Nov 21st @ hAvEn, PA 109
With trips to & from Lazlo, Felix and Leena have fallen into a routine: collect materials to assist in the repair / activation of Zeiru and to keep up with events back in the city. For Felix, he attends training at Jack Chirax’s mercenary boot-camp while looking for moth and butterfly samples at the local curios shops & boutiques. Leena is more practical; advising on the purely technological aspects of Sleipnir’s continuing upgrades and maintenance (also communing with the A.I.) and assisting Eris Cloud on the repairs of her Stellar-One.
On the 21st, while being in residence at hAvEn, Zeiru addresses Leena. The mecha’s A.I. voice-emulator sounds somewhat disappointed and… sad?
[I apologize for interrupting your meal break technician Shidow, but I have just run another self-diagnostic: the result is not encouraging. While I am at 93.7727% functionality, the systems allowing me to access my full capabilities along with secondary weapons systems can not activated. The data block is still in place, and there is a material that is not present on your world that is vital for my advanced systems to operate.]
She stops her eating at once and looks over at Zeiru.
"Oh?! Oh goodness, well we will have to find what that is that is blocking you and umm what is this other material? I know we are here on Earth right now but Phoenix Force has lots and lots of contacts we could maybe see about finding it.I have faith in that! But...why so sad? I know it is slow going and you are not 100% just yet but we will get you functioning in tip top shape in no time, well not 'no time' in the literal sense, but well you know no time in the sense that well...you know we can get this other material."
Her smile is bright and encouraging and can be heard in her words and felt from her. She is positive and doesn't feel the least bit daunted from the task at hand.
[I am unsure what this material would be called in Anglic. It has unusual quantum properties and is naturally capable of compressing space. It is simmilar in many respects to the material used in the storage device you use to stowe your tools and gear on your person. As for the Data-Block, I belive the black crystal knowledge-teacher you found in my original facility may have the encryption needed to unlock those sectors of my memory. However neither you or any of your team have the requsiite organic-circutry implanted to access it.
The only reason I may appear "sad" is that I am unable to fulfill my function as a gaurdian against the Aggendi Brood. I fear that the attacks by their Skorpon-drone slave units is merely a prelude; a test of the defenses of this world.]
"Oh my goodness! I can see what you mean, that would be terrible indeed if more are coming! Let me see what I can do about getting some of that material up, I wonder how much would be needed...and the Data-Block...yeah that's a problem...hmmm...I may have to speak with Rika about bringing someone in on that... hmmm...although....I wonder if I could meld with the block and understand it?"
The thought worms its way into her mind and makes a very happy and snug little nest while she seriously considers the idea.
On the shores of the Mexican Gulf (21st of Nov. PA 109): Off-cam R.P.
The chemically induced mania keeping the thoughts, memories and dreams at bay for Chris Altobelli has taken its toll. While Enrique reads through the ‘operators manual’ in the NG Scorpions’ turret, the Sergent sits hunched on the nose of the beast-mech, smoking and trying desperately to not go to sleep. The dreams… the dreams wait for him.
He wakes up screaming for (of all things oddly) his mother. His eyes burst open and he is covered in sweat and sleeping in the cockpit.
"**** me, I think I might need a pshrink and some rehab."
The sun shines through the fog in the east, casting a grey-yellow glow over everything. All that can be heard is the sound of the tide slowly washing up the shoreline, and the cries of distant sea-gulls. Chris Rolls up a joint and begins to start the day as usual, before making his way over to the rest of the crew in the behemoth. Just under the sound of the surf & gulls something very faintly, can be heard from inside the fog. Is it a hallucination or something / someone speaking in the distance?
As he heads to the behemoth the sound of voices in the fog catches his attention so he attempts to scan through it with his multi optic eyes, and listens in with his advanced bionic hearing. Afterwards he continues smoking and makes his way up into the "beast" to see what the C/O, X/O, and the rest of the crew are up to, as well as asking Rika about taking some leave to head back to lazlo and get this **** sorted out in his head with some professional help.
^^
Shadow Grimlion continues to try and put his own work in order; his studies interupted by his sudden dislocation back to Rifts Terra from Alfheim Accademy of Aetheric Arts. While stalking around the crew deck of the Behemeoth Mk2 he gets a chill down his back. It’s as if something terrible has happened but when he asks the rest of the team on-board, they all answer in the negative; all seems to be well.
