Nissa snickers. “What’s a Nazi octopus doing in Atlantis? Looking for a Lost Ark?”
It does occur to Nissa there’s a reason why Nazis were often portrayed as extendible bad guys throughout 20th Century films from The Three Stooges to Indiana Jones—besides that when Indiana Jones isn’t pitted against Nazis, the movie is stupid.
“We can investigate the octopus if you’d like.
“About the wand… I’m actually wondering if its tech can be used for the Bombshell. And, L… Dr. Preston, are we going to have a service for Greer before we go anywhere?”
"We really should", Theo chimes up, fighting falling asleep at the conference table. "We didn't know him long, but he was a hero nonetheless."
L.C. looks embarrassed. "Of course, we should ... I should have started with that. Thursday afternoon there will be a service for his work friends. I think ... actually ... I don't think he had any non-work friends or family or anything. It's in New Washington. We'll fly there together."
She seems genuinely upset at herself for having forgotten.
"And, if you think it's worth checking out this alleged 'Atlantis' after the service, we'll get the Thin Spot guys up here in the meantime and talk to them about it."
"If you'd rather follow-up by going after Ms. Gray, I guess we'd better make some kind of plan."
"That would also give you a couple of days to experiment with this crystal. I don't think shooting Nissa into the malfunctioning disembodied head of an angelic android is a sustainable way of opening gates," adds L.C. "Even if she probably does enjoy it."
At that, Kai looks first at Gristlethorn, then at Zellgato. "Do either of you have expertise on that? Know what a wand should look like, what it should do?"
"I've seen these "wands" a total of perhaps twice and they're still things of fiction to me. "
[b]"That would also give you a couple of days to experiment with this crystal. I don't think shooting Nissa into the malfunctioning disembodied head of an angelic android is a sustainable way of opening gates,"
adds L.C. "Even if she probably does enjoy it."
Jarring coughs as Zellgato's drink goes down the wrong tube. " I'm sorry what now? You have an angel that is also an android. and its bodyless? and... miss shiny likes to be shot into it..?"
Rubbing his yes under the mask briefly."Do.. is there a primer or something? I thought my world was absurd."
"Looking around this place they found the crystal sounds like a good thing to do while we're waiting on... Thursday," Charles says. Only a slight quaver in his voice betrays his emotions on that subject. "And yeah, we'll want to see what we can do with the crystal before making too many plans about going to another world."
Nissa replies, “Well… I do love flying the Bombshell, but the android head is rather morbid. Even if it’s AI, it would have been nice if it looked more like a toaster.”
To L.C., she says, “I think chatting with the Thin Spot guys after the service is a good order of operations. Will Scarlet be there? I actually want to discuss something with her… it concerns the thing you and I discussed at the coffee shop.”
At that, Kai looks first at Gristlethorn, then at Zellgato. "Do either of you have expertise on that? Know what a wand should look like, what it should do?"
Gristlethorn shakes his head. "Only the most basic things. 'Treat it as a loaded weapon', 'don't touch the tip', 'leave breaking them to the experts'."
Gristlethorn shrugs. "I had enough to do just to learn enough engineering to repair junk with scrap."
The crew from Thin Spot is busy dealing with their influx of new customers. They're suddenly very popular. One thing Red Shirt Labs was good at, it was getting people excited. They'd wanted to get people excited about their planet-hopping space adventure and had spent lavishly expecting to get rewarded. Instead, Thin Spot got all the attention and the publicity.
In any case, they can't make it until Friday.
That makes Colonel Greer's service the next thing you need to attend. The service is in New Washington, which is located in the Roanoke Valley, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Plateau.
Zellgato and Gristlethorn had never met Colonel Greer, so they can choose to go along, tour Boston, or stay home keeping a low profile. The Boston of their world is mostly underwater.
The flight to New Washington is a comfortable one, in the same fast black whisperdrone choppers you took back from the Bahamas. Once over New Washington, the drones set down in a large courtyard and you're escorted to the memorial service. It's an indoor service in one of the many buildings that you need security clearance to enter.
Scarlett Meadows greets all of you at the door and says the things one says at a time like this, but then turns to Charles and says "Oh, Charles, before you leave tonight we're going to need to talk about the horses."
She looks like she would say more, but the service begins and she rushes over to someone who was just about to start looking for her.
