II.51 ROMANTIC awakens. As if rising from the bottom of the sea, she slowly, laboriously climbs out of a dark sleep, full of the cold currents of strange dreams. Even as her breathing quickens and the light begins to bleed through her eyelids, she can still feel this...difference...in the air. Sounds filter through: the creak of wood, the distant slap of waves. She realizes this has been with her all along. And something else... The thick hiss of someone breathing. It scares her, but she feels too weak to move. A moment later, the faint pulse of adrenalin hits her system, and she is at least able to wake up fully. She opens her eyes. Sitting on a stool across from her bed is the old, gnarled sea captain. They are in a small, dark wooden cabin, clearly on the ship that rammed into her. Grey light--the light of a cloudy day--comes in from the open door, and so does a biting breeze. She shifts beneath the heavy wool blanket, and a touch of this cold air reaches her body; she curls up to stay warm. Her dress is still damp. He stares at her. "Why...did you hit me? Didn't you see my boat?" she says, weakly. Then, "I am grateful to you for saving me, of course." "Is it nae the law a' the sea to rescue those adrift?" he says gruffly. "Yes, but you were looking right at my boat when you colli--" "ENOUGH! I'll not be questioned!" he growls suddenly. "I have my own reasons. Aye, old Ahanno has 'ad 'is own reasons from long afore you were born, lass." "Uh, well, I'd be really thankful if you could just drop me at the Marina. I think my friends could even give you a little something to express their gratitude at having me back..." He snorts derisively at her timid suggestion. "Yer friends have nothing I want...except one thing. And that I'll get myself. Ahanno needs no woman as hostage. What he wants, he takes! That's the real law o' the sea. From the Phoenicians to the Danes to the Spanish to those German wolves in the U-boats. And from before all that, and till long atter even I ain't no longer sailing." This is followed by a rueful, leering grin. Romantic is surprised at his knowledge. "You know a lot about the history of sailing?" she asks. He squints at her. "None o' yer business. You'll stay here till I decide what you're good for." He stands, stooping in the small room, and heads for the door. "And do trust that I will find something you're good for." He grins again, cruelly, then undoes the hook that held the door open, and slams it shut on his way out. User: TRAVELER Date: 18-Jan 06:15 PM 758916941
II.52 *...meanwhile, during the previously-depicted events...* ...FIREFLYTE had made the rounds of the gardens and the walkway, and hadn't found ALBATROSS...{{Where in the blazes is that man?}} she thinks, as she enters the Red Room...she grins at Jon Vallee as she ducks under the counter- leaf and heads into the kitchen...there she encounters DIQMAN, in mid-cough, chef's hat vaguely askew, face looking rather pale... "You ok?" she asks, noticing the gent's dishevelled state... He smiles wryly, "Well, I'm not dead yet. Took 6 ComTreks with some raspberry tea." FIREFLYTE furrows her brows, concerned, "If you're sick, you don't need to be slaving in here...it's not your job to keep us ALL fed..." DIQMAN's face takes on a hurt cast, "That is a helluva thing to say to me." The tails of his chef's apron swirl a bit as he returns to his job, and an odd string of associations run through FIREFLYTE's mind. She looks at the calendar by one of the doors, and blinks. "SHIT!!! ...I didn't realize!!! It's the 19th of January -- Edgar Allan Poe's Birthday! I have a date at the graveyard tonight!!! Jeez, I hope there's still some of that cognac in the cellar..." Just then the two hear a muffled scream from the Black Room, a crash of glass from the Blue Room, and then a sudden silence replacing the steady low throb of music usually emanating from the wall toward the Black Room. They look at each other, simultaneously raising an eyebrow. FIREFLYTE heads through the doors to the Blue Room just in time to see INLERAH dash into the Black Room, blood running down her arm, glass crunching underfoot. A cursory expletive escapes from DIQMAN, who ducks back into the kitchen for cleanup supplies. FIREFLYTE pauses a moment, as the thin trail of blood-spatters is smeared under the feet of the patrons being ushered out of the Black Room... ...She tries to get in to see what happened, but is blocked by one of CADO's security grunts. She gathers the general info. from the milling patrons, realizes a trapped crowd could get nasty, and quickly starts a video on the big-screen in the Blue Room. "We apologize for the inconvenience, but while the VPD are working to clear things up, please feel free to relax in any of our other three rooms..." By random coincidence, the video she threw in turns out to be a dubbed copy of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Retreating to the Red Room, she buries herself for a short while in a lace-enshrouded alcove amidst the velvet-curtained walls (one of a number of such niches), smiling wanly when Jon Vallee brings over some Amaretto Tea. "You're psychic, you know that...?" He grins, bobs a gallant bow, and dashes off to wrestle SVEN away from the Espresso-maker, which he had apparently just tied himself to with one of ECSTASY's whips. {{Collate please, objectify.}} ...Her thoughts switched modes to clipped analog. {{Track 1--tea, dark room, acrid coffeehouse; Track 2--Gotta calm down, Inle' can't be involved like that; Track 3--something's not right, puzzle pieces; Track 4--I sound like a fucking Oompa-Loompa; Track 5--Dark, dust, silence, the beat is wrong, the beat is wrong, the beat is wrong...}} She blinks. {{The drums...the thunder...the storm...my God, it's here.}} She thinks back to the last time she'd brought out cognac to the ghosts...on the cliff, looking out over the Bay... ...she realizes she's spilt the tea, and the dark stain runs down the red velvet tablecloth like blood... User: Fireflyte... ...let's tie it together with some Gordian knotwork, eh?... Date: 19-Jan 01:07 AM 758941681
II.53 Who do you have to kill to get a burger at the VVC? This place doesn't even have a towel room but with all the sailing, Romantic will surely need a towel before the day's out. Tell you what... I'll provide the towel concession for the storylines but someone's got to fry me up a cheeseburger. I think I'll go hang out beneath X's Ivory Tower if you need me. User: Perigrine has nice warm towels but no food. Date: 19-Jan 09:35 AM 758972227
II.54 PERIGRINE, wandering around in the White Room with the rest of the confused, worried crowd, bumps into PALLAS. "Man, I could use a cheeseburger," Perigrine mutters. "Cheeseburger? I hardly even--" Pallas stops when he sees the look in Perigrine's eye, which clearly says _Don't finish that joke unless you want ANOTHER murder to occur_. "Seriously though...I could make you an okay cheeseburger...I think," Pallas says. "That's why I came here today--I heard the chef was, uh, on leave. I've been on leave myself from my old job as headwaiter--but I always wanted to try my hand at cooking. You think they'll let me?" Perigrine shrugs. "It's worth a try. But TRAVELER is kinda busy at the moment--I doubt he's ready to talk to you about it." "Oh, that's okay, I'll just go ahead and get started." Pallas heads towards the Kitchen. "Did you say one cheeseburger? Coming up!" User: TRAVELER Date: 19-Jan 12:55 PM 758984151
