Aberrant: The Long March - Chapter 4: Walking a well trod path.

[Omar]

Omar blushed when Lorien told him what she really meant to do. تقطعه. نظرة تجعل نفسك البكم. He mumbled to himself in Arabic.

He looks at Lorien with an embarrased smile. "I..I misunderstood what you were saying. I didn't now you were speaking about another body. I have not seen this 'Andromeda' you speak of, but I think I understand."

Turning to the others, in response to Andrew's idea. "What if several of us stayed in the back of the room, out of the way, so as not to disrupt the timeline?"

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Ziggurat

Turning to the others, in response to Andrew's idea. "What if several of us stayed in the back of the room, out of the way, so as not to disrupt the timeline?"

Steve says,

"I'm of two minds for this. One is our being there is going to alter things. Expecting us not to get involved is unrealistic. I don't think any of us can watch people burn to death a few feet away without lifting a finger to help them."

"The other is that if we're going to be here at all, we might as well get a good look. I have enhanced senses, this is going to be a sight to see."

Steve shrugs,

"Let's just admit that we want to see it, and be there, and also admit we're going to break the timeline."

[Mr Fox]

The day of the Event dawns bright and crisp and it doesn't take a nova to detect feeling of expencancy in the air. It seems that most of the neighborhood is walking on eggshells. Oddly, it appears that most of the neighbors know that something big is going on at Professor Hammersmith's today. A gentleman that you've bumped into several times in the building where you were setting up your survellance equipment mentions the Professor to you in passing. He introduced himself as Phillip Robertson, an Austrailian by birth, It seems he's struck up an ongoing scientific conversation with the Professor and has even been invited to a demonstration being given at his home this evening.

Given the discussion among the novas in the group, it seems the consensus is that most of you would like to be as close as possible to the experiment and those effected by it. Since you have the option to jump over to a neighboring timeline if you change histroy too much on this one, it is decided that you might as well take the risk and get a first hand view of the event. It takes little effort for Andrew to sneak into the Professor's home and snatch a blank invitation for your group, and that leaves you all set for the evening.

Meanwhile Lorean has picked up the crew and the other novas that don't care to attend and is hovering in orbit above the mansion and has probes placed and gathering data at various points around the area. The novas attending are Steve, Andrew, Omar and Morgan. Cody will be in the apartment nearby incase an emergency exit is needed and Morgan is unable to provide a warp.

*****

When you arrive you are happy to see that you are dressed appropriately. Being the 1920s it seems to be a casual yet formal affair. In attendance are the people on your list as well as quite a number of others not mentioned in the papers, who are no doubt likely to perish in the fire shortly. Morgan in particular seems to find it hard to look them in the eyes and greet the people he knows will die soon.

As each person arrives the professor greets you individually and is very personable. As the group of novas arrives, he looks puzzled, but is none the less friendly toward you and briefly chats with the group gauging your interest in science and knowledge. Having satisfied himself that you are guniunely interested in science and in his invention in particular he doesn't question your invitation even though he knows he didn't send it. Afterward he moves to greet other invited guests including the gentleman from the building across the street Mr. Philip Robertson, who also looks pleasantly surprised to see you here.

As the affair proceeds the guests are seated in the professor's labaratory in comfortable chairs which must have been rented or borrowed for the occasion as there are at least 30 people in attendance. Mercer and his group of survivors are all seated together and you take places on the row of seats just behind them so as to be close to the 'safe' zone.

Once everyone is seated Professor Hammersmith give a realatively brief speech about the new energy source he has discovered and how it will revolutionize the world. The crowd seems to be somewhat divided between those showing rapt interest and those who are somewhat jaded and skeptical. It is hard to tell from behind, but Mercer's group of friends seems to be mostly interested. There are some present who don't seem to comprehend the 'science' behind the professor's machine and are becoming bored, but that all ends when he makes the fateful move to turn on the machine.

With a flourish he reaches over and flips a large toggle switch and begins to adjust some dials on the massive machine. The equipment itself spans nearly half the length of the lab, but the control panel is just four feet wide by three tall. Even those of you steeped in modern science can't make heads nor tails of the machine, and the professor's speech sounded like an interesting cross between real science and science-fiction. However, real science or not, once he turns the machine on, you KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that it is working and doing something. You feel your quantum being drained for several moments leaving you weaker than you are accustomed to being, though you still feel that you could use some quantum if you had too.

It is obvious even to those of you without enhanced perception that no one else in the room is feeling anything. The professor explains that it will take a short time for the capacitors to charge up before he can demonstrate anything. In fact, it is just as some people are starting to look doubtful and possibly bored that the professor starts to look concerned. A couple more minutes go by and he begins to frantically turn knobs and adjust levers. It is becoming apparent to the crowd that something is not quite right. The novas can feel that his machine has amassed quite a large amount of quantum. Lorean's voice comes in across the com slightly distorted, "The machine has stored a great deal of quantum, and the data shows that there are instabilities in his apparatus. I may have underestimated the danger! I suggest that you leave as quickly as..."

