The Hunt for Requiem: To Search A Thousand Worlds
By
Aisla,
Posted on: 2006-06-13 08:04 in Roleplaying
This post will be updated with OOC information concerning the Hunt for Requiem plotline
General Overview
In OOC Terms this plotline will mostly consist of RPed missions, though a degree of game-mail may be used to provide data gathered by solo players.
The core (offworld) missions will be based out of Peregrine Island portal instances, but there will be opportunitites for characters of all levels to get involved, with OC sidekicking available.
There will also be lower-level missions in areas such as Striga and the Hollows for information gathering and the quashing of Requiem's plans to allow for the final assault.
While this plotline has an expected end point: the showdown with Requiem, there will be plenty of opportunities for all players to affect how that goal is reached.
There will be opportunities for SG potential GMs to take on aspects of the plot with support from above.
There will be opportunities for characters and subteams to 'do their own thing' with data being provided based on their strategies.
There will be opportunities for people of different supergroups to get to know each other better: this is the primary goal of this plotline.
Next Event
The next key event is the strategy meeting. This is intended to serve not only as an introduction and information plot-dump, but also to allow for an understanding of each characters' preferred levels and areas of involvement (and that of their players, of course). This will let us formulate teams for the various missions as well as set other goals.
Red Commissar will be there.
A slim, dark-suited individual read the note.
After a moment, he turned back to the drone bot who'd delivered it to him.
"Well, I can't speak for the rest of the Fletched," he said, quietly, "But I'll be there if I can."
Commander Beet received a message over comm, "Sounds like fun, count me in."
I am the Blaster, I have filled the role of Tank, Controller and Defender
Sometimes all at once.
Union EU player! Pip pip, tally ho, top hats and tea etc etc
A cold smile crosses Ellie's face as she reads the SMS. Finally, a chance to get back at the SoB that hurt her.
Quickly, she tapped out a reply on her phone. "I'll be there."
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Thread updated
[i]Zorielle sat in her office, chin resting on her hands as she read the message in her inbox. Leaning back, she pressed one of the buttons on the coms device next to her. "Tessa, Hannah, Jessica, could you please come to my office." she asked, before letting go. Heading over to the table near the window, she poured herself a cup of tea, looking out through the large window over Skyway City as she waited.
"Right, you've all seen the message, and heard about what happened. Even though we're busy here with the move and anything, I still want us to offer our services." Zorielle said, sipping from her cup.
"I already offered Ellie the help of some of the twins," Hannah said, "And if they need any cracking done, me and Anna should be able to handle that easily if there's need for us."
"And we can shift one of our geostationary satalites over to Striga Island, I can get on that now." Tessa added.
"That'd be great, love." Zorielle smiled. "Plus while the labs here are being decommisioned, we still have a few facilities."
"And I will help where I can!" Jessica added, before beaming. "And I can make cakes as refreshments!"
"I'm sure they'd appricate that." Zorielle smiled at Jessica, before looking at the three of them. " I'll head down to this meeting tonight then, you all know what you need to do."
Devidose read over the incoming comms message, Requiem... again.... Crushing the side of the panel, leaving it slightly charred where he had exerted too much heat he dropped it to the floor. Scanning through the comms frequencies he found the one he wantedl "Doctor Macallister? I offer my services through the 1AT in your hunt for Requiem. I myself have been hunting this indivdual for some time, and will gladly take any and all attempts at finding him." Looking back towards the rec room he was near he watched over his friends. Thinking to himself he considered what might happen; "This ends now... someway or another, this hunt will end..."
Turning away from the corridor, Devidose stepped into the armoury and removed his tactical assault suit, the colour somewhat faded now. "It ends here..."
((Devidose is (as a few people seem to be) linked to Requiem through character developement, if there is the space available i will bring him.))
Coile entered the base via portal and looked around. It was still a foreign environment despite being their own headquarters. He had been denied access for a month.
A terminal was open. Curious to see who had left it unattended he took a peek. A strange message was on screen. No sender, no indication of its origin. He cursed.
"Bad timing, and short notice too. With the leads on Azure Sting that need checking immediately I can't make it." He sent the message group-wide and sighed. "I hope someone else can. That Requiem dude will take a plunge too but now I have a two mindfryers to track."
(( IRL schedule likely prevents me from taking part in this session. Personally I'm interested and suspect the whole Silent Tempest will be cracking down on Requiem before long. ))
A small clockwork started to run through Dark Astoria with some speed, a crown on his head dictated that he was not the grunts of his court, but rather the ruler, the kind. A deep red cape fluttered in the fog and the wind as he ducked, dived, and bobbed through the audience of zombies, his speed far outstreching their reaction time.
Soon enough he reached his kingdom, a huge expance under the graveyard, the land of the dead, moth cemetary. Things had been going bad, Cogs' army was being ripped asunder by the forces of the council, one of his strongest sub-groups, the Babage team had been nearly put out of commission and even his wife, Sockette, has been harmed and was now in a critical condition.
It was left for him to do what needed to be done.
"Squad Alpha, report." He called up to the scafold that had been errected near the winch. Inside stood a huge clockwork, his hands though not capable of shooting electricity, but of slashing and smashing with a sword and mace respectively.
"Paladin MK II is nearly ready!" A sproket called before continuing to work hard. This was a choice he didn't want to make, but he would have to and as such he will.
"As soon as he's done, get him and DA teams 4-7 to Straga. The council will regret messing with the free clockworks of Dark Astoria." With a florish of movement he turned to a consol and started to make a few anouncements.
"All clockworks! This is it, the fight against the council willk comence. Teams 1 and 8 through 10 will search for infomation, I'm going to go see Doctor Temporis with Miss Lyn, we're going to try and stop them from using us as play things for target practice."
With that, regretably, he turned to wake up miss Lyn and the two of them would go see the doctor, and find out how to cause as much trouble as possible.
A beep. An annoying, sudden beep that spoiled the silence of the Circle of Thorn's caves.
In his shining armour of white and gold (or a 'tacky silver and gold' according to some little electric charged mouthy git), Volt Master's shining eyes flickered with a brief look of disapointment as the message, converted to an electric signal, flashed through his ears. Yeah, he had been wanting to take Requiem, mostly because of the explosions he had been promised, but tonight he was busy with saving the world from the Circle of Thorns.
"Another time, Doc. Another time..." Muttered back into his cape brooch, which translated it and sent it back to the original sender across the airwaves.
((10PM is my usual log-off times on schooldays, I'm sorry to say. I'll probably be able to get away with it on Fridays or Saturdays though.))
[B]Order of the Cruciform/Crucified Swords[/B] - [B]Defiant[/B]
50's - Tridento (claws/invul scrapper), Robo Medic MkIV (empath/rad defender), Entrino (dark/dark defender) & Captain Wombat (thugs/traps mastermind)
[I]@EU-Cambo[/I]
"Damn it, Sam. I turned up for the meeting, but there was an issue with my clearance." Richard Huntington III (Richard to his friends) gazed over the desk at his sister. She turned a sympathetic eye on him, and poured a fresh coffee for him, placing it on a coaster next to the blotter on his desk.
"I just hope the good Doctor remembers that I asked for a copy of the briefing notes before anything kicks off." Richard picked up the mug in front of him, stood up, and began pacing around his office, taking the occassional sip.
"Didn't you say Alfred and Kit were there, Richard?" Sam projected the thought directly into Richard's mind, practicing her skills, as she had been doing almost constantly since revealing to her elder brother that she had received strange powers in the same accident that had triggered the growth of Richard's abilities.
"Hmmm? Oh, yes. And I'm sure they will let me know anything I need to." Reaching under his desk, Richard pushed a concealed button in the wood, and a panel of the wall, identical to all the others, slid to one side, revealing a spiral staircase leading down. Gesturing for Sam to precede him, Richard descended into the basement beneath the house.
It was like entering a different world. Monitors displaying television broadcasts covered one wall, nearby stood a water cooler, and adjacent to that a row of desks stood against another wall.
"Computer." A beep signaled that the computer was ready to take voice commands. "Ready signal to Warriors of Darkness. Message begins: Potential Code Red Alpha Six. All Warriors to prepare for immediate deployment at zero notice."
He turned a wry smile on his sister. "Do you think he'll notice?"
Sam chuckled. "Charles? He loves all that military-sounding stuff. Of course he'll report in."
Richard smiled, a tight, grim drawing of the lips. "I hope to do some good here, and I pledge the Warriors of Darkness to that end."
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise 
; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
IC 14/06/06 01:30
With a tired sigh, Doctor Temporis slumps into one of the chairs surrounding the large conference table, the sound of his metal torso clinking against the seat-back the only noise - apart from the sussuration of the space-station's air circulation equipment - remaining in the empty space which a short while before was echoing with expostulations, questions, and discussions.
A shimmering blue female figure materialises next to him as the projection unit comes online. "Will you be needing the station any further, Doctor, or will you be returning to the Laboratory?"
The Doctor yawns and stretches. "You can begin close-down procedudes, CIRCE. I'll be returning to the surface shortly."
The holographic woman nods. "I reviewed the meeting via the security system. It seemed to go well, though I am no great judge of meta-humanity and it's reactions."
The Doctor shrugs. "It went quite well, really, considering the number of heroes involved, and after all, heroes are nothing if not self-confident individualists at the core. However, there was some good discussion, and a clear intent to help... I just hope that the arguments over Requiem's fate didn't sour that."
CIRCE shrugs in turn. "It would seem that many sides of the ongoing debate in the hero community surrounding crime and punishement were represented. Hopefully the compromise thrashed out will be enough."
Doctor Temporis stands painfully and nods, moving past the security screen and along to the teleporter hub of the small space platform. "Let us hope so. And on that note, I had better get some briefing notes distributed." He steps into the teleporter field and vanishes.
IC 14/06/06 03:00am
Ellie lay in bed, listening to the sound of Jess's breathing, as she went over that evenings meeting in her head. How could Sebastian even consider trying to take Requiem alive? After what that psycho had done?
Moving quietly, she slipped from under the covers and went into the lounge, closing the bedroom door softly so as not to disturb Jess. Then, moving to the PC, she clicked it on and opened the desk draw; reaching in to pull out a small USB memory stick.
