NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: just woke up and hell yeah pretty pissed!!!

As Zaek and Rothana approached the spire from their private walk in the woods, they see servants quickly scrubbing blood and dragging bodies.

A tear wells up in Zaek's eye and flows down his cheek. Bloodshed, death at his party, peace abrupted, life ended. His mouth twitched downward. The sorrow in his eyes making way for rage.

Leaving Rothana's side he takes one of the servants and pins him against the wall.
"WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!!!! Who brought the putrid stench of untimely death to my country. Who dared attacking my guests. Tell me quick if you value your position."

The servant could but point toward the jester on the floor, Zaek marched towards the sleeping figure.

Klihk looks up at Zaek. "I'm sorry your party was disturbed," he says, "But thes eguys randomly attacked, and I had no choice but to do my job. With all due respect, thgouh I WAS using stun bullets."

Zaek snapped at Klikh

"I don't care about who fought back, I want to know who endangered the life of my guests"

He pushed Klikh out of the way and continued his path towards the sleeping jester.

Rikanth says "bleed, bleed"

Klihk tried to get out of the way of Zaek, though evidently not fast enough. He just thinks, I'll just stay out of the way...

As Rikanth lies on the ground bleeding, it can be noted that his bodyguards had been sent away by him somewhen before the attack.


OOC:not saying they were part of this, just saying that he sent them home, not believeing he needed them any more.

Klihk walks over to Rikanth, and starts bandaging him up and splinting his leg. "You need serious medical attention." he says.

Rikanth stirs, and slowly opens his eyes. "Mnaa..." He squints and looks up at klihk, hearing a comment about medical attention, and points out "unhh, the broken leg is from a match earlier, aready got that taken care of. Rikanth recites the Karaki prayer, seems to feel better and stands up. "Hmm, i'm guessing the leg break caused to nerves there to eventually go numb, leading to my not noticing the wound."

alhana catherine placed a hand on zaek's chest.

"please, he had received serious injuries. let him rest." she said quietly. "tomorrow you will have your answers." she hesitated before continuing. "also... there is something eerily familiar about this man - i wish i could figure out what it is."

OOC: don't ask me! he won't tell me what his plot is about, just that i'm connected lol

Klihk says, "Yes, I know. However, the leg has gotten worse from the fighting here."

Turnging to Alhana, he says, "That's odd. Eerily familiar, eh?" A strange look crosses his face, then is quickly gone.

she noticed rikanth trying to stand up and told him in a firm voice.

"why must you men pretend to act so tough all the time? you need medical attention. let the acolytes lead you to the infirmary and have that leg taken care of."

she noticed rikanth trying to stand up and told him in a firm voice.

"why must you men pretend to act so tough all the time? you need medical attention. let the acolytes lead you to the infirmary and have that leg taken care of."

Handing Rikanth off to several acolytes, he says, "Go on, then." and sits down onthe floor. "That was ... exhausting." he says. "To say the least. Are you all right?"

Rikanth says "The prayer tides me over, and the acolytes already treated the broken leg, also saying they prefer to let things heal naturally."


OOC: ngaah......why must people ony a year younger than me act so immature, and half of them always trying to annoy me? ergh...i wish i could set the maturity level at my school higher.

ooc: good lord almighty ... *blinks*

ic: Hearing the disturbance, Nathicana broke out of her reveries, grabbed her gun, and went running down the stairs. Seeing the chaos before her, she merely looked, stunned.

Jaime came running out behind her, "Oh ... my ... god ..." he said, viewing the carnage. He turned to the conscious people. "What happened?" he asked.

Jaime murmured, "Not that I haven't seen and caused some carnage in my own right, in my own day, but ... This was supposed to be a peaceful party!"

Rikanth, the half-concious emperor, replies from his seat at the bar, "yes, it was supposed to be peaceful, then this jester just gets attacked, somehow attracting trhese hoards of attackers on us, they got me in my broken thigh." He points to the blood-soaked bandage on his leg. "That prayer's really coming in handy now."

OOC: Curse my typing that is fast enough to make me screw things up, and the fact that i never look up from the keyboard while typing to see mistakes i make. must correct this... And i had to correct two typos typing this just now.

"Hey, no problem for the prayer." Jaime says. "So, some random assassins attacked a peaceful party and only a few well-trained bodyguards and other random people stopped them?"

He sighs. "Why did they have to attack here, now?"

"Acolyte" she yelled, knowing they were doing the best they could, but very concerned about Rikanth.

"This ... this is what I have wanted to avoid. This is why I didn't want to say yes." she murmured to Jaime. "This ... " she trailed off, her face a mask of fury.

Rikanth says "Don't worry about me, i'm fine."

"This wasn't about us." he says, stooping to help the injured. "You all right, Klihk?"

"I'll be fine, thanks to Alhana."

"Good. Thanks, Alhana." He moves on to the next person. Tose who need aid he helps as much as he can.

"The hell you say." she begins a cursory inspection of his wound, casually ripping off her sleeves to staunch the bleeding.

"I never said it was aimed at us ... but you can't deny this is a possiblity." she said curtly to Jaime.

Rikanth sighs. "Why do people seem to like trying to ruin parties for PEACE? I mean, when i made my grand...and late i admit...entrance, someone had almost been assassinated! good god, what is wrong with the world today?"

"Yes,it's a possibilty," he says, finishing bandaging an injured. "But it's already a possibility for bot of us. Together we just have a better chance of survival."

Turning to Rikanth, he says, "I know. I wished the party would be peaceful. But now there's this ... and the botched attack on Lady Ihlana. It's all just too violent. I wish the world could let us have peace for once."

OOC: sorry if i act a little weird tonight, but people at my school have been pissing me off. i'm in such a horrible mood right now it's incredible. And i was happy tonight because i have 2 days of school left and in those two days i don't have to do any real work. Someone from my school I blocked on AIM says she was only annoying me and acting like everyone always had to be at the computer to talk to her when she wants, and actually carry on a conversation with her when she doesn't bother to try to start one, and the person on the other end has other things to to do (which she always does), because she was bored. SInce when is being bored an excuse for ruining someone else's day?

sorry about the rant but..garrghhh....some people.

Rikanth looks as if he is about to say something but his head slumps over and hits the bar. He bgins snoring. it seems as if the exhaustion caught up with him and he finally fell asleep.