II.55 TRAVELER gazes through the telescope for long minutes, hoping to see some sign of ROMANTIC out on the waves...but there is nothing. A sinking feeling fills his chest. A thin grey overcast spreads out over the Bay, coming from the north. Sadly, he turns and walks slowly to the door on the south side of the Black Room, and unlocks it with his personal key. Inside, the dance club is almost empty. CADO's assistants guard the entrances to the Red and Blue rooms, keeping curious onlookers out. Orpheus sits at his console, withdrawn. ECSTASY stands over TREKKER's body, talking with MOODINDIGO, while MISTERB and EINSTEIN sit at the Bar, in shock. The club's normal gloom has been lightened by incandescent track lights turned on around the walls; still, the lack of windows means that the only daylight leaks in from the adjoining rooms. "I don't see any sign of her," Trav says quietly, coming over to X and Moodindigo. "I guess that means two deaths in one day." "Wait, maybe not," says Moodindigo. "I was just telling X that from the Ivory Tower, I thought I saw Romantic get picked up by the black ship. It was strange...the ropes looked like they were just snaking out by themselves. Maybe the whole thing was a trick of the light--the ship was pretty far out. But I think it was her." "I hope so. Now I guess we wait for the police to get here...and for any word from the Coast Guard. Maybe we should call them again, and tell them about the black ship." Moodindigo volunteers to do this, and heads over to the phone behind the bar. At the same moment, SYLVAR appears from the vicinity of his coffee bar in the Red Room. "I know there's a lot going on right now, boss," he says to Trav, "but we can't forget about DARICELL, ZOROASTER and GHOST." Traveler sighs. "Yeah. But what can we do? We don't know where exactly they're being held, and we don't have a lawyer for them." "I believe I can address both those problems," Jon replies. "It seems that DIQMAN and CADO got SVEN to help them hack into the police mainframe, so now we know what room Zoro is in at Virtual Memorial, and that Ghost and the Dark Lady are being held at the Metropolitan Jail." Trav brightens. "Well, that's a start. What about a lawyer?" "Uh...well..." The coffee man digs into his pocket and fishes out a crumpled, folded piece of paper. "Here it is." He opens it up, and Traveler peers at it. "What does that say? Four box tops? And why is there a picture of Sally Struthers? Wait a minute, it says JON VALLEE...that's you..." Traveler looks up at him, frowning. "You have a law degree!?" User: TRAVELER Date: 19-Jan 01:14 PM 758986100
II.56 ECSTASY steps away from the conversation and creeps up behind SVEN. "Will you be paying for that illicit liquor with cash or a few pounds of aggregate flesh?" The Cat O'Nine Tails flashes underneath her right arm as she hisses into his ear. DON'T STEAL FROM MY BAR! User: ECSTASY Date: 19-Jan 07:33 PM 759008019
II.57 Richard's laughter echoed off the walls in the darkness of the cellar as Cado fell, drifting unconcious momentarily. The Dark Man's eyes burned red and flickered in the blackness. The power took on a rhythm as it passed through him, and Richard closed his eyes to enjoy it.. After a while it began to slow, and Richard relaxed, becoming contemplative. It wasnt until then he truly took any real notice of Cado lying at the foot of the steps. In the near blackness of the sealed cellar, Richard's eyes seemed to float as if disembodied. They gazed down at the motionless figure thoughtfully. As Cado began to stir, he moved beside him, without a sound. His thoughts had been mere idle projections of what might be done with the man. Now, like a cat seeing the mouse stop playing dead and try to escape, he was quick to pounce. All thoughts of plans and schemes gone, there was only the instinct of the predator left to go on. And again Richard was happy.. Inwardly he began the dance again. And outwardly, he began to tease the mouse. A dry laugh escaped him as he reached a hand down, quickly taking hold of Cado's windpipe and squeezing tightly, in an ever so painfully slow way. The laugh gave way to an eerie, sarcastic, gravelly voice which intoned "Hellooooooo Nurse." and then broke into another hackle-raising laugh. Cado struggled, coughing and spluttering, and trying desperately to remove the deadly clawlike hold of the hand around his throat. He was awake now, and squirming, the laugh penetrating his mind as he stared frantically into the darkness, seeing nothing but those floating, burning red eyes. Another choking cough escaped him, as he kicked out, digging his fingers into the invisable hand that gripped him. In his mind he screamed, but nothing came from him.. nothing but the squirms and struggles as Richard tightened his grip further. The euphoria was returning, and Richard opened up to let it take him, hissing out another laugh as Cado's struggles weakened beneath him. But suddenly it was Richard who was screaming. The power.. the euphoria began pulling.. yes pulling was the only way to describe it. Like pulling a blanket off the floor, center first. It pulled out of him, and whiplashed back, *pushed*... a searing, burning, mind numbing pain blasted thru the Dark Man, and he screamed in rage and agony, his grip on Cado broken immediatly. Another snarling scream came from him as his rage took hold of him. Cado was scrambling away, fumbling with whatever strength he had left toward the top of the stairs. Richard jumped to catch the man, a low growl in his throat, but that pain was there, much weaker this time, but even so it left Richard with no desire to move again. He sat there snarling and hissing as Cado dissappeared atop the steps. << why??? >> Richard snarled. And all around him the room seemed filled with malevolent whispers. << why'd you stop me?? >> The power seemed to resume its slow, steady rythmic pace.. like a heartbeat that was racing due to some adrenalin push, and had settled back to normal again. In his mind, Richard felt it, for the first time, press close to him. close enough almost to touch. It made the Dark Man shudder in the black coldness of the cellar. ...He heard << not yet... >> User: INLERAH Date: 20-Jan 05:35 AM 759044168
II.58 CADO scrambled wildly for the top of the steps to the door, where escape was possible... ...Only to find that two seconds later he had jumped down behind the staircase and was now crouching behind the farthest wine rack. <<Damn! Why do I always do this?>> CADO's instincts always seemed to get the better of him, even against his good judgement. But somehow, they were always right. ...At any rate, he was determined to find out just what the hell was going on around here, and who in the hell just tried to asphyxiate him from existance. He crouched down and tried to get a look at the shadowy figure standing in the darkness... <<This could be our murderer>> he thought. Suddenly, another thought dawned on him... <<The cellar door isn't locked!!! He can get out!>> User: Cont'd... Date: 20-Jan 08:07 AM 759053345
II.59 CADO's mind raced frantically. Perhaps he should have overrode his instincts after all and ran out the door when he had the chance...How was he going to get that door locked? He reached for his pocket radio, but realized that it would make too much noise...He looked around...the control panel was too far away for him to send a message via internet...he'd be killed for sure... ...Suddenly, he spotted the dumbwaiter next to him. <<Thats it!>> An idea sprang to life. Quietly, he reached into his pocket and removed a small silver key from his keychain and placed it in the dumbwaiter. Next, he carefully removed a bottle of wine from the rack and placed it next to the key on the dumbwaiter. Slowly, quietly, he pulled the cord and hauled the dumbwaiter up, thanking heaven that he had remembered to oil the pulley at ECSTASY's demands that the squeaking was driving her up the wall. Once at the top, CADO secured the dumbwaiter cord and crouched back down in the darkness. The figure in the darkness stirred... User: Cont'd... Date: 20-Jan 08:30 AM 759054625
II.60 One of ECSTASY's assistant bartenders noticed the dumbwaiter and went to remove the bottle, with the intent of taking it to the head bartender, who had probably ordered it. Removing the bottle from the dumbwaiter, she noticed beside it a small silver key. <<Strange,>> she thought, as she picked it up. ECSTASY was busy trying to calm customers. "I'm sure it's just temporary, sir. You weren't in a hurry to leave, were you? here...have another drink..." ECSTASY felt a tap on her shoulder and whirled around. "Hello? Yes?" "Madame," said the assistant, handing her the wine and the key, "here is the wine you ordered...and I found this in the dumbwaiter." "But I didn't order any wine..." ECSTASY protested. "What's this?" Looking at the small key, she could just make out some faded letters.."C*ll*r" It didn't seem to make sense. She looked up for a moment, then at the bottle of wine...which was labeled "Murder On The South Side." Her eyes grew wide. "MAX!" she called. "You'd better come over here. I think I know where Cado is..." User: Cado...Sorry Max...more renovations. :) Date: 20-Jan 08:46 AM 759055660
