Logs

Logs Home

2001 August 02

2001 August 08

2001 August 09

2001 August 14

2001 August 16

2001 August 22

2001 August 28

2001 September 01

2001 September 04

2001 September 16

2001 September 18

2001 September 25

2001 October 02

2001 October 10

2001 October 16

2001 October 23

2001 October 28

2001 November 07

2001 November 10

2001 November 14

2001 December 12

2001 December 17

2001 December 18

2002 January 01

2002 January 07

2002 January 23

2002 February 12

NachtMusik

NachtMusik Home

Maps

Dramatis Personae

Game Logs

Realms

Realms Home

Dishonored

Goblin Town

Neverneverwhere

The Whole of the Law

Waking Dreams

When The Bough Breaks


One-Shot

Retired

Birthright

Burning Man

Cosmic Guardians

DNAnimals/Tamashii

Fukusei Crystals

Heartwood

Hunter

Idlewild

Indigo

Inizii

Morning Rain

NachtMusik

Oloth

Paradon

Scarred Lands

Shattered Stars

Starfall

Weston


Style Test

Reality Fault

Home

Player

Character

Referee

Programmer

Administrator

Operations


Search RealityFault:

General Info

Glossary

Realms

Events

Credits

Help Files

Help Files (old)


Reality Fault

Realms: NachtMusik Logs

Schmoozing

    As it turns out, Rosenstern wants to talk to Zara a bit more, while Nick needs to find a hotel and get a change of clothes... which leaves Slate and Aric at loose ends, at "Natural Beauty."

Shateishael looks around, sorting out his current plan of action in his head, then looks back at the helpful Novalite, "Ms. Zara, may I ask you a few questions before we go? Could you tell me where I might find... uh, let's see. A decent set of wheels -- I'm thinking some kinda bike would be cheapest -- and a good city map?"

    Slate: male, looks about 20 to 25 years old. Bright blonde hair sometimes worn back in a ponytail, sometimes rather impatiently hacked off in front as bangs. Usually narrowed blue eyes and tanned skin. Broad shouldered, with a muscular torso, like a blacksmith. Slightly sardonic grin most of the time. Usually moves deliberately, tends to wear pragmatic, sturdy clothing: heavy leather boots, jeans, flannel shirts, stuff like that.

Zara thinks about it a moment. "You can get a map anywhere. There's a gas station down the block... but you could go down to the Capitol if you're looking for tourist maps or something."

Shateishael nods , "Down the block'll do fine. I'm sure they sell appropriate maps there." He looks hopefully at Zara, in regards to his other request.

Zara says, "As for a bike... well... you might find a place in your price range over on the Drag."

Shateishael nods again, looking faintly relieved, "Directions?"

Zara says, "Go on outside and head east; it's a few blocks over."

Shateishael smiles, "Thanks, ma'am." He thinks a moment, then adds quietly, "I guess you get this sort of thing all the time, Ms. Zara, but if there's anything we can do to help you here, what with keeping the peace and all, you know you can call on us, right?"

Taygeta nods. "Any of us."

    Taygeta: Currently a tall, sunburned, blond fellow, wiry rather than bulkily muscled. He's dressed in a stereotypical southwestern cowboy shirt, jeans and boots.

Zara smiles, "I'll let you know. Stay out of trouble, child."

Shateishael bares his teeth in a rueful grin that doesn't reach his eyes, "Uh... I'll try to, ma'am..." He doesn't bother adding that trouble seems to find him, however.

Taygeta finishes checking Aric's pockets as he leaves Zara's shop with Slate. "Okay... a cell phone, a note about three speed dial settings, a watch... and he's packing heat. Let's see if his wallet has a license for concealed carry." He scatters a few last bits of donut for the sparrow he'd Borrowed before releasing the bird from control. Shateishael nods, listening to Aric as they head first for the gas station, where he'll review the maps with a critical eye, then finally select and purchase one that includes the city and the two local tethers he's interested in.

Taygeta checks the wallet. "Let's see... 200 dollars, a picture of a female human, driver's license ID, video store membership, library card, and yes, a license to carry the pistol. Fair enough." He walks along with Slate for a minute or two. "Speaking of maps... how bulky do you want? A good book store will carry the De Lorme books -- the entire state at a quarter mile to the inch."

