To: DeM_story@egroups.com From: "Super Saiyan Seth " Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 03:29:12 -0000 Subject: [DeM] David and Goliath -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> eGroups eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! http://click.egroups.com/1/9067/3/_/529963/_/969334172/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> David and Goliath -------------------------------------- August 20th, V-498, Evening Aveh desert, South of Bledavik -------------------------------------- Seth checked his map once again, but he had no idea why he bothered. For one thing, he couldn't read it, since the names of everything were in the language Seth didn't know. Also, he had been travelling all day long, and nothing had changed since that one market place city, where he saw some more gear stuff, as well as several examples of the planet's technology and culture. It was perhaps the best thing to happen to him ever since arriving here. But since all he could do there was sightseeing, he wasn't there long just long enough to use the Memory Cube for some health checking and minor work on his ribs from the Rankar battle. He couldn't rent one of their sand vehicles because he didn't know how to ask. Besides, he wouldn't have returned it anyway. After having left the forest and leaving Zak behind, Seth had slowly but steadily become worse off. He was smart enough to travel the bigger part of the trip during the desert evening, but he had no food or water, and was still unarmored. Not only that, but he was a little lost. He was expecting to see the capital city soon (whose name he couldn't read but may be able to sound out), but the desert seemed to go on forever. It was a beautiful place though, and the moon was a wonderful sight to see. The cool air was refreshing as well, and had revitalized Seth after the long trek over the sands. In fact, it was so nice that Seth even started singing quietly to himself something he never did because he hated his own voice so much. Look into my eyes - you will see What you mean to me Search your heart - search your soul And when you find me there you'll search no more Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for You know it's true Everything I do - I do it for you Seth loved songs. Seth was one of the few people he knew that judged a girl by her singing voice. If the girl could sing like an angel, Seth would just sit there and listen to her singing, forgetting what he was doing just before. Girls whose looks and voice were both from heaven were Seth's favorites, but of course he could never meet a girl like that who was also nice, and would like a loser like him. Look into my heart - you will find There's nothin' there to hide Take me as I am - take my life I would give it all I would sacrifice Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for I can't help it there's nothin' I want more Ya know it's true Everything I do - I do it for you As Seth sung to himself and walked through the cool desert, he heard the sounds of an approaching gear on foot. Seth got on top of a dune quickly and looked at the towering machine, seeing that it belonged to the Sand Trooper class like the one he saw last time. Seth looked at its markings, and much to his astonishment, he could read one of the words. It read "V10-1000", which must have been the engine type for that particular gear. He wondered if that gear was from the "Gebler" he heard before at the ranch's radio. Perhaps he should ask. Seth ran up to the gear as it ran by, shouting at the top of his lungs "Hey you! Do you understand me?" "What the hell is this? Some kid is out here in the desert and he's shouting at me." The pilot picked up a radio, checking to make sure it was on a secure channel. "Hey Bill, this is Joe. You hearing this?" "Ya I hear it. It's probably some drunk kid, but how he got way out here is beyond me. He's not making sense, but it sounds like he speaks Solarian." "What is he doing here then? Could he be an AWOL soldier?" "He must be. No civilian from the motherland would be caught dead out here=85especially when he's drunk. You'd better kill him quietly. You don't want to attract attention." "Okay, I'll be with you when I'm finished here. Over and out." Joe put up the microphone and looked down at the kid, who was still shouting at him. Finally, the kid stopped when he saw the gear take a step towards him. Joe whispered through the gear speakers "Time to go you deserter. This is what you get for betraying Solaris." The gear got ready to step on Seth, not wanting to use his gun for fear of making too much noise. When Seth saw that the gear was about to step on him, he decided now was the time to high tail it. Seth dodged the incoming foot with some difficulty, but luckily it missed him completely. Seth quickly turned on his flames, getting ready to launch a blast at the gear to knock it over. The attacking soldier punched at the little human, again missing him as he leaped backwards the way Zak did except Seth fell down the dune on his ass. The gear hopped over the dune into the air, ready to stomp enough area around Seth to prevent him from dodging again. It was now or never. "Take this you piece of shit!" Seth yelled as he launched a shot of energy at the landing gear. The attack was strong enough to send the gear flying a couple sharls, landing on ITS ass, damaging the gear the same as the animals earlier, but of course it was less a problem for it. Obviously these gears had less on ether defense, Seth thought. This was a good time to test out how well his powers worked on these machines. As the gear stood up, Seth pushed roughly 50% more into the wave, burning away a like amount of his body with the increased ether flame, which flowed nearly a foot from his body, looking like a floating star in the desert night. Seth put his cupped hands to the side and back, charging up the energy in his palms=85 "What the hell? That little nutcase is attacking me? Haha=85 this guy must be really drunk if he thinks non-amplified ether attacks can destroy a gear. If that's all he has, he's toast." Seth heard most of that, and got the gist of what he said (sounded like "this guy have been hoodwinked if he smarts non-big magic can munch up a gear"=85dialects suck). In response, he only smiled, knowing that although he would regret this later on, he has focused all his remaining energy into his "wave" attack which was almost exactly 10 times what he just launched (and 50% bigger=85that's 15x total for you non-math people=85nevermind). Seth unleashed the wave, which launched the gear through several dunes, as waves do, until eventually the wave blew a hole through the gear, destroying it. The explosion was loud and forceful, but luckily the pilot's compartment was relatively intact, meaning the pilot was still safe. Seth didn't want to kill anyone needlessly. As Seth calmed down, his flames of chi died down, and eventually disappeared. Seth ran as fast as he could towards the direction of the capital, hoping to reach there soon before he experiences another fit=85especially now since he had probably made another "jump" in growth like with the Rankar. As he left the pilot's range of vision, Seth began feeling the sharp pain in his head as the fit began. The pilot crawled out of his wrecked gear, looking at it with confusion and amazement. He had heard that there were people out there with enough power to destroy a gear in one or two hits with their gears and ether, but even they had gears that amplified ether. This kid just did it without a gear! If such a kid exists=85maybe the boss would want to hear about it. "I'd better report this to Captain Senka." With that thought in mind, Joe ran as fast as he could to his nearest companion. SUMMARY: Seth briefly looks around Dazil, then rushes into the desert night towards Bledavik. He thinks about his thoughts on singing, and encounters a gear grunt from the Gebler camp nearby. Seth uses all the power he has to destroy the gear, gaining experience and more pain, while leaving the pilot to explain to his boss what happened. Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To: From: "Amber Michelle" Reply-To: "Amber Michelle" Subject: [DeM] "Unlikely Allies" (Alyson, Victoria, Irina) -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! http://click.egroups.com/1/9068/3/_/529963/_/969354227/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> (OOC: Co-written with Colin... I think I butchered the characters. ^^ Also, we did our best to make this fit in with Arcana's most recent post - I hope there aren't any major inconsistencies.) "Unlikely Allies" (Alyson, Victoria, Irina) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ August 18, V-498 Somewhere North of Bledavik 2:00pm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Sir, everything seems to be moving accordingly. We should reach the desert base by tonight with this base." A soldier spoke over his intercom. "Good, then all is proceeding well. Soon, the glory of Solaris will once again be restored upon these pitiful -Lambs-. At any rate, let us continue at this pace." The commander replied before clicking off his intercom. But right as he did so, a panic-stricken soldier bursted onto the intercom, "Sir! Sir! I've detected something on the radar, and it's coming quick. It looks like an Element class gear and-AAAAAHHH!!!" and all that was left was static. "What in Blazes is going on out there?" he turned on his visual scanners and saw nothing, but his radar began going haywire. Squinting his eyes, he saw what that young soldier was trying to warn him of. Heading straight for the large platoon of white knights and trailer trucks full of armaments were hundreds of diamond-shaped missiles, "AERODS?!?!? Everyone braces yourselves!?!" The wave of aerods connected with various white knights, exploding on contact. Bits of shrapnel scattered everywhere as a lavender and white gear with wings sped towards the platoon. Taking out her sword, Epiphany came upon one white knight and cut right through with her blazing, ether-charged sword. The white knight split in two before exploding, killing its pilot in the process. Epiphany's eyes glowed dimly before she set out again and slashed another white knight to pieces. "Attack! Return fire!!!" cried the commander, just before his gear was decimated by an ether blast. White knights pulled out their guns and swords and began swinging and shooting at the gear. Epiphany weaved in and out of the platoon gracefully, avoiding almost all the fire save a few bullets that did little harm to her new armor. While moving in and out of the platoon, Epiphany slashed and demolished gears and trailer trucks, causing more explosions. Smoke and flames rose up into the sky as she continued her assault relentlessly. More White Knights came for her with their swords, but with an ether-charged blade, she swiped at them. From the sword, a wave of hot light sliced through their numbers like