Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9 Chapter 17 Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:50:02 -0800 (PST) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011700 >On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 23:58:25 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011697 >>On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 17:21:24 -0800 (PST) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011688 > Eric pauses. @I am not certain that my power level is sufficient >for what you have in mind. Then again, it may not have to be.@ Zia blinks in surprise, wondering what that rather Zen both-sides-of-the-answer reply meant. There isn't time to indulge her curiosity, however. >>@Are you game to try?@ > > A smile flickers across the connection as Eric does a "Thousand >Dragon Essence Strike" to vastly increase the speed with which he >throws out the Prime fists. @Always. Though that has to be _the_ >largest demon I've ever hunted.@ @Heh. If it were something as simple as a demon, we'd not have to expend all this effort. I should give some thought to possible recycling. Later.@ The Petite Amberite dials down her armor to a mere exoskeletal frame with propulsion enough to keep her in the air. Eric has fairly well decimated the shadows anywhere nearby. She flies behind Eric, bringing her hands up from behind him to the typical Vulcan mindmeld positions over his temples. OOC: You started the Trek stuff, so... :) "Cover us, please." She tells their two once-enemies, now-allies (hey, it's an Amberitish type of fight). "We're going to hit the Big One, hopefully well enough to give it a Truly Splitting Headache." Even as she explains, Eric feels/senses/hears her mind. She isn't using the Lens, any longer. This is raw, direst Psyche-to-Psyche connection. The intimacy is almost unbearable, despite how close they've become. She is striving to keep the mingling as narrow as possible, but given that she is trying to share her mathematical talents it cannot be held too tightly. There is a magnificence of grasp, perception, and sheer scope of what she can know, sense, and comprehend that is rather computer-like, honed by what he now knows is tens of centuries of experience. there is a babble of noise, at the back of her brain, as if a crowd of other minds were also present, but remote in space. There are broken places, the scars of some ancient, mortal mind-wounds built around and blunted like old pains grown familiar. Despite her age, she is young still for her kind, but all the images of people, places, strange worlds, and the feeling of knowing, absolutely, her place nad relationship to Reality and Shadow at all moments, like another sense of sight or direction. It is also terrifying. He can feel her holding back even as she reaches out, making every effort not to overwhelm him or intrude too ... deeply. Gentle mental probes find his sense of combat kinesthesia - how he tells what angles to strike blows and how hard to damage an enemy. That is well developed, tied through his coordination, into his mind though all his senses. Her mind waxes there, pouring though his like water through packed sand, bringing a weirdly exultant sense of epiphany as he begins to See the Anti-Life Equation, the bits of Variables Suli-San threw at Zia earlier, and the hazy sense of her Limited Solution Set sketches itself into and around the Anti-Life Entity in his imagination. No longer quite a fully separate mind, Ziactrice shows him how she would like to apply her Limited Solutions. Certain bits of the Anti-Life Equation are detailed further, some few of it's current Variables are simplified into assumptions, and then he can see the Two Solutions, each much less autonomous or alive-seeming than the current Malignant ALE. -- Ziactrice, who hasn't cracked a joke or a pun since Eric Awakened - better make sure she still has a sense of humor, or Roger is in BIG trouble. She knows who put all that plaid on her furnishings in Amber, last month! ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:15:39 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011701 >On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 22:45:16 -0800 (PST) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011690 > > [Now,] Rob realizes. He's been waiting for a moment to arrive - >what a more enlightened being might call "anticipating the cusp." All >he knows is that he had something to do, some time, and that time is >now. He throws Woundhealer away, to shred two shadows before burying >itself in a telephone pole. > "GHIDRAH'S BREATH!" Three beams of gravitic energy, each equal to >a dreadnought-scale graser, lance out - one from each hand, and one >from Rob's mouth. One deflects around Mageddon, whose mass is enough >to divert such a beam, while the anti-plasma barrage masks its >presence. The second blast is caught in the wake of the Astro-Force, >and follows it in. And the third goes off into space, arcs around the >far side of the moon, and hits the Anti-Life Entity from what would >be its blind side, if it had one. The Entity whips around as if...well, as if it had been hit in three different directions at once. It fires back in all three directions, striking Mageddon and apparently brutalizing the ancient weapon, while missing the comparatively minuscule Orion and filling a bunch of empty space to the left (subjective) of the moon with enough power to annihilate a lesser Starspawn. And if a lesser Starspawn had been there, that might have meant something... ;^) Then (or perhaps before): >On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 18:44:18 -0800 >Reality Hacker AJ47 Said As CAoL Message # 00011694 >And his thumb accidentally pressed the dark blue gem. All at once, he >rushed forward and *through* the screen, instinctively teleporting to >the scene of battle before consciously realizing what had happened. >He found himself behind the fifth floor of a convenient skyscraper, >floating in mid-air, with a partially obscured view of the Furies and >their opponents. Erstwhile opponents, rather. > >[--aww, dammit, what the hell did you do *that* for? Just because I >can move like the Concorde, you think I can *think* that fast, too? >And c'mon, that doesn't even *look* like her!] This rant would prove >to be especially ill-timed, in light of the barrage of information >rushing toward his senses: > >Shadows crashing down from the sky. [Evasive maneuvers!] #Idiot. What >do you *think* I'm doing?# Indeed, he found himself jerking upward >and shifting sideways in rapid succession. Nearby. Shadows turn on each other in a spectacular orgy of self-destruction. While the numbers are relatively small, dozens of anti-life monsters annihilating each other is still quite a conflagration. [Strain...getting...intense...] *Easy, woman,* Seeker sends to the reason for the destruction. He isn't overly sympathetic, all things considered, but they _are_ on the same side now. *Stay steady.* [Easy for you to say! You're not mentally redirecting dozens of..._things!_ Even with my brother's help, this is harder than it looks!] *Then stop resisting me and let me help,* Seeker insists. With a frown and a sigh, Amazing Grace relents... >It was at that moment that one of the shadows stopped in mid-air >right behind him, then slammed into his back - stopped short by mere >inches by the yellow gems, struggling back and forth, with no clear >winner in sight. He started to fly away, but several more shadows >near his flight path converged on the moving location and began to >envelop more and more of the surface area immediately surrounding his >body. One of them abruptly stabbed inward, toward the >still-half-colorless gem... Running the systems, Orchid monitors the team as simultaneously as she can. Still, with the CAoL and Apokoliptians on the same side, even she as to cycle through folx at a limited speed. That limitation isn't too great, however... *Sweet Arcadia -- DEFENDER! MAN DOWN!* She sends desperately. Defender pauses in his assessment of the ALE and curses softly. /*We have a friendly in trouble {} here,*/ he sends over the broadband link. /*If anyone has a moment to spare, he could probably use some help.*/ Then, while cursing himself roundly for it, Roland turns his full attention back to the ALE. He doesn't dare let himself worry too much about any single person, not yet... ================================= Subject: Fw: Re: AAE 9: Turning of the Tide/Furies On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 01:24:04 -0600 Martin and/or Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00011702 I figured that since no one objected to this, I'd forward it to the main list. I figure that this won't be the first time I've posted stuff both in parallel and out of sequence, and it most likely won't be the last either. I figure that any conversation that Harlock has with Dhyrclhanc can take place parallel to the conversation he's having with the Freelance Immortals. >> As CAoL Message # 00011680 >> On Tues, Jan 13th, 2K4, Roland and/or Morgan write... >> >>*I love you too, dear,* Morgan sends with a smile and a kiss. >>*Harlock, I'm not sure what you need. When you've actually >>experienced the presence of your deities, become a living vessel for >>them to manifest, it's not like you 'take their existence on faith' >>anymore. But I also have faith in their immanence even when they're >>not making themselves manifest.* There are brief pauses in her >>mental conversation as she deals with death-shadows. *Does that >>help?* > >*What she said. Sort of... * sent Dhyrclhanc. > >*Apparently Roland keeps forgetting that Morgan *isn't* the _only_ >'cleric' in the Family. Although, it's more obvious with Morgan. I >serve a variant of the Pantheon that those who dwell Mulhurond (sp?) >on Aber-Torril revere; specifically and almost primarily these are >the beings I recognize as the Holy Mother Isis, Lady Benu the >Phoenix, and Horus/Harmakhis the Great Sphinx and the Prince of >Vengance/Justice. I'm also a Talon, or Paladin, of Tiamat and >Bahomet. But, like my sister, I'm not sure how any of this might be >able to help you.* > > If what Harlock sent was on a private TP link with the >Freelance Immortals, only -- I can presume that Roger had some kind >of tap on the private line -- y'all can just ignore the above. >'Sides, I've got my own ideas about how Dhyrclhanc is going to deal >with the present turn of events, anyway. One that'll deal >predominantly with his status as a Priest of the Egyptian >Heliopolitan Gods... > >Heeheeheeheehee ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 23:47:27 -0800 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011703 >On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:15:39 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011701 > >>It was at that moment that one of the shadows stopped in mid-air >>right behind [AJ], then slammed into his back - stopped short by >>mere inches by the yellow gems, struggling back and forth, with no >>clear winner in sight. He started to fly away, but several more >>shadows near his flight path converged on the moving location and >>began to envelop more and more of the surface area immediately >>surrounding his body. One of them abruptly stabbed inward, toward >>the still-half-colorless gem... > > Running the systems, Orchid monitors the team as simultaneously as >she can. Still, with the CAoL and Apokoliptians on the same side, >even she as to cycle through folx at a limited speed. That limitation >isn't too great, however... > *Sweet Arcadia -- DEFENDER! MAN DOWN!* She sends desperately. > Defender pauses in his assessment of the ALE and curses softly. >/*We have a friendly in trouble {} here,*/ he sends over the >broadband link. /*If anyone has a moment to spare, he could probably >use some help.*/ Marivale, who has been sulk/H/H/H/H waiting on the sidelines for quite some time now, perks up slightly. "Geoffery! On me," he cries as he sprints in the appropriate direction, slicing through any death-shadows that are unfortunate enough to be in the way. They reach the site of the midair struggle and crane their necks to examine the problem. "Bead of Force, Milord?" "Hmm. Not just yet, methinks. That would trap some of them in there with him, would it not? First we have to chase the little brutes away." "Point taken, Milord. Bait or blast, then?" "Umm...blast, methinks. He seems to have some shielding up, else he wouldn't still be struggling, and we need to do this quickly." "As you say, Milord." With that, Geoffery starts chanting, then gestures almost straight up, whereupon our friendly neighborhood reality hacker and his shadows are enveloped in a fireball. Hard on the heels of the fireball, a small bead strikes AJ, encasing him in a spherical force field. As the bubble crashes to Earth-9 (fortunately without injuring the occupant any further) Marivale salutes the man inside with his blade. "That should keep you safe for roughly 5 minutes, Sir. Or until you are teleported out of it. The major drawback is that, well...frankly, the beasties are safe from you, as well." With that, Marivale heads back to the fray around the Furies, destroying death-shadows with unthinking grace as he goes. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 07:51:46 -0500 "David McMillan" Said As CAoL Message # 00011704 >Samatha Cooper wrote on 1/19/2004, 9:12 PM: >Ziactrice, >who hasn't cracked a joke or a pun since Eric Awakened - better make >sure she still has a sense of humor, or Roger is in BIG trouble. She >knows who put all that plaid on her furnishings in Amber, last month! Roger turned slowly away from the screen to impale me with an accusing gaze. "Dave... have you and Samantha been conspiring behind my back to get me in trouble with Auntzie again?" "Um... would you believe me if I said no?" "I'm not sure. Try me and let's find out." "Uhhhh......" ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 00:11:32 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011705 >On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:15:39 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011701 > >>It was at that moment that one of the shadows stopped in mid-air >>right behind him, then slammed into his back - stopped short by mere >>inches by the yellow gems, struggling back and forth, with no clear >>winner in sight. He started to fly away, but several more shadows >>near his flight path converged on the moving location and began to >>envelop more and more of the surface area immediately surrounding >>his body. One of them abruptly stabbed inward, toward the >>still-half-colorless gem... > > Running the systems, Orchid monitors the team as simultaneously as >she can. Still, with the CAoL and Apokoliptians on the same side, >even she as to cycle through folx at a limited speed. That limitation >isn't too great, however... > *Sweet Arcadia -- DEFENDER! MAN DOWN!* She sends desperately. > Defender pauses in his assessment of the ALE and curses softly. >/*We have a friendly in trouble {} here,*/ he sends over the >broadband link. /*If anyone has a moment to spare, he could probably >use some help.*/ > Then, while cursing himself roundly for it, Roland turns his full >attention back to the ALE. He doesn't dare let himself worry too much >about any single person, not yet... Some distance away... Doc Energy picks up the transmission, and marks the location of the Reality Hacker and his current trouble on his 3-D map. [Bolshi Moi! I must do something.] he thinks. #Computer, have you analyzed the energy composition of the shadow creatures?# he sends to his computer. A neutral female "voice" comes over the link, #Yes, I have. Here is the relevant data {} for their makeup.# "Excellent." With that, his right power gauntlet suddenly starts to glow a dark glow, a true black light as it were. His targeting reticule picks a spot far enough away from Avery. Suddenly a ball of pure dark energy shoots forth from his gauntlet. It travels at great speed, then stops on the spot he targeted. Suddenly a hum emerges from the ball, and black chain lightning erupts from it. It hits the outer layer of shadow creatures, and arcs around all of them. Then suddenly all of the shadows are pulled like a speeding dog on a very short chain toward the ball, where they are all absorbed by the ball. ANy other shadow creatures that try to attack the ball will suffer the same fate. This is the point, since he also targeted closer to a larger cluster of the shadow creatures than to Avery. The effect is something like a reverse plasma globe where tendrils of negative/positive energy latch onto each shadow and suck them in. As the sphere absorbs more shadows, it starts to grow. "WEll, might as well put this bad rubbish to good use." As he says that, his left gauntlet powers up and fires a bolt of plasma that attaches to the ball. It manages to suck in a few more shadow creatures that were sneaking up on him, causing it to grow bigger. Then the tendril of plasma shapes into a chain. Doc Energy locates the ALE, and makes a beeline for it. As he does, he whirls the black ball around him, cutting a swath into a swarm of shadows that were designed to protect the ALE. Just as he gets in range, he stops and spins in place, as more shadow creatures try to attack, the ball gets bigger, until it's bigger than the Doc. And like a mechanized hammer thrower, he releases the ball and chain, and hurtles it toward the ALE. Immediately after he releases the negaball and chain, he flies over to Avery to see if he needs tending to, and to possibly catch him as he falls. Just as he gets closer to Avery, suddenly a black bolt of something pierces into his armor. It doesn't touch him personally, but his armor starts to fizzle slightly. "Oh Gods. They hit the power converter." Thinking quickly, he sends out on the link */Help! I need someone to clamp an energy sheild, spherical, around me. My power suit is about to overload, and the shielding will be necessary if I cannot contain the overload and prevent an explosion. To put it another way....If I don't get the repair done in time, there's going to be a smouldering radioactive crater the size of a small city here. I can contain the blast energy, but the rest is beyond my power.*/ As he waits for a shield, he frantically starts re-routing power to the secondary converters, hoping that the short circuit hasn't hit them yet. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 00:20:04 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011706 OOC: In case anyone wants to know, the ball in this ball and chain is made of solidfied dark matter. The more shadows it absorbs, the more solid and bigger it gets. If you try to hit it with any energy weapon, it will absorb it. Positive energy flows will not be slowed by it, but it will cause the thing to become less solid. In which case, anything that it hits will still be covered in a Dark Matter tar. ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Turning of the Tide/Trinity On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 17:33:30 -0800 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00011707 >On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 00:30:08 -0800 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00011698 > >Harlock shrugs. *I can but try.* He then sits down and closes his >eyes, the glow about him taking on an edge of sorts. And, to all >appearances, nothing further happens. The Bard simply sits there with >a calm expression. > >Then Morgan hears a familiar voice in her head as Dian Cecht says >^Muirghen? If 'twas help ye needed, why didnae ye ask yuirsel'?^ "Solitaire" continues to fight on "autopilot" as Morgan's thoughts take a sharp turn. Normally, she only called on Dian Cecht for serious healings, what with him being a physician-god -- not someone she'd normally think of calling on during combat. The Morrigan, sure, or one of the warrior-deities, but... There was also the issue of the mental compartmentalization one does when trying to maintain a secret identity -- she was in modern super-heroine mode, not Gaelic druid/warrior mode, and she'd conditioned herself to not do obviously-Morgan things while acting as a Champion. *Well,* she finally replies, trying not to sound confused while working in both modes at once , *yon bard seemed to be of a mind to call up some divine energy for my lord husband to direct at our foe. I wasna' thinking of going on the front lines myself on this one.* ^I'd remind you,^ Roland notes, as the battle continues (and most of his mind is busy directing both fellow combatants and the impressive combined energy that he and Solaris wield), ^that life energy is far more your bailiwick than mine.^ While Roland has some biokinetic power, it is one of his weakest and least-skilled psionic areas. Morgan nods mentally at her husband as she blasts another death-shadow. She still wasn't sure what, given the current situation, she could do with healing...energy.... Healing. Life. She suddenly remembers the battle against the cobbled-together abomination Mauler on Epsilon Three [See AAE4, Ch. 72]; her part in destroying the creature had been to _boost_ it's immune system, which contributed to it's going to pieces. The druidess feels Dian Cecht smile. *I'll gladly take whate'er you're willing to give me, m'lord,* she thinks gratefully at the god, while sending to Roland /*Where to you want me to point this, Boss?*/ Roland sends back a grateful, mental laugh. /*When I give the signal, I want you to take what you've got, combine it with what Sil and Suli are doing, and make that "wedge" I was talking about. You and your divine help will be the body portion of the "wedge," and Sil and _her_ divine help will be the mind portion. You up for this?*/ A feral smile not normally seen on the Champions' sorceress forms on Solitaire's face. /*That _thing_ is attacking our _home._ What do _you_ think?*/ /*On my mark, then...*/ ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 18:15:20 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011708 >On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:50:02 -0800 (PST) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011700 > >>On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 23:58:25 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011697 >> >> Eric pauses. @I am not certain that my power level is sufficient >>for what you have in mind. Then again, it may not have to be.@ > > Zia blinks in surprise, wondering what that rather Zen >both-sides-of-the-answer reply meant. There isn't time to indulge her >curiosity, however. OOC: She'll understand it during the mind-meld (below). >> A smile flickers across the connection as Eric does a "Thousand >>Dragon Essence Strike" to vastly increase the speed with which he >>throws out the Prime fists. @Always. Though that has to be _the_ >>largest demon I've ever hunted.@ > > @Heh. If it were something as simple as a demon, we'd not have >to expend all this effort. I should give some thought to possible >recycling. Later.@ The Petite Amberite dials down her armor to a mere >exoskeletal frame with propulsion enough to keep her in the air. Eric raises an eyebrow, but says nothing, still scanning the sky for targets. Other forces are covering them handily, however. >Eric has fairly well decimated the shadows anywhere nearby. She flies >behind Eric, bringing her hands up from behind him to the typical >Vulcan mindmeld positions over his temples. [?] > "Cover us, please." She tells their two once-enemies, now-allies >(hey, it's an Amberitish type of fight). "We're going to hit the Big >One, hopefully well enough to give it a Truly Splitting Headache." Kanto laughs, salutes with his blade, and dives back in, firing with the blaster in one hand and carving through death-shadows with the electrified saber in the other. Vundabar mutters something unintelligible (he doesn't do heroic very well ;^) and lays down cover fire on another flank. > Even as she explains, Eric feels/senses/hears her mind. She >isn't using the Lens, any longer. This is raw, direst >Psyche-to-Psyche connection. The intimacy is almost unbearable, >despite how close they've become. She is striving to keep the >mingling as narrow as possible, but given that she is trying to share >her mathematical talents it cannot be held too tightly. The first thing Zia picks up is Eric's rumination on his power level. (Ever the practical one, the topmost layer of his thoughts concentrates on the subject at hand.) There are two reasons that Eric is not necessarily worried about his raw power: when manipulating Primal existence, skill and ingenuity can be _made_ into power by the clever, and neither Eric nor Zia suffer from a lack of either. (Well, he certainly doesn't suffer from low self-esteem, at least. ) The other is that, well, Zia has shown herself to have power and to spare, hasn't she? ;^) > There is a magnificence of grasp, perception, and sheer scope of >what she can know, sense, and comprehend that is rather >computer-like, honed by what he now knows is tens of centuries of >experience. there is a babble