Shateishael grins at Aric, holding one up that he's just bought, "Funny you should mention that."

Taygeta grins. "Okay, for Texas it's only half the state per book. Knew a fellow at my last post who was SCA, and swore by them for finding his way to places."

Shateishael looks at the photo of the girl, then glances sideways at the human form he's walking with... then just shakes his head once. "You be careful, Taygeta... I'll bet that human's special to her."

Taygeta nods at that. "I'm sure he is. I'm not planning to hurt him."

Shateishael nods, heading out the door and off towards the Drag, "Me too. Calling the local branch is on my to-do list, in fact." He pauses, then adds curiously, "How do you do the SCA, when you have to keep shifting shapes?"

Taygeta chuckles. "I don't. I said a human at my last assignment was a member. He talked about it all the time."

Shateishael says, "Oh, gotcha."

The Drag is crowded with every manner of vendor, from video arcades to head shops to the occasional adult bookstore. Shateishael paces along determinedly, weaving easily through the crowd until he finds what he's looking for. After a little searching the angels locate a small used car nestled behind a used bookstore. Once he spots the used car lot, Slate scans carefully, assessing the people he can see as well as looking for what sorts of motorcycles are for sale there.

Slate has little problem locating a slightly used motorcycle that more or less meets his specifications, and making a purchase. He goes over the bike carefully, trying to remember all the things Thessaloniki's warned him about, and finally selects one that seems both powerful and sturdy. Anything else wrong with it, he hopes, Nick can fix. He makes sure to also purchase two good helmets and some sizeable, lockable saddlebags. Then he's ready to go. He tucks his backpack into the saddlebags, hands a helmet to Taygeta, and hops on the bike. "Okay... let's go someplace we can sit down and do some thinking, yeah?"

Taygeta says, "Works for me. Any idea where?"

Shateishael grins and shrugs, "Sing out if you see something that you like!" as he adjusts his helmet and starts up the bike.

Taygeta watches the scenery flash past, then taps Slate on the shoulder as a park appears ahead. He shouts, "HOW ABOUT THERE?" over the roar of the engine. Pease Park, as it turns out, is a slightly-spooky looking tangle of overgrown grass and short trees nestled into the eastern side of the Drag. This hour of the morning there are very few people around, except perhaps the occasional morning jogger.

Shateishael glances sideways at the tap, then nods and flashes a grin as he notices the park. A moment later he's whirled the bike around into the park, and shortly after that they're seated comfortably with the bike parked nearby, ticking faintly and shedding heat as they pore over the map. "Okay... I want to mark all the stone churches on here. Tay, you got anything in particular you want to mark?"

Taygeta says, "Not at this point. Well, the University, but that's already marked."

Shateishael grins amusedly, sideways, at Taygeta, "C'mon, man... you're a Jeanite. What's good for you for re-energizing? Power stations or something, isn't it?"

Taygeta says, "Power stations or major transformer substations. They're not usually marked on maps like this, though. I'll have to pencil them in as we come to them."

Shateishael looks curiously at Taygeta, "Why not just use a phone book, like I do with the churches, and then check 'em later? We're going to be driving around for a while, so might as well check yours too. I want to call the local SCA folks too... and you want to visit UTA, right?"

Taygeta chuckles. "People go to churches, and need to call them. Transformers are usually unmanned, and power stations are rarely in cities. The phone book will have the numbers for the electrical company sales offices, and that's about it."

Shateishael shrugs, "Whatever. You wanna call your numbers then, while I mark churches?"

Taygeta nods. "I think so." He checks the list again and hits the speed-dial for Marius. Shateishael calmly starts what is almost a rather peaceful routine for him -- getting to know the area little by little as he marks on his map the places where he can perform basic Davidian rites. He half-listens to Taygeta as he does so.

The other line rings several times before someone picks up. The voice on the other end is nearly without inflection. "Marius."

Taygeta answers. "Morning. This is Aric's... friend. He said I should call you when I got in."

There's a long pause. "I don't know anyone named Aric. I think you have the wrong number."

Taygeta says, "No, it's not the wrong number. Aric works for Mike. I'm in Jean's division. They told me to get in touch when I got into town."