^^
Enrique sits in his quarters in the Behemoth, glancing out his tiny port hole at the fog bank. His thoughts drifting along in a flowing torrent. The memories of the past events coalescing with the numerous unanswered questions brought up by those same events swirling around in a maelstrom in his head as he gazes out the port hole. The images and words of the tablet on his lap casting digital shadows across his face.
He glances at the small computer, proud of the fact he finally learned to operate such a device. His gaze turns back to the fog bank, his thoughts once again swirling about in his mind. The mental flurry lulls him into a trance-like state. His gaze seems far off. Thoughts upon thoughts converge on his minds eye. The finding of 'Malcolm' and the hint of James' family living with an off shoot of humanity known as Lemurians, giving way to a giant scorpion creature nearly consuming him in flame as it self destructed into a brilliant fireball. Then finding himself on a mighty silver steed walking amongst giant metal fortresses in a sterile techno city, where scantily clad versions of Rika, Fi, and Uno mill about...then a flash of blue light and the feeling of paralysis as his muscles lock in place, the image of a headless woman with sparks flying from her hand, standing over him beside the grinning dark spectacled face of 'Cornrolls'.
His trance deepens as his mind's eye shifts to images of manuals upon manuals, where the words float off the pages and force their way into his brain along with schematics of weapons and weapon systems. Buttons and levers, toggles and switches, joysticks and viewscreens surround him in a litany of light and sound, then converge on him, in a rush of beeping and blinking. The multitude of switches and indicators being absorbed into his skin. His body stiffens as his eyes roll back into his head showing only white.
The image of himself in his mind's eye lets out a scream, his nearly catatonic form does the same. The half absorbed circuitry being forced away in a dazzling, luminous cacophony. Then the calm sets in...soothing, tranquil calm. The switches and lights floating lazily around him. His mind's eye opens wider, tendrils of barely discernible energy spread out from his head, feeling, searching, tapping the floating electrics. Images come to life in the white space as each tendril makes contact. Vile blood drinking creatures and flame...rolling waves and dark blue waters...men in armor that looked similar to Malcolm, fighting dark shark like creatures...the inky blackness of the void...Piercing Red Eyes surrounded by shadow!
The last image shaking Ricky from his trance. As he looks around, he finds himself near the door to his quarters, stark naked.
"What the hell was that?!" He looks down at himself, feeling somewhat changed.
The A/C inside the Behemoth machine is ...chilly. The sound of whispers and conversations linger after the mystic dream-vision; and it's not James, Chris & the commanders. As Enrique takes in his nakedness a tinny voice (like that through a cell-phone's at distance) pipes up behind and just slightly above him;
"Hmmm... a bit skinny but nice all the same. LOOOoove the hair."
Enrique turns about looking for the tiny voice, his naked form in a defensive stance. "Who is there?! Show yourself?!", he yells, as he searches his quarters for the source of the sounds he thinks he heard. "I'm not that skinny..." he mumbles to himself, finding no one else in his room.
Seconds tick by as he ponders what he saw in his vision and what it might mean. The red piercing eyes at the forefront of his thoughts. Coming up with nothing he heads out to find Rika and the others, maybe they may know what the vision means. A renewed energy fills his steps as he exits his domicile, causing him to barely notice the chilly cold floor of the hallway beneath his feet. After a few steps he turns about looking for the tiny voice, his naked form in a defensive stance. "Who is there?! Show yourself?!", he yells, as he searches his quarters for the source of the sounds he thinks he heard. "I'm not that skinny..." he mumbles to himself, finding no one else in his room.
Seconds tick by as he ponders what he saw in his vision and what it might mean. The red piercing eyes at the forefront of his thoughts. Coming up with nothing he heads out to find Rika and the others, maybe they may know what the vision means. A renewed energy fills his steps as he exits his domicile, causing him to barely notice the chilly cold floor of the hallway beneath his feet. After a few steps he glances down at his feet...then at the rest of himself, thinking 'Oh my...pants...pants would be good...and slippers...'
He rushes back into his room and hastily dresses himself in a mismatching pants and robe combo and slippers, then hurries off to find the others...
...completely missing the fact he has a 12ft. long blue-scaled cobra sitting in the middle of his bunk. 'Must be a hallucination.'
Halfway down the hall, Enrique suddenly stops mid stride, turns and looks back towards his room. He hastily makes his way to his doorway and stops just short of it, propping up against the wall beside it. Ricky's eyes close for a moment as he concentrates, sensing for any evil in his room. As he opens them, he feels somewhat relieved that no bad vibes are present. He opens the portal and carefully peeks in...he does a double take as he sees again the blue snake coiled on his bed. "Damn...how am i gonna explain to Ms. Rika, that a blue snake is in my room on my bed..."
"You could always tell her the truth... but then would she believe you?" says the snake to the shocked mystic.
...If a snake could smile...as it darts out between the stunned mystics legs with a jaunty; "Tah-tah! Speak to you later."
^^
Rika & Fionna go about assessing the situation and terrain. To the East is a massive fog bank, that even in the winter dawn-light seems to refuse to dissapate. Opening one of the launch bay doors, the NuMan takes a deep breath, but when the fammilar nose-tickle of mystic energy fails to happen, she comes back and shrugs at her X/O;
“I don’t smell anything bad out there, but then again, even ‘good’ magic would have me sneezing up a storm. Think that *she points to the fog* might be another fall-out from Tolkeen’s desturction? Kinda far though.”
Fionna considers the fog bank and looks back at Rika.
"Yeah I'm not buying that it isn't natural or supernatural in some way...then again..." she shakes her head, "I must be getting paranoid, Rika, but I'm thinking maybe consulting the runes? I mean we are out here in the middle no where and well, some insight might just be nice ya know?" Stretching her neck a bit "Course, sometimes I see more than I bargain for...which can be more than a bit disconcerting..."
Rika takes a few moments before nodding curtly. "Do it. I'm getting kinda sick of walking blind into things. It'll be nice to have some foresight before stepping into a mine field."
A noise from inside the Behemoth has the captain turn and look. "Ah, sis? You okay here by yourself for a minute or two? I think I need to go and exercise my 'command responsibilities."
Giving a smirk to Rika, the burster replies "Yeah, Sis, I'm good" then looks back at the fog cloud and speaking softly to no one in particular, "but what are you?"
With that she turns on her heel and heads off to her room a telepathic send to Rika as she does so.
~I'll go to my room and grab the runes. I was going to cast them in there, but I think I need to have some access to the fresh air when I do it. I'll stay in the ship, but by the doorway. Do you wanna be there? Or just want me to fill you in when I get done?~
She returns to the doorway only a few minutes having passed from when the two sisters parted. Feeling an urge to go ahead and cast the runes, she sends once more, ~Things are busy back there, I'm going to go ahead with this. I should be fine.~
So saying, the runes seem to spill out from the bag as soon as she so much as THINKS about them. The Harlequin crowned by the Serpent. The Reaper orbits the Alchemist. The rune of Decay suspended above Life inverted spinning like tops counter-clockwise. And over all the runes, slowly circiling Fionna and the rest of the runes; Fate chasing the two-faced rune of Ballance (Light & Shadow) with the searing-hot molten rune of iron representing Khaela Mensha Khaine (Bloody-Handed Khaine)...war...orbiting in reverse direction to Fate & Ballance.
Concentrating harder on the fog; she sees the ballance rune turn closer to 'Light' as the Harlequin & Serpent loop closer to fate, while the rune of war oscilates in its orbit between the Alchemist and Decay.
^^
Uno-Rez disconnects from the computers and control systems of the Behemoth MK2 and walks over to where James Cormac is bunked down. Holding out a mug of coffee to the still groggy meta-human schollar, she smiles (her eyes blue);
“Good morning James. Mother and Fionna are awake and have already finished one pot of coffee already. Fortunately there is enough in stores for about another 2 weeks at current rate of consumption.”
She pauses and sits on the floor cross-legged, not wishing to damage the frame of the bunk opposite to James;
“Now that we have arrived at the coastline of the Mexican gulf, how do we proceede? I have checked the technical data on the MK2 Behemoth and while it CAN withstand moderately deep water, I do not think it practical to go strdingding along the bottom of the oceanic shelf. These Lemurians also, according to Grimlion and yourself also seem to be quite ellusive. I am concerend we may have reached an impasse if not a true dead end.”
James ponders:
"You may be right Uno, I... I feel as if I may be dragging you all on a wild goose chase. But if there's any chance that the Lemurian who owned Rick's "skin" was telling the truth and my family is alive I have to know. Even if it means leaving Phoenix Force for a time. I have to go. The only thing that's stopping me is you. Uno you're the most incredible woman I've ever met. And yes to me you are a woman in every way that matters and I want us to be together. I want you to be the one I spend my life with. I'd love it if you'd come with me on this adventure if Rika and the rest go on to other duties, but if you feel you have to stay with your family I understand. It's the same reason I must find mine. As for moving forward if Rika and the others continue the search with me, honestly part of me feels like the only direction to take is down into Mexico.
I've done some research, and it appears that the island called Rappa Nui or Easter Island may have been a Lemurian outpost. And it lays between South America and the islands that used to be a part of the old American Empire so... That's where I'm going with Phoenix Force, with you. Or by myself if I have to.
The gynoid ponders James' words for several minutes (a gelological age for a cybernetic being) before replying:
"As I had stated to Thomas, I shall state to you; as far as my memory & data-tracks can tell, there can be no 'issue' if we pair bond. Also, being non-organic in nature my life-span is indeterminate, while yours if human scaled, is only measured in deacades. Knowing this, if you still wish to be with me ... I am open to exploring possibilities."
Uno smiles faintly as she says this, eyes focussed on James. Then, sitting up straighter she continues, changing the subject.
"As for continuing on; that is up to Mother & Fionna. I will accompany you of course, but the others may not have as much invested in the mission. Points in favour of the others continuing are of self-interest in nature: diplomatic overtures to another power-block on Terra that share some of Lazlo & Landings' ideals; investigation of the supposed vampiric threat from the South America & Mexican territories; further intell gathering on the state of affairs of the rest of North America & Terra in general.
For these reasons alone I would assume the rest may wish to continue. However, I do not think Sgt. Altobelli may be able to carry on with the journey. He is exhibiting clear symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder."
"Well, as far as children are concerned I at this point I have no desire for them. If that changes in the decades to come we could always adopt as Rika did with you. I know you well enough to know the depth of your compassion for other beings tells me you would be a good mother should you choose to be one.
As for the lifespan, truly I have no Idea how long I may live. My enhanced endurance could result in an extended lifespan. Regardless, I would die a happy man with you at my side. The more pertinent question is would you be able to emotionally survive possibly outliving another love? As for continuing on, I'm happy that you'll go with me *smiles at her takes her hand in his* And you're absolutely right about diplomatic relations. Honestly I had meant to talk to Rika about that.
After Tolkeen, the communities of North America with views in opposition to the CS need to forge strong alliances with as many like minded communities as possible. That was one of the fatal mistakes Tolkeen's leaders made. Not forging stronger alliances with communities like Lazlo, Landing. New Lazlo and Dweomer. That and making bargains with demonic forces to try and finish off the CS. So yes we should put it to Rika that an alliance with Lemuria could be greatly beneficial to both our communities. Chris, you're right, something's wrong with him and I think it may have quite a bit to do with the fact that he's from a dimension where our current timeline is his far future. I'm worried about him honestly. I hope he can hold it together till we can get him the help he needs. Perhaps Rika or Fi or even Rick could help him in the mean time. And as for the question of us? *looks down at their joined hands then directly into her eyes.* Yes I want to see where this goes I have never felt so strongly for someone. I cannot think of a better description of the feeling than love.
^^
As the Sergent wanders through the interior of the Behemoth, he sees both Shadow Grimlion hunched over what looks like a hard-bound book (but with holographic images floating above the pages) and James & Uno walking out of one of the bunk-rooms, hand in hand. Ah, l'amour.
At the portside air-lock he finds Fionna sitting 'lotus position' on the bare metal flooring with a silk cloth in front of her and what look suspiciously like carved fortune telling bones or runinc symbols. Rika, standing behind the burster, glances back at him and after a few words with the X/O tip-toes over.
"What is it sarge?" After listening to his story and request for leave-of-absence, citing 'section 8', the captain nods and flicks her ears.
"Do you seriously think you need to do this? I can get you back as long as the ley-lines aren't acting up, but remember; the entire reason we've been hiking it out this way is because teleportation and even air-travel have been... tricky. Hell I could even get one of our free-lancers back in Lazlo to pick you AND your scorpion up, but... I make no guarantees."
The Sergent grimaces before replying.
“Captain I feel I might endanger the mission & the lives of everyone involved if I don't get this taken care of. There are somethings I wish I could tell everyone, but the fact of the matter is that I came to an epiphany about how I got here, and it looks like all those times I felt odd were right. If anything I'm glad I had the chance to help you guys get the gear you needed to get here, and I would hope to see you all back in lazlo safe and sound after the Docs help me out.”
James walks up hearing the convo from the hall way. "Hey Chris, you're part of Phoenix force, which means you're family. Perhaps one of our resident psychics could help you?" He looks to the ladies present for possible confirmation.
Chris shakes his head. “James I dont think that would be a good idea... Don't want any of our heads exploding from the **** locked away in mine. I just need to get some kind of life plan or something that will help me get over the fact I'll never get to see home again. From the looks of things my self medicating might also bring about some dangerous ****, so I figure it would be better to take a period of leave and get squared away properly. It's not meant to offend any of our psychics, but I feel this could really cause them more harm than good.”
"Alright Chris, it's just this teams gone through an amazing amount of personnel changes in the time I've been with them. I'd hate to lose a good man."
Rika looks back & forth between the two men, her ears alternating between flat and perked forwards untill she massages her forhead with one hand and holds up the other in a 'halt' gesture.
"I understand where you're coming from Sarge; BE-LEE-VE me I do. I had the misfortune of being sucked into a random rift a couple of years back and I was kicked around dimensions and universes I knew, KNEW bone deep, were fictional. Yet there I was, dealing with of all things THE God-Damn-Batman, the Imperial Inquistion Ordo Xenos, the Kessel-Run."
She takes a deep breath and looks Chris straight in the eye.
"I'll back your play, however you want to do this... but don't think you're alone in what you're feeling. It's a heavy thing, knowing that what is just a flight of fancy or a drug induced hallucination for one person, may actually exist just one or two rifts over.
I'm not going to do anything RIGHT now right now, because Fionna is in the middle of a very delicate procedure, and if I Ryuka you & I back, the vibrations may skew her results."
Glancing up at Uno, standing behind James, Rika's expression goes from dead-serious concern to impish.
"About time... was wondering if you were going to have to jump HIM to get anywhere."
Uno just shurugs in a very human fashion, eyes violet.
James grins slightly sheepishly "I had some decisions to make and realized I couldn't make any of my possible next moves without her by my side. *smiles* And Chris, you weren't there for a trip of ours to a place called "Caliban" I know my pre Rifts history and that was definitely a world from a game in the twentieth and twenty first centuries. So the possibility that all of this *gestures around them* is the product of some collective imagination, wouldn't really surprise me. All I'm certain of is I've had incredible adventures with the heroes of Phoenix Force Alpha, found love, *squeezes Uno's hand* have great friends and my family may be alive! So even if I'm living in a dream, for all the occasional horror it's generally a great adventure and I'm happy to be here I hope you can get to that place too my friend. Claps Altobeli on the shoulder with his free hand.
“Completely understood Captain.” He looks to James... “you mean the one from warhammer 40k?, You and I might need to talk and get some models and play some battles out... wait so that means the ruinous powers are around?!? ****...”
Rika nods solemnly, but her impish smile refuses to stay away.
"Sorry not smiling at the situation... but yes; the Grandfather, the Lord of Change, the Blood God and *shudder* the Great Defiler herself. Fi can tell you about THAT one. So far thankfully only TWO have shown their hands in this 'verse that I'm aware of. The changer and the defiler; the hemaphroditic ***** goddess first, years before I immigrated to this world. During the C'thullian cult uprising of PA 97."
Chris shakes his head at the news from Rika as he begins to unstrap his weapons harness and hands it to James.
"I want you to hold on to these for me kid. Unless we need me to do the old run and gun anytime soon, but only if that's the case." Looks to Rika "I seem to have an odd feeling like I know how the he/she's servants came through most recently."
"On another note has anyone heard from Zod. I tried calling his factory, but no one picked up."
James accepts Chris's weapons with respect nods and smiles "You got it Chris. I'll keep em safe till you need em. As for the rest, I can't believe that a disappearing teammate and what went down at the arena aren't connected if he never made it home. I have a bad feeling about what happened to him. He didn't seem the type to go AWOL. Damn, feel like maybe we should have looked harder before we left."
Rika & Uno look at each other, shrug and shake their heads at Chris. Rika motions for the four of them to give Fionna some space and leads them to the bridge.
"I'll make an inquiry when I call in your limmo service, Sarge. It's weird that he was RIGHT THERE with you when you spoke to Jorell and then...wasn't."
