Aberrant: In the Beginning - Development and Dialogue

[Titan]

(Treat this, if you would, as a sort of In Character Table Talk thread. Show us some 'testing' and 'training' of powers, whether on your own after leaving Æon, or at Æon's testing facility. Also, please discuss IC, your plans for the future. NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW CANON If you want a Team Tomorrow, there will be one. If you don't, there still might, but it is NOT carved in stone. The same is true of every canon event, and every faction. It will happen if you don't do anything, but you can affect the way history is written, if you choose.)

Two weeks goes by fast. As the world tries to scramble to come to grips with the events following the Galatea's explosion, individual novas try to cope with their new lives and powers... and responsibilities.

[Titan Omega]

...Continued from the Æon thread...

Titan smiled, inside and out as Shelby emerged, looking nearly good as new. A rush of pride swelled in him as the hero acknowledged and thanked him for the role he had played.

I could get used to this. Adam thought.

Then the foggy memories of his "dreams" returned. He remembered the monsters, the leviathan-like reptile near Japan...the lava-men from the Hollow Earth...the many headed Hydra...

Oh no! KRISTY!!!

That his "dreams" had all happened...that the visions he drew on paper had sprung full force into terrible life crashed into him like a tsunami.

He looked at those gathered near him as they spoke animatedly on the New World to come. Talk of teams and leagues of superhumans would have to wait for another time...he needed to see that the girl he loved was safe...and to find out if he could ever return to normal. All kids want to grow up, but when it finally happens they inevitably wish for the simple days of youth. Inside his new body, Adam felt himself start to panic.

"I am sorry my friends. There are other's who require my attention, and," he motioned to the smiling Shelby...Pax, "I can see that my work here is done. Know that I am here for you, the New People and all the People of Earth. Should you ever need me in Earnest, shout my name and I shall hear it, wherever you may be. You have found an ally in, The Titan Omega!"

Before anyone can respond, he accelerates rapidly into the air before vanishing in another burst of blinding speed, a gust of air and a thunderclap slapping the mansion grounds like a giant hand.

**************************

This story will continue in the Titan Omega thread...

[Katalyst]

1830/6:30 Pm First night in London,

After the day's event's the Aeon personal make sure that those staying are taken to a room or off to someother area of the mansion. King takes the time to check CNN and is surprised to hear that the US has gone to DEFCON 2.

"Shit!" King looks for a phone and spotting one picks it up and dials the operator. "Operator, How may I help you?" a female voice says. King realys the location and number to his unit in Berlin. "Standy by sir." After a few moments the phone rings and King's CO answers.

"This Cpt. Hubbard, how may I help you?" "Sir, this is Sgt King calling to check in. I just seen the news about going to DEFCON 2." "King, where the hell are you at?" "Sir, I'm in London right now, at the WHO facilty here. I'm being checked out to see if I've suffered any possible side effects from that explosion the other day. So far they haven't found anything abnormal yet." He hears his CO yell out "London!." The Col didn't say anything about you going there, but it's good to hear that your okay. Sit tight over there for now son, I've got to get in touch with Col Dodd and see if he want's you back over here. Give me a call tomorrow and I'll have an answer for you." King exhales in relief, "Roger that sir. I'll be in touch around 0900."

After hanging up King, dials the operator again. "Yes, sir?" "I need to get in touch with whoever is in charge here, tell them that Sgt King needs to speak with them right away!".

,,

[Michael Peters]

Michael was catching up on the news as well. The world was in pretty bad shape. People were scared, and there was alot to be scared of. The news about the explosion of light at the Washington University Hospital made him wince.

There I am he thought on my merry way to Vietnam.

He relaxed on the overstuffed couch, still tired from his exertions over the Pacific, and thought about what he had become.

Well I can fly, pretty damn fast apparently, who knows what else I could do? Heal people? Fortell the future? Heat vision?

He chuckled wryly

Yeah, I'm already faster than a speeding bullet.

Michael stood, streching, and began to walk deeper into the mansion. Maybe someone could direct him to a room he could stay in. On the way by King, he patted him on the shoulder.

"If you need to get somewhere fast, I'm apparently your man. Just let me know."

Yawning, Michael went to find a valet or butler or something.

[Courier]

3:41 am

Rich stared at the ceiling. A dwarf with a hammer was pounding a nail into his brain from the inside and he couldn’t sleep. He rolled over, and turned on the lights, and went to look at himself in the bathroom. A piece of paper with the number 751 was taped to the mirror. The man looking back from the mirror had deep circles under his eyes, almost like some evil dwarf was stopping him from sleeping. Rich whimpered for a moment and closed his eyes.