Marius says, "You're wasting my time right now. Do you require something?"

Taygeta says, "Information. The boss sent me to check out a fusion project at the University."

Marius mms. "The Tokamak. Yes. Well, that's complicated." He gives Taygeta an address. "Darius is better equipped to explain that to you."

Taygeta says, "Okay, thanks. If you hear anything about it, though, contact me." He gives the cellphone number he's using. "Later." The phone clicks without another word. Taygeta sighs as Marius hangs up on him. "Well, either I interrupted him at something important, or he's just naturally cranky. Let's try Darius." He dials the second number.

The phone picks up immediately this time. "Hello?"

Shateishael looks up for a moment and grins, saying only, "He's a geek," as if that explains everything... then goes back to map marking.

The voice asks, with unusual vocal speed, "Who's a geek? Hello? Who is this?"

Taygeta looks at Slate, then grins and shushes him as the other party picks up. "Darius? I'm from the Home Office."

Darius asks, "Oh, yeah? Cool. Who's speaking?"

Taygeta says, "Taygeta. Jean sent me to check out the Tokamak."

You can almost hear him nodding. "Yeah? He's had us doing that for months now, what can I do for you?"

Taygeta says, "Fill me in. I got sent down with a rather brief synopsis. The Boss has decided that it looks like something being pushed by the Other Side, and if it is I'm supposed to shut it down."

The background noise varies, as well as being punctuated with various noises under Darius' near-constant patter. Either he's a nervous talker, or he's really busy. "Well, maybe you better come down here then, not safe to talk on a cell phone, know what I mean?"

Taygeta says, "Understood. Where do you want to meet?"

Darius says, "Marius has my address, I'll be here all day."

Taygeta says, "All right. I'll be there soon." He hangs up and turns to Slate. "Up for another ride?"

Shateishael says, "Sure, why not. Can I borrow the cell while you're getting the grand tour? Need to make some calls."

Taygeta says, "Don't see why not. Let's see what they've got for me."

Shateishael nods, and a moment later they're roaring down the roads, headed for the University based on the address and the map's instructions. It's a few blocks east of where they are, on the west campus. Taygeta Borrows a pigeon before he enters the building, acting pigeony while keeping an eye on the bike and the passersby. Aric hands Slate the cell phone as he walks into the building. "Not bad. Now let's find the room."

Shateishael nods, tucking it into an inner pocket of his leather jacket, "Thanks." He has the backpack with him, since it has his notes and the map stuffed into it.

Darius's room is on the seventh floor of the building, a relatively cramped apartment that's filled almost entirely with CDs, books, DVDs, and what appears to be no fewer than seven computers and associated periphery. Towering over the clutter in a T-shirt that reads, inexplicably, "GOT WANG?" is an exceptionally tall and wild-eyed man that reminds you of no one more than Bill Nye.

Shateishael gives the guy a raised eyebrow and a quirked grin. This should be entertaining... Taygeta introduces himself and Shateishael. "So. What can you tell me about the Tokamak?" Shateishael looks around for a clear surface he can work on while Taygeta and Darius are talking. Or even... just a chair...

Darius meets each greeting with an enormous grin and a, "Hey! How y'all doin'?" before plunking his overlong Vessel into a chair near the computers. "Well," he says, eyes on the ceiling, "-that's complicated. See, we know that Vapula snuck a big old Tokamak reactor outta the former Soviet Union when it went to shit, and that he'd been using it there to answer some questions for him about the nature of physical reality, which of course meant a lot of radiation burns before he was done, know what I mean?"

Shateishael grins in spite of himself at Darius' enthusiasm, then finds a chair off to the side, out of the way. Taygeta hisses. "That sounds about right. He's brought one of those things here?"

Darius tilts his head, "Dude, how do you make that noise?" He blinks, "Oh, well, forget it. Yeah, he got it here but no one knows exactly where he put it, except that we know it's under the University somewhere and he's got someone babysitting it for him. We can't find him, by we I mean me and Marius, so we're leaning on the guy we can find. His name's Vilson. He's all over the local boards and IRC. He's a leet haxor." He makes the last two words three distinct syllables. You can almost hear the zero in haxor.

