Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 69 Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 14:08:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: To Best Bester On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:51:47 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005999 >On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:35:25 -0400 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005989 > >:On Thu, 24 Sep 1998 20:17:50 >:Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005971 >:>On Wed, 23 Sep 1998 00:25:57 -0500 >:>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005953 >: >: Sil doesn't look at _all_ happy with the situation, but to help >:Roland she'd have to abandon James-who relies far more on finesse >:than Blaze. > >James, now down to fighting a defensive pattern to keep Zia's spot >clear as she engages Bester, notes her reaction. ^Sil? If you're >needed, go. I can manage this bunch, even at reduced skill. >Especially if I fall back and join Starbuck's defensive pattern. >WHOA!/ He scrambles aside as the Crawler's tendril slaps down where >he'd been standing. /You were saying?/ Sil sighs. >Then, admist squashed bodily ickiness of those who didn't have James' >dangersense to warn them of the lashing monstrosity, he SMILES his >cold and happy smile. Then Logrus tendrils form to his beckoning >hands, Sil's energy being drawn down protectively and wrapped within >James' outer layers of selfness to protect the orderly entity from >the chaotic Symbol. /Eeeeew. You _use_ that thing?/ Sil asks, 'looking' askance at the Logrus tendrils. >"So, you'd like to tango, Beastie?" James' form is slowly and subtly >shifting - it's still James, but sometimes it almost seems to be some >man haloed in radiance that isn't really light, dressed in a Grecian >toga. /Go ahead and cut it out of here, Legion. I'll take care of Mr. >Grabby Tendrils for our side until you can finish./ His tone assumes >her complete capability to actually DO that. Almost invisible >tendrils, MUCH smaller than the Crawler's own, start making life (or >at least grabbing life) difficult. Whenever the Horror gets hold of >one of James' tendrils, he just lets that one 'go' and grabs for >another. /James, WAIT-/ Sil begins. The moment the Logrus tendrils hit the Crawler's tentacles, Abyss-like energy explodes up the tendril, heading for James' essence! >: Starbuck blinks. "/How did-whatever, you got it Zia./" He spares >:her a wink and starts providing cover fire both physical and >:mental-he catches on quickly, it seems. > >James notes this, and takes his chance to help out on a broader >scale. Zia has little time, but manages an, /That Lens suits you. And >that's how this telepathy works, too. It augments that ability, in >humans./ She goes after Bester. /We'll have to talk later, over >another poker game../ (OOC: OOps-this should proabably be in True Lens notation. Ah, well.) @Heh-only if I can get Apollo to loan me a few credits. And I _still_ think I could take you in Pyramid.@ Starbuck manages to hold off Psi-Corps efforts to fry his brain long enough to fry some bodies. >: Bester seems mildly amused. "Young lady, you are formidable >:-anyone who can make the self-styled god Darkseid back away _must_ >:be. But I was the best telepath in Psi-Corps _before_ my... >:enhancement." He gestures at himself casually. > >Zia shrugs. "You were fair before, and likely a big pain in the neck >now. Telepathy ain't all it's always cracked up to be, anyway." *Is that a fact,* Bester replies dryly. >: Bester frowns deeply. "No. That is a fate we reserve for those to >:whom death would be too merciful a punishment." > >"Say, like, oh someone who tried to Wipe Out All Known Existence? At >least, that's how it probably appears to your limited >understanding..." Zia comments, unruffled. "My understanding is far less limited than you might imagine." Bester stares at her. >: Bester, however, doesn't seem to care. "I regret this necessity, >:my dear-you are fascinating. >: "Unfortunately, you are also an obstacle." >: *Keep her mate busy,* he sends to his agents. *I will deal with >:this one.* And he attempts to trap Zia's mind in a 'recursive loop' >:of thought, much like telling a computer to calculate the value of >:Pi to the last digit, but by sending the mind on several >:paradox-loops instead of just one. > >She _allows_ him in, falling back in a judo-like movement mentally, >and setting the Pheonix Force to hold on and drag him as deep as can >be managed while she deals with his cute little attempt to drive her >catatonic. She scans the various parts of her mentality as they >spiral outward on the paths of the paradoxial >questions/thoughts/loops, seeking a loose thread. With a suddenn >tremendous lessening of pressure on her resources... one of Bester's >vaunted paradoxes.... becomes solved. He can't understand HOW exactly >she found a way to answer it. The mathematics involved were very far >beyond what his mind can grasp. (ooSC: Think Pallanian - Zia isn't a >three-dimensional being.) She can _sense_ that Bester is impressed. But unconcerned. >With a suddeness like an avalanche, she turns that bit of her mind >towards helping the others. With an exponential increase in capacity, >it's barely any time at all before she has recovered to her normal >state again. She SMILES, her face suddenly QUITE like James' own >expression... and pulls Bester as deep as she can, and raises the >Pattern up around her, effectively 'cutting' what she could hold of >his mind off from his body... She pulls, and Bester is yanked into her mind...and he _explodes,_ turning into all sorts of nasty mind-viruses, mental illusions, and 'simple' psi-bolts. She can tell, amid the battle, that Bester doesn't _want_ to kill Zia-she is, after all, a telepath-but she has proven too dangerous... >And just maybe from his connection to the Tower as well. Bester is NOT amused by this. The attacks intensify. >But Zia isn't content to hope for good news; not after how close he >was to nailing her on the FIRST attack. She summons her most powerful >psi - empathy. She reaches for all the moments of love he has had, >all the good times he can recall, and tries to stimulate the pleasure >center of his brain directly. She knows perfectly well there are VERY >few humans who could resist that for any measurable length of time. The power Bester manifested was absolutely ridiculous, and his skill-well, let's just say he wasn't bragging. Zia was in a world of trouble. Then she went for his emotions. Zia has found the one weak spot in Bester's armor-and, perhaps, gains a little sympathy for him as well. He has had so few _genuine_ moments of pleasure he holds them in his mind like priceless jewels. Oh, he takes pride in his work, and gets satisfaction from doing his job, but moments of true happiness have been fleeting for him. His lady, the day he became a Psi-Cop, the birth of his daughter-always intense, and always fleeting, like a summer storm. And then there was the _emptiness_ in him. Once, he had stayed in a dying mind for too long. He'd been young, concerned-not idealistic, perhaps, but dedicated to his people, and the dying telepath had been so scared...and something had gone with the dead man. Something beyond price. Bester reels, trying to maintain his control. Even now, he is an incredible opponent, but Zia has gained a huge advantage-Bester is distracted and on the defensive. *DAMN you, woman! Damn you for doing this to me!* In an attempt to distract her, he uses his Onslaught-construct to weaken reality around them, but his every other tactic is an attempt to hold her off. =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 15:08:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: A Civil Servant v. The Cthuludian Crawler On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 18:05:46 -0400 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006000 :On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:51:47 :Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005999 :>On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:35:25 -0400 :>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005989 :> :>James, now down to fighting a defensive pattern to keep Zia's spot :>clear as she engages Bester, notes her reaction. ^Sil? If you're :>needed, go. I can manage this bunch, even at reduced skill. :>Especially if I fall back and join Starbuck's defensive pattern. :>WHOA!/ He scrambles aside as the Crawler's tendril slaps down where :>he'd been standing. : : /You were saying?/ Sil sighs. /It _did_ miss me, didn't it?/ James rejoinders with only a fraction of his attention, most of his caught up in staying alive and out of this thing's grip. Then, admist squashed bodily ickiness of those who didn't have James' dangersense to warn them of the lashing monstrosity, he SMILES his cold and happy smile. Then Logrus tendrils form to his beckoning hands, Sil's energy being drawn down protectively and wrapped within James' outer layers of selfness to protect the orderly entity from the chaotic Symbol. : /Eeeeew. You _use_ that thing?/ Sil asks, 'looking' askance at the :Logrus tendrils. There is a moment of silence from James. The faintest feeling of the hurt of a telling insult resounds even past James' controls to Sil. After all, she is actually _inside_ his 'self' even if she is being kind enough to remain mostly on the surface lightly. Then the silence ends abruptly, as James takes up the 'gauntlet' in his usual straight-forward way. He merely sends to Sil, very softly, ^Well, my dear, I am a descendant of Chaos, as are all living things. Order does not have flexibility enough to create nor sustain life without the initial and continuing presence of Chaos. However distasteful you find this particular use of it.^ Sil wouldn't miss the fact that James is once more the strictly controlled, formal British man displaying the customary stiff upper lip. He isn't deeply offended, just a bit surprised and hurt by Sil's reaction. Though he is (for his current situation) going to incredible lengths not to show her that she hurt him, and the surprise is that she didn't know what he was already. He turns his focus on the monster trying to squash him, instead, as a welcome distraction. : /James, WAIT-/ Sil begins. : The moment the Logrus tendrils hit the Crawler's tentacles, Abyss- :like energy explodes up the tendril, heading for James' essence! /Well! Sil - take it. It won't hurt _you_./ is all James has time to say, as he abandons all his tendrils and the Logrus, and withdraws tightly inside himself, allowing Sil to fully take over. As the Abyss-like energy streams across to James' skin it changes, becoming a torrent of incredibly white-hot fire-seeming energy... This is the Pheonix Force, wielded by Brand since his tumble into the Abyss courtesy of Fiona's arrow, as Zia and James know it, and believe most Abyssal forms of power to be. (Even if it wasn't, James' belief that it was is enough to 'shadow shift' the energy as it crosses into his "personal space" (grin) so to speak.) /If any touches me, it'll wipe all my memory./ James explains, not wanting Sil to take his retreat for a willingness to sacrifice her. James having a hot time with Sil.. Perhaps a bit hotter than even HE would care for. :) =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 15:38:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: To Best Bester On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 18:28:36 -0400 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006001 :On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:51:47 :Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005999 :>On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:35:25 -0400 :>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005989 :>:On Thu, 24 Sep 1998 20:17:50 :>:Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005971 :> :> Zia has little time, but manages an, /That Lens suits you. And :>that's how this telepathy works, too. It augments that ability, in :>humans./ She goes after Bester. /We'll have to talk later, over :>another poker game../ : : @Heh-only if I can get Apollo to loan me a few credits. And I :_still_ think I could take you in Pyramid.