"At least we speak the same language..." observes Kai to no-one in particular as the group begins to gather their wits. Following Zellgato and the others into the tent, the techie stands by to assist Zellgato if needed.
Charles notices the stares, but figures that changing shape right now would probably just make things worse.
"Yes, hello, we all look very strange but we mean well," he says with his fox head as he trots behind Zellgato.
People gasp when Charles speaks. Creating a hybrid pet in a lab is one thing, but giving it speech? That's the kind of thing only the terrorist Greenwrath has been able to pull off, uplifting the bears. Greenwrath, when he was arrested, claimed he was only able to do it because he found the notes of a time-travelling geneticist named Moreau who intended to destroy the timeline by arming the apes with speech and intelligence. Of course, Charles knows none of this. He can see they're astonished though. Word will travel fast.
Zellgato turns to the crowd. ""Gaia speaks with the wind; Gaia speaks with the blossom in Spring. Please head to the courtyard. Brother Andrew has a presentation, and supplies will be disbursed as well. Please.Disburse." Zellgato puts on a business smile, one he clocked months ago on Children of Gaia workers.
The crowd continues to whisper and stare. Some may believe Zellgato is a Child of Gaia, but that only confirms their suspicions of the Children of Gaia. Others may think Zellgato's bluffing. Either way, more people gather around the tent.
Emphesizing the last words.
As he talks, Zellgato doesnt bother trying to hide it, and scans those in the tent for parasites "..When was the last time you saw..me? Genius-do you think anyone in this tent is cold?"
"I told you they were cold a couple hours and two months ago. Cold inside. Like your friend, but different. They were cold with green swirls inside and ..." she pauses as if listening and then continues "... and Greer is cold with purple nothing inside. I can slow it down but I can't stop it."
She begins to concentrate on Greer, covering her ears to block out the noise of the crowd outside.
Zellgato's scanner is flickering. Something is wrong with it. No one in the tent seems to have a transdimensional reptilian creature transforming them from the inside, but the scanner is acting up the same way it did when he used it in the camp two months ago.
"At least we speak the same language..." observes Kai to no-one in particular as the group begins to gather their wits. Following Zellgato and the others into the tent, the techie stands by to assist Zellgato if needed.
[dice=Medicine aid]1d20+10
The girl named Genius Meadows begins to concentrate on Greer. He seems calmed by her. Pain fades from his face. The growth of the vines slows but does not stop.
Genius isn't fixing anything, but she is giving Kai time to work.
A trickle of blood runs down Genius's nose.
Removing the vines causes Greer to bleed, but Kai could remove the one digging its roots into Greer's heart with the help of Zellgato and his scanner.
Greer might live. If Kai had a medical bay like at Boston Theoretical with a stasis chamber the only problem would have been getting Greer there fast enough. You'll need a proper hospital to save Greer.
Theo sees a bottle of water in the tent.
Theo sees a bottle of water in the tent.
"Ah. Nice." Theo says to himself as he unhooks The Chalice from his belt and pours the bottle water into the scrying device.
"Genius, Don't push yourself. We'll try to help him but you can't overtax yourself." Zellgato starts to break apart his microlab, and pull parts out from who knows where on his person as he starts to construct something. "Well,I may have also screwed up the when too. Yesterday and two months ago...We're playing it by ear now. If we can stablize him for a few minutes I can kitbash a medical bay from my equipment... Theo, Charles, even if this works. Things are going to be difficult." Wanting to state more, but not wanting to mess up even more.
He gives Nissa a look "If I vanish, protect this family, I owe them." the metal lattacework of his new neck tattoo vibrates softly.
When Zellgato asks Nissa to protect, she transforms. Armor converges onto her body. She even leaves the helmet on.
She draws both guns. Though a child of any age stands taller than her, she assures the family, “I’ll keep you safe.”
Vanish? But that can’t be how it works…
Nissa has no idea how deleting works. But she knows where she is.
Ms. Grey’s world.
Theo sees a bottle of water in the tent."Ah. Nice." Theo says to himself as he unhooks The Chalice from his belt and pours the bottle water into the scrying device.
[dice=Perception]1d20 + 9
[dice=Will (if Theo needs it)]1d20 + 7
Theo sighs as his consciousness returns to his body. "World 12. May 2085. In what used to be Arizona. In what used to be the United States."
" what. Are you a chronometer now Theo? Shoot." slipping his mask back on injects another dose into Greer as Kai and Genius work on him. and continues his work building Greers hopeful life capsule.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Charles thinks that it's annoying that having three heads just seems to make everything more overwhelming, rather than less. You'd think three brains would help process things, but no, he's standing here feeling like his mind's stuffed with foam after all that's happened. He should be feeling worry about Greer's fate, but his concern is... distant, almost like it's someone else's worry he's just feeling at a distance. He should be fearing the idea of having brought some of Void here to infect a new world, but he could barely muster annoyance.
Clearly, he was just too overwhelmed to process it all.
So he lays down in front of the tent, not wanting to be in the way and kind of wary of all the people around. He'd be no use inside, so he'll stay out here and play guard dog.
" What. Are you a chronometer now Theo? Shoot."
Theo smiled and shrugged. "It's what The Chalice told me."
"Genius, Don't push yourself. We'll try to help him but you can't overtax yourself."
"I can handle it. It's just a little blood," says the girl with the scarlet hair. "I'm slowing it down."
"What could do this?" Genius's mom asks rhetorically.
Genius fishes into your minds for an answer and when she has it looks shocked. To Nissa, Zellgato, Theo, and Kai, she says, "You're all very brave."
She draws both guns. Though a child of any age stands taller than her, she assures the family, “I’ll keep you safe.”
With Kai's medical skill and Zellgato's mini-lab, things are looking good. It's going to take some time, but you'll probably be able to save Greer as long as you don't get interrupted.
Charles notes two concerned men. His fox ears perk up and twist slightly as he eavesdrops on them. He waits a few moments after one of them leaves before sticking his jaguar head into the tent.
"We're going to get a visit from a 'Brother Andrew'," he states.
“That’s not the guy version of ‘a visit from Aunt Flo,’ by any chance?”
She’s joking, but also serious.
☀️
Her eyes flare. Nissa changes the battery of one of her guns. She wants to ask the girl her name, but she’s ready to fight for Greer’s life—and the lives in this family Zellgato cares for.
"Hm, Well shit. We're carrying items that breaks the rules of the camp. Plus... **The Situation** so thats a thing... I don't see a way out of this very easily... Greer can't move reliably.
Zellgato chirps into the comms, trying to avoid letting the others hear "Quick brief. Andrew-and many of the white marked Gaia cult are Raksha invaders. Almost everyone else are innocent refuges. There is myself and my old team here. . In a few hours other would have caused a riot, Von Junzt would die, Genius taken and she rescues Past-Me and others. Things go sideways.Andrew coming here is already changing history. If we can prevent a riot we might be able to exfil many safely. if we can trick or distract Andrew and do something with my past crew...I'm at a loss."
"...I'm at a loss, things already changed heavily. If we can redirect or distract Andrews long enough an option might open up. Too many variables all at once, and Greer can't be moved much.....
Zellgato ponders their options. They are not subtle, maybe some of them could break off and walk away-drawing the crowd and the cult to them leaving some with Greer.. Zellgato's hands shake with a slight tremor, he works to subdue his own racing heart and pump of adrenline. He needs to accept some facts of the situation. Thus starts to ponder compeltely shifting the timeline and narrative at this point. "How long until the Wand can work?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The intercoms from the alternate future work. The suppression technology only worked on device from the 21st century.
Zellgato is right that Greer cannot be moved. He's still in a vulnerable state.
Everybody hears Zellgato's explanation of Brother Andrew over the comms, "Quick brief. Andrew-and many of the white marked Gaia cult are Raksha invaders. Almost everyone else are innocent refuges. There is myself and my old team here. . In a few hours other would have caused a riot, Von Junzt would die, Genius taken and she rescues Past-Me and others. Things go sideways.Andrew coming here is already changing history. If we can prevent a riot we might be able to exfil many safely. if we can trick or distract Andrew and do something with my past crew...I'm at a loss."
This corrupted FATE agency devoted itself to advancing their preferred timeline. These greedy people tried to establish themselves and their 'Corporation' as an absolute power throughout history. They ended up creating a post-apocalyptic nightmare that they no longer had control over.
Changing history. Oh… no. Despite her feeling on time-travel, she says, “Our presence makes change unavoidable whether the butterfly farts or gets swatted.
“As you said, protecting this family matters. So what is a Rakasha Invader? It is someone you trick or distract?” Nissa raises her gun. “Or someone you swat?”
Remaining on the comms-Genius knows but her parents don't and don't need to cause their panic-nor give them information that might get them killed"More like we're standing in a hornet nest. and we're allergic. They invade bodies, hollow you out and grow themselves. If we start things-its going to go very bad for Greer and here. I think we need to lie low. Or at least at this tent. We have weapons-thats not allowed so this is going to be rough regardless. There will be casualities." Shruggign briefly as the fact that that options mostly gone "Alternatively. The rest of us could take a walk-meet them part way. Maybe cause trouble. Or. We can just lean into the chaos and strike at their heart-kill some, free some captives if they haven't been changed. Force RAIN forces to step in. Force them to look at us-and not the civilians. We might be overwhelmed, nest. The family, Greer, and Kai or myself to run the lab and keep watch would need to stay and navigate the chaos."
The tone in his voice asserts the fact he doesn't think they'd win that fight. Not in a meaningful way.
"Would it be better if I bit his head off?" Charles murmurs into his comm.
After a moment the thought works its way through the fuzziness. "Why did I... say that?" He asks dreamily. While it seems like a good solution to him, it also feels... wrong somehow?
If only he wasn't feeling so overwhelmed by everything, it would be easier to think.
"Sh|t. I'm not sure what to do..", said a very confused Theo. Time travel is a new concept for the godling.
Nissa says, “We do what’s right by the people here. You all know how I feel about messing with time, but we’re here. If we can protect the innocent, that’s what we do.”
Turning to Zellgato, she asks, “What is the cost of doing nothing? I mean, you know how this night went without our intervention—short term and long term.”
"Can't say I know the long term. Invasion was ongoing. I tried to assail another encampment after this one. This place was still isolated and people being checked. I assume many infiltators escape in the chaos. Short term? Camp gets in a panic, people get rounded up. Meadows get away though. Old ally ends up as an experiment and I fail to put him down when I promised to." feeling a lack of his supplies and stares at Greer who consumed most of his gear to save. "So, do we meet them part way. Or do we go full chaos and try to hurt them and get RAIN forces to isolate the camp faster?" At the lack of any ideas, and a resounating fear of vanishing or somemthing else soon. Zellgato throws the choice at the group. Nissa's passionate flames might be the best to default on."
Speaking off the comms to the Meadows family. "At the very least we make sure Genius has a bright future. She's a smart one, and kind. Its soldiers and adult's duty to clear a path for the growing. We should not cause a fuss near here."
“Meadows…???”
Nissa stares at the green-eyed redhead. She and Scarlett are what…?
She snaps herself out.
“Partway.” Nissa sounds sure of this. “I don’t know what RAIN is, but full chaos sounds like something you wouldn’t suggest, Zellgato, unless you were trying to preserve the timeline. It’s probably the choice I would have thought was right before today.
“Now that we’re here, I know it’s possible to preserve the timeline because we already changed it by coming here. So I think we do our part to make it a change for the better.”
As Zellgato speaks to the parents, it’s clear he’s already come to the same conclusion.
“Yeah, we keep the fight as far from here as we can.”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Charles tries to force his thoughts to move faster through the numbing molasses that has for some reason taken up residence in his mind. Something deep within him seems to be shouting at him that he should be more worried about this, that his weary numbness was something more than fatigue or being overwhelmed, but it seemed so much effort to get worked up about it.
Okay, well... he was getting a lot of staring, right? "I could try to attract attention elsewhere," he mumbles into his comm unit--which is fortunately built into the helmet currently on his fox head.
"Brother Andrew's coming!" says a voice in the crowd.
"He'll find out what's going on in that there tent!" replies another.
Nissa says, “Being a supermodel is all about getting attention and acting like you’re totally not into it even though it’s, like, your money-maker.”
Nissa is on Team Distraction!
The suggested distraction: “If you don’t object, Charles, I’ll ride on your back like Lady Godiva. Clothed, of course… just similarly tempting and important-looking.”
"Hey. I'm always up for something stupid." Theo flexed, trying to project an air of confidence.
"Sure, why not," Charles says with his fox head to Nissa's question, crouching down to make it easy for her to get on his back.
At the same time his jaguar head turns to the crowd. "If you want to know what's going on, you could just ask," he states flatly. "A wounded man is getting emergency medical attention. That's what's going on."
"Man?" says a balding man who looks like he should be playing the role of 'local merchant' in a medieval drama, [b]"That thing we saw isn't anymore a man than you are!"
Some of the crowd start to jeer the 'merchant.' "I saw it! It was a lizard-person!"
Some of the others start defending the 'merchant,' agreeing that they saw the lizard-person version of Greer. Others mock them.
Then, Nissa straddles Charles and starts doing her supermodel routine. The crowd seems intrigued.
"A play!" calls out one. "They're going to do a play!"
"It's one of those travelling shows," suggests one, "like from the charity relief agencies."
People are nodding. This makes sense. No had thought of any other reason for such shiny pretty people with expensive genetics to be in the camp that made more sense. Half the crowd expects a show now. The other half is still suspicious and makes it clear their suspicion will only be satisfied if you give a good performance.
a
Nissa, demurely riding side-saddle, increases the glow of her armor so her wings spread. She removes the red helmet, revealing her shiny blondness.
“I suppose the ‘Ride of the Valkyrie’ can be thought of as a show. To me, it’s simply a ride.”
She smiles brightly, simply naming the performance so the guys can have something thematic to work off of. Theo’s godly look and Charles’ ability to be ridden can all play into this. (She hopes.)
She whispers to Charles, “Do something awesome. If I fall off, I got wings.”
"Er. Thats certainly not a plan I thought of... Well done. Got any ideas Theo? We could sword fight after I guess. If you promise not to skewer me."
Zellgato's rifle remained in the tent, but he does have his short injection blade tucked away.
"Er. Thats certainly not a plan I thought of... Well done. Got any ideas Theo? We could sword fight after I guess. If you promise not to skewer me."
Theo leans in. "Only if there's no other way, But I have other ideas I can use. This was your world. I'll back your play and protect the family."
Theo leaps nearer the group and lands in a handstand, doing pushups for the crowd.
Seeing the team make some...theatics. Zellgato opts to just move down 2 tents, and stand in front of a stranger's tent, watching. As a secondary misdirection.
[dice=Medicine]1d20 + 12
"Er. Thats certainly not a plan I thought of... Well done. Got any ideas Theo? We could sword fight after I guess. If you promise not to skewer me."Theo leans in. "Only if there's no other way, But I have other ideas I can use. This was your world. I'll back your play and protect the family."
[dice=Acrobatics]1d20 + 15
[dice=Strength check]1d20 + 5
Theo leaps nearer the group and lands in a handstand, doing pushups for the crowd.
The people 'ooh' and 'ahh' at Theo's theatrics. They aren't impressed with his feats of Strength.
"Let's have some wrestling!" yells one.
"I think this is supposed to be Norse opera," says another.
A young man in a doctor's white scrubs hustles up between the tents. Seeing the crowd around a, well, a spectacle worthy of crowding around - or fleeing - he pauses. He asks a man removed from the gathering, speaking with a slight accent, "Pardon, I was told there was someone ill? Someone needed a doctor?"
A young man in a doctor's white scrubs hustles up between the tents. Seeing the crowd around a, well, a spectacle worthy of crowding around - or fleeing - he pauses. He asks a man removed from the gathering, speaking with a slight accent, "Pardon, I was told there was someone ill? Someone needed a doctor?"
Zellgato looks over the young person coming up, noting the white clothing. "That was just an opening act for this. An attention grabber. Brought a crowd for the main course." Tapping his mask as if to go See? I've even got a mask. Nothing untoward here.
Internally Zellgato is trying to remember if he'd seen this youngster in his last go through here. He hadn't seen many doctors. except the ones that caused issues for him.
"Was there a call for help from the camp's leadership? After that speech in the square I thought there wouldn't be any door to door medical service."
Charles is startled by the bizarre suggestions of the crowd, and again has to try to push his thoughts through the apathetic lethargy dragging them down. If they were doing a show... what would his part be? Well, uh... he was a monster, and monsters were the villains, right? So... maybe something like this?
All three of his heads turn to Theo. "Very impressive, 'hero'," his jaguar head sneers. "But it will take more than showing off to get her back!" his fox head boasts. "You'll never catch me before I take her to my lair!" his 'space dinosaur' head booms.
With that, he leaps into motion, making a number of showy jumps and short sprints away from Theo that look impressive but actually slow him down enough for non-six-footed people to catch up.
The young man looks at Zellgato for a moment, then lights up, ”Oh! I did not recognize you with the mask, sir. We were not formally introduced. I am Henri.” ”But those around here usually call me Henry. One of the residents came running telling of a man or a thing that was terribly ill. He was quite bothered, but I assured him there was a logical explanation and volunteered to look into it.”
”You got here quite fast - I trust all was satisfactory during your tour of the facilities?”
"Nice to meet you. Tour? Sorry kid I think you're confusing something. I've only just arrived in the camp-and we started...this.. .
Shifting the direction of the conversation he continues. "So you're a doctor, are you with the camp administration? Or did you arrive and volunteer your services? It sounds like this Andrews is on his way-he your boss?"