Variant Earth 13 E Mail Game Archive Number 8

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 18 Mar 1999 20:04:20 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Michael Joiner wrote:

> Ready and waiting - I think I left off pummeling the "man in the white
> suit" mercilessly.  I was waiting for the outcome of that little
> 'whoopin'.

Lady Arakne wrote:

> waiting on all you goons.

Hm.... since the post didn't seem to get to any of you, lemme resend
it...

Crap.

Michael Joiner wrote:

>> The man looks at you, you think (it's hard to tell with those glowing
>> eyes), and replies.  "Hm... funny.  You are most amusing, little man.
>> And you may as well retire your little 'out of phase' state, for it
>> will not save you from my powerful magics."

> "How 'bout I just take a chance there eh?"

>> He looks like he's rather peeved, for some reason, and not too happy
>> with something.  It looks like he's about to start doing something with
>> his fingers, akin to what that fellow outside was up to, but he
>> suddenly stops, looking rather distracted.

>> "Eh?"  He looks around the crowd of people surrounding him, and you
>> see what he finally focuses on:  three rather bizarre individuals.  One
>> is wearing a rather large, billowy cape, and fooling around with some
>> peanut bags.  One is a diminutive woman with pointy ears in a nifty
>> suit.

> Reaper glances at them as well, and takes himself out of 'phase'

>> The third is a fellow a bit shy of five foot tall, wearing clothing
>> similar to Indiana Jones.  They're all looking around, as if stunned by
>> something.  Apparently, mister fancy pants here is rather bothered by
>> their presence for some reason...

> "Hey, ivory - pay attention!"

> Reaper swings at the man in white, repeatedly if possible, following
> him to the ground.

Chris W. Acers wrote:

> "Golly those peanuts were good, do they have those all the time on
> those....Things....? "

> Masque shakes his robes out and an infinite amount of eagle brand peanut
> wrappers flutter to the floor and just as much salt and that wonderful
> sugary honey-like 'dust' piles up too.

> He looks at the pile of suger and whatnot , ponders for a moment and
> then shakes his head, as if arguing with himself. He waves his fingers
> and sends the refuse on over to the nearest trash receptacle.

> "Did I mention how good those things were? A body could live on those
> for...awhile at the very least."

> Distracted for a moment, Masque scurries on behind Och and just whistles
> a very unmelodic tune while a very unhappy stewardess walks by.

> " As I was saying Och, what now....or was I saying that?..hmmm"

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Sil glared at Masque, and then looked at Och, <<Well, we're here.  What
> now?>>

Och looks at you, Silhouette, and says "Well, we need to rent us a car,
one we can drive up to Ice Ridge.  It's about one hundred and fifty
miles from here, and once we get there, we can ask Halby what on earth
happened to him and that magic book."

You round the corner with Och, Masque, Silhouette, alongside the rest of
this crowd, and see some sort of scuffle going on between several oddly
dressed individuals.  One of them, in jeans and a tank top, just clocked
another, the one in the blindingly white business suit.

Definitely not proper clothing for this weather, to be sure.

The third fellow, though, isn't properly dressed for any weather, as far
as you can tell.  He's wearing brown leather boots and gloves, coupled
with a white spandex suit, and this billowy white cloak.  This fellow,
as the tank-topped guy drops the suit, starts performing magic!

He waves his fingers, makes a twirley motion, and the man in the suit is
suddenly floating in the air, twirling about like an antigravity top.
When you look closer, however, his abnormalcy becomes more apparent, as
he seems to have golden, glowing eyes!

Masque, you can sense the magic power in the man without even using your
own spells, and can tell that he's one tough nut.  Och, however, screams
out in shock.  "Halby?!  What the Hell are you doing?  Where'd you get
that silly costume?!  And where's the Infinitum?!?"

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Fri, 19 Mar 1999 12:57:36 PST
From:    "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"Ok, where exactly is this so called artifact, how do we get and what
does it do?  It is not like we can work it or anything and we don't want
for the object to attack us."

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Fri, 19 Mar 1999 18:23:18 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

He waves his fingers, makes a twirley motion, and the man in the suit is
suddenly floating in the air, twirling about like an antigravity top.
When you look closer, however, his abnormalcy becomes more apparent, as
he seems to have golden, glowing eyes!

Masque, you can sense the magic power in the man without even using your
own spells, and can tell that he's one tough nut.  Och, however, screams
out in shock.  "Halby?!  What the Hell are you doing?  Where'd you get
that silly costume?!  And where's the Infinitum?!?"

Sil raised an eyebrow, <<At least he's got taste in attire, unlike
other mages I've seen recently....>>

tbc..

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Mon, 22 Mar 1999 14:48:27 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

"Well, young man," Ahom replies, "it is in the hands of an old enemy of
mine, who has his lair not too far from here.  In fact, it is..."  He
seems to be concentrating a bit, and his eyes bore into you, as if he
were looking at a point two inches behind your eyes.

"It is in what you would call Florida, somewhat southeast of here.  He
has a large compound near what will, in your era, become Miami.  You
can't miss it.  In fact, I can send you there directly, if you like, and
can even keep an eye on your unconscious friend, if you like..."

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Tue, 23 Mar 1999 01:22:50 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Sil raised an eyebrow, <<At least he's got taste in attire, unlike
> other mages I've seen recently....>>

Masque grabs frantically at his robes and licks a small section of them.

"Bad news bear, these taste just fine to me. Almost like roasted
Honeynut..."

Holding up the robe to Sil, he kindly offers her a taste.

"Now you tell me which one tastes great and which one is less filling. I
am sure the Gentleman over there would be happy to allow you a sample. I
mean what Mage wouldn't. We have to make freinds somehow. It's funny how
many folks seem to shun us. We are kind-hearted folk, we don't tread on
their eyebrows or anything...."

Masque turns towards the floating guy and asks him, in an effort for
support, even a morsel of support, a tidbit, mayhap a smidgeon.
Smidgeons are good, a bit salty but good.

" You there sir, wouldn't you say that we are good people? Even though
you look a bit ... unapproachable , with all that floating going on?"

<oh okay, i responded....>

Subject: Re: [v13] Jersey City Happenings...
Date:    Tue, 23 Mar 1999 09:06:48 EST
From:    "Peter Chamers" <lil_blk_duck@hotmail.com>

>You also note that he's keeping a careful eye on his watch.  "Hey,
>Barkeep, is there any way you can pop CNN on?  I want to see the
>weather." He takes another drink.  "I hear it's gonna start coming
>down... hard."  What do you all do, Ronin, Hardcore?

Ronin sips his glass of water.  He casually watches the events going on
around him.  His demeanor and behavior surely make him stand out.
Imagine being in a bar and not drinking....how odd indeed.

> (snipppity snip snip)

>Not for you, of course, but for Jinx, who has just been let out of jail
>due to a complete and utter lack of evidence.  Reporters are all over
>you, Jinx, asking you questions ranging from 'did you do it' to 'who
>does your hair'.  You see Hawk outside the Jacob, and he nods to you.

>In other words, the ball's in your court.  How stupid do you want Roy to
>look?

Ronin frowns at the turn of events. "It would seem that things have
taken an interesting turn.  This Shijitzu-san has brought grave
dishonor to both his house and to our country.  This is most
distressing...."

Ronin folds his arms angrily, waiting to see what the group consensus
will be.

Subject: Re: Bil!
Date:    Wed, 24 Mar 1999 20:30:30 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha looked at Roy, her icy blue eyes stabbing cold daggers into what
little soul he had left.

"You bastard! If I ever get out of here..." she trailed off, doing her
best to look helpless, but infuriated.

She just continued to glare, not thinking about the D.A.A. as best she
could. In fact she kept on thinking about what she wanted to do to Roy
in as violently graphic detail as she could muster.

Once he left and she was eventually released, Natasha did her best to
look traumatized by the whole event, putting on as good a show as she
could. She even went to the bathroom before hand and used some water to
make it look like she had been crying and her mascara had run.

When the reporters showed up, she didn't hide from them, but did her
best to make it to the appropriate vehicle as quickly as possible.

Subject: Re: [v13] Jersey City Happenings...
Date:    Sat, 27 Mar 1999 22:54:17 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Bil Lockwood wrote:

> Natasha looked at Roy, her icy blue eyes stabbing cold daggers into what
> little soul he had left.

> "You bastard! If I ever get out of here..." she trailed off, doing her
> best to look helpless, but infuriated.

> She just continued to glare, not thinking about the D.A.A. as best she
> could. In fact she kept on thinking about what she wanted to do to Roy
> in as violently graphic detail as she could muster.

> Once he left and she was eventually released, Natasha did her best to
> look traumatized by the whole event, putting on as good a show as she
> could. She even went to the bathroom before hand and used some water to
> make it look like she had been crying and her mascara had run.

> When the reporters showed up, she didn't hide from them, but did her
> best to make it to the appropriate vehicle as quickly as possible.

Peter Chamers wrote:

> Ronin sips his glass of water.  He casually watches the events going on
> around him.  His demeanour and behavior surely make him stand out.
> Imagine being in a bar and not drinking....how odd indeed.

>> After about half an hour, there's a repeaat of the headline news, a
>> story that involved the capture of one of the Ariel-Shijitzu bombers.
>> Half an hour later, again, there's an interview on the television - an
>> interview with one Roy Shijitzu, who's made his way to Jersey City -
>> quick-like!

>> He spouts out for about five minutes about how Justice (TM) in this
>> country is finally being meted out, and he gleefully hands Lisa
>> Polanski, instant national hero, a suitcase full of money.  "Like I
>> promised, here's the reward for the capture of that insufferable
>> wench..."

>> Meanwhile, back in the bar, Hawk is still watching his watch, and he
>> has the Barkeep turn it back to CNN at about 12:45 (yeah, you've been
>> there awhile), saying he wants to check the weather again.  'Round 1
>> A.M. there's yet another special report about this debacle.

>> It would seem that several government experts have discovered that the
>> footage that proved to be evidence against Jinx, seems to have been
>> doctored... severely.  This Breaking Story has set reporters into a
>> downright frenzy, and you can see several in the background running.

>> Presumably to get in a car bound for Pleasantview, in order to get an
>> interview with good ol' Roy...

>> Meanwhile, Hawk looks at you all, and says "I think it's time to go,
>> folks.  Shall we go pick up our favorite maniac?"  Collecting
>> yourseves, assuming you want to go, you all walk back the block or so
>> necessary to get to the courthouse, and you see a living sea of
>> reporters waiting.

>> Not for you, of course, but for Jinx, who has just been let out of jail
>> due to a complete and utter lack of evidence.  Reporters are all over
>> you, Jinx, asking you questions ranging from 'did you do it' to 'who
>> does your hair'.  You see Hawk outside the Jacob, and he nods to you.

>> In other words, the ball's in your court.  How stupid do you want Roy
>> to look?

> Ronin frowns at the turn of events. "It would seem that things have
> taken an interesting turn.  This Shijitzu-san has brought grave
> dishonour to both his house and to our country.  This is most
> distressing...."

> Ronin folds his arms angrily, waiting to see what the group concensus
> will be.

As you aimlessly wander from the Courthouse, Jinx, Hawk comes up to you,
and takes hold of your arm.  "Hey, you people!  Back off!  Can't you see
that this innocent woman has had enough abuse for one day?  It's bad
enough she's been falsely accused of this horrible crime, isn't it?"

He then escorts you to the Jacob, putting his arm around you as if to
console you in your grief, and he smirks at you as he lets you in.  He
then addresses the media.  "Now, people, this story is over.  We're
escorting the lady home, and you can pester her there."

"That is, of course, if you beat us there.  However, you should turn
your eyes towards Roy Shijitzu, and ask yourselves why he would frame an
innocent woman for such a heinous crime.  After all, he was the man that
delivered those doctored surveillance tapes to the police..."

He then motions for you to hop into the bus, Ronin, Hardcore, and gets
in himself.  "There.  Now that all that unpleasantness has been settled,
I believe I owe you a ride to New York City, Ronin.  After all, that's
where your plane was headed, no?"

"If any of you others need a ride there, feel free to tag along..."

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Sat, 27 Mar 1999 23:12:30 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Sil raised an eyebrow, <<At least he's got taste in attire, unlike
> other mages I've seen recently....>>

"Christopher W. Acers" wrote:

> Masque grabs frantically at his robes and licks a small section of them.

> "Bad news bear, these taste just fine to me. Almost like roasted
> Honeynut..."

> Holding up the robe to Sil, he kindly offers her a taste.

> "Now you tell me which one tastes great and which one is less filling. I
> am sure the Gentleman over there would be happy to allow you a sample. I
> mean what Mage wouldn't. We have to make freinds somehow. It's funny how
> many folks seem to shun us. We are kind-hearted folk, we don't tread on
> their eyebrows or anything...."

> Masque turns towards the floating guy and asks him, in an effort for
> support, even a morsel of support, a tidbit, mayhap a smidgeon.
> Smidgeons are good, a bit salty but good.

> " You there sir, wouldn't you say that we are good people? Even though
> you look a bit ... unapproachable , with all that floating going on?"

> <oh okay, i responded....>

The man floating in the air, suspended in his own little tornado, looks
at you and shrugs.  "All mages are good people, as they practice ancient
arts.  That in and of itself shows them as students of history and thus,
good people.  Wouldn't you agree?"

Meanwhile, the fellow holding him in the air with twirley-type motions
of his fingers, starts yelling.  "Don't listen to him!  He's just trying
to distract you so he can get his hands on the Infinitum!!  If you --
Ack!!" He looked about to say something, but something grabbed him.

Something short and hairy, something that looks just like Och.

"Halby!  Where the hell have you been?!  I've been looking for you for
months!  Is that the Infinitum there, with your violent friend?"  Speaking of which, you notice the man in rather casual clothing is just standing there, waiting for someone to address him (or attack, depending).

Meanwhile, the fellow in Halby's whirlwind reaches out to you, Masque.
"You!  You must get me out of this mini-maelstrom!  It is our duty to
protect the knowledge within that magical tome, there, and prevent its
use by irresponsible types.  Are you with me?"

As the man in the white suit with the glowing eyes entreats Masque to
aid him, you notice something odd taking place, Silhouette.  You can
detect a sort of mental fog stretching out over the airport, a fog
that's dulling the minds of those it's touching.

You're naturally immune, in that it seems to be a passive effect, one
that can't actively affect shielded minds, but it's there, nonetheless.
Those that the fog has touched seem to be most of the rubes that arrived
on your flight, here, and they're walking out of this area...

What do you do?

Subject: Re: [v13] Jersey City Happenings...
Date:    Sun, 28 Mar 1999 04:16:05 EST
From:    "Peter Chamers" <lil_blk_duck@hotmail.com>

>He then motions for you to hop into the bus, Ronin, Hardcore, and
>gets in himself.  "There.  Now that all that unpleasantness has been
>settled, I believe I owe you a ride to New York City, Ronin.  After
>all, that's where your plane was headed, no?"

Ronin bows respectfully.  "Indeed it was, Hawk-sama.  I have been
neglectful in my quest, not that I have not enjoyed our adventure.  But
I must locate my parents....so please to take me to New York, thank you."

He bows again. twice or thrice more.  Awww...ain't he cute.

Subject: Re: [v13] Jersey City Happenings...
Date:    Tue, 30 Mar 1999 18:29:48 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha just settled down in the Jacob after finding a drink.

