Variant Earth 13 E Mail Game Archive Number 27

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 8, 2002  10:08 pm
Subject:  Trivergence

It's been a week, give or take, since you all had your titanic throw-down 
with the monstrous Elys. Most of you have recovered from the wounds you've 
received, give or take, and save for a few aches here and there, it would 
seem that everything is going well.

It's just the two of you in the headquarters at this point, Jinx, 
Rebound. The two of you seemed most... interested in turning this facility 
into something you could call home, and as such you've been doing most of 
the uber-paranoid security work.

But then, the two of you are weird that way.

Before he left to take care of some errands, Ken burrowed out a circular 
space in the wall of the mountain, where he knocked his way back in after 
Elys blasted him into the Antarctic space without; and yes, you verified 
that with a G.P.S. device.

He did this, of course, so you could plug it properly, with a circular, 
rotary-style door, like those that were so nifty in seventies sci-fi 
television - you know, the ones that resemble the shutter on an 
old-fashioned, 'analog' camera.

This, of course, so it wasn't leaking cold air in.

Rather than just put cellophane on the hole, it seemed more prudent to 
fashion an access to the air outside, at least so Jinx could mount the huge 
RADAR system on the peak of this mountain. Just one of many new 
counter-measures you two have been whipping up.

In fact, after testing out your new door, bought by cashing in a few coins 
that were in the massive heap the dragoness left behind, you don your 
'Han Solo Hoth' style winter outfit, and climb up there with the RADAR 
dish, mount, and of course the necessary cabling.

Fun, eh?

It's several hundred feet of fun, but there are plenty of hand-holds and 
such, being almost designed for climbing, you note. You find it eerie that 
you seem to be standing on solid rock when, but moments before, you were 
looking through the rock like it was barely there.

Anyway, you start to hammer into the weird, 'one way matter' that is the 
peak of this Antarctic mountain, when you hear a bit of skittering behind 
you - weird, in that the Katabatic winds have all died down during the 
'warm' season here.

Looking back, you see a spider.

It's glossy white in hue, and is about as big as your head, at least it has 
that much volume when all bunched up as it is. Seeing your reaction, it 
cocks its head at you, and says in an incredibly British accent 
"Hello-ooooooooooo!"

You weren't expecting that, that's for sure. Meanwhile, inside, you could 
almost swear you heard someone being very British somewhere, Rebound, but 
know that you're the only one here. Unless Crimebuster has come back, but 
you know he's from a different island altogether.

Anyways.

You've been tinkering with all the gear in here, and can easily work the 
portal mechanisms that you had been studying of late. It seems almost easy 
to steer the thing now, though it was somewhat tricky when you first 
settled down to check the thing out.

Currently, you've settled the thing in a closet in Och's apartment. Since 
the lot of you haven't managed to set up anywhere else to ground the thing, 
that seemed to work for the time being. That and, of course, because that 
let you run power cables in here.

Mmm... space heaters.

You've also managed to break into Elys' computer network, even though the 
machines got a bit banged up in your fight with that otherworldly creature, 
and have learned quite a few interesting things. For one thing, there's 
apparently a whole city near here.

Under the ice. About ten thousand feet below this facility. In a location 
that, verified by your G.P.S. device, seems to coincide with a certain 
metropolis you visited in the distant future... Very, very curious, indeed...!

Or not, depending.

***

Elsewhere, you and Magus are hoofing it in the tropics, Masque (assuming 
you didn't get yourself killed due to a bout of greed back at Elys' former 
lair). The two of you are wandering in search of a means for Magus to get 
back home, and your search has led you here.

To Seguridad, Mexico. It's a small little town, and nobody seems to have 
the common courtesy to speak English to you, but they have plenty to drink 
(including milk, for your delicate palate), so at least you've been content 
in your search.

Yes, your search.

You see, while you can traverse the dimensions quite easily, you usually 
need to know exactly where you're going in order to find a specific 
universe - most often from specific, seven dimensional coordinates or first 
hand experience.

In order to find some sort of guide to get where you want to go, you made 
some inquiries amongst he magical community, which led you here, where 
there is supposedly a rather large occult library. So far, though, the 
mystic senses that both of you possess haven't identified it.

So here you sit, drinking.

Mmm... Corona. Or Blue Bunny, depending. It's getting dark here, in what 
can only be called the picturesque town of Seguridad, but it's still rather 
warm - much more to Magus' tastes than your own. But then, you're wearing 
about thirty pounds of extra robes and such.

As the molten gold of sunset blends into the rainbow-hued skyfire that 
indicates a vast amount of air pollution is present thanks to other, more 
populous cities in the region, you notice that the streets are clearing out 
much faster than you would imagine.

After all, it's finally cooling off...!

***

Elsewhere again, I suppose that both Ari and Stone Cold are dealing with 
their college-y issues. Again, depending on how far you are along in your 
studies, you're either working out a quick 'get out of school' scheme or 
just transferring to somewhere closer to Och's apartment.

Or something... I never got a reply there. On the same token, I'm not 
exactly sure what you're up to, Crimebuster. I haven't heard from you 
since the end of the big ol' fight before... so I wasn't sure what to say 
you were doing.

Not trying to leave you folk out, but I don't want to force you into a path 
of action without knowing what you'd LIKE to be doing, since it's been 
aboot a week since all heck broke loose for you all. Groovy? Groovy! Let 
me know and I'll get'cha started!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 8, 2002  10:18 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

(out of character:  Heh.  You SO have a death wish, you.)

Anyway.

You toss the short sword, the pitch fork, the hand gun, the wrist bracelet, the hammer, and the electronic slate aside.  You then don one of the mystic rings.  Luckily for YOU, you don't turn female.  Or into a troll.  Or homicidal.  Or... paranoid?

You're not sure what the ring does, actually.

When you check out the spectacles, though, things are a bit different.  You see everything that you would normally see, but you also see a bunch more.  You see currents of energy flowing around yourself and everybody in the room - as though you were in the Astral plane.

Is interesting, that.

Of course, Masque, you note that everybody is staring at you.

Heh.

- Firebomb @ http://www.technohol.com/

P.S.:  incidentally, I have no cares how you all decide to divide up das booty before you, but it may behoove you all to frisk the wizard before you let him leave... heheh.  That is, if you can stop Och from removing that coin from Masque's pocket with his AXE...

Other than that, I figure the dispersion of das booty is irrelevant, which is why I decided to go ahead and get started proper.  I figure you all can sort out what you want, possibly concussing Masque in the process, and then we can assume that was done before the post I just made.

Groovy?  (it was either that or wait a month for that to happen... heh)

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Mon Apr 8, 2002  11:49 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence

OOC: hm. Ari was wrapping up when she was first introduced, I THINK. lemme 
check the archives and all that.

*checks*

Hm. First Ari post, she was on winter break. So we can say she has a 
semester left? Ari'll be trying to wrangle up either correspondence courses 
or a transfer, natch.

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Mon Apr 8, 2002  11:53 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

Ari points this out. "Shouldn't we divide the booty equally? Like, each one 
pick something, or something to that effect? I mean, that's a metric 
fuckload of money, but dude. I kind of want the glowy salad fork."

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Tue Apr 9, 2002  8:00 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Interlude

Rebound picks up the tossed-aside slate and begins fumbling with it to see
if he can figure it out.

"Take whatever you guys want, I'll play around with this slate and see if I
can figure it out. As for the cash, we should use it buy whatever equipment
we find necessary. Otherwise, the rest of this stuff is irrelevant."

(mumbling to himself) "Now she, um...pressed this, tapped that, and..."

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Tue Apr 9, 2002  8:13 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence

> (snip spider speak)

"Yo, Crimebuster, you back?"

Rebound takes a cursory glance around, if he doesn't immediately spy
someone, he'll shake his head and go back to tinkering.

> (snip revelation of hidden city)

"Son of a bitch! Do I go down there and kick some tail right now, or do I
leave it alone so that it's there when I get there in the future. That is
if, I haven't already changed the future. Then again, maybe, I'm supposed
to go there now. Or maybe, that would change everything. Oh, jeez...I'm
starting to sound like Masque. Somebody shoot me."

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Tue Apr 9, 2002  6:47 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence

After the pile of "stuff" was located and thoroughly picked through, she would have snagged the M1911A1 .45 hand cannon and examined it to the best of her ability before stashing it away in the event of a rainy day.
 
~Magic is unpredictable and not something I want to go drag into the field, but it could come in handy as a wildcard.~
 
Jinx would have asked Och to take a look at the horde seeing as his people were supposed to know a thing or three about precious metals; hopefully he'd be able to catalog and identify all the various coinage and gems that they had acquired.
 
Jinx would have also looked into assigning quarters for everyone as well as an armory. If there were no actual rooms in the installation, she would set about purchasing temporary building materials to set up basic rooms until Och and the gang could arrange for more permanent accomodations. She would have also looked into getting some more ammunition for her standard mag-cannons.
 
The RADAR system would definitely be something that Jinx would be focusing on, hoping to avoid having unannounced guests pop up. Besides, being out in the cold would separate her from various people who would likely have unfortunate accidents in her vicinity; the RADAR system wasn't a person and thus didn't have to worry about the strange effects of her power.
 
When the British spider announced itself, Jinx would whirl on it, mag-cannons leveled in the direction of the sound, fine-tuning her aim once she spotted the creature.
 
"Identify yourself and state your purpose or I will be required to make use of lethal force in your apprehension."

From:  Nathan Gecko <nathangecko@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Wed Apr 10, 2002  11:17 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence

> Elsewhere, you and Magus are hoofing it in the tropics, Masque (assuming you 
> didn't get yourself killed due to a bout of greed back at Elys' former lair). 
> The two of you are wandering in search of a means for Magus to get back home, 
> and your search has led you here.

"Mexico," Magus states aloud more to himself in an attempt to reaffirm his current location.

> To Seguridad, Mexico. It's a small little town, and nobody seems to have the 
> common courtesy to speak English to you, but they have plenty to drink 
> (including milk, for your delicate palate), so at least you've been content in 
> your search.

Glancing at the bottle before him Magus once again testifies to it's existence, "Corona...hm."

> In order to find some sort of guide to get where you want to go, you made some 
> inquiries amongst he magical community, which led you here, where there is 
> supposedly a rather large occult library. So far, though, the mystic senses 
> that both of you possess haven't identified it.

Sipping from yet another bottle of the elixir called Corona Magus tosses a general remark towards the befuddled mage next to him, "I still believe that tavern with the mule was a possibility."

> So here you sit, drinking.

And indeed Magus does just that as a good portion of the freshly opened Corona disappears into his gullet.

> As the molten gold of sunset blends into the rainbow- hued skyfire that 
> indicates a vast amount of air pollution is present thanks to other, more 
> populous cities in the region, you notice that the streets are clearing out 
> much faster than you would imagine.

<OOC: Some of the above may change slightly depending on the depravity of my traveling companion's responses.>

From:  Nathan Gecko <nathangecko@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Wed Apr 10, 2002  11:42 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

> Masque haruumphhsss;
> "Harumphh"

Arching ever so slightly an eyebrow at the mage for but a moment before continuing to look about the room in silence.

> and he turns to walk away... "Fine...just holler when you become exciting 
> again huh. I am gonna go take a look at the Dragon's booty..."

A silent thought crosses the otherworldly warrior-mage's mind and for a moment a feeling of joy permeates his thoughts.

> He starts to shake and then shake some more... 'Bwahahhahahhahahaha...Dragon's 
> booty.....hahahhahahahahhhahahahaa.." He continues to laugh all the way to 
> the pile o' loot.

*I should kill him just for the sake of silence..*

> He starts sending anything valuable to his masters abode..with fair warning of 
> course...and pocketing anything interesting and ..magical that might be of 
> use.

<OOC: He does, eh?>

> There's some sort of high tech bracelet. It's got a few buttons, a tiny 
> indicator screen that would at first appear to be an LCD model, or perhaps 
> even one of those new-fangled Plasmatron (TM) dingii, but it does not appear 
> to be pixel-based. 

> Rifling through the pile he merely looks at the bracelet in disgust and tosses 
> it aside.

Magus' hand darts forward plucking the exiled bracelet from it's trajectory with the floor.

> "Ooooooo...." he says as he picks on up and puts it
> on..."My Precious...."

*I should kill him, shouldn't I,* Magus debates in silence with himself as he gives the strange bracelet a precursory glance before focusing his attention more on Masque himself.

> (snip Masque spectacles spectacle)

*Perhaps I was a bit too rash,* the silent argument continuing in the half-dragon's mind, *Indeed it was. I should just begin with amputating parts of his body from his torso.*

> One is the single-largest sapphire you have ever seen.

> "OH MY GOD....It's the Dragon again!!!!" He yells and points the other 
> way....and he then pockets the gem.

Making it rather obvious Magus simply stares in silence at Masque's attempt at misdirection.

