NationStates Jolt Archive

"Stop her, J...Jimmy! But try not to ... not to hurt her." Bader shouted. He ws still trying to throw the noise out of his head.

Jimmy looked at Aysha's eyes
"Could be a problem. Without hurting her I mean." he said.
"Liane, you stay back, ok?"

(where is Underaloz when you need him?)

ooc: I know, this will be my last post before he returns on this thread so we can give him a chance.

IC:

Asysha looked back at Badar and kicked her leg up, gripping it at the ankle with her hand vertically, She let go, pushing it down in a snap to hit Badar. "Trying to work here," she said in a soft voice. "No distractions now..."

YOU FRENCH ENT-HUGGING HOBBITS, GO EAT SOME ELVES!!!!!!!!!!!

THE ORC-DUDE SILENTLY APPROACHED THE GROUP OR RP-ERS AS THEY WERE ACTING FRENCH AND SLIPPED A NOOSE AROUND EACH ONES THROAT....

Rave: *eye twitches in anger as the noose snaps from around her neck effortlessly, and looks at the spammer. She tilts her head, and then goes into a blood rage, and viciously massacres the rp'er*

Qui: :shock: inches away...* Remind me not to spam herthreads...

(shall we tell him that Underaloz IS french? :P )


Bader grunted when she hit him and rolled onto his back. At least it had one good side: The noise in his head dissapeared. He felt better, although he was still confused and not able to react.
___

Jimmy used this moment of disatraction that Aysha had created and fired a hard right at her temple.

(Hee hee..)

IC:

Aysha was hit on the side of her head, her nails catching the skin of his first before dizziness overtook her. She dropped to the ground, a few papers falling out of her jacket.

Jimmy kneed down on her back, his left leg pinned her legs to the ground, his right knee her small of the back while he held her arms in the typical police-grip (you know what I mean?) with his right hand. With the left he took a pair of handcuffs that hat been hidden under his uniform untill now and closed them around her wrists. Then he touched his forehead were her nails had left two or three small scratches, not deep enough to hurt but a bit of blood colored his fingers red. A strange sound appeared in his head; like a moskito.

Bader sat on the ground next to them and had a look at the papers she had lost.
________

The vessel was lost. Maybe there would be a chance to use it again later but at the moment it was useless. It concentrated on other things. There were so many possibilities that this small loose didn't count.

As he rumaged through the papers he found various passports, each with a different name. He found an ID: Dr. Aysha Collens. Her name now became known, as well as her profession. There was one thing that particularly caught his eye. It was a thin paper, almost like a book, but so thin that it was hard to beleive anything was written inside. AS he opened it, he saw that the pages were translucent sheets of paper, each with a journal entry.

August 12th, 2000

I found papers lying on my desk today. I read through most of them, and it's something that I'd like to delve into. I've always been interested in stars.

November 4th, 2000

It actually exists. I've seen it. I held it within my hands, and it breathed it's life into me.

February 29th, 2001

I feel strange.

September 25th, 2001

There is a new part of me. I feel like I'm getting stronger. Krisoula just says that it's an inner strength, but I think it's more than that. It seems like ever since I opened it, things have changed. I'm going to do an analysis of the DNA in my blood...see if the answer lies there.

September 26th, 2001

Results: inconclusive.

March 3th 2002
I am stronger. I am faster. Today I went for a jog, and finished miles in incredible time. That guy from Kenya has nothing on me.

October 31st, 2002

I can't fall asleep! I can't...when my eyes close...when I fall a sleep...people die. People are dying because of me. It lives through me...and nurtures me...I can't let it kill anymore.

April 24th, 2003
It's not going to kill anymore. It told me whom was responisble for killing. It does everyday. I kill them, and they can't hurt anyone else again. My eyes are pretty.

July 17th, 2003
I am a predator. If you cross my path, I will kill you. Nothing can keep me from my star. Nothing at all. My star is mine, and mine alone. It belongs to no one else. once I get it, there will be no more death. But I can't go to sleep...I must find it before I go to sle...

“Damn, what does this mean?” Bader asked and pointed at the small journal.
“Hey, lady. Dr. Collens. Are you conscious?”
____________

Jimmy stepped back. The noise in his head became louder and louder.


Interludium II

This was a nice place, much better than the endless house-gulches of Underaloz. She had decided to stay here…for ever.
The high speed train entered a tunnel and gave Mary time to have a look into her purse. Astonishing how easy it was build something like that. And the components had been available everywhere.
The train left the tunnel and rushed through the wild and untouched landscape with more than 500 Km/h. Mary looked out of the window and stared at the deep blue lake that gleamed through the green forests. This would be a nice place.
Do it. This is the right place. Here you will be lucky the voice in her head said.
A small part of Mary’s mind thought about the other passengers and what would happen to them but before she could really catch this thought her hands had activated the bomb.
Mary looked out of the window again. The lake had disappeared behind the dense forest.
On my way back I’ll have to make some photos. Never saw something more beautiful. she thought.

Seconds later the first railroad car turned into a red and orange fire ball. The prime mover and the second car were thrown into the air like toys. The following cars run off the rails and cut a deep aisle into the forest before most of them plunged into the lake.

Aysha began to regain her right mind, struggling underneath him, not willing to to go into submission. "You let me go," she said. "I'll tell you what it means..."

"Ahhh...shiiiit!" Tremain yelled, pressing his hands against his ears. The noise was unbearable. He fell down onto his knees and breathed hard. Slowly it ebbed away but it was a desorientating experience.

Bader looked confused at Tremain until he saw the scratches on his forhead. He looked at his own healing wounds and lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we can risk to let you go."

"Well then," she said. "I can't tell you anything. What harm could one woman do?" She asked, in a completely innocent voice, as if it were heartfelt.

(Underaloz, it's monday; time for you to reappear! lol)

"Let's see: You tried to steal the Star of Alushia. Although you came to late.
You create credible headaches...oh, and you sent an Atlantid into the Land of Dreams. Yes: You are absolutely harmless." Bader answered ironically.

"As long as we don't know how you do this and why - and who or what you are - " Tremain said in remembrance of her catlike eyes" we won't let you go.
Just one of these stupid IS traditions. I hope you accept this excuse?" He said it as if it were heartfelt. ( :P )

"I'm sorry," she said, it was heartfelt. "But that excuse is unacceptable." Her eyes flashed amber, and were regaining the color rapidly. "As for what I am, I'm like no one you've ever met before, so stop trying to compare me." Her muscles tensed. "Can't you see it? It's all in my eyes...." Her lips curved in a twisted smile. "First of all, I didn't try and steal the star, it was mine to begin with. If I get the star, your people stop dying. Secondly, creating those God damn headaches that must feel like a steal pool is tearing through temples is part of what I am. Thirdly, the Atlantid wouldn't listen to me. I have clearance." She said unexpectadly.
"If you look in my right pocket in the front of my jeans, there is a clearance pass. I'm a doctor of astronomy...now get off of me, you're hurting my back."

Tremain looked at Bader and waited for him to nodd before he stod up, though he didn't unlock the hand-cuffs around her wrists. There was only little chance that she could break them, they were constructed to withstand the power of an Atlantid.

He took the papers out of her pocket and had a look at them, then he gave them to Bader. This one said:"Seems to be alright. But this and the fact that you believe in that only you can stop the dying don't give you the permission to enter a restricted area and attack a security guard. And it doesn't give you the permission to attack us, even if you didn't know who we are.
And besides I am convinced that it was not really Dr. Collens who did all this. And maybe you are not even at this moment Dr. Aysha Collens."

Tremain added:"And what by the Hells of Sorbanion does a doctor of astronomy have to deal with an ancient jewel?"

(ooc:I'm really wondering)

(confused ya? yay! Finally, now I'm not the only one :lol: )

IC:

She chuckled. "By the heavens of Sorbanian," she began. "It has everything to do with this jewel. Astronomy doesn't deal with just the stars, it deals with the planets, and factors that effect them. This isn't just because of a jewel, don't get me wrong. There is something bigger controlling it all, and affecting the world. But this jewel...I feel it's more connected than you know. This jewel is acting like a key, and through it, connection to a greator factor, and through that, death." She shifted her eyes downward, so that the change that was taking place could not be seen. And I didn't attack that security guard, self defense is not assault."
She attempted to stand, but fell, and let out a yelp.She sat up, her hands behind her back. "Ugh..." she said, looking at her leg. "My leg...it hurts so bad..." She let out another small cry, wincing.