Shateishael waits a bit until the two geeks are assiduously geek-squealing at each other, half-listening and flipping through his notes a bit. Once he's sure they're deep in it, he starts making quiet phone calls, idly gazing out the window as he double-checks to be sure his map of stone churches is correct, and also chatting quietly with the local SCA contingent in regards to where is good to rent a place.

Taygeta says, "This Vilson is one of Vapula's? Or just someone involved, d'you think. If it's under, but you haven't found it yet... are there caves in this area?"

Darius says, "Only caves around are way outside of town. Wanna know what I think, they put it under the football field, like they did with Fermi, I think they'd think it was ironic. Vilson's one of Vapula's, all right, he's got a whole clique of script kiddies and less-leet haxors that cling to him online, we know he lives in town somewhere, and he works somewhere at the University, probably in the physics lab."

Taygeta nods, and remarks, "The first nuclear pile was in a squash court, not a football field, but I take the point. Interesting... have to look, then. Why can't you check it out if you think you know where it is? Guards of some sort?"

Darius says, "Nothing we can do about it if that's where it is, probably got all kinds of bad gadgets inside and me and Marius aren't fighters and we can't get Malakites in here to do the job for us 'cause no one wants to clean up after them. Besides, if he thought it was threatened maybe the big V would just vent it into the campus! Call it a study in long-term radiation! Can't have that, nope, definitely can't do that. So no frontal assaults, not from me or Marius. 'Sides, we don't have proof of anything just yet; Vilson's hard to corner."

Taygeta chuckles. "I don't think you have to worry about radiation, Darius. Fusion reactors produce helium. Unless it's running there's no problem at all, and that only nearby. We'll have to see what we can find out ourselves."

Darius blinks. "It is running, dude. Vapula doesn't play with broke toys."

Taygeta says, "So you might get gamma radiation in the immediate vicinity, but that's it. I'm talking about right in the room with it. Don't know why everyone panics over fusion... nonetheless, Vapula doesn't need to get the thing running efficiently this soon." He shifts. "I'm just saying, venting is not a threat, no matter what Vilson has led you to believe."

Darius frowns, "Hey man, are you listening to me? It's on, man, it's running efficiently, and nobody knows exactly where it is; now if you're gonna make stupid-ass assertions about broad topics I gotta go run some laps." He stands up. "Look, man, I'm busy, so if you wanna chat go talk to Marius or the Professor."

Shateishael looks up at the change in Darius' voice... then says calmly, "Taygeta... we can't assume Vapula's not played with it somehow, so it is dangerous." He grins ruefully and shrugs slightly, if Darius happens to glance at him.

Taygeta says, "True, true. C'mon, if it's Vapula's, of course it's going to be dangerous. Just not that way. Let's see... which way is the football field? Professor Foreman, I assume? He's next on my list to see."

The tall Ofanite folds his arms. "Do I look like a campus directory?"

Shateishael covers a grin by studiously looking out the window. Taygeta just blinks, slowly. "You look like a student. Most students would know the answer to that one."

Darius actually growls. "You can't find a football field? Jesus Christ. It's on the sport complex."

Shateishael murmurs quietly, "We're new in town, Darius. Last time I was here, there was no UTA. C'mon, man... cut him a little slack, huh?"

Taygeta stands, then. "Never mind. Go run, we'll find it ourselves." He nods to Slate. "Let's be on our way."

Shateishael nods to Taygeta and rises, tucking his notes away and shouldering the bulky backpack, then heading for the door. He pauses long enough to nod once, politely, at the door... then follows the Kyriotate out. Darius shrugs at the big guy. "Whatever, man. Later."

Shateishael adds quietly to Taygeta as they head downstairs, "We can try directions from someone else outside." He thinks a moment, then adds curiously, "What d'you think you'll find at the football field?"

Taygeta chuckles as they leave. "Ofanites. Make them sit still for an hour and they go nuts." Outside, the pigeon takes off and flies upward, circling the building, looking for the football field from the air.

Shateishael crouches, tucking the backpack neatly away into a saddlebag, and says pragmatically, "Depends on the Ofanite. You sure it's not Jeanites?" He gives a sideways grin at Aric, then mounts up on the bike.