paper. Epiphany then flew up into the air, putting her sword away. She stopped and turned ehr attention to the rest of the platoon. Sticking her hands out in front of her, a ball of ether formed. She then released it upon the rest of the platoon. The ball hit the center of the scattered gears, trucks, and soldiers and more waves of energy rippled outward, destroying the rest of the platoon. Alys breathed in heavily as Epiphany landed gracefully upon the desert sand, "Damn, I need to better control my ether. I really over did it that time." she spoke between breaths. "At least it wasn't like the other two platoons. I guess i didn't give these guys enough time to ask for my confirmation code. At any rate, I can't let Solaris catch on to me! I shouldn't be too far from Bledavik, but these platoons have been slowing me down. "I wonder why there are so many anyway? Something big must be happening. Doesn't matter, I'll deal with it after I rescue Elly and-" suddenly a green light beeped on the controls. Alys switched on her visual, where a message displayed itself. "I wonder what this is..." she whispered to herself. Lieutenant Alyson Van Treymond, Your dilemma has come to our attention, and I thought it only courteous to render the necessary aid at this critical moment. Two Element-class soldiers have been dispatched to your anticipated location; they have been ordered to work under your command, and will aid you until such time as your party and the young woman you intend to rescue are safely away from the city. Your reinforcements will report to you upon arrival - their identicards will confirm their purpose; from that point, the Element Commander [Victoria Seliny] and a Special Forces agent by the name [Irina] will do every- thing in their power to preserve the success of your mission. Good luck and Godspeed. - Solaris Command Council 08-18-498 #7655910-448 She qickly shut off the message after reading it, "That's Commander Davin's recognition number, but how did he know? Captain Senka couldn't have told him, because I never told Senka. So how does he know what I'm doing?" Davin was one of her father's old war buddies and long time friend, so she knew he could be trusted but still... "And Ms. Victoria is coming along, too? What exactly is going on? Maybe Josh or Julian told them...I did send a letter to them telling what was going on. They're the only ones I can trust..." Her rest was over, and she powered Epiphany back up. She might as well meet with these two. It'd be a shame to waist good help, and if they try to betray her, well....depending on how much of herself she let go there might be one less element among the Gebler ranks. Alys kicked herself for that last thought, she didn't plan on killing anybody and she hoped the casualties would only be a few. Her destination was Bledavik so the two officers must be there. Firing up her boosters, Epiphany raced towards Bledavik. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ August 18, V-498 North Market Square Inn 6:50 pm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Victoria leaned against the plaster window sill, staring listlessly out the window with her head dipped low, to avoid meeting anyone's eyes. It was starting to get dark outside... and damn the Lambs, they hadn't figured out how to set up proper street lighting yet. The dim smoke that served as illumination outside was only making her job harder. This... was... ridiculous. /Damn/ High Command, /Damn/ Myaru... Especially Myaru... Was Fate determined to keep her from helping Shaina? Was there a curse upon her head, cast by some hapless desert shaman that had taken some slight or other from Solaris? It certainly seemed like it -- because here she was, lounging around in an inn on the /surface/, stuck in the desert heat with Myaru's pet Element-in-training. Irina wasn't such bad company - she could admit that. At least the girl didn't talk back much. But even still... She was /here/, looking for a girl of no importance, when she could have been out searching for her friend, /finding/ her friend... "Vic-tori-a..." A hand tugged at her sleeve. A rough, oddly-colored canvas sleeve, of the type common to Aveh citizens this time of year. Victoria grimaced and turned her head to regard her companion, trying hard not to think about it. She didn't like to be so snobbish, but /really/... "What is it? We have to keep our eyes on the crowd..." She turned back to the window to resume her search, but Irina tugged at her sleeve again and asked, simply, "What we look for again?" It was broken Solarian, but far easier on her ears than the convoluted language Aveh had given rise to. "Alyson Treymond." She reached into a pocket and rooted around for a few seconds. "Here..." Victoria pulled the photo out and held it out in her companion's general direction. It wouldn't do to miss their contact just because she looked away for a few seconds... Gods, where was Shaina? This desert was horrible, surface or not; she remembered well enough from her childhood that not many could survive the rigors of that environment for long... and her friend was out there without any options, no resupply stations... not even any shelter. Only sun, and sand, and wind... and storms that could bury Solaris in those endless dunes of sand... "That... it?" Victoria blinked and swallowed, teeth clenched for a moment as she strived to push her thoughts to the back of her mind. "What?" "That... Her...?" Irina pointed, her slender, tanned finger pressing against the wavy glass panes of the window. Victoria straightened and followed the girl's line of vision, searching through the crowns and the ever-deepening twilight for a flash of green, or anything that might have alerted Irina... ....There. Just coming up between to shrouded market stalls, illuminated briefly by smoky torch-light... a head of green hair bobbing through the clouds slowly, almost aimlessly. Victoria grabbed Irina's arm and strode across the foyer to the door, eyes riveted to that shining color every time a window broke the wall and allowed her a view of the square. "That /is/ her..." Irina shrugged out of her grip, tugging at the neck of her own robe. "We talk her? Vic?" Victoria spared her a quick, surprised glance before turning her eyes back to the girl again. She could be seen clearly now - that emerald-green hair was impossible to miss, and the rather shoddy attempt at a disguise - in her opinion, anyway - stood out from the crowd immediately. "Myaru say we... help Alyson." She leaned over to peer into Victoria's face, and when she didn't respond, seemed to take it as some sort of permission. "I go talk..." Victoria blinked a moment as the Irina passed, before snapping to her senses again and grabbing the girl's sleeve. "Wait! Not yet." She pulled the girl back and turned her eyes to Alyson again. "Wait until she gets a litle closer... then we can talk to her. If we go now, it'll draw too much attention." Whether the girl responded or not was beyond her - Victoria's attention was on the Alyson's approaching figure. Almost... She looked almost like Elanore, in a way. She had the same long, flowing hair, and the smae general stride... They'd been roommates at Jugend, she knew... but that didn't quite account for that habit of walking. Or those earrings of hers... The two had the same posture, and the same look in their eyes - as if they were cut from the same mold, or custom... Something not Solarian. That was impossible, of course; both girls were Gazel born. But that didn't dispel that subtle sense of... something... "Close enough," she said softly, beckoning for Irina to follow her out the door. Time to meet up with Ms. Treymond... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Are... are you sure of this?" Alyson shifted somewhat uncomfortably, but she didn't protest. "It's kind of direct... Won't we be caught?" Victoria tapped her glass, leaning back in the room's only chair. For the money she'd paid for the room, she had expected somewhat better accomodations... but at least they were out of sight. And with Alyson's distinctive... look, it was much better that way. No need to draw Kislev to their little meeting, nor Shevat's nosy spies... "I'm never sure... that's the way war works. However..." She shrugged, eyeing the girl over the lip of her glass as she took a sip. "I think we have a good chance. Better, if we have help. By the time we start our attack, Kislev will be too busy trying to save their collective behind to interfere with one prisoner." Another shrug. "Theoretially..." She glanced at Irina, and breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was easily distractable... She had no idea what the book was about, but her companion seemed to find it interesting. "But the compound must have a defense grid of some sort. I can take it out, but if Elly--" Victoria waved the protest away before it was half-formed. "Don't worry about it. That, I think we might be able to take care of another way... And you ahve to remember that if we want to get her out, you're going to have to stop throwing ether around so much. I felt you coming before you were within five miles of Bledavik, Ms. Treymond... If Kislev has anyone with a high ether rating..." The girl nodded, falling silent as if in thought. "Well... how do you think we can deactivate the defense grid, then? I don't think we can get /in/ there and still be able to surprise them with our gears." Victoria nodded to Irina, sipping at her water. She didn't know this girl very well... It was difficult to gauge her reactions - she was guarding something very closely... "If needed, Irina can run interference on her own. I doubt Kislev /or/ Aveh can muster the kind of energy cannon they need to harm her gear. "And in the other case..." She tilted her head, regarding Alys with a slanted gaze. "Well, that's what we're going to work on tomorrow..." Alys jumped in, leaning foward. "She must have friends... That's what you're saying, isn't it? That we get their help too? I'm sure we can find someone - Elly always has /someone/ around her..." Victoria nodded, setting her empty glass on the table. This Athena person the girl wanted to rescue... By Myaru's reports - at least the woman was good for /something/ - she was quite an important figure; a war hero, or something along those lines. She shook her head slightly, eyes moving from Alys to the glittering edge of her glass, and then to Irina, still bent over the book. Heroic, reportedly kind-hearted in deed if not words... This Athena was a mirror image of Elanore in many ways. They even looked alike... went by the same nickname... It was too much to be coincidence. Something was up with this -- something to do with Myaru, she'd wager - and they had all just been dragged into the middle of it. Alys didn't appear to be aware that this was not the Elly she remembered from school, either... Not a surprise, as she had likely not been able to gather much information about the situation here /or/ the