Aberrant: Prometheans Unbound - Prologue: The Genesis of Quantum Prometheus

[Blue Thunder]

((This is the Prologue. There won't be any combat, and probably not any dice rolling. This is purely dialogue driven until Chapter 1 is underway. This meeting gives your characters the opportunity to get to know each other, to discuss Teras, to discuss the future of the Prometheans, to discuss the activities and methods you will use to further your faction's goals, and to flesh out your characters' personalities before the heavy stuff happens. This also lets you, the players, and me, the ST, get accustomed to the pbp style of roleplaying.))

((You don't enter the Roundtable Room until your first post. Make sure you give a brief physical description of yourself so others know how you look.))

((Everyone did choose a text color for their speech, right? Remember to check the thread I made for how to format your posts. These double parenthesis are for OOC text.))

Prologue Information

Setting: Envy's mansion, in the hills near Trinidad, Cuba. Trinidad is an historical city and a source of tourism for Cuba, and barely any of the buildings in the city are new. The population isn't very high, and the locals aren't pesky about their new neighbor in the hills. The mansion was constructed several years before the first official gathering of the Prometheans by Count Raoul Orzaiz. The Count intended for the mansion to act as a home while in Cuba, but wanted it far enough from the new Sin City (Havana) as to not attract too much attention and so he could get a night or two of quiet rest. Having never moved in, he graciously donated it and the surrounding acres to Envy and the Prometheans to act as their base. Synapse has given the mansion a small set of servants (that don't live within the mansion, but in Trinidad), 24/7 video surveillance, a high stone wall around the immediate perimeter of the mansion, several pieces of hidden defense weaponry, and access to some decent computer technology. Underground chambers were added to provide a place to stay for any Proms or Terats that cannot visibly pass for human. The underground chambers themselves, combined together, are easily double the size of the above-ground mansion. In addition, underground tunnels have been added: one leads deeper into the Cuban hillside near Trinidad, one leads to Envy's boat dock at the shore, and another leads directly into the city of Trinidad, cleverly hidden near an abandoned and crumbling church. The tunnels are used by the Prometheans and other Terats to enter the mansion without gathering attention or giving away where they stay; the last thing the Proms need is Project Utopia and The Directive all coming down on them. The Cuban government has been getting paid hefty sums by Orzaiz and The Mathematician to ignore the mansion. In addition, the mansion is officially owned by "Matthew Chambers," a fake identity created by Synapse. Matthew Chambers is a wealthy British philanthropist, who owns the mansion at Trinidad but rarely visits it (and when he does, it's always a shapeshifted Terat, who can enjoy a day on the town if he ever visits Havana as Mr. Chambers). He has donated money to help restore and improve Trinidad, so the locals view him as a great man and never bother the mansion or it's inhabitants.

Time: The evening of December 31, 2115. With the New Years Day celebrations kicking off in Havana and around Cuba, the Proms are deciding how they'll greet the year of 2116.

Location: The characters enter, one by one, into the "Roundtable Room" set up beneath the mansion in one of the underground rooms. It's a fairly spacious room, and filled with old Spanish furnishings, and the walls have classic Spanish and Cuban art on them. There are two lounging chairs, a couch, a small kitchen set with Cuban food, and a stocked mini-bar off to one side. The other side has a computer station for easy OpNet access during meetings, and Synapse has been known to project himself visually from it. The room is dominated by a massive, circular wooden table. The center of the table has a bouquet of vibrant, sweet-smelling genetically-altered flowers courtesy of Altaz Zia, The Apothecary, and the table cloth is a deep red in honor of Divis Mal.

The room eagerly awaits the first gathering of the Prometheans...

((You may now post. It doesn't matter who enters first, or in what order.))

[BlueNinja]

Location: The Roundtable Room, Envy's Mansion, Trinidad Cuba

People: Leiko (at present)

Time: About 1800 (6pm)

Leiko had seen the e-mails about the group of Terats meeting in Cuba, and her flight had arrived here this morning. She'd spent the day wandering through the city of Trinidad, the Japanese woman looking somewhat out of place even before she opened her mouth to talk. She glanced around the room, tucking a loose strand of hair behind one ear, and smudging her cheek with graphite from a finger. "Nice place," she said mostly to herself, then dragged a chair away from the table and curled up on it, her lean, almost muscleless frame curling around the sketchbook she hauled out of her backpack. In moments, the shape of the room took form upon the paper, the lighting shaded just so and the shadows, and then the first person to walk into the room.

((I'd like a roll anyway - I want to see how many successes I get on an Arts (Drawing) roll. Huzzah Artistic Genius!))

[SkyLion]

*Art Imitates Life,* Envy mused to himself. The olive-skinned nova stood tall and relaxed, his hands clapsed loosely together behind his back. Before him on the wall hung two Dali originals. The two works of the Great Surrealist had become his favorite over the past year, seeming to embody the tortured soul of the present age. He mentally thanked the Mathematician once more for his gracious contribution to the atmosphere.

,,

Now, viewing them juxtaposed with a sense of dark irony, the Terat wondered if Salvador knew how truly surreal life would become in the 21st century. *And to think there are those among us who claim that baselines lack Vison...and yet, how much of our Vision has been informed through their eyes?*

The two works in question were "The Persistance of Memory," and "Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of The New Man." Past and Future given dreamlike form on canvas. Past and Future. Abstract ideas, visible only in the present and experienced, with the exception of certain peers like Santiago, only as fleeting threads of Memory and Imagination. *Where there is no Vision, the People Perish.* Another baseline had written that; King Solomon, who had been gifted by God for seeking Wisdom above all else. *Thousands of years and a whole evolutionary leap forward and yet... how true it remains for us now...*

,,

His back to the entranceway and lost in thought, it takes a few minutes for the Nova to realize that he isn't alone anymore. The rustle of paper shaking him from his reverie, he looks back over his shoulder, turning his head towards the sound. Finding himself the subject of an impromptu work of art...while contemplating art, brings a smile to the Terats face, made all the more devilish with the gleaming of his immensely dissconcerting eyes.

"Leiko! I hadn't heard you enter..." Envy makes his way behind the min-bar, preparing some glasses. "Glad you could make it. Something to drink?"

[Centimane]

James had flown in under his own power and had entered via the dockyard tunnel, arriving only moments before the meeting was scheduled to start. He entered only a few minutes after Leiko.

Upon entering the round table room, he found himself in the company of Envy, whom he knew rather well, and a young asian woman (probably Japanese by the look of her) who he thought he might have seen around at one Teragen gathering or another, but he wasn't sure. Envy appeared to be mixing drinks at the mini-bar off to one side, and the slim asian woman appeared to be almost completely absorbed with drawing a picture of some sort (though he couldn't see what of). *Good*, he thought, *I'm early.*

"Hey Envy, how are you? I thought I'd be late, but it looks like I'm early..."

After exchanging simple pleasantries with Envy, James turned to the unfamiliar woman and said, "Hi, I'm James. I'm still sort of new, and Orzaiz doesn't let me out much, so we might not have met before...." He finished somewhat lamely, hoping that the woman would pick up from there or at least introduce herself. He found himself feeling a little bit out of place as he often did around other Terats.

James is fairly tall, about six foot, and of average build for his height, not too thick and not too thin. He's good-looking in a way that only a nova can be, with short sandy-blonde hair, smooth skin, and eyes that are an indeterminate shade somewhere between blue and violet. His eyes also have an intense and intelligent look to them, as though he's constantly analyzing everything he sees. His features are strong, and would likely be described as "all-American". He's currently dressed in an expensive-looking three piece suit that's probably made of Eufiber. While it's obvious that he's a nova, he shows no obvious signs of having any aberrations or Taint whatsoever.

