Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9: Star Wars / Space Opera Chapter 8 Subject: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 00:59:34 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012646 The shields of the enemy ship broke on impact. The front end of the Archangel crumpled. The bridge shuddered, life support failed, and Greymoran found himself struggling not only to breathe but to maintain course. Only a few more seconds, he thought. The viewscreen failed completely. He know had nothing to rely on but his owns senses. For the first time in over a year he used his magical abilities. The spell to stop time for nine seconds left him drained, and temporarily alone as Hudzen was frozen too, but it gave him the time he needed to confirm that the Archangel was still on course to collide with the enemy's massive cannon as planned, even as what was left of the ship was being picked apart by the enemy's defensive weapons. Time resumed, and... Everyone on the bridge of the Seraphin winced as the tiny but powerful warship that several of them had previously thought of as home impacted with the alt-XDCA ship, a monstrosity of a vessel that both Captain Jackson Dupree and his science officer Dr. Daniel Jackson of the Stargate SG-1 universe had described to Greymoran as "Lovecraftian." The wizard, though familiar with Earth mythology having lived there for several years, didn't get the reference. Jackson hit a button on the arm of his captain’s chair hard enough to get it stuck. "Dupree to sickbay. I need an update on the Archangel survivors." He gulped before continuing. "Was, was my father-" he couldn't finish. The gravelly voice of the Archangel's Chief Medical officer, the Gorn Ssira responded. "I'm sssorry Captain Dupree. Captain Greymoran and Commander Hudzen were ssstill aboard when the last pod carrying myself and Commander Ssssorik was launched." XDCA agent-in-training Catherine Willows began to sob. The helmsman of the Seraphin, Cedric Walker shook his head in disbelief. Even as the viewscreen showed the chaotic destruction of the enemy vessel, the entire Akira-class starship had seemed to fall deathly silent. A thought occurred to Jackson. "Wait, didn't Greymoran still have his personal dimensional portal generator?" Catherine, wiping the tears out of her eyes, shook her head. "No" she said, and held up the small device that according to the rules of the agency she wasn't actually supposed to have until she'd completed her training. She looked at it and began crying again. Jackson himself could barely hold back. Later, later, I can't lose it in front of the crew, they need me, he thought. "Mr. Walker, set course for Avalon." Greymoran and Hudzen both knew what traveling through the dimensional ether without a starship or even small personal body armor around them felt like but the suddenness of the experience left them too disoriented to realize that they weren't, as they were supposed to be, dead, until Greymoran heard Hudzen's voice through the fog that seemed to exist solely in his eyes at the moment he hit something that felt like solid ground. "Hud-Hudzen, is that, what, where the hell are we? I've been to the afterlife before. This isn't it." Slowly, Hudzen stood up. Every sensor he had built into himself scanned the surrounding area. Wherever they had ended up, it was certainly not on the Archangel. Or any starship for that matter. "Captain," Hudzen started, "We rammed that ship. The Archangel, it was destroyed. We should be gone." Again he took in the ambient area. "What is this place?" "If you don't know Hudzen, what chance do I have? I suppose I could try a True Sight spell, but that Time Strop I used earlier drained me pretty bad. That's what happens when you go more than year and a half without using any magic at all I suppose. I bet Elminster never had to go through this." "Didn't Elminster once go to Hell sir?" Greymoran looked at Hudzen, amazed. "What? When was this?" he shook his head "Nevermind, nevermind, let's just find out where the @$%! we are. OK, black walls, black floor, black ceiling, black bed trims. Oh, there's a bed here. Shame I didn't land on that. OK, either we've been invited to a funeral, or we ended up on a Disaster Area ship. Hmm, the layout for this place looks almost like an Imperial cell from one of the Star Wars universes, but less symmetrical. Thoughts Hudzen?" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 15:56:36 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012647 >On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 00:59:34 -0600 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012646 > >"If you don't know Hudzen, what chance do I have? I suppose I could >try a True Sight spell, but that Time Stop I used earlier drained me >pretty bad. That's what happens when you go more than year and a half >without using any magic at all I suppose. I bet Elminster never had >to go through this." Hudzen was surprised to hear that. He hadn't realized that it had been so long. Greymoran's powers had been such a part of him for so many years, it had been an odd situation when he'd stopped using them. It hadn't taken long for Hudzen to get used to his friend's "normality", but reminders it could still be startling. >"Didn't Elminster once go to Hell, sir?" > >Greymoran looked at Hudzen, amazed. "What? When was this?" he shook >his head "Nevermind, nevermind, let's just find out where the @$%! we >are. OK, black walls, black floor, black ceiling, black bed trims. >Oh, there's a bed here. Shame I didn't land on that. OK, either we've >been invited to a funeral, or we ended up on a Disaster Area ship." [Both scenarios seem unlikely] Hudzen thought, again scanning the room. >"Hmm, the layout for this place looks almost like an Imperial cell >from one of the Star Wars universes, but less symmetrical. Thoughts >Hudzen?" Hudzen nodded his agreement. "Yes sir, it closely resembles an Imperial cell, though with various differences, some subtle, others not," he paused, turning to his captain. "Do you believe we were somehow transported to an SWU shortly before the Archangel was consumed?" His gaze shifted to the room's single exit. "And do you believe we should see what's through there?" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Revenge of the Sith (2) On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 23:28:05 +0100 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012648 >On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 23:37:06 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012629 > >>On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 03:24:04 +0100 >>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012620 >> >> "Hmf. Take a sample, he did? A mistake worthy of the Evil >>Overlord List, that is." > > "I pray you are right," Padme replies, placing a neat hole in a >Stormtrooper's helmet (and skull). "...but what's an Evil Overlord >List?" As Moonstone takes a moment to consider the clearest and quickest path through the fray around them, she explained to Padme, "A list, it is, of mistakes by fictional villains made. Holds true, it seems, for the real ones." Moonstone frowned, "If fails this does, more dangerous he may be. Calm he seems, but twice losing you... can't say. Ah, this way, come." >>>On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 19:41:56 -0700 >>>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012612 >> >>> "What, some of these dweebs _didn't_ know that?" Dracul sighs >>>and shakes his head. "Proving once again that 'hero intelligence' >>>is an oxymoron. Now, where was I...oh yes, kicking your pathetic, >>>collective _nasses!_" Dracul explodes with power as he descends... >> >> As others distract Dracul, Moonstone (and hopefully Padme) slip >>up behind Leia. > > Strangely, Padme has not yet appeared more stricken; this woman is >a stranger to her, an echo of a child not yet born, who will (one >would hope) lead a life so entirely different as to be a completely >separate being. Her beloved is losing ground, two dear friends >(Qui-Gon and Roland) have been seriously injured and a third (Morgan) >captured by a monster nonpareil. Yet somewhere within, an instinct >screams "this is my DAUGHTER." > Her aim becomes like unto a Terminator's. Stormtroopers rapidly >learn to give the pair a wide berth. > >> "This the universe needs not," Moonstone mutters, "Yet Another >>Snarky Villian/Hero. Long enough the applicant list is already. A >>moment, Princess Organa." > > Leia shrugs as best she can. "I'm not going anywhere," she quips, >her voice thick with irony. Moonstone smirked, noting both the irony in her voice and the irony of her own statement preceding it. Here was one of the original snarky (and beloved for it) heroes. > >> The power flowed around and through her body, into the chains >>binding Leia. A clear bell seemed to be ringing within the metal, >>which suddenly cracked, collar, manacles and chain alike falling >>apart around their former prisoner. >> "Princess, retreat we should, yes?" > > "Yes!" Leia stands, gratefully accepting a blaster from a deeply >relieved Padme. "Now where's that nerf-eating..." the princess trails >off as she stares at the burning crimson figure above them. > Roland Dracul is writhing. In agony. [Interesting,] Moonstone thinks, [Now to get out of here.] > "You -- cow -- hnn!" Fury clutches his head, teeth locked in a >rictus. "Give you -- to Obsidian!" His eyes begin to focus once more, >seemingly targeting Moonstone through pure rage... Moonstone, Leia and Padme were already moving away, deflecting blaster fire and laying down covering fire as appropriate. Moonstone looks over her shoulder, worriedly. >>On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:55:41 -0700 (PDT) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00012622 >> >>"Whew. Didn't land on anyone on my side." Zian says, with evident >>relief - cut short as a blast from one of the pursuing TIE fighters >>hits and jostles the Unicorn roughly. Moonstone smiled and saluted the _Unicorn_ overhead, happening to deflect a bolt aimed for her head. [Right, fight now, be grateful later.] =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 00:18:34 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012649 >On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 15:56:36 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012647 > >>On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 00:59:34 -0600 >>Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012646 >> >>"Hmm, the layout for this place looks almost like an Imperial cell >>from one of the Star Wars universes, but less symmetrical. Thoughts >>Hudzen?" > >Hudzen nodded his agreement. "Yes sir, it closely resembles an >Imperial cell, though with various differences, some subtle, others >not," he paused, turning to his captain. "Do you believe we were >somehow transported to an SWU shortly before the Archangel was >consumed?" His gaze shifted to the room's single exit. "And do you >believe we should see what's through there?" "Good idea," Greymoran said. He suddenly did a double take. "well, we have more evidence of the 'they-thought-they-were-getting-the evil-me theory. You still have your rifle." Greymoran stepped forward while Hudzen checked to see if his BAR was damaged. He touched the door handle, and noticed it was bronze. "That's weird," he muttered to himself. He placed a hand on the door. "Wood? In an Imperial cell?" he looked around. "Wait a minute, the walls are stone! How did I miss that? And no distinct hum of a stardrive. All that rules out a ship. Space station is unlikely too. I think we're planet bound." He grabbed the door handle and gave it a twist. It was locked. "What a primitive lock," he said. "The last time I saw one like this was when I was living on Earth." =========================== Subject: AAE9s: Fleeing The Empire's Tyranny... On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 23:45:09 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012650 >On Sun, 4 Sep 2005 06:02:35 -0400 >Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00012642 > >>On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 20:42:12 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012640 >>> >>>The TIE fighters used the distraction to swoop down on The Platinum >>>Princess, laying down withering fire on her backside. {Mayday, >>>Mayday. Taking heavy fire, have fragile cargo, request assistance.