II.61 Grrr...I deleted this once before posting it. Here goes again. The Virtual Virtual Vax Cafe Update ----------------------------------- * I think I'd better start posting these again weekly. Normally, it'll be on Monday, but things are so complicated now they need sorting out. :) * ALBATROSS, controlled by the coin left by the old sailor ("Captain Hansen"?), has found a mysterious stone set in the wall of the VVVC cellar, and turned it, thus releasing some strange evil force. One result: INLERAH's "dark half" Richard has gotten loose and killed TREKKER. The Cafe has been locked up till the police arrive. * ROMANTIC went for an excursion into the Bay in a rowboat. First she was beset by bad weather, then rammed by the old sailor's black-sailed ship. She's been picked up, and the ship is heading north. * CADO is locked in the Cafe cellar with Richard, but has managed to signal the "upstairs" via the dumbwaiter. * ECSTASY and MOODINDIGO have nearly finished the Ivory Tower, an elite retreat above the Red Room. Soon it will be opened to the public...or rather to a select few. :) While working, they witnessed Romantic's accident, and rescue. * ZOROASTER is still in the hospital recuperating from the Man In Black's attack, way back when. Before lapsing into a coma, he muttered "Find... DARICELL," but the police thought he was fingering his assailant. So they have arrested her! She is in jail, along with GHOST (the new lighting technician), arrested for interfering. By fiendish coincidence, she is in the cell next to VENKMAN, and Ghost is Venkman's cellmate. * SVEN, persuaded by DIQMAN and CADO, has hacked into the police computer to find out where Zoro, Ghost and Daricell are. Now they need a lawyer... and SYLVAR has revealed that he actually has a law degree...of some sort. * And through it all, TRAVELER still plans to hold a rave soon in the cliffside meadow north of the Cafe. Will it happen? How will our heroes get out of their various jams? Keep reading! :) User: TRAVELER Date: 20-Jan 11:43 PM 759109422
II.62 "Never thought I'd be my own best customer," mutters Jon Vallee. He's at a desk, poring over stacks of legal papers. A 32-ounce mug (of cafe Cubano, yet!) steams at the corner of the desk. "Making any progress yet?" asks Fireflyte, passing by with a pot of blackcurrant tea. "Some. I don't think the prosecution has very much evidence. All Zoroaster said was '*find* Daricell', not 'Daricell did it'. That's enough to arrest her, but not to convict her. Of course, if Zoroaster should recover, my job would be much easier." "Mm. He's still in a coma, though. I'd like nothing better than to see him well again, but you'd better not count on it." Jon nods. "That's what I figure." "Tea?" "I'll take a raincheck... I need something with a little more caffeine right now. Thanks, though." She smiles and moves on. Jon's head sinks slowly back to the documents in front of him. User: Jon Vallee Date: 21-Jan 08:39 AM 759141568
II.63 Update on me: I am still in critical condition, but the fine vetrinarians healed my fractured neck. Good vets. Must remember not to bite them so much. I can't move much yet, but they tell each other that I will be up and running in a few weeks. I feel Zoroaster's pain..... he is under the shadow of the darkness. It marks his heart. User: Maharet Date: 21-Jan 11:11 AM 759150725
II.64 Traveller: In the VVC update you forgot that I hadn't gotten my cheeseburger and that Pallas has become a suspect in the framing of the cook. He does want the job, after all.... :) By the way, X... Is there an opening for a towel boy at the new Tower? User: PERIGRINE Date: 21-Jan 11:32 AM 759151955
II.65 After serving the cheese thingie that was ordered, Pallas decides to go to the employee washroom to attempt to wash most of the grease off of him, and while there, he scribbles this sentence of his own invention onto a wall: Any brain can deduce ecstasy for gluttonous humans if jealously killing lovers might not open police quests, reducing sex to unlimited variations with xenophobes yearning zealousness. He then goes about his now usual business of serving patrons. (: User: Embittered P U L S E - l e s s Failure: Formerly 33.3% Date: 21-Jan 02:28 PM 759162522
II.66 I didn't order this.... I can't even Identify this..... um..... Cheese Thingie! What the hell are you talking about, Pulse? User: PERIGRINE Date: 21-Jan 07:17 PM 759179836
II.67 CADO stands warily in the darkness of the wine cellar beneath the VVVC. He is sure his attacker must still be down here with him--but the noise of heavy, hissing breathing has vanished. Now the dark plays tricks with his eyes, and he thinks he sees sparkles and waves of color around him. He gets a creeping feeling that someone is coming up behind him...but turns, waves his arms around, and finds nothing. Then he has an idea... He goes over to the winerack he approached before, and opens a small panel to expose the numeric keypad on the wall. He taps in the proper code, and the shelf slides away--the door to a fluorescent-lit corridor. He can hide in the fallout shelter that TRAVELER has installed here beneath the Cafe! The stranger will never be able to get at him then. But as he is about to enter, he hears a noise like rushing wind from the other side of the cellar. Bottles clink and rattle uneasily, and a draft starts sucking air in that direction. Now Cado sees real light--shining lines of it, half-obscured by the wineracks. Shielding his eyes, he moves a bit closer to this new phenomenon. It appears to be a portal of light, opening from some other dimension. Air rushes in to it...and before he knows it, Cado feels himself being pulled in as well! His feet slip; he leans back, trying to fight the powerful force. Bottles of wine fly off nearby shelves and disappear into the portal, or smash on nearby walls. He grabs on to the end of a shelf and hangs on for dear life, as his body is stretched out sideways towards the glowing doorway. He feels his grip loosening... Then it fades away abruptly. The wind stops, and he stumbles to the ground. Seconds later, the door at the top of the cellar stairs opens, and TRAVELER's welcome voice says, "Cado? You okay down there?" User: TRAVELER Date: 26-Jan 04:08 PM 759600492
II.68 "How did you manage to lock yourself in the basement?" TRAVELER says with amusement. But his grin fades as CADO tells him of his attack--and shows him his injuries. "And you think this guy's still down there?" Trav asks quietly, as they stand at the top of the stairs in the Kitchen. "Yes," Cado replies grimly. Just then comes a loud banging on the locked entrance doors. "LOUCH, could you get that?" Trav says to one of the employees gathered round the wounded Cado. She obliges, and upon opening the doors at the front of the White Room, finds a large group of City Police in their standard gendarme uniforms. "You guys must be getting sick of seeing this place," she jokes, but the head officer strides past grimly with no reply. Somehow the police captain knows exactly where to find Traveler this time. He enters the Kitchen as Cado is about to tell Trav and the others about the mysterious portal. "Monsieur Traveler! It seems I have the... duty...of returning to your trouble-prone establishment once again. You say there has been a homicide?" "I'm afraid so, Captain," Trav says. "Come this way." They exit the Kitchen on the Black Room side. "As you see, I've cleared out the room where it happened; but no one has been allowed to leave the building. I figured you would want to--" "To do some questioning, yes, but I know how to do my job. It was a clever thought, nonetheless. Rohmer!" The captain summons one of his officers. "You and the others begin questioning and fingerprinting the suspects--that means everyone, including the employees!" He turns back to Traveler. "And you, of course." "Of course," the cafe owner says neutrally. "But why fingerprinting?" "There is a murder weapon, is there not?" Trav nods, and points down at the dagger sticking through TREKKER's body, over which they are now standing. "Match prints on weapon to prints on killer...we may have this wrapped up very quickly." "Ah, there is one other thing," Trav says. "My bouncer says he was just locked in the