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

[SkyLion]

Leiko frowns at the comments between Envy and Jill. "I have the feeling I am missing something. Why can Jack not speak for himself? I am *crackle* ah, I think perhaps I still have a ... knee-jerk reaction to the thought of someone else in my mind. I have seen enough changes in my own body, and in others both Terat and non, that sometimes I worry my mind has not escaped unscathed, and I am merely too close to see the difference."

Envy gives Leiko a grave expression.

"You are right to be concerned Leiko. If our evolution runs unchecked and unchanneled, the results aren't pretty...the chrysalis can help, but most have not explored it's purifying aspects."

Changing the subject he continues.

"There is much work to do, obviously, in order to lay the foundations for our present and future prospects. I have however, been giving a great deal of thought to a proper Promethean debut upon the world-stage. I would like all of us and as many of our allies as possible present with me when I announce our presence and purpose to the public at the next upcoming XWF "Havoc in Havanna." I want the baseline masses and all those who would exploit novas to watch their idol burn when I show them the true "Core Meltdown""... ::devil

He raise his glass in salute to those present adding. "To the Prometheans! Bringing the fire of the gods to light the world..."

[Blue Thunder]

********************Flare/Jill*********************

"There is much work to do, obviously, in order to lay the foundations for our present and future prospects. I have however, been giving a great deal of thought to a proper Promethean debut upon the world-stage. I would like all of us and as many of our allies as possible present with me when I announce our presence and purpose to the public at the next upcoming XWF "Havoc in Havanna." I want the baseline masses and all those who would exploit novas to watch their idol burn when I show them the true "Core Meltdown"

*This will be something to see...* Flare thought to herself. *...I wonder just how powerful Envy thinks he is.*

He raise his glass in salute to those present adding. "To the Prometheans! Bringing the fire of the gods to light the world..."

Flare raises her water, the glass shimmering with light "To the enlightenment of the masses. May our fire burn brighter than any flame has."

[Centimane]

"Wait a minute!", said James in a mixture of surprise and dubiosity, "you mean you're actually going to wrestle with Core? Never mind that that's a little...insane - what I want to know is why? Or am I not understanding something here?"

[Alex Green]

Flare raises her water, the glass shimmering with light "To the enlightenment of the masses. May our fire burn brighter than any flame has."

Bob nods and also raises his glass to the toast.

[SkyLion]

"Wait a minute!", said James in a mixture of surprise and dubiosity, "you mean you're actually going to wrestle with Core? Never mind that that's a little...insane - what I want to know is why? Or am I not understanding something here?"

Envy gives another sly grin. "Indeed. I intend to challenge him to hand-to-hand combat...and Mr. Freeman is going to recieve a very nasty surprise the moment he lays a hand on me...I think I'll even offer him the first hit... ::sly I can only hope that he isn't prideful enough to try and use his plasma against me afterwards, but from what I know of his ego, it isn't likely."

"As for why, dear James, I can only say that it's the Marvel in me needing to show off...and what better place to debut our new group than the most widely viewed television program ever in human history..."

[Alex Green]

Envy gives another sly grin. "Indeed. I intend to challenge him to hand-to-hand combat...and Mr. Freeman is going to recieve a very nasty surprise the moment he lays a hand on me...I think I'll even offer him the first hit... ::sly I can only hope that he isn't prideful enough to try and use his plasma against me afterwards, but from what I know of his ego, it isn't likely."

"As for why, dear James, I can only say that it's the Marvel in me needing to show off...and what better place to debut our new group than the most widely viewed television program ever in human history..."

Bob interjects,

"Um... how much of a touch do you need, and how quick is it? If Core breaks your jaw and KOs you on the first punch... I mean, I'm under the impression I need more of a touch than someone hitting me."

[Shade Sentinel]

Roach listens with his mouth wide open as they converse their leader and his charge putting himself in harms way.

"Mr. Envy sir, isn't that a' bit crazy in puttin yer hands on a brute like that? I don't be pretendin' to know em personally, but I've seen what he can do te others. Sure I shouldn't step in fer ya, don't need you gettin hurt n' all."

