Aberrant: The Long March - Chapter 10: All roads lead to Rome

[SalmonMax]

When the image fades to reveal Meredith again, her eyes are closed and her face is relaxed. She gets a faint perplexed frown and says, "I'm not uncomfortable...I felt something for a second there, but I think you're going to have to try harder."

She opens her eyes and rubs them.

Then she notices everyone staring at her, and Kara and Michael sitting up on the floor a few meters away.

Fearing perhaps that there was something awful behind her, she twists around to look. Finally Meredith lifts her eyebrows in confusion and asks, "Uh...is everything all right?"

[Courier]

Steve watched Meri, Kara, and Michael go at it with some vague interest but he'd already predicted the most likely outcome was Meri had an unusual mental shield, thus explaining why she wasn't located by the cannibals. Amber frowned as if trying to remember something.

Then both of them were bathed in quantum. Steve clutched his head and stumbled, Amber paused, frozen for a long moment. Neither recovered quickly enough to say anything. Physically nothing changed for him but her appearance changed slightly making her more fey looking.

From the floor Steve commented,

"Ouch. That was unexpected."

[Joani]

Joani’s head kept spinning as she couldn’t help re-experiencing everything that had happened. No matter how hard she tried everything seemed to lead to just one end – her whole life was a lie. Michael had manipulated everything from the very beginning. Her doubts took over as she started to question her past. How much had she done because it was her desire and how much was his doing? Did he even gauge her emotions to fall in love with Ulric and have children? All her life she had dedicated to one cause. A cause she strongly believed in even though sometimes it was hard for her to maintain her faith. Everything she did was based on the fact that she had to hold back. Her life had been a long chain of refusal, of keeping in control and neglect. She had given up so much that she had lost count the nights she had spent in silent contemplation and wasting of tears.

From the emptiness inside her a deep growl of rage and fury arose and Joani felt that she was about to lose control. She could try to fight it, swallow it down but her doubts were stronger. Why should she hold back? Panting heavily Joani looked at Ulric as the wave of quantum saturated the room and somehow fuelled her anger. The tears that had been running down her cheeks evaporated on her skin as her fury charged eyes slowly glowed red. Knowing that she would snap any second she smiled at Ulric and formulated her last sane thought – “I love you, Ulric.”

Then she unleashed her fury on Michael, diving in blinding speed into his body pounding at him with blind hatred and despair.

(ooc: Powermax Quantum Bolt (1 Dot, Lethal Q4, I don’t have the book with me), Quickness 1x, Hyperspeed for a powerdive/charge – she will try to pound him through the next wall and then beat the shit out of him, Brawl Pool 8, Str5+M-Str5)

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Joani Reikspar

Then she unleashed her fury on Michael, diving in blinding speed into his body pounding at him with blind hatred and despair.

Steve thinks,

*That a blind man could have seen coming... Quantum Ripple messed up my efforts to sooth things down... hmm, Ripple will also make this era a beacon for Max.*

Steve puts himself between Amber and the upcoming fight, he'll attempt to Deflect anything that comes his way.

[Ulric Reikspar]

As she spoke those words to him, all he could think of is,

You can't take him, My Love. He has had too long.

He was fast, but not as fast as her. Perhaps it was the sadness of the situation that slowed him down. Ulric moved forward and held up a hand toward Kara.

"Let him work it out with her," he all but pleaded with her. He moved to interpose himself if he must, between mother and daughter.

[Omar]

The now familiar surge of quantum energies suffused through Omar's body. It seemed to merge with his bones and flesh. He wondered what sort of side effects he would have from such another large surge in quantum. After a moment of queasiness, he regained his composure and looked towards Michael and Kara.

While he dealt with the passing energies, he failed to notice that Joani was becoming increasingly agitated. Had he seen her anger build he might have been able to prevent what she did next. When she acted, Omar was only able to yell: "No! Don't Joani!"

[Andrew Murphy]

"Andrew?" Lorean's voice came up over the intercom as he glowered at nothing in particular and everything he could possibly conceive of.

"What?" A flat monotonous reply, he was tired and angry but Lorean did not deserve his anger, "I don't want to talk to the others if it's one of them."

"It's not. Not exactly anyway." A pause, a hint of hesitation, "I detected something and my avatar confirms. There was a massive quantum wave on the surface a moment ago. It would seem that it came from Meri."

"What?" Surprise lanced away the irritation and anger. "What level?" Third Level event. "Third level, that's impressive, any idea what the radius was?" Unknown. He sighs, "Any sign of danger? Are your avatar and the others ok?"

"Yes, but Michael and Kara were apparently throw with quite some force when they triggered the wave and ... Andrew, Joani is now attacking Michael!"

"Atta girl, finally somebody else gets some sense."

"Shall I transport you down?"

Andrew frowned, "I suppose it might be wise. Fine. And Lorean?"

"Yes Andrew?"

"Thanks." With a flash of light as matter converted to energy Andrew was gone from the bridge. Instantly he reappeared back in the room he had so recently fled. Quantum still pickled the air, the field dispersing slower now as Joani unleashed her full potential onto Michael. "Wouldn't miss this for anything," he said quietly as he surveyed the room.

[SalmonMax]

Meredith is taken off guard by Joani's sudden and, to her, inexplicable explosion of rage. For critical seconds she can only gape in horrified awe.

Then she blurts, "Joani, stop!"

[Mr Fox]

A resigned expression crossed his face as Michael saw Joani charging toward him. He did not bother to defend himself but just let his attacker pummel him brutally. After only a few blows Kara was on her feet and yelled, "Mother get hold of yourself!" Joani suddenly found herself frozen as if in amber. "Did you not hear me when I told you Michael was not responsible for what happened to you? What he did caused you to be released! Not that his actions at the time were blameless or without ulterior motives, but I've looked into his mind and I know that he engineered your release because he felt compassion for you." Kara frowned, "And you are beating on my husband. Please don't do that."

Michael looked to Kara, "Let her go, she needs to release her emotions and I am the only target that she has, and I deserve it for all I've done."

"No, I will not have my mother beating my husband!" Kara moved in front of Joani. "I know you are hurting, but this is not the way. You may not believe it, but Michael has paid his penance for what he did many times over in the last three hundred years. This Michael in this timeline is a good man. There are a near infinite number of other versions of him that are not, but this one doesn't deserve your anger." Kara stepped aside and the invisible bonds holding Joani slowly released until nothing was preventing her from continuing her previous intentions.

[Joani]

Each punch expressed her helpless accusation and it didn't bring her any relieve but instead increased her desperation. She didn't hear anything or anyone until time stopped around her. Her face was frozen in a grimace of frustration and deep sadness as she listened to what Kara said but she barely noticed it, couldn't believe it. Someone had to pay, something about this was wrong, completely wrong no matter how good an explanation was given for the reasons behind Michael's actions - it felt wrong to her.

The short moment was enough to take out the drive of her pent up rage and once she was free to move again she stopped in mid punch and released her grip from Michael's collar. She looked at her daughter with her mouth half opened, her lips quivering and forming a wordless "no". Tears clouded her vision and her anger was still burning through her veins. Stepping back from Michael like a confused and scared animal she tried to comprehend what has just happened, then she jumped up and sped away as fast as she could.

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew made no move to intervene, this fight was not his despite his very real desire to make Michael pay for everything he'd done. He was unsurprised when Kara froze Joani with little more effort than it would take him to move a finger, but he was surprised by what she said next.

Originally Posted By: Mr Fox

"Did you not hear me when I told you Michael was not responsible for what happened to you? What he did caused you to be released! Not that his actions at the time were blameless or without ulterior motives, but I've looked into his mind and I know that he engineered your release because he felt compassion for you... You may not believe it, but Michael has paid his penance for what he did many times over in the last three hundred years. This Michael in this timeline is a good man. There are a near infinite number of other versions of him that are not, but this one doesn't deserve your anger."

Andrew's mind reeled, He's been toying with us since the first days he knew of us. It may be that the only way to stop him is to do so before he can begin his journey. Standing in the back of the room Andrew was unsure what to do as Joani, apparently embarrassed and emotionally dismantled, flew off to be alone. He shook his head sadly as he realized that his recent decent further into madness had weakened his own relationship to his friends. I can see now that they were afraid and worried for me. But, too, they were afraid of me. That does not excuse Michael's actions but it perhaps explains their reluctance to come to my aid.

Andrew's mind raced further, synapses pouring over with suppressed potential. Whatever Michael had done to suppress his taint was having a secondary effect it was allowing his mind to operate without corruption for the first time in years. As Andrew poured over what he knew he looked back through his memory and tried to find evidence of Michael's duplicitous acts.

[Mr Fox]

With eyes only for Meri, Lorean walked over and touched the woman gently on the arm as if to assure herself that Meri was really there. In a quiet awed voice, "You don't remember what just happened?"

[SalmonMax]

"Nothing happened!" Meredith protests, waving at where Joani had flown from. "They were doing their thing and I was waiting and she just...went crazy!"

She looks at Lorean uncomprehendingly. "Did she do that because of Michael? Did Michael..."

Meri trails off at an unsettling realization. What if nothing -hadn't- happened? What if her memory had been changed?

[Courier]

Steve will wait and see if the fight has settled down.

[Mr Fox]

Lorean looked puzzled, then understanding dawned on her face, "No, I think that Joani just hit her breaking point. Learning that some very basic assumptions about her life were false has upset her deeply, it has nothing to do with what just happened with you Mistress."

[Ulric Reikspar]

He reaches for his wife, but she is gone. Hanging his head sadly, he addresses Kara.

"I told you to say out of it because I know your Mother better than you do. I know Michael's life wasn't at risk. His mental state should be beyond that now. This was something Joani had to work out for herself and you stopped her. Now ... now I would like to find her and I don't want any of your help."

He walks over to Lorean,

"I would like to go back to the ship now. I would like to keep track of Joani until such time as she exhausts herself, or calms down."

[Mr Fox]

Lorean looked at Ulrich with compassion in her eyes. "I will keep an eye on her movements and let you know when to go to her."

[SalmonMax]

"Oh." Meredith paused at that and watched Lorean talk to Ulric...then asked, "What did happen?"

[Mr Fox]

Lorean seemed hesitant as she answered, "Well, Kara and Michael were attempting to scan you to figure how whatever it was they sensed about you that was odd. They seemed to exert quite a bit of quantum, that is to say, far more than I could possibly channel, probably more than all of us could channel put together. Then suddenly they flew back away from you as if thrown by an explosion, and you revealed yourself to be one of the Watchers. One of those who made me... my ship self anyway. I can show you a holo of the event once we get back to the ship." Lorean looked curious, "You said something about us going to Atlantis once we are finished here." An astonished expression crossed her face, "I know where that is! The coordinates are in my memory now, they weren't before."

[Courier]

Steve comments to Meri and Lorean,

"You have some connection to the Watchers, your exact relationship and all of it's implications are unclear."

[Omar]

When Joani attacked Michael, Omar expected him to defend himself. Instead, he just took her pummeling. Why would he let her do that? He wondered, as the assault was then brought to an abrupt halt by Kara. After witnessing the power display by Kara, Omar was glad that they didn't just kill Joani outright. Maybe Michael was not the ogre that Omar had figured him for.

Omar could only stare as Kara released Joani, who immediately fled the scene. Omar realized then, that Joani was in a lot of pain and confused as to what Michael did to her. He hoped that Ulrich could settle her down. If not, Omar could try. If none of them could soothe her, then her emotional outburst must run its course. Hopefully she wouldn't hurt or damage anything in her path.

Omar's attention was distracted when he heard the Watchers mentioned. That was a name he had not heard in awhile. As the conversation beween Lorien and Meri continued, it became apparent that Meri was one of the elusive Watchers. How Meri came to be found on a destroyed world, was a mystery. Maybe she was not telling them the whole truth.

Omar sent to Lorien: How is it that Meri was on that earth and not aware that she was a Watcher? He also had his own questions for himself: What is Atlantis, and why have they not heard of it before? And how did Lorien get the coordinates in her memory? It was a lot of information for Omar to process.

[Mr Fox]

*That's a very good question Omar, I don't have an answer for you. Meri doesn't seem to realize what she is, and I don't know how or why that would be possible. If we want those answers we may have to go to Atlantis to get them.*

[SalmonMax]

"I revealed myself?" Meri asks blankly.

She looks around at each of the others. "But that doesn't make any sense. I was a normal human being, I didn't even erupt until a -meteor hit Earth-. And why would I 'reveal' myself now, and not even remember? There's got to be some other explanation."

"God, what a mess...look, guys...I'm going to go back to the ship and try to figure out what's going on. I'm really sorry about all this confusion."

[Joani]

Joani sat down on the cold stone, her legs pulled closely against her body resting her chin on her knees. Up here in the Himalayas she had found something akin to peace. A place that has remained untouched by most of humanity. Her frustration and anger had transformed into sadness and regret for what she had done and she sobbed quietly. Her thoughts kept lingering on Kara’s words – Michael had actually helped her. She frowned and shook her head, she refused to accept that all of a sudden he has turned into the victim who had to deal with the consequences of his actions. Was she being selfish? She didn’t even know the answer to the simplest of questions. The world has stopped making sense to her.

“Who am I?”, she croaked into the wind and stared into the distance. Something had happened that changed her. She could feel the quantum backlash affecting her body and her node. She had become stronger, more powerful but to what cost? She had never felt the desire to kill someone before but right there when she saw Michael explaining what he had done it overwhelmed her. She knew rationally that his intentions had been for the greater good but emotionally she couldn’t cope with the extend of what that meant. How could she trust him? Would have made it a difference had she known from the start? Maybe she would’ve never met the others – never have fallen in love with Ulric – and never have children. She did love Ulric but she couldn’t tell if she was strong enough to go on like this. Her life had to change and she had thought she had overcome the biggest crisis of her life yet but this situation proved to be even more shattering to her than the attack on earth… back then? Whenever…

“What am I supposed to do?”, she asked herself and started to cry. She wanted to be dead. She had never felt like this before.

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew was jerked from his thoughts. A watcher? Here? He strode forward, "Lorean, did you just say that Meri is a watcher? Or is it that she somehow being ridden by one of the watchers?" To Andrew everything else had dimmed, even his anger at Michael was shoved aside as curiosity took over.

[Mr Fox]

Lorean nodded to Andrew, "Yes when she revealed herself I knew instantly. Now that the moment is over though, it is like the watcher is gone and it is just Meri again. I can't detect anything unusual about her at all now. Michael and Kara sensed something though, they were probing Meri when it happened."

Kara looked up, "Yes, there was a sense of something beneath the surface. It is hard to describe it any better than that, Michael and I have more developed senses when it comes to quantum than you all do. I'm trying to think of some analogy to put it in a way you can understand, but nothing is coming to me."

Michael stepped forward to stand next to Kara, "Think of it like this, some people, quite a lot in fact are partially colorblind, they walk around every day seeing only a portion of the color spectrum, or seeing certain colors muted and it makes it very difficult for them to distinguish between colors. Kara and I can see the full spectrum and when we looked at Meri we recognized a color that we'd never seen before, and we were curious as to what it meant." Michael shrugged, "As far as analogies go that works, should give you an idea of what we experienced anyway."

[Courier]

Steve smiles and says,

"'More developed senses' works fine for me. And... Lorean, can you tell if any of us, specifically Joani, have gained more taint? I think Amber gained a touch but nothing serious... but Joani is better than most of us at hiding that sort of thing."

[Andrew Murphy]

"Nothing here. Whatever happened didn't go far enough to affect me in orbit. Though thanks to Mike you wouldn't know it anyway." Andrew glares at Michael momentarily before continuing, "Is this quantum wave why Joani went and attacked Mike? Or did she just start to see how much of an ass you are?" Turning to Lorean he says, "I think that if we're going to go visit your ma and pop we might want to hold off on weapons, seems to me that they didn't give you any and might take it the wrong way if you show up armed to the teeth. I say we prep to find this Atlantis place and as soon as we can recover Joani we go and knock on some doors."

[Mr Fox]

To Steve, Lorean nodded, "Yes suspect that she did pick up a bit more taint just now, but it would require a medical scan to really determine." Looking to Andrew Lorean shook her head, "Not exactly, I do have weapons, they are just not very powerful, and my previous self definitely had more weapons that I do since she was able to defeat an entire alien fleet although it cost her her life to do so. It doesn't really matter though, I don't require the physical weapons that Michael is giving me. I really just need the raw materials and the knowledge of how to build them. I would rather create my own anyway, it will make it easier for me to reconfigure if I'm not trying to shift and form around foreign objects."

[SalmonMax]

Meri hesitates, listening to the conversations for a moment before leaving. Her head feels overfull, like a melon about to split from within.

Suddenly she'd had enough.

"Lorean, bring me aboard," she directs.

When Meredith appears on the ship she says, "Tell me everything you know about these 'Watcher' things. And show me what happened. I want to see it from outside."

[Mr Fox]

An hour later aboard Lorean, Meri was sitting comfortably in a chair in her rooms the holo had just finished showing her what had happened below during Kara and Michael's probe. Lorean sat in another chair across the table from her and began to reveal what was known about the watchers.

"Well to start with the Watcher's are my creators. They were also responsible for exiling Steve, Cody, Morgan and Omar from their home timeline. There were others originally with the crew that have since left and settled on other Earths as well. Unfortunately, I don't have more than a handful of memories from my previous existence, what I have are actually recordings of things that occurred rather than actual memories, but they give me some clues.

Things we know about them:

They employ quantum based technology like myself.

They are powerful enough to travel between times and timelines with ease.

They existed as far back as 3.5 million years ago on my home timeline.

They built a city/base on Saturn's moon Iapetus. They might have actually caused the moon to be moved into Saturn's orbit.

They are powerful enough to repel Kara and Michael's attempt to probe you."

Lorean smiled, "And if you are any indication, they masquerade as humans/novas. You really don't have any memory of the event?

[SalmonMax]

Meri replays the sequence again and shakes her head slowly. "No," she says, drawing it thoughtfully out. "I don't remember it. But there is something weird."

She taps the hologram, waving a finger through it. "When I watch this, I don't feel disbelief, or shock. Maybe I'm just numb, but...I don't know. Is it possible that I was just -used- by a watcher somehow? For me to BE one...it would mean everything I remember about my life would have to be fake."

"What do they want? Why did they build you and send you to them? Why did they banish them? If I was one of them, shouldn't I know all that?"

[Mr Fox]

Lorean frowned in thought, "I don't know the answers. Obviously you don't know the answers either, I can tell that you are not lying. Look at this again," She reversed the hologram a few seconds, "Listen to what you said right here...."

The hologram unfreezes and speaks, "It is too soon for us to be awakened."

Lorean pursed her lips, "She said US. It is too soon for US to be awakened. Like there are two of you and you are both asleep in some way." She paused a moment as she gagued Meri's reaction then added, "When she revealed herself though, I knew you were a Watcher. Even though I've never laid eyes on one before, somehow I just knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. I can't explain why you don't seem to have the answers, or why you don't have their power or abilities, but I know that you are."

The last statement had been said with conviction, but Lorean became unsure again, "I can at least partially answer a bit more though. The original members of the crew stumbled onto the Watcher's secrets and that's why they were exiled. I don't know why they didn't want their presence revealed on my home timeline, but I know that when I first awoke just as the crew first entered my ship self, they were given a message. They were told that they could only return to their timeline after the year 2175. They were also warned to avoid certain timelines, presumably, belonging to the Watchers. Apparently, they, or you feel that, it is time to change that policy."

[SalmonMax]

"What if she means 'us' talking about all of the Watchers?" Meredith suggests. "What if she was just sort of using me as a 'radio' kind of, to tell us that the Watchers weren't ready..."

She trails off.

"But that wouldn't make sense, because then she asked us to come to them."

Meri's silent for a moment, then offers, "But then why would I have been on Earth at that particular moment, in that universe where everything was destroyed? And if my memories are fake, when do my real memories begin? What's real and what's not? How can I even tell?"

[SkyLion]

Quote:

Michael looked at Cody, "You most of all, I must apologize to. I used the opportunity that the Caroline situation presented to make "adjustments" to your mind to allow me future access to your psyche. At the time I also made adjustments to you that would prevent you from questioning me. Over the years we became the best of friends and while I regretted what I had done, I never removed the triggers I had set in the event that I might need them someday. I will remove them now if you wish."

Cody stood in stunned silence. The other's could not read him...could not see the lightning fast onslaught of emotions and reactions that coursed through him...all save Micahel of course. Just as quickly as the rush occured it subsided as Cody's logical mind reasserted itself....turning inward. Now that he knew about what had happened the modifications were obvious. After a quick and complete inventory, Cody had identified and isolated all of the offending alterations and removed them. For you see Cody himeslef had grown much more powerful and aware than when Michael had first "invaded" his mind.

Quote:

Kyria had sat through Michael's unpleasant revelation and its aftermath silently. She placed a hand on Cody's shoulder and kissed his cheek, then stood up and left without any other communication.

...

As she walked out of the room Kyria felt a slight brush against her mind, the familiar invitation to contact that she was used to from her father. *Before you leave I would like to speak with you.*

((Since she hasn't responded yet I am assuming she stayed in the room to experience everything that just happened.))

Cody looked at Kyria and in her mind she could see his eyes that she had never seen in flesh. Turning to Michael he spoke through his external device, so that all could hear.

"I have located and removed the adjustments myself. Once I was made aware of them, the tampering was obvious. Do not fear Michael...I hold you in no ill will. It is in your nature. As postulated by Sphynx theory, when one reaches certain threshholds of awareness and intelligence it is inevitable that the impulse to act will emmanate from one's core creative impulse. You have cultivated power because you have always been...on nearly every timeline....the most powerful."

"Is it wrong to fullfill one's potential? Certainly Vonnegut had something to say about this with Harrison Bergeron. In fact I applaud you, for not only have you had the courage that so many lack to live up to your inborn promise, but you have taken the enlightned approach and brought everyone along with you. A rising tide lifts al boats. I feel, and I say this now from my own sovereign sense of self, honored and relieved that we met the version of you who proved most altrustic. You learned the lessons of love that opened your heart....in this way surpassing even what you would have gained as a dictator, for one can only go so far alone...even as a god. It took me a baseline's lifetime before I learned that hard lesson myself," Cody squeezed Kyria's hand.

Quote:

Michael and Kara were both thrown back and away from Meri with considerable force. Everyone else in the room felt their own quantum wrenched jarringly as if all the quantum present was being warped. Around Meri as if superimposed over her physical form was the image of a woman of intense and incredible beauty. She looked to Kara then turned to Michael her own eyes narrowing, "It is too soon for us to be awakened." The woman who was Meri looked to each person in the room at a time as if taking your measure then looked again at Michael and Kara, "These timelines where you exist we will avoid from now on. In turn we expect the same courtesy."

The woman's expression became less stern as she looked back at the others thoughtfully, "When you are done here, come to Atlantis and we will speak together of your journeys." The image of the woman was gone as suddenly as it appeared and with it the feeling of intense quantum saturation brought about by what Michael and Kara had done also vanished.

In the silence that followed, it was hard to miss Lorean's awed whisper, "Mistress...?"

Interesting, Cody thought. The gears in his mind began to turn, placing this new piece of information into place...the perfect place as if in a puzzle, where it could be properly colated and integrated into the rest of his data.

Quote:

Then she unleashed her fury on Michael, diving in blinding speed into his body pounding at him with blind hatred and despair......Stepping back from Michael like a confused and scared animal she tried to comprehend what has just happened, then she jumped up and sped away as fast as she could.

Cody moved back with Kyria, allowing Joani to vent her rage. In some ways it was perfectly natural, but then again, she had always allowed the stormy seas of her emotions to blow her this way and that. In time, as she learned to discover and assert her own identity, rather than the sublimated roles of paragon, savior, symbol, wife, and mother...she would find the sense of calm and purpose she had always longed for.

Quote:

Steve comments to Meri and Lorean,

"You have some connection to the Watchers, your exact relationship and all of it's implications are unclear."

...and the gears keep turning...

[Mr Fox]

On the planet the meeting broke up as Ulric was teleported out and sent on to Joani's location. That left only Cody, Steve, Amber and Morgan alone with Kara and Michael who soon excused themselves promising to see everyone again soon.

Another few hours passed and Lorean notified everyone that she was jump capable again and that she had the plans and detailed specifications for the weapons that Michael had promised. *It will take some time perhaps a few days, but I can make these weapons myself instead of having them installed.* There is a sense over the link that Lorean is uncomfortable with having external parts 'installed' much the way a regular human might about unnecessary surgery.

****

(OOC: Those who left the meeting can feel free to play out their individual scenes if you choose. Otherwise I will wait till Monday before updating further and the new scene will be on board Lorean the next day when everyone gathers together again.)

[Omar]

((OOC: Don't forget about the big man))

"We will have to find other watchers, so they can help us, and Meri make sense of the situation."

Omar was a little upset by the time they left for Lorien. He had seen a valued friend lose control while another admitted to manipulating them. Even with the knowledge that his family was safe and plentiful, there was still a nagging ball in the pit of his stomach that they were all wired to Michael in some existential way.

[Courier]

Amber and Steve exchange a glance and he states,

"Medical exam. Full for a new eruptee. You look different and I feel different."

Amber reaches up to touch her face and he adds, "Not all that different. But..."

She completes his sentence, "... we're past the point where we can assume. That still works."

[SalmonMax]

(OOC still waiting on Lorean, since the questions Meri asked weren't rhetorical )

[Mr Fox]

After a long moment Lorean realized that Meri was actually wanting an answer from her. How could she, a creation of the makers know what was in their minds... but Meri, wanted an answer.

"Perhaps you were in that universe at that specific time because that's when it was destroyed. Perhaps you were there to witness it. From what little I do know of the Watchers they are very big on seeing without interfering. But you have to understand that my knowledge is as limited as the rest of the crew. I just have a few memories that they chose to give me of my previous life so that is just speculation."

Lorean sat back and pursed her lips in thought then added, "I could verify your memories but that would require me scanning you, sort of like an MRI but more detailed. It's technology that Andrew helped to invent as part of his effort to cure Taint. It wouldn't tell us much, but it might reveal if the memories were implanted or not. The system was designed to try and determine when taint was effecting someones mind as opposed to their body. It's been fairly successful, but the effects of taint can be pretty subtle at times. It won't give you much by way of answers to your questions, but it should tells us if what you remember is real or fake.