Dan sat there and took a sip of
his coffee. Suki was scrolling through the orange-coloured mac laptop
on the table. She was pausing now and then to see something and then
continued to scroll down the pages. The little metallic-insect creature
hovered around her head like a moon orbiting a planet. It continued to
change colours every so often as it clicked. Dan kept an eye on it. He
wasn't sure, his head was pounding again. Like a wave on a distant
shore.
"Headaches," Suki told him. "You're out of phase at the moment."
"Really," Dan replied dryly. His tongue felt like fuzz.
"Honestly," Suki said. "I haven't the foggiest, but there are several factors at work here."
"But how?" he wanted to know.
"This is a weird thing to be happening," Suki said. "I sought you out because it was the only factor I know."
20140123
20140122
Station 23
He fitted the headphones on and pressed play on the
walkman. One of the mix-tapes made for him by the man behind the
cardboard screen. KLF, 3am Eternal. Walking home, past the baseball diamond, over
the tracks. After tonight's session - they had called it right when the
gunfight was about to start on the subway. Leave it at a cliffhanger,
keep them all excited for the next session.
He might be gone by then. Didn't know how to tell them yet. That he was likely going to be moving. Felt like he had just got here. New Order, Touched By The Hand Of God Remix.
It had been a strange few months. Tonight too, the way playing had started to feel. Like something more was happening than just a game.
Dan unlocked the front door to the small brownstone. Up the stairs quietly, the walls between apartments were thin. His room, number 23 on the door. He remembered the day the landlord first showed him the bachelor apartment and he knew it was where he was going to live.
Clicked off the walkman as he opened the door. Turned on the light and saw someone standing in the room, waiting for him. A Japanese woman in her early 30s. For a second he had the strange thought that she was supposed to be a kid.
"Hey Dan," Suki said. There was a clicking noise.
He might be gone by then. Didn't know how to tell them yet. That he was likely going to be moving. Felt like he had just got here. New Order, Touched By The Hand Of God Remix.
It had been a strange few months. Tonight too, the way playing had started to feel. Like something more was happening than just a game.
Dan unlocked the front door to the small brownstone. Up the stairs quietly, the walls between apartments were thin. His room, number 23 on the door. He remembered the day the landlord first showed him the bachelor apartment and he knew it was where he was going to live.
Clicked off the walkman as he opened the door. Turned on the light and saw someone standing in the room, waiting for him. A Japanese woman in her early 30s. For a second he had the strange thought that she was supposed to be a kid.
"Hey Dan," Suki said. There was a clicking noise.
Dice & Demon
Dan dropped the pencil onto the table and it
danced, hit both the positive and negative dice on top of his character
sheet. He rubbed his temple due to the sharp pain in his frontal lobe.
His eyes opened up and he was sitting at a table with several others.
"Headache?" someone asked.
Dan looked over and saw a fellow sitting there with thick black hair, glasses, and a goatee. And a sense of deja vu hit him; he recognized the face but couldn't put a name to him.
"Uh-huh."
"Did you make it?" another fellow asked. Dan looked over and saw a huge native looking at him over the cardboard screen.
"Wha..what?" Dan repeated.
"Did you make your saving roll?" the fellow asked. "Simon is having a splitting headache and I asked you to roll the dice to see if he could figure it out."
"Simon?" Dan said. "It's... supposed to be Max."
He glanced around at the others at the table. Other than the native and the dark-haired fellow, there was an athlete who was wearing a rugby shirt, a blonde haired girl that was sitting there with a smile on her face wearing a cowboy hat - she seemed to be in her teens, another fellow with dark and curly hair who looked like he could be related to the goatee fellow. And there was a young lad with dirty blonde hair and glasses sitting there looking at him.
"This is wrong," Dan said.
"Headache?" someone asked.
Dan looked over and saw a fellow sitting there with thick black hair, glasses, and a goatee. And a sense of deja vu hit him; he recognized the face but couldn't put a name to him.
"Uh-huh."
"Did you make it?" another fellow asked. Dan looked over and saw a huge native looking at him over the cardboard screen.
"Wha..what?" Dan repeated.