"Hmmm...so now what? I have no idea where I'm going now, and I suppose I
owe you Joes a favor or three. Any ideas how you want to cash in on
them?" she asked Hawk and the others as she downed a shot of whatever
was handy.

Subject: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Mon, 05 Apr 1999 03:59:48 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Peter Chamers wrote:

>> He then motions for you to hop into the bus, Ronin, Hardcore, and
>> gets in himself.  "There.  Now that all that unpleasantness has been
>> settled, I believe I owe you a ride to New York City, Ronin.  After
>> all, that's where your plane was headed, no?"

> Ronin bows respectfully.  "Indeed it was, Hawk-sama.  I have been
> neglectful in my quest, not that I have not enjoyed our adventure.  But
> I must locate my parents....so please to take me to New York, thank
> you."

> He bows again. twice or thrice more.  Awww...ain't he cute.

Bil Lockwood wrote:

> Natasha just settled down in the Jacob after finding a drink.

> "Hmmm...so now what? I have no idea where I'm going now, and I suppose I
> owe you Joes a favor or three. Any ideas how you want to cash in on
> them?" she asked Hawk and the others as she downed a shot of whatever
> was handy.

All of you mass into the Jacob, and truck on out of Jersey City, leaving
the media in a frenzy and Roy Shijitzu in a really, really bad way.  Of
course, since that's what you planned all along, it's kind of nice, in a
mean, sadistic sort of way.

It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, Jinx.

Flash drives the Jacob back to New York City, though it's really rather
late at night.  This, of course, makes no difference to the locals, as
this *is* the City That Never Sleeps, you know.  At least traffic is
somewhat lighter at this time of night.

You eventually make it to a nice hotel, the Hilton, to be exact, and
Hawk drops you all off, Jinx, Ronin, Hardcore.  "I'd really like to stay
with you all, and see what trouble you're going to cause next, but Duty
calls, and I should check in on that factory in New Paris."

"Something about it just didn't feel right - and that's before you add
in the Plantmaster's attack.  Have fun, kids, and don't do anything I
wouldn't!"  Rock 'n Roll unhitches your van, Hardcore, and some fellow
comes out to park it.

"Your keys, sir?"

(theoretical response space for all involved)

After listening to any potential goodbyes (or parting shots), Hawk then
closes the Jacob's door, and the Joes then drive off into, well, not the
sunset, but at least the early, early morning glow.  That, of course,
leaves the three of you in N.Y.C., where you all wanted to be.

Except for maybe you, Hardcore.

As the Joe bus disappears into the City, a rather classy looking fellow
walks out to greet you all.  "The Colonel arranged for you all to have a
room, if you like.  If you would follow me, I can take you to them..."
He then walks back into the hotel, expecting you to follow.

The only thing nagging you still, Jinx (other than humanity in general),
is that dire threat Roy gave you whilst you 'rotted away' in the Jersey
City lockup.  Something about him having a fellow planted in the Direct
Action American's N.Y.C. office.

You don't know if you want to sit on that until morning, or if you
wanted to handle that right away.  You are, after all, rather tired.  As
far as you, Ronin, you also aren't sure if you want to move now, in that
hardly anybody that could help you in your quest would be available
right now.

They might be, of course, but such individuals may not include
'reliable' city servants.  Finally, Hardcore, the simple question of
what your next step is going to be is also at hand.  Are you going to
hang around and wait for a shot at Jinx, or what?

(ooh, cliff hangers...)

Subject: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 05 Apr 1999 04:19:42 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

It was a freezing morning, which was somewhat odd in southern Texas, but
there you go.  You don't know what the deal is, but as you've made your
way back into the States after your disastrous mission for the N.S.A.,
the one that forever changed you, it's gotten progressively colder.

Unnaturally so.

But then, what else is new?  Your whole world has been flipped on its
side, so why not the weather, as well?!  At any rate, you've been alone
for several days, walking the length of several large ranches and ranges
of open land without any human contact.

It was nice, but as you'd guessed, it had to end soon... and it just
did, since you just hit a highway... and a big one, from the looks of
it.  It seems well travelled, as there are several big-rig trucks
zipping back and forth along each side of the four lane road.

You automatically, reflexively adjust your mask, to ensure nobody can
see your face, your horribly mangled face.  As you walk along the
highway, at a safe distance (of course), you manage to avoid attracting
the attention of folks passing by on the highway.

Eventually, your wanderings pull you towards some sort of town, you're
not sure which, when you hear a sudden grinding sound behind you.
Turning around as fast as you can, you see an eighteen wheeler cross
over from the east-bound to west-bound lanes, and promptly jacknife!

The thing, flipping onto its side, takes several dozen cars with it,
smashing them and flipping them (and their drivers) all over the place.
Further complicating matters, you see the cargo of that broken truck, a
load of televisions, cannon out of the truck at devastating speed.

The things rain out upon the highway in a torrent of entertainment-based
doom, striking cars, trucks, and even people with terrible force.  You
simply stand there transfixed as the heavy appliances rain down upon the
highway in a show of destruction you simply don't see every day.

But then it ends, in a symphony of broken glass and imploding vacuum
tubes, and you snap out of your trance.  The problem, though, is that
while you were totally untouched by this bizarre display of mayhem,
several dozen other people were - and they need help!

And, as luck would have it, there are no cops or such around, or on
their way (you're sure you'd hear the sirens as they approached).  What
do you do, Rebound?  Do you help these poor folks, possibly risking
discovery by the Man, or to keep going?

(by the way, what does your fellow's costume look like, by the by?  I
know he wears a mask and all that, but that's all I have... I was
wondering if you'd worked out any other details about him as of yet?  No
big rush, yet, I'm just wondering...)  =)

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 5 Apr 1999 08:57:01 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> Surveying the damage, Rebound moves as quickly as possible to aid the 
> motorists despite knowing that his black costume, which is just great at night 
> when he usually is on the move, will stand out sharply in the morning sun.

> Moving through the wreckage, he carefully pulls people to the relative
> safety of the shoulder administering first aid as best he can.
> Primarily, he is trying to keep anyone from dying on the cold????
> Texas highway.  Secondarily, he is looking for a cellular phone with
> which to call for some help, so he can get out of here before too many
> people start asking questions that he'd really rather not have to
> answer.  Most of all, he's praying no one needs mouth-to-mouth.

Should he find a cell-phone, he'll call the police and get someone out
there who is a bit more qualified to handle an emergency like this.

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 05 Apr 1999 19:48:56 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Should he find a cell-phone, he'll call the police and get someone out
> there who is a bit more qualified to handle an emergency like this.

You make your way into the circle of devastation, and you see that
several people are already using those silly little cellular phone
things to call in help - most are dialing police, but a few are simply
calling work to say 'I'm gonna be *real* late' or some such.

Oddly enough, it seems that most of the people involved in this little
freak accident are okay - nobody's dead or dismembered, that is.  So,
that pretty much means your help isn't needed; it may be appreciated -
at first, at least - but nobody's on the brink of death.

As you get ready to move on, possibly to find a place to hide out 'till
nightfall, you see something odd - no, make that very odd.  Looking over
where the truck first freaked out, you see a body sticking his head out
of a drainage ditch on the edge of the highway.

He is also surveying the damage wrought here this day, but he's holding
some sort of remote control doo-dad, and after laughing for a second (an
odd response to this carnage, to be sure), he ducks down into the
ditch.  Several seconds later, two folks get out of a car and follow.

They're wearing... odd clothing, in that they've got jet black business
suits on, with neat-o sunglasses complemented by a tiny little earpiece
in their right ear.  They get to the ditch, and then descend into it, as
if walking down a ladder or some such...

What do you do??

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Tue, 6 Apr 1999 13:04:15 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

        Being all kinds of curious, Rebound takes a quick look at the
car the two odd gentlemen stepped out of to see if he can glean any clue
as to who they are and what they are doing.

        Spending no more than a minute there, he will carefully head
over to the ditch, checking to see where these people have gone.  If
there indeed is a ladder, he'll follow them down into wherever they have
slunk. Quietly muttering his newfound mantra to himself, "I hate
spec-ops...I hate spec-ops..."

        Wondering who these people are, Rebound thinks to himself, "If
this is the same group as from the jungle...It's a good thing it's so
cold out here because all hell is about to break loose."

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Tue, 06 Apr 1999 17:39:39 -0500
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx just lays back in the couch, lounging a bit before suddenly leaping
from her seat, smacking herself in the forehead.

"ACK! Jeez! I can't believe I forgot! Hawk! I think I know how we can
rub Roy's face in the mess he's made at least one more time!" she
hollered out, looking for the big man himself.

Once she found him, she explained herself a bit better: "OK, when I was
in the slammer, Roy showed up and rubbed it in my face that he was going
to have some mole in the D.A.A. dig up all the data we've collected and
let the world see their tactics. Sure, some of them could be a bit
immoral, but they are for the good of the country! We can't let him do
this!" she belted out, trying to appeal to the Joes' sense of
patriotism.

"Do you think you can help me out one last time? If not for me, do it
for the country!" she continued, attempting to strike at their apple
pie-loving hearts.

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Wed, 7 Apr 1999 16:49:53 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

As the man in the white suit with the glowing eyes entreats Masque to
aid him, you notice something odd taking place, Silhouette.  You can
detect a sort of mental fog stretching out over the airport, a fog
that's dulling the minds of those it's touching.

You're naturally immune, in that it seems to be a passive effect, one
that can't actively affect shielded minds, but it's there, nonetheless.
Those that the fog has touched seem to be most of the rubes that arrived
on your flight, here, and they're walking out of this area...

Silhouette watched Och and Masque and the guy in the white suit,
seeing if they were being effected by the strange fog... she also
paid close attention to the arrival of any unfamiliar presences....

She looked at the man in white, <<Do you senese the "fog" that
is driving the mortals and mundanes out of this area? I appear
to be immune as a telepath, and you as a mage, perhaps Masque
as well.... >>

(resp)

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Thu, 08 Apr 1999 09:46:11 PDT
From:    "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

Ok, we'll look into it.  Looking to Tammy for approval.  And No we will keep stupid with us just in case.  What is the artifact what does it look like?  How will we know if we find it will you have a crystal ball or something watching over us?

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Thu, 08 Apr 1999 13:41:43 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Ok, we'll look into it.  Looking to Tammy for approval.  And No we will
> keep stupid with us just in case.  What is the artifact what does it
> look like?  How will we know if we find it will you have a crystal ball
> or something watching over us?

Tammy shrugs, indicating that she's fine either way.

Ahom smiles.  "Something like that.  Don't worry, the instant you have
acquired the object, I will prepare to get you out of my enemy's
fortress. As far as the object, it is a key of sorts, carved from
sapphire - you can't miss it."

"The trick is to find it, of course, but I'm assuming that you will see
it in the study of the mage you are heading for.  His name is Morbis,
though I assume you'd have found that out soon enough.  He worked with
us for a time, but with most of humanity out of the way, well..."

He pauses for a time, as if reflecting on what might have been.  You get
the impression that this Morbis *might* have been a more heroic sort,
but has since devolved into base villainy.  "Enough of this bantering
about the past, though - it serves no purpose.  My apologies."

"Shall I send you on your way?"

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Thu, 08 Apr 1999 14:07:17 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

>         Wondering who these people are, Rebound thinks to himself, "If
> this is the same group as from the jungle...It's a good thing it's so
> cold out here because all hell is about to break loose."

You walk over to the car, and find that it's an unremarkable black
sedan. About a '91, a bit rusty around the edges, that sort of thing.
Could use a wax job.  All in all, it looks incredibly... normal, save
for the fact that it's parked on the highway, with no owner in sight.

Then you wonder over to the ditch, noting the growing wail of sirens in
the background, as you leave the highway proper.  Making your way to
where those suited fellows were, you see that they are, in fact, gone,
having apparently wandered into some underground passage.

Look at the ditch.

You see several sets of footprints, though they all seem to disappear
around a circular patch of grass, one which is all the more curious in
that it has a rusty metal handle on one side.  Assuming you try it, you
find that it isn't locked, and the grass moves aside as you pull.

Below the grass cover, you see a concrete tube, about two and a half
feet in diameter, leading down, with iron rungs wedged in as a sort of
ladder. Climbing down, the sights, smells, and even sounds from the
world above fade away, giving way to a cold, damp, and echo-ey world.

The bottom of the ladder lets out in a larger cement tube, about ten
feet in diameter, that leads off both ways.  Inside, you find a few
bodies, human, though they're suprisingly not rotting.  In fact, they
look freshly dead, what with the holes in them.

Following one end of the tunnel for about thirty feet, you see a similar
access on what you assume is the other side of the highway, and then
this half of the tunnel ends.  So, with nowhere else to go, you start
heading the other way, when you hear voices.

One of them sounds skeptical; you know the type.  "Well, your prototype
is fine for causing multiple car pileups, but can it adversely affect a
tank, or possibly an aircraft?"  Another voice, which you can tell
belongs to a wild-eyed, white-haired scientist, agrees in the
affirmative.

"Of course, of course!  You see, M.O.D. (that's Mechanical Override
Device, of course) can interface with the mechanical aspect of any
example of modern technology, and exert influence over it.  You know,
kind of like an overbearing mother in law!  Hah Heh Heh!"

You also see that the man has a rotten, rotten sense of humor.

A third, you're assuming the other suit, then pipes up.  "We'll want
five, then, to test them out ourselves.  We've been having some...
issues... with the Transistor Movement, and want to put a damper on
their progress. You understand."

Another chuckle from the mad scientist.  "Of course, of course, of
course! I get the picture!  But, I'll need payment for the first one
now, and a partial payment for the other four.  These parts don't grow
on trees, you know!  Well, not yet, anyway!  Hah Heh Heh!"

A rustle of paper indicates payment is being pulled out of a suit coat,
and a heavy crinkling implies that a certain scientist of poor humor
value has taken it.  "Excellent, excellent, excellent!  Well, I'll be
seeing you fellows in a week, then!  Bye bye now!"

The suits make for the iron rungs and climb back to the highway, leaving
the unknown scientist in the dark.  He then scrabbles off, leaving you
skulking in the dark, and with a choice:  do you follow the suit types,
or see what this scientist feller is up to?

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Sat, 10 Apr 1999 15:37:53 -0500
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

[Word.]

Once Jinx gets everything packed on the Jacob, she sets about
formulating a plan. Unfortunately, Natasha is far better at shooting
things than she is at planning.

"Um...Plan? Er...OK, well, I can tell you what needs to happen: a) We
need to find the mole; b) We need to stop Roy from using the info he
already has; and c) We need to k-...to hurt him real bad...yeah, that's
it." she counts off on her fingers.

"So, how do we find the mole? I don't know who I can trust in the
D.A.A.! Hell, one of my contacts might be the mole! Do you guys have any
hacker type people who can look at the communication lines? But what if
he's using telepathy or some such crap!?" she questioned herself
out loud, looking to the Joes for any ideas.

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 16:03:04 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

(Just an out of character notice:  Since Peter's having machine-like
problems, and i dunno what the hell happpened to Andy yet, I'm gonna go
ahead and reply to this one.  Word?)

William Lockwood wrote:

> "Do you think you can help me out one last time? If not for me, do it
> for the country!" she continued, attempting to strike at their apple
> pie-loving hearts.

You run out of the hotel in a righteous burst of speed, Jinx, and
totally bowl over six or seven people that were moving about in front of
the place.  You keep moving, amidst cries of "Watch where you're going,
Damnit!" and the like, however.

There'll always be time to shoot them later.

