KIM BRENNER WEEKEND OUTING [Kim, back in California, has plans to meet with the Sebth, "Barney", meet schoolmate Irwin for a picnic/date, and now rendezvous with Finn Colvin in the near future. A busy weekend is ahead of her....] [GM] Off the phone with Finn, you exit the FBI office with your father, who wants to know all the details of the conversation, naturally. His concern for you is growing. On the one hand, like any father he wants to protect you, and doesn't at all like what he's seeing...increased involvement with the government, and other metahumans. On the other hand, he knows you quite well, and is quite aware that trying to "shelter" you will practically guarantee you'll leap into harm's way. **Why didn't we give her a pony for her eighth birthday, instead of baseball equipment?** he thinks wryly, but he doesn't really mean it. "Well, shall we go home?" he says. Of course, since you're in San Francisco already, it would be quite convenient to head straight for Barney's....but you doubt Dad will be thrilled that you're now hanging around with ANOTHER alien. And Barney, although he doesn't seem too bad for a Sebth, is likely to have the inevitable problems dealing with your "mind-dead" father. <><><><><> Kim: "There isn't much to say. The government have found another telepath, who's working for them. She's very powerful - she just managed to reach me over the phone. She's visiting the area in a week's time - maybe I can learn a bit more about what happened to me." Kim doesn't mention Barney. Even if her parents were willing to help, she knows that there is a risk in returning to Ashiya's apartment - Ashiya's kidnapper may have thought of it also. And if he has, the last thing Kim wants is her parents caught in the middle. More likely, they'd insist that she tell Mahon and get him to send someone, which wouldn't be half as much fun! She does wonder how the Sebth react to humans - or perhaps that should be Terrans? Well, anything but Earthlings . Ashiya called normal people "mind-dead" because they couldn't communicate mentally or control their thoughts - not unlike the way normal people react to someone who's severely mentally disabled. The Sebth are teleporters, so perhaps they consider normal humans as physically disabled - cripples, even. That night, after she has supposedly gone to sleep, she makes up her bed to look as though she's still in it, but leaves a note attached, just in case: "I cannot sleep, so I've gone jogging. Kim." To make this excuse more convincing , she changes into her gym kit and sweats, before climbing out the window to meet Barney. <><><><><> [GM] It's actually a LONG jog from Oakland to San Francisco. Not many public transit lines are operating at this hour. Were you planning to jog, or call Barney? <><><><><> Kim: Kim looks to see if Barney is waiting where they arranged. If not, she'll telephone the Cornell, ask for room 112, and arrange for Barney to pick her up. Then she'll do her best to recall her visit to Ashiya's apartment, and hence where it is. <><><><><> [GM] Barney agrees to come pick you up, and arrives shortly in his van. You're slightly disappointed that you find no non-standard installations inside, like warp drives or laser cannons. However, a number of intriguing boxes and bags sit in the rear of the van. "I hope you didn't have too many problems with your parents," he rumbles, in his deep voice (rather attractive, actually, with just the faintest hint of an accent.) "Did you tell them anything about me?" He begins driving across the Oakland Bay bridge, towards San Francisco. You're fairly sure you can find your way to Ashiya's apartment...but the task becomes markedly easier when, as you approach the neighborhood, you begin to feel a telepathic signal emanating from that general direction! <><><><><> Kim: "My parents don't know about you, no. They think I'm asleep at the moment." She looks at the boxes and bags curiously. "What's in the back?" *** Kim starts. "I can sense something! Some sort of telepathic signal." She concentrates on it, trying to get a direction and also some sense of what the signal is. Her heart beats slightly faster: could Ashiya have somehow escaped? <><><><><> [GM] "A signal?" Barney asks. "Another Shabaali, or a machine? They have devices that can send and respond to telepathic broadcasts." With disappointment, you realize that this doesn't "feel" like Ashiya's familiar, gentle mind-touch. But as you approach her apartment, you sense what seems to be an omnidirectional broadcast suddenly narrow- focussing on you! You get a sense of urgency, and information to be relayed. Whatever it is detected you and decided you're the person it's supposed to be sending to. It also sends the impression that you need to approach closer. You can't yet tell if it's a sentient mind, though it doesn't have the same human characteristics of Ashiya, or even the Puppet Master. <><><><><> Kim: "I don't know. It seems to be trying to tell me something, but I need to be closer. Maybe it's some sort of alarm system, trying to send to any telepath within range. It seems to have focussed in on me." Kim directs Barney in the direction of the machine. She concentrates on trying to pick up its signal. <><><><><> [GM] Barney parks in front of the apartment building where Ashiya took you once before. As you approach her door, the signal clearly becomes stronger. And the focus on you, more intense. **prioritysignalalert-shiyasaal Ashiya [image of Ashiya/image of a Shabaali man with some position you don't comprehend denoted by mental impression] nasal ai yesheru meash Sebthsasha kunila yunyi [conflict(?)] second rishla [something about the current location]-** Abruptly the signal pauses, as the focus becomes a literal probe- whatever it is, it's deliberately probing your mind. You get the impression it found something wrong. Barney looks at the door. "She did not, by chance, leave you a key?" he asks. <><><><><> Kim: Kim shakes her head. "No key. I think the telepathic thing I'm picking up is some sort of automatic distress signal, intended for any Shabaali that might happen across it. It's trying to communicate with me, but I don't speak Shabaali." Kim sends friendly thoughts at the thing sending the signal, concentrating on thoughts about Ashiya and her gentleness, as she picked up from the Gestalts. <><><><><> [GM] The flurry of images slows down, and abruptly shifts to English. **Kimberly Brenner.** {Sensation of non-hostility (not quite friendship)} **I am compelled to cooperate with you.** {reluctance} **The key Ashiya left in your mind says I must treat you as I did her.** {it sends a big mental image of a key, almost literally imaged like a children's storybook picture, equating it conceptually with the "construct" Ashiya left in your head, which you weren't able to figure out.} **I am a Shabaali Personality...what you would call an intelligent computer.** Throughout, its telepathic "voice" is devoid of any of the subtle nuances that Ashiya sent..no extraneous information or overtones. But it doesn't seem that it's incapable of doing so...more like it's deliberately "simplifying" everything for you. **I recommend you heed my advice in all things, since I know more than you about almost everything.