prisoner. This would be a very interesting rescue... "Yes, that's right..." Victorian returned her attention to Alys, and tried to keep her face as neutral as possible. "If we can contact these friends of hers, it could make things a great deal easier for all of us. We have a lot to offer them -- force, distraction... and a safe haven, as well... or rather, an easy way to get there. "By the time we break Elly out of the prison," she continued, raising a hand to head off the question she could see forming in Alys's eyes, "Kislev and Aveh will be too busy fighting for their lives to bother with us. And with Solaris in control of the territory from the western radar border to Nisan... We could easily smuggle them across and seek refuge with the city-state until everything cools down. That's more than they'll get on their own. Gebler isn't going to allow /anything/ without a Solarian signature out of Bledavik territory." It didn't look as if Alys was going to protest... Something to be grateful for, at least. Certainly she had been sent here to be under /Alys's/ command... but in a situation like this, it was best to take advantage of what experience she had. Her new, rather reluctant comanion hadn't been pleased at first, but hopefully she would cooperate for now. Besides, she had no doubt Myaru had arranged things that way on purpose... to spite her one last time for that comment about Lord Ariath... "Tomorrow, I want you to search out a few potential 'friends'. Myaru provided me with information on Elly's companions, and I suspect they'll respond more favorably to you... I'll give you the papers later... Act as if you're on your own, and we'll enter later, if possible. Irina and I are really just battle support - rescuing Elly is going to be up to you. And if these 'friends' object... well, we want to see her free as well. But we can always withdraw." "How can you be sure...? They won't believe me!" Alys twisted her hands together for a moment, then brushed her hari out of her eyes. "I wasn't trained for..." "Doesn't matter. Consider it a test, if that will help you -- if you want to take Shaina's place in the future, you're going to have to be able to speak for yourself, Ms. Treymond. As Head of Intelligence, they will expect far more of you than I do now." "I know..." This was going to be a stretch; Victoria could see it quite clearly. A new recruit, unruly, mistrustful Kislev soldiers... and an unknown. She had no idea how Athena would react to their presence, /or/ the escape. If she was anything like Elanore, she might even insist on /staying/... Well, enough of that... That bridge would be crossed then, not now. There wasn't any point in trying to plan for Athena's reactions when she knew nothing about her. Victoria sighed and let her head fall back against the chair back, eyes sliding half-closed against the misty, honeyed light of the lamp. Gods, how she missed Solaris... And only the gods knew how she was going to make Myaru pay for this... (Summary: Alys blasts through several platoons of Gebler troops on her way to the capital, and receives the private message from Myaru. Later, Victoria and Irina meet her in the northern square, and discuss their strategy for freeing "Elly".) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Unlikely Allies" (Alyson, Victoria, Irina) By: Colin and Amber Michelle Stand tall and shake the heavens... Xenogears ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amber Michelle Insane Master Summoner http://guardian.leamonde.net http://myaru.etherealvoid.net myaru@earthlink.net "On the heights, all paths are paved with daggers." -- Wheel of Time Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Super Saiyan Seth " Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 19:13:26 -0000 Subject: [DeM] The Good Samaritan -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> eGroups eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! http://click.egroups.com/1/9067/3/_/529963/_/969390815/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> The Good Samaritan ------------------------------- August 21st, V-498 Bledavik border at 3 A.M. ------------------------------- Pain. That's all he could feel. No, it wasn't all he could feel. He was right again about the growth. Defeating the gear had increased his chi power yet again, but that didn't matter to Seth. All that mattered was the pain. He could feel it in his gut a dull throbbing pain, slowly getting hotter and more painful. Seth's vision blurred as he stumbled towards the city with the glowing lamps in the distance. He lost all sense of time and balance, as the pain grew harsher. Seth thought he saw two people running towards him as he lost consciousness. Soldiers? Travelers like him? No=85he was the only traveler of his kind. He was alone. (A dreamof terror and sorrow) The alarms blared over the intercom of the ship. "This is a level 1 emergency." Seth raced to his father's room, but didn't find him anywhere. He must be in the engine room, Seth thought. He dashed to the Engine room just in time to see a huge tentacle smash through the wall, followed by dozens of smaller ones that entered the Engine room. Seth avoided the large slithering piece of metal, and called out for his father as loud as he could. "Father! Are you all right? Answer me!" Seth waited for an answer, but when none came, he felt pain in his heart, but said nothing. Over the intercom blared an order to evacuate, repeating it over and over. "Abel! Got to find him." Seth ran around, avoiding the onrush of people as they headed to the lifeboats. As he passed the room where the modifier was kept, Seth thought he heard Abel's voice. Seth stopped and detoured into the room, searching for his younger cousin. "Abel! Abel!" There was no answer, except the hum of Zohar as an unknown force called upon its power. Seth heard the explosions in the bridge, as the self-destruct system engaged. Seth had about 5 seconds before the explosions reached the Modifier, so he ran to the nearest storage system. They were nearly indestructible thanks to their thick walls and molecular bonding, Seth remembered. He would surviveto find Abel and the others. (Back in reality) "Grandma, why did you carry this man to our house? Who is he?" A little girl looked up at her grandmother as she tended to the heavy wound on the young man's stomach. It would take time to care for such a wound. It looked to her like a gunshot of high caliber (her son in the army always told her about guns), but it wasn't right. The wound didn't go straight through the body, and it wasn't shaped like a gunshot. It looked as if something just burned a hole through his stomach. The old woman turned to her granddaughter. "Didn't your mother ever teach you about the Good Samaritan?" The girl shook her head. "A long time ago, a man was beaten and robbed of all his belongings. It happened very near here, back in the days when Bledavik was just founded. The man was heavily wounded, and would not have made it if not for a man named Samaritan. He was a healer who used his power to cure the beaten man. Then Samaritan used his own money to buy the man new clothes and food, as well as accommodations for traveling back to his homeland. The man couldn't thank Samaritan enough and wanted to pay the kind healer back, but he refused. He said that all creatures of God should help each otherthat is the way man was meant to be." The girl listened to the story intently. She was always glad when grandma told a story to her. "Then what happened? Where did SamarSamrthat guy go?" The old woman continued to tend the wound. "Samaritan traveled the world, helping all who needed it. He became famous for being the kindest man in the world, making friends with everyone he met. He died at the ripe old age of 200, and his funeral was the biggest you ever saw." "But grandma, what does he have to do with you? Why did you help this man?" She carefully removed the young man's glasses, and placed them on the counter nearby, then let him rest. The two walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind them. The old woman then answered. "Because all people must help each other. It is the way we are. When humans help each otheranything is possible." SUMMARY: Seth's fit induces a dream sequence describing the events on the Eldridge from Seth's point of view. A woman from Bledavik helps him, who takes him to her home and tends to his wounds from the fit. She describes the story of the Good Samaritan (with a Xenogears flare). Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Amber Michelle" Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 00:24:49 -0700 Reply-To: "Amber Michelle" Subject: [DeM] "Chasing the Desert Star" (Shaina, Darius) -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 0.0% Intro APR and no annual fee! Apply NOW! http://click.egroups.com/1/9332/3/_/529963/_/969779976/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> (OOG: Since we can't rightly delay this by /another/ week just to stay caught up with the Bledavik attack - that would be too unrealistic - we're just going to continue at our own pace until the events are over with, and then start posting with the rest of you.) "Chasing the Desert Star" (Shaina, Darius) ----------------------------------- August 8, V-498 - Aveh Desert -- Evening -- ----------------------------------- Shaina twisted the strap attached to her scanners around her fingers, twirling the goggles around idly as she watched the hulking form of the Yggdrasil in the distance. They'd gotten close enough to it that they might as well have been staring into the whites of their eyes, but... Either they were extremely lucky, or the stealth devices she'd gotten from Mordon actually /worked/. She was skeptical, and rightfully so, considering some of the field tests she'd run. But it seemed the technology had indeed been perfected, because they were well within the sandcruiser's radar and periscope ranges, and... they were still trekking along unnoticed. Not only that... but the Yggdrasil seemed paralyzed in the sand. it had been sitting there for hours, with little sign of activity outside, and if it wasn't another resupply - something she was fairly sure it wasn't - then it must be an accident or emergency. Bad for the Yggdrasil, but good for her. With an indifferent shrug, Shaina slid a few feet back from the tip of the dune and sludged back to the bottom, eyeing the small, shielded camp -- and her companion -- with no little distaste as she made her way back. She hated the desert, detested extended field missions... and she wasn't very fond of Lambs, either. And that's all her companion was, no way around it. "Well, see anything of interest? Besides a large sandcruiser that we've been watching for almost an entire day... watching, but not actually DOING anything?" Darius grumped, glaring at Shaina as she walked back down the sand dune. With a disgusted sigh, he leaned back against Weltall's leg, raising an eyebrow. "I don't see