Fnordie was jailed somewhere in the dark. He couldn't move he didn't see anything and his mind force seemed to have no effect as if blinded. From the first time he briefly examined the mind of 'the Doctor', he knew there is something wrong with that Phantom. His brain fibres were somewhat disheveled like if there was a violent intrusion recently.
Now he knew that it was caused by a brutal force of some entity in order to control the Phantom and pass all the defences of Uli Rouge. Its force, although very strong, couldn't extend the body of the Phantom so unless Fnordie entered the host mind he was safe. But unfortunately that was exactly what he did as he wanted to find out answers to a lot of questions.
You thought you are almighty, Mr. Pup? You were threatening me with pain? Here you go, taste it yourself. Fnordie never had to experience such a pain before. He wasn't able to prevent a whimper to come out. He tried to create a defence shield but it didn't help much. The pain was starting to consume his mind and he knew that if he doesn't act quickly he's going to loose.
Rick was still scratching Fnordie's ear while explaining to the Doctor how they got down through the flak wall but then he realised Fnordie isn't moving. He was staring to nowhere, ignoring Rick's contact attempts.
~ Rick!..DANGER!....shoot...Doctor....head...NOW! ~ exploded in Ricks head. Rick jerked himself and dropped the glass of wine he was holding on the floor. He apologized and decurved himself. But instead of picking the pieces of the glass he pulled a small gun made of toughened plastic out of his sock, quickly narrowed himself and shot the Doctor in the head.
The Phantom's body fell down to the floor causing a lot of movement in the room. Richard Walters jumped across the table and knocked Rick to the ground twisting his arm and releasing the gun from it. Fnordie woke up from his stiffness. Lord Darkstar stood up, looking annoyed. Fiona screamed out. Jay stopped drinking his brandy. Reggie smiled shortly but then his lips narrowed and he looked surprised. And cleaning bots started to clear up the mess.
"I had to! Something was keeping Fnordie inside that Phantom! Something evil..." Rick said with difficulties.
Dark Star looked down at the body of his once-bodyguard with a look of distaste. The dinner had been going so well... Looking back up to Fnordie and Rick, he gave them a slightly annoyed look.
"You know, it is most rude to attempt to read peoples minds without their permission, and even more so durring a dinner party. That would be a dueling offence, I think." He looked down at the body once more, murmuring softly to himself. "And I had wanted to talk with this man in private..." With a shrug, Dark Star turned towards Fiona.
"Perhaps you could have this moved back to my shuttle immediately? I would like to have him cremated in space." The unspoken and so you or anybody else won't get their hands on my secrets was left hanging in the air. Dark Star simply smiled, leaving the implication alone.
This is the real true story of rock and roll; it was not about anything more then, how to live your life, as a gangster, in sartorial splendor, and turning the world into a place where normality would never return again...- Malcolm McLaren
On the dark side of Gran Canaria, a coiled serpent lay in wait.
Mission control, this is special operative Willow, do you copy?
Willow, this is control. You have arrived? Hows the Cloaking Device working out?
Indeed, I have, and this Cloak is a piece of junk; I had to shut it off getting here because it almost vibrated itself off my hull.. What has he Don sent me out here for?
The redheaded Outcast man known only as Willow twiddled his thumbs, tapping his boot continuously against the Rudder Pedal. His was a generic tragedy of orphanage, Cardamine, and the secret wars of Outcasts. Hessian parents dead in raid at five, life pod picked up by the Don, and so on.
Thats a secret.
Very funny, control, I have soiled my flight suit in my hysterics. I came a long way out of my way, straight through Corsair territory, for some odd errand I know nothing about. Fill me in or I will fly straight back to that little gunboat you have stashed in the ice field and torpedo it into oblivion.
Fine. And they told me you were a fun guy.
My lady just got blown up a week ago, I apologize for my impertinence. He growled sarcastically. Now do tell me what Im doing here.
This planet is the source of the Kalisti Gold. The Don, quite simply, wants it removed. Permanently.
The Don does realize that this is a job much more suited to several Dreadnaughts, yes?
He said youd say that. The Lord has put anything you can think of at you disposal. Control sighed pitifully. I wish I had you job.
No you dont, kid. Sounds like a job for an Antimatter Scourge. Maybe an AQS bomb. I suppose even several very large thermonuclear weapons would do the job. All of which any novice can use, provided he has a fast enough fighter to run away with.
