Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9: Nile Empire / Pulp Chapter 11 Subject: Re: AAE9n: Omega and Alpha On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 23:00:02 -0800 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012344 >On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 03:52:37 -0000 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012329 >>On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 14:22:06 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012328 >> >> There is no sound, no psychic transmission...but there is an >>awareness that the Device is losing patience with Mobius. It is time >>for him to _make_ that choice. Kefertiri has no interest in letting >>him turn that vast, devious genius against itself. >> Mobius looks up at Karma, then down at the Idol. The appearance >>of being bereft is simply _wrong_ on his face. He looks back up >>again. Words fail him. >> One thing is certain, however. Whatever side he chooses, he has >>made one decision already, even if he doesn't realize it -- Mobius >>is obviously trying to determine which course is the greater good, >>or at least the lesser evil. > > "I've been so stupid," Karma says, staring at her feet, then >looking up at Mobius, "No matter what you choose, I'll stay with you. >I can't see a way out except to do as it demands and show it you're >still evil." > [And hope that I can convince you that you still are a good man >and did the right thing when this is all over.] Mobius stares at Karma for a long moment, his expression slowly melting away as his face seems to go blank. Reports buzz faintly from his hood, still hanging empty behind his neck. The Kefertiri Idol hums again, trying once more to escape. Mobius' grip, if anything, tightens. In spite of his sudden remoteness, Karma can almost _hear_ the Pharaoh's fantastic mind racing. >On Fri, 24 Dec 2004 05:33:56 -0800 (PST) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00012333 >>On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 14:22:06 -0800 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012328 >> >> During the mad rush, Blaze holds his head while standing still, >>getting his bearings. /Zia, you're fastest right now...maybe you can >>find Mobius...are you supposed to be blue and red as well as purple? >>That's odd...pretty, but odd.../ > > /What, you wanted red, white and blue?/ Ultra- >violet is gone as fast as the thought comes to him. /Hey, I just call 'em like I sees 'em,/ Blaze replies in UV's direction. Looking around at his (to him) strangely warped surroundings, he adds, /Though that may not be the best idea right now.../ > /You question my colors, thou who Blazes?/ Blue RoseZia continues >as smoothly as if she and Ultra-violet were the same person (as, >indeed, they really are, after all). /Wouldn't dream of it, m'lady,/ Blaze replies woozily. >/Hast thee never pondered, then, whyfore shouldst my people be named >'Amberites'? The question of true import lies in the whereabouts of >my Amber self, not the Blue Self, the Red, or even the Ultraviolet - >soothe though she be the speediest part./ The Champion of thunder and lightning tries pondering, but finds the fuses on his ponderer hopelessly blown out. /Um...I'll get back to you on that./ > Violet pauses, reading the sonic energy of voices by Lens, hoping >to come up with some course of action that doesn't involve >shapeshifting back to bone and blood anywhere near that... thing. >Karma appears unharmed - there is no visible weapon Mobius has >against her, nor does it appear there is anyone else in the room. > > "Ah. Dr. Mobius, I presume?" Violet asks to stall a heartbeat. She >speaks by projecting sonic energy through her Lens, lacking breath, >throat, and mouth as flesh able to effect sound waves the normal way >at the moment. Mobius snaps out of his trance, looking up at the violet Violet, and begins to laugh. _This_ is a more familiar laugh of triumph -- but one far 'cleaner' than what the heroes have heard from him before. "Of course. Of COURSE! A living carrier wave!" The Idol fights so fiercely now that his arms jerk as if he were physically fighting a Titan for possession of the Device. Mobius ignores it. "My dear lady, would you ask Blaze to come here? I need him to hold something for me." "Hardly yours, doctor; there's quite the queue, I warn you." The Just Violet says - if humorous, her tone doesn't tell it through the telesonics. Her Lens blazes - the only part of her not solely purple in hue. @Blaze, stage front, by request of Mobius himself, if you please.@ Mobius turns back to Karma, his smile growing wistful. "I fear, my brave one, that you are unlikely to be required to honor that offer." Several seconds later, a still-sparking Blaze rushes, staggering, into the room. "I promise you, Mobius, if this is some sort of trick--" "You are the one who believes that redemption is possible for anyone, are you not?" Mobius asks, locking eyes with Blaze. His desperation, hope, and yes -- fear, are so palpable that Blaze relents almost immediately. "Always wondered if I could pull this off," he says softly, then with lightning speed *snatches* the Darkness Device from Mobius' hands. The vast electric power coursing through him suddenly flattens against his body. "Whoo...boy...Mobius...whatever you're planning...do it fast..." The no-longer-mad-Doctor, of course, is already moving. "Ozymandias." "By your command," the machine-mind replies evenly in its 'Dr. Smith' voice. "Reroute Apophis energy to the Maelstrom Bridge." "Working," Ozymandias replies. "...Pharaoh, the Maelstrom Bridge is no longer extant." Mobius smiles again. "I know." He turns to Karma again. "This is the part of the story where I ask if you trust me...except we already know the answer to that, don't we?" Looking up at the light shed by Ultra-Violet's current state, he adds, "Madam, can you transmit a signal in your current state? I can forge an artificial link if necessary, but it will be more vulnerable to interference." "Sending signals, Mobius, is a specialty." The Just Violet laughs. Since Blaze has determined to aid in this, so shall she. After a moment's thought, Mobius nods. "Karma, if you would follow me?" He asks, turning and walking out with purpose. >On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 14:22:06 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012328 >>On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 21:58:28 -0800 (PST) >>Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012317 >> >> Turning right, he breaks through a door, then turns right again >>and jumps, bouncing off of a tapestry, and throwing himself into a >>flying kick at the