NationStates Jolt Archive

Flashback
Dr Niven's phone rang again..."Ah, hello Dr. Niven?" It was a female but unkown voice...(I'd assume James has just left)


(sounds good to me)

"Yes?" Niven replied as he checked in on Katherine.

Flashback
Dr Niven's phone rang again..."Ah, hello Dr. Niven?" It was a female but unkown voice...(I'd assume James has just left)


(sounds good to me)

"Yes?" Niven replied as he checked in on Katherine.

"Ah, Doctor Niven? This is...ah, a freind of Baroness Winton's. I was just calling to get a status report while I wait for a reply from Vatican Intelligence. How are things on your front?"

***
Jeff finally found a staircase downwards, the sounds of clanging and banging could be heard.

***
The cars passed out of the trees and towrds the lodge.

Niven shrugged, "I... I don't know, her condition's... worsened considerably." He quickly explained what he saw on the security tape.

-----

Jeff walked towards the sound.

"Is Kate all right?" panted James. "...Antony, he called...is she all right?"

"What?? He called here? What in the hell did he say? Where is he??"

"Damn, I'll get Jeff back to you boys Asap. Keep up the defences doc..."

She looked down at the medow and the lodge. The cars had stopped before the lodge. Several figures in gray exited the cars. A squell of a bull horn anounced their arival.

"Baroness Winton, this is Thane Hepburn, I demand that our dual be unsuspended. You have no obligations, nor I that prevent it. Stand and defend your Honor and face my swordsman on the feild of Honor."

Jill began to run down the mountain. She stopped the girl who was still on punishment duty. "Drop those, get the visitors bag and throw them in the truck with mine...now..."

***
Jeff had entered the kitchen which appeared to be preparing lunch when the sound could be heard, altought the voice was unintelliable to the unassisted ear.

Jeff stepped out of the kitchen, it'd reminded him of the kitchen back on board the Defiance.

He'd heard ... something. He tried to isolate it with his augments, but the noise in the kitchen had been too loud.

He turned to look for another way out.

Jeff stepped out of the kitchen, it'd reminded him of the kitchen back on board the Defiance.

He'd heard ... something. He tried to isolate it with his augments, but the noise in the kitchen had been too loud.

He turned to look for another way out.

Ann was framed in the doorway looking at the group. She was in just black pants and a green polo shirt. Her hair back into a pony tail.
Several of the students appeared from around the corner. A few opened windows and looked out at the scene.

"Well I see my visit has been a bit long to say I was just dropping by." was her dry comment.

The Thane looked at her from beneath bushy white eyebrows and deepset blue eyes. He was late middle age, likely in his mid-sixties...he turned to the man at his right.

"Yes, Baroness you have been gone far too long. It is time we settled this matter of honor. This is Thane Hepburn's swordsman, Yosef Blackwell." The tall black haired man bowed. He was dressed in black with small tassles at the end of his sleeves..." It was a young man in a red shirt and gray slacks who spoke. "I am Lord Bencreif, Thane Hepburn's second..."

Ah the son of the man I killed in my last dual, how quaint was Ann's thought.

"I didn't know Port Olympus allowed the signiture of the old Assasin's Guild to still be used." She pointed at an inverted cross on Yosef's tunic.

"I'm not in Port Olympus...and neither are you..." Yosef began in a cultured but cool voice.

"Now now, settle this on the feild..." interupted the Lord, however he didn't seem so sure he wanted to do this anymore...

"I must ask for a second,"she asked with quiet contemplation. Her eyes locked on the four elderly gentlemen nearby who seemed not part of the Thane's guardsmen. They all wore the chain of the order of the Griffen.

One man who was likely in his sixties bowed his respect. "Sir Tomas Nar, I would be honored to act as your second my lady."

"Who is the Marshall of the Feild?"

One of them spoke, his body looked infirm at 98...but the voice was steady as a rock, a slight twang of the Loboa Penisula rounded the sylables of his speech. "I will my lady, Sir Winston Percivil. Knight Commander of the Order."

She gave a short bow of respect to the old man and they all returned it. It was an honor denied the Thane who's blood pressure increased a few more psi looking at event. The young Lord seemed to squirm.

"Sir Tomas will you inquire as to the weapons of choice? And tender my apology..."

"Pole arms, and I reject your apology...you are not worth the ground that will be laid over your bones. May dogs eat your remains." was the Thanes answer.

"And the witnesses?" The older knight asked...One of the other knights bowed and a young voice cut in..."I will stand as your witness my lady so that one of these honored guests will stand as your second."

"Who dares..." the Thane began.

A young woman, not yet twenty-one stood with some of the students at the edge of the lodge. "I am the Senior Proctor here...As such I say that this feild has been ours. I will make sure no dishonor falls upon it, as will the ancient school of Talmade witness one of our own in battle here."

The Marshall smiled and said, "It is an honor to have you here as a witness...Lord Bencreif the Thane's witness?"

The Thane again interupted, "We have no problem with a member of the Order of the Griffen standing as our witness."

"Present the weapons for inspection please..."

The group had collesed around the football feild. At one side stood the Marshall and the witnesses. Behind them stood the knights and students as spectators. Ann, Thane Hepburn, Lord Bancreif, Sir Tomas and Yosef stood in the center of the feild. Bancreif's footman carried two large staffs with what appeared to be four inch swords with wavy blades and an attached axe head out to the feild.

***
Jeff was now in what was obviously the dining room. The only other occupants were a young boy and girl who both looked like they were fighting the temptation of snogging instead of studing. It was long room with low arched cealings. Heavy wooden tables and chairs filled the space lit by large hanging fixtures and frosted windows on one long side.

A boy, in what had to be a student's uniform as all three youngsters appeared to be identical, came running down..."Hey they are having a dual, a Thane has called out Baroness Winton. A real live dual out on the football feild, come on..!" The books, studing and snogging were forgotten in the excitement.

What?? Oh god, not Ann!

Jeff followed the group towards the field, checking his cybernetics in the heads-up-display in his vision.

Pistol - full
Blades - active
Nanotech repair - active

A red bar in the side of his vision flared up, showing him how many times he could activated the enhanced power and reflexes Niven had installed all those years back.

No, God please not Ann.

The smirking relection laughed, Awwwww... I've been waiting for this...

Jeff finds that he had gone into the basement. As the students rushed up a wide flight of stairs, through a door and down a path along the side of the lodge. The continued running, except someone stopped the girl. "Anglea...I need you to take a precationary placement..." was the older girls phrasing.

"Huh..."

"Report to Proctor Emily in the Amory...immediatly..."

"Yes, Mam."

The Proctor eyed the boys and said. "Get there or don't leave the hall...Now..."

The Proctor looked at Jeff. "Duke Williams, the Dean has urgent news for you. Please follow me..."

"But... Ann..." He looked helplessly toward the field, "Yes of course," he said steeling himself and following the Proctor.

On the distant feild it appeared as though both of the pole arms had been thrown on the ground by the central figure. Two school uniforms were now running back towards the building.

The young woman led Jeff around to a small court of low buildings. It appeared to have several horses, a few cows, and a large red truck that appeared to be pre WWII. Jill was behind the wheel of the truck...

"Duke Williams, I just got off the phone with Doctor Niven, your wife has..." The phrase almost died seemed to hang in the air as she paused. "...had a turn for the worse. She's been stabalized but it's best if we get you back home...I've got your gear in the back..."

Jeff looked back at the field, before Jill broke the news to him about Katherine. The light in his eyes started to fade, "How.. How bad is it?" he asked.

Then Jill offered to drive Jeff to the airfield, "But what about Ann? I promised to bring her back with me." He looked back at the field, then looked toward the airfield.

You've got to get back to Katherine!

.....

Yes, better you run away from this before watching what happens to Ann. Better to hide because, it's not your problem, is it?

Jill looked at Jeff..."I don't know how bad...it's sort of hard to quantify."

She looks at the feild, down at Jeff. "Your Grace, there is nothing you can do now for Ann. If you want to help her, don't make her...worry that you were watching her when you should have been with Her Grace. She'll follow us....if she's still breathing"

Poor Sod, he's in love with two women at once. He should have become a Mormon.

Poor Sod, he's in love with two women at once. He should have become a Mormon.

( :lol: My vote for "Quote of the night" And he's not as much in love with her as just fond of her ;) Yeah thin line I know, but he's just on this side of it, darn it! :P )

The lump formed in Jeff's throat, "H.. hard to quantify?"

He looked down and jumped into the truck. "Yeah, we'd better go," he said quietly. Closing his eyes as he caught the last of Jill's comment.

They keep racking up Jeffie, the reflection smirked. Your parents, Duchess Elizabeth's husband, Katherine, Ann... who's next?

The truck began to move out of the compound. The sight of two students running with pole arms back out of the lodge and across the road to the feild could be seen. As the truck rummbled down the road, two figures were left at the center of the group. Small figures from the distance and against the backdrop of the mountains behind. Each had a pole arm, from this distance little more than a black line with a bright tip. Ann's hair blew in the wind, there was almost no sound of the dual at this distance.

The man in black dropped his pole arm towards Ann, she flipped her's and blocked the attack. They both retreated. Several more attack's of Yosef's were blocked...then Ann made her move.

In Alconian duals first blood was all that was needed to end a dual. Which ment that Yosef was prepared for a non-leathal attack. Even when he was trying to land a single, killing blow. That proved his downfall.

Ann seemed to be attempting to stab Yosef in the calf. Yosef blocked the attack by blocking with the tip down, held 'high' near the blade. Leaving the lower pole weakly supported near his head. His hands were two low to stop Ann's rebound slash at his neck. In a moment of panic, he went for a slash upwards on Ann's torso, hoping to force her to block. She didn't.

Blood from both dualists splattered the grass of the foot ball feild.

Jeff and Jill saw the man's head roll from his shoulders as Ann fell foward after the last, sudden move. People began to rush where the bodies lay. The scene vanished as the trees and bushes began to block the veiw.

Jill said nothing but her eyes were filled with unshead tears. She speed up the truck. Trying to escape the scene and the pain that filled her heart.

"Stop the truck, we've gotta go back!" Jeff said horrified and panicked.

"What the hell are you doing to do? Hmm? If she's...well...I know if there is anything that can be done. It will be done. Proctor Emily will see to that. But we need to get you home..." She just kept driving down the road. The tears made driving a bit difficult, and her voice was full of pain.

She looks at the stuffed tiger on the dash and just weakly says..."Damn it, why?"

edit:(Good night All)

"What the hell are you doing to do? ..."

"What the hell are you doing to do? ..."

"What the hell are you doing to do? ..."

"What the hell are you doing to do? ..."

The question rang in Jeff's mind, over and over.

That's right Jeffie the reflection sneered again. What are you going to do? You've been totally f---ing useless when it comes to saving the ones you care about. What can you do?? NOTHING! That's all you're worth.

Jeff closed his eyes and laid his head back against the seat, fighting back his own tears.

God... Pallas ... whoever is out there listening, I've never asked for a miracle in my life. Well, now I need two of them...

And the same ancient voice, weaker now says one last thing...

"You must realize that you are guilty only of your own actions...Nor can you stop the fates of other men. Listen to your heart warrior, not the sneering creature that means to destroy you...." the voice fades out as the get father away.

