, terrifyingly beautiful moment, Shard : smiles. : "It's-it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen..." /Unicorn./ Zia cusses. /I was hoping that it WOULDN'T work. Where's Murphy when you REALLY need the demon?/ Her stark terror is thinly veiled with the attempt at a James-like quip. Zia Quote for the post: "It is an angry world. You can whine about the mean people or you can kick ass." Karl Core =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 13:11:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 15:48:05 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005831 > On Sun, 13 Sep '98 Zia Said > He moves to the Dark Pheonix, and smiles with James' incomparable > air of temptation, invitation, and sense of adventure, "Come, your > ladyship." He says, with a smile. "Let's not fight when we could > dance, instead." He offers her his hand as a lead, addding, "I have > better targets for our ire than our poor scaly friend there. Join > your sister and I, and let's go play with the big villains. It's > more fun to fight together than each other, I've always found." He > pauses for her decision, standing so close that their respectively > powerful auras brush against each other. She can tell James' concern > for a lady in distress still includes her, although he'd fight her > without remorse if she made him. > > "Come, m'dear." He breathes softly, "It'll be fun to get some > variety in your life." Grabbing onto James' offered additional Amberite energies he prepares to make yet another one of his, seemingly trademarked, displays of cosmic level metaphysical power but then his eyes almost pop out of their sockets when he sees what James is doing. *^James, old sock, what in the various names of the Fates and the Furies are you doing old man?! Or are those tales I've heard about you true and you realy do enjoy flirting with Disaster?^* The Dark Phoenix, meinwhile seems tempted at James' offer but still appears to be hesitant making the decision to leave this place. The red portions of her costume shifting between red and green, but spending more time being red. "Your offer tempts me strangly, stranger. What do I gain if I accept your offer?" Meinwhile, "outside" Roland continues to do his biplane impersonation around the Dark Lhanc's King Kong. Suddenly, the Dark Lhanc amalgamation freezes in place. His/her/its giant, firery, bird-of-prey aura shrinks down to body-level and instead of a red-yellow color, it is a marbleized mixture of red, yellow, silver and green fire. The giant draconic figure doubles over, as if in pain, and holds its huge head in its hands, the aura flaring. "Stop Fighting" it says, obvious pain in its voice. =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 16:38:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 16:09:09 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005832 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 12:06:05 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005828 > > Driss pauses for a moment then sneaks first over towards Jha'Dur. >Pausing only for a moment he kneels down so he canreach the ground >still covered by his cloak. As close to the bio-weapon production >area as possible, Driss plants three small devices where they won't >be easily seen and moves on towards Darkseid's devices. Thinking for >a moment he retrieves some more of the subzero devices he used on >greyworld and plants them on the devices before moving on. Darkseid glances to one side. "Eh?" Twin blood-red beams-the Omega Effect-lance out, hunting Driscoll down with ridiculous efficiency. (Insert cool escape here) >With Takhisis's seige weapons he come pulls out a small glassine box. >Putting it in contact with the engines he touches they keys in >sequnce and some bio engeneered worms come out, boring into anything >and everything except glassine using their spitted acid to soften up >anything they can't chew up. He smiles as they all borrow into the >seige engines and disappear only leaving behind a few small holes to >show they ever existed. The Dark God of Ansalon sighs. "Darkseid, what _are_ you doing?" "Saboteur," Darkseid explains simply. "Normally, I would allow my agents to deal with such things, and punish them if they fail. But this close to the anti-life equation, I cannot permit myself such luxury. Be wary." > He pauses looking at Shard adn the immortals and decides that >without knowing the exact nature of the devices he'd better just try >to break them fast. Jumping all around witht he 7-league boots, Driss >starts planting explosives and incindiary devices wherever he can >find to hide them then looking at the demons, smiles and adds some >special devices a vampire hunter once gave him that explode spraying >holy water in every direction. Shard's eyes widen. "Damn, he's faster than a cheetah on speed," he says. "Who is?" One of Shard's allies asks. "Oh forget it," Shard sighs, and jumps at Driss with Quickening blade coming to hand. > Once satisfied he gets the hell out of htere as fast as he can and >has Roscoe tightbeam everyone with the preparations Driss has made >and the fact that he's ready to set them all off. He leaves Shard behind in the dust. ...but another set of Omega Beams is headed straight for him! (OOC: Darkseid's Omega Effect disintegrates most targets on contact; he can reintegrate them later at his pleasure. Anything tough enough to survive the first strike is merely struck by a blast able to knock Kryptonians for a loop.) =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:37:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:15:08 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005833 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 11:34:59 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005830 > >{Don't worry about Scaly there. James is already on it, from the >inside - with your other lady friendly. Which is SO typical of the >man. Always where you need him, and with a pretty lady, too, >usually.} She chuckles over the connection. [But I will probably >figure a way to... ah, yes.} One of Roland's force constructs appears >about the lady, and she makes tracks for the nearest ship to get some >footing on. (OOC: Did she give the ring back? If not, she can get around at lightspeed, which in this battle means more or less instantly.) Starbuck forms up to fly escort, if she's moving at human-trackable speeds. {Hey, lady, you sure get around. Need a hand?} He smiles winningly from the cockpit of his Viper and salutes jauntily. >Meinwhile, "outside" Roland continues to do his biplane impersonation >around the Dark Lhanc's King Kong. Suddenly, the Dark Lhanc >amalgamation freezes in place. His/her/its giant, firery, >bird-of-prey aura shrinks down to body-level and instead of a >red-yellow color, it is a marbleized mixture of red, yellow, silver >and green fire. The giant draconic figure doubles over, as if in >pain, and holds its huge head in its hands, the aura flaring. > >"Stop Fighting" it says, obvious pain in its voice. Roland immediately ceases fire. "Had enough, then?" Roland asks, no longer playing the deliberate target; his attitude is more that of an annoyed older brother. >: Epsilon Three. >: And in that one incredible, terrifyingly beautiful moment, Shard >: smiles. >: "It's-it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen..." > >/Unicorn./ Zia cusses. /I was hoping that it WOULDN'T work. Where's >Murphy when you REALLY need the demon?/ Her stark terror is thinly >veiled with the attempt at a James-like quip. /Since when do things _ever_ go that much our way?/ Roland sighs. /Okay, people, the shield is down and his forces are up-let's hit 'em hard and fast before they have a chance to-/ *Callahanians.* An image of the Spider the size of the Galactica appears several miles above the Tower's highest point. *I am Z'On'Dar. You have done well against that which I have placed in your path. Now, however, the time for conflict has ended.* /Yeah, right,/ Roland sighs, but doesn't interrupt the psi-hologram. /So much for plan A./ *Please, come to my Tower so that I might explain the true purpose of this entire endeavor.* The image flickers and vanishes. /Hmmph. Well. That was...weird./ Roland looks down at the enormous, now-glowing Tower. /We might as well take the opportunity to let it reveal its Master Plan (tm) to us. A few folx shoud stay in orbit-Aurora, Nemo, the Dragon's Bane and Velvet Glove really _can't_ land, so I guess you two are on that duty-but other than that, 'all ashore who's going ashore.'/ Roland looks briefly at B-5. /Legion, how are you holding up? Can we assist? I imagine Nemo can give 'Natalia' a new body, and get you yours back./ (OOC: When that's resolved) Roland scowls. /High tea with the Lord of Misrule. Just my idea of a good time./ As the CAoL approaches the planet, they get a better look at the six spheres. A young man in his early teens, dressed in a red shirt, blue jeans, and beat-up sneakers is in the uppermost bubble. Directly below him is what looks like a living corpse, apparently male, dressed in moth-eaten High Victorian court dress. 'Around' the axis they make are the other four bubbles. Kosh is in one, in his true form. Across from him is Fatale exactly as she had been when she visited the cottage. The last two are filled with the Primal Phoenix and Lady Ariel. Roland looks extremely annoyed at seeing some of these folk prisoner, though it's hard to say _how_ he feels about Ariel being captured, and he seems to have a look of grim satisfaction as his eyes flicker past the creature below the boy. /That...THING...below the kid is the Gaunt Man, he-who-would-be-Torg. He wields a Darkness Device-think of it as a piece of pure Abyss, Zia-called Heketon, and could probably give the lot of us a hard time. I'm not quite sure who the boy is-/ In that moment, the boy puts his forehead against the bubble, presses his hands against it, and says a single word. Z'On'Dar shakes its head. "Bone conduction. Why didn't I think of that..." it says, 'smiling.' "SHAZAM!" A bolt of lightning from nowhere (actually a pocket dimension holding an ancient wizard) hits the bubble. Doing nothing. Billy Batson stares in surprise as the lightning flows around the sphere, trying in vain to find a point of entry... /What the nass?