Thats where you come in. Theres at least one Phantom down on that planet, and a dog thats been involved in some interesting going-ons. Even better, Fiona DeLunas at the target area. They considered sending in a Ghost, but decided they might not be able to resist the temptation to take her out. Thats not in yet. We need her computes raided, and we want you to get everything you can on the Phantom. If at all possible, capture the dog. THEN bomb it into oblivion. Of course, none of us were ever here. Leave no trace.
Nice, Snorted Willow, slapping the cockpit glass. The purple sheen outside began to waver. No, no, no! Work, you piece of junk! he kicked the side of the cockpit, and the cloak miraculously re-stabilized.
Hop to it. The Don awaits your requisition forms.
Send in for an AQS Bomb. Cleaner, more controllable than the Antimatter Scourge. Radio me when it arrives.
Will do.
Beginning manual re-entry. Willow Out.
Interesting. The agent said to no-one in particular. From behind his seat he pulled three ancient and trusty weapons, known by the Elves as an M14 Sniper rifle, a Semi-Automatic Colt .45, and a Rapier.
The cloaked Saber slowly dropped out of its orbit, flipping its nose skyward and beginning its long, slow path down to terra firma.
Quote:Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen
The dinner had degraded into drinks in the lounge, while Mr. Walters cleaned up the mess in the dining room. The body of the now-deceased Phantom had been loaded into a phosphorous rocket, sent into space, and detonated as per Julius' request. The guests were still pretty shaken, but it was slowly becoming more hospitable again.
Until deSicev decided to pipe up. "Statement: There is a problem, Madam deLuna. Exposition: An unidentified cloaked object, most likely Phantom in origin, has descended onto the planet. We lost the signal when it got within 20 kilometers of the planet's surface, but the ion trail it was leaking was clear as day, assuming you were looking for it. Query: Mr. Kane, have you ordered any ships to enter Gran Canaria within the last 3 minutes?"
Julius shook his head. "Statement: I shall activate the advanced security. I hope you all are going to enjoy each other's company, as stepping outside would be suicide. Goodnight."
---
Hello, a voice said in Willow's head. Mind if I stay here awhile?
---
The Hakobune was still in orbit, and the plasma conduits hadn't arrived yet. Dr. Hiia paced back and forth, pondering the existence of gods; specifically, the one chronicled as 'C'thulu'...
The Saber lay covered in camo netting, inside a gully some twenty kilometers from Uli Rogue. Willow slammed a clip into his .45, and another into the M-14. The rapier stayed sheathed.
He quickly stripped and slid into a solid black stealth suit, sliding a mask over shaggy red hair. Weapons were strapped on, and the stalker prepared for a long hike.
Willow looked up, startled.
"Oh great, telepaths." what are you, might I ask?
You may ask.
Hardy har. Willow thought back. Will you be a hindrance upon my mission?
And what is your mission?
Any telepath powerful enough to get into my head should know that already.
Please, continue what you were doing. This will be interesting.
Willow shrugged, took a sniff of Cardamine, and began the long trek to mark.
Quote:Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen
The conversation was somewhat stilted and superficial in the lounge, owing to the abrupt turn of events at dinner. Reggie had joined in the desultory conversation to keep up appearances; but was feverishly thinking about the implications of what he and the others had just experienced.
He had turned to the bookshelves lining one wall of the lounge, and was surprised to find a replica of Abdul Alazhred's fabled "Necronomicon" among the tomes lined there. "What in Thud is Fiona doing with this devilish volume?" he mused, as he took it from the shelf and pretended to study it. "Perhaps it is an omen.. a synchronicity which Our Lady has drawn my attention to..."
He pretended to peruse the contents, while his mind reached out to the poor shaken pooch, Fnordie. Rick was holding the animal, still concerned about its close call with the strange Phantom "Doctor". Reggie knew that anything he shared via his mind would be transmitted to Rick as well, due to their long association, and the shared development of Fnordie's amazing powers.
*Fnordie, Rick. Our prey was here. I doubt seriously that the death of this "host" has impeded his powers in any way. The V-Mal must proceed, just in case this is the "red herring", and not the terraforming vessel. Fnordie, you must try to contact Sylvia, our new leader aboard the V-Mal. Tell her that He Who Must Not Be Named was our mutual guest, but that the Evil has moved on.*
Reggie sensed a small whimper from the amazing animal. *Will try, Mal, but pain still great. Weak. Help me focus, Reggie, Rick. Add the thoughts to mine. Focus your big primate Pineals with my small one!*
Rick and Reggie both closed their eyes, and focusing on the Ajna within, they began the triply-joined attemt to reach out.