"Did you make your saving roll?" the fellow asked. "Simon is having a splitting headache and I asked you to roll the dice to see if he could figure it out."
"Simon?" Dan said. "It's... supposed to be Max."
He glanced around at the others at the table. Other than the native and the dark-haired fellow, there was an athlete who was wearing a rugby shirt, a blonde haired girl that was sitting there with a smile on her face wearing a cowboy hat - she seemed to be in her teens, another fellow with dark and curly hair who looked like he could be related to the goatee fellow. And there was a young lad with dirty blonde hair and glasses sitting there looking at him.
"This is wrong," Dan said.
20140121
A Word From Our Sponsor
It's a trap.
Simon looked around. The voice in his head went off, sounding like a freight train. He had a sense of vertigo, a strange feeling of deja vu. His vision was askew.
"They're moving," Donnelly said. "I think they are onto us."
"Element of surprise is over," Scorpio said.
Don't do it.
Simon's head was on fire, like a phosphorus flare burning white. Like the sound of dice rolling across the table, echoing in his mind.
Scorpio brought out his gun and stood at the door to the adjoining car.
Make a saving roll.
Simon looked around. The voice in his head went off, sounding like a freight train. He had a sense of vertigo, a strange feeling of deja vu. His vision was askew.
"They're moving," Donnelly said. "I think they are onto us."
"Element of surprise is over," Scorpio said.
Don't do it.
Simon's head was on fire, like a phosphorus flare burning white. Like the sound of dice rolling across the table, echoing in his mind.
Scorpio brought out his gun and stood at the door to the adjoining car.
Make a saving roll.
Unstationed
Goner leaned out into the aisle, staring. "Hey Frank?"
Frank was looking in the other direction; Akimoto seemed troubled by something that Tatter had said to him. The big man was strange even by their standards. Suki knew the most about him, but she had been gone for so long...
"Did we pick up any other passengers at the last stop?" Goner asked.
Frank tried to remember... Things weren't always clear on the subway. "I don't think so... It was a long time back, wasn't it?"
He saw what had caught Goner's attention. People moving in the car ahead of theirs.
"Angst," Frank said calmly. The cheerleader was toying with her pom-poms while Aqua braided her pigtails. "Get your guns."
Frank was looking in the other direction; Akimoto seemed troubled by something that Tatter had said to him. The big man was strange even by their standards. Suki knew the most about him, but she had been gone for so long...
"Did we pick up any other passengers at the last stop?" Goner asked.
Frank tried to remember... Things weren't always clear on the subway. "I don't think so... It was a long time back, wasn't it?"
He saw what had caught Goner's attention. People moving in the car ahead of theirs.
"Angst," Frank said calmly. The cheerleader was toying with her pom-poms while Aqua braided her pigtails. "Get your guns."
Underground Dramatis Personae
STONE - detective turned conspiracy theorist
RIVETA - detective turned metaphysical investigator
DONNELLY - ex-principal or maybe a priest
SCORPIO - geek turned double-agent
SIMON - mystery man
AKIMOTO - temporally-displaced norse samurai
TATTERDEMALION - strange girl from another planet
AQUA - teenage tiger-fist
FRANK - reformed LEGACY hitman
GONER - ex-mercenary
ANGST - cheerleader avec uzis
Logo Hunter
Logollos put the phone down on the receiver and
cracked a vicious smile and said to no one in particular, "'And that's
how the game is played."
"Don't you know that in games you can bend the rules here and there?" said a voice from the shadows, which startled the hell out of him. Logollos scanned his office and couldn't find the form. He had to have the bio-detectors checked once again; this was the third time in a month they didn't scan anyone out of the ordinary. He didn't panic, instead quickly moved his foot over to the alarm switch underneath his desk. All he had to do now was stall the intruder for thirty seconds.
"I don't know who you are and how you came in here," he said with all the charm and charisma of a snake-oil salesman. "But it's the last thing that you'll ever do."
"Precisely," Mayganne said as she stepped into the light, holding one hell of a handgun. It looked like an arquebus.
Before Logollos had a chance to reply she pulled the trigger and a blue ball of energy shot out of the barrel.
The top ten floors of the Legacy Tower erupted into a brilliant ball of light which could be seen for miles around.