(ouu...you have absolutely no idea what is really going on :lol: just a little piece of information so you don't feel too unsatisfied when you get to know the truth (can't help myself): the Star of Alushia is not responsible for all the dying. It is conected to it but not responsible. I know this is unfair but, hey, I am the storyteller...and as Underaloz said: I am MEAN! :twisted:)


Even IS agents were no heartless beast (although some would have said different things) and so both of them, Bader and Tremain, helped her up and Bader supported her.

"I think we'd better call someone to bring her to a hospital. We'll have to find Professor Heinlein...and the Star of Alushia."

(ooc: oh I know, neither does she. :-) My character could be a doctor of hand lotion and still think it was connected....erm....somehow. :D I guess this is pay back for kidnapping you... :D )

Her eyes flickered amber. Perfect She thought to herself. "No...not to a hospital...I'll be fine..." On second thought...someone other than these two would be easier....they know. She winced in pain. "Erm...on second thought, maybe that's a good idea." She never made eye contact.

(ooc: and guess who's lost now?)

( hee hee...Underaloz is back. Aysha got into the safe. No star. She beat down a guard, and got caught by Tremain and Badar. She is handcuffed, and there are many scratches on the other two. She has rather sharp nails. :) )

Liane hadn't made a move nor said a word. She was observing Aysha and the woman was reminding of someone she had known all too well: herself. Lies, aggressivity, and still strength and somehow will. All the elements that had driven the young elf far away from her family.

"We are much more alike than you think," Liane couldn't help to say.

(ooc: damn, gotta catch the train :/ )

(aww...well reply to the new girl thread when you get back. I'll be on tommorow too.)

IC:

"I doubt that," she said, bringing a flash of amber that were her eyes to meet hers only for a split second. "I seriously doubt that. I once was normal."

[on page 12][/color]]
Mace stepped out of the tree, a waterlike effect marked the place where he had opened the gate for a few seconds then it dissapeared and everything seemed to be normal. Just someone who went for a walk through the park.
Mace's eyes faced the Museum and the LTAV in front of it.

So we are not alone. Nice. he thought and crossed the grass, heading towards the building.
He could fell the mighty entities inside but their powere was nothing compared to his. Although ... naa, nothing.

Where does he* stay? Mace asked himself. I thought he would be faster.
[*the one Arsham had sent out to kill Mace but Mace may expect Arsham himself]

Mace entered the lobby where the young man,still confused about what happened, was. This one, not anymore willing to be ignored, tried to stop him when Mace opened the door to the stairway.

"Sir," he sayd angry," you can't enter. Don't move and wait untill the police arrive!" he yelled.
Mace Bader just looked at him, paused for a moment or two and finally said:"No. It's time for you to go to bed." The young man stared at him. Then suddenly his eyes flickered and one second later he kissed the floor, unconscious.
Bader shook his head and entered the stairway.
___________

Maybe we should wait and have a look on how this develops? Jimmy sent to Markus on a secured "channel". She can't be injoured seriously , so we have time.

Interludium III
(yea, finally we'll get to know something about where this damn Star of Alushia is! So there will be only one question left: Why the hell is this "Star" so important? [you are asking this question, aren't you? :twisted: ]. Keep on reading/posting and you'll find it out. Heheheh!)

Dr. Heinlein ran as if the hell was behind him. And the hell was behind him.
Branches hit his face, roots grasped for his feet but Heinlein didn't rest. His heart seemed to burst asunder, his breath was hart and short, his feet wound, his face and hands sratched but he didn't rest.
Time was too precious to waste it. He mustn't let the load in his rucksack fall into enemy's hands.

"Hurry up! Hurry up!" he impelled himself, the words were nothing more than a whisper but his head resounded with the words. Hurry up!

Another branch scratched his baldy head, blood ran down his forehead and Heinlein groaned in pain. But he didn't rest. Deeper and deeper he ran into the forest, far away from every settlement, far away from every Human, Atlantid, Aquaner or Elf. Far away from It!

"Have...to hide...the Star." he gasped. His lunges burned. But he didn't rest.

Without knowing it, Heinlein brought the Star of Alushia into It's range. But it didn't know this, too.
At the moment.

Heinlein had lost the orientation. Maybe he ran in circles but he ran. And he didn't rest.
Light fell through the leaves and boughs.

A clearing. Heinlein thought and continued running. Suddenly the forest ended. And so did the ground. Before Heinlein knew what happened he fell down the precipice.
Heinlein disapeared in a cloud of dusk and rolled down the slope. First he screamed, then his body hit a rock and the scream broke off.
Heinleins falling ended fifty meters later in a bush. He lay there motionless, a huge among of blood ran from his head.
Only the sound of some stones rolling down the slope could be heared now. Somewhere in the sky above the bush a bird of prey screamed.

Interludium IV

All over the Empire the presence of police and even military had been increased to guarantee the security of the civilists as well as the security of public and non-public buildings. Unfortunately only few people knew that this was nothing more than an act ease the people – and less people knew that this increased presence made the situation even worser. More possible assassinators.

Sergeant Hugo LeVere, NLPD 5, was on duty and guarded one of the entrances of PalaceStation, one of the most important Subway stations of New Landing, in front of the imperial palce complex.
Although everybody felt the tension and the subjective fear life went on as if nothing would have happened. Nobody talked about the inexplicable acts of terror during the last week. Nobody even wanted to think about it. King Benjamin had said the situation would be under control and so it had to be under control. Everybody tried to believe that.
That’s why daily life went on as if nothing had happened. But for Seargeant LeVere and a few hundred other people this would change in a few seconds.

LeVere’s head-set sounded under his helmet.

„Sergeant LeVere.“ He reported and waited for some response but only white noise answered.
„LeVere here.“ He repeated but nothing changed. He just wanted to switch the set off when a man crashed into his side.

„Hey, watch your step!“ he yelled but the stranger didn’t even look up. He only covered his body with his old trench-coat and went down the stairs. LeVere, angry about this behaviour grasped for the man’s arm and turned him round to face him.

„Hey, man, don’t you listen?“ Hugo LeVere asked. Then his eyes caught something very strange. Under the trench-coat he saw cables, some LCD-lights and – dynamite.

„Shit!“ in a split second his fingers closed around the man’s other arm and stopped him from activating the bomb.

„That’s not your day, my friend.“ LeVere hissed and threw the stranger to the ground to take his handcuffs. He just closed the cuffs around the man’s wrists when he realized that the tip of his index was bleeding.

„And now we can add something more to your...“ LeVere cut off. He felt that something happened to him, something very bad - but before he could put his finger on what this was a voice sounded in his head.

Take it!
-What?
-The bomb, take it!
-Why? Who are you?
-Just take the bomb and I’ll tell you.

LeVere hesitated but then, like automatically, his hands opened the fasteners and took the bomb.

Very well. And now, go downstairs.

As if he was in trance Hugo LeVere followed the order. The stranger kept on lieing on the ground, obviously he was unconscious.
When LeVere reached the first Level of PalaceStation the voice ordered him to seek for the densest growd of people.
A few seconds later LeVere had found what he was looking for and went over to the waiting people at line 25a.

And now the voice whispered press the button!
-And then you’ll tell me who you are and why I had to bring the bomb to this place?
-Sure. But first of all you have to press the button.

LeVere knew that the button had a function but he couldn’t say what exactly would happen when he did what the voice wanted. He decided to try and find it out. And then it will tell me what the hell happens here.
He pressed the red button.

(ooc: incredibly impressive writing Earth II. I love it)

"And what is your take on this?"

The other man bent into his chair. His eyes were half-closed. His pointy ears seemed to vibrate a little.

"I don't know," the elf replied. "I'm not sure I can be helpful. There is... something. Something that is clouding everything."

Laurence McCall pondered the sentence. So this was a soul problem. Somehow, he was glad Elenäl, the elf, had been accepted in the guild. At first, he thought it was stupid to have a soul-wearer amongst them, but he could see now why Witz and Yakori insisted so much.

"It's all right, Elf," McCall said calmly, respecting the anonimity of the other member. "You've done well."

Without a word, the elf stood up and walked out of the room. McCall let his eyes wander around the basement. Traffic sound was penetrating through a tiny window, filtered by the bullet-proof glass. From the outside, the house looked like any other one in the neighbourhood. Who would suspect it from being the base of operation for the Assassin Guild in the empire? Assassin Guild. This was such a distracting name. The organisation was so much more. The very base of the United Corporations. McCall was glad to be number 3 in it. He felt proud to have been chosen. He felt safe for he had chosen the path without a soul. At that exact moment, he felt it had been the best choice he had ever made.