how watching is helping Elanore... after all, she's in the grip of a large number of murderous pirates, waiting to do who knows what to her... and..." He sighed again, shaking his head and looking pointedly at the Element, waiting for an explanation. Again the indifferent shrug. Shaina had worked hard to achieve the level of calm - or perhaps it was emotional repression? - that allowed her to make that gesture convincing... and it worked admirably on Darius. "They're... definitely silent. But then, I'm sure you already knew that, didn't you...?" She stopped at the edge of the circle of firelight, remaining cloaked in shadow. "I've given you what reassurances I can, Darius. Considering what records I have on these individuals - and the one I believe saved her, from the excerpts of Clorys's final readouts - I don't think she has been harmed. But if we don't do this right, that could change. You do understand that, don't you? This isn't a game we're playing -- if you can't take it, return to Bledavik and take your chances with Kislev." Darius grinned at her... a rather unfriendly grin at that. "And if you are wrong... if she HAS been hurt..." He shrugged again, pushing himself away from Weltall's leg. Not even pausing to look at her, he walked up the side of the sand dune, peering down at the sand cruiser. "Still... we should be able to attack any time now. Just run down there and POW! Knock a hole in the hull, storm the place, and grab Elly." Darius paused for a moment, before turning back to Shaina, an expression of concern crossing his face for a moment.. "We... do know where she is down there, don't we?" "My point, 'wonder-boy'." Shaina smirked and stepped into the firelight, settling down with her legs folded beneath her - an unusually traditional style, even for her. Gods, she hated working in the field. "If we we pound our way in, we could be cornered and even killed before we ever have a chance to get to Elanore. And /that/ would be a big help to her, wouldn't it? "We need to try a... quieter tactic, Lamb. And if you're willing to let me modify your gear, I can have us ready and inside that sand cruiser before midnight." Darius looked at Weltall. And back a Shaina. And back at Weltall. And at Shaina again. And swore. "Alright, I suppose that it needs to be... but tell me what you are putting on it before hand... And don't you dare touch anything else!" --------------------------- Aveh Desert, late evening (10:23 pm) --------------------------- "That's it," Shaina called down to Darius, nursing a sore hand. Weltall had quite a few securities, apparently... and it seemed to her that she had encountered all of them. She wasn't sure that much electricity was good for any human, and after that many shocks... Well, one false move, and Darius would get worse. Guilt by association... "Just like I promised, Lamb. It won't interfere with your normal operation at all." After a final check of her work, she slid down the arch of the gear's arm, and jumped from its hand to the sand below. It was a pleasure to be on the ground again; at least she didn't have to worry about the sand trying to use her as a lightning pole. "As long as you follow my direction," she continued, looking over to Darius, "This should work out well enough." With a half shrug, Darius hopped onto Weltall's crooked arm. "Fine with me, as long as everything goes according to plan. Lets just not mess things up, and get Elly hurt... and we'll save Kyoko as well, if we can help it." Several button presses later, Weltall's cockpit swung open with a loud hiss. Darius grabbed one of the guide bars, swinging around to land on the edge of his seat. "So, when do we launch our little raid?" Shaina arched an eyebrow, extending her hand to the side and making a small gesture. Crescent's eyes flashed to life behind her, and the gear knelt into the sand, with its arm extended much as Weltall's was. "Eager, aren't you?" She turned and stepped into her gear's hand, glancing over her shoulder. "After I prep you on using that drill, we should be ready. Agreed?" Darius made an airy gesture, sliding back into Weltall's cockpit. "Just point me in the right direction, and away we go. But what do we do if we can't get in there with these drills? Just start tearing off plating till we get inside?" He smiled slightly at that, dropping down into his seat. With a quick motion, Darius cracked his knuckles as he looked at Shaina's gear on the viewscreen. She was useful... for the moment. But what if Elly wanted to go back with Shaina... no, she wouldn't do that. He knew that somehow... she wouldn't. He didn't know HOW, but... "Then we make use of my brand-new pulse cannons. And hope that I don't hit the room Elanore is in by accident." With another trademark shrug, she motioned, and Crescent's hand lifted her to the cockpit. "But of course, she's luckier than that..." Shaina climbed into her gear and pulled the hatch shut, keying on the encrypted channel they'd used to communicate for the last week. "I'm sending you a program via intralink right now -- install it as soon as you get it, and run a diagnostic check to make sure everything is working right. Assuming it's correct, that laser drill I just installed should work in tandem with Weltall's cloak, and conceal any use of the device until we drill completely through. "You'll have to anchor your gear to the hull, and go it on foot, obviously... Our cloaking technology will extend beyond their hull and into the ship to enable us to make use of these drills, but after we're finished... we'll be on a timetable. Even our technology can't hide a hull breach for long... they'll notice the jamming before we're more than a few steps from our gears." Shaina took a deep breath, tallying plans off one by one in her head. None of them were very promising... and they all depended more or less on Darius's stealth skills... "As soon as we're in, stick close to me. Do /not/ do anything on your own, Darius, do you understand? I can't cover you, and one false move will ruin everything." "Of course, stick by you..." Darius replied, tapping his fingers along one of Weltall's control globes. "Is there anything else you'd like to repeat yet AGAIN, oh great leader?" "Just making sure you understand the situation, /partner/," she responded, a sardonic twist to her tone. "Lambs are notoriously dim-witted and forgetful. And I can't afford to take a chance on you." Shaina flipped the comm system to standby and powered Crescent's engines up, bringing the gear to its feet in a rush of sand. The cloak activated automatically, dampening her sensors a bit, but hiding the gear from sight. "Let's get going, Lamb. We might as well take advantage of their downtime while we can." Without waiting for his response, she launched Crescent into the air, keeping both Weltall and the Yggdrasil within visual range as she rose slowly into the air. Their window of time wouldn't be very great... despite the wonders this cloaking device was showing her, she was sure the residue of her engines would remain visible on the cruiser's sensors, and... that meant that they would be looking for anything that might cause trouble. Meaning her, and the boy Darius. The night ahead was going to be anything but peaceful and easy. But that's what she loved, right? Now if only Victoria could be here with her... but she was here to complete a mission, not make useless wishes, right? "Onward," she whispered, a faint lilt to her tone. "Time to rescue Elanore..." (Summary: After a little argument and modification of Weltall, Shaina and Darius get off their collective duff and start their mission to save Elanore - finally. ^.^) -------------------------------------- "Chasing the Desert Star" (Shaina, Darius) By: Amber Michelle and Rune Grey Stand tall and shake the heavens... Xenogears -------------------------------------- Amber Michelle Insane Master Summoner http://guardian.leamonde.net http://myaru.etherealvoid.net myaru@earthlink.net "On the heights, all paths are paved with daggers." -- Wheel of Time Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Super Saiyan Seth " Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 04:53:40 -0000 Subject: [DeM] A Night in Bledavik A Night in Bledavik -------------------------- August 22nd, V-498 Bledavik, Market Square -------------------------- Seth slowly opened his eyes, which felt like they had been closed for decades. He slowly realized where he was, and silently looked around. He was in a simply decorated room, with one bed, a dresser with his glasses and a lit candle on it, and a chair with bandages and various other first aid tools. Seth could make out a wooden door a few feet away from the bed he was in, but couldn't see the rest of the house because it was closed. Seth tried to sit up, but was met with a dull ache in his stomach. He looked down to find several layers of bandages wrapped around his wound. He slowly felt around it and pushed gently on the area, then slowly unwrapped the bandages. After a minute or so, the bandage was completely off, revealing a freshly healed abdomen with a pinkish hue and no marks in the formerly wounded area. It would have taken time and care from somebody else for that particular wound to have been repaired. Curious as to whom the mystery doctor was, Seth retrieved his shirt and glasses and slowly trudged to the other room. When he opened the door and walked out, he was greeted by two friendly faces. One was an old woman dressed in a brown robe fashioned from some thick cloth-like material (could be anything as far as Seth knew), complete with a hood to protect her from the desert sun. She carried a walking stick to aid her in her movement, which had obviously become difficult from her frail body. The young child with her (most likely her granddaughter) was small and full of energy. She looked Seth up and down just as curiously as Seth looked at the two of them. She was dressed in a simple dress that could survive the wear and tear of a nonstop child. She said something to the older woman that Seth couldn't understand. They apparently weren't part of "Gebler", Seth thought. "Grandma, why is he looking at us like that?" The little girl said. The old woman slowly walked up to the strange young man, who shrank away slowly. She eventually stopped and looked down at his stomach, which was now covered by his shirt. The young man seemed to get the idea that she had bandaged him up, so he lifted his shirt for her to see. The old woman didn't seem surprised that the wound had disappeared. She prodded the wound a few times, making Seth grunt with pain. She stood up straight again (as straight as she could, anyway) and offered him some breakfast and a seat at their table. She turned to her granddaughter. "Ruth, set a spot for the young man at our table." "Yes Grandma." Ruth quickly gathered a plate and a fork for the stranger, and put some eggs and hob-bacon on it as well. She poured a glass of fresh milk and placed it near the plate as well. Finally