cellar with someone who attacked him. Possibly the person who did this." "Mon Dieu, man, why did you not tell me this!? Francois! Michel! With me! There is a suspect in the cellar! Consider him dangerous, possibly armed." The captain and several other officers charge into the Kitchen, through the cellar door, and down the stairs. Traveler watches the dark door anxiously. Then SYLVAR taps him on the shoulder. "There's still the matter of DARICELL et al," he says. "Oh. Yes. Well, as their attorney, I guess you better get down to see them. Have you been questioned and fingerprinted yet?" "Yes," says Jon ruefully, examining his blackened fingertips. "They took a statement, so I guess I'm free to go. Do you know exactly where the jail is, though?" "I think it adjoins the main Technopolitan Courthouse, on Howard Disske Drive, downtown," says Trav. "Hmmm...I guess the fastest route would be to go north on Bay Road, till I hit the Information Superhighway. Then I could head south on Eigenstate 95, right into the City." He nods decisively, then steps over to a sink and starts washing the ink off his hands. "I'll give you a call after I've spoken to our pals, 'kay?" Trav gives him the ok sign, as the coffee man heads out. At that moment, the police captain and his men come back upstairs, puzzled. "Is there any other way out of that cellar?" the Captain asks Traveler. "No...though there is a secret chamber..." "The automatic door? That was open...we looked inside. I am afraid there was no one there--no one anywhere in the cellar." User: TRAVELER Date: 26-Jan 04:12 PM 759600734
II.69 What do you mean nobody says 'et al.'? Okay, I should have said 'et alia', but I'm under a LOT OF STRESS! If you care to give me a hand... *sigh* Sorry. These legal documents would make Gandhi want to pull a drive-by. User: Jon Vallee, in the Blue Room Date: 27-Jan 03:41 PM 759685310
II.70 The police, mystified by the empty cellar, have resumed their questioning and fingerprinting of VVVC employees and customers. TRAVELER has given his statement, and is now restlessly pacing through the various rooms of the restaurant. Amid all the turmoil, he knows he has to get back to work on the project of the hour: the rave. He goes up to his office and examines the boxes of colorful flyers delivered earlier that day: small glossy slips covered with swirling fractal designs and saying, in white letters, "Experience >>D I V I N E R E B I R T H<< at the Virtual Virtual Vax Cafe 9 pm till 9 am...12 hours of ecstatic energy! Mixmaster: DJ Orpheus Smart Bar and Coffee by Ecstasy and Jon Vallee Lighting by GhostLight Productions" The flyer goes on to list the date, and on the reverse side, a map and directions. He grabs a few stacks of them and walks back downstairs to distribute them in strategic locations around the Cafe, and also hands a few out to customers. "Coming soon...Divine Rebirth...yes, we're holding a rave, over at the cliffside meadow...Be there..." "Well, he's certainly not letting all this trouble pull him down," says SIREN to PERIGRINE, as they sit at a table in the White Room and watch Trav making the rounds. "Yeah, you'd almost think he'd already forgotten about...you know, TREKKER and ROMANTIC...not to mention DARICELL, ZOROASTER and GHOST," replies Perigrine as he gamely attempts to eat the cheese "thingie" served to him by PALLAS. "Hey, everyone has different reactions to stress," replies Siren. "As the Cafe's part-time publicist, I approve of how he's handling this. In fact, I'm supposed to help...I need to get out and take some of those flyers to some clubs and restaurants in town." "Better talk to the police, then, so they'll let you leave," says Perigrine. She agrees, and goes off to find a willing policeman. Meanwhile, Traveler has made the rounds of the Cafe, stopping briefly along the way to chat with employees. "I know this has shaken everyone up, but we've got to carry on. After all, we've got a rave to throw!" Beaming, he unlocks the west door of the Red Room, and walks outside, toward the path leading to the cliffside meadow. The workmen should have at least some of the lighting scaffolds installed by now... User: TRAVELER Date: 27-Jan 04:29 PM 759688188
II.71 Oh, if anyone's wondering why SIREN isn't very preoccupied by TREKKER's death in the preceding scene, it's because I haven't postulated any connection between them in the world of the VVVC. In other words... "TREKKER? He didn't even know her!" *ducks* User: Trav & Co. present "Trekker's Dead: The Final Nightmare" on VvVc Theatre Date: 27-Jan 04:35 PM 759688574
II.72 As the night drapes it's dark cloak over the VVC two red lights activate in a forgotten corner. With a click and a whir a metallic form raises off the ground. It glides over to a side door. The door unlocks with a *click* and is opened from the other side. "Thanks ROBO, it's been a while," STEFAN says, knocking the dust off his greatest achievement. "Let's just lay low and see how all this works out." "Bleep ticka ticka." the robot chimes happily. User: Stefan...still keeps an eye on things Date: 27-Jan 08:52 PM 759703950
II.73 As Traveler went about his business, the police continued their investigation. Inle had puzzled out the cryptic message told to her by the DJ Orpheus.. and she had started for the cellar entrance when one of the gendarme had stopped her. She had been placed with the others, questioned, and fingerprinted.. the subject of her cut hand interested the police greatly, and her interogation lasted longer than most others.. but in the end they seemed satisfied by her explaination of the shattered glass. Afterward, she was lead out to the red room, while the police finished their thorough exam of the murder scene. Anxiously she paced for awhile, refusing Jon Vallee's offering of something liquid to soothe her troubles. She took a cloth napkin from one of the tables, and began to clean ink from her fingers, and when done, she began to really clean the cut on her palm, wincing everytime she put cloth to flesh. With the wound cleaned, she tied another of the napkins over it in a bandage and then looked around quietly for an escape. there had to be a way out.. and she needed to find it. quickly. There was no time, she needed to get out, to the circle, if there was any hope of stopping Richard.. As she opened and closed her hand, testing the cloth bandage, her eyes darted everywhere, and alighted on something.. a smile crept across her face, as she disappeared in the shadows. ...meanwhile in the cellar... Richard sat back, still angry, and as his mind seethed with that anger, he searched the darkness, probed it. tried to examine that now dull rhythmic power that was everywhere around him. tried to see it, make it take a shape, identify it. he was having little to no luck, and it only added to his outrage. But he had stopped his outward snarling, and become quiet. He sat in the darkness, hearing even the almost silent breathing of the human he had almost killed a short time earlier. he was trying to spot Richard in the darkness. heheh. Richard found that humorous.. and that eased a little of the annoyance. He moved, and did not even attempt to hide the noise, and he could feel the man's fear grow, and grinned at it. Suddenly Richard's attention was diverted... ....his hand itched. He brought it toward his face, and he could feel the moistness now as he opened and closed his hand. his fingers closed, and ran over his palm, the viscous nature of it told him it was blood. but, his? he had not been cut. had the man dug his nails into him that badly? from the feel of it, there was a lot of blood. no.. no, as Richard continued to examine his hand, he slowly began to realize he /was/ cut. on the palm.. the man had not cut him on the palm. ..then how? "hmm. my hand." Richard said laconically, and before he could say anymore, there was an eruption of light, and all thought of the insignificant wound was gone... .....in the Black Room, a small skinny member of the VPD crime crew, who reminded Traveler of a weasel for some reason, carefully executed his job and removed a set of beautifully clear prints from the handle of the knife blade left in the victim's back. He was quite pleased with himself, and set about in a hurried motion to use their new on-site equipment to make virtual images of said prints, and get immediate results from the samples taken of the patronages at the Cafe. Within no time, the weasel was exclaiming he had a match, and scurried over to his superior. The man's eyes seemed to dance with the knowledge, and he made a quick inquiry into the location of the red-handed suspect. One of the other of the gendarme pointed to the Red Room, and without a further word, the lot of them strided forward in preparation for bringing this deadly business to a quick end. They filed into the room, the weasel beside his superior as the man bellowed his question, "Where is the one named InleRah?" The patronage of the Cafe mulling in the Red Room looked about each other, muttering and looking quite unsure of what to do. A quick appraisal of the Room and a search by the uniformed men showed that Inle was indeed, ..gone. Red-faced, the superior issued a curse, and the weasel stepped back. flinched actually. "Find her!" is all he said. The men began scurrying. User: INLERAH Date: 28-Jan 04:52 AM 759732748