As she waited for the PC to boot up, she sat, looking at the stick. Maybe she should have shown them all what was on here, then they'd have known Requiem deserved the extreme justice she intended to hand out; if she got the chance.
Once the PC had booted, she removed the cap from the sticks' interface and plugged it into the PC. After a few seconds, the video stored on it began to play. Ellie sat still, watching the 20 seconds of footage over and over, as she again went through everything that was said in the meeting.
Eventually, after nearly half an hour of watching that same 20 seconds over and over, she pulled the stick from the PC and shut it off, before dropping it back in the drawer. Hoping that Hannah hadn't decided to copy the data whilst she was here, Ellie clicked the lights off and went back to bed. Maybe sleep would come eventually...
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
IC 14/06/06 0900 Hours
"Satelite Valencia in Geosynchronous Orbit over New England State." Tessa announced, looking up from her control console.
"Excellent. Scan on all frequencies, Hannah, can you get the Portal Corp schedules for us? If we can match dimensional infraction data with that, we can locate unauthorised entries and exits." Zorielle ordered, observing the large map projection.
"I'm on it Mom, oh, Satelite Toledo in geosynchronous orbit over Italy, monitoring as well on all frequencies." Hannah replied. On the laptop to her left, her newsclient was open on some of the more underground hero usenet sites, several peer to peer clients open as well.
"Mom, I've got Satelite Madrid coming into orbit over South America." Anna said from her desk.
"Upload the known base locations and troop movement data given to us by our informants." Zorielle said. "Oh, Hannah, a girl at the meeting last night wanted access to our satelite system. I'm expecting a call from her today, lock out any sensetive information she doesn't need to see and get a console up and running for her."
"Already doing it, Mom. Oh, and what about-"
"Get it uploaded. I want people to know what kind of creature they'll be facing."
"Okay..." Hannah replied, starting the upload, "I'm locking it out though, they won't be able to save it, so we can pull the feed if necessary."
"Satelites Granada, Navarre and Castille are in Molniya orbit around the Earth. I think we're ready." Tessa reported.
"Okay, I've informed the front desk of a list of the hero groups and individuals that will be helping out, if they need access to this data, they can get it." Zorielle replied, leaning back into her chair as she had a sip of tea.
"I'm done here Mom, I'm going to head down and help out with the upgrades to the Q-Module for the ZorTel suit." Anna said, getting up and heading down the stairs.
"So much for a peaceful move," Tessa mused, "We've got them setting up a lab in one of our old buildings, once that's operational we can clear out here so the builders can get to work."
"So much indeed... good work love. Breakfast?"
"Breakfast sounds good Mom, can you get it sent down to me and Anna in the lab?" Hannah smiled, giving her mothers a kiss on the cheek before heading down to join her sister.
Tessa and Zorielle nodded, before looking at each other. "Continental?" Tessa questioned.
Zorielle glanced at the viewscreen and nodded. "An apt choice."
((If anyone wants access to the data, just give me a PM. So I can then PM Doc and then PM back to you to give you what you find. Cumbersome! If anyone wants breakfast, no, you can't have any.))
(( [ QUOTE ]
If anyone wants breakfast, no, you can't have any
[/ QUOTE ] ))
(( You're just mean. 
))
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Jakob Ivanovich looked over his shoulder as he keyed in the last of the entry codes for Nova Prospekt. Knowing the task he was now engaged upon, he would have been happier with the Red Hammer battlesuit, but it was out of commission while upgrades for the coming conflict were being installed. Besides, as the doctor had made clear, the Council had far greater power than he had encountered so far, and the best course of action was to avoid behaviour they might find suspicious. Such as wearing an enormous battlesuit on an otherwise routine visit to the base.
Finding the base unoccupied, Jakob sealed the entrance and retrieved his cargo from a small satchel he had been carrying. A portable hard disc and a slim folder, marked "For the attention of Red Commissar" in Russian. Jakob opened the folder and read over his report one last time. Pages of finely typed Cyrillic print read:
Commissar, following your instructions I have consulted with other members of the Red Hammer team on our options for a secure connection to the GoD-net. While a more detailed technical report is forthcoming, it is believed that the equipment we possess should be capable of secure communications equivalent to most intelligence agencies. The points detailed on following pages list our capabilities, along with recommendations for both software and physical security. While we would require further details of existing GoD systems for compatibility reasons, the report also contains an analysis of the most likely anticipated modifications.
It should also be noted that we possess a limited capability for quantum-entaglement based communications. While this technology has not been thouroughly tested by any body whose research I have access to, it is predicted to have greater security than any conventional method.
Although my team can provide equipment that is theoretically secure, we do not know the extent of the Council's decryption capabilities. I predict that they will likely be in advance of that which is considered attainable by public bodies, and as such my recommendations are to consult further with the Guardians and to avoid interception by limiting digital communications.
Included on the disk is a full copy of the current report, together with technical data and schematics.
You should also be aware of the matter I communicated to you earlier. To recap, I had been indepently investigating a Council agent by the name of Ubelmann, following advice from an anonymous source. I have recently discovered that my source was in the employ of Requiem, and I had unwittingly aided him in eliminating a rival within the council. I have communicated this intelligence to the Doctor, and he informs me that he believes Requiem willbe strengthend by this development and our task made all the more difficult. However, in the hope that some benefit may come of this, I have retained the logs of all correspondence with this informant in an attempt to trace the communications back to Requiem. I include a copy of the logs on the disc, as well as the results of my analysis so far. This information has also been made available to Doctor Temporis.
If you wish to contact me, I will have my communicator open, or you can visit my workshop in person at the King's Row address supplied.
Jakob returns the documents to the folder, places the items on a desk, scans the bunker for bugs and then leaves, securing the entrance as he goes.
Red Commissar looked up from his issued Hero Corp communicator where the transmission from Jakob Ivanovich had been sent and made an approving sound before shifting position in the battered worn old meeting room chair.
He was in the Paragon City Russian Embassy, another one of the many ancient Soviet Relics he encountered daily in his life. Like 3rd class Russian Embassies, the only thing that changed here was the flag and the busts of Lenin.
The official bust here was General Zhukov, Red Commissar approved of such a choice. Zhukov was a great man all Red Army men respected and looked up too. A true champion of the people and crusher of fascists.
The cheap Clock ticked away seconds of his life, RC tensely wondered if the current government would support his request for a grant, money was needed for not only the Workers but for other expenses the entire Coalition of heroes would need. The logistics of such a task were indeed super human it self.
Red Commisar knew about Requiem. Every Military Man of the former USSR did. He was one of the last surviving fascists of the 2nd World War that escaped the justice of the Hague.
He paused for a moment, considering perhaps this could be his own personal chance for glory. Unlike his father or grand father, Red Commissar was not honoured with protecting the motherland. He had no order of his own.
Taking down the last of the fascists that took 20 Million of his countrymen to hell with them would certainly make him a respected man, a true hero perhaps.
A door opened, and out stepped a balding forty year old clerk who handed him a written message on a small note. It said simply 'how much?' and 'when?'. Red Commissar nodded to himself.
Not one step backwards from now on...
With the meeting adjourned, Kata knew she had work to do. Important work. Making her way back to the flat she shared with another Worker, Kata finally had time to think about the consequences: We have a superhuman maniac to defeat and capture. Most of the meeting's attendees seem to have encountered him before. When I stepped up and said that I would prefer to stay here, instead of searching for him using those portal devices...I must do my best to serve the City and not fret about my lack of power
Kata breathed a sigh of relief as she clambered out of her body armour, which had proved useful when travelling to Victoria Station, and hung it up in the wardrobe.
Notes to write up into a full report. I had better leave some of my observations to one side until Red has seen them. I don't wish to stir up any more trouble than is absolutely necessary.
The shower was welcome and, more importantly, hot. She dried her hair with a towel and put on her civilian clothes, ready to emerge onto the streets as plain old Kata and made her way to 'Pocket D'.
***
The club was it's usual self; loud music, sweaty clientele, watered down American vodka. Luckily a few friendly faces were there to ease her troubled mind.
"Hey Kata!" Inago's cheerful tones brought her back down to Earth.
"Oh, hello Inny. Who's your friend?" she indicated a short girl with fiery hair.
"Oh, this is Pyranha."
"Hi, Kata," said the girl, an infectious look of optimism on her face.
"Hello. Would you both like a drink? Soft of course, I'm buying."
And so the first night passed. Fun was had, everyone seemed relaxed, as if they hadn't just been privy to a meeting that could change reality or, at the very least, put the Paragon that Kata knew in terrible danger.
***
Sleep came quickly, so perhaps the Dry Martini she'd had hadn't been watered down all that much. And when Kata woke the next morning she simply got out of bed, grabbed her notes lying on the coffee table, switched on the old PC in the corner of her bedroom and began to type the report.
Life carries on as normal, or so it would seem.
IC 14/06/06
Via the various methods of communication already enabled, or the use of drone couriers in the event of unsecure connections, a videolog of the meeting is provided to each attendee to share with their comrades as they see fit.
OOC
And here it is:
Doctor Temporis: All right.
Doctor Temporis taps a gauntlet control and a klaxon blares
Kitmarch: Yipe!
Arctic Princess jumps a little
Crucifix Blade: ..Ow...
Crucifix Blade drops his knife.
Miss Ellie flinches at the sudden noise
Red Commissar raises an eyebrow.
Grav Mistress looks impassive
Morgana Fiolett cringes a little
Lyn-Legend whispers under her breath. "It's the fellowship of the ring...."
Doctor Temporis: First of all, thank you for attending this meeting.
Devidose. looks towards the source of the noise, "Well... that's one way to get attention..."
Kitmarch: Okay, please tell me that's not the airlock cycle...
Bluestrike grins at the klaxon
Crucifix Blade gives Kit a grin.
Doctor Temporis: We are here to discuss Requiem.
Dragon Controller nods
Doctor Temporis: For those who are unaware: Requiem is a supervillain affiliated with the Council.
Miss Ellie soft features harden to an unaccomsted expression of hate
Volt Master shakes and shivers.
Red Commissar: And former 5th Column, If you don't mind me interjectink comrade Doctor.
Kitmarch: Boo! Hiss!
Bluestrike eyes sparkle with electric current
Crucifix Blade is still playing with his knife.
