Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9 Chapter 12 Subject: Re: AAE9: The Great Escape ;^) On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:58:14 -0600, In alt.callahans Frank McCoy Said As CAoL Message # 00011572 >In alt.callahans Roland X wrote: > A huge chunk of the power fence just...goes away. One close enough >to Frank to be convenient, but far enough away to not put him in >danger of becoming two-dimensional. ;^) > "Source!" a Parademon captain snarls. "Secure those prisoners! >Clear this area! I want patrols out here _yesterday,_ do you hear >me?" > The others go about their duties sullenly, not especially worried >if a human or two escapes, and certainly not watching the gaping hole >from the other direction. After all, there isn't anyone to be seen >for quite some distance, and even if there were, who's going to sneak >_into_ a prison camp? ;^) Frank debates several possibilities for all of three seconds; including using the distraction to *sneak* in one of the adjacent segments, similar to his original idea; then tosses that, and decides on a bold approach. If these "dog soldiers" are anything like most military personnel ... especially bureaucratic military people ... and he can almost bet on it, from observation ... in fact, he *is* going to bet on it. The stuff he's wearing might stand up to a minor war with these dog-soldiers, if they're all he meets. Even the parademon doesn't seem to be armed all that well. However .... Frank waits until the locals have their eyes turned towards the hole in the fence, stands up, dusts himself off, and MARCHES directly towards the closest two dog-soldiers who seem to be watching the hole somewhat sullenly, but effectively enough to catch *most* escaping prisoners ... if the prisoners are not too sneaky or not too many. "HEY YOU!!!" he bellows in a command-voice that could be heard across 20 yards of deck in a gale-force wind. "Didn't you two HEAR?!!! Secure that hole!" With this, he marches PAST the two wide-eyed grunts; muttering under his breath in language fit to curl hair and turn the air blue (OOC: A Marine picks up some ... interesting ... vocabulary.) about the ancestry, habits, and lack-of-intelligence of underlings; then adding a louder remark. "** Damn! What do you want to bet I'll have to fix the bloody thing myself?!" as he marches past the two "soldiers"; eyes on the fence instead of them, while pulling what is obviously some kind of obscure electrical test equipment out of his pack ... including about 1/3 of the jumpers. Ignoring the soldiers and the parademon, he takes several of the jumpers, measures *something* that seems to displease him tremendously, and then lets out a curse that blisters the pole that had supplied the "fence". "What misbegotten Son of a ..." he growls; seemingly under his breath; but loud enough to be clearly heard by anybody nearby watching. He snaps the clips loose with a disgusted jerk; and then heads directly into the compound with a hurried yet purposeful stride that looks as if he knows *exactly* where he is going. There's nothing like *looking* like you know what you're doing, acting like this is your DUTY, and not taking shit from underlings to make grunts think you belong there. Besides, he's not *sneaking* out of the compound ... On the contrary, he's going right on into it; acting like he owns the place! Any *normal* grunt would figure that if he's not what he seems, those inside will take care of the matter ... and in any case they can check his credentials when he tries to leave. Still: Not *all* grunts in any army are "normal". (OOC: Frank remembers a *true* story of Prisoners-Of-War in Canada taking paintbrushes, buckets, and a ladder up to a pole in the compound fence, painting one side of the pole as high as they could reach, putting the ladder up, painting the top inside of the pole, moving the ladder to the other side of the fence, painting the top *outside* of the pole, descending the ladder, painting the bottom outside of the pole, picking up ladder, paintbuckets, and brushes, and then marching purposefully off into the brush and trees surrounding the compound ... where they discarded the painting equipment and ran like hell. Of course, they were caught a day or so later. Would these "dog soldiers" be any brighter?) Still, Frank's brow is sweating rivers; waiting for the expected yell and bolt splattering against his defenses. Will the bluff hold, and will he make it around the corner of that bunker up ahead where he'll be out-of-sight of those near the fence? All known psychology of how grunt soldiers will react to an obviously officer-type heading towards headquarters, says he'll make it. The camo-gear he's wearing, while not "standard uniform" certainly isn't the stuff any escaping prisoner would wear; and doesn't look like anything the enemy around here wears either. How many grunts know ALL the various work-type wear that techs use anyway? Still ... Frank feels like he's got one bloody-ass BIG target painted on his back as he walks firmly toward that bunker .... (OOC: Tune in next week folks, for the Perils of Pauline; as we find out if Frank the Hero pulls off the bluff of his lifetime, or is just another fried critter in the compound. Or ... is just starting one HELL of a bloody battle he no-way is ready for yet. ;-} ) The bunker is only tens of feet away ... but he's got to round the corner, which could be more than twice as far. Each 1/4 second drags by like hours. Will those at the fence figure he's their business ... or not? In any case, Frank plans on flat-out *ignoring* any yells, orders to stop, or even blaster-bolts aimed his way, as if they didn't exist, until he rounds that corner ... as if they're beneath his notice. Hopefully, there won't BE any such. Frank figures he's got the psychology of goons figured out flat ... but does he? What goon is going to chance alienating somebody who looks and acts like he's possibly in Special Services or the equivalent? ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Storming The Storm On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:14:32 -0800 (PST) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011574 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011564 >>Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011559 >> >> Rob smiles. "You aren't the only one who brought friends." The >>red around his hands deflects a few power spikes before he steps >>aside and launches it at Bernadeth. None of the Furies have seen >>this effect before, or they would notice the difference - instead of >>a coherent bolt of force, it's more like being attacked by >>strawberry gelatin. Extremely strong gelatin. [And that's my magic >>for a few hours. I hope the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak hold her.] > > Bernadeth side-steps easily, casually, with the cunning and skill >that earned her leadership of the Female Furies. > She is, therefore, very surprised when the Bands expand and hit >her anyway. > "Source!" she spits, struggling to cut the Bands with her >Fahren-Knife, to no avail. > Lashina's smile broadens. "Oh, _thank_ you, little one. Maybe I'll >kill you quickly _after_ all." > "Oh, let me have him, _please_ Lashina..." the scantily-clad >blonde begs. Under other circumstances, that might be good for Rob's >ego. Of course, she's the one who disintegrated the light-post. "Why can't I be this popular with women I -like?-" Rob says to nobody in particular. > "Bonds or no bonds, Gilotina, _I_ command the Furies! Kill them!" >Bernadeth snarls, her eternal calm finally shaken. "Speed Queen, >you're with Lashina! Destroy the spellcaster!" [Spellcaster?] Rob thinks. [Pigeonholeing me a little, isn't she?] >"Gilotina, Harriet, kill the swordsman! Stompa, free me!" [Swordsman?] Kell thinks, as he shifts his daggers to a different grip. [Pigeonholeing me a little, isn't she?] (OOC: Kell is a -fighter-, yes, but not a swordsman. OTOH, he's taken fighting with daggers and made it both art -and- science.) > [Damn,] Lashina thinks, her chance to (violently) claim leadership >of the Furies lost as Stompa begins to strain at the Bands. Still, >there are worse ways for one such as she to spend a day. She leaps >down, the orange-clad woman (Speed Queen, apparently) racing off the >aero-disc after her. She's wearing a pair of _roller_skates,_ of all >things, but SQ lands easily and gracefully. > "Harry him," Lashina orders, and the rollergrrrl races in, using >standard (if brutal) superspeed tactics to hammer at Rob. Her >strength is only marginally beyond human, but combined with her great >speed and agility, she's going to be very dangerous indeed. Speed Queen meets the Icon of Stone style, producing a stalemate; Rob can't move fast enough to hit her, but even at top speed, she can't do damage. This isn't comforting. [Lashina's probably counting on SQ to distract me, and...YOW!] A lash flicks toward his shoulder, but he brushes it away. [...attacking me while I'm distracted.] >> Kell just moves in, picking a spot that leaves clear shots for >>everybody while letting him get in close. > > Gilotina and Harriet smile sadistically as they take flanking >positions on Kell. He can engage one, but that will leave him open to >the other. Gilotina fires a beam clearly meant to cut him, not kill >him. Harriet, on the other hand, throws a volley of power spikes >intended to turn Kell into a pin cushion... Kell trips on something, rolls, and comes to his feet. The flash from where he was is impressive; the yipe from Gilotina is just amusing. "You're supposed to work together, not kill each other," he taunts, as he steps up to Mad Harriet and begins pummeling her mercilessly. [Come on, girl, get mad; your friend almost spiked you, after all...] ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Storming The Storm On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:13:41 -0800 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011575 >On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 16:37:22 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011570 > >>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 02:24:21 -0800 >>Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00011566 >> >>>On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 21:08:00 -0800 >>>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011564 >> >>Veren *growls* and hangs onto the twitching bow long enough to fire >>a volley of four arrows at the undamaged "pet." Unfortunately, the >>one shot is all he gets before the bow slips free. > > Mary smiles and uses her TK to toss the bow aside casually. I expected that, but what happens to the volley of electric arrows he got off? >>> "What about the woman, Artemis?" 'Mary' asks. >>> "Her, I handle personally," Artemis replies, leaping down from >>>the aero-disc, firing another arrow as she does -- this one at >>>Erin. >> >>The arrow strikes her ballgown with a distict *clang* > > ...exploding into a sickly green cloud of gas. It isn't knockout >gas, but if Erin can't escape or resist it archery is going to become >a real problem, given the disorientation and spasms she'll endure. > Artemis looks...curious. "Not the defense I had expected," she >says with a dark smile, nocking an ordinary-looking arrow and taking >aim, "but an acceptable result all the same." She seems to >be...waiting for something. (OOC: Unless Erin is still firing >rapidly, in which case, Artemis is 'parrying and riposting,' >arrow-wise, with mostly normal arrows at first.) Erin is still firing rapidly, and she seems to have no trouble whatsoever staying on her feet. >>while Erin unloads on the damaged "pet" with appalling speed for an >>archer...one shot per second, it looks like. > > The thing 'howls' metallically, maintaining just enough >self-control to retreat in good order. Well, _decent_ order, anyway. Now that the pet is leaving, Erin seems to be aiming for Artemis' bow. >>"Not particularly," Veren rumbles as he pulls another bow out of one >>of the quivers on his back and fires a volley of four arrows at the >>un-lady in red. Without turning his attention from her, he runs a >>quick scan of the area, looking for trees to duck into. > > "AIEE!" Mary cries, and the reason for her cape's twitching >becomes apparent as six blasters fly out of it and return fire. One >arrow pierces her leg, while the other three fall to her weapons and >her power. "You...you accursed _male!