> (snip bizarre Masque rant)

*The tongue is definitely the first amputation...*

> He walks away towards Magus, hoping they are dumbfounded enough by his rapid 
> fire Masque talk to scratch their heads in ...in..in....wonder.

Tirelessly Magus stares at Masque in a moment of eerie silence, even for the normally quiet Magus that is. Awaiting whatever form of response is bound to display itself under the unrelenting gaze of the half-dragon.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  10:20 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

Ok.

As far as an update on das booty goes, here's the 'score' thus far:

* Ultra-Advanced Temporal Management Brand Electronic Slate:

Rebound's got this dingus, and is monkeying around with it

High Tech Bracelet of Mystery and Wonder and Whatnot

* So far, both Stone Cold and Magus have evinced interest in this de-vice.

Various (three) Rings

* (?)

Mystical Short Sword

* (?)

Hellacious Hellfire Fork Thing

* Ari seems interested in that

Fighter Ace Spectacles

* Masque is wielding them like unto the gimpy clone in Multiplicity currently

Magical Sapphire

* (?)

Rainbow Steel Coin

* Och would seem to really like this, and seems to not like the notion of 
Masque pocketing it for insertion in a gumball machine or some such

Freaky Mystic Colt .45

* Jinx seems to have nabbed this 'un

Hammer(time)

* Stone Cold has shown interest in this item

Slim Jim Bag o' Plenty

* both Ari and Masque seem to desire this... though I think the bottomless 
pit of Masque's stomach may win out in the end

Weird Sparky Thing

* (?)

The items with ? marks beneath them are those that, if nobody wants them, 
it would seem that Masque is going to purloin. Anything in 'dispute' is 
pretty much to the folks involved, really, though again, Och don't look too 
happy there... hehehe.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  10:29 pm
Subject:  RE: [v13] Interlude

>(mumbling to himself) "Now she, um...pressed this, tapped that, and..."

You finagle with the electronic slate for awhile, Rebound, and eventually 
manage to get the thing operable. Once it reboots, it audibly indicates to 
you that today is Thursday, in the 256th year of Temporal Management 
operations, and then generates a hologram.

The hologram is a sort of itinerary of sorts, and the big empty squares 
next to things left undone would seem to indicate that they are somewhat 
overdue to be done. As this occurs, a small panel opens up on the top of 
the device, and a stylus is presented for your use.

Clicking on one of the items (we'll assume one at random), you are told 
that you seem to have missed your appointment for a shave and a haircut - 
by about 120 years. The amount of dust on top of the slate would seem to 
corroborate this claim.

Dusting it off, you dramatically enhance the quality of the hologram being 
generated for 'your' convenience. You can now see, in a sort of 'faded' 
fashion, the 'function' buttons, which guide you into all kinds of 
information archived by whoever used this device previously.

Things like general bylaws and such of the Temporal Management 
organization, things this specific person (Captain Thaddeus 'Smitty' Agnok) 
has done for the agency, and a list of people he has yet to apprehend 
and/or neutralize.

Four of them are named Gunslinger... but each has a somewhat different 'mug 
shot'. It appears that you can add, erase, and modify information rather 
easily with this device, which is a sort of personal computer when you get 
down to it.

If at least a hundred years in advance of anything even you - thanks to 
your black ops days - are aware of on earth. Could be interesting indeed...

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  10:35 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

Ken looks upon you with one eyebrow cocked, Masque. "Ari's got a point. I 
may not have any use for a lot of this stuff, but you never 
know. Besides... is having that much magic on you really all that 
safe? Don't you worry about turning into a light bulb or something?"

Och would seem to concur as well. "Yes, Masque. SHARING is CARING."

He's smiling when he says that, but then, you don't see too much happiness 
in his voice. But then, you can imagine from Och's point of view, his 
being one from a culture that is VERY financially motivated, that you do 
appear to be hogging all the spoils of your previous battle...

Either that, or the grinding sound his teeth are making is sending such 
information directly into your brain...!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  11:07 pm
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Ok.  As to the stuff you did 'while we were at commercial', Jinx, you did manage to get a healthy supply of magazines for your mag-cannons, and even got the one that Ken managed to get broken fixed!  

As far as Och catalogue-ing everything in sight, have no worries that that'll take place, at least once the dispersion of the 'special' booty - at least, the stuff Masque was able i.d. as such - is done.

(we'll deal with that in ze interlude thread, for convenience)

Back in the present, however, you're atop a hollow mountain in the depths of Antarctica, and are currently training your guns on a really big, bone-white spider.  It seems non-plussed by this.

You don't like that.

"You MIGHT not want to point both of those at me - it's a rather long fall there, you know.  Tut tut, one hand on the RADAR imaging pole, and another on the ... gun."

He said 'gun' in italics... even you can tell that.

"As for who I am, I am none other than Arbuckle Van Gubenator, Master Architect of Places of Power for People With Money to Burn.  It is I, and my subcontracted relatives, who built this mountain, myes?

"If you look closely, you can see my TradeMark symbol in every square, er, meter of my own blend of One Way Rock.  Meter... how quaint.  I do so enjoy these non-standard measurement systems.

"How can I be of assistance to you, dear lady?  Assuming, of course, you don't like roast Trans-Planar Rock Spider for dinner, at least... myes.  I assume you are the new lord of the manor?"

?

Meanwhile, below Jinx and the arrogant architect from another plane, you are debating your next course of action, Rebound, not to mention your relative sanity.

Comparing yourself to Masque can't be a good sign.

Ken is here, though... having just stepped in through the portal to Och's apartment.  "What's wrong there, Rebound - you look like you're about to have kittens... something you ate?"

As if on cue, the motion detector you installed on that set of spiral stairs descending into the ice and rock below just went off, Rebound.  Looking at the readout, there's five folks coming up.

Nice and slow, though... all those tripwires and shaped-charges you planted seem to be causing them considerable delays to their moving on up... to the top.

None of them have blow'd anybody up, of course - you'd have heard that BEFORE the sensors went off - but they're slowing whoever these fellows down enough that you have plenty o' time to prepare.

Que?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  11:17 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Well, for the two of you college 'kids', I suppose that works out easily 
enough. Both of you could easily get transferred to one of dozens of 
colleges in the New York City area - not that I can think of any off the 
top of my head (bad game Judge - bad!), but it works.

So... I suppose now it's just a matter of figuring out what the two of you 
are up to now that everything is in order, and we should be all set, eh?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  11:34 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Ah yes.

An addendum to my last post of this sort... the hammer.

Since nobody else seems to have argued about the fate of the hammer you 
picked up from the pile o' booty, Stone Cold, I guess we'll call that one 
good at least. In experimenting with it, you have a hard time narrowing 
down just what it is that the hammer DOES.

You find that the thing doesn't seem to let you really inflict more damage 
when you hit stuff with it; it doesn't break, no matter how hard you slam 
it into something, but at the same time, it has less kinetic force than you 
would think likely; after all, you hit pretty hard.

It doesn't fling lightning, either, as you would imagine in a mythological 
sense, much less come back to you after you fling it at something; finding 
it in the junkyard after heaving it a healthy distance was quite a 
task. But its shape gave you one hint.

Though it is made from a shiny blue metal, with a hand grip of some 
rubber-like, yet not-rubber substance, it is perfectly shaped like a common 
carpenter hammer. Pondering this for a time, you come up with the idea of 
trying to make something with the device.

You picture in your head a simple junk-built shack (since you are in a junk 
yard), and manage to build, from available car parts, quite a nifty 
automobile-themed edifice. Though a bit rusty, you feel truly satisfied 
with the construct you just built.

As though you KNEW somehow that it was built to LAST.

Since your skills lie more in chemical matters rather than architectural 
ones, it would seem that this hammer has the ability to help you build 
things. Structures at the very least; you didn't have enough time to test 
it in an electronic or mechanical capacity.

Not yet, anyway.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  11:47 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

The two of you just sit there, enjoying your respective beverages, Magus, 
until the sun indeed goes down. You can't help but marvel at how different 
things are here than they were before.

This place seems much more your speed than that awful "New York". There's 
room to breathe here, even if the air is just as... tasty. The people also 
seem less likely to pester you.

Perhaps they are not quite so jaded that they are nonplussed by your 
appearance. But then, this Seguridad seems to lack many of the strange 
cults and secret groups you noticed in Och's adopted home town.

Regardless, as you finish another so-called 'beer', you notice that it's 
gotten downright quiet around the two of you. Aside from the noises that 
Masque makes as a general matter of course, you hear nothing.

Save for a light breeze outside, of course.

That gives up the ghost as well, in time, as it gets even darker out. The 
waitress and cook have not appeared for quite some time, either; you know 
they're still here, in the kitchen, but they haven't left there.

And you're all out of beer.

Before you can say anything to that effect, however, someone walks through 
the saloon-style, double doors that mark the entry to this fine 
establishment. A man who is curiously dressed.

Unlike most other folks you've seen around here, he's wearing black leather 
pants, spiky black Army boots, and a Spandex vest with what Rebound has 
described as a 'hologram' on the front.

It looks like an eye at some angles, but a brain at others. Other than 
that, his get-up consists of plenty of seemingly unnecessary buckles, 
spikes, and gloves with the fingers cut off.

When he sees you, he just nods his head and says "Yo." He then heads up to 
the bar to order a drink, though nobody seems to be forthcoming to give him 
one. Curious.

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  12:04 am
Subject:  Re: Re: [v13] Re: Busted!

Glad that you seem agreeable for once, Moebius just goes over her various 
gear and such while you consult with Juice, Gunslinger.

"Yeah, meng, I got it all ready. I -"

He then stops, for he appears right in front of the two of you, wearing a 
rather... coincidentally familiar looking watch. He then kicks himself in 
a bad place, and says "Stop right now, meng. Trust me.

"You'll thank me tomorrow."

And then vanishes.

As Juice recovers, he sort of laughs at that. "Huh... guess I won't be 
trying THAT out. Huh." Once he completely composes himself, he then waves 
his hand at the new Gunslinger Mobile.

"Is all set up, yes? I even added a few... extra features. I don't know 
why I did, really, but something was telling me I should. Morphic 
resonance or some shit."

Juice then jumps on the hood, and some depressions appear, hydraulic 
indents lowering an inch or two in familiar, really-big-clawed-paw-print 
stylings. You're happy to see 'em, but don't know how Juice knew to make 'em.

Since he's never met the fellow they were designed for.

Regardless, it seems you're all ready.

How about you, Charles Chicanery??!?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  12:20 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

(OOC: argh. Yahoo tells me that I've left you hanging for a veritable 
eternity here, guy - and once again, it seems to be due to my own 
ineptitude... I am sorry that I seem to KEEP doing this to you, though I do 
aim to make up for it if'n you'll let me here...)

***

You reach out with your mighty telekinetic powers, Geoffrey, but it would 
seem that the more 'liquid' Jim managed to slip through even your grasp 
before you could get a positive hold on him.

You DO manage to achieve your goal, however, in that Slow Jim seems to have 
something of a breather; you see, 'liquid' Jim has decided to deal with you 
instead of his inferior variant self.

"Fool. You talk down to me with an air of superiority, when all along it 
is not I who involved you in my plan, but you who has butted in on my 
agenda - for the last time, I might add!"

With that, 'liquid' Jim charges at you, hoping to knock you senseless, or 
at least dislodge the air from your lungs. However, your own defenses 
easily take his crude attack to task.

He only manages to flow around you harmlessly, which only seems to enrage 
him further. "Ingrate! Think you so superior with your supposed 
discipline and power? Allow me to show you TRUE power!"

He seems to be at the 'incoherent villain rant stage', which allows you to 
think that this whole mess may be just about over - one of many lessons you 
learned from your psionic tutor was to never fight angry.

So how do you go from here?

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  12:24 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx would narrow her eyes at the pompous arachnid, but not lower her weapons.
 
"Alright, you've identified yourself. You can call me 'Jinx' and I'm not the sole owner of this locale; I've got a number of partners, a team if you will, that share the place. Care to join me and some of my compatriots to discuss whatever brought you here?"

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  7:04 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Re: Busted!

> (snip Juice speak)

"Hey watch it, short stuff. i'm not the guy who needs
you to fix his car - see, i can fly in space without
any silly high tech toys. Those thing are overrated anyway.

"And i don't ask for a beating, i just tend to run
into complete cocksuckers with no sense of common goddamn courtesy.

"So fie... fie upon ye!"

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  7:05 pm
Subject:  Re: Re: [v13] Re: Busted!

> How about you, Charles Chicanery??!?

Hell, i was BORN ready.

Just waiting for the apparent pall to die off before i
started posting anew. Slacker...

Let's get it on with the road trip through time already!