Just at that moment the air in the room begins to shimmer in a way that isn't entirely visible. The professor starts to turn and yell something when a great wave of quantum is released and surges outward warping reality as it passes. Each of you experiences it and recognizes a sensation quite similar to the one you associate with Lorean's jumps between timelines. This is not quite that, but gives you that sinking feeling in your gut like the bottom just dropped out from beneath you for an instant.

In the next second the shimmer in the air becomes tangible as fire engulfing everything in the room except for small pockets one of which is around the machine, another around Mercer and his group and yourselves of course. It is terrible to watch as most of the others are engulfed in flames. The professor valiantly stays by his machine and attempts to shut it down even when the flames wash back and enclose him. The pocket of safety around Mercer's group defies all odds and remains intact. It lasts only seconds, but when it is over and the air itself ceases to burn you see a scene of destruction. Things in the room that were flamable have ignited and are burning on their own, but except for your pocket of safety all are dead. The windows have all been blown out and the cool night air from outside is feeding the flames.

Mercer begins to push his group (which includes you) toward one of the open windows, the walls and doors are all aflame. Once outside you notice that there were at least two other survivors who went out one of the other windows. The man, who you recoginze at Phillip, seems to be having difficulties as electric sparks are dancing about his body, and a woman seems to be trying in vain to assist him.

As you turn back to Mercer and his friends you notice that he is gone although all of his friends are still there. He could not have left through normal means, there simply wasn't enough time...

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew decides to move forward with his plan to watch from the window. He takes the form of a robin and finds an open window into the lab as the experiment begins. As the professor turns on his machine Andrew feels his quantum being drained, the timing too precise to be a cooincidence.

A few minutes go by and Andrew is finding he requires more and more concentration to keep his shape, in fact he is finding that his body is tending toward the puddle state that he was in just after his eruption. With a great deal of concentration Andrew maintains he form as best he can, luckily nobody is paying any attention to the bird at the window at this point.

Suddenly the machine throws out an energy wave and the room erupts into a scene from hell itself. The concussion buffets Andrew and he takes crude flight to keep in the window in case his freinds need his help. He watches in horror as the room begins to burn and the majority of the spectators are immolated by the energy released by the wave.

The energy dissapated the few survivors make for the windows and Andrew tries to fly off but finds that his control over his form is quicklyu slipping from his grasp. He plummets to the ground, landing in a heap of gelatenous goo. Confused and more than a bit worried he oozes off toward the edge of the property and tries to pull himself together.

[Courier]

Steve noticed Morgan’s discomfort before things got started, and he leaned over and whispered,

“Feel free to intervene when the time comes.”

When the quantum started to leak away, and the Professor mentioned the capacitors charging up, Steve wondered if their presence wouldn’t change things dramatically. As nothing continued to happen, Steve considered what they’ll do if nothing happens. Whatever the machine was doing, it was becoming apparent that the presence of novas would prevent it from… then Lorean issued her warning and everything fell into place. This was what had gone wrong the first time. Someone in the original crowd was inspired enough to super-charge the machine.

Then the machine exploded and quantum and plasma vented everywhere, with bubbles surrounding the group of novas. Steve felt his head explode in pain and struggled to push everything away as the plasma struggled to rush in. In the back of his mind he wondered if they hadn’t been at fault the first time. If this *was* the way that history had unfolded originally. He also wondered if it was merely chance that formed the bubble or was that some quantum interaction?

Then they were outside, and Steve noticed to his horror he was glowing, most especially his hands. The color was identical to the plasma that had almost covered them. Steve started to reach out to someone, changed his mind, and bent down and touched the ground. His fingers burned the ground.

Steve said, “GAAAK!!!”

[Omar]

Standing in the rear of the room, Omar watches silently as the machine begins its fateful first run. After a minute or so, he begins to feel weak and tired; as if he had not slept or eaten in a week. He could barely move his limbs and his legs were getting weak. Fortunately, there was a table nearby, where Omar could stabilize himself. "Ishallah" Omar whispered about his weakened condition, hoping he didn't collapse.

The professors frantic activity told Omar that the accident was imminent, and he readied himelf. Omar did not know what to expect, only that a bunch of people will die, and two others will gain powers. It was not until Lorien's warning, that Omar realized what was happening. Buy that time, the Quantum waves had already erupted from the machine, and slammed into Omar, with a familiar but sickening sensation. The quantum energy was followed by ripples of boiling plasma, which ignighted everything in its path. Even professor Hammersmith, who had escaped the first eruption of flame, was now engulfed by it. Only a few areas remained untouched. Omar happened to be in one of them. As quickly as it began, it stopped.