_ I am going to fashion gloves >from your _hide_!" she cries, "Bad ahdea," comments Erindrea. "That greenish skin of his against that pale skin of yoahs? Honey, you'd look lahk you were comin' down with somethin' nasty." Veren favors Erin with a Look of Severely Limited Amusement. >limping backward while keeping one eye on the arrow to see if it does >anything...unusual. What, like burst into flames? Nah. It was, however, coated with a knock-out drug... Meanwhile, Veren has shifted into a skirmishing style, grabbing whatever cover he can and moving around while taking occasional pot-shots at the blasters that Mary's wielding. The pot-shots in question, it should be noted, are more volleys of four at a time. If he can take out three of the blasters, he'll favor Mary with another volley of knock-out arrows...with a rather more potent variant of the drug. ================================= Subject: Enter the Good Doctor.. On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 04:24:54 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011576 The Good Doctor, having long since retired to a quiet life of Research and Development in his Labratory of Solitude, has recently found his work being sidetracked by a more important thing. Inside the Lab, there is a large videoscreen monitoring the events in New York City by the various news agencies. Doc Energy is reading various communiques from his contacts both in The Lodge and in UNTIL. Since the Truce was formalized, he has enjoyed good relations with both organizations. He has even shared his research with many of UNTILs scientists, having realized that they would put his designs to good use. He has a troubled look on his face. [This is a danger that I cannot stand idly by and let continue.] He watches with horror as cameras watch the invasion of New York by Darkseid's reality, and the toll it has taken on all, including the famed CAoL. His noble Russian heart aches to watch Defender fall in battle, only have it burst with joy as the counter-offensive takes off with much zeal. [Well, my Multi-Viewer should be able to tell me what else is going on, because it seems that there are some members off doing other things.] He tunes to Ziatrice and her current mission, and is overjoyed to see his fellow Fighter of Evil engaging a worthy foe in a duel of honor. He also notes the black-clad young man at her side, and takes his measure well. This man is obviously of known quality, otherwise Ultra Violet would not have him there beside her. [It's a good thing I built that multi-channel radio to monitor comm signal traffic. Though I am curious what this "Lens" is that they speak of often. More research needed] he thinks to himself. With a slight appearance of resignation, he stands up from his desk, and walks over to a bare stone wall. He presses a stone, and a false wall slides out revealing a rack of various armors he has created over the years. All of these armors have been designed to assist his energy form. Some prototypes are not there, since he has incorporated different designs into other versions of the armor. His current armor is in the 9th slot, and it's a sleek design, (OOC: For a visual, check out http://www.brotron.com/pics/images/mercury2.jpg and make a few adjustments. The suit is only 7 feet tall as something that's 9 feet tall tends to be a little obvious. Also put heavy bracers on the forearms of the unit, and that's what you will have. If you need more information, I can take it to the TR if I need to.) He takes out a PDA, and touches the screen on it. The chest area of the armor opens up to reveal a exotic looking crystal that has a rainbow of colors glowing from it. He runs a mental checklist while consulting his PDA. [Energy receptors open, full diagnostic shows no anomalous readings from any of the sub-systems. Sub-system check. Combat: Check Stealth: Check Ranged Combat: Check. All power assistance units powered up and ready for action. Well, there's no time to lose. Before I go, I should check and see if there's anywhere I can be to assist them.] He walks back over to the desk where the video screen is, and scans the other CAoLers. He focuses on the Prison Camp where the dominated New Yorkers are being held. The defenses are many, and there doesn't seem to be any way to get into the camp. However, he witnesses the events unfolding at the fence line, and sees a way that he can help. Thinking quickly, he runs over to the Mark 9 and stands in front of it. He closes his eyes, and as he does his form....shifts. Where once there was a living, breathing man of flesh there now stands a being of complete energy glowing in the same colors as the crystal inside the Mark 9. Suddenly, the form elongates, and enters into the crystal. The chest closes with an audible "Click-Shunk!" and the eyes of the unit power up. #And now for a test run of the comm system I installed. But first I must proceed to the area with great haste.# The suit detaches from the locker where it's been stored and clanks over to the large bay doors leading out of the Lab. The caves out of the Hollow Earth should lead him to an area in the Appalachians, most likely in PA. No sense in coming out near the area of invasion, since those passages have probably been closed anyway due to the invading reality. ------ Deep in the Allegheny Mountains in PA, near an unmarked cave: No one but the squirrels and the occasional deer were present when a flash of multi-colored light appear in the dark of the cave. Suddenly a 7 foot metal man comes thundering out of the cave, taking a running start and taking off into the sky. (OOC: Shades of Commander Cody. :-) He climbs to 10,000 feet and activates his stealth mode so as not to get the locals spooked. No sense in scaring the good folks into taking pot shots at him. He makes a flight path to the edges of the invasion area, and activates his comm system. {Come in, Frank. You may not know me, but I am a friend of Zia's and I believe I may be able to offer you assistance, if you require it. My name is Doctor Energy, and I am here to help. Over.} (Frank's response here.) He continues on a flight path, slowing his velocity to where he can approach slowly but can speed up if he has to. ================================= Subject: Re: OOC: Enter the Good Doctor.. On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 05:33:03 -0800 (PST) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011577 OOC: Ummmmm.... excuse me, but exactly _how_ does the Good Doctor (gads, that keeps making me think of Isaac Asimov) _know_ that Ziactrice was Ultra Violet? If she never showed him her face, and she hasn't aged a bit in the last 90 years, isn't that sort of a stretch? I was rather planning on it being a secret ID, but I suppose the Good Doctor could have penetrated it any number of ways: Bioelectric field measurements, plain ol' intel, or the his good buddy Dr. Eon might've just told him. So much for me getting to surprise him by recognizing HIM! Grin. I guess we'll just see where it goes from here. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Mother Love On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 09:01:09 -0800 (PST) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011578 >On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 16:15:22 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011569 > >>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 04:46:47 -0800 (PST) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011567 >>>On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 22:24:45 -0800 >>>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011565 >>>>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011560 > > Eric looks embarrassed. "*cough* I...ah...had the opportunity to >work with him one about a year and a half ago. He disapproved of my >willingness to kill, unsurprisingly, but he was otherwise >refreshingly efficient." Eric pauses. "Batman _might_ be around, with >Green Lantern here, but if he is I'm not aware of it. Not that I >would be." "Not to disapproving, if you found out about his Deliberate Target." Ziactice says. "He gave you the lead on your computer geek that was so instrumentally helpful, didn't he?" > Eric grins. "A scarf, eh? I think I've picked up a hint of a >Shadow of that before. How apropos. I may not like spandex, but I did >enjoy the exploits of the pulps' heroes as a boy." "Which ones existed here? You didn't blink at Doc Savage..." >> > "Oh, don't worry," a voice suddenly replies -- RIGHT IN HER EAR -- Zia hits dirt, every sense and defense scrambling to find out where that is coming from. >"I have no _personal_ interest in you." (Note; Eric does _not_ hear >this, though it appears to be entirely sound-based -- no telepathy. >His reaction is based on hers.) Realizing Eric isn't in the loop, Zia retransmits the message via her Lens to his. She cautiously picks herself up off the ground, grinding her teeth slightly at how foolish she was just made to appear. >"Nemo, however, is fond of you, which means I will simply _have_ to >direct my attention to you...later." The feeling of such a slimy >character would leave any normal person who hadn't already fainted >feeling a desperate need for a shower. "Is it me, or is the unknown enemy waving a red cape and shouting Toro, toro rather telling that something goes on we know not of, yet?" "It is rather reassuring to know Omen is not as bright as Nemo; I have three solution sets in place." Ziactrice's tone could be used to drive steel rivets - if you didn't care about how deep the rivets went. She glances at Eric; he can _feel_ the cold smile, even if he can't see it. "No one _uses_ me against my loves." Ziactrice states with all the will and determination of a born and breed, Pattern-proved, royal of Amber. >> Zia listens to Aurora's message, but she files it for what information it gives. Mostly that she will be in danger from the Starspawn should she figure out the true source behind the Source, because of their determination to keep it secret from this Cerberus. Whomever the hell that is. Well. There is no need to look behind that curtain yet, anyway, so she just tables it for now. > ^Only the Anti-Life _Entity_ is unbalanced. The Equation is >entirely neutral as a power; it is a technomagickal formula that has >between six and thirteen variables (dependent on one of the variables >themselves), "Ah! Makes much more sense that way. Not actually a simple equation - an intergral series. A transform, perhaps..." Ziactrice mumbles to herself, in a tone familiar to mathematicians (and the people who love them enough to put up with the obsession) everywhere. >with principles both mathematical and numerological. Careful use of >these variables can destroy or undo destruction, hence the concept of >using Anti-Life to have 'power over life and death,' as Darkseid >believes.^ > (OOC: Here, Evil GM-San is Making Stuff Up, based on a) my own >knowledge of the two subjects invoked, b) what I know about the ALE, >c) what I know about Darkness Devices, and d) the continuity error >between two different appearances of the Equation. If this >explanation by Mother Box doesn't clarify sufficiently for the >player, please let me know and I'll go into detail in the Tech Room.) OOC: I think this'll do for now - Zia will have to puzzle the _true_ elegance of the mathematics of the so-called Equation later. > ^The Equation exists as a natural side-effect of the interplay >between the Source and the Abyss. "Wow. A unified field theory for Shadow? Intriguing. What a treat, that I can try to figure it out!" >However, the Anti-Life _Entity_ is another matter. It is a being >created by the partial solution of the Equation that fills in certain >variables and leaves others incomplete, hence 'expression.' Even we >are uncertain as to the necessary formula required to invoke the >Entity, as it requires a concept of maximized 'wrongness' that we >cannot conceptualize numbers having. To the best of our knowledge, a >number does not have a rightness or wrongness innately. Perhaps it is >a matter of context. ^@Actually, numbers do have rightness or wrongness, although you'll usually hear true mathematicians invoke this as the degree of elegance of the application. The numbers themselves are symbolic, but the true meaning always lies in what they represent, not the numbers themselves.