Whatever is toying with the minds around here, it cannot handle us, he thought with satisfaction. We are the unexpected.

He took his cellphone, a technical jewel the Armag Corporation was manufacturing for the guild and only for the guild. He thought about what to do. They had backdoors everywhere. There wasn't a single point, a single computer, a single man that he couldn't reach. And, what was more pleasing, with no one else's knownledge. At least in Underaloz. And this was the empire.

He dialed a number, typing complex digits, a code he was the only one to know, a code imprinted into his very material being that no mind trick would be able to get from him.

"Allo," a neutral and feminine voice replied on the other side. "How may I help you?
- I need to know everything you know about the current events in Earth II.
- Could you be more precise?"

McCall sighted, he always tend to forget how to deal with them.

"The killings in the empire," he added.

After a few seconds, the embassy's AI told him everything.

(Took me long enough to write it down in english so it HAS to be good :D )

Mace walked trough the corridor without hurry. The aims hadn't been moving for the last few minutes so they would surely be there when he arrived...what would be a very unsatisfactioning event for them. He passed the still unconscious atlantid, walked around the next corner and saw the open door.

There we are. he thought. Now we'll see who tried to... he cut his thought. Something had changed, he now felt a new power source. Four instead of the three he had sensed before. And this fourth source ... it was strong; but where did it come from so suddenly? There was no sign for any using of The Door or another path behind reality. Mace stepped back two or three steps. Funny. Now he couldn't sense the fourth one anymore. He again moved on...there it was, as if Mace wasn't able to detect it from more than a few dozent steps away.
He was this and what kind of technique allowed him to cover his energy so absolutely that not even Mace was able to sense it?

This changes everything.

Mace decided to leave and wait what happened next, he knew he could eliminate this fourth source; but not when he had to fight the other three at the same time.

And I mustn't forget my "Shadow", though he still didn't arrive.

He turned round, walked around the corner...and bumped into the atlantid.

"Shit!" he had been focused upon the mysterious new power ahead so much that he had forgotten to lokk behind and so he had missed that the guard had awoken.

An incredible fast hit with his right fist sent the atlantid down to the ground again but not without a sound.

Markus and Jimmy turned round when the heared the heavy body of the atlantid hit the floor.

"What was that?" Jimmy asked and Markus cursed. There was an incredible strong power at the corridor and he had been too disatracted to sense it.

"You take care about our guest!" he ordered Jimmy. "Liane, you help him. I will have a look who's outside." with this words he rushed out of the room, heading towards this new power.

None of them, neither Mace nor Markus Bader, were aware who the other one was they were going to face.

Liane loaded her gun and followed Markus.

"Could you fill me in about what's going on?" she asked in a rush, apparently quite tensed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

McCall put the cellphone on the table. He was thinking. Thinking hard.

"The Star of Alushia..." he muttered to himself.

But he soon sensed the ground trembling, a mass of earth was growing. McCall didn't seem surprised at all. In a matter of seconds, the mass took a slightly human form and spoke with a crackling voice in a language only McCall could understand.

"Someone has arrived," the creature said. "Someone has arrived from the other side of the continent.
- Where is he?" McCall asked, already standing up. "Tell me!
- Human place."

McCall knew he couldn't get any better answer for elementals didn't have the same sense of geography as human beings.

"Bring me to him," McCall ordered.

"Damn! I told you to stay with Jimmy!" Markus yelled," This is far too dangerous for a silly little elf." he looked angryly at her before he turned and continued running down the corridor.
"This is imperial territory and so it is My job to have a look, not yours."
____

Mace starred at the corner where the other one would appear every moment.

This is not the time to fight him. he thought and opened a gate, with a last look at the corridor he entered it. At this moment Markus turned around the corner and for a split second Mace was able to see his opponents face.

That can't be! then reality disapeared.
_____

Markus turned around the corner and was just able to have a look at the other man before he disapeared in something that looked like a surface of water at the wall - and at his face.

That can't be!

He stood there, unable to move.

I must have been wrong looking. He can't be it.

Liane arrived at the coner right after Markus but too late to see the mirroring surface before it vanished. She was out of breath.

"Let me tell you something, officer," she told Markus with the same tone he had used seconds before. "You may look like him, but your brother was far more polite than you are. I am a well-trained security agent and I am here to help. So spare me with the commanding tone, would you?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you mean 'vanished'?!?"

The elemental didn't answer. McCall stared at the building: a museum. He had no clue what town this could be. Somehow he was still shaken by the travel. He had always prefered air. Earth always felt... dense.

"Probably a parallel world then," McCall said to himself. "I just hope this has nothing to do with the Gates."

He put his hand on the elemental's shoulder. Silently, a complete report was imprinting inside the being's very structure. McCall didn't need to say a single word, the elemental, subtlely modified by him, knew what to do and disapeared.

McCall turned back at the building. There was a LTAV there... probably IS but this was to be expected. He decided the best move was to stand still, observing the scene while focussing all his senses towards this powerful being. That thought made him grin. He didn't really like monsters that popped in and out.

Markus heared her voice but didn't listen to what she said - or at least wasn't able to listen. He still stared at the wall where the stranger had disapeared in, his thoughts were running through his head more confused than ants in an ant-hill that had been destroyed by children.

Then Liane said two words that reached his mind: your brother!

My brother. Mace! Had he realy been it? he thought. Then, sligtly shocked, he realized that he had spoken it out loud.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Liane asked, putting her gun back into its holster. She stepped to Markus. "Are you all right? What happened?"

"I thought ...I saw..." he started with a week voice, then suddenly broke off and seemed to gather and continued in a rough tone. "Nothing! Just some optical delusion." and turned round to go back to Jimmy and Dr. Collens.
He shook his and murrmured under his breath as if he had to convince himself that there hadn't been anything more.

(have to go, see ya later)

"You saw Mace," Liane said softly, getting by his side. "Is that it?"

The elf was recollecting everything she could remember from Earth II's arrival on the Enclave. The wolves, the dark elves. She felt stupid not to have studied her ancestors' history like her mother had told her to. But she was young and, at that time, she wasn't interested in legends and fairy tales. Given what she had inprinted into her mind now, no need to say she was seeing all of this from another perspective.
She put these thoughts aside and searched for the souvenirs of the investigation that had taken place after Mace's disapearance, but Earth II had been quite protective regarding its own territory. All what Liane knew is that Underaloz's spying satellites had been unable to spot anything else but humen and atlantids on the continent. But she knew it hadn't been a dream, and she was picturing wolves and dark elves hidden in the shadows. Could they be connected to what was happening?

All what Liane knew is that Underaloz's spying satellites had been unable to spot anything else but humen and atlantids on the continent. and aquaner and (usual) elves :wink:


IC:

He turned to face Liane, his eyes seemed to be a bit wet for a moment then they became hard again and even colder than before.

"No. It wasn't Mace. My brother never had such powers. Not even me had such powers before the IS found my during the investigations about Mace's ... disapearence." And he would never be so - dark. Markus thought for himself without letting anything of this break through his mental-barriers.

---Post deleted by NationStates Moderators---

"So there was someone looking like him... Do you think... Could this be the doing of the dark elves? I mean... these killings."

She could sense something was wrong within him. She sensed like a shadow covering his face. No, she wasn't sensing it... she was actually seeing it.

"What the..." she muttered, stepping backward.

"WHAT?" he yelled at her, a dangerous fire blazed up in his blue eyes. Slowly but surely he had enough of this elf. Not only that she, as a foreigner, should never have been sent to this mission but now...

Somewhere behind his rage Mace wondered why he overreacted so much. Sure, he was confused; he had been to see his brother disapeare in the wall at first, that would have confused nearly everybody. But this was far too much overreaction for a simple confusion.
Nevertheless the rage about Liane's behaviour, her presence at this place was so hot that he couldn't ignore it.

"What?" he repeated, his voice sounding as dangerous as his eyes looked like... and he didn't even know how dangerous he sounded.

Instinctively, Liane drew her gun out and pointed at Markus.

"Markus," she said as calm a voice as she could. "You are not yourself. Stay where you are."

She gave a quick glance at the other side of the corridor.

"JIMMY!!!" she yelled, hoping for the other agent to come quickly for Markus' face for nothing but a grin a hatred.