/ Roland blinks. /Captain Marvel. As pure a soul as there is to be found. What is Z'On'Dar UP to?/ TBC... (In which we get the answer to Roland's question...) =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 20:36:43 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 19:38:22 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005834 > On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:38:09 -0500 > Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005824 > >>On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:25:48 -0400 >>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005821 >> >>> On Sat, 12 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > >>> Epsilon Three. >>> Six spheres appear around the projector at the top of the >>> Tower, each bearing a single sentient, arrayed in the cardinal >>> directions. Nemo looks towards Epsilon Three. Even through the hull of the Velvet Glove, he seems to be watching something. >>> Those with the ability to perceive cosmic/ fundamental reality >>> see a...knot...of reality, twisted into something impossible in >>> most planes, a self-contained 'loop' of sentient unreality. An >>> Outsider Thing. Aadschlaggha, the Crawler in the Pit at the End of >>> All Worlds. ^Zia, prepare to take over the ship, I'm slaving control to your panel.^ {#*Red alert. The situation on Epsilon Three just went critical.*#} >>> The other looks like Shard's _very_ big brother. >>> Pure brilliant light on one side and utterly black jagged metal >>> on the other, it-he?-is a humanoid twenty feet tall. He laughs. >>> Stranger definitely, and several others in all likelihood, >>> recognize him as Mournblade. Nemo crosses himself. "Our Father, who art in Heaven...." > Michael Seven mulls this all over, dusting himself off. > > /Personally, my first thought was 'What the Hell?' But, that sums it > up as well. / /Houston, we have a problem.../ > Mike winces slightly as he flexs his still-injured right hand. > /Forgot about that. At least I didn't cut deep. Anybody got a > bandage?/ Nemo sends /Allow me. Anyone else need physical damage repaired. I can easily spare the capacity right now, and we'll need everyone in top condition before we deal with the situation./ /Also, if anyone needs to rest, I can set up a time accelerator field. They haven't blocked *that*./ =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 21:39:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 00:14:04 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005835 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005833 > /Hmmph. Well. That was...weird./ Roland looks down at the enormous, > now-glowing Tower. /We might as well take the opportunity to let it > reveal its Master Plan (tm) to us. A few folx shoud stay in orbit > -Aurora, Nemo, the Dragon's Bane and Velvet Glove really _can't_ > land, so I guess you two are on that duty-but other than that, 'all > ashore who's going ashore.'/ A single pulse of force from Dragon's Bane and the material that Dark Lanc wrapped the ship in is converted to energy, and absorbed. As the material is "removed" it becomes clear that either Dragon's Bane's weapons have been, very quickly, repaired or that they were not damaged at all by Dark Lanc. /Roland, Dragon's Bane does not need me as a pilot. Unless you truely wish me to remain in orbit, you might want me down there with you./ Aurora sends. =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 21:39:13 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Revelations & Epiphanies On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 00:15:38 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005836 OOc: Long flashback with no relation to the current plot. >On Thu, 10 Sep 1998 05:26:08 -0500 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005797 > >As the asteroid became a fury of energy, Michael held his right hand >up and the energy he was absorbing shot out from the cut in his palm, >racing toward the transparent station. Where it 'struck', not that it >hit with any violence, more like a fine mist, the materials >underneath became opaque again, from the inntermost layers outward. >That area quickle spread to the rest of the station, until the entire >thing was back to the way it was supposed to be. Rhia and the rest of the crew of the Spoiler enter the station. She leads the way, "C'mon. If this station is like ours then I know the perfect bar where we can get a view of the planet." She leads them to the aforementioned bar as the station quickly returned to normal. Once inside, the crew all orders drinks, while she has a double. The comm person, Corporal Lance Williams, walks over to her solitary table, "C'mom Ree, You know how he gets sometimes." Rhia doesn't even look up, "And you know it isn't him but that thrice damned thing that rides him in his head. The John I know wouldn't have used a weapon that might destroy the entire universe he was fighting to protect. You remember his misgivings about having that MataNano even on the ship? And he just uses it like that? You should.. No. It's not you I'm mad at. Don't worry about me, I won't have more than this. Just let me be. I'll be fine." Lance looks clearly unsure about that last remark, but goes back and sits down. A low murmur springs up behind her, but Rhia doesn't notice. She sits toying with her drink and thinking back to a conversation she wished she could forget. John had just told her that she would become Zodaii if she wished. "How could you _do_ this to me?" "I wanted to tell you. There was still time, the process wasn't reversible, and I had slowed it considerably. But how could I ask you to make a decision about immortality without having a few hundred years under your belt? It was to be your decision." "Oh? And what happened to that? You suddenly decide that my best interests dictated otherwise and fixed my destiny to suit yourself?" "_I_ wasn't consulted. When I was kidnapped, _it_ speeded everything up as fast as it could. I had no clue until we got back home." A moment of silence. "When it first joined with me, I thought we would be equal partners. I thought that I would merge with it, but that I would still be me. But lately... It's been growing stronger more quickly than I am. At this rate it's going to dominate me. It always could, when it had to, but it's been getting easier for it. Much easier. I don't know how long I'll still be me. When I realized, I stopped the merging process. I thought that would be enough, but it's not. It can't control you. It'll try, but it can't. That's why I distanced myself from my friends, from the CAoL, from everyone. It'll use them, through me. I can't involve them in this." "Why don't you just ask them to help? You've told me often enough that they would walk through hell for a freind, and could outpower almost any being in existance, collectively. Just ask them." "No. I can't. I almost have, several times. I didn't know when I first met them, and now that I do... You don't understand. I'll lose it again. To remove it from my mind, I'd go back to being, well, a normal. It's been so long.. I don't think I could handle it. I'll die first." "Don't say that! You could learn it all again, without that being." 'No, I couldn't. I don't understand half what I can do. And I would always be beholden.' He thought, "It won't come to that. I'll think of something. But it knows. My every thought, when it's not rarely gone, it knows I plot against it. It might move before I do.. It will move before I do if I can't find a way to keep my thoughts secret from it. So Ree, if it comes to it, and it takes me over completely and leaves only a shell, I want you to get the CAoL and come after me." "What, rescue you? If they can do it then why not just ask them" "No. Not rescue me. To put me down. I'll be the worst threat they'll ever face, and the greatest danger to reality that ever existed. They'd have to move fast, before I retrieved all the others." "Others?" "The others like me. Why do you think I can travel the multiverse so readily? I look for ways to muddle through this mess, and it looks for the other peices of itself. With every dimensional shift I do on my own power it can screen a hundred trillion universes. And after me, they have to put down the other one too." John stopped and looked at Rhia's expression, then gathered her in close to him, "I'll find a way through all this." Rhia stared into her glass, 'You better find the answer, love. You better do it soon.' =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 22:08:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 00:43:52 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005837 >On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 14:56:32 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005819 > > The Dome fades away. Ree sits up at this latest manifestation and looks again to make sure that she's seeing what she is seeing. "Fortuna bless us all, the waste products have hit the ventilation system." ^John? We have a situation forming here. Aadschlaggha and Mournblade just joined the party.^ Faintly she gets a reply back, ^Alright. I'm on this one. I'll be over after I finish the watch on this dimension. Another three hundred years local time.^ Ree turns back to the crew, "The Admiral will be arriving in about 2 minutes local time." /A little earlier than that. I'm looking at it, but I'm not believing it. Leave for five minutes and the dimension goes to pot./ ^Are you OK?^ ^Yeah. I think I have half an idea on our problem.