Behind the mirror, the bottle of Adrenocilin called to him, promising an end to the pain and a start of blessed sleep. Some of the others had taken it and claimed it’d worked. Rich believed in science, he believed in modern medicine, he believed in better living through drugs. He read the literature, when a new drug came out that might help Em he tried to get her into studies and the like. 10 years ago he couldn’t have thought twice about it. Even 4 years ago he couldn’t have thought twice. But 751 days ago he’d stopped drinking.

Rich got out the Adrenocilin bottle and stared at it. It beckoned seductively. The pills were round and white, like an aspirin. Problem was, whenever he asked what the heck was in this thing he got medical double talk. Addiction, which meant Alcoholism, was a chemical imbalance in the brain; Misfiring neurotransmitters or something. Twice he’d had friends from AA fall off the wagon after they’d had surgery. Surgery meant strong pain killers. The really strong pain killers were opiate based. Opium and its products were addicting. The brain felt that deadening the pain with booze was close to deadening the pain with other things. Adrenocilin was a really strong pain killer.

If he took the pill he’d have to cross out that 751 and write down Zero. Rich flinched as the dwarf got out another nail. 30 days ago he’d have done it. An actively drinking nuclear safety inspector wasn’t good… but life was a set of trade offs and the risk of falling had to be weighed against the certainty of the pain. If his power was just healing he’d still have done it. Several times the various Docs had brought in patents to "see" him and healing was a blast. He had the feeling that even drunk he'd be better at healing than any MD.

But his main power was Radiation control. Yesterday he’d snapped his fingers and created… created enough radioactive material to make a dirty bomb… and it’d been easy. Destroying it had also been easy, but his limit cleaning it up was nowhere near what it had been during eruption. His destructive potential was greater than everyone else put together. He could trivially contaminate wide areas of the countryside for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Chernobyl, a dozen times a day.

And he was an alcoholic. Rich shuddered again and put the pills back. Tomorrow when he got up he’d write down 752 and go visit whatever passed for AA around here.

[SalmonMax]

"Try to hold still," the doctor instructed her. He was a kindly older man, maybe in his 50's. Juno wasn't sure of his name. Saul or Paul or something. They were starting to blur together in her head.

She winced when he pricked her arm and quickly managed to get some blood before the needle was pushed back out. The skin over the spot he'd stuck her quickly scabbed over into a hard surface about the size of a quarter.

Doctor Saul or Paul held up his little tube of Juno's blood and gave her a reproving look. "I'm pretty sure that doesn't actually hurt you."

Juno shrugged. "I guess not. I still feel it though." She did. It wasn't exactly -pain-, but she could feel the puncture. When her skin changed, it felt hot, then got numb in that spot. It slowly relaxed back to normal over the course of a few minutes.

He looked at the needle and clucked. "We're going to have to upgrade our needles again soon."

She grinned self-consciously and glanced towards the big mirror that lined one wall of the examination room.

----

Behind it Hector Reyes and a tall, slim man in his late 40's sat in a dark observation room. Hector frowned at the proceedings with all of a father's suspicion and filial concern.

"What's he mean 'upgrade his needle,' he whispered to the other in the room.

Dr. Hugo Ward, one of the cellular biologists who Aeon had flown in, shook his head. "You don't have to whisper," he said again. "He means that Juno's skin is continuing to adapt to repeated blood tests. It's getting progressively harder to pierce with ordinary lab needles."

"But...it changes back," Hector pointed out.

"Mmm, well, yes. In a sense." Dr Ward sighed at Hector's expression. Parents were always such a -trial- when dealing with gifted children. They felt the value of their child, but didn't -understand- the value. It led them to paranoia and unwarranted concerns.

"Juno's gift appears to take place on at least two discrete levels," he gamely plowed on. "There's an immediate adaptive response to specific stimulus. This provokes the healing response, and the change in skin density at the injury site though the specific changes can be variable. What we're finding out is that over a longer interval, her body makes subtler, longer term adaptations to recurring phenomena. It means that if you jab her with a needle once, she'll momentarily develop resistant traits that will then vanish. But if you jab her repeatedly within a time span of several days, the structure of her skin actually changes. Sort of like building up a callus, only there's no loss in flexibility, elasticity or sensitivity. This change is originated by her powers, but once it takes place it is permanant...presumably unless she decides to change it again intentionally."

Hector looked slowly back at the tinted window at his daughter. He hadn't understood a lot of that, but he got the basic message. "So...what else is going to change about her?" he asked.

"We're not sure yet," Dr Ward admitted. "So far the adaptive responses seem to take place without her consciously choosing for them to. However, they can react to her state of mind or to her conscious wishes and desires as well as environmental cues or physical damage. That implies that her brain can control...or at least influence...her powers. It's just a question of learning how to do it. We're trying to help her with that."