@^ Zia explains, both to the Mother Box and Eric via Lans so it won't be overheard. Her tone is rather distracted, even mentally. She is absorbed in the conceptual puzzle of what the Equation might actually -be- used to express, the underlying notion of the mathematics. > ^Hm. Perhaps...perhaps the term 'Anti-Life Equation' refers to the >subset of _solutions_ to the formula that are actively opposed to >life. This would explain Darkseid inability to restore Suli San to >her original state. We lack direct knowledge of the formula -- it is >secret even to we Mother Boxes, and Suli never allowed us/me to >examine it fully -- but it is possible that her estimation regarding >the minimum and maximum number of variables allowed in it is >erroneous.^ The Mother Box seems excited, possibly even exuberant, at >this concept. ^In this case, the 'Anti-Life Equation' could simply be >a subset of the more general formula set regarding the Source itself, >one incorporating its opposite. If this theory is correct, then logic >dictates that there would of necessity be 'Life Equations,' correct?^ ^@Absolutely.@^ Zia replies, something in her mentation hinting she had already reached this tenative conclusion. ^@Given the forms of the unbalanced equations - er, or partial derivatives, limited unsimplified solutions, whatever you like to call them - she threw at me earlier, the formula must, if it is Euclidean, be a transforming series, which means it can be expanded to many subsidiary equations. Without an entire subset, necessarily anything done with the half-transform that is the Anti-Life 'Equation' (it takes Zia effort to use the word wrongly like this) would be inherently flawed.@^ ^@Of course, it may not be Euclidean at all, which could be part of the problem. If it is a matrixed transform, the flaws are even deeper in Suli and Darkseid's computations. Which... could be a very bad thing. The Entity may discover an escape from their flawed controls... partial solutions given leeway too soon are always problematic to true solutions of any mathematical problem.@^ > There is another pause. ^The wisdom of the Source is marvelous at >times even to us. That we/I should come to be possessed/in contact >with one of the most ideal beings imaginable for the purpose of >solving this puzzle/conundrum/problem stretches the very concept of >coincidence.^ @^Nothing coincidental about it, MB. Darkseid and Suli figure that I'll solve it. She dropped you on purpose. No other reason for her to be carrying you into combat, you know. She has her own direct connection to the Source. Now, how they plan to make me _give_ them the solution, assuming I can encompass it, now that would be a good question. The Source is simply letting them have enough rope in the hopes they'll hang themselves with it. I hope it's right...@^ >of greatest manifestation down. The Source...IS, in a way that defies >locality to an extent.^ ^@You're side-stepping the actual question, and nicely skirting the truth. If it isn't something I'm supposed to know, MB, or know yet, just say so. If it just was - you wouldn't be saying it 'defies locality to an extent'- you'd say it isn't localized at all. If it were a general field effect, like Shadow itself, it wouldn't have a center of efficacy, and it does.@^ >Given Zia's comments regarding "guidance" along paths, however, not >to mention what he's heard about some actual Pattern wielders, he >does radiate a bit of dubiousness. ^@To tell you the truth, Eric, I wouldn't be comfortable trying it, either, but I was actually thinking of asking someone else to have a go at it, if it seemed needful.@^ > Mother Box, meanwhile, continues. ^As for sensibility, I believe >that, insofar as the Source is even capable of feeling that it might >have a right to judge who among those capable of using the potential >it helps to evoke, in the long run even those who would use their >powers for ill/malice will eventually understand the heart of >creation: love.^ ^@Good point. Okay, so that won't be a helpful avenue to explore; the choices the Source makes now and the way it currently operates is the best we're gonna get. We'll have to find some other advantage for our side, however, because as it stands, we can't hold Earth-9.@^ >There is a sense of a smile. ^For all of Darkseid's purported evil, >we examine what he did first with power over life and death and find >hope. Not causing the destruction of his enemies, nor terror in his >rivals. He used it out of love.^ ^@And it failed him.#^ Zia says, very quietly. ^@He has Suli back, but horribly changed, and you just said that she was mistaken he would not love her as the original. Thus the use for love has twisted in his hands, and hurt that which he held more dear than anything else. If you think this is a good thing, I cannot imagine how. Even if we should manage to heal her, his wrath will still be unappeased. She will then be of clear mind to help him complete the solution. I am not sanguine about how he might then take action. Are you?@^ >"[...] I'd feel better if you held onto it, since it obviously wants >to help you, but if you think it will hinder you in the duel I'll >hold onto it. Her," he corrects himself, and then looks curious as to >why he did that. (Not Mother Box exerting any sort of mental >influence; it/she just wouldn't _do_ that. Just his instincts kicking >in, apparently. 8^) "I learned long ago not to _ever_ cross the instincts of an Eric." Ziactrice says, like it is some kind of parable. "This duel won't be decided by mentation, but by skill and nerves." She goes back to Lens, to Eric and the MB. ^@MB won't do any harm, and she might help. All right, Mother Box, go ahead. I'd perfer you to go ahead with your extra method, if you will. I think it's better to make sure I won't drop you; it's no use leaving temptations to Uninfluenced Chance, especially of the irony type.@^ > >> "Sir, you know the forms must be met." Zia sighs. "We can duel >>without a Master of the Field; I am of the Eastern traditions. >>However, I cannot in honor retain my Second if you produce none." >>She looks at Eric, and then she sighs. > > Yep, Eric looks absolutely determined. To put it mildly. > (Morgan adds: "Irresistible force, meet immovable object." :-) (Even Zia knows when she is beat. Someone even stubborner than she. Who would have guessed _that_? Tee hee.) >> "My Second won't leave even if I ask him to - so I won't. There >>is no other honorable entity on your entire side of this conflict >>who will support you?!?" > > Kanto _frowns._ "Such as I would trust to remain honorable are >otherwise engaged -- except for Suli," he adds, "and do you _really_ >want to complicate matters regarding her?" > Eric's eyebrows practically _leap_ to his hairline. /I smell a >rat. Just what kind of game are these people playing here?/ /Not sure, especially discomfiting since it seems aimed at me in particular./ Zia returns. "I can hardly _not_ do so, being whom I am." Ziactrice replies with a maddeningly mysterious air of knowing far more about the situation than even Kanto himself can imagine. "But it is not yet the proper time for us to meet again. Is there no one else? Or must I try to find one of my friends whom you can also trust to stand at your back?" The implication that he would have better friends if he fought with her instead of against her is stunningly clear, in the way only the Actress can put things across to an audience. >>(Ah, but 'that _woman_' has every intention of tying up an equal >>number of baddies... and if Kanto really wants his duel, he is going >>to have to produce a Second. HEhehehe.) > > OOC: Oh, _nicely_ done. *Evil GM-San bows in admiration* OOC: Thank you! > "I am glad to know that," he replies with a grin and a nod. "I'm >rather fond of breathing, and I have no desire to destroy an artist >such as yourself." A Shadow of Bleys with jet-black hair? Who can >say? > Then again, would even a _Shadow_ of Bleys be content serving >another? ;^) > (OOC: Evil GM-San say: Thanks for the idea! ) (OCC: *facepalms* Whimper. What have I _done_? And who says he is content to serve another? Maybe he just hasn't had a better offer, yet, hmmmm?) > And stops in mid-word, looking at her with curiosity. Also a >little admiration for the attractive woman, to be sure, but >something...niggles at him. > "You..." Kanto tries, then stops. "Are..." he begins again, but >that doesn't work either, so he gives that one up too. > Eric chuckles. "Yeah, she can do that." > "No," Kanto replies. "Not that I'm arguing the point, mind you," >he adds as Eric clouds over, "just that...she reminds me..." Zia laughs, a dark and mysterious one full of a secretive amusement. Her armor flows, becoming a beautiful Spanish 14th century fighting jerkin and hose, replete with lace, full-sleeved silk shirt, and high, soft leather boots. A full hat with a long ostrich plume is pulled from behind her back (like the proverbial rabbit out of a hat in reverse!). Zia slides it on with a practiced motion. The entire outfit is eye-punching, electric blue with trim in jade green and gleaming silver. An embroidered badge over the heart in silk depicts her shield of arms. OOC: Would someone add the blazon said properly, pretty please? I am not sure I can say it right. With the modifications Morgan had suggested from the Green Room, too. The shield is supported by a pelican and a unicorn, and crowned with a simple circlet of silver set with a large, black diamond and a scroll of words in a language Eric doesn't know. (Hey, it's just to bad the villains don't have Special Abilities with wardrobing, but it isn't like Zia would _not_ dress fancy if she could. And she can...) > The General pauses at this. {Who's _her_ Second?} he asks with a >low growl. OOC: Heh. Zia's definitely gotten under his skin. In more than one way. :) > "What fun would that be?" Kanto asks Zia with a wink. "So, how >shall we pass the time while we wait for my Second?" "Shall I read the cards for you?" Ziactrice offers, bringing out her Trump deck with one smoothly graceful motion. "Oh, and I suppose you still need to name your preferred weapons, and set the conditions that will end the duel." She adds off-handedly as she sits down on the painted grass and shuffles her Deck. "Ask a question, then choose the card that appeals to you most." She instructs. >> "Perhaps one more wouldn't HURT." The grin just gets wickeder and >>wickeder, so to speak. > > Be careful what you wish for, eh? You're just laughing because that's the _first_ time anyone has stood their ground - and Zia backed down. :) Well, not counting her relatives, that is. Eric is just a special guy, what can I say? ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: The Great Escape ;^) On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:00:10 -0800 Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00011579 OOC: For the game nuts out there... 