^ =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 22:08:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:02:02 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005839 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 16:09:09 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005832 > >>On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 12:06:05 EDT >>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005828 >> >> Driss pauses for a moment then sneaks first over towards Jha'Dur. >>Pausing only for a moment he kneels down so he canreach the ground >>still covered by his cloak. As close to the bio-weapon production >>area as possible, Driss plants three small devices where they won't >>be easily seen and moves on towards Darkseid's devices. Thinking for >>a moment he retrieves some more of the subzero devices he used on >>greyworld and plants them on the devices before moving on. > > Darkseid glances to one side. "Eh?" > Twin blood-red beams-the Omega Effect-lance out, hunting Driscoll >down with ridiculous efficiency. > (Insert cool escape here) Driss curses whatever sixth or seventh senses are guiding the eye beams. Fiddling wiht one of hte rings on his fingers Driss shrinks down to three inches tall and disappears into a small hole using a beam from the same ring to enlarge a gold coin behind himself to seal the tunnel. With no way to go around the blockade the beams strike it instead disintigrating the coin and winking out of existance as Driss pops out of another nearby hole and enlarges back to his former size still hidden by his cloak. > Shard's eyes widen. "Damn, he's faster than a cheetah on speed," >he says. > "Who is?" One of Shard's allies asks. > "Oh forget it," Shard sighs, and jumps at Driss with Quickening >blade coming to hand. Driss decides his concealment isn't doing any good so he pulls apart the cloak and draws out his rapier. "You know normally I would love to stay and make your swordsmanship skills look like that of a 1 legged 3 year old but unfortunately I have better things to do right now, like keeping my carcass in one piece." He feints at shard, disengadging and making a lunge for Shard...that takes him a full two miles beyond. While Shard tries to spot where he went... > He leaves Shard behind in the dust. > ...but another set of Omega Beams is headed straight for him! "You know that guy could really use some Visine for that red eye..." he doesn't have much more time to qwip as the beams close quickly and there are no more little tunnels to go running into this time. Utilizing the boots and his natural agility Driss goes dancing around popping in and out trying to dodge the beams, which would be tying themselves into knots were they solid, while he fishes around in his cloak. retrieving a small jewelry box. He opens it but has to dodge once again at the last moment spilling rings everywhere. Cursing loudly Driss manages to do a double backflip and grab the ring he wanted and swaps it for another that was on his finger and aims it at the Omega Effect beams as they close in on him. Just before the beams hit, a jet black beam shoots out of hte ring and sucks the Omega Effect beam in. Driss plops to the ground panting for breath when he remembers his orriginal plan. Pulling out a remote detonator from his cloak he sets off all the planted devices. =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 22:08:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:02:02 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005838 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:15:08 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005833 > *Callahanians.* An image of the Spider the size of the Galactica >appears several miles above the Tower's highest point. *I am >Z'On'Dar. You have done well against that which I have placed in your >path. Now, however, the time for conflict has ended.* Driss looks at the detonator he had just activated, throws it back in his cloak and begins rocking back adn forth on his heels, looking at the sky and whistling to himself. > /Hmmph. Well. That was...weird./ Roland looks down at the >enormous, now-glowing Tower. /We might as well take the opportunity >to let it reveal its Master Plan (tm) to us. A few folx shoud stay in >orbit-Aurora, Nemo, the Dragon's Bane and Velvet Glove really _can't_ >land, so I guess you two are on that duty-but other than that, 'all >ashore who's going ashore.'/ /Well since we're already here I gues that's us too./ Driss sends via his Sigil and starts walking back towards the tower. As he passes quickly by Shard, "Hey no hard feeling about that one legged 3 year old comment huh? but I would you know." =========================== Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 23:38:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:01:18 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005840 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:15:08 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005833 > Roland scowls. /High tea with the Lord of Misrule. Just my idea of >a good time./ As the CAoL approaches the planet, they get a better >look at the six spheres. Mike, hand healed up nicely (/Thanks, Sis./), drifts down to the planet, sword still out, but not at a threatening position, just in his left hand by his side. /Just like Jadis' Tea Party?/ he thinks with a wry smile. > A young man in his early teens, dressed in a red shirt, blue >jeans, and beat-up sneakers is in the uppermost bubble. Directly >below him is what looks like a living corpse, apparently male, >dressed in moth-eaten High Victorian court dress. 'Around' the axis >they make are the other four bubbles. Kosh is in one, in his true >form. Across from him is Fatale exactly as she had been when she >visited the cottage. The last two are filled with the Primal Phoenix >and Lady Ariel. Roland looks extremely annoyed at seeing some of >these folk prisoner, though it's hard to say _how_ he feels about >Ariel being captured, and he seems to have a look of grim >satisfaction as his eyes flicker past the creature below the boy. /More balancing forces, I see./ Mike thinks drifting past the globes at a close but nonthreatening distance. He tried to give the kid an encouraging grin as he past his eye-level. As he passed Kosh, he bowed his head slightly, cocking it slightly sideways as he raised it, his eyes narrowing then widening again to normal. It was an uncanny mimicry of the scrutiny Kosh often gave others from within his encounter suit. > /That...THING...below the kid is the Gaunt Man, >he-who-would-be-Torg. He wields a Darkness Device-think of it as a >piece of pure Abyss, Zia-called Heketon, and could probably give the >lot of us a hard time. I'm not quite sure who the boy is-/ > In that moment, the boy puts his forehead against the bubble, >presses his hands against it, and says a single word. > Z'On'Dar shakes its head. "Bone conduction. Why didn't I think of >that..." it says, 'smiling.' > "SHAZAM!" > A bolt of lightning from nowhere (actually a pocket dimension >holding an ancient wizard) hits the bubble. Doing nothing. > Billy Batson stares in surprise as the lightning flows around the >sphere, trying in vain to find a point of entry... > /What the nass?/ Roland blinks. /Captain Marvel. As pure a soul as >there is to be found. What is Z'On'Dar UP to?/ /Looks like he intends to rewrite reality, but I think we've been on to that idea for a while./ Mike sent, white boat shoes touching down next to Roland. /But, let's see what he says. I'd hesitate to guess beyond that./ =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 02:06:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 23:06:15 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005841 >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 00:14:04 EDT >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00005835 > >A single pulse of force from Dragon's Bane and the material that Dark >Lanc wrapped the ship in is converted to energy, and absorbed. As the >material is "removed" it becomes clear that either Dragon's Bane's >weapons have been, very quickly, repaired or that they were not >damaged at all by Dark Lanc. /Roland, Dragon's Bane does not need me >as a pilot. Unless you truely wish me to remain in orbit, you might >want me down there with you./ Aurora sends. /Believe me, the more the merrier,/ Roland replies in obvious relief. /Can you reach an approximately humanoid size, by the way? I don't think it'll matter _too_ much with _that_ down there,/ Roland adds, mentally 'pointing' at the Tower, /but there's no point in making too much of a target of yourself, and it'll probably make any discussion easier./ =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 05:14:09 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 06:44:50 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005843 : On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 15:48:05 -0400 : Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005831 : *^James, old sock, what in the various names of the Fates and the : Furies are you doing old man?! Or are those tales I've heard about : you true and you realy do enjoy flirting with Disaster?^* James' eyes flash at the Lensdragon, *^Indeed. I'm Fate and she is Fury. As for flirting with any beautiful woman, or other entity, you, I would ... and do ... truly enjoy it. As I'm not dead yet, I should live while I live.^* : The Dark Phoenix, meinwhile seems tempted at James' offer but still : appears to be hesitant making the decision to leave this place. The : red portions of her costume shifting between red and green, but : spending more time being red. : : "Your offer tempts me strangly, stranger. What do I gain if I accept : your offer?" James chuckles, and smiles from his place almost within her arms. "You get to have a delightful time with me. You look like you might enjoy that. A change of pace perhaps? I can say that I've yet to leave any lady disappointed that she spent some time with me, whatever our mutual pursuits may have been. Besides..." He reaches slowly up and touches her cheek, "It is almost painful to watch one so beautiful rage when I would rather see a lady happy." "It is, " he sighs, "a quirk of my character, I suppose. I'm not deceiving you; perhaps you can even tell. I'm not sure of your ability to detect the truth as I speak. I just have a certain ... weakness for beautiful women in distress. I always get this obsession with making them laugh and be happy again." He smiles slightly and shrugs, "And as your reluctant cheval currently points out, I have a fascination with walking the dangerous edge. You being both my complusions wrapped up in one, dear lady; I am hard put to resist your appeal." "I do hope you'll say yes. Selfish of me, but I'd rather make you happy than opposing you. I don't like fighting women. Or even cosmic entities that look like women. I know it's strange of me, but there it is. It's like smashing a stained glass window in a church. A waste in more ways than one. And I'd like to settle this between us to attend to the master villain of the plot; that seems a lot more satisfying than tormenting something as lovely as you are." James waits patiently, his Ordered power still bolstered by Sil's to work Dhyrclanc free, but still not working to hurt this strangely beautifl if deadly force of nature directly. He knows he is probably too close if she decides to haul off and clock him one, but he decided that if he was asking her to trust him, he should trust her first. "Shall we dance _together_, lady?" James Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. And dance like nobody is watching.