Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4
                              Chapter 60

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:06:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: AAE 4: The ThirdSpace Mission

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 18:54:57
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005606

>On Sun, 23 Aug 1998 14:59:38 -0500
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005566
>
><ooSC/> I'm a bit confused - what are these Lensmen in Thirdspace
>like? Do they actually HAVE Lenses, or did the Eddorians kill off the
>Arisians before the breeding programs were complete? I will try and
>move this forwards a bit anyway... </ooSC>

   (OOC: No Lensmen. No Arisians either, at least not native to this
universe. _But,_ the Kinnison and MacDougal lines are here...yes, the
GM _does_ have a plan. <EG>)

>Then, he cross-checks with the rebel forces, eliminating their minds
>from his plot, held in his mind like a chess master would "see" a
>game even without physical pieces and a board. *All right. These are
>the top five. Pick twenty more. Form up five teams of four, who can
>meld if needed. Send me a teep, a telekinetic, and a screamer, or
>jammer, whichever you call that, to work on my team - someone has to
>keep the ship under cover while I take down the remaining Eddorians.
>I expect they'll try to run after I pick off the first two, maybe
>three. You'll HAVE to slow them enough to keep them on THIS side of
>the gate, until we have enough stations locked down the gate
>collapses.*

   *We don't have any 'real' telekinetics, but the Palanians have a
similar hyperspace ability,* Worsel replies. *Nadreck?*
   *I would require knowledge of your precise need for the ability of
remote movement,* Nadreck sends. *The details might prove important.*
   (OOC: Nadreck's a stickler for details, but the GM ain't; his
ability involves warping space, so I'm giving him 'TK' with the limit
'inertialess.' I know that all we ever see Palanians do is 'port, but
IIRC there _are_ no kinetics in the Lensman universe.)

>*Prepare to receive targets. These are stations without Eddorian or
>Plooran minds in charge directly on the stations. Have your teams
>subborn ships like mine; we're going to bait and swtich them.
>Otherwise, they'd just go all out to take out mine. I may use one
>teleport during the combat as true confusion. That is about all I
>have left; I'm much stronger as a telepath than a teleportative.
>Unless you have a teleporter who can take the side radiation I'll
>generate in battle with an Eddorian mind. I won't have enough jets
>left over to completely shield another mind.*

   *I believe that I can assist you with that,* Nadreck continues,
*though I have no intention of actually combating an Eddoran
mind-to-mind personally, of course.*
   *Just leave that rat Helmuth for me,* Kimball sends grimly. *He and
I have a score to settle. Besides, I'm the only one of you who knows
his mind well enough to duplicate it, so no speeches about 'not
getting personal,' got it, Worsel?*
   *Wouldn't dream of it,* Worsel replies as innocently as 30 feet of
living destruction can.

>*An engineer who might be able to figure out how to destroy a Black
>Box physically if given the time for study might also be a good idea,
>once we've taken over completely one of the stations. Add one outfit
>of your equivalent of Marines, to board, storm and hold it once I've
>taken out the Fat Cat. Do you agree? Any better ideas are welcome.*

   *You have the green light, Mr. Bond,* Kimball sends. *We figured
giving the Black Boxes new marching orders would be more effective
than just blowing them up-and we're not sure anything short of that
death ray you sent through here can do the job-but closing them down
has top priority.*
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:10:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rising to Apotheosis

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 22:06:48 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005607

Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005595
> /Calling all Lensmen not engaged currently - is it possible for my
> mind to handle the stress involved in bringing a Lens designed for
> another into existance? James has need of such knowledge, but I'm
> not sure that I can handle the Third Level of Stress that would, I
> estimate, be a side-effect of the process. Can anyone please advise
> me?/ Zia sends.

/I am not a Lensman, however I do know something about it/ Dragon's
Bane answers. /A mind stable at the second level of stress, would be
at extreme risk trying to create a true lens, without unusual
circumstances. If you need to create a lens for another being, I can
help you there. Link your mind to mine, and to the mind of the person
needing the lens, and I will be able to make a lens for that person.
It won't take significant energy, and I have sufficient "free"
capacity at this time for the effort involved./
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:37:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Fire and Brimstone

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:22:43
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005609

>On Mon, 24 Aug 1998 16:30:20 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005582
>
>John raises his right hand over his head and catches the sword with a
>grunt. He slowly turns until he faces Brimstone. A fey smile crosses
>his face, then he jumps straight at Brimstone, energy drain on
>maximum and a set of Saphire claws covering his hands.

   The sword turns out to be entirely plasma; the 'blade' vanishes
right into John. When John claws him (assuming he does) a burst of
flame shoots out of the shallow wound; Brimstone's skin has the
tensile strength of Adamantium/Promethium (the Marvel/DC 'wonder
metals,' respectively). Brimstone doesn't bother reforming the plasma
sword, instead slamming a huge fist at John. If John dodges, Brimstone
concentrates a moment, and a _physical_ blade as resilient as he is
forms from the hilt, and it's swiiiing batta! <g>
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:37:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: The Thirdspace Mission

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:29:49
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005610

>On Mon, 24 Aug 1998 17:02:00 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005583
>
>  On the Eddorian side of the gate, a large jump point opens right in
>the middle of a group of Eddorian ships and the Spoiler flows
>through. Three miles of beweaponed death, it immediately opens fire
>while expelling it's contingent of roughly 800 single man fighters
>drawn from everywhere John's been in his journeys. They take up
>position practically in front of the gate, daring the Eddorians to
>bull their way through.

   The twelve city-sized space stations, the several thousand capitol
ships, and the _millions_ of Vorlon cyberfighters, seem colossally
unimpressed. (The Gate isn't big enough to let more than a few
capitols through at a time, and they're going to have to widen it a
_lot_ if they want to get a station in.)

>  John, /Sigh. There goes my equipment budget... Hey, anyone want a
>cigarette lighter? I might be able to fit this guy inside one if I
>push hard enough./

   (OOC: ROFLMAO! Given the high level of 'chaos' in the area at the
moment, I'll let you pull it off if you can _get_ a lighter...)
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:06:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rising to Apotheosis (repost & expanded)

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:46:52
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005611

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 08:22:06 -0400
>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005596
>
>>On Mon, 24 Aug 1998 20:38:01
>>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005590
>>   /Legion?/ Sil asks. /Legion, come in./
>
>Legion, however, made no reply. The gesault had been damaged... now
>it was all her scattered personas could do to hold themselves
>together and continue their quest to support the pilots.

   /May I assist?/ Sil asks simply.

>Natalia hesitated before the exit to the medlab. This would probably
>be the last time she'd ever see her sister. She turned, looking back
>at where Susan stood beside Dr. Franklin, and gave her sister a small
>smile that belied the pain tearing her up inside.
>
>Their eyes met.

   *Natalia?* Susan sent weakly. (This Susan is the baseline, below
even P-1, and she's distracted.) *Natia? Natia, I _know_ you, it's all
right, I don't know how I know you, but I do.* Susan holds out her
hand, shaking slightly, remembering her mother going into
convulsions...her sister, her baby sister that she would never meet
because of the damned drugs, was standing here in front of her...
   (OOC: Susan's in tepe-overload shock, BTW. She absorbed a _lot_ o'
info that isn't hers in this timeline...)
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:38:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: The evils that Chaosi Groo

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:22:44
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005612

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 12:53:33 EDT
>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005600
<snip of...well...chaos!>
> But Chaos could see what was going on outside the vial as well. As
>Chaos became more inactive in the rest of the universe, Order was
>being forced to take the place, making Chaos the norm. Randomitnity
>was going wild and becoming hte norm. Once all of the Chaosi were in
>the vial they would be freed by the changes forced on them by the
>Balance. But there might be a way to be freed first.

   Except for one tiny problem...
   Z'On'Dar looked up. *It...it's beautiful...*
   (OOC: It doesn't worship Chaos the way it used to, having moved
toward Balance, but it still appreciates chaos from an...aesthetic
POV...)
   "You cannot allow this to continue," a woman within what looked
like a block of ice said. (OOC: this woman looks exactly like the
Vorlon representation from Into the Fire.)
   "Why not?" Z'On'Dar replied. "This will not affect my plans in the
slightest, and it is quite enjoyable to watch."
   "I am necessary to your construct," Order said. "Bound as I am, I
cannot restore balance, and chaos will run rampant throughout this
universe."
   "For..." Z'On'Dar looked at a monitor. "Thirty minutes at the
most." The Shadow glanced at its other prisoners, the Primals who had
tried to interfere with its plans-Phoenix, Entropy, and Eternity-and
satisfied itself that they were still immobilized. "Then my Work will
be complete."

> From inside the vial and single Chaosi could not affect the outside
>world, but 20 million combined could hardly be stopped. Chaos acted
>fast before his helpers changed their minds and combined all their
>power to bring a force to help them from across a billion dimentions.

   Within the Velvet Glove, Sil cringes...

> Groo walks straight towards the castle until he runs smack into the
>dome. "Hey!! I have run into the wall that you forgot to build! Move
>ti so I may pass!"

   "Fool!" A puff of yellow smoke says. "It is _you_ who shall move!"
A badly-drawn version of the Marvel Universe's God of Mischief
appears. "I am Low-Key, Morse(sic) God of Bad Puns! I've been doing
quite well lately," he adds with a wicked smile. "Feel my mighty
power!" A cosmic peanut blast flies from one gauntlet...
   (OOC: Yes, that _is_ the 'What The-?' caricature of Loki. I defy
anyone to out-silly _that._ <g>)

(OOC-M: Aaarrrggghhhh! Run away! Run away!.....)
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:38:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rising to Apotheosis (repost & expanded)

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:29:43 -0400
Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005613

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:46:52
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005611
>
>>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 08:22:06 -0400
>>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005596
>>
>>>On Mon, 24 Aug 1998 20:38:01
>>>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005590
>>>   /Legion?/ Sil asks. /Legion, come in./
>>
>>Legion, however, made no reply. The gesault had been damaged... now
>>it was all her scattered personas could do to hold themselves
>>together and continue their quest to support the pilots.
>
>   /May I assist?/ Sil asks simply.

One of the voices answers /Assistance is welcome... we... are no
longer one. We are scattered... the new one.. she's locked us out./

>   *Natalia?* Susan sent weakly. (This Susan is the baseline, below
>even P-1, and she's distracted.) *Natia? Natia, I _know_ you, it's
>all right, I don't know how I know you, but I do.* Susan holds out
>her hand, shaking slightly, remembering her mother going into
>convulsions...her sister, her baby sister that she would never meet
>because of the damned drugs, was standing here in front of her...
>   (OOC: Susan's in tepe-overload shock, BTW. She absorbed a _lot_ o'
>info that isn't hers in this timeline...)

