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Eris on Cardamine - Emissary - 04-14-2013
![[Image: rp-emissary-omega-3_zps62a8a4ed.png]](http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/treewyrm/rp/rp-emissary-omega-3_zps62a8a4ed.png)
Briefly visiting Malaclypse Freeport and speaking to zoners there Anje was directed to look for Med Force One to find John Henry 'Doc' Holliday. Several recent incidents has drawn closer attention of her associates and thus requiring to see to it personally. Pondering what to expect of this meeting as the purpose seem unclear. Is it an elaborate ambush and she's heading directly into the trap laid out by the Order, or was there indeed some other reason to it all? If it's indeed something else - what is behind all that? As long as Anje could remember TAZ were always strange wackos in her opinion.
Eris this and that, Eris take 'em all anyway.
She grimaced at a thought of hearing once more about cabbage popes, pineals and all that nonsense. This meeting could be as ever bit entertaining as any other, but entertainment wasn't on her mind right now. Journey to Med Force One took a little bit more than needed to avoid major trade routes and arteries connecting houses, quietly moving behind the scenes. Through Bretonia to Omega-3 Anje was escorted by a group of Wilde ships, on approach to destination they vanished into thin air later just as they appeared at first. But somewhere in the distance two always cloaked shades followed: her associates wouldn't let go too far without keeping a watchful eye.
What does this 'Doc' want from us anyway? What would we want from him?
At long last her ship made it to specified location. Shortly after a standard identification request came on screen. A little hint came by as she was about to reply with a standard response.
"A visitor from the Marble Temple to John Holliday."
...let's see if this will ring a bell.
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Doc Holliday - 04-15-2013
Doc was in his quarters aboard his prize, Med.Force.One. It had been some time since he spent any time on ship let alone home. He had completed surgery only an hour before, piecing together yet another bounty hunter who, needless to say, didn't claim his bounty on a Corsair. For now, he was going through files and taking a break with a fine glass of cognac.
In the entry deck
The visitor was docked in a shuttle bay and was greeted by an escort, a mix of Zoners and ridged headed.....humanoids.j
"A visitor from the Marble Temple to John Holliday." crossed the officer in charge as odd. He didn't know who the guest was or what he wanted. He seemed rather secretive and determined.
"Dr. Holliday," he spoke into his com badge, keeping a watchful eye on his guest, "you have a visitor. He only says, "A visitor from the Marble Temple to John Holliday."
After a short pause, the answer came back, "Escort him to my quarters."
Back at Doc's quarters
Doc wasn't ready for visitors as he wasn't expecting any. As far as he knew, all his matters in Baffin were either dealt with or being handled by one of his Popes. He had time enough only to remove the white jacket and put on his diplomacy robe around his shoulders.
Who could it be? What was going on? He really had no idea.
The door slid open. A Zoner guard was escorting a woman that he had never seen.
"The rest of the security detachment, where is it?" asked Doc.
The guard replied quietly, "The Klingons were acting peculiar......very peculiar....as in the way they did with Dangen so I handled it myself."
Doc nodded his understanding and dismissed him.
Unsure of who he was dealing with, he went as he would any other official.
"Welcome aboard Med.Force.One," as he offered his hand, "may I get you a drink?
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Emissary - 04-15-2013
Following the guard across the corridors of Med Force One she walked past strange looking hulking humanoid creatures with ridged heads clumsy staring at her. Anje didn't turn to look at them as she passed, nor did somehow acknowledge their presence as if they weren't there at all. Just a single brief glance, a fracture of a moment full of disgust and disdain towards them, but outside of that it's all complete indifference.
And yet those guards were ugly looking creatures. Mutants.
Anje followed the regular guard into Doc's quarters. Distinctively native malteesian somewhere in mid-thirties, although it's difficult to say for sure: outcast extended lifespan easily throws off regular age estimations. Interestingly enough Anje was missing the most recognizable visual attribute: cardamine inhaler. Dressed up to the vividly colorful fashion of outcast nobility, richly detailed, a remarkable craftsmanship. Three symbols were etched on the coat. First is an outcast star, the second being is a family crest signifying her social status as land owner as well as slave owner, but the third one was unfamiliar and matching no known house or guild sign. Anje didn't step further until the guard was dismissed and left the room.
"I wouldn't say 'no' to a good wine, Doctor."
She looked down at extended hand, hesitating for a moment before shaking it.
"Angela of Corino family. And you're John Henry Holliday of course. I've heard you'll be vising Malta soon, is that true?"
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Doc Holliday - 04-16-2013
Doc took a wine glass from his bar. Setting it on the table, he opened a bottle of Gallic Wine.