137. You swing your Weapon into the ready position and commence the battle. Screaming orders, Fistbreaker's troops surround and try to overwhelm you! -Fistbreaker (With Parademon troops) CS: 45 EP: 50 -Because of their battle-frenzy, the Parademons are immune to Mindblast (But not Kai Surge) -If you win the combat, turn to 58 -If, at any time during the battle, you pick a 1 on the Random Number table, go to 77 -You may evade combat after 4 turns by turning to 104 (OOC: Okay, I'm done) === The first few seconds of battle were purely chaotic; Not being the brightest of grunt troopers, the Parademons managed to hit each other more than Patrick. The focus of the battle remained Fistbreaker. "Hold still!" the Parademon commander snarled, swinging his electric blade in a wide arc. "I will make you weep for your end!""My end...is some way off!" Patrick replies, grabbing a Parademon and dragging it into the path of the blade. As he battles, Patrick's Kai-Surge hammers into the other Parademons attacking him.Two more strikes, and Patrick sees an opening; with a yell, he brings the wooden sword around, hoping to disarm the Parademon. At the last second, Fistbreaker reacts, bringing his blade around and blocking the swing. The two blades collide...and Patrick's blade shatters. === OOC: Oops. Picked a 1 === On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 17:14:52 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011571 > A huge chunk of the power fence just...goes away. One close enough >to Frank to be convenient, but far enough away to not put him in >danger of becoming two-dimensional. ;^) > "Source!" a Parademon captain snarls. "Secure those prisoners! >Clear this area! I want patrols out here _yesterday,_ do you hear >me?" > The others go about their duties sullenly, not especially worried >if a human or two escapes, and certainly not watching the gaping hole >from the other direction. After all, there isn't anyone to be seen >for quite some distance, and even if there were, who's going to sneak >_into_ a prison camp? ;^) My cue, Patrick thinks. Okay, I did it against that...robot thing..."Kai Blast!" Patrick shouts, trying to smash Fistbreaker's limited psychic defenses (Given that Fistbreaker was distracted by the +2 Flaming Wreckage of Convenient Distraction, this shouldn't be too hard). OOC: So, this work? ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: The Great Escape ;^) On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 13:57:31 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011580 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:58:14 -0600, In alt.callahans >Frank McCoy Said As CAoL Message # 00011572 > >>In alt.callahans Roland X wrote: >> >> "Source!" a Parademon captain snarls. "Secure those prisoners! >>Clear this area! I want patrols out here _yesterday,_ do you hear >>me?" >> The others go about their duties sullenly, not especially worried >>if a human or two escapes, and certainly not watching the gaping >>hole from the other direction. After all, there isn't anyone to be >>seen for quite some distance, and even if there were, who's going to >>sneak _into_ a prison camp? ;^) > >Frank waits until the locals have their eyes turned towards the hole >in the fence, stands up, dusts himself off, and MARCHES directly >towards the closest two dog-soldiers who seem to be watching the hole >somewhat sullenly, but effectively enough to catch *most* escaping >prisoners ... if the prisoners are not too sneaky or not too many. Exactly _one_ sharp-eyed parademon notices Frank. "Oh nass," it spits desperately, then realizes that a) he was _doing_ his job, and b) he's about to get a show as an obvious member of Darkseid's Special Powers forces rips his less attentive colleagues up one side and down the other. He continues to carefully monitor the area, but keeps one eye on the show. >"HEY YOU!!!" he bellows in a command-voice that could be heard across >20 yards of deck in a gale-force wind. "Didn't you two HEAR?!!! >Secure that hole!" With this, he marches PAST the two wide-eyed >grunts; Who leap into the air, turn, and gape. >muttering under his breath in language fit to curl hair and turn the >air blue (OOC: A Marine picks up some ... interesting ... >vocabulary.) about the ancestry, habits, and lack-of-intelligence of >underlings Trembling in abject terror, the two soldiers salute and take up positions. >He snaps the clips loose with a disgusted jerk; and then heads >directly into the compound with a hurried yet purposeful stride that >looks as if he knows *exactly* where he is going. Every Dog Soldier he comes within sight of comes to attention and salutes. Parademons part in his wake like the Red Sea before Moses. The entire camp seems to be in awe of Frank -- except the prisoners, who appear to be keeping their heads low and out of everyone's way as much as possible. They certainly haven't been broken yet. In fact, they seem even more defiant than Frank would expect, though in a very quiet, careful way. >There's nothing like *looking* like you know what you're doing, >acting like this is your DUTY, and not taking shit from underlings to >make grunts think you belong there. Besides, he's not *sneaking* out >of the compound ... On the contrary, he's going right on into it; >acting like he owns the place! Any *normal* grunt would figure that >if he's not what he seems, those inside will take care of the matter >... and in any case they can check his credentials when he tries to >leave. Of course, unless he's a comics geek, there's no way that Frank could have known that, due to the way the pecking order on Apokolips works, he would have been hard-pressed to choose a _better_ tactic. Darkseid's engine of tyranny runs on _fear,_ each level of the organization terrified of the ones above it and ruling those below them like...well, gods. >The camo-gear he's wearing, while not "standard uniform" certainly >isn't the stuff any escaping prisoner would wear; and doesn't look >like anything the enemy around here wears either. How many grunts >know ALL the various work-type wear that techs use anyway? That's the down side to having a supervillain style for your Army of Evil. Since every one of your unique Champions of Darkness is garbed uniquely as well, anyone in any suitably unusual outfit who tries a bluff like this can simply claim to be one such power. Especially if you can change the course of mighty rivers and bend steel in your bare hands. >What goon is going to chance alienating somebody who looks and acts >like he's possibly in Special Services or the equivalent? None, for now. They don't know _what_ business is so important here that one of the Big Guns could be here when the biggest battle since the end of the New Genesis War, but they're _not_ going to stop him without good reason. Like, say arming a bunch of prisoners and leading them out. ;^) Take care, -- Evil GM-San Hey, look, a battle plan that survived contact with the enemy! Wait, that's not right... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Storming The Storm On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 14:56:26 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011581 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:14:32 -0800 (PST) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011574 > >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011564 >> "Harry him," Lashina orders, and the rollergrrrl races in, using >>standard (if brutal) superspeed tactics to hammer at Rob. Her >>strength is only marginally beyond human, but combined with her >>great speed and agility, she's going to be very dangerous indeed. > > Speed Queen meets the Icon of Stone style, producing a stalemate; >Rob can't move fast enough to hit her, but even at top speed, she >can't do damage. This isn't comforting. [Lashina's probably counting >on SQ to distract me, and...YOW!] A lash flicks toward his shoulder, >but he brushes it away. [...attacking me while I'm distracted.] Lashina observes this for a few seconds, then grins and makes a spinning gesture with her index finger. Speed Queen grins back, and suddenly Rob's head is wrapped in thick cloth of some sort. Lashina immediately dives in, her enhanced lashes striking with speed worthy of her partner's, trying to turn the martial artist into a gravel pit. >> Gilotina and Harriet smile sadistically as they take flanking >>positions on Kell. He can engage one, but that will leave him open >>to the other. Gilotina fires a beam clearly meant to cut him, not >>kill him. Harriet, on the other hand, throws a volley of power >>spikes intended to turn Kell into a pin cushion... > > Kell trips on something, rolls, and comes to his feet. The flash >from where he was is impressive; the yipe from Gilotina is just >amusing. OOC: Unless Kell actually performed a stunt that redirected the spikes, this does not happen; these aren't goons from the 60s Batman series, they're the _Female_Furies._ They don't _make_ mistakes as obvious as flanking someone exactly opposite from one another. >he steps up to Mad Harriet and begins pummeling her mercilessly. Harriet looks amazed, then begins pummelling him back with her spiked fists. "Ooo, he wants to play! Play with Mad Harriet, little man!" Bernadeth's jaw drops. [He's suicidal.] "Gilotina, ignore him! Deal with the woman archer!" Which leads us to... >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:13:41 -0800 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00011575 > >>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 16:37:22 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011570 >> >>>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 02:24:21 -0800 >>>Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00011566 >>> >>>Veren *growls* and hangs onto the twitching bow long enough to fire >>>a volley of four arrows at the undamaged "pet." Unfortunately, the >>>one shot is all he gets before the bow slips free. >> >> Mary smiles and uses her TK to toss the bow aside casually. > >I expected that, but what happens to the volley of electric arrows he >got off? OOC: Okay, when you said "one shot," I thought that this was the one arrow fired at the previous robodog. Here goes. The monster, apparently just intelligent enough to realize what happened to its 'partner,' roars metallically and leaps. This, of course, is not enough to throw Veren's aim off (even with Mary yanking at his bow), but it _is_ enough to keep the damage from incapacitating the beast, as the arrows either scrape along the thing's belly (discharging their electricity) or sticking in it. Either way, it's a less vulnerable part of the body. So it lands near Veren, though it looks 'drunk' and unsteady as it eyes the archer. >> Artemis looks...curious. "Not the defense I had expected," she >>says with a dark smile, nocking an ordinary-looking arrow and taking >>aim, "but an acceptable result all the same." She seems to >>be...waiting for something. (OOC: Unless Erin is still firing >>rapidly, in which case, Artemis is 'parrying and riposting,' >>arrow-wise, with mostly normal arrows at first.) > >Erin is still firing rapidly, and she seems to have no trouble >whatsoever staying on her feet. Artemis' smile vanishes. >>>while Erin unloads on the damaged "pet" with appalling speed for an >>>archer...one shot per second, it looks like. >> >> The thing 'howls' metallically, maintaining just enough >>self-control to retreat in good order. Well, _decent_ order, anyway. > >Now that the pet is leaving, Erin seems to be aiming for Artemis' >bow. Artemis sighs. [Well, I suppose I asked for that.] She moves with phenomenal grace, dodging some attacks and deflecting others with hero own arrows. Occasionally, she counterattacks with an arrow that explodes when it strikes an object (either one of Erin's arrows, the ground around her, or theoretically Erin herself). The two archers seem to be stalemated. Then Gilotina walks over, pouting. "Having fun with the dagger-man and Bernadeth says--" "Shut up and do your _job,_ Gilotina," Artemis barks. "I'm facing a _woman_ -- a _real_ threat!" Gilotina sighs and starts trying to disintegrate Erindrea's bow, then her arrows, then (in the unlikely event she can get all of that) her armor. OOC note: An interesting function of the invading reality is that it is virtually impossible to completely undress someone in the open. Certain areas of the body remain covered under the most unlikely of circumstances. Not that I expect Erin to _need_ this unique protection... >>One arrow pierces [Mary's] leg, while the other three fall to her >>weapons and her power. "You...you accursed _male!