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  6:58 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

OCC: UNJMSC - Univ of NJ Medical Science Center. Major-
Chemistry/Medicine (six year degree program. BS/MD degree.), Minor-
Computers

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  6:52 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

OCC: I will take a ring too if possible. I would go for the weird
sparky thing, but as you said...its weird?!?!

But the bracelet, and Hammer for sure.

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  7:06 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

OCC: Cool.

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Sun Apr 21, 2002  8:42 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Most likely, Ari's chilling at Och's place.  Maybe looking for somewhere to set up loft space, for a studio.  Going to a handful of classes.  Painting.  Enjoying the city that never sleeps, baby.

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 22, 2002  8:09 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

(OOC: argh. Yahoo tells me that I've left you hanging for a veritable 
eternity here, guy - and once again, it seems to be due to my own 
ineptitude... I am sorry that I seem to KEEP doing this to you, though I do 
aim to make up for it if'n you'll let me here...)

(OOC: I figured you'd catch up eventually :)...Don't worry about it.)

***

> (snip tk results)

"Interesting. You would seem to make a good practice toy..."

> (snip villain speak)

"I was invited here, you bafoon, and your agenda matters not to me."

> (snip Not-So-Slow Jim combat results)

(That brings a knowing grin to Geoffrey's lips)

> (snip more villain speak)

"No, you incoherent, petulant child. I KNOW I am superior and since you
have yet to accept it and take your proper supplicant role, I will be kind
enough to allow you but a taste of what TRUE power is."

Geoffrey snaps his fingers and unleashes a burst of Psychokenitic power in
"liquid" Jim.

(Rolls: Init - 10, Forcefield - 50, Psychokenesis - 86)

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 22, 2002  8:17 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Interlude

> (snip description of electronic slate activity)

"Ooh, like that display..."

> (snip stuff displayed on electronic slate)

(OOC: Any of these mugshots resemble the Gunslinger from the garage where
Ken got zapped?)

> (more slate description stuff deleted for brevity)

Rebound spends a whole bunch of time getting to know the capabilities of
this little computer.

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 22, 2002  9:53 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip sudden quiet)

As if on cue, ...
"Oh...excuse me! Don't know what came over me. Must be the Milk."
 
> And you're all out of beer.

Masque frowns as he peers into his now empty glass of milk.

> (snip new bar customer) 
 
Grinning wildly at Magus, he states,
"When in Rome ..hehe"
Seeing that the poor soul at the counter is not getting about as much service as Magus and himself, he stands up.
"Magus, I can't believe the ignam..ignamm.....ignobl.......gahhh...you know what I mean....It's just unbelievable!"
 
He walks up next to the local, as it were, and says in that 'i don't think you can speak english sort of voice',
"HI...I....AM....MASQUE......WOULD...YOU....LIKE....A.....MILK?"
 
He turns to Magus for a second and gives him a thumbs up.
 
From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 22, 2002  10:22 pm
Subject:  Re: Re: [v13] Re: Busted!

> (snip Juice time travel chicanery)

Gunslinger frowns.
"Just be careful with that huh. Trust me on this."
Checking to make sure his watch is still in working condition, namely a time travel device, he then steps towards the car.

> (snip Juice speak, activity)
 
Smiling, Gunslinger simply says,
"Good times, good times."

Checking out the car in it's new form seems to bring a tear to his eye. Going over the thing with a fine toothed comb he turns and thanks Juice.
"You don't know how much I appreciate this. One heck of a job really. Thanks."
That being said he jumps in the car and smiles at Mobieus,
"Goin' my way toots? You can bring the gimp, we'll need cannon fodder."

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  3:34 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

As he gropes his groin, Juice looks at you and grimaces, Gunslinger.  "I see that.  I guess I'll avoid that little 'fact finding mission' to the future... ow."

Meanwhile, after you get done drooling over your car, and inspecting the newness of it all, Moebius just scowls in your general direction.  "Toots...?"

Regardless, she points at Charlie, and then says "C'mon, a'reddy.  We may as well get this over with.  I swear, you'd think side kicks were catching in this sorry plane.

"Feh."

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  4:12 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

"Orf."

You think that was what the enhanced, liquid form of Slow Jim said when you 
applied your psychokinetic ability to his fluid form, but you're not sure - 
that could've just been the sound of him exploding here in this undersea realm.

After you hit him internally, he seems to have dispersed. What little bit 
of his form you could make out here, being that he was seemingly composed 
of the water that you are currently submerged within, has vanished, leaving 
you alone.

Well, alone with the rest of the folks you came here with.

"Wow! I can't believe you beat him so easily," says Slow Jim. "But then, 
I guess he was an enhanced version of me, so there's that. Huh." Slow Jim 
then swims over to where his trans-temporal counterpart was at moments ago, 
and stirs the water up.

"I'm sure he'll be back, but maybe he learned his lesson..." Jim continues 
to look around, as though expecting trouble, but you have a hard time 
feeling such dread yourself. After all, you beat 'fast' Jim rather easily, 
when it came down to it.

And the beautiful, crystalline hallways just make negativity hard to maintain.

Meanwhile, the priestly fellow thanks you for your help. "Many thanks, my 
air-breathing friend. If not for you, we might have caused no end of 
carnage to the people above the waves - I'd hate to go to war under false 
pretenses, after all."

"I'm just glad we need not bother with conflict for the time being..."

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  4:33 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Interlude

>(OOC: Any of these mugshots resemble the Gunslinger from the garage where
>Ken got zapped?)

Resemble, yes. Though each have subtle differences.

The Gunslinger you remember was a pale, noseless fellow with a large 
leather trench coat, a ten gallon hat, two pistols, and a shotgun.

One of these is wearing a pith helmet and carries a musket.

Another has bright green skin.

The third is wearing a 'Groucho Marx' nose and glasses combo.

The fourth seems to be carrying a crystalline orange pistol.

The slate seems to indicate that all four of these fellows are temporal 
variants of a 'prime' Gunslinger, a fellow from another dimension who has 
time and dimension traveling capabilities, and tends to spin off variant 
timelines like nobody's business.

Why he seems to do this more so than your ordinary time traveler has yet to 
be explained by Temporal Management, but they think it has something to do 
with the fact that Gunslinger's variant selves are always... QUITE 
different from each other.

More so than most folks in parallel timelines tend to be.

The fact that so many of these records exist tends to illustrate that the 
Management really doesn't like this fellow. Of course, by doing a further 
search, you see about 220 documented versions of this guy, but none of them 
seem to match the one you met...

Curious, that.

>Rebound spends a whole bunch of time getting to know the capabilities of
>this little computer.

It's a pretty handy little machine, really. Digging deeper into its 
functionality, you see that on top of being a sort of personal organizer, 
the device has the ability to generate logical, 'virtual' computers within 
its own memory space.

These are designed to perfectly mimic the operation of various operating 
systems, ranging from everything you're familiar with to a host of software 
solutions that have yet to be seen on any market you're aware of - 
including some top secret government ones.

So, you can run anything from Pong to Word (TM) on this thing were you so 
inclined, or maybe just a simulation of a nuclear explosion.

On top of that, it seems to download updates from some unknown location 
constantly, in order to keep a Management operative abreast of current 
doings in the organization, as well as hot spots (in a time travel sense) 
that need to be dealt with.

This, in and of itself, seems to require no 'back and forth' between a 
central network and the device, so much as the information is just 
broadcast to it from elsewhere, so just using it doesn't require you to 
risk discovery of notice from Temporal Management.

That seems to be so the device need not communicate through time to the 
Management's databases, which apparently requires lots of power... it's an 
efficiency thing more than anything else.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  4:49 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

(ooc: excellent...)

Okay.

The two of you are setting up your new lives in New York City (and 
surrounding environs), and everything seems straight-forward. The 
college-entrance folks aren't too difficult with the two of you, making 
things go much easier.

That never hurts.

While Charlie's off at class, Ari, you find you have a short niche where 
you lack classes on one particular day, so you just spend the morning 
chilling with Och, painting while he's rummaging around the penthouse, 
assembling various gear.

It looks like he's going on an Adventure!

As he does so, Harry walks in, looking somewhat tired. "Hey, guys." He's 
that pilot fellow that Rebound and Stone Cold picked up in the future, in 
case you don't remember... heheh. "Had to park the 'car' over the roof, 
guys ... the Navy got wind of me borrowing their hangar."

"Sorry 'bout that. Had a blowout when I was fixing the stealth dingus on 
my ship - but at least it's working now!"

Meanwhile, you're in a sort of entry-level, basic electronics course at the 
UNJMSC, Stone Cold, sort of ordained as a part of your credit requirements 
for your minor. Not that you mind, really, since you could use the info.

What with all the high tech freaks and such you tend to run into.

Something's bothering you about the instructor, however, for he seems to 
remind you of somebody. Professor Smithingale, an older gentlemen with a 
long, well-groomed beard, and curly gray hair pulled back in a severe pony 
tail, is very familiar.

He's going through that whole 'first day' introduction crap, trying to let 
folks know just how cool the field of electronics is, and yadda 
yadda. He's one of those 'hand talkers', though, and makes all kinds of 
fluid motions with his hands.

At one point, though, one of your classmates falls asleep at his desk, and 
the professor runs up to his desk and goes "Boogyboogyboogy!" That's when 
you make the connection, and put one thumb up to cover half of his face.

When you do, you figure it out - this guy looks just like Masque!

?!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  5:02 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

The man looks at you for a long, long minute, Masque.

It's one of those minutes that feels like about an hour, really.

"No."

Not saying anything after that, the man waits, and eventually the bartender reappears, and takes the man's order (and presumably, gets the two of you refills, if necessary).

After receiving a Corona (TM) himself, the man turns around, and slouches into the bar stool immediately next to himself.  He yawns, then looks at his watch.

While you loathe technology in general, you yourself can at least read the hands on his that indicates that it's about 8:30 P.M.  At least it wasn't a digital type watch.

He looks like he's waiting for something, but you're not sure what.  Of course, he also looks like he's ready for a fight, for on closer look, the man seems somewhat... armed.

Looking at his belt, you see something that was previously obscured when he first walked in - it looks like a holster / sheath mechanism, holding silver and wooden spikes.

Or, in a more cinematic sense, stakes.

He cracks his knuckles mightily as you see them.

He then orders a bottle of Tequila (TM).

!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  5:09 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

"Roight!"

The spider follows you (or you follow it, depending on paranoia values) to the circular portal leading into the mountain.  "I see you plugged this hole in a creative fashion.  Hrm."

Once you get inside, Arbuckle explains part of his reason for being here.  "Well.  I suppose the point of my visit is somewhat moot, for my contract was with the former occupant.

"I came here to do routine maintenance on the mountain cap I constructed for Elys, but I suppose since she's dead, I need not bother with such any longer.  Unless you had need of my services...?

"You have any need for any one-way matter construction?"

As you get down to the base of the, er, base, you see Rebound checking out the security devices the two of you have installed, and indeed see the quintet of folks climbing up on the motion sensors.

(as was shown in ze last post here)

"Hrm.  Looks like you've got COMpany, eh?"

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  5:09 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> "Feh."

"Yeah, feh. Why i have to have two side kicks is
beyond even me, but i suppose i can deal with you,
snookums. And your little dog, too." With that, i'll
get in the car before Moebius' little pea brain
catches up to my witty re-par-tee, and occupy the back
seat - all of it.

Sure, i could'a called shotgun, but why do that when i
can just sleep in the back, preferrably drooling all
over the upholstery in the process? Though only if
the drive is boring, i guess.

"Whee!"

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  5:59 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

~Oh you are kiddin' right!?! Damn. Wonder if it is too late to transfer
teachers???~ Mike thought as he looked at him and shook his head. 
~Well if I am gone for too long, at least he might be more understanding
as of why. And at least I'll get time to work on the bracelet and figure
out what that does!! I could see him as a teacher of sorts but ---
Smithingale!?!~

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  7:45 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> "Hrm. Looks like you've got COMpany, eh?" 

Rebound pauses in his fumbling attempts to bring up the intruders on video
and interface his new hyper-intelligent, trans-temporal, neato-keen
information slate (TM) with the headquarters' various security systems to
utter yet another one of his ultra-witty remarks..."Um...what the hell is
that?"

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  7:54 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

> (snip 'demise' of other Jim)

Geoffrey clucks his tongue, shaking his head. "They just never seem to learn."

> (snip Slow Jim speak)

"Jim, if he comes back, so be it. Perhaps, I will actually exert myself if he does."

> (snip leader speak)

"War is a questionable practice at the best of times. The only true gains
to be realized through warfare are economic. All else are superficial and
have the tendency to dissolve one the scrutiny of the aftereffects of
warfare are examined. You would indeed do best by avoiding such fruitless
pursuits."

> "I'm just glad we need not bother with conflict for the time being..."

"For the time being? Did you not hear what I just said?"