** <><><><><> Kim: "It's communicating with me" she tells Barney. >**I recommend you heed my advice in all things, since I know more than you >about almost everything.** Kim bridles at this, but acknowledges that it's probably true. **I am a friend of Ashiya. I have been in gestalt with her, twice. Have you any information about where she is? What sort of advice can you offer?** <><><><><> [GM] **I do not know where Ashiya is. I continue to monitor all available information from the satellites in search of her, and other Functionals. I can instruct you in the use of Shabaali equipment, which you must not misuse, or allow to fall into the hands of this world's primitives. I can give you information about Functionals. Most importantly, I can provide some training in your Shabaali Function, though not as much as a Shabaali could.** Then, it asks demandingly **Who is the person with you? You cannot reveal my existence to a primitive!** <><><><><> Kim: Hmm. She'd wondered how the device would react to Barney. "I think it's protecting her apartment. I don't think it will accept you" she says to him, "It's only condescending to talk to me because Ashiya left something in my mind to tell it I'm a friend." [OOC: Is the construct that Ashiya left doing something now? (ie. is it just the "key") If not, Kim will again try to activate it, to get it to talk to the device] **I brought someone to help search for Ashiya, and to help handle her captor. He is, unfortunately, a Sebth - I needed someone who could understand Ashiya's equipment, and she hadn't mentioned you. All he knows is that something is communicating with me telepathically - I had to tell him that much to get here. You can read my mind: there is no trick involved, and we are all facing a very powerful opponent. You can tell that my aim is the rescue of Ashiya, and to find some way of rendering her captor harmless.** Kim carefully lowers her shields, so that the device can learn about what has been happening. She steels herself for any re-living of what she and Ashiya went through. **Ashiya's captor is her worst nightmare. Someone with great Shabaali powers, attached to a vicious, sadistic personality. I have some Shabaali powers, but my defences are nowhere near strong enough to keep him out. I have only heard of two other telepaths, and one of them is now under her captor's power. From what I've heard, he fancies himself as some kind of puppet-master, and enjoys turning people into his marionettes, pulling their strings and watching them dance.** (**Not literally** she adds, when the device wonders why Puppet Master wants dancers ) **And he had me at his mercy, and let me go. Can you find out if he planted something in me? I suspect he's left some sort of compulsion, so that I'd fall under his power at the right time. Can you also teach me to keep his influence out of my mind?** <><><><><> [GM] The construct in your mind doesn't seem to be doing anything. The "Personality's" telepathic presence seems much less probing than Ashiya's. **As an artificial construct, my telepathic abilities are limited** it says. **I cannot actively probe a sentient being's mind, nor can I engage in gestalts. I may be able to detect any telepathic constructs in your mind, but I am not capable of removing them. I would have to give you telepathic directions, which you must follow precisely. I am not Functional in the same manner that a human being is Functional. Psiactive neurocircuitry is capable of imitating and enhancing certain psionic Functions, but not duplicating them. However, with my expertise, I can give you training in the use of your sadly underdeveloped capabilities.** It sends an alarmed reaction when you tell it of Barney. **You CANNOT allow a Sebth access to me! I am a highly sophisticated construct of the most advanced Shabaali technology! Ashiya only triggered my creation due to the dire circumstances which you have described to me- Shabaali computer and psiactive neurocircuitry technology is far superior to that of the Sebth, and that Sebth agent would go to great lengths to capture me! I must self-destruct rather than allow that to happen!** >>>(**Not literally** she adds, when the device wonders why Puppet Master wants dancers )<<< **I am quite capable of deciphering metaphors** the contruct says, sounding, of all things, rather miffed. <><><><><> Kim: **Please do not self-destruct. I will stop him trying to access you. Do you control the door lock? Can you let me in if he retreats?** Of course, she can still get in, even if the device can't open the door, but she'd rather not panic it by revealing her Sebth powers so abruptly. Kim bites her lip, and looks at Barney. "I'm afraid it's insisting it won't talk to you; it'll probably self-destruct if you try to enter. I think I can enter and communicate with it, then pass on any information, but I don't know how long that will take." >**I am quite capable of deciphering metaphors** the contruct says, >sounding, of all things, rather miffed. **Sorry, Ashiya wasn't very good at it** explains Kim. <><><><><> [GM] **I do not have any control over the door** the construct says. **Ashiya connected it to various alarms and security devices, which I can disable. But I cannot physically unlock it. You will have to achieve entry on your own. Why are you associating with a Sebth?** It sends the last thought without pause. Barney sighs. "It sounds like you are dealing with at least a level 9 computer, and possibly a Personality. I am surprised that an inexperienced, lone Shabaali agent on a hostile world like this was given such a device. But you are right; it would be extremely paranoid about my presence. Very well, I will wait outside. You might attempt to convince it, however, that if you need my aid, it is going to have to tolerate my proximity if it is to be brought along while we seek a way of finding Ashiya." <><><><><> Kim: "I'll try. I know that everyone's going to have to work together to get out of this mess - Ashiya had already detected Functionals of incredible levels of power." She smiles. "Now to prove I don't have full Sebth powers." Kim contacts the device again. **I think I can get inside. Ashiya may have told you that I have limited Sebth powers in addition to my Shabaali ones - it seems as if most Functionals on our world are turning out to be mixtures, for some reason. So I can get through the door - is there anything I should be aware of on the other side? I don't want to set off an alarm, or break something.** Assuming the device doesn't have a cybernetic case of the vapours at this revelation, and doesn't tell her not to come in, Kim will teleport through the door into Ashiya's flat. <><><><><> [GM] **Yes, I was informed of your genetic anomolousness** the thing says. **There are no alarms or security devices for you to be concerned with. I have already deactivated them.