ProfPotts Posted January 12, 2004 Author Share Posted January 12, 2004 Marrakesh:The Stranger knows full well that with their level of technology, global media empire, & system of private satellites that give world-wide coverage, that Masters International, if they wanted, already knew where he is the moment he dialed their number."I have been investigating some alternate ways to retrieve Natalia without granting the Teragen the book they want. However, as Derek paged me with a message that he already had the book, and was in Pathfinder's company, I thought it best to call. I tried calling Derek but he didn't answer, so I'm calling you.""Define 'alternate ways'."Harvester Tunnels:"There's...... nothing...... I can do to help here. The best bet for success, if the men are willing to do it, is the troops take turns dragging him. You'll all end up badly hurt, but if you each pull him as far as you can take the pain....... well, we might be able to get him out....."The trooper Derek's talking to shakes his head,"That's not an option - there are still hostiles in the area - we need to be in good enough shape to have a fighting chance if we're intercepted on the way out."The troopers gather up their fallen comrades, shoulder Blaze, & start to head out.The Horus:"So which Masters is the Colonel? It's not Mrs Masters!"The tech' grins,"Doctor Masters is the old man's son, the Colonel is the Doctor's wife - the old man's daughter-in-law. The two of them are Natalia's parents. They're not usually around due to the work they do with the Masters space program, but both have extensive combat experience & returned as soon as they heard the news about Natalia. You've probably met them both at those family bashes - your father's an old friend of Mr Masters, right? - but I guess they never talked about work much...""Yeah he can be a handful... Wait you guys managed to take down the bear, without killing John? Thank God for that""Reports say that the new guy took down Glacier & Eel at the same time - pretty impressive stuff, if you ask me.""Aren't we missing someone in all this? I don't imagine Blaze would be left out on a mission to assualt a Nova base, so where the hell is he?""Yep - our guys have Blaze - he's unconscious. Hold on...", the tech' listens to another report, then turns back to Will, "... They've no way of moving Glacier - are you tough enough to pull him out of there without freezing? If not he's gonna' be left behind - we're out of time on this one." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer21 Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 "Define 'alternate ways'.""You're dodging me, Kane. All I want to know is whether the girl has been safely retrieved. I'll happily tell you my alternate methods after you answer me." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 "Reports say that the new guy took down Glacier & Eel at the same time - pretty impressive stuff, if you ask me."*WOW*"... They've no way of moving Glacier - are you tough enough to pull him out of there without freezing? If not he's gonna' be left behind - we're out of time on this one." "Damn, I guess I'll have to be hopefully my my shield or whatever Derek calls it will be enough to keep me from freezing over... This is going to hurt like hell though ::confused " As he goes to leave the techie "Now about that fast transport..." ::rolleyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of Boredom Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Michael looks back at Derek, "Look, I'm not one for leaving a man when he's down, but I'm not cut out for this type of combat. I suggest we get to the mother ship, or wherever these troops came from, and try to get some help for Glacier..." he looks to the troop leader for some direction.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted January 16, 2004 Author Share Posted January 16, 2004 Marrakesh:"You're dodging me, Kane. All I want to know is whether the girl has been safely retrieved. I'll happily tell you my alternate methods after you answer me." "You appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that I am required to tell you anything. Let me put you straight on that point. You are neither an employee of Masters International nor an individual with any personal connection to 'the girl'. If you have information which may be of help to us then by all means volunteer it. Otherwise I see little point in continuing this conversation."The Horus:"Now about that fast transport..." "Down a rope & run down the tunnel - just like everyone else. I'm afraid we haven't managed to get the Rolls down there just yet..." ::rolleyes Harvester Tunnels:The troopers are all moving out, taking all except Glacier & Eel with them. The squad leader returns Mike's glance, then says,"I strongly suggest you gentlemen leave right now - there are explosives in this complex which are about to be detonated."With that he turns, & runs after the rest of the troops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer21 Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 "You appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that I am required to tell you anything. Let me put you straight on that point. You are neither an employee of Masters International nor an individual with any personal connection to 'the girl'. If you have information which may be of help to us then by all means volunteer it. Otherwise I see little point in continuing this conversation.""You're absolutely right. Goodbye."Hanging up the phone, the foreigner waits patiently until his plane is ready, then climbs aboard and begins his flight back to the United States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brilyn Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Derek looks up at the mention of "explosives"."Michael. We can't leave him. If we both take an arm, we can probably run. It'll hurt, but there's nothing I can do about that. The less exposure there is, the less it'll hurt."You up for it?