CHICAGO NANCY: On Her Own in the Windy City [Following a battle with two hired hitmen, apparently metahumans themselves, in Chicago's Cabrini Green housing projects, Nancy stayed behind in the aftermath to talk to the police. When she's done with them and searches for her two friends, Kim Brenner and Ashiya, she finds they, and their car, are gone!] ========================================================== Nancy: [I assume that Nancy didn't notice Kim pulling out or anything unusual happening down the street?] Nancy's face goes pale. She's in a strange (and very dangerous) part of Chicago, she's got serious injuries, and now Kim and Ashiya seem to have abandoned her. She quickly reins herself in, though. Panicking wouldn't do her any good in this situation. Hopefully there's a good reason why Kim left. "Gentlemen," she says after recovering, "I should see about making my way home. I'm going to try it on my own, but I might be back in a few minutes if I don't feel up to it. If I don't see you again, I'll be contacting you both in the next couple of days. Thanks for all of your help." After any parting remarks from the authorities, Nancy floats up into the air, up and over the nearby tenement. She makes her way over a few blocks to the street where Kim was supposed to be meeting her after the meeting with the police. Her eyes are open in case Kim moved to some other vantage point still in sight of the alley where the fight took place. She lands on a convenient rooftop, anger and concern warring alternately inside her. She looks up and down the street, hoping to see the rental car and her two friends (perhaps to be ex-friends ). <><><><><> [GM] [I did make a perception roll for Nancy, but you had some heavy penalties, being wounded, distracted by the police, having the van and other cars pull in to block your view down the street, and other factors.] The police aren't happy about your flying off, but can't stop you. "Don't push yourself," the lieutenant says. You fly over to where you have a good vantage point....and cannot see the rental car, or Kim and Ashiya, anywhere in sight. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy is usually quite the self-effacing, self sacrificing, and mild tempered type. She had no qualms about making sure not to mention Ashiya and Kim, even though it brought her perilously close to having to lie in a couple of spots. But in exchange for such a bond, she expected some kind of loyalty...and was beginning to get angry about being abandoned by her two companions. *Perhaps there was some kind of an emergency,* she thought to herself. *And if Ashiya wasn't conscious, there would have been no way for Kim to let her know what was going on. If that was so, it had to be something pretty big...since no local crook would be stupid enough to try anything just two blocks down from a huge flock of policeman. Maybe it was that 'empath' that Ashiya was talking about....* *That's assuming,* she thought with more than a bit of bitterness, *that Kim didn't just 'flake' on me.* To the young teacher's mind, she was FAR too lackadaisical in her duties to her parents. She hoped her children would never behave like that. But she banished those thoughts. Kim didn't seem like the type who would leave without a good reason. That probably meant there was some kind of trouble. Unfortunately, Nancy was ill equipped to deal with anyone's problems at the moment...most of all her own. Her musings had taken a few minutes...and still no sign. She decided to make a last effort. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, trying to see if she could find Ashiya's "flying doughnut" with her gravity sense. <><><><><> [GM] You extend your senses as far as you can, but that's really not that far, maybe a city block at most. And you detect no gravity waves within that distance. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sits for a moment and collects herself, doing a pretty good job of fighting down the panic of the situation. After a few minutes of waiting, she decides there's no help for it...if Kim and Ashiya aren't there to pick her up, she has to rely on herself.... She reconnoiters one last time, just in case, and then heads back to the alley. She tries not to appear suddenly, so the agents with the guns don't open fire on her. She descends towards Agent Mahon, a chagrined look on her face. "Hello again," she says. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to impose on you and take that ride you were offering to the hospital. I won't be able to make it out of here on my own. I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience." <><><><><> [GM] "Not at all," Mahon says. "Although we're actually transporting our prisoners in the van, so it might be easier if I just accompany you in an ambulance." The paramedics grumble at having an extra person ride in back, but his badge gets him a seat. Along the way to the hospital, he says casually, "According to some of the witnesses who DID talk to the police, there were some other people with you. I suppose they're staying hidden because they don't want to deal with the government?" <><><><><> Nancy: "Whatever you think is best," Nancy answers. Given his professional demeanor, it's difficult to tell whether Mahon is angry with her or not for her "sin of omission". "Yes...there were other people with me," she says. "And no, they don't want to deal with the government. But I couldn't let those policemen take those two into custody without knowing what they do...people could get killed if they try to break out of jail. That's why I stayed to talk to them. Of course, I didn't know about your organization then." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon chuckles. "Not exactly an 'organization', just a hastily-formed branch of the...well, we're not exactly sure ourselves if we're part of the Justice Department or the Department of Defence. Our authorization comes from the Justice Department, otherwise we wouldn't be allowed to make arrests within the United States. But the DoD supplies most of our resources. Hopefully, we'll become more organized and more capable very quickly, but right now, we're an act of desperation by a government that's trying to figure out how to stop people who are bulletproof, and imprison people who can walk through walls." "So far, nearly all the metahumans that HAVE been stopped were stopped by other metahumans. Which is why we need you so badly. We just had two major battles go down in New York, something's going on right now in Louisiana, there are rumors of a 'werewolf' in the Southwest, Falling Star and these bozos here, and some other stuff that's still classified." "So, do you mind my asking if you know the extent of your powers yet?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy nods understandingly. "I can see how that'd be difficult. I only hope that you and your people are up to the task. I agree with you that random battles like the one I got into don't do anything to solve the problem." She sighs. "I know...and I would like to help...but I just don't know if I want to make a career out of brawling in the streets. I've been thinking that what I might like to do is try to start a school...where young paranormals can learn how to use their powers in a controlled environment...without that dangerous trial and error...but I'm sure that's just a pipe dream." "I saw the one with Crystal on the news," she answers, "and heard about the other one on the radio this morning. There was supposedly somebody there who was incredibly powerful...was that one of your people? And what's happening in Louisiana?" With a shrug, she replies, "I know some of what I can do, but I don't know a lot about my limits. Whether I've got any more powers and how much I can affect at one time...I not really sure. I haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to practice with them...heck, I haven't been a paranormal for more than a week yet. But this week has been enough for a lifetime, I'll tell you that!", she says with a grin. <><><><><> [GM] Mahon smiles a little at your proposal. "That's a nice idea," he says, "though I'm not sure about the logistics of it. But if more metahumans keep showing up, I'm sure the government will start doing something very similar. If that's what you want to do, I'm sure you'd be welcome as a staff member for some kind of training facility for young metahumans. Although most metas we've seen so far seem to be adults." "The incident in New York and the one is Louisiana, they're both, well, we don't like to spread around too much information. We're afraid of starting a panic. But you should know that there are other metahumans out there that seem to be *hunting* each other. And we also know that more than one metahuman has manifested with the ability to sense other metas. So you should definitely be alert. I'm afraid you may be in more danger than you think. That's another reason we're trying to recruit as many metas as we can; there's safety in numbers." With that ominous warning, you arrive at the hospital. The doctors are a bit put off by your insistence on wearing a mask, and you also realize you're going to have a problem when they demand proof of medical insurance. Mahon comes to your rescue, producing his badge again and citing some federal statute that makes the attending nurse frown, before she goes and checks it in her files. But the conclusion seems to be that the federal agent is authorizing you to be treated at government expense. X-rays confirm that you do indeed have several cracked ribs. You don't seem to have a concussion, but your right eardrum was slightly damaged, and you have a hairline fracture on your left cheekbone. Not to mention assorted bumps and bruises of painful but minor severity. The doctors want to check you in, and keep you for a day or two. <><><><><> Nancy: "Most," Nancy says, "not all. Again, it's just a thought I had...something I'd be able to do as a metahuman that'd be productive instead of DEstructive. I'm sure that if it ever happens it'll be a long time in the future." She blinks incredulously. "You mean what happened at the airport and in Louisiana was WORSE than that massacre on television? What little I saw of it on CNN appalled me." "Anyway, that's sort of why I was interested in finding other metas...kind of the same idea, except nothing so formal as working *for* anyone. I just thought it might be a good idea for everyone to be aware that there are others out there who aren't rampaging maniacs." Nancy is in more trouble than that, since she doesn't have ANY identification on her. She has two dollar bills and some change in her shoe (an old trick her mother taught her), but she left her purse in the car. After all, who could have thought that she'd need it? [Actually, the whole situation strikes me as unfair. Nancy and Ashiya, the two reasonable characters, were trying to resolve things peaceably...and they got hammered for their troubles. Meanwhile, Ms. Steven Segal marches in, beats up the villains (in an incredibly brutal fashion), and doesn't get a mark on her. There's no justice in the world. ] "Thank you," she says gratefully to the agent when he takes care of her medical bills. "Let's hope that I'll never have to impose on you like this again." She balks, though, at being checked in. "If I'm going to go to the hospital, I'd rather do it a little closer to home," she says. "If you could just tape up my ribs so I can travel and do whatever else you can for me at the moment, I'll be satisfied." [BTW, about what time is it? Noon, afternoon, what?] <><><><><> [GM] [I figure since you all left Crystal Lake in the morning, it's probably mid- to late- afternoon by now.] The doctors aren't happy about letting you go, but they can't really stop you. They tape your ribs as requested, tell you sternly that you MUST seek more lasting treatment, and also tell you to seek medical help immediately if you feel dizzy or suffer a blackout...there could still be undetected head injury. <><><><><> Nancy: Well, Nancy wasn't happy about being hurt, so at least the attending medical staff isn't alone in their disapproval. She promises that she'll follow their instructions once she gets home. As she's being released, she once again thanks Agent Mahon for all his help and assures him that she'll give him a call as soon as she comes to some kind of a decision. She also tells him that she'll try to stay out of trouble. After she leaves the hospital, she'll head back towards the Green (flying, of course). She'll try to avoid making a spectacle of herself, keeping to the roofs as much as she can. She'll be looking for either the rental car or the unique gravity pulses of the flying doughnut, which should still be somewhere around the car. If she gets there and hasn't found it, she'll start searching in an expanding spiral, either until she finds them or till she knows Mike is home for her to call. <><><><><> [GM] You fly back to Cabrini Green, and find that floating in "zero-G" takes the weight off your tortured rib cage, which is much more comfortable. In fact, you could get used to floating everywhere instead of walking...you imagine someone with these powers in a society where they're accepted could easily get very lazy! In an expanding spiral, you begin flying over the city of Chicago. You can't completely avoid notice, of course, and here and there people spot you, particularly when you're passing over parks and large streets and other places where you aren't shielded from view by tall buildings. After a long time, your expanding search pattern has covered the heart of the city and you're beginning to work towards the edges. While it's not exactly tiring- keeping yourself afloat takes about as much effort as sitting up straight- it is getting very boring, and you're increasingly worried that you might find a news chopper tailing you, or worse, someone in one of those bad areas (you've already started crossing over South Side in a couple of your passes) might decide it would be amusing to take a shot at you. It seems unlikely, but after what you've been through, you're starting to feel a little bit paranoid. Still, you probably have at least another hour before Mike will be home for sure. Assuming, of course, he didn't see a news broadcast about a "superhero battle" in Chicago, and come driving up here in a panic! <><><><><> Nancy: Well, Nancy certainly doesn't want to attract any attention to herself. And if her search hasn't come up with anything yet, it's not likely that she's going to find them on her own. She's just going to have to wait until Ashiya regains consciousness and makes an attempt to contact her. Given that she's got an hour or so to kill, she decides that something intellectual will take her mind off of all of this. She decides to head over to the Museum of Science and Industry (one of the bigger museums in Chicago...on the southern tip of downtown) and wanders there for a while. She knows that it has lots of benches and such for her to rest on if she gets tired. She'll make for the back of the building, land, hide her mask up her sleeve, and look at the exhibits for a while. <><><><><> [GM] You enjoy the exhibits, even though some people look at you oddly, being that you have a swollen eye and are walking with something of a limp, and generally give the impression of someone who recently had the cr** beaten out of her. It occurs to you that if you get in any more fights like that, Mike is likely to start facing some unpleasant accusations.... After wandering around the museum for a while, you look at your watch, and see that it's 5:30. Mike should be home by now, probably hovering by the phone and transmitting his anxiety to the kids as well. <><><><><> Nancy: [And who says that first impressions always have to be wrong? ] Well, there's no use avoiding it any more...she's going to have to call home to Mike for help. She goes to the back of the museum where there's a relatively isolated bank of phones (I know...I've been there before ). She dials "1- 80O-CALL-ATT" and makes a collect call to Mike. (I didn't know if you'd allow Nancy to have a phone card, so I assume she'll have to go through the operator...I'm guess that AT&T as their phone company is as good as any other.) When he accepts the call (if he doesn't, he's in BIG trouble when she gets home ), she says, "Hi Mike...this is Nancy. Have you heard from Kim and Ashiya? Maybe a message on the answering machine from them?" <><><><><> [GM] "Message from Kim and Ashiya?" Mike sounds flustered and upset. "Of course not- I thought they're with you! Nancy, what on Earth is going on? I heard on the news that there were superhumans fighting in Cabrini Green, then a woman flying around over the city! PLEASE tell me you had nothing to do with that!" <><><><><> Nancy: "Mike, calm down!", Nancy exclaims. "You're not doing anyone any good by getting worked up like this. Yes, I was in a fight at Cabrini Green. Yes, I've been flying around the city...because Kim and Ashiya went off somewhere while I was talking to the police. I was hoping they might have called home to tell me where they are." She pauses a moment, letting him spew whatever venom he might want. When he's finished, she continues, "I'm in a bind here, Mike...my purse with all my money and credit cards is still in the car with the others. I don't have any way of getting back home except flying back...and I'm honestly not up to it right now. I'm okay where I am now, at least for the time being. Get dinner for the kids, then have Millie come over and sit for the kids so you can come into Chicago and get me. I'm at the Museum of Science and Industry." (Pause for more histrionics ) "Yes, Mike, I know...I'm sorry. Listen, I don't PLAN on going anywhere. There IS the possibility that Ashiya might be able to get a message to me while you're on the way down. If both of them manage to link up with me, we'll all wait here till you arrive. I've got this feeling, though, that they might be in trouble and I might have to go help them. If I'm not at the front of the Museum waiting for you, I'll have left a note for you with the parking lot attendant. Whatever happens, STAY AT THE LOT unless I tell you to meet me somewhere else. That's the only way I'll be able to find you." (Another pause) "I'm sorry to put you through all of this, Mike. I love you...I'll see you in a bit." <><><><><> [GM] Actually, Mike rarely engages in "histrionics", but he is very upset. "I'll be right up," he says, although you know that "right up" means a couple hours or so. "Do NOT go getting into any more situations, Nancy," he pleads, before hanging up. <><><><><> Nancy: "I'll try, sweetheart," she says earnestly. "I've had more than enough excitement for one day...." While she waits for Mike, the thought comes to her that Ashiya might be trying to look for her with the doughnut. Every once in a while, she'll generate some "contragravity waves" (far up in the air and just out over the lake, so the effect won't affect anyone on the ground), in the hopes that she might be able to pick those up, know that it's Nancy generating them, and try heading in that direction. <><><><><> [GM] After about 70 minutes (Mike was obviously driving faster than he should have! ), he comes almost screeching into the parking lot of the museum. When he sees you, he stops dead. "Oh my GOD!" he gasps, before rushing over to hold you. "My God, what happened to you? You should be in a hospital, you got....oh Nancy! You said you weren't going to go doing things like this..." As you feared, he's extremely upset. "And Kim and Ashiya, what happened to them, where the hell are they?" <><><><><> Nancy: Despite her pain, Nancy's face lights up when she sees her husband. "Mike!", she murmurs in an incredibly relieved voice as she lets him take her (carefully ) into his arms. "I know this might sound a little strange, but I'm starved...can we go and get something to eat? I haven't had much of anything since breakfast this morning. We can sit down and I can tell you all about it. I don't care where we go, just someplace nice and quiet, with some privacy." Realizing that he's quite agitated, she tries to calm his fears. "It's not as bad as it looks," she says, hoping that she sounds more confident than she actually is. As they head to the car, she answers, "I don't know where Kim and Ashiya are. After the fight at Cabrini Green, I had them wait a block or so away while I talked to the police. After I was done, I went to meet them...but they were gone! I hope nothing's happened to them!" Mike can tell that despite her injuries, Nancy is MORE concerned about her two new friend than herself. [How noble, huh? ] <><><><><> [GM] Mike is obviously upset, but you get him to calm down and he finally says, "All right, so how do we find them? I assume you tried doing that gravity thing, to see if Ashiya's probes would locate you?" "I think the only thing left for us to do is go back home and wait for them to contact us. It would be pointless for us to wait here, when they don't know where in Chicago we might be, and we certainly can't search the city for them. And first thing in the morning, you're going to the doctor's. God, what are we going to come up with for an explanation? I guess we'll have to say you got mugged in Chicago." <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm hoping that Ashiya can either find me with the doughnut or that she'd be able to send some kind of a mental message to me. In any case, I'm assuming that they're in some kind of trouble, which means that I'd like to stay here in Chicago overnight...if you don't mind. If they don't get ahold of us somehow by morning, we'll go back: you to work and me to the doctor. And if they do need me for some reason, I'd rather be here in Chicago nearer to where they are...it'll make things a lot easier. But there's no need for you to stay, if you don't want...if you leave me the Mastercard, I should be all right on my own." She realizes what she's said, looks at him apologetically, and adds, "Not that I'm trying to get rid of you, sweetheart!" <><><><><> [GM] Mike reluctantly agrees, so you call the babysitter, and ask her to play any messages waiting for you on your answering machines. The first is from Kim's father. "Mrs. Hartwick, this is David Brenner. I'm calling to check on Kim. PLEASE call me by 10 O'clock, west coast time!" The second is worse. "Mrs. Hartwick, this is Lieutenant Cardner, Chicago Police Department. We were given your number by a Kim Brenner, who asked us to contact you. She and her friend, Azija, are at Chicago General Hospital right now. Neither one is critically injured, but they were physically assaulted and, umm, they've both undergone severe trauma. We need you to contact us as soon as possible, my number is xxx-xxx-xxxx and the number at the hospital is yyy-yyy-yyyy." [ok, I didn't feel like going into THAT much verismilitude ] "They don't need any more medical attention than what they were already given, but neither one has any identification, and they're definitely going to need outpatient care." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sighs, dreading having to tell Mr. Brenner that his daughter has run off. Still, she has got a bit of time.... The other message, though, sends her into a tizzy. She looks at Mike worriedly. "Kim and Ashiya are in the hospital!", she groans. "I *knew* something like this was going to happen!" She forces herself to be calm as she thanks the sitter yet again and then hangs up. She immediately picks the phone back up and dials the hospital so she can get ahold of Kim. <><><><><> [GM] The hospital won't give you Kim's room number until you prove you're her legal guardian, and they won't wake her up - it's after hours. They tell you that getting her up wouldn't do any good anyways...apparently, she suffered some sort of trauma that rendered her incapable of speaking! The doctor does say he'll talk to you if you come in person. [assuming she does] The doctor on duty is gravely concerned, especially when he learns you're NOT Kim's legal guardian. "Ms. Brenner isn't actually injured, as far as we can tell," he says. "It was her friend, 'Azija', who was brutally tortured and..." he pauses, as your expression shows horror at what he said, and even worse horror at what you're anticipating he'll say next- "-raped," he finishes grimly. "Kim claimed she was tortured, but not raped. Unlike Azija, though, she has no wounds. She is not able to speak, however. And neither of them will give us many answers at the moment. Of course, it's to be expected that they aren't in great shape to talk about it....but I believe the police have a keen interest in this case, because Ms. Brenner claimed that this was done by some kind of a superhuman mind-controller." He seems skeptical. "It would be a good idea for you to contact Kim's parents- I'm hoping you know them? In the meantime, what else can you tell me about her and her friend?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy squeezes Mike's hand as the doctor goes through the list of the other two's injuries...and almost breaks his fingers when he mentions Ashiya's rape. "Kim is visiting me...her parents live in California, but yes, I do have their number," she explains. "I don't feel comfortable about either calling her parents OR telling you anything about them until I have a chance to talk with them. Since Kim told you that she was assaulted by a superhuman, I'm sure that I'll *probably* be able to tell you what you'd like to know, but without her permission, I won't say a thing." Though her expression is calm, she does seem quite determined. ********************************************************************************************** ************ ********************************************************************************************** ************ KIM IN TROUBLE [After Nancy Hartwick, Kim Brenner, and Ashiya confronted a pair of very violent individuals in Cabrini Green, one of Chicago's worst neighborhoods, Ashiya was badly injured, and Kim took the unconscious alien back to their car, where one of her high-tech devices began administering medical aid, while Nancy was left behind to face the police.] ============================================================== ====== [GM to Kim] In the back seat, Ashiya's breathing continues steadily. The rise and fall of her chest attracts your attention for a moment, and you notice something. When the healing device first lowered itself onto her naked torso, her olive brown skin was dark and discolored all over, looking like someone had worked her over with a splintering baseball bat. Now, while you can't see her stomach for the box, her chest has made a vast improvement in appearance- not that it ever looked bad! - but the ugly red marks and contusions seem to have visibly faded in just the few minutes she's been under the care of her alien device. Before you can spend too much time observing this phenomenon, though, you sense something else. Something moving, on a lawn in front of the tenament building you parked in front of. But when you turned to glance at it, it was gone. But out of the corner of your eye, you see it again. When you look a second time, for a moment you see a man covered in a black bodysuit, less then fifteen feet from the car, approaching with quiet purposefulness. As soon as your gaze wavers for a second, he disappears. And you have trouble refocusing on him, almost as if he's "semi-invisible". <><><><><> Kim: Kim sends the stranger a thought: **What are you doing, creeping up on me?** She will continue to try to watch him, either directly or from the corner of her eye, whichever is better. <><><><><> [GM] You can't be sure that your message was received, with Ashiya's probe overhead radiating psychic "static". But whether it's a result of your sending or not, the stranger suddenly lunges forward, quickly. Suddenly he's standing directly outside the car, in the time it took you to blink. In his black-gloved hand is a pistol, with what you guess is a silencer on the muzzle, pointing through the window at your head. "Open the door, without making a fuss, please," he says, the voice slightly muffled by the rolled-up window, but still clear. There's the slightest trace of an accent, but you can't identify it. After an instant's pause, he adds, "If you escape out the other side, or teleport away, I will shoot your half-naked friend before I come after you." <><><><><> Kim: Kim thinks fast. **Moves quick; almost invisible. Might be a Sebth, with short-range teleport and some weird suit. Can't do anything sitting here** She calmly gets out of the car, watching him. Assuming she can see him well enough: if he gestures with the gun at any point, she will seize the opportunity offered by it not being pointed at her to grab his hand and knock the gun from it. Otherwise, she'll look for an opportunity to teleport just a couple of yards, so that she is standing behind him, and will then hit him as hard as possible. This will naturally be aborted if he turns out to be friendly! <><><><><> [GM to Kim] He doesn't seem friendly; the gun doesn't waver from you as you open the door and start to emerge. You know some techniques for disarming someone at close range in a situation like this, but you've never had to actually do it with a real, loaded weapon pointed at your face. Before you get out, his other hand snakes out and grabs you by the throat, in a grip like steel. "Stay in the car. Move over." Obviously he's intent on trapping you in the car with him; you decide to go with the teleport plan. You feel a painful wrenching sensation all through your body as you try to teleport, almost like back in Oakland, when you were forcibly dragged by the Sebths' platform back in place when you tried to teleport away from it. It's not quite as bad as that time, but it's definitely unpleasant, and causes you to gasp with effort. Instead of being "redirected", you simply don't go anywhere. You're not sure you can force your way out of that field generated by the probe. The stranger seems to realize you tried *something*, though. His grip on your throat tightens, enough to make you dizzy, and he says, in a very calm and reasonable tone of voice, "Before you attempt anything again, be very, very sure you do not fail, because the consequences of failure will be a bullet through your head. I assume of course, you are willing to sacrifice your friend? Because it will take me less than a second to point this gun at her and pull the trigger, should you somehow escape my grasp." "Be a cooperative young lady and perhaps you both shall survive. At this time, I do not think I require you to die. However, while I would not enjoy killing you, I will not hesitate to do so if you become an inconvenience." <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: What does he look like at close range?] "Who are you? Apart from a psychopathic car-thief" asks Kim, deciding to wait until they are free of Ashiya's probe's field. If he drives off, he'll have to either release her throat or put away the gun - or sprout an extra arm! She will slump back in the seat, apparently defeated, and wait until they are stopped at a junction in a busier part of the city, when he will be slightly distracted watching the traffic. She will then hit him fast, as hard as she can, on an exposed location, and follow up the blow with more - Kim knows that she could be fighting for both her own life and Ashiya's. Her aim will be to disarm him and/or knock him out. <><><><><> [GM] Up close, he looks like someone wearing a ninja-suit. It's a black outfit that covers his entire body, including his head and face. It's not skintight like a superhero costume, though; it seems quite a bit thicker than spandex or anything silly like that. He's a fairly large man, too, at least six feet tall. He maintains his grip on your throat, and the gun pointed at your head, and makes no move to start driving anywhere. Instead, he says, "I am not going to ask you a series of questions and have you stall and take time to think about each one. I am going to tell you the subject matter in which I am interested, and you will tell me everything you know, as quickly as possible. If you try to play games, or try to lie, or hold back, I will know. Do not lie to me or feign ignorance." "There is an aura around you that interferes with mental powers. You three all came into this neighborhood for some reason, but you did not know about those two men. And this device on your friend's stomach is also intriguing. So tell me about all these things. Now." <><><><><> Kim: "Shoot me, and I can't talk. Shoot my friend, and I won't talk. So stop playing silly games with that gun and pretending you're Chicago's answer to Lee Van Cleef" replies Kim levelly. "We came into this area searching for a paranormal who was last seen somewhere around here. A young boy named Chad Reiter, who's got a lot of mental powers, and likes to hurt people with them; we were going to try to `talk him down', before he ended up killing himself or other people. We spotted Falling Star, followed her in the hope of being able to talk to her, and found ourselves caught up in a gang showdown. The third member of our group was trying to defuse things peacefully, when the two men in the van showed up, chucked a grenade amongst the gangs, and started shooting. Who were they?" [OOC: if the ninja-wannabe starts to relax, Kim will too. If, on the other hand, he makes a move to fire either at Kim or Ashiya, she will hit him hard - that costume may well be armoured, so she'll concentrate on joint-locking his gun arm, and disarming him. What sort of accent does he have? Is it anything like either Ashiya's or the Sebths'?] <><><><><> [GM] He neither relaxes nor fires. You realize uneasily that he seems to be very much in control of his movements, and could probably pull the trigger, blowing most of your face off, without your seeing it coming. His accent is very, very faint, but it seems more European than Shabaali or Sebth. "The aura," he says. "And this apparatus attached to your friend. Do not try my patience, girl." <><><><><> Kim: Kim remains nonchalant about having a pound of death held to her temple. "I don't understand what you mean by an `aura'. Something started damping mental powers part-way through the fight, if that's what you mean. As for the box, it's just a high-tech first aid kit. Why all the questions? What's your problem?" [OOC: Kim *doesn't* know where the damping came from, because of the confusion. I think, from reading messages, that it was something Ashiya did] [OOC: Kim will watch for an opening if he tries reaching into the back to pick up the device] <><><><><> [GM] The stranger's hand suddenly tightens on your throat. You feel his thumb driving into your carotid artery, causing intense pain and imminent loss of consciousness..... <><><><><> Kim: Kim lashes out instinctively, trying to cause enough pain herself to force him to lessen the pressure. [OOC: Impulsive, Overconfident, and `Dislikes being pushed around' - Kim is not a good insurance risk in this situation ] <><><><><> [GM] You strike at the stranger, and he blocks with the hand holding the gun. His thumb and fingers continue to press againt both your carotid arteries now, but you still have an amount of fight in you that seems to surprise the masked man. You launch strike after strike at him, most of which he evades by blocking with his other hand or by twisting you in the seat, being that his grip on your neck gives him considerable leverage. You're using all the choke-evasion techniques you learned in judo class, but he counters them without releasing his grip, and you know he's a better grappler and close combat fighter than anyone you've ever sparred with in your classes, including your senseis. Still, it takes a surprising length of time for you to finally black out, and when one elbow does connect against his jaw, he curses in a foreign language and the pressure on your throat becomes much greater- he's no longer merely constricting the blood supply to your brain, but also strangling you. In desperation, you attempt to teleport one more time, but feel the painful wrenching sensation again. Towards the end, you also feel a telepathic presence assaulting your mind, but you don't have time to think about it before everything goes black. At one point, you feel sensation returning. You stir, and suddenly feel a jolt of pain as something slams into the side of your head. Some time after that.... It's dark, and your head hurts. You can't see anything; you think you have some kind of cloth over your head. As feeling returns to your body, you realize you're sitting in a hard chair, and your wrists are bound behind your back, while your ankles are tied securely to the legs of the chair. Something is radiating heat and dimly-sensed light onto your face. "Before you attempt anything, young lady", the voice of your mysterious assailant says, coming from behind you, "you should be aware that your friend is nearby, but not anywhere that you could find her in time. If, that is, you were to suddenly disappear. I know you can teleport. If you do so, your friend will certainly be dead before you reach her." "Now, relax and this will be over soon." With that, you suddenly feel a mental presence boring into your mind. Not a gentle one, like Ashiya's, but something cold and hard and calculating, prying into your thoughts and probing into your memories. You call your mental shield up, and are slightly gratified to sense surprise on his part. But he exerts some pressure, and you know it won't take him long to break down your defenses. <><><><><> Kim: Kim doesn't have many choices. Kidnapped, tied to a chair, with Ashiya being held hostage, there isn't much hope of escape. She'll reach out with her telepathy and see who she can find - Ashiya, her interrogator, or someone unshielded that can be asked to call for help. <><><><><> [GM] You can sense only your mysterious interrogator within the range of your telepathy (not that you have a clear idea what your range is yet), and attempting to read his mind is unsuccessful- occasionally you get a glimmer of thought, but it seems to be "white noise"- incoherent patterns that reveal no meaning. And for the most part he simply shunts your clumsy probes aside. **Fascinating how similar our abilities are, girl. But you are far too inexperienced to be a match for me. Truly a pity.** His telepathic intrusion is not in any way painful, but it's like having someone run their hands all over you, and rummaging through your dresser and closet and reading your diary as well, all at once, and you sitting there helpless to do anything about it. All your life you've fought successfully against being made a victim, and now you're utterly defenseless. You've never been so furious. You aren't sure how long his probing lasts, but you're sure he ferreted out every last detail he might be interested in from your mind. Then you feel his oppressive mental presence push down on your consciousness, and you sleep. ....... You wake up lying on your back on a bare mattress. You're still dressed in what you were wearing before, and you're no longer bound. You're in what looks like a spartan bedroom, a small white-walled room with a window revealing sunlight coming through onto your sheetless bed, and a single wooden dresser. Standing next to the bed, with his arms folded, is your mysterious "ninja", still completely concealed in his black body suit. "Come with me, Kim," he says. As he walks to the door, you get up and follow- WITHOUT THINKING! You obeyed him even before you thought about whether you wanted to or not.... He gestures for you to precede him out the door. <><><><><> Kim: Kim guesses she can't do anything to him unless she can regain control of her own mind, and undo whatever he did to her during his telepathic rape. She tries hard to shut him out, to resist his commands, to avoid going through the door. <><><><><> [GM] You hesitate, willing yourself not to follow. He speaks again; "Keep going. Walk ahead of me." His voice seems to be a catalyst, and you can't help but obey. "Crude but effective," he says, walking behind you. "I will have time to establish more sophisticated conditioning in you shortly, but for now, just be aware that you are incapable of disobeying me or attacking me, and you cannot teleport without my permission." "I think perhaps you underestimate your alien friend," he continues in a casual, conversational tone. You are now walking down a hallway, and as he keeps talking, you pass several doors, go through one at the end of the hall, which leads to stairs heading down. You go down three flights of stairs, and can see that you're inside a rundown house of some sort, with very little furniture. You finally reach the basement. [while you're making this trek:] "For someone from such a pacifistic, compliant civilization, I am amazed at her strength of will. With whatever is generating that mental-suppression aura around her, I cannot penetrate her mind shields and get the information I desire telepathically, so I was forced to resort to....cruder methods. And as much as it pains me to admit it, I failed. I exhausted every means of physical and mental interrogation at my disposal, albeit some of the more sophisticated tools which I prefer are not available, and I did stop short of inflicting permanent damage. She is much too beautiful to leave scarred." The casual manner in which he discusses this is chilling. He could be talking about a pleasant day out on the golf course. "It has been a very long time since I was unable to break someone, and no WOMAN has *ever* successfully resisted my methods." His lack of respect for women is clear in his tone when he uses that word. "But your friend endured more than I would have thought possible, and I'm afraid pure stubborn pride drove me to continue past the point where it was obvious that another tack was needed. I even let Yuri and Piotr amuse themselves with her for a while, though I knew by then that she can effectively detach her mind from her body when she wishes to. While *I* was usually able to bring her back, I suspect she wasn't 'enjoying' their attentions as much as they'd have liked." About halfway across the dusty, moldering laundry room on the bottom floor, you feel the outer edge of the cold, "null field" you sensed earlier. He directs you to continue, and you're engulfed in that sensation you had back on the street and in the car, the one which made your mental abilities all but useless. "Unpleasant, isn't it?" He opens the door to the basement, and you walk ahead of him down a narrow series of steps, to a thick wooden door at the bottom. "Of course, had she told me how to shut off that damned suppression effect, I could have simply probed her as I did you. But sometimes it's nice to get 'back to basics'. Keep the old skills honed." <><><><><> Kim: Kim realises that resistance is useless [(c) Douglas Adams ] for the moment. However, that doesn't mean she'll let him dominate her. "Yes - torture and mind control would be the only way you could ever get a woman." <><><><><> [GM] The masked man laughs softly at your acidic comment. "Ah, the intemperance of youth. You will learn to mind your tongue." The room in the basement is brick-lined, and illuminated only by a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. There are two men standing in the center of the room, both of them tall and blond, with crew cuts and very muscular builds, wearing black, unmarked military-style jumpsuits. What immediately captures your attention, though, is Ashiya. She's hanging from the far wall by a pair of handcuffs, which are hooked around a metal loop set in the wall near the ceiling. Her hands are manacled above her head, and her feet barely touch the ground. She's naked- her clothes are lying in a neatly folded pile on a table in the corner. Her arms, breasts, stomach, thighs and legs are covered with welts and long, shallow cuts. You can't see her face, as her head is hanging down, and her long black hair, now matted and plastered to her scalp in places, conceals it, but you can see blood dripping to the floor. With another wave of horror, you see blood oozing from the ends of her fingers and toes...and some toenails and fingernails seem to have been pulled out! There are also several large clumps of hair lying on the ground next to her, as if forcibly ripped out. You can see what appears to be small burns on various sensitive places on her body as well. Her wrists are bloody and raw where the metal of the handcuffs has dug cruelly into her flesh. For a moment, you're afraid she's dead, but then you see her breasts rise and fall, slightly. She seems to be taking small, shuddering breaths. Besides the table in the corner, there is another one a few feet from Ashiya, next to a metal-framed bed with a dirty, stained mattress. From the blood on the mattress, and gleaming, new-looking scratches around the four metal posts, you'd guess Ashiya spent some time chained to the bed. On the table are a variety of implements that turn your stomach- small blades, long metal pins, matches, a cigarette lighter, a length of coiled electrical cord, pliers, what looks like some dental equipment, several metal coils, and a nasty-looking electrical appliance that seems to be a modified cattle prod. Also several bottles of liquid, one of which is rubbing alcohol, another is vodka, the rest are in brown and dark blue vials. There are other metal and glass items on the table that you can't identify and don't want to. Many of them are bloody. Several white towels, similarly bloodstained, are heaped under the table. The two rough-looking men were examining Ashiya with leering amusement when you and your captor came in. Now they study you, with hard emotionless eyes and a frank appraisal that's worse than any dirty looks you've gotten on the street in Oakland. <><><><><> Kim: Kim looks at Ashiya, sickened. Poor, innocent, peaceful Ashiya, who became distraught at even the thought of people being hostile to her. What had she gone through? She might still be alive, but what hope was there that she'd still be sane? Kim will see if her telepathy can reach her, though she knows it's almost certainly blocked. Aloud, she says: "You are sick - evil and sick. I hope one day someone does to you what you've done to her." Inwardly, she takes stock. It's a meagre stocktaking - mind-control to prevent her struggling or teleporting away, a damper to block her telepathy... she'll have to wait for some opportunity. Even torturers can make mistakes - she hopes. Perhaps his control over her will weaken if he's not in the same room. [Her captor sounded European - if he speaks in French or German, she'll use her limited knowledge of the languages to pick up something of what he says] <><><><><> [GM] Your thought apparently reaches Ashiya, even through the "static", because she raises her head to look at you. Her right eye is swollen almost shut, her lovely, full lips are now split and bloody, and her nose still has blood bubbling from it. "Kim," she whispers. "I am so sorry, forgive me for bringing you to this..." Your captor walks over to her. Your fists clench as you see how Ashiya trembles at his approach, and how he casually runs a hand along her body. "Don't worry, Miss Brenner, I am most professional in inflicting injuries, everything but the fingernails will be healed in a week or two. Such a beauty," he murmurs to Ashiya, "you will be a delight to bend to my will." "Now." His voice becomes cold. "You are to be congratulated, Ashiya from the 'Shabaali Union'- very few people have resisted such interrogation before. Your willpower is truly impressive. But I have no more time to waste, at least for now. When I take you...somewhere else, I will have even more delightful methods to see how well you resist them." Ashiya shudders. "But I want to know right now what is causing this mental suppression aura, and how to turn it off." He nods towards you and says, "You have proven you can endure whatever I inflict upon you. Can she? If you remain silent now, you will get to watch while I find out. Would you like your dear friend Kim Brenner to experience what you just did?" <><><><><> Kim: Kim sends a thought to Ashiya **That suppression field is perhaps our only hope. That bastard has already tampered with my mind so that I have to obey him - who knows what he could do with a free hand?** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya moans, and shakes her head. You can't tell if it's to what you "sent" or what her interrogator said. "Come here, Kim," the man says, and once more you obey with infuriating meekness. He produces a large knife, and lays the tip gently against Ashiya's collarbone. As he speaks, he moves it slowly down her right breast, leaving a thin, bloody line along her brown skin. Adding it to many others. "Ashiya, if you do not begin cooperating, I will order Miss Brenner to remove her clothes." He speaks in a gentle voice that sounds mild and almost fatherly. "Then she will exchange places with you on the wall. And I will have Piotr and Yuri hold you up so you can watch." The point of his blade presses against her nipple, causing a tiny bead of blood to well up. You're fascinated and sickened by this man, as you realize you are in the presence of someone who truly enjoys torturing people. He's inflicting additional injury on the helpless alien simply because it gives him pleasure, not because it will compel obedience more effectively. He glances at you, and you wonder if he "heard" that thought. Then he confirms it; "Oh yes, you are correct, Miss Brenner. A terrible vice, I know, but one learns to live with it. And while your body is not nearly as pleasing as this voluptuous extraterrestrial, I'm sure I could find some satisfaction in practicing my art upon you." Ashiya gasps, whimpers "No," and you realize he's speaking for her benefit more than yours. He probably knows, after plumbing the depths of your mind, that you aren't easily scared...although you have severe doubts as to whether you really could hold up as well as Ashiya did. "Then again...", you notice he's pressing the point ever-so-slightly deeper into Ashiya's breast to punctuate each comment, "I am thinking you will make an excellent right-hand operative for me, and putting bloody marks on you means waiting until they heal. Perhaps I will simply let Piotr and Yuri demonstrate their somewhat cruder methods on the young lady, what do you think of this, Ashiya?" He withdraws the knife, and wipes it against Ashiya's hair. Your gorge is rising, but you grimly remain calm. "No," she whispers. "Do not hurt Kim. I...yield. I am yours, if you only spare her...this." She seems unable to take more than a quarter breath, and each one is an effort. "The psi...neuter...nuteral...neutral...ization field...is generated...by a small remote probe that I ordered...to....generate the field around myself, and follow me... before I became unconscious." Blood bubbles out of her mouth around her words. "It is probably....outside this building....hovering." "I saw no flying object on the way here!" the torturer says sharply. As he brandishes the knife again, Ashiya adds hastily "It is invisible....no, I am telling the truth!" as he presses the point against her navel. <><><><><> Kim: Inwardly, Kim feels even more depressed. She knew she couldn't stand up to torture as well as Ashiya, but she'd have undergone it to help her. But now, keeping the probe hidden is useless. If they don't believe Ashiya, they'll just torture her further, maybe even kill her, then finally realise she was telling the truth and hunt it down. "She's telling the truth, dumbo - at least, she does have an invisible flying probe. Looks like you got ripped off with a cheap Taiwanese copy when you bought your lie detector. Appropriate for someone who's a cheap copy of something Japanese." <><><><><> [GM] The black-garbed man pauses and cocks his head for a moment, and you feel some tiny measure of satisfaction at realizing that you did succeed in irritating him that time. "It occurs to me also," he says in a somewhat less fatherly tone, "that you would be no less useful with perhaps one or two fingers missing. For that matter, it remains to be seen whether I really require you to have a tongue. Do not speak again unless you are spoken to." Turning back to Ashiya, he asks, "How do you turn the suppression field OFF?" "My...computer...was in my pocket," she says dejectedly. Your captor goes to where her clothes are piled, and you see that he had already removed all devices from her pockets and stacked them next to the clothes- her small cigarette lighter-sized computer, the bell-shaped telepathic weapon she used earlier, a couple of other small items. Also the white medical box, which seems now to have retracted all its appendages, and her "laptop" computer. Somehow, he retrieves the right object, the thing you saw Ashiya remove from her phony laptop earlier. Bringing it back to the manacled alien, he holds it up. "How do you order it? In your language?" Ashiya nods mutely. He turns to the two men behind you, and speaks to them in a foreign language. It definitely isn't French or German. It sounds Slavic, probably Russian. They unclip small black submachine guns from their belts and switch the safeties off with a click. "I have told them to shoot you and your friend if I do not tell them not to in ten seconds," he says. "So any other thing you might think of having this 'probe' do had best eliminate myself AND Yuri and Piotr, immediately, or you and Miss Brenner will die. Remember also I can still sense some of your thoughts even with the aura and through your mind shield. Now, I wish you to order it to turn off the mental suppression field. Do it now." Ashiya hesitates, then mumbles "Shiyarul liruhash yahu...nimiwashua ashu-ash- hesh-yisha.....lom Ashiya." Instantly, you feel the mind-deadening sensation that engulfed you disappear. "Ah." Your captor looks around. "Much better." He speaks to his two minions again, and they lower their weapons. Suddenly he jerks backwards convulsively, and you see Ashiya's eyes clenched shut in concentration and renewed sweat pouring from her forehead. You dimly sense mental energy passing back and forth between her and the telepathic torturer, and then you can actually "overhear" her thoughts; **I am a tenth-degree adept of the Shabaali Function in twelve different disciplines, and you, for all your ruthlessness and raw power, are mentally a mere child!** Just as you feel hope rise, Ashiya's opponent stands up straighter, and Ashiya's mouth opens in an anguished cry. She seems to wilt under his stare, even though she can't really shift position, hanging as she is, helplessly from her manacles. Her back arches as some new agony tears through her body. "But you are mistaken, woman," he says out loud in English. "You are indeed formidable....if you were not already severely weakened, you would be a worthy opponent, I think. But you would still lose, because while you may have been using these abilities since birth....*I* have been using them since long before *you* were born!" Ashiya's entire body shudders, and he continues; "Now this is just a taste of a telepathic technique I perfected long ago, one I suspect is probably not taught by your Shabaali society." Ashiya's head snaps backwards and hits the wall as her arms and legs convulse in agony, and her scream fills the room and tears at your heart, as she cries out in indescribable pain. Wailing for what seems like forever, but is only a few seconds, she subsides into quivering sobs. "No one, but no one, has ever resisted that," says the other telepath, with tangible smugness. "Now, I will take everything I wish to know from you, and I will administer repeated doses of pure pain stimulation until you stop resisting me." He places his hand on Ashiya's damp forehead, and for what seems like a very long time, there is no sound except Ashiya occasionally twitching in place and moaning. He holds up the little computer at one point, then goes to fetch the laptop, brings it back and sets it on the ground. Holographic images spring forth, and he closes his fingers around Ashiya's brow again, possibly compelling her to give him their meaning. "Fascinating, fascinating and incredible," he says finally. "Such an advanced people, and so very foolish. Yet you obviously represent a great threat to the Earth. Something will have to be done about this. But in the meantime, this child sounds as if he has much potential. You wished to teach him how to be a good Shabaali telepath. I think *I* can teach him much better." "No!" Ashiya gasps, but he ignores her as he holds up her palm-sized computer again. "Restore the suppression field," he commands her. "I think that will be convenient, to prevent what little trouble either you or Miss Brenner might think of causing while I am gone." Ashiya breathes heavily, then murmurs in her language again. ""Shiyarul lihurush amuyal...nimiwashua meshel-hesh-asha.....lom Ashiya." And once more, that psychic "coldness" drops around you like a wet blanket. Your captor speaks to his lackeys again, and they move to Ashiya and lift her off the hook, while he turns you around and commands you over to a corner of the room. You hear Ashiya sigh in slight relief as her weight finally comes off her wrists, then whimper as she's tossed onto the mattress. While your vile enemy stuffs a gag in your mouth, ties it tightly, then blindfolds you, before binding your wrists and ankles together behind your back with what feels like thin metal wire, in an ingeneous manner that will probably cause it to dig into your skin if you struggle, you hear handcuffs being snapped around the bedframe. "It is most unlikely you could cause any difficulty if I simply ordered you to sit still until I return," he says while he's securing you. "But since your conditioning is not yet completely reliable, this will add an extra level of security." "When I return, I will have the young 'Shabaali' your satellite was kind enough to locate for me. Then we will be able to leave this dingy and inhospitable abode for someplace where I can remake Miss Brenner to my liking, and begin working on you as well. I have never conducted psychic surgery on another telepath before, particularly one so well trained. You will be quite an engaging challenge. And I will have time to study more of your civilization, and the technology you have brought here." "I would say this trip to Chicago has been *extremely* profitable!" He speaks to his henchmen in their language for several minutes, then you hear the door open and close, and footsteps dimly retreating up the stairs beyond. The other two men are still in the room, as you can hear them moving, then the scuff of a chair being dragged against the floor as one sits down. But the other....you hear deep, malevolent laughter, comments which you can tell are crude and malicious passing between them, then the sound of unbuckling, unzipping, Ashiya whimpering, and other sounds you wish you could shut out of your head. Taking stock again, you're very thoroughly bound, you can't teleport, and you couldn't speak even if you weren't gagged. His precautions seem to be excessive to the point of overkill, but knowing him, he probably just enjoyed putting you in discomfort. <><><><><> Kim: At least his cold demeanour can be cracked, thinks Kim forlornly. One tiny victory lost amidst a sea of defeat. If only she could get to the pile of clothes she saw before she was blindfolded, and get Ashiya's gun. That would handle the guards - and with the chief torturer away hunting for Chad, perhaps they could escape. Kim throws all her effort into a minimum distance teleport. Just enough to get free of the restraints holding her, and to cause her clothes - and, more importantly, her blindfold! - to fall off. If it succeeds, she will dive for the gun, and shoot the closest guard with it, following up with the other one (if there is no trigger, she will try to fire it telepathically, then resort to hitting them). <><><><><> [GM] You concentrate on teleporting- and feel an instant aversion to doing so. Like trying to take a step and suddenly being overcome with a desire to stand in place. Increasingly angry at the control that evil SOB established over you, you try again, and again. Sometimes you feel you've almost overcome the aversion, but you're brought up short by the suppression field around you. And each time you try, it becomes increasingly difficult. You realize you're exerting yourself tremendously, even though you haven't moved, but you're not fatigued yet. And even though your breath is coming in short gasps now, and hindered by the gag, you don't feel too out of breath. But there is a limit, and you're going to reach it eventually. You have the maddening feeling that without the suppression field, you might be able to overcome your "programming", and without that mental compulsion, you could overcome the suppression field...but the two factors working together against your attempts are too much of an obstacle. [GM sits at desk rolling dice..."no....nope...no....uh uh, not even close...." ] While you consider whether you have any better options than to continue this effort until you either "break through" or pass out from exhaustion, something nags at your mind. While you listen to the two men sitting down and shuffling cards, apparently finished with Ashiya, who is crying softly, you finally (GM makes an IQ roll for Kim ) realize what it is; when Ashiya ordered the probe to turn the suppression field off, then on again, for her interrogator, she spoke, verbally, into her computer/communicator. But you've never seen her give verbal orders to her equipment before...aside from perhaps a word or two, and once or twice actually typing something on her keyboard. But she usually seemed to be interfacing with her computer telepathically. Perhaps she had to speak out loud the first time because her telepathy wouldn't work in the suppression field, but you already know the field doesn't totally shut off psionic powers, just dampens them and makes them MUCH more difficult to use. <><><><><> Kim: Kim will rest a moment to get her breath back, then try to contact the computer. If there is any sort of access control, she will repeat what she can recall of Ashiya's commands, though the only bit she could identify was `Ashiya'. She will try to make it turn off the suppression field. If that succeeds, she will repeat her attempt to teleport a short distance (just enough to get free) and go for Ashiya's stun gun. <><><><><> [GM] Your telepathic sending, still inhibited by the null field, starts to give you a headache, and you can't "lock on" to anything in range, except perhaps Ashiya, and the two men who just finished raping her. It immediately occurs to you that your captor probably would not have been so foolish as to leave the computer here, when Ashiya is apparently not gagged, and could simply call out orders to it. **Kim....** Ashiya's mind-voice comes through, faintly, through the static. Her "voice" is strained, and you can sense pain and desperation behind it, but on the surface, she seems amazingly calm. **you are t**ing to s*nd to m*? Are yo*...inju**d? I am s* so**y for wh** I have **ought you in**** forgi** me....** Her sending starts to fade. <><><><><> Kim: Kim tries to force her thoughts through. **Ashiya. Can you turn the suppression field off?** She'll repeat the message, until Ashiya receives it. <><><><><> [GM] After several tries, you finally get a weak response back; ***** probe c** ....dire**ly comma**ed telepa**ic***y but ***s out of m* range...wh** go*d will i* do any**y?** You sense an overtone of despair in her words. <><><><><> Kim: **Can we combine to reach it? If it was turned off, I might be able to teleport free and get your stun gun** Again, Kim will repeat the message until it gets through to Ashiya (and then probably rest to catch her breath again!). If Ashiya thinks it is possible, Kim will let her enter her mind to get the power boost needed to reach the probe. If it is turned off, she will again try the short range teleport to get free of her restraints. <><><><><> [GM] It takes a painfully long time before Ashiya responds. **I...I...can*** gesta** with you I c***ot** At first you think she's saying she doesn't have the power, then you think about how much intimacy you experience in a gestalt. **Perh**s a...one-w** gest**t...if yo* wi** agre*? I wou** ha** to ent** your mi** and...take co**ol...supp**ss your co*scio**ness and d*aw on *our Funct**n to pow** my own...oh Nis**yarul Ayis**a how *elf-center** I am! For**ve me *im, to spar* m**elf *ain and ther**y d*man* you surr**der your v**y min* to *e! But I...you *o not wi** to ***talt wit* me, I am **rt and viol***d and...riy**hel **ula...I wi** do as *** wish*** She's starting to mentally babble, and you know from your own fatigue levels that Ashiya, who's been subjected to worse than you, is probably nearing her limits. Also having been exposed to more horror than she could ever have imagined, you fear for her sanity. You think you understand her dread at opening her mind to you, though from what you know of her, having been in there before, linking with another Shabaali, a supportive, nurturing Shabaali, is probably what she needs to restore her sanity and begin healing. You, however, while you care about her, she still probably sees you as being somewhat less than loving and nurturing. A dear friend, but something like a tamed wild animal that might still turn and bite, and having you in her mind right now would be a supreme act of trust on her part- even for a woman who, until today, probably trusted almost everyone, with the slightest justification. On the other hand, having her take over your mind completely and use it as an instrument for her own power calls for a lot of trust on YOUR part. It sounds an awful lot like what that other telepath just did to you, and you aren't eager to experience it again, even if it is Ashiya. The SOB raped both of you, you realize bitterly, and one of you will have to submit to a similar experience to get out of this. <><><><><> Kim: Inwardly, Kim shudders. How can she let someone wander through her mind again? She's had a lifetime of being in control of herself, which has been ruthlessly stripped away by Euroninja. Can she be sure which thoughts are her own, and which have been implanted? What if... She shakes herself. To pursue that line would just lead to madness and paranoia. She's bonded telepathically with Ashiya twice already, once in a full gestalt. There are no secrets left in her head, at least none that she knows herself, and Ashiya was someone to be trusted. Besides, she is a friend, and in need, and in even greater trouble than herself. And it's their only chance of escape. **Ashiya. I will open my mind. Take whatever power you need.** It still takes an effort of will to drop her shields, but she manages it. <><><><><> [GM] **We can on** hope //I **ve no ho**!// our com**ned pow** is eno*** to rea** it I cann** be sure //of any**in*// I wil* try //don* noth*** but br**g pai* to my**** an* oth**s// Y**a*ish A**sha mari**ula...** Ashiya almost passes out from the strain, but at least, IF your plan works, she can do that once the field is shut off, and the burden is on you to use the last reserves of your strength..... Ashiya's mind-touch is hesitant at first, tentative, and none too steady, unlike her usual self. **I am so**y** she "whispers". She slides gently, very gently, into your consciousness, and you both wince as she's forced to assume a more dominant presence in order to force her way through the psychic static around you. Ashiya tries to shield you from her own thoughts, but you can tell this effort is costing her dearly, on more than one level. **I wi** not hu** you** she says, as you feel your control of your thoughts and mental activity being peeled away. **I love you** Then you're only vaguely aware of Ashiya's presence, or anything else, almost like the time you passed out while you were donating blood for the first (and last) time...you had your eyes closed, and could feel the blood being drawn from your vein as consciousness slipped away- you woke up to hear one of the attending doctors chewing out an inexperienced orderly for letting someone so underweight give blood. And suddenly it's gone, just like that. The null field disappears. The two men at the table go on talking, apparently completely unaware that anything has changed. You still feel the mental inhibition against teleporting. You summon all your rage at being enslaved, and your horror at what they did to Ashiya, and will yourself to do it, just blink a few feet to the left, that's all.... Light floods your eyes, and you gulp in fresh air not filtered through a gag. Your wrists and ankles are sore, and you're stark naked once again. You also feel very, very sick. It takes a supreme effort of will not to vomit, and as it is, you involuntarily curl into a ball, clutching your stomach, trying to regain enough equilibrium to move. You hear one of the men say "Shto?", following a deadly pause, and realize he must have just noticed you. You're dizzy, nauseous, and have a brain-frying headache. Worse than any flu you've ever had, and you're about to try taking on two armed muscle-men, naked. Well, you're better off than you were five seconds ago.... <><><><><> Kim: **You can chuck later. Move!** Kim wills herself on. It's worse than the hangover on her birthday, from the cheap whiskey her friend had brought. **No time. Must hurry**. She straightens up and focuses on Ashiya's stun gun, then makes a jump for it. Through the pain, she rolls, focuses on the nearest torturer, and fires (or, if the gun lacks a trigger, wills it to fire using her telepathy). If the gun doesn't work, she'll kick him instead. Whichever way works, she'll do the same to the other one. **One last effort. Fight until you drop. Or there'll be nothing left of you worth fighting for** <><><><><> [GM] One of the men is coming after you, the other one drawing a pistol from his belt, but you move fast, it costs you, you're going to puke any second now, but you rummage through Ashiya's belongings in a frantic hurry, grab the silvery metal object and spin around. There's no trigger, 225 pounds of muscular blond Russian thug is descending on you, and you will all your anger and panic and (fear?) into it, hoping it does something- you feel it "tingle" mentally, and the man staggers and lurches straight at you. You make a prodigious leap and almost smile at the crack his head makes as he hits the wall behind you. Landing lightly on your feet, standing above the now-senseless man (and not sure if you're hoping he's dead or not), you find his buddy is standing eight feet away, with a heavy pistol pointed directly at your face. "Drop this" he snaps. "Drop this or I die you, nishtivak girl!" His eyes are cold and hard, and you can feel his rage, mixed with just a tinge of uncertainty. His voice is heavily accented, like a Commie bad guy straight out of "Red Dawn" or "Russkies", but it's also a little slurred- you can see a three-quarters empty bottle of vodka on the table behind him. Perhaps his semi-intoxicated state is why you're picking up his thoughts so clearly. The surface thoughts are unintelligible, being in his native language, but the imagery accompanying it....pure hatred, for a naked skinny girl who dared to break free and drop his friend when you should be cowering and helpless like the other one, he's picturing your naked body being forced to a kneeling position, doing what he forced Ashiya to do- White hot rage, and he drops straight down as if someone chopped his legs out from under him. You feel your own head ready to burst apart, and the weapon in your hand is conveying the illusion of heat- somehow you know it's an illusion, but it seems to be vibrating with the energy of the inchoate raw emotions you just pumped through it. Ashiya cried out and shuddered in her bed, her manacled wrists and ankles convulsing against the frame where they're shackled. You realize she must have picked up some of that "blast" that you hit the armed thug with. Then you can only fall to your knees and gulp in air, forcing yourself not to throw up, because you can control your circumstances and you're going to control your body too. It takes a while, but you recover faster than you thought you would. You still feel like you ate half your body weight in High School Cafeteria Surprise, but you're functional (pardon the pun ) again. The dizziness passes, and the black splotches fade from your vision. It starts to come back when you open your mouth to speak to Ashiya- an infuriating reminder that the "Euroninja's" compulsions are still controlling your actions, and he never rescinded his order forbidding you to speak. <><><><><> Kim: Kim is thankful not to be sick. Chalk up a minor victory for her mind over her body. She scowls in frustration at being unable to talk, and has to use her telepathy instead. **Ashiya - how are you feeling? Can you move? I didn't mean to catch you in the blast: it looks like I don't know my own anger** She examines Ashiya: is she conscious? breathing? alive? Kim unfastens the manacles (getting the keys off the bodies of the guards if necessary). Wearied, she rescues her clothes from the chair she was tied to, and gets dressed. She'll tie up the two unconscious men: manacle one to the bed and tie one to the chair. With the one on the bed, she takes the bottle of vodka and pours it over his groin - a small revenge for what he did to Ashiya, but a painful enough one when he eventually wakes up. She'll try to plug the barrel of the pistol with something - the gun's no use to her, she'd never be able to convince herself to kill someone, but she wouldn't shed any tears if one of those torturers blew his hand off next time he pulled the trigger. Finally, she searches the room - did "Euroninja" leave anything useful or interesting behind? - and tries the door. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya is alive and conscious. She is still bloody and battered, and the brutal treatment she was most recently subjected to is all too evident. She doesn't respond at first, but chokes back tears and then cries out in relief when you unshackle her from the bed. You grit your teeth at the sight of the raw flesh of her wrists, and some scraps of skin stick to the metal cuffs when she takes her hands out of them. She curls up into a half-sitting position, and just holds herself. True to the torturer's words, though, all the damage seems to be painful but superficial. You leave her be for a moment, while you attend to the more urgent business of making sure the blond bullies are immobilized. The one who plowed headfirst into a wall is bleeding profusely from the forehead, and you have a nasty feeling he may need medical attention. The only other thing you find in the room, besides Ashiya's things (including the white medical device), all the torture implements, the table on which were the guards' vodka glasses and a deck of cards, and their pistols, is a pair of sleek black automatic weapons next to the table, along with cleaning kits and several clips of ammo. The door is unlocked. You see only the stairs, leading up, beyond. Glancing back at Ashiya, you see she's still sitting naked on the edge of the bed, cringing as far away from the man you chained there as possible, doubled over and taking deep, shuddering breaths. <><><><><> Kim: Kim bandages the bleeding man's head with whatever she can find (the guard's dirty handkerchief would be favourite - stop the bleeding, but give him blood poisoning). She puts a consoling arm around Ashiya. **We have to get out of here. Before that mind-controller returns** Kim will improvise obstructions for the guns by inserting wadded-up playing cards into the barrels and ramming them home with a suitable bit of the cleaning kit, until the cards can just barely be seen by someone giving the barrel a good look. The first person to try firing one of the guns will regret it, as well as not being able to fire a gun with that hand for a long time... If Ashiya still isn't moving, Kim will gently urge her on again (**Come on. We must get out of here**), and help her get dressed. She'll collect together what's left of their stuff (giving Ashiya the stun gun if she's snapped out of shock yet - if the mind-controller does catch them, Ashiya has probably got a better chance of being able to fire). **I hope those two are all there is** she thinks, as she begins to quietly climb the stairs. Assuming there's a door or something at the top, she'll listen for a moment before opening it and going through. <><><><><> [GM] You jam the cards thoroughly down the barrels of the guns, then urge Ashiya to come with you. It takes a few tries before she responds, but she follows you, meek and unquestioning. She obviously is in VERY bad mental shape, worse than before you gestalted with her the first time. She's not likely to be able to use her telepathic gun very effectively; you can only hope she'll come out of her shock enough to do ANYTHING. [I assume you're going to have her get dressed?] Once clothed, she's still going to present a very unpleasant picture. Blood is still seeping from many of her wounds, one side of her face is badly swollen, her hair is a matted wreck, and it also occurs to you that wearing whatever bulletproof fabric her clothes are made of, particularly without a bra [it got sliced up by the medical machine, remember?], is going to turn what would normally be an unpleasant chafing into something truly agonizing after a short time. She smells of dried blood and sweat and worse things. Even under these horrendous conditions, her almost inhuman beauty is still apparent, but that only makes her pathetic condition even more heartwrenching. No noise can be heard from the stairs, and when you climb them to the laundry room above, you can detect no motion at all throughout the entire house. <><><><><> Kim: Kim checks the laundry room for something that Ashiya could wear; failing that, she examines her own sweatshirt. It's a bit baggy (almost anything is a bit baggy on Kim!), perhaps Ashiya could squeeze into it. It would certainly be more comfortable than her own blouse [If this is possible, Kim and Ashiya will swap] **Come on, Ashiya** she sends, **We're getting out of here** She gently leads the alien woman up the stairs to the laundry room, keeping a comforting arm around her at all times, and supporting her weight if she starts to stagger. Once in the house itself, they will head for the door; Kim will stuff the gun in the waistband of her jog pants and conceal it with the bottom of her sweatshirt (or Ashiya's blouse if they swapped) when they reach the door. Cautiously, she opens it and looks outside - if there's no-one around, they'll leave. Kim will do her best to remember where they are (house number, street name, etc). [OOC: Did they leave any of Kim's or Ashiya's money, credit cards, etc?] As they make their unsteady way from the House of Horror, Kim is torn by indecision. The police should be told... but what could they do? They would be helpless against that monster. Also, involving the police would lead to even more problems for herself and Ashiya: the matter of Ashiya's forged driver's license (and undoubtedly she also has forged credit cards and counterfeit money); Ashiya's present mental condition, where the last thing she needs is to be separated from the only other friendly telepath; Kim's own running away from home. And what had happened to Nancy? Contacting the police would eventually lead to her, if she was still free. Euroninja hadn't mentioned her, perhaps he'd ignored her. She swears: she doesn't know Nancy's telephone number. Assuming they can't find the hire-car, travel is going to be particularly difficult. Once they're safely out of the immediate area, Kim will find somewhere for them to sit down for a while. Then she comes to a decision, and dials 911 at the nearest call-box. "There's trouble at - there's some sort of superhuman on the loose. We've just been tortured by him. Beware: he's got some sort of mind control powers." Then she'll ring off. And hope that (a) someone has the sense to pass the message on, and (b) there are people to pass the message on to. <><><><><> [GM] The laundry room looks like it hasn't been used in a couple of years. Aside from some unidentifiable rags, there are no clothes there. When you suggest switching tops, Ashiya complies without question. You can tell she takes comfort from your proximity, but she is being very withdrawn and uncommunicative, not her usual open self. A dangerous sign, you're sure. Physically, she seems strong enough- obviously exhausted, and in pain, but she's able to walk without help, though she keeps an arm around you for comfort, and leans against you, slightly, when it won't slow you down too much. Ashiya's bag was among her other things, but her wallet is gone. So are all of your personal items. Leaving the building, you find yourself in a quiet residential district that seems to be right on the edge of the large inner city area and the surrounding suburbs. Where you are exactly, you can't say, not being familiar with Chicago. You do notice a silver-grey van sitting in the driveway. You get to a pay phone at a 7-11, two blocks away, then run into that compulsion again, the one that prevents you from speaking. You consider what to do next. Ashiya, still looking like the recent victim of a violent attack, is already attracting the notice of people walking in and out of the convenience store. As you contemplate how to contact Nancy, Ashiya's head jerks up, and her eyes seem to focus for the first time. "Nancy! We have to find her! And...and...that man..." her voice chokes. "Kim, he went to locate Chad Reiter, I...he made me...my probes detected another Functional, and almost certainly a Shabaali, I...had to tell him..." you feel the horror in her mind, and know it wasn't a matter of "telling" him, but being telepathically raped, as you were. "We cannot let him reach the child first!" <><><><><> Kim: Kim hangs up the phone angrily. This is getting beyond a joke. That b****** really screwed with her mind. At least she doesn't have to worry about what to tell them! **Ashiya** she telepaths (is there a better verb? ) **I can't talk. We can't do anything about Chad now - we don't know where *we* are, let alone Chad or that man. And we couldn't help him at the moment anyway - you're not in any sort of state to take on that monster, and he can just order me to do what he wants** There is a definite tone of bitterness to that last remark. Kim continues in a more comforting tone of thought. **Sometimes its necessary to retreat and re-group in order to win. This is one of those times. We can't help Chad now; we may be able to do so later** Kim has revised her plan. With the state they're both in, they need help, no matter where from. She'll try to flag down a police car - with none of her forged personal effects, Ashiya isn't so likely to face legal problems - and use gestures to indicate that she can't talk, could she have something to write on? Once someone supplies her with a notebook, she'll write quickly: "CANNOT SPEAK. KIDNAPPED, ESCAPED. AZIJA HAS BEEN RAPED. BOTH BEEN TORTURED. NEED HELP." (the garbling of Ashiya's name is deliberate - close enough that she can claim to have mis-spelt it if Ashiya uses her own name, but different enough to give some anonymity). <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya protests: **We CANNOT let that...man, get his clutches on an impressionable child already psychically scarred! Think what he will do to Chad, how he will corrupt the boy!** She can't muster the resolve to argue very hard, though, and acquiesces as you bring her along, searching for a police car. The cop you flag down is, understandably, shocked at Ashiya's condition, and more shocked when he reads your note. He puts you both in the back seat of his patrol car, and radios ahead as he speeds to the hospital. [Any other information you give him en route? He asks you to write down everything you can, particularly about the person or people who did this, where it happened, who you are, etc.] Ashiya huddles against you. **What will they do, Kimberly? I do not wish to be subjected to your primitive medical technologies and flesh-cutting healers! And your authorities will ask me many questions that will be...difficult to answer! And what of Nancy, and Chad? They are both in danger!" She weeps in your arms. At the hospital, doctors want to check Ashiya for her injuries immediately. They're polite and sympathetic, of course, but from Ashiya's point of view, no doubt they seem cold and harsh. She pulls away from them, looking at you desperately. You realize that the examinations they'll want to perform, since she's a rape victim, would be more traumatic than Ashiya can probably stand. Of course, they can't and won't force her to undergo them, but Ashiya probably doesn't understand their intentions at all, it will all look very primitive and horrific to her. <><><><><> Kim: Kim writes down what she can. "HE WAS ONE OF THOSE SUPERS. CAN TAMPER WITH MINDS. SOME SORT OF COMPULSION = WHY I CAN'T TALK. HOUSE IN RESIDENTIAL AREA, GREY VAN OUTSIDE. MEN INSIDE HAVE AUTOMATIC WEAPONS." "ME = KIM." [Not "ME = TARZAN" ] In the car, Kim maintains telepathic contact with Ashiya. **We cannot STOP that monster getting his hands on Chad, at the moment. We cannot do anything to stop that b****** and rescue Chad until we find some way of blocking his mental powers. The most important thing right now is to get healed, both physically and mentally, before taking him on** Privately, Kim wonders how much the man will *need* to use his powers on Chad - unfortunately, the two seem to have similar personalities. At the hospital, Kim will keep an eye on what happens to their belongings, but will avoid making such a fuss as would draw attention to them. They'll naturally be a bit fussed about the gun; Kim will just shrug, and scribble a note. "IT'S A TOY. WE MANAGED TO BLUFF ONE OF THE GUARDS WITH IT. IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING" Kim hopes that the gun really cannot do anything if it is fired by a non-telepath who isn't feeling any strong emotions and isn't pointing it at a living being! **Don't worry about the hospital. They'll just examine us, and treat your wounds - nothing more than a bit of antiseptic and a dressing, most like** [I assume they can do that much without evidence of medical insurance?] **The examination may be unpleasant - but all they want to determine is what happened to you, how badly hurt you are, can they get evidence that you were raped, things like that. Don't be put off by their manner: they really are trying to help. Try to relax - I'm still here. If it really gets too much, ask them to stop. They will, but they won't be too happy about it. Can you remember Nancy's last name? That way I could get in touch with her** Kim remains in telepathic contact with Ashiya throughout the examination and treatment, soothing her and explaining as best as she can what they are doing at each point, trying to find a way to relieve the alien woman of some of her distress. Assuming they eventually give her a mild sedative (**It's nothing, Ashiya: just something to help you to sleep**), Kim will attempt to contact Nancy. If Ashiya knew Nancy's last name [OOC: or Kim has managed to remember it; I couldn't without looking it up, so I've assumed Kim can't] Kim will write a note for the police or doctors: "PLEASE CONTACT NANCY HARTWICK IN CRYSTAL LAKE, LET HER KNOW WE'RE HERE". Otherwise, it's time to test the range on her teleport. After carefully memorizing the name of the hospital and which ward Ashiya's in, she'll make an excuse to go to the toilet, where she shuts herself in a cubicle. Hanging her gown (or whatever she's been put in) on the door, she sits and concentrates on Nancy's kitchen and back garden, where she teleported before. Once she has the image firmly in her mind, she tries to teleport there: she's broken the compulsion once, hopefully it'll be weaker a second time. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya is *very* unhappy about the examination, but trusts you, so she cooperates. When they start applying antiseptic to her wounds, it naturally stings; she exclaims "I do not need disinfectants, my body is immune to infection!" Naturally, the doctors take this as a clear sign that Ashiya is in poor mental health, and needs sedating, which Ashiya also surrenders to, only because you ask her to. She does know Nancy's last name: Hartwick. The police call, but report that they got an answering machine. After that, they want you to write out everything that happened to you in more detail, and also want your full name, and "Ajiza's", while Ashiya drifts into fitful sleep. <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: Did they leave a message on Nancy's answering machine? If not, Kim will ask them to] Kim fills in more details on a piece of paper (she's going to run out of paper at this rate): "KIM BRENNER. NOT MUCH MORE TO TELL. HE ATTACKED US WHILE WE WERE WAITING IN AZIJA'S CAR. HE SOUNDED EUROPEAN, NOT FRENCH OR GERMAN - PERHAPS EASTERN EUROPE? HE AND HIS 2 FRIENDS TORTURED AZIJA; THEY WERE SAVING ME FOR LATER. THEN HE WENT OFF IN SEARCH OF A SUPER, LEAVING HIS FRIENDS TO RAPE AZIJA." If they ask for an explanation of why she wasn't also raped, Kim will give a grim smile and add: "NOT BEAUTIFUL = ADVANTAGE" Any further questions, and she'll feign tiredness - she might not actually feel sleepy, but she sure feels like a rest after everything she's been through! At times during the night, Kim will keep a gentle telepathic eye on Ashiya, to make sure she is still peacefully sleeping. Do Shabaali have nightmares, she wonders. <><><><><> [GM] The police did leave a message on Nancy's machine. You're sure the schoolteacher will have a stroke when she hears it. For that matter, you hope she got out all right. Shabaali do indeed have nightmares, and Ashiya's are vivid, a planet full of demented psychopaths, all wanting to hurt her, she reaches out to help them and gets slapped (NancyangryItrytobeniceandsilent shebecomesangrier whydoesshehateme?), then beaten, then men with evil and violence in their hearts abuse her body in unspeakable ways, and somehow take pleasure from it. Children suffer, everybody suffers. She is alone, and incompetent to handle this, but there is no one else. That man (evilcutmestabmeburnme) has to be stopped, and the only way to do it is (NO! Ican't! Notinmymindagain!) Scenes of her torture and repeated rapes (she was raped before you were brought down as well as after) play through her mind over and over again. 'Euroninja's' telepathic invasion, and his use of telepathy to stimulate her pain centers and ignite such agony that even the second-hand memory of it in Ashiya's mind sends a wave of sympathetic pain through your own body, hurt her as badly as did the physical violation by his two henchmen. She was whipped and burned and cut and poked and humiliated and degraded, and through sheer force of will alone, she's trying to hold herself together. She really doesn't understand any of what was done to her, it's as if true aliens selected her at random to perform incomprehensible experiments on her, out of an unbelievable sense of cruelty. And as shattered as she is, she's still determined to find her torturer and face him again. And somehow save Chad Reiter- as well as you and Nancy- from him. And she has to do it alone, and she has to do it without killing him. Only one way, and that way, though you can't see it clearly, sends a wave of horror through her, as if she's contemplating being raped again. <><><><><> Kim: Kim tries to ease Ashiya's inner turmoil, without waking her up. She'll try to lessen her telepathy to just send an impression of calmness, of peace. Euroninja was exactly the last person she needed to meet. A wave of anger washes through Kim at the thought of someone prepared to do such evil things to someone as innocent as Ashiya. It's like torturing and raping a child. She's worried, though. What's going to happen to Ashiya? She can't fight Euroninja in her present state, and she can't do it without help. Perhaps her probe can be set at a higher power level, to suppress *all* psi activity. Or perhaps, amongst the equipment she didn't bring with her, she has something that can boost mental defences. They're going to need some way of neutralising his mental powers, both short-term and long-term. Maybe they could use Ashiya's gun to knock him out; if so, she spoke of removing Functional powers, perhaps she can remove his mind-control. What will the police do? With all the publicity surrounding the appearance of Functionals, surely someone in authority has started to do something about it. Otherwise, if they just send someone to Euroninja's house, he'll mentally take them apart. A chilling thought strikes her: what if the police send someone who knows that they're in hospital? She shrugs: if that happens, she'll have to find a way of dealing with it. Euroninja went through her mind. He now knows where she lives, but has only a vague idea where Ashiya or Nancy live. Kim hopes he doesn't go after her parents. And, after discovering from Ashiya's nightmares that he'd raped Ashiya, Kim wonders if she herself escaped his attentions after all. She's assumed that she was unconscious the whole time from leaving the car - but with his powers, he could have told her to forget. Other things strike her. Why didn't he just smash his way into her mind as he approached the car? Why did he wait? What was his connection with the men in the van? [OOC: Was the grey van outside his house similar to the van the two men had been in?] <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya's agony diminishes somewhat with your mental presence. She takes comfort from your being near, though she would really prefer to be holding you. Unfortunately, hospital beds generally aren't built for two. Her need for physical and mental affection continues to exceed the ability of "cold" Earthlings to provide it- she copes the best she can. You settle for reaching over to hold her hand while she sleeps, which seems to give her some comfort. Her dreams change to images of her home, and friends and family she left behind, and how much she fears that she'll be marked, somehow twisted so she's no longer suitable to live among her people, when she returns. [The two vans did not seem to be exactly the same model.] <><><><><> Kim: Kim will continue to comfort Ashiya through the night. She hopes she gets the chance to hold another gestalt with her soon - Ashiya needs it. <><><><><> CHICAGO HOSPITAL [Kim Brenner and Ashiya barely escaped from an evil telepath and his minions, and not before Ashiya was subjected to unspeakable cruelties. In a Chicago hospital, Kim speculates as to how she will help the gentle alien rebuild her shattered psyche, when their friend Nancy Hartwick finally catches up to them.] ============================================================== === [GM] Kim dozes in and out, while trying to comfort Ashiya telepathically. She still seems blessed, or cursed, with her new inability, or lack of need, for extended sleep. When a nurse passes by on her rounds at about midnight, she says "Oh, you're awake! There's a couple here, umm, the Hartwicks, they're waiting to see you. The doctor wouldn't wake you up, but if your friend is sleeping, you can come out to the waiting room and talk to them. If you're feeling up to it." OF course, "talking" to them will be difficult, but at least you can use a notepad. Or telepathy, except you can only talk to one of them at a time that way, and don't want people looking at you too funny when you just sit there staring at each other for several minutes. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy looks up as Kim enters the room. Though it's obvious she's relieved to see the teenager, there's also a stern look on her face...something like one might expect from an angry teacher. She waits until the youngster sits, looks her over, and says "Well?" in an irritated and expectant voice. <><><><><> Kim: Kim gestures for something to write on, then follows the nurse, wearing whatever the hospital had supplied as nightwear. When she spots Nancy and Mike, she waves. Then writes on the paper: "I CAN'T SPEAK. LONG STORY." She sends a quick summary to Mike by telepathy: **I'm sending Nancy the full story. Ashiya and I were attacked by an unknown Functional; my mind's been turned over and tampered with, preventing me from talking; Ashiya was tortured and raped, before we were able to escape** Kim then pretends to burst into tears and need comforting by Nancy, before proceeding to give her the gist of the story: **Sorry, I'm not really breaking down, though it's been a horrific few hours: this is just to keep the hospital staff from getting curious. While we were waiting in the car, we were approached by a man dressed in black - he was nearly invisible. He knocked me out, and took us to his place. There, he placed some sort of mental compulsion on me, forcing me to obey his orders - including not to talk, and not to teleport. I can break it, but only with a great deal of effort, and only for a short time. He also went through my mind; like the gestalt with Ashiya, but forced, without consent** There is a moment's hesitation, a sense of revulsion, then: **He and his two companions tortured Ashiya to make her reveal her probe. They also raped her, while I was tied up and blindfolded in the same room. The one in charge then left to go after Chad. Between us, Ashiya and I were able to turn the probe off, and I managed to overcome the compulsion against teleporting long enough to get free from my bonds. I stunned them using Ashiya's gun, and tied them up. We got out, and contacted the police. The stranger sounded European, maybe Eastern European, and his assistants had Eastern European names; he knew of the two men in the van, but they may not be allies - I think he was the one inciting the crowd** There is another moment's pause. **I'm desperately worried about Ashiya. Not surprisingly, she's virtually been driven insane by the experience. When she was awake, she was oscillating between distress at what happened to her, and distress at what was going to happen to Chad. When she was sleeping, she was having nightmares. I don't know if Shabaali commit suicide, but Ashiya must be close to it if they do** **I haven't given the police my full name yet, and I've called Ashiya `Azija' - a small amount of misdirection, if someone comes looking. Can you try asking me a question? The Functional was interrogating us when he prevented me speaking - perhaps I can still reply to questions?** [OOC: I vaguely remembered that the exact order hadn't been "Do not speak", so I went back to have a look ] <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy instinctively pulls the young girl to her...and is a little miffed at first, thinking the tears are a ploy to gain sympathy instead of a cover for the telepathic conversation. As she "listens", though, her ire eases. She lets Kim finish and ponders the situation. *Well...the question that needs to be asked now is what should I tell your parents? Your father wants to talk to you...what am I supposed to tell him? I can only imagine how he'll react to the truth.* *The next thing we need to worry about is what to tell the authorities. I'll admit that I'm biased...one of the people I met in the alley after the police came was an Agent Mahon. He was a very nice man who seemed to be very sympathetic...he pulled some strings at the hospital I was at to get me treatment. He's from the US Government...and they're trying to recruit paranormals to deal with all of these 'antisocial' supers running around. I don't want to betray Ashiya's confidence, but I really think all of this is too much for us to handle on our own. What do you think?* The teenager senses MANY more questions on Nancy's mind, but she sticks to the important issues first. Nancy looks Kim in the eye and in a forceful voice, says, "Kim...say something to me. Tell me if you're all right. How are you feeling?" <><><><><> Kim: >I can only imagine how he'll react to the truth. **I've no idea, at the moment. And I'm worried about my parents in other ways - the b****** who went through my mind now knows their address** >too much for us to handle on our own. What do you think?* **I agree. If the government are doing something about this, we need to be in touch with them - and it would certainly help things with my parents! But I'd like to see Ashiya about it first: if she refuses, it would be awkward.** >"How are you feeling?" Kim tries to reply to Nancy: "I've felt better, but I'm mostly in one piece. It was Ashiya they concentrated on" - there's a sickened look on her face. <><><><><> Nancy: *I don't think you need to worry about your parents. Whoever did this to you seemed to be able to manipulate you despite your psychic powers. They probably resorted to torture on Ashiya because they couldn't simply force her to tell them what they wanted to know. And since he can make you do whatever he wants, he doesn't need leverage against you, like threatening your parents. Besides, he's probably too busy going after Chad to worry about you.* *Agreed. We need to ask Ashiya. She might have some kind of a code against interfering with our culture, but things have gone beyond the point of no return now. If we don't get some kind of help, I don't know if we'll be able to deal with this on our own. I only hope she's up to making this kind of decision.* If Kim is able to answer, Nancy replies, "It's all right, Kim...I'm sure whoever did this is going to answer for this, one way or another." <><><><><> [GM] When Nancy addresses her, Kim feels a momentary block as she tries to reply, then it loosens. The words still come out with difficulty, as if trying to force them through a filter. Mike listens to all this (what he can listen to, anyways), and says nothing, but he looks very deeply troubled. The night nurse approaches Nancy and Kim tentatively, and says to the teenager, "Um, you really should be going back to bed, we don't normally allow visitors this late." <><><><><> Kim: Kim nods to the nurse, then send to Nancy: **I'll try to ask Ashiya when she wakes up. I don't know what sort of state she'll be in, though. Looks like I'll have to go back to bed like a good little `tired' invalid** <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy looks up at the nurse and says, "I need to contact her parents...is there a phone in her room that I could use?" <><><><><> [GM] The nurse directs you to a pay phone in the hall. Someone picks up the phone on the second ring, and a female voice says "Hello?", sounding very anxious. <><><><><> Nancy: "Mrs. Brenner, this is Nancy Hartwick. Is your husband there?" <><><><><> [GM] Mrs. Brenner says, "Nancy Hartwick? Thank God! What's going on, is Kim all right? Why didn't SHE call?" <><><><><> Nancy: "Yes, Mrs. Brenner, this is Nancy Hartwick. I'm sorry, but I only just caught up with Kim myself about an hour or so ago. There was an incident here in Chicago where we were helping Ashiya. It got a bit violent and attracted the attention of the police. I thought it would be a good idea for them to stay out of the spotlight, so they left while I stayed to talk to the authorities." "Unfortunately, when I got done with them, Kim and Ashiya were gone. I still don't know all of the details, but apparently they were found by another person with some kind of psychic powers. But Kim is fine...physically, that is." <><><><><> [GM] Her voice becomes razor's edged, and you know her mind locked onto the slight qualifier in your statement, just as yours would under the same circumstances; "What do you mean...physically?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy had hoped that her voice had been confident enough that the Brenners wouldn't have wanted to go past the basic facts. Perhaps foolish in light of what must be going on there in California...but then again, it almost seemed like hope was the only thing to keep her going these last few hours.... Nancy sighed. "Whatever happened to Kim...and I don't know many of the details...caused her to lose her voice. We think it's only temporary, since she's able to overcome it if she strains herself. However, given everything that happened today, I don't think it would be healthy for her to try to speak to you...she needs her rest." <><><><><> [GM] "Oh my God! Is sh-" whatever she was going to say is interrupted by Mr. Brenner as he takes the phone. "Mrs. Hartwick? What the hell is going on? How's Kim, what happened to her?" <><><><><> Nancy: "Yes, Mr. Brenner, this is Nancy Hartwick. Kim is all right, physically that is. But apparently she and Ashiya got involved with another psychic while I was talking to the police earlier. She's lost her voice. It seems to be a temporary condition, though, but she hasn't recovered enough yet to talk to you yet." She steels herself, knowing that he's going to start throwing a fit. <><><><><> [GM] He doesn't throw a fit. He just says, in a steely voice; "What's the name of the hospital she's at?" <><><><><> Nancy: There's a pause on Nancy's end. "Mr. Brenner, before I tell you I want to make sure that you aren't coming out here to force Kim to come back home. I know how worried you are, but your trip won't do anyone any good. Believe me, I'm the first one to advocate a parent's rights...but in this case, you won't be helping either of you. Kim's determined to do what SHE believes is right...and after all I've seen, I'd say you have every reason to be proud of her. She's very mature for her age. But you have to understand that she has to be true to herself, first and foremost. Don't jeopardize your relationship with her...for both of your sakes." <><><><><> [GM] "You're damn right I'm coming out there!" Mr. Brenner explodes. "Don't tell me my daughter is in a goddam hospital across the country and I should stay here! You better believe I'm coming out there! I'll decide when I get there whether I'm going to 'force' her to do anything, but her mother and I sat here all day worrying, then we hear news about some kind of superhero battle in Chicago, now you tell me she was in a fight and she's been traumatized! No way am I going to just sit here and wait to see what news comes next! If you don't tell me where she is, I'll call every damn hospital in Chicago and the rest of Illinois until I find her!" <><><><><> Nancy: "Did I say that Kim was in the hospital?", Nancy replies huffily. "I understand that you're concerned, but right now Kim is safer with Ashiya and myself than she would be back home. Without the protection of other superhumans, the people who kidnapped her and Ashiya before can just walk in and take her whenever they please. I'm only doing what I think is best for her. I know it's hard for you to trust a complete stranger, but if Kim could talk now I know she'd probably tell you the same thing. Until we've dealt with the people who are stalking her, she's safer here in Chicago." <><><><><> [GM] "KIDNAPPED!? STALKING HER!?" He's getting even more agitated. You hear his wife speaking, and then both their voices become muffled as he apparently covers the receiver with his hand while they talk. Their voices can be heard rising and falling in elevation. Finally, Mr. Brenner comes back on. "Look, *maybe* she's safer with you...but I still want to come out there and see her. You're right, it's hard to trust complete strangers, and until I can talk to her myself, which you say is impossible over the phone, I'm not going to sit here and wait to hear what happens next! I *do* trust Kim's judgement, but it sounds to me like she's way over her head, and I doubt if our positions were reversed that you'd be content to sit at home and do nothing!" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy is a bit surprised at Mr. Brenner's consternation. She would have thought that Kim would have told her parents the whole story behind how she met Ashiya. Then again, not everyone is as honest as she is.... She bites her lip in frustration. She can definitely see his point, but she doesn't want to bring him into harm's way...or to have him take Kim away just when Ashiya needs her most. So...when all else fails, punt the ball. "I...I just don't feel right about having you come out here without Kim having any say. I'll tell you what...Kim is asleep now and I don't want to wake her, but I can have her with me tomorrow morning. I'll give you another call at [whatever time in California it would be a half hour after visiting hours begin]...maybe Kim's voice will be better by then and she can tell you herself." <><><><><> [GM] Mr. Brenner sputters; "You don't....KIM decides- look lady, maybe it hasn't occurred to you that Kim is still legally a minor, it isn't up to her to decide what her parents should do, and she's been making enough uncharacterically irresponsible decisions the past few days!" Then you hear more muffled conversation between him and his wife. When he speaks again, he says "If you do not call me again tomorrow, by NO LATER than 8 AM our time, I am coming out there no matter what, and if I can't find Kim, I'll call the police and HEY!" The phone seems to be changing hands, with some protest from Mr. Brenner. Mrs. Brenner's voice speaks next. "Mrs. Hartwick," she says with an aggrieved sigh, "my husband isn't usually this hotheaded, but we're understandably very upset. I don't think you'd feel very good about this if our positions were reversed. We're having enough trouble adjusting to the notion that Kim is one of these...superhumans, and now we're seeing violent incidents involving superhumans, all over the news. All of a sudden I feel like someone whose child has been sent off to war! How do I know the next call won't-" her voice chokes. "Look, we don't have much choice but to trust you for now, but PLEASE, remember this is our *daughter*! Get back to us as soon as you possibly can, please!" <><><><><> Nancy: "Believe me, Mrs. Brenner, I like it even less than you do. If it weren't for some very compelling reasons, I'd put Kim on a plane myself and send her back to you. I feel simply awful about all of this. But I don't want your husband rushing here...at the moment, he'd only be a distraction. I'll take care of Kim as if she were my own...and I'll call you back tomorrow morning." Nancy hangs up the phone and turns back to Mike, a drained expression on her face. She doesn't say a word for a few moments, just goes up and softly hugs him. "I hate having to do that," she murmurs quietly. "She's right...I hate to have someone else try to keep me from one of our kids in a situation like this. I'm such a hypocrite...I'm a horrible person...." <><><><><> [GM] "No," Mike says, comforting you. "You're right, it would be counter-productive to have Mr. Brenner running out here without a clue what's going on. If our positions were reversed, we wouldn't like it either, but hopefully they'd do the wise thing like you did, even if it didn't make you feel good." He gives you a kiss and says "I think we should have your ribs looked at. Maybe we should go to another hospital, though, to do it." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy spends a moment just holding Mike, revelling in his warmth. He always seemed to know what she needed. She returned the kiss, albiet gently to avoid the cut on her lip, and gave a small smile. "Thank you...for being here. I love you." To his suggestion to have her ribs looked at, she said, "I was already examined and bandaged up a bit, but I was actually thinking that maybe I should check into THIS hospital for a day or two. That way I could heal up AND be close to Ashiya and Kim if that awful man comes back for her." She shudders. "God only knows that Ashiya didn't need anything like this. I'd feel better if I were here to support her if she needs it." "Oh, and before I forget...we'll need to cancel all of the credit cards and get new ones. I don't know if whoever it was that did this kept them or not, but there's no sense taking any chances." She sighs as an upset look crosses her face. "I guess I'm going to have to miss MORE classes...I guess I'm lucky that summer is coming up." [Well, one can hope anyway. ] <><><><><> [GM] Mike nods. He's obviously very disturbed about what happened to Ashiya. Then he looks even more disturbed- "Wait a minute. Your credit cards and everything- Nancy, that means the man who kidnapped Kim and Ashiya and did all those things to them- he knows who you are! Where you live!" <><><><><> Nancy: A worried expression crosses her face. "Oh my Lord, you're right!", she exclaims. She tries to calm herself after indulging in a moment of terror. "But he's after Chad...at least that's what Kim said. If he gets Chad, then the next thing he'll probably do is come after them." She starts to pace, her mind awhirl. "Now assuming he went back to where he was keeping those two, he found them gone. If so, then he might just go to our house to try to find me. He doesn't find me, but hears from the sitter which hospital Kim and Ashiya are at. Then he comes back here, hopefully without hurting any of the kids." She looks over at Mike, obviously trying to keep from panicing, leaping into the car, and heading back up to Crystal Lake. "That sounds reasonable to you, doesn't it?", she asks. "Do you think we should call the house and see if everything is all right? <><><><><> [GM] Mike looks pale. "Nancy, I don't think we can assume anything. This man is obviously a sick and depraved individual. We have no idea what his real motives are, or what he may choose to do next. I think we need to call home, yes, and we need to think about sending the kids someplace safe until this man is cau-" he shakes his head, looking desperate. "How can he be caught? He totally defeated two superhumans already, what can the police do?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy nods, pondering what Mike said. "That's certainly true. Kim said that he'd tortured Ashiya...I don't want to find out if he'd do the same to any of our kids. The best thing to do tonight would probably be to have your parents go and get them." She puts her hand on his shoulder. "No, he didn't. He beat Kim and took Ashiya while they were unconscious...there's a difference. There mustn't have been much of a fight...or the police down the block would have seen or heard it. It's possible that Ashiya might be able to defeat him...if we can pull her together, especially if we're helping her at the time, acting as a distraction." "And," she continues, "I met a man yesterday who was with the government. Apparently they've got other superhumans working with them...and they've been trying to work out what to do with criminal superhumans. I'm hoping that Ashiya won't mind working with the US government so we can have him help us...both to catch this pervert and throw him in some deep dark hole after he's been taken down." By the anger in her eyes, Mike knows that this must be bringing up some old wounds...a good friend of Nancy's had been sexually assaulted in college. There had been tearful nights where she'd expressed surprising rage at the kind of animals that would do something like that. The question was, now that Nancy had such power, could she keep from taking justice into her own hands? <><><><><> [GM] Mike presses close to you and gives you a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I...haven't exactly been charitable towards Ashiya, but God knows I never wanted anything like THIS to happen to her. The poor girl...for all her apparent sophistication, she seems like little more than a child in some ways. She got so upset just because she thought we were *thinking* bad things about her, how will she recover from what that bastard did to her? I don't think she's suited for violent confrontations at all. Not that you are....." "We also should keep an eye on Kim. I mean, she acts so cheerful and blase all the time, like nothing rattles her, but even if she wasn't molested the way Ashiya was, it must have been a traumatic experience for her, being there while it was happening. And God knows how that man's mental tampering has affected her mind." "Maybe it is a good idea to turn to the government....but I'm not sure I like the idea. I mean, the more people who know about you, the greater the chance that more people like this evil telepath will be able to trace you. And somehow, I don't think Ashiya is going to be very trusting of our government, not when she thinks we're all savages. Besides, I trust our government in most things, but I'm not entirely sure that we're ready for the kind of technology that Ashiya might be able to give them...." The more urgent business is to call home and get the kids to safety, though, which he does, phoning his parents and asking them to go collect the children and keep them at their house for a few days. Naturally, they are extremely worried, and Mike knows he's going to have to come up with some very good explanations soon, but they agree to go get them. Meanwhile, you phone home and check with the babysitter, confirming that nothing unusual has happened there so far. <><><><><> Nancy: The blonde teacher sighs in frustration. "I wish there was something I could do to help her. If only I had telepathic powers like her and Kim...maybe a third mind helping her would make things a little easier for her. I swear...I know there's a purpose for everything, but why did I get powers that can't help people?" [Yes, I know that there are "helpful" applications to her abilites and that she's ignoring the fact that she probably saved a lot of those gang members. She's just feeling rather useless at the moment. ] At the mention of Kim, Nancy cracks a wry grin. "You want to know what's even worse? In the fight in Cabrini Green, there were the gangs...and then the two men attacking them. Ashiya and I were doing our best to make sure nobody got hurt...I went out of my way to offer those men a chance to surrender. And I get clobbered for it. Meanwhile, Kim is doing her impression of David Carradine (you have to remember, Nancy doesn't watch violent movies ) and doesn't get a scratch. I mean, she'd broken arms and legs...and she was just going about her business like nothing had happened." She shakes her head. "That is a strange girl. But I'll try to keep an eye on her, make sure she's okay mentally as well." "I don't necessarily like it either, but I don't think we have much choice at the moment. 'We must hang together, or we will most assuredly hang separately.' As for Ashiya...well, I'm hoping to be able to convince her. A lot's going to depend on how traumatized she was by the incident. As for the rest...we'll deal with it as it comes." Nancy will tell the sitter to expect Mike's parents to come and get the children. [I'm assuming they're making the calls at the same time from adjacent phones, okay?] She'll ask Mike to have his parents call them at the hospital when they get back, just to make sure everything is okay. The expression of relief on her face after the calls speaks volumes. <><><><><> [GM] Mike also seems somewhat relieved, but you both know your worries are only delayed, not dispelled. "So I guess the only thing we can do now is see to your own treatment," he says. "The rest will have to wait until morning, when we can find out how.....well Ashiya is." <><><><><> Nancy: "The question now is, then," she says in a tired voice, "whether or not I'm going to check into this hospital or not. That doesn't do much for you, I'm afraid. Weren't you going to go to work tomorrow?" <><><><><> [GM] Mike sighs and says "I think we're both going to be using up a lot of sick days if this keeps up. I'm not going anywhere, though. I want to make sure you're all right, and also help you watch over our two surrogate charges." He grimaces. "I hope my presence doesn't make Ashiya feel worse. She already thinks I'm hostile to her- which I guess I have been, kind of," he adds guiltily, "but I don't want her to be intimidated by me, and after what happened, well...." "I guess this hospital would be best. It will keep us close to them if anything happens." The 'us' makes you realize nervously that if anything does 'happen', now Mike is going to be in the danger zone as well. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sighs. "I think Ashiya has more on her mind than any 'negative vibes' you'll be sending her way. She just has to learn to accept that we're complex beings. I've been finding her rather frustrating too...I got so angry with her earlier that I had to stop the car and take a walk away from them. I haven't had to do that in years. And in light of what happened today, I'm feeling a bit guilty too." She looks up at him and says, "You know, you're too thoughtful for your own good. This could be dangerous for you too, you know. Not that I'm not thrilled to have you here, but this isn't quite the vacation that I'd always dreamed of." She gives a wry grin. "So anyway," she says, putting on a cheerful face, "let's go see a man about a room. I don't imagine they have double beds here," she jokes as they head towards the admissions ward. <><><><><> [GM] Mike says softly "Where you go, I go. If you're in danger, don't ask me to go someplace safe." He slips an arm around you as you walk to the admissions desk. You get a room shortly thereafter, and Mike is permitted to sleep in a cot in the same room. You get some more checkups, and the doctor concludes you have some fractured ribs, but nothing serious, if you stay sedate and don't do anything to aggravate the injuries. <><><><><> Nancy: [>>...if you stay sedate....<< And the odds of this are? Oh, and how close is Nancy to Kim and Ashiya's room?] She shakes her head, a slight grin on her face. "Oh, heaven forbid I shouldn't share these wonderful new experiences with you, honey." When she finally gets her room, she quickly heads towards the bed. After a goodnight kiss from Mike, she gets into bed and quickly falls asleep. ============================================================== = Kim: Come morning, and another frustratingly boring night of wakefulness, Kim concentrates on Ashiya. Is she sleeping more calmly now? When she senses Ashiya waking, Kim will be there quickly (telepathically): **Ashiya, I'm here. How do you feel?** [OOC: ... and she gets the perplexed reply **With my nerves** ] If Ashiya seems rational (if depressed), Kim will continue: **Nancy has got involved with the government, and has suggested that we do too. They may be the best people to talk to - not ideal, just the best available. At least they have the resources to contact large numbers of Functionals, and perhaps to help deal with the more vicious ones** [OOC: Ashiya could probably sense that while Kim might have a slight cynicism towards the government, on the whole she trusts them] <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya does seem severely depressed, but rational. She rises from her bed immediately, and puts her arms around you in an embrace. "I am so sorry, for what I brought you to," she murmurs, rather ironically you think. She clearly suffered more than you did, but she feels sorry for you! And she's far from whole. "We must leave this place," she says. "We must find Chad Reiter and...that man." She swallows, crossing her hands in front of her chest for a moment, before continuing. "I mean..