[phoenix]

It's not that King Cobra is inconspicuous. He's not. In the brightly lit mansion, the dark gray and black of his eufibre bodysuit stand out like a black thunderhead on a clear summer day. Still, nobody sees him enter. Everyone just notices, at about the same time, that when Envy opened the drinks, the barstools were all empty, but by the time the liquid hit the glass, he is there.

King Cobra quickly scans the room, with a sharp, serious nod of acknowledgment to Envy and without a word to the other Prometheans. He takes one of the offered drinks and nurses it, sitting slouched over a barstool.

Despite his slumped position, King Cobra is plainly tall, dark and muscular. It's impossible to tell if he is handsome, however; he is wearing a face mask that covers all of his face but his mouth and jaw. His black mask, and the blackest parts of his eufibre are shiny, and if one looks closely, he can make out fine scales on the surface of the uniform.

[Blue Thunder]

Jane had spent the earlier part of the day at the Star Lords in Havana. Sin City was a nova hot spot, one of the few cities she would ever admit she felt comfortable in. Being around her own kind filled her with a sense of...well, she wasn't quite sure exactly. Fulfillment? Safety? Belonging? Family? Maybe all of those things and so much more. They were like a warm gentle light in the cold darkness of the night. Whatever the feeling, it felt good, and she liked to stay around her own kind as often as possible.

Her cellphone beeped, breaking her thoughts, and Jane checked the name.

*Synapse? What the hell does that loser want?* He better make it quick, because she had to leave for the meeting soon and-

*Oh sh*t, the meeting!*

Trinidad was only a few minutes run from Havana. Jane ran along roadsides, through thick forests, and over rocky ground, leaving only a blur of motion and dark violet electric sparks in her wake and damning the Cuban countryside for not being flat enough to accomodate her. Japan was always easier to weave through; it was crowded and more populated for sure, but there was concrete and pavement everywhere to make her hypermovement easier. She only had to worry about not running into any pedestrians, and even when she did, she was always good at disposing the bodies and making sure no witnesses survived. No matter how many witnesses there were.

Sometimes she would hit pedestrians on purpose...

She didn't bother using any of the secret access tunnels. Once she saw the mansion enter her field of vision from a kilometer away she leapt the remaining distance and landed onto the front yard. Her landing generated sparks at her feet, which left darkened grass in the shape of footprints. She opened the door and found her way to the underground chamber. She had only been in the mansion twice before, and always to the underground chambers; she promised to return another day so she could fully explore the topside.

Jane slowly entered the room. She wasn't the first to arrive, but no matter. She calmly sat in a chair at the roundtable. She disliked greetings, so simply shot everyone a sharp look to let them know she had arrived and that she acklowledged they existed.

What was the deal with the dark, masked guy though? She had never seen him before but already he pissed her off a little, just like Epoch and the other mask-wearing Terats do. *Novas shouldn't have to wear masks around other novas...* she thought to herself *...especially not around their companions.*

And then the woman drawing at the table. What was her deal? She looked familiar though...did Jane recognize her face from the OpNet or an old mission file or somewhere else? She looked like a pushover and a nerd. How was she going to help the movement?

((I'd like a roll anyway - I want to see how many successes I get on an Arts (Drawing) roll. Huzzah Artistic Genius!))

((9 successes. You make Baby Jesus cry. You may as well have just taken a photograph of the room and Envy.))

[Shade Sentinel]

"I'm late to me first meetin'. Beavers n' ducks!" Roach mumbles to himself as he casually detatches from the landing cargo plane heading into to Cuba. Leaping from the plane into the forested area nearby he lands, leaping tree to tree until he crashes hard into the solid earth. Adjusting his hat, he lets fly a wad of spit as to clear his mind. He pulls out a worn but read able map from the rear pocket of his faded jeans. After studying it and the attatched sticky note, he is off again. Running along the forrested floor...occassionally springing high and far into the air.

Arriving just in time for drinks, Roach leans boyishly in the door frame, a hint of terror evident in his mannerisms. He still does not feel on par with other Novas and can't seem to shake that from him. With a bowed head he stammers

"Sorry I'm late, the eh...plane too fervever te load. Names eh Roach, thank ye for havin' me in yer home, I'll do well not to make a mess!"

Roach makes his way to an empty chair sorrounding the table. His bare feet leave the faintest slimy residue after each step. He is a short man perhaps 5'5" give or take, not very large build and dresses like a homeless man in his faded jeans, hooded sweatshirt under a denim jacket accented perfectally with a trucker style cap. As he approaches the table, one could understand the outfit. His skin is a mottled brown and gray, with what appears to be chittin or dark scales pushing through areas of skin along his feet and hands ( both without coverings ) and small portions of his face.

He walks to the chair and slips into it, tucking his feet up as to not slime all over the nice home of his host.

"Nice play ye got here Envy, sir. I'd have it in mind fer a spot a this fer meself someday."

[BlueNinja]

Location: Envy's Roundtable Room

Participants: Leiko, Envy, James, King Cobra, Roach, Jill (plus others?)

Time: about 1810

His back to the entranceway and lost in thought, it takes a few minutes for the Nova to realize that he isn't alone anymore. The rustle of paper shaking him from his reverie, he looks back over his shoulder, turning his head towards the sound. Finding himself the subject of an impromptu work of art...while contemplating art, brings a smile to the Terats face, made all the more devilish with the gleaming of his immensely dissconcerting eyes.

"Leiko! I hadn't heard you enter..." Envy makes his way behind the min-bar, preparing some glasses. "Glad you could make it. Something to drink?"

She looks up with a start, the pencil whirling away from the paper to avoid ruining the piece. "Gah! Wha - Envy? I didn't even see you in here." She points imperiously to put him out of the doorway, and gestures James back into the doorway to finish putting him into the piece. "Leiko. Stand there. No, turn. Yes. Put that pensive look back on your face. No, less frown. Good." A minute later, she tears the sheet out of her book and whirls it across the table with a flourish. "Here you are, Envy - consider it a housewarming gift. Is it always so hot in Cuba? I think I need to do enough art to buy us a mansion like this in Japan." Her voice sudden scratches, like someone bumped a speaker cable, and she grimaces.

And then the woman drawing at the table. What was her deal? She looked familiar though...did Jane recognize her face from the OpNet or an old mission file or somewhere else? She looked like a pushover and a nerd. How was she going to help the movement?

Leiko glances across at the only other woman, and gives her a sardonic smile. "Sit down already. You look like you're waiting to be crowned Queen of the Novas or something."

((Animation roll for the chair ... to give her a little bit of 'help' sitting down. A knee-high round curtain of blue light, about the same color as her speaking font, will surround her chair as she does so.))

((9 successes. You make Baby Jesus cry. You may as well have just taken a photograph of the room and Envy.))

((Photograph? Like hell - mine's more lifelike!))

[Alex Green]

The implacably British baseline Matthew Chambers, wearing a tailored suit that just says ”I’m wealthy”, walks into the room and says,

“Greetings to you all. I’m glad to meet you all, I’m Matthew Chambers…”

He looks at Envy, pauses, then continues,

“Ah, quite. I see I was expected.”

[Bahamut810]

Jack had been in Cuba for a few days already, it was more from having nothing else to do then anyhting else. And it was nice to spend time with Jill. He was always at ease around her...he really enjoyed how they clicked more then any other set of novas he had seen.

Jack stayed in a more 'human' form most times so that she could have a face to 'talk' to. Well...as close to talking as he could get, since he lost his vocal cords. That was a strange time in his life when he was able to perminently become liquid metal, it was an accomplishment that he was extremely proud of.

But thats not here nor there...it is time for the now. And now was the Promethians. When he had heard about them...he knew that he wanted to help. It had taken him a little bit to convince Jill to go, but he did and she was with him.

He looked at his partner (Mate? Significant other? So many things that they could be...and for some reason he wasen't sure what they were, or should be or could be) and nodded at her.

*Are you ready? I think its time to meet our possible new cell.* he broadcasts to her as they walk through the secret tunnels under the house. Something he was grateful to have learned was the metal broadcasting. It was difficult to converse with people without words of some sort. *I hope the movement is what I expected*

After a few minutes they finally make it to the meeting room. He looks over at Jill again, and nods again as he opens the door for her and lets her walk in first then follows. He looks around the room at hte people, but (for some reason) says nothing...

[Blue Thunder]

Jill entered the room beside Jack, and smiled brightly at all of the Terats in the room. It was Envy and King Cobra who persuaded her to help the faction, and she remembered Leiko from one of Narcosis's parties in Mumbai a few months back, but the rest were unknowns. She was anxious to get to know them all. It always filled her with joy to see more novas moved by the Null Manifesto.

Jill had platinum, almost white hair which was kept up in a decorative tie. She also wore a flowing golden robe pulled tight at the waist with a light orange sash. She was a stunning woman to look at, almost like the statue of a goddess, and she seemed to brighten any room she walked into (literally and figuratively) with her smile. The sleeves of her robe ran on for longer than they should, hiding her hands, even as she held them forward in a greeting.

"Hello everyone" she said and then bowed respectfully "For those of you I've never had the fortune of meeting, my name is Flare. But you may call me Jill. And this is Jack, my love."

The last comment would get awkward stares from everyone, but she was accustomed to it. And more importantly, not ashamed.

Jill appraoched Envy. "It's been a few weeks since last we met, Jericho. Jack and I are delighted to be a part of this new faction. Well, I guess you could tell...we did choose new names for ourselves, ones that start with 'J'. 'Jill' will take getting used to, but it's a lovely name. And I'm glad to see so many like-minded Terats here as well. Terats willing to interpret the Null Manifesto in their own way, willing to find some kind of solution to nova-baseline issues. I hope this is the start of something great."

((Edit - I forgot about Envy's power...I almost had Jill touch him. Fixed! Edit Power Moon-Beam GO!!!))

She took the seat next to Roach, hoping Jack would sit to her other side. "I don't believe we've met..." she said. Her eyes flared a bright gold as she spoke.

((So you all know, Jill/Flare has the following Mega-Attributes: Mega-Intelligence 2 (Linguistic Genius), Mega-Apperance 2 (Awe-Inspiring), and Mega-Charisma 3 (Center of Attention, Dreadful Mien). Maybe this will help when roleplaying with her. She's usually the center of attention wherever she goes thanks to Awe-Inspiring and...well...Center of Attention, but in this case she's not actually using her enhancements.))

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

Leiko glances across at the only other woman, and gives her a sardonic smile. "Sit down already. You look like you're waiting to be crowned Queen of the Novas or something."

((Animation roll for the chair ... to give her a little bit of 'help' sitting down. A knee-high round curtain of blue light, about the same color as her speaking font, will surround her chair as she does so.))

Jane's reflexes were sharp enough that she saw the chair coming, but she gracefully fell into it as it slid her to the table. This was no time for her anger to get the better of her and lash out at people. *Best to nod and smile and force yourself to fit in...just like Shrapnel taught you...cage the beast until it needs to be out...* she thought to herself. *Don't screw this up for yourself. You've no other Terats to turn to.*

"Queen of the Novas..." she started. She would usually say something bitchy or rude at this point, but now she had to bite her tongue. So what to say next? Nothing bitchy or rude, of course.

"...that's a pretty stupid name."

Oops.

"So...um, you must be Leiko, the artist Envy told me about. My Promethean name is Jane."

[BlueNinja]

Jane's reflexes were sharp enough that she saw the chair coming, but she gracefully fell into it as it slid her to the table. This was no time for her anger to get the better of her and lash out at people. *Best to nod and smile and force yourself to fit in...just like Shrapnel taught you...cage the beast until it needs to be out...* she thought to herself. *Don't screw this up for yourself. You've no other Terats to turn to.*

"Queen of the Novas..." she started. She would usually say something bitchy or rude at this point, but now she had to bite her tongue. So what to say next? Nothing bitchy or rude, of course.

"...that's a pretty stupid name."

Leiko actually laughs at that, a much deeper laugh than might be expected from someone of her stature. "If you don't start preening after something like that, you can't be all bad then."

"So...um, you must be Leiko, the artist Envy told me about. My Promethean name is Jane."

Leiko mulls that over, along with the 'announcement' from Jack and Jill. "I hope we're not all expected to pick these new names. Nothing against a new tradition, really, but - there aren't any good female Japanese names." Her voice crackles again with that sense of speaker static, and she grimaces again. "Sorry about that. If you miss any words, just say so and I'll repeat myself."

[Blue Thunder]

Leiko mulls that over, along with the 'announcement' from Jack and Jill. "I hope we're not all expected to pick these new names. Nothing against a new tradition, really, but - there aren't any good female Japanese names." Her voice crackles again with that sense of speaker static, and she grimaces again. "Sorry about that. If you miss any words, just say so and I'll repeat myself."

"I pointed out that Jericho and James had names starting with the same letter, so I chose one as well to better seperate myself from my old life. I think it took off from there..."

“Greetings to you all. I’m glad to meet you all, I’m Matthew Chambers…"

Jane eyed him. So which Terat was it this time? She could never tell who was taking over the Chambers identity during any given week, but it was usually some Pandamonion loser looking to spend free cash in Havana. She remembered a few months back when Boogeyman decided to take Chambers out for a test ride to every sex fetish club in Sin City. Synapse had a hell of a time covering that one up. Then Boogeyman had to do Orzaiz a series of favors to help pay for all the cash he wasted.

[Shade Sentinel]

She took the seat next to Roach, hoping Jack would sit to her other side. "I don't believe we've met..." she said. Her eyes flared a bright gold as she spoke.

Roach is staring at her beauty for a good 10 seconds when he notices he's been staring. Rather sheepishly he musters a "H...'elo there." Followed by a lame smile that is made all the worse by the gnarly skin about his face.

Embarrassed, he figits a bit and pull his hat down low hiding his face as his left hand pull what looks like the remnants of a leather belt from his jacket pocket. He begins to gnaw on it.

[Blue Thunder]

Roach is staring at her beauty for a good 10 seconds when he notices he's been staring. Rather sheepishly he musters a "H...'elo there." Followed by a lame smile that is made all the worse by the gnarly skin about his face.

Jill seemed unfazed. "You must be Roach, then. It's a delight to meet you. I wonder who else will be arriving?"

She scanned the room over again from her seat, wondering if anyone else was coming to the gathering, and if the meeting should actually begin.

Embarrassed, he figits a bit and pull his hat down low hiding his face as his left hand pull what looks like the remnants of a leather belt from his jacket pocket. He begins to gnaw on it.

((I think I just lawled))

[Shade Sentinel]

((I think I just lawled))

(( What the hell is that, and is it good? :-D ))

Jill seemed unfazed. "You must be Roach, then. It's a delight to meet you. I wonder who else will be arriving?"

"The right answer te that I don't 'ave m'lady. I me'self barely made it here." Roach mutters, the remnants of the leather belt sloshing between his teeth. He swallos deep, burps slightly and begins to stare about the room and its quiet guests.

He slides back in his chair and straightens himself to appear a bit taller, folding his deformed and skinless fingers atop each other.

[Centimane]

Location: Envy's Roundtable Room

Participants: Leiko, Envy, James, King Cobra, Roach, Jill (plus others?)

Time: about 1810

She looks up with a start, the pencil whirling away from the paper to avoid ruining the piece. "Gah! Wha - Envy? I didn't even see you in here." She points imperiously to put him out of the doorway, and gestures James back into the doorway to finish putting him into the piece. "Leiko. Stand there. No, turn. Yes. Put that pensive look back on your face. No, less frown. Good." A minute later, she tears the sheet out of her book and whirls it across the table with a flourish. "Here you are, Envy - consider it a housewarming gift. Is it always so hot in Cuba? I think I need to do enough art to buy us a mansion like this in Japan." Her voice sudden scratches, like someone bumped a speaker cable, and she grimaces.

James quickly jumped back into position as Leiko barked out her greeting, requests, and orders one after the other. "Here? Oh! Okay... This way? What pensive look? You mean like this?"

*Well this is awkward* he thought, *oh well, maybe it'll be a good icebreaker*

As the Japanese woman finished and whirled it across the table, James stepped forward for a look.

"Wow! That's amazing! No one's ever made me look that good before!", he said as he slid into the seat next to her. "Nice to meet you by the way Leiko."

He was about to ask her where he might have seen her before, when he suddenly realized that a masked man in grey and black had just appeared or something, apparently from nowhere. James analyzed the stranger's quantum pattern for a moment to try and get a feel for what sort of abilities he had that would allow that, but aside from the fact that the stranger was obviously quick and at least as strong as he was, he couldn't quite place the other ripples in the nova's quantum pattern. He was still too new to all this, hell he was probably newer to being a nova than anyone else who would come to the meeting tonight.

The stranger seemed content to ignore him and Leiko, so James didn't see any reason to interrupt his reverie, and instead turned his attention to the purple-haired woman walking in the door. *Another asian girl? What'd I walk into an anime here? She sure is good-looking though...*

He started to say hello, but she just sort of shot him and everyone else a sharp, unfriendly look, and moved into the room. *huh, off to a real warm start aren't we?*

Leiko glances across at the only other woman, and gives her a sardonic smile. "Sit down already. You look like you're waiting to be crowned Queen of the Novas or something."

((Animation roll for the chair ... to give her a little bit of 'help' sitting down. A knee-high round curtain of blue light, about the same color as her speaking font, will surround her chair as she does so.))

*Heh, she's sure got attitude* he thinks of Leiko, though not unkindly. Surprisingly, the new nova takes the jab fairly well, though the look that says she's better than everyone else here doesn't quite leave her face.

*Well, maybe things'll go alright after all. I sure hope so too, Jericho's ideas are seriously exciting and I'd really like to see them put into action.*

[Centimane]

Arriving just in time for drinks, Roach leans boyishly in the door frame, a hint of terror evident in his mannerisms. He still does not feel on par with other Novas and can't seem to shake that from him. With a bowed head he stammers

"Sorry I'm late, the eh...plane too fervever te load. Names eh Roach, thank ye for havin' me in yer home, I'll do well not to make a mess!"

As the new nova came in and sat down, James stood part way up and leaned across the table, offering to shake hands. "Hi Roach, my name's James. Nice to meet you. And I don't think you're late just yet..."

At about that time, Jack, Jill, and someone claiming to be Matthew Chambers all entered one after the other, though James could see clearly that the "baseline" was a shapeshifter (and he was aware of the ruse kept up by the Teragen anyway, so it wasn't a surprise). To be fair, Jack and Jill entered at the same time, like they always seemed to. And like everyone else, he just sort of stared at Jill for an embarrassingly long moment before getting ahold of his wits and stowing the look away. He felt absurdly proud that both of them would have chosen new names based off of his and Jericho's.

As Jill came over and sat next to Roach, James couldn't help feeling a little jealous, but then he reminded himself that she and Jack were together. And though he didn't really know Jack, or much of anything about him, he was still happy for the guy and didn't want to get in the way. And anyway, Jill always seemed to look right through him, he probably didn't even stand a chance. He mentally shrugged and watched in mild amusement as Roach attempted, and more or less failed, to keep his eyes attached to his head and his tongue in his mouth before suddenly pulling out what looked for all the world like an old belt. Then he put it in his mouth and started chewing....

[SkyLion]

She looks up with a start, the pencil whirling away from the paper to avoid ruining the piece. "Gah! Wha - Envy? I didn't even see you in here."...

Envy grins. "I must have been lost in a thought" he replies.

..."Here you are, Envy - consider it a housewarming gift. Is it always so hot in Cuba? I think I need to do enough art to buy us a mansion like this in Japan." Her voice sudden scratches, like someone bumped a speaker cable, and she grimaces.

Envy looks down upon the quickly completed sketch. "It's...beautiful. And historic. Tonight is very special Leiko. Thank you again. You will illustrate our roundtable yes?" Seeing her discomfort as her voice-clips, Envy walks over and lowers into a crouch. "How has your study of the Chrysalis been going?"

Rumors has been circulating of late that Envy knew how to Trigger the Chrysalis, but like his mentor, had chosen not to.

"Hey Envy, how are you? I thought I'd be late, but it looks like I'm early..."

Envy rises smootly to his feet as James enters . *Wow,* he thought, observing the youger man's shy behavior. *Kid doesn't even know how magnificent he is.* And it was true. Attuning his inner eye, Envy turns inward to see the true form of the Stalwart Portent. A second sight that is not sight, James's form is visible through golden Halos; ebbs and flows of Quantum Light. Waves of reality drift in slow motion, raw quintessential power coalescing to him. Envy could "see" the quantum reinforcement buffering him from Taint. It mirrored his own body in many ways, but where James was nearly pure, Envy's was burned and scarred with Quantum Backlash.

He was about to return the young Nova's greeting but just smiled to himself as Leiko took command of the situation.

,,

King Cobra quickly scans the room, with a sharp, serious nod of acknowledgment to Envy and without a word to the other Prometheans. He takes one of the offered drinks and nurses it, sitting slouched over a barstool.

While some still thought it odd, the eccentricites of a secret identity, Jericho had long since accepted and become accustomed to his friends appearance. Envy finishes mixing his Cuban margarita on-the-rocks after salting the rim with a mixture of Sodium Chloride and Colombian White. Placing a dark Stout atop the bar before the dark vigilante, he gives a slight raise of his glass in Salute before taking a sip and licking his lips. "Rough Night K.C.?"

Jane slowly entered the room. She wasn't the first to arrive, but no matter. She calmly sat in a chair at the roundtable. She disliked greetings, so simply shot everyone a sharp look to let them know she had arrived and that she acklowledged they existed.

Envy was glad that Jane had come, though he could understand how so many were frightened away by her defensive demeanor. That she was here at all meant that some of the conversations he had shared were not in vain. In lieu of greeting, he nods at her before lobbing an ice-cold bottle of Sake towards her face in the manner of a grenade. Knowing full well she will catch it he gives her a dissarming wink. "You must be hot after all that sprinting...Relax and Refresh."

*Let her see that her anger won't push us away. She, more than most needs a homeland to be free.*

"Nice play ye got here Envy, sir. I'd have it in mind fer a spot a this fer meself someday."

"That "Someday" is now, Roach. This enclave is for all peaceable Terats, and most especially The New Prometheans. Welcome home."Casius gets a brew tossed as well.