28 minutes later Jeff and Jill are on the Jet chartered by Ann. It has several crates of items and returns Jeff with Jill in tow to the airport near Dr. Niven's estate.

(listening to end of song on CD...again good night...)

The words lingered on in Jeff's mind on the flight back to Celeborne, he was quiet on the flight, staring out the window of the jet, watching the clouds pass under them.

I'm so sorry Ann... I let you down...

He wondered how much more he had left as the jet closed on Niven's estate.
(G'night A&H! I'm guessing we're all back together again.. *nudges Iansisle* :P )

(*snort* Eh? Uh? What's up?)

(LOL, smart ass ;) Jeff and the others are being driven to the gate of the estate)

"What?? He called here? What in the hell did he say? Where is he??"

"He didn't say - I'd bet he hasn't left Lyonne though. He said - he said he had Kate's soul in a crystal. And then he broke it."

"He WHAT??" Niven roared, "Where is he?? Is he still on the lin.."

Niven was cut short by a call.

"Jeff and the rest are being driven up to the estate now from the gate." he said.

(figure this is the quickest way to get everyone together.)

(sounds good to me! By the way, sorry if my responses are somewhat less than profound right now...I'm running on far too little sleep and far too much caffeine ;))

James looked up with a smile. "He's not hurt, is he? We ought to go meet him now."

"No, he's not," Niven said leading James to the front of the estate, "But he didn't look in good shape. I'm guessing that he was told about what happened to Katherine."

The SUV pulled up to the front, the driver opened the passenger door and a tired, haggerd-looking Jeff, looking worse than he did when he left, walked out, along with another woman, a striking brunette with a small stuffed tiger.

"Hi guys, someone call for some doughnuts?" Jeff tried to joke before introducing Jill to Niven and James.

(I know what you mean, I'm working on my research paper, due in 8 hours and studying for my advertising test in 10 hours in addition to getting my NS fix ;) )

Jill was acknowleged and just as quickly dismissed.

"Jeff - what...what happened?"

(I really gotta go to bed man...I was looking over the past few sentences of my essay, and two of them are fragments :?.)

Jeff shook his head, he couldn't get it out at first, "A... Baroness Winton is dead. And I've been informed something bad happened to Katherine. Where is she?"

(Gotcha! G'night man! Get some rest!)

Niven looked at Jeff, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Jeff just replied, "Where's Katherine?"

"Well, all right," Niven said leading the group to the cybernetics lab.

"Why are we here?" Jeff said before looking down the hall at Katherine's old room, seeing the door ripped off he started to panic, "What?? What happened?"

He rushes into the lab, and gasps when he sees Katherine's body in the fluid, floating in it, appearing lifeless.

The remaining tears in Jeff's eyes fought to escape. He slowly walked over to the tube. Reaching out, he tried to touch Katherine's cheek, but all he felt was the smooth plexiglass barrier.

"I'm sorry sweetheart," he whispered as his knees gradually gave out and he slid against the tube, kneeling but still trying to reach up to Katherine.

"I'm sor... sorry baby... I should have... have been here," he tried to whisper as the sobs racked his body. "You can't die... I love you..."

Inside Jeff, something else started to give way.

[visual representation] The mirror of the reflection started cracking. The reflection grinned wickedly as it reached to touch the mirror. When his finger touched the glass on his side, one small piece fell to the ground in front of the weeping Jeff, shattering as it impacted on the floor...[/visual representation]

Jill looked at the situation. At Jeff in a pile on the floor.

"She'll be fine if we can get back her soul crystal. Which this bloody neomancer knows as well as I do. The crystal is useless to him without the entire soul. At least I don't recall it being anything more useful than a nice neck charm."

She looks down at Jeff, "Now your grace. I'm going to need your help with this since some questions can only be answered by you."

Come on Jeff, hold it together here. You're not going to do any good giving up like this...

The reflection taunted him back, Ohhh, yes Jeffie, get it together. There are still so many more lives to destroy. James, the children..

"Yeah," Jeff said pulling himself up. "Ok, I'm ... I'm here. What are they?"

"Ah...A...Someone mentioned that you saw this anthony character with another figure when they entered your dream. I'd like you to look through a rouges gallery of sorts to find who our mystery man is or was. Do you think you can do that?"

She looked a bit concerned. "We also need a computer with at least a 100 level connection and poly encryption capabiliteis,"

Damn, I should have done this on the plane passed through Jills mind as she looked at Jeff.

"Ah...A...Someone mentioned that you saw this anthony character with another figure when they entered your dream. I'd like you to look through a rouges gallery of sorts to find who our mystery man is or was. Do you think you can do that?"

She looked a bit concerned. "We also need a computer with at least a 100 level connection and poly encryption capabiliteis,"

Damn, I should have done this on the plane passed through Jills mind as she looked at Jeff.

Jeff's jaw clenched at the near mention of Ann's name.

Niven nods, "There's one in my study, Jeff knows the way there. He'll take you."

Niven looked at Jill from behind Jeff, "Keep him busy" he mouthed to her.

"Yeah, I think I'm up for that," he said quietly. "Right this way," he added as he led her back to the mansion.

James watched Jill lead Jeff off (hehe..we're having that 'J name' problem again ;)), then turned to Dr Niven. He seemed to be taking the news of Ann's death pretty well, at least relative to Jeff.

"Did you hear the part about Baroness Winton?" whispered James. "I know we didn't get along too well, but she and Jeff seemed pretty close. I wonder what happened?"

(Hmm, not like James gives a flying whoop anyway :P )



Jill follows Jeff to lead her to the computer. She then begins by typing a directory number into the web browser. A few moments later she has logged into a site which seems to have absolutely no naviagtion controls except to someone who already knows the system.

Jill turns to Jeff..."I've sort of narrowed the feild. These images vary from late middevil paintings to drawings based on contemporary sources. So just look through them and select those that look the most like the man with Anthony in your dream."

She allows jeff acess to the screen while standing behind him.

***
Victoria is talking quietly with Crawfnord outside.

edit:(TG Lark)

(checked and replied to)

Jeff started looking through the pictures, "No... No... Maybe.. No..."

"Did you hear the part about Baroness Winton?" whispered James. "I know we didn't get along too well, but she and Jeff seemed pretty close. I wonder what happened?"

(All these J-names... maybe I'll change Jeff to Eduardo! :P )

"Yes I did. I wonder what happened as well. I'm guessing, given the look on Jeff's face, that he at least saw what happened..."

But what was that other look a second ago? Something in his eyes looked different.

Niven turned to James, "I want you to keep an eye on Jeff, from time to time. He's not looking too well, and there's something in his eyes right now that I don't like."

-----

Jeff blinked a minute while looking at the pictures.

"You must not give in to your enemy's temptations... or everything you love in this world will be destroyed..."

.....

"You must realize that you are guilty only of your own actions...Nor can you stop the fates of other men. Listen to your heart warrior, not the sneering creature that means to destroy you...."

Jeff blinked again as he remembered the words as they rang through his head, Come on Jeff, don't give up now. You've got too much to fight for now, Katherine.... Conner, Marcus and Julie, and James Get with the program.

http://www.casebook.org/images/cream.jpg
came up on the screen.

Jill looked worried...she made a comment to the tiger in a barlely audiable whisper..."I wish I had Ann here..." she snuggled her toy.

A large lorri of gear appeared at the gates. It was the stuff Ann had ordered for her mission.

Victoria walked in the house to find Dr. Niven.

I do too... Jeff thought to himself.

"This is the one," Jeff said quietly. "Yeah."

-----

Niven was in the living room with Weathers and James as Victoria walked in.

"Are you all right dear?" He asked while waving Pridemore over with a drink for her.

*Meow eats a double post*

*I need to put him on a diet...*

Jill raises an eyebrow. "Ah so let's see who we have here."

She steps up to the terminal and begins to type in more codes


Name: Dr. Thomas Neill Cream (1850-1892)
Alias: Jack the Ripper
Nationality: Scottish
Occupation: Medical Doctor, Canada, England, United States
Type: A22- Necromancy

Dr. Cream was a known abotionist. First recorded abortion with his future wife right out of medical school. The Doctor focused on the magic of life and death. Specifically how to 'kill' an unborn child without need of a medical procedure. However it appears that he became seriously intrested in the 'Ghost Relm' after several experiments proved fatal.

Dr. Cream was finally convicted of Murder in Chicago and sent to Juliet State Penteniary in 1881-1891. During this time he became even more focused on using the ghost relm for his own purposes. Specifically the murder of five women in Whitechappel by escaping his prison cell by enslaving a lost soul and crossing the inter-dimensional boundry.

After release from Prison, the Doctor returned to Scotland and committed two more murders. He then attempted to place the blame on another individual.

Executed: 1895 by hanging



***
"Dr. Niven...I wish to convey my personal hope that you are successful in dealing with this matter, and that your daughter-in-law recovers from her injuries.

At the present time I'm afraid that duty demands I return to the Klatchian Capital of Port Olympus. It appears that both the Dyellibians and the Evilians have taken serious issue with the new Trixian Empire. I need to go talk them down from starting another war."

She sighs, and gives a wry smile, "We haven't finished repairing damage from the invasion by the self-declared god Dozle. One should never let a five year old get so spoiled that he believes he is a deity."

She seems to lose focus for a second trying to figure out something..."Two-hundread and fifty million dead, an entire state of the Klatch a wasteland. sixty percent of Alcona and Hubris cruiser forces destroyed. And my potential replacement officers are being killed off in duals. And now the Dyelbians want to 'prove' themselves on the feild of battle! Hmph..."

Regaining her focus after a bit of impromtu thinking she returns her smile to the Doctor. "Now, I have rotodyne from a nearby patrol group returning to home waters in route to pick me up. Good day, Doctor Niven, your staff was quite hospitable. I hope sometime I will be able to repay the kindness and hospitality you have shown both me and my vassals."

She gives a bow towards Dr. Niven, waves off the drink and says, "Thank You, but I need to keep a clear head at the moment."

She steps out of room. She has completely ignored James, not even looking at him.

*snipped*

"Hmmm," Jeff listened to the name and looked at the picture. "1892, though?"

-----

Niven bowed to her, "Of course ma'am, if there's anything I can do to assist you with the current problems, please feel free to call. I might be able to swing some troops your way if you need to, no promises though."

(*grumbles*)

"Hmmm," Jeff listened to the name and looked at the picture. "1892, though?"

ooc: Good year for wine :P. Sorry about crapping out on y’all last night; had some work to get done.

-----

That was just as well with James, who spent the entire time studiously ignoring her. Of course, his definition of studiously ignoring obviously stretched to include listening to Victoria’s every word, then rationalizing why he didn’t care - or they made him furious - in his own mind. For instance, he registered the entire bit about the war as a simple attempt to generate sympathy - and perhaps help? - by defiling the memory of a tragic event.

I can do that, too, he thought with a silent snort, Millions of my subjects dead - a similar proportion, given our smaller population - defeating Hitler and Russolini. I just have too much respect for the dead to do so.

Weathers (who was surprising highly placed and connected, even for a man in the KIG) glanced between them. Words didn’t have to be exchanged to feel tension.

(LOL, Hey I could go for some wine. ;) No worries man, I was pretty fried after that research paper and test yesterday)

Niven watched James' reaction to Victoria's exit with some interest, before looking at Weathers (who gets all the choice assignments ;) ) "I think some lunch is just what we could use," he said motioning to the kitchen.