opposite side of the room. >> Rob explodes through the wall into the throne room...too late. >>Mobius is gone. > > A voice carries into the room as someone approaches. "My Pharaoh! >I have carried the Scarlet Asp and Red Hand away from battle, but >Teth-Net is too badly pinned for..." > A moment later, Ramses charges in, coming to a sudden halt as he >sees the martial artist. "Who the devil?" "That will do, Ramses," Mobius says as he strides through the room. (OOC: Most likely with Karma following in his wake. 8^) "Pharaoh?" Ramses asks. "Return to Miss Scarlet and give her this," Mobius orders, handing Ramses a syringe without breaking stride. "Then instruct her to join me in the Ozymandias control chamber." "But -- but --" the Overgovernor splutters. "What about _him_?" He points emphatically at Rob. Mobius stops at the door, turns, and smiles winningly at Rob. "Greetings, sir. I am Doctor, Pharaoh, and High Lord Mobius, though the last title will, I trust, soon be former. If you wish to engage in the fisticuffs traditional to your occupation, there are no doubt several of my lackeys proving less loyal than Ramses here. Ahkemeses in particular is no doubt attempting to abscond with as much of the royal treasury and as many priestesses as he can manage. Otherwise, you are welcome to accompany me if you prefer to examine my intentions personally." With that, he continues on almost as if he hadn't stopped. A minute later, Mobius & company are in the great Ozymandias chamber. Massive banks of vacuum tubes, blocks of brass and steel, Tesla coils, junction boxes, display lights, levers and monitor screens bedeck the room in all directions, like the central set of a cliffhanger serial made on an 'A' movie budget. The central screen is even in color, albeit slightly washed-out by a sepia-toned veneer. "Show the remnants of the Maelstrom Bridge," Mobius directs the great machine. "By your command," Ozymandias replies blandly. The screen flickers, then shows a crater that looks big enough to have held a large warehouse once. Mobius now asks, "Are you ready, Ms. Violet?" "You might as well call me Just, after this." Ultra-violet sighs, braces herself, and nods. "This isn't the first time I've dealt with a Maelstrom Bridge. I have the frequency, when your modulation is ready." "Begin transmission," Mobius instructs, his voice still iron-strong but his fist shaking slightly. "Use code sequence Thoth-Ptah." "Confirmed," Ozymandias replies, and half his panels activate, display lights snapping on and off like thousands of tiny flash bulbs. "Just a little concentration," Violet murmurs, her hands flashing through a meditation exercise that the Hunter would undoubtedly recognize. Her form darkens, so dark purple it's almost black, with one streak of brilliant purple light, pulsing and thinning to carry the information, her Lens blazing as she uses it as a resistor, translator, and buffer. "Karma," Mobius says finally, turning. "Even now, the Darkness Device remains linked to me, aware of my thoughts, as it searches for my replacement. Though I can keep my plan from it, that is requiring considerable mental effort. It would know any pass code I could enter." He gestures to a desk with what looks like an old-fashioned typewriter, except the mechanisms attach the keys not to letter pads, but to switches. "I believe you can give Ozymandias a 'password' that the Darkness Device could not divine because of its nature." He smiles again. "Do not worry that it will simply manage a brute force solution. Ozymandias will use your pass code as the source of an encryption, but...there is an element of will, of faith if you wish, to this." He gestures to the typewriter again, then turns to face the main console and starts turning dials and throwing switches with grim determination. "...a leap of faith..." (OOC: This is an excuse to do something cool and life affirming, not to try and describe a 128-bit encryption process, so don't sweat the details. ;^) When Karma touches 'return,' the main screen lights up with a violet-white column of power surging out of the crater. There is a howl of wind and thunder, even inside the fortress (is that partly Blaze?). Mobius throws switches in rapid succession. (OOC: If Ultra-Violet is experiencing any problems with either the energy surge or the dimensional transference, Mobius smoothes them out at this point.) Almost at the same time, the Scarlet Asp and Blaze rush in, stopping to assess each other briefly, then continuing. "Mobius!" Blaze gasps. "The Idol's gone!" Mobius nods, and the motion sends a few drops of sweat through the air. "As expected." "What?!" the Asp blurts, swaying. "I am just as happy," Mobius says calmly, "to be rid of it. However, I must now ensure...that everyone else...is rid of it...for some time to come." As he speaks, he manipulates controls with ever greater speed and concern. "Blaze, that energy you've built up--" "Where?" he asks simply. "The Tesla coils," Mobius breathes, all his concentration now on the systems before him. Blaze releases energy into the coils. When no harm seems to befall them, he increases the power, a cycle that continues until he is lost in a blur of pure lightning. The whir of raw power continues to amplify. "All units, evacuate the realm," Ozymandias broadcasts. "All units, evacuate realm. Mobian forces, retreat to the blue dimthreads. Mongo Imperial forces, retreat to the red dimthreads." As Ozymandias speaks, beams of light lance down throughout the realm near concentrations of Nile Empire forces. "Mobius...possibility backlash..." Blaze groans through gritted teeth (not that anyone with normal eyesight can _see_ his teeth just now). "I know," Mobius replies evenly. Then, he turns two last dials and glares at a single large switch in the center of the board. "Back to the Abyss with you," he snarls, and throws the switch. The entire realm seems to pulse with the strain as vast amounts of energy flow in several directions at once -- Possibilities returning to Earth-9, electrical power surging through the infrastructure, and vast streams of data pouring out the Bridge. Then, all at once, the entire tempest...stops. Almost as one, Blaze and Mobius collapse. "What..." Blaze tries to ask. "Ming and the treacherous Rama-Tet stole my Maelstrom Bridge. It is of limited use without the Idol, however..." Mobius' grin is as sharp as shark's teeth. "...so I gave it to him. Alas," he laughs, "the Bridge will _remain_ of limited use to him, as Karma was kind enough to sabotage it for me. By the time they even _might_ decode her formula, it will have burned out from the strain." Blaze blinked. Loudly. "Strain?" "From the very rapid and sudden second jump, taking Ming and all those forces which followed the crimson dimthreads -- including quite a few of my units, it would seem -- into a cosm I found some time ago. I didn't bother conquering it...because it is entirely devoid of sentient life." Mobius sits up, leaning back on his palms and laughing in immense relief. "They can satisfy themselves lording over lizards and ferns for as long as they wish. Without people to provide Possibilities in any real quantity, I imagine it will take Kefertiri quite some time indeed to construct a Maelstrom Bridge without my equipment." "But...what about _you?