"Greetings to you all. I'm glad to meet you all, I'm Matthew Chambers…"

He looks at Envy, pauses, then continues,

"Ah, quite. I see I was expected."

Envy seems amused. "You must be the shifter Orzaiz told us about. Welcome. Drink?"

,,

Jill appraoched Envy. "It's been a few weeks since last we met, Jericho. Jack and I are delighted to be a part of this new faction. Well, I guess you could tell...we did choose new names for ourselves, ones that start with 'J'. 'Jill' will take getting used to, but it's a lovely name. And I'm glad to see so many like-minded Terats here as well. Terats willing to interpret the Null Manifesto in their own way, willing to find some kind of solution to nova-baseline issues. I hope this is the start of something great."

God she was beautiful, in that way that only the One Race could be.He watched her move closer as if to embrace him and then catch herself, drawing slightly away, and he winced. No matter how hard he pushed himself, it was the scar that would not heal nor fade, forever cuttting him off from the touch of his peers. Pushing back his personal demons, he gives a gentlemanly bow.

"Thank you for gracing us,.. Jill." He turns to face the metallic man.."And you as well Jack."

"Please make yourselves comfortable..."

Envy moves to his place at the roundtable and stands there, looking around the room at each in turn.

"Well. It seems that we have all arrived." He raises his glass.

"Seeing you all here, I truly believe this is a cause for celebration. On some level you are all here because you understand all too well the Polarization happening all around us. Who among us did not dream, secretly in our childhood, the power to shape the world. All of us have, and as Novas we are the culmination of human imagination. We are humanities dreams and nightmares given flesh. We have given this world new hope for Paradise, yet I have experienced firsthand how far we can fall into Hell."

"Conquerers throughout the centuries have learned their lessons well...Polarize. Divide and Conquer. Many things have improved, but many things have gotten worse, and the One Race is still shackled by fear.Fear projected onto us by the Baselines and the Fear within ourselves of what might become as we look down the unknowable path of The Chrysalis."

"A sharp wedge is being driven between us and our progenitors. We must open the eyes, not only of humans, but our peers as well. We must show them that we are their destiny, and that the next Step forward should never be feared. We must, when the time is right, usher them from the nest so that they....We...can embrace our new wings and fly into a future that has never been dreamt before. The Primacy would bring fire and brimstone to the world...But we are the New Gods, given power to destroy and create. Like Prometheus himself we can show the humans that fire, when given proper respect, can warm and light the Way."

"There is much that we must do, and much we must discuss...Many have called for our own Nation...a Sovereign home where we may nurture our dawning awareness in Peace. I agree. We have grown too big for the Crib as it were and must be allowed to explore if we are to enjoy a healthy adolescence. However, unlike some, I see no need to perpetuate division. We are all part of the continuity of Life, and though we have become the Vanguard of Infinite Possibility, we remain...as individuals...People."

He takes his seat and clasps his hands, waiting to see who will next address the assemblage.

[Alex Green]

Envy seems amused. "You must be the shifter Orzaiz told us about. Welcome. Drink?"

"Matthew" snorts in amusement and replies,

"Thank you. And I see that I'm not the only shifter here."

Matthew walks up and takes a drink, and then stares into Envy's face as he talks. Observing the others he realizes that no one else has been let in on the joke.

Finally he comments in a British accent,

"Here, here. Well put Envy. As the joke appears to be on me, I should probably go next. On a side note you’ve done a good job with the face, well, except for the eyes of course, I tip my hat to you sir.”

“Matthew” shifts into what would appear to be Envy’s identical twin brother, except he has no aberrations. His accent totally vanishes as he gives a big smile to everyone present and says,

”Obviously the good Count faxed you a photo of me before I got here. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m The Colony, a.k.a. Cannibal Bob, a.k.a. far too many names to list here. Call me Bob. I’m a healer, stealth assassin, former elite, and I speak the languages of everyone I’ve ever absorbed, which basically means I speak every language and can probably fit into every culture.”

[Bahamut810]

Jack looked around the room. Only a few even realised he was there. It was something he had come to expect when he was around Flare, and it wasent something he nessessarily minded. Being in the back meant that he didnt have to have Jill explain why he couldent talk over and over again.

When Envy had greeted him he did bow slightly back, waving a hand. It would be difficult communicating with him since he could not touch him to start his mental link. And e wouldent anyway...he had no idea what would happen if he had a mental link with him. It could mean that he would perminently take all that Jack was as long as the link was open. Envy seemed like a nice enough guy though.

Jack did, of course, sit on the other side of Jill. He looked over as she started to talk to the Roach. He was an interesting creature. And one that seemed to be closer to, ability wise. Jack was sure that they could learn from eachother.

He had to admit he felt some Jealousy when she shifted her attention to the belt-eating nova. He would attribute it to Envy (who still could have some Envy making powers...) but he felt that way whenever she shifted her attention was on someone but him. It was something that he was forcing himself to get over.

When the meeting finally started he looked up at Envy, watching him and listening. Nodding along with the conversation.

Then the Colony came up to speak. It was someone he had met a few times before and had even exteded the olive branch of a direct link to his mind.

Once he was done, Jack looked at his significant other, *Well...you want to take a turn?*

[Shade Sentinel]

QUOTE

"Nice play ye got here Envy, sir. I'd have it in mind fer a spot a this fer meself someday."

"That "Someday" is now, Roach. This enclave is for all peaceable Terats, and most especially The New Prometheans. Welcome home."Casius gets a brew tossed as well.

Roach turned his face away from Envy in a bit of embarrasment as the words sunk in. "Welcome Home" He realized after a bit, that along with his smile, a bit of drool had seems through a crack in his lip. Slowly burning a hole into the lovely table. Quickly he covered the growing hole with his hand and looked up so quick his hat came off, exposing his bald head, more brown blotchy skin, and a larger chittin plate that pushed through his skin atop his head.

He surveyed the area and breathed a sigh of relief as nobody seemed to notice that he drooled through the table. With one hand firmly placed over the hole, he reaches out almost awkwardly to retreive his hat...which of course is just out of his reach.

As the new nova came in and sat down, James stood part way up and leaned across the table, offering to shake hands. "Hi Roach, my name's James. Nice to meet you. And I don't think you're late just yet..."

Of course at this point, Roach is stretched out on a teetering chair reaching for his hat. He glances up at James. "Aye, the eh....pleasure *groan* is all mine eh. James, I been hearin of ye a bit and uh...can you reach me hat?"

[BlueNinja]

Finally he comments in a British accent,

"Here, here. Well put Envy. As the joke appears to be on me, I should probably go next. On a side note you’ve done a good job with the face, well, except for the eyes of course, I tip my hat to you sir.”

“Matthew” shifts into what would appear to be Envy’s identical twin brother, except he has no aberrations. His accent totally vanishes as he gives a big smile to everyone present and says,

”Obviously the good Count faxed you a photo of me before I got here. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m The Colony, a.k.a. Cannibal Bob, a.k.a. far too many names to list here. Call me Bob. I’m a healer, stealth assassin, former elite, and I speak the languages of everyone I’ve ever absorbed, which basically means I speak every language and can probably fit into every culture.”

Hearing that, Leiko shifts her chair a little further away from Cannibal Bob, which incidently puts her closer to Jack.

Envy grins. "I must have been lost in a thought" he replies.

"Yes, mine, apparently."

Envy looks down upon the quickly completed sketch. "It's...beautiful. And historic. Tonight is very special Leiko. Thank you again. You will illustrate our roundtable yes?" Seeing her discomfort as her voice-clips, Envy walks over and lowers into a crouch. "How has your study of the Chrysalis been going?"

