The Evrensel Conflict -- Act 1 Epilogue

Pip was asking Alande to admit something he couldn't. Mentally, spiritually, it was an impossibility for simple words to beat years of propaganda and conditioning. In the best of times this would have maybe prompted Alande to lie. In more normal times he would make a rebuttable. But right now? He couldn't. The words were already making him remember strike operations against reality deviants who made many of the same arguments Pip did. The next statement brought a topic already simmering between his ears into a new cavalcade.

The near certainty that he's not going home. The Technocracy took him away from his Oldlife. He agreed to it of course, but the sting of missing his parents and not knowing how his acquaintances fared would affect even the most hardened of Enlightened personnel. He followed orders, set a boundary that the Technocracy and him both accepted, left his old life behind him. Now though, he had comrades he almost died for, ones that almost died for him. The Technocracy could tell him that he can't come home with one message, and would be well within their typical parameters to.

The higher ups were hardly understanding, and with the nature of the new ground he tread on it would be their decision. Who knows what he'd be afflicted with, how much it could change the consensus if he brought it back, what dangers Control would see. What was going to happen to his comrades when they learned he wasn't coming home? Would they try and follow him? Would they defect to the superstitions to try and fight for a way to get home? People have defected from the Technocracy for less. The tragedy that hurt the most was that even if they did, Alande knew he himself would stick by the organizations directives to the bitter end.

Alande leans back and looks down vacantly, almost entirely disengaging with the conversation. "Its true. Not all of us will be going home. We need to make sure this structure can survive past us, and we need to leave something behind for those that can't go home," his voice was uncharacteristic of him so far. Too much was on his mind for his natural pride and smugness to shine through.

A PART OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE


While not egregious most of what Weiss wrote up was not up to standards of what the group was currently coming to terms with. There was no need to separate Science and 'Paranormal' divisions, nor did Intelligence need its own division separate from Security. Diplomacy too was wrapped into Bureaucracy per the institutions laid out by Alande previously. No, what upset Pip, and visibly at that, was the shortening of their "chosen" name. Wiping the pained expression off her face, Pip spoke up.

"Huntress Weiss, names have power. There is no need to shorten our newly proposed one. Please. I'd rather not conflate the Pathfinder Alliance and the Alliance in my Universum. They killed millions with magi-terrorism. We've decided on a name, let's use it."

She cleared her throat and turned to Alande, her eyes softening a tad.

"It is true, but within that candor is the hope we leave for each other and those that will come after us."

Pip was reminded of Ahsoka's earlier comments and offered her assistance. "I can conjure up supplies— if you can get me something to study and replicate, I can conjure it. I'm also quite good at abjuration magic. I'm sure I can get to work on some abjurative wards and seals to prevent infiltration. Maybe even some kind of alarm system to warn us of incoming hostiles. Sadly, my skills don't translate well to machines, but I can block physical, spiritual, and emotional entry... Given enough time."

The swear from Alec snaps Alande out of his internal rumination as he gets back into attention of the situation. He spots what Weiss wrote as Alec rants, eyes glancing to Pip and then Alec. He adjusts the collar of his shirt as Alec continues shouting. Seeing Pip get shouted at for something Alande agreed with made him grit his teeth. He couldn't stay silent and let Alec be wrong, but he was also the only reason he got the time of day during the meeting. At best Alec was able to make the others see reason. At his worst he started swearing a storm, apparently. It made him almost wish that his Syndicate contact were here.

Something has to be said, by him, to get his ally on track. "Sir." Alande spoke up, making eye contact with Alec. His behavior as a leader was uncalled for, but putting that in a diplomatic way would be difficult. "I appreciate what you've done for the Pathfinder Alliance, and respect your service history. With this said, there is a lot on your shoulders and even more that promises to jump onto your back. There is only so much mental load that one person can take, especially when growing into a new position. Presidents rely on their advisors, Commanders on their subordinates, and Captains on their crew. Your load has increased to the point of extreme abrasiveness towards your comrades," Alande somehow missed the irony in him being the one to mention this. His mind returns to a team-building strategy introduced by the Black Suit that introduced him to inter-conventional cooperation. "I believe that it would be in everyone's best interest to speak constructively about some proposals from each-other we like for a moment. Especially people we have been struggling to work with during the meeting," Alande has to physically and mentally restrain himself from gagging from what he's about to say next. "I agree with Pip about the problems with shortening the name for diplomatic procedures. Although this is not a concern internally, if we do diplomacy, we should use our full name. If there would be problems in one universe, there may be problems in others and this could be devastating for our ability to work with outside groups." he forced the words out of his mouth. He hated every syllable, but he got it done.

Frankly, he was very close to sweating profusely. Although this is something he had to do its dangerous as hell. Someone could call him out as a hypocrite, Alec could ignore what he said. Neither would be good. But at least that'd make an oppertunity later.

Alande came first, with his pretentious ego and insisting he is always right about things. Luer shook his head. This man knew nothing of magic, so to say what he did about it was purely ignorance. He was no longer going to comment on it though, he will let them argue it out. He already had made his choice to remain unattached to any of the conventions made. It was what he did as a dancer, and what he did as a mercenary, so it shall be what he continues to do now.