of noise, at the back of her brain, as >if a crowd of other minds were also present, but remote in space. >There are broken places, the scars of some ancient, mortal >mind-wounds built around and blunted like old pains grown familiar. Interestingly, his first reaction is a desire to heal those wounds, but he has neither the power, skill, experience, nor time to do so. There is also fascination with her awe-inspiring mental faculties and an uncertain curiosity about the "noise," but he firmly keeps both feelings in check. For Eric's part, he is very intelligent for a human but not overwhelmingly so. What he _does_ have are relentless cunning and a diamond-like clarity that few humans in any reality possess. All he lacks to achieve Second-Stage is ambition, or perhaps scope -- his drive is very straightforward. To protect what he loves and to destroy, when necessary, that which would threaten them. He, too, his a wound in his mind. Only one, and as healed as it can ever be...but even now, able to laugh again, care again, love again, it is like a chasm in his mind, with a crust covering it, the best healing one can hope for given the heart-rending loss he suffered. > Despite her age, she is young still for her kind, but all the >images of people, places, strange worlds, and the feeling of knowing, >absolutely, her place nad relationship to Reality and Shadow at all >moments, like another sense of sight or direction. [Merciful Gods. What a curse,] he thinks before he can help himself. Immortality is daunting enough -- that he might live for centuries as a result of his Exaltation already weighs heavily on him. But to know with certainty that level of karma/dharma...it seems to him as much trap as advantage. How does one transcend one's circumstances when fate is as binding and sure as gravity? > It is also terrifying. He can feel her holding back even as she >reaches out, making every effort not to overwhelm him or intrude too >... deeply. Gentle mental probes find his sense of combat kinesthesia > - how he tells what angles to strike blows and how hard to damage an >enemy. That is well developed, tied through his coordination, into >his mind though all his senses. Nah, Zia doesn't know our Hunter, not at all... ;^) He opens himself as best as he can, as fully as he can, while trying not to expose her to that monstrous wound. The "tactical animal" within him comes alive, though animal only in a very metaphoric sense -- it is not unthinking, but it _is_ reflexive. Eric's awareness always takes varying threat levels, real and potential, into account on all levels he is aware of, related to everything around him. This is how he has honed that diamond focus of his. > Her mind waxes there, pouring though his like water through >packed sand, bringing a weirdly exultant sense of epiphany as he >begins to See the Anti-Life Equation, the bits of Variables Suli-San >threw at Zia earlier, and the hazy sense of her Limited Solution Set >sketches itself into and around the Anti-Life Entity in his >imagination. Zia feels his varied experience coming alive for her. There is probably little of the actual experience that can teach her anything, but his very mortality, his short-lived nature, was what made his absorption of every lesson learned so complete. His technique is impressive even by Amber standards, though most of the Elders would still beat him in sheer combat (or through clever scheming). What truly sets Eric apart as a Hunter, what might actually serve the brilliant, clever, and charismatic Ziactrice, is his almost Batman-like ability to adapt almost instantly to a changing situation, albeit with a ruthless finality that the Dark Knight would never contemplate. For his part, Eric has a long-suppressed love of problem solving -- he has been largely successful in divorcing his emotion from his job -- and his awe at Zia's mathemagical skill (not to mention his current ability to _share_ it) borders on the childlike. > No longer quite a fully separate mind, Ziactrice shows him how >she would like to apply her Limited Solutions. Certain bits of the >Anti-Life Equation are detailed further, some few of it's current >Variables are simplified into assumptions, and then he can see the >Two Solutions, each much less autonomous or alive-seeming than the >current Malignant ALE. ^Fascinating,^ he virtually Spocks (apropos, given the mind meld 8^). ^A division, if you will forgive an over-simplicity, that uses the combination of physical, psychic, and metaphoric division being applied by the others to create two separate transforms out of the one...I hesitate to call it an "artificial" intelligence. Perhaps a mathematically-defined intellect would be more appropriate. I presume that my Prime Sphere's central purpose in this solution set is to go "beneath" the energies currently being used in attack and defense, to affect the Entity in the building blocks of its existence -- mathematical formulae that create a cosmic/magickal "circuit" of sorts. This has the added benefit of allowing you/us to use our/Zia's area of expertise most optimally. Do I calculate your intentions in a roughly correct manner?^ Despite his analytical response, there is a definite pleasure in him (perhaps shared/empathized with Zia?) in being able to approach the problem this way, rather than in his usual "find it and stake it" manner. -- Eric Lancer Channelling his inner Vulcan ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 08:30:18 -0800 (PST) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011709 >On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 18:15:20 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011708 >>On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:50:02 -0800 (PST) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011700 >>>On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 23:58:25 -0800 >>>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011697 >>>>On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 17:21:24 -0800 (PST) >>>>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011688 >> There is a magnificence of grasp, perception, and sheer scope >>of what she can know, sense, and comprehend that is rather >>computer-like, honed by what he now knows is tens of centuries of >>experience. There is a babble of noise, at the back of her brain, as >>if a crowd of other minds were also present, but remote in space. >>There are broken places, the scars of some ancient, mortal mind- >>wounds built around and blunted like old pains grown familiar. > > Interestingly, his first reaction is a desire to heal those >wounds, but he has neither the power, skill, experience, nor time to >do so. ^Thank you, love; there is no need. Your touch, your love, does more than merely heal. Besides, 'tis like the difference between your scars and your tattoos - some things should not be undone.^ A bubble of emotion that feels like Zia's light-hearted laughter runs through him, experienced as if it were his own. >There is also fascination with her awe-inspiring mental faculties and >an uncertain curiosity about the "noise," but he firmly keeps both >feelings in check. His effort is in vain. Between their minds being (for the most part) melded together and an empathic talent that might be able to - ah, _can_! - read emotions in Pittsburgh from here, she felt it as he did. Although, now that he also has such empathy, he can discern not only her blushing reaction to his admiration, but he can even pick up the background emotion behind it. Zia doesn't feel that particular skill is worthy of such notice, as yet, pleased as she is at his opinion. ^I'll tell you about that (the noise) later. We just don't have the time, now.^ She understands how curiosity can be an unscratchable itch very well. > For Eric's part, he is very intelligent for a human but not >overwhelmingly so. What he _does_ have are relentless cunning and a >diamond-like clarity that few humans in any reality possess. All he >lacks to achieve Second-Stage is ambition, or perhaps scope -- his >drive is very straightforward. To protect what he loves and to >destroy, when necessary, that which would threaten them. A small but definite shock of pleasure runs up both their spines, as if a perfectly balanced, perfectly suited weapon were suddenly, unexpectedly to drop into one's hand at a moment of mortal need. Zia smiles. Eric can tell even though she is behind him. > He, too, his a wound in his mind. Only one, and as healed as it >can ever be...but even now, able to laugh again, care again, love >again, it is like a chasm in his mind, with a crust covering it, the >best healing one can hope for given the heart-rending loss he >suffered. Not with pity and not without sympathy, Zia merely accepts this without a ripple in the serenity that seems to fill the core of her like a bottomless ocean. Even such terrible events have made him the Eric he is today - the Eric that she loves as he is, not as he might have been in some other Shadow-self. >> Despite her age, she is young still for her kind, but all the >>images of people, places, strange worlds, and the feeling of >>knowing, absolutely, her place nad relationship to Reality and >>Shadow at all moments, like another sense of sight or direction. > > [Merciful Gods. What a curse,] he thinks before he can help >himself. Immortality is daunting enough -- that he might live for >centuries as a result of his Exaltation already weighs heavily on >him. But to know with certainty that level of karma/dharma...it seems >to him as much trap as advantage. How does one transcend one's >circumstances when fate is as binding and sure as gravity? ^Eric, you're SUCH a stick sometimes!^ Rueful exasperation covering a deeper, dreaded future pain. ^I'm _glad_ you won't be gone that quickly! Do you really regret having more time to spend with me?^ She doesn't give him a chance to answer, quite intentionally breaking immediately into a joke to rebutt him. ^As for gravity - we're both flying, right?^ Amusement bubbles, not quite making it to actual laughter. ^I'm no more trapped in predestination than you are. Probably less so than you, frankly. The only real diff is, I can't lose track of where I am in the present moment. My Future - save for Roger, apparently - is as unknown to me as yours is to you. Well, mostly. Except for occasional flahes. Me and lovers. As you observed...^ >> It is also terrifying. He can feel her holding back even as she >>reaches out, making every effort not to overwhelm him or intrude too >>...deeply. Gentle mental probes find his sense of combat kinesthesia >> - how he tells what angles to strike blows and how hard to damage >>an enemy. That is well developed, tied through his coordination, >>into his mind though all his senses. > > Nah, Zia doesn't know our Hunter, not at all... ;^) > He opens himself as best as he can, as fully as he can, while >trying not to expose her to that monstrous wound. ^Silly.^ He feels the word shimmers through _both_ of them, vibrating such warm fondness it is hard to think at all for a moment, as... > Zia feels his varied experience coming alive for her. There is >probably little of the actual experience that can teach her anything, >but his very mortality, his short-lived nature, was what made his >absorption of every lesson learned so complete. His technique is >impressive even by Amber standards, though most of the Elders would >still beat him in sheer combat (or through clever scheming). What >truly sets Eric apart as a Hunter, what might actually serve the >brilliant, clever, and charismatic Ziactrice, is his almost >Batman-like ability to adapt almost instantly to a changing >situation, albeit with a ruthless finality that the Dark Knight would >never contemplate. The Petite Amberite shivers with a gasp of sensual pleasure as the Hunter's animal-instinct, tactical self spans the decreasing distance between them, rousing to full life inside her. It feels like being wrapped by a lover's hands in a furred cloak - if that cloak were a still-alive, sentient tiger (except Eric is, of course, far more beautifully deadly than any tiger could ever be) wrapping her in its hot-blooded fur, at least. Zia and Eric feel the heat penetrates deeper, relaxing her even as it brings every sense to high, keen alertness. ^Gad. The things you do to me.^ Thoroughly distracted, Zia forces her concentration back to her beloved mathematics >> No longer quite a fully separate mind, Ziactrice shows him how >>she would like to apply her Limited Solutions. Certain bits of the >>Anti-Life Equation are detailed further, some few of it's current >>Variables are simplified into assumptions, and then he can see the >>Two Solutions, each much less autonomous or alive-seeming than the >>current Malignant ALE. > > ^Fascinating,^ he virtually Spocks (apropos, given the mind meld >8^). ^A division, if you will forgive an over-simplicity, that uses >the combination of physical, psychic, and metaphoric division being >applied by the others to create two separate transforms out of the >one...I hesitate to call it an "artificial" intelligence. Perhaps a >mathematically-defined intellect would be more appropriate. I presume >that my Prime Sphere's central purpose in this solution set is to go >"beneath" the energies currently being used in attack and defense, to >affect the Entity in the building blocks of its existence >mathematical formulae that create a cosmic/magickal "circuit" of >sorts. This has the added benefit of allowing you/us to use our/Zia's >area of expertise most optimally. Do I calculate your intentions in a >roughly correct manner?^ Despite his analytical response, there is a >definite pleasure in him (perhaps shared/empathized with Zia?) in >being able to approach the problem this way, rather than in his usual >"find it and stake it" manner. ^Whew. That had better wear off, later. Rio'll kill me.^ Zia does indeed share his pleasure, harmonizing with her own through her/their empathy. ^Bull's-eye, actually. Only one addition - I suspect that the ALE will resist the Two Partial Solutions being completed. Your ability to extemporize and adapt in combat coupled with my mathemagical will hopefully be enough to let us succeed.^ >-- >Eric Lancer >Channelling his inner Vulcan OOC: Now you're gonna get it...I'm gonna quote YOU at you. -- Ziactrice Keenan (the Huntress Mathemagician? UGH!) "Darn it, Z, I'm a psion, not an actor." Sim-Roland He's DEAD, Jim. - Evil GM-San ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: Storming The Storm On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 17:23:10 -0800 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00011710 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00011555 > >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011545 >> /"Everyone ready?"/ Defender asks one last time. Since everyone's >>already responded affirmatively, unless there's a last-second need, >>he nods. The leader is on the farthest-protruding platform, crouched >>like a diver ready to swim. The rest of the team is arrayed around >>and behind him, Solitaire and Silver Phoenix on either side, >>Dhyrclhanc behind and above; the quartet is an impressive sight. >>/"Hydra...NOW!"/ > >Space curdles slightly around the island, and suddenly it is floating >above and slightly to the south of the fortress fire pit of Darkseid. >/*"Your wish is my command."*/ Hydra responds with a chuckle. With the Champions Island in position for the assault on Darkseid, Hydra strides out across the sky to meet his assigned foe. ^Aurora, have you noticed anything *strange* about the previous battle?^ ^Yes. For an attack by a *ruthless* horde upon a nearly defenseless city there were remarkably FEW deaths and just as few serious injuries. What deaths there were can ONLY be ascribed to pure accident. My visualization shows that Darkseid did not INTEND that attack to result in a military "victory". I believe they were pulling their punches so to speak. From the fact that you allowed Maggedon to escape I conclude that you came to this conclusion during your battle with Maggedon.^ Aurora answers as she flies out to meet Solaris again. ^Precisely, also I discovered that Maggedon has a form of dead man switch booby trap. Had I destroyed the machine, its power source would have blown, destroying the planet we were trying to protect. My conclusions are: Darkseid WANTS Roland's forces to heal Suli, and he wants our help against something else. An analysis of the previous battle shows that what he wants our help against is the entity associated with the Antilife Equation. That is the ONLY force he brought with him that was unoccupied through out MOST of that battle, and the ONLY one he didn't employ. We should make THIS battle LOOK good, but avoid damaging our opponents. Without The Stardragon to help us the Antilife Equation will be most difficult to defeat.^ Hydra responds. ^I agree. I also suggest we NOT inform Roland of our conclusions. He is both brave and wise beyond his years. However, he is NOT an actor. With the exceptions of Zia and Harlock few of his forces are of the caliber of actor necessary to dupe an avatar of The Adversary. We will have to prevent them from killing their opponents without being seen to do so.^ Aurora concludes. ^Yes. So, let's have at them.^ Hydra finishes. With that, the two titanic Starspawn launch into battle with their foes. Hydra resumes the EMP attack that had been working against Maggedon, but the reinforcing that Maggedon had been able to do SEEMED to be at least partially working. It was unable to prevent the insertion of another program, but this one smaller, and less intrusive was clearly not "hostile". This program seemed content to reconfigure some small, obsolete, and inoffensive components. Setting a "watch" program to warn of any OTHER activity, Maggedon resumes its attack against Hydra. Again the onlookers on the ground and in the skies are given a display of power and skill seldom before seen in this universe, or any other. If anything, the "fireworks" THIS time are even MORE impressive, with discharge "flashes" sometimes being seen hundreds of miles away. As Hydra attacks Maggedon, Aurora engages Solaris. Again she defends herself from his energy worms, and vireo. Her mental attacks rock him back and forth, while HIS attacks seem to do little or nothing to her. Fortunately for him her attacks seem to have little or no lasting effect. As he ponders this he suddenly realizes that her most devistating attack against him, the spiritual attack, is not being employed. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE9: A Plan! There's a plan! On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 17:37:27 -0800 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00011711 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011480 > Defender smiles broadly. "You know, I was about to ask for Gold >Kryptonite..." His smile fades as he glances over at Endymion, who is >comparing notes with Orion. "...erm." /Fuzzy, Aurora, Nemo, would one >of you do a more complete scan than I can manage on Endymion? He's >the only Kryptonian-ish hero here, and he's not actually from Krypton >-- I think -- but I want to be sure he's not going to be at risk from >the Gold K./ ^*"Endymion is not vulnerable to any form of Kryptonite. Indeed there are potential situations where he could benefit directly from white Kryptonite."*^ Aurora answers. > Roland breathes a heavy sigh of relief. /Well, _that's_ good to >hear./ ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: The Turning of the Tide On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 18:09:50 -0800 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00011712 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011657 > Solaris had been smug for a few long, merciful microseconds. >Surprising Aurora with its true capacity had been a genuine pleasure. >(OOC: Remember Neo's playground fight with Agent Smith in the >_second_ movie? 8^) However, it learned to its chagrin that Aurora >hadn't reached _her_ full capacity in their battle. It was going to >be a long, tough battle, and the star-computer calculated that it was >unlikely for a victor to emerge before -- > *GO!* > The star vented plasma gently, in its version of a sigh. #1101001 >A pity. I was 1001 curious. Defender.# > Defender raced into the heart of the machine, dimension-shifting >in his current mimicking of teleportation. His cyberkinesis and raw >power flowed into the Tyrant Sun, increasing its efficiency on a >number of levels. The terrible, burning eye at its heart lanced out >at the Anti-Life Entity, combining both their vast skills. Solaris' >devastating logic and Defender's ingenuity, in particular, combined >to make a potent assault. > Amazo, meanwhile, transformed itself into a giant, super-Mother >Box, appearing by Aurora's side. It offered her the processing power >of the machine enhanced manyfold by the Flash's speed and the >object's access to the Source. Aurora links to Amazo as she shifts her shape instantaneously into her favored battle form. In the sky, above Darkseid's fortress and the floating Champions Island, appears a titanic winged unicorn fully as large as Hydra. The inter-computer handshaking takes less than a pico second. Amazo finds itself linked to what is essentially a multiplanar quantum computer of truely cosmic proportions. ^Provide me with all you know of the Anti-Life Entity.^ She instructs the Android. Once the information stream is complete, her attack on the entity begins. With infinite patience she bores quietly and softly into his spirit, and mind. > Maggedon simply turned its attack from Hydra to the Entity, >closing with the being in what would have been reckless abandon for a >sentient being. > The Entity roared soundlessly in pain and fury, its psychic burst >of rage echoing across the telepathic bands. In the span of a second, >it had countered all of the attacks, was pressing attacks of its own, >and had spit out literally millions of tiny (by the cosmics' >standards) shadow-things towards the Earth. As Maggedon turns it's attack, so does Hydra. Where Hydra was holding back against Maggedon, lest the failsafe detonate the power core of the weapon, NOTHING is held back against the Anti-Life Equation Entity. The northern hemisphere of the Earth is treated to a day without night from the energy discharge. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life (ret-conned) On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 23:40:36 -0800 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011713 >On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:15:39 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011701 > >>It was at that moment that one of the shadows stopped in mid-air >>right behind [AJ], then slammed into his back - stopped short by >>mere inches by the yellow gems, struggling back and forth, with no >>clear winner in sight. He started to fly away, but several more >>shadows near his flight path converged on the moving location and >>began to envelop more and more of the surface area immediately >>surrounding his body. One of them abruptly stabbed inward, toward >>the still-half-colorless gem... > > Running the systems, Orchid monitors the team as simultaneously as >she can. Still, with the CAoL and Apokoliptians on the same side, >even she as to cycle through folx at a limited speed. That limitation >isn't too great, however... > *Sweet Arcadia -- DEFENDER! MAN DOWN!* She sends desperately. > Defender pauses in his assessment of the ALE and curses softly. >/*We have a friendly in trouble {} here,*/ he sends over the >broadband link. /*If anyone has a moment to spare, he could probably >use some help.*/ Marivale, who has been sulk/H/H/H/H waiting on the sidelines for quite some time now, perks up slightly. "Geoffery! On me," he cries as he sprints in the appropriate direction, slicing through any death-shadows that are unfortunate enough to be in the way. They reach the site of the midair struggle and crane their necks to examine the problem. "Bead of Force, Milord?" "Hmm. Not just yet, methinks. That would trap some of them in there with him, would it not? First we have to chase the little brutes away." "Point taken, Milord. Bait or blast, then?" "Umm...blast, methinks. He seems to have some shielding up, else he wouldn't still be struggling, and we need to do this quickly." "Wait a minute, Milord. Methinks yon flying gent is helping, as well." They watch as Doc Energy pulls the shadows away from AJ and sends them flying back to their master. Marivale raises an eyebrow and pulls a small bead out of a belt pouch, then hurls it at AJ. Unfortunately, he misses. Fortunately, if such a word can truly be used with an Amberite shadow-shifting in the background, the bead strikes Doc Energy, encasing him in a globe of force. Marivale curses his aim and heads over to where the Doc is settling to the ground. "My apologies, Sir. I had meant to protect the other gentleman from these shadow creatures. Instead, I seem to be protecting the shadow creatures from you. I'm afraid the bubble shan't wear off for another five minutes." With that, Marivale heads back to the fray around the Furies, destroying death-shadows with unthinking grace as he goes. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: The Turning of the Tide On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 14:04:29 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00011714 Rio's relay of Morgan's message to the CAoL reached Moonstone mid-flight, giving a dozen parademons a terrifying ride as they clung to her trying to get through her Kryptonian hide. "I am not a horse, gentlemen, I hate being--" she said, doing a sudden 180 that turned her body into a whip, "--ridden!" The parademons flew off, righting themselves as they did to give chase to the white dragon. [Start faking it, hmm? Right, let's see if these guys can catch me again,] Moonstone thought as she pulled in her wings, which she didn't need for flight with Fuzzy's amulet, and began weaving a serpentine path amidst the ground, trees, buildings, telephone poles and enemy forces of both sides in a chase that reminded Karma, in her occasional glimpses of it, of the dragon/paper bird chase scene in Spirited Away. Karma meanwhile rolled the settings on her Isher weapons down to a lower stun and switched the cones to a beam effect. She continued to fire into the enemy troops, but without quite the same intention to hit. As the word was given to turn from Darkseid's forces to the ALE, both Karma and Moonstone did so just in time to see the first wave of the lesser shadow forms descending on them. While Moonstone's tactics changed little except to become more deadly through flame and claw and to take the ALE's dark minions on a far more dangerous chase than she did the parademons, Karma returned the Isher weapons to their holsters and took on the ALE's shock troops hand to hand, in a fashion that seemed part martial arts, part pre-flight Superman's "leaping tall buildings in a single bound." Occasionally, when she was clear of those fighting on her side, the Isher weapons came out again, set to kill in wide swaths, the mini-ALEs dissipating in the pistol's energy discharges. ================================= Subject: AAE9: This is no time to be playing games On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 18:31:39 -0800 Reality Hacker AJ47 Said As CAoL Message # 00011715 >>It was at that moment that one of the shadows stopped in mid-air >>right behind him, then slammed into his back - stopped short by mere >>inches by the yellow gems, struggling back and forth, with no clear >>winner in sight. He started to fly away, but several more shadows >>near his flight path converged on the moving location and began to >>envelop more and more of the surface area immediately surrounding >>his body. One of them abruptly stabbed inward, toward the >>still-half-colorless gem... > >"Excellent." With that, his right power gauntlet suddenly starts to >glow a dark glow, a true black light as it were. His targeting >reticule picks a spot far enough away from Avery. Suddenly a ball of >pure dark energy shoots forth from his gauntlet. It travels at great >speed, then stops on the spot he targeted. Suddenly a hum emerges >from the ball, and black chain lightning erupts from it. It hits the >outer layer of shadow creatures, and arcs around all of them. Then >suddenly all of the shadows are pulled like a speeding dog on a very >short chain toward the ball, where they are all absorbed by the ball. >ANy other shadow creatures that try to attack the ball will suffer >the same fate. This is the point, since he also targeted closer to a >larger cluster of the shadow creatures than to Avery. The effect is >something like a reverse plasma globe where tendrils of >negative/positive energy latch onto each shadow and suck them in. > >As the sphere absorbs more shadows, it starts to grow. "WEll, might >as well put this bad rubbish to good use." As he says that, his left >gauntlet powers up and fires a bolt of plasma that attaches to the >ball. It manages to suck in a few more shadow creatures that were >sneaking up on him, causing it to grow bigger. Then the tendril of >plasma shapes into a chain. Doc Energy locates the ALE, and makes a >beeline for it. As he does, he whirls the black ball around him, >cutting a swath into a swarm of shadows that were designed to protect >the ALE. Just as he gets in range, he stops and spins in place, as >more shadow creatures try to attack, the ball gets bigger, until it's >bigger than the Doc. And like a mechanized hammer thrower, he >releases the ball and chain, and hurtles it toward the ALE. Unfazed by the fate of their predecessors, the next wave of shadows poured into the newly empty space, once again heading for Avery. An invisible three-dimensional latticework became partly visible as the shadows began lining up behind it, with a translucent plane running through the middle. [I know this music,] the human thought grimly, and prepared his defensive measures. As he gestured in mid-air, blobs of shimmering white light began to appear, one for each shadow facing him. Just as the last one resolved, a handful of shadows threw themselves at their end of the grid, attaching to it and sending tendrils of dark energy along its pathways. Some paths proved to be blocked; others split into two different directions, or merged into one; but most of the beams went straight toward Avery, splashing the middle plane with pools of ink. Avery waited patiently, examining the first wave, before picking out a handful of his own components and plugging them into his side. A series of light paths traced themselves out; each one that reached the middle plane unopposed turned a patch of it white, while each one that met a dark patch sputtered to overcome it, usually with success. One part of his attention remained focused on a medium gray line that bisected the plane at its center, turning darker as the shadows made their first push, then lighter as he pushed back. >"Wait a minute, Milord. Methinks yon flying gent is helping, as >well." They watch as Doc Energy pulls the shadows away from AJ and >sends them flying back to their master. Marivale raises an eyebrow >and pulls a small bead out of a belt pouch, then hurls it at AJ. >Unfortunately, he misses. Fortunately, if such a word can truly be >used with an Amberite shadow-shifting in the background, the bead >strikes Doc Energy, encasing him in a globe of force. Avery glanced up and cursed under his breath, vowing to return Doc Energy's earlier favor by getting him out of that force field-- as soon as he could pull himself off the front line. Again the shadows would pour out their energy across the grid; again he would pour out his own energy to neutralize their attack as best he could. The mottled central plane began to take on a crystalline sheen, both sides rapidly running out of bullets. Finally, the last three shadows threw themselves onto the grid. Avery countered by tossing his last ball of energy at a beam splitter, wiping out two but only managing a glancing blow at the third. The central plane finished resolving into a half-black-half-white pattern, then contracted into a point of energy and shot through the bisecting line in both directions, taking out another batch of shadows that had been stubbornly trying to pierce Marivale's force field. Avery appeared to be substantially unaffected, at first. Looking himself over, he noticed that the once-colorless gem had finished filling in with turquoise; but it was shot through with dark orange streaks, as if it had been lacerated and had bled. With a shrug, he flew downwards toward the area where Doc Energy had gone down earlier. {Looks like you've been having an interesting day, too,} he sent over the comlink. {What exactly do you need repaired? Maybe I can save you a trip to the dealership.} ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life (ret-conned) On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:22:57 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011716 >On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 23:40:36 -0800 >Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011713 > >"Wait a minute, Milord. Methinks yon flying gent is helping, as >well." > They watch as Doc Energy pulls the shadows away from AJ and sends >them flying back to their master. Marivale raises an eyebrow and >pulls a small bead out of a belt pouch, then hurls it at AJ. >Unfortunately, he misses. Fortunately, if such a word can truly be >used with an Amberite shadow-shifting in the background, the bead >strikes Doc Energy, encasing him in a globe of force. As he plummets to the ground, furiously trying to repair the damage to the power coupling, he feels an itching at the back of his eyeballs. He looks up just as the bead strikes him and encapsulates him totally. "Bolshe moi!" he says. >Marivale curses his aim and heads over to where the Doc is settling >to the ground. "My apologies, Sir. I had meant to protect the other >gentleman from these shadow creatures. Instead, I seem to be >protecting the shadow creatures from you. I'm afraid the bubble >shan't wear off for another five minutes." With that, Marivale heads >back to the fray around the Furies, destroying death-shadows with >unthinking grace as he goes. The Good Doctor tests the bubble surrounding him. [Yes, it is as I suspected. Magickal and thus immune from anything I could do to it.] "I thank you for the assistance, however inadvertant it is. It appears that I am out of action for the moment anyway, as I was hit in my major power core, which has caused me to shut it down and divert all non-essential power to maintaining suit integrity and preventing a catastrophic failure. So no weapons systems or major vehicle systems are present in this suit. That means no flight, and very little flight." As she jumps back into the fray, he speaks into his computer uplink. #Computer, eject power core and prepare for transportation.# #I'm sorry, Doctor,# said Ivana the Sentient computer, #I'm afraid I cannot do that.# #What?!? Why not?# said the Good Doctor, sounding like he was both exasperated and resigned at the same time. #There is major interference both within your immediate vicinity and outside of it. I cannot gain a solid lock on your coordinates, and dare not risk transport at this time. I am able to assess the damage to the power core and will be able to eject the core at this time.# With a HISS and a CHUNK, a small porthole in the back of the suit opens and a small spherical item drops out. Romanov picks up the now-dead power core, and Ivana reports to him the results of her scan. #My scans indicate that the energy discharge that struck you bypassed all shielding and struck the core directly. This caused a failure in the power coupling which would have overloaded had I not shut down the core and re-routed power to the secondary power cells in the suit. Estimated time of repair: 5 days.# [Well, on the upside, at least I don't have to worry about getting pounded on much], thinks the Good Doctor as various shadows try to break thru the shield only to be thwarted by it. After several attempts, the shadows ignore him completely and engage other foes. ================================= Subject: Re: This is no time to be playing games On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:52:04 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011717 >On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 18:31:39 -0800 >Reality Hacker AJ47 Said As CAoL Message # 00011715 > >Finally, the last three shadows threw themselves onto the grid. Avery >countered by tossing his last ball of energy at a beam splitter, >wiping out two but only managing a glancing blow at the third. The >central plane finished resolving into a half-black-half-white >pattern, then contracted into a point of energy and shot through the >bisecting line in both directions, taking out another batch of >shadows that had been stubbornly trying to pierce Marivale's force >field. The Good Doctor watches as some other shadows attempt to pierce the shield again, only to be blasted by Avery's last blast of energy. [That was very impressive.] thought Romanov. As he watched the play of energy above him, he couldn't help but wonder if he had seen something like that before. It's possible that he might have seen a Virtual Adept do something similar, but he couldn't be absolutely certain. >{Looks like you've been having an interesting day, too,} he sent over >the comlink. {What exactly do you need repaired? Maybe I can save you >a trip to the dealership.} Doc Energy looks at the Reality Hacker with a mixture of respect and professional awe. {Well, my problem is this little thing right here." he says as he shows the crystalline sphere that was once his power core. It has small cracks where it was once smooth and unblemished, and where it used to be opaque is now a solid black. {When I was damaged, I took a direct hit which struck this object you see in my hands. It also caused a feedback into the power coupling which would have resulted in a catastrophic failure had Ivana not shut it completely down and reroute power to the secondary power cells. The power cells themselves cannot power the suit indefinately, so I had to shut down all weapons systems and flight capability. The damage is to the power core that I am holding here and to the power coupling, both of which are located in the back of the suit} he says into the commlink, pointing at the large backpack-looking device on the back of the suit. {It seems that a 'trip to the dealership' is out of the question anyway, as Ivana cannot get a good lock on my position to transport me to my Lab.} he said reservedly. {I would be very grateful for your help in this matter as well as getting me out of this accursed bubble. I would do it myself, normally, but I am a man of Science, so I cannot affect things that are magickal in nature. I can block them, usually, and can sometimes penetrate them if I study them long enough, but those times are rare. Reminds me of the time I saved a colleague of mine from a group of savage Blood Mages at Stonehenge...but that's another story for another time.} Dr. Emil Romanov "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magick, and vice versa." Romanov's Addendum to Clarke's Law. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life (ret-conned) On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 04:15:08 -0800 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011719 >On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:22:57 -0500 >Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011716 > >The Good Doctor tests the bubble surrounding him. [Yes, it is as I >suspected. Magickal and thus immune from anything I could do to it.] >"I thank you for the assistance, however inadvertant it is. It >appears that I am out of action for the moment anyway, as I was hit >in my major power core, which has caused me to shut it down and >divert all non-essential power to maintaining suit integrity and >preventing a catastrophic failure. So no weapons systems or major >vehicle systems are present in this suit. That means no flight, and >very little flight." Marivale looks utterly baffled by this speech, but summons up the courtesy to say "ah...you're welcome, then, I suppose." Then he shakes himself all over and heads back to where the Furies are still fighting. >As she jumps back into the fray, he speaks into his computer uplink. That's "as _he_ jumps..." Assuming you're speaking of Marivale, of course. The only female character I have around is Erindrea. Somehow, I didn't think Taralyndhariel would fit into this group very well... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 23:22:59 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011720 >On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 08:30:18 -0800 (PST) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011709 >>On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 18:15:20 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011708 > OOC: But Cap'n, she canna take it! I canna change the laws of physics! >>There is also fascination with her awe-inspiring mental faculties >>and an uncertain curiosity about the "noise," but he firmly keeps >>both feelings in check. > > His effort is in vain. Between their minds being (for the most >part) melded together and an empathic talent that might be able to - >ah, _can_! - read emotions in Pittsburgh from here, she felt it as >he did. Well, he figured as much, but was trying not to distract her... >Although, now that he also has such empathy, he can discern not only >her blushing reaction to his admiration, but he can even pick up the >background emotion behind it. Zia doesn't feel that particular skill >is worthy of such notice, as yet, pleased as she is at his opinion. ...and failing. Ah well. That sort of failure, even Eric can live with. ;^) > ^I'll tell you about that (the noise) later. We just don't have >the time, now.^ She understands how curiosity can be an unscratchable >itch very well. ^Indeed,^ the Hunter replies. He has had his curiosity _truly_ thwarted far too many times to let a delay bother him, especially with such high stakes. Still, the temptation is greater with a more interesting subject. >> For Eric's part, he is very intelligent for a human but not >>overwhelmingly so. What he _does_ have are relentless cunning and a >>diamond-like clarity that few humans in any reality possess. > > A small but definite shock of pleasure runs up both their >spines, as if a perfectly balanced, perfectly suited weapon were >suddenly, unexpectedly to drop into one's hand at a moment of mortal >need. Zia smiles. Eric can tell even though she is behind him. Somehow, he actually seems surprised that she would find those useful, at least insofar as him providing anything she might lack in either cunning or clarity. >> [Merciful Gods. What a curse,] he thinks before he can help >>himself. Immortality is daunting enough -- that he might live for >>centuries as a result of his Exaltation already weighs heavily on >>him. But to know with certainty that level of karma/dharma...it >>seems to him as much trap as advantage. How does one transcend one's >>circumstances when fate is as binding and sure as gravity? > > ^Eric, you're SUCH a stick sometimes!^ Rueful exasperation >covering a deeper, dreaded future pain. ^So I'm told,^ he notes with the familiar dryness. >^I'm _glad_ you won't be gone that quickly! Do you really regret >having more time to spend with me?^ She doesn't give him a chance to >answer, quite intentionally breaking immediately into a joke to >rebutt him. And a good (?) thing, too, because he was definitely about to respond. > ^As for gravity - we're both flying, right?^ Eric actually _laughs,_ aloud, the ripple affecting his magick -- positively. Nine of his "long fist" Prime attacks MIRV, hitting three death-shadows each. ^Touche.^ >^I'm no more trapped in predestination than you are. Probably less so >than you, frankly. The only real diff is, I can't lose track of where >I am in the present moment. My Future - save for Roger, apparently - >is as unknown to me as yours is to you. Well, mostly. Except for >occasional flahes. Me and lovers. As you observed...^ ^Huh. Aside from the latter, then, that definitely seems useful all around.^ Then he ponders. ^I wonder...^ He lacks Zia's mathematical skill -- like most professional combatants, he's a passable field physicist, but little more -- but what he lacks in training he makes up in attentiveness and attunement. Zia can sense him sifting through threads of destiny, possibility, entropy...he can do no more than weigh them yet, but with time and training, he can indeed do more. Most likely, he will never have Zia's scope or skill, but there is potential aplenty. >> He opens himself as best as he can, as fully as he can, while >>trying not to expose her to that monstrous wound. > > ^Silly.^ He feels the word shimmers through _both_ of them, >vibrating such warm fondness it is hard to think at all for a moment, >as... ^So I'm told,^ he repeats needlessly. This dry tone, while not exactly _funny,_ definitely has comedic potential. > ^Gad. The things you do to me.^ Thoroughly distracted, Zia >forces her concentration back to her beloved mathematics She gets the sense of a satisfied smile -- not quite a smirk, Eric almost isn't _capable_ of smirking (is he?) -- and gives her a jaunty telepathic salute. >>Do I calculate your intentions in a roughly correct manner?^ Despite >>his analytical response, there is a definite pleasure in him >>(perhaps shared/empathized with Zia?) in being able to approach the >>problem this way, rather than in his usual "find it and stake it" >>manner. > > ^Whew. That had better wear off, later. Rio'll kill me.^ Zia >does indeed share his pleasure, harmonizing with her own through >her/their empathy. > ^Bull's-eye, actually. Only one addition - I suspect that the >ALE will resist the Two Partial Solutions being completed. Your >ability to extemporize and adapt in combat coupled with my >mathemagical will hopefully be enough to let us succeed.^ ^Ah. I will do my best to live up to your estimation of me.^ He looks up, with all of his newly-expanded senses. The Anti-Life Entity is holding its own. Against the combined might of Apokolips and the CAoL. "By all the Prime Numbers," he breathes, in a fair imitation of Zia's tone (albeit with Eric's rumbling timbre). ^Let us hope...^ he begins. Then he smiles. WICKEDLY. ^No. Let us _prey._^ Well whaddayaknow, there's a Callahanian in there after all... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 19:19:34 -0800 (PST) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011721 >On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 23:22:59 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011720 >>On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 08:30:18 -0800 (PST) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011709 > ^Indeed,^ the Hunter replies. He has had his curiosity _truly_ >thwarted far too many times to let a delay bother him, especially >with such high stakes. > Still, the temptation is greater with a more interesting subject. > He feels her amusement in first person - and, almost better - the same goes for the absolute surety that neither of them would trespass deliberately in even the least ways, even with that temptation. The reality of finding out the hard way being ... better. >> ^As for gravity - we're both flying, right?^ > > Eric actually _laughs,_ aloud, the ripple affecting his magick >positively. Nine of his "long fist" Prime attacks MIRV, hitting three >death-shadows each. ^Touche.^ He feels her realize what just happened between his reaction and his magic; it enters into the streaming calculation of the ever-borning future that is running in his/her middle mind. The ponderables of their soon-coming action against the ALE shift slightly in their favor, as they resolve to use Zia's talent for provoking emotions to do that as they attack, and his empathy to sustain the emotion even in the unlikely depth of brutal combat with the Inelegancey Irrelevancy (as Zia-Eric think of the ALE at the moment). >Zia can sense him sifting through threads of destiny, possibility, >entropy...he can do no more than weigh them yet, but with time and >training, he can indeed do more. Most likely, he will never have >Zia's scope or skill, but there is potential aplenty. With an effort, she restrains herself from going into details, explanations, training... they don't have time. > ^So I'm told,^ he repeats needlessly. This dry tone, while not >exactly _funny,_ definitely has comedic potential. ^Oh, my. I've finally found my straightman.^ Zia quips in reply. > ^Ah. I will do my best to live up to your estimation of me.^ ^As if you ever wouldn't.^ >He looks up, with all of his newly-expanded senses. The Anti-Life >Entity is holding its own. Against the combined might of Apokolips >and the CAoL. > "By all the Prime Numbers," he breathes, in a fair imitation of >Zia's tone (albeit with Eric's rumbling timbre). ^Let us hope...^ he >begins. Then he smiles. WICKEDLY. ^No. Let us _prey._^ > Well whaddayaknow, there's a Callahanian in there after all... Zia groans wordlessly in appreciation, then she grins in the same. ^Let's do it, before you slay me with humor alone.^ Her/His empathy catches the mutual amusement, amplifies it, feeds it back into Eric, building slowly. Not enough to jar their depiciont of the Mathemagical aspects, but they think enough to soup up his newfound talents mixing with her mentations on the math. ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Apokolips: Endgame (1 of 2) On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 15:34:20 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011722 >On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 18:09:50 -0800 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00011712 > >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011657 >> >> Amazo, meanwhile, transformed itself into a giant, super-Mother >>Box, appearing by Aurora's side. It offered her the processing power >>of the machine enhanced manyfold by the Flash's speed and the >>object's access to the Source. > >Aurora links to Amazo as she shifts her shape instantaneously into >her favored battle form. In the sky, above Darkseid's fortress and >the floating Champions Island, appears a titanic winged unicorn fully >as large as Hydra. The inter-computer handshaking takes less than a >pico second. Amazo finds itself linked to what is essentially a >multiplanar quantum computer of truely cosmic proportions. This version of Amazo is even more potent than the original, having been given true sentience, will, and imagination through Suli's genius. It has become a god among gods, possessed the power to shatter stars, and may even be Darkseid's heir. Upon linking with Aurora, he is in awe. That even his might is capable of enhancing her abilities at all is testimony to what he has become. Even so, like Defender with Solaris, he is merely a junior partner in this assault. >^Provide me with all you know of the Anti-Life Entity.^ She instructs >the Android. Once the information stream is complete, her attack on >the entity begins. With infinite patience she bores quietly and >softly into his spirit, and mind. {} Amazo replies. Through its replication of Suli's power and knowledge, it knows a _lot_ about the Entity. (OOC: Short form is, the Anti-Life Entity is a sentient, "programmed" piece of Nothing/Oblivion, using the Anti-Life Equation as an OS. Like the other Darkness Devices, its essential nature was created by the ultimate spawn of the Nothing, the Nameless One. This may or may not be the Great Adversary -- a CAoL meta-cosmology thread is forthcoming in the TR. If lurkers ask, we'll post the final version to the website, if there ever is a final version.) >> Maggedon simply turned its attack from Hydra to the Entity, >>closing with the being in what would have been reckless abandon for >>a sentient being. >As Maggedon turns it's attack, so does Hydra. Where Hydra was holding >back against Maggedon, lest the failsafe detonate the power core of >the weapon, NOTHING is held back against the Anti-Life Equation >Entity. The northern hemisphere of the Earth is treated to a day >without night from the energy discharge. The Anti-Life Entity is not amused. To put it mildly. While it continues to resist all of the other attacks, fighting mostly on the defensive, it turns what remains of its might on Hydra. Even with its attention split, the Entity is more powerful than Hydra. The Entity's tactic is as simple as it is obvious: once it destroys the true power among the CAoL, it can obliterate the remaining foes one by one with ease. Fortunately, its advantage over Hydra is not overwhelming, and it seems not to realize the real threat to it by the other attacks. Then again, its defenses _are_ holding for the moment. Fortunately, according to all Starspawn calculations, the only Darkness Device that is anywhere near as powerful as the Entity is Heketon, the Gaunt Man's Darkness Device. Then... >On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 19:19:34 -0800 (PST) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011721 > > He feels her realize what just happened between his reaction and >his magic; it enters into the streaming calculation of the >ever-borning future that is running in his/her middle mind. The >ponderables of their soon-coming action against the ALE shift >slightly in their favor, as they resolve to use Zia's talent for >provoking emotions to do that as they attack, and his empathy to >sustain the emotion even in the unlikely depth of brutal combat with >the Inelegancy Irrelevancy (as Zia-Eric think of the ALE at the >moment). Inelegance is probably the mildest way of referring to the Thing That Should Not E. (See OOC thumbnail of the Entity above.) >>He looks up, with all of his newly-expanded senses. The Anti-Life >>Entity is holding its own. Against the combined might of Apokolips >>and the CAoL. >> "By all the Prime Numbers," he breathes, in a fair imitation of >>Zia's tone (albeit with Eric's rumbling timbre). ^Let us hope...^ he >>begins. Then he smiles. WICKEDLY. ^No. Let us _prey._^ >> Well whaddayaknow, there's a Callahanian in there after all... > > Zia groans wordlessly in appreciation, then she grins in the same. > > ^Let's do it, before you slay me with humor alone.^ Her/His >empathy catches the mutual amusement, amplifies it, feeds it back >into Eric, building slowly. Not enough to jar their depiciont of the >Mathemagical aspects, but they think enough to soup up his newfound >talents mixing with her mentations on the math. Up to this point, the Entity had been ignoring the "lesser beings" below, as they had been kept busy with its Endless Shadow strike. Now, however, a Trump Card puts itself into play -- one impossible to ignore. The very power of the Earth itself seems to flow up, free at last to strike back, enraged at Her violation and the violation of Her children. Even by the standards of those present, the power is phenomenal. From above, a complement to Her power stabs down, bursting through the dark clouds like a thunderbolt, shining on the heroes like the might of the Sun itself. Which, as it happens, it is. While all are bathed in its light, the center of this beam is Eric, Awakened hero and Solar Exalted. Two golden arms of light sprout from beneath his jacket, one bearing a spear and the other a shield, both forged of orichalcum of quality that beggars the imagination. (OOC note: While others will be gaining advantages from both energies [paging Morgan Greywolf, the Goddess is calling you -- on the green courtesy phone], I leave the matter of Gaia to our resident Mathemagician. Heh.) The Entity recoils, truly frightened for the first time...ever. ^My Lord?!?^ Eric blurts. ^No need to be formal, son,^ the mighty voice chuckles in his mind. ^Ah...which name would you...^ Eric begins. The Unconquered One laughs. ^I was always fond of Hyperion. You can call me Hype, if you like.^ ^...I don't think I could. Hyperion,^ Eric replies slowly. ^Very well. You have the power and the knowledge. Strike.^ ^But...I Awakened. How can I still be a Solar Exalted?^ Eric asks. ^I meant no offense, but...^ ^But all things being equal, you would rather claim your own power. That it be your skill and will, rather than the might of the divine.^ There is a nod of approval, of all things. Eric is amazed, but simply waits. ^Though you are still learning techniques yourself, I would point out. No matter. I put in a ringer Caste, anyway. Given what the Shih really are, I imagine that Eclipse suits you at least as well as Night, regardless.^ Eric boggles. ^You can _change_ my Caste?^ ^Well, I _am_ a god!^ He chuckles again. ^Eclipse Caste can learn the powers of other beings, Exalted and otherwise. That would be the 'ringer' ability I referred to,^ He added at Eric's confusion. ^In many ways, as the Hunter, you do as much keeping the peace as slaying, which makes you a suitable Eclipse. You are more skilled a negotiator and diplomat than you give yourself credit for.^ Eric pauses. ^Isn't that a bit...much?^ ^You know, for all that you look askance at the Eternal Defender, you share more in common than you realize,^ Hyperion quips. ^If God Himself tells you that you're worthy, you still doubt.^ The timbre of His voice changes, becoming The Voice Of Light. ^Worry later. Battle...NOW.^ Eric lets go. Thrusting the spear to the sky, he surrounds it in a nimbus of star-fire in the blink of an eye. "ENTITY!" he roars. "Yield now, or fall forever!" He throws the spear. With all its power concentrated on Hydra and shielding against the others, the Entity can do little to defend itself. The spear strikes home, and the Entity screams. (OOC: No doubt Zia/Gaia strike(s) at approximately the same time. 8^) TBC ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Apokolips: Endgame (2 of 2) On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 16:59:55 -0800 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00011723 >On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 15:34:20 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011722 > > While all are bathed in its light, the center of this beam is >Eric, Awakened hero and Solar Exalted. Two golden arms of light >sprout from beneath his jacket, one bearing a spear and the other a >shield, both forged of orichalcum of quality that beggars the >imagination. > (OOC note: While others will be gaining advantages from both >energies [paging Morgan Greywolf, the Goddess is calling you -- on >the green courtesy phone], I leave the matter of Gaia to our resident >Mathemagician. Heh.) With the split in the Entity already widened, Roland sends /*NOW!*/ to the Trinity. With Gaia's power flowing alongside Dian Cecht's, the life energy surging through the Trinity is truly godlike. Meanwhile, Suli's genius combines with Sil's awesome psychic might to create a devastating mental assault. To put it simply, the Entity...splits. There is a tearing sound like a billion nails on a million chalkboards, and a roar of fury, pain, and fear unlike any even the CAoL has ever known. One half of the Entity retains its mind and soul, its sense of "self." Since it is not only founded on the Anti-Life Equation, but _wants_ to hold to its "wrongness," it remains what it is. The other half, easily cleansed by the combined might of Zia's Mathemagics, Morgan's life magick, Solar might, Gaian power, and Aurora's subquantum expertise, is a clean slate. Within a span of time measurable in Planck Scale moments, however, it is filled with its natural complement. What once was the Entity's "cloak" is now a being of gentle light and androgynous (albeit exquisite) form. Sie looks around, both infant-like and endlessly wise. *#"Ah. How...elegant."#* All the Mother Boxes present ping with happiness, satisfaction, and approval. The Entity hisses as it forms a new body from the remaining death-shadows, which it recalls instantly, but it is no match for the forces present. From Solaris' plasma, Defender forms a towering simulacrum of his own "superhero" form, armed with a Phoenix Rod of sorts. He holds it up in a cease-fire gesture. (OOC: If anyone refuses to cease firing, please let me know. Otherwise...) Then he points it at the badly ravaged Entity. "YIELD," he intones, his voice booming like...well, let's just say that Eric heard a similar tone recently. The Entity creates a new cloak of shadows, wrapping it around itself protectively. *I...so yield.* At Defender's nod, it adds, *But know this, Champion of life. Though it may take aeons, though your very reality will have died the heat-death and been reborn before I regenerate...I _will_ recover. Eventually, I shall return.* Defender looks down at the foul thing contemptuously. "I HOPE THAT YOU WILL USE THAT TIME WISELY, ENTITY. IF YOU DO NOT...THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HEROES TO OPPOSE YOU." The "Life Entity" nods. "Indeed," sie agrees. "I will watch over my...brother, of sorts. It will not cause you mischief while I exist." Defender turns to the being and smiles. "We are grateful," he replies in a more pleasant tone. "What should we call you?" "It is I who should be grateful to you, for giving me the ability to express myself. I am...an extension, of the Source, if you will. Call me..." Sie smiles. "...the Presence." The fiery Defender vanishes as Roland's physical self laughs at a private joke. /*Well spoken, Presence. We are honored.*/ There is a moment of brief telepathic consultation. Then, all at once, the Storm Knights that Roland sent on their own mission pull the central stelae mass, as the Presence restores the Possibility Energy to the citizens of Earth-9 as the storms recede. Even the area that would have remained collapses, due to the sundering of the Darkness Device, and the Presence restores that area as well, providing this assistance so that the cosmics will not be depleted when they face future Darkness Devices. Amazo (with Aurora's permission) withdraws, transforming back into his old self, albeit maned as with his "brother" Kalibak. Defender reappears in the air as the Trinity returns to its component parts (metaphorically speaking). He hugs Solitaire, who looks fantastically energized. Roland quirks an eyebrow. /Everything okay, love?/ /Fine,/ she replies with a wide smile, her expression one of wondering why he would bother to ask. At his confused (albeit relieved) expression, she adds, /It's... psycho-spiritual adrenaline rush, is the best I can do./ Defender's confusion vanishes as he understands. /Ah. Excellent./ He gives her a quick kiss, smiling briefly. Then his attention shifts, and the smile vanishes. Defender flies over to Darkseid, who is watching the entire scene with smug satisfaction. "Well done, Defender," Darkseid rumbles. "All is as I wished it." Defender coils, then swings furiously, knocking Darkseid off his aero-disc and on his butt. "You unutterable monster," Defender growls, his entire body crackling with power. Darkseid rubs his jaw as he regains his feet. "I, of all people, understand the risks we'll take for love. But you killed dozens, injured hundreds, and caused chaos across the heart of my world's power just when it was needed most. None of it would have happened if YOU HAD JUST ASKED." Darkseid's eyes flare with Omega Fire as they narrow. Then, shockingly, the Omega Power vanishes as quickly as it appears and he almost...deflates. "You know the relationship between a High Lord and a Darkness Device, do you not?" Defender boggles. "You..." he starts to say, unable to quite put all the pieces together on the spot, but nevertheless, on some level, he clearly knows. Solitaire and Suli float to their respective beloveds' sides. Darkseid is obviously reluctant to fill in the blanks. To his credit, he does so anyway. "As you know, it has always been my quest to master the Anti-Life Equation. I thought I had done so on that faraway world where last we met. Instead..." "...you got that fershlugginer Entity," Defender finishes. Darkseid almost smiles at the colloquialism. "Just so. In...the flush of victory, I used the power to resurrect Suli. Unfortunately, I had not mastered the power as fully as I believed." "You bit off more than you can chew," Defender replies. Darkseid's almost-smile vanishes. "Have a care, Defender..." Suli _glares_ at Darkseid, who quickly drops the subject. "At any rate, I initially intended to divest myself of the Entity and study the more pure Equation. However, it seemed useful at first, obedient, and Suli encouraged me to use its power." Defender raised an eyebrow. "I did not realize that the Entity held sway over her until it was too late to confront it directly. It could kill her, or worse, if I did not...cooperate." Darkseid smiles again, this time darkly. "I swore it would pay for what it had done. The Entity laughed." Defender's jaw spasms. "Well, you certainly got your payback on _that_ one," he replies. Given what the Entity did, he obviously feels _no_ sympathy for the foul thing. The Lord of Apokolips nods. "Indeed. However, as my overall ambitions match what the Entity desired -- or so it believed -- it was easy enough to deceive into believing that I would accept Suli as she was in exchange for the power to master life and death alike. That was its fatal error. Darkseid serves no one, not for _any_ power." Defender's eyes explode with azure cosmic fire. "And the great and powerful Darkseid couldn't get word to us _somehow?_" "I dared not risk it," Darkseid replies evenly. "And you think that's it, you ripped up my world, weakened us against the other High Lords, got what you wanted, and now you walk away?! You think it's that SIMPLE!?!" Defender roars. "Of course not," Darkseid replies as evenly as before. Defender's fire winks out as he stares, stunned. "I am Darkseid. I always pay my debts, both of gratitude," he motions grandly at the CAoL, "and vengeance," he finishes, gesturing toward the ruined Entity, which is slowly fading away. (So battered is it that it cannot simply flee. It is "limping," after a fashion, away from the Earth-9 universe.) Defender glares suspiciously at Darkseid. "And how, exactly, do you intend to do that?" "This 'Gaunt Man' of yours has set up pockets of his despicable realm across your world, clearly in an effort to divide your forces and keep them off-balance. We of Apokolips will cleanse your world of this blight." "As will the powers of New Genesis," Orion adds, skimming over to float near Defender and Solitaire. Defender's stare becomes shocked. "That...that...no," he replies. "No. That's too much, even for what you've done. The Gaunt Man...he..." Darkseid shakes his head with finality. "That creature is a threat to existence itself. I serve myself as I aid you, and this Gaunt Man will no doubt fear my power now that I have rejected the power of a Darkness Device." Roland considers. "You _will_ coordinate with us, of course?" Darkseid smiles with quiet triumph. "Naturally." After a long pause, the leader of the Champions and CAoL nods. "/*All right, everybody, meeting back at the island. We've got six realms still to deal with, and a fair chunk of planning to do.*/" He looks around with mild approval at the landscape, once again rolling pastoral fields. "/*This was a victory to be proud of, but it's only the beginning.*/" Eric looks around, no longer the incarnation of the Unconquered Sun (much to his relief). "'This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.' --Winston Churchill." Roland nods, then vanishes, along with the rest of the Champions and Storm Knights. (OOC: Quick rundown of what I'd like for the next bit: sure, we'll plan, but I'd like to keep it brief so we can get to the good stuff; the next two realms are Pulp and High Fantasy/Middle Earth, so anyone who hasn't chosen a realm, it's time -- please post to the GR first so we can keep the IC division as to-the-point as possible; finally, if any lurkers out there are looking for a good time to jump in, this is as good of one as any. Characters coming in through Callahan's have an easy time integrating, BTW. All you folx who aren't supers fans, now you can get to stuff that's more your speed. Enjoy, all. 8^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Against Anti-Life (ret-conned) On Sat, 7 Feb 2004 21:06:34 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00011724 >On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 04:15:08 -0800 >Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011719 > >Marivale looks utterly baffled by this speech, but summons up the >courtesy to say "ah...you're welcome, then, I suppose." Then he >shakes himself all over and heads back to where the Furies are still >fighting. The Good Doctor, still shaken from his near brush with catastrophic failure, nods slightly to Marivale. "Good fortune to you, my friend." he says as Marivale jumps back into the fray with a flash of blades and magick. >>As she jumps back into the fray, he speaks into his computer uplink. > > >That's "as _he_ jumps..." Assuming you're speaking of Marivale, of >course. The only female character I have around is Erindrea. Somehow, >I didn't think Taralyndhariel would fit into this group very well... > OOC: Gotcha.. There are so many characters here I need a scorecard just to keep up. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Apokolips: Endgame (2 of 2) On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 19:41:06 -0800 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011725 >On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 16:59:55 -0800 >Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00011723 > > Eric looks around, no longer the incarnation of the Unconquered >Sun (much to his relief). "'This is not the end. It is not even the >beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.' >--Winston Churchill." > Roland nods, then vanishes, along with the rest of the Champions >and Storm Knights. As the Anti-Life Entity falls, the death-shadows vanish to whatever nothingness spawned them and the sky is clear once more, but for the various flying troops and ships. And one lone figure drifting lazily to Earth, softly as a falling leaf. Erindrea looks up at this purposeless movement and gasps. Chanting a quick phrase, she launches herself into an intercept course with Veren's body. When she catches him, she gasps again at his pale complexion and icy cold skin. She turns and makes a beeline for Harlock, still on the ground below. "Daddy?" She whispers raggedly, as she sets the half-orc on the ground, "can you he'p him?" Harlock pulls himself to his feet, the glow around him fading at last. He barely glances at Veren's seemingly lifeless body. "His physical wounds, aye. Those I can heal." Erin looks up sharply at her parent. "But?" The Bard smiles sadly as he traces the path of a tear down his daughter's cheek. Gently, he says "but unless thou leavest off teasing him, I greatly fear he may ne'er recover." Erin turns away, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah don' know what you're talkin' abaht," she mutters sullenly. Harlock arches an eyebrow. "Perhaps thou dost not," he responds slowly, his voice turning cold as he continues, "but methinks he doth." Erindrea whirls around to slap her father, who intercepts her wrist in an iron grasp. "What do you know abaht it, anywye? You're nevah on Oerth! Ah think you've met Veren, what...twahce befoh this little trip?" "Thrice, actually. I made a point of catching him alone last year while thou wert having thy fling with...Lord Coriner was't? Or was it Lord Verle? In any case, we had a very nice conversation. He's really quite articulate, an he cometh to trust somebody." Erin's eyes drop once more. "Ah know. But you still haven't answered mah question." Harlock laughs softly. "Erin, honey, how oft hast thou heard me call music the language of the soul?" "Often enough," she growls, "to be rathah sick o' the phrase." "And knowing that, thou thinkest e'en yet that I know naught of the human heart? Or the half-orcish, as the case may be? Riddle me this, dear heart: why did Veren come with us, or rather thee, on this mission? For I can promise thee 'twas naught that I said." "Because Ah...we...we make a good team," she mumbles into the ground. "And?" "And he told me he wouldn't let me go withaht him," Erin looks back up, her eyes streaming tears. "All raht? Are you happy now?" She tries to escape her father's grip, only to find herself drawn into a comforting hug, her head pressed firmly into his shoulder. "Whah, momma," she chokes out between sobs. "What did Ah evah do to encourage him?" "Oh, baby mine. I know not precisely the cause. Mayhap he hath a weakness for green-eyed blondes. Mayhap 'twas the sheer joy of finding a woman who was his equal at archery." Erin gives him a watery giggle. "Or, perchance 'tis the simplest explanation of all." He pauses to tilt his daughter's head up so that he can look her in the eye and brush another tear from her face. "Thou, of all the humans he hath met, didst treat with him as an equal." Erindrea pulls back slightly, wiping tears from her eyes. "All raht, Ah s'pose Ah can see that. But Ah still don't see wheh you're goin' with this." "Dost remember what we were told about yon beastie?" "Um...it was the...antithesis of lahf. What’s antithesis?" "In brief, the opposite. More to the point, 'twas also described as the antithesis of _hope._ Now I will admit that I am as fallible as any mortal," [and dammee, doesn't _that_ sound arrogant!] "but 'twould seem to me that when that first shadow-beast struck him, he lost what spark of hope he nurtured that thou wouldst ever find favor in him. 'Twould certainly explain the berserk charge from one I know to be a good tactician. Yet e'en so, his last words..." "Were to tell Lashina to protect me. Oh, but momma," she wails, "Ah don't love him!" Harlock spocks an eyebrow again. "Dost not? Truly? Then why wert thou crying ere I put thee through the wringer?" Erin takes a little time to consider this. "Well," she says slowly, "not any moh than any of mah othah lovahs, anywye. Certainly not enough to 'cleave only unto him,' or howevah that rathah revoltin' phrase goes." The Bard, looking over his daughter's shoulder, sees Veren stirring and smiles slightly. "Ah, Erin. Blood of my blood, heart of my heart. Hast not noticed how observant thy partner is? How freely his spirit soars? Dost truly believe he would try to make of thee something less than thou art?" "Well..." Then a thready whisper interrupts. "You...love...me?" Erindrea whirls in her father's arms. "Veren," she shrieks, "you're all raht!" She pulls herself out of Harlock's embrace and drops to her knees to cover Veren's face with kisses. "So...cold." The Bard, still smiling slightly, chants a quick phrase and taps his daughter lightly on the head, transporting her and her partner to Champions Island medical quarters. He taps his commpin. {Kindly treat Veren for hypothermia, assuming you can pry Erin loose long enough to do so.} =================================