NationStates Jolt Archive

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that the storm finally blew itself out and peace fell.

By then Kurt had fallen asleep through sheer exhaustion.

It was a haggard looking Gabriel who stepped out of his office that morning. "How are they doing?" He asked Marea.
"They're still fast asleep."
"Let them sleep, they're going to need it."

Quatre was first to awaken. He slid out of bed and got changed. Seeing that kurt was still alseep, he quietly left the room making sure he didn't wake him.

"Good morning Quatre." Marea said, momentarily looking up from her desk.

"Morning," Quatre replied, looking around.

Aside from a new pair of bodyguards at the end of the hall, everything appeared much as it had the day before.

Quatre sighed and walked back the way he had come, there wasn't anything of interest there.

Gabriel poked his head out of his office. "Marea, have those intellegence reports on Moir come in yet? Oh, good morning Quatre. If you and Kurt are up to it, I'd like to take you down to Ghost base, I usually get my morning exercise there."

"Kurt's still asleep," he replied, "I think it's only because of exhaustion that he ever went to sleep in the first place."

Gabriel nodded. "I'm not at all surprised. Well when he wakes up please extend him my offer."

"I will," the blond teen promised.

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"If you want breakfast the kitchen is open, help yourself."

"Ok," Quatre replied before head toward the kitchen.

"The reports just came in, I'm shooting them to your computer now." Marea said.
"OK, thanks." Gabriel replied as he ducked back into his office.

Quatre grabbed something to eat from the kitchen as he waited for the prince to wake up.

Gabriel scrolled through the information on his computer screen. With groan of frustration he threw himself back in his chair. "Dammit, I just need Moir to slip up once in a big way and I can finally see justice done. What does it take to get a break?" He thought to himself.

Kurt rolled over in his sleep and promptly fell out of bed, landing with a thump.

"F*ck it," he swore as he slowly got to his feet. Not a good way to start the day. "Breakfast."

Forgetting where he was, he tried teleporting to the kitchen of the palace in Exetergrecia, but since that was well over the two mile limit he could teleport he didn't go anywhere. Kurt grumbled as he remembered where he was. He decided to get changed before leaving the room.

Across the hall Gabriel winced slightly at the sound of a heavy thud, able to guess with a fair amount of accuracy what had just happened. "Guess I should give the base a ring to let them know I'll be along soon." He said to himself.

Kurt looked around as he went to look for the kitchen.

A few more people had wandered in and were waiting in the foyer. Occasionally one would enter Gabriel's office and after a moment leave.

Kurt kept away as he didn't want to be around too many people. Instead of going to the kitchen he had somehow managed to end up in the library.

Gabriel stepped out of his office after another person had left. "OK, gentlemen, I'm leaving for a while so let's settle these things quickly. Frank, tell Central Nation that the terms for the grain trade are acceptible; Mike, inform Asimov that we recognise the fifty mile limit and no further and that if they have a problem with that, one of our fleets will be making an extended curtousy visit until they decide to cease stoppping and searching our merchant ships; Ivan, I agree that with the recent rise in tensions in the region that Gilland base doesn't have the firepower at this time to be considered safe, therefore in addition to the division you asked for, I'm also having a Raptor wing deployed; Jeff, I think we can cut back slightly on our overall ammunition production for this year given how little we used last year and our large reserve. Now have a good day gentlemen."
The remaining people left, looking like people who had just been caught up in a whirl wind and set back down several miles away.

Marea grinned slightly, having seen what happened when Gabriel periodically got tired of listening to issues he'd already made up his mind about.

"I thought I'd find you in here," came a voice.

Kurt turned around to see Quatre standing in the doorway.

"You really should get something to eat, starving yourself is not going to help," he then told him, but the young prince just shrugged it off.

"You really sholdn't do that you know." Marea said.
"I know, but being slightly unpredictible is good for keeping them on their toes. As is reminding them I usually know as much or more about their business as they do." Gabriel replied.
"I suppose."

Kurt walked past him, "If you must know I got lost," he replied.

"Right," Quatre said, "I know exactly where the kitchen is and it's not hard to find."

"Gerald, get Peter fired up would you? We should be leaving for Ghost base soon."

Once at the kitchen Quatre leaned up against the wall as Kurt looked through the fridge. "The President wants us to go to Ghost Base," he told his friend.

"Whats that?" Kurt asked.

"I have no idea,"

Marea appeared in the Kitchen door, leaning against the door frame. "Ghost base is the base we landed at yesterday, it got it's name because for the first few years of it's existance it wasn't supposed to exist. It was built specifically to keep a rapid reaction force near the President at all times. It normally consists of a oversized battalion with air support. The President makes a habit of going down there to train at least twice a week."

"Oh, that was what it was called," Quatre said. "I didn't realise that was ghost base."

"It was late and we didn't exactly stop for long. Today you'll get a better look at it."

"Ok," Quatre nodded, he looked over at Kurt who just looked disinterested.

Marea merely gave Kurt a brief look of pity before disappearing.

Kurt scowled. "Do we have to go?" he asked.

"Better put in an appearence I suppose," his friend shugged.

A different pair of bodyguards from the ones that had been there yesterday were with Gabriel and Marea when the pair entered the foyer.

Kurt and Quatre silently walked over to the president.

"You two ready to go?"

Both teens nodded.

"Yes we are," Quatre said.

Sitting outside was a modified Jackrabbit assault vehicle. Painted grey and tan, it had a cartoon rabbit painted on the nose and the words Peter Rabbit stenciled in underneath. "Let's mount up people."

As Kurt and Quatre climbed aboard, the blond teen noticed the rabbit, "Peter Rabbit?" he remarked.

"Old fairy tale." Gabriel explaned as he got behind the wheel. "Don't know exactly how this particular vehicle got the name though, it's on long term loan from the base."

"I know of it," he replied. "Doesn't seem right on this vehicle."

"Regardless that's what it's named, everyone buckled?"

"Check," Quatre replied.

"Right then, we'll only be a few minutes." Gabriel said as he gunned the engine. The Jackrabbit took off like a rocket, quickly reaching over 100mph as Gabriel steered down the relatively straight road.

Kurt absently watched out the window ignoring what anyone was saying.

The vehicle suddenly came to a screeching halt, rubber marks from the tires being left on the road as Gabriel threw the transmission directly from sixth gear to reverse. Backing up several hundred feet he stopped and got out. He stood and faced the seemingly empty forest. "OK, which one of you used the scented deoderent?"
One of the bushes suddenly stood up, and it could be seen that it was in fact a young soldier, a look on his face somewhere between terror and embarrasment on his face. "Um, that would be me sir."
"And who's in charge that was stupid enough to let you do something as boneheaded as that?"
Another bush moved, revealing another, older soldier. "Sergeant Wilkens, my fault sir, he's fresh out of bootcamp and didn't know better, by the time I realised we were already half way to our post."
"Well see that it doesn't happen again, if I can smell it driving this thing, then everyone within a couple miles must be able to tell you're out here."
"Sir, yes sir!" The pair replied in unison.
"Carry on then." Gabriel replied as he got back in and restarted the Jackrabbit. Before he'd even gotten it in gear the pair had vanished again.

Kurt and Quatre just looked at each other and stayed quiet.

"Sorry about that, but if someone doesn't get these kids straightend out, they're going to get themselves killed."

"They'll only have themselves to blame," Kurt remarked.

"No, they can also blame whoever shot them."

"No, I disagree," Kurt said shaking his head. "They only have themselves to blame for giving away their cover."

"That would be the case if they got someone else shot and killed, but the person who shot is directly to blame for their dying. Unless he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger he isn't to blame for his death, blamed for negligence yes, but not his death."

"If their negligence leads to their death then they only have themself to blame," he replied. "You cannot blame your enemy for killing you as they are following orders."

"That kind of thinking is wrong, once you start saying that following orders makes it all right to do things, then you effectively provide an excuse for people in the armed forces to do anything. A soldier cannot just be a machine that follows every order that is given. They have to be capable of thinking, deity knows, if one of my officers ordered say, the execution of civilian prisoners because they weere inconvient, not only would he hae a mutiny on his hands, and if he survived the incident he'd be put on trial for war crimes. What I'm saying Kurt, is that orders alone and by themselves are not capable of relieving one the burden that comes with killing another, because in the end, it's that soldier who makes the final decision to pull the trigger, not his platoon leader, not his commander, and not the General."

Kurt decided against saying anything more.

Gabriel's tone became softer as he continued. "Each one of us here accepted the fact that every time we pull that trigger a little piece of ourselves dies as well."

Kurt just shrugged and hoped they would arrive at ghost base quickley.

The guards at the base saluted as Gabriel drove through the gates to Ghost base. As they passed the gates a pair of fighters roared overhead, only a few tens of feet above the ground as they raced for altitude after take off. Vehicles and people were everywhere, heading in every direction. Off to one side a column of armored vehicles was forming up for training exercises. Gabriel adrotly manuvered around both people and vehicles, heading for a field on one side of the base. As he pulled to a stop a massive C-94 Albatross transport plane rumbled overhead, coming in for a landing.

While Kurt took no interest in the plane, Quatre watched it land with interest.

"Ok, everybody out. I've arranged for a tour of the base, and then you two get the pleasure of watching me get thrown around like a rag doll at the daily unarmed combat training." Gabriel sported a wicked grin. "If you like, I think I can hitch one or both of you up with a begining group if you want to get some practive in. We even have a melee weapons section that might interest you Kurt."

Kurt raised an eyebrow at the mention of weapons but said nothing. He looked over at Quatre and they both nodded.

"Sounds interesting," the prince remarked.

Gabriel smiled. "Good, and here's our escort, I'd like you two to met Sergeant Lisa Smith."
A striking lady who looked to be in her early twenties and was dressed in camouflaged fatigues had stepped around a M-93 Wolverine battle tank and was rapidly approaching the group.
"She's one of the top drill sargeants here."
She stopped in front of the group and gave a quick salute. "Good morning sirs."
"Good morning Sergeant. These are our two guests."
She looked Kurt and Quatre over and gave a slight nod before smiling. "It's an honor to have you both here."

Kurt and Quatre just silently nodded. They briefly looked at each other before Quatre said, "It's an honour to be here."

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Lisa escorted the group toward one of the base's buildings. "As you've most likely been told, this is Ghost base. We're pretty small compared to most bases, but we still have the component air section. Our airfield can handle even the largest planes and the occasional space shuttle. Normally we have two wings of Raptors on duty, along with enough airlift capability to transport and supply the entire ground component of the base. Groundside we have an overstrength Armored Calvary Division. In addition we serve as a training base for some of the Special Operations units." She glanced over at Gabriel. "Not to mention providing the President with a place where he can train in safety. He also gives lectures on a regular basis here in the evenings."

"Doesn't make me feel any safer," Kurt whispered to his friend.

Entering the building a younger looking man walked up to the party and without a wordput a bear hug on Gabriel who after a moment's surprise returned it, a smile on his face.
"Jordan, what in the fifteen upper levels of Hell are you doing here? I thought your wing was still deployed out of Iceland." Gabriel said joyfully.
The two released each other and stepped back as the newcomer responded. "Well dad, with all the reorganizing going on in anticipation of the possible upcoming campaign we somehow ended up here."
Gabriel clapped his son on the shoulder. "I'll bet General Walker had something to do with this. But I don't think I'll be complaining. Let me introduce you to Kurt and Quatre. Kurt, Quatre, this is my son, Jordan, Wing Commander and in charge of the White Wolves. Our best fighter squadron and our areo stunt team."

"Pleased to meet you," Kurt said.

"A pleasure. Dad, I've got to fly a mission in a few minutes, I'll see if I can't get some time to stop by tonight."
"Enjoy yourself, I'll have some of the good stuff waiting." Gabriel called after the retreating figure as it dashed out the door. "Damn but it's good to see him again, it's been too long. Sergeant, if you'll continue with the tour please."
"Of course sir." The group turned a corner into a large room with a wall screen displaying a map of the world with symbols scattered over it. Banks of computers filled much of the room. "This is our air operations center, from here we can track practicaly everything moving in the air."

"Like the Royal ship for instance," Kurt remarked as he and Quatre looked around.

"No, we only hadle atmospheric craft and ground operations here. Most of the space management is handled on space stations and a few large ground stations."

"Right," Kurt then nodded.

Lisa took them out of the building and through another operations center, this one for ground operations before heading outside.

"Looks interesting," Quatre said to Kurt.
"Yeah," the prince said with a nod.

"We'll have to drive to get across the rest of the base." Lisa said just as sirens went off around the base's air strip."
"What's going on?" Gabriel asked.
Marea looked up from where she had been querying her wrist comp just as an ambulance and a pair of firetrucks raced by. "A Raptor took a bird through the engine on final approach. It destroyed that engine and something must have blown out because his other engine is only giving intermitent power."

Kurt and Quatre looked at each other, 'This could be interesting', the prince thought.

As more crash trucks raced down the airstrip they could see the plane coming in in the distance. A steam of smoke trailing underneath, it occasionally dropped almost straight down and then struggled back upwards as the remaining engine failed at random intervals. The runway had been covered in fire retardent foam in anticipation of a crash landing. Gingerly the pilot tried to set down when the engine gave out again, the plane hit the ground far harder than it was designed to and the landing gear collapsed as it slid down the runway sending out a spray of foam to either side. With a lurch it suddenly pivoted and then started barrelrolling down the strip, finally flipping twice nose over tail before coming to a rest. A thin stream of smoke could be seen coming from somewhere within the mass of wreckage a second before the plane burst into flames as the pilot and co-pilot somehow dragged themselves out of the plane as firemen poured foam on the flaming wreckage. One of the people who had joined the group in rushing to check on the pair was the plane's mechanic.
Looking up at the mechanic the pilot, obviously suffering from a concussion spoke. "Can you fix it?"
Everyone broke out laughing as the mechanic looked over at the remaints of the plane where the flames had ebcome so hot the firefighting crews had retreated before it.
"Bolts, given some time I can do the impossible, I can't bring back the dead." He replied.

Kurt scowled at the mention of bringing back the dead. He didn't like to be reminded of death right now.

The ambulance came over and the pair of airmen were loaded on stretchers and taken away to the hospital.
"Glad we build those things with the expectation they're going to be shot to pieces. Any other plane would have flown apart after a crash like that."

"Seen it happen to our fighters," Quatre remarked.

"It's ugly when it does. Well there goes about ten million dollars worth of aircraft. But we've got plenty of those in storage, I'm just glad the pilot and co-pilot got out alive."

Quatre nodded. "Machinery is replaceable, lives aren't," he said

The runway cleared the group drove across the field and reached the part of the base set aside for infantry training. Gunshots could be heard at frequent intervals, along with the sounds of unarmed combat.

Kurt sat back in the seat and watched out the window. He wished he was back in Draconis Nightcrawlis where he would feel more comfortable.

"This is part of our urban combat training center. This street and the buildings on it can be configured in a variety of ways, with troops having to do everything from simply clearing a building to rescuing hostages."

Kurt took a look around at the street but said nothing. Quatre was doing the same.

The group passed a shooting range before coming to an open lot covered with mats. Soldiers could be seen sparing on many of the mats, some unarmed, others with knives or other weapons.

"So what have you got planned?" Quatre asked.

"Well the President is here for his twice weekly sparring session. But I can arrange for you two to get some begining level unarmed or knife fighting practice. Or you can head to the shooting range." Lisa looked back at Kurt. "We also have a specialist in older weapons. Some of the soldiers prefer more archanic weapons for close combat. I personally prefer a knife myself."

"What about swords?" Quatre asked.

"We have some of those as well. If you want, we can arrange a match."

"We have some of those as well. If you want, we can arrange a match for one or both of you."

"Both I think would be the case," he then said.

"Will you be dueling with each other, or would you prefer to each face a seperate opponent?"

A sly grin crossed Kurts face. "I think against each other would be perfect," he said.

"Ok, I'll have the equipment readied for you both. If you'll grab an empty mat I'll have it brought out to you."

"Right," Kurt nodded before he and Quatre went over to an empty mat.

A few moments later a hovering pallet appeared with a pair of swords and two belts on it and hovered next to the pair.

"What are the belts for?" Quatre asked.

It was Gabriel who answered. "Each of the swords has a weak repeller field built in. There are matching fields in the belts. Togeather they mean you two can swing away at each other as much as you want with having to worry about cutting the other up in a possibly permanent manner."

"Ah right," the blond teen nodded.

Your car is being towed. Please pay $200 to reclaim or your car will be crushed in one hour.







Your car has been crushed.






Please collect your cube.

Your car is being towed. Please pay $200 to reclaim or your car will be crushed in one hour.







Your car has been crushed.






Please collect your cube.

"Have fun you two." Gabriel said as he moved to a mat a few yards away and began stretching in preperation for his own match.

"Oh we will," Kurt said, his grin had become very wide. "Your arse is mine Quatre."

A few soldiers had wandered over when the swords had come out and were in a group watching.
"Ten bucks says the blue one can take him." One soldier said.
"You're on." Another replied which set off calling of bets by the rest of the soldiers.

I realise you two are about to duel to the death but any chance one of you two double-parked outside? There's some guy out there crushing a beautiful Ford Capri into a cube.

By the way, before you swing that sword, your fly is undone. Would be a shame if you caught something mid-flight. Might be a tough one to explain to the missus.

Kurt smirked to himself as he heard the soldiers taking bets. Both he and Quatre took a sword and belt at the same time.

By now word had spread and it looked like close to half the base had shown up for the fight. Gabriel glanced over at Lisa. "I wonder how everyone learned about this so fast."
Lisa returned her best innocent look. "Beats me sir, certainly a Drill Sargeant wouldn't think of arranging for it to be annouced over the duty comms."
"Sure, and I was born yesterday." Gabriel returned the grin.

I'm just doing my job.... no need to run to the mods. I am a decent "gamer" too but I have to deal with illegally parked cars to keep myself in armani suits. If you're crushing cars for a living, you might as well look good.

You have fun swordfighting though!!!

Putting the belt on, Quatre looked across at Kurt who was grinning at him. Both raised their swords and stared at each other.

Gabriel's own sparring partner arrived, but he too turned to watch the sword fight.

The two began moving around in a circle, eyes fixed on each other. Each waiting for the other to make the first move.

Around them the soldiers cheered them on.

OOC: oops

Kurt grinned before disappearing into a cloud of brimstone scented smoke. He appeared behind Quatre and made his move. The blond had antitipated the move and turned around, quickly blocking the blow.

"They're good." Lisa said with a hint of admiration in her voice.
"I'm willing to bet they know each other well enough that it will be some time before any serious blow is made." Gabriel replied.

Neither teen took any notice of what was going on around them as they circled around again. This time it was Quatre who made the first move. He ushed the sword away and gave himself an open area at which he could strike. However with Kurts agile nature he was easily able to avoid the sword.

"See, what'd I tell you?" Gabriel said.

Quatre himself had to use his less agile nature to its fullest as he quickly had to avoid Kurt's counter attack. Another clash of metal and the two were staring at each other once more.

"They seem to be fairly evenly matched." Marea said.
"It certainly looks like it." Dawn, one of the bodyguards replied.

Another clash of metal and the two were off again.

"You're losing your touch," Kurt taunted his friend as he ducked another attack.

This time he kicked the feet right out from under the blond and Quatre fell on his back. Kurt placed his foot on his friends chest and held his sword down at his neck.

"I do believe this fight is mine," he grinned.

The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and groans depending on which fighter a particular person had bet on.
"Good job Kurt." Gabriel called out.
"Shall we start sir before they get going again?" Gabriel's opponent, easily seven feet tall and solid muscle asked.
"With pleasure."
Each of the pair took up a fighting stance, one at each end of the mat.

Kurt helped his friend to his feet, they then went to watch Gabriel fight.

For long moments neither fighter moved. When they finally did it was impossible to tell which one had made the first move they were so fast. A flurry of blows and parrys connected when suddenly Gabriel went flying backwards through the air, hitting the mat hard, only to roll upright and block a shot for his throat and then bring down an elbow on his assailent's arm hard enough that even through the heavy padding the sound of hard contact could be heard. Gabriel's opponent attempted to use Gabriel's arm for leverage and flip him but Gabriel broke the lock and fired a series of three quick punches to his opponent's stomach that sent him stumbling back despite the padding.

Kurt watched with interest, he didn't even notice that his tail was swaying from side to side.

Both men's expressions were emotionless as the fight continued. In a duplicate of Kurt's earlier move Gabriel's opponent swept Gabriel's feet out from under him, but Gabriel caught himself and slammed both feet into the man's chest as Gabriel came to his feet. Gabriel tried for a high kick and it was caught on his opponent's arm, who used the oppertunity to slam an open palm into Gabriel's chin, snapping his head back. Gabriel twisted with the blow, reducing the impact and breaking free of the lock. The two collided again in a fury of blows and blocks, suddenly without warning Gabriel's opponent found himself face down on the mat, one arm twisted behind his back and Gabriel's knee on the back of his neck.
"Point." Gabriel said simply before helping his opponent up.

"I much prefer sword fighting," Kurt yawned.

Both parties brushed themselves off. "Too each their own kid." Gabriel's opponent said. "Another round sir?"
"No, not today Barret, I'm behind schedule because of that crash. Next week though we'll go the full five."
"I'm looking forward to the rematch."
"Likewise."

Kurt felt that Gabriels opponent was obviously a savage, but knew better then to say that out aloud.

"So what now?" he asked Gabriel.

Gabriel rejoined the group. "Captain Barret is always good for a match. He enjoys it almost as much as I do." Gabriel worked his chin back and forth and it popped as it snapped back into the socket. "It's good for focusing the mind, not to mention handy to know in a pinch."

Kurt just shrugged. "I still prefere sword fighting," he replied.

"As he said, to each their own I guess. I personally haven't used a sword in over fifty years."

"Fifty years is a long time," Kurt remarked.

"Fifty years is a long time, but I have my reasons, as I had my reasons when I sheathed my grandfather's sword for the last time."

Kurt just nodded, he decided not to ask why.

Gabriel abruptly changed the subject. "If you would like, after I finish my work for the day, we can explore the forests around here."

"What of interest are there in the forests?" Kurt asked.

"Everything, unlike most countries, we haven't killed off all our animals or cut down our forests. Everything is old growth and I've never gone hiking without seeing something new and interesting."

"Just like our forests then," Quatre pointed out. "I don't like all those countries that chop then every tree they find for profit."

"It won't happen here, most of the land is protected for all time, by Presidental order number five."

"So what can we do in the meantime?" Kurt asked.

Gabriel frowned. "Not much I'm afraid, I don't want either of you getting more than a few seconds away from me, otherwise I might not be able to reach you in time should something happen. I guess that leaves the books, TV, and the computer and anything else you can think of to do inside."

Kurt and Quatre looked at each other.

"I guess that will have to do," the blond teen sighed.

"I'm sorry, it's not right or fair, but for the moment it's the best I can do."

"I'm used to it," Kurt remarked.

The group stopped outside one fo the buildings while Gabriel went in and changed out of his sparring equipment. "Let's go people." He said when he emerged.

Kurt looked over at Quatre before they both followed.

The ride back was without incident and Gabriel disappeared inside his office shortly after getting back.

"So what do you want to do?" Quatre asked.

"I dunno, laze about in front of the telly I guess," Kurt shrugged.

"Sounds fine to me,"

After an hour or so a sudden shouted yell was heard from Gabriel's office followed by the sound of several gunshots in close succession.

Kurts head shot up from the settee that he and Quatre had been sitting on as they watched the telly. "What was that?" he said.

"Go out and check," the blond teen suggested.

Kurt reluctantly got up from the settee and walked over to the door, opening it he peered out.

The President's bodygaurd's had already burst into the President's office, guns raised. Gabriel stood up behind his desk, still smoking pistol pointed at a creature similar to the one that had kidnapped Kurt and Quatre. To say it was quite dead was redundent.

Kurt shivered and ducked back into the room where the telly was.

Gabriel walked over to get a closer look at the creature. "Damn thing popped out of midair in the middle of the room. Took it about half a second to see me and try to charge. Anyone want to bet it was aiming for Kurt and Quatre and got the wrong room?"
No one took Gabriel up on his offer. "Ok, get this thing out of here and give it to the lab boys, maybe they can tell us something about it, wait, scratch that, get those two in here first, they probly know more about it than we do."
Marea nodded once and disappeared to grab the two boys.

Kurt was stood silently by the door while Quatre was still sat on the settee.

"Gabreil would like to see you two in his office please." Marea said when she stepped across the hall.

"Ok," Kurt nodded.

Once Quatre got up from the settee, they followed Marea to Gabriels office.

"Can you two tell me anything about this thing?" Gabriel asked from where he was still examining the creature.

Kurt looked over at the creature and shivered. "It looks like one of Azazel's lackies," he said.

Gabriel gave a strained grin. "We guessed that much, but aside from the obvious facts they can teleport and aren't quite bullet proof, we don't know anything. Can you tell us something more?"

Kurt shook his head. "Thats all I know," he said.

"Thanks then, ok, Mack, get this thing to the lab, Rila, get someone in here to clean up the floor, Marea, could you get some packs togeather for a hike, I'm suddenly feeling the need for some fresh air."

Kurt just looked toward his friend, Quatre shrugged back at him.

Marea came back a moment later, three packs in her arms and one on her back. She offered one each to Gabriel, Kurt and Quatre.

OOC: Damn server :x

The two teens just quietly took the packs, neither had liked the idea of one of Azazels lackies getting to the base.

Gabriel strapped his own pack on. "Hopefully Arthur will have finished coming up with a way to block these teleports by the time we get back. He's been working on the problem non stop for the last couple of days."

Kurt nodded as he strapped his pack on, "I hope so, I don't want to have to fight one of them," he said, looking over at Quatre who was strapping his pack on.

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"We're all lucky it pick the wrong room in more than one sense of the term to appear in. Damn but those things move fast."

"Preferably not at all," Kurt remarked.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Gabriel pushed open a door at the back of the house and they walked directly into the forest from the house.

The two teens followed Gabriel, neither said anything.

Within a few steps the house had completely disappeared, swallowed up by the heavy growth. The sounds of birds and other animals filled the air with a relaxing melody. Many of the worry and age lines gradually disappeared from Gabriel's face, making him look years younger as he followed some unseen path.

Kurt sniffed the air, he could sense the calmness of the nature around him. It took alot off his shoulders as he slowly forgot all that happened to him.

Gabriel suddenly held up his hand for the group to stop. He knelt down on one knee and a large wolf suddenly appeared from out of the forest, emerging as if it had materialized from the very earth itself. It walked over to Gabriel who reached out and rubbed it behind the ears while murmuring something too soft to be heard. The Wolf gave a few low growls in return before it turned and disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared. Gabriel stood up and brushed his pants off.

"An old friend of yours?" Kurt remarked with a sly grin.

"In a sense. There are guardians of this world who do not walk on two legs. There's a pack moving through the area, we needn't worry about anything as long as they're here."

"That's good to know then," Kurt said.

A few minutes later the group stopped where the forest ended at the edge of a small clearing. Gabriel pointed to where a mother deer and her fawns were drinking from a small pond.

"Interesting," Kurt remarked.

"We have huge herds of deer outside Exetergrecia," Quatra said.

"Most of this country is filled with wildlife." Gabriel said as they moved on. "Our ties to the land are far tighter than those of most other people."

"It is an offence to the Gods to cut ties with nature," Kurt mentioned.

"There is that as well." Gabriel mentioned, a hint of both mystery and amusment in his voice.

"By severing ties with nature you are effectively severing your ties with the Gods and they take that personally,"

"Then we have nothing to worry about in that case."

Kurt shook his head. "No because I would rather not be on the recieving end of Mjollnir," he then told him.

"Enough talk of gods, we mere mortals have our own problems to deal with. Besides, we're almost there."

"Ok," Kurt replied, raising an eyebrow.

It was several more minutes before they broke into another clearing. But rather than a pond, in it's center was a massive oak tree.

Kurt looked up at the massive oak tree, he wondered if it stood for the same meaning here as it did back home.

Gabriel waved the pair forward. "Come on, this isn't what I came to show you."

"So what is it that you've brought us out here to see?" Quatre asked.

"You'll see." Gabriel said as he knelt down at the base of the tree. After a moment he found what he was looking for, and brushing some tall grass aside revealed a tunnel beneath the oak. Having to bend almost double to go through it Gabriel disapeared into it's opening. "Come on." His voice came up the tunnel.

Kurt and Quatre looked at each other before entering the tunnel.

Heavily filtered light shown down from above, providing enough light to see by. Several feet in the tunnel opened up, allowing the group to stand up right. Further down, after what seemed like a few hundred feet of twisting tunnel Gabriel stopped standing in front of a dimly lit engraved stone covered with ancient runes. "I take it neither of you can read this." Gabriel said, his voice strangly distracted.

"We can read some runes, still learning though," Kurt said, looking at the runes

"Well I'll read these particular runes for you." Gabriel kneeled down almost reverently before the stone and traced the runes with his hand, eyes closed. "I am she who is both darkness and light, none know my true name, but many call me by others. I am nowhere and yet everywhere at once. Those who touch this stone shall gain the power to walk the razor's edge between dark and light, shadow and sun, but with that power shall come great responsibility. Woe be it to they who accept such power and abuse it, for their fall shall be an enternity of torture and suffering in darkness. So touch and accept that which is both a gift and burden, or leave with my blessing and never return."

"So who is it about," Kurt asked.

"There's more yet to see Kurt. You have only seen the light, now see the shadow." Gabriel answered in that same distracted tone. He moved his hand lower on the stone, around them the shadows seemed to grow until the light was almost wholy gone, and beneath Gabriel's hand glowing runes appeared. "They who can read this have accepted the burden and the gift. Strive always with honor to protect nature and the innocent, for all creatures are as one. Evil always hides in the darkness and shadows, but those who know the path can use the darkness and shadows for good. Beware! Stray not from the path, for those that lurk in the shadows always seek to feed on those who live in the light. When lost in the darkness, remember always my light, it will guide you back always to the path. Now leave my child, and may my blessing go with you."
As Gabriel pulled his hand back the runes faded until they disappeared and the shadows retreated once more.

Kurt stayed silent as he tried to figure out what it was all about.

"Do you understand?" Gabriel asked. "No, then we should go, but know that she who's name is not known watches over us."

"Ok," Kurt said. "Just a thought, does it have anything to do with the gift that Gabriel passed onto me?"

"I wouldn't know what gift that would be, but I somehow doubt it. From what little I know of him, he would not be subservient to any mere god."

"Ah right," Kurt said.

"Now let us leave, ancient power slumbers here, and it is best that it is not awakend without great need."

"Yes I agree," Kurt said, his tail was flicking from side to side.

Once the group was outside and clear of the tunnel one of the oak's roots shifted until the tunnel had disappeared behind a wall of wood.

"Well that was interesting," Kurt said with a smile.

"Yes, well, we should probly head back, it'll be dark soon."

"Dark so soon?"

"We were down there for a good three hours Kurt." Gabriel answered.

"We were?" he said, surprised he had so easily lost track of time.

"Don't be concerned. It happens under these kinds of circumstances."

Kurt just shrugged and followed Gabriel as he led them back.

The first thing to great them as they reentered the house was Arthur's voice. "I finally did, I've found a way to block those damn teleports."
"That's great, now we just have to figure out how we can use it."

"Would that block my teleporting as well?" Kurt asked with concern.

"Yes, I could already block most forms of teleporting, but the type you use is different from anything else I've ever seen."

"Really?" Kurt said sounding almost surprised.

"Yeah really, I'm still not quite sure how it works, but I've found a way to jam it."

"And then we won't have Azazel's lackies showing without warning,"

"Yeah, and when the time comes, we can use it to trap him so he can't run away." Gabriel added.

"Oh that'll be good," Kurt said with a grin.

"I think that should definately be an unpleasent surprise for him. And now that they can't simply teleport in, conventonal defensives measures should be more than enough protection." Gabriel favored the pair with a grin. "What do you two say to some intensive training followed by us taking the offensive?"

"That sounds good," Kurt shrugged.

"Then let's eat and tomorrow you two will join me in a shortend basic training course. It's not going to be nice or pretty, but it'll be worth it."

Quatre grimaced, he wasn't into any of that but he knew that the prince would taunt him if he chickened out of it.

"That will be fun," Kurt grinned.

"That's what you think. But then again, it's too late to back out. I'll have the base alerted, we leave at five tomorrow morning."

"Right," Kurt nodded.

With the spectre of a kidnapping or worse gone for the time being, dinner passed and night passed quickly. Kurt and Quatre were awakend by a knocking on their door at four thirty the next morning. "Get up or we'll be late."

Kurt growled as he woke up. He looked up and saw that Quatre was already dressed and heading toward the door. As the prince finally got out of bed, his friend had left the room.

"There's only time for a quick breakfast, hurry up Kurt!"

Kurt grumbled as he left the room.

The sounds of a vehicle starting could be heard out front.

"Guess that means breakfast is over," Kurt remarked.

"Let me put it this way, when the Sargeant gets angry, I get scared." Gabriel said on his way out the door.

"Do I get diplomatic immunity?" Kurt suddenly asked as he and Quatre followed Gabriel out the door.

"What do you think?" Gabriel asked as he slammed the vehicle into gear.

"I'm hoping yes," Kurt remarked.

"Then I'm afraid you're in for a rather rude awakening. The last person who tried the diplomatic immunity bit is said to still be running laps. Sargent Conner doesn't know the meaning of the term."

"Right," the prince said looking over at Quatre.

Gabriel skidded into the base.
"Come on, it's almost roll call!"

Kurt groaned, what had he and Quatre let themselves in for.

Gabriel raced into an open field, stopping at the end of a line of people, gesturing for Kurt and Quatre to follow his example.

My thriving economy of 124 million is ready for war. I want to take out a smaller nation of about 30 million but dont know how. Help?

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