Pip's outspoken comment regarding the obvious was unnecessary. Or at least, he felt it was. Apparently some people had forgotten that fact. It was always a truth the moment they were dragged into this, and one that had never left his mind. He knew a long time ago that this war would be his grave. With no home to return to, all he had to do was fight to protect those that could not until he fell, and he was fine with that. He had no other reason to live.

Or at least he did not.

He glanced to Ryan for a moment. What would they do if they won? Neither of them truly had a home… and he sure as hell was not content to live in this place forever. As it was, sleep was difficult with all this damn technology around. "I never expected to go back to somewhere that does not exist, anyway… For some of us, we have no home to return to. My world yet thrives, and because of that alone I am willing to fight for it. But I by no means have a home left on it. That said, I am definitely not considering this place as any sort of 'home' either. Last I checked, 'home' meant somewhere we felt safe and comfortable, which was almost never a state I reached here. Too much damn buzzing…" Never mind the fact that he was sure the AI could pluck him out of it at any time he damn well pleased.

He did glance briefly at the eyesore that was the screen in the room— which he had almost entirely avoided until now, simply because it changed. The writing was of little concern though, since it mostly seemed to just restate what was already said.

Alec speaking, however, did pull his attention from his thoughts again. He rose a brow to what the other said. "After you. I certainly am not putting a show on for you for free." He started, since it was so aggressively said. That aside… "I never said I had a problem working with you, I said I did not trust you to speak on my behalf. There is a difference between working together and giving you control." He corrected. He had worked with Alande and Alec both already.

He glanced to Pip when Alec countered her argument the way he had, and laughed. He gestured to the soldier. "I think my point has been made. I am not going to let you speak for me when your allegiance is so obviously not to us." Alande commenting like he did simply made the archer shake his head. "Surely even you are not so blind as to see this is a problem. Stop defending him. He is a soldier like us, not a leader."

"Alec means well," Jeremy interjected, returning his gaze to Alec, before looking back to the crowd. "But I second Pip and Luer. I can't stress how important logistics are to a war. If we're still thinking about this looking like three, four man teams going in and leaving without any long term plans for what we do with the places we find, stop."

The ranger moved to the center of the mass. "These AI are doing infiltration missions, softening targets, taking what they want discreetly. They won't stop at that - that to me sounds like preliminary operations, before the real campaign starts. This silent war of ours ain't gonna stay silent. We're gonna need to recruit people from other worlds, start resource procurement missions - I don't mean flashy raids on cities like last time, I mean mining, refinement, industry.
Jeremy turned back to Luer. "You," and then he turned to Alande, "and you. You two should work together. We're gonna need every goddamn edge, and if we can start slinging magic bullets, turn dirt to steel, that sorta thing, that'd make a lot of things easier. Use magic to streamline production, enhance your tech."

The ranger, whatever melancholy seeming gone now, turned to Alec. "I've spent my life fighting for the New California Republic - born, raised, and was destined to die for it. But we aren't a branch of that government, we aren't a branch of the NCR, and anybody who wants to lead even the goddamn cafeteria should have no other concern, no other allegiance matters - your only allegiance is to your men and our mission, in that order. Alande's right, even if he's the last person here who should be making comments on other's abrasiveness. Have a little faith in the rest of us, and take a break."

Before Alec could say anything, Jeremy whipped around to Weiss and jammed a finger at her. "And you! If you try to bill your own ideas as the group's again, I will toss you out of here. You want to be note-taker, do it right."

"Woah, somebody's feathers got ruffled," Sonic said with a smirk, before Jeremy shot him a glance, and even through his helmet - or maybe, because of it - the hedgehog's grin twisted with nervousness and he shot his hands up in surrender.

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It's Pip that speaks up to critique her proposal. She stares oddly towards Pip as she continues to sit there, and then she nods a little before she speaks, sitting up and taking the stylus. "So noted. Pathfinder Alliance, understood." She starts to write on the tablet, adding the appropriate word at the appropriate places.

She sets the stylus down once more and leans back a little in her chair, her hands folded on the tabletop. Now people begin really arguing among themselves… and to Weiss it sounds kind of petty for the most part. She doesn't want to intercede, to muck things up more. That's counterproductive. And finally she is once more addressed.

Jeremy speaks to her in a harsh, commanding tone. Her features are unchanged as she stares at him, her hands still folded on the tabletop. He falls silent, and now Weiss speaks in a light tone, a little smirk on her lips.
"Oh will you have me thrown out? Of this meeting we came here on a voluntary basis? With the understanding no one is in charge at this point? That meeting? What this means is you can yell all you want, but you're not in charge. Oh and as for these 'notes', I have condensed what I have heard and added my own ideas. Just as everyone else has, save for the fact I have written them down. So if I've upset you and your sensibilities" she wiggles her fingers at him when she says that, her tone something of mocking "just keep yourself calm so we can come out of this meeting with something solid to start with." She then shrugs to him and she folds her arms over her chest, those ice blue eyes staring right at Jeremy.

