Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 40 Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 01:36:08 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: The Stowaway Gambit - Q&A Session (Part V) On Mon, 18 May 1998 20:47:30 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004491 "Do you have any questions?" He asks, "I may not be up on current events but I, and my kind, have limited foresight, little as that ability works when I or my counterpart are involved. Plus, I know all sorts of things that happened before my incarceration. Since then, I only know those things I was directly involved with. Which reminds me, what did you figure out about the relationship between Rhiannon, Jadis, and myself. Being one of the more knowledgeable parties involved I could give you a clearer picture of what happened." She looks a tad embarrassed? "To be frank, I hadn't had much time to work on Rhiannon's part in the play. You and Jadis are the typical Yin-Yang forces, with Yin temporarily ascendant. Rhiannon, from her name and from her feelings about you, is likely some bone of contention between the two of you. Although I bet the lady is smart enough to stick with you. She has been dragged into the conflict somehow, and your imprisonment is likely because you were forced into it by some circumstance of protecting her you foresaw. Thus she has the blade you gave her, and whatever you set it to do to her as help. Or it's doing on it's own - it seems alive somehow, to my feelings." The young brunette sinks her head back against the tree, closing her eyes, and continues, purely speculative now. "I'd say she was some way out of the conflict between you and Jadis. But that means a fourth party is involved. And I know no facts about your background. I don't even know what powers you have, or even Jadis. I do realize he didn't pull his best tricks in that duel, which means he can at least be trusted to the letter of his word. Of course, so could Professor Moriarty, and he was quite nefarious despite having some vestige of honor." "Oh, you can definitely trust him to honor the letter of his bargains." "That, John... do you HAVE a last name, by the way? I'm Dame Ziactrice Keenan, but do call me Zia. That is exactly what I'm trusting him to do. When the time comes." She smiles, eyes glittering. "If I'm not dead before the end of this, I should be able to have some delightful fun with our dearly obnoxious host. He's a horrid dancer - did you know that?? Probably not." Her smiles grows a bit more pointed. "Dip in the fox-trot. Heh. Excuse me; wasn't even a good joke the first time." John says, "Roslik." At Zia's look he expands on that, "My last name is Roslik. John Roslik, but please continue to call me John. If he hasn't dissected your body by now, he's probably saving it for some appropriately showy and villainous backdrop in some scene he has planned somewhere. He tries so hard to be a good villain, I think he really enjoys it." She turns faintly green. "Death by vivisection? That would hurt." She goes quiet a moment, eyes closed, just leaning against the tree. Gradually, the meditative exercise works and her breath returns to a slower pace and her color back to a normal human shade of skin. "Excuse me, I just hadn't thought of that. Now, I'll have to work on an emergency plan in case I feel him begin such a thing. At least it would be slow enough I'd have a chance to stop him before he could do enough harm to kill me. What were ? Oh, yes." "Pleased to meet you, John Roslik." With some effort she manages a decent handshake, if John ignores the trembling in the arm muscles, and the brevity of the shake itself. She smiles. "I wouldn't blame him if he did enjoy being the villain. I've always enjoyed playing the villain's roles much more than the heroic ones, myself. There is a very liberating feel to being the antagonist. Planning a scene, eh? I knew he couldn't be completely without redeeming qualities. Unless his sense of the dramatic matches his dance talent, that is." She actually giggles. Sounds a bit hysterical at first, but it quickly becomes real giggles, then soft laughter. "You won't tell the CAoL the details of the fight, will you? Or must you?" She tries to see if maybe large baby blues might help her bargaining position. John laughs, "No, there's no need to do that. I would never tell on a Lady." She smiles a grateful one, and says a bit in fun, "I won't argue with that title, then. There are enough who would be too well-pleased to dispute with you about it; they wouldn't need my help with _that_. Please, enlighten me. I have a feeling we'll have quite some time to talk." She pours some more tea, being generous with the sugar. Hers becomes Darjeeling, between the cup and lip, as she takes a first cautionary sip. "Where _are_ we, anyway? Some dreamland? Things seem more willing to work with me than they really should be." John looks around, "We are in, for want of a better term, my rest-place. Some would call it a mind-scape, some would probably go into explanations about dreamlands or umbras and mental realities, but I prefer the Bandaran term of rest-place." Zia nods. "My presence here won't cause you any trouble, until my energies begin to return. In preparation, we might be wise to do a spot of practicing. I shouldn't have to worry about hurting your mind." She muses to herself aloud. John smiles as if at an some old joke, "Unless you should so happen as to summon the Unicorn here, or make the Pattern manifest itself, we shouldn't have much of a problem. For some reason the Unicorn and the Serpent just don't like me. I spent some time in Amber, once, and in the Courts as well." "Well-traveled, aren't you? Well, there are many Ambers, and even more Courts. It's said there is only one true Unicorn and Serpent, but I don't believe everything that is said' either." She muses, her face momentarily darkened with some strange mix of curiosity and trepidation. "We'll have to talk about what happened between you and they when we have leisure. Does that mean I can use the Signs of the Symbols here, once I have enough power again to do so? Or would that be manifesting the Pattern?" She pats a pocket, and pulls out her Trump deck. "I don't want to try any of these unless we are forced to it; I doubt Jadis would miss it, with Lady A on their side. I'm not sure dream Trumps will even function, actually. Trump doesn't work in Lovecraft's Dreamland shadows." John waves his hand, "No, that would be fine. Only a major manifestation would discomfit me, merely calling upon it's energies doesn't bother me at all. The Pattern is, to a degree, sentient, and probably doesn't want itself to come here as much as I do." =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 02:07:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 19 May 1998 04:37:11 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004492 > On Tue, 12 May '98 Mike Said > >>Shadow Said >>> >>> Fuzzy Said >>> >>> "Roast Jadis, Maybe..." >>> >>> Nod in Hydra's direction... >>> >>> " The Meat does seem to be giving the cook difficulty though..." >> >>Jadis' face undergoes a swift transformation, "The 'meat' as you put >>it, may just bite the cooks head off," he spits savagely. Then he >>stops and visibly takes hold of himself, returning his visage to the >>one he had been previously wearing. > > Molly nods approvingly toward Fuzzy. /Very good. Hmmm. You and Isis > should get to know one another. Her sense of humor is quite > similar./ /^ You sure about that Molly?^/ asks Dhyrclhanc of the RIFTS-Earth multi-class mage. /^ I have encountered the Lady Isis myself, several times in fact. I have never known her to have _that_ kind of a sense of humor. Unless, of course, you count that time we were in combat with a large horde of the Minions of Set, I suppose. ^/ =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 02:07:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 19 May 1998 04:30:20 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004493 > On Tue, 12 May '98 Shadow Said > >> Looking closer at the Jadis on the crossbar, he remarks, "Then >> again, the last time we saw him, Jadis didn't have pointed ears or >> those Romulan/Vulcan eyebrows and forehead." > > Jadis looks offended, "Romulan," he mutters, "And you, a Dragon. I'm > an elf you simpleminded saurian. Goes well with all this sylvan > decor." "Ah, you are supposed to be a sylvan elf now, are you?" quips the Lensdragon as he takes another puff of his cigar and scrutinizes the alien antagonist sorcerer. "Well, this at least explains why you look 'a little green around the gills'." }:=8P Like most other Callahanians, Dhyrclhanc knows that the best way to confront a goose-step is with a jig. =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 08:06:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Welcome to my parlor... On Tue, 19 May 1998 08:44:33 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004495 >On Tue, 19 May 1998 04:37:11 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00004492 > >/^ You sure about that Molly?^/ asks Dhyrclhanc of the RIFTS-Earth >multi-class mage. /^ I have encountered the Lady Isis myself, several >times in fact. I have never known her to have _that_ kind of a sense >of humor. Unless, of course, you count that time we were in combat >with a large horde of the Minions of Set, I suppose. ^/ Molly blinks. /Oh, no, Grandfather's cat-companian, Isis. A beautiful black cat./ She eyes Fuzzy briefly, the corners of her mouth twitching briefly into a sly smile, /Who's human form is rather attractive as well./ =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 08:07:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aae:Tea time On Tue, 19 May 1998 08:39:12 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004496 > On Mon, 18 May 1998 17:20:26 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004480 > > The placecard on the opposite end of the table from Rolands glows as > Jadis looks Justin up and down, "You've changed. I approve, if it > means anything. You were much too limited and blind before. Tell me > though, why keep _this_ form? You should know it can only antagonize > certain people, and you have progressed beyond it." Justin cocks his metallic head slightly at Jadis's question. "Why does continue to wear a piece of clothing that's become worn out? It's broken in and confortable. I spent many years designing this body. I know its abilities and limitations inside and out. I believe it makes me a more effective member using it. But you are also right about it being a taunt. It is. But not aimed at anyone here, but instead aimed at The Controller to show him his plots against me did not succeed and that I will find him and kill him." =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 19:35:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Negotiations? On Tue, 19 May 1998 22:23:24 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004497 Jadis puts down his teacup and looks around at the assembled group, "Well, you said you would not leave without John. May I ask why?" =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 22:34:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Tue, 19 May 1998 22:58:42 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004498 > On Tue, 19 May 1998 22:23:24 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004497 > > Jadis puts down his teacup and looks around at the assembled > group, "Well, you said you would not leave without John. May I ask > why?" *Because he's a member of the CaoL and we don't abandon our own!