As soon as he begins speaking, it's obvious that Smythe came from the same roots as Matthew Harrison. "I didn't' know him, I knew of him. He was often in the press as a desecrater of ancient' monuments and corruptor of public figures. At' least', that' was who I thaught' he was. Now I wonder if he wasn't' as innocent' of thos' crimes as thos' of us that' worked for FORCE withaut' knowing the truth abaut' him."
"I must' say, from what' we heard of his final moments and the natchur' of his end, he seims mor' a tormented pawn than his own man. I wauldn't' wish that' on my worst' enemy."

"No more will your sun set, nor your moon be darkened, for God will be an eternal light for you, and your days of mourning shall end."
"Like a man whose mother consoles him, so shall I console you, and you shall be consoled in Jerusalem."
With a nod to Chimp Man Z, the sergeant sits on the floor at a bulkhead.
Smythe looks at the sergeant for a moment, then follows suit.

In reply to Winter Herald (msg # 368):

Hikari listened to the end holding it in barely, but he began to snicker and finally laugh at the full Herald Report.

"Hahaha! Winter Herald, my friend ~ You are a Wonder!  That's a very unique report, none of it technically wrong.. but with your unique perspective! Thank you!  Hee-Hee"

Looking at Bellissima in wonder Hikari shrugs, "...Well as long as its not vegan or tofu, I'll eat it ... has to be better than the microwave dinner I usually end up eating.  My mother has not cooked a meal for me sin~... since... well for a very long time!"
His expression for the briefest of moments was... pained but he covers it quickly.

"I'm sure whatever you prepare will be fine or even Better!"

Justicar watches as CMZ prepares the ceremony calling people who knew of Matthew Harrison to speak of the man.. in a celebration of hwho he was in life, that his memory not be lost with his life.

Hikari nods and comments to CMZ, "...what you are doing is very kind and sweet, an honorable thing to remember the man before he became a puppet of evil.  This will also put his spirit to rest among the living who knew him."

"I hope, when finally I am slain in battle that I meet that end with Courage, and with many deeds of Valor and Honor!
A Good Death is its own Reward.  It is truly the only thing a man possesses that is his until the stars burn out!
It would be... nice, to be remembered.. well."
His gaze looks past all present, incandescent intensity in his Emerald eyes.

Frankly, I would rather die in my sleep, CMZ responds, an old man who has hopefully lived a long, productive, and successful life.
He waves his hand in front of his face.  Preferably having had children, and maybe even grandchildren, with a woman wonderful enough to see past all this.

He had given his report, and the reactions were odd. Bellissima's was expected, although she had corrected him in places - the flaws of working with conjecture, and something he should have expected. The reverence was inefficient. He recognized it as a social requirement, but it was nevertheless a delay in dealing with the living and functional, who were far more important.

He shifted to parade rest, the moment he recognized this as a formal acknowledgement of the deceased, all the same.

In reply to Chimp Man Z (msg # 378):

Justicar just nods, "...I doubt such things are in my destiny Jacob, but I will pray for your eventual happiness. And any woman who cannot see the heroic and compassionate man you are inside, is not worthy of you!"
This message was last edited by the player at 11:02, Sat 14 May 2022.

Jacob shakes his head.  Don't bother praying for me, kid.  That's a long wait for a train that don't come.
He glances around.  Anyone find out anything on what Matthew Harrison was like before he was possessed?

Bellissima had finished feeding everyone and was slowly eating a dish of rice, beans, spinach and eggs with siracha to spice things up.  As Jacob asked for more personal information about Matthew, rubbing her forehead as she dug into the memories of the man.

"One of the reasons he loved archaeology and criminology was the figuring out of puzzles. He usually had a puzzle in the process at home at all the time.  The figuring out what all the various clues that were discovered to build a story about the site he was working at.  the treasures only mattered to him as a clue to who lived and worked there in the past."

CMZ ignores the plate Belissima had set on the floor next to him, but he looks at her now.  So, he WAS a good man.

