For discussion of Teragen philosophy and events.

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Structure of the Teragen Movement, 2008

In the wake of the events in Bahrain, divisions within the Teragen movement cause it to fracture.  When the in-fighting and debates settle, only three primary sub-factions remain: the Accord, the Sanctified, and the Dominion.  Led by Raoul Orzaiz, members of the Accord, sometimes referred to unflatteringly as apologists, believe in the potential for co-existence between Novas and Baselines; while they still hold to an ideology of evolution and nova autonomy, they see nothing inherently wrong in co-operation with baselines and they believe that novas should live by clearly defined rules created by their peers.  The Sanctified, led by Scripture, see Teras as a holy path that leads to spiritual, as well as physical, transcendence; Sanctified Terats have close ties to the Host of Eternity, though they care more for their own transcendence than for shepherding mortal souls.  The Dominion, the most extreme Teragen sub-faction, holds to nova-supremacist ideals and actively works toward nova control of the planet while adhering to harsh training techniques instigated by its de facto leader Shrapnel to spur self-evolution.  The remainder of the movement, Teras or the Unaligned, eschew the intricacies of Teragen politics for the simple messages of nova superiority, rebellion, and self-transformation; Manus Aequitas and Narcosis share power over this large portion of the movement, and are rumored to share much more.

The movement as a whole clings together by a few strong threads: anti-nova sentiment pushing from outside the movement, and the philosophy of chrysalis binding those within.  The Sanctified serve as  mediators and educators within the movement, assuring it does not collapse completely, while the Accord plays damage control and attempts to obfuscate the worst acts of the Dominion, if only to prevent outright war.  The Dominion caries the “do as thou wilt” philosophy to its most extreme ends, and despises, to varying degrees, those not working toward the Cause.  While a Dominion Terat might defend an Accord member against an unruly mob of baselines, it would only be for the sake of punishing the Accord member in private for the affront of making the Teragen appear weak.

Above all the conflict in the group, Divis Mal sits on his technological throne, observing the world from afar.  After sensing a disturbance within the ebb and flow of the earth's quantum field, a secret he announced only to the Pantheon itself, Divis Mal took control over the recently completed international moon base.  He still allows baselines to come and go but holds complete control over the facility, which he nominally chose to "pay" for in homage to "an old friend."  As the moon base was not the property of any international power, there were no immediate repercussions to Mal’s action.  Only the group responsible for the base’s creation made mention of any action against the nova demigod, and the combination of Mal’s terrible, sudden presence in their boardroom, and his gift of invaluable quantum-resonance devices for use in future space endeavors, left them little choice but to move past their loss.

The increasingly rare Pantheon meetings are held on the station, while a pensive Mal watches his children in silence.

Teragen Structure and Notable Members
Pantheon
1. Gravitas (Accord)
2. Hell Kraken (Accord)
3. Raoul Orzaiz (Accord)
4. Bounty (Accord)
5. The Mathematician (Accord)
6. Leviathan (Sanctified)
7. Sin Eater (Sanctified)
8. Jeremiah Scripture (Sanctified)
9. Solitaire (Teras)
10. Manus Aequitas (Teras)
11. Narcosis (Teras)
12. Shrapnel (Dominion)

Lost Pantheon Members
1. Impetus (RETIRED)
2. Geryon (MISSING/DEAD)
3. Dr. Zero (MISSING)
4. Carolyn Fong (MISSING/DEAD)


Teras Undivided: Though anyone unaligned fits here, from firm believers in the Null Manifesto to the various groupies drawn in by Narcosis’s charms, there are two smaller divisions within this group as well.  The “Cult of Mal” lead by Manus Aequitas and “The House of Cards” made by the Solitaire.  The House of Cards is the primary method by which people disappear if they’ve found trouble, and it also serves as eyes and ears for the Movement in general.  Solitaire’s project is still very much a community effort and a reflection of her philosophy, but individual Tables have, at times, been turned into personal gangs or contact rings for other novas.  The Houses serve the additional purpose of bridging the gap between humanity and nova, but in a more organic and basic fashion than the diplomacy of the Accord.  The Cult of Mal, by contrast, focuses on the demagogue at the center of the movement, holding Divis Mal as the pinnacle of nova ideals and achievement and urging others to ask “What would Divis Mal do?”  Mal’s cult of personality resides in the general Teras movement because the goals of the group seem simply to be the idolization of Mal and forwarding Mal’s dreams, rather than moving toward personal understanding (Sanctified) or a complex political agenda (Accord, Dominion).
Key Location:
Blackburn Hotel
The Archon
Goals:
-Train newly erupted novas and liberate tainted or abused novas
-Recruit new members to the movement
-Counter Utopian efforts, destroy their reputation, and oppose them at any opportunity
-Fight for nova rights and superiority
-Enjoy the fruits of nova existence
Novas of Note:
1. Manus Aequitas (Leader)
2. Narcosis (Co-Leader)
3. Solitaire (“Fuck your ranking system and your artificial divisions”)
4. The Apothecary (Adherent)
5. Synapse (Adherent)
6. Clarion (Groupie)
7. Sloppy Joe (Groupie)
8. Gale (Adherent)

Dominion: Shrapnel is doing a lot of recruiting among Elites.  She is also building a nova homeland in Australia, starting from some old bunkers in the outback.  Unlike Tarik’s Bandanah, this is more akin to a Brotherhood-of-Steel Bunker-Vault.  Someplace she can stockpile weapons and recruits for when the war comes.  Reduced in number since its parent groups the Primacy and Nova Vigilance were all but dismantled by Impetus’s speech and Gravitas’s sentencing of Geryon Bahrain, the Dominion is a lean and mobile group, all the more driven for having its lesser members defect to other factions.
Key Location:
Club Zmei
Various secured bunkers
Goals:
-Destroy Utopia and any organization or individual that opposes Teras or the One Race in general, including many Elite organizations (but not the elites themselves)
-End or dominate baseline humanity
-Increase Nova population
-Increase the power of Teras (usually in a literal sense but also through other means when viable)
Novas of Note:
1 Shrapnel (Commander)
2. Confederate (2nd in Command)
3. Natalya “Swarm Queen” Dornova (Lieutenant)
4. Epoch (Lieutenant)
5. Boom-Boom (Soldier)
6. Matador (Soldier
7. Gauze (Soldier

Sanctified: A rarified group that does little aggressive recruiting.  Leviathan and his monsters are one side of the coin, those who want to understand their nature.  The other side are those with an academic or spiritual interest in taint, quantum and what it means to be nova.  The Sanctified look to the ailing within the Teragen, and those who stick with it have a ‘calling’ that keeps them on the path of Truth.
Key Location:
The Catacombs/Cathedral
Goals:
-Forward unity within Teras
-Foster an understanding of Teras within all members of the Teragen movement
-Find personal Transcendence through Teras
Novas of Note:
1. Scripture (Teacher)
2. Leviathan (Disciple)
3. Sin-Eater (Disciple)
4. Turncoat (Devotee. Unraveling sanity held together by Scripture and Sin-Eater)
5. Feathered Serpent (Ascetic)

Accord: The most important rule among the accord is “The Teragen is not your personal army.”  Almost anything else is up for debate, as the group attempts to create the rules by which nova society will govern itself.  The group does accept political dissidents, but what matters is an attempt and interest in building with baselines rather than against them.  A lot of groupies find their way here, since nova celebrity has become a fashionable thing.
Key Location:
The Villa
Goals:
-Ensure the safety of the One Race by preventing unnecessary intra-species and inter-species conflict
-Create rules for Nova interactions that move beyond “might is right”
-Protect baseline rights… though strident voices within the movement argue the limits and tone of those rights
-Use baseline society to forward the Teragen movement
Novas of Note:
1. Raoul Orzaiz (Facilitator)
2. The Mathematician (Speaker)
3. Gravitas (Speaker)
4. Bounty (Speaker)
5. Hell Kraken (Speaker)
6. Tarik ibn’Mahmoud (Peer)
7. Bridgette Caulder (Peer)
8. Jester (Peer)
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:44, Tue 17 Sept 2013.

[Continued from Vignettes]



Impetus, good to meet you.  Your reputation precedes you of course.  You have a great deal of charisma, and you have a way with words matched by few of our kind.  I'm sure we'll have much to discuss in the future.  I look forward to it in fact...

Mal makes a few thought provoking comments before moving on, and seems genuinely interested in Impetus' thoughts on the future and the future of human/nova relations.




Mal seems as though he has been looking forward to meeting Solitaire, and enthusiastically joins her in conversation before moving on.
"You are exactly right.  In some ways Solitaire, you are the vision of what I see our people becoming.  So self-assured, so in touch with your own place in the grand scheme of things.  You have can be a teacher to our people, a role model.  I hope you will come to serve as a light towards a better path for all our siblings living in the darkness of their own pettiness."



When Mal comes is approached by Zero, he treats the nova with deep respect.  Where he treated the others with enthusiasm or interest, he treats Zero as a wise comrade and listens as much as he speaks.
"You're books have been exceptionally insightful, Dr. Zero, and your willingness to discard the trappings of "humanity" show a deep spiritual growth.  I'm honored you could be here, and look forward to discussing ways in which we can progress our people towards a better future."

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If anyone else wanted to be here, feel free to join in the discussion.  I'll move things along in a few days if no one else has anything (or anything more in the case of those that have already posted) to add.

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Though eager to meet the newcomer, Quentin hangs back during the initial rush of people, allowing others the chance to greet him. Quentin spent the time chatting briefly with others as they waited for Divis Mal to make the rounds of the room. An interesting moniker he has chosen for himself, thought Quentin. It doesn't translate exactly, but could mean a number of things. He was vaguely troubled that one of the clearer translations was something like 'Terrible Angel'. On the other hand it might also mean something more benign like 'Divine Messenger', though this was a bit of a stretch.

While he waited and pondered over this translation, he took the chance to catch up with Pedro, who was taking to calling himself The Mathematician more and more (for plainly obvious reasons to anyone that knew him at all), about the current global economic situation. Quentin wasn't terribly money-minded, but he was beginning to acknowledge that Utopia's funding had its limits, and that they wouldn't allow him all of the freedom that he wanted. This meant that self-funding was becoming more and more important, and so he'd taken to playing the stocks a bit.

When Mal got around to Quentin and those near him, Quentin did his best to greet him cordially. "I've gotta say, you seem to have made quite the impression on us," he began. "We have, amongst ourselves, discussed the direction of nova-kind in general and ourselves in specific at great length - it seems that you have some insight in that area." Indeed, the man seemed to be living evidence of actualized self-improvement. "I'm sure we'd all be eager to hear what you've got to say. It sounds like you've got quite the grand vision for novas."

If these words had been directed at virtually anyone else they might have sounded pedantic or patronizing, but focused as they were at this being that almost seemed as far beyond himself and his fellows as they were beyond baseline humanity, they were anything but. Quentin couldn't help but find himself painfully curious to know what this man had done to become as he was - to know what sort of future he had in mind. Though he had only used a few words to do it, the future Mal had alluded to was like a siren call to Quentin. He was always eager to know more, to learn, and to see what the future held - preferably with his own two eyes.

"You know, I think I'd like that." Solitaire says, grasping his hand in farewell before Mal moved on to the next Nova. His grip was firm, but seemed measured as well, as if he could casually crush her if he forgot to control himself, and Solitaire knew that thought was correct. She was a child in comparison, experienced and tough as she was, still a child. It was astounding, it was humbling, it was Glorious. In the instant she shook his hand, Solitaire felt as if she could see everything to come, how it was connected, where it would lead. The feeling passed as quickly as it came, and left a odd tingling sensation in its wake. It took her a moment to realize what that was.

Fear.

Divis Mal frightened her. She who feared nothing (except psychics), who had watched the dawn from the moon, could out fly a jet and had stared into the nuclear blast that had killed so many friends and emerged (mostly, and due to a far greater share of luck than she cared to admit,) unscathed. It was invigorating to know she could still feel that, to know that one day she would reached the illusory heights of power, of being, that Mal spoke to her from.

She decided she liked him.

After Mal moved on Caroline and Imp made their way through the crowd to where Sol was standing.  "He's something else, isn't he?"  Imp said, somewhat unecessarily.  "?I wonder, you know, we erupted pretty early, not as early as Pax or Antaeus, but still, early.  And there's no way either Cueball or the Laconic Green Giant has that much power.  Or even Fireman, and we know that he was basically the first of us.  How long has He been a nova?  A decade? More?  Why is He so secretive, and how did He come to be so long before the rest of us?  Imp spoke at normal volume, knowing that Mal would hear him, god knows Imp could hear everything that people whispering across the room were saying, but totally unconcerned by that knowledge.  Mal had clearly done this to generate discussion, and if he had a problem with what was being said, so be it.

I do indeed have insight, but I do not so much wish to share it.  I would rather encourage all of you along the path I've already walked, or perhaps too help you find something even more profound.  All of you have done in a few years what it has taken me decades to accomplish, and that inspires me to hope that you might perhaps surpass my accomplishments, perhaps even lead me to new realizations myself.  Those like you Gravitas, with your penetrating insight into the way things function, have the potential to change everything...

Mal seems lost in thought for a few moments, a brief pause, but for Quentin and others with hyperenhanced intellects, they understand that it is more akin to minutes than seconds.  He moves away from Gravitas, not rudely, but a bit distractedly.  He walks among the others, taking in their conversation, moving from one cluster of novas to the next.  Santiago attracts his attention for several minutes as they discuss predictive calculations for earth's future.  Raoul and he discuss only pleasantries, but a deep respect is exchanged, as well as an unspoken acknowledgment that they will discuss things in greater depth later.  Mal treats all ideas and attendees with respect and consideration, even those like Geryon who hold violent separatist beliefs.  But he still seems slightly distracted after speaking with Gravitas.

Caroline, alternating between speaking with Orzaiz and Santiago, and hanging on Impetus arm, is the only person he doesn't speak to.  After close to an hour of conversation, Caroline seems nervous and upset, unclear as to why she wasn't worthy of the time for at least a brief conversation.  But she refused to express her concerns, and her slip of control was likely only noticed by Impetus.

After speaking to everyone in the room (aside from Fong), Mal settles in near the center of the area, seating himself casually on a decorative rock as the crowd shifts unconsciously to move around him.

"I came here today unsure of how much to tell you, of revealing too much.  But the truth is, you have far exceeded my hopes, and there is little I could tell you that would matter.  You've already begun to uncover what few secrets I have, though you don't know it yet.  I suppose... that is what I can do for you.  I tell you when you are on a positive path, and when you are going down a dead end.  Or at least warn you that I found something to be a dead end, so that you may investigate it in a different manner.

I'm sorry, I'm speaking vaguely.  Let me begin again.  Caroline Fong, Scripture, could you join me?  Thank you.  When Scripture told me what all of you had been working on, I was enthused but also wary.  I wanted to see for myself how far along you were before I made any decisions.  But your theories upon evolution, personal growth, quantum energy, and the effects of the subconscious were indeed the incredible leaps that Scripture described.  Caroline, your work has been especially insightful, and you have begun to uncover concepts that took me many, many years to identify, and further, you have clarified them in a way that makes them usable for others of our kind, something I found very difficult myself.  For me, the ideas were so profoundly personal that I couldn't relate them to others, even Scripture had difficulty understanding me.  But you Caroline, with the help of those here, especially the Mathematician, Orzaiz, and your Utopian friends, have been able to translate these ideas into a form that everyone will be able to understand...

Yes, I am sorry, this is still vague.  I am referring to Caroline's ideas of speeding nova development.  Viewing our evolution as a manifestation of subconscious desire and belief, and viewing the quantum distortions that some novas experience not as a Taint, but as the beginnings of a... Chrysalis, a becoming.  She has just begun to share with Scripture and the Mathematician her ideas for channeling these quantum distortions to allow one to further evolve themselves, in a sort of second eruption.

This is the future of nova-kind.  You are correct Caroline, I am proof of the validity of your theories.  When I came here, I intended only to listen, but you were so close... I thought to myself, why wait?  In time you would have fully uncovered the mystery, but why risk years lost, and letting life's vagueries cloud the issue?  Evolution can happen NOW..."

Mal continues on, fleshing out the holes in Caroline's theories, and explains how one might apply her findings to nova development.  He reveals little of himself in this process, aside from the fact that he is much older than he appears, and that he has undergone the process himself.  The pantheon begins to form, as the influential and insightful gather closer to talk about the ramifications of these revelations and to hammer out details, while the lesser novas bleed off, eventually either leaving, or sitting back to listen as those with greater knowledge and passion debate long into the night.

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feel free to continue here, just moving it to a more intimate group, and getting rid of the crowd.

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Nothing else to comment on this weird new set of concepts, and the potential they represent?

We can move this forward to a few nights after so that people can talk alone, or in small groups.  Without Mal's awesome being such a distraction.  I would like to see a bit of discussion amongst the group as to how they see themselves and what they think of these ideas.  Especially if anyone plans on justifying chrysalis purchase.

I will have Caroline enter her first chrysalis shortly, and early.  Mal will likely be ahead of schedule with his Null Manifesto also.

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Oh no. I really want to comment. I've been just too busy to write anything worth a damn, just yet, but I'm getting some time real soon. Perhaps tomorrow.

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np,I certainly understand the lack of posting due to lack of time.

Just wanted to make sure I wasn't holding people back by not advancing things further.

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"Is it bad that I don't care where he came from? He's here, and he is Homo Sapiens Novus. Just look at him, no, that's not it, feel him. His presence, his aura, his anima, or whatever the hell it is, its like looking at perfection, as if I could have it too, if I just reached out and took it." Solitaire continues to watch Mal, though not really looking at him, its more as if shes looking at the idea of Mal, the implications, the possibilities and the future he brought with him. "I think that 'something else' might be too mild for him."

Solitaire listens to Mal's speech intently, absorbing the information. Really, the powerful, wise, mysterious stranger should have set off all sorts for warning bells, she'd been with Utopia long enough for that. But, as she told Imp, for some reason she didn't care. Perfection stood before her, who was she to question how it came to be, what it wanted. It was enough that it was.

"So you found a way to channel the undirected energy that causes 'quantum distortions'? I'm familiar with Caroline's theories, but they're just that, theories and ideas. How did you manage that?" She was genuinely curious, as the one thing that had really been holding her back with more vigorous experimentation with her powers was the desire not to sprout tentacles in odd places, she'd seen enough 'aberrations' in the course of her day job, and didn't find most of them aesthetically pleasing.

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I'll edit some more in tomorrow, but I need to sleep, i have a interview at 8:30

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Imp nodded, "I hear that's what super social novas do to baselines, make them fel as if they are the center of the universe, that they are permitted to bask in the glow of the divine, and that the world seems to stop spinning.  I've never ahd anybody do that to me though.  It's a little unnerving.  Do we not care because that is what is wanted, god knows I've done something similar to the parents of certain new novas, like Sundew, but wow."


"Caroline actually showed me how to do something similar, to chanel the energies of our quantum selves into changing our meat, you might have noticed I developed some restraint after Caroline and I met, without the meditation techniques I learned from her, and the ideas we talked about I would never have been able to overcome my baser instincts through willpower alone.  If we can do something even more powerful, truly become that which we wish to be, that's something we need to do, to be true to ourselves and our potential."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:14, Tue 03 Nov 2009.

Solitaire shook her head, "No, its not like that, well, it is, but not entirely. The quantum is there, of course, but there's more to him than that." She shook her head again, trying to marshal her thoughts into something she could voice. She wasn't having much luck with it. It was as if what she saw in him was so much greater than her mastery of mere language, but she could also see that her own thoughts were headed toward something dangerously [edit] like [/edit] worship, and that was a weakness, a crutch. Solitaire stomped on that train of thought with a very large mental boot. She would never allow herself to do anything but stand on her own two feet. Inspiration was the key here, not emulation. Her journey, like all of those gathered here, was a solitary one, following someone else was not the way to strength and the future. Solitaire had always walked her own path, and she always would.

She shrugged, "I can't explain it. But its there."