she grabbed a napkin and placed it with the fork. "Tur ken sawa Ediea." the young man said, and he bowed to the old woman, despite the pain he displayed upon doing so. Grandmother did the same, and guided the young man to the table. "What did he say Grandma?" Ruth asked as she sat down. Grandmother smiled and said. "I have no idea. But he sounded thankful for the food and care we gave him. Now Ruth dear, say the blessing for us." Grandmother and Ruth put their hands together in preparation for the blessing. Soon the stranger understood and did the same. Ruth closed her eyes and spoke. "Oh god, thank you for this delicious breakfast, and thank you for making us happy and safe from harm. Please help us all to live peacefully, and to love one another as you love us. Amen." "Amen." Grandmother said. "Nisal." The young man said. The two looked at him and smiled. He tentatively tasted the hob-bacon, chewing it slowly and swallowing it. After confirming that he liked it, he continued to eat in silence. (That evening, under the desert moon...) Seth balanced on the rooftop of the house where the old woman and her granddaughter lived. It was fairly tall, reaching the height of the nearby restaurant building and hotel (at least they looked like this from the furniture inside them). Seth continued his kata, focusing his mind and body into one. His mother had told him that a kata was the best warm-up and cool-down exercise in the martial arts, and also served as a way to focus one's thoughts and chi in preparation for combat (whether it is training or actual fighting). The Taichi (Kickboxing) Kata he performed was a constant string of slow, methodical movements that were almost hypnotic to the passing observer. Seth didn't like being watched by lots of people though, so he had waited until nightfall to do this, and did it on the roof to avoid attention, as well as catch the desert breeze and the moonlight. Seth needed time to think, and what better way to do it than with a monotonous "dance" like this one. The old woman and the child were obviously kind people...at least it seemed obvious. To Seth, everyone was mean until proven nice, like being guilty until proven innocent. Seth had spent the day with them, learning their names and telling them his, as well as Ruth reading her picture books to Seth to help him learn there language. He had walked with them through the market square as well. Ruth had charged from left to right as fast as a speeding bullet, with Seth and Grandmother Elizabeth, or "Beth" as she prefered to be called, following slowly. Seth saw the people in the market and their diversity, but he was more interested by the sight of the damaged buildings. It looked like gear damage, which made Seth wonder what had happened here. Were gears fighting in the town? Seth hoped not, because with all the people living here, that would have been quite a bloodbath. Nobody deserved to die that way. It had led Seth to wonder- the gear he met in the desert, plus a damaged capital city... As Seth continued his kata, his mind wandered. He felt at peace for the first time in a while. As he had come to expect, the energy in his body responded to the kata, but not in the violent ways he'd grown accustomed to. It coursed through him like hot chocolate on a cold winter day, making it feel more calm than normal. For the first time since he awoke on this world, Seth felt himself in harmony with his body, rather than feeling like he was going to burn up at any instant. Ruth watched the stranger's weird dance. She had no idea what he was doing, but it made her feel relaxed as she watched. Apparently he felt the same way, because he was almost smiling while he danced. His eyes were closed in concentration, but he seemed aware of where their roof ended and the air began. It was like he was a snake or something...maybe that was the idea. Ruth didn't know, but she watched anyway. As she watched, Seth started to glow slightly. His body had a red glow surrounding it, as if he were on fire. The "flames" licked the sky, releasing whatever energy it was into the air. Seth seemed not to notice, and continued his slow, methodical movements. Ruth stared in awe at the glowing man. He was one of those "Ether" users, like Grandma, Ruth thought. But Grandma never glowed like that. "(What's going on young lady? Shouldn't you be in bed?)" Ruth jumped a little, but when she saw it was only Grandma, she calmed down and went back to the window. "(Why is that man glowing Grandma?)" Beth guided her granddaughter to her bed and started to tuck her in. "(He has abilities far stronger than my healing skills. His energy is so great that he glows like a star in the night sky.)" Ruth yawned and looked up at her grandmother. "(A star?)" "(Yes. He is a star - one that burns the brightest...and therefore burns the fastest.)" Ruth didn't understand what she meant by that, but it didn't matter, because she was already half asleep. Beth kissed her on the forehead. "Good night Ruthie." "Good night...grandma...zzzz" Seth finished his kata at about 11:00 p.m. By the time he finished he felt ready to call it a night. Seth returned to his room in the house, careful not to wake the others, and quietly closed the door. When he had removed his shirt and shoes, Seth got in bed. Before blowing out the candle however, he spotted one of the picture books Ruth had lended him. Seth picked it up, looking at the cover, and slowly started to read. SUMMARY: Seth awakens in the house of a Bledavik healer woman and her granddaughter, who took care of Seth and fed him. Seth does a kata and goes to bed, only to start reading a moment later. -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! 1. Fill in the brief application 2. Get rates as low as 2.99% Intro APR with NO annual fee! http://click.egroups.com/1/9333/3/_/529963/_/970116825/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Joseph Hicks" Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 19:42:27 EDT Subject: [DeM] Zak continues Zak looked out over the desert night- he missed his home in Blackwood, but that was done. The sand Sharks were restless tonight, but he was smart enough to avoid them- he could beat them easily enough, but why bother? A waste of time, and their lives. So he ambled along, the cold of the desert driving him on. He unslung his spear, though- his own thoughts had unnerved him. So he continued on, hoping to reach the next oasis soon...Those huge metal beasts were everywhere out here, but it seemed that water was at a minimum. So he had taken a map looted from the body of one of his formwer victims, and plotted out a course. Unfortuntely, he had not accounted for the several attacks that had occurred earlier. They had eaten up time, time needed to get to the first oasis before the sun came up, and burnt him to a crisp. So he hurried, the spear burdening him- but not enough that he wanted to drop it. Good god. ANOTHER of those damned...what did Seth call them...mecha? This one was interesting, though...it carried a spear like Zak's! He turned, and watched it fly overhead...and then it stopped, turned...and looked straight at him! Zak did the mental equivalent of "Oh, CRAP." He turned to run- and run he did, just in front of the machine gun fire. This was as bad as before! In Black wood, Zak would find a place to hide- but the desert was all open! What would he do? Besides run a lot, of course. Zak whirled, and jumped to the side of the attack- and ran towards the Gear. He stopped at it's feet, and slashed with the spear at its knee...no penetration, however. Zak looked up, and dodged the spear hurtling at him. Tomas looked at the creen, and shook his head- damn, low on fuel already! This was insane- the higher ups had mentioned that the Tak used up fuel at a huge rate, but this was far more than expected- maybe ten minutes more worth left. Ok, then if this bucket of bolts was going home, it meant hand-hand combat. He hit the button to open the cockpit, and stepped outside. Zak looked up, And saw the man coming out of the mecha...what the? Was this a parasite of some kind? No, wait. It was a person- and people could be beaten! Zak wound back, and let fly with his spear- only one shot this way, but one was all it took. The man fell, pierced through the face- gruesome, but effective. Zak climbed up the leg, and slid into the cockpit- a whole lot of buttons, and switches, too. Maybe he'd leave it alone. He got up, and noticed something beside the seat- food and water! A canteen! Screw the oasis, he'd make it tomorrow- after resting in this thing's shade all day, that is...and then, to Bledavik- Seth would know what to do with this thing... (Summary- Zak acquires the Tak, and has no clue what the hell he's going to do with it....so he'll ask the most intelligent guy he knows, Seth.) _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> Tellme Sports. Tellme Stocks. Tellme News. Just Tellme. Call 1-800-555-TELL and hear everything. For info visit: http://click.egroups.com/1/9529/3/_/529963/_/970184548/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Super Saiyan Seth " Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 18:49:52 -0000 Subject: [DeM] "Reunion" [Zak, Seth] Reunion ---------------------- August 22nd, V-498 Bledavik, midnight ---------------------- (A dream sequence...) Seth found himself inside the Eldridge again, but this time he wasn't frightened. He felt as if he were completely safe, but he didn't know why. He slowly walked through the hallways as people ran past him in an effort to reach the lifeboats. The alarm and screams all sounded distant to Seth. He quietly walked to the Engine Room, where the attacking entity swung its tentacles around, destroying all it touched. Bodies lay strewn about, including the body of his now dead father. Seth remained unusually calm however - this was a dream, after all. Nothing could happen to him. Suddenly he was in a massive chamber, filled with snowflakes, and small beams of light from the ceiling. In the center of the room were shards of the Eldridge, along with the massive Zohar Modifier. Seth looked around, wondering what he was doing here. Why was he dreaming about all this? A lone figure walked up to Seth. The figure was a woman...beautiful like nothing he had ever seen before. Her hair was a beautiful shade of purple that flowed down her back and touched the ground. Her eyes were hypnotic and deep as the ocean. Seth had never seen her before, but he felt he recognized her. He felt like he had known her somewhere, although he was sure he would never forget a girl that looked like that... especially a naked one. The woman approached Seth, and whispered into his ear. "You know better than that, Seth." (Back in the real world...) Seth awoke with a start, sweat dripping down his face. He was breathing heavily from fear, but of what? Seth didn't know, and at the moment he didn't care. He looked outside, and saw the moon still shining bright. He estimated it was about