From:  Nathan Gecko <nathangecko@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  8:20 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

> High Tech Bracelet of Mystery and Wonder and Whatnot

> * So far, both Stone Cold and Magus have evinced interest in this de-vice.

And still interested actually. Even if Yahoo is determined to gobble up everything I send.

Magus fiddles with the caught bracelet for a few
moments out of nothing more than abject curiosity. So
much so that he doesn't even seem to notice Stone
Cold's ogling of the device from nearby.

> Various (three) Rings

> * (?)

Considering Masque has seemingly stashed these aside
for himself already there's not much to be said.

> Mystical Short Sword
 
> * (?)

Hmmm...

"Not bad craftsmanship," Magus mutters as he looks
over the short sword.

> Magical Sapphire
 
> * (?)

Greedy, grubby paws beat me out from noticing this as well.

> Rainbow Steel Coin

> * Och would seem to really like this, and seems to
> not like the notion of Masque pocketing it for 
> insertion in a gumball machine or some such

Magus' eyes gleam a bit at the sight of the coin
almost as much as Och's own, but says nothing of
desiring it or such overtly.

> Weird Sparky Thing
 
> * (?)

"Tis a will o' wisp..," Magus absently states to himself in a hushed tone.

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Mon Apr 29, 2002  9:52 am
Subject:  Re: Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

>It looks like he's going on an Adventure!

Ari wanders up. "Hey, Och, what's with all the gear? Goin' somewhere?"

>As he does so, Harry walks in, looking somewhat tired.  "Hey, guys."  He's 
>that pilot fellow that Rebound and Stone Cold picked up in the future, 

Ari waves. "Hey."

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Tue Apr 30, 2002  12:01 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip Charlie-speak)

"Whee!"
Gunslinger smiles and nods at Mobieus as he puts on his seatbelt. Hoping she catches his glace towards her seatbelt, he grins ..evily.
 
Putting the car in gear he takes off and hits the shiny flight button. Looking in his rear view mirror to see if Chuck is still ...lounging.
He then does a loop D' loop.
"Oh..sorry about that Chuck. You might wanna buckle up huh."
Driving, flying rather, onward he asks Mobieus:
"Where to huh? You did say that you wanted to get me some sort of defense against some of the more vicious time folk."
 
Beginning to really wonder how the Hell he is going to figure out a way to clear his name is posing quite a quandry to him.
 
"Or where you gonna show me how to do it?"

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Tue Apr 30, 2002  12:42 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip description of new bar customer)
 
Masque silently eeps.
*eep*
"Ummm....excuse me? Are you planning on meeting any vampires here? Because if you are, ..well..I am somewhat of a vampire fighter myself....well only fought some once...but i sent one to the moon. Nasty things, those vampires. World would be much better without them ya know. I know I got some garlic in here somewhere."
Ruffling through his robes he produces some.....garlic breadsticks...although they seem somewhat...old.
"Well..if the garlic is bad I could always beat them with this."
He laughs nervously and meanders on back to the table Magus is at.

He cracks his knuckles mightily as you see them.
 
"Magus.....ummmm.....There is definitely boding in the air."

He then orders a bottle of Tequila (TM).
 
"Yes....lots of boding."

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Tue Apr 30, 2002  5:49 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Interlude

(OCC: Ahhhhhh hell nawww you can't have it all man. *winks*)

> High Tech Bracelet of Mystery and Wonder and Whatnot
 
> * So far, both Stone Cold and Magus have evinced
> interest in this de-vice.

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Tue Apr 30, 2002  6:30 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx keeps an eye on their albino arachnid guest as they descend into the installation.
 
"I suppose the original contract is cahput, but the team might see some sense in re-negotiating with you. I'll let you make your pitch to the others when I can get them all together."
 
Seeing the blips on the security system, Jinx would make her way over to the display to get a better idea of who was coming up to join them, "Mr. Arbuckle, please find a...er...seat somewhere out of the way; we might have incoming hostiles."
 
After doing a quick review of the security system, Jinx would check in with Rebound, "The spider's a Mr. Arbuckle. He supposedly built this place per a contract with Elys. He's offered to do some repairs. You'll have to check with him as far as prices are concerned. What do we have on the monitor? Are they showing any hostile signs? What's their ETA?"

From:  Nathan Gecko <nathangecko@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Wed May 1, 2002  7:20 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip Seguridad mood setting scene)

*It's amazing how different things are here,* Magus
ponders silently to himself as he takes a rather
prodigious gulp of Corona again.

> (snip ominous silence)

Magus grimaces towards Masque with the desired result
of somehow garnering his attention as well as bringing
a tiny bit of awareness to himself of his strange gurglings.

> As if on cue,..."Oh...excuse me! Don't know what 
> came over me. Must be the Milk."

In a rather deadpan manner the half-dragon replies,
"Of course. It must be."

> And you're all out of beer.

Opening his mouth, one would presume to comment on the
halt of what was until this moment an ever flowing
supply of beverag-y goodness, Magus promptly closes it
again without a sound at the overwhelming dramaticism
of the newcomer's arrival.

> (snip new customer entrance)

<OOC: How the hell can anyone be curiously dressed
from our perspectives I wonder.>

> (snip new customer speak)
>
> "Yo back atcha!" Masque tries to look thugish. 

"Hail," Magus states clearly.

> (snip Masque speak)

"Yes," Magus mutters, "Unbelievable," although one
might correctly infer that the warrior mage doesn't
necessarily state so in agreement with his befuddled
companion's words.

> (snip Masque TOURIST speak)

*Yea Gods,* Magus silently proclaims even as he shakes his head slightly.

> He turns to Magus for a second and gives him a thumbs up.

Who at that particular moment is too busy investigate
the liquid condiments resting at hand, *Strange
words...hot sauce...yet cool to the touch...hm.*

> The man looks at you for a long, long minute, Masque.

> It's one of those minutes that feels like about an hour, really.

> "No."

A silent prayer is offered up to his patron deities
for the small blessing of someone not afflicted with
Masque's affliction for verbosity.

> Not saying anything after that, the man waits, and
> eventually the bartender reappears, and takes the 
> man's order (and presumably, gets the two of you refills, if necessary).

Magus gestures for two more of the same when presented with the opportunity.

> (snip more Masque speak)

A gleam flashes in Magus' eyes for a split second as
his entire posture shifts subtly enough at the mention
of the undead. A tensing of form and thought occurring
in preparation for the possibility of imminent conflict.

> Ruffling through his robes he produces some ..... 
> garlic breadsticks ... although they seem somewhat ... old.

> "Well..if the garlic is bad I could always beat them with this."

A soft growling sigh emanates from deep within Magus.

> He laughs nervously and meanders on back to the table Magus is at.

"Truly any king would slay gods for the chance to
procure your diplomatic savvy," Magus offers up with sarcastic ernest.

> He cracks his knuckles mightily as you see them.

> "Magus.....ummmm.....There is definitely boding in the air."

"Smells like rotting carcasses to me," Magus offers in return as he sniffs the air.

>> He then orders a bottle of Tequila (TM).

> "Yes....lots of boding."

"Perhaps not rotting carcasses exactly but close to
it. Wet githyanki fur and yuan-ti droppings as well
actually," the dragon offers further as he continues
investigating the aromas of Seguridad in an olfactory
sense, "Hmm..."

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Fri May 3, 2002  3:53 pm
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip Jinx speak)

"Mr. Arbuckle? OK, this is getting pretty damned weird, but what the hell
do I know? Dragons...talking spiders...I must be nuts!"

> (snip more Jinx speak)

Rebound fiddles with the slate a bit more and finally gives up on it to turn
on the video monitors and see just who the hell is sneaking up on him...and
with company over. How rude!

"There may be a hidden civilization underneath this mountain of a rather
alien nature. It's a long story, but if it is them coming up the stairs, my
guess is that they are most definitely NOT friendly. From the looks of it
they should be coming through to us in about..."

(Just how long do we have before they get to us, anyway?)

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  4:13 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Och looks at you and nods, Ari.

"Yes, I must take care of something. You see, when we fought those 
villains beneath Elys' compound, the foe I was forced to face was none 
other than Ysen, a... very close friend of mine. I know not why she was so 
angry with me, but I must find out why.

"I haven't got the slightest clue where to begin looking for her, and I may 
very well run into her cretinous fellows in the process, but I must at 
least make an attempt to locate her. Especially if, like myself, she was 
stranded here on earth by Fate.

"You may join me if you like, though I know not how long the search may be..."

Meanwhile, over in Jersey, your Electronics class comes to an end, Stone 
Cold, and most of your classmates filter out on their way to their many and 
varied other classes. All except for one, a 'kid' with an impossibly tall 
flat top, who approaches Professor Smithingale.

The two start out talking amicably, but their talk quickly degenerates into 
something of a verbal spat, and then a physical one as the flat-topped one 
twists Smithingale's arm and forcees him into the man's own office, despite 
his protests and whimpering.

?!

(note: I'm not touching the bracelet bit until you and Magus work out 
which one of you is actually gonna walk off with it, Stoney - I care not 
who does, but since yer both into the thing, I'd rather not decide for ya's)

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  4:30 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

As Masque drinks his big glass of milk, Magus, you take in the odoriferous nature of Seguridad.  It's not exactly pleasant, but is much more 'natural' than that which you encountered in New York City.

Earthy, if you will.

In addition to the natural, normal things you'd expect to notice in a small town like this, though, you do smell a hint of... decay... which further makes this mention of vampires unnerving.

Speaking of which, the fellow that Masque is badgering receives his bottle of Tequila (TM) and drinks heartily from it.  He then makes a horrid, horrid face, and grins a manic grin.

"Yeah, old man.  I plan on meeting a vampire or six tonight.  The town's lousy with 'em, what with the library in town here - the magic it gives off acts like a weird magnet for the bloody things.

"And, since the purveyors of said library refuse to clean up the mess, there's only me to deal with it.  But then, I don't mind, because I've got an... angle..."

He then takes another prodigious swig of Tequila, and adds "Though I don't fight vampires unless I'm drunk off my ass.  Makes 'em easier to deal with, eh?"

!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  4:44 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Arbuckle seems quite amicable, Jinx.

"Not a problem, not a problem, dear gel. After all, I understand the 
nature of ownership where facilities like this are concerned. Sometimes, 
my work passes from one body to another quite fast.

"So that's quite all right, ey?"

As you join Rebound and see the sudden threat to your new facility's 
security, Rebound is easily able to determine that the people on their way 
up will be here in just about a minute.

You can even hear grunts and groans, as though something heavy was being 
carried up the stairs even as folks were doing their best to avoid the 
spider webs of tripwires you placed down there.

As you mentally prepare for this, Arbuckle answers your question, 
Rebound. "I am Arbuckle Van Gubenator, Master Architect of Places of Power 
for People With Money to Burn.

"I'm a Trans-Planar Rock Spider, in case that's what you 
meant." Arbuckle then smiles an impossible smile, an impressive feat for 
a being with mandibles. Makes you glad he's not bigger...

?!

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  4:58 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Stone Cold moved downstairs towards the professor in a rapid motion. 
(Hyper-speed) Turning to stone once he arrive, or get close then lays
into the tall flat-topped one. (Rolls: 68, 94, 60, 55, 31)

(note: I'm not touching the bracelet bit until you and Magus work out
which one of you is actually gonna walk off with it, Stoney - I care not
who does, but since yer both into the thing, I'd rather not decide for
ya's)

(OCC: He seems to be trying to walk off with everything else. I want it,
I want it, I want it,
I want it, I want it!!!! Ya can't have it. MINE understand, MINE, MINE,
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. Whoo whoo who haaaaaaaaaa. I am a rich and happy
miser!! --)

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  7:33 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip eta of newcomers)

"They're almost here. Dammit! can't I have a freakin' weekend off?"

> (snip description of nigh-arrival)

Rebound moves to the stair entrance and begins to lay down a network of
strands starting from the top of the stairs (there's a door there I presume)
across the floor for a good ten feet square. He then backs off towards the
control center training a strand from the mess.

> (snip Arbuckle speak)

"Well, um, pleased to er...meet you."

> (snip more Arbuckle speak)

"We'll have to get into this later...unexpected company is apparently about
to arrive."

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  11:01 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip Och speak)

Ari beams.  "Sure.  That's what friends are for, right?  Besides, if this Ysen character is as... uh... *important* as you're letting on..." she giggles a little, very much in a girlish "och's got a giiiiiiirlfriend!" manner.

From:  Nathan Gecko <nathangecko@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  1:38 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (OCC: He seems to be trying to walk off with
> everything else. I want it, I want it, I want it,
> I want it, I want it!!!! Ya can't have it. MINE
> understand, MINE, MINE, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. Whoo whoo
> who haaaaaaaaaa. I am a rich and happy miser!! --)

<OOC: What the bloody hell are you talking about,
Clay? Magus hasn't snagged but one thing from all the
items mentioned. He's reacted in extremely subtle ways
to the discovery of most items but has only procured
one item. The hi-tech bracelet. And that was only out
of mild curiousity more than anything else. Besides
your character has actually tried to claim more things
for himself than my character, or just about everyone
elses for that matter, so watch the accusations, if
you please.

