flash gang, caustic crew, simmer and smoke in electric blue (part LXII)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LXI. Written by Justine!)

Zack crouched down, using his legs to help Justine up. They walked in behind the Duchess, who'd stopped in place, staring at the floor that was missing--again.

"How did....wait. The floor was locked." She looked over her shoulder at Justine.

"House still broken," Justine muttered.

"How did you send the floor back AGAIN??"

Justine shrugged. "I...super power? I dunno."

Emilly shook her head, leaping up to the next level through the foyer doors, which should have been a level step, and headed up the stone stairs to the second level. "You have interesting talents."

Justine struggled not to slur her words, but even she couldn't make out what she tried to reply.

"Something tells me that Justine has a few things to learn," Zack murmured.

Emilly pushed open the doors to the mad science lab, nodding.

"I c'n also fold fitted sheets," Justine said.

Emilly nodded. "Hey, that's good! I still struggle with that!"

Justine nodded. The room was swimming. "Superpower..." She slipped free of Zack's arm, staggering, rolling onto the nearest table.

Zack blinked. "Okay, let's see...where are those medical supplies...?"

Emilly took a step toward the cabinet and paused, swaying. "All...right," she said, her voice low. "Take things...slow..." She looked up at Justine, then at Zack, then waved a hand weakly at the cabinet by the table.

Justine shrugged out of the jacket, looking at her own burn. "Just a flesh wound," she giggled.

Emilly blinked slowly. "Yeah..."

Zack leaned in, looking at the burn for a moment, examining it professionally and seriously. He prepared some first aid materials next to him on a metal side table as he peered at the injury. He placed the underside of his wrist on Justine's forehead to check her body temperature.

"Hmm..."

Emilly braced herself against a low table. "Is she runnnnn..." She inhaled and tried again. "Running a fever?"

Zack bit his lower lip, nodding. "I am afraid she does, yes. That is normally not a good sign. Her injury is quite deep and might need stitches, but the internal organs are not at risk. Tough with the fever..." He sighed. "It is normally a sign of infection, and that is what I worry about..."

Justine smiled up at Zack, putting a hand on his coat. "I'm gonna sleep now, k?" She closed her eyes.



Emilly turned, taking a step forward, and fell down. She blinked at the tile inlay on the floor. "That's...not good..."

Zack rubbed the back of his head, watching Justine close her eyes. "Well...I can at least disinfect and stitch her wound. As for the fever, well...the best thing to do right now is let her rest, and make a complete scan of her body later. To see if there's anything that might be causing it."

"Sounds good," Emilly said from the floor.

Zack looked concerned, but just nodded, finding gloves and pulling them on. He took some rubbing alcohol, and opened a sterile stamp. He poured alcohol on the stamp, gently rubbing it around the wound to disinfect it. Justine didn't react. He frowned, throwing the soiled stamp into a nearby bin and reaching for a needle, threading it with a spool of surgical wire. He began doing small, neat stitches to the wound on Justine's side.

Emilly pried herself off the floor, hearing a chime, touching the comm unit. She listened, nodding, staggering over to a side table that held a smaller tank, a microscope, and some research journals.

"Mm...'onna need to leave soon," Emilly murmured. Then she looked up, taking in what Zack was doing. "You're...wire?!"

Zack nodded, patting his coat. "I always have some on me, just in case."

Justine half-opened her eyes, turning her head. She reached out. "Emilly...we killed the monsters..."

Emilly nodded, reaching out, seemingly surprised when she couldn't reach Justine's fingers. "We did!" she finally said, blinking largely.

"That was awesome," Justine whispered.

Zack made a neat surgical knot, and cut the wire, sighing in relief. "There we go. It should be fine now."

"That was awesome," Emilly repeated. She peered at the desk, struggling to focus. She looked back up. "Justine? Why is there an arm....here?"

"Considering the number of injuries I had to take care of on Haven, I would say that it's something I'm quite used to..." Zack murmured. He gathered up the supplies, looking around for another bed to put the Duchess on.

Justine frowned. "An...arm? Is it...human?"

Emilly peered at it. "It's....green." She looked up blearily. "Green isn't--normal for humans, right?"

Zack shook his head. "Not usually."

Emilly nodded, a slow, uneven motion. She inhaled. "But...thing. I have...a thing. In Wulfenbach."

They looked at her. She looked back.

"Dance party festival...thing," she added, somewhat unhelpfully.

"Okay," Justine said. "I'm good."

Emilly nodded. "I'll--I'll be in touch later, Zack..."

"Zack'll look after me...go party...dunno why there's a green arm...someone not cleaning up after themselves..."

Emilly stood with difficulty. Zack stepped forward, gently rubbing her shoulder. She smiled tremulously at him. She reached up, fingers moving in a complicated pattern Justine had seen before, folding local space to transit. It seemed to take longer than usual, and the Duchess less slipped through the fold as fell through it, disappearing.



In Wulfenbach, at the sacred grove, Emilly arrived after what felt like forever in null space, blinking largely, staggering at the top of the stairs. By the time she'd made it to the fire, she'd shifted three separate times, and while her side still ached, it wasn't burnt, and even better, that crawling blue energy was gone.

Back on Gearhaven, Zack spoke to the outline of the Duchess as she faded from view. "I'll make sure she'll be fine," Zack said. "I promise. Do you feel you can sit down, Justine?"