Doctor Temporis: He has taken unpleasant interest in seveal of us sitting here today, and he is currently - I believe - brewing a hideous plot that threatens not just us... but the entire multiverse.
Dragon Controller eyes darkens
Efranof breathes out with a dark haze
Volt Master: Yeah, Tom's telling me the Council are [censored]....
Doctor Temporis nods to RC to indicate he didn't mind the interruption.
Crucifix Blade stops with the blade suddenly.
Lyn-Legend watches the events, the mask makes it hard to note emotion.
Bluestrike: umm, thats worse'n we thought, right?
Arctic Princess gives the shiny man another 'look'
Dragon Controller listens carefully
Devidose.: Sounds like he doesn't change...
Crucifix Blade sheathes his knife, but otherwise make's no move.
Lyn-Legend: ...Multiverse....
Volt Master: Multiverse? So everything will go 'splodey?
Red Commissar slips a hand into his jacket and brings out the envelope.
Bluestrike: Doc, question
Doctor Temporis: For those who do not know, Requiem is the fusion of a nictus energy beast with a hundred-year old italian.
Crucifix Blade: ...
Shadow's Grace quietly moves to the back and leans against the wall next to Sara.
Doctor Temporis looks to Bluestrike. "Ask."
Volt Master: Trust the Italians...
Bluestrike: the multiverse, it's like, infinite, right?
Crucifix Blade looks sideways at Akkarin.
Doctor Temporis: Yes.
Sara Aegis smiles slightly at liz before returning her attention to the room
Akkarin pushes his glasses up and sits up straight
Bluestrike: so, he's on a losin streak from word one?
Doctor Temporis: No.
Doctor Temporis: Hence 'heinous'.
Volt Master: Wow...
Bluestrike: good plan fer me to shut up?
Volt Master: Does that mean that every multi-verse could be having this very meeting right now?
Doctor Temporis: Possibly.
Doctor Temporis winks at Bluestrike to take the sting out.
Bluestrike smiles
Hikari-Hime flickers into existance next to Sara.
Lyn-Legend raises her hand slowly.
Doctor Temporis looks at Volt. "No, because I only exist in this one. However, many other hero groups may well be doing the same."
Volt Master: Right, okay.
Crucifix Blade: ...Other versions of ourselves?
Red Commissar: I hope zey are as good as us.
Miss Ellie clears her throat. "Please.. could everyone allow the doctor to speak?"
Volt Master: The David's Star Blade....
Lyn-Legend waits her turn to say something at the table.
Efranof: That I'd like to see..
Kitmarch sticks her hand into a dimensional rift and pulls out a coffee cup
Devidose.: I;ve met one of mine, calls himself Lord Qel-Thyr, not someone you would want to meet...
Doctor Temporis: I can't really give a... no, I suppose it *is* necessary.
Doctor Temporis: A brief grounding in multiversal theory.
Arctic Princess pulls out a notepad and begins taking notes
Doctor Temporis: There are many dimensions.
Red Commissar: Vill ve need to take notes?
Crucifix Blade looks at the Doctor impassively.
Lyn-Legend withdraws her hand and waits till later.
Doctor Temporis: There are many potential futures.
Red Commissar: Ah, vell prepared Kata. As alvays.
Doctor Temporis: These are not the same thing.
Dragon Controller nods
Bluestrike watches the doctor with obvious hero-worship
Doctor Temporis: Thus, for each infinite sized universe, there are infinite dimensions.
Doctor Temporis: There are *also* infinite future.
Crucifix Blade raises an eyebrow.
Doctor Temporis: Accordingly when speaking about this sort of thing, the phrase 'mind boggling' tends to apply.
Bluestrike puts up a hand
Volt Master: So the whole being of existance equals infinite squared?
Crucifix Blade starts playing with his knife again...
Doctor Temporis nods to Volt. "Cubed."
Volt Master: Cubed, right.
Doctor Temporis looks to Blue.
Efranof: How obvious..
Kitmarch: So basically - bad guy. Stop him. Smash him flat if the opertunity presents.
Doctor Temporis also nods to Lyn, indicating she can speak in a moment.
Efranof looks confused
Crucifix Blade: Sounds like that, yes...
Bluestrike: I heard a guy I dated once say that the multiverse wuz more like a spiderweb than a bunch of straight lines
Doctor Temporis winces
Bluestrike: with regard to timelines
Doctor Temporis: Yes. Hence 'infinite'.
Volt Master: Universes are curved....
Doctor Temporis looks to Lyn.
Volt Master: Just thought I'd chip that in for no reason.
Arctic Princess makes a new heading "Timelines"
Akkarin glances at the other Alliance members "Wish it was that easy"
Efranof looks at Volt, "How do you know?"
Doctor Temporis: Lyn?
Volt Master looks up at Efran.
Volt Master: I read books.
Volt Master: They tell me that.
Miss Ellie sighs, wishing people would cut the chatter and let the Doc get on with the important stuff
Lyn-Legend: If there are multiple... us' out there, can't we team up with them?
Efranof: Who says books are always right..
Crucifix Blade sighs. "It never is.
Doctor Temporis: Theoretically yes.
Lyn-Legend: Bolster our numbers with ourselfs as it were.
Doctor Temporis: Practically speaking no.
Volt Master: No one, but there's some kind of evidence....
Red Commissar: A shame.
Tigergirl: That'd take forever
Doctor Temporis: I'll talk with you about that more later.
Bluestrike: can you imagine the arguments?
Devidose.: Like i said, i've met one of my alternate selves... He would rather kill me than anything else...
Doctor Temporis coughs
Doctor Temporis: All right. Back on track.
Efranof: Could you imagine two of me..
Doctor Temporis: Our target is Reqiuem.
Doctor Temporis: He has the ability to move between dimensions.
Doctor Temporis: He does *not* have the ability to move between timelines.
Devidose.: Willingly?
Dragon Controller mutters to herself "there is only me..." then laughs
Doctor Temporis: This means that he may be in alternate future dimensions, but not an alternate future.
Kitmarch: *******. That's my trick.
Doctor Temporis: Did that make sense?
Doctor Temporis: No?
Doctor Temporis: Good.
Doctor Temporis smiles
Arctic Princess looks up from her notes and nods
Volt Master grins.
Molok looks blankly
Efranof laughs quietly
Bluestrike looks interested
Crucifix Blade is still playing with his kinife.
Doctor Temporis: Now then.
Efranof: Question.
Doctor Temporis: Requiem is currently perform...
Doctor Temporis sighs.
Doctor Temporis: Yes?
Volt Master quietly juggles orbs of electricity.
Efranof: When do we start hitting stuff?
Devidose.: He moves in what way? Portal jumping through technology, or because of his nictus fusion?
Doctor Temporis: When you let me finish talking, my friend.
Efranof grins
Doctor Temporis: He has access to magitechnological portal technology - with which he maintains his links with his Council minions - and his own unique brand of dimensional travel.
Red Commissar: Ah...
Efranof: technomagic..
Red Commissar: If I may speak about zat?
Doctor Temporis nods to RC.
Devidose.: And unique? meaning a different method?
Akkarin looks up at the mention of magic
Red Commissar: Kata here has given me pictures of ze Council movink such devices...
Doctor Temporis nods to Devidose while listening to RC. "To do with his nictus abilities."
Bluestrike ssmiles at Pyrahna
Dragon Controller: It's just magic...
Crucifix Blade is still flicking his knife around.
Red Commissar: At zere base in Striga...
Arctic Princess looks around the room and nods
Devidose. nods back understandingly
Red Commissar: You vant ze pictures now?
Doctor Temporis nods to RC. "Superb." He beams to Kata. "That will be a strong lead. Not just now."
Crucifix Blade: Wait, wait...
Red Commissar: I vill hold onto zem then.
Doctor Temporis looks to CB. "Yes?"
Arctic Princess: Interestingly they appear to be moving this *out* of Striga
Miss Ellie: oh for christs sake...
Lyn-Legend Rraises a hand again.
Crucifix Blade: Doctor, my sources have told me that the Council have been acting... wierdly, recently.
Doctor Temporis: That is because they are in the middle of a civil war, I suspect.
Crucifix Blade: ...
Red Commissar: A Civil War?
Volt Master rubs his eyes. "So, back on track?"
Doctor Temporis looks to Lyn. "Yes?"
Doctor Temporis looks to RC. "I will be speaking about that in a moment."
Dragon Controller whispers to Ellie "Don't worry, Ellie, they need anwsers"
Red Commissar nods.
Molok sighs
Miss Ellie: yeah.. still. if they'd shut up, they'd get them...
Doctor Temporis sighs. "Right. After this question, I will be taking questions at the *end*. Save them up."
Kitmarch laughs
Grav Mistress coughs for attention
Bluestrike gently amplifies Dr T's PA system so he has a louder voice
Lyn-Legend: I have a large number of clockworks crawling around Straga... So far infomation is speradic, but they're there.
Grav Mistress nods and waves her cough...
Dragon Controller sighs "Ellie, I know that you are a bit nervous but it won't make things easier..."
Lyn-Legend: They can get to places others can't.
Doctor Temporis: That's fine. That's tactics. It comes after strategy, and after 'defining the problem'.
Lyn-Legend: Sorry.
Crucifix Blade hides a grin.
Doctor Temporis: So. While I have the utmost respect for all of you... shutup a minute or two.
Doctor Temporis smiles.
Kitmarch crumples up her coffee cup and tosses it over her shoulder, where it vanishes
Doctor Temporis: The Council is currently riven by an internal conflict.
Doctor Temporis: This conflict is being propagated by the three factions within the Council.
Doctor Temporis: One of these factions, theone we are interested in, is Requiem.
Doctor Temporis: He is keeping himself hidden, moving carefully, while he builds up his power.
Doctor Temporis: It will be our task to track him down throughout his dimensional hideyholes, while thwarting his schemes.
Doctor Temporis: Thus, it is my thought that we will divide yourselves into groups - mixed ones and which will change - to achieve these goals.
Doctor Temporis: Some - for example the Workers - have already started to approach one aspect of the problem.
Pyranha moves closer to Bluestrike and sits on the edge of her chair.
Doctor Temporis: Reqiem's plans can be broadly listed as: take over council. Finish construction of riptear generator. Destroy multiverse. Become omnipotent.