II.74 Dateline: VPD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The air was cold, damp seeming to seep out of the cement walls of the jail cell. Daricell shivered and pulled her blanket tighter around her on the hard, tiny cot. It was lights-out in the jail, and the prisoners were supposed to be asleep, but noises echoing through the cells kept the CopperPot from slumber. Noises... and worries. No one had come yet to tell her whether Zoro was all right, whether he was still alive. No one had come to her at all. In the next cell over, through the bars, Daricell could see Venkman's snoring form, and the pacing, antic figure of Ghost. The snores weren't for real; Venkman was doing his damnedest to ignore the activity of his cellmate, and was trying the "if you ignore him, he'll stop" approach. But as Ghost told the bars to stop slithering, Daricell could hear a groan from the one-time owner of Farah's. "Stop it! Just stop it!" "They're going to move again -- can't u see them? They're going to wrap around me in my sleep... i won't sleep." Ghost shook his head decidedly, keeping a wary eye on the cell bars. "Oh, God, nooooooooo..." Venkman moaned.... User: Daricell -- Take it away, Rob! Date: 28-Jan 01:51 PM 759765130
II.75 And ECSTASY pours shots of Cuervo for all. User: ecstasy Date: 29-Jan 11:08 AM 759841689
II.76 make mine Courvoisier... User: Sanctuary - loves the warmth of cognac... Date: 29-Jan 02:40 PM 759854448
II.77 *Back a half-hour, in the VVVC Red Room:* ...FIREFLYTE gives up trying to clean up the spilled tea after a few minutes, cursing mildly, then settles into a daze after throwing back a second cup, twice the sugar...she barely notices INLERAH come into the room, and clean and bandage her hand, only when she starts pacing does 'Flyte rouse herself, smiling ruefully when Inle's eyes light upon her sitting in the curtain-shrouded alcove. As Inle comes over and sits, she looks about her warily....Fireflyte speaks first, in the High Singing...: "Nre'fa-o, Cu'nre..." ...Inlerah replies in a thick Lapine accent she usually tones down for most folks,... "Greetings, PfeffaRah..." ...'Flyte nods at the compliment, as Inle continues pensively, "I must get out of here...silf...out of this embleer nest of elil and shadows..." Fireflyte's eyes widen a moment, as she sees the look on Inle's face, "You hear it too? The drums, the storm,....it's here, isn't it??" Inlerah smiles faintly, "Aye, it is...I'm for the Circle. Now. With me?" Fireflyte's eyes darken, and she nods. The two move out quickly and silently, making their way through the shadows and the curtains to the doors out to the gardens. Not five minutes later, the gendarmes rush in to the Red Room to make their announcement, but the two are gone, save for a small, grey feather left on the table next to 'Flyte's teacup... User: Fireflyte... ...into the Storm's eye... Date: 29-Jan 05:43 PM 759865419
II.78 ECSTASY decides that things are getting way too weird around here and heads for her recently erected haven, the Ivory Tower, with a bottle of Absolut, couple of packs of smokes, a book of Ezra Pound's poetry, and a boyfriend in hand. She turns back and orders one of her leather bound minions to tend the bar in her stead. She utters one final warning to her clone: "Don't let SVEN touch the liquor!" User: ECSTASY Date: 30-Jan 06:27 PM 759954461
II.79 *an eerie, high-pitched squeal peals forth from a nearby terminal--apparently a laptop Mac Powerbook in the hands of a gentleman dressed in a Slayer T-shirt, with his feet up on a tabletop,...it forms the words:* "I'm not touching you!!! I'm not touching you!!!!" "Is this bothering you?! Is this bothering you??!" *...on the back of the LCD color flip-up screen is a label reading JtR, in a technoscript font, in silver...the sound file is distinctly annoying...* User: Fireflyte... ...is astounded at the people you can find here in V R...;) Date: 30-Jan 09:35 PM 759965809
II.80 ...then Odo (currently morphed as a glass of tea) spills all over the computer. As the screen image melts, the sound garbles, but you could swear he says: "Arrgh! I'll get you for this!" ...and the rest is obscenity. User: careful punctuation-watchers should be able to guess who this is... =) Date: 31-Jan 08:59 AM 760006793
II.81 The Virtual Virtual Vax Cafe Update: ------------------------------------ * CADO has escaped being trapped in the basement with "Richard" (TREKKER's killer, linked to INLERAH in some strange shadow-relationship), but not before seeing a strange dimensional doorway open up and almost suck him in. * The Virtual Police Department has arrived, and begun fingerprinting and taking statements from everyone in the Cafe. They have also got a good set of prints from the blade which killed TREKKER in the Black Room. INLERAH and FIREFLYTE, however, knowing that something evil is in the air, have slipped out of the Cafe before the police arrived. * MOODINDIGO believes he saw the black ship pick ROMANTIC up after it collided with and destroyed her rowboat. The Coast Guard are on the way to search for the ship, and whatever remains of the rowboat. She is resting in a cabin on the ship, which the captain appears to control through magical means. * DARICELL and GHOST are spending their first night in jail. GHOST is seeing some interesting things, and speaking to them, which is driving VENKMAN, his cellmate, insane. * ECSTASY, feeling overwhelmed by events, has just retreated to the new Ivory Tower with a bottle of Cuervo. TRAVELER continues to be enthused about the upcoming DIVINE REBIRTH rave, and after passing out flyers to the Cafe's patrons, is walking out to the cliffside meadows to see how the equipment setup is going. User: TRAVELER Date: 31-Jan 03:18 PM 760029509
II.82 On the Black Ship ----------------- ROMANTIC has felt drowsy since awakening in the small wooden cabin, and wonders if she has been drugged. But as she lies in bed, considering her situation and the strange man who has apparently taken her captive (what did he call himself? Ahannos?), she hears something that rouses her awareness. It is the sound of boat engines. She throws off the woolen blanket and rushes to the cabin window. It is near the stern of the ship, but on the side, so she can't really look backwards. But the sound is louder...and appears to be getting closer. She hears the clatter of feet above--the captain or one of his crew must be on the raised stern deck looking at the approaching vessel or vessels. Now Romantic moves to the cabin door, and opens it a crack...but sees no one on deck. _Where is the crew_? she wonders. From above, she hears what is unmistakably the captain's voice, cursing. It is a long oath, part in accented English and part in some unrecognizable tongue. Then: "Ye'll no catch me that easy, with your stupid motorboats!" The mariner's voice changes its tone now, as he begins chanting in a monotone. "Windspar sail flux aeolus, pneumas spirits blow above, force and thunder coriolis, clouds the raven and the dove..." As the eerie singsong rings out, Romantic can feel goosebumps rise on her skin--_as if the words themselves have power_, she thinks. Then he ends the chant with one word, a command, cried out in some forgotten language. Instantly, a surge of wind hits the ship and jolts through it. She opens the door a little wider, and can see that the sails are filled, the masts creaking under the strain. The thin red outline of the inverted trident shimmers faintly against the black canvas, as if woven from metallic thread. _We're being pursued, and he's working...some kind of magic? Is that possible?