OOC: good night all, i really need to learn to stop with my rampant OOCing.

Jaime calmly says, "Bartender, a pillow." and slips it under Rikanth's head.

Nathi snorts. "Pillow nothing - this man is going up to his room." She looks expectantly for help. "Well, I can't bloody well carry him myself now, can I?"

"I swear ... men ... "she mutters something under her breath in her native tongue. "Up to bed, then to see if anyone else needs our help."

"All right." he says, hoisting Rikanth up, and starting to walk up to Rikanth's room. "You're going to bed, and in the morning if your leg's not better you're going to see an acolyte."

"So help me, do all of you knuckleheads thing you're made of steel? He'll see an acolyte now, thank you. " she said, clearly not in any mood to put up with arguement.

"all right, although from the way he waas talking he sounded like he'd already seen one. But if you want to." He carries Rikanth to the acolyte.

"Bah ... he can be seen to in his room."

"Anyone know who's responsible?" she finally asked.

"I have no idea," he said, pausing in the doorway. "The Jester should know." He continues on, up to Rikanth's room.

"Looks like he was down for the count." she shook her head. "Zaek's furious. I don't blame him."

Helping Jaime get Rikanth into his bed, she pondered for a moment. "I don't suppose he'd take it toooo terribly amiss if some of us were to ... well ... take care of some of this mess for him?" she asked nonchalantly. "As great a warrior as he is ... the man values peace. I'd hate to see his hand dirtied by what might need to be done."

"I agree. While Zaek may be a mighty warrior in his own right, I think 'twould be better if all the attackers were ... gone ... by the time he gets back. And I don't blame him for being furious. I am too."

"I ah ... wasn't just referring to cleaning up the mess." She gave him a steady look.

"I believe I may know what you mean," he said, "But please, clarify."

"Find out who did this, and eliminate them. Quick, clean, over and done."

Zaek looked at Alhana trying to stop him. He wanted to push through just like with klikh, but was just unable to be angry towards women.

"Fine..." he snorted "But tomorrow he is going to give me answers, one way or another"

He walked off to a corridor, striding a furious pass. On passing an ice sculpture left from last night's dinner, he released all his rage in a punch at the gargoyle ice statue. The statue's head exploded from the force, and Zaek grabbed a napkin to cover his bleeding hand and marched on.

The jester awakes
"I'm in some deep s hit now."
He gets up and sits on a stool at the bar, talking to himself
"If only they had not come for me here, I never should have said anything, the queen is going to cut of my head and drink my blood."
he has a sip of his specialty wolvesblood

"Thos people weren't sent by her though.....she would have just marched in and dragged me out. Who would it be......oh, their followers....I should have known they would want revenge.....I guess they used the password as a cover so that I wouls think that it was the queen.....pretty smart for a bunch of thugs."

"So it's decided; they were fanatics of those people I put to death. They just wanted revenge, they probably don't even know what the password was.....*laughs* Now to explain this to everyone else before they kill me."

Jaime nods at Nathicana, "That's what I thought you meant, but it seems we may be too late."

Downstairs, Klihk rose and said angrily to the Jester, "Who were those people and why do you have the right to bring them in here and let them attack innocent people?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said? Those people were fanatical assassins of three people I killed, I had no intention of meeting them here."

"And why did you kill the people in the first place? Seems to me these people might have been justified."

"They were sentenced to death but they escaped and came after me.....I had to kill them. I don't no why I didn't leave here, all you people were not to have been involved."

"I'm a bodyguard. When people attack a place where I am, I get involved. That's how it works. Besides, you randomly started firing a gun into the crowd. If I hadn't been there Alhana probably would've been hit. If you're running from someone, you don't go to a public place, at least not if you don't want innocent people dying."

"You don't seem to understand, I wasn't aiming for Alhana, there was someone in the bar, he was probably behind it, he would have killed Alhana if it weren't for my somewhat spastic fire."

"And you for that matter."

"You think I wouldn't notice an assassin? I'm a highly trained bodyguard. Only when outnumbered 10:1 did I take any hits. Besides, how could you have seen an assassin behind Alhana?"

"I am not doubting your skills but the shuriken came from that direction."

"If I wasn't in my corner I would have been killed instantly."

"You were shooting blind. You probably hit civilians. You should be under arrest for that, but you're not. You were shooting at no-one in particular."

"I'll talk to you later, I need to go, there are probably more of them."
The jester walks out the door, still limping.

OOC: Rikanth's still really tired, so he'll be sleeping all day. time to go to school. not like we're really doing anything today. goodbye everyone.

Richenda walked to a table and sat down.. she was lost in thought...'why cant people leave well enough alone? perhaps Siren should head home after all if there was going to be more of this kind of behavour she was one person they cant afford to risk...' she shook her head and asked a passing waitress for some orange juice......

A ragged old rasta man walks in, singing an old song

"Hear the words of the Rastaman say:
"Babylon, you throne gone down, gone down;
Babylon, you throne gone down."

Said I hear the words of the Iyaman say:
"Babylon, you throne gone down, gone down;
Babylon, you throne gone down."

And I hear the angel with the seven seals say:
"Babylon throne gone down, gone down;
Babylon throne gone down."

I say fly away home to Zion (fly away home);
I say fly away home to Zion (fly away home).

One bright morning when my work is over,
Man will fly away home.
One bright morning when my work is over,
Man will fly away home.
One bright morning when my work is over,
Man will fly away home.
Say one bright morning when my work is over,
Man will fly away home."

He walks back out

The jester walks back in and takes a seat, a new wound on his right arm
"Well, that should take care of all of them"
he pours the antidote on his arm and orders his usual
"Thanks"
he takes a swig

"Hmmm, I need some bandages"
looks at 5 summat wounds

alhana heard the commotion downstairs and rushed out to see klihk and the jester arguing. sighing, she stretched her injured arm and sat on the dining table.

"klihk... calm down. i'm sure he'll give us answers. alienating him would do more harm than good." she tilted her head and examined his face. "are you feeling better this morning? you seem terribly uncomfortable."

"Actually, I feel like crap, I never did get to dress my wounds"
winces as black blood oozes out of hole in arm

alhana catherine looked at the jester, somewhat surprised. she saw his wounds and grimaced.