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Theo spends an early morning on Amazon to find to greek drachma. He finds a local seller to part with 3 for under $100 dollars. With express delivery, the godling gets the ancient coins that day.
Theo plans to give the 3 coins as a 'parting gift' to Colonel Greer at the funeral.
-----
Theo takes one of the end places in the funeral line to give his respects to Colonel Greer. In a quick motion, the tall, blonde greek hero place two drachmas on the military man's eyes and one on his tongue. The godling gets some queer looks conceding, "Charon's such a stingy bastard".
Theo spends an early morning on Amazon to find to greek drachma. He finds a local seller to part with 3 for under $100 dollars. With express delivery, the godling gets the ancient coins that day.
Theo plans to give the 3 coins as a 'parting gift' to Colonel Greer at the funeral.
-----
Theo takes one of the end places in the funeral line to give his respects to Colonel Greer. In a quick motion, the tall, blonde greek hero place two drachmas on the military man's eyes and one on his tongue. The godling gets some queer looks conceding, "Charon's such a stingy bastard".
Among the attendees you would guess the majority do some kind of spy work. A couple of them stand when Theo starts to manhandle the corpse, but Scarlett waves them away and probably sends them telepathic reassurance that Theo does not mean any harm.
"Horses?" Charles asks, surprised, but has no time to ask more.
It then occurs to him that he hasn't spared a thought for the dog he and Greer had rescued, either.
Trying to push those thoughts aside, he focuses on the service. As usual, he has no idea what to say, instead just standing and bowing his head before turning away.
At the service, Kai hangs back, not having been familiar with Colonel Greer. The dampening of BINAH is turned down a notch, and Kai joins in the sorrow and grief of those who were closer to the colonel.
Nissa has no words. Only guilt. I heard the gun go off. Did Gray hear me and…?
Scarlet already told Nissa it wasn’t her fault, but she can’t even look into Greer’s eyes. Coins? Well… long enough to see the coins. But Nissa’s thoughts bounce from guilt over Greer to guilt over wearing yellow to a funeral to guilt over causing four closed-casket funerals.
She tries to conceal her feelings.
She sticks close to L.C., and makes it her personal mission to be ‘strong’ for her.
She will certainly approach Scarlet and say she’s sorry and ask how she’s doing. She hopes to chat with Scarlet after the service.
** spoiler omitted **
Zellgato hasn't a clue who this is. but certainly understands loss in unfortunate circumstances and in wars. Thus he doesn't attend but takes up other activities. Nearby enough to be of use if something hazardous occurs.
The crystal wand is a form of technology, as much as that angelic alien android head is a form of technology. It's not a form of technology that you're familiar with.
In terms of what it does, it seems to be constantly sending out pulses of the type of energy detected around transdimensional gates. Each time it does, it is opening the tiniest of windows to what Boston Theoretical is calling 'The Shuffle'--the extratemporal space through which the team has travelled a few times.
Through this window creeps Ms. Gray's transmissions. There's a signal coming in and the RSL guys have built all the equipment you need to answer.
The wand is in shards, with each shard giving off energy. Each piece seems functional, but there is a piece missing. The RSL crew has pretty much taped the crystal together with omnisium bands, but the missing piece is severely limiting its ability to produce the large amount of energy it is capable of.
The upside down spider device Channer designed would probably have remedied that, particularly at a location with 'thin spots' ... places in the world where the barrier between the 'real' and 'the Shuffle' is weaker and it seems easier to produce this kind of energy.
By the end of the third day, you're pretty sure you know how to use the wand, but you're also pretty sure it isn't going to work without the missing shard or the upside down spider device you have stored away in crates.
Kai is grateful for Zellgato's help and insight; his perspective helps Kai get unstuck a couple of times and conclude the research faster than it would have been possible otherwise.
Scarlet takes Nissa's arm and says, "It wasn't because Gray heard you. I'm sorry, but ..." She looks at L.C. "... you should ask L.C. what happened. You couldn't have made any difference."
After the service, Scarlet and another man approach Charles. The other man is introduced as the lawyer handling the disposition of the Colonel's assets. Scarlet explains, "Charles, it may take us time to sell the Colonel's horses. I'm not sure if you knew what an active rider he was. THe Colonel told me you know something about animals ..."