@ Starbuck manages to hold :off Psi-Corps efforts to fry his brain long enough to fry some :bodies. Zia gives him a quick mental @snigger@ and the understanding that she'll be sort of gone fighting with Bester for a little while. :>: Bester seems mildly amused. "Young lady, you are formidable :>:-anyone who can make the self-styled god Darkseid back away _must_ :>:be. But I was the best telepath in Psi-Corps _before_ my... :>:enhancement." He gestures at himself casually. :> :>Zia shrugs. "You were fair before, and likely a big pain in the neck :>now. Telepathy ain't all it's always cracked up to be, anyway." : : *Is that a fact,* Bester replies dryly. THAT Zia found amusing for some reason. :>: Bester frowns deeply. "No. That is a fate we reserve for those :>:to whom death would be too merciful a punishment." :> :>"Say, like, oh someone who tried to Wipe Out All Known Existence? At :>least, that's how it probably appears to your limited :>understanding..." Zia comments, unruffled. : : "My understanding is far less limited than you might imagine." :Bester stares at her. Zia smiles. Like Fiona. Like Dara. Like any number of her relatives who have been known to make Amberites uneasy with nothing more than the selfsame expression. :> She _allows_ him in, falling back in a judo-like movement :>mentally, and setting the Pheonix within her to hold on and drag him :>as deep as can be managed while she deals with his cute little :>attempt to drive her catatonic. She scans the various parts of her :>mentality as they spiral outward on the paths of the paradoxial :>questions/thoughts/loops, seeking a loose thread. With a suddenn :>tremendous lessening of pressure on her resources... one of Bester's :>vaunted paradoxes.... becomes solved. He can't understand HOW :>exactly she found a way to answer it. The mathematics involved were :>very far beyond what his mind can grasp. (ooSC: Think Pallanian - :>Zia isn't a three-dimensional being.) : She can _sense_ that Bester is impressed. But unconcerned. She wasn't bothering to monitor Bester's thoughts at all ... yet. She has a quite _singular_ ability to concentrate. : Bester reels, trying to maintain his control. Even now, he is an :incredible opponent, but Zia has gained a huge advantage-Bester is :distracted and on the defensive. : *DAMN you, woman! Damn you for doing this to me!* In an attempt to :distract her, he uses his Onslaught-construct to weaken reality :around them, but his every other tactic is an attempt to hold her :off. *I offered you quarter. Did you think I would do that unnecessarily?* Zia says, slogging on. The Pattern about her ... and Bester, now that he attacked and was drawn in. She turns a small part of her attentions to holding this Shadow stable around her, easily resisting the effort to change it within a small area around herself. As her talents commonly let her change much more than something so small and simple. She presses, starting to gain ground... at a creeping pace. The Tower's connection is slowly attenuating, but Bester is strong, smart, and fighting in earnest now. *It's strange how you humans damn those who try to help you.* She happens to think, the stray thought reaching Bester's awareness without her intention, locked in mental war as they are. She uses the happy moments he has had solely to weaken his concentration at critical junctures. Even she smiles at the birth of his daughter, remembering the birth of her own son, and daughters. The brunette frowns mentally, at how long this is taking. How injured this man is; is there some other way besides smashing what little remains to pieces, as was her plan? It would have resulted in a stronger man, a whole personality, but it would destroy what he is NOW. And there are some parts that are quite good that could be lost. That decides her. Zia cannot abide waste of something sound. And this extreme reluctance to utter destruction is strengthened by the Pheonix inside her, the Pattern she is manifesting, and her sympathy for basically the emptiness of a life so much like Sarah's... *Look, Bester. I'm in the stronger position, here. But if you honestly give me a truce for say, thirty heartbeats, I want to see if I can perhaps find a more win-win solution to our differences.* She continues to thicken the Pattern's influence about her, however, and holds her own defenses strong. Reaching deep within, she allows the Pheonix within her more ascendancy, as well. Zia "Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind." Zen Koan =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 19:38:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 22:06:32 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006002 >On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 20:07:46 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005984 > >>On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 18:53:17 -0400 >>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005978 >> >>Legion's eyes narrow, and her attacks get more... subtle. Instead of >>straightforward banishment she begins to isolate the Crawler from >>any sorces of power that she can manage. She also focuses on keeping >>anyone from sinking their claws, tentacles, or other appendages into >>the tower. > > The Crawler's power is beyond belief all by itself, but it _does_ >seem to be drawing power from...something...and Legion _is_ >interfering with that link. > Then she sees it. > Well, 'seeing' it isn't quite accurate...more of a sensation, >really...Malice contains a 'piece' of the same power, but the Crawler >is practically mainlining it. > The Adversary. The dread power that even the Starspawn fear. The >Crawler is the avatar they dread. It had been hiding its link to the >Crawler, but Legion's effort had revealed its deception, and now the >Crawler gives up duplicity and tries to strengthen its link. > Elsewhere, Malice sighs. [I'd hoped that they wouldn't figure that >out for a bit longer...well, no use for it now. I'll just have to >accelerate my plans...] Legion shares this knowledge with the others, and continues her spellweaving, battling to keep the tower out of enemy hands. =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 19:38:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Bladewar On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 22:10:10 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006003 >On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:32:25 -0700 >Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005992 *snip* >Stranger realised it was... hungry. > >/Can anybody provide me with transport to the surface. Preferably >something that'll keep me away from anyone else, I appear to have >acquired a demonic blade that drinks the souls of those it slays. >It's hungry./ Legion obliges, re-locating Stranger to the surface, away from any 'friendlies'. =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 22:37:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:18:19 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006004 Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005996 > >>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 00:40:09 EDT >>Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005986 >> >>*By all that's Holy. An Avatar of the (Great?) Adversary. Jadis, >>John neither Malice nor, the Crawler must get the tower. If either >>does, everything that lives will die, and what CAN'T die will exist >>in pain for all eternity. Stop argueing over the tower, and help us >>stop them. After this is over, if you must have a portal to all the >>universes I will build it for you, so you can continue your >>pointless war.* Aurora sends. > > Jadis eyes her with disbelief, *And what would be the time frame on > the building of this portal? If you could build it for us now say.. > a dimension over, we would return with our full power and jointly > help you against the Crawler. We would arrange the local timestream > such that this process would not take more than five minutes for us, > and almost nothing for you.* *If I have your word... from each and both of you, I will send a constructor to begin the process. It will take it a few days local time, but that can be modified by altering the time flow, locally, which I can arrange for. So tell me what you are swearing, by all the powers of the macroverse save one (The Great Adversary and his incarnations/avatars), to do in exchange for this* Aurora sends. =========================== Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 23:07:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Alpha and Omega On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:58:22 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006005 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005987 > Even now, as she is, Morgan can't heal Roland fully. But the > added power allows him to repair much of his physical form, and > enough of the ravaged psychic channels are realigned to enable > him to _think_ again. He feels something merge with his spirit > briefly, soothing it. He stands. > "Nass. What a mess." He starts to give Morgan a kiss-then stops, > unsure if that would be such a good idea. /Okay, folx, time to bait > and switch. Mike, I don't think Jha'Dur will expect another attack > from you, and Nova is no _way_ going to be able to handle her and > John solo. Aurora, Nemo, you two help Legion while Dragon's Bane > blasts that thing. Stranger-/ Roland looks up. /Um, never mind. > James, I'm patched up for the moment, go back and help Zia nail > Bester. Sib, either slug her or kiss her./ Even the Mor(ri)gan > chuckles. /Maybe you can get her to come over to our side. If I > missed anyone, no offense; my brain's still addled. /And SOMEONE > find the Destroyer!/ He turns and sees the Mor(ri)gan still standing > there, dark divinity still glowing from her eyes and a faint smile > on her lips. He swallows. Aurora sends, /On it./ Dragon's Bane answers, /To hear is to obey./ The mighty ship then goes into action. The cosmics in the area feel space warp and then feel two universes merge slightly. Right where the Crawler is something like a black hole can be seen Dragron's Bane fires some kind of packetized energy at the black hole, and then there is (for the cosmics at least) a snipping sensation at the two universes are separated again. Only a peice of this universe went with the other. The peice containing the Crawler. /There that should hold him for a few minutes at least. It won't hold him long, and he'll be back, probably mad as hell too,but it should wear him down a little. What I fired was a spirit core. That black hole was a monoblock, and it was about to blow. When it does (which should be about a second ago) it should generate a Starspawn a couple of orders of magnitude more powerful than Cerberus. When the Crawler kills him he will be ready to ascend, and move onward, and outward from this Macro Cosmic All. He should be able to chew the Crawler up pretty badly before he dies though. Before you get upset, Oracle selected him, as he was about to die from an injury that even Aurora couldn't fix. He was informed as to what Oracle had in mind. Oracle didn't even have to ask him to volunteer. He begged Oracle to arrange it. I have been carrying that spirit core for about fifty billion years, feeding it information,waiting to be told to implement plan Alpha and Omega./ Dragon's Bane sends. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 06:39:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Bladewar On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:12:31 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006006 > On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:50:50 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005990 > > Mournblade stops in mid-advance. "Well. This is an unexpected > turn of events. You fancy yourself a wizard, then, do you? Let us > see, then, how you fare against the living weapon of Chaos!" > The soul-eater raises its hands, and the entire cargo bay > vanishes from Babylon-5, reappearing on the surface of the planet. > "Demons-here! Shelter from the rain of death to those who battle > the Eternal Champion!" > A few take the offer, ducking into the strange structure the > cargo bay has become without the rest of B-5 around it... And Nemo chuckles. "Titanium is *so* close that it's almost *no* effort to make the change." What he means becomes *painfully* clear to the demons as the cargo bay shifts from titanium alloy to pure mithril. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 06:39:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Bladewar On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:16:44 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006007 > On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:32:25 -0700 > Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005992 > > "Stormbringer, you gotta work with me." > > The sword moaned slightly. > > Stranger realised it was... hungry. > > /Can anybody provide me with transport to the surface. Preferably > something that'll keep me away from anyone else, I appear to have > acquired a demonic blade that drinks the souls of those it slays. > It's hungry./ A "door" opens in the air. The battle on Epsilon 3 is visible on the other side. /Will this do?