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of Boredom Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Derek looks up at the mention of "explosives"."Michael. We can't leave him. If we both take an arm, we can probably run. It'll hurt, but there's nothing I can do about that. The less exposure there is, the less it'll hurt."You up for it?" Michael looks up, "Well, I guess we don't have time to discuss it..., but I bet he can withstand those explosives..."He runs over to help Derek, but if he starts to feel like he's going to pass out from the damage, self-preservation will take over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 "Down a rope & run down the tunnel - just like everyone else. I'm afraid we haven't managed to get the Rolls down there just yet..." "I can't belive no one thought to bring a dirtbike or something". Before he can get a response, feeling charged at Natallia's safety onboard the Horrus ::sly , Will leaves the craft like a shot. On hitting dirt he starts running as fast as he can (without implementing his powers) into the tunnel.*damnit John this is gonna hurt like hell*On reaching the retreating MI troops he pauses and yells out "Someone throw me your gloves!" as he makes his Eufibre cover his hands. As soon as he's got an MI troopers gloves he resumes his run untill he reaches the downed Glacier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brilyn Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Derek grins at Michael through the blood."Right so, grab and run!"Derek moves over to Glacier, gives a quick count of 3, then he and (presumably) Michael grab the body, and run as fast as possible in the same direction the MI troops are moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of Boredom Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 Michael winces visibly as he grabs one side of Glacier's body and starts running... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted January 18, 2004 Author Share Posted January 18, 2004 Harvester Tunnels:"Right so, grab and run!"On Derek's count of three both he & Mike plunge their hands through Glacier's freezing aura to grasp John's arms. The incredible chill passes through the layer of compressed molecules that Derek drew around himself earlier, causing the Nova genius considerable pain. With even less protection than Derek, Michael feels his skin instantly freeze & begin to crack & flake! [Derek is now Wounded with Bashing damage, Injured with Lethal; Mike is Injured with Lethal damage]The pair start to run down the corridor (limited by Derek's slower speed), but after only twenty meters or so the pain of the frost creeping up their arms has become too much for them, & both Novas are forced to let go. Derek can barely move his hands, & Michael's lucky to pull his hands free of Glacier without loosing any fingers - raw flesh is revealed where the skin has been frozen off his body & the pain is close to unbearable. [Derek is now Maimed with Bashing damage, Michael is Maimed with Lethal damage]Meanwhile, William steels himself against the pain from his own injuries & leaps onto one of the ropes trailing from the Horus, sliding some distance, then dropping to the ground. Feeling as though he's moving in slow motion, the Nova still manages to sprint faster than humanly possible, heading back into the café, down to the basement, & down the Harvester Tunnels.Soon enough the young speedster meets up with the MI troopers heading back to the surface..."Someone throw me your gloves!" There's a brief delay as several of the troopers start to explain about the explosives, but the squad leader quickly silences them with a military-style hand gesture, & proceeds to remove his own gauntlets. The trooper presses a release catch, then twists to remove each high-tech armoured glove - there's a hiss of escaping atmosphere as plates on the gauntlets fold mechanically away from the rest of the armour. Whilst that's happening Will makes sure that his own eufiber has covered his hands in a skintight layer, & the rest of the troopers keep heading towards the surface. The squad leader helps fit the armoured gauntlets over the Nova's hands & forearms, then gives him a quick nod, before heading off after his men.After a few breaths to muster the willpower to ignore the pain in his battered body, Will again sprints down the tunnel. Soon enough he spots Interface & Michael standing over the softly glowing chill form of Glacier; Michael is staring at ruined hands that, if he wasn't a Nova, would have caused him to pass out from the pain already, & Derek's not looking much better. Not wasting any time, Will quickly reaches into Glacier's anima. Frost spreads rapidly over the guantlets, he can feel the chill through the armour & eufiber, but he quickly realises that the cold isn't intense enough to cause him immediate harm. The armoured gloves will eventually freeze so much that they begin to crack, but (all things considered) none of the Novas are planning on hanging around long enough for that to happen...... Moments later the three battered Novas are all gritting their teeth against the pain of their injuries & sprinting towards the surface, William holding the unconcious form of Glacier under the shoulders at arm's length & part carrying, part dragging him along with them. The group are nearing the exit to the tunnels when...BOOM!... A huge explosion rocks the tunnels, knocking Derek & Mike off-balance (although William manages to keep his footing). Chunks of rock & clouds of dust start falling from the ceiling. Moments later there's a rush of hot air from behind the Novas - glancing back they can make-out what appears to be a wall of bright white liquid fire rushing up the corridor towards them! Needless to say, they all run...... William rushes out into the café basement, where MI troopers usher him quickly up the stairs. Once there he places Glacier to one side & starts to frantically remove the frost-damaged gauntlets which by now are painful against his skin - even through the eufiber. Moments later Michael scambles