The scene reminded Omar of an incident in Iraq when he was younger. A Kurdish family refused to pay Saddam for the bullets he used in their eldest son's summary execution. Their son was killed because he spoke out against Saddam to foreign journalists. Because of their refusal, Saddam sent his security agents to extract payment. When Saddam's henchmen arrived, all 15 members of the family had barricadded themselves inside their two story brick home. The security agents, who cared little for the Kurds, sprayed gasoline in the building and tossed an incendiary device in a window. There was a brief flash, as the aerisolized petrol ignited. Flames set everything inside on fire, and burned everyone to death. Afterwards, Saddam decreed that all Kurdish families in the neighborhood had to tour the burned out house, as a reminder of what happens to those who oppose Saddam. It was acts like this by Saddams regime, kept most of the Kurdish, and indeed the whole of Iraq, silent and fearful. The burned bodies brought back that childhood memory.

The survivors rushed towards Omar, who was slowly regaining his balance and strength. Everyone hurried in silence towards the blown out windows and shattered doors. Omar, who was now feeling sick, headed out with the survivors. Outside, there were a few survivors. Luckily, all of Omar's fellow travelers were there. As for the other survivors, Omar only recognized Mike Dohnigal and Mr. Philip Robertson. A young woman was attending to Mr. Robertson, who looked to have been changed by the event.

As more of his senses returned, Omar realized that he had been affected by the event as well. Somehow, his bones had absorbed and fixed some of the Quantum energy, because it felt like they were trying to move on their own. Omar had to tighten up his muscles for a short time, until they calmed down.

[Courier]

Steve looked at his hands for a long moment then ordered his eufiber to grow gloves and cover them. It did so but this was only a slight improvement as the gloves also glowed. Profoundly irritated with himself and the entire sitation, he put his hands in his pockets.

Steve thought to himself,

*STUPID! Of All The Overconfident Moves! All the careful planning in the 21st century and now we just walk in expecting to steamroll anything that gets in our way!*

Steve took a long breath and looked around.

*Max is gone. Not clear if our being here made things worse an maybe he went early. One extra nova. Andrew's a puddle. Omar is quiet so something's wrong. I'm glowing and anything I touch is going to burn. Cody? Morgan?*

*Preserve the timeline? That would mean grabbing the new nova and getting out of here. Works for right now I guess.*

Steve keeps his hands in his pockets as he walks over to Phillip and inspects him. He says,

"How's he doing?"

[Courier]

Over the link, Steve sends,

*Lorean, everyone, Andrew is a puddle and I'm glowing. My hands burn what I touch. Cody, everyone, how are you doing?*

*We have a new nova here as well who isn't on the list. If we're going to try to preserve the timeline we should try to isolate him, he's pretty obvious about it.*

[Omar]

Omar hears Steve, and he nods in agreement. He sends back,

*I'm alright now. For a few minutes, my body felt like it was overloading. Things have settled down a bit, and I can handle the queasiness.

*I'll pick him up and load him into the vehicle. If it is not around, we should find a place where we can warp out.

Omar heads over to Mr. Robertson and the woman helping him. He leans over and speaks in a dep voice. "You need to come with me. I'll carry Mr. Robinson." After picking him up, and attempting to shrug off any pain from the electrical sparks, Omar will carry him to the 'car'. If the car is not there, he will signal for everyone to follow into an alley, where they will warp to the ship.

[Mr Fox]

Morgan has stumbled out with the rest of you and his hands and eyes are glowing much like Steve's. He looks pretty dazed at first, but as he has a moment to clear his head, he gets a determinted look and moves to the survivors and touches them performing healing as inconspiciously as possible with his hands and eyes glowing as they are.

Lorean listens and responds to Steve's comments, "You are not alone. In fact I don't think proximity had much effect, I was effected as well even from orbit. I think those inside of me are ok though, my own quantum must have shielded them."

She pauses for a moment then continues, "We have other problems though. The event has caused some kind of fundamental change. You must have felt that shift, like when I jump? Well, I can no longer sense other timelines. I don't think I can jump us out of here. I from what I can tell, I can still move through time though, backward or forward. I don't know if this is temporary, or if this is just something that is affecting me personally or if the shift has effected the entire timeline, isolating it somehow. I'll have to do some research and experiment."

Once Morgan does what he can for people and you gather Mr. Robertson and head for an alley, he will open a warp to get you back to the ship. When you step through onto the bridge, you discover a human Lorean sitting in one of the command chairs on the bridge. She rushes to each of you and give you a tight quick hug and looks you over to see that you are ok. "I guess the event had more than one effect on me as well as a couple others we can talk about later when things get settled down. Meanwhile what do you want to do? We can't leave this timeline, but we can go backwards or forwards."

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew takes stock in his situation, OK I can feel something changing, clearly the device radiated some sort of quantum wave, that would explain the others who erupt at this time. All I need to do is concentrate and I should be able to resume my normal form.

Andrew concentrates and focuses on his self image. Looking about he locates a nearby fence post and tries to reach out and grab it. Out of the ooze of his body an arm forms and reaches out toward the fence post. When he finds the post out of his reach he is startled as a tentacle of flesh and bone extrudes from his palm and lashes itself around the fence post.