} >>>Meanwhile, the demons get closer. >> >> {Only if you promise not to make Dale jealous,) Flash laughs. >>Three TIE fighters explode just before he flies through their >>airspace. >> [Of course!] Luke looks over at Ana. "I think I'll do more good >>in Red One!" he shouts over the noise, pointing at the only >>remaining X-Wing still on the ground and in decent repair. A series >>of warbles and beeps rises from the back. > >Ana gives a hearty laugh, {I promise to try, Flash. I have a plan, >but I will need some cover.} she sends to Flash as she narrowly >avoids the fire from the TIEs. >{You got it,} Flash laughs as he dives toward a group of TIEs headed >for Ana. >Turning toward Luke she shouts over the din, "Da. You are right, Luke >Skywalker," she says just before she gestures and he goes floating >down into the open cockpit. Just before he gets out of earshot, she >shouts "Good luck and may the Force be with you." >With a mighty heave, she snapped both wrists back and the tailless >demon screamed as it went flying into the path of the other two, >knocking the first one out and bouncing into the jet wings of the >second, causing all of them to tumble helplessly into the jungle >below. She stares down at the cybertail weapon. >[I could use this. It would make things easier...] she shuddered and >dismissed the thought as she tossed the tail away. {Thanks for the >lift, Flash. Mind if I come in? The wind is doing nothing for my >hair.} {Aw, I don't know, the windswept look kind of works for you,} Flash quips, though the cockpit begins opening before he's halfway through the sentence. "Whoa!" he gasps as the wind buffets him. "Some kinda turbulence they've got in this world! {Hey _Zarkov,_ you want to warn me next time I'm going to be dealing with different physics?}" {Next time, _study,_} Zarkov responds dryly. "{Gee, thanks!}" Flash responds wryly. "Uh-oh," he adds, noticing that there are a _lot_ of TIE fighters in the air. "That's gonna be a problem..." They start exploding around him. A few seconds later, an X-Wing roars past, a blue-and-white domed R2 unit squealing wildly as they go by. "{Nice shooting, kid!}" Flash exults, giving Luke a thumbs-up as he takes aim himself. {Yeah, but we've got to get out of here! As soon as the transports are clear and your cyborg friend is safely aboard, follow me and Wedge! We'll get you to the extraction point.} "{Copy that,}" Flash grins. Switching frequencies, he adds, "{Hey Dale, with Ana along, how many princesses does that make--}" {Don't you dare,} Dale replies coolly. [Men.] Then... >On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 23:28:05 +0100 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00012648 > >>On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 23:37:06 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012629 >> "Yes!" Leia stands, gratefully accepting a blaster from a deeply >>relieved Padme. "Now where's that nerf-eating..." the princess >>trails off as she stares at the burning crimson figure above them. >> Roland Dracul is writhing. In agony. > > [Interesting,] Moonstone thinks, [Now to get out of here.] Padme winces at the sight. "He's not worth it," Leia replies. "Do you know that?" Padme asks, her voice surprisingly gentle. "You're not the one in the metal bikini," Leia replies, tone dry enough to impress Eric. "You're not the one married to the Vader analogue," Padme notes calmly. _Leia_ winces. "Touche." >>>On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:55:41 -0700 (PDT) >>>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00012622 >>> >>>"Whew. Didn't land on anyone on my side." Zian says, with evident >>>relief - cut short as a blast from one of the pursuing TIE fighters >>>hits and jostles the Unicorn roughly. > > Moonstone smiled and saluted the _Unicorn_ overhead, happening to >deflect a bolt aimed for her head. [Right, fight now, be grateful >later.] As the last non-powered heroes board ships, Vader leaves with Mara in tow and the main force arrives. AT-ATs start to literally nose into the clearing,and a Victory-class Star Destroyer -- only half the size of the classic Imperator (the ones you see in all three classic movies), but enormous in presence nonetheless -- descends towards the battle. "Can they _do_ that?" a fleeing rebel gasps as he runs onto the last transport. "Apparently," Kratos replies evenly, dodging a burst of power from Red Fury. Dracul is not happy. Power flailing in all directions, Fury has thrown around Dhyrclhanc's entire team (save the Big Guy himself), half a dozen fighters, and more techno-demons than heroes. Kratos, recognizing the better part of valor, is deflecting attacks with his saber and magic, covering Lloyd and working on finding someplace less suicidal to be. No, Dracul is _definitely_ not happy. "COME BACK HERE, ZAURIEL!" he roars. "COME BACK HERE SO I CAN EAT YOUR HEART!" "That would be staggeringly unwise," Zauriel notes, his angelic cry only enraging Dracul further. [Nevertheless, the more you concentrate on me, the less you seek captives or revenge.] A quick glance indicates that Zian, Moonstone and Leia are all safe, allowing the Champion of Heaven to turn his full attention to the Champion of Evil. And the increasingly ridiculous number of mechanized Imperial forces. [That,] Zauriel realizes, [is going to be a problem.] (Insert last retreats here) For a full two minutes, Red Fury roams the battlefield, blazing like a hateful star. It takes him that long to regain his bearings and his self-control, but in the meantime, woe betide the hero who gets in his way, Finally, he roars, "WHO'S NEXT?!" No one answers. Fury draws back his lashes of power, looking around in slight confusion. The heroes are all gone. He sighs. "Figures." Landing in a pack of instantly-terrified Stormtroopers, he teleports a candy bar into his hand, peels it open with TK, and starts munching. "So. Now what?" "Uh...uh...uh...Lord Vader's orders are to search the jungle." Fury rolls his eyes, his previous outrage seemingly gone without a trace. "Oh, _that'll_ work." He waves them off as he walks towards the edge of the field. "Tell Vader he knows my number. I've got to make sure the Golden Avenger doesn't step on my turf, but after that, let him know I'll be in Japan. I've got my eye on _another_ Princess over there..." [And maybe _that_ will get Soli's attention. Heh.] Elsewhere. Luke carefully guides Red One through the trees, weaving in a carefully prepared pattern. "They still with us, R2?" A series of beeps accompanies the text on his X-Wing's computer. "I sure hope so, because they'll need to be close now. Finally, the fighter comes to a halt, hovering over a small patch of almost-cleared land. The ground opens up, and a dim beam lances out, locking the X-Wing in place and drawing it down into the earth. A few minutes later, Luke vaults out, met by a hug from Leia that he returns in emphatic kind. "Took you long enough," Organa quips, her voice thick with relief. "Hey, you've got to drive carefully when you've got someone following you," Luke retorts lightly. "How'd we do?" he asks, his voice instantly serious. "Lots of injured, but the Force was with us -- we didn't lose too many people," Leia answers, a tinge of grief adding that the losses were still too dear. Luke nods. "Let's get everyone together, then. We've got to get that plan worked out." "Indeed," a smooth voice agrees, cutting off Leia's quip. Both turn, startled, to see the man in purple walk up to them, 'light saber' belted and wings absent. "Time is of the essence." Kratos walks off. "Are you..." Luke asks. "I'm not used to it either, no," Leia agreed. -- ...the last Rebel Alliance leads a rag-tag, fugitive army on a lonely quest... ;^) =========================== Subject: AAE 9s: Showdown, Part One On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 23:47:29 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012651 Prologue: Thratchen stroked Morgan's hair almost lovingly, or at least, as close to 'lovingly' as the foul thing could manage. Of course, the demon's happiness had nothing to do with the heroic druid's beauty, physical or spiritual. "He's coming," Thratchen whispered almost excitedly. "It will all be over soon, one way or the other. Pav the Everlaw, it will soon be over. At last." Morgan did not answer. Pinned down by huge clamps that covered nearly half her body, including her collarbone, her wrists and waist, her knees and her ankles, and with a crimson lightsaber suspended over her neck like a force sword of Damocles, it would have been a perilous situation for her even *without* the tiny Kirby-tech box sitting with deceptive innocence on her forehead. But the box in question was the most effective trap of all, even with the dampener runes and Corruption spirits worked into the clamps and slab. It was a Brain Mine, and while it rested on her forehead even the mighty Morgan Greywolf was defenseless; it was designed to render unconscious even the most powerful Eternals. A massive explosion echoed outside; even within the heavily shielded chamber, glass rattled and lights swayed. "Ah," Thratchen sighed, half in relief. "That would be him now." Small lightsaber-claws, like Wolverine as a Sith, flared from between the knuckles on its left hand. A lightsaber with a jagged blade and a swept hilt reminiscent of Dooku's came to life in his right. "When in Rome, as you monkeys say." Thratchen's almost comical glee gave way to a sadistic grin. [I'll let you think you have a chance for a time, Eternal,] it thought hatefully. [I'll give you hope...so I can take it away.] A brief probe of thought and 'faith' told him the Defiler ghost was still ready. [This is going to be fun.] Outside. Roland stared grimly at the huge gunmetal dome in front of him. [Must be thirty stories tall,] he thought as his awesome kinetic power hurtled him towards the fortress. As the dome was a near-perfect hemisphere, that gave it a thirty-story radius. The teleportation shields had made this necessary, but truth be told, the Champion didn't mind too much. Watching dozens of techno-demons and hundreds if not thousands of cyflyers (human slaves with cybernetic implants to make them 'useful' to the demons) open fire impotently at him gave Roland some small satisfaction. After giving them a few seconds to watch their attacks bounce harmlessly off his forcefield, Defender decided to up the ante. [Have a little karma,] he thought with a sly grin, and added the tiniest twist to his shields. Blasts rebounded on the attackers, though with enough force bled off to make the counterattacks nonlethal. [No offense, madam,] he added with a wry thought for Moonstone's friend. In under ten seconds, he had reached the door. Massive cannons slowly swivelled to target Roland; even he would have to turn some attention to them if they fired at him. Instead of a massive use of power or some devious energy twist, the Eternal prosaically jammed the gears on the swivel mounts. With terrible grinding sounds, the cannons stopped moving. Even Tharkoldu winced to hear it, but Roland merely focused on the obstacle at hand. [Some door,] he admitted reluctantly. Reinforced with some form of Unobtanium Defender was unfamiliar