Justicar shrugs, "..I don't think anyone gets up one day and decides to be a miscreant, murdering, psychopath...'just because'.  The path to evil is made up of small choices, little compromises of one's morals for a 'greater good'..usually focused upon one's own selfish-desires.  But each small choice can lead to bigger compromises of self-delusions or thin justifications, when the phrase 'there was no other way'... becomes more and more frequently used.  I'm sure most villains do not see themselves as Wicked.  It starts small.  But yes, Matthew seemed a Good man... "

The fingers of his gauntlets twitch ever so slightly the only clue that Hikari is indeed searching the internet researching the Ring's Origin.  First calling up from the Sat-link the history and details of what is known about the Temple of Amun at Kawa, in Nubia.  He is reading the history known of the locale and also doing a search on the jewelry of that surrounding culture looking for similar pieces of jewelry to the style and shape of the ring.  Delving deep into the cultural differences and/or similarities of jewelry styles of the area and in that era.  Looking for any archaeological pictures of other figures throughout history that in pictures or fresco of the ancient world may have worn similar stylized jewelry.  Who such people were and their recorded histories.... He's looking to see if he can find some history to the ring or jewelry of similar make that might point at a timeline for when it appeared on the scene in the ancient world.

00:24, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 74 using 1d100.  Hikari - Computer Operation [82%]. – [roll=1652588657.3603.355584]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:27, Sun 15 May 2022.

In reply to Chimp Man Z (msg # 381):
"He wasn't possessed. He also wasn't cursed, like that poor insect man."
"It's that stone. There are great evils out there, beyond the edge of the universe. Many of them attempt to extend their influence onto worlds here by creating unwilling sycophants. One of the methods of doing so is to put a small part of their essence into an object. The object gives great power to any that possess it, but any that use that power have their essence changed to conform to that of the alien intelligence; they become another part of it. Eventually, the world is suffused by a likeness of the evil."
"Don't shoot it into the sun. It would corrupt even that. Place it inside something solid, and drop it in the most inhospitable place you know of. That is the traditional method for dealing with these things."

Bellissima shook her head, "The gem doesn't corrupt, it replaces.  Matthew Harrison's thoughts just stop at the point he touched the gem and Shadarkos's thoughts take over.  The only thoughts that were Matthew Harrison's afterward were at the very end with his desire for death and freedom."  Bellissima shared with the others.  She was the only representative that Matthew Harrison had at this point, having read his thoughts and memories.  She nodded at Jacob, "Yes, he was a good man by everything I saw in his memories."

Winter Herald was content to listen and learn, although he did ask a question, switching from parade rest to at-ease. "Is this entity effectively neurological malware, that activates upon receiving a dose of blood, and then gives false pretense comparable to a 419 scam to bypass neurological security? If so, I am not sure how such a force could affect the sun, as a star has none of these things that the malware is seeking. Wouldn't millions of degrees and the intense physics of space cause its disintegration well before it could contact the sun?"

He raised his right hand, palm out. "I am not stating anyone is wrong. I am seeking understanding. This topic is not in my comprehension."

His hand returned to its correct position as he awaited a continuation of the discussion.

Bellissima shook her head, "No blood was required for the take over.  All Matthew Harrison did was touch the gem and he was lost.  This would be like a malware hidden inside of a innocent email and once you opened the email, it loaded itself onto your computer and took it over completely." She gestured over to Goliat, "As for how magic and supernatural interacts with physics, I will leave to Goliat to answer, he is our resident magic expert."

Justicar spoke, "A star is not a living entity.  It is a cosmic-sized cloud of energetic gasses.  In the case of our sun a densely packed cloud of helium and hydrogen in fusion.  The notion of the ring or anything else from earth affecting the nature and raw cosmic power of the sun an object 108 times the size of earth is utterly preposterous as far as science and laws of physics dictate.  Nothing made of matter, no mater how tough or durable, will survive the surface of the sun and even if somehow it did it would be insignificant to the point of absurdity that it would have any affect upon the cosmic fury of a Main sequence Star.  But more importantly.. it is absurd to think that placing the ring any place on Earth would be more remote or inaccessible as the surface of the sun, where it literally would be beyond the reach of any mortal being let alone perception to find within the radiation and gravity wells, not even mentioning the tens of thousands of degrees centigrade of the Sun's Corona of utter annihilation that the Sun would make an impossibility of EVER finding it again!"

Lite Star didn't accept any food, just giving a polite shake of the head and a soft "No thank you." Continuing to listen to the conversation, head tilting slightly.

"I'm more inclined to follow Goliat's advice.  After all, everyone knows there are no aliens, no self aware AI's and no micro fusion reactors as well.  Seems to me that if this thing operates to a set of physics that we don't have comprehension of, maybe we let those that do have an understanding make the call."

Justicar shrugs, "I will not claim to know better than an expert in the field of paraphysics if that is what one wishes to call it and, Of Course, I will do as the Team collectively agrees to, but 'Lost in Space' is Still 'Lost. In. Space'! You don't get more remote and inhospitable than that!"

Pardon the pun, Justicar, CMZ says quietly, but the cost, in money, to launch it into the sun will be astronomical.  Likely a billion dollars or more.  Do you have access to that kind of money?  You should also know, better than anyone here I would guess, how much time it would take to build the rocket, make all of the calculations, find the appropriate launch window....  Plus, there is always the possibility that, if it is not destroyed by the sun, it could be thrown out into space by a massive coronal ejection.
He shakes his head.  Plus, there are the legal ramifications for the destruction of physical evidence pertaining to what will likely be a very high profile case.  Even if they are just sent to Gitmo and forgotten about, that gem will not be.  The government will likely xome calling, wanting it for testing and research.  If we are to dospose of it, it will have to be done as quickly, quietly, and inexpensively as possible.
He looks at everyone present, his gaze intense and determined.  A heavy guage steel container, weights, concrete or molten metal, this yacht, and the Mariana's Trench will be enough to seal this thing away for a very long time.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:53, Mon 16 May 2022.

In reply to Chimp Man Z (msg # 392):

Justicar turns, "Yes, I have thought of that... and its not nearly as expensive as you think.  Its just escape velocity, and math.  I'm not trying to lift a vehicle into space.. its just a ring.. I can almost do it with toy rocket model engines. I never said it would get there fast... but eventually ~ with the right math all you need do is get it on the right course, astrophysics will do the rest. The sun is a BIG target and tends to draw Everything down the well. And in that vastness of space.. even if some phenomenal mishap should draw it off course it will be STILL be thoroughly VERY LOST!"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:13, Mon 16 May 2022.

CMZ looks thoughtfully for several moments, his gaze turned towards the ceiling.  And, suppose it does go off course, he says quietly.  Suppose it is encountered by a species that has developed interstellar travel.  Suppose they are as curious as we humans are.   We may end up responsible for an entire race to be dominated by the entity called Shadarkos.
This is part of why I was brought onto the team.  I think of things like this.  No one on this planet currently has the technology to go past three miles deep into the ocean, and very few of us with abilities have the capability.  Of those of us who might be able to, or can, not even the villains would have any desire to deal with that stone.  Luckily.  So, I think the Mariana's Trench is the best bet.

Justicar shrugs, "You VASTLY underestimate how empty space is. Drop the ring in the Mariana's Trench, and I can retrieve it in a month, depending upon how dedicated I was to finding it. Just saying..."

"But do what you want with it, when the next villain shows up with it... we should try my way next time..."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:08, Mon 16 May 2022.

Saying something like it is next to impossible for something to happen usually guarantees that it will, CMZ chuckles.  Believe me, if that thing ends up out in the world again, we will definitely do it your way next time.
 But, it shouldn't be a problem if we are the only ones who know what it is and where it is.

Justicar shrugs, "True, only we know what and where it is... and on that note we should keep it that way. Cause if we tell the US government where we put it, no matter what they tell us... you can bet they will make an effort to retrieve it. I am not the only robotics genius in the world."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:38, Mon 16 May 2022.

Bellissima shook her head, "No matter what method we use to hide the ring, there will always be a chance for it to be found.  I was suggesting the Marianas Trench because eventually it would be sucked down into the Earth's core and maybe be destroyed and it was simple.  Justicar's plan of sending it to the Sun is also viable."  She stopped in thought, "My main worry is that the longer we wait, the more likely that the government is going to try to acquire the gem."  She turned toward Justicar, "I was hoping that you could use one of your drones to deliver the ring to the trench right now, before we ever reach land."

Winter Herald shifted to an at-ease stance, and no longer saw the point in shifting back to parade rest. Mourning was clearly finished. "May I offer an alternative, before we are too hasty in deciding what to do with the alien weapon of mass destruction?"

Upon hearing that dangerous action might be imminent, he felt it was important to intervene. "If this device can indeed survive being discharged to the sun and then 'corrupt it', as Goliat seems to be suggesting, it may do that to the Earth's core. We should notify the government you serve in theory that you possess such a weapon, just as you would hopefully notify them if you acquired, as a related example, one of FORCE's nuclear weapons or several of his extremely powerful staff. Inform them it needs to be treated and given the same respect as a biological weapon. This way, all information about it will be over the table, and all relevant parties will know if the weapon goes live again."