Once again, Hector waded his way through the minefield of words the doctor was laying in front of him. After a moment he decided the only really relevant part of all that was the 'we're not sure' at the very beginning. The rest was just him blowing smoke. "So basically," he said, "what you're doing to her is making her change permanently and you don't know what's going to happen next."

The scientist sighed and leaned back in his chair. Exasperating. "First, we've no way to know if the word 'permanent' applies to Juno in any way. If she can control her ability, there's no reason..."

"But she can't," Hector pointed out. "You just said so."

"I also said she could learn to..."

"Do you KNOW that?"

There was a pause. Dr Ward looked away, almost sullenly.

Hector nodded. "What if tomorrow she grows a shell? Or bug eyes? What if next time it's not just her skin getting tougher, but something freakish? And it doesn't go away?"

The doctor simmered in silence, then turned towards Hector again. "It's a risk," he said with external calm. "It's a risk worth taking."

"Why?" Hector asked dubiously.

"Mr. Reyes, your daughter...the potential impact of what she can do on almost every level of biology and medicine is...incalculable. Of the people we've tested so far who have unusual abilities, she's the only one yet who's shown these particular reactions."

Hector shook his head adamantly. "Uh uh, no...I know for a fact there's other guys with tough skin. And a few that can heal really fast..."

"Yes, but..." Dr Ward managed to get a grip on himself before he blew up at this little man. "Each manifestation of these abilities is different. They have similar end results and are classified by that, but the mechanisms used to reach that result vary widely. Juno's manifestation of her powers is modifications to her biology to achieve results. This is valuable to us because if a particular modification works for her, there's no reason it can't for someone else! She doesn't just...heal herself with light, she stimulates rapid cell growth! Her resistance to infection is based on an adaptive immune system, not in simply...simply being impervious to disease toxins! Mr. Reyes, her ability places within reach cures for diseases that haven't even been discovered yet. Epidemics still lurking in rainforests to explode into an unsuspecting human populace. Panimmunity. Cures for cancer and AIDS and...maybe even the common cold! Regenerative therapy to regrow limbs and organs with no chance of rejection!"

Now it was Hector's turn to look away, out at the window through which is daughter lounged impatiently on a chair, like the chairs at a dentist's office. The doctor was testing her reflexes.

Sensing he'd gained some ground, Dr Ward leaned closer, pressing his case literally and figuratively. "We need to do more tests...but the hitch is that she's...well, she's adapting to them. We can only do a particular procedure once or twice before it doesn't work anymore. We got a good x-ray, but then her skin develops this...protective pigmentation, an offshoot of melanin, we're not sure. It blocks the radiation. We'll have to use a drill or something to get blood at this rate. Tissue cultures don't work...they don't have her connection to whatever fuels her power."

Hector looked back, uneasy for some reason. The pleading tone in Ward's voice made him skittish. "So what do you want to do?"

This was it. Dr Ward pushed his glasses up his nose. "We need to escalate the test procedures. To do that, we need permission...explicit permission."

"Escalate?"

"We've reached the limits of what ordinary testing can accomplish. Juno is not an ordinary person though, Mr Reyes. Test procedures that would be...considered...not entirely ethical on a normal person will place her in no jeopardy whatsoever, and dramatically further our understanding of her powers."

His eyes narrowed. "Test procedures like what?"

Dr Ward went for it. "Introducing stronger than immunizing doses of pathogens, for example."

"You want to give my daughter a disease?"

He managed not to roll his eyes. "She won't get sick, Mr Reyes. But the stimulation of her immune system could provide us with antibody configurations that will guide..."

"And you know that. You know she won't get sick," Hector said angrily.

Realizing it wasn't going to happen now, Dr Ward elected to back off before Hector was alienated entirely. Seething inside he said, "I am very sure of that, but nothing will happen without you and Juno's consent." He held up a hand. "Would you talk about it with her? Before you make up your mind. Just mull it over. Your daughter could save a lot of lives. She could be a hero."

Hector hesitated, still clearly upset. He finally shook his head slowly. "I'll tell her what you said," he relented. "But...I'll tell you right now, to your face, that I don't like it. What you're talking about." He got up and went to the door of the observation room. For a moment he lingered, giving Dr Ward a long glare, then left.

(TBC)

[Peter Bell]

For Peter, his life soon revolved around three things. The first was the battery of tests, mostly of the Neuroscientific variety, that he went through. He felt he had given a gallon of blood for testing. He had run on treadmills, climbed stairs, and held his breath underwater. He also did so much more. These Aeon folks and the WHO had their A-game on, Peter was sure.

They would only repeat a test when they had a reason and they would give that reason to him. As a side note, they both noticed, patient and physicians, that Peter's knoweldge of Medical Science expanded exponentionally. That was a real plus, but also a mystery.

It was one of many things they had trouble defining. His quatumn expression that could see through time. It stimulated parts of his brain, but differen't visions would involve different parts of the brain. The only exception was the tumor in his skull, which was always busy doing something to his mental processes, visions or not.

The second part of his life was the nearly constant presence of Sascha near by. He would intervene between her and the staff. She wanted nothing to do with them and Peter was okay with that. It was personal freedom after all. As Peter's tests were running down, he realized she had a limited wardrobe, a limited view of the world, and a fanatical desire to see 'The Man.'

Peter even drew a picture of the man the way he best remembered him and she had cried when he had given it to her for her private collection. Her Man in the vision was her man as well, and he wanted to find out who that was. His advantage was that he had a trail to follow.

The third part of his life that changed so dramatically was that somehow he had become famous. His paintings were flying out of the galleries and his studio. Ellen was extatic, even as she missed him. She told him how word had gotten out that he was one of these new "heroes", "New People", or whatever was popular to call him and his people at the moment.

All she needed was more paintings, though even his sketches would do. All he needed was more time in the day. He kept telling Ellen he would be home as soon as he was able, but first ...

He had the picture of the Man with the Thin Moustache. He had been cornering people in both orgnizations and was making progress with the Aeon Society. There was even a hint that this man actually existed. Peter knew he existed. He just wanted to talk to him.

There was also the matter of getting Sascha some new clothes. An outing to the shops of London was in order with his new found wealth. A few clubs might be in order as well, if Sascha promised to behave.

[z-Wei Fang]

"What's she been doing?"

"Reading," the MI-6 agent said, yawning. "Just scouring the internet or flipping through books."

His supervisor leaned forward. "Where's the list of what she's reading?"

"Right here," the agent said, passing back a printout. It was a long printout.

After a long moment, the supervisor picked up the phone. "Sir, we may have a problem. It's the Chinese girl. Yeah. I've got a list of what she's been researching for the last two weeks. You might wanna take a look at this."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Fang pushed the last book away and pressed her hand to her chin. "Very well," she said in near-perfect English, standing to her feet. The garden was in full bloom, and Fang could see the path. She saw where everything was going to go, or at least everything in her knowledge. There would be surprises, later, things she didn't get a chance to anticipate.

But for now, Fang left the library, her borrowed Western clothes feeling strange. Trotting down the steps, she headed for London's Diplomatic row.

It was time to play the first piece in the puzzle.

[Courier]

Rich got up and put on a sweat suit. His duffel bag had two more just like it. He took a marker and wrote down today's number, and taped it to the mirror and put another copy into his wallet. Yesterday's numbers went into the trash.

He called long distance to his father-in-law Bob and checked up on Em. No change. He called his other daughter, if he was going to be in the news she was trying to find a way to capitalize on it. He called his supervisor Dave and tried to get a feel for what was happening... and to propose his "nuclear waste destruction" idea.

He hadn't told them the latest development. He'd changed. Someone akin to a young Tom Cruise looked at him from the mirror. Then he went down to eat.

Rich sat next to huge plates of food. Pancakes, waffles, French toast, and baggles enough for three men for two meals.

(To anyone who is there) "So what's up for today with you? What do the Docs have you doing?"

(Style upgrade from 2 when he first showed up; To 8 (App 5) or 10 (with the Sexy Merit).)

[Fahrenheit]

Originally Posted By: Peter Bell

The second part of his life was the nearly constant presence of Sascha near by. He would intervene between her and the staff. She wanted nothing to do with them and Peter was okay with that. It was personal freedom after all. As Peter's tests were running down, he realized she had a limited wardrobe, a limited view of the world, and a fanatical desire to see 'The Man.'

Peter even drew a picture of the man the way he best remembered him and she had cried when he had given it to her for her private collection. Her Man in the vision was her man as well, and he wanted to find out who that was. His advantage was that he had a trail to follow.

There was also the matter of getting Sascha some new clothes. An outing to the shops of London was in order with his new found wealth. A few clubs might be in order as well, if Sascha promised to behave.

The concept of freedom scared her… or was it uncertainty? Her days at the Asylum followed a strict protocol – Waking up, medications, breakfast, a small walk in the park (only 1 round for her) back to her cell. Then she either waited for the day to pass or had to write down her thoughts. Around lunchtime she got another pick of medications and if it was a Tuesday or a Thursday she got a shot with sedatives, just to keep her physically passive but awake enough for her interview. She shared her thoughts, her dreams and fears… everything – she gave them everything and got nothing in return. No one could say what was wrong with her. No one knew an answer to her misery.

Sascha waited in Peter’s room. He made sure that the doctor’s wouldn’t ask her to participate in any tests or ask her to take any medicine. They seemed reluctant at first but they managed to find a compromise if they could take just one blood sample from her – nothing would enter her system, she would just give some of her blood, that’s all.

The door knocked and Sascha could recognise Cornelia’s voice. “It won’t take long, I promise.”, Sascha didn’t respond. “Are you there, honey?”

Sascha looked at the door. Usually the Doctors would just enter with the orderly and take her to examination. Slowly she approached the door and opened it.

“Ah, there you are.”, Cornelia smiled sincerely but Sascha’s eyes remained emotionless. After an awkward moment of silence Cornelia asked Sascha to follow her to the infirmary.

(ooc: a few minutes later)

Sascha looked at shocked faces. “Back off from her! Did you just see that?!” one of the younger medics was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Sascha looked around and felt the emotional tension in the room.

“What’s going on?”, she asked backing off to the wall behind her. She tried to find out what happened. There were 4 people in the room all obvious Doctors from the society. They were all taking steps backwards as if she was dangerous.

Sascha asked again, “Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on?”, fear mixed with anger was clearly in her voice. Cornelia stopped and straightened up looking quizzically at Sascha. “Sascha? Am I talking with Sascha?”. Sascha furrowed her brows as if she had heard the most stupid question yet. “Everything’s going to be alright Sascha, just calm down, please.”

Sascha had heard these words before. They always heralded the coming of large and strong men who subdued her. “Stay away from me!”, she barked and Cornelia nodded at the other Doctors who quickly left the room.

“See Sascha, it’s only you and me now. We mean you no harm. If you want to we can show you what happened. We got it taped.”, Cornelia pointed at several cameras in the corners of the room. “We want to help you.”

“Get Peter here… Get… Him… Here, NOW!”, Sascha started crying and slid down with her back on the floor.

[Katalyst]

King's night was rather distressing. He could only watch CNN for so long before it got repetitive. No call came for him either and that had him concerned. At around 530 he did a some physical training, and went on a run around the complex, hoping to relax himself and to put it bluntly kill some time. After a quick shower, and change of clothes he headed down to to dining room area where he had spotted Rich sitting down to eat.

Originally Posted By: Courier

(To anyone who is there) "So what's up for today with you? What do the Docs have you doing?"

"Not much going on yet. Just waiting for a phone call. Names Jay by the way." "Haven't seen the Doc Go yet, I'm kinda of in a limbo status right now. Waiting on a phone call to see if I have to go back to Berlin?" "And you?" he adds.

[Courier]

Rich replies,

"I'm Rich. Good to meet you. Limbo? That's kind of harsh, what are you waiting on?"

"Today whichever Doc wins this morning's fight will escort me to some hospital. We're supposed to take a camera crew in tow from a local station or somewhere. Should be good PR and all that."

[Katalyst]

Jay laughs at Rich's little joke. "I'm sure they are doing just that, and with everyone else that showed up here it's like a dream for them I bet."

"I'm in the Army, and I was over in Bosnia doing some "Peacekeeping" stuff when that space staion blew up. Now with the shit that happened yesterday, the Pres pushed us up to DEFCON 2. I was hoping to stay here and find out what the hell is going on with me, but I fear that I may get called back off leave."

He sighs, "I got no problem going back, but I also want to be a part of this "Team of Tomorrow" stuff to."

[Courier]

Rich nods and says,

"What is it that you do? And do you want me to ask the President to have you reassigned?"

[Michael Peters]

Michael walks into the dining room wearing a loose fitting white shirt and powder blue sweat pants. There were subtle changes in his appearance from yesterday: the lines around his eyes and lips were fading, his teeth seemed more straight and whiter. There was just something about him now, something eye catching.

(Michael is developing Mega-Appearance, but his changes are slow)

"Good morning gentlemen." Michael said, and yawned. He took a seat at the table and began piling pancakes onto an empty plate.

"How does the day find you both?"

[Katalyst]

Originally Posted By: Courier

Rich nods and says,

"What is it that you do? And do you want me to ask the President to have you reassigned?"

"Did he just say that he knows the President?" "You can do that?" King says in disbelief. Michael's entrance allows King to allow his mind to settle down.

"Doing good, so far. Have you meet Rich yet? We were just discussing the fact that Rich here knows President Clinton."

[z-Wei Fang]

Fang passed through the dining room, slowing when she saw her companions. She thought about continuing her mission, but Jay was at the table, and she allowed herself an indulgant smile as she turned toward them. "May I join you?" she asked, smiling at the gathered men and gesturing at the empty chair next to Katalyst.

Her mission could wait until after breakfast.

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Katalyst

"You can do that?" King says in disbelief. Michael's entrance allows King to allow his mind to settle down.