* sends Roscoe quickly. Jadis no doubt at least rolls hsi eyes at this answer and Driss does as well. "Well for me at least it's a bit more personal than that. As you rememebr I am sure I hired all the CaoL and brought them to Quaren to aid me in return for a wish each. It was in that service that John's corporeal body was blown to smithereens. Naturally since he died before the completion of the duties I felt the contract between us null and void and that was that. But I've grown a lot since then and I do still feel indebted to him for his sacrifice, and I do mean to discharge that debt." Driss replied with careful emphesis and making sure his gaze stayed on their host the entire time. Justin nodded slowly. "In a way it is the same with me. While John did not serve me in any way, I too feel a debt towards him. It was an ambush set by The Controller that caught him. Me. Myself from another possibility. The same urges that set me forth to stop The Controller once and for all also drive me to set right the wrongs he has done to others, including John. You might even say the debt is to myself rather than he but it is just as real either way." =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 23:37:13 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:49:01 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004499 > On Tue, 19 May 1998 22:58:42 -0700 (MST) > Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004498 > > Justin nodded slowly. "In a way it is the same with me. While John > did not serve me in any way, I too feel a debt towards him. It was > an ambush set by The Controller that caught him. Me. Myself from > another possibility. The same urges that set me forth to stop The > Controller once and for all also drive me to set right the wrongs he > has done to others, including John. You might even say the debt is > to myself rather than he but it is just as real either way." Jadis tilts his head, and gestures toward Driss and Justin, "Two very personal and compelling reasons. Do we have any others? Or are the rest of you here for simple group loyalty like this one?" indicating Roscoe. He looks at Rhiannon, "No need for you to speak up, I know why your here. Though you _can_ stop straining your senses for him, he'll be revealed in due time." He looks at the group, "Well?" =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 23:37:20 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: In the beginning On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:50:12 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004500 On a pleasant enough looking garden-world, Somewhere, a smear of the color red appears in mid-air. The smear of color quickly expands and, at the same time, takes on greater definition, thus becoming the familiar Ruby, Amber and Carnelian form of Dhyrclhanc the Lensdragon. Brief moments later there is a loud "ZAM!" sound and behind the superannuated Ruby Fire Dragon hatchling, appears the maroon form of Nimrod and, with him, the lithe Synthea. The latter being dressed in a cream colored pants suit, a golden handkerchief tied around her neck, navy blue flats, and her, seemingly, signature Ray-Bans(tm). A large bag or pouch slung across her back completed the outfit. After their arrival, Nimrod and Synthea begin to relate to each other as the psuedo-siblings that they more or less are, while Dhyrclhanc swings his head around taking in the new panorama in its entirety. Noticing, in order, the spectacular view, the camp complete with pavilion, and then the presence of John. The only oddity being the fact that John is standing in mid-air over the edge of the plateau where the camp was located. "Hi John, long time no see. Nice camp you have here. Been here long? What are you doing standing in mid-air like that, and where in the names of Bahamut and Tiamat are we?" John's ghostly form gestures over the edge of the plateau, "Yes, wonderful view, isn't it? And I don't believe you've seen Rhiannon lately. Rhia! Come over here and say hello to Uncle Dhyrclhanc." From the depths of a sky blue pavilion Rhiannon calls, "Hold on a second. There." As she emerges the last traces of gray vanishes from her skin, which can be seen through most of the green silks she is wearing. Her hair was red today, and her eyes matched the silks, she looked like an Arabian princess. "Uncle Dhyrclhanc! It's so good to see you again. We've missed you." For a microsecond, a look of surprise crosses Dhyrclhanc's features, but then he regains his composure. He smiles, not so much as to cause fear and panic but just enough to show his pleasure. Once again, the draconian Lensman's 21' tall body begins to shift and reweave itself. Re-assuming his Lens-T'Skrang "look," complete with the swashbuckler garb he wore on Quaren. The now 6' tall Dhyrclhanc walks over to John's new "foster-daughter", bows slightly, and gently takes her hand in his. After kissing it, the ex-Sentinel, says, "Enchanted, I am sure, madam." Rhiannon laughs, "You don't have to be so formal." She throws her arms around him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the side of his face. "Who are your friends?" she asks, releasing him. Dhyrclhanc raises his eyebrows and coughs, "Well... ah... ahem... uh, I do not believe you ever met my 'partners-in-crime' as it were." Nimrod makes no response but to approach the trio, but Synthea has an expression on her face that suggests that she had rolled her eyes with disgust at her "older brother's performance or perhaps enjoyment at the predicament he got himself into. One would've been able to tell, had she not been wearing her sunglasses. As the pair approaches, Dhyrclhanc, seemingly having recovered his composure, "Rhia, this is my little sister, Synthea, I guess she would be some sort of cousin to you." John humphs at this pronouncement. "This is Nimrod," he continues, indicating the maroon hunter-android, he coughs, "He is a Guardian or Sentry, like I myself and for the moment, at least, we feel we have certain goals in common." "Oh. Well, hello..." John steps forward, cutting off anything else Rhiannon might have said, "Much as I hate to cut this reunion short, I'm glad your finally here, old friend. I.. _We_ need your help with a small matter. Please, come this way." John leads Dhyrclhanc to a cave cut into the mountainside. "Can you feel it?" he asks. "Can you feel the energy coming out?" The Lens-T'Skrang's blue gold eyes narrow slightly. He reaches out to the outer cave wall as he tentatively walks towards it. "Tahksis and Palatine. I have been to RIFTS-Earth, which is where I learned about Ley Lines and my species ability to sense them. The only thing that I know of that would feel this... well... _wrong_ would have to be those mythical 'Black Ley Lines'. But everybody I ever talked to, on RIFTS-Earth, said that they _Do_Not_Exist_!" John glances askance at the T'Skrang, "That, old friend, is me," John says quietly. Dhyrclhanc's eyes now _bug_. "Excuse me? For a minute there I thought you said that this feeling was _you_." Still behind the trio, Synthea leans over to Nimrod and whispers, "You understand anything they're talking about?" To which Nimrod replies, "It's Magick, I don't understand it, but I know -- It's real." John gestures toward the cave and continues in that same quiet voice, "In there is a piece of me. Guarded, hidden, trapped, bonded to some item of great mystic import. That piece is the source of what you are feeling. I propose that we enter this cave, Rhia will retrieve the item, and we will go on our way." Rhiannon ducks back into the pavilion to change. The Lens-T'Skrang pulls out his brass cigar case, removes and lights one, and says, "Let me get this straight. There is some kind of mystical artifact in this cave. _You_ say that there is a piece of you that has been bonded to this artifact. Apparently, you _need_ this artifact for some purpose you have not yet told us about. To get this artifact we have to go through traps, pitfalls and other such paraphernalia that sounds like it would make a Kender stop and think first before trying to take it. Just so that I have got this all straight, you understand. I have just one question I have to ask; in the words of my good friend, Michael Garabaldi, 'What are we going to do for an encore?' " he smiles and takes a drag of the cigar. John smiles back, though it never reaches his eyes, "Oh, I forgot. They have to stay outside." Pointing to Nimrod and Synthea. "Only us three can go in. More would assure us of failure." Now, Synthea's eyes obviously widen, "Oh." Dhyrclhanc turns to face his two traveling companions, "O.K., you guys just pulled guard duty. _Do_not_, under any circumstances, let anyone in here after us." If Nimrod had any eyebrows, the expression on his artificial face indicates that they'd be raised in reaction to that comment. Synthea, on the other hand, shrugs, swings the bag off her shoulder, and begins to assemble her Gauss Combat Rifle, "Try not to get killed in there, eh bro?" Dhyrclhanc replies, "You know the likelihood of _that_ happening, sis." then turns to John and says, "O.K. but before we do this I have to know one thing -- Why?" John stares straight into Dhyrclhanc's eyes, "Because if you don't, we'll try anyway, and Rhia will die." "Alright, if you did not want to answer the question you just could have said so." quips the Lens-T'Skrang, who draws Redemption from its belt sheath, and manifesting his Psi-Sword and Aura as the Lens on his wrist comes to life. "Let's go." Rhia walks back out of the pavilion, now dressed in a utilitarian grey body-suit. She ties her hair back and checks several knives and energy weapons secreted about her body. John smiles, "Very well, follow me." John enters the cave, "Oh, and don't step on the floor for the first hundred meters or so." "No problem," says Dhyrclhanc as he spreads his wings. Then, once realizing that the diameter of the cave won't accommodate his wingspan, even at their present reduced state, "Uh oh." John's head sticks out of the side of the cave, "Use the walls, geez." Rhiannon pulls on a pair of grey boots, then proceeds to walk up, and along, the wall of the cave. "Great." mutters the Psuedo-LensT'skrang, taking off his calf-length boots, folding them, and putting them in the duffel bag still slung over his shoulders. Flexing his hands and feet, he extends his long, sharp talons, and begins climbing after Rhiannon. /^I'm a Lensman not a Ninja, John.^/. They disappear into the cave, and after a few moments there is the sound of falling tiles, springing blades, and whirring darts. Silence settles once more, /^That much... is evident^/ TBC =========================== Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 23:37:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: In the beginning (pt 2) On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:51:34 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004501 Part two: After several hours, Dhyrclhanc staggers into a 30 ft. radius cylindrical chamber with walls 50 ft. high. The superannuated hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon is definitely the worse for wear, even though he was still in his 6 ft Pseudo-T'Skrang form. Saying that the reptilian Lensman looked like he had been the loser in a three-way fight between himself, a meat grinder and a cheese grater would have been an understatement. However, it was also obvious that, even now, his wounds were beginning to heal. Pausing to catch his breath, Dhyrclhanc became aware of where he was and slowly lowered himself into a sitting position against the wall, deeper into the room. Rhiannon falls into the chamber next, and sinks to her knees. She is desperately trying to catch her breath, and has a few scratches and abrasions, but seems to be otherwise fine. Down the corridor the noise of battle grows louder. John's voice can be heard shouting, "Back. Back to the foul pits that spawned you. BEGONE!" There is one last clang of steel, then all falls silent. John's form walks into the room, though at a slightly higher level than the floor. His appearance is indistinct, his clothing is torn, and several large gashes run down each of his limbs. A long claw mark is raked across his chest, and teeth marks score his neck. As he stumbles forward, phosphorescent essence drips from him, sizzling into nothing as it falls to the floor. From out of the entrance flies two glaives, which circle at head height around John. A bluish green horizontal column of flame momentarily links the Mage-Spirit and the Psuedo-LensT'Skrang, from the latters Lens on his wrist. "Sorry John, my psi-healing seems to only work on those who are not yet dead." "I'll... I'll survive... have... so far," John manages to get out. He begins to lurch forwards. Dhyrclhanc slowly turns his head back and forth, taking in the contents of the room. In the back half of the dirt-brown colored stone floor is a raised grey stone dais, apparently made of a different kind of rock. In the center of this is a rectangular steel altar which, in turn held a night-black, two-handed greatsword. The sword, in turn, radiated a thick, equally dark, seething cloud of pure hatred, pain, sorrow, and despair which seemed to disperse throughout, but not end in, the room. In vast contrast are the walls of the room, which scintillate brightly. After taking this in for several heartbeats, Dhyrclhanc's attention returns to his insubstantial friend. "I guess that you and your otherself now have more in common than before, eh John? It seems to me that you are both not exactly 'happy campers' right now." A snide grin spread across the Pseudo-T'Skrang's face. One of the glaives shoots toward Dhyrclhanc's head, turning into a life-size, plush Smokey the Bear on the way. Dhyrclhanc attempts to parry the incoming stuffed animal with his wings but is taken by surprise, which in part explains why he is knocked over when the bear hits. Half-struggling to get the toy off of him, Dhyrclhanc sends, /Gee, does this mean you don't need this one any more?/ John steps up onto the dais, right into the cloud, and holds his hands out to either side of the sword. He seems to commune with it for several moments, then sags, and falls to the floor. Rhia runs up to him, "Uncle!" She lays her hand where he is, "Are you ok?" John raises himself, "I'll be fine. Take.. the sword," he manages to tell her. Rhiannon stands, with a lingering look at her 'Uncle', then looks toward the sword. She steps forward, and slowly extends her hand to its hilt. She grabs it, and pulls it forth. The swords' exultation upon being drawn can be felt almost painfully, and Rhiannon looks back down at her uncle wonderingly, "Why does it hate all but me?" Dhyrclhanc's blue and gold flecked eyes widen when his "niece" pulls the sword from the altar and says, to no one in particular, "Tahkis and Palatine, that thing *has* been the source of that magickal energy I've been sensing!" then, to John, with the first shard of genuine emotion that his friend has ever felt from him, /^Are you sure that there is nothing we can do for you?