Taygeta says, "At the field? No idea, yet. These folks are computer experts, and I think Vapula's people have them buffaloed about how dangerous the thing really is. If he's trying to mess with the humans he'll be trying to make it efficient so he can mess with their economies. If he's playing with it for his own ends... who knows? A Tokamak generates horrendous magnetic fields, though. Unless he's got the whole place shielded in a pretty thick soft-iron sheathe, it'll be obvious to anyone with a compass... or anything." His human eyes track the pigeon for a moment. "And there it is. Shall we wander over that way? Or would you prefer to wait? Might be fun to bring Wrench along..."

Shateishael follows the Kyriotate's directions, the bike rumbling slowly along through campus until they get to the sports complex. Once there, Slate looks around... then warily decides carrying weaponry around a potential diabolical lair is a wise idea. He shoulders the backpack, then smiles ruefully, "No teasing poor Wrench with more than he should have to handle, Tay. So... what're you looking for, exactly?"

Taygeta says, "I'm not sure, aside from the magnetics. We can wander around here while I check things out overhead."

Shateishael nods, unzipping his pack a bit, "You lead, then."

Taygeta leads Slate on a walk around the outside of the stadium, looking for anything out of true, especially the sort of power lines needed to feed a Tokamak. At the same time, his pigeon self flies over the field, the bird's magnetic sense reaching out for any odd fluctuations in the normal weak field of the Earth. Taygeta's bird-self doesn't notice anything odd and flies back toward the center of campus to hunt for crumbs while Slate and Aric complete their circumnavigation of the sports complex. "It's well hidden and shielded, if it's there."

Shateishael nods silently, looking around one last time as he leans against the bike, arms folded and the backpack resting against his legs. Finally he looks at Aric, glancing sideways at him as he asks, "Gotta question for you, Taygeta."

Taygeta nods. "Go ahead."

Shateishael thinks for a moment, then says slowly, "Why'd you, the newcomer, tell Darius basically that he didn't know squat about something he's been watching for months?"

Taygeta shrugs. "Why? Because of two things -- two reasons, really. One, the Tokamak is an inherently stable design. Even Vapula would have trouble turning it into something dangerous. Not that I'd deny the possibility, but it's not like it's a fission pile or a bomb design. Two -- second reason, from what he said he's been doing his searching through the computers. He can find out some things that way, but not unless it's actually in there to find."

Shateishael studies Taygeta for a long, slow moment... then just shrugs, "It's your Task. Handle it however you think best, man." He mounts up on the bike, silently handing a helmet to Aric.

Taygeta dons the helmet and mounts up. "It is. Maybe the professor will know something more about it."

Once back at Zara's place, with Taygeta dropped safely off, Shateishael reviews his progress so far... he's tidied up his map-list of stone churches, connected with the local SCA contact, and found out when their meetings are. Now he should probably go visit his Superior's Tether's Seneschal.

Shateishael ponders how to properly and politely approach Mitrah... then decides the best way is to simply hum to her in Celestial. She's large enough, as the Rock itself, that any rippling he may do to the Symphony won't be noticed. He consults the map, then rides out of town on the bike, heading for Enchanted Rock. It's an interesting pilgrimage, in a way... last time he did this he was on horseback, and there was a lot less human habitation scattered everywhere! He hums contentedly to himself, enjoying the wind's pressure against him, the sun warming his jacket, and the steady rumble of the bike he's riding.

As he nears the edges of the park, the Stone Angel notices a sharp disturbance in the Symphony, a discordant shriek. Only one thing, the Stone Angel knows, makes that kind of noise. The death of a mortal. Shateishael's head jerks around sharply, searching for the source of that ghastly noise -- and the bike follows suit a moment later as he heads that way. He swears under his breath... it's a good bet he's going to be too late -- but he has to try.

The noise is coming from the direction of the park. As he enters the access road, another bike comes roaring out of the exit way. Shateishael swerves sharply, trying to see the rider without getting hit -- or at least the license plate. He changes his mind at the last moment -- a bike racing out of the park, right after someone was murdered? He should stop this person, at the very least. He swerves a bit more, letting his back tire just be brushed by the escaping bike -- that'll be enough to put both of them down.