--S Clark & R Leigh =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 05:14:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 06:57:30 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005844 : On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:15:08 : Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005833 : (OOC: Did she give the ring back? If not, she can get around at : lightspeed, which in this battle means more or less instantly.) ooSC: No, she figured that he gave it to her for some reason.... and that might be it. :) She will once the fight is over, certainly, or it's usefulness is done. : Starbuck forms up to fly escort, if she's moving at human- : trackable speeds. {Hey, lady, you sure get around. Need a hand?} He : smiles winningly from the cockpit of his Viper and salutes jauntily. {You're a fine one to talk, Lieutenant. And if I needed one, how woudl you go about getting it to me, hmmm?} The come-back queen of Amber quips. She feels much better suddenly, if for no really good reason. {I might need someone to fly wing on me, and James is quite.. occupied. "Stick" around, flyboy.} She puns without mercy. : Roland immediately ceases fire. : "Had enough, then?" Roland asks, no longer playing the deliberate : target; his attitude is more that of an annoyed older brother. *Come on, James, either convince her or beat her. Stop trying to flirt with all the women in this fight. Or make them flirt with you, or whatever. You ogling them isn't going to get Knightmare stopped... however amusing I find it that you keep flirting when you know perfectly well you won't take it further, my husband.* : cottage. The last two are filled with the Primal Phoenix and Lady : Ariel. Roland looks extremely Zia follows Roland down, going slowly enough Starbuck can tag along and land his ship. She'll form him a force-mech too, if he needs one for the vaccum of this world. She looks somewhat personally effronted to see the Bug has even a near-Amberite captured. : /That...THING...below the kid is the Gaunt Man, : he-who-would-be-Torg. He wields a Darkness Device-think of it as a : piece of pure Abyss, Zia-called Heketon, and could probably give the : lot of us a hard time. I'm not quite sure who the boy is-/ /Not much. You just have to know how to deal with the Abyss.../ Zia remarks, absently, most of her mind working on taking over Velet Glove remotely and tying the ecoding for a second or six. : "SHAZAM!" : A bolt of lightning from nowhere (actually a pocket dimension : holding an ancient wizard) hits the bubble. Doing nothing. ^We might try intercepting the bolt if he tries that again - I believe it will transform anyone, if diverted. Usually not possible to divert it...^ : /What the nass?/ Roland blinks. /Captain Marvel. As pure a soul : as there is to be found. What is Z'On'Dar UP to?/ : TBC... : (In which we get the answer to Roland's question...) Zia, who has quite a thing for children being in the fire zone... as in she DOESN'T like it a bit, smiles at Billy, trying to look reassuring. She mostly looks like she is half-furious and half-fearful. She manages a glance at the Dara / Bester chess match, and rolls her eyes slightly. =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 08:36:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 07:43:55 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005845 >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 06:57:30 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005844 > >Zia follows Roland down, going slowly enough Starbuck can tag along >and land his ship. She'll form him a force-mech too, if he needs one >for the vaccum of this world. She looks somewhat personally effronted >to see the Bug has even a near-Amberite captured. Roland should get to the real replies this evening, but I wanted to let everyone know that there _is_ an atmosphere on the planet, for about a 10 mi. radius around the Tower. Courtesy our arachnid host :-). =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:19:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:00:29 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005846 > On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 14:56:32 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005819 > The Dome fades away. Elementals begin appearing, Arriving faster and Faster, They start forming Ranks inside and outside, The boundry the Dome once held... /Long Negotiations.../ =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:19:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:08:35 -0700 (PDT) Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005847 > On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 23:06:15 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005841 > > /Believe me, the more the merrier,/ Roland replies in obvious > relief. /Can you reach an approximately humanoid size, by the way? I > don't think it'll matter _too_ much with _that_ down there,/ Roland > adds, mentally 'pointing' at the Tower, /but there's no point in > making too much of a target of yourself, and it'll probably make any > discussion easier./ /I will be sending two Splits, One I will equip with Power Bands, Made of a Power Battery Each, I will not be bringing the Quantum Nega-Bands, within reach of that Thing... The other will stand in for Fuzzy, He does not trust this... And he has his borrowed forces to Direct./ [I do not expect to fool KnightMare, or any of the Cosmics, This is just Politeness and Caution...] l8tr Nemisis When the parley call was accepted by Roland, the Ranks of Elemental broke, But they are still arriving, and they are not far from their proper posistions... =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 18:38:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 21:19:49 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005848 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005841 > /Believe me, the more the merrier,/ Roland replies in obvious > relief. /Can you reach an approximately humanoid size, by the way? I > don't think it'll matter _too_ much with _that_ down there,/ Roland > adds, mentally 'pointing' at the Tower, /but there's no point in > making too much of a target of yourself, and it'll probably make any > discussion easier./ /Assuming human size would not be a problem, Roland./ Aurora answers. Those on the link can sense that she is immensely amused by the concept. One characteristic that all Starspawn share with The Stardragon, is that we have no predefined shape, or size. We can be any size that we wish to be./ She continues. As she "says" this, a globe of light expands (in all directions) outward from Dragon's Bane, then separates from the ship. As she approaches Roland, she coalesces to a shape slightly larger than human. When the form is completely defined (at a range of a few feet from Roland), the CAoL can see that she has taken the form of a silvery white winged unicorn, roughly the size of a quarterhorse. /Cerberus, and Hydra tend to choose large forms as an intimidating factor. The Stardragon seems to choose sizes depending on its mood and the need at hand, as do I. Like all Starspawn and The Stardragon I do have a few "favored" forms. This is the form that I favor for battle./ She finishes. =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:43:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:35:24 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005849 >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:02:02 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005839 > Cursing loudly Driss manages to do a double backflip and grab the >ring he wanted and swaps it for another that was on his finger and >aims it at the Omega Effect beams as they close in on him. Just >before the beams hit, a jet black beam shoots out of hte ring and >sucks the Omega Effect beam in. > Driss plops to the ground panting for breath when he remembers his >orriginal plan. Pulling out a remote detonator from his cloak he sets >off all the planted devices. Jha'Dur looks vaguely annoyed, then laughs quietly. "Using bacteria. Against ME!" She just shakes her head as her bioroids get a bad case of mange. The bioweapons themselves fire a few random shots, then heal. Darkseid frowns as the zero-Kelvin bombs take out a small number of platforms, though one cluster of equipment is unaffected. He Omega-Beams three of his parademon captains. Takhisis chuckles. "Oh, how incredibly effective." The siege engines explode in her dragons' faces, every one. Jha'Dur laughs again. "You were saying, oh Goddess of Fury?" "That...THAT...HUUUMAN!" The incredibly beautiful woman becomes a multicolored, five-headed dragon, all of whose heads are pointed at Driscoll. (If you've ever played AD&D or seen the cartoon, you know what she looks like.) KnightMare just looks at her. Nothing even remotely threatening, just _looks._ Tiamat returns to Takhisis form. Shard looks like he just suffered an 'Acme' explosion, i.e. covered head to toe in black soot, except for his eyes. The rest of his immortals are recovering from being briefly dead. The odd device is