[SkyLion]

Roach listens with his mouth wide open as they converse their leader and his charge putting himself in harms way.

"Mr. Envy sir, isn't that a' bit crazy in puttin yer hands on a brute like that? I don't be pretendin' to know em personally, but I've seen what he can do te others. Sure I shouldn't step in fer ya, don't need you gettin hurt n' all."

Envy replies,

"Admirable Roach. Its good to see you taking your role seriously, but I'm afraid that would miss the point. The point is that here we have the prime Icon for nova exploitation and he shall serve as an example for the rest of the world that we are serious in our agenda." He smiles at the insectile terat. "Don't worry, my friend. I will be careful."

((How long before the next HiH BT? What month are we in?))

After those who eat have finished Envy excuses himself, leaving the mess for the staff. Catching Bob's eye with a subtle glance, he makes his way to one of the private lounges of the mansion and waits for his doppelganger to follow him.

When The Colony enters, Envy has finished pouring two Brandy's, on the rocks. Walking over he hands one to the other Nova (Cue close up of the hand off, showing the scant inch of space between the two men's fingers in slight slow-mo. Resume wide angle) and makes himself comfortable in a richly upholstered chair.

"So, Mr. Goreman....Surprise, Surprise!" he makes a broad "Ta-Da!" gesture with a mischevious smile on his face.

[Alex Green]

When The Colony enters, Envy has finished pouring two Brandy's, on the rocks. Walking over he hands one to the other Nova (Cue close up of the hand off, showing the scant inch of space between the two men's fingers in slight slow-mo. Resume wide angle) and makes himself comfortable in a richly upholstered chair.

"So, Mr. Goreman....Surprise, Surprise!" he makes a broad "Ta-Da!" gesture with a mischevious smile on his face.

Bob takes a sip from the glass and then a bigger drink,

"Good stuff" he comments and then smiles,

"Ta-Da indeed. Wow this is sureal, I think we even sound alike. From what Cobra said, you aren't wearing your own face. That means you were there, weren't you? At the appartment building? Let me guess, you were the other nova?"

[SkyLion]

Envy tries to grin but it comes out as more of a grimace.

"Not exactly... You are Mr. Robert Goreman, formerly in residence at 728 Shady Oaks Lane, apartment 12 B. I know because I was leader of the Directive surveillance team assigned to watch him." He juts an angry finger at his face.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Seied caught on to us and decided to make my life more interesting by using his powers to seduce my wife. When I came in on the two of them, the levels of quantum, and the stress triggered my eruption and my first absorbtion. As you can see, it left some scars..."

Envy walks over to the bar and refills his glass, the better to drown the headache this particular memory always brings him. Taking another sip, he puts the glass down and rubs his temples with one hand. Looking back up with that same sardonic look of "I can't believe the irony," he continues.

"Given that you are obviously not Mr. David Seied of apartment 12 A, I can only assume that something similarly nasty must have happened to you when the team moved in without me. They must have concluded that I had been taken out by an apparent accomplice, so needless to say, I wasn't present for the conclusion of the case. In fact...I had thought the other Nova killed in the wake of my eruption...until now..."

[Alex Green]

"Not exactly... You are Mr. Robert Goreman, formerly in residence at 728 Shady Oaks Lane, apartment 12 B. I know because I was leader of the Directive surveillance team assigned to watch him." He juts an angry finger at his face.

Bob seems stunned at this news… ::blink

"Given that you are obviously not Mr. David Seied of apartment 12 A, I can only assume that something similarly nasty must have happened to you when the team moved in without me. They must have concluded that I had been taken out by an apparent accomplice, so needless to say, I wasn't present for the conclusion of the case. In fact...I had thought the other Nova killed in the wake of my eruption...until now..."

Bob takes a long swing from his glass and then walks over and refills it.