"Don't you know that in games you can bend the rules here and there?" said a voice from the shadows, which startled the hell out of him. Logollos scanned his office and couldn't find the form. He had to have the bio-detectors checked once again; this was the third time in a month they didn't scan anyone out of the ordinary. He didn't panic, instead quickly moved his foot over to the alarm switch underneath his desk. All he had to do now was stall the intruder for thirty seconds.
"I don't know who you are and how you came in here," he said with all the charm and charisma of a snake-oil salesman. "But it's the last thing that you'll ever do."
"Precisely," Mayganne said as she stepped into the light, holding one hell of a handgun. It looked like an arquebus.
Before Logollos had a chance to reply she pulled the trigger and a blue ball of energy shot out of the barrel.
The top ten floors of the Legacy Tower erupted into a brilliant ball of light which could be seen for miles around.
20140120
Open File
The clatter of the tracks suddenly got louder as the car entered a tunnel. Riveta grabbed a railing and stood up.
"Where's Mayganne?" she asked, her voice panicked.
Stone glanced around, blinking. "Ok... calm down..." he said softly, maybe to his former-partner, maybe to himself.
Riveta had the truth of it, though: Mayganne wasn't with them. Scorpio's cell-phone was ringing.
Donnelly turned to them, looking disoriented. "There's some people... in the next car... strange..."
Riveta turned, checking for her pistol under her jacket, relieved at the feel of the steel. Looked past the Father, through the window in the door at the end of the car.
A girl in a tattered sweater talking to a huge man, his blond hair tied in a top-knot. A cheerleader and another teenage girl in a cowboy hat. Two other men.
Simon put a hand out to steady Riveta. "It's okay," he said. He looked exhausted. "We'll be okay."
Scorpio snapped his cell-phone shut, ending his quick call with Greg Logollos. From LEGACY.
"That was the Professor," Scorpio said. "We're supposed to kill the people in the next car."
"Where's Mayganne?" she asked, her voice panicked.
Stone glanced around, blinking. "Ok... calm down..." he said softly, maybe to his former-partner, maybe to himself.
Riveta had the truth of it, though: Mayganne wasn't with them. Scorpio's cell-phone was ringing.
Donnelly turned to them, looking disoriented. "There's some people... in the next car... strange..."
Riveta turned, checking for her pistol under her jacket, relieved at the feel of the steel. Looked past the Father, through the window in the door at the end of the car.
A girl in a tattered sweater talking to a huge man, his blond hair tied in a top-knot. A cheerleader and another teenage girl in a cowboy hat. Two other men.
Simon put a hand out to steady Riveta. "It's okay," he said. He looked exhausted. "We'll be okay."
Scorpio snapped his cell-phone shut, ending his quick call with Greg Logollos. From LEGACY.
"That was the Professor," Scorpio said. "We're supposed to kill the people in the next car."
20140117
The Mind Eyes
Tatter opened her eyes and looked around the
car. Her breathing was shallow and she was in a cold sweat. Her eyes
adjusted to the dim fluorescent light. She glanced around and noticed
everyone resting, sleeping. Trying to catch a few z's before the next
stop, whenever that would be. Her eyes drifted from the blur of the
world through the windows to the back of the car, where Akimoto was
sitting lotus-style. Eyes closed, finger and thumb pinched. She got up
and moved toward the rear of the car.
"Aki," she said after she sat down on a seat facing him. "You up?"
Aki cracked an eye at her and smiled.
"Bad dream?" he inquired. He didn't move from his position.
"Kinda," Tatter replied; she looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes looking at the ads and posters as they melded into other eras and styles. "What do you remember of Citadel?"
Akimoto's eyes opened wide and he looked at her.
"Aki," she said after she sat down on a seat facing him. "You up?"
Aki cracked an eye at her and smiled.
"Bad dream?" he inquired. He didn't move from his position.
"Kinda," Tatter replied; she looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes looking at the ads and posters as they melded into other eras and styles. "What do you remember of Citadel?"
Akimoto's eyes opened wide and he looked at her.
20140116
Lost in Thunder
As the small ship finally broke apart beneath her,
Kitty imagined what things would have been like if she had never
followed Maus off their homeworld to Citadel. Conditions there had been
improving since Chem and Vlad had overthrown the Lich-King who had
forced her people into poverty. Magics hoarded away in the Castle were
being shared, bringing healing and hope to the lands. Opportunities for
work, and even adventure, were many.
Maus had left with them, though. Joined the world's saviours aboard the Nexus Wave and flown for the stars. And, later, to her death.
And now Kitty was adrift amongst those stars, the final battle raging around her. Rand unconscious, floating away from her, bleeding into the ether. She couldn't see if Drake had escaped from the wreckage. She spun, aching from the wounds, dizzy from all the combat, trying to see... There it was. The Nexus Wave.
Only it wasn't swooping in to rescue her; it was charging straight for the very ship she had been undercover aboard for months. The key she had stolen from Vixx was sealed in an enchanted case, now adrift with the remains of the escape craft. Without it he wouldn't be able to unlock his dark and murderous prize. Maybe Chem and Vlad could do it after all. So she wished them well and tried not to wish they were sailing towards rather than away from her.
She knew that wishes sometimes came true - she had wished to join her sister in the stars, and though Maus had fallen by the time Kitty reached Citadel, well, she had fallen in battle against foes of peace. And so Kitty had found her, in a way, after all.
Maus had left with them, though. Joined the world's saviours aboard the Nexus Wave and flown for the stars. And, later, to her death.
And now Kitty was adrift amongst those stars, the final battle raging around her. Rand unconscious, floating away from her, bleeding into the ether. She couldn't see if Drake had escaped from the wreckage. She spun, aching from the wounds, dizzy from all the combat, trying to see... There it was. The Nexus Wave.
Only it wasn't swooping in to rescue her; it was charging straight for the very ship she had been undercover aboard for months. The key she had stolen from Vixx was sealed in an enchanted case, now adrift with the remains of the escape craft. Without it he wouldn't be able to unlock his dark and murderous prize. Maybe Chem and Vlad could do it after all. So she wished them well and tried not to wish they were sailing towards rather than away from her.
She knew that wishes sometimes came true - she had wished to join her sister in the stars, and though Maus had fallen by the time Kitty reached Citadel, well, she had fallen in battle against foes of peace. And so Kitty had found her, in a way, after all.
Questions Aske
Aske picked up his pace a little more as he walked
through the halls. About him men were scurrying back and forth, grabbing
armaments, reloading cannons, and taking the wounded to sickbay.
He stepped over one body and disappeared below. A battle was raging and all he had was the look of a gentlemen who was searching for a quiet place to have a spot of tea.
"Sir?" a mage said as Aske entered a room. "We lost the scry. They must of done something to it."
Aske frowned; he leaned forward and said, "Inform Vixx."
"I thought I would leave that to you, Sir," the young wizard said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"The commander would like to know," Aske said. "And the sooner the better so he can decide the next course of action."
"Right away sir," the mage said. He got up and scampered out of the room. As soon as the mage left, Aske sealed the door shut and went to the cabinet. Bringing out a key.
He stepped over one body and disappeared below. A battle was raging and all he had was the look of a gentlemen who was searching for a quiet place to have a spot of tea.
"Sir?" a mage said as Aske entered a room. "We lost the scry. They must of done something to it."
Aske frowned; he leaned forward and said, "Inform Vixx."
"I thought I would leave that to you, Sir," the young wizard said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"The commander would like to know," Aske said. "And the sooner the better so he can decide the next course of action."
"Right away sir," the mage said. He got up and scampered out of the room. As soon as the mage left, Aske sealed the door shut and went to the cabinet. Bringing out a key.
20140115
Falling Into
The deck lurched and Vlad casually adjusted his posture
to avoid slipping. Torvel cranked the wheel and the Nexus Wave evened
out. The space around them was exploding in rainbow colours and
glittering eruptions. The Vlaniqk fleet was deploying their dreaded
Thaumotropic weapons. The arcane energy was tearing apart the vessels of
the Citadel fleet, warping the very ether itself and shredding the
nearby ships that sailed on its currents. A number of crimson Vlaniqk
ships were themselves destroyed in the surge; everything was at stake in
this battle and everything had to be risked.
And so the Nexus Wave was sailing directly into the churning storm of magic, towards Vixx's flagship. Vlad held the gemstone in his hand and could feel the warmth flow from it, like a wind. The Breath of Ranadunn. When the Guard began planning this final strike against the enemies of Citadel, they knew of Vixx's discovery of the Thaumatropics. They knew few powers in all the worlds could withstand them. The divine protective magic bound inside the gem, the ancient spirit of an ancient goddess, had been only a legend. Vlad had volunteered immediately to seek it out. The blood of the dragon who had guarded it still stained Vlad's mighty sword - as a tribute to the gem's guardian the barbarian warrior swore he would only wash it clean with the blood of Vixx himself.
Shielded in the Breath of Ranadunn, the ship sailed through the strands of toxic energy, weaving over and under enemy battlecraft. Vlad kept his eyes focused on Vixx's massive cruiser ahead. First though...
Chem patted the Golem's huge steel leg. He called up to Dakk as the armour-suit sealed around him and the gems inside the helmet began synchronizing with Dakk's mind. "Grab them and get them out of this mess!"
"Will do," Dakk said softly inside the Golem. The first three gems, for sight, for sound, and for warnings, were active. And then, thanks to Stryker's discovery, the fourth gem awoke as well. Dakk smiled. "Let's go, Bekki," he said, and piloted the Golem over the
edge of the ship.
And so the Nexus Wave was sailing directly into the churning storm of magic, towards Vixx's flagship. Vlad held the gemstone in his hand and could feel the warmth flow from it, like a wind. The Breath of Ranadunn. When the Guard began planning this final strike against the enemies of Citadel, they knew of Vixx's discovery of the Thaumatropics. They knew few powers in all the worlds could withstand them. The divine protective magic bound inside the gem, the ancient spirit of an ancient goddess, had been only a legend. Vlad had volunteered immediately to seek it out. The blood of the dragon who had guarded it still stained Vlad's mighty sword - as a tribute to the gem's guardian the barbarian warrior swore he would only wash it clean with the blood of Vixx himself.
Shielded in the Breath of Ranadunn, the ship sailed through the strands of toxic energy, weaving over and under enemy battlecraft. Vlad kept his eyes focused on Vixx's massive cruiser ahead. First though...
Chem patted the Golem's huge steel leg. He called up to Dakk as the armour-suit sealed around him and the gems inside the helmet began synchronizing with Dakk's mind. "Grab them and get them out of this mess!"
"Will do," Dakk said softly inside the Golem. The first three gems, for sight, for sound, and for warnings, were active. And then, thanks to Stryker's discovery, the fourth gem awoke as well. Dakk smiled. "Let's go, Bekki," he said, and piloted the Golem over the
edge of the ship.
Cry Havoc
Serisia stood in the control room overlooking the scene.
Her hands were clasped behind her and hidden by her wings, which were
folded over her like a cloak.
Did I know this is how it would end? Did I sense it all those years ago, that night in Pleasuredome when I first met Chem? I was searching for something, and I found it... And now we could all lose everything...
"Your highness," Admiral Stryker said as he approached. He was dressed in the regal uniform, looking more of a magistrate than the commander he was. It was the second time in his life that he had worn this uniform. It only seemed appropriate to don it now.
"Is everything set?" she asked as she turned. Then she looked him over and gave him a smile.
"Yes, milady," Stryker replied as he held his composure. "Let's see this through to the end."
"It's about time," Serisia replied, turning her attention to the battle unfolding.
Did I know this is how it would end? Did I sense it all those years ago, that night in Pleasuredome when I first met Chem? I was searching for something, and I found it... And now we could all lose everything...
"Your highness," Admiral Stryker said as he approached. He was dressed in the regal uniform, looking more of a magistrate than the commander he was. It was the second time in his life that he had worn this uniform. It only seemed appropriate to don it now.
"Is everything set?" she asked as she turned. Then she looked him over and gave him a smile.
"Yes, milady," Stryker replied as he held his composure. "Let's see this through to the end."
"It's about time," Serisia replied, turning her attention to the battle unfolding.
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