** You teleport, arriving in Ashiya's apartment....nude, as usual. Just beyond the door, you pick up Barney thinking *You really are going to have to practice, it's a most unbecoming disability* <><><><><> Kim: *Unbecoming disability, hmph!* thinks Kim, *Bet he wouldn't think it unbecoming if I looked more like Cindy Crawford* **Well, I'm here** she sends to the device, looking around curiously to locate it, **Can you teach me to defend my mind?** <><><><><> [GM] **I am here** the device sends, and then gives you a mental picture of Ashiya's closet, and a small box inside, sitting next to a larger unit of some sort. **I can teach you how to practice your mental shielding. I can also provide a 4th Magnitude mental shield, when I am in close proximity to you. However, there are more immediately pressing issues. Such as that Sebth. And locating Ashiya. Also the manifestation of another powerful Shabaali Functional, not far from here.** <><><><><> Kim: Kim goes over to the closet and locates the device, though she doesn't try picking it up unless it suggests it. She also takes a quick look at Ashiya's clothing - she remembers the way it withstood a shotgun blast back at Cabrini Green (was that really only a few days ago?), and reckons that being partially bulletproof would be very helpful! Even if she did have to forego teleporting... **Yes, there are immediate issues. Rescuing Ashiya is the main one, for me at least. But without some sort of shielding, I don't have a hope against her captor. I suspect he won't leave her solely in the care of his two apes, after what happened last time; I know he has at least one other powerful Shabaali Functional with him. **Her captor wasn't quite powerful enough to smash his way directly into Ashiya's mind, but he forced her to let him in by threatening to torture me. After he'd been in once, her defences were useless against him. Are you powerful enough to block that sort of power? I'd rather know now than when face-to-face with the enemy! **But before that, we also have to locate her. Her captor took her computer terminal, so I wondered if there was any way to trace that. I can't think of any other way to track her down, unless they get greedy and start trying to use her bank account. **How much information did Ashiya give you? When was her last message? Maybe I can fill in some details somewhere. **Barney - the Sebth - is some sort of agent. I think he's been living on Earth for years; at least, he's much more familiar with our society than either Ashiya or the other Sebth. I believe he's prepared to help: the Sebth and the Shabaali may be at war, but this mad puppeteer is barbaric. Christ, he's barbaric even by *our* standards! **And, if half of what Ashiya was saying about relative power is correct, the Sebth and the Shabaali may have to work together to contain this planet. She picked up Functionals hundreds of times more powerful than expected. **Another Shabaali Functional, nearby? Where? Can you tell anything about them? A friendly one would be a great help against `Puppet Man' and his allies. So far, we're facing two powerful Shabaali functionals with great offensive powers; my powers seem to be limited to communication, Ashiya is a captive, and I only know of one other friendly Shabaali functional. Things are hard enough; another hostile functional would be devastating.** <><><><><> [GM] **Ashiya did not send me a message, directly** the Personality says. **She sent a signal, routed through her probe, to one of the monitor satellites. They in turn sent a signal to the processing unit next to me, which created me. I have only been in existence for 42 hours, Terran time. I have already assimilated all information available in the orbiting databanks, everything Ashiya entered in her personal database, and have been absorbing information from various Terran sources, and am continuing to do so even as we speak.** **First, a telepath who gains entry into your mind can usually operate unhindered by your mindshields, but a skilled Shabaali such as Ashiya should have been able to modulate her shield to prevent a repeat of such invasions...that she was not able to do so is very troubling. I can suggest several hypotheses, but I have insufficient information to guess as to their likelihood. None of the options are pleasant, however. I can generate a modulated mindshield which *should* prevent this 'Puppet Man' from penetrating your mind...but that depends on how he permanently negated Ashiya's defenses. You yourself will need to learn to modulate your shield, to prevent ANY telepath from doing this. It is a fairly simple trick...an analogy: shifting of frequences on a radio. Of course, that is a simplification.** **Now, I have of course been monitoring all satellite sensors in case a clue was provided by the use of one of Ashiya's devices.** It seems resentful that you thought it might not have. **So far, there is no such indication. This 'Puppet Man' is apparently either very cunning, or has not yet thought to attempt to use them, or force Ashiya to. I do, however, have signals from the probe that you allowed to be captured by the United States Government, and which was taken to the facility on the eastern coast of this continent where several other powerful metahumans are gathered.** It doesn't seem to approve. **The Shabaali Union and the Sebth Combine joining forces over this planet is highly unlikely, since they are at war now, and the anomolous Functionals of this world are likely only to exacerbate the situation. I advise you somehow elude this 'Barney'. His presence on Earth is a mystery, but a Sebth agent is not to be trusted. He most likely is waiting until his own people return so they can capture you as they attempted to do when you first met Ashiya. Your genetic code would be of intense interest to them. And I repeat that he will want to capture me also, which I cannot allow. You have almost delivered two extremely valuable Shabaali resources to their greatest enemies!** **Since you possess neither the power nor the skill to locate Ashiya, much less rescue her from this insane Shabaali, our most likely prospect, while I continue to monitor and hope that the satellites pick something up, is to search for another, more powerful, friendly Terran Shabaali. A Tua would also be useful. The Shabaali Functional I sensed earlier was not far from here....less than two miles. This was two days ago, however. I have picked up several readings since, indicating that the individual continues to be operating in this vicinity, but I do not know his or her precise location at this instant. I am sure that with your help, moving closer when I pick up readings, we can locate the individual, however.