"Midori loves this stuff," he said as he poured, "for a time, I couldn't keep enough around so it seemed." Finished, he closed the bottle. Taking his own glass, he brought the glass to Angela.
Handing her the glass, he raised his glass, "I wasn't expecting any guests today but it's always an honor and a pleasure."
He then escorted her to a comfortable seat, passing by a baby grand piano which sat quietly at one side of his quarters. His quarters were large, a place where he could work, live for long stretches and keep his family present as desired. A statue of Eris stood in a corner beside the bar and several pictures adorned the wall, both new and old.
Taking a seat after her, he repeated, "As I said, I wasn't expecting anyone today and yes I am planning a trip to Malta soon. I try to keep positive relations with Baffin's Northern neighbors. So what brings you by? I'm guessing something important."
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Emissary - 04-23-2013
"I look forward to your visit to Malta. I'm certain other families will be interested and taking up on opportunity to establish better and more effective business relationships..."
Anje stood up and walked past the pictures on the wall, talking about mixture of outcast traditions and politics till she reached the small table on the far side of the room. Amidst all the luxury this piece of furniture was standing neglected in the corner. Resting on its surface was a small object in a holding cradle. A strange 'gift' during one of the encounters Doc had with Nomads. This alien artifact that has been in his possession ever since, yet the purpose seem eluded - attempting to do anything with it yielded no results, and so it was left there as a decoration element, albeit where it would not be easily noticed.
"This brings me here. It's your interest in them and it wasn't left unnoticed."
As she looked down at the artifact, its crystalline surface has shifted the pattern for a second.
"Yes, I can see you do remember how you got this little 'gift'." - Anje paused for a few moments, examining Doc's reaction. "At very least you kept it, whereas others would have either sold it on the black market or given it to others, namely to the Order. So you've kept this little token, that is a good start."
From inside the artifact crystal a faint and slowly pulsating glow appeared, growing brighter at each next 'heartbeat', shifting patterns and colors between teal and purple. And with its glow room lighting began to randomly flicker, dimming away. The artifact was seemingly draining power from the ship itself or at very least this particular room to give itself the charge to operate. Few moments later flickering stopped, ship energy grid was restored back to operational state.
![[Image: emissary-doc-artifact_zps3f7f7c0b.png]](http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/treewyrm/rp/emissary-doc-artifact_zps3f7f7c0b.png)
When looking directly at it the moments turning seconds, seconds to minutes and minutes to hours. Its pulse slows down as if time crawls to a grinding halt. Focusing further drags the thoughts away into unsettling humming ambiance of strange whispering noises on the edge of audible spectrum mixed with otherworldly razor sharp tones slowly burrowing into the mind and glitching bell clicks piercing like little needles. A few 'moments' later whispers would quiet down, and from within the glow something or someone was staring at Doc silently.
Anje stepped away from the artifact and walked back to take a seat and pick the glass of wine.
"And now we can talk... My associates know you've been looking for them earlier. Why?"
"Why..." - echoed in mind as the patterns on the artifact crystal surface shifted again. It wasn't a voice, and much like in that encounter it was just a thought - someone's else thought.
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Doc Holliday - 04-26-2013
Doc's datapad was quiet which was a good thing with the quick power surge. One surge in an O.R. could kill a patient after all.
He walked over to where the artifact rested, a trinket he placed, at the time, as a decoration until he could further understand it. He stood, his hands behind his back, looking at it.
"I found it to be beautiful," he explained. "I knew that if the Order knew I had it or even the Bounty Hunters, they would probably try to destroy my ship to get it." He looked to his guest, "and anyone who knows me knows that a combat pilot I am not."
He made a slow walk, talking as he did, to another part of the room.
"I remember the day I got it. I don't know what I did to earn it but something felt me worthy of it. I figured one day that I might understand it, that one day someone would be able to help me." He then turned to his guest, "and I see that my teacher has arrived."
"People ask me why I took such an interest in studying the Nomads, wanting to understand them," he continued. "It was a doctor from the Order who peaked my interest. He has since long disappeared but he once told me, Make no mistake, Doctor, the Nomads want you dead."
Doc shook his head with a soft smile and looked at his guest, "I refuse to believe that, especially when I have encountered several and stand here alive and free of possession."
He then grabbed a medical screen from a table. Walking over to Anje, he held it about chest high on himself. With the view screen facing her, he turned it on, revealing a small box inside his chest.
"I received that from a member of the Coalition long ago," Doc explained, "I was told that it came from the Order. I was asked to test it and duplicate it. I was told it would help me commune with the Nomads, a device to serve as a measure of protection. Does it work? I don't know but I haven't even thought of duplication."
He then turned off the screen, "I'd like to think it's accomplished something positive."