midnight, and he groaned. He lay back on the bed, trying to go back to sleep. Off in the distance, a sound echoed across the skies. It sounded like...a bird? Seth went to the window, listening to the sound. It sounded so familiar, but where did he hear it? Then he remembered...it was from the forest where the barbarian Zak lived. It was one of the birds that lived there, that Zak had pointed out to him one day. Seth listened to it, and knew it couldn't be a real bird. Those kind of birds wouldn't be out here in the desert at night...or any other time for that matter. Seth thought about it for a second, then decided he better go see who or what was making that noise. Seth grabbed his shirt and glasses, and quietly climbed out the window to the street. Seth followed the sound to the edge of town, where he saw a shadowy figure standing. It held a spear in its hand, and had a masculine outline. Seth slowly approached the figure, and saw that it was indeed Zak! The two smiled a little, happy to see each other. Seth was a little confused however. What was he doing so far from home? Zak motioned for Seth to follow him, and Seth complied. The two ran over several sand dunes, running for a whole hour or two, until they arrived at a gear that was unpiloted, and partially covered by sand. Seth looked at Zak, who smiled and shrugged. Seth walked up to the gear, and Zak watched from behind. Seth climbed into the cockpit, wondering how a barbarian would come across a Yamamato gear in such good condition, but he dismissed it for now. The controls were simple enough for Seth, who had played video games and computer games his whole life, and had a basic understanding of how gears were piloted. Seth tentatively pushed what he thought was the start button, and the engine hummed to life. "Good. The controls haven't been changed." Seth stopped the gear, and jumped down to where Zak stood. Seth decided now was a good time to try out his 1st-grade level of speaking. Besides, to a barbarian it probably would sound pretty good. "It...works....good." Seth said. Zak looked at him with some surprise, and laughed a good-hearted laugh. Seth couldn't help but smile himself, and he then motioned for Zak to follow him into the gear. When Zak had seated himself in the pilot's chair, Seth began to point out the simple buttons, accompanying them with his limited vocabulary. Zak and him managed to identify "go", "fly", "fight", "run", and "stop", when Seth realized the sun was rising. He had totally forgot that he hadn't warned Beth and Ruth about his leaving, and he felt bad about that. He sat himself in the rear of the cockpit and said "We go there please.", pointing over to Bledavik in the distance. Zak nodded and tentatively started up the Yamamato, which hummed to life. Zak pressed the "fly" button, and the gear launched into the sky. Zak grinned, then Seth smacked himself for forgetting to tell Zak how to fly a gear SAFELY. SUMMARY: Seth has a weird dream about the crash and catches a glimpse of the Mother. When he wakes up, he is drawn out of town by Zak, who wants him to teach him how to pilot a Yamamato gear. Seth complies, and they begin the journey back to Bledavik. -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! 1. Fill in the brief application 2. Get rates as low as 2.99% Intro APR with NO annual fee! http://click.egroups.com/1/9335/3/_/529963/_/970253395/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "hobbeskc" Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 21:47:14 -0400 Subject: [DeM] "For the Glory of Solaris" (Ariath, the Gazel Ministry) (OOG: It's been a long time! =) I hope this is the beginning of a very good storyline we are about to have. I'm just passing the baton here...) "For the Glory of Solaris" (Ariath, the Gazel Ministry) __________________________ Time: August 16th, V-498 - Late Afternoon Place: Gazel Ministry Chambers Etranak, Solaris __________________________ A soft, eerie glow cast by the various rows of lamp panels only adds to the mystique surrounding the chambers leading to the Gazel Ministry's main council room. As if taken from a page from one of those popular publications of suspense and mystery circulating Nortune, the scene would heightened the apprehensions of anyone fortunate enough to have an audience with the Ministry, which in a way, makes it seem not so fortunate. A lone figure stands alone in the center of the chamber, clad in ornate armor and military garb and amidst a bright spotlight cast upon him. He appears utterly indifferent towards the atmosphere, yet in fact his senses have surveyed it all in advance. Being a particularly calculating commander, Ariath Dracorte knows to expect the unexpected, especially when you are amidst those you hardly trust. The situation compounds itself with the extents of lies and betrayal while being masked in a political screen of loyalty and devotion to the cause, to the whole, in the name of Solaris. Adding insult to injury, it has only been a few weeks since Ariath left for the continent on his own terms, to bury his murdered friend, Rubien.at least that is what he continues to believe, even though his high command and subordinates continue to deny having any knowledge of the unfortunate event. Ariath would like to believe that they have nothing to do with it, but he attests their denial to their ignorance of the plight of the -Lambs- captive in Solaris. Why would they be concerned over a death of one insignificant -Lamb-? Ariath could hardly blame them. After all, it is their nature as Solarians. Yet his frustration only fuels his distrust over the entire system. And now.is the system intent on bringing destruction to the Lambs still on Ignas? Last time he checked, he was still commanding officer of Gebler. And yet, it seems all power had been rented away from him, ever since the Diablos incident in Blevadik. He has become a puppet to these bureaucrats, and it wasn't until Myaru brought up the situation in Aveh that he was even aware of it. Ariath knows he cannot stand by and watch this happen. Ariath waits patiently in the chambers, in deep contemplation. So absorbed in his thoughts is he that he does not even notice the pair of white-robed unarmed guards approaching him from both sides. Their faces are barely seen through the shrouds of their hoods, as they each extend an arm indicating the path with which Ariath should take. Ariath nods with approval and walks down the appointed approach to the Ministry's chambers. ________________ "Lord Ariath, we are surprised to see you here so soon. We were about to summon you, but this saves us the trouble." Ariath nods his head in a show of respect, yet finds his performance quite humorous. He is quite sure that those dark robed figures shrouded in the shadows and sitting in their respective chairs facing him can see right through his little act, but nevertheless, he still remains Gebler's commanding officer. He has grown accustomed to speaking to the shadows, acknowledging mere silhouettes cast by the chamber's dim torchlight, though he recognizes the Ministry's practice of anonymity and facelessness. "The time has come, Commander: as we have predicted, this peace among the -Lambs- is beginning to crumble and we must intervene before they destroy themselves. You must retake Bledavik, and then Aveh, by whatever means necessary, and restore order among the -Lambs-." Ariath recognizes this voice; it's deep, sullen, yet a commanding tone. This is clearly the Ministry's head, who goes by the name of Peter. Another faceless bureaucrat, in Ariath's opinion, yet he has the political power to destroy him. His voice echoes throughout the chamber, its strong vibrations agitating the awkwardness that Ariath anticipates. "I do not mean to be disrespectful, Ministers, but I must question your motives in issuing such orders, especially in light of the recent events occurring on Ignas." "Our motives? Lord Ariath, I must say you are ignorant to the." "I appear ignorant only because you have decided amongst yourself to hide your crimes from the people of Solaris. You deny your responsibilities to these incidents, putting them off as mere stumbling blocks to whatever grand, ultimate plan you are concocting. How do you explain the reports of massacres across Aveh?" "And whom do you get your sources from, Lord Ariath? Hmm? Don't tell us that lab assistant that continues to pose as your confidant has aroused your suspicions. You know, the one that continues to follow you around like a trained dog. our loyalty is to Solaris, to it's continued safety and prosperity and to the guidance and nurturing of the -Lambs-. Where do her loyalties lay?. do you even know?" Ariath can feel his anger rising, as he begins to pace around in a circle. He is noticeably agitated, and the slight chuckles from within the shadows signify their pleasure. And worse yet, he is losing his ability to control his emotions, something he has prided himself on, and something the Ministry is hauntingly able to erode away. "Do you believe that we can be responsible for the actions of the Lambs?. With what you have seen, can you deny that they require out guidance? Sacrifices must be made, Lord Ariath, for the good of all -surely you must understand that." Clenching his fists until they turn ghostly pale, Ariath imagines an ugly scene. What could possibly protect these idiots from having their heads lopped off? The thought leaves as quickly as it came and Ariath is forced to quell his anger, taking a few breathes in to calm himself. The deadening silence that results only adds to the tension in the air. He can sense their amusement over the situation. They must find it enjoyable to see him so angered, so confused, so utterly.helpless. "I must disagree with your intentions, Ministers. I do not think it is a wise decision to attack Aveh." "We understand your concern, Lord Ariath, but we have no other choice. The attack must proceed now, or all will be lost -the -Lambs- will continue to degrade into barbarism. You must lead the attack against Bledavik from the south, marshal our strongest forces if need be, as it is their strongest point of defense. We must keep casualties and damage inside the city to a mini-" "Excuse me for interrupting, Minister. But you still do not understand. I will not be a part of this. This entire operation was formulated and executed behind my back." "Our apologies, Lord Ariath, but there are factors present that you cannot begin to understand -we must move like this for the betterment of everyone involved. You need only to succeed with your duties, and if you cannot manage that, then other ways can be found." "My soldiers are loyal to me." "Your soldiers are loyal to Solaris, and Solaris only. Where does your loyalty lie, Lord Commander? Hmm?" Ariath hesitates for a moment, as the question blindsides him. No one has ever questioned his loyalties before, then again no one has really ever dared to question him, period. What could he possibly say to stave off being branded a traitor, while doing his best to save face? "I am loyal to Emperor Cain and to the glory of Solaris. I will execute "our" plans in the name of Solaris." Ariath can feel their eyes boring down upon him. All twelve Ministers nod their heads in unison, easing the tensions, for a moment. "We are grateful, Lord Commander. Time is of the essence; you must begin preparations at once. Bledavik must be taken with as little damage to the city as possible. We will have an agent of ours meet you in Bledavik to give further instructions if necessary upon your arrival." "I understand. I shall begin at once." His words are tight, clipped, stretched thin with the anger pressing against the surface as he leaves the chamber of the Ministry, their departing words echoing behind him. "Do not. fail us, Lord Ariath." ____________________________ Time: August 24, V-498 - Midday Place: Entering Aveh Territory aboard the Ganrithor ____________________________ The golden streaks of sand dunes begin to roll out onto the Ganrithor's main viewscreen, as several wisps of clouds begin to dissipate as the large Solarian battle cruiser breaks through the atmosphere. Standing there, on the bridge of his command ship, Ariath clasps his hands to the small of his back. He stares straight ahead at the viewscreen, at the desert that shall serve as the battlegrounds. His crew scurries around, one level below his elevated captain's pulpit, busily relaying orders to the other two battle cruisers and troop carriers. It has been about a week since his meeting with the Ministry, and though it has produced nothing more than contempt and distrust, Ariath never had a moment to reflect upon it. This past week had been spent preparing for a full-scale assault, and at least the Ministry had the respect of reserving this task to Gebler's chief commander. Normally, such a show of force would merely be an attempt by Gebler to flex their muscle, but Ariath knows it is not just about weaponry or manpower in this battle. The enemy, Kislev, have been driven out of their own territory. This is their last stronghold. They are desperate, and desperate enemies rank right up there as the most dangerous kind, in Ariath's book. There was one moment, however, when he was driven away from his military focus. Normally, Myaru's disappearances are not cause for concern. But in the midst of this outbreak of war, Ariath questions Myaru's tactics. There is no doubt she is knowledgeable about this upcoming battle, as her exact words in the note she left behind to "explain" her absence was that she would see him again after Bledavik belonged to Solaris once again. Leaving him completely in the dark.how often has that happened? "You should know better, Ariath, " he tells himself. "Sir, I apologize for interrupting. We are nearing the capital. E.T.A is 20 minutes." Ariath looks over his shoulder and acknowledges his second in command, Lieu. Aldaris. The battle-hardened officer looks awfully uncomfortable in his tight, white Gebler uniform, and Ariath attributes that to Aldaris' thirst for battle, who he knows would rather be out there piloting a Gear than stuck in a command ship. Aldaris checks his headset and nods in return to Ariath. "Has Captain Adin Senka received my orders to gather our remaining continental forces for an assault on Bledavik's from the north? "Yes sir. We've just received confirmation of their initial attack. This should draw much of Kislev's front lines to defend that sector, while we will head straight in through the main gates. Kislev should be easy pickings then." "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Lieutenant. We are not dealing with." Just as he was about to finish his sentence, Ariath is interrupted by a call from the deck below. "Lord Ariath! A squadron of heavy assault Gears have left the main front lines and are engaging us." "A mere squadron? That is suicide!" Aldaris laughs as he shakes his head, turning his eyes toward Ariath, as he waits for his response. "Sir? What shall we do?" Ariath stares at the viewscreen, slowly counting the number of Gears visible to him. Ten, twelve at most.what is this all about? Even if this game is merely to serve as a diversionary tactic, Kislev is risking the lives of these good pilots and for what? This would be pure slaughter. Yet isn't this whole battle supposed to be a slaughter? No, Ariath thinks to himself. This is war.and in the heat of battle, a battle that must be won, nothing else matters. This is for the cause, for the whole,.for the glory of Solaris. "Open fire." ___________________________ "For the Glory of Solaris" (Ariath, the Gazel Ministry) by Hobbes and Anastasius Dumar Summary: Ariath meets with the Gazel Ministry, who orders him to retake Bledavik from Kislev's hands, much to the reluctance of Ariath. The battle begins a week later. ___________________________ -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> Tellme Sports. Tellme Stocks. Tellme News. Just Tellme. http://click.egroups.com/1/9530/3/_/529963/_/970278594/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Alex Groden" Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2000 04:58:39 -0000 Subject: [DeM] Caught in the Middle; part 4 Caught in the Middle; Part four - July 10, V-498 She was right there, right in front of Alex, and he was powerless. Not unless he wanted the whole of Kislev to come down on him, as it most certainly would if he were to start a situation in this lab. So how could he get her back. And how was he going to get the antidote for Cali's mother. "Right, here you go," Mat said to the two scientists, and he walked toward the door to room twenty eight, Nails in tow. Instantly the plan degraded. They hadn't planned on all this, it was more closed, harder to get around undetected than what they had counted on. "Cali!" Alex moaned as the door shut. He went up to the passage and, not finding a window, put his head against it, as if he could see through the metal door with his mind if he pressed hard enough. He sighed again, but Mat quickly pulled him over. "Look, there's no telling who's watching," Mat said, "we've best do this quickly and quietly if we want to leave alive." "I can feel her," Alex said, concentrating, "She knows were here." "What do you mean?" Nails stepped up to Alex. "She is helping me, I can feel it," Alex said, clenching his fist. Suddenly a burst of orange yellow flame took form around his hand, and quickly calmed. "Wow," Mat said. "I can control it," Alex said sighing relief, "yes, now if only I could find some way to use it to our advantage..." "The gear, it's power levels have suddenly risen!" "What? I though it had been deactivated." "It's on now! And it's ether syncopation is rising! The user must be getting ready for something, I've never seen an amp this in tune with the piolet!" "Interesting, but I think we should leave it be unless it moves on us. I don't want a mass evacuation and chaos for a false alarm, and I don't want it provoked. It's still a safe distance, the piolet could just be fighting a something and may not even intend on turning toward Nortune." "Let's hope so..." "I've said it before, we can't go blasting our way though this complex, our butt's will be fried before we got to the surface!" Mat said, "you might as well put all ideas of a daring escape with your girl in your arms away!" "Heh, I don't have any intention of don't that," Alex said, placing his hand against the door. Slowly the control panel scanned his hand, then suddenly flashed different colors. There was a spark and the door slid open with a small whoosh of air being sucked in. Alex's ears popped. "Neat trick..." Nails said, looking at the panel as she walked by. The three walked into a large room with suits in it. They looked biomedical hazard suits. A light flashed and the three were sanitized, and Alex began putting on a suit. "Come here guys," Alex said, "I have an idea..." "The gears on the move!" "What's it's trajectory? Any projected flight plan?" "No sir, it's moving rather slowly." "Oh, keep tabs, if it approaches Nortune with it's systems powered up we'll hail it." "Yessir." "Alex, I don't know about this..." Nails said, "the idea of leaving you down here is not a good one." "Look, it's the only way I can think of for all of us to get out of here /without/ getting everyone alerted, now if you have anything better..." Alex trailed off, waiting for a second. He was met with silence, "ok, then you two get going, remember, be vague!" "Right," Mat said, heading to the washroom they had seen earlier in the corridor. "Here we go," Alex said, resigned to his fate. He pressed the release button on the door and stepped through... The room was completely white, there wasn't even a shadow to be seen. There were other people there in suits, and the thought of Cali being exposed in this was unsettling. It was a large room, and there were walls that separated parts of the room. There were plexiglass windows that showed other rooms, too, and there were all kinds of strange looking organisms in the rooms. Alex's eyes narrowed as his eyes met a dark fluid orb in one of the rooms. Something in it stared back at him, and Alex felt a voice in his mind. Turn back now it screamed! Was it his fear yelling at him? Ignore it, Alex thought, keep going, there really is no choice now. If I turned back to run form my fears I would be sure to raise suspicion. Go on, no matter what. Alex rounded a corner, and there she was. Like another experiment, only this one had a name, this one had a life, a history, friends! And Alex wasn't going to let them claim her. She lay upon the table, catatonic, as if dead. Were they doing an autopsy? Was she dead already? Alex clenched his fist and felt the ether come to him again, no, she still had some life in her! Just beyond that carved stone face her mind was working, helping Alex. She didn't see him, but then, she really didn't need to. She let Alex take over, all her strength, all her power that Alex needed, she let him have it... because if she didn't, she may never get a chance to use it again. It was a very intimate feeling, sharing like they were now. The division between the two had nearly dissolved, and both were drawing freely from each other. Now was the time to act, Alex knew. "I'll be back Cali," Alex whispered, and drawing up all his will power, stepped away from her bed side. He stepped behind a curtain and let his ether take over as Cali's life forced washed over him like a cascade... "Of course," Mat said, "I told you, we're just leaving from our shift." "And I told you that the professors here have bunks and rooms here. They don't leave," the guard said. "Right, well, we were called, we have been reassigned," Mat said. "By whom?" the guard raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think?" Mat said, smiling and leaning on the desk. Maybe a little /to/ vague, Nails thought putting her hand to her head. The guard seethed. I've got this under control, Mat thought... "I'll