Doctor Temporis: These of course are my own opinoins, and are general headings.
Wolf Lord blinks
Molok: that old chestnut...
Arctic Princess makes bullet points
Crucifix Blade fights down the urge to ask if that will involve getting the milk afterwords.
Lyn-Legend: ...
Doctor Temporis: Naturally each of these things - and yes, it is a bit cliche'd isn't it - will be made up of multiple parts.
Kitmarch giggles
Efranof drawls his sword quietly and lays it on his lap
Doctor Temporis: We will have to stop as many as necessary to keep him from his goal before we capture him.
Dragon Controller nods
Red Commissar: As long as lateral vhinking doesn't be paer of zis...
Miss Ellie frowns at the word "Capture"
Doctor Temporis: All right. That was the first bit. Now I'll take some questions.
Crucifix Blade is still playing with his knife.
Efranof puts his hands together over his belt and begins to chant words
Doctor Temporis: Hands in the air, please.
Kitmarch raises a hand
Doctor Temporis: I'll go around the table.
Crucifix Blade raises a hand.
Shadow's Grace clears her throat and raises her hand.
Lyn-Legend raises a hand.
Efranof a small emerald can be seen in his hands
Red Commissar glances at Kata.
Doctor Temporis nods to Kit. "Please."
Arctic Princess puts the notebook away
Bluestrike raises her hand
Grav Mistress places her hand on Ellie's shoulder
Crucifix Blade coughs politely. "Kitmarch..."
Kitmarch: Will any of this involve aid the other council factions - and do we like that idea any better?
Efranof finishes and put the emerald in his pocket, leaving the sword on his lap, where he holds it with his life
Doctor Temporis: In the short term, it might. However, I would prefer two warring parts of the Council to three.
Doctor Temporis looks to Crucifix. "Please."
Red Commissar grunts in disgust.
Akkarin raises a hand
Red Commissar: Co-Operating vith fascisti, my father vould spin in grave.
Crucifix Blade: Why are we tryingto capture him? Most of us here have something against him... why not just kill him and be done with it?
Arctic Princess puts a hand on Red's shoulder
Doctor Temporis is keeping a mental note of what order people raised their hand in, and will get to everyone in time.
Red Commissar smiles at Kata.
Bluestrike: well, with only 2 factions, it means that one won't unite with another ta fight off the third
Kitmarch murmers to RC.... "More along the lines of, if we take down one group, are we just making it easier for a worse one?"
Arctic Princess raises her hand
Akkarin shakes his head "Blade, please be careful the impression you give, the Alliance aren't a group of murderers"
Doctor Temporis .'s face tightens. "The debate over the morality of killing criminals is a subject of some heatedness for many heroes, on one side and the other. In my long life I have heard many argurments, persuasive ones, for either side. However, until we cease
Efranof looks over at Princess and smiles
Doctor Temporis: to be the Guardians of Destiny and become the Guardians of Fate, we as a group will not support - or condone - elimination over incareceration.
Doctor Temporis: If you must have a reason, think of all the information that he holds.
Crucifix Blade: Understood.
Red Commissar: Vill taking zem out of ze game be good enough then?
Doctor Temporis looks to Liz. "Please."
Grav Mistress gives Ellie's shoulder a gentle squeeze
Crucifix Blade looks at Akkarin. "Apologies, sir."
Miss Ellie places her hand over Jess's, but her expression remains impassive
Shadow's Grace steps forward and places her hands on the table, looking up at Doc. "What I would like to know, love, is what the tactic is to stop him, and how fast we can get to it."
Akkarin: Acepeted
Bluestrike: hey, Red, it's gonna manke em lose too much ground ta catch up again
Doctor Temporis: "We will come to that."
Red Commissar nods at Bluestrike.
Doctor Temporis looks to Lyn. "Please?"
Lyn-Legend: What is a riptear generator?
Shadow's Grace sighs and moves back, looking somewhat impatient.
Arctic Princess gives her arm a rest
Miss Ellie glances at Liz, agreeting with her sentiments completely
Doctor Temporis: A device which will cause portal rifts to open simultaneously throughout the multiverse, causing dimensional collapse of the affected areas.
Hikari-Hime reaches out a hand towards Liz. "He'll tell us when it's time, trust him."
Doctor Temporis: It makes the universe go boom.
Doctor Temporis gives the short verion
Lyn-Legend: Like cutting lots of holes in a wall?
Tigergirl raises her hand
Crucifix Blade raises an eyebvrow.
Doctor Temporis: No, but it will do as an analogy.
Doctor Temporis looks to Bluestrike. "Please."
Bluestrike: kinda like knockin out the supportin walls in a house?
Bluestrike: ah
Doctor Temporis: ?"
Shadow's Grace keeps her voice. "Ofcourse I trust him, I trust him with my existance." She smiles. "I'm just eager to do something."
Bluestrike: can we seal him off from any dimension?
Hikari-Hime nods at Liz. "Tell me about it...."
Doctor Temporis: Until the generator is complete, yes, we might well be able to, good idea. That would limit the places we have to search.
Dragon Controller jumps on Molok's shoulder
Doctor Temporis looks to Akkarin. "Please."
Bluestrike: so he can't backtrack
Dragon Controller: Ah better view
Molok doesn't move
Akkarin: I'm just curious, what are the other two factions?
Bluestrike grins smugly
Crucifix Blade is watches the Doc closely.
Sara Aegis nods her agreement with her sisters.
Devidose. raises his hand, "Tempors? A question if i may"
Doctor Temporis: One is run by a Vampryi known as Nosferatu. The other by a technological genius known as Vandal."
Akkarin nods "Thankyou"
Doctor Temporis nods to Devidose. "I will get to you sir, never fear."
Doctor Temporis looks to AP. "Please."
Efranof raises his hand, keeping the other firmly on the handle of his blade
Arctic Princess: How do you propose we tackle moving from one dimension to another? Some of us are not superhuman.
Red Commissar: Good question Kata.
Crucifix Blade listens cloesly.
Doctor Temporis: Portal Corporation has dimensional portal generators. I also have one.
Doctor Temporis: I would suggest we use mine until it explodes, then theirs.
Red Commissar: Ah, vell covered zhen.
Arctic Princess: Are they proven safe?
Kitmarch does a double take. "explodes?"
Red Commissar raises his hand.
Bluestrike chuckles
Crucifix Blade raises an eyebrow.
Doctor Temporis: As safe as having your particles ripped apart and thrust through a searing tear in reality ever is, my dear.
Arctic Princess: I see
Doctor Temporis looks to Tigergirl. "Please?"
Crucifix Blade: ...
Arctic Princess considers this
Kitmarch: Don't worry Kata.. I literally do that all the time.
Tigergirl: Do we know where he is, or do we have any method of tracking him down?
Red Commissar: Don't vorry Kata, consider it a slightly different vay of beink teleported.
Doctor Temporis: No and yes.
Akkarin looks at Blade "You'll get used to it... sort of"
Arctic Princess looks to Kit and smiles nervously
Doctor Temporis looks to Devidose. "Please."
Devidose.: Both?
Crucifix Blade gives Akk a long look.
Devidose.: Ah, of course.
Devidose.: You mentioned Requiem wants to destroy the multiverse and become omnipotent. How can he do this if he destroys everything? Surely he himself would be destroyed as well?
Dragon Controller hugs Molok's head
Kitmarch considers, then raises a hand again, smiling apologetically at the more impatient atendees
Doctor Temporis: Technically he wants to use the energy liberated by the destruction to fuel his own evolution to the final stage of what he believe to be supra-deific power.
Akkarin resumes his feet up posistion, slightly distant
Molok: Omnipotence does not require a physical form, nor a physical place to exist
Doctor Temporis: Of course, it won't work. He's totally insane. But the riptear generator *will* work.
Dragon Controller nods
Doctor Temporis looks to Ef. "Please."
Devidose.: Surely that runs the risk of destroying himself by the tremendous amounts of energy that would be released?
Efranof: Well, err.
Red Commissar: Mad fascists fight to ze end.
Devidose.: Lovely...
Efranof: Other then these portal things, what can he do?
Doctor Temporis looks over his shoulder. "Insane, if you recall?"
Red Commissar: Trust me on zat vone.
Arctic Princess: And tend to have back-up plans...
Efranof: Also, what shall we be doing tonight, if anything?
Hikari-Hime looks over at Devidose. "You're assuming he's sane, and this plan is well thought through."
Dragon Controller hugs Molok's head
Molok reaches up and plucks Nyu off his shoulders, placing her gently to the floor
Dragon Controller: oww
Doctor Temporis looks to Efranof. "Quite a lot. Shadow-forms, energy blasts. Not to mention the council hordes, magical tehcnology, were-beasts, and let us not forget the fact that he is simply a total *******."
Devidose. looks over to Hikari-Hime, "True..."
Kitmarch laughs
Doctor Temporis looks to RC. "Yes?"
Crucifix Blade snickers.
Arctic Princess chuckles
Efranof nods, "Arighty.. Good answer."
Red Commissar: Ah, vight...
Red Commissar: Vhat is ze chances of non Council factions interfering vith our plans?
Dragon Controller jumps on Molok's shoulder again
Red Commissar: Like Arachnos?
Bluestrike: umm, Doc?
Grav Mistress glares at Nyu
Doctor Temporis: Depends. Much of our 'location' plan - at least mine anyway - requires us to visit some quite, shall we say hostile, dimensions.
Doctor Temporis: We will probably have to hold our ground until teh readings are taken.
Arctic Princess smiles at Red, "Well thought out Red"
Lyn-Legend raises a hand.
Devidose.: Does that include Upsilon Gamma 96, Doctor?
Red Commissar: Da.
Bluestrike raises her hand
Tigergirl: You can use the seat if you want Molok
Molok puts her back down
Red Commissar: And ze security here too?
Molok: Nyu, please
Shadow's Grace looks over to DC. "Can you keep your enthousiasm to yourself please?"
Dragon Controller: Sorry...
Doctor Temporis: Yes. The council may well strike at us - at least one group. The others may even help.
Doctor Temporis looks to Kit. "Please."
Arctic Princess without thinking "No, no they wouldn't"
Kitmarch: Sorry to go on about the same thing but...