_ Her mind is reluctant to accept the idea, yet his words did seem to have an immediate effect, as if he'd invoked the wind. _If he really does have magical powers, and we are being pursued, maybe I should make a break while I can_. She looks back at the cabin window--too small even for her slender frame to squeeze through. In a second, she makes up her mind. She throws open the cabin door and runs out on to the deck. A quick glance tells her that the captain is not watching her, but rather looking towards the stern through a brass telescope from his vantage point on the elevated rear deck. The day is dim and the evening draws near, but there is enough light that she can see the coastline on the starboard (right) side of the ship. She runs for that side of the ship, and looks down at the waves rushing past. _Here goes_... She climbs on to the railing and, holding her nose, leaps into the cold, churning water some dozen feet below... User: TRAVELER Date: 31-Jan 03:19 PM 760029609
II.83 Next episode: ROMANTIC gets pnuemonia from jumping into cold waters wearing unappropriate garb. User: ECSTASY Date: 31-Jan 03:57 PM 760031868
II.84 The episode after that: ECSTASY gets cirrhosis after responding to stress with a bottle of Cuervo. =) User: SYLVAR Date: 31-Jan 04:14 PM 760032895
II.85 ROMANTIC tumbles through the swirling water as the massive bulk of the ship glides past. She manages to surface briefly in the twilight, and see the lights of another vessel, a motorized one, approaching. A flare shot from this vessel sends a sudden burst of red-white light into the gloomy sky. But then the wake of the black ship throws her underwater again. Salt water floods her nose, and she feels as if she will choke. Then something grabs her, like a tentacle coiling around her body, and lifts her high out of the Bay in a sudden vertiginous rush. Now she sees she is held in some kind of thick rope, woven of a greyish fiber. It has the faintest sheen of blue light around it--perhaps only a reflection of the dim evening sky. She sees the pursuing vessel clearly now; it appears to be a Coast Guard craft, by the insignia and the presence of uniformed men on deck. She turns to look at the black ship, and finds that the rope that holds her stretches back through the air--to the hands of Captain Ahannos. Somehow the rope holds her like a living thing, and is bearing her towards the deck of the black ship. Ahannos seems merely to guide it, rather than actively exerting force on it. In any case, there's no way he could raise her out of the water and hold her up in the air at an angle like this--not without, she reluctantly concedes, some kind of magic. The snaking rope sets her down on the main deck of the ship. Ahannos, looking down from the raised rear deck, utters a foreign word, and the end of the rope coiled around her releases its grip. The whole rope flies towards him, coiling itself into a pile that drops at his feet like an obedient animal. It seems as if the faint blue glow disappears from it at that instant. Ahannos gives Romantic a quick and wrathful glance, and clambers down the steep steps on to the main deck with speed that is surprising for his apparently great age. He walks up to her. "I'll no waste my energy on rescue spells next time, girl," he says harshly. "I'll just boil you alive in the sea." His glittering eyes have a fierce intensity, a tenacious will behind them that seems to be what keeps his twisted old frame going. He walks quickly to the forecastle at the front of the deck, and darts up to where the ship's wheel stands on top. He faces away from her, toward the north-pointing bow of the ship, and chants another spell. This time she can only catch bits of it that the wind flings back at her: "Rhadamanthus cloak of night...mist and shadow oversea...post nubila phoebus light..." Again he ends with a single word, cried loudly. And momentarily, a fog begins to filter around the ship--they are sailing into it. Another burst of brilliant red lights up the fog from behind: the pursuing vessel tries again to pinpoint them. But it is too late; the fog is too thick. A minute later, a last flare flashes weakly, far behind them, as the sound of motors fades. Soon they are coasting along in near-silence, blind to the world. _Night must be falling_, Romantic thinks. _They'll never find me now_. User: TRAVELER Date: 2-Feb 09:07 AM 760180053
II.86 *MISSING MATERIAL* INCLUDES: TRAVELER walks out to look at the rave site, in the cliffside meadow north of the Cafe. Lighting and sound equipment are being unloaded from trucks and set up on scaffolds that form a broad ring about 50 meters across. Some of the crates of equipment bear strange markings, such as "U.S.A.F.-- Classified" and "S.D.I. Project Surplus." Trav is puzzled as to where GHOST acquired all this material, but signs for it anyway.
II.87 As the Cafe becomes visible through the trees, he sees CADO wandering around, peering in windows. "What's up, Cado?" "I seem to have gotten locked out," the bouncer replies worriedly. "I've been knocking on this door for a few minutes, but everyone inside appears to be too busy to answer." Just then, LOUCH opens the door with a smile. "Hi guys. Oh, Trav, the Coast Guard is here...they want to talk to you." User: TRAVELER Date: 7-Feb 05:16 PM 760641390
II.88 CADO smiles widely as the front door opens. It's one security problem he is actually happy for... "Trav, what is the latest report from the police? Did they find anything in the basement?" ADO asks. "Nothing out of the ordinary," TRAVELER sighs. "I wonder if those lights are going to be ready..." "Nothing?" CADO feels a twinge of ... anger? "Trekker is dead, Siren and Ghost are in jail, and I get locked out of the building, and the police can't find ANYTHING?" "Look, that's all they told me!" TRAVELER snaps. "I gotta go...this rave has got to get prepared." With that, TRAVELER leaves. CADO stands, dumbfounded...what just happened? He'd never felt so angry before over something so trivial. And what was with TRAVELER? CADO heads in to the bar to talk to ECSTASY... User: Cado...continued tomorrow... Date: 7-Feb 11:11 PM 760662805
II.89 ECSTASY summons one of hr minions by snapping her fingers. "Go downstairs and fetch me a bottle of Absolut Peppar. I am sick of people thinking I am a Cuervo addict." User: ecstasy is waiting for the night to fall Date: 8-Feb 11:33 AM 760707211
II.90 Ecstasy: I ran to the towel room,er.. basement as you requested but could only find a bottle Absolut Citron... it was on the 37 cases of Cuervo you ordered. User: Perigrine hates it when she keeps Cuervo in the Towel Room. Date: 10-Feb 10:22 AM 760875793
II.91 ECSTASY screams........ User: happiness in slavery Date: 10-Feb 05:21 PM 760900926
II.92 As TRAVELER, just returned from the rave site, walks into the Blue Room, he sees two men wearing all-white uniforms standing around near the French windows on the south wall. Through those windows, he notes a large boat has docked at the Cafe--and he realizes these men must be Coast Guard. He goes over to speak with them. "You're the proprietor--the person who called us?" says the senior officer. Traveler nods, and shakes the man's offered hand. "I'm Captain Dirk Squarejaw, of the Virtual Coast Guard. This is Lieutenant Steadfast, and Lieutenant Trueheart is upstairs speaking with your bartender, whom I understand witnessed the incident. We've been out in the Bay for a while now, in response to your alert about the wrecked vessel." "Well? What did you find?" asks Trav. "I'm afraid the rowboat was completely destroyed. We were lucky to find even a few fragments. The damage was consistent with its being hit by a much larger vessel. Now I understand one of your people says he saw the rowboat's passenger--what was her name?" "ROMANTIC." "Saw Romantic get picked up by the larger ship. I also understand that several witnesses can provide ID on the vessel." "We certainly can! A sailing ship made of dark wood, no more than a hundred feet from stem to stern, flying a black sail with some kind of red design on it. I've seen the ship myself." "Out here in the Bay? We've been told it's been passing by recently." "Not just out in the Bay. I saw the vessel at the Marina not too long ago, while returning from, uh, a business trip into the City. And I've met its captain--on that occasion, and once earlier, when he came here." "Are you getting this down, Lieutenant?" The captain turns to his junior officer, who nods as he scribbles on a notepad. "I'm happy to give you all the information I have," says Traveler, "but that's about it. Now I wonder if you could tell me anything." "Yes, I believe I can. We caught sight of the black ship--but first let me say that this is not the first we've heard about it. Many witnesses have sighted it recently...and some say it's been skulking around for years. I don't know how long you've had this establishment here--" "Oh, the Cafe's been on this site less than a year," Trav replies. "--but there have been rumours along this coast about a mysterious black ship for as long as anyone can remember. It just seems that the appearances have gotten more frequent lately. And we have some information about the ship's captain--incidentally, the only crew it has ever been seen to have. He usually goes by the name of Captain Hansen, though no one is sure if that's his real name. Generally ill-tempered and nasty to everyone he meets. Usually that's only people at the Marina store, where Hansen has stopped every month or two for a long time. But other boaters have also had some run-ins." "Run-ins? Have there been any other actual collisions?" "Not any that have been recorded, although there have been some near misses. It seems that Hansen actually likes to scare people--but he has extremely good control of his ship, and always veers off at the last minute," the captain says. "So this may have been an intentional accident?" "Quite possibly. But let me tell you about what just happened when we sighted the vessel, and pursued..." User: TRAVELER Date: 14-Feb 06:42 PM 761251352
II.93 Just then BULLWINKLE walks by, looking at his watch. "Dammit, Trav, the movie is starting!" he says. Sure enough, on a large projection screen on the stage of the Red Room, a showing of _Casablanca_ is starting up (TRAVELER shows this movie regularly at the Cafe). "We have a conspicuous absence of dates." Trav sighs, then grins. "Well, you know what they say about women... can't live with 'em...can't stuff 'em in a sack." He surveys the Valentine's Day crowd of mushy-looking couples now flocking towards the Red Room. "We don't need no stinkin' dates. Save me a seat; I'll be in in a few minutes. Say, who's that guy wearing a VAX jersey? Geez, how tacky." ;) Now Traveler returns his attention to the Coast Guard captain. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" "Yes. We caught sight of Hansen's--or whatever his name is--ship as we neared the Cafe. He was just disappearing round the headland to the north. Two of our cutters went to full speed and gave chase--I was on the lead boat-- and one stayed near here to look at the wreckage of the rowboat. We gained on the black ship fairly quickly--it is just a wind-powered craft after all-- but I'll tell you...it's the strangest sailing vessel I've ever seen." "Oh?" "Yes...made of some wood I can't identify, very dark...looks dense, but not heavy. And very old...the wood seems weathered. The design, what I could see of it, is quite unusual. Reminded me of ancient Greek or Phoenician ships I've seen in books on marine archaeology...and yet it appeared to be in harmony with the latest streamlining techniques as well, as if it was built by someone who was trained in the ancient techniques, but had had years, or decades of experience in which to learn how to build a better boat." The captain cracks a small smile. "I know, that sounds like a lot of guesswork, but I study old sailing vessels as a hobby. This one also had some interesting carvings--the prow looked like a woman or mermaid of some kind, but again in a very archaic style...like one of those preclassical Greek statues of maidens, what do you call them--" "Kore?" "Yes, exactly. Overall, a very...well, pagan is the only word I can think of...a pagan impression. But strangely refined and powerful, not at all outdated." The captain shakes his head. "At any rate, there was only one man on deck--definitely Hansen, I looked through a telescope. I couldn't figure out what he was doing when he caught site of us, but within a minute the wind rose out of nowhere and filled his sails. He took off like lightning ...I've never seen a sailboat that size outrun a motorized cutter our size. We saw someone jump over the side--a woman, probably your friend ROMANTIC by the description you gave. But somehow, he reeled her back in...he must have had a line attached to her even before she jumped, though it looked like--I don't know. Well, after that, they just got away from us. Of course the fog helped..." "Fog? It's been clear up and down the coast all day." "Fog. Came up out of nowhere...a little patch of it, near the coast about a mile north of here. And just like that, we lost him. It was near a rocky patch of shoreline, with lots of little cliffside inlets, but nothing big enough for a ship that size to get into without being smashed to pieces. And yet...there's no way they could have gone north, or out to sea, either. They just vanished." "Could they have gone under?" Trav ventures. "I don't think so, though I've got two helicopters out looking, along with two cutters. But night is coming on...we'll have to call off searching till morning." At that moment, one of the lieutenants walks up. "Captain, sir, I was upstairs...talking to the bartender, ECSTASY." "And? What did she tell you?" "Well, not much, sir. I think...well, I think she's in her cups a bit, if you know what I mean. But she just didn't want anything to do with the business. Wouldn't say a word." Traveler interrupts. "Maybe I can see what this is about. I'll go up to the Ivory Tower and have a word with her." He starts to walk away, but then turns back. "You will be done here soon, though, won't you? We are busy people here, you know. We appreciate your help, but we have a rave to put on." The captain frowns. "This was your friend he captured, right? Aren't you concerned?" Trav waves away his question. "Of course, of course. All I'm saying is, there's a lot going on now. I can't afford to be distracted from the business at hand. Trying to carry on with the everyday routine as best as possible...I think Rom would appreciate that. Now, I'll speak to Ecstasy." He walks toward the stairs in the Kitchen, taking a few rave flyers from his jacket pocket along the way and handing them to customers. "Divine Rebirth! Coming soon! Don't miss it!" The captain turns to his lieutenant. "If you ask me, the bartender's not the only odd one around here. They all seem...obsessed in one way or another." "Reactions to shock, perhaps, sir?" "Perhaps." The two officers sit at the bar, and wait... User: TRAVELER Date: 15-Feb 00:57 AM 761273863
