From harnums@thekeep.org Thu Jan 11 20:47:21 2001 Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 01:45:59 -0500 From: Alan Harnum To: ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Juri and Angus Log / Juri and Gideon Log Mange> Serena d'Penzance departs, but does not go immediately to the quarters. You page, "Finding somewhere private, trying to trump Angus." to Akemi and Mike. Mike pages, "Angus answers after a few beats. "Juri?"" to you. You page, "'Hello, Angus.' Faint smile. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I really didn't intend it.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""Where have you been? No-one's been able to locate you?"" to you. You page, "'In several other universes. For a few weeks. Apparently, the time differential is... large.'" to Mike. Mike pages, "He blinks. "Do you mean Shadows?"" to you. You page, "'No. Literal other universes. Each with their own Pattern, different from ours, different from Amber's.' She hesitates for a moment. 'Is the location secure? Can I come through?'" to Mike. Mike pages, "He extends his hand." to you. You page, "Juri takes it and comes through, then almost immediately embraces him as soon as she's on the other side." to Mike. Mike pages, "He hugs you back. "You've come at a busy time for us."" to you. You page, "'So I guessed from my failure to raise Horatio or Finn, and from speaking to Tess earlier.' She sighs. 'I've just spent the past hour reading histories. I... understand what you mean about one's legend becoming darkened and faded, Father.'" to Mike. Mike pages, "He shakes his head. "It tends to happen, I'm afraid. The reality of one's presense, though, usually is enough to shake away old myths."" to you. You page, "'Assuming that people don't run screaming from me on sight,' she says sardonically, disengaging finally from the embrace. We're in his office, I assume?" to Mike. You page-pose, "Juri looks around for somewhere to sit. 'Tell me what's happening, Father. Finn refused my Trump call, Horatio was behind a barrier... I couldn't even reach Julian.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""We've just had a visiting prince of Amber assassinated in the citadel. At the moment, we're trying to figure out what happened, and avert a diplomatic incident."" to you. You page, "Juri winces. 'I rather thought that might be it. I travelled through the Cave of Worlds during my time away from here... in a hall of mirrors, an image of Meredith spoke to me, and told me the same thing." to Mike. You page, "'Who was killed?'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""Ah, the Cave of Worlds. I've travelled it myself... the images usually speak the truth, but twisted... one Prince Caine, shot with what would appear to be a high-powered rifle from a turret. It bears disturbing similarities to Darako's fake assassination..."" to you. Mike pages, ""Horatio has, of course, been going berserk."" to you. You page-pose, "Juri frowns. "Caine was the one who put Brand into the Abyss. The obvious suspect would be Tomas, or his agents. But I assume you've already considered that.' Pause, faint smile. 'Yes, he's rather good at that.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""Everyone's running around following what leads we have, and trying to keep rumors from getting out of hand."" to you. Mike pages, ""I'm afraid one of them is the 'Juri the Kinslayer killed him' rumor."" to you. You page, "Juri sighs and closes her eyes. 'I can't say I'm surprised. I'm sorry to have to add yet another burden to your mind, Angus, but there's about seven Finndos from various universes in control of a gigantic Logrus-tentacled squid running about somewhere, last seen in the Abyss.'" to Mike. Mike pages, "Angus ...s." to you. You page, "'I know, I know,' Juri says, sighing again. 'We--myself and some comrades--chased them through several universes. There's the Macfinndos, who are Irish-accented coffee-addicted Living Trumps from another Amber, ruled by King Random and with many of the same Elder royals, but not ours.'" to Mike. You page, ""'There's five of them. Then there's a demon-armoured warrior who wears the colours of the Ashen Prince and fights like him with a two-bladed sword. Possibly his daughter, as the MacFinndos seem to have teamed up with her at Jigoku.'" to Mike. You page, "Juri pats him on the shoulder. 