Doctor Temporis: Yes?
Dragon Controller listens carefully
Doctor Temporis waits patiently
Kitmarch: Assuming we don't stomp his entire faction to paste to get to him, are we going to do anything about them? Cause I assume they'll just merge into the other two, making two stringer factions to fight it out through the city, as opposed to three weak one
Doctor Temporis nods. "We can look at that after we save the multiverse."
Kitmarch: Fair enough
Bluestrike raises herhand
Doctor Temporis: I assume we will be doing quite a bit of damage in teh effort.
Arctic Princess rolls her eyes in disbelief
Dragon Controller mutters to herself "now the multiverse is in danger"
Red Commissar: I expect ze Longbow detachment vould hold enough vor us to help.
Doctor Temporis looks to Blue, having gotten back around to her. "Please."
Dragon Controller sighs
Bluestrike: umm, Lyn wuz before me, Doc
Bluestrike smiles
Doctor Temporis raps his pocket secretary and looks to Lyn.
Doctor Temporis: Please.
Lyn-Legend: Well, I was just thinking... We can rule some of the worlds out already, right? So we only visit the ones with the concil in?
Lyn-Legend: council*
Lyn-Legend is worried about the clockwork king universe.
Doctor Temporis shakes his head. "We *can* rule some of them out. That is why the current list is only about 60,000 worlds."
Devidose.: Doctor? Will this involve going to the dimension identified as Upsilon Gamma 96?
Doctor Temporis: However, he may well hide in worlds without a strong council precense.
Lyn-Legend is still worried.
Red Commissar: Zis is vhere my clones vould have gotten a use.
Zorielle Rolando: If you were being looked for, would you go somewhere where people would expect to look for you?
Molok: Hmm..
Kitmarch laughs
Arctic Princess smiles wryly
Doctor Temporis goes back to Blue.
Bluestrike: I wuz wonderin
Lyn-Legend gets up and goes to get a drink.
Doctor Temporis nods.
Bluestrike: is there any, like, psychological falts that we can use against him?
Doctor Temporis: Yes?
Doctor Temporis shrugs
Devidose.: Sorry if thats confusing to some, i should define my question a bit better.
Doctor Temporis: I have no idea. Something to think about to be sure.
Dragon Controller shakes her head
Devidose.: Upsilon-Gamma 96... Praetoria.. War World, call it what you will...
Miss Ellie: yeah.. he likes beating up women...
Kitmarch: He's very "fond" of Peacebringers.
Arctic Princess takes out her notebook again and scribbles "psychological analysis?"
Doctor Temporis comes back to Devidose. "I don't believe that he would wish to tangle with Tyrant and his minions.. but it is possible."
Tigergirl places a hand on Ellie's right shoulder
Grav Mistress squeezes Ellie's shoulder again
Bluestrike whispers to princess, 'those fatigue pants are way cool'
Devidose.: Fair enough, it shall be interesting to see how he acts.
Miss Ellie looks at the women either side and smiles faintly
Arctic Princess smiles and whispers back, "thanks. I may need your designing skill soon"
Doctor Temporis: All right. If that is the first wave of questions over with?
Doctor Temporis mock-swoons
Bluestrike raises a hand
Bluestrike: just one more doc
Kitmarch laughs
Bluestrike: it may be an important one
Shadow's Grace sighs softly.
Doctor Temporis: There are no stupid questions. Especially in something as large scale as this. Ask.
Bluestrike: any of these worlds we're visitin, they places where powers wont work?
Bluestrike: where we'll al be, like, normal?
Doctor Temporis looks around. "I *know* some of you would rather hit things than talk about things. If you want to hit at random and hope, go right ahead. If you want a decent plan, then listen."
Devidose. looks up, "Good point"
Arctic Princess nods in agreement
Dragon Controller: We can't just hit things...
Efranof: I could.
Red Commissar: I could blow zome things up too...
Bluestrike mutters something about testosterone
Doctor Temporis nods. "It is not impossible, Miss Bluestrike. Requiem would avoid any world in which he would risk losing his own abilities."
Arctic Princess looks at Red and sighs
Doctor Temporis: However, he might pick ones which would limit those of others.
Efranof: If I go to a world that takes away powers.. I would die instantly..
Bluestrike: or he could shield himself somehow?
Doctor Temporis looks around again. "If anyone *does* want to go and hit things at random, the teleporters are over there. Thank you for coming."
Arctic Princess: And that could be where we come in....
Shadow's Grace mumbles something to herself, under her breath.
Doctor Temporis looks back to Bluestrike. "Possibly he could. However, having conventional human - or near human - allies in this fight will be important for just that situation."
Arctic Princess makes some more notes
Red Commissar: Now vhat Doctor?
Dragon Controller: Imagine if he had more then just humans as allies?
Zorielle Rolando: He does. Warwolves.
Doctor Temporis: Now, I will outline a brief plan. Then you all can rip it up and come up with a better one.
Doctor Temporis smiles.
Red Commissar: Good, quiet time again da?
Dragon Controller: in other universe...
Arctic Princess chuckles and starts a new page of the notebook
Doctor Temporis: This will not be a small project. It will take time to perform, and several missions for all of us. We will have to work - if not as a team, at least to the same cribnotes."
Kitmarch rubs her eyes
Doctor Temporis: The first section - though it will be ongoing - will be to determine and defeat his activities here on 'this' earth.
Doctor Temporis: This will include protecting ourselves from his inevitable retaliation.
Red Commissar grins.
Devidose.: What kind of action can we expect him to take?
Doctor Temporis indicates to Devidose that he will answer when he has finished.
Doctor Temporis: The second section will be to locate him within the multiverse. This will involve scout missions to deploy a variety of dimensional beacons which will lock onto his form.
Doctor Temporis: The third section will be to interdict his travel, to force him to go to ground wherever he has hidden his fiendish device. This will involve striking at his operations across the multiverse and here at 'home'.
Doctor Temporis: And finally, we will have to take the fight to him personally.
Miss Ellie perks up at this point, listening carefully
Red Commissar: Zhat part zounds ze most fun.
Lyn-Legend: Volinteer for that.
Doctor Temporis: These are, yes, general outlines. We must come up with more details. Some I have, some we must develop.
Bluestrike: me three
Grav Mistress grips Ellie's shoulder more tightly
Kitmarch raises a hand
Red Commissar: I vill join too.
Doctor Temporis nods. "Questions at this point." He looks to Devidose first, inicating to Kit that he's seen her.
Arctic Princess nods her assent
Pyranha glances around nervously, then hesitantly raises her hand.
Red Commissar raises his hand.
Efranof looks around and says to himself, "I hope there are security cameras."
Akkarin reamins impassive, in the same posistion, listening
Doctor Temporis: His activities on this world - the first heading - are likely to involve consolidation of his position in the civil war and it's prosecution.
Zorielle Rolando raises her hand.
Doctor Temporis: Also, he will be trying to finish construction of his generator, diversity his operations, and reinformce his positions on other worlds.
Doctor Temporis looks to Kit. "Please."
Kitmarch: Apart from the fact that just about everybody is going to want in on phase 4, any preferences for who does what?
Bluestrike: I'm happy with whatever
Bluestrike raises a hand
Doctor Temporis: I suspect that we will all have to participate in the various schemes. However, if people wish to take on certain parts, then that is a good idea. I do not intend to micromange. Subteams are good.
Doctor Temporis looks to Pyranha. "Please."
Lyn-Legend feels she has embaressed herself and shuts up.
Kitmarch: Sort it out ourselves then.
Pyranha: Okay, uhm, so there's these alternative places, and there's, like, alternative versions of us, right?
Doctor Temporis: Of some of us.
Doctor Temporis looks to Kit. "Bit of both. I'll try to co-ordinate."
Kitmarch nods
Pyranha: Is there alternative versions of HIM too and how do we tell them apart and are they going to blow us too?
Doctor Temporis: He has already killed most of them.
Kitmarch: nice guy
Arctic Princess looks alarmed at this piece of information
Red Commissar: Vouldn't zat cause vhat zey call paradoxes?
Doctor Temporis: At present none of the others are doing this particular plan. We can only hope that we don't find ourselves in teh same situation later.
Devidose.: Theres also teh chance that they never became "Requiem" and would have died of old age by this point, right?
Doctor Temporis looks to RC. "No. This is because multiple alternate-future dimensions is not the same as alternate timelines."
Arctic Princess raises her hand
Doctor Temporis nods to Devi.
Red Commissar: Ah, zilly me zhen.
Doctor Temporis: Did you have another question, Commissar?
Bluestrike raises a hand
Red Commissar: Da.
Doctor Temporis: Please.
Pyranha sinks back into her chair, happy to be in the background again.
Red Commissar: I assume you vill need zeese pictures for ze vorking on ze plans?
Doctor Temporis: It will be of help. Though if your team will be following up that lead, I will only need to discuss things with you.
Efranof raises his hand
Red Commissar: I ze.
Hikari-Hime raises a glowing hand.
Doctor Temporis looks to Zorielle. "Please."
Kitmarch: I'm sure you can make copies Commissar
Doctor Temporis notes Zorielle is preparing her question and moves on to AP.
Red Commissar: I vill.
Doctor Temporis: Please.
Arctic Princess: The skills required for the job. This interests me greatly
Doctor Temporis isn't looking directly at AP, for some reason..
Doctor Temporis nods. "Such as?"
Arctic Princess: Something Blue said about 'psychological analysis'
Red Commissar raises his eyebrows.
Arctic Princess: What do we do when we confront him. Handing him over to the authorities seems hardly just
Doctor Temporis: "As opposed to?"
Efranof: Each of us should be left in a room with him for five minutes...
Bluestrike: givin him to a world of Ellies
Arctic Princess: I would be interested in interrogation
Red Commissar: Imprisoning him inside a pocket dimension he can't get out of?
Miss Ellie: I know what to do with him
Red Commissar: I like irony.
Devidose. looks over coldly, "Remove the nictus from him..."