unharmed. >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:02:02 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005838 > > Driss looks at the detonator he had just activated, throws it back >in his cloak and begins rocking back adn forth on his heels, looking >at the sky and whistling to himself. Takhisis just glares. Dara's eyes flicker. The holy water is now just H2O. > /Well since we're already here I gues that's us too./ Driss sends >via his Sigil and starts walking back towards the tower. As he passes >quickly by Shard, "Hey no hard feeling about that one legged 3 year >old comment huh? but I would you know." Shard chuckles. "Yeah. Right. Bub, I spent ten thousand _years_ as a sword. I could beat you if I _was_ a one-legged three-year-old." (OOC: That's Shard talking, not the GM; duels will be settled the old fashioned way: however they work best in to the plot. ) >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:01:18 -0500 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005840 > >/More balancing forces, I see./ Mike thinks drifting past the globes >at a close but nonthreatening distance. He tried to give the kid an >encouraging grin as he past his eye-level. As he passed Kosh, he >bowed his head slightly, cocking it slightly sideways as he raised >it, his eyes narrowing then widening again to normal. It was an >uncanny mimicry of the scrutiny Kosh often gave others from within >his encounter suit. Roland nods uncertainly. /Looks like.../ Kosh 'nods' back as best a glowing squid can. Billy waves and smiles bravely. >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 06:44:50 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005843 >"I do hope you'll say yes. Selfish of me, but I'd rather make you >happy than opposing you. I don't like fighting women. Or even cosmic >entities that look like women. I know it's strange of me, but there >it is. It's like smashing a stained glass window in a church. A waste >in more ways than one. And I'd like to settle this between us to >attend to the master villain of the plot; that seems a lot more >satisfying than tormenting something as lovely as you are." Sil 'rolls her eyes.' ^Phoenix and Light, James, lay it on any thicker and none of us will be able to _wade_ through it. And why don't you ever talk to _me_ like that?^ >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 06:57:30 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005844 > >{You're a fine one to talk, Lieutenant. And if I needed one, how >woudl you go about getting it to me, hmmm?} The come-back queen of >Amber quips. She feels much better suddenly, if for no really good >reason. {I might need someone to fly wing on me, and James is quite.. >occupied. "Stick" around, flyboy.} She puns without mercy. {I thought you were married,} Starbuck says as innocently as he can, which isn't very. {And the way this thing on my hand is glowing, I have a feeling I could give one all the way out to the Colonies. A hand, that is,} he says, again utterly failing to sound innocent. > /Not much. You just have to know how to deal with the Abyss.../ >Zia remarks, absently, most of her mind working on taking over Velet >Glove remotely and tying the ecoding for a second or six. The Gaunt Man stares at Roland briefly, almost as if he knew what the Freelance Immortal was thinking, then at Zia. There's nothing behind his eyes. Literal nothingness, beyond even 'empty'... > Zia, who has quite a thing for children being in the fire zone... >as in she DOESN'T like it a bit, smiles at Billy, trying to look >reassuring. She mostly looks like she is half-furious and half- >fearful. She manages a glance at the Dara / Bester chess match, and >rolls her eyes slightly. Billy smiles back and waves at Zia as well. Folx get the feeling that _he_ is trying to reassure _them._ Dara smiles at her in a way that almost seems friendly. Bester moves a pawn. >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:08:35 -0700 (PDT) >Fuzzy and Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005847 >/I will be sending two Splits, > One I will equip with Power Bands, > Made of a Power Battery Each, > I will not be bringing the Quantum Nega-Bands, > within reach of that Thing... > The other will stand in for Fuzzy, > He does not trust this... > And he has his borrowed forces to Direct./ > >[I do not expect to fool KnightMare, > or any of the Cosmics, > This is just Politeness and Caution...] /Probably wise all around,/ Roland agrees, /though you might want to have a 'buffer' split keep a backup of 'you' during all this. If _I_ were in KM's shoes-or whatever-you'd be high on my priority list./ >When the parley call was accepted by Roland, > the Ranks of Elemental broke, > But they are still arriving, > and they are not far from their proper posistions... Fuzzy and the Elementals (is that a new band? ) sense Mournblade and Takhisis sensing _them._ And Dara's demons seem to be...eager... >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 21:19:49 EDT >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00005848 > >When the form is completely defined (at a range of a few feet from >Roland), the CAoL can see that she has taken the form of a silvery >white winged unicorn, roughly the size of a quarterhorse. /Cerberus, >and Hydra tend to choose large forms as an intimidating factor. The >Stardragon seems to choose sizes depending on its mood and the need >at hand, as do I. Like all Starspawn and The Stardragon I do have a >few "favored" forms. This is the form that I favor for battle./ She >finishes. /Quite beautiful,/ Roland replies admiringly. /I thought as much, but I wasn't sure, seeing how Stardragon and Hydra would have been a lot easier to bring along sometimes had they shrunk to a size that couldn't be seen from the horizon by the naked human...eye...oh, nass.../ Galactus lands. =========================== Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:50:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Rev. part II: The Plot Revealed-At Last! On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:37:57 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005850 "Would you like anything before we begin?" Z'On'Dar asks politely, in a surprisingly normal voice, in the native languages of each member of the CAoL simultaneously. "Healing? Furniture? The digestible of your species?" ^Your head on a pike?^ Morgan sends in a Vir-like tone. ^Mor-gan...^ Roland sighs. ^I wasn't going to say it in _public_.^ Morgan responds. ^You don't honestly think I'm _that_ stupid, do you?^ ^Of course not, love,^ Roland replies gently. ^It just doesn't help any that I was thinking the same thing myself.^ The Lenslink is reminded of the time KnightMare named itself...and for all intents and purposes mindraped Roland. "Out with it, KnightMare," Roland snaps, his patience badly frayed as memories flood his mind. The Spider shakes its head. "That name is no longer appropriate. I am once more Z'On'Dar." [Like hell,] Roland mutters mentally. "Okay then...Z'On'Dar...we know you plan on altering the fundamental state of reality. Why?" /We do? Or we just suspect?/ Morgan asks. /Honey, what I 'know' for certain can fit in a thimble, but there's no reason to let _it_ know that,/ Roland replies. /That's what I thought,/ Morgan sends, bemused. "Ah, young eternal, you are so close to the truth...yet so far. Your 'quantum physicists' have more of the truth than they know, but less understanding of it than they can possibly imagine. There _is_ no fundamental reality, as many of your companions can tell you." Roland grimaces. "Then _what_ is the point of _that?_" he asks, pointing at the Tower. "There _is_ a fundamental reality-most of us know at least one way to manipulate it." Z'On'Dar sighs and leans back on its legs. "There is a fundamental _force_ of reality. It is known by many names-each of which is thought by its creators to be the One True Source of Reality. The Stardragon," it says with an even look at Aurora. "Pattern. Chaos," it continues, motioning its head at Zia and Dara in turn. "Quantum reality," it adds, gesturing at Jha'Dur. "The Zodaii." It looks up, and though it doesn't have eyes to roll, it manages to give that impression. "The Source." Z'On'Dar and Darkseid exchange looks. "True Magick," it says finally, with a nod to Morgan. "The 'True' Mages come closer than most to understanding, but instead of using their knowledge to expand reality, fight for a single perception thereof. Present company excepted." Z'On'Dar looks the entire CAoL over. "You are no doubt wondering why you are all here, and that a fight has not yet broken out." Shard chuckles. "Because you have a use for them," Lara says as she appears. An exquisite 'woman' apparently carved from obsidian, she steps forward to join the CAoL, a sword of the same substance as herself in one 'hand.' "As you did for my mate." "They will understand," Z'On'Dar replies evenly. "Although only a few of you _truly_ understand what you're fighting for-the cat, the 'Lensdragon,' the former Time Lord-you all in one way or another strive for a more accepting reality." Z'On'Dar waves one pincer behind it to the Tower. "I will complete your work in one stroke." Roland blinks. "What the nass?" Z'On'Dar concentrates. A glowing light (to the cosmics, a metamodel of 'under-reality') appears before it. "When I led the Shadows on Oa, we were led to believe that the battle there would serve our purpose- evolution. This, of course, was a lie. By the time everything had been sorted out to my people's satisfaction, however, I was in Arcadia being infused with Fatale's dark magicks." Fatale gazes coolly at the Shadow. "I became the 'Fell Spider.' Most of the rest you know, until the end of your 'assignment' on Quaren. I retreated to an 'Antiverse' similar in nature to the Crawler above us. Then I contemplated my situation." "Oh," Roland begins coolly, becoming more agitated with each word, "after you'd mindblasted me, sent your hitmage after us, and tried to destroy us all?" His eyes are burning with rage by the time the sentence is complete. Morgan places one hand on Roland's arm in an effort to calm him. Z'On'Dar sighs. "Ah yes, the Aeon obsession with telepathic etiquette. Might I remind you, Roland Phoenix, that I was myself under the influence of a thought-altering effect?" Roland stops cold, his eyes faintly glowing. "Thank you. Now. I realized that conquest was pointless. If I want a universe, I can simply find one in which I will be welcomed as the heir to a galactic throne or worshipped as a godling or somesuch. And yet I had accumulated more power than most entire dimensions possess. Surely, there was something productive that could be done with all that power. And so." It gestures again at the Tower. "I accumulated allies, placed the potential obstacles-treacherous creatures all, certain to fall before you-in your path, and planned...this." It looks up at the Tower, a long satisfied gaze. "You mean all that tap-dancing around Jadis and Nephandi and Greys and..." Morgan waves her hand in the air, unsure how far back to continue the list. "...was YOUR doing?" "Oh, the Greys were almost accidental, and the Controller-that interfering machine-was an accursed nuisance. But yes, Moriarty-or rather, Lunitic and the Legislators, and all that followed, I placed in your path, save for the Greys, as I said. That was merely... convenient. Though that world drew my enemies to it, and that was far more than convenient, I assure you. 