'Finally, there's a tall blond man. Wears a poncho and a hat, and carries a gun. Claims to be a Finndo, but says he doesn't have a name. Trucido, when I described him, said he sounded much like the man who gave Uncle Finndo his spikard.'" to Mike. Mike pages, "Angus sighs. "So we have a group of extra-dimensional living trump coffee addict Finndos riding a giant Abyss Logrus squid. Is that basically what you're telling me?"" to you. You page, "'Well, I know for certain that only the MacFinndos are extra-dimensional. I think Finndo's Daughter is from our universe. I know nil about the blond Nameless Finndo. But, otherwise, right on target.'" to Mike. You page, "'Oh, and I've got alternate versions of Darako and Horatio with me, from other universes. We've all been trying to stop the Finndos and their squid, with, as you can guess, limited success.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""..."" to you. You page, "'I'm sorry to dump this all on you at once, Father,' Juri says apologetically." to Mike. Mike pages, ""Have you tried sticking it with your blade?"" to you. You page, "Juri snaps her fingers. 'Forgot to mention. The squid can Trump. It's one of the reasons I haven't simply fired my blade into it from a long way away. It's about a mile long outside, and the size of New England inside. So it would take a long time to die, and it would do a lot of damage as it did.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""..."" to you. You page, "'It's a very nasty squid. Oberon, King of Amber--not our Amber, another one--made it out of an entire Shadow to eat Fire Patterns.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""What an amazingly stupid act."" to you. You page, "'The plan with the best chance of succeeding with minimum collateral damage would be to simply seize control of it from the Finndos. But...' Her face darkens. 'The thing is monstrous. An abomination. I'd like to see it destroyed, if possible.'" to Mike. You page, "'I'm just trying to think of a way to do it that won't destroy me, my allies, thousands of Shadows, and possibly some of Reality as well.'" to Mike. Mike pages, "He chuckles. "Avoid an Ahab complex, by all means."" to you. You page, "'I'll try. We lost Ishmael back in Ember anyway.'" to Mike. You page, "'When we last saw the squid, it was damaged and under attack by Morningstars in the Abyss of Chaos. I am hoping enough damage was done to it that it will not be an immediate threat for some time, but realizing that may not be. I would suggest that you consider ways to defend Avalon against a giant trumping Logrus squid if I didn't know you've been doing so since I told you about it.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""There are ways. It's a pity that most of the better ones would result in a mess. I'll have to consult with Tess."" to you. You page, "Juri nods. 'Hopefully, my allies and I will be able to find some way to deal with it while it's still out in Shadow.' She pauses briefly, then asks with a faint smile, 'Is Ludwig's battle train still around?'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""I believe it's been stashed back in the bunker under Mt. Karm. But the power core for is is still in Julian, and I'm sure you remember the last time someone tried to retrieve it."" to you. You page, "Juri hms. 'One of his Manifestations might do the trick, although I'd be fearful it could be cut off too easily. If only it weren't so damnably big; igniting it by Pattern would be a Pyrrhic victory at best.' She shrugs. 'Assuming we can stop the squid, the objective after that will be to find a way to return Corrine and Roderick to their home universes. Did the Fount ever... stabilize?'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""Gideon seems to have gotten it under control."" to you. You page, "Juri looks relieved. 'That's good to hear. Corrine, who's a Trump expert, thinks we could use a primal source of power like the Fount to boost Trump range enough to get her home.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""That's good for her."" to you. Mike pages, ""That's correct, although also not as efficient."" to you. You page, "'One of our problems in our last battle against the squid was our vessel being grappled by its Logrus tendrils. If we could rig up some kind of a Trump shield... perhaps Trump-based weaponry. I remember Gideon had that gun.' Juri paces briefly. 'How our relations between Gideon and the family? From what I read in the histories, he's supposed to have disappeared after the Battle of the Fount.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""Most of the younger generation doesn't even know he's still around. After the dust settled, I think he decided to go his own way for a while, perhaps forever. To heal deep wounds, and also over lingering rifts."" to you. You page, "Juri looks briefly pained and paces some more. 'I should like to think we parted... amicably enough. For what I did.' She closes her eyes briefly. 'He has taken up residence at the Fount?'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""We believe so."" to you. You page, "'Has anyone been to see him recently? Or been in contact with him?'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""No. He's made it clear that he wishes as little contact with the family as possible."" to you. You page, "Juri sighs and fumbles out Gideon's Trump from her deck. She looks at it for a moment, not intently enough to make contact, and then slips it away again. 'I--I especially--ought to respect that. But this thing is monstrous. And the Fount might very well be a target for it; the MacFinndos were using another universe's version of the Fount to perform some ceremony with the squid, but we disrupted it before they could finish." to Mike. Mike pages, ""It's a danger, but still... I think even Tess and I would think twice before trying to take on Gideon in his own stronghold. I'm sure he would at least have time to summon aid."" to you. You page, "Juri nods. 'Nevertheless, an attempt must at least be made to warn him.' She pauses. 'And I won't deny that he might help to serve my own objectives. I must think on this.'" to Mike. Mike pages, ""Do so. If need be, I or Tess can warn him."" to you. You page, "Nod. 'I think that's really all, Father.' She pauses, then looks embarassed. 'Have you... any advice? I have made three sorties so far against this foe, and failed each time to accomplish anything at all.'" to Mike. You page, "Presumably, I'll Trump to a location outside the Citadel and walk from there, or I'll simply walk out, since I'm in disguise. :)" to Aerianne, Akemi and Mike. Mike pages, ""You're almost the tactician that I am. What are the weaknesses of your foes?"" to you. You page, "OOC: Juri thinks of the ones she knows, since she'd know far better than Alan does. :)" to Mike. Mike pages, "Well, they all seem to be coffee-crazed wackos answerung to a higher power." to you. You page, "Except for Finndo's Daughter and No-Name Finndo?" to Mike. Mike pages, "Except for those two, that you've seen." to you. You page, "Anything else?" to Mike. Mike pages, "Not that I can give you." to you. You page, "Do they seem wacko and fanatic to the point of stupidity? Would they be exceptionally easy to sucker in with a deception that played to their weaknesses?" to Mike. Mike pages, "Quite possibly." to you. Mike pages, "Are you, like, ever gonna get back to you waiting co-gamer, btw? :)" to you. You page, "Forgive me. I'm just trying to come up with a plan that won't fuck up like the last three plans have. :)" to Mike. You page, "e.g. 'Honourable MacFinndos... I have realized the error of my ways. I will no longer fight the divine sanction of the voices speaking inside both your head and mine. Enclosed in this package are beans from the Greatest Coffee Plantation Shadow of my universe. I have conquered it with my armies, and wait only to deliver it into your hands.' And then lay a trap for them. The problem is that No-Name and Daughter are way smarter and not addicted to coffee." to Mike. Mike pages, "Try bouncing it off her, then." to you. You page, "All right. Bid farewell to Angus, Trump somewhere outside the Citadel, and head back to the sub, turning possible plans over and over as I go." to Mike. * * * Mike pages, "Gideon answers the trump contact. "Hello Juri."" to Chris and you. Mike pages, "And please include me in these pages." to Chris and you. You page, "'Hello, Gideon,' Juri says. Hopeful but cautious, as though worried he'll snap the contact closed on her at any minute. 'There's news you should know, and matters we should discuss. A friend and I would like to come through and speak to you.'" to Chris and Mike. Chris pages, "Gideon hms, expression neutral. 'Who might that friend be, my dear sister?'" to you and Mike. You page, "'Her name is Corrine of Amber; not the Amber of King Random, but another. I think you should like to meet her. I have spent the last forty years wandering in other universes, and have only just returned to ours. A terrible threat has also come from beyond our universe, one that may specifically target the Fount.'" to Chris and Mike. Chris pages, "Gideon quirks an eyebrow. "More universes ... well, well, well. Do you have time now?"" to you and Mike. You page, "Juri gives a small, tight smile. "I would not have called you if we did not, dear brother. May we come through?" to Chris and Mike. Chris pages, "Gideon extends a hand as answer." to you and Mike. You page, "Juri extends her hand to Gideon, taking the hand of someone else and bringing them into the contact as she does." to Chris and Mike.