He ignores it, he has done far more tremendous things with his ability, and pulls himself up. His body takes shape as he leverages himself up. Standing there he looks tired, disheveled ... pretty much like crap. He shakes it off and quickly dashes after his freinds catching up in time to leap through the warp back to Lorean. Once on board he simply collapses to the floor.

"What the hell happened back there," he says, "I'm struggling just to maintain my fo ..." he trails off as he notices the newcomers for the first time. "Uhh, what are they doing here?"

[Courier]

Quote:

Lorean listens and responds to Steve's comments, "You are not alone. In fact I don't think proximity had much effect, I was effected as well even from orbit. I think those inside of me are ok though, my own quantum must have shielded them."

Steve gives a mirthless chuckle. Probably half the crew was actively trying to erupt, they wouldn't appreciate having missed the opportunity.

Steve says to Andrew,

"What happened is we seriously underestimated the entire situation, we're stuck on this line, and he's a new nova who wasn't on the list. From the pain in my head and the glow on the rest of me I've picked up a bucket full of taint. How the rest of you were effected is unclear."

Steve makes an effort to address the "what next" issue.

"Lorean…”

Steve refocuses on Lorean-the-woman rather than Lorean-the-ship.

"Lorean, let’s stay here a day and see what turns up on the scanners and take stock of what’s happened. Then if you’re feeling up to it we’ll jump forward a year. And please contact whoever is around sickbay and have some Mox and Andies brought to the bridge.”

[Mr Fox]

Lorean smiles, "It's already on the way. Oh, and just to avoid confusion, if my 'body' is present, I'll try to keep the hologram turned off." She gives a grin. "Aside from monitoring the experiment, I was also thinking at the time of what I wanted to develop next and was debating between this new body and the other things that we've discussed. Top on that list were stealth capabilities. Seems I got a little of both."

A hologram appears in the accustomed place of an outside view of the ship against the background of stars and the rotating planet below. As you watch the ship quietly fades from view becoming completely invisible. Visual displays of data the probe is transmitting also show the ship disappear at the moment she fades from view. "Seems I got both my top desires as a result of the experiment. Of course I had already been working on the stealth capabilities, but it is nice that it came so fast." Again the hologram changes and you see the ship appear before you as you watch.

"It does consume a bit more of my energy to become invisible than I would like, but with the use of those quantum batteries we picked up, I think we will be ok in a combat situation. Otherwise, if we aren't constantly jumping through time, or timelines, I should be capable of maintaining the cloak indefinitely. That's assuming that we are able to regain the ability to jump timelines."

She looks thoughtful for a moment then says very seriously, "There is one more thing. If we are able to move through time, but are not switching timelines, that means what we do is having a real effect on this timeline's history. From our perspective, there is only one set of possiblilities, not the infinite set that we have become accustomed to."

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew sits on the floor looking himself over as he listens to Steve and then Lorean explain the situation at hand. His whole body aches in what he has become used to as a replacement for a headache. He stares down at his arms, specifically at the two small 'x's near the outside of each wrist. They look like old scars but Andrew knows better, with a thought he extrudes a fleshy tentacle from the X on his right wrist and stares at it. The new limb appears tipped with a spike of bone like a claw. He looks up as Lorean finishes speaking before finally interjecting ... "Oh crap."

Retracting the new limb back into his arm Andrew tries to rise but finds his movements oddly clumsy, like a child who is still getting used to standing and walking What the hell? Finally he stumbles over to a chair and flops down into it.

"Lorean, If this timeline really has separated from the ... the ... the multiverse as a whole, uumm what exactly does that mean in terms of our ability to go forward and backward in time and to alter THIS timeline?"

Andrew turns to the others, a grim look on his face, "I get the feeling that we may be looking at a whole new ballgame here folks ..."

[Omar]

"I think you are right Andrew. We altered everything so much, that it look like we are part of this timeline." Omar says in resignation. "Though, I don't know, if at some future point in time, we will be able to resume travel to other timelines."

Omar rubbed his arms with his dinner plate sixed hands. Ever since the accident, Omar had been trying to shrug off bone discomfort. The quantum energies had definitely infused with his body, Omar knew that for sure. He also suspected that he had acquired what the others called 'taint'. That was the only thing that explained why the quantum didn't infuse with his body more efficiently. Even Omar's body was not completely resistent to a large infusion of quantum energies.

Omar looks around him and his gaze finally settles on the humanoid Lorien. "If we now move back in time, could we run into ourselves. I am saying this because if we can warn our earlier selves, before the accident, we could prevent what has happened."

[Mr Fox]

Lorean considers for a second, "I do feel the ability to move forward and back. That could open us up to issues with paradox, not sure how that would work out. We are not native to this timeline, so we don't have to worry about accidently causing ourselves to cease to exist by preventing our parents from meeting or any of those issues. However, we could easily make a big mess of things if we aren't careful, and until we figure out how to return to the regular multiverse we will have to live with whatever we do."

She looks at Omar, "Personally, I'd prefer not to go back and meet ourselves. That could lead to paradox like causing the present us to cease to exist. I am partial to my existence." She grins.

[32767]

Phillip kneels on the ground outside the mansion, grasping his head as if it was being pulled off. Every time the lady tries to help, she gets a shock for her efforts.

Abord the ship, a little while after being dosed with "Andies", the sparks ease, then stop. When Phillip regains composure, he says "Arrg, my head! What happened? Where am I?". Looking towards the large man, "You, you saved me, or kidnaped me...who are you guys?"

[Omar]

Omar had adjusted his eufiber into his normal outfit which was a tight fitting, one piece wrestling outfit. He walked closer to the obviously bewildered man and in an apologetic but firm voice, spoke. "My name is Omar Khudikias. I also go by the name of Ziggurat. We did not kidnap you, and we mean you no harm." Omar looked directly in his eyes. "It is important that you remain calm, and that you listen. You will have many questions we will be happy to answer, if we can. You will also find most of the answers, difficult to believe."

"You were exposed to a blast of what is called, quantum energy. It has caused some changes in your body which will give you exraordinary powers and abilities. The pain in your head is due to the rapid growth of what is called a Mazarin-Rashoud Node. My fellow travellers could explain to you better what it is. All I know, is that it gives you your powers. I, like some of the others of the crew, also have a node. The headaches will disappear in time."

Rolling his eyes, Omar gives the man a look of 'Ok, now here come the unbelievable part'. With a big sigh he continues. "You are aboard a ship. A sentient time travelling spaceship. Her name is Lorien."

Omar waits until that revelation filters through the newcomer's brain. He watches his reactions while the others comtinue to brief him about his current situation.

[32767]

"A living ship? So you are martians? So I have a 'Mandarin' thingy, does that make me a martian to?"

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew chuckles a bit then heaves himself up off the floor and goes over to where the newcomer is sitting. He extends his hand, "I'm Andrew, don't worry we aren't aliens and neither are you."

Andrew scratches his head, "Hmm how best to explain all this. OK short version, you, and the rest of us, are a possible next step in human evolution. A structure within your brain is growing as a response to the accident at Dr. Hammersmith's, this structure will enable you to manipulate certain fundamantal energies. Up until about a month ago I was just an normal guy like you, an accident happened and in response to the stress of a life threataning situation I erupted, much in the same wave you just have. Your powers will develop over time. Umm ..." Andrew trails off unable to figure out what to say next, "...any questions?"

[32767]

"So let me get this straight, I am in a living ship, surounded by the next evelutionary step... that lady said something of time travel. That would explain the spaceship. Does everyone have a 'mardarin' where you come from? Why are you here?"

Philip pauses for a moment

"Thanks for the asprin."

[Courier]

Steve raises an eyebrow at everything that has been said and then adds,

"We're from the future. About a century or so, although some of the technology we're using is much more advanced. In addition to our technology, we're also empowered. That's a long explaination by itself."

"We have been researching the nature of reality and the background behind the war that going to come close to exterminating humanity. Somehow our powers interacted with Hammersmith's technology, and a number of unexpected things happened. To you, to us, to Lorean, and perhaps to the nature of time itself."

"One of them was you have been transformed into one of us. From your point of view that's a good thing, mostly. For starters history claims you didn't make it out of the building."

[32767]

At the talk of war, Phillip seems disturbed, if not angry. Sparks jump around his hands as he asks "We just had the 'War to end all wars'. The carnage was of a magnatude that it is hard to grasp. And you are here to stop a war that could wipe out humanity? Don't tell me the Central Powers get access to super-soldiers from Dr Hammersmith? They must be stopped at all costs!!"

[Omar]

Omar lets out a nervous chuckle as he rubs his neck while staring at the ground. "Yeah, about that 'War to end all Wars'. In less than 20 years the world will have to repeat the whole thing over again. This next war, which we call World War II, will kill 10 times as many people. Battles will rage across 100 different nations."

Omar briefly waits for that to sink in. "Once again, Germany will be at the center of things. Allied with them, will be Italy and Japan. On the other side will be the US, Great Britian, and the USSR. Of course, almost every nation participates or is a battlefront. The United States ends it by dropping atomic bombs on Japan."

"The war we are trying to prevent, will be between enhanced people like you and us, and the rest of humanity. It will kill 5 billion people, 200 years from now. 95% of all life on the planet will be wiped out."

"Maybe Lorien should show you her history files, to bring you up to speed."

[Courier]

Steve nods and says,

"The good news is the next world war will finally teach the world a number of painful lessons about war, peace, and country relations. Europe, including Germany and France, will get their act together."

"Then for about 40 years Russia and the United States will stare at each other over guns, always on the verge of the next world war but never taking that last step to start it. Eventually Russia will be torn down by it's own people as they realize just how bankrupt the system is."

"Then in 1998 superhumans start showing up. This raises the stakes and makes things more complicated."

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew puts his hands up in a warding off gesture, "May we should slow down, hell we should definately slow down. Keep in mind that ... umm Phillip was it? ... that Phillip doesn't even know what DNA is, this whole deal took me some getting used to and I was only from a timeline parallel to your own," he indicates Steve, Omar, and the others.