You might not want to step there, Willow. Stealth suits are nice, but land mines aren't reliant on sight.
Willow sighed. This was the fifth warning he had received from the strange voice in his head in the last ten minutes, and he hadn't even gotten within 15 kilometers of the mountain that the Uli Rouge was stationed on. Indeed, he hadn't rounded it yet, either, and so the Veranda Incognita was still hidden.
"How many times are you going to warn me about invisible dangers, Voice?"
As many times as I must. Perhaps I'm lying, perhaps I'm not. Perhaps you're just imagining me. Cardamine can do such terrible things to the mind... atrophies it into nothingness. Of course, that usually happens over a period of 60 to 100 years of continual usage... perhaps Fokke'll begin to experience it soon. Then again, maybe not. Who knows? I do. Do you want to know? That much we cannot know! What must be known and what cannot be known often collide, resulting in a catastrophic compromise. I will warn you whenever you reach a real danger, but I shall warn you when you reach a false one as well. It is up to you to decide when to believe me and when not to!
"You really like to talk, don't you? Moron."
Shall I consume your brain, then? No? Then shut up and move. You are in control as much as a flea is in control of the rain. You are insignificant, you are doomed to failure, and you are always going to regret your choices until it is too late. Your precious Don is simply using you to his own vile ends, and that Artificial Quantum Singularity bomb you're counting on? Won't get here in time. Even if it did get here, there are three capital ships in orbit, each belonging to a different faction and here for different reasons. One is the capital ship of Dark Star... the AQS wouldn't have time to open up before it got blown up. The second is a rare ELF capital ship, equipped with cloaking panels collected from the Ska Ralla explosion site.
Willow sighed again. "I'll indulge you." In an utterly bored and exasperated voice, he asked, "Oh mighty Voice, I beseech thee, what is the third capital ship in orbit? Please impart the knowledge unto me, your vessel on this mortal plane, for without it surely I will suffer ignorance."
A swift jolt of searing pain sobered him up.
Do I have you attention now? Good. The third is the Ska Feshir, flag ship of General Artifice, the newest incarnation of the Artificer memetic pattern. You'd be wise to fear it more than the other two: it can do far worse than the AQS Bomb. General Artifice is the military aspect of Artificer, and the Feshir is equipped with a Yrshimi Generator. In other words, for a lesser minded fool such as yourself, it is a ship powered by a sun. What weapons does it have? I don't feel like telling you yet. Get on your way; it'll be interesting to see the pup's expression when he can't effect you. I'll even protect you from bullets, to a point. But harm the inhabitants, and I'll be angry. Death? You'll beg for it. Not even Dark Star has techniques that I do.
"For a disembodied voice, you sure do talk a lot. And insult me a lot. Can't you try to be a little nicer?"
I have not lived ten thousand eons to be nice to you or anyone else. Let the Baker of Chao come find me herself, see what she has done... perhaps that old Dog of hers will come, too... heh, the Nomads freed it back when they ravaged Earth. Go forth; I shall be silent unless danger draws near.
Julius acted no different then before with his bodyguard gone. When the party moved on, he simply followed along. He had missed the blood splatter of the head 'sploding, and was now sipping quietly at one of the excellent vintages offered at the party.
Julius frowned when deSicev asked his question. Or stated it, depending on your point of view. "I have ordered no ships to move since..." He looked up for a moment, his eyes unfocused.
"Ah ha... That would be the cause of your concern then. Hmm... Single fighter, Saber, contacted via hyperlink to parts unknown. CO has a trace running." Julius shook his head to clear the fuzz from the direct link. It was a handy tool, but connecting and disconnecting left one disoriented for a few moments after. Again, Dark Star simply shrugged the news off.
"I suppose the defenses of this little fortress will suffice. Although I am somewhat surprised, madam DeLuna; one would think that a simple summer home would not require enough artillery to rival that of a Planetary Defense Center." The evil little glint in his eye again spoke in place of words; What are you hiding under this rock, little girl?
((Dang... I feel small now. Can't think of much to add.))
