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Part 31: Workshop of the telescopes =========================================================== This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 16:23, Thu 16 Sept 2004. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jonnee ----------------------------------------------------------- "Oh man! I got such a bad feeling about this. My wrists are getting itchy, and that's always a bad sign!" Jonnee moves to the edge of the walkway and looks down, leaning far out over the rail. After a half minute or so, he pulls back and starts to absently ruffle Hunter's fur as he asks, "Jadus, where do the lower tunnels join with the ones up here? Or do they open" he jerks a thumb towards the rail, "down there?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack rose setting the cream soda down, “Jonnee’s right if there is an intruder here it may have nothing to do with us, but that’s a chance we can hardly take. It could be the man that Kaelyn and James mentioned. Is there any way you could direct us to a place in front of the intruder? A map of this place if only mental. Jonnee moves fast, he could flank the intruder while we go to greet them directly.” His countenance easy still easy. “Also may I use my power to try and find this intruder?” Jack asked politely =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- "Berd cannot see the intruder, though he has tried. Perhaps you will have better luck, Jack." Cyan frowns, and carefully places the little dragon down on the seat so recently vacated by the white-haired man. Berd shuffles around a little, sighing. "Jadus - what are our options? Some of us control the forces of the world around us - is that possible here?" Hefting Kirilindë, Cyan narrows her ruby eyes. Where will this man emerge? That question has been asked already, by both Jack and Jonnee, so she forebears. Glancing at the others, she waits to see what they will offer and, of course, what Aaron will decide. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Fear not, Jack," a voice says, suddenly close, as if the speaker had simply materialised out of the air, "For, as you can plainly see, I have found my own way here without the benefit of your proposed escort." "Ah, forgive me, have I startled you? I assure you, I mean no harm to any of you. I am sure that James will vouch for my good will? A great pity that the delightful Lady Kaelyn is not here to do the same." The newcomer sketches a shallow bow, "Please allow me to introduce myself... I am Luke. Your names, I am already familiar with, so there is no need for you to return the favour." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- Cyan's turn isn't a 'blur'; it is simply without hesitation, reaction time infintessimal, as 'Luke's' voice comes from nearby. Her sword is half-drawn as she lays eyes on him - not due to lack of speed, but from uncertainty of need. The bard's peripheral vision picked up no threat - and now she can see the man standing before them offers none...visibly. "Berd?" she whispers. The drake merely stares at Luke with a peculiar expression on his reptilian features. Crystal eyes slowly clearing to dark emerald, Cyan slides her sword back into the battered, wooden sheath, the silvery light of the blade extinguishing. "Luke?" A glance toward James. "I have heard tell of you, sir, but not enough to inspire trust, I fear." She keeps her tone courteous, and nothing more. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- James turns as well. He's not as fast as Kaelyn and he's still trying to process the information Argus has just handed him but he's conscious of the threat posed by this newcomer. He relaxes slightly when he recognises Luke, but not much. "As far as appearances can be relied upon it's Luke. It certainly sounds like him. Many of the things he said to Kaelyn made sense to me. But..." James pauses and bows slightly to Luke, "I will not vouch for your good will until I know more of your wider purpose. And I cannot afford to blindly trust anyone with the ability to walk into Jadus' sanctuary unchallenged. Nothing personal." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Aaron was loathe to unsheathe Ilsefranvir at the drop of a hat now, despite the fact that a piece of his nature sometimes demanded otherwise. Such as whenever he was around Kaelyn... but that seemed forever and a day ago, now. Jack's reappearance had him in good spirits, though he had one or two questions for the man, and his own plans were boiling at the back of his head, ready to emerge just as this man, Luke, appeared. "I must agree with James," Aaron spoke to their new arrival, and stepped forwards. "If you know all of our names, that means you have informers in one place or another. Also, since you seem to have absoluetly no trouble breaking the confines of Jadus' sanctuary, that too means you've got access to particular, and peculiar, talents." Allowing a small smile, Aaron looked to Cyan, James, and Jonnee. "Relax, for now. Let's see why Luke's here before we make snap judgements." Raising an eyebrow and cocking his head to the side slightly, he posed a simple question. "What do you want?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack did not startle, instead he turned to the man feeling for barrage of questions he must endure. While the others talked Jack favored Luke with a neutral but strangely reassuring smile, as if to say something. Instead he knelt down by the ice chest and spoke to Berd. “What have we here little Drake, I do believe I brought the makings of the dinner I promised you.” setting his staff down he lifted the lid, dragonett and all, mindful of his small friend. Reaching in he pulled out a tine of Cream soda and tossed it to Luke. He set the lid and dragon back in place giving Berd a stroke before looking at Luke again still crouched down. “Forgive me for adding to the list of things being thrown at you, but they all boil down to the same thing. Who are you and what do you want?” Jack favored him with an apologetic smile “I am told I am blunt and that’s it’s one of my worse qualities, so indulge me if you would.” Jack’s brow now bent in concern “It is however distressing, you know our names, you have been following us and spying on us uninvited. Poor for old boy, very poor form, so you’ll understand why me and my fellows are less than trusting. “ The concerned look faded again into the neutral yet reassuring smile that gave little away. “Still Kaelyn I believe equated you with me if I remember correctly, so that is points in your favor. So what is your story? What do you want?” Only now as Jacks face came into the light did they all seem a gleam in his deep blue eyes, something unreadable almost bordering on alien. Cracks and breaks of the pattern reflected from within. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- Luke catches the cream soda with ease, almost without looking. Instead his eyes are locked on Cyan. After a long moment he tears his gaze away, and looks at the othes in the group, one by one, "Who am I? I am... Luke. Though I will admit that I have used other names in other places. Am I spying on you? Let us say, rather, that your activities came to my attention, and I have an interest in their outcome." He opens the drink and takes a sip. "Which brings us to the other question: what do I want? Simply put, I want you to succeed." "While it is true that I have little regared for the rulers of both Amber and Chaos, that which you face would not be an improvement if it ruled in their place. As I tried to explain to Kaelyn a little while ago: sometimes my enemy's enemy is my enemy also." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- "Why?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Why what?" Luke replies, "Why is my enemy's enemy sometimes my enemy or why did I try to explain that to Kaelyn?" He pauses as if considering his answer carefully, "If the former, then because this threat to Amber and Chaos also threatens me, as it does all living creatures. So why shouldn't I take an interest in it? Perhaps you are trying to imply that this quest is some sort of... private club, which only members can have any interest in?" "If the latter, then because I want to see this group succeed, and the loss of a member - for any reason - might meen the difference between success and failure. Which brings us back to my answer to the first question." A smile, friendly, genuine, and somehow worrying, "Suppose I told you that I have a way to win the War, and it can be done within twenty four hours? Ah... forgive me, Jack, perhaps I should address that to Aaron, since he is your leader? I often find it is more profitable to address the artisan, rather than the tool... " "What say you, Aaron? What do you want? Want to punch your brother's nose, for a change?" A nod towards Jadus, and for the first time it sinks in that Aaron's brother has neither moved, nor spoken since Luke arrived. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack smiled, "The why is only to give you free reign to answer how you like, I myself would mean it as why sould we trust you? Some times your enemy's enemy, is everyones enemy. We are not here to talk of sometimes, we are here to talk of this time. But I will not stand in the way of you talking to Aaron or anyone else. " Jack moved the side over by Cyan and rested his hand on hers. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- Cyan listens to the back and forth between Jack and this new person...Luke. She frowns, thoughtfully, at his words, obviously giving them serious consideration. Interesting point of view...refreshing, actually. And his offer...truth, or merely an object lesson? It couldn't hurt to take him up on it.... Then Jack moves to stand beside her, and Cyan's ruby eyes flick to him for a moment. At that instant, before he touches her, another thought occurs to her. Why was Luke studying me? Berd merely curls up in a ball, setting his head down on his cross front claws, watching Luke with one, glittering eye. At one point he sighs forth a small, silver cloud of smoke that fades almost instantly. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Luke's question startled Aaron, his eyebrow rising in inquiry almost before the "What do I...?" emerged from his lips. Yet Aaron shook his head at Lukes' statement. "No. I have no need to strike my brother." Looking to Jadus, Aaron nodded, almost in a sort of agreement at the fact that the man was frozen. "Though his methods are... somewhat tactless, he and I are similar in that one way at times." Another look, this one less patient, emerged. "Though I do tire of his attempts at superiority." Running a hand through his golden-brown locks, Aaron steadied his gaze at Luke and smiled a small smile. "You say that you have a way to win this war in very little time. You interest me with such a statement." Stepping towards Luke, he appraised him with an almost knowing stare. "First, I wish to know exactly how you think we can stop this war in twenty-four hours. And secondly, I want to know the price of such a tactic. What will it cost me?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- Dismissing Jack's comments as irrelevant, Luke studies Aaron as closely as Aaron studies him. "I see you are no stranger to the concept of cost. How is the new hand, by the way? That was an interesting idea, sacrificing yourself like that to save San Annyn. A pity you misunderstood the true nature of the orb at that point. Ah... I apologise, you haven't unravelled the orb you carry yet, have you? Occasionally I find Time a little confusing." He tilts the can of cream soda to his lips, and grimaces. Tipping the can upside down, he pours out what looks to be dark sand, until it resolves itself into a swarm of ants which scatter across the walkway. "Time, you see. That won't happen until later, when I drop the empty can by the ant nest." A half smile, and a shrug. "Ah... we were talking of costs. To you, there will be no cost. Not personally. However, across all of Shadow... " and here he gives Cyan a nod and a knowing wink, "... the Myriad Worlds, as some would prefer them named, you would be looking at death, torture or enslavement for as many as one person in every five. I feel that may be worth it considering how many could suffer." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- "No." Cyan steps forward, voice cold, eyes mirrored like icy obsidian. "Forgive me Aaron." The bard turns back to Luke. "I am more than willing to pay a cost, but you speak not of costs, Luke. We cannot pay what we cannot own, the lives of the people. You speak of sacrifice. Of blind sacrifices, and while I will sacrifice myself, to sacrifice others...that is something to which I will never, ever agree." She waves her hand in an all-encompassing gesture. "I will never agree to an answer that steals from those it is purported to save. Yes, even if it only be one in five. One in ten. One in a million." Her fist clenches. "If you brought a single person here before me, and said, 'See, all of you. Sacrifice this one and all others will be saved', and that person no volunteer, be they squalling orphan with not ties or greybeard with a full life behind, I would say no. And I will. No good can come of evil. If that means we need to find a harder means to save all, then we shall. If it means that millions will die in wars, then they will. For they will die free, not condemned to death as a sacrifice so others will live. The survivors will continue without blood on their hands. And if it means that we fail, and all is doomed...." Her lips thin. "So be it. For if the Myriad Worlds must choose to paint its sky with the blood of sacrifice, to build foundation upon evil, then better it all die trying to find another way. I will not aid in such an enterprise." "Nor would I stand idly by while it is carried out." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Berd ----------------------------------------------------------- Berd, eyeridge cocking slightly, turns his gaze upon Luke. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- "Wait Cyan, right or not we at least owe it to Luke to hear him out." Jack smiled at Luke a neutral smile. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- Paying no attention to Jack, Luke smiles at Cyan, indulgently, as one might smile at a child who had expressed some foolish notion. "Cyan... my dear Cyan. I did not say I would give this option to Aaron, nor did I say that he should use it if I did. My words were, Suppose I told you that I have a way to win the War, and it can be done within twenty four hours?" His hands clasp before him, long fingers interlacing. So where did the can go? "Call it an exercise in speculation. What would Aaron say, or think, or do, if I told him I could give him such a thing? I did not say, Aaron, here is how you can win, and then lay out all the details for him." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Berd ----------------------------------------------------------- Cyan's eyes narrow and she opens her mouth to respond...then closes it, turning to stare at Berd for an instant. The drake's eyes are open and dancing, tiny sparkles shimmering within them. For an instant her mouth thins, then the bard, looking frustrated and abashed simultaneously, steps back, folding her arms and waiting. Berd turns his eyes back to Luke. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian, with a frown on his face, says nothing while watching Luke. He studies the man like an artists studies a subject, or an interrogator studies an enemy. "Those odds are acceptable to me, Aaron," he mutters quietly with a smirk, knowing no one else would share his view, anyway. In truth, he still wouldn't accept the deal. Perhaps their enemy was also Luke's enemy, but that didn't make Luke a friend, and in Dorian's eyes that made him an enemy and there was never room for cooperation with an enemy. Enemies were to be manipulated, used and destroyed, but not bargained with, or cooperated with. "Except, the odds are rather deceptive, aren't they? One out of every five 'shadow dwellers'.... this would create an unprecedented drop in real-estate prices, which would cause entire economies to collapse over night, prices in all markets would fluxuate uncontrollable trying to compensate, unemployment would sky rocket in the wake of comercial failures. The entire shadow-wide economy would become depressed and then we'd see more like 9 out of evern 10 shadow dwellers lacking food and other basic needs, not much better off than the 20% you mentioned, I think." It was all theoretical, of course. Luke's reaction was the important part. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Economics!" Luke replies, laughing, "Do I look like a grain merchant or money lender, Dorian, to be concerned with such trivial matters as mere currencies?" Without turning, he adds, "Oh... Jack, your current activity is neither as subtle, nor as comprehensive as you might like to think. Continuing with it much longer may draw unwanted attention, and there is no guarantee that you would detect that attention." "Now... where was I? Ah yes... Dorian. I have little interest in conventional wealth. Measuring my success in other ways. Still I fully understand the situation you describe, even if it is an over-simplification." "This is almost like a test: Aaron spotted that there must be a price for this easy victory, and Dorian found a flaw in the logic of that price. Cyan's outburst, while fuelled by pure emotion, was a valid one, nevertheless." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Berd ----------------------------------------------------------- Berd blinks, his eyes darkening somewhat. He shifts around rather like a disturbed cat, trying to find a comfortable position, then settles again. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- After all was said, Aaron again nodded in agreement with Luke's statements. To Cyan and Dorian, he turned and spoke. "Luke is correct. While the fact remains that such a price would be devestating, you must understand that it's a price that, while you, or even I, wouldn't pay it, there are those in power who would see such a sacrifice as, well," he sighed, shrugging. "Miniscule." A nod to Luke, then: "A very interesting test, Luke. But, there's more to it, I take it? Personally, I think that you wish to see just how deep the lot of us will think when considering what we'll have to do just to take care of our problem. When you consider the possibility of our enemies dominating the entirety of Shadow, I can understand why some in Chaos or Amber would see that price, one person out of anything, as small." To all of them, he spoke now, his voice carrying. "We all must consider the possibility that people in Amber or the Courts are actively considering making a deal with the Archons. But also, we too must totally consider just how far we're willing to go to stop this menace." Raising his eye to Luke, he sighed. "Am I wrong in any of this?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jonnee ----------------------------------------------------------- Jonnee stays quiet. This Luke has a smart mouth on him, and he's not afraid to use it. Personally, Jonnee had always believed you learned more by listening than by talking. Besides, back on the ship, he made a promise to Aaron. Could be time to see if he needs to follow up on it. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack looked Luke over "You may make good points, or then again do you? Still you are playing games. What is it exactly that you want from us? If you are are so sharp and powerful, what need do you have of us?" He kept the neutral smile. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Berd ----------------------------------------------------------- Berd glances toward Aaron, then the rest of the group, slowly eyeing each person in turn before looking back to Luke. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- With a sigh, Luke closes his eyes for a moment, a small frown creasing his forehead. "Forgive me, Aaron, for I find I must take a moment to deal with one who insists on yapping at my heels like a small dog who feels his overblown sense of importance threatened." "Jack, just because I could deal with this threat does not mean I can spare the time. I have a domain of my own to rule over, and I have other enemies too, both within and without that domain." "Do the Lords of Amber face this threat themselves? No, they deploy trusted agents to deal with it." He turns back to Aaron then, "Yes, a test of sorts, though more a testing of the waters than a testing of your abilities to reason or deduce. A testing of attitudes and mindsets. My main reason for coming here was to bring you a warning. Do not trust Jadus or Argus. Do not discuss your plans in front of them." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- "Yet, I can't help but feeling they would say the same of you, given your presense here. Am I correct, Argus and Jadus?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack shrugged moving completely aside, he casually took the ice chest and said “I think I’ll go take care of my promises.” sending a tendril out to find the kitchen he started off. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- Cyan shoots a sharp glance toward Luke at the insult, then hurries after Jack, coming up beside him. "Jack, a moment." Reaching out, she touches his arm. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- James scowls, "For one who complains about yapping you sure talk a lot. And yet, you haven't really told us anything. The only concrete advice or aid you've given so far is to warn us against Jadus and Argus. Fair enough, duly noted. But, we still don't have any more reason to trust you than we do them." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- With a sigh, Aaron moved and stood beside Luke. Once there, he turned and faced the remainder of his comrades. "Jadus and Argus cannot speak at the moment. That is apparent enough to me, and why it wouldn't be to the rest of you, I can't tell. As for not trusting either of them," he said, looking to the great Argus beneath them, "I agree. Jadus has too much power here to be trusted. Add to that, it's a power that none of us are familiar with, a power that may be manipulating or controlling them both." Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. "I suppose coming here was a mistake," a glance to Luke, then a chuckle. "Though it wasn't totally useless. Jadus' ties outside of this realm may be directed in less friendly places than we know of." Aaron looked in turn then, to Dorian, James, Jonnee, and Andrej. "I trust Jack and Cyan with my life, but that trust has been gained through time, torment and a mutual acceptance of one another. You all have absolutely no reason to trust Luke on his word alone, especially considering your allegiances to Amber. But for exactly those same reasons, I have no reason to trust any of you, either." Another chuckle emerged then, and he continued. "'Necessity makes for strange bedfellows,' it's been said, and I agree, especially in this case. The fact of the matter is, I need to trust you, all of you, because each of you have something I need to use in order to get all of Reality through this destructive phase. The same is of Luke, I say. He has information and abilities that I find necessarry, and therefore I'm forced to trust his judgement. He's already proven that he knows more about us and our situation than even we do." Glancing to Luke, he nodded. "I say, we listen to what the man has to say, and then we make our judgements based on meditation upon his information. Luke isn't commanding us to do anything, as I'm sure you know. Simply put, everyone needs to just shut up and let Luke speak. Forget all of your suspicions, if just for this one moment." "Please, Luke, continue." To Jack then, he glanced, "and you may do so without interruption, save for a few, logical questions." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- Spreading his hands helplessly, Luke says, "James... what would you have me do to provide evidence of my good will. Did I not come before yourself and Kaelyn in the forest in an attempt to prevent a damaging fragmentation of this group?" A sigh, and then, "Very well, I can be more specific in my advice. Jadus is not my concern, but his connection to Argus is. Argus is not an observatory. It is a device intended to defend this realm. Unfortunately, Aaron's brother is not quite as clever as he is fond of imagining." "My apologies for speaking thus, Aaron." "Argus is beyond his control now, and merely pretends to still serve him. The original intention is being subverted, and Argus is not only watching for threats, it is searching Shadow for anything that might constitute a threat at some point in the future." "The Kerhannim were one such potential threat. They lived in a nearby realm, and had barely even learned to make fire or build their own shelters rather than living in caves. They still used tools and weapons of stone." "Argus decided that at some point, in approximately fifteen or twenty or a hundred thousand years, there was a finite possibility that they might, might, take an interest in their neighbours, and that interest could be hostile." Luke turns to face the vast, glittering machine, and extends his right hand towards it, pointing, "The Kerhannim were destroyed by Argus in a single night. Fire rained from the sky and obliterated every trace of their culture. A handful survived the initial slaughter by virtue of the fact that they still lived in the caves. They died too... it just took longer. Argus' weapons poisoned the land and the air, and they died slow, painful deaths." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian looks smug. "Nothing more than I said when I first walked in here and saw Argus, Luke, except with less unverified detail. Perhaps you should tell us something we don't know, before we get... bored." Of course, his initial statement had been a jab, to test both Argus and Jadus. It wasn't surprising that it turned out true, though. If that were true, than his other assessments were likely true as well. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- Cyan freezes beside Jack, horrified, and slowly turns to face Luke. Her face grows more and more pale as the man describes the destruction, the obliteration of an entire people. "By...by that reasoning, then this...this machine might decide to destroy anything," she whispers. "At any time." Her hands tighten on Jack's arm, eyes like onyx flicking to Aaron, then back to the frozen Jadus. "It must be destroyed. Forever. But how, if it is so powerful?" Berd stares inscrutably at the machine, then to Luke. He narrows his eyes for a long moment. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- James looks vaguely uncomfortable, "You're right Luke. It's just that...well, you seem to like playing fairy godfather, waltzing in to dispense advice and offers of assistance. But you were talking around the point. This Kerhannim thing though...Sorry, Aaron, I'll shut up now." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Power corrupts Jack had stopped when cyan had called to him, he could no more deny her then the sun could not rise and the universe move. Then again it looked like the universe could stop, at least for some. He glanced at Jadus and Argus. “By that reasoning it probably will attack us.” Jack said evenly and left it at that, the others could do their own mental arithmetic. He had other things to worry about, how quickly and easily Aaron seemed to throw in with Luke. He stood there eyeing the new comer, he did not like nor trust the man. Much like Leon he was arrogant and his story changed to meet his whim. He did not seem to be able to be straight forward and definitely had other agendas as well. But it was not Jacks place to question. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Yes, Jack. You see the danger you are all in?" Luke looks around him, from face to face, "Not only yourselves, but anybody you might have had contact with. Argus would not want to risk anybody bringing Archons here. The Kerhannim were weak, and all in one place. The Archons are powerful and spread across numerous worlds, and less easy to destroy." "This machinery, for that is what it is, when all is said and done, might decide that Lexy represents a threat. Or Kia. Or Prime. Even Chrissie. It might decide that any one of them could lead the Archons here, simply by trying to find you." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- “Yes,” Jack replied “If it’s true, it might be a threat. Allegedly it is a threat, and that is worth checking into. “However it amuses me how quickly you are willing to latch onto the words of a yipping dog.” The old Jack returned , with his knowing smirk. He slipped an arm confidently around Cyan’s waist and smiled. “So far all we have gotten from you is a show of some strange powers, and words that could be taken as wild and wily. We have seen no proof of much… Not that I am doubting you, only being cautious, you understand. Of course you come in here arrogant as can be, eyeing my fiancée as if she were a side of beef and you a hungry wolf.” “I’ll give you this, with the things you seem to know, no doubt you could lay it all out and make me look the fool. Your words are enough to make me feel I need to check into it, but not enough to pass a death sentence on Argus. I am certain Arron will agree, because it will likely cost him his relationship with his brother such as it is. And I am certain he is not so foolish as to act on something without a fair amount of certainty.” "Do you have any proof Luke?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Odd that you, of all people, should bring up the term, hungry wolf, Jack... what with Kalika's other soul-mate standing so near. You know? The loyal one... " "Enough! Will we play this game until all the worlds end? I come freely, to offer advice and warning, and am treated like a thief in the night!" Luke folds his arms, and seems to suddenly tower above the group. Although his height does not change, his presence certainly does. "Yes, Jack, I listened to your words this time, because for once you spoke true. As to my strange powers... they are no more powers than breathing is a power for you. They are merely a part of what I am. Part of my nature." There is a flicker of darkness about Luke now, like shadows extending from him in all directions, all possible Lukes made suddenly visible, and a noise like the rushing of a great wind, and for a moment he seems to be crowned with lightnings. "My true nature." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack stares confidently upon Luke, not showing anything at his hurtful words, the knowing smile resting in place despite the show. “Impressive…But still not proof. I treat you not like a thief in the night, and will take your advise. But I will weigh it out and check it out myself, not follow blindly. If you thought for a moment that we follow blindly the words of anyone, you would not be talking to us now. Would you? Would you trust us if we were the type to be swayed by a show of power and a few words?" All of the time he spoke, Jack studies the nature of Luke with raw psyche. Looking at each of the Luke’s and stuying them to find as much as he can. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Aaron was at odds with himself at the moment, which was something he was familiar with. However, he didn't like the feeling, and a frown became set upon his face at the sudden display of Luke's considerable abilities. In himself, Aaron felt... connected with Luke. Almost as if... He settled his mind on the thought, and instead took his place between Jack and Luke. His voice rose, his eye not revealing danger nor threat, but it was a concerned warning nonetheless. "Luke, such displays are unnecessarry. If you know my history, you know that aggression, nor the use of considerable power, visually or otherwise, will sway Jack, or anyone else here for that matter. We're... jaded." Though he had to admit it. Whatever Luke was, it was certainly interesting to him. Aaron wished he had the time and the privacy to converse with Luke on that as well as other matters, but he seemed to be lacking in both of those departments. "Quite the opposite. It will only cement whatever negative attitude some have towards you. Please," and here, he held out his left hand. "Calm yourself. You've brought us your warnings, now give us insight as to what to do about them." Aaron slowly relaxed himself, the tension in his shoulders and arms flowing into his center as he concentrated on the tasks at hand. "Despite the fact that I hold no love towards Jadus, I can't simply kill him and have done with it. Argus has too much power for any of us to remove it from the picture personally. I can't risk having the Argus send itself out against any of our relatives, and despite how I'd love to see it, I can't even risk it attacking the Archons." Aaron shook his head. "I have no idea what such a great battle would result in. If the Archons got ahold of whatever power the Argus now retains..." he trailed off, letting that sentence hang. Glancing behind him, Aaron eyed Jack. "And as for you, you need to take a walk. You left for reasons I understood very well, but you rushed back into our midst with little room for explanations. I may not be the best leader in Reality, but I think you need to go cool off." His eyebrow rose slightly and he turned to better face his old friend. "Unless, of course, you wish to antagonize further argument?" He paused and pursed his lips. "Whatever you decide, don't hold my words against me. I'm just doing..." and here his eye cocked to the left, as if considering his words. "I'm just doing what my heart tells me I'm supposed to do." Turning again to Luke, he gestured nonchalantly to the room at large. "Do you have anything else to say to the group in its entirety, or may your messages be conveyed to myself alone? I'm fine either way, but the decision is yours, if you wish to put up with us any longer." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- "If I could bottle emotional volatility in this group, I could power a machine ten times more powerful than Argus.... and I'd use it to silence the lot of you and all your shadows...." With a heavy sigh Dorian pulls his cloak completely around his body and steps away from the group a few paces. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- While his words obvious infuriate her, Cyan jerks at the display of might from Luke, tensing slightly. She calms, though, when it becomes apparent he would not be attacking...then her face pales as she looks upon him, and the bard turns her emerald eyes away. "Gorthaur...." Berd slowly raises his head from where he sits upon Jack's cooler, and stares around the group. Cyan, silent until now, opens her mouth, the wary fear on her face fading. "Berd?" Now Berd's glittering eyes swing back toward Luke. Cyan's teeth set, and she turns back to Luke, Dorian's words ringing in her ears. For once, Cyan, think. Use your head, and not your heart. Jack does quite well in that area at the moment - I can see his anger. Stay clearheaded. "What is your connection to us, Luke? How did you find us? It is true, you have power," she says, lips thinning, "but we are only a few all through the Myriad Worlds. Do we stand out like a beacon? Did you 'walk' to us, as can the lords of Order? Were we a potential to which you travelled? Or did you use some other means to discover our presences?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack arched an eyebrow and looked to their leader, “I am cool as a cucumber Aaron, and I am sorry I can not do what you ask.” his words were even and if anything he seemed to waver between amused and regretful. “It conflicts with the previous orders you gave me, to be myself and question. I hold no ill will towards Luke, indeed he interest me. I must question him and his words, as I question my one choices. I must question you as well, remember you have a responsibility to us your proclaimed friends as well.” Jack looked at the Amberman giving his honest best advice, “Be careful of the paths you choose Aaron, think carefully, our lives hang in the balance of your choices. I would hate to have to suggest for Andrej to take your place. ” There was regret in even suggesting that. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "How I found you, my dear Cyan, is really rather simple." The shadow Lukes fade back whence they came, and the man regains more human stature as he seems to calm, "This group does indeed shine out like a beacon, to one with the eyes to see. So many different Powers and forces in one location? It produces a very oddly blended aura, one which I was able to detect easily, thanks to a few unique abilities of my own." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Aaron, as he knew he did quite often, sighed. He felt he just needed to step back and stop for a minute. So, removing himself from the spot between Luke and Jack, he did just that. Rubbing his temples with both sets of fingers, he attempted to get ahold of the situation, at least in his own mind. "I, Jack, haven't made a single solid choice since I decided dropping us in this godforsaken Shadow." Aaron finally said after turning to reassess the damage. "That's a decision I'm through debating with myself." Raising his eye to Jack, he attempted patience. "As for what paths I choose, Jack, those paths are mine to decide on alone. To decide on, but not to walk. The lot of you are stuck with me, whether we like it or not. As you yourself well know." With an exasperated sigh, Aaron finally returned his attentions to Luke. "Now then, you've delivered your speeches and your doomed prognostications. I'll ask again: do you have any insight for us regarding the direction we need to take? It's all awful and bad that everyone in Reality apparently knows our location, but I'm more concerned with actually doing something about it than standing here debating on the 'why' of it all." To Dorian he placed his attentions next. "You, need to lighten up. I know the end of the world is at our very doorstep, but you don't see me pissing my pants over the probable destruction of our lovable group here because of it. When you're a member of a team, you ride every single wave within it, the small nice ones and the large shitty ones, until you complete your mission. When we're all done, then we can go our seperate ways and say 'to hell with the lot of you'." Pointing at him with his left hand, he fixed him with a stern, scarred stare. "Until that time, we all stick together, through thick and thin. Not because we want to, but because it's necessarry and we're all needed for one reason or another. If you don't want to stick around because you don't feel 'happy' here, just as I told Kaelyn, you can get the hell out." Shaking his head, Aaron stared at the toes of his boots. "Believe me. If I had a choice in this matter, I'd be in some distant part of Reality, living with my own small family, away from everything and waiting until the world ends." Looking up, he nodded. "Unfortunately, I don't have the freedom to make that type of choice. My job is here, and it's a job I intend to finish, whether you lot want to follow me to the conclusion, or not." Folding his arms before his chest, he looked to each one of them. "Well? I'm sick of asking the 'stay or go' question. Luke's here to give us advice, Jack's here to question everything, and I'm here to lead us into the edge of oblivion. There's really nothing more fun in all of Reality than that job, let me tell you. If you lot have any problems, we might as well just have it out right now, before Luke gets impatient and unfreezes Argus." God, down to the wire. Aaron wondered then, if Cyan had felt the way he was feeling, back when he was a plague on the group. Was he still? Even now? Not a good way to think, at this point. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack studies Argus with a thoughtful look for the longest time after Luke speaks, he seems to ignore Aaron. Silently tugging one Cyan he starts to move to Argus seeing if she will come. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- "That's good, Aaron. Do you feel better? Now, could you keep it down a bit, I'm trying to concentrate on something here." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- Cyan's lips twist in an expression that might be a snarl as she considers Luke's words. If he can find them so easily, then Jack could as well. If Jack could find them...so might the enemy. A thin smile washes away that expression as she listens to Aaron; it seems he's running directly into some of the problems that plagued her when there was no leader. Well, he would handle it or not - any leader needed to be able to handle the group. But that smile fades when Jack tugs on her arm. Berd's head comes up and he stares at Argus. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "If the truth be told, Aaron, you have taken no decisions whatsoever since assuming leadership, other than to appoint Andrej as your assistant." Luke raises one hand in a placatory gesture, "Forgive my harsh phrasing. Let us say that, so far, you appear to have been content to react, but what you need to do is to act! Carry the war to the Broken God! Put him on the defensive. Make him worry about your next move. You are fighting a god, you need bold strategies." A smile then, as he adds, "I believe you have two maps, the cubes? Use them... a world which appears on both, but which you have not visited, may be an important staging point in his plans, since more than one agent has been there." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian smirks ever so faintly, then promptly sits down where he is on the ground and bends his head towards his lap. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- A soft No… escapes Jack’s lips he goes pale and his shoulders slump. Jack slipped away from Cyan and moved to a window, staring out into nowhere. Arron would be as Aaron was, the same was true of Luke and the rest of them, even Cyan. The only person Jack could speak for, choose for and heal was himself. You couldn’t heal the myriad of worlds. You could not help someone to see, that did not want to. "It never moves, yet is never still Lays behind, before and betwixt all things This thing lets men walk the ocean And dance on the blade's edge It is not order, but it's absence brings chaos And it will allow a man to ride any storm. If this thing is what you seek To find it, you must first find it It only comes to he who knows it And never to he who stands firm When you have it in your grasp You must constantly seem to lose it." Jack says to himself in hushed tones looking out, out at the city, the world, the universe, the worlds. Jacui "I'm going to go take care of Callisto when we are done here, anyone who want to come is welcome. Anyone who does not want to does not have to." Jacks statment is simple fact. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Placing a hand on his forehead, Aaron shook his head. "God." Looking to Jack, Aaron then nods. "Fine. Fill me in, though. Just what the hell is Callisto? Is it a person? Project? I need solid information before I can take a stab at our enemies. And believe me, I plan on making it a very powerful stab." He paused, before continuing. "Oh, and you'll have to pardon me if I forgot anything you may have said about Callisto prior to your departure. I've been somewhat... distracted." Reaching into his jacket, he removed his cube and began tossing it up and down in his left hand, simultaneously awaiting Jack's response and contemplating what to do next. "What I want to do is find a place where the lot of us can convene if we need to. A base of operations. Luke already said that we beam like beacons in the eyes of our enemies, so I think we should take advantage of it. If they see us sit in one place for too long, they might get curious. You all know the adage of curiosity, I assume?" Grasping the cube, he turned it over and over until he found the one world he weas unfamiliar with. "Does anyone else here see the idea of dividing the group into two teams as a bad one? It may divide the attentions of our enemies at the same time, though their eyes may be innumerable, I don't think they can see everything all the time." To Luke he looked next. "Do you have any idea about what the leaders in Chaos are doing about any of this? What's their mind on our enemies? Do they care?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jonnee ----------------------------------------------------------- "Splitting up might not be so good. If one team meets something it can't handle, they could be wiped out before they can call for backup or get their asses out of there." Jonnee shrugs, "But you're the Boss." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Nodding, Aaron smiled somewhat. "You're correct, but if we move together, we still may run into something all of us can't handle." He shrugged. "It's happened before." "The big thing is, we have alot to do, and enough people to get it done. In the end, I'll make the final decision, but I do want to know what the lot of you think before I make it." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- James considers for a moment before speaking, "Back where I come from a lot of warfare is based on conditions of overwhelming power, where any given soldier can carry enough firepower to kill a man a hundred times over and more. Under those conditions, he who strikes first is often the only person who gets the chance. Intel is crucial and I'm grateful for every little bit we've been able to get so far. But sometimes you have to advance when you don't know what's around the next corner. In that case it's not uncommon to break a squad into two fireteams so that one can provide cover fire while the other moves, leapfrogging each other to the objective. But it only works if they're close enough to look out for each other. There are those of us who can move between worlds relatively quickly but for this we're going to need Trumps, or palanquet." At this, James looks to Cyan for a moment. "And a cast iron rule that once split into teams nobody leaves their designated team." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- As Cyan glances back and forth between Jack as he pulls away from her, and the oddly silent Berd, something in her face seems to crumble. Her jade eyes stare after Jack, then flick to Aaron...then back to Berd. "You," she whispers, hoarsely. "What are you doing, Berd?" Berd, sitting on the cooler, pauses for an instant, giving her an appraising glance. It almost looks as though he's checking his distance to her, making certain he's out of reach of a quick grab. Satisfied, the little dragon goes back to looking at Argus, eyes dancing like a dozen galaxies slowly revolving around each other. "Oh, you bastard," the bard hisses, her eyes growing more crystaline as she stares at the drake. Berd ignores her for the moment, humming to himself. Spinning, Cyan turns toward Jack, uncertainty again on her face. He has pulled away from her, walked from her. '...but you know I got your back, Aaron, and I'll work with you however I can...' she remembers, the words of Jack, not so long ago. Cyan doesn't understand. When did Jack change his mind? What happened while he was gone? He's leaving, without explaining any of that. Just...arrives, gets into arguments, and prepares to leave. Prepares to leave her, laying down an ultimatim. 'Come if you want.' He pulled away from her after Cyan told him she trusts him and would assist him. And Cyan has sworn an oath. And Aaron is their leader, until he proves himself incapable or gives up. The others are discussing military strategy and tactics. A small part of Cyan, a cold, diamond chip within her spirit, agrees with Luke. The time for indecision is past. They MUST put the Broken God into a reactive mode. She absolutely disagrees with Aaron's thought to split the group. "Fragmentation...we already have a very, very small group. If we cannot remain hidden as one, then having two groups will not help. Half a thousand eyes is still five hundred, and two groups is double the odds of finding one." Cyan's voice is dull, and her eyes fall on Jack, standing alone at the window. She wants to go to him. Again. But again, he has walked from her. For good? Or merely to get space? How many times will she chase after Jack, drag him back, kicking and screaming? If you love something, let it go. If it loves you, if, it will return. "Fragmentation cuts our strengths, increases the chance of one of our paths through the Worlds being detected. If one group is detected, unless they are capable of bringing assistance immediately, they will be that much more quickly overwhelmed. And the enemy has proven capable of blocking palanquet - summoning of assistance is not guaranteed. That is my opinion." Walking back to the cooler (Berd looks at her with a guarded expression for a moment - evidently he feels she is no danger, for he goes back to studying Argus), Cyan sits down on the box and puts her forehead atop Kirilinde, resting the tip of the wooden scabbard on the ground. Her crimson hair falls in front of her face, covering her features. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- "They can block Trump?" James's eyebrows rise as if to emphasise his question. "I didn't know that." "Cyan's right then. Splitting up is asking to be picked off." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- "Yes," Cyan replies dully. "Recall the Church in Caina, where the be-patterned hand rests. Recall that the Temple that Jack has pointed out to us is layered with some kind of defense that repells all Power. The Enemy has control over something that allows them to weaken the threads of Power, whatever that power may be - palanquet, 'Trump', Pattern, Lexy's 'Logrus', Jadus' sorcery, Jack's Broken Pattern, the power to change one's form...all of them." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- Jack turns and studies the group his eyes linger on Aaron and Cyan, “Fill you in? I have filled you in Aaron, weren’t you listening? Cyan has kindly reminded you of part of, the parallel of the hand. I did not want to do this Aaron, not here not now, not like this.” Jack shook his head, his tones calm and even. “You are my friend and I wanted to talk to you of this in private. And yes James, null all powers that that well know of, but they can poison trumps as well. Spreading a trump Virus,” “I am not so certain you are listing or paying attention to anyone Aaron. As far as Callisto goes, it is something I must do. There is the power null as aspect, we would be fools to think that the Head of the best will not be protected with that. So we must figure a way to deal with it. There is the Priest, who can all upon the Archons and spreads the religion of the broken god, somehow I suspect he can give us more hints and clues to the nature of this and how to deal with the Broken God than Chaos could. He is the only one that enters the Pyramid. There is the transmitter I suspect similar to those on Primes world. We could learn from that, at least it’s nature. Then you have the fact that, people are dying to build this, my own hair is now white from the disease I caught while there. The people being brought in to build this Calisto transmitter, now they are sub human dying every day only to have more brought in to suffer and die.” “We had agreed that, that was the first goal before I found the ties to Chaos. Now you seem to be hell bent of talking the group to Chaos. The group is not ready to face what is there, not that primal madness. With a stronghold so close to Chaos, I am betting that the broken god has ties there. You go announcing our presence there and you may be endangering us all. But without a thought you go flailing in that direction, without asking… What do you hope to gain in Chaos? Do you think you will truly garner help? If what Lexy said is true it could cost dearly.” “Heck Aaron, you did not even ask before you brought us here. I know Cyan and I would have advised against it. Neither of us has trusted Jadus from the start. You yourself speak ill of him and say there is no love lost. You have the pure pattern man, you could have found a safe neutral location. Instead you put your people at risk without a second thought. You put the one I love at risk.” “Then Luke show up,” Jack nodded to Luke. “No disrespect meant. I don’t care if he is Odin himself from Valhalla. I would question him, I would not give him my full trust until he earned it. Heck Luke still does not have my full trust, but he is making more sense, and right now more than you. I can set aside my dislike of his barbs and the way he looks at Cyan to see that, because it’s important not to discount what he says just because I don’t like or totally trust him. We have no idea who or what this Luke is. These are Machiavellian people, and if you did go off alone with someone so powerful as Luke, I don’t know if I could trust you fully when you came back. But your heart said that you should. Were you thinking of the potential danger to your people? The threat of something happening to their leader? Or where you thinking of yourself and what Aaron wanted? Aaron’s idea?” “You say the words, you will listen, and then you will decide. To be a great leader you must really listen. Even no choice is a choice for a Leader. You must decide when the group can not. Otherwise you are being a bit of a dictator. Take it from a man who has been forced into leadership most of his life. That makes me question you…. To the point of asking, can you adjust to this? can you think of your people and their welfare first? Or does Andrej need to step up and take over. Because I am wondering here if you really have our backs. I don’t want to argue this, but this is how I feel, this is where my heart is, balance and focused.” “I don’t choose to go to Callisto because I want to, I have to go back and set things right. If I die doing it alone then that’s what must be. Sure if Calisto is destroyed it’s nothing but a small victory, but we are small and we need the small victories. It seems that The Broken God needs these transmitters and reach we destroy huts their cause. Plus if we do it right, we can gain information and that is a premium. Dorian can help in this greatly but I can’t make him… No I would not make him. I can’t choose for any of you, but I have no choice.” Jack walked over to Cyan, looking into the dull Jade eyes, he reached up to stroke her cheek. “I would love to have my love at my side for this, but I can'’ make the choice for her. I need to have her there, so I can look out for her, protect her. The choice is not mine. Jack looked over at Berd, sometime we have to do what we have to do, even if others disagree with it.” He reached down and stroked the drake affectionately. “ I can respect that. I have to do this for the same reason that Cyan had to speak against Luke’s one in every five test. I have seen these tormented lost souls, I came back to get your help with this. I have been trying to hang back and keep out of the way knowing we would get around to it, but with everthing going on and Luke being a bit of an pill. ” Jack turned back to Aaron “Sometimes we have to do what we have to do, even if we ourselves don’t like it. I do not like having to question you so deeply that it calls into question my respect for you as a leader. I do however respect you as a friend. I do not like having to be guarded against Luke, I would prefer to welcome him as a friend. Yet even though I am no longer the default leader, these are my people. So I must do these things to look out for them. Especially when someone else is not.” =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Why go to Chaos for aid? Has Amber aided you? No, they ask for you to do what you can to aid them. Meanwhile, they sit back and fight among themelves." Luke shakes his head, "No, go to Chaos, and they will likely ask you to keep them informed of your progress, and tell you that they know they can depend on you. Not that I blame them... of what use is it to save your realm, if you lose it to a rival in the process?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- "Chaos was simply a question. I had no intention of dragging us there when I didn't know what was going on there in the first place. As for my brother..." Aaron frowned. "There may be no love lost between us, but I was curious as to his current actions. You'll have to pardon me for it." For a long time, Aaron wondered whether everyone got angry, really truly angry at him for departing when the time was worst. He also wondered if they thought of his reasons for bailing out on them. Sure, he had felt remorse for it, but as of now, that old wandering animal was showing his eyes again, and those eyes were glaring at Jack... not that Aaron was showing it, though. Stop it. "I'm not going to explain my actions again. I'd just rather get on with it. Trust me when I say though, if any of you feel that you'd be a better leader than me, you can strike me down and have it. Honestly, I'm sick of doubting whether I can do it or not, and I'm sick of telling you all that I can, when I can't seem to show you that I can." He knew, though, that it was all of the occurences, one after another happening in overlapping patterns that was really getting to him. Kaelyn's disruption, the possible discovery of Cyan's homeworld by the Archons, Kaelyn and Jack leaving, Jadus hitting him again, Jack returning and then berating him for not being the 'proper leader', the sudden and confusing appearance of Luke by unknown means... and to tie it all together, the insanity that was their enemy. It was enough to drive a man mad. ...again. "Does anyone have anything else to say before we get the show on the road? Anymore pearls of wisdom that I can disseminate on our way to... wherever we're going? Luke? Jack? Dorian? Anyone?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian continues to stare past the horizon and says nothing, seated as he is on the ground, hunched over. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- “You…” Jack pointed a finer at Luke “Stop that, I an having a hard enough time trying to dislike you without you voicing my thoughts. I didn’t want to overload him.” The tone in Jacks voice held a playful note The finger swung to point at Aaron “Bullshit.” he said flatly “You know I would not try and kill you unless you gave me no choice, and I don’t think anyone here wants to. Though be careful what ultimatums you give, Jonnee just might take you up on it, though he does not seem the type to want to lead.” “As a leader you owe your people as much or more than they owe you. I won’t let you die, that would be to easy. I would press for Andrej to take over, again that would be to easy. Instead I will hound you, be your conscience, your devils advocate, until you learn properly to be the leader we know you can be. Just as soon as I take care of Callisto. I would advise you to check with everyone to see if where they think they should go instead of playing the tin plated dictator.” “I would make certain Berds work is done and I would check on Dorian, if I were you.” Jack picked up the ice chest and moved off a bit, not in the least certain what would go down from here. If he was facing Calisto alone or not. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- He's not leaving. A flood of relief rolls through Cyan as she listens to Jack outline his own thoughts. This is Jack, the Jack she knew before. She glares at Berd, briefly, then glances to Aaron to see how he is taking the long speech. Not well. When he moved to touch her cheek, she caught his hand, not stopping him, but squeezing it once, matching his blue eyes with her sapphire ones. Berd suffers Jack to touch him, but does not pause in whatever he is doing, still staring at Argus. The glittering in his eyes has reached a feverish pitch. "Opinions, Aaron? I believe that Jack has the right of it. Callisto would be our best option," Cyan states, looking up at Jack again before turning her gaze toward Aaron. "It is identified. It is a strongpoint. It contains information regarding many aspects of the Enemy's plan. It has a subjugated people, who suffer greatly. And we know a great deal about it already, eliminating lengthly recconaissance. Callisto is my opinion. I advise that with all my heart, but...my oath binds me to whatever decision you choose to make." When Jack reaches down to pick up the cooler, Cyan (sitting ON the cooler with Berd) looks at him with some bemusement, standing and carefully picking up the little dragon. But she catches his sleeve before he walks away. "Jack...please set it down and sit with me." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian stirs slightly. Without turning to face the others, he reports, "Argus has been... edited. I believe it is no longer a threat. It is not now, nor has it ever been now, connected to the power source. Someone is editing the history of this place while we speak. This means, potentially, that our history is being edited as well... I suggest we leave as soon as it is expedient." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian's words, as much as Cyan's voicing of his own, deeper and more rational thoughts, shakes Aaron out of his melancholy. With a singular nod, he looked to everyone else. "Well? Callisto sounds like our best destination." His eye found Berd, then Jack, then he turned and glanced at Luke. Which one was editing this world? I wonder. Surrounded by so many powers, why can't I even begin to grasp the Pattern yet? What is this that I'm looking for? What is hounding me so, this... calling in my self? Sighing, Aaron nodded slowly. "Yes. Callisto." he mumbled, his mind apparently already on its way towards their target. "You say you know the way, Jack, or is it the realm that exists on both Cyan's cube and my own? The world Luke spoke of?" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian suddenly stands up, looking about sharply. "What was it?" he demands. "Something is missing. What was I just saying? Argus? Jadus? I can't remember... I can't lock the memories in my head, because they never existed. Things are changing, but I can't remember what they are.... We have to leave, now EVERYTHING is changing. Jadus! There was something about Jadus... but what was the question?" Dorian fumbles through his robes and find a brass compass. "Must get out..." he mutters. Checking the compass, he turns and starts walking. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- "Dorian! Wait! I can remove us more quickly!" Cyan cries, holding out her hand to him. "Aaron, make a choice - if something is changing things, here-" -she shoots a narrow-eyed, ruby look at Berd, who stares back blandly- "we must leave, NOW." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Luke ----------------------------------------------------------- "Yes, go, quickly... I believe the place Jack spoke of is on both cubes." Luke gives a small bow, "Until we meet again, which I'm sure we will." Luke turns to walk away, and in the act of turning is gone... =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jadus ----------------------------------------------------------- "Who the Hell are... " Jadus turns about, wildly, "What just happened? Argus? No!" =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Argus ----------------------------------------------------------- Crumbling into ruination and wreckage, Argus somehow manages to aim a long, jointed rod at Jadus, amid the screeching of tortured metal, the voice is almost indistinguishable. - WHY, JADUS? - There is a flare of energy, like the anger of angels, and Jadus is hurled backwards, over the edge of the walkway... =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian stops and turns to Cyan, considering for a moment. "Yes, I don't think you've changed. Hurry." He moves back to her, standing close, looking about nerviously. His eyes focus on Jadus and narrow in concentration. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Everything seemed to be piling on at once, and it was almost more than Aaron could stand. As the Argus began to disentegrate and his brother was hurled over the catwalk, Aaron bellowed, an animal roar, and lunged for him... =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- before Everything fell apart Jack sat the cooler down, smiling at Cyan, and shruged. As and after all hell broke loose Jack lunged for Jadus, much like Aaron, unlike Aaron he pushed the limits Shouting "GO!" as he moved for the edge. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- At the mention of memories being 'erased' James falls back on the training Bleys gave him. He draws to his mind a picture of Kolvir's Pattern and begins to mentally walk it. The discipline helps him to remain centered as things start falling apart. He mutters, "Honestly, we don't need to go to the Courts of Chaos, we've got quite enough chaos here." James's guts tell him that Jadus is already toast so he resists the impulse to emulate Aaron and Jack in leaping to the rescue. Instead he looks around, concerned that with Jadus gone a mundane exit from his fortress might be hard to come by. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dworkin (GM) ----------------------------------------------------------- Jadus goes over the edge, and Jack and Aaron rush to his rescue, only to find when they get to the rail that, whether through some cunning artifice of his own doing, or as an effect of Argus' blow against him, Jadus is gone. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- Dorian screams, doubling over. For an instant, his hands clutch at his temple in a claw like fashion, as if mimicking a vulture scavenging at his brain. Just as quickly, he stops, swooning. His hands now pressed to his temples. He stumbles up to the rail and looks over, frowning. "I remember him..." he mutters, musing to himself. Glancing at Aaron, speaking softly, he says, "I remember him-- Jadus. Whatever happened to him, it wasn't the same thing.... It was more... normal... His history wasn't erased, but... " =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- “Dam” Jack snapped, but there was no time for it.“Aaron, Cyan, Give me a cube and be ready, it’s a nasty place!” He shouted. Callisto it was and he was certain he could get them there, he could find it on the cube just about quicker than anyone else. He had been there. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Cyan ----------------------------------------------------------- "Jack!" The cube is in the air, flicked toward Jack. Spinning, Cyan reaches for Dorian, then pauses. "Dorian," she states clearly, "it is Cyan - let me assist you, please?" Putting one arm around him, should he allow it, she takes some of the beleagured mage's weight on herself. Berd, for his matter, sits on her shoulder now, watching the activity near the edge. "James," Cyan cries, emerald eyes turning to that Son of Amber, "are you ready? I think it might be a good plan to leave, now!" Helping Dorian, Cyan knows she won't be at her best when she comes through the cube, but both James and Andrej have their hands free... =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by James ----------------------------------------------------------- James merely shrugs and steps up closer to Cyan and the others gathered around the rail at the point where Jadus fell, "Ready." Without really thinking about it, James slowly clenches his fists making the knuckles in his right hand crack one by one. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Jack ----------------------------------------------------------- As Jack snatches the cube out of the air a thought hits him, a thought more painful than any the enigmatic man could have dealt with any of his barbs. Luke Jack whispers in hushed tones. Kalika….. Jack didn’t have time despite feeling his heart wrench up in his chest. He focused on the first side of the cube that felt and looked like Callisto. “Everyone be careful.” Jacks voice came choked with emotion “This world can kill you quicker then you can blink. Jonnee! Hunter! Be ready to scout a perimeter, trust nothing it’s all probably poisons and deadly.” As Jack pours more focus on the image of the work the name escapes his lips again “Kalika…. =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Aaron ----------------------------------------------------------- Gone... Gone! Swiftly rising to his feet, Aaron is there at Jack's side, but his head turned to gaze at the spot past the railing, where he had leapt in hopes of rescuing his brother. Too late, now. Must move! Reaching behind him, Aaron unsheathed Ilsefranvir for the first time since he had left Fiona's ship. He speaks, but his voice is devoid of emotion, his mind focused on their destination alone. "Let's go." =========================================================== Re: Part 31 - Workshop of the telescopes by Dorian ----------------------------------------------------------- The pain is gone. It lasted but an instant, an infinately thin slice of time, but its affect remains. Dorian accepts Cyan's support. Physically, he doesn't need it, but mentally he is shaken, unsure of everything around him. In his other hand, white knuckles clutch his shoddy sunbleached walking staff. "Ready," he says, and waits for more changes. ===========================================================
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