*I* must find him." She looks at you and says, "It is too dangerous for you and Nancy. I have involved you with enough bloodshed. The child and the rogue Shabaali-" she seems loathe to use that term when referring to 'Euroninja' "are my responsibility." Just looking at her, you don't think she's in any shape to take on that man; she probably wasn't even when she was at her best. Just meeting another "Shabaali" capable of such violence has probably sent her into shock. And you can't sense anything from her. Until now, she has always been open with her feelings, especially with you. Now, you can read nothing- she seems to have put up her mindshield to lock even you out. When you mention the government, she frowns, then shakes her head. "No." she says flatly. "I know this country makes a better effort than most of your post- industrial tribal power blocks, but they are not a government in any meaningful sense. Your society is not capable of producing a truly civilized authority group. Their only interest will be using our Functions for their own purposes, and they would certainly desire what little Galactic technology I have available, and that is far too much for these savages." <><><><><> Kim: Ashiya can sense a certain amount of resigned frustration from Kim, along with a flash of anger when Ashiya talks about the government not being a `government in any meaningful sense', though she controls it before replying. **Ashiya, sit down. You are in no condition to go after that monster: even if you were fully fit, rushing off like this is the worst thing to do. You are worried about the government getting its hands on your equipment, but if you just dash off on a hasty rescue mission, you'll end up giving it all to our worst enemies. He already has your computer, remember? And if he'd had the sense to take the rest of your stuff, we wouldn't even have escaped - a mistake he probably won't make if there's a next time. This isn't some child lashing out with new, untamed powers at people around him; this is a well-trained, experienced, organised sadist who knows exactly what he's doing. He was able to hurt you despite your defences. He rummaged through my mind like it was his own personal toy, and left me unable to talk, forced to obey his orders. He has enough support to equip his underlings with automatic weapons, and enough confidence to set up his home in the middle of a residential district. We need to plan some way of dealing with him. Yes, *we* - Ashiya, I've never run out on my friends, and I'm not about to start now.** **We need some way to block his mental powers. If we got close enough to reach it telepathically, could your probe be instructed to block *all* mind powers within a certain area? I'm afraid that would be uncomfortable for you, probably a bit like going blind, but we need some way of neutralising his power** **Can you fix up my mind, remove the compulsions he left in it? It's horrible, being constantly reminded every time you try to speak that someone has control over you** **Ashiya, you will have to think about talking to the government. Sooner or later, you won't be able to avoid it - they're looking into the appearance of Functionals, and someone will eventually notice you. It could have happened in Cabrini Green, if they'd arrived slightly earlier and found you unconscious on the ground. It may still happen, when the car rental firm learns that their car has been stolen, and that your license was a forgery. That first contact will be a lot healthier if you make it first: be seen as a helpful alien, not as a scout for an invasion. If you want to conceal your technology, just don't tell them about it** **And that monster was well-trained in his powers. Who trained him? This is undoubtedly a repulsive thought, Ashiya, but could there be such a thing as a renegade Shabaali? Have you ever had people who rebelled against your society and actually left it?** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks away, crossing her arms over her chest, and seems to be thinking. Which you hope is a good sign; you half-expected that she'd start breaking down again. Without looking at you, she sends her thoughts to you. **Only the most horribly insane Shabaali could ever train a man like that. The chance of such an individual escaping detection in our society, much less acquiring a spaceship and coming here, is remote. Having seen enough impossible occurrences on this planet, I am not going to claim what you propose is utterly impossible. But I think it highly unlikely. No, I do not have another explanation, but why should anything make sense on this sick world?** **If you wish to join your government's forces, and tell them about me, I will not prevent it. But I will not cooperate.** **My probes have psionic neutralizers of limited power. I may be able to download enough technical information from the satellites, which have larger databases, to make the neutralizers a little stronger, but I doubt they can achieve the total suppression that can be generated by a Siprete device. On our ship, we could have made a much stronger neutralizer...but there is no point dwelling on that.** She turns to you, and puts a hand on your cheek, stroking your face. **Kimberly, I would remove the damage that...rogue telepath** (significantly, she doesn't call him a Shabaali this time) **did to you...but I do not think I can trust myself to do it properly. Would you have one of your prim- one of your surgeons, cutting you open in those terrible operations where they cut your flesh and use crude tools inside your vital organs, while mentally incapacitated? And without removing those compulsions, I dare not bring you with me when I face him- you would simply be turned against me.** Then, stricken, she drops her hands and says aloud "But if I do not try to heal you, and I fail against that man- there is probably no one else on this planet who can cure your mind." She begins crying. "I cannot heal you, and I cannot leave you unhealed!" <><><><><> Kim: >>>**If you wish to join your government's forces, and tell them about me, I will not prevent it. But I will not cooperate.**<<< **I may have to - it's likely to be the best way of explaining all this to my parents. If you'd rather be left out of it, I won't mention you** [OOC: What tone does Kim sense? Is this defiant - she won't cooperate with Kim if she joins the government - or just a statement that she won't help the government] **Ashiya, you needn't be so distressed - I know these aren't particularly good conditions for performing such mental surgery. But I can't go on in this condition, unable to speak, aware that I could get an order at any moment and obey it. That's the only compulsion I *know* of; what if he placed others on me, that he didn't tell me about? It's a horrible feeling, not to know your own mind** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya sounds sad, mostly, sad, depressed and tired. You don't think she meant she wouldn't cooperate with you; from what you've seen in her mind before, you don't think she would ever abandon you, although who knows how badly the events of the past 24 hours have derailed her mind. But her rejection of the government seems flat and absolute. She nods at your recounting the horrors of being mentally enslaved by the other telepath, and pulls you close to her. (you've gotten more hugging and kissing in the last few days from Ashiya than in all of Aunt Carol's visits your entire life, combined!) "I know, Kim," she sobs, "but....how can I, I might not do it right! And...and we would have to gestalt again...." she shudders, violently. "You would be able to see....feel....everything, you would experience not only..." she chokes, "what they did to me, but my feelings at the time....I don't want you to see that, I don't want-" She edges closer to a breakdown. You realize she's not only concerned about exposing you to that horror, but her own feelings in having to reveal it to you. Which puts her in a deadly Catch-22; you already know Shabaali don't deal well with isolation, they NEED periodic gestalts to stay mentally healthy, but Ashiya has been so badly traumatized that she feels too ashamed to allow a gestalt. One way or the other, she's going to go insane very soon if she doesn't find a solution. Her shields still prevent you from getting as much of her thoughts as usual, but you suspect her obsession with rescuing Chad Reiter and somehow stopping 'Euroninja' are all that's holding her together right now, and without that goal, she is indeed on the verge of committing suicide. Of course, in her present state, pursuing that goal probably IS suicide... <><><><><> Kim: Ashiya's mental health worries Kim. She needs another gestalt, but doesn't want to open up; Kim can understand her reluctance, after what happened to herself. But avoiding the gestalt will do much more harm. [OOC: BTW, this must be a bizarre conversation for anyone looking in - Ashiya is speaking, while Kim is using telepathy!] **Ashiya, at the moment you're mind's like a piece of glass. Hard, solid, rigid, but very, very fragile. If you go into battle against that b******, I think something will break. You need the gestalt to be able to withstand that mind-meddler; I need the gestalt to have my mind put back together. Don't be nervous about not doing it right - I think my mind is so messed up that even a partial success would be a great relief. And don't feel any shame about what happened to you or me - it was all the fault of that European sadist, not you. *He's* the one to blame, not yourself.** [OOC: About how long did the previous gestalt take?] <><><><><> [GM] [The last one SEEMED to take quite a while, over an hour at least, but when it was over, it had only been about ten minutes.] Ashiya sighs, rubbing her eyes and brushing her fingertips over her lip, which is still split in several places but already beginning to heal. For that matter, her black eye is faded more than you'd expect after just one night, and the cuts and bruises you can see on her face, throat and arms also seem to be healing with surprising speed. If only her mind could heal that quickly.... "All right," she says softly. "I would not normally agree. But- I must do what I can for you- before I try to pursue this man." She sits down on the bed, indicating for you to join her. Hoping that the nurses don't choose now to come in and try giving her medication or something, you allow her to put her arms around you, and then you sense her initiating telepathic contact. It takes more effort for you to open up to her than it did last time; now you have a much better idea what a skilled telepath can do when your defenses are stripped away and your mind is laid open. You know Ashiya would never abuse you as that man did, but suddenly her warnings about her own mental instability become a little more ominous; feeling even more vulnerable than you did last time, you realize your very soul is once again naked and exposed for her to do as she pleases, and her analogy of an impaired surgeon holding a scalpel over someone's exposed chest cavity seems rather more than metaphorical now. But for Ashiya, the difficulty is worse. Doubly so, as all her life she's felt perfectly safe opening her mind to others without a second thought. Suddenly something that has been a symbol of love and trust, and a means of sharing everything good between two people is now a weapon that facilitated the most unspeakable violations of her mind and body. You sense her physically trembling, and mentally flinching several times, before finally opening herself to you. You're in the odd position of having to comfort her and guide her, even though she is by far the better telepath. You can sense the pall over her psyche, the pain and grief and realization what hurt really is. Like a fetid bubble of toxic ooze, her suffering permeates her thoughts. The memory lurks back there, something she can't get rid of, can't suppress, can't do anything about it but relive it. You can feel all her thoughts, as before- normally, with another Shabaali, she would let them share in her pain and they would comfort her and provide the emotional support she needs. You realize that she doesn't expect you to do that, though; she knows you care about her, but you're clearly not the emotive type (what she actually thinks, though she tries not to, is that you are like a non-Shabaali, given that you only recently manifested, and like all non-Shabaali, you are cold and emotionally limited) **IamsorryKim...notyourfault....Iloveyou you are kind you mean well...what feelings you are capable of, I accept...ifonly youwereShabaali-born and raised...** and besides, the pain is so much for her, she doesn't want to inflict it on you....and there is also the shame; she knows logically she has no reason to be ashamed, but that terrible, intimate violation isn't something she could even have imagined. No surprise that even more than with most rape victims, she doesn't want to share it with you. So she holds onto the horrible, evil experiences, and asks you not to go there, though she can't stop you- you are both totally defenseless against each other, after all. You honestly aren't sure what's best for her, what she needs, and whether you can provide it, whatever it is. She begins sifting through your subconscious, which you're aware of only in the reflected thoughts you receive from her- you know she's probing deep into your own psyche, but unlike 'Euroninja', she is so gentle about it that you're hardly aware of her presence beneath your surface awareness. She's horrified by what she finds. You get the impression of manacles, slapped brutally and clumsily over the part of your brain that controls volition. Like mental foot-binding. And Ashiya believes that you would, over time, suffer worse side effects from this, although you'd only be consciously aware of the obvious effects, like not being able to speak or teleport. Worse than that, though, is that he was *beginning* to put more subtle controls in your brain. Like alien nerve fibers threaded through your brain, supplanting your native thoughts and giving him the ability to make subtle or overt alterations as he pleased. Had he completed the project, you would have been a literal puppet. When he didn't exercise any sort of control, you'd still have been Kim Brenner, and never known the difference. But at will, he could do- ANYTHING! Erase memories. Alter memories. Change feelings. Suddenly you hate your parents. You're terrified of men. You're a wanton nymphomaniac. You're a psychotic killer. Your every thought and desire is to serve your master, you find pleasure and fulfillment only in pleasing him, anything else fills you with despair and a total lack of any reason to exist. Or he could simply make you cease to exist, temporarily or permanently, while he animates your body like a puppet on strings. You feel a coldness unlike anything you've ever known before wash over you, realizing that this would have been your fate if he'd been able to return and get back to work on you. As it is, the groundwork he laid meant he could have taken direct control, as he did by instilling the crude "obedience reflex" that he did. And he could still do it, if he gets hold of you again. He could do it to anyone. Ashiya is filled with revulsion almost as great as that which she feels for her own rape. She considers what he did to you to be a rape as sickening as anything she suffered. **Kim** she mentally chokes **This is something NO Shabaali could EVER do! I can perceive how it was done, I can understand the principles behind it, but such atrocities are not taught by anyone in Shabaali society....yet it is so sophisticated, so skillful, he cannot possibly have learned to do this in the short time that your world has become aware of the new generation of Functionals. He is a telepath of exceptional skill** she hesitates, and then, fearfully, adds **better than me, I believe.*** <><><><><> Kim: Kim is torn. She wishes she had some experience of comforting someone who'd gone through a horrific experience; or that she was Nancy, with the knowledge and understanding of the emotional problems of children. She's acutely aware that, just as Ashiya worries about making a telepathic slip of the knife, she herself could push Ashiya wrongly and make her mental condition worse. **Share it, Ashiya - let me feel the pain. I'll do what I can** Kim tries to project the impression of crystal clear water washing away the stinking ooze, leaving everything sparkling and clean. She won't actively enter the memories that Ashiya wants to hide - she'll let the Shabaali woman reveal them when she feels able. When/if Ashiya reveals those memories, Kim will comfort her, share her distress. She is horrified by what Euroninja had done to her - and would have done to her, if she hadn't escaped. And Ashiya's revelation is a surprise: Kim had assumed that he had to be a renegade Shabaali, a one-in-a-billion sociopath in that trusting society. **So Euroninja is neither a new Functional, nor a Shabaali. Either he is an old Functional, and also immortal, or he is some other factor we're unaware of** His control over her had progressed much further than she'd thought. All her life, Kim had been sure of herself; now, most of that confidence had been stripped away. **Can you undo his manacles, skilled though he was?** <><><><><> [GM] For all the pain she's going through, Ashiya's essentially compassionate and selfless nature is still intact, for she is immediately distressed at your own crumbling self-esteem, and tries to bolster it. **Kim...there is nothing you could have done! You just do not have the defenses necessary to stop such telepathic intrusions. He is very powerful and skilled, and you are just...as far as your telepathic abilities go, you are just a child...** And it occurs to you that everything she said to you applies to what he did to her as well, but this goes right past her. **I believe I can remove his restraints** she says, **and undo much of the groundwork he laid in your psyche. But...at present, I do not think I am capable of doing a thorough, complete job. You will no longer be conditioned to obey him, but he will still have...** she struggles to explain it 'verbally', then with frustration, realizes this is stupid, since in a gestalt you can share concepts instantly and flawlessly- but the exchange is two-way, and once she begins to open herself to that exchange, her other thoughts will inevitably leak out as well. Even though all her thoughts and memories are exposed for you to sample as you wish, she is trying to hold them in so they won't be revealed to you unless you make a conscious effort, and that effort means she's limited in her own ability to communicate as well. With an aggrieved mental sigh, she loosens her control a little bit, and you mentally reel from the pain and horror that emanates from her, far more than what little she'd allowed you to see thus far. --{She was tied to a chair, still clothed and relatively unharmed. The two men, Yuri and Piotr, looked at her with undisguised lust and she sensed their thoughts, their gaze travelling along her body, the things they wanted to do to her, she shivered with fear and revulsion, but why would they want to do these things? What had she done to them? How could she possibly have earned such hatred and contempt?}-- 'Euroninja's" activities, you see as she works, "burned in" a pathway to your mind. The compulsions he laid on you were clumsy and unsubtle. They probably would have disintegrated by themselves in time, and Ashiya is destroying them even as you watch. But his efforts to turn you into his puppet were much more delicate and sophisticated. He bored holes through your natural psychic defenses, and was probing around in your mind to learn the unique elements that composed your thought processes, so he would better understand them and be able to better control them. He was already putting in small threads that would let him pull a little here, twist a little there, and make small but permanent changes in your psyche. Fortunately, he didn't get very far. Ashiya is doing what she can to undo it, and believes she can erase most of his work. But because he was able to get that far in, he has an intimate understanding of your thought patterns. You will be much more vulnerable to him if you encounter him again soon. So will Ashiya, but at least she knows some advanced techniques to defend herself, and when/if she has time to meditate (you see her meditation is far more complex than anything Earthlings understand as "meditation", and involves using advanced telepathic techniques on herself), if/when she can attain a suitably calm state of mind, she will be able to "rearrange" her thought patterns so that she will be as a new person for purposes of the other telepath's ability to invade her. You dearly wish you could do those things yourself. You desperately want to be able to protect yourself- the thought that another person could casually control you like this brings you closer to genuine fear than anything you've experienced in your life. Being captured by aliens, facing gang bangers armed with uzis, fighting sociopathic metahumans, all that you could deal with. But not having control over your own mind and body.... --{His telepathic assault, battering at her shields, desperately she put her entire will behind her screens, but still he was able to drive his way in, rape her of her thoughts and memories, she sensed not only surprise but- shock? *fear*?- when he realized what she was- aliens, far more advanced, far more powerful than anything he'd ever dreamed of- something outside his ability to control- he was filled with rage. He became determined to enslave Ashiya, to do to her what he was starting to do to you. He tried to lay his foundation, but she resisted, with everything she had, lashing out at him to keep him from being able to concentrate, and he couldn't suppress her will completely. It started with a few backhand slaps across the face, then a thumb and forefinger pinching one nipple brutally, twisting until tears streamed down her face, but he couldn't fathom a *woman* capable of enduring such abuse and still maintaining such resistance to his own indomitable, all-powerful will}-- Ashiya comforts you. **You have the most remarkable will, Kimberly- you are one of the strongest people I have ever met. I may be more adept than you at protecting myself from telepathic manipulations, but I wish I was as assured and strong as you.** --{She couldn't keep him out of her head, he tore savagely through her memories, as he continued to physically torture her, tearing out strands of hair, striking her, driving stiff fingers into her chest, her solar plexus, standing behind her and slamming knuckles into her kidneys, bending fingers until almost the breaking point, but while it was his violation of her intimate thoughts, even though she had no intimate thoughts she had not shared with others, which hurt her far more, the physical assaults did disrupt her ability to concentrate. But not enough- he was stronger than her, but she was still just too good for him to achieve dominance. It enraged him, his black fury and hatred he pumped into her, causing her to reel and gag at the foul emotions that were beyond his comprehension. And ironically, he just couldn't understand that simply exposing her to such hatred and hostility was far more damaging than anything he could do to her body. Just prying open her shields and HATING her, bringing his malevolent will to bear on her until she cracked, would have eventually destroyed her, and almost did, but he relented on his telepathic attack because the suppression field was making it extremely tiring, and besides, he was accustomed to doing things a certain way, and had confidence in his tried and true methods...}-- **Do not fear, Kim, please do not lose your confidence. I will teach you what I know. If you really wish to learn these things, then eventually, you will be far safer than I** It's a good sign- to do that, she has to have the will to live long enough to teach you. And it also means her opinion of you, as a dangerous, feral child who can't be trusted with advanced Shabaali abilities, is starting to fade, though she's still far from comfortable with the idea. --{Stripping her naked didn't bother her as much as he expected, since on her homeworld, nudity was common and nobody thought anything of it, though being naked before these beasts was disconcerting. He watched, an impassive observer, while Yuri and Piotr groped her and ran their hands all over her, pinching and twisting and slapping, but both they and he were becoming incensed because she had already resigned herself to what they were going to do to her, and they still didn't understand that it was their *intent*, and not what they actually did, that hurt her. They liked to see women cowering, screaming and pleading for mercy. Which she did at first, because she couldn't believe that any human beings could possibly be devoid of compassion. Surely if she made them understand how evil this was, how much they were hurting her, and she meant them no harm, they would realize that this was unnecessary and-- but no, it made them feel more powerful when she begged them to stop, with horror, she realized it was exciting them, making them enjoy it more! That was what caused her cries of horror, her tears, her agony at her violation, though they thought it was the humiliation and pain, which were both severe, but not as traumatic as the *feelings* behind it}-- --{The images make you gag, and you feel sympathetic pain as you relive Ashiya's. The men's physical assaults escalated, as they went further and further to provoke the breakdown they wanted. "We want hear you scream!" "Moan like you enjoy, bitch!" "You ever have such big one, no I think you not!" "Here, you have mine between big t***, you like!" "Open mouth, girl- I say you make me like, or we go get girl upstairs, do to her!" (that brings a horrible pain of guilt, as you see Ashiya several times reaching the point where she was prepared to let them get frustrated enough to kill her, then acquiesced and performed the acts they wished, or gave the reaction they wanted, so that they wouldn't do it to you) "Use tongue, yes! Swallow, c***!"}-- --{They raped her every way imaginable, including foreign objects, sodomized her, forced her to perform all manner of disgusting and humiliating acts on her knees, on the bed, up against the wall, and Euroninja then stepped forward confidently to begin "work"-- and roared in fury, because he couldn't believe a woman could *not* be completely broken by that, but she was still resisting enough that he couldn't perform advanced techniques in her mind. Especially not with the suppression field.}-- --{That's when he took off the kid gloves, and fetched his "tools" from the van. He still didn't understand that the torture wasn't hurting Ashiya as much as the pleasure she sensed him feeling as he tortured her. But the torture was bad enough. You grit your teeth and block tears at the second-hand pain you feel. Ironically, Ashiya almost broke... then he brought you down.}-- <><><><><> Kim: Kim holds Ashiya, comforting her. **All that, you went through. They are evil, sociopaths. They hate everyone, not you personally, and they enjoy cruelty. They'd torture an angel, just for the `pleasure' of pulling its wings off and hearing it scream.** [OOC: This exchange is an attempt to win an award for "Most use of the word `sociopath' in a single gestalt" ] Ashiya can sense guilt, at what she went through to protect Kim. She shudders at the continuing revelations of the web that the spider had been weaving inside her mind - a web that would have left her own mind like a trapped fly. No control... a mental defense like unmortared bricks, looking strong but capable of being kicked over at any time. The abuses suffered by Ashiya rekindle Kim's anger. How can... *creatures* capable of doing something like that be considered human? A vision of herself shooting Yuri and Piotr with their own guns clashes with a lifetime of being taught that killing was wrong, and with her martial-arts teacher telling her to be careful not to use excessive force. Revenge... to see Yuri, Piotr and their sadistic superior humbled, defeated, broken. But that will need better defences. Then further guilt, recalling Euroninja's first approach to the car, and her own overly-relaxed approach to the original danger. The humiliation of being beaten - not only is he an enormously powerful telepath, he's a better fighter too. The normally stoic Kim is crying. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya is crying also. She pulls you gently to her, cradles your head against her chest and strokes your hair, murmuring "There is no reason for you to feel guilty, Kim, my beloved friend. We both underestimated what we faced. You underestimated this man, and I underestimated Earthlings in general." You feel her bosom shuddering with revulsion (you'd be in an enviable position if you were a boy! ) and she whispers, very softly, "I did not believe in evil, until this." Telepathically, she says **I do not want you to be consumed with anger and vengeance, Kim. I am sorry I ever doubted your goodness, for you are as moral as it is possible for anyone to be in this soci-** she stops, feeling embarrassed and guilty at her inability to avoid insulting your culture. **I cannot claim that I accept everything about the way you think, but I recognize now that my way of thinking is a negative survival trait here. I do not wish to change...though I fear I have already.** Another sob escapes her. **But more than ever, I will need you, with your combination of compassion and strength, to help me survive. I do not want to be consumed with hatred for these men, and even after what they did to me, I still would not wish them harm. I pity them, to have grown up in a society so brutal that it shapes minds like that. Their twisted perceptions of pain and pleasure cannot bring them true joy. And it would pain me greatly for *you* to become consumed with hatred on my account.** **His physical and mental superiority is only a matter of training and experience. I am no warrior, but I was trained in what you would call 'martial arts'. Unarmed physical combat. I am very adept at it, though that altercation on the street with the armed boys who looked like Sebth was the first time I had actually used my skills. Perhaps I can teach you some, though I see you have trained in Terran styles yourself. And...** she hesitates, then adds **It is my duty to tell you, the Sebth would train you as well. You have the right to ask them for training, so long as you meet their requirements to enter their warrior class, which I am sure you could. Their warrior training would make you far superior to any Earthling.** **As for telepathic training, that *I* can provide. I may not be the match for that man, in a direct confrontation....but his power is not so overwhelming that I could not resist him, else he would have begun enslaving my will as well as yours. I will teach you whatever you wish. And...I have a few ideas, on how I may defeat him. He may be powerful, and experienced, but he is accustomed to being a telepath in a society of mind-dead. He cannot be used to engaging other telepaths in mental contests, and thus, he probably has not learned some special techniques that we Shabaali know, although we almost never have cause to use them.** **I will have to spend some time contemplating this. Perhaps there is a way for me to stop him, without hurting him.** Amazed as you are that she would still be concerned about hurting him, you also sense that she's pulling herself together, slowly and painfully. She isn't "better" by any means- you doubt anyone, least of all a gentle, peaceful innocent like Ashiya- could go through what she did without bearing scars forever afterwards. But your feelings for her, although not the same as how another Shabaali would react, give her comfort, and her love for you, and for Nancy, and concern for Chad Reiter and everyone else the rogue telepath may harm, give her a reason to keep going. But she'll need lots of help. **Sssh, do not worry about me, Kim. Relax, let me sooth YOUR mind. I am undoing what was done to you, as best I can. It is imperfect, but it will suffice for now. And I swear, once I- once WE, save Chad, then I will teach you to protect yourself so no...evil...telepath can do this to you again.** Her presence in your mind IS soothing, and loving, though still tinged with the pain she feels, but she tries to hold back her own anguish- she knows you've seen enough of it now. You're a little nervous, having her deep in your psyche...as deep as your enemy was, and working at the same level, where you're helpless and vulnerable. Ashiya sends you continual reassurances, letting you feel her love for you, and also letting you see exactly what she's doing, and explaining it as best she can, so you can "watch" as she dissolves the fetters in your mind, and disrupts the neural passageways that he was using to build a permanent pathway. When she's done, she sits up, and you look at each other, both with dried tears streaking your faces. "I have done what I can, for the moment" she says. "When I have had time to....rest, and when we are both more at peace, I can go deeper, take more time, make sure that every last vestige of his presence is removed from your mind." "Now, though, I think we should find Nancy. She is probably a little worried." <><><><><> Kim: >>>my way of thinking is a negative survival trait here.<<< [OOC: The understatement of the game so far? ] **I don't think I would like to belong to the Sebth** replies Kim, without expansion. Ashiya can sense... not revulsion, just distaste. **Could you improve my defences? It's terrifying, being so helpless before his power** However, Kim takes heart from Ashiya's unexpected confidence. Perhaps the b****** isn't invincible after all. >>>"Now, though, I think we should find Nancy. She is probably a little worried."<<< "She's probably a lot worried" replies Kim in speech [assuming she can now talk!]. Elation - she can speak again! The first proof that Euroninja's hold on her has been broken. The second proof, her teleport ability, will have to wait . The third proof, resisting one of his orders, is something she still doesn't look forward to. "Now, I wonder if we can discharge ourselves, or will they be kicking up a fuss over medical insurance?" **And I hope the no-one's fiddled with the stunner or medical box during the night. I *think* I tricked them into thinking the gun was a toy, and the box just looks like a box** <><><><><> [GM] You can talk, and it feels great. Ashiya gives you a long kiss...you're almost getting used to that. "I will teach you to improve your defenses," she says softly. "It is a skill, like your...martial arts, so like any other skill, it requires practice and experience." She becomes quite concerned at the idea that someone might take her Shabaali devices. She rises from the bed and strips off her hospital gown- you shudder in horror, seeing all the bruises, slashes, burns and welts that cover her from head to toe. She picks up her clothes, which the nurses neatly folded and laid by the bedside, along with yours, but you're interested to note that while yours are still blood-stained and dirty, hers seem to have been washed. She slips into her outfit, which looks too tight to be comfortable in her condition, but as she seems determined to go looking for her equipment, you hurriedly get dressed to join her. You know you still have to deal with the little issue of the hospital bill, not to mention the fact that the police will want to talk to both of you some more. CHICAGO HOSPITAL: PART TWO [Kim, Ashiya and Nancy have finally been reunited after their terrible ordeals with an evil telepath and his minions. After a restless night in the hospital, all three awaken and prepare to deal with what has happened and what they have to do next.] ============================================================= Nancy wakes up the next morning, enjoys a wonderful hospital breakfast with Mike, and then decides it would be a good idea to check on Kim and Ashiya. The married couple emerges in time to see Ashiya and Kim, from just down the hall, coming out of their own room. Ashiya is wearing the same outfit she did yesterday- and oddly, it seems completely clean, though the hospital wouldn't have washed it. No signs of blood, sweat or gunpowder. Kim has also recovered her own clothes, though they aren't in such pristine shape. Kim seems to be trying to explain to Ashiya the fact that the hospital expects to be *paid* for giving them medical care, a notion that seems to be causing Ashiya some distress. But Nancy realizes immediately that something has changed- Kim is talking, freely! Somehow, she must have overcome the compulsion that prevented her from doing so. Both the young women have obviously had better days. Kim walks with her usual confident stride...but not quite as confident as before. There's something of a subdued look on her face, as if a little bit of the fight has been taken out of her. She seems to be recovering better than Ashiya though. This is Nancy's first look at the alien woman since she put the poor Shabaali in the back seat of her car the day before. Not much of her skin is revealed by her clothing, the same tight-fitting long- sleeved blouse and slacks she's been wearing since she first arrived in Illinois. But on her throat can be seen bruises and welts, and even the backs of her hands bear angry red slash marks. There are bandages wrapped around the ends of every one of her fingers. Ashiya walks slowly, as if each step is painful, and Kim is holding one of the taller woman's hands, but very gingerly. Ashiya has one horrendous black eye, black and blue skin puffed up from her cheek to her eyebrow. There are also small cuts across her face, and nose, and a small gauze bandage covers the center of her forehead. Her hair, while cleaned now, is a little ragged, and Nancy can see a couple of bare, bloody bits of scalp showing through, though Ashiya could easily comb her hair to cover that up, if she takes notice of it. All in all, while yesterday Nancy looked like the victim of a beating, and still looks pretty bad...Ashiya looks like she was worked over by a determined professional. Worse than the physical injuries is the haunted look in her eyes. She's even more timid than before, staying close to Kim for comfort, either holding the teenager's hand or putting an arm around her shoulders. Kim is being patient and comforting, though a bit frustrated at Ashiya's typical reaction to Earth customs- "That is barbaric!" Ashiya subsides when she sees Nancy and Mike. And a pang goes through the schoolteacher when she sees that Ashiya is huddling a little closer to Kim and eying Nancy warily... as if she expects to be yelled at. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy comes out of her room slowly...walking carefully to avoid showing anything through her flatteringly cut hospital gown. Her face brightens when she sees the two of them. "Kim...Ashiya!", she exclaims in a relieved voice. "Over here!" She picks up her pace a little and goes to them, giving Mike a little flash of her nicely rounded bottom. She looks to the teenager first. "You can talk again. That's good. I managed to keep your father from coming out here last night...but we HAVE to call him this morning by 8:00 your time." She then turns to the alien...and her expression softens. She slowly extends her hand. "I'm not angry with you, Ashiya," she says softly. "I know you've been hurt and I'd like to help you...if you'll let me. What happened to you was not your fault. I'm here for you if you need me." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya takes Nancy's hand gratefully. "Are *you* all right, Nancy?" she asks. "I must find where my....things, were put," the alien murmurs, looking around. "And then...that terrible man must have found Chad Reiter by now." With singleminded determination, she says "I must find the boy, and save him from such a depraved mind." She looks like she's not in much shape to take on a hostile cub scout, much less a vicious, heavily-armed Functional. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy shrugs. "I'm sore, but I'm much better now that I know the two of you are still alive. I was so worried when you didn't show up after I talked to the police." If the alien allows it, she moves into a tender hug. She sees Ashiya's furitive looks around the hallway. "Let's go into my room," she suggests. "It's a little more private." If there are no objections, she leads the way. Once they're settled, she continues, "I understand...and I agree completely. But you have to be honest with yourself as well...and I don't think we're able to beat him on our own. You're the only one who knows how he measures up against you telepathically...but I'm basically defenseless against him. That doesn't exactly inspire me. And if he's managed to mess with Chad's mind already, like he did with Kim's...." She holds up her hand. "That's not to say that I'm not with you. I am...most definitely, whenever and wherever. But I think we might be able to get some help. At least hear me out." She goes through the bedside drawer and gets out Agent Mahone's card. "While I was talking to the police yesterday, I was approached by an agent from the federal government. He said that they're interested in helping paranormals...errr...Functionals capture other Functionals that are breaking the law. They're also interested in finding other Functionals...like you're doing, Ashiya. He seemed open to the idea for maybe establishing some kind of a school or training center to help people to learn to use their abilities." She looks candidly at the other woman. "I don't know if you have a 'Prime Directive'...some kind of code of non- interference...but I think we've gone too far to stay in the shadows any more. The government knows all kinds of things we don't about other Functionals. They can help you find any other Shabaali. They'll be able to put the man who did this to you in jail to punish him...and someone like this should NOT be able to just roam around the streets at will. I think they're a viable resource that we can use to accomplish our goals." "It's up to the two of you though," she announces, looking at Kim as well. "This is a big step...and I'd be the first one to admit that there might be problems too. But I think that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Not to mention, of course," she says with a small smile, "that they'd probably pay those medical bills for you." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya accepts Nancy's hug, returning the embrace gratefully, though delicately- Nancy can feel how pained the woman is. In her hospital room, Ashiya listens to everything Nancy says, then shakes her head. "It is not exactly a 'non-interference directive'...that has been a tradition for all these centuries, for reasons I do not know, but there is no absolute rule against it. We just considered it unwise to meddle in your society in its present state, and any overt manifestations of an extraterrestrial, superior civilization would certainly have had severe effects on you." "But I see no point in working with your government. It isn't a real government, after all." Kim's look says she's had this discussion with Ashiya already. "And they would simply want my technology, and I am sorry, Nancy, but I am not as convinced as you of your leaders' benevolence." "Besides, what could they do that we could not. I doubt your government can train their agents in mental defense, nor have you developed psi-screening technology. Sending armed Functionals who work for your government against this man would merely mean more..." she chokes a moment, then goes on "more people for him to dominate." Mike looks like he's trying very hard not to say anything, and Ashiya's nervous glances at him suggests he's trying very hard not to THINK anything as well, which is certainly a much more difficult task. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy doesn't seem offended by Ashiya's dismissal of her suggestion...she'd already considered that option. "Well, yes," she admitted, "they might very well want your technology. But as I sometimes remind the kids, just because you want something doesn't mean that you'll get it. You could just try telling them 'No!', for example. If you don't think that's workable, just don't tell them you're an alien...from outer space, I mean." She shrugs when Ashiya points out the government's might not be pure. "Without knowing what kind of programs they have or what they're thinking of doing, I can't say one way or another whether they'd deal fairly with us. But look at it from their position...we have something they want and they have to deal with us on our terms to get it. They definitely need the help to deal with these rogue Functionals. I don't know how things are with the Shabaali, Ashiya, but life on this planet involves compromise...and I think agreeing to help them so they help us to accomplish our goals isn't a bad idea." "How do you know the government doesn't have any agents who have any psychic training?", responds Nancy. "I'll admit 'normal' agents probably aren't trained that way, but just because we don't know that they have a person with mental powers doesn't mean that they don't have one. I'll agree tbat sending anybody without experience into a fight like that is asking for trouble. In fact, I don't think I should go in with you...except that my being there increases the odds that one of us will survive long enough to render him harmless." "My main concern," she continues, "and maybe I'm being optimistic here, is what do we do with this man AFTER we rescue Chad? We can't just leave him running around loose...he's too dangerous. THAT'S why I want the government there...because I refuse to be judge, jury, and executioner." She looks over to Mike. "Honey, if you're having trouble with this, you could leave if you'd like. I don't want this to be any more difficult for you than it already is." <><><><><> Kim: Kim nods, and speaks quietly. "I'd prefer to work with the government, but Ashiya is totally against it. Perhaps there's a way of keeping her involvement hidden somehow?" [To Ashiya] "Without dealing with the government, we won't know what sort of tricks they can pull for mental defence. Euroninja said he'd been using telepathy since before you were born - maybe someone in the government has known about it for a similar amount of time, has been studying it. Is there something specific about psi-screen technology that would prevent a crude one being built here? It might be large and clumsy, fitting into a lorry instead of the palm of your hand, but would it be impossible?" "Anyway, the government *will* send armed Functionals after him. They have a duty to try, if they don't have any other way of handling him." "By the way, Ashiya, the police will want to interview us again this morning, to find out what happened. To get more details." She looks down at her clothes, smiles ruefully and changes the subject. [To Nancy again] "I think I'll need some fresh clothes. Why don't superheroes in the comics ever get dirty?" <><><><><> [GM] "I'm not going anywhere," Mike says, calmly but firmly. Ashiya seems upset at Kim mentioning the police will want to talk to them again. "We already told them what happened, did we not? They will be unable to do anything about a Functional anyway. I will have no more prodding and poking from these savages!" She looks upset, then makes an effort to calm herself, looking apologetically at Nancy and Kim, and especially at Mike, who's letting out a long, slow breath. "No, Kim, I do not think even if your government has been aware of Functionals for some time that they could have built psionic equipment. Psionic Functions operate outside the realm of particles and waves, where your physics have been confined until recently. From what little observations I have made of your scientific advancement, it seems you are just beginning to explore....I do not remember what term is used. But that which goes beyond your last great leap forward, what we call monodimensional field mechanics, and you named after your famous scientist....Einstone?" Ashiya seems to be getting distracted, unusual because usually she stays focused on a particular subject with frustrating tenacity. Now, her mind seems to be wandering. "Einstein," Mike says gently. "You're saying that psionic technology requires knowledge of quantum physics?" "If that is the term, yes," Ashiya says distractedly, then brings herself back to the present, her eyes focusing on Mike. "It is more than simply a matter of being able to generate enough power, or use the correct materials. Your industry is capable of manufacturing the actual machinery. But you do not have a sufficient understanding of the theory behind it." Mike replies "A caveman could have put together the necessary raw materials to make gunpowder. Is it possible a particularly bright 'savage' might have stumbled on this technology?" Ashiya hesitates, watching Mike warily, then shakes her head. "I do not think so." Mike seems inclined to argue the point, but holds his tongue. Ashiya goes on. "If you wish to join your government forces, that is up to you. I already know how I must deal with that man, and I will do so with or without your help." She holds Kim's hand tightly as she says that, though, clearly afraid of actually being left on her own. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sighs as Kim mentions hiding their involvement. "I have Agent Mahone's number...I guess we'll do the same thing that we did at the Green except that I'll call him directly. That way neither of you need to be involved. Let's just hope nothing ELSE happens." Shaking her head, she smirks when Kim mentions new clothes. "Why don't people on television go to the bathroom?", she asks rhetorically. She reaches out and pats Ashiya on the shoulder. "It's all right...you don't have to talk to them again if you don't want to." If she noticed the "savage" remark, she shows no sign of it, concentrating on trying to keep her friend from getting upset. "I'm not going to rush out right this minute and sign up," the patient reply comes. "I said that I would help you, and I will, especially if Chad's in danger. But I don't think it's our job to punish him, even if we're the only ones we can prove that he's hurt. *And* I think it's foolish to go running off after him right this minute. I understand the situation...and I don't want him to be on the loose a moment longer than necessary, but charging after him in our condition is suicidal. Kim is all right physically, but who knows if this 'Euroninja' left anything else in her mind? I'm not too bad off, but I don't think I'm up to another fight like the one yesterday. And it's obvious to everyone here that you've been badly hurt. Just what is it that you intend to do? How do you think you're going to find this man again?" <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks perplexed by the references to superheroes, comic books, and use of bathrooms on television. To Nancy's question about finding the sadistic telepath, she closes her eyes before responding. "I have been getting raw data from my satellites, via the probe which is still maintaining a constant difference from me. I mean distance." She opens her eyes. "It is more difficult receiving data in raw telepathic form...machines do not transmit telepathically very well. But there are still two Functionals in Chicago, I think. This man, he was not detected by my satellites earlier, or even my probe at close range. He has an almost indetectable telepathic aura. But one of those Functionals may well be Chad. I hope." She closes her eyes again and sighs. "I need to recover my equipment. Where will these flesh-cutting physicians have put it, and how do I retrieve it without going through your...what term? Red tape." She looks ragged, beaten, and seriously depressed, but she murmurs "What this rogue...man, with a Shabaali Function, what he did to Kim and myself, he will do to Chad, or teach Chad to do to others. I cannot allow that. I have no intention of being executioner, Nancy. I cannot kill, not anyone. But somehow, I *must* stop him. Even if it means loss of my own life...or sanity. I do not have time to 'rest and recover', not when every moment I do so is a moment he is spending inflicting more harm." Tears are running down her face. You get the impression that loss of her own life, or sanity, is exactly what she foresees. <><><><><> Nancy: "That's logical," replies Nancy. "One of the three that we found was before the one who produced the green energy...those federal agents have probably taken him out of the city. Another one would be Falling Star, who would still be here...so hopefully the second one MUST be Chad." She looks over to Kim. "Did you manage to bring any of Ashiya's equipment with you when you escaped? Did you tell the police where you were being held?" Nancy goes over and puts her arm around Ashiya. "I understand how you feel, Ashiya...I can imagine how I'd feel if I'd been treated the way you had. But there's a difference between heroism and suicide. Throwing your life away now against this Euroninja would be foolhardy...especially if, after you've healed a bit, you're probably more of a match for him. I know this isn't the circumstance you'd be in if you had the choice, but you have to try to think of the good things you can accomplish while you're here. Don't give up! Your people will be back someday...you just have to be patient...and then you can go home." <><><><><> Kim: "Ashiya's equipment should be with her clothes. They were when the hospital treated us. I was only able to rescue the stunner and the first aid kit; Euroninja had already walked off with the computer. That gives me an idea - Ashiya, it might be difficult to sense Euroninja, but can you sense your own computer? It's likely to be near him, or his latest hideout. It would be nice if his own arrogance and greed backfired on him!" "Going in and failing to stop him is worse than going in late. We *must* stop him, and probably first time. If we fail, I don't think he'd let us live. So we shouldn't just rush in - we *must* get this right first time. He will hurt people in the meantime, but it's the only way we can stop him hurting people forever. We must work as quickly as possible, but no quicker." [OOC: to paraphrase "Einstone" ] "*I* want him stopped. After all, he *knows* where my parents are, knows their habits, knows everything, whilst with Nancy he needs a telephone directory even to find her address. Mike, Nancy: do you have somewhere you can move your children to for a week or so, a place that neither Ashiya nor I know of? That should put them out of harm's way." Her unspoken thought is that Mike should probably accompany them. <><><><><> [GM] >>>I can imagine how I'd feel if I'd been treated the way you had<<< "Do you?" Ashiya whispers. But she leans against Nancy as the schoolteacher puts an arm around her, and she begins crying in earnest. "You don't understand..." she sobs. "I can't...I can't....anaiyashi lumuuwesh....liyesha he will be COMING FOR YOU!" Her words emerge abruptly in a shout. "He knows where you live Nancy, he knows who your family are, and Kim's too! I SAW INTO HIS MIND! I FELT HIM!" She's nearing hysteria. "He will come for you and he will kill your mate, abduct your children, torture your parents, he will stop at NOTHING! As long as he is free to do as he wishes you and all you hold dear are in dire peril!" <><><><><> Nancy: "Yes, I do," replies the teacher softly. "My roommate in college was assaulted. I know what she went through...and I've tried to learn a little about how to help other women who've been abused like that." Nancy holds the alien out at arm's length and looks into her eyes. "Ashiya!", she exclaims in a sharp voice. "Listen to me! We'll help you, all right? He won't hurt you any more!" She then pulls her into a hug and lets her cry. She looks over to Mike to see what his reaction is. <><><><><> [GM] Mike says to Kim, "We've already sent the kids somewhere....safe." The hesitation in his voice suggests he's not sure they're safe enough. Ashiya collapses in Nancy's arms, sobbing. Mike is clearly touched by her distress, but looks uncertain what to do. "I'll go see if I can find out where her...equipment, is," he says, rising and going out the door. A moment later he comes back. "There are a couple of men in dark suits outside Kim and Ashiya's room!" he says, looking nervous. <><><><><> Nancy: Occupied as she is with comforting the psychic, Nancy can't get up to look out the door. "Kim," she asks, "carefully peek out the door to see if those are the two men that were with Euroninja. I have a feeling they're not...that they must be with the government, but there's no sense in taking chances." <><><><><> Kim: Kim will take a quick look to see if she recognises the men. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya stiffens in Nancy's arms, and her hand tightens on the blonde woman's arm hard enough to provoke a gasp of pain- though she senses Nancy's wince and releases her grip immediately. She grabs Kim's hand, though, as the teenager gets up to check on the strangers. "No!" she cries out. "Don't go...not if..." The alien stares into space a moment, while Mike watches her tensely. Then Ashiya relaxes. "It is not them," she sighs. "I am sorry, Nancy," she murmurs tearfully, as the older woman rubs the latest in her collection of bruises. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy winces as the alien clutches her arm...she's much stronger than she looks! She relaxes, though, when she's let loose. "It's all right...don't worry about it," replies Nancy. "I was just going to have Kim peek out the door...you know, look through a tiny crack. Anyway, as long as you're doing your telepathy, can you find out what they want?" <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks a little drained. "They are just out of my normal range," she says. "I had to exert myself to reach them. I will try again..." Nancy, with her arms still encircling Ashiya, feels the alien's heart rate increase slightly. After a moment she lays her head back against Nancy's shoulder. "You are correct, they are yunikayeshanesh agents for your government. One is the name is you spoke earlier...Mahon. Something about our involvement with.....superhumans." She sighs, then sits bolt upright. "My equipment!" she exclaims. "They were inspecting my equipment! Someone....someone told them we came with a weapon, and they examined it. That Mahon man is intending to question us about the men at that terrible house.." she draws in a ragged breath, "but also my psychohypnotic stunner and healing box!" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy takes a sharp breath. Things just got worse. She passes the alien over to Kim. "Agent Mahone knows me...I might be able to talk to him and get him to back off." She looks at the others in the room, grits her teeth, and with more than a little embarrassment pulls off her hospital gown as she goes to the closet (dresser) where the clothes she was wearing when she came in were kept. As she changes, she continues, "You all just stay in here and try to keep calm." She's privately glad that she at least had the chance to wash up a little this morning. In record time, she's back into her dress. She grabs her mask, secures it, gives Mike a quick kiss, and heads towards the window. "Wish me luck!", she says as she flies out the window. She goes around the hospital until she finds the window to the hallway of that floor, hovers in midair, and raps loudly on the window to gain the attention of the two agents (with a gravity assisted tug if they seem a little slow to catch the hint). <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: OK, which member of the hospital staff refused to believe the gun was a toy? ] Kim frowns. "It looks like the government is going to get itself involved, whatever we do" she says to Ashiya, "If they're actively examining your stuff, it won't take them long to realise it's something unusual." "If you want to stay hidden from the government, and Nancy can't persuade him to leave, we'll either have to come up with some sort of plausible story to tell him, or you'll have to control him, or you'll have to tell them the truth." She speaks gently. "I can't think of a story they'd believe - the truth itself is unlikely enough. Assuming your stunner can only be operated by a telepath, we *might* be able to convince them it was a toy, a model from a sci-fi film, but your first-aid box is guaranteed to make them curious. We could perhaps claim that we found it, or got it from our attackers, but then they'd just take it for further investigation." <><><><><> [GM] "I will not control anyone's mind!" Ashiya exclaims. "And I do not want to lie! I do not want to tell them anything. Can I not just refuse to speak to these s- people?" "She's getting better," Mike mutters. Then says "I'm sorry Ashiya, I know you can't help what you think of us." He doesn't look like he entirely believes that. "They will want to talk to you. I don't think they can charge you with anything, so no, they can't *make* you talk to them. But absolutely refusing to do so will guarantee that they take an interest in you." "My stunner will *not* work for anyone but a telepath," Ashiya says. "And the healing box will stay sealed unless it is ordered to open- by means they do not possess- or placed next to an injured person. So unless they steal my things and take them somewhere to disassemble, they will not be able to learn anything in their examination." She leans against Kim, but Mike says "Ashiya, would you be all right if I spoke to Kim just outside, for a few minutes? Without you listening telepathically?" The alien looks up at Mike, alarmed that he might wish to have a conversation hidden from her, and clearly upset at the second suggestion. Kim knows Ashiya wouldn't "snoop", and undoubtedly considers the suggestion that she would offensive. She seems more hurt, however, that Mike apparently doesn't trust her with something he wants to tell Kim. At least, that's how Kim perceives Ashiya's mind working. <><><><><> Kim: "Can you refuse to speak with them? Yes, but that won't help much" replies Kim, "They'll get curious, start doing some checking... and discover that you don't exist: all your ID is forged. Then they'll become *very* keen to take you in for questioning. Apart from that, refusing to speak with them after what we went through is going to look highly suspicious." "If they're unscrupulous, they'll just take your stuff - how could you prove you'd owned it? Even if they're honest, they can legally take an interest in the stunner: if one of them is smart enough to realise it's not a toy, then they can call it an offensive weapon. The first-aid box is slightly safer, but if you refuse to talk with them, after what happened, they would probably have sufficient grounds to get a search warrant based on suspicion of carrying drugs." A thought strikes Kim - does Ashiya's medical kit happen to contain illegal substances as part of its design? "At the very least, the objects may make them suspicious enough to have us watched. If they work out they're extra-terrestrial, they'll want to find out if you're benevolent or malevolent." **Don't worry** she sends to Ashiya at Mike's suggestion, **He probably wants to say something, and he's worried it will hurt you feelings. I'll send you what he says - he only asked that you not listen in, he didn't say anything about me sending the other way!