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"That doesn't eliminate the buildup though. Focus and self-awareness can mitigate it, but it continues to accrue anyway. Caroline hasn't yet found a way to make it beneficial. It sounds as if Divis Mal has, that's whats so fascinating. It was the last real roadblock on our respective paths, for those of us who view it as such. I know several of us don't have a problem with 'aberrations'. If we can consciously direct that though, there's nothing in the way of more extensive experiments."

There were times Solitaire wished she was more intelligent, like Gravitas or Mathematician. This was one of those times, for she always felt a little awkward discussing anything in their presence, for she had the feeling they'd already considered whatever she might add to the conversation.

"As nice as that sounds, however, I'd like to see it in action before I starting pulling out all the stops. I've seen a few of the more 'extensively modified' Novas in the course of work, and I have no intention emulating some of the more undesirable changes."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:26, Wed 04 Nov 2009.

"True, true." He looked over at Caroline, but she was focusing on nothing in particular and had that vacant expression that told him she was a million miles away, and a million miles beyond anything he could begin to comprehend. "Grav," he calls just loudly enough to get their resident genius' attention, once he comes over Imp drops his voice low enough to blend in with the muted conversations taking place in the garden, "How do you feel about this whole thing?"

Quentin's attention snapped back to the present as he was beckoned over. "In a word?" he asked. It seemed as if something deep within his black gaze sparkled distantly, "Fascinated." He took a brief moment to allow his thoughts to fall into place.

"It's... compelling. The eruption is certainly a moment of intense self-evolution. We are forever changed by the experience and certainly are able to develop the abilities we gain," he made a head movement towards Mal, "but not like that."

The presence and power the man possessed was unlike anything Quentin had ever experienced. Even Pax, probably the most powerful nova Quentin knew, did not seem to possess the aura of sheer power that Mal possessed. "He presents a method and a means to implement some of the theories and ideas we've had floating around for months. A way to focus ourselves into further development. It's really quite incredible. -no, that's not the word." He gives Mal another sidelong glance. "Marvelous."

Zero still has no idea how to handle Mal.  The Nova is gifting Zero with all the respect the Doctor ever wanted. What was his game? Zero reflexively suspects the worst and examines it’s faculties. Was it being controlled? No mental control seems to be in effect. It hardens itself just in case, but this seems like good-natured respect from a peer. It is unnerving.  Zero knows the Nova is up to something, and is terrified this is the use of social manipulation so advanced, that it did not require gross Quantum manipulation. Zero begins to feel a reflexive fear and hate for Mal.

“Oh, my. Why thank you! I must say, your oratory skills are impressive. I never thought I would see someone shut up our little mob of malcontents, but you’ve done it.” The Doctor looks about for a split second. “It’s like you’ve set a fire of epiphany throughout our little ranks.  I’ve always thought Novas are born from inspiration, so I am curious where this will lead, but, uh, I must admit, I’ve never really discarded my humanity. The unusual and eccentric are very human things, and from humans will the next generation of Novas rise.”



“My dear Solitaire, I think you are wisdom personified.  I like our new host, but, I reluctantly admit that I worry he may be inspiring some of us to embrace a dangerous path with blinders on. Some of these people could wind up with twisted perceptions like ‘2-D’ if they’re not careful.”

Mal makes his way back from speaking to Santiago and Raoul, coming to lean against one of the tables near the Utopian group.

"Your caution is well placed Dr. Zero.  Evolution is a delicate game played at the edge of chaos.  For a system to be as efficient as possible, it must maintain a balance of dynamism and stasis that allows it to be as adaptable and active as possible, but stable enough to avoid devolving into chaos.  Organization or organism, this challenge applies to all systems.  For those of us looking to become something more, we must be careful not to move so quickly that we endanger our ultimate goal, but also that we don't cling to stasis and lose valuable oportunities for growth.

That is, as I've stated, why I wanted to come forward now.  I've spent years attempting to uncover the proper balance, and there is no reason that you should have to take the same long path to discovery that I have.  Though I will say that caution regarding the messenger as well as the message is also wise... Not all in this world are trustworthy.  In fact, I've found that very few are.

It isn't my place to convince anyone however.  Do as thou wilt.  Find your own path, or test the one I've shown you on your own terms.  That is the quintessence of being a nova, individual exploration and expression.

Thank you for your time everyone, I'll stay in touch.  I leave you to discuss amongst yourselves"

----

Months pass, the Teragen philosophy develops dramatically in that time.  Caroline is able during that period to develop the idea of chrysalis to the point of a viable test, but needs a bit of a push to actually take the final step.  That step comes the day that she realizes she's pregnant.  The ramifications of that discovery, the portents for the future that she sees in that moment, provide the impetus required to move the final way towards her own chrysalis.  As her mind clouds with possibilities, and her body begins to process quantum in new and unprecedented ways, she makes a call to her child's father, getting his voice mail.
"Impetus, we are having a child.  And I found the final key to the chrysalis... I cannot stop the process... I can barely maintain the focus to tell you what is happening... I hope to see you when I emerge, changed and transcendent... I love you..."

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Good times.
I need to know what the T2M:Teragen wants to add to the philosophical development of Teras.  What changes do you want to make, if any, during the months between Feb. and Sept., to the base philosophy listed in the books?  And how you go about doing that.  So a couple of posts from interested parties would be helpful.  Without that, Teras will develop in a slightly more tolerant and gentle manner, but mostly as it went in the primary timeline.

Oh, and Imp, you're a daddy.

---

I'm not totally sure if we should be OOC or IC in this thread, but this does seem to be the logical place for such a discussion to take place.  Imp's position on teras is pretty similar to the one espoused in the main book by the Casablancas, but with a couple slight modifications.
1)Personal responsibility: each of us is responsible to be true to that which we are becoming, those who squander the gifts of novadom are to be treated with pity, and should be shown, by example, a path that another is walking to find their true selves.  If they rise above the petty concerns of day to day life, that is good, if not, they have only betrayed themselves.
2) Personal Accountability: It is our actions that define us. If, through our actions, we negatively impact the inherent right of self discovery for others, novas or baselines, we should expect there to be consequences, either from those we have interfered with or from someone who has chosen to champion their cause.
3) Novas are no more human than humans are Australopithecines.  I don't think it's racist to say that novas are smarter, stronger, faster, etc... than humans, but it is racist to say that we are more worthy, more deserving, more important because of this.  We should not have to listen to humans, but we are not a priori in any position to dictate to them either.  Arguing that we are smarter, thus indeed know best, is a very slippery slope.
4) Not all problems can be solved with the correct application of violence.  A heretical stance, I know.  While some problems can indeed be solved with said correct application of violence, all problems require the correct application of intellect, then the correct application of novas' trans-human gifts.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:09, Mon 09 Nov 2009.

I think this thread ought to be both IC and OOC discussion of Teras, your on the right track Imp. I'd just note it in the subject.

My thoughts are as above. Solitaire is adamant, mostly to people like Geryon and whoever else is a founding member of Nova Vigilance, that Teras is not an excuse to 'cut loose' and do whatever the hell you want to. It is a guide to the personal quest of all Novas in search of Themselves. After Mal issues the Null Manifesto, she will also make that clear the influx of new blood. If you don't like baselines, thats fine, but why concern yourselves with them at all then? What threat could they possibly pose to Us. If you don't like them, avoid them entirely. It should be easy enough to do. They're people too, just not as awesome as us.

Leads to the interesting question of "Is it racist if Nova's are objectively better than baselines in virtually all ways that matter?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:56, Mon 09 Nov 2009.

I'm not convinced that people like Geryon or Leviathan are using Teras as an excuse to cut loose.  Certainly there are younger, less tempered, members of NV or the Harvesters who are all horned up about being mal-icious and killing whoever they want just to prove how badass they are, but the members of the Pantheon are above that, save for the confederate.   Geryon's violence is more focussed, he has a reason for doing what he does, that is the philosophy of the monster, to act, not react, to do for a reason, not for the sake of doing.  Something that Imp may run with when he goes full terat (I'm assuming it's just a matter of time) will be taking any anti nova legislation and swapping out the word /nova/ for /black/ and /baseline/ for /white/ just to see if it sounds fair.  Geryon's killing of the mayor of tampa, which Imp would be solidly behind, btw, was done because he was passing laws that all novas who entered the city had to be registered for the safety of the baselines living there.  It sounds much worse/more honest if we do the word swap.

You could argue that Novas posses natural weapons. People in the military with extensive martial arts training do need to be registered for having a weapon.

I think I'd like to see Zero possibly try to start up a little group focused on two ideas. Zero types up a little proto-Manifesto to distribute among some of the ‘Terras club.’ It's titled "Thoughts and Concerns for the Next Nova Generation."

It states that Baselines are very important as the "proto-Novas." Thus, harming a Baseline is the same as harming a defenseless child. This hopefully creates a more protective attitude toward the Baseline (though very condescending at times) among some Terrats. It at least helps the Doctor clearly communicate it’s evolving intentions to it’s acquaintances. The little philosophical paper stresses that even Baselines with no potential to Erupt should be treated carefully, as the Baseline society as a whole influence a Nova’s Eruption. So, for healthy Novas, there needs to be a healthy society.  The Doctor backs this up with a few choice sample cases of Novas erupting with problems do to being attacked by Novas.

The second point is that the reason why some Baselines Erupt needs to be discovered, and all Baselines need to given the ability to Erupt. His will allow Novas as a species to develop. Z might try calling anyone who likes these ideas members of a "Promethean Movement."

Slowly, the Doctor shares it’s concern that it is not sure Novas really are the next step. It sites Novas are very violent, and Taint is a very dangerous X-Factor. It challenges others to help it to compile data on the long-term viability of the Nova vs. the Baseline. If Zero and it’s peers discovers the discrepancy in Nova Births, a new goal appears.

Find out why there is a discrepancy.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Tue 10 Nov 2009.

Do they need to be registered for individual cities?  I know in Canada, where I'm from, if you get in a fight with somebody you must tell them that you have MA training if you're a black belt, otherwise you can get hit with assault with a concealed weapon.  Boxers also can be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, iirc, if they really beat the crap out of somebody.  It'd be harder to pin these charges on people like Bounty, whose powers only revolve around healing/fertility, than on any of us T2Mers.  Also, does T2M need to register every time they enter the city?  Imp'd go to bars there, very publicly, just to prove a point...
I like the idea about baselines being the seeds from which novas spring.  It is fair to think of attacking a baseline being along the same lines as attacking someone who is helpless, if not a child.  It's conemptible, really, unless that peson has the power to make them a threat, and even then.  Still, speciesists need to be warned that their hijinks are unacceptable, public dismemberments might provied very effective warnings.

I will incorporate these suggestions, to varying degrees, into the null manifesto post in 2004 at some point.  If anyone else has suggestions, let me know before then.

Yes, this is good for both ic discussions, and meta-discussion of ic discussion in ooc mode (talking ooc about talking about things ic)

And Imp, if you could reply to Caroline's condition in some way, that would be useful.  Not sure what you plan on doing, but I do need to know before I progress too much further with the teragen vs. utopia stuff (for obvious reasons).  Who do you talk to, where do you go, what do you set up, etc.  Also of note on this topic, she went to her other friends to actually hide herself... she trusts you, but not your bosses, and they could be watching you at any time.

<spoiler>I wasn't sure if i should respond now or in the future.  Also, Since Sue's player just became a daddy in real life I didnt want to steal his thunder. </spoiler)
IC
Imp finally got back from one of those days that made him wish that he had another job, or at least powers like fertility or terrafoming so that he wouldn't have to play decoy in front of yet another destroyed building, courtesy of the escalating violence between Utopia and the drug Cartels.  This time it had been an arcade, some poor kid had been trapped inside when the whole thing collapsed.  Utopia was moving to cover it up, throwing money at teh problem, seeing that the boy had the best medical care they could provide.  they didn't think he'd ever wake up.
When he was heading home he flew down to a pay phone and called his private mailbox.  The message from Caroline made his heart leap, then his stomach drop like a stone.  He didn't know where she was, didn't trust himself with that kind of information.  But there were people he trusted.
He dialed Raoul.  "Raoul, Hi, it's Impetus.  Caroline has started her crystalis, I can't know where, but, please, can you find out who knows, and tell me if you trust them.  I'm sorry for putting this on you, but, Raoul, she's pregnant.  Ok, thanks." Imp hung up.
He then dialed again.  "Jeremiah, hello, it's Impetus.  Remember how we were talking about how rare it was for novas to become pregnant?  Caroline is.  She's just entered crystalis, and it's not safe for me to know her location, but well, I'm starting to believe in miracles. Thanks.  You too."
He flew back to the base, joy, anxiety, exhileration and wonder racing through him all at the same time.  When he landed he was his usual self, more upbeat and bubbley, but other than that, nothing.  He walked into the computer lab and, using the software he and Grav had created, entered in the specs for the incident he had just witnessed.  The paperwork began flowing out of the printer, his handwriting perfectly mimiced, the wording subtly different on each draft.  Life was good, and he was full of hope.  But why was he so worried about telling people here?

Managed to miss the last few replies, opened a tab and didn't actually read it, so I thought I had.

Solitaire has less a problem with Geryon specifically, she just thinks he's a bit of a jackass, and she regards him and his crowd the most likely abuse their status. Closely followed by the Primacy and Harvesters. By keeping the Movement respectable and legitimate, it becomes easy to separate those who blow shit up and say "Mal made me do it." from true members. Teras's all inclusive nature presents something of a problem with that though.

Indulging in wanton acts of violence undermines that legitimacy, in both baseline and non-terat minds, and is detrimental to its success. To be a Terat is not simply to subscribe to Teras, but to truly strive to better yourself, to move beyond what you were, are now, and into what you will be. The way you do that is up to you, but taking revenge on every (real or imagined) insult you have ever been offered is clinging to what you were, and is holding you back.

Teras is to let go, not to cut loose.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:31, Thu 12 Nov 2009.

In reply to Impetus (msg #23):

There is a knock on Impetus' open door. Zero leaned against the frame. "Hey. Imp. Bad news. I was able to get that young man stable. A healer is scheduled to come in soon to help his recovery."

"Sooo... I think you may have to file more paperwork if he comes around. Ha, ha, ha!" Zero looks into the hall, and then checks it's other sense to see if they are being watched by anyone, and by who. "Do you have a moment?"

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
8 Successes on Surgery Roll for poor boy crushed in ruble.
00:06, Today: Dr. Zero failed (no successes) using 1d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 2. Reroll 10, Ingenious Quality .
00:05, Today: Dr. Zero rolled 7 successes using 20d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 4,7,5,7,3,6,6,8,2,8,2,1,9,7,10,5,2,2,3,2. Medical Marvel! 3 Meg .
00:04, Today: Dr. Zero rolled 1 success using 1d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 9. Reroll 10, Ingenious Quality .
00:04, Today: Dr. Zero rolled 4 successes using 8d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 3,8,7,3,4,8,10,1. Medical Prodigy, 3 Mega, 1 Will Spent .

---

This message was last edited by the player at 05:13, Fri 13 Nov 2009.

In reply to Dr. Zero (msg #25):

"For you, good doctor, I always do.  What's up?"  Imp gestures welcomingly into his house, twoards the living room.  He settles into a chair and looks towards the bar.  Bottles start rising into the air, unscrewing thier tops and pouring their contents int a glass.  'Would you like a drink?"

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Actually, i was thinking that the young man from the arcade would become Synapse, Terragen hacker extrordinaire.

---

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Just the bugs and the cameras.  You were observed entering by the hall camera, the camera positioned to pick things up via the unshuttered window is recording you, and the bug in the ficas is listening.

But other than that, you're totally unobserved.

---

"So, Doc, you going to stand in the doorway all night, or are you going to come in?"

Impetus receives a call from Raoul.
"Congratulations Impetus, I'm happy for you.  Happy for all of us really.  I... Cannot really speak on the matter, mostly because I know very little myself, but I am told that Caroline is safe, and that our friendly Mathematician and devoted Apostle are taking good care of her.  They said to let you know all was well, and that they would inform you of any developments."

Scripture is more reverent in tone when he talks to Impetus, making vague references to "beginnings" and the "revelations at hand".  Despite his vagueness however, he does seem to know a great deal about the situation, without any details from Impetus.

---

At a Triton facility, a young boy hooked up to life support errupts.  His mind floods into the computers keeping his body alive, and expands outward through the electrical lines into the nascent Opnet...

Quantum possibilities collapse...

And the boy's eyes flutter open as his consciousness comes back to his body once more.  His fingers twitch, and he begins to respire on his own.  The doctor did a good job; if it hadn't have been there to operate, the boy's mind might have floated in the opnet for years before reconnecting with his body, if it ever did.

Zero grumbles, walks over to Impetus' phone, and pulls out a contraption from it's trench coat. It's lights flash. It looks very high-tech, mainly because it's control look impossible for function. Zero pics up the phone.

"I know you're listening. I respect why you do this, but I am going to have to ask for an end to the surveillance. When it was just me, I was alright with it, but my friends have been playing ball. They've earned your trust. Please stop eavesdropping on them, or I will see what I can do to make you... legally inconvenienced. Thank you."

Zero calmly hangs up the phone.

"Let's step outside, Imp. It's noisy in here."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:45, Tue 17 Nov 2009.

"Sure," Imp frowns as he follows Zero outside, drink in hand, they walk a ways until they're surrounded by the open desert.  "Now, what would you like to talk about? I'm curious."

Walking outside, Zero scans the area again to make sure they are not being listened to. Once it finds a 'clear' area, it turns to talk to Imp.

"I'm sorry about that. I'm trying to get the Utopian spooks to relax a bit. Between you and me, I don't mind them spying on me a bit. I knew that might happen because of my little... thing with privacy. They've got a lot invested in me, and they don't know my original name, so I get the concern. But the rest of you have been up front, and I'd like them to tone it down. They need to learn some trust."

"I wanted to run a proposed project to you. It's very, very big. I don't want Utopia involved. This is not because I think they're the Illuminati, or something crazy. Personally, I think they're paranoid we're going to become the Illuminati. I just want it to be a grass roots undertaking, and I wanted your view on it."

"I think it could lead to some very great advancements for the Teragen. I'm going to show it to Gravitas, latter on, but to be honest, he's smarter than me, and I don't think he'd be as impressed initially. I'd like to show it off to someone with an aesthetic appreciation, first. Someone with a lot of passion."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:11, Mon 30 Nov 2009.

Imp rested himself on a rock and listened.  "I know that they're keeping tabs on us, yeah, and I know why they are.  Bugging us however, is crossing the line.  Laragione has told me that these shenanigans are going to stop, I hope my trust in him isn't misplaced.
You know, they're right to be worried about us taking over.  Look at what we can do.  Read people minds, convince them of almost anything, do almost anything better than baselines could ever dream of doing.  And that's just we two.  As a race, well...
Anyways, yes, spin me your tale, Doc, I'm aquiver with anticipation."  He takes a sip of his drink and waits expectantly.

"Doc? Doc?  You in there amigo?  I know that you're lost in thought mulling over the best way to tell m about your master plan, but, really, just tell me.  I'm pretty sure i can figure it out, and if not, well, we can retire to teh war room and you can provide me with some helpful cartoons."

After Impetus finishes his sentence and blinks his eyes, he is greeted with a dark, opaque room. The embers from a fireplace dimly illuminate the round room. It’s ceiling is very low and made apparently of a gray alloy. Zero stands there, with a remote in it’s hand.

“This is pretty primitive. It’s a bit embarrassing, really. Its amazing what you can find and loot when space stops being so much an obstacle as a friend. Mostly its scavenged stuff from movie sets, industrial factories, decommissioned deep-sea equipment, and some sputnik era soviet space tech, but, well, I think it looks great for a cob-job. But I will let you be the judge.”

Zero presses the big red button on the remote, and the ceiling opens. Something whirls, stalls, and hums to life under their feet, and the floor rises. The fireplace, set into a nitch in the wall, does not rise with them, and they are lost in darkness for a while, rising up the round shaft, until brilliant light breaks from the top. Another ceiling telescopes open, and reveals a brilliant night sky, and an observatory telescope.