** <><><><><> Kim: **Ashiya said that she needed time to meditate to repair her mind shield. But I think `Puppet Man' attacked us again before she'd had a chance to do so. **What I meant was, what was the most recent entry in your database from Ashiya? Perhaps I can fill in any gaps between that and her disappearance. **I think it's safe to assume `Puppet Man' is cunning, and ruthless. That's one reason I'm worried that he left me alive. **The Sebth and the Shabaali might find themselves forced to work together, if some of Ashiya's data is correct. Could the Shabaali alone control Functionals of the power she detected? Not minor ones like me, but the really powerful ones? **I won't leave Barney for the moment. He seems to be the only member of your Galactic Civilization with any real experience of this planet. Undoubtedly, he has his own agenda, and I'll be very careful what I reveal to him, but at the moment we appear to be headed in the same direction. **What's so special about *my* genetic code? It looks to me as though they could pick any Terran Functional to investigate hybrid powers. As for you being captured, perhaps you should worry about your satellites being handed over to the Sebth - there's at least one Functional who can detect them with no difficulty. **OK, so there's a powerful Shabaali nearby. Did you get any impression as to their feelings? Whether they were likely to be friendly or hostile?** Kim looks round the room for a suitable bag to conceal the Annoying Personality in. **Is there anything else we should take? Something easy to hide? And how much of Ashiya's wardrobe was designed to be protective - as I've already discovered, aggressive Functionals sometimes use more mundane forms of violence. It would be... unfortunate... to meet this other Functional, only to get shot. If the Personality can help, Kim tries to locate something of Ashiya's that will fit - a blouse could serve her as a tunic, for example. She doesn't think she'll be lucky against gunmen again! Once she has collected everything of use in the apartment (hopefully including a key!), she will unlock the door and leave. She assumes she doesn't have to tell the Personality to play dumb, like Ashiya's other computer. <><><><><> [GM] **Ashiya's last input to her database was in the hospital at Chicago, prior to your departure to the hotel where she was captured the second time. I have assembled much of the subsequent events from information recorded by the probe which is now in Virginia.** **None of these garments are of the 'bulletproof' fabric to which you refer. The larger box sitting next to me [it's about the size of a small filing cabinet] is a fabrication unit, which is programmed to manufacture several items, including monofilament. I can instruct it to create a monofilament garment for you. Do you have a preference as to style?** **The Shabaali Union can contain this entire planet if need be** the Personality asserts confidently. **I object to continued association with the Sebth agent. I am well able to provide any 'Galactic' information you may need.** **Ashiya ordered most of her reproducible Shabaali devices to disintegrate. The fabrication unit should be safe here, as it is set to self- destruct if tampered with. There is a spare healing unit, an empathic projector, and Ashiya's memory-unit containing images of her home and loved ones.** The Personality sends you mental images of locations about the apartment where these devices are stored. <><><><><> Kim: **I forgot that the probe would be feeding you data. Sounds like you can fill me in on the kidnapping itself, up until the probe was ordered to hover.** She quickly gives the Personality a run down of what happened after the hospital: the meeting with Pulsar, the ambush at the hotel, and the frantic (and essentially fruitless) search afterwards. Kim is momentarily taken aback by the idea of the machine making an outfit for her. She considers something she could wear under normal clothes, something like a catsuit, then realises that such a garment will be impractical with summer coming! [OOC: ...not to mention that it's becoming a cliche garment for my female PCs ] **Something close-fitting, that I can either wear openly or under other clothes. A pair of cycling shorts, and a sleeveless leotard** She reasons that she can wear the latter as a bodysuit or swimsuit should she need to; the Personality can decide on minor details, based on any background data it's been collecting on popular culture and fashion [OOC: Unluckiness kicks in ]. She gives it her measurements if it needs them: 28-22-30 wasn't a joke . When it coughs up a costume, Kim gives it a quick look but doesn't try it on for now - she doesn't want to tell Barney about the fabricator. Instead, she puts it in her bag. Kim isn't as convinced as the Personality that the Shabaali Union can contain the entire planet - the don't even know what sort of powers can appear, so how can they be certain of containing a planet? She has a momentary thought of the Personality as General Custer muttering "They're just ignorant savages, they can't possibly hurt us", but doesn't pass it on to the Personality. **Can you fix the faults in my Sebth powers?** she asks, **I'm likely to need both. Remember, I am a Terran. Our planet doesn't have much interest in your little war - a war where the Earth was nothing more than a strategic pin-point that no-one had any interest in until Functionals started appearing. Ashiya has already explained that the likely outcome is a battle over this planet, with subjugation of the survivors by the winner. We have a more pressing problem: Functionals of great power, seeking to dominate the planet and enslave the non-Functionals. Until that is sorted out, I'll take allies wherever I can find them. To rescue Ashiya from that sadistic b******, I'll accept any friends I can. **I'll conceal your existence from him, and I won't mention the fabricator.** Kim picks up the healing unit, "phaser", and Ashiya's memory unit, putting them in her bag. <><><><><> [GM] The fabricator unit produces a pair of garments that slide out of a slot that opens seamlessly on top...they simply roll out, like a laser-printer producing a printout. Bicycle shorts and a sleeveless leotard, both in unimaginative, solid green and grey. The "empathic projector" turns out to be a disk, rather than the pistol-like weapon Ashiya had. Outside, Barney stands impatiently. "A few of the neighbors have been observing me," he says quietly. "In my experience, a large, strange black man loitering in a residential area tends to provoke unwanted speculation. What have you learned?" <><><><><> Kim: *Solid green and grey* she thinks, *That's OK. Better than something with the Mighty Morphine Flower Arrangers on it. I wonder if that device would be the death of the fashion industry, or its salvation?