Luckily, the bus hasn't gotten very far, Jinx, in that this *is* New
York traffic.  However, you have to huff and puff for seven blocks to
finally catch up to the thing.  Making for the front door, you pound on
it furiously, which eventually causes the Jacob to pull over.

This causes a flood of honking and such from behind you, since you're
now obstructing traffic (and how), but Hawk eventually opens the bus
door, and upon seeing you, he says "Yes?"  Listening to your spiel, Hawk
strokes your chin, thinking, and finally says "Okay.  Turn the bus
around, Flash."

This seriously ticks off local traffic, and a bevy of honks and "What
the hell are you doing?  I'm drivin' here, a'ready!"s follow suit.
About half an hour later, the Jacob is once again sitting outside the
hotel that the head Joe acquired for you all for the night, and several
Joes empty out.

"Okay, Jinx.  What's your plan?"

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 12 Apr 1999 09:18:08 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> The suits make for the iron rungs and climb back to the highway, leaving the 
> unknown scientist in the dark.  He then scrabbles off, leaving you skulking in 
> the dark, and with a choice:  do you follow the suit types, or see what this 
> scientist feller is up to?

Hoping to catch the whole group before they depart,(can you say
overconfidence?), Rebound shouts down the corridor at the departing
figures.

"Excuse me, but did any of you see some terrorists around here?  I seem
to have lost mine, and I am looking for some replacements."

Assuming this will get quite the violent reaction, Rebound waits for the
suited goons to come down the corridor guns drawn and/or blazing.  When
he can see the weapons, he will toss a line at each of their guns and
give them a good yank. (Init 8+1=9  Rolls: 71,75,02(oops),67).

Should they have a good enough grip to tug-of-war with him, Rebound will
just let them go "boom".  Regardless of the result, unless something
really strange happens, Rebound will get up-close and personal with
them.

"I see we found ourselves some new recruits...School's in children.
First lesson is don't leave dead bodies on your doorstep...it just
invites all kinds of unwelcome guests..."

(If the goons do not come to Rebound, then I guess that whole exchange
is pointless and he'll go have a heart-to-heart with Mr. Mad Scientist.)

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Mon, 12 Apr 1999 09:17:16 PDT
From:    "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

Yeah, let's do it.

Once we get there I stop and ask Tammy:  "So what do you think, are we ok or are we getting played as patsies?  I am not sure of what to do and if you are not comfortable with this we can try to find another way.  But, the guy we just left sound more like the slime bucket we left back home."

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Mon, 12 Apr 1999 12:33:59 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

"Hmmm...????"

Masque just sits, ponders and....ponders some more.  "Aha, I do believe that I am done pondering, for the moment at least.  I do apologize kind sir in white but My friend Och, the short hairy one over there, is friend's with the gentleman holding you captive right now.  I am mind to release you, but not without good reason.  I am sure that the man holding you has a very good reason for doing so and ....what was that Sil?"

Masque casts his magic detection spell, looking for the specific source
of the 'fog'. Hoping that it is magic in nature. And wondering why none
of us are being affected, or are we?...Hmmmmmm.

Rolling a green (69) result what happens?

<alright already, I gotta go buy milk>

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 12 Apr 1999 12:58:05 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Should they have a good enough grip to tug-of-war with him, Rebound will
> just let them go "boom".  Regardless of the result, unless something
> really strange happens, Rebound will get up-close and personal with
> them.

Sure enough, the two suits pull guns out of their coats, and the
scientist guy freaks - and i mean freaks!  "Aieeee!  Bandits - in *my*
adjunct tunnel!  Deal with them, you two, I am out of here!"  The
inventor slaps a bit of rock, which then powers up with an deep,
electric 'wooooooo' sound.

Suddenly, a steel archway becomes apparent in the tunnel, and the
darkness behind the men resolves itself into the view of a device-filled
scientific laboratory, and the unnerved man makes for the sudden portal
while the two suits menace you.

One of them sneers at you.  "Who're you calling terrorist, scumbag?"
The other just laughs.  "Yeah!"  They appear to be levelling their guns
at you, when you speak up again.

> "I see we found ourselves some new recruits...School's in children.
> First lesson is don't leave dead bodies on your doorstep...it just
> invites all kinds of unwelcome guests..."

You manage to snag their guns, and even pull them away, leaving the two
fellows at something of a loss.  They look at each other, and grimace.
In unison, they say 'metahuman'.  The word almost sounds dirty, and
they're definitely not happy about it - and sound like they've done this
before.

They then lunge at you, one moving high, the other swinging low.  The
first lands a crushing punch on the bridge of your nose, and the other
kicks you in the jimmy; however, they didn't account for the reactive
nature of your oozey secretion skin stuff.

The explosions from their various contacts inflicted Good (10) damage
upon their hand and foot, respectively, knocking them back on the ground
in shock and pain.  Choruses of 'ow, ow, ow' seem to be all they want to
add to the conversation at this point.

By this time, however, the scientist fellow has made his way through his
weird, impromptu gateway to elsewhere, and shuts it down.  The image of
(apparently) his lab shimmers, and then fades to black, much like the
image of a television suddenly turned off would.

After that happens, the stone block he touched quits making that deep
'wooooooooo' sound, but you still see blinky lights on it - yes, on the
rock.  I guess the question of the moment is:  what do you do next?
Try'n follow the nutcase, or finish off these suits?

(?)

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 12 Apr 1999 16:37:19 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> After that happens, the stone block he touched quits making that deep 'wooooo' 
> sound, but you still see blinky lights on it - yes, on the rock.  I guess the 
> question of the moment is:  what do you do next?  Try'n follow the nutcase, or 
> finish off these suits?

Smiling (not that anyone could see) at the usual reaction when things
hit him, Rebound snatches up the goon that spoke first (hoping he's the
leader of the two) and holds him firmly against the wall by the neck.
(Init 6+1=7, Rolls:62, 58, 22, 97)

"Lesson two:  If you are dealing with 'Mad Scientists'  you really
should expect to run into a 'metahuman' or two.  Now, before I pop your
head off like a Corona, I suggest you tell me what you are planning to
do with those handy-dandy little devices you just made a down payment
on.  And while you are at it, who's your boss and why are you so afraid
of this 'Transistor Movement?'"

While he is holding goon #1 now nicknamed "lucky", Rebound will try to
keep the other goon "strike" in his peripheral vision just in case he
does something stupid like pull out another gun or try to go for the
ones on the ground.  If he does, Rebound will try to plant a rather
sticky boot in his solarplexus.

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 01:24:06 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

"Excellent..."

With a wave of his arms, you, Tammy, and the Seven Dimensional Man are
gone, no longer where you were, but on a sunny beach.  It's still
somewhat cold, here, but there's no snow or ice anywhere.  And, of
course, there's that big ol' fortress.

The thing is a construct of steel, stone, and glass, and has a sort
of... skullish look to it.  The main entrance is open, like a big gaping
maw, and there are folks streaming in and out.  They all have a sort of
'road warrior' look to them; spikes, chains, and colorful haircuts
abound.

There's two guards posted outside the fortress, each of which are
holding what appear to be some sort of futuristic rifles.  They don't
seem very attentive, though, as they're just making passing glances at
folks coming in and out.  They look downright bored, in fact.

Tammy looks at you, in response to your opinions about Ahom.  "Well,
this is somewhat different.  We need him to get home, and this Morbis
fellow may, in fact, be as much of a jerk as Ahom says.  I'm cool with
this if you are."

"I suggest we make sure that Morbis is the bad guy, here, though."

What do you do now?

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 01:30:11 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> While he is holding goon #1 now nicknamed "lucky", Rebound will try to keep 
> the other goon "strike" in his peripheral vision just in case he does 
> something stupid like pull out another gun or try to go for the ones on the 
> ground.  If he does, Rebound will try to plant a rather sticky boot in his 
> solarplexus.

The 'lead' goon, 'Lucky', looks at you and sneers.  "Yeah, right.  Like
I'm gonna tell you what we plan on using these things for.  That's none
of your business - National Security, in fact."  He smirks a little
more.  "And don't even pretend you don't know about the Transistor
Movement."

Goon Number Two seems to be biding his time, waiting for you to make a
move.  Well, either that, or the explosion kicking you in the nads
caused is keeping him from walking about.  He's just crouching there,
watching the exchange between you and 'Lucky'.

"You know, bunch'a psychos, want to be one with technology?  The
Transistor Movement!  Try to make themselves all robotic, despite the
fact that cybernetics technology is expensive and generally unreliable?
You're looking at two of them."

He indicates the corpses that you discovered when you first arrived.
"These bozos tried to stop us, but we put 'em down.  The second one
there's got a buzz-saw in his arm - take a look.  It's not like we can
actually hurt you... whoever you are..."

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 04:36:20 EDT
From:    MLJoinerJR@aol.com

> He waves his fingers, makes a twirley motion, and the man in the suit is 
> suddenly floating in the air, twirling about like an antigravity top.  When 
> you look closer, however, his abnormalcy becomes more apparent, as he seems to 
> have golden, glowing eyes!

Reaper looks up at the spinning man formerly known as his target.  He glances
back to Halby, "What the hell are you doing!"

> Masque, you can sense the magic power in the man without even using your own 
> spells, and can tell that he's one tough nut.  Och, however, screams out in
> shock.  "Halby?!  What the Hell are you doing?  Where'd you get that silly 
> costume?!  And where's the Infinitum?!?"

Reaper looks over at the three newcomers, "Hey, Halby, you know these guys?"

He begins to slide out from under the spinning man in white, gets to his
feet, and tries to position himself so he can keep an eye on everyone there.

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 08:47:45 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> The 'lead' goon, 'Lucky', looks at you and sneers.  "Yeah, right.  Like I'm 
> gonna tell you what we plan on using these things for.  That's none of your 
> business - National Security, in fact."  He smirks a little more.  "And don't 
> even pretend you don't know about the Transistor Movement."

> Goon Number Two seems to be biding his time, waiting for you to make a
> move.  Well, either that, or the explosion kicking you in the nads
> caused is keeping him from walking about.  He's just crouching there,
> watching the exchange between you and 'Lucky'.

> "You know, bunch'a psychos, want to be one with technology?  The
> Transistor Movement!  Try to make themselves all robotic, despite the
> fact that cybernetics technology is expensive and generally
> unreliable?  You're looking at two of them."

> He indicates the corpses that you discovered when you first arrived.
> "These bozos tried to stop us, but we put 'em down.  The second one
> there's got a buzz-saw in his arm - take a look.  It's not like we can
> actually hurt you... whoever you are..."

"Well, that's really interesting seeing as I was not informed of any
other agency being involved in this whole mess."   (Rebound gently puts
"lucky" down.)  "National Security, huh?  Allow me to introduce myself,
Agent (Insert former boss' name here) of the National Security Agency at
your service. You'd better tell me what's going on before I call the
Director and chew him out for sending me here without the full details."

Rebound will help "strike" to his feet and head over to check on the
dead bodies.  (let's see how well this bluff works)  He will check the
corpses for the alleged cybernetics and wait for an answer from the goon
squad.

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 13:00:05 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Silhouette watched Och and Masque and the guy in the white suit,
> seeing if they were being effected by the strange fog... she also
> paid close attention to the arrival of any unfamiliar presences....

> She looked at the man in white, <<Do you senese the "fog" that
> is driving the mortals and mundanes out of this area? I appear
> to be immune as a telepath, and you as a mage, perhaps Masque
> as well.... >>

Chris W. Acers wrote:

> "Hmmm...????"

> Masque just sits, ponders and....ponders some more.
> "Aha, I do believe that I am done pondering, for the moment at least. I
> do apologize kind sir in white but My friend Och, the short hairy one
> over there, is friend's with the gentleman holding you captive right
> now. I am mind to release you, but not without good reason. I am sure
> that the man holding you has a very good reason for doing so and
> ...what was that Sil?"

> Masque casts his magic detection spell, looking for the specific source
> of the 'fog'. Hoping that it is magic in nature. And wondering why none
> of us are being affected, or are we?...Hmmmmmm.

> Rolling a green (69) result what happens?

> <alright already, I gotta go buy milk>

MLJoinerJR@aol.com wrote:

> (snip)

> Reaper looks up at the spinning man formerly known as his target.  He
> glances back to Halby, "What the hell are you doing!"

>> Masque, you can sense the magic power in the man without even using
>> your own spells, and can tell that he's one tough nut.  Och, however,
>> screams out in shock.  "Halby?!  What the Hell are you doing?  Where'd
>> you get that silly costume?!  And where's the Infinitum?!?"

> Reaper looks over at the three newcomers, "Hey, Halby, you know these
> guys?"

> He begins to slide out from under the spinning man in white, gets to his
> feet, and tries to position himself so he can keep an eye on everyone
> there.

As the man in white spins gently in the air, suspended in his own little
cushion of fun, Halby answers your question, Reaper.  "I... I did know
the little one, Och.  In another life, anyway..."  He looks as though
he's straining to remember, as if his memory were particularly fuzzy.

"Another life?!  You jerk!  I've been looking for you and that book for
months!  Months, I say!"  Och kicks Halby in the knee, dropping him to
the ground.  He then jumps upon the Magician, shaking him by his
collar.  "Where've you been?  Why didn't you call us?!  Are you
insane?!?"

Meanwhile, Silhouette, the suspended man in white looks upon you,
smiling. It's kind of unsettling, though, with those glowing eyes of
his.  "Yes, young lady, I am in fact generating this 'fog', as you call
it.  I find that it helps normal folks to forget bizarre happenings."

"Such as this."  He indicates the swirl of air holding him in the air,
and you note that it seems to be weakening; that may be because, of
course, Och is pummelling the Magician with questions and fists.  Your
spell pretty much verifies this, Masque.

It's a magic veil of some kind, basically designed to gently seize the
minds of any 'mundane' fellows, and... encourage them to move on from
the area.  While your magic detection is still active, you also note
several new sources of such approaching rapidly.

Likewise for you, Silhouette, as you were mentally keeping an 'eye' out
for anybody new arriving.  You spot six individual targets, heading this
way in a jiffy.  Neither of you see anything, yet, but you know they're
speeing along to where you all currently are.

The man in white has almost made it back to the ground by this time,
though he seems barely unable to set his toes down.  Reaper, the
Infinitum starts talking to you.  "We must leave here as soon as
possible.  This place will soon be no more..."

What do you all do?

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 13:42:32 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Douglas Lohse wrote:

> Rebound will help "strike" to his feet and head over to check on the
> dead bodies.  (let's see how well this bluff works)  He will check the
> corpses for the alleged cybernetics and wait for an answer from the goon
> squad.

The two look at each other, and you can practically hear their thoughts
buzzing.  N.S.A.?!  "Well, er, um.  You *could* call us C.I.A., but that
wouldn't be entirely correct.  Long story.  But, if the N.S.A. is in on
this, it's bigger'n we thought.  Crap."

You make your way over to dead body number one, and poke at it.  You
don't see any robotic part thingies, at least until you pull its coat
off.  There, in broad daylight, is a robotic lower left arm.  Looks like
it's got a nice exit bay for, say, a buzz-saw accessory.  Nice.

What's even more impressive is that these two dealt with the 'borgs by
themselves.

"Well, for the record, we bought these toys from ol' Gruff because we
have no way to stop these cyborgs cold - short of killin' 'em.  He
didn't like the idea of us blasting these technological specimens to
pieces, so he was willing to give us these non-lethal pacifiers."

"Of course, what with him being in the Electronicists' League, Gruff
naturally wants to study their tech after we've disassembled them.
Personally, I think they're all crazy, but we do what we can to ensure
normal folks can live a sane life."

They collect themselves (you did hurt 'em up a bit, you know), and get
ready to leave.  "You can dink with the bodies all you want, but we've
gotta go.  Heck, you can even give ol' Gruff a hard time, if'n you want,
but watch out... his lab's very, very tricky."

"We gotta get this doo-hicky back to our labs."

(?)

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 16:05:42 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> They collect themselves (you did hurt 'em up a bit, you know), and get ready 
> to leave.  "You can dink with the bodies all you want, but we've gotta go.  
> Heck, you can even give ol' Gruff a hard time, if'n you want, but watch out... 
> his lab's very, very tricky."

> "We gotta get this doo-hicky back to our labs."

"You got a number I can use to get in touch with you?  We may have
something in the shop that might be helpful in stopping the borgs.  Mind
you, I'll have to get approval from the director, but that shouldn't be
too difficult."

With that, he leaves the goons (OK, maybe not entirely goons) about
their business and heads to the handy-dandy stone block with the
flashing lights.  'Now what do we have here...'  Rebound tries to figure
out the lock (95 on Intuition!!!!)  and attempts to gain entry into
Gruff's lab.

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Wed, 14 Apr 1999 18:34:24 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

The man in white has almost made it back to the ground by this time,
though he seems barely unable to set his toes down.  Reaper, the
Infinitum starts talking to you.  "We must leave here as soon as
possible.  This place will soon be no more..."

What do you all do?

Silhouette looked at the guys, <<Listen, Och didn't think my ability
to teleport through the darkness would work up here. Any of you
have a better suggestion for a hasty exit?>>

tbc...

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 15 Apr 1999 13:49:32 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Silhouette looked at the guys, <<Listen, Och didn't think my ability
> to teleport through the darkness would work up here. Any of you
> have a better suggestion for a hasty exit?>>

Masque, still busy licking his fingers says:
"Boy oh boy I am going to miss those peanuts..."

And then works a spell, namely the mists of Hoggoth (37, green result).

"Assholes and elbows everybody. Anyone who matters, step on through"

<hopefully it works>

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 15 Apr 1999 19:22:30 EDT
From:    MLJoinerJR@aol.com

> As the man in white spins gently in the air, suspended in his own little
> cushion of fun, Halby answers your question, Reaper.  "I... I did know
> the little one, Och.  In another life, anyway..."  He looks as though
> he's straining to remember, as if his memory were particularly fuzzy.

Reaper opens his mouth, a question on his tongue...

> "Another life?!  You jerk!  I've been looking for you and that book for
> months!  Months, I say!"  Och kicks Halby in the knee, dropping him to
> the ground.  He then jumps upon the Magician, shaking him by his
> collar.  "Where've you been?  Why didn't you call us?!  Are you
> insane?!?"

Reaper blinks in surprise, "Hey man, maybe you wanna explain all that later
eh?"

> The man in white has almost made it back to the ground by this time,
> though he seems barely unable to set his toes down.  Reaper, the
> Infinitum starts talking to you.  "We must leave here as soon as
> possible.  This place will soon be no more..."

Reaper backs up, crouching over his bag, "I couldn't possibly agree more -
but its the 'how' part thats kinda got me.  If you have any sugestions, by
all means..."

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 15 Apr 1999 19:20:14 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> Silhouette looked at the guys, <<Listen, Och didn't think my ability
> to teleport through the darkness would work up here. Any of you
> have a better suggestion for a hasty exit?>>

Masque, still busy licking his fingers says:  "Boy oh boy I am going to miss those peanuts..."

And then works a spell, namely the mists of Hoggoth (37, green result).

"Assholes and elbows everybody. Anyone who matters, step on through"

Sil didn't necessarily trust magick as much as her own
teleportation, but at the moment, it seemed to be the best
option available... She took a deep breath, and stepped into the
swirling mists...

tbc...

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Thu, 15 Apr 1999 20:20:22 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> With that, he leaves the goons (OK, maybe not entirely goons) about
> their business and heads to the handy-dandy stone block with the
> flashing lights.  'Now what do we have here...'  Rebound tries to figure
> out the lock (95 on Intuition!!!!)  and attempts to gain entry into
> Gruff's lab.

You press the shiny red panel, and a sudden doorway between here and...
somewhere else opens up, again that lab you saw before.  Inside, you see
oodles of technology and the like, as if it were some sort of crowded
mad scientist's museum, but see no signs of life.... yet.

Entering the lab, you walk around the exhibits of super-science, and
eventually hear a cough.  Assuming you approach the sound, you
eventually come across ol' Gruff, who seems to have strapped himself
onto a table.  "Yes, yes, yes!  In mere moments, I will be like unto a
god!"

Looking about, you see a rather large ray emitter mounted above him, and
it's pointed right at him.  It is a gigantic affair, a big bulbous metal
cocoon with a pointy, glowing end.  The massive device sounds as if it
is grinding up cars, it's making such a racket.

In fact, the sound seems to be gaining in volume and pitch.  "Yes, yes,
yes!  It's working!!  Soon, soon, soon, the fabric of both space and
time will be folded in on itself, and all of that raw potential will be
imparted within me!  Me!!  Me!!!  Ah hah hah hah hah!"

Definitely mad scientist material.  You get the impression that the
device there isn't quite capable of what this goon is ranting, but you
never know.  He seems quite mad.  And, of course, the device sounds like
it's speeding up to a climactic execution of it's primary function.

Or simply a big explosion, take your pick.

What do you do?

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Fri, 16 Apr 1999 02:07:39 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Michael Joiner wrote:

>> As the man in white spins gently in the air, suspended in his own
>> little cushion of fun, Halby answers your question, Reaper.  "I... I
>> did know the little one, Och.  In another life, anyway..."  He looks as
>> though he's straining to remember, as if his memory were particularly
>> fuzzy.

> Reaper opens his mouth, a question on his tongue...

>> "Another life?!  You jerk!  I've been looking for you and that book for
>> months!  Months, I say!"  Och kicks Halby in the knee, dropping him to
>> the ground.  He then jumps upon the Magician, shaking him by his
>> collar.  "Where've you been?  Why didn't you call us?!  Are you
>> insane?!?"

> Reaper blinks in surprise, "Hey man, maybe you wanna explain all that
> later eh?"

>> The man in white has almost made it back to the ground by this time,
>> though he seems barely unable to set his toes down.  Reaper, the
>> Infinitum starts talking to you.  "We must leave here as soon as
>> possible.  This place will soon be no more..."

> Reaper backs up, crouching over his bag, "I couldn't possibly agree more
> - but its the 'how' part thats kinda got me.  If you have any
> sugestions, by all means..."

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Silhouette looked at the guys, <<Listen, Och didn't think my ability
> to teleport through the darkness would work up here. Any of you
> have a better suggestion for a hasty exit?>>

> tbc...

Chris W. Acers wrote:

> Masque, still busy licking his fingers says:
> "Boy oh boy I am going to miss those peanuts..."

> And then works a spell, namely the mists of Hoggoth (37, green result).

> "Assholes and elbows everybody. Anyone who matters, step on through"

> <hopefully it works>

Lady Arakne wrote (beating me to the punch... heh heh):

> Sil didn't necessarily trust magick as much as her own
> teleportation, but at the moment, it seemed to be the best
> option available... She took a deep breath, and stepped into the
> swirling mists...

> tbc...

Okay.

So, Masque generates a swirling portal to... somewhere else, and beckons
you all to enter.  Silhouette hopped right through, though Och seems to
be tarrying.  Actually, he was still man-handling the Magician, and only
now realized that you all were leaving.

"I see.  Perhaps we should finish this conversation elsewhere...?"
Halby looks up at the diminutive man who was, until moments ago,
bludgeoning him senseless, peers into the area around you all with his
own magical senses, and concurrs.  "Er, yes... I'd say so."

They both get up simultaneously and flee through the portal.

That just leaves you, Masque, and Reaper.

(out of character:  I'm assuming that the two of you step through, which
is fairly obvious, but I'm going to stop here, since I have no idea
where Masque opened that portal up into.  As soon as i get a quick note
from the two of you (just in case) i'll go from there, eh?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Fri, 16 Apr 1999 02:14:30 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> (out of character:  I'm assuming that the two of you step through, which
> is fairly obvious, but I'm going to stop here, since I have no idea
> where Masque opened that portal up into.  As soon as i get a quick note
> from the two of you (just in case) i'll go from there, eh?)

(out of character also) I was going to wait until everybody was inside
the portal before I opened up the other end. So basically I am wioting
on Reaper.

(Back in character)

"um, Hello, sir, I take it that you are on our side? If so I suggest a
hasty retreat throught these mists that I have here..They aren't so bad,
especially once you get to know them."

Masque is waiting for Reaper and watching for those individuals that
were on their way here, ready to to take the defensive if necessary.

<we're on a roll now>

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Fri, 16 Apr 1999 08:47:15 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> Definitely mad scientist material.  You get the impression that the
> device there isn't quite capable of what this goon is ranting, but you
> never know.  He seems quite mad.  And, of course, the device sounds
> like it's speeding up to a climactic execution of it's primary function.

> Or simply a big explosion, take your pick.

> What do you do?

Rebound takes a quick look at the device looking for the off-switch.

'Hmmm....

maybe it's this big red one over here...'  If he can figure it out,
he'll turn the thing off before everything explodes.  If not, perhaps
there is a power cord to yank out around here somewhere... Should this
also prove futile, Rebound will take cover, having grown quite familiar
with explosions.

All the while, Rebound is pondering this turn of events...'What am I
doing here anyway?  Shouldn't I just be getting on with getting on?
Sigh, Maybe, just maybe, this guy knows the people who I am looking
for.'

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Fri, 16 Apr 1999 14:31:59 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

>> Or simply a big explosion, take your pick.

>> What do you do?

> Rebound takes a quick look at the device looking for the off-switch.
> 'Hmmm....

> maybe it's this big red one over here...'  If he can figure it out,
> he'll turn the thing off before everything explodes.  If not, perhaps
> there is a power cord to yank out around here somewhere... Should this
> also prove futile, Rebound will take cover, having grown quite familiar
> with explosions.

> All the while, Rebound is pondering this turn of events...'What am I
> doing here anyway?  Shouldn't I just be getting on with getting on?
> Sigh, Maybe, just maybe, this guy knows the people who I am looking
> for.'

You approach the big, bulbous steel sample of super-mad-scientist gear.
You have to walk around it a few time before you find a control panel,
in that it is somewhat hidden (it's under a panel that seems to almost
blend into the metal around it).

Touching the panel, you see it lift up into the device's recesses,
revealing a large array of, naturally, unmarked controls.  This seems to
defy reason, as goofy high tech madmen stereotypically have big,
labeled 'on' and 'off' switches.

Every button is as likely a candidate as any other, so you push one.

Suddenly, the floor is vibrating like crazy thanks to the machine, which
seems to be suddenly blurring in and out of existence!  Ol' Gruff,
strapped to the table, looks at you in utter horror!  "No!  No!  No!
I've worked on this for ten years, you nincompoop!
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Instinctively diving for cover, you hit the ground just in time to see
the device trigger.  It fires a powerful beam of white energy at where
Gruff is strapped down, though it is vibrating so madly, it misses the
table, and strikes the floor.

"Noooooooooooooo!", Gruff repeats, as the would-be god machine blows its
top.  It doesn't go in a satisfying, fiery explosion, with prerequisite
metal shrapnel, but it does glow white for a second, and then it
implodes without a sound.

And then, so does the universe.

All you see is a flash of incredible white light, light that totally
fills your field of vision.  You see nothing but blank white, even when
you attempt to close your eyes - but that's when you realize you have no
eyes. You're just a disembodied mind, floating nowhere.

After a few seconds (or is it an eternity?  It's hard to tell...),
things return to relative normalcy.  When the spots fade from your
vision, you see that Gruff's godliness device is gone, with only a black
char on the ground indicating it ever existed.

Next to Gruff's deluxe bondage table, however, there is a big hole in
the steel floor.  In fact, the floor seems to have peeled up like taffy
in a microwave oven, and you feel and hear wind coming up through the
opening. In fact, you hear the sounds of city life, if distant, as well.

What do you do?

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:27:02 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Douglas Lohse wrote:

> If Gruff is nowhere to be found, Rebound will take a look around the lab
> for anything that looks familiar.  And what is this big hole in the
> floor emanating the sounds of a city, anyway?

You look around, and don't actually see ol' Gruff until you get to the
hole, proper.  Looking at it, you see that the floor, apparently solid
steel, peeled back like it were rice paper, and exposed open air, with a
whole big city beneath it.

You appear to be floating in mid-air, about twenty stories above some
large metropolis.

Dangling from the wreckage of the floor, you see, attached only by those
leather straps that were holding him to the table, Gruff.  He's not
looking too good, but then, hanging hundreds of feet over the ground by
only a few leather straps is somewhat disconcerting.

Hearing your quips, Gruff screams at you.  "Fool!  This was my
creation!  I know what it is capable of... why should I bother to label
the controls, yes?  It was my crowning achievement, my greatest work!
And you have ruined it!  Ruined it!!  Ruined it!!!"

"And now, I'll have to make those silly devices now... since I've
accepted their money.... argh!"  Below, in the city, proper, you see
something of a fire taking place.  Or, at the very least, it's just a
lot of smoke from a former fire.  Could be where that beam touched down.

Looks like a small, three story building got nailed directly under the
hole made in this... floating whatever... by the divinity machine.  "I
hope you're satisfied," says Gruff, "if anybody was struck by that beam,
they're now the most powerful being in the universe.  And it's not me!!"

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:32:05 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

"Christopher W. Acers" wrote:

> (out of character also) I was going to wait until everybody was inside
> the portal before I opened up the other end. So basically I am wioting
> on Reaper.

> (Back in character)

> "um, Hello, sir, I take it that you are on our side? If so I suggest a
> hasty retreat throught these mists that I have here..They aren't so bad,
> especially once you get to know them."

> Masque is waiting for Reaper and watching for those individuals that
> were on their way here, ready to to take the defensive if necessary.

> <we're on a roll now>

(again out of character:  Well, since he hasn't answered, i'm assuming
that Reaper did wanna go through the portal... after all, he was looking
for a way out... no?)

The book urges you on, Reaper, as everybody heads through the portal.
Just as the last of you steps through, you see something unusual, Masque
(even for your mad little world):  The world behind you suddenly ceases
to exist.

It's all gone.  Somebody or something just erased the universe.  Unless
your portal seriously malfunctioned, the doorway from earth now leads to
nowhere, only a blank white space, kind of like a terminally clean
slate. Of course, now the ball's in your court.

You've got everybody on your interdimensional pathway, now, man.  Do you
close the way in and make way for a new location, or what?

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:41:47 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:

> [Word.]

> Once Jinx gets everything packed on the Jacob, she sets about
> formulating a plan. Unfortunately, Natasha is far better at shooting
> things than she is at planning.

> "Um...Plan? Er...OK, well, I can tell you what needs to happen: a) We
> need to find the mole; b) We need to stop Roy from using the info he
> already has; and c) We need to k-...to hurt him real bad...yeah, that's
> it." she counts off on her fingers.

> "So, how do we find the mole? I don't know who I can trust in the
> D.A.A.! Hell, one of my contacts might be the mole! Do you guys have any
> hacker type people who can look at the communication lines? But what if
> he's using telepathy or some such crap!?" she questioned herself
> outloud, looking to the Joes for any ideas.

"Hmm."  Hawk seems unimpressed by your planning ability.  "Well,
usually, I'd have Breaker hit their transmissions, and keep an eye out
for any trouble, but he's not here.  I guess I can have Flash monitor
them for any funny business."

"First, though, we might want to pick up your 'friends' and see if they
want to have one more joy ride before they get utterly sick of you."
With that, the Jacob makes back for the hotel (it was half an hour away
- which, in N.Y.C. traffic terms, is a few blocks.

"But then, Jinx, you'll have to lead us to the D.A.A. building, so's we
can actually monitor it for trouble..."

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:22:35 EDT
From:    MLJoinerJR@aol.com

 (Back in character)

 "um, Hello, sir, I take it that you are on our side? If so I suggest a
 hasty retreat throught these mists that I have here..They aren't so bad,
 especially once you get to know them."

 Masque is waiting for Reaper and watching for those individuals that
 were on their way here, ready to to take the defensive if necessary.

 <we're on a roll now>

Reaper casts a dubious look at Masque, "Seems the biggest tramaus in my life
start with 'aren't so bad...', but what the hell - I got a little friend who
says 'get outta here' and you're 'bout my only option!"
Reaper looks around himself nervously, then walks into the mists...

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Sun, 18 Apr 1999 17:16:35 -0500
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx just smirks at Hawk's comment about bugging her 'friends'.

"Right...gotta give them plenty of time to get saturated with my oh so
pleasant demeanor!" she jokes as she settles back, trying to work out
the details of who she can trust or at least on how to proceed with the
coming nastiness.

~Yeesh, this is way too much for me! Ack!~ she thought to herself as she
tried to keep a cool exterior.

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Sun, 18 Apr 1999 19:59:00 EDT
From:    MLJoinerJR@aol.com

> The book urges you on, Reaper, as everybody heads through the portal.
> Just as the last of you steps through, you see something unusual, Masque
> (even for your mad little world):  The world behind you suddenly ceases
> to exist.

> It's all gone.  Somebody or something just erased the universe.  Unless
> your portal seriously malfunctioned, the doorway from earth now leads to
> nowhere, only a blank white space, kind of like a terminally clean
> slate. Of course, now the ball's in your court.

Reaper turns and stops dead in his tracks, his mouth slowly gaping...
"What the hell!"  He breaths, not sure if he should believe what he just saw.
He sorta stands there dumbfounded, as if whatever he was thinking was the
best thing to do just erased itself from his mind...

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Sun, 18 Apr 1999 19:59:05 EDT
From:    MLJoinerJR@aol.com

> D'oh...

> Hey, man.  Just writing to apologize for jumping the gun on you... heh heh.

> I was just thinkin' you didn't want to post twice (i've had some folks
> delay for that, so i just assumed... sorry 'bout that).

> I'll wait a bit longer next time afore i think aboot doing that, kay?

Nah - its absolutely cool.  Yeah - Reaper was definitely going in.  I'm in my
last day of a week off from work, so my on-line time has been a little
erratic (work is where I do most of my eMailing...)

And definitely - I'd much rather have my character moved into position and me
role-play it later than to have a bunch of people relying on me to post and
not be available.

So Thanks!

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 08:48:48 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> Looks like a small, three story building got nailed directly under the
> hole made in this... floating whatever... by the divinity machine.  "I
> hope you're satisfied," says Gruff, "if anybody was struck by that
> beam, they're now the most powerful being in the universe.  And it's not me!!"

"Why do I always do this to myself?"  Rebound mumbles as he tosses a
line from each hand to grab Gruff and haul him back up through the
floor. (99,51)  "Look, I'm sorry about ruining your little ploy at
godhood, but don't ya think we have enough people around that think they
are gods?"

Once he has Gruff safely (albeit none too happily) retrieved, Rebound
will attach a full spread from each hand and lower himself down to see
what can be done to help out down below.(86,39)  "What in the world is
going on around here?  Who would have built such a huge city
underground, and why?  Hell, for that matter, who could have?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 09:30:05 PDT
From:    "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"I agree we should try to find out on which end of the stick we are truly getting stuck with."  By talking with several people a few guard we decide exactly how to go about whether or not to retrieve said artifact.

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 14:00:29 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

MLJoinerJR@aol.com wrote:

> Reaper turns and stops dead in his tracks, his mouth slowly gaping...
> "What the hell!"  He breaths, not sure if he should believe what he just saw.
> He sorta stands there dumbfounded, as if whatever he was thinking was the
> best thing to do just erased itself from his mind...

"Ha...Ha..Hahhahaha!"

...and Masque then takes a moment to collect himself. Won't do to leave
bits of himself all over the place.

He turns to Reaper and says with surprise,

"You saw that too?! Damn, damn, damn, I was hoping it was just a bit of
indigestion. Of course that book knew something was gonna
happen.....hmmmm, hey Book, or what do I call you? And what just
happened?"

Masque just nods his head, because thats what you do when you don't know
what anyone is saying, especially when one hasn't heard a response yet.
I guess it is really just an 'out-of-character' nod. But one never knows
with magicians. Or maybe I should have just left a space for a response... hmmmm.

Masque then shakes his head and wonders aloud,

"So if this is leading to ....well nothing, then maybe if I take a left
right here, we will end up somewhere, it's worth a shot..."

Masque suddenly realizes that, with the exception of Reaper, noone else
knows just what happened. It might have been the mixed expression of
Horror and confusion on their faces, but then again it could just be
indigestion.

and then promptly says,

"I didn't do it"

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 14:01:22 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Once he has Gruff safely (albeit none too happily) retrieved, Rebound
> will attach a full spread from each hand and lower himself down to see
> what can be done to help out down below.(86,39)  "What in the world is
> going on around here?  Who would have built such a huge city
> underground, and why?  Hell, for that matter, who could have?"

The old scientist looks at you, bewildered, as you reel him in.  "Of
course, of course, of course!  There *are* too many people believing
that they are gods.  But this experiment would have made me one for
real!  Unlimited power!  And now, someone below us may have that gift,
instead..."

Answering your other questions, once he's been safely deposited inside,
and has had a nice, stiff brandy, Gruff tries to make things make sense
to you. "That's no underground city, there.  That's Pittsburgh!  You've
intruded upon my invisible, floating laboratory!"

"I find that being invisible and severl hundred feet above the ground
helps to avoid notice from any unwanted visitors, like the I.R.S...."
He takes another drink or two, and offers you some.  "Don't worry, it's
not bad for you.  A little alcohol is vital for the proper digestion."

"Don't look at me like that.  I'm a scientist, not a biologist."

The old scientist then hands you the bottle, apparently made over a
hundred years ago, and reels over this big ol' viewing device.
"Harrumph.  If *I* am not going to be a god, I at least wish to know who
I've given ultimate powers to.  Hm..."

He starts to adjust his viewer thingie, which ends in a large,
telescoping eye mechanism.  In the view screen, you see the city,
apparently Pittsburgh, resolve into what looks like an auto repair shop
- or, what used to be one... the beam Gruff's device emitted smashed it
up real good.

There's some fellow laying in the midst of the wreckage, though it's
hard to see because of the smoke.  Also, there's two other people that
you can barely make out in the mess, one of which is in a trenchcoat and
cowboy type hat, and he's kicking the car that the fellow laying down is
on.

Or in.  It's hard to tell.

What do you do?

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:22:07 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> There's some fellow laying in the midst of the wreckage, though it's
> hard to see because of the smoke.  Also, there's two other people that
> you can barely make out in the mess, one of which is in a trench coat and 
> cowboy type hat, and he's kicking the car that the fellow laying down is on.

> Or in.  It's hard to tell.

"Well, it seems, either we just granted an auto-mechanic divinity, or
Herbie the Wonder Bug is about to be unleashed."

"Wait a minute...invisible?  Floating laboratory?  What makes it float?
How does it remain undetected?  Over a city????  How do you keep from
being hit by an airplane?"

Not waiting for an answer to any of his questions, Rebound shakes his
head in disbelief..."And I thought I stepped in it in the jungle...I'd
better get down there and see if I can fix any of this before that place
is swarming with police."

Rebound attaches a full spread from each hand to the sides of the hole
and begins lowering himself down to the wreckage below with a final
warning.  "You might want to stand clear if any of these strands break,
or you could be in for a world of hurt."

On the way down, Rebound continually admonishes himself. "I could have
just kept walking, made it to a nice hidey-hole, but NOOOOO...I had to
be curious.  Serves me right."

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 14:56:28 -0700 (PDT)
From:    Michael Joiner <ml_joiner@yahoo.com>

> "You saw that too?! Damn, damn, damn, I was hoping it was just a bit of
> indigestion. Of course that book knew something was gonna happen.....hmmmm, 
> hey Book, or what do I call you? And what just happened?"

Reaper turns from staring slack-jawed and wide eyed at the
place where the earth used to be, and turns the same look
onto this new person...

"Uh...yeah...just what I needed in the middle of a major
reality shift - an UN-reality check...the book...the book
is called the Infinitum...I am called Reaper...what ARE
you?"

> Masque just nods his head, because that's what you do when you don't know what 
> anyone is saying, especially when one hasn't heard a response yet.  I guess it 
> is really just an 'out-of-character' nod. But one never knows with magicians. 
> Or maybe I should have just left a space for a response...hmmmm.

> Masque then shakes his head and wonders aloud,

> "So if this is leading to ....well nothing, then maybe if I take a left right 
> here, we will end up somewhere, it's worth a shot..."

Reaper's expression changes slowly from absolute
incredulation, to a more detached view of this strange
person..."A left..." he says, raising an eyebrow...

> Masque suddenly realizes that, with the exception of Reaper, no one else knows 
> just what happened. It might have been the mixed expression of Horror and 
> confusion on their faces, but then again it could just be indigestion.

> and then promptly says,

> "I didn't do it"

Reaper shakes his head, and turns to the rest of the group
- especially those that seemed to arrive with him, as if
looking for an answer...

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Mon, 19 Apr 1999 23:28:42 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Reaper turns from staring slack-jawed and wide eyed at the
> place where the earth used to be, and turns the same look
> onto this new person...

> "Uh...yeah...just what I needed in the middle of a major
> reality shift - an UN-reality check...the book...the book
> is called the Infinitum...I am called Reaper...what ARE
> you?"

 " Why sir, I am a Magician and I Magic things. Now what while what we
just saw was not my doings, this dimensional pathway is. I just saved
your derriere. The problem is, If I am correct in assuming that the
Earth that we came from is not there anymore, then where I was planning
on opening this path to will not be either."

Masque scratches his chin and then a look of incredulity crosses his
face and he starts to mutter something to the effect of repenting and
promptly starts to flog himself with his various belts and loops. Oh
sure they are made of soft velvet and the like but he is trying with all
his might to make it look like it hurts....It's not very convincing but
he seems to be pleased with it. I mean, he is grimacing and
saying...stuff. Something to the effect of vowing never to sware like he
just did again. It isn't proper for a magician to sware in public I'll
have ya know.

> Reaper's expression changes slowly from absolute
> incredulation, to a more detached view of this strange
> person..."A left..." he says, raising an eyebrow...

Just as suddenly as he started that nonsense, he stops and holds up his
left hand and says,

"You know, this way. Just where exactly are you from?"

<muhahahaha>

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Tue, 20 Apr 1999 10:06:31 -0700 (PDT)
From:    Michael Joiner <ml_joiner@yahoo.com>

>  " Why sir, I am a Magician and I Magic things. Now what while what we just 
> saw was not my doings, this dimensional pathway is.  I just saved your 
> derriere. The problem is, If I am correct in assuming that the Earth that we 
> came from is not there anymore, then where I was planning on opening this path 
> to will not be either."

"My deri-what?  So...we're stuck eh?" Reaper replies.

- snip -

> Just as suddenly as he started that nonsense, he stops
> and holds up his left hand and says,

> "You know, this way. Just where exactly are you from?"

Reaper nods his head slowly, "Right...Where am *I* from?
Evidently no where NEAR anyplace you've ever been...where
are 'you' from?  Hell, for that matter - WHO are you?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Tue, 20 Apr 1999 13:52:24 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Okay.  You walk towards the fortress, acting as if the two of you are
supposed to be there, nobody seems to bar your way, so you get in easily
enough.  Again, there are people streaming in and out all around you,
and you hear snippets of conversations here and there.

Some memorable quotes include "We're finally going to take back what is
ours!", "Ahom will finally pay for what he did to us!", and last, but
not least "Once that foolish wizard is out of the way, no one can stop
us from finally conquering the world!"

All too soon, however, you find yourself in a central ampitheater, where
you see several people circled about a stage.  You note with some discomfort that these people have just watched somebody get killed, as the perpetrator of this deed is standing over the corpse, waving a staff.

The staff seems to be fashioned of bone, with a skull mounted on top.
Worse, it looks like it just absorbed some billowy white substance from
the corpse.  The eye sockets glow, and the man holding it speaks.  "Aah,
so Ahom seeks to stop me once and for all.  Shame, that."

"I'll just have to kill him, and feed his essence to my Staff of Foes."

"Unfortunately, this cretin didn't know the nature of the wizard's plan,
so neither do I.  Seal the palace!  I want no one entering my abode to
stop me - that is, us - at the moment of our triumph!  To victory, sons
of the Granx't!  Victory!!"

With that, he kicks the corpse around, and people start cheering a whole
lot.  They definitely appear to be a fun bunch, and their boss, who
several folks around you identify as Morbis, seems to be even funnier.
You could almost call him touched.

You hear the doors of the fortress closing behind you, and a general
murmur move across the crowd of people as Morbis performs some magic.
You see these tiny little robots, about an inch or so in height,
assemble themselves from a pile of parts the technomage threw on the
ground.

And grow.  Within seconds, they are as big as a human being, standing at
about six feet tall, and seem armed with just one weapon:  a gun that sits in place of their lower left arms.  "Welcome, my children.  I have a mission for you:  Go forth, and seek those who bear the spoor of Ahom."

Morbis smiles with this.  "And rend them limb from limb."

The robots walk towards the door, passing you and Tammy, and move right
through the sealed doorway behind you.  The crowd sort of disperses with
this, leaving you, Tammy, and the strangely out cold Seven Dimensional
man to yourselves.  "Well, I guess that answers that", she says.

"Now, to find this key..."

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Tue, 20 Apr 1999 14:08:02 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> On the way down, Rebound continually admonishes himself. "I could have
> just kept walking, made it to a nice hidey-hole, but NOOOOO...I had to
> be curious.  Serves me right."

As you're spreading your gooey tendrils out to the hole, Gruff starts to
answer your questions, since like any mad scientist, he likes to tell
you How He Did It.  "Well, young man, my lab floats on a
anti-gravitational cushion, and is made invisible by a special optical
distortion - hey!"

He never got to answer the airplane question, because you were off.  He
was so busy being smug about his secret lab, he didn't notice you were
leaving until you were, well, gone.  As you descend from the floating
lab, you see the old man was right; all you can see of it is the hole
leading inside.

And that becomes less and less visible as you descend into the city
below; that may be due to him fixing the hole, or simple smog, it's hard
to say.  At any rate, you manage to finally touch down on solid ground
again, though in the midst of a ruined building.

"Arrgh!  I just built this car!"  The man in the cowboy hat is still
kicking the car in, but he looks funny.  He has no nose, for one thing,
and has pale white skin.  His companion, who's rolling on the floor
laughing, she's a different story.

She's got coal black skin, with red speckles on the edges of her crimson
hair, as well as her hands and feet.  Also, she's wearing a rather...
tight... leather outfit, that looks like something out of some sort of
fantasy novel... kind of.  And she's got a big sword.  And guns.

Actually, both of them do, it's just that the guy in the trenchcoat is
hiding his better.

Seeing you descend into the former auto garage, the guy with the hat
leers at you menacingly.  "Hey!  Who're you!  Did *you* wreck my brand
new car?! What a pain!  I finally find a mechanic to help me make a car
that can use my ZPEC unit, and it gets blowed up.  Arrrgh!"

Speaking of the mechanic, you hear him say "uuuuugh" and start stirring
in the wreckage of this car, what looks like it was going to be a pink
Coupe DeVille.  "Anybody get the number of that truck?  The mechanic is
a rather tall fellow, about six foot five, with somewhat short blonde
hair.

He's also got a big hole burned into his working smocks, and you can see
a tiny tattoo on his chest, a sort of eight-pointed star, with a little
crescent surrounding it.  It looks otherwise unremarkable, save for the
fact that it's pulsating with a subtle white light.

Like the light you just used to destroy the universe, though less
intense.

Now what do you do?!

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Tue, 20 Apr 1999 17:36:28 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> Reaper turns from staring slack-jawed and wide eyed at the place where the 
> earth used to be, and turns the same look onto this new person... "Uh... 
> yeah...just what I needed in the middle of a major reality shift - an UN-
> reality check...the book...the book is called the Infinitum...I am called 
> Reaper...what ARE you?"

 " Why sir, I am a Magician and I Magic things. Now what while what we
just saw was not my doings, this dimensional pathway is. I just saved
your derriere. The problem is, If I am correct in assuming that the
Earth that we came from is not there anymore, then where I was planning
on opening this path to will not be either."

Sil shook her head, <<What the hell do you mean: "not there"? You
perfidious prestidigitator?>>

(tag)

Masque scratches his chin and then a look of incredulity crosses his
face and he starts to mutter something to the effect of repenting and
promptly starts to flog himself with his various belts and loops. Oh
sure they are made of soft velvet and the like but he is trying with all
his might to make it look like it hurts....It's not very convincing but
he seems to be pleased with it. I mean, he is grimacing and
saying...stuff. Something to the effect of vowing never to sware like he
just did again. It isn't proper for a magician to sware in public I'll
have ya know.

> Reaper's expression changes slowly from absolute
> incredulation, to a more detached view of this strange
> person..."A left..." he says, raising an eyebrow...

Just as suddenly as he started that nonsense, he stops and holds up his
left hand and says,

"You know, this way. Just where exactly are you from?"

The petite telepath glowered at Masque, <<Make up your mind.
Do you or do you not know what is going on around here, mage.
Because if you don't know, say so. otherwise, I'm hauling the lot
of us where I *know* where we're going...>>

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Tue, 20 Apr 1999 20:24:24 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Sil shook her head, <<What the hell do you mean: "not there"? You
> perfidious prestidigitator?>>

Masque looks as if he is concentrating really hard, almost too hard. You
might say that he is about to have an aneurism when he just stops and
smiles and says with an almost fluid nature,

"Perfidious Prestidigitator!"

He looks strangely satisfied.

> The petite telepath glowered at Masque, <<Make up your mind.
> Do you or do you not know what is going on around here, mage.
> Because if you don't know, say so. otherwise, I'm hauling the lot
> of us where I *know* where we're going...>>

Masque looks somewhat perturbed at that last comment but he is stilled
happy that he managed those last two words. I mean sure it's easy if you
just have to think them, but actually saying them is another story. He
none-the-less bows to Sil and says,

"Do what ya gotta do Lady, I have no clue what just happened and My
little tiny, itty-bitty dangersense only went off for a second and i can
still taste some of those peanuts but what the ehck, let's see what you
can do......"

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Wed, 21 Apr 1999 00:23:30 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

(Okay... you all got away from me, there... heh heh.  Whilst I was gone
and stuff, you three made what, ten posts?  So, I'm not pasting them all
in, simply to save you from leafing through it all.  I'm just gonna try
and pick up the pieces, eh?)

While the five of you stand there on Masque's interdimensional pathway,
gaping at the world that was once yours, the book that Reaper is holding
begins to speak up, once it is introduced by him.  "Know ye, yon
sorcerer, that I am the accumulated knowledge of all earthly magics!"

"I am the Infinitum!"  The book makes a dramatic pause at this point, in
order to allow this world-shaking (as it were, since you currently have
no world) information to sink in.  "And close that portal end, Masque,
before your plane re-establishes itself again."

"If you hurry, you can stop those members of the Illudicated Brethren
from tracking us down here.  That would be a bad thing, by the way."
The book then pauses again, whilst you all decide upon a course of
action.  "And feel free to set any destination you like, you little
mortal mage."

"Soon enough, your universe will reappear to meet you there."

Och just shrugs.  "Don't look at me.  Last time something like this
happened, I wound up in Fargo."  The Magician, on the other hand, isn't
quite so... stoic.  "Crap!  So, now our lives and future are totally
dependent on this cretin!  Crap!"  He is, of course, gesturing at
Masque.

"We might as well just jump off this path.  I'm sure it'll be safer..."

(?)

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Wed, 21 Apr 1999 09:16:08 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> He's also got a big hole burned into his working smocks, and you can see
> a tiny tatoo on his chest, a sort of eight-pointed star, with a little
> crescent surrounding it.  It looks otherwise unremarkable, save for the
> fact that it's pulsating with a subtle white light.

> Like the light you just used to destroy the universe, though less
> intense.

"Terribly sorry about the car, Sir.  It was purely an accident.  A stray
blast, I'm afraid, but then, I'm also sure you know about such things
judging from your armament."

Rebound attempts to assess these people.  Just how dangerous do they
look?  If they don't jump him, he casually walks over to the mechanic,
and gives him a hand getting up. "Are you OK there, buddy?  You took
quite a hit." (It might not be the best idea to piss off the newest god
on the block).

Turning to the woman rolling on the floor laughing, "Do you need
assistance as well, Miss?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Wed, 21 Apr 1999 17:32:20 -0700 (PDT)
From:    Michael Joiner <ml_joiner@yahoo.com>

> "If you hurry, you can stop those members of the
> Illudicated Brethren
> from tracking us down here.  That would be a bad thing,
> by the way."

"Based on some real recent experiences - I gotta agree with
the book," Reaper says,"they didn't seem much on power -
but they come atcha in numbers..."

> The book then pauses again, whilst you all decide upon a
> course of action.  "And feel free to set any destination you like,
> you little mortal mage."

> "Soon enough, your universe will reappear to meet you
> there."

> Och just shrugs.  "Don't look at me.  Last time something like this
> happened, I wound up in Fargo."  The Magician, on the other hand, isn't
> quite so... stoic.  "Crap!  So, now our lives and future are totally
> dependent on this cretin!  Crap!"  He is, of course, gesturing at Masque.

> "We might as well just jump off this path.  I'm sure
> it'll be safer..."

Reaper looks at each member of this new group he's found.  "Look, I don't know any of you, other than Halby over there, but I gotta say I have no love for Fargo, or any unforeseen place for that matter.  If this odd fellow here is our ticket back to whats real, then lets get to it.  If its on us to just 'walk' somewhere and there we are - then whatever - lets do that.  Does anyone else have any ideas?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Thu, 22 Apr 1999 10:21:40 PDT
From:    "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

I ask Tammy, "Do you have any ideas?  Where was it he said we might find this key again?  I really wanted to be rid of stupid here but I was not sure that we could trust him."  We try to form a plan to find the key and get out of here without being discovered.  Hope, hope, hope.
Stone Cold

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 22 Apr 1999 12:36:27 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

"Oh fine, fine"
Masque waves his hands about and opens the path into Central Park, In New York City.

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 22 Apr 1999 12:37:11 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

And of course, the other end was already closed, pretty much when we got in there.

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Thu, 22 Apr 1999 17:01:00 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Rebound attempts to assess these people.  Just how dangerous do they
> look?  If they don't jump him, he casually walks over to the mechanic,
> and gives him a hand getting up. "Are you OK there, buddy?  You took
> quite a hit." (It might not be the best idea to piss off the newest god
> on the block).

> Turning to the woman rolling on the floor laughing, "Do you need
> assistance as well, Miss?"

The lady on the floor, crying as she laughs, looks at you and laughs
some more.  "No, no, no, I'm fine, berk.  Just..."  She points at the
wrecked car and busts up laughing again.  Apparently, she found this
whole incident exceedingly humorous.

However, as you think about how dangerous these two are, and before you
can commit to any action, the nose-less man has you by the cape.  "Stray
shot!? Why you...  I'll kill you!!"  He stops, though, because that
mechanic starts making more noise.

"Uugh... quit yelling... headache..."

As you help the man up, the nose-less man just starts griping in the
background.  "Crap crap crap!  It took me - us - three months to get
this stupid car going!  You know how hard it is to get a Coup DeVille to
run on a zero point energy drive?!"

As if on cue, the mechanic man pulls a cylinder out of the former pink
car, one that has Z-PEC 5000 written on it, next to the blinky lights
and such. "Good thing this cylinder is virtually indestructible,
Gunslinger", the mechanic says, "or you'd be in a real bind!"

"Why, this metal is real handy!  What'd you call it again?  Adamantium?
I could sure use some of this.  In fact --"  The mechanic was about to
continue, when something descended from the sky on a very long bungee
cord, something that just like ol' Gruff.

"Zoink!"  after saying that, he rockets back into the sky, along with
the Z-PEC engine.  "Aaargh!"  Both this 'Gunslinger' and the mysterious
woman pull out guns and open fire on the mad scientist and, after
spraying lead at the man futilely for several seconds, stop.

The Gunslinger then presses a button on each of his boots, and flies
after on a gust of jump jet thrust.  Moments later, the dark lady waves
her fingers and arms in a complex pattern, and follows with a 'whoosh'.
That just leaves the two of you there, Rebound, and the mechanic looks
beat.

"Ehh, screw this.  This is too bizarre.  I'm up for a beer - you with
me, pal?"  With that, the newly tatooed grease monkey walks out of the
rubble, just as sirens begin to approach in the distance.  You see the
tall blonde man head for a bar across the street.  What do you do?

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Thu, 22 Apr 1999 19:43:41 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

Sil looked around at Reaper, Och, Masque and the talking book.

<<Okay. How about this. I'm stuck in a tunnel that goes nowhere, with an Asgardian (?) dwarf, a lunatic mage and a guy I've never seen before today, who has a book that talks. I'm from another dimension, and though we've got magick and "dwarf" type humanoids....>> she looked meaningfully at each of them, <<NOTHING about this makes sense. What exactly do you mean, you over rated pile of scrap paper, that where we were "just ceased to exist"...  I'd like to hear something rational for a change?>>

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Thu, 22 Apr 1999 22:42:38 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

"If I remember right, he said that sapphire key thingie *might* be in
his study, wherever that might be.  If it's something he made, it could
be in some sort of magic lab or something.  If he is a magician, that
is; from his performance 'on stage', it sure looks like it."

"Brr."

"I say we canvas this building, and look for something to that effect."
Assuming you don't disagree, the two of you then begin to wander about
the eerie fortress, and nobody bothers to mess with you one way or the
other, as they're doing much the same.

It seems that, with the place locked down, that nobody really knows what
to do.  After about three hours, you find something that may be the
correct type of laboratory.  It's full of glass tubing, strange powders
and ingredients, and more importantly, a big ol' library.

Within, there's oodles of gadgets and tinkerings, the sort that seem to
indicate various high tech works in progress.  The only problem, though,
is that you don't see the key laying about.  You might have to dig about
for it, assuming that the thing is even in this room.

It could be anywhere... including elsewhere in the fortress... What do
you do?

Subject: Re: [v13] Montreal Mayhem!
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 01:17:04 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> <<Okay. How about this. I'm stuck in a tunnel that goes nowhere, with an 
> Asgardian (?) dwarf, a lunatic mage and a guy I've never seen before today, 
> who has a book that talks. I'm from another dimension, and though we've got 
> magick and "dwarf" type humaonids....>> she looked meaningfully at each of 
> them, <<NOTHING about this makes sense. What exactly do you mean, you over 
> rated pile of scrap paper, that where we were "just ceased to exist"...... I'd 
> like to hear something rational for a change?>>

Masque snickers!

Subject: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 01:17:04 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Michael Joiner wrote:

> "Based on some real recent experiences - I gotta agree with
> the book," Reaper says,"they didn't seem much on power -
> but they come atcha in numbers..."

>> The book then pauses again, whilst you all decide upon a course of
>> action.  "And feel free to set any destination you like, you little
>> mortal mage."

>> "Soon enough, your universe will reappear to meet you there."

>> (snip Och's and the Magician's banter)

> Reaper looks at each member of this new group he's found.  "Look, I don't
> know any of you, other than Halby over there, but I gotta say I have no
> love for Fargo, or any un-forseen place for that matter.  If this odd
> fellow here is our ticket back to whats real, then lets get to it.  If
> its on us to just 'walk' somewhere and there we are - then whatever -
> lets do that.  Does anyone else have any ideas?"

Chris W. Acers wrote:

> "Oh fine, fine"
> Masque waves his hands about and opens the path into Central Park, In
> New York City.

Chris W. Acers wrote:

> And of course, the other end was already closed, pretty much when we got
> in there.

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Sil looked around at Reaper, Och, Masque and the talking book.

> <<Okay. How about this. I'm stuck in a tunnel that goes nowhere, with an
> Asgardian (?) dwarf, a lunatic mage and a guy I've never seen before
> today, who has a book that talks. I'm from another dimension, and though
> we've got magick and "dwarf" type humanoids....>> she looked meaningfully
> at each of them, <<NOTHING about this makes sense. What exactly do you
> mean, you over rated pile of scrap paper, that where we were "just ceased
> to exist"...... I'd like to hear something rational for a change?>>

Chris W. Acers wrote:

> Masque snickers!

The Infinitum, if it had a face, would look utterly insulted.
"Overrated? Scrap of Paper?!  I'll have you know, *young lady*, that I
am the Infinitum!!  I am no mere scrap, nor just a book!  I am the
greatest font of knowledge concerning Geomancy!"

"And I will have you know that I know exactly what I am talking about!
Your causality - at least, the one that most of you have made temporary
residences in - has simply ceased to exist.  It is a temporary
condition, I assure you, in that the source of this disturbance is
fleeting in nature."

"Somebody on *my* plane has caused time and space to fold in on itself,
compressing all of *my* causality into a single, zero-dimensional
point.  Such energies cannot be contained in a non-space for long,
however, and *my* reality will spring back into existence within a few
moments."

"Carry on, Masque.  I know about these things."  The Infinitum shuts up
at this point, tired of talking to you mere mortals.  From what you can
tell, Reaper, the thing seems to retreat further into its leathery
pouch, as if it simply weren't talking to you people any more.

You can almost hear it say "Harrumph."

With that, Masque finishes the incantation that brought the lot of you
into this extraplanar corridor in the first place, and the path before
you shifts and contorts or, at the very least, the space around it
does.  Following the path for a short while, you find its destination.