** Kim will relay to Ashiya the gist of Mike's chat. <><><><><> [GM] Out in the hallway, Mike runs a hand through his hair, looking stressed and frustrated. "Look," he says, "somehow you have to talk some sense into Ashiya. You seem to be the only one she listens to at all, or trusts. She thinks we're ALL a bunch of barbarians. Given what just happened, it's hard the argue the point." He looks sad, but goes on. "I'm trying not to get really ticked off, because I know how sensitive she is, and God knows, I don't want to hurt her feelings after she's already been hurt so badly. But she's being utterly pigheaded about the possibility of looking for help elsewhere. She thinks of her people as being infallible and virtually omnipotent, and if they had a ship in orbit above us, maybe they would be. But she's on her own, she apparently has absolutely no idea when or if her people are coming back, and all she's got is us. And I guess we've already seen that we aren't enough." Another pained look goes over his face. You realize it must be pretty hard on him, too- everyone around him has strange new powers, and he's been reduced to a spectator while his wife is fighting deadly superhumans. He takes a deep breath, then goes on. "I don't exactly like the idea of Nancy being identified by the government as a superhuman, but it may end up being our only choice. This man you...encountered, is deadly, and you can't just outgun him. You need the resources the government can put into a search effort, and the government needs your powers. Ashiya can't, or won't see that, because as far as she's concerned, our government is a bunch of tribal elders rattling beads and propitiating the spirits. We need to convince her otherwise. If *I* try to persuade her, she'll smile sweetly and ignore me. I'm a savage, and 'mind-dead' to boot. She seems somewhat attached to Nancy, but *you're* the only one she comes close to treating as an equal." Grimacing, Mike adds "What's really angering me is that she thinks it would be the worst thing in the world for us to get a hold of any of her precious technology, when that technology may be the only thing that will SAVE us from hostile superhumans. If she knows how to build psionic shields, that's technology that might save countless people from the predations of this 'EuroNinja' of yours. But she won't give it to us, just because we're savages. So either we accept their domination, when and if the Shabaali or the Sebth or whoever return, or we go unprotected. For all her concern for the well-being of human life, she's more interested in maintaining their elite status as 'civilized Galactics' than..." He breaks off and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Kim, that's not really fair. It's just really hard, having to endure her unintentional arrogance and condescension, and knowing that I don't dare argue with her, for fear I'll trigger another mental breakdown." "Try to talk to her, Kim. You and I both know that our government isn't perfect, but it ultimately boils down to individuals, and if a few conscientious individuals can get together, maybe you all can do some good. We NEED help, but we also need Ashiya's cooperation. Think of how much good she could do if she was willing to cooperate. Somehow, she has to be persuaded that she can't just rely on the eventual return of her own people to come and make everything all right." He sounds reasonable, and probably more eloquent than you, but you can't help noticing he keeps including himself in that "we". You know he's not likely to absent himself from these events, while his wife is involved...but as bruising as it may be to his male ego, you're pretty sure that if he stays involved, he's going to be little more than a potential victim. <><><><><> Kim: Kim gives Mike an exasperated look. "What do you think I've been *trying* to do? I keep trying to persuade her that she's going to have to turn to the government, whether she likes it or not. But it's always the same: she won't help the government, in case they abuse the knowledge. I don't think she believes she can handle Euroninja on her own - but she thinks it's her only choice. Persuading her to consider anything else is difficult. Persuading her even to *delay* is difficult. Emotionally, she's a bit child- like: she wants everything done immediately, doesn't want to think things through, and hopes that by ignoring a problem it'll just go away. Like those government agents: she's convinced they'll leave her alone if she refuses to talk to them." [OOC: Completely irrelevant, but Ashiya's inflexibility reminds me of the definition of a good General: "One who presents the enemy with 2 options, and is prepared when the enemy chooses the third" ] Kim shakes her head. "I don't really know what to do. With any luck, those agents will be smart enough to work out that Ashiya's equipment is extra-terrestrial, and will thus corner her into working with them. I'd rather work for the government - it would make dealing with my parents a lot easier!" "But I won't betray her. If she refuses to talk to them, and they don't realise that she's not from this planet, I'm not about to go up to them and say `Psst! Ashiya's an alien from another planet'." "She's a lot like a Victorian Missionary [OOC: Except in dress ] - she sees herself as culturally superior, and that she must protect and educate the ignorant savages. It's as if the missionary knew the secret of gunpowder, but refused to reveal it to a pre-gunpowder tribe because of all the bloodshed it would cause: yet blood would also be shed if they didn't have it." "I can see her point, but I think that revealing the technology will be the lesser of two evils." <><><><><> [GM] Mike sighs. "'Child-like' is what comes to my mind, yes. A child who wasn't prepared for our world, which apparently is much harsher than hers. But she insists on dealing with our world on *her* terms, rather than ours. I think she's just going to keep getting hurt if she can't broaden her perspective." "I won't betray her either," he says with a frustrated sigh. "But do your best to keep trying to persuade her." "I'm going to see if I can surreptitiously check out what's going on with Nancy. It's difficult enough for me to be in the same room with Ashiya anyway...I know she's picking up on my thoughts, and I can't help how I feel about her attitude, dammit!" [how much of this conversation are you relaying to Ashiya? Are you just transmitting everything verbatim, or giving her your own summary?] <><><><><> Kim: "She's *been* hurt, Mike" says Kim, a bit coldly, "That b****** wasn't some comical Batman villain who liked locking Adam West in a ridiculous death-trap. This was someone who goes around pulling fingernails with pliers. This was someone who stood by while his underlings raped her." A pause then, more softly: "And what was worse for Ashiya was the knowledge that people could even *think* of hurting her, for no reason. Mindless cruelty isn't something she's ever experienced before." *** Kim relays a summary to Ashiya: **Nothing new. Mike's frustrated, generally irritated by your attitude to everything on Earth, and uncomfortable at the idea of you over-hearing his thoughts** <><><><><> [GM] Mike sighs again and looks a little guilty. "I know she's been hurt," he says softly. "And however much I may be bothered by her missionary complex, I'd do anything to undo what was done to her." "You're her friend, Kim. You do what you think is best for her. But remember that 'EuroNinja' is still out there. If she insists on dealing with him by herself, that's just what may happen...." As he walks down the hall, looking for Nancy and the agents she's speaking with, you pick up a thought from him: {if she'd listen to us and take Earthlings seriously she might not have gotten into that situation...} Back in Nancy's room, Ashiya is standing at the window, looking outside, down at the city of Chicago. "It is so dirty," she says softly. "So full of people devoid of hope, of happiness. I have sensed so much hatred and fear and despair here, and so little love." She turns to you. "Mike is right, even the best-trained telepaths, like myself, cannot help occasionally picking up the thoughts of those around them, especially when they are strongly felt and unshielded, as with Mike. He cannot help his attitude, and I cannot help perceiving it." She gestures out at the city and says "Is THIS what he wants me to adjust to, to accept? That Earthlings LIKE living in a society where people kill each other and no one thinks it is strange, that Earthlings ACCEPT a society where men grow up believing that torture and rape is a proper way to express one's bitterness at the world?" Tears run down her face again. "I will NOT become like you- like your people! If I was to adopt Earth attitudes, I suppose I would now be arming myself with my most lethal weapons, and trying to hunt down those men so I could kill them. That is clearly what Mike wants. Not only that, but I should help arm your government so they can do it for me." <><><><><> Kim: Kim rounds on Ashiya, finally running out of patience with the alien woman. "We do NOT like people killing one another. We do NOT believe that torture and rape is proper. If you were to adopt Earth attitudes, you would now be working with the government to help *stop* Euroninja. *You* know the technology needed to defend against him. *You* know how powerful he is. But, no, you won't actually *help* anyone, in case they use that help to hurt others. Instead, you want to play the hero: you're going to run off and take him on alone, and you'll get killed by him. You'll leave everyone else unprotected so he can rape and torture who he pleases, just because you're afraid to let your technology out of your pretty little hands. You'll let countless people suffer and die, just so long as it isn't done through your abilities or technology so you don't have to feel guilty about it. Other people mean less to you than your own guilt!" Kim doesn't like laying in Ashiya, especially given her mental state, but sometimes children need scolding to help both themselves and others. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya stares at you in shock, wincing as you chew her out. Predictably, your tongue-lashing provokes more tears, but she doesn't collapse into sobs, just sniffs and wipes her eyes. "Tha...that's not true, it is n-n-not fair!" she whimpers. You're not sure if it's really fair, but you do think it's true, and Ashiya senses that. "I would d-d-die for any human being. Even for those men who t-t-tortured me! I would rather let them rape me again than kill them!" You pick up the unspoken thought **but I would kill myself first** "You do not understand our- our- we cannot-" She takes in a deep breath, then turns away from you, looking out the window. "Do you think the technology to make psionic screens has only defensive applications, Kim? What of my satellites, which are powered by antimatter power units? Should I turn those over to your government as well?" She looks down, pressing her forehead against the window, then slowly turns back to you. "All right," she says softly. "I do not trust your government, but I trust you, Kim. And I am tired. I have failed at everything I attempted. I have no more will to do this by myself. I need you, and now you are angry at me because you want me to act like an Earthling." She slides slowly to the floor, back against the wall, hands over her face. "Go and tell those agents what you wish. I will do whatever you say." <><><><><> Kim: "Thank you, Ashiya." Kim breathes a small sigh of relief, and goes out to meet Nancy and the agents. [OOC: Sounds like a pop group ] She'll warn Nancy telepathically: **Ashiya has, very reluctantly, agreed to see the agent. She doesn't trust the government, but knows that I think trusting them is better than trying to ignore them. Can you prepare the agent, persuade him to handle Ashiya *very* gently, and not be put off by the way she says things?** ============================================================ [GM to Nancy] The hallway is inside the hospital; the rooms are against the outer wall and have exterior windows, but Nancy will have to enter through a room, or head for a lobby and get someone's attention that way. There are no windows facing the hallway. <><><><><> Nancy: [Okay, but what about the END of the hallway? Doesn't it have a window? Anyway, if there's no way she can get line of sight on the agents from outside (whether it's through a lobby or whatever), she'll go in Kim and Ashiya's old room, using her gravity powers to manipulate the latches on the window.] <><><><><> [GM] Nope, the hallway leads from the elevators, at one end, to the nursing station at the other. You're not at the ground floor, so there's no lobby, at least in this section of the building. Manipulating the latches is a little tricky...you find your gravity powers aren't quite as "dextrous" as classic telekinesis, but you're able to manage. You doubt you'd be able to thread a needle, though. You emerge from Kim and Ashiya's room as the agents are already retreating down the hall. Calling to them (and generating a slight gravitic "tug") spins them about, as they're understandably startled to hear someone exiting from a room they just left, apparently empty. "You!" Special Agent Mahon says. "Uh, sorry, I mean....well-" he looks somewhat at a loss, as you realize you gave him neither a name nor anything else to call you. In his mind, you're probably "that blonde woman who controls gravity..." <><><><><> Nancy: "That's quite all right," she says understandingly as she walks up to them. "I know I haven't given you any sort of name to call me...but to be honest, I'm a little new to this and I don't want to saddle myself with something innane like 'Gravity Girl' for the rest of my life. I know it's a little vain, but I don't want to make myself look any more foolish than I do already...." Secretly, she's relieved that Mahon DIDN'T have anything else to call her. Apparently the nurses didn't seen Kim and Ashiya go into her room...that might have been bad.... "We need to speak privately," she continues in an urgent voice. "If you have somewhere you'd rather go, that's fine...otherwise, we could use that room I came in at." <><><><><> [GM] "Umm, yeah," Mahon says, "let's just go back in that room." He gestures towards Kim and Ashiya's room. "While we're at it, is there something I *can* call you, besides 'Ma'am'?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy leads the way back towards the empty room. "What, do you mean as in a codename or my real name?" She smiles slightly. "No offense, Agent Mahon, but I still haven't thought out all of the ramifications of working for the government. And while I think you're a good person, I don't want any pressure being brought to bear in my 'real' life. That kind of 'help' I can do without." She thinks for a moment. *My middle name might be good enough....* "Why don't we try Jennifer for now...that's one that I can remember easily enough, though it's not my real name." When they get inside, she goes over to the chair, but waits to see if either of the agents want to take it. Once everyone is situated, she says, "Well...would you like to tell me what you know so far, or should I start?" <><><><><> [GM] "You start," says Mahon. "You could start with how you happen to be here." <><><><><> Nancy: "Fair enough," she says with a shrug. "I came here to meet my friends...the ones who I went to find yesterday. They were frightened because there were two strange men in black suits hanging around outside their room. I don't think that's terribly unusual, given what happened to them. Have you seen the police and medical reports?" <><><><><> [GM] Mahon clears his throat and nods. "Yes, I did read them. That's why I'm here. According to Ms. Brenner, one of the men who abducted them and tortured them was a superhuman. A telepath. And now you're involved. It seems there's more going on here than just that firefight at Cabrini Green yesterday. I want to talk to them about what happened. If you're a friend, I'm sure it would make it easier if you were there while I question them. Perhaps you can fill in some details." <><><><><> Nancy: 'Jennifer' sighs. "Mr. Mahon, let me be frank with you. I'm trying to convince my friends that they should co-operate with you, but it's not not going well...and the incident they were involved in yesterday has nothing but increase their paranoia. I'll do whatever I can for you...but I'm afraid they won't co-operate, at least not yet. The best you could expect if you did talk to them is that they'll just refuse to answer. And the worst...well, let's just say we saw yesterday what happens when I let them run around unsupervised, though I can't blame them for it. I think they're safe when I'm there to look out after them." "In exchange for my help, I would like to ask another favor of you. The objects they brought with them...that were with their clothes...I'd like to be able to give them back to my friend, please. I'm not saying that they're dangerous or anything, but I don't think just anyone should be handling her property." She sighs and rubs her eyes. "This is all happening too fast for me." She gives a wry smile. "I just wasn't made for these life or death decisions." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon looks somewhat surprised at your request. "Your friend's...items, haven't been confiscated. She can get them back whenever she wants. Although I'll confess, one of the nurses told us she came in with something that looked like a toy raygun, so I examined that, and the featureless white box she brought as well. I'm rather curious as to just what they are...." He's looking at you with a guarded, questioning expression. He gives the impression of being entirely too sharp to be easily bluffed or snowed with a contrived story, and you suspect he's curious about a *lot* of things.... meanwhile, his partner, whom he hasn't even introduced yet, just stands and listens, glancing out the door, down the hallway every now and then. <><><><><> Nancy: She takes a long breath. "I'm in a rather difficult position here," she replies after a few moments. "I shouldn't tell you too much, since my friend...doesn't recognize the legitimacy of our government. The only result of my telling you what's going on would be more problems for all of us that none of us needs right now. However, she does want to confront the man who did this to her...and she insists on doing it immediately. *I* would certainly feel better if you were there to take this horrible...person into custody, but having you on the scene would just result in problems while we're trying to deal with him, since you have no defense against his attacks." She sighs and shakes her head. "I don't suppose you know anything about some kind of foreign agent here in the US with telepathic powers, do you?" <><><><><> [GM] "Doesn't.....recognize....the legitimacy of our government." Mahon repeats that slowly, as if weighing the exact meaning of your words. "This would be Ajiza, I take it. *Is* that her name?" He looks at you, still with that unnerving, assessing gaze, and says "So just where is this woman from?" <><><><><> Nancy: "You're not listening to me!", the blonde replies in a desperate and exasperated voice. "It doesn't matter where she came from. To be brutally honest, she's worried about being exploited by the government...and at the moment, I can see her point of view." She glares first (pointedly) at the agent at the door, then at Mahon. "Look, we need to concentrate on the problem at hand, which is what to do about this foreign telepath. He's a danger to all of us...much more of a threat than a young woman who'd rather be almost anywhere else other than here." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon sighs and stands up. "I'm afraid you're wrong....Jennifer. It *does* matter where she comes from. It's my job to pay attention to details. I can leave it be for now. I don't want to exploit her, or hurt her. But I can't just ignore something that doesn't add up, just because there happens to be a more important problem at the moment." "Now, can we try speaking to Ajiza and Kim?" <><><><><> Nancy: The masked woman stands up and looks incredulously at Agent Mahon. "You haven't listened to a single word I've said, have you?", she asks. "It's not going to do you a bit of good...they don't want to talk to you. You aren't accomplishing anything except wasting your time and ours." <><><><><> [GM] "If that's how they feel," he says, "then we're not going to have much luck doing anything about this 'foreign telepath'. Right now we have zero usable information." He pauses and then says "In case you didn't know, the two men who the police arrested at the house where this torture and rape took place....were released on bail that night. Despite the fact that the FBI had already notified the Chicago PD that the men were not to be released under any circumstances. Unfortunately, they arrived too late to take them into federal custody. Apparently your telepath is very potent and very efficient." "If you're right, and Kim and Ajiza don't want to talk to us, then I guess there's not much we can do. But I hope you don't mind if I try talking to them anyway." <><><><><> Nancy: "Having you hunt them down would be incredibly futile," the blonde answers. "That's not what we need you for at all. I just want to make sure that AFTER we're done dealing with him, IF we defeat him, that you'll be there to take him into custody. This is one of those 'need to know' situations...and right now, you just plain don't need to know. It should be enough that he's running around Chicago kidnapping people and raping them," she adds in an offended tone, "but I suppose that doesn't make him important enough for you." She looks dismayed at the news about the two men being released, but says nothing. Making a supreme effort, she regains her calm. "I think it must be incredibly obvious that I *don't* want you talking to them. I don't see it doing anything but wasting time for all of us and being detrimental to Ajiza's emotional state. However," she says, holding up her hand, "I will ask Kim if she'll talk to you. But I am NOT guaranteeing anything." She walks over to the door. "I'm going to go get her. I won't be more than a minute or two. I want the two of you to STAY HERE until I get back...and no peeking." Unless the other man blocks her, she walks out the door, closes it...then increases the gravitic attraction between the door and the frame, hopefully keeping them from looking down the hall. She'll stay a moment to see if they test it, and if they don't, she'll head down the hall to her room. <><><><><> [GM] "No." Agent Mahon stands up as you move to the door, looking as if he's running out of patience. "We most certainly DO 'need to know', and you are not the one who decides such things." "I think you're not understanding something, *Jennifer*. We're not here because we're curious about all this interesting metahuman stuff and are hoping we'll find people nice enough to tell us about themselves. We're the government, we're law enforcement officers, and we're trying to track down a metahuman criminal. We're also trying to gather information so the government will know how to deal with metahuman criminals. Do you know what we did with those two men you subdued yesterday? They were shipped to our research facility on the East Coast, under heavy sedation. That's what we do with captured metahuman villains right now, is put them in a drug-induced coma. Yes, that's illegal and blatantly unconstitutional. Just between you and me, there's a lot of people in our agency who know damn well that they're probably going to jail as soon as this gets out and the ACLU starts landing on our case about 'cruel and inhuman treatment' and sues the government. They're doing it anyways, because the alternative is to see how long a normal jail holds that guy who can generate force fiels at will, or someone like Deathstorm who can kill everyone within a ten block radius. This is not a comic book, lady, this is serious, and the government is using desperate measures right now." "So first of all, you and your friends obviously know a lot more than you're telling. Now I'm not going to use any kind of coercion to force them to talk. But I'm not also not going to just let it go. 'Oh, you know something about what's going on here, but you don't feel like talking to the government? Well, gee, that's too bad, give me a call if you change your mind.' No, I don't think so." He looks you in the eye and says "I *don't* want to intimidate these girls. I've got a niece who was sexually assaulted a couple years ago, I know what it does to women, and I don't want to appear as the government black hat. But I'm not just going to go away because they don't feel comfortable talking to me. I *have* to talk to them. You can talk to them first, and make it easier for them, and if they refuse to talk to me when I show up....well, we'll have to see what happens then. Hopefully they'll be a little more reasonable than that." "But we are not staying in this room while you go wherever they hid themselves and decide whether *you'll* let us meet them. And we also are not sitting on our thumbs while you chase this sadistic telepath, waiting for you to call us and say 'come get him'. Vigilantism is not something we want to encourage. You don't have to join the government to get us to work with you a little, but you have to work with us a little, you can't just run around and take justice into your own hands at will, then call us for backup when you're done." He sighs and faces you directly. "I have a job, Jennifer, and it doesn't always let me be nice and accomodating. I would really *like* for you to like me and cooperate willingly. I would *like* to have your respect and trust. But I'll still do my job whether or not I can get it." Outside the door, you see Mike walk past, trying to look like he's not noticing what's going on inside. You figure he probably wanted to see what was going on, quite possibly because Ashiya was driving him crazing again. He never was good at waiting around and letting other people do things. Mahon's partner turns his head to watch your husband walk past, eying him thoughtfully before turning back to watch you and Mahon. <><><><><> Nancy: [HE'S losing his patience? Welcome to the club, bud. BTW, the second part of this message is Nancy's answer to Kim's telepathic message.] 'Jennifer' makes a visible effort to control herself. "Don't presume to lecture me, Agent Mahon. You're depending on my good will here. I could just fly out that window right now and you wouldn't learn a single thing. You're so busy doing your job that you're not even considering whether the questions should be asked. I've lain awake nights trying to come to terms with all of this...and suddenly, you come waltzing in and expect it all to be laid out for you. Well, tough patooties, mister...we want all kinds of things in life but we don't always get them." "They're my friends and I'm obligated to protect them from things that I think are harmful. I've screwed up once already...and I don't want things to get any worse than they are." She tries to take his arguments in stride, but the accusation of vigilantism really seems to set her off. "You were the one who was moaning and whining to me how you aren't able to deal with paranormal criminals, how you need us to help you bring them down. Now, when I'm trying to do just that, I'm suddenly a vigilante! I don't particularly feel like having to subdue your agents if their minds are controlled...or being shot by them if I'm the one who gets it. You wanted these people taken care of...fine, I'll help you. But don't complain when I want to handle it my way...I'm doing this out of civic responsibility, not for a paycheck. Not because I want to beat people up, but because these things have to be done." She seems really offended by all of this. "I know you have problems and you're only trying to do your job...but I'm trying to do what's best for my friends. I was hoping the two weren't mutually exclusive. Now, I'm not so sure...." * * * * * Suddenly, the blonde gets a distracted look on her face. *I don't know about this, Kim,* Nancy "says" in a worried voice. *I'm getting a bad feeling about having him question you two. If you still want to do it, that would be very helpful...but I can't guarantee that he won't press on questions we really don't want to answer.* <><><><><> [GM] You don't get an answer from Kim. Mahon sighs and says "Look, I don't want this argument to escalate. I *am* going to talk to Kim and Ajiza. I'm quite sure they're nearby, so if you want to fly out the window, go ahead. We'll find them. On the other hand, if you want to be there while we talk to them, you might want to stay." "I haven't threatened your friends at all. I have no intention of doing so. But you want to protect their feelings, and maybe their secrets." His voice emphasizes the last word. "I have a lot more people to worry about protecting." He steps out the door, then looks back to see if you're going to follow. <><><><><> Nancy: The masked woman pulls the two agents back before Mahon can leave, though the door is still open, so Mike can hear. "Hold on. Kim just talked to me...she said that Ajiza is willing to see you...if not answer your questions. They'll meet us here in a minute or two. Here is just as good as anywhere else...it's someplace that they know." "I want to go on record as saying this is a big mistake," she continues. "In my opinion, a woman who's just been assaulted shouldn't have to go through an inquisition, especially one that doesn't have a thing to do with the attack on her. If you start upsetting her, that's it...the party's over and we're out of here. Just try not to agitate her...and give her a little leeway if what she tells you sounds...odd." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon says "Of course I'm going to ask her about things pertaining to her assault! I *am* interested in this telepath of yours. And I *will* try not to upset her, though I expect she's going to be upset by bringing up the attack again, isn't she? I'll be as gentle as I can be." <><><><><> Nancy: She sighs. "Fine...let's get this over with, then. The sooner you ask her your questions, the sooner we can all get on with our lives." She heads over to the door, looking out anxiously (displacing the other agent if she has to: "Pardon me...."), hoping that Mike picked up on her cue. CHICAGO HOSPITAL- Continued [Ashiya has reluctantly agreed to speak with the government agents.] ============================================================== [GM] Kim isn't adept enough to scan for Nancy and RECEIVE her thoughts in return- you were able to send to her, but that's it. You go out in the hallway, in time to see Mike hurriedly retreating from the room you and Ashiya spent the night in. Sounds of Nancy arguing with someone can be heard behind the door. Mike tells you, "I, uh, overheard Nancy. She wants you to bring Ashiya to the room there, where you spent the night, I guess to talk to the feds. But try not to use her real name....though I don't know what she's calling herself." <><><><><> Kim: "It might be easier to bring them in here", replies Kim, thinking of Ashiya's mental state. [If this isn't possible] Kim goes back to Ashiya. "They're waiting in the other room, Ashiya. I'll be with you; let's get this over with." **If you want to stop them finding out more about you without your permission, you might want to avoid giving them your name: most of our records are based round names. Though perhaps you aren't on any of them anyway. I used `Azija' on the hospital forms, close enough to look like a misprint if you do give them your real name.** Kim leads Ashiya to the interview. <><><><><> [GM] Nancy and Agent Mahon wait, Nancy nervously and Mahon impatiently, but only a couple of minutes. Then comes a knock on the door, and he opens it. Kim enters first, looking guarded but unflappable as usual. She glances at Nancy and notices the mask, then turns back to her friend, gently leading Ashiya inside. Nancy can see immediately that Ashiya has suffered another sudden alteration in her mental state- she seems once again to be shifting between single-minded determination to overcome whatever pain she's suffered, and leap into action, and a depressed state where she becomes timid, withdrawn, and very, very sensitive, emotionally. From the fragile expression on her face, she seems have sunk back into depression....which means if she isn't handled with kid gloves, she's going to break down again. Holding Kim's hand, the lovely alien steps back into the room in which she and Kim spent the night, very timidly. The image of a doe entering a clearing and looking around to see if a bear is going to leap out at her comes to mind. Even the two gruff government agents seem taken aback at how beautiful, and how vulnerable, she looks. And at how badly hurt; Mahon's jaw clenches slightly as he takes in the bandaged fingers, the bruised face, the lacerated hands and throat, the way she moves slowly and painfully. He indicates a chair, and the bed. "If you'd like to sit down...this isn't an interrogation." He glances at Nancy. "Miss Brenner, and....Ajiza." He shows his badge, and says "I'm Special Agent Mahon, U.S. Justice Department. I represent the agency that's dealing with metahuman incidents. We were called in because of your....what happened, and the report you gave afterwards. According to the police, and hospital staff, you believe one of the men who abducted you was a telepath." He pauses, then says "We want to make every effort to track him down and bring him to justice....whether or not he's actually a metahuman, of course. But if he is a metahuman, we need to take extra measures. And any information you can give us will be helpful." He looks at Nancy first, to see if she has any objections thus far, then turns back to the younger girls. "For starters, can you tell us exactly why you believe this man was a telepath?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy helps "Ajiza" into the room to wherever she wants to be during the interview. She puts her hand gently on the injured woman's shoulder and stands next to her the whole time, trying to project her caring and support, strength for the wounded woman to draw on. "One thing before we get started," she interrupts as he mentions his agency. "Could your companion identify himself too? I think that would be only proper." [If you don't want to come up with a name, just take his badge flash as a given...but I just wanted to make sure everything was above board. ] When Mahon looks to her, she adds, "I know this is hard for you and I'm glad you're feeling up to helping these men. But remember that you're doing this as a favor to them...and if their questions get too personal, you have a right not to answer. You're not the one on trial here...this was not your fault." <><><><><> Kim: Kim smiles at the government men as she sits down. She seems to be keeping an eye on the second (unidentified) man. Feeling slightly mischievous, Kim decides to reveal her telepathy... but to the *other* agent, not Mahon. **How did I know he was a telepath? Because I'm one too. He was much more powerful. I can talk in your head; he could give orders the same way, and have them obeyed** She watches, amused, for his reaction. <><><><><> [GM] "Sorry." Mahon's partner holds out his badge, identifying him as Special Agent Hackley. "I'm the tech part of the team- Mahon talks to people, I talk to computers and filing systems." He smiles slightly and adds "The name's just a coincidence." As Nancy reassures Ashiya, she seems to relax slightly, and press closer to Nancy, but then seems uncertain, and draws away again. Her mind voice, "audible" to both Nancy and Kim, sounds distraught; **I do not understand, do you want me to tell them about myself or not? Kim says yes, and holds the conviction that it will be to the greater benefit of your people if I teach your government how to make antimatter bombs and terror projectors. Now Nancy seems to be implying I should conceal information...I cannot deal with this subterfuge! I cannot think in half-truths and evasions, if you wish to selectively edit what information they are given, you must speak to them yourself! Please do not be angry at me, Nancy!** The last part comes as a worried afterthought (literally), and Nancy gets the distinct impression that Ashiya's wariness when she greeted the alien a short time ago remains....Ashiya seems to be regarding the schoolteacher as an unpredictable, potentially dangerous personality, although it's also obvious that she does care deeply about both her Earthling friends. As Hackley puts his badge away, he jumps and snaps his head around to look at Kim. "Christ!" he exclaims. Ashiya looks at Kim in surprise. <><><><><> Nancy: [Then Nancy will stand by the side of the bed as Ashiya lies down. I just wanted to make sure she was close.] Nancy nods to the other agent. "Mr. Hackley." *You need to do what you think is best,* answers the blonde. *He can only legally ask you about what happened when you were assaulted. That gives you an 'out' if he asks you something you don't think you can answer. Then again, if you don't want to be evasive and your peace of mind is more important than the knowledge of the Galactic Council being revealed...then you should tell him everything." *There is a possibility that if you do 'spill the beans' that various people will try to coerce you into showing our people your advanced technology...including what you know of weapons and such. I'm not telling this to frighten you...I'm just trying to make you aware of the possible ramifications of your actions. However, as long as I'm able...and as long as you'll have me, I'll try to prevent anyone from hurting you or making you do something that you don't wish to do.* *I have faith in my government. I don't think they'll exploit you IF you stand up for yourself. Perhaps you can show us a few of the less dangerous things your people know. Just because you co-operate with someone doesn't mean that you agree with everything they're doing.* She pauses a moment when the alien asks that she not be angry. *I'm not angry at you, sweetie,* she "says" tenderly. *You have to remember that we haven't had the advantages you have...that our minds usually all by themselves. We have parts of ourselves that we don't want to show others, that we don't really mean to feel, but we do anyway because we have nowhere else to put it. We can't share our feelings like you do. There's no one who can just come into our thoughts and help ease the pain. I'm lucky because I have Mike...and he and I know each other about as well as two human beings can. But there are still things we don't share, just because they're too private. But privacy doesn't exist for you, so you sense ALL of our emotions...even the ones we don't mean to have. You'll just have to be patient with us...and accept our apologies if we've hurt or offended you.* * * * * * Nancy looks between the young girl and the second agent when he stares at her. "What?", she asks in a worried voice. "What's going on?" <><><><><> Kim: **Maybe I shouldn't have done that** Kim sends to Ashiya, **But I had to establish my credentials as a telepath quickly. That way, they won't necessarily push you about it** Aloud, she says: "Sorry, Agent Hackley. But if I'd just said `Hey, I'm telepathic', I don't suppose you'd have believed me. Come to think of it, a week or so ago and I wouldn't have believed it either." She turns to Agent Mahon. [OOC: Do these guys have first names? ] "The man who attacked us was a telepath, a powerful one. I can send messages to people - and I think I just gave your associate some grey hairs demonstrating - but our attacker was much more powerful. He could give orders, and compel people to obey them. He could trawl through a mind, digging out any information in it." Kim looks sickened. "And yet he tortured my friend, because he enjoyed torture more than he desired information. He was Eastern European, but with his power he could ensure that there was no evidence of him entering the country." <><><><><> [GM] [First names? Men in black never have first names! ] **I am sorry, Nancy** Ashiya telesends. She leans her head against the older woman (she's sitting on the bed, but not lying on it) and her shoulders sag, stress and depression weighing heavily on her, but she seems to draw comfort from the woman's presence, and from Kim, whose hand she's still holding [unless Kim disengaged to go sit in the chair?] Mahon looks at his partner questioningly. "She's a telepath," Hackley confirms, indicating Kim. "She just spoke in my head...I heard it." He seems a little unsettled, but not really frightened. Mahon purses his lips and thinks a moment. "From the few accounts we got yesterday," he says, "there was some mention of a girl who blinked across the street and kicked those two metahumans unconscious. Then made hash out of the gang. I guess that was one of you? So you two are both metahumans as well?" He regards Kim and Ashiya intently. Ashiya hesitates, then says "I am a telepath. Like Kim. That is how I know this other man was a telepath. He is dangerous and....evil." The word seems to pass her lips with great difficulty. "And he is now searching for another telepath, a young boy, whom he will brainwash and turn into a monster like him! Then he will come after Nancy-" [Nancy winces as she realizes she never told Ashiya not to use her real name- Ashiya probably perceived that Nancy was concealing her identity, but she's becoming more distraught as she speaks, and added to her already heavily stressed mental condition, and general unfamiliarity with the concept of deceiving people, it's not surprising she "slipped"] -"and possibly abduct her children or husband to force her to come to him, and he will hunt down Kim..." Ashiya is starting to cry again, and she faces the agents and says "If your government is truly benevolent, you must help me find this man so I can...I can...try to stop him, from hurting any more people!" "That's exactly what we want to do," Mahon says gently. "But we need to know more about him, and about you. How are you going to stop him from hurting anyone else? Do you mean killing him? Or did you have something else in mind?" Ashiya recoils in horror when Mahon suggests that she would kill someone. <><><><><> Kim: Kim will keep her hand on Ashiya. She knows the alien woman is pretty distraught at the whole thing. >"From the few accounts we got yesterday," he says, "there was some >mention of a girl who blinked across the street and kicked those two >metahumans unconscious. Kim blushes - *very* slightly . "Um, that was me. I wonder how detailed the account was?" Internally, she feels mildly irritated - she'd hoped to conceal her teleport power, but isn't about to go "No, nothing to do with me" when a minimal amount of checking would reveal otherwise! On the other hand, at least the accounts didn't note Ashiya's stun gun - Kim is amused at the assumption she could casually KO someone in armour. >Do you mean killing him? **Please be careful** Kim telepaths gently to Agent Mahon, **My friend is still rather fragile after what she's been through. And she finds the thought of killing truly repellant.** Then to Ashiya: **Don't be alarmed. He doesn't know that you're non-violent; he has to sound you out about it** "I suspect *neutralize* would be a better word. Remove or suppress his telepathic ability" - she looks to Ashiya for confirmation/expansion - "I hope that wouldn't count as a `cruel and unusual punishment'." "Have you had any other reports of any telepaths?" While listening to Agent Mahon's reply, Kim will concentrate gently on his mind, so that if he says "No" she will have some idea of whether he's holding anything back. Finally, she sends a short message to Ashiya: **If you do reveal the psi-screening technology, you don't have to reveal such things as anti-matter powerplants. I wouldn't expect psi-screens to be as risky as something based on anti-matter.** *Though a few pointers on how to make fusion work would probably be appreciated* muses Kim (though she doesn't send this to Ashiya). <><><><><> Nancy: *Don't be sorry for doing the best you can, sweetie,* replies the blonde. *Just do what you think you have to...what you think is right.* [I don't blame you for having Ashiya use the "wrong" name...there wasn't the chance to tell her not to...not that she would have understood the reasons for doing it. Stuff happens.] She's right there to comfort the alien as she starts to cry again. "It's all right, dear...I'm here." A scowl crosses her face as Kim mentions 'neutralizing', but she tries to keep her negative emotions in check with the telepath nearby. "If that's the worst thing that happens to him," she says in a controlled voice, "it still wouldn't pay for the way he's misused his abilities." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya murmurs "There are certain...techniques, I can use, which may neutralize him. Without hurting him." She looks up at Nancy and says softly "I only want to prevent him from hurting anyone else. Vengeance is not our way of justice." Mahon clears his throat. "It's not our way of justice either, at least in theory. But whatever 'techniques' you plan to use on him, *we* have an interest in questioning and imprisoning him. Now about these techniques; if you have some means of subduing hostile metahumans, especially without hurting them, then it's something we would sure like to know about, because right now our options are pretty limited." He leans closer and says calmly, "Azija...just where are you from?" The question seems to be a tangent off of the previous line of inquiry. Nancy and Kim are caught by surprise...but Ashiya isn't. She merely looks at her two Earth friends, with an expressions that asks 'What do you want me to tell him?' She seems resigned to doing whatever the two women advise. <><><><><> Nancy: The blonde adopts an obviously defensive posture by Ashiya. "If she's a telepath, it's probably only going to work for her, unless you happen to have someone else with telepathic powers working for you. And you are NOT going to exploit her, do you hear?" She turns back to the woman on the bed. "This is one of those questions I told you about before...the ones you don't have to answer." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon protests. "Lady- *Jennifer* - I don't want to exploit anybody! What I want is some way to stop all these unstoppable lunatics that are wreaking havoc around the world! Now this girl says she has the means to do that, maybe, and whether it's something only she can do, or something she can teach us, I'd like to hear about it! And maybe we DO have telepaths working for us!" Kim senses that he doesn't- but he seems to have some other thoughts in that area; perhaps he knows or suspects where one or more can be found. Mahon's voice becomes louder as he speaks, frustration and conviction pushing him to greater intensity. He steps back and softens as Ashiya involuntarily cringes away. "It is all right, Nancy," Ashiya says, gripping her friend's hand as the schoolteacher seems ready to act in her defense again. "He did not mean to intimidate me." She looks at Nancy and at Kim. "I thought what you *wanted* was for me to cooperate with your government." Her look is particularly hurt as she gazes at Kim. "You will not believe I truly wish to help anyone unless I do," she says sadly. Mahon clears his throat and steps forward, hands out in a placating gesture. He speaks in a much softer tone. "Azija...I don't blame you, or...Jennifer..." (a charade Nancy suspects is now pointless; she has little doubt that the too-sharp agent didn't fail to notice Ashiya's slip) "for being cautious. I won't claim that everything 'the Government' does is right or good. But the U.S. government is a vast organization, a vast collection of different organizations actually, with millions of people from the paper-clip counters to the guy in the Oval Office, and those people are good, bad, and everything in between. Of course some elements of the government have engaged in...ethically questionable activities. And some elements work at cross purposes, or even directly against other elements." He pauses, then goes on; "Yes, I'm afraid there probably are some people working for the government, possibly believing they're working for the greater good, possibly not, who would....exploit you." He kneels so he faces Ashiya at eye level and finishes, "But not me, and not the people I work with." Ashiya sighs and says "You speak well, Special Agent Mahon. But I can tell that you were trained to speak well. You are adept at persuasion, and your duty requires you to attempt to persuade me, because you sense I am useful to you...to your organization." Mahon looks down at the tiles on the floor, then back up at the beautiful, soft- spoken woman. "I don't know how telepathy works," he says, "but if it will make it easier, I give you my permission to read my mind and see if I'm trying to deceive you." "That is not necessary," she replies softly. "I already have." At the startled look on his face, she adds hastily, "Not deliberately. I did not invade your thoughts. But a telepath of my degree can often pick up the surface thoughts and feelings of another person, without actively probing into their mind. Especially when the thoughts are intense and heartfelt, as yours are. I sense you are sincere in what you are telling me, but you have doubts. Perhaps you do not trust your own government quite as much as you would like me to." Mahon says nothing. <><><><><> Kim: "How much detail do you have to put in your report, Agent Mahon?" asks Kim, "If you don't fully trust other bits of the government, perhaps a degree of circumspection would be a good idea. That would provide a way of dealing with the `unstoppable lunatics', while still providing protection from any lunatic- wannabees in the government, people who assume that the next best thing to having meta-powers is to control a meta." She sighs, looking glum. "It seems to me, we have to find some way of stopping the psychopaths, and it must be begun quickly, before they become too many and too experienced to handle. The more metahumans that get away with violence, the more new metahumans will choose violence, and the problem escalates." Although she is still speaking to Agent Mahon, her words are partly for Ashiya's benefit. She adds telepathically: **The greatest problem are Sebth and Shabaali powers. Someone who is inhumanly strong and tough can still just about be handled by mundane means; someone who can fly is only slightly more of a problem; but there's nothing much we can do about teleporting or mind-control. We are defenceless against them** <><><><><> Nancy: "I don't know," Nancy admits to Kim. "I mean, if it were just a matter of her being telepathic, then they might be willing to let it lie. But there's much more to Ashiya than that, and we both know it. I don't think we can let anyone know. I hate to sound paranoid, but there might be...uhmmm...spies in their organization. You know, from other agencies." She sighs and looks a little annoyed. "This sounds like one of those books by that guy who writes about all the spies...the one who did Red October. I hardly know who to trust." <><><><><> Kim: Kim looks at Nancy, irritated. **Well, you've just found the best way to pique their curiosity about Ashiya** she sends, **And you were the one who first suggested contacting the government. Why are you putting me in such an awkward spot all of a sudden?** [OOC: I doubt if Kim can hear a response in thought] Aloud, she adds: "You have to trust someone sometime: that's the flip-side of wanting other people to trust you. We can't - and shouldn't - try to handle this on our own." She adds a final telepathic comment: **You haven't met him, the man who attacked Ashiya and myself. You don't realise just what we're up against. This isn't some guy with a fancy gun, or a little kid who can fly. This is someone who can stick his fingers into your mind and have a good rummage round, picking and choosing the information he wants. This is someone who can compel you to obey orders, or even change your very personality. This is someone who could leave you with a desire to kill Mike and your children on sight.** <><><><><> [GM] Mahon says "There are certainly 'spies' in our agency, but there isn't much cloak and dagger about it. Everyone knows that the military, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, every organization in the government, just about, has an interest in metahumans. What organization wouldn't want metahumans working for them? Right now, because of the current crisis, *we* have jurisdiction over all metahumans; any who join the government, come to us. But we're pretty sure that there are already at least a couple in the military, who the military are keeping to themselves. No doubt, all the agencies are keeping an eye on us because they want to know what's going on as badly as we do. But for the moment, they don't have the power to do a whole lot. The Army certainly isn't going to be able to draft you; it might occur to the CIA or some other spook shop that they could try approaching you with subtle bribes and or threats to get you to 'defect' to them, but it wouldn't likely work, unless you really preferred to work for them, because you'd only have to tell us, and we'd raise holy hell. Us and all our metahumans." He looks at Ashiya and says "If she has some....extremely unusual knowledge, then think about this; how long can she keep it completely hidden? If you let US know about it, we would quickly disseminate it to all our agents, and on up the government chain of command. Your secret will be out, but that means it can't be used against you, and we could openly and publically protect you. On the other hand, let's suppose that the CIA, or somebody worse, somebody not even working for our government, gets an inkling that there's something special about you." He speaks gently and says "Isn't that what already happened? But you got away that time. If someone else makes you disappear, what could we do about it? Nothing." Ashiya sighs, looking more and more weary with the whole thing. She speaks mentally to Kim and Nancy again; **I am not going to make this decision. It is you who wished it, and I am tired, tired of all- all this. It is actually rather tempting to believe I can turn this over to your government and let them deal with it, but I don't. I will do what you say, though. I think, however, that Agent Mahon already suspects my nature. He thinks it is an absurd and outlandish idea, but the thought has already crossed his mind.** <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy looks back at Kim, thinking something after both telepathic incursions...angry the first time, then exasperated. [However, since Kim doesn't pick it up, I suppose it's a moot point. ] Nancy sighs. "I think that she might have been able to keep it a secret for a long time, since it's not something that's really that apparent. The problem is that the genie's out of the bottle...once Kim reported all of this to the police, it was only a matter of time." She goes over to the chair, sits, and buries her head in her hands. "You know, I never wanted any of this. I didn't need these powers...I never asked for you to come out here. Not that I'm complaining, mind you...you have to deal with life as it comes, both good and bad. But just knowing what I do now...it make things so different. I just wish things could be the way they were before." She smiles grimly at Ashiya. "I guess we both wish that, don't we?" She looks as if she wants to wax philosophic, but she restrains herself. "All right, Mr. Mahon...Mr. Hackley. You wanted the truth...here it is. Ashiya is an alien. She belongs to a highly advanced race called the Shabaali. They, in turn, belong to a Galactic Council that has divided up their people by their metahuman abilities. They call them 'Functions'. Right now, the Earth is in a contested area between the Shabaali, Ashiya's race, and the Sebth, a race of teleporters. Ashiya's people had recently retaken this solar system after hundreds of years and were sending a sort of archeological team to study us. The Sebth returned and destroyed her ship. Ashiya, who was on the planet at the time, is the only one left in our solar system." She looks at the faces of the agents. "Oh wait, it gets better. You see, their galactic society has a VERY rigid structure. It's existed for thousands of years along the neat dividing lines that the Functions provide. From what Ashiya's told me, the Earth is a sort of 'institution', where they supposedly put galactic citizens who don't possess a Function to live. It's easier than trying to integrate them into their own societies, you see." "Everything was fine as long as we stayed that way. If someone accidentally manifested a Function, the race monitoring the planet would find them and take them 'home'. But now we've gone and thrown the balance of power out the window. We're manifesting powers that they've never heard of before...and at ungodly levels. Well, they certainly can't have that, can they? And so, once word of this gets back to them, they're probably going to take over the Earth. We might get lucky...maybe they'll only kill all of the metahumans, erase everyone's memories, and keep a better eye on us in the future. Or, they might just decide to solve the problem and blow us all to kingdom come." [Ashiya can sense that this really frightens Nancy...after all, she was raised in the later part of the cold war. ] She smiles at the agents. "Now, aren't you GLAD you asked?" <><><><><> Kim: Kim stares at Nancy in disbelief. She'd trusted the schoolteacher - now, Nancy was trying to blame everyone else, screw up their lives, and drive Ashiya to a mental breakdown. "You're hysterical, and you don't know what you're talking about" she says coldly, "The Shabaali wouldn't kill metahumans or anyone else; they're too valuable. They would try to either remove their functions, or remove them." **Thank's for nothing** she adds telepathically, **What's this, `Dump your friends in the blender' week?** [OOC: This time, she mentally listens for a response] She looks to Ashiya, to see how badly the alien woman has suffered from Nancy's outburst. [OOC: Sorry: Kim is feeling rather betrayed by Nancy . She put a lot of effort into persuading Ashiya to come this far - she was expecting a bit more support! (I assume something went on in private to change Nancy's views). And to be criticised for going to the police after what she and Ashiya went through is the final straw ] Kim talks telepathically with Ashiya, and does her best to telepathically undo any damage that Nancy may have done. **She's scared. Don't take her words too hard: I don't know if she *really* believes your people would come and kill everybody, but I know *I* don't believe it. However, she's pretty well summed up the way people will react to the news that a powerful alien race wants to take over the Earth.** <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy looks at Kim through weary, blackened eyes. "Yes, I suppose that was a bit harsh. I'm sorry, I got excited there. It's just...we finally are starting to get things together on our own here...and now we're going to be called to task by some batch of aliens that we've never heard of before." "You're making the assumption that the Shabaali will continue to hold this area of space. If they do...well, I'm not thrilled with anyone messing around with my mind, even if they're doing it for 'my own good'. However, the impression that I got from Ashiya was that we upset the *fundamental* balance of power. I have no doubt Ashiya's race would argue that they try to integrate us into galactic society. Everyone else will probably just, as some of the older kids say, 'Nuke 'em all and let God sort 'em out'." *You'd know a lot about that,* replies the blonde to Kim's accusal. *My life was odd before you came in...odd, but manageable. Now I've had to lie, abandon my children, and ignore my job because YOU ran away from your parents, like some kind of 'big adventure' movie.* Kim can sense that it's the former, the evasiveness to her parents, that upsets Nancy the most. *You're like so many kids today...you go off on your own merry way, and then when things get sticky, you expect to be bailed out. Take a look at who's been hurt here and tell me who dumped whom 'into the blender'.* If Ashiya's upset, Nancy gets up and moves to her side, laying her hand on her shoulder again. "I'm sorry, dear. You wanted me to take responsibility, to tell the story...and I did. If the way I perceive all of this hurts you, I'm sorry...but I'm tired of trying to pretend that everything's all right when it's not." [The term "outburst" for Nancy's exposition is a bit harsh. Other than a bit of sarcasm at the "Wait, it gets better..." bit, she was pretty much clear and unemotional when she did it. And, as is evidenced above, Nancy feels more than a little put upon by Kim. She's merely 'telling it like she sees it'.] <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks saddened by Nancy's description of Galactic society. "Nancy," she murmurs, eyes large and hurt, "I have tried to explain our society to you....but you keep altering what I tell you, reenvisioning us in a way that suits your...your fear, your paranoia. You make assumptions about us, and you will not believe me when I try to correct you." Her eyes brim with tears as she says "When I try to clarify your misconceptions, you become angry at me, and when I cease disagreeing with you, you become even angrier. How can I tell you the truth, when you will not believe me and become angry when I try?" Agent Mahon stands there, stunned, finger raised, looking like a man with an infinite number of questions and not knowing where to begin. Hackley just stares at Ashiya, then at Nancy, then back at Ashiya. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sighs wearily, looking far older than her 35 years. "I'm not doubting you, Ashiya," she says softly. "It's just...your race is so gentle...so inoffensive, but everyone else sounds like these horrible ogres. It's hard for me to see any hope in a situation like this. I get angry when I think my life has no meaning. And hearing about how your people will make me welcome even though I'm useless only makes it worse." "And you have to admit...when you found out about that Functional in New York, you were frightened. You don't know what to make of us...and we won't fit in with your society. Do you honestly think that the other members of the Council are going to let us go on? I think they'll be just as revolted as you were...and a lot more willing to use an aggressive solution." "I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you, but what you've been saying hurts *me*." Despite the seriousness of the moment, Mahon's stupefied expression brings a small smile to her face. "See...I told you that you didn't want to know." <><><><><> Kim: Apparently casually, Kim shifts her collar slightly to show the bruises round her neck. To Agent Mahon's eyes, she appears to be glaring angrily at Nancy. **Since when have I asked you to lie for me?** sends Kim, **Where were you when we were attacked? Playing Little Miss Wonderful to the cops, that's where. I've been choked unconscious. My mind was tampered with so that I had to obey another's orders - when he said "Don't talk", I was left unable to speak, as effectively as if he'd cut my vocal cords. He went through my head with a fine- tooth comb: any time he wants, he can pop round to my parents and kill or enslave them. Ashiya was tortured and raped - repeatedly, and in various ways. I was left strapped to a chair and saved for later. We only escaped because I was finally able to overcome his compulsion long enough to teleport out of my bonds. We staggered as far as the hospital. To keep Ashiya sane, I've had to mentally bond with her again, and feel what she went through. All of it: the torture, the multiple rape, everything. You're the one who got all chummy with Agent Mahon, and suggested we work with him, but I'm the one who was left to sell the idea to Ashiya. I managed that, only to find that not only had you changed your mind, you tried to make it look like it was *my* idea. You suggest to Ashiya "don't tell them you're an alien", then go ahead and blurt out everything, dump her in it up to her neck. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE GALL TO BLAME ME FOR IT, CLAIM I'M LIVING A FANTASY. GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THOSE F****** COMIC BOOKS AND OPEN YOUR EYES. ITS NOT THE JOKER AND THE PENGUIN OUT THERE, THIS IS FOR REAL. YOU TELL ME WHO'S BEEN F****** HURT** [OOC: Agent Mahon is going to look even more confused when Nancy abruptly decks Kim with a left hook ] Kim drops down to her chair, suddenly looking drained after her (silent) outburst. She speaks quietly, not to anyone in particular. "Five days ago, I was an ordinary teenager. My worst vice was climbing trees. Since then, I've discovered I can read minds and teleport. I've been kidnapped twice, dumped in the sea, boiled alive, knocked out, turned into a helpless slave, and struck dumb. I've met two different sets of aliens. I've run away from home to help Ashiya and tried to stop her cracking up. I don't seem to be able to sleep any more. Whatever happened to the world of a week ago? And what will the world be like in a week's time?" Kim doesn't sound like she's about to crack up, but she does sound like the strain of the situation is getting to her. <><><><><> Nancy: [Does she actually have bruises from the attack on her?] *Ever since I started fending off your parents for you,* Nancy snaps back. *I have to tell them their little darling is is still all right when in actuality she's doing a Steven Segal impression. I'm supposed to convince them that I'm keeping an eye on you when you're running around like some kind of maniac. I don't like misleading people...it's not honest. Maybe I should have asked your father to come out here...he might have been able to talk some sense into you.* *I was doing my civic duty...trying to make sure the police knew what those men were capable of. I should let them take those two away and then have them kill people when they wake up? That part of town is a perfect example of what happens when no one has any pride in their community. 'Let somebody else take care of it.' Well, I'm that somebody else...and I'm proud that I was able to help.* *And a great job you did, too...she dumped it right back into our...or should I say MY lap. I thought I'd be able to avoid having him dig too deeply into your backgrounds, but I was wrong. So sue me...the situation's changed. If I didn't tell him who Ashiya was, the chances are he wouldn't have helped us with Euroninja. And I refuse to take the law into my own hands. He should be punished by due process...not by Functionals who're looking for revenge." *I do blame you for coming out here!*, she thunders back. *If your feet are so firm on the ground, you should know better than to go running off like that. I'll tell you who's been hurt...Ashiya has. Because you were bound and determined to treat this like some kind of cloak and dagger...when we would have been better off by being more open about things in the first place!* *And I will thank you, young lady,* she finishes icily, *not to use that kind of language.* <><><><><> [GM] [No, as a matter of fact- I noticed that and was going to post a correction, but you beat me to it. Kim does NOT have any bruises on her neck.] * * * * * * * * * * Ashiya looks back and forth between Kim and Nancy, wincing at the telepathic exchange. Mahon, sensing that something is going on but unable to determine what, looks at the nasty expressions passing between the older woman and the teenager, and the pained look on the alien's face. "Uh, ladies..." "Please," Ashiya moans, "please do not fight! I am sorry....I am so sorry, I did not mean to cause such pain to either of you, I did not mean to disrupt your lives-" Nancy's fear of Galactic intervention, her anger at Ashiya's cavalier dismissal of Terran civilization, Kim's similar displeasure at the alien's inability to accept Terrans as being much more than very clever, but vicious, savages, and the pain Kim endured by sharing Ashiya's...it all floods over Ashiya, released in the frustration that's causing both Earth women to unload their tensions at each other. Ashiya crumples, putting her hands over her face and doubling over. "It is all my fault, all mine, I failed terribly from the beginning and only compounded my errors, I should never have been sent on this mission, I am unfit.." She sobs and makes small whimpering noises, and Mahon stares, looking visibly moved. Like any man, he wants to comfort the beautiful, distraught woman, but hesitates, constricted both by professional duty and by knowing that he really doesn't have more than a clue about what's going on. Hackley too looks disturbed, but uncertain whether to act. <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: She had bruises last night... (assuming being choked and finally choked unconscious left bruises!)] **Typical hypocritical adult** sends Kim, more quietly than before, **Don't you think it was *my* civic duty to tell the police about the attack? Or does `civic duty' only apply to Wonder Woman? You suggested going openly to the Feds: I *agreed*, so stop inventing things to prop up your ego. Then, when I had finally talked Ashiya into it, what do I find but suddenly you've got cold feet about calling them in? How do you think that made *me* feel? Yes, *Ashiya's* been hurt, not you. Try thinking of *other* people for a change. You never help people because of the good it'll do: you help them to make yourself feel good, and you run away from anything difficult. *You* haven't travelled half-way across the country, hand-holding a fragile alien and trying to explain our world to her. *You* haven't had to twice bond with her to stop her going insane. You've hardly even spoken to her. You suggested she talk to the Feds, but you gave other people the job of persuading her. With your little mask, and a complete costume back home, you're a fine one to talk about being open, Nancy. Or should I call you Jennifer?** * * * * * Kim puts a comforting arm around Ashiya. **It's OK, Ashiya. You were sent on an impossible mission; what happened isn't your fault. Nancy's right: I shouldn't have just run away from my parents, I should have told them the truth. She's now trying to shovel all her problems onto someone else, namely me. Sadly, this a common trait amongst us.** * * * * * When Ashiya starts crying, Kim looks round and puts a comforting arm around her shoulder. After a brief burst of telepathy, Kim gives a sad smile. "You're right about one thing... Jennifer... I *should* have told my parents before I left. But I knew she needed help, and I'm sure they wouldn't let me go. I've already told them what I can; the rest will have to wait until I get back home." [OOC: Mahon is going to go crazy trying to follow this exchange ] <><><><><> [GM] [Yes...you *would* think that being choked unconscious should leave bruises, wouldn't you....? ] <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy quickly moves over to the bed, getting up next to Ashiya, and pulling her into an embrace. "No, no!", she cries, almost moved to tears herself. "It's not your fault, Ashiya! This has nothing to do with you...adults and children often disagree on our world. It's everything that's happened these last few days...it's not you!" She tries to concentrate on being supportive and loving again, giving the alien what she needs. Busy trying to comfort Ashiya, Nancy replies, "We can talk about this later, dear...when it won't hurt our friend. We'll work it somehow." <><><><><> [GM] [to Nancy] Ashiya huddles against you and soaks up your comforting thoughts. **Nancy** her voice whispers in your mind, **You are the kindest, gentlest mindblind-** **non-Shabaali I have ever known. I wish I could share my thoughts with you as I do with Kim.** **Please do not be angry at Kim. She is being very angry, and I wish she would not be. But-** Ashiya trembles, and just for a moment, she shares the briefest bit of her experiences in the room with the sadistic telepath- no specific images, but a sample of the horror and pain and humiliation, the agony she endured. You wince, and feel your throat constrict, and the blood rush out of your face. **I shared ALL of that with Kim. To comfort me and keep me from breaking down completely, she relived every one of my experiences with me, moment by moment. She did that for me. It is something I would not ask most Shabaali to do; only a professional Assuager is trained to relieve someone of such trauma. Kim has had her life disrupted as much as you, and for accompanying me, she was treated as brutally as I** (you perceive that to Ashiya, the telepath's mental rape of Kim is as bad as what was physically done to her) **and then added my pain to her own. Please forgive her, and be gentle with her, if she is now not being very gentle herself.** **I know my presence has been very hard on you. I know I upset your husband greatly, and now your children are in danger. And I know the prospect of Galactic civilization altering your world is frightening to you...change always is.** **This is the only world you have ever known. To you it is your universe, your history and your people; to me it is one backwater, uncivilized wilderness filled with violent savages. Perhaps...I have trouble seeing beyond that. I did not realize just how frightening can be the destruction of your way of life, when it is all you have ever known.** **I will not abandon you, Nancy. I will personally look after you and your family, as much as I am able to, when our people arrive. I will try to reassure you, and I will...I will not leave, until you feel safe. I love you, Nancy. I will do whatever I can for you.** You feel Ashiya's love, genuine and heartfelt. A little inhibited, because you're not a Shabaali...but you're surprised to sense a sexual component to her feelings as well. It doesn't really surprise you that she has no inhibitions about being attracted to another woman, but you find it a little...disturbing. [to Kim] Ashiya "speaks" to you privately; **Kim, my friend...you have done more for me than I can ever repay. Your life has been disrupted, and your loved ones are in danger, and you came on this wild and terrible journey with me and suffered grieviously for it. I have exposed you to terrible danger. And worst of all...** her mental voice is anguished and guilt-ridden; **you were brutalized by that terrible man, because of me and my foolishness, and then to save me, you experienced all of my pain as well. I would not even ask another Shabaali to do that, not even my love, for such terrible emotions are best left to a professional Assuager. I had no choice, and you have suffered terribly, all because of me...** **I am sorry I am so 'fragile' and require such 'hand-holding'. I suppose I seem very weak and delicate to you. We are simply not equipped to deal with such things that your world has to offer. I could never have imagined such violence and brutality. I am...trying to adjust. But it is difficult. Please forgive me for trying your patience so.** **I love you, Kim. I would do the same for you. I will do anything for you that you wish. Even place myself under the power of your government. I only hope you are right that this is wise.** **Please do not be angry at Nancy. She is frightened; her life is more fixed than yours, her mindset less flexible, and she sees all that she knows possibly being destroyed. You are both my friends, and I could never have survived without you. And I will still need you as long as I am on this planet, which for all I know may be a long time.** [general] Gradually, Ashiya seems to pull herself together. Mahon and Hackley shift nervously, and look impatient, but Nancy and Kim are gratified to see that they at least possess a virtue not normally seen in TV G-men; patience and a modicum of compassion. The alien holds both her Earth friends close to her, "speaking" to each telepathically. Then she wipes her eyes and stands up, facing the two men. With a considerably calmer demeanor, she address them. "What....Jennifer-" (she looks *very* uncomfortable even with this small amount of deception) "told you is- essentially, true. I am an alien. But I am human. And what she told you about my people, and the Sebth, and Galactic society, is mostly true..." she glances at Nancy uncomfortably and says "though inaccurate in many of the details. No one is going to bomb your planet. Not even the Sebth would massacre millions of innocent people, not even mind-dead." "Either my people or the Sebth will be returning eventually, probably soon, but I cannot really say. When they do, there will be a Galactic presence on this world, one way or the other. This problem will be moot then. But until that time..." she takes a deep breath, and continues, "I will do what I can to help you, if you will help me...neutralize, this terrible man." Ashiya looks at Kim, then says "I...may have been a bit melodramatic in speaking of antimatter; I am not a physicist- I understand the basic principles behind antimatter power units, but I could not teach you how to build one. I can, however, teach you to make psionic shields, and psionic detectors." She looks somewhat sad as she finishes, "this technology, while not offensive in itself, can lead to much more destructive devices. I hope you understand that. I did not want to tell you anything, but Kim and...Jennifer, say your government is benevolent and will not do this." Ashiya looks doubtful, but when she glances back at Kim again, her eyes are full of trust. Mahon and Hackley look stunned yet further by her proclamation. Hackley coughs, and Mahon starts out with, "Umm, look, I'm not a scientist, but there are a whole lot of problems I have with this story..." At this Ashiya's shoulders slump, and all her newfound strength goes out of her. She sits back down between her two friends and moans, "Do I have to go through this *again*? Why does no one believe me? I am sorry, Special Agent Mahon, I do not have a spaceship to show you. What will convince you, in time to start DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE BAD TELEPATH?" The last words come out in an anguished cry, then seemingly shocked at her own outburst, she covers her face in her hands again and leans against Nancy. <><><><><> Nancy: *I know, dear...I wish I could share with you too,* Nancy replies. *Don't be worried about calling me 'mindblind'. It's only a word. We get far too wrapped up in words for our own good. Oh, and you don't have to bother calling me 'Jennifer' any more. It is a part of my name, but one I don't usually use...so I thought it might keep those two agents from finding out who I am. But he's heard you and Kim call me Nancy, so I don't think it's going to work.* She gives a mental sigh. The sensation the alien sends Nancy isn't entirely unfamiliar, though she's never experienced it herself...so she manages to recover fairly quickly. She thinks for a moment, then answers, "I'm sorry...I realize that Kim is very resourceful and has been a big help to you, but I can't help but think of her as a child. I can't help but think of how I'd feel if Bonnie was that age and went running off without my permission. I couldn't stand it. But I'll try to be a little more understanding.* *The last few days have been...eventful,* comes the tactfully phrased response. *Mike...will have to deal with it. It's not as if everyone else on Earth won't have to do the same thing. And the kids...well, they're safe for the moment.* She can't help but "sound" worried, though. "We'll just have to see what comes, Ashiya. Right now, all I know is that I won't go if Mike doesn't want to. If that means I have to lose my Function, then so be it. My love for him is more important than my personal gratification. As for the kids...I'm hoping we'll have some kind of a training center or something here on Earth by the time they manifest. I don't want to have to send them away to be trained." Nancy tries to reciprocate the feeling, but Ashiya senses some hesitation on her part as well. There is a memory of a college friend, the one who had been assaulted...and how she mistook Nancy's friendship and support for a deeper emotion. This rises, unbidden, until she can quickly slam a lid on it, ashamed of the memory. * * * * * "The impression I got when I discussed this with Ashiya," Nancy adds when Ashiya talks about bombing the planet, "is that trying to resist whatever this Galactic Council decides to do with us would be futile. They're far more advanced than we are and have weapons we couldn't begin to understand." "We're not so benevolent that you shouldn't be cautious," she interrupts in a wry voice. "There is a possibility that we'd misuse what you gave us...but it could also help save people from rogue Functionals. You have to balance those possibilities." The blonde wraps her arm around Ashiya and comforts her. "Being a natural born telepath, she comes from a place where it's pretty much futile to lie. I don't take everything she says as gospel...you could look at it as if one of our 'average citizens' were being questioned about us...but I haven't any doubts that she BELIEVES what she says and that it's essentially true. As you've seen, she's in a bad way right now...I hope you realize how lucky you are that she decided to talk to you. I think any critical examination of her 'story' should wait until she's feeling better and we've dealt with the main problem at hand." <><><><><> Kim: Kim nods. [And Ashiya dies of strangulation at being hugged from both sides ] "That's pretty much the story; I'll fill in what else I know. For me, it all started five days ago, when I suddenly woke up a long way from my home. I must have teleported in my sleep, or something. A group of people were dragging a drugged woman - Ashiya - and I went to intervene. Somehow, I ended up on their spacecraft, and I was put into a cell next to her. Between us, we were able to escape, at the cost of being dropped in the Bay and gently parboiled by some weapon on the spaceship. Ashiya explained that she was a Shabaali, which is a race of telepaths, and the spacecraft was from the Sebth, a race of teleporters. I can do both, which is something almost unheard of in their society. Ashiya wanted to contact other metahumans - `Functionals', as she calls them - and wanted to go to Chicago. I went with her - I'm afraid I've sort of run away from home - and we ran into... Jennifer." A smile crosses her face briefly, as she indicates Nancy. "She also has powers that are impossible, according to Ashiya's people. We went to Chicago, to trace a boy Jennifer knows, who's developed some sort of mind-control ability. We didn't find him, but did drive straight into a gang war. Things got very complicated - one meta, a little kid who looked like a fireball, tried to stop the fighting; two other metas tried to indiscriminately kill everyone in the area. We subdued the two murderous metas, but both Ashiya and Jennifer were hurt." Her smile fades, as she moves onto more painful memories. "Jennifer stayed to talk to the police, while I waited in the car with Ashiya, who was unconscious. A shadowy figure crept up on us - he was very hard to see - and attacked me, choking me unconscious." "I woke up as his prisoner, and found he'd tampered with my mind so that I had to obey his orders. All I can say about him is that he's a powerful metahuman, able to pretty much do what he likes to people's minds, and he's East European. He had two companions - Yuri and Piotr, I think. They tortured and raped Ashiya. I was brought down, and they threatened to do the same to me unless Ashiya cooperated with them. Then they went to work on Ashiya again, but made the mistake of leaving me in the same room - with Ashiya's help, I was able to teleport out of my bonds and knock them out. We escaped to the hospital, Ashiya undid the sabotage in my mind, and that's about it." "Some of the Functionals that are appearing have enormous power, even by Ashiya's standards. That's a danger Ashiya hasn't spoken of directly: if there's something about the environment on Earth that encourages the creation of powerful metahumans, we could be a resource to be fought over. Ashiya's people would be benevolent, but some of the others might not be. And Shabaali benevolence might well involve taking over the Earth `for our own good'." Kim looks to Ashiya. "Is that about right?" <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya nods slowly. "Approximately, that is correct. Since before the Uprising, twenty thousand years ago, there have been nine known Functions found in the human race, but no human can manifest more than one. On this planet, the people you call 'metahumans' are manifesting two or more at once." She pauses, and says "I have a theory, which....of late I have not had much time to investigate." She sighs, and Nancy and Kim wonder how she's managed to do *any* theorizing. "Your...unique abilities may be the result of the interaction of multiple Functions. Jennifer, for instance, can control gravity, which is unheard of in Galactic society. We have the Lemaar, who can telekinetically affect matter, and the Asgur, who can affect energy, but controlling gravity would require some combination of the two....I classified-" she sighs as she says again, "Jennifer, as a Lemaar, but my instruments are calibrated according to known parameters, meaning they expect to find one of the nine known Functions, not combinations of Functions in one individual. It may be...Jennifer has both Lemaar and Asgur Functions, and somehow that combination created a unique interaction which gave her the ability to psychokinetically affect gravitational forces. That girl, the one you called 'Falling Star', certainly had to be manipulating both matter and energy, and to affect organic matter, including her own body, requires the Atla Function as well." She shakes her head and says "If only I were not absorbed in...other concerns, I should be investigating this. It is my specialty. But if my friends had not been killed," with effort she avoids breaking into tears again, "*they* would be tracking Chad Reiter, and I would be free to conduct my research." Mahon exhales slowly, and finally says, "Leaving aside questions of extra- terrestrial intervention....just for the moment- but assuming I buy it all- yes, we need to track down this sadistic telepath of yours. And I need to know more about this boy...Chad Reiter? Now you say you're a telepath, and so is Miss Brenner...do you know how we can track him? How we can stop him? And how quickly can we build these psionic screens of yours? I can call for more agents, and I can probably even get a couple more metahumans flown out here....we have a few working for us already. But if this guy can just take over their minds, then it wouldn't be too helpful. These screens would be *very* helpful, if you can make some quickly." Ashiya shakes her head. "Even assuming you could assemble all the necessary materials, and machinery...they are sophisticated devices, requiring complex electronic components- and I am not an engineer either. I have enough familiarity with psionic equipment to build crude prototypes, but I could not make one equal to our best models. From the state of your technology, I doubt it could be done in less than days. And the one I build, assuming it works properly, with your crude components could not be guaranteed to function properly." "If you have the technical expertise," says Hackley, speaking up for the first time, "our 'people' aren't stupid. We have real, live scientists, and they can learn, and improve on things. They're not trained monkeys." Ashiya winces a little, and looking at Nancy, she sends **He is like Mike; he feels I am being condescending. I am sorry Nancy, I do not mean to be...** Mahon senses Ashiya's discomfort, and gives his partner a warning look. "All right, so you can't whip up some instant anti-telepathy screens. Is there anything you CAN do quickly? If not, we're back where we started; chasing this guy won't do any good if he can just mind control anyone who catches up to him." He adds gently, "You didn't seem to be a match for him before he...traumatized you. I really don't think you're ready to face him now." Kim and Nancy feel this is probably a terribly accurate assessment. Ashiya thinks, still huddling against her two friends. "I can teach rudimentary mind-blocking techniques," she says. "That is a technique even a non-Shabaali can use. Depending on the individual, and their willingness to allow me into their mind to accelerate the teaching, I could teach someone to construct a simple block in under an hour. It will give a small amount of protection, though a skilled telepath, as this man certainly is, will slip right past it without much difficulty. But it might delay him for an instant." Her eyes widen then, and she turns back to the other two women, speaking to both of them telepathically. **There is something else...but I am loathe to do it. Kim, Nancy...the satellites in orbit about this planet contain not only computers and powerful psi-sensors, but miniature factories. They can fabricate a variety of items whose instructions are stored in the computer...including carryable mind- shields. They need only the raw materials. But in order to do this, I would have to bring at least one down to the surface, so it could be given the necessary elements. I am afraid to do this. Teaching your people to make psi-screens and detectors is one thing...but the satellites are guided by Shabaali computers with tele-receptive circuits, their motive system is a contragravity field generator, they are equipped with laser and neutrino projectors for communication and....defensive purposes, and they are powered by antimatter units. *If* your government proves not so trustworthy...if they took it from me....as Special Agent Hackley says, I am aware your scientists are capable of taking something apart and eventually figuring out how it works. Even Galactic equipment, they could probably learn from eventually. I do not know how successful they would be, and how much they would destroy before being able to learn from it. But it is quite possible that they could learn to make all the things I feared your people learning...antimatter technology, contragravity, high energy beam weapons, computers a hundred thousand times more powerful than yours....** <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy strokes the alien's hair as she almost breaks into tears again, trying to soothe her. "I might be able to talk to Chad," she says reluctantly as they talk about the young mentalist. "I knew him...before. Anyway, it's the older one that we need to worry about." She looks sharply at Hackley when he speaks up...and looks to be about to say something when she gets the psi- flash. She stays vocally silent, opting instead to speak to Ashiya: *He's like a lot of 'computer people'...he thinks technology can do anything. Don't worry about him.* Carefully, she considers the satelittes above them. *No, I don't think you should bring one of them down. While I'll admit having them make the more reliable equipment would be helpful, it would still take time to make the devices...time we don't have. It's good that you're co- operating with the government, but that doesn't mean you have to share everything you've got with them all at once. Save that as a last resort.* * * * * * She pauses a moment and thinks, *Ashiya, is there any way you could...boobytrap my mind? I mean, if my powers are psychic in nature, then maybe you could set something up so my power backlashes against him...or something like that. I'm willing to take a risk if it would help keep him from hurting anyone else.* <><><><><> [GM] "Well, what *can* you do, right now?" asks Mahon with just a hint of exasperation. "I have a psionic-" Ashiya gasps. "No, HE has it! My detector, my computer, my booster- all I have left are my amplifier...the "stunner", and my healing box. And of course the probe, and through that I can still-" she hesitates, and Kim and Nancy sense she wishes to avoid mentioning her satellites, then says, "I can still obtain a wide area scan, looking for Functionals...for metahumans. But it is not very precise, and this man seems to be invisible to my scans. We would have to hope that he contacts Chad Reiter, and that Chad Reiter uses his Function in a way that I can detect." [to Nancy] Ashiya is a little confused and a little disappointed at your reaction, but she quickly withdraws from your memories of the other woman. To your proposal to booby-trap your mind, she seems a bit startled. **That is...I-** you sense hesitancy, then a weary abandoning of her attempt to keep something hidden. **I planned something much like that...but using my own mind as the bait.** You feel a shudder go through her body, and though she tries to block it off, you sense terror and anguish at the thought of letting That Man inside her head again, actually *luring* him into her mind, to rape her again- **It is theoretically possible to create a telepathic construct in the mind of another person** she says. **But it is very difficult, a very rare and advanced technique. I am one of very few Shabaali capable of it, and I have never actually done it. It is even more difficult to construct such a thing in the mind of a mindblind person; even if they are trying to relax and open their mind to such a manipulation, their natural psychic defenses seek to interfere, and they can in no way help with the process. Under the best of circumstances, I would be extremely hesitant to attempt such a thing with you, and-** you "hear" a mental sigh **I have just finished performing delicate, invasive telepathic surgery on Kim, undoing what was done to her mind, when I was in no shape to be doing any such thing. We were both fortunate that I did not lose control, I do not feel capable of attempting such a thing again, so soon, while I am still....unwell. The best I can do is to put a mental block in your mind so that any attempt to invade your mind may result in an auto-hypnotic response, the best choice probably being for you to black out, as a violent response would be rather uncontrollable. That would at least prevent him from turning you against us during a confrontation. Of course, if he should have time to concentrate on you, it would do no more than slow him down.** <><><><><> Kim: "Can you detect your detector, if he tries using it?" asks Kim. She knows that, had it been her computer, it would have done something unpleasant to someone breaking in. Ashiya's probably put out the welcome mat. "He's not just invisible to your scans; if he wants to be, he's almost invisible to sight as well." "I could try to recognise the house, if I was driven round, but he's probably abandoned it by now. He had a grey van, but that's not much help either." Kim remembers her modifications, and smiles grimly. "It might be interesting if his two buddies tried some target practice without first checking their guns. I mean, it's *so* easy to have a nasty accident with them." "Otherwise, it does look like we have to wait for him to go after Chad. Unless you left anything behind in Oakland?" Kim adds telepathically: **It's probably better not to reveal your satellites yet. Apart from the technology, there's more than a little paranoia at the thought of satellites watching us. Could you give them enough info about psionic screens for their scientists to try to understand?** <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy chimes in, "Maybe he hasn't gotten rid of the rental car yet. We can call the agency who loaned it to you, get the license number, and try finding out where that is. It might still be in the area." "Or maybe," she adds thoughtfully, "we should try finding Chad first. Do you think it's possible that we might be able to find him before the other telepath does? If we could get him to help us, then it could be a whole different story." Ashiya finds that Nancy is a bit repressed when it comes to sex. [No...you mean it? ] It's perhaps with some surprise, though, that she can be adventurous with the right partner...and that she definitely prefers a submissive role. There is a thought deep in her mind, a picture of Ashiya and Mike making love...which disturbs her even though her rational mind has discarded the notion. She loves the alien, but she can't help but feel inferior to her...not, surprisingly, as far as her Function goes, but just as an ordinary woman. The blonde gives the mental equivalent of a vigorous shake of the head. *No, Ashiya, it's much too dangerous to do that to yourself! We need to you to counter him...and I couldn't forgive myself if you got hurt again. If you don't feel you can do it to me, that's fine...but don't let your fear of him make you do something suicidal. Making me fall unconcious for a bit is fine...since my powers are all physical, I'm afraid of what might happen if he 'gets ahold' of me. Especially since there's the possibility of Chad being there, since he'll probably go after me first. Let's just hope he won't have time to concentrate.* <><><><><> [GM] [to Nancy] Ashiya seems sad, and scared, but determined. **There is probably no other way to neutralize him** she sends back. **I am the only one who would have a chance of executing such a telepathic trap- Kim has nowhere near enough experience with her Function. I know it is dangerous, Nancy. But he MUST be stopped- ** and though she doesn't send the rest, and in fact tries to cut the communication there, Ashiya naturally transmits both mental verbalizations, and feelings, emotions, subtle nuances of expression, all interwoven in a complex mental pattern that you can barely follow, usually perceiving only the overt message and the dominant emotion(s) surrounding it. In this case, though, there is a fatalistic conviction in her thoughts, that tells you she is prepared to die. * * * * * Ashiya looks at Kim, and after thinking a moment, says "I could attempt to track him by my computer, *if* he is still carrying it *and* attempts to use it." She lowers her eyes and speaks to Kim mildly; "We are not naturally as secretive and paranoid as your people, Kim, but the concept of security is not completely foreign to us. He cannot command my probes and...other equipment, through the computer, unless he is capable of using Shabaali Mindspeech. And he could not have obtained that ability in the short time he spent.....interrogating me." She inevitably shudders, and clutches Nancy's hand, but goes on. "I can get replacements for most of what he took-" this causes Mahon's eyebrows to go up, "but I can still at least obtain...information, through my probe." "I have already ordered it to alert me if any Functional activity takes place in the Chicago area. When it does, we will have to attempt to close in on it." Ashiya sighs, and asks "How will these men-" she gestures at Mahon and Hackley, "help? They or other officers like them can do little but shoot people." From her expression, Kim and Nancy know that the pacifistic alien won't cooperate with such a plan, even for the man responsible for torturing and raping her. Mahon asks "What's this 'probe' you're talking about? As for what we can do; it would help if you told us how *you* plan to deal with the other telepath, and this mind-controlling kid. Our usual tactic with metahumans right now is to drug them...*if* we can take them alive." Ashiya shudders. "Well, we can use tranq guns, though if those armed goons are present with more automatic weapons, I'm not going to ask our field agents and the Chicago SWAT team to use dart guns in self defense." The federal agent glances at Nancy, then at Kim. "Jennifer didn't tell you, huh?" He looks unhappy. "We know where you were held captive; the police went back there, following your directions yesterday, and arrested the two men you described; 'Piotr' and 'Yuri' I guess, though they refused to even open their mouths." He pauses, then says "We'd already been alerted of a possible metahuman incident, and were on our way. We gave instructions for NO ONE involved to be released until we had a chance to question them, but somehow, they were bailed out anyways, before we got there." His expression is grim. "Needless to say, we have no idea where they are now." <><><><><> Kim: Kim is mildly surprised that (a) Ashiya's computer had any security on it, and (b) Ashiya was monitoring her thoughts! "Sorry" she replies quietly, "It's starting to look uncomfortably like we must wait for him to make a move. I don't think he'll discard your computer, Ashiya - more likely, he'll keep playing with it, trying to see what he can do with it." Kim isn't happy at the idea of killing metahumans either - thought Euroninja has easily been the sternest test of her beliefs! In her mind, he's a good argument in favour of retroactive birth control. "Tranq guns sound like a good way to deal with most metahumans - I'm pretty sure it would knock me out, for example. Have you considered using some sort of tranq gas? It would be easier to deliver - but perhaps the civil liberties people would blow a bloodvessel. Still, better an unconscious metahuman than a dead one - there's not much that can be learned from a corpse." Kim takes the news of the thugs escape calmly. "I wonder if their lawyer happened to have an East European accent? It's going to be difficult to hold people if they've got access to someone who can mind- control a judge into releasing them. Unless something can be done to block mind control, our legal system will collapse. But I'm glad the police didn't just go wandering in on their own: I had visions of them not taking me seriously, wandering along, and falling under his spell." <><><><><> Nancy: *Yes,* she answers, *he needs to be stopped...but if we can knock him unconscious...put him in a position where he can't resist, that will give you a much better chance of removing his abilities than some mad, suicidal plan. We can beat him...the only reason he won before was that he caught Kim by surprise and you while you were unconscious. With all of us together, acting with the sole purpose of taking him out, we should be able to do it. He can't kill all of us with one snap of his fingers.* *It's a pity,* she thinks thoughtfully [], *that you can't 'fine-tune' the neutralizing field on your probe. I mean, you know what 'frequency' he operates at...just suppress all of the signals on that 'wavelength'. We need any advantage we can get. Like maybe having you give Kim one of those posthypnotic suggestions that she still has to obey his orders...until we give her a codeword or something. That way, if he detects us coming, we might be able to surprise him.* She shrugs. *I don't know...at this point, I'd be willing to try just about anything that'll give us a better chance of taking him on without anyone getting killed.* <><><><><> [GM] [to Nancy] **The neutralization field cannot generate an area suppression attuned to only one person** Ashiya replies [nice try ]. **I could focus it on him- IF he can be detected....but the other factor is that the neutralization field really isn't total...a strong will and sufficient effort can overcome it, as Kim and I did. And as he did. It would hinder him, but not stop him completely.** **I do not know what is the best tactic to fight him, Nancy** Ashiya says wearily. **I am not a warrior, not a tactician. I only want to stop him. I will do whatever it takes. If you and Kim and these government agents can help, that is wonderful. But he is powerful and vicious....and as long as he knows who you and Kim are, you are always in danger. I will do whatever it takes to stop him.** She shuts off communication, and stares at the floor. * * * * * "Well," says Mahon. "While you're waiting for this...probe or whatever, to tell you this guy is active again, why don't you tell us just what the heck this probe is, and how it detects 'Functionals'? And how you plan to counter the other telepath? And for that matter, I still have a LOT of questions about this 'alien' business...." Ashiya just stares at the floor, as if she's no longer listening. <><><><><> Kim: **Do you want to reveal the existence of the probe?** sends Kim, **He already knows of it by name. But anti-gravity and invisibility are risky technologies. Perhaps showing it to him, but not letting him examine it, would be sufficient?** **And how will we handle Euroninja if we run into him? I'm in favour of knocking him out quickly, then perhaps you can neutralise his powers? Mahon says they use tranquilizer guns; can your stunner affect such a powerful telepath?** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya doesn't respond at first, then sends **I will show him the probe if you wish. As for the bad telepath, it is not capturing him that is the problem. If he can be captured, how will your people hold him prisoner when he can mind-control them? I cannot stand guard over him forever, and I am not at all sure I can strip him of his powers, when he is possibly more powerful than me. I can teach your government to build psi-dampeners, which may restrain him, but it seems to me that you do not keep your incarcerated criminals under control very well.** **I have another plan, the only one which will protect you and Nancy. It requires that *I* confront him directly.** She ceases communicating, and continues staring at the floor. <><><><><> Kim: Kim replies **We try to control them - there's a fine line between too little control, letting criminals escape, and too much control, interfering with their rights.** **Perhaps by revealing your probe, you can better conceal your satellites. Any information you get from them, you can attribute to the probe. And by revealing it, you prove that you're from an advanced race - the stunner and the first aid box could be faked by our technology, even though it couldn't be created, but we can't make things fly or hover silently! On the other hand, I don't think letting them examine the probe would be such a good idea, at least not yet - after all, they might break it!** Ashiya can sense a certain amount of wry amusement in Kim - stories about space aliens are not very believable without proof, unless you're talking to the National Enquirer! <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm afraid," the blonde says, "that Ashiya's decided that she's told you all she's going to. As I said, she's been under quite a strain...maybe when all of this craziness has died down she'll be a little more communicative." She sighs and ponders the situation. "I think all that we can do now is wait. Once Ashiya gets some indication of where we're going, I can get in touch with you. Now, unless you need us for anything else, Kim and I have some business to take care of...alone." <><><><><> [GM] Agent Mahon looks frustrated. "You haven't begun to answer my questions! How can you expect us to help you when there are one hell of a lot of questions about this telepath, Ashiya's....people, and technology..." he looks at the beautiful alien, and sees that she's still staring at the floor, not responding. "Dammit!" Ashiya jumps, glances at him for a moment, then looks back at the floor. Mahon sighs, pulls out another of his cards and writes a phone number on the back. He hands it to Nancy. "This is my beeper. I'll be close by....very close by. Call me as soon as her...probe, detects something." With a hard stare at everyone, the two agents leave the room. <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm sorry," says Nancy, spreading her hands apologetically, "but there's nothing I can do. Ashiya's the one with the information. Rest assured that I'll give you a call the minute she finds anything." She winces as Mahon stomps out the door. "Well, *that* could have gone better," she says. "But at least we'll have the government's help if we need it." She looks over to the psychic, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Ashiya, would you like me to get your white box? Maybe that would make you feel a little better...at least physically." Whether or not the alien responds, she then turns to Kim. "I apologize for getting angry with you," she says in a clear and steady voice. "My priorities are a little...different than yours. You aren't my daughter and I shouldn't get angry with you when you don't act like it. It's just that I don't think this is any kind of situation for a youngster like you to be in. You're very mature for a seventeen year old, Kim." "Now...why don't we give your parents a call? I imagine your father will be relieved to hear from you that you're all right." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya stirs, and nods. "Yes...it did not complete its healing process before...and now I need even more healing." She sighs. <><><><><> Kim: Kim smiles at the comment "You're very mature for a seventeen year old", since she is only 16! "I'm sorry too", says Kim, "It just suddenly felt as though I was being manoeuvred. Shake?". She holds out her hand. "Yes, I'll give them a call. I would have done that last night, only I was ti- I mean, I was unable to reach a phone." [OOC: Just to confirm, I assume that the badges worn by Mahon and his partner were FBI?] When she finds a payphone, she takes a deep breath and rings home. "Mom [Dad], it's me, Kim. I'm OK." and, after their angry/distraught response. "I'm sorry for the trouble I'm causing. I'm working with the FBI at the moment, helping them catch someone. Once he's caught - or if he seems to have vanished completely - I'll be home. I promise." She ponders warning them about the man they're chasing, the one who knows their address. But what good would it do? [If Nancy wants to say a few words of confirmation, she'll hand over to her; otherwise she'll say again that she's sorry, say goodbye, and hang up] Turning to Ashiya, "Ashiya, sooner or later I'm going to have to go back home. My parents are worried about me, my school will be going nuts... and Euroninja might be out there." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy shakes the young girl's hand when it is offered. She clenches her jaw as when Kim says she wasn't able to get to a phone. "I talked to your father last night," she replies. "I...told him that you and Ashiya had been in a fight with another psychic." She holds her hands to stop Kim's rebuke. "I'm sorry if that's not what you would have wanted me to do...but I was left to my own devices and my training says that you're supposed to be completely honest with a parent in that kind of situation. At least I was able to convince him that he should come flying out to bring you home." As Kim calls her parents, Nancy heads out to the nurse's station (taking off the mask first ), and asks if she could have the box for the patient in room XXX. <><><><><> [GM] [No, Mahon and Hackley weren't FBI agents; their badges had the Justice Department seal, but didn't identify them as being part of any particular agency.] [to Kim] Your father is more than a little distraught, and not about to let you off so easily. "What the HELL is going on, Kim?" (You wince, knowing when he talks like that he's *really* upset.) "First you're taking this Ashiya person across the country, then we find out you're one of these 'superhumans', then we're getting calls from Mrs. Hartwick telling us you're in the hospital, now you're tracking down someone for the government? I want this to stop! You are NOT a government agent, and you're not supergirl! Your loyalty to a friend is going *way* too far! I want you on the next plane home, or I'm coming out there myself! Do you know how worried your mother and I are? This is too much! Let the government hunt down criminals! You're sixteen years old, for God's sake!" [to Nancy] The nurse won't give you Ashiya's things until she goes to talk to the alien, who simply nods when the nurse asks if it's all right for you to retrieve her possessions. As she hands you the white box and the stunner, the nurse says sympathetically, "You should get her to seek counselling, immediately. After what she's been through, she needs some serious help." <><><><><> Kim: "Dad, I can't just stop now," says Kim, levelly, "Peoples' lives depend on it. I am sixteen, true; that's old enough for me to recognise that I have a responsibility to save lives. This isn't some ordinary criminal; if he isn't caught, he could do just about anything. At the moment, he's on the run - he has to be caught before he can settle down somewhere and hide. I don't want to stay away from home longer than I have to - I don't like being away from home at all - but at the moment, I'm needed here." "Mrs. Hardwick told you that we'd been attacked; I'm not hurt, not even a bruise" - Kim gives a wry, slightly puzzled, smile (that obviously can't be seen over the telephone) - "and I've no intention of changing that. I'm not Supergirl, or Rogue, or any other comic-book character - I'm me. And I'm not living in a comic-book world where villains always get defeated in the end, but in the real one, where they can do much more harm. I'm not looking to get hurt, but I'm not going to leave people to die either." (Kim believes that Euroninja has killed, even though she has no evidence to support that belief, because of his callous approach to other people and the concept of killing them). Despite everything, Kim knows she cannot stall her parents much longer, and has no real right to. She takes another deep breath, before continuing: "If you're still determined that I should give up the hunt now, I'll return today. Otherwise, I'll return on Saturday." ****** After the phone call is eventually resolved, Kim returns to something that's been nagging at her. Euroninja had throttled her, yet her neck now felt fine. And she'd been tightly bound to a chair, which should have chafed her wrists and ankles at least. She gives herself a brief examination, to see if her minor injuries are still present. Ashiya had told her she had a healing power; what did she mean? <><><><><> [GM] Your father tells you "I want to talk to the government agents you're working with!" * * * * * Inspecting yourself, you find you have no bruises, abrasions or any other injuries, anywhere. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy thanks the nurse as she gives her Ashiya's belongings. She smiles at the other woman's advice, saying, "Maybe after she gets out of the hospital." She then goes back to the other two, hands the box to Ashiya, and stands by to see if Kim needs her support in talking to Mr. Brenner. <><><><><> Kim: "Sure, Dad. I'll see if I can find Agent Mahon and have him ring you back. Or do you want to wait on the line?" Whichever, Kim will look for Agent Mahon, and explain the situation to him. <><><><><> [GM] Mahon's promise of being "close by" was true; he's in one of the offices down the hall, where he's using a hospital phone to talk to somebody. He cuts them off when you approach, and after you explain your father's request, he's quite willing to call him back and talk to him. After Mahon gives your father several numbers to call, and promises that you won't be allowed to get involved in an actual firefight (though you have doubts that this can be assured), and promises to have you sent back to California immediately after the "loose felon" has been captured, your father reluctantly agrees to let you stay in Chicago...but demands continual calls home to update him and your mother about what's going on. Mike is waiting in the hallway for Nancy, and wants to know what's going on as Nancy brings the healing box back to Ashiya. Ashiya thanks her quietly and begins undressing, without any self-consciousness, causing Mike to turn red and quickly leave the room. It's the first time Nancy has seen what was done to the alien's body. It's ugly; long, shallow cuts, bruises, vicious welts and strategically, sadistically placed burns, all over. The schoolteacher is nauseated, imagining anyone who could do that to another person, but especially a gentle soul like Ashiya. The telepath lies down on her bed, and the box does what it did before in the car, extending appendages and wires which wrap around her and latch on to her like a parasitic mechanical spider, but none of the parapharnelia seems to penetrate her skin anywhere. <><><><><> Nancy: When Nancy sees Mike in the hall, she says that she'll meet him in her room and tell him what's going on...it's still not quite "safe" for them to talk out in the open. And first, she has to make sure Ashiya isn't left alone. She tries to control her revulsion when she sees Euroninja's handiwork...and succeeds for the most part, at least on an external level. She helps Ashiya back into bed and pulls the covers up (I assume that the phone that was used was the one in their room). "I'll stay until Kim gets back," she assures the telepath, taking a seat by her bedside. She pauses, thinking about the strange device. "Does that really work?", she asks. "I mean, does it make you feel better? I wonder if it would do anything for my cracked ribs...do you think I could borrow it after you're done?" Once Kim returns (whether during or after her call), she heads back to her room to be with Mike, where she'll give a Berlitz version of what transpired in the room. <><><><><> [GM] "Of course it works!" Ashiya murmurs. "The unit conducts aural monitoring and gives hyperstimulation treatments, as well as pseudobioplasma infusions where necessary...it will not have as great an effect on you as on me, because I have aural-activated biopackets and gene modifications implanted...designed to respond to treatment by devices such as this one....but it will still accelerate your healing process greatly...." Ashiya's eyes close and she seems to drift into sleep. <><><><><> Nancy: Poor Nancy is definitely lost amongst the bewildering verbiage. "Well," she replies softly. "I'll just borrow it when you're done with it." She then sits and waits patiently for Kim's return. <><><><><> Kim: Kim returns. "Dad's decided to let me stay for the rest of the search, so long as I keep him informed daily." She looks at Ashiya and the spider. "How is she? For that matter, how are you? I've noticed you wincing a bit." Kim again examines her wrists, trying to persuade herself that she can see abrasions there . <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy nods at the news that Kim is being allowed to stay. To her question, she replies, "I'm still kind of sore and my head aches...more from Ashiya trying to explain to me about her minidoc than anything else," she grins. "I'll probably try borrowing it after she's done with it." "Anyway, Mike's chafing at the bit, so I'd better spend some time with him. Let me know if anything happens with Ashiya." With that, she heads back to her own room. <><><><><> [GM] Kim senses that Ashiya is sleeping more peacefully than any time in the last few days, but not completely without disturbance....dark thoughts still flitter across her mind. Which, the teenager notices, is unusually open, her mindshields apparently almost completely lowered. * * * * * Nancy catches Mike up on the proceedings. Mike shakes his head and says "I think we can assume that Agent Mahon will be checking hospital records, and will know who 'Jennifer' is very shortly, if he doesn't already." He looks at her and asks "So what is Ashiya going to do, and what are you planning now?" <><><><><> Kim: Ashiya's lowered mindshields worry Kim. She suspects its a way for Ashiya to relax, and that the lowered shields are one reason that she's sleeping more peacefully... she hopes that Ashiya can raise them in her sleep should something happen. She maintains a gentle watch on Ashiya's mind, ready to help should it suddenly switch from peace to distress, but takes care not to accidentally trigger her shields. Ashiya needs all the peaceful sleep she can get. When Mike comes back, she speaks up, quietly. "I don't know what Ashiya is planning. I think it's just a case of using her probe to watch for either Chad or her computer, assuming that activity from either of them indicates the location of our target, or for Agent Mahon to get a lead on the car. Then we've got to find a way to drop him. I think his powers may be a bit slow - when he first came up to me in the car, he didn't batter his way into my mind, preferring a choke hold. If so, that could be useful. I'll also ask Ashiya about her stunner - is it likely to work on him?" <><><><><> Nancy: [Assuming Kim makes to follow Nancy as she's leaving the room] "I think someone should stay here with Ashiya, just in case that 'Euroninja' has found out she's here and tries to do something with her," Nancy says. "Besides, Ashiya might need you for something." If Kim is perceptive enough, she might be able to tell the older woman has something else on her mind though. CHICAGO At the Hospital [Ashiya is healing with the help of one of her high-tech Shabaali devices, while Kim watches over her. Meanwhile, Nancy has retreated to her own hospital toom to confer with her husband.] "Probably," Nancy says with a sigh. "That's just the way things happen, I suppose...there's no use in getting upset about it now." She ponders his question. "Well, Ashiya looked like she was napping...so I don't think we should disturb her until she's ready to wake up. I would like to see if that white box of hers can do anything to make me feel better...my ribs ache like the devil and my head still hurts. After that...the ball's pretty much in her court." She hesitates for a few moments, obviously troubled by something. "Mike...I wanted to ask you something. Today, when we were being questioned by the government agents, Ashiya shared some of her thoughts with me. I don't think it's surprising to either of us that an empath like her can be fond of a lot of people...but I felt that she had very deep feelings for me. Physical feelings." She looks up at him sadly. "I couldn't help but remember Melissa, my old roommate...the one who propositioned me after she was assaulted. That one was my fault...I got too close to her after she was raped and she attached a whole different meaning to our friendship. I should have realized, should have tried to treat it more professionally...." She pauses a moment, then continues, "I've always believed in being truthful with you, Mike...I love you too much to lie to you. I have to admit that there was a tiny part of me that was flattered by Melissa's offer. Before, I could bury my feelings, not let my desire show. But there's no hiding with Ashiya. I felt that she wanted me...and those old thoughts are coming up to the surface again." She reaches out and takes his hand. "It's not like I want to run away with her, give up you and the kids. But there's this intense...", she fumbles for a word, "curiousity about how it would feel...what it would be like." She looks into his eyes, a chaotic whirlwind of feelings flashing. "I know you were with other women before me, Mike...and I appreciated your honesty. In that spirit, I thought I should tell you how I'm feeling...and what you think I should do." <><><><><> [GM] Mike shakes his head when you say you "should have dealth with Melissa more professionally." "She was your friend," he says gently, "in pain, and in need of love and compassion. You weren't a psychiatrist or professional counsellor, you were her friend. You didn't do anything wrong, and it isn't your fault she...misread you. It wasn't her fault she was maybe...confused, with all the disruption in her life." As you talk about Ashiya's feelings, Mike looks down, folds his arms, and seems quite disconcerted. "Ummm..." At a loss for words, he looks around, then finally looks back at you. "Ashiya...she's been really messed up, brutalized by several men...any woman would be desperate for someone gentle and loving after being through that, probably wouldn't be eager to get close to men, and Ashiya is particularly sensitive. For that matter, we have no idea what their...mores are like. I think...first of all, maybe you should be sure whether she's really attracted to *you*, because that's her nature and you appeal to her, or because it's a-" he hesitates, then says "a similar situation to Melissa. Ashiya has been hurt, she needs a loving friend, and you were there for her. With her telepathy, she probably forms bonds more readily than most, and could easily have formed one with you...like Melissa. Frankly, I would expect her to form a bond with Kim, if anyone. With her racial prejudices, Kim is one of her 'own kind', and they've been 'gestalting', I'd think Ashiya would feel much more intimate with her." He sighs. "If she's really a...if she likes other women," (Mike has never expressed any hostility towards homosexuals, but he also doesn't like to talk about them, and you know the whole concept makes him uncomfortable) "then...I don't know. Like I said, I'd think with her prejudices and her fondness for telepathic bonding, she'd be more attracted to Kim. But maybe Kim is strongly averse to the idea, and Ashiya sensed that." Mike looks at you, with an expression that's hard to read. "Are you saying...you actually want to go to bed with her?