Rumors has been circulating of late that Envy knew how to Trigger the Chrysalis, but like his mentor, had chosen not to.

She shrugs, flipping closed her sketchbook, and clipping the mechanical pencil to the spiral. "It is still something that will take me a great deal of time - though not as much, I suspect, as any in the Pandaimonium." She smirks with a clear sense of superiority over some of her fellow Terats. "As for our roundtable, of course I will illustrate it if you wish. Which among us is to be Lancelot and Galahad to your Arthur, then? Whatever else I might be, Guineviere I am not." She glances over at Jill and Jack, and smiles again, an idea obviously sparking in her head.

"Well. It seems that we have all arrived." He raises his glass.

"Seeing you all here, I truly believe this is a cause for celebration. On some level you are all here because you understand all too well the Polarization happening all around us. Who among us did not dream, secretly in our childhood, the power to shape the world. All of us have, and as Novas we are the culmination of human imagination. We are humanities dreams and nightmares given flesh. We have given this world new hope for Paradise, yet I have experienced firsthand how far we can fall into Hell."

"Conquerers throughout the centuries have learned their lessons well...Polarize. Divide and Conquer. Many things have improved, but many things have gotten worse, and the One Race is still shackled by fear.Fear projected onto us by the Baselines and the Fear within ourselves of what might become as we look down the unknowable path of The Chrysalis."

"A sharp wedge is being driven between us and our progenitors. We must open the eyes, not only of humans, but our peers as well. We must show them that we are their destiny, and that the next Step forward should never be feared. We must, when the time is right, usher them from the nest so that they....We...can embrace our new wings and fly into a future that has never been dreamt before. The Primacy would bring fire and brimstone to the world...But we are the New Gods, given power to destroy and create. Like Prometheus himself we can show the humans that fire, when given proper respect, can warm and light the Way."

"There is much that we must do, and much we must discuss...Many have called for our own Nation...a Sovereign home where we may nurture our dawning awareness in Peace. I agree. We have grown too big for the Crib as it were and must be allowed to explore if we are to enjoy a healthy adolescence. However, unlike some, I see no need to perpetuate division. We are all part of the continuity of Life, and though we have become the Vanguard of Infinite Possibility, we remain...as individuals...People."

As Envy makes his speech to the assemblage, the sketch book is open again, with the pencil moving furiously across the paper, everyone in their seats at the table and their emotions drawn in detail, one of the empty seats with a vague impression of something there, watching over the assembly. ((another roll please, this one with a point of Will spent))

[phoenix]

Placing a dark Stout atop the bar before the dark vigilante, he gives a slight raise of his glass in Salute before taking a sip and licking his lips. "Rough Night K.C.?"

"Not really - but the night's still young." Cobra says, glancing up at the clock. "Long day though. I'll tell you later."

Gratefully a pull from the dark beer, he looks around to see which other novas are sitting at the bar. He counts Roach, followed by Jill and Jack, and a handsome, blond nova whom Cobra hasn't met yet introducing himself to Roach.

"Aye, the eh....pleasure *groan* is all mine eh. James, I been hearin of ye a bit and uh...can you reach me hat?"

Cobra transforms into living shadow and reaches through the bar. When his arm comes back through, the attached hand looks like it's holding something hemispherical in shape; when he reforms, the shadowy object becomes identifiable as Roach's hat. He places it on the insectile nova's head and slaps him lightly on the back.

"Hi Roach; how are you tonight?" he asks in a friendly tone.

"And, uh... hm. I don't think I've met you yet," he adds in James's direction.

[SkyLion]

“Matthew” shifts into what would appear to be Envy’s identical twin brother, except he has no aberrations.

,,

After his welcoming speech, Envy had been taking a sip of his drink as The Colony makes his introduction. When "Bob" transforms into his doppleganger, the shock is enough to make Envy gasp mid-swallow and he sputters into a brief but intense fit of coughing, his face flushing with blood. If he had pupils still, his expression indicates that they would have just grown wide. Setting his glass back down on the table to avoid spilling, it takes him a moment to compose himself and for the color to subside.

,,

Clearing his throat to regain his voice, Envy manages to speak. "Apologies, Bob. I know we are just now meeting and you are most welcome here, but would you mind?...*not* doing that...?"

[Shade Sentinel]

Cobra transforms into living shadow and reaches through the bar. When his arm comes back through, the attached hand looks like it's holding something hemispherical in shape; when he reforms, the shadowy object becomes identifiable as Roach's hat. He places it on the insectile nova's head and slaps him lightly on the back.

"Hi Roach; how are you tonight?" he asks in a friendly tone.

Roach looks around as if confused by the sudden return of his cap. When he identifies Cobra as the one who was speaking, he smiles a greeting. " Nice te meet ye as well me friend. I hear dem callin' you Cobra. Why is dat? You act like a snake? "

Roach rights himself on his chair and readjusts his hat. Giving Cobra another "thank you" nod, he tears into his beer downing the whole bottle in a few solid swallows. Upon removing the bottle, those nearby notice the top of the glass bottle is missing, as if its been melted...

[Alex Green]

Hearing that, Leiko shifts her chair a little further away from Cannibal Bob, which incidently puts her closer to Jack....

Bob considers telling her his (untrue) stock phrase "Like Chicken" but decides not to and just gives her a smile instead.

...the sketch book is open again, with the pencil moving furiously across the paper, everyone in their seats at the table and their emotions drawn in detail, one of the empty seats with a vague impression of something there, watching over the assembly. ((another roll please, this one with a point of Will spent))

Bob watches the picture grow for a moment, ::blink "Wow, you're good."

After his welcoming speech, Envy had been taking a sip of his drink as The Colony makes his introduction. When "Bob" transforms into his doppleganger, the shock is enough to make Envy gasp mid-swallow and he sputters into a brief but intense fit of coughing, his face flushing with blood. If he had pupils still, his expression indicates that they would have just grown wide. Setting his glass back down on the table to avoid spilling, it takes him a moment to compose himself and for the color to subside. ,,

Clearing his throat to regain his voice, Envy manages to speak. "Apologies, Bob. I know we are just now meeting and you are most welcome here, but would you mind?...*not* doing that...?"

Bob shifts his gaze from the growing picture, and then has to shift it again with almost an effort of will away from Jill to Envy. Bob mentally replays what Envy just said and then responds,

"...Not doing what?" ::confused

[SkyLion]

"...Not doing what?" ::confused

,,

Envy hesitates for a moment. "...it's difficult enough as it is, seeing another man in the mirror every day. I applaud your quantum gifts, but is it really neccesary to mock me in my own home?"

[Alex Green]

Envy hesitates for a moment. "...it's difficult enough as it is, seeing another man in the mirror every day. I applaud your quantum gifts, but is it really neccesary to mock me in my own home?"

Bob mentally replays everything he's said or done and comes to a conclusion. He says,

"You mean Matthew? I thought he was kind of an, open, spot right? He only owns the place in theory, in practice I think everyone knows you do."

Bob's clothes, which were Matthew's 'rich' clothes, shift into something more humble. A shirt with "University of Miami" appears, complete with the correct colors.

"Besides, you and I've already pointed out you were one step ahead of me."

[Blue Thunder]

As Envy makes his speech to the assemblage, the sketch book is open again, with the pencil moving furiously across the paper, everyone in their seats at the table and their emotions drawn in detail, one of the empty seats with a vague impression of something there, watching over the assembly. ((another roll please, this one with a point of Will spent))

((Blarg. 8 successes.))