Doc then took his glass, took a sip and continued, "Make no mistake, Ma'am, my intentions of the Nomads are peaceful ones, despite what other Zoners may do or think. I started that by allowing the K'Hara peaceful existence in Baffin."
He then returned to the artifact, "Do teach me of it. I wish to learn more, to prove humanity wrong one day about the Nomad."
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Emissary - 04-29-2013
"If the Order knew they would have demanded to hand it over, one way or the other. Had they knew what it really is I suspect it would have been the other way most likely. Hoarding relics of the past and various things that do no belong to them, quite adamant to ensure only they get the relics." Anje politely coughed before making sarcastic remark: "For your safety, of course. It's for your own good, they keep saying. Because it assumed you do not know any better. How unfortunate for them that you may."
The emissary got mildly amused when Doc mentioned the warning from the fellow colleague who used to work for the Order: "Always emphasizing on threats and insecurities. It's their way of motivating you."
And here is the little gift from the Order. Coalition too. How fancy...
"I'm no doctor but on this screen I see you have a foreign object inside your body, may I suggest surgical extraction?" - She noted half-jokingly and leaning back to the comfort of the sofa and her glass of wine. After all it wasn't her who had the medical education.
"You ask if I know what it is. I had seen these devices before. Quite a while ago in fact. Six years? May be more... The Order reached new heights of paranoia at that time. They had developed this device to protect commanding officers from having doubts and changing their minds. As far as I know all their higher ranks had to go through the surgical procedure. Anyone declining was stripped of the rank and sentenced to home arrest at Toledo. Behind the backs such individuals were branded traitors and looked down upon."
"Questioning loyalty and blacklisting. Witch hunting." - Anje stopped to recall the forgotten events. "All this because their former leader had seen a better way, but they had convinced themselves he must have been possessed physically, and thus resulting in this particular type of implant and its intended purpose. But as expected it does nothing about your will and ability to see things in a different light, as it was with his case. To remedy this ideological inconvenience the Order later produced and manufactured a certain drug, not that it worked as they had imagined, but that was another story."
She picked medical screen from the desk and turned on the device to have another look at the device. It had a still image of the previous scan. Examining it in zoomed mode while listening to Doc's story of its origin.
"I'm afraid it does not aid you in communication with the Nomads, but it certainly communicates with someone else. It would seem your implant has been modified to include a wireless module. Weren't you aware of this? I'm honestly surprised it's not rigged with a miniature explosive mechanism or something equally nasty. I have to ask..."
Anje put away the medical scanner and slightly turned towards Doc staring directly into his eyes.
"How does it feel to be a walking black box, John? Does it occur to you that your friends in Coalition have used you? Better yet you've been asked to duplicate it, and I begin to wonder who were also to receive such implants. Because you have to ask yourself: even if they could why would Coalition and Order assist in enabling others to communicate with Nomads more efficiently?"
Leaving John to ponder about this logical contradiction she slowly emptied the glass before turning back to Doc again and continuing.
"I think the answer is obvious to us both. They never intended to. What they want is to keep tabs on you because they don't trust you. So do you still feel protected because of this little box inside of you? Trading your freedoms for the sense of security, it's an old trick. Remind me and yourself how that famous quote goes."
"The price of security might be elusive when friendship involved but you'd be paying the double if you let yourself be fooled thinking otherwise. Here is something to consider while at it: you weren't even going to be an ascended in the first place. And you're of no use as a drone either. Such fate is bestowed upon those who deserve it or require it, and you're neither. Neither am I." - Anje paused to let the words sink in before delivering the conclusion: "You've made yourself a host to a very real parasite that is the red menace and their political machinations, be it out of fear or the need to feel secure. Your goddess must have a cruel and twisted sense of humor."
Anje exchanged a few glances with the artifact, they seem were 'replied' with its crystalline surface erratically shifting patterns. Whatever the silent and short the conversation was she quietly sneered at something before commenting on John's stated intentions.
"Here you are, conversing with an assistant to the so-called 'enemy of mankind', whatever the title it is these days. Boldly offering peace. I can't imagine your best friends over at Coalition or Order to look favorably towards all this. I wonder when the black box in you going to phone home with its recordings. May be... right now?"
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Doc Holliday - 04-30-2013
Doc smiled and nodded his understanding of the device. Taking a sip of his drink, he answered, "Rest assured, it's no homing beacon, no com device. I made sure of that before I implanted it. It also takes all of a few minutes to remove. It's no threat to anyone. Besides, the Coaltion has more problems to worry about than me. They're fighting with themselves nowadays as I understand. I made a trade agreement with them and nothing more."