^/ Dhyrclhanc looks as if he is having trouble staying in the room since the sword has been drawn. John struggles to one knee, /I.../ "If you hand the sword to me now, I will let the child survive." The Controllers voice echoes through the room as he appears behind the altar. Almost instantaneously, Dhyrclhanc resumes his full 21 ft. tall form and roars, "Over _your_ charred smoking body, you electromechanical abomination!" and a huge, but thin, conical gout of flame pours from his mouth at the Controller, vaporizing the air as it surged towards its target. When it disappears, however, the Controller has only suffered surface damage. John stands, swaying, as the Controller says, "Very well. If that is your desire." More Controller drones begin appearing everywhere. Rhiannon moved to her Uncles' side, but John pushed her towards the only exit. "GO! Dhyrclhanc, get her out of here and to safety. I'll take care of this trashcan." The plush bear turns back into a glaive and floats over above John to join its mate. Dhyrclhanc looks at his "niece" with a pained but caring expression on his face. "Come 'Rhia', as much as neither of us likes it, I think it is time we had our leave of here." he holds his hand out to her. In his other hand, a nasty looking energy pistol appears with which he begins blasting Controller drones separating him and Rhiannon. Unfortunately, the pistol inflicts not that much more damage to the drones than his fire breath did on the original. /"Rhia" we're _leaving_./ he sends, with an almost deathly serious tone in his voice. A drone appears practically in front of Rhia, who chops it with the sword. The drone immediately begins to rust and decay, until all that is left is a fine powder. Lasers pop out of the shoulders of the remaining drones and fire at the group. They go right through John, who winces, and a magical shield protects Rhiannon. Meanwhile, the initial volley of shots hits Dhyrclhanc's armored skin and a pained expression comes over his face. John looks over at Rhia and Dhyrclhanc, "Dammit! I said get Out of Here!" More drones appear. Dhyrclhanc says, "#Pixar -- Forcefield, Krull, and Redemption. Redemption, Krull -- Mega-Damage.#" A bright shimmering energy field appears surrounding Dhyrclhanc and his Rune-nanomagitech Cutlass as well as a larger more ornate version of John's weapon appear in each of his hands. He shrinks back to his Pseudo-T'Skrang form as he hurls the starfish-shaped throwing weapon at the nearest Controller drone and says, "#Krull -- Hunt#" as the drone, and several behind it get sliced in half, diagonally, as the throwing star becomes a dervish of slicing blades. Dhyrclhanc positions Redemption into an offensive kata and sends /RHIANNON, WE ARE LEAVING!!!/ as he methodically moves towards the mouth of the chamber. Two drones appear in the doorway as John gives Rhia a TK shove to get her moving in the right direction. The twin glaives fly past her and Dhyrclhanc and carve the drones into itty-bitty bits. Dhyrclhanc and Rhiannon disappear into the passage and John hears Dhyrclhanc send, /Showoff./ The glaives fly back to John, circle over his head and shoot out the doorway to follow Dhyrclhanc and Rhiannon. John looks around at all the Controllers slowly appearing and surrounding him. "You're mine now, Bastard," The drone weaponry trains on John, who readies his TK in preparation for the assault. "This one's for Knytt." TBC =========================== Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 01:04:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:39:27 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004502 >On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:49:01 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004499 >Jadis tilts his head, and gestures toward Driss and Justin, "Two very >personal and compelling reasons. Do we have any others? Or are the >rest of you here for simple group loyalty like this one?" indicating >Roscoe. He looks at Rhiannon, "No need for you to speak up, I know >why your here. Though you _can_ stop straining your senses for him, >he'll be revealed in due time." He looks at the group, "Well?" Molly's pen and paper appear again as she writes her reply. She hands the note to Jadis: "As I understand it, he didn't come here willingly. If when we find him, he wants to stay and slug it out with you, or whatever it is you two do, fine. But until then, I would call it kidnapping, which I personally hate to see and feel obliged to do something about when I can. "While we're on the subject, though, why do -you- want him? If nothing else, I would like to understand why we can't have him. Who knows, we might agree with you. Stranger things have happened. "So, Jadis, you ask 'What is he to us?', we ask 'What is he to you?'" =========================== Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 04:36:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Wed, 20 May 1998 07:12:52 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00004504 >On Tue, 19 May 1998 22:23:24 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004497 > > Jadis puts down his teacup and looks around at the assembled >group, "Well, you said you would not leave without John. May I ask >why?" Legion remains silent, moving to her seat. She chooses a glass of water, and after testing it to make sure it is safe, sips it slowly. =========================== Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 09:06:05 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Thu, 21 May 1998 08:38:01 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004505 >On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:49:01 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004499 > >Jadis tilts his head, and gestures toward Driss and Justin, "Two very >personal and compelling reasons. Do we have any others? Or are the >rest of you here for simple group loyalty like this one?" indicating >Roscoe. He looks at Rhiannon, "No need for you to speak up, I know >why your here. Though you _can_ stop straining your senses for him, >he'll be revealed in due time." He looks at the group, "Well?" FYI, Morgan is embroiled in negotiations herself. Trying to get the various factions of Earth-9 (mages, psions, etc.) to stop fighting each other and start fighting the _real_ trouble-makers. Anyway, she's keeping her link to the CAoL (through her link to Roland if necessary) on low, sort of like having a scanner going in the background. =========================== Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 23:05:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Fri, 22 May 1998 01:35:40 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004506 > On Wed, 20 May 1998 01:39:27 -0500 > Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004502 > > "While we're on the subject, though, why do -you- want him? If > nothing else, I would like to understand why we can't have him. Who > knows, we might agree with you. Stranger things have happened. > "So, Jadis, you ask 'What is he to us?', we ask 'What is he to > you?'" Jadis is silent a moment, as he tries to formulate his answer, "He is my eternal nemesis, my adversary, the mirror image which moves in synch but counter to all that I do. Why do I want him? Because it keeps him out of my hair. I doubt very much he would have willingly allowed me to imprison him, or just walked away when he found out what I was up to. So I must capture him. I cannot kill him, he keeps coming back. The only logical solution is to remove him from the game." "Is what I did wrong? Where is it stated that for him I must roll over and die? Some of you claim to owe him, or to feel a group loyalty toward him. I ask you, what do you know about him? He showed up mysteriously in a situation _perfect_ to gain the trust of the group. And what is the first thing he does? He's nice to a kitten, begins feeding it. How long have you known him? And what has he told you about himself that can be verified? Not much." Jadis looks very earnest, "I say you are all fools. You have been duped by him for just such an occurence as this. My counterpart is no better than myself. You point to his 'sacrifice' when the girl was going to explode. HAH. He was doing fine after that so-called 'sacrifice' as far as I could see. So he lacks a body, it doesn't seem to have slowed him down that much. In fact, he came out ahead! I can see what he's doing to her," he nods at Zia, who looks confused. "He's using you all, and you just can't see it. Cross him, sometimes; get between him and what he wants, and you'll see." "Some of you no doubt think me evil, although that is another concept I have a hard time understanding. You think this based on my actions, toward you and yours. Yet I say this in my defense, You are the enemy. The moment you joined up with my counterpart and lent your hand to his you became targets, another obstacle to be mounted, or destroyed. Perhaps in this I have erred. Perhaps you are not his pawns to the degree I believe you are and can see his manipulations for what they are. If so, I will apologize for my past offenses and attempt some form of recompense." Here Jadis looks up at Hydra, "That being you refer to as Discie was not killed through intent. I tried an area effect on something to slow down the psions in the group. This unfortunately caused it's death. If fault lay with anyone then it should rest with the Stardragon for designing the creature so poorly." Jadis looks around at everyone, "Know though, that if you, or anyone else, continues to oppose me then I shall try to kill you, as several of you have already proposed doing to me. Had I not taken precautions, then this dialogue would not even have taken place and I would be merely a greasy smear on the landscape, without even been given a chance. Do not think to deny that, for your actions have already spoken. You are a group, and the actions of one speak for all. If they don't then you should either restrain or remove those members." Jadis exhales, leaning back in his chair, "I hope this frank talk will not spoil your enjoyment of any of the food I have laid out. Please, eat. Think on what I have said." =========================== Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 09:07:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Fri, 22 May 1998 08:41:25 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004507 >On Fri, 22 May 1998 01:35:40 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004506 > > Jadis is silent a moment, as he tries to formulate his answer, "He >is my eternal nemesis, my adversary, the mirror image which moves in >synch but counter to all that I do. Why do I want him? Because it >keeps him out of my hair. I doubt very much he would have willingly >allowed me to imprison him, or just walked away when he found out >what I was up to. So I must capture him. I cannot kill him, he keeps >coming back. The only logical solution is to remove him from the >game." > Jadis looks around at everyone, "Know though, that if you, or >anyone else, continues to oppose me then I shall try to kill you, as >several of you have already proposed doing to me. Had I not taken >precautions, then this dialogue would not even have taken place and I >would be merely a greasy smear on the landscape, without even been >given a chance. Do not think to deny that, for your actions have >already spoken. You are a group, and the actions of one speak for >all. If they don't then you should either restrain or remove those >members." Roland frowns. "You have _got_ to be kidding. So far the only thing I can see in your favor is your sense of style. You are deliberately cruel and sadistic, have attacked our members and numerous innocents in the past, and allied with our enemies when you had plenty of opportunity to make this speech _before_ John had become one of us. He has become _family,_ Jadis-that is the loyalty you're so quick to make light of." (OOC: This much gets said no matter what, but we're playing with the timing of Roland's argument with Jadis, so I don't know if Jadis made his speech about justice before or after this. If we went over it beforehand, Roland's going to have a _lot_ more to say here...) (OOC 2: In a few hours we'll be leaving for the weekend-Morgan's SCA clan has their biggest event of the year at one of the SCA's wars, so this is a Big Deal for her. Also, Seosaidh's persona wedding is tonight, and she's officiating, so we've gotta haul our arrears. IOW, we're outta here. See ya in a few days!) =========================== Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 12:05:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Fri, 22 May 1998 12:24:39 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004508 >On Fri, 22 May 1998 01:35:40 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004506 > > Jadis is silent a moment, as he tries to formulate his answer, "He >is my eternal nemesis, my adversary, the mirror image which moves in >synch but counter to all that I do. Why do I want him? Because it >keeps him out of my hair. I doubt very much he would have willingly >allowed me to imprison him, or just walked away when he found out >what I was up to. So I must capture him. I cannot kill him, he keeps >coming back. The only logical solution is to remove him from the >game." /And that game is, Jadis?