"Well, I especially do now." Charles smiles weakly at his attempt at a joke. "I'd be... honored to take care of them for a bit, if that's what you're asking."
He pauses, then adds, "Do you know, did he bring a dog back from work a few days before..."
He trails off, not wanting to put into words before *what*.
"Well, I especially do now." Charles smiles weakly at his attempt at a joke. "I'd be... honored to take care of them for a bit, if that's what you're asking."
He pauses, then adds, "Do you know, did he bring a dog back from work a few days before..."
"That is what I'm asking. He told me about the dog. We talked on the phone quite a bit," she said. "I know he'd have wanted to entrust you with his horses until the estate is settled. I'll show you his farm... after your mission."
You didn't tell her about the mission. She looks embarrassed and adds, "Whoops. I read your mind. I'm not supposed to do that. Especially in a room full of spooks. Sometimes it's easier than talking though."
"Talking's hard," Charles agrees with another weak smile. "That's... I'll look forward to when I get back."
Nissa is certainly relieved she didn’t give herself away. Then it’s the other way around! Hearing the laser is what led me to L.C. and Moore.
Tears flow freely as Nissa kneels before the coffin. Without the burden of guilt, she grieves properly for the first time. She manages to choke out a few words, “You were so brave until the end… you knew as long as Gray though L.C. might talk, it would postpone her execution… thank you, Colonel.”
Nissa makes no attempt to feign as if she isn’t crying. Her tears glow like molten gold, so it’s not as if she could fool anyone.
Nissa keeps a respectful distance as Scarlet talks to Charles about the horses (and the dog). Surely, Scarlet knows Nissa badly wants to talk to her.
Once she is free, Nissa asks, “Got a minute?”
While Lois recited a poem in the movie, the mental picture Nissa has in her head only voices those lines. The scene is otherwise wordless.
If Scarlet is able to see or hear the imagined film clip, she will surely have the context to fully understand the implication accompanying Nissa’s spoken question:
Please answer all of the questions aloud.
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Zellgato and Gristlethorn are chilling at Boston Theoretical. There are a large number of incredibly sturdy, soundproof, bulletproof, hermetically sealed, force-shielded containment cells that have never been used. The team has been using them as bedrooms. It's quite obvious which one belongs to Theo. The others are tidier.
That's probably where you are when Ron sends you a link to a newsfeed on one of the handhelds they gave you when you arrived.
She recalls that Scarlet was able to see Miss Gray’s face. Of course she saw the movie, unless imagination or lack of context is a factor. But she definitely has a way to see…
“A plan. Yes. I went out for coffee with L.C. one day and we talked about my ability to see what technology can’t—the world at the subatomic level! There are ways that technology can see into my memory… but the tech involves an implanted, I dunno, a device. The thing is, I can’t take anything with me when I change.
“So… I would totally get it if there’s no way you’d let anyone put a device in your head. But assuming that there’s a less invasive means, I was wondering if you’re able to see what I see. And if you’d be able to focus on my mind even when I’m impossible to see.”
Nissa is wondering if she were to shrink to subatomic size, while Scarlet is linked to her mind, would Scarlet be able to see her?
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“Okay!” Nissa shifts into her fairy form. “How about you hold out your hand? I’ll sit on your palm, and give you about ten seconds. Then I guess just do your thing and… I’ll do mine, and we’ll see if you can see what I see.”
Nissa puts her horrendously-phrased words into action. (Well… it’s ten seconds of just sitting there, and then action!)
At microscopic size, Scarlet’s fingertips are tire tracks on a beach. Shrinking further, one ridge is a deep valley. Nissa flies along the ridge as if in the Grand Canyon!
Nissa then scales down to the atomic level. The air is no longer breathable at this size. Objects (molecules) cloud the air. There is an area where these busy objects are too tightly packed for Nissa to fit through. (Scarlet’s fingertip.)
That changes when Nissa wills it. She weaves around the ever-growing atoms, until she is enveloped in a universe where stars orbit clumpy planets! After what seems like an hour to Nissa, but mere seconds to the ‘real’ world, the asteroid-sized atoms are far apart from each other.
Nissa wills herself close to one, still rapidly shrinking to less than nothing. The size of the single atom compared to her must be the size of a hill—no! A mountain! The passing electrons are endless sunrises and sunsets. But Nissa hasn’t gotten to the point where an atom is literally planet-sized compared to her, has she?
One thing that Nissa doesn’t see is any part of her body (hands, feet) come into view. She held out her impossibly bright hands in when she was microscopic. At her current size, it’s possible she is only a particle—a single point of light.
Eventually, Nissa’s done enough playing around. She grows back, and—once able to discern which way she’s facing—she grows back while hovering a few feet from Scarlet’s face.
Remaining in fairy form, she asks, “Well…?”
Objects (molecules) cloud the air.
A man appears behind Scarlet and says, "Read any naughty thoughts lately?"
Scarlet looks horrified and surprised. She thinks to you urgently, "The man from HISS! Of course he'd be here. Not that Greer liked him, but I doubt he knew that. Hide. Flee. It's probably not a good idea for him to know anything about you. I'll get back to you about MindsEye when you come back from the Bahamas."
She turns to the man from HISS and begins to talk.
I suppose my colleagues might be interested too. But I really appreciate this. I don’t know if it’s even possible to show this without our combined powers.
Nissa rushes over to L.C., feeling lighter from the lifted burdens.
“I had a chat with Scarlet,” she starts. She wastes no time telling her what just happened. “So what we talked about over coffee—it’s really gonna happen.”
Zellgato and Gristlethorn are chilling at Boston Theoretical.
That's probably where you are when Ron sends you a link to a newsfeed on one of the handhelds they gave you when you arrived.** spoiler omitted **
"...What even. I wonder if chicken people have rights here.. Otherwise you'd think they'd eat that after killing it. Its attacking, could jerky it and live off it for a while I bet."
"MMmmm. Sounds good to me", Theo comments over Zellgato's shoulder. "I'll go gear up!" The godling runs to his room to suit up.
The ride back to Boston Theoretical after the service is fast and silent. When you return to the C-Wing where your cells/bedrooms are, Gristlethorn and Zellgato are still there.
While out of state you didn't miss much, just a giant chicken dressed in a toga that attacked Boston harbor before escaping. Hawks News has given him the sobriquet 'Chicken Caesar'.
Nissa tries her best to keep a straight face after looking at the photo of Chicken Caesar.
She looks both intellectual and irresistible at any camera angle. Her face, so seriously pondering as she daintily sips her coffee.
“So, is Chicken Bruté gonna take care of this guy, or should we?”
Another thought hits her as she bites just a taste of her bagel, which she seems to be enjoying as much as she did on last summmer’s Finagle-a-Bagel billboard.
Charles sighs. "You don't think it's those two again, do you?" he asks, forgetting that at least two of those present might not know what he's talking about.
“Oh, right! Fauna… wow, I didn’t even think of that, Charles. The twins’ dad is from overseas somewhere, isn’t he? Is his lab in… Turkey?”
Nissa looks genuinely confused, not ditzily-cute-for-the-camera confused.
“Maybe all this animal stuff is throwing me. I was thinking Chicken Caesar and the Nazi octopus might be sent from the same villain. And… it could be the twins, as Charles mentioned, or their dad.” She shrugs. “Or both? Like, maybe Fauna and his dad are playing a sort of live-action board game—y’know, like Risk Y2K or Nukem—but using the Earth as the board and giant costumed animals as their pawns.”
“Or both? Like, maybe Fauna and his dad are playing a sort of live-action board game—y’know, like Risk Y2K or Nukem—but using the Earth as the board and giant costumed animals as their pawns.”
L.C. shares with you reports that Flora and Fauna were also seen at the Boston Harbor shortly after Chicken Caesar fled. As none of these creatures are extra-dimensional, TAROT hasn't been called in. Your pursuit of them was 'off-the-books' superhero stuff until they threatened the Seedbank where transdimensional entities are kept in stasis.
Also, just arrived in the Boston Harbor is the RSL yacht piloted by Ian and the Thin Spot crew. They send you a picture when the arrive. They're standing in front of two fully restored mecha with big grins and thumbs up.
They ask if they should catch a cab to Boston Theoretical.
Kai is unfamiliar with the group's previous encounter with Flora and Fauna, although there is a vague recollection of a news report some time back. Instead, Kai focuses on sharing the relevant parts of the crystal research results with Ian and the crew - namely that there is a piece missing. Kai also compliments them on restoring the mechas, asking if they had made any improvements to them.
Charles grunts sourly at L.C.'s confirmation that Flora and Fauna were seen at the site of the crime. "So are the people whose jurisdiction this is actually supposed to be going to handle this properly this time?" he asks no one in particular. "Or do you figure we'll just happen to run into them on the way out to this 'Atlantis' spot?"
When Kai speaks to the Thin Spot guys, and mentions the mechs, Nissa asks if they made accommodations for short people.
She chimes in when Charles mentions jurisdiction. “Assassin vines are not of this world, if that helps. I mean, we don’t have proof the animal-tampering uses anything otherworldly or extradimensionally, but they remorselessly murdered seven people on their last killing spree. If they haven’t killed anyone else yet, we should expect they will.
“Dr. Preston, I’ll bet the president would see the wisdom in allowing our intervention.”
"Well, this does make for a less formal meeting space," jokes L.C. "Thank you, Mackie, for getting everyone up here so quickly."
Kai reveals that there is a piece missing from the wand.
Mackie responds, "We had a deal with RSL, but there are parts of the Atlantis site that are too deep for the Starfish to explore. They brought in the mecha to explored them, but then cut us out. Anything they found in the crevice, they didn't let us in on, which I think was a breech of contract. I'm sorry, but you'd have to talk to them."
L.C. cuts in, "We had people talk to them. They claim there was giant nazi octopus in the crevice."
The Thin Spot guys laugh, but when they see L.C. is serious, they have no explanation for a bit. Mackie finally says, "Well, the Nazis were interested in Atlantis too and this site was first identified in the 1920s. It wasn't until the 2200s that anyone realized how big it was."
In response to your question about 'what we talked about earlier', L.C. jokes, "You mean, when you said you would fly inside my head? That sounds like a great idea. Maybe you can find out what is causing these headaches I keep having."
Later, at Boston Theoretical, Ian finds Nissa for a bit, "I was chatting with one of my friends who works in the Marrakech wetware markets ... He said he knows of a non-invasive way of projecting thoughts and is sending me some specs. It's cutting edge stuff. Military design, but a bunch of hackers liberated it and the chem-synth crowd are using it in drugged out immersive performance art pieces." He then shows you a video of dozens of stoned people on the floor of a warehouse projecting their thoughts on every surface. It's trippy and awful.
I mean, we don’t have proof the animal-tampering uses anything otherworldly or extradimensionally, but they remorselessly murdered seven people on their last killing spree. If they haven’t killed anyone else yet, we should expect they will.
”[/b]
"Why would an animal feel remorse for killing? If it was a big as last time-wouldn't we just look like bugs toat chickens normally eat?" Blinking a few moments. "For the record. I don't know of any giant animals nor crazy plants?"
Nissa would probably giggle if not for the seriousness of innocent lives lost. She clarifies, “Flora and Fauna are twins. They’re like… I dunno… kinda ‘fun.’ I don’t mean that like I’m condoning or excusing anything they did, or making it like they can’t help it. I mean more like they’re so dangerous because they really don’t care how much suffering and death they cause.
“They see themselves as freedom fighters for animals and plants… though the irony is they basically fight this revolution by forcing plants and animals to do their bidding.” With a shrug, she adds, “I think it’s mind control, anyway. Fauna was surprised he couldn’t control the mushroom creature. I mean, duh, his sister’s the one who talks to plants. If you have a unique superpower, like, put some effort into knowing your power’s limits, y’know?”
Nissa tones her cockiness down a notch, as her own words reminds her, “I got smacked by a naked giant the first time I tried to super nova. Fauna’s the villainy’s no excuse for me to mock his inexperience. Sorry.”
Kai feels guilty as well - for not approaching Nissa earlier and offering a supportive ear, or shoulder. Kai makes a mental note to correct that oversight before they go haring off to their next adventure.
"Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding something, but it sounds like these twins are not our jurisdiction, so to speak. If they are an immediate danger, I would of course help stop them, but otherwise I would like to focus on our main mission. I still find the part about a giant nazi octopus difficult to believe - not the giant octopus bit, but the... I mean, how would that even work? I know cephalopods are pretty smart, but there's a few hundred steps between stacking rocks and adopting a human ideology that is rooted in concepts that are entirely alien to squids!"
Kai sighs. "Anyway, we need to explore that area and try to find the missing piece."