Arctic Princess: Like you said yourself Doctor, there could be a lot he could tell us
Tigergirl squeases Ellie's shoulder
Arctic Princess: As could some if not all of his 'alternate' selves
Bluestrike: that kinda leads nicely inta my question
Grav Mistress pats Ellie's shoulder lightly then rests her hand on it again
Doctor Temporis: Once we have him in custody, I believe that we will be taking the time to obtain as much information as possible. However, anything which would threaten his life will be opposed by myself to the full extent of my abilities.
Hikari-Hime looks over at Ellie.
Doctor Temporis: On this I cannot compromise.
Kitmarch: I suggest we worry about that depending on what state we manages to capture him in
Arctic Princess: Very well
Sara Aegis speaks quietly, but isn't whispering. "We are not judges. We are not a jury. We are not executioners. we are heroes. end of story."
Doctor Temporis looks to Bluestrike. "Please."
Arctic Princess makes a note
Bluestrike: I been thinkin, what with all the possible outcomes
Lyn-Legend nods to Aegis on that point.
Bluestrike: is it possible theres a good guy version of him?
Red Commissar: He'd be dead.
Bluestrike: one we could work with?
Red Commissar: Vemember?
Doctor Temporis: In an infinite multiverse, yes. However, we would have to find him.. if he was alive.
Arctic Princess looks at Bluestrike as if to say 'my thoughts exactly'
Shadow's Grace nods in agreement.
Doctor Temporis: Worth looking into, but would chew up a lot of resources.
Doctor Temporis nods. "Good idea, though. Worth checking out."
Kitmarch raises a hand
Doctor Temporis looks to Efranof. "Please."
Miss Ellie Raises her hand
Lyn-Legend raises a hand lightly.
Bluestrike: yah, if we had the hackers, we could get the council ta do some of our work for us
Efranof: Well, about there being other version of ourselves.. Maybe there is a reality where Requiem was defeated by the heroes?
Doctor Temporis: There will undoubtedly be.
Efranof: Would it be possible to travel and, maybe, ask or something?
Doctor Temporis: We would have to locate the relevant combination of dimensions.
Doctor Temporis: Again, worth a try, but could be even more difficult than finding Requiem: we would need a dimensional signal to locate.
Doctor Temporis looks to Hiki. "Please."
Efranof looks like he is hiding something
Hikari-Hime: Most of your stages involve people being out of this dimension, is there a limit on how many can be on the other side of portals at once?
Bluestrike mutters to AP,'its times like this I'm glad I dated a physics major
Red Commissar: Evenink Hammer.
Arctic Princess chuckles
Red Commissar: Kata has notes...
Arctic Princess: Yes
Red Hammer: Red Hammer reportink. I apologice zhat I vac delayed.
Arctic Princess: I will prepare a report separate
Red Commissar: No problem Jakob.
Doctor Temporis: Not really, but if we don't keep the portals open, there would be no line of retreat.
Red Hammer: zhank you
Red Hammer attention
Doctor Temporis looks to Kit, motioning to ZOrielle that he'll get to her in a moment.
Miss Ellie 's hand is still raised
Kitmarch: These locator missions of yours... will they tend to find the Requiem we want, or just the "nearest" one?
Efranof: ..Give that girl a goldfish...
Doctor Temporis: The one we want. We have his dimensional signature. This is the problem with looking for 'other' Requiems. We don't have theirs. Needle in the haystack time.
Doctor Temporis looks at his gauntlet. "Miss Ellie, please."
Kitmarch: Kay
Arctic Princess listens intently
Miss Ellie: some people have asked what do to with Requiem.. Once we have him. There's really only one option
Doctor Temporis looks at her calmly, letting her finish
Akkarin looks at Ellie with a hint of a smile
Miss Ellie: he's committed far more crimes that just those on Earth. The only people who can deal with him are my people.. The PeaceBringers. He should be handed over to the Peacebringer council
Bluestrike: Ellie's got a point
Luminous Phoenix frowns slightly
Kitmarch smiles broadly. "This is of course assuming we can take him alive in the first place."
Doctor Temporis shakes his head. "I am not interested in law. Only destiny. We will discuss that at the proper time."
Doctor Temporis looks to Lyn. "Please."
Miss Ellie frowns
Lyn-Legend: You want to awnser my question or hers?
Bluestrike smiles reasurringly at ellie
Grav Mistress gives Ellie's shoulder a slight squeeze again
Lyn-Legend points to Zorielle
Doctor Temporis: You first. Ms Rolando had to step out of line a moment. Ask.
Lyn-Legend: Well two things...
Doctor Temporis motions for her to go on.. quickly
Lyn-Legend: Firstly, about the portals... Are they under the wormhole principle that things can only go one way, or are they under the principle that things can go both ways?
Doctor Temporis: Once opened, things can go both ways. Next?
Lyn-Legend: Just a note that I'd like to speak to you after we're done.
Doctor Temporis nods. "Of course."
Doctor Temporis looks to Zorielle. "Please."
Zorielle Rolando: This -is- the proper time, MacAllister. People want to know what fate awaits who they will be risking their lives for.
Zorielle Rolando: That was to what Ellie asked of you.
Zorielle Rolando: I do also have what I planned to mention originally, that I would be happy to lend the use of my satalite network in scouting out Council movements on this earth.
Bluestrike pushes Red C's cap over his eyes
Doctor Temporis inclines his head. "Understand me, one and all. If anyone is going into this operation with revenge and retribtion in their hearts, leave this place now, and never darken my door again. I hope that I stand for right and justice, and that everyone
Red Commissar blinks slightly startled.
Doctor Temporis: even those who have done terrible things, deserve second chances."
Red Commissar shifts the cap back up to see.
Inago sneaks in at the back
Zorielle Rolando: My offer still stands, and I will take my leave. Good night to you all.
Red Commissar: Paka.
Arctic Princess: Oh, miss?
Red Hammer militarysalute
Shadow's Grace quirks an eyebrow, a small smile on her lips.
Akkarin nods as she leaves
Miss Ellie: I didn't ask for revenge Sebastian.. I asked he be handed to the only ones who can deal with him, so he can be tried by his peers.
Tigergirl: ...
Zorielle Rolando: Yes?
Devidose. raises a hand.
Red Hammer military_salute
Arctic Princess: You have a sattelite network?
Doctor Temporis looks to Miss Ellie. "Your people are not just."
Inago edges round to Pyr
Reborn.Shadow: Erm...
Zorielle Rolando motions away.
Pyranha beams at Inago.
Doctor Temporis looks to Zorielle. "Goodnight, Ms Rolando>"
Doctor Temporis looks to Devidose. "Yes?"
Devidose.: It has already been asked about dimension where our powers may not work. What about ones that the Mediport won't...
Miss Ellie looks at Sebastian, her face once again impassive
Doctor Temporis nods. "This will not be the usual mediport-equipped operation, it is true. There is risk. I can provide limited medical drone coverage for many places.. but the risk is there."
Shadow's Grace glances to Ellie, frowning a little, as if pondering something over.
Red Commissar grins.
Red Commissar: Risks eh?
Devidose.: So we could die? Those of us who are mortal...
Doctor Temporis nods. "You could die."
Akkarin: No one is forcing you
Devidose.: Good, just so that is covered...
Red Commissar: A challenge at last.
Efranof looks up at the word 'die', "Excuse me?"
Doctor Temporis: Naturally that is not what we intend to allow to happen.
Kitmarch: So what else is new? That system was never 100% effective anyway.
Lyn-Legend ponders about that point, she had always felt so strong... death had only come upon her door once before.
Efranof: Right then.. Let's die!
Devidose.: Intention never follows fate Doctor...
Red Hammer military_salute
Red Hammer: Permiccion to cpeak Kommiccar
Red Hammer: I mean, Doktor
Doctor Temporis: There is also the possibility of being trapped in some godawful dimension. LEt us not forget that.
Red Commissar: Permission granted Jakob, you are ze senoir officer in ze army.
Bluestrike: I was figurin we'd wind up in some worlds with really ancient tech, like 70s stuff
Doctor Temporis looks to RH. "Ask away."
Akkarin mumbles "Nothing wrong with the 70's"
Red Hammer: Given zhat zhe portal'c are bi-direktional, kould you explain vhat....kontinigiec you have chould zhing'c go wrong?
Bluestrike: unless you wanna email someone
Shadow's Grace shrugs. "This business is full of risks as is, nothing out of the ordinary and nothing to get squeemish about." She notes, smiling.
Doctor Temporis: In the event of a class four threat, I would initiate dimensional cautery. Is that what you mean?
Red Commissar: The seventies vere good until ze var.
Doctor Temporis looks puzzled.
Miss Ellie: Better to die trying, then be captured by him again..."
Kitmarch looks up suddenly, raises her hand then snatches it down after a moment.
Shadow's Grace looks to Ellie. "Not if a plan can rule out unnecessary casualties."
Red Hammer: My english ic not zhe bect. You vould ceal zhe portal?
Bluestrike: never said they weren't, just the tech was ancient
Doctor Temporis: I would pass a thermonuclear device through the portal and seal it.
Doctor Temporis says grimly
Kitmarch: Define "class 4"
Doctor Temporis looks to Kitmarch. "Poses threat to all sentient life on Earth."
Doctor Temporis passes her a handbook from Portal Corporation.
Devidose.: Is there anything worse than a class 4
Kitmarch: Oohhhh.......
Efranof: Class 5?
Kitmarch starts flicking through the handbook with interest
Doctor Temporis nods to Devidose. "Yes, but if it happens, we wouldn't be around to know about it."
Devidose. grins "Sweet..."
Kitmarch: Mind if I hang on to this?
Efranof: Class 5... The subatiomic collapse of existance.
Doctor Temporis: Now then. I do understand that the fate of Requiem is important to you all. I would suggest that we allow the nations and species of the world - in *unison* to determine his fate.
Efranof: In other words, universe go boom.
Efranof grins
Doctor Temporis nods to Efranof. "Sudden Catastrophic Reality Failure."
Inago raises his hand
Doctor Temporis: This would prevent bias.
Devidose.: In other words, what we are trying to stop from occuring...
Doctor Temporis looks to Inago. "Please."
Inago: Do we get handbooks too? I was late.
Doctor Temporis nods to Devidose. "Yes, but indirectly."
Inago smiles politely
Doctor Temporis shakes his head. "I need that back, sadly," he says, both to Inago and Kitmarch.
Inago: Oh. Oke.