/ Molly sends, as she sits back in her chair. She seems to be offering her own thoughts for others to ask, though her pad and pen are still out and on the table, taking notes for herself. > "Is what I did wrong? Where is it stated that for him I must roll >over and die? Some of you claim to owe him, or to feel a group >loyalty toward him. I ask you, what do you know about him? He showed >up mysteriously in a situation _perfect_ to gain the trust of the >group. And what is the first thing he does? He's nice to a kitten, >begins feeding it. How long have you known him? And what has he told >you about himself that can be verified? Not much." /Not much was known about anyone when this group first started./ Molly sends, /At least that is how Mike tells it. The trust was built upon how members acted, not on what could be proven about them. Everyone has their secrets. What counted and counts is the willingness to work together for a common goal, which usually amounted to doing the greatest good for the greatest number. Am I incorrect in this assumption, anyone?/ > Jadis looks very earnest, "I say you are all fools. You have been >duped by him for just such an occurence as this. My counterpart is no >better than myself. You point to his 'sacrifice' when the girl was >going to explode. HAH. He was doing fine after that so-called >'sacrifice' as far as I could see. So he lacks a body, it doesn't >seem to have slowed him down that much. In fact, he came out ahead! I >can see what he's doing to her," he nods at Zia, who looks confused. ^^^ Rhia? :) >"He's using you all, and you just can't see it. Cross him, sometimes; >get between him and what he wants, and you'll see." Molly mentally shrugs, /Then we are being used. For now, this group counts him a friend, and has come to aid him. At the moment, there is no big picture to take in, everything is on a personal level. And on that level, if he should turn out not to be a friend, that will dealt with when the time comes, yes? Such is life, after all. Friendships grow and die based upon events that unfold over the time you know them./ > "Some of you no doubt think me evil, although that is another >concept I have a hard time understanding. You think this based on my >actions, toward you and yours. Yet I say this in my defense, You are >the enemy. The moment you joined up with my counterpart and lent your >hand to his you became targets, another obstacle to be mounted, or >destroyed. Perhaps in this I have erred. Perhaps you are not his >pawns to the degree I believe you are and can see his manipulations >for what they are. If so, I will apologize for my past offenses and >attempt some form of recompense." /Sounds like something my mother would say. And I count her amoral, not evil. It would seem Jadis, like Mom, is simply out for his own good, doing whatever it takes to get it, with no consideration of morality. I prefer to think I am no one's pawn, but then again, as I know nothing of this conflict, perhaps I am. However, I would like to think I am more difficult to play than a simple pawn. What pawn chats with the opponent's pieces?/ > Jadis exhales, leaning back in his chair, "I hope this frank talk >will not spoil your enjoyment of any of the food I have laid out. >Please, eat. Think on what I have said." Molly takes a clean sheet of paper and writes again. She hands the note to Jadis. "Since, as you know, John has not explained your mutual struggle, would you be so kind as to enlighten us? As so many take this on a personal level, perhaps seeing the larger picture will help them understand beyond the individuals involved. What stakes are involved? How did this begin? What is the eventual goal?" =========================== Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 20:36:06 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Fri, 22 May 1998 19:42:32 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004509 > On Fri, 22 May 1998 01:35:40 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004506 > > Jadis is silent a moment, as he tries to formulate his answer, "He > is my eternal nemesis, my adversary, the mirror image which moves in > synch but counter to all that I do. Why do I want him? Because it > keeps him out of my hair. I doubt very much he would have willingly > allowed me to imprison him, or just walked away when he found out > what I was up to. So I must capture him. I cannot kill him, he keeps > coming back. The only logical solution is to remove him from the > game." "Yet to *have* such a 'complement' to yourself strongly implies a design, a higher power. And further, that the two of you are *meant* to struggle with each other. Most likely because the effects of the struggle on the two of you and on the multiverse are considered beneficial by the Designer." "Yet you have chosen to frustrate this Design. I suggest that in effect you have 'cheated'. That the 'game' was not intended to allow *either* of you to be removed.' > "Is what I did wrong? Where is it stated that for him I must roll > over and die? "Nowhere. But neither is it written that he or his allies must roll over and die for *you*." > Jadis looks very earnest, "I say you are all fools. You have been > duped by him for just such an occurence as this. My counterpart is > no better than myself. You point to his 'sacrifice' when the girl > was going to explode. HAH. He was doing fine after that so-called > 'sacrifice' as far as I could see. So he lacks a body, it doesn't > seem to have slowed him down that much. In fact, he came out ahead! > I can see what he's doing to her," he nods at Zia, who looks > confused. "He's using you all, and you just can't see it. Cross him, > sometimes; get between him and what he wants, and you'll see." > "Some of you no doubt think me evil, although that is another > concept I have a hard time understanding. You think this based on my > actions, toward you and yours. Yet I say this in my defense, You are > the enemy. The moment you joined up with my counterpart and lent > your hand to his you became targets, another obstacle to be mounted, > or destroyed. Perhaps in this I have erred. Perhaps you are not his > pawns to the degree I believe you are and can see his manipulations > for what they are. If so, I will apologize for my past offenses and > attempt some form of recompense." "Yes, we are 'the enemy' from your point of view. But the people of the planet we just left were *not*. Yet you were willing to condemn them to Hell merely to slow us down. Attacks on *us* are expected. Attacks on innocent bystanders are wrong. You make a *habit* of such attacks." > Jadis looks around at everyone, "Know though, that if you, or > anyone else, continues to oppose me then I shall try to kill you, as > several of you have already proposed doing to me. Had I not taken > precautions, then this dialogue would not even have taken place and > I would be merely a greasy smear on the landscape, without even been > given a chance. Do not think to deny that, for your actions have > already spoken. You are a group, and the actions of one speak for > all. If they don't then you should either restrain or remove those > members." "I do not have the 'authority' to remove the more thoughtless of our members. And I do not approve of their actions, here or elsewhere. As for restraining them, that requires enough advance knowledge of their actions to do so. As well as the ability to restrain them." "And you are welcome to kill me. As many times as it takes for you to get over the desire. I've been killed before and I'll be killed again. You get used to it." =========================== Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 04:35:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sat, 23 May 1998 07:11:20 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00004510 >On Fri, 22 May 1998 01:35:40 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004506 Legion does begin to quietly eat... though taking the precaution of scanning every bite for influences both complex and subtle. >he nods at Zia, who looks confused. "He's using you all, and you just ^^^ Should that be Rhi? > Jadis exhales, leaning back in his chair, "I hope this frank talk >will not spoil your enjoyment of any of the food I have laid out. >Please, eat. Think on what I have said." Legion was silent, listening to the arguments... Which were entirely too logical and too damning. They reflected her/their own hesitations and uncertainties about the Army of Light so accurately that Legion spared several moments to ensure their shielding was still tight. Why did they stay with the CAoL... In part, it was to be a hero. Doing something for the greater good helped give some meaning to this... existence of theirs. And in part she still held the faint damning hope that someone would one day look at her and say 'you must be a member of such-and-such race! I thought you had all retreated behind the great barrier?' That what she was not a freak accident of genetics, an evolutionary dead end. That somewhere there were some answers, and someone that could help her control her nature. And it part they stayed because someone was needed. Because someone had jokingly called her once the conscience of this group... with close to two dozen personas and their consciences taking up room in their skull, she supposed she had plenty to spare. =========================== Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 06:35:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sat, 23 May 1998 09:04:49 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004511 << Paul Roslowski wrote: Here Jadis looks up at Hydra, "That being you refer to as Discie was not killed through intent. I tried an area effect on something to slow down the psions in the group. This unfortunately caused it's death. If fault lay with anyone then it should rest with the Stardragon for designing the creature so poorly." >> Poor design, or great, is irrelavant. Intent to kill or not is irrelavant. You have broken a law, and the only law kept by all three communities of Starspawn, that my kind passed, before any matter had coalesced that you solids could be, and that we choose to enforce amoung ALL beings. That is: to do that which will anger The Stardragon is punished by death. Oracle alone of all the Starspawn, as the cheif guardian of the Dragon Guard and the only Starspawn who is a member of that body, does not enforce that law, unless he sees no other way to save the situation. We passed that law, because The Stardragon's anger threatens all that exist, Starspawn as well as solid. The Stardragon's anger does not care if the perpetrator knew that law, nor does it care if the criminal intended to perform whatever act caused The Stardragon to become angry. The eternal child is very laid back. It USUALLY takes a considerable offense to anger it, but there are exceptions. Like killing one of its "children", harming one of its special people, disturbing the rest of the dead, or attacking the home wherein it is a guest, are good examples. YOU killed one of its "children". It does not care if you intended to. If you had not been performing that act, to facilitate an attack on the CAoL, it would have seen the act as an accident, so long as it was never repeated, and nobody's fault. BUT you WERE trying to do harm to the CAOL. Thus you caught the Discie in the crossfire of your fight. THIS The Stardragon would NEVER forgive. So if I fail to kill you here, then it will be some other Starspawn that manages it, at some later date, assuming that The Stardragon itself doesn't realize that you didn't really die. In which case IT would be the one that kills you, and considering the level of power that you have shown here, probably at least the planet, possibly the solar system, and maybe even the galaxy you happen to be in at the time as well. =========================== Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 10:04:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sat, 23 May 1998 12:53:02 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004512 > On Fri, 22 May 1998 01:35:40 -0400 (EDT) > Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004506 > > he nods at Zia, who looks confused. "He's using you all, and you ^^^ I bet she looks confused, this should be Rhia. =========================== Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 10:35:09 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sat, 23 May 1998 13:15:22 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004513 > On Fri, 22 May 1998 19:42:32 PST > Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004509 > > "Yet to *have* such a 'complement' to yourself strongly implies a > design, a higher power. And further, that the two of you are *meant* > to struggle with each other. Most likely because the effects of the > struggle on the two of you and on the multiverse are considered > beneficial by the Designer." > > "Yet you have chosen to frustrate this Design. I suggest that in > effect you have 'cheated'. That the 'game' was not intended to allow > *either* of you to be removed.' Jadis stares at Nemo, "I acknowledge no 'higher' power. If some being created _me_ for the sole reason to benefit the multiverse with my struggles then, after I have conquered my enemy, I will go and put his metaphysical head on a metaphysical pike or die in the attempt." >> "Is what I did wrong? Where is it stated that for him I must >> roll over and die? > > "Nowhere. But neither is it written that he or his allies must roll > over and die for *you*." Jadis smiles, "I don't expect them to. I rarely plan on winning." > "Yes, we are 'the enemy' from your point of view. But the people of > the planet we just left were *not*. Yet you were willing to condemn > them to Hell merely to slow us down. Attacks on *us* are expected. > Attacks on innocent bystanders are wrong. You make a *habit* of such > attacks." "Attacks on innocent bystanders _are_ attacks on you. Due to the very nature and make-up of this group attacks on bystanders are an excellent diversionary tactic. If nothing else it serves to divide and weaken your powers and attention." > "And you are welcome to kill me. As many times as it takes for you > to get over the desire. I've been killed before and I'll be killed > again. You get used to it." "I have no _desire_ to kill you. You could all walk away from here and live happily ever after for all _I_ care. It is only if you continue to oppose me that I will be forced to take ever greater measures to stop you. I've been killed before myself. For beings on our level it is only a minor annoyance. No, Nemo, I don't think that if I had to remove you that killing you would be an effective option." =========================== Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 10:35:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sat, 23 May 1998 13:31:48 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004514 > On Sat, 23 May 1998 09:04:49 EDT > Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004511 > > Poor design, or great, is irrelavant. Intent to kill or not is > irrelavant. > In which case IT would be the one that kills you, and considering > the level of power that you have shown here, probably at least the > planet, possibly the solar system, and maybe even the galaxy you > happen to be in at the time as well. Jadis looks amused and pissed at the same time, "Oh, pity us _poor_ solids. We who _may_ have the audacity to anger the immortal moron child that called the Stardragon. Call in your _Dragon Guard_. Immortal nursemaids to a spoiled tantrum prone child. What you should do is attempt to instill some sort of discipline into the brat. He doesn't need to be coddled, what he needs is a good spanking. Come, _throw_ all your so-called starspawn at me. I do not fear them. And when it is over, we shall _see_ who is the truly eternal." Jadis laughs, his anger rising, "You have stated your undying attempt to kill me. Very well. I declare you anathema, and you and all your works are to be toppled and broken until you call off your dogs and leave me in peace. For every annoyance you give unto me, my retribution will be ten-fold. This I shall remember, through all my lives it shall be so. I fear neither you nor your Stardragon, and you shall learn the error of your ways. _This_ I swear." =========================== Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 23:05:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sat, 23 May 1998 23:30:02 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004517 >On Sat, 23 May 1998 13:15:22 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004513 > >Jadis stares at Nemo, "I acknowledge no 'higher' power. If some being >created _me_ for the sole reason to benefit the multiverse with my >struggles then, after I have conquered my enemy, I will go and put >his metaphysical head on a metaphysical pike or die in the attempt." /Nemo,/ Molly sends, /if this is some attempt to irk Jadis as he has irked Driss and Roland, it is, I believe, ill-advised. I am certain that the creator of such a 'cock fight' would find maybe Jadis, probably John and Rhia, and most definitely myself, Dad, the twins, and many others willing to put off everything else to stop such a vile creature. Creating two beings to be pitted against one another in a fight to the death, or whatever term is relevant here, is not any Grand Design my family will by any means stand by and watch./ >"Attacks on innocent bystanders _are_ attacks on you. Due to the very >nature and make-up of this group attacks on bystanders are an >excellent diversionary tactic. If nothing else it serves to divide >and weaken your powers and attention." /A tactic that we have proven is quite effective./ Molly adds. /You may find it repugnant, but it is easy, obvious, and guarenteed to work with near certainty. I certainly do not fault the logic./ Then: >On Sat, 23 May 1998 13:31:48 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004514 > > Jadis laughs, his anger rising, "You have stated your undying >attempt to kill me. Very well. I declare you anathema, and you and >all your works are to be toppled and broken until you call off your >dogs and leave me in peace. For every annoyance you give unto me, my >retribution will be ten-fold. This I shall remember, through all my >lives it shall be so. I fear neither you nor your Stardragon, and you >shall learn the error of your ways. _This_ I swear." /Thank you Hydra./ Molly sends quietly /That is exactly what will save John and Zia, killing Jadis and potentially taking the entire dimention with it./ And back to Nemo: >> "I do not have the 'authority' to remove the more thoughtless of >> our members. And I do not approve of their actions, here or >> elsewhere. As for restraining them, that requires enough advance >> knowledge of their actions to do so. As well as the ability to >> restrain them." And: >On Fri, 22 May 1998 08:41:25 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004507 > > Roland frowns. "You have _got_ to be kidding. So far the only >thing I can see in your favor is your sense of style. You are >deliberately cruel and sadistic, have attacked our members and >numerous innocents in the past, and allied with our enemies when you >had plenty of opportunity to make this speech _before_ John had >become one of us. He has become _family,_ Jadis-that is the loyalty >you're so quick to make light of." Molly sighs silently. /You guys really don't get what you are looking at here. You're on the wrong Model, people. You're working from Good vs. Evil. You need to be looking at Moral, Amoral, and Immoral. Moral means you do what the little voices in your head say is Good and ignore the ones saying what is Bad. Immoral means you ignore the voices in your head that say what is Good and do what they say is Bad. And Amoral means you evict the little voices and do whatever you Zarking well want to! /Jadis is Amoral. He doesn't grok Good-Bad, Justice-Injustice, Right-Wrong. Its all about Jadis! You can't debate the actions of someone who is only out for Number One. To -him-, he is living perfectly. The man has no moral compass to steer by, he's just eyeballing things and going where the winds take him. He doesn't want or need one. He likes things his way. All you can do is offer him something Prettier-More than he already has his course fixed on. You want John and Zia back, you show him he is better off without them. That they are more trouble than they are worth. /And -shooting- him isn't going to work, people, cause it doesn't -matter to him-. If you want John and Zia back without a fight, you're going to have to think of something better to bargain with. -Why- do you think I have been trying to get every last detail out of him on this conflict he and John seem to be stuck in? I am looking for some way to break that cord that binds them into this eternal cock fight. Looking for -any- weak link that can be -exploited- to get those two -out of there-, and -maybe- if I am -really lucky-, end this whole thing -forever- while keeping -everybody alive-!/ Molly's head is turned away from Jadis, which fortunately hides the fact that she is just barely checking a tidal wave of frustration and anger. After an eternity that lasts all of five seconds, she gets herself under control. /In -my book-, Zia and John take top priority. I don't want to banter, debate ethics, or get into a brawl if I can help it. If that means trying to make a deal, I am -all for it-. But I'm -not- leader. And I am -not- a majority. That is where I stand, apparently -alone-. At least I don't feel anyone else is doing much of anything to back me up. I will be quite happy to be proven wrong about how many agree with me, but if I stand alone in this, it is nothing new. /Jadis has no ammunition on me. He can't point out any flaws in me I haven't already seen and accepted, even come to appreciate. My entire life has made me the woman I am today, and I regret -none- of it. In fact, I take some pride in most of it. I suggest some of you harden your armor. Jadis -can't exploit- what you -don't let him-. But each time you snap back at him, you show he succeeded. You affix a target to it, and give him permission to shoot. Jadis' opinion of me means absolutely -nothing- to me. I am here -to do a job- and get it over with. If anyone isn't after the same thing I am, I would appreciate knowing -now- so we can plan around each other./ =========================== Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 08:35:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sun, 24 May 1998 08:54:40 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004519 > On Sat, 23 May 1998 23:30:02 -0500 > Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004517 > > /Nemo,/ Molly sends, /if this is some attempt to irk Jadis as he has > irked Driss and Roland, it is, I believe, ill-advised. I am certain > that the creator of such a 'cock fight' would find maybe Jadis, > probably John and Rhia, and most definitely myself, Dad, the twins, > and many others willing to put off everything else to stop such a > vile creature. Creating two beings to be pitted against one another > in a fight to the death, or whatever term is relevant here, is not > any Grand Design my family will by any means stand by and watch./ Responding to Zia's telepathic comments to Nemo, /And what exactly do you think Chaos IS? What do you think he DOES in the universe? This is it exactly. Creating beings simply to oppose each other? A petty boredom to him when he can create complete races and civilizations that upon first contact with each other will erupt in deep seeded hatered of each other and massives destruction to both cultures. This is the purpose of Chaos in his own mind. This is the nature of the being I once served. This is the entertainment to the entity that won't leave me well enough alone. You may have missed seeing him back on Earth before we left, but I can almost guarentee he'll appear again soon enough. He can't resist./ Driss sends bitterly. =========================== Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 10:07:05 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sun, 24 May 1998 10:41:11 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004521 >On Sun, 24 May 1998 08:54:40 -0700 (MST) >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004519 > Responding to Zia's telepathic comments to Nemo, /And what exactly ^^^^^ Molly's. So, I am sounding like Zia now? >think Chaos IS? What do you think he DOES in the universe? This is it >exactly. Creating beings simply to oppose each other? A petty boredom >to him when he can create complete races and civilizations that upon >first contact with each other will erupt in deep seeded hatered of >each other and massives destruction to both cultures. This is the >purpose of Chaos in his own mind. This is the nature of the being I >once served. This is the entertainment to the entity that won't leave >me well enough alone. You may have missed seeing him back on Earth >before we left, but I can almost guarentee he'll appear again soon >enough. He can't resist./ Driss sends bitterly. /And you are saying this is a Good Thing, Driscoll? That you approve of the Grand Design and wish it to continue? I am well aware of Chaos' history and about his claims to being half of the grandier that is the balance between Order and Chaos in the Multiverse. I am aware of the balance between Pattern and Logrus from Zia's version of the Multiverse. And the Stardragon and Hydra's. And Stranger's. I understand the desire in some of this group to maintain a balance between these two forces. But ultimately, Driscoll, I don't believe in a creator. As far as I am concerned, there are no Gods in my cosmology, only beings more powerful than myself. That whatever runs the show is not a sentient being, and any sentient being claiming his will is the driving force of the Multiverse is lying. /What I am telling Nemo, quite simply, is he is making Jadis into a sympathetic character in my book. That his line of reasoning is more likely to draw me to Jadis' side in an attempt to free he and John from such a yoke. So they might both live free from the manipulations of Nemo's proposed hypothetical power-mad, petty tyrants. /If you wish to see Chaos as a God, by all means do. If that is what gets you through the day. But don't point to him as evidence that I should believe. Because, looking at your evidence, I see something far simpler and totally different than a Creator. I see a very powerful being who is attempting to bedazzle and bewilder people into thinking he is more than that. /In fact, in my.../ Molly pauses. /No, I will not make this personal. Driss, I don't believe in Gods, never have, never