"you might want to go to the infirmary to get new bandages and get your wounds disinfected."

"I'll get it myself"
the jester goes over to his donkey next to the door and removes some bandages, wrapping them around the holes in his battered body
"Alhana, I am still trying to remember where I've seen you.....maybe it was....."

she arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow upon seeing the donkey.

"wouldn't your animal be more comfortable in the stables?" she drew in a quick breath before continuing. "yes...? you've seen me where?"

Zaek was in his quarters, taking a long cold shower. He needed it to town down. The fight in his spire, his country, HIS PARTY made him mad. He turned off the water and grabbed a towel, drying himself. He grabbed a black shirt with Gothici tribals in white on the back, and black leather pants and boots, put them on and went downstairs.

Seeing the jester awake on a stool at the bard he marched toward him, tapped his shoulder. When the jester turned round Zaek furiously grabbed him by his clothes, dragged him to the nearest wall and pinned him against it.

"I want answers, and I want them now, jester"

her heart skipped a beat as she saw zaek grab the jester. she winced when the chancellor grabbed the stranger, his eyes glinting with anger.

"zaek..." she placed an arm on his shoulder.

Zaek sighed and looked down.

"Alhana, i beg of you please, remove yourself from this hall for now, this won't be a sight for a lady's eyes"

Rothana was very angry picking up traces of it through her link with Zaek, at seeing him roughing up the apperent offender she tried to send some calm to him.. hoping to help him think a little more rationally......

there was nothing she could do. she bowed her head and bade them goodmorning. as she walked towards the courtyard she could only catch a glimpse of zaek shaking the stranger by the jester's collar.

"Now I want each and every detail jester. I want to know who, what, how why and everything else, and if I feel like your are lying to me for one singe solitary second, this will follow."

Zaek powered by rage, lifted the jester off his feet and threw him away. He picked the jester back up and pinned him against a pillar

"And that is just the beginning... Got that?"

Having gotten Rikanth settled in, she indicated her intentions to go back downstairs to see what she could do to help with the others, or assist Zaek.

Seeing him with the Jester, she schooled herself to a cold calmness and walked over to him.

"Zaek ... perhaps, if you would prefer another to work on your behalf here? With all respect, I know this is not the sort of thing you had wished to have here, and I would spare you further ... discomfort at having to deal with such as this." she nodded to the jester, eyes cold and glittering. "I assure you, if you were to provide some privacy, answers would be quickly forthcoming."

The jester talks through clenched teeth
"I already told you what happened."

"Do not make me even more pissed off than I already am."

alhana catherine burst back in the room and got hold of zaek.

"wait! i remember him now... he used to be part of the carnivalian army."

"Yes! You were that nurse! You remember!"

"I got shot in the uprising and you were the one who helped me."

OOC: err, step back, the lady is a monarch after all

alhana catherine smiled.

"well, yes, i think one of my people found you and brought you to our embassy when i was visiting..."

"you were the... captain?... who lost his men in an attack were you not?"

"no it wasn't you, it was one of your acolytes"

Nathicana arched a brow inquisitively. "Carnivalian?" she mused, watching the exchange.

"I was the leader of the attack, my men charged on even though I almost lost an arm."

"Yes, carnivalian, that is my race, I mentioned I that I did not like human wines."

"but the question remains... what are you doing here? especially when those men are bent on having their revenge on you?"

"They were sent to kill me, I didn't know they would come now or here, they are fanatics of three dead criminals."

"Doesn't matter, you shoul have informed me, they wouldn't even have reached the Coil if we had known. How many more fanatics are there?"

Jaime wlaks into the room, unnoticed. Seeing that something important is happening, he walks over to Nathicana, and whispers, "What is it?" she gives him a hurried explanation and he nods.

Klihk looks at the Jester, "Do you think any more assassins will attack?"

"ANSWER US JESTER! Can we expect more of these attacks?"

"Will there be more of these attacks, and if so when, and how many more of these assassins are there?" Klihk bellowed. "We need to know!"

Jaime just waits in the background. If they needed his help or expertise, they would tell him.

OOC: i can't log in, sorry this will have to do

"There could be a few more, I doubt they will be here."

OOC: sorry I took so long

"Well if they're after you, why wouldn't they be here? And how many do you describe 'a few' as? Two? Five? A dozen? Fifty? How many, god damn it!" Klihk yells. They could see he was upset by being attacked at a peace party

1. few=2 or 3
2.They won't attack here again with only 2 or 3 after last night, we killed about 15
3.They will probably attack at home......my region.....sh it

"Ahem ... Some of those people wouldn't be dead, unless you specifically killed them afterwards. I was using stun bullets the whole time, and I know I tagged a lot of them, myself. Besides, if you're worried about your region, maybe you should just ... Oh, never mind." he says, walking away and sitting down on a chair.

OOC: i'm back

"They all deserved to die, I can't leave my region, I would be permanently removed."

"So what you're saying is that you just walked around and cut 7 incapacitated people's throats?" Jaime says. "Oh, I'm sure the courts would love that."

Nathicana laid a restraining hand on Jaime, and quietly shook her head.

"The problem isnt the assassination attempt, for all I care you could just die and shrivle up right here on the floor. The problem is your presence brought the life of innocent people in danger, women and children. And you knew this, not even mentioning it to me... Your careless shannanigans may serve you before your emperor, they are not welcome here."

"I have no need for the courts"

Jaime looks over at Nathicana and lowers his head. He nods, then turns to the Jester. "You are lucky." he said, "If I had heard you continue along those lines for a little longer..." He trails off, shakes his head and walks off to sit beside Klihk. "No need for the courts..." he murmurs.

the jester closes his eyes and takes a deep breath
"I am sorry for the fact that lives were endangered, I had NO idea they would come here, I am very sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore, from my sight less i lose my temper"

"It is apparent that I am hated now. I will leave, if you want to put me to trial or yell at me or something else, telegram me, I am leaving"
He gets on his donkey and rides off.

Klihk rises. "Sorry doesn't cut it. Look at the people you've injured. Rikanth, Alhana, me. A 'sorry' won't make all our wounds magically heal, you know."

She quietly moved over to join him, and said softly "Your methods are not other's methods. Your laws not their laws. This is a matter for Zaek to handle as he sees fit. Ours is not to question the morality of that man's actions that went before, but to abide Zaek's judgement of him pertaining to what happened here."

Watching the exchange closely, she continued. "I offered my help. If he chooses to accept, so be it. Until such time as he does, or asks that I do something else, it is out of my hands." She turned to give Jaime a look that suggested the same might apply to him.

Klihk nods. "Thanks." he says, "You're right. I should let Zaek handle this." he says, and falls silent.

Jaime looks over at Nathicana. "So much bloodshed." he murmurs, "So much death ... I don't know if I can take this anymore." he rises, and starts to walk aimlessly over to a chair, away beside the wildlife, where he sists down. "I don't think I can handle this." he murmurs, "I convince people to stun their enemies, not to kill. Then one man can ruin all those lives I sought to save."

Rothana watched the proceedings, and came over to her Chosen and laid her hand on his tense shoulder... " My love, i know this is not what you intended nor wanted here.. but with so many foreign Leaders did you really think that it would not happen? Not all countries have the kind of vision that you and i do... " she then sent calm to him through the link they shared.. "I do not think he intended to bring such trouble here.."

"But still... blood and death... and he brought it to my country, undoing what i worked so hard to achieve..."

he sighed, taking down his blockade of anger, and letting Rothana's soothing thoughts calm him through the bond they shared

He beckoned a messenger.

"The man on the donkey, tell him to come back..."

The jester gets off and walks back throught the doors, talking in a sarcastic voice.
"what? haven't I done enough damage"

She let him walk away, her demeanor still the cold and slightly haughty one that she reserved for dealing with unpleasant matters. Either he will regain what he needs to continue, or he will not. she thought somewhat callously. This is the darker side of the reality we face in our positions.

Quietly, she began straightening tables, and picking up glass, watching Zaek and the others, alert for any more trouble.

The jester drops his shotgun, pistol, and short sword on the ground
"Just for you."

"No, wait, I have to... I have to apologise. I shouldve known this would come... maybe security wasn't tight enough...maybe...I have guilt in this too...please stay...I didn't mean what I said, sometimes I need to be calmed down."

He looked at Rothana, the anger making way for his usual grace and benevolence.

"Once again, I'm sorry about how I treated you"

Jaime, sitting there, was still talking to himself, "If I just sit here and act like this after everything bad happens, more will happen. What I need to do is to get out there and stop it. There are still things to do. There are still ends to tie up." He rose, telling himself, "I will not give in."

He started to walk back to where the others were.

the jester turns his attention to the ruler of Gothicum
"I do not deserve an apology"
he sits down
"shall we get down to business."

Jaime walks over, to the Jester. "I'm sorry for how I treated you." he says, "I overreacted. This wasn't your fault, although I do believe you could have done something better than kill unconscious enemies."

Shaking her head, she continued straightening things up, moving closer only to quietly take the weapons from the ground and lay them on a nearby table.

"So, why am I here?"

OOC: if such is the case for the rest, I imagine you're here waiting for everyone else to be able to post - I know that's been my problem. Gah. Servers. Bah.

OOC: It didn't acknowledge my post!!!

Jaime nods to the jester, and then turns to Nathicana, "Need some help?" he asks, stooping to give her some.

She nods, still silent. It's clear she's mulling things over in her mind, and the brief look that she gives him is one of thanks, yet calculation.

"Sir Jester.. if you could be so kind as to tell us why they would be trying to kill you and if there is anything we could do to help or prevent this from happening again i think that that would go a long way.... how can we be prepared for something if we do not know the danger is there?" Rothana asked...

Riaknth wakes up in his room, wondering how the hell he got there. He recites the prayer and wanders downstairs, wondering what is going on.

Jaime crouches, helping Nathicana in every way he can think of. He only looks up when he sees Rikanth. "Rikanth!" he yells. "How's your leg?"

Rikanth says, "ah, it's ok, i think it's stopped bleeding now, and as always, the prayer keeps the pain away."

At his exclamation, she rises as well, walking over to Rikanth and giving him the 'once over'.

"It would seem the acolytes did their job well." she noted, still very distant and cool in her demeanor. "I'm pleased to see you back on your feet."

Jaime gets up, walking over to Rikanth. "Good, glad to see I could help. Looks to me like it'll be fine, just give it a few days."

With a final nod to Rikanth, "If you'll excuse me, there is still glass ..." she gestures, then quietly goes back to gathering up any shards she can find.

A slight hiss escapes her lips as she catches an edge, quickly putting her finger to her mouth, and muttering darkly in her native tongue as she takes it back out to examine it.

Jaime darts to her side, "Are you okay?" he blurts out.

Looking up, she fixed him with a steady gaze. "You jump worse than a barmaid serving sailors fresh from a long sail."

Knowing how he felt, she still continued with her thoughts. "Is this how it is to be? Myself, reduced to a porcelain doll to be cared for and admired? And you, forgetting your place and interfering in matters when you should be silent?"

She sucked on her fingertip for a moment before continuing. "I realize that you and Chris have a close relationship, and that the decorum required in Haraki differs perhaps from what others deem proper." she paused, a slight tinge of guilt crossing her face.

"Once the hostilities ceased, it was your place to offer help, and wait for that to be accepted. Not to interfere with affairs of state. If I cannot rely on you to do that ..." she shook her head, not finishing.

"I'm fine." she stated briefly. "Thank you." and looked around for any more glass, though it was clear there was none to be found that a broom wouldn't be more appropriate for.

OOC: I lost track, what happened to the party?

Jaime hung his head, "I know." he said, "I was helping. It's just ... When that man said he killed all the stunned people ... Something in me just snapped. I work very hard to try and save lives. I almost never fire to kill. I only kill people if I absolutely must. That is part of why I work as a bodyguard. When I heard that he had slaughtered unarmed, unconscious men, I just ... You know what, never mind." he said, an unhappy, unkind edge showing through his voice.

He stood in silence, cleaning up the rubble left from the fight.

Perhaps it's best if ... She quickly cut off that thought, turning her head away.

She rose suddenly, looking at the torn sleeves of her shirt as if noticing them for the first time, her back to Jaime. "I ... " she cleared her throat softly. "I need a change." And swiftly walked to her room.