have to call this in..." the guard said, "what's your... name again?" "Heh, you know what my name is," Mat said smiling. Nails reassured him with a nod of her head. No, wait, Mat thought, she's shaking her head.... Slowly the guard stood. Mat had to arch his back to look up into his face... The suit lay on the bed, and the curtains were pulled back. There was a shout, then all the scientists ran to Cali's bed. "The specimen! It's... It's...." a scientist stuttered. "Gone!" another finished. "But this is a super tight security lab! And besides, she was out cold! She couldn't just have walked out of here!" Behind them the door slid silently open and Cali floated out. The door slid again, and the scientist were left with their thoughts. On the video screens Cali floated down the hall and into the elevator. Then, on the first floor, the elevator opened, and Cali floated down the hall, but, Alex was sure, there was a guard a little down the hall.... "Mat Thompson," Mat said, when the guard phoned in. A little /to/ vague he mouthed to Nails, who stood behind him with a hat on and her faced down. "Mat Thompson?" the guard said, looking down at Mat, "I'm sorry... yes, ok, got you." "And?" Mat said, sighing in relief. "You are to report to the precinct immediately," the guard said, motioning, "sorry for the trouble." "No proble..." Mat couldn't finish because the alarm began blaring in the office... "What?!" the guard at the end of the hall looked up, startled by the alarm, "Oh no!" The guard ran into his room, quickly picking up a phone, but the phone wouldn't be getting a dial tone right now. Not with the amount of ether interference that Alex was throwing up. He ran across the room, Cali in his arms, though if the guard had looked up he would have seem Cali floating there. But the guard didn't. Alex was now in the open, it was the last stretch... "Crap!" Mat said, turning to see the guard grab a phone. "Sorry, but the whole base will be on lock down in a second, you can't leave," the guard said. "Oh no," Nails said softly, "Alex, Cali..." "The gear has picked up pace! It's heading toward Nortune!" "Hail the piolet! Let him know we'll send out guards to escort, tell him if he doesn't respond then we'll be forced to shoot!" "Yessir!!" A wind was picking up, Mat could feel it. Nails looked down as her lab coat flurried in the gust. The guard was occupied, but everyone looked up when the flash happened. Suddenly all lights were off, and the open field in between the base and the station was dark. In that hush came the sound of engines roaring... "Sir, the piolet refuses to respond!" "Has he made any attacks on the escort?" "No sir, he seems to be ignoring them completely!" "Damn... if we fire, we may provoke the piolet. If we don't we may all die! What do I do?" "Sir, perhaps we should warn the piolet a last time and open fire if there is no response." "Right... it's the only way..." "Alex!!" Nails shouted, seeing the dark figure running. "Oh!" Mat said, turning, and saw the guard lift his gun, "not now friend!" "Wha?" the guard fell down with a stun bullet in his neck. Alex was running now, certain that he wouldn't make it away. This base was certainly high security, but what had happened to the system? He should have been surrounded by twenty gears by now! Alex didn't understand. But Messenger did, Alex was suddenly aware of the low rumble of his gear in flight. He could sense it, he knew the gear by it's sound like he knew a person by their footsteps. But what was it doing? Suddenly Rall's words came back to him. He cursed himself for not being more careful, remembering Ahev, too. Park the gear /away/ from a town! The rumble increased, Alex kept running, and then there was a sound of the rat-tat of gunfire in the distance. Damn, Alex thought... "Sir the gear's speed is increasing." "And his response to the shots?" "None sir, it seems to have a definite goal in mind." "Right, keep on it, take it down!" Mat turned quickly enough to see the dark gear land just long enough for a shadow to board, and then it was gone. Back up into the air it went, with amazing speed, and a few seconds later, three Kislev gears raced by. Heh, so Alex got away, Mat thought. He saw Nails turned, her face up, watching, and knew what she was thinking. "Well," Mat said, turning to walk the rest of the way out of the gate, "I guess that's that." "Humm," Nails sighed, "it's good to have a bit of excitement every now and then." "Yep," Mat said, nodding his head and putting his hands in his pockets, "so, what are you gonna do now?" "What do you mean? Your not gonna take me back into d- block?" Nails raised an eyebrow, "I'm an escaped criminal." "I let you out," Mat said, reaching into his lab coat, "and don't expect me to arrest you, I'm a civilian now." Mat tossed away his badge. It clanked down into the grate and fell into the sewers... "Hum..." Nails smiled, "I guess I'll leave Nortune." "Yeah," Mat said, "I was sort of thinking that myself." "Well, if we ever meet again," Nails said stopping, prepared to turn. "Yeah," Mat smiled. Nails nodded, then turned, walking a few steps. "Hey," Mat called out and Nails turned, "take care of yourself!" "Yeah, I'll do that," Nails smiled and nodded, then turned away, walking into the darkness. Messenger screamed over the ocean, throwing up water as it soared over the vast depths. The three gears were still in hot pursuit, so Alex pulled back on the sick. "Lets shake `em, Messenger," Alex said, coming full circle. He set a course so he would pass by Kislev, but not to close. I want them to quit following me, he thought, not shoot me down. In a few minutes they were nearing the Ahev border. Time to jet, Alex thought, throttling Messenger but the first few camps that were the Kislev outposts. This'll shake `em, Alex thought. Suddenly gears with Ahev symbols popped up, and hailed the four gears. "You are approaching the Ahev boarder, slow down and come to a stop and be prepared to show your papers!" "La'Grant here," Alex said, "can I get you guys to take care of these nuances?" "La'Grant?" came the intercom, "be prepared to show your papers!" "Yessir," Alex smiled. For all they knew he had been over the boarder selling goods. Alex heard the sound of warning shots, being fired, and felt his shoulders lift. The other three gears were returning to Kislev. After all, Alex hadn't fired a single shot at them, and all the records that had even shown he was there were probably fried right now, thanks to his ether cloak throwing up so much interference when he dispersed it. Alex slowed Messenger to a stop, then pulled out his papers and made Cali comfortable. The gear doors slid open and Alex stepped out into the night, handing the border guard his papers. They were scanned, and Alex was given them back, the guard nodding and smiling when he gave them back. "And if they ever give you any trouble again, Mr. La'Grant, you just let us know, ok?" "Right, thanks very much," Alex said, and he meant it. Summary: The last part of Caught in the Middle! Alex saved Cali by discovering a new ether power; Ether Cloak, when he and Cali harmonize their power. Now it is off to cure Cali's mom and help rebuild Liggle. Next: Few and Far Between... -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> Get FREE long-distance phone calls on Tellme! Click here for the scoop: http://click.egroups.com/1/9531/3/_/529963/_/970376324/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Alex Groden" Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2000 06:02:03 -0000 Subject: [DeM] Few and Far Between Few and Far Between - July 11, V-498 Alex bit his lip until he tasted blood. His eyes were burning, and a tear ran down his cheek to splat on Cali's bed. It made a soft pat sound when it hit the sheets. Cali still lay in her bed, her breath coming in whisps of sound. In his rush, he had lost the antidote, and now Cali and her mom would pay for his short comings. The doctor finally came back into the room, and sighed. "Well," he began, "you're a brave man, and this is a very strong woman. She's got antibodies, it seems that she was given some sort of antidote already, and she should be well soon." "Wha?" Alex looked up, surprised. The doctors, they had been testing a vaccine? "It's a simple matter to transfer some of her antibodies and make a medicine for her mom," the doctor said, "though I must say, this is nothing short of miraculous. This disease used to be though uncurable among demi humans. This is very good, a wonderful event." Nodding, the doctor took his samples, said he'd be back in a few days to give Cali's mom the medicine, and bid his farewell. "Cali..." Alex smiled, wiping a tear, "you did it! You saved your mother after all! Just wait until your better! I'll have this place all fixed up for you when you wake up!" "Ahh," Father Hail stepped in the room, "Alex. Again, you show the true meaning of miracle. When even I had given up, you pursed the idea, and came through." "No sir, I lost the antidote," Alex said, "I can't take credit for it, it's Cali that has the antibodies that will cure Mrs. Hail." "Yes," Father Hail smiled, "you two seem to make a great team." "I'm gonna stay here, and help rebuild, if that's ok?" Alex looked down at Cali, as if he was asking her. "And when we're done?" Cali's father asked. "... I don't know. I guess," Alex paused, looking up at the man, "I guess it will just came to us, like it always does." "Yes, of course," Father Hail said, "you have a free spirit, Alex, and a kind, humble one. Those two things are rarely found together." "Thank you sir," Alex said, smiling, "I appreciate it." Alex looked back to Cali, seeming to concentrate on her, as if she would get better if he tried hard. There was a long moment of silence, and Alex thought Father Hail had left, but he was still there, watching them. "You two seem strangely attracted, you've known each other for such a short time yet Cali thinks very highly of you. She even said it felt like the two of you had been together forever. Your destinies, I believe that they are intertwined tightly. Your necklaces that you share are symbols of that." Alex smiled as Father Hail, not expecting an answer, turned to leave. He was to the door when Alex came to his senses. "Father Hail!" Alex called out. "Yes?" Cali's father turned. "When do we start working?" Alex said. "Humm... first thing when the doctor gets back and these two start getting better," Father Hail said. "I see," Alex said, "right, I can't wait!" [Summary: Alex lost the cure, but they are able to use Cali's antibodies to help her mother. Reconstruction begins on Liggle.] -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! 1. Fill in the brief application 2. Get rates as low as 2.99% Intro APR with NO annual fee! http://click.egroups.com/1/9335/3/_/529963/_/970380132/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Deus Ex Machina: http://members.tripod.com/~project_xat/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~