with and locked with a system that had impressive defenses against his cyberkinesis, it would take some time to break through. If, that is, Roland were inclined to play fair. A flicker of clairvoyance showed him how the cables and wires fit to the jammed cannons. It took rather more than a flicker of concentration for even Roland to pull one of the cannons out of its socket and point it at the door without damaging the conduits, but he managed. The remaining alphas (pack leaders) pulled their squads back. No one wants to be anywhere near this thing when it blows. Except, that is, for Roland, who was almost directly beneath the opening of the barrel. The explosion shook the entire dome. When Roland could see and hear again, the door was gone, along with a respectable chunk of the wall around it. The cannon was likewise slag, and only his vast defensive power kept the shrapnel at bay -- even then, some small bits were actually embedded in the field. With a grimace, the hero forced the shards out of his shield and walked forward. Turrets dropped down and opened fire. "Oh, now that's just _sad,_" Roland sighed. Not even bothering to gesture or release his usual displays of crackling azure might, the Eternal turned the blaster turrets into baseball-sized spheres in less time than it takes to read this sentence. The magickal wave hit him before he took another step. Even having expected it since he teleported in, the foul wash took Roland's breath away. Still, its corrupt, Oblivion-tainted aspects were minimal. The immortal called on his connection to the more mystical flows of the universe and slowly pressed them forward, smoothing out the weaves and flows that create spells. All that remained were the bits and barbs of foulness that he was 'powerless' against. Roland strode onward. Soon, another set of doors stood before him, but these were was ornate and ostentatious (in a bladed and menacing sort of way) rather than nigh-impenetrable. They were not even locked. In a fit of pique, Roland blasted them to metal shavings anyway, though he was careful to prevent any shrapnel from flying. This proved to be a wise choice, as he immediately saw Morgan pinned in the center of the room, the lightsaber hanging a little less than a meter over her. On the other hand, she was also covered in a techno-magical force shield -- the shrapnel would not have harmed her, but neither could Roland simply free her with a thought. "Ah," Thratchen's voice rasped, and Roland looked up to find it crouched on a literal perch hanging five stories up. The entire room was the dome in miniature, its interior walls apparently one gigantic computer bank complete with blinking lights, screens, I/O ports, exposed wires and humming equipment. All of it was blunt and, if it can be said of mere computer hardware, brutal. (M. adds: It made the Millennium Falcon look like the Heart of Gold.) In the blinking and shifting light, Thratchen looked more the demon than ever, as if someone had taken a denizen of Dante's Inferno and given him the Street Samurai treatment. "Good of you to come," the demon added more urbanely, if sardonically. "Your invitation was...irresistible," Roland replied coldly. Aramegil sprang to life (and full size) in his right hand. The Phoenix Rod exploded in his left. At the sound of techno-demons picking their way through the chaos left in Defender's wake, he sent a tendril of Kirby-dot-trailing power behind him. The largest remaining chunk of the cannon's barrel screamed in metallic protest before ripping through several corridors and ramming into the wall behind the hero, creating a very effective roadblock. "And now that we're _alone,_ we can finish this the way you wanted." "Phaugh," Thratchen rumbled dismissively. "They were merely tenderizer, left in place to 'soften you up.'" A toothy grin sent a chill down Roland's spine, though he refused to show it. "Though I may yet have use of them." "You bet you will," Roland snarled. The largest of the video screens to Roland's right flickered and came into focus. Tharkold, the techno-demon's homeworld, rezzed into view in all its stark, sandblasted glory. Across dunes worthy of the most cinematically purified desert hell, the opponents could both see a massive fortress-city in the distance, great and terrible in its mighty blade-topped towers and spike-and-gear ramparts. Thratchen merely raised one mocking eyebrow. "Your capital, I believe," Roland pointed out. "Yes, and looking quite secure," Thratchen replied. "Doesn't it?" Roland smiled with an expression that could have liquefied oxygen. A beautiful, stern blonde strode on screen, her frame covered in a one-piece bodysuit adorned with all manner of unfamiliar symbols. Thratchen's smile, already weakening, vanished entirely. "Zann! The rebel priestess!" "Yes, Alena Zann. The woman my friend and my son rescued during your rather sad attempt to claim a certain artifact back in the day," Roland noted mildly. "People of Tharkold!" Alena roared, raising a weapon that looked like the bastard child of an axe and a mace. Somewhere behind her, a huge throng cheered. "Today we overthrow a High Lord!" The army with her cheered louder. "This is your gambit?" Thratchen chuckled, relief showing on its face. "I should be thanking you for sending these rebel scum, as Sidious calls them, into my 'monkey grinders.' They will last but minutes." Thratchen's relief turned to horror, however, when the army charged forward at Alena's war cry and what looked like a full company of superheroes (including about half the Avengers, an entire squad of Green Lanterns, and most of the Liberty League from Endymion's world) raced over their heads towards the Demon Prince's capital. "You...you..." "Planned for you? Outmaneuvered you? Beat you at your own game?" Roland grinned savagely as he strode forward, Aramegil twitching up slightly. Thratchen glared hatefully at the Eternal. "Now then. You wanted to finish this one-on-one. Just you and me, no C.A.o.L., no Champions, no demon hordes and no scheming Sith. If you win, you might even be able to prevent demonic rule on Tharkold from being overthrown entirely. But if you want to so much as slow them down..." With a snarl, Thratchen snapped its fingers. Only a tiny handful remained of the small army it had gathered around the dome. "Thousands of the Race will die for this gambit. I had not expected such ruthlessness of you, even for your female." Roland's eyes darkened. "I gave them a chance for freedom. I wanted the supers to be an expeditionary force; the humans insisted on making it an invasion. And after what you've done to that world, I can't say I blame them." He raised the massive claymore and pointed it at Thratchen. "Now come down here and finish this. Assuming you've got the guts." Thratchen screamed and leaped, its attack worthy of the most vicious Kzinti. The saber-claws raked, and Roland parried them with the Rod, while the spike-saber met Aramegil in a clash of crimson and cerulean that lit the entire chamber. Mind-ripping spells bounced off Roland's psi-shields, while Defender's lightning blast arced harmlessly into the spike-saber. The battle was decidedly joined. Their pause was as brief as it was fierce, pure malice gazing into pure intensity. Then the two were in the air, blasting and dueling with such speed that a mortal observer could have just barely even followed them. ESP warned Roland of Corruption-born bursts of magic, while hyper-enhanced senses kept Thratchen ahead of bolts of fire and force. Minds sharper than scalpels thrust at each other, each parry and useless strike against powerful shields raising the speed and intensity of the battle. The Demon Prince pulled a brilliant Immelman, coming up behind Defender, but the Eternal, less bound by aerodynamics, simply spun and dropped, tearing at Thratchen's power sources with raw Gate Key energy. Thratchen countered with a spirit-shield defense, allowing a dominated fetish to be drained, then returned fire with a disorienting spell that Roland largely unwove. He relied on his ESP to guide him until the echo of dizziness vanished. Move and countermove came rapidly, punctuated by the occasional burst of swordplay. There, Thratchen had the advantage, but a combination of psi, Force assistance, and sheer determination kept Roland in the fight. To the Prince's annoyance, Defender had the upper hand in ranged combat, even though as a Tharkoldu, the air was as natural to it as the ground (if not moreso). "Enough," Thratchen said finally, retreating to his perch and glaring at Roland. Defender entered a mostly defensive 'stance,' floating in the air with the Phoenix Rod held out protectively and Aramegil poised behind, ready to lunge. "This has been amusing, but you were doomed the moment you entered this chamber. KEDAVARAN!" A sickly greenish power filled the room, and Roland suddenly felt sick. The green field coalesced into something that looked like a cross between a diseased water elemental and a Dementor, its 'face' a pair of indentations where the eyes should be and a cruel oval of a mouth that pulsed, lamprey-like, in what looked like hunger. "This," Thratchen said conversationally, "is the result of taking a genuinely evil human, convincing him to permit a Defiler spirit to possess him, then kill him in a ritual designed to create a wraith. I have been told," he continued with glee, watching Roland reel in the air as the thing advanced, "that while it is _theoretically_ possible to create a being that is more innately suffused with corrupt Prime energies, even the mightiest Nephandi have never managed it." Then Thratchen's jaw swung open, hanging limp as the creature screamed, became a swirling whirlpool of poisoned lime, and descended rapidly into a vortex of light. A small box, its opening striped yellow and black, swallowed the thing and closed, beeping contentedly. Roland straightened, shook himself off, and smiled coldly enough to _freeze_ oxygen. "Wh-bu-HOW?!" Thratchen roared. "That thing was foul enough to make _anyone_ sick, circuit-boy," Defender replied, "but I had my shots before I came to visit. Now." The Phoenix Rod shrank to cylinder size, then vanished into the Power Ring. A careworn saber took its place in Roland's left hand, the blade virtually quivering with anticipation even though the Eternal himself was almost frozen in place. "Where were we?" Thratchen scowled. "This means nothing. I had hoped you wouldn't be _this_ prepared, but rest assured I anticipated it." Slowly, so slowly that Roland didn't notice for an instant, the lightsaber above Morgan began to descend. When Roland stared down in shock, Thratchen dove and attacked. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 18:57:08 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012652 >On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 00:18:34 -0600 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012649 > >>Hudzen nodded his agreement. "Yes sir, it closely resembles an >>Imperial cell, though with various differences, some subtle, others >>not," he paused, turning to his captain. "Do you believe we were >>somehow transported to an SWU shortly before the Archangel was >>consumed?" His gaze shifted to the room's single exit. "And do you >>believe we should see what's through there?" > >"Good idea," Greymoran said. He suddenly did a double take. "well, we >have more evidence of the 'they-thought-they-were-getting-the-evil-me >theory. You still have your rifle." Greymoran stepped forward while >Hudzen checked to see if his BAR was damaged. Hudzen found it interesting that he still had his rifle. Whoever or whatever had brought them here had apparently not felt the need to disarm them, though it was unlikely that they would have succeeded had they tried. As Hudzen examined the ancient rifle, which was in fact undamaged, he also ran an internal assessment of his inventory. In addition to the weaponry built into his body he also had a more modern pulse rifle, two smaller pistols, and an Echani sword. All had been shrunken down and stored in various compartments in his torso and limbs. >Greymoran touched the door handle, and noticed it was bronze. "That's >weird," he muttered to himself. He placed a hand on the door. "Wood? >In an Imperial cell?" he looked around. "Wait a minute, the walls are >stone! How did I miss that? And no distinct hum of a stardrive. All >that rules out a ship. Space station is unlikely too. I think we're >planet bound." He grabbed the door handle and gave it a twist. It was >locked. "What a primitive lock," he said. "The last time I saw one >like this was when I was living on Earth." Hudzen put a hand on Greymoran's shoulder, and gently pulled him from the door. "Allow me, sir." The robot gripped the handle and pulled it toward him, easily pulling the handle off and taking part of the door with it. He pushed what was left the door open and peered outside. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:13:25 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012653 >Hudzen put a hand on Greymoran's shoulder, and gently pulled him from >the door. "Allow me, sir." The robot gripped the handle and pulled it >toward him, easily pulling the handle off and taking part of the door >with it. He pushed what was left the door open and peered outside. "I give you credit for doing it quietly this time," Greymoran joked. He cautiously stuck his head and looked down one end of the hallway outside while Hudzen took the other. Greymoran pulled back into the cell more confused than ever. "OK, I'm seeing an odd mix of influences for this place, where ever it is. I'm seeing a mix of Imperial and Earth designs." "Indian to be percise sir," Hudzen said, having serached his memory for the file on Earth. "American Indian? You know how confusing a language English can be," Greymoran asked. "Negative sir." =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:50:49 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012654 >On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:13:25 -0600 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012653 > >"I give you credit for doing it quietly this time," Greymoran joked. >He cautiously stuck his head and looked down one end of the hallway >outside while Hudzen took the other. Greymoran pulled back into the >cell more confused than ever. "OK, I'm seeing an odd mix of >influences for this place, where ever it is. I'm seeing a mix of >Imperial and Earth designs." > >"Indian to be percise sir," Hudzen said, having searched his memory >for the file on Earth. > >"American Indian? You know how confusing a language English can be," >Greymoran asked. > >"Negative sir." Hudzen was as baffled by what he'd seen as Greymoran. He'd never seen SWU design so seamlessly mixed withTerran architecture. Not like this anyway. "It appears," Hudzen began, "that this structure has been this way for some time. There aren't many cases of the Empire making contact with _any_ version of Earth, let alone combining at a scale of what we're seeing here. The only known cases I can recall are...." Hudzen trailed off, apparently reluctant to finish his statement. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 11:56:36 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012655 >On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:50:49 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012654 > >"It appears," Hudzen began, "that this structure has been this way >for some time. There aren't many cases of the Empire making contact >with _any_ version of Earth, let alone combining at a scale of what >we're seeing here." "Not many? I've been with the agency for over 300 years and I don't remember any case at all. Then again, even with my magical abilities I'm still only human. To what are you referring?" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 18:50:55 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012656 >On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:50:49 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012654 > >>On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:13:25 -0600 >>Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012653 >> >>"I give you credit for doing it quietly this time," Greymoran joked. >>He cautiously stuck his head and looked down one end of the hallway >>outside while Hudzen took the other. Greymoran pulled back into the >>cell more confused than ever. "OK, I'm seeing an odd mix of >>influences for this place, where ever it is. I'm seeing a mix of >>Imperial and Earth designs." > >Hudzen was as baffled by what he'd seen as Greymoran. He'd never seen >SWU design so seamlessly mixed with Terran architecture. Not like >this anyway. > >"It appears," Hudzen began, "that this structure has been this way >for some time. There aren't many cases of the Empire making contact >with _any_ version of Earth, let alone combining at a scale of what >we're seeing here. The only known cases I can recall are...." Hudzen >trailed off, apparently reluctant to finish his statement. "My word!" an alto voice gasps, the sound slightly tinny. At 'her' gasp, the march of boots comes racing forward. "Oh, great," an Imperial officer sighs, looking from the four Stormtroopers that followed him to the chrome protocol droid that had reacted to the damaged door. "Thratchen _said_ the beam might be inaccurate. My apologies...gentlemen," he continues, looking back and forth between Greymoran and Hudzen with a disgust he was just barely hiding. "Lord Vader has been unavoidably detained -- a bit of difficulty with the local rebel scum. If you follow me, we'll provide more appropriate quarters and what intelligence we have on the enemy." His attitude is well masked now that the surprise has faded, but the observant can still discern that he thinks the quarters they just 'escaped' are quite appropriate. "I understand that your payment has been...prepared...and will be provided when your targets have been dealt with." Greymoran's 'they-thought-they-were-getting-the-evil-me theory' is becoming progressively more likely... =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:15:01 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012657 >On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 18:50:55 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012656 > >>Hudzen was as baffled by what he'd seen as Greymoran. He'd never >>seen SWU design so seamlessly mixed with Terran architecture. Not >>like this anyway. >> >>"It appears," Hudzen began, "that this structure has been this way >>for some time. There aren't many cases of the Empire making contact >>with _any_ version of Earth, let alone combining at a scale of what >>we're seeing here." "Not many? I've been with the agency for over 300 years and I don't remember any case at all. Then again, even with my magical abilities I'm still only human. To what are you referring?" > "My word!" an alto voice gasps, the sound slightly tinny. At 'her' >gasp, the march of boots comes racing forward. > "Oh, great," an Imperial officer sighs, looking from the four >Stormtroopers that followed him to the chrome protocol droid that had >reacted to the damaged door. "Thratchen _said_ the beam might be >inaccurate. My apologies...gentlemen," he continues, looking back and >forth between Greymoran and Hudzen with a disgust he was just barely >hiding. "Lord Vader has been unavoidably detained -- a bit of >difficulty with the local rebel scum. If you follow me, we'll provide >more appropriate quarters and what intelligence we have on the >enemy." His attitude is well masked now that the surprise has faded, >but the observant can still discern that he thinks the quarters they >just 'escaped' are quite appropriate. "I understand that your payment >has been...prepared...and will be provided when your targets have >been dealt with." > Greymoran's 'they-thought-they-were-getting-the-evil-me theory' is >becoming progressively more likely... Greymoran turned to look at Hudzen, and Hudzen looked back. An unspoken "play along" passed between them. Greymoran scowled, trying very hard to match his evil counterpart's perpetually annoyed demenaor, and followed the Imperial officer. He stealthily checked to see if his small phaser, a Type-I phaser sometimes referred to by humans from the STUs as a "cricket phaser," was still safe in the pocket of his XDCA uniform. Making sure no one was looking he used Chinese Sign Language, a trick he picked up on Earth when he lived there last. "Hudzen," he 'said', "these guys aren't terribly bright. The evil versions of us have identical uniforms, but their insignia is quite different. Do you think we're being led into a trap?" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 20:52:28 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012658 >On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:15:01 -0600 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012657 > >>>"The only known cases I can recall are...." Hudzen trailed off, >apparently reluctant to finish his statement. Greymoran stared Hudzen down, obviously wanting him to finish his thought. "The few cases the XDCA has recorded usually involve XD pirates who combine materials and technology from both. Some have even used Imperial tech in Earth-based locations," he paused again, but continued, "There's only one case of which I am aware that involved contact between an Earth and the Empire itself. I'm not completely sure the XDCA knows about it. In fact-" Suddenly, he stops. He hears the sound of mechanical gears approaching. >> "Oh, great," an Imperial officer sighs, looking from the four >>Stormtroopers that followed him to the chrome protocol droid that >>had reacted to the damaged door. "Thratchen _said_ the beam might be >>inaccurate. My apologies...gentlemen," he continues, looking back >>and forth between Greymoran and Hudzen with a disgust he was just >>barely hiding. "Lord Vader has been unavoidably detained -- a bit of >>difficulty with the local rebel scum. If you follow me, we'll >>provide more appropriate quarters and what intelligence we have on >>the enemy." Hudzen has no idea what the man is talking about, but shows little emotion, aside from a little contempt. Not hard to do since the android rarely shows emotion anyway. >Greymoran turned to look at Hudzen, and Hudzen looked back. An >unspoken "play along" passed between them. Greymoran scowled, trying >very hard to match his evil counterpart's perpetually annoyed >demenaor, and followed the Imperial officer. He stealthily checked to >see if his small phaser, a Type-I phaser sometimes referred to by >humans from the STUs as a "cricket phaser," was still safe in the >pocket of his XDCA uniform. Making sure no one was looking he used >Chinese Sign Language, a trick he picked up on Earth when he lived >there last. "Hudzen," he 'said', "these guys aren't terribly bright. >The evil versions of us have identical uniforms, but their insignia >is quite different. Do you think we're being led into a trap?" ^Doubtful, sir,^ Hudzen signs back, ^We appear to be in the middle of their facility. I suspect if they believed we were threats they would have acted rather than use this pretense. They most likely believe that we are truly our twins.^ =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:43:13 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012659 >On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 20:52:28 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012658 > >^Doubtful, sir,^ Hudzen signs back, ^We appear to be in the middle of >their facility. I suspect if they believed we were threats they would >have acted rather than use this pretense. They most likely believe >that we are truly our twins.^ Greymoran nodded, then palmed his phaser. He sped up his walk to come side by side with the Imperial officer. The guards around him tensed up a bit, but made no overt move to stop him. "So, I suppose I should thank you for the rescue. My ship was about to explode. Whoever is in charge has impeccable timing," he said, hoping to prompt some information from the officer. Before the officer can reply, Greymoran spots something that looks familiar. A painting he'd seen before. 'Marie and I saw that painting at the MOMA the year before Jackson was born' he thought. 'So, are we in New York at the Meuseum of Modern Art, or are we in India?' =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Revenge of the Sith (3) On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 21:21:51 -0700 Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00012660 >On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 12:06:16 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012630 > > Violet light blocks crimson, a weapon so near to being a >lightsaber it may as well be one pushing Vader's weapon back. Only a >flare of light near the hilt betrays any difference. A smooth, >confident figure with red hair and eyes steps between the Dark Lord >and his prey, blue-violet wings flaring out behind him. "Do what you >will with your own son," Kratos intones authoritatively. "You will >not have mine." > (OOC: Guess who just got Tales of Symphonia recently? ) > Vader only tips his head down to look at the shorter man, but he >somehow manages to express the equivalent of a scowl. (OOC: This >example of incredible acting through umpteen pounds of armor and a >full face mask brought to you by David Prowse. ;^) "He has chosen to >interfere in the affairs of the Empire. The boy has brought this on >himself." > "Lloyd, I think you should go now," Kratos says simply. "D...Dad? How did...?" Kratos, eyes locked on Vader, only smiles. "Tend to your master, Lloyd." [And don't die before I do,] he adds silently. Reluctantly, Lloyd nods. He hates being forced to admit when he's outclassed. He starts pulling back to join the retreating rebels.He makes his way over to Barriss, still unconcious, and manages to lift her up with the help of a fellow rebel before making his way off the battlefield. As he leaves the area, he manages one last message through the Force... [Dad...don't leave me again.] He focusses on getting Barriss clear of the battle, smiling a bit as he hears something screamed out in the old tongue, and a ripple go through the Force as his father calls up one of his more powerful attacks. "Seinaru kusabi ni aragatte miseru... SHINING BIND!"(1) Meanwhile... >On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 20:42:12 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012640 > > Mara is thrown off in the process, which wakes her up enough to >result in a slightly wobbly cat-fall landing, hand and both feet >splayed out and remaining hand still holding her staff-weapon. >"Who..." > "Luke Skywalker," Vader explains, placidly watching Ana fly off >with her prize. > Mara's eyes widen. Vader may be the one force she fears. The >Emperor, she _obeys._ There's a difference. "My lord..." > "Do not concern yourself. This battle is over for us. Let the >aliens finish doing battle over their personal grudges. The rebellion >has been wounded this day, and Skywalker's time has not yet come. >That will do for now." Mara bows, eyes still on the battlefield, as >Vader turns to stride off. (He ignores the absolutely devastating >battle between Red Fury, Kratos and Zauriel -- in which both angels >are _losing._) Quiet Moon sees Vader and Mara leave the field, and sighed. After everything else, he should be used to being outmatched...He shook the thought away. Too much to do, lives to be saved. He helped some rebels up, providing some quick relief with his Magnakai Curing abilities, pulling other troops clear of battles, a green and gold blur striking down Stormtroopers trying to strike down already injured freedom fighters. An X-Wing streaks overhead, doubtless another Skywalker trying to get himself killed, picking off TIE fighters. Technodemons flying in, harassing him. The Kai's newly-acquired lightsaber hums, and they fall as quickly as they come in. The flourish is off of the Kai's technique. Fatigue is starting to set in, added to the injuries he suffered from Vader's Force Grip. No time or energy to be wasted being fancy. "This way! You six, form around me and cover the retreat-" this as blasterfire splashes off another mystical shield of force, "you three, go back up whoever's left at the aid station." Again he glances at the battle between Red Phoenix and the two angels. [Kai, if you can hear my prayer...aid us.] =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Fleeing The Empire's Tyranny... On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 00:08:02 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012661 >On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 23:45:09 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012650 Harlock has returned Talia to her home at the Herald's Collegium in Valdemar and is chattering away with Rogas Grephnix as he works on the preparations for a spell of plane shifting. "I remember the location well enough, methinks, but I'm not entirely sure how much time has passed over there. The reality storms seem to be interfering with my scrying spells or I could tell you more. For all I know, we'll be landing right in the middle of the victory..." > Fury draws back his lashes of power, looking around in slight >confusion. The heroes are all gone. He sighs. "Figures." Landing in a >pack of instantly-terrified Stormtroopers, he teleports a candy bar >into his hand, peels it open with TK, and starts munching. "So. Now >what?" > "Uh...uh...uh...Lord Vader's orders are to search the jungle." > Fury rolls his eyes, his previous outrage seemingly gone without a >trace. "Oh, _that'll_ work." He waves them off as he walks towards >the edge of the field. "Tell Vader he knows my number. I've got to >make sure the Golden Avenger doesn't step on my turf, but after that, >let him know I'll be in Japan. I've got my eye on _another_ Princess >over there..." [And maybe _that_ will get Soli's attention. Heh.] "...HOT ZONE!" The Bard's final words are almost drowned out in a stutter of blaster fire, some of it coming from the blaster that wasn't in his hand a split-second ago. Well, actually, the weapon in his hand is a TSM laser rather than a blaster. Which is a good thing for Harlock, since his left hand slapped his force-field's "on" button while his right was reaching for the gun--internal ricochets are a _bad_ thing. With a series of acrobatic flips and rolls, Harlock makes it into the underbrush just ahead of a squad of stormtroopers. He starts rummaging quickly (but quietly!) through his pouches as he plays hide-and-seek with his white clad pursuers. [Have I any more nano-delivery vector for my comm virus? Hmm...no, no, no...damnation! Methinks I need to prepare the spell anew. I could almost agree with Markoth on the hampering effects of ritual magic. Almost.] Weaving a spell of silence and a spell of invisibility about himself, the Bard climbs a tree and starts working up a new iteration of his comm virus. Quicker acting, but somewhat less virulent. He really only needs to escape the immediate area, after all. Scanning the area, he notices one trooper who has somehow gotten himself separated from the group. Harlock grins and lobs an invisible ball at him. *** {Lance Leader, this is Lance Three. I think we squickzort him.} {Lance Three, Lance Leader. Say again?} {Lance Leader, Squark Three. I skkrrt we squickzort him.} {Lance Three, Skree Leader. Return to chchcht for *crackle* testing.} =========================== Subject: AAE 9s: Showdown, Conclusion On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 23:25:18 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012672 Roland's tactics had been carefully planned and thought out, and even in his anger, Defender had approached the battle with Thratchen in as patient a manner as the Eternal is capable of. With the lightsaber descending towards Morgan's neck, her mind locked and her body pinned, all pretense of deliberation was abandoned. Roland blazed with speed and power, trying to push past Thratchen by main force of will. Thratchen was having none of it; while even _it_ was surprised by Defender's ferocity, it managed to defend itself suitably, remaining in between the psion and his goal. "You can't keep this up forever," it began. "For once you're right," Phoenix snarled. Bringing Aramegil and his father's sword around in one motion, pointing both at Thratchen, he focused on all the enhancement systems remaining to him, burning some of his psychic reserves. Thratchen went flying, albeit not of its own accord this time. Imbedded in the wall like a cartoon character (after bouncing off the forcefield, _hard_), it watched impotently as Roland slammed his fist into the shield keeping him from Morgan. Even that effort was not enough to penetrate the field, but it was enough to allow him some small projection into the sealed area. That was enough to turn the Sith saber into metal shavings. Again, Thratchen was caught unprepared by how driven Roland had been, but this was still more or less the reaction it had needed. The Demon Prince grinned cruelly as it tore itself from the wall. "You overextend yourself, human," it hissed, half-gliding towards the Eternal. "That 'love' you take such pride in will be your undoing." "Wrong," Roland hissed back. "It will be _yours._" "HA!" Thratchen laughed mockingly. "Why do you think I chose _this_ reality? To destroy you, the Gaunt Man would have suffered even _me._ Yet even in Orrorsh, one must _choose_ corruption. Even there, love is a net positive, in the face of all the horrors devised by the greatest artist of fear the Infiniverse has ever known." Thratchen gestured at Morgan's helpless form with a grand wave of its serrated lightsaber. "Here, on the other hand...here, love is a trap, a lure of the Dark Side. Even your precious Morgan flirted rather passionately with that anger, that hate." "Go dominate yourself," the Eternal spat. "Ooo, struck a nerve, did I? This Dark Side is pure genius. I must admit to being a bit envious." It smiled, showing shark-like teeth. "After I take your life and steal your power, I intend to infuse my world's magic and spirit with this 'Dark Side' the moment I return home." "Don't count your Phoenixes," Roland shot back. "Besides, you're no Palpatine, and I'm not some angst-ridden teenager." "No," the Demon Prince drawled. "You're an angst-ridden superhero with the weight of worlds on his shoulders, no matter how you might try to play the boy scout in public." It leered. "Or with your friends." "They know me better than you imagine, demon," Defender retorted. "That's what it's like to have friends." "Phaugh," Thratchen scoffed. "Friends. More weaknesses to -- AARGH!" The hand it'd held behind it suddenly crackled with lightning and smoked, and the Tharkoldu waved it in almost comically pained surprise. "Oh, and the whole 'distraction speech while I cast nasty spells' thing? I was smacking Nephandi around for that back when you were taking orders from Kranod, sub-boy," Roland quipped dryly as Thratchen snarled in outrage. "You've got some nerve, insulting _me_ about _my_ failings. You're a _lackey,_ Thratchen. A Darkness Device couldn't change that. Even a cosm of your _own_ couldn't change that. And killing me won't change that. You still sniff around your betters looking for a place at the table that'll never come, because you don't have--" Whatever it was Thratchen didn't have, it would never