When the floor levels with the glass, the land outside is red. The stars are arranged is similar, but distorted patterns. If Impetus looks through the telescope, it observes their Utopian base on Earth. “Solitare, Gravitas, and Phantasm are talking about it, and I was inspired to this end when you first said you would surf the sun’s solar waves, Impetus. I had to set my foot, no matter how awkward it would land. Behold. The first (shabby, but first), Mars observatory. Behold, perhaps, the future of Terras.”

“My greatest fear is that we would grow so large, that we would straddle the world so grandly, that we could not help but squash our Baseline brothers. But here, there is no media to play to our egos. Here, there are no cartels, or Utopia. Here, it is just us, and exploration.”

“I’m thinking of trying a long jump, soon. With you and the others. Privately. Off hours.”

“I’m thinking of proposing the colonization of Novas who want to leave and evolve together, away from Baselines. Do you think the Pantheon might find this an appealing solution to growing tensions?”

Imp stood in stunned silence, staring out at the Martian landscape.  "God, Doc, you actually built a base on mars.  that's amazing.  As to whether the pantheon would consider colonizing other worlds and leaving Earth, I don't know.  maybe. If things get as bad as some people fear it's certainly an option.  So, what else do you do out here besides staring at Earth?"

"I... kinda was hopping you had some ideas. I don't have too much power up here, yet. I'd need Gravitas and Comstock's help to develop a geothermal plant, like we have at the base."

"Hmm, ideas... Alright, first off, can we/should we terraform Mars?  Given what Spence can do it's certainly not outside the realm of possibility.  Our brethren who can't exist in a vacuum would need either an atmosphere, or habitats for them to survive.  Also, we are still creatures who are attached to creature comforts.  Just because I can exist in a vacuum doesn't mean i want to spend all my time in the void.  Would there be a governing body?  Would there be a code of conduct?  Would it be total anarchy?  If we do have leadership, who would it be?  The smartest?  The most powerful?  The most virtuous?
Would humans be allowed to come here?  What if they demanded the right to exist on Mars?  Can we segregate ourselves?  Morally, should we do so?  Also, Mars isn't that far from Earth, I saw a ship that Grav had cooked up that could theoretically do the trip in a couple weeks.  When Earth, crippled by overpopulation, is looking for some new land, do we have the right to deny them Mars?  Honestly Doc, I think we're going to have to go further out.  Maybe to a different star even.  With the tools we have given mankind it's only a matter of time before they are everywhere in the solar system.  Perhaps use Mars as a testing ground.  Learn what we will need to do here before we jump further out.  I honestly, don't feel comfortable talking to baselines any more.  It's like I could break them if I lose my grip for just a second.  'Stock feels the same, I think.  As do most of us."  He pensivly drains his glass.  "I never thought I'd say it, but I think you've gotta think bigger, Doc."

Zero's eye's catch something, a blip in the electromagnetic spectrum.  It is in the distance, and on earth would be lost in the background of hum of modern life, but here on Mars it stands out like a beacon... And the signature is unlike anything Zero has ever seen before.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:51, Tue 15 Dec 2009.

Zero laughs wildly before collecting itself and tries to wipe away a tear before remembering its wearing a mask. "Oh! You have some gall! Ha, ha, ha. Excellent point. Very excellent. And I agree. I never wanted to seriously terraform Mars for Nova kind. I just wanted to get out here to satisfy my own ambitions. No, I think we are on the same page. If we did this, we'd need a deep space colony. That's why I'd like to try a deep jump. If we can find something... suitable, I'd like to set up a small 'landing' facility, of sorts, and show it to the rest of the Pantheon."

"I, personally, have no interest in living in space and ditching humanity. I'm just thinking of options for others. Some of the Terrats just don't like the Baselines. Look at some of them around the non-Quantum gifted. They look like they are stuck in a zoo cage with smelling monkeys. Me? I know I'm a smelling monkey. We all are. I just am one who can screw with the linchpins of the cosmos. But these Novas, they need some space. A lot of space. And I feel if they don't get that outlet, they'll make some decisions we'll all regret. So why not give them options? Preferable options in another solarsystem." "

Like you said at that cafeteria table years ago, when we first started at Utopia, given the growth of Q-Powers, it is enevitible that a few of us will pose a threat on the..."

"What the fuck...?"

Rydi:

Zero's eye's catch something, a blip in the electromagnetic spectrum.  It is in the distance, and on earth would be lost in the background of hum of modern life, but here on Mars it stands out like a beacon... And the signature is unlike anything Zero has ever seen before.

Zero stares at the strange blip in the electromagnetic spectrum.

"On the electromagnetic spectrum. Do... you see that, Imp?" Zero, without taking it's eyes off the thing, points to it, and gives notes geographic locations near it to help Imp spot it.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
OOC: Are there any instruments in Utopia's various facilities that Zero knows of that could help record this? Can the telescope help?

---

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Anything at a distance would probably miss it, as it is a very faint signature.  Interference from solar wind and Mars' magnetosphere would block it out from a distance.  A close in examination would probably benefit from some equipment perhaps (though you two, perhaps with Grav's help, have enough senses, dex, and analytic ability to put most equipment to shame), but you would need to locate the disturbance.

---

"It is so fascinating... Imp... do you want to jump next to it...?" The Doctor trails off, lost in fascination.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Zero Rolls Perception and Science to learn more.

14:16, Today: Dr. Zero failed (no successes) using 1d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6. Per 10 reroll, Observant Quality .
14:15, Today: Dr. Zero rolled 2 successes using 11d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 8,6,1,4,3,10,3,1,5,6,1. Perception, 1 meg.

---

"Doc, did you just ask me if I wanted to teleport across Mars to investigate a mysterious signal?  Of course I want to check it out.  You ok operating in a vacuum?"  Imp stands and preps himself for the jump, and for whatever they might find out there on the dusty red surface.

"Ha, ha! Indeed. I am the void. Sound's catchy, right?" Zero taps Impetus' shoulder and they are off to inspect the strange anomaly.

The teleport is jarring; nothing major is different, and the location is reached without incidence, but there is a seeming... turbulence to the trip.

Upon arrival on the peak of one of Mars' largest mountains, the two Utopians find a small device, 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, embedded in the rock.  The top has what appears to be a satellite array of some sort on it that focuses and refines... something.  EM sight identifies that it is not actually transmitting standard energy, though it does appear to be taking it in.  Quantum sight is hazy in the area immediately surrounding the device, as though a light fog were in the area.  The fog intensifies as it approaches the device, becoming almost solid at the surface of the device itself (and preventing more penetrating scans in the process).  There is no actual quantum being taken in by the device, but with the Doctor's exceptional refinement of quantum sight, it is able to detect via the ebb and flow of the quantum in the area that the device is pulling in some sort of otherwise invisible energy that distorts the flow of quantum.  After pulling it in, the device sends out this energy in a projected stream, out into the cosmos somewhere.

Further investigation will require advanced technology and/or disassembly.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Quantum sight is enhanced enough on Zero that the doctor can see some of what is happening.  The science roll was not enough however to really discern any of what is going on.

---

"Here, Doc, let me take a look," Imp mouthed. He crouched next to the machine and studied the mechanisms that were transmitting the signals, the composition of the outer shell, and tried to figure out, by the way that the machine was put together the nature of its creators.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
6 sux on a science roll including wp expenditure

---

"Wow." Though Zero's voice is the same, its tone is like a child's. It is truly in awe of the marvel before it. "Impetus. This thing is... its beautiful. I have never seem anything like this. I... I don't know what built this, but it might not even be a Nova."

"Can you feel the flow of Quantum, Impetus? I know some Novas can use their Nodes to do so. I'm a bit weak there, but I have another sense. It is using some other form of energy, unlike anything I could have perceived. We must get Gravitas and Comstock out here. This must be observed."

Zero rubs its hands nervously. "Oh Lord. I think I'm giddy. I'm afraid to look away, as I'm afraid it might vanish!"

Zero turns on a camera in it's helmet, and then taps it's communication transmitter. "Gravitas? Gravitas? Can you hear me? Please, please, say yes. I'm about to make your day."

Impetus is able to discern that the cells on the outer shell are solar absorption units, likely at an incredible level of efficiency if they are meaningfully adding to the machines power with such a small surface area.  From the lack of corrosion and wear despite the ravages of Mars' surface, he can also tell that advanced materials were used in the device's construction.  Finally, from the way the device is embedded in the rock, he can tell that it has been there for some time, and that it likely should be covered with sand, so it must have some limited ability to clear itself of debris when necessary.  All that can be discerned about its creators is that they are an advanced civilization (at least technologically), they are likely monitoring this area, and they don't seem particularly interested in communicating via this device (or if they are, it is in a manner far too strange for the human brain to detect or comprehend).

Zero realizes its communications device will be insufficient to the task, as it would be far too weak to transmit so far, and would be rather slow as well.  A quick teleport, or mental contact perhaps, would do better.  The excitement must be clouding the Doctor's reasoning... or maybe it's that strange, permeating fog in the quantum spectrum.

"Doc, this thing is way beyond anything we've got on Earth.  We should get Grav on this ASAP.  Just fascinating.  You see the way the entire surface is a solar conduit, yet is still tough enough to have survived impact here intact and is still functioning after quite some time.  It looks...alien."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:51, Wed 30 Dec 2009.

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This is set roughly 5 days after the HQ briefing.  We will assume a couple of things, in order to continue this line of inquiry:

1)You can talk, albeit with difficulty and probably the use of a short range communicator to pick up jaw bone vibrations, on mars
2)You were able to recruit Gravitas (and anyone else you want, as there are several mega-intelligent novas on the team) and get him on-sight.
3)This scene will end before the Sao Paulo stuff

I want to keep things moving, but there is also more to explore here, and I would prefer to finish things out on this scene the right way rather than let it fade away.

Also, I'm leaving this particular discussion here b/c it seems in line with the ideals of the teragen and what being a nova is all about, even if it isn't precisely teragen-related.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 11:41, Wed 06 Jan 2010.

Zero. feeling light and foolish for it's odd actions, rubs it's head absently. "Wow. Just, wow. I really don't want... wow. Is this alien? This is nuts! We've got to get some egg heads up here. This is a lot bigger than us."

Then Zero folds it's hands together in restrained excitement, affraid it's actions might cause somthing negative to happen. Zero speaks in restrained excitement to Impetus "This. Is. So cool."

"Hells yeah, time to get back to your secret Mars Base (tm) and investigate this bad boy.  Do you have any quantum dampeners built in yet?"

"Shit! I don't know. I'm afraid to touch it just yet. I'm afraid it'll disappear, and we'll be left with a very big fish tale. Could you watch it while I port and grab Gravitas and some others? I just want some witnesses before we touch her."

"But of course.  If someone had told me this morning that I'd be standing watch over an alien artifact on the surface of Mars I would have never believed them.  Go get Grav, and 'Stock as well, he knows metals better than anybody."

Quentin had been soldering things together on a circuit board when they found him. At first he'd thought the Doc had been pulling his leg about their find. Quentin's curiosity ultimately won out as he opted to head to Mars to investigate. He briefly consulted the OpNet to determine the exact location of the red planet relative to Earth before heading out along with anyone else that wanted a ride (OOC: I'm assuming the Doc and Comstock, as they were planning to fetch to two of us. Anyone else capable of surviving unprotected on Mars and who might have been around can probably grab a ride as well.)

After arrival and locating Imp again, Quentin found himself at a loss for words regarding the object. He stared at it, feeling its gravity and trying to perceive its quantum properties. He found the majority of his senses rebuffed. "What in the hell is it?" He was, at this point, crouched down to more closely examine the object without actually touching it. "This is some pretty far-out tech. We don't even have solar panels this efficient yet. What's it doing?" Quentin produced a few instruments he'd brought along for analysis: EM detectors for radio and microwaves, sonic testers to see if it was making any noise, a spectral analysis kit to attempt to determine the composition if Comstock wasn't able to recognize it. He set to work applying these things but being careful not to actually touch the device just yet.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

OOC: Dice love me today
00:49, Today: Gravitas rolled 6 successes using 14d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 10,10,5,10,10,4,2,2,8,4,4,8,1,3. Science! Alien devices!.
4 mega int dice, 3 of which are 10's. 12 successes. Analytical quality let me reroll the normal 10, but didn't come up with anything. Too bad I haven't had the xp to spare for Scientific Genius yet :P

---

This message was last edited by the player at 07:08, Tue 12 Jan 2010.

Comstock held a hand out over the device, read the air, sniffed, and stared intently.  "Well ... it's metal ..." he began, puzzling through the cyclone of shapes and impressions that his brain supplied.  "I ... it feels ... different."  His face betrayed great confusion and quite a bit of trepidation.

He took a minute to look around.  "Are we really on Mars?"  He looked across the dessicated landscape.  "I didn't know you guys could go that far."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Significantly less luck on this front.  Just one success.  Maybe it's enough?
_{01:03, Today: Comstock rolled 1 success using 7d10 with the Target Number system with a target of 7 with rolls of 2,7,6,2,6,1,6. Molecular Analysis of Alien Artifact.}

---

Quentin nodded absently as he probed his instruments and added Comstock's observations to the findings. "Sometimes it takes a few hops, depending on the positions of planets - for example if Mars is on the far side of the sun from Earth." He tapped some buttons and regretted not having made a laptop that would be fit for use on the Martian surface. Mars's atmosphere and the content of the ubiquitous dust would likely render most commercial computers inoperative in a few hours.

"I've been wanting to try a jump further out, but I need the time to do so. Furthest out I've gone so far is Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter." He stared at out the reddish brown sky and the small, distant sun as a thought occured to him. "I should check out Titan at some point," he said before returning to work. Not that he'd have time to schedule a trip to Titan or any further reaches of space for the forseeable future. Between the string of recent family crises and the upcoming holidays, he'd be kept plenty busy. And there was still the question of sorting out that weird dream-vision-thing about his brother.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:06, Mon 11 Jan 2010.

"If we're going to poke and prod this thing, I think we really should check for booby traps, and possibly get a cyberkinetic up here to try to interface with this to find out what it's doing, and how it will respond to experinmentation."

Gravitas, like the others, experiences a great deal of interference when attempting to utilize his powers to examine the device further.  The shell of the device is shielded from standard electromagnetic scanning devices, though whether this is purposeful is unclear.

Comstock cannot get a feel for the device at all.  It's as though it has no "flavor" at all to him.  Perhaps if that irritating Quantum haze would lift, he could get more of sense for the thing's molecular structure?

Edit: Gravitas does note that the haze itself is interesting, some sort of quantum, or even sub-quantum, interference...
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:09, Tue 12 Jan 2010.

Comstock relayed his findings and suspicions.  "Holy crap, Martian probe.  This is just ... whoa.  Why the heck were you guys out here?  No, forget that, this thing is keeping me out, I can't smell it, whoever made this knew about quantum science."  He started looking around for tracks, signs of a landing, anything to indicate prior activity around the probe.  "Oh crap, quantum aliens."  This wasn't how his day was supposed to go.

"So, who should be told?  The UN?  Keep the info in the Project?  don't tell anybody who isn't here?  Break into area 51 and see if there's anything similar?"  Imp seems genuinely puzzled and worried.

"Well," said Quentin as he squatted down next to the device. "Lets not jump to any conclusions. It certainly doesn't seem to be terrestrial in origin, and its makers seem to have highly advanced material and possibly quantum science. That's about all we know just by looking at it. I propose we remove it to a lab somewhere. Preferably not on Earth."

He used his hands to clear some of the red dirt from around the object, attempting to gauge its overall size and whether or not it could be easily removed from its resting spot.

The object, after digging away layers of martian dirt, stands at roughly 2 yards in height; over half the device is buried, with the base firmly embedded in the mountain rock, and another 2 feet covered in accumulated red sand.  It is a smooth, somewhat ovular device, tapering on both ends.  It has an almost organic feel to its design.

The device is anchored to the rock, and will require extraction of the rock around it if it is to be removed.

"Ok, so, Zero, do you know of anywhere not Earth that we can safely stow this thing? I'm pretty sure that we can get it out of the rock without too much trouble, either Stock or I can rip away the rock around it."

"I'm not sure. Ok. I can see two possibilities, here. It's... wow... aliens, and they are studying us. That raises a lot of other questions. Two. It's another Nova. A very, very advanced Nova, with a lot more mega-smarts then we've yet to see. Either possibility has it's own scary questions. What will the inventors do if the device is moved, if anything? Why is it here? I'm wondering if we should try to build a lab around this device. Why move it?"

"If we do that, we can also try using some of the quantum dampening devices, and see what it does."

"If all of you feel it is better to simply move it, I have a structure built a little while away. It can easily be refitted to work as a lab. I will go along with everyone's decision on this."

"As for Project U, if we involve them, why don't we go to the Aeon Society at the same time? I don't want Pax having final say on this."

Comstock calmed down, shut down, got a little quieter and more mechanical.  "Alright so ... given that no government or agency really has any idea that we are out here -- at least ideally -- I'm going to default to your judgment, guys.  I don't even really know what I'm looking at."  He really didn't like the idea of Pax finding out about this.  The problems there would start at 'poor use of your time and Project Utopia's time' and would end with heavy handed declarations of war and a space program.  Comstock had said it before and would say it again: he felt problems on Earth ought to be fixed before worrying about walking around the stars.  It was also nice to have places to hide, have some solitude, not worry about baselines.

He looked around.  "Quentin, if you could get me back here on a day off and if we could locate some heavy iron deposits, it wouldn't take much to put together a dome or lab and cover it with rock.  Those satellites and telescopes and other things are only going to get better, you know?  A little bunker and camouflage action helps."

He started loosening up a bit.  "Besides, if I were leaving sensitive equipment around in some piss-poor part of the world and didn't want it bothered, I'd probably leave a trap or two."  He tried to gauge how far they'd have to dig to extract the thing.  "Do we even know what this will do if we put something in front of it?  I mean, is it taking pictures of Earth or what?"

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

I opened up a new thread so that this can be continued from a more scientific perspective, and people can get back to making Teragen-specific posts if they want, without fear of spoiling the flow of events here.

---

After Sao Paulo, Raoul holds a party at his summer villa, in commemoration of novas working together for a common cause.  He invites many of the contacts he made while working with T2M and Devries, and hopes to widen the scope of the Teragen movement beyond the small circle of devotees, making the Teragen a greater force within the world.

While the entirety of the pantheon is not in agreement regarding this step, Raoul will not be dissuaded, and the other members grudgingly agree to attend as well.  The even is lavishly catered, and only novas are on the guest list (though many baselines attend to the needs of the guests).  Several curious T2Mers arrive, as well as several elites (apparently Raoul suggested that the elite contacts he made in South America bring any of their friends interested in a night out with other novas).

Raoul's plan, for those canny enough to catch on, is not to simply throw a nice party.  He wants to subtly create a dynamic that shows nova-human relations as they "should be": detached but amicable, with both novas and humans having things to trade one another.  He also wants to show those in attendance the pleasures of associating exclusively with their own kind, and how transcendent the nova is; he went to great expense to create areas inaccessible to baselines (extensions to the villa and free standing platforms that are only accessible to those with super-human methods of travel), as well as sensory experiences only available to novas (beautiful light arrangements outside human ranges of vision, subtle and rare scents, music that reaches above and below human hearing), many of which he himself created or composed.

Raoul is pensive, but optimistic before the party.  Santiago is practically catatonic attempting to determine whether this will be the end of the nascent movement, or empower it beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

Oh, and all of T2M:A is invited; after all, three members of the team are part of the pantheon themselves...

Imp moved through the gathering, greeting people he knew, introducing himself to people he didn't.  In his left hand he carried his drink of choice, the oddly luminescent 3 Mile Island.  Imp knew full well what Raoul was doing, and he was both amused and worried.  Amused that Raoul had the cojones to do something like this with T2M in attendance, worried for the same reason.  As he circulated through the gathering he kept track of who was talking to who, who wasn't talking to who, and who looked like they were about to come to blows.  with this many egos in one place, sparks were bound to lead to fireworks.