Efranof looks at Devi, "Basically, yeh. Universe go boom is bad, universe in single part good."
Kitmarch: Okay, just a moment...
Efranof: ug.
Kitmarch speed reads
Efranof laughs quietly
Tigergirl phone beeps
Doctor Temporis: Don't read page fourt-se.. oh well.
Kitmarch: Bloody hellfire!
Tigergirl reads the message
Doctor Temporis winces
Doctor Temporis holds out his hand. "Book."
Red Commissar: Vhat?
Kitmarch passes it back. "Awww...."
Doctor Temporis stows it.
Tigergirl speaks to Ellie and Jess "I'll see you two later, I have to go"
Grav Mistress looks to Yoko with a light smile "ok, Yoko, good luck"
Kitmarch shoves a hand up
Tigergirl: Thanks
Doctor Temporis breathes deeply, about to say something, then deflates. "Yes, Miss Kitmarch?"
Miss Ellie glances up and Yoko and smiles, "OK, see you later. come round after. Hannah's coming over for Pizza"
Tigergirl: Sure, see you
Lyn-Legend waves to TG lightly.
Kitmarch: Very sorry, I was going to save this till the end, as it's personal.... but since folks are leaving.... If anyone runs into my dad, could you make a note which dimension he's in? Ta.....
Doctor Temporis blinks then nods.
Red Commissar: I vill Kit.
Doctor Temporis: All right. For organisational purposes, is there anyone who does *not* want to leave this dimension?
Arctic Princess steps forward and raises her hand
Bluestrike: better let me know whota look out for, Kit
Arctic Princess: I feel my skills are better suited to remaining here
Doctor Temporis nods to AP. "No criticism implied. There is plenty to do on this planet."
Kitmarch: No idea, sorry. That's half my problem.
Doctor Temporis looks around. "Any others?"
Arctic Princess: Indeed. And none taken
Red Commissar grins.
Shadow's Grace looks a little nervous at the thought but bites her tongue.
Akkarin: I feel I'm better suited here, but I won't object to going
Miss Ellie: I will go where necessary
Bluestrike: hey, I'm happy dimension hoppin
Lyn-Legend ponders heavily but decides her skills would be better used off world.
Kitmarch: I'm in! I could probably find my way back here even if the portal did go "foomp!"
Red Commissar: I am goink.
Akkarin: Technical terms eh Kit?
Red Hammer: I have no idea vhat zhece dimencionc entail, but I am a coldier firct and foremoct, and vill do my duty.
Efranof: Be it on Earth or turnip7, I'll cut it up.
Red Commissar: A man only lives vonce.
Bluestrike: oh yeah?
Doctor Temporis: All right. Thank you for attending. I believe that you all now have an idea of the scop of what we will be doing. I will co-ordinate the various strands of inquiry and let you know of missions where your skills would be useful. I will also support any
Arctic Princess looks at Red admiringly
Red Commissar smirks.
Bluestrike: what if you find a one where the soviets rule the world, will you come back?
Sara Aegis smiles slightly at the "only live once" comment.
Doctor Temporis: investigations you wish to do on your own suggested plans.
Kitmarch: Hey, I do what I do. You know terminology for it.... fine. *smiles*
Red Commissar: I'd still come back.
Red Commissar: Zis city needs a Red Commissar.
Bluestrike: well, good
Bluestrike smiles
Arctic Princess laughs
Kitmarch: Oh! Contact details?
Arctic Princess: It wouldn;t be the same
Red Commissar: If not, Kat vill do my job vor me.
Arctic Princess looks at her feet
Bluestrike: she'd never fit into your tunic
Grav Mistress looks to Ellie
Arctic Princess smiles
Efranof: And if I go out, ahh who cares, I aint gonna die!
Red Commissar: She can share vith Jakob.
Miss Ellie: hmm?
Bluestrike: but I could alter it for her
Red Commissar: I vill stick vith Ef.
Red Commissar: As an insurance policy.
Efranof grins at Red, "Should be fun."
Kitmarch pulls a paper out of a hole in spacetime. "Ahh... Ze funnies"
Doctor Temporis: Further information will be downloadable from the GoDNet. I'll make sure that you are all kept informed.
((Jumping the bandwagon and actually finding my rp mojo again, I decided to turn a little IC chat Doc and Liz had into a story to outline for myself Liz's involvement.
A thank you goes out to J, who helped me get into the character again through this. 
))
14/06/06 02.45 am
A shadow made its way through the dimly lit corridors of the Lab. It was still dark outside, in this universe, in this time, and most people in Paragon City were resting. But not her, not Liz. She visited the Library, the family room and various experimental areas, but other than the various bots, scuttling about on an automated program, she could not find who she sought.
Finally, a sigh ca,e from her as she leant her right shoulder against a doorpost, her arms folded. "If I just keep looking, I'll be here forever..." She mumbled to herself as she idly raised her left hard to her necklace. With the appropriate commands, she activated her comm and spoke aloud. "Sebastian?"
There was a moment or two before the connection was answered, and then came the response. "Hmm?" There were technological and electrical sounds in the background - the beep of consoles, the spark of odd devices.
"Where can I find you?" Her voice came back, sounding somewhat fatigued.
"I'm in the High Energy district at the moment, Elizabeth," comes back the reply. "You sound tired: perhaps some sleep might be in order?" Docs familiar voice replied.
"I can't." She said simply. "I'll be over shortly."
"Stand still, love."
"Okay..." She says, a little dubious as she still wasnt very comfortable with teleportation and the implications of it, but trusting his inventions enough to let him.
There was a pulsing blue flash and a feeling of an elevator going straight down as a portal opens underneath her feet and she fell through it to land on her feet in a large chamber in the HED, the portal closing over her head. Across the chamber was the massive bulk of a portal generator, while Doc was working on a forklift-truck-sized device at a workshop area.
Having recovered from the initial shock, she looked around before making her way over to Doc. Her garments still the same as the evening before, save her cape and the scarf that was around her neck. Her hair loose, but didnt seem to show signs of tangles from having slept.
He passed some tools across to a maintbot and turned to where she materialised - a clear space off to one side marked out with hazard tape, clearly kept clear for such use - as she walked across the floor. He smiled tiredly as she arrived. "Still in uniform, my dear?"
A faint smile touched her lips as she let her eyes meet his, though in eyes her worry for him still showed. "I couldn't sleep... I've been sleeping badly for a few days now, but... I guess now I really can't sleep anymore." She stepped over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek in an affectionate greeting.
He leant forward to accept the kiss affectionately, then frowned, his monocle clicking as he looked her over. "I can give you a sedative for that, if you want." He reached for his multibelt.
She shook her head. "No love, that won't help. Besides, my concern is too great to allow it to work. Have you looked in the mirror recently? If you think I am tired, it's nothing compared to you. That's why I am here, to ask you, to please take a rest. Even if for a short time... This is killing you, and I can't let it, it goes against everything I believe in, and to an extent, to what you yourself taught me." She looked down, trying to further formulate her words. "I love you, more than I could ever express. I can't sit by and watch this happen helplessly, it is breaking me..."
He coughed, shaking his head. "You have to be stronger than this, my love. I have to push myself, or no-one else will." He shrugged. "I can't ask more of anyone than I'm prepared to do myself."
"So you try and set the standards yourself...? Of course others will, you're not alone, love, you have us, and many friends. What would they all feel, if you'd kill yourself on their behalf? It's not fair, Sebastian." She swallowed hard, more to control her emotions, which had started to cause a lump in her throat. "Strong or not, you cannot honestly expect me to sit down and accept that you are pushing yourself to your death. Life is worth much more than that.
"Life won't be worth much if we all get atomised by a crazy Italian nictus-host," he said tiredly. "Besides, if I will not set the standard, who else will? It's not as bad as all that. I'm tired, yes, but I've been tired before." He shrugged. "Soon some of these new heroes will take up some of the load. Then I can relax a little. At the moment, I'm searching a thousand worlds a day, and it's going too slowly." He yawned.
"I've never seen you like this before..." Liz managed with some effort, her voice soft, meek.
He gave a tired smile. "This is what it's like for me nearly all the time." He shrugged again. "Besides, I've taken your advice: I've recruited help. Soon I'll be able to take more of a back seat."
She frowned, both at his remark that it is like this for him all the time as well as the newly recruited help remark. "But... you don't have us then, you do now. What can I do to help take some of the load? Also, who are these new recruits you're talking about...? I can't stand seeing you like this..."
He scratched his head. "Um... all the people at the meeting. They'll be doing the searching now. I just have to finish.. the support."
Somehow, she mustered the power to strengthen her voice. "How long is that going to take...? And what can I do to help you make it happen faster? Either you rest with me, or I will not rest at all. I cannot. I fear for your life. I care not if perhaps one day our paths may separate for a while, I know it will not be forever, I won't let it. I will also not give up without a fight, not after all we've been through." Her voice lowered a little again. "I'm not ready to let you go..."
Doc shook his head. "Elizabeth, please, calm yourself. It is not as bad as all that."
"It sounded like that when we spoke this evening..." She insisted, thinking about their earlier conversation.
"Yes, I am tired. Yes, I am stretched thin. Yes, we need to be ready if the worst should happen, and not become too complacent." He enumerated the points on tired fingers. "However, the world will not end because I'm tired. It might if I'm not prepared to push myself to the finish line. It won't be for much longer, I'm sure. Please, get some sleep? You'll only make me worrieder. If that's even a word."
I was her turn to shake her head. "That's exactly my plea to you, love, and like you, I cannot comply. Tell me what I can do to help you speed up the process. I am ready to do anything."
He looked at her, shrugs, walked over to a wall rack and pulled a small palmtop display unit from the rack, walked back to her and gave it to her. "There you go. Start with Gamma-Upsilon-873-Rho and work down." He jerked a thumb at the portal generator.
She seemed very sure of herself, despite not having a lot of knowledge of it all, and despite her known fear of anything technical. She took the palmtop from him as he offered it, and looked a little bewildered at the screen, then at the generator. "Uhm, what exactly am I looking for, and... how do I operate it? Just show me, I can learn fast."
"There are roughly fifty thousand dimensions to explore. Just select one from the list, and walk through the portal. The unit will lead you back to the portal once it's collected all the information it needs. Good luck."