“Wow. That is so… it really puts everything in a different light. Until this moment I’d thought I’d chosen the name Bob Goreman randomly… That this isn’t my original face isn’t a shock, but I’d figured it was just an average of everyone I absorbed during eruption. I wasn’t even sure originally I was a guy. You are what you eat, and I’ve absorbed lots more men than women.” ::ohmy

Bob pauses for a moment and looks both troubled and thoughtful, like he’s seeing into the past.

“My memories that far back are pretty jumbled and confusing. I remember being a girl, a guy, a baby, a TV repairman home with a stomach problem, and yes, several Directive agents. Colony isn’t just a name, but… it’s confusing and not useful. Too much information.” ::unsure

“Lots of guesses here, but I think the nova, David, showed up at the building… no… make that came back to the building, more monster than man. Dude was dripping with taint, in lots of pain, and howling mad.” ::wacko

Bob smiles, and points to Envy saying,

“Your work. You twisted him something good. Mentally he was more crazy dog than man. The Directive found out… no… the Directive was already there and already involved, weren’t they?”

“So… The Directive moved in and it hit the fan. A baseline was taken hostage, or just got in the middle of the fight, and that baseline erupted into me. I absorbed pretty near everyone in the building.”

(Realization) “…ah… he was right there and closest. It wasn’t an instant effect. He was the very first person I absorbed, so he formed much of the template, at least the physical template for the new me. The Directive agents were the next closest, and so had the next most influence.”

(Bob continues with more certainty here) “And after eruption I was in a coma. And by the time I’d finished digesting or whatever, the Directive had traded me to DeVries.”

(Pause)

”So what does that make us? I guess in a sense we both have the same father, but can you stand having someone with my face around?” ::unsure

[Shade Sentinel]

Roach sits in the thinning dining hall and becomes a tad bored. Deciding some excitement may be out of the question, he turns to the room and those left in it.

"So eh...do we just sit here 'ntil they return, er we free te go? I dunno what Mr. Envy wanted fer me to do. What're ye'll thinking so far?"

[SkyLion]

Envy listens with great interest as Bob recounts his own jumbled memories of eruption. Finally the Colony comes to the logical question:

]"So what does that make us? I guess in a sense we both have the same father, but can you stand having someone with my face around?" ::unsure

Envy nods thoughtfully.

"Your face? I get to see his face every time I look in the mirror."

He walks over and kneels down next to Bob, so close that the other Nova can see himself, with Envy's face and in the reflection of the reflections eyes, another face and so on ad infinitum.

,,

--(camera pan to show the two clones in silohuette, close up on the faces, only inches apart. Camera zoom into Envy's eye, diving into the refractive infinity and accelerating in speed through the reflections unti they become only a blur, pan out of Blur: becomes the light reflected from the rooms overhead lamp in an eye, continue panning out until Bob's face can be seen)--

"I didn't have to keep these. I chose to. I am not him, and neither are you. Not anymore. And he wasn't our father...he was our catalyst. As for what that makes us? We are Novus, and we are Teras, and it is that which makes us brothers."

[Alex Green]

"I didn't have to keep these. I chose to. I am not him, and neither are you. Not anymore. And he wasn't our father...he was our catalyst. As for what that makes us? We are Novus, and we are Teras, and it is that which makes us brothers."

Bob mentally translates,

*Yes, he can tollerate having me around. As for the rest... I'm not sure how I feel about having a baseline past.*

Bob replies,

"Alright brother, good."

[Blue Thunder]

((End Prologue roleplay))

((Good job everyone. I really think everyone roleplayed their characters well. I can't wait until I have Chapter 1 ready so we can start this sucker.))

((At this point your character returns to wherever it is he or she prefers to stay until Chapter 1; Envy's mansion, their home/hideout, a Terat enclave, Ibiza, Havana, or anywhere else. I'll open up a new thread soon to discuss and set-up the events of Ch1. Ch1 won't be happening immediately after The Prologue, but a few weeks after, so until then your character can do whatever he pleases. I look forward to killing your characters sending your characters through the Night of Long Knives.))