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Thu May 9, 2002  5:30 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx tries to scope out the locale where the ascending group will emerge, setting herself up in a defensive position.
 
"Right, about a minute. So, do you want to give them a verbal warning to cease and dissist and provide us with some ID and the nature of their business, or should I?" she asks Rebound over her shoulder as she carefully watches the expected place of egress.

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Fri May 10, 2002  6:56 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip Jinx speak)

"Let's be social at first sight, but I have no qualms about pounding them to
dust if they aren't completely forthcoming with who they are and what they
are doing here. Somehow, I doubt they're here to borrow a cup of sugar."

Rebound tightens his grip on the trailing strand, ready to send a charge
down the line and set off the whole mess if need be.

From:  charlie s clay jr <cclayjr2@juno.com> 
Date:  Sat May 11, 2002  10:09 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

<OOC: What the bloody hell are you talking about,
Clay? Magus hasn't snagged but one thing from all the
items mentioned. He's reacted in extremely subtle ways
to the discovery of most items but has only procured
one item. The hi-tech bracelet. And that was only out
of mild curiousity more than anything else. Besides
your character has actually tried to claim more things
for himself than my character, or just about everyone
elses for that matter, so watch the accusations, if
you please.

OCC: Ooooookay?!? Just joking. Just trying to get things going. If we
are going to divy up the treasure pieces and close that up lets do so
take all for that matter. Just lets go.

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Sun May 12, 2002  1:08 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx nods at Rebounds suggestion, obviously agreeing with him.
 
"Right. I'll make verbal contact with the incoming bogies."
 
Calling down the passage the individuals are ascending, Jinx makes herself known, "Alright folks, cease your current ascent into the installation. Provide verbal identification and the nature of your business. Failure to comply will result in a great deal of unpleasantness upon your person."

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  4:59 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Och merely shrugs at your giggling... he's good at the artful 
shrug-as-dodge in conversation. "Well, you know. She and I, we worked 
together for quite a while... and were good friends. We shared a bond of 
battle and blood that few others experience... it's a long story.

"Which is why I must know what caused her to hate me so." He stops to 
collect the rest of his 'Indiana Jones' style stuff-ery, and then 
smiles. "Anyway, perhaps we should let the others know what we are up to 
before we wander off on some sort of adventure?"

Meanwhile, in Jersey, things seem to defuse rather quickly.

"What in the?!"

The man with the impressive flat top looks genuinely shocked and amazed at 
what has transpired here. "... I see. Using your minions to protect you, 
eh, Smithingale? Very well. I will simply contact you later... and you 
and your goons WILL return my ordinance."

"Lest I be forced to... bring my compatriot into the mix. After all, he is 
armed with considerable physical powers..." The man, straightening out his 
blonde, eighteen inch tall flat top, then looks you up and down, Stone 
Cold. "Mutants... feh."

He then turns to leave, unless you stop him from doing so.

Smithingale, on the other hand, thanks you mightily. "Thank you SO much, 
my heroic friend! I know not who you are, but that fellow has been 
menacing me for quite some time. Were you not here to rescue me from his 
shenanigans, I don't know what I would've done."

He then goes off on a rather familiar rant.

"Oh yes, he might've gotten rather rough with me, which would've been a bad 
thing, for nobody likes violence, especially me, not when I've got things 
to do, people to see, stuff to develop. Oh yes." He then stops, wiping 
the manic look off his face.

And then bellows "For technology is the way of the FUTURE!"

This man's resemblance to Masque is simply amazing. Save for the whole 
technology thing.

In fact, looking at him closer, you see he's wearing an odd pin on his 
tie. It's a sort of polished onyx thing, with a gold 'transistor' symbol 
carved into it. Curious, that, for the rest of the man's wear is rather 
bland and ordinary.

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  5:08 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

Slow Jim seems to tense after you get short with the priestly fellow.

Said fellow, on the other hand, simply smiles.

"You mistake my intentions, heroic one. Believe me when I say I am against 
conflict if it can at all be avoided. Trust me, as long as I have anything 
to say about it, we won't be warring with your kind any time soon - I have 
learned the error of my ways here.

"Besides, I think such a conflict would be too costly at this stage in both 
our people's development."

Slow Jim seems relieved at this, and then looks at you.

"I know I've said it several times, but thank you, Geoffrey. In addition 
to helping me to deal with my unbalanced, variant self - even if I'm the 
alien here - you actually helped me to figure out that this, this life 
under the waves, isn't exactly what I'm looking for.

"I have friends on the surface, who I may be rejoining... assuming they 
haven't gotten themselves killed while I was away. Care to return to 'the 
world' with me?"

?

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  5:39 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> He then does a loop D' loop.
> "Oh..sorry about that Chuck. You might wanna buckle up huh."

Naturally, i take this opportunity to lose my lunch.

i say "RALPH!"

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  5:53 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

"Oh Masque quit playin' man and tell me who that was. What have you been
doing? And why didn't you tell anyone you were teaching?" Stone Cold
asks, he is more interested and what just happened. Jeremy realizes this
isn't who he thinks this is. "So tell me who are you?" 

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  7:38 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip strategizing)

> (and for reference, there never was a door, there, Rebound) 

(Note to self...add a door to the top of stairs...a strong one at that.) 

> (snip new arrival speak)

Rebound shoots Jinx a glance, not sure what to make of the situation.

> Admit it, you're both impulsive as heck.

> (snip more new arrival speak)

Rebound clamps a hand over his mouth to prevent the laughter overwhelming
him from giving himself away. He'd reply, but he's sure that he wouldn't be
able to keep a straight face (if you could ever call his face "straight").
Instead, he tries his best to suppress his overwhelming laughter.

* if pentet is the actual word for a group of five... if not, it's late, so
feh.

(I think it's quintet, but who really cares, eh?) 

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  7:48 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

> (snip priestly leader fellow speak)

"Indeed. You are quite correct. I am gladdened to see I misinterpreted
your intentions. Perhaps there are nuisances of this language that do not
translate. Nevertheless, I surmise that the time for you to act is present.
Destiny awaits you. Do not hesitate in claiming it."

> (snip Slow Jim speak)

"Yes, Jim, I think it would be good to see the sun again. Let us return to
'the world' together. I, however, must visit someone before I get involved
in anything else. It should not take too long, but it is something I must
do. Would you care to join me for this short journey?"

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  10:58 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip Och speak)

"This wasn't an 'It's not you, it's me' kind of thing, was it, Och?"  She eyes him warily, obviously fooling.

> (snip the rest of the Och speak)

Ari nods.  "Yeah.  I hate it when people up and disappear without telling anyone.  Guess it's funny that I do it so much.  'Sides, we might could use some extra muscles."

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Thu May 16, 2002  4:28 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx cocks her head at the mention of "old lady" starting to put two and two together.
 
Once the quintet (pentet, indeed) have stated their purpose, Jinx looks to the laughing Rebound and shrugs, sighing to herself.
 
Calling back down to the newcomers, "Right. One moment."
 
Turning back to Rebound, she hisses quietly, "OK, so do we try and bluff these guys and take their 'bounty'?"

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Fri May 17, 2002  9:52 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip Jinx speak)

(3rd attempt...hate my email right now...)

Rebound chuckles some more before once again regaining some of his bearing
and whispering back, "You kidding? Of course we do. You take the lead on
this one, I'm afraid that I'll burst out laughing at the little pink guys."

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Fri May 17, 2002  6:10 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Shrugging as if to say "why the hell not," Jinx turns back to the corridor.
 
"Elys isn't in right now, but feel free to bring up your bounty and we'll make sure to present it to her when she returns."

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat May 18, 2002  6:46 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> i say "RALPH!"

Gunslinger takes the opportunity to turn around and bitch-slap Chuck.
*bitch-slap*
"Now you little fucker, if you don't clean that up I am gonna drop you off in the Mesozoic era of this pathetic little planet"
He tosses Chuck a towel(I have them just for this occasion... really).
"Mobeius....now about my personal security....?"

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat May 18, 2002  6:50 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip leather-bound vampire hunter speak)
 
Masques eyes gleam.
"Library? Where is said library?"

> (snip more leather-bound vampire hunter speak)
 
"No no no....yer not thinking about destroying said library are you? I mean....it's a magical library....it's just too cool to break. We need it anyhow. My otherworldly friend here needs to check out some books or whatnot there. I wonder if they have the new Harry Potter book. That would be keen. "

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Thu May 23, 2002  3:24 pm
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

As soon as you tell them to bring up their bounty, Jinx, you feel a twinge 
at the back of your neck. However, the voice below clears its throat, 
and complies. "Yes, ma'am.... we're on our way up now!"

The five men do indeed complete their trek up the stairs, an impressive 
feat considering that they're carrying an eight foot long, high tech 
canister. They place it at their feet, and back off.

The four bearers of the canister immediately begin to go back down the 
stairs, obvious fear in their eyes, but then, you know what used to live 
here. Their leader, however, doesn't seem so scared.

But then, you can't see his face.

He's wearing a long black cloak, one with a features-obscuring hood. You 
can feel him smiling as he, too, returns to the stairwell, and that twinge 
at the back of your neck is getting stronger.

"Yes, my lady, here is the bounty that we have to offer the mighty Elys... 
may she enjoy it as much as I am sure that the two of you will...!" With 
that, you also have the feeling of recognition, Jinx.

His voice, now laced with malice, reminds you of one you once heard beneath 
the sewers of New York City... it's that guy who was working for Morbis way 
back when - that jerk, A-Lonse!

He pulls back the hood of his cloak, and cackles with glee, leaping into 
the stairwell!

Just then, the canister between you and them stars making beeping noises, 
and with a hiss of air, the top opens up, revealing the device to be none 
other than a sort of storage device.

For a person.

One that would appear to have been on 'ice' for quite awhile.

This is because, as he is slowly lifted from the pod by some unseen force, 
you see that the man is wearing brown platform shoes, brown polyester 
trousers, and a shirt with a collar that screams of the 70's.

Not to mention the plaid patterns on the thing.

Of course, that which totally convinces you that this person is an artifact 
of the past isn't his gold chains, the hair issuing forth from the 
unbuttoned front of his shirt, or his many rings.

It's his head, which seems to be nothing more than a gigantic disco ball!

He is then positioned upright before the pod, and stands before the two of 
you ... and you suddenly feel very, very nervous... that because that 
feeling in the back of your neck is screaming now.

Silly danger sense.

!

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Thu May 23, 2002  5:39 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx dives for cover as soon as the canister begins opening, cursing the entire time.
 
"OK folks! This is definitely a problem! Take cover and prepare for hostile activity!"
 
OOC: 4 + modifier for Initiative, 74 for a Dodge, 67 for a shot at the Disco-head guy if he makes any threatening moves, 44 for damage, 71, 45, and 90 for any other necessary rolls.

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Fri May 24, 2002  9:17 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> "So you don't have to worry about that.  Besides -"

Masque follows his stare....

. "Hello.  I am Mos Quito!"

"Hi....nice theme song ya got there. I am Masque..please to meet you Mos Quito......"
Masque takes a big gulp of what might be Goat milk. 
He turns back to the table muttering..
"Mos Quito....Mos...Quito......Mos....Quito.."
Scratching his chin..
"Hmmmm...Mos....Quito...Mos..Quito.."
His eyes go wide....he holds up one finger...
"Mos...."
...then he hold up another finger...
"Quito"
He then puts the fingers together and says, really fast...
"MosQuito!"
He pulls the garlic bread and brandishes it at Mos Quito..
"I know yer trick you foul thing....Mos Quito.. Clever dick....think you can put one over on Old Masque huh..well well well...I watched sesame street when i was a kid and you know what I learned..Remember the two headed monster..well I learned to put word together and you know what yer name is...it's really Mosquito and you know what they do.....?!?..they SUCK BLOOD!!"
 
He starts waving the garlic bread and blowing the garlic scent in the direction of Mos Quito...
*Phhhhhhh..Phhhhhhh*
 
"Magus....stay behind me.....we're safe as long as i have this."

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Fri May 24, 2002  11:19 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

While Charlie goes about cleaning up the filthy mess he made (assuming that he, in fact, does), Moebius tries to answer your query as best as she can.

"Well, the first thing we need to do is upgrade the apparatus.  Your watch does the job of time travel pretty darn well, but it can't counter the effects of time MANIPULATORS, as I demonstrated for you.

"I assume I need not reiterate that point.

"This is why we must go to the one place that I know of that can help us.  I think it'd be easier to either modify or replace your timepiece, the difficulty of which I don't know.

"After all, I'm not up on this whole 'technology' thing.  I'm a sorceress, you know."

Moebius stops to think for a few minutes, winding down the window as the smell of sick gets up to her, and then continues.  "We'll need to head into the timestream proper, Gunslinger... I can get us there if your watch needs a specific time destination to function.

"There's a ... city of sorts that exists there, out in the 4th dimension, that I think can be of use to us in this.  Of course, it's not exactly what you'd call a nice tourist destination..."

?!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Fri May 24, 2002  11:34 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

(Note:  the part of Rebound will be played by Firebomb today)

Rebound doesn't really move, other than to wander behind the canister, what with it being the only real cover within about fifty feet of the staircase.  Though he does look angrily at the fleeing A-Lonse.  "Huh... him again."

Ken, on the other hand, seems unable to control himself.  "Heh... nice head."

He's not laughing so hard that he's lost his ability to stand, but he's still laughing heartily.

The 'gift' that A-Lonse had intended for Elys, but instead unleashed upon the four of you (counting Arbuckle), doesn't laugh, though.  "Well, well, well... so you feds finally decided to quit holding me, eh?"  He then dusts himself off.

Though the brilliance of the various reflections of light issuing forth from his rather... mirrored head are forcing you to squint somewhat, Jinx, you don't see him make any sort of sudden moves whatsoever.  He just puts his hands on his hips.

"Humph.  Well now, isn't that just rude?  Here I just woke up, and I'm being aimed at.  That won't do, oh no.  You government stooges have made a critical mistake in releasing me, 'cause I've got a bone to pick with the lot of you."

"Especially President Ford... oh yes... Disco Head has something quite unpleasant planned for him...!"

(make an Intuition FEAT, Jinx)

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Fri May 24, 2002  11:39 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Professor Smithingale just stares at you blankly for a moment, Stone Cold.  Then he comes back to earth.  "Masque... ah yes.  That's me.  Magic is the way of the future, and all that.  Ooh, look!"

Smithingale then goes all frantic, pointing at something right behind you.  Whether or not you look, he then says "Poof," and falls through a suddenly open trap door in the floor.  It closes immediately after he passes through, however.

Though I s'pose you could bash your way through...!

Elsewhere, Och doesn't seem to amused by your good-natured taunts, Ari, but he doesn't say anything nasty ... but then, this is Och we're talking about.  "No, it was nothing like that, Ari, at least, I don't think so.  I honestly don't know."

He then throws on his back pack, and smiles.  "Anyway.  Who's in the closet over there?  We could always start with them, since I'm sure that's where most of our friends are at right now...!"

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Fri May 24, 2002  11:42 pm
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

Slow Jim seems amicable to your idea, Geoffrey.

"Sure, that's not a problem. After all, I don't really have anywhere I 
need to be, truth be told. That's cool... I can hang out with you for a 
bit - interesting things seem to happen around you, after all... heh.

?

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Sat May 25, 2002  2:14 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip Och question)

Ari shrugs lightly.  "I think Jinx is in the cave.  Ken, too.  Ionno about the rest, though."  She wanders over to the closet and peers through the door to check...

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sat May 25, 2002  7:52 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> "I assume I need not reiterate that point.
 
Gunslinger frowns..
"No..I am quite clear on that part."

> (snip Moebius speak)
 
"I really don't know. I got the thing from a job. All I do is punch in the time I want."

> (snip more Moebius speak)

Gunslinger opens the glove box and pulls out his handy dandy de-oderizer and points it back and sprays the hell out the back seat.
"Well, i suppose if you have a specific time that we can go to, we can give it a shot. No worries about the not-so-nice, I am good at that."

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Sat May 25, 2002  8:49 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

"Oh Masque quit trippin' we gotta go back to the house." Jeremy replied
as he reached down to pull up the door, as he begins to transform to
stone. He looks around for him. "Alright now, if your so powerful how
come you were lettin' dude punk ya?"

From:  Nathan Gecko <nathangecko@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Mon May 27, 2002  10:58 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip description of Seguridad's unique odor)

"Mmm...dirt," Magus mutters to himself in a rather apparent manner.

> (snip more odor descriptors)

Sniffing at the air once again Magus states quietly, "feh..death..earth. I despise undead."

> (snip leather-bound vampire hunter speak)

Meanwhile Magus, still resting upon his stool with
Corona firmly in taloned hand, glances towards Masque
newly acquired, leather-clad friend of the day.

"Vampires... I hate vampires."

Magus strides towards the self-proclaimed vampire hunter as he and Masque debate the destruction of the aforementioned mystical library.

> (snip theme music)

Magus glances about the room slowly as the cacophony
of sounds erupt from no discernible source, "A vampire
with cantrips at his beckoning...wonderful," he
grumbles to himself.

> "Hello. I am Mos Quito!"

*Mos? What kind of idiotic name is that,* Magus
ponders to himself silently completely unaware that in
this dimension mosquito is the equivalent of
tracholids in his home realm.

> (snip Masque's ramblings)

Magus, up until this moment had been locked upon the
newly arrived Mos Quito, glances to Masque with a
slightly confused look, "But I thought you despised
technology in all it's forms. How could you watch a
device created by the very thing you've dedicated your
life against?"

> He starts waving the garlic bread and blowing the 
> garlic scent in the direction of Mos Quito...
> *Phhhhhhh..Phhhhhhh*

Magus glances heavenwards, "I'm not only traveling
with a psychotic but he's a hypocrite too. Why o' why
must I suffer such condemnation, wise Io?"

> "Magus....stay behind me.....we're safe as long as i have this."

His gaze now drifting more towards the other three
beings in the room Magus continues to debate with
himself quietly over what karmic faux pas could've
possibly led to his current predicament, "Perhaps it
was that time I killed that white wyrm...but he was
evil..I'm sure of it."

From:  "Chris Acers" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Mon May 27, 2002  10:59 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip Magus speak)

Masque ceases his garlic bread waving for a moment.
"Duh....Hello.....umm...I said I was a child when I watched that stuff....Just
'cause I abhor technology does not mean that I didn't learn anything. And
besides....technology was the messenger for what I learned....sheesh....a CHILD
...golly.."

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Jun 3, 2002  8:21 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

( Thanks for the step in there...) 

Rebound doesn't really move, other than to wander behind the canister, what
with it being the only real cover within about fifty feet of the staircase.
Though he does look angrily at the fleeing A-Lonse. "Huh... him again."

> (snip activity, Disco Head speak) 

Rebound steps out from behind the canister and, using his renowned ability
to defuse situations, declares, "Well, if he isn't the least grateful of the
lot we rescued, I don't know who is! Look, Disco Head, we just rescued you
from a government facility where you have been on ice for thirty years, man.
You could at least say thank you!"

Rebound tightens his grip once again on the strand he's holding, ready to
blow the whole area Disco Head is standing on to bits if his ruse is seen to
be as transparent as it really is...

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Jun 3, 2002  8:27 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

> (snip Slow Jim speak)

"Wonderful. We'll proceed as soon as we can get back to the surface and I
can stop in a hotel. I require a shower and I have been wearing this suit
for an unconscionably long time. It should prove a minor delay, but a
necessary one, I assure you. Upon completing this task, we shall endeavor
to return to New York to facilitate my meeting with Yogi Samuelsen."

Geoffrey begins his journey back towards the surface world as if he knew
where he was going, fully expecting Slow Jim to join him and advise him on
the proper direction.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  6:19 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

When you start to argue with Magus about the merits of Sesame Street and such, Masque, Mos Quito springs into action in a blur of motion, drawing his foil and waggling about before you in a speedy dance of death - or so you think at first.

He then wipes his foil on your ample robes, and sheathes it.  As he does so, your makeshift cross o' garlic falls to the ground in neatly sliced bits - several dozen of 'em, actually.

"Tut, tut, tut.  My not so friendly wizard, Mos Quito is not one to fall so easily.  Yes, I am afraid to admit that I am in fact a vampire, but one must truly believe in the symbols he uses to ward one such as I off, lest his efforts fail.

"And that does not even work on all vampires."

After doing a small twirly motion that really makes you think he's got a few screws loose, Mos Quito then huzzahs.  "Huzzah!  Regardless, my foul-smelling acquaintance, I must let you know that you need not fear Mos Quito, for Mos Quito does not consume humans.

"Mos Quito hunts the werewolf!"

He then brandishes his blade again, and looking at it closely, you see that it is more silvery than steel... which almost makes sense.  If you were to make a sword out of silver, that is.

"And the werewolf, he is always to be found in this curious little town, though Mos Quito does not know why, the truth to be told."

Meanwhile, the youth in his rather distinctive leather outfit yawns at all of this, and then turns to you, Magus.  "So, my reptilian friend, what brings you here - and tell me it's not the nutjob in the robes..."

!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  6:35 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

(Over ICQ, Bil sez that he already had excess rolls on his post, so I guess 
forget the order to make das intuition FEAT... feh)

After you step out and face him, Rebound, Disco Head simply shrugs... 
though it looks like his neck just gets sucked into that giant disco ball 
more than it already is, really.

"Pah."

He then looks down, at you, at Jinx, at her guns, and all 
around. "Interesting place." His head then glows, and a pulse of light 
issues forth from it, blowing the high tech device to smithereens; his 
blast seems more force than cutting power, however.

This because the bits of the pod were blown clear of the two of you entirely.

"Don't mind me, just some bad feelings there."

Disco Head then looks at you, Jinx, and says "If you rescued me, why the 
big guns? You're obviously not government stooges, I'd imagine, unless 
Obsidian Sector dress code has changed a LOT in thirty years...!"

He's just sort of ambling around in the wreckage of his stasis pod, but it 
slowly dawns on the both of you that Disco Head's, well, Disco Head seems 
to be reflecting more light than it should. Lots more. In fact, the light 
it's giving off almost hurts your eyes.

"Thirty years... egad. Hey... well, I assume that the Constitution hasn't 
changed, so Ford's obviously out. But, but, but. Let's say we kill him 
anyway, guys?"

??!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  6:45 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

You pull on the trap door, Stone Cold, but it doesn't budge until you're, well, stoney.  You peer down into the shaft, and see that it goes down quite a while, at least three stories.  You do hear somebody saying "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!", however.

Sounds like he isn't stopping, which makes no sense, really, what with this not being a really tall building, when you get down to it.  

Elsewhere, you peer into the doorway between here and there, Ari, and see nothing.  Well, besides the smoldering pile of junk by the stairs leading downward into the mountain.  And the really goddamn HUGE (and dead-looking) albino spider there.

No sign of the others.  No sign at all...!

(mysteries aplenty)

From:  "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  7:51 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

"Now I have a psycho teacher with his own built-in waterslide." Stone Cold 
shakes his head and pulls the trap door closed as he follows. Jumping down 
behind him.

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  8:16 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip Disco Head blast)

(Good thing it didn't set off the network of strands...or did it?)

> (snip Disco Head talk)

Rebound, torn by his own anger at the government and his own conscience,
tries to get a bit more information out of this guy before things go too
far...

"What would be the point? He's as old as dirt and will probably kick off on
his own any day now anyway. What's your beef with the government anyway?
Why'd they lock you up and throw away the key?"

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  9:43 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip description of Antarctic H.Q.)

Ari winces.  "Och... I think the crew at the base might need a hand.  There's *something* none-too-kosher going on over there.  C'mon!"

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Wed Jun 5, 2002  6:08 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx slowly slides her guns back into her holsters.

-Disco Head then looks at you, Jinx, and says "If you rescued me, why the
-big guns? You're obviously not government stooges, I'd imagine, unless
-Obsidian Sector dress code has changed a LOT in thirty years...!"

"Right. Definitely not government employees."

Squinting at the glare from his head, "Hey, anyway you can tone down the
brightness of your...head?"

Looking over her shoulder, she tries to see where the phase spider found itself.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  5:52 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

"Sure, though I'll probably need a pair of pants, first."

Before you can comment on that line, Jim simply says "You know, what with 
the differing standards of so-called 'decency' and all that..."

Once Jim has procured such, the two of you indeed begin your return journey 
to the lands above the waves, and Jim indeed leads the way back to the 
relative normalcy of human civilization. The two of you seem to make 
rather good speed, too.

It seems that, while underwater, Jim has at least a few characteristics of 
his counterpart on this world, and is apparently manipulating water such 
that the two of you are in your own 'jet' of ultra-fast water. You make it 
back to New York City in just a few hours.

As far as you can tell, then, this city of Atlantis that these weird, 
transparent folk live in is somewhere out in the Atlantic - perhaps halfway 
between the City and Europe / Africa proper. It wouldn't be impossible to 
find again, if necessary...

Once you find a hotel up to your usual standard of living, you spend about 
an hour cleaning up, with Jim more or less hiding out in your room due to 
the really bizarre looks his appearance seems to be generating - even 
amongst more jaded New Yorkers.

"Hm... it would seem I need a change of clothes as well...!"

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:05 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

"Not clear, eh?  Well then..."

Moebius does some more of her wacky-weird magic, and the next thing you know, you're flying upside down.  "I would've slapped you around some more, but that would've involved getting closer to you than I rather would at this point - despite this thing's considerable roominess.

"Like I TRIED to explain to you, smart guy, it doesn't matter if you can just travel around in time... people who can bend it to their will can slip in behind you, between milliseconds, and kill you without you even knowing it.

"We must solve this problem... either with a modification of your time travel dingus there or something else they can cook up in the place we're headed for.  Like I said, most reputable folk there should be able to manage... something for us.

After your comments about the watch, she just grins.  "Ever set it to zero?"

...?

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:08 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> After your comments about the watch, she just grins.  "Ever set it to zero?"

Gunlinger smiles.
And he sets his watch to zero.

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:17 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

You leap into the trap door, Stone Cold, and find that it's really dark in 
this top secret little escape chute... in fact, it's totally 
dark. Furthermore, after you've fallen a few stories (from what you can 
tell in the abject darkness) you're in total freefall.

No surfaces to cling to whatsoever.

You seem to be getting closer to your electronics teacher, though, for his 
glee-filled voice is getting 
louder. "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," says he, 
until you run into him finally. Or, as it turns out, a tape recorder.

Saying "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

At that point, everything turns upside down, and you hear a voice say "It's 
ma-a-a-a-agic! Yeah, that's the ticket..." You suddenly find yourself 
upside down in the parking lot of the school, your head half embedded in 
concrete from your fall.

And there's no sign of Professor Smithingale at all...!

Elsewhere, Och nods at you, Ari, and follows you into the portal leading to 
your top secret, Antarctic hide-a-way. Pulling out his axe, he walks up to 
the point where the pile of smouldering rubble is, and you can see a bit 
more detail.

Someone threw up, for one thing.

Also, the spider that you spied from without the portal looks even more 
impressive up close, even if it does look dead. All rolled up in a ball 
and upside down. It's wearing something around its neck, though, which 
looks electronic in nature.

Och, while you check out the visual clues, puts his ear to the ground below 
the two of you. "Hm. A whole lot of people are in the tunnel that leads 
to these stairs." Listening closely, you see that Och isn't demonstrating 
super hearing, so much as just really good hearing.

For you hear an "Uff" of exhaustion emanate from the stairwell.

!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:36 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

(before we go, just a quick note - the network of strands all around the 
stasis pod didn't go off when it blew, for the force of its destruction was 
focused away from the ground ... at least, that's what i was thinking at 
the time... er)

Disco Head seems unhappy with your questions, Rebound.

"What would be the point? Why... he locked me in this pod! Stole years 
from my life! All because he couldn't deal with the wave of super-folk 
that were rummaging around back then... just put 'em on ice, and let the 
Future sort 'em out, indeed...!

"Ford may not have personally closed the lid on my little prison cell here, 
but he may as well have - it was his idea to use the confiscated alien 
technology against his own people! It was him who told his minions to put 
us all on ice.

"Even if our 'powers' could be removed rather easily...!"

With that, Disco Head raises his fists into the air, and you can almost 
imagine him spraying spit as he rants. "Thirty years! If I'd been locked 
in a normal prison, at least I could've dealt with things on my own 
terms... my family probably thinks I'm dead.

"So that, my masked friend, would be the point of killing Ford. Sure, I 
wasn't using my abilities for the good of mankind, but who was back 
then? All I wanted to do was retire on a nice Pacific isle, with a few 
dozen healthy women to tend to my every need.

"Ah, those were the days. I guess you don't have hula girls now... no, 
it's probably all about the flying cars and whatnot. Pfah. It would take 
me forever to hunt down all the people in Obsidian Sector that were 
involved, but Ford. That'd be simple vengeance...

"And then, who knows?" And then, in a slightly more sinister tone, he adds 
"Who knows, indeed...!"

As you comment on the impossibly potent reflective surfaces on Disco Head's 
odd head gear, Jinx, the man seemingly comes back to reality for a 
moment. He even stops waving his fists in the air, slowly lowering his 
arms back to his sides.

"Ah, that. Apologies, my lady, that's simply an optical side-effect of my 
using my impressive abilities - you know, those that warranted my being 
locked away from my natural path in time. You see, I needed to remove 
myself from danger."

He then points to the self-same strands of icky goo that were, until he 
blew the thing up, surrounding his stasis pod. "I don't know the meaning 
of that, but if you were to see me simply waltzing away from them, I'm sure 
you would've attempted some kooky heroic plot.

"Or some such."

Then, there's suddenly a dozen Disco Heads standing in a circle all around 
the four of you (including the spider, of course).  "You see, I can buy that 
the two of you don't work for the government, but I honestly don't think 
you're the type to let me go scot-free..."

!

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:36 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> Moebius does some more of her wacky-weird magic, and
> the next thing you know, you're flying upside down. 

"Bork!"

i guess i'm kind of glad that i was apparently
cleaning up my mess, since it would've probably joined
me on the ceiling of this freak car

i guess i'll do a quick inventory.

Make sure i gots no rboken bones or anything - hey,
it's a bigass metal car, you never nkow.

"Hey, where'd you people get your driver's licences - Mcdonalds?!"

i then harrumph. "Harrumph."

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:53 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

While Charlie checks all of his personal bits for breaks, leaks, and lesions (though hopefully not legions), you set your time-traveling watch to zero, Gunslinger, and make it go.

Usually, you would imagine doing something like this would put you at some sort of 'big bang' point in time, something that would be hard to come back from, but no, since time is a forward progression, technically speaking, you're BEFORE that happened.

At least, in the continuity you've traveled from.

Though flying upside down before setting that destination, your car suddenly seems upright as it enters its new locale, and (yes) Charlie again falls from his perch - but at least, this time, it's a more comfortable landing.

Looking out the windows, you find yourself glad that the car is indeed spaceworthy once again, enhanced as it is with purloined Transformer technology, for you see nothing that looks even remotely normal outside the vehicle.

Everything is swirly energy and random echoes of things that have happened, are happening (from your perspective, anyway) and what may happen in the future.  "This is all just your mind trying to cope with being in a non-space, Gunslinger."

Moebius is looking around with noted interest in events outside your car.

"While we're still here, per se, but it's all in your mind; you bring your dimensions with you here."

As you try to sort that cryptic statement out, you start to see something a bit more solid in the ... time all around you.  It seems Moebius sees it as well.  "That could be what we're looking for, Gunslinger... unless it's some 'Time Cop' group's stronghold.

"If it's not Zerotropolis, we could be up for some interesting shenanigans...!"

?!

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  6:51 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> And there's no sign of Professor Smithingale at all...!

"Son of a gun!!!" Stoney said glad to have a stone head to day of all
days. He was going to catch up with him later, once he made it back home
which was where he went. 'That was certainly freaky.' He thought.

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  7:27 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

"Zerotropolis... weak. Why not Loserburg, or Chump City?"

After i right myself in the stupid seat again, i
buckle up, since the coatless cowboy here doesn't seem
to know how to drive to save our lives.

i'll take in the surroundings though... you never know
when you might see something useful. You know, like
Bush getting dethroned or something that might actually
affect me. Say, surviving this road trip into
absurdity. Yeah, that'll happen... since i'm charmed
with such friendly company and all... whee. 

"Hey, you got any Slim Jim type stuff in here?"

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  12:15 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip description of area, Alabaster)

Ari takes a close-up look at the dead spider's thingy.  Electronic thingy.  Not THAT thingy.  Also, she pulls a suitably large gun out of her knapsack.  Not The Bag, mind you, but her backpack.  

> For you hear an "Uff" of exhaustion emanate from the stairwell.

Ari readies her gun, and nods to Och.  She sidles along parallel to the entrance, ready to ambush the crap out of whatever comes out...

From:  "albedo1" <albedo1@cox.net> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  7:33 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

Jinx rolls her eyes a bit at Disco Head's rant, crossing her arms in front of her, waiting for him to finish.
 
Once he responds and displays his hostile intent, Jinx begins evasive maneuvers, calling out to Rebound to swing one of his strands through the entire display of Disco Heads, hopefully having it encounter the real one as it passes through the undoubtedly photonic duplicates.
 
OOC: 5 + modifier for Initiative. 61 for a Dodge and 73 + 25 Karma to see if Jinx can determine which Disco Head is the real one through various auditory/visual/etc cues available to her.

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  8:59 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip Moebius speak)
 
"Yeah yeah....tell it to someone who cares sister. I can handle this..."
Gunslinger peers out the windows trying to focus on finding some sort of city.

> (snip more Moebius speak)

Gunslinger turns slowly to face her.
"I don't want my dimensions here. In one of them, there are about 50 me's trying to kill ME."

> (snip yet more Moebius speak)

> "If it's not Zerotropolis, we could be up for some interesting 
> shenanigans...!"
 
Gunslinger turns the car towards the city and puts it in high gear.
"I guess we will find out huh."
He turns to Chuck,
"I will kill you if you fuck this up. Normally i kill for money but I can make exceptions.This is some serious bullshit we are going into."
He steps on the 'gas' pedal and zooms on into the city, keeping all radio frequencies open, just in case they want to warn us before they shoot us down.

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:06 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Seguridad)

> (snip swordplay)
 
"Eep!"

> "Mos Quito hunts the werewolf!"
 
Masque frantically searches his robes.
"Drat, i have nothing for werewolves. I think I will get a stick..maybe they like to play fetch. I mean..they are canine's after all and what do canines like to do? Besides peeing on fire hydrants and playing with my leg...they like to fetch. Maybe a paper...yeah..i'll set a paper in front of the door to this place. Then they can bring it to me. I hope there's a crossword puzzle in it. I like crossword puzzles. You got a pencil?"

> "And the werewolf, he is always to be found in this curious little town, 
> though Mos Quito does not know why, the truth to be told."
 
Masque thinks for a moment.
"Could be the goats."

> (snip leather-bound vampire hunter speak)
 
"Hey..I heard that."
Masque shuffles off.
"Hey Magus....what say we get to the library. I am just itching to see what they got in there."

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:19 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

Moebius just harrumphs (to match Charlie's own) when you speed towards the 
... hint of civilization before you here, and you find that there are no 
nifty Time Force weaponry aimed towards you, and that it's not something 
that looks ominously like a small moon or some such.

It looks like... some sort of old west town, really. Not that everything 
is saloons and blacksmiths and horses, so much as all of the buildings here 
seem to be lining up to just one street, which seems to stretch on and on 
to the edge of your vision's ability to focus.

Even then, 'street' is relative. It's more like an open space between the 
two rows of structures, with various vehicles parked here and 
there. There's plenty of time periods represented, too. Some old-west 
style saloons, a flashy discotheque, repair shops, etc...

As you cruise down the street, Moebius pipes up. "Hey, there's a bar with 
your name on it." Sure enough, you see a bar with two horses, a flying 
Lamborghini, and what looks like a motorized skateboard floating out front, 
with a neon "Gunslinger's" sign on the front.

??

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:18 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip Gunslinger speak)

"You can TRY, tough guy. And why would i screw this
up? i know a few evil time folk myself, and could use
one of them there protective dillybobs.

"Hey! You never did say if you have any Slim Jims (TM)..."

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:21 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip description of Zerotropolis)

"Hey, nice town. No street. i bet there's no indoor
plumbing, either. So much for enlightened time
travelers... whee." Not being impressed, i just sort
of keep an eye out for trouble.

> (snip description of Gunslinger's)

Hey, trouble.

"So. Is this gonna be a bunch of those yous that want
to kill you? Should be fun! Let's check it out.

"Really."

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:30 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip Charlie Chicanery speak)
 
Gunslinger grins, tosses Chuck a Slim Jim and parks the car in front of 'his ' bar.
"For once Chuck, you have a solid plan."
 
Before getting out of the car he speaks to Mobeius.
"So...you know where we can get whatever those things are called we came here for? Or should we go in and get a drink and play 'ask the locals'?"

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:36 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

You head back home, as it were, and you find that the place is mostly 
empty, Stone Cold.  Save, of course, for those folks you see on the other 
side of the magic portal in Och's apartment, the one that now leads to das 
secret cave of iniquity you all possess.

On the other side of the portal, you see Ari and Och tooling 
around.  Speaking of the other side of the portal, you get close to the 
(electronic) thingy on the spider, Ari, and Och yells out, "Ari, nooo!"

It's too late, though, for the device starts talking. "Hello! I am 
Arbuckle Van Gubenator, Master Architect of Places of Power
for People With Money to Burn! If you're hearing this, that means that 
I'm... DEAD!

"Don't worry, however, for my impressive physiology will revive myself in 
no time flat. Please stand by if you wish to negotiate a construction 
and/or maintenance contract by me and my many architects..."