Zaek and Rothana have things well in hand. Rikanth is going to be fine. All of the rest is out of your hands ... this is not your affair. All the same, once she reached her room, she closed the door behind her more forcefully than she'd intended to.

He nodded, and continued to clean up the rubble.

OOC: Going out for dinner now, be back in a few hours.

Rikanth begins pitching in with rubble removal as well.

OOC: 'Tis I, back again!

IC:

Jaime picked up a piece of rubble, and then sighed and dropped it onto the ground again. He got up, then walked over to the door. He gave Rikanth a look, and then walked up the stairs inside. He reached Nathicana's door, and went to pound on it, but thought better. He lowered his arm, without knocking, and said, "Nathicana," in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry."

She paused for a moment, but didn't respond, finishing pulling on a clean shirt and tossing the other aside with a frown. That's two this trip. she thought regrettably. And good silk too. She didn't allow herself to think of other things while she busied herself.

He knew she was more than likely inside, but ignoring him. He turned, and walked away, away from the stairs and her room, walking around the corner. He looked down the corridor. Chris's room had been down there. The man's things were still there. Maybe ... Just maybe ...

Jaime walked down the hall with a purpose, striding towards the door to Chris' room.

The jester gets up, putting his various weapons back into their places
"Unless I am needed, I will leave now."

Klihk moves to stop him. "I believe Zaek wanted to talk with you. Stick around."

Time to be gone. You've put off the unpleasant duties long enough. Responsibility, remember that? she berated herself, listening to the sound of Jaime's footsteps fading.

Don't think about that. You have things that need done. Focus.

She finished packing the small case she'd brought with her, tucking all her communications equipment in her purse.

Taking one in each hand, she paused at the mirror, assuming her practiced air of cool indifference, and quietly walked down to find Zaek & Rothana to thank them, and make sure there was nothing else she could do to help with the recent situation.

Finding Chris's door, Jaime tried the handle. Locked. He should've known. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small case. His hand-crafted lockpicks. "Guess my intelligence days aren't over after all." he murmured, as the lock sprang open. He stepped in.

Inside, it looked like his own room. He looked around. There was Chris's laptop. His cell phone was gone. A binder of documents was there, and - ah, there, a mobile printer. Jaime stepped forward. Lying on the floor beside the printer was a crumpled up piece of paper. He reached down and picked it up, noting that there was a face-down piece of paper in the printer.

She found Rikanth and gave him a suprising hug. "Take care of that leg, boy." she said, giving him a warm smile.

Finding Zaek still indisposed, she gave Rothana a hug as well, thanking her, and asking she thank Zaek and her sisters for her as well. "I have unfinished business that I have left untended while enjoying myself here." she explained, knowing that they would understand.

Walking over to Klikh, she pressed a handwritten note into his hand. "Give this to Jaime." she said simply, then walked out the door, making a quick call on her phone.

Klihk nodded.

---

Jaime looked at the note. "Emergency NATO meeting..." he read, sipping through it. "Blah ... blah ... Drum Gods." He placed it back where he had found it and picked up the piece of paper in the printer. He discovered it was actually several pieces of paper. He read the bottom one, "Chris ... I don't believe this ..." he murmured.

OOC: letter in form of telegram. :)

OOC: Right. TG received.

IC:

Jaime looked at the bottom one, saying, "Clarke, you bastard. I don't care if someone knows I wa in here." he crumpled up the piece of paper, and threw it into the fireplace. He read the next one. "Chris ... How could you?" he asks. "No. I almost refuse to believe it. I would if I didn't know you." He crumpled up that one, too, and threw them in the fireplace, burning them. He went to the laptop.

OOC:boy this thread's moving slowly.

Jaime looked at what was on the laptop. Specifically, the most notable desktop item. He double-clicked on it, and then looked down. "Input password?" he murmured. Trying the standard password, he murmured, "Nope... Guess I'm back to hacking." and began to hack the folder.

alhana catherine entered the dining hall with marcus and siren. she looked around the room searching for zaek but the chancellor was nowhere to be found.

"we might as well pack our things before we say farewell the to chacellor." she turned to siren and gave the queen a kiss on the cheek. "i'll see you soon dear, afterall..." she gave marcus a quick grin. "we have a wedding to plan."

as she walked upstairs to her room, marcus gave siren a long tight embrace.

"i'll miss you angel, but we'll see each other again in a couple of weeks." he whispered in her ear. "once i've taken care of several matters in our nation, i'll visit you in silvercities."

with a quick kiss, he turned and followed her sister.

"i'll see you for lunch in a hour." he last called out.

OOC:oops, forgot to post i was going to bed. oh well. i'll be at school for a half day today, good bye.

Jaime, crouched at the deak, reading the files on the computer, eyes widened, kept muttering, "Chris ... I don't believe this."

He thought of sending an e-mail to Chris, via Clarke, but Chris might not be happy that Jiame had hacked his laptop. Jaime looked over at the mobile printer and his brow furrowed. He clicked on the text document, and selected 'print'. He needed to get this on paper.

OOC: back from school, Rikanth's just kinda there till something happens

Zaek walks up to the jester.

"But, for the sake of security, i must know if they'll attack agai..."
A shuriken drove itself in the wall right next to Zaek and Bartlett

"Guess that anwers my question

Zaek looked up the spire, there were at least 300 unknown figures that had taken place possible much more.

One seemed to be the leader, he raised his hand, then made a forward motion.

All hell broke loose as the intruders attacked. They were severely outnumbered.

"Retreat to the forests!!! Zaek made hsi way to the Nightwolf stables. Slashing and cutting in a deadly dance.

The jester hides in between the trees, slashing a passing attacker ever so often
"This was not predicted"

Rikanth looks startledly up at the coil, and quickly retreats into the forest, loading his pistors with stun bullets and begginging to fire in the direction of hte attackers.

The jester sheaths his sword and pulls out his dual custom pistols, picking off the attackers.
"Zaek!!! we need some help here!!!"

Zaek set open the stables and several Gothici guards mounted and moved towards the forest. They swooped up Rikanth, laying him over the wolf to crry him deep into the forest.

"Mount a wolf, ride to the forest, we'll regroup there!!!"