out of the tunnel, then Interface - who only just makes it out before a spray of liquid fire disgourges from the entrance! The whole town shudders, drain covers burst free & fly high into the air as hot air & fire spout from below, then several streets subside as the tunnels below them collapse. Drain covers clatter noisily back to earth, the dust settles, & there's an eerie calm for a few moments, then the MI personnel leap once again into action...... The withdrawal from the town is as quick & efficent as the Novas have come to expect from MI. Everyone is loaded into the Horus, Glacier being winched-up & secured in an armoured chamber that can withstand his anima. Medics swarm over the Novas & the injured troopers, as the Horus lifts vertically away from the town, then rockets high into the sky. The force of the aircraft's acceleration is incredible, forcing those inside back into their seats, & soon the blue sky fades to the star-studded black of near-orbital heights. As the craft turns those within get a spectacular view of the curvature of the Earth beneath, but there's little time for sight-seeing as the Horus adjusts it's course & plummets back down, eventually landing at one of Masters' secluded air fields...Aftermath:Several days later...... William, John, Derek, Michael, & Nathan are resting at a private Masters International medical facility. William & John are fully healed of their injuries, whilst the others are all in various states of infirmity (but getting all the attention from the pretty nurses ::wink ). The news reports on the incident at the small town of Heartland, Nebraska refer to the destruction visited upon the area as a freak 'earthquake' - proving Masters' influence with the media at least, although the none of the locals appear to argue the point either. The facility staff report that the various injured members of the Masters clan, & other patients, are all well on the road to recovery. Kane calls, & hints that there will be a debriefing at some point in the future (when everyone's well enough), but generally the Novas have a chance to relax for a change.... Terry & PathFinder enjoy a pleasant few days locked in their hotel room, whilst the Terat's knee heals. Terry soon comes to believe PathFinder's claims about Nova / Nova coupling... ::blush ::wink ... John Fabry supervises repairs to his home, checks up on friends & family, & returns to the set of his movie. John's friend Kenneth calls on him to see how things went, & to pass on some information... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 William & John are fully healed of their injuries, whilst the others are all in various states of infirmity (but getting all the attention from the pretty nurses ).William does the rounds and checks in on all the others.Kane calls, & hints that there will be a debriefing at some point in the future (when everyone's well enough), but generally the Novas have a chance to relax for a change."How's Nat doing? The Doctors say anything yet?" Will's concern is obvious to Kane and all those around him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asbjørn Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 William does the rounds and checks in on all the others.Nate is mostly confined to his bed the first two weeks or so. Several broken ribs, numerous cuts and bruises on his back, possibly a fractured skull, internal bleeding from the blows from Eel, and so on... In short, he's a crippled wreck, and shouldn't be allowed outside of his room. Luckily for Nathan, he doesn't need to use his muscles to move around.When Will drops by, he's evidently fed up with being hospitalized."Will! What the hell are you doing walking around? You should be chained to a bed just like me..." ::biggrin "These doctors don't know what the hell they're talking about, you know. A month of rest and recuperation, they said. Can you believe that? I have got to quit smoking..." ::rolleyes A more serious look crosses his face, and he looks away before meeting Will's eyes again."Look, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you we were coming. You know that would have messed everything up, right?""So how are you doing? We got her back, right? She'll be ok?"After a while, he asks the question that's been bothering him since they all came back."What about the book? Do you know if we still have it?" ::unsure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 "Will! What the hell are you doing walking around? You should be chained to a bed just like me..." "Hehe, nah takes alot to hurt us tough types" ::wink Will says in his best trailer park accent.A more serious look crosses his face, and he looks away before meeting Will's eyes again."Look, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you we were coming. You know that would have messed everything up, right?""Apologise if it had gone sour, since we got Nat back in one piece, I can forgive you for not telling me"."So how are you doing? We got her back, right? She'll be ok?""Kane never said how she's doing, I don't even think he knows just yet""What about the book? Do you know if we still have it?" "I'm afraid Zia got away with it. This is what strikes me as strange, you let Derek take the original book knowing full well the Harvesters where going to get their hands on it. Surely someone could have switched it with a fake before Terry and Derek swiped it". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asbjørn Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 [i think 'various injured members of the Masters clan' includes Natalia...]"I'm afraid Zia got away with it. This is what strikes me as strange, you let Derek take the original book knowing full well the Harvesters where going to get their hands on it. Surely someone could have switched it with a fake before Terry and Derek swiped it"."Not as fast as it had to happen. That would have made a poor copy, and Derek would have suspected something was wrong. And then Pathfinder would have known, too...""It sucks, though. I have no idea what was in it, but Emma seems to think it's really important. This just means we'll have to work harder on helping her control Miss Egypt, I guess." ::confused Nate seems to remember something, then continues"Was Derek just kidding, or did Terry really have a date with Pathfinder?