Natalia could not hold out any longer, not feeling what she did from
Susan. She went over, and hugged Susan tightly. Her shields expanded
to cover Susan's mind, her thoughts bolstering her sister's in a
synergy that had grown over a lifetime.... a life time that never was.

*It's alright... I'm here... I don't know how, but I'm here... and
we'll make things right somehow... it will be alright.* Behind
Natalia's thoughts are the love and support of a life time of love and
friendship. Her sister had raised her, and she had never outgrown the
hero worship she felt as a child. Their falling out over her career as
a pilot hand been healed over with her joining the rangers... and the
mess with Marcus... well... Natalia never hated anyone over that.

Natalia offered Susan a smile that was brave, almost cocky. "The two
most stubborn women ever to come out of Russia... here, on Babylon
five. The enemy does not stand a chance."
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 22:11:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: The evils that Chaosi Groo

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 00:45:37 EDT
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005614

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:22:44
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005612
>   "Fool!" A puff of yellow smoke says. "It is _you_ who shall move!"
>A badly-drawn version of the Marvel Universe's God of Mischief
>appears. "I am Low-Key, Morse(sic) God of Bad Puns! I've been doing
>quite well lately," he adds with a wicked smile. "Feel my mighty
>power!" A cosmic peanut blast flies from one gauntlet...
>   (OOC: Yes, that _is_ the 'What The-?' caricature of Loki. I defy
>anyone to out-silly _that._ <g>)
>
>(OOC-M: Aaarrrggghhhh! Run away! Run away!.....)

 (OOC: Well I guess since it is usual for Marvel Heroes to beat the
*(%^ out of each otehr they comidic characters should too)
 Groo parries the peanut blast with one of his swords. "You dare
attack me? Next you will call me medicant and other names I do not
understand! Groo will do what Groo does best!!" yells Groo as he leaps
at Low-key, swords flashing. "By the way is that your castle? I can be
a guard I'm good at guarding. I have even guarded some people who have
survived. I can show you after I slay you if you like."
 Groo fights with ferocity and complete mindlessness and soon stands
on top of a battered Low-Key, sword tip to Low Key's nose. "I've often
been jealous of my brother the Mighty Sore, and now that I am I'm not
so much anymore." mutters Low-Key

 (OOC: You can still have Low-key pull some tricks if you want Roland
I just wanted to be sure to get that last pun in. hehehe)
===========================

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:36:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish....

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:03:49 -0700 (PDT)
The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00005615

OOC: I'm a bit fuzzy on the exact timing of the posts, since this was
in a whole boatload of email I waded through whilst half sick due to
travel lag. So forgive any mistakes, hmm?

>Zia said:
>/I suggest the use of a taser - effects should be temporary on
>humans, but will cause the slaver stars to die. Either that, or the
>lime again, or the heightening of... oh, drat. I should tell Command
>to rise the CO2 levels until all humans drop. The Gnarns can clean
>up, and if we do it right, it won't kill anyone. Cabin by cabin
>should be possible./

     /Do it,/ Raver chimed in. /Ellis Gardner and I are holding out
against all of DOwnbelow, but we do not know how much longer we can
hold out without resorting to slaughter./

> On Sat, 22 Aug 1998 11:32:30
> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005547
>    "Damn. Sorry, miss," Ellis said. "That...thing...has all of
> Downbelow for an army. How are we going to hold _that_ off?"
>    {You're not,} Garibaldi's voice said over the loudspeaker.
> {Here's a little tune I call, 'Stun Wave in D Minor.' Hope you like
> it.}
>    Three guesses what happens next.
>    At least the Starros are down...

     Screaming echoed throughout the halls as Starro drones and
security alike fell. Raver's sword hit the deck with a clang as they
clutched their head in a futile attempt to stop their eardrums
bursting.
     Raver instinctively shut their bond down as far as she could,
trying to shield Mandy from most of the pain. But enough leaked
through to set up a resonating wave of sympathetic agony that spiraled
upward as the two halves were assaulted. The wave roared onto the CAoL
link despite their efforts to damp it, and a few seconds later, they
were in too much agony to do anything further about it.
     Blood broke and ran from both ears and nose as they collapsed in
a rattling of mail to their knees, blindly trying to press their skull
through the decking and avoid the awful sound.

     When the last whining notes died away, there was utter silence
for a few moments inside their mind. Finally, Mandy whispered,
[Extra-strength Tylenol 4 would be appreciated.]
     [....Mandy....]
     [Raver?!] She winced as her too-loud voice reverbated through
their aching skull. Reaching out, information about the state of their
body seeped through their bond.
     The barely consicous Raver's demonic constitution was already
working overtime to repair the damage. But it was probably time that
they didn't have, Mandy concluded.

     If anyone had been consicous, they would have been amazed by a
transformation familiar to the CAoL as the hulking body kneeling on
the deck dissolved into mist. A far smaller and completely human body
recoalesced, and Mandy stood. She drew a long breath and let it out
slowly, relieved that her human body didn't have the same damage
Raver's did.
     Leaning over Ellis Gardner, she found the com badge and pressed
it. /"Sorry about that, guys. Some bugger with a sick sense of humor
sent a stun wave through all of...was it Downbelow? Anyway, I'll need
help peeling all the Starros off faces unless I'm needed elsewhere.
Ah...by the way, this is Raver's host, Mandy, speaking. Raver's
temporarily out of commission due to the stun wave."/ As more of an
afterthought, she added, /"When this is over, I'm finding that bugger
and digging *his* eardrums out with a rusty spoon. Uh...over."/
     The young woman scooped up an abandoned gun, and hunkered down
among the bodies, back to the wall. [Raver, you damn well better get
over this quick. THis is *not* my idea of a good time.] The acid words
were tempered by a thread of concern, and she sighed as no reply came,
other than the familiar presence of the unbroken bond in her mind.
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 04:34:39 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: The evils that Chaosi Groo

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:18:55 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005616

> On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:22:44
> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005612
>
>    "Fool!" A puff of yellow smoke says. "It is _you_ who shall
> move!" A badly-drawn version of the Marvel Universe's God of
> Mischief appears. "I am Low-Key, Morse(sic) God of Bad Puns! I've
> been doing quite well lately," he adds with a wicked smile. "Feel my
> mighty power!" A cosmic peanut blast flies from one gauntlet...
>    (OOC: Yes, that _is_ the 'What The-?' caricature of Loki. I defy
> anyone to out-silly _that._ <g>)

<OOC: Be careful what you ask for. You may get it. :-) >

> (OOC-M: Aaarrrggghhhh! Run away! Run away!.....)

A surplus 1970s US Army Hoverbus, painted in day-glo colors appears
from nowhere. It seems to be full of stoned hippies. As the air starts
to escape one of them gestures and something that looks more like a
soap bubble than a force-field encloses the bus.

"Chester! What happened? Where are we man?"

"I dunno Mike, but it looks like we've got to save the world again..."

With this the people on the bus start downing handfuls of blue
pills.[1] And the *craziest* assortment of spacecraft you've ever seen
appears around the bus (things like ships from Flash Gordon, Buck
Rogers, Forbidden Planet, etc, etc).

They swarm around a bit uncertainly as if not quite sure who to
attack.

A voice is heard over several comm-bands.

"This is uh.... Task Force Q-Tip, yeah, Task Force Q-tip.
 What's happening man?"

One of the figures on the bus is wearing a headset that wasn't there
before. Another looks disgusted about something.

[1] Reality pills. They are a potent hallucinogen with the
"interesting" side effect that your hallucinations are *real*. And
with practice (which these folks have had lots of), you can
hallucinate to order.
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 08:35:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 08:28:25 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005619

> On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 21:33:04 EDT
> Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005605
> /Starbreaker would murder all of us without a second thought. If we
> could think of anything else that would prevent that, we would use
> it. I do not know for sure if Aurora's attack will kill him, or
> simply return him to stassis.
>
> Either way, this is the only form of attack that has met with any
> kind of sustained success. If you can think of another form that
> would leave him alive, and permanently consious, without risking all
> this (impression of a gesture that encompasses this entire
> universe), please share it.

^Possibly,
  I will have to attempt a Features Upgrade,
   Before I am sure it is worth trying...^

> As for him dieing, well I see no functional differance between being
> unconsious, or in stassis, for all eternity and being dead.

^I see your point.^

> At least dead, his spirit (what is left of it after Aurora finishes
> with it) can move on to the next life. Maybe he will do better in
> the next one./ Dragon's Bane Answers.

^And I am Sure Lord Fuzzy would agree with this point.^

> (OOC: Aurora doesn't "intend" that Starbreaker die, but she has no
> intention of letting him loose on this universe either, and if he
> has to die to stop him, so be it.)

^Please stand by^
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 12:05:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: The ThirdSpace Mission

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 13:34:25 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005620

: On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 18:54:57
: Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005606
: >On Sun, 23 Aug 1998 14:59:38 -0500
: >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005566
:    (OOC: No Lensmen. No Arisians either, at least not native to this
: universe. _But,_ the Kinnison and MacDougal lines are here...yes,
: the GM _does_ have a plan. <EG>)

<ooSC: This ought to be interesting...>

:    *We don't have any 'real' telekinetics, but the Palanians have a
: similar hyperspace ability,* Worsel replies. *Nadreck?*
:    *I would require knowledge of your precise need for the ability
: of remote movement,* Nadreck sends. *The details might prove
: important.*

James replies, cogently: *To run the ship after the crew is slain. It
requires motions in several places to function as it would with a full
crew.*

:    *Just leave that rat Helmuth for me,* Kimball sends grimly. *He
: and I have a score to settle. Besides, I'm the only one of you who
: knows his mind well enough to duplicate it, so no speeches about
: 'not getting personal,' got it, Worsel?*
:    *Wouldn't dream of it,* Worsel replies as innocently as 30 feet
: of living destruction can.