/ =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 06:39:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:20:08 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006008 > On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:34:35 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005988 > >>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 00:40:09 EDT >>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00005986 >> >> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005984 >> >>*By all that's Holy. An Avatar of the (Great?) Adversary. Jadis, > ^^^^^^^^ -yep. >>John neither Malice nor, the Crawler must get the tower. If either >>does, everything that lives will die, and what CAN'T die will exist >>in pain for all eternity. Stop argueing over the tower, and help us >>stop them. After this is over, if you must have a portal to all the >>universes I will build it for you, so you can continue your >>pointless war.* Aurora sends. > > /More good news,/ Roland quips, though even he feels a quiver of > terror at the thought of some...THING...as alien, powerful and > inimical to life as the Crawler with that kind of power. (Hey, the > man _was_ a GL. ;^) /Though I don't know how good an idea letting > them off the hook like that is, things just went from bad to > nightmarish./ > > /Yes, we deal with the Zodaii _after_ we make sure there's a > multiverse to deal with them _in,_/ Morgan agrees. /I *don't* want to do this, but I don't see any choice./ *Come, Brother!* And another Nemo appears. We've seen this one before. On Greyworld. He's easily recognized by the halo... The new Nemo faces the Adversary. He gestures and the tower is no in the center of a complex magical diagram made of mithril inlaid meters deep into the bedrock. The haloed Nemo is standing in one of the "points". "You shall not pass." =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 10:38:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00006009 > On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:20:08 PST > Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006008 > > And another Nemo appears. We've seen this one before. On Greyworld. > He's easily recognized by the halo... > > The new Nemo faces the Adversary. He gestures and the tower is no in > the center of a complex magical diagram made of mithril inlaid > meters deep into the bedrock. The haloed Nemo is standing in one of > the "points". Nemisis Splits, Each wearing a braclet on Two or Three of it Arms, Appear in the 'other' Points Each of These Braclets are, A Power Battery, In a Quantum Interface Setting... Not the Quantum Negabands, but they were made possible by those. > "You shall not pass." =Sorry about the delay, I have been trying ot deal with Father's Angst.= =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 10:49:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE4: His Majesty summons.... On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 10:43:47 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006010 Dris and Roscoe continue fighting Nephandi, demons, bugs...always seeming to be where their efforts will do the most good. In the midst of battle, a portal opens near Roscoe. "Roscoe, you are needed here. Return to Arcadia immediately." Roscoe looks to Oberon, then at the battle, torn. Morgan, noticing this, sends /We have things more or less under control; if Oberon needs you badly enough to call now, then ye're needed more there than here. Take care, old friend." The two dive through the portal, which vanishes a moment later. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:38:20 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:05:51 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006011 >On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 15:03:24 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005994 > >On Fri, 25 Sep 1998, Morgan wrote: >> >> "Hmmph. You must be one hot customer, to give _Galactus_ trouble >>-but mister, SO AM I!" Nova creates a fusion wall in front of John, >>its energy 'held' by her powers to prevent his manipulation of same. > >John studies the wall. "An energy wall." He shakes his head. >OOC: Is it solid, or just kill level energy? that will determine the >nature of my response. (OOC: At first glance, the 'outer' layer is ordinary fire, while the 'inner' layer is plasma.) >> Jha'Dur appears next to John, apparently unable to teleport past >>Nova. "Counterfield," she suggests. > >John says, "I _am_ a counterfield. To use energy against me is akin >to trying to trying to stop a nuclear explosion with a flamethrower." >He walks up to the wall. At which point John notices a _third_ layer. Energy _dispersal._ Not even attempting to absorb it, just scatter to the cosmos. Clever. But not as powerful as Galactus, and not powerful enough to disperse John. Jha'Dur looks for a moment (if John has done something to Nova, she's staggering to her feet) and concentrates. A spike appears on one shoulder. "She still has a biology...which means that she is no match for me." If the wall is still there, she motions for John to move the plasma away. Once he does, she fires the spike at a surprised Nova, who is soon wrapped in charcoal-gray ribbons that extinguish her flame. Only her eyes, wide with terror, can be seen under her mummification. "mmph!" Jha'Dur smiles. "All too easy." >Jadis rolls his eyes at Galactus, "Wherever would you get the notion >that _I_ am controlling _him_? He's doing this all on his lonesome, >with some small help from me, of course. Or do you think of me and >what's over there as the same being? If so, you ae sadly mistaken. >You want the little human personality released, you have to go talk >to the man over there who appears to have made short work of your >herald." Galactus looks at Nova's plight, frowning. "I had not scanned your minds. My error. You are both, then, expendable." The ability to consume worlds rises around Galactus, raised to the power to disperse stars...nebulae...galactic cores... >> If Jadis refuses, tells him off, or otherwise gives Galactus a >>hard time, he proceeds to use his own vastly enhanced power along >>with the Tower's energies to disperse Jadis' form and consciousness >>across the multiverse. > >Your call here. Galactus is ready to strike, with the power to stagger even Jadis; given enough time, to even disperse him-not kill him, even _this_ Galactus is not that powerful, but it would be...inconvenient. Then... >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:18:19 EDT >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00006004 > >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005996 >> >> Jadis eyes her with disbelief, *And what would be the time frame on >> the building of this portal? If you could build it for us now say.. >> a dimension over, we would return with our full power and jointly >> help you against the Crawler. We would arrange the local timestream >> such that this process would not take more than five minutes for >> us, and almost nothing for you.* >> >*If I have your word... from each and both of you, I will send a >constructor to begin the process. It will take it a few days local >time, but that can be modified by altering the time flow, locally, >which I can arrange for. So tell me what you are swearing, by all the >powers of the macroverse save one (The Great Adversary and his >incarnations/avatars), to do in exchange for this* Aurora sends. Galactus powers down. He stares at Jadis for a long moment, taking his measure. Then he appears by Jha'Dur. "You will release my Herald. Now." Jha'Dur backs away, almost certainly scared but (to her credit) not showing it. "So. It comes to-" And the Crawler takes advantage of Galactus' distraction. A tentacle as thick as Galactus is tall strikes him. Galactus roars in pain and fury, and two of the most powerful beings anywhere wrestle in space, reality wavering around them. Jha'Dur smiles anew at a terrified Nova. "Hmm. Now _this_ is an interesting development..." =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:38:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Bladewar On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:20:43 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006012 >On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 22:10:10 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006003 > >>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:32:25 -0700 >>Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005992 >> >>/Can anybody provide me with transport to the surface. Preferably >>something that'll keep me away from anyone else, I appear to have >>acquired a demonic blade that drinks the souls of those it slays. >>It's hungry./ > >Legion obliges, re-locating Stranger to the surface, away from any >'friendlies'. Mournblade is battling one of the immortals from Roland's reality, anbd apparently having a hard time of it. Not, from the torn bodies of others, that he'd been having any trouble until recently... "Die, curse you! DIE!" Mournblade thrusts again, and the man-apparently possessed of powers similar to Roland's, but at much lower power-parries easily and strikes hard at what appears to be a glancing blow. A small chip flies off of Mournblade's metal form. Small indents from two 'clean kills' can be seen on Mournblade's chest. Captain John Carter merely smiles and salutes. He's probably the equal of the best swordsman any of the _characters_ have ever seen. Mournblade glares for a moment...then folds in on itself, reappearing near Legion. "The Crawler can deal with the others," it intones, raising its hand-blade, "once _your_ interference is ended." (OOC: Caprice, I'm trying something with the Tower-obviously, Legion's not going to get 'eaten' today, but I'd appreciate a 'port away from the Tower. Thanx.) =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:39:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: A Civil Servant v. The Cthuludian Crawler On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:12:13 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006013 >On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 18:05:46 -0400 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006000 > >:On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:51:47 >:Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005999 >: >: /Eeeeew. You _use_ that thing?/ Sil asks, 'looking' askance at >:the Logrus tendrils. > > ^Well, my dear, I am a descendant of Chaos, as are all living >things. Order does not have flexibility enough to create nor sustain >life without the initial and continuing presence of Chaos. However >distasteful you find this particular use of it.^ Sil wouldn't miss >the fact that James is once more the strictly controlled, formal >British man displaying the customary stiff upper lip. He isn't deeply >offended, just a bit surprised and hurt by Sil's reaction. Though he >is (for his current situation) going to incredible lengths not to >show her that she hurt him, and the surprise is that she didn't know >what he was already. ^Oh, James, I'm SORRY!^ Sil replies, stricken. ^I was just teasing -I never meant-^ >: The moment the Logrus tendrils hit the Crawler's tentacles, >:Abyss-like energy explodes up the tendril, heading for James' >:essence! > >/Well! Sil - take it. It won't hurt _you_./ is all James has time to >say, as he abandons all his tendrils and the Logrus, and withdraws >tightly inside himself, allowing Sil to fully take over. As the >Abyss-like energy streams across to James' skin it changes, becoming >a torrent of incredibly white-hot fire-seeming energy... /With pleasure./ Sil's voice crackles like an inferno, and her cosmic force matches the Abyss-like energy force for force. >This is the Pheonix Force, wielded by Brand since his tumble into the >Abyss courtesy of Fiona's arrow, as Zia and James know it, and >believe most Abyssal forms of power to be. (Even if it wasn't, James' >belief that it was is enough to 'shadow shift' the energy as it >crosses into his "personal space" (grin) so to speak.) /If any >touches me, it'll wipe all my memory./ James explains, not wanting >Sil to take his retreat for a willingness to sacrifice her. Roland, your option on just how much, quantity wise, is spent into >Sil/James from the tendril... and if any actually reaches James, Sil >will have to take over because it will wipe James' memory utterly of >ALL his recollections...clear back to nothing.> (OOC: Sil got it away from James as soon as he lit up.) The battle is intense...for a brief moment. Then the Crawler overwhlems Sil easily. "/*AIIII!*/" Sil cries, her new body dead aborning. "/SIL!/" Roland becomes a blur of action, teleporting to the Velvet Glove, retrieving Sil's HIT-Mark body, and returning to her location, the body appearing in the place Sil's astral form had been left. /Ah, Roland...you've always been.../ Sil strokes his cheek gently. /You've exerted yourself too much. You need rest./ /Like _that_ ever stopped him when he felt someone needed him?/ Morgan quips, sending a smile at her mate. /I need to sleep for a week,/ Roland replies with a chuckle. /But there really isn't the time right now./ He teleports back to Morgan's side as Sil, her cosmic link shattered but her HIT-Mark body as deadly as ever, unloads the chain gun into the nearest baddies, the Primium ammo both tearing bodies and disrupting magick... *Don't suppose you could get _me_ one of those?