Never an overly social creature, Quentin stuck to socializing mostly with people he already knew. He wasn't really going out of his way to be cliquish, but it might have appeared that way to a third party. His intent was the same as it always was when he was in a gathering of novas in a social context. Gather information, drink in new ideas, seek out different perspectives on the nova condition and their views of the state of the world.

"Look," he said, "don't worry about it, Santiago. Whatever will happen, happens. Try to, you know, enjoy yourself a bit. Let the event get under way before trying to run the numbers on it. Besides, you know better than anyone what wild cards - variables - novas can be."

Solitaire found the party quite interesting, it was rare to see so many of her kind gathered in one place, and she always enjoyed the sights and sounds and other odd things that happened when Nova's gathered, at least when they weren't trying to kill one another. She thought it was a great idea, of course, she thought most of Raoul's ideas were great, not necessarily a good idea, but always great. Besides, it was his business if he threw a party and who he invited, not hers or anybody elses.

This early in the affair, Solitaire simply wandered the premises, getting a feel for who was there, nodding to those she knew and was on good terms with, noting the presence of those she wasn't. She passed Imp going the other way, doing pretty much the same thing. It had the potential to be quite an enjoyable evening, she thought, despite her general disinterest in parties.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:30, Thu 18 Mar 2010.

Dillon found himself lost.  In a room full of reinvented, self-actualized novas trying to live a dream, he wasn't sure if he should be walking heavy or light, masked or not.  He knew most of the big faces around the room.  Some had been opponents, others he'd played poker with, and some he'd met at summits.  But he liked them better as people than he did as novas.

"Alright, you haven't had much of a chance to really talk to Raoul, but he's a good guy.  If you're feeling overwhelmed or anything just page me, okay?"  Dillon was escorting Gale along, partly out of a protective instinct toward the newest of his team, partly out of a poorly veiled need for someone to lean on.  A job.  A purpose.  "They're smart people.  Just don't go jumping off any cliffs just because they say so."

Phantasm hadn't quite decided on how she should feel about the whole teragen thing.  She'd heard Imp and Grav talk about it enough that she had some ideas regarding the philosophy even before the Ortaiz guy spread around his ideas during Sao Paulo cleanup.  On the one hand, she certainly knew better than most how being a nova made you different, unlike and better than anything human.  Deep down she was deathly afraid of losing this unique spark that lived inside her head, made her special, and gave her power she had never had as just another human girl, middle child of a low income family trying to get by one paycheck at a time.  On the other... Something inside her just wasn't comfortable with letting go of humanity.  Maybe that's why I never shift too far from human when I shapeshift, some underlying fear of losing myself...

So, filled with ambivalence, Phantasm wandered around, chatting with people lightly, and keeping her thoughts to herself.  She noted Grav over by the wall, talking to some nervous guy about probability analysis, but she didn't vist... predicting the future via math was great and all, but kind of a waste of time, and any little variable could screw things up.  She also noted Dillon with Gale... Guess I've been replaced as moral support.  Serves me right I suppose, I've not really been there for anyone but myself lately; I'm surprised I've even fed the cat.

She continued to contemplate life, the universe, and stuff as she wondered around.  She managed to somehow run straight into a hulking Geryon in the process... No, she hadn't, he'd stepped in front of her unexpectadly.  And that smile on his face confirmed it.

"Hey girl, you're the scary one on Uppie Americas right?  You look pretty all-american baseline to me though..."

Trying to pick a fight, great.  Well, some people just get off on arguing I guess.  Though he's obviously putting on a show, I can tell he's smarter than that just from the inflection he put on his words... Hmm... This will be interesting...

Gale stuck close to Comstock.  She didn't know that many other people here, apart from the T2Mers.  Some of the faces were familiar from Sao Paulo.  She'd been thinking a lot over the past few days about what exactly she thought a nova's place, her place in the universe was.  She hadn't made much progress, other than making her head hurt from thinking in larger and larger circles.  "Yeah, I heard some of what they were saying at Sao Paulo.  Seemed a little...extreme."  She was trying to be polite.  If some of what she heard and what she was seeing was truly what these people thought, well, it seemed downright inhumane.  But then, one could argue, that they weren't really human, so did that even matter?  And there was her mind going in circles again.

She rubbed her head, looking around and noting Imp, Grav, Sol, and Phantasm.  Being around other novas did always make her more comfortable, at least.  There weren't going to be any anti-nova sentiments here, no one to stare at her like she was a freak.  She shot a smile at Comstock, trying to reassure him.  Maybe she could just enjoy the party and make some new nova contacts.

Imp noticed Geryon bearing down on 'Tasm, it was hard not to notice the man.  If man was the correct word anymore.  Don't bite off more than you can chew big fella, Imp thought to himself.  He then went looking for The Mathematician, and found him talking to Grav. Figures that the two biggest brains on the planet sucked each other into their orbits, well, I guess the man to talk to is Marcel.  Imp was curious why he thought of everybody else as novas, wheras he thought of the man called "The Apostle" as a pretentious zip.  Weird.  He found Marcel surrounded by a bevvy of women off on one of the balconies.  Imp sauntered up, bowed graciously, and said "Excuse me, ladies, but can I steal him for just a minute?"  The faintest hint of annoyance flickered across Marcel's perfect face, then he grinned, extricated himself, and walked over to the railing with Imp.  "How's Car doing, Apostle?  I don't want to know where she is, but I've gotta know how she is, she's been under for longer than anybody else has.  Is she ok?"  Imp's casual body language was at odds with the intensity of his voice, this was one of his very few weak spots.  When Marcel answered Imp analyzed his voice, pupil dilation and body language.  Imp's need to know about Car was seconded by his need to know that the men watching her were trustworthy.

Flare tried hard to be assertive, friendly, and confident for this party.  She decided early on that she had to do more than lighting things on fire to contribute to T2M:A.

She mingled to the best of her ability for about ten minutes, her natural charisma hopefully leaving others with positive opinions of her, then tries to fade into the wall.  Pleasently enough there are others who probably don't need or want to be the center of attention, and are quite happy to discuss, TV, movies, and recent events rather than anything of extremem importance.

Despite her now designer clothes and expert makeup, Flare finally feels like she belongs when talk turns to favorite comic book characters.

Dillon frowned.  "It's not all like that, Gale.  It's ... complicated."  Dillon didn't have a strong grasp over the philosophy yet, but if Imp, Zero and Sol had a hand in it he didn't want to declare it garbage out of hand.

Damn near everyone who'd had a hand in the rescue efforts at Sao Paulo was here.   Out in the crowd he saw Hydra and Ragnarockette catching up on old times.  The frown vanished, the hope of a little fun returning.  "Alright.  First things first, let's get you introduced.  We're looking for a bald Spanish guy.  Expensive suit.  Usually has a crowd around him.  After that, you're on your own.  I've got a few people I gotta catch up with."

Weaving through the crowd, he gradually found his way to Raoul, waiting patiently for the man to finish whatever conversation was going on before stepping forward with Gale.  "Good to see you, Raoul.  I've got someone to meet you."

Comstock and Gale find Raoul at the center of a crowd, as expected.  Mostly he is just putting those not familiar with the teragen novas at ease, reminding them that this is a friendly place where novas should come to know one another, and have a good time.  He notices Comstock waiting on him, and makes a public show of pulling him and Gale to the center of the crowd, giving the big man a companionable hug, and Gale a kiss on the hand.  "My friend, I was just telling everyone here how happy it is that we few, rare novas can come together at last to form a greater family... I am so very happy that you could come... Who is this, Gale, yes?  The angel of Utopia is more beautiful in person than the cameras give her credit for, yes?  Come with me madam, let me show you around..."

---

"I'm telling you Gravitas, things are off... somewhere, we went off track, and now the projections tell me that we are headed for disaster.  I just hope Raoul knows what he's doing here.  It does have the chance to change things, which is the only reason I didn't object further, but still, I'm not sure... Oh, hey, what?"

Santiago is quickly moved to the dance floor to stumble through a few movements with a beautiful young woman who introduces her self as Angela.  He quickly picks up on the movements and rythm, and is for the moment distracted from his calculations... or at least they move to a back burner in favor of staring at the alluring nova in his arms.  Gravitas catches a smirk from Raoul, who's direction the young woman came from.

---

"Oh yes, she is doing well, though the chrysalis is taking disturbingly long... we worry about her, but she seems well from what we can tell." Impetus' conversation with the self-proclaimed Apostle is... difficult.  The haze of pleasure inducing chemicals that surround the man make it difficult to accurately perceive the true Delorimier, clouding both judgement and perception.  The man is also a master manipulator, not as overwhelmingly powerful a presence as Imp, but certainly his equal in subtlety.  He goes on to make pleasant small talk, interspersing the conversation with tidbits about Caroline, that are meant to stick in Impetus' mind and assuage his concerns, all the while portraying himself as the perfect, most trustworthy confidant, attempting to pry Imp's secrets from him (at which he does have some modest success, pulling a few prize details out before Impetus realizes just how skilled Marcel is and clamps his mouth shut).

Of course, the Apostle is not unaffected himself, and he clearly stumbles several times as he tries to hide his own insecurities, his subtle jealousy of Caroline and Impetus, his adoration of Divis Mal, and his growing contempt for Orzaiz and Scripture... But all of these are subtle, warning signs perhaps, but no indicator of outright betrayal.  Impetus comes away from the meeting with inconclusive findings, though he has the nagging thought that if the vision was a true prediction of the future, the Apostle might not have even decided to betray Caroline yet, and thus Impetus might not be able to find out anything.

---

Flare manages to find another T2Mer interested in comics, Skew, who finds that they give him a deeper insight into his own powers; he is especially fond of the X-Men, for obvious reasons.  Conversation goes swimmingly, until a glowing, floating man passes by with a 10' tall reptilian monstrosity.  After a slight tilt of his head, the man leaves quickly, whispering to the reptile before he moves on.  The giant stays with the two T2Mers, and awkwardly fidgets.  Finally, a cracking boys voice, with a clearly itallian accented english emerges. "I very much enjoy the comic books of America..."

Sometimes Imp forgot how susceptible he was to others of his ilk.  The trick with the pheremone cloud, for example, very distracting.  Still, even if he couldn't come up with concrete evidence, he still had learned enough to be suspicious.  The people you shouldn't trust are the ones who do their best to convince you how trustworthy they are.
He sauntered back inside, letting none of his disquiet show.  Fucking Marcel.
He wandered through the crowd, talking, smiling, doing what he did best, not as well as he normally did, but still, he didn't offend anybody.
As he passed Skew, Flare, and,  umm, (Godzilla?) he caught a bit of their conversation and stopped.  "Y'know, Skew, X-men had some great stuff, but for true comic genius, it's gotta be The Tick."  He turned to the scaly monstrosity beside them and, without missing a beat, extended a hand, "Ciao, piacevole per incontrarlo, il mio nome è Impetus."  Imp shot the breeze with them for a while, then moved on, he was cautious about staying with one group for too long, he didn't want to intrude, after all.

"Look out Arthur, its a Yule-tide!" Flare can't help but jump in when the tick is mentioned.

She makes a bit more comic talk and then, with a heavy sigh, decides that she really needs to stop playing the wallflower like this is a bad junior prom and be the productive member of T2M she's always wanted to be.

Flare slowly meanders toward the center of the gathering. The least she could do is say hello to Raoul, it was his wine and hordeuves she was pilfering.

Dillon returned Raoul's hug awkwardly, gave Gale a sheepish smile, and saluted her as Raoul did his playboy thing and broke her out of her shell.  Free for a few moments and sure that Gale would get a full introduction to damn near everyone in the room now, he started shaking hands, sharing news, and generally trying to reconnect with people he hadn't seen since the Equatorial Wars.

After a few minutes he finally confronted the knot of uncertainty in his guts and resolved to meet a few more of the Teragen in attendance.  He thought about getting Gravitas or Solitaire to introduce him, then decided against it.  Among the throngs and clusters, he saw a woman shaped of metal with an Irish accent.  She seemed to have a martial streak to her and commanded some respect.  Guess they've got a copy of me among them already.

He wandered over to the metal woman and gave her a nod in greeting.  "Hey.  I'm Comstock.  And you are?"

Quentin raised an eyebrow when the Mathematician was dragged away from his worrying. "Indeed?" he said under he breath and wandered away from where they'd been talking to find other company.

Really, he wasn't sure how Santiago maintained his sanity or ability to do anything. Predictive abilities like his were both incredibly valuable and utterly paralyzing. If he had his druthers, Quentin found himself thinking that he'd rather know what was to come in broad sweeping strokes rather than through fine-tuned calculations as the Mathematician did. Not knowing the future was part of what kept life interesting for Quentin though. The future was one of the major sources of the unknown left in his life.

Still, it would be useful to take the man's warnings to heart. Something bad was on the horizon, and it'd be better to be ready for it.

Like a satellite, Quentin circled the outside of the room a few times, observing the novas and how they ended up grouping up an splitting apart. He particularly kept an eye out for any of his teammates and whether or not they appeared to be getting in over their heads. So far, so good, he thinks to himself.

Gale had offered her hand for a handshake, and instead had gotten a kiss, and then a slew of compliments so quick it made her head spin.  She felt her cheeks get hot, and then the next thing she knew, she was giving a last uncertain glance to Comstock as Raoul dragged her away.

Once she had composed herself, she managed to scrounge up some form of conversation.  "It's a pleasure to finally meet you.  Comstock was saying that I should be getting to know more novas outside of Utopia."  Somewhere in the back of her mind, she probably knew that Raoul was similar to Impetus in the way they interacted with other people.  But when you don't have a much of a defense against the social gods, what can you do?  She was here because she had been asked, and maybe she could make a few connections.  Everything else was just going to be part of the ride.

Solitaire made a movement somewhere between a laugh and a wince as she noticed Comstock talking to Shrapnel. That was going to be an interesting conversation... Solitaire found Shrapnel to be an interesting person, as so many elites and former elites were, even if her political and philosophical views were a little, extreme. She didn't begrudge that to Shrapnel though, there was some truth in what she espoused, as there was in most things. It was just that History had seen too often where that mindset led, and it was never pretty. Solitaire was convinced that it was some deep pain that drove Shrapnel. She could sense the wound, as she was herself wounded in a similar way. Given time, and probably some help from Imp, Solitaire thought that she could set her straight.

She struck up a conversation with Sin-Eater, whom she run into a few times before and thought was on the verge of joining the movement. Solitaire liked Sin-Eater, she was nice enough, probably had an agenda of her own, but that didn't bother Solitaire either, everybody here did. That was something of the point.

Despite having started the conversation, Solitaire only gave it half of her attention, the rest was focused on keeping an eye on Comstock and Shrapnel, ready to step in if it seemed to be getting out of hand.

Imp bounced from conversation to conversation, noticed that the man he really wanted to talk to was busy, and instead zeroed in on Scripture.  "Good evening Scripture, It's been too long." Imp gave him a friendly handshake. "So, this party seems to have brought our brothers and sisters from all walks of life together, it looks promising, but, then again, so many things do at the outset." He took a sip of his drink, then paused to savour the flavour.  "I can't help but notice Divis isn't gracing us with his presence.  I haven't seen him since London, and I was really looking forward to talking with him about the future."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Sat 27 Mar 2010.

Zero wasn't sure what to do at the party. The Doctor was a bit conflicted. It was very pent up lately, with all the chaos going around "at work," but Z also wanted to make sure Raoul's party succeeded. The Count had not hidden his intentions, and Zero deeply respected them. When Zero first arrives, it does a head count for anyone who might cause some trouble, but then losses itself on the dance-floor for a bit, and then did some horrible karaoke. It couldn't help but notices the hulking Geryon looming over Phantasm, though, and broke away from the small crowd badly singing China Girl to see what was up.

"Hey Gery! I'm glad you could make it!" Zero tried to grab and shake Greyon's massive hand. "How are things? I trust you two have met."

Leviathan looks somewhat disappointed when Flair and Impetus leave, but seems to get on fairly well with Skew, and the giant reptillian boy seems cheered by the interaction.

---

Scripture looks at Impetus, or perhaps through him.  The man, if he was still a man at this point, was unnerving to say the least.  Not just his power, but the way he could see through the facades of the world.  Impetus always had the feeling that Jeremiah could see through his handsome, quantum powered charisma to the young man he had been before he changed.

After a moment of contemplation (he always contemplated the words of others with deliberation and care), he spoke.  "Divis Mal chooses to let others find their own path.  He showed himself to the core of the Teragen because he felt they were ready, but fears that his presence might overwhelm Raoul's efforts here, and prevent the ties amongst nova-kind from being strengthened.  But he will make himself known, and soon.  There is much he has planned; he too will do his part in our transcendence."

As he speaks, Scripture nods to Gravitas from across the crowded room, signaling that he should join them in conversation.

---

Raoul made his way through his party, introducing Gale to prominent members of his own social circle, as well as the elite community.  Everyone was polite.  While a few were a bit condescending, she found that she received far better treatment than some of the more experienced (and more obviously powerful) members of T2M were getting.  When Flare joined them, Raoul was just as polite to her as he had been to Gale.  "It appears your teammate is joining us... A pleasure, miss Flare, so glad you could come.  And now I have the pleasure of a beautiful young woman on each arm.  I'm certain to be the envy of every man here, no?  Come, let us meet more of the guests... Is there anyone in particular you would like to speak with?  Many prominent individuals are here, and I'm sure they would be overjoyed to meet you."

---

Geryon was just about to open his mouth for another comment, when Zero barged in to their discussion.

"Oh, hey Doc.  Glad to see you.  I was just getting to know your, err... Friend here.  I'd heard a lot about her, and thought I'd uh..."  He looked a bit worried, as he knew full well that Zero had seen him harassing the girl, and suspected that Zero's friendly demeanor hid the soul of a sociopath (it was why he liked Zero so well after all).  Perhaps an explanation was in order. "I... basically I was giving her a hard time to see what she was made of.  Seems like she has some potential as one of us, you know?  Those things she makes, takes a mind willing to explore beyond the bounds of human morals, you know.  No hard feelings, either of you.  How you been Zero?"

---

Sin-Eater noticed Solitaire's interest in the conversation on the other side of the room.  In crisp Indian-accented English, Sin-Eater suggests they make their way to join the conversation.  They arrive to hear Shrapnel's rising voice.

"...Utopia's enslavement of Novas to the will of a debased humanity!  You may think you're doing everyone a favor, but you're really just chaining yourself down, and while everyone may want to talk polite around here, and gloss over it, Utopia is doing damage to the future of nova-kind every second it's allowed to keep running both nova AND human lives!"

Comstock had barely opened his mouth before he got an earful.  The woman was... Intense, to say the least.  Her views weren't completely unfounded.  She was a veteran of the Equatorial Wars, and had seen the direct results of novas being used as the weapons of human governments, both on novas and on the baseline populace.  But she was blind to any of Comstock's arguments regarding the good Utopia did, or how they prevented the very things that Shrapnel feared.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Shrapnel is a tiny bit more mellow than in the standard timeline, but she isn't exactly a teddy bear.  And the thing that drives her, her time in the Equatorial Wars, was actually worse in this timeline.

---

"Well ..."
"But that's ..."
"Hey, I ..."
"Listen ..."
"If you'd ..."

He'd stepped on a landmine.  Gradually, through the conversation, he grew more and more quiet and flustered as the metal began to seep out and harden.  He'd heard rhetoric before.  He'd tolerated being called part of the problem before.  But he wasn't quite sure how to handle this.

By the time he found a gap in her tirade, his expression had hardened and he was decidedly Comstock, metallic voice and everything.  Next to Shrapnel's burning intensity, he was a tightly wound coil.  "You about done?" he grunted.

Gale remained polite to everyone.  Though she had to wonder why she was getting better treatment than some of the others; she would have thought the opposite.  She was not as socially adept as Impetus, and it probably showed.

She was grateful when Flare joined in the conversation.  "I have no preferences.  Do you, Flare?"  She gave a nervous smile.  She didn't even know who might be here to think about being introduced to.  Also, meeting prominent individuals wasn't usually what she did, so she wasn't sure how to go about it.