'Malice' is back in its Morpheum prison, and the Controller and Jadis are unable to interfere further. A few others did try to betray me, but they were easily dealt with. There were a few surprises-I hadn't thought Thorne _that_ great a fool, Highlander-but by and large I have been attempting to reach this point for quite some time now." "Uh-huh. Whatever. So what IS this point, Shadow? What is that TOWER?" Roland blurts. "Ascension. In a bottle," Morden smiles. "Altering spirits, I learned quickly, is counter-productive," Z'On'Dar explains, "and reconfiguring minds serves only to reduce diversity of perception. Therefore, my solution is simple. Evolve all sentient beings physically, to their ultimate potential-true reality/energy forms-in one stroke. The Tower." Roland boggles. "That's...that's...impossible!" [Now _there's_ a word I thought I'd never use again!] "Absurd," Lara adds. Morden smiles again, and for the briefest of moments becomes a being of pure...existence. "It's already done." "To one being," Lara retorts. "Doing so to the entire metacosm is another matter entirely." "Yes," Z'On'Dar notes dryly. "I would need an interdimensional Gateway capable of stretching from one end of the multiverse to the other, programmed with the capability to understand every sort of paradigm, and bearing the power to unleash the full potential of every entity in existence." Morgan looks up at where the Thirdspace gate used to be, looks at the six spheres, and sends quietly, /I have a baaaad feeling about this..../ "This will result, naturally, in every being having essentially limitless power and immortality. The 'playing field,' as humans so quaintly put it, will be levelled completely and finally. Only expression, perception and will-the only valid marks of differentiation-will distinguish one sentient from another. The ridiculous concept of 'death' will be no more. It will be impossible to permanently harm another being." Roland frowns. "I don't buy it." "Why not? Because you cannot comprehend it? Is this not what your band fights for-a day when all are 'free,' an end to strife and loss?" "Grr-he's not buyin' it, boss," Shard growls. "Yeah, well, I look around at the generals of your 'utopia,' and I gotta say I'm not impressed by your generosity," Roland shoots back. "They will each be able to create their own desired realities. Some have ulterior motives, true, but if they try to force these motives on others, they will fail." Z'On'Dar gazes at the CAoL. "Well?" (OOC: Insert final responses here) Roland gazes levelly at the Shadow, his still-wounded mind buzzing with half-formed thought. "There's something to be said for your plan, Z'On'Dar. I can't find any holes in it. But my gut tells me you're wrong." "Damn! I warned you!" Shard shouts, his sword of Quickening forming in his hand. "He's going to attack!" He lunges. "Shard, no-" Z'On'Dar says, then sighs as (presumably) all hell breaks loose. It begins scuttling back toward the Tower... (OOC: Have fun, folx-Ragnarok has begun! ) =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 00:13:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rev. part II: The Plot Revealed-At Last! On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 03:09:02 EDT Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00005851 Roland wrote: > "They will each be able to create their own desired realities. > Some have ulterior motives, true, but if they try to force these > motives on others, they will fail." Z'On'Dar gazes at the CAoL. > "Well?" > (OOC: Insert final responses here) A man in a trench coat appears, and says, "Your dream is mad, of course." A voice, that sounds like Z'On'Dar's, but coming from the non-descript man's shoulder, says "Of course." (Of interest is the fact that the man is wearing a piece of ID marking him as "C. Scott Osborne", a member of the Maintainers Guild [1].) Scott resumes, "This device looks suspiciously like a Reality Weapon. And the fatal flaw of all reality weapons is that they are dangerously unstable. No telling which way the device will go. This device will, in all likelyhood, destroy the multiverse." <... Z's responce ...> Osborne frowns, and then vanishes. > "Damn! I warned you!" Shard shouts, his sword of Quickening > forming in his hand. "He's going to attack!" He lunges. > "Shard, no-" Z'On'Dar says, then sighs as (presumably) all hell > breaks loose. It begins scuttling back toward the Tower... [1] 1/2-OOC: The MG is basicly a bunch of people who have the mission of cleaning up the cosmic lint that tends to accumulate throughout the multiverse. Mostly Harmless (tm); however, the enforcement branches take a dim view of reality weapons. (A RW is defined as any device powerful enough to completely eliminate a single universe or realm of possibility. (that's Zero (0), not (1 in a googleplex).)) Thanks Scott "To much OOC stuff for one post, but what're you going to do?" Osborne =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 04:43:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 03:18:32 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005852 > On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 00:14:04 EDT > Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005835 > > A single pulse of force from Dragon's Bane and the material that > Dark Lanc wrapped the ship in is converted to energy, and absorbed. > As the material is "removed" it becomes clear that either Dragon's > Bane's weapons have been, very quickly, repaired or that they were > not damaged at all by Dark Lanc. /Roland, Dragon's Bane does not > need me as a pilot. Unless you truely wish me to remain in orbit, > you might want me down there with you./ Aurora sends. There's a "flow" around the stars in the center of this solar system. Only noticeable to those who can sense spacetime at the more fundamental levels. Nemo on board the Velvet Glove: /I'll take high guard position./ And from the center of one of the stars, a human figure emerges, seemingly unaffected by his surroundings. It's another Nemo. /And since Starbreaker is no longer a concern, I shall accompany you to the surface./ =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 04:43:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 03:31:54 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005853 >>On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 19:38:22 PST >>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005834 >> >>>>> On Sat, 12 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > >>>>> Those with the ability to perceive cosmic/fundamental reality >>>>> see a...knot...of reality, twisted into something impossible in >>>>> most planes, a self-contained 'loop' of sentient unreality. An >>>>> Outsider Thing. Aadschlaggha, the Crawler in the Pit at the End >>>>> of All Worlds. >> >>^Zia, prepare to take over the ship, I'm slaving control to your >>panel.^ Cancel the above, I'd forgotten that she was off the ship. Nemo will stay with it and another Nemo will deal with things. =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 05:07:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rev. part II: The Plot Revealed-At Last! On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 03:40:35 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005854 > "Yeah, well, I look around at the generals of your 'utopia,' and > I gotta say I'm not impressed by your generosity," Roland shoots > back. > "They will each be able to create their own desired realities. > Some have ulterior motives, true, but if they try to force these > motives on others, they will fail." Z'On'Dar gazes at the CAoL. > "Well?" Nemo starts to respond, then stops. *Everyone* can tell that some POWER is now in his place. NEMO "speaks". *And by gaining all, all will lose all.* *"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."[1]* *The journey is at least as important as the goal. The reaching, the striving, they are important because they shape those who reach the journey's end.* *And one of the reasons for the multiverse is to ALLOW for ALL to reach the final destiny, if not in one universe, then in another. We all gather to us those of our 'selves' who failed in other universes. Why think you that I/we would have need of such as the form I/we am/are using now?* *You are not giving a gift, you are denying all the chance to EARN their 'godhood'. And thus making it a mockery.* > "Damn! I warned you!" Shard shouts, his sword of Quickening > forming in his hand. "He's going to attack!" He lunges. > "Shard, no-" Z'On'Dar says, then sighs as (presumably) all hell > breaks loose. It begins scuttling back toward the Tower... > (OOC: Have fun, folx-Ragnarok has begun! ) [1]"Ulysses", by Alfred Lord Tennyson =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 05:37:24 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 06:10:58 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005855 : On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:35:24 : Morgan and/or Roland Said : Sil 'rolls her eyes.' ^Phoenix and Light, James, lay it on any : thicker and none of us will be able to _wade_ through it. And why : don't you ever talk to _me_ like that?