Shateishael manages to lay the bike down in a relatively controlled fashion, to his pleased surprise. He scrambles to his feet, reaching for the saddlebag as he looks for the other bike and rider. The other rider swerves wildly as his bike is clipped, but he manages to stay up. He skids to a rapid halt several yards down the path, and the Stone angel hears his footsteps coming back up the path as he's getting himself together.

"What the fuck are you doing, man, are you trying to get someone killed?!" The voice belongs to a skinny young man in his mid to late teens, wearing black jeans and boots and a Crow T-shirt, underneath a heavy leather jacket that looks a couple sizes too big for him, decorated with a lot of silver tape and studs. His dark hair is held back by a pair of heavy goggles on his forehead.

Shateishael is sliding his fingers under the saddle bag's latch -- and then it hits him. He straightens slowly, unbuckling the helmet and slipping it off. His demeanor is very still, "Druiel."

The kid frowns a little. "Who's asking?"

Shateishael's face shows, just for a second, horrified disgust... then he manages to wipe it off, although with difficulty. He takes a slow breath, "No one. Sorry. Heard the scream and assumed you were the mur..." He takes another long breath, trying to calm himself down. It's probably not the kid's fault he's Teenage Death... I am NOT looking forward to finding the latest victim though...

Druiel turns away and starts moving back toward his bike. "I have a Word to protect." Shateishael notices the crude cross made of silver tape across the back of the kid's leather jacket.

Shateishael wonders, At what cost? but doesn't say it. Instead he simply says softly, "Zara's worried about you."

Drew doesn't bother to turn around. "She'll live."

Shateishael studies the kid for a moment, then remembers he's a seraph also... without any particular emotional tone, he asks straightforwardly, "Why'd you take the job with the Old Guy too? You trying to wear yourself out, or what?"

That stops Drew in his tracks for a moment. "They decided I was the best one for the job."

Shateishael says, "Are they right?"

Druiel says, "I don't know. I guess." He stops and turns back, "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

Shateishael shakes his head, "Being a seraph means you don't lie. Doesn't say a thing about saying no." He shakes his head once, again, to clear it, pulling his glove off and offering a hand, "Sorry... was a little shaken up. I'm Shateishael; you can call me Slate. Just came in this morning, and..." his wry grin is very dry, "-it's... still rather strange to me here."

Druiel doesn't shake the hand he's offered. "Just don't get in my way, Slate."

Shateishael gives Drew an amused glance, "This the part where we paw the ground and snort at each other? Let's just take that as read." He leaves his hand out, with all the patience of Stone. Druiel's expression indicates that he doesn't quite understand the reference, but he shrugs. He sighs after awhile and shakes the hand at length. His handshake isn't extremely firm, and his palms are rather sweaty. Shateishael studies the kid again for a bit, careful not to put too much pressure in the handshake... then says calmly, "Guess we better check our bikes, and then check in the park."

Druiel frowns. "My business in the park is done. I'm going back into town."

Shateishael says, "Mmm..." noncommittally, heading quietly towards the other's bike, then adds, "Might want to check the bikes anyway. Stuff like bent forks are easy to miss. Got a repair kit in your bike?"

Druiel starts back down the path, "My bike's fine. Look, what do you want?"

Shateishael tucks his gloves into his belt, loosening his jacket's fastenings, and follows Drew, "Moment of your time, I guess, to make sure our bikes are all right." He grins, "What's the hurry?"

The young man sighs, "I told you, my bike's fine. You're the one that put it down back there. The hurry is I want to get out of here."

Shateishael says, "Why?"

Druiel, at closer inspection, does seem rather nervous and haggard. "Because I don't like it out here. I want to get back to town."

Shateishael says, "Why?"

Drew snarls, "None of your fucking business!"

Shateishael raises an eyebrow, then comments casually, "It's beautiful out here. Too nice a day to rush, man."

The young man turns on his heel and jumps astride the bike. "Whatever." He kicks the starter.

Shateishael folds his arms and comments quietly, "Truthsayer to Truthsayer. You can't outrun your Word... or the Old Guy." His tone is resigned as he adds, "Let me know, if you ever figure that out."