will. I will not worship anything that wants me to, let alone demands it, nor to whom cruelty is part of its Plan. Such a being will be damned lucky if I even respect it./ =========================== Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 12:09:08 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sun, 24 May 1998 12:48:34 -0700 (MST) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004523 > On Sun, 24 May 1998 10:41:11 -0500 > Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004521 > > /In fact, in my.../ Molly pauses. /No, I will not make this > personal. Driss, I don't believe in Gods, never have, never will. I > will not worship anything that wants me to, let alone demands it, > nor to whom cruelty is part of its Plan. Such a being will be damned > lucky if I even respect it./ /When I realized his true nature is when I turned on him and attempted to drive him away, sealing my cursed fate with the destruction of my dimention in my attempts. But while Chaos does claim to be the stuff that the multiverse sprung out of, he also admits to a higher power beyond himself that dictates his place in the sceme of things. Wether it's true or an excuse for his anticts I do not know. I don't care to spend my existance contemplating the balance and order vs Chaos or anything of the sort. I spend it just trying to survive, which isn't easy with Chaos mucking up my life whenever he gets bored or the desire to remind me that no matter how far I run I can't avoid him. One innocent dimention already paid the ultimate price for my trying to combat him. Survval is the only choice left. With games lke these I long ago lost respect for Chaos and even the ability to hate him. I've gone beyong loathing to complete disintrest. Not that that matters to him. Whether you see him as just another being in the multiverse or a God or a being yet beyond Gods his power is unquestionable and his humors most disgusting. But we waste time even with the speed of telepathy dscussing this now./ =========================== Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 13:05:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sun, 24 May 1998 13:44:53 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004524 >On Sun, 24 May 1998 12:48:34 -0700 (MST) >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004523 > > /When I realized his true nature is when I turned on him and >attempted to drive him away, sealing my cursed fate with the >destruction of my dimention in my attempts. But while Chaos does >claim to be the stuff that the multiverse sprung out of, he also >admits to a higher power beyond himself that dictates his place in >the sceme of things. Wether it's true or an excuse for his anticts I >do not know. I don't care to spend my existance contemplating the >balance and order vs Chaos or anything of the sort. I spend it just >trying to survive, which isn't easy with Chaos mucking up my life >whenever he gets bored or the desire to remind me that no matter how >far I run I can't avoid him. One innocent dimention already paid the >ultimate price for my trying to combat him. Survval is the only >choice left. With games lke these I long ago lost respect for Chaos >and even the ability to hate him. I've gone beyong loathing to >complete disintrest. Not that that matters to him. Whether you see >him as just another being in the multiverse or a God or a being yet >beyond Gods his power is unquestionable and his humors most >disgusting. But we waste time even with the speed of telepathy >dscussing this now./ /I don't see any need to discuss it./ Molly sent with a small smile, /I think we've come to a reasonable agreement on the subject. Your remarks simply confused me at first and I wanted to be sure I was being clear./ =========================== Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 14:37:06 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Sun, 24 May 1998 17:24:59 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00004525 << Paul Roslowski wrote: Jadis laughs, his anger rising, "You have stated your undying attempt to kill me. Very well. I declare you anathema, and you and all your works are to be toppled and broken until you call off your dogs and leave me in peace. For every annoyance you give unto me, my retribution will be ten-fold. This I shall remember, through all my lives it shall be so. I fear neither you nor your Stardragon, and you shall learn the error of your ways. _This_ I swear." >> Hydra does not answer. He simply stands there looking down at Jadis with one head. (OOC: Hydra does not argue. He might explain something, or give a warning but he doesn't argue, he acts. In this case the only thing that MIGHT work, would certainly KILL some, if not most of the CAoL present, so he waits.) =========================== Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 15:38:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Mon, 25 May 1998 14:40:56 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004528 >On Sun, 24 May 1998 09:30:31 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004518 > > Roland? Now I think would be a good time for Jadis and Roland to >have their little conversation. Because if this keeps up you all may >actually offer Jadis something he wouldn't turn down. If you want to >stick Roland and Jadis' comments to each other just before what Molly >says that would be perfect. I don't know if you want to do a touch up >on that or what, but it gives Jadis enough time to do a slow burn so >he can respond just after Molly finishes her speech. OOC: Well, I _do_ want to get it posted as soon as possible, but don't sweat it-Molly just set Roland off. See below. >On Sat, 23 May 1998 23:30:02 -0500 >Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004517 > >/Nemo,/ Molly sends, /if this is some attempt to irk Jadis as he has >irked Driss and Roland, it is, I believe, ill-advised. I am certain >that the creator of such a 'cock fight' would find maybe Jadis, >probably John and Rhia, and most definitely myself, Dad, the twins, >and many others willing to put off everything else to stop such a >vile creature. Creating two beings to be pitted against one another >in a fight to the death, or whatever term is relevant here, is not >any Grand Design my family will by any means stand by and watch./ /One impossibility at a time,/ Roland sends with as close to a humorous tone as his vast reserves of rage will allow. >>"Attacks on innocent bystanders _are_ attacks on you. Due to the >>very nature and make-up of this group attacks on bystanders are an >>excellent diversionary tactic. If nothing else it serves to divide >> and weaken your powers and attention." > >/A tactic that we have proven is quite effective./ Molly adds. /You >may find it repugnant, but it is easy, obvious, and guarenteed to >work with near certainty. I certainly do not fault the logic./ Roland throws Molly a shocked expression for a moment...then his face goes completely placid. /Of course. Then again, the logical solution is to kill the bastich. That, too, would be an effective 'tactic,' wouldn't you agree?/ Sil looks at Roland with concern. /You're not serious, are you?/ Roland merely smiles a wolf's smile... >Molly's head is turned away from Jadis, which fortunately hides the >fact that she is just barely checking a tidal wave of frustration and >anger. After an eternity that lasts all of five seconds, she gets >herself under control. > >/Jadis has no ammunition on me. He can't point out any flaws in me I >haven't already seen and accepted, even come to appreciate. My entire >life has made me the woman I am today, and I regret -none- of it. In >fact, I take some pride in most of it. I suggest some of you harden >your armor. Jadis -can't exploit- what you -don't let him-. But each >time you snap back at him, you show he succeeded. You affix a target >to it, and give him permission to shoot. Jadis' opinion of me means >absolutely -nothing- to me. I am here -to do a job- and get it over >with. If anyone isn't after the same thing I am, I would appreciate >knowing -now- so we can plan around each other./ /Okay. I AM the leader, and since you don't seem happy with the way things are going, I'll explain _my_ POV on this. /I no longer _care_ what Jadis believes, or what he wants, or how he intends to get there. Using the wrong model? That implies we're trying to negotiate with someone who will actually give up what he has or wants. Jadis _is_ evil. He has said as much. He has harmed, enslaved and killed countless innocents, and declared his intention to do so to countless more. Yes, John comes first-(OOC: IIRC, we don't know that Zia's a prisoner yet)-but Jadis _must_be_ stopped._ We might end the struggle between John and Jadis, but how many helpless noncoms would pay the price?/ The darkness Mandy and Raver saw flickering in the back of Roland's spirit a while back has grown enough to be 'visible' to anyone who 'looks.' /No compromise with the servants of Oblivion; that was the first thing I was taught when I trained to battle the Nephandi-the lords of corruption on my world. I was not aware that Jadis was so completely given over to that. Now I am. We can't fight this construct before us, but Jadis is _not_ unstoppable and he _will_ go down...one way or another./ Roland's eyes seem to be followed by shadows... =========================== Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 16:37:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Earth-9 negotiations On Mon, 25 May 1998 16:29:05 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004529 (OOC: This takes place before Our Dinner With Jadis. For those who wish to respond, assume that this happens during the three-hour walk to the grove we're in now.) "The depredations of the so-called 'Kindred' are _far_ beyond any that the faerie folk have ever committed!" Duke Dray of the Sidhe insisted, his fist slamming into the table. "The 'Kindred' are magickal constructs, which we suspect were created by liaisons between Pride Ano- pheles and your kind. The Anopheles have been sanctioned. Have you done the same?" Paragon Jason (yes, THAT Jason) of the Magdalen replied coldly. "Gentlemen, gentlemen!" Fall Breeze of the Akashics sighed as she stood and raised her hands. "This sort of bickering serves no one. Lady Morgan was attempting to provide common ground for these negotiations, but we cannot have any agreements while the Eternals and the Faerie continue to leap for each others' throats!" "Thank you, Madame Ambassador," Morgan spoke evenly. It was apparent that this was not the first time tempers had erupted. "Your Grace, my words were _not_ meant as an attack on your people. But if we are going to resolve the issues before us, we first have to agree on exactly _what_ the issues _are_. I was simply listing the allegations made by all sides. _Then_ they can be dealt with." Morgan sighed, and looked at each representative in turn. "I thought we were here because we'd agreed that it would be to everyone's advantage to turn your resources to better uses than warring with each other. Is that a correct assumption, or do we need to go back over _that_ ground again?" The Highlander was smiling, but her eyes made it clear what she thought the answer should be. The Magdalen Paragon nodded silently. Duke Dray stared at the Highlander coolly, but sat back down all the same. "Thank you, Dray," High King David whispered. "I but serve Concordia, my King." *This is going to take a very long time,* Fall Breeze sent to Morgan. *Most of the Eternals consider the Faerie invaders, while the Fae believe the human immortals to have evicted them from their rightful homes. I sincerely hope you have a plan of discourse.* *Not yet,* Morgan replies, *but I'm beginning to understand their differences, and it doesna' look as though it'll be that hard to build a compromise if we can get them to get past the old wounds. At least they're _talking._ So long as they don't stop doin' _that,_ this is goin' tae work.* "Good Gentles, I know that things have happened in the past that give reason to the disagreements. But we cannot change what is past." Out of the corner of her eye, Morgan catches the smile on the face of the representative of the Cultists of Ecstasy. Before the Ecstatic can say a word, Morgan sends one. *Wrinkle.* The time mage's smile vanishes. "The best we can do," Morgan continues without missing a beat, "Is to acknowledge what has gone before, and try to build from there." ...later, after Morgan had returned home for the day... ^Hi honey,^ Morgan sends after checking to make sure Roland wasn't otherwise occupied. ^Hello, love. What's the news back home?^ ^They're sitting at a table together and talking civilly. That's about as much as we can hope for just now.^ Roland chuckles mentally. ^My love, that in itself is a miracle. You're doing a great job.^ ^I just think I could do better if I could make more sense of Thorne's memories. Like this one. Does this mean anything to _you?_^ Morgan shows Roland a memory. KnightMare is wearing the Last Ring, a golden helmet in one hand, an ebony sword inscribed with runes in the other. A swirling pool of metal is before it. It drops first the helm, then the sword, into the smelter. Vast energies clash against one another briefly, but a look from KnightMare quells the violence. A brief burst of light lances into the machine, and a suit of armor-designed for a Shadow-emerges. ^"holy bloody sprocking nass,"^ Roland whispers. ^The Helm of Nabu and Mournblade. He just mixed them together like flour and water.