^ ^(chuckle) Now, my dear Sil. If I were lying surely both you ladies could distinguish such untruthfulness. Especially you, my dear. Women do seem to have a talent for doing such; that is why I try to never lie to them. As for why I don't speak to you like that, it is merely that I haven't found words yet that will properly express my admiration for you. My only consolation is that now, for the next little while, I am to be tormented only by your intelligence,goodly humor you display, and the merest shadow of your beauty from my memory rather than the full-blown effect as you're within me. Trust me, my dear lady, I shall endeavor not to make you feel bereft of any of admiration I can give in the future.^ ^Perhaps the fact that I'm trusting you to this extent with my very self, and to help me calm your sister is some indication of my respect and trust in you, my lady? I do not enter the battle possessed very often - actually, I don't think I ever have before. But if one must be possessed, a beautiful and joyous lady such as you is just the way I would like to do so.^ : {I thought you were married,} Starbuck says as innocently as he : can, which isn't very. {And the way this thing on my hand is : glowing, I have a feeling I could give one all the way out to the : Colonies. A hand, that is,} he says, again utterly failing to sound : innocent. {Yes, I'm married. Doesn't mean I'm dead. I'm sure the Colonies would be _most_ surprised.} She flies down to the planet with him, and forms the construct so he won't be walking about in just his flight gear, and walks to the Tower with her newly volunteered "wingman". {Say, doesn't Apollo need you any longer, Starbuck? Or did Boomer mop up the rest of the spaceborne nasty cannon-fodder? Your techs are going to have a wonderful time with THIS salvage operation.} : The Gaunt Man stares at Roland briefly, almost as if he knew what : the Freelance Immortal was thinking, then at Zia. : There's nothing behind his eyes. Literal nothing-ness, beyond : even 'empty'... Zia averts her eyes... quickly, although more in squeamishness from some other memory than true distress about the Gaunt Man himself. [Yeah, I remember the Abyss... not. Well, the others might be able to re-imprint my personality as me if I manage to get myself wiped out here... but I hope they don't have to try.] ***** James, inside the Lensdragon's mind playing tempter to the Dark Pheonix in his own manner, shivers suddenly with a chill. He frowns, slightly, "Ladies. I do beg your pardons, but things are going badly. Please, lady of fieriness, " he addresses the indesicively colored Pheonix Force, "if you will not accept my offer, at least free this one to aid his friends; they have great need of his aid." The telepath, his scorched and burned channels from over-extending in the creation of a temporary Lens healing under Sil's power and his own shapeshifting (slowly, too slowly!), implores her. With a painful effort, he manages to project a weak image and echo of the KM plot speech here, to update these two as well. He tries not to let on what an effort the psi still is; he has plenty of power from the jeweled Kryptonite, but his own mind has been well-ravaged by the stresses he has applied. He knew it would cost him back then, however, and there is no self-pity in him. He just tries not to show any more weakness than he can manage. : /Quite beautiful,/ Roland replies admiringly. /I thought as much, : but I wasn't sure, seeing how Stardragon and Hydra would have been a : lot easier to bring along sometimes had they shrunk to a size that : couldn't be seen from the horizon by the naked human...eye...oh, : nass.../ : Galactus lands. Zia's eyes flicker a bit, but she doesn't comment. See? Even she can learn when to be quiet. :) Even though the Amberites worship the Unicorn, that isn't all unicorns. And things are MUCH too busy right now... =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:38:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 11:05:15 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005856 >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:35:24 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005849 > >>On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:02:02 EDT >>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005838 >> >> /Well since we're already here I gues that's us too./ Driss sends >>via his Sigil and starts walking back towards the tower. As he >>passes quickly by Shard, "Hey no hard feeling about that one legged >>3 year old comment huh? but I would you know." > > Shard chuckles. "Yeah. Right. Bub, I spent ten thousand _years_ as >a sword. I could beat you if I _was_ a one-legged three-year-old." "Yeh? Well I was a little kid for a bunch of years too but it doesn't mean I know how to weild onein combat!" Driss snaps back with a grin. =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:38:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rev. part II: The Plot Revealed-At Last! On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 10:04:06 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005857 >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:37:57 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005850 > > "Would you like anything before we begin?" Z'On'Dar asks politely, >in a surprisingly normal voice, in the native languages of each >member of the CAoL simultaneously. "Healing? Furniture? The >digestible of your species?" "No, thank you," Michael Seven replies simply. > ^Of course not, love,^ Roland replies gently. ^It just doesn't >help any that I was thinking the same thing myself.^ The Lenslink is >reminded of the time KnightMare named itself...and for all intents >and purposes mindraped Roland. Mike's mental nod seems to imply he remembers all too well. >"Although only a few of you _truly_ understand what you're fighting >for-the cat, the 'Lensdragon,' the former Time Lord-you all in one >way or another strive for a more accepting reality." > Z'On'Dar waves one pincer behind it to the Tower. "I will complete >your work in one stroke." /Oh great,/ Mike thinks, /Just what we need, a Magneto to our gestalt Professor Xavier./ >"You mean all that tap-dancing around Jadis and Nephandi and Greys >and..." Morgan waves her hand in the air, unsure how far back to >continue the list. "...was YOUR doing?" Michael doesn't look surprised. "Yup." > Roland boggles. "That's...that's...impossible!" [Now _there's_ a >word I thought I'd never use again!] > "Absurd," Lara adds. > Morden smiles again, and for the briefest of moments becomes a >being of pure...existence. "It's already done." "And you didn't learn a thing in the process, did you, Mr. Morden?" Mike asks rhetorically. Then: >On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 03:40:35 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005854 >*You are not giving a gift, you are denying all the chance to EARN > their 'godhood'. And thus making it a mockery.* Michael looks at Nemo/NEMO. "Exactly my thoughts." =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 09:57:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Rev. part II: The Plot Revealed-At Last! Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005858 > On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:37:57 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005850 > > Z'On'Dar looks the entire CAoL over. "You are no doubt wondering > why you are all here, and that a fight has not yet broken out." > Shard chuckles. > "Because you have a use for them," Lara says as she appears. An > exquisite 'woman' apparently carved from obsidian, she steps forward > to join the CAoL, a sword of the same substance as herself in one > 'hand.' "As you did for my mate." "Because it is still opperating under the delusion that it can Use Us." > "They will understand," Z'On'Dar replies evenly. "Although only a > few of you _truly_ understand what you're fighting for-the cat, the > 'Lensdragon,' the former Time Lord-you all in one way or another > strive for a more accepting reality." Fuzzy Split Speaks = You do not understand, Acceptance is not required, Merely Freedom for Each, to Choose its own Destiny,= > "Yes," Z'On'Dar notes dryly. "I would need an interdimensional > Gateway capable of stretching from one end of the multiverse to the > other, programmed with the capability to understand every sort of > paradigm, and bearing the power to unleash the full potential of > every entity in existence." Fuzzy Split Speaks =Potential is a function of Paradigm, Not all Paradigms are Created Equal, Nor does this atrocity allow, Paradigms to evolve. As they must, When New Perception prompts.= =An Ape would never conceive a Human as the Next Evolutionary step.= > "They will each be able to create their own desired realities. > Some have ulterior motives, true, but if they try to force these > motives on others, they will fail." Z'On'Dar gazes at the CAoL. > "Well?" "Of Course the will fail, They are doing so now, As Each of your Suckers, Gains only the Experience of Futility. "The Journey Shapes the Goal, Lord Fuzzy left the Predator Paradigm, As part of my basic heratage, He had no other to give... I have begun to suspect that there are others, But I have not yet learned what they are, Nor Had the chance to decide amongst them." > Roland gazes levelly at the Shadow, his still-wounded mind > buzzing with half-formed thought. "There's something to be said for > your plan, Z'On'Dar. I can't find any holes in it. But my gut tells > me you're wrong." Fuzzy Split Speaks = There are no holes in it, It would be an interesting Recursion, If there were any holes in that one.