"You stay here!" Jimmy told Dr. Collens and jumped out of the room.

When he looked round he couldn't believe what he saw: Liane had drawn her gun..against Markus.

"Shit! What you're doing Liane?" he shouted, then he saw his partner's face and the look in his eyes. No, not he.

"Alright Liane, don't move. And you, Markus, calm down." he said as soft as possible. "Calm down, Markus. Remember? We're your friends."

Markus stared at him, looked deep into his eyes but Jimmy wasn't sure if he recognized him.
"Yea, you're my friends, sure." he pressed out in a sarcastic tone. "You are her friend maybe. Didn't you always talk about her? Always and always and always? GreeneyeBlueeye, he? How she safed you from loosing your mind to the wolf by just beeing there?" the fire in his eyes burned hotter," How she safed you. But my brother, what did she do to help my brother? NOTHING!!! She didn't do ANYTHING!!! Just let him go, let him die." the fire in his eyes seemed to fry his former ice-blue irises when he looked back at Liane.
"And now you are here again. Shall I be the next? First Mace now Markus?" he yelled. There was no time to react for Liane when his hands shot up and grasped for her throat. Hate deformed his face.
"Never will you do so, elven-b*tch, NEVER!"

It took Jimmy a second to realize what happened before he could jump at Markus. Unfortunately he had been standing at the door, about 40 meters away from Markus and Liane.
____

Deep in the mountains, thousands of kilometers north of Atlantida, It sensed the relatively neareness of the Star of Alushia.

And It's powers rose.

Liane let the gun go. It fell so slowly and finally hit the floor with a strange metallic sound. She grabbed Markus hands in a desperate attempt to release herself. But Bader was far too strong for her. As she couldn't breathe anymore, she saw images passing before her eyes. Her own childhood was there, strangely interwaved with images the Legend Teller had given her just about two hours before. Her widely opened eyes were plunged inside Markus' opened mouth but she didn't feel his warm and angry breathe. All her sensations were now inside and it was as if a dark wave had been wrapped around her head, driving her blind, sucking her life. Her eyes went wet.

Like a flash it flashed through Markus' mind: "What the hell are you doing there?"
And, to Markus' surprise, something answered.

I'm just doing what you couldn't do. You should thank me.
Never! Let her go...let ME go! he ordered and this simple order seemed to be enough; suddenly he was master of his own again. His hands let her throat go. Then Jimmies 84kg hit Markus from the left, forcing him to the ground.

Liane made a step backward. She put her hand on her throat. Pain. Suffering. Darkness. She fainted.

Bader, lieing under Jimmy, saw Liane fall to the ground next to him.

What have I done?

"Jimmy...Liane, she.."

Tremain looked at him suspiciously. "You're back?"

"Yes, I'm back. Now look for Liane!"

Jimmy seemed to be satisfied with Markus' answer and kneed down next to Liane to help her if neccessary and possible.

"Liane?" he asked then realized that she was unconscious.

Liane, do you hear me? he sent into her mind as deep and soft as possible.

Jimmy received a burst of images as an answer. Death. Shadows. Pain. Then nothing. Just Liane, lying on the ground, breathing softly, regularly. With the contented face of someone that simply sleeps. But within her, it was a war, it was a disaster, it was destruction for her consciousness was now totally integrating the Legend. So why were there other images?

Liane? Jimmy asked again.

"What's with her? Shall I help?" Markus asked.

"You stay silent, Mister. Just sit there and keep calm."

"Alright, alright. Whatever you say."

What Jimmy was going to do now wouldn't be absolutely riskless, especially with Markus in such a condition but he didn't see any other options at the moment. Something happened to Liane and he had to stop it.

A last look at Bader then Jimmy turned at Liane.

He closed his eyes.

Liane? Liane, where are you. Liane, listen to me: I will now enter your mind, don't fear. I'm here to help you. he said and then a small part of his mind slowly intruded into herse. After a few seconds it was as if Jimmy stood in her mind, in her thoughts or memories or whatever it actually was. A desoriantating experience for him but he had expected this. He looked round to find Liane. Somewhere she had to be - Jimmy only hoped to find her fast enough.

Good God, we got twins :shock:

:..:double post:..:

lol. I'm lost. :?

(Short summary of past events:

Some time ago, when Earth II arrived at The Enclave there where some problems with dark elves and giant wolves at Terra Atlanticum (the continent Atlan where the Empire is placed at) controlled by someone called Baar (see the nation Baar on the Enclave). Some strange things happend that are not so important for this RP but at the end Baar allowed the Empire to occupy the continent because Mace Bader 'sacrificed' himself. Baar had seen something powerful in him and wanted to use him for her own purposes (would have to ask Underaloz what this purposes are). The result was that Baar didn't mind about the Empire and that every sign of her existence disapeared - including her tower, the dark elves, the wolves ... and Mace.
Now you have to know that
1) Mace and Markus Bader are identical twins (although Markus is 10 years older than Mace [ Mace experienced a time-shift during the forementioned events]
2)Liane met Mace and Jimmy [same events].

(confusing, eh?)

Now Mace had been sent by Baar to steel the Star of Alushia before It (before Dr. Collens) could get it but as you know they all came too late.
Mace, instead of fighting against the others, retreated. Markus, for a short moment, saw his face and recognized it but doesn't want to believe that this was his brother and so does Mace who can't believe that he saw Markus because when they saw each other the last time they both had been usual humans without any supernatural powers.

In the meantime the Star of Alushia had been nrought into a region where it was in range of It (see Interludium III) and so It grew stronger and was now able to overwhelm Mace for some seconds so he attacked Liane...

It grew stronger and was now able to overwhelm Mace for some seconds so he attacked Liane...
(ooc: you meant Markus :P )

Jimmy was within Liane's mind. Or was he? Every step he took in this internal world was like shifting into an entire new dimension. He had to battle each second to stay conscious of himself. There was no good or bad in there, just a mix of lives or so it seemed. Atlantid cities were decorated with what Jimmy was defining as elven art, or the other way round. Thousands, even millions, of faces were talking to him in a dozen languages he couldn't understand. Than he found her, an elven female. For a moment, he had the feeling it was her who had actually found him. She took his hand and put it into another woman's hand who put it into another woman's hand who put it... He completly lost any notion of time. But at a point, he felt like reaching the end of the link for a green and a blue eye were staring at him.

In the material world, Liane opened her eyes.

"What... what happened?" she said with difficulty.

"Liane, you're back." Markus sighed. "God, I'm glad nothing happened to you." He looked at her then at Jimmy only to see that his eyes were still closed.

"Hey, Jimmy. Jimmy?" he shook his partner but without success. Jimmy remained silent, as if he wouldn't actually be there; then Markus understood.
______

Jimmy Douglas Tremain, or at least his essence, stared into these wonderful eyes. One green, one blue, GreeneyeBlueeye.

"Liane. Is this you?"

The elven woman who was looking at Jimmy smiled.

"I am the end of the link and I am known as Liane. How are you, Jimmy Tremain? Is the wild still sleeping within you?"

"Of course." he answered," Else I would never be able to be here. And thanks, I'm fine, although I'm a bit worried about you, Liane. How are you?"

"We are fine," the elven woman replied with a strange spark in the eyes, and the sentence echoed as if dozens of other feminine voices were saying it too.

Tremain looked round, slightly irritated by the other voices.
"We? Whom do you mean?" he shook his head in unbelief. Suspicious, thinking about the strange behaviours of the people during the last time as if they were not themselves, he continued:"Who else is here?"

"Markus seems anxious," the elf replied, dodging the question. "You should get out of your transe, Jimmy. Get out. Get out..."

And his eyes opened as if they had been moved by an external force.

Jimmy opened his eyes:"What? How...?" he frowned.

"Good to see you back; both of you." Bader said, kneeing next to Jimmy and Liane.

Liane glanced (OOC: :P) at Markus. She didn't feel comfortable at first for her throat still hurt. But then, she remembered the legend and she understood: it wasn't the IS agent's fault.

"Th... Thanks..." she muttered, still uneasy. Then she turned at Jimmy, using his confusion as a mean to focus on someone else. "Are you all right?"

„I...I think so, yes.“ Jimmy replied. His answer seemed to be somewhat restrictive but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead he turned to face Bader.

“So, what the hell did you do? Why did you…?” he hesitated to speak it out loud and waved at Liane.

"I don't know. I'm wondering myself what came over me but I guess it was something like The Plague, if not The Plague itself."