* Ma'an asks facetiously. /Well, actually,/ Sil replies with a wide grin, /I _do_ have Order of Reason access codes stored in this body. I probably could...requisition...a HIT-Mark V for you...if you knew what to do with one./ She laughs as she tries to work her way back toward James. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:39:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: To Best Bester On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:26:12 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006014 >On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 18:28:36 -0400 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006001 > >:On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:51:47 >:Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005999 >: Bester reels, trying to maintain his control. Even now, he is an >:incredible opponent, but Zia has gained a huge advantage-Bester is >:distracted and on the defensive. >: *DAMN you, woman! Damn you for doing this to me!* In an attempt >:to distract her, he uses his Onslaught-construct to weaken reality >:around them, but his every other tactic is an attempt to hold her >:off. > > *I offered you quarter. Did you think I would do that >unnecessarily?* Zia says, slogging on. The Pattern about her ... and >Bester, now that he attacked and was drawn in. She turns a small part >of her attentions to holding this Shadow stable around her, easily >resisting the effort to change it within a small area around herself. >As her talents commonly let her change much more than something so >small and simple. Bester immediately changes tracks, and his iron will is displayed in the fact that he is able to re-enable one of the mind-viruses. But he's trying to control his emotions, rather than use them, and it's costing him. > She presses, starting to gain ground... at a creeping pace. The >Tower's connection is slowly attenuating, but Bester is strong, >smart, and fighting in earnest now. *It's strange how you humans damn >those who try to help you.* She happens to think, the stray thought >reaching Bester's awareness without her intention, locked in mental >war as they are. She uses the happy moments he has had solely to >weaken his concentration at critical junctures. Even she smiles at >the birth of his daughter, remembering the birth of her own son, and >daughters. _That_ gives Bester pause; true empathy is virtually unknown to telepaths, and even the more mundane variety is in short supply. The psibolt aimed at her higher fuctions remains poised but unused for the moment. >That decides her. Zia cannot abide waste of something sound. And this >extreme reluctance to utter destruction is strengthened by the >Pheonix inside her, the Pattern she is manifesting, and her sympathy >for basically the emptiness of a life so much like Sarah's... > *Look, Bester. I'm in the stronger position, here. *For the moment.* >But if you honestly give me a truce for say, thirty heartbeats, I >want to see if I can perhaps find a more win-win solution to our >differences.* She continues to thicken the Pattern's influence about >her, however, and holds her own defenses strong. Reaching deep >within, she allows the Pheonix within her more ascendancy, as well. Bester considers for a moment. Loath though he is to do so, he is actually considering using his rage to fight back. But it doesn't take long for him to realize the potential benefits of working _with_ this woman. [And, ultimately, how different _are_ we?] *Agreed.* =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 13:08:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Alpha and Omega On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:59:26 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:58:22 EDT >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00006005 > >Dragon's Bane answers, /To hear is to obey./ The mighty ship then >goes into action. The cosmics in the area feel space warp and then >feel two universes merge slightly. Right where the Crawler is >something like a black hole can be seen Dragron's Bane fires some >kind of packetized energy at the black hole, and then there is (for >the cosmics at least) a snipping sensation at the two universes are >separated again. Only a peice of this universe went with the other. >The peice containing the Crawler. /There that should hold him for a >few minutes at least. It won't hold him long, and he'll be back, >probably mad as hell too,but it should wear him down a little. The Crawler summarily 'eats' the black hole, and in moments has its 'ride' again. >What I fired was a spirit core. That black hole was a monoblock, and >it was about to blow. When it does (which should be about a second >ago) it should generate a Starspawn a couple of orders of magnitude >more powerful than Cerberus. When the Crawler kills him he will be >ready to ascend, and move onward, and outward from this Macro Cosmic >All. He should be able to chew the Crawler up pretty badly before he >dies though. And has severe indigestion a moment later as a Starspawn bursts forth, emerging from it. It does...something...that somehow resembles a scream, but isn't. If there had been any psychics in that universe, they would have died in an instant of horrific agony. And the battle is joined. >Before you get upset, Oracle selected him, as he was about to die >from an injury that even Aurora couldn't fix. He was informed as to >what Oracle had in mind. Oracle didn't even have to ask him to >volunteer. He begged Oracle to arrange it. I have been carrying that >spirit core for about fifty billion years, feeding it information, >waiting to be told to implement plan Alpha and Omega./ Dragon's Bane >sends. /I don't believe in killing. I _do_ believe in Right to Die, however. Something about Heinlein influencing my formative years...good luck to it/ Roland sends. Moments later, the Crawler emerges into this universe once more. Well, most of it. Its biological appearance is gone, save for the tentacles. In its place is what looks like a black hole with tentacles, atop a 'normal' black hole, and a wave of a pseudo-emotion similar to rage. But the Crawler is just...alien...even to this diverse band. It wants to destroy, with the primal urge that most beings the CAoL understands have to create. *PERISH, CONSTRUCT,* everyone hears, and the Dragon's Bane is wrapped in tentacles from stem to stern that have only one mode of attack. Unweaving. It's trying to make the Dragon's Bane...not be. Then smaller Crawlers, identical to the one the CAoL fought in the Chaos-scape between worlds, fly out and slam into the planet. While they are each vastly weaker than the true Crawler, they are still enormously powerful. Some of them attack the beings that maintain the circle, five of them are keeping Galactus busy, and a handful of others attack defenders of the Tower. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 16:38:10 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: The Dangers of Reentry (Long!) On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 19:30:30 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006016 > On Thu, 24 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > >>Dhyrclhanc Said > >>> Morgan and/or Roland Said >> >>"Well Shard, I have no idea about the rest of what you said, but if >>you know me as well as you claim to, you will know that I believe >>that if there is anything around here more important than my ego >>then I want it taken out and shot immediatly," says the immortal >>hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon as he is surrounded by a familiar >>emerald-green aura and matches Shard's near 60-foot height to the >>inch. > > "Well, it may be the _biggest_ thing around here, but believe me, > when the fabric of the multiverse is at stake your _ego_ falls > PRETTY low on the importance scale!" Shard growls. Sorry, I should've made it a little bit moreclear that Dhyrclhanc wasn't being serious when he said that. >>> Her eyes glow with divine power, and her voice is like the call of >>> sky to a dragon's wings. "He is your enemy, o brightest of my >>> children," she says, her beautiful human form becoming that of a >>> multicolored, shimmering dragon-though this one with but a single >>> head-and of incredible, sublime beauty by draconic standards. Even >>> most of the other beings are strangely drawn by her form. "It is >>> our way. Destroy him, please." Just for the record, was her royal "five-headedness" speaking to DC or to Shard here? > Her eyes shine with every color, and she...smiles. "Ah, but > Bright One," she says in a voice to make the Sirens envious, "who > said I wanted you to _fear_ me?" Her neck entwines around > Dhyrclhanc's without _quite_ touching, her cheek sliding close > enough to his for him to feel her breath. "You are a wonder, even > among our kind. I could make you a god yourself, worshipped, > revered...and there would be...OTHER benefits..." She disentangles > their necks and faces him, her eyes boring into his. "Forget the > human. Join your magicks to mine. We shall create a new Age...the > Age of Dragonkind..." > (OOC: So, sib, how's everyone's favorite Lensdragon doing on > _this_ battlefield? ) While I'm at it, exactly which "human" is theQueen of all Chaotic Dragons refering to here? Standing stock still for a moment, as if internaly debating something, Dhyrclhanc then attempts to disentangle himself from Tahkis' clutches by, once again, adopting a 60' tall form using the energies of his ring. Pausing again, to give Tiama... er, Tahksis a shallow, oriental- style, formal bow, the lensdragon responds, "'My Queen', I, for one would never dream of lying to you. While I will freely admit to spending quite a bit of time, recently, looking for either a traveling companion or a mate. However, were to find myself laying next to you, as you suggest, then I fear, even despite my Immortality, my lifespan would be comperable to that of Agamemnon after returning to Mycenae. This even ignoring your rather well known history of being a, if you will excuse the expression, a 'Black Widow'." In addition, you are a Queen of Darkness and I am a Champion of Light. I will not deny my wish of assending to Godhood, or as close to Godhood as a dragon can achive, but I doubt that it is within your portfolio to make me anything but a God of Darkness. And that I would never wish." The Immortal hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon pauses once more, bowing again to the Queen of all Chaotic Dragons, "So, "my Queen", unless the extreemly rare hapenstance comes to pass that you decide to crossover to join with me in my Crusade, I fear that I have no wish to join yours." With that, Dhyrclhanc grasps the edges of his Ranger's Longcoat and makes a mighty leap up and over Tahkis' head, moving in an arc a quarter of a mile high and half of a mile. Executing a backflip at the apex, the draconic Lensman lands on his feet, waiting for the Dragon Queen to follow, whatever her reaction to his speech. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 17:08:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Alpha and Omega On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 19:48:33 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006017 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 > Moments later, the Crawler emerges into this universe once more. > Well, most of it. > Its biological appearance is gone, save for the tentacles. In its > place is what looks like a black hole with tentacles, atop a > 'normal' black hole, and a wave of a pseudo-emotion similar to rage. > But the Crawler is just...alien...even to this diverse band. It > wants to destroy, with the primal urge that most beings the CAoL > understands have to create. > *PERISH, CONSTRUCT,* everyone hears, and the Dragon's Bane is > wrapped in tentacles from stem to stern that have only one mode of > attack. > Unweaving. > It's trying to make the Dragon's Bane...not be. *I told you he'd be mad,* Dragon's Bane gets out before the ship commits to its final act. That said it wraps its power source with seed energy, and detonates its power core. Blasting outward into, then along the tentacles is literally infinite, pure, order, life energy, the ultimate Pattern. The energy flows up the tentacles slamming into Crawlers main body, savaging it dreadfully, before ebbing. When the Cosmic fire ends, there remains Crawler (badly injured), but no trace of Dragon's Bane. =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 20:08:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: To Best Bester On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 23:01:23 -0400 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006018 :On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:26:12 :Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006014 :>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 18:28:36 -0400 :>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006001 :>:On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:51:47 :>:Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005999 [SNIP!] [Zia] uses the happy moments he has had solely to weaken his concentration at critical junctures. Even she smiles at the birth of his daughter, remembering the birth of her own son, and daughters. : _That_ gives Bester pause; true empathy is virtually unknown to :telepaths, and even the more mundane variety is in short supply. The :psibolt aimed at her higher fuctions remains poised but unused for :the moment. : : :>That decides her. Zia cannot abide waste of something sound. And :>this extreme reluctance to utter destruction is strengthened by the :>Pheonix inside her, the Pattern she is manifesting, and her sympathy :>for basically the emptiness of a life so much like Sarah's. *Look, :>Bester. I'm in the stronger position, here.