= > "Damn! I warned you!" Shard shouts, his sword of Quickening > forming in his hand. "He's going to attack!" He lunges. > "Shard, no-" Z'On'Dar says, then sighs as (presumably) all hell > breaks loose. It begins scuttling back toward the Tower... > > (OOC: Have fun, folx-Ragnarok has begun! ) =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 16:01:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 13:51:20 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005859 >On Sat, 12 Sep 1998 14:56:32 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message #00005819 > Those with the ability to perceive cosmic/fundamental reality see >a...knot...of reality, twisted into something impossible in most >planes, a self-contained 'loop' of sentient unreality. On B-5, Natalia suddenly doubles over in pain and nausa. > The Dome fades away. [OOC: Sorry for the delays in posting replies, I hope to catch up today. ] =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 16:02:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 13:51:21 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005860 >On Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:15:08 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message #00005833 > > Roland looks briefly at B-5. /Legion, how are you holding up? Can >we assist? I imagine Nemo can give 'Natalia' a new body, and get you >yours back./ Legion's voices are weak, though clear. /We are weak and ill from the distortions, but thanks to Sil's anchor we live. / /If Nemo is willing to do this, we are willing to try... Though we have no idea if it will work.../ It is obvious that something about the idea scares her/them. =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 17:59:43 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rev. part II: The Plot Revealed-At Last! On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 20:09:49 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005861 >On Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:37:57 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005850 > > "Would you like anything before we begin?" Z'On'Dar asks politely, >in a surprisingly normal voice, in the native languages of each >member of the CAoL simultaneously. "Healing? Furniture? The >digestible of your species?" John quips, "I don't eat other members of my species." > Z'On'Dar sighs and leans back on its legs. "There is a fundamental >_force_ of reality. It is known by many names-each of which is >thought by its creators to be the One True Source of Reality. The >Stardragon," it says with an even look at Aurora. "Pattern. Chaos," >it continues, motioning its head at Zia and Dara in turn. "Quantum >reality," it adds, gesturing at Jha'Dur. "The Zodaii." It "So close to the truth... and yet so far." John says. > "Oh, the Greys were almost accidental, and the Controller-that >interfering machine-was an accursed nuisance. But yes, Moriarty-or >rather, Lunitic and the Legislators, and all that followed, I placed >in your path, save for the Greys, as I said. That was merely... >convenient. Though that world drew my enemies to it, and that was far >more than convenient, I assure you. 'Malice' is back in its Morpheum >prison, and the Controller and Jadis are unable to interfere further. A telepathic whisper can be heard by those who are listening for it, but John hears it clear as day, ^Why should I wish to interfere when he accomplishes my goal for me.^ John gets a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and looks around. > "Yes," Z'On'Dar notes dryly. "I would need an interdimensional >Gateway capable of stretching from one end of the multiverse to the >other, programmed with the capability to understand every sort of >paradigm, and bearing the power to unleash the full potential of >every entity in existence." "The fool." John whispers. > "They will each be able to create their own desired realities. >Some have ulterior motives, true, but if they try to force these >motives on others, they will fail." Z'On'Dar gazes at the CAoL. >"Well?" "Your vision does not address strife, loss, and freedom, only an increase in personal power to ridiculous proportions. Strife and loss will still occur. Even if every being can create all that it can desire, there will still be those who desire what others have. Still those who will wish the end of beings other than themselves. What you propose will only _bring_ strife. When all are eternal, so are their hatreds. Your vision will end in destruction." The Other speaks through John's mouth, "THUS WE LEARNED TO OUR DISMAY." John starts in surprise. 'The damned thing _wants_ us to fight the bug,' he thinks. =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 18:34:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 21:17:22 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005862 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005849 > /Quite beautiful,/ Roland replies admiringly. /I thought as much, > but I wasn't sure, seeing how Stardragon and Hydra would have been a > lot easier to bring along sometimes had they shrunk to a size that > couldn't be seen from the horizon by the naked human...eye...oh, > nass.../ > Galactus lands. /I can't speak for The Stardragon, but in Hydra's case, that is exactly the point. It's hard to miss seeing a being that large. Most sane beings would leave a being that large strictly alone. Those that won't are usually powers in their own right. It cuts down on the gratuitous hassles, such as the one you encountered on Lunitic's world./ Aurora says. =========================== Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 21:45:06 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations, part I On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 21:08:19 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005863 >On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 06:10:58 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005855 > > ^(chuckle) Now, my dear Sil. If I were lying surely both you >ladies could distinguish such untruthfulness. Especially you, my >dear. Women do seem to have a talent for doing such; that is why I >try to never lie to them. As for why I don't speak to you like that, >it is merely that I haven't found words yet that will properly >express my admiration for you. My only consolation is that now, for >the next little while, I am to be tormented only by your >intelligence, goodly humor you display, and the merest shadow of your >beauty from my memory rather than the full-blown effect as you're >within me. Trust me, my dear lady, I shall endeavor not to make you >feel bereft of any of admiration I can give in the future.^ Sil sighs in the long-suffering voice of women throughout space, time and species. "Oh, James." > ^Perhaps the fact that I'm trusting you to this extent with my >very self, and to help me calm your sister is some indication of my >respect and trust in you, my lady? I do not enter the battle >possessed very often - actually, I don't think I ever have before. >But if one must be possessed, a beautiful and joyous lady such as you >is just the way I would like to do so.^ Sil shivers and gasps very lightly. "Ohhhh, JAMES..." Somewhere, someone (male) is thinking, [Why does _he_ get all the luck?] >{Yes, I'm married. Doesn't mean I'm dead. I'm sure the Colonies would >be _most_ surprised.} She flies down to the planet with him, and >forms the construct so he won't be walking about in just his flight >gear, and walks to the Tower with her newly volunteered "wingman". >{Say, doesn't Apollo need you any longer, Starbuck? Or did Boomer mop >up the rest of the spaceborne nasty cannon-fodder? Your techs are >going to have a wonderful time with THIS salvage operation.} "Nah," he says as he 'bounces' out of the Viper, "All that's left to shoot at up there is debris. Well, and that horror from a bad vid, but _I'm_ not shooting at _that_ thing." >Zia averts her eyes... quickly, although more in squeamishness from >some other memory than true distress about the Gaunt Man himself. >[Yeah, I remember the Abyss... not. Well, the others might be able to >re-imprint my personality as me if I manage to get myself wiped out >here... but I hope they don't have to try.] (OOC note: Looking into his eyes doesn't _always_ do that-just when he's deliberately manifesting Heketon's power directly. And it's doing even less for him than it is for Cap.) >scorched and burned channels from over-extending in the creation of a >temporary Lens healing under Sil's power and his own shapeshifting >(slowly, too slowly!), implores her. Sil gasps in sympathy at James' psychic wounds. "Oh, JAMES!" She immediately sets in on healing his mental channels. >He knew it would cost him back then, however, and there is no self- >pity in him. He just tries not to show any more weakness than he can >manage. Sil bolsters his efforts as much as she can while still healing his mind as quickly as she (and he) can manage. >On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 11:05:15 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005856 > > "Yeh? Well I was a little kid for a bunch of years too but it >doesn't mean I know how to weild onein combat!" Driss snaps back with >a grin. "True," Shard agrees, grinning back (far too much like a shark for Roland's comfort, anyway), "but you weren't exactly held at the legs by kid-fencing masters while reading their minds, now were you? And I was a killer swordsman in Atlantis _before_ all that. Too bad we'll never find out, isn't it?" he adds, sounding like he doesn't believe a word of the last sentence. >On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 13:51:21 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005860 > >Legion's voices are weak, though clear. /We are weak and ill from the >distortions, but thanks to Sil's anchor we live. / > >/If Nemo is willing to do this, we are willing to try... Though we >have no idea if it will work.../ > >It is obvious that something about the idea scares her/them. Roland frowns. /Well, if it doesn't...how do you usually deal with rebellious new personalities?/ He doesn't sound at _all_ comfortable with plan 'B,' but seeing as there doesn't seem to be too much choice... ===========================