_ I am going to >>fashion gloves from your _hide_!" she cries, > >"Bad ahdea," comments Erindrea. "That greenish skin of his against >that pale skin of yoahs? Honey, you'd look lahk you were comin' down >with somethin' nasty." > >Veren favors Erin with a Look of Severely Limited Amusement. Mary frowns. "Good point. I'll make _lining_ out of it, then!" >>limping backward while keeping one eye on the arrow to see if it >>does anything...unusual. > >What, like burst into flames? Nah. It was, however, coated with a >knock-out drug... Actually, that's what I was expecting, and Mary was concerned about (since her leg didn't explode or anything). She mentally yanks out the arrow in two directions, snapping it very cleanly, then forces out some of her own blood to cleanse the wound. >Meanwhile, Veren has shifted into a skirmishing style, grabbing >whatever cover he can and moving around while taking occasional >pot-shots at the blasters that Mary's wielding. The pot-shots in >question, it should be noted, are more volleys of four at a time. If >he can take out three of the blasters, he'll favor Mary with another >volley of knock-out arrows...with a rather more potent variant of the >drug. Mary is doing much the same thing, floating out her weapons to fire at Veren from several different angles at once while taking cover. Fortunately for both combatants, while there may not be much vegetation, there's _plenty_ of cover in the form of both structures and debris. Veren quickly becomes aware that Bloody Mary _has_ taken note of his four-shot volleys, and seems to be timing her most aggressive bursts of blaster fire to coincide with the pauses between them. Particularly after she loses a blaster. Then another... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Enter the Good Doctor.. On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 15:12:19 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011582 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 04:24:54 -0500 >Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011576 >He walks back over to the desk where the video screen is, and scans >the other CAoLers. He focuses on the Prison Camp where the dominated >New Yorkers are being held. The defenses are many, and there doesn't >seem to be any way to get into the camp. Note: The second battle is taking place in the center of Darkseid's conquered territory, on the western end of the Pennsylvania/Maryland border. The war map's graphic: http://silver-gateway.com/rc/earth9/ne-us.gif They're at the center of the hexagonal area, where six triangular regions meet. >No one but the squirrels and the occasional deer were present when a >flash of multi-colored light appear in the dark of the cave. Suddenly >a 7 foot metal man comes thundering out of the cave, taking a running >start and taking off into the sky. (OOC: Shades of Commander Cody. >:-) He climbs to 10,000 feet and activates his stealth mode so as not >to get the locals spooked. No sense in scaring the good folks into >taking pot shots at him. He makes a flight path to the edges of the >invasion area, and activates his comm system. This still works, in spite of the invasion covering all of PA. (Too cool not to.) However, it does not go unnoticed. "Sir!" A dog soldier calls out to his parademon commander. "We have an airborne target!" "Oh?" The parademon marches over. "Hm. Climbing...fire a few missiles at it and--" he stops as the target reaches ten thousand feet. Dog soldier and parademon gape as it vanishes. "But how...?" the Dog Soldier stammers. "One of their enhanced beings, no doubt," the parademon spits. "Send out a patrol. Let's see if it can hide from eyes as well as sensors." The dog soldier salutes and starts transmitting orders... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Mother Love On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 17:20:34 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011583 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 09:01:09 -0800 (PST) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011578 > >>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 16:15:22 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011569 >> >> Eric looks embarrassed. "*cough* I...ah...had the opportunity to >>work with him one about a year and a half ago. He disapproved of my >>willingness to kill, unsurprisingly, but he was otherwise >>refreshingly efficient." Eric pauses. "Batman _might_ be around, >>with Green Lantern here, but if he is I'm not aware of it. Not that >>I would be." > >"Not to disapproving, if you found out about his Deliberate Target." >Ziactice says. "He gave you the lead on your computer geek that was >so instrumentally helpful, didn't he?" "Well, on the former, I saw him take an APEX round to the chest and keep going," Eric replies, "and it didn't hurt that after...an initial misunderstanding, he viewed me as a sort of cop." He grins lopsidedly. "I don't kill things just for having claws and fangs, after all. As for that techie, yeah, I don't know _how_ he knew about that..." Eric trails off. "Hey, how did _you_ know about that?" He sighs and rolls his eyes, but still smiling. "Just hit my stupid question quota for the day." (OOC: Is that latter bit an obscure reference, or just a way to let Zia show off? 8^) >> Eric grins. "A scarf, eh? I think I've picked up a hint of a >>Shadow of that before. How apropos. I may not like spandex, but I >>did enjoy the exploits of the pulps' heroes as a boy." > >"Which ones existed here? You didn't blink at Doc Savage..." "Oh, as far as I know, the only 'real' pulp hero here -- who got his own series, anyway -- was Doc Eon. The Shadow, Doc Savage, the Spider, G-8, Operator 5, the Phantom, the Avenger, they were all fiction, as far as I know." He shrugs. "I think I'm just getting used to meeting fictional characters, between the Champions and the CAoL." >>> >> "Oh, don't worry," a voice suddenly replies -- RIGHT IN HER EAR > > Zia hits dirt, every sense and defense scrambling to find out >where that is coming from. When he sees Zia dive, Eric immediately draws twin machine pistols, crouching low, spinning, and looking for something to put holes in. There seems to be a tiny pinprick in Shadow right near her that Omen _might_ be communicating through, but Zia senses nothing more. >>"I have no _personal_ interest in you." (Note; Eric does _not_ hear >>this, though it appears to be entirely sound-based -- no telepathy. >>His reaction is based on hers.) > > Realizing Eric isn't in the loop, Zia retransmits the message via >her Lens to his. She cautiously picks herself up off the ground, >grinding her teeth slightly at how foolish she was just made to >appear. Eric's jaw clenches as he puts the pistols away. His fists open and close impotently. >>"Nemo, however, is fond of you, which means I will simply _have_ to >>direct my attention to you...later." The feeling of such a slimy >>character would leave any normal person who hadn't already fainted >>feeling a desperate need for a shower. > > "Is it me, or is the unknown enemy waving a red cape and shouting >Toro, toro rather telling that something goes on we know not of, >yet?" "It's not you," Eric replies evenly. > "It is rather reassuring to know Omen is not as bright as Nemo; I >have three solution sets in place." Ziactrice's tone could be used to >drive steel rivets - if you didn't care about how deep the rivets >went. She glances at Eric; he can _feel_ the cold smile, even if he >can't see it. Eric looks unhappy, despite Zia's confidence. "It can't be that simple. Don't these things have brains like several planets in parallel or something?" > "No one _uses_ me against my loves." Ziactrice states with all the >will and determination of a born and breed, Pattern-proved, royal of >Amber. Now _that_ brightens his spirits, though an outside observer wouldn't be able to tell; except for his frown vanishing, he looks like the old Hunter. His stance is casual death ready to be unleashed, his eyes are cold and his flat expression colder, and blades play along his fingers seemingly of their own accord. "So I noticed," he replies dryly. >> ^Only the Anti-Life _Entity_ is unbalanced. The Equation is >>entirely neutral as a power; it is a technomagickal formula that has >>between six and thirteen variables (dependent on one of the >>variables themselves), > > "Ah! Makes much more sense that way. Not actually a simple >equation - an intergral series. A transform, perhaps..." Ziactrice >mumbles to herself, in a tone familiar to mathematicians (and the >people who love them enough to put up with the obsession) everywhere. There is a sense of a nod. ^Equations, plural, may be more accurate.^ Eric is _totally_ lost, though he figures if Zia has a handle on things, he can just follow her lead. (Yep, he's going to be able to put up with her obsession. Maybe since she seems to be able to put up with his... ;^) >>However, the Anti-Life _Entity_ is another matter. It is a being >>created by the partial solution of the Equation that fills in >>certain variables and leaves others incomplete, hence 'expression.' >>Even we are uncertain as to the necessary formula required to invoke >>the Entity, as it requires a concept of maximized 'wrongness' that >>we cannot conceptualize numbers having. To the best of our >>knowledge, a number does not have a rightness or wrongness innately. >>Perhaps it is a matter of context. > > ^@Actually, numbers do have rightness or wrongness, although >you'll usually hear true mathematicians invoke this as the degree of >elegance of the application. The numbers themselves are symbolic, but >the true meaning always lies in what they represent, not the numbers >themselves.@^ Zia explains, both to the Mother Box and Eric via Lans >so it won't be overheard. Her tone is rather distracted, even >mentally. She is absorbed in the conceptual puzzle of what the >Equation might actually -be- used to express, the underlying notion >of the mathematics. ^Goodness.^ The Mother Box seems disturbed by this concept. ^That would mean that the Anti-Life Entity would be the very incarnation of inelegance -- a being of brutality itself,^ it projects unhappily. ^Do you conceive this as being a significant possibility?^ There is a projection of calculations that would probably have Zia rapturous with delight under less stressful conditions; perhaps the _Mother_Box(es)_ is/are the opposite of the Anti-Life Entity, as even in trying to describe the inelegant, her use of logic and formula is supremely and wondrously graceful. This results in slight flaws in its ability to conceptualize the Entity, but its conclusions seem generally accurate. If anything, the flaws cloud its ability to truly understand how _monstrous_ the Entity is. > ^@Of course, it may not be Euclidean at all, which could be part >of the problem. If it is a matrixed transform, the flaws are even >deeper in Suli and Darkseid's computations. Which... could be a very >bad thing. The Entity may discover an escape from their flawed >controls... partial solutions given leeway too soon are always >problematic to true solutions of any mathematical problem.@^ The Mother Box radiates agreement. ^Even Darkseid seems aware that his control of the Entity is tenuous at best, and 'control' is perhaps not the most accurate concept of his position as High Lord. The other Darkness Devices are inanimate objects, physically, even dread Heketon (OOC: the Gaunt Man's Device, the knowledge of which is directly imparted with the name/identity Heketon). The Entity is not. It would make considerable sense that the 'Equation'/transform/formula not be Euclidean. Though we are not certain that the flaws have entirely eluded them.^ >> There is another pause. ^The wisdom of the Source is marvelous at >>times even to us. That we/I should come to be possessed/in contact >>with one of the most ideal beings imaginable for the purpose of >>solving this puzzle/conundrum/problem stretches the very concept of >>coincidence.^ > > @^Nothing coincidental about it, MB. Darkseid and Suli figure that >I'll solve it. She dropped you on purpose. No other reason for her to >be carrying you into combat, you know. She has her own direct >connection to the Source. ^True,^ the Mother Box notes. ^However, her control is not absolute. We were useful, insofar as she could force me to do her bidding. Nevertheless, you have an entirely valid theory.^ >Now, how they plan to make me _give_ them the solution, assuming I >can encompass it, now that would be a good question. The Source is >simply letting them have enough rope in the hopes they'll hang >themselves with it. I hope it's right...@^ More agreement. ^The more we analyze the conundrum, the more it appears that Darkseid and Suli -- the true, inner Suli, at least -- want us to solve it. The logic of this conflict, however, then eludes me. Why would they not simply ask for assistance?