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

In lieu of greeting, he nods at her before lobbing an ice-cold bottle of Sake towards her face in the manner of a grenade. Knowing full well she will catch it he gives her a dissarming wink. "You must be hot after all that sprinting...Relax and Refresh."

Jane caught the bottle, which she saw cruising towards her from her peripheral. She set the bottle in front of her but didn't open it. When Envy began his speech, she watched silently.

"Seeing you all here, I truly believe this is a cause for celebration ... ... ... We are all part of the continuity of Life, and though we have become the Vanguard of Infinite Possibility, we remain...as individuals...People."

Jane took a long look around the room and addressed him "Envy, I don't think anyone here disagrees with you. But personally, I want to know how we're going about things, and I think the others may be curious too. I know we want to establish some kind of bond with baselines or whatever, but what is that bond? What are we actually going to do to further the Promethean philosophy?"

Jane slid the sake bottle to the side and leaned back, crossing her arms "We want to create a peaceful relationship with baselines. That's nice, but what kind? I heard one of the Cult of Mal Terats saying we should start a religion for baselines that worships Divis Mal. The Casablancas want to do positive press. I can't see either working too well. Where do we fit in?"

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

Once he was done, Jack looked at his significant other, *Well...you want to take a turn?*

*Yes darling* Jill responded *and feel free to say something through me. Don't be shy. They're our friends."

Jane slid the sake bottle to the side and leaned back, crossing her arms "We want to create a peaceful relationship with baselines. That's nice, but what kind? I heard one of the Cult of Mal Terats saying we should start a religion for baselines that worships Divis Mal. The Casablancas want to do positive press. I can't see either working too well. Where do we fit in?"

Jill smiled "Religion may be just what the baselines need. If they see us as the gods we are, they'll learn to admire us rather than fear or hate us. We would guide them towards a brighter future. As it stands, they're lost and confused, and their state is bred from ignorance."

"None of us would be here if we didn't agree with the Null Manifesto. There isn't a nova in this room that doesn't consider his or her self to be above or beyond baselines. Ever since we first erupted, baselines have been fearing us...fearing our power and intelligence. They label us equal to themselves to limit our potential, to make themselves appear relevant. They fear that they are no longer dominant, that they are no longer the masters of their world. They are correct. Novas are the new inheritors of Earth, and baselines are below us. To embrace Teras is to embrace what makes you different than baseline."

"They want us to fix their problems. To purify the rivers they dirty. To clean the air they pollute. To regrow the forests they destroy. To cure the diseases they succumb to. To topple the governments they don't agree with. And to kill the novas they fear the most, until there are no novas left. Baselines won't admit it but they rely on us now. Without novas the world of baselines would fall apart."

"Like parents, it is time for us to discipline our children. They've become insolent and disrespectful. They lash out at us because they don't understand us. It is our job to open their eyes to the truth. We must teach them that we alone have the power to better the baseline world. They can follow behind us as we show them a glorious new age...or they can fall beneath us in opposition."

[Bahamut810]

*Yes darling* Jill responded *and feel free to say something through me. Don't be shy. They're our friends."

*Thank you, but I think you will probably speak best for the both of us.* he transmits to her, and nods along with her speech.

[Shade Sentinel]

Roach ponders a moment on this King Cobra fellow. He suddenly realizes that he had met him before how easily you forget when surrounded by so many strange creatures.

"My appologies der mr. Cobra. I have met ye' a few times in da past." With that he takes a bite of the top of his bottled beer.

[BlueNinja]

Bob watches the picture grow for a moment, ::blink "Wow, you're good."

Leiko merely smirks, and with a wink, flips to a new sheet of paper and draws Bob with a femur, licking it clean.

[phoenix]

Cobra shows his teeth in a grin at Roach. "No worries, Mr. Roach. It's been a long day all around."

"You mean Matthew? I thought he was kind of an, open, spot right? He only owns the place in theory, in practice I think everyone knows you do."

"He doesn't get it, Envy," says Cobra in a kind of conciliatory growl. "He thinks that's your own face you're wearing, and doesn't know why you'd be offended."

[BlueNinja]

Jane slid the sake bottle to the side and leaned back, crossing her arms "We want to create a peaceful relationship with baselines. That's nice, but what kind? I heard one of the Cult of Mal Terats saying we should start a religion for baselines that worships Divis Mal. The Casablancas want to do positive press. I can't see either working too well. Where do we fit in?"

Leiko quirks an eyebrow at the mention of religion.

Jill smiled "Religion may be just what the baselines need. If they see us as the gods we are, they'll learn to admire us rather than fear or hate us. We would guide them towards a brighter future. As it stands, they're lost and confused, and their state is bred from ignorance."

"None of us would be here if we didn't agree with the Null Manifesto. There isn't a nova in this room that doesn't consider his or her self to be above or beyond baselines. Ever since we first erupted, baselines have been fearing us...fearing our power and intelligence. They label us equal to themselves to limit our potential, to make themselves appear relevant. They fear that they are no longer dominant, that they are no longer the masters of their world. They are correct. Novas are the new inheritors of Earth, and baselines are below us. To embrace Teras is to embrace what makes you different than baseline."

"They want us to fix their problems. To purify the rivers they dirty. To clean the air they pollute. To regrow the forests they destroy. To cure the diseases they succumb to. To topple the governments they don't agree with. And to kill the novas they fear the most, until there are no novas left. Baselines won't admit it but they rely on us now. Without novas the world of baselines would fall apart."

"Like parents, it is time for us to discipline our children. They've become insolent and disrespectful. They lash out at us because they don't understand us. It is our job to open their eyes to the truth. We must teach them that we alone have the power to better the baseline world. They can follow behind us as we show them a glorious new age...or they can fall beneath us in opposition."

Leiko actually laughs with that, small pops of static interspacing it. "Religion just seems so ... quaint. However, I think you and I agree on the direction we need. Baselines need us to control them, to guide them along less destructive paths. Novas so far come almost entirely from baselines, and while most of us," she glances around the room, almost daring someone to disagree with her on this point, "were worthwhile people before we erupted, too few novavs are. If we can shape their society, then perhaps we can end up with fewer wasted novas like Pax and Shrapnel, and find more novas who have traits in common with Orzaiz, Envy - hell, even Geryon." Static pops on the last word, almost rendering the name meaningless.

[Shade Sentinel]

Leiko quirks an eyebrow at the mention of religion.

Leiko actually laughs with that, small pops of static interspacing it. "Religion just seems so ... quaint. However, I think you and I agree on the direction we need. Baselines need us to control them, to guide them along less destructive paths. Novas so far come almost entirely from baselines, and while most of us," she glances around the room, almost daring someone to disagree with her on this point, "were worthwhile people before we erupted, too few novavs are. If we can shape their society, then perhaps we can end up with fewer wasted novas like Pax and Shrapnel, and find more novas who have traits in common with Orzaiz, Envy - hell, even Geryon." Static pops on the last word, almost rendering the name meaningless.

"Not to correct ye' but I wasn't much of a baseline 'fore I errupted." Roach speaks, small pieces of glass falling to melted heaps on the table as he speaks. "I don't know if that 'was worth saying...but."

Roach pauses for a moment...then takes another bite of his beer bottle, his crunches seem extremely loud given the silence in the room.

[Alex Green]

Leiko merely smirks, and with a wink, flips to a new sheet of paper and draws Bob with a femur, licking it clean.

It's on the tip of Bob's tongue to comment that it has to be live flesh, but instead he just gives Leiko a wink. ::innocent

"He doesn't get it, Envy," says Cobra in a kind of conciliatory growl. "He thinks that's your own face you're wearing, and doesn't know why you'd be offended."

Bob looks from one man to the other, not sure if he heard that right and comments reasonably,

"I'm not wearing his face, he's wearing mine."

[Centimane]

"Not really - but the night's still young." Cobra says, glancing up at the clock. "Long day though. I'll tell you later."

Gratefully a pull from the dark beer, he looks around to see which other novas are sitting at the bar. He counts Roach, followed by Jill and Jack, and a handsome, blond nova whom Cobra hasn't met yet introducing himself to Roach.

Cobra transforms into living shadow and reaches through the bar. When his arm comes back through, the attached hand looks like it's holding something hemispherical in shape; when he reforms, the shadowy object becomes identifiable as Roach's hat. He places it on the insectile nova's head and slaps him lightly on the back.

"Hi Roach; how are you tonight?" he asks in a friendly tone.

"And, uh... hm. I don't think I've met you yet," he adds in James's direction.

"Oh hey", said James getting up from where he was sitting and shaking the other nova's hand. "My names James, I've been running with Orzaiz's crew the last few months, which is how I met Envy here. What was your name again?"

[SkyLion]

Bob mentally replays everything he's said or done and comes to a conclusion. He says,

"You mean Matthew? I thought he was kind of an, open, spot right? He only owns the place in theory, in practice I think everyone knows you do."

Bob's clothes, which were Matthew's 'rich' clothes, shift into something more humble. A shirt with "University of Miami" appears, complete with the correct colors.

"Besides, you and I've already pointed out you were one step ahead of me."

By this time, enough has been said that the lightning pulses of Envy's neurons have informed him about the situation. He pauses bowing his head and turning it towards one shoulder in intense concentration. His face aquires a curious expression which slowly transfroms into a smile. "Bob..." he says to himself. Looking up and meeting the eyes of his Doppleganger he replies,

"As this is a personal matter between us, I'll ask that we speak in private after the meeting...Mr. Goreman."

Jane took a long look around the room and addressed him "Envy, I don't think anyone here disagrees with you. But personally, I want to know how we're going about things, and I think the others may be curious too. I know we want to establish some kind of bond with baselines or whatever, but what is that bond? What are we actually going to do to further the Promethean philosophy?"

"That, Jane, is what we are gathered here to discuss. If I knew all the answers I wouldn't have called you all here. I want to hear from each of you, now that I have shared my values. The reason Utopia has been so successful is that it plays on the fears and hopes of the baseline populace. Baselines all want so bad to believe that we are shining benevolent gods and they all fear our wrath. Utopia and its hidden masters seem to have a different motivation...control. For the first time in history, mankind evolved an adaptation allowing the potential for true freedom, and true indivual expression. Our subconcious minds have manifested our inner life and filled it with power."

"The bond we seek is the bond between all living creatures. Prometheus decended to teach, to inspire, and to uplift. Truly though baselines are not our equals, they are not our inferiors. To think that is the same mistake humans make when they deem some animals worthy of protection and others for slaughter. It is a kind of hypocrasy. Even a wolf does not disrespect its prey. Only humans have shown so much disrespect for the natural world. And before you think me some kind of philosopher, I will thank Bounty for opening my eyes to that perspective."

"Yet the question remains...what are we going to do? Where do we fit in?"

"I say that we do *not* fit in...It's nearly impossible for baselines to even look at me. We must find a new Olympus both for our own peace, and to wean baselines from dependance. The Promethean gift is one of self-relaince, not coddling. However Utopia will not let us just leave...their investment is too great. So right now, I say we make a more evolutionary plan and stop repeating the mistakes of baseline governments. ...That is to say, we need to get our own affairs in order. We need to establish relations with both the Aberrants, as well as the Protectors and Daedelus League. We need to take away the humans ability to initiate armageddon. We need to depose the corrupt politicians feeding off of nova and baseline misery alike."

"You are correct Jane, in calling for action, but it needs to be more than just conflict with our enemies. We need to be creators. I have said that we are all people and what makes us people is that we create culture. We have the opportunity to innovate a culture that will free the world from the shackles of corruption. That is what has bonded us as Terats...underneath the agendas we want to exist in a culture of our peers. Remember also that if humanity prospers, more and more of us will blossom and the balance will shift...when the old guard has long since passed into memory, we will still be here, toasting the Rennaisance."

"For those like Jane, who follow the path of the Monster...their wrath can be channeled towards constructive aims...King Cobra has taught me much about stalking the night for those cancerous elements that cripple society."

It's not hard to let Jill speak. It's a very pleasent thing to watch and listen to her, though at her closing comments, Envy sighs.

"You say they are below us, but that is the same hubris humans have shown to nature. I value Baselines as I do the nature I grew up in and would no more appreciate humans caged in zoos as I would a majestic lion. What sets us apart is that which separates man from the Beasts...our more evolved and intelligent capacaties, including that for compassion.:

"We also need to stop thinking in terms of conflict and opposition. We need to take a more aikido-like stance of redirection. We can draw Utopia out, expose their flaws and when they strike at us they will only injure themselves. In proving us correct, more will be dissillusioned and join our cause."

"I also disagree and think it is not a good idea to teach the baseline's to rely on us any further, lest the child always be a burden. Prometheus empowers. When we better the "baseline world" we are bettering *our* world and we should do so because we choose to, not because they asked us."

"Lastly, and I have mentioned this before to Jill but will say so again. I feel that the Cult of Mal is misnamed. We make the same mistake with Mal as baselines have with the Buhhda and Jesus. Like the great prophets before him, Mal does not want simpering worshippers and we should not cultivate them in our flock. I have heard Scripture teach. Mal wants us to be his equals. We may be the prophets and avatars of the new age, but we must not let pride blind us to the greater glories that lie in the universe, finally at the periphery of our understanding."

"As a Marvel, I seek to lead by example. Religions have always existed for the sake of control. I say that we are beyond religion and have entered the realm of actual spirituality. If that word holds an unpleasent conotation for you, you may replace it with Self-awareness and actualization. Religions control because they claim that only they can speak to God. That is part of the baseline mentality that we no longer need to perpetuate. If we teach people to trust themselves...to be strong, courageous and self-reliant...then they will erupt into worthy Novas who will follow the Light that Mal points us towards."

[phoenix]

"My names James, I've been running with Orzaiz's crew the last few months, which is how I met Envy here. What was your name again?"

"King Cobra. I'm a friend of Envy from New York; we met right after his eruption and he sort of helped induct me into the Teragen. Naturally I was excited to hear that his plans for a new faction were solidifying..."

"I'm not wearing his face, he's wearing mine."

King Cobra takes another pull of stout while trying to untangle that comment, and Envy's swift reaction. Then its full meaning hits him. Oh, shit! What are the chances?

Cobra places his bottle hard on the bar with a clank, and steps protectively closer to Bob's back, ready to grab him by the scruff of the neck and render him instantly intangible, in case Envy lost his temper at the revelation...

"As this is a personal matter between us, I'll ask that we speak in private after the meeting...Mr. Goreman."

Cobra nods silently and steps back to the bar stool, taking another drink. Quickly, before Bob has the chance to look around and see him, Cobra points a finger at Envy, grabbing his attention, and mouths three words of warning at the nova: Don't kill him.

"For those like Jane, who follow the path of the Monster...their wrath can be channeled towards constructive aims..

Upon hearing that Jane, too, follows the path of the Monster, King Cobra turns his masked face to Jane and gives her an upward nod of friendly recognition.