* : : *For the moment.* The petite Amberite lady accepts that with the equivalent, mentally at least, of a shrug of indifference, and continues unpeturbed. *But if you honestly give me a truce for say, thirty heartbeats, I want to see if I can perhaps find a more win-win solution to our differences.* She continues to thicken the Pattern's influence about her, however, and holds her own defenses strong. Reaching deep within, she allows the Pheonix within her more ascendancy, as well. : Bester considers for a moment. Loath though he is to do so, he is :actually considering using his rage to fight back. : But it doesn't take long for him to realize the potential benefits :of working _with_ this woman. : [And, ultimately, how different _are_ we?] : *Agreed.* *I think that I could, with the aid of some one or two others repair, or rather more precisely, start the natural regeneration of the damaged portions of your mind that you perceive as this {emptiness}* Zia is careful to use NOT the emptiness feeling/awareness itself, but rather Bester's symbolistic expression he uses to think OF it, himself. She does NOT want to provoke that attack she can feel he is ready to launch. With the Tower behind him, she is not all that positive she could survive, much less win. *Futhermore...* she hesitates - an impressive set of probabilities and some fearsomely complex model is used to generate a thought with some true logic behind it. Although, once again, Bester cannot quite follow ALL the paths her thoughts use, because some of the concepts just share no equivalents in his experience. *Futhermore, I speculate - but am NOT promising - that such regeneration, if carefully studied by both yourself, or a better expert on the telepathic workings of a human mind, and a good medical researcher or xenobiologist, could provide the critical information needed to safely awaken those telepaths that were converted to Shadow-cyborg shipminds. I am NOT promising as I cannot tell the future with any degree of certainty. I am not a god. But I do think it a strong chance, and a better one than currently exists. Also, since you can probably read it if I try to conceal anything of relevance (so I won't, because I've never thought there was much percentage in spitting in the wind, anyway), there is a moderate chance that it will effect your personality for a while. The way I would have to do it is ask the Pheonix spirit, within me if it would assist me in starting the process from inside your pysche.* *I am a highly trained redactor (psionic healer) and my most... (smile) facile talents lie in the areas of empathy and emotion, as you well know by know. So I believe there is a strong chance that I could succeed. There is almost no chance I could do it without your agreement and assistance, however - as I doubt the Pheonix WOULD be able to help if it took possession of you unwillingly. Plus it would simply be too insanely dangerous to try healing you while you blasted MY mind to bits, as well." She adds, somewhat dryly in the face of his still ready psi-bolt. *But... I admit, a certain mathematician's fondness for elegant solutions. And smashing away at each other like juggernauts holds little appeal to me. I don't _like_ getting pummeled. It's unladylike. Not to mention fighting someone and feeling BOTH sides pain is a real pain in the neck, too.* *So, you can consider my situation a win if you agree. And I believe the benefits on your side might be considered worthy of the risk. We have 12 more heartbeats for your decision, Mr. Bester.* Zia =========================== Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 21:11:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Alpha and Omega On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 20:44:47 -0700 (PDT) The Lone One Said As CAoL Message # 00006019 On Thu, 24 Sep 1998 20:06:58 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005972 > Roland's mind practically sighs in relief on its own. /Not a > problem, and thanks. Good to have 'you' back, Raver./ Raver acknowledges Roland with a brief mental nod, tinged with wryness as she watches the duel. On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:12:31 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006006 >> "Demons-here! Shelter from the rain of death to those who battle >> the Eternal Champion!" >> A few take the offer, ducking into the strange structure the >> cargo bay has become without the rest of B-5 around it... > > And Nemo chuckles. > > "Titanium is *so* close that it's almost *no* effort to make the >change." > > What he means becomes *painfully* clear to the demons as the cargo > bay shifts from titanium alloy to pure mithril. Those on the Link get a flash of a razor grin of approval at Nemo as Raver silently lunges out at the suffering demons, bringing their sword up in the beginnings of a backhanded swing. /Unlike these, *we* have no vulnerability to mithril or questions of holiness./ The words are half growled in savage triumph. Distracted by the mithril burn, several of the demons don't notice until half a second too late. > On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:59:26 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 > > It's trying to make the Dragon's Bane...not be. > Then smaller Crawlers, identical to the one the CAoL fought in > the Chaos-scape between worlds, fly out and slam into the planet. > While they are each vastly weaker than the true Crawler, they are > still enormously powerful. > Some of them attack the beings that maintain the circle, five of > them are keeping Galactus busy, and a handful of others attack > defenders of the Tower. /Hell's bells,/ the Two snarled as they smashed a mailed fist through an unlucky demon's face and pivoted on their off foot to gut another one with a well-placed kick. A braver than usual demon tried to sneak up behind them, but received a reverse sword thrust in the gut for its pains. /We are a wee bit busy here keeping the demons off Stranger--/ They broke off to concentrate on fighting. =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 05:10:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Alpha and Omega On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 02:05:55 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006020 > On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:59:26 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 > > Moments later, the Crawler emerges into this universe once more. > Well, most of it. > Its biological appearance is gone, save for the tentacles. In its > place is what looks like a black hole with tentacles, atop a > 'normal' black hole, and a wave of a pseudo-emotion similar to rage. > But the Crawler is just...alien...even to this diverse band. It > wants to destroy, with the primal urge that most beings the CAoL > understands have to create. > *PERISH, CONSTRUCT,* everyone hears, and the Dragon's Bane is > wrapped in tentacles from stem to stern that have only one mode of > attack. > Unweaving. > It's trying to make the Dragon's Bane...not be. Anyone watching the haloed Nemo closely enough will note the breifest possible flash of disbelief followed by anger. *You would _dare_ the unmaking...* "Goddess, aid thy servants...." And he proceeds to invoke many deities (mostly female), such as the Goddess from Diane Duane's "Doorway" books, and many others. The main thread is invoking all those who are not only aspects of the Creator, but who have an especial antipathy for "unmaking" and those who would attempt it. =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 05:38:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Bladewar On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 08:13:43 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006021 >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:20:43 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006012 > >>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 22:10:10 -0400 >>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006003 >> >>>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 13:32:25 -0700 >>>Stranger Said As CAoL Message # 00005992 > Mournblade glares for a moment...then folds in on itself, >reappearing near Legion. > "The Crawler can deal with the others," it intones, raising its >hand-blade, "once _your_ interference is ended." > > (OOC: Caprice, I'm trying something with the Tower-obviously, >Legion's not going to get 'eaten' today, but I'd appreciate a 'port >away from the Tower. Thanx.) (OOC: Unfortunately, it is breaking character for Legion. Since she could just re-locate this jerk to the heart of a star. And the persona in control right now lacks Legion's usual regard for sentient life. However since the GM demands it. :P) Legion vanishes, appearing about ten feet behind Mournblade, her spell casting uninterrupted. Whenever he gets close to her, she simply teleports away, to a distance shortly out of reach. Once moved a distance away from the tower she teleports back to its side... and the whole process begins again. =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 14:41:10 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Deathwalkerstalker On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 14:36:33 -0700 (PDT) Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006022 >On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 15:19:26 -0400 (EDT) >Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005997 > >>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 03:29:13 -0700 (PDT) >>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005991 >> >>Her sword changes forms into a blade made of that same holy water, >>which sprays around her as she swings it, and cuts just as well as >>any metal would. Her cuts and wounds spray holy water as well, >>though they heal quickly, similar to the Aliens' acid blood being a >>defense against whoever should wound one. >> >Mike does note that every time a demon 'dies', the others become less >fatigued. > >On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:20:56 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005987 > > "Nass. What a mess." He starts to give Morgan a kiss-then stops, >unsure if that would be such a good idea. /Okay, folx, time to bait >and switch. Mike, I don't think Jha'Dur will expect another attack >from you, and Nova is no _way_ going to be able to handle her and >John solo. Mike frowns to herself, falling back away from the demons. /Alright, looks like each demon that gets offed frees up more power for the rest to draw from. So, bear that in mind./ >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:05:51 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006011 > > Galactus looks at Nova's plight, frowning. "I had not scanned your >minds. My error. You are both, then, expendable." The ability to >consume worlds rises around Galactus, raised to the power to disperse >stars...nebulae...galactic cores... > Galactus is ready to strike, with the power to stagger even Jadis; >given enough time, to even disperse him-not kill him, even _this_ >Galactus is not that powerful, but it would be...inconvenient. /Hmmm, maybe I won't have to./ Mike sends, watching for the moment. > Galactus powers down. He stares at Jadis for a long moment, taking >his measure. Then he appears by Jha'Dur. > "You will release my Herald. Now." > Jha'Dur backs away, almost certainly scared but (to her credit) >not showing it. "So. It comes to-" > And the Crawler takes advantage of Galactus' distraction. A >tentacle as thick as Galactus is tall strikes him. Galactus roars in >pain and fury, and two of the most powerful beings anywhere wrestle >in space, reality wavering around them. > Jha'Dur smiles anew at a terrified Nova. "Hmm. Now _this_ is an >interesting development..." [Great,] Mike thinks, [Okay, looks like we're going to tangle again, Jha'Dur.] >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:59:26 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 > > Then smaller Crawlers, identical to the one the CAoL fought in the >Chaos-scape between worlds, fly out and slam into the planet. While >they are each vastly weaker than the true Crawler, they are still >enormously powerful. > Some of them attack the beings that maintain the circle, five of >them are keeping Galactus busy, and a handful of others attack >defenders of the Tower. [Oh, even better, like this wasn't a furball to begin with.] [Relax, dad,] Mike heard in her head, [Come here, we have an idea. You won't be gone for even half a second local time.] Mike appeared on a desert of blue sands. She looked up at a purple sky and a sun tinted faintly green. "The places you girls bring me." Mike said. She looked at Melissa, who smiled, brushing a long, blonde, spiralling strand of hair away from her face. "So what's the idea? I need to get back." Melissa shook her head, motioning to her sister. Grep replied, "For each week here, a second will pass there. And we only intend to keep you an hour or two. You will only be gone for 3/168ths of a second at most." As usual, the technotwins were identical in face and body but otherwise opposites. Melissa in a simple black dress, Grep in an white jumpsuit. Tink seemed to be the compromise today, dressed in a white dress. Molly was in barnstorming getup. Molly was attempting to keep a straight face while looking at her father's decidedly female form, but was having a tough time of it. The thought that she had the same Time Lord DNA and might be able to regenerate herself finally sobered her up. What would Molly look like as a guy? She decided not to find out. Tink said "But wight now, you need an equipment upgwade." Molly added, *And a change in attire. That hair is going to get you killed if we don't do something about it. It keeps falling in your eyes.