^ >>of greatest manifestation down. The Source...IS, in a way that >>defies locality to an extent.^ > > ^@You're side-stepping the actual question, and nicely skirting >the truth. If it isn't something I'm supposed to know, MB, or know >yet, just say so. If it just was - you wouldn't be saying it 'defies >locality to an extent'- you'd say it isn't localized at all. If it >were a general field effect, like Shadow itself, it wouldn't have a >center of efficacy, and it does.@^ The Mother Box becomes downright _mournful_ at its error in this case. ^Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Such evasion was not at _all_ our intent. Clarification: The Source defies locality to an extent within its native cosm/reality/Shadow. It 'radiates' from that...point/demense/origin to other 'Shadows' to affect them with either less energized versions of itself or altered reflections of itself, or both. Earth-9 seems to be of the second category, that of 'altered reflection,' though the reality-altering beings designated 'Awakened' and/or 'True Mages' defy our ability to categorize. ^Some of the problem is that even we Mother Box(es) are not fully cognizant of the Source's nature. We are strongly and deeply connected to it, we are _of_ it, but we are not the Source itself. Indeed, we theorize that our nature is what allows us to communicate as well as we do with individuals, which is not always as effectively as we might wish.^ (OOC note: Mother Box can convey concepts. I'm stuck using words. *sheepish grin* Again, I can clarify in the Tech Room if this explanation leaves anything unclear.) >>Given Zia's comments regarding "guidance" along paths,however, not >>to mention what he's heard about some actual Pattern wielders, he >>does radiate a bit of dubiousness. > > ^@To tell you the truth, Eric, I wouldn't be comfortable trying >it, either, but I was actually thinking of asking someone else to >have a go at it, if it seemed needful.@^ Eric nods. He's still more concerned about being watchful, but that's closer to what he expected. >>There is a sense of a smile. ^For all of Darkseid's purported evil, >>we examine what he did first with power over life and death and find >>hope. Not causing the destruction of his enemies, nor terror in his >>rivals. He used it out of love.^ > > ^@And it failed him.#^ Zia says, very quietly. ^@He has Suli back, >but horribly changed, and you just said that she was mistaken he >would not love her as the original. Thus the use for love has twisted >in his hands, and hurt that which he held more dear than anything >else. If you think this is a good thing, I cannot imagine how. Even >if we should manage to heal her, his wrath will still be unappeased. >She will then be of clear mind to help him complete the solution. I >am not sanguine about how he might then take action. Are you?@^ ^I do not calculate that his solution was ideal,^ Mother Box admits freely. ^The act itself, however, began with fairly pure intent. If sin there was, it was one of pride/arrogance/hubris, not one of intended harm. Certainly, there is danger aplenty from such hubris. However, we see hope for Darkseid in the choice he made.^ She pauses. ^As for what action Darkseid will take once Suli is of a more sound mind, we cannot calculate this with accuracy. There are many variables, most of which are in active flux even now, and examining his cognates provides little assistance -- aside from a wide range of reactions, they are all connected in a sense, though not nearly as completely as we theorize the nature of NEMO and OMEN to be.^ > "I learned long ago not to _ever_ cross the instincts of an Eric." >Ziactrice says, like it is some kind of parable. "This duel won't be >decided by mentation, but by skill and nerves." She goes back to >Lens, to Eric and the MB. Eric seems _very_ curious at that, more from her tone than her words, but leaves following curiosity to cats. > ^@MB won't do any harm, and she might help. All right, Mother Box, >go ahead. I'd perfer you to go ahead with your extra method, if you >will. I think it's better to make sure I won't drop you; it's no use >leaving temptations to Uninfluenced Chance, especially of the irony >type.@^ There is a ripple of sympathetic amusement at the last comment. ^We/I can merge with your armor, if you wish. When not in his Astro-Glider, one of my sister-selves resides in Orion's helm. With other armors, we usually take residence on the shoulder, either in obvious fashion or as a portion of the pauldron. Alternately, we can reshape ourselves into a suitable article of clothing. Perhaps a dueling glove/gauntlet for the hand that will not wield your primary weapon?^ she asks, not assuming handedness of any sort, apparently. Kanto section continued in Bleys and Eric, Together Again (Okay, okay, that's not going to be the subject line -- it's "Swords and Cards." But only because Morgan talked me out of it. ;^) ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Swords and Cards On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 18:39:15 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011585 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 09:01:09 -0800 (PST) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011578 > >>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 16:15:22 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011569 >> >>>On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 04:46:47 -0800 (PST) >>>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011567 >> > *bows with a flourish* A tribute to Our Lady of the Holy Znip, nothing more. ;^) >>> "Sir, you know the forms must be met." Zia sighs. "We can duel >>>without a Master of the Field; I am of the Eastern traditions. >>>However, I cannot in honor retain my Second if you produce none." >>>She looks at Eric, and then she sighs. >> >> Yep, Eric looks absolutely determined. To put it mildly. >> (Morgan adds: "Irresistible force, meet immovable object." :-) > > (Even Zia knows when she is beat. Someone even stubborner than >she. Who would have guessed _that_? Tee hee.) OOC: Heh. Of course, when she _really_ wants to, she can just jiujitsu that stubbornness in the desired direction... >> Kanto _frowns._ "Such as I would trust to remain honorable are >>otherwise engaged -- except for Suli," he adds, "and do you _really_ >>want to complicate matters regarding her?" >> Eric's eyebrows practically _leap_ to his hairline. /I smell a >>rat. Just what kind of game are these people playing here?/ > > /Not sure, especially discomfiting since it seems aimed at me in >particular./ Zia returns. > "I can hardly _not_ do so, being whom I am." Ziactrice replies >with a maddeningly mysterious air of knowing far more about the >situation than even Kanto himself can imagine. Kanto makes another 'touch' gesture, though he's less sanguine about it this time. Zia's definitely hit him squarely in the curiosity with _that_ line. 8^) > "But it is not yet the proper time for us to meet again. Is there >no one else? Or must I try to find one of my friends whom you can >also trust to stand at your back?" The implication that he would have >better friends if he fought with her instead of against her is >stunningly clear, in the way only the Actress can put things across >to an audience. Kanto gestures in surrender to the point, though not the 'touch' acknowledgement, this time. "To take such advantage of an honorable foe's nobility would hardly be either sporting or good form, however. A moment, if you will." And Kanto contacts Steppenwolf, with amusing results... >> OOC: Oh, _nicely_ done. *Evil GM-San bows in admiration* > > OOC: Thank you! GM-San, first name being appalling appropriate... giggle!> OOC: Oh, you 'sound' _so_ distrusting. Uh-huh. "Puh-LEEZE don't throw me into that briar patch!" ;^) > >> "I am glad to know that," he replies with a grin and a nod. "I'm >>rather fond of breathing, and I have no desire to destroy an artist >>such as yourself." A Shadow of Bleys with jet-black hair? Who can >>say? >> Then again, would even a _Shadow_ of Bleys be content serving >>another? ;^) >> (OOC: Evil GM-San say: Thanks for the idea! ) > > (OCC: *facepalms* Whimper. What have I _done_? And who says he is >content to serve another? Maybe he just hasn't had a better offer, >yet, hmmmm?) OOC: Well, we'll just have to see, won't we? Heh heh heh. In the meantime... > Zia laughs, a dark and mysterious one full of a secretive >amusement. Her armor flows, becoming a beautiful Spanish 14th century >fighting jerkin and hose, replete with lace, full-sleeved silk shirt, >and high, soft leather boots. A full hat with a long ostrich plume is >pulled from behind her back (like the proverbial rabbit out of a hat >in reverse!). Zia slides it on with a practiced motion. The entire >outfit is eye-punching, electric blue with trim in jade green and >gleaming silver. OOC-M: Actually, I was playing with that last night. How's this: http://silver-gateway.com/herald/zia.gif Though I used more traditional heraldic colors than "electric blue" and "jade green" ;-). Kanto raises an eyebrow and smiles, though apparently because what she's wearing looks more "normal" to him (Early Renaissance-esque garb with a four-color sensibility 8^) than most of what he's seen so far. Eric puts on his sunglasses. ;^) > An embroidered badge over the heart in silk depicts her shield of >arms. Eric realizes where the badge is and almost has heart failure. ^Zia. Beloved. I am _begging_ you to tell me that you have some sort of protection under that target on your chest.^ > OOC: Would someone add the blazon said properly, pretty please? I >am not sure I can say it right. With the modifications Morgan had >suggested from the Green Room, too. M: Per pale azure and vert, on a bend sinister argent two roses vert barbed and seeded sable. In English for the heraldically challenged ;-), a shield divided in half vertically in blue (on the left) and green (on the right), a white stripe running from the upper right to the lower left, and on the white stripe, two green roses with black "details." >btw...> Thank you, thank you, we aim to please (when we don't aim to kill or bind ;^). >> "What fun would that be?" Kanto asks Zia with a wink. "So, how >>shall we pass the time while we wait for my Second?" > > "Shall I read the cards for you?" Ziactrice offers, bringing out >her Trump deck with one smoothly graceful motion. "Oh, and I suppose >you still need to name your preferred weapons, and set the conditions >that will end the duel." She adds off-handedly as she sits down on >the painted grass and shuffles her Deck. "Swords, naturally," Kanto replies, "and you may choose any you desire. No ranged weapons built in, however. Secondary weapons are acceptable to me, though I will use a single blade regardless." He considers. "I suppose 'to the yield' will result in a rather long duel," he quips with a smile. "First blood from the torso, perhaps? I encountered a delightful foe a few Hyperthreads off who challenged me thus. His name was Graves, I believe." > "Ask a question, then choose the card that appeals to you most." >She instructs. "Mmm." Kanto considers this seriously. "I have little need or want that is not met by my skill and my place among the Elite..." He looks the cards over. "Well, I suppose the obvious question would be whether or not I will find a mate." With that, he draws a card, and rather mindfully, at that. (Insert Zia's prophecying here -- have fun! 8^) After a pause, while Kanto considers what Zia's told him, the sound of a rocket pack echoes around them. Another anachronism approaches them -- this one far more blunt, however, influenced by the most banal style of 19th century Prussia. The outfit's saving grace is that it's colorful. The man himself seems to lack saving graces as he glares at Kanto. He manages to make something as inherently cool as wearing a jetpack seem mundane. "I am Virman Vundabar," he says with a click of his heels, managing to make even that punctilious, "and I will be Kanto's Second." He mutters something dire under his breath, apparently directed at Kanto, but otherwise does nothing that could be construed as threatening. He stands at an attention so stiff that _Eric_ gets uncomfortable just by looking at him. "_He's_ your Second?" Eric asks, quietly incredulous. "Virman may be scheming, devious, and underhanded," Kanto comments, which _mollifies_ Vundabar -- hell, the man practically preens -- "but when a superior gives him orders, he follows them with his usual...precision." Kanto grins. "I listened in on Steppenwolf when he sent Vundabar here. He was _very_ precise." Virman stops preening and looks like he ate something unpleasant, whereas Kanto throws him the most _satisfied_ grin. Then he turns back and winks at Zia. "For a man who prides himself on having no imagination, though," he adds, "Vundabar comes up with the most amazing traps." "So." This time, he merely rests his hand on the blade's hilt, almost as if he's expecting Zia to come up with something _else_ out of her hat. So to speak. "I am at your convenience." ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: The Great Escape ;^) On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 18:47:22 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011586 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:00:10 -0800 >Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00011579 >On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 17:14:52 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011571 > >> A huge chunk of the power fence just...goes away. One close >>enough to Frank to be convenient, but far enough away to not put him >>in danger of becoming two-dimensional. ;^) >> "Source!" a Parademon captain snarls. "Secure those prisoners! >>Clear this area! I want patrols out here _yesterday,_ do you hear >>me?" >> The others go about their duties sullenly, not especially worried >>if a human or two escapes, and certainly not watching the gaping >>hole from the other direction. After all, there isn't anyone to be >>seen for quite some distance, and even if there were, who's going to >>sneak _into_ a prison camp? ;^) > >My cue, Patrick thinks. Okay, I did it against that...robot >thing..."Kai Blast!" Patrick shouts, trying to smash Fistbreaker's >limited psychic defenses (Given that Fistbreaker was distracted by >the +2 Flaming Wreckage of Convenient Distraction, this shouldn't be >too hard). > >OOC: So, this work? OOC: Yep. I mean, he _is_ just a grunt with a pedigree. 8^) Fistbreaker howls in pain and fury as he goes flying (literally and figuratively) away from the master martial artist, clutching his head as he careens across the sky. The other parademons, who had been fighting with at least _some_ discipline before, split neatly into two camps: one that flees at the sight of their leader getting smacked around like a pinata, and one that goes into a mindless aggressive rage. (OOC: Which means that Patrick can pretty much whap 'em all upside the head at this point. 8^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Enter the Good Doctor.. On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 23:06:25 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011587 >On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 15:12:19 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011582 > >>On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 04:24:54 -0500 >>Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011576 > > >>He walks back over to the desk where the video screen is, and scans >>the other CAoLers. He focuses on the Prison Camp where the dominated >>New Yorkers are being held. The defenses are many, and there doesn't >>seem to be any way to get into the camp. > > Note: The second battle is taking place in the center of >Darkseid's conquered territory, on the western end of the >Pennsylvania/Maryland border. The war map's graphic: >http://silver-gateway.com/rc/earth9/ne-us.gif They're at the center >of the hexagonal area, where six triangular regions meet. Doc Energy pulls up a map of the NE United States, and scans the altered reality. He calculates the area affected and the Core Earth-9 reality, and a map appears in his internal viewscreen. He calculates a course, and alters his flight slightly to where he's travelling west/southwest to the Prison Camp, which is at the center of the hexagonal map. [Hmmm.. A good tactical choice for location of a prison camp. I am thinking, however, that it will not be easy to assault it.] he thinks to himself as he powers up the weapons systems and shields. >>No one but the squirrels and the occasional deer were present when a >>flash of multi-colored light appear in the dark of the cave. >>Suddenly a 7 foot metal man comes thundering out of the cave, taking >>a running start and taking off into the sky. (OOC: Shades of >>Commander Cody. :-) He climbs to 10,000 feet and activates his >>stealth mode so as not to get the locals spooked. No sense in >>scaring the good folks into taking pot shots at him. He makes a >>flight path to the edges of the invasion area, and activates his >>comm system. > > This still works, in spite of the invasion covering all of PA. >(Too cool not to.) However, it does not go unnoticed. > "Sir!" A dog soldier calls out to his parademon commander. "We >have an airborne target!" > "Oh?" The parademon marches over. "Hm. Climbing...fire a few >missiles at it and--" he stops as the target reaches ten thousand >feet. Dog soldier and parademon gape as it vanishes. > "But how...?" the Dog Soldier stammers. > "One of their enhanced beings, no doubt," the parademon spits. >"Send out a patrol. Let's see if it can hide from eyes as well as >sensors." > The dog soldier salutes and starts transmitting orders... Suddenly his passive sensors pick up a group of blips becoming airborne. [Damn!] he thinks to himself, [I knew I should have activated the stealth mode as soon as I took flight. So much for the element of surprise.] He notices the blips are heading in the direction of where he took off and there are 5 of them. This means that they plan to catch him in the air. Knowing that they are simple creations, he reasons that they will be looking in the air, but may not be looking for him on the ground. Also he reasons that they are thinking that he's just a flying Nova of some sort, so may not realize that he's tracking their movements already. He notes that the course their altitude has matched his, and they are heading on a scanning route, which also means that they are as far apart as they can be and still cover the area. He drops to 5,000 feet and activates his light bending shield. This renders him invisible to the eye. He also activates a subroutine which masks all energy signatures he emits. He flies into a cloudbank and watches the passive sensors as the blips approach his position. He pulls up a 3-d representation of himself and the blips and tracks their movements. [As easy as it would be to take out these soldiers, I have to play it safe until they pass by. One of two things could happen here. They could assume that I landed and will notify a ground unit to look out for me. The other is that they will not find me, but they will assume that I am here and will remain in patrol for the duration. Neither of which helps me or the combatants of the second battle. My only choice is to remain hidden until they pass over me, then attack from below.] Doc Energy hovers in the cloudbank and waits... while he waits, he plans his next course of action. ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Against Amazo On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 20:28:25 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011588 Earth-9 has seen many epic battles since the birth of the Champions. Mechanon, the Scions of Caine, and the mighty Doctor Destroyer have all been responsible for fantastic conflicts of many different sorts. Even for this world, however, a battle rages that will be long remembered. Amazo's first strike is with a punch that splits like a multiple-warhead missile, combining the shape-shifting power of the Martian Manhunter, the stretching of the Elongated Man, the strength of Superman, and the speed of the Flash. Defender responds by braiding the many thin armlets with his kinetic powers, twisting them in such a way as to force them off-course with their own strength. His counter-stroke, a strobing flash of light concealing a two-pronged attack of lightning and force, is blocked by an emerald wall backed by New God magic. Roland's follow-up mind strike is blocked by the combined telepathic skill of the Manhunter and the pre-Crisis Wonder Woman, and Amazo ripostes by using Firestorm's matter control to create an Apokoliptic cannon, which he easily hefts in one hand. "?" Defender wonders as he zooms out of the blast's way. "It is only fair to warn you," Amazo laughs, "that after I lost the Starspawn's power battling their superiors, I copied Desaad's technical genius." "And you have _Firestorm_ in there _too?_ Yipe!" Defender blurts, lashing out with waves of Gate Key energy combined with magical force disruption. Amazo laughs, shrinking down to a barely visible speck and racing in, dropping the cannon as he charges. This does him little good, however, when he is suddenly surrounded by a tunnel of light, white noise, magnetic energy, and dimensional vibration that disorients several senses at once. By the time he grows to full size and disperses the field with the Power Ring and Firestorm, Defender is nowhere to be seen. "Where ARE you, little man?!" Amazo roars. Defender pops back into his native dimension directly behind Amazo, hammering him with the full, awesome spectrum of his energy mastery and Gate Key power simultaneously. "RIGHT HERE!" he roars back, varying the style and vector of his attack constantly to keep Amazo disoriented. He concentrates on force, lightning, and power disruption at first, switching to heat, light, and primal disorientation next, throwing Amazo around constantly as he changes tactics from one second to the next. Amazo can absorb more than powers, however, and even Roland cannot remain unpredictable forever. As if to show off how he devised a counter-move, he throws a Batarang with one of Green Arrow's EMP arrowheads attached to it, which swerves around the blasts to go off at the right time to disrupt a magnetic burst. The android follows up with Wonder Woman's unbreakable lasso, hoping to end the fight with one strike. Defender is too skilled with his TK, however, and the lasso turns on its wielder. Amazo forces the lasso to retract, and before the Eternal can take advantage of this tactical "error," he creates three emerald Amazos that pound fiercely on Roland's azure forcefield! "Ha! You fight well, hero, but you cannot hold out forever against the one-man Justice League!" Amazo gloats. As if to prove the villain's point, Defender's ravaged forcefield bursts a moment later, and Amazo lashes out, grabs the hero, and bears him to the ground. Hard. "Your skill is great," Amazo says by way of a verbal 'salute.' "Your tactical talent is overrated, however." Combining the Manhunter and Superman again, he crushes Defender with two gigantic hands. "You mean, why didn't I use _yellow_ light?" Roland gasps. Amazo just has enough time to gape when the aperture holding the Gold Kryptonite in the amulet Fuzzy gave him opens. "I wanted you close enough for THIS!" With that, a tremendous blast of burning golden light, accompanied by circles of flame, engulf the android. With a thought, Amazo's three most powerful sources -- Superman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter -- have been neutralized. Immediately, Defender presses his advantage, hammering away with energy blasts, pinning the creature down with force, and lashing with Gate Key and magical energy to weaken the powers the robot _does_ still have. Amazo desperately resists with wind storms created by superspeed and New God weaponry, but the tide has definitely turned. Pieces of metal debris fly into the power field, attempting to connect the two green armbands in a long chain and deprive Amazo of Wonder Woman as well, but Firestorm's powers turn the metal into paper, which burns away easily. Defender adds a telepathic command to 'sleep,' pressing his advantage while he has it. As badly as the android is battered and weakened, however, a great many options remain open to it. Combining the Batman's cunning and the Flash's speed to go through plans at hyperspeed, he shrinks down again, using the Flash's vibrational powers to pass _into_ the ground and Firestorm's power to fly through it. He emerges near Kalibak and Orion, who are viciously engaged with one another. Amazo grows a vestigial mane as with Kalibak's and manifests Orion's (Mother Box armed) Astro-Glider! Growing to full size once again, he laughs, _ignoring_ Orion, and races back to deal with Defender. "By the Source!" Orion breathes, barely parrying Kalibak's beta club. "How _now,_ hero? What weakness do I have left to exploit!? A-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" Amazo laughs villainously as he heads back for Defender. "oboy..." ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: The Great Escape ;^) On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 22:19:41 -0600, In alt.callahans Frank McCoy Said As CAoL Message # 00011589 >In alt.callahans Roland X wrote: > Of course, unless he's a comics geek, there's no way that Frank >could have known that, due to the way the pecking order on Apokolips >works, he would have been hard-pressed to choose a _better_ tactic. >Darkseid's engine of tyranny runs on _fear,_ each level of the >organization terrified of the ones above it and ruling those below >them like...well, gods. Frank isn't a particular comix geek. He just recognizes the style. It's almost universal among those primarily dominated by power-over-the-weak and concerned mainly with "doing their jobs" while jockeying to stab the person above them in the back. The Nazis were relatively wishy-washy examples of the type; but examples just the same. "Doc." Smith gave a *very* good description of the type in describing the followers of Boskone and how their organization worked. Even supposedly "good" war machines like the US army often fall into the trap and start supporting the bureaucracy and power-plays that such types flourish in. As long as he's in and out before the improper reports trickle upwards through the (usually days late) side-channels, nobody will dare to question him directly ... unless of course, he misplays his hand. It's a little harder to misplay a hand, when you're supposedly one of the type who asks questions than one who has to answer them correctly ... which is the very reason he has grabbed at this role when thee opportunity appeared. >>The camo-gear he's wearing, while not "standard uniform" certainly >>isn't the stuff any escaping prisoner would wear; and doesn't look >>like anything the enemy around here wears either. How many grunts >>know ALL the various work-type wear that techs use anyway? > > That's the down side to having a supervillain style for your Army >of Evil. Since every one of your unique Champions of Darkness is >garbed uniquely as well, anyone in any suitably unusual outfit who >tries a bluff like this can simply claim to be one such power. >Especially if you can change the course of mighty rivers and bend >steel in your bare hands. A point that can act as "verification" of who he is. >>What goon is going to chance alienating somebody who looks and acts >>like he's possibly in Special Services or the equivalent? > > None, for now. The tendency of truly strict military vertically-integrated organizations, that Frank had counted on. You don't *directly* question orders or those giving orders. You do your job, you *follow* orders ... and then you report them by filling in the paperwork (or equivalent) that give you credit for a job done; and just incidentally bypasses immediate superiors. Somewhere on the base, Frank figures there's at least one Quisling, one parademon, one Dog Soldier, and probably at least one "prisoner" who isn't exactly what he seems. Since this is nasty work and fake-prisoners have a relatively short half-life, the last is probably iffy. Traitors have a tendency to have short but very fatal accidents; unlike "genuine" military members who are found out to actually be reporting to those higher up. The problem most commanders have, is ever knowing for *sure* that they know all of those under them who can and are reporting to those higher-up ... or are working for competing commanders in the neverending fight to make the next level up. Sometimes *not* competing; playing three or four ends against the middle can be quite a comfortable way to live in such a regime. Still, the whole *point* of such a role is to remain unobtrusive. Frank isn't worried. By the time this garbled tale gets up to those likely to understand, he'll be long gone ... or a pile of rubbish in the local garbage-heap. He understands the dietary habits of some of the local ... creatures, isn't all that picky. > They don't know _what_ business is so important here that one of >the Big Guns could be here when the biggest battle since the end of >the New Genesis War, but they're _not_ going to stop him without good >reason. Like, say arming a bunch of prisoners and leading them out. >;^) > Take care, Aye: There's the rub. Frank *cannot* "take care" in the role he's picked to play. He's got to be bold, fast, and decisive, like the person he's supposed to be: Somebody there to fix a problem and FAST. High-powered "Heros" generally are expected to make short shrift of the sorts of bureaucratic bungles that tend to louse up even the best of such outfits. But then, those at the top just cannot conceive that it's the very methods they use to govern that cause all the problems they have with governing. As he finally rounds the corner Frank desperately resists the impulse to wipe the sweat from his brow. That's *not* how a real SS operative would act ... and far from being empty the way he had hoped, the area between the buildings is full of a knot of people ... several Dog Soldiers with some kind of ... not *heavy* weaponry per-se, but something he'd hate to have to lug around while not enhanced. Plenty wicked enough to take out a group of unarmed prisoners or "soldiers-to-be" as the case may be, if they got rowdy. They're obviously "training a small group of the latter, while *damnit* two parademons lounge nearby; keeping a semi-interested eye on the training. "Which of you two is in charge here?" he barks at the parademons; then seems to change his mind on the spot (all acting ... he knew what he was going to do the moment he rounded the corner and found the group training. "You, and you, and you!" he snaps at the closest parademon, one of the two most-heavily-armed Dog-Soldiers, and the biggest, burliest, nastiest, and most-obviously disgruntled of the trainees/prisoners. No POWS *here*. Either you were a Dog Soldier, on the way up, a prisoner/trainee to BE a Dog Soldier, or you were meat. "Do you have a 'private' room we can 'interview' this prisoner in nearby?" he almost-jokes with a really NASTY grin. Of course there's going to be 'interrogation' rooms of several types nearby. "Someplace ... er .. 'private' where we won't be disturbed?" he clarifies.. "We'll need YOU to keep an eye on the prisoner, while Joe here and I ask him a few questions," the tells the Dog Soldier with the big weapon. "You DO, of course, know how to handle this thing ... Field-Strip it and put it together again?" he asks; trading an evil grin with the parademon; snatching the weapon from the grunt's hands before either the Dog Soldier or the parademon can react; flipping it around in a casual "inspection" before handing the weapon back to the surprised grunt ... the stock now *crushed*; heavy metal and wood splintering unnoticed in his powerful hands. The weapon however is still perfectly usable, if nowhere looking the parade-ground weapon it was before. "Well?" he snaps. "What the *unprintable* are you three *unprintable* *unprintables* waiting for? I haven't GOT all month!" (Hopefully unnoticed) he adjusts the setting on the Isher weapon to FULL stun mode ... Damned near enough to stop a person's heart and/or knock the recipient out for almost a day, he figures from tests he's made back in The Place. He doesn't change the weapon's basic wideness-setting from the default narrow-cone. Since the side the weapon is on, is the one he happens to have away from the Dog-Soldier and parademon, this is likely to be noticed. The soldier/trainee however, is in a position where he cannot be kept from seeing ... if even he would notice, given the diatribe and fear of the coming 'interrogation' he's going to be facing fairly soon. Frank ass-u-me-s that such interrogations are not uncommon. Rarely fatal, but .... (OOC: If my mother told me once, she told me a billion times, not to exaggerate!) The mental sweat is rolling; but all that's *apparent* in his face and expression is disgust and annoyance. Under-breath, barely-heard comments about the improbable ancestry, strange eating habits, and weird fornication methods of certain Dog Soldiers keep the air from being fully silent. If the air could curdle just from mere words .... (OOC: This *is* a magical-allowing continuum. *DOES* such "activity" have any *physical* effect? IOW, was that blistering of the pole at the fence *real* or just figurative?) (OOC: The main reasons the particular prisoner/trainee was picked, was twofold: Among those looking most disgruntled, HE was the one closest in physical characteristics to the Dog Soldier that was also just picked. Big and Bad, and not the handsomest bulb in the drawer. He's also the biggest risk in what Frank is about to attempt. A "loose cannon", if you will; since Frank knows *nothing* about any one of the three "victims" he's picked. With bad luck, and the wrong move by somebody he's planning to "rescue", all three of them could be dead, and Frank starting his own private war. With good luck ... Well, that's what this is all about: Creating our own good luck.) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Storming The Storm On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 00:48:25 -0600 Martin and/or Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00011591 [So, Hydra's going to 'port the entire Island to Darkseid's Heart and Brain Center of Operations, somewhere in Maryland] Dhyrclhanc thought to himself, mere moments before the second assault commenced. [I suppose that now might be a good time to try to get some additional Intel on my chosen opponent, or perhaps that should be the opponent who chose me... ] Dhyrclhanc's thoughts trailed off as he, once again, reached inside his hunter's green floor-length great-cloak and, this time, withdrew "his" Mother Box from it's normal resting place on the green and black medieval vest he wore underneath his great-cloak. He addresses the Kirby-tech box, currently slightly larger than a TL-7 PDA, /#Mother, why is it that this incarnation of Darksied seems to be so much more powerful than the stories and information that I've obtained in the past?#/ /#This cognate seems even more powerful than the stories that I remember hearing from both Lightray and {Takion/the Current Highfather}, Why? Has this new seemingly improved connection that he's established with the Anti-Life Equation accomplished all of this? Or is there more to it than this?#/ /# More appropriately, besides what Morgan and Sill are going to getting be up to, are there any weaknesses of this cognate of Darkseid that I might be able to take advantage of? #/ [Yeah,] he thinks to himself, [Like the words "Darkseid" and "Weakness" even belong in the same sentence with each other.] Dhyrclhanc waits patiently, although he perhaps foolishly, but accidentally, allows a small kernel of restlessness to be communicated to the Mother Box, as he knows that there are other things he needs to be doing before the second battle/fuzzball get's started. Right about now, Roland suddenly notices, as his eye is caught by two or three security screens that had somehow escaped his notice before, that "Dhyrclhanc's" "New Navy" Personnel, along with the members of the "Megaversal Legion" and Dhyrclhanc's "Cadre of Light" were now all camped out on the "back lawn" section of Champion's Island.Not only that, but the Droid Starfighters -- including the two or three Super Droid Starfighters -- had taken up roost on the outside of the dome where the assembled legion of the present iteration of the CAoL was currently located. =================================