Liz took a deep breath, and with fear in her eyes she picked the one he suggested from the list, her fingers trembling ever so slightly. With a whisper under her breath, her katana came to view, and she checked if it was lose in its scabbard before making her way to the portal. With a toss of her hair, she turned to look over to him once the truth of it settled in. "We need to contact everyone who was there and willing to help explore. It's time we all chipped in. I am stating here and now, and will not accept any argument, that you have done enough alone. I will have no more of it on this project. If I can do this, then anyone can. For once, Sebastian, I am keeping my foot down, even if it means standing up to stop you. You might get away with it in other dimensions and times, but not in my reality, not on my time. You are not alone here, so you are going to use those resources."
A smile came to her lips then. "I love you, Sebastian MacAllister." And with that, she stepped through.
Kata felt the memory stick in her pocket as she made her way over to Nova Prospekt, The Workers' base of operations. For now, it's contents would have to remain unseen until she could by a modern PC with some of the money that Red had previously been awarded. She considered using her own but then decided against it: Not enough memory to hold that kind of information she thought.
The base was refreshingly cool compared to the plaza underneath the statue. Kata put the memory stick down by the PC then poured herself a glass of water from the tap. She glanced at the lever by the sink and immediately wrenched herself away from it. Not now, Kata! Focus on what you have to do.
The 'to do' list she had begun and pinned to the notice board was becoming bloated with tasks and reminders. She had tried to implement some sort of colour scheme using pens for her comrades but noticed that, rather unsurprisingly, most of the items had been written in a smudged-red Cyrillic. She added her own tasks in light blue, very neatly, to the diminishing space on the board:
1) Visit Zortel Enterprises and familiarise myself with the satellite operations
2) Buy a new PC
3) Upload the schematics of Richard's suit
4) Prepare my presentation to the committee on a...
She considered what to put, not doubting for a second that if either Jakob or Red were to read the boards they would probably ignore her writing. But still something nagged at her and she crossed out point four and again, very neatly, wrote:
4) Canvass heroes not already affiliated with the operation.
There, that was ambiguous enough.
Kata poured herself another glass of water, switched on the PC, used her mobile to call her flatmate to tell her that she might not be home that evening and sat down in front of the screen. She began typing:
"My fellow Heroes...
14/06/06 - 10:45pm
Sara moved around her apartment with purpose, grabbing things from the freezer, the fridge and cupboards, and placing them in a coolbag. Her headlong motion was watched with by the little white cat, who had perched herself on top of a cupboard, and now favoured her two-legger with the studied look of superior, disinterested interest that is the birthright of cats everywhere.
An observer would have found Sara's monologue interesting, if only at the way cat owners talked to their pets. "Mrs Hughes across the hall will feed you, I get the impression I'm not going to be back here for a few days." Amaterasu yawned in cat-fashion, and managed to look even more disdainful, if anything. "Don't be like that, you know I can't take you with me. Sebastian doesn't want animals in the lab, and I couldn't risk taking you into danger with me, in any case."
Tera stood up, stretched, and leapt off the cupboard, landing on Sara's shoulder lightly, not even stopping the headlong rush as Sara neatly put her life away for a time.
::You will come back. You are strong, you will survive.:: In one thought-image, Tera managed to convey a sense of unshakeable faith, love, and permanance that would have quite surprised someone who thought they knew cats. ::Your family needs you.:: Images of Mina, of Liz, of Sebastian, of Jared (wherever he was) and now of their new friends, flitted across her awareness for a second. The last thought-image was very un-catlike. ::Go, save the world. Bring me tuna.::
Sara smiled briefly, deposited Tera on the sofa, then reached down and stroked her. A slight spark of her magic linked the two briefly, a carefully measured infusion that seemed not to worry the cat at all. She straightened, and picked up the bags she had packed. Closing her eyes, she took one deep breath, then another. Her family was going to war again, and in the way of that surreal, yet close-knit unit, they were all already laying everything on the line to do what destiny asked of them. Losing them would be more than she could bear, so she would make sure that did not happen. She would take up her shield once again, and stand between her loved ones, and the universe. It was time to go to work.
She activated her comm. "Circe, please open recieving area 2. I'm coming in." Light glared as Sara ported out, and Tera turned her attention to other things, like how best to shred those shiney curtains.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Sad Harry's bar was never a nice place. Situated in one of King's Row's scummier areas, it's clientele were drug addicts and murderers from day one. The fact that Sad Harry himself liked it that way didn't do much to improve that factor.
Nice people didn't go there.
Good thing that the dark-garbed man wasn't nice.
As he stepped through the doorway, into smoky, stinking room, the conversation stopped. Hands stopped dealing cards. Fingers stopped picking pockets. Eyes turned away from the strippers on-stage and focused on him.
No-one moved.
Then, after that briefest of pauses, things appeared to returned to normal. Granted, the tone was a little more falsetto, but at least no-one had left.
Sad Harry, however, wasn't fooled.
This was going to be a tough night.
"Cee Bee!" He bellowed genially, praying that the hero wouldn't see his hand going for the shot-gun under the table. "How are you? We haven't seen you in a whi-"
A single black-clad finger pressed against his blubbery lips. Harry shut up.
"Hello, Harry," the Crucifix Blade said pleasantly, his slight English accent and light, gentle voice seeming out of place in such a violent place. "I do hope that's not a gun you're reaching for." He looked down.
"Oh dear. Harry, that's very rude of you, to pull a weapon on an old friend."
It's
it's just for protection-" stuttered Harry, but the finger touched his lips again.
"Well, I'll let it slide tonight, Harry. Now
I have a favor to ask."
The fat barkeep fiddled with his filthy apron nervously. "What kind of favour?" He asked.
"Oh, a very simple one. I want you to tell me what Requiem's been up to."
Harry's surprisingly pretty blue eyes looked fearfully at the hero. "That
that's the sort of favor that costs
" he began. Crucifix's hand went to his sword. Harry fought back a plea. The fat man could be bullied, but there were some things on which he wouldn't budge. After a moment, Crucifix's hand fell.
"How much?"
Harry relaxed a little. Maybe this might not be so bad after all
"How much you offerin'?"
Crucifix sighed.
Then he whipped out his swing line. It was a still experimental weapon- a safety line made of the same tear proof fibre as his costume was connected to a small but heavy iron cross, making a grappling hook. It also made a very nice noose.
The swing-line snapped around Harry's wrist, the cross lodging itself in the bar-top.
"What I'm offering you, Harry, is your wrist being unbroken when I walk out of here, and your teeth still being connected to your gums."
Harry fought down a scream.
"I don't know anything
" he whispered, staring at the line. The hero glared.
"Harry," he began. The noose tightened.
"Alright, alright!"
Tears rolled down the crook's heavy jowls.
"I'll tell you
but not here."
After a tense moment, Crucifix nodded.
"Alright. The back-room."
Hero and criminal rose in unison, Harry's wrist still caught in the swing-line. Both headed for the back room
((OOC: This is a typical situation between CB and his sources, and he's asking all over the city. Care to tell me if he turns up anything useful, Doc?))
This post will be updated with IC information concerning the Hunt for Requiem plotline
IC - 13/05/06
In a chamber deep below the shattered streets of Boomtown, a quintet of curious individuals surround a glowing holosphere, three huge and hulking, two slim and feminine. The room is lit merely by the flickering of brass and crystal consoles which line the walls, but the five pay this no need.
"We have secured assistance from two registered supergroups thus far, CIRCE, as well as having several indications of support from unaffiliated individuals" rasps the metallic voice of one of the trio of giant infinity-symbol embossed machines, his head red-tipped with the crown of his rank: PRIAM, the king. His words are urbane, but his voice is redolent of clanking gears and hissing steam. "The Workers of Eastern Europe seem keen to enter the fray, and it seems that the Fletched Alliance have their own axes to grind."
"Axes suboptimal: broad swords optimal," opines HECTOR, the warrior, mostly to himself. He is ignored by the rest of the room, and one of the female figures - an insubstantial yet shapely form dressed in blue robes, hovering in mid-air as her projection unit pans - instead replies.
"These supergroups are known to be valiant, but do they have the capacity to assist effectively?" comes the faintly grecian-accented voice of CIRCE, the sorceress. "Projections assert that the risk factors of the required operations will be high."
"They may dress like a bunch of, well, never mind" interjects the sardonic mechanical voice of PARIS, the archer. "But they want to help. Sure, they're all nuts. But who isn't? They ought to be all right. How hard can it be?"
"How hard d'ya think," retorts the last figure, that of a girl in her late teens, sat on one of the consoles hugging her legs. Only the infinity logo inlaid into the skin of her chest above the neckline of her crop-top reveals her artificial origins. "Requiem could be anywhere on any one of a thousand worlds. I don't know why Father is wasting his time."
"Since it must be done, PENELOPE," replies CIRCE calmly. "With the assistance of these groups, it will be done. We must gather information, foil his ongoing schemes, and finally take the fight to him." She turns, hovering in mid-air. "I believe that we are to host a planning meeting later today on Victoria Station. We should make arrangements for their transportation and arrival. I do not believe that the place has an oxygen atmosphere at present."
"So?" replies PARIS.. then emits a metallic chuckle. "Okay, okay. Patch n' seal duty."
CIRCE fades from view as the three automatons vanish in pulses of blue light. The teenage-seeming girl, PENELOPE, slides down from the console, kicking her legs. "Huh. Everyone else gets all the fun jobs. What do I get? Watch the Lab while we're out." She pouts and walks towards the arched exit. Suddenly, mercurially, her face changes from disappointment to joy, as is her wont. "Yay! House party!"
IC - 13/05/06
Via a variety of methods, ranging from transmissions to interconnected comlinks to hand-written notes delivered by teleporting drone-bots, the following communication is passed out to all those who have requested, offered, demanded, volunteered, been volunteered or otherwise wishing to get involved with the Hunt for Requiem.
Doctor Sebastian Macallister requests the pleasure of your company at a strategy and planning meeting to plot the downfall of the villain known as Requiem.
Tuesday the Thirteenth of June, 10pm sharp, local time.
Please convene at the steps of the Freedom Corps building directly opposite the statue of Galaxy Girl.
Transportation to the venue will be arranged for those who need it.