Flare was pretty sure that neither she nore Gale rated such attention, despite their current hawtness, but with a pleased and professional smile (that she had been working on to survive when dealing with the media) she took Raoul's free arm.

"Everyone here is so amazing, that I'd love to meet them all, but if you think a certain heavenly messenger can spare a moment, I'd love to be introduced to him."

She'd heard Divis Mal's name enough in the news, websearches and even murmured around base enough to know that the Nova was someone worth meeting.  If all of that wasn't enough, the man's presence would have certainly convinced her. Would she be thrown out of the party if she asked for the man's autograph?

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
I didn't get a lot of response on the last update, so I'm just going to float non-responders around as needed.  Hope no one minds.

---

Gale and Flare catch a bit of discomfort from Raoul at the mention of the powerful nova.  While Divis had made himself known to the nova community, and rumors were circulating even among the baseline press of a powerful nova involved with some sort of "nova transcendentalist philosophy", Divis Mal seldom involves himself in day to day affairs of novas, and is exceptionally difficult to track down even for the teragen members.

"I... yes, well, unfortunately he did not want to distract from the occassion.  Which I understand of course, his presence can be a bit overwhelming... Though I've already had many requests from guests, and his presence would have done wonders to show others the value of our philosophy... But still, I do understand his concern.  Here, let me introduce you instead to his good friend, Jeremiah, or as he calls himself, Scripture."

Raoul moves through the crowd toward the small group around Scripture.  Impetus is there, and Gravitas just joined them from his place on the sidelines of the event after being beckoned to by Jeremiah.

"Scripture, it is my pleasure to introduce you two lovely young novas, Gale and Flare."

The man glows with a pure, white light, his burning with a greater intensity than his skin.  There is an otherness about him, as one might experience in the presence of something deeply spiritual, and his eyes stare through the newly introduced guests.  The moment becomes uncomfortable as the silence left in the wake of Orzaiz's introduction stretches on.  Finally, without warning, Scriptures speaks.
"Gale, you appear as an angel.  In Sao Paulo I hear that you used your appearance to play upon the religion of the people there.  And Flare, you helped her, and could also be viewed as an angelic figure, borne aloft by divine fire.  How do you feel about these things, what are your thoughts?"

Orzaiz is a bit... annoyed by Scripture's lack of tact, but through body language attempts to intimate a sense that "Jeremiah is just being Jeremiah" and that no one should take offense.

---

Comstock and Shrapnel are drawing their own little crowd.  Shrapnel's raised voice attracts Geryon from his awkward discussion with Phantasm and Zero, who both meander over as well.  Solitaire and Sin Eater move towards the heated conversation, and a few nearby elites eavesdrop while pretending to pay attention to each other and their drinks.

Shrapnel seems not to notice Comstock's change in demeanor, or she likely thinks his increasing calm means that she is winning the argument.
"I'm about done, yeah.  Probably not much else to say, you're too thick to get the big picture anyway.  Maybe when the monkeys, get done using you for their ends, and they have you in chains, you'll see reason, but probably not until then."

Gale caught from Raoul that perhaps Scripture did not mean to be so blunt, or perhaps he was just innately curious.  Even if it was the latter, Gale couldn't help but get a little defensive; her wings fluffing up a little as she spoke.  "I cannot help what other people think I am.  I've tried correcting them.  Sao Paulo was an emergency, so I did what had to be done to keep the situation under control."  For whatever reason, she felt like she was being judged.  She looked at Flare, seeking confirmation from her friend that she was not a bad person.

Solitaire smiled gratefully at Sin-Eater as the pair moved to join the conversation, though 'diatribe' might be more accurate.

"Come on Shrapnel, we're hardly enslaved." Solitaire said, rolling her eyes. It was always like this when she got going. Best to head her off.  "Saving the world is a job, it happens to be ours. Its unfortunate that all of can't be as responsible as most of us would like. Each of us is almost a law unto themselves, it requires others of us to check the excesses of our less moral comrades. We have no central body of nova's to judge our actions, write our rules, at the moment all we have is Utopia."

We could sure use one though. It would settle things. Solitaire though.

"In the mean time, could you at least be polite to my friends? This is a party after all. Raoul has outdone himself as usual."

"I'm going to say this o--" Comstock began, only to be interrupted by Solitaire.  He ground his teeth together hard, loud enough for nearby people to hear it.  It was enough for him to realize how riled up he was getting.  He concentrated on calming down, easing his jaw and unclenching his fists.

Imp offered his drink to Flare, "Trust me, beautiful, you may want to take a thoughtful swallow before you respond, Scripture's better than I am at playing the strings of the soul."  He turned his head towards the bar and his forehead furrowed slightly as bottles started unscrewing their caps and pouring their contents into a glass.  Maintaining seven threads was taxing, but was getting easier, the more you practice the better you can do, he thought to himself.

Flare can't help a bit of a laugh at Scriptures analysis of herself and Gale.

"Haa...well, I'll admit that I'd use any preconceptions to prevent a riot, including religious ones, but I'm pretty sure anyone who knows me would be somewhat less than inclined to ascribe me with any divine traits. Even if I'm flying and on fire I'm just a regular girl."

Flare becomes a bit overawed by Scripture's glowing presence before Impetus diverts her attention a bit.  She takes nods in thanks and takes the drink while trying to get ahold of herself.

"What about you, Scripture, in your opinion are we angels, demons, or just weirdo's in costume?"

With a name like Scripture, Flare had an idea of the man's opinions, but it never hurt to wow new people with her directness.

Scripture watches without reaction as Gale attempts to justify her actions, and as Flare explains her views.  His pause after her question is overly long, and Raoul is clearly irritated that Scripture is making his guest uncomfortable, but curiously doesn't seem irritated with Scripture, merely the situation.

The glowing man finally speaks, in a beautiful, almost melodic voice.  His words resonate with Truth to those listening.
"It is unfortunate that you cannot see as I do, that novas are transcendent servants of the divine will.  You should not be ashamed that people believe you to be an angel Gale, for in a very real sense, you are.  And Flare, you are a "regular girl" no longer, but bear the divine spark within you."

---

Shrapnel looks at Sol with deep anger in her eyes.  "I am being polite.  The rooms still in one piece isn't it?  You know I respect you Solitaire, but Utopia is a mistake, mark my words."

Geryon smiles at her quip, and nods in agreement. "Got that right.  And if novas need a governing body, then they should make their own, not listen to a bunch of baselines telling them what to do.  If they even need one that is.  Which I don't think they do."

Gale was not enough of a cynic to deny that the words resonated with her.  It would be nice to believe that everything had happened for a reason, that it wasn't just random genetics.  But Gale was not (and had never been) a very religious person, and so at least one thing about what Scripture said bothered her.  "What about the 'bad' novas?  The ones who hurt, kill, or control people, just because they can?  Are they also servants of the divine will?"  The question was a sincere one, not full of malice or sarcasm.  If Scripture wanted to believe that she was an angel, she needed to know that he wasn't ignoring all the perspectives.

"Are we divine servants, Scripture, or simply bearers of a more potent divine spark than baselines?  What god do we serve?  For many of our kind it would be avarice, hatred, or lust.  Most of us are like children that have been given the fires of heaven by Prometheus, or at best, squabbling teenagers.  I have only met one of our kind who could be considered adult, and the raw power and potential of what we may become when we finally mature frankly scares me."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:31, Thu 08 Apr 2010.

"A mistake ..." he ran a hand over his head, frustration boiling over, "hey, I'm not exactly kissing anyones ass out there!" Comstock barked, reverberating.  "I get to plan the operations, I share in the proceeds and the policy-making, and every member of my team plays the role they want to play.  We draw the line and keep the peace for everyone.  You got a better idea to keep things from getting ugly between us and baselines, I'd like to hear it!"

One of the weaknesses of his position and authority had been a degree of insulation from this sort of crap.  If he hadn't crossed the line to open hostility, he was brushing the edges.  The last time he'd been disrespected and had his ideals questioned so openly, the other guy at least had the quantum-powered charm to make it sound like a reasonable argument.

In reply to Rydi (msg #98):

"Of course, Shrapnel, we both know your definition of polite is a bit non-standard. I do thank you for the lack of destruction. Utopia has its function, and it, like all things, will be replaced in time by the next. It keeps things in check. You remember the the Wars, two of us can destroy a country, fifty nearly leveled the continent. There's several thousand of us now." Solitaire said with a smile, not off balance in the least. She knew both Shrapnel and Geryons views. "It is necessary until such a time as we can 'all get along' or else regulate ourselves. Team Tomorrow is a stabilizing force at present, nothing more. Without it, we've destroyed half the world by now, or else gotten nuked into oblivion. Any 'victory' by anyone would have been strictly pyrrhic. I, for one, quite like the planet, and would like it to still be around in five years."

"All is part of the divine will Gale.  But I don't think that was the sense in which you meant your question."
Scripture contemplates a moment before continuing.
"There are some novas that are ignorant of what they are... innocent.  Most perhaps are this way, at this early point.  They will learn their role.  There are those that will fall, choosing to abandon their higher calling, clipping their wings to crawl in the filth, much as the morningstar fell to earth rather than fulfill his role... But those that fall will be faced with the consequences of their actions, and look jealously up at the light they can never reach..."
Jeremiah, at this point is glowing more intensely, and is now fully Scripture, no trace of the man left.  As his voice tapers off, it is clear he is seeing a vision that those around him cannot.

---

Shrapnel looks angry, but holds her tongue after Solitaire's speech.  Geryon on the other hand...
"You make some sense Solitaire, but at this point we, and not the monkeys, should be the ones to 'stabilize' the situation.  Our community should be the only control on our people."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
if anyone wants to do more here, feel free to post.  I made the last post here however, so it's in other people's court now.  If there are no replies, I'll close out the scene and move on.

---

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.

Oh goodie, he wants to rule the world. Solitaire rolled her eyes at the thought.

"How do you define 'weak', Mr... I'm sorry, I don't know who you are." Solitaire inquired, genuinely curious. He must have a viewpoint of some worth, or he wouldn't likely be here with most of The Pantheon assembled. She wanted to know what it was. She had been on Mars for the better part of a year, her grasp of the situation might be in error. Still, she did not see how the situation could have changed radically enough to allow the baseline masses to legitimately threaten Nova-kind. T2M:A could have, if not conquered, at least destroyed most the infrastructure of the country in less than a week if it desired too. The only real wildcard was other Novas.

"Balance exists now, or did when I left, its why they're so god-awfully afraid of us. They may have enough nukes stashed around to destroy the planet a few hundred times, but you only need to be able to destroy it once. We can do that too. We can survive even if they did. What makes you think they would even cast the dice and try? We have all their merits, some of their flaws, and few of their weaknesses."

"I think we're starting to get off topic. Again," Gravitas put in. Though he was intensely interested in establishing some sort of balance between novas and baselines, it was not really the purpose of this particular meeting.

"I would, however, be interesting in continuing it another time. To bring Solitaire up to date: Our actions during the final event of the Colombian insurrection gained us a certain amount of popularity amongst the rest of the nova population. Members are joining, many probably just to be trendy but some out of genuine interest, but most do not really well-understand Teras, much less how they can apply its principles. We're also being watched pretty closely by the world. They're waiting to see what we'll do next." He resisted the urge to launch into a more detailed lecture.

"The issue of the nova role in baseline humanity, while important, is somewhat broader than our more immediate problems." He addressed the room again, "So, I will ask, what shall we do about the influx of those seeking membership? If they could be trained in the basics of Teras many would make powerful allies and positive faces for the organization. Remember though, while we may be gaining some amount of political and cultural power as a group, that is not our goal. Teras is ultimately about the individual and personal improvement."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:14, Mon 14 Feb 2011.

"We can still attain greater heights of power.  If we refuse to do so, we remain weak."

Wilhelm was prepared to continue, but he conceded the wisdom of focusing on one subject.

"A threshing then, Gravitas?  A separation of the wheat from the chaff?  It would be a simple matter to devise a test to determine how much effort it is worth expending on a given nova.  I know.  A naive Bayes classifier.  The necessary training data is located in this very room.  Determine, based on known Terats and known non-Terats, the features, present and absent, that make a particular nova likely to continue in the study of Teras.  Classify novas desiring membership in the Teragen based on these factors.  Admit novas as resources allow starting with those classified highest.  All in all, a simple task if sufficient demographic information is available."

"you can count on continuing it another time Mr. Abernathy," rasped Shrapnel. "But we do need to stay on topic - what would we be without order to hold back the chaos? - and I actually have a counter suggestion that I'm sure Geryon and several others would approve of."  The woman's eyes gleamed with a somewhat malicious humor, anticipating that the more cerebral individuals in the room, and those with more Utopian ideals, were likely to find her next comments troublesome but hard to counter.

"Why don't we set up tests, see how much pain people are willing to endure for their ideals?  Even better, how much of their humanity they're willing to give up.  If they can't let go of a child, or kill a persistent friend that won't let them grow, then they need to walk a lesser path.  You can have all the right stuff, and pass all the academic bullshit you want, but if you don't have the will to move forward then you're worthless to the movement and a waste of time to the one training you."

Geryon smiled and nodded as Shrapnel spoke.  Though he didn't express as much distaste for Gravitas that Shrapnel did (not only had he been through chrysalis, the man stormed an enemy base after taking a nuke and losing limbs in the same day), it was nonetheless clear that he agreed more with her line of thinking.  He also seemed swayed somewhat by Kraken's idealogy; it was clear that he gave the other Monster's words consideration at the very least, but Geryon seemed torn on how he felt about some of Kraken's approaches toward humanity and his largely cerebral mindset.

"I do not, in principal, object to testing prospective members," Quentin agreed, ignoring Sharpnel's intended slight. "I also do not see any need to endanger baselines during the testing process. That is simply cruel." He narrowed his star-field eyes at her, "You can hate baselines all you want - you're as entitled to your opinions as anyone else - but I will NOT tolerate you or anyone else in this room using them as fodder for membership testing. If you believe yourself to be so far advanced over them, simply ignore them, but do not involve them." His tone made it clear that anyone that toyed with baselines for such trivial purposes, and with such flagrant disdain, would be answering to him.

"As for our prospectives, the testing should undoubtedly be more varied than simply a sacrifice of their baseline selves. If you believe such testing to be truly sufficient, you display a profound lack of understanding with the current state of the Teras philosophy."

"Wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ho-ho-ho-hooo.  That there, that was rich.  The Teragen could recruit those philosophically inclined toward Teras, or those believing Utopia or baselines in general pose a threat to novas, or those seeking insight into the nature of their powers, but you think it better to recruit those so desperate to belong to anything that they would substitute your will for their own?  The Teragen is not a, oh what do the Americans call it?  A fraternity.  Or the Freemasons."

Wilhelm wished Shrapnel loads of luck with her plan.  He really did.  If she succeeded, just think of all the spineless meshuggeners she'd identify.  They were out and about in the general nova population now.  Better to group them all together where they could be more easily surveilled.

"Der Wille zur Macht gegen der Wille zur Lust.  Efficiency dictates a sorting between the two.  It further dictates that whatever sorting method is chosen be implemented immediately.  Lost time is lost power.  So do we have any other effective suggestions or shall I implement probabilistic methods and report back as soon as there are results?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:56, Thu 17 Feb 2011.

Imp stretched luxuriantly, then looked around the room, new faces, old faces, old issues, new issues.  "Just as we seek to define ourselves in terms or ways different from those that baselines use to define themselves, Shrapnel, so too must we not measure dedication to teras by how callous one is towards humanity, nor how willing one is to inflict suffering on those who are unable to defend themselves.  Such actions are little more than malicious acts conceived by minds too petty and unevolved to let go of their all to human baggage gained while existing as that which you currently despise.  Also," and here he looked directly into her eyes, "anyone who engages in such devilry should be warned that just as teras teaches us to move beyond baseline concerns, it also teaches us to be accountable for our own actions, and to be prepared to pay the consequences of them."
He looked around the room, "Just as we all seek our own paths to teras so should we be wary of setting rigid criteria for whether one truly follows the many paths that are one, let the chips fall as they may, exclude none, but embrace few, we each know what it takes to hold true to the ideals of teras, or most of us do anyways, and we all know who is finding their own way instead of merely following a trail blazer."
He settled back into his chair, scanning the room as he telekinetically fixed himself another 3-Mile Island.

Shrapnel looked at Impetus and rasped out "oh look, pretty boy's awake." before going back to sulking angrily.  Geryon took up the torch however.

"Well boys, girls, and whatever Kraken is, we have a problem.  I'm not sure we really much agree on how to do things here.  I don't think that a questionaire is going to show us people with the spirit for Teras.  Sure, you can go ahead with some sort of screener so we don't waste our time with the obvious groupies, but is that really all that hard a thing to do without a survey?  I don't really see the point.

Another problem we should think about is that different paths have different methods.  Those that see themselves as Portents seem to have the idea that endless thought and contemplation are the path to evolution.  Guess what though?  Being a Monster is all about DOING, and about cutting out the human weakness inside you with a razor blade and cauterizing it with a fucking blow torch.  We need to show ourselves that we've left the monkey-mind behind.  Maybe you don't, but we do."  Geryon seemed to be sincere and uncharacteristically serious and respectful in his attempts to explain the differences between the teragen paths.  Pax broke into Geryon's contemplation however.

"You can cut out whatever you want.  Take an arm, a leg, mutilate yourself however you like.  But you don't get to touch the humans."  Pax pondered a moment before continuing.  He had changed much since Columbia, when he realized how truly different from novas humans were, and how far he had to go before reaching the limits of nova power.  It humbled him in some ways, but instilled in him an insatiable drive to further mastery and feats of olympian might.  His blind eyes, still not healed from the radiation, stared toward Geryon and Shrapnel.  "Do you beat your dog just to prove you're better than it?  Or do you take care of it in exchange for its undying loyalty?  Don't beat my dog Geryon.  Don't even look at it wrong Shrapnel.  Do you understand me?"

The room was quiet for a moment as the members internally questioned the wisdom of Mal in allowing the Fist of Peace to sit on the Pantheon.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:07, Thu 17 Feb 2011.

Imp nodded to Geryon, "Agreed, my friend, it is not enough to endlessly contemplate, there must be appropriate action informed by intellect in order for what we do to have meaning.  That being said, it must be action, not reaction that we seek.  Base animals react to their surroundings or their needs. We must anticipate, understand and calculate then act before what we are acting to head off occurs.  I would argue that we must show humanity the virtue of action instead of reaction in order to head off the cataclysm that our compatriot Mathematician has foreseen."
He wetted his throat with his luminous drink, then smiled his trademark smile at Shrapnel, "Pretty boy is indeed awake, and has been for quite some time.  Sulking does not become you Shrapnel, you are filled with fire, determination, passion and power.  Rise above your anger and malcontent, let the magnificence of your potential shine through, be what we both know you can be."  In that fleeting moment he unleashed the full force of his personality upon her, called upon the better angels hiding within her to rise up and be counted.  She may believe that she wanted to become the horror that stalked the minds of the Church of the Archangel Michael, but he believed she could be so much more, so marvelous.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
31 total sux on the social-fu roll.

---

Er macht einen gültigen Punkt.  Warten Sie, dass ein Problem sein könnte.  Damned if it wasn't hard for one to disagree with Impetus and agreeability always raised flags with Wilhelm.  The more manipulative novas filled him with an altogether rational paranoia.  Wilhelm knew, intellectually, what Impetus was capable of.  He ran through the past few minutes of the conversation and came to the conclusion that the shot, if there was one, wasn't aimed at him.  There was a bit of an Evil Cartesian Daemon problem, though, in that he could be being intermittently deceived in a manner such that he couldn't be certain as to whether and when he was actually being manipulated.  He fell silent as he contemplated the issue.  If there was manipulation, if would have to work in the conventional way, i.e. through neurotransmitters.  By analogy to sodium thiopental, a selection of GABA and AMPA antagonist ligands ought to reduce the possibility of manipulation.  A cocktail of Tezampanel, CNQX, Ro15-4513, Flumazenil, Saclofen, and TPMPA ought to do the trick.  Admittedly at the possible cost of anxiety, convulsions, seizure, and death, but was that too high a price to pay to be free of subconscious manipulation?  Certainly not.  A matter to discuss with the people at KHI Pharmaceuticals tomorrow.  Perhaps he'd have the suit tuned to provide on-demand sound cancellation and viewport opaquing as well.  A course of action decided upon, Wilhelm snapped back to the conversation.

"Geryon is correct in at least one respect.  We will not reach agreement today.  It is fortunate, then, that we do not need to.  If we each do our duty as we see it to the best of our abilities, the best course of action will shortly become apparent.  I propose we adjourn and individually work to obtain empirical data showing the veracity of our claims.  Let concrete results rule the day.  Make it a competition of sorts.  In three months time, or six, or a year, we reconvene and each of us presents our results and defends our conclusions.  Any approach that cannot present a persuasive case, supported by evidence, for effectiveness will be abandoned.  The adversarial process ought to skim off the dross easily enough."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:17, Sun 20 Feb 2011.

Imp nodded to Kraken, he didn't know the entity at all, but the same could be said for several of the Pantheon members in attendance, how much had he missed when he had been in chrysalis?
"Agreeing with each other has never been the goal, supporting our mutual goal of understanding what we are and where we will travel is.  I like the idea of letting results speak for themselves."

"I'm not sure I would have quite put it like that, Pax," Gravitas put in. Baselines, for all that novas outshone them in almost every way, were considerably more advanced than any canine. "But I'm with you in the spirit of the thing. I'm not going to say we owe them anything, we don't, but they've got rights just as much as anyone else."

Gravitas suppressed a shiver when Imp targeted Shrapnel. He was acutely aware of the extent of his friend's ability to compel others, having witnessed it himself on dozens of occasions. The results spoke for themselves; the fact that Pax was in the room with the rest of the Pantheon said volumes without sound. He found himself wondering vaguely if the people affected by Impetus were even aware that they were under his influence. This line of thought led him to wonder if he had ever been effected by the man's overwhelming force of personalty. He rapidly cut that line of thinking off. Surely his friend hadn't turned that formidable arsenal in his direction without Gravitas himself being aware of it.

Besides, Imp was one of the good guys, and a friend.

"I'm content to continue meeting with these prospectives and tutoring them as I am able; I won't claim to have a comprehensive understanding of all of the nuances of Teras, particularly not the sides of it that I don't really approach it from, but the truly interested will internalize what little they learn from me and seek mentors more suited to their personal evolution if they're really interested." He made a soft grunting sound, "I'm not really interested in trying to set up any sort of formal testing or curriculum - though I certainly won't stop anyone that would like to give one or both of those a shot. To my way of thinking, they're all potential allies. Even the trendy groupie types. They just need to understand that we're not a social club - well, not just a social club. Teras is a way of life, not just some brains-in-jars baseline philosophy."

Shrapnel was silent for the remainder of the meeting, torn between visions of her own future grandeur, a self-loathing that manifested as hatred for everything that reminded her of her own weaknesses, and a kernal of resentment toward Impetus that she clung to in order to maintain her autonomy from the tidal wave of his personality.  Occasionally one could see her twitch as she struggled to cope with the conflicting thoughts, but she was incapable of coherent conversation.

Geryon beemed at praise from Impetus, and considered the possibilities on the table before making his own suggestion. "So, we do it your way Kraken.  We each try out our separate methods for the next 6 months, and we keep whatever works.  I actually like that.  Seems like we should adopt something like that from here on out, save ourselves some time arguing.  And cut down on all the damned talking, when we should be out there doing."

Pax looked around blindly, nodded once, then stood.  "Agreed.  Also, I think everyone here should know, I'm leaving Utopia to pursue Teras full time, and to fix the world my way, without all the bureaucrats telling me what needs to be done.  Anyone that wants to be a part of my solution can come along, as long as they leave their egos at the door.  There's no room for ego in what I'm doing, there's only the mission.  Transcending our limits, and making the world better in the process."  After his self-important speech and its highly ironic message, Pax walks out without waiting for the meeting to be adjourned.

Raoul mumbled something about a "self righteous pricks" in Spanish, though its actually a bit difficult to tell who the comment was directed at; he seemed equally irritated at the pontification of the Portents, shortsightedness of the Monsters, and self-importance of the Marvels.  He excused himself to take a call shortly after.

Scripture, silent thoughout, continued to listen and watch.

Imp watched Pax leave. This wasn't the fruit that he had planned on harvesting from that particular project but it was fascinating none the less. He'd have to keep working on the man to ensure that he didn't simply turn into a different brand of violent egomaniac, but it would make for a most interesting challenge. He was momentarily chagrinned that he could so casually use people and manipulate them, but it was for their own good, and the good of two species. Speaking of, Shrapnel was certainly mulling over the ideas he had set germinating inside her. She could be so magnificent, so remarkable if she but learned to let go of the hatred and fear she held for humanity. Scripture knew all this, assuredly, yet he did not act. Possible reasons for this spun through his head and he settled on Jeremiah having decided that he would let the Pantheon choose its own path, and play his own cards close to his chest that he may more easily affect the potential outcomes of this grand endeavor. "Six months then, if there's no other business?" assuming no voices were raised Imp casually stood and walked casually to the refreshment table and fixed himself a rather elaborate sandwich in a matter of seconds. He then walked outside onto the patio and stood looking out at their surroundings, munching thoughtfully.

Six months.  That ought to be enough time, at least if the anti-nova lobby didn't stall proceedings in the Department of Energy.  Two weeks for negotiations, two weeks to get the preliminary outbuildings set up, three months to bore down to the Moho, leaving two months to bring in equipment.  Some sort of spectacular demonstration would have to be cooked up for the six month deadline, something brutal and unmistakable in its application of raw power, yet only tending to increase baseline demand for KHI products.  Any of a number of projects might suffice.  The magnetic monopole project, for one, looked like it might bear fruit as soon there was sufficient power available for the particle accelerator.  That was the role the Nevada facility was meant to fill.  No more blacking out vast tracts of Thuringia.  There was probably a limit to the number of times Wilhelm could get away with that.  There was no way to tell what would be ready in six months, though.  Best just to leave matters until the last moment.

Pulling out his PDA, Wilhelm activated the remote starter on the Mil helicopter he'd left parked on Raoul's helipad.  26000 horsepower of Soloviev turboshaft started up with a roar.  While Wilhelm had the device out, he fetched all of the information available on the new novas showing interest in the Teragen.  At least two or three of them had to have skills that KHI could put to good use.  What better way to develop their capabilities as novas?

"It seems as though we are adjourned.  It has been a pleasure, it really has, but I have pressing engagements elsewhere.  This time, six months hence then."

Wilhelm excused himself from the villa in favor of the accommodations of his helicopter.  A brief fueling stop in Valencia, a three hour flight to Paris, and a two hour sub-orbital bounce to Los Angeles were all that separated him from planned negotiations with the Department of Energy.  He'd sort through the nova data on his PDA en route.  One of the novas would almost certainly be receiving a job offer before Wilhelm even arrived in LA.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:41, Sat 26 Feb 2011.

With a multinational corporation to run, a space station to build, and continued scrutiny from various governments to overcome, Hell Kraken was quite a busy nova.  Despite his full schedule however, one did not simply turn away a visitor like Jeremiah Scripture. The next meeting of the pantheon was not for another 2 months, but Secretarybot-37 had informed Kraken of the nova's presence at the Nevada facility as he disembarked from his most recent flight from Russia.  At the facility, Secretarybot-35 waited patiently for orders to be relayed from Secretarybot-37 regarding the nova in its reception room, as well as the day's itenerary.

It had taken a small fortune to translate the Chájīng into Ada, but the Kraken Consumer Electronics folks had managed it and the investment occasionally proved its value.  Wilhelm dispatched TEABOT-12 to the little green-tiled pavilion in the middle of the complex's contemplation garden with instructions to start brewing as soon as Scripture arrived before instructing receptions to send the Terat in the same direction.  Wilhelm made certain to select the Gongfu Cha setting on TEABOT-12 before sending him out.  Ihm?  Auch ich tue es jetzt.  That ought to buy some time.  It would be the better part of an hour before any tea was even ready for drinking.  To make certain that Scripture didn't think he was being slighted by the wait, Wilhelm instructed TEABOT-12 to withdraw a tŏng of recipe 7522 pu-erh from the tea humidor.  Then he returned to his work, reviewing his list of political donations.  American campaign finance and election laws were so deliciously quaint.

As soon as he could break free, Wilhelm went to meet with Scripture.  Along the way he stopped to admire an especially large and old longyou flowering plum that he'd had flown in at great expense from Yunnan Province.  It probably violated some precept of feng shui to essentially prefabricate the garden, in addition to building something so demanding of water in the middle of a desert, but Wilhelm hadn't let that bother him.  Walking over a gently curving stone bridge, Wilhelm stepped onto the piney island that was the foundation of the pavilion.  TEABOT-12 was just getting to the "The Dragon and Phoenix in Auspicious Union" portion of the ceremony, so Scripture should actually be getting to drink his tea any time now.  It was kind of jarring to watch TEABOT-12 perform.  More android faces would have to be commissioned.  Rutger Hauer couldn't fill every niche.  Wilhelm waited until TEABOT-12 flipped the cups and Scripture started to drink before speaking.  He took advantage of the interval to wirelessly activate TEABOT-12's integrated recording functions.  The recordings would be analyzed both digitally and by a staff of humans after the meeting.  You never could be too careful when it came to manipulation.

"Good day, Scripture.  I apologize for the delay.  I trust it was not too inconvenient.  What brings you to my humble home away from home?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:01, Wed 10 Aug 2011.

Scripture was an oddity.  Clearly possessed of great power, but too preoccupied with notions of spirituality and theology to exercise it.  Active, personable, but detached in a way that allowed him to silently contemplate the world around him for nearly an hour without showing even a hint of irritation.  Possessed of a deep insight into the thoughts and motives of others, but often lacking the simple etiquette to say hello before delving into topics most would rather avoid.

Without preamble, Scripture looked up when he was spoken to and asked "Hell Kraken, are you happy as you are?  You have so much, yet have lost so much..." He wore a puzzled expression on his face as he looked at the exosuit around Hell Kraken, though it quickly was replaced with a contented smile as he sipped at the tea in his hands.

A look of mystification passed over Wilhelm's face, though the only outward sign of this puzzlement was a brief bubbling of the fluid behind his suit's faceplate.  He had thought that Scripture was here to talk business, not to socialize.  He considered the Terat for a moment, trying to divine the point of his visit from his appearance, before speaking.

"Why would I be unhappy?  I've built all that you see and more with my own two hands.  I've lost nothing.  I didn't think this was a social call, though.  What do you need?"

Wilhelm's first thought was that Scripture must be gunning for a favor.  Various Terats were always hitting Wilhelm up for favors:  a place to hide after some misguided stunt had gone horribly awry, the newest technological thingamajig, occasionally just concert tickets.  Distracted by work, Wilhelm hadn't kept an eye on the Opnet news outlets, so he didn't know if anyone had perpetrated some atrocity big enough that it would need Scripture's direct involvement to clean up.  He ran a quick search on Krakle Trends to see what was running hot on the Opnet in order to get up to speed while waiting for Scripture's response.

Jeremiah seemed quite confused at the question.  "What do I need?  I'm not sure I NEED anything my friend.  What I want is for our kind to fulfill our destiny, and become something transcendent, assuming our place in union with God.  But that path is difficult, and full of loss.  Looking at you I see one who exemplifies our journey with all its rewards, pains, and dangers.  You have great gifts, but your body is alien to you, still becoming.  You live as a testament to nova superiority, but are still enmeshed with human society.  You have gained so much, earned so much, but are still unsure of the path ahead.  As are we all, though some fear to admit it, even to themselves."

After a pause for thought Scripture continues, earnest eyes staring penetratingly at the man he came to visit.  "I came here for insight into our condition, for understanding of your perspective, and perhaps to provide counsel if you felt a need for such.  If this is unwelcome, I will leave of course.  But I feel your journey has much to offer the rest of us."

"Sorry.  Force of habit.  There are precious few reasons why anyone comes out here that doesn't have need of my resources."

Wilhelm could smell a sermon coming on.  Metaphorically speaking, of course.  He couldn't smell anything except his tarry secretions unless he extended a tentacle outside his suit.  At least Scripture wasn't as bad as Delorimier as far as evangelizing was concerned.  Still, Scripture advocated the existence of some greater meaning, a goal, a destination, something that separated novas from baselines.  Such a belief was so much mumbo-jumbo.  There were only two categories of things in the world, the living and the non-living.  The one thing that separated the two was the procreative impulse, the will to grow, spread, seize, and become predominant, the will to remake the environment in one's image.  This impulse was not divinely inspired.  It didn't come from some higher plane of pure knowledge.  It was simply in the nature of the thing.  The sky was blue and life reproduced itself.  If Wilhelm was enmeshed in baseline affairs, it was for this simple reason.  Nova, baseline, cat, bird, bacterium, and everything in between all shared the same motivation.

"We will not agree on these things, Scripture.  I've been around this world and traveled the depths of space.  I looked and looked, but saw no God there.  As far as purpose goes, mine could not be clearer.  I become more with every one of my children that I send out into the world."

Wilhelm rested one grasper on the shoulder of TEABOT-12 before continuing.

"It is the same for all of us, and for the baselines, and even for the least of viruses.  Every specific body strives to become master over all space, to extend its force, to thrust back all that resists its extension.  But it continually encounters similar efforts on the part of other bodies and ends by coming into union with those of them that are sufficiently related to it.  Thus they then conspire together for power and the process goes on.  That is all there is."

A smile graced Scripture's face as Kraken's words drew to a close.  "I should make it clear that I do not require any agreement.  Diversity strengthens us, both our small group, and novas as a whole.  And while I could easily argue my views with you, explain that God is not found outside, but rather within, that was not my purpose in coming here.  I'm far more interested in your perspective, and the potential it holds to help our newest members struggling with their becoming.

The smile on his face was slowly replaced by a contemplative frown. "I feel that the simplistic views of Geryon, Leviathan, and many of the others that are more outwardly divergent from humanity do not provide sufficient diversity to those seeking to understand themselves.  And while the ultimate goal of the teragen is forging one's own path, it is clear that at the beginning role models and mentors are key to finding one's own path.  Those coming to us with divergent physiology tend to gravitate toward Geryon and the other oppositional voices within our philosophy, and in part this is simply because they feel kinship with others who are also different.  I feel that you embody another perspective that could enrich the lives of these individuals, and am thus compelled to understand you to the best of my abilities."

"If you wish to understand then you have to see that there is no difference, fundamentally, between Geryon, Leviathan, and myself.  Nor, for that matter, between Geryon and the Mathematician.  Just, perhaps, a lack of creativity on their part.  A lack of patience.  A lack of tolerance for risk.  An unhealthy sort of ambition."

Wilhelm's grasper whirred and rotated, one finger extending forward and opening into a scoop.  Leaning down, he scooped a divot from the topsoil outside the pavilion.

"Look.  A mixture of sand, silt, clay, and assorted organics providing soluble nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, magnesium, and various trace elements.  Nothing more.  Yet, at its root, all you see here is created out of the need of each plant to assimilate more of this stuff and more of that water and more of that sunlight into itself and thereby become greater."

Wilhelm pointed to the lake in the middle of the garden and the sun above before gesturing to Scripture to follow him.  He walked about the garden, stopping on occasion to inspect a leaf here, a stem there.  A dwarf Seiju elm growing on a pitted and cracked rock.  A blanket of kudzu growing up one side of a wall.  A large trembling aspen.

"You wouldn't know it by looking at it, but this elm is sixty years old or so now.  It saw the atomic bombing of it's home country.  It might last another two hundred years.  I'm told it will never get much larger than this and it doesn't produce much in the way of seed.  Careful pruning, defoliation, and the precariousness of its position, you understand.  A pretty thing, but ... dead in a way."

"You've seen this in the wild, yes?  "The Vine that Ate the South", they call it.  They spend millions of dollars every year trying to eradicate it.  Dozens of gallons of herbicide an acre, hacking at it with machetes, even toxic fungi.  I keep a few goats around that keep it well trimmed.  They seem to have a stomach for it.  Tough in its way, but it's got no backbone.  If this wall wasn't here it wouldn't grow well at all."

"Have you been up to central Utah before?  There's a stand of these trees there, all a single organism, each tree sprouting from an interconnected underground root system.  They call it Pando, I believe, "I spread" in Latin.  It covers a hundred-odd acres, weighs something over six thousand tons, and has been growing for eighty thousand years.  It hasn't seeded since the last ice age, though.  The soil's too poor.  That's the reason it sends out runners, as it turns out."

"If the conditions in this garden were slightly different one of these plants might rise to dominance.  Even the elm might be the last plant standing if I were to suddenly send away the gardening-bots.  It needs very little, after all, and it has that rock quite thoroughly colonized.  I would hardly fault the elm for triumphing in the end.  But the garden is so much more ... interesting with all of them competing for soil and water and sunlight, don't you agree?"

Scripture looked down in quiet contemplation as Wilhelm spoke, only to burst out in laughter at the end of his explanation.  "My friend, I agree more than you know!  You say there is nothing greater, but you just described such a thing in wonderful detail.  Ah, and you say there is no difference between you and the others, but you are so very wrong.  It goes beyond intellect or creativity, it understanding they lack.  Even Pedro, with his great mind, is blinded by the world; you and he see the same thing, but you perceive a vibrant whole, a greater interaction.  Pedro sees a grand equation, but somehow doesn't see the greater meaning in that, though perhaps one day he will."

Scripture maintains his ebullience as he stands walks the garden, smiling at what he sees laid out before him.  "But you didn't want to discuss this topic I recall.  Suffice it to say that we have more common ground than you know, and that your story and perspective will be quite helpful to those new to our cause.  May I quote our discussion here?  I am thinking of writing down words of guidance for those new to the organization."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
I assume this thread will be closing out here, based on the contents of the OOC thread.  If there is any further wrapping up necessary, it could probably be handled in one of the focus threads.

---

"Quote whatever you wish.  Words cost me nothing so I give them away freely."

Wilhelm summoned TEABOT-12 and had it fill a snifter to three-quarters capacity with the tea, the remainder of the snifter's capacity being taken up by a nice XO Calvados from Wilhelm's cellars and a bit of fennel.  Perhaps tea liquor wasn't exactly traditional, but the apple brandy added notes of caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon that Wilhelm found interesting.  He extruded a Teflon straw into the snifter so that he wouldn't set fire to the glass.  The drink wasn't quite the right temperature.  Wilhelm couldn't exactly warm a snifter of brandy with his cold, metallic grasper after all.  This was a disappointment.  Perhaps he could design a heated grasper?

Wilhelm realized with a start that he'd been talking with Scripture on autopilot for several minutes as he'd designed a specialized brandy grasper in his head.  The conversation looked to be nearing an end.  At least Scripture seemed satisfied by the meeting.  Wilhelm didn't know what sort of trouble the Terat might raise if he got upset with someone, but he'd plenty of troubles already without adding more.  It was good to see a meeting end without him heaping more problems on his plate.

"I expect we both have much more to do today.  If you've found what you were looking for I won't delay you any further.  If you end up publishing something, though, forward me a copy, if you would.  I do try to keep up with these things."

"...will have justice!  We will have RETRIBUTION!"  Geryon's voice was strident, calling for the heads of the Michaelists, and the church's entire congregation.

"History has taught us that the two seldom go hand in hand.  But fine, lets assume they deserve this.  Why ruin our image, right as we are gaining a following for all our work?" Raoul's tone was mocking when he replied, but the dangerous glare Geryon returned made the socialite look away quickly.

"Why even bother?" asked Shrapnel, even as Narcosis stated "They're Utopia scum, and not even the supposedly Teragen ones that pay lip service to Teragen ideals.  Who cares if they get shot?"  The two shared a look of surprise and distaste; they weren't used to being on the same side of an argument, but neither would decline the support.

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Geryon was shouting again.  "When they strike against a nova, ANY nova, they strike against all of us.  The monkeys don't get to hurt us!"

"And they did hurt them, didn't they... So strange, that shouldn't have been possible.  It seems the rumors are true..." Scripture spoke quietly, mostly to himself, but the room always listened to him even so.

"You can't do this Geryon, you simply can't, this is exactly the kind of action that will throw the future into chaos, set all the worst predictions in motion!"  Santiago was irate, but his anger covered a deep fear.

"We'll see about what I can do, and what I can't, but in the meantime... Well, if I were you I wouldn't EVER block my path once I've made a decision, little man."  Geryon's anger turned from Raoul to Santiago, but he held onto it for only a moment before switching to another favored topic.  "So, the Utopia novas are fucked up.  Like Scripture said, that's pretty clear, especially with the other rumors floating around.  What we going to do about it?  This opens up a lot of doors for us.  And SHOULD close some for them.  Grav, Impetus, even Solitaire, what place do they have on our council if they can't even hold themselves together?  And the old Utopia crew, they were the only thing holding us back from taking out that facility in Bahrain, making our mark on the Columbian leftovers for what they did, and a half dozen other things.  I say the Utopians need to go, and that we need to push forward."

Silence followed.  Everyone had been thinking it of course, some out of jealousy or competition, some out of contempt.  But everyone had been thinking it.  Caestus Pax broke the silence.

"Really, that's what being Teragen is to you?  Support other novas until they aren't strong enough to be of use, then throw them away?  I say it's our duty to help them get fixed.  What if this could hurt us as well, did you not think of that?  I've never liked the egghead much, and Solitaire is an uppity bitch, but Impetus deserves better than that."  He still talked about the time Impetus helped him after the blast, and he attributed his choice to become a Terat to Impetus as well.  He wasn't letting the charismatic nova down in his time of need.

"Sure, what if it could hurt us too.  What if it's some kind of sickness, and we catch it?  And can we really trust them to think about the cause first, when they're in a state like this?  Think about it: you're weakened, likely to be on par with the monkeys, desperate not to lose your powers but hedging against the time that you do, looking out for the humans you might have to go back to, and cutting deals with anyone that will give you a chance to hold on just a bit longer.  And don't tell me that isn't what they're doing, because every one of you knows that's EXACTLY what you'd be doing if it was you in their place.  Look, I feel for them, but they don't get to sit here with us."  A look at Pax's scowl made him add a bit of altruism to his statement.  "But of course we'll help them.  Hell, even if it's just to protect our own asses in case this turns into some kind of nova plague.  And they were good Terats since the beginning.  Sure, sure.  We'll help them out."

Raoul's brow creased as worry clouded his usually relaxed features.  He leaned forward as he addressed the room.  "This is a dangerous road you're pushing us down Geryon.  What if it were you, what if it were any of us, as you said?  I'm not sure this is wise.  It changes us from a community of like minds allied in our cause, to a group of politicians vying for power, right hand outstretched in brotherhood even as our left hides the knife.  Am I the only one that thinks this is a bad idea?"

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
I believe only Kraken is available to engage this conversation, as the utopian terats would not have been invited.  Kraken however is free to join in.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:27, Thu 22 Nov 2012.

The chirp of Raoul's phone cut through the silence before Geryon could snort an answer and Raoul held up a hand to forestall it. Almost no one had his private number (not the private one he had for people to find, the real private one), and most of them were seated in this room.

"Excuse me a moment." He said to room at large, then flicked open the phone. "Hello?"

"Tell them I may be a bitch, but I am not uppity."

The line went dead, and Raoul looked at the phone for a few seconds, blinking in bemusement.

"Ah..."

Raoul's phone call left the room silent.  Nearly all of the pantheon had adequate hearing to listen in on the call, and it gave them cause to reconsider the course of their conversation.  When conversation resumed, it was more subdued, and no one mentioned removing Impetus or Solitaire from the council.  Gravitas though was still a matter for debate, as his crippled state paired with reduced abilities presented difficulties, for multiple reasons.  The group was leaning toward agreement that was "sufficiently impaired" should not have a leadership role in the organization, though the meaning of "sufficiently" was still hotly contested.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Unless Kraken, or Zero if he ever peaks in, have something to say this will end with Gravitas being given an honorary position within the Teragen, until he has the power to reclaim his seat.  Aside from that, unless anyone has anything to add to the others topics under discussion, the plot will move forward.

---

The Stratosphere in Las Vegas.  Sunrise.  A few weeks after the Bahrain incident.

Messages had been sent out to Impetus, Solitaire, and Gravitas a few days ago, asking them to meet Gale on top of the Stratosphere.  It was her usual place for a rendezvous that required a little privacy, and she wasn't sure what situation the others would be in after all the fallout.  The note hadn't said why, just the place and time.

She was standing there waiting, arms crossed, pacing a little.  She seemed nervous, and would only relax once all three of them were there.  A clawed hand ran through her blue hair.

"Um, so, the reason I've asked you here is because I've decided to leave Utopia.  After all the betrayals and secrets,"  she paused, a deep breath.  "I just--I just can't do that anymore.  And I avoided learning about the Teragen because I thought it was some nova cult."  An embarrassing admission.  Her friends here had helped start the movement after all.  Between Prodigal's followers and the Michaelists, it had seemed reasonable at the time.  But now...  "I thought Utopia was where I belonged and all I needed."

She stumbled forward with her request.  "But if Utopia was wrong, maybe Teragen is right.  I--I want to learn more about it.  I want you guys to teach me.  I wouldn't trust anyone else."

Imp dropped out of the sky and landed near Gale.  He knew she'd notice him coming, but landing at a distance was just polite.  He walked over to join Gale and whoever had arrived.  "Teras has really helped me to define myself, but you have to do this for the right reasons.  Utopia has its flaws; big, disgusting flaws.  But overall it's about helping the world to be a better place via cooperation.  The Teragen has none of that, each of us is our own nation, beholden to only ourselves and those we wish to be beholden to, each of us makes our own world better, if that helps someone else then fine.  Don't join Teragen just because you're looking for a place to belong, because, at our core, that's not what we're about.  Many also think we're a cult that revolves around Divis, and there is a disturbingly large element that does so.  They don't get much respect from people outside of a very select circle, and not much from Divis himself.  He is first among equals.  He has more power than any thing or anyone I have ever met.  He is godlike, but he is not a god and has never claimed to be.  He's much closer to being an adult, while most novas these days are either self absorbed, petulant children, or adolescents trying to find their path.  He encourages the second, and exhorts the first to rise above.
Also, join is the wrong word.  Yes, that's how the sycophants and hangers on see it, but it's more than that.  It's embracing the concepts of self determination, of your raw potential, and being true to what it is that you think you should do with your life.  Some take that as being an excuse to destroy, as was so sadly demonstrated at Bahrain, but I know that's not you.  I won't speak for my friends here, but for me that pursuit of self determination has lead me to stay in Utopia and to help to build a better future for all of us, human and nova alike.  I do so not because they tell me to, but because I think it's the right thing to do.  Many within Teragen have issues with me doing so, saying I'm disloyal or a monkey lover or other, harsher things.  They have the right to question me, just as I have the right to dismiss them and continue doing what I think is right.  If they want to come after me, well, that's their right too.  You have the power to do anything, to become anything.  If teras is the right road for you then I shall embrace you as a sister.  If the philosophy of anarchy is distasteful, i respect you no less."

"Nah, Imp's not wrong on any point per se. But..." Solitaire said from her perch on the radio tower. "The Teragen are more of a philosophy club meets a really dysfunctional family. We are just a bunch of people exploring what is means to be Novas. The only true core tenet is the acknowledgement that each of us is largely a law unto ourselves. We have far more in common with the UN than the general populace. Each of us has our own views, goals and motivations, and we each pursue them as we please. We have our rivalries and quarrels and cliques like any other group, it's not really any more complicated than high school." Solitaire laughed. "Teras is a personal philosophy that recognizes that really the only one stopping you from doing what you wish to do with your life is you. However, this should not be viewed as a free pass to do whatever you wish, as everyone else has the same right. Those who choose to go interpret the Null Manifesto so should either be very cautious or very strong, since somebody will take offense and do something about it."

"Someone like me," Gravitas said ominously. He'd flown in as well, having presumably been somewhere nearby. "Teras is, I think, separable from the Teragen. With all the upheaval currently happening within that group, I can understand why people wouldn't want to be a member. I only maintain my own membership in order to keep up some contacts and to try, usually in vain, to steer the organization onto a path I think is correct." He pauses, its almost a sigh.

"Teras is a means of personal evolution. The Teragen philosophy is largely summarized by the Null Manifesto, however, that does not necessarily illustrate Teras. As a nova, you've undergone considerable change from your life as a baseline, physically, mentally, and at a quantum level. As you grow in power you only change more - I'm sure you've noticed that already. Your powers evolve, slowly but surely. Perhaps they gain in potency, or you discover you can do something new. Physical mutations sometimes accompany this, often at the time of eruption, as in your case, but it can also happen later on."

"Teras is a philosophy of embracing that change, and even encouraging it in yourself. But not change at random - it is focused and even forced auto-evolution. The three of us and a handful of others have already seen the fruits of this effort. When we disappeared after the Columbian conflict, we returned different. That was a result of the chrysalis - a sort of second eruption. Unlike your first eruption though, it is much slower, and you have a good deal more control over what changes take place. As far as I can tell - though I really need more data points to decrease variance - physical mutation or over quantum manifestations are often the cost. Teras is, for better or worse, a philosophy of leaving your baseline humanity behind forever."

As expected, she had asked three different friends here, and gotten three different answers to her question.  But that wasn't a bad thing.  Each answer told her more about them, and about herself.  She took a moment to contemplate each of their answers, and form her next words.

"Imp, you can see right through me, sometimes," she started.  "It's true I've been looking for a place to belong since I erupted.  I had to give up everything: my hometown, my friends, my family, even my name.  Being one of the first novas, I didn't have anyone to look to for guidance.  I had no direction."

"I tried staying connected to baselines, and that has proved...perilous."  Why was she trying to be diplomatic?  These people knew her story.  "Actually, they hate me.  And I'm not too fond of them right now either.  I don't want them trying to make me follow their rules when they won't follow their own.  When I've gone through so much for them and they still hate me for no reason."  The anger she had been keeping tamped down made a brief appearance.  Wings puffed out slightly, hands curled into fists.  She found herself staring at her feet as she brought it back under control.  "I know that's not part of Teras.  I just want you to know where I'm coming from.  I'm not good at keeping secrets.  I wouldn't be able to stay at Utopia without some of that coming through."

"The best thing Utopia gave me was you guys.  You and Comstock and Phantasm and Flare and the rest.  You're my new family.  My true family."  She hoped they felt the same.  But she realized she was straying from the topic at hand.  Saying things that she probably shouldn't say out loud too much.  "Sorry, I'm rambling."

Another deep breath to recollect herself.  Most of what they were telling her rang true in her core.  But she still had some doubts.  "I've been running from my nova nature for a long time.  I don't want to do that anymore.  I want to embrace it, see what I can do if I didn't have the past holding me back.  I've been thinking about it for a long time.  But, I don't want to be alone either.  I don't want to have to be an island."  There it was.  Her biggest fear laid bare.  The truest sign that she trusted them more than anybody.  "I know that kind of goes against 'self-sufficient'.  Is that too big of a conflict?"

"No Terat will judge you for what you are. You'll probably only get judged for what you do, but that's life. Honestly, your stance on Baselines is largely irrelevant to Teras. The only commonality is that none of us pretend that we are not more than they are. Like them, hate them, ignore them. Its just not important to us. I mean, it's not like they can do much of anything to us anyway. Like any place you go, you will find both friends and enemies in the Teragen, but pretty much all of us will back each other against anybody else. Like I said, big disfunctional family."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:02, Mon 02 Sept 2013.

Imp tousled her hair, "The feeling's entirely mutual, kiddo.  My mother is alive, but i have less in common with her now than I did when i wasn't a nova.  I love her, but don't relate to her on any level." A large, blue cooler floated in out of nowhere and settled on the roof nearby, its lid opened revealing a picnic set from a high end local Italian restaurant that began to unpack and arrange itself on the red and white blanket.  "I find that conversations like this are always better over a meal, as long as the weather cooperates." He looked at Gale, one eyebrow raised, and that familiar grin on his face.  "I do need to point out that we're not giving you the full picture of teras, as one leg of the tripod is not represented here.  Sol and I are both Marvels, our image of ourselves is inextricably linked to being more than human in very visible, very obvious ways.  We fly, immediately garner attention wherever we are, and have amazing hair." He took a sip of the chilled 2005 Domaine Stirn Cuvée Prestige Sigolsheim that had poured itself into the four glasses that then hovered over to wait attentively near the attendees' left hands. "Portents like Grav are altogether different.  Cerebral, generally not flashy unless they have a reason to be, and generally far more interested in the esoteries of being quantum powered gods than in using said esoteries for obvious effect.  The other child of teras is the Monster, like Geryon, Shrapnel, and others.  They pursue enlightenment and evolution by being proactive, rather than reactive, and define themselves as nova by eliminating everything that defined themselves as human.  This generally takes physical form, but also mental form as they seek to free themselves from the thought patterns that made them human.  As is their right."  He took another sip of the Pinot Gris, "each of us is an island, as we're all too different from each other to share more than aspects of a certain philosophy.  Many of us don't need to breathe, eat, sleep, walk, use our hands to open bottles, all the things that gives commonality to humanity.  What we are is islands in an archipelago, some close together, others very far apart.  The big island is of course Divis, although he's been away for quite some time."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 06:11, Tue 03 Sept 2013.

Gravitas smirked. "Mal's practically a continent if you're calling us islands. Certainly, he's the most marvelous of all marvels." He shook his head. "But, yes, there are three basic tactics to pursuing Teras. Despite some misgivings, I am forced to admit that each has value, at least to the philosophy as a whole." He eyed the offered drink and plucked it out of the air. His cybernetic fingers seemed to be back, though the way he shifted his body weight suggested he still hadn't replaced his leg.

"To elaborate a bit, the portent philosophy is largely about self-exploration. Teras as a whole is, really - and I admit that aspects of each of its divergent paths are present in the others. Many of the other portents I've met take a long view, though. As a nova, you've already become something more than human. Most of us - Teragen or not - continue to evolve in small ways after that. A portent asks the questions, 'Does this self-evolution ever end? If so, where?' Speaking at least for myself, I am always pushing against the boundaries of my own abilities. Those boundaries definitely exist. However, they're not fixed. If I push hard enough, they edge back just a bit more."

He shrugged and took a sip from his drink. "Does the MR node actually grant infinite potential, as some people hyperbolicly claim? 'Infinite' is a big word, but there's still only one way to test it. We have to try."

Phantasm knew there was a meeting... That, or there was some disaster, but she figured they'd call her for that.  When 4 of her friends went off the radar at the same time it was pretty obvious something was happening though.  She had a good guess what the meeting was about too, and she had questions of her own. Running on a hunch about where they might be (Gale liked the high places, and Phantasm knew the woman's habits fairly well), Phantasm portaled to the Stratosphere and began the climb up, shaping eufiber suction cups to make things easier.

On her way up the side of the building she got to hear some of the conversation, but she made no attempt to hide her presence.  She wasn't here to eavesdrop after all, so it was only polite to let them hear her as she approached.  When she reached the top, she hooked one arm over the ledge and propped herself up, looking pointedly at Gale. "I understand if you want to be alone here, but I have questions too.  If you don't mind me joining in.  If you want privacy, I'm happy to leave though."  She didn't comment on how she knew about the meeting or the location, since by now it should have been obvious that sometimes she just knew things.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Tue 03 Sept 2013.

Gale accepted the glass of wine with a more relaxed smile.  Leave it to Imp to know just how to make a situation less awkward.  "Looks like another beautiful morning in Las Vegas to me," she replied, with a flick of her wrist. Any wisps of cloud left in the sky seemed to disappear almost too quickly.  Wine at sunrise seemed a bit strange, but she was a nova.  It wasn't like it was going to get her drunk.  The little things seemed to be easier to conquer than the bigger steps she was about to take.

The winged woman went quiet as she heard someone approaching from below.  Prodigal?  No, he would just fly.  She couldn't think of who else would think to come up here at this time.  That was why she had picked it.  When Phantasm's head poked over the edge, she blinked in surprise.  " 'Tasm?"  She walked over and offered her friend a hand up.  "I didn't know you'd be interested..." she said somewhat guiltily, like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar.  It did feel a bit like going behind the others' backs, but she hadn't wanted to make a big scene.

Returning to the picnic blanket and the conversation, she launched into her next question.  "But what about Grav's punishment of Geryon?  You said it's like a big dysfunctional family, but how can you all say you subscribe to the same philosophy if there's big rifts like that?  Doesn't it end up just being a battle of 'might makes right'?"  The idea of being lumped in with the likes of Geryon or Shrapnel was distasteful to her.  She was pretty sure she wouldn't follow this Monster path anyway, but there was a real worry on her part that some would hold her past experiences against her.  She probably seemed pretty weak compared to the rest of the Terats, despite whatever might happen in the future now that she had her powers back.

"I've already said what I have to say on that topic," Gravitas said without emotion. "The others can say what they like."

Phantasm took the offered hand, glad she wasn't seen as intruding.  She kept her reply simple, so as not to interrupt.  "I didn't know I was either, but it dawned on me that no matter how much I care about the world, I'm not quite connected to it either."  With that, she took a seat on the roof, legs stretched out as she leaned back on her elbows to watch and listen.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:05, Wed 04 Sept 2013.

Gale winced a little at Gravitas's comment.  "Sorry.  I didn't mean it like that.  But what's to stop somebody coming and doing the same to you for what you did to him?  Where is the limit of 'everyone can do what they want'?"

"Hey, P, I didn't know you were intersted in the whole transcendance thing.  Wine?" Another glass lifted out of the cooler. "Really, this is what teras started as, novas with the same kinds of questions talking about what those questions would mean for the future." Sandwiches and cold salads and various bite sized morsels began assembling themselves on plates that floated over to those present.  Watching Imp work, it was clear that he was enjoying the excercise immensely, keeping all those things happening at the same time.  "Gale, I know you want to believe that there's more to it than might makes right, but really, that's all there is.  Might of ideas, might of communities, might of interpersonal connection.  We were unable to limit our more thuggish terats from embarking on a path that will lead to the ruin of us all using persuasion or reason.  The threat of violence didn't work either.  It took Grav's rather artful display of brains over brawn to make it credible, and I predict that the intensity of nova on human violence will go down because of it.  After Pax, 'Stock, and Sol left Utopia there was no sherrif in town.  Geryon could take most of T2MA in a fight, and has.  Now people like Shrapnel know that there are power players that won't put up with such misanthropy.
The real problem that we have is Pax' vow, but I'm pretty sure that I can talk him around.  If not, then I will bring other pressures to bear."  He popped an olive into his mouth. "P, what ideas did you want to discuss?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Wed 04 Sept 2013.

Phantasm wanted to know the answer to a great many things, but she didn't particularly want to ask any questions.  "I think Gale's asking all the right things.  Not sure I have much to add, though I am curious about these archetypes.  Where would you slot us into your paradigm?  And why can't you just be all of them, or maybe take them in sequence?"  There was more, a lot more, but she wasn't ready to ask deeper questions yet.  Questions revealed to much about the one doing the asking, and despite her love for her friends, there were parts of her she wanted to keep hidden... parts where she kept monsters chained up inside her soul.

"It's not where we would slot you into our various paradigms that is important, it's which of the archetypes you most resonate with.  The archetypes are expressions of your innermost self, but no two novas are the same, even within archetypes.  Sol and I, for example, are both Marvels, but how we express ourselves is very, very different.  Neither is more or less true to the archetype than the other.  Chrysalis helps you to discover who you really are, and will accentuate certain traits while repressing others.  Moving from one archetype to the other would requre you to totally re-write your core self, in major ways.  There are few individuals I can think of that have had this happen to them.  Shrapnel is one.
Before her chrysalis she was less consumed by fury and more interested in growing beyond her baseline self, thus might easily have emerged as a marvel.  now she's truly bloodthirsty and wants nothing more than to rip every shred of humanity out of herself, and kill as many baselines as possible.  She became the Monster in her Chrysalis.  I think Divis might have changed as well.  He has obvious traits of both Marvel, and Portent, and some ideas that have found a home with many Monsters, perhaps it's because he's further along than the rest of us, and has a different concept of his own evolution. I truly don't know."

"All novas have aspects of all three archetypes within them. The monster that leaves humanity behind, the marvel that ascends from the masses as a beacon - a beacon of or for what varies by individual - and a portent of things to come, a living illustration of what the future holds for humanity as a whole. We've found that some focus on one of these three aspects helps to guide and control our evolution. That focus does not mean that the other two archetypes are not still present."

He thought for a moment about what Phantasm said and continued, "Switching between them is possible, as we've seen it. I'm not sure how deliberate it has been. The archetypes are more of a label we applied ex post facto to things we'd been observing among our number as we began to apply the philosophy. Most of us didn't make any sort of conscious decision about which to pursue or apply to our lives - we were already doing those things by the time we noticed that such a distinction could be made. That, to me, seems the best course of action for those wishing to pursue Teras from the ground up. Don't worry too much about which of these archetypes you're embodying - for all we know, they may not even be an exhaustive list of possibilities. If Teras can be pursued in a fourth, different, way, or even a fifth? Well, who are we to disagree with someone else's personal evolutionary process? If it works, it works."

Gale nodded as she listened to Grav and Impetus's answers to Phantasm's question.  It was a valid train of thought.  Thinking back to her school days and scientific classifications, it made sense.  Teras was a new and emerging philosophy, it was only natural that some of the original ideas would need to be tweaked.  And like other philosophies, she didn't have to agree with everyone else who claimed to follow it.  What Grav said about pursuing Teras in your own way made a lot more sense than all the stuff in the Null Manifesto.

"This Marvel category sounds like it suits me best.  There's nothing like the rush I get when I'm flying, or creating storms out of nothing."  There hadn't been a real good fight since Bahrain, so she hadn't been able to retest the limits of her abilities, but she was pretty sure she had gotten stronger.  A lot stronger.  "What about this Chrysalis thing though?  I remember when Sol did it, but I didn't really get it at the time.  I don't have to get hit by a nuke again to do it, do I?"  The idea of being able to rewrite her own journey was appealing, but not 6-months-in-a-plastic-bubble appealing.

"I don't think we have enough data points to be able to say how exactly that works or what, exactly, triggers it. The three of us all went into chrysalis shortly after that incident, but I think that was more of a side effects of the actions we took before and during that campaign than the amount of radiation we were exposed to." He shrugged as if in partial apology for how vague his answer was, and glanced at the other two who'd experienced it for their input.

"There are very few novas that have entered chrysalis after getting nuked.  3 to be precise, every other nova that has has done so without nuclear encouragement.  Teras is a process of mind over body.  By acting in ways that reinforced my self image, my node affects the way my body responds to the quantum energies emanating from my node.  Once that process reached a certain point i felt an overwhelming need to enter chrysalis, to allow the mental changes to better affect the physical ones.  What I wasn't expecting, perhaps foolishly, was that my psyche would also undergo significant change.  Some things were enhanced, like my willingness to put my beliefs into action regardless of how certain others may feel, whereas other things became more subdued.  It took some getting used to."

In the wake of the events in Bahrain, divisions within the Teragen movement cause it to fracture.  When the in-fighting and debates settle, only three primary sub-factions remain: the Accord, the Sanctified, and the Dominion.  Led by Raoul Orzaiz, members of the Accord, sometimes referred to unflatteringly as apologists, believe in the potential for co-existence between Novas and Baselines; while they still hold to an ideology of evolution and nova autonomy, they see nothing inherently wrong in co-operation with baselines and they believe that novas should live by clearly defined rules created by their peers.  The Sanctified, led by Scripture, see Teras as a holy path that leads to spiritual, as well as physical, transcendence; Sanctified Terats have close ties to the Host of Eternity, though they care more for their own transcendence than for shepherding mortal souls.  The Dominion, the most extreme Teragen sub-faction, holds to nova-supremacist ideals and actively works toward nova control of the planet while adhering to harsh training techniques instigated by its de facto leader Shrapnel to spur self-evolution.  The remainder of the movement, Teras or the Unaligned, eschew the intricacies of Teragen politics for the simple messages of nova superiority, rebellion, and self-transformation; Manus Aequitas and Narcosis share power over this large portion of the movement, and are rumored to share much more.

The movement as a whole clings together by a few strong threads: anti-nova sentiment pushing from outside the movement, and the philosophy of chrysalis binding those within.  The Sanctified serve as  mediators and educators within the movement, assuring it does not collapse completely, while the Accord plays damage control and attempts to obfuscate the worst acts of the Dominion, if only to prevent outright war.  The Dominion caries the “do as thou wilt” philosophy to its most extreme ends, and despises, to varying degrees, those not working toward the Cause.  While a Dominion Terat might defend an Accord member against an unruly mob of baselines, it would only be for the sake of punishing the Accord member in private for the affront of making the Teragen appear weak.

Above all the conflict in the group, Divis Mal sits on his technological throne, observing the world from afar.  After sensing a disturbance within the ebb and flow of the earth's quantum field, a secret he announced only to the Pantheon itself, Divis Mal took control over the recently completed international moon base.  He still allows baselines to come and go but holds complete control over the facility, which he nominally chose to "pay" for in homage to "an old friend."  As the moon base was not the property of any international power, there were no immediate repercussions to Mal’s action.  Only the group responsible for the base’s creation made mention of any action against the nova demigod, and the combination of Mal’s terrible, sudden presence in their boardroom, and his gift of invaluable quantum-resonance devices for use in future space endeavors, left them little choice but to move past their loss.

The increasingly rare Pantheon meetings are held on the station, while a pensive Mal watches his children in silence.

Teragen Structure and Notable Members
Pantheon
1. Gravitas (Accord)
2. Hell Kraken (Accord)
3. Raoul Orzaiz (Accord)
4. Bounty (Accord)
5. The Mathematician (Accord)
6. Leviathan (Sanctified)
7. Sin Eater (Sanctified)
8. Jeremiah Scripture (Sanctified)
9. Solitaire (Teras)
10. Manus Aequitas (Teras)
11. Narcosis (Teras)
12. Shrapnel (Dominion)

Lost Pantheon Members
1. Impetus (RETIRED)
2. Geryon (MISSING/DEAD)
3. Dr. Zero (MISSING)
4. Carolyn Fong (MISSING/DEAD)


Teras Undivided: Though anyone unaligned fits here, from firm believers in the Null Manifesto to the various groupies drawn in by Narcosis’s charms, there are two smaller divisions within this group as well.  The “Cult of Mal” lead by Manus Aequitas and “The House of Cards” made by the Solitaire.  The House of Cards is the primary method by which people disappear if they’ve found trouble, and it also serves as eyes and ears for the Movement in general.  Solitaire’s project is still very much a community effort and a reflection of her philosophy, but individual Tables have, at times, been turned into personal gangs or contact rings for other novas.  The Houses serve the additional purpose of bridging the gap between humanity and nova, but in a more organic and basic fashion than the diplomacy of the Accord.  The Cult of Mal, by contrast, focuses on the demagogue at the center of the movement, holding Divis Mal as the pinnacle of nova ideals and achievement and urging others to ask “What would Divis Mal do?”  Mal’s cult of personality resides in the general Teras movement because the goals of the group seem simply to be the idolization of Mal and forwarding Mal’s dreams, rather than moving toward personal understanding (Sanctified) or a complex political agenda (Accord, Dominion).
Key Location:
Blackburn Hotel
The Archon
Goals:
-Train newly erupted novas and liberate tainted or abused novas
-Recruit new members to the movement
-Counter Utopian efforts, destroy their reputation, and oppose them at any opportunity
-Fight for nova rights and superiority
-Enjoy the fruits of nova existence
Novas of Note:
1. Manus Aequitas (Leader)
2. Narcosis (Co-Leader)
3. Solitaire (“Fuck your ranking system and your artificial divisions”)
4. The Apothecary (Adherent)
5. Synapse (Adherent)
6. Clarion (Groupie)
7. Sloppy Joe (Groupie)
8. Gale (Adherent)

Dominion: Shrapnel is doing a lot of recruiting among Elites.  She is also building a nova homeland in Australia, starting from some old bunkers in the outback.  Unlike Tarik’s Bandanah, this is more akin to a Brotherhood-of-Steel Bunker-Vault.  Someplace she can stockpile weapons and recruits for when the war comes.  Reduced in number since its parent groups the Primacy and Nova Vigilance were all but dismantled by Impetus’s speech and Gravitas’s sentencing of Geryon Bahrain, the Dominion is a lean and mobile group, all the more driven for having its lesser members defect to other factions.
Key Location:
Club Zmei
Various secured bunkers
Goals:
-Destroy Utopia and any organization or individual that opposes Teras or the One Race in general, including many Elite organizations (but not the elites themselves)
-End or dominate baseline humanity
-Increase Nova population
-Increase the power of Teras (usually in a literal sense but also through other means when viable)
Novas of Note:
1 Shrapnel (Commander)
2. Confederate (2nd in Command)
3. Natalya “Swarm Queen” Dornova (Lieutenant)
4. Epoch (Lieutenant)
5. Boom-Boom (Soldier)
6. Matador (Soldier
7. Gauze (Soldier

Sanctified: A rarified group that does little aggressive recruiting.  Leviathan and his monsters are one side of the coin, those who want to understand their nature.  The other side are those with an academic or spiritual interest in taint, quantum and what it means to be nova.  The Sanctified look to the ailing within the Teragen, and those who stick with it have a ‘calling’ that keeps them on the path of Truth.
Key Location:
The Catacombs/Cathedral
Goals:
-Forward unity within Teras
-Foster an understanding of Teras within all members of the Teragen movement
-Find personal Transcendence through Teras
Novas of Note:
1. Scripture (Teacher)
2. Leviathan (Disciple)
3. Sin-Eater (Disciple)
4. Turncoat (Devotee. Unraveling sanity held together by Scripture and Sin-Eater)
5. Feathered Serpent (Ascetic)

Accord: The most important rule among the accord is “The Teragen is not your personal army.”  Almost anything else is up for debate, as the group attempts to create the rules by which nova society will govern itself.  The group does accept political dissidents, but what matters is an attempt and interest in building with baselines rather than against them.  A lot of groupies find their way here, since nova celebrity has become a fashionable thing.
Key Location:
The Villa
Goals:
-Ensure the safety of the One Race by preventing unnecessary intra-species and inter-species conflict
-Create rules for Nova interactions that move beyond “might is right”
-Protect baseline rights… though strident voices within the movement argue the limits and tone of those rights
-Use baseline society to forward the Teragen movement
Novas of Note:
1. Raoul Orzaiz (Facilitator)
2. The Mathematician (Speaker)
3. Gravitas (Speaker)
4. Bounty (Speaker)
5. Hell Kraken (Speaker)
6. Tarik ibn’Mahmoud (Peer)
7. Bridgette Caulder (Peer)
8. Jester (Peer)

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Edited first post in thread to include this info.  feel free to continue the prior conversation if you please.  Gale, I wasn't sure if your leanings placed you as part of the movement, or just a student of its philosophies, so feel free to let me know if you want slotted in somewhere on the lists.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 04:43, Tue 17 Sept 2013.

The Second Coming
Meeting of the Pantheon of the Teragen - February 2008

Orzaiz: Well, I believe that concludes our—

Divis Mal: All due apologies for my late arrival.

Mathematician: Divis …

Mal: Yes, hello.  A pleasure to see you again.  Most of you, anyway.

Mathematician: But …

Mal: Fortuitous, isn’t it, that I should emerge on the eve of this meeting?  I did not know it then, but I must have felt your call, your need for guidance.  The time is now, as they say …

Manus Aequitas: Pedro, it was his right to preside over this meeting!  Why didn’t you tell us had emerged from Chrysalis?

Scripture: Because he did not know, Manus.  Only I knew.  But I understood his need for us to speak.  To find our own voice for Mal to hear, cacophonous and befuddled as it is.

Mal: Spoken like one who knows truth uncommonly well.   And that, beloved Jeremiah, is both a blessing and a curse as you well know.  Calm yourself Manus, I have come at last.  Not because the way is lost, but because the path is now clear.  I look across this table at the Pantheon of the Teragen.  Some Marvels, some Portents, some Monsters – but all of the One Race.

To date, you have wandered through the forest of uncertainty, novas drowning in a sea of mediocrity.  Some run blindly, cower in the shadows and wait for night to devour them.  Others, shackled by their perceptions, stagnate and become like the trees around them – tall, proud and potent, but unmoving, rooted in time, in understanding and in place.  Destruction is but another birth.  In the fires to come our numbers will diminish, but our strength will grow manifold.  The world has yet to witness the One Race’s true potential.  Some of you counsel war.  Some of you counsel patience.  Some of you counsel baseline genocide.  Some of you counsel the establishment of a novarchy over the nulls.

And all of you are certain that you see the true way.  And yet we know, don’t we, that this cannot be the case.  I must confess some small disappointment at this situation.

Manus: Divis, we—

Mal: I asked for dragons and thunder and raging seraphim.  And I get petty, unkind, backstabbing children who snivel and squall when they don’t get their way.  I do not want sniveling, squalling children.  I do not want toadies.  I do not want worshippers.  ‘What does he want?’ you ask.  ‘Oh dear, scurry scurry scurry, what could it be what does he want?  What does Divis Mal want?’

I want equals.  You repay your teacher poorly if you remain always students.  You think that it lies in the power, and it does not lie in the power.  It lies in the understanding.  It lies in the enlightenment.  Of which only Jeremiah Scripture and the Solitaire appear to have attained any modicum.  You are not the equals I have been waiting for.  You are baselines with undeserved power and boorish, petty natures.  When will you speak to the angels with me?  WHEN?!  Is this all riddles to you?  I cannot speak in a language that you can comprehend.  Perhaps, it isn’t meant to be.  [Sigh]  I am understating things when I say that this is not what I had hoped to find upon my emergence.

Sin-Eater: Mal, we-

Shrapnel: What would you have us do?  Utopia is hurting now.  The zips respect us again.  To fight against the oppressors-

Mal: Sharp-tongued Shrapnel, I would have you turn your perceptions inward and seek what is godlike within yourself.  I am getting tired of this role.  I am a visionary, a warrior and a lover of life.  But unlike my father, I do not enjoy the role of teacher.

Orzaiz: Divis, you know I am the first to recognize you for what you are, but before you left we were a young movement.  I do not deny the fact that I still think the Null Manifesto jumped the gun, but now I understand why you did it.  It brought us together.  Before the Manifesto, before Colombia, I would never have envisioned a gathering like this at all…

Mal: This is why I am here, Raoul.  This is a celebration, the glorious culmination of events that began years ago.  I do not expect you to understand everything just yet, but let trust be the bridge that gets you across.

Orzaiz: And that’s the problem.  You ask us to trust, and we do, but I foresee a slight problem here.  The Teragen was once more than you and the Null Manifesto.  It had no leader, no cohesiveness, and no hope for growth.  But you’ve given us direction and solidarity.  You are the heart of the Teragen, but you are also the linchpin that keeps us going.  In your absence, we lose our focus.  I fear that our direction and solidarity begin and end with you.

Manus: Mal IS Teras.  He embodies our potential.  Look at him!  You each see him differently because he is what we have to become!  You want the Teragen to part from Mal, Orzaiz?  We are NOTHING without Mal.  You know it.  Everyone does.  Mal, are you going to sit and let a monkey like Orzaiz talk like this?

Mal: Of course I am, my brother.  Because he is right.  You are my children, but to become my equals I must let you grow beyond me.  You have blossomed magnificently.  For the nonce, all that you need from me is my presence and my words.  The time for trimming and channeling is yet to come.

But our adversaries move against us, and we come to a crossroads.  The gyre is widening, the world spins on, and soon we will outgrow our role as slaves and problem solvers.  The baselines will, in time, feel they have no choice but to strike at us.  The essence of our future is struggle.  And neither the sensual sweetness of Narcosis nor the grasping tentacle of the Kraken will avert this.  The Null Manifesto was their first warning, a warning that has been ignored or grievously misunderstood.  My intervention in Colombia was their second, and yet the nulls persist in their oppression, as I knew they would.  And the good Hand of Justice provided a third warning at Bahrain.  And this too has produced only fear and more violence.  We Terats must demonstrate to all, nova and baseline alike, the path our race must take.

We start with Utopia.

Members of the so-called Dominion, you have my blessing to carry on.  Create a promised land.  Be my terrible angels, and deliver my wrath to those showing insufficient respect to the One Race.  Seek out the missing Geryon, if you can, for in his durance he has surely learned much of Nature and Control, much that he can teach to others.  You are our strength, the Harvesters of our future.  In time, it will fall to you to reap what we have sown.  And know this: it is better to be a monster to be a slave, but it is far better to be a god than a monster.  Monsters can only destroy, while gods can destroy and create.  Do not so worship the monster in yourselves that you misplace the seeds of your godhood.  It would be a shame to miss your apotheosis.

Gravitas, Pedro, Raoul and Kraken, and others who would live among the baselines: take care in your next actions.  Take care that your Accord with the nulls remains strong, for it will be their last defense against my judgment.  Build a body of law for our people, if you must, but do not mistake the laws of baselines for the celestial laws of the One Race.

Raoul, continue to be the sharp point of the wedge.  Get them accustomed to honoring us. Walk among them, charm them with wit and humor, and allay their most ludicrous of fears.

Narcosis, sweet, sensuous Narcosis, telegenic angel, misunderstood and ridiculed.  Take my message to the masses.  Have them worship you and, through you, me.  Make them love the One Race more than they love their own, and the battle will be won before it even commences.

Hell Kraken, continue to make yourself a baron of their industry.  Build them toys and tools, and let them labor on your behalf.  Let them feel secure with their weapons, comforted in the belief that such slings and arrows have meaning before a god.  If Raoul cannot assuage their fears and Narcosis cannot win their love, than their reliance on you will make them weak.

Solitaire, you are as constant as the North Star, and the guardian angel of the lost.  Let your Houses shepherd the One Race to safety.  You are my sword, and understand me best.  Listen for the word, and be ready when it comes.

And you, Manus Aequitas, shall be the shield of the One Race.  Its Champion against oppression and my Prophet upon the Earth.  Judge not in swiftness, and give the Accord time to realize that their experiment must end in vain.

Jeremiah, Sin-Eater, Leviathan, it is to you and your Sanctified that others come for guidance.  Give it freely, but know that I am back.  Know that I will be there, watching you from above, and that you may make the pilgrimage to meet me if you find yourself in need of further guidance.

Leviathan: In the sky?

Mal: No, young Leviathan.  Upon the moon.  Were I too near, this Pantheon would rely upon me when it should be focused upon its own apotheosis.  Were I too far, the baselines would become emboldened and believe themselves capable of oppressing with impunity.  Upon the moon, I shall contemplate the song of the stars and be able to visit the earth whenever I wish.  And all the world will know that their Angel of Destruction looms near.

Today, we are all brothers and sisters, novas and fellow Terats.  Tomorrow a new day dawns.  Those who do not have the conviction will fall as victims.  There will come a time when sacrifices are needed.  Only the selfish will hide.  Some among you have forgotten what Teras truly means and where it leads.  You now have a chance to find your way back onto the path.  If you do not, you will lose more than your way.

No one masters the One Race.  Those who betray the movement or falter in their faith have no place among us.  Look around, to the Terat before you, to the Terat beside you and to the Terat wihin you.  Know that in the years to come, friends will become foes, foes allies and the Teragen stronger for it.

This is the essence of Teras: the strong must prevail, the wise muse preside, and the enlightened must guide us onward.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
OOC: I've modified the speech from page 80-82 of the Teragen book to fit our canon.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 03:55, Mon 16 Sept 2013.