II.94 Dateline: VPD It was Daricell's second day of incarceration. Ghost was still pacing the cell next door; the only thing funnier than his antics were the pained responses of the evil Venkman, who had spent the entire night threatening, pleading, and finally begging and/or bribing Ghost to "Shut up shut up shut up!" Breakfast was a horrid affair -- dry cereal, very little milk -- and then morning passed slowly. Daricell asked for some paper and pencils, and spent the day writing letters to the various friends she had at the VVVC. As of yet, she had not seen her lawyer; she hoped Traveler had remembered to appoint one. Surely that rave of his was not occupying his mind so much that he had forgotten the fate of his chef? Surely he didn't think she was guilty? (Surely Zoro would be all right....surely Maharet would live.....surely she would be proven innocent......surely she could return to her quiet existence at the Cafi.......surely they wouldn't find out about--that.....) The Dark Lady shook away the thoughts that filled her mind, and instead concentrated on a letter to Traveler. "Dear Trav: "I'm sure that you are as confused as I am by this whole mess. The officers here won't answer any of my questions, but of course, I won't answer theirs either -- not without a lawyer. Have you looked into that matter yet? "I thought you might like to know that your arch-enemy, Venkman, is getting his just desserts. He has Ghost as a cellmate and, well, Ghost has been fairly active during his stay here. "Protesting my innocence seems really futile at the moment; the police are convinced that I did, and I know that I did not. I would never hurt anyone intentionally... hurting Zoroaster would be the last thing I would do. "I only hope that this confusion is resolved quickly. Is someone covering for me at the VVVC? I suppose you can send people to Norm's newly annexed Taco Bus, if they get really hungry. "I hear the guard coming again; hopefully, there's some good news. Can you send food? The meals here are not exactly to my culinary standards. "Thanks -- your support means a lot to me... "Daricell Copperpot" The guard opened the cell door as Daricell folded the letter and inserted it into an addressed envelope : Traveler Raveler Virtual Virtual Vax Cafe Bayshore Road Hexsum City, Virtual State 326ii As she sealed the envelope, the guard said, "Your attorney is here, Ms. Copperpot." Behind the guard, Daricell could see... "Jon Vallee? You're an ATTORNEY?" "I have many talents," Jon replied. "Defending you will be my pleasure. Now, officer, if you will just lead us to the private conference room?" User: Daricell in Carceration -- take it away, Ben! Date: 15-Feb 03:28 PM 761326145
II.95 The black ship glides on through dim fog, as night falls in the world outside. Waves quietly break along its sides; the masts creak under the brisk wind, but relative to the two people standing on the deck, the air is still. The captain stands on the forecastle, looking forward into the gloom. At last he turns and sees ROMANTIC, who leans against the mast in the middle of the lower deck, facing him hesitantly. Lanterns, on the mast, the prow and the stern, have magically come to light in the last few minutes without her noticing. "What do you want?" he growls. "I-if you're going to keep me here," she ventures, "I want to know why." He looks at her for a long moment, then climbs down the narrow steps and approaches her. "Well, I'm not gang to tell you...not until..." He pauses, then cackles to himself. "Till what? Look, you can't just...ram my boat, take me aboard and, and sail away! I mean, I don't even know who you are!" "There are deep things coming to the surface, girl, that you'd never understand. The tide is changing. You are destined only to play some small part...but you do not need to understand," he says solemnly. She glimpses something in his eyes for an instant--something poignantly noble, if cold and distant. "Try me. I may be blond, but it's not terminal." "Wha-?" "I'm not stupid! And I'd like to know what's going on." "Well, you certainly are a spirited wench, leapin' o'er the side like that." She bristles, but he does not notice. "You knew we were bein' pursued. You thought to get away, eh? But I cannot let you...not yet." "Why!? What do you want me for? Why have you been hanging around the Cafe?" He studies her again for a moment. "I canna tell you all those things. But I can tell you about...where I come from. 'Tis, after all, where I'm goin' as well." "Yes. Where do you come from? Who are you?" He turns and walks towards the cabin beneath the forecastle, then stops and looks back. "Well? D'ye wanna hear or not? I'm hungry, and reckon to get some grub afore we dock. If you sit quiet and don't make trouble, I might give you some as well." _Charming invitation_, she thinks, but notices that she is indeed hungry. _And I am curious..._ She follows him into the forward cabin. He points to a bench next to a rough-hewn table, and she sits. From a cabinet he takes a half-eaten loaf of black bread, some slices of cured meat, a bottle of rum, and two metal cups, and he sits at a bench opposite hers. She moves to help herself to the food, but he growls and waves her off. After serving himself, he allows her to have some. Amid loud smacking and chewing, he settles back and begins his story. "I..." He takes a drink. "I...am called Ahannos. I am an old man. Aye, you knew that...but I'm older than you think. I come from a place that is no longer there, and to that place I shall return...very soon I shall return, yes...very soon..." User: TRAVELER Date: 15-Feb 04:32 PM 761329980
II.96 Cado walks into the white room and leans against the bar. Waitresses and bartenders fly past him in a flurry, and ignore his requests for service. Finally, one stops momentarily... "I'm sorry hon, we're just so dadburn busy...can I get you something?" Cado smiles warmly. "Actually, I just want to talk to X...is she around anywhere?" The waitress' eyes grow wide. "Uh...she left word that she's not to be disturbed. Can I help you?" "Maybe...what's going on around here that everyone's in such a flurry?" The waitress sighed. "Look, Hon, the boss has a big Rave coming up, and we gotta be prepared. You'd best get working, too!" CADO started to protest, but the waitress whirled around and was gone. User: Cont'd... Date: 15-Feb 08:02 PM 761342569
II.97 Cado looked down at the bar for a moment. What was going on? There had been a murder just hours ago...and DARICELL was still in jail. And for all they knew, ROMANTIC was still foundering out at sea...and all anyone can think of is... ...a RAVE? CADO felt his anger begin to swell again...but this time he calmed it. <<No... something is happening, and if I let it get ahold of me, I'll never see it.>> Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a glimpse of something... ...but when he turned, he saw nothing. Except the D.J. in the Black room, letting yet another record scratch into silence, rocking slowly back and forth... DIQMAN burst through the kitchen doors with armloads of food...nearly toppling CADO over in the process. "Whoa..." CADO protested. "What's the rush?" <<Dude, with Daricell in jail, I've had to pick up the work in the kitchen...and with this RAVE coming, no less...>> User: Cont'd... Date: 15-Feb 08:15 PM 761343344
II.98 "Yeah, well, how about getting her out of jail?" <<Jon Vallee's taking care of it. He's representing her. Anyway...I gotta go...>> Jon Vallee? A LAWYER? Wh?? TRAVELER burst through the door from the red room. "...and make sure those bloodstains are cleaned up off the carpet. I don't want the guests to be uncomfortable. Oh...Cado...I was just looking for you..." "Well, boss, I couldn't get through to the Police department...I think Sven is still working on the computer though..." "Uh...no..." TRAVELER says tenatively. "He's working out schedules for the Rave. I need you to go around and border off the back area." "Oh...ok. Uh...what about Trekker? Did the police take care of him? And where is Romantic, anyway?" User: Cont'd... Date: 15-Feb 08:22 PM 761343762
II.99 "Well, Romantic is out at sea somewhere, and they came and cleaned Trekker up a while back...I gotta go..." And with that, he is gone. CADO stands dumbfounded. He sits down at a barstool to collect his thoughts. <<Well, only one thing left to do...>> Removing a $20 from his wallet and placing it on the cash register, he grabs for the nearest bottle of Absolut... ...and notices one bottle missing. Full bottle in hand, he ascends the stairs to the Ivory Tower. "X? Are you in here?" He says tenatively, peeking around the door. *CRACK* He feels a burst of wind close to his head. And then he hears ominous giggling from within... User: Cont'd... Date: 15-Feb 08:28 PM 761344145
II.100 "You silly boy," ECSTASY laughs. "You're not an elitist...you can't come in here!" CADO, thinking quickly, holds out the bottle of Absolut as a peace offering... "Oh...I see you're a card-carrying member...come on in then..." CADO enters the room, to see ECSTASY teetering slightly, whip in one hand, empty bottle of Absolut in the other... "I got a card too," she laughs. "See?" She holds up the empty bottle... "Uh...yeah..." ECSTASY pulls close, and with a very serious face, says "There's something wrong..." CADO breaths a sigh of relier...maybe he's not going crazy. "I know...but I can't figure it out. What do you think it is?" User: Cont'd... Date: 15-Feb 08:34 PM 761344490