^ ^And this means...what, exactly?^ Morgan asks. Roland comes back to his senses. ^My love, those are two of the most powerful artifacts _anywhere._ The Helm of Nabu has a Lord of Order within it, granting its wearer almost godlike magickal powers. Within Mournblade is-was-a Lord of _Chaos,_ more powerful than Arioch, that could devour _souls_ when the blade killed a body. KnightMare just put them together as if it were something that happens every day. What it did was flat-out IMPOSSIBLE, and you know how often _I_ use that word. ^We're in trouble.^ ^"holy bloody sprocking nass,"^ Morgan whispers... =========================== Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 04:35:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Mon, 25 May 1998 21:22:58 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004530 In mail you write: >>/And -shooting- him isn't going to work, people, cause it doesn't >>-matter to him-. If you want John and Zia back without a fight, >>you're going to have to think of something better to bargain with. >>-Why- do you think I have been trying to get every last detail out >>of him on this conflict he and John seem to be stuck in? I am >>looking for some way to break that cord that binds them into this >>eternal cock fight. Looking for -any- weak link that can be >>-exploited- to get those two -out of there-, and -maybe- if I am >>-really lucky-, end this whole thing -forever- while keeping >>-everybody alive-!/ Nemo sends /Molly, It may not look like it to you, but my actions have been intended to determine things I needed to know about Jadis, and to check for possible weaknesses. Not physical ones, 'psychological' ones. And to confirm things I only knew thru hearsay./ /And though we approach it from very different angles, some of my 'irking' of Jadis was an attempt to determine parameters of the struggle that you aren't considering. Either some 'being' set up this conflict between John and Jadis, or they set it up themselves. There's no third alternative that holds up under scrutiny. Either way, there must be some sort of 'rules'. I chose to explore the former possibility, you chose the latter. Just remember that what Jadis believes is not necessarily the truth./ =========================== Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 05:37:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE 4: Part 8 of The Stowaway's Gambit - Unhappy Returns On Tue, 26 May 1998 06:54:24 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00004531 John looks around the mental glade where so much has taken place, "Do you feel up for a walk?" he asks. She tests her balance, requiring his aid to get standing even with the tree. She seems to morph a hand part way into the bark, and comes back with her fingers wrapped about a gnarly cane much heavier in appearance than it seems she would need. Unless, like Nemo and the other high-techers, you know why she weighs almost 3/4 tons. As they walk the landscape changes, becoming that of a beautiful city with many gardens, "Babylon. Jewel of the East. Rivaled only by Atlantis itself in splendor and learning." Zia smiles, "It's beautiful. Do you recall the Hanging Gardens? I always wondered what they were really like." Every now and then, she pauses to look at some plant. More to catch her breath than really peruse the horticulture, however, she does seem to be recovering at an almost perceptible rate, now. They continue walking, "This is the home of my favorite past life. He wasn't Awakened, he was just a simple gardener, a highly respected one at that." John takes them by gurgling fountains and wide, open courtyards, "It was a peaceful life. I realize what a treasure that is, now. Gardens... yes, it's as fitting a place as any. Let me tell you about how this all started. It was on a garden world..." OOC: {See In the Beginning, parts one and two, to be posted concurrently.} John finishes up, "Unfortunately, I had overestimated my own abilities. I wasn't used to dealing with circuitry, and ended up trapped. The Controller gave the prison to Jadis, and now I reside on his left breast in the star-burst pendant. If that's broken I will be freed, but I am prohibited from taking any action to free myself. As you are trapped in here with me, you can't break the prison, so I can tell you." He seems rather pleased with that last pronouncement. [John's been wracking his brain since you arrived trying to twist his way around _that_ particular prohibition.] Zia nods, and her mouth does that small, crooked almost smile expression. "There is that. So how effectively trapped are we? Does it take some special thing to break it, too?" She doesn't look like it's unpleasantly surprising news, that she is trapped here as well. John looks thoughtful, "I cannot be freed short of the breaking of the jewel. You however, still possess a link to the outside. If something were to push on the boundaries of the prison, you could probably escape back into your body." The brunette nods, "I'll stay alert, but warn me if you think there is a chance." John asks, "Do you know Benedict?" "He is the one who introduced me to... my heritage? My family?" She thinks about the phrasing a moment, then decides on - "To Amber. He... is my uncle. But our relationship was not really cozily familial... none of the Royals tend to that. I worked for him, and in exchange, he helped me." She shrugs, slightly. "He wouldn't go out of his way to help me." John takes on a distracted look, "I've been monitoring the group through Rhia. Everything relating to a threat to Jadis I have to relate to him. Damn, he's snowing them pretty good." John snorts, "He's also working on Roland, very, very, subtly. Increasing his anger and whatnot. This does not look good." "No kidding? They haven't realized that Rhia and you are a direct link _yet_?" She shakes her head. "That is right, isn't it. Mike isn't with them to be properly paranoid about security. And no one can probably deduce the connection is that strong between you and Rhia, or has had time to do that thought yet." She frowns, a bit. "Although you'd think they'd know you two better than _I_, who am not even a member of the CAoL." John looks at Zia, "If you get free," he winces as he skirts the edge of his limitations, "there is only one path that will lead to Jadis' stronghold. You've been to the courts, you know how it is there. Well, here reality is even more malleable to Jadis. This is the path through the forest, then through the center of this town, close to but _not_ through this other town, straight north, through the hills, and straight towards the castle you'll see from there." John sends Zia a picture of each route as he mentions it. She concentrates intensely - seemingly used to such landmark-styled directions, and remembering each picture photographically. John is rushing his words out and looking almost helpless in the face of what is to come, "Remember that killing Jadis is a _bad_ thing to do until after I'm free, and that I'll take care of the barbed wire." John reaches a hand to Zia's forehead and there is a flash. "That should do it." Just then Jadis drives the first bolt through Zia's hand as he prepares the setting for his fight with Roland. "Barbed _wire_?!?" Then her eyes grow so wide the white show all around, and she exclaims forcibly, "Ahhhhhieeee!!" while grabbing a hand in the other, even as her mentally-envisioned Dreamtime body fades from John's place. As John pushes her out of the prison he is bound into, she barely manages not to make a telltale moan as the pain of the injury hits. Thankfully, when Jadis starts the _next_ pin, driving it into the other hand, she faints for a time, thus ending the need to cover her return from what Jadis would see as brain death coma AND the pain. Zia manages to set a sneaky cover for her returned mentalism before the shock of the injuries and blood loss drives her consciousness under into velvet blackness and arguing voices... =========================== Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 17:09:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Tue, 26 May 1998 17:31:29 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004532 >On Mon, 25 May 1998 21:22:58 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00004530 > >Nemo sends > >/Molly, It may not look like it to you, but my actions have been > intended to determine things I needed to know about Jadis, and to > check for possible weaknesses. Not physical ones, 'psychological' > ones. And to confirm things I only knew thru hearsay./ > >/And though we approach it from very different angles, some of my > 'irking' of Jadis was an attempt to determine parameters of the > struggle that you aren't considering. Either some 'being' set up > this conflict between John and Jadis, or they set it up themselves. > There's no third alternative that holds up under scrutiny. Either > way, there must be some sort of 'rules'. I chose to explore the > former possibility, you chose the latter. Just remember that what > Jadis believes is not necessarily the truth./ Molly sends, /Actually, as I said it, I was considering it. I don't think either John or Jadis would do this willingly, so there would seem to be some unseen factor driving them. I just don't want to be killed for my curiousity./ =========================== Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 17:09:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Negotiations? On Tue, 26 May 1998 17:31:16 -0500 Molly Said As CAoL Message # 00004533 >On Mon, 25 May 1998 14:40:56 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00004528 > > Roland throws Molly a shocked expression for a moment...then his >face goes completely placid. /Of course. Then again, the logical >solution is to kill the bastich. That, too, would be an effective >'tactic,' wouldn't you agree?/ /Of course it would,/ Molly sends, taking a sip of water, /It was my mother's cure for Xzerrion's possesion by a demon, according to her notes and Pyewackett's recollections of the time in question./ Privately to Xzerrion, Molly sends, ^Personally, I am glad she didn't get her wish, but liking a tactic and understanding it are two different things. Mother goes for the expediant solution to the 'patient's' problem. I would much rather find the one that cures the patient while still keeping him breathing.^ > /I no longer _care_ what Jadis believes, or what he wants, or how >he intends to get there. Using the wrong model? That implies we're >trying to negotiate with someone who will actually give up what he >has or wants. Jadis _is_ evil. He has said as much. He has harmed, >enslaved and killed countless innocents, and declared his intention >to do so to countless more. Yes, John comes first-(OOC: IIRC, we ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >don't know that Zia's a prisoner yet)-but Jadis _must_be_ stopped._ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >We might end the struggle between John and Jadis, but how many >helpless noncoms would pay the price?/ > The darkness Mandy and Raver saw flickering in the back of >Roland's spirit a while back has grown enough to be 'visible' to >anyone who 'looks.' /No compromise with the servants of Oblivion; >that was the first thing I was taught when I trained to battle the >Nephandi-the lords of corruption on my world. I was not aware that >Jadis was so completely given over to that. Now I am. We can't fight >this construct before us, but Jadis is _not_ unstoppable and he >_will_ go down...one way or another./ > Roland's eyes seem to be followed by shadows... Molly looks around the group. /Alright, good luck, Roland./ she sends with a tone of 'It's -your- funeral.' /Since my bargaining style would be ruined by yours, and you are the leader, I won't interfere in your negotiations anymore./ Molly picks up her chair and takes it down to the opposite end of the table from Roland, Nemo and Jadis. /I'll just move down here so I won't be tempted to pass any more notes./ Molly places her chair about ten feet away from the table so she can watch the proceedings of the entire group. Jack wanders over and grazes on a bit of the grass nearby as Molly sits down and pulls a walkman and a paperback out of her pocket. Crossing her legs, Molly settles in to read _Prince of Chaos_ as rock music can barely be heard from the table. =========================== Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 17:07:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Roland, Jadis and Zia's showdown On Wed, 27 May 1998 19:41:58 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00004534 Jadis is silent for a long moment, staring at Roland. He's tried to be a nice guy and it obviously isn't working. His anger mounts as he thinks on the unreasonableness of them all. Besides, Roland looked to be at just about the right frame of mind. He kicks back his seat and advances on Roland, "You want know what I want? _You_ _Want_ _To_ _Know_ _What_ _I_ _Want_? I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I WANT!" Jadis grabs Rolands collar and pulls them both sideways through a doorway he creates in the air next to