* Tink pulled Mike by the hand toward a small, coral-colored, adobe-like building with sulphur yellow, terra-cotta shingles on the roof. The small group entered a rust-colored metal door in the side of the building. Inside looked like a barber shop. Tink sat Mike down in a lime green chair and stood on a stepstool behind it. Grep took a pair of white uzi-like weapons from the wall. "First, save the sword for magic, there are too many enemies right now to fight off with it." She handed Mike a bullet. The casing was brass, like any other, but what would have been a lead slug was silver. As Mike was looking at it, she heard a 'snip' and her head suddenly felt slightly lighter. Mike reflexively put a hand to her head and turned to look at Tink, who was holding a pair of scissors and over a foot and a half of Mike's hair, which she tossed into a trash can. "Hey!" Mike said, surprised. "I know what I am doing." Tink said, fashioning Mike's hair into a french braid. "If you don't wike it, you can gwow it wong again easy. But wight now, making it wike that Bowg wady on Stah Twek Voyageh is betteh." Mike looked back to the bullet. Grep continued, "It's a modification on the sunbeam you used earlier. Garlic and holy water in a silver casing. Don't worry about how many you will need, the guns reproduce more." Melissa took Mike's sword. Concentrating, she changed the blade the size of a dagger. "I am sure you know this trick, Aunt Morgan uses it on her blade." She slipped it in a boot sheath. "The jumpsuit in the changing room should be a bit more comfortable to fight in than that blazer." Grep added, "The jumpsuit has a few more tricks hidden away that we will go over in a minute. But first-" Molly continued, *But first, we have a new concept we want you to consider that -may- make fighting all these demons easier.* Mike's form didn't even flicker to the normal human eye, the departure and arrival having taken place in 2.78/168ths of a second, far faster than the time it takes to show one image on a television or movie screen. One moment, she stood, sword at the ready, in jeans and blazer. The next, she stood, guns drawn and at the ready, in a gold-trimmed, white jumpsuit. Automatic weapons fire tore through the first line of demons. /Well, that works,/ Mike thought, /Now for Deathwalker...whu?/ One of the Baby Crawlers wrapped a tentacle around Mike's leg. Mike yelped and came unraveled, reality-wise. Only to appear elsewhere, /Ever seen the original Aeon Flux shorts on Liquid Television? You kill one AF only to have another one turn up later. Turns out they were all clones, one dies, the body is destroyed and replaced with a duplicate who continues the mission. Well, replace 'clone' with 'puppet', and that's what I'm doing. And, no, they aren't alive in any way, they just react like it because I am piloting them./ A demon gets the best of Mike, violently tearing her head off. That body explodes; which (briefly) scans as synthetic, though it looked organic moments before; in a shower of holy water, soaking the demon. He shrivels and burns at the contact. A new Mike appears behind Jha'Dur. She grabs Deathwalker and teleports (or at least attempts it), dragging Jha'Dur and Nova along to this universe's Vorlon homeworld. =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 20:38:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Draconic Rebellion On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 19:33:07 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006023 >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 19:30:30 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006016 > >> On Thu, 24 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said >>>Dhyrclhanc Said >>>> Morgan and/or Roland Said >> "Well, it may be the _biggest_ thing around here, but believe >> me, when the fabric of the multiverse is at stake your _ego_ falls >> PRETTY low on the importance scale!" Shard growls. > > Sorry, I should've made it a little bit moreclear that >Dhyrclhanc wasn't being serious when he said that. (OOC: _We_ knew that. Shard was being literal. ) >>>> Her eyes glow with divine power, and her voice is like the call >>>> of sky to a dragon's wings. "He is your enemy, o brightest of my >>>> children," > Just for the record, was her royal "five-headedness" speaking >to DC or to Shard here? (OOC2: She was talking to the Lensdragon.) >> Her eyes shine with every color, and she...smiles. "Ah, but >> Bright One," she says in a voice to make the Sirens envious, "who >> said I wanted you to _fear_ me?" Her neck entwines around >> Dhyrclhanc's without _quite_ touching, her cheek sliding close >> enough to his for him to feel her breath. "You are a wonder, even >> among our kind. I could make you a god yourself, worshipped, >> revered...and there would be...OTHER benefits..." She disentangles >> their necks and faces him, her eyes boring into his. "Forget the >> human. Join your magicks to mine. We shall create a new Age...the >> Age of Dragonkind..." >> (OOC: So, sib, how's everyone's favorite Lensdragon doing on >> _this_ battlefield? ) > > While I'm at it, exactly which "human" is theQueen of all >Chaotic Dragons refering to here? (OOC3: Shard. Dhyrclhanc's reluctance to kill him caused her to change tactics-especially given that she's not particularly worried about him.) >"'My Queen', I, for one would never dream of lying to you. While I >will freely admit to spending quite a bit of time, recently, looking >for either a traveling companion or a mate. However, were to find >myself laying next to you, as you suggest, then I fear, even despite >my Immortality, my lifespan would be comperable to that of Agamemnon >after returning to Mycenae. This even ignoring your rather well known >history of being a, if you will excuse the expression, a 'Black >Widow'." Takhisis gasps with surprising sincerity, her foretalon against her breast in feminine surprise. >In addition, you are a Queen of Darkness and I am a Champion of >Light. I will not deny my wish of assending to Godhood, or as close >to Godhood as a dragon can achive, but I doubt that it is within your >portfolio to make me anything but a God of Darkness. And that I would >never wish." The shimmering dragon smiles at that, but still says nothing. >The Immortal hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon pauses once more, bowing >again to the Queen of all Chaotic Dragons, "So, "my Queen", unless >the extreemly rare hapenstance comes to pass that you decide to >crossover to join with me in my Crusade, I fear that I have no wish >to join yours." Takhisis regards the Lensdragon for a long moment. >With that, Dhyrclhanc grasps the edges of his Ranger's Longcoat and >makes a mighty leap up and over Tahkis' head, moving in an arc a >quarter of a mile high and half of a mile. Executing a backflip at >the apex, the draconic Lensman lands on his feet, waiting for the >Dragon Queen to follow, whatever her reaction to his speech. She smiles in an almost friendly manner. "I have always enjoyed surprising males. Do you know my intent in this endeavor? To win back Palatine, after so many centuries. I will _indeed_ aid you and yours, handsome one." The largest of her red dragons gapes in surprise as a wave of her hand grants the CAoLers the mystic protections of a goddess. "What do you propose, young Dhyrc-" "Silence," the red hisses, "you spineless freak!" Before Takhisis can even register the shock from this unheard-of insult, the talons of the red lash out, and a spell of vast power wraps strange coils around the Dragon Goddess. They constrict, forcing her to shrink and change to human form, trapping her in a crystal pendant which flies to the red's neck! The link from the Tower flows through the necklace to the red. "I am Malystryx, mistress of all Ansalon," she roars, "and I'll not be overturned by the return of a fickle five-headed mockery led by the hearts of males, goddess or no!" She points a talon at Dhyrclhanc. "KILL him!" she commands the others. Some stare in surprise, some cheer, some roar in fury, and three large dragons (black, white and green) launch their titanic bodies into the air, flashing toward Dhyrclhanc! =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 20:40:09 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: OOC: Bladewar Characters On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 19:38:41 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006024 >On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 08:13:43 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00006021 > >>On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:20:43 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006012 >> >> (OOC: Caprice, I'm trying something with the Tower-obviously, >>Legion's not going to get 'eaten' today, but I'd appreciate a 'port >>away from the Tower. Thanx.) > >(OOC: Unfortunately, it is breaking character for Legion. Since she >could just re-locate this jerk to the heart of a star. And the >persona in control right now lacks Legion's usual regard for sentient >life. However since the GM demands it. :P) (OOC: *sigh* Actually, it's something I want to do with Roland, and I've figured out another way to do it, so if you want to blast Mournblade, go ahead. I should warn you, though, after James 'ported Zod into the sun _twice,_ the others got a clue. IOW, if you want to change this to make it more in character, go for it.) =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 21:29:11 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Alpha and Omega On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 20:20:51 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006025 >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 19:48:33 EDT >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00006017 > >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 >> *PERISH, CONSTRUCT,* everyone hears, and the Dragon's Bane is >> wrapped in tentacles from stem to stern that have only one mode of >> attack. >> Unweaving. >> It's trying to make the Dragon's Bane...not be. > >*I told you he'd be mad,* Dragon's Bane gets out before the ship >commits to its final act. That said it wraps its power source with /What?/ Roland blurts. >seed energy, and detonates its power core. Blasting outward into, >then along the tentacles is literally infinite, pure, order, life >energy, the ultimate Pattern. The energy flows up the tentacles >slamming into Crawlers main body, savaging it dreadfully, before >ebbing. When the Cosmic fire ends, there remains Crawler (badly >injured), but no trace of Dragon's Bane. /NO!!!/ The entire battle stops for a moment, with even mighty Galactus and heartless Mournblade look up and stare for a moment. "merciful light..." is all Roland can say. Morgan reaches out to her mate with a psychic hug. The 'black hole' that consists of what's left of the Crawler has a gaping 'wound' taking up a quarter of its surface, 'bleeding' superstrings and vast amounts of EM radiation-from radio waves to cosmic rays-shining as brightly as the star. >On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 02:05:55 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006020 > >Anyone watching the haloed Nemo closely enough will note the breifest >possible flash of disbelief followed by anger. > >*You would _dare_ the unmaking...