"That sounds like a good idea," said Weathers loudly. James didn't reply.

Niven patted James' shoulder softly, "Come on, let's get something to eat, and maybe we'll take a flight this afternoon, try and get our minds off of things."

Niven patted James' shoulder softly, "Come on, let's get something to eat, and maybe we'll take a flight this afternoon, try and get our minds off of things."

James recoiled from the touch as if he had been struck. His eyes were unfocused, but soon snapped back into place. He concentrated on Dr Niven's face, and his muscles relaxed.

"Oh...sorry, dad. I guess I got a little caught up in my own mind. Um, something to eat, you said? I'm afraid I'm not very hungry."

(Of course Victoria does that sometimes...the absent minded prof bit... :wink: )

"Hmm, likely some screwed up dates on the data entry system." Jill explained. "You didn't think he was getting help to just waltz in here by a 'living' human being did you?"

"Now, if our little doctor was executed, and his body not chopped up, then that might be what is keeping him on this side. Let's see if we can find out when, where, and how our little miscevious Necromancer met is unfortunatly un-terminal end. We might even get a bit of data on Anthony."

"Now then, who else is on the team? I think we need to do a breifing on this matter."

****
Crawfnord was still sitting outside. He was watching the children play. And his 'scout ship' crew awaits the return of Bathus....

Niven looked at James a minute, "You look like there's something on your mind. Want to talk about it now, or do I have to drug you and get it out of you?" Niven joked.

-----

Jeff looked down, "I didn't really think he could get here living or otherwise."

When Jill asked about the team he hesitated, "Probably dad and James..."

Yeeeeeeessssss, the reflection grinned. Let's go for the hat trick and get James killed as well.

"I... There isn't any team I guess."

"I think the drugs might be your best bet," said James with a little half-grin. "No, I just..." he stopped and fumbled for words. "I just need some time to sit and think. I'm not like Jeff; I do a terrible job of thinking on my feet."

"But to say that means you're giving Jeff credit for thinking at all," Niven winked. He nodded Pridemore over, who set down a gin and tonic in front of James. "Something to help clear your mind with," Niven smiled, "Weathers and I will be right in the kitchen."

(Ummm... is it just me, or has it been a while since there's been a Christin sighting?)

(She...um...fell asleep! Yeah, that's it! ;))

"Thanks, dad," said James, but he didn't touch the gin and tonic.

A few moments later, Christin wandered into the kitchen rubbing her eyes.

(Oh that's OK, I just remember when Niven showed up to talk to James before in the bedroom, Christin had vanished. I didn't know if you had a kidnapping in mind or something ;) )

"And how are you, sleepyhead?" Niven asked. "Get a good evening's rest?"

"As well as could be expected," she replied, opening a cabinet at random. Somehow, the salt, honey, and various other seasonings therein didn't seem too appetizing. She closed it again and sat down. "Where'd you come from, Weathers?"

"Er..." He glanced about. "Around."

"Well, hopefully that's quite well, because I try not to expect less around here," Niven said as the cooking staff started laying out some of the grilled chicken and pasta for the group to eat.

"Weathers.. suddenly realized he wasn't with James, and was rushed over here so his Sargeant wouldn't have a stroke," Niven winked.

Jill looks down at Jeff..."And what do think that dream was? A nice little bit of undercooked mutton? Listen, if we don't have a team we need to get a team, because at the moment we are dealing with a fairly nasty man and his "should have been dead" partner. Bringing Necromancer's back is an ugly thing to do."

"Now, I also want you to stop trying to second guess yourself...are your father and this James in, or out?"

***
Sir Meow was now a very wet, sandy kitty. And one who needed some food. Of course he started to look around for someone to feed him, but the children were unlikely to know what to do so he started wandering up to the house.

"Now, I also want you to stop trying to second guess yourself...are your father and this James in, or out?"

*Cue A-Team theme ;) *

I can't protect everyone forever, I tried with Ann, and she's dead, I can't even protect Katherine.. James is old enough to take care of himself... Time to let the people you love help you, instead of trying to save them.

"Yeah, I think they'll be in."

(So I guess Jill and her tiger are the weird one. Jeff is the cute one (that's what my mom always called the con artist) Dr. Niven is John "Hannibal" Smith and James is Mr.-T! :P )

"Alright, the sooner we get moving the sooner we can stop any more unnatural attacks from happening around here." Jill Quirps.

***
A wet, hungry tiger is now trying to get into the house. He need food, water, comfort.

"Right," Jeff agrees as he stands up, "Let's get them rounded up and start to come up with some kind of plan."

-----

Marcus is hot on Meow's heels and runs to the kitchen door and swings it open wide for Meow, letting him in before the rest of the children run in laughing and smiling.

Jill nods, looks at her stuffed tiger, and nods some more.

***
Sir Meow enters the kitchen and plops down. He is looking at the Cold Cave with hungry cat eyes.

Jeff's eyes went vacant for a minute.

*ring ri..*

Yes?

Dad, Jill and I are working on a plan, I think you and James should be here for this.

We'll be there in a minute.

-----

Niven looks at Christin, "Excuse me my dear," he said standing up, "But I think Jeff's actually got an idea, or if not, then the friend he brought with him does."

He walks back out through the living room towards the study.

-----

Julie and the children ran into the kitchen around the cooks who were setting plates down for them. Conner opened one of the refrigerators and grabs the first plate of steak he can find and lays it down for Meow.

"Auntie Christin!" Marcus says running over to give her a hug.

Jill and the tiger took a seat.
***
Sir Meow attempted to take a bite of the raw meat. He looked up for a moment and then kept eating the meat.

Niven opened the door to the study and walked in, closing it quickly behind him.

"James is too deep in thought right now, I'm letting him work through somethings," he said as he sat down. "Now, what seems to be the root problem? Other than that pesky evil thing..."

"Good Afternoon Doctor Niven," Ann stated as started to pet the stuffed tiger.

"Well, I was asking for the team so that we could recap what we know about the situation.

Item 1. This Anthony person is the twin brother of Jeff and a psycotic muderer.

Item 2. Said Anthony apparently caputred and killed a nun named Mary Sharee, from the Golden Agate, Larkina. She was last seen working with one Reverand Tony Verdeschi in Golden Agate almost two months ago. As provided by my contacts at Vatican Intelligence.

This also showed the bringing of a soul or demonic creature into this plane of existance. So this event occured within the last two months and was sent here for Jeff to see.

Item 3. Jeff has identified a Necromancer who died in the late 19th century, or was executed for murder.

Item 4. Anthony has ventured past the security here by some unnatural means. Which is quite similar in how said Necromancer , Dr. Cream killed five women in greater London in 1888. While locked in an Illinois State Prison.

Item 5. Anthony has now seized part of the soul of Kathrine Williams and is using it as bait. This would be similar to several odd victims of Dr. Cream just before his own execution for murder.

So we know who, we don't really have a grasp of why, or where. However, I think we can deal a serious blow against Anthony by attacking the re-incarnated spirit of Dr. Cream. What else can you add?"

(heading home, will reply in a few!)

(Need to get some sleep actually...good night)

Niven looks at Christin, "Excuse me my dear," he said standing up, "But I think Jeff's actually got an idea, or if not, then the friend he brought with him does."

He walks back out through the living room towards the study.

-----

Julie and the children ran into the kitchen around the cooks who were setting plates down for them. Conner opened one of the refrigerators and grabs the first plate of steak he can find and lays it down for Meow.

"Auntie Christin!" Marcus says running over to give her a hug.

"He's back?" asked Christin, arching an eyebrow. "Please, don't let me hog your time, Dad. I'm sure Weathers and I have some catching up to do."

"I - I'm sure," replied Weathers nervously.

----

"Hi, Marcus!" she smiled, picking him up (er, assuming he's still small enough to. I'm a little confused as to the kids' age ;)). "Umph! You're getting so big!"

She looked down at Meow. Somehow Christin was still a little less than comfortable with a grown tiger around children.

(if James wants to be in the room with them, he can start grilling Jeff ;) )

Marcus (7 or 8 I think) smiled at Christin, "How are you?" he asked in his 'I want to be a grown-up' voice. "We missed you and Uncle James today. We haven't seen Daddy either, he must be talking with Granpa."

James reached out for the gin and tonic. He held his hand there for a second, then withdrew it with a sigh. He continued to stare down at the table.

----

"I am doing fantastic," answered Christin in the same voice, but with a big grin on her face. "Uncle James and I have missed you too!" She looks about at the other children. "Why don't we all sit down and draw pictures for a while?"

Theodore, Marcus and Julie sat down and started to draw with Christin. Conner set his plate of food down near Sir Meow and started to eat just like Sir Meow was doing.

"Auntie Christin," Julie asked. (Someone has to ask this. ;) ) "When are you and Uncle James gonna have babies too!!??"

Item 2. Said Anthony apparently caputred and killed a nun named Mary Sharee, from the Golden Agate, Larkina. She was last seen working with one Reverand Tony Verdeschi in Golden Agate almost two months ago. As provided by my contacts at Vatican Intelligence.

Jeff looked up in recognition at this, he and Niven quickly exchanged concerened glances.

This also showed the bringing of a soul or demonic creature into this plane of existance. So this event occured within the last two months and was sent here for Jeff to see.

"So that's what was later on in the DVD," Jeff said.

Item 3. Jeff has identified a Necromancer who died in the late 19th century, or was executed for murder.

Niven nodded, "Well that can't be good either. Coming back from the grave eh?"

Item 4. Anthony has ventured past the security here by some unnatural means. Which is quite similar in how said Necromancer , Dr. Cream killed five women in greater London in 1888. While locked in an Illinois State Prison.

"Five women in London in 1888?" Jeff asked, "In the Whitechapel district by any chance?"

Niven looked at Jeff, "This isn't looking good."

Item 5. Anthony has now seized part of the soul of Kathrine Williams and is using it as bait. This would be similar to several odd victims of Dr. Cream just before his own execution for murder.

Jeff then nodded also, "Well, it's working as bait."

Niven looked at Jill, "but what about the semen the woman removed before? What does that have to do with this?"

Theodore, Marcus and Julie sat down and started to draw with Christin. Conner set his plate of food down near Sir Meow and started to eat just like Sir Meow was doing.

"Auntie Christin," Julie asked. (Someone has to ask this. ;) ) "When are you and Uncle James gonna have babies too!!??"

Christin blushed deeply. "I ...uh..." Eight or nine months, I hope, she thought. "I don't know, sweetheart," she said instead. "Do you want more cousins?"

Julie and Marcus nodded vigorously, "Uh-huh!! Uh-Huh!!! Then we have more reasons to visit you and uncle James!!! Uh-huh!" Conner added in his nodding from the floor.

Jill looked at Jeff about the comment involving Whitechappel. "You should know the answer to that Duke Williams. You just saw the same file I did."

"Now, the question is how do we crack this nut?"

Julie looked at Christin with big soft eyes, "Can you have another girl?? I'm trying to convince mommy and daddy to get rid of him for another sister," she whispered pointing to Conner on the floor, who was still eating with Sir Meow. "Maybe they'll have another one!"

-----

"Yeah I think I do," Jeff said, Great, Antony the ripper...

"Well it's obvious," Jeff added, "He's going to come after me, we have to use me as the bait for him to come out."