learn, because it screamed in pure, absolute hate and charged. "Sucker," Roland whispered, and let the Demon Prince fly into enough lightning to knock out power for half a continent. Thratchen screamed. For a fraction of a second, Defender thought he'd won, with the demon spasming in place like a bug in a zapper. But then momentum and rage carried it through the unbelievably powerful burst, and the Eternal found himself fighting for his life, parrying incredibly fast and vicious attacks by the lightsaber and force-claws. Blow after blow struck home, powered by Thratchen's evil 'faith' and raw sorcerous power. "Fool," the Technodemon prince spat, hammering away against Roland's hastily erected forcefield. "You think your love for your female will allow you to defeat me. But I have broken 'love' many times. Yours will be no different. Love is fleeting. Power is eternal." "And this..." At the soft sound of Morgan's voice, both combatants turned to stare. "this is where you expect him to retort, 'Power is fleeting, love is eternal.' But you're wrong. Because love *is* power. The greatest power. And nothing you can do can stop it." "How...? You should not be dreaming, let alone awake!" the demon objected. "Roland woke me," the druidess says with a slight smile, her concentration on clearing her system of Thratchen's sedatives. The Brain Mine sputtered desperately, unable to silence her. "I did?" Roland blinked brilliantly. "Yes. By being here. The power of the kind of love beings like this poor creature can never understand." She turned her attention back to Thratchen. "Think on that before you return to the wheel, 'prince.'" Thratchen's brief panic subsided when its senses, cybernetic and demoniac alike, informed him that she remained (physically) helpless, unable to free herself or use magick. "Me?" It laughed in relief, lights flickering along its hardwired backbone. "Foolish monkey. You will be on that 'wheel' long before I. I -- eh?" Its panic returned tenfold when it realized its attacks had stopped having measurable effect on Defender's shields. "oh, no..." "Oh, YES." A living Roman Candle now, Defender's form could only be seen in outline in the cosmic fire rising around him. A column of blue-white power stretched from floor to ceiling around the Eternal, only his eyes visible as blazing sparks in the shadow of his form. "You're so _proud_ of choosing this reality, Thratchen. So _enamored_ of its diabolic lure and your own brilliance. Tell me, idiot, what is the defining feature of a Storm Knight?" "Seven Hells..." Thratchen desperately wove his every personal resource into his own defenses, turning every gun, missile and blaster in the dome on Roland. None of the attacks even came close. "WE MAKE OUR REALITY!" The column of power...turned, as if on a pivot, devastating the dome where it scorched it and hammering Thratchen as it had never been struck before. Blasting into it with raw energy, through it with the fundamental forces of existence, inside it with the power of the mind, tearing at its sorcerous essence with his (and Morgan's?) powers of life and mana. This time, Thratchen barely moved. Its scream was lost in the incandescent conflagration that consumed it, an eruption that seemed to last forever to the demon. In seconds, though, it ended, Defender exhaling heavily and leaning on Aramegil, while the High Lord was far worse for wear, falling to its knees, depleted, all but the most basic cybernetics fused far beyond repair into useless lumps of metal, every last jot of magical force and demonic connection to lower powers depleted. Roland stalked over to his fallen foe and wordlessly pointed Aramegil's tip at the Demon Prince's throat. "I submit," it croaked desperately, "you are victorious, I submit." Aramegil quavered in Roland's hand. "I've only killed once," Defender breathed, "in the most desperate of circumstances. You, though...I can't think of one good reason to let you live. You're..._evil._ Nothing else. You, Palpatine, the Gaunt Man...you High Lords purge yourselves of any thought of beauty or kindness or mercy, and now you _want_ mercy?" "I have knowledge," Thratchen pleaded hoarsely. "I can help..." "Oh shut up," Defender finally spat, wearily pulling Aramegil back. "I don't have the energy for this." Thratchen blinked. "You -- you're not going to --" "Not if I can help it," Roland replied, "but don't press your luck. Stay...PUT." With a final ESP scan to convince himself that Thratchen wasn't going anywhere, Defender thrust his mind into the now-vulnerable computer systems and shut down the forcefield. He literally teleported to Morgan's side, kissing her with a desperate relief he felt in his bones. The Brain Mine flew off her head, Morgan sighing in relief even through the kiss, and his own forces lent themselves to helping her purge the chemicals from her body. *Thratchen, manacles,* he ordered. *Ah, that's going to take some time,* Thratchen admitted reluctantly. *The runes are...persistent.* "Hmf," Roland said after finally letting up on the kiss. "I'll fix that." Tapping resources even Defender hadn't known he had, he scoured the runes off with power and nullifying force. Once those defenses were gone, it was a simple matter of magnetism to tear them off (albeit more viciously than absolutely necessary). "How are you, love?" "Weak," Morgan responded softly, "but recovering." In grand romantic tradition, Roland scooped her up in his arms, Aramegil shrinking back to dagger size and returning to her belt. "You scared five years of life out of me, you know. Good thing I'm immortal." He smiled as weakly as she moved, but it was the first in a while. She chuckled fondly in reply, all Morgan was able to do. [That's it, you pav fools,] Thratchen thought as it slowly, carefully crawled to a panel. [Revel in your victory. You are both weak, and I have more traps awaiting you than you can possibly --] "KUH!" the demon gasp-screamed, as James Phoenix's saber drove itself through the cyber-organ that served as its heart. Roland whipped his head around in shock. "That -- that wasn't me --" Morgan smiled. "Thanks, Dad," she whispered. Roland turned back around to face Morgan again. "...Dad?" The dome rumbled ominously. "Time to go!" Kinetically whipping his cape around to shield Morgan further, Roland gestured at the giant paperweight he'd blocked the door with and blasted it into near-oblivion with a single mental thrust. The saber tore itself out of Thratchen's body viciously, again without any impetus from Roland, then flew back to him and vanished in the remaining corner of the cape not shielding the druidess. With that, the immortals burst out of the great, terrible dome in a tremendous rush of power, racing like an azure comet away from the collapsing citadel until, mere seconds later, they floated far above it as they watched it collapse in on itself. Roland scanned the rubble, then sighed with relief. "I may not have wanted to kill him, but I'm not about to throw a wake. Rest in pieces, jerk." Then, Thratchen forgotten, the Eternal turned his full attention to his beloved. "^Light, you're a mess." He smiled as tears plowed streaks of gold through the dirt on his orichalcum-covered face. The most beautiful mess I've ever seen. Are you...stupid question, what do you need?^" ^You,^ Morgan said simply, snuggling into her beloved's arms. ^And a little time.^ She reached out on the lens-link, checking the team status. ^We have a little time, I think.^ "Yeah, I think so," Roland sighed in relief -- then gasped as a roar of pained rage exploded from deep within rubble. "^I don't believe it. What does it take to _kill_ that thing?^" ^The usual, the trick is making them _stay_ dead,^ Morgan explained. ^If a Demon Prince can slay its killer within 24 hours, they resurrect.^ She smiled, more strongly as her strength returned. ^Thratchen just realized who killed it this time.^ "^Who killed...^" Roland grinned darkly in spite of himself. "^Which means Thratchen has to kill a dead man. I almost feel sorry for it.^" The smile vanished. "^How do _you_ know all this? _I_ didn't know that.^" ^James told me,^ she replied simply, snuggling her head against his shoulder. "^_James_ told -- ^" he gasped. [^Yeah, definitely...thanks, Dad.^] Leader mode returning in spite of his exhaustion and immense relief, he sighed. "^I just wish this hadn't all been a massive waste...of...^" A devious grin slowly spread across Roland's face. ^Oh, you're _thinking,_^ Morgan replied, grinning back mischievously. ^Indeed I am,^ Roland sent, chortling mentally. ^I have a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel...^ the original Freelance Immortal receives the psychic image of a peanut bouncing off his head. TBC @ the rendezvous point -- (/) Roland Morgan /|\ We're back, baby! =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Fleeing The Empire's Tyranny... On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:58:18 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00012676 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012650 [a short snip ago, in a galaxy we happen to be in...] > "Hey, you've got to drive carefully when you've got someone >following you," Luke retorts lightly. "How'd we do?" he asks, his >voice instantly serious. > "Lots of injured, but the Force was with us -- we didn't lose too >many people," Leia answers, a tinge of grief adding that the losses >were still too dear. > Luke nods. "Let's get everyone together, then. We've got to get >that plan worked out." > "Indeed," a smooth voice agrees, cutting off Leia's quip. Both >turn, startled, to see the man in purple walk up to them, 'light >saber' belted and wings absent. "Time is of the essence." Kratos >walks off. > "Are you..." Luke asks. > "I'm not used to it either, no," Leia agreed. Elsewhere, Rob is busy pressing on an artery, while a medic closes the wound in the patient's arm. Most of the wounded are suffering from blaster burns, but a few system failures on fleeing ships resulted in sharp bits flying about, and this rebel was unlucky enough to get hit. "I think that's got it. You can let go now," the medic says. Rob releases his grip slowly, not certain whether it's safe or not, but nothing unpleasant happens. "Is that..." "Everybody? Yes. Thanks for your help." Rob glances around the room, then goes to wash up. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 16:24:42 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012678 >On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 20:52:28 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012658 > >>"Oh, great," an Imperial officer sighs, looking from the four >>Stormtroopers that followed him to the chrome protocol droid that >>had reacted to the damaged door. "Thratchen _said_ the beam might be >>inaccurate. My apologies...gentlemen," he continues, looking back >>and forth between Greymoran and Hudzen with a disgust he was just >>barely hiding. "Lord Vader has been unavoidably detained -- a bit of >>difficulty with the local rebel scum. If you follow me, we'll >>provide more appropriate quarters and what intelligence we have on >>the enemy." > >Hudzen has no idea what the man is talking about, but shows little >emotion, aside from a little contempt. Not hard to do since the >android rarely shows emotion anyway. There was one thing he had noted. The officer had mentioned Vader. Darth Vader was alive in this dimension. That threw an entirely new spin on the situation. The XDCA rarely engaged Sith Lords, and when they did, they were always highly complex operations requiring utmost planning and flawless execution. The few known run-ins with Vader had not ended well, in any form. Their chances of surviving this mission had just taken a nose dive. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:34:22 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012679 >On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:43:13 -0600 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012659 >Greymoran nodded, then palmed his phaser. He sped up his walk to come >side by side with the Imperial officer. The guards around him tensed up a >bit, but made no overt move to stop him. "So, I suppose I should thank >you for the rescue. My ship was about to explode. Whoever is in charge >has impeccable timing," "Actually, that would be Thratchen, your contact," the officer replied helpfully. (OOC: Cinematic universes can be _so_ helpful...sometimes. ) "While I can assure you that, no matter what it might have told you, the demon is emphatically _not_ in charge, it can be...efficient." Even that admission seemed to pain the officer. "At any rate, Lord Vader just finished mopping up a rebel outpost, though why a flyspeck like that glorified landing pad would interest the Dark Lord of the Sith is beyond me." He sighed. "He should be along any time now." The officer's communicator beeped. "Ah. That would be him. His personal shuttle is just now landing." The flunky looked at the communicator, and for the first time, he saw something he liked, standing straighter and slicking back his hair with his hand. "The Emperor's Hand herself..." He tapped a code into the unit. {"Lord Vader."} {What is it, Colonel?} Vader replied a bit testily. The colonel, noting the Sith Lord's tone, replied even more respectfully, {"Thratchen's recruits are here, my Lord, though the demon's device was less than advertised."} There was a pause. {Fury?} A voice very much like Roland Phoenix's, but unlike it in some vital yet ineffable way, replied, {Beats me. Thratchen's got an ego the size of the Champions Underground, but he -- it -- usually knows its stuff. Your universe has its Dark Side, but the Force generally sides with the heroes, you know.} (Then we shall impose our will on the Force itself, if need be,} Vader said in a tone suffused with finality. {I have studied the records on your counterparts, Dracul. This world of Phoenix's will fall, whether he survives Thratchen or not. And once we retrieve the resources of this dark 'Greymoran' and his cabal, we shall crush Organa and the rebels once and for all.} {"The rebels live, my Lord?"} the colonel asked, suddenly reaching for his throat in horror. He needn't have worried. {A backbone at last,} Vader hissed softly. {Yes, the rebels live. They have brought reinforcements from across the multiverse, which is why the Emperor does the same. They have retreated further into the jungles of this accursed, humid land.} The colonel sighed in relief. {"Shall I send a battalion into the jungle to search for them, my Lord?"} {...yes,} Vader agreed. {They are unlikely to find anything, but the tighter the net, the more time the accursed rebellion must spend fleeing it. I will join you in fifteen minutes...mark.} {"Mark,"} the colonel confirmed. {Vader out.} Lord Vader's shuttle. "Are you sure about this, Lord Vader?" Roland Dracul asked. He did not offer respect lightly, but if he could be said to have a 'hero,' it was Vader. "I'd bet that Thratchen finally bit off more than it could chew with Phoenix. Going after his Morgan...that's a guaranteed way to get the boy scout to pull the gloves off." "All the more reason to bring your 'Champions of Evil' here," Vader replied. "My hold on them is growing...tenuous." Dracul scowled. "Obsidian is trying to undermine my leadership. I would have thought that making an example of Behemoth would have been enough for even _his_ ambitions. The others remain loyal for the moment..." "More than for the moment," Vader said dismissively. "I have seen them. I have sensed them through the Force. Aside from the vampire, every one of them would follow you into Hell." Dracul's jaw dropped. Vader, sensing that Dracul would have nothing else to say for a while, turned his attention to the Emperor's Hand. "Jade." "Lord Vader." Jade stood crisply at attention. "I would not tell the Emperor of your encounter with Skywalker, were I in your place," he warned. "I know you to be a loyal soldier of the Empire. It would be most unfortunate if the Emperor were to doubt that." Jade bowed. "Thank you, Lord Vader." She turned and left before the Dark Lord could say anything else. [That...made no sense at all. I thought Vader didn't trust me. What is he _up_ to?] Beneath the mask, unbeknownst to Mara, Dracul or even the Emperor's near-omniscient senses, Vader smiled. It was good that no one saw it, for the sight of that smile would have frozen the blood of a Green Lantern. [Excellent. Better than I could have dreamed. Though I lost my desire discovering the truth of the Dark Side, Luke will _find_ his as the Dark Path takes him.] He caressed one of the containers on his belt. [Now, to deal with this stormer...then, to bring Lama Su and his cloners to this realm. I doubt there is any resistance left in them, after the...persuasions...we have brought to Kamino.] -- The Imps "I am not an imp." Darth Vader ;-) =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Fleeing The Empire's Tyranny... On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:45:25 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012680 >On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 00:08:02 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012661 > >With a series of acrobatic flips and rolls, Harlock makes it into the >underbrush just ahead of a squad of stormtroopers. He starts rummaging >quickly (but quietly!) through his pouches as he plays hide-and-seek with >his white clad pursuers. [Have I any more nano-delivery vector for my >comm virus? Hmm...no, no, no...damnation! Methinks I need to prepare the >spell anew. I could almost agree with Markoth on the hampering effects of >ritual magic. Almost.] > >Weaving a spell of silence and a spell of invisibility about himself, the >Bard climbs a tree and starts working up a new iteration of his comm >virus. Quicker acting, but somewhat less virulent. He really only needs >to escape the immediate area, after all. Scanning the area, he notices >one trooper who has somehow gotten himself separated from the group. >Harlock grins and lobs an invisible ball at him. Another trio of rebels gives the Bard some covering fire as a transport drops down over a larger knot of resistance heroes. "Nice work, friend!" a grizzled older man shouts. "Now come on! Corde' isn't going to sit there forever, and that's the last boat out of here!" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Fleeing The Empire's Tyranny... On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 01:49:07 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012682 >On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:45:25 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012680 > > Another trio of rebels gives the Bard some covering fire as a >transport drops down over a larger knot of resistance heroes. "Nice work, >friend!" a grizzled older man shouts. "Now come on! Corde' isn't going to >sit there forever, and that's the last boat out of here!" Harlock takes a quick look around, concern obvious on his face. "If you're the last boat out, who's got your six?" =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 02:36:32 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012683 >On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:34:22 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012679 > > "My hold on them is growing...tenuous." Dracul scowled. "Obsidian is >trying to undermine my leadership. I would have thought that making an >example of Behemoth would have been enough for even _his_ ambitions. The >others remain loyal for the moment..." > "More than for the moment," Vader said dismissively. "I have seen >them. I have sensed them through the Force. Aside from the vampire, every >one of them would follow you into Hell." Though he stayed in the shadows as was his wont, Jarek's eyebrows (or what passed for eyebrows on his new body, anyway) rose sharply at this comment. [So is this "Force" not as powerful as these people claim, or is Vader playing his own little games? Although, given the right circumstances, I suppose I _would_ "follow" him into the Nine Hells.] > Beneath the mask, unbeknownst to Mara, Dracul or even the Emperor's >near-omniscient senses, Vader smiled. It was good that no one saw it, for >the sight of that smile would have frozen the blood of a Green Lantern. >[Excellent. Better than I could have dreamed. Though I lost my desire >discovering the truth of the Dark Side, Luke will _find_ his as the Dark >Path takes him.] He caressed one of the containers on his belt. [Now, to >deal with this stormer...then, to bring Lama Su and his cloners to this >realm. I doubt there is any resistance left in them, after the... >persuasions...we have brought to Kamino.] Jarek's smile grew smug. [Oh, he's a subtle one, he is. I can practically taste the ambition rolling off of him, but nothing in his demeanor would indicate to anybody else that he was anything but a devoted servant of the Empire. Of course,] the smile twisted into something rather sour, [without facial expressions, that's a lot easier to do. Hmm...perhaps I should consider a mask myself.] --Jarek, Demon Prince of Ambition-- =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 09:39:09 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012685 >On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:34:22 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012679 > > A voice very much like Roland Phoenix's, but unlike it in some vital >yet ineffable way, replied, {Beats me. Thratchen's got an ego the size of >the Champions Underground, but he -- it -- usually knows its stuff. Your >universe has its Dark Side, but the Force generally sides with the >heroes, you know.} > (Then we shall impose our will on the Force itself, if need be,} Vader >said in a tone suffused with finality. {I have studied the records on >your counterparts, Dracul. This world of Phoenix's will fall, whether he >survives Thratchen or not. And once we retrieve the resources of this >dark 'Greymoran' and his cabal, we shall crush Organa and the rebels once >and for all.} At that Greymoran almost visibly flinched. Roland?, he thought. He signed to Hudzen again. "At least we know where we are now. The Empire on one side, those delinquent Callahanians on the other. We need to find a way out of here." Unfortunately, his hand movements were noticed by one of the Stormtroopers, who moved up to him and asked what he was doing. Greymoran saw an opportunity, but he wanted to wait until he could get the officer's attention. He smiled his best evil smile, deep down afraid it wouldn't be very convincing. His brother had always been better at underover work. > The colonel sighed in relief. {"Shall I send a battalion into the >jungle to search for them, my Lord?"} > {...yes,} Vader agreed. {They are unlikely to find anything, but the >tighter the net, the more time the accursed rebellion must spend fleeing >it. I will join you in fifteen minutes...mark.} > {"Mark,"} the colonel confirmed. > {Vader out.} At that moment, Greymoran laughed in the qurestioning Stormtrooper's face. "How I communciate to my bodygaurd is none of your damned business!" He yelled, then cast one of the few spells he knew wouldn't take a lot out of him, the old standard magic missle, and he aimed it at the Stormtroopers face. If nothing else, Greymoran thoguht,, 'it'll be one les guard to deal wtih when we bust out of this %&$*ing place. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Revenge of the Sith (3) On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 10:08:11 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012686 (Oops, this one was supposed to be 2nd of the last four we sent [i.e. between 00012679 and 00012680], but the "from" address probably landed it in the bit bucket *g*. Resending.) >On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 21:21:51 -0700 >Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00012660 > >Technodemons flying in, harassing him. The Kai's newly-acquired >lightsaber hums, and they fall as quickly as they come in. The flourish >is off of the Kai's technique. Fatigue is starting to set in, added to >the injuries he suffered from Vader's Force Grip. No time or energy to be >wasted being fancy. > >"This way! You six, form around me and cover the retreat-" this as >blasterfire splashes off another mystical shield of force, "you three, go >back up whoever's left at the aid station." Again he glances at the >battle between Red Phoenix and the two angels. [Kai, if you can hear my >prayer...aid us.] Once Zian Solo deals with the Red Fury problem (answering Quiet Moon's prayer, perhaps?), Kratos is once again a dominant force on the battlefield (though it is worth noting that he and Zauriel were starting to take the dark Eternal's measure). A transport flies into place over them, Wedge and Luke flying cover as only the greatest pilots of Rogue Squadron can. "You lot are it!" a rebel at the gangplank shouts, her hair whipping in the wind as she gestures for them to come aboard. "Let's get out of here before the Imps start giving us trouble!" She winks and grins at that, what with poisonous-green bolts filling the sky above them. -- Corde' of Naboo (Distant cousin, named after a bodyguard-double from the days of the Republic 8^) =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 22:26:48 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012688 >On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 09:39:09 -0600 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012685 > >>"While I can assure you that, no matter what it might have told you, the >>demon is emphatically _not_ in charge, it can be...efficient." Even that >>admission seemed to pain the officer. "At any rate, Lord Vader just >>finished mopping up a rebel outpost, though why a flyspeck like that >>glorified landing pad would interest the Dark Lord of the Sith is beyond >>me." He sighed. "He should be along any time now." [That is not a meeting to which I will be looking forward,] Hudzen thought. It would be preferable to avoid it. >>The officer's communicator beeped. "Ah. That would be him. His personal >>shuttle is just now landing." The flunky looked at the communicator, and >>for the first time, he saw something he liked, standing straighter and >>slicking back his hair with his hand. "The Emperor's Hand herself..." So it wasn't just Vader. Mara Jade was here too, and that meant Palpatine was here as well. [The Empire's on Earth during the height of its power...]. There was only one case of this that Hudzen knew about. >>{I have studied the records on your counterparts, Dracul. This world of >>Phoenix's will fall, whether he survives Thratchen or not. And once we >>retrieve the resources of this dark 'Greymoran' and his cabal, we shall >>crush Organa and the rebels once and for all.} > >At that Greymoran almost visibly flinched. Roland?, he thought. He signed >to Hudzen again. "At least we know where we are now. The Empire on one >side, those delinquent Callahanians on the other. We need to find a way >out of here." That had been it. Greymoran had said that the Galactic Empire had invaded CAoL's Earth. Hudzen had only suspected it before. Now they knew. >Unfortunately, [Greymoran]'s hand movements were noticed by one of the >Stormtroopers, who moved up to him and asked what he was doing. Greymoran >saw an opportunity, but he wanted to wait until he could get the >officer's attention. He smiled his best evil smile, deep down afraid it >wouldn't be very convincing. His brother had always been better at >undercover work. Hudzen watched his captain closely. He knew he was planning something, though he'd failed to communicate what that was. As he watched, he also scanned the surrounding guards. Two were to his front, and two stood behind Hudzen. Their weapons weren't pointed at him for the moment. [Looks like that might be changing.] >> {"The rebels live, my Lord?"} the colonel asked, suddenly reaching >>for his throat in horror. >> He needn't have worried. {A backbone at last,} Vader hissed softly. >>{Yes, the rebels live. They have brought reinforcements from across the >>multiverse, which is why the Emperor does the same. They have retreated >>further into the jungles of this accursed, humid land.} [Palpatine _is_ here.] The rebellion was on the planet, too. They would undoutedly come in handy if he and Greymoran escaped the Imperials alive. >> The colonel sighed in relief. {"Shall I send a battalion into the >>jungle to search for them, my Lord?"} >> {...yes,} Vader agreed. {They are unlikely to find anything, but the >>tighter the net, the more time the accursed rebellion must spend fleeing >>it. I will join you in fifteen minutes...mark.} >> {"Mark,"} the colonel confirmed. >> {Vader out.} [Fifteen minutes], Hudzen noted, starting a timer. >At that moment, Greymoran laughed in the questioning Stormtrooper's face. >"How I communciate to my bodyguard is none of your damned business!" [Here we go again] >He yelled, then cast one of the few spells he knew wouldn't take a lot >out of him, the old standard magic missle, and he aimed it at the >Stormtroopers face. If nothing else, Greymoran thoguht, 'it'll be one >less guard to deal with when we bust out of this %&$*ing place. As soon as Greymoran had started the brief spell, Hudzen spun around to face both guards behind him, both arms raised. In one hand was his old-fashioned rifle and a more advanced pulse pistol had just appeared in the other. Out of each arm popped a pair of mounted guns, one for each arm. In addition to those, two more had popped out of his shoulders and swiveled around to point at the lone stormtrooper behind him. Each trooper was now staring down the barrel of two guns before any of them had had a chance to react. "Don't move," Hudzen ordered threateningly. The pair of troopers in front of Hudzen complied, but the one behind Hudzen flinched. "I wouldn't do that," Hudzen told him. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s Greymoran and Hudzen On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 00:00:06 -0600 Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012689 >On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 22:26:48 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012688 > >As soon as Greymoran had started the brief spell, Hudzen spun around to >face both guards behind him, both arms raised. In one hand was his >old-fashioned rifle and a more advanced pulse pistol had just appeared in >the other. Out of each arm popped a pair of mounted guns, one for each >arm. In addition to those, two more had popped out of his shoulders and >swiveled around to point at the lone stormtrooper behind him. Each >trooper was now staring down the barrel of two guns before any of them >had had a chance to react. >"Don't move," Hudzen ordered threateningly. The pair of troopers in front >of Hudzen complied, but the one behind Hudzen flinched. >"I wouldn't do that," Hudzen told him. Greymoran spun to face the Imperial officer who was fumbling for his blaster. "Tell your helper monkeys to watch what they say around me Imperial nitwit." =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Fleeing The Empire's Tyranny... On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 04:21:31 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00012691 >On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 01:49:07 -0700 >Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00012682 > >>On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 23:45:25 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012680 >> >> Another trio of rebels gives the Bard some covering fire as a >>transport drops down over a larger knot of resistance heroes. "Nice >>work, friend!" a grizzled older man shouts. "Now come on! Corde' isn't >>going to sit there forever, and that's the last boat out of here!" > >Harlock takes a quick look around, concern obvious on his face. "If >you're the last boat out, who's got your six?" /*"Fear not youth. This 'boat' will reach its destination even if no other does."*/ Hydra's voice rings out. =========================== Subject: AAE9S: Training hours...when days aren't available On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 20:16:01 -0700 Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00012692 OOC: After the bug-out is done with, and Our Heroes are taking a much needed break... Lloyd glanced into the infirmary as one of the medics worked on Barriss, still out cold. He had heard words like 'breakdown' and 'mental collapse' used. Which put him off. That wasn't supposed to happen to Jedi...and it had started when that Anakin character had gotten involved. Noise from behind. Looking around, the Sylvarant swordsman spots Luke Skywalker. "You. Over here, NOW," he motions to Jedi-in-training. [I REALLY need a distraction right now.] "You almost got yourself killed out there. Come on, let's find a big room. Bring your lightsaber." -=-=-= "That lightsaber," Lloyd stated as forcefully as he could, "is not a magic wand; it isn't unbeatable. If you draw it, you're practically waving a sign to every Sith out there saying 'come and get me, I'm challenging you'. Attack me." For a split second, Lloyd has it. Epiphany, revelation, Mythbuster moment, call it what you will. [Good lord. I'm training this kid not to kill himself.] So distracted, he almost lets the attack through. Almost. Luke's sabre spins through the air, deactivating and clattering on the ground. "Okay, let's start with some basic defenses. I'll attack, slowly, and you move your sword to defend. Don't worry, I'm channeling the Force through my blades; you can't cut through them." -=-=Medical area Quiet Moon, exhausted from a lot of healing, comes to the bed where Barriss Offee is resting. "Physically, she's fine," a medic comments, not glancing at the Kai lord. "She is, however, in a deep fugue state. Hopefully, she'll snap out of it." "I am not so sure. She went...berserk on the battlefield, then collapsed." The medic blinked. "Ahh...berserk? I thought Jedi didn't do that." "She did," Quiet Moon replied. "What do you know of the Jedi?" "About as much as anyone. They were wiped out a few decades ago, but that's all the details that are commonly known. It's claimed that the Jedi tried to stage a revolt, but I figure they were the last threat to the Emperor and his pet, Vader. She's old enough...maybe she was caught up in it? I'd hate to be carrying that sort of baggage around." Quiet Moon regarded the Jedi on the table. As he did, he felt a tingle from his Kai Sixth Sense. Time was shorter than he hoped. "Perhaps I should find out. Please see that I am not disturbed; I am going to see if I can help her with the mental trauma." [Kai forgive me, but there is no time.] So saying, the Kai assumed a kneeling posiiton on the floor, closed his eyes, and left his body. The medic (along with anyone else in the room) saw a faint, ghostly apparition leave the Kai's body, which compressed into a small sphere and entered Barriss' mind. It's always been a hard thing to do; Quiet Moon had always had an instinctive dislike of effectively disconnecting his mind from his body and letting it wander free and unguarded. But there was no choice; Barriss' fugue state was such that, combined with what remained of her jedi abilities, a conventional psychic probe would either bounce, or shatter her mind. He was a bit surprised to find himself on another world. And hearing shots in the distance... ===========================