* > >"Goddess, aid thy servants...." > >And he proceeds to invoke many deities (mostly female), such as the >Goddess from Diane Duane's "Doorway" books, and many others. The main >thread is invoking all those who are not only aspects of the Creator, >but who have an especial antipathy for "unmaking" and those who would >attempt it. The goddesses don't manifest physically; there really isn't much left for them to do. The Crawler twists in its agony, the horrific wound nearly mortal even to the anti-Primal, and the power of the summoning keeping it busy. The Crawlerlings attacking the Tower-sigil vanish, victims of their progenitor's weakness. =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 21:30:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 23:24:56 -0400 (EDT) Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00006026 >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 01:18:19 EDT >Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00006004 > >*If I have your word... from each and both of you, I will send a >constructor to begin the process. It will take it a few days local >time, but that can be modified by altering the time flow, locally, >which I can arrange for. So tell me what you are swearing, by all the >powers of the macroverse save one (The Great Adversary and his >incarnations/avatars), to do in exchange for this* Aurora sends. *What would you have me swe.. wait, how about this. I will swear to return here and help as soon as possible, putting off my battle with my counterpart until such time as this threat here has been defeated. And also that we won't use inherently destructive methods in the process of battling this threat. We will both swear this. How is that?* =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 21:32:11 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: To Best Bester On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 20:30:07 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006027 >On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 23:01:23 -0400 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006018 > >:On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:26:12 >:Morgan and/or Roland Said >: Bester considers for a moment. Loath though he is to do so, he is >:actually considering using his rage to fight back. >: But it doesn't take long for him to realize the potential >:benefits of working _with_ this woman. >: [And, ultimately, how different _are_ we?] >: *Agreed.* > > *I think that I could, with the aid of some one or two others >repair, or rather more precisely, start the natural regeneration of >the damaged portions of your mind that you perceive as this >{emptiness}* Zia is careful to use NOT the emptiness feeling/ >awareness itself, but rather Bester's symbolistic expression he uses >to think OF it, himself. She does NOT want to provoke that attack she >can feel he is ready to launch. With the Tower behind him, she is not >all that positive she could survive, much less win. *Futhermore...* >she hesitates - an impressive set of probabilities and some >fearsomely complex model is used to generate a thought with some true >logic behind it. Although, once again, Bester cannot quite follow ALL >the paths her thoughts use, because some of the concepts just share >no equivalents in his experience. Though between his expanded awareness and his connection to the Tower, he follows farther than Zia would have expected. > *I am a highly trained redactor (psionic healer) and my most... >(smile) facile talents lie in the areas of empathy and emotion, as >you well know by know. So I believe there is a strong chance that I >could succeed. There is almost no chance I could do it without your >agreement and assistance, however - as I doubt the Pheonix WOULD be >able to help if it took possession of you unwillingly. Plus it would >simply be too insanely dangerous to try healing you while you blasted >MY mind to bits, as well." She adds, somewhat dryly in the face of >his still ready psi-bolt. *But... I admit, a certain mathematician's >fondness for elegant solutions. And smashing away at each other like >juggernauts holds little appeal to me. I don't _like_ getting >pummeled. It's unladylike. Not to mention fighting someone and >feeling BOTH sides pain is a real pain in the neck, too.* *Mmm. I'd wondered about the drawbacks of empathy. Apparently, I was correct about that particular disadvantage,* Bester notes, unperturbed by the precarious situation. > *So, you can consider my situation a win if you agree. And I >believe the benefits on your side might be considered worthy of the >risk. We have 12 more heartbeats for your decision, Mr. Bester.* Bester only considers for a single heartbeat more. *You may begin at your leisure, Miss Ziactrice.* =========================== Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 21:33:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Deathwalkerstalker On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 20:49:33 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006028 >On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 14:36:33 -0700 (PDT) >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006022 >>On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:59:26 >>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006015 >> >> Then smaller Crawlers, identical to the one the CAoL fought in >>the Chaos-scape between worlds, fly out and slam into the planet. >>While they are each vastly weaker than the true Crawler, they are >>still enormously powerful. >> Some of them attack the beings that maintain the circle, five of >>them are keeping Galactus busy, and a handful of others attack >>defenders of the Tower. > > [Oh, even better, like this wasn't a furball to begin with.] > [Relax, dad,] Mike heard in her head, [Come here, we have an >idea. You won't be gone for even half a second local time.] > Mike's form didn't even flicker to the normal human eye, the >departure and arrival having taken place in 2.78/168ths of a second, >far faster than the time it takes to show one image on a television >or movie screen. One moment, she stood, sword at the ready, in jeans >and blazer. The next, she stood, guns drawn and at the ready, in a >gold-trimmed, white jumpsuit. Automatic weapons fire tore through the >first line of demons. > A new Mike appears behind Jha'Dur. She grabs Deathwalker and >teleports (or at least attempts it), dragging Jha'Dur and Nova along >to this universe's Vorlon homeworld. Much to Mike's surprise, this actually works. Jha'Dur and Nova flicker slightly in mid-transit, but (s)he manages to drag them to the Vorlon homeworld. Which, while incredibly beautiful, is completely abandoned. Jha'Dur begins to laugh as her interface-spikes fly out, connecting with the incredible biotech around them. "You _fool._ You FOOL! You bring the greatest bioengineer in history to the greatest treasure trove of biotechnology in this galaxy? Have you gone maaaaAAAAAHHHHH!" Jha'Dur screams in pain as the Vorlon autodefenses begin to take effect. "*You are not welcome,*" the Vorlon defense AI intones emotionlessly. "I don't CARE!" Jha'Dur's eyes squeeze tight in desperate concentration as the world's 'antibodies' attack her mercilessly. However, between her own enhanced genius, the Tower's energy, her biosuit and the budding Power Cosmic within her, she holds her own. "I will NOT be suborned by a...machine!" Jha'Dur begins to set her defenses, digging in for a long battle. She opens her eyes... (OOC: So, Mike, what does she see? She's all yours, big gu-um, go get her, Mike. ) =========================== Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 01:06:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Draconic Rebellion (Long) On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 02:49:03 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006029 > On Mon, 28 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said >>Dhyrclhanc Said >>> Morgan and/or Roland Said >>> "Well, it may be the _biggest_ thing around here, but believe >>> me, when the fabric of the multiverse is at stake your _ego_ falls >>> PRETTY low on the importance scale!" Shard growls. >> >> Sorry, I should've made it a little bit more clear that >>Dhyrclhanc wasn't being serious when he said that. > > (OOC: _We_ knew that. Shard was being literal. ) Wow! Nobody got that Zaphod Beeblebrox reference.If things weren't hitting the fan so fast around here I'd be disapointed. };=8) >> While I'm at it, exactly which "human" is theQueen of all >>Chaotic Dragons refering to here? > > (OOC3: Shard. Dhyrclhanc's reluctance to kill him caused her to > change tactics-especially given that she's not particularly worried > about him.) Since when did Shard look human? I aways thought,maybe erroneously, that Shard looked like one of those Carnage/Venom-style spider-symbiotes. >>With that, Dhyrclhanc grasps the edges of his Ranger's Longcoat and >>makes a mighty leap up and over Tahkis' head, moving in an arc a >>quarter of a mile high and half of a mile. Executing a backflip at >>the apex, the draconic Lensman lands on his feet, waiting for the >>Dragon Queen to follow, whatever her reaction to his speech. > > She smiles in an almost friendly manner. "I have always enjoyed > surprising males. Do you know my intent in this endeavor? To win > back Palatine, after so many centuries. I will _indeed_ aid you and > yours, handsome one." The largest of her red dragons gapes in > surprise as a wave of her hand grants the CAoLers the mystic > protections of a goddess. And this means... ? > "What do you propose, young Dhyrc-" > "Silence," the red hisses, "you spineless freak!" Before Takhisis > can even register the shock from this unheard-of insult, the talons > of the red lash out, and a spell of vast power wraps strange coils > around the Dragon Goddess. They constrict, forcing her to shrink and > change to human form, trapping her in a crystal pendant which flies > to the red's neck! The link from the Tower flows through the > necklace to the red. > "I am Malystryx, mistress of all Ansalon," she roars, "Gesuntheit" mutters Dhyrclhanc. It's been a dog's age since I've read that Dragonlance stuff. What is this "Ansalon" place that keeps being bandied about? Or the name, at least, is. > "and I'll not be overturned by the return of a fickle five-headed > mockery led by the hearts of males, goddess or no!" She points a > talon at Dhyrclhanc. "KILL him!" she commands the others. Some stare > in surprise, some cheer, some roar in fury, and three large dragons > (black, white and green) launch their titanic bodies into the air, > flashing toward Dhyrclhanc! The draconic Lensman's features go through the states of embaresment at Tahkisis' flattery, then outrage at the treachery of the Krynnian Chromatic Dragon's second-in-command, to unbridled fury as the three consorts attempt their assault. He reaches up into the sky as his First-Ring sparks again to life, Exoteleporting his Minbarri fighting pike into his hand. "No lady is attacked in my presense so! Even if the 'lady' in question may not be properly refered to as a 'Lady'! My only regret is that my righting this injustice must be delayed as I deal harshly with your proxies, Tratoress! Doubly so, seeing that you compounded mutiny with rudeness by attacking her while we were still the middle of our conversation." A Roar escapes his maw that resembles that of an Androsphinx on steriods as he leaps into the air to confront his attackers. Spreading his wings, the nanotech staff becomes a silvery figure-eight blur. He deftly dodges the initial black's swinging foreclaws and twists around in mid-air to land a sickeningly loud sounding blow to the back of the black's head. The first consort-guard plummets out of the sky while the white and the green quickly approach. A combination parry and strike makes contact between the two ends of the pike and the undersides of the dragons' jaws. The white and the green are forced heavenwards as Dhyrclhanc begins a diving and climbing arc that reaches parahelion with the other two drakes even higher up in the clouds. The Minbari Pike 'morphs into a Sword of Kahless-style Klingon Honor Sword, which in turn gets slammed into the tops of the heads of the two remaining consort/champions, blunt edge forwards. Then the flight path of the three de-evolves into a triple-helix of a green, white and multi-hued flight paths. Trading claw and breath weapon attacks with the other two, Dhyrclhanc seems to be returning much better than he's getting, his edge being both his formal Tsudo fighting training and his rapid regenerative abilities. As