_" the Asp asks. "Me?" Mobius sighs, and a blue filament of light appears next to the Scarlet Asp. "Go, my child. There will be much to do in the Twelve Empires." She shakes her head stubbornly. "I am not going anywhere." "But I am," he replies softly, and considerable noise erupts outside. blank looks from Blaze and the Asp, he turns...to Karma, and smiles sadly. "I wish I could have met you long ago, beside the cool blue river god, amid the wonders of sand and stone, when the fires of magic and the power of ancient science were purer than I have made them." "MOBIUS!" A voice like Roland's roars -- if his voice went through Hunter training, that is. The Pharaoh stands slowly and caresses Karma's cheek. "But to be Good...is also to accept responsibility." The door bursts open and aside, splintering. One of the hinges explodes altogether. A figure clad mostly in blue, but with gold accents, steps into the frame. A walking stick with a diamond knob points at Mobius. "At last," the Roland-by-way-of-Eric voice rumbles. Mobius simply chuckles and holds out his wrists. "I almost feel poorly for doing this to you, Guardian." 'Guardian' looks at the still-sitting Blaze, then at Mobius with deep suspicion. "What are you playing at, villain?" "No game, Guardian," he sighs, looking at Karma almost apologetically. "I'm under arrest," he chuckles. -- Mobius & co. (with a little help from Zia) Trying to wrap up _this_ dimthread ;^) =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9n: Omega and Alpha On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 09:37:35 -0000 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012345 >On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 23:00:02 -0800 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012344 >>On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 03:52:37 -0000 >>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012329 >>>On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 14:22:06 -0800 >>>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012328 > > Mobius stares at Karma for a long moment, his expression slowly >melting away as his face seems to go blank. Reports buzz faintly from >his hood, still hanging empty behind his neck. > The Kefertiri Idol hums again, trying once more to escape. Mobius' >grip, if anything, tightens. In spite of his sudden remoteness, Karma >can almost _hear_ the Pharaoh's fantastic mind racing. Karma pauses, confused for a moment, then she puts a hand to her mouth, her "oh" of realization turning into a beautiful smile. > Mobius turns back to Karma, his smile growing wistful. "I fear, my >brave one, that you are unlikely to be required to honor that offer." > Several seconds later, a still-sparking Blaze rushes, staggering, >into the room. "I promise you, Mobius, if this is some sort of >trick--" "No trick, uhm, Blaze," Karma says, trying to communicate volumes in a single sentence, "We just need you to -hold- something." > "You are the one who believes that redemption is possible for >anyone, are you not?" Mobius asks, locking eyes with Blaze. His >desperation, hope, and yes -- fear, are so palpable that Blaze >relents almost immediately. Karma nods vehemently as well, as if to affirm Mobius is speaking the truth, at least as best she knows it. > "Working," Ozymandias replies. "...Pharaoh, the Maelstrom Bridge >is no longer extant." > Mobius smiles again. "I know." He turns to Karma again. "This is >the part of the story where I ask if you trust me...except we already >know the answer to that, don't we?" Karma smiles, blushing faintly, and nods. "I should hope so." > After a moment's thought, Mobius nods. "Karma, if you would follow >me?" He asks, turning and walking out with purpose. Karma blinks, surprised to be involved at all in this, "Alright." > "That will do, Ramses," Mobius says as he strides through the >room. (OOC: Most likely with Karma following in his wake. 8^) Karma gives Rob an 'I'm okay' sign, still decked out in the chinese dress she'd been wearing when she overheard the meeting of Overgovernors where Mobius had surrepticiously inserted himself as one of their number. > Mobius stops at the door, turns, and smiles winningly at Rob. >"Greetings, sir. I am Doctor, Pharaoh, and High Lord Mobius, though >the last title will, I trust, soon be former. If you wish to engage >in the fisticuffs traditional to your occupation, there are no doubt >several of my lackeys proving less loyal than Ramses here. Ahkemeses >in particular is no doubt attempting to abscond with as much of the >royal treasury and as many priestesses as he can manage. Otherwise, >you are welcome to accompany me if you prefer to examine my >intentions personally." With that, he continues on almost as if he >hadn't stopped. Karma quickly shrugs at Rob in an 'I dunno, your call' way, though the smirk suggests she finds the options utterly surreal to begin with. Then she turns and quickens her pace to get back in step with Mobius. > "Karma," Mobius says finally, turning. "Even now, the Darkness >Device remains linked to me, aware of my thoughts, as it searches for >my replacement. Though I can keep my plan from it, that is requiring >considerable mental effort. It would know any pass code I could >enter." He gestures to a desk with what looks like an old-fashioned >typewriter, except the mechanisms attach the keys not to letter pads, >but to switches. "I believe you can give Ozymandias a 'password' that >the Darkness Device could not divine because of its nature." He >smiles again. "Do not worry that it will simply manage a brute force >solution. Ozymandias will use your pass code as the source of an >encryption, but...there is an element of will, of faith if you wish, >to this." He gestures to the typewriter again, then turns to face the >main console and starts turning dials and throwing switches with grim >determination. "...a leap of faith..." > (OOC: This is an excuse to do something cool and life affirming, >not to try and describe a 128-bit encryption process, so don't sweat >the details. ;^) Karma swallows as she turns to the keyboard [No pressure...wibble.] Then she considers what she knows of the Kefertiri Idol, her time here with Mobius and types. [Life, hope, love and mercy; light against the darkness.] > The entire realm seems to pulse with the strain as vast amounts of >energy flow in several directions at once -- Possibilities returning >to Earth-9, electrical power surging through the infrastructure, and >vast streams of data pouring out the Bridge. Then, all at once, the >entire tempest...stops. > Almost as one, Blaze and Mobius collapse. Karma moves to Mobius's side instantly. > "But...what about _you?_" the Asp asks. > "Me?" Mobius sighs, and a blue filament of light appears next to >the Scarlet Asp. "Go, my child. There will be much to do in the >Twelve Empires." > She shakes her head stubbornly. "I am not going anywhere." > "But I am," he replies softly, and considerable noise erupts >outside. At blank looks from Blaze and the Asp, he turns...to Karma, >and smiles sadly. "I wish I could have met you long ago, beside the >cool blue river god, amid the wonders of sand and stone, when the >fires of magic and the power of ancient science were purer than I >have made them." Karma smiled softly, "Perhaps we did but didn't know it. Perhaps we will again, if not in my lifetime, at least in yours." > "MOBIUS!" A voice like Roland's roars -- if his voice went through >Hunter training, that is. > The Pharaoh stands slowly and caresses Karma's cheek. "But to be >Good...is also to accept responsibility." Karma nods, putting her hand on his as it touchs her cheek. > The door bursts open and aside, splintering. One of the hinges >explodes altogether. A figure clad mostly in blue, but with gold >accents, steps into the frame. A walking stick with a diamond knob >points at Mobius. "At last," the Roland-by-way-of-Eric voice rumbles. > Mobius simply chuckles and holds out his wrists. "I almost feel >poorly for doing this to you, Guardian." > 'Guardian' looks at the still-sitting Blaze, then at Mobius with >deep suspicion. "What are you playing at, villain?" > "No game, Guardian," he sighs, looking at Karma almost >apologetically. "I'm under arrest," he chuckles. Karma smiles mischieviously, holding up the 'prisoner' bracelet around her wrist. "Before you go, would you mind?" And when that is done, she uses that same hand to gently draw Mobius's head down for a short-but-emphatic kiss. Her smile returns, even more broadly now. "If you need a character witness, you know where to find me," Karma says, glancing toward the Guardian in understanding disappointment, then to Blaze in sad sympathy. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9n: Omega and Alpha On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 16:42:19 -0800 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012346 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012344 > > The door bursts open and aside, splintering. One of the hinges >explodes altogether. A figure clad mostly in blue, but with gold >accents, steps into the frame. A walking stick with a diamond knob >points at Mobius. "At last," the Roland-by-way-of-Eric voice rumbles. > Mobius simply chuckles and holds out his wrists. "I almost feel >poorly for doing this to you, Guardian." > 'Guardian' looks at the still-sitting Blaze, then at Mobius with >deep suspicion. "What are you playing at, villain?" > "No game, Guardian," he sighs, looking at Karma almost >apologetically. "I'm under arrest," he chuckles. /*"STOP!"*/ Oracle's 'voice' rings out. Unlike his usual 'whisper' in the ear, his initial utterance WILL be heard. It is not painfully loud, but will override ANY other sound in the vicinity of the 'listener'. /*"Roland, the choice is yours to make, however, I will tell you that Mobius CAN be useful in dealing with the Gaunt Man."*/ Oracle says in a MUCH quieter tone. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9n: Omega and Alpha On Wed, 5 Jan 2005 12:54:36 -0800 (PST) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012347 >On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 23:00:02 -0800 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012344 > > Mobius stops at the door, turns, and smiles winningly at Rob. >"Greetings, sir. I am Doctor, Pharaoh, and High Lord Mobius, though >the last title will, I trust, soon be former. If you wish to engage >in the fisticuffs traditional to your occupation, there are no doubt >several of my lackeys proving less loyal than Ramses here. Ahkemeses >in particular is no doubt attempting to abscond with as much of the >royal treasury and as many priestesses as he can manage. Otherwise, >you are welcome to accompany me if you prefer to examine my >intentions personally." With that, he continues on almost as if he >hadn't stopped. Rob takes a moment to be confused, before catching the high sign from Karma. At that point, he grins, and vanishes into the shadows. The Pharaoh is correct; Ahkemeses has a collection of priestesses in tow, and is busying himself with the third lock to the royal treasury. As he reaches for his next lockpick, it switches position with another of its fellows before he picks it up. Then the combination lock spins while he isn't looking, and when he tries to reset it, he discovers that it's...sticky. [I hope none of the priestesses have nail polish remover handy. The superglue should keep him busy for a while,] Rob decides, as he empties the tube on Ahkemeses's shoes. [snip to...] > The entire realm seems to pulse with the strain as vast amounts of >energy flow in several directions at once -- Possibilities returning >to Earth-9, electrical power surging through the infrastructure, and >vast streams of data pouring out the Bridge. Then, all at once, the >entire tempest...stops. Rob feels the rush of Possibility a second before it hits him, and when it ends, he's dressed as he was before he stepped out of the BORIS. "Wow. I almost feel normal." Waving his hand around, he realizes that he can tell what Earth-9's possibilities feel like. [Maybe I never noticed because I never hit a sharp transition like the stelae create.] Behind him, he hears Ahkemeses cursing. "'This is glue,'" he quotes. "'Strong stuff.'" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9n: Omega and Alpha On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 23:52:13 -0800 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012349 >On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 09:37:35 -0000 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012345 >> On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 23:00:02 -0800 >> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012344 >> "You are the one who believes that redemption is possible for >>anyone, are you not?" Mobius asks, locking eyes with Blaze. His >>desperation, hope, and yes -- fear, are so palpable that Blaze >>relents almost immediately. > > Karma nods vehemently as well, as if to affirm Mobius is speaking >the truth, at least as best she knows it. Blaze considers the twin plea -- then, after sparing Karma as long a look as he dares, nods back. >>Looking up at the light shed by Ultra-Violet's current state, he >>adds, "Madam, can you transmit a signal in your current state? I can >>forge an artificial link if necessary, but it will be more >>vulnerable to interference." >> >> "Sending signals, Mobius, is a specialty." The >>Just Violet laughs. Since Blaze has determined to aid >>in this, so shall she. "I rather hoped so," Mobius replies. >On Wed, 5 Jan 2005 12:54:36 -0800 (PST) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012347 > > Rob takes a moment to be confused, before catching the high sign >from Karma. At that point, he grins, and vanishes into the shadows. > The Pharaoh is correct; Ahkemeses has a collection of priestesses >in tow, and is busying himself with the third lock to the royal >treasury. As he reaches for his next lockpick, it switches position >with another of its fellows before he picks it up. > Then the combination lock spins while he isn't looking, and when >he tries to reset it, he discovers that it's...sticky. > [I hope none of the priestesses have nail polish remover handy. >The superglue should keep him busy for a while,] Rob decides, as he >empties the tube on Ahkemeses's shoes. It appears that most of the priestesses are along unwillingly; they quickly subdue their quisling cohorts and the few guards Ahkemeses managed to bribe, then proceed to beat the high priest soundly while he's stuck on the treasury. ;^) Back to main Mobius-post... >>"I believe you can give Ozymandias a 'password' that the Darkness >>Device could not divine because of its nature." He smiles again. "Do >>not worry that it will simply manage a brute force solution. >>Ozymandias will use your pass code as the source of an encryption, >>but...there is an element of will, of faith if you wish, to this." >>He gestures to the typewriter again, then turns to face the main >>console and starts turning dials and throwing switches with grim >>determination. "...a leap of faith..." > > Karma swallows as she turns to the keyboard [No pressure... >wibble.] > Then she considers what she knows of the Kefertiri Idol, her time >here with Mobius and types. > [Life, hope, love and mercy; light against the darkness.] The Darkness Device claws (metaphorically speaking) at the code, but cannot gain the least foothold. It cannot seem to grasp the underlying key... >> "But...what about _you?_" the Asp asks. >> "Me?" Mobius sighs, and a blue filament of light appears next to >>the Scarlet Asp. "Go, my child. There will be much to do in the >>Twelve Empires." >> She shakes her head stubbornly. "I am not going anywhere." >> "But I am," he replies softly, and considerable noise erupts >>outside. At blank looks from Blaze and the Asp, he turns...to Karma, >>and smiles sadly. "I wish I could have met you long ago, beside the >>cool blue river god, amid the wonders of sand and stone, when the >>fires of magic and the power of ancient science were purer than I >>have made them." > > Karma smiled softly, "Perhaps we did but didn't know it. Perhaps >we will again, if not in my lifetime, at least in yours." "Gods grant it so, if they have any mercy left for one such as I." >> "MOBIUS!" A voice like Roland's roars -- if his voice went >>through Hunter training, that is. >> The Pharaoh stands slowly and caresses Karma's cheek. "But to be >>Good...is also to accept responsibility." > > Karma nods, putting her hand on his as it touchs her cheek. He caresses her hand, a wry smile on his lips. >> The door bursts open and aside, splintering. One of the hinges >>explodes altogether. A figure clad mostly in blue, but with gold >>accents, steps into the frame. A walking stick with a diamond knob >>points at Mobius. "At last," the Roland-by-way-of-Eric voice >>rumbles. >> Mobius simply chuckles and holds out his wrists. "I almost feel >>poorly for doing this to you, Guardian." >> 'Guardian' looks at the still-sitting Blaze, then at Mobius with >>deep suspicion. "What are you playing at, villain?" >> "No game, Guardian," he sighs, looking at Karma almost >>apologetically. "I'm under arrest," he chuckles. Guardian's eyes narrow. "Damn right you are, villain..." Then... >On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 16:42:19 -0800 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012346 > >/*"STOP!"*/ Oracle's 'voice' rings out. Unlike his usual 'whisper' in >the ear, his initial utterance WILL be heard. It is not painfully >loud, but will override ANY other sound in the vicinity of the >'listener'. /*"Roland, the choice is yours to make, however, I will >tell you that Mobius CAN be useful in dealing with the Gaunt Man."*/ >Oracle says in a MUCH quieter tone. "Blaze," Guardian begins with deceptive mildness, "that entity _is_ speaking to you, is it not?" "/My counterpart,/" Blaze replies faintly to Oracle, "/is less likely to care about that than I./" With tremendous weariness, he looks back up at Guardian. "/Yes, Guardian, he was. Mobius is willing to face justice for what he's done. Can you at least defer your revenge until he has helped as he can?/" Guardian _glares_ at Mobius as more sounds echo through the palace, which is now much smaller than it was. Once again, back to the main Mobius post... > Karma smiles mischieviously, holding up the 'prisoner' bracelet >around her wrist. "Before you go, would you mind?" Mobius winks at her, then gestures with the pharaoh's crook. The bracelet unlocks. "I was rather hoping you would come to enjoy it." > And when that is done, she uses that same hand to gently draw >Mobius's head down for a short-but-emphatic kiss. He replies most emphatically in kind. > Her smile returns, even more broadly now. > "If you need a character witness, you know where to find me," >Karma says, glancing toward the Guardian in understanding >disappointment, then to Blaze in sad sympathy. Blaze shrugs, his form looking decidedly translucent. "/Your choice, Guardian./" "It is not," Guardian rumbles. "Doctor Mobius is wanted in several nations on Terra. I want _justice._" The Asp looks ready to throw a few choice words at Guardian -- and rather more, if given the chance. He looks ready to reply in kind. Mobius holds up his hand, and Scarlet relents, albeit _very_ unhappily. "And is it justice to let this world pay so ours can throw one man behind bars?" a magnificent woman's voice echoes. A woman in a leather pilot's jacket, jodhpurs, helmet, and rocket pack, strides in. A moment later, she removes the helmet, revealing a movie star's face (metaphorically speaking). "The Gaunt Man is here, Guardian. I know, better than almost anyone, what Mobius has done...to a dozen worlds...to you...but he can help this world, now. Isn't that worth whatever risk of his escape for the chance to stop a far greater Evil?" Guardian looks from Blaze, to Mobius, to Karma, to the woman, and back to Mobius. "...fine. I'll wait." He steps right up to Mobius, looking into his eyes with a menace that could sear worlds. "Do this right, and there might be some leniency back home. If this is a ploy...I _will_ find you." Mobius swallows, eyes slightly wide, and nods. "Some days," Guardian snarls as he turns and walks towards the door, "I really _hate_ you, R-One." Rocket One smiles to melt the hardest heart. "No you don't." Guardian scowls. "No...but that just makes me wish I could all the more." After they leave, the look of fear on Mobius' face vanishes utterly and he looks at Karma quizzically. "Was I convincing? I owe him that much." (OOC: ;^) "Well." Blaze breathes deeply, in and out, then becomes truly transparent. "That's settled. I think...I have to be going now..." At the gasps of concern, he smiles gently and waves them off. "No, I'm not dying...just going back to the rest of me..." And with that, he disappears. * * * Epilogue: Mobius looks up from his machinery as Cecelyne floats away from the now-ruined Omegatron, her sphere broken like some titanic egg. Whatever wounds or bindings she might have had seem gone, for she takes to the sky easily, soaring into the heavens until even her gigantic form vanishes into the distance. "I believe," Mobius says quietly, "that takes care of the last of my immediate responsibilities regarding my invasion. This region of the world will long have an affinity for my era's technology and styles, along with a tolerance for its Ultra-Science." He grins at Karma. "I suspect your Doctors Eon and Energy, however, will approve, along with many of their ilk." "Pharaoh...Doctor..." The Scarlet Asp, the last of his followers to remain (the others either trying to hold on to other cosms, or following his orders and releasing them, having left), looks at Mobius quizzically. "...what now?" "We return our new companions," he says, gesturing at the massive console in front of them, "to their base of operations. I accompany them. You--" "--accompany _you._" The Asp's tone is final. Mobius sighs. "This being Good business is going to be difficult, clearly." He turns to the Callahanians (who, hopefully, have gathered here for transport). "If everyone is ready?" Once folx have indicated positively, he throws a large old-fashioned electric switch. Tesla coils crackle with lightning, circles of energy flow up and down around them, and multi-colored light ripples throughout the cylinder. Several seconds later, the entire area vanishes, to reappear on Champions Island. -- Blaze and Mobius Two shows a day, three on Saturdays ;^) =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9n: Omega and Alpha On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 04:57:48 -0000 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012350 >On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 23:52:13 -0800 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012349 >>On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 09:37:35 -0000 >>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012345 >> >> And when that is done, she uses that same hand to gently draw >>Mobius's head down for a short-but-emphatic kiss. > > He replies most emphatically in kind. > >> Her smile returns, even more broadly now. "I didn't want even a hint of duress implied over the matter." > Guardian looks from Blaze, to Mobius, to Karma, to the woman, and >back to Mobius. "...fine. I'll wait." He steps right up to Mobius, >looking into his eyes with a menace that could sear worlds. "Do this >right, and there might be some leniency back home. If this is a >ploy...I _will_ find you." > Mobius swallows, eyes slightly wide, and nods. Karma looks between the pair, surprised. > "Some days," Guardian snarls as he turns and walks towards the >door, "I really _hate_ you, R-One." > Rocket One smiles to melt the hardest heart. "No you don't." > Guardian scowls. "No...but that just makes me wish I could all the >more." > After they leave, the look of fear on Mobius' face vanishes >utterly and he looks at Karma quizzically. "Was I convincing? I owe >him that much." Karma giggles, "You had me convinced for a moment, at least." > "Well." Blaze breathes deeply, in and out, then becomes truly >transparent. "That's settled. I think...I have to be going now..." At >the gasps of concern, he smiles gently and waves them off. "No, I'm >not dying...just going back to the rest of me..." And with that, he >disappears. "Wha--oh, okay," Karma says, "See you soon." > "Pharaoh...Doctor..." The Scarlet Asp, the last of his followers >to remain (the others either trying to hold on to other cosms, or >following his orders and releasing them, having left), looks at >Mobius quizzically. "...what now?" > "We return our new companions," he says, gesturing at the massive >console in front of them, "to their base of operations. I accompany >them. You--" > "--accompany _you._" The Asp's tone is final. Karma smiles at the Scarlet Asp, "I knew I liked you." =========================== (Ed note: This thread continues in "Intermission.") =========================== Subject: AAE9: Out of The Sandtrap, Into The Force Part 1 On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 02:49:23 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00012408 Romanov awoke from his elaborate bed, and stretched. Though he didn't really have a need for rest, he found that he powers would wane as he went through the day if he didn't rest. Though it was easier for him to stay up later and later for longer and longer, Ana would get worried by the end of the 5th day and insist that he rest. Usually she said it with a tray of Russian cookies and chai for two, then she would sit and talk with him in his makeshift lab in the basement until his eyes got heavy and his yawning more frequent. Then she would stand up politely, walk over to his chair and offer to help him to bed. She would carry him all the way upstairs to his room and would carefully set him down on the Egyptian cotton sheets. Sometimes, if she was feeling particularly confident, she would also tuck him in. The irony of this escaped neither of them, since it was he that would often tuck her in towards the end while her father went off to war in 1914. Though she was quite the prankster, she hardly ever played any tricks on her favorite uncle. She was a keen wit, and more often than not she could absolutely break him up with a joke or a puppet show that she had worked on all night with her sister Maria. It was at those times that he decided he would teach her about Ether. She had a quick mind, and easily grasped the basics of the Science, but when it came to the harder things her attention would wander. Sometimes, if she was in a bad mood, she would transmute certain elements causing hilarious, if somewhat annoying effects. [I still twitch whenever I see white rabbits] thought Romanov as he stepped into his trousers one leg at a time. Buttoning the last button on his loose cotton shirt, he reached down for his favorite lab coat which hung on the chair in front of the desk. As he bent down, he heard a rumble of treads and a scent of diesel fuel and dust slid through the air. He looked out the nearest window, and saw a Nova Valdoria designed APC patrol the streets. This latest addition to the Egyptian military was in heavy use at the moment, since various radical elements among the Islamists decided to use the invasion and its' eventual repulsion as a sign that the infidel must go. Of course, whatever consitutes an "infidel" changes with the winds blowing off the Nile, so Nova Valdoria donated troops and equipment for the admittedly stretched Egyptian forces. Shaking his head ruefully, he put on his lab coat, checking the pockets for all his gear. Finding nothing out of sorts, he activated his comm to the BORIS, but didn't speak yet. Gathering his wits, he concentrated and a flash of St. Elmo's Fire appeared where his right hand was. It was still shaped as his hand, but it was as if it were made from the lightning. There was a ball of red and blue lightning that formed on his wrist. This was something he used in conjunction with his Lens to read the possibilities of a given area. Seeing that the Core Earth-9 was strong again, he nodded approvingly. [Good. With Volkov in hiding, and Kof currently licking his wounds in a Cario jail, things are getting back to normal. Now....let's get back on track.] Whistling something by Rachmaninoff, he walked out the door to his room and down the stairs. He stopped briefly to leave a note with the Imam thanking him for his hospitality, and apologized for not doing it in person but with the Imam working with the Mages to help in the aftermath and also taking care of his newly returned worshippers it was simply impossible to say goodbye in person. After signing his name, he walked out the door in the back. Stepping out of the alley between the guest house and the mosque, he was buffaloed by a blast of blistering blizzard-like air. He barely had time to turn around before the frozen water congealed around him, freezing him in his tracks. Knowing who it was that fired the shot, he was not surprised to hear a voice like the cracking of ice in Siberia emerge from his left. "So," said Volkov, "the great Doctor Energy is caught, as the Americans say, with his pants down. It is an apt saying, since you deserve a spanking for what you did to my friends in Memphis." Romanov mentally sneered, [Like anyone would consider this Cossack a friend. Probably offered them something like gold or riches in exchange for services, including one mythical Idol that was rescued in the nick of time by a certain couple of Jones.] "Then it is equally fortunate for you that Ana is not here, since the sight of me right now would probably chill her to the bone." quipped Romanov Hearing the name of the Platinum Princess sent Volkov into a mini-apopleptic fit. Suddenly, the air around the two grew colder, and there was a crinkle as frost formed instantaneously on the lamppost nearby and icicles appeared on the end of the fire hydrant. The voice became less like ice and more like the thundering of an avalance in the Caucasus Mountains, "It is fortunate for her, you mean? No matter. Das vedanya, Doctor. It was unpleasant knowing you." Volkov raised the FrozoGun and pointed it at Romanov. TBC =========================== Subject: AAE9: Out of the Sandtrap, Into the Force Part 2 On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 02:50:02 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00012409 When last left our hero, he was getting a chilly reception from one angry Volkov. Is Anna really gone, and if not, can she get to her beloved uncle in time? Does Doctor Energy have an escape plan in mind, or is he going to be put on ice? For the answer to these questions, welcome to Part 2 of Out of The Sandtrap, Into The Force, titled: There's No Business like Snow Business Volkov inwardly smiled as his finger tightened on the trigger of the FrozoGun. [Finally, an end to this. So long-] he thought as his process was interrupted by his gun exploding as he pulled the trigger. Snow covered the mosque and the buildings surrounding it. Shaking the snow off his once immaculate ice blue suit and cursing silently that would have made a Russian sailor blush had he heard it, he drew a long knife and marched towards Romanov, murder gleaming in his ice blue eyes. He stopped as he heard the delicate sounds of teenage laughter in the quiet of the newly fallen snow. It seemed as though the laughter was coming from everywhere at once. Snow continued to fall, and Volkov could see a faint outline of someone across the street. Concentrating his power, he gathered the snow into a white tornado and sent it toward the figure. There was a yelp of surprise, and suddenly Anna decloaked as the snow twister knocked her into a lamppost. The lamppost fell with a thud of metal on concrete. Anna herself fared better, her white fur jacket and leather pants blending in with the snow. "So, Captain Charisma, you seem to have found my little prank. I took the liberty of modifying your gun while you were fighting my uncle under the streets of Memphis. Did you like it?" Inside his mind, Volkov seethed with rage. His face, however, became even more impassive, as if it were carved out of the Siberian ice that he came from. "Indeed, I found it to be rather cool. It was a good joke, but I am afraid I cannot laugh at it." Anna nodded grimly as she struck a fighting pose, "Kinda hard to laugh when the joke is on you. So are you going to make this easy, or are you going to make this interesting? Me, I prefer interesting, since the deepest levels of the Abyss are reserved for traitors and murderers." she said with a slight quiver in her voice, as if the cold had gotten to her. His answer was another snow tornado, deftly dodged by the Platinum Princess to dissapate harmlessly once it traveled down the street and out of the area of effect. "Interesting it is, then." Gathering all the cold air around him, he sheathed his body in ice and bullrushed Anna as she dodged the tornado. Anna barely had time to act before the Iceman tackled her and sent her crashing into a parked Packard that was covered with 3 inches of snow. Snow flew faster as the two combatants traded blows, Anna barely blocking the frozen fists and Volkov smiling inwardly as the Platinum Princess landed blow after blow only to barely break the surface of the thick ice. While this was going on, Romanov struggled to free his right arm from the sheath of ice. [The deuce take Volkov, he's managed to imbue his ice beam with a neutralizing agent on my energy field. I can't just blast out of it like I normally do. Gonna have to exert my strength, what there is of it.] thought Romanov grimly as the ice around his hand began to crackle and form hairline fractures. [Come on, come on....Just a little more..] he thought and then suddenly the ice from his hand to his elbow shattered leaving his frozen meat arm exposed to the increasingly warm air. [Success! And now to get the rest of me...] he thought as he continued to free himself. Tightbeaming to Anna, he said, #Keep him busy, dear niece, whilst I free myself.# #Okay, uncle, but make it quick. I don't think I can hold out much...# she broke as she barely dodged a giant snowball hurled at her. It promptly smashed a storefront window, and sent parts of clothing dummies out into the snow covered street. This was becoming less and less snow covered as the effect of the blast started to dissapate. With the snow not falling anymore, Romanov could hear the mechanical roar of engines as the Egyptian army made its' way to their position. Anna picked herself up off the ground after being hit with another giant snowball by Volkov. Her right arm shifted with a whirr of gears and a flash of light, and she brought the plasma cannon to bear. She stopped, and looked. Volkov was not where he was a moment ago. Unbeknownst to her, he had flown up on the winds of a makeshift blizzard and landed on the roof of a tenement building that was just above where she was standing. He made little sound as he drew twin blades of what looked like glowing ice. Saying a silent prayer to the gods of Villians, he dove and twisted in mid-air, the twin blades cutting though the air like a hot knife through ice. He aimed straight for the midsection of Anna, where he knew her main power source was. TBC =========================== Subject: AAE9: Out of The Sandtrap, Into The Force Part 3 On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 02:50:17 -0500 Saint Dharma / Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00012410 When we last left our heroes... Romanov learned what it felt like to be an ice cube without the vodka and cream to go with it, while Anna was about to learn what it meant to "chill out" as the Villianous Volkov did a swan dive with a half gainer off the roof above her with his Ice Blades aimed straight for her powerful heart. Will the villianous Snowman succeed where many times he has failed? And what of our other heroes currently meeting at the Island. For the answer to these questions, dear reader, read the next chapter of Out of The Sandtrap, Into the Force titled: Pelted, Melted and An Island Getaway Volkov had little time to think as he brought his blades down to point at the back of the Platinum Princess. Suddenly there was a crackle, followed by another crackle and then blackness as a jolt of white hot lightning seared the air to blast him off course where he landed on the tarmac with a crunch like rotten ice on a Minnesota lake. He awoke and glanced at the now useless blades, and pulled out another FrozoRay gun from inside his now blackened suit. He pointed it at the slowly-freeing-himself form of Romanov and squeezed the trigger. He almost finished the movement, when suddenly he was hit by a fast moving, red-haired freight train. He barely registered his crash into the wall, as the force of the initial impact had depleted his once legendary stamina. He shook himself off as Anna jumped back and pointed the plasma gun that was her arm at him. The sounds of the army were getting closer and they could hear soldiers making their way to the mosque. Anna nodded her head in the direction of the sounds, "Hear that, Snowboy? That's the cavalry coming. You might want to consider surrender, since I doubt that the Egyptians take kindly to psychotic sociopaths turning their city into a winter wonderland." "Never!" spat Volkov. He pulled out a small crystallyne sphere and pressed the sides. "If I have to go, I will take you all with me." Suddenly the device began to glow. He rolled it down the street to stop between Anna and The Good Doctor, fleeing as fast as his tired legs could carry him. "Bolshie Moi!" exclaimed Romanov. "That is a nega-bomb! Where the atom bomb creates heat, this bomb creates cold. The effect would be small, but it would be enough to flatten us and a few city blocks." "I'm on it, uncle." said Anna. Without thinking, she rolled and grabbed the device. She assumed a baseball pitchers stance and hurled the device up in the air. Once the object was in the air, Romanov fired a repulsor beam which pushed the negabomb further into the air, where it exploded harmlessly into the atmosphere. WIthout a further thought to the fleeing Volkov, Anna set to work freeing her uncle from the remaining ice. She had just freed his feet when a team of soldiers arrived with Tesla rifles at the ready. There were a few tense moments as both Anna and The Good Doctor explained to the soldiers what had happened. The leader of the team set off in search of the escaped Snowman, while a medic and an officer stayed behind to see if there were any casualties. Aside from the ice damage to the power lines, there were no fatalities. Romanov breathed a sigh of relief as he learned the Imam was unharmed. He had heard the commotion, and hid in his office but not before calling the police. The police in turn called the army, since they were better equipped to handle metahuman troubles than your average flatfoot on the street. After finally exchanging pleasantries with the Imam, Romanov noticed that newer equipment was being used by the soldiers and they bore the distinctive mark of Nova Valdoria. He remarked, "So when exactly did Nova Valdoria start working with Egypt?" OOC: Insert response here Later, upon arriving at Champions Island... [Ed note: Post continues in "Intermission," Ch.. 23] ===========================