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy gets up, goes over to her husband, and hugs him. "Poor Mike," she says with a wry grin. "On top of everything else that's going on, now his wife is going nuts." The smile quickly fades, though. "Well, Kim did talk about a gestalt...some kind of mental bond she had to share with Ashiya," she replies thoughtfully. "And apparently Ashiya had to have Kim live through everything that happened when she was raped in order to deal with it. I just don't know...we only touched minds for a second...but I got the impression that she 'loves easy and loves often'. You're probably right that her people do have different mores...heck, if everyone on their world was as attractive as she is, monogamy WOULD be a waste of time." Nancy pulls away, obviously torn. "I...I honestly don't know," she finally answers. "I've never doubted the strength of what we have together...and I never thought I'd have sexual thoughts about anyone else. I mean, you're my one true love...my husband and the father of my children. But all of a sudden, this thought keeps popping up." She sighs and shakes her head. "I should just try to forget it, put it out of my mind," she murmurs. She looks over to him. "How do you do it? I mean, you've told me before that girls in your classes have tried to 'come on' to you...how do you deal with the feelings that causes?" <><><><><> [GM] Mike smiles slightly. "That's a little different," he says. "Those are teenagers, Kim's age or younger." He hesitates, as it occurs to both of you that in many ways, Ashiya acts like more of a child than Kim. "While some of the girls can be quite pretty, I've never really had any sexual thoughts about my students," he says. "I mean, they're just kids, even if sometimes *they* think they're more adult than they really are. And I know when they start flirting with me, it's not because of anything inherent about me, but just because an older, more mature man seems much more appealing than a hormone-crazy teenage boy, and it makes them feel much older to think they could attract an older man. Usually when I ignore their come-ons, they give up pretty quickly. The ones that don't, I just 'push away', and act distant, until they calm down and behave normally again. I've only had to sit down and have a talk with a would-be 'teacher's pet' a few times. That's when I point out to them that even if I *was* inclined to return their affections, which I'm not, it would mean probably losing my wife, my job, my reputation, and possibly my freedom. Once I make it clear that however much I may like them, I'm not about to risk ruining my life for a fling with a teenager, they usually find someone else to fixate on. Hopefully, someone closer to their own age." He shakes his head. "This doesn't help *you* much, does it? Ashiya may be childlike in some ways, but she's not an adolescent girl with an infatuation on a grown-up. Hell, how can we know what's going through her mind?" He chuckles without much humor and adds "Even if she does know what's going through ours. You know, this is kind of unfair, Nancy. I mean, I...it doesn't shock me, that you might find Ashiya...appealing, and I understand the curiousity." He hesitates, then says "But if it was *me* talking about having feelings for Ashiya, I don't think you'd like it at all. I mean, I do find it rather surprising, you've always been so...conventional, not that our sex life hasn't been great- I hope; but I never imagined you'd be interested in...experimentation." He looks a little flustered, and not entirely sure of himself. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy shakes her head. "No, this doesn't help much." She sighs deeply as he mentions how upset she would be the tables were turned. "You're absolutely right," she says softly. "In fact, I think you're crazy for not wanting her...at least in a physical sense. She's probably the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen. I haven't felt this inadequate next to someone since Marjorie Halford...developed the year before I did in school. You would have thought she was the Queen of Sheba, the way she paraded around when the nuns weren't looking." She smiles briefly at the memory. "But you're right...it's unfair to have a double standard here. And I don't want to jeopardize all our years together just because some deep dark corner of my mind is attracted to Ashiya. I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it and avoid giving in to temptation." She goes up to him and puts her arms around him. "My tastes were always 'conventional' because that all I ever wanted. I don't need fancy tricks or acrobatics to have an orgasm with you because I *love* you...and to me, it was more important to make love than to have sex. If that makes any sense," she adds, wrinkling her nose, hoping she hasn't offended him. "I've always trusted you when it came to sex...I don't have any problem with the fact that you're the more experienced of the two of us. And I'll admit that almost everything you've wanted us to try has been wonderful...even if I'm lousy at talking dirty." "It's just...." She gropes for words for a moment. "I'm definitely happy with what I have. I'm hopelessly, deliriously, madly in love with you. I wouldn't trade anything for my life with you and the kids." A helpless and confused look crosses her face. "But it's like things have changed over the last couple of days. When I use my powers, it's like I'd been sitting in a chair all of my life and getting up to run free. You remember how...intense my first orgasm was with you; well, this wasn't quite as dramatic, but it's still very profound. It's almost like my body's suddenly decided that it wants to do things differently and I'm along for the ride." <><><><><> [GM] Mike takes a deep breath. "I didn't say I'm not attracted to her," he says. "I mean, you're right, she IS gorgeous, and I can't help responding to that, I'm only human. But I love you, more than anyone else I ever loved in my life, and not even Ashiya is worth risking what we have...I have 'deep, dark corners' in my mind too, and the fact that Ashiya is telepathic doesn't make me feel any better about them. But even if she caught me alone somewhere and starting taking off her clothes and trying to seduce me, I like to think that I'd resist because I don't want to hurt you....besides, frankly, I think Ashiya would as soon have sex with a chimpanzee; she may be inhumanly beautiful, but her attitude towards us 'mind dead' isn't too attractive." He squeezes you, gently, and says "I have no idea what you're feeling right now. I can't imagine what it's like to have powers like this." It's apparent to you that you may not be the only one feeling inadequate right now. "Why don't you wait until Ashiya is feeling a little better...and all this craziness is resolved. Maybe you can talk to her in private, and try to work out whatever it is you're feeling. She's a very confused young woman, and she certainly needs a compassionate friend, if nothing else." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy squirms uncomfortably when her husband mentions Ashiya's prejudice. "Yes, it's true...her attitude could be better about 'non- Functionals'...and current events haven't exactly improved her viewpoint. But she's a smart girl. If she stays here long enough, she'll see that it's not what you can do, it's what you do do." She sighs and hugs him. "I'm sorry...I've been a little selfish through all of this, haven't I? I know this's been hard on you too. I do wish you could share this with me somehow, feel what it's like to be able to do these things. But you'll never be any less of a man to me because you can't change the course of mighty rivers or bend steel with your bare hands. You'll always be *my* Superman." She stands on tiptoe and gives him a kiss. She nods sagely. "Good idea. We'll wait until things have gotten a little quieter. We certainly don't need this to complicate things with the problems we've already got. Whatever else, I do think of myself as her friend." <><><><><> [GM] Nancy and Mike have been talking for some time, leaving you alone with Ashiya. She only stirs in her sleep once, making a small whimpering noise before your mental soothing puts her at ease. Her sleep seems to be mostly dreamless, though a few dark memories are still kicking around in her subconscious, and the brief emergence of one is what disturbed her. She is very vulnerable right now; you're pretty sure she'd be almost helpless before any kind of telepathic assault. A little over an hour later, her eyelids flicker, then open. She gasps and shudders for a moment, looking around fearfully- you see images of Yuri and Piotr and "Euroninja" looming above her, threatening her- then she focuses on the present, and looks at you. "Kim....my computer....Mahon...where..?" She runs a hand through her hair, then sighs, sitting up and pushing the blanket off her. The medical box is withdrawing all its appendages. The metal and plastic extensions retract seamlessly into the device, and she sets it on the bed next to her. The improvement in her bruised and lacerated skin is remarkable; the bruises and welts are faded almost to invisibility, the cuts and burns are all reduced to thin red lines, wounds that look like they've been healing for over a week. There's no trace of the black and blue contusions that marred her chest before, from the shotgun blast. Instead of looking like a victim of torture, she now looks like someone who took a rough fall in some thornbushes. <><><><><> Kim: "How are you feeling?" asks Kim, "You certainly look a lot better." She grins. "That's a pretty amazing little box. Better not let the doctors see it - they'll think you're trying to put them out of a job!" "Nancy and Mike are in the other room, talking. Probably trying to decide what they should do." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks down at herself, inspecting the progress of her healing. "Yes, that is why I did not wish to be treated by your physicians," she says to Kim somewhat reproachfully, though the teenager notices that she managed to avoid using the "primitive" adjective this time. "Even a basic healing box like this one provides better care than one of these hospitals." She stands up, still naked, and concentrates a moment. "No new readings in this city" she says sadly, "though many other new ones are manifesting elsewhere in the world." In the next room, Nancy feels Ashiya's mental "touch", gently brushing against her consciousness. **Nancy...I am awakened. Is everything all right?** <><><><><> Kim: "It probably does" says Kim, "But they're not likely to believe some story about a little box that heals people. Maybe you should pretend to be from one of those weird religious orders that prohibit medical care." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy stiffens in Mike's arms, startled by the sudden communication. "It's Ashiya...she's awake!", she whispers to her husband. She recovers quickly, though. "Yes," she says, both aloud and trying to "project" them, "everything's fine. Mike and I just needed to discuss something. We'll be over in just a minute." She gives him a lingering kiss before she moves out of his grasp. "Thank you for...everything, darling." "One of the things Ashiya brought with her is a box that can supposedly heal injuries," she continues, moving for the door. "I thought I'd try to see if it can make my head clear up a bit and help my ribs to stop hurting. I'll be back in a minute if you'd like to wait...or you can come with me if you like." <><><><><> [GM] "I'll come along," Mike says. However, when the two of you enter Ashiya and Kim's room, Mike stops and backs out again, as Ashiya is still dressing. She doesn't look embarrassed at being caught half-naked, but looks apologetic as Mike leaves the room. Nancy can see the miraculous improvement in the alien's injured body; the cuts and welts and burns seem to have been healing for over a week, though it's been just over an hour. <><><><><> Nancy: "My goodness!", exclaims Nancy, gazing in astonishment at the alien. "I guess that little gadget of yours does work. Do you think I could borrow it for a while? My ribs still hurt after yesterday's fight." She'll let Mike know when it's "safe" to come in. <><><><><> Kim: "Err, Nancy, be careful," says Kim, "Remember what it did to Ashiya's clothes." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya frowns at Kim's suggestion. "Why do I have to explain anything to them?" she asks. She smiles at Nancy. "As I said, it will not heal you quite so rapidly; we have superior physiologies to you Terrans in the first place, and I have had special biogenetic-" she pauses, remembering Nancy's earlier confusion. "Special treatments, which make me heal faster than normal," she says simply, and sounding just a tad bit patronizing, though undoubtedly unintentionally. "But it will still greatly accelerate your healing process. You do not have to take your clothes off, though it functions more efficiently if you do. It automatically removed mine because it is programmed to do so unless ordered not to, and of course, I was not conscious to order it not to...before." <><><><><> Nancy: "I was going to go back to my room and lie down for a while," Nancy explains to the teenager. "I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night." Nancy smiles too at the "superior physiology" remark, though it has a bit of an edge to it. "It's okay...I think Mike knows what I look like without my clothes," she answers with a grin. "I'll just pull the covers over me and no one will know the difference." With Ashiya's permission, she picks up the box and looks at it. "This won't hurt, will it?", she asks, just a touch nervous. "Will it put me to sleep too?" <><><><><> [GM] "Of course it does not hurt!" Ashiya exclaims. "What would be the point of a healing device that causes pain?" "I directed it to induce a...a sort of trance" (Nancy gets the impression that Ashiya has now decided she can't use too many big words with the Terran) "that would facilitate my recovery...mentally. It does not have to put you to sleep to repair your injuries and stimulate your healing processes, but of course, you should lie still while being treated anyways, and the trance it causes is very soothing. I will instruct it not to trance you, if you wish." "Then you only need to lie down and place it on top of your or next to you. It will automatically begin operating." <><><><><> Kim: "What have you and Mike decided?" asks Kim, as Ashiya prepares her for healing. <><><><><> Nancy: "I thought it might have a side effect," Nancy mutters. "Things that are good for you don't always have to be pleasant...at least here they're not." She shrugs. "I could use the sleep...unless you wanted to talk to me about something else, Mike." She takes the box and waits to see if either of the other women want anything else. The blonde blushes a bit when Kim asks about their decision. "It was...something personal," she finally answers. "We decided...to wait and see what happens." <><><><><> [GM] Nancy takes the healing box to her room, where she and Mike examine it curiously (and a little trepidatiously). Nothing can be learned about it from outside inspection, however, as it seems to be a perfectly featureless, seamless white box made of either plastic or metal- it's hard to tell. Nancy undresses, lies down on the bed and places the box next to her. It makes a quiet, pleasant "bing!" sound, and cables, jointed appendages, and other apparatuses emerge from it as if by magic. Nancy is a bit nervous as the box lifts itself on spidery legs and places itself on her upper abdomen, while metal and plastic "feelers" wrap around her, seeming to be simultaneously inspecting her and attaching to her in a manner she can't determine...but Ashiya told the truth, the schoolteacher feels nothing even slightly uncomfortable. Mike is watching very intently, and seems ready to tear the thing away from his wife and hurl it across the room if it develops a sudden nasty attitude, but Nancy smiles reassuringly, and a moment later, feels a very pleasant, soothing drowsiness, like being lulled to sleep lying in a meadow with crickets chirping on a lazy summer evening, an orchestra playing lullaby music somwhere in the background.... ...she wakes up an instant later. Mike is sitting in a chair by the bed, nodding off slightly, though he awakens as soon as Nancy does. Nancy's headache is gone, and her ribs, while still slightly sore (she confirms this by pressing a hand against them) no longer throb and ache as they did a...moment?...ago. The box is retracting all its protuberances. * * * * * * * * * * In Ashiya and Kim's room, Ashiya opens the window, then goes to sit cross- legged on her bed. She smiles slightly at Kim and asks if the teenager will sit next to her. [Actually, come to think of it, Ashiya is a teenager too.] Meanwhile, the air shimmers slightly, and the flying metal donut reappears, hovering in the center of the room. Kim thinks to close the blinds, as Ashiya didn't, while the donut lowers itself to hover just above the floor. "I would like to spend some more time analyzing data my satellites are collecting," Ashiya says. "As long as I have the probe present, it can perform all the functions that my computer did, the one which that man took. I will have to either get a new portable computer from my apartment, or order one of the satellites to manufacture one and have a probe bring it down to me." "After that, perhaps we will have some time for me to begin teaching you a little more Shabaayishaeu...telepathic techniques. For mental...combat," she finishes sadly. <><><><><> Nancy: ["Oh look, dear! It's the machine that goes 'bing!'!" Nancy would have told Mike what she saw before, so he wouldn't be alarmed when it moved into position.] Nancy stretches languorously as she wakes...that's probably the best sleep she's had in a week. She blinks a few times and smiles at Mike as he rouses as well. "Morning," she murmurs. "You didn't need to stay, you know...I would have been fine by myself." She sits up and faces him. "Well, I can tell you that I got all worried over nothing. It didn't hurt a bit...it was actually kind of nice." She carefully puts the box on the stand by the side of the bed as she stands. She heads towards the bathroom to look in the mirror and see if her bruises have gone away as well. It's then than she "tests" her ribs to see if they've healed. When she's satisfied with the results of the box's work, she heads back over to Mike, a smile on her face. She moves into his arms and kisses him. "Thank you for being here, darling," she murmurs rapturously. "And I'm feeling a lot better now," she continues, a mischevious glint in her eye. She takes his hand and guides it up her side, pausing for a moment over her ribs. "Feel for yourself!" The hand doesn't stay there long, though, as she guides it up to her breast. <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: Good job Nancy isn't ticklish ] Kim sits on the bed (also cross-legged, just to prove that Ashiya isn't the only flexible one ). Then she has to get up again to pull the curtains. "_A_ probe?" says Kim surprised, "You have more than one? I suppose I should have thought of that. It might be better to manufacture a computer, if that's possible and it won't take too long. If you went back, I'd have to go back to my parents - and there's not much chance I could get away again quickly. I'll be lucky if they don't bolt me to the floor!" [Hopefully, Ashiya can sense that Kim's joking] She smiles sadly at Ashiya's reluctance over mental combat. "I think I'm learning ethically, if nothing else. I haven't tried to read someone's mind without their permission - it just seems wrong, somehow. A bit like sneaking up to their house and peeking through the curtains. But if someone can attack me, I'd like to have some means of responding, short of simply keeping them out." <><><><><> [GM] [to Nancy] "Morning?" Mike looks surprised. "It's only been a couple of hours!" He looks at you somewhat clinically as you push the sheets back and get up. "I actually watched your black eye fade...it was almost visible, the swelling went down so fast. That box is quite impressive. If this is the Galactic equivalent of a first aid kit, their top-of-the-line medical equipment must be capable of fixing just about anything short of death!" With that bitter frown, Mike says "Of course, God forbid they let us savages have anything like that, even if it would save millions of people. We might turn it into a weapon." Mike is a little surprised when you begin acting suggestive. Not unwilling, but surprised. "Umm." he says. His hand strokes your breast lightly, but he seems a little concerned. "*Something* is sure boosting your libido lately. Do we really have time for this right now? I mean, Kim and Ashiya have been pretty much waiting for you, I think, and besides..." he frowns slightly. "Suppose they use their powers to 'check' on us to see if you're awake yet..." [to Kim] "Each satellite is stocked with four probes" Ashiya says. "Not only do they perform reconaissance for me, but the satellites can also use them as emergency repair robots and miniature satellites for communications relays by themselves." Ashiya casually takes your hand and holds it gently, while she concentrates on her probe. The donut begins projecting holographic displays, the same way Ashiya's computer did, but even more vividly. You can't read the graphs or Shabaali lettering that fills the air in various sections, but you do recognize a three-dimensional representation of the Earth, with continental boundaries outlined, and much of the land surface glowing in places, at various levels of intensity...after studying it for a minute, you realize that it seems to be displaying population density. Where you can recognize locations corresponding to major cities, like Chicago, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and so on (the Pacific rim and the western half of North America is what's facing you right now), the brightness is greatest, while the ocean and the poles are completely dark, and areas like the Rocky Mountains and the southwestern deserts are quite dim. Here and there, and usually corresponding to areas of high population density, you see tiny red pinpoints amongst the yellow glow that seems to represent normal population. "Functionals," Ashiya says. You see several red dots in Japan, all but one in the central region, in or near Tokyo, and a single bright red glow in Hong Kong, which Ashiya tells you means there are several Functionals in the same place. But an equally bright red glow in the Phillipines, some distance from Manilla, where the greatest population is, Ashiya tells you is a single Functional. "Another one with a Magnitude exceeding a hundred" she says softly. "So far, there are at least twelve on that scale, around the world." Several in the Los Angeles area, at least one in San Francisco, another bright red one much farther north...you think it's Seattle. A scattering across the western states, usually but not always located in a city. A bright red dot in Texas which Ashiya tells you is another group of Functionals, and a scattering of others, close together, all in that state. At the moment, Texas appears to have the highest superhuman population density in the U.S. You see a single dot in Chicago, which Ashiya confirms represents you, her and Nancy. "The computer automatically displays us, since I have identified us to the system. Normally, the sensors can only detect a Functional who is actively using his or her Function." Which explains another thing you've been noticing; the red lights sometimes disappear, while new ones appear elsewhere. A couple of those in L.A. twinkle on and off repeatedly, as do the ones in Tokyo. "Some Functionals appear to be using their powers constantly....that one in Tokyo, for instance." She points at Japan. "That is the one your information agencies are calling 'Paladin'. He is one of the hundred-plus Magnitude Functionals, and the satellites have been tracking him continuously, because he never rests his Function. Most, however, are not using their Function all the time." As you watch, one of the brighter glows in Texas winks off. You count at least two dozen red lights visible at any one time...and you're only seeing part of the globe, and some of the lights represent several superhumans, and only a small fraction of all the superhumans on Earth can be detected at any one time, if they aren't always using their powers. "And," Ashiya says, continuing to respond verbally to your thoughts, "the more powerful the Function, the easier to detect. I am only third Magnitude; normally, I would have to be using my Function for some time before a global scan like this would be likely to detect me. Someone with only first or second Magnitude power is very difficult to locate. Most of these we are seeing are fourth Magnitude or higher." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy yawns as she stretches again. "It sure felt like a whole night's sleep," she answers. "I feel wonderful." A look of concern crosses her face as Mike's tone turns bitter. "I think she has a legitimate concern. Yes, the healing box is amazing...and I imagine that they have lots of other gadgets that would save lives and help us to advance. But she has a point that there's a self destructive streak about us. That's why I didn't want the government to know that she was an alien. Not because of her powers...but because of the incredible technology she can command. Face it...how long would we be satisfied with 'just' healing boxes? We'd want more of their technology...things that we're just not ready for. Given the state Ashiya's in, I don't think she needs the additional pressure of having to play God with what technology we do and don't get." "Don't tell me you're objecting," she says huskily. "You were always telling me that I should loosen up a little...that I should be a little more adventurous...." He can feel her nipple beginning to harden under his light carress...he can sense that she truly wants him...which makes it all the more painful when she forces herself away, quivering with effort to restrain her desires. "Y...you're right," she whispers in a strained voice. "I...don't think it would matter if Ashiya 'saw' us making love...but if they've held up because of us, it'd be rude to...to...." She pulls away from him and moves into the bathroom, hoping that the ritual getting cleaned up will dull the pangs of longing that rage through her. [This room wouldn't happen to have a standup shower with cold water, would it? Anyway, assume she makes herself presentable and heads back to join the others.] <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: Oceans completely dark? No Functional dolphins or whales, then ] Kim stares at the image, entranced. "All those Functionals... I knew there were a lot, but not this many. Can you tell if their rate of appearance is constant, increasing or decreasing?" She sighs. "Some of them will be using their powers to help other people; a lot will be using them to benefit themselves; and some will be abusing non-Functionals." "Could your probe be modified to display the last known position of a Functional, perhaps in a subdued colour? Do Functionals have some sort of `signature' that the probe could keep track of? Then, at any one time, we'd have a pretty good idea just how many Functionals were in a particular area, rather than just how many were using their powers." <><><><><> [GM] [NEWS FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN: A Japanese whaling vessel was sunk today, and surviving crewmen claimed their ship was destroyed by a flying Humpback whale that teleported overhead and rained fireballs down on the deck... "BALEEN: Terror of the Seas" No, I don't think so. ] * * * * * * * * * * Ashiya thinks for a moment, then nods. "It would not be at all hard to keep track of that; in fact, I can easily have the computer do that now based on all the data it has collected the past few days." On the holographic globe, smaller areas of pink are overlayed on the yellow population indicators, most of them surrounding the red pinpoints. "Most of your Functionals have not moved that much. Paladin is one exception; he just flew from Paris to Tokyo, stopping at..." she pauses, apparently waiting for the computer to provide her with the city name; "Munich for about an hour. Before that, it seems he flies between continents fairly regularly." You see there are a few others; the computer has been tracking you and Ashiya, of course, and so shows a thin pink line leading from California to Illinois. There seems to have been quite a bit of movement in Texas, along the West Coast, and another Functional who ranges all over the Southwest. It occurs to you that this is a perfect example of technology that could be a boon or a curse; yes, it can track predatory superhumans...but if Ashiya gives it to the government, they'll also be able to track YOU. "The rate is certainly increasing," Ashiya says. "When we first arrived here only a few weeks ago, we were quite surprised that we detected four Functionals from orbit immediately, and almost another half a dozen within a day. That was an amazing number for this planet, based on prior experiences. Now...I have no data to allow me to guess how far the increase in the Functional population will spread." "Each person does have a distinct psionic signature, yes. But, it is even more difficult to detect and identify than the mere presence of an active Function. At close range, someone well-trained like myself can usually do so; I would certainly recognize your signature, or Nancy's, and you would know mine and hers very well also, once I teach you to detect it. But mechanical scanners like these are less discriminating, even though they have much longer range. A very powerful Function, like Paladin's, can be identified even by my satellites, from orbit, without difficulty. At a lower level though, they cannot be relied on absolutely for anything below the fifth Magnitude. Of course, the computer *can* calculate probabilites; if a Function appears here-" Ashiya points at one part of the Earth, "and then one of the same level appears there, and the scanners are able to pick up a few individual elements of the signature, the computer can give a probability that it is the same person, and if it has been tracking the individual for some time, can compare previous movement patterns, cross-index with all other known Functionals, and give a reasonably accurate determination that way." "All this leaves us with many questions, much new information, and nothing to help with the current situation," she sighs. "There has been no active manifestation of a psionic Function in Chicago, besides ours, that my satellites were able to detect, since that terrible battle." She turns to you, smiles slightly, and says "Perhaps now you would like to learn more about how to defend yourself?" Her mind reaches out to you gently, seeking to link with yours both for emotional comfort, and so she can begin teaching you again, in that perfect mode of communication that leaves no misunderstandings, makes her every thought crystal clear and totally comprehensible (at least within the scope of your perceptions and experience) and makes you feel as if you've spent days or weeks under her tutelage, rather than minutes or hours. * * * * * Kim explores the subtleties of telepathic communication, scanning surface thoughts, remaining passively receptive to projected emotions and concepts, shutting off same, the many different layers of human consciousness and awareness, the means and method of entering each (and affecting each, though Ashiya doesn't go into that, Kim knows the alien knows how), the malleability of psyche and perception and memory, techniques for heightening perceptiveness...Ashiya is really only giving Kim a crash course in the potential of the Shabaali Function; an overview, or a syllabus. And Kim can see Ashiya's comparing it to martial arts was not inaccurate. Reading someone's mind and sending your thoughts, using telepathy like a mental radio, only scratches the surface. Like defining karate as the ability to kick and punch. Ashiya *is* a master, and you suspect it's only her gentle nature that made her no match for EuroNinja. You already know she can slip in and out of your mind as easily as he did, and far more subtly. You have little doubt she could twist your psyche just as thoroughly as he did. Then you have to comfort her, after you think that, because she's horrified you could even imagine her doing such a thing. You only hope she CAN face him, without doing irrepairable damage to herself. * * * * * Ashiya finally ends this "brief" lesson as Nancy walks in, followed by Mike. The schoolteacher looks enormously refreshed and much more cheerful, though also edgy about something. <><><><><> Kim: "Did your satellites detect even a glimmer from him? Does no sign mean that he isn't using his powers, and might be gone, or just that he can't be detected?" Kim is a shade concerned for her own family. She's also interested in the powers of the satellites - most Functionals can only hide from them by not using their Functions. It's a bit like tracking someone by the use of their credit cards, but restricted to Functionals. Perhaps there's a way of using something like that to tame the violent ones. [OOC: Like linking Ashiya's satellites to the orbiting laser platform in "Akira", perhaps? ] *** Kim is fascinated by the training, at all the subtleties involved. She'd thought just reading minds was miraculous enough, but now Ashiya was showing her a whole new world. The feeling was similar to that which she'd had many years before, when she'd taken her first karate lesson and been introduced to the notion of blocking an opponent's attacks. She hopes it will be enough. The thought of being under someone else's control still sends a shiver through her. As Nancy and Mike come in, she reminds Ashiya: "Better not let the hospital staff see your computer, or they'd become very curious indeed." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy comes into the room, obviously in a much better humor. Her injuries, like Ashiya's, have dwindled down to almost nothing. "Here you are," she brightly, handing the white box back to the alien. "Thank you very much...it worked great!" She looks a little concerned, though, when she perceives the probe (visible or not) in the room. "Do you think you should be keeping that in here?", she asks. "What if someone sees it...or comes into the room and trips over it?" She goes over to the chair and sits, looking at the other two. "I hope I didn't keep you too long," she apologizes. "Was there any trace of Chad while I was 'out'?" <><><><><> [GM] [The probe is visible.] Ashiya smiles at Nancy, pleased to see her in better shape. "I scanned you before you entered, to see who it was," she says. Then, more sadly, "No, no trace. Of course this entire trip could have been a mistake; I do not know for sure that the Functional my satellites detected earlier was Chad Reiter, only that the available evidence suggested it was. And since the few times he- or the Functional we are assuming was him- manifested in Chicago, there have been no further detectable manifestations. It seems from your thoughts of him that he would be unlikely to have learned restraint so quickly." <><><><><> Nancy: "I was just thinking that somebody might happen to see it somehow...better safe than sorry, they say." Nancy shrugs, letting the alien make her own decision about her device. "Well, Chad had been having troubles controlling himself in the last couple of weeks...he'd shown himself to his classmates to intimidate them into doing what he said without using his powers. But it's possible that he had his Function long before that...he's had some very strange incidents on his record for the last year or so. It could be possible that he's figured out he needs to 'lie low', so he just used his power once to give him the best possible advantage and then has just not used it. On the other hand, it's possible that he made someone drive him to another town." She sighs. "I'm afraid I don't have any answers." <><><><><> [GM] Timidly, Ashiya asks Nancy and Kim, "Could we leave this place now?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy purses her lips thoughtfully. "Well, it depends. I mean, if we're going to spend any more effort looking for Chad in Chicago, then we might as well stay here...we can't keep shuttling back and forth like this. However, if we're NOT looking for Chad anymore and we're assuming that he's not here, then I think it'd be smart to head back to Crystal Lake...just in case." She looks to see what the other two think. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya shakes her head. "I meant, can we leave this hospital?" She shudders. "I sense so much pain and despair here. How can a place of healing be so painful and morbid?" She sighs, and adds "I do not wish to give up finding Chad Reiter in Chicago yet." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sighs too. "Because we don't have healing boxes or any of your advanced technology. We've learned a lot of things, but there are many illnesses that we just can't do anything about...except wait for the end. I'm sorry if the surroundings disturb you, but this is the best we can do for medical care. Anyway, yes, I think we can leave." She looks over to Mike. "Well, honey, I guess you're stuck chauffering us around for a while...if you don't mind." <><><><><> [GM] Mike nods. "I think we've been here long enough. I foresee a couple of problems, though. First, there's Agents Mahon and Hackley. They're hanging around somewhere, just out of sight. I doubt they intend to let you slip out without them knowing about it. And if you want to have their cooperation, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try." "Second, there's the small matter of Kim and Ashiya's bill." Mike sighs, and says "Since you really didn't have any treatment, it won't be too astronomical, but even a simple overnight stay is rather expensive. I...guess we can pay it if we have to-" he glances at Nancy, "but it's really a bit much for our budget..." Ashiya shakes her head. "You mean you must pay money to receive medical care? What about those without money? How-" Then she sighs. "I am sorry. More of your customs I do not understand. I should not criticize." She thinks a moment, then says "I am afraid my VISA card was taken by that man. But I can have one of the satellites create another one easily; they already have the necessary data to create the necessary information in your financial databases." Mike looks at Ashiya strangely. "Umm, first of all, hospitals don't usually get paid by credit card. And they'll want insurance and other information. I guess we can probably get around that. But uh, just what do you mean by 'create the necessary information'? Do you mean you just have your computers create an account for you in some banking network, and then manufacture a credit card to match it?" Ashiya nods. "Where does the money in your account come from?" Mike asks, slowly. "Oh, I have my computer add it to your computers' records," Ashiya says, quite innocently. Mike puts a hand over his face, and Ashiya looks from him to Kim to Nancy, concerned and clueless. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy shrugs. "Well, as long as they're so determined to keep track of Ashiya's movements, they can pay for the other's bills, like he did with mine yesterday. And if they ask where we're going, we can tell them that we honestly don't know yet." [Actually, as a recepient of emergency medical care myself once, hospitals WILL accept a bank card for their bills...and it's often more convenient for the patient, especially if the cost of the care was under their deductible, not to involve an insurance company.] "It's not really a custom," the blonde explains. "Facilities like this cost money and so they pass that cost along to their patients. No, it's not fair to the people without money, but I think you already know our world's far from perfect." Looking somewhat distressed, Nancy pulls Mike to the side. "We should let this one pass," she whispers. "Ordinarily, I'd agree with you and say this is wrong, but having a card like that is the only way Ashiya can get around on our world. No one is going to be able to detect it, and it's not as if she's going out and buying cars with it." <><><><><> Kim: Kim smiles. "Here, obtaining money that isn't yours is called stealing. I think Mike is worried about where the money comes from - you can't just create an account with money in it, without the bank computer setting off alarms on finding that it can't match the change in account balance with money coming in." [OOC: my Dad used to be in charge of bank security! ] "But, with complete access to the bank's computers, it wouldn't be hard to arrange faked evidence of money being paid in. If it was set up so that the branches involved were ones that had been robbed that day, the bank would probably assume the cash had been stolen by the bank robbers. So the money effectively comes from the insurance company." She looks inquiringly at Ashiya to confirm this, and adds telepathically: **I'd keep your financial dealings secret, if I were you. People tend not to be over-bothered about insurance companies losing out - except for the companies themselves, of course - but such a revelation would probably destroy the banking system. Not to mention that you'd have every criminal organisation in the country after you!** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya frowns. "I did not steal anything! Your economic system is based on artificial concepts with little correlation to actual resources anyway." "I do not know how exactly our computers generated my credit account, but I am sure it was quite seamless and undetectable to your security systems." "Never mind, Ashiya," Mike sighs. "We'll deal with that later. For now, we have to get out of here. Since you don't have a credit card right now, I guess Nancy and I will pay, and, umm, you can pay us back." "Hopefully not by adding the money to our account with her computer and bringing bank fraud investigators down on us," he mutters to Nancy. "Of course that couldn't happen, her computer is too sophisticated..." A warning look from his wife, and Mike subsides. "Do you want to talk to the feds before we leave, or are you planning to try to ditch them?" he asks all three women. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy grimaces as Kim spouts out exactly what she was going to keep Mike from saying. Thankfully, it doesn't end up starting another argument...that's about the last thing they'd need. "I *still* think we should get Mr. Mahon and the government to pay it," she insists. "He did it for me...I can't see why they'd refuse to do it for them, especially since we've been fairly co-operative. And while we could probably sneak out, I don't think that'd keep them off our trail for too long." <><><><><> [GM] "Mahon had the government pay for you when he didn't know who you were and he wanted to recruit you," Mike points out. "It was easy for him to generate a little good will by picking up the tab." "He knows who Ashiya and Kim are, and probably you too by now. Oh, I'm sure we could talk them into paying the bill, but by doing so, you'll be making an implicit statement. You put yourself in their debt, and they're going to expect something in return." Ashiya looks distressed and confused. "I thought you *wanted* me to cooperate with your authorities?" She looks at Kim and says softly "I told you before I would do whatever you say, Kim. I wish to stay in Chicago and hope for more signs of activity by Chad Reiter or...our nemesis. You told me I was not actually being helpful unless I give my technology to your people." She sounds slightly indignant, accusatory, and more than a little sad as she says this. "You tell me what you wish me to do now." <><><><><> Nancy: "So?", answers Nancy. "It's not as if he doesn't still need our 'good will'...we're probably the only ones have any chance of finding this Euroninja character. We've given already him information...well, some information anyway, even if he thought it was inadequate. I think it's appropriate for them to give something back and show that they can help us." <><><><><> [GM] Mike sighs and puts an arm around Nancy. "I know dear," he says to her. "But what you think is appropriate and what they think is appropriate might be two different things. We'll just have to see, I guess." He looks at Ashiya, who, still reluctant to make any more decisions for herself, is looking to Kim for guidance. <><><><><> Kim: "It's tempting to get some money from the government men," says Kim, "but it might cause us problems later: it would be better if they felt they owed us something, rather than the other way round. If Ashiya's accounts are set up as solidly as she says - and I imagine they would be, from what I've seen so far - I don't think it would cause any problems. If they had been anything other than perfectly set up, they would have been detected as soon as they were created. So, if you don't mind paying, Ashiya, I think it would be the least complicated solution." **Sorry if this is stating the obvious** she sends to Ashiya, **But don't change the value in your account by a drastic amount. Even if the electronic accounting is perfect, some nosey bank employee is bound to start digging if a million dollars appears in your account with no good explanation as to how it got there. Again, sorry if I'm teaching your grandmother to suck- err, I mean, sorry if I'm telling you something you already understand** [OOC: Now Ashiya will inform her that she set the account up with a billion dollars in it ] At some point in the conversation, Kim gives Ashiya more details by telepathy, explaining patiently. **Firstly, about creating money. Eventually, that money must have come from somewhere - even if it's just by increasing the number of dollars in the financial system, that means that everyone else's money is worth slightly less. However, you'd have to create a ridiculous amount of money for that to be noticed. *Technically*, it's still stealing - but you needn't get any moral qualms about it. The moment you reveal any technology, you'll have handed over something worth a lot more than the money in your account; and that's ignoring the fact that you're probably the only person around who can stop our `nemesis', as you put it. But *don't* reveal to anyone else that, electronically speaking, you can print money. Our country depends on the financial system working, as do most other countries; the same power that you use to create an account could be used by a malefactor to destroy the economy, and with it the country - many countries. You'd suddenly find a lot of people after you, either trying to steal your machines or destroy them** [OOC: Kim probably wouldn't know about it, but very large scale forgery was one attack that Germany planned on Britain in WW2!] **Secondly, about working with the government. They're the only group with the sort of resources needed to track down and contact large numbers of Functionals; and they also have a duty to protect society from them. They're probably desperate for as much help as they can get, and in return they'll give what help they can. But governments are composed of individuals - some will be altruistic, some will be determined to do their job, some will be greedy, and some will be corrupt. I suggest providing them with the theory required to build a mind shield, and see what they can do with it. There doesn't seem to be a lot you can do with a mind shield except to protect minds from outside attack, which limits the scope of any feelings of greed; if there are more dangerous lines of research that the mind shield could lead on to, it'll be years before they're developed. On the other hand, such things as invisibility and anti-gravity would be much more dangerous things to hand over - even if the government always acted from the purest of motives, the risk of an employee giving in to greed and selling the information to another government or a criminal organisation is much too high. Other technology, like your healing box, and your stunner... it depends on how easily the technology could be abused. Both are great in the hands of a pacifist - just knock someone out, rather than put a bullet through them; save lives with a little box; etc. But I think your stunner could be a lot more harmful if someone felt like modifying it. And whatever can be used for healing can often also be used to hurt people: anaesthetics make operations much safer... but also let criminals drug their victims; an endoscope gives a detailed picture of someone's insides... but can also be used to spy on people. So, for the moment, stick with defensive things like mind shields, things which are of direct use against hostile Functionals** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya sighs yet again as Kim attempts to explain the Terran monetary system to her. "I think we gave my account an amount equal to the median balance of all such accounts. A sizeable amount, but not in the upper percentage. Several millions of dollars, I think." Mike puts a hand over his face again, and mutters "I suspect you were looking at not only individual accounts, but corporate accounts as well, when you calculated the 'median', Ashiya." She looks at him blankly, then shakes her head, dismissing complications which don't concern her. "It will take some time to have a card brought to me...at least another two hours. I do not wish to stay here. Perhaps it would be simplest if I simply have the probe retrieve...hard currency from one of those....banking machines." She looks somewhat pained as Mike makes more "I'm-not-going-to-say- anything-I'm-not-going-to-say-anything" faces at his wife. <><><><><> Nancy: The color drains from Nancy's face as her eyes go wide. "Several...millions...of dollars...." She doesn't seem to notice the faces Mike makes as she seems to have gone into shock. <><><><><> [GM to Kim] Ashiya sends back to you telepathically; **So if Nancy and Mike do not wish me to use my computer to retrieve cash currency, and you do not wish to ask your government agents for help, how do we 'pay the bill'? This seems like such a needless burdensome procedure.** She sighs mentally and says **You are right, about technology. There is virtually no purely defensive technology. Even the technology to build mind shields, with sufficient study, can be used to develop certain offensive devices that can be used to scramble thoughts and do other hostile things. There is nothing I can give your people in perfect safety, Kim. This is why I am so hesitant to teach your scientists anything of Galactic technology. But such defensive devices do not have immediate direct offensive applications. With luck, my people will be here and take over long before we need to worry about your people delving into dangerous tangential lines of research.** <><><><><> Kim: **About paying, I think you can pay safely enough. I don't have any objections if Nancy and Mike decide to ask the government agents for it, I just think it's best to avoid being in their debt** explains Kim. **I think the `with sufficient study' is the important thing. Someone has to first realise that such effects are even possible from the defensive technology, which may not be immediately obvious. I mean, someone can do lots of research into body armour, and not come close to making a gun. Someone then has to do the research to work out how to do it, given that it's possible. And then someone has to build the equipment, and make it small enough to be useful. A mind-shield that needs to be carried in a truck is still useful; a mind-scrambler that needs a truck is not so useful.** She sighs. ** As to your people coming in and taking over, you really aren't going to believe the harm that is going to do until you witness it, are you?** <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya doesn't respond for a moment, just stares quietly into space. Then she fixes you with an unsettling stare, her face expressionless, yet a depth of meaning being conveyed in her dark eyes. **No** A cascade of emotions boils just beneath the surface of that one thought, feelings of hurt and fear and sadness, resignation, determination, even stubbornness; you get the feeling that just as you're tired of her constantly denigrating Terran civilization, she's tired of having to accomodate it. <><><><><> Kim: Kim nods, and doesn't reply. Ashiya can sense a great deal of sadness. <><><><><> [GM] Nancy sees a brief, meaningful look pass between Kim and Ashiya, followed by rather somber expressions on both their faces. There is a depth of sadness in both their eyes. Even Mike seems to notice it, and Nancy can tell that, like her, he's wondering what is passing between the two telepaths now. Ashiya produces one of her sighs again, then looks up at Nancy. "If you wish to ask your government agents to deal with your economic matters, Kim says it is all right, and I have no objections." She gracefully rises to her feet and says "I will stay in this room no longer, however. I will stay in this place no longer than necessary. I suppose, from what I have gathered of your bureaucracy, that I will have to fill out multitudes of those paper record sheets your people are so fond of?" <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy nods. "All right," she says to the alien. "Why don't you and Mike go down to the lobby and wait for us while Kim and I talk to Mr. Mahon?" Assuming that sits well with everyone, Nancy lets the teenager lead the way to the room that the agents are using while in the hospital. <><><><><> Kim: Kim shrugs non-commitally, and heads for the agents' room. <><><><><> [GM] Actually, Mahon was simply using a phone in one of the doctors' offices. But Nancy and Kim have no trouble finding them...or Mahon anyways. He approaches the two women as they head down the hallway towards where Kim last saw him. Kim senses curiousity and suspicion from him, and the thought that Hackley is now following Ashiya and Mike, who they saw heading towards the lobby. The agent regards "Jennifer", minus her mask, with some amusement. <><><><><> Nancy: "Is there something funny?", Nancy asks the agent as they approach. After her question is answered, she gets down to brass tacks. "We've...that is; Kim, Ashiya, and I, have decided that there's nothing more to be gained by staying here. We need to find this man before he does horrible things to some other unsuspecting person. As I said before, once we've got an indication of where he is, we'll get in touch with you so we don't do anything without your knowledge. That's about the best I can do for now." "In any case," she continues, "in the spirit of co- operation, it might be helpful if you were to 'pick up the tab' for my friends as you did for me earlier. Ashiya might not have been incredibly forthcoming, but she is co-operating in her own way. Any efforts that you make to help her out could only strengthen your position with her." <><><><><> [GM] "Not really," Agent Mahon says to Nancy. "You look much nicer without a mask...Jennifer." He seems amused again at Nancy's request. "Well," he says, "I suppose we could probably handle that. However." He pauses. Mike's warning comes back to Nancy; it seems he was right, the government isn't going to offer unlimited free aid with no strings attached. "Naturally we want to help you, and appreciate your willingness to cooperate. But you have to realize, I don't have an unlimited expense account to give you, in return for vague promises to 'let us know what's going on'. I'll make some calls and have your bills taken care of, but I'm relying on you to make sure you keep us appraised of what's going on." "And we have a *lot* still to discuss with your 'alien' friend. You do realize that after that story she told us, there's no way we can let her just disappear on us?" <><><><><> Nancy: She shakes her head, rolls her eyes a little, and gives him a small smile. "I bet you say that to all the female superheroes you meet...." Nancy nods. "I'll do the best I can," she replies. "If we're able to find this ninja person before he finds us, I'll be sure and let you know. Right now, it's pretty much up to Ashiya to track him down." She sighs as she thinks for a minute. "I think that's fair, but you have to be patient with Ashiya. Nothing you do is going to make her say anything before she's ready to. She needs to decide for herself that co-operating with our government is the best option...for both her and us." <><><><><> [GM] Agent Mahon doesn't seem happy, or satisfied, but finally he nods. "I think you'll still have to sign out of the hospital to make their paper-pushers happy," he says. "But I'll see to the bills." "Make sure you *do* stay in touch. Letting you all run off on your own goes against my better judgement, but it seems to be the only viable option....for now." Nancy and Kim find Ashiya and Mike waiting for them in the lobby on the ground floor. Ashiya looks somber, eyes downcast, while Mike seems uncomfortable, glancing at Ashiya uncertainly, as if wanting to talk to her but afraid to. <><><><><> Nancy: "Thank you," replies Nancy gratefully. "I'll make sure they sign whatever the hospital needs them to. And rest assured, I've got no desire to take this man on alone. I'll call when I know something." After she gets a new number to reach him at (assuming they don't just forward the call), they make their way down to the lobby. "Well, I'm glad to see you're getting along so well," Nancy remarks in a joking tone, shaking her head when she sees the other two. She sighs and continues, "It's all set...we just need to sign the hospital forms and then we can leave." <><><><><> [GM] The paperwork is taken care of, and Ashiya is greatly relieved to be out of the hospital. Ashiya, Kim, Nancy and Mike pile into the Hartwicks' car, Mike taking the driver's seat. "So where to now?" he asks. Ashiya shrugs. "All I can do is wait for some reading to be picked up by my satellite sensors," she says. She looks at the others and asks "What do you wish to do while we wait?" Ashiya still seems very tired and on the verge of depression, holding herself together for the sake of her friends, and her determination to find and rescue a boy who may not want to be rescued. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy thinks for a moment. "Well, whatever we do, we'll need to make sure that no one sees your probe. I imagine that Agent Mahon will try to have us followed. Nothing for that, I suppose, except just not giving them anything to see." She shrugs. "Unless someone has a better idea, I think the best thing to do would be to find a hotel and hole up there until you find the person we're looking for...unless someone has some shopping that they want to do while we're in the city." She looks to Mike for confirmation. <><><><><> Kim: Kim nods. "Yes, we don't want to get too far away; that way, we can act quickly if someone is detected. But it isn't just Agent Mahon who may try following us, or looking for us. If we do stop in a hotel, I think we should look for somewhere that offers a back way out in the event of trouble." She smiles briefly at a memory, but doesn't explain. "Nothing too excessive, though, or we'll be forever twitching at shadows. Perhaps we should study a map of Chicago, so we don't wander into a dangerous area unprepared." "And Agent Mahon mustn't learn of the probe. *Certainly* not yet, and possibly not ever." [OOC: OK, how long until Kim & Ashiya see the news ] <><><><><> [GM] Mike agrees with Nancy's suggestion of a hotel, and the four of you check into a double room at a nearby inexpensive one. The rest of the day passes slowly, until the evening, when Ashiya, who's been despondently monitoring her satellites all day and reporting on metahuman activities around the world, suddenly gasps. "There is another Functional active in Chicago!" she says. As Mike, Nancy and Kim excitedly gather around the hologram she has the still- invisible probe generate, Ashiya sighs and says "It is not a Shabaali....the parameters match- I think it is that girl, the one you called 'Falling Star'." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy purses her lips thoughtfully. "Do you think we should try to contact her? I'd like to make sure she's all right after that fight yesterday. She's so young...." The look in her eyes is one that any caring parent might have. <><><><><> Kim: "Contacting her may be difficult" says Kim, "I think that at her age, I still followed my Mom's advice about never talking to strangers. She can also fly, and has recently had the unpleasant experience of nearly being trapped. I think she'd make herself hard to find, and harder to talk to." She sighs. "At least she seems able to take care of herself. Where is she?" Kim looks at the display. <><><><><> [GM] The display, zoomed in on Chicago, shows a pinpoint of light ascending into the sky. "She is ascending into the sky" says Ashiya, rather unnececessarily. "At a velocity of one-hundred meters per second. Oh, four hundred meters per second-" the ball of light is accelerating, and suddenly disappears for a moment, before the holographic display changes, and shows a view from orbit, with the light indicating Falling Star still ascending. "She seems to be heading into orbit!" exclaims Ashiya. <><><><><> Nancy: "Why would she be doing that?", Nancy asks, her concern deepening. "Maybe she's trying to run away again, like she did from those horrible men in the alley. Can you pinpoint where she just came from?" Mike knows the look on Nancy's face...that she wants to go after Falling Star to make sure she's all right. <><><><><> Kim: "Perhaps she's doing it because she can", suggests Kim, "Just for fun. Or maybe she's being chased, or has simply been scared. Or perhaps she's chasing something. I hope she's got some way of breathing at that altitude." She looks thoughtful, and turns to Ashiya. "There isn't any chance that she could detect your satellites, is there?" <><><><><> [GM] "She has been tracked several times in the past week, ascending into the sky like this," Ashiya says. "Reaching an extremely high altitude, not quite out of Earth's atmosphere, but well beyond the point where a normal human could not breath." The hologram zooms back in on Chicago, then zooms still further until it is focused on the roof of a tenament building in Cabrini Green. "This is where she launched herself from," Ashiya says. The roof seems to be deserted. She looks at Kim, seems almost exasperated. "How would I know what Functions the child might have that would allow her to sense my satellites?" she asks. "Every time I make a judgement I am wrong. A powerful Tua could sense them, so could possibly a Lemaar or an Asgur, at least at close range." Then she becomes subdued again, a guilty look crossing her face, and her shoulders slump. A second, smaller display is showing Falling Star arcing across the sky over the Midwest, traveling at what has to be several times the speed of sound. "She is generating significant radio emissions," Ashiya says. "But there is no pattern to the emissions, I do not think it is a deliberate broadcast. I think even your peoples' primitive sensors must be able to detect her, though." "I'm starting to think Kim's first suggestion may be the correct one," says Mike, looking at Falling Star's flight path with almost a sense of wonder. "What kid *wouldn't* want to go shooting across the sky if they could?" And Nancy thinks of what seems to be the girl's home, the barren, desperate streets of Chicago's inner city, and how that would contrast with the glories of the night sky, seen from near-orbit, the surface of the Earth spread below her. <><><><><> Kim: "I meant, is she going anywhere near your satellites? After all, if she flew up to one and waved at it, it would be a good indication that she could detect it whatever her powers were! But she apparently isn't." "What sort of power are her radio emissions? Enough to act like a crude jammer, or just enough to generate the occasional hiss and crackle? And could our `crude' equipment get an accurate bearing on it, or merely detect it?" "She is also generating significant sonic emissions, if she's travelling at several times the speed of sound. I wonder if there are any news reports of mass window breakages?" "I wonder what the view's like from up there? Kim looks a little wistful, clearly wishing she could fly too. <><><><><> Nancy: The relief on Nancy's face is obvious when Ashiya informs her that this seems to be something Falling Star does on her own, as opposed to her running away from something. "It looked like she turned into a ball of energy," Nancy offers, "so I don't imagine she'd need to breathe." She sits over by the alien and puts her arm around her. "At least you're trying," she says softly. "That's a part of life...making mistakes, learning things...at least it is here. Don't get discouraged because you can't do everything right the first time. You'll make it...just don't give up before you've even started." [BTW, Nancy would have suggested to Ashiya that if she needs any of her equipment replaced that the afternoon in the hotel would probably be the time to do it.] She reaches over and squeezes Mike's knee as he watches the youngster's journey. "You know, some day I'm going to have to find out my limits too. I mean, I know a little of what I can do, but I would like to find out how much I can lift and how fast I can fly. Who knows...I might have other powers that I don't even know about yet." <><><><><> [GM] "I don't know!" Ashiya cries out abruptly, waving her hand at the display and causing it to disappear. "Falling Star does not seem to be in any danger," the alien says, rising to her feet and pacing the room. "It is Chad Reiter who is in danger....and everyone else, with that bad telepath loose. And my instruments are useless! They have probably both left the city now." She seems close to tears. <><><><><> Nancy: "I don't think so," muses Nancy. "Let's assume for the moment that he wants to find other Functionals to work for him. After all, there had to be a reason he was in the same area that those other two were...and you'll notice that they didn't shoot Falling Star...they trapped her inside of an energy bubble so she couldn't get out. Probably so he could work on her, like he did with you and Kim." "Now, assuming this is true, he can either go chasing after Chad...or he can stay here in Chicago, where he knows there are four other Functionals that he can...acquire. Though Chad would probably be more useful to him and easier to persuade, it'd make more sense for him to stay in Chicago and try to capture us." <><><><><> [GM] "You seem very certain of his motives and methods," Ashiya says, rather bitterly, with an edge to her voice you're not used to hearing. After an uncomfortable pause, Ashiya abruptly snaps at Mike "Yes, I *am* being touchy because of what happened to me!" Mike jumps, looks a little guilty, but also resentful at having his mind read- a reaction he can't help, even though everyone knows by now that the telepath can't always avoid picking up thoughts, especially under stress. Ashiya rubs her eyes and looks at Nancy. "I...I'm sorry, I did not mean it..." She breathes in and out slowly, trying to calm herself. "We are out of that terrible hospital, but now we are still waiting and doing nothing. What if he has already found Chad Reiter? He could be spending time indoctrinating the boy. He does not have to come after the rest of us right away..." she pauses, then continues, "after all, he knows where you live..." <><><><><> Nancy: "That's all right," Nancy replies softly as the alien tries to calm herself. "These last couple of days have been stressful for all of us. It's a good idea not to take things personally." "I'm trying not to think of that," she answers, a worried look on her face. "And I don't think he's found Chad yet. Chad is not the type who'd go willingly. It would probably be a futile effort, but Chad would try to resist...to use his power to avoid being taken. We just have to be ready when that happens, to try and track them down before they can sneak away." She gives a thoughtful sigh, then continues, "Maybe it would help if we looked at the 'big' picture. Your computer keeps a log, right? Could we see this last week or so, just the Shabaali functions? If Chad used his power to leave Crystal Lake, maybe we could pick up on that." <><><><><> [GM] "Do you think I did not think of that?" Ashiya asks. "The problem is, my satellite sensors are not as precise as the more powerful ones that were on our ship. The sensors on my probes are more accurate, but with very short range." "The more powerful a Functional is, and the longer he or she uses their power, the more likely that the satellites will pick them up, and be able to identify their psionic signature, and possibly analyze the Function. They picked up a few readings from Chad Reiter, as well as from you, in Crystal Lake, but only after I was able to scan you were they able to accurately distinguish between you. Several more readings manifested in Chicago after that, but while I can now identify several of the readings as Falling Star, most of the rest are indeterminate. Some were probably Falling Star, but too weak to definitely identify her. Some were probably Chad Reiter, especially those that seemed to be Shabaali, and some were those men we fought. Of course, there may be one or more others in this city that we do not know about. And of course, that man..." she lowers her eyes. "He seemed invisible to my probes' sensors, with a signature too subtle or too alien for them to read." The global map reappears, and Ashiya says, "It is not as if everytime a Functional anywhere on the planet uses their power, my computer can immediately identify it as 'Shabaali, fourth Magnitude" and correlate it to every other time that Functional has manifested. Every time a Function is detected, the computer processes whatever data can be obtained by the satellites, and over time, patterns emerge. Some Functionals are so powerful that even from orbit, they can be immediately recognized every time they manifest. Others, like Paladin, who is very powerful in the first place, are also using their Function continuously, so it is easy to track them." She points at the multitude of red dots and says "Most of these are identified only with an accuracy of 50% or less. The computer can make predictions...that it is probably a Shabaali, or probably a Lemaar, or probably the same Functional who manifested at a certain time yesterday...every time another manifestation is recorded, the computer automatically correlates it with all previous data. Hence, some fairly weak Functionals who have been using their power frequently are now readily identified, while some very powerful ones who have only appeared a few times are not. I can give you statistical analyses if you wish, estimates of how many Functionals are now active on your planet, with what distribution of known Functions...but as for looking back and saying "This is Chad Reiter, and this is where he has been in the past week...no, he has not yet provided enough readings that I can do more than say that the computer is fairly sure that he was indeed in Chicago yesterday and the day before. If he uses his power again, IF the satellites pick it up, it will have a little bit more to work with, and may be able to match the additional characteristics of his signature with previous readings, and tell us where he was in the past with greater precision." "Of course, it is all complicated by the fact that you Terrans manifest multiple Functions. And for some reason, the satellites have been getting poor readings lately anyway. You people are definitely human, and your Functions are psionic, in the same way as ours...yet you are different. Not completely alien, or *I* would not be able to sense you with my own Function, and I can. But with characteristics unique to you. And our mechanical sensors are not attuned to your peculiarities." <><><><><> Nancy: "I was thinking out loud," the schoolteacher says soothingly to Ashiya. "I wasn't trying to make you feel like an idiot, just working on different angles to see if we can come up with something new. Sometimes the best thinking machine is the one between your ears." "For example," Nancy continues thoughtfully, "this probe was following you all the time since you were captured, right? I assume that Euroninja used his powers close to you, if only when he brainwashed Kim. Didn't your probe get any useful information on him then, like a specific frequency that he Functions on? Anything we can figure out about him would be a help at this point in time." "You don't have to be specific about who exibited what Function...I'd just like to see a time lapse of the last week or so for 100...150 miles or so around Chicago. Maybe we can infer some kind of a pattern that's eluding your computer." "As for your probes, maybe they're being affected by that horrible Pulsar fellow. If he was fooling around with them, that might explain why they aren't working as well as they might." <><><><><> [GM] "No, as I said, he has such a weak signature, even at close range my probe was only able to get the slightest glimmer of a reading from him," Ashiya sighs. "It takes us a great deal of training to be able to cloak our Functions sufficiently that another Shabaali cannot sense us, and very, very few Galactics can learn to cloak their own signatures. Yet that terrible man has somehow learned to make his own Function virtually invisible. More Terran anomolies." Her eyes are downcast once more. She complies with Nancy's request to show the readings of the last week, but they prove to be not very helpful. The computer shows several manifestations that have now been identified as Falling Star, showing her active primarily in the city of Chicago, but flying high into the sky and circling the Midwestern area several times, and once flying almost up into Canadian airspace. There are readings that have now been identified as your own, as well as those of Chad. These two haven't completely been separated yet, as both of you apparently manifested rather weakly at times, but by correlating the time of the readings to times you can remember having used your powers (the night they first manifested, the experimentation you engaged in for the next few days, not all of which showed up on Ashiya's satellite scans), you are able to separate some of the manifestations as Chad's. Besides that, there are three other manifestations in Chicago prior to your own trip to Chicago, one of which Ashiya is pretty sure was NOT Falling Star, the other two may or may not have been. After the battle, there have been two manifestations in the last 24 hours (besides your own), one of which was definitely Falling Star, the other one being another of those "indeterminate" readings. As the evening wears on, Mike turns on the TV to catch the news, then watch some Friday night broadcasting, as Nancy, Kim and Ashiya continue to discuss their options, while trying to keep Ashiya from sinking into another deep depression. Mike clearly feels like the odd man out. This is the night that "20/20" is interrupted by Pulsar's global broadcast, and Mike excitedly brings the three women to the television to watch the ultra- powerful being's Haitian ultimatum. Ashiya turns pale and almost faints at the sight of the men being electrocuted and blown apart on live broadcast. Nancy and Mike catch her simultaneously, as she breaks into horrified sobs. Only Kim is really paying attention when Pulsar makes his final comments about invisible satellites. * * * * * * * * * * [In the middle of "20/20", 10 PM eastern time, but broadcast all around the world, as once again, every radio and television and satellite transmission is interrupted:] "Hello insects. You don't mind if I call you all insects, do you? Good." "Sheesh, I've been spending the last couple of weeks cruising around the solar system. Man, if you thought those comet impacts were impressive through your telescopes, you should have seen it up close! REAL cool, I'm telling you!" "Anyways, now I'm back, and you twits are STILL bitching and moaning and letting the world fall apart in the same old ways. I'm really surprised that none of the other supertypes have gotten seriously involved in some of the crap that's going on in the world. Well, maybe you need an inspiration, so here goes-" [Television screens show an orbital view of the western hemisphere, rapidly zooming in on the Carribean, until the island of Haiti dominates the screen.] "Haiti...tropical paradise, vacation resort, all that, blah blah blah, everybody loved it until they started getting uppity. Now, gosh, all of a sudden, everybody realizes that the same power clique that's been there for a couple generations is really rotten. Gee, I guess as long as they kissed Uncle Sam's butt, it was fine for them to terrorize their own people, now all of a sudden we're vitally worried about human rights, and letting some pissant little backwater flip the bird to the U.S." "Well, let me save you all some trouble, not to mention some face." [Around the world, televisions suddenly show Haiti's military leader, General Cedras, sitting in his office with three aides, watching his own television set, which is showing him watching his own television set....all four men start, and look around, wide-eyed and frantic.] "Hi General. This is Pulsar, and the name of tonight's live, global broadcast is, "This is YOUR Life- ENDING!" [Cedras leaps to his feet, but suddenly he's engulfed in a crackling blue aura of electricity. He staggers back and forth, knocking over his chair, as papers on his desk burst into flames. The men next to him dive away, then try to run out the door, but are repelled by a crackling barrier of sparks. Meanwhile, Cedras' screams fill the airwaves, ghastly and horrific, as his uniform smoulders and burns, his skin can be seen blackening and crisping, smoke pours out of his ears, mouth and nose, and his eyeballs swell, then burst apart in a gory mess. His flesh continues burning, until the energy around him finally fades. A blackened, skeletal corpse stands in the middle of his luxurious office, steaming. His aides look utterly terrified. One tries to go out the window, and is thrown back by another barrier of sparks, while another throws up in the corner, and the third falls to his knees and starts praying.] "Hey Spielberg, top that! Now, If you ask me, THAT'S how to deal with a tinpot dictator who's full of nothing but greed and bulls***." "You three, I already made an example of Cedras-" [a couple start to look relieved] "-so I'll kill you quickly." [All three men suddenly burst into flames, and their bodies are consumed in a matter of seconds.] "Oh, I know, all of you around the world are just outraged and horrifed. [whiny voice] 'But Pulsar, you have no right to be judge, jury and executioner. Pulsar, you have no right to unilaterally interfere in the affairs of a sovereign nation. Pulsar, you can't go around playing God like that!' Hey, guess what? I just did!" "Here's the deal, Haiti. I know darn well Cedras is just a front man. I don't have the time or inclination to track down who all of you bigwigs in charge really are, so I'll make it real simple. Let the people have their democratically elected leaders, and quit the oppression. If I don't see some *serious* improvement in the next month, I'm just going to start pointing my omniscient finger of death-" [the screen shows a Hispanic man in a velvet robe, sitting in a luxurious den and smoking a cigar, watching TV, then just having enough time to be startled at the fact that it's HIM on TV, before his head explodes in flames and his body topples forward out of his chair] "-at whoever's convenient. I may not get all of you, but do you really wanna play Haitian roulette with me? Here's a hint; *I* never lose. Oh, by the way, that was Rudi Torres, one of Cedras' biggest financial backers. Take a bow Rudi- oops, you already have!" "Yeah, yeah, spare me the outraged editorials and protest marches. I know, I'm vile, evil, vicious...b*** me." "How's that for a foreign policy, Mr. President? You think it'll work in Bosnia and Rwanda?" "Oh, by the way, whoever put these invisible satellites in orbit up here, I want to talk to you. Just broadcast a message out in space or something...I'll hear it. Lemme hear from you pretty soon, or I might just knock the damn things out of the sky." "We now return you to your regularly scheduled mass media pablum." CHICAGO [Staying at a Chicago hotel, Nancy, Kim, Ashiya and Mike waited for Ashiya's equipment to give some clue about the whereabouts of the malevolent telepaths they are seeking. While watching TV, the three women and Mike watch with horror, along with the rest of the world, as the metahuman known as Pulsar obliterates the leadership of Haiti, then declares that he knows about the invisible satellites in orbit over the Earth, and wants to talk to the person responsible. That person being Ashiya...] Kim: "What?!" says Kim, startled away from looking after Ashiya. She listens carefully to the rest of the broadcast. "Sounds like we've got new problems" she says to the others. When Ashiya has recovered from the trauma of Pulsar's violence, Kim recaps what she heard: "There's another psycho on the loose, calling himself `Pulsar' - he's the one who was doing all that killing just now. Apparently, he can detect your satellites, and has threatened to destroy them unless you contact him." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy's own shock at the executions are quickly pushed aside as she rushes to comfort the alien. She pulls the other woman close, letting Ashiya sob in dismay at the violence. She says nothing, only making soothing noises to calm her. She waits to see what kind of reaction Ashiya has to Pulsar's "request". <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya moans in dismay as Pulsar blows away the upper echelon of Haiti's leadership, and huddles against Nancy, drawing comfort from her embrace, while the ultra-powerful metahuman makes his final declaration, before restoring control of the airwaves to the regular broadcasters. While a "Please Stand By" message fills the TV screen, Ashiya listens to Kim, and moans again. "What kind of monster would do such a thing?" she whispers. "He...he seemed to think what he was doing was *funny*!" She trembles, allows Nancy to sooth her some more, then says "What should I do? If he can really sense my satellites, and has the powers we just saw, perhaps he *can* destroy them! If he does that, I will no longer be able to scan the planet for Functionals, or even know when a Galactic ship returns to this system. Why...why do you think he wants to talk to me?" <><><><><> Nancy: "There there," Nancy coos, stroking the soft black hair. "He's obviously let his power go to his head. He thinks he has the right to dictate to other people just because he can." "Maybe he can perceive them, like I can, but can't do anything to control them like he can with ordinary electronics...because they mostly work with contragravity, not radio waves. He might be threatened by that." She shrugs. "On the other hand, he might just be curious...he did say that he had visited other parts of the solar system in the last few days." She snaps her fingers. "You know, if that's it, this could work to your advantage, Ashiya. You could send him to your people's nearest outpost and tell them what happened with the Sebth and your ship. You could go home...or at least get some other members of your race to help you here." "Anyway, I think you should send a message out and offer to meet with him. He obviously doesn't know where you are, since he hasn't traced your probe's link to the satellite back down to us. Depending on how careful you want to be, you could have him meet us in person or have him broadcast just to a TV near us. I think, though, that he might not be friendly...and in that case, we shouldn't meet him where any innocent people could be hurt. Maybe we could meet him on one of the more isolated beaches on the lakeshore." She goes over to the desk, grabs the phonebook, and opens it to the hand Chicago map inside. "Whatever we do, we shouldn't keep him waiting too long. I get the impression he's not a very patient man." <><><><><> [GM] "He generated enough coherent energy to kill people," Ashiya murmurs, her scientific training working despite her distress. "He could probably attack the satellites if he can sense them. But since he did not follow the neutrino beam to my probe, he must not have sensed those." Her eyes widen for a moment, as Nancy suggests sending Pulsar out into space. Then she shakes her head. "Not unless he can exceed the speed of light," she says. "The nearest Galactic-occupied world is about eleven light years away." "Procyon?" Mike mutters. "No outposts on Alpha Centauri or Sirius, then?" Ashiya sighs, leaning against Mike now, while Nancy looks at a Chicago map. Mike looks somewhat discomfitted, but doesn't object. "If you think we should contact him," she says quietly. "Perhaps only I should meet him, that way...he cannot endanger you as well." Mike frowns, obviously having mixed feelings about that. "Ashiya...no offense, but frankly, I don't think you're fit to, uh, talk to someone like Pulsar by yourself." <><><><><> Nancy: "It's possible," Nancy insists. "After all, he said he spent the last couple of days out by Saturn...and it takes more than a couple of days for light to get there from the sun, right?" She blinks in amazement as Mike pulls the name of the Galactic occupied system out of thin air. Of course, astronomy was never one of her bigger subjects.... She brings the book back to the bed and moves next to the alien again, so she can lean against her instead if she so chooses. She shoots a glare at Mike over Ashiya's shoulder, suggesting that his statement lacked tact. "We don't know that his intent is hostile," she says, moving back into the alien's field of view, "but I don't think it'll hurt to have all of us there anyway. Besides, I'd like to get a look at him...though I don't think I'll tell him what I thought of his recent 'demonstration'." <><><><><> [GM] "Umm, no" Mike says. "Light takes about eight minutes to travel from the sun to the Earth....to the outer limits of the solar system is a matter of hours." Ashiya nods in reluctant agreement to Nancy. "Very well," she sighs. "What should I tell him? I suppose I can send a message broadcast by my satellites out into space, via radio waves." <><><><><> Nancy: "I knew that light takes 8 minutes to get to the Earth," Nancy replies, "but I thought the outer planets were farther away." She shrugs. "You learn something new every day...." "That would be the best way to get his attention," she says, "especially since he said he's going to be listening for a message from you. You should probably say something very neutral, such as that you've heard his message and are willing to meet with him. I think we have a portable radio in the car...he can either talk to us through that or meet us in person, whichever he perfers. Giving him some choice in how he approaches us will probably put him in a little better mood." "Anyway," she continues thoughtfully, "even if he can't make it to the nearest outpost, he might be able to help you in other ways. For example, maybe he could power some kind of a distress beacon that your people could pick up...sort of a cosmic SOS...or even send it himself. Perhaps you could have him find the wreckage of your ship and find something salvagable...like a transmitter or something. The important thing with some with antisocial tendencies like that is to find something helpful to do with his talents." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks at Nancy with a resigned expression, and opens her mouth as if to make another comment, then looks down and closes her mouth. Nancy is surprised and a little annoyed to see an understanding look pass between Mike and Ashiya! She gets the feeling that her latest suggestions betrayed yet more scientific ignorance, noted by both her physics-teacher husband and the highly educated alien. Then Ashiya senses Nancy's irritation, and immediately takes the schoolteacher's hands in her own and clasps them against her bosom. "I am sorry, Nancy," she whispers, "I know you are doing everything you can to be helpful. Perhaps you are right...this 'Pulsar' may have the power to travel or send communications via hyperspace." Her expression remains doubtful, however. "From what we have seen of his ability to manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum, I suspect he can track radio broadcasts easily," she continues, moving on to the immediate problem. "If he cannot track neutrino emissions, we could use my probe to set up our end of the conversation, with the probe transmitting to a satellite by neutrino beam, and the satellite translating into radio frequencies. If we try to communicate directly with him via radio, however, he probably could simply follow the radio waves to their source." Ashiya shudders, and says "I really do not like the idea of facing such a murderous being directly...but if he gives us no choice, I suppose we must." Kim and Nancy can only wonder what sort of thoughts and attitudes the telepath will pick up from someone who casually murdered five people on international TV, and what effect that will have on the gentle alien. <><><><><> Nancy: When the alien refrains from saying anything, Nancy observes, "If you've got something to say, Ashiya, I'd really like to hear it. I mean, those are your satelittes and you're the one who has the most to lose by having Pulsar run around loose up there. If you've got any suggestions or comments, I'd like to hear them. Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself." "Okay," she grumbles as Ashiya tries to comfort her, "maybe they're long shots. But there's no use in giving up hope before you've even tried! Besides, I wasn't thinking that he could send a hyperspace communication...I was going more along the lines that maybe the two of you working together could salvage the one from your ship." She nods when Ashiya says that she should send the message up to the satelitte by neutrino beam. "I understand that you're reluctant," she replies as the alien expresses her doubts, "but we might be able to balance the scales by helping him do something good with his powers. Try to think positively and not be afraid." "Actually," she confides, "my main problem is that we're not including Mahon in this. I mean, yes, he'd probably foul everything up by trying to arrest the man, but I know that if he finds out we talked to Pulsar and didn't try to 'take him down', he'll probably be upset with us." She gives a wry grin. "Ah well, into each life some rain must fall." <><><><><> [GM] "There is nothing to salvage from my ship," Ashiya says quietly. "Galactic weapons tend to be quite thorough." "I'd like to see Mahon try to arrest Pulsar," Mike snorts. "But you're right, he'll certainly want to know about any meeting you have with that lunatic. For that matter, since I'm sure he's seen the broadcast himself, and will be able to put two and two together...I'm betting he'll be a little less skeptical of Ashiya's story, and he's probably coming to find us right now." <><><><><> Nancy: "I know it's not a pleasant concept and it brings up some unpleasant memories," replies Nancy, "but don't dismiss the possibility out of hand. Like the old saying goes, 'Better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all.'." She nods gravely as Mike adds his two cents. "Well, it's for darn sure that there WON'T be a peaceful meeting if Mahon is there. But it might take more to convince him...after all, Pulsar did mention the time before that there was a spaceship up in orbit and people pretty much ignored him." With a shrug, she continues, "If he wants to see us, I'm sure he'll be able to find us. I mean, he probably had us followed after we left the hospital. I'm not going rushing to see him...if he wants to use us to get to Pulsar, he's going to have to make the first step." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya opens her mouth, closes it, opens it again, then shakes her head. "Yes, Nancy," she says, with that infuriating, meek tone. <><><><><> Kim: Kim looks thoughtful. "We'll have to talk to Pulsar somehow, or he might just destroy all your satellites; however, we'll have to avoid direct contact until we know a bit more about him. He seems to be a man of good ends but loathsome means - perhaps he can be encouraged to change tactics, but frankly I doubt it. I don't think he's interested in peaceful solutions - I think he gets a kick out of violent ones. If he got defeated in a fight, that *might* tone him down a notch or two, and make him a bit more circumspect." "We need to be careful, though, in case we end up having to deal with both him and our local nemesis at the same time." The teenager shudders at the thought of `Euroninja' taking mental control of someone as powerful and destructive as Pulsar. "Sending him a message from one of the satellites is the next step; see how he reacts. Avoid any sort of threat or bluff, since I think he'd just demolish a satellite in retaliation, but also avoid giving too much away. Just make it non-commital, something like `We hear you; what do you want to know?' - plant the ball firmly in his court." [OOC: Cue puzzled look from Ashiya as she tries to make sense of Kim's idioms ] <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy sighs exasperatedly. "That's a perfect example," she says in a nonthreatening tone. "You had something you wanted to say, but you didn't. The reason doesn't matter...you need to speak up for yourself while you're here on Earth, because more often than not, nobody's going to do it for you." Her voice becomes a bit softer. "We really do want to hear what you have to say." She looks dubiously at Kim. "Surely you're not suggesting WE should be the ones who defeat him." Something about her tone gives the impression that the teacher has no intention of fighting Pulsar if at all possible. "The problem with sending a non-commital message is he's got no way to reply to directly to us...at least no way that he couldn't just immediately trace back to us if he took it into his head. I'd rather he didn't have to commandeer the airwaves all over the world again just to give us a message...it'd be much better just to be done with it and have him meet us tonight. And as for your other friend getting involved...well, there's really no way we could stop that either. It'd almost have to be purely by accident, though...I mean, if Euroninja knew where we were, he would have tried something by now." <><><><><> [GM] "But...you get angry!" Ashiya bursts into tears. Mike sighs, as Ashiya is still clinging to him. He strokes her hair, but gives Nancy a helpless look. "There is no wreckage because it's all gone my satellites would have detected I could tell you about fusion beams and Sebth implosion bombs but you just will keep inventing explanations and you don't know anything about us and I keep telling you but you don't listen and I already said my satellites can convert neutrino communications into radio and back but you don't listen I think he DOES know where we are he isn't here for his own reasons but he will come for us when he's ready-" Ashiya whimpers all in a rush, then takes a deep breath. There is a knock on the door. <><><><><> Nancy: "Yes I do," admits the schoolteacher. "But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't speak your mind if you want. Don't hold back on my account...I've raised three children...I don't think you could make me any madder than I've been at them a few times." Nancy listens to the torrent of words and is about to reply when they hear the knock. "Just a minute!", she cries towards the door. She then sits on the bed by Ashiya, takes the alien's hands into hers, and says softly, "The reason I'm doing that is because you need hope now more than anything. You have to have faith that you'll get home...that you won't be stuck with us forever...that Pulsar might be able to help you. Believe me, if I had the power, I'd take you there and end your suffering...but for now, all I can give is the possibility that tomorrow might be a better day. It's all I can do for you now...I'm sorry." With a sigh, she gets up and looks out through the peephole to see who is at the door. <><><><><> [GM] It's Agent Mahon. [Surprise! ] <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy pauses a moment and shakes her head after she uses the peephole. "I must be getting new powers," she says wryly. "I'm psychic." She unlatches the door and puts on her best "greeting" face. "Agent Mahon...what a surprise. Is there something we can do for you?" She stands in the doorway, giving the subtle impression that he is NOT invited in...though she will yield if he pushes the issue <><><><><> [GM] "Have you been watching the TV or listening to the radio?" Mahon asks, trying to peer over Nancy's shoulder into the room. "We have some things to discuss, I think...particularly with your 'alien' friend." <><><><><> Nancy: "Yes, we saw Pulsar's broadcast," Nancy answers. "I suppose you might as well come in," she adds with a resigned sigh. She waits until he enters, closes the door after him, and follows him back into the room. "It certainly didn't take you long to get here," she observes. "So...what did you want to say to us?" <><><><><> Kim: Kim looks up as Agent Mahon enters. She'd overlooked the fact that he'd have no difficulty in connecting mysterious invisible satellites with a mysterious alien woman. That suddenly made things even more complicated, as if they weren't complicated enough before. "Hi" she says, sitting cross-legged on the floor to free a seat for Mahon. Kim will send a telepathic message to Ashiya, trying to explain what is going on. **Agent Mahon has probably seen the TV broadcast too, and has worked out that you have satellites up there. The technology of your satellites would be dangerous - he may understand that. Even if he doesn't, I don't see him doing anything other than get angry if you don't tell him any more. Perhaps, if he presses you, it would be best to claim that you don't know exactly where your satellites are, that you just use them. That'll leave him frustrated, but it's believable - there are plenty of people on Earth who use satellites every day without knowing their position more precisely than "in space", myself included** **We need to treat Mahon carefully. He's at least nominally friendly, and it would be foolish to lose even a partial friend as long as we're in trouble** <><><><><> [GM] "These invisible satellites that Pulsar was talking about," Mahon says to Ashiya, who looks even more nervous now that the federal agent is back. "Are they yours?" Ashiya shrinks against Mike again, who sighs and tries to be comforting without being *too* comforting...the alien looks at Kim and Nancy unhappily. "Agent Mahon," Mike says quietly, "Ashiya has been through a lot, and she's not at all used to this kind of aggressive questioning. You're intimidating her. Intimidating someone whose help you need- and believe me, we, ALL of us, NEED her help- isn't smart, or nice." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy moves to Ashiya's defense. "Let's assume for the moment those satellites are hers. They're not hurting anyone, are they? I mean, you have a maniac circling the earth and you're worried about satellites? They're not the ones who are commandeering the airwaves and threatening people. Why worry about something that isn't a problem? I mean, the last I knew, it wasn't illegal to have invisible objects circling around the earth...but murder definitely is. And what do you intend to do if they do belong to her?" <><><><><> [GM] "Calm down, Mrs. Hartwick," Agent Mahon says, and thus dropping any pretense that he doesn't know who you are. "I didn't come here to arrest the poor girl." He looks at Ashiya, who has calmed down somewhat, now that the tenseness of the situation is easing a little. "Actually, there are international agreements regarding the use of satellite orbits...but you're right, Pulsar is a more immediate concern. Although, while he's violated a number of international laws in a big way, I don't know if anyone has bothered to actually file charges against him." "Our satellites will not interfere with the function of any of yours," Ashiya says. "They are quite capable of adjusting their course to avoid a collision, and they do not interfere with your communications or weapons systems." "Weapons systems?" Mike asks. Mahon frowns at him, then at Ashiya, and returns to the original subject. "If Pulsar can sense these things, we NEED to worry about them," he says. "Especially since he just announced their existence to the entire world. Everybody with anything up there will be looking for them right now." "They will not find them," Ashiya says with certainty. "Maybe not," Mahon says. "But what does Pulsar want with you? And what are you going to tell him? If he's after your technology, we can't allow a lunatic like that to have access to advanced alien technology." "I take it you now believe I am an extraterrestrial?" Ashiya asks, with a touch of irony. Mahon sighs and replies "The evidence suggests we shoould take your claim seriously. Now I want to know if you're planning to meet this metahuman. And I would also like to know exactly why your, uh, people, have satellites invisibly hovering over us. If you want our cooperation, you have to know that something like that doesn't do much for our peace of mind." "Yes, you are notably paranoid, all of your factionalized nation-states," Ashiya says. Mahon frowns and says "It would also help if you don't cop this 'You are an ignorant primitive' attitude." Mike rolls his eyes, thinking of how much he, Nancy and Kim have had to put up with, compared with Mahon. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy looks quite perturbed at the use of her real name. "I'm sorry...sometimes I get a little upset when government agents start invading my privacy. I'm funny that way." "Our plan right now," the teacher says warily, "is to invite him down to talk with us. Just...talk. We're hoping that we can persuade him to be a little less...forceful in his opinions. As for wanting Ashiya's technology, I think that's unlikely. I mean, he can already do whatever he darn well pleases with our machines. I think it's probably more likely that he can't influence her satellites and wants to find out who's responsible for them." When he asks about the reason for the objects orbitting the earth, she favors him with the teacher's 'you obviously didn't pay attention in class' look. "Think about it," she answers. "We've told you that Ashiya is an anthropologist. She and her people are STUDYING our civilization...such as it is. We exchange a vast amount of information over our satellite network. What better way to learn about us than to tap into one of our busiest communications relays? And given the warm reception she's already gotten from us, I think they were more than justified to try to stay hidden." "It would help," she replies, "if you were a little more understanding of where she's coming from. I don't imagine you'd be Mr. Congeniality if you were dropped into the middle of the Stone Age. She's been separated from her people...lonely, frightened, and deprived of contact with other telepaths. The truth is we ARE savages, at least compared to them." She looks over at the alien, pity in her eyes. "I know I couldn't stand half of what she's gone through...and I doubt you'd do much better. So show her at least a little respect and kindness, if you'd like to prove her wrong." <><><><><> Kim: Kim nods agreement. "What's the government going to do about Pulsar? What *can* it do? I think all we can do at the moment is listen to him, and hope." She shrugs. "The more powerful supers that appear and start trashing everyone else, the more this looks like a problem that needs international cooperation. I don't think any one country is going to be able to handle Pulsar, not if he can simply fly to another nation. Our `Euroninja' can walk through immigration controls and security checks as if they didn't exist. And how many more will be influenced by Pulsar into doing similar things? If no effort is made to deal with the problem at an international level, I think the world will end up collapsing into little super-run dictatorships at constant war with one-another." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon frowns, gathering his thoughts. "What the government is concerned about, ma'am," he says to Nancy, "is that well-meaning people like you, who suddenly possess these amazing powers, are going to get carried away trying to deal with people like Pulsar on your own. If every metahuman in the country, let alone the world, decides that they're a law unto themselves, and the government should just leave you alone to deal with hostile metahumans as you see fit-" "Control," Ashiya mutters. "You want control. Underneath your reasonable demeanor, you are afraid of people like Nancy and Kim, but especially me, because we represent a force that your government cannot control, however much it is trying." Mahon blinks, and even Mike seems surprised. "We will speak to Pulsar, and tell you the results," she says, standing and facing him. "But I would like you to leave. You are well-intentioned enough also, Special Agent Mahon, but your priority is not our well-being, but protecting the interests of your government. And I do not care about those interests." "You need our help too," Mahon sputters. "Yes," Ashiya sighs, "but not right now. Your presence is disturbing to me." Mahon looks uncertain, but definitely doesn't like being given the brush-off. On the other hand, there's a glint in Ashiya's eye that makes Nancy a little nervous. [to Kim] Kim senses a sub-text in Agent Mahon's thoughts; *you have powers that are worse than an assault weapon or a portable missile launcher...we can't control who has them, but we're sure as hell going to keep track of who has them and what you do with them...* And the thought comes from Ashiya: **This man is worried about his government losing control- your suggestion that Functionals will take over the world is exactly what they fear. And he does not really like any of us, he fears us. And he fears me...his suspicions about Galactic civilization are even more paranoid than yours and Nancy's.** <><><><><> Nancy: "What's this about 'taking the law into our hands'?", Nancy asks. "If we want to talk to him, that's perfectly within our rights. If he attacks us, then we're allowed to defend ourselves. It's not our intention to lure him down and then spring some sort of trap to capture him. I admit that I'm horrified by what he's done...but that doesn't mean I want to try to 'bring him in' or something." When the agent give Ashiya his dubious look, Nancy pipes in, "Remember, there's no reason we *have* to tell you anything. We'd like to co-operate...and we're very reasonable people. Unfortunately, though, this is going to have to be on our own terms. Having a governmental presence there will only make him upset...and none of us really want to deal with something like that." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon looks frustrated and annoyed. "All right, I can't keep you from talking to Pulsar. But you know I'm going to want to know anything he tells you. In fact, I'd really appreciate it if you could record your conversation." At the dubious looks he gets, he says "Right now, Pulsar is possibly the greatest metahuman threat on Earth! That's not an exaggeration...he can disrupt global communications, be anywhere in the world instantly, kill anyone he wants...and we may only have seen a minor demonstration of his powers. We NEED to know what his intentions are, and what he's likely to do next." "We will be sure to tell you everything you need to know," murmurs Ashiya. Mahon frowns at her, interpreting her response as sarcasm. Nancy and Kim rather doubt Ashiya is even capable of sarcasm...but her expression as she regards Mahon is considerably less demure and compliant than it was when he entered. Her face is cool, impassive...but the look in her eyes is- if not hostile- definitely not accomodating. If someone as gentle as Ashiya is capable of losing her temper, Kim has a feeling she might look something like this just before it happens. <><><><><> Kim: Kim sits silently, obviously deep in thought . Kim replies to Ashiya: **Of course he's worried. Think of your own reaction to your `aliens' - you can't read their minds, so you're uncomfortable about them, mistrustful of them, afraid of them. How would you react to a group of them carrying heavy weaponry, even if they claimed they were peaceful? Mahon can't read minds; he only knows what we tell him, and what he can find out. So all he knows is that a group of people with strange abilities have appeared, one of whom is a representative of an extra-terrestrial race that has immense powers and highly advanced technology. He doesn't know if you're friendly, only that you say you are. On top of that, he has to deal with other people with strange abilities who are using them to kill and enslave. Give him time, and don't say things about your people taking over the planet: that would make him even more worried, and therefore hostile. He needs to save his hostility for people like `Euroninja' and Pulsar** and then to Agent Mahon: **We don't all have such powers. It may be disconcerting that I can hear your thoughts, but if I want to hurt someone, I'm reduced to kicking them! I don't have a portable missile launcher in my pocket, sorry** <><><><><> Nancy: "Unfortunately," Nancy replies, "we don't have a tape recorder...and there isn't time to get one. Also, assuming Pulsar has the ability to detect machines that use electricity as well as control them, he might well sense what we're doing and get angry. I don't want to take that risk." "We mean what we say," she adds to Ashiya's remark as she moves to the door, making an obvious hint that he really should be leaving about now. "We'll tell you everything we can after we've met with him." She puts her hand on the doorknob. "With any luck, we should be getting ahold of you later tonight." <><><><><> [GM] Mahon jumps a little, and frowns at Kim. As Nancy makes every effort to "shoo" him out the door, he looks from her to Ashiya, and back to Nancy, and even the non-telepaths can easily perceive him weighing the benefits of arguing or giving in, and deciding to back down....for now. "I hope you know what you're doing," he says with sincerity. "You've been pretty lucky so far. With Pulsar, you're playing with a hell of a fire." He withdraws out the door, and Nancy shuts it behind him. "Lucky," murmurs Ashiya. She looks sadly at Kim. "I will cooperate with your government because you wish me to...but I do not like what I sense from Agent Mahon." [to Kim] Mahon thinks, 'loudly', **I think you underestimate how much damage a telepath can do** and more quietly, not intended for you to 'hear' *or an alien* <><><><><> Kim: **I've know the damage a telepath can do, remember?** replies Kim, **But I don't have a fraction of those powers. Reading minds might be good for espionage, but the only way I could directly hurt someone with it would be to yell into their head while they were driving along** <><><><><> Nancy: "All of this frightens a lot of people," Nancy observes as she comes back to join the others, "especially those that are supposedly 'in charge'. We just need to make sure we stick up for our rights and try not to do anything too blatantly illegal." She sighs and shakes her head to clear it. "Now...let's send that message before Pulsar starts to get 'nervous'." <><><><><> [GM] "Very well," Ashiya says. She seems considerably relieved to have Mahon gone. Her probe floats to eye level, becoming visible. Ashiya addresses the three Earthlings. "As I tried to explain earlier, the probe has been communicating with a satellite in orbit over this hemisphere by means of neutrino emissions. Neutrinos are very tiny particles- " her voice is becoming distinctly condescending, though surely unintentionally, and Mike says impatiently "We know what neutrinos are!" Ashiya stops, looking at him with dismay, and his face softens. "I'm sorry, Ashiya. Go on. Just please remember we aren't totally ignorant about science and technology...even some technology that we can't yet build, we understand in principle." Ashiya hesitates, looking upset as she always does when someone interrupts her. Then she nods slightly and continues. "Neutrino beam transmissions are very difficult to detect and almost impossible to intercept even with Galactic technology. If Pulsar is only able to affect the electromagnetic spectrum, he probably cannot affect, or sense, the neutrino beams connecting my probes to my satellites." "The satellites are, of course, capable of receiving and broadcasting radio waves. We rarely use radio waves as a means of communication, as either neutrino or gravity wave transmissions are infinitely superior. But most of our communications device *can* scan, and sometimes transmit, on those frequences if desired." "So, I can speak to this probe, and it will transmit what I say by neutrino beam to the satellite above. The satellite can then broadcast my message into space, on any frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum. And if Pulsar responds in the same way, the satellite will transmit that back to us." She looks at Nancy and Kim. "All we have to do is decide what we are going to say. And who will say it." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy nods. "That was about the way I thought it would work," she says. "I'm willing to talk to him if nobody else is," she says after a moment. "As to what to say, we'll have to play it by ear. But for now, a simple 'I hear you...what do you want?' will be a good start. Then I'll probably ask him if he wants to meet us in person, which if he does we'll go to an isolated part of the city like I said before. That's about as far as I can say right now." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya looks at Nancy and nods. "You probably know what to say to a...man like this, better than I." She glances at the probe, and says softly "As soon as you are ready, I will activate the relay. You need only speak out loud, the probe will pick up your voice clearly and transmit it." <><><><><> Nancy: The schoolteacher squeezes Ashiya's hand, just for a moment, then walks over to the probe. She takes a moment to calm herself, clearing her thoughts. "Pulsar...can you hear me? I am the one who owns the satellites...the one you wished to speak to. What do you want?" <><><><><> [GM] There is a crackling sound, and then the same voice that was broadcast around the world emanates from the probe. "Well, that was a quick response! Who are you, where are you, and where did you get these things?" <><><><><> Nancy: "You attracted a great deal of attention with your...display," Nancy answers. "I thought it would be best to speak to you as soon as possible." She tries hard to emulate Ashiya's tone and choice of words as she speaks. "My name is Ashiya," she continues. "Those satellites are my property. I am an anthropologist...at least, that is the closest description your language has. I have come here from another world to study your people." She pauses a moment. "As to where I am...I hope you will forgive some caution on my part, but until I am sure of your intent, I do not wish to reveal my location. I have no desire to see another demonstratoion of your power...especially if it is directed at me." <><><><><> Kim: "Quick work" murmurs Kim, "He must have been waiting." She lets Nancy get on with talking to Pulsar, and concentrates on stopping Ashiya getting too upset at whatever he says . <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya listens to Nancy speak. She seems disturbed at the deception, apparently not expecting Nancy would pretend to be her, but says nothing. "I don't want to hurt you," Pulsar's voice reverberates from the probe. "I want to know more about you. Your spaceship blinked away before I could talk to anyone. And naturally I'm a little suspicious about your intentions. I mean, if I'm not mistaken, the stuff that's powering these satellites is anti-matter, am I right? Having four chunks of anti-matter put in orbit above our planet is enough to make most Earthlings a little paranoid." <><><><><> Nancy: *I'm sorry,* Nancy thinks to the telepath, *but he wouldn't have wanted to talk to me. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but having me pretend to be you for now keeps you from having to get involved.* She blanches as Pulsar casually mentions the hovering satellites again, revealing their power source. "They were hidden from your people, imperceptable...until your broadcast revealed their existance. I understand that you only wished to speak with me, but *I* wish to be discreet. I do not blame you, though...you did what you needed to." She looks to Ashiya again. *Can your satellite make a tight beam radio transmission that won't be intercepted by anyone else now that he's communicating with us? I don't think we should let anyone else on Earth be eavesdropping on this conversation.* <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya pouts a little and says "I thought of that, Nancy! The satellite is broadcasting *away* from the Earth. I made sure there are no Terran satellites within reception range, of course." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy's forehead wrinkles in confusion. *But I thought radio waves went out in all directions....oh, forget it. If you're confident that nobody else is going to pick this up, then that's good enough for me.* "In any case," she continues verbally, "the spaceship you saw might not have been friendly to you. I am of the race know as the Shaballi...a race of telepaths. The ship you saw belonged to the Sebth...a hostile race of teleporters. They...destroyed our survey vessel and left me marooned upon your world." Nancy chokes up in sympathy with her friend's plight...which of course adds to the sincerity of her words. "It would serve both of our interests if you could somehow help me contact my people." <><><><><> [GM] "I thought I sensed a high-energy explosion up there a few weeks ago" Pulsar says. Ashiya winces. "Wasn't able to check it out at the time." "OK, so according to you, you're the good guys and these 'Sebth' are the bad guys. I suppose you want me to just take your word on that? I might find it a little easier to buy your story if I meet you in person. And by the way, just how *are* you relaying your signal through this satellite?" *He can't sense the neutrino beam* Ashiya sends to Nancy and Kim. *But there are hundreds of radio signals being received by the satellite; I am not sure how he could know that none of them contains our broadcast.