James smiles under the Helm. *No need to get greedy, folks. There's at
least one for each of you, although I want to take down the first one
or two, when they group and come at me, that will be your opportunity.
Helmuth wouldn't be so exposed that he'll be the first or second
target, I'm sure. Once you have your ships taken, give me a go-signal,
and my replacement crew will place me on the first Edorre mind to
target. I estimate the battle of minds will take somewhere between two
minutes and two hours.*

:    *You have the green light, Mr. Bond,* Kimball sends. *We figured
: giving the Black Boxes new marching orders would be more effective
: than just blowing them up-and we're not sure anything short of that
: death ray you sent through here can do the job-but closing them down
: has top priority.*

*I just need the impulses they're sending through the gate shut down,
to win an opening edge in the cocurrent battle we're in on the other
side. I might have three reinforcements, two of which may fly through
the gate here. They're capable of taking an Eddorian, but they'll need
to stay paired. It's how they're accustomed to fighting. Tell 'em I
said so, if I'm "busy" then.*

James waits until the other ships are boarded and stormed, similiarly
slaying their crews by his mental formula (and still not enjoying THAT
work at all). The "Marines" he requested are merely to keep the Eddore
forces from storming them back. When he has a back-up crew to run his
ship, called the Pirate Flag, now, he sends the first series of
targets, sending all the rebels at non-reinforced ones, and only
himself at a station containing an Eddorian master.

He blows a hole, and boards them, taking his pysche combat in as close
as he can to the monster, knowing it will give him an advantage...

James

<ooSC: Roland, I can write the whole combat, and perhaps even Starbuck
and Apollo coming in and helping, and the other Lensmen fighting, if
you want me to just run all that. As we're not in the "main" battle?>
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 12:05:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 13:23:42 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005621

: On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 21:33:04 EDT
: Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005605
:
: /Starbreaker would murder all of us without a second thought. If we
: could think of anything else that would prevent that, we would use
: it. I do not know for sure if Aurora's attack will kill him, or
: simply return him to stassis. Either way, this is the only form of
: attack that has met with any kind of sustained success. If you can
: think of another form that would leave him alive, and permanently
: consious, without risking all this (impression of a gesture that
: encompasses this entire universe), please share it. As for him
: dieing, well I see no functional differance between being
: unconsious, or in stassis, for all eternity and being dead. At least
: dead, his spirit (what is left of it after Aurora finishes with it)
: can move on to the next life. Maybe he will do better in the next
: one./ Dragon's Bane Answers. (OOC: Aurora doesn't "intend" that
: Starbreaker die, but she has no intention of letting him loose on
: this universe either, and if he has to die to stop him, so be it.)

After the slightest pause where Zia tries to deal with the B5 fiasco,
and James' predicament, she cogitates this fierce rebuttal. /Well.
Excuse me for even asking you to display a grain of mercy./ She is
_furious_ to be so rebuked for merely asking if this was necessary, to
murder. And to be placed in the position of _she_ must think of
something better, or it's HER fault? Oh, that didn't set well either.
But the petite brunette grits her teeth, reins in her fury, and
recaptures her calm. To continue, icily...

/I didn't realize you considered it such a contemptible and worthless
virtue. I'm sure you'll understand if I withdraw my further support of
your efforts, in that case. I do not agree that the cessation and
destruction of ANY living thing is equivalent to somnolence for a
dangerous sentient. One is caution, the other is foolish waste.
Bonaventure!/ She turns her attention firmly to OTHER matters where
she can make a better difference.
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 12:05:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish....

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 13:46:35 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005622

: On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:03:49 -0700 (PDT)
: The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00005615
:    /Do it,/ Raver chimed in. /Ellis Gardner and I are holding out
: against all of DOwnbelow, but we do not know how much longer we can
: hold out without resorting to slaughter./

     /Check./ Zia walks slowly to Sil's station. "A voice line to C&C
at B5, please?" At Sil's nod. "Lt. Commander Micheal Corwin, this is
Central Ops of the Allied Good Guys." Her voice carries the smile. "If
you initiate the crowd control measure coded in Garibaldi's plans as
"Stormy Monday", after closing bulkheads M-11 through 18, B16, G3, and
D7, and all the command shell gas countermeasures, your remaining
Starro dominated zombies will be salvagable, without unduly
interfering with any other personages. The code is stored in the
reserve backups from the sanitation system plans, under "Take Out The
Trash" presumbaly from Garibaldi's questionable sense of humor. The
code phrase to open it is "Yabba Dabba Do."

"The sequence raises the CO2 levels enough to knock out humans, but
any Gnarn security may still be conscious, if not active, so warn the
recue workers, who should take breathers in, that this may be a
problem. The sequence locks the breather cases before it gasses, but
just in case someone was prepared, I suggest cover security. You have
friendlies in the B16 bay. That is all. Do you read my transmit
correctly? Please reply."

<After Micheal Corwin confirms that he heard her, which we can just
assume, she goes on. In other words, DM can skip on to the effects
elsewhere in the station, as I don't need a RP reply to Zia...>
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 13:34:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Fire and Brimstone

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 16:20:09 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00005623

On Tue, 25 Aug 1998, Morgan wrote:

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:22:43
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005609
>   The sword turns out to be entirely plasma; the 'blade' vanishes
>right into John. When John claws him (assuming he does) a burst of
>flame shoots out of the shallow wound; Brimstone's skin has the
>tensile strength of Adamantium/Promethium (the Marvel/DC 'wonder
>metals,' respectively). Brimstone doesn't bother reforming the plasma
>sword, instead slamming a huge fist at John. If John dodges,
>Brimstone concentrates a moment, and a _physical_ blade as resilient
>as he is forms from the hilt, and it's swiiiing batta! <g>

  John pulls a large cylindrical emerald out of his pocket, about the
size of a half-gallon milkbox. Holding it in one hand he vaults
Brimstones swing, planting his other hand on Brimstone's shoulder and
swinging himself to a postion straddling his neck. Taking the Emerald,
John jams it down on Brimstone's head, which distorts where it meets
the gem. John jumps straight up again as Brimstone swings blind at
him, coming down both feet on the gem, forcing it down to Brimstone's
shoulders. He begins jumping up and down it it, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon.
Why can't I fight pixies or something, they don't have humongous
shoulders like this."
  John keeps at the gem until is entirely gone, trapped inside the now
brightly lit gem. John pulls a slightly larger box out of his pocket,
unscrews the top and drop in the gem. He pauses a moment to catch his
breath, then, /Well, I couldn't manage a cigarette lighter, but I do
have this nifty flashlight up for grabs. I have to warn you though, it
won't work in the Santinellus Sector./
   Rhia, /Oh Gods../
   John, /The Santinellus Sector is a trinary system, and never really
gets dark. Also the sunlight that filters down is green in color, for
some reason. And as everyone knows, a Green Lantern doesn't shine in
an Emerald Twilight./

OOC: Paul ducks and runs for cover at this point... <g>
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 14:34:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: The Thirdspace Mission

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 17:09:34 -0400 (EDT)
Shadow <pookie> Said As CAoL Message # 00005624

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:29:49
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005610
>
>>On Mon, 24 Aug 1998 17:02:00 -0400 (EDT)
>>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005583
>>
>>  On the Eddorian side of the gate, a large jump point opens right
>>in the middle of a group of Eddorian ships and the Spoiler flows
>>through. Three miles of beweaponed death, it immediately opens fire
>>while expelling it's contingent of roughly 800 single man fighters
>>drawn from everywhere John's been in his journeys. They take up
>>position practically in front of the gate, daring the Eddorians to
>>bull their way through.
>
>   The twelve city-sized space stations, the several thousand capitol
>ships, and the _millions_ of Vorlon cyberfighters, seem colossally
>unimpressed. (The Gate isn't big enough to let more than a few
>capitols through at a time, and they're going to have to widen it a
>_lot_ if they want to get a station in.)

Rhia scans the numbers running on screen before her. "Sherman, ready
the Burroughs drive. If they swarm too bad implement Final Attack,
initiative yours. Anything else we'll blow out of the sky"
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 15:04:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Fire and Brimstone

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 16:20:06 -0500
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005625

>On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 16:20:09 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005623
>
>   John, /The Santinellus Sector is a trinary system, and never
>really gets dark. Also the sunlight that filters down is green in
>color, for some reason. And as everyone knows, a Green Lantern
>doesn't shine in an Emerald Twilight./
>
>OOC: Paul ducks and runs for cover at this point... <g>

Puck immediately falls off his horse, clutching over his heart. "Oww,
ya got me, Pardner!"

A second Puck appears in calico dress and bonnet. 'She' cries out
"Clem! NO!" and proceeds to sob theatrically.

Tin Foil the horse leans on a rock and holds up a sign with a picture
of a screw in a baseball.

The second Puck pulls a machine gun from under 'her' skirts and shoots
a hail of peanuts through a portal that ends over John's head.

Both Pucks and Tin Foil vanish to be replaced with just one Puck, in a
Romanesque blue tunic with copper trim, black belt and Shakespearean
green soled leggings. Copper bands wrap around his wrists.

[No more time for little games,
 Puck kicks butt now and then takes names.
 If simple sprite he wants not near,
 Then at his tower I appear.
 For honored King Oberon,
 I'll take war banner charging on.
 Use my talents for mayhem here,
 To ruin Spider's plans so near.]

With that thought, Puck vanishes, a sadistic grin on his face.
===========================

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 22:17:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 01:09:03 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005630

Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005621
> /I didn't realize you considered it such a contemptible and
> worthless virtue. I'm sure you'll understand if I withdraw my
> further support of your efforts, in that case. I do not agree that
> the cessation and destruction of ANY living thing is equivalent to
> somnolence for a dangerous sentient. One is caution, the other is
> foolish waste. Bonaventure!/ She turns her attention firmly to OTHER
> matters where she can make a better difference.

/Zia, while I do not consider mercy a virtue at all, Aurora does. But
in this case, neither of us can find a way to be merciful, without
risking this entire universe. I did not mean to imply that it was your
fault. I truely do wish to honor Aurora's wish to be merciful, if that
will not risk all, but we can see no other choice but to risk his
death. If you have some information that will provide us with a
choice, we both would like you to provide it to us. As it is we have
chosen the path of the lesser evil. One being risks dieing that a
universe may live./ Dragon's Bane replies.
===========================

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:07:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rising to Apotheosis

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 14:41:37 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005631

> On Tue, 25 Aug '98 Zia Said
> /Calling all Lensmen not engaged currently - is it possible for my
> mind to handle the stress involved in bringing a Lens designed for
> another into existance? James has need of such knowledge, but I'm
> not sure that I can handle the Third Level of Stress that would, I
> estimate, be a side-effect of the process. Can anyone please advise
> me?/ Zia sends.

/Milady Ziatrice?/ Sends Dhyrclhanc the Sentinel-Lensdragon, with
background teep noise indicationg the logisical telepathic juggling
necessary when in mid-space battle while controling/guiding mutiple
ships with telepathic circutry-based controls.

/The way that I understand these things to work, except under *very
special* circumstances, you _need_ to be a Third-Stage mind to have
the ability to create Lenses. The only reason I can create Lenses, or
mini-Lenses for that matter, is due to the unique synergy that has
been set up between my own psi powers, my True Arrisian Lens and the
First-Ring. I would advise that if you think somebody deserves a Lens
then you ought to point them out to me and I would be more than happy
to do it./

The background noise of the space battle intensifies /Now, however is
not the best time for reasons that I am sure that I do not need to
describe in detail to you./ The teep transmision is cut-off but the TP
channel remains open and in existance.
===========================

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 13:37:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Arrivals & Reunions (Long)

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 16:04:01 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005632

> Nemisis Said
>
> ^This Device #{}# pattern,
>   if appended to the Muzzle of a projectile launcher,
>    will, on command, gate individual projectiles,
>     point to point, to the Muzzle end on the specified,
>      Strike Force member.^

^My thanks, "Grandmother"^ a mental "wink" is included in the
transmision.

^The following topological and internal specs {} will change the
"Nemisis Strike Force" psuedo-Defiant ring-ships into closer
represenations of the "OTC-NX Charles Xavier", including specificaly
the non-Defiant-standard weapons' systems, or the surface
representations of same.^

#PIXAR {} is the specifications for the changes necessary to allow the
"Nemisis Strike Force" to share the "Xavier's" projectile weaponry and
"Death-Cloud Cannon" weapons' systems. Time for changes to be
executed?#

#Working, the spcified changes will require several hours to complete,
durring which the designated weapons' systems will be off-line. Energy
weapons will remain unaffected, however.#

#Execute changes#

An increasing number of the psudeo-Vorlon fighters fall incapacitated
from the energy beams unleashed from the quasi-Defiant task force.
Meanwhile, while the capitol ships continue to be more resistant than
the fighters to these same attacks, Dhyrclhanc and his "micro-fleet"
likewise, continue to sucessfuly land strikes which render useless
serveral key systems in each soap-bubble ship.

#Changes complete#

"Thank you PIXAR"

^"Grandmother" please verify that the new "portal" systems are both
on-line and functioning?^

(Insert response here)

Suddenly the "quasi-Defiant micro-fleet" becomes like small frozen
stellar cloud of desimationg and destruction. Between conventional
armor-piercing, explosive missles, photon torpedoes, quantum
torpedoes, and huge walls and space-going chunks of ice brought into
being by the ships' "Death-Cloud Cannons" a full quarter of the enemy
fleet is distroyed or disabled.

The psudeo-Vorlon remote "squid attack fighters" have both their
weapon-systems and their drive sections ripped off and the soap-bubble
capitol ships are reduced to their requisite parts.

Unfortunatly, in the midst of heavy combat, the "Xavier" is scored
with several shots to several of her vital systems, not including the
fact that the shields and ablative armor were both defeated. Once the
debris clears, and before reinforcements can arrive, the "Xavier" and
it's "sister" ships rift to the far side of the B5 station.

While the "Xavier's" regen system begins to make miniscule repairs;
the regen system was one of the systems that was damaged, Dhyrclhanc
sends {Babylon 5 station, this is the "OTC-NX Charles Xavier". Do you
have any repair crews that I can borrow?}
===========================

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 14:07:39 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Fire and Brimstone

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 16:57:10 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005633

> On Wed, 26 Aug '98 Shadow Said
>    John, /The Santinellus Sector is a trinary system, and never
> really gets dark. Also the sunlight that filters down is green in
> color, for some reason. And as everyone knows, a Green Lantern
> doesn't shine in an Emerald Twilight./

At which point, just before Rifting back to the station, the quasi-
Defiant mirco-fleet's Death-Cloud Cannons fire mutiple volleys of
peanuts once again towards the surface of Epsilon 3.

At which point, the tenants of the Terror Tower will probably realize
that for the second time today, it's raining peanuts on E-3.
===========================

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 20:26:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 17:54:51 EDT
Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00005634

> While the "Xavier's" regen system begins to make miniscule repairs;
> the regen system was one of the systems that was damaged, Dhyrclhanc
> sends {Babylon 5 station, this is the "OTC-NX Charles Xavier". Do
> you have any repair crews that I can borrow?}

A man appears in the bridge. He is wearing a grease stained trench
coat, and a baseball cap adorns his head.

"Yeah, we can fix your regen system. Just need to know how the darned
thing works."

He picks up a wrench, and says "And it'll only cost you a mini-lens."
He smirks. He hands Dhyrclhanc a form, filled out with name, "Repairs
to Regeneration System", cost, "1 mini-lens", labor, "Free", total, "1
mini-lens". The form is labled as coming from Osborne's Body and
Engine Repair Shop.

Thanks
Scott "Pit Stop" Osborne
===========================

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 20:26:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish....

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 01:33:54 -0700
Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005635

> On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:03:49 -0700 (PDT)
> The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00005615

Stranger staggered into medlab, Zack over his shoulder. He dropped
Zack onto a bed and started to speak. then he stopped, removed the
rebreather from his mouth and continued.

"Can someone sort this man out please, he's got a lungful of tranq gas
or something, apart from that I think he's unwounded."

With that Stranger headed back out, putting his rebreather back in and
drawing his lightsaber.

/Where am I needed?/

>      Leaning over Ellis Gardner, she found the com badge and pressed
> it. /"Sorry about that, guys. Some bugger with a sick sense of humor
> sent a stun wave through all of...was it Downbelow? Anyway, I'll
> need help peeling all the Starros off faces unless I'm needed
> elsewhere. Ah...by the way, this is Raver's host, Mandy, speaking.
> Raver's temporarily out of commission due to the stun wave."/ As
> more of an afterthought, she added, /"When this is over, I'm finding
> that bugger and digging *his* eardrums out with a rusty spoon.
> Uh...over."/
>      The young woman scooped up an abandoned gun, and hunkered down
> among the bodies, back to the wall. [Raver, you damn well better get
> over this quick. THis is *not* my idea of a good time.] The acid
> words were tempered by a thread of concern, and she sighed as no
> reply came, other than the familiar presence of the unbroken bond in
> her mind.

/OK Mandy, are you still in the area I left you?/

/OK, don't worry, I'll be with you soon, stay where you are./

Stranger broke into a run, probing ahead with his sense of perception
to find the best route, sticking to service stairwells and side
corridors. anybody paying attention to his thoughts would pick up
something along the lines of 'hey, this is cool'.

<OOC: I'm assuming that sometime around now Starro defects to us>

After running for several minutes, avoiding any concentrations of
Cylons or Starros he encounters, Stranger skids around the corner near
Mandy.

"Hi! How ya doin'?"
===========================

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 22:07:12 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Arrivals & Reunions (Long)

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 21:57:50 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005636

> On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 16:04:01 -0400
> Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005632
>
> ^The following topological and internal specs {} will change the
> "Nemisis Strike Force" psuedo-Defiant ring-ships into closer
> represenations of the "OTC-NX Charles Xavier", including specificaly
> the non-Defiant-standard weapons' systems, or the surface
> representations of same.^

^Confirmed,
  Updating now.^

> #Changes complete#
>
> "Thank you PIXAR"
>
> ^"Grandmother" please verify that the new "portal" systems are both
> on-line and functioning?^

^The Fold Matrices diagnostic read-out shows proper alignment,
  If it does not work we will always believe it Should Have...^
===========================

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 02:13:46 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish....

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 23:27:13
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005637

>On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 01:33:54 -0700
>Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005635
>
>After running for several minutes, avoiding any concentrations of
>Cylons or Starros he encounters, Stranger skids around the corner
>near Mandy.
>
>"Hi! How ya doin'?"

Morgan also appears about this time, having homed in on her
compatriots' sigs. "Together again," she quips. "Is everyone still up
to par?" <OOC-1: Morgan will do a quick scan of Mandy - nothing she
should find intrusive, basically a status check because she's noticed
the change in physique and wants to make sure the Two are o.k. If she
notices anything or if Mandy asks she'll make any repairs within her
medical/magickal skills. Mandy, go ahead and write this if you want
to.>

That done, she says both to her nearby comrads and to the rest on the
link, "/We need to get to Starro. He's _trying_ to be on our side, but
the Ploorans have him under their control. If we can get to him, the
Starro Brigade should cease to be a problem. But how do we free him?/"
The question was general, but directed mainly at the person she
considered their 'supers' expert.

   /Get a mind shield around him,/ Roland replies. (OOC-2: You know
someone trusts you when they let you write their character <g>). /The
Ploorans won't be easy to block, though, and the Starro-drones will
try to stop you./

"/Well, _my_ psi-skills certainly aren't up to that level of
shielding, and neither I think are Mandy's or..../" Morgan trails off,
as she looks at Stranger and smiles.

<OOC-3: Gareth, I could have _sworn_ I read at some point you wrote
that Stranger had gotten some Jedi training, but I did a search
through all the posts for AAE3 & AAE4 and couldn't find the reference.
Use whichever of the following paragraphs fits and cut the other one.>

<If he did:> Morgan says, "/Stranger, unless I'm mistaken, I sense the
aura of Jedi training on your mind-sig. Do you think you could block
the Plooran telepaths? Maybe just long enough for one of our psi-tech
folk to build something that would keep him shielded without tying up
any of our minds?/"

<If he didn't:> Morgan sends, "/Do we have any teeps free that are up
to shielding someone from the Plooran 'paths? Maybe just long enough
for one of our psi-tech folk to build something that would keep him
shielded without tying up any of our minds?/"

<Either way :-) :> She draws Aramegil, which somehow manages _not_ to
look out of place with her current supers outfit, and smiles ferally.
"/I'm sure Mandy and I can hold off the fish-faces long enough to get
the job done./"
===========================

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 04:36:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish....

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 05:52:21 -0500
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005638

>On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 23:27:13
>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005637
><Either way :-) :> She draws Aramegil, which somehow manages _not_ to
>look out of place with her current supers outfit, and smiles ferally.
>"/I'm sure Mandy and I can hold off the fish-faces long enough to get
>the job done./"

The light brightens momentarily as Mike pops into being. Wearing
Puck's blue and copper trim tunic, faded blue jeans, white hightops,
and Molly's Japanese lesser rune swords, Coz and Ephekt, Mike's
clothing isn't the only thing mixed up. Mike's brown hair is finer and
longer, like Molly's, and his eyes look like hers, the left blue, the
right green. His ears are elven, as is his face, though the look in
his eyes and on his face is definitely Mike's as is his voice and
general build.

/I think I can help with building that shielding. Maybe even help fend
off the Ploorans. We'll encase him in a giant Rifts Earth psionic mind
shield, which -might- even have the added benefit of stopping him from
using his drones while he's in it. He's going to need most of his
mental powers to maintain the shield./

Mike winks. /But don't tell -him- that./
===========================

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 12:09:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Emergence of a Power

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:58:21 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005639

> On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 08:28:25 -0700 (PDT)
> Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005619
<snip>
> ^Please stand by^

Nemisis disconnects the folds to any of Her Splits,
 which are currently Busy,
  And gathers the rest in...
   Near Dragon's Bane.

^This is going to take most of my computing power.^

^Nemo, I will be drawing on the Powertap you gave me,
  As a Quantum Manipulator,
   I have no other method effecting that level of reality...
  I do not expect this to require much energy.^

Nemisis begins to model,
 the forces and characteristics,
  of something that is nearly beyond her comprehension,
   Let alone Her reach...

/Is This what Lucifer meant by,
  'A Creature's Reach Must Exceed its Grasp,
    Or what is a Heaven For.' ?/

The CAoL can feel in the sidebands the effort that Nemisis is making.

As Nemisis models the behavior of 8*(10^9) points,
 each so small they can barely exist...

  more and more of her processing power becomes 'Busy'...

   Rapidly exceeding any level she has ever needed to apply to
    Any single task before...

     Eventually (moments later) practically all of her computing
      power, Is bound up in this task,
       and it seems that it is just barely enough,
        as the model shifts to a dynamic mode...

Tapping the Nemo power artifact...

She begins shaping the relationships,
 of a set of Quantum Points,
  to match the model...
===========================

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 18:34:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Arrivals & Reunions (Long)

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 20:17:06 -0500
Doc Said As CAoL Message # 00005641

> On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 16:04:01 -0400
> Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005632
>
> While the "Xavier's" regen system begins to make miniscule repairs;
> the regen system was one of the systems that was damaged, Dhyrclhanc
> sends {Babylon 5 station, this is the "OTC-NX Charles Xavier". Do
> you have any repair crews that I can borrow?}

{This is unit 7895 of the line responding: what is the nature of the
repairs required? Organic, inorganic, cyber, or astral/psi?}

Gus, first unit of the Dinopsi Brigade
===========================

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 23:04:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Emergence of a Power

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 22:46:28 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005643

> On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:58:21 -0700 (PDT)
> Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005639
>
> ^Nemo, I will be drawing on the Powertap you gave me,
>   As a Quantum Manipulator,
>    I have no other method effecting that level of reality...
>   I do not expect this to require much energy.^

^The tap is there to be used.^
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 05:06:46 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE4: Task Force Q-tip

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 22:53:55 PST
Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005644

Nemo's attention is drawn by the message from the anomaly calling
itself "Task Force Q-Tip". He makes a quick scan...

"Oh no. What did I do to deserve this? Oh... Now I remember. <sigh>"

^Zia. Please send a summary of the situation to 'Task Force Q-Tip' and
assign them to attack the Tower. I'd rather not risk assigning them to
a less definite target. And if nothing else, they'll keep Nightmare
and friends busy.^
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 08:08:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Starfish....

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:34:28 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005645

: Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005638
: >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005637
: /I think I can help with building that shielding. Maybe even help
: fend off the Ploorans. We'll encase him in a giant Rifts Earth
: psionic mind shield, which -might- even have the added benefit of
: stopping him from using his drones while he's in it. He's going to
: need most of his mental powers to maintain the shield./
:
: Mike winks. /But don't tell -him- that./

/If you and Stranger can handle the delicate work, I can bruise the
Ploorans off. Just be careful if I am, to not catch any of what I show
to the baddies./ Zia says, a bit dark in tone. /If you need a hammer
to your scapels, that is. I'm not 'free' enough to do anything very
fine or exact in work./
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 08:08:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:27:58 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005646

: On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 01:09:03 EDT
: Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005630
: /Zia, while I do not consider mercy a virtue at all, Aurora does.
: But in this case, neither of us can find a way to be merciful,
: without risking this entire universe. I did not mean to imply that
: it was your fault. I truely do wish to honor Aurora's wish to be
: merciful, if that will not risk all, but we can see no other choice
: but to risk his death. If you have some information that will
: provide us with a choice, we both would like you to provide it to
: us. As it is we have chosen the path of the lesser evil. One being
: risks dieing that a universe may live./ Dragon's Bane replies.

Zia, unquestionably, is 'leaking' as a bit of song comes clearly,
"...for she is a young thing and cannot leave her mother..." Then she
gets the echo, and snaps that out of the link. Very dryly, /Might
makes right, and saving lives means killing. Down is up, and risk is
to avoided. Pah! I know you're young, but that thinking is muddy
enough to be the Mississippi itself./

/I may be insane, but I'm not alone./ She grumps. /Look, I can shadow
shift him elsewhere - even the heart of a new universe, where even his
appetite can be appeased. Or ask Nemo to plan a stasis ship or time
travelling device built around him to do the same. You haven't really
TRIED to come up with some other way - the Bug is working you all into
a frenzy from fighting near top effort. To kill something because it
is hungry and needs to eat is CRUEL, no matter what you say you're
protecting./

She thinks to herself a moment, gathering arguments. /What if your
positions were reversed? I've seen evil, Dragon's Bane. And I'd have
to say you're closer to it than that creature you're helping Aurora
and Nemesis murder is. I don't know how old you truly are, but I for
one am attempting to live my entire existence without killing a
sentient. Perhaps I might even manage it, I have so far. If you all do
this, your hands are bloody to me. I don't care HOW you rationalize it
by calling yourselves heroes./

/Please, don't do this. Find another way. Even if it means I have to
leave James to fight alone while I get this guy out of here by shadow
shift./
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 08:08:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE: Thirdspace: Against "Boskone"

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:14:25 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005647

James lift an eyebrow as the Pirate Queen's crew arrives. A Rilgellian
to work with Nadrek on piloting all the ships controls, a young human
who just smiles with apparent joy to be selected for this sort of
mission, and a thick-bodied Valerian of Dutch descent with an ax.

"You're not a Van Buzkirk, are you? I'm James. James Bond." The young
human-looking (although anyone telepathic who can sense him will have
their doubts about the truth of his humanity) rises a bit stiffly from
the former captain's chair, and nods. He is careful to remember not to
chance his hand against the heavy worlder.

Kinnison: *We're in position to start the strikes. While their
attention is being pulled off to the new ship that just came through.
Is that your reinforcement, James?*

James, his attention more on briefing his crew on the exact manner of
how best to approach one of the capital ships, replies, *Not the ones
I meant, but any reinforcement is good reinforcement.*

"Take us in on the normal approach. I will try and fob them off with
the old 'I've returned with important new weapons from the other side'
excuse. Your pardon, entities, but I won't be able to speak while
impersonating the former crew. Here is the style of handling you'll
need to perform to look like the Boskone flyers."

James works over the details, leaving his briefing open to all the
"red herring" squads to imitate. *All you remember, they're really
going to want you dead. Don't get boxed in - if it doesn't look right,
back off and try the next target. That is why there are five of you,
and six counting us. Keep coming at them, but as the human boxing
sport says, don't lead with your chin. Duck and cover as needed.*

James nods at the various levels of assent and understanding, then
turns communications over to Nadreck. He turns to survey the capital
ship, defending against the Eddorian's probes and answering challenges
in fast succession.
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 09:35:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 10:27:34 -0500
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005648

>On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:27:58 -0500
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005646
<snipped to feed the hunger of Ga(rbage)lactus>
>Zia, unquestionably, is 'leaking' as a bit of song comes clearly,
>"...for she is a young thing and cannot leave her mother..." Then she
>gets the echo, and snaps that out of the link. Very dryly, /Might
>makes right, and saving lives means killing. Down is up, and risk is
>to avoided. Pah! I know you're young, but that thinking is muddy
>enough to be the Mississippi itself./

Part of Mike sings quietly as he explains his plan to build a large
technowizard mind shield. "Can he bake a universe pie, Breaky boy,
Breaky boy?"

>/I may be insane, but I'm not alone./ She grumps. /Look, I can shadow
>shift him elsewhere - even the heart of a new universe, where even
>his appetite can be appeased. Or ask Nemo to plan a stasis ship or
>time travelling device built around him to do the same. You haven't
>really TRIED to come up with some other way - the Bug is working you
>all into a frenzy from fighting near top effort. To kill something
>because it is hungry and needs to eat is CRUEL, no matter what you
>say you're protecting./

"Can he bake a universe pie, charming Breaky?"

>She thinks to herself a moment, gathering arguments. /What if your
>positions were reversed? I've seen evil, Dragon's Bane. And I'd have
>to say you're closer to it than that creature you're helping Aurora
>and Nemesis murder is. I don't know how old you truly are, but I for
>one am attempting to live my entire existence without killing a
>sentient. Perhaps I might even manage it, I have so far. If you all
>do this, your hands are bloody to me. I don't care HOW you
>rationalize it by calling yourselves heroes./

"He can bake a universe pie, quick as a chronon can wink its eye,"

>/Please, don't do this. Find another way. Even if it means I have to
>leave James to fight alone while I get this guy out of here by shadow
>shift./

"But he loves Galactus more than me."

/Oh, Aurora, since you appear to be on good terms with the mighty
Galactus, you might ask him how Knightmare sated his unending hunger.
For if the Fell Spider can satisfy Galactus, then he is certainly
letting Starbreaker go hungry intentionally./
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 12:05:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 14:38:12 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005649

> On Thu, 27 Aug '98 Scott Osborne Said
>
> He picks up a wrench, and says "And it'll only cost you a mini-
> lens." He smirks. He hands Dhyrclhanc a form, filled out with
> name, "Repairs to Regeneration System", cost, "1 mini-lens", labor,
> "Free", total, "1 mini-lens". The form is labled as coming from
> Osborne's Body and Engine Repair Shop.

Dhyrclhanc looks strangly at the newcomer,

"Who are you and how did you get on board?"

Then his face brightens,

"Oh, Scott, I did not recognize you at first. So you want to trade me
repairs on the "Xavier" for a mini-lens link onto the CAoL psi-web?
That sounds fair to me."

*The "Xavier's" systems are all based upon my Rune-nanomagictech, the
Regeneration systems are nothing more but a colony of free-roaming
nanorepair drones with matter-reproduction/transformation and parts-
sythesis capabilites tied into a inter-dimensional tap with the
Elemental Plane of Earth. {}^1 is the basic physical design of the
repair nano-drones, {}^2 is the parts-sythesis commands hardware and
software subsystem, {}^3 is the matter-reproduction/transformation
hardware and software subsystem, {}^4 is the design and commands
system software for the interdimensional Elemental tap subsystem*

"You will have to do your own diagnosis work because I have no idea
what might be wrong with the the nano-colony, once the defencive
screens and ablative armor went I started to get systems failures all
over the ship. While you are at it, maybe you wouldn't mind up-grading
and fine-tuning the ship's self-diagnostic batteries?"

"PIXAR, internal condition query?"

#Internal systems are nominaly functional. Interloc and I/O interface
with OTC-NX "Charles Xavier" is operating at 89% efficiency, due to
physical and systems damage to ship. All other systems are operating
at full efficiency#

"Thank you, PIXAR."
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 12:31:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Arrivals & Reunions (Long)

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 15:22:21 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005650

> On Fri, 28 Aug '98 Doc Said
> {This is unit 7895 of the line responding: what is the nature of the
> repairs required? Organic, inorganic, cyber, or astral/psi?}
>
> Gus, first unit of the Dinopsi Brigade

{Unit 7895, the only anwer I can give you is that the damage is to
systems which are an unequal combination of techno-organic, bio-
mimetic, cybernetc, nano-technological, psychotronic and techno-
wizardry. Any help that which you can provide would be both helpfull
and appriciated.}
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 14:11:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 16:43:50 EDT
Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00005651

Dhyrclhanc wrote:

>"Oh, Scott, I did not recognize you at first. So you want to trade me
>repairs on the "Xavier" for a mini-lens link onto the CAoL psi-web?
>That sounds fair to me."

"Nobody recognizes me at first." Scott waves his hand over his face,
which is non-descript. "I have nothing for your memory to grab onto,
and my appearance is constantly changing due to poor projection
quality, so recognizing me can be difficult."

>"You will have to do your own diagnosis work because I have no idea
>what might be wrong with the the nano-colony, once the defencive
>screens and ablative armor went I started to get systems failures all
>over the ship. While you are at it, maybe you wouldn't mind
>up-grading and fine-tuning the ship's self-diagnostic batteries?"

"I don't know about those, all I promised was one regeneration system;
however, it sounds to me like you've had some fun with another strain
of Nano-machines. My best solution is to take a chunk of this ship,
run it through a preprossesor to seperate the two colonies (the
'alien' one will go into the preverbial bit bucket), and then
duplicate the pure chunk. I don't care _how_ good these alien Nannites
are; they can't win a war of numbers."

He reaches out and grabs a chunk of hull. "That should have enough of
the buggers."

He then puts the chunk into a carboard box on it's side, labeled
"Duplicator". "This could take a while." (Gee, the box wasn't there a
second ago...)

He waits a few minutes, and then pulls the chunk of hull out of the
cardboard box. And pulls it out again. And again. And again.

"Hope your Nanites don't depend too heavily on perminanant, abusolute
numbering systems."

Scott continues the procedure.

"How many of these Nanite things ya'll gonna need, boss?" He says with
a badly faked Southern accent.

Thanks
Scott "Calvin & WHALE" Osborne

<OOC: Obtuse trivia of the day: WHALE was a fairly early IBM viris.
Supposedly, the author never thought that 'anyone would use anything
larger then a 360k disk'.>
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 14:11:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Emergence of a Power

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 13:48:51 -0700 (PDT)
Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005652

^Thank you Nemo.^

> On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:58:21 -0700 (PDT)
> Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005639
>
> She begins shaping the relationships,
>  of a set of Quantum Points,
>   to match the model...

As she works,
 The Model and the {ny}tite,
  fold into all of the levels of this reality,
   Forcing Nemisis to fold as well,
    to maintain her grip,
  Still just the one universe,
   but all the sub-realms are included.

As enough of the {ny}tites are assembled to begin interacting with
each other in all of the ways they need to,
 Nemisis realizes that she can barely reach them,
  She was expecting the {ny}tites to take up part of the load,
   By this time... But she can barely communicate with them.

Changing her feed type through the Nemo power tap,
 She cross-loads a Design upgrade to the {ny}tites,
  And instructs them to implement it.

A sphere of Substance forms,
 Mass/Energy/Space/Time/Spirit manifestations in any classical sense,
  Are mearly optional projections to this Substance,
   Structurally this Substance makes Nuetronium seem like,
    Tinker Toys and Mostly Emptyness.

Gripping it in Two Hands,
 It flows and shapes into a pair of Wrist Bands,

/  Legion will need that buffering now./

A Bottle of Quantum disjunction forms around StarBreaker
 At the Quantum level,
  Nothing goes in or out without Nemisis' permision,

<OOC: I am going to assume that all attacks on him cease,
       Instantly when they start bouncing off the Bottle.>

/I am going to install a Limiting Factor,
  Within the Substructure of StarBreaker,
   Allowing Him to Contain,
    or Control,
     a maximum of 100 Kilograms of Classical Energy Forms,
      At any given time,
       And a Control Range Limit of 100 Kilometers.
 I will also exempt Hyper Alloys like Durium<sp>,
  (Matterials that are Real in more than 3^space)
   from his Direct Conversion and Control/

<OOC: That should leave him as a Major Power,
       But no longer a Cosmic Threat....
        and give a method of affecting and binding him.>

A series of Quantum definition Ripples contract through StarBreaker,
 From the Bottle's inner surface...

Leaving the redefined StarBreaker floating in a Bottle full of Energy,
 The Excess that he can no longer hold.

/Is there any reason that I should not,
  Open the Bottle in such a way as to vaporize the Structure of the
   ThirdSpace Gate generator?
 I have been wondering why the Device on this side was not,
  Disabled long ago,
   At the least it should make it more difficult for the Edorran
    Forces, To Maintain the Gate./
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 14:15:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 17:00:54 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005653

> Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005648
>
> /Oh, Aurora, since you appear to be on good terms with the mighty
> Galactus, you might ask him how Knightmare sated his unending
> hunger. For if the Fell Spider can satisfy Galactus, then he is
> certainly letting Starbreaker go hungry intentionally./

/I do not believe that Starbreaker is acting out of hunger. Rather he
is acting out of malice, and appetite (which is quite differant from
hunger). I do not believe, either, that it will be necessary to kill
him. He will leave the field of battle (much reduced) long before that
point, if he has any iota of self discipline and instinct for self
preservation. Age Zia? I am hundreds of billions of years old. I was
built, by Aurora, to combat The Stardragon just about the time that
The Stardragon first learned about other intelligences. Killing is
sometimes necessary. Even the Arisians knew this. I have kill entire
worlds, when it was necessary to save much larger numbers of beings,
as has Aurora. It breaks her heart, when that has to happen, as will
this, if Starbreaker dies. But she does not let sentiment make her
decisions. Thinking from sentiment and making decisions from sentiment
is the "muddy thinking" that the Arisians worked so hard to hammer out
of Kimbal Kinnison and his children. You can shift him to another
universe. Which universe would you kill or prevent from ever being. I
would be inclined to dump him into the Eddorian universe, but that
would sentence the inhabitants there to death, including those few
worlds that have not been conquered by the Eddorian. What is to keep
him there once he has consumed enough power to be unstopable by
anything but The Stardragon itself. Knightmare has blocked time
travel, so by the time that Fuzzy's time travel machine could work,
Starbreaker would have destroyed the machine. Believe me, I considered
all these possibilities before advising Aurora. Aurora could do any of
the things that you have proposed, but the down side of each and all
of them out weigh the one that was chosen./ Dragon's Bane answers.
(OOC: Aurora is too busy keeping the attack up on Starbreaker to
concentrate on much else).
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 15:05:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Emergence of a Power

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 17:44:51 EDT
Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005654

In a message dated 8/29/98 2:20:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
fuzzy writes:

> Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005652
>
> Leaving the redefined StarBreaker floating in a Bottle full of
> Energy, The Excess that he can no longer hold.
>
> /Is there any reason that I should not,
>   Open the Bottle in such a way as to vaporize the Structure of the
>    ThirdSpace Gate generator?

(OOC: The hyperspacial tunnels only need an anchor base, and a
"traveling" base. The planets on the other side create the tunnel in
conjunction with a ship, and once up, it remains up until one "base"
or the other shuts down. Assuming that the ship that was used to
create the tunnel never came out of the "ant" hole, but went back
through, there is nothing on this side to vaporize.)

>  I have been wondering why the Device on this side was not,
>   Disabled long ago,
>    At the least it should make it more difficult for the Edorran
>     Forces, To Maintain the Gate./

(OOC: I think that it would be a wonderful thing to dump Starbreaker
on the Eddorians, with his new limitations. Assuming that the GM lets
this stand otherwise, ignore the following)

/Masterful stroke Nemisis. Thank you./ Aurora sends.

/Well done./ Dragon's Bane adds.
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 17:06:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE4: Task Force Q-tip

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 18:29:41 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005655

: On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 22:53:55 PST
: Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005644
:
: Nemo's attention is drawn by the message from the anomaly calling
: itself "Task Force Q-Tip". He makes a quick scan...
:
: "Oh no. What did I do to deserve this? Oh... Now I remember. <sigh>"
:
: ^Zia. Please send a summary of the situation to 'Task Force Q-Tip'
: and assign them to attack the Tower. I'd rather not risk assigning
: them to a less definite target. And if nothing else, they'll keep
: Nightmare and friends busy.^

^Perhaps - at least I can hope so. Aye aye, Nemo.^ Zia echoes as
requested to Task Force Q-Tip.

OOSC: I'm afraid that I don't have a thorough knowlege of the Godzilla
worldish monsters to help you out.
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 17:06:38 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 18:50:59 -0500
Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005656

: /I do not believe that Starbreaker is acting out of hunger. Rather
: he is acting out of malice, and appetite (which is quite differant
: from hunger).

Zia's lips twitch slightly as she is 'lectured with definitions' over
the link which she has been patched into.

: I do not believe, either, that it will be necessary to kill him. He
: will leave the field of battle (much reduced) long before that
: point, if he has any iota of self discipline and instinct for self
: preservation.

This time the rather on the short side brunette just sighs with what
seems to be a note of despair or disgust.

: Age Zia? I am hundreds of billions of years old.

Zia silently cracks wise, moving only her lips, and NOT broadcasting
this, 'Gee... isn't everyone just SO mature?' but it lacks something
without the Valley Girl accent.

: I was built, by Aurora, to combat The Stardragon just about the time
: that The Stardragon first learned about other intelligences. Killing
: is sometimes necessary. Even the Arisians knew this. I have kill
: entire worlds, when it was necessary to save much larger numbers of
: beings, as has Aurora. It breaks her heart, when that has to happen,
: as will this, if Starbreaker dies.

Zia sighs again and makes a go-on go-on signal with her hand. Like...
you're REPEATING things.

: But she does not let sentiment make her decisions. Thinking from
: sentiment and making decisions from sentiment is the "muddy
: thinking" that the Arisians worked so hard to hammer out of Kimbal
: Kinnison and his children.

Zia frowns outright. But holds her tongue, even the mental one.

: You can shift him to another universe. Which universe would you kill
: or prevent from ever being.

She rolls her eyes, and frowns a bit more severely.

: I would be inclined to dump him into the Eddorian universe, but that
: would sentence the inhabitants there to death, including those few
: worlds that have not been conquered by the Eddorian. What is to keep
: him there once he has consumed enough power to be unstopable by
: anything but The Stardragon itself.

'Oh please,' Zia mutters under her breath, 'I don't care _what_ you
knotheads believe, he is of shadow, and who cares _anyway_?!
Blowhards. Stardragon this, Stardragon THAT. Just use a baseball bat,
I'd enjoy it more.... sheeesh!'

: Knightmare has blocked time travel, so by the time that Fuzzy's time
: travel machine could work, Starbreaker would have destroyed the
: machine. Believe me, I considered all these possibilities before
: advising Aurora.

"First rule of good thinking. Never believe anyone who says, "believe
me"...." Zia mutters some more... STILL not interrupting this lengthy
lecture she is being handed.

: Aurora could do any of the things that you have proposed, but the
: down side of each and all of them out weigh the one that was
: chosen./ Dragon's Bane answers. (OOC: Aurora is too busy keeping the
: attack up on Starbreaker to concentrate on much else).

/I do NOT agree. Your points are fallacious, your reasoning salacious,
and your conclusions ridiculous. If you ARE so old, then you've wasted
an _incredible_ amount of time. Never even had time to learn how to
paragraph, either./ She says, decidedly snippy now.

/I asked if it were necessary to _murder_ him. You might have just
answered yes, rather than wasting my time with this lengthy task-
taking. Fine. If the BEST you can think of, or perform, is murder,
when even the JLA did better than THAT. I have only one comment./ Zia
stops, and edits the comment she had carefully. Then with limited but
fully intended venom, she says inanely, "Go FISH, both of you, Hydra,
Stardragon, and the lot of you rummies who think you have the right to
make such unilateral decisions about what is right. Tyrants the lot of
you./

/Do not speak to me on anything but the task at hand, facts only,
again./ She gets the gutter Brit accent back under control, and turns
her attentions back to work. Deliberately not looking at Dragon Bane's
section of space anymore.

Zia takes a deep breath, trying to force some calmness and focus. She
says, to Nemo or Sil or whomever is still around on the Velvet Glove,
"You know, if it weren't for my aunt being here, I think I'd take
another MUCH longer walk this time. That and this Bug fellow is truly
annoying." She sighs. "And poor James is going to get himself killed,
I fear. I would go help him, if only I could. But I'm not a good
psionicist."
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 21:35:28 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 00:15:58 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005657

> On Sat, 29 Aug '98 "Scott Osborne" Said
>
> "Nobody recognizes me at first." Scott waves his hand over his face,
> which is non-descript. "I have nothing for your memory to grab onto,
> and my appearance is constantly changing due to poor projection
> quality, so recognizing me can be difficult."

"Well you have certainly no stable, constant, psi-aura, thatI can
read. That is for sure."

> "I don't know about those, all I promised was one regeneration
> system; however, it sounds to me like you've had some fun with
> another strain of Nano-machines. My best solution is to take a chunk
> of this ship, run it through a preprossesor to seperate the two
> colonies (the 'alien' one will go into the preverbial bit bucket),
> and then duplicate the pure chunk. I don't care _how_ good these
> alien Nannites are; they can't win a war of numbers."

"On the contrary, these nano-drones are designed to do just that.Win a
war of numers, that is. However, I have long since learned not to
argue with the repair-man. If we are going to repair the "Xavier" by
tearing her down and then building her again from scratch, as it were,
we're going to need somewhere to work."

{C&C? Babylon 5? What are your curently unused cargo bays? This is the
OTC-NX "Charles Xavier", and we need somewhere to make some major
repairs. At least for the duration.}

{Repair unit 7895, please keep listening on this frequency and meet us
at the cargo bay to be determined by the Babylon 5 Command and
Control}

> "Hope your Nanites don't depend too heavily on perminanant, absolute
> numbering systems."

"I do not think so. At least it is not anything thatthey are
'hard-wired' with. It is nothing that I can't change. Anywhere from
sixteen to twenty of those "blocks of circutry " should be enough. And
I do not think we need to tear everything down, just reduce the ship
down to it's hull.

When I get confirmation of an available workspace from the station I
will just Gateway everything, including ourselves, there. BTW, I have
gotten another offer to help on the repairs and I figured, from your
statement about the regen system, that you would not mind the help."
===========================

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 23:05:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 01:34:45 EDT
Scott Osborne Said As CAoL Message # 00005658

In a message dated 8/29/98 9:36:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
Dhyrclhanc writes:

>> "Nobody recognizes me at first." Scott waves his hand over his
>> face, which is non-descript. "I have nothing for your memory to
>> grab onto, and my appearance is constantly changing due to poor
>> projection quality, so recognizing me can be difficult."
>
> "Well you have certainly no stable, constant, psi-aura, thatI can
> read. That is for sure."

"Trust me, you don't want to see my attempt at a Psi-aura. They're
such delicate things. A slight flaw of a few thousands of a percent
can give you away. Better to pretend to be an emotionally scared Psi."

>"On the contrary, these nano-drones are designed to do just that.Win
>a war of numers, that is. However, I have long since learned not to
>argue with the repair-man. If we are going to repair the "Xavier" by
>tearing her down and then building her again from scratch, as it
>were, we're going to need somewhere to work."

"Your Nanites probibly lost a large chunk of their population due to
sudden, localized changes in electrical conductivity; doing this sorta
stuff only costs a bit more, and can be quite effective against
nanites of all sizes."

"Anyway, I'm not planning on tearing her down, just increasing the
'good' nanite population. And then I'll process through the ship,
eating the 'alien' nano-machines. They turned out to be quite tasty,
you know." Scott picks something out of his teeth.

>"I do not think so. At least it is not anything thatthey are 'hard-
>wired' with. It is nothing that I can't change. Anywhere from sixteen
>to twenty of those "blocks of circutry " should be enough. And I do
>not think we need to tear everything down, just reduce the ship down
>to it's hull.

Scott does his best 'Rodchester' voice, "Okay, boss, whatever ya say."

>When I get confirmation of an available workspace from the station I
>will just Gateway everything, including ourselves, there. BTW, I have
>gotten another offer to help on the repairs and I figured, from your
>statement about the regen system, that you would not mind the help."

"I'm just here to fix the regen system. The rest should be a matter of
time. (And trust me, time can be tackled.)"

Thanks
Scott "Jack Benny in more ways then one" Osborne
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 12:05:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 14:52:33 -0400
Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005659

> On Sun, 30 Aug '98 Scott Osborne Said
> Scott does his best 'Rodchester' voice, "Okay, boss, whatever ya
> say."

<OOC> LOL! I'll have you know that I'm just old enough to know who and
what Rodchester is. And I'm not talking about the city in central
northern New York State! </OOC>

"Don't worry about it. I was planning on making some upgrades to the
"Xavier" and it is just as easy to do it this way as any other. OTOH,
if I get no response from the station we could do it out here; I have
the ability to survive in a hard vacuum and I suspect that you, being
a M/AI {Machine/Artifical Inteligence} probably don't need to breath
either."

Then Dhyrclhanc's face lights up.

"Wait a moment will you."

Then he sends the following to his brother, /Hey Roland! You wouldn't
happen to have the 5-D coordinates for New Genesis handy, would you? I
want to talk to High-Father (All-Father?) about borrowing a Mother
Box./
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:12:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rising to Apotheosis (repost & expanded)

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:22:21
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005660

>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:29:43 -0400
>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005613
>
>>On Tue, 25 Aug 1998 19:46:52
>>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005611
>>   /May I assist?/ Sil asks simply.
>
>One of the voices answers /Assistance is welcome... we... are no
>longer one. We are scattered... the new one.. she's locked us out./

   Sil thinks a moment. /I'm not as incredibly powerful as Fuzzy or
Nemo, but I could probably create a surrogatebody for Natalia for a
short while. I...could also boost your own ability, so you could
assimilate her, but...your situation presents a pretty moral dilemma.
I will center you, at least, for the moment./ Sil provides a stable
mental 'focus' for the disparate perspectives of Legion to home in on.

>Natalia offered Susan a smile that was brave, almost cocky. "The two
>most stubborn women ever to come out of Russia... here, on Babylon
>five. The enemy does not stand a chance."

   Susan smiles. The Ivanova sisters, together? Who _could_ hope to-
   "Boszhe moi!" Susan breathes. "C & C!" Her newly-powerful mind
reaches out. *Michael!*
   Garibaldi wakes with a start. "Uh?" He looks up. Fortunately, a
haggard Corwin has things reasonably well in hand. [Could've sworn I
just saw-]
   *You did. Things are going to hell, Michael. I need you to help the
Legion force on board to reach Starro. Corwin can coordinate C & C,
with a little help from down here.* Susan sends a mental smile.
   [Uh, what about you?] Michael 'thinks.'
   Susan smiles at Natalia/Legion. *My little sister and I are going
to take out the trash.*
   [You don't HAVE a little sister!] Garibaldi replies again.
   *I know.* Garibaldi feels a strong kiss press against his lips just
before the connection breaks.
   ^Come on, Natia. Let's go show Thirdspace that you don't mess with
the Ivanovas!^
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:12:18 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: The evils that Chaosi Groo

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:26:29
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005661

>On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 00:45:37 EDT
>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005614
> Groo fights with ferocity and complete mindlessness and soon stands
>on top of a battered Low-Key, sword tip to Low Key's nose. "I've
>often been jealous of my brother the Mighty Sore, and now that I am
>I'm not so much anymore." mutters Low-Key
>
> (OOC: You can still have Low-key pull some tricks if you want Roland
>I just wanted to be sure to get that last pun in. hehehe)

   Low-Key rises woozily (not to mention piece-meal), slowly
reconstituting himself. "Well, I must say, you do have a
certain...flair," he replies, shuddering as he recalls his arm being
sliced thinner than deli bologna. "Perhaps I can use you as a
guard-the Mighty Sore shall rue the day!" Low-Key leans closer.
"Making my enemies rue things is part of my position. What are your
salary requirements? Did you bring a resume?" Low-Key thinks a moment.
"Eh, forget the resume." He pulls out a shimmering rainbow-colored
card. "Do you take Offgard express?"
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:12:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Fire and Brimstone

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:40:10
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005662

>On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 16:20:09 -0400 (EDT)
>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005623
>   John, /The Santinellus Sector is a trinary system, and never
>really gets dark. Also the sunlight that filters down is green in
>color, for some reason. And as everyone knows, a Green Lantern
>doesn't shine in an Emerald Twilight./
>
>OOC: Paul ducks and runs for cover at this point... <g>

   As one, the entire Justice Legion says...
   "AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!"
   Several peanuts moving at .9 c hit Paul first, followed by a volley
of peanuts apparently made of electricity, then a pair of giant
Kryptonian peanuts from the Great Peanut Forest, and finally a HUGE
emerald peanut from around B-5 screams in from orbit.
   (OOC: Ya _got_ me, pardner! <g>)
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:12:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE IV: Breaking the Stalemate

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:52:50
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005663

>On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:27:58 -0500
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005646
>Zia, unquestionably, is 'leaking' as a bit of song comes clearly,
>"...for she is a young thing and cannot leave her mother..." Then she
>gets the echo, and snaps that out of the link. Very dryly, /Might
>makes right, and saving lives means killing. Down is up, and risk is
>to avoided. Pah! I know you're young, but that thinking is muddy
>enough to be the Mississippi itself./

   /Zia-/ Sil begins.
   /Not now,/ Roland interjects. The two seem to have a brief,
intense...discussion...while Zia and the Dragon's Bane go at it.

>She thinks to herself a moment, gathering arguments. /What if your
>positions were reversed? I've seen evil, Dragon's Bane. And I'd have
>to say you're closer to it than that creature you're helping Aurora
>and Nemesis murder is. I don't know how old you truly are, but I for
>one am attempting to live my entire existence without killing a
>sentient. Perhaps I might even manage it, I have so far. If you all
>do this, your hands are bloody to me. I don't care HOW you
>rationalize it by calling yourselves heroes./
>
>/Please, don't do this. Find another way. Even if it means I have to
>leave James to fight alone while I get this guy out of here by shadow
>shift./

   /First off, I never said I was a hero,/ Roland interjects. /Heroes
are people who make sacrifices to save others, and I've never had to
do that. Dragon's Bane, mercy is one of the things that separates us
from the bad guys. Zia, Starbreaker is a sadistic monster-he _could_
feed on dead worlds if he wanted to, but he gets off on the fear of
his victims. Believe me, there are few things anywhere more monstrous
than Starbreaker.
   /That said however, Zia, I'm giving you the green light. I've
killed once-that he's alive now doesn't change that-and more than ever
I agree with you. But I don't know any reality that could contain
Starbreaker for long, and without victims to terrorize he'd try to
escape-unless-/
   Roland stops so dead in space that a Thirdspace cyberfighter rams
right into him.
   /THE MONOBLOCK!/ Roland breaks into a wide grin. /Of course! One of
the few things that can contain the Stardragon! Zia, a monoblock is a
collapsed, pre-Big-Bang universe! Can you find one and shove that SOB
into it? I'll cover James' back for you...if you think he needs it,/
he finishes with a grin.
   (OOC: I actually didn't think of this solution until today, so it
doesn't feel like 'cheating' to have Roland do this. I love it when
the characters write themselves. <G>)
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:12:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE: Thirdspace: Against "Boskone"

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 21:27:49
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005664

>On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:14:25 -0500
>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005647
>James works over the details, leaving his briefing open to all the
>"red herring" squads to imitate. *All you remember, they're really
>going to want you dead. Don't get boxed in - if it doesn't look
>right, back off and try the next target. That is why there are five
>of you, and six counting us. Keep coming at them, but as the human
>boxing sport says, don't lead with your chin. Duck and cover as
>needed.*

   *We read you, Commander. Hot Jets!*

>James nods at the various levels of assent and understanding, then
>turns communications over to Nadreck. He turns to survey the capital
>ship, defending against the Eddorian's probes and answering
>challenges in fast succession.

   "Well done, 'Pirate Queen.' Return to Base Prime with cargo
immediately. This is Helmuth, speaking for-" There's a burst of
static, and several plans for the Thirdspacer ships and tactics,
including a railgun ship the size of the Galactica, are transmitted to
Resistance frequencies. "-for Boskone. Out."
   *That's my Clarrissa,* Kinnison sends with a smile.
   Anyone scanning Base Prime will hear the following:
   {All security units have 'off' cycles cancelled until Clarrissa
Macdougal is recaptured. FIND THAT REDHEADED DISASTER AND BRING HER TO
ME NOW!!!}
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:12:48 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Sundering of a Power

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 21:46:47
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005665

>On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 13:48:51 -0700 (PDT)
>Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00005652
>A Bottle of Quantum disjunction forms around StarBreaker
> At the Quantum level,
>  Nothing goes in or out without Nemisis' permision,

   A badly ravaged Amazo falls away, shrinking to his normal size as
he does so.
   Starbreaker looks around, briefly relieved at a more powerful
defense against the Dragon's Bane's attack than Galactus' ablative
shield. "Hah! Now, you fools, you are all DOOMED!" Twin stars light up
in Starbreaker's eyes.
   Nothing happens.
   "Bu-th-uh-Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE! I am Starbreaker! My power is
supreme!!!" And though he can't know what he's doing, he begins to
stress the barrier as he strains against it...

>/Is there any reason that I should not,
>  Open the Bottle in such a way as to vaporize the Structure of the
>   ThirdSpace Gate generator?
> I have been wondering why the Device on this side was not,
>  Disabled long ago,
>   At the least it should make it more difficult for the Edorran
>    Forces, To Maintain the Gate./

   /Ah, the 'device' on this side...is that,/ Roland explains,
mentally 'pointing' at the Tower on E-3. Which is still behind the
seemingly impenetrable shield. /But it looks like James and the
Resistance will have the Gate down soon./
   At which point he flies over to Amazo, pulling the ravaged android
out of the fight.
   *I fought-I %kkt% fought with the full power of a hundred
worlds...and I...I failed-*
   *NO,* Roland replies. *You held him off long enough for us to
contain him. You saved us all, Amazo. Now rest.*
   Amazo begins to disintegrate. *Y-yes. Rest. I have wanted...wanted
to rest %zzt% for so long ...at last, peace...*
   *No-Amazo, hold on-* Roland begins, his vast power channeled into
the robot.
   Too late.
   "/*GRRAAAHHHH!*/" Roland cries in frustration as Amazo dies, having
lived mere moments. *No more. No MORE, you hear me?!* Blaze's energy
form grows to the size of Galactus, towering over the battle. *I am
SICK of losing good people, you bastards!* A giant hand reaches into
the furball, and pulls back dozens of cyberfighters (without causing
friendly fire as a result) and crushes them in a fist. *Get out of
this reality! It's not yours, and you are NOT getting past us!*
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:21:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: AAE 4: Why don't you make an appointment?

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 21:57:46
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005666

>On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 00:15:58 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005657
>{C&C? Babylon 5? What are your curently unused cargo bays? This is
>the OTC-NX "Charles Xavier", and we need somewhere to make some major
>repairs. At least for the duration.}

   {C & C here,} Corwin replies with a slight Russian accent. {Please
go to docking bay 7 for repairs, and enter _slowly._ The station is
being moved away from the battle for the safety of the civilians on
board.}

>On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 14:52:33 -0400
>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005659
>
>Then Dhyrclhanc's face lights up.
>
>"Wait a moment will you."
>
>Then he sends the following to his brother, /Hey Roland! You wouldn't
>happen to have the 5-D coordinates for New Genesis handy, would you?
>I want to talk to High-Father (All-Father?) about borrowing a Mother
>Box./

   Roland blinks. /Uh, here {} is the vibrational frequency for the
Silver Age New Genesis, but they don't exactly hand those boxes out,
sib./
===========================

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:21:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE IV: Final Solution

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:09:19
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005667

   (OOC: WHEW! Finally caught up. Now, for a small [but significant]
subplot...)

   Fleet Captain Iblis boxes the few remaining Cylons in neatly. "Task
Force Omega to Battlestar Galactica. Can you use assistance?"
   [I _know_ that voice!] Apollo thinks, racking his brains to
remember...
   {Galactica to Earthforce. Your presence is most welcome. Good
hunting,} Adama replies.

   Base Star One.
   "We appear to be in considerable trouble, O Imperious Leader.
Orders?" Lucifer asks.
   "You die," the Imperious Leader replies. "And I will be the god of
_two_ galaxies. Farewell."
   The Imperious Leader vanishes.
   "Hmmph. I calculated his departure at thirty minutes ago. I will
have to ensure that my new functionality does not make such
miscalculations. Lucifer to fleet. We are leaving." He sits in the
throne of the Imperious Leader with ease. {Lucifer-Imperious Leader-to
Galactica. You have your pitiful Earth, and we have our galaxy. I
suggest we go our separate ways.}

   The Galactica.
   "Like hell," Colonel Tigh snarls. "They're getting torn apart, so
they want to run?"
   "Agreed," Adama replies. "All units, continue pursuit-"
   {No,} Apollo says.
   "What? Captain, are you sure-" Adama begins.
   {Trust me, Commander, the Cylons won't be a threat to us any more.
They're a joke to our allies. Why behave like them?} Apollo asks.
   {Because it's us _or_ them,} Fleet Captain Iblis replies. {Task
Force Omega, fire.}
   (OOC: So, anyone have anything to say about _this_ little subplot?
<eg>)
===========================