This is the real true story of rock and roll; it was not about anything more then, how to live your life, as a gangster, in sartorial splendor, and turning the world into a place where normality would never return again...- Malcolm McLaren
Reggie overheard the conversation between DeSiciv and Julius Kane.
He also received new intel via Fnordie's mind of other threats detected near Gran Canaria.
He shook his head, placed the book down on a nearby end table, and strode puiposely to within inches of the Ambassador.
"Madam," he began brusquely. "It appears you have the strange power to attract adversaries of some great note, both modern and ancient. Perhaps you are confident that your Aerie and its content will protect us, your willing invited guests from these threats. I hope you are correct."
Reggie stared deeply and suspiciously into Fiona's eyes as he continued. "However, I am not about to risk my lives, my fortunes, and the souls of my friends on your assumptions of impregnibility.
Reggie now spoke with a hint of anger in a raised voice, so that all could hear. "Fiona, my love. Perhaps if you had taken the time to study the writings of our ancient Discordian prophets as I suggested, you would know that the Discordians, the ELF, the old Justified Ancients of Mu (JAMs), The Norton Cabal, and all the other worthy Eristics never sought to completely vanquish the ultimate Forces of Evil!
"Thus was Nyarlothep merely contained inside the Pentagon of ancient Unistat.. not destroyed. A battle between the opposing poles of the Sacred Chao would only lead to devastation, and the ultimate destruction of all humanity, both the Good and the Evil, the Orderly and the Chaotic. Perhaps, if Order once again crucifies Chaos, as Gruad the Greyfaced once crucified Lilith of Lemuria on an inverted cross; we will not be so lucky as to survive again as a species! ..to have a small number of survivors who can carry the important Principle of Balance to emerge again! This paramount principle must survive!
"When you have learned this, perhaps I will stand by your side once again. When you have learned that not every battle is won.. not every cause is "just" or "right", we may have a slight chance of preserving the balance here in our new home, Sirius. I pray, dear Madam, that you will not be our Lilith!"
Reggie saw small tears begin to emerge from Fiona's beautiful eyes; and, he almost recanted. His heavy heart yearned to reach out to her, to profess his feelings. Agape indeed. But, he held his emotions and features in check. For him, the doors of Chapel Perilous yawned wide. Not one door, but many. The Robot must choose, break the programs of emotions, of fear, and, of Love.
"Now, if you would be so kind as to have DeSicev direct me, and whoever else wishes to accompany me, to that express elevator and passage way which emerges into the Observation lounge beneath Alan's "Aquarium", I will take my leave! "
When Malaclypse has completed his investigation into the strange vibrations emanating from near Kyushu, I will have him send your daughter Sylvia home to you, if she so chooses. She is very powerful, that one, from all reports. May she also have the wisdom to choose her battles, as I must now choose mine. Good evening, Fraulein deLuna. May Goddess be with you.
Turning from the stunned and silent Ambassador, Reginald Asmodeus Waverly strode purposely to the door of the lounge and waited silently for Desicev to show him the way out. He did not turn to see if anyone would accompany him; and he did not wish anyone to see the freely flowing tears on his own face.
((It's a wonderful ripping yarn, Harley; but, "too many cooks spoil the broth." Adieu.))
Willows mind began ticking. A rather explosive ticking.
Oh, come on. the voice chuckled. What are you planning to do with those?
Willow ignored it, flipping open his comm device and encrypting the transmission.
"Control, this is Willow. We may have a problem."
"Go ahead, Willow."
"Apparently, there are several large warships in orbit, one of which is supposedly packing more than enough power to scourge this rock without our help. I may need to take them down. Ask the Don for three Antimatter Scourges and the Nucleodisruptodispersive Torpedo."
"The what?"
"New weapons system. Ridiculously expensive, but guarunteed to slag anything, up to and including a large star."
"Oooh boy."
"Also, get at least five Dreadnaughts and as many cruisers as we can spare on standby. We may need to throw secrecy and just vaporize everything."
"Anything else we should know?"
"This is getting very big, as in Dom Kavosh big, but even more fun."
"Right. Control out."
Nucleodisruptodispersive? You like big words. At least you're learning to trust me. What brilliance.
Shut up.
So what does this little machine of yours do, imbecile?
I don't know how it works, but it's supposed to be able to mow down anything. Bastard.
This should be amusing. Pyromaniac.
I like big explosions. Snotrag.
Quote:Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen