Seeing Scrip launching into his Holier Thou Shalt Be spiel again Imp made a withdrawl and crossed the room to corner the Mathematician where he was leaning bemusedly beside the bar.  His dance partner was getting drinks a few feet away, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get a totally honest answer from him.  "Mathematician, hey, can I ask you a question?" He didn't wait for a response, "What would the result be if Caroline was captured and killed by those hostile to our philosophy?  What if she was pregnant and the first know nova baby falls into maleficent individual's hands?"  Imp had the man held firmly by the shoulders, staring into his eyes.  there was no pretense of casualness.  If Math could really determine future events by considering, well, Imp had no idea what he would consider, then this might give Imp the leverage to get Caroline moved to more secure custody. Not himself, that was a given, but maybe Raoul or Scripture.  Hell even Geryon.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Imp is figuring that Scripture will hear what he says, if he doesn't well, that's fine too.  Am not sure if this course of action buggers with the story arc you've got plotted out, Rydi.

---

This message was last edited by the player at 14:58, Fri 14 May 2010.

In the middle of swallowing, the man chokes on his drink and sputters for several moments as he does the math.

"That would... be disastrous.  Especially with so many T2Mers engaged with the Teragen movement.  Perhaps if we were separate entities it would merely create an even greater rift between the two organizations, ending in the eventual discrediting of Utopia and supremacy of Teragen ideals, which of course would lead to world war as the baselines realize their way of life is extinct... But by that point Nova kind should have failsafes in place to deal with fallout and to evacuate if necessary.  But at this point it would drive a wedge between utopia itself, with your contacts and inflamatory personality likely leading the charge.  That in turn would create public distrust at an earlier point, and could seriously destabilize world politics, accelerating the inevitable war earlier than it can safely come."  The Mathematician looks around a bit, realizing that he said all that at regular volume in a room full of novas, several of whom are now staring at him.

"But you don't have to worry, no one knows except people who logically have no reason to betray us, and who would only be hurting themselves by doing so.  Tell me though, why has this become an issue all of a sudden?"

"Look, all I've been trying to say this whole while is that if your community needs some sanction from the human community.  They're frightened, so they need symbols, names, a single face to talk to, something.  Generals talk to generals, presidents talk to presidents ... and Utopia's trying bridge the gaps."  He just wasn't cut out for this sort of debate.  His brain kept trying to lock down, but he kept fighting it, wanting to feel something right now.

"Because humanity, and novas, have never been accused of rationality, my friend.  As a species we constantly drive towards two or more antithetical goals."  He sipped some more of his glowing green drink, "I can't explain how I know, but I do.  Something terrible will happen and Caroline will be taken and will die.  Her, our, child will be taken by her murderers and experimented on.  Maybe there's a quantum resonance from that action in the future, or maybe it's already happened.  Caroline always did have a way with time, and her chrysalis may have augmented those powers."  He set down his drink and patted Santiago on the back.  "You are the only one who should be looking after her my friend.  You are the only one who would never allow irrational impulses to alter your actions."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Imp's going loud on the quantum powers, I don't know how resistant Santiago is but I'm at just above 20 sux on the roll.

---

Flare new she was out of her league as far as trading witty banter went in this crowd.  After politely mingling around Raoul and Scripture for a few minutes she wandered off toward a reasonably secluded veranda to view the stars.  Feeling her insignificance in comparison to the vastness of space was actually grounding for Flare.  Too many people Nova and norm alike seemed attribute divine, or demonic qualities to people who, in her opinion, were normal people with abnormal abilities. Fascinating and possibly scary, but no one went around deifying piano geniuses or math savants. It was good to keep things in perspective.

"A gorgeous party, amazing company, stellar drinks, and I'm out here in the dark talking to myself.  Perhaps lameness is one of my nova powers."

Santiago's mind begins shifting, moving down different calculations.  While he prides himself on his logic, he is as easily blinded by emotion as any, first by his certainty in his own visions, and now by the contagious worry radiating from Impetus.

"I think you might be right.  I'll try-- I WILL arrange for her to be moved to a different location.  Aside from the importance of her place in the bigger equation, she is my friend, and she means a great deal to me as well."

---

The party winds down sometime in the pre-dawn hours.  Solitair manages to keep the more violent Terats from hurting themselves on Comstock.  Zero and Phantasm while away several hours moving around the event, making quiet commentary between themselves.  Gale gets a whirlwind tour of the big names at the event, but doesn't make a large splash; rather she blends in to the background a bit, and is accepted as a friendly but innocuous presence.  Orzaiz, always an attentive host, checks on Flare from time to time, and invites her to tour the grounds, telling her she is always welcome.  Impetus is always the life of the party, and along with Solitaire helps to ensure that the disparate novas at the event stay on mostly pleasant terms.  Gravitas primarily interacts with those he already knows, embedding himself further in the teragen leadership, and staying mostly to his own group of friends within Utopia.

Teragen philosophy has been disseminated amongst the larger nova populace.  The movement could hardly hope for a better "coming out" party, though of course the divisive nature of the ideas will still not be tolerated by many within Utopia or even the elite community.  Time will tell...

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
closing time.  feel free to make any closing statements, but otherwise the party is over.

---

Imp nodded and patted Santiago on the shoulder, "Thank you my friend, I knew I could count on you."  He slid away through the crowd and began putting out small fires.  There was a fair bit of tension between the Uppies and the Teras, but he hadn't met an explosive situation that couldn't be diffused with a couple drinks and some soothing words.  He noticed Sol doing similar things, although with her it was more of the promise of her trademark stomp on your face rather than a glass of glowing green goodness and a friendly smile.  She was very good at it, he noted.
As her percolated through the crowd he patted Geryon on the back, then leaned in close.  "There's something I need to talk to you about, my friend, something private.  Let's meet at that place we talked about that time in Vegas in a couple weeks."  Geryon grunted in reply and nodded.  Imp kept moving, making new friends and solidifying previous relationships.  His mental Rolodex may to have every nova in the world, but he could count many of them as friends, or at least acquaintances.  Except Marcel.  Fucking snake.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:40, Sun 30 May 2010.

Geryon bristled at his Utopia aligned fellows as the heads of the budding terragen movement stared at him.

"I'm only going to ask this once, and don't bullshit me.  Are they engineering novas, and are they going to be using them as weapons?  And if the answer is yes to either or both, then what the hell are we going to do about it?"

The late December meeting was called to deal with the ramifications of the upcoming Columbian conflict.  Raoul and Santiago were worried about the potential for fallout from the conflict to hurt the nascent movement, and others were concerned regarding the moral and philosophical ramifications of the conflict.

The Equatorial War had occurred between novas willingly serving the interests of their nations.  Though the idea of novas serving baselines was unsavory at best, it was of their own free will (and the Terragen was not there to intervene in any case).  But the rumors floating through the nova community regarding this new conflict were disturbing, to say the least.  Novas as subjects of baseline experiments, novas forcibly recruited to the cause... This was not acceptable, not at all.  And the pantheon wanted to know what exactly Utopia knew, and intended to do about it.  The table waited for the answer from their T2M members.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:55, Mon 28 June 2010.

Imp locked eyes with Geryon, the man was easily three feet taller and a few hundred pounds heavier, why was there this strange sense of kinship, he pitched his voice low, very low, for Geryon's ears only, "Yes and yes, big man.  And we're going to unleash everything we've got.  Some of us are probably going to die, but there's no way that this can stand.  They're creating novas to fight for them, then using god know what as leverage to make them.  If they die, or kill countless civilians, well, that's ok, cause it's just novas doing the crazy shit that they do, yes?" Imp drained his drink, luminous green liquid spilled out of the glass and into his mouth, "If you found out when the big showdown was going to be, do you think you could take some of our more trustworthy friends and visit a couple places, places where they might be making more of us?  If you can, then you'd be doing us all a favour.  If those same places were burned beyond recognition or use, and all data related to their experiments was lost, well, that would be a shame, wouldn't it?"  Imp loved Utopia, it was the family he had never really had, but he just didn't trust the bureaucrats to do the right thing and destroy the methods used to create the madness.  Geryon on the other hand could be counted on for destruction.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:54, Mon 28 June 2010.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
I would have responded to this already, but wanted to give people the chance to reply... Sol, Zero, Grav, and anyone else affiliated with the terragen would be around.

---

"A tragedy, but for the best. I must profess an academic interest in their research - the process that they're using. That's pure scientific curiosity, though. I mislike the idea that there are people actively changing baselines into novas. It isn't as if our condition is something that is earned, but it is something that I think should happen naturally in its own due time. Each of our eruptions was wholly unique. I think its terrible that people are being forced into eruption."

Quentin tried to remain calm, sitting where he was, but it was clear from the tone and tenor of his voice that he felt fairly passionately about this subject. "Certainly it is a technology that I really wouldn't trust anyone with - even myself. The potential for abuse is staggering."

"Not only that, but we know that eruption and the stresses, both quantum and mental, afterward can have deleterious effects on things like rationality, emotion control, and a whole gaumet of things, mental, physical and social, I wonder if this brute force approach is more traumatic or harmful.  There will be those who would jump at the power, regardless of being used as attack dogs afterwards, but there also must be those who are being leveraged, who are under severe emotional stress before and after the eruption, I can only imagine what those poor souls must be going through, how warped their psyches and bodies must be.  Theirs is not an evolution," he nods towards Geryon, "theirs is disastrous, unguided mutation."

"Hee, hee. Well, obviously we are going to get good use out of our tax dollars, and use Utopia to shut them down. That is why they exist as our tool." The Doctor absently answers as it pour a cup of tea.

"Would you like a cup, Greyon? Gentlemen & Ladies? It's a home brew. I've been breeding plants for use with Nova enhanced palate. I'd appreciate your opinions."

"Oh, but this hole mess is so sad. It's sad that such small minded fools have divided such a sublime result, but this was to be expected, I suppose."

"I'm expecting some arrogant Nova traitor behind it all, treating her or his own kind as pawns. If this worst case is the truth, and they elude official notice, perhaps we gentlemen in this room are more suited to stem this fool's influence and corner it?"

"Oh! I can't wait to get a hold of a reliable process to convert mortals into Novas! What fun we will have! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Imp set his teacup down slowly, deliberately.  "Uh, Zero, why would we want a process that deliberately converted humans into novas?  I know that less than 1 in a million people carry the genetic potential to become novas, but, honestly, what benefit is there in turning people into novas?  Isn't it better to have it occur naturally or spontaneously?  Our eruptions shape our abilities, drive them to develop in ways that are unexpected.  Would having a laboratory process that turns people into novas just lead to less eclectic power suites, and potentially weaker novas in general?"

"Oh, I have a few theories. Perhaps it could lead to greater piece, in an exaggerated form of the philosophy 'an armed society is a polite society.' It's hard for people to oppress and hurt each-other when they are a microcosm in themselves."

The Doctor detached the odd nozzle on it's current mask, and began to sip it's tea through it. "Besides, I hate the human condition."



"Oh, those are some great questions..." Zero holds it's chin thoughtfully for a minute, than admits "I have no idea! Ha, ha! But that is what experiments are for. I've wanted to form a reelable test group of Novas to see how an all Nova society can function, but it's hard without a reelable way to reproduce. This process might offer a solution. I guess I won't know until we get to see how it works." Zero hands Greyon a cup of tea.

Geryon, up until this point has been listening intently, evading Impetus' question as the charismatic man's teammates distracted him.  Zero's forceful inclusion of the giant in the conversation, by way of tea, startled him from his thoughts.  Looking down at the tea in his hand, and back to Zero, he contemplates for a moment longer, then drinks the beverage in one long gulp.

"I've got an idea.  We might be up for helping you with this, but I want to run it by the others, and maybe by the big guy himself."

Santiago and Orzaiz seem to share a look of some sort, before Raoul joins in the conversation. "This could certainly be an opportunity for our cause to obtain further publicity, but the question is whether that would be desirable at this point.  For my part I find it to be promising, and a fitting challenge for those of our caliber.  But I know the "Mathematician" here is likely to feel somewhat differently.  I think, my friends, that we may need to wait and see."

The unspoken statement is that while the T2Mers are welcome members of the Teragen, there are some things that are not appropriate to discuss with members of Utopia in the room.  However, they seem swayed by both Imp's arguments, and the discussion that has occurred in their presence.

Imp looked at Geryon, "You know as well as I what he will say, 'Do what you feel is right,' still, I can understand your hesitation. If you do decide to get involved let us know and we can arrange for an information leak of somekind."

The assembled leaders of the terragen stared at one another in muted frustration as they lounged at Raoul's villa.  A year in the public eye had treated the budding organization quite well; hundreds of new novas took up the philosophy of Teras, many of its members were heros to the human populace, and Utopia had not overtly acted against them as was feared.  But success presented its own problems.

The philosophy of Teras was being watered down by scores of dabblers without the self-discipline to truly devote themselves to the cause.  The senior members were constantly busy with management, mentorship, and publicity, leaving little time for their own growth.  And while their popularity protected them for the moment, the worlds most powerful governments were constantly watching for the Terragen to become a threat.

Geryon looked around the room with measured contempt and hostility before speaking.  "So, back to where we started 2 hours ago: What now?  We've got a bunch of wanna be's pretending to be us, and it's distracting from our real work.  We're growing fast, and there aren't enough of us to mentor people right.  Imp's still in chrysalis, though thankfully Sol looks like she's about to come out.  And we still haven't found who's responsible for Caroline's kidnapping, though I'm still betting on Utopia.  What now?  You just gonna sit and talk about it some more, or do you actually have some USEFULL suggestions?"

Caestus Pax stared blindly in the direction of Geryon's voice.  "It wasn't Utopia.  They aren't concerned with things like that.  I'd look inside, at your own people... Our own people.  That's the only way she could have been taken.  And while we're on the subject of Utopia, you could take a page from their book, start working in teams to get people trained, I could personally get that in motion.  Oh, and you could SHUT THE HELL UP if all you're going to do is expect people to think for you."

Geryon barely suppressed his rage as Scripture attempted to diffuse some of the tension building in the room. "My brethren, why are we fighting one another?  Geryon, you know that we are trying to come to decissions on these matters, and that good decissions take time.  Caestus Pax, your counsel is appreciated, but remember that your place at this table is still new, and that you are not familiar with our inner workings; Geryon often serves as something of a gadfly, prompting us to question our-"

Shrapnel's voice cuts in, interrupting Scripture.  "So, where's Mal in all this?  I really am getting tired of this talking.  It's going no where, and our leader isn't giving us much direction.  If he isn't going to give this some sort of unifying direction beyond the Manifesto, then I say we go our own directions.  Me, my people, we have ideas about how to approach Teras, and it doesn't seem like the same thing that everyone else has in mind.  Maybe Geryon would agree with it, but Raoul and his people... probably not."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Any terragen are welcome to join in the discussion.  Grav and Zero are up and about.  Imp is on vacation and thus still in chrysalis.  Solitaire can come out of hers any time, in this scene even, but I figured we should talk about some of the changes she wanted for her character before introducing her back into play.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 10:43, Thu 03 Feb 2011.

Nihilistic trash.  Sometimes Wilhelm grew frustrated with his suit.  Without any distinguishing facial features, Geryon, Shrapnel, and the rest could not see the depths to which they disgusted the man.  Philosophically weak, unprincipled, driven by fear.  They'd tear down the norms and mores of the world only to replace them with their inverse or, worse, with nothing at all.

"I think we all know what you plan, Shrapnel.  You fear your own slave soul so you shroud it in a royal cloak.  If you have the power and the will to defeat the baselines then you needn't trouble yourself with them.  You all would think yourself gods amongst men.  Why then do you worry what men think of you?  Let Utopia come.  Let all the nations of the world come.  Struggle will only make all of us, nova and baseline alike, more powerful."

Wilhelm paused for a moment to extrude a fluoropolymer straw from the head of his suit.  It was the only way he could consume a drink these days without it bursting into flames.  He didn't need the sustenance, but he'd be lying if he said he'd lost the taste for a nice Himbeergeist.

"We must abandon fear and utopianism if we wish to master ourselves.  What would you all do if the baselines were to disappear?  What would you test yourselves against?  Other novas?  Is that better?"

Grasping his glass between the rubber grip pads of his three-fingered Teflon hand, Wilhelm raised it in a toast.

"To the baselines.  May they thrive, separately.  May we struggle against them eternally, reaching untold heights of power in the process."

The assembled novas reactions to Hell Kraken's words are mixed.  Raoul simply smiles and nods in agreement until the portion praising conflict with baselines, at which point he frowns slightly and looks at his drink with deep concentration.

Shrapnel stares menacingly at Hell Kraken, willing him to understand that he's made an enemy of her.  "YOU. KNOW. NOTHING! Who the hell are you to tell me what I am, who I am?  I've sacrificed everything for my beliefs, and you've done what to deserve a say in this room?  And what do you know of the dangers posed by the humans?  They must be dealt with before they become-"  Her rant is interrupted by the Mathematician before she can go on further.

The Mathematician counters with a shrill diatribe, looking equally between Shrapnel, Geryon, and Hell Kraken.  "I know your brains are simple, but I didn't think they were so base as to not be able to comprehend our predicament... Let me put it in terms you can understand... Have you ever seen a fierce predator destroyed by army ants or piranha?  That's us versus humanity at this point, and even if there were a reason for us to fight them, which there isn't really since they make such good infrastructure for the world novas will inevitably design, it would be suicide to take an oppositional stance to them this early in the game.  And even if they somehow didn't overrun us, the suicidal monkeys still sit on enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world ten times over!  What is wrong with all of you, why can't you just let the numbers play out?!  Ask Zero or Gravitas, they understand... Right?  You do understand don't you?"

"If you find it such a sacrifice, perhaps you should turn back.  Word on the street is that work is underway on a cure.  As for my record, I think it speaks for itself.  My facilities provide safe havens for novas in Germany, Nigeria, Russia and more than a dozen other countries besides.  My consumer electronics are the fifth most popular in the world, my military hardware is the third most popular, and I'm unbeaten in confections.  Through these means and others I take concrete steps to increase nova power worldwide and conflict successfully with the baselines.  You should try it sometime, Shrapnel."

Wilhelm didn't get angry.  He calmly stated his points before sipping from his drink.

"You show your narrow-mindedness, Mathematician.  We are already in conflict with the baselines whether you or the baselines recognize it.  There is more to war than mere force of arms.  But yes, let's hear more of these dangers and why they ought prevent us from seizing opportunities, thereby multiplying them, as they present themselves.  Nuclear weapons was it?  How deliciously quaint."

Wilhelm was familiar enough with nuclear weapons that he did not fear them.  For that matter, the folks in KHI R&D were working on weapons designs of their own.  Wilhelm wasn't about to release any information about those projects until they had at least entered testing, though.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:42, Thu 10 Feb 2011.

"I do agree. We're in a state of conflict with the baselines - that is inevitable. They will forever envy our enhanced abilities. Man has always coveted that which he does not have and this situation is no different. That said, there is no reason that we cannot co-exist with the baselines. Pedro is right, the infrastructure they represent is ideal for furthering our own goals. Everything I've ever built is built on the mountainous body of work established by baselines." He sighed. The anti-baseline sentiment among his fellow Terats often threatened to overwhelm him.

"Baselines have their place in this world; moreover, this is their world, not ours. They outnumber us by about two million to one. For those of you playing the home game, that makes us a distinct minority. That does not mean that they cannot be led, however. It is likely that eventually novas will come to lead major countries. The US's popularly driven electoral process makes it a very likely candidate, probably within the next 8 years. It is their world," he reiterated, "but that doesn't mean that we can't provide them with direction and focus."

He gave a sidelong glance to Hell Kraken, one of the newest additions to their round-table discussions, "Despite our abilities, nuclear weapons are still a very real, clear, and present danger to us," he held up his right hand with its cybernetic replacement fingers and wiggled them. "I stopped one nuke from going off that day, but I wasn't so fortunate with the second. Fact is that in spite of everything we've still got our own limits. Those limits may be constantly, even rapidly, expanding, but they do exist." He was sure that most of the people in the room didn't like hearing that last bit, but it would be good for them to recognize that they were not, in fact, omnipotent.

"Nukes sting, take it from me." Solitaire commented to the room at large from where she leaned against the door frame. "Glad to see these sessions are as... Lively as ever."

She swept her gaze around the room, taking the faces, both new and old, but paused a moment to smirk as she saw Pax. Caestus Pax, here, in Raoul's sitting room, dear god, the Director must have had a heart attack. Times certainly had changed. It was good though, as Pax could have been a big problem for the movement, now, between him, Imp and the rest of T2:Teragen, most of the Nova icons were part of The Movement. What that meant was anybody's guess though.

"Hey, Grav. Was it you who stashed me? I appreciate it, but next time I'd like to be a little closer than Mars. Would have taken me bloody ages to get back if your portal thingamajig broke." While she spoke, she walked up behind Gravitas and ruffled his hair affectionately, figuring it would annoy him. He was always so serious.


"Let the baselines do what they want. Their problems aren't ours, we aren't them. They are, less, than we are, but that does not make them unworthy in their own right. We could rule them, if any of us really wanted to, but why bother? Its counterproductive to Teras. We pursue our individual evolution because we can, because we must. To lead is to take responsibility, to subjugate the individual to the collective. It would only get in the way. If we expect them to leave us alone, we ought to do the same. Unless somebody tries to pull something like Columbia again, and we have to break some heads."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:48, Sat 12 Feb 2011.

Though he made a face, he didn't fuss when Solitaire ruffled his hair. In truth it was good to see that she was up and about again, "Yes, I figured it was the safest place. With Caroline still missing, I can't say I'm much willing to trust anyone else with our pretty little butterflies to-be." He shrugged, "As for the 'portal thinamajig', it probably fried itself out after you left. I've been trying to find ways to mimic my own abilities with technology, but so far all the prototypes have been one-shot wonders." Expensive ones at that, he added mentally.

He remained silent as she spoke her mind regarding the baselines. She hadn't had a chance to have any input in the group for quite a while, so she was more than due her fair say. Plus it gave him a chance to observe any changes the chrysalis process might have wrought upon the woman, both physically and mentally.

He nodded when she was done, "Well put. While we might agree that non-interference is for the best, however, not all novas are so laissez faire when it comes to baselines. I think a nova president within the next 8 years is highly probable."

"Bah.  Dig a deep hole and pull it in after you.  Come back out after the bombardment is over.  It works for the baselines and it'll work for novas too."

The techniques necessary to harden a structure against all known nuclear weapons had been well established for sixty years.  These techniques were the reason why the KHI Data Storage Department was headquartered in a salt mine in Poland, had doors a meter thick, and had a runway long enough to handle an antipodal transport.  If everyone wanted to pretend that the only way to deal with nuclear weapons was to punch them individually, though, who was Wilhelm to stop them.

"Besides, the baselines only dare to use nuclear weapons when they know they can do so with impunity.  In this area as in many others, any dangers novas face from nuclear weapons are simply caused by a failure to contest the field.  Remaining weak to avoid antagonizing the baselines or to avoid interfering in their affairs will only make destruction inevitable.  The only stable equilibrium is one where baseline and nova alike have equivalent power.  A Red Queen Race, if you will.  Perhaps nova rule of certain nations is the quickest route to this equilibrium.  It certainly could not fail to increase nova power."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:49, Mon 14 Feb 2011.