* She stuffs everything into the bag, then cautiously opens the door. "Do you have my clothes? A strange naked girl will produce even more speculation!" Kim dresses quickly, then leaves the apartment, locking the door behind her and taking the key. "Sorry, I didn't plan to take that long. Let's saunter away casually - arm- in-arm, even - to make anyone watching dismiss us as just friends of Ashiya. She must have already picked up a reputation for being a bit odd." Kim slips her arm into Barney's if he offers it. Her explanation involves a lot of equivocation: much of it is *technically* true, just a bit misleading! "What have I learned? Not as much as I'd have liked. The machine I was communicating with was designed for real Shabaali, and was reluctant to talk to me. It accepted what I knew of Ashiya's disappearance, but didn't want to give out any information in return. It had the personality of a Shabaali, but without most of the powers, and that made it a bit paranoid. "I've got some of Ashiya's belongings, in case she's rescued" she says, indicating the bag, "There's also some sort of detector - it indicates that there's another Terran with strong Shabaali powers somewhere nearby. The machine in the flat suggested I find this person and persuade them to help, since my Shabaali powers aren't strong enough to do much of a search. Though the machine refused to tell me anything about this new Functional." **OK, what direction should we go in?** she sends to the Personality, **If there's no chance he'll recognise the amplifier for what it is, I'll pretend it's a Functional locator.** Kim will guide Barney (assuming he agrees), following the instructions given by the Personality, until: (a) It gets so late that Barney wants to quit or Kim has to return home, or (b) The Functional is found, or (c) The search would lead into a dangerous part of town, or (d) Something else happens to interrupt the search. <><><><><> [GM] [I think you're forgetting that it's quite late at night!] Barney asks "Are you leaving this computer behind? Is it one of their Personalities?" He takes your arm, with some amusement. "Depending on the viewer, this may attract even more attention, you know." **Do not tell him I am a Personality!** the machine sends. "Does it really think we are likely to find this Functional active at almost 2 in the morning?" the tall black man goes on. <><><><><> Kim: **I'm pretending you're still in the flat** "I don't know what it was. It didn't want to be moved - I think it had been tasked with keeping her flat protected. "No `interstellar communicator', sorry. Ashiya got stuck here rather abruptly, and it looks like she got stuck without any means of contacting other Galactics. No wonder she was so scared and lonely." She smiles. "You're right - it's better to come here in daylight. Hmm, how about tomorrow, late afternoon? I'm going on a picnic with a friend earlier, so it'll be less suspicious if I'm simply a bit late returning." If Barney agrees, she'll return home, and try to pass the time by getting the Personality to train her mind shield. <><><><><> [GM] "I would prefer to start in the morning...but very well." Barney drives you back home. "I will engage in some investigation of my own while I wait." The Personality isn't as efficient a trainer as Ashiya, since as it told you, it can't gestalt, or even establish a true mind link. It can give instructional "images" which are mental, rather than visual...encapsulated summaries of how your mind must operate, which you can follow to an extent. It can also project mild telepathic "attacks", which cause a sharp, brief headache when you fail to block them. This amounts to "sparring practice", and after an hour of this, you're defending yourself significantly better than when you first started. **I am reconfiguring myself for more effective transferred shielding** the Personality says. **So long as I am in close proximity, I should be able to provide you with very potent additional defense. I am also studying your mental patterns...when we finally contact another Shabaali, one actually trained in mental techniques, I will be able to present them with enough information that they can quickly improve your shielding abilities.** You take a quick nap before dawn, finding that is quite sufficient. That morning, Irwin arrives ten minutes early, with a bicycle that looks rather neglected. "Hi," he says. "Well, I guess I'm ready." <><><><><> Kim: "I know, but I definitely stretched my parents' goodwill by going off with Ashiya. I'd better not do anything strange for a while. Well, I'd better not get *caught*, at least." *** Kim is beginning to understand just how powerful some Shabaali can be. If a light mental workout with the Personality can improve her shield, then any Shabaali who indulge in the mental equivalent of pumping iron must be very effective indeed. For once, she feels tired enough to sleep. *** Next morning, she can't resist the temptation to wear the bulletproof clothes, though she slips a loose black T-shirt over the leotard so that it doesn't look like she just came from an aerobics class. Clothes that fit properly are a bit of a novelty for her! Into her rucksack goes the Personality and Ashiya's gadgets, carefully packed (except for the thought cube, which she'll leave hidden in her wardrobe). She doesn't want to rely on Irwin bringing things, so she packs a couple of bottles of cola and plenty of snacks [OOC: Whatever an American teenager would take on a picnic!]... and she makes sure the water bottle on her bike is full, since Irwin at least is likely to be very thirsty when they arrive. She's barely ready when he arrives early. She notes the hastily-applied fresh oil on his bike "Hi. I think I've got everything. Let's go!" Kim cycles at a gentle pace, not wishing to make things too difficult for Irwin. She plans to go to a small area of fields and trees just outside the suburb itself, somewhere quiet and peaceful [OOC: ...now you'll tell me that the nearest such place is 30 miles away ] Surruptitiously, she'll keep an eye on Irwin, in case he gets into any problems. <><><><><> [GM] Irwin is huffing after a bit, but manages to persevere. He looks considerably relieved when you finally stop for lunch. The Personality in your backpack, however, is not exactly pleased at being brought along on this outing. **How exactly is this aimless journey facilitating Ashiya's rescue?** it asks. **Or the location of the unknown Shabaali in San Francisco?** <><><><><> Kim: Kim's relieved that her new clothes are wearable. She'd half-worried that the bulletproof cloth would feel like wire wool, or that the machine would have interpreted her measurements as centimetres, or that something else would have gone wrong. *Maybe my luck's changing for the better at last* [OOC: Now what was the title of that thread in section 19 I started? ] Still, she only has the Personality's word for it that the material really is bulletproof, and she has no intention of testing that claim if she can help it. And now the Personality is beginning to nag. **It's providing me with an excuse to be away from the house** Kim explains to the Nag, **Otherwise, my parents would insist on knowing where I was, and probably wouldn't let me go. This way, I get two or three hours in late afternoon and early evening to search. Unless you'd rather play `Hunt the Functional' at 2am again?** Kim locks her bike up, and locates a comfortable area of ground for her and Irwin to sit on. "Want some coke?" she asks Irwin, when he sits down and does floundering-fish impressions [OOC: Cue inevitable joke about white powder ]. She opens her rucksack and pulls out the cola & snacks. Kim chats with Irwin, while they eat and drink in the warm sun. She might not share his fanaticism over science-fiction, but she's certainly watched and read a fair bit [OOC: ...based on the number of sci-fi references in her previous posts!]