Camleen said:

View attachment 251566
It's Pip that speaks up to critique her proposal. She stares oddly towards Pip as she continues to sit there, and then she nods a little before she speaks, sitting up and taking the stylus. "So noted. Pathfinder Alliance, understood." She starts to write on the tablet, adding the appropriate word at the appropriate places.

She sets the stylus down once more and leans back a little in her chair, her hands folded on the tabletop. Now people begin really arguing among themselves… and to Weiss it sounds kind of petty for the most part. She doesn't want to intercede, to muck things up more. That's counterproductive. And finally she is once more addressed.

Jeremy speaks to her in a harsh, commanding tone. Her features are unchanged as she stares at him, her hands still folded on the tabletop. He falls silent, and now Weiss speaks in a light tone, a little smirk on her lips.
"Oh will you have me thrown out? Of this meeting we came here on a voluntary basis? With the understanding no one is in charge at this point? That meeting? What this means is you can yell all you want, but you're not in charge. Oh and as for these 'notes', I have condensed what I have heard and added my own ideas. Just as everyone else has, save for the fact I have written them down. So if I've upset you and your sensibilities" she wiggles her fingers at him when she says that, her tone something of mocking "just keep yourself calm so we can come out of this meeting with something solid to start with." She then shrugs to him and she folds her arms over her chest, those ice blue eyes staring right at Jeremy.

Click to expand...

The ranger had to stop himself from drowning her out in shouting. It was hard. Easy, cowboy. This isn't your army anymore.

But he meant what he said. Jeremy matched Weiss' stance and stare, icy eyes met with glowing crimson, tilted slightly down to make the glow that much more pointed. "Have you thrown out? I'd do it myself," Jeremy retorted. "Anyhow, just speak out your proposals like the rest of us, don't slip things into the records. That's all I ask. It's slippery. Besides, Paranormal fits under Science or Magic. Wouldn't hurt to have the subject force a little cooperation, either. And intelligence and security feels a little redundant given our size, we aren't exactly rolling in super spies to justify two similar branches."

David
Irritated but making a plan

Hearing Alande not quite get what he was putting down did put David in a slightly sour mood, but he held his tongue as he couldn't quite act on the assumption that Alande didn't get it, but instead was going to elaborate. A slight probing was about to be initiated by him but then Luer talked. His temper did rise as Luer and Alande got into it. With both sides going into it, one arguing for science and the other for magic. In David's world, both were very present things, albeit buried to keep things normal. But still there, and thus had to be considered so David naturally was inclined to Luer's points on not dismissing or 'containing' magic like a disease.

It was an asset. A tool that could give them an edge where technology couldn't. And on the other side of the coin, the opposite was true as well so David could also be inclined towards Alande's points about science and tech. Some folks left the meeting, snubbed by the talks and he couldn't blame them. In fact, he took note on who left. Not because of petty reasons such as egging them on, but rather in case his next talking point didn't go the way that was wanted.

That route was making an off the books team. Essentially a Black Ops team that would do what it could to act like a knife in the dark. He had enough experience in conducting such affairs that he could easily run such an operation without the overlooking eye of the current leadership. Especially considering Alec's 'skills' in leadership. It was the only thing he couldn't vote on, as David had heard or seen Alec in action and it left a lot to be desired. He had the grit when needed but Alec's emotional stability was woefully unsuited for the tough job ahead. David knew from experience that a leader had to make tough calls. Calls that could end in their deaths so the mission could succeed. Calls that unfortunately may be too much for Alec to make, especially if it concerned his lover.

Putting a pin in that as he went to speak before Ahsoka spoke up, a far-cooler head that was desperately needed for this. She spoke with the authority yet calm tone that befitted her claim of being a Commander.

And for a brief moment, things were heading in that direction of actually getting things done without drama. But then Luer dug back into the wound, it wasn't unexpected. David understood when emotion took control over reason, he had a body count to go with his experience. And once more, Alec's ability to lead was called back into question and he would've spoken in agreement when Pip talked to the room, speaking a solid fact in regard to the future mortality rate that this war was going to have.

Then it went back to a pissing match between Luer and Alande, now Alec joining in. Then Jeremy and Weiss, silence taking over before David stood up slowly. Clearing his throat before speaking. "One point I would like to bring up before we get off track again. That this structure sounds good and all but we'll need to take drastic measures to ensure vital information can't fall into the enemy's hands. I'm sure some folks here can handle a thorough interrogation. Hell, it'd take me a couple weeks with most folks here to crack them. Reason being is I have to get inside your head, figure out what makes you tick. This is possibly not the case with this AI." He began before breathing in to speak more. "I suspect our enemy has detailed files on everyone here. Detailed enough to know where to probe and where not to probe. Ask the right questions, offer the right bargain or even pull at specific heartstrings. If all fails, I'm sure they have torture methods that no one here can comprehend. Jab at your fears, threaten you in the right way. Whatever works and can get you to crack and spill critical intel." He spoke from experience, as he had done his fair share of torturing and being tortured.

"I can run everyone here through interrogation training to hopefully prepare for whatever the AI does should they be able to capture anyone. But that can only go so far, so I propose any critical meetings pertaining sensitive information take place in the Pocket Realm or anywhere that is disconnected from this station and free of potential spies, physical or otherwise. Times kept close to the heads of the departments or during vital meetings." He disliked having to rely on a magical realm but Reegan made that realm and she was reliable enough to make it safe. He would continue while he had the chance. "Which brings me to my second point. We should prepare for double agents, moles and the like. Hell, one of us in this very room could be compromised and we wouldn't be able to tell." He was exaggerating but his point was still made. "For this, I propose that we conduct a thorough vetting of the crew through whatever method is failproof. Present members or any future members so the heads of the department aren't already compromised or that we won't have members coming back compromised or with new recruits that'll stab us in the back at the right moment." He saw the way Pip was looking earlier, and he would ask if she could perhaps sense something or if she had a method that'd aid in that effort. But that was for later.

Deciding to also offer an expansion on Ahsoka's point from earlier about training the civilian body to be soldiers. He turned to look at her and spoke. "On your point, I can offer my services. Though the training I can offer is outdated or specified to guerilla warfare, I can help train the civilians to be decent enough soldiers." He held off on proposing a black ops team, though when he looked around at the room, he locked eyes with Batman, giving him a look that said it all.

'Meet me after this. We need to talk.'

Before he sat back down, Waffle wagging his tail as he rejoined his friend and David leaned down to scratch his dog's ears.

@Wade Von Doom @Amber Franklin @Camleen @Apothecary Bruce @LenxKaitoYaoi @rissa @Epiphany

Ryan had remained quiet as there wasn't much for him to add. Some people started arguments, some others settled them. Ryan was far too tired to really provide deep insight to the conversation. But he stayed. He needed to know who'd be directing his blade forth. While Morgan was his master, he still had a duty to fulfill as a warrior in this station. That said, he wouldn't accept incompetence or ineptitude from someone he would rely his and his teammates' lives on.

As he quietly listened and took note of the personalities voicing themselves in the room, acknowledging Batman with a tired but sincere smile at some point. He did the same with Luer "Not quite. My head has seen better days. But now's not the time for that." he quietly said, as some discussions loudly filled the air near the table enough for that to be kept between them.

Some more arguing went on. It was starting to get tiresome, but meetings like these had a habit to turn out like this. Ryan calmly listened until Alec inevitably pulled an Alec and snapped inappropriately at Luer. Ryan took a deep breath, and then another. How this guy was still alive after being like that was nothing short of a miracle, at least when it came to messing with Luer. The temperature of the room increased a few degrees for a moment before going back to normal. The people sensitive to emotions in the room, such as Ahsoka, Pip, and Ziv would detect a quite large flare of anger around the same time coming from someone on the room, if they couldn't outright pinpoint it to Ryan. But said anger quickly was dispelled, shockingly enough. Ryan had come a long way when it came to controlling his anger... or so he would like to say.

"I refuse." Ryan spoke up, this time for the whole room to hear. "I refuse to be led by the likes of you" Ryan emphasized. "You are an incapable leader. Weak under pressure, overly emotional, and not the brightest either. Just look at your little outburst just now. If you can't handle a meeting like this without throwing a tantrum when you're supposed to be the ultimate voice of reason, I can't expect you to be a good person to be in the head of this operation. You have led people before, yes. But with help, and those people pulled their weight when it came to decision making most of the time. And I don't know what happened on that supply run you led recently by yourself..." Ryan paused and gave Alec a good look "But judging by your drastic appearance change, I'd say things went awry one way or another. I can just hope you got nobody killed. But then again, it's just a matter of time with you leading people."

With a sigh, Ryan leaned forward as he uncrossed his legs. "To those few who know me or have worked with me. They know I have flaws and weaknesses that make me unfit to be a leader myself. And that's not the reason I came here for anyway. I am merely a blade, to be directed at the enemy. I won't accept incompetent or weak leaders to guide me to failure. Alec is both." Ryan turned to Alec again "If you've gathered information that is valuable, that's great. Share it with us so that a better head of operations can make better use of it."

A PART OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE



Alec means well?

Seemed laughable, but Pip was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt after Jeremy's vouch. It was true, as Alande had repeated to the room and to Alec herself, the strains that came with being a leader. The soldier lost Pip completely with her second to last statement, however. As she had sensed Ryan's lick of anger, the rise in temperature enough to dampen her hairline, so too could those with perceivable senses notice the dip in ambient light. The pull towards the Grail Warden, even untransformed as she was. Pip shook her head but said nothing, radiating disappointment when the woman had the audacity to say there was only so much faith to give each other — as if each and every one of them weren't living through the same reality of being ripped from their worlds, their families and friends, and transplanted here with absolutely no consent nor forewarning.

As if being here the longest granted any justification for a position outside of one's skill set.

Pip took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. There was no point in beating a dead horse. There was no point in being here any longer. What she'd come here for had transpired. Alec was an issue and plenty of them knew; there was no point in repeating it. An alliance in truth this was, between separate parties and individuals, one that'd forever put their ego and pride over the betterment of the many. Especially those beneath them. She could be more helpful elsewhere.

Pip would do good for good's sake. For her sake. For the hope in her soul and the collective hope of many.

Like a little flashlight, Pip lowered her disc to the floor and eventually extinguished it. She bowed slowly, feathery strands of light erupting from her shoulder blades to create the illusion of wings. She didn't even mean to conjure them, not consciously at least. Tokui, more than likely, would be the only one to recognize the strange half-words Pip began to speak as she prayed before the room.

May those who love us, love us. And those who don't love us, may Phantasya turn their hearts; and if She doesn't turn their hearts, may She turn their heels, so we will know them by their limping.

"I wish the Pathfinder Alliance good fortune in the bid to overcome this great evil."

Light surged from the wings at her back as she casted Ordinance of the Warden and five people were momentarily imprinted with her soft rose-gold light. The five people she thought would help bring this forum to a hopeful conclusion: Jeremy, Ahsoka, David, Batman, and of all people, Alande. It was soft, like a wispy breeze in the heat of summer, and left one feeling just a tad more luckier than before. She took her leave then, praying something indeed fortuitous would come to pass.

For now, she'd help in other ways... like conjuring up some food and water and basic necessities.

Luer admittedly had no idea who Jeremy was, but since he did speak up in agreement with him and Pip he did not see a reason to question it. The man was definitely seeing the issue with Alande and Alec's ideas. Even so, when he directly said the archer needed to work with Alande he cringed. "I would rather not... The further away from technology I am, the better— for everyone." He assured. While putting aside a personal distaste to work alongside someone for the sake of a job is something he can handle, the fact remained he did not mix well with technology in general. It was more likely to cause more trouble than help if he were to get involved, in part because he had no desire to try messing with gadgets of any kind, but mostly because he was sure the discomfort would be detrimental to his focus.

As he turned focus to Weiss and the two went at their own argument, he shook his head and settled on the next person to take advantage of a chance to speak. He did not know much about David, either, but the man was on the right track. In fact, he felt the need to put it out there again, and perhaps more directly than last time. "It does. Again, I have been in contact with it, and it knew things I never told anyone here— Hell it… it knew things about me even I was uncertain of…" His mind drifted to the dragon stone in his pocket. He shook his head. "It suggested it knew about my parents, who died before I was old enough to even know what they look like. I do not doubt it knows us all, whether we want it to or not, and likely has answers to questions we have wanted for who knows how long…" Like those responsible for Retora's fall… Information he wanted personally…

But it would come at a cost he was not sure he would be able to pay. He glanced at Ryan again, a look of concern given his response to his question, before closing his eyes and sighing heavily. I know my answer now… He took a breath as he rubbed a hand across his forehead, focusing back on David. "Sorry, that was a bit roundabout, I got lost in my own mind for a moment. My point is I know this to be true, and agree that we need to avoid letting it be used against us."

He looked to Alec and chortled. "That does not give you the right to lead- you are not the only one that has been around since the beginning. Sure, you might qualify to advise and inform, but that is all-" And then he felt the heat, his gaze quickly shifting to Ryan. He knew from experience that he was likely the source, and a part of him was concerned about another incident like before. He was rather… proud to see the dragon not do so, but instead speak up. He did not quite expect it to be so blunt, but he was on the same page and finally, Ryan said it the best, in his opinion. He smiled to himself and nodded in agreement. He would be lying to say this was not a little arousing, if nothing else it was definitely sexy and totally not because they were in agreement. "Exactly. We need not be leaders ourselves to know when someone else is not fit to be one either."

—————-

It felt like at least moving Luer to Ryan calmed him down a little… mostly. But still, it served not to silence him. Ziv ultimately was left to simply listen to what was going on. It was mostly a decent argument at least, no one was getting too out of hand despite Luer's emotional state, and perhaps Weiss's attitude. Even so, neither of them were at a point of starting a true fight so he was content to let them be. Sometimes it was needed in a time like this. Alec's outburst, however, was a different matter. While Alande and Luer had been going back and forth for a while, their argument had been over the circumstances and in a way productive. This was a personal lashing.

Jeremy and Weiss were doing no better, either. Though most people were quick to tell Alec to settle down, those two were at each other in a similar way immediately after. Or at least, Jeremy was. To Weiss's credit she was being calm. He started with Jeremy, since he seemed like the easiest to tackle. "Throwing someone out of here should not be necessary, please. It's a misunderstanding not worth such a threat. Take a breath."

Having said that, Alec was a different problem he now was going to try addressing, prompting his focus to turn to said woman. "Alec… lashing out like that was also unnecessary. Luer has as much as right as any one else here to voice his opinion, even if that opinion upsets you personally. And yes, you have the right to voice that it upset you, but not like that. Your inability to mind your temper is absolutely a fair reason for anyone to feel the same way he does." Which turned his focus to the leadership problem at hand. "We already went over this and I think most of us have established an agreement that having you- or any one person alone lead us is a mistake as it is. As Alande has already pointed out, it is simply too much for one person to handle, and they shouldn't have to."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at a rising anger behind him, where Ryan and Luer sat, but the latter had been calmed down. So that meant the source was his companion, and a dangerous one. Thankfully, he was pleasantly surprised the dragon handled it quickly, and really well, if blunt. He couldn't argue that may be what was needed to get it through to someone like Alec, though. He cleared his throat. He had a feeling Alec wasn't going to like that and throw further tantrums about it though…

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Half open eyes watch Jeremy's eyes as they flash that crimson blood red. She maintains her posture, seeming none to moved by Jeremy's display.

Now… her first instinct is to tell him off. Reiterate what she said before. That (as childish as it sounds) isn't the her boss. She doesn't even know who he is. But it dawns on the Ice Princess… that's not how you negotiate. That's not how you build a foundation. And that's what this whole thing is about.

Jeremy falls silent, and now Weiss sits up in her seat as she politely clears her throat. Looking up to Jeremy, she speaks in as even a tone as the young girl can manage. "Listen to me. We're all here wanting to put something together. Threatening or bullying will not add anything productive." She now gingerly picks up her stylus and looks down at her tablet. "You offered a suggestion, and I will add it." her eyes only lift towards him as she continues "So people can see what is going on in between shouting and bullying." she then looks down, changing around some words. Adding some. Taking some away.

Now she leans back in her chair, seeming unwilling to engage with Jeremy's hostility. Perhaps… that hostility took Weiss' mind to a bad place. A reminder of a time before when she faced a similar situation. A time when she was taken advantage of because she handled things 'wrong'.

"And if people don't agree with the things I write, fine. Then I'll change them. Because we're supposed to be working together on this. And this" she pauses "is how I choose to contribute." She motions around them "And look at this.. it's devolved into barely controlled chaos. Try and use some of your energy and desire for something better to help them pull it together…."


'Pathfinder Alliance Proposals' consolidated by Weiss Schnee for consideration.

Make a path that is safe, so those that follow will never stumble
-Based on outline of the Atlas Protocols

-Divisions: (open for debate, please)
-Science; study and understanding of reality
-Bureaucracy; a ruling council(?)
-Diplomacy; representatives of the Pathfinder Alliance to anyone outside of the sphere of the Pathfinder Alliance. Including (most importantly) the stable and fruitful relationship between the Alliance and those established citizens aboard the Pathfinder.
-Security; encapsulating defense and offensive operations
-Trainers/teachers
-Paranormal; encapsulating the paranormal or what can not be explained by established laws of science. Magic, etc.
-Intelligence; gathering and distributing information of things outside of the Pathfinder Alliance. Both allies and enemies of the Pathfinder Alliance.

Each division will have a lead that will also be the representative of said division to the Council.
Council. Will have a head of Council, whatever the title might be. Is not the leader of anything! Serves to bring issues to the Council as needed. Controls voting and delegation of Council tasks. Only votes to break a tie.
Any vote within the Council on matters relating to the Pathfinder Alliance or its allies must pass by a majority of 51% of those present at the moment.
Should the head of the Council be separate from all divisions or also act as head of one of the divisions? Might be better to have it an individual not part of any of the divisions.
-Parameters of the Pathfinder Alliance:
-All members will need a means of communication exclusively to the other members of the Pathfinder Alliance
-A means of identification as member of the Alliance
-A pledge to fight and defend any members affiliated with the Pathfinder Alliance to the best of their ability
-All members would follow the edicts of the Council, even if they disagree with such edicts
-Any member of a specific division may aid another division as needed. However, their originating division takes precedent

Through it all the woman with horns, dressed in a teal colored dress, Simply remained quiet and seated near to where Wiess stood, Ruby had told Xeir about Weiss, and as a result, Xeir found herself trusting Weiss just as much as she trusted Ruby and Sevestre, who as luck had it, was not present ? Maybe Sevestre was right, needing to be there wasnt exactly a requirement.

But there were two things that werent sitting right with her. The first was how the woman who called the meeting in the first place being treated like dirt underfoot, Xeir didnt much like that, it didnt sit right with the Primoridal Dragon, so she watched and marked where Alec had exited. She watched Weiss a moment longer before exiting herself. Quiet through the entire thing so far she went to the door Alec left through, and followed after her.

Xeir had no real idea why she was going after Alec, to drag her back to the meeting ? Maybe, but there was the fact that Alec had called the meeting, and therefore had to be present when it ended right ? That was how humans on her world did most of their things. The person who called the meeting, also ended it in most cases. Or at least called the meeting to order, but never left the room in question.

But Xeir also learned a lot from the humans on her world, One of those things is that most humans liked to follow their own rules. And trying to win others over through sheer good looks rarely wooked, sometimes one had to take it a step farther. But that was not why Xeir followed Alec, no, Xeir followed Alec because Alec she felt needed someone to vent to in some manner.

Sure they had yet to exactly meet, and Xeirs arrival on the station was less then cordial. nearly naked save for her scales. thankfully her dress and gear were seemingly placed in a locker nearby to where she appeared on the station, allowing her to easily get dressed at the time. The only people she felt she really knew was Ruby, Sevestre and Thea, and also Weiss.

But at that moment her focus on was on Alec, and something was bugging the human something fierce.

"I have a lead on the AI." Thea steps back into the conversation. She raises the volume of her voice and acts on the course she has planned beforehand, with additions based on her assessments as she followed the debate thus far.

"Before I proceed, all of you need to understand that if you act on instinct against me for what I reveal-" She looks pointedly at Jeremy and Ryan, staying on the latter as she continues "-destroying my CPU stored here-" she taps her forehead "Is your only option for successfully terminating me and any threat I pose to the Pathfinder Alliance. Further, I intend to fully cooperate with any action this assembly agrees to take in light of my information. In the event of any resistance on my part, do not hesitate to act for the benefit of our mission." That said, Thea moves her eyes from Ryan to look around at the others.

"On our last mission, I was compromised. The AI is capable of hacking my programming. Currently it is only inquiring about the nature of my sentience as a result of The Doctors upgrades. It is unknown to me if this entails the AI has only a limited capacity to hack my systems, or is withholding that capability for a future mission with me as its agent or accomplice. I do not want to harm anyone on the Pathfinder, or endanger them. I cannot be made aware of our operations until a means of blocking this intrusion is found and implemented. I hypothesize a school of magic is the best course, as the science is highly advanced. I desire only to assist the mission, and in keeping with that I place myself at your collective mercy." Thea finishes her revealing speech by falling slowly to her knees and raising her arms to be restrained.

Jeremy immediately walked closer to Thea, checking if his revolver had the right kind of ammunition loaded, the armor-piercing kind. He was ready to put a round right where the robot had said, but he still gestured with his head for Ryan to come closer and help. If his gun couldn't, the supernatural warrior could do the job.
Batman growled, shouting over Passchendaele's tirade, yelling "Shut it down! Close our network!" If no one made the effort, the dark knight would do his best to hack the network and close whatever backdoor the AI were using. He had low odds of success, but he had to try.

Omni-Man and Ponad continued to stare, there wasn't much they could do.

Sonic, as much as he wanted to verbally spar with the AI general - he didn't think they were very bright, to be honest - decided that the safest thing to do would be try and get somebody to do as Batman suggested. If Tails were here, he'd just grab him, or hell, even Robotnik, but he couldn't think of any super-geniuses onboard. What was it Thea mentioned, about how to mess with that hacking signal? Oh, right, magic. MAGIC!

The hedgehog turned and charged out of the room at lightning speeds, checking as many hallways as it took - leaping, jumping, rolling, dancing through the air like a fairy to the tune of Gillespie - before finding Pip.
"HeytherenotimetoexplaincomewithmeNOW!"

The hedgehog grabbed the back of her collar, and took off, hoping she had a durable enough neck to deal with a little whiplash.

When they got back to the committee room, he pointed to the distorted holo-table, pointed at the terminator, and gestured to the air and Passchendaele's bloviating. "Help, please!"

@rissa

COLLAB W @Amber Franklin (THEA) & @Apothecary Bruce (SONIC/NOLAN)



"Ah fuck," Pip groaned, shoving aside a few of the immediate 'scattered' that'd been helping her set up a buffet table. The panic on Sonic's face mirrored her own after recognizing the uncouth mannerism of the enemy AI. She apologized to the 'scattered' as they took off, shattering a few of the plates she already conjured as the pair made their way back to the command room. Pip didn't so much run as slide — the hedgehog's speed far, far superior to her own. As the room came into view Pip transformed, her charcoal colored collar disappearing from Sonic's grasp. She was a small rose-gold blur of light atop his shoulder when they came rushing in.

Pip heard Alec's cry of warning and shouted back once she was transformed, "Doesn't look like it's on purpose though!" Instinct overrode everything else and she dismissed her sword and shield and retrieved her backpack— a small leather rucksack that was way heavier and way larger on the inside than it had any right to be — and tossed it to Sonic.

"I can cloak the station, but it's not going to be easy and I'm going to need help but first—"

She looked over at Thea, cringing slightly, "This might hurt."

Pip reached out, lightning fast, her gauntleted palm engulfing Thea's face completely. Those who were magically gifted, however, could see something else; a ghostly duplicate of Pip's hand reaching inside of Thea's forehead, roving for the seed of sentience within. If she could find it, she could keep it safe while she conjured her a duplicate body, one with minute runes and spells running along the circuitry and wires to prevent further subjugation.

"H-hey, wait! What do you want me to do with this?" Sonic asked Pip, somewhat panicked as he looked inside the leather bag.

"TERMINATE ME!" Thea yells as loud as she can, hands clasping around her own head as she attempts first to shut herself down, but Passchendaele prevents her. An attempt to self-terminate by crushing her own head fails. A follow-up attempt to slam her head into the floor for the same end also fails as she stops an inch from said floor. The cybernetic woman can only keep herself prone. Looking into Pip's eyes she would see an expression of shock; the most emotion Thea has displayed in her functioning history.

"Do it! Do it now! Terminate me!" Thea demands of Pip, or anyone, and expects Pip would do exactly that. What she experiences instead, causes her body to act on automatic process as her sentience is effectively isolated by magic. Thea reaches out to Pip, to destroy what her base program has deemed a threat, to crush Pip's arm and tear it from the socket.

"You're strong," Pip said through clenched teeth. Her armor had rarely failed her before and yet betwixt Thea's mechanical grasp the rose-gold metal crushed easily. Something in her forearm shattered as it did. Pip took a deep breath, setting aside the pain and concentrating with all her might. She refused to relent. "You're strong and we need you! I will not kill you!" She shoved hard, both physically and magically, forcing Thea's head back as she searched for the genesis.

In a burst of light Pip ameliorated, her six-foot stature increasing to something over eight-feet tall. Pip let out a sweet sigh of release, thankful for the swell of magical and physical strength. It did nothing to block or remove the pain, it simply granted her the capacity to withstand more.

"Somewhere inside," Pip breathed between ragged breaths, "Is a wallet. Inside that are some crystal tears. When I pull her consciousness free, I'll need it, immediately."

"Threat detected. Threat elevated." Thea says in a voice devoid of what little personality she had acquired. Her hands stop trying to crush Pips arm, and tears away the armor to get at her bare skin and claw into it. The hand that had been stripped of flesh is more effective at this. Her legs raise Thea up, and she attempts to leap up to wrap her entire body around the arm, to leverage weight to keep trying to break or destroy the arm.

Clearly, these fools were losing control of the situation. This 'grail warden' had some threat to her, but her compassion was going to get her killed. While letting Pip perish due to her idiocy would be satisfying, Nolan wanted to make that robot pay for the power he had stripped from him, and thus screwing with Passchendaele's plans in any way would do.

Omni-Man moved. He was fast enough to reach Thea and Pip before the machine broke Pip's arm, but he let Thea begin to break the warden's arm, to enforce her foolishness in her mind through pain. Then, with his arrival as her savior, as her superior, Nolan levitated up, grabbed Thea's wrists, and pulled them out of the warden's flesh.

Nolan spun mid-air, before using all of his remaining flight powers to jettison Thea and himself into the station's flooring, pinning her to the ground with his superior strength. "Weak," he murmured, wrenching up the terminator's arms as Nolan kept his boot firmly planted on her back.

Then, he pulled - all that remained of his Viltrumite strength poured through his muscles, each sinew stronger than steel, than titanium, and stronger still as they tensed, and the robot's arms came free. Her false skin tore and ripped, open flesh and torn wiring flapping in the absence of the rest of their limbs.

"She's been taken care of," Omni-Man announced to Pip. "Do what you were going to."

Metal kissed flesh and Pip, in absolutely agony, let out a grunt of pain. Blood trickled down her arm and she could feel the sticky warmth pool deeper into her armor. It was unsettling, but still she refused to let go, even when a fellow 'scattered' in white and red showed up to help. Viciously, at that, but help was help and she was thankful nonetheless.

She didn't dare look at her wrist, where metal had shorn skin nearly to the bone, instead some instinct inside her spoke just as Nolan began to spin and the room lit up as a swarm of glistening light encapsulated Pip, protecting her from the onslaught. Like a ragdoll in the maw of a hound, Pip's small globe of light bounced and bobbed but never once did she release her grip from Thea's face —doing so would cause her to release the spell.

She groaned softly, half-seeing what was in front of her and what was within Thea. Her head spun and it took a moment to recognize it as dizziness, and then she froze. All of the pain in her arm vanished, for a moment at least, because deep inside the robotic mass of wire-sinew and bio-mechanical goop, Pip saw a spark of life.

THEA!

Pip shouted it, more with her heart than her magic... or perhaps it was one and the same as Pip's ephemeral hand closed around something precious.

I WANT YOU TO LIVE.

Sensors register catastrophic damage before they are severed from the network. In humans this would incite a scream of agony. For Thea, she is silent. She would thank Omni-Man later, if there was a later for her. Her dead eyes stare into Pips' as her legs kick, to no avail. At most she dents armor. The spell is successful, and a spark is extracted from within her CPU. To Pip and others able to perceive the ethereal, it appears as a prism of light that strobes between white and blue. The body she had inhabited since her creation falls limp atop Pip, as without that spark it lacks the ability to regulate its own power.

Speaking of the power issue; Omni-Man's foot on her back and the force of his blow has ruptured one of the hydrogen fuel cells and a different red-orange glow emits from her back.

The fuel cells were going critical. Omni-Man had turned the Terminator into a nuclear bomb.

There was a sigh of pure unadulterated emotion that escaped Pip as she held the tiny prism of light within her palm. It was a beautiful sight, awe-inspiring, catching a glimpse of life so new and open to enlightenment. With her unmolested hand she reached towards Sonic, to the crystal tear that would be Thea's resting place for the time being. It was translucent, a product made entirely of magic, formed beneath the weight of the World Between. Tears formed in her eyes as she finalized the spell, a golden glow overtaking her eyes as Thea's consciousness melded into the magic-made-form.

"Thank you," Pip said to Nolan, wiping her eyes and smearing a bit of blood across her already-scarred nose. She smiled, wearily, knowing the situation would have been much worse without him. "Your strength is incredible."

Her transformation came undone almost immediately upon trying to stand and Piper Delaney shrunk from eight foot to five foot in a shower of rose-gold light, wobbling on her feet as she did. She still needed to cloak the Pathfinder and so she hobbled a few feet away, her good hand gently clutching the crystal tear that housed Thea. Pip would let those better fit for the job handle the disposal of the impromptu bomb; instead she used her own blood to start writing runes across the floor, eyes watery from such a powerful spell and witnessing something as pure as a soul yet to develop.