"I think not!" Niven said sternly. "God damn it , I've almost lost you enough times already. No reason for you to be throwing yourself into death because of what's already happened."

Jill nods
"I agree Doctor Niven, we can not attack Anthony and his Necromancer with some strait out attack. No, we must first seperate the human from his inhuman partner. Which is why we need to go to England. If we get the Necromancer's body we'll be in far better shape tactically...."

She realizes the next bit isn't going to go well with anyone.

"So we need to send Jeff out to keep Anthony distracted so he doesn't attempt to notice that we are..."

She shrugs and looks out a window "well attacking him from the rear. Anthony's greatest weakness is that we see what he want's us to do, but that can use it against him. We need to make him feel superior and that his plan is working."
She turns and looks at both men, "While we get in place for the counterstrike. However three things for this program to work are the following:
One, someone to intervene between these cyber attacks at Jeff trying to unnerve him. Sorry, no more watching DVD's that aren't made by Disney and are direct from the factory Jeff." She weakly smiles at her own joke.

"Two, someone to assist me in England litterally digging up Dr. Cream..."
She holds up her hand in a fist...
"Three, Jeff keeping at a distance from Anthony such that the success is always just beyound his reach..."

She makes a grabbing motion with a short look of fustration. The stops and retakes her seat. "Which is why I'm worried, there are only three of us in this room."

*Steeeeeeerike one!*

*And he hits a short jumper for two...*

"So we need to send Jeff out to keep Anthony distracted so he doesn't attempt to notice that we are..."

She shrugs and looks out a window "well attacking him from the rear. Anthony's greatest weakness is that we see what he want's us to do, but that can use it against him. We need to make him feel superior and that his plan is working."

"But wait one minute," Niven said, "That'll put Jeff in more danger than I think he can afford.." he stopped and let her continue.

She turns and looks at both men, "While we get in place for the counterstrike. However three things for this program to work are the following:
One, someone to intervene between these cyber attacks at Jeff trying to unnerve him. Sorry, no more watching DVD's that aren't made by Disney and are direct from the factory Jeff." She weakly smiles at her own joke.

Jeff chuckled with her, "Awwww, and I was looking so forward to those."

"Two, someone to assist me in England litterally digging up Dr. Cream..."
She holds up her hand in a fist...
"Three, Jeff keeping at a distance from Anthony such that the success is always just beyound his reach..."

She makes a grabbing motion with a short look of fustration. The stops and retakes her seat. "Which is why I'm worried, there are only three of us in this room."

"There'll be one more person with me in Lyone at least," Jeff said.

Niven looked at him as he went on, "Chris will be in Lyone, he's waiting to meet me there."

"And how were you planning on getting there??" Niven asked sternly.

"I... I was working on that."

"As for a fifth for our little party," Niven said standing up. "Let me go get him."

He strode from the room, and walked into the living room. "Come on son," he said to James, "We need to get our game plan hammered out."

Jeff turned to Jill after Niven walked out, "Do you really think this'll work?"

"What? I'd say we have a 100 percent better chance of success than just continuing the current fortress of silence routine. Hell, Ann saw it and so do I, the enemy with it's ability to strike out from it's base using multi-plane travel can strike you at will."

She looks out the window again.
"And let's be honest, directly attacking Anthony at this stage seems about as sane as letting a lemming be your taxi driver, no it's time to attempt a flanking manuver. Although I'm wishing we had a few more bodies in the mix...Ah who is this James fellow?"

*grumble mumble...*

Jeff listened to Jill's rationale, Yeah, Ann saw what was going on and died while getting ready to try and keep you from getting hurt, a familiar face smirked.

Jeff stood up and popped his neck as he got ready for what was ahead.

"James? He's .. the brother I never ha... well.. you know what I'm getting at. He's the other one that was in the living room with Dad. King of Iansisle," Jeff said.

-----

Meanwhile, Jeeves walked into the kitchen with a letter, "I have a letter addressed to young Master Conner," he said to Christin.

Conner's eyes lit up as he took the letter from Jeeves with a hug. Jeeves tolerated the hug, being a butler he took his duty very seriously.

Conner opened the letter and started reading it.

Jill nodded,
Well then he should have some military background was her thought

***
At that time Crawfnord walked in...

[i]Dear Conner

I've been called on a very important mission. As I need someone to take care of Sir Meow for me while I am away, since I can't take him on this trip. So I've asked your father if you can look after him while I am away. Now, he is a good Klatchian Tiger, but there may be problems for him to adjust to his new surroundings and to your family.
He likes beef, fried Chicken, and cooked Orc. Avoid giving him too many veggies under the table as they can make him all weird for a while.

If you have problems, or Sir Meow gets sick, the only person who really understands them lives in Lords of War. I have included his telephone number. His last name is Crawfnord, I know little about him other than he owns a pet female Klatchian Tiger.

-Your Freind
Ann Gretchen"

Jill nodded,
Well then he should have some military background was her thought

( :lol:

OK, no... seriously now...

:lol: ;) )

-----

Conner read the letter as Julie and Marcus rushed over, "Whatcha got?" Marcus asked.

"From Miss Ann," Conner said. "I gotta take care of Meow Meow for her 'til she gets back."

"Awwww! No Fair!" Marcus said.

"We wanna take care of him too!" Julie said.

"OK!" Conner said, "We all can!"

(I'd just like to apologize for my bouncing-on-and-off NS today without posting much. I think I'm coming down with something, and haven't really had the stamina (heh...how much concentration should it really take to post on a message board?) to write anything...besides this, of course. Lark, man, I don't want to hold you guys up - feel free to control James. Um, he's ready and rearing to go for just about anything, will try to give Jill a fair chance (we know how well that worked with Ann and Victoria :P) and...uh, yeah, that's it. Oh, and he'll be fairly useless in just about any situation needing quick, on-your-feet thinking or actual physical combat.

I'm taking some painkillers now; dunno if they'll work. They better, though! If so, I'll see y'all soon!)

(Ah, here you see we are now going to have true disrespect and loathing from an Alconian. The Crawford Dynasty never surrendered their role as head of the military and always had the kids go all the way into service. It's not a 'acceptable carrer' it is a mandatory carrer move. Not even the now dead Thomas got out of that one...so an Alconian girl is going to make some very poor assumptions.)

IC: Crawfnord interupts..."Well the first item of care is to give that Klatchian Tiger a rinse before salt dries in his fur and he starts scratching..."

(Hope you feel better soon I-Man, I dunno if I can do the ... whatever the heck James is doing as well! ;) )

"We do!?" Conner asks, "OK, Come on Meow Meow! We gotta wash you up!"

Julie, Marcus and Theodore try to help Conner convince Meow Meow to get rinsed down.

-----

Niven explained the plan to James before the two entered the room. They opened the door and walked back into the room. Niven introduced James to Jill and sat down.

"So we're going to use Jeff to keep Antony occupied while we go defile this grave? Is there some kind of ritual involved or is it some kind of reburial?" James asked.

"Yes, that is the plan. The reality is that said body needs to be cremated rather than it's present, partially mumified state, if I'm correct. But this Dr. Cream fellow was learning on his own. He really never appears to have gotten into some of the more, esoteric tricks of Necromancers. If he had I'm surprised he was even hung in this life...." Jill replies.

***
Of course Meow Meow understood that 'bad water' should be wasted out in the 'cave fall'.

James nods, "So how do we want to go about this? Are we going to split into two groups, or is it the three of us to wherever the Dr. Cream is buried and Jeff off to Lyone?"

"It'd be better that way," Jeff started.

"No it wouldn't be," Niven said. "If you think I'm letting you in Lyone alone..."

"But I won't be. Chris is waiting for me there, I'll have some friends there with me."

-----

The children followed Sir Meow into the bathroom. They turned the shower on to warm before he stepped inside.

"First, you are not travelling anywhere by yourself Jeff...So that says someone with Jeff to Leyonne and someone with Me to England..."


***
Sir Meow was obviously going to have a problem in a stand-up shower...namley he was too large to get in it...

Jeff shrugged, "But if the three of you go after the grave, there's always a chance that the task will take more than two people to do. I can handle Anto..."

James interrupted him at this point, "No you can't. Look Jeff, if we're going to get this maniac dealt with and Katherine her soul back, then we have to work as a team." He turned to face Jill, "I'll go with Jeff, and dad can go with you."

"Wait a second!" Niven said, "I think if we're dealing with Antony, I need to go with Jeff. It'll take a lot of firepower to..."

"That's why you have to go with Jill," James said. "We're all assuming that the corpse will be a piece of cake, and we don't know that's true."

-----

Conner scratched his head at looking at the shower... then at Sir Meow... then at the shower again.

"I'll see where the larger shower is," Theodore said.

Conner ran back out to the living room and tugged on Crawfnord's pant leg, "Mister.. we're having a problem."

"Well, we have Ann's contribution in firepower delivered. What we need are people who can handle it." was Jill's comment.


***
"Hmm, yes did you put him in a bathtub or just tried to have him take a shower..." He laughed at the joke and went to help the children was Sir Meow.

James started to feel the anger boil up again, but Jeff cut him off before he could respond.

"Don't worry, we'll be ready to go," Jeff said. "So what... goodies did she send?"

-----

"Uh-huh! We were gonna run the shower water and rub his fur down!!" Conner said as they hunted for a more suitable location.

Jill said a few things to the tiger..."Alright why did he get mad?"

"I don't really know...although I bet most of it is 6.58 mm grear. Likely a few heavy shot guns, a dozen or so Klaymore Kitties, and whatever else got in her head to order."

(I am crashing here...good night all...)

Jeff watched the interaction between the two with curiosity.

(OK, G'Night then!)

James was played superbly by Lark.

(seriously, thanks, man. I'm feeling a bit better now, but still pretty icky. Oh, and pre-emptive Happy Seven Thousand Posts! ;))

(thanks man, on both counts, and let me use my 7000th post to say, so this is what it's like to have 2+bil pop... doesn't feel much different. Who needs overpopulation? Since I keep the useless ones in the slave mines. :P)

Jeff turns to James, "Looks like it's you and me kid," he says with a mischevious grin.

Just don't die on me man...

"And me," said Weathers, walking around the door. James arched an eyebrow.

"Wha...how long have you been standing out there?!"

"Long enough to know that you're not going to Larkinia without me, Majesty. And you neither," he added, looking at Jeff.

(Happy 2 billion too...I know what you mean, though. Ever since I passed 200 million, I haven't even paid attention to my population ;).)

Jeff and Niven looked at each other and started chuckling, "We should have known better than to count Weathers out." Niven said. "And I'll feel safer knowing Weathers is going to be with you two."

"Gonna be my chaperone, huh Weathers?" Jeff asked with a grin. "Well I'll feel better knowing you'll be there to make sure James is safe."

(should we head to Lyone or wait for A&H to come back?)

(I think I'm going to kick off pretty soon myself...we might as well wait.)

"I suppose you could call it making sure of my job security," smiled Weathers. "'sides, Sir Jeffrey, someone has to look after you."

"I can do that," said James, slightly indignant.

"'Course you can, Your Majesty; I need to look after you so you can look after Jeff."

"Well, I can't fault his logic," said James with a half-grin.

Jeff followed the path of logic from Weathers to James to him. "And I'll watch you Weathers, so we can complete the circle."

Niven laughes, "there's a circle jerk joke waiting to be told..."

Jeff winked at Niven, "No there isn't."

(Mmmmmm... sleep... good idea... g'night y'all!)

((Heh, I'm a y'all? If you insist :P. I'm off to bed myself, soon as I complete this WCXIV roster.))

(LOL, good point. How should I write a roster up? This is the first WC I've entered.)

(Are you in XIV or XV?..or both...there is a pretty short turn-about time ;))

(Both it looks like)

(Sweet...sorry if that was kind of insulting...I didn't mean it to be; my synapses just aren't clicking at full speed ;)

Just pick a formation you want to play; I use 3-4-3 (Defenders-Midfielders-Strikers) myself, but 4-3-2, 3-4-2, and so forth are also fairly common. Then put in names for your ten starters and your goalkeeper, add ages. Throw in a couple substitutes for each position, rinse, and repeat ;)

Here's my part of my WCXIV roster (italics are subs):

Defensemen
#26 -- Martin Garsode -- 24
#4 -- Alvin Park -- 28
#13 -- John McCoy -- 25
#21 -- Brad Freeman -- 21
#98 -- John Clagget -- 22

(LOL, no worries.. no.. wait... yeah no worries :P

Sounds simple enough, I'll try to get one out tomorrow (and maybe I'll even limit the J-names!) ;) )

(Forgiveness!

Ah, but it's no fun if you keep the J names down...that's like...ungood!

See you tomorrow, man ;))

(Peace out, dawg. ;) Hmmm.. Peace.. Maybe I'll write that into Jeff's life someday... nah.. :P )

So I get an old guy while these three go off and play homo jerk 2000. Great, a bunch of f***ing queers. Jill thinks to herself as she stands there looking at the testostrone club with narrowed eyes.

:lol: I'm not sure what to say there.. :P

That's all right, Niven still hasn't shown the gun in his arm yet. ;) You think Jeff's chopped and cybered up, wait til' you see Niven. Although that brings up a good point I'd had Jeff thinking about.

IC:
"Now what about you and Jill?" Jeff asked. "This still doesn't deal with the idea that whatever is at that grave site might require more than two people."

"Well, who else do we have to help us?" asked James.

"Well Chris was going to meet me in Lyone with some of his friends, I don't know if he got a hold of them or not, but I can have him meet Jill and Dad in London. I think that'd be best."

James nodded. "If that's what you think is best. With a little bit of transport help, I could probably get a few men into London too."

Niven agreed, "That's not a bad idea to have a few people meet us in London when we get there. Every bit helps. Now how does Jeff go about calling out Antony? I don't want him walking around Lyone waiting for him to show up."

"No we don't want him calling Jeff out...we want him trying to figure out what the hell Jeff is doing..." Jill suddenly brightens..."Well Jeff, the first thing you are going to do is not go to Leyone...your going to Larkina...where your going to sound as though you wouldn't mind being President. Then make 'another' statement that you don't want to be President...And a third statement that says something on the order of "I shall follow the people's choice..."

Jills eyes seem to sparkle..."The media will hound after you with that display of wonderment and demand coverage of your campaign. You will agree to have a news reporter follow you around. Then you you and James are going to act so damn erratic going in and out of Leyone and back to various places that Anthony is going to drive after you like an enraged bull after the red cape. He will be so foucused on trying to figure you out that..."
She gets an evil grin..."He's going to attempt to draw you to him by barganing with the soul crystal...."

Niven's eyes twinkled as the idea caught Jeff off-guard.

"That's a great idea!" Niven said, "Come on Jeff, you've got a campaign to start. Who knows, you might even win!"

"I don't know how to run a political campaign," Jeff started.

"That's why James is going with you!" Niven grinned, "He's your 'advisor', it makes perfect sense. The leader of another nation and your brother, meeting with the next president of Larkinia!"

Jill shakes her head..."A non-campagin campaign actually...one where everyone is guessing if he' s running or not..."

She attempts to illustrate the plan more conscisely...

"What you are going to do is basicly say that the country right now needs leadership. And sort of exclude the other two canidates while making yourself seem perfect..."

She starts to move around the room, her arms sort of flaying about...
"Then state that you don't want to be President...in a live interview on a news program would do wonders..."

She stops and cocks her head,
"Then turn around and say that You will accept the will of the people in this matter whatever the outcome should be."

She claps here hands with a glee...
"After that the Press will love it...of course your going to have to just avoid the question of are you running with various witty and non-committal replies."

She stops and looks at the tiger..."Kids what???" "Ah, perhaps we should send all the kids to Willy Wonka Land?" She is looking a bit puzzled herself at the comment.

"Yeah! Come on Jeff!" James added, "You're already getting votes in the pre-election polls! It makes perfect sense!"

Jeff nodded, "Yeah, I think we can take can run around the nation."

Niven piped up at the mention of the kids, "I think they'll be safe here. I'll make sure security is with them around the clock and there's plenty to do to keep them occupied," he said looking between Jill and the stuffed tiger, wondering if he should recommend a therapist.

"Ah not to slight your security but...at the moment you don't have anything to stop Anthony in his present state." Just like they didn't stop him with Kathrine she didn't add.

"I would say that moving the children from here would be a smart move more in that Anthony knows how to get here. But somewhere else might be better suited to him not knowing how to get there...I don't think that made much sense..."

"I don't see where we could move them, though," protested James. "Celeborne is the safest place in the Alliance; they'd be much worse off just about anywhere."

Niven nodded, "And now that we know what to expect from Antony, I have connections for a different type of security and they will be here shortly after I call. I hate to disagree, but I think they would be safer here."

"Ah, well changing the security type might help greatly. Then again who are you getting?"

"I was going to enlist the aid of several of my friends in the Van Helsing society," Niven said. "They deal with battling vampire, the undead and the supernatural. I was also going to ask them to come with us, but I don't want to endanger the children by taking away some of those who would be here protecting them."

"Ah, well they might prove useful here. Yes, I hadn't realized your connections..."

"Vampires, the undead, and the supernatural?" muttered James. "That certainly does sound right up our alley." He sat back and continued to watch Jill, Jeff, and Niven talk. They seemed to know what they were doing.

(Sorry, Cele knows more about the group than I do. Niven's got a lot of connections (and cash, and a private army ;) ), but I'm lacking in the knowledge department ;) )

Niven shrugged, "I've got a few."

"Yeah, you should have seen him at my wedding," Jeff nodded towards Niven.

Niven looked back surprised.

"If I remember correctly, Michael had invited his girlfriend, who was a vampire, to the ceremony, and according to Katherine, you damn near killed the two of them just after the ceremony ended," Jeff said.

"Well anyway," Niven said, "I'm going to ask them to keep an eye on the children and Katherine."

Jeff looked around, "So I figure the sooner we get a move on the better."

(... but I'm lacking in the knowledge department ;) )

(Haha! I got it on tape (and out of context, to boot! ;))

James walked silently behind them with Weathers at his side.

(... but I'm lacking in the knowledge department ;) )

(Haha! I got it on tape (and out of context, to boot! ;))

(LOL, but if I don't deny it... yeah, that's the ticket!)

Jill looked at Dr. Niven..."Well being the well conected individual that you are...I'm going to let you pull up the transportation. I'm going out and pick through what Ann ordered up..."

Jill looked at Dr. Niven..."Well being the well conected individual that you are...I'm going to let you pull up the transportation."

Is she making fun of Dad? James couldn't quite decide yes or no, but he still narrowed his eyes at her back.

Jill stops in midstride, looks at the suffed tiger.
She shakes her head, "I am not making fun of anyone...I can't summon an entire society of Vampire Hunters on a whim can I? Now, someone said we should get moving, correct? Have we got this plan nailed down? Or is someone unhappy here?"

"Of course dear," Niven said while dialing a number on an external cell phone.

"I'll come with you," Jeff said to Jill.

James blinked in surprise. What in the green hills of the Shield...!?

Weathers looked at her curiously. "The plan seems fairly nailed down to me," he said. "Begging your pardon, though: what, um...what is that...?" He was going to say ' that thing' but had the sneaking suspicion that wasn't the proper word.

Jill looked at Weathers and said..."Ah...it's a stuffed tiger...you know us girls...we can't go anywhere without our stuffed animals to keep us company..." Her grin is about three inches too wide. She quickly turns and rushes out the door.

"Girls," scoffed Weathers. "Go figure."

Both he and James looked to Dr Niven for guidance.

Niven ended the call. "The transports will pick up my friends, then meet us here in 30 minutes to take us to our respective locales." He turned and looked at James, "Jeff's going to be in a lot of trouble in Golden Agate once he goes on TV. I want you two to keep a sharp eye on him."

-----

Jeff walked with Jill, "Is your stuffed tiger motorized or something? Cause, and you're gonna think I'm nuts.."

Or more nuts than I already am...

"But when I was back.. " he paused, "well... before. I could have sworn that it moved once or twice when I was in your training hall."

Niven ended the call. "The transports will pick up my friends, then meet us here in 30 minutes to take us to our respective locales." He turned and looked at James, "Jeff's going to be in a lot of trouble in Golden Agate once he goes on TV. I want you two to keep a sharp eye on him."

"Don't worry, Dad, we'll keep all four on him," said James. "Er, I don't suppose I could use your telephone? I need to get in touch with our London office."

EDIT: I'm off for a bit. I'll catch you guys later!

Niven thinks for a second, "Will I still have a company left after the IanCorp charges?" he winked handing the receiver to James.

Niven thinks for a second, "Will I still have a company left after the IanCorp charges?" he winked handing the receiver to James.

Niven thinks for a second, "Will I still have a company left after the IanCorp charges?" he winked handing the receiver to James.

Wow, this here's a downright super size RP. Good for you, wish I could join, but you know how that works out...

Jill eyed Jeff..."Are you saying I'm crazy Jeff?" She walks over to the boxes of equipment now sitting out in the courtyard.

She pulls the top box off and opens it. "Ah, here we have 8 Tea-cup light anti-armor missles. Your standard Klatchian Croc killer...point and shoot, single use. Nothing more than a tube and shell with a bit of amining optics and a saftey switch. Nine volt battery not included..."

She pulls a second box from the pile..."Ah, now here we are talking. Four infantry support guns. Fires like a decent machine gun or a nice long ranged rifle in single shot. The kind of weapon you carry around if you don't know what you might need in a pinch. Of course this is 6.25mm standard which means B.Y.A...luckly there appear to be almost 60 eighty round magazines...."

She pulls open a third box..."Ah, now this is intresting six shot revolver style grenade guns. And the full Red collection of rounds. Let's see, UV crystal, silver oxide, holy salt rock, even the pointy stick 1000 round! Of course those have to be loaded individually..."

Jill eyed Jeff..."Are you saying I'm crazy Jeff?" She walks over to the boxes of equipment now sitting out in the courtyard.

"No ma'am," Jeff said, "I was think I might finally be cracking under the stress."

Jeff watched as she went through the different weapons. "Wow, there's quite a variety here."

(Yarrum, no worries man! This'll be going on for a while, and there's always another RP also.)

"Jeff did you hear any voices while you were at my school?" came out of her as she found a box full of large tubes. She placed four into a pile, and then went to opening a another box.

"Yes, Ann! Thank god for Navy girls who think the answer to everything is firepower..." She holds up two large shperes. "Thermal Bloom Grenades...good for destroying your average temple, or turning a carcass into dust..."

"Now all I need to do is find the handguns..."

Jeff looked surprised, "I... "

Ya might as well tell her, it's not like you're totally sane anyway.. leaving Katherine like this.

".. yeah I did. On a couple of occasions."

"My suggestion is listen to the voice you heard....It is not a sign of insanity. Ah here we are...you want a Hubarian Long 45? They come with an assortment of rounds, but my personal favorite is the explosive round. Nothing like having a nice mini-explosion when your bullet hits something hard."

"Yeah. On both counts, I'll pay attention to it, and I think I would like a pistol, just to be safe."

Jeff took the handgun and checked the magazine.

the magazine was of course empty since they didn't ship guns loaded (no one does that's just asking for trouble...)

"Here, have a few loaded magazines." She tosses them to Jeff. "Alright, now you are not going insane about things...you've just wound up on the other side of the looking glass..."

(And after all, we have enough trouble as it is :P )

Jeff loaded the pistol, "The other side of the looking glass, huh? That sounds about right, the woman I got a ride from said her name was Pallas. Not everyday someone gets to talk with a goddess."

Jill just stopped dead in her tracks..."You mean...you...got a ride from...No, just some woman with that name. You think a Goddess is going to spend her time driving you around her back yard. Who do you think you are Jeff? Arthur reborn or something?" She stops for a moment..."Well did she look something like Victoria Crawford?..I saw her leaving when we arrived..."

"Arthur reborn?" Jeff asked.

For the love of God, don't tell her about Excalibur then Jeff-o, she'd never believe it anyway.

"Nah, I'm just some guy. Although she dropped me off and vanished when I turned to ask her a question," he said. "White dress, sandals... Maybe it was just a hallucination."

"Well answer my question, did she look anything like Victoria Crawford the Landgravine of Hubris?"

"Well answer my question, did she look anything like Victoria Crawford the Landgravine of Hubris?"

(Dang, I can't remember, all the descrip. of Pallas said was a tall handsome woman, white dress and sandals).

(the answer in most cases is yes...)

Then why are you spamming it?

Then why are you spamming it?


http://phpbbhost.biz/worldwar/index.php?


Thats why. :wink:


Remember mods, I was asked. I'm done here.

"yeah, she did look a lot like her," Jeff said.

(sorry about that...TG *shakes head*)

"Oh, ah...you just had a practical joke played on you..."
Oh, f*** ran through Jill's head.

Jeff nods, "Well at least this practical joke was the innocent kind, and I made it to your place in one piece."

If Jill's face gave away what she was thinking, Jeff didn't pick up on it.

(not having anything I can think of...and having played a spammer's game on your thread. I think I'll call it a night...grumbles to himself...)

(don't worry about it. It was just some idiot that was baiting ya. I got your TG and asked one to delete them, so we'll see.)

"Well isn't this intresting..."
was Jill's statement as she looked at the bottom of the 'grab box'

"Here, take this, you might need to bargin with the soul of the Necromancer and this might be of intrest to him..."

She holds aloft a metal flask with several unintelliable symbols on the side.

Jeff looked at the flask with interest, "Do I dare ask what this is?" he asked as he took it from Jill.

"Well, imagine your someone who doesn't want to die...and you wonder how Val the Impaler did it, cheated death. So you'd want that potion. The philosphers' stone for Necromancers...and it's unpronoucable..."

"I see," Jeff said as he looked at the potion. "Is it really wise to have it around? Even if the risk is slim that they'll actually get it and use it?"

The roar of two dropships could be heard in the distance.

Jill begins to bag the items she wants to take...having found several boxes with odd labels.
"Now Jeff, the Philosopher's stone was supposed to be able to turn Lead into Gold. Or somehow remove three protons and seven neutrons from the core of an atom without risidual radation. The only thing someone did do was purify 'false' silver into gold. Which means they refined Platinum into Gold. That's a fairly money losing propostion...."

She winks and takes the flask, opening it and letting Jeff smell the horrid stench. "It's a pipe dream, hell it would likely kill Anthony or anyone else outright...however our good doctor really likely never understood nuclear physics all that well...and likely not the understanding of the universe either....so well use his ignorace against him if we can." She puts the lid back on and returns it to Jeff.

****

It was a house known once for gaiety and parties. The present homecoming had been less than stellar. The doctors had fretted, but the cold blue eyes didn't ask, they ordered. In the central hall with its marble floor and under the dome of the cupola that stood four stories above, a woman was framed by the late afternoon light. She leaned her injured body on the large oak table her eyes looking at the bowl of fruit. In a somewhat darkened alcove, an old man sat in a chair covered by a sheet. His old hands rested on a walking stick. His eyes were trying to read the dark hared woman's mind.

I should never see him again…I love him…and he loves her…it would be better for all concerned. He has Jill to help him…more effective than I would have ever been. What about Sir Meow?…Meow…my partner…the only male who's ever really loved me back…How…I thought I had it all planned…

Her eyes are drawn to the small bit of electronics. A burst of noise had been caught by a spy sat somewhere. Now it was there, indicating its location.

The old man smiled, "Well they are moving are they not. And so will we."

Her eyes narrowed…"I don't…"

"Don't lie to yourself or a fellow Knight…. It does no one justice. Let an old hand from the Black Tabs show you how it's done."

"Yes, sir…"

"Nice," Jeff grinned. "Well things are starting to look up," he said as he picked up a second pistol and loaded it.

"I'll have Chris meet you guys at Heathrow, will that work?" he asked as he picked up another goody.

Jill stops for a second..."Ah...we're going through Hethrow...with this? Am I missing something because...well I was hoping to waltz through customs with enough firepower to make most third world nations think the word 'coup'."

"Well you guys can just land where you want to when you get there, but he's gotta fly in unless you want to detour and pick him up in Lyone," Jeff shrugged as the two dropships landed. "His Aerospace command status doesn't give him access to any of the fighters now."

A group of people in body armor adorned with ankh's, crosses or other symbols walked out of the dropships in the distance while Niven walked out to greet them.

"Oh, I misundertood you Jeff..." Jill adds as she finishes packing the two large bags. "Now I just wish Ann had bought a shovel..."

Jeff thought a moment, "I'll mention it to Chris to grab one." He helped Jill with the bags. "I'll set up that TV interview once I get back to Golden Agate and James is resting comfortably in the Iansislian Embassy."

Niven had just finished instructing the group and dismissed them before walking up to Jeff and Jill. "Well, I've told them what we know, and they'll be waiting. Two will say with each child, and four will stay with Katherine, two per shift."

Jeff discovered two things...first, Alconian women don't like being 'helped' before being asked. Second, that Jill thrusting a bag of weapons into his gut was painful.

Jill turned to Dr. Niven. "Well I have my gear here and in the house. So what when is departure to our local?"

edit:(I'll this headache of mine is getting worse even after 4 Advil. I think I'm going to call it a night...*needs sick smiley here*)

(Cool, hope you feel better man!)

Jeff shrugged off the shove of the bag into his stomach with a note to not be too helpful next time around.

Yeah, if I have another brother who gets possessed, then I'll know what not to do.

"I think the sooner the better," Jeff said as they loaded up the transports, "James and I will take off now for Golden Agate, and we'll call you once we get there."

And once James is safe in the embassy.

“It might be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Iansislean International Telegraph Corporation,” grinned James, “but I’m sure they’ll condescend to leave you in charge. Back in a flash.” And he was.

“I’ve gotten in contact with our embassy in London,” he confirmed. “They should be able to provide you with a safe haven, some connections and a man or two if you need them. The Ambassador is a man by the name of Beacham; I don’t know him myself.”

((feel better, A+H!)

"That's good news!" Niven said as he led James to the landing dropships. He quickly gave the group their orders and the two turned around just in time to see Jill get... perturbed with Jeff and shove the duffel bag into his stomach.

"He's as charming as ever I see," Niven said with a chuckle.

"More than ususal, I'd say," commented James. "She hasn't shot him yet."

Under the joke, though, James was finding it hard not to form stereotypes about Alconians in general and Alconian women in particular. He was positive that, the facts be damned, it was Jill's fault.

"Last chance to call this off, Majesty," whispered Weathers as James walked up to his transport.

"Can I give you a hand with those bags?" James winked to Jeff, completely ignoring him.

"Nah, I think I have it," Jeff said as he loaded the last of the bags in their respective vehicles.

"All right? Are we ready to go?" Niven asked.

"I think we are," Jeff said to them, opening the door for James, "After you, Majesty," he said with a wink.

"Why, thank you, Your Grace," said James, climbing on board.

Jeff chuckled and rolled his eyes at the comment. He winked at Niven and Jill, "I'll catch y'all around."

He climbed into the dropship and patted the pilot on the helmet, "OK, let's go."

The pilot nodded and moments later they were launching into the air.

"Now James, we're going to have to figure out if the accomodations at the embassy are to your liking."

"I'm sure they will be," said James, unsuspecting.

"That's good, cause you can always stay in the Pyramid Hotel too. If I remember Tarriff didn't seem to mind it too much," Jeff said.

(Noooooooooo, Jeff's not planning on ditching James and Weathers at the Embassy and going after Antony, whatever would give you that idea :P )

Time passed quickly on the dropship (*Whooosh!* There it goes! Did you see it? ;) ) and soon it was on approach to land at Jeff's estate in Iansisle.

"There's something I need to pick up quickly."

(No, not obvious at all :P)

"I have a feeling I know what you're after," grinned James. He wondered if he ought to let anyone in Iansisle know what he was up to; no, probably not.

He had been awful quiet - contemplative perhaps? - on the trip from Niven's estate.

(I'm off man...sorry I've been so scarce of late. Finals season is calling me ;))

"I figured you might," Jeff winked, "I'll be right back."

Jeff ran out into the courtyard and into the estate. Up one set of stairs and into his office. He pulled one book on the case back and the bookshelf opened, revealing a vault door. A few spins of the combination later and Jeff dipped in, out and closed everything up en route back to the dropship.

James and Weathers saw him run back towards them holding a sword in what appeared to be an ancient scabbard. He pulled himself back into the ship, "Well, when facing the forces of evil, you never want to be too careful."

He smiled at James, "Keneral for your thoughts, bro. You all right?"
(No worries, it'll be glorious summer soon!)

James crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. He didn't like lecturing Jeff; besides, he was really bad at it.

"We won't be needing it, I'm sure."

Jeff looked down during the lecture, "It was nothing much... some extra changes of clothing.. mostly black, a razor... Assault rifle... just some things,,"
OOC: Which "razor" was that, then?

((This time the thing didn't go twenty pages while I was elsewhere...))

IC: Jill looked at Dr. Niven. "Well, anything you need? I need a bit of food not having lunch, tea, nor any dinner in the past day...everything else I can get ready on the transport..."

***
(Good thing Ann thinks that Jeff is going to make a bee line for Anthony then...)

The jet engined flying boat began to taxi towards the dock. The woman and the old man both stood quietly on the dock, watching it as it did so...

James crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. He didn't like lecturing Jeff; besides, he was really bad at it.

"We won't be needing it, I'm sure."

Jeff looked down during the lecture, "It was nothing much... some extra changes of clothing.. mostly black, a razor... Assault rifle... just some things,,"
OOC: Which "razor" was that, then?

OOC: Swear to God, it was just a straight razor and a shaving brush. ;)

((This time the thing didn't go twenty pages while I was elsewhere...))

IC: Jill looked at Dr. Niven. "Well, anything you need? I need a bit of food not having lunch, tea, nor any dinner in the past day...everything else I can get ready on the transport..."

Niven nodded, "I could go for a bit of lunch as well," he said as the two walked into the kitchen from the side door.

A middle-aged woman was standing behind a counter chopping some meat when the pair walked in, "Oh, an' now you'll be wanting your supper?" she asked in faux-indignation, "I should just make you sing for yours," she said to Niven as she prepared two quick plates of roasted chicken on greens with some rice and grilled vegetables, "Lucky for you these children eat enough for an army and I'm busy preparing extras."

Back in Lyone, late that night

Antony walked into the confernce room of the casino/hotel carrying a file folder, a young-looking, pale man was seated with an equally pale young woman at the table. Antony closed the door and sat down.

"Thank you for seeing me your majesty," Antony said to the woman.

"It was our pleasure," the man replied. "After you told me what this was concerning, we were quite interested in meeting you."

"I thought you might. I didn't know if IanCorp was lying in their putrid movie, but it was worth a shot. And my, connection, was able to locate you. Oh, can I offer you anything to drink?" Antony asked.

"A... tomato juice. Blood red."

Antony smiled at the pair and poured them each a glass of thick red fluid from a decanter and offered them the drinks.

"Ahhhhh," the woman said after emptying her glass. "Never should do business on an empty stomach," she said. "Now, how do you know where he'll be located?"

"Easy," Antony said setting the file on the table, opening it and offering it to them, "He'll be coming here."

Added to the mix are reports that Larkinian Ambassador to Iansisle Jeffrey Williams is returning to Larkinia, shortly after the mysterious attack on his wife, to address the reports that he will indeed run for President.

The woman looked at the news story excitedly. "But how will we be able to reach him? He's bound to be surrounded by security after the first attempt on his spouse."

"He'll come to us," Antony said. "All we'll need to do is threaten some poor soul, a child, an adult... hell a whore is all we'll need and he'll come rushing to the rescue like a moth to a flamethrower. Can I count on you?"

Behind Antony, the etheral face appeared briefly again, visable to the two guests.

The woman, Princess Antoinette Goszka, current leader of the vampiric nation, thought for a moment. Twice now, leaders of her nation had engaged in some kind of blood feud with this Williams character. Twice now, they had failed. She didn't want to make it a hat trick.

But there was still a bounty on the man's soul. The Elder Council had never seen fit to remove it, either from negligence or the hope that someone would someday claim it, was anyone's guess. The one who claimed that bounty could be considered the undisputed leader of their people.

And this man, he seemed to have something the others lacked. Evil seemed to resonate from him, whether it was something supernatural or just in his nature she didn't know. She guessed it was both. If one of her kind was going to claim his soul, she was willing to take a calculated gamble. Following this man's lead, of course.

"I believe... you've talked us into it." she said.

"I thought you might. I didn't know if IanCorp was lying in their putrid movie, but it was worth a shot. And my, connection, was able to locate you. Oh, can I offer you anything to drink?" Antony asked.

((ooc: Of all the..! We all know that IanCorp tells nothing but the most truthful truth in ALL its endeavors! :P

..and we all smell like our mother made us. ;)))

"I figured you might," Jeff winked, "I'll be right back."

Jeff ran out into the courtyard and into the estate. Up one set of stairs and into his office. He pulled one book on the case back and the bookshelf opened, revealing a vault door. A few spins of the combination later and Jeff dipped in, out and closed everything up en route back to the dropship.

James and Weathers saw him run back towards them holding a sword in what appeared to be an ancient scabbard. He pulled himself back into the ship, "Well, when facing the forces of evil, you never want to be too careful."

James grunted softly and glanced out the window. Not even the fact they were on an aerocraft shooting through the atmosphere at hundreds (thousands? what kind of performance do these transports get? ;)) of miles per hour seemed to peturb him.

He smiled at James, "Keneral for your thoughts, bro. You all right?"

(“In America they bring only a penny. I guess that’s about all they’re worth.” :P

where was I? ah, yes, nice use of the lingo!)

James looked over. For a second, there were lines of worry - that sort that transcends mere apprehension about mortal danger - etched on his face. And then they were gone. He crinkled the left side of his mouth into his quirky half-grin.

“As well as I could be, I guess.” He shrugged. “I wasn’t really thinking about anything in particular; Lyone, I guess.”

He smiled at James, "Keneral for your thoughts, bro. You all right?"

(“In America they bring only a penny. I guess that’s about all they’re worth.” :P

where was I? ah, yes, nice use of the lingo!)

James looked over. For a second, there were lines of worry - that sort that transcends mere apprehension about mortal danger - etched on his face. And then they were gone. He crinkled the left side of his mouth into his quirky half-grin.

“As well as I could be, I guess.” He shrugged. “I wasn’t really thinking about anything in particular; Lyone, I guess.”

(LOL, and nice use of the Bogie ;) )

Jeff looked at James a second and turned to Weathers, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but he's frettin' about something, and I don't think we should let him off the hook that easily."

((I may not be good for much, but Casablanca quotes are one of those things ;). Although now that I think about it (and I've no idea why I should), I think a keneral is actually worth less than a penny....Just think of how many things I ought to know for finals that little bit pushed out ;))

Weathers glanced up at Jeff, then over at James. "If you'll pardon my saying so, he's been right worried about something the entire time we've been here."

"I don't think I will pardon that," said James sourly.

"Yeah, he's on about something," said Weathers sagely. James sunk lower into his seat and glanced out the window.

Jeff looked at Weathers then also at James, "I knew it wasn't just me."

Hearing James' response to Weathers, Jeff's voice softened, "Come on bro, what's got you so worried? Is it the trip to Larkinia? I mean, I'm sure Weathers and I will keep being worried about you being worried and try to find out what's going on until you decide to throw Weathers and me out of the transport from three miles up," Jeff said as the dropship took off and quickly leapt forward again. "And I'd really like to avoid getting thrown out of here from that high up, it really does a number on whatever suit you're wearing when you land."

Even James had to snort at the joke. He looked over at Jeff's face, then beyond it to Weather's concerned expression. And he sighed, softly.

"I guess I am just a little bit worried about Larkinia," he said, if not lying through his teeth, then at least severly bending the truth.

James wanted to sigh again and look away, but he forced himself not to break eye contact with Jeff. He desperately wanted to tell him what was wrong, but he couldn't. He couldn't tell anyone - not Jeff, not Weathers, not Dr Niven, not Elizebeth, and - certainly - never Christin.

He couldn't tell anyone - not Jeff, not Weathers, not Dr Niven, not Elizebeth, and - certainly - never Christin.

(Hmmmm... *click* I do believe I gets it. ;) Well he could always tell Father Verdeschi in confession, he's bound to be there)

Jeff shrugged, "Well, there's nothing to worry about. There's no way Antony is going to get anywhere near you. Besides, there'll be enough security there to drop a stampede of Hell Bovinians," Jeff said (not hearing about events at the picnic yet :P ) "So think of this as one nice, long vacation.)

Now I just have to figure out how to get to Antony without you catching on

(d'oh - the picnic! I knew I was forgetting something!)

James nodded, but didn't reply directly. A few quiet seconds later, he asked "Just how are we planning to get at Antony, though? Sorry if this was already discussed - I think I was elsewhere at the planning section."

"Well, the idea was I.... we were going to go to Larkinia and deal with this presidential candidacy deal. Apparently I'm getting votes in the polls. So while not declaring if I run or not, we hold press conferences and stuff. That will hopefully draw Antony out after me. Jill, Dad, Chris and the others are going to try and dig up the grave of some necromancer that Antony apparently has some deal worked up with to come after me and my family, and they are going to try and perform a ceremony to end his power on this plane."

(Now that the plan is as clear as a glass of mud... :P )

((mmm...mud ;)

Seriously, thanks for the update! I think one reason James has been so spacey is because I've been kind of in-and-out the past week or so.))

"Oh, right," nodded James. "That sounds familiar - I was rather wondering why dad would need any help in London."

"What I was wondering," started Weathers, "is just what happens if Antony decides not to play along with the plan, and comes straight after you. I mean, he got to President Katana at a press conference; even with Dr Niven's security guys, how do we stop the same thing from happening to you?"

Jeff shrugged, "Well, he might just do that. I'm not sure. I'm hoping to give him as big a target as possible to come after, limited security, all of these public forums, something to entice him to come after me. Or I might just go after him. An... someone told me that waiting in a defensive mode for him to come after me is the wrong way to do things. So if push comes to shove, I'm going to go after him."

Niven nodded, "I could go for a bit of lunch as well," he said as the two walked into the kitchen from the side door.

A middle-aged woman was standing behind a counter chopping some meat when the pair walked in, "Oh, an' now you'll be wanting your supper?" she asked in faux-indignation, "I should just make you sing for yours," she said to Niven as she prepared two quick plates of roasted chicken on greens with some rice and grilled vegetables, "Lucky for you these children eat enough for an army and I'm busy preparing extras."

OOC: [uncle mode]Small kids don't tend to eat much...[/uncle mode]

IC: Jill smiled and said "Thank You..." As she tried the chicken she looked up and added "compliments to the chef...although I don't want to tell her how bad it's going to be when those youngsters are teenagers...."
She gave the middle aged woman a wry smile and continued to eat.

OOC: Whoops, my bad.

IC:

Niven nodded as he sliced open his chicken, "Yeah, when they become teenagers, they'll eat Jeff and Katherine out of the house," he grinned.

The woman continued to cook while Niven asked, "Once we find the gravesite, how long will your ritual take?"

Jill looked at the doctor with a bit of a wry grin. "Well, finding the grave will be a task...digging up the remains may be even more fun and games. Especially if our necromancer left any traps for grave robbers or those who disliked the idea of him returning and not going to the eighth level of Hell on the express elevator."

She finishes eating some rice,
"Once we have the remains uncovered, then about fifty five seconds...as two thermal shock grenades will eat up most of them...and likely break apart the bones into nice little bits..."

Her eyes seem to dance a bit..."What were you expecting Doctor? Me getting naked and dancing in a circle?" she added as obvious joke.

Niven smiled and relaxed a little bit, "Well a man can wish, can't he?" he asked before sipping some iced tea. "Shall I make arraignments for our accomodations in London? I'm guessing any arraignments to stay in the Iansislian Embassy might be a bad idea, because they are not the.." he looked for the words.. "most security conscious of people."

-----

The dropship zipped over the Eastern Ridge Mountains, Jeff looked out at the snow covered mountains below. He remembered when they were there before, that damn group of vampires ruined what was a perfectly good vacation. They damn near took Katherine and the twins if he hadn't bartered himself for them, then that damn Dazemani mistook Jeff for a pin-cushion... why was it whenever he was back in Larkinia, it was always because bad stuff was going down.

"Well that would be nice. I guess I could stay with Paul, but if we have to go digging up the basement of the London Central Criminal Court building then he'd likely have to arrest me..."

"Not a problem, I'll make them once we get in the air. The fewer people who know we're snooping around in London, the safer we should be," Niven said as he finished the lunch.

Jill nodded as she continued to eat. She was eyeing Dr. Niven with, well if she were a Klatchian Tiger and he an Orc well dinner would be the item. In this case?

Niven took another drink of the tea and smiled at Jill, "Where did you develop your knowledge of the occult?" he asked.

Jill thought for a moment on how to explain things.

"Well there is an orginization, a religion in my country based on the worship of Athena. The Order or Cult of Athena depending on who you ask. The Order has always been intrested in those things which go bump in the night one might say its a directive from On high. I joined that orginization when I was sixteen and learned most everything while I was a member. However, I developed some peculiar problems..."

She looked at the stuffed tiger sitting on the table next to her,"....that resulted in my early retirement to a less animal ornimented lifestyle."

"Really?" Niven asked, "That sounds familiar to the organization I'm in, although we are not based around religion as much as a common interest. From on high, I'm guessing the orders came from the big guy or in this case, big woman upstairs.

"I'm sorry to hear about the problems you developed," Niven said not wanting to probe anymore. "I hope you are able to handle them to your satisfaction."

"Hmm..." Jill decides that comment would be unwise. She finishes the last of her rice, sips her tea, and places her napkin on the table. "Well should be do the dishes as penance or blow this rather large house now filled with armed men and children."

"I think we should just leave, it's about time the kitchen staff earned those large paychecks my accountant signs," Niven said with wink.

"Hurmph!" the woman said with a mock pout.

Niven opened the door, "After you," he said.

Jill nodded gave a smile to the staff and a shrug with rasied hand. "As the man orders, so shall I do..."

She walked out the door. She asked in her best 'innocent' voice. "Ah doesn't Mrs. Niven have a problem with you just up and leaving without saying goodbye?"

Niven stopped a moment and looked down as the question hit him from beyond left field, "There isn't a Mrs. Niven anymore," he said looking up and continuing the walk with Jill. "She's gone to a better place, as they like to say."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. If you don't mind me asking...How long ago did she pass on?" Jill seemed to be generally concerned.

"It's all right, you didn't know. It's been many years now since she died, since before I met this current band of characters."

"Oh, you mean your merry band of men?" She picks up her bags and her backpack, stuffing the toy tiger into the backback. "Now shall we venture to merry old England and Londontown?" she asks with a mock British accent, consider how close her own is to an odd form of welsh it is quite comical or strange depending on one's sensiblies.

"Right, I think that's a good idea," Niven smiled at Jill as they walked to the landing pad. They reached the dropship, the pilot saluted Niven and slipped into the cockpit while the two walked into the ship.

Niven punched a combination and the door closed while the ship took off. While not couched in luxury, the dropship was not as spartan as Jill might have expected. A small medical bed was in the back and spare weapons and armor were stored in lockers next to some of the captain's chairs.

"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home, or in this case, a well armed drop ship," Niven said, "Give you a hand with the safety belts?"

Niven found that Jill was in no need of help. Jill didn't seem to really care about luxury, or the arms on the wall, (although if he asked she could have given a quick inventory from her memory.) Jill was in her seat latched down and pulling out a fourty five from the bag next to her and stripping it. She smiled back at him..."I'm fine thanks..." she wasn't even looking down as she finished tearing down the handgun and placing the parts into the seat next to her.

"Now where did I stick the gun cleaning kit?" she said absently minded sticking her hand into one of her bags.

Niven smiled inwardly, Now this is my kind of woman he thought as he strapped himself in.

"OK, let's go," he said to the intercom.

The dropship flew off, engines roaring as is passed over the estate and the blue twinkle of the sea slid under the ship en route to London.

(I'm out of here for a little bit)

Jill found her cleaning kit and proceeded to clean four handguns, one of the revolver style shot guns, and then the more difficult task of the squad support rifle. She then loaded two of the handguns into a body holsters

She then began to orginize items in and out of a back pack. Three of the long tubes went in the back with the thermal bloom grenades in a lower pouch. Extra magazines for the squad support rifle in an upper pocket. The handguns went into outer pockets along with a water bottle. She fitted shot round of varying types into a belt holster.

One of the extra tubes rolled away from her and over to the Doctor. Out of small plastic window one could see the face of a medium sized suffed animal (that looked like a baby bobcat) looking out. The words
Klaymore Kitty--Explosive Type A-W-MP--Item 578
was written on the side.

edit:(I did go to sleep...obviously needing it... :? )

(A little sleep's a good thing from time to time. ;) )

Niven read the side of the tube, "Klaymore Kitty? That's interesting," he said handing the tube back to Jill.

(A little sleep's a good thing from time to time. ;) )

Niven read the side of the tube, "Klaymore Kitty? That's interesting," he said handing the tube back to Jill.

(#$%#%^$# forum....)

Jill took back the container and shook her head..."I shouldn't let these little fella's run around on their own. They have a tendency to be mistaken as toys outside the Klatch."

"Ah, I can see that could be a bad thing," Niven said as she took the tube back. "I noticed you brought your little stuffed friend with you. Sentimental value?"

-----

The dropship banked hard as it approached Golden Agate, James and Jeff looked out the window at the quickly approaching airport.

"What in the hell is going on?" Jeff asked into the mic headset, "... You're kidding... No way! I don't have a choice?"

Jeff sighed as he set the headset down, "What's wrong?" James asked.

"They're waiting for us at the airfield," Jeff said. "something about a TV Camera crew and some other stuff."

more double posts to feed Sir Meow...

"Ah, I can see that could be a bad thing," Niven said as she took the tube back. "I noticed you brought your little stuffed friend with you. Sentimental value?"


Jill looks at the good doctor, then down at the stuffed tiger..."Let's just say I'm 'structuring my enviroment for optimal performance and leave it that shall we. That...bit of fluff is as much my freind as the guy who drives the honey wagon, however I tend to run into problems if I don't keep both on call..."

-----

The dropship banked hard as it approached Golden Agate, James and Jeff looked out the window at the quickly approaching airport.

"What in the hell is going on?" Jeff asked into the mic headset, "... You're kidding... No way! I don't have a choice?"

Jeff sighed as he set the headset down, "What's wrong?" James asked.

"They're waiting for us at the airfield," Jeff said. "something about a TV Camera crew and some other stuff."

***
And KCN International was there...

[quote="Xanthalian EarthJill looks at the good doctor, then down at the stuffed tiger..."Let's just say I'm 'structuring my enviroment for optimal performance and leave it that shall we. That...bit of fluff is as much my freind as the guy who drives the honey wagon, however I tend to run into problems if I don't keep both on call..."[/quote]

"Ah," Niven said dropping the point. He looked down at his watch, "This should be interesting." he said as he turned on a TV in the dropship.

-----

The news cameras zoomed in on the other dropship landing at Golden Agate Int'l. As the ship touched down and the wind and smoke subsided, the gate dropped and a fairly confident Jeff and James strode out onto the tarmac.

"Ambassador," one reporter asked, "Can you confirm that you're going to be running for president?"

"I'll tell you this much," Jeff replied, "this is a time when a lot of hard decisions have to be made. Between the assassination attempt, the riot at the picnic for peace and lacking security in the region, enough is enough. Harrison, you're fifteen minutes of fame are up!"

"So you are going to run?"

"That has yet to be seen, as you all know I have a lot going on right now, and I need some time to reflect on everything that has happened."

(Kicks himself for posting with a Property deed...)

Jill watches the T.V. and gives a wry smile..."Well that is a diffrent tact. However, him going after Harrison might be a bad way to start a campaign. Of course Larkianian politics may accept negitive campaining more that others..." She awaits more questions...


***
The KCN reporter looks up and raises her hand.

"Yes ma'am," Jeff asked the KCN reporter.

( :shock: polite to a reporter...Jeff's going to not want to do that anytime soon...)

"Yes, recent reports indicate that your wife has suffered severe trauma to her head. Specifically she is in a coma. Yet it is reported that a "man addressed as Duke Williams, fitting your description even down to your present dress was recently seen in a small town on the Isle of Hubris. Would you care to elaborate on these facts?"

(Well, I work at a newspaper, so I know how crappy they can get treated. The least the guy can do is be polite, although he might have to shoot this one to set an example for the rest. ;) )

"Yes ma'am, I was there. After I'd realized there was nothing I could do to help my wife in the state she was in, and finding out that a friend was going to go after the suspected attacker by herself I had to stop her from what I thought was a direct path to her death.

"Yes ma'am, I said her, I have female friends who are just that. Friends. Next question."

(Ah, but I grew up with a parent in public office...and right now Jeff's lack of a campain manager just did major damage. He didn't actually say I'm not having an affair...the next question of course would be why did you just say that?

Yes ma'am, I said her, I have female friends who are just that. Friends. Next question.

"Oh god tell me he did not just say that...to a Klatchian Coast News International reporter no less..." Jill moaned...

***
Likely some other reporter from the crowd then asked, "Ambassador are you saying that people are accusing you of having an affair with this woman? And if so, who? And who is she?"

(LOL, and now I'm having flashbacks to watching the Wesley Clark campaign flame out ;) )

Jeff turned to James, "I say, have you accused me of having an affair?"

"Who me?" James asked, "Perish the thought."

Jeff turns back to the reporter, "Are you accusing me of having an affair? Exactly who are your sources? For something of this magnitude in my life, I'd hope you'd have rock solid information for dragging my name through the mud like this."

"Who me?" James asked. "Perish the thought!"

He was desperate to maintain his outward composure, but a certain word did cause a trickle of sweat to bead off his forehead.

(Well, that was easy to catch up with...thanks, Lark ;)

Again, sorry about my lack of consistency of late; my free time's been going on a roller coaster.)

(Westly Clark? I'm thinking of the guy who cried on T.V. and went down by fourty points...)

Jill's eyes were now wide as humanly possible. "Uhh, if Harrison's staff doesn't use this against him, they need to be checked for being walking dead."

***
The international Press, just sort of looked at each other. A sort of culimative HUH?.

The reporter he just accused looked blankly at him and shook his head no...
Another reporter asked..."So how would you describe your relationship with this unnamed woman in ah...Hubris?"

reporter he just accused looked blankly at him and shook his head no...

OOC: And, in a manuveer akin to nose dive, his public presence just went 'kaput'. We call this tactic the Howard Dean.

(They can only use it against him if he's actually gonna run ;) Ahhhh.. one dropship ticket: NY 500,000, One video camera to record the nightly news: NY 50,000, Getting the international press to look stumped: priceless :P )

Niven looked as confused as Jill, "I knew I should have given him some kind of stimulant before we left, I think he's finally cracked."

-----

Jeff cocked an eyebrow, "With Bovinians storming through the capital, someone attempting to kill President Katana and members of Mr. Harrison's staff who allegedly hired an assassin disappering mysteriously, you want to ask me who my friends are?

"OK, let me start with this one right here. This is High and Mighty Majesty James Callahan III from Iansisle, I'm sure you're all familiar with him. Or there's Robert Fortier, God rest his soul, who was the former first husband of Imitora; or the woman in question, Ann Gretchen, I'm sure you remember the reports, she'd saved my life in Iansisle. Or should I continue with my friend from the Academy, Chris Markson?"

reporter he just accused looked blankly at him and shook his head no...

OOC: And, in a manuveer akin to nose dive, his public presence just went 'kaput'. We call this tactic the Howard Dean.

(The reporter or Jeff??)