. "How did you get interested in science?" she asks. <><><><><> [GM] The monofilament clothing is quite comfortable, actually, and the computer's sensors must be pretty good, as it fits perfectly. It's virtually skintight, in fact. (You noticed that all of Ashiya's outfits seemed tight enough that someone who didn't know her better might have thought she was flaunting her body.) The Personality does add a cautionary note: **While the fabric is impenetrable by most forces existing on Earth, that does not mean it provides protection equivalent to a force field or armor suit. It provides only limited energy diffusion, including kinetic energy. A bullet may not penetrate, but you can still sustain injury from the physical impact. I advise you to avoid such attacks...I am not authorized to provide you with force field technology, and the fabrication units available do not have the resources to produce armormetal.** Irwin says "Well....I guess 'cause I always liked science fiction. I'd like to think someday we really will be able to build spaceships, and intelligent computers and things. Everyone thinks that Star Trek is so far out, but most science fiction is actually pretty conservative, actually. Look how much we've done in this century, and the technology curve is still accelerating." <><><><><> Kim: Kim didn't need telepathy to know that Irwin appreciated the fit of the monofilament clothes, especially when she was cycling out of the saddle. No doubt that helped him to make the effort . She had to hide a grin at the Personality's cautionary note - **You advise me to avoid such attacks? *I* advise me to avoid such attacks! I'm not looking for heavyweight body armour, or the ability to shrug off anti-tank rockets - just something that will stop me being killed by a normal bullet if I can't get out of the way in time** She's now glad she specified "close-fitting" rather than "tight" Meanwhile, Irwin is talking about technology, unaware that Kim is actually wearing something that hasn't been invented yet, and has a computer in her backpack that probably makes a Cray look like a TRS- 80. "I hope it continues, but things seem to have slackened off a bit. I can't think of any dramatic breakthroughs in the last ten years: electronics have continued to become smaller, cheaper and faster, but that's about it. Evolutionary, rather than Revolutionary. Maybe everyone's waiting for some great discovery or achievement that will capture the imagination, like computers in the 50s, spaceflight in the 60s or microcomputers in the 70s. I wonder what it'll be?" She swigs some more cola. "I more or less drifted into science fiction. When I was growing up, I got on better with boys than girls. I hated dolls; I preferred climbing trees, or playing baseball. The boys all watched programs like Star Trek, so naturally I did too, and got hooked." Kim grins. "Now, if only I had the brains of Spock, instead of a generic security guard..." <><><><><> [GM] "You seem smart enough to me," Irwin says. "I mean, most girls don't have a clue about electronics or anything." **This conversation seems quite pointless and unproductive** your friendly Personality says, from the backpack. **You have provided your parents with a justification for leaving your house; now perhaps you should reserve prolonged social interactions until after we have attended to more important matters?** <><><><><> Kim: **Firstly** she sends to the Nag, **this has to be long enough to avoid making Irwin suspicious, and also avoid hurting his feelings. Secondly, I don't have my own car, so I need Barney's help just to travel around at a sensible speed, so there's no point in leaving before we're due to meet him** "Thanks" she says to Irwin, smiling (and trying to keep two separate conversations separate), "It must be a cultural thing: boys are often no good at languages." She has another swig of cola, and grins mischievously. "Probably still the presumption that boys will become scientists and engineers, while girls will become secretaries." <><><><><> [GM] "I dunno....I think it's just that everyone has their own idea of how they want everyone else to be, and figure you're worthless if you don't meet their expectations." Irwin looks glum for a moment. "Anyways, I'm glad some people like you do what they want and don't worry about what everyone else thinks." <><><><><> Kim: Kim shrugs. "It seems to me that the only time to worry about what other people may think is if you're concerned about hurting their feelings. Other people's opinions rarely matter as much as they think they do; a lot of the time they're just evidence of the inverse relationship between the size of the mouth and the size of the brain." She pauses, reflecting inwardly that she's a fine one to talk about being concerned about the feelings of others. "A jock who makes fun of anything intellectual is merely scared, scared of something they aren't superior in. So, for that matter, is an intellectual who despises everything athletic. Everyone needs a bit of both. "Look at me. I've got through most of school by running in neutral on academic subjects, and doing well at sport. Some people would continue like that, and try to win a sports scholarship; I realised that the reason I wasn't trying hard at schoolwork was fear, fear that I'd try hard and not do any better. So I've been trying harder, even at the subjects I'm not very good at. It's difficult, but anything worthwhile always is. And now that I'm actually making an effort, I'm enjoying the lessons more." [OOC: I was going to add something about her grades improving, then I remembered that America is that strange alien land with mysterious things like SATs(?), Grade Point Averages, and the like ] Kim pauses to take another refill of cola. "If you do go against the grain, sooner or later other people will decide to re-write their personal `rules' so that they don't apply to you. When I was very young, other kids would try and push me around. I pushed back. That got me bruises, but I also dished out some. Everyone kept telling me this was wrong, that girls were supposed to go running to the teacher rather than hit back. I could never understand that - boys hit back, and get left alone, so why not girls? It's not as if there's much difference in physical strength at that age. Eventually, my parents gave up trying to convince me to back down from fights, and enrolled me in Judo and Karate lessons - they figured that, if I was going to get entangled in fights, I might as well learn how to win." <><><><><> [GM] "I wish my parents had enrolled ME in martial arts classes," Irwin says. The rest of the picnic goes pleasantly enough, with small-talk and the like. The Personality interrupts again, as you and Irwin are packing to go. **The satellites are picking up metahuman activity right now in San Francisco! We should go immediately!