"But it never ... only non-psionics have been infected. You would be the first..." he silenced and frowned," You know what this means?"

Liane looked at the two of them, completly lost. Of course, she now had extensive knowledge of the atlantid's culture and society but, still, all of this was quite confusing. Beside, she felt like elsewhere as if a part of her was entrapped into some kind of inner dialogue. A dialogue she couldn't hear. She tried to focus on the current situation. All she could gather from her confused thoughts was a deep feeling of danger, for having a man like Markus going crazy seemed like letting an epileptic child play before the red button.

"Now the question is to find people we're sure can't be affected," she finally muttered to herself. "Because what happened only proved one thing: we cannot trust one another... and this is just the beginning."

She trembled slightly as the souvenir of the end was insinuating inside her mind, images she would have preferred not to know of. She stood up, finally, trying to recover a decent composure. Her throat still painful had red marks, ten prints of fingers that could have very well taken her life.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

McCall lighted a cigarette. To him, everything was silent. He couldn't be reached but there was a reverse side: he couldn't reach either.

"The Reverse Side also has a Reverse Side," he recited to himself, for the UCU's motto was taking a new meaning for him.

He remembered something he had read in the scientific pages of the Underaloz Tribune while flying to Earth II: an article about particles that were everywhere in the universe and didn't interact with it. The name was eluding him but, at that exact moment, he felt like one of these particles. Whatever this Plague could be, it would not be able to grasp him. But when time comes, would he be able to grasp it? And if not, how would all of this end? If only Witz was around... for the head of the guild still had remains of a soul. A present Vaughn had given him for reasons McCall didn't know.

Let us hope I'll find a way.

(ooc:cool *|*)

[quoue=”Underaloz”]"Now the question is to find people we're sure can't be affected," she finally muttered to herself. "Because what happened only proved one thing: we cannot trust one another... and this is just the beginning."[/quote]

Tremain avoided to look at her when he spoke:” The problem is…there is nobody who can’t be affected. The only way to resist is to isolate yourself.” Then he turned his head, his face a grimace of exhaustion and nearby surrender.
“If we don’t find a way to stop it…,” he sighed,”… you know what will happen.”
__________________________________________________________-

Interludium V

The report he had just heard made Arn’veruk, police commissioner of NLC South, feel like an old man though he wasn’t older than only three hundred years, still a young being for his race.
Two major explosions in the city, one of them at PalaceStation, had cost the lives of fifteen police officers, three marines and a still unknown number of civilians. Total casualties were expected to be about four our five hundred.
And all this today. And the day wasn’t over yet.
Arn’ shuddered when he thought about what could happen tomorrow.
He new what was going, he had experienced the Legends and had heard many stories about the Plague. What he didn’t know was, how anybody should stop it.

Again. Again the devastation comes over us and destroys everything we have built up…we and the others. Will it ever end? Or will the faith only rest when it had killed the last one of us, when it had destroyed the last sign of civilization on this planet, in this universe? he sighed.
There was nothing he could do without trying to do his job as good as possible under this circumstances so at least some survived this.

A careful knock at his door frightened him up. Sergeant Morowski, a small and pale human, stood at the door.

“Sergeant?” Arn’ prayed for some good news.If there are Gods, please let it be a simple bank robbery or kidnapping, please! But he should be disappointed.

“Sir, there was another explosion. This time at the AndersAirfield. Someone blew up the main fuel tanks. We’re expecting at least two hundred dead and several hundred seriously injured people.” The Sergeant’s voice was impossible calm, devoid of every emotion. Hadn’t there been the painful look in his eyes Arn’veruk would have thought the man had become crazy buy all this…not that Arn’ himself was far away from that.

“Alright, Sergeant, he answered in a similar tone. “I’ll have a look on it myself.” Maybe there will be another explosion when I’m there. Wouldn’t be the worst.



And this was only what happened in New Landing…..

ooc: sorry if this is wrong as far as scenary goes, but I'll try my best on this one... :?

It seemed they had all taken up a fuss over another situation she was definately not concerned with. Her hands lay tightly in handcuffs behind her back which was not a problem. She popped out her shoulder from it's socket and brought both hands around her head, snapping it with a flinch back in place. Her eyes flashed a brilliant amber. This was her chance. She stepped on something to give her more height, but from that she jumped toward the ceiling. IT gave her strength, enhancing her agility.
She was not that strong, nor had that high endurance, but she had a high agility and flexibility.She broke through a tile and grapped the edge with one hand, pushing the other to the side and nearly falling. She grasped the edge with both hands, and pulled herself up as quickly as possible. Then...silence.

ooc: no, it's good.

Bader frowned. "Did you hear that?"

"What? I didn't hear anything." Jimmy replied.

"I could swear I heared something."

"Must be your nerves."

(ooc: Run, Aysha, run! At least untill Underaloz posts that Liane heared something or not.)

She looked around, her eyes reflecting light from an unknown source like a cat. Then, she saw her way out. She slowely made her way to it, careful not to make any sound. She was like a panther stalking her prey, only an exit...for now. A small rectangular opening. Her hand could feel the intense coldness from it, and light from the room it exited into. She leapt through it, landing on her feet. She straightened up as she realized that she was near the place she had entered. She shifted her lab coat as best she could to hide the handcuffs.

As a security guard passed her by, she gave him an alluring smile, and bumped into him. "Oops...oh I'm sorry, how clumsy of me.." She bent down to pick up what he had dropped, when he assisted, his sight not exactly on the objects dropped. He picked them up. With a smile, she turned, and walked away, as the guard turned the other way, she twirled a set of keys around her fingers. She undid the hand cuffs from around her hands with them, and thought of something. She took a few steps back to where he had dropped his things, and placed the keys on the ground. He must have not seen them drop, right?

Aysha had a smirk upon her face, as she passed the front desk, and outside. She quickly got into her car.

Liane turned her head in the direction Jimmy was directing at. No sound could be heard, as far as she could tell. However, something inside her seemed convinced something wrong was happening. She closed her eyes, silent, and concentrated onto this sensation. Slowly, a vision appeared: the woman they had arrested, getting into her car.

"We gotta go out," she said, already walking. "She's gone."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was something wrong with her. McCall didn't know what it was, but he could feel she wasn't... right. Of course, all he could gather was related to matter and everything seemed fine, but her attitude, her gesture, all of her behaviour seemed disconnected from the very elemental energies she was made of. A sad smile appeared on McCall's face. So many people were unaware of their own essence: a mixture of five energies, an anomaly for the soul was entrapped inside the matter like a negative pole into a positive one. He, like nearly all other members of the guild, was now pure, cleansed, completly innerved into the concrete world and able to read it like an open book.

He gave a quick glance at the car's plate, mentally recording it and watched the vehicule go away. Calmly, he took his cellphone and dialed a long series of numbers. He had a friend in town and maybe the only other reasoning thing from this world to be more material than he was: the embassy's AI.

"I need a search running."

“Shit, you’re right.” Bader said, getting on his feet to follow Liane. “C’mon, Jimmy. We have to find the Star of Alushia. And I’m sure when we find the Star we’ll find this Dr. Collens as well.”

Tremain nodded. “We’d better call the doctor. The guardian doesn’t look well.” He said when they passed the, still and again, unconscious Atlantid.
__________________________________


It was confused, and if It would have been human it would also have been angry. The Star was near, only about 100 km away but where? It’s powers had grown bigger when the Star had come into range and they would grow even more when It would finally hold the jewel in its “hands” (though It wouldn’t say ‘hands’ because It didn’t really know what this word meant) but there was no way to find the Star. Fifteen vessels had died during the search for the Star of Alushia and slowly but surely It ran out of vessels in the area.

But on the other hand (again this word) there were positive developments. More and more enemies died, especially those who were able to resist, and although the Star was not found yet Its power was now strong enough to control some of those Resistants for a short time if he found the right entrance to their mind.
And the vessel he had sent into the “museum” (another word without meaning) had, against all odds, been able to escape. There was something special about this vessel It hadn’t sensed from the beginning but now it was obvious.
Maybe this special vessel would once be useful before it died…like all the others.

(ooc: Underaloz, what about the guy Baar’s assistant had send to kill Mace?)

(ooc: Underaloz, what about the guy Baar’s assistant had send to kill Mace?)
(ooc: waiting for THE dramatic moment. You know, the one when having an assassin on your back may endanger the entire world)

"Aysha," McCall muttered to himself. "That's a nice name.
- I wouldn't know," the AI replied with its neutral voice.

He switched the communication off. He kept the phone in his hand, making it roll as he was pondering the information.

Few information.

Actually, he had no clue who this person could really have been. He had a name, an address and a profession... but it didn't fit: this woman was a civilian. Maybe he had been a little too paranoid. Maybe she was just upset and he didn't sense that. Maybe. But most unlikely for he trusted his insights more than his own eyes. Indeed, this Aysha could very well have worked for another organisation. And if she was, then it had to be an occult group: she had this concerned and awared spark in the eye.

As far as he knew, there were few on the Enclave. Most of them were at Underaloz. Most of them under control. But out of the UCU? He knew a little about the Legend Tellers and the IS... so few actually. At times like this, McCall was always used to pester against his lazyness. He should have studied the development of sects all over the planet more closely for any one of them could be a cover for a much more methodic plan. When a bunch of fanatics meet with intelligence, things tend to deteriorate quite quickly. Of course, he could have called an expert and have him, or her, recite the entire phone book but he was running out of time. He had to stay near the museum. He was convinced the powerful being would show up again. Even if it weren't in this very building in front of him, then his elemental servant would bring him to the right place. He didn't have the time to track such a thin, and apparently insignificant, sent. He didn't have time to investigate on this Aysha. However...

He stopped toying with his cellphone and dialed a new number.

"I need surveillance on a civilian."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liane looked down at the guard with concern. Seeing him lying on the floor like this brought back memories again. Thousands of dead bodies on a burning sand. She washed away the flood of sadness with a wave of the hand and forced a smile.

"As hurt as he is, I doubt it could be as harmful as when he'll tell his friends he got knocked out by a human female."

And in her tone, Markus and Jimmy could hear a slightly judgmental and sardonic attitude that only an Atlantid would have had in front of physical danger.

Bader and Tremain both looked at Liane, then at each other and back at Liane. They didn’t have to say a word to know what the other one thought. They didn’t know exactly how it had happened but obviously the Legend Liane had listened to had some unexpected effects upon her.

Jimmy tried to recall everything he had seen and experienced when he had been inside of her. They would have to have an eye on Liane, whether this development was good or bad.

__________________________________

Mace, not far away from the museum but well hidden under a mental cloak that would prevent anybody from sensing his powers or even his presence, watched Aysha driving away in her car. The cloak also damped his abilities to sense others but he was more than sure that this was one of those who had been with the man who looked like his brother. And he spotted the man observing the building like Mace did.

He is…different. was all Mace could say about this man at the moment. What the hell is going on here? he wondered.
The information he and Baar had about It were rare, they only knew that It, whatever this meant, was responsible for the madness that impelled the people to kill each other and that It was looking for the Star of Alushia. Mace didn’t know if Baar had found out something else, but this was everything HE knew. Obviously the Empire, too, knew that the Star of Alushia was Its aim, else they wouldn’t have sent those Mace had met. And whether it was his brother or not, it was an IS agent he had seen; Mace had recognized the uniform.
But who was this guy? Another agent? Improbable. So, where was he from?
There were so many questions but so little answers.

__________________________________________

(time to scare you a little bit more 8), please correct me if I write something absolutely wrong )

Interludium VI

Underaloz:

Since his return from his buisness turn to Earth II, The Empire! he recalled as if there was nothing else in the universe!, John Fitzgerald didn’t feel well.
Every morning this headaches, this terrible headaches. Maybe he should visit the doctor soon, perhaps he had a tumor.

John drove his car around the corner, he was on the way to another boring day in his bureau but this day would be something special. Today he would go to his boss and ask, no, Demand an increase in salary. He was the one who did the whole job, wasn’t he? He was the one who worked day and day and day to make the firm successful. He was the one who had never been ill for more than five years, who had never asked for holidays. But now, today, would be the day. Today he would do what he should have done long before.

Fitzgerald entered the parking lot with his car. Yes, today would be HIS day. And maybe his headaches would disappear after this.

Two hours later John Fitzgerald’s headaches were worse than before. This damn idiot, this asshole McLean. This motherless bastard. FIRED!!! He had fired Fitzgerald. After all these years he had simply fired him. At least McLean would never forget this day, too. The deep scratches in his face would leave wonderful scarves.
Yeah, he smiled, that’s justice. But not enough. McLean, you’ll see what this means….

Three hours later more than 25 employees of McLean and sons, International Logistics were dead or seriously injured. John Fitzgerald was on the run and Theodore McLean, Fitzgerald’s former boss, who, curiously, hadn’t been at work when Fitzgerald stormed the bureau-building and shot the employees, had terrible headaches… and heard a voice in his head.

The plague had crossed the ocean.

Aysha revved the engine and sped off. Her catlike eyes not regaining the hint of green, but rather staying that shade of amber. Tell me how to stop the killing...they tried...they tried but they couldn't get to me. I can't let more people die...the star...it was gone...where is it?

Her mind rapidly repeated these thoughts as she drove with one hand, as her other unlocked a gun from the side of the seat. She cracked her neck slightly. There was no one that was going to stop her from getting what she came for. It's all related... she repeated to herself.

It had conections to the brains of hundreds at once, It controled them, It told them what they wanted and It showed them the way to get what they wanted...or at least never to want anything again. It was a sculpture of thin threads conecting the brains of those who were infected with the center of all happenings.
But one of these threads grew stronger than any tother thread due to the willingness of this special vessel. Most vessels at least tried to resist although this was always futile but this vessel did not only accept the control...it nearly asked for it. And it was looking for the Star of Alushia without any advice given by It. A touch of the surface of the vessel's mind was enough to direct it so It didn't even try to dig deeper.
All It had to do was to give a direction where the vessel had to look for the Star and it would do.

I can tell you where you have to look for the Star of Alushia. If you find the Star you will be able to end the killing. It promissed her. Due to the strength of the connection Its whisper roared within her head like a drum.

I will... She said submissively. do anything you ask of me...and more. But keep your promise... She ran her hand through her fiery red hair, her amber eyes flickering at the road ahead as she sped off. She wasn't a citizen on the Enclave legally...though she had an address and identification under the name Aysha Collens.
She placed the gun within her lab coat, and looked ahead. I will bring the star to you, but remember to keep your promise; tell me whom... there was a long pause. or what I am...

The vessel still had its own will.
This was new to It. Never had It experienced something like that. This shouldn't be. It was an anomaly that had to be equalized.

Find the Star and bring it to me and I will tell you everything you want to know.

She nodded in agreement. I will... she repeated as she drove in the given direction. She was coming closer. but didn't know exactly where it was. She would find it. It was her only link to her past...it was her only link to the future. She needed to know why she was the way that she was...and if the star was given to It, she'd have all her answers, and that is exactly what she planned to do.

(poor Aysha :( )

Bader and Tremain followed Liane and left the building.

"We mustn't loose her." Markus said when he sat down on the pilots seat of the LTAV and started the engines.
"I hope she'll lead us to the Star of Alushia."
__________

Mace watched them leaving the building and going to the LTAV.

He is it. No doubt. But when did he become an IS agant?

(ooc: I suppose Mace got out in the real world to watch... time for some conversation ;) )

"Hi there," a masculine voice came from behind Mace. "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk a little with you... Mr.Bader."

As he turned to face the newcomer, Mace actually spotted two persons for one was McCall, in a perfect suit, and the other was more of a creature that somehow ressembled a gigantic pile of dirt.
The man was smiling at him. He wasn't showing any sign of aggression. His eyes, however, were filled with intense curiosity. Nevertheless, something was wrong with him. Mace hadn't sensed him coming, nor was he sensing him now. If it wasn't for the subtle change in the air between them, he wouldn't have trusted his eyes. But the man who was talking to him was not an illusion. Mace could feel he was as real as one can be.

McCall didn't know what to think. In his sight were the two brothers, Markus jumping into the LTAV, looking like a miniature of Mace sat onto the original's shoulder. Mace Bader had disapeared. McCall knew the man quite well for he had conducted investigations for the guild regarding the dark elves. What a nice coincidence. Not that a man like McCall would believe in randomness.

It was meant to be, was he thinking, like a constant ring in his confused mind.