Druiel twists the bike's throttle, gunning the engine. "You don't know anything about my Word."

Shateishael says, "Tell me then."

Druiel pulls the goggles down over his eyes. "It's none of your concern." With that, he releases the brake and starts down the path.

Shateishael grins suddenly, "Unless you're afraid to..." but the kid's already gone, in a roar of exhaust. Slate smiles and shakes his head ruefully... then looks back towards the park, his smile fading, and sighs softly. Someone's got to have a care for the poor mortal. He takes a deep breath, then determinedly heads back towards his bike and the park.

Shateishael crouches next to his bike, checking it over carefully. Cosmetic damage doesn't bother him, but structural damage he'll need to repair... or walk home. Plus there's still the poor mortal to find... he sighs silently in relief that Taygeta's not yet retrieved the cellphone. The bike isn't badly damaged, though the chrome's badly dinged up.

Shateishael shakes his head again, faintly irritated. Laurencians... why's it always Michaelites and Davidians that end up cleaning up their messes? He pats the bike in affectionate relief, pulling it upright and mounting up again, "Promise between us, eh? I'll ask Nick to take good care of you." He rides slowly into the park, looking around quietly for the sour resonance lingering still in the Symphony.

The lingering echoes lead the Stone angel to a lightly wooded area near the base of Enchanted Rock. There in the underbrush he finds the body of a young girl, maybe 16 or 17, lying with her eyes closed. Some kind of pink foam clings to the grass near her lips. Shateishael knows it's doubtless hopeless, but still kneels next to the child, pulling off a glove to gently search for a heartbeat. His voice is a slow, quiet rumble as he simultaneously, with the ease of long practice, prays for the girl.

The girl is quite dead, though still somewhat warm.

Shateishael sighs, settling with his back against a tree, and just rests for a moment... the words of the prayer are, in their own small way, as much to comfort him as to offer release to the lost soul. Finally he takes a few long, slow breaths... then pulls out the cellphone to call 911. If nothing else, there will be still-living family who will want to know.

A second later he pauses, realizing he's not yet got ID for here... and tucks the phone away again. Instead he backs out quietly, and rides his bike to the regular parking lot. He parks there, then walks to the ranger station and taps lightly on the door. Best to leave the more-identifiable bike separate from himself, in the minds of the rangers, he thinks.

A dark-haired woman answers the door, wearing a ranger's dress uniform coat open over an Abercrombie shirt. She yawns a bit, holding a styrofoam cup of coffee in her other hand. "'Scuse me. Can I help you?"

Shateishael nods politely, raising his index fingers to his temple again in his polite salute to a lady, "Ma'am... uh, I think there's a girl down the trail a ways, at the base of the rock, that's in trouble? Thought I heard something?"

She hmms? The tag on her coat reads "Newcastle." "Trouble? What kinda trouble?"

Shateishael says, "Well... thought I heard a scream, and figured if it was a girl, better a ranger help her than some strange guy turn up and scare her worse, y'know?"

She nods, and sets her coffee aside on the windowsill. "Alright, we'll have a look. Lead the way."

Shateishael looks relieved, "Thanks," and heads back towards the girl's body.

The ranger frowns and sighs, once they 'find' the body. "Second in as many months," she murmurs. "I'll take care of it, sir."

Shateishael gives the woman a sympathetic glance, "Sorry to hear it, ma'am. You need me for anything else?"

She straightens up a bit, "You could start by telling me your story. You find her like this?"

Shateishael sighs softly, studying the poor girl, then looks at the ranger, "Ma'am, if someone was in trouble I'd try to help. Not much more to say than that... 'xcept I know I scare some folks so I thought better to help a ranger helping someone else, than to scare the bejeezus out of some poor kid who wasn't expecting me." He adds unhappily, "Not that... there's much I can do here..."

She nods, "And how'd you find her, anyway?" She doesn't mention that the station is within earshot.

Shateishael says gently, "You found her with me, ma'am."

She frowns. "Lookahere. You just led me here. Don't be jerking me around, boy."

Shateishael says politely, "I'm not, ma'am. I heard something out here. I came looking." I did other stuff. "Then I realized it'd be bad to be alone here... so I went looking for a ranger..." His tone is a little dry as he adds, "-so I wouldn't be suspected of foul play."

She shakes her head. "Fine. C'mon back to the station, I'll take care of it." Shateishael nods and quietly follows the ranger.

The ranger brings the Stone angel back to the station, which is a low two-story building off of the main trail. She instructs him to wait in the front room, and moves to the back to phone the authorities. Shateishael settles calmly into a chair, and listens quietly. "...yeah, this is Maxine Newcastle at Enchanted Rock. ...there's been an accident up here, looks like a seventeen-year-old girl. ...uh huh. Yeah. No, it looks like some kind of drug overdose... yeah, another one. All right, thanks again."

Shateishael sits quietly, idly wondering why Teenage Death only hits young girls... he frowns, considering that. Why are women hit so often? He tries to remember if women die at the hands of males more now than they did when he was last in this area... he's not sure. He wonders if there's a Word for helping women to defend themselves... then looks up as the woman finishes talking. The ranger hangs up the phone and turns back to the Stone angel. "The police are on their way. So you heard a scream? Where from?"

Shateishael shakes his head, saying slowly, "Wasn't... exactly a scream... I had my helmet on, y'know? I..." he frowns, considering, then adds, "I don't know how to describe it, but it came from the grove I showed you."

She folds her arms. "You had your helmet on in the Park? Look, I asked you once to stop jerking me around."

Shateishael nods politely, "Yes, ma'am, I will." He pauses, then starts again, "I was riding into the park on my bike, and I heard that screech in the Symphony that shows a mortal's just died."

She nods. "Okay. Now we're getting somewhere. Identify yourself, son."

Shateishael says, "Shateishael, ma'am. I just arrived today. Was coming to visit..." he hesitates, then says cautiously, "-you?"

She arches a brow, "Oh? I don't take visitors on short notice. Who do you serve?"

Shateishael smiles, "David, ma'am, same as you." More quietly he adds, "Didn't mean to make trouble for you."

Mitrah's vessel nods. "That makes a little more sense. Forget about the girl; that's Druiel's doing... I let him use the park since it's far enough out of town that most of the locals can't hear it when he does his little thing out here."

Shateishael nods again. Figures. Drew couldn't get away with it if she didn't want him to, after all, then adds, "I ah... sort of stopped him at the gate. Didn't know who he was... and right after that sound in the Symphony, I figured it had to be due to whomever was fleeing the scene. He was fine when he left, though."

Mitrah nods. "Don't get in Druiel's way. He has my permission to work here." She brushes her long hair back. "Now, what do you need? It's going to get complicated out here shortly."

Shateishael smiles ruefully and shakes his head, "If you don't mind, maybe I could come pay my respects properly to the Seneschal later, when you're not so busy?" He thinks a moment, then adds, "Is there anything you need?"

Mitrah eyes the other Stone angel for a long moment. "No, thanks. If you need to use the Tether, come by the ranger station. I can find a use for you around the park if you've got something you need to work off."

Shateishael just nods quietly, watching the Kyriotate's vessel, and wondering, Is it because it's a Truce City that everyone here's so brusque? Think I kinda miss the companionship of arms you get in places where you know who your enemy is. "Yes'm. If you don't mind, I may come out just to climb the Rock some... never really got to when I was riding with the Comanche." He smiles quietly in fond remembrance, "Wasn't right to clamber around in sacred places, then."

Mitrah mms. "Come back in the evening sometime. The view's better."

Shateishael smiles, still with more warmth and sincerity than his usual somewhat self-deprecating quirk, and his eyes still a bit distant with good memories, "I would like that, thank you."

Mitrah nods. "If you need me... I'm around." She adds, "But you'd better get going before the cops show up."

Shateishael blinks once, snapping himself into the here and now again, then stands up and bows slightly, "And thank you for your time, Seneschal. Please let me know if I can aid you, also."

Mitrah nods. "Might do that." Shateishael smiles, then leaves quietly.

[Previous Log] [Index] [Next Log]





Last modified: 2002-Mar-30 13:54:51

All material on this site is
Copyright © 2001-2024 Reality Fault
unless specifically indicated on each document.
All Rights Reserved.
Administrated by Reality Fault Webmaster