It empties out into another blank white space, just like the one you
left behind.  As the lot of you step out, you notice a total lack of
air, though you have no need to breathe.  You're all just standing
there, basking in this utter blank nothingness, when the universe comes
crashing in.

You see a speck of blackness in the distance, and the world comes
streaking at you at incredible speed, enshrouding you all in a cold
darkness.  As your eyes (or whatever) adjust to this change, you slowly
realize that you all are in a dark wood; it's being lightly coated in snow.

Allowing yourselves more time to adjust, you all get used to the background sound, totally absent moments ago, and realize that this forest is, indeed, surrounded by a large city.  Walking around a bit, the five of you see that Masque steered you dead on to Central Park, in good ol' N.Y.C.

You are home!

Just then, there's a crashing sound behind the lot of you, and this...
motorcycle... comes crashing out of thin air, parking right behind
Reaper. It makes slight idling sounds, and then stops.  "Wow!", says
Halby.  "Your bike followed us here!!"

Though things seem somewhat peaceful, you're getting the unsettling
feeling that you're being watched, Silhouette; you too, Reaper.  It's
not quite a visual thing, mind you, but you can't help but feel that
something has a bead on you all.

In fact, you can feel a powerful determination behind this seeking,
Silhouette, as if somebody with impressive mental ability were
blanketing the entire globe for you.  Either that, or all of those
Illudicated Brethren fellows are pooling their power.

What do you all do now?!

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 01:52:59 -0500
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Just then, there's a crashing sound behind the lot of you, and this...
> motorcycle... comes crashing out of thin air, parking right behind
> Reaper. It makes slight idling sounds, and then stops.  "Wow!", says
> Halby.  "Your bike followed us here!!"

> What do you all do now?!

Masque screams and scurries up a tree......

"Augghhhh, Motorcycle out of nowhere!"

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 08:54:17 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> "Ehh, screw this.  This is too bizarre.  I'm up for a beer - you with
> me, pal?"  With that, the newly tatooed grease monkey walks out of the
> rubble, just as sirens begin to approach in the distance.  You see the
> tall blonde man head for a bar across the street.  What do you do?

"Ya know, I could use one too.  But what about 'Gunslinger' and the
bondage babe?  Bah, let them try to figure it out."

Rebound heads across the street to join the grease monkey in the bar.
He takes a long look up into the sky to see if he can spot any action
going on up there before heading in.

"I'd love to help ya, Gruff, but I'm a bit out of range...Ah, what the
hell, I haven't had a drink in weeks."

Rebound heads in and joins the grease monkey in the bar.  After ordering
the guy a drink, "What's your name, buddy?"

(Presumed response)

"They call me Rebound.  Who the heck were those people?"

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound)
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 13:32:40 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Douglas Lohse wrote:

> "Ya know, I could use one too.  But what about 'Gunslinger' and the
> bondage babe?  Bah, let them try to figure it out."

> Rebound heads across the street to join the grease monkey in the bar.
> He takes a long look up into the sky to see if he can spot any action
> going on up there before heading in.

> "I'd love to help ya, Gruff, but I'm a bit out of range...Ah, what the
> hell, I haven't had a drink in weeks."

> Rebound heads in and joins the grease monkey in the bar.  After ordering
> the guy a drink, "What's your name, buddy?"

The two of you walk into the bar, and the mechanic has a seat up front,
getting a Corona from the bartender, and whatever you want.  "Name's
Connell.  Ken Connell."  The man takes a long, long drink.  "Man, I fell
all funny.  This is the single wierdest scar I've ever had."

He thoughtfully rubs the star-pattern on his chest, and looks even more
surprised when that causes it to move to his hand.  "Um..."

> "They call me Rebound.  Who the heck were those people?"

Ken looks over at you, though you can tell he's disturbed by this moving
'scar' thing.  "Well, to be blunt, they're aliens.  Time travelling,
dimension crossing mercenary aliens, to be exact.  Don't look at me like
that, man, it's what *they* said."

"The guy without a nose is the Gunslinger.  He's from an alternate
earth, and goes through time seeking fame, fortune, and so on.  The
darkling lady calls herself Moebius, and she's from some city at the
center of the 'multiverse', as she called it.  And she's a sorcerer or
something."

After digesting what he just said, Ken takes a huge swig off his beer,
finishing it.  "Hey, Moe, gimme four more of these... I need 'em!"  The
bartender does, and Ken starts in on them.  "I know it sounds totally
insane, but I've been with these maniacs for the last three months now."

"Seems that this Gunslinger fellow broke his car when he first met
Moebius, and he had to make another one - but needed a mechanic that
could couple this ... engine ... he had to the 'primitive' mechanics of
an automobile.  I guess he thought I was it."

"I'm sure he'll be back soon enough, since he'll need to get another car
made up once he gets his Z-PEC unit back from that kooky old man that
took it.  Friend of yours?"  Ken finishes off another one, and almost
looks depressed about something.

(theoretical response space)

Ken continues drinking heavily.  "Man, I tell you, ever since I ran into
those gun-toting lunatics, my life has gotten weirder and weirder.  It's
like they're total freak magnets, and have cursed me with the same.  I
mean, c'mon, look what happened to me?!"

He shows you his palm, and that scar (though one that is a perfect,
eight-pointed star, with a crescent pattern around it, like a lens
flare) is pulsing and twinkling like a tiny star.  On his hand.  And it
was, until moments ago, on his chest.

"I guess this means that I'm a freak, now, too."

(?)

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 14:44:34 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> "I'm sure he'll be back soon enough, since he'll need to get another car
> made up once he gets his Z-PEC unit back from that kooky old man that
> took it.  Friend of yours?"  Ken finishes off another one, and almost
> looks depressed about something.

"I wouldn't exactly call him a friend.  I kinda interrupted one of his
experiments after stumbling in on some shady happenings."

> Ken continues drinking heavily.  "Man, I tell you, ever since I ran into
> those gun-toting lunatics, my life has gotten weirder and weirder.  It's
> like they're total freak magnets, and have cursed me with the same.  I
> mean, c'mon, look what happened to me?!"

> He shows you his palm, and that scar (though one that is a perfect,
> eight-pointed star, with a crescent pattern around it, like a lens
> flare) is pulsing and twinkling like a tiny star.  On his hand.  And
> it was, until moments ago, on his chest.

> "I guess this means that I'm a freak, now, too."

"Believe me, Ken, having a funky tattoo that moves around your body
isn't such a bad thing relative to what can happen to a guy in this
world.  That Gunslinger guy seemed real upset about having his car
wrecked.  You think he'll come in here shooting?  Not that I'm all that
worried about getting hurt mind you.  I'd just rather not see any of the
people just minding their business getting hurt."

Rebound takes a careful look around the bar checking to see how many
people are in there, where they are located, and the various exits
available to them.

"I know you have had a bad day already, but considering the day I have
been having, I almost want him to come in here and start something...I
really need to hit something...or someone.   You mind if I take a look
at that tattoo you got there?"

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 15:12:12 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> You can now see why Ken's so discombobulated, being that he's feeling
> this all over.  Apparently, ol' Gruff's experiment would have worked,
> had you not messed it up.  Which might be a good thing, because he
> didn't seem to be the most... balanced type of person.

"Well, in case you *are* wondering, I didn't wreck his car on purpose.
As a matter of fact, I was trying to stop the unstable geek up there
from...well...um...er...ah...how do I put this...making himself into
(insert mocking tone here) 'THE MOST POWERFUL BEING IN THE UNIVERSE'  At
least that's what he said he was doing.  Instead of him getting powered
up, you got tagged by his weird power-ray.  I guess that makes you the
most powerful being in the universe."

Surveying the growing pile of empties in front of poor Ken, Rebound
(hoping there's a pool table) asks him, "Hey, you feel like a game of
pool?  Might help to get your mind off things."

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 14:22:17 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Douglas Lohse wrote:

>> "I guess this means that I'm a freak, now, too."

> "Believe me, Ken, having a funky tattoo that moves around your body
> isn't such a bad thing relative to what can happen to a guy in this
> world.  That Gunslinger guy seemed real upset about having his car
> wrecked.  You think he'll come in here shooting?  Not that I'm all that
> worried about getting hurt mind you.  I'd just rather not see any of the
> people just minding their business getting hurt."

"True."  Ken finishes off his third beer.  "I guess that's not so bad,
it's just that I feel funny, too.  This scar, or tatoo, or whatever it
is, it's pulsing with... life, or something.  I feel it, you know,
spreading all around me.  It's weird.  I feel almost... charged..."

You can tell he's having trouble describing what he's experiencing, but
then, he's slammed three beers in about five mintues.  On top of that,
of course, you get the impression that he's just an ordinary guy, one
not used to this sort of thing.  You know, the bizarre.

> Rebound takes a careful look around the bar checking to see how many
> people are in there, where they are located, and the various exits
> available to them.

There's two exits:  the door you came in from, and one in the rear, by
the restrooms.  There's about seven people, and half of 'em are eyeing
the two of you warily.  You can tell they don't necessarily feel good
about you being here, but then, Ken's been hanging around with freaks
for awhile now.

They may simply think you to be a friend of those other, gun-toting
goons. That could be it... but you're not too sure.  After all, you are
wearing an abnormal outfit, and it's still morning.  And then, there's
the mask, you know...

> "I know you have had a bad day already, but considering the day I have
> been having, I almost want him to come in here and start something...I
> really need to hit something...or someone.   You mind if I take a look
> at that tattoo you got there?"

"Ehh... don't worry about Gunslinger.  He won't really kill ya.  Unless
you *did* ruin his car.  On purpose."  Ken starts his fourth.  "Those
two are good people, if... violently disposed.  You're fine.  Besides, I
think he's busy messing with yer 'pal' in the sky..."

Thinking about what he just said, Ken sips yet more.  And then, once you
pop the question, he says "Sure, help yourself.  But be careful... it
feels kinda hot."  You touch the strange marking on Ken's hand, and you
indeed feel a distinct warmth to it.  And it's pulsating, flowing with
power.

You can now see why Ken's so discombobulated, being that he's feeling
this all over.  Apparently, ol' Gruff's experiment would have worked,
had you not messed it up.  Which might be a good thing, because he
didn't seem to be the most... balanced type of person.

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 12:28:53 -0700 (PDT)
From:    Michael Joiner ml_joiner@yahoo.com

> "Carry on, Masque.  I know about these things."  The Infinitum shuts up
> at this point, tired of talking to you mere mortals.

Reaper raises his arms as if to say "oh well..."

> From what you can tell, Reaper, the thing seems to retreat further into its
> leathery pouch, as if it simply weren't talking to you people any more.

> You can almost hear it say "Harrumph."

Reaper, absentmindedly, lightly taps the bag in an almost consoling manner...

> As the lot of you step out, you notice a total lack of air, though you have no 
> need to breathe.  You're all just standing there, basking in this utter blank 
> nothingness, when the universe comes crashing in.

> You see a speck of blackness in the distance, and the world comes streaking at 
> you at incredible speed, enshrouding you all in a cold darkness.  As your eyes 
> or whatever) adjust to this change, you slowly realize that you all are in a 
> dark wood; it's being lightly coated in snow.

Reaper tries to steady himself from the overload of cosmic awareness that just kicked in - and the spinning ride they all just went through.  He grimaces, shaking his head...

> Allowing yourselves more time to adjust, you all get used to the background 
> sound, totally absent moments ago, and realize that this forest is, indeed, 
> surrounded by a large city.  Walking around a bit, the five of you see that 
> Masque steered you dead on to Central Park, in good ol' N.Y.C.

"Excellent...more f**kin snow..." Reaper says, beginning the process of exciting the ions in his body to warm himself...

> Just then, there's a crashing sound behind the lot of you, and this...
> motorcycle... comes crashing out of thin air, parking right behind Reaper. It 
> makes slight idling sounds, and then stops.  "Wow!", says Halby.  "Your bike 
> followed us here!!"

Reaper blinks, "Damn!" he says, almost misty eyed, as he runs his hands over the seat...

(OOC: Score!  I was missing that bike!)

> Though things seem somewhat peaceful, you're getting the unsettling feeling 
> that you're being watched, Silhouette; you too, Reaper.  It's not quite a 
> visual thing, mind you, but you can't help but feel that something has a bead 
> on you all.

"Ummm...guys, you feel that?" Reaper asks, looking around.

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 12:30:59 -0700 (PDT)
From:    Michael Joiner <ml_joiner@yahoo.com>

> Masque screams and scurries up a tree......

> "Augghhhh, Motorcycle out of nowhere!"

Reaper looks up in the tree, a smile slowly crossing his
face, "Wow...I get my bike back, and freak out the weird
guy all in one...can't ask for more than that eh?"

(OOC - Insert Reaper's statement about being "watched"
after this!)

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Fri, 23 Apr 1999 15:12:28 PDT
From:    "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

I do my best to look over every nook and cranny. To find it after that
I start to feel around the walls, for secret passages entry ways and
what not if that doesn't work.  I will try to start at the top of the
complex and try to search every room without us being discovered.
"Tammy do you have any mind control abilities, if we could get stupid
here to warp the field around us maybe the key would jump out at us
like a homing beacon.  Seeing that it might be magic, unless the whole
complex is like that otherwise we go with plan dumb and search every
room.  Or we could go with plan stupid and act like double agents and
get him to practically give it to us in exchange for our strange
benefactors where abouts."

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Sat, 24 Apr 1999 16:04:20 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:

> Jinx just smirks at Hawk's comment about bugging her 'friends'.

> "Right...gotta give them plenty of time to get saturated with my oh so
> pleasant demeanor!" she jokes as she settles back, trying to work out
> the details of who she can trust or at least on how to proceed with the
> coming nastiness.

> ~Yeesh, this is way too much for me! Ack!~ she thought to herself as she
> tried to keep a cool exterior.

As the bus pulls up at the hotel again, you rush out to get the others,
Jinx, only to note that Hardcore wasn't in his hotel room, after all.
Ronin was still there, but you get the impression that Hardcore either
bailed out or simply went out for a walk or a beer or something.

It takes him a minute to open his door, and he gives you that
questioning look.  You know, the 'what do YOU want' look.  What do you
say?

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Sat, 24 Apr 1999 16:11:24 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Douglas Lohse wrote:

> "Well, in case you *are* wondering, I didn't wreck his car on purpose.
> As a matter of fact, I was trying to stop the unstable geek up there
> from...well...um...er...ah...how do I put this...making himself into
> (insert mocking tone here) 'THE MOST POWERFUL BEING IN THE UNIVERSE'  At
> least that's what he said he was doing.  Instead of him getting powered
> up, you got tagged by his weird power-ray.  I guess that makes you the
> most powerful being in the universe."

Ken gives you a long look.  "Uh huh."  He finishes off another one, and
looks like he's seeing pretty little sparklies all over the place.
"Ooh."

> Surveying the growing pile of empties in front of poor Ken, Rebound
> (hoping there's a pool table) asks him, "Hey, you feel like a game of
> pool?  Might help to get your mind off things."

"Sure."  He gets up, and wobbles about to the nearest pool table, and
the two of you start a nice game when, all of a sudden, the two of you
find yourself surrounded by the local drinkers.  "Hey, punk!  What's
with you, bringing all your freak friends into *our* bar?!"

A chorus of 'yeah' and 'right' follows this, and it would appear that
three of 'em are holding pool sticks.  "Piss off", says Ken.  "This is
as much my bar as it is yours.  I been drinking here after work for four
years.  And this guy's my friend, so don't give us any trouble."

They seem angrier with this, and look like they're gonna cause a
ruckus.  What do you do, Rebound?

Subject: Re: [v13] Stone Cold Release!
Date:    Sat, 24 Apr 1999 20:08:40 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Tammy looks at you and shrugs.  "Nope, I'm just a telekinetic,
remember?"

You work your way through this room, seeking out any random, secret
compartments, and find a bevy of them - but the key isn't apparent.  Oh,
sure, you find all sorts of secret blueprints and the like, and you even
find design notes for the key, including materials needed, but that's
it.

At least, until you pull the plans out.  The key itself was folded in
with them, and you finally have the device in your grasp.  Looking at
it, you can see that it is a thing of beauty, being a carved sapphire
key, though the lines of circuitry within make it look sort of odd.

As you admire the artifact, you suddenly feel a weight lifting off of
your shoulder.  The Seven Dimensional Man is awake - and freaking out!
"Argh!  The end of the world!  Everything is coming to a close - RIGHT
NOW!  Aiee!" He runs around in circles, and you see something wrong with
his eyes.

They're glowing with an eerie, magnesium-white light.

"Death!  Destruction!!  Obliteration!!!  Game over!  Game Over!!"  Just
then, thanks to the terrible racket he's making, somebody has come to
investigate.  In fact, it's none other than that Morbis fellow, and he
looks rather... annoyed with your presence.

"Fools!  Ignorant Fools!  Thinking you could penetrate my defenses
without me stopping you!  I'll destroy you for this!  I..."  Before the
dread mage can do anything about your presence, he vanishes.  Or,
rather, the world vanishes, replaced by an eerie, blank slate in all
directions.

You and Tammy are floating there in a chalk-white nothingness for
several secnods, or perhaps an infinity; it's hard to tell.  When things
return to normal, you're not in prehistoric Florida anymore - you're in
New York City!  And, thankfully, it's the present!!

Tammy exclaims "Ahh - Pollution!"

Of course, you happened to materialize not on a nice and quiet stretch
of road - instead, you've reappeared smack dab in the middle of a busy
road - right off of Central Park!  In fact, there seems to be a bus on a
crash course for you!!

What do you do?!

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Sat, 24 Apr 1999 21:14:12 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> Though things seem somewhat peaceful, you're getting the
> unsettling  feeling that you're being watched, Silhouette; you too,
> Reaper.  It's not quite a visual thing, mind you, but you can't help
> but feel that something has a bead on you all.

"Ummm...guys, you feel that?" Reaper asks, looking around.

Sil nodded, <<Yes, I feel something, but I can't identify it...>>

resp?

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Sun, 25 Apr 1999 21:03:28 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Chris W. Acers wrote:

>> What do you all do now?!

> Masque screams and scurries up a tree......

> "Augghhhh, Motorcycle out of nowhere!"

Michael Joiner wrote:

> Reaper blinks, "Damn!" he says, almost misty eyed, as he
> runs his hands over the seat...

> (OOC: Score!  I was missing that bike!)

>> Though things seem somewhat peaceful, you're getting the unsettling
>> feeling that you're being watched, Silhouette; you too, Reaper.  It's
>> not quite a visual thing, mind you, but you can't help but feel that
>> something has a bead on you all.

> "Ummm...guys, you feel that?" Reaper asks, looking around.

Michael Joiner wrote:

>> "Augghhhh, Motorcycle out of nowhere!"

> Reaper looks up in the tree, a smile slowly crossing his face, "Wow...I
> get my bike back, and freak out the weird guy all in one...can't ask for
> more than that eh?"

> (OOC - Insert Reaper's statement about being "watched" after this!)

Lady Arakne wrote:

>> Though things seem somewhat peaceful, you're getting the
>> unsettling  feeling that you're being watched, Silhouette; you too,
>> Reaper.  It's not quite a visual thing, mind you, but you can't help
>> but feel that something has a bead on you all.

> "Ummm...guys, you feel that?" Reaper asks, looking around.

> Sil nodded, <<Yes, I feel something, but I can't identify it...>>

None of you are sure exactly what it is, but you definitely have an idea
who is behind it.  The question, then, is what exactly do you all do
about it?  Do you hang out there and wait for trouble to find you, or do
you take ... steps ... to prevent this from happening?

As you all deliberate on your imminent future, and try to get Masque out
of his tree, the five of you spy something odd flying over head.  In the
haze, it looks like four tiny balls of flame, in a sort of rectangle
pattern, moving overhead in a north-northeast direction.

Looking closer with your awareness, Reaper, you can sense that these
balls o' fire are, in fact, coming from the boot jets of two mean,
chrome-covered robots!  One of them is holding the other upright, and
they seem to have a single-minded devotion to their given task.

In other words, they're not headed towards you.

The question is, however, what are two robots doing in New York City?!
Another question that comes to mind for you, Silhouette, is why you're
sensing a definite psionic presence from the main robot - the one who's
keeping the other flying straight.

After all, your episode with Seor Barnett notwithstanding, most of your
experience has been that, where inanimate objects are concerned, they
simply don't have a psionic presence - one you can read, at least.  So,
either that's not a robot, or it's a very *interesting* robot, indeed...

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Sun, 25 Apr 1999 23:49:37 EDT
From:    "Peter Chamers" <lil_blk_duck@hotmail.com>

>As the bus pulls up at the hotel again, you rush out to get the
>others, Jinx, only to note that Hardcore wasn't in his hotel room,
>after all. Ronin was still there, but you get the impression that
>Hardcore either bailed out or simply went out for a walk or a beer or
>something.

>It takes him a minute to open his door, and he gives you that
>questioning look.  You know, the 'what do YOU want' look.  What do
>you say?

Ronin folds his arms a touch impatiently as he waits for Jinx to
speak.  <<Why have I been thrust into this madness>> he ponders as he
regards the wild woman grimly.

"Yes?" he asks.

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 08:45:55 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> They seem angrier with this, and look like they're gonna cause a
> ruckus.  What do you do, Rebound?

Sizing up the competition, Rebound gives Ken the good old "don't worry about it, I'll handle this" look.  Turning to the apparent leader, "Look buddy, Ken here is just minding his own business.  Perhaps you would like to step outside so we don't mess up your pretty little bar.  I'll even let you take the first shot.  No questions asked.  After all, I am the FREAK, right?"

Rebound then turns towards the back door (not willing to go out front and deal with the police), and heads outside.  Assuming that they follow him (did he say free shots?), Rebound steps into the alley/parking lot/whatever it is out there and stands about ten feet back from the door with his hands behind his back wishing they could see the wicked grin on his face.

"So, which one of you is the toughest?"

(possible response)

"Well, what are ya waiting for, big guy...take your best shot"

Once the fracas gets going Rebound will try to take the lot of them down as quickly as possible without causing too much damage. Rolls:50,11 (oooh impressive), 84, 56)

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:52:38 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Rebound then turns towards the back door (not willing to go out front
> and deal with the police), and heads outside.  Assuming that they follow
> him (did he say free shots?), Rebound steps into the alley/parking
> lot/whatever it is out there and stands about ten feet back from the
> door with his hands behind his back wishing they could see the wicked
> grin on his face.

> "So, which one of you is the toughest?"

The thugs, looking at each other, decide to go ahead and follow you out
back... easy kill, so to speak.  They all huddle around you, and once
you ask the magic question, the biggest lunk of 'em all steps up to
bat.  "Uuh! That's me, you crazy creep!"

> "Well, what are ya waiting for, big guy...take your best shot"

> Once the fracas gets going Rebound will try to take the lot of them down
> as quickly as possible without causing too much damage. Rolls:50,11(oooh
> impressive), 84, 56)

He winds up for the pitch, and gives you one hell of a punch.  You
*would* have taken Good (10) Blunt Attack damage, but the ablative
affect of your caustic skin ooze caused a massive explosion on your back
- one that gives him some nasty burns - and propels him back into the bar!

The noise brings Ken running, thinking you've been shot, when all heck
breaks loose.  So, the six fellers still in the fight go nuts, three of
'em on each of you.  You punch one, causing an explosive effect as you
impact on his head, sending him reeling, and the other two stop cold.

They decide to instead hit you with something besides their fists.

Each of them picks up the trademark board with nail in it out of the
alley, and take swings at you.  One even manages to hit, and the impact
shatters the board quite nicely.  Meanwhile, The other three start
hitting Ken something fierce, but he's just standing there.

"Ha!  That tickles!"  He then pushes one of them, and you hear this odd
'crack' sound as he makes impact with the thug.  You see the tiniest
flash of energy between Ken's hand and the man, and he goes flying -
through the brick wall on the other side of the alley!!

Ken then looks at his hand like it was a lethal weapon, sort of in a
daze, and the mere human combatants flee with terror, abandoning their
friend in the wall to his fate.  "Good Lord!!  I knocked that man
through a freakin' brick wall - without even trying!  What *am* I?!"

He walks forward, towards the street, when you see a shadow descend upon
him.  Looking up, you see some sort of craft falling to the earth
aflame, with terrible speed.  Before you can even yell out, the thing
lands on poor Ken, crushing him, half the bar, and half of the building
opposite it.

The concussion of the impact knocks you to your feet, and you can hardly
see anything in the smoke and confusion, save for the silhouettes of two
people walking out of the mess.  It looks like those lunatics that Ken
was speaking of, and the one in the cowboy hat is holding that Z-PEC thing.

"Mine!!"  He yells this to no one in particular, and he and the darkling
lady fly off.  The thing continues to burn for a few minutes, and ol'
Gruff crawls out, as well.  "My laboratory!  You'll pay for this,
madman!"  Gruff jumps up and down in a rage, waving his fists at the
departing aliens.

By this time, the local authorities (who were across the street, by the
way) have come to check this out; luckily, they're on the other side of
the wreckage, and can't quite see you or Gruff yet.  Gruff takes this
opportunity to hop into a convenient sewer tunnel.

A few minutes later (again), Ken crawls out of the wreckage, and says "I
didn't do it."  He then falls over unconscious, though you can't see any
actual damage to his person, save for his totally shredded outfit.  What
do you do, Rebound?!

Subject: RE: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 13:19:26 -0400
From:    Douglas Lohse <LohseD@mscdirect.com>

> A few minutes later (again), Ken crawls out of the wreckage, and says "I
> didn't do it."  He then falls over unconscious, though you can't see any
> actual damage to his person, save for his totally shredded outfit.  What
> do you do, Rebound?!

Leading Ken by the arm, Rebound tries to make his way out of there
without running into any police. "Come on, Ken, we've got to get out of
here before people start asking questions."

Looking back at the bar, rebound laments "Ya know, even when I try to
keep from blowing stuff up myself, everything goes to hell anyway."

Once we have eluded pursuit, Rebound turns once again to Ken, "So, you
got quite the punch there buddy.  Methinks you'll have to be a bit more
careful how hard you hit the normal folks in the future."

Rebound screeches to a halt, "How the hell are you still walking after
getting Skylab dropped on you back there?  No...don't answer that.  It's
better if you don't think about it.  You happen to know some place we
can go hide out until this all blows over?"

Subject: Re: [v13] New York City?!
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 17:54:32 -0500
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

[Rolled a 90 on her Psyche after sitting for about 5 minutes outside Ronin's door to be respectful.]

Once Ronin allows Jinx into his room, or at least opens the door to let
her explain, she does her best to woo him to her side.

"Um, Ronin, right? Sorry, I'm not great with names. I was wondering if
you would be willing to aid a damsel in distress? OK, I know, I know.
I'm no damsel, but here's what's going on. The organization I work for
mainly is going to be trashed by that Roy Shijitzu guy. He's that
dishonorable coward who set me up to go to jail. He's set up a spy or
spies inside the D.A.A. and plans on spilling the beans on all of their
activities. This would be a Very Bad Thing since a good deal of what
they do shouldn't be public knowledge. It would set the citizens of this
country at each others' throats. I don't know if you care about America,
but surely you can see what kind of chaos would ensue if Roy gets his
way?!" she pleads with the oriental man, looking obviously uncomfortable
with having to ask for help.

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 18:04:34 -0700 (PDT)
From:    Michael Joiner <ml_joiner@yahoo.com>

>> "Ummm...guys, you feel that?" Reaper asks, looking around.

>> Sil nodded, <<Yes, I feel something, but I can't identify it...>>

Reaper looks over at her, "...yeah...strange - yesterday I used to just say that to myself...kinda nice to share the feelin' - even if its not the greatest 'feelin'...

> As you all deliberate on your imminent future, and try to get Masque out
> of his tree, the five of you spy something odd flying over head.  In the
> haze, it looks like four tiny balls of flame, in a sort of rectangle
> pattern, moving overhead in a north-northeast direction.

> Looking closer with your awareness, Reaper, you can sense that these
> balls o' fire are, in fact, coming from the boot jets of two mean,
> chrome-covered robots!  One of them is holding the other upright, and
> they seem to have a single-minded devotion to their given task.

> In other words, they're not headed towards you.

Reaper tears his eyes away from the unusual sight... "guys, I think something VERY 'out-there' is going on here, and waiting for it is definitely not high on my list...does anyone else think that high-flyin' robots are kinda not *normal* even for New York?  In that case, lets find somewhere safer to hash this out eh?"

He gets on his motorcycle, "I can fit one more on here - once we figure out where we're goin' - anyone need a lift?"

Subject: Re: [v13] A Minor Disturbance In Causality...
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 19:28:57 -0600
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> He gets on his motorcycle, "I can fit one more on here - once we figure out 
> where we're goin' - anyone need a lift?"

Sil slipped past the men, <<Mosta them can fly, all I do is teleport, but I can't even do that if I don't know where I'm going...>>

The little telepath swung up on the back of the bike, and settled in place.

Subject: Re: [v13] A beginning... (Rebound & the Freak Show)
Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1999 20:42:46 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

> Rebound screeches to a halt, "How the hell are you still walking after
> getting Skylab dropped on you back there?  No...don't answer that.  It's
> better if you don't think about it.  You happen to know some place we
> can go hide out until this all blows over?"

Slowly coming back to consciousness as you drag him away from his former
bar hangout, Ken hears the end of your questioning.  "I dunno.  You're
the one that said I'm the Man."  He allows you to drag him along for a
bit, and once you ask the magic question, he says.  "Yeah."

Almost in a daze, he picks you up (!), and takes to the air.  You feel a
massive rush of speed, and the air gets sucked clean out of your lungs,
but before you can suffocate you are elsewhere.  Standing before a small
apartment complex, Ken struggles to find his keys.

Failing to do so, he simply pushes down the door leading to his home.

Feeling the bizarre look you're giving him, he shrugs.  "So I can fly,
what else is new?  I'm apparently a freakin' Superman!  Woo woo!"  He
pauses, and then falls over again, and if you didn't know better, you
could swear you see little spots in front of his eyes.

Apparently, the alcohol is taking effect... and how!  "Hah hah hah!
S'right!  I can fly, I can survive a falling laboratory, and I can push
people through walls!!  Hah!  I bet I can even *see* through them.
Watch..."  He looks towards his window, and it explodes outwards.

The shower of glass coats the parking lot beyond, and Ken looks sort of
sheepish, all of a sudden.  "Well, okay, so it doesn't *quite* work
right..."  He then passes out again.  That leaves you with one heck of
an important question.

Do you bail out before this goon gets you killed, or do you stick around
to see what he does once he's sober again?  After all, according to ol'
Gruff, he's the single most powerful guy in the world.  You don't meet
them all that often...

(?)