** <><><><><> Kim: >"I wish my parents had enrolled ME in martial arts classes," Irwin says. "You could still take it up" suggests Kim, "It doesn't take that long to pick up the basics. Why not sign on at the club?" >The Personality interrupts again, as you and Irwin are packing to go **I'm going. Can you determine anything about the metahuman activity? Is it the one you detected before? For that matter, is it a lone metahuman or more than one?** Kim cycles back with Irwin, saying goodbye to him at his home (and no doubt with the Nag still griping at her telepathically). Then she stands on the pedals, cycling hard for where she arranged to meet Barney. Another new metahuman! What would this one be like? Someone helpful, like Nancy or Ashiya... or something hateful, like Euroninja? Kim couldn't recall any dramatic local events from the news, but then she didn't really pay that much attention to the news at the best of times. Maybe she was putting the metahuman in danger from Euroninja. She wondered if trying to contact the metahuman was such a good idea... ..and she was also beginning to wonder if drinking a whole bottle of coke had been a bright move, either. <><><><><> [GM] "Maybe I will," Irwin replies. You exchange farewells, Irwin looking nervous and uncertain. He lacks the courage to try for a farewell kiss or anything, but just looks at you with a quirky grin and waves weakly as you peddle away. **I believe it is the same individual sensed earlier** says the Personality. **But manifesting their Function at a greater intensity. Be very cautious with the Sebth present, he will of course report everything to his command. Is it really necessary that he accompany us?** Barney is waiting at the agreed-upon site, standing arms folded across his chest impassively. <><><><><> Kim: Kim waves to Irwin as she cycles off. *** >Is it really necessary that he accompany us?** **Since we're outnumbered and outgunned, yes** *** Kim cycles up to Barney and locks her bike to the nearest lamppost (not that that will save it ). "Any news? I should have at least two or three hours before my parents become worried. Shall we go?" **OK** she sends to the Nag, **Where now?** She'll pass on the directions to Barney. <><><><><> [GM] "No news here," Barney says. "Your 'metahumans' are apparently fighting small wars elsewhere in the world." He opens his van so you can load your bike into it, then climbs in. The Personality begins giving you directions. Barney listens as you repeat them. "We should approach cautiously," he says. "A hostile Shabaali would be problematic if he or she senses us before we identify him or her. Did Ashiya teach you to sense other Functionals?" <><><><><> Kim: "I'm not sure. Ashiya didn't give me any real training, but I've had some success locating nearby minds." *More importantly* she thinks to herself, *the Nag will do a much better job than I can*. **Are we getting closer?** she asks the Nag, **How much further?** <><><><><> [GM] "I can't describe what it might feel like, since obviously only Shabaali feel it," Barney says. "But their Function allows them to sense the operation of another Function...even non-Shabaali ones. I understand that it is easier to sense other Shabaali. So if we get close, you should have a chance to pick something up. Be alert for anything...different. Did Ashiya get as far as measuring the Magnitude of your Function?" **Within 3 kilometers** the Personality says. **The Sebth is correct, you should be able to sense the active manifestation of a Functional within your telereceptive zone. Unfortunately, that will not be very far in your case.** It pauses, then says **I calculate a small probability of *two* Functionals within the same area!** <><><><><> Kim: "No, she just got as far as giving me a vague idea of what powers I might have." **Two functionals? Now you tell me! How small a probability? Are they both Shabaali?** Kim smiles wryly at Barnie's comment. "Be alert for anything different? After the events of the past week, I'd be more startled by something dull and ordinary! I think we're getting close, though." Still, two miles. Kim can't help thinking that there are a lot of people within a couple of miles; she hopes that they can locate the functional(s) more precisely when they close in. Even though the Nag can do a better job, she tries to feel anything unusual. Any strange feeling, any sense of something out of place. It helps to take her mind off the coke in her bladder . <><><><><> [GM] **I am unable to determine that at this time** the Personality says, sounding almost embarrassed to admit this. "Aha," Barney says. "Interesting. Tell me, do you sense anything from that animal indicating it might be other than an escaped creature from the zoo?" Looking ahead, as you enter San Francisco's downtown, you see a large black leopard padding along the sidewalk, sending people scurrying for cover as it approaches. <><><><><> Kim: As the leopard comes padding along the sidewalk. "What the- Now there's a sight you don't see every day." She looks at it puzzled. "I think a normal animal would be scared witless. Just in case, though, I think we'd better lock the doors." **Could that animal be a functional?** she asks the Nag. Meanwhile, she attempts to contact its mind - is it really a leopard? If not, she'll send a message: **Don't be alarmed. I mean you no harm. Who are you?** <><><><><> [GM] **There are no nonsentient Functionals** the Personality says. After a pause: **However, I am picking up psionic emanations from this creature. Therefore, it must not be the animal it appears.** You can't pick up anything at first, until Barney brings the van closer. "You're right, a normal panther would not likely walk so calmly through a crowded city," he agrees. "If it isn't a threat, though, it's likely to soon find itself endangered by the police." From a few car lengths behind, you reach for the cat's mind. What you pick up is a sequence of letters and numbers it is repeating over and over again in it's mind! * 6AMV344... 6AMV344... 6AMV344... 6AMV344... * It's reaction when you send your own thoughts is to leap into the air, spinning and landing facing in a different direction (but not yet fixing on you). Its thoughts become fuzzier and more incoherent. You sense surprise and immediate wariness. You can't read its mind very well, for some reason. But while you haven't practiced trying to read an animal's mind before, the patterns of the leopard's thoughts seem a bit more organized, and human-like, than you'd expect. <><><><><> Kim: **This could be the exception that proves the rule** says Kim to the Nag, no doubt to the latter's confusion ["That is illogical, Captain" ] "Hopefully, they'll get a vet to use tranquilizer darts on it" she says to Barney, "Zoos are a little unhappy at having an expensive exhibit killed, unless it's endangering someone. Though a frightened cop might shoot first, and worry about the paperwork later." Kim realises that she should have tried reading non-human minds before: she doesn't even know if she *can*, let alone what their thoughts would be like. For all she knows, "6AMV344" may be her brain's way of interpreting the cat's instincts - "Hungry!" or "Lost!", perhaps. Still, the animal doesn't seem hostile. Confused, perhaps; wary, certainly; but not about to attack anyone. And its thoughts seem to be ordered - maybe she can still make contact. **You can hear me in your head, but don't be afraid. I won't hurt you** she sends, **I'm in the blue [green, red, whatever] van along the street** <><><><><> [GM] The cat looks straight at you. **You can read my mind?