Turning back toward Phillip he takes a deep breath before trying again, "OK A few months back these guys and a few of their freinds were investigating some strange events, the year was two thousand ... something, and in the process of their investigation they encountered extra-terrestrial life. These aliens gave the into the custody of this ship here. Lorean is a living, sentient ship, capable of traveling forwards and backwards in time as well as moving into alternate timelines. Basically they got exiled from their home, shortly thereafter they visited an alternate timeline where they picked up much of the crew, myself included.

"Now on their home timeline there are thousands of people with a Mazarin-Rashoud Node, MR Node or just Node for short, who can manipulate the fundamental energies of the universe to different effects. These people are known as novas. Omar, Steve, Cody, Morgan and a few others as all novas from that timeline.

"Shortly after they picked up the crew we were working a job and there was an accident. The exposure that myself and another crew member had to the other novas had primed us to be able to erupt, that is to spontaneously develop our own MR Nodes, we became novas.

"The same event has happened to yourself just not. The energy that Hammersmith's machine was meant to tap into is the same energy that a nova uses to manipulate reality. The device drew energy out of myself and my freinds here and I am guessing that is what caused the accident to be fundamentally more powerful this time.

"When the device exploded everybody present, us included, were hit with a massive burst of this energy, we call it quantum energy. For you and some of the others it was enough to cause you to erupt and gain a Node. For us ... well I've yet to take full stock of the changes but it would appear that both Omar and Steve have gained a degree of power beyond that which they had, though there appear to be some side effects as well. In a few days we'll have a better idea of just what changes we've undergone.

"You will find that your abilities will take some practice, Lorean and the rest of us can help you with that. Some of your power appears directed at manipulation and possibly creation of electrical energy ... I say that based on the sparks you have been throwing off."

Andrew takes a breath, he looks tired, run down. The drain of the machine on his quantum represents the lowest he's been since erupting and now he is feeling the effects. He takes a seat next to Phillip. "You aren't a prisoner, we grabbed you because according to the history we had you were to die during the accident, you are a fundamental example of how our prescence has altered history. You can go back an live out your life how you see fit, or at this point you can probably join us.

"I'd like to tell you just what our plan is but I don't know," he waves his hand out indicating the others, "None of us expected this to happen, we'll need some time to assess the situation before we can plan our next action. However that said I feel like crap right now, and I need some rest to try and recover from this, I'd guess the rest of you all do as well. Maybe we should move to the dark side of the moon and then get some rest, we can regroup and discuss again in the morning?"

[32767]

"Wow. Its hard to think that things could get that bad. Of course I want to help stop such carnage. I would love to know more, but I don't think mu stomake can take much more today. Speaking of which, I feel terribly hungry, do you have a spare crust?"

Looking to the lady "Did you say your name was Elizabeth? How do you feel? You must be like a kid in a candy shop in this place."

Edit: spelling

[Mr Fox]

Lorean smiles at Phillip and adds, "I am Lorean. I hope this doesn't confuse you too much, but I am also the ship. One of the effects of the Hammersmith event is that it has caused the creation of this body for me. Think of this body of mine as a physical representation of the ship you are travelling in. Now, if you don't mind I will show you and your lady friend Elizabeth to your rooms. I hope you don't mind, but I've placed your rooms next to each other."

She looks at Andrew as she is leaving, "Don't worry Andrew, I can float directly above London with no one ever seeing me thanks to the new stealth abilities, and right now I'm so charged with extra quantum, I need to burn some off anyway. I will go into stealth mode until we have made plans as to what to do next."

With that she leads the new guests to their rooms and explains to them what the daily routine is on the ship. She also orders a sizeable dinner to be brought to Phillips room for the three of them. Over dinner she explains a bit more about their new situation after which she bids Phillip and Elizabeth good night.

The next day dawns to headlines in the London Times about "Tradgey at the Hammersmith House." Once you all gather for breakfast, Lorean informs you that things now seem to be back on track. The participants of the event are acting as they were recorded as acting in the journals and files of the Aeon Society. In fact she now understands one piece of information that was out of place before. Mercer apparently is travelling sometime in the future right now, and it will be about a year before he returns. "If you want to stick to the original plan in order to make this timeline better and avoid the war, then we could jump forward a year and speak to Mercer just after he returns."

Lorean looks a bit uncomfortable over breakfast and frowns several times. At one point she puts her hand on her belly. "I feel odd. A kind of empty feeling and it hurts just a little." As the looks of amusement form on several of your faces, she belatedly catches on to the fact that she is hungry. She blushes and then grins. "With everything that has been happening, I am afraid I wasn't thinking of the consequences of having a 'real' body." She walks over and dishes herself a large plate with a little of everything on it. As she begins to sample the foods her face lights up with delight. "This is excellent! Food is wonderful! I can't believe I've been missing this all this time." She digs into her plate with gusto, finishing it off with a nova level appetite. After a warning from Morgan she stops after a bit so as not to give herself a stomach ache. She can hardly stop from smiling the whole time. It seems apparent this morning that her physical body is that of a nova. Her apparence certainly is nova level, and her appetite confirmed it.

[Courier]

Steve also took some Andies and seems a little more cheerful. Steve is still glowing but his hands have toned down in intensity to match the rest of him. He says,

"Hungry, right. First lesson; most novas eat about 5 times as much as baselines. Fortunately we have some good cooks on board. Shall we relocate to the galley? Oh, and these aren’t aspirin, you’ll find that you’re immune to pretty much all normal medicines and nova-specific medicines are highly poisonous to non-novas.”

Steve looks “Elizabeth” over to try to get a handle on how she’s taking this.

[Mr Fox]

Elizabeth seems to be taking it all in, and is in awe of her surrondings. At breakfast she bombards you all with questions about the science behind many of the most mundane things you all take for granted. You each do your best to explain the modern gadgets as best you can. She is really impressed with mp3 players and the comm implants you all have. The surprising thing is that she seems to absorb the information you provide with amazing ease. It becomes pretty apparent over the course of the meal that Phillip isn't the only one effected by the Hammersmith event. She doesn't seem to have errupted as a full nova, but she is definitely more than baseline norm. She is likely on level with the others at the event who survived. With the exception of Donigal and Mercer of course.

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew heads back to his suite and locks the door behind him. His whole body aches and he is tired as hell. He tries watching some TV off Lorean's internal libraries but finds he cannot concentrate on the TV and maintaining his shape. Finally he gives up and simply relaxes with some music on. His body liquifies and the pain soon subsides as Andrew difts off to sleep.

In the morning his pulls himself together and finds that he feels much better, better perhaps than he has in quite a while. He quickly showers and heads down to the mess to get some food, he's hungry and if he had a stomach it would no doubt be grumbling quite loudly. He notices that some of the crew are giving him strange looks and doing double-takes, Andrew checks and the new tentacles are fully concealed, Maybe my hair is standing up he thinks to himself.

He arrives in the mess and heaps a plate full of food before joining the others. He eats for a bit and notices other crew members staring or taking additional glances at him. Finally he is unable to take it any longer, "Guys I don't get it why are the crew looking at me funny?"

OOC: Andrew has gained 1 dot in each Social attribute raising all three to 3 dots, he has also put on some muscle bulk (1 more dot of Strength to 4 dots) and his movements are much more graceful than normal (Dexterity from 3 to 5 dots)...Basically he got an overnight extreme makeover but doesn't realize it...

[32767]

Quote:

Lorean smiles at Phillip and adds, "I am Lorean. I hope this doesn't confuse you too much, but I am also the ship. One of the effects of the Hammersmith event is that it has caused the creation of this body for me. Think of this body of mine as a physical representation of the ship you are travelling in. Now, if you don't mind I will show you and your lady friend Elizabeth to your rooms. I hope you don't mind, but I've placed your rooms next to each other."

"Thank you. You folks are being very kind to us."

Quote:

With that she leads the new guests to their rooms and explains to them what the daily routine is on the ship. She also orders a sizeable dinner to be brought to Phillips room for the three of them. Over dinner she explains a bit more about their new situation after which she bids Phillip and Elizabeth good night.

After eating a meal very generous for a baseline, but nowhere near a nova "I'm stuffed. I can't possibly fit anything more in. But I am still starving!"

Phillip tries to sleep, but his hunger just grows. At breakfast, he launches at breakfast like he hasn't eaten in a month, but again, only eats a generous baseline meal. After stuffing himself, he asks "Uhmm, guys, you should know a little more about this than I do. I, umm, can't eat any more and am still starving! Is this normal?"

[Omar]

Omar slept for almost 20 hours straight. When he awoke, his entire body was stiff, and he could barely move. After summoning his willpower enough to stand, he swore under his breath. I feel like a dead camel. After moving around his room for a couple of minutes, Omar headed over to the gym, where he worked out for two hours. He felt much better.

Afterwards, Omar ate his usually large breakfast, but this time in silent comtemplation. He suspeced his silence was worrying the crew, but he also knew that they were in a place they should not be. These newcomers were not supposed to exist. The presence of Novas, at the time of the Hammersmith event, caused changes to both the timeline, and to their own bodies. For Omar, he had absorbed raw quantum energy...It was a lot to think about.

Omar noticed, during breaksfast, that Andrew looked different. He wondered if the energies of the accident could have altered someone's physical appearance like that. Even the others had small changes that were physically visible: Steve's hands were still glowing, but not as much, Lorien was eating food. But it was Phillip's question, about not being able to quench his appetite, that broke Omar's silence.

Quote:

"Uhmm, guys, you should know a little more about this than I do. I, umm, can't eat any more and am still starving! Is this normal?"

"That is certainly a problem. I would ask Loren to scan your body and see if there are any missing nutritional supplements." Omar only knew the athlete's version of dietary nutrition, haveing had to eat certain foods for certain kinds of training. It was all a big guess.

[Courier]

Steve is one of those who smile with amusement at Lorean’s need for food, and then again at her enjoyment of it. He comments,

“Your physical body is that of a nova. We should test you to see what else you can do.”

He continues more seriously,

“Before we can continue with the original plan, I think we have to go back to the future and see which timeline we’re on. I don’t think we can take anything for granted.”

Steve watches Andrew, and Omar, and Phillip with concern. At Andrew’s question he replies,

“Andrew, all that quantum let you do some body sculpting.”

Quote:

Phillip tries to sleep, but his hunger just grows. At breakfast, he launches at breakfast like he hasn't eaten in a month, but again, only eats a generous baseline meal. After stuffing himself, he asks "Uhmm, guys, you should know a little more about this than I do. I, umm, can't eat any more and am still starving! Is this normal?"

Steve says,

“Phillip, two possibilities. One is that you aren’t eating the right stuff, Omar is right, novas sometimes have odd nutritional needs. The other is that you aren’t eating enough. It’s very common for novas to need a meal like that every couple of hours. Your need for food may have increased five fold. You’re eating like it’s only doubled. Actually, I think several of us could use [Medical Exams].”

[Andrew Murphy]

"Mmphphrg," Andrew grimaces, quickly chews and swallows his mouthful; he then looks down at himself, “I don’t see it. Body sculpting? I wonder…” he trails off thinking, “Maybe this makes some sense. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the lab and I’ve been using my shape changing abilities to give myself a couple extra functional limbs. I’ve also been working out, sparring more with Omar, and spending free time with the crew, which is more interpersonal time in the past month than I’ve had in the past year. I suspect that this quantum wave may have enhanced attributes which I had been consciously and unconsciously working on recently.

“Lorean was working on Stealth and a … well for lack of a better term a homunculus body … and sure enough here she sits as we hover cloaked over London … Omar, Steve, what have you been focusing your talents toward or studying recently … I wonder if this phenomenon works like his for everybody …”

Andrew munches on some more food, “Phil it sounds like you should try some higher calorie foods, eggs and bread are all good and fine but they don’t really pack the calories in like other foods can. That could also help, depending on the changes you are going through your body may be burning huge numbers of calories …”

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Andrew Murphy

Omar, Steve, what have you been focusing your talents toward or studying recently I wonder if this phenomenon works like this for everybody?

Steve frowns, then slowly nods,

"Eruption enhanced my skills. Any skill where I'd been marginal I became professional grade. Any skill I'd done seriously I became top of the trade."

Steve makes a motion with his hands like dealing cards, then another like dancing.

"Wonderful. I can cheat at cards and dance." Steve glances at Lorean and says, "That's what I'd been doing where I wasn't any good. Now which professional skills... ah. Firearms and giving orders. But I'm reasonably certain I wasn't trying to learn how to glow... no. The plasma fire. I wanted to hold it back."

Steve holds out his hand, stares at it for a moment and it starts to glow redly. Then his whole body starts to glow bluely with special intensity at where his hand had been glowing redly. The intensity fades although the rest doesn't.

"Well, it could have been worse."

[32767]

Quote:

But I'm reasonably certain I wasn't trying to learn how to glow... no. The plasma fire. I wanted to hold it back.

"That sounds farmiliar. I to wanted to stop the flame... thinking about it makes me MORE hungry. I didn't think that was posible."
Looking at the glow
"Was your name Steve? Mr glowie sir, are you able to create fire? I can't explain it, but thinking about the explosion gives me cravings."

[Courier]

Steve gives a big smile and says,

"I'm Steve Courier, and as it happens I do indeed have the ability to make fire."

Steve walks over to a drawer and takes out some matches and a few candles. He lights one and takes it over.

"Here we go."

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew's expression brightens, he snaps his fingers, "MMMPPHG!" He grimaces then swallows hard, "Hold that thought!" Andrew gets up and dashes out of the cafe nimbly avoiding anybody in the way. A few minutes later he comes back carrying a blowtorch.

"OK this is going to sound a bit crazy but I think I figured out why Phil is so damn hungry ... Morgan, you might want to get ready to heal in case I'm off my perch here. Phillip I think you might need to feed on energy, maybe fire specificaly maybe not. We'll need to do some tests before we can know for sure but fire makes the most sense. If you are willing I'd like to see if you will absorb the energy from this torch, if it works it might help with your hunger..." Andrew holds the torch up and waits to see if Phillip is interested in testing his theory.

[32767]

Phillip holds his hand over the flame of the candle, but after a few moments, seems to get frustrated. When Andrew comes in with the blowtorch, Phillips eyes light up. Shortly after lighting the blowtorch, the flames leap over to Phillip and hit him in the chest. The smell of burnt fabric fills the air, and Phillip noticably relaxes. He sits down and with contentment written all over his face. After a few moments, he notices the smell, looks at his shirt and says "Umm, I think I will need some new clothes."

edit:to stop saying the word 'clothes' so many times.