Justine nodded, reaching for a hand up. He watched as she sat on the table, testing her balance.

"Thanks, Zack. I think I need a...sleep...though." She waved a hand towards the doors to the lab. "My room," she added.

Zack helped Justine off the table. She looked down at the remains of her leather jacket, sighing.

"[Sh*t], I liked that jacket..."

Zack opened the doors to the parlor down the hall, then the glass doors into her room, helping her sit down on the bed. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a small bottle of water and a vial of white pills.

"These are just acetaminophen, they're to help lower your fever. Are you allergic to it?"

Justine shook her head. "No, that's fine. Thank you." She popped two into her palm, swallowing them with a sip of water from the small glass Zack poured for her.

"I will let you rest, but...one more thing before I go?"

Justine looked up at him. "Yes?"

"Take it easy on physical work, at least until the stitches are doing their work. A few days should be fine."

"Okay, Zack. Thank you."

He stepped close, caressing her hair, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her forehead as she laid out on the bed.

"Rest well, dear."

"Thank you, gege."

He smiled at her, and left the room. She let herself slip into sleep.

(Continued in part LXIII.)

electric embers will ignite (part LXI)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LX. Written by Justine!)



She watched the Prometheus line up the shot, hovering in midair, forgetting she was between the monster and the ship. The ship shot. A solid plasma bolt seared across her side and disintegrated the beast. It didn't even hurt...at first.



"Were those the only two??" Emilly asked.

"Did I get it did I get it? Did it work??? Oh my GOD THAT IS [B*TCHIN]!!!"

She flew back to Gearhaven, landing just beside the stone stairs up from the shore, changing her tag back. The ship still fired on her.

"[Motherf*cker]--" Justine yelled. "It's still firing at me?!"

She dove into the ferms. "Emilly Emilly [F*CK] STILL FIRING ON THIS SIDE!!"

"Hang in there, I'm coming--" Zack said. Moments later, he shimmered into existence on the shore.

"Did you change your tag?" Emilly asked.

"YES!" Justine shouted.



"The Prometheus is firing on Zack now!" She flew down to the shore, having to dodge more bolts. "I want to make sure he's okay--"

Justine thought furiously, pulled open the Gearhaven profile, and made a change. "Zack! Change your tag!"

She landed heavily, but the bolts seemed to have stopped. "It stopped firing on him!" She watched as the Duchess touched down and walked up the stairs.

"He's got a group tag now," she reassured her.



Emilly scanned the skies for more tentacle beasts. Zack stepped forward.

"Justine Meimei? Are you okay?

Emilly just stood, staring off into the distance. "You know, I was coming in to check on something that I have entirely forgotten now..."

Justine barely heard her. "I sure am!!" she yelled. "I'm PUMPED! That was amazing!"

"That was bizarre," Emilly corrected.

"High five, Emilly! We TOTALLY got rid of the monsters!!!"

Emilly grinned, high-fiving her with a pale paw. "Solid plasma bolts are win."

"Good to see the the technology you have managed to get rid of them easily," Zack said, sounding mystified. Justine joyously danced around.

"Do you think they're on the hair trigger because the Duke's on the ship?"

"Yup yup! Definitely!" Justine said. "Can't risk any non-authorised persons getting anywhere near him. Especially with...well, you know."

Emilly nodded.

"Gotta keep him safe."

"I understand."

"He sure is," Zack added in, "but don't forget about your safety, too. Both of you."

Justine touched her comm unit, closing the circuit. She grinned. "I told a friend how we got rid of the monsters and said, 'I can't believe it was that easy' and she said, ‘That was easy?’” Then she blinked.

"Hey. Hey hey. We should go check on the rift."

Emilly's eyes flew wide. "Oof..." she murmured. She turned towards Zack.

"It took two days the last time, until Deebs pulled out the energy pistol!"

Justine nodded. "Because...they probably came through there. Also, I thinkk I saw where the...where the...thing..."

She swayed on her feet. "I don't feel so good..."

"Oh, no," Emilly said. She peered at her. Zack peered at her.

"What's wrong, Meimei?"

Emilly looked around. "Okay, first, which thing? Green thing or black thing? And second, where do you think they came from?"

"I gotta sit down," Justine said.

"Because if it's not the rift..." Emilly looked down at her, and Justine realized she'd folded up into the ferns.

"Were you hit?"

Justine thought. "I...I don't know. Maybe...and...monsters...Just need a minute." She put her hands up to her pounding head. "S'ok...just...need a minute..."

Emilly looked concerned, before her eyes slowly widened. She looked down at her own side, peeling up the charred fabric on the side of her denim bustier, peering at the fur and skin. They all watched sluggish, thick blue strands of energy crawl over the burnt skin."

Emilly swallowed, looking back up. "Yeah, that...might be bad for humans..."

"That...doesn't look good." Justine looked up at Zack. "Is that bad?"

"It'll...probably heal..." Emilly didn't sound that sure.

Zack sighed and looked down at Justine. "You two might need some proper healing...I can take care of it if we can go to the medical center."

Emilly blinked at him. "On Haven?"

"No, here..." He stared at her. "You do have a medical room somewhere in Gearhaven, right?"

"Well...there's the med bay on the Prometheus," Justine said helpfully, just as Emilly said "Well, the Prometheus..."

Justine looked between them. "Or...the science lab has some medical gear."

Emilly blinked at her again. "The...one with the...tanks?"

"Science lab is easier to..." Justine broke off. Thought. Nodded. "Yeah, that one."

"I do not have the clearance on the pPrometheus if the security has been tightened up. So I guess we gotta use the science lab, yes."

Justine nodded. "Okay, help me up?" She held out a hand to Zack.

"Right," Emilly said decisively. She climbed the stairs, heading for the front door of Steamopolis.

(Continued in part LXII.)

splash, bang, so corrosive, don't get close if it's explosive (part LX)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LIX. Written by Justine!)

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Justine opened the door of Steamopolis to find a pile of Amazon boxes. She gathered them up to take to the Prometheus when she found herself under attack from above. Two monsters, one green, one black, both tentacle-y, and no respect for personal boundaries.

Hitting her comm, she started to speak, and one rapidly dove for her. What she was going to say turned into "AAAEEEEIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!!!!"

Emilly's voice was there. "What?"

"TEN--TA--CLE!" she shouted. "MONSTERS!!"

Emilly gasped. "NO!" she shouted back through the link. "WHERE?!"

"Outside Steamopolis--"

She rose from the ground, flying fast towards the Dark Sea, something the Duke and Duchess seemed to do on their own, but the small propulsor unit the Duke had given her working just as well to launch her into the air. She didn't hear the unearthly howls and turned in midair--just in time to see Emilly appear and fly up from Darktow.

The monsters turned, darting towards the newcomer.

"Look out!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAH--!" she heard back.

"Cross the border, they can't come across!"

Seeing Emilly in distress, plunging towards the water, she flew back into Gearhaven proper, getting close enough to grab the attention of the flailing beasts, then fled again.

She crossed into the Dark Sea again, watching Emilly drag herself to shore on Darktow and stand.
"No--" she heard, then "Whoa. How--you got them not to attack?"

"They did attack. But they can't cross to the Dark Sea. I'm just over the border." She looked over, where angry tentacle beasts lashed the air. "But they can still smell me."

Justine watched, wide-eyed, as Emilly rose into the air again. Both beasts instantly turned, racing across the sky.

"RUN--" Justine yelled. She heard a yelp, and watched the small figure plummet to the side of Darktow on the Dark Sea, landing on the watchtower.

"WOW, THEY got a sniff of you and dashed at you."

"They are not happy with me," the duchess muttered.

Justine tapped open a new connect point. "Zaaaaaaack!"

She heard firing. She looked around in alarm.

"Um...why is the Prometheus firing??" The Duchess sounded unnerved.

Justin watched her launch again, only to dodge heavy cyan bolts of plasma.

"WHERE...group tag??"

There was silence.

"Change your group tag!" Justine yelled.

"AAAAH--"

"Jesus! We're either eaten by monsters or shot!!"

"OW--" Emilly yelped. "They're still firing!"

"What are they firing AT?"

"ME! I changed my group tag--"

Justine thought furiously. "Try...leaving and coming back?"

She watched the Duchess spin in mid-air, seemingly pushed across the sky by the bolts.

"The black tentacle monster shot off somewhere. The green is still patrolling where it last saw me."

"ACK--"

Another bolt saw Emilly careening across the sky again, hissing into the comm. She dropped like a rock, leaving the plasma bolts to hit dead center on the black beast, cutting it into collops.

"I...think it was in the line of fire from the Prometheus." She sighed, alighting on the island. Looking up at the rotating green monstrosity over her head. "So, great, Darktow is haunted again."

"Are you serious? The black one got hit by the prometheus fire??? That is BRILLIANT!"

There was a moment of silence before Emilly spoke again. "So, what, I should change tags again?!"

"All I have to do is change my tag, then draw the green beast to the border, get targeted by the Prometheus, and dodge? I can do that!"

She switched her group tag and saw the turret cannons swivel in her direction. She flew in a zig-zag pattern between the guns and the remaining green monster, crossing into and out of Dark Sea's airspace.

"That thing is WAY too good at dodging," Emilly muttered.

Justine's comm pinged.

"Hello, Justine!" Zack said cheerily. "How are you, dear?"

"TENTACLE MONSTERS, ZACK!!!!"

"What??"

(Continued in part LXI.)

I'll take you by the hand, and I'll show you a world that you can understand (part LIX)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LVIII.)

"No, don't worry," Zack said. "It's...something I'm getting used to. All use of magic requires energy, and the more powerful the spell is, the more energy you use."

Emilly nodded.

"Where I learned magic, I would be called an arcanist elementalist. I mostly use the elements to do my spells, but I have quite a repertory."

"That's fascinating," Emilly said. "And--that's how you got here, yes? Because we weren't advertising the location of Gearhaven, on Haven, you understand..."

Justine cleared her throat, holding up a hand. "Um, that might have been me chatting with Zack."

Zack walked to gather up the four crystals that seemed no longer to glow, or reflect any kind of energy, and chuckled. "Ah, for me coming here, let's say that...I have a few contacts and resources that guided me through."

"I...see." Emilly looked at Justine, smiling wryly.

Justine smiled brightly, eyes a bit wide.

"Long as we're clear that at least for now, we're human on Haven," Emilly reminded.

Zack gestured reassuringly. Justine kept smiling.

"More human than human!"

Emilly laughed. "No, that's the S-T BioLab motto."

Justine nodded. "I stick to the party line."

"Haven got strict laws, yes, and besides, I do not reveal my origins to them, either. None of their beeswax, even if I like the people there."

Emilly nodded at Zack. "I'll leave the salt out, just in case we need to do this again. But if you didn't need it, I suppose I can take the bone ash back....it was a shot in the dark."

"Yes, it's okay, you can take it back."

"And the, uh...artifact?" Emilly stared at the dark, stone object, pulsing with purplish symbols. "Might put you in the garden with the eyeplants. You'd fit right in."

"So, what next?" Justine asked. "I'll get back to the lab on the Prometheus and check the results from the readings on the disturbance in Darktow, and iI'll scan the other carrier robots for Hiro-instances. Or anything else useful. Should have done that before, but it kept getting pushed to the bottom of the queue."

"It did."

"And I'll go up to the nursery and see if Athena is...un-mad at me yet." Emilly sighed. "There's always one, huh?"

Justine gave a rueful laugh. "Sure is."

Emilly went down the stairs, taking the port circle to the nursery to try and talk to her daughter.

"If one of you ladies need help with something, do not hesitate to ask," Zack said.

"So," Lina said. Zack crossed his arms, looking at Lina with a smile.

"Not bad, huh?"

Lina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

(Continued in part LX.)

no hurdle is too high for a man who simply knows how to adjust (part LVIII)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LVII.)

Emilly was walking up the stairs towards the door in the round tower where the rift was, when she looked up and stopped. Zack stood there.

"Oh! Hello there!"

"I was going to conduct the scrying ritual," he said. She nodded.

"I set out everything I thought you would need, but do let me know if you need anything else."

"Well...since you are the one who was able to stabilize it, I will need your help in case something goes wrong. The ritual should let us see where the rift is coming from. It will probably give a few hints, and more resources on how to deal with it."

Emilly nodded, walking up the last few stairs to the metal landing. "That is the hope," she murmured.

"Let's get inside and prepare, then."



She stepped carefully into the room behind him, scanning it quickly. The barrier orbs she'd set up still seemed to be keeping the eldritch fog at bay. The tentacles still emerged from the rift, and from the floor, but...they seemed frozen in place.

Zack walked over, picking up the vessel of salt she'd left, and poured it in a line around the portal, forming a circle. He picked up the chalk next, and on each cardinal point around the circle, drew a symbol representing each of the four elements.

Emilly carefully stepped inside the salt circle, making sure she didn't break the line.

"Those symbols will be used as a trigger to channel the energy of my crystals. They must be placed precisely at each cardinal point, and represent their element."

Fascinating, she thought.

He inhaled, closing his eyes, tracing a pattern she didn't recognize in the air. A strange energy grew in his hands as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Earth, power of the north, I summon you, rise up and be the shield that protects my magic!"

She watched as the crystal he'd set atop the symbol rose up, spinning slowly, illuminating with a soft green light. Small flying pebbles circled it.

"Fire, power of the south, be the sword that will face any foes against my magic!" he said next. A crystal in the south rose, illuminating with a red-orange light. Licks of flame ran along the outside.

"Air, power of the East, be my messenger and bring me what I seek!"

The crystal to the East rose up with a yellow-gold light. She held out her hand. She could feel a small push of chill wind against her palm.

"Water, power of the west, gather up your wisdom and guide me in what I seek!"

The crystal from the west side rose up, lighting with a cold, blue light. Silvery orbs of water surrounded it, spinning in place.



Zack formed an arch with his arms slowly in the air, joining his palm and the backs of his hands together as the four crystals let a beam of their respective light link to the portal. Still with his eyes closed, and keeping his focus and intention on trying to find the origin of this rift, he pronounced his final incantation.

"Magica, Conjuro, Abjuro, Evocate, Divinam, Elementum, Terra, Aeros, Pyrus, Hydros..." Strands of multicolored light spanned the chamber.

"Ohh..." Emilly whispered.

Zack opened his eyes, speaking in a clear, ringing voice. "Tell me, what is the origin of this dimensional rift! I command you! Show me the truth!" He looked at the rift, waiting to see if the spell would work, or fail.



Emilly followed his gaze, reeling back as images hit her mind--the Gray Area in transit, stars that spun uneasily out of pattern, the temple she'd seen before, a larger image of the city as a whole--and then everything went dark.

The world returned with a staggering rush and a blinding flash of light as she swayed in place.

"Where did Emilly go?" she heard Justine say.

"She's here," Zack responded.

Was she? Oh, good.

She heard Justine whisper. "I was staying outside, until Emilly disappeared." She turned towards her, Emilly turning her head to catch the look.

"I don't want to lose you again!"

"I'm back," she said. Patted herself down to be sure. "I'm back, I think. "What...did I miss? Did you learn anything?"

She watched in shock as Zack lowered his hands, collapsing to his knees. The lines of light disappeared, the crystals falling to the ground with loud clinks. She looked around, wide-eyed.

"They're--they didn't--shatter, did they?"

Zack panted heavily, shaking his head. "No, they...they're fine...they are...more resistant than that."

She nodded, and then her heart stopped at his next words.

"I saw...a travel to ancient Palestine...does it...ring a bell with you?"

She saw Justine's eyes widen. She nodded.

"Athena...She said she was going to find her father. I caught her right at the edge of the rift, but--she was too far in."



She watched Lina step into the room. She looked at her hands.

"And she kept..."

"Well, at least that power still works," Lina said. Justine reached for Lina's hand as she came in, keeping her from stepping forward through the salt circle.

Zack looked at Emilly, taking a deep breath, finally standing up again.

She laughed, looking at them, sounding slightly hysterical. "It was...precious, really. She was trying to fold space to move places. But she's so little, it didn't work...completely. It took us a long time to find anything that looked...recognizable...And that was a temple being constructed. She dashed off to the shore behind the temple, and...Hiro...was there. I thought--I thought she'd brought us there to get him back, you know?"

She searched their faces. "And then we got yanked back here."

She turned to face Zack. "She told me we couldn't bring Daddy back because Daddy was here. And I asked her what she meant, and...she refused to talk to me. And I changed, and came down to Darktow, and...all hell had broken loose."

"I'll say," Lina muttered.

Emilly slowly turned to Justine. "That must have been when the time locks disengaged on the underwater temple. So there WERE two Hiros on the sim. Sort of..."

Zack tilted his head. "So the scrying ritual probably was trying to show that the rift we have in front of us is related to those events somehow. To maybe an object, or an action that has been done. Or maybe both."

"But then, I don't get--" Emilly waved at the rift in midair, spitting purple light. "This! HIRO didn't use this to go anywhere, he was in the Gray Area!"

Justine nodded. "And that would explain the quantum disruption and the spike in Higgs-Boson readings--"

"Sure, but--why are those continuing? They should have died down after he returned, and they're getting stronger."

Justine thought. "One of the other five has somehow found its way back to Gearhaven?"

Lina snorted. "Not hardly."

Justine looked at Emilly. "Where...do we know where Athena is? Now?"

Emilly blinked. "Up in the nursery."

"Are you ... sure?"

"And if one of the other five," she continued, then stopped, looking at Justine again. "What? And...wait. What if--are we sure the other carrier bots are--just that?"

Justine shook her head. "I didn't...I haven't checked them...Oh, no--"

"And at least, when I checked last--she was there. I can check again."

"You thinking they're those--tentacle things?" Lina asked. She gestured towards the tentacles pushing through the rift.

"What, the ones here?" Emilly asked. "No, I think they're more....echoes? They barely move at all."

"Well...I do hope that my arcanic skills were...quite helpful..." He blew out a breath. "It was more draining than I expected."

"No, the robotic assistants on the Prometheus." She turned to Zack. "I am sorry, Zack. Thank you for your help." Her eyes turned to the rift. "That was a long reach back."

(Continued in part LIX).

you're sick of feeling numb, you're not the only one (part LVII)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LVI.)

Justine read and re-read the latest transmission from Stan, then flew up to the Prometheus. She stopped at the med bay to look in on Hiro Prime, or what they hoped was Hiro Prime anyway. He was still sleeping and the readings on the bed showed steady improvement of his vital signs, decreasing uncertainty around the quantum state of his base atoms, and increased temporal cohesiveness. Out of habit she lifted her communicator and checked the monitoring she had aimed at Hiro-in-a-box in Caledon II. Reassured that it hadn't moved or been tampered with, she moved on to the hangar bay where her Liberator was parked.

Running through her pre-flight check list she sent a few quick messages: one each to Emilly, Rusty, and Lina, marking the one to Lina urgent. If this anomaly over the Dark Sea was a Tartarus eruption and she got into trouble, she just might need the security chief's special skills to get her back out.

Two hours of flying a grid pattern over the northern border later, Justine gave up and headed back to the Prometheus. There were no obvious signs of a disturbance, maybe there was something in the data from the Liberator sensor array.

"Stan, I'm transferring through Higgs-Boson measurements from the region of the Dark Sea where you recorded the quantum disturbance. Analyze and get back to me with a triangulated position for the source of the anomaly. I can't see anything obvious right now. Send results to my terminal, and let me know if anything else unusual pops up?"

Returning to the Prometheus, Justine left her Liberator in the hands of the flight techs and headed to the temporary fringe lab on board. The Prometheus was spacious but she couldn't wait until Tannhauser reopened.

(Continued in part LVIII.)

speak, speak, speak, speak

(So I am going to partially anonymize, here--this happened in the Contraption store group, which I feel is important because ordinarily, it's an even more polite group than Caledon. Which is why this was so odd. And everyone but the idiot offender is anonymized; I figure, a guy half the group chat files an AR on deserves a small bit of infamy.

(This one's also long.)

[20:21] Dxxxxx Hxxxxx: there is a new pants that might go well with webb's waistcoat but it has a demin texture anyway it is from david heather and is now available in TMD



[20:21] American Grayman: usa goes to war with china late may

Meet our main offender. And...what?

[20:21] American Grayman: usa is also bankrupt
[20:21] American Grayman: lol
[20:21] American Grayman: you cant imagine either one
[20:22] American Grayman: everyone knows .. but they aint talking about it.... banks aint allowed.. either

Since, uh...when??

[20:22] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Thank you for sharing

I won't lie, had I seen this when it first happened--I had to read back a fair amount, I was distracted with the new sims arriving--I might have been far less polite.

[20:22] American Grayman: np
[20:22] American Grayman: 18-29 .. your cannon fodder
[20:22] American Grayman: ..30-42 .. we fought in middle east
[20:22] American Grayman: we can war well
[20:22] American Grayman: your first wave ..
[20:22] American Grayman: covid mutates 64 times by march 2022 ... how many booster shots u gttting

That should be "you getting", and...man, everything in that statement is wrong, or stupid.

[20:23] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx: That really isn't appropriate here. Thanks

Again, far more polite than I would have been at this point. This troll is quite the aggressive little limp noodle, isn't he?

[20:23] American Grayman: dont worry im a reatart.. stragihht windolickin

I'm not even bothering to translate that.

[20:24] American Grayman: vaccines give people polio type complications next year
[20:25] American Grayman: sorry you got 1st in line..lol lol

And you know this...how?

[20:27] American Grayman: should be wonderin why you aint heard not athing about bankruptcy
[20:28] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx: If you don't stop you'll be ejected

That should be "not a thing", or, as I suspect you mean, "nothing", and...Yes, please. When?

[20:28] American Grayman: awwww.. dam ... ok.. [f*ck] you [c*nt]

How appalling.

[20:28] American Grayman: your dead 2050 u cant breath on earth

It's "you", and again, "your", and "breathe".

[20:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Excuse??

And this is when I arrived, very confused.

[20:28] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: please eject the idiot
[20:28] American Grayman: awww... .. i didnt get the bannss
[20:28] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx: And gone
[20:28] Fxxxx Sxxxxxx: Y E E T

Oh, thank you.

[20:28] American Grayman: lol
[20:28] American Grayman: lol
[20:28] American Grayman: salves

I think you meant "slaves". And of course, the sad thing about any block is that the person blocked then has to close the chat. This one, though...he seems determined to keep going.

[20:28] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) reads back and blinks.
[20:28] American Grayman: oh
[20:29] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: yeet indeed
[20:29] American Grayman: maybe u should question
[20:29] American Grayman: should be wonderin why you aint heard not athing about bankruptcy
[20:29] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): What a complete unseasoned chicken wing you are.
[20:29] American Grayman: usa is bankrupt [b*tchs]
[20:29] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: why is he back

Because he still has chat open.

[20:29] American Grayman: war with china
[20:29] American Grayman: figure out why im right
[20:29] American Grayman: lol
[20:29] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx do you think that he is a professional troll, or only does it in his spare time?

He's not entertaining enough to do this professionally.

[20:29] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Until he closes the window, sadly, we're stuck with him, it's a flaw

And yes, what I said.

[20:29] Bxxxx Dxxx: just send AR report :)
[20:29] American Grayman: aww
[20:29] Fxxxx Sxxxxxx: Yeah it's just a flaw with the group, just mute him
[20:29] American Grayman: ints a owned group
[20:29] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: Ya, can always AR
[20:29] American Grayman: awww
[20:29] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): But once he does, he will be gone from the group.
[20:29] American Grayman: dam
[20:29] American Grayman: no admin in a private group

There can be lots of admins in a private group. Also lots of moderators.

[20:29] American Grayman: dam
[20:29] American Grayman: usa is going to lose
[20:30] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And an AR can be filed at this point for continual harassment.
[20:30] Bxxxx Dxxx: yus
[20:31] Bxxxx Dxxx: hes a hub troll

I then set about properly ARing the idiot, as I hovered over Krakenstorm.

[20:31] Fxxxx Sxxxxxx: There he's properly banned
[20:31] Bxxxx Dxxx: just AR it
[20:31] Sxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxx: *Black Lavender*

What?

[20:31] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: Y'know, with all the items coming back to the store, I wonder why this one never did... https://www.flickr.com/photos/waltonwainwright/47744583292/
[20:32] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx:

[2021/05/04 16:41] [Nxxx Lxxxxxxx]: it's not likely to be back anytime soon. There are issues with the product that need to be addressed before we can put it back out.

[20:32] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx: was asked about earlier XD
[20:32] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: Ahh, that would explain it
[20:33] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: report filed
[20:33] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: hate this faux news driven nutbaggery

Me too.

[20:34] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: Eh, looked like trolling more than anything NBD
[20:34] Fxxxx Sxxxxxx: So to get around that glitch, banning completely yeets them, eject doesn't normally work.

Good to know there's a workaround.

[20:34] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx: No more kid gloves anymore? :'D
[20:35] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: I might also recommend a cannon
[20:35] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: cannon oh yes I agree
[20:35] Lxxx Cxxx: lol thanks for getting rid fo the idiot
[20:35] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Of course the person named McCann would suggest a cannon

And a child avatar suggesting a cannon, as well. Irony.

[20:35] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: I have an avatar cannon. shame it has to be voluntary..
[20:35] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: Of course!
[20:36] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Cannon McCannonface, obviously
[20:36] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: :D
[20:36] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Yers
[20:36] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: *Naturally*
[20:36] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And blocked and ARed.

Along with likely half the chat, easy.

[20:39] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: Walt, how about some pants rigged for female avs?

The eternal question.

[20:39] Mxxxxxxx Mxxxxx: I believe those are against his religion
[20:39] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: if the pants are too loose I can't tell his religion
[20:40] axxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: what
[20:40] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: LOL
[20:40] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: I'm not sure I need to know that much info, [Mxxxxxxx]

I don't either.

[20:43] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I've always been the curious sort
[20:43] Sxxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxx: Never go [a**] to mouth

Please stop.

[20:43] mxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i mean
[20:44] mxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: in the heat of the moment
[20:44] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: not THAT curious
[20:44] mxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ....
[20:44] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Okay. Sometimes.
[20:44] axxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I'm very lost

You're not alone. But at least, the troll was gone. Hallelujah. And then, something actually fun came up...

[20:44] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: No buttstuff!
[20:45] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx Black Lavender

Why do you keep saying this?? I don't understand! I mean, I know what black lavender tea is, but...is that what you mean? Somehow, I don't think so.

[20:45] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Is that your safe word?
[20:45] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: what's wrong with butt stuff?

Nothing, but...why do we have to discuss it in Contraption group chat??

[20:45] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: No. My safe word is Hiawatha.
[20:45] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Uhhh nothing
[20:45] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I had a safe word but 2020 wouldn't listen to it

[20:46] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Haha, yeah 2020 sucked
[20:46] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Except for the part where I met my wife in this group!

And there was much rejoicing!

[20:46] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: hee
[20:46] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol OK then that was good
[20:46] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: And married her in RL haha
[20:47] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Yus
[20:47] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: No. Way.
[20:47] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: !
[20:47] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx kisses her gently.... she's right next to me

[20:47] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Yup
[20:47] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): You know, there are a lot of stories like that in SL.
[20:47] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: congratulations, that is awesome
[20:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) points to the third lass of her trio, who she met dating in world with someone else entirely, and who then moved in.
[20:48] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): We just passed ten years together.

S'truth. She was part of a trio in Second Life, and, when that broke apart, she wanted to meet me, and my lady wife (who she was seeing in another relationship, because polyamory's fun that way). And...the rest is history.

[20:48] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Thank you! Yeah, I have heard many SL stories of people meeting and marrying in RL
[20:48] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Awww
[20:48] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Congrats!
[20:48] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: Thank you, [Mxxxxxxx]
[20:49] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: Congrats Em
[20:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles.
[20:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): And to you.
[20:49] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: I've heard horror stories about people meeting in SL and getting married.

Yeah, but the same can be said about meeting anyone on the net and meeting them in person. The same can be said meeting people in more "traditional" ways in RL, and getting married in RL, and having it implode into emotional shrapnel. It's not SL's fault.

[20:50] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ha
[20:50] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I was in a relationship for 6 years from RLC
[20:50] Nxxx Lxxxxxxx: How is that a horror story? lol
[20:50] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: RLC is the horror part.
[20:50] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the horror part was the gay atheist republican part
[20:51] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I mean
[20:51] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: who the hell heard of that

It does seem highly contradictory. Please, sign me up to support a political group that is antithetical to every single interest I hold, and my own well-being. That sounds wise.

[20:51] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: oh... the log cabin republican type
[20:51] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Yes, sadly, Log Cabin Repubs exist.
[20:52] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: wife's bro is one. trump supporter and all
[20:52] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: smh
[20:52] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: though
[20:52] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: I remember signing my homophobic high school history teacher up for Log Cabin news letters to be delivered to his mail box at the school.
[20:52] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Yep.....He's stupid.
[20:52] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ttechnically he was bi
[20:52] Cxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Haaaaa
[20:52] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: lol Ak
[20:54] Exxxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: wish I thought of that. I went to a private catholic school. there would have been repercussions
[20:54] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ex started off Catholic
[20:55] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: he got over it

Always possible. And thus, the capture endeth, on a much better note than it started. All is back to right with the world...or at least, the strange, surreal, clockwork-and-steam-and-diesel world Mr. Wainright and partner are creating.

I always seem to wind up where I'm meant to be (part LVI)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LV. Written by Lina Starscale, with edits.)

The build-up of Higgs-Boson particles was not only causing registered and growing anomalies near the ground, but anomalous behavior around the Prometheus. The med lab was fairly quiet until a quantum wave passed through space, interacting with the stabilized rift, causing light turbulence and some brief timeslip effects...

Several days ago...

On her way to the kitchen to fetch coffee for the researchers, Lina suddenly staggered, dizzy. Everything went dark. When she woke up, she found herself not in the Gearhaven kitchen, but in a very large bed. And wearing some slip of red satin that barely came to her hips!

"What the hell?" she cried out, and from the shadows, a sensual male voice said "Why, yes. Yes, you are."

She picked up the nearest thing as a weapon, grimacing when it turned out to be a pillow. A light in the corner slowly lit, revealing a dark-haired man with dancing eyes, a sardonic grin, dressed in a finely tailored red broadcloth suit. He seemed to be memorizing her, his eyes traveling up and down her form.

"Who are you and where the hell am I?!" she yelled.

He smiled, as if pleased. "Funny girl."

She repeated herself, louder, and watched his face grow concerned. And then he sighed.



"Did the two incompetents harm you, dear? I'll have them filleted."

When she just blinked, dumbfounded, he leaned forward, setting the glass of rich amber liquid aside.

"Did they hit your head? Rob your memory of...here?" He gestured to the room at large. "Of me?"

"What in the name of the Verse are you talking about?! And where are my clothes?"

He sighed. "My dear, you're quite safe, I assure you. Safe, and well, and your clothes are being cleaned, though...from your apparent state of mind...I fear you may not trust the help I offer by doing something as simple as that."

She leapt up, assuming a fighting stance. "Sir...who in the HELL are you? Why am I here?"

He placed an elegant hand on his chest. "My dear, have you forgotten me? Your dear uncle?"

"What? What are you saying??"

He stood as well, dark eyes flashing with just a trace of red. "Lina...it's me. Lucifer Morningstar? Or as you always used to call me, 'Uncle Lu'?"

Lina's eyes opened wide. "No...no, no, I NEVER met you...I've never been to Hell!"

He tsked in disapproval. "Lina, what are you saying? You were born here."

She reeled back, and the room went dark. Two days later she sat bolt upright--in her own bed. To wake up in her own home, when she'd been in that bed--with that man--and moving through Gearhaven's halls before that...It was jarring, to say the least.

Was it all a dream? Lina thought. Did I hallucinate the whole thing?? She thought frantically, and her eyes landed on two objects on the bedside table. A book, and a letter.

The letter was addressed to her in an elegant dark script, signed "From your Uncle Lu". And the book...She picked it up, inhaling. The cover said The Diary of Lina Starscale.

Lina blinked. I have a last name, she thought. Her blood ran cold. And then the alarm bells went off.

"Gearhaven is under attack!" said a female voice.

"Not on my watch," she growled. She tapped her wrist computer. "Alice!"

"Yes, mistress?" said the same female voice.

"Armor mode one!"

"Yes, madam."

"Next stop Gearhaven!"

The Higgs-Boson particles drifted on, obscuring the past again...

(Continued in part LVII.)

'cause we're breaking down the borders as we light up the lands (part LV)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part LIV.)

The large command screen in Tannhauser Station flashed.

STAN: TRANSMISSION

STAN: Large Quantum disruption northern edge of Dark Sea. High level of Higgs-Bosun particles. Prometheus 2.0 has dispatched two Liberators to investigate.

STAN: Duke Hiro: Located in medicate bay of Prometheus 2.0 waiting for upload/integration with quantum instance of Duke Hiro.

STAN: Possible cause:
STAN: Tartarus Eruption.
STAN: DEFINITION: A Tartarus Eruption is a chaotic reaction that occurs when magic is incorrectly performed. It is recognized by loud horns, red flashes, and chaotic events that are unleashed after.

STAN: Normal instance: these explosions are microscopic and harmless. However, if a large amount of assembled magic performs poorly, these explosions become larger until they become apocalyptic. Some of the greatest disasters that these eruptions caused in history are the plagues of Egypt, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii, and the Tunguska event.

STAN: This anomaly could interface with the Duke’s recovery. Request assistance.

The message displayed for one hour, then disappeared, leaving the screen dark again.

(And here is where the saga had ended, at one point. So I'm leaving this credit section in.)

(Hiro Shatner wrote all the sections set in the past, Justinejohndory Amethyst, Lina Starscale and Rosedrop Rust wrote their sections, I filled in the rest and coded it to publish. Credit where credit's due, after all.)

(Continued in part LVI.)

it started with a spark, and burned into the dark

BEHOLD!





Wait, no. Let me turn around.



Welcome Krakenstorm.

And on the other side...



Tannhäuser Gate.

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

Also--something else to mention--


Gearhaven has a medical clinic now, in case of random injury on the sim. Run by the very capable Zack Starbinder, and Phoenix Red, a temple healer from Mont Nuit, do let them know if you need to be patched up. I'm sure they'll be happy to assist.

beauty bleak in a wasted world (part LIV)

(Continued from part LIII.)

Emilly walked into the med lab, looking with concern at the still form of the Duke, then walking across the corridor to the bay Lina was in. She turned up the dim lights to a slightly brighter glow, but not enough to fully light the room. Lina slowly turned her head, blinking.

"Hiee...Sorry I didn't tell you when I got home, I umm...well...passed out."

"No worries, you never need to apologize for recovery--complications."

Lina blinked slowly. "Soo...what's happening?"

The door softly chimed. The Duchess walked over, peering out, nodding at someone unseen, and came back in with a tray containing tea and a covered bowl. She set the tray down on a side table, turning a chair to sit down.

"Okay. So, the last quarter of the ship--under the water and separated--either sank into the Dark Sea, or went somewhere on its own, which is a puzzle, but not one I feel compelled to solve. Justine got rid of the last of the eye beasts when it came through a window and attacked her. We still have a massive rift in one of the towers, and we're debating what to do about that."

"Wow," Lina said. "Well...crap. Umm...how long have I been out?"

Emilly thought. "Two days? No more than three."

"Wow," Lina repeated. "Umm...sorry I wasn't of much help..."

"Oh, you helped a great deal." The Duchess poured her a cup of tea into a two-handled cup, and carefully wrapped Lina's hands around it.

"I di...id?" Lina said. She slowly drank some of the tea."Mmm...that's good." She thought, staring up at the ceiling. "Well, I can still taste, so I didn't completely overdo it."

"Still taste?"

Lina nodded. "I used all my power to open and push the Gray Area into the gateway...actually, I really thought it would kill me. It was...well, tooo much..."

Emilly nodded.

"And sometimes, size does matter...I'm not a Jedi."

"Well, you need to take that into account."

"True."

Emilly smiled. "You did a good thing. You didn't die. That's important."

"True, and we're still here. So...yay us." Lina took another drink, and looked around. "So, what now?"

"Justine's rez day party planning, I suppose."

(Continued in part LV.)