** it thinks, in very clear English. It bounds towards your van, sending more people scurrying for cover. The leopard runs around the front of Barney's van, now sitting on the street in front of a row of stores, and stands up on its hind legs to place its paws against the side of your door, so it can look up at you through the window. **Listen, a car just went past here, I couldn't keep up with it, but the driver is a sicko child molester! If you step on it, we could catch him!** <><><><><> Kim: Kim quickly relays the information to Barney. "The leopard's our functional - unless you know of other intelligent leopards. It's chasing a child molester in a car." **Hop in** she sends to the leopard, opening the door to let it clamber into the rear [assuming the van is one with a side door!] **What sort of car was it?** She passes directions to Barney. <><><><><> [GM] The leopard eagerly jumps in when you open the door. Barney looks at you and at it with an odd expression, while the Personality insists **It cannot be a Functional animal- that is impossible! Psionic Functions are inextricably linked with higher-order brain functions which do not exist in nonsentient animals!** "A child-molester?" Barney asks. "You wish to engage in a car chase in pursuit of a child molester?" He shifts the van back into gear reluctantly, but seems disinclined to "step on it". "Perhaps a little more information would be in order?" The leopard thinks at you *What more information does he want? There's a child molester getting away, we gotta catch him! Tell Baldy if he doesn't step on it, I will!* In its thoughts, you see an idea manifest, of taking control of Barney's body somehow! *Oh yeah, and write this number down- 6AMV- uh, 6AMV4...no, 3- ah s***!* <><><><><> Kim: **It seems like a good away to get on the good side of the functional** she sends to Barney, **And I don't like the thought of a child-molester escaping to strike again** **It's an intelligent - and presumably functional - leopard** she sends to the Nag, **Is it any more unusual than a functional with both Shabaali and Sebth powers?** **You were thinking 6AMV344 earlier** Kim sends to the leopard, **What's your name? Mine's Kim, and `Baldy' is Barney. What colour is the car we're after? And who did the child-molester attack?** She relays the information to Barney if the leopard provides it. <><><><><> [GM] *He attacked a little girl named Laura something or other. He's in a dark blue car, and that number is the license plate.* After a pause, the leopard thinks *My name's Curt. So are you another one of those metahumans?* Barney, upon hearing the information, says "It makes far more sense to give this license number to the police, doesn't it? Especially since there is a now a police car following us?" <><><><><> Kim: "It probably would do, unless the car is stolen. But would you like to explain to the police that the car contains a child-molester because the leopard said so? It's like something out of `Twin Peaks'." [OOC: at least it's a leopard not a log ] "I wonder if the police car is following us, or chasing the molester, or coming after Curt - the leopard?" *Curt, have you any idea if it's the molester's own car? If it is, the police are more likely to catch them than we are. Have the police been called?* <><><><><> [GM] *I don't know if it's his car or not* Curt thinks back. *I'm pretty sure Ms. Yoshida will have called the police by now.* Meanwhile, the car behind you flashes its lights, signalling Barney to pull over. "This is most inconvenient," he says. <><><><><> Kim: "Yes, it is." *Damn. It doesn't look like the police will let us chase the molester at the moment* she sends to Curt, with a mental air of frustration, *You could continue on foot - er, paw - but the police might decide you look dangerous, and start shooting. If this... Ms. Yoshida?... has the license plate, the police should have a good chance of catching him. In any case, I can pass the number to the policeman by claiming we were following a car being driven dangerously* Kim relays the last part to Barney: "Curt was chasing a car with a license plate 6AMV344. I'm going to claim that we saw it being driven dangerously, by someone apparently in a great hurry, and we decided to follow it so we could report the details to the police. This should tie in with the actual attack, if Curt's friend has phoned the police. And it's a lot better than trying to explain to a policeman that `the leopard told me'." [If Curt doesn't leave] *Now to convince the policeman that you're tame and harmless, and no threat to anyone. What do you normally do to avoid getting sent to a zoo? Has Ms. Yoshida been looking after you?* [Assuming that Ms. Yoshida has been looking after Curt - I've been avoiding reading the Curt threads - Kim intends to answer questions like "Why did you let a dangerous animal inside the van?" with "This is Ms. Yoshida's tame leopard - what other leopard would be found calmly running down the street?", while stroking Curt gently behind the ears and sending a telepathic *Sorry*] [OTOH, if the policeman knows all about Curt, things become a bit simpler . Though only a bit...] <><><><><> [GM] Curt thinks *Yeah, Ms. Yoshida is my lawyer. She shouldn't be too far behind me- HEY! That's her!* The leopard's mental exclamation is accompanied by a yowl that makes Barney frown and look back at the big cat warily. The leopard is stretching towards the driver's-side window from behind your seats, thumping on it (next to Barney's ear) with his paw. Across the street, you see an Asian woman walking past, panting, holding a cellular phone in one hand and a young girl in the other. Next to her, a slightly older child (perhaps six) is pushing a stroller. Barney has stopped the van, and as he waits for the police officer, says "I don't suppose 'Curt' has some way of communicating with non- telepaths?" <><><><><> Kim: *Your _lawyer_? That's a clever move.* >"I don't suppose 'Curt' has some way of communicating with non- telepaths?" "I don't think he does" she replies. *Do you have any way of communicating with non-telepaths?* she sends to Curt. She points to the Asian woman. "However, Curt says that's his lawyer, which should make things a lot simpler." Kim waves to Ms. Yoshida. <><><><><> [GM] *Usually I type on a computer, or scribble something in the dirt* Curt thinks. *Damn, there's a lot I want to ask you...but first we gotta get that pervert!* He yowls out the window towards the Asian woman with the children...which does not soothe the police officer who's coming up next to Barney. [continued in "Leopards & Lawyers"]