Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9: Finale Chapter 8 Subject: [CAoL Main] AAE 9: End Of Line - Rio On Tue, 01 May 2007 22:35:16 -0700 Rio Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12971 (OOC: If anyone finds themselves getting lost as to Earth-9's trans-human culture, check out http://silver-gateway.com/rc/earth9/e9today.html and the rest of the Earth-9 stuff on our site.) So a Virtual Adept walks into a bar... Logan grins confidently as he passes through the wall of Callahan's unharmed. His grin vanishes .7 seconds later as his mind registers what he is seeing. [Holy...the Spy's Demise isn't like this, and that's _virtual._ Holy...] Too Elite to let himself _say_ any of this (though he does doubletake at the sight of Defender hanging out with Morgan Greywolf), he glances around the room [is that a _dragon?_ With a Green Lantern ring?] until he finds... "Rio! Hey, RIO!" Two men look up from where they were facing away from the main group, each looking a touch nonplused. One is a devastatingly handsome human with dirty blond hair, a brown jacket and tan uniform. Logan guesses briefly that he's in a Firefly costume before he realizes with a slight shock that said human is the classic Starbuck, albeit with a shimmering disk on the back of one wrist. The other man is unmistakable, a Narn with one human-looking eye and an impish gleam in both regardless of being thrown in what _has_ to be mid-flirt. Behind them, inevitably, is the object of his quest, a satisfied smile on her face. "Logan!" Rio waves him over. "Don't worry, gentlemen," she adds to her companions' dubious expressions. "He's just a friend." [A friends with occasional privileges, but they don't need to know that,] she thinks with a grin. The CoX doesn't intend to write any checks she's not willing to cash, but the question of who's going to get to the bank first is still very much open. He sidles over, eyeing the two gentlemen in question briefly. "It's just business, Lieutenant, Citizen," he explains, pulling up a chair. "Oh, that's quite all right," G'Kar immediately replies, nodding and gesturing for the Adept to sit. "The discussion had, how best to put it..." "...gotten sidetracked," Starbuck finishes, glancing briefly over at the table with the black-clad man in sunglasses and the petite lady. He returns his attention to the game *cough* situation at hand. Logan shrugs. "Hey, whatever. I know better than to come between a CoX and her -- pursuits. First, though..." he turns his full attention to Rio. "I'll just get to the point so you can get back to your point. You know there's been a lot of Quintessence shifts because of the invasion, right?" Rio nods in acknowledgement, but says, "No, but it doesn't surprise me." Logan nods back. "Gotcha. Anyway, the Bay City area's kinda crazy, with everything that happened there. Thing is...remember that first fight we were in?" he asks quietly. "All too well," she sighs. "Yeah, well, there's a silver lining. New node," he chuckles ruefully. "Self-renewing. Even Technos who tap the energy there see firebirds." "Sweet." Starbuck and G'Kar look at each other and blink, then return their attention to the pair (well, mostly Rio). "Yeah. And it's pretty much ours. Well, Ulf and I claimed it, but you're definitely part of the equation. We've already heard from a lot of the younger Awakened in the area who want to be part of it." He shrugs again, sighing slightly. "Of course, there is some stupid politics -- there always is -- but here's the fun part." He leans forward. "Pretty much everyone agrees that you ought to be on the council, if not outright leader." Rio's eyes go wide. "Huh?" Logan grins. "Which part didn't you understand? New node, stupid politics, or you equals leader?" "Congratulations!" G'Kar interjects, raising his glass. "Mister Callahan, another round over here, if you please!" Starbuck mutters something under his breath about Narn neural speed, reaching for the cheroot that isn't there before remembering that...it's not there. Rio's mind whirls. Multi-tradition chantries had become more common since Morgan and Roland had outed the Nephanic conspiracy that had kept them all at each other's throats for centuries, but...Ulf wasn't a mage, he was a Changeling. Then another word he'd used hit her. "'Awakenened'? Who's all in on this, besides Ulf?" "Who isn't?" Logan quips. "Not a lot of 'Strikers or Mesmies, and you can bet the hardcore Technos and Wyld types won't jump in, but everyone's looking to put something better together. Pick up where the Greywolf left off and talk some tolerance, y'know?" "yeah." Rio is vaguely aware of G'Kar and Starbuck each taking a hand, and gives each an acknowledging squeeze. She'd assumed for a while now that, if nothing untoward happened, that she'd eventually join the council of the Scarlet Mansion, but... With a muttered apology, she retrieves her hand from Starbuck (teeping a sense of "nothing personal, I'm just right-handed") and toys with her signature rio. A decision like this, you don't make without checking the probable outcomes, the possibilities -- [_There's_ a word that's never going to be the same again], she quips to herself. Still looking a bit stunned, she returns her attention to the room. A flicker catches her eye, and she turns to see Wrinkle...smiling. A straightforward, auspicious smile. [I guess that settles that.] She nods at Logan. "Council," she says insistently, if still a bit shakily. "I'm not taking on something like this all by myself." "You kiddin'? I just might run against you," he laughs, but sobers quickly. "There's one other thing, though. A name." Logan's eyes flicker towards the new symbol on Defender's chest. "The general consensus is something like Phoenix Chantry." "Oh, I like." Rio looks in Morgan's direction as well. "I doubt they'll have a problem with that, but we should ask." "I'll take care of that," Logan says with a raised eyebrow, standing. "I'll let you get back to your, ah, pursuit of happiness." Rio sends him the mental image of her sticking her tongue out at him, causing the Adept to stumble slightly as he chokes back a laugh. Again, the humor fades quickly as he approaches Defender and Morgan. Logan coughs politely. Defender turns to Logan and favors him with a friendly smile. "Can we help you?" "I'd just like to borrow the Greywolf for a second. I'm looking for her husband, though she'll want to hear this too, I'm sure," Logan explains. The pair look at each other and smile knowingly. "You found him," Morgan says, pointing at Defender. Logan's eyes bulge. [General protection fault. Abort, retry, or fail? Fail. Definitely fail.] Morgan's grin turns sheepish. "I'm sorry...Logan?" The VA manages a nod. "I imagine word hasn't gotten around yet. After everything that's happened, we've decided to drop the secret identities." "We..." he breathes. "Solitaire?" She grins and nods. [GPT, my ass -- Black Screen of Death.] Then a thought strikes him like lightning. [Wait until I get to the Crystal Palace with _this!_] He does just that, setting one part of his brain to jack in to the Digital Web while the rest returns his attention to the more sober matter at hand. "I don't know how much you heard me talking with Rio. We're starting a new chantry in Bay City. There's a new node..." Defender, who has been watching the exchange between the VA and his wife with amusement, lets a flicker of ESP catch the recent past. He smiles a touch sadly. "Phoenix Chantry?" Logan nods. "I think he'd like that. Dad quit because of the idiotic infighting. He'd be proud." Morgan takes her beloved's hand. "If there's anything I can do to help, you'll let me know?" "Absolutely," Logan agrees. "You're pretty much the reason we can even get this party started. Well, you and the Champions -- which is partly you, too," he realizes with a wry chuckle. He looks around, mission complete. "This place..." "Yeah, this Place," Roland says with a laugh. "Why don't you hang around for a while? The Place can always use more merry folx." Logan nods. "Y'know, I think I will." He clears his throat. "Um, excuse me. Sir." Roland laughs as Logan retreats. "I'm not your father, Adept!" he calls as the VA heads to the bar. "I can't wait 'til he meets Solace," Morgan chuckles. -- Rio Lancer "When the power of love becomes stronger than the love of power, we will have peace." -Jimi Hendrix =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Wed, 02 May 2007 16:22:31 -0700 Dane Anderson Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12972 >Roland X wrote Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12970 > Eric actually _laughs_ at that, as much as he ever does at least. >"Even for me, that was...excessive. I do believe Sol Invictus and >Mother Gaia have quite thoroughly shown me my limitations." ^Only your limits as they currently exist, youth.^ Oracle whispers into Eric's mind. ^This too will change, in due time.^ =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: All Good Things On Wed, 2 May 2007 17:36:55 -0700 (PDT) Samatha Cooper Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12973 >On Tue, 01 May 2007 19:09:44 -0700 >Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12969 > >>On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:03:38 -0700 (PDT) >>Samatha Cooper Sent CAoL Post Number: 12968 >"[...] So yes," he says, eyes sparkling briefly, "you would still be >welcome in our home. Real friends, after all, help you move the >body." > >/Besides,/ Morgan sends with a wicked grin, /we wouldn't _dream_ of >depriving baby Roger of his Auntzie./ Roland, unsurprisingly, >faceplants. Zia laughs. "Well, that is a relief. Although - to make sure I'm understanding this right - did you just offer me a limited alliance of help with family troubles of my own to balance getting a babysitter fully capable of dealing with your kids whenever needed?" She grins and looks anticipatory. "Now, _that_ is what I call a good deal." The Petite Amberite --- "What? I _like_ kids." =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Wed, 2 May 2007 20:42:44 -0700 (PDT) Samatha Cooper Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12974 >On Tue, 01 May 2007 19:38:15 -0700 >Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12970 >[Eric] adjusts his glasses pointlessly. Another man would be rubbing >the back of his neck or fidgeting. "Do you want us to Toast, or shall >we exit discreetly when the time arrives?" "Think who you're asking - and what you're asking." Ziactrice teases him gently. "Normally, I'd give you one Discreet Exit simply because you're willing to become involved with a drama princess, but I'm rather a traditionalist. What would a CaoL After-Battle party be without an announcement of impending nuptials?" The Petite Amberite looks thoughtful a moment. "We'll get out sooner if you do it. People will be more willing to make lengthy jests and tease if I am the one to say. I'll just have to offer you a forfeit to be used later. Especially since you're low on chi. AGAIN. Already." She gives him a lengthy, considering, weighing look. "Would I be safe to assume you've wrangled some patch over that nasty side-effect you experienced from my presence and touch earlier? Because if you haven't, we should take care of that directly." Ziactrice quite daringly reaches out and slides his sunglasses down his nose enough she can meet his naked gaze with her own level one. "Then we can take care of that low chi problem quite ... at our leisure." Ziactrice --- "It's a rare adventure indeed when I get more action than James manages; maybe this save-the-world schtick isn't so bad." =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: All Good Things On Mon, 07 May 2007 19:34:06 -0700 Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12975 >On Wed, 2 May 2007 17:36:55 -0700 (PDT) >Samatha Cooper Sent CAoL Post Number: 12973 > >>On Tue, 01 May 2007 19:09:44 -0700 >>Roland X Sent CAoL Post Number: 12969 > >>"[...] So yes," he says, eyes sparkling briefly, "you would still be >>welcome in our home. Real friends, after all, help you move the >>body." >> >>/Besides,/ Morgan sends with a wicked grin, /we wouldn't _dream_ of >>depriving baby Roger of his Auntzie./ Roland, unsurprisingly, >>faceplants. > > Zia laughs. > "Well, that is a relief. Although - to make sure I'm understanding >this right - did you just offer me a limited alliance of help with >family troubles of my own to balance getting a babysitter fully >capable of dealing with your kids whenever needed?" She grins and >looks anticipatory. "Now, _that_ is what I call a good deal." "Well," Roland replies with a grin, "entirely aside from the enlightened self-interest aspect of helping you out...this _is_ Roger we're talking about, you know." >"What? I _like_ kids." OOC-M: That part made me think of a verse to the Volga/Mongolian/SCA Birthday Song (see http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~salley/Bard.book/birthday.dirge.html or http://cunnan.sca.org.au/wiki/The_SCA_birthday_song or do a search if you're not familiar with it): "We like children, yes we do baked or boiled or in a stew" NOT that I think Zia likes kids _that_ way! :-) =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Mon, 07 May 2007 20:50:11 -0700 Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12976 >On Wed, 2 May 2007 20:42:44 -0700 (PDT) >Samatha Cooper Sent CAoL Post Number: 12974 > >>On Tue, 01 May 2007 19:38:15 -0700 >>Roland X Sent CAoL Post Number: 12970 > > > >>[Eric] adjusts his glasses pointlessly. Another man would be rubbing >>the back of his neck or fidgeting. "Do you want us to Toast, or >>shall we exit discreetly when the time arrives?" > > "Think who you're asking - and what you're asking." Ziactrice >teases him gently. "Normally, I'd give you one Discreet Exit simply >because you're willing to become involved with a drama princess, but >I'm rather a traditionalist. What would a CAoL After-Battle party be >without an announcement of impending nuptials?" Eric chuckles throatily and shrugs. "I had to ask, for form's sake." > The Petite Amberite looks thoughtful a moment. "We'll get out >sooner if you do it. People will be more willing to make lengthy >jests and tease if I am the one to say. I'll just have to offer you a >forfeit to be used later. Especially since you're low on chi. AGAIN. >Already." She gives him a lengthy, considering, weighing look. The mighty Hunter clears his throat with a slightly embarrassed air. "I can explain. Really. You see, there was this dragon..." he trails off, grinning. It's a bit incongruous of a look for him, but somehow a ray of the younger, happier Eric shines through in the moment. > "Would I be safe to assume you've wrangled some patch over that >nasty side-effect you experienced from my presence and touch earlier? >Because if you haven't, we should take care of that directly." >Ziactrice quite daringly reaches out and slides his sunglasses down >his nose enough she can meet his naked gaze with her own level one. Eric clears his throat again. Embarrassment has nothing to do with it, this time. "Infra-Red's little assassination attempt wiped the vampire pattern from me. She does, however, seem to have left me with a touch of...that other hunger, yes." His body quivers ever so slightly at Zia's touch. Infra-Red only has a very small part in that, however. ;-) > "Then we can take care of that low chi problem quite ... at our >leisure." Third time's the charm, as they say, as Eric clears his throat once more before standing. "Well, if I'm not ready now, I doubt I'll ever be." He slowly strides to the Line, and waits for the moment it takes for the general rooba-ing of merriment to die down. He turns the glass in his hand for a moment, watching the light glint through it briefly. "To...the future." He throws it with casual expertise, the shards not quite forming a neat pile in the center of the hearth. "I, ah, proposed to Zia a few moments ago. She accepted." Rio leads the cheering with a whooping "YEE-HAH!", running over and giving her brother a tackle-hug. -- The Lancers (The rest, we leave as an exercise to the student. Unless Zia wants to continue...the chi ritual, shall we say...in the Risque Room.) =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: End of the Beginning (2 and 3) On Mon, 7 May 2007 23:58:35 -0400 Karma Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12977 >On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:23:20 -0700 >The Good Doctor Mobius Sent CAoLPost Number: 12967 > >>On Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:22:20 -0400 >>Karma Sent CAoL Post Number: 12959 >> >> "Yes, of course I will, Rocket One," Karma said with a smile, "If >>your world will have me for the job. Even if not, there's nowhere >>else I want to be more than with him." > > Mobius' normally ultra-enhanced mind seems to have locked up >briefly. "What, wait," he says finally, looking from Rocket One to >Karma. "Karma, be sure you know what you are getting in to. I will >have to travel to worlds that I ruled, the earlier ones in particular >with an iron grip. I cannot imagine I am popular on most of them, >whatever the propaganda told the citizenry. Even on Terra, we will be >dealing with ruthless gangsters with enhanced powers and Weird >Science." He smiles wryly. "I was never good at 'playing well with >others' in my chosen, ah, profession." > "Not unless they were taking orders from you," the Asp quipped >dryly. > "You will have some time 'off,' Doctor," Rocket One adds quickly. >"We aren't going to insist on an innocent woman, a hero, being for >all intents and purposes sentenced to hard labor." > Mobius looks in shock back to Rocket One, to a scowling, silent >Guardian, back to Karma again. "My lady...there is nothing I would >want more...but, are you sure?" Karma blushed at being referred to as a 'hero', and at Mobius's question, she took a deep breath. "After seeing what I've seen, and after meeting you most of all, I knew I would not be coming home to stay. I had thought I would await your world's decision about you, then see if I could find a better place for us. Perhaps with a desert that bloomed around a blue Nile. But if I am not forced to wait for you, if there is a world with you on it, that's the one I want to be on, too." > -- > The Good Doctor Mobius > All's well that end's well, after all OOC: Yes, indeed. =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] AAE 9: To Burn, and To Rise Again On Mon, 07 May 2007 23:37:08 -0700 Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12978 The merriment has been going on for some time now, and a few CAoLers have already continued on their adventures (or resting in between same). After a fond farewell to a few friends (and serious sharing of joy at Eric and Zia's announcement), Roland and Morgan have settled in to a six-way discussion with two other couples. Roland and Zelda are comparing notes on Oneness while their Heroes, Morgan and Link, compare sword strokes, as a happy Atlan and Stellara kibbitz here and there. The immortals and the Hylians appear to be getting along famously. Elsewhere, throughout the Place, Mew is flight-dancing happily over an Eric who doesn't seem to know whether to pet her or look embarrassed, Gandalf and the Grey Lensman are blowing smoke rings, G-2 and Sailor Mars are touring the place with Chojin Locke and Zatanna (each couple canoodling at irregular intervals), Astro is slowly winning a chess match against a mildly chagrined Commander Cain, Barry Allen is talking shop (i.e. temporal and interdimensional tech) with Quantum-9, and Moiraine is comparing notes with Morpheus. Starbuck, undaunted by Rio having found an X-Window with G-Kar, has decided to _really_ play with fire. He's got Kei on one arm and Yuri on the other. Each takes the occasional moment away from smiling sweetly at him to glare daggers at the other behind his head. Several Callahanians quietly start looking for X-Windows to other fictons. _Distant_ fictons. A Roland-split quietly talks with Dracul, Bloodwolf and Seeker-6, while the remaining Shadow Champions (recently renamed, unsurprisingly) mingle tentatively. Defender Girl, at least, is showing Orchid-6 the Place with considerable enthusiasm. Earth-9's remaining Champions are simply enjoying themselves, Seeker in particular regaling several Regulars with a shaggy dog story centered around an actual shaggy dog -- perhaps metaphorically related to Ralph Von Wau Wau, as this one can also talk, and has limited access to opposable thumbs. The thumbs' tendency to come and go seems central to the story, as they tend to vanish at unfortunate moments... Starbuck suddenly finds himself dramatically seated in a barstool, Kei and Yuri planting him in one to reach into their...bikinis? The Viper pilot smiles easily. "Whoa, whoa, easy, ladies. There's, ah, no need to...uh-oh." His patter trails away as each 3WA agent starts to pull out something glowing from what _has_ to be katanaspace...right? "Angels!" Morgan shouts, using every bit of her Life skills and Bene Gesserit training to get the two would-be combatants undivided attention, "Enough!" In a lower (but just as commanding) tone, she continues. "If you need to settle something, take it outside. And by 'outside,' I mean 'outside the orbit of PLUTO.'" There is a pregnant pause (no pun intended) as (...aw, who am I kidding? ;-) the Lovely Angels stare at Mama Morgan with Wide Anime Eyes, then slooowly, gently, slide weapons back into place. Starbuck, refusing (barely) to exhale in relief, stands again. "Aw, come on, Kei, Yuri," he says smoothly, as if there had been no interruption, "there's no need for that." To quote another gentleman used to dealing with both members of the Dir...ah, Kei and Yuri simultaneously, "being smarter than the average lead brick, [he] approached this concept with all the care of a professional EOD [i.e. Explosive Ordnance Disposal] man approaching a load of old, unstable nitroglycerin: very very carefully, but not without a certain thrill at the challenge." He flashes them both the Starbuck Smile(tm) as he drapes a gentle arm around each set of shoulders, subtly steering both ladies towards an X-Window. "I'm sure we can settle this like adults." Leaning back slightly and bringing them a bit closer together, he whispers in an ear of each Angel at once. Kei and Yuri blush in unison. "Did we ever do that with Roger?" Kei asks her partner. Starbuck whispers again. "Not _that,_ we didn't," Yuri replies in hushed amazement as the ace pilot directs them away from harm -- _their_ potential to do harm, that is. ;-) (OOC-M: Hey, Roger, they haven't left _yet_, if you want to arrive before other guys make off with _all_ of your girls ;-) Folx exhale as the merriment continues. Admiral Kinnison bows his head with a smile, admitting defeat as Gandalf's misty ship-of-the-line sails above the heads of most present humanoids. Several Patrons applaud, though Gandalf laughs and tips his hat as many other Patrons turn their attention (and applause) to Zatanna, who is dipping a starkly stunned Locke and kissing him thoroughly. Rachel and Liam are among the admirers, Rachel whooping and cheering Zatanna on while Liam simply claps with dry amusement. The Phoenix's sole daughter (at, er, present) then looks up, eyes flickering over to the older gentleman in the bowler hat and suit. "It's time," he says gently. Liam smiles and nods. "Longer than we expected, to be honest." He turns to his parents, his expression becoming serious (if not sober; this _is_ the Place, after all ;-). "I think there's a set of twins missing their parents about now." "Yeah, no kidding," Rachel adds. "You kept us from worrying, but I think we were starting to get a little antsy soon." She blinks, then sticks out her tongue. "Temporal tense-mangling. Bleh." Morgan chuckles, then there's a mass of hugs in which who is hugging whom is difficult to make out, as everyone is trying to hug everyone else at once. Reluctantly, the mass separates into its component pairs, and with a gesture, Rachel forms an X-Window with a one-way 'mirror' concealing the future from the present. "I know you guys must see a lot, but..." Roland nods. "We know. Take care of yourselves." Liam grins. "Don't we always?" Before either of their highly dubious parents can comment, the twins dive through the X-Window, laughing. On the instant, Caitlin appears with a much younger set of twins. Grandmother is grinning; grandchildren are beaming. "Mommy! Daddy!" they both say, and the glomp-hugs are, if anything, even more chaotic and enthusiastic. "Oh, Rachel, Liam, we missed you," Roland whispers when the parental units finally get the twins in a hug sandwich. Then he steps back slightly, supporting both children with his TK, and raises an eyebrow. "I hope you've been keeping up with your homework, though." Both children gape at him. "DAAA-DDY!" He laughs. "Just kidding. Come on." He plucks Liam from Morgan's arm and places the boy on his shoulders, piggy-back style. "Let's go home." There is a requisite round of goodbye waves, hugs, puns, standing offers of hospitality and similarly Callahanian sentiments, and then it's to the X-Window. On the other end, the house has been returned to its proper place in Bay City, in pristine condition (if rather shaken by the entire experience). Roland pauses at the X-Window, turning back to look at the Place one more time before he leaves. Liam, a touch impatient, levitates off his father's shoulders with a sigh and darts through the gateway. "I..." he looks around. His eyes flicker in slight amazement to...Link and Zelda, and his head tilts slightly to one side. Then he grins broadly. "I guess this is farewell, but never goodbye. In the meantime, I couldn't leave you entirely Roland-less. You'll run into a cognate of mine...in time." Morgan chuckles, and Roland winks at the two Mikes, Callahan and Seven, in turn, then the Highlander tugs the former Freelance Immortal's hand and leads him home, a moment of peace, an eternity of wonder. * * * 30 years later. 30 seconds ago. Roland Eldin Nohansen directs his Warbird through the skies of Neo-Hyrule, laughing with joy as the gold and silver raptor banks with a thought and a nudge from his knees. "You sure about this, Roland?" the construct asks. "Aw, come on, Sil," Roland laughs. "For the first time since I was nine, I know who I really am. Ganon-dork's back where he belongs, Termina's suing for peace, and Vaati's cooling his psycho-stalker heels in a nice, cozy dungeon cell." He looks to the skies. "Let's find us some horizon." Silver Phoenix, his steed and companion, chuckles as throatily as a magitech transformer can. "You asked for it," Sil laughs. Mana engines in her pinfeathers and tail flare to life. The world becomes a blur. "WOOOOO-HOO!" Prince Roland exults, hands raised to the sky, as he flies towards the future, wind whistling around him, endless possibility ahead of him. It's good to be alive. =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Tue, 8 May 2007 05:53:21 -0700 (PDT) Samatha Cooper Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12979 >On Mon, 07 May 2007 20:50:11 -0700 >Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12976 > > "To...the future." He throws it with casual expertise, the shards >not quite forming a neat pile in the center of the hearth. If only because they've formed a neat, solid double heart and arrow. Zia has a small, smug smile as she waits for Eric at their table. >"I, ah, proposed to Zia a few moments ago. She accepted." > >Rio leads the cheering with a whooping "YEE-HAH!", running over and >giving her brother a tackle-hug. Zia becomes the center of a knot of other well-wishers - although most of them (save perhaps Roger, if he appears) simply shake her hand. She clasps forearms with Starbuck, who double-takes at something she must have Lensed him privately. Then she rises, shakes hands with Kinnison, who then also gives her a paternal hug and a kiss on her cheek that makes the Petite Amberite blush. >(The rest, we leave as an exercise to the student. Unless Zia wants >to continue...the chi ritual, shall we say...in the Risque Room.) OOC: I always liked stea/H/H/H/H taking suggestions from the audience... Eventually, Eric and Zia manage to slip away, under cover of Roland and Morgan's own twin-switch and departure. Ziactrice doesn't take any X-window, however; she takes the just plain door to the parking lot. They wind through the haphazardly strewn cars, then she ambles down the drive toward the highway. Eric can easily tell when she summons her concentration to the task of shadow shifting; he knows from the method she choose their goal must be still on Earth-9 and not all that far. Driveway and trees blur and swim, to become a wooded lane, which also blurs like running watercolors to a road near a covered bride, to a small bridge in the center of a small town, to a wider four-lane highway, to.... a long, even wider highway backed by the Big Apple's skyline. Then dark shadows fall over them on a sidewalk surrounded by tall buildings, and Zia relaxes to lead him a further two blocks among the not-so-nice street. It must be the wee hours of morning, here; the City that Never Sleeps is as quiet as it ever gets. The street is full of parked cars and locked, small shops, garbage bags, and the faint din of distant traffic and sirens. Me turns to face an altogether plain, unremarkable steel door, lacking a handle. It looks like a service door for a hotel or restaurant - a tad wide, with the paint peeling at the edges. "The wanderer, home from the hll." Zia tells the door in an amused tone. It clicks, and some heavy motor hums as the door backs into the wall into a pocket with a slow, careful motion that seems to indicate it is far heavier than it appears. It had appeared a normal hinge until it opened. A small antechamber beyond opens into a simple hallway, set with two swinging doors. Zia steps in, waits for Eric to follow. "He's with me." She addresses the air, at which point she shoots a smile back at him. Dim indirect lights in a track, like a movie theater, outline the doors ahead. She opens the nearest, and a wash of very happy party noise - but at a very moderate volume - spills out. The room beyond proves to be a huge one - it must take up half of this building - with a bar on one side, a piano being very well played, various groups of people making merry at several clumps of furniture - and a huge, iron circular stair dominating the far end. "Welcome, Eric." Zia smiles smugly, and takes his hand, gesturing at the place airily with her free one. "This is my House. Lady Sally gave it to me. She's a hard act to follow, but I do my best." -- The Petite Amberite (The reply to this should definitely start a new topic and likely number in the Risque Room... but I wanted everyone to see this particular transition, because it just seems to make so much sense in so many ways. :) =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Wed, 9 May 2007 17:22:58 -0400 The Sevens and Company Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12980 >On Mon, 07 May 2007 20:50:11 -0700 >Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12976 > > Third time's the charm, as they say, as Eric clears his throat >once more before standing. "Well, if I'm not ready now, I doubt I'll >ever be." He slowly strides to the Line, and waits for the moment it >takes for the general rooba-ing of merriment to die down. He turns >the glass in his hand for a moment, watching the light glint through >it briefly. "To...the future." He throws it with casual expertise, >the shards not quite forming a neat pile in the center of the hearth. >"I, ah, proposed to Zia a few moments ago. She accepted." > >Rio leads the cheering with a whooping "YEE-HAH!", running over and >giving her brother a tackle-hug. Karma, Moonstone and the whole Seven clan sent glasses into the fireplace. Even Biko, after a moment's internal deliberation. Tinkerbell arched an eyebrow. "Well," Biko said with a shrug that somehow managed to look glamorous, "It's not like I have anything -personal- against anyone here." =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE 9: To Burn, and To Rise Again On Thu, 10 May 2007 18:02:48 -0700 Dane Anderson Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12981 >On Mon, 07 May 2007 23:37:08 -0700 >Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12978 > >30 years later. 30 seconds ago. > >Roland Eldin Nohansen directs his Warbird through the skies of >Neo-Hyrule, laughing with joy as the gold and silver raptor banks >with a thought and a nudge from his knees. "You sure about this, >Roland?" the construct asks. > >"Aw, come on, Sil," Roland laughs. "For the first time since I was >nine, I know who I really am. Ganon-dork's back where he belongs, >Termina's suing for peace, and Vaati's cooling his psycho-stalker >heels in a nice, cozy dungeon cell." He looks to the skies. "Let's >find us some horizon." > >Silver Phoenix, his steed and companion, chuckles as throatily as a >magitech transformer can. "You asked for it," Sil laughs. Mana >engines in her pinfeathers and tail flare to life. The world becomes >a blur. > >"WOOOOO-HOO!" Prince Roland exults, hands raised to the sky, as he >flies towards the future, wind whistling around him, endless >possibility ahead of him. > >It's good to be alive. In the void between the planets, directly to Prince Roland's back, two titanic heads 'appear'. Each easily dwarfing the planet being observed. One draconic, and the other a bearded humanoid, both unseen except to those with cosmic senses. The draconic one utters one word /*"Next."*/, and then both smile and vanish. =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Thu, 10 May 2007 19:47:39 -0700 Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12982 >On Tue, 8 May 2007 05:53:21 -0700 (PDT) >Samatha Cooper Sent CAoL Post Number: 12979 > >>On Mon, 07 May 2007 20:50:11 -0700 >>Roland X Sent CAoL Post Number: 12976 > >> "To...the future." He throws it with casual expertise, the shards >>not quite forming a neat pile in the center of the hearth. > > If only because they've formed a neat, solid double heart and >arrow. Zia has a small, smug smile as she waits for Eric at their >table. Eric does _not_ throw Zia an aggrieved look for a) "abandoning" him to this announcement and b) pulling that stunt, the former because he doesn't have to and the latter because (though he'd never admit it) he thought it was cute. And in both cases because this is not the time. Besides, there's always the evening. ;-) >>"I, ah, proposed to Zia a few moments ago. She accepted." >> >>Rio leads the cheering with a whooping "YEE-HAH!", running over and >>giving her brother a tackle-hug. > > Zia becomes the center of a knot of other well-wishers - although >most of them (save perhaps Roger, if he appears) simply shake her >hand. She clasps forearms with Starbuck, who double-takes at >something she must have Lensed him privately. Then she rises, shakes >hands with Kinnison, who then also gives her a paternal hug and a >kiss on her cheek that makes the Petite Amberite blush. Kei gets a sly look as she glances up at Starbuck face. "What?" Starbuck coughs and waves her off. "Ah, maybe later." [Like some time during the heat-death of the universe.] > Eventually, Eric and Zia manage to slip away, under cover of >Roland and Morgan's own twin-switch and departure. Ziactrice doesn't >take any X-window, however; she takes the just plain door to the >parking lot. They wind through the haphazardly strewn cars, then she >ambles down the drive toward the highway. Eric can easily tell when >she summons her concentration to the task of shadow shifting; he >knows from the method she choose their goal must be still on Earth-9 >and not all that far. Eric stays close (not exactly a chore ;-), a bit confused that they're not taking one of the vehicles, considering how...lax...alt.Callahanians are about determining who owns which car, but he trusts the Lady in question. [Wouldn't have thought that the front door would open to Earth-9, though. Well, it is Callahan's _Crosstime_ Saloon,] he thinks with an unconcerned shrug. Eric just got engaged; his main thought channels are on what -- or rather, who -- is right in front of him.. > Driveway and trees blur and swim, to become a wooded lane, which >also blurs like running watercolors to a road near a covered bride, >to a small bridge in the center of a small town, to a wider four-lane >highway, to.... a long, even wider highway backed by the Big Apple's >skyline. Then dark shadows fall over them on a sidewalk surrounded by >tall buildings, and Zia relaxes to lead him a further two blocks >among the not-so-nice street. It must be the wee hours of morning, >here; the City that Never Sleeps is as quiet as it ever gets. The >street is full of parked cars and locked, small shops, garbage bags, >and the faint din of distant traffic and sirens. On the other hand, the distinct lack of damage to the city (Ground Zero aside, but at least it is no longer a Fire Pit of Apokolips) catches his attention. @Your doing?@ he asks, Lensing context. > "The wanderer, home from the hll." Zia tells the door in an amused >tone. It clicks, and some heavy motor hums as the door backs into the >wall into a pocket with a slow, careful motion that seems to indicate >it is far heavier than it appears. It had appeared a normal hinge >until it opened. A small antechamber beyond opens into a simple >hallway, set with two swinging doors. Zia steps in, waits for Eric to >follow. Eric, typically, Spocks an eyebrow. "Security concerns?" he asks, his dry tone seeming to be permanently leavened with a dash of humor. > "He's with me." She addresses the air, at which point she shoots a >smile back at him. He smiles back with genuine amusement. @"Edna Mode..." - weapons point at Elastigirl - "...and guest."@ he Lenses back, a small silver screen in the back of his mind playing the scene out with full A/V. @ >Dim indirect lights in a track, like a movie theater, outline the >doors ahead. She opens the nearest, and a wash of very happy party >noise - but at a very moderate volume - spills out. The room beyond >proves to be a huge one - it must take up half of this building - >with a bar on one side, a piano being very well played, various >groups of people making merry at several clumps of furniture - and a >huge, iron circular stair dominating the far end. Eric whistles appreciatively. > "Welcome, Eric." Zia smiles smugly, and takes his hand, gesturing >at the place airily with her free one. "This is my House. Lady Sally >gave it to me. She's a hard act to follow, but I do my best." The Hunter blinks. Audibly. "Lady...Sally." He whistles again, this time clearly impressed. "I thought _this_ Place got shut down." -- Eric Lancer Always give a Lady her due...and her cue. ;-) =========================== Subject: [CAoL Main] Re: AAE9: Then, the Party of the After-Part On Thu, 10 May 2007 20:53:09 -0700 (PDT) Samatha Cooper Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12983 >On Thu, 10 May 2007 19:47:39 -0700 >Roland X Sent Callahanian Army of Light Post Number: 12982 > >>On Tue, 8 May 2007 05:53:21 -0700 (PDT) >>Samatha Cooper Sent CAoL Post Number: 12979 > > Kei gets a sly look as she glances up at Starbuck face. "What?" > Starbuck coughs and waves her off. "Ah, maybe later." [Like some >time during the heat-death of the universe.] OOC: That was the password and how to get to the Other Place, btw. I'm going to write Starbuck back in later. But without Kei. (shudder) Some things just mix, and Lady Sally's place and Kei are two of them. > On the other hand, the distinct lack of damage to the city (Ground >Zero aside, but at least it is no longer a Fire Pit of Apokolips) >catches his attention. @Your doing?@ he asks, Lensing context. @Wha? Oh. No. I shifted worlds when we came down the Turnpike. This is ... um, well, not my Earth, but the Earth where I hold a little... sanctuary, you might call it.@ She gives him a mysterious grin. > Eric, typically, Spocks an eyebrow. "Security concerns?" he asks, >his dry tone seeming to be permanently leavened with a dash of humor. "Not at all, since NEMO did the initial design, and left a bit of himself on automatic to take care of any dynamic problems. Short of my blood relatives, whom we've agreed are hands-off, there are maybe a handful of entities that _could_ crash in. So far, I remain under their respective radars and/or am not worth their time or notice." >> "He's with me." She addresses the air, at which point she shoots >>a smile back at him. > > He smiles back with genuine amusement. @"Edna Mode..." - weapons >point at Elastigirl - "...and guest."@ he Lenses back, a small silver >screen in the back of his mind playing the scene out with full A/V. @ @Interesting - that's one I didn't know.@ Zia replies, enjoying the novelty. > The Hunter blinks. Audibly. "Lady...Sally." He whistles again, >this time clearly impressed. "I thought _this_ Place got shut down." "Oh, no. There's no way we could let that happen. Although it has changed - no two artists can ever produce exactly the same results. It is quite a challenge. I don't get true challenges often enough to pass on them lightly..." ===========================