them. Upon going through he throws Roland so that Roland rolls a bit before standing. Roland is in a dark, stone hall. When Roland gets up Jadis is not where the doorway was, he's farther back in the darkness of the hall. Morgan, sitting in on yet another negotiation session between the mages and psions of Earth-9, has been half-monitoring the CAoL . When Jadis grabs Roland, her breath catches and she begins paying more attention. Those still in the glade see Jadis grab Roland and pull, leaving behind a copy of Jadis. The doorway, (which you all no doubt try to trace and hold) merely becomes a viewing screen, with no sound and a slightly blurred picture. Jadis turns back at to the group, "Sorry, about that, but there was no reasoning with the man. I'm going to let him work out his aggressions and perhaps then he'll talk more rationally. I'll return him to you after he heals." {Note: Zia's body is unrecognizable and mostly out of sight for this entire thing. You can suspect, but you cannot know.) Roland frowns briefly...then smiles. His staff pops out, and he flows into dragon stance. "Oh man, did _you_ pick the wrong day to mess with me. If you wanted to commit suicide, you should have just called Dr. Kervorkian. This is gonna hurt a _lot_ more." [My hunny, always the wise-ass,] Morgan thinks to herself, hiding a smile. Jadis gestures and the torches flare into brightness. Hanging from two wooden beams set at angles is Zia's body. Her hands have large metal bolts through them, anchoring them to the wood. Them same is true for her feet, though one bolt goes through both of them. Barbed wire is wrapped around the body and beams, with dried blood running down her body. Jadis walks around behind her, "She was foolish enough to come here and oppose me." He continues to the right of the body, pulling out a long knife and slicing down her arm. He licks the blade, "Her soul tasted exquisite. Continue to oppose me, Phoenix, and you and the rest of that group of yours will share her fate." He stares right at Roland and moves a few steps forward, "But not your wife. Morgan I will give to the Cenobytes for the pleasure of hearing her screams. I look forward to the day where she learns to enjoy screaming." ^Eeewwww.^ It's obvious from her 'tone' that Morgan isn't really worried. What worries her more is that Roland doesn't seem to notice her sending at all. Roland's eyes go wide when he sees Zia's body, and he starts blazing more and more brightly as Jadis' horrific litany continues...except for one dark spot centered around his chest. "DIE, YOU WALKING MAGGOT PILE!" Roland screams finally, a hideously powerful blast of energy rocketing into Jadis. Jadis' shields go up, and he absorbs most of the blast into himself. He hisses, "FOOL! At least _she_ had the intelligence to set limits on what I could do." Roland smiles viciously. "I didn't 'let go' of that energy." The energy explodes back _out_ of Jadis, with rather unpleasant consequenses for the sorceror. ^Oowww! Good one!^ The Immortal's mate's commentary falls on deaf 'ears'. Jadis screams as the energy leaves him. He falls to one knee and curls slightly. The smell of burnt flesh fills the room. Jadis looks up at Roland, his face is horrible scarred with third degree burns over his entire body. The sheer rage burning in his eyes is horrible to behold. "Very good, Phoenix, but not good enough," he rasps through seared lungs. Jadis' boiled eyes go completely black as his aura grows around him. His jaw unhinges like a snakes and a cone of force twice as powerful as Rolands blasts forth, twin beams shooting from his eyes as well. Roland's forcefield flares a brilliant blue-white as its integrity is strained to the limit. The immortal absorbs as much of the force as he can, and redirects as much of the rest as his shield will take. He tries to teleport, but learns the hard way what Jadis has done to space-time... With Roland having survived the initial retribution, Jadis seems enraged, doubling and redoubling his efforts to destroy Roland. Creatures out of nightmare come whistling out of nothingness, beams of raw magical power blast into the immortal from all angles, sights which would destroy a strong mind assail him. Roland dodges as best as he can, tearing energy away from both Jadis and his attacks, but the sorceror seems to be everywhere at once to the maddened immortal. His forcefield has great gouts torn through it, and Roland himself is savaged by the multiple energies striking him simultaneously. The darkness grows... And with it, Morgan's concern for her beloved. Jadis voice sounds, crazed and low, "You will know agonies beyond measure for this, Phoenix. I shall _personally_ create children from your DNA for the sole purpose of torturing them as well. I will make your wife _beg_ me to slice her." [OK, enough of this noise.] "Good gentles," Morgan's soft but commanding tones cut off the current argument at the barganing table. "I regret that an urgent personal matter has come up which I _must_ attend to immediately." She smiles. "Please, don't let my absence stop you from making further progress." "But Lady Morgan...." She is out of the room and halfway home before anyone can object. "I don't _think_ so." Roland screams. And focuses the scream like a laser. And amplifies the scream. Tenfold. A hundred. A thousand. You get the picture. Then he yanks a torch out of the wall and hurls it at Jadis' arm... teleporting _Jadis_ at the last moment. Then a swirling, spiralling mass of mortar flies at Jadis...from behind. Jadis looks at the spike protruding from his arm and reaches down to grab it when he detects the mortar coming at him. He turns sideways to be able to see the mortar, which begins to heat as if it was entering the atmosphere. By the time it reaches Jadis , it is merely a warm wind of vaporized rock. When Jadis is done dealing with that, he sees Roland... right in his face, staff out, moving at inhuman speed, attacking from every direction, biokinetic disruption following every strike. Jadis pulls the spike out of his arm, morphing it into his kris as he blocks the staff. Another kris appears in his other hand, the hole left by the spike not seeming to slow him down much. Jadis moves just as fast as Roland as they trade blows. Roland swings toward the ducking Jadis' head, turning it into a tripping move on the way back. Jadis steps over the staff as it goes by and uses his kris to block the blow from the other end of the staff. He thrusts for Rolands midsection only to have the blow knocked to the side. Roland thrusts for Jadis middle but Jadis steps aside and grabs the staff, dropping a kris in the process. Jadis twists the staff around, reversing his kris in the process, and thrusts for Rolands heart down the length of the staff. Roland lets go of the staff and rolls backward, returning to a standing position. Jadis throws the staff aside and moves on Roland, kris at the ready. He slashes at Roland, who leans back out of range. Jadis keeps the blade whirling in front of him, switching hands and grips as neccesary. Roland is hard pressed to duck and dodge, but just as he begins to see a pattern in Jadis' bladeplay Jadis' foot lashes out of nowhere to kick him in the stomach. Roland manages to dodge the next slash but not the punch that follows. Jadis then kicks Roland in the stomach and head, straightening him for the roundhouse kick that follows. Roland flies back, tumbles to the ground, and rolls to his feet. He is almost unaffected by the beating he was just subjected to. Unnoticed, Zia's body is sweating in reaction to the shock of the trauma of what Jadis has done. She's drawing energy as fast as she can to 'change' it, but can't afford to alert Jadis yet. So she 'lies doggo' watching the tremendous fight through slit eyelids, and the eyelids themselves on some of the brighter bursts. Blood trails from her wounds, streaking her skin (and clothing, probably) down to the floor. Jadis extends his hand and fires bolts of energy from the palm, following Roland as Roland ducks and runs around the room. Finally he stops in order to marshall his strength. Roland laughs, sounding as crazed as Jadis. "Is _this_ what you wanted? You wanted a pointless fight? You wanted senseless destruction? Fine-you got it!" Roland strikes back with a telepathic blast; there is no subtlety left in Roland's style, though. It's as if he dropped a crazed tiger onto Jadis' mind shields. At the same time, he 'pulses' his metapsi powers, enhancing and inhibiting Jadis' powers at random intervals no longer than a significant fraction of a second. Once again Jadis' cry can be heard to ring through the room as Rolands blast hits Jadis' shields. The attacks on Roland lessen slightly as Jadis's shields hold, but barely. Then the metapsi powers make themselves felt. Phantasms fade away upon appearing. Energy blasts tear huge holes in the walls. Jadis is beyond rage now, "Death is too good for you, Phoenix. I'm going to keep you alive to _watch_ as I break your wife and descendants. I'm going to make you help." [Like hell,] Morgan thinks coldly as she reaches their home. She bursts into the front hall, throwing her briefcase on the table and heading upstairs to change. These cloths were suited for battles of words, not for where she was planning to go. "You're getting ambitious, sorceror," Roland laughs- then his face turns deadly serious, "for a man whose remaining lifespan can be measured in SECONDS!" Jadis merely smiles. ^Roland, don't let him get to you.^ [_Listen_, you damn stubborn....] She raises her mental 'voice'. ^Anger is a weapon only to one's opponent! Stay focused!^ This wasn't like him, and Morgan was beginning to worry. Roland strikes at Jadis' control over energy telepathically while delivering a final psychokinetic blast across the energy spectrum. Jadis staggers, falling to one knee, one hand keeping him from falling over. He looks up at Roland, drained and unable to continue to attack. Roland's eyes are black holes, his clothing is a terrifying variant on his 'MiB' outfit, and his smile belongs on a vampire about to feed. He waves at the scenery with his (now jagged) sword. "Nice reality. I'll _take_ it!" And with that, he pulls the blade back and prepares to take Jadis' head... ^ROLAND!^ Morgan's 'voice' was a mixture of shock and concern. Roland stops in shock. An image fills his mind. The gravesite of Captain Mar-Vell, and his epitaph: 'Do not become your enemy to defeat your enemy.' [Light...what have I beco-] Jadis, seeing Roland waver, snarls and slams his two fists into Roland's jaw. "Fool, you could have had it all," he screams as he just savagely beats Roland. His supposedly drained energies reinforce each blow, sparking as they crash through the pitiful shield Roland can put up. Jadis doesn't notice the blue skimming power faint on Zia's spilled Blood. Very slowly, she begins working one wrist, cartilage agaisnt the broad head of the nail, bringing night-black, alloy-coated skeletal bones up to the surface slowly to minimize damage, her breath slow and controlled to avoid slipping into shock NOW. Push out... the nail doesn't budge. Pull back in. Slight motion. Roland staggers slowly to his feet, bleeding both energy and the more traditional fluid. He grins widely, and several teeth are slowly beginning to grow back. "Looks like you win, Jadis. Or do you?" Jadis looks down on the immortal, "I win no matter what." [As I said before, _like_ _hell_.] Morgan grabs Aramegil. Deciding she'd better take the house along, [Never know how long we're going to be gone on these trips ], she heads out the front door.... Roland falls to his knees; not so much in defeat as out of exhaustion. Then he holds up his right hand. "I do have one last card to play, though." Roland's arm crackles with energy...and the ring shoots off his finger. It, and a considerable amount of his remaining energy, fly on to Zia's finger, restoring her. "GO!" An astoundingly loud, villain-quality laugh reverbrates as the petite figure's aura flames then ROARS to life, Roland's initial buirst becoming a conflagration of blue and white hot flames, whipping around her. The nails MELT and the molten metal runs through her without harm. Her wounds are already healing clear over, as she stands there, hands on her hips. "Have no concern for your life, kinsman. He can no more kill you right now than I could. Precisely, so to speak." She laughs again, and looks a bit amazed at the wreathing of fire and less mundane energies. "The last spark of a Pheonix's power is a most powerful magic. Although I did not know before that such a thing could be gifted to another." She sounds as good as... no, well, actually better than she did last time Jadis fought her. Much better. Roland chuckles. "'Kinsman.' I like the sound of that. Welcome to the family." He turns to the sorceror. "Just ain't you're day, is it Jadis?" ...Only to find herself facing half a dozen Nephandi with exceedingly unpleasant smiles. [Oh, bloody hell,] Morgan sighs. Jadis straightens painfully, the battered and torn mind shields snapping back into place as strong as they were at they beginning of the fight, "No, I would say it isn't." He taps Roland on the forehead. Roland falls unconscious. The viewing screen in the glade fades away at this point. Whether or not anyone is watching it. (Cont.) ===========================