* <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy tries to send her friend a comforting thought to counter the shock of Pulsar's crudity. "Good and bad are relative terms," she answers. "Yes, I believe our way is better...but my beliefs are not necessarily yours. Do I have to justify myself before you will help me?" "In any case, if it will satisfy your curiousity, I suppose we can meet face to face. I have three human friends of mine that will be coming with me...just so you know. As I said, I wish to be discrete...so I would like to make it someplace fairly private. How about [wherever the spot Nancy picked is] in about an hour?" She will elaborate with directions if he asks. "I am using a form of transmission that I knew you probably could not detect since I was uncertain of your motives. Better safe than sorry, to quote one of your sayings. And even if I told you, I doubt you could perceive it then...so there is little point in going into it. But you can tell that I am not broadcasting on a regular radio frequency? I am impressed...how do you do that? By comparing the incoming signals with what the satellite is putting out?" <><><><><> [GM] "You keep your secrets, I'll keep mine," Pulsar answers. "I'll be there, in one hour. Don't jerk me around." <><><><><> Nancy: "I won't," answers Nancy. "See you in an hour." "Charming fellow," she mutters after the contact is broken. She heads over to the dresser and takes the car keys. "Let's go, everyone. We need to get moving. There's no telling what that maniac might do if we stand him up." She does her level best to hurry everyone else along and get on the road as soon as possible. <><><><><> Kim: "Have you any idea what to say when we meet him?" asks Kim, as she heads towards the car. Inwardly, she wonders if telling Pulsar about the hidden communication link was a good idea - what if he begins to demand information by force? "Do you think he believed you?" <><><><><> Nancy: "I'm going to try to tell him that the Shaballi are the 'good guys' and that he should help Ashiya," Nancy answers. "Right now he's our best bet to help her...not to mention that if he's busy working on contacting Procyron that he's too busy to kill Haitian military leaders." She sighs. "I'm not sure. He believed us enough to come down to us and check our story...which is a step in the right direction. At least we intrigued him. Whether that's good or bad I haven't decided yet." <><><><><> [GM] The three Earthlings and one Shabaali drive to a spot on the shore of Lake Michegan, a ways off from the city. Ashiya looks apprehensive, though no more so than Nancy and Mike. "I cannot give him my technology," Ashiya says. "Are you sure you do not wish me to meet him alone, so he cannot endanger you if he decides to be hostile?" She looks out the window and murmurs "After everything else...the thought of being vaporized somehow does not distress me that much." <><><><><> Nancy: "Let's not let our imaginations run away with us here," Nancy chides the alien softly (and sending a thought that it's not meant as a harsh rebuke). "After all, he might just be curious. With power like that, he can indulge whims. And after all, what can the satellite do that he can't already? He might want to destroy it since he can't control it, but I doubt it would make him any more formidable than he is already...at least as far as I'm concerned. I mean, he's swatting flies with a bazooka now...does it really matter if he started using a tank gun?" She sits next to the alien and puts her arm around her. "If you feel uncomfortable with me impersonating you, you can talk to him if you'd like. However, it's a white lie that doesn't particularly disturb me, since that keeps you safe. I think I'm the best suited to talk to him since I've got the powers with the greatest physical effects and can probably defend myself better. I've got an idea that might help me if he does get 'rambunctious'. I'm hoping we can keep this civil, though." "It'd be helpful if you'd 'prompt' me with answers if I need them, in case he asks something I don't know about. Could you do that for me, please?" She manages to smile at her friend. "Cheer up. Everything will work out, you'll see. I'm sure we can work something out with Pulsar that will make everyone happy." Of course, she's not nearly as confident as she sounds...but she was a cheerleader at one time and feels compelled to make the effort. <><><><><> [GM] "If you say so, Nancy," Ashiya replies, smiling weakly. She leans her head on the schoolteacher's shoulder, accepting the Earth woman's comforting embrace. A frown wrinkles her smooth brow. "I can...'prompt' you, telepathically...but what if he addresses himself to me? You know I am very poor at...deception. I do not know if I could pretend to be you very well." <><><><><> Nancy: "Well, I'm hoping that he'll be too busy asking me questions to worry about my 'mere human' companions," Nancy replies. "I'll introduce you offhandedly and hopefully that will be the end of it. If he presses further, I'll coach you like you're going to do for me. Any hesitation you have will just be because you're nervous." She smiles. "Besides...it's easy being me. Just don't think about what you're doing." <><><><><> Kim: "Don't worry" Kim reassures Ashiya, "I can prompt you. Just act a bit in awe of him, a bit scared of him - he sounds like the childish sort who'll get a kick out of such things, and it'll stop him becoming suspicious. When in doubt, just say nothing." <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya nods in hesitant agreement, as Mike rolls the car to a stop at the site of your meeting. The beach, not being a particularly scenic one, is deserted at this late hour. The wind blowing off of Lake Michegan is chilly- Mike puts an arm around his wife. You stand and wait for Pulsar, and as the minutes past the agreed-upon hour tick by, you wonder if *he* might be jerking *you* around... <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy looks over at Ashiya. *Does your probe sense anything? Any radio transmissions at all? Maybe he's turned all the way to energy and is invisible to the naked eye.* She steps out of Mike's grasp and looks around. "Pulsar? Can you hear me? We are here as I promised." <><><><><> Kim: Kim shivers. "Lovely night for a swim." She looks around to see if there's anything unusual around. Pulsar may have sent someone masquerading as himself, in the same way that Nancy is masquerading as Ashiya. <><><><><> [GM] Kim feels vaguely uneasy. *Yes!* Ashiya sends back to Nancy. *There is a cluster of X-rays hovering just above us...this is an impossible phenomenon...which I suppose means it must be Pulsar.* As Nancy speaks, the night suddenly explodes into brilliant illumination. Everyone but Kim is blinded as a burst of energy crackles into being right in front of them...Kim's eyes adjust amazingly quickly, and she sees the air glow and shimmer as parts of it are superheated and then cooled instantly, while electricity arcs between the nexus of the manifestation and the ground. Moisture in the air sizzles, and Pulsar's sudden materialization strobes in subtle variations of every hue from infrared up to far above the visible spectrum. It's like suddenly being caught in the full magnified glare of special effects equipment for a Star Wars battle, or a rock concert. As Nancy, Mike and Ashiya blink and rub the the bright multicolored splotches from their eyes, the shimmering high energy field seems to draw light back into itself, solidify, and form itself into something slightly more tangible. Gradually, a glowing humanoid figure can be seen resolving itself amidst the radiance, clarifying more and more until it's clearly the image of a young white male wearing regular street clothes- he looks very much like a giant hologram, but details are still a little vague, and the light he emits obscures what attempts he makes to simulate proper coloration. "Hi," he says. "I'm Pulsar." He looks at Ashiya, who is wincing slightly and has her hands up in front of her face, and says to her, "I'm guessing you're Ashiya?" <><><><><> Nancy: [Does Pulsar now have a gravitational presence or is he still intangible despite his looks?] For a moment, Nancy's gravity field snaps up as she's blinded...but she forces it back down. After all, if he'd meant to kill them, he would have started shooting while he was invisible. She is, of course, startled and amazed by the display...but part of her recognizes it as a show put on for their benefit, which brings it down a few notches in impressiveness. This is good, because she wants to try to approach this on a relatively even plane. "Hello," she says, stepping up and making her presence known. "I am the one you spoke to before. Thank you for agreeing to meet us here." She looks up at him, putting a calm and almost blase look on her face as if she talked to superpowered madmen every day. "That was quite an entrance. Now...what can I do for you? How can I convince you to help me contact my people?" <><><><><> Kim: Kim is momentarily surprised not to be dazzled; then has the presence of mind to pretend that she is, and to watch Pulsar while pretending to try to clear her eyes. She's already developed several strange powers; what's one more? In particular, she will try to make out more details about Pulsar's features. <><><><><> [GM] Nancy senses nothing in the air where Pulsar has manifested. Kim can't make out many more details...after the initial flash, Pulsar toned down the glare radiating from his holographic projection, but still seems to be just an average looking white male in his early twenties...average for a ten foot tall hologram hovering overhead. He seems to regard Nancy with a somewhat skeptical expression. "So you're an alien, huh?" He looks down at Mike, who had an arm around Nancy a moment ago, and over at Ashiya, who has lowered her arms and is now backing towards Kim, and at the teenager, who stares back it him with her usual unflappable expression after rubbing her eyes. Kim can sense Ashiya's nervousness, turning to fear. **I cannot read his mind...I can sense vague emotional impressions, just enough to hint at the presence of a living mind, but nothing I can truly detect** she sends to Kim. Nancy, unaware of the telepathic exchange behind her, is left to face the glowing metahuman, who turns his attention back to her after a moment. "So, just how am I supposed to contact your people, assuming I want to?" he asks. <><><><><> Kim: **Don't worry about it** Kim sends to Ashiya, **This may be some sort of illusion, an image - God knows, he's powerful enough to do it. So there's no mind to read as such. Just concentrate on prompting Nancy, and act a bit frightened of him.** Meanwhile, Kim watches Pulsar - and has a surruptitious look around, to see if there is anyone *else* present. If this is some sort of sent image, with a side order of special effects, then perhaps the sender is nearby. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya actually smiles a little. **Act frightened...that will not be difficult** Kim senses no other presences in the area. <><><><><> Nancy: The words "delusions of grandeur" come to mind as Nancy looks over Pulsar's holographic emissary. *Not only does he have to make it huge,* she thinks to herself, *but he had to put it above us too. Classic overcompensation....* "I am not from your world," she answers. "Did you expect that I would be some sort of hideous creature out of one of your movies? That would be foolish, since I am here to observe your people. You will find that many of the races in this part of the galaxy are descended from the same basic ancestors." "For now," she replies, "I am just finding out if you willing to help me. If we can come to some sort of an arrangement, then I would give the matter serious consideration." She regards him for a moment and then continues, "Just as a thought, though, the solution would lie in exactly how much mastery you have over the electromagnetic spectrum and whether your abilities extend beyond that. If you are only...." *Only,* she thinks to herself.... "...able to travel at the speed of light or manifest the various forms of EM radiation, then you would not be able to do it by yourself. It would take too long to send a message to where it needs to go." "I think the question that needs to be addressed though is what you might want in return for assisting me. My goals are very long term now, and while I miss my people, I can conceivably wait for them to send another ship to this system. I would need to balance my desire to contact my people against what you would ask in recompense." <><><><><> [GM] "So is this your true form, or something you, like, wear, while you're here on Earth?" Pulsar asks Nancy. He listens to her talk, with holographic arms folded. "OK, so you're stuck here, and you're an observer." It's hard to tell whether he believes Nancy's story; the holographic projection isn't of the highest quality, and while his major facial features are clear enough, he doesn't seem to be able to convey the detailed minute changes of expression that a normal human face can. "To the first question, far as I know, I'm stuck at lightspeed. I pushed it to the limit and experienced red shift and time dilation and everything, but checking with elapsed time monitors back here on Earth, I definitely didn't break the ol' Einsteinian barrier. Now if you people know how to do some kind of FTL space warp, or hyperspace or whatever, that's a trick I might be able to learn, depending on just how you manipulate matter and energy to do it." **I am not sure I would like for him to learn that trick** Ashiya's mental voice says in Nancy's head. **Having seen what he is capable of, the prospect of this entity wandering freely throughout the galaxy is rather...troubling. Not knowing exactly how he does this, or even what he truly is, I don't know if he would be capable of entering hyperspace, or actually warping space as the Lemaar do.** Pulsar, apparenly oblivious to the telepathic conversation, continues. "As for the second, I'm not sure there's anything you can give *me*, personally, that I'd be interested in. Well, maybe something." A frown is briefly visible on his glowing face, before disappearing. "But I doubt it...we'll see, after I know more about your technological capabilities. Mostly I'm just interested in who and what you are. Information, you know? If you've been studying us, then you know that the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the galaxy is something that's excited us for years. We've been waiting for some kind of contact, all the while not knowing if you'd be friendly, or hostile, or too alien to even communicate with, or what. So you say you've got these 'long term goals'. Just what are they? If you all are so advanced, what's your interest in our planet? And why were you and these 'Sebth' fighting overhead, and how come you can't contact your people right now?" "Oh yeah, and how'd you hook up with these Earthlings?" he adds, looking over Mike, Ashiya and Kim once more. "On our planet, when you meet someone, it's customary to introduce your friends. Do you all believe this woman's story? What makes you think she's really an alien?" <><><><><> Nancy: "Galactic technology does not include the ability to induce metamorphosis," Nancy says patiently. "I have always been as you see me here." Inwardly, she's relieved that he at least seems to be buying it on the surface...at least he hasn't called her on the lie if he knows that she's putting him on. Explaining why they're doing this might be...awkward. *Not to be cruel, Ashiya,* the earthling answers mentally, *but your people are FAR better equipped to deal with him than we are.* Aloud she replies, "I do not know if you would be able to pierce the light barrier yourself. The way to faster than light travel lies beyond the electromagnetic spectrum and may be beyond the range of your Function." She nods in response to his second answer. "Unfortunately, information is about all that I am able to give. Without contact with my people, my resources are quite limited...and most of what I have now are things that I still need for my mission." She sighs and pauses a moment. *Here we go....* "It is my race's opinion that your planet is a...how did my friends put it?...a 'lost tribe'...an offshoot of Galactic society that was placed here long ago. We had not been able to monitor your world for hundreds of years since the Sebth took over this portion of space and we wish to see how you have progressed." "Do you not fight over territory, with the boundries of your countries shifting according to political objectives? So it is with Galactic society...though we usually do not become aggressive about it. There are some races though, like the Sebth, who prefer hostile interaction." "I can not contact my people because the transmitter with the power to reach the nearest outpost was on the ship when it was destroyed. It is...unlikely that anything remains, but if you are curious, I could give you the co- ordinates. It would be useful to know if any equipment survived. My current thought is that I might be able to rig a stronger transmitter and, with your permission of course, have you power it. I have not yet analyzed how feasible this might actually be." "I beg your pardon," she says when he points out her faux pas. "Pulsar, these are my friends Mike, Kim, and...Nancy." The blonde looks over to Kim, letting her tell the story of how they had hooked up. [] <><><><><> Kim: "I believe her story" says Kim, "I've met the creatures she calls the Sebth, and I only escaped with her help." Meanwhile, her mind is turning over Pulsar's words. The apparent "holographic" projection, and his "limit" of light speed - could Pulsar been some sort of living image? That sounded impossibly bizarre, yet no more bizarre than anything else that had happened. And those horrific stories on the news... Pulsar seemed to attack from things related to images, like televisions. Or, at least, people watching televisions. **Nancy** she sent **Perhaps Pulsar's powers are somehow connected with images** The detailed theory can wait. <><><><><> [GM] **Actually we can bio-engineer....never mind, it is irrelevant now** Ashiya sighs, mentally. Pulsar says "I *did* go check where that explosion occurred, a few days later. I scanned that entire sector of space, as far as I figured any pieces of debris might have drifted in that time, and didn't find anything but dust." **I told you, our weapons are usually quite thorough...especially in the case of a Sebth warship against a Shabaali survey vessel** Ashiya says sadly. "As for power...I can put out as much power as you need, unless you're talking supernova." The holographic image grins. "Do your 'feasibility study', and then maybe we can talk about me helping you." "Now what about these Sebth? Are they planning to come back? And are you people going to keep fighting overhead? How do we know you're not planning some kind of takeover?" Ashiya looks down nervously. "And why don't you just contact us openly if you're so friendly and peaceful? Do you people know anything about all these super-types that have been showing up lately?" <><><><><> Nancy: *I thought you were supposed to be prompting me,* Nancy shoots back with a bit of irritation that quickly vanishes. *Sorry...I'm letting this get to me. It's not important right now...and I think I gave him the answer he needs...so no harm, no foul.* *It was worth a shot,* she replies when Pulsar informs her of the ship's final fate. "I had thought there might be a chance...." she sighs aloud. "I honestly do not know," she says when he asks about the Sebth. "Much of what happens here will depend on events in other solar systems...which I have precious little information about since I am cut off from civilization. I mean, my civilization," she adds with a weak smile. "I know that the Galactic Council will probably want to do something about your planet...the sudden upswing in the rate of manifesting Functionals is definitely a cause for concern. I do not know what action they will finally decide to take...but life on Earth will probably not remain the same, whatever happens. Of course, the appearance of such individuals as you has already irrevocably altered your planet's sociopolitical structure." "First contact was NOT our goal," she answers somewhat defensively. "We were here to observe you...not to interfere with your development. My human friends have mentioned something...the Prime Directive? The decision of how to approach your people was not to be in my team's hands. Unfortunately, current events now force me to abandon that lofty goal...I can not continue alone." She looks at him somewhat tenatively. "I do not know WHY it has occured...but I do know something about its origins. I warn you...most of your people who have heard about the specifics of super-powers...we call them Functions...have not believed what I have told them. But it is the truth. If you are willing to listen with an open mind, then I will tell you." <><><><><> [GM] "How many people *have* you told, besides these three?" Pulsar asks. He seems to be scrutinizing Ashiya, to a degree that is making the timid alien extremely nervous, not to mention Nancy. "Go ahead, let me hear your story," the glowing figure says. "I guess it can't be any stranger than someone turning into living energy." <><><><><> Nancy: "Besides these three, only two government agents who asked some very pointed questions after an incident we had in the place called Cabrini Green," Nancy answers. "They did not believe me either, though they might be more inclined to take my words seriously after your mention of my invisible satellites." "Is there a problem?", she asks, stepping between Pulsar and the alien. "You are making my friend nervous." "Very well," she replies. <><><><><> [GM] "No...no problem. Just curious where you're from, Nancy." Pulsar's image continues looking down at your group, but particularly at Ashiya. "Ch..chicago," Ashiya says nervously. Pulsar watches her silently. <><><><><> Nancy: "Please stop staring at her then," Nancy asks, her face still calm. "Basically, most of the inhabitants of this part of the galaxy are human...at least by your standards. But we have divided along lines of certain psionic disciplines...we call them Functions...that distinguish the members of one race from any other. The lives of the inhabitants of any particular race are totally dependant on their Function, so much so that the rare individual born without their race function is a virtual cripple. In order to spare them the pain of being treated as a nonproductive member of society, we have established 'preserve planets'...worlds when those without Functions are taken care of and made to feel useful." "There are several such worlds scattered through the area controlled by the Galactic Council and each race is supposed to care for those planets within its territory. However, we have long suspected that the Sebth, who owned the area the Earth was in, was being lax in their duties. They were only seeking out those Earthlings who manifested their racial Function and allowing the rest of humanity to rise or fall on its own." "As to why there have suddenly been all of these manifestations of Functions...and such unusual ones at that, I do not know. I need to study the problem further before I can formulate a hypothesis." [Since Ashiya is supposed to be prompting Nancy, she'll of course change anything that's blatantly wrong or that is privledged information.] <><><><><> [GM] Pulsar's eyes flash brighter when you remonstrate him, but he says nothing. Ashiya doesn't add much to your narrative...she seems to feel you have it right. Though clearly your interpretation of certain aspects is different from hers, you sense only a resigned feeling of disapproval. Since you don't go into detail about such things when speaking to Pulsar, it's irrelevant for the moment. Pulsar nods. "Interesting. I'm not sure I believe any of this, but I'm pretty sure those satellites aren't anything made on Earth." **I...don't think he believes us. Or...it is hard to sense anything, his mental patterns are....not quite accessible to me. But I think he is suspicious...I wish I could read his mind, I can't!** Ashiya sends despairingly. "So what are you planning to do now?" the glowing energy figure asks. <><><><><> Nancy: *I'm sorry if it wasn't quite right,* she thinks to the psychic, *but that's the best way I can explain everything so it makes sense to me. Someday, if you decide to let Pulsar know who you really are, you can tell him better than I did.* Ashiya can tell that Nancy is more concerned about hurting her feelings than any factual inaccuracies she might have given Pulsar. She shrugs. "Unfortunately, for now I am your only source of information. Once we contact my people, then perhaps you can meet them and they will confirm what I have told you. I am sorry if you do not find my story to be credible." *Steady girl!*, counsels the teacher. *I think we've told him all we can. This should be over soon.* "There are...situations here on Earth that I must deal with, having to do with a person threatening me and my earthling friends," she answers. "Your people are so...different than mine. All of your emphasis on dominance and control. We do not have such conflicts since our openly telepathic natures make such things counterproductive." She shakes her head. "We will...deal with it, as you say." "Also, I need to work on somehow creating a way of reaching my people. Thank you for our offer to assist me when I do come up with a viable alternative. I assume that contacting you by my satellite again will be acceptable?" <><><><><> [GM] "Yeah, the satellites'll be fine." Pulsar's image drifts overhead, moving in lazy circles around your group. "I've got another question though. If you all are so peaceful and pacifistic and these Sebth obviously aren't....how come they haven't conquered you?" Ashiya sighs, then sends **We can defend ourselves...when we have to. We are not as adept at warfare as the Sebth are, but our technology is equal to theirs, and we can counter their teleporting tactics more readily than they can counter our telepathic assaults. And we outnumber them.** Pulsar seems to be studying Ashiya again. "Who is this guy threatening you and your friends, anyways?" he adds, before Nancy can answer his first question. <><><><><> Kim: **You're doing fine** Kim sends to Ashiya, to reassure her. Kim will continue keeping a wary eye open for anything happening away from Pulsar. >"Who is this guy threatening you and your friends, anyways?" Kim replies, to deflect Pulsar's attention from Ashiya. "It's someone who uses his powers to do whatever he wants, including torture and rape. Nancy and I were kidnapped by him, but we managed to get free." [OOC: Nancy=Ashiya, Ashiya=Nancy, Jennifer=Nancy ... this could all get very confusing ] <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy waits until Kim and Pulsar have finished talking about Euroninja, then says, "To answer your other question, just because we are pacifists does not mean we are unable to defend ourselves. We prefer nonviolence, but sometimes we are required to adapt to the situation." <><><><><> [GM] Pulsar grins. "Figures," he chuckles. "Like most peaceniks, you're only pacifists until you actually get attacked!" Ashiya frowns, but remains silent. Pulsar looks down at her, and at Kim, with a less severe expression. "I'm sorry about that," he says. "If you know where he is, I'll go blast him for you- I got no problem wasting a rapist scumbag like that." "So we have seen," Ashiya mutters. "I think we have seen enough of your 'blasting'." To Kim and Nancy she sends: **I meant what I said...I will not be the cause of anyone's death, not even *those* men.** Then, with a sullen, somewhat pained tone, **I am NOT a hypocrite!** <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy tenses, trying to keep under control. "So, in order to be 'real' pacifists, we should allow ourselves to be killed by those whose only talents are the arts of war? Any creature with a manipulative extremity can point a gun...but it requires sentience to have morals. Unless you have some notion of the difficulty involved, do not mock those who try to travel a harder path than yours." *I never said you were, dear,* replies the teacher. *He's just trying to feel superior to us. Don't let him upset you.* To the figure above, she replies, "That would be exceptionally foolhardy. If, for whatever reason, you failed, it is possible he could control you...which would be VERY bad. We will deal with this situation...but thank you for offering." It's fairly obvious (at least to the telepaths ) that she thanked him more out of politeness than any true gratitude. To Ashiya, she thinks, *I know you're not getting anything from him, but it's possible that Euroninja could...so it's wise to keep the two of them apart. Besides...anything that makes Pulsar afraid now is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.* <><><><><> [GM] "Look up what 'pacifist' means in a dictionary, lady," Pulsar retorts. "I'll be keeping an eye on those 'pacifistic' satellites armed with laser projectors and powered by anti-matter." **I do not think he is afraid," Ashiya says. **Arrogant...curious...perhaps annoyed that he can't immediately learn everything he wants to know...but not afraid. And my inability to affect him is not merely a lack of skill...his mind, if it is actually present at this location, is immune to my Function, which means it would be immune to..Eu-ro-nin-ja's as well** "I'd like to see someone control me," Pulsar smirks. "I can turn anyone into crispy critters in less time than it takes you to blink. But OK, you deal with your problems yourself. Let me know if there's anything else you want to tell me. And I *will* be watching, both your satellites, and for any more ships showing in the solar system." Another bright flash blinds everyone (including Kim, but she recovers faster). There is a loud crackling noise, then a deafening thunderbolt that almost knocks everyone off their feet. When sight and sound return, there's no sign of Pulsar. "He sure likes to make an entrance *and* an exit," groans Mike, rubbing his ears. "We'd better leave...that sound and light show is bound to attract attention." <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy simply stares icily at the image, favoring him with a look that one might give a brutish child. *Well, he's a fool then,* she replies. *Someday, someone is going to come along who's immune to him...maybe able to absorb his energy...and then he might have a little more sympathy for people.* "I hope," she says in a prophetic voice, "that you never get your wish, though I think it would be a learning experience for you. Unfortunately, I do not think your world could afford the lesson." She looks supremely unconcerned about his veiled threat. After their senses clear, she looks over to Ashiya. *What does your probe say? Is he really gone? We can't speak freely until he is...and I wouldn't put it past him to be watching us invisibly.* <><><><><> [GM] "My probe does not detect any unusual energy fields" Ashiya says quietly, after a moment. "No...in orbit! My satellites tracked his line of travel, from here to a point in orbit...he is hovering about twenty miles overhead." <><><><><> Nancy: At the news that Pulsar is no longer around (relatively speaking), Nancy visibly relaxes. "Okay, let's head back to the hotel," she says in a fatigued voice. She goes over to Mike, puts her arm around his waist, and leans against him. "Remind me never to do that again," she jokes wearily. "I think I just put on about 10 years." <><><><><> Kim: "You were superb" says Kim to Nancy, "I couldn't have pulled that off." She turns to Ashiya. "You said you couldn't clearly detect his thoughts. Was it as if he was somehow shielding them, or as if in some sense he wasn't all there?" "Let's get back and plan our next move." <><><><><> [GM] "It was not a mindshield," Ashiya says. "I would have known if he simply had natural or learned psionic defenses." She frowns. "He referred to himself as 'living energy'. If that is true-" she looks doubtful- "his....mind, would operate on an entirely different..." she shakes her head. "I have no experience with such a phenomenon, I cannot really make an educated statement." She follows Kim and Nancy back to the car, shoulders sagging in weariness and dejection. <><><><><> Nancy: Nancy gives a tired but relieved chuckle. "It's easy," she says to the teenager. "All you have to do is just forget that you're frightened out of your wits." When they get back into the car, she reaches out and puts her hand on Ashiya's knee. "Hey, cheer up!", she says. "I know Pulsar isn't your favorite person in the world...and that you couldn't sense his thoughts...but at least he didn't turn us down flat. It's possible that he will help you contact your people. Doesn't that make you feel a little better?" She concentrates on trying to project confidence to the alien, hoping to bolster her mood. "What you need now is to work on the HOW of contacting them. I know that your satellites can build things...could they make another transmitter that would reach that far? If not, maybe you could boost the power of the ones that are already up there....scavenge parts and wire them together to make a bigger one...or something like that." "And while you're busy with that," she continues, "I think we...or at least I...should go back to Crystal Lake tomorrow. I don't like missing work...and I definitely miss my kids. Is there any reason either of the two of you can think of that we shouldn't head back tomorrow morning?" <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya sighs, Nancy's attempts to cheer her up clearly having little effect. "Perhaps," she answers simply, in response to the schoolteacher's ideas about building a transmitter. But it seems to be a perfunctory response, with little enthusiasm. Nancy gets the feeling that Ashiya is just declining to say anything contradictory. The beautiful alien becomes even sadder when Nancy mentions returning home. "Yes...you must return to your children, and Kim must return to her parents." Ashiya stares at the ground, eyes brimming with tears. "We could not find Chad Reiter...that terrible man is free and may strike again at any time...and there is nothing I can do. No, there is no reason for you not to return to Crystal Lake." Her voice is barely more than a whisper, and seems to be coming from the bottom of a deep, dark abyss. <><><><><> Kim: "Don't take it so badly, Ashiya" says Kim gently, "Look on the brighter side. We've successfully misled Pulsar, and perhaps he may think over the conversation at leisure, when he's alone and admiring the stars. We haven't found Chad *yet*, but we might still. And we haven't been attacked all day." She sighs. "Chad may no longer be in the area. I think if I was lonely and abused, and suddenly gained the power to control people, I'd soon feel like using my power to go travelling. He may be off visiting all the places he's read about or seen on TV but been unable to visit. Could your computer tap into airline records, to see which flights have been showing discrepencies between number of tickets sold and the money received for them?" Kim has a brief vision of Chad visiting Disneyland and mind-controlling Donald Duck; she barely suppresses an out-of-place giggle. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya gives Kim a pained look, apparently not appreciating her wit right now. The four of you get into the Hartwicks' car and drive back to the hotel. KIM, NANCY & ASHIYA - Chicago [After a nerve-wracking meeting with the ultra-powerful metahuman Pulsar, Nancy, Kim, Ashiya and Mike return to their Chicago hotel room. As they have not been able to locate the young mind-controller Chad Reiter, or the evil telepath that abducted Ashiya and Kim earlier, Nancy has announced her intention to return to Crystal Lake tomorrow.] [GM] Mike drives all of you back to the hotel room. Ashiya seems lost in thought. Mike asks "What next?" Ashiya says abruptly "I will stay in Chicago." <><><><><> Nancy: As they pull into the hotel lot, Nancy looks worriedly at the alien. "Are you sure you want to do that, Ashiya?", she asks in a guarded voice. "I mean, if Mike and I go back up to Crystal Lake tomorrow, then you and Kim will be down here with no transportation...unless you manage to rent another car...and that might be difficult, given the circumstances under which it 'disappeared'." She pauses a moment, pondering the situation, and continues, "If you've got a good reason, then I'm all for it. But I don't think you need to keep punishing yourself by staying here by yourself. If you get some sort of clue while we're upstate, then of course Mike and I will bring you back down and we'll investigate. And if nothing happens by then, I'll spend the weekend with you and we'll search some more. But I really think our house will be a lot less stressful than the two of you gallavanting in Chicago all by your lonesomes. And to be totally honest, I think you need rest...so you'll be at full strength if and when you see that evil telepath again." Ashiya can tell that the foremost thought on the teacher's mind at the moment is her well being...though whether it's concern over more faux pas or a desire to keep them all together so she can 'protect' them is a bit more hazy. <><><><><> Kim: "Are you sure about that?" asks Kim, "We don't even know if either of them are still here; personally, I doubt it. `Euroninja' will probably have moved out - with his powers, he and his thugs can travel undetected and set themselves up somewhere else. And I wasn't joking when I said that Chad might well use his powers to do a bit of travelling. If he has had an unpleasant childhood, full of misery and beatings, the prospect of moving somewhere else might be very strong. Though perhaps he might first go looking for revenge against some people who `wronged' him." "What do you think, Nancy? Did Chad seem like an otherwise normal boy? Is he likely to go running off to somewhere `glamourous', or somewhere he's seen on TV?" "I think we're being a bit too reactive here. We're essentially waiting for people to come to us. Can't we find some way to actively seek out Chad? What about his family? His friends? Any obvious enemies? People he might have cause to dislike or hate? Have the police noticed anyone acting strangely? Or, at least, more strangely than usual." <><><><><> [GM] As you walk back to your hotel room, Ashiya looks at Nancy, and says "I cannot give up, Nancy. I am not trying to punish myself. But...I have a duty. I cannot abandon it because I have run into...complications." "Under the circumstances, wouldn't your people allow for some time to recover?" Mike asks gently. "You're not superhuman..." he blinks, then clears his throat. "I mean, you can't push yourself like this...anyone would need time to recover after something like this, and, uh, you're...well..." Ashiya smiles sadly and says "I can endure more than you think, Mike." She touches his hand, then takes Nancy and Kim's hands. "I could not have endured until now without you, my friends. But I will not find Chad Reiter or the man hunting him in Crystal Lake. There is no reason for me to go back there." "What about...for your friends?" Mike says. [to Kim] As Nancy fishes the hotel keys out of her purse, you get a sudden prickly feeling, the hairs raising on the back of your neck. You always thought that was just an expression...but something is DEFINITELY not right here! <><><><><> Kim: Just as Nancy is fishing out the hotel keys, Kim suddenly grabs her and Mike (assuming Nancy & Mike are in the lead). She doesn't speak, but sends a quick telepathic message to the two of them, and to Ashiya as well. **Wait a minute, something doesn't feel right. Maybe I'm jumping as shadows, but I think we're about to walk into a trap.** She scans the darkness, looking for anyone in sight, any unexpected movement. <><><><><> [GM] Kim doesn't see anyone immediately- [Nancy, what are you doing, just in the next second or two?] <><><><><> Nancy: Perhaps Kim is being paranoid...but better safe than sorry. Nancy concentrates and puts up her protective aura. She makes a gesture shooing people back as she closes her eyes, trying to sense through the wall to perceive any "odd" gravity signatures (anything that shouldn't be in there according to what she remembers, ie anything that's not furniture). If nothing immediately untoward happens and she doesn't find anything (and after the others have backed away), she'll take out her keys and float them over to the door knob, putting them in the lock. She'll then turn the knob and open the door, standing back and off to the side herself but between the others and the door. <><><><><> [GM] You are in the small courtyard of the budget hotel, your ground-floor room facing another row of rooms across the parking lot, with a swimming pool in-between. Nancy wraps herself in a gravitic field, sending dust and leaves scuttling across the sidewalk away from her. Ashiya, Kim and Mike feel pressure radiating from the schoolteacher, gently pushing them back. The next instant, Nancy's world explodes in fireworks, and a bloody red haze of pain falls over her vision. Dimly, she feels her knees smacking against the sidewalk, then everything goes away. The last thing she hears is Ashiya screaming. There's an audible impact against Nancy's skull and she suddenly staggers, lands on her knees, then topples forward. Kim hears a secondary impact and sees a cloud of plaster dust burst from the wall several doors down. Ashiya cuts her cry short, turns to Mike, who's already moving forward towards his wife, and yells "Run away!" Mike jerks, then abruptly spins around and runs in the opposite direction. "Forgive me," Ashiya says, whether to Mike, Kim or Nancy is unclear. She pulls her telepathic weapon from her pocket, and says "I did not sense them in time...." The door to Mike and Nancy's hotel room is opening. <><><><><> Kim: **Get under cover, or into a doorway** Kim sends to Ashiya, **Don't give them a target to shoot at!** She gives a brief sigh - the hotel corridor is a bit short of cover. And she vanishes... leaving her clothes in an untidy heap on the floor. Kim teleports into the hotel room, hoping to take the gunmen from behind. She wants to knock them out, so the police have people to question. [OOC: ...and teleports straight into a trap ] <><><><><> [GM] You reappear (naked) in Mike and Nancy's darkened hotel room. Opening the door, holding short-barreled automatic weapons, are two muscular men who look extremely familiar... One seems to sense something as you pop into the air behind him, and looks behind him, squinting into the darkness in your direction. You have no such problems with the darkness, and immediately recognize the two men who raped and tortured Ashiya and threatened to do the same to you. <><><><><> Kim: Kim realises she has only moments to act, before they start filling her general vicinity with bullets. The hotel room is only small; their chances of hitting her are large, even if they can't see her clearly. Still, at least they're more likely to shoot at her than Ashiya or Nancy. It's a shame that they checked their guns when she and Ashiya escaped - it would have been convenient if one or both were now lacking fingers or hands! She throws herself into a vigorous jump kick at the nearest gunman, hoping to incapacitate him and knock him into his companion - which should, at the very least, disturb his aim. Assuming she downs the first gunman, she will try to disarm the second man, before using short karate punchs to knock them out (starting with the second gunman, who should be the most active). After what they did to Ashiya, she doesn't feel too inclined to be gentle. If they pick up a few bruises or the occasional broken bone, that's their own fault. [OOC: Even though Kim won't use lethal force, I'm reminded of a line from an old "Modesty Blaise" cartoon strip: "Broke 'is neck, did he? That's 'is own fault for not landing right" ] At the back of her mind is the thought "Where's their boss? Why isn't he with them?". There is also fear for Nancy - why hadn't her powers kept the bullets out? <><><><><> [GM] Your foot cracks into the first man's ribs, knocking him into the door with a grunt. The door slams shut. While they both try to react, you snatch the weapon from the second man's hands. What follows is a rapid flurry of blows. Yuri and Piotr are swinging more or less blindly at you, while you target them with precise punches. You're pretty sure you broke a nose when you feel cartilage go crunch beneath your knuckles, and you take out the other man's knee with a swift back-kick. Then they make a foolish mistake; their eyes were somewhat adjusted to the darkness; while they obviously can't see you well, there's just enough light for you to be a shadowy figure that they can swing at, and one of Yuri's blows did clip you on the side of the head, bruising but not stunning you. Apparently realizing that they're losing the fight, one man flips on the light. Your eyes adjust to the sudden brightness almost immediately, and you have two golden seconds in which Yuri and Piotr are virtually blind. One is hunched over, his fists up before his face in a defensive posture, as he blinks and shakes his head, sending droplets of blood from his smashed nose flying. The other one is standing with most of his weight on one leg, and swinging blindly and wildly where he last sensed you. **Kim!** comes Ashiya's terrified sending. ** HE is here!** <><><><><> Kim: Kim kicks hard at the knee-joint of the leg he's standing on - that should ensure he goes down and stays down! [If she can kick the knee joint from the side, that should also ensure he has a permanent limp...] She then quickly chops/punches the other thug on the head/throat/neck/stomach (whichever is visible), to make him go down too. She wants to make sure that there can be no nasty surprises from behind her when she goes out to help Ashiya: fighting Euroninja alone will be bad enough, without two recovering thugs coming to help him. **I'm coming, Ashiya. Where is he? Can you stun him?** <><><><><> [GM] Kim snaps a kick to Yuri's knee; it bends sideways with a sickening crack, and the big blond collapses to the ground howling. Piotr tries to punch her, but he's still half blind, and the teenager easily ducks under his blow and chops him in the throat. He sags to his knees with a gurgle. Kim isn't sure he's completely down for the count, but Ashiya's telepathic cry was so desperate, Kim feels rushed- the dread adversary may be just outside for all she knows! Opening the door again and stepping outside (and over Nancy- wincing at the blood soaking into her hair), Kim sees Ashiya, sweating, facing a blur that's moving down the walkway in front of the hotel towards you. Then it resolves itself into the black-garbed silhouette you remember from that basement where you spent the most terrible hours of your life. The tall European is holding a rifle in one hand. "I have come for the alien, Miss Brenner" he says in that slightly accented voice. "I really have no need to harm you; you may go, and take the schoolteacher with you." "You know you are no match for me, physically or mentally. If you insist on opposing me, I will have to kill you to forestall any further inconvenience." <><><><><> Kim: Kim knows she is no match for the sadist mentally. Physically, she's not so sure - in their only previous entanglement, he'd started with a substantial advantage. But there is *no way* she is going to let him take Ashiya, not so long as she can do anything about it. She vanishes... to reappear immediately behind Euroninja, whereupon she'll back-kick him as hard as possible. Then hit him with as many punches as she can, not giving him enough time to regain his composure, trying hard to put him out of action. Because if she fails, she knows she'll be dead. Or worse. The hatred of what he did to her, of what he did to Ashiya, adds power to her blows. <><><><><> [GM] Kim blinks behind the dark telepath and kicks backwards. To her [and the GM's ] surprise, she connects; the man grunts as a rib snaps beneath Kim's heel. Then, seemingly unphased by the injury, he whirls around and lashes out with a backfist, and Kim barely blocks it before the blow takes her head off. The impact of his forearm jars Kim's arm to the shoulder- he's strong, maybe stronger than her even with her unnatural adrenalin boost. He parries Kim's next shot, and counters with two of his own. Kim blocks one, and leaves herself open to a crack across the jaw. She reels, and her adversary moves in to press his advantage. But Kim shakes off the stunning effects almost instantly, barely in time to save herself from being seized and smashed into the pavement. The world is blurring around her, as everything seems to slow down, like it did when she fought the Sebth. Everything except Euroninja. He's still moving just as fast as she is. Well, perhaps not quite as fast. As they continue to punch and kick at each other, Kim realizes that she is- marginally- faster than the older man. But he's unquestionably better; he moves so perfectly, it's as if there's nothing Kim can do that he can't predict and counter. Only her unnatural speed keeps her a hairs' breadth ahead of him. Kim doesn't even have time to glance at Ashiya and see what the alien is doing during this scuffle. But a gleam of light catches Kim's eye, and she instinctively lunges back, just in time to save herself from being opened up from thigh to shoulder by a short bladed weapon that's suddenly appeared in her opponent's hand. "I really didn't want to hurt you, Miss Brenner," he says calmly, as if completely unwinded by this fight (though Kim doesn't feel too tired either...she's still too on- edge to feel much of anything except adrenalin). "I dislike harming women. Unfortunate that a child and a mother of children chose to place themselves in my way." <><><><><> Kim: "Then it's about time you used the lie detector on yourself, hypocrite." Almost instinctively, as he attacks her again, Kim teleports. No doubt he'll be ready for another kick in the back... but Kim actually reappears a couple of feet above his head, dropping on him as heavily as she can [and wishing she could momentarily turn into William Perry ]. Then she'll make further use of her only advantage - her ability to teleport. Teleporting a couple of feet clear; then teleporting close again to kick or punch him from the side, from behind, or to land on him from above again; then teleporting just out of reach again. And repeating the process until one of them drops. <><><><><> [GM] Kim concentrates, and blinks over the telepath's head. He whirls and sweeps her kick aside with the butt of his rifle, and as she lands lightly on her feet, she barely manages to duck under the blade he wields with the other. He wasn't surprised by her maneuver. "Spare me your outrage. That *creature* isn't even human." He kicks at Kim, and she sidesteps before blinking twenty feet away. The man goes into a ready positing again, and is prepared for her attack from behind when she blinks back in- but with her enhanced speed, she slips past his defenses, hears one of his fingers crack as he makes a belated effort to stop her follow-up blow with the fist that's clenched around the blade, and rams into his jaw with an open-hand uppercut. Unfazed, even though Kim's sure she must have done some damage, he slams his forearm into her face, and tries to slash her open as she staggers back. She can almost feel the metal edge against her skin before she disappears again. She feels warm blood trickling down her chin when she reappears down the row of buildings- which is actually pretty surprising, since someone as deadly as this man should have just about caved her face in. If Kim could blink back and forth instantly, she might better be able to take advantage of her superior speed, but she needs to concentrate for a moment to teleport, and likewise it takes her a split second to reorient herself each time she jumps- and a split second is long enough for 'Euroninja' to run her through. It's only her enhanced reflexes that have allowed her to avoid that fate thus far. It seems almost cartoonish, in a way. Kim remembers her karate instructor emphasizing over and over again that you can't take a dozen bare-knuckle karate punches to the face, or a kick in the stomach, and keep fighting the way they do in movies. The human body can take a lot of abuse, but when you make full contact with a kick or a punch, bones break, blood vessels rupture, tissue is crushed, muscles and ligaments tear, and pain and shock transmit themselves throughout the body. A pair of fighters just can't keep battering each other endlessly like Van Damme or Chuck Norris. But aside from a bruise here, a minor fracture there, the two of you both seem to be taking an inhuman beating, yet you're both still fighting. There are two reasons why Kim begins to feel the odds are against her in this war of attrition. One is that however tough she may be now, she's pretty sure she's not invulnerable, and Euroninja only needs to get *one* good hit with that blade. The second is that he's just plain better than her...she can move fast enough to hold her own, but in such a contest, the one who slips up first is the one who'll lose, and Kim isn't sure she can even maintain her precise teleporting, much less never miss a dodge or a block. It will take a considerable bit of luck for her to land a crippling blow on Euroninja; it will only take time for him to do that to her. "You're going to lose, child." Her adversary's voice is smug, and not the least little bit breathless. But whatever else she may be feeling, exhaustion hasn't caught up with Kim yet either. "Teleport away and be safe." During a half-second breather, Kim notices Ashiya, still standing where she stood when this fight began (an incredibly long ten seconds ago!) She is standing motionless, concentrating. Sweat pours down her brow, and she looks anguished. Kim realizes that while she's been attacking their adversary physically, Ashiya has been attacking him telepathically. The fact that he's managed to hold his own against both them at once in a two-front battle gives her that much more respect, and fear, for his abilities. And it's probably why the master telepath hasn't simply mind-controlled Kim to make her lay down and die. And if the pressure lets up on him for more than half a second, he's still holding a rifle, with which he could certainly shoot Ashiya (and Nancy), and possibly Kim, considering the slight delay she has to endure at each end of her teleportation, and his superhuman reflexes. <><><><><> Kim: [OOC: Something that just occurred to me: I wonder if the hotel has security cameras. Potential for a successful R-rated video, if so ] >"Spare me your outrage. That *creature* isn't even human." "What makes you think *you're* human, Cheap Copy?" replies Kim, recalling one of her earlier insults. *** Kim is filled with a mixture of anxiety and exhiliaration. Anxiety, because Nancy is down, possibly critically injured, and Ashiya is desperately fighting Euroninja's mind. Exhiliaration, because this is the best fight she's ever been in! It beats even the final that led to her earning her blue belt, when she also had to outfight a bigger, stronger, older opponent. But her opponent in that battle hadn't been quite so skilled, and hadn't been trying to kill her. *This isn't working* Kim thinks to herself, tasting the blood trickling down her face, *But if I teleport away, he'll take Ashiya and Nancy apart. I could try for his thugs' guns, except that I doubt I could hit the hotel, let alone him. Let's try a bit of counter-punching - his Karate's excellent, let's see if he trained up on the softer arts as well* The next time Euroninja closes on her, Kim concentrates on keeping his blade out of her body, his blows away from her flesh. And on turning any of his attacks to her own benefit, by grabbing the attacking limb and/or throwing him, and then kicking him while he's down, so to speak. [OOC: Game mechanics - Kim is doing an All-Out Defence, combined with a Retreat when possible, with the intention of exploiting any successful parries. If Euroninja's knife-hand is parried (is it a knife?), she will try an Arm Lock; if it is successful, she will twist the arm to inflict crippling damage. If she manages to parry a high kick by at least 2, she will attempt a Leg Grapple; if that is successful, she will begin kicking him with Hook Kicks while keeping the leg held. With any attack that does not fit into these two categories (or if you aren't using the GURPS Martial Arts rules), she will try a Judo Throw; if Euroninja goes down, she will follow up with a Hook Kick or similarly damaging blow] <><><><><> [GM] The blade is about a foot long, and double-edged...not quite a shortsword, but a really *big* knife. Kim blinks in and assumes a defensive stance. 'Euroninja' slashes twice in rapid succession; Kim dodges the first slash and parries the second, but he withdraws his arm too quickly for her to get a lock on it. He thrusts again with the blade so fast that Kim can't dodge, and barely catches his wrist, straining with all her might to stop the thrust before the point drives into her stomach. As she tries to keep her grip on his wrist, his foot sweeps her legs out from under her. She's already rolling as she hits the ground, but another kick snaps her head back so hard that it bounces off the pavement. She's never literally seen stars before, but a cloud of lights is swarming before her vision. She can't concentrate enough to teleport, and knows she'll never dodge that knife in time. When she can see anything, it's through blurry eyes....Ashiya grappling with her dread adversary, demonstrating a considerable knowledge of "soft" martial arts techniques herself- he's been forced to drop his rifle while wrestling her, though he still holds the blade....but when his elbow smashes into her face, it's obvious that Ashiya can't take the beating that Kim's been taking. She staggers, stunned, and he drives his fist into her stomach- *hard*. Really, really, hard. The blow lifts her off the ground, with the last ounce of breath wheezing through her throat, and she slams into the wall of the hotel, striking the back of her head, then topples face first to the ground. <><><><><> Kim: Kim dives at Euroninja, desperately trying to hit him hard before he can gather himself to come at her. It may be a forlorn hope, but it's the only one she has left. If she connects, she will hit him as hard and often as she can. <><><><><> [GM] Ashiya lies still, and Kim leaps to her feet and launches herself at the dark figure towering over her, as he turns towards his last remaining opponent. What follows is a flurry of blows, so fast that an outside spectator, if there was one (though come to think of it, you are in plain sight of a couple dozen hotel rooms, if anyone opens their curtains) would see only a blur of limbs. Euroninja slashes, stabs, punches and kicks, while Kim blocks, dodges and counterattacks, only to be countered in turn. For one instant, he overextends his weapon arm on a reverse swing, and Kim catches it and twists. She hears something pop, and her adversary grunts. As he twists about to deliver a shot at her face which forces her to release her grip in order to duck, he pulls his arm back, and as Kim circles warily, looking for another opening, she notices that his arm hangs rather limply. The hand still clutches the blade, but without much strength. Fearing to give him even an instant to recover, Kim lunges forward again, trying to strike on his weak side, but her fist glances off his jaw, and he brings his left hand down in a chop on her wrist as she's withdrawing. Something snaps, and she feels a throbbing pain from broken metacarpals. Still, as she steps back again, she'd conclude that the balance has tipped in her favor; her hand hurts, but she can still punch with it, if she doesn't mind wracking it up further. Her opponent now has one limb disabled, and for the moment, she no longer has to evade that knife. Icy fingers slide into her mind, reminding her of a few other factors still in play. <><><><><> Kim: Kim feels a surge of hope. He *can* be hurt! Shutting out the pain from her damaged hand - worry about it later - she attacks again, concentrating on his weakened side. She goes back on the offensive, assuming that her opponent is getting used to her defensive fighting, and concentrates on kicking at his legs or chopping at his arms, to slow him down and injure him further. If this causes her to stop a blow, she'll switch back to her defensive fighting. The icy tendrils in her mind make her shiver; she uses all her mental power to shut them out, visualizing chopping them off with a meat cleaver. <><><><><> [GM] It takes a moment of concentration to try severing the telepathic link he's forced upon you. You see him moving towards you, and even as you try to evade, you realize your attempt to expel him from your mind was futile....the icy fingers close around you, ignoring your resistance, and you lose consciousness.