Jaime barely noticed the fight outside. He grabbedf the paper, folded it up, and put it in his pocket, shutting the laptop. He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him, and heard the gunfight. He pulled out his Sig Sauer P-220, loaded with stun bullets and then put it away again. He held out his hands, and the katanas appeared in them.

He sheathed the katanas, pulling out his P-220 and Ruger K89. He began to move slowly downstairs.

The jester hears Zaek's shouting
"No! my donkey!"
he holsters his guns and once again draws his sword, Laughing Death
"HUUUUUUUUUAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!"
with a loud battlecry he fights his way back to the building and his steed

"Your donkey better run fast, jester, there won't be time to slow down"

Zaek fiercely defended the stable entrance with his rapier

"Rothana!!!! Richenda!! Siren!!!!"

Richenda saw the attack decending and unsheathed her twin blades, "Damn! Sis we are going to have to make a break for it, stay close,"
Rothana stayed at her sister's back as they made their way to the forest occasionally tripping up an attacker so her sister's blades could reach them... she found a good length of wood and used it as a staff to knock as many of them in range of Richenda's blades as she could manage...

arrives at stables, covered in blood, he gets on his donkey, taking time to armor it with a few metal plates, he dons a metal jester cap and other small pieces of armor
"I will fight and if I die, it will be so"
he slowly turns his donkey to the forest and then with a loud battle cry charges
"FOR MARDIS!!!!"

Jaime steps into his room, stiriding to the window. He saw, beneath, the mass of attackers. He swore, and wlaked over to the suitcase. "Surprised they let me get this in here," he muttered, pulling out a large carrying case. It was filled with rods and balls, various metal pieces. He locked the door and began to assemble the pieces.

Within minutes he had an M4 carbine sitting in front of him. He grabbed the five extra clips for it, and holstered his other two guns. He moved to the door, unlocking it and stepping out.

The donkey gallops amazingly fast, on closer examination you can see several runes tatooed on his legs
"DIE!!!!"
the jester hacks through the massing attackers

OOC:*watches with interest* Don't hesitate to call in Dominion backup, should you ever need it. :)

Jaime saw approcahing enemies down the hallway, and fired two shots from his silenced M4. Both dropped dead. He kept moving, silently. He stepped to the door, knowing that outside were immeasurable enemies. He had to make his way to the stables, somehow. He opened the door, throwing out a flashbang.

A few moments later he ran out the door, dropping several enemies with kicks and shots, sprinting for the stables.

The attackers slowly seem to close in on the mounted jester
"NO!!! NOT THIS WAY!!! NOT NOW!!!!!!
he seem to glow with a purplish black light as he puts his last burst of tremendous energy into the attack

"Bartlett, fool, regroup first, defend the exit, secure the gate!!!"

Zaek mounted a wolf and took a second wolf's leach, steering it toward the twin sisters. He helped Rothana and Richenda on a Nightwolf

"Head for the forest!!!"

The jester turns at Zaek
"Fine!!!!! And it's Barrett!"
he struggles to go back to the exit and he dismounts, pulling out his pistols
"Your not getting in"

Once mounted the girls made haste to follow the others... not looking back once to see what was following them.... Rothana was terrified not for herself but for Zaek...

The jester fires madly at the advancing line of blackclothed attackers
"YOU WON'T GET IN!!!! EVERYONE!!!! OUT OF THE BUILDING!!!!"

Jaime drops the last man in his way with a flying kick, and sprints into the stables, ignoring the two bullet holes in his left shoulder. He grabbed a wolf's reins and tore off after Zaek, firing behind him with his M4 as he went. Having fired an entire magazine, he reloaded. "120 shots left," he murmured.

-click click-
"Damn! out of ammo!"
he holsters the guns and once more takes out his sword. he watches as the others escape
"So here I die, defending people I hardly even know......SO BE IT!!!!"
he leaps over the attackers, landing in the middle, blade down and slashing, whirling about and taking the occasional jump

OOC: gotta go
the jester falls into the crowd

Zaek sees the Jester fall, engulfed in the crowd, he turns round and heads towards the spot.

The wolf's jaws crunch bone and tear flesh as Zaek swings his rapier. Zake manages to grab the jest by his armor and drags the unconscious body over the wolf, swinging one last time and racing towards the forest.

Jaime watched Zaek grab the Jester. The enemies were swarming towards them. As they reached the edge of the forest, Jaime swore, and leapt off the wolf. He yelld to Zaek, "Go on, I'll catch up with you!"

He crouched down, unsilencing his M4, firing single shots into the approaching crowd.

Rothana kept her mind as still as she possibly through the mad dash through the forest... Richenda reached out on occasion to slash at an attacker as they raced through the trees.... hopefully they would see someone soon...

Zaek raced towards the front of the group, to the Guard Captain
"We're heading towards the Kahjit village, keep the group together and defend the rear, I'll lead way!!!"

waking up, the jester gets out of the hold of Zaek and jumps onto his donkey, who had been quietly following the group
"Let's ride!"
he pulls some cartridges out of a saddlebag and reloads his gun
"Shrapnel shell always come in handy"

the jester looks behind to see hundreds of the attackers following
"time for a little surprise"
he reaches into his saddlebag yet again and retrieves an almost comical looking bomb
"homemade and ready to blow!"
he chucks it behind him, pressing to the donkey as it explodes, sending around 40 or 50 attackers in the air in a enormous purple explosion.

Jaime reloaded his M4, throwing a grenade into the midst of the approaching crowd. He began to disappear into the forest, avoiding bullet fire, but not the shot that hit him in the stomach. He decided he had held them long enough, and started to reatreat quickly.

the jester looks behind to see hundreds of the attackers following
"time for a little surprise"
he reaches into his saddlebag yet again and retrieves an almost comical looking bomb
"homemade and ready to blow!"
he chucks it behind him, pressing to the donkey as it explodes, sending around 40 or 50 attackers in the air in a enormous purple explosion.

He pulls out his pistol and stops in the path, firing at the onslaught of attackers
"Not this time you sneaky little bastards"

the other pistol is drawn and added to the firefight. the jester dodges a volley of shuriken
"Crud! Their starting to chuck those things again!"

He holsters the pistols and twists the grip on the sword, the tang seems to magically lengthen into a lance
"CHARGE!!!!"
he charges into the mass, hoping to not be knocked out again

As he charges into the mass, he recites a small prayer and holds his tiny cross to his heart. he hits the attackers and immediately skewers a few. after skewering a few, he reduces the tang back to a short sword and starts the bloody work of hacking.
"TO THE BUTCHER'S WORK I GO!!!!!"
blood splatters everywhere and several bullets and blades pierce the jester but he keeps pressing forward

Two Guards appear in front of Barrett grabbing him off his donkey as a third grabs the reigns

"Stay in group!!!"

Zaek rode up front, they reached a small creek which they followed

"Press on!!! Keep riding"

In front of them rose a towering waterfall.

"everybody right straight into it!!!"

Zaek led his Wolf straight through the waterfall in a cavern behind it. The cavern forked immediately, but Zaek stood before the left passage, indicating the others should take the right. As soon as the group started following te right cavern, Zaek sped back to the head of the group again, leading them to caverns leading upward.

They emerged from a bush and Zaek slowed pace as they reached a village built in the trees. Several Kahjit, cat-people watched them from above.

"We've lost them now..."

Jaime leapt on the wolf that had run off from him when he opened fire, and it took off, following Zaek. Jaime took precautions to stop enemy followers. He reached the small village where Zaek had gotten, the wolf seemed to be on autopilot. Jaime, seeing the others ahead, collapsed sideways off the wolf, bleeding severely from five bullet wounds.

Zaek dismounted and stepped toward what seemed to be the villae chief. They exchanged greeting and talked privately for a second. The Kahjit chief nodded.

Zaek talked to the group.
"People, I am sad to have this happen, yet it seems we're exiled from the spire. However, the day after tomorrow we plan to strike back and recapture the spire. I am not planning to continue the festivities, those who wish, may leave for the borders, those wh don't have two choices: Stay with the Kahjit or fight with us."

Jaime stumbles over, "I'll fight." he says. "It's what I do best."

Zaek saw Jaime bleeding

"Whoah there big fella, lets get you patched up first."

Zaek moved Jaime to a tent on the ground where the Kahjit medicine men took care of him."

Jaime nodded, "Thanks, I suppose. Barely feel pain, that's my problem. Makes me a stubborn bastard when I need to realize how much I need medical attention. I never feel it, so I don't know how much med I need."

Rothana considered for a moment, "I'm not going anywhere, you need me and you know it, Richenda.. you on the other hand..."

"Oh no you dont, youre not going to have all the fun without me you know, I'm staying.."

Rothana smiled then made her way to Zaek, " I'm going to stay with you and fight for Our home... I could not do any less..."

OOC: just curious, what heppens to your palace servants? also, is it fair to say that alhana catherine and marcus left the spire before thet attack or should i RP them trying to escape?

ooc: ok everyone it looks like Goth may have gone to bed for the night... but we can pick it up later or just talk strategy on how to retake the Coil til he gets back... Cheers!

Nah AC I jsut figured that you and Marcus and Silver are Hanging out either in your country or mine.. seemed to make sense

OOC: just curious, what heppens to your palace servants? also, is it fair to say that alhana catherine and marcus left the spire before thet attack or should i RP them trying to escape?

If they got out, so did Klihk. If they didn't he didn't, and will aid them in trying to escape. However, no matter what, Jane, Alek and Jane's bodygauard escaped, but Jane will seek refuge in the village instead of fighting.

OOC: sorry i wasn't responsive, i was away seeing The Matrix:Reloaded.

IC: Rikanth arrives with all the others, and after hearing wha zaek says, says, "I will stay and fight to help you regain your spire!"

OOC: sorry i wasn't responsive, i was away seeing The Matrix:Reloaded.

IC: Rikanth arrives with all the others, and after hearing wha zaek says, says, "I will stay and fight to help you regain your spire!"

OOC: What did you think of it?

IC:

Jaime turns to Rikanth, "Good to see you're in spirits to fight, Rikanth. I'd hate to fight this thing without you to watch my back."

OOC: loved it.

IC: Rikanth grins and nods at Jaime's statement.

The jester gets up and quietly makes sure everything is loaded, he sneaks into the shadows
"Dragging me away from a fight.....not acceptable. Goodbye Zaek and folk, I'm on my own from here on out....."
he walks back into the direction they came, into the dead of night, into the horde and maybe even his death

He's stopped at the edge of the village by a figure in the shadows leaning against a tree, "Oh, come on, Jester. You'll die if you fight them now, if you stay and fight with us, later, you'll stand a chance." Jaime steps out from the shadows.

he finds his donkey, covered in blood but still alive
"Good ol' Spade...."
he unpacks his circus tent and beds down for the night, guns loaded and next to his bed
"When they come, i'll be here........"

he looks back at Jaime
"no one ever drags me out of a fight. ever. I'll do fine on my own. If i die, so be it, I don't want your help, this was my business in the first place."

"If it was your business alone, you wouldn't have gone to the party when you knew they were chasing you, and if it was your business alone, you would have left."

"Yes, i should have left.....I should have taken this away....but it's too late now, I will fight and you may help if you wish but you will not drag me out of a fight. If that happens again, I won't be very happy."
he sits by the outside of his tent, polishing his sword

"I'm not dragging you away. Right here, right now, I am saying: If you want revenge, this is not the way to get it. Going out now will get you killed, and our force will have one less person. Think of it this way.

You're attacking a tank. You have 5 RPGs to use. You have two choices. You can shoot them one at a time, and give enough time in between to repair the tank's armour, or you can fire all at once, having waited two minutes."

He looked the Jester in the eyes, "Which works better?"

Rikanth finds a bed somewhere in the village and sleeps.

OOC: good night everyone.

"Jester, do not let revenge cloud your judgement, and I doubt they'll find the village. The Gothicum forest has as many eyes as leaves, we'l monitor their movements tomorrow and strike tomorrow night. Get your rest."

He looks at Rothana... "
So you are gonna stay and fight, huh. Do you even know how to handle a sword?"

Rothana blushes "You did say that you were going to teach me... no better time then now"

Zaek sighs

"There is no way I'll convice you tostay here, is there"

He adresses the crowd

"Ok people get some sleep..."

He takes Rothana in the forest into a small clearing that is seemingly glowing softly lightblue

Rothana smiled to herself, " How could i wait around to see if my soul will be ripped in two? Besides if Richenda can do it so can i... oh it is beautiful here..."

he lead her round and faced her, unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it aside.

"Take off your shirt"

Blushing she complied, her skin very pale in the soft light....

he lead her round and faced her, unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it aside.

"Take off your shirt"

Something tells me the very next posts will be like a above 18 years movie... 8)

*grabs some popcorn*

Zaek laid the two rapiers he took from camp on the ground and moved behind her, taking her wrists softly in his hands.

He whispered"Feel the wind blow, let the flow direct your movements."

Rothana closed her eyes and breathed, letting the cool breeze wash over her skin... letting Zaek guide her trusting in him utterly.....

Zaek began to move on the flow of the wind, guiding Rothana, he closed his eyes as they danced the dance of the wind. After a while her softly let her go and watched as she danced, stepping back to retrieve the rapiers.

Her mind was empty of everything but the flow of air she was following, then she heard movement and turned reflexively to see Zaek with the rapiers...

"You're a natural" Zaek said and tossed her a rapier

"Remember, you don't get tired fighting this way, the wind moves your body for you..."

Briefly terrified, she took a deep breath and stilled her thoughts.. she recalled how it felt to be guided by the wind and fixed that in her mind her hand held the weapon lightly.....

"I am gonna fight like a normal person now, ok, I'll start with the basic attack, Left shoulder, Right Shoulder, Left Thigh, Right Thigh, thrust to the heart, we're gonna start slow and pick up pace later. Listen what the wind tells you, It'll tell how to parry."

*ooc: you guys are really good at this :)*

Rothana watched Zaek... and feeling herself tense up she blocked the first few attacks clumsily.. she then stopped and lay the tip of the slim sword on the ground.... she sighed and said, " ok lets try this again," she then held up the rapier and focused on the winds movements and let it guide her own...

"just keep it loose and easy"
He talked through his attacks

"Left Right Left Right, Thrust, and again... Left Right Left Right Thrust"
"Now a bit faster"
Left Right Left Right Thrust, Left right Left right Thrust"
"Try to throw in an attack"

OOC: Truly enjoy watching the interplay. Very nice. :) In response to later comments, was refering to the entire thread.

Rothana was focusing on his words and the wind... making the pattern he set, then almost before she could think about it she brought the blade in a downward arc towards his left shoulder instead of right....

Zaek turned around the blade, placing his on hers and locking it to the dirt. He kissed her neck, released the lock and turned into fighting position again.

OOC: Truly enjoy watching the interplay. Very nice. :)

Ooc: I think theres a little more to it than what we're seeing here :) but agreed... very nice! very nice!

Rothana smiled and readied herself for the next set of patterns... moving smoothly through them...

"I'm going to attack randomly now, read my movements, read what my body is saying and react on that"

Zaek started to attack slowly again.

Rothana nodded and watched him carefully.... her parries coming with more confidence...

A jester leans on a tree in the distance eating an apple. He watches Zaek teaching Rothana how to fight and he looks around every so often.
"They're out there, I know it."

Zaek picked up pace, closing his eyes and aiming on the feel of the wind.

"When a body moves, it makes the air move, feel that movement, close your eyes and feel it"

For safety Zaek sent his attack patterns to Rothana through their bond

The jester hears a rustling in the trees a ways down the path.
"They are coming....."
he checks his weapons and gets on his donkey, waiting.

The bushes rustly, and out comes a lone nightwolf, sniffing the trail to find the Gothici guards

Rikanth wakes up, recites the prayer, and waits out in the village, sparring with air with his katana and wakizashi.

Rothana closed her eyes and could see what he was sending her and what she could feel confirmed it... She moved and parried the breeze playing lightly against her skin as he moved...

Zaek stepped from normal attacks to his dancing style. The two combined in a gracious dancing duel for about half an hour, untill Zaek stepped back.

"Now you know how to fight. It is time we went back to the village. He picked up his blouse and put it on, unbuttoned, then he picked up Rothana's and handed it to her.

Smiling she put her shirt back on... and wished that they didnt have to go back so soon, but duty was duty and they had a battle to win....

The jester's head suddenly twitches and he gallops down the path

Rikanth sighs and says "The jester, running off ahead as usual..."

Zaek saw the jester run off as he returned to the village.

"Fine then, get yourself killid fool."

"hmmm, nothing."

Rothana found her sister waiting for her.. Richenda smiled, " so what was that all about? Sneaking off before a battle like that"

Rothana flushed pink and answered, " He was teaching me to fight.. "

"Oh really?" Richenda looked closely at her Twin... "hmm we may have to go against one another one day... Just to see what you have learned"

"im not as good as all that Shen, you would kill me!" Rothana smiled

Zaek rang a gong

"Wake up people, we move, and we move on foot. Leave the Wolves and the donkeys behind, i want to get to the edge of the forest without being noticed"

Rikanth nods, sheaths his swords, and follows Zaek, being very stealthy.

Richenda and Rothana move as quietly as possible keeping their eyes on Zaek..... looking for any kind of instruction...

OOC: waiting for haraki and DLN to post their presence

OOC:I think Nathicana left the party....didn't she?

Zaek led the group to the edge of the forest. While the rest of the force held back a little, A group of 6 snuck a little closer to the Coil, behind a bush.

There was Zaek up front, just left of him Rothana, Jaime, Rikanth, Richena and Barrett. Too Zaek's Right an ethereal visage appeared. An image of a long dead war-hero with dark skin and white hair. The visage placed his hand on Zaek's shoulder. Zaek looked back.

"I know my friend, I know." He turned to his friends "I never thought to say these words, but...Take No Prisoners"

Jaime nodded, "Well, if that's how it's going to be..." and opened his backpack, taking off the M4 that was slung on the back, and the 3 remaining magazines for it, of hollowpoint rounds. He checked his pistol, and his katanas, then sheathed them and holstered the pistol.

"I'm ready."

Here I stand on the firing line,
here I walk on the field where we may die.
We wil fight or die for liberty,
with the Ghost standing next to me

Zaek brough his hands to his mouth and outed a large shreek. It was immediately replied to with another as a flock of big black birds flew overhead.

"This is it. Si vis pacem, para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war. CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE"