ABERRANT: WEIRDER STUFF – CHAPTER VII "AND THERE WERE GIANTS IN THE EARTH IN THOSE DAYS"

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia's attention was on Sean at first, dismayed by the friction there. She didn't mind following orders that made sense, even from Devin, but she did like it when everyone got along. Then she nodded at Abel.

"If there's anything in particular you need, let me know so I can be sure to save it. There's so much...uh...stuff that otherwise I won't really have time to be picky about what I get rid of."

She didn't go into details about how she was going to dispose of whatever didn't get kept as samples. She honestly wasn't sure. The thing was HUGE, and the thought of just...eating it...made her feel really uncomfortable. Getting that big herself felt like she was getting close to a limit of some kind...she didn't have that much more 'size' stored up. If she took all that in, would it make her 'self' that much bigger?

Kia didn't wait around to chat much, assuming that Abel and Sean would communicate with her via the link. She just headed for the teleportation room so she could head straight down and get started.

[Sean Cassidy]

"And I'm trusting the both of you with my girlfriend," Savant added, her turquoise eyes still flashing with ire thanks to Jaunt. She didn't make any threat or warning about what would happen if Sara was endangered, but she didn't need to. Charles couldn't help but take a step back and Tease swallowed. Sean gave Sara's hand one last squeeze then she stalked past Jaunt, following Chimera  and Sage to the teleporter room, though she kept her hand to herself, despite Abel's sympathetic intentions. She gave Abel a one shoulder shrug, thanking him for his concern but preferring to keep to herself for the moment.

I hope Pandora has an answer for me, and more importantly, for Sara...

"I'm heading down to the plane to recover the flight recorder and see if I can pick up anything else one site. Oracle," Savant's lips twitched at the callsign, "would you have the Qeeg sent everything they recorded on the Quantum Event to my tablet? Between that and what got recorded on the black box of the Air France Flight, I may be able to triangulate an origin point for the pulse."

Her eyes narrowed slightly and she gave Jaunt a sharp sniff in passing. Devin might keep telling himself he didn't see her as a real woman, but he had to admit Sean had all the curves and features any woman would envy and any man desire and he couldn't help but admire the way she moved. But the look in her eyes was pure feminine fury. She was going to remember this and use it against him at some point, probably when he had long forgotten it.

Savant's lips were tight as she perused the data on her tablet at a speed that would almost hurt an unenhanced human's eyes. While adapting the Telecom tower, she had also cloned the feed and recorded data on her tablet, in case something in range had reacted to the Quantum Event, giving her another point of reference. The tablet looked somewhat like an iPad, though in fact it was an early iteration of a quantum computer that far outstripped anything on the market and had unique programs and interface options.

Her smooth footsteps were silent, but emphatic with angry irritation. She hadn't been doing nothing, sitting by Sara's side. "If possible, Chimera, try to recover the brain and possibly the adrenal glands or analogues. Access to the node and altered cerebral structure and the unique hormones present in a Quantum Enhanced Entity will help us find out exactly what's happened." She pursed her lips, projecting mental images of what the organs would look like and where to find to Kia, then nodded. "A piece of its spinal column would be of use as well. With the prevailing currents and the displacement caused by its own tremendous mass, and considering where it went down, the carcass will likely be found in this region."

In Kia's mind, Sean sent her an image of where she believed the mutant orca would be found, along with dotted paths indicating descending and horizontal movement. Then another region was marked, in a different colour. "The secondary region is in case postmortem, with a no longer active node or access to quantum energy, the creature returned to something similar to its original size and mass."

In the teleporter room, Sean gave the T'tauri technician - Au'Breen - the coordinates for where Abel had taken the ship and where Orcazilla had fallen. "Take care, Chimera. We still don't know what caused the Quantum Wave and whether it might occur again." She nodded at Au'Breen, a faint, amused curve to her lips. "Energize."

Nothing happened.

Sean sighed. "Ready to teleport."

Savant, Sage, and Chimera dematerialized. Savant and Sage rematerialized on the downed airliner cradled in the sand and surf of the beach. Sean immediately shifted her vision, peering through the bulkheads and paneling to study the electrical systems and sensors permeating the aircraft - they would be most sensitive to quantum fluxes and she could try and decipher when and how precisely they were damaged. She looked back towards - and through - the tail, scanning for the box, likely orange, that would contain the flight data recorder.

"Hopefully we didn't lose the flight recorder out at sea. We'll be able to find it, it would just take us more time I don't want to lose."

In the distance the thrum of approaching helicopters could be heard. They didn't have much time at all it seemed.

[Jaunt]

The team departed to set about their tasks.  Tensions were high, and morale was down.  Situations like these required that someone be the bad guy.  Someone had to be the target for all the inevitable blaming and questioning and finger pointing that would come later.  Teams hated to screw up and a good as the Irregulars were, they still had a long way to go.  So Jaunt felt it his place, since he had the most experience with being the biggest jerk, he'd bear the brunt of the storm that was certainly coming.  He slowly walked over to where Avenger was lying on the table.

Marissa gently took Charlie by the arm and nodded back by the door, signalling that maybe they should give him a moment.  She knew that look in his eyes, pain, loss, sadness.  They were twins and there wasn't much he could hide from her.

"Hey," he said softly to Avenger.  "So, uh, we left on pretty bad terms, and I suppose that's my fault, but I ain't gonna lie, girl, I can't hear you in my head anymore and as much I don't like Guildchat, you not being there is worse.  It's been one hell of a day, and I'm dying to tell you about it.  I'm not taking back what I said, though, I mean, we both know the only 'A' you ever got in your life was a cup size."

Nothing.  Not a twitch, not a jolt in his mind or a spike on the medical read-outs.  He sighed and gently rubbed her forehead.  "Where are you?  Where are you right now?  Sara, I know we all know what it's like to go away.  Alternate realities, timescapes," he chuckled but it was forced through sadness.  "We've seen some shit.  So, you do what you gotta do, girl.  Go be what you gotta be, but you better come back, because there's a woman who just left here that is insanely pissed off at me because she loves you for than life itself and she just can't see that I'm trying to... well, I'm trying to be you.  Strong like you.  But, I'm not you.  She needs you Hutch, we all need you because we all miss you and we all love you a great deal."  He took in a deep breath and sighed. "Even if we have shitty ways of showing it sometimes..."

He gently kissed her forehead and forced a smile, "See you in a bit, you marvelous bitch."

When Jaunt exited the room Tease and Charles looked in his direction, no doubt looking for direction.  "Her name is Avenger, and she needs help.  You two are going to take her to a woman named Pandora."

"The woman with the box?"  Tease asked.

Jaunt sighed.  "It was a pithos, not a box, and god damn it I hate being smart.  Same name, yes, were not sure if she's the actual Pandora though.  She's a few million years old, so there's that."

Charlie's popped wide.  "You're messing with us, right?"

"Naw, dude.  Trust me, today your life just got flipped, turned upside down.  Wait'll you try and rub one out later and it takes forever... dude, it's a nightmare."

"Okay... can we move on please?"  Tease spun her index fingers around each other to cue some fast forwarding.  "I live with you perv, I don't need any more scars or trauma."

"Fair enough," He powered through it.  "She's an expert on 'us', by 'us' I mean you two as well, powers, super people, hell, for we know these guys are the original gods we used to worship when we were all still flinging poo at each other while trying to tap Darryl Hannah from the back..."

It was Tease's turn to look wide eyed.  "You lost me..."

"Clan of the Cave Bear reference," Charles added in his two cents.  "Very controversial rape scene in a movie about primitive man and their culture with a very deep story about female empowerment."

"Kay, so he's a nerd."  Jaunt pointed to Charles.

"Hoping to major in Drama, actually."

"Kay, so he's a nerd."  Jaunt re-pointed to Charles without missing a beat.  "Buuut, you did get the obscure movie trivia bonus question... so there may be hope for you yet.  She and Apollo are laying low in Matiti."

"De-Jaunt, that's in French Polynesia."  Tease snapped, still not quite getting the grasp that places like Matiti and Melbourne and Paris were daily stops for the Irregulars.

"Sis, these guys are Gods... you can't expect them to be chillin' in the cheap resorts,"  He smiled.  "Seriously, yer not getting it are you?  Those Coney's I brought home from Bunnies last week were not from Bunnies... they were from Lafayette Coney Island... the original home of the Coney."

"Seriously?  Because those were damn good."

"Trust me, trips around the world are the easiest things we do.  The crew of the Qeeg will help you guys out, we'll get you a few days change of clothes replicated and Sean has a slush fund we can pull some cash out of to keep you two fed.  Your task is to watch over Sara, that's it.  Easy peasy."  Jaunt smiled and shrugged.  He grunted as he forgot for a moment that he still had pulled every muscle in his body.  Except his mouth apparently... the thing was impervious to any form of silencing.  "Aside from that, enjoy the vaycay."

[WS ST]

The Isle of Tahiti

After Pandora had responded to Savant and agreed to take a look at Avenger, the elder Key (if you could call them that) declined to come to the T'Tauri ship instead telling Savant where they were. When Jaunt gave everyone their marching orders savant, reluctantly, told the transporter chief where to Bean Sara and her untried guardians to.

The tingly sensation of beaming down was surprising as was the sudden heat Tease and Chuck found themselves in. To their right they saw Palm trees and bungalows and to the left a pristine white beach and the bluest water imaginable. Stand nearby was a stocky well built black man with a bald head and a wide grin. Behind him several yards away was an old ambulance which had been new sometime in the nineteen sixties and two thin black men dressed in white.

The bald mans brow furrowed, "Who are you? I was expecting... Sean Cassidy." He was no longer looking at Tease or Chuck but instead was checking out Sara with his eyes. Both Tease and Charlie felt something odd a itch in their minds and they knew it was because this man was doing something.

Spoiler

their nodes are pinging

 

[Marissa Jauntsen]

Tease rubbed her forehead, for all the good it did.  "Um, hi.  I'm Tease, this is Charlie."

With  diplomatic smile all of her high school power girl mode charm kicked in.  As strange as the situation was, these guys were supposed to be the good guys... sorta.  "You must be Apollo," she extended her hand, albeit a bit bashfully considering the man's size.  "Jaunt sent us with Avenger, he needed, uh, Sean elsewhere.  We've been asked to handle, um, whatever it is you might need us to handle, I suppose..."

She forced an awkward smile as Apollo showed no signs of being interested in a word she was saying.  The throbbing in her node continued.  "I-is that you?  Making my brain hurt?  What is that?"

[WS ST]

Apollo looks Tease over in a decidedly creepy manner. "You two must be new, Your.... node things are still developing so your more sensitive. It'll settle down eventual and won't even notice unless your try. As for dear Sara here, she needs a hospital not Pandora." he chuckles , "Funny the one who embraced the change the most ends up back being nothing but a straight baseline human. We need to get her to the hospital and hooked up to your Life support machines so they can monitor her. Not much brain function. Might be too late already."

When Apollo turn to wave the ambulance men up Tease and Charlie exchanged glances, both noticing that Apollo didn't seem very concerned at all about Avengers condition.

 

[Charlie Cole]

"Your brother did specify Pandora." Charlie pointed out softly to Tease. "Maybe he knew this guy was going to be - well a dick, and that's why he wanted us to get a second opinion from her, not him?" Though it was rather freaky, the sensation and the man? being able to determine it so quickly. The itch was really getting to him. "Look," he said, focusing back on Apollo, "isn't that something Pandora should judge for herself?"

[Marissa Jauntsen]

Tease flushed red and looked away mildly embarrassed, hiding her expression with one hand as Charlie proceeded to call a 'god' who was 'millions' of years more powerful than both of them a dick.  "Jesus Christ, Charles... the man is standing right.  Here."  She motioned to Apollo who reminded her more of Bubbles Cobra... but that was neither here nor there.

[WS ST]

Apollo nods at what the kids are saying but never bothers to look at them, "Sure, but let's get little Sara to the hospital before she croaks, okay. P will com e along later."

Once they finish loading Sara, Apollo pulls out a pair of cool shades and opens the door of the front off the ambulance. "You  kids coming?"

Once Tease and Charile slide in beside the drive, the other ambulance man was in the back with Sara, Apollo leans in past the kids and speaks French to the driver, strangely both Charlie and Tease understand what he is saying perfectly. "Get them to the Hospital. I'm going to find P. And hurry the girl only has about ten or fifteen minutes before her organs start to shut down."

He then slams the door and bursts into scintillating light beams which shoot off into the interior of the island.

[WS ST]

Aboard The Qeeg

The Irregulars had been sent on their various tasks and that left Jaunt and Laurie on the T'Tauri starship.

“Okay that was a rather exciting hour,” said Laurie once everyone else was on their way, “Look Devin, someone has to brief Washington..,”

”I know babe, we'll make some time when all this calms down, I promise..”

“That's not what I meant Devin, I need you to go and do it.” She said

Jaunt opened his mouth then shut it and he shook his head.

“I know, but your the only one left now. I was going to suggest Abel but...”

“Why?” Jaunt cut her off .

Laurie shrugged “The Qeeg has been called back to their home world and I have to go with them. That's what I went to Bunnies to tell you, before all this started.

 

The Coast of South Africa

The thump of the helicopters grew louder as Sean dug out the flight recorder, Abel watched the choppers there were four, two belonged to News services from Capetown, the other two were military Search and Rescue and carried troops as well. As he looked on one of the SAR copters touched down about a hundred yards away from the plane. Immediately soldiers and SAR personnel jumped out and started toward the downed plane, the other military bird circled close keeping over watch on the one on the ground. The two News copters kept their distance but Abel knew that their camera's were catching it all.

 

Guardian Shield Headquarters

Lilly materialized in the area that had been set aside for transportation and once recognized was allowed into the command center.

The level of Activity was frantic and she saw her father across the large room. He saw her and started toward her immediately. The men and woman manning the stations tried not to watch but they were in the preasence of an honest to god super hero one which was even now being shown the the rest of the world by the videos taken in Capetown.

General Pryor threw decorum out the window and grabbed his little girl in a ferocious hug. “Thank god your alright baby.” He whispered to his only child.

Then he stepped back keeping his hands on her shoulders. “My god Lilly, what were you kids thinking? It's all over the internet.” He gestures to the wall of screens showing grainy unfocused super long distance shots of the rescue of the plane, the vortex and on some the much clear shots of the multiple Lilly clones in the park and many screens showing the other worldly beautiful Sean in an electronics store and then running to and climbing a tower..

“Jesus, Lilly, at least Avenger kept her little excursions undercover, This is... there's no putting this back in the bottle. Where are the rest of you?”

 

Tahiti

They took Sara to an Hospital that looked like it had been state of the art in the nineteen fifties. Still it was clean and the personnel looked professional. Tease and Charlie stood by and watched as they transferred Sara to a private room and hooked her up to monitors and Ivs.

“Shouldn't you be hooking her to life support?” asked Teas knowing just how pissed Dev...Jaunt would be if his teammate died while under her watch.

“Why should they?” came a woman's voice from the doorway. And elegant silver haired woman came into the room, she looked to be in her sixties but even so didn't give the impression that she was old.

“Apo.. the man who sent us here said her organs were shutting down.” Charlie explains as he stared at the unusually attractive older woman. These beautiful woman were going to be the death of him.

She looked at Charlie and Tease then shooed the nurses out of the room.

“You must be Jaunt's sister.” she said matter of factually, “Strange that you should manifest when none of the other siblings who have been exposed for much longer have. I would have expected Sean's sister to considering the exposure she has undergone. I wonder if it's the nature of you being twins.”

“Sara?” injected Tease indicating the girl who was supposed to be ding lying there.

“Is in a coma, probably induced by what ever is happening with her node. While her body functions are slow they are not life threatening.”

“Then why did Apol... The man who sent us here say that she was dying.” asked Charlie again.

The woman smile and dazzled Charlie and Tease, “Because Apollo has a dark and sometime cruel sense of humor. I am Pandora. I know who she is, but who exactly are you?”

 

[Abel Cross]

Abel looked at the people, the helicopters, and the media circus.  <Savant, Chimera, we need be going.  The locals are closing in.  Savant, if you want I can carry you into the air, we can fly faster than them, and meet up with Chimera once she dives on the remains.  I'd rather not have to do anything to any of them just to keep them at bay.>  

He could read lots of confusion from everyone else save the irregulars, and of course fear.  Fear made people do stupid things, he'd not see their public unveiling turn sour because they had to do something regrettable to escape the gathering throng.

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia dissolved from the orbiting spacecraft and found herself back on the beach. She kicked off her shoes and waded out into the surf. As she did, her skin changed to a deep sort of marbled blue-green color, speckled with faintly glowing dots...and she dove into the water. With elongated, webbed toes and fingers, she swam quickly down into the water, searching the gloom of the depths for where the monstrous whale-monster had sunk. Even as big as it was, the ocean was immeasurably bigger. Still, Kia had a sense of where it had been when she'd grabbed it...it had to be around here somewhere.

After a few minutes she let new creatures peel off of herself...small, fast eel-like things with echolocation like a dolphin. They snaked out in all directions and headed for the ocean floor to look for a giant pile of flesh. Meanwhile Kia herself continued her own search.

Time passed. It was hard to stay on-task for Kia, who hadn't been in the ocean since she'd become...whatever she was now...and the experience of it was absolutely incredible. Living under the waves with no need for tanks or equipment, able to see, able to move, as if she'd been born to it. The water was alive with movement, currents curling around her, the distant beating of fins, the hooting of calls echoing hollowly over miles and miles.

But it was empty of one particular thing.

<Guys, it's me. Uh, Chimera. It's not down here. There's nothing left of it. At all. I found the spot where it jumped out of the water...it pushed down so hard there's like a big crater in the ocean bottom...but I've been searching all around there, all the way back out to the shore, and it's just not here. Maybe it didn't die and could teleport or something? Or...or it kind of came out of nowhere. Maybe it went back.>

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean strode down the plane like a predatory supermodel as she slipped the flight recorder into her satchel. She considered going to the cockpit to destroy any instrumentation, but she wasn't opposed to the local authorities possibly deciphering what had caused the plane to fail, quite to the contrary. If they had someone who could even come close, that was someone to take a closer look at.

She heard the helicopters, calculated their mass and likely complement on board and pursed her lips as she considered Abel's suggestion. She glanced through the hole in the side of the airliner, eying the approaching SAR and News copters. For a moment, she wanted to take his suggestion, using their air born departure as a distraction. But one or more of the copters might try to chase them - in general interest or believing them a threat - and in losing them, especially if they used Cape Town to escape them, the copters might get caught in an accident, rendering them or others in danger.

"While I'm sure you want to get your hands on me, Abel," Sean teased her friend dryly, "I don't flying is the way to go at the moment. It'll just drive up their anxiety after the... revelation of us. The Qeeg is still in orbit, we'll just bum a ride from them and we can get to work on collating and correlating the data on board or get a port back to base."

Or to where Sara is... Sean's lips tightened for a moment, a hand balling into a fist, concern for Sara rising again, in the hands of a stranger, Jaunt's sister and a pair of billion year old entities.

<Sis, can Sage and I get beamed back up to the Qeeg? We got military and media incoming,> Sean sent to her sister as she shifted deeper into the plane to avoid anyone zooming in with a telephoto lense. <We got what we needed from the airliner, and I've already mirrored the data from the telecom tower.>

<No probs, Sean,> Laurie replied. "I'll give you a minute to find your tongue, Devin," she said as she moved over to talk with one of the T'tauri. <Port Incoming. And I have something to mention to you too.>

<Kk.> Sean gave a small, musical grunt when Kia gave them an update on the situation below the waves. <That's disappointing. Even if the kaiju has reverted to its presumed original orca form, you should have found something. At the moment, you aren't in danger of discovery. It's not likely, but are you willing to extend the search for a bit longer? We can get the Qeeg to recall you so you can avoid the circus brewing out here.>

There was the tingle of discorporation then Savant and Sage were back on board the Qeeg.

"I gotta tell you, sis, the Qeeg taxi service will be going offline very shortly," Laurie warned eager to surprise her uncannily perceptive sister. "The Qeeg has to go back to the Homeworld... and I'm going with them."

To Laurie's disgruntlement, Sean didn't even miss a step, not feeling - or at least not displaying - any shock at the reveal. But she still saw the care and concern in her turquoise eyes despite her dry tone. "I see. And you want me to explain this to mom and dad, I expect?"

"Would you?" Laurie pleaded with saccharine sweetness. "What are big sisters for after all? You are taller than I am now and wear the (much) bigger bra."

"I'll do what I can," Sean replied with a half-grin, "but I can't promise you won't be grounded until you're thirty when you get back." Sean's tone made it explicitly clear that Laurie would be back, even if she had to cross the astronomical distances to drag her back. Her eyes cut to Devin for just a moment. "You'll have to negotiate any conjugals yourself though."

[Charlie Cole]

She was a rather fascinating woman, even if that might not be the proper word to use, Charlie felt. As an actor, he could glean something of her presence, looking quite vital despite her age. As if it did not apply more than a guise for maturity and gravitas - which, if going by what Jaunt had told him, would certainly be plausible. "Ah." He took a moment to collect his thoughts together.

"Well, you know Tease, apparently." He gestured towards her.

"Me, I'm Charlie. An hour ago, I think..." Was it just an hour ago - or a few - that the universe had remained normal? "I was flying to South Africa when something causes the plane to fall out of the sky, I get launched out, I find myself floating, then Jaunt and the others show up, then a giant orca-monster thing shows up, they kill the monster, then I run into them. Apparently, I have super-powers, they have super-powers, they're working with aliens and the government and now I've been asked to help keep an eye on Sara, who's in a coma for some reasons, and they said you might be THE Pandora, as in the box of world ruination. And I still really don't understand what is going on."

[Lilly Pryor]

On 1/29/2018 at 10:01 AM, AWS ST said:

Guardian Shield Headquarters

Lilly materialized in the area that had been set aside for transportation and once recognized was allowed into the command center.

The level of Activity was frantic and she saw her father across the large room. He saw her and started toward her immediately. The men and woman manning the stations tried not to watch but they were in the preasence of an honest to god super hero one which was even now being shown the the rest of the world by the videos taken in Capetown.

General Pryor threw decorum out the window and grabbed his little girl in a ferocious hug. “Thank god your alright baby.” He whispered to his only child.

Then he stepped back keeping his hands on her shoulders. “My god Lilly, what were you kids thinking? It's all over the internet.” He gestures to the wall of screens showing grainy unfocused super long distance shots of the rescue of the plane, the vortex and on some the much clear shots of the multiple Lilly clones in the park and many screens showing the other worldly beautiful Sean in an electronics store and then running to and climbing a tower..

“Jesus, Lilly, at least Avenger kept her little excursions undercover, This is... there's no putting this back in the bottle. Where are the rest of you?”

 

"Well, we were thinking that it would suck if a plane full of people died when we could have save them. And then we thought it might be a good idea to stop the giant orca-zilla from eating Capetown. We were not able to do it totally covertly, but we figured hundreds, if not hundreds of thousands of lives, were more important than us staying off camera." Lilly explained to her dad.

"Where are the others?"

"Able and Sean are grabbing the black boxes, Kia is trying to get some bits of the orca-thing for study, Devin is on the Qeeg with Laurie, and Avenger is on the bench and being checked out for now."

"Look. We were on the Qeeg when the plane got hit and we just couldn't sit there and watch people die, so we acted. We did our best to avoid the cameras though, but it was just unavoidable. Besides, all they really saw was a set of triplets and a mega-babe. Nothing all that big. The vortex will probably be explained away as some freak weather phenomenon or something and everything will get smoothed over and explained."

"Triplets?" Col. Pryor asked in a tone that Lilly knew all too well.

Lilly bit her lip cutely, being an only child she knew how to handle her dad. "Yeah. About that. Well, I can do that now too." she explained and then smiled. "Talk about a force multiplier, eh?" she grinned. Her father was not so amused.

Lilly changed the subject. "And if it is not explained away, well... word was going to get out about us sooner or later. People have already started seeing Keys around as it is, and this way, our first appearance is as heroes saving lives, so a great first impression. Oh! And it also takes the blackmail away from Death Otter to boot." she explained with a smile.

 

[Marissa Jauntsen]

"How can you not understand what's going on?" Tease asked quizzically.  "I mean, Charlie, you just explained everything that's going on, so obviously you were tracking... so what's escaping your grasp here?"

"Actually," Tease raised her hand, palm out to Charlie and stopped him before he could reply.  "I don't care.  Really, I don't.  You've been telling everyone one the 'I don't understand what's going on' story since the space ship.  Jaunt explained what's going on, I explained it... now you're trying to get the same answers out of her.  Sorry, P.  He's your problem."

"What I care about is that I'm in Tahiti, dressed like I'm in the middle of a Montana winter and Jaunt said we'd be getting a few days spending cash and some new clothes."  She began texting her brother to find out where her money and clothes were.  She mumbled quietly but was still standing next to the two of them.  "Oh, my god... Sara, love you honey, but you better not get better in like the next day or so... because momma needs some sun."

[Charlie Cole]

"I'm sorry, but unlike you guys, I'm not aware of people who are just blase about like, oh hey, aliens. What are they doing here? Where did these powers come from? Apparently the government is involved?! Because everything has changed all of a sudden, and my dad is dead - yes, he was a womanizing jerk I realize, but still my dad - and even if the answers are science advanced beyond my brain? At least there are reasons. It's half of why people believe in God, to have the comfort of meaning. And it's not like they don't know anything, they clearly do."

Charlie sighed. "You may be fine, he's your brother, but I'm not. I guess I'm worked up from learning about my cheating father and the divorce. People keeping significant info hidden in what is a very personally rattling situation is peeving me, rightly or wrongly."

[Jaunt]

1 hour ago, Sean Cassidy said:

"I'll do what I can," Sean replied with a half-grin, "but I can't promise you won't be grounded until you're thirty when you get back." Sean's tone made it explicitly clear that Laurie would be back, even if she had to cross the astronomical distances to drag her back. Her eyes cut to Devin for just a moment. "You'll have to negotiate any conjugals yourself though."

Devin was beyond pissed at the moment, and he didn't hide it well at all.  It'd been some time since he had a good meltdown... now was as good any.

"No," he said flatly, an icy glare locked on Laurie.  "I don't think that'll be an issue.  I'm done.  I'm so fucking done."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Laurie shot back, knowing it had something to do with her.

"What the hell do you think it means, Laurie?"  Devin paced about, he had to move or he was going to loose his mind.  "Actually, you know what?  It's not worth it.  It's not worth sitting explaining myself to someone who doesn't give a shit.  I've been sitting around for weeks, Laurie.  Weeks.  Waiting to talk with you, see you, go out with you," He proceeded to explain himself, of course.  "Something.  I don't get any texts, I don't get a call, and the one time you deign us all worthy of your presence is so you can tell us all 'bye, going to the alien home world.  Taddy-bye.  Oh, with the caveat that you want me to go down there and do your job for you!"

"Because fuck me, right?  Stupid Devin ain't doing shit but sitting at home waiting for my ginger ass to call him anyway, what's he got to do?  I should've known better, I knew I shoulda just kept my mouth shut and not said shit to you about any of it.  How I felt, has just been been one big excuse for you to ignore me for weeks."  He shook his head, mocking a laugh.  "Un-fucking-believable.  Well, I got yer back, Laurie, don't you worry.  Enjoy your trip.  Have. A. Fucking. Blast.  Because fuck. This.  Shit.  And fuck you, Cassidy.  I'm out."

Devin faded away, before arguments, before rebuttals, he was just gone.  The psychic link was severed, for all she knew he'd already begun blocking her number.  There was an awkward stillness in the room as they both were left to wonder where that outburst came from, but one thing everyone knew about Jaunt was that he wore his emotions out there on his sleeve.

[Marissa Jauntsen]

"Totally just said I didn't care," Tease managed to look up from her phone long enough to barely make eye contact.  "I'm not really okay with all this either.  Which is why I'm going to take a a few days to soak up the sun on a beach, clear my head, and ask my questions slowly and more concisely than needing to know everything that ever was right now."

"And you don't give a damn about your dad, Charlie, so please, stop," she rolled her eyes.  "Jaunt and Sage both mentioned you being completely unfeeling about your dad's death.  My brother said something about micro-expressions, whatever those are.  And Abel I think just read your mind... crap... what did he say?  Something about you thinking your father was 'a womanizing asshole and thus had tacked on a measure of karma'.  Harsh, but succinct.  Did you honestly think my brother would send me to the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger without making sure you weren't some psychopath?"

She shrugged and tapped away on her phone.  "Don't look at me, dude, it came your head, not mine.  By the way, watch out for Sage, he reads people's minds without asking them."

[Sara Hutchins]

"Mari?"

Tease jerked up from her phone and Charlie almost jumped out of his skin. Both saw a slash of light in the periphery of their vision and when they looked they saw that Pandora had vanished.

"Is that you?" The voice was almost a croak and was coming from the bed.

Sara rolled her head from side to side, she recognized Devin's sister from school even thought he two were far from friends. The boy on the other side of the bed she had no clue who he was. "What, why are you here? Where is Sean?" She looked around more frantically she could see she was in a  hospital but not where. "Where am I?" She started coughing as her dry throat seized up.

[Marissa Jauntsen]

Tease spun on her heels and bent over Sara's bed.  "Sara!  Um, I know you have questions."

She pointed at the pitcher of water beside the bed and Charlie was quick to catch on and pour her a glass, offering it with practiced ease.  "We're in Tahiti, you were in an accident, but you'll be okay.  Jaunt has the rest of the team out on tasks so I volunteered to keep an eye on yoh until you got better.  Well, me and Charlie."

She motioned to Charlie, "Sara, aka Avenger, Charlie Cole.  Charlie Cole, this is Avenger."

"My link.  It' not open." Sara said, still a bit confused.

"I assume you mean the Guildchat, thing?"  Tease tightened her grip on Sara' hand.  "Sara, hon, um... at the moment you don't have your powers.  Not even Pandora knows when of if you'll get them back."

She swallowed hard, hating delivering the news like she was.  "I'm really sorry."

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara's eyes dart around looking at everything trying to ...do anything. 

But there was nothing.

No Guild Chat. No comfortable presence of Sean in her mind. He throat her and she was thirsty. And she couldn't hear the whispers of the world.

Panic started to set in as her breathing grew rapid, in seconds she was gasping for air caught in the throes of an anxiety attack.

 

[Marissa Jauntsen]

"Sara," Tease said calmly.  "Girl, you need to relax.  Okay?  Shhh."

An imperceptible wave washed over her and the attack reduced severely in it's strength as Sara's baseline body bent knee to the power of Tease's abilities.

"Sara, I'm going to call my brother and he'll get Sean here as fast as... well, fast."  She offered her a warm smile and held her hand as she dialed the number on her phone with her free one.

[WS ST]

Aboard the Qeeg

The T'tauri technician kept his eyes, all four of them glued to his control panel and made busy work with his hands hoping no one noticed him.

Lauri stood still her breath catching in her throat she had gone a very white shade of pale. Sean stood speechless her mouth open staring at the spot Devin had just vacated, while Abel was trying to sort all the emotional thoughts that had just rolled over is mind from Devin and now Laurie and Sean

<Hope this isn't a bad time Sean,> came Pandora's thought slinking in between the seconds of time < But I have examined Sara and I there is nothing wrong with her, she will probably be waking up in an hour or so. She is a normal seventeen year old human girl who shows no signs of any quantum enhancement except for her node which seems to be in a state of Quantum singularity>

 

IN TAHITI

Sara's breathing slowed as she gave Mari her full attention. She hadn't really looked at her but now she couldn't look away. It was the first time Sara had ever really looked at Devins sister and the young cheerleaders perfections was overwhelming. Her skin was flawless her body perfectly perportioned, she was beautiful.

"I'm sorry Mari, your right I need to get a hold of myself." 

 

Guardian Shield HQ

Gen Pryor led his daughter into the observation area where Doctors Rashoud and Mizuki were.

"I understand what your saying Lilly and your right but still this si something we have to get out ahead of before the speculation goes too far." He was saying as he closed the door. "We need the rest of the team here so we can debrief and figure out how to proceed, before someone else does."

"Glad you are alright Lilly, what was it that caused the vortex?" asked Dr Mizuki.

Without waiting Dr Reshoud walked over to Lilly  gave her a hug. " The doubles? They were real?" she asked as she stepped back.

 

[WS ST]

The State Department, Washington DC

It was a little used alcove that held vending machines which only dispensed healthy snacks and beverages, not what the majority of people wanted. It was empty, then it wasn't.

Jaunt had used this particular place when he had come to visit Laurie... He gritted his teeth. I didn't freaking find out where i was supposed to go or who I was briefing. The thought of asking Laurie about it now was not even on the table.

"Hello Devin."

The voice made Jaunt spin to face the back of the alcove where a man who hadn't been there a second ago was now standing in the shadows. Jaunt looked at him and saw a very average man. Average looks, average height, average weight everything about him was average and if any one had asked jaunt to describe him Jaunt couldn't have except to say he looked average. "I've been looking forward to meeting you. What you did in South Africa just now was amazing and that your almost completely recovered already. Fascinating."

[Charlie Cole]

This was an awkward situation. Charlie waited a beat before venturing, "So is there anything I can do?"

"Get me a latte. Thanks, you're the best Charlie!" Tease replied without skipping a beat.

Charlie frowned and narrowed his eyes. "I meant in terms of helping Sara."

Sara looked over at Charlie and saw the same symmetry and perfection, "Who are you?"

"I'm Charlie." He explained. "I was on the plane, now I got powers and the others invited me along."

[Jaunt]

"Yeah, I'm cool like that," Jaunt gave the guy another once over and came up with zilch.  "Hey, where would a guy go if he was an ambassador for an alien race and needed to report to someone?  I gotta brief a guy about some stuff."

The man frowned. "Still the same Devin. I thought getting powers would change you, make you ...hungrier." He shrugs and put his hands into his coat pockets. "I guess I was wrong.

[Lilly Pryor]

Lilly blinked as Dr. Reshoud hugged her. It was certainly not a common occurrence and for a moment she debated if it was sincere or if the doc was checking to see if she was real or sneakig a tissue sample or something.

"Uhh... yeeah. I guess you could say that. I am not sure if they are actual copies of myself, or if they are 'borrowed' from parallel dimensions or something. Mainly though, they were just more hands to help evacuate the passengers." Lilly answered as the doctor broke the hug and stepped back.

She then looked to Kia's dad and changed the subject,

"Honestly Dr. Misuki, I was a bit busy holding on to, and trying to break, orca-zilla's back, so I am not entirely sure about everything else that was going on at the time. It was pretty quick and chaotic. Some of the other might be able to give better answered." Lilly said to Kia's dad and added, "Oh, and Kia is fine." to ease any lingering fears he may have.

"As far as the others, it will take a little bit for us all to get together. We split up to take of different things. They should have their phones though, so I can give them a call and work out a meetup here or something. What I said is pretty much what happened. The plane got his by a lightning bolt or something, we were notified and went to help. The orca-zilla showed up out of nowhere trying to eat us, the plane and apparently Capetown, so we saved the passengers, killed the kaiju, and saved Capetown too." she explained with a small shrug of her shoulders.

[WS ST]

"None of them are answering their phones Lilly," her father sounded frustrated. "we need them back here at headquarters now, not running around doing who knows what. Now we know you guys have some way of communicating with each other, so would you please tell them to come in immediately."

The look Pryor gives his daughter is stern.

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara's eyes widen, "The plane, oh my god I was flying to...then something hit me... and," She looks around like she's lost finally settling her gaze back on Tease. "Mari, your..you...your enhanced? But when ... why can't I ..." The look of panic starts to creep back into her eyes as her voice grows shrill and she tries to get up and starts pulling at the IV in her arm.

 

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean closed her mouth with a snap, her jaw growing tight. While Devin's outburst was not precisely unexpected, the intensity of it was. She might have been a supergenius and teenager herself, but even Sean couldn't decipher all the vagaries of the teen mind. Still, there had to more to Devin's display than just the perceived issues between him and her sister.

"Lau--"

"No!" Laurie interrupted, holding up, the paleness of shock being replaced by the redness of her own anger, feeling the psychic link snap. She couldn't let her sister talk, let her manage her. "No, Sean, just... no. He got his hissy fit, leave me to my own." She inhaled sharply through her nose, forcing her eyes to stay dry. "Devin can go fuck himself too." She glared up at the ceiling, despite knowing it made no sense and shouted, "You hear me, Jauntsen! You can fuck your own self!"

Laurie paced in agitation, though none of her fury and irritation were directed at the T'tauri. She was fond of the little guys and she offered the technician an apologetic smile in passing, though it didn't abate her own outburst. "It's not like I was waiting for him to call or text or anything, whether I was in DC or back home. I'm fifteen, sixteen, and the liaison from an alien race. Most times, I had to act like a stone-cold bitch to be taken seriously by those arrogant old men. I'm so sorry I didn't want him to see me that way or end up acting like that towards him!"

She harrumphed, crossing her arms across her chest. "I probably should have! He has no idea how hard it was for me. I just have a super-suit, no super powers of me own, and it's not like I could just blast a senator or congressman or director of a major department to smithereens to make a point. But I'm sure he's just going to ass his way through it all without any regard to consequences and then bitch at me later that it isn't so hard!"

Sean carefully didn't say anything but Laurie seemed to know what she was thinking. "And, yes, I know, I know, I'm the one who sent him there. With everything else going on, it seemed to make sense at the time. Nothing makes sense anymore!" She bent over, holding her face in her hands, muffling a scream of utter frustration. After a moment, she straightened back up, shook her hands and squared her shoulders. "Well, he can be some other girl's problem, now. I still have my responsibilities to the Qeeg."

Sean could see the hurt in her sister, despite Laurie trying to hide it, how she didn't really mean what she said. She wanted Devin to be her problem, but Laurie wasn't going to throw herself at his feet and beg his forgiveness. Sean glided over to her side, placing a consoling hand on her sister's shoulder. Laurie stiffened under the touch, then slumped under the comforting pressure.

"Don't manage me, Sean," Laurie muttered.

"No managing," Sean assured her. "You've been doing great with the Qeeg and in DC, going above and beyond. Really, sis. I'll explain things to mom and dad, and I'll try with Devin too, if you guys don't talk again before you have to leave. I know you're angry now, might be angry for a while, just don't do anything... rash you might regret later, okay?"

Laurie scowled up at Sean and could see the petulant contrariness in her eyes: I will if I want to! Sean sighed. "Just give it some thought, 'kay? I've gotten to know him somewhat better and Devin isn't a bad guy. He just talks before he thinks, which is unfortunate in a guy who can control space and time."

21 hours ago, AWS ST said:

<Hope this isn't a bad time Sean,> came Pandora's thought slinking in between the seconds of time < But I have examined Sara and I there is nothing wrong with her, she will probably be waking up in an hour or so. She is a normal seventeen year old human girl who shows no signs of any quantum enhancement except for her node which seems to be in a state of Quantum singularity>

Sean's eyes widened at the ephemeral contact. Relief warred with concern, her lips pursing in musing thought. <The moment could be better, but thank-you for the update, Pandora,> Sean replied in cool politeness. <State of Quantum Singularity.> That could refer to a number of phenomena. <Explain, if you would, please.>

<Of course, Sean. Sara's node has undergone some manner of transformation that I am unable to ascertain. Yours is the first species I have encountered to possess an organ like the node. Like a singularity, the node is drawing in and absorbing any quantum energy that comes near or is directed at it. Also like a singularity, it is growing smaller and more compact the more energy it absorbs, at least in this dimension. Without being able to follow the flow of energy, further analysis is proving troublesome. I can speculate on what will happen if the process continues, dear,  but it will merely be an educated guess.>

<No need.> Sean could speculate too. Best case scenario, it simply goes away. Worse case, it could kill her, with a wide variance between the two extremes. <Where did Marissa and Charlie find you, Pandora?>

<Tahiti, Sean. It's a magical place.> Pandora projected the details to Sean.

<I'm on my way shortly.> Sean refocused on Laurie and Abel. "Sara has recovered, or at least awoken." Sean's expression went carefully neutral, revealing nothing. "She's apparently reverted to being completely human and unenhanced. But there is still an issue at play. I'm going to see her." Sean glided over to the technician, pulling out her tablet and the flight recorder. After a moment of digital chicanery, she returned her translucent tablet to her satchel. "I've copied the flight recorder data to my tablet and the telecom data to the Qeeg system, Abel. I'll collaborate on mining the stuff from Tahiti after I check on Sara."

"Of course, Sean," Abel assured his friend. "Wish her the best from me too."

Sean nodded then began striding back to the transporter room.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Sean glided into Sara's hospital room and paused, her breath catching for a moment. It was Sara. The Sara she had first known, the Sara who had been the first girl she had ever kissed. But not the Sara who had become Avenger. To other eyes, but the differences would have been subtle, but to Savant's perceptions, they were glaring.

And for the moment, immaterial. A part of her had worried that Sara wouldn't wake at all. Still, the coldly rational and efficient part of her mind subconsciously analyzed the difficulties that would arise in their relationship if she was enhanced and Sara was not. She could already see the stress Sara was experiencing having lost access to the powers and capabilities she had grown used to having.

"Sara." One word as though voiced by a symphony, and Sean was suddenly at her side, gently restraining her from savagely ripping out her IV then enfolding Sara in her arms and pressing her forehead against her own. "We'll figure out what's happening, but what matters right now is that you are awake and healthy." Without regard to who else was in the room, Sean caressed her cheek with fingers softer than silk and stronger than steel, then gave her a tender a kiss. "You are the girl that first attracted me. Not Avenger."

[Abel Cross]

Abel had stood there silently during the outbursts, both Devin's and Laurie's, and scowled.   and I'm the dramatic one...   he thought to himself.  He moved to one of the terminals, thankfully configured for human use, and began looking over the data from the flight recorder, knowing Sean would be distracted.   Perhaps thinking that was impolite, but the truth often was.  He knew if it were Kia in Sara's position, he'd be the same way, and their relationship lacked the intimacy of his best friend and her girlfriend. 

He looked to Laurie, now that they were alone, and then to the Captain.  "How much longer will you be staying?  Is there time to get some work done, or Do I need to go ahead and ask you to transport me down as well?"

There was a part of him that nearly offered Laurie the chance to be like them.  Certainly it would help her, but he knew that the Government would feel far less comfortable dealing with a Key than a human girl.  Still, For all Laurie had done, he felt she was deserving of the offer at least.  Now wasn't the time though, despite her having time to think on it.  Besides, he wanted to talk about it with Sean as well, and even Devin, well before the blowup.   No, now wasn't the time to make such an offer.  There was still a great deal he wasn't certain of with this ability, something that made it unique among all those he had.  

He looked out the viewport and sighed.  "Damn."

[Marissa Jauntsen]

"Oookay," Tease stood up from the bed.  A part of her was thankful Sea was here, since she was going to call the nurse and have Sara restrained.  Sean would have hated that and Mari wouldn't have cared, so it was cool that they dodged that awkwardness.  "Well, our work is done, Charlie.  Wanna hit the beach?  Grab a bite?  I'm starved."

"Hospitals make me so, ugh, and watching the lesbians nuzzle each other is really not gonna do it for me..."  She stood, tapping away on her phone.  "You kids have fun, I'm so outtie."

"You told Jaunt, your brother, that you 'got it'," Charlie asked as they stepped aside so Sean and Sara could have their time alone.  She found their relationship an absolute joke, and Sara could do way better, but hey, who was she to judge?  She'd gone through six boyfriends and one girlfriend she wasn't prepared to tell her brother about, in half as many months.  "You understood what needed to be done and were ready to help, but, you don't seem to care a whole lot."

"Charlie," she lowered her head and looked up at the tall attractive teen.  All she was missing was sunglasses to slide down the bridge of her nose.  "My brother is a douche with delusions of grandeur.  Him and this little Goof Troop want to be a heroes, save the world, blah, blah.  So, I say let them.  I told him exactly what he needed to hear to shut him up and get us away from the nerd brigade.  I'm not ending up like Sara, a complete wreck suckling at the teet of some powered up Barbie Doll begging for every scrap of attention she's willing to throw my way.  That's no way to live.  Did you see her in there?  She almost went into a cardiac arrest because she was, brace yourself, normal.  Gods forbid, right?  I'm a thousand times more than what I was a few weeks ago, and now you are too.  I'm not throwing that away by punching the wrong guy and ending up powerless and dangling from Sean's spare nipple.  Nooooooope.  Not happening."

She shrugged and went back to her phone, tapping a million texts a minute.  "Plus, free vacay to Tahiti to boot.  Now would you lighten up?  Try and have some fun already, you're a super guy now, live a little."

[WS ST]

ABEL – ABOARD THE QEEG

Lauri just looked at Abel when he asked how much time they had, It was the T'Tauri Captain who replied. “A few hours still. The Reason I asked all of you aboard was to discuss the possibility of Leaving a small observation station that you could use but maybe that isn't such a good idea right now.” The diminutive alien frowned glancing at Laurie.

It was obvious to Abel how high a regard the Captain and Crew of the Qeeg held for the teenage girl, and how distressed the captain was at the way Jaunt had acted.

 

IN TAHITI

Sara looked at Sean and saw her as others saw her for the first time. It was stunning, she grew still the needle in her arm forgotten, Mari and Charlie forgotten.

Sean was so far beyond the perfection she had seen in Mari and Charlie that her beauty was something that Sara would never be able to describe although she knew that she would try to in her songs. And when she spoke it was as if all the music in the world were singing in her mind.

Tears filled Sara's eyes as she whispered and clutched the woman who was her world.

 

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL ROOM

Tease and Charlie drew up short when Pandora came out of a room in front of them.

“So Savant came for her damsel in distress leaving you two with nothing to do? How about I show you around the Island? We can get to know each other.” she said with a sly smile.

 

 

GUARDIAN SHIELD HQ

“What is this ...Orca-zilla, you keep referring to? Is it some kind of creature?” Asked Dr. Mizuki his distaste at the name apparent.

[Lilly Pryor]

"Orca-zilla? A several hundred foot tall, Godzilla-esque, orca whale thing. It was in the middle of the vortex. It tried to eat Kia, Sean and Sara and then started heading to Capetown. So we had to stop it. Kia, Devin, and myself dealt with it while Able got the plane to shore and Sean set up a defense at Capetown in case we could not stop in time. We did, thankfully. So yeah, we fought and defeated Gozilla, essentially. I think it summoned the vortex somehow too. Anyways, Sean and Abel went to go get the black boxes to figure out what exactly happened to the plane and Kia went back to get some piece of it for study." she answered the doc.

Lilly then turned back to her father.

"I already told you what they are doing. They are getting the black boxes, and samples, and stuff that needs to be done and is time sensitive. It's not like we're not goofing off." Lilly retorted with a hint of irritation in her voice, slightly annoyed at her father and his tone.

Lilly took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh.

"I am thinking about how to say something without it sounding bad, or at least worse then I mean it. I guess. The general consensus, that we tried to make clear before, is that we are working with Guardian Shield, not for it. I mean, the project offers us resources and training and stuff, and we do tests, and research, and missions for the project. Together we understand Keys, help the world, make defend it from these aliens and whatever. So I don't think most of them would react well to being told to come in, or bossed around. I mean, we're all still teens. It can be easy to forget that and we might not act like it all the time, but it's still there, at least to some degree. Just, I dunno, just try to remember that the Project has, like, a half dozen or so teenage super-powered partners/allies , not subordinates, and everybody will get along better, be happier and more productive." she tried to explain as non-threateningly as she could.

"We got the calls and they went out do stuff that needed to be done and I came here because you called. You weren't ignored. I am right here. They are doing other time-sensitive stuff. I will call them though," she said as she pulled out her phone and started scrolling through numbers, "and ask them to get here ASAP. Does that work?"

[Abel Cross]

"With Respect, Captain, I think that leaving an observation post is an excellent idea.  Things are abit emotional and tense right now, but I believe we could make great use of such a facility.  Is there any possible way to ensure it has the means to reach you for communications, if need be?  Also, so that we can keep you, and Laurie, our ambassador up to date on any developments that may occur while you are away."

[Charlie Cole]

23 hours ago, Tease said:

"Charlie," she lowered her head and looked up at the tall attractive teen.  All she was missing was sunglasses to slide down the bridge of her nose.  "My brother is a douche with delusions of grandeur.  Him and this little Goof Troop want to be a heroes, save the world, blah, blah.  So, I say let them.  I told him exactly what he needed to hear to shut him up and get us away from the nerd brigade.  I'm not ending up like Sara, a complete wreck suckling at the teet of some powered up Barbie Doll begging for every scrap of attention she's willing to throw my way.  That's no way to live.  Did you see her in there?  She almost went into a cardiac arrest because she was, brace yourself, normal.  Gods forbid, right?  I'm a thousand times more than what I was a few weeks ago, and now you are too.  I'm not throwing that away by punching the wrong guy and ending up powerless and dangling from Sean's spare nipple.  Nooooooope.  Not happening."

She shrugged and went back to her phone, tapping a million texts a minute.  "Plus, free vacay to Tahiti to boot.  Now would you lighten up?  Try and have some fun already, you're a super guy now, live a little."

"There are dozens of people who would take offense at your description of them." Charlie retorted, "Considering they owe their lives to your brother and his friends." Something in her self-centered demeanor just struck him the wrong way. "On the other hand," Charlie consciously adopting a Tevye-style expression, and everything just seemed to freeze for a moment, even Tease despite herself, "I understand if it's not for you. And I totally agree with what you mean about Sara. But on the other hand-"

"Didn't you just say-" Tease began.

"I'm doing this in classic Fiddler on the Roof, don't interrupt me!" Charlie snipped, annoyed at having his flow interrupted. "Now, on the other hand, we really don't know how it actually happened. So you know, for all we know, it could happen to you as you're drinking your heart out of the beach with boys fawning over you."

Tease gave him a discomforted look, quickly swapping to annoyed. "Now you're just trying to screw with me."

Charlie shrugged. "Eh, it's a fair cop."

8 hours ago, AWS ST said:

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL ROOM

Tease and Charlie drew up short when Pandora came out of a room in front of them.

“So Savant came for her damsel in distress leaving you two with nothing to do? How about I show you around the Island? We can get to know each other.” she said with a sly smile.

"You know what, yes." Perhaps he did need a calm down. "Vacay to Tahiti."

[WS ST]

ABOARD THE QEEG

Laurie had been silent while Abel, the Captain and her had moved onto the bridge of the massive starship. Her mind had been playing the scene with Devin over and over wondering if he was right.

“No Captain, Abel is right. Let's not let these personal matters interfere with relations between our species. The United States wants an alliance and welcomes your presence here in the solar system just as I am sure the world will once they learn of you.” She glances at the big view screen which is currently showing several images from earth and nearby space, one of which is the South African area where the incident took place. “Which it looks like is going to be sooner than anticipated.”

K'erk nods, “Then I will have the deployment commence, Ambassador.”

As the Captain moves away from the two earth beings to issue his commands, Laurie turns to face Abel, “We'll get you set up at a work station with some privacy. I'll see to it that you get all the data the ship recorded. While your doing that I'm going to put together a brief for you to give the the oversight committee.”

“You want me to give it?” Abel asked

“I think it would be best since your here. I know Sean is the natural choice but I don't want to distract the committee with her tits and ass.” She gives him that sarcastic raised eyebrows look and claps Abel on the arm then departs to compile her data while a crew being shows him to a small room that set up with computers. And to cry, Abel thinks having read the emotional turmoil that Laurie has been covering up so well.

 

OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA

Kia swam and looked for sign of the monster and found nothing. Well nothing wasn't quite correct. She found dead marine life which had been swept into the vortex, the floor of the ocean in the vicinity had been disrupted and displace so strongly, that it would take days for the sediment to settle. At least the environmental devastation was in a small area but Kia knew enough to know that even this much small of an event could have far reaching effects.

<Guys,> she sent over the link, <I'm not finding anything useful at all I've covered twice the area you suggested Sean, and nothing. It's gone. I don't know if that means it's still alive or if it just dissolved but there's no orca-zilla.

I have gathered some water and sediment samples and some samples of sea-life that I found dead in the area. I figure you guys might want to take a look at them.

Anyway I think I should come home now. Can I get a teleport?>

 

ABOARD THE QEEG

<I'll have the ship transport you up here Kia. I'll fill you in on whats going on and we'll figure out what to do then.> answered Abel with a thought.

He had been going over the data from the Qeeg.

After a quick perusal of the flight recorders they had taken (stolen?) from the plane, Abel had fast determined that there was no pertinent information to be gleaned from them, they just were not capable of detecting the sorts of information on a quantum scale and only recorded what was happening to the structure of the plane itself. All data important to the crash of the air ship, but not to what Abel was looking for.

No it was the Qeegs massive sensor suite which had, since the starships arrival, been fine tuned to detect and record Events involving Quantum Flux.

What he had found so far was important. The scale of the event was of such size and had occurred at such a rapid pace that much had been unseen in the initial reporting by the crew of the Qeeg. But Abel saw things with the enhanced mind and senses of a Key.

The pulses had not been all centered on one spot but rather had occurred in a small area encompassing about a ten square kilometers. Abel saw a pattern in the pulses. It was as if some one had been aiming at something. And they had. Abel determined that the pulses had been trying to hit the flying plan and actually had, but only twice. The plane had been center of the effect on the third and second to the last pulses. The last pulse Abel believes would have hit the plane as well except for the advent of Avenger. When she had entered the field of the quantum event, the last pulse was forming on the plane but shifted onto her. Then things became interesting. The pulse and all of the flux energy seemed to shift from the area onto avenger and the pulses ceased. In fact all of the quantum energy which had been traveling in waves vanished in a spectacular implosion which disrupted the Qeegs Quantum sensors. This was missed by the technicians simply because of the scale at which they had been set at.

Abel saved his data and stood up to go greet Kia, but his mind never stopped working.

 

GUARDIAN SHIELD HQ

Lilly took the phone and actually made the calls in case they were recording the phones. While she was doing that she was also eavesdropping on a whispered conversation between her dad and Dr Kizuki.

“...but this si what this operation was put in place for General.”

“I know that Mizuki, but this is what Washington has been afraid of. We are supposed to be directing them and guiding them...”

“And what of Avenger? There has been no directing or guidance there. We have simply looked the other way while she waged a private war against people we felt are our enemies.”

“That is different and you know it Doctor. Avenger kept her actions covert like she had been taught by the SEAL. Most of her targets are on the goddamn most wanted terroist list and the ones that wern't would have been if we had known about them...”

Lilly turned as Dr Rashould walked up . Rashoud had been standing with her and Kia's dads but had just left them and come to where she had been standing.

“I'm sorry for all of this Lilly, you must understand the pressure your... General Pryor is facing.” Said the small dark skinned woman. Before Lilly could respond Rashoud continued. “I'm not a policy maker but a doctor the things like that are not in my control. I am truly concerned only for the well being of you and your friends. You said something about Avenger, Sara, being benched and that there were doctors looking at her. What did you mean by this? What doctors?”

Spoiler

Lilly can still have whatever conversation she was planing with the irregulars via GC. As for Rashoud's concern. Lilly is pretty sure that she is more concerned for the scienc and can detect an edge in her voice when she mentions the other doctors. i'm here if you have any questions

 

TAHITI

Sara was swallowed by Seans embrace. The tears fell from her eyes and she whispered “I can't hear you anymore baby. I can't fly. And my god I never realized how they saw you until now. Oh my god what am I going to do?”

Sean caressed Sara's back as the words sunk in.

 

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL

Tease and Charlie followed Pandora outside where Apollo wait with a Rolls Royce stretch limo. He opened the door for them.

“I always say when your going somewhere always go in style. We'll hit he shops and get you two some appropriate clothes and then i'm sure your both hungry. We'll do lunch and I will answer your questions then we will do what ever it is you desire. The rest of the day is yours.

Afterall in a way It's your birthday.”

[Lilly Pryor]

<< Hey guys? My dad and the docs would like us all at Guardian Shield HQ ASAP so we can get out ahead of what happened and the media and all of that stuff, and I don't have all the answers. I filled them as best I could though. On the plus side, there seems to be no footage of Orcazilla, so that's good. It looks like all they got was shots of the vortex, and then Sean and and couple of Vanguards and I in the park, so really not too bad. But seriously, as many of you as possible should get here ASAP. >> Lilly thought in open Guild Chat.

"Doctors? What doctors?" Lilly asked, looking at Dr. Rashoud, a bit confused.

"Relax, Doc. Your Nobel Prize is still on its it way. We would not go to any other doctors or researchers other than you guys. We're part of the project, he's Kia's dad, "she said, nodding toward Dr. Mizuki, "and you guys have been checking us out from the start. We do not want to give other countries or organizations info on us or more data if they are researching Keys now too. Sara got KOed, so we are making sure she's okay and the Qeeg's sick bay was closest. Her vitals were fine though. And remember, we are still trying to understand ourselves, our limitations and all of that too." she clarified for Dr. Rashoud with a smile. 

Lilly's smile faded as she looked over to her father and Dr. Mizuki.

"You can help 'guide and direct us', but do it as our partners, friends and even fathers, not as our bosses, superior officers or overlords." she implored. "We are part of the project. We chose to be part of it because we want to help and work together. If you want to blow this all hugely out of proportion and think we are some rogue superpowered group, then go ahead, but that'll on you, not us. WE ARE part of the project."

Lilly sighed.

"We are all worried about trusting each other. You worry about 'controlling' us or whatever and I am sure there is no small measure of fear as well, since you have seen what we can do. There are probably contingencies being developed for us, if they are not in place all ready. You know that I am saying is true, and don't you think we know that too? Do you think that fosters trust? Do you think knowing that people/project/government we are working with is constantly making plans to 'deal with' us in case we 'get out of line' or whatever is a good feeling? Yeah, I know that decisions like that are made even above your head, but we still know it's happening."

Lilly closed her eyes as she continued, "You think a bunch of kids with earth-shattering powers is a scary thought for you? Well, guess what? It IS scary as hell... FOR US. Yeah, powers are cool and all that, but we are constantly afraid of how the project, the government, the rest of the world, and even our own parents and families will react to us, since there is a damned good chance that it will be FEAR. We are autonomous a-bombs, for all intents and purposes. We know that. We frighten ourselves sometimes." she explained as tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

"So yeah, we have held some stuff back because WE are afraid. You already think we are scary?" Lilly said with a sniffle as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small lump of foil. She opened up revealing a few pieces of coal and picked one. She held it in her hands and began pressing and wringing them together. The distortion caused by the heat in her hands was plainly visible for a few moments and then she separated her hands and dropped a diamond onto the table beside Dr. Rashoud. "Well, if you knew what we could really do, then you'd lose your god-damned minds."

Dr. Rashoud fished out a set of tweezers from her coat pocket and picked up the diamond, looking at it, and then the pieces of coal sitting on the foil, in fascination.

"And then we have the fear, stress and pressure of stopping a fucking alien invasion. A no shit, honest to God, alien invasion, and they are not screwing around either. We go out there, risking out lives, for you, the project, the world.. and we do it by choice. But we never know if some alien is going to the thing that finally put us in the ground. I just rode on the back of a fucking several hundred foot tall KAIJU, hitting with with everything I have, along with Kia and others, AFTER we saved a plane full of people, to save an entire fucking city from being eaten by it. I mean, what the hell else do you, the top brass or Washington need for us to prove to you that we are on board? We do that and there is STILL lingering fear or distrust." Lilly said with a sniffle as she tried to wipe away some tears. 

"And then, what I think people forget about a lot, is that on top of all of that suck salad, we get to sprinkle on the bacon bits of still being teens trying to figure out who the hell we are and how to be an adult. Like, I know Washington could give a shit, but I still have to figure out how to tell my boyfriend that I think we should break up." she sobbed, shaking her head as tears still traced a path down her cheeks. 

"Everybody wants shit from us, or to use us, be it for a Nobel Prize or to have a superpowered strike force, or to figure out a way to stop us or control us, or whatever. Hell, he didn't even ask if his own daughter was okay." she sobbed, nodding to Dr. Mizuki. "Well, we are not assets, or lab rats or terrorists or something. We are PEOPLE. Teens, for fucks sake. We didn't ask for this. We didn't. But here we are, doing the best we can. So what we need is some trust, understanding and partnership. Because constantly worrying about how you or Washington or whatever is going to react and decide that we are too dangerous and need to be put down or whatever, is getting really old. Washington is afraid of us leaving or whatever? Well guess what? It's this shit that keep pushing things that way. Their own self-fulfilling prophecy."

"We just need trust, respect and understanding. We CHOSE to work with the project. We are here because we WANT TO BE. We are ON BOARD. We risk our LIVES to fight these ALIENS. Please. don't be afraid of us. We are on the same side here. We already have enough shit to deal with, and the look of fear in our own parent's eyes are killing us." Lilly said as she looked up at her father with tears in her eyes.

"Sorry about my language. That's Devin's fault." she sniffled.

[Abel Cross]

As Able went through All the data the Queeg's massive sensor suite had gathered, he grew more and more concerned.   In part, because of the gaps that the event created, The final pulse whited out they scanner, and they had nothing regarding the battle that had been fought, or the aftermath.     He was able to elimanate the Orca as the target, someone was clearly targeting the plane, but the sensor logs were unable to give a precise reading beyond that.   Once the wave impacted Avenger it collapsed on itself, shunting all the power into her along with all the residual energy from previous waves, and likely leading to her current state.  Given that her abilities included absorbing energy defensively,  She was likely doing so and it saved her life, but potentially overloaded her, causing a quantum shutdown of sorts.

Going back through the logs, nothing on the scale of orcazilla existed before the incident, so that meant it was somehow  a byproduct of it, though from evidence in the logs, it was never struck by one of the pulses.  Further, the particles that created the pulses were highly localized compared to those that were put off by the gates, so much so that they dissipated after less then ten miles.   This wasn't natural by any stretch, and had to be a targeted ability.   The question was who could have such power, and why did they use it now?  What made this plane special.   

Coming to the conclusion that he'd need some help correlating everything, he reached out to the other mind he knew  Capable of working with all the variables they had.   Via the private link, <Sean, I know you have some other concerns at the moment, but I need your help.   I'm going to send you the data from the Queeg's sensor logs, along with my own theories.   This is far bigger than we imagined.   In addition to that, We need the passenger list and biographies of everyone who was on that flight, and I want you to check on something with Sara.  Her node is still absorbing quantum, please check to see if it's doing so at a set rate, or if it changes.   If it does change, we may have even more to be concerned with.>    With the talking done, he Cleaned up his thoughts regarding the logs, ensuring the data was 100% accurate and sent along everything, to  Sean, hoping that between the two of them they could figure this out before it got out of hand.

he paused in his continued study of the data when Lily called for them all, with the General's request to return to base.  <I will be awhile yet Lilly, I understand their desire to debrief us, but I'm still working on what happened, and I want to at least get a walkthrough of the observation post done before I come down.  We should be familiar with it before our friends leave.>

Abel finally made his way to where Kia was being brought up to the Station, and waited patiently.  When she finally materialized, in her human form once again, Abel moved toward her, and hugged her gently.  "Welcome back."  he said with a smile.   Come on, I'll bring you up to speed on what you missed while you were on your extended swim."