So here was the powerful being: Mace Bader. This was quite unexpected and, as frightening as that might be, it was pretty exciting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liane jumped into the LTAV, still confused by thoughts that still eluded her. Something had changed, she could feel it. When she had opened the eyes after Markus' attack, she knew something was different. Now the only question was to point out what the problem was.
She shrugged for she felt miserable not to be focussed on the pursuit. She knew all too well what the plague could bring. Death, devastation. And if there was any chance to stop it, she'd better focus all her energy onto that opportunity. But as heavy as the burden of the Legend was onto her very soul, something inside of her seemed to be wearing it so that she could breathe. She would have given an arm to know what it was.
Without truly knowing why, she turned her head on the left as the LTAV was taking off. She saw him. She didn't need anything else than his back to remember Mace Bader for this was one of the most vivid souvenir she had: the soldier walking to the Dark Elves tower without even looking back. She spotted two beings before Mace but, as the LTAV was gaining in speed, she failed at distinguishing their faces. For a moment she thought she should tell Markus and Jimmy but, confusingly, she knew it wasn't the right time. How were she to knew that, however, was a mystery.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(ooc: I want my part of interludium :P )

Interludium VII

Underaloz:

Wendy put the aspirin on the desk. McLean took the pill without a word and swallowed it immediatly. The secretary stared at him for a moment. This had been the fifth he had taken in the past three hours. She was worried.

"What?!?" he shouted at her with such anger in his voice Wendy jumped.

She lowered her eyes and walked to the door. She gave a quick glance through the windows. The opened office was there, empty, scary for today, one man murdered nearly thirty employees. Some were friends. Most she had known for years. She felt tears forming into her eyes and every step seemed like a trial in its own.

She is mocking you, said a voice inside McLean's head. She's mocking you: take her and show her what it means to mess with you.
'Why... just tell me why," McLean muttered with a broken - nearly childish - voice. "Will this pain ever stop?"

Wendy misunderstood her boss' words. Unaware of the threat, she turned and faced McLean. "This is nor your fault," she told him. "You should get some rest." She walked past the desk and put her hand onto his shoulder.

Show me you are strong and the pain will stop. THen you will understand, the voice continued. Show me and I'll show you. Show her.

McLean looked up at his secretary but he couldn't see the woman properly. Instead, was the source of his pain and frustration before him. Temptation, something his wife would never be. He felt the heat around his temples as the sexual tension was taking control of any one of his thoughts.
Wendy's eyes widened. She tried to move subtlely for she saw the change in McLean's attitude. But he had already caught her hand.

Then he showed her.

(*little child's voice, screaming: MY Interludium!!!* lol)
(ooc: wait, how did McCall manage to move behind Mace without disapearing although this one had already spotted him before?)

IC:

Baar had been right (ooc:I just assume that she had said something like that): since the humans had come onto the planet strange beings had appeared among them.
He is as empty as a black hole. And as dangerous. Mace thought when he inspected the man he recognized as the man he had seen a few seconds ago. Even stranger than this other entitie. His thoughts were calm, it was just a statement, nothing more.

"You've got an advantage Mr...?"
_______________

They followed It recognized. Though it obviously would never feel something like fear Its reaction could be seen as something like that.

Hurry up or they'll catch you before you will be able to find the Star! I'll lead you.

When [i]It/i] was in possession of the Star nobody would be able to stop It. But untill the moment when the whole world fell apart, broken by Its might It was vulnerable.

(ooc: wait, how did McCall manage to move behind Mace without disapearing although this one had already spotted him before?)
(ooc: hehe, he's that good ;) )

"McCall," the other answered. "As to having an advantage, I seriously doubt it."

And he meant it for he had guessed Mace Bader was more powerful than him. But that was always the same issue: they were powerful in two opposite worlds and they wouldn't be able to do any harm to one another. Slowly, McCall began to envision the sketches of a plan for this very thought about their difference brought new light onto it: they were complementary. Now the real question was: was Mace Bader on the right side?

"Since you're alive," McCall continued, neutral. "I suppose you work with..." he waiting a little, aware that the following word would make its effect. "...Baar?" He looked intensely at Bader, eager to see any sign of surprise for the name of Baar in itself was known by just a few. "The real question is: what are your intentions regarding... the Plague?"

Mace gently lifted an eye-brow, his look somehow ... empty.

"You're well informed, Mr. McCall."

Baar? Mylady, you should listen to this. he sent over half the continent.

From the other side of the lands of Atlantica came the thoughts of Baar.

They have been quick. That's quite... unexpected, she sent Mace. I didn't think the Guild was that efficient. I wonder what its intentions are, though I doubt they would bargain with It. They wouldn't profit from such a deal.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment.

Haven't I told you that what was happening was of your concern? Have you seen him yet?

I saw him, Mylady. he simply answered. He didn't include his confusion.

And...? came the reply.

McCall smiled slightly for Bader's silence just confirmed was he was thinking. Mace was communicating and only one person could be on the other end of the line.

"Give Baar my most humble respects," he said with the same cool attitude. "Please let her know that my master would be delighted to meet her... if it were possible, of course." His expression became firmer. "However, you didn't answer my question about your intentions."

I doubt he recognized me but he was...strong. Stronger than anybody should be.

You heard what this McCall said?

"Intentions? About the so called Plague? What do you expect?"

(ooc: the force is strong in your family... ;) )

I am not surprised, Baar replied without specifying whether she was talking about Markus or McCall.

McCall's eyes became thiner.

"Intentions, yes," he replied a bit on-guard. "Will you go with or against the Plague?"

"What interest could you have in knowing this?" Mace answered, his eyes thin like slits.

Aysha jammed on her breaks and jumped out of her car. She pulled her coat around her, and walked down the street. To her left, the city faded into empty lots; and from that into nothingness. To her right the city became more crowded. Tell me where to go.

Look for a way to cross the mountains and the flats north of your position as fast as possible.

(look for the P-train (pneumatic train) station, should be half an hour by feet, somewhere closer to the city center. Take the conection Atlantida-New Landing City-Rockstone)

Aysha walked quickly down the streets. She picked out items in shops...what would suit her best, and took a sharp right turn into one. She grabbed a coat from the rack gently, running her hands along the leathery surface. She brought her hand to the tag and snapped it off with her nails. She wrapped it around her self, and grabbed a black hat to cover her eyes. She went to the counter, paying in cash, and not check; but only for the hat. When questioned about the coat, she brought her eyes up to meet those of the clerks, and left. Nothing More.
She passed down the streets as quickly as possible. She left her car, but took her keys...inside was a business card:

~Curtiousy of Dr. Collens~
Warning: May be a health risk

She walked toward what seeme to be a train station. She walked about various terminals. Atlantid-New... Rockstone... This one... she thought, and leapt abord it.
She opened her bag that she had taken from her car, taking out a paper and passport... She wrote quickly, her handwriting neat. She was very clever to say the least.. this would pass for her ticket...hopefully...

Aysha walked quickly down the streets. She picked out items in shops...what would suit her best, and took a sharp right turn into one. She grabbed a coat from the rack gently, running her hands along the leathery surface. She brought her hand to the tag and snapped it off with her nails. She wrapped it around her self, and grabbed a black hat to cover her eyes. She went to the counter, paying in cash, and not check; but only for the hat. When questioned about the coat, she brought her eyes up to meet those of the clerks, and left. Nothing More.
She passed down the streets as quickly as possible. She left her car, but took her keys...inside was a business card:

~Curtiousy of Dr. Collens~
Warning: May be a health risk

She walked toward what seeme to be a train station. She walked about various terminals. Atlantid-New... Rockstone... This one... she thought, and leapt abord it.
She opened her bag that she had taken from her car, taking out a paper and passport... She wrote quickly, her handwriting neat. She was very clever to say the least.. this would pass for her ticket...hopefully...

(sorry, what does curtiousy mean? I can't find it. :( )

(Given or done as a polite gesture: paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors. Free of charge: courtesy tickets for the reporters.)

(Given or done as a polite gesture: paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors. Free of charge: courtesy tickets for the reporters.)

(ah...good to know, thx)

The LTAV was rushing though the streets at a (compared to the usual speed) very low speed.
While Markus had control of the LTAV Jim switched the radio on and asked for a direct-connection to the police main-computer of Atlantida. First he was refused, nobody outside of the chain-of-comand of the police forces (and even there only few people) got an access to the main-computer of a whole city.
And neither Markus nor Jimmy were part of these people.
But one word of Jimmy's about 'IS' and a short verification of his command-card were enough to make the person on the other side of the radio connection (a captain) obey like the youngest recruite in front of a five-star general.
A few seconds later they had a conection to the computer that controlled every single non-human controlled police action and though this was not public) most of the human controlled police-actions.
Jimmy prompted some requests to the computer and another couple of seconds later the computer gave them the current position of Dr. Collens car.

"Markus, next left. Then two crossings straight ahead, third right and hundred meters straight ahead. There's her car at the moment."

"Alight. Ladies and Gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts." he accelarated and turned left in an sharp 90° turn that appeared to be impossible at such a high speed (though, as said before, the speed was quite low for a LTAV. But Markus had to respect the traffic.).
____________

His nose had obviously been broken for several times and the rest of his face didn't look much better. Left and right of the smashed nose under one bushy black eye-brow the small grey eyes tried to look at each other.
His entire face without the forementioned nose and eyes was hidden behind an uncombed black beart that was an extension of his also uncombed fatty black hair.
His thin and boney corpse was dressed in something that had, long ago, been a jacket and elegant trousers, the original color of both of them was hard to determine for they were both dirty as hell and gleamed in all the colors of a rainbow (and some more).
He pressed his nose against the side-window that it seemed he wanted to break it once more and stared into the interior of the car. A bright smile crossed his beart and unveiled his brown tooth-stumps.
Then he opened the door by breaking the window. Within seconds he had stopped the alarm and started the engine.

Aysha nearly fell asleep upon the train nearly ten minutes into the trip. She didn't know how long it would take to get there. She needed answers. She had no idea that it was using her as a vessel, and fancied the idea of her using it. She would do anything to give her an explaination of why she could take out someone three times the size of her, why the star had called to her in a dream...and why it seems to be a part of her... She looked out the window, and her eyes felt heavy. She musn't sleep...but she closed her eyes, and the deaths appeared once again, as if some virus had been realeased.

"What interest could you have in knowing this?" Mace answered, his eyes thin like slits.
"I'd like to know if I'll have to work against you," McCall muttered, looking deeply at Bader. "If, on the contrary, you're trying to prevent the disaster then, maybe, I could consider working with you."

The elemental next to him seemed to became nervous but McCall waved at him and the being calmed down.

"The car is moving now." Jimmy shouted. "Turn right, then we should see her."

Markus did as he was told and they saw Dr. Collens car, about 50 metres ahead on a nearly free road.

"Now we'll get her." Markus said and accelarated again. Few seconds later they were next to the car.
Jimmy looked into the interior, saw the driver ... and cursed. The shockwidened eyes that stared at him defenitly didn't belong to Dr. Aysha Collens.
He draw his pulser and aimed at the black-bearded man behind the steering wheel and signalised him to stop.

As soon as they had stopped Markus and Jimmy jumped off of the LTAV and opened the car's door.

"Where did you find this car?" Markus wanted to know. The obviously intimidated man only stared at them. Markus repeated his question and this time the man pointed at behind him.

"I...I f...found it o...over th...there." he stumbled.

"Did you see the driver?" Jimmy harshly asked.

"N...no, S...sir. I d...didn't see no...n...nobody. A...absolutely nobody. Really."

"Damn. We lost her."

Markus slamed the door and he and Jimmy turned and went back to the LTAV.

"S...sirs? W...what about me?" the man asked from behind.

Markus once more turned around and shot a hard look at the man. "You'd better leave the car and hurry before we call the police to arrest you." He didn't have to repeat this. As fast as he could the man left the car and disapeared in a by-street, trying to hide the wet part of his trousers.

"So. What do we do know? Do we get some information where she's gone?"

Jimmy prompted another requestion.

"A surveilance camera shows how she's entering the P-train station. Damn, we should have asked for her and not only for her car."

"Alright. So our next stop is the P-train station." Markus said while he took place on his seat and started the engines.

"What interest could you have in knowing this?" Mace answered, his eyes thin like slits.
"I'd like to know if I'll have to work against you," McCall muttered, looking deeply at Bader. "If, on the contrary, you're trying to prevent the disaster then, maybe, I could consider working with you."

The elemental next to him seemed to became nervous but McCall waved at him and the being calmed down.

"I don't see a reason why I should talk about this with you. We -I- do not take into consideration to work with you." he turned round demonstrativly.

Aysha shook awake with a start in the car on the train. She breathed in deeply. There coming? she asked, repeating the words she had heard. She was almost there...about a half an hour more until she arrived. She reached within her jacket, and was about to grab something when she looked up. A survailance camera. Her eyes glimmered amber, and she leapt up towards it. She kissed the small lens, her dark lipstick smearing the screen, and blocking it's vision. that was certainly one way to do it. She reached within her jacket once again, but grabbed her ticket instead, as she heard people beginning to ruffle through their bags in the cars next to her.

(Umm..my intention was to have the camera at the Station, not the train :) but nevermind)

The compartments door opened.

"Your ticket, please." a small man in a dark blue uniform said with a bored voice.

Aysha looked at the man and stood up, giving him the ticket. Her eyes flashed at him and she smiled lightly. She twisted a strand of red hair around her finger, and waited.

Aysha looked at the man and stood up, giving him the ticket. Her eyes flashed at him and she smiled lightly. She twisted a strand of red hair around her finger, and waited.

The conductor look at the ticket then at the woman and back at the ticket.

"Ma'am?"

"Mmmm?" she asked, staring at the man, as her eyes flickered a shade of gold in anticipation for trouble if there should be any. She smiled softly.

"She found the camera. We've got no picture anymore." Jim said and look up at Markus.

"Nevermind. Tell the headquarters where she is and that they have to stop the train." Bader answered.
______

"Ma'am," the conductor repeated," this is not a valid ticket. Would you mind to show me your real ticket?" he pronounced the 'real' a bit harder than the other words.

Aysha smiled. "Oh...I must have gotten the wrong one...I've been travelling so much these days as the labratories have different things to offer...Sure..hold on..." She looked in her bag for a moment, and without warning, brought her hand up to shove him against the wall; slashing her nails against this throat to sever the carotid artery. "Valid enough for you?"

The man grasped for her hands and tried to free himself, staring at her in panic. Then suddenly his gaze faded and he let her hands go.

You can let him go. He's one of us now. the voice in Aysha's head said.

Two drops of the conductors blood damped her nails.

Aysha released her grip obediantly. She fixed the conductors tie for him. Much better... she thought to herself. She looked at the blood upon her nails. It wouldn't be the first time. She removed a cloth from her bag and cleaned it off.
They were not far off from their destination. I have a terrible feeling that someone will be waiting for me when I step off this train...Should I get out now? She didn't seem to care that the train was in motion.

Aysha released her grip obediantly. She fixed the conductors tie for him. Much better... she thought to herself. She looked at the blood upon her nails. It wouldn't be the first time. She removed a cloth from her bag and cleaned it off.
They were not far off from their destination. I have a terrible feeling that someone will be waiting for me when I step off this train...Should I get out now? She didn't seem to care that the train was in motion.

(ummm...leaving the train while it is in motion would be a ...bad idea (and I mean really bad). Its working on nearly the same princip as pneumatic post [--->pneumatic train] and 'drives' in a transparent tube ... with more than 500km/h. Nobody and nearly nothing would survive leaving the moving train. But maybe she wants to tryout the emergency brake?)

The conductor simply nodded with a slightly desorientated expression on his face.

"Thank you, Ma'am. And have a nice day." he said and left the compartment.

The train rushed through the jungle-like forests of the flatlands while, in some distance, the dark peaks of the Neversun mountains tried to pierce the sky.

(<--- was thinking of a regular train)

"Thank you sir," she said, and laughed. Now...to take this to another level... She passed out of the compartment toward the control at the front of the train. She opend the door slowely, peering in. She looked at them with sultry eyes.

"What you're doin' there, Auntie?" a voice from behind her asked.

A small girl, maybe seven or eight years of age, stood there and looked at Aysha with big and interested blue eyes. Her fiery blond hair was drapped in two long plaits hanging down her back.

(couldn't help myself, needed this. But I'm sure you didn't expect This. :) )

Aysha turned around. "I'm not your aunt sweethart...I beleive she went though that door.." she pointed to one of the compartments, and slipped into the control room.

The technican to her right turned around.

"Hey, Lady. This is restricted area." he yelled and the engine-driver, only aware of her presence because of the technican's yelling, stiffened in his chair and swung around.

The technican to her right turned around.

"Hey, Lady. This is restricted area." he yelled and the engine-driver, only aware of her presence because of the technican's yelling, stiffened in his chair and swung around.

"Restricted?" She said sweetly, at the technitions neck with a sweep of her sharp nails. She tighened her grip. Constricted...