He then turned back to Anje, "Neither the Order nor the Coalition....or anyone for that matter knows you're here......nor will they. If someone wants to persecute me for my attempts at understanding and seeking a peaceful co-existence with the Nomads then so be it. If they don't like the fact that I have decreed that any and all K'Hara ships may fly through or around Baffin as they wish, that's too bad for them."
"But listen, I'd like to make this meeting a positive one. I don't condone a lot of what the Order does. While they're bent on "saving humanity" and doing a lot of killing to do it, I'm the opposite. I didn't create Med Force Enterprises for death, I made it for life. With the exception of a few donations, I fund it entirely myself. Staff? They either learn to help all or they don't work for me....period."
He sat before Anje, taking a caring tone, "I built a special area aboard my flag ship, Med.Force.One. I built it so that Nomad research could take place in secrecy, not because I didn't want the Nomads to know but to keep any chance of saboteurs away."
He then poured himself another drink, offering Anje one as well. He looked up at her soothingly, "but the best meeting I had was here in Baffin when a K'Hara showed me the light. He also showed me the dark. It was that moment that I chose to advance my efforts. Good will needs to start somewhere. I'd like for it to begin with me."
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Emissary - 05-09-2013
![[Image: rp-emissary-choice3_zps2062d213.png]](http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/treewyrm/rp/rp-emissary-choice3_zps2062d213.png)
"The good will..." - Anje sighed quietly, sinking heavy thoughts into another wine sip. She looked at the Nomad artifact and it "responded" with mesmerizing patterns shifting on its surface. The silent but visible communication between the two went for a minute or two during which Anje facial expression changed a few times, sometimes as if she was protesting against whatever the entity or entities on the other side were 'saying'. Finally she turned back at John again.
"Very well. You wish to learn more about them, you also wish to attain peace with them. What you can learn and what peace you may have will depend on how much trustworthy you really are. Which is not for me decide, for I'm only a messenger here."
Anje put the glass away and slowly raised up.
"Tomorrow I'll be returning to their homeworlds. You are... invited. You can come or you can stay. The choice is yours to make. Take your time to think and weight your decision. When I leave you'll give me your answer."
"If you choose to come then you will have to put your 'black box' aside. It'll be of no use to you there. I came here unarmed and alone, and same is expected of you. There is no trust to be gained if you're unwilling to risk."
"But if you choose to stay then I shall take our 'token' back for it would be of no further use. You can continue to live your life as it were, it would not matter to us."
"But if you choose to stay then I shall take our 'token' back for it would be of no further use. You can continue to live your life as it were, it would not matter to us."
"Now, reaching the destination will take a few days, but how much time you'll be spending there depends on you and their reaction. While they 'guarantee' safe passage to their homeworlds know that once there you'll be on your own and I will be unable to help. I'll provide the guidance I can during our journey and will answer your questions. It is only the clarity of your thoughts and your belief will make all the difference. Being privy to the work my associates are doing is a great responsibility and even greater burden to carry. It can be unsettling and terrifying at times. If you'll be able to convince them and prove yourself then your life will change, and your intents, if they were truly sincere, will have a purpose. The knowledge gained will change you irreversibly. For now with your permission I shall take a good rest. Flight towards this corner of the Sirius has been quite exhausting, and it's a long way back to Omicrons ahead."
After the explanation the artifact slowly faded, becoming dormant and lifeless again. There was nothing in it anymore.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I have no doubt the knowledge you seek will be yours in time, if you are ready for it. The price to be acknowledged is high, but the choice is yours to make, and you are free to decline the offer and I would understand. Very few are given such a rare opportunity and fewer have the will to take it."
Anje slightly nodded to Doc before leaving.
RE: Eris on Cardamine - Doc Holliday - 05-09-2013
Doc paced in his office, alone now in thought. He had a golden opportunity presented to him. He could resume his work on the Nomads and hopefully one day prove humanity wrong on them. For now, that was putting the cart before the horse.
He then took an empty shot glass and filled it with the strongest stuff he had, some Blood Wine. He shot down the first glass. Even with Blood Wine, he had to make a face and wait a minute between shots. A minute later, he shot another. He then made his way to a surgical ward. On the way, he called on his chief surgeon to meet him.
He showed Ed the device in his chest. "Ed, I need it out, now."
Doc lay down on the table with his top off. After a brief scan, the surgeon gave Doc a general and made him comfortable. With a laser scalpel, he removed the device within a few minutes. He studied it and asked a weary Doc what it was.
"Garbage," Doc answered, "now help me up and to my quarters." Ed did as requested. Again, Doc was alone albeit a bit sore. He asked the guard outside for his disruptor pistol. Setting it on high, he shot the device, disintegrating it. He then handed it back to the guard with a thank you and returned to his quarters.
He had made up his mind. He was going on the trip. Now, it was time to rest.