Once the device stops talking to you in a very pronounced British accent, 
Och finally takes his hand off his face, where it arrived as soon as the 
thingy started talking.

"Hoi. I hate those things. The device, not necessarily the spider."

Once you whip out the gun and point it downstairs, though, you listen even 
closer, and find that you hear little else of a coherent nature. Mostly 
sounds that seem to indicate that somebody's going away from the stairs...

?

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:41 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

Moebius smirks. "We could walk around until we find what we want. It 
might take a little while, but this is a town that caters to time travelers 
and the time-lost, so that's one plan.

"Or we could cause a ruckus, and make it easier for everybody 
involved..." With that, she unbuttons the button on her sword scabbard, 
giving her easy access to it. She also checks her Uzis out.

Making sure her clips are full, etc...

You get the impression she's up for the 'ask the locals' route.

"C'mon, guys, let us start a bar fight!"

!

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:47 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip Moebius speak, combat prep)

Smiling, Gunslinger gets out of the car, opens the back door and motions for Chuck to get out.
Securing the car... aka... locking the doors...he walks up to the bar.

> "C'mon, guys, let us start a bar fight!"

..and he steps in.

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:53 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip Och speak)

Ari gawks briefly at the device.  "Now *that's* a new one.  Clever idea, tho."

> (snip sounds)

True to her sense of adventure, Ari begins easing her way into the staircase... headed after whoever's making noise.

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  9:54 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

(boy, we're gonna drown everybody out soon)

Mister Christopher wrote:

> (snip Moebius and Gunslinger speak)

Yeah.

i snap into a Slim Jim (TM) and brandish my staff at
nobody in particular. After hanging out with the INS'
worst nightmare for so long, i feel like hitting
somebody. Repeatedly.

i'll twirl it around a bit, still lamenting the loss
of my darth maul style maimer.

Then i'll follow the other two psychopaths into the bar.

Yessh!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  10:06 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (boy, we're gonna drown everybody out soon)

(No doubt.  Especially since this is more than you've ever posted, tough guy... heheh.  But anyways...)

The three of you walk into the saloon-style double doors of Gunslinger's bar, and you find yourselves staring straight into the eyes of about a dozen different versions of the Gunslinger you know and love.

Well, know, at any rate.

There's big ones, small ones, even a female one - she looks just as surly, however.  There's a few other folks in the bar, though, so it's not just a cavalcade of Gunslinger clonery.

The bartender, of course, seems to be the most interesting Gunslinger variant hereabouts.  That, of course, because he's surrounded by a nimbus of what would appear to be green electricity.

You also notice that people make great pains to give him some clearance - as if touching him would deliver unto the touch-ee a dose of grinning, evil death.  

"Hey, cocksuckers, you're letting the air conditioning out!"

Looking back at the saloon doors, you note that there's plenty of open air both above and below the swinging, chest-level doors.  This makes you wonder at the statement of mister bartender there...

?

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  11:29 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

>> (boy, we're gonna drown everybody out soon)

> (No doubt. Especially since this is more than you've ever posted, tough guy... 
> heheh. But anyways...)

Pah. i am the post-o-matic, goon.

> (snip bartender speak)

i'm surrounded by idiots. There's nothing else to it.

Well, when in rome, i guess...

"Zip it, cracker jack. You gonna get me a beer or do i have to burn this shithole down?"

Yeah, that ought to do it.

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Jun 10, 2002  7:53 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip Jinx action, speak)

Rebound shrugs inwardly, mumbling about what he gets for trying to be
nice...and swings a strand through the whole group of Disco Heads trying not
to hit Jinx in the process. At the same time, he keeps a tight grip on the
web of strands just in case...

OCC: Init: 8, Hit: 45, 

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Mon Jun 10, 2002  8:01 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

> (snip high speed return to New Yawk)

(With the Lotus, I hope...)

> (snip Slow Jim speak)

"Quite right. I simply cannot have you accompanying me without the proper clothes."

Geoffrey pulls out his cell-phone and speed-dials his personal shopper at
Sacks.

"Antonio, hit the Armani racks and bring 10 possibilities and a tailor to
the Waldorf Suite number 2216. I have a friend who is desperately in need
of some updates to his wardrobe."

Smiling at Jim, Geoffrey sets about the room, pulling up the room service
menu. "I'm going to order some food, are you hungry?"

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Mon Jun 10, 2002  2:54 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Stone Cold moves through the portal to see what is going on with the
others. "So what did I miss?" He asked as he looked around. "So we
find out what the other things do?" He asked, still remembering his hammer.

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Tue Jun 11, 2002  1:40 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip Charlie Chicanery speak)

Gunslinger turns to Chuck,
"Ballsey, stupid...but ballsey."
 
Not wanting to start an all out brawl..yet...he looks to see what moebius is gonna do. 
 
Provided we don't get shot right away, he takes a seat at the bar.
"I'll take a whiskey, straight up."

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  2:55 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

Och looks up when he sees you enter the portal.  "Er?"

Then he says "Hello, Stone Cold... the answer to that I do not know, but I do know we have a Mystery on hand!"  With that, he pulls a piece of paper and a stylish Space Pen (TM) from his backpack, and writes a note, which he lies on top of the dead spider.

When he does this, it starts talking.  In a British accent.

"Hello gentle being, in case you're looking for something to eat, I implore you to look elsewhere, for I am not actually... DEAD!  Besides, I taste rotten, I assure you...!"

Though he looks like he wants to kick it, Och reigns himself in, and it looks like he intends to follow Ari into the stairwell.  "Perhaps two mysteries, in fact... interesting, yes??"

??

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  3:16 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

As you start ducking, weaving, and bobbing about, Jinx, you try to get a bead on the 'real' Disco Head, but as you find out soon enough, he's not one of the ones you can SEE.

This, for Rebound is swinging one of his strands of sticky goo in a long, wide circle, only to pass harmlessly through all twelve of the dancing greats.  And I do mean dancing.

They start doing this bizarre number that you feel you'd be embarrassed to  witness even were you in some sort of discotheque, much less one from the seventies.  "Look, I've still got it!"

Before you get the chance to mock him (or them), though, something weird happens.  All of the various Disco Heads start to 'come apart', sort of like they were distorting, blurring, pulsating.

It looks, at first, as though this fellow's optical hoo-haa is malfunctioning, but the desired effect of this photonic freakshow quickly becomes apparent when you all start feeling weird.

Before you can close your eyes in dismay, or even look away, everything starts spinning, gets indistinct, and you all have this uncontrollable sensation of falling... 

As you disconnect from the conscious world, the last thing you hear is the gloating of your foe.  "Silly girl, like I'd actually stand in as one of my duplicates.  How... droll."

Well, that and the sound of someone throwing up.

     ***

When you wake up, Jinx, you feel that you're still falling, but everything's black.  At least, at first it is.  Small blobs of white resolve themselves into orbs of light, then stars.

You feel like you're floating through space!

It's an interesting feeling, even more curious than when you zipped about on that high speed, planetary escape arc with Ken a few weeks back.  The only problem being the fact that there's nothing to stand on.

Then, an uncomfortably familiar voice calls to you.

"Jinx... I'm coming to get you, Jinx..."

That can't be a good thing.

     ***

On the other hand, Rebound, when you wake back up, you're seeing too much light - all focused in your face.  You're seemingly in a chair, heavily restrained, and can hear people walking around you.

The sound of expensive shoes falling on a marble floor.  Four, in fact.

One voice speaks.  "So, you mean to tell us that, EVEN THOUGH you walked into a demonic ambush when sneaking into the Scienceology compound in Manhattan, and all your fellow ops were killed, you magically lived?"

Another voice speaks.  "It's amazing, isn't it?  Why, just how did you manage this, when most ordinary NSA operatives would've just wet their pants at the site of such horrors?  Why, indeed..."

It's funny, really, for you recall having been debriefed once or twice in such a fashion, but you get the distinct impression that these fellows believe you're somebody else...!

?!

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  3:26 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

You step over to the bar and order your drink, and find it's in hand by the 
time you finish asking for it. Before you can say "Huh?" or the like, the 
glowey green you just gives you 'that' look.

The 'Yeah, I'm you and you're me, so we both know what'cha drink' 
look. That must make bartender-ing here particularly easy, when you get 
down to it. Except for people like, say, Charlie.

Obviously, you don't get shot. Not right away, at any rate.

After serving yourself, the bartender then looks at Sir Chicanery, and says 
"Well, what do you want, shit-heel? I'm sure I look super smart, but I 
ain't psychic. Not yet, anyway..."

In the face of this Shakespearean dialogue, Moebius just grumbles something 
unintelligible, and starts walking around the bar. Looks like she's 
seeking something, but you know not what.

"So what brings you excellent folk to my fine establishment," says the 
bartender, his strange, green electric radiance dimming for a few 
moments. "Anything I can help ya with?"

...

From:  Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  3:31 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

After you call your tailor, you naturally mention food.

Jim grins at that, and you can imagine that he hasn't et in quite a 
while. "Well sure, but I can't impose on you, friend, not like this. I 
don't want to be a bother, especially after you saved my hide.

"I already owe you too much as it is..."

??

From:  Charlie Chicanery <charlie_chicanery@yahoo.com> 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  3:36 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip more bartender speak)

Hah. This just keeps getting more and more fun.

"Super smart... yeah. You super smart enough to make
me a rum 'n coke? And i mean a pitcher? 'Cause, if i
have to put up with a shit-ton of you running around
here, then i need it." So, either he enjoys witty
banter, or i'm dead. 

"i have not yet begun to drink!" i'll exclaim that for no good reason.

> In the face of this Shakespearean dialogue, Moebius
> just grumbles something unintelligible, and starts 
> walking around the bar. Looks like she's seeking 
> something, but you know not what.

While my drink is constructed, i'll make sure i sidle
over to Moebius before she starts walking around. "Be
wary, my young student. This is a hive of dumb and
stupidity. And i think it's catching..."

whee!

From:  EmarZero@aol.com 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  11:10 am
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip Och speak to Stone Cold)

Ari waves back to Stone Cold.  "Hey."

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  3:29 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip Ari speak)

He shook his head and waved her off, he knew how Sherlock-like she was. 
He was just coming along to make sure she didn't get them all blown up. 
"So now what ghosts are you chase in?"

From:  cclayjr2@juno.com 
Date:  Wed Jun 12, 2002  3:24 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Trivergence (New York)

> (snip more Och speak, and such)

"Make that three. I have a teacher at school that looks like Masque and
is being muscled by someone, but doesn't know me from Adam. So let's
just work on these one at a time." He follows Och down the stairwell.

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Fri Jun 14, 2002  8:47 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Trivergence (Antarctica)

> (snip interrogation)

Oh...this is NOT good. I hate being interrogated like this. Nothing makes
me angrier than being restrained. Wait a minute...this isn't right.
Something's just plain wrong here.

"You think holding me here like this is going to do you any good? What do
you hope to accomplish? You want to know how I survived? Well, it's really
quite simple. I may not be the strongest, or the fastest, or God knows, the
best...but dammit! I am the toughest son of a bitch you ever laid eyes on,
so untie me right now and I might not lose my temper."

Rebound glares at his captors from behind his mask hoping to elicit a reaction.

From:  "Lohse, Doug" <DLohse@banknorth.com> 
Date:  Fri Jun 14, 2002  8:58 am
Subject:  RE: [v13] Strangeness Abounds!

> (snip Slow Jim speak)

Geoffrey orders two lobster dinners with all the accompanying side dishes and courses.

As he puts the phone down..."You were saying something about being a burden?
Trust me, you are nothing of the sort. But if it makes you feel better, you can provide some entertainment with some stories about this Atlantis you come from."

Geoffrey settles into a nice comfortable chair after pouring himself a glass
of rich Merlot and waits for Jim to begin the evening's entertainment.

From:  "Mister Christopher" <cwacers@technohol.com> 
Date:  Fri Jun 14, 2002  7:55 pm
Subject:  Re: [v13] Busted!

> (snip gunslinger bartender speak)

Gunslinger drinks his drink, sets it up for another one and asks,
"I am looking for me."
He looks around...
"And I seem to have found myself...although somehow I thought it was gonna be a bit more melodramatic."
 
Smiling at the this thought, he continues,
"So one of my selves framed me..sorta...The time cops are after me for a murder I didn't commit. I don't kill....I merely inhume. AS long as the money is there, i do what the client wishes. Is my job ya know."
 
He stops to eyeball Moebius to make sure he aint surprised when something..bad ..happens,
'Where was I..Oh yeah....so...in this little bounty hunt for my freedom, I am getting into some shit i never been in before. I have no defenses against time folk really and my gal pal there told me of this place so as to try and find something to help me in that department. "
He smirks,
"And to possibly curtail the time cops when necessary ......."
 
He takes another drink (as long as he gets one that is.)