"Doing good, so far. Have you meet Rich yet? We were just discussing the fact that Rich here knows President Clinton."

Rich's mouth was full of food and he was a little slow to respond.

Originally Posted By: Wei Fang

"May I join you?" she asked, smiling at the gathered men and gesturing at the empty chair next to Katalyst.

Rich said, "Please".

Rich continued,

"And no, I don't personally know Bill. But he knows me. Right out of the box he ordered me here because he was under the impression I could control radiation. That's before I'd even accepted it myself."

"I think he'd get and listen to a message."

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Michael Peters

"Good morning gentlemen." Michael said, and yawned. He took a seat at the table and began piling pancakes onto an empty plate.

"How does the day find you both?"

Rich replies,

"I'm good. The pain from the head aches is starting to fade I think. How about the rest of you?"

[SalmonMax]

Juno jogs into the dining room, dressed in grey sweatpants and jacket with the Aeon logo over the breast pocket. She grabs a plate and hums as she starts heaping food on it; artfully using a stack of pancakes as a central anchor for an elaborate construct of muffins, hash browns and eggs with a superstructure of stiff bacon strips. Somewhere, somehow, she manages to find room for a slice of melon.

In the time following that first eventful day, Juno has seemed in much brighter spirits. She can often be seen exploring the expansive estate grounds, or watching other people as they put their powers on display outside, especially during the evenings. She's friendly when approached, but doesn't initiate contact much.

Now, in the dining room, she carefully balances her tray as she carries it to a table adjacent to Rich's and sits down. There, she contentedly chows down while openly eavesdropping on the conversation one table over.

[Michael Peters]

Originally Posted By: Courier

Rich replies, "I'm good. The pain from the head aches is starting to fade I think. How about the rest of you?"

"Yeah, my head's pretty much back to normal. A bit of an ache now and then but nowhere near as bad as it was."

He nods at Fang and Juno as they take their seats.

"I'm Michael Peters by the way."

He began to eat the pancakes with gusto.

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Lily

Juno jogs into the dining room, dressed in grey sweatpants and jacket with the Aeon logo over the breast pocket.

Rich looks at Juno and then at himself and says to Juno,

"Hey, twins." (Rich is also wearing a generic gray Aeon sweat suit)

Originally Posted By: Michael Peters

"Yeah, my head's pretty much back to normal. A bit of an ache now and then but nowhere near as bad as it was."

"I'm Michael Peters by the way."

He began to eat the pancakes with gusto.

Rich replies,

"Richard Stevenson".

[Katalyst]

King turns to Rich. "Let me get back to you on that Rich. I'll come find you later today with an answer."

He greets Fang with a smile and nod. "Guten morgan! It is good to see you."

The kid comes bounding in as well a King's a bit amused as she artfully manages to make it to the table without spilling her large plate. "Hey kid, your arm okay? That looked like a rather nasty burn?"

[Peter Bell]

Peter came down from the pool, hair still damp. Along with the prodigious appetite, he noticed his body had gotten firmer ... better looking. He noticed Wei and Jay over at a table with two others. He also noticed that he wasn't the only member of the "Beautiful People's Club" here. He wondered if that was part of the package.

To Michael and Rich, he introduced himself.

"I'm Peter Bell from New York City."

He figured with NYC as an address he didn't need to name his country.

To Michael,

"The days pretty good. I find myself with a lot more energy than I've ever had before. I got up and took a quick turn in the pool before coming and yet I hardly feel it."

Turning to Fang,

"My offer stands, Ms. Fang. If you think my gift might be useful in figuring out what to do, dont' hesitate to ..."

An attendant ran up to him. Scratch that, it was one of the medical orderlies.

"Its Sascha," the orderly wheezed.

"What? What's happened ..."

"She's had episode. She asked for you!"

Peter stood up, said,

"Excuse me,"

nodded once and was off with the orderly at a quick clip.

The moved quickly through the halls. Peter was taller, faster, and more energtic, but the orderly knew the way so Peter had to force himself to slow down. Finally they came to the room. The orderly was too afraid to do much more than point at the door.

Peter strode forward, more annoyed than cautionary. He looked in and saw Cornelia and Sascha across the room from her. His gut instinct was to ask the expert what was going on here, but something made him blood well sure that wouldn't do much for Sascha to hear two people talk about her. Instead he crossed the room.

"Sascha, what's going on?"

An idea like a bolt of lightning occurred to him. Peter reached out and gently touched Sascha. His eyes lit up and the power flowed through him. It poured from deep within his mind, out through his arms and through his eyes. Peter saw the answer to his question ... and it surprised him.

There wasn't a tussle with orderlies and doctors. There wasn't any trickery, misunderstanding, or deciet. There wasn't even Sascha. There was someone else - someone on fire, or more like fire given life. He knew he had to draw that. He needed to do it soon.

Peter staggered back, shaking his head from the strength of the image. He turned to Cornelia.

"I really suggest that no one in a white suit tries touching her again. Its not worth your lives and that's what you are risking."

Wheeling back, he looked at Sascha.

"I've seen her. I want to create her so that you can see what others see when she comes out."

He led her out of the room. Once they were away from prying eyes, and a few glares from Peter accomplished that, Peter pulled Sascha aside and looked deep into her eyes.

"I need help dealing with this problem of yours. I don't know what to do, so I need to find out if anyone else does. We can not deal with her ... and him ... alone. Do you understand me?"

[SalmonMax]

(note - Juno sat at the table next to the table y'all are sitting at for some reason)

Originally Posted By: Courier

"Hey, twins." (Rich is also wearing a generic gray Aeon sweat suit).

Juno looks down at herself, then gives Richard an insouciant shrug and grin. "I'm stealing the towels when we leave too."

Originally Posted By: Katalyst

"Hey kid, your arm okay? That looked like a rather nasty burn?"

"It's Juno," she calls back, not angry sounding, just firm. She holds up her right hand, then peels the sweat jacket's sleeve back. The skin is without any sign of injury. "All better," she reports, then she's busy chewing.

[Fahrenheit]

Sascha stared at Peter and nodded agitated and tears ran down her cheeks. "I don't know what is happening, Peter. I think I hurt someone. The last thing I remember is Cornelia asking me to take the blood sample... I don't even know how I got into the room...", her voice trailed off at the end of the sentence and her body went limp for second.

Then Peter felt an intense heat building up which made the hairs on his arms tickle as if they were about to burn. With fiery red eyes Fahrenheit spoke, "You've got to decide quickly else you'll burn to death. I let you watch over Sascha... just for the moment now and you help her find this man. If not I'm going to send you into a world of pain... and no word about me. What's your answer?" Sascha's face was gradually changing as did her overall size. Her skin got darker and reddened and with each passing second the heat became even more intense. There was a smell of burnt cloth in the room, some seams were about to melt under the Sascha's skin.

(ooc: PM to Peter for Details)

[Michael Peters]

Originally Posted By: Peter Bell

"Its Sascha," the orderly wheezed.
"What? What's happened ..."
"She's had episode. She asked for you!"

Peter stood up, said,
"Excuse me,"
nodded once and was off with the orderly at a quick clip.

Michael watched Peter rush off with the orderly, his eyes concerned.

"Sascha? Who is Sascha?" He asked the others.

[Katalyst]

To Michael

"Oh shit not again! She's the one who burned that kid, excuse me Juno's arm yesterday. I'm not sure but their is something not quite right with her."

"You weren't their for that little epsiode, caused quite a stir there, until we found out about the bomb."

[Peter Bell]

First Peter was afraid, which was understandable, but then Peter got angry. He was being threatened for no good reason. He had done nothing wrong here, damnit. What he needed was as stiff drink.

"I tell you what," he seethed back at the feminine scorcher wave coming his way. "How are you going to find him without me? You don't have any friends. No one likes you and its all your fault! I'm the only chance you have ... so stop threatening me!"

Originally Posted By: Fahrenheit

Not the 'Yes' answer she was looking for, but it held out the best promise she was likely to get. "Fine. We'll stay with you, but if you ever cross us, everything ... EVERYTHING will burn. As long as we are clear."

With that, the air noticeably cooled, Sascha's skin lighting, becoming less reddish by the second and her hair settled down.

"Sascha," Peter said suddenly a bit weak in the knees, "this can't happen again. Please understand that you are in no danger from me, but you just might kill me. I can't live this way. If you want my help, you need to earn it and you do that by staying in control."

Peter leaned against the wall, sweat rolling off him from the heat. Now, I need to get my pad. You can follow me or head down to the breakfast area."

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Lily

Juno looks down at herself, then gives Richard an insouciant shrug and grin. "I'm stealing the towels when we leave too."without any sign of injury. "All better," she reports, then she's busy chewing.

Rich gives a good natured laugh and turns to everyone else and says,

"You can tell which of us have powers that create nudity by the gray color of our clothes. I've got two other suits just like this in that bag."

"Does anyone have a good idea for that?"

[SalmonMax]

"Actually," Juno corrects, "I've been wearing their clothes since we got here. We lost most of our stuff when the earthquake knocked over our place."

She shakes her head, "Not that there was much to lose."

With a glance at King she opines, "And there wasn't just something wrong with that girl. She was psycho. Like, stone cold fucked up psycho. Hannibal Lecter psycho. I hope they have her locked up somewhere fireproof."

[Katalyst]

Quote:

With a glance at King she opines, "And there wasn't just something wrong with that girl. She was psycho. Like, stone cold fucked up psycho. Hannibal Lecter psycho. I hope they have her locked up somewhere fireproof."

"Well now there's no call for that now. I'm sure that what happened was just a misunderstanding that's all." Why am I trying to play peacemaker?

"But anyway folks I've got some stuff to take care of. I'm sure that I'll see you around, and Rich I'll come find you later with an answer, cool?"

[Fahrenheit]

Originally Posted By: Peter Bell

"Sascha," Peter said suddenly a bit weak in the knees, "this can't happen again. Please understand that you are in no danger from me, but you just might kill me. I can't live this way. If you want my help, you need to earn it and you do that by staying in control."

Peter leaned against the wall, sweat rolling off him from the heat. Now, I need to get my pad. You can follow me or head down to the breakfast area."

Sascha tensed every muscle as if she had almost tripped. She blinked once, twice then looked at Peter with a surprised look in her eyes. Then a sense of foreboding dread creeped up her spine. "Www... wwhat happened? What the hell is wrong with me? Peter... please... I don't understand. I'm trying to stay in control... but I don't know what I have to control. I don't want to kill you. You're the only one who offered help... you've been kind to me.", her voice driven by her panic.

"What am I supposed to do, Peter?", she said with a calm voice and shrugged looking at the floor. Suppressing sobs she sniffed as she walked away from him heading towards the breakfast area.

[SalmonMax]

Juno shrugged and chewed a strand of bacon that poked out of her mouth like a weird, crinkly tongue. Hadn't seemed like a misunderstanding when she'd basically said straight up that she was going to burn everyone and only the strong would survive. Or something like that.

"Bye."

[Courier]

Quote:

With a glance at King she opines, "And there wasn't just something wrong with that girl. She was psycho. Like, stone cold fucked up psycho. Hannibal Lecter psycho. I hope they have her locked up somewhere fireproof."

Rich frowns but doesn't say anything.


Rich responds to Katalyst with,

"That's fine, my door is open. But I wasn't kidding about the President being involved, if he isn't, then he should be. That's the kind of scale we're on here."

[Peter Bell]

Before letting her go, Peter pulled her back and gave her a hug.

"I know it can be tough. Well, actually only you know how tough it is, but I'm trying to understand, okay? Now get something to eat, eat as much as you want, and don't worry about what others may say or do. You are there to get something to eat, that's all."

Peter turns and runs off to get his sketch pad and some charcoal. His forehead throbs, though less than when he touched Sascha, and the picture comes to life before his hands. His sketch pad is getting full as he's tried to get sketches of almost everyone at the meeting. One day soon he hopes he will be able to paint them.

Picture done, he tucks his pad under his arm and races through the hallways back to the breakfast crowd. He keeps hoping that this isn't what his life is going to become.

[Michael Peters]

"So... do we know what kind of tests we're going to be going through? I imagine blood tests and the like, but where did we get our abilites? Interstellar cosmic rays?"

Michael was warming to the group. They seemed like good people overall, and it was comforting that they were solidly grounded.

"Also would anyone mind sharing what they can do? I mean, I can fly and glow... but thats about it."

[SalmonMax]

Juno hesitates, then brings her food over to the same table as everyone else, sitting in the seat that King vacated.

"They took about a gallon of blood, I think," she replies, poking at her foundation of eggs with her fork. "And did like, a complete physical...with the little knee hammer and eye test and all that. Then they're having me run a lot, and hold my breath and stuff."

She stabs a glob of egg and eats it thoughtfully. When she's swallowed she adds, "Turns out my power is 'not dying.' Which is okay, I guess, if dying is something you're worried about."

[Fahrenheit]

Sascha walked downstairs and entered the breakfast area. She saw the other 'New People' chattering with each other. She hesitated to come closer when she spotted Juno - the girl she had injured. That's what they said.

"I'm just here to get something to eat, that's all.", she repeated to herself in a low voice immitating Peter's words. Very slowly and a bit awkward she took a plate and put on some scrambled eggs and two slices of toast placing it carefully on a tablet. A glass of orange juice rounded her small breakfast and she walked cautiosly towards the table where Juno was seated, just on the opposite side to keep her maximum distance to her.

She smiled briefly and started to eat without saying a word. As she took a break to take a sip from her juice she said barely audible, "I'm sorry..."

[Michael Peters]

Michael hears Sascha's words... his hearing had improved alot over the last 24 hours.

"Sorry for what, my dear?" He says, smiling warmly at the young woman. Seeing her food, he slides the butter-plate and knife towards her.

"I'm Michael, by the way."