the three rapidly aproach the surface, Dhyrclhanc suddenly breaks off from the other two. With a quick, "Krull, seek and sunder," the Immortal hatchling Ruby Fire Dragon hurls the Krull at the mistress Malystryx, or more appropriatly the crystal pendant she is wearing around her neck (The Krull has a 30% chance of disrupting active spells, when it comes in contact with same. This is what eveybodys' lovable Lensdragon is hoping will happen. Not the chances are realy great but he had to try something.) };=8) By this time, the black has recevered from a very mild concussion and has also re-entered the fray. [I must have done something realy awful in a previous life.] =========================== Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 05:21:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Deathwalkerstalker On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 03:07:15 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006030 > On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 14:36:33 -0700 (PDT) > Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006022 > >>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 15:19:26 -0400 (EDT) >>Shadow Said As CAoL Message # 00005997 >> >>Mike does note that every time a demon 'dies', the others become >>less fatigued. > >>On Fri, 25 Sep 1998 23:20:56 >>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005987 >> >> "Nass. What a mess." He starts to give Morgan a kiss-then stops, >>unsure if that would be such a good idea. /Okay, folx, time to bait >>and switch. Mike, I don't think Jha'Dur will expect another attack >>from you, and Nova is no _way_ going to be able to handle her and >>John solo. > > Mike frowns to herself, falling back away from the demons. > /Alright, looks like each demon that gets offed frees up more power > for the rest to draw from. So, bear that in mind./ /Perhaps rather than killing them, you should be chopping them to pieces then *forcing* them to regenerate from the pieces? Get the pieces small enough, and they'll need all their power just to stay alive./ =========================== Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 07:10:13 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Deathwalkerstalker On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 06:59:37 -0700 (PDT) Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00006031 >On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 03:07:15 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00006030 > >/Perhaps rather than killing them, you should be chopping them to > pieces then *forcing* them to regenerate from the pieces? Get the > pieces small enough, and they'll need all their power just to stay > alive./ Mike sparred with a demon as she sent. /Great idea, was wondering if there was some way to do just that. Care to try it while I take Jha'Dur for a little ride?/ =========================== Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 18:39:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Draconic Rebellion (Long) On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 18:32:08 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006032 >On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 02:49:03 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00006029 > >> On Mon, 28 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said >>>Dhyrclhanc Said >>>> Morgan and/or Roland Said > > Wow! Nobody got that Zaphod Beeblebrox reference.If things >weren't hitting the fan so fast around here I'd be disapointed. >};=8) (OOC: Actually, Morgan _did_ get it, right away. I managed to threaten her off with the peanut rifle but apparently Our Sib had to take the comedy risk. ;^) >>> While I'm at it, exactly which "human" is theQueen of all >>>Chaotic Dragons refering to here? >> >> (OOC3: Shard. Dhyrclhanc's reluctance to kill him caused her to >> change tactics-especially given that she's not particularly worried >> about him.) > > Since when did Shard look human? I aways thought,maybe >erroneously, that Shard looked like one of those >Carnage/Venom-style spider-symbiotes. (OOC: Hey, he's human-shaped. To Takhisis, that's close enough. Besides, he's a shapeshifter; if he wants to look like J. Edgar Hoover, then J. Edgar Hoover will come and destroy us-*cough* whoops, wrong movie. Also, since he's been making passes at Solitare/Morgan, he's been getting slowly more human-looking.) >> She smiles in an almost friendly manner. "I have always enjoyed >> surprising males. Do you know my intent in this endeavor? To win >> back Palatine, after so many centuries. I will _indeed_ aid you and >> yours, handsome one." The largest of her red dragons gapes in >> surprise as a wave of her hand grants the CAoLers the mystic >> protections of a goddess. > > And this means... ? (OOC: All those demons & undead & such have a harder time with the CAoL. BTW, the protection _does_ last after she gets bottled up.) >> "I am Malystryx, mistress of all Ansalon," she roars, > >"Gesuntheit" mutters Dhyrclhanc. > > It's been a dog's age since I've read that Dragonlance stuff. >What is this "Ansalon" place that keeps being bandied about? Or the >name, at least, is. (OOC: Either the main continent or the planet; I can never remember. *shrug*) >"No lady is attacked in my presense so! Even if the 'lady' in >question may not be properly refered to as a 'Lady'! My only regret >is that my righting this injustice must be delayed as I deal harshly >with your proxies, Tratoress! Doubly so, seeing that you compounded >mutiny with rudeness by attacking her while we were still the middle >of our conversation." "So says the adolescent who insults his Queen even as he defends her," Malystryx notes with a growl. (Note: the three dragons attacking, as well as the loyal blue who is leading the allied dragons, are between 150 and 200 feet in length. Malystryx herself is a whopping _400_ feet long!) >The Minbari Pike 'morphs into a Sword of Kahless-style Klingon Honor >Sword, which in turn gets slammed into the tops of the heads of the >two remaining consort/champions, blunt edge forwards. Then the flight >path of the three de-evolves into a triple-helix of a green, white >and multi-hued flight paths. Trading claw and breath weapon attacks >with the other two, Dhyrclhanc seems to be returning much better than >he's getting, his edge being both his formal Tsudo fighting training >and his rapid regenerative abilities. As the three rapidly aproach >the surface, Dhyrclhanc suddenly breaks off from the other two. With >a quick, "Krull, seek and sunder," the Immortal hatchling Ruby Fire >Dragon hurls the Krull at the mistress Malystryx, or more >appropriatly the crystal pendant she is wearing around her neck (The >Krull has a 30% chance of disrupting active spells, when it comes in >contact with same. This is what eveybodys' lovable Lensdragon is >hoping will happen. Not the chances are realy great but he had to try >something.) };=8) Malystryx laughs at the Krull as it bounces off the crystal. (Hey, it's holding a _goddess,_ who's connected to a cosmic power no less.) She stops laughing when the crystal chips. One massive claw rakes the air as a sound that tortures human ears echoes from her tunnel-like throat. The Krull snaps back like a whipped dog, returning to the Lensdragon. "Die, brat," she says, and fire that would give Nova pause shoots at Dhyrclhanc. >By this time, the black has recevered from a very mild concussion and >has also re-entered the fray. And falls again as the lightning-breath of the blue tears through the convenient gap left in its armored scales. "I expect Kitiara to be returned to me for this service, o Queen," the blue says. =========================== Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 19:47:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: AAE IV: To Best Bester On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 22:37:18 -0400 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006033 :On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 20:30:07 :Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00006027 :>On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 23:01:23 -0400 :>Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00006018 :>:On Sun, 27 Sep 1998 12:26:12 :>:Morgan and/or Roland Said : : *Mmm. I'd wondered about the drawbacks of empathy. Apparently, I :was correct about that particular disadvantage,* Bester notes, :unperturbed by the precarious situation. *Some folks look for haystacks, but most insist on looking for the needles.* Zia gripes, only *audible* to Bester because they're locked in semi-link to do battle. Or were, at least. :> *So, you can consider my situation a win if you agree. And I :>believe the benefits on your side might be considered worthy of the :>risk. We have 12 more heartbeats for your decision, Mr. Bester.* : : Bester only considers for a single heartbeat more. : *You may begin at your leisure, Miss Ziactrice.* *It's Mrs. Keenan, actually.* She thinks, carefully. *As for jumping right in, I think I need a guarantee of your own non-interference with MY mind in any way. Sorry, but the Psi Corps has a history of ruthless advantage taking, and you are deeply committed to that organization. And a damn good teep. Then, we each need seconds. To make sure nothing bad happens to either of us. You'll have to either cut that connection to that Tower, or find some way to cut the draw off. I can't risk it being there while I redact. It might react to my Symbology. Er, that would be a bad thing, basically.* *Starbuck here can second me; he has a fair grasp of the essentials. Not to mention he is a natural bio-psionic. You can draw on the services of whomever you will. If you don't have a strong enough one handy, I can recommend his friend quite highly - a very honorable person. You could count on his word to see that I don't overstep the bounds. Although.. you've likely been inside my own head long enough to know I won't anyway. But they can watch vital signs and monitor us, as well.* *And if we could relocate somewhat OUT of the middle of this - * The roar of the dragonfight penetrates even the Astral/mental landscape of Epi3. *- it would be most beneficial to my efforts. May I suggest somewhere fairly nuetral - perhaps the Battlestar Galactica? I have a room there. It should only take a few moments real time. Considerably longer in subjective, for us. Oh!* *(chagrin) I might want to warn my side what is up, too. Otherwise, they'd be thinking you'd won and gotten my passenger from me by hoodwinking my mind.* Zia scans the fight, looking for someone a bit less than completely busy. She... settles on Nemo, as looking the least frazzeled. Besides, his capabilities are probably very high. She send over the CAoL link and echoes privately to Bester as well, politely refusing to speak behind his front. /Nemo, here is a fast reprise of my mental debate with Bester. Check it for undue influences, as I know you would anyway. He has agreed to let me try to heal certain old injuries in return for his ceasing hostilities now. I have in mind to ask this Pheonix - well, actually, it's getting hard to tell it from myself - I think it/she wants to do this - to help me by transferring inside. Between us I think we can start the regeneration - I stabilize with Pattern, she instigates with Pheonix energy. I need someone to do a thorough recursion of personality structure based on what remains - I don't want to change him with artificial psi-constructed repairs that won't hold or be rejected. If I can tailor what I put in to fit what is indicated... Can you do that? I could do it.. but it would take months./ *All right. Let me see. I think she can transfer just on a touch.* Zia holds out a hand... then looks a mite surprised as her body moves into a full embrace and kisses Bester, not really of Zia's intending. She relaxes, not struggling, however, as the woman-Pheonix within her enjoys the kiss quite well. Zia, of course, feels both the kiss.. and enjoyment of same herself. *I think -... whooo - I think she likes you.* Zia says, in a not too successful attempt to cover her surprise. Fire streams from her, enveloping Bester gently a moment, almost like a carress, then vanishing deeper (assuming that the Psicop doesn't resist). "Good." Zia takes a few deep breaths, getting herself centered. She makes sure that Starbuck and Bester's second know what signs to monitor. Then she steps back in close to Bester, and carefully places her fingers spread acrost very specific parts of his face. "Not a full Mindmeld, because you'll have to be somewhat under in trance, but these techniques help me focus." She explains absently. Gently, she starts to ... freehand create sections of missing mind, is about the only way to put it. Like some ancient sculptor, except she is rebuilding what her mind's eye sees SHOULD be there, rather than removing what isn't the art she is seeing. ===========================