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 "Was Derek just kidding, or did Terry really have a date with Pathfinder?" "If only he was kidding... Pathfinder, despite her looks, makes my skin crawl". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 meanwhile, somewhere in Ibiza..."YOU MAKE MY SKIN CRAWL!!"*That's right, keep talking dirty..Lover.**pant*...*gasp*...*moan*......much later...Terry lies in bed next to the sleeping Pathfinder, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts linger on how much his life has changed recently. From his search for the Pyramid to actually resorting to theft from Masters for the release of Natalia; being declared a criminal in Japan, Project Utopia torturing novas...Torturing!...things just didn't seem so black and white anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asbjørn Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 "Jeez... I can't believe he did that. Talk about sleeping with the enemy, huh?"Nate shakes his head and shrugs."Still, always look on the bright side, right? Maybe this will improve my chances with Emma..." ::confused Later...As the days pass and Nate's body starts the healing process, it seems like anything that doesn't kill you does make you stronger. As soon as he's out of bed and up and about he starts exercising. Pushing himself seems to be good for him, and the healing process soon speeds up immensely, despite - or perhaps because of - hours of Nova class weightlifting, high-speed threadmills and quantum channeling exercises.Less than two weeks after being confined to his bed Blaze is back in action, in better shape than ever... ::cool And still smoking... ::smokin ::rolleyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Glacier slowly awakens, registering first a sterile lack of scent - like something new - then a rocking sensation. Opening his eyes, he realizes he has no idea where he is.His eyes widen as the memories come rushing back. He tries to will himself back into human form, but the room is already half-frozen and his survival instinct won't let him morph. And like a bad dream, the clouded memories of the rage are already fading, despite their clarity.A part of him decides that he cannot afford to forget. The icy cold air hardening his skin vibrates sluggishly with his voice. Glacier spends the air trip verbally recounting the events that occurred in the mine shaft, committing them to memory just as one does an important dream.Later:You know, I think it was the last time I almost killed someone that I promised myself this wouldn't happen again. How quickly we forget.. He tightens a fist reflectively.Someone could have died. I need to learn what death means.. Instantly his mind's eye is barraged with the images of events on one fateful mountain; the last he saw of his parents.I need to teach the bear that.He feels surreally decent at the moment. He looks out a nearby window from his hotel room.I didn't really give John Walker an honest try, did I?I think in the future, he's going to have to do.He looks around the room and pretends not to care what it smells like, then goes to join Will to visit the others in the hospital."Jeez... I can't believe he did that. Talk about sleeping with the enemy, huh?"[Do you mind John joining him for this visit? If not:]The reticent teenager, leaning in a corner, coughs slightly and looks down, partly concealing a wry grin.John apologizes profusely to Will, Derek, Michael, and as many of the Masters troops as are present for what he put them through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Ibiza:After yet another 'restless' night, Terry wakes to find PathFinder dressing (in simple jeans & Teragen-logo T-shirt - the sort that rebelious American teenagers think is sooo kewl...). The Nova beauty smiles & gives the ex-policeman a lingering kiss, then regretfully pulls away,"I've got to go, Terry. Our battles don't fight themselves, & there's a mess to clear up after what your friends did to Heartland..."She pauses, then frowns,"Watch the news after I'm gone - they're calling it an 'earthquake', but I'm sure your friends can fill in the missing pieces for you."The Terat raises a hand, as if to form an exit, then stops, & turns back to her lover,"If... if you'd like, I can form a bond between us - so we can always be together. I... I'll understand if that's not what you want, but..."She trails off, & just looks into Terry's eye's with her own all-white gaze, a genuine nervous look on her features. Terry gets the impression that PathFinder's offer is a pretty big step, at least in her mind...N! News:The pretty blonde newscaster is all bubbley smiles as she reports on the latest Nova gossip. The camera zooms in over her shoulder to reveal digital footage of the world's most beautiful woman, & a pretty good looking guy, heading into an expensive-looking restaurant somewhere in Hollywood..."Nova actress & mega-sensation Janet Thorne has been again spotted dining out with her co-star John Fabry. That's the third time the couple have been seen together away from the set in the last week, since filming was resumed on their movie. Rumours are flying about the pair's relationship. Some even suggest that a secret marriage ceremony took place in Mexico whilst production on their movie was halted, although studio sources deny such rumours, saying that the couple are good friends & co-workers, nothing more. Neither Janet nor John confirmed or denied their status together, with the world's most beautiful woman just telling members of the press that Mr Fabry was 'easy on the eyes', although the kiss the couple can be seen sharing in this clip looks to this reporter like more than 'just goods friends'."The clip, obviously filmed through bushes with a telephoto lens, ends with Janet & John sharing a passionate kiss over a cande-lit dinner. The picture returns to the bubbley blonde, then again zooms in over her shoulder, this time to the now familiar footage of a certain garage in Tokyo..."In other news, the Japanese authorities have refused to change their stance on the Nova known to many New Yorkers & Ibiza party-goers as a true hero, the ex-NYPD officer, Terry Nathanson. This amateur footage, shot just after the Japanese national Nova team Nippontai attacked Mr Nathanson & his date in public, shows that the woman he's with matches the description of the known Nova Vigilance member PathFinder. This further footage is claimed by the Japanese to be of property damaged caused by Mr Nathanson's famed gravitic powers - damage they claim could have triggered a major seismic disaster in the earthquake-prone Tokyo region. So far Mr Nathanson has not been available for comment, although his sometime employers, Masters International, claim that the Nova is on vacation - whereabouts unknown."The picture returns once again to the young lady with the fixed smile,"Terry Nathanson - terrorist or hero? Call the show with your votes & comments at the OpNet adress on your screens now."The Facility:Eventually, the Novas are visted by Ash. The attractive black woman still doesn't seem 100%, but is much better than when any of them last saw her & her boss. After greeting everyone, she dismisses the medical staff, & takes a seat in front of the beds, smoothing down the dress of her business suit as she does so. She smiles, then adresses the group,"First of all, Mr Masters & I would like to thank all of you for the work you've done. Natalia is back with us, & on the mend; & Mr Masters, myself, & the others, have been pulled back from death's door.", she glances towards Derek & give him a quick wink ::wink ."Mr Masters will be absent for a while, as he's still recovering from the virus we were attacked with. Natalia has suffered extensive trauma at the hands to the Teragen: physical, mental, & emotional. She's receiving the best care available anywhere, but it may be a little while before she's ready to receive visitors. Kane has updated me on the operations that took place during my absence. The loss of the book is a great worry to us, as I'm sure you'll all understand. We can only hope that it was destroyed in the blast at Heartland, but we have people searching for it in any case. Obviously the media have been dealt with, & the events you all participated in are confidential."She turns to John,"Mr Walker, our reports detail that you had another 'episode'. We have psychology experts available if you'd like any help with your condition, but I do have to insist that, for the moment, you refrain from using your Nova powers without allowing us the opportunity to put appropriate security measures in place. It's not our intent to constrain your activities, but rather to help you to retain your liberty. If you have another 'attack' in public, I'm sure you'll understand that it will be difficult to convince Project: Utopia that it's safe for you to remain 'at large'. Luckily your last 'episode' was only witnessed by MI personnel."Turning next to Michael, the African woman says,"Mr Davison, I understand that you helped a great deal in the rescue of Natalia. This may be a bit late, but welcome to the Masters International family. Heather has prepared a full schedule for you - although that mostly involves relaxing & getting healed right now - feel free to call on her for anything you need."To Nathan she says,"Blaze - excellent work. Mr Masters in very pleased that his faith in you, your abilities, & your loyalty proved well founded. I understand that Emma is keen to see for herself how you're getting on, & that she'll be coming here once certain security measures have been implimented. For now, it's best that you keep resting & recovering."The black woman's smile fades slightly as she turns to Derek, but is soon back in place,"Interface. You saved my life, & that of Mr Masters. Your other... 'activities'... were a little more disappointing, even though you weren't fully in control of those events. If you see Natalia, I'm sure that any notions of support for the Teragen will quickly fade from your thoughts. In any case, Mr Masters would like to keep you on: laboratories & workshops have been prepared at this facility for your research, although it's best that you don't leave the facility for a while - we think that you may be a target for the Teragen, & we wouldn't want anything to happen to our star genius..."Finally Ash turns to Will,"Mr Henessie - your father would be proud. Mr Masters is arranging for you to accompany him on several business trips when he's better, to further your business education. Until then I've arranged some materials for you to study, but I'm sure you'll still have plenty of spare time. When Natalia is a little better, I wouldn't be at all surprised if she wanted to see you."Ash pauses for a moment, her own lingering weakness showing through her business façade, then gathers her strength again, & asks the group,"So gentlemen, are there any questions?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Mr Walker, our reports detail that you had another 'episode'. We have psychology experts available if you'd like any help with your condition, but I do have to insist that, for the moment, you refrain from using your Nova powers without allowing us the opportunity to put appropriate security measures in place. John nods, half-smiling. "You're right. I had already realized that. I'll stay zipped."I think I will take you up on your offer of psychological help, though I'm not sure what it can even do.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "If... if you'd like, I can form a bond between us - so we can always be together. I... I'll understand if that's not what you want, but..."Terry seems a bit surprised at the offer"Well...uhh..what does this imply? Is it a Spock thing where we meld and share our experiences? Always together...would you always know everything about me? All I'm doing? What I hear, see and feel? And the same would be true for me towards you? I might find that a bit confusing if that is the case..."I can almost hear fellow readers screaming out loud: "Don't do it Terry!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Well...uhh..what does this imply? Is it a Spock thing where we meld and share our experiences? Always together...would you always know everything about me? All I'm doing? What I hear, see and feel? And the same would be true for me towards you? I might find that a bit confusing if that is the case..."PathFinder sits back on the bed next to Terry,"It's telepathy, like when we were making love - only on a more permanent basis. It's... intimate... but you don't have to share any thoughts that you don't want to. Not that I couldn't pull them out of your head anyway, but you see what I mean... I've linked to people like that for mission-related reasons before, I was linked to Nullifier for a while, but it was a less than pleasant experience. With you it's different - I like having you inside me Terry..." ::devil ::blush ::sly ::wink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Mr Henessie - " Will almost closes his eyes waiting to be berrated *Here it comes* your father would be proud. Maintaining his composure, Will is somewhat suprised *huh?* Mr Masters is arranging for you to accompany him on several business trips when he's better, to further your business education. Until then I've arranged some materials for you to study, but I'm sure you'll still have plenty of spare time. *No more crazed scientists, tunnels and mind readers is a good thing, however she did say study...* ::dozingoff When Natalia is a little better, I wouldn't be at all surprised if she wanted to see you." ::blush Ash pauses for a moment, her own lingering weakness showing through her business façade, then gathers her strength again, & asks the group,"So gentlemen, are there any questions?" "I have one, how is security coming along? I don't think we'd want another visit from Virus and his pals anytime soon" *though, I think I'd enjoy twisting his rubbery arse into horsie... maybe even a giraffe*. ::devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of Boredom Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Mr Davison, I understand that you helped a great deal in the rescue of Natalia. This may be a bit late, but welcome to the Masters International family. Heather has prepared a full schedule for you - although that mostly involves relaxing & getting healed right now - feel free to call on her for anything you need.""Thanks, is this how you initiate all of your new recruits? ::biggrin (he turns to John) Sorry about setting you on fire, but you didn't seem like you were going to stop any other way... ::halo "After Ash leaves he'll put a call in to Heather to find out what his schedule looks like, and see if he has any room to fit dinner in with one of the cute nurses... ::devilangel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Sorry about setting you on fire, but you didn't seem like you were going to stop any other way... "John laughs cheerfully. "No problem - I'm just glad you weren't playing for keeps. Besides, it couldn't have hurt more than dragging my ass all over the place later." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 PathFinder sits back on the bed next to Terry,"It's telepathy, like when we were making love - only on a more permanent basis. It's... intimate... but you don't have to share any thoughts that you don't want to. Not that I couldn't pull them out of your head anyway, but you see what I mean... I've linked to people like that for mission-related reasons before, I was linked to Nullifier for a while, but it was a less than pleasant experience. With you it's different - I like having you inside me Terry..." "Pfff..."Terry wallops Pathfinder with a nearby pillow and starts laughing.. ::laugh "C'mon be serious!"He helps her up from the bed and nods."Okay, off with you then. I've got some damage control of my own to handle. - Terry looks around the room - Starting with a big tip for the cleaning lady...I'm sure mopping the ceiling will be a first for them. ::wink "They look into each others eyes for a moment, sharing last thoughts. Suddenly Pathfinder picks up the tv's remote control and flicks through the channels until she gets to the story of Janet Thorne and John Fabry with a wry smile on her face...As dawning realisation hits Terry ( ::dontgetit ::huh ::ohmy ::laugh ) , she opens a warp and gives him one last quick kiss before slipping through to her destination...Terry keeps watching the news "In other news, the Japanese authorities have refused to change their stance on the Nova known to many New Yorkers & Ibiza party-goers as a true hero, the ex-NYPD officer, Terry Nathanson. This amateur footage, shot just after the Japanese national Nova team Nippontai attacked Mr Nathanson & his date in public, shows that the woman he's with matches the description of the known Nova Vigilance member PathFinder. This further footage is claimed by the Japanese to be of property damaged caused by Mr Nathanson's famed gravitic powers - damage they claim could have triggered a major seismic disaster in the earthquake-prone Tokyo region. So far Mr Nathanson has not been available for comment, although his sometime employers, Masters International, claim that the Nova is on vacation - whereabouts unknown.""Oh, so now I'M the one who wrecked everything...typical."Turning off the TV Terry grabs a shower and puts on his by now well rested Eufiber suit. Picking up the phone he calls up the cleaning lady and waits for her to come up. Once she arrives he apologizes for the mess and hands her five american 20$ bills as tip before heading towards the front desk. He graciously thanks the Maître D' and then takes out 4000$ in Japanese Yen from the hotel's currency exchange office. Grabbing a paper and a pen he starts writing (in japanese):'Dear Mr. Kitaohji,Please accept my sincerest apologies for the events of a few nights ago. Had I known Nippontai would destroy property to arrest me, I never would have dared insult the reputation of Ginza Kyuubei by submitting it to the destruction and media attention it received. As I still hold Ginza Kyuubei in the highest of regards, I hope this makes up for any inconvenience.Sincerely,Terry Nathanson'With a sigh he puts the money and letter in the envelope and opens a warp in front of the restaurant's door. He steps inside and bows once before the wide-eyed customers of the by-now repaired restaurant. Stepping up to the proprietor and head Chef of the restaurant, Mr. Kitaohji he bows again and offers the envelope with both hands. Once he has read the letter Terry nods:"I'm sorry I cannot stay long, once again I apologize for any trouble I may have caused."Extending his arm before him, a warp opens to somewhere in New York..."Ahhh, home sweet junk of a home..."At first glance his apartment seems pretty much just as he and Derek left it...He opens a window to let out the mustiness and sits down on one of his sofas, phone in hand.First call to Kane:"Hello Kane, I'm sorry it took so long for me to call. Yes, I'm home right now though I don't know how long I'll be staying here. Is Natalia alright? What happened down there? What about Masters, is there any way I might be able to see him? I'd like to apologize personnally for anything I may have done recently, I had difficult choices to make and little time to make them in..."Second call to Ayasha:"Hey, sorry about the delay. Yeah...I know, he didn't call since we met without going through you. I just wanted you to know I'm still alive and kicking. Thanks for putting your neck out for me though, I owe you one."Last Call to The Stranger:"Hi John, this is Terry, is there any way I could meet you in private? Your place perhaps?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asbjørn Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 [As far as I can understand, Blaze is the only one of 'the guys' that at any point would be crippled enough to be confined to his bed - the others mostly have cold burns on their arms, right? - so I'll assume this conversation's taking place relatively early in the healing process.]As the gathered people move from briefing to smalltalk, Nathan winces slightly as he sits up in his bed and extends a hand to Mike. He's got a friendly enough smile, but the white glow from his eyes still makes the impression an eerie one. "You must be the Invisible Quarterback, right? I'm Nathan. Pleased to meet you."Nate shakes Mike's hand in a firm grip, and moments later realizes why he should be lying back as his ribs protest the movement."And by the way, you're not the first nova to be recruited to MI during or following a crisis. Trust me. You're probably not going to be the last, either... If there's anything you want to know about working for the man, just ask, by the way.""Weren't you originally supposed to be working with advertising or something? This dungeon crawl wasn't exactly what you signed up for, I bet." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brilyn Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Derek spends most of the time in hospital reading various science and medical journals. And seems to be concentrating on them real hard whenever MI staff are nearby. "Interface. You saved my life, & that of Mr Masters. Your other... 'activities'... were a little more disappointing, even though you weren't fully in control of those events. If you see Natalia, I'm sure that any notions of support for the Teragen will quickly fade from your thoughts. In any case, Mr Masters would like to keep you on: laboratories & workshops have been prepared at this facility for your research, although it's best that you don't leave the facility for a while - we think that you may be a target for the Teragen, & we wouldn't want anything to happen to our star genius..." ".....""You mean I'm not going to jail?" ::biggrinThere's a palpable feeling of relief coming from Derek......"um..... About the book.... It's not lost per se..... Though the original is." ::blush "I made copies....."Derek takes out his cellphone, and sends a quick text to the Stranger.Hey, any chance you could call 'round to John Fabry's place sometime soon? I mailed him a package that I'm gonna need fairly soon. Didn't think I'd need it for a while...... Thanks, Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer21 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Hi John, this is Terry, is there any way I could meet you in private? Your place perhaps?" With his customary gruff voice, The Stranger answers. "Hello Terry. Mr. Fabry is not available right now. After the attack on his home by the Teragen, his private life is very important to him, and he's out spending time with some friends. If it's important, I can provide you with Mr. Fabry's personal cellphone number so you can reach him that way."((Provided Terry catches the hint, and calls Fabry's number directly...))In a surprised tone, John answers. "Why, hello Terry! I've been a bit cooped up since that nasty business at my home. The Stranger informs me you wanted to me with me privately? Yes, that'd be fine. Okay, I'm at my house right now. You're welcome to come by."Hey, any chance you could call 'round to John Fabry's place sometime soon? I mailed him a package that I'm gonna need fairly soon. Didn't think I'd need it for a while...... Thanks, Derek. ((OOC: Prof, has Fabry received the package yet?)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 With his customary gruff voice, The Stranger answers. "Hello Terry. Mr. Fabry is not available right now. After the attack on his home by the Teragen, his private life is very important to him, and he's out spending time with some friends. If it's important, I can provide you with Mr. Fabry's personal cellphone number so you can reach him that way."Terry smiles"Ah, yeah sorry Stranger. I must've entered your number in my cell under his name by accident...If you could give me his number that'd be great." Terry jots down the number, thanks the Stranger, waits a half hour to let the Stranger/John to move, change costume, or whatever they do and calls John Fabry.In a surprised tone, John answers. "Why, hello Terry! I've been a bit cooped up since that nasty business at my home. The Stranger informs me you wanted to me with me privately? Yes, that'd be fine. Okay, I'm at my house right now. You're welcome to come by.""Thanks I'll be in your conference room in a few minutes..."Terry walks up to the window, closes it, and waits a couple of minutes before warping to John Fabry's mansion. As he sees John Terry walks up to him and shakes his hand."Hi, before we start...you're an expert in these things, would you mind checking this for bugs or putting it in a "safe" place?"Terry hands John his phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer21 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Hi, before we start...you're an expert in these things, would you mind checking this for bugs or putting it in a "safe" place?"Nodding curtly, and not seeming too pleased, John takes the phone and examines it minutely. After a few seconds, and still without saying a word, he gestures for Terry to follow him into the garage. Setting Terry's phone inside a toolchest, he nods at the car.Getting into the sleek black Camaro parked inside, he indicates for Terry to do the same. Starting the engine and its rumbling roar, he opens the garage door and guides the car forward. Stomping on the accelerator, the sportscar leaps forward with a snarl and squeal of tires. Turning the knob on the original factory stereo, "Sweet Home Alabama" blasts through the speakers. His jaw set, John speaks just loudly enough to be heard over the music. "Who told you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 His jaw set, John speaks just loudly enough to be heard over the music. "Who told you?""Pathfinder...I asked where I could find Stranger and she flicked to an N! report on you and Janet. Putting two and two together wasn't that difficult after that. Look, I'm sorry to have done it this way but the alternative was asking the Stranger to tell me who he really was as a sign of trust... - Terry looks at John - would you have told me had I just asked?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer21 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Probably not. But you could have given me the chance. And we could have arranged an easier meeting." He grimaces. "But what's done is done. Obviously you needed to talk to me. What's going on?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Probably not. But you could have given me the chance. And we could have arranged an easier meeting." He grimaces. "But what's done is done. Obviously you needed to talk to me. What's going on?""Right now I'm looking for friends which is why I'd like to know where your loyalties lie." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer21 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Right now I'm looking for friends which is why I'd like to know where your loyalties lie." "You're going to have to be more specific. What loyalties are in question?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of Boredom Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "You must be the Invisible Quarterback, right? I'm Nathan. Pleased to meet you."Nate shakes Mike's hand in a firm grip, and moments later realizes why he should be lying back as his ribs protest the movement."Yeah, that's me." Mike takes his hand and gives a firm handshake..."And by the way, you're not the first nova to be recruited to MI during or following a crisis. Trust me. You're probably not going to be the last, either... If there's anything you want to know about working for the man, just ask, by the way.""Well I was kinda curious what is that all of you guys do around here... when you're not rescuing damsels in distress that is...""Weren't you originally supposed to be working with advertising or something? This dungeon crawl wasn't exactly what you signed up for, I bet." "Public relations actually. They hired me for my ability to deal with people, and occasionally persuade them when necessary. That being said, I do kind of enjoy getting out and getting my hands dirty, as it were..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezekiel Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "You're going to have to be more specific. What loyalties are in question?" "I think I may be on to something big and I need help to look into it. The problem is I'm pretty sure Project Utopia won't like it and there's a good chance Masters won't either. And no, I haven't turned into a Terat...Seeing how paranoid you are about your identity...no offense...I thought you might be the help I need." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asbjørn Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 "Well I was kinda curious what is that all of you guys do around here... when you're not rescuing damsels in distress that is..."Nate laughs at Mike's question, and grins widely ::biggrin "Actually, that is my job. I work in the security branch of the MI system, and am responsible for one particular damsel's safety. When I'm not out trying to kill myself, that is..." ::confused "Public relations actually. They hired me for my ability to deal with people, and occasionally persuade them when necessary. That being said, I do kind of enjoy getting out and getting my hands dirty, as it were..."Lying back in his bed, Nate's grin fades slightly and he replies"Yeah, well... I'm something of an adrenaline junkie myself, but sometimes it gets a little too wild, if you know what I'm saying...""So... Does that mean you'll be on standby for when the sh!t hits the fan and work with PR the rest of the time? Or do you want to be transferred?" ::wink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.