The sound of machinery working resonates through the hull of the Behemoth as the communications & sensor mast deploys. After a few minutes of sign & counter-sign code checks from the NuMan captain, she finally establishes contact with someone named 'Onyx'. The conversation turns to bantering and a positive response on emergency air-lift. After signing off Rika turns to the other 3 and looks at Altobelli.
"Okay, you're going to be retrived within the next 24 to 48 hours. Lazlo's mages-guild finally found out what was making air travel so damned dangerous... nothing to concern us except that they are 'dealing with it'. *rolls eyes* Anyways, as to what's happened to Zod; he hasn't checked in either at the city gates or with the factory's floor-manager. I'm getting kinda (pardon the pun) antsy about this."
"Do you think there could possibly be a relation to the formian's disappearance and the terrorists?"
"Is Emporer Prossek a self-agrandizing psycopathic mass mudering loon?" *ears go back agaisnt head* "If the incidents WEREN'T connected I'd be suprised."
He nods in agreement.
"Maybe I can give a look into that when I get back."
^^
Despite Enriques claims to have seen a "Huge freaking talking blue snake!", the rest of the day goes by uneventfully for the members of Phoenix Force out in the field. The fog begins to recede slightly over the course of the 21st’s afternoon. Rika, after hearing Fionna's rune-reading, decides that the fog (or what it conceals) is no threat. Wishing to be safer that sorrier though, Rika assigns everyone to the task of building a vampire proof (or at least resistant) defense; a small 'duck-pond' and filler trench dug of of the rocky beach. Chris, feeling like he can at least be of some use jumps to piloting his Scorpion and cutting out a grid-work pattern in the stoney ground as Fionna sends walls of fire through the rock and Enrique frost-balls the superheated material, causing it to break apart. Uno & Rika then begin operate the Behemoth MKII's arms and excavate the spoil out of the depression.
It is early evening by the time the work is done, but by high-tide, the 'duck-pond' is filled with in-rushing sea-water, and the Behemoth is knee-deep in the middle. A quick application of some reflective paint to the upper hull in the form of a dozen crosses, and Rika declares the project done and their camp site 'safe'. All through the team's labour, Shadow remains stangely mute and does nothing to assist. It's as if his mind and soul are absent as he mechanicaly does repetitive turns of the holographic pages in his study tome.
That evening, dreams of animal headed people (Dog-boys? Kill-cats?) going about their daily lives in a village bordered by drift-wood fences and centered around a rusted boat fill the heads of Phoenix Force. The 22nd is a day of routine and tedium. To break it, Rika offers to assist in training Enrique in sword-fighting. Most of the day is spent with Ricky having his knuckles ribs and shins getting bruised but at the end he at least knows which way to hold a short sword or hand-and-a-half broadsword without dropping them. At the end of the training session he glimpses the blue-cobra again, just at the edge of the fog; seeming to nod in recognition or approval. As he calls Rika & Chris' attention to it, it slithers away into the mist and both the Sarge and Captain half-jokingly ask if Rick wants to join Altobelli on his 'vacation'.
At night the dream again; but with the addition of a man with odd-coloured hair & skin lying under fur blankes with what look like bandages over his torso and arms, tharshing around in candlelight in a fever. On waking up and comparing notes the team feels it may be a psychic communication. After lunch the discussions were interupted by a radio communication and faint radar reading on the scanners; Captain 'Onyx' had arrived. Her conveyance a Naruni Enetrpises / Stellar-Tech Star-Runner stock-light freighter; the leaf-life form easily recognizable by those with fammiliarity with the Tri-Gal dimension. Chris is welcomed aboard by the Captain herself, a tanned & white-haired beauty dressed in form-fitting spacer body-suit. After his scorpion and other gear are stowed away by Onyx's crew (rag-tag doesn't even begin to describe them), Sgt. Altobelli wishes the rest of the team all the best and assure sthem that once his head is on straight he'll be back in action. With a whir of hydraulics, the cargo hatch closes and deep hum of contra-grav coils preceds the rapid departure of the Star-Runner.
With Chris Altobelli now gone, the team had to decide where to go. As they poured over maps on the observation deck, the internal intercom system of the Behemoth activated and a gender-neutral voice intoned;
"While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.' ...
Though I come bearing gifts. Perhaps you may wish to look to your left outside?"
It is now the 23rd of November, P.A. 109
