Date: 5:27:25 PM, November 18th to 6:52:05 PM, November 18th;
4:22:24 PM, November 20th to 5:10:07 PM, November 20th, 2012.
Metal Man (GM): Intro
Garrick's in Illian's Chicago Bar. It's now a proper bar, but the room where Garrick is in has mostly become his room.
Whether or not it's loaded with empty bottles depends--does Garrick drink, or not?
And another question--how depressed is he? Stay inside all the time, or go outside? This determines what he will see next...
Garrick Fy`aar has indeed drunk a good deal. Probably just enough for him to go to sleep, but not enough to turn him into a gibbering monster. He had spent most of his time either sleeping on that couch, drinking, or just sitting and being quiet. He's only been there for a few days by this point, catching up on rest that he's put off for ages.
Garrick Fy`aar has spent the entirety of his time in that back room of the bar. It is only after three days of this does he make any motion to come out for something other than basic needs. If anyone comes in to speak with him BEFORE that is up to the GM.
Metal Man (GM): You'd have been there a while, before you'd see a wild-eyed Illian soldier walk in.
It'd have been those 3 days.
Soldier: "The... the Questers! They just warped in and attacked! And... they didn't kill anybody but... ..."
Metal Man (GM): He stands there for a while.
Garrick Fy`aar would look up from his bottle, frowning at that...
"...but...?"
Soldier: "...They took Gibby... and Razor was with them... ...and Xavier did donuts on the Eternal Dauntless' bridge..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "... ...where's Illian?"
Soldier: "On the Eternal Dauntless... he managed to negotiate with them. Gibby appears to claim to be with them to see what they're doing on the inside."
Metal Man (GM): The man shakes his head.
Soldier: "But the vids make it pretty clear. Those Questers are what you said they are, and they've reformed! Illian doesn't understand... they were able to warp in and walk all over our defenses. Now what's going to happen when they decide to kill us all?"
Garrick Fy`aar sighs and stands up.
"Take me to him."
Soldier: "Right away."
Metal Man (GM): He gestures and throws a hand at the ground, summoning a portal.
Then he walks into it.
Garrick Fy`aar raises his eyebrow slightly at that, but then follows.
Metal Man (GM): You appear aboard the Eternal Dauntless.
Men are painting over vast swathes of tread marks.
Illian MacGregor: "Oh, Garrick. Didn't expect to see you."
Metal Man (GM): He sits in a half destroyed chair, as men try to scrape "THE QUESTERS WERE HERE" out of the ceiling.
Half a destroyed dryer is still stuck in one of the consoles.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...is there a reason why you didn't call me when Xavier decided to make a mockery of your defenses?"
Illian MacGregor: "Yes." *He crossed his arms.* "He had Razor."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That's no excuse."
Illian MacGregor: "My knowledge suggests he might have opted to just destroy you rather than negotiate anything, and given it was Razor..." *He shrugs.*
"I couldn't get a proper fix on his power levels though."
"The Smash Energy made our sensors malfunction."
Garrick Fy`aar folds his arms over his chest and sighs.
Illian MacGregor: "I learned much from the encounter, however. The Questers have been repatched together, but something is different. They want something, but it's not what I thought they wanted."
"They seem... more nostalgic than vengeful."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I thought they wanted you and I dead."
Illian MacGregor: "Something weird... is going on. They... abstained from killing anyone. Xavier could have attacked me directly. He didn't."
Garrick Fy`aar: "So what happened...?"
*He is slowly starting to get irritated... it's easily visible.*
Illian MacGregor: "Xavier's car warped into my bridge. Razor and Aribar appeared in a locked off side of my ship and then convinced Gibby to come with them. Ederick and Demon appeared near where you were and acted as a diversion, injuring but not killing anyone as they struggled with my guards and Valron."
Garrick Fy`aar: "He came in here, laughed, did some donuts, took Gibby, then left?"
Illian MacGregor: "Basically. Not a single dead person anywhere."
Garrick Fy`aar frowned at that...
Illian MacGregor: "No attempt to kill. No malice. Just Gibby. And they talked to Gibby. Convinced him with words."
"Even then, they were... open to him leaving."
"It doesn't make sense. Aren't they supposed to mindlessly destroy everything?"
"Granted. They DID mindlessly destroy my bridge."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Could be a bluff... Make us confused and off guard for when they really attack."
Illian MacGregor: "Yes. It has to be. There's no other explanation. They could have attacked us and dealt severe damage. I scanned my alter ego. It is as I feared."
"The Smash Energy has rendered him as potent as he used to be. And he has a time device."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Or it could be an intimidation tactic. Showing off that they can go where they please..."
Illian MacGregor: "Had he wanted to, he could have begun punching people into next week... literally. Whatever it was, it means we must work with Red Text and put up the Anti-warp field."
"It will inconvenience us, but if that happens again and they want us dead..." *He shakes his head.* "I don't see how we could warp fast enough."
"His Lambo has a Time Cop Warship drive in it, and Ael isn't willing to give us anything to neutralize it."
Garrick Fy`aar frowned as he stood there and looked over the various pieces of busted up equipment.
Illian MacGregor: "Says we haven't managed to get the problem with the Dweezil under control."
Garrick Fy`aar: "The what?"
Illian MacGregor: "The Steam-powered space ship people."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Oh right... them... what's the problem with them? They don't seem to have any negative intentions."
Illian MacGregor: "They wish to destroy the Time Cops and take over for them. But Ael is one of our key allies. He says he has plans to kill Xavier."
Garrick Fy`aar glanced to the side.
"Everyone has plans to kill Xavier."
Editor's Note: Alternate CONFRONTATION Title: "Everybody Hates Xavier."
Illian MacGregor: "Something about... an anti-reality device that can annihilate vast things. He's building it now. I've heard good things."
Garrick Fy`aar: "He's building a damn nuclear bomb..."
Illian MacGregor: "If we could actually help him, maybe he could destroy the Dweezil and Xavier... although I'd much rather the Dweezil work with him or simply stay out of the way. He's invited anyone who wants to come see to see it, that is, of me and my people, but I haven't had the time."
"Limos in my bridge and all."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I doubt the Dweezil are going to do anything we want them to do. They will do exactly what they want. Because they can."
Illian MacGregor: "Right. We just need to make them think doing what we want is in their interest... I tried to negotiate but they simply felt we were unimportant. Ael on the other hand, told me interesting things."
"He said that there is probably no owl to take the hit for Xavier anymore."
"And with that mage out of the way he could probably succeed this way."
Garrick Fy`aar walked over and leaned against the nearby bulkhead.
Illian MacGregor: "Especially since his bomb is ultra-precision targeted..."
Garrick Fy`aar sighed, running his hand through his hair.
Illian MacGregor: "So even if it hits the wrong person... it won't harm them. The problem is that he hardly has any time to work on it because the Time Cops are in shambles..."
"The Alsa Questers sort of wrecked 'em."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Well... It seems I can't do anything I was planning on doing, given what has gone on in the past few days..."
Illian MacGregor: "Hm?"
Metal Man (GM): Illian idly sweeps some debris off of a console.
Illian MacGregor: "The war effort can use anything remotely useful right now. Nobody has a sure answer... not even Ael."
"He's close, but..." *He puts a hand to his chin* "You killed Xavier once and that didn't stick."
"Ael can kill him, sure. But who's to say he won't be revived?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "There's not much I can do from a combat standpoint at this time, Illian. I'm no where near as powerful as I was back then."
Illian MacGregor: "We have to think outside the box on this one. I don't think we will win in straight out combat. But that's why we're logical, scientific. We can deconstruct their energy and disable them."
"What we need is your Smash Energy destruction gas. I think it was something like Slytock?"
"We need to poison them."
"Then when they come to kill us all, we poison them and kill them."
Garrick Fy`aar: "The problem with that is they have it on record. They could easily have a counter-agent."
Illian MacGregor: "True. We'll just need to make a new one. Your agent and Slytock are but two. Any mad scientist, even Red Text, might be capable of a new one."
"We can weaken them, then kill them, and destroy them forever. Then blow up their realm to make sure."
"No more Questers. No more Smash Energy. No more!"
Garrick Fy`aar shook his head.
Illian MacGregor: "No more people destroying my bridge..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "It won't be that simple. What we need right now is inside information."
Illian MacGregor: "Gibby is the best we've go--"
Metal Man (GM): Sloan appears out of nowhere.
Sloan: "Heh... heh... heh..."
Metal Man (GM): He spins a Fighter Remote on one finger.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...well."
Sloan: "I have this situation under control. I was there when they first entered the realm."
"I have bugs on all their electronics."
"I know everything they are doing and why."
"All I had to do was threaten Ederick's life."
"Over and over and over again."
Illian MacGregor: "...There has to be a catch."
Sloan: "Of course. It's my information, not yours. And I have plans. Plans you can be a part of... or you can just be spectators."
"This war... is like any other war. Garrick said it right."
"I have data on both sides, and of other sides outside it."
Garrick Fy`aar: "War never changes."
Editor's Note: *Fallout title screen begins playing... ...sorry, I couldn't resist.*
Sloan: "In the end, this war is a simple thing, manipulable on the outsides. So it is simple. Aid me, and I will rebalance the equation in your favor."
"Don't... ...and you're on your own as you are now."
"I don't like an unfair war... unless it benefits me." *He points to himself with a thumb.*
"I'm not going to help them either. No. They would never accept it."
"That Xavier figurehead is trying to be like ME, with his almost nice looking 1978 Disco Mickey Mouse wallpaper. I could never abide helping him."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Sloan."
Sloan: "Yeeeees?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Enough, alright? You're pulling the bullshit I expected you to pull from the beginning."
Sloan: "Of course." *He would shrug.* "Because the best kept secret is doing exactly what you told everyone you were going to do, then watching them not believe it until it's too late."
Garrick Fy`aar: "It doesn't matter what you want right now. I'm sure we can come to an understanding."
Sloan: "You see... it really does matter what I want, because you happen to have some very hot property."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Excuse me...?"
Sloan: "A potential spot on the Mad Men... Jack's land... If that was mine, then the Super Smash Dorks would be a smear on the windshield of history."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...what, you want ALL of Jack's lands? That's an entire continent."
Sloan: "ALL of it. Yes." *Imitating Garrick*
"Isn't that good enough to win the war before it even begins?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Against the Questers? Maybe."
Sloan: "Why. The best part is I need the connection to Alsa to do my plan."
Garrick Fy`aar: "But why is it that you are so much better than Illian here?"
Sloan: "Easy. I made a system to get in and out of that realm, fooling its picky force field."
"I know the HQ in and out. I blackmailed the one guy who noticed me into not seeing me."
"And so, if I chose to inexplicably destroy the entire dimension, killing everyone inside, well. Nobody would notice that I'd bugged all the computers to not report their imminent demise until after it happened."
"...But if you don't believe that, well, sure. Go ahead. I might do it anyway, but I'd probably not be getting the power for it in any kosher way..."
"Maybe I'd blow you guys up too. I dunno. I'm a crazy person."
Garrick Fy`aar pushes himself off the wall.
Sloan: "You walk around strutting like you own the place, not realizing every human being in the organization is a hole to be probed..." *Shrugs.*
Garrick Fy`aar calmly starts walking over to Sloan.
Metal Man (GM): He smiles and points the fighter remote at Garrick.
Sloan: "Wanna go insane? I don't even have to aim this."
"Heck, it's rigged to go off if I DROP it."
Garrick Fy`aar keeps walking.
Sloan: "Smash Energy. It'll kill you, right?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Smash Energy doesn't work on Alsa."
Sloan: "...This is a space craft, outside of Alsa."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then go ahead. Do it."
"I dare you."
"I am beyond caring right now, you son of a bitch."
Sloan: "Those words feel warm and fuzzy every time. But... doing what you tell me... nah."
"My deal is my deal. You can take it, or become a victim of it."
"Come and hit me if you want, it won't do you any good. I just needed to find something out."
"Something very important."
"...You were lying about Smash Energy."
Metal Man (GM): He grins like a cheshire cat.
Garrick Fy`aar stops.
Sloan: "You wouldn't embrace a deadly poison! You wouldn't. You have people to kill! No. You wanted to hide that you could use this. Use it to kick my ass."
"You would have, too, but then you told me!"
Metal Man (GM): He points the remote at himself.
Sloan: "Smash Energy... is a tool. You just suck at using it. ...But you're not worth it."
"You're a depressed silly man!"
"...Neither is he... he does nothing but mope. Read the logs, buddy."
"You're the depression squad."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...you're trying my patience, Sloan."
Sloan: "All in the name of science."
Garrick Fy`aar glances to Illian.
Illian MacGregor: "It is so interesting to see you, Sloan. But you forget that I have allies of my own."
Sloan: "Borne. Borne's gonna bite me isn't he! Hah! Hahahahah! You're a laugh riot!"
Metal Man (GM): Sloan goes to warp and red energy appears around him.
Red Text: "I don't think so, Dave."
Metal Man (GM): Red Text walks in, looking battered, but holding a red Box.
Sloan: "Well, this is a fantastic stalemate. You can't touch me, and I can't touch you!"
Red Text: "While you were busy gloating, I neutralized all of your protocols and rewrote your warp field to send you into the center of a volcano. I only refrained from letting you go because you have something we need."
Sloan: "Hah! Like YOU could take anything from ME."
Illian MacGregor: "He is entirely serious. You have the data we need. And I will get it from you. I cannot touch you, but you obviously cannot run your operations permanently stuck in my bridge."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I, on the other hand..."
*He folds his arms over his chest and continues walking up to Sloan, getting within arm's reach of him.*
Sloan plays back Panzer calling Garrick a sourpuss.
"My science experiment is still here. Do you still go into a trance when you're mad?"
"...Or do you become the incredible Sulk?"
Illian MacGregor: "Garrick can deal with this, actually."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I might not be able to put a bullet in your head, but I wonder what would happen if I did a little magitek on you?"
Sloan: "You want to challenge MY technology?" *He would hold up his Atlantean force field.* "Well. I can't back down from a challenge."
Garrick Fy`aar: "We have the entirety of Jack's holdings, Sloan."
Metal Man (GM): He calculates.
Sloan: "You're willing to blow the GDP of Brazil just to get at me?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Like I said. I'm at the end of my rope."
"I'm crazy."
"Who knows what I'll do?"
Sloan: "All right, how about a simple trade. The GDP of Brazil for the information."
"Heck, maybe half off. Just for you."
Metal Man (GM): *Sloan said that.*
Sloan: "Heck, maybe half off. Just for you."
Metal Man (GM): He sweats a bit, although not really broken.
According to your info, that would be about 1/4 of the coin hoard.
A vast fortune. But!
He has an Atlantean device.
It might cost the same to do his tech in.
Since his tech is pretty fantastic, costing a lot of effort to screw with.
Indeed!
Especially with what he's already done.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Sloan, I told you when we first met. Don't fuck with me."
"You're fucking with me."
"And you saw what I did to Xavier."
Metal Man (GM): He would stare at you deadpan.
Garrick Fy`aar: "I've gone through hell and back in the past few weeks. Do you REALLY want to test me?"
Sloan: "I tested Panzer... She died."
"Panzer tested you..."
"YOU DIED."
"I don't disagree. You would mess me up."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Illian, start warping that gold up here."
Sloan: "But it would be the first act in a war in which you have two fronts. Me, and the Crazy Kwesters."
Metal Man (GM): He would cross his hands.
Sloan: "That could mean you want to pay me, so I'm not getting hasty."
Metal Man (GM): The gold begins to pile up.
Red Text: "To be honest, normally his Magitech would take a lot of force. But I'm right here."
Sloan: "You're the master of nowhere."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Sloan."
Red Text: "Except the guy holding half the planet's energy died, and my satellite still works... What if I just hooked Garrick up to Alsa's energy instead?"
Metal Man (GM): He starts to pale a bit.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Ooo, now THAT'S an idea."
Sloan: "That's... that's stupid! We'll all violently explode!"
Red Text: "I don't know. Maybe I like exploding. It keeps happening to me anyway."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Oooooor not. See, I happen to have this thing."
"Nifty little item, really."
Illian MacGregor: "My bridge already exploded once." *He shrugs and lets Garrick talk.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "It's this bracelet that takes Alsan energy and converts it in a safe and manageable manner."
Red Text: "...You gave him one of those?"
Sloan: "..." *He violently presses a button at you.*
Red Text: "Good thing I blocked all your outgoing transmissions!"
Sloan: "..." *Crushes a remote in his fist*
"Damn! I wanted my remote control Garrick to work even inside a giant EMP field!"
"I'm going to have to return him to the store!"
Metal Man (GM): He punches the field and curses loudly.
Illian MacGregor: "It is true. You can use the Remote. Smash Power could do anything."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Last chance, Sloan."
Illian MacGregor: "But it's not really useful against half the planet and the GDP of Brazil. I think even Xavier would explode after that."
Metal Man (GM): He grits his teeth.
Sloan: "I've never contemplated killing myself to get out of a jam, but you're tempting me! Tell you what. We negotiate this on sane terms and I won't try to loophole out of here. What information do you want? I can't even give you 'all of it' if I wanted to!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "And why is that?"
Sloan: "Well, unless you've invented the world's smallest datacenter, it can't fit into my pocket."
Illian MacGregor: "He probably does not have all of it. But we don't need all of it."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then give us all you have."
Illian MacGregor: "We need the data on their plans and how they plan to accomplish them... ...and why not, you should give us all you have anyway."
Sloan: "..." *He then begins laughing giddily to himself.*
"All right... I'll give you all I have. Here... it will be exactly what you want."
Metal Man (GM): He'd take out a holodisk. Then he'd touch the edge of the field with it.
Sloan: "But I can't take it out of this field. And you'd have to make a ho--"
Metal Man (GM): *WARP.*
Red Text: "Nope."
Sloan: "Dammit! Stop ruining the dramatic tension!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Red Text, I assume you can start getting that processed?"
Red Text: "Yes."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Very well, then."
Red Text: "I already know what he knows. That's why he is laughing. The Questers think Garrick wants to kill them all."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Hrmpf..."
Red Text: "Their plan is to simply stop that from happening. I detect no extended plans of destruction if they should accomplish that goal. Do I even detect a hint of them talking to Garrick?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "...so, wait... they just want me dead?"
Red Text: "Some of them don't even want you dead. This is... confusing."
Sloan: "The problem is, you have a capital I image problem." *He would then rub his forehead.* "In the end, there is no killer app. Only them thinking you want to destroy the Stadium. I was going to become very rich selling you this useless information, but then you went Dr. Strangelove on me."
"I guess you win this time."
"I still have some other people to sell useless information to. Like how to cook popcorn with an artifact of godly light."
Garrick Fy`aar: "The question is... what do we do with you now?"
Red Text: "Well, Sloan is a danger to the entire universe. What if he had gone to the Dweezil?"
Sloan: "What if I had? What if you try to do something to me and they kill you all? That's why you're going to let me go."
Illian MacGregor: "I can check that, you know."
Sloan: "Go ahead."
Metal Man (GM): He makes a call.
Illian MacGregor: "...Dammit. He really did make a deal with them."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That being...?"
Sloan: "Sadly, I was too cheap. The deal was that I live. And am not captured."
Illian MacGregor: "He cannot be killed, as he is an 'honorary member.'"
Garrick Fy`aar: "He cannot be killed or captured."
Illian MacGregor: "They accept it is his fault for taunting us, though. So they don't mind that we did, what we did. They consider what he did 'hubris' in that case."
Sloan: "Damn smooth-talker. Left out the entire page about being threatened with the GDP of Brazil. But I assure you, you cannot hold onto me any longer, now that they are assured that you have had your recompense."
Red Text: "I must let him go, unfortunately. I detect them aiming at us."
Sloan: "You're just lucky they hated my outfits. Had they liked them, maybe they wouldn't have cost me most of my money."
Garrick Fy`aar frowned a bit, but nodded.
Sloan: "... ...Damn it. The Brazil GDP would have been enough to pay them to arbitrarily blow up one of you."
Metal Man (GM): He kicks the ground and warps out after being released.
Garrick Fy`aar looks to Red Text.
"Was it worth it?"
Red Text: "It was extremely worth it. We now know that this war is a misunderstanding. Although. We cannot really prevent it now. Xavier wants to have Illian apologize. He'd never do that."
"Nor would you probably allow the Questers to disperse to their homeworlds, irradiating everyone with Smash Energy."
"Still. We know that they do not want you capital-D DEAD."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then that makes this simple. I warp there."
"And talk to them."
Illian MacGregor: "...But the field..." *He pauses.* "...Duh. It'll let you in. You're still somewhat a Quester... enough... maybe?"
Red Text: "It'll let him in, but I'm not sure what happens after that."
Illian MacGregor: "I would advise caution. Sloan could have made this up. The images are all very real."
"But if he's dealing with the Dweezil..."
"They might just want to cause a conflict between us that kills us both."
"If we're both dead, then they rule everything."
"And the scary part is that they have the intel, the power to do it, if we aren't careful."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Look, if there is a chance we can settle this without having to throw down and cause a lot of bloodshed? Then we should try it."
Illian MacGregor: "Of course, Sloan is a buffoon, so he dropped his aces all over us today."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm tired of war, Illian."
Illian MacGregor: "I'm still not sure. My name was ruined. These people..." *He leans on a console.* "...I have to think about it. You may warp there... well... fly there..."
"...But I still have ghosts haunting me."
Red Text: "I will talk to Illian. You can help settle the most important part, Garrick. As long as they think you're out to kill the Stadium, they can and will power up until they could accidentally start killing like the old days."
Garrick Fy`aar: "And here I was hoping to take a week off and do some other things..."
Red Text: "You can stop that, so that then if there is any further war, it does not involve Alsa, or you. Then you can have your vacation."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I don't care much about me. Alsa, on the other hand..."
Red Text: "We could potentially spare Alsa from this conflict... and Nintendus by extension."
Illian MacGregor: "I still..." *...He sighs and walks off.*
Garrick Fy`aar watches Illian go out, then sighs.
Red Text: "He can be forced to fight them directly if he still insanely wants to do that."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Get me a ship, Red Text... a fast one, A real fast one. I might need to beat it out of there in a hurry if things go south."
Red Text: "The only ship that will fit in there is the Dauntless itself. It will reject non-Nintendian designs."
"I can get on that immediately."
"The old Dauntless, mind you."
"Not this one."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...the Dauntless was destroyed."
Red Text: "I have its designs."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...well, if you can..."
Red Text: "It's in the Smash Dexes. It's actually based on Kujan parts. The ones that Illian even uses."
Garrick Fy`aar feels somewhat awkward at that... it's been a while since he piloted one...
Red Text: "I'm afraid we can't fit the MAC Cannon in time, though. Those are rare and expensive."
"Unless you know how to get some."
"The rest is perfectly fine. Borne blew up so many of them..."
"There's enough space debris to make 20 of them."
Garrick Fy`aar: "If I need a MAC cannon, I'm already in trouble."
Red Text: "...True. And even if you had one, it took one shot to kill Metal M--Xavier."
"It'd take another for Razor. And another for... etc."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Right. How long will it take you to make?"
Red Text: "...If I could, I want to come with you. Keep in mind, I am still partially Star Steel. ..." *He sighs.* "Three weeks to make it properly."
"We don't have Smash Power to magically make it."
"My robots have begun work on it immediately."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Even with Magitek?"
Red Text: "The problem is that magitek in excess will make it not fit through the barrier. Their world is pre-magitek."
"It still has strong barriers..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Hrm... very well. Could we at least send a message to them?"
Red Text: "Yes. They possess many ships near the dimension, that are watching for signals."
"This one in particular frightens me."
Metal Man (GM): He shows... the Valhalla.
A gigantic, flying pyramid.
With a freakish force field you've seen only once. It's Charles'.
Garrick Fy`aar stares at the image... he, too, seems frightened...
"...Jesus, he dug that thing up..."
Metal Man (GM): The one that took the beam of death from the 13 Gentlemen...
And then almost destroyed the entire planet.
It's in concert with the Wing Fortress, which is also in prime condition.
Red Text: "Obviously, they were prepared for a full war, or are preparing to do so. Even if they may be open to negotiation. If they were all smiles and sunshine, a ship capable of smashing through our moon and keeping on going is NOT the most peaceful."
"Its shields defy explanation. They seem to absorb all energy thrown at them... passively..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...alright, draft a message in text form. Say that we wish to parley with them and we'll be sending a representative in three weeks time. We need that time to repair from unforeseen mechanical repairs from their previous assault as well as on planet disturbances."
Red Text: "Very well."
Metal Man (GM): A third person would wander onto the bridge.
Garrick Fy`aar: "As for me... well, I guess I'll be able to take care of my business anyway. Keep in touch, Red Text."
Marley: "Ah... almost missed you."
Red Text: "You take care as well." *He would nod, then walk off.*
Marley: "That no-good scoundrel Sloan was here, wasn't he?"
Garrick Fy`aar turns... and sees Marley.
"Indeed. We... had a disagreement."
"We settled it, though."
Marley: "I heard the whole thing." *He brings up his sleeve, revealing his tattoos that glow somewhat.*
"What you say has definitely changed things. If Alsa is off the map, that means I don't need to worry about killing Borne yet."
"I think I'm going to work on finding Sloan and choking that bastard to death."
"He was the mole who undermined me, and helped Borne take over."
"He helped make the Alsa Questers into useless maniacs when I tried to make them good--just to spite me!"
"And now he's in here, trying to cause a three-way war!"
"If I don't do anything, my only legacy will be him. That's worse than dyin'."
"Anyway, sorry to bother you with my old man yarns."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Not at all, sir."
Marley: "I just had to tell someone before I went on my way."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm off to talk to the planet."
Marley: "I need to get to the Echidna and prepare the magic to deal with him. Next time, I want to keep him off you."
"He's going to gun for you, sonny."
"You made him mad."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then let him come."
Marley: "He killed Panzer."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I could care less, at this point."
Marley: "He could kill anybody. So I'm gonna stop him!"
"You don't need to worry, anyway. I'm sure you'll beat him when he comes at you."
Garrick Fy`aar shakes his head with a small chuckle before patting the old man on the shoulder.
Metal Man (GM): He chuckles as he takes out his books.
Garrick Fy`aar: "You're one of the good ones, sir."
Marley: "I'll just make sure he does it hopping on one foot and blinded in one eye... Maybe I can set his tongue on fire too..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Right, well, I need to get to my business. Good luck to you."
Marley: "Same to you."
Metal Man (GM): He'd smile, then walk off. Seems Jack dying made his life a lot less depressing.
And the warp back to Alsa is there for you to use.
Garrick Fy`aar would program a warp and take it directly into the outskirts of Port Royal. He'd find a nice quiet place outside, away from people, take the bracelet off from his ankle, sit down with it infront of him, and wait. He'd just wait. She would come soon, he figured.
Metal Man (GM): You'd have it there, ready enough.
We'll probably pause about here, resuming after the nextish sessions...
Feel free to toss in any last things to say though.
Ah. Good time to pause, then.
Metal Man (GM): More Alsa things
Garrick is, again, down by the beach, with the band. Waiting.
Waiting... waiting....
Waiting....
Eventually the statue walks into view. It simply knows, since Alsa, the planet, is seemingly sentient about the beings who are on its surface.
Garrick Fy`aar was sitting quietly on the beach. He figured that this magical stuff worked by just sorta expecting it to happen eventually. If the planet was really sorta omnipresent, he figured it would know.
Metal Man (GM): Slow as it is, it's still enough.
It stands there, the silver angel statue staring at Garrick with a dispassionate neutral glance.
Statue: "I am here. What is it that you wish to discuss?"
Garrick Fy`aar glanced to the statue, arching an eyebrow. Even with all that rest, he still looked rather tired.
"...I thought you were gold, before."
Statue: "The gold was meant to appeal to the one we wished to be found by. He is dead now."
"Our material is of little consequence, a side effect of having to have physical form to do anything."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Mm... we've come to a decision on how to handle Xavier."
Statue: "The one whom people have been asking us about since the very beginning... what is your decision?"
Garrick Fy`aar would reach into a pounch at his belt and produce a pack of smokes. It was about half gone. He rarely smoked, but sometimes he indulged himself.
"We're building a ship to go and speak with them. It turns out there entire thought process involves me coming to kill them. I figure if I myself walk in and say I won't... they'll stop."
Statue: "Perhaps." *It would pause, as if thinking.* "However. The implications of Xavier living are dire for other worlds."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I figure if we can stop all this without anyone having to die, it's a net win all around. Yeah... that's kinda why I'm here."
Metal Man (GM): It would show images. Glowing videos, showing Xavier destroying at least four entire dimensions.
Statue: "He is a force more destructive than this 'The Void' we have once seen."
Garrick Fy`aar reaches into his pocket and pulls out that bracelet, placing it on the ground beside him, in front of the statue.
Statue: "If he is not contained, he will never stop. It is your choice. But some Alsans... disagree with letting him live, for that reason. ...It is a chronological event, you see."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I understand."
Metal Man (GM): The Statue shows you Borne, and his country.. ..Then it shows time wildly advancing.
...Then it shows... ...the Time Cops emerging from Alsa.
Statue: "This is where the Time Cops came from, for this very reason. Your decision has ensured history stays the same."
Garrick Fy`aar: "No golden age?"
Statue: "...And the eventual destruction of the Time Cops, and Xavier's escape. Take that as you will. This planet itself has a golden age. A new era will come after this one, after all. No Jack is here anymore."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...look."
*He turns to regard the statue. *
"I'm willing to fight. I'll do it because I think Xavier needs to die. He's out of control."
"But I can't do that the way I am now."
Statue: "That is correct." *The Statue looks at you.* "That is why I will offer you another option to take in the future. There is someone who can kill him."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Yeah, I know. Ael."
"Ael with his damn bomb."
Statue: "No. Ael is as fallible as Jack. In fact he is distantly related to him."
"Autumnus."
Garrick Fy`aar frowns at that. It has been a long time since he heard that name... he tries to remember exactly the last he heard of Autumnus...
Statue: "Autumnus is a being that was created by me in the distant future, the sequel to the Arbiter. He is outside time and space, infinitely dense and able to control time and space beyond your comprehension."
Metal Man (GM): You remember him.
He just walked aboard Sloan's ship like it was nothing.
Walked through walls.
Catastrophic damage only mildly harmed him.
I think you may have even argued with him. Made you mad, how he considered you a dust particle.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...so you're saying we get Autumnus to come stop Xavier."
Statue: "The mistake was that Ael and Illian came to dislike Autumnus, for he considered both of them useless and in fact, in the way."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Will he play ball?"
Statue: "If you free him, then he will be compelled to do your wish. That is how I created him."
Garrick Fy`aar: "So, what, he's a genie? Rub the lamp, get three wishes?"
Statue: "Yes. Two of the wishes were already wasted."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...so, let's say I do get him free. And I wish Xavier away. What happens to him then?"
Statue: "Autumnus will forever chase Xavier, attacking him everywhere. Until Xavier is destroyed."
"This is the only means to prevent Xavier's horrible destruction of realms."
Garrick Fy`aar: "And then?"
Statue: "Xavier will try to destroy realms, but Autumnus can cancel that out. Effectively, Xavier will be nullified. The Questers may try to protect him, only to die or fail."
Garrick Fy`aar: "What happens when Xavier is gone?"
Statue: "...Autumnus is free to resume running the Time Cops. With which he can rebuild the fleet and set everything to how it was before Xavier ruined this world's Time Defenses."
"No warps, no supertechnology, Dyne's magic sealed away and useless."
"People like Borne can no longer make clones or super Mad Men, because the danger is gone forever."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...if Autumnus decides to blow innocents up, we're kinda screwed. You know that, right?"
Editor's Note: Yeah. He doesn't know it, but that's the understatement of the century. Autumnus makes Xavier look like a boy scout. Not that Xavier's hands are clean, but... yeah... 4 realms destroyed versus countless by Autumnus.
Statue: "He is... an imprecise instrument. He cannot avoid that, when his abilities can idly destroy entire planets."
"But consider how many more will be saved from Xavier."
Garrick Fy`aar: "No. No sacrifices."
Statue: "It is yours to consider. We cannot intervene directly."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm done with that. Grey tried to pull that shit on me."
Statue: "We wish you the best of luck on preventing Xavier from destroying those other worlds, then. There are better ways... but we have limited knowledge."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Look, I came here to see if you can beef this up. Get me more throughput to the planet's energy."
*He gestures at the bracelet.*
Statue: "With the increased energy comes less will. The more of our power you use, the more like Jack you become."
Garrick Fy`aar stares for a moment, then sighs.
Statue: "We can empower this device fully, however you should be aware Illian intends the energy for Valron."
Garrick Fy`aar: "This is impossible..."
*He slowly places his head in his hands, rubbing.*
Statue: "It is impossible to do everything without some sacrifices. Inefficiency plagues all actions outside those of true Gods."
Garrick Fy`aar: "But they have to be the right sacrifices... So many innocent peope died on Nintendus... so many innocent people died here."
Statue: "What you seek... is that of Nintendus, then. It is their energy which specializes in saving innocents, at the expense of free will and reality."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm not going to corrupt myself with Smash Energy again. But there is no other way a person like me can fight someone like the Questers."
"Lifting weights and building tech only go so far."
"Even Magitek isn't enough."
"Xavier is going to topple dimensions, Borne is going to rule with an iron fist while everyone loves him, Sloan is going to do insane things, Illian is going to continue to be blind and stubborn..."
"There is NO white light. There is no more fucking goodness in this world. Everyone is grey as grey can be. Especially fucking Grey."
Metal Man (GM): The Statue would stand there, being rather neutral.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...like you give a damn."
Statue: "It is a blindness of perspective to deny the existence of good or evil."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then where the fuck is the good, huh?!"
Statue: "Until you can see that there are some clear cases, you will never succeed."
Garrick Fy`aar turns and stands, shouting at the statue.
"There is evil EVERYWHERE."
Statue: "You cannot see the good in anyone anymore. You are blind."
Garrick Fy`aar growls at the statue, his fists tightening.
Statue: "The purest hero... would simply become another villain to you, because they could not save every single person."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Do you blame me...?"
Statue: "No. Only warn you, that your blindness limits your ability to succeed."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then what the fuck do I do?! Set some fucking demon genie on Xavier, watch him run through planets of regular people to get to him?!"
"TOO MANY have died."
"Over that... that insane steel clanking asshole!"
"He's ruined lives, mine included!"
Statue: "Is it really ruined forever? He has done bad things. But he is not here now."
Garrick Fy`aar: "But he will be... When he comes, he comes in force. He's sitting on fucking Valhalla like it's some damn throne."
Statue: "Though, if it is only a misconception, then you can move him away from coming here at all."
"All that remains is the other worlds."
Garrick Fy`aar sighs and sits back down, rubbing his eyes.
Statue: "Do not be blinded by extremes, or you will destroy yourself as all the others did here."
Metal Man (GM): It shows Julian, Deloth, and Panzer, at various times losing their minds or destroying themselves.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...I'm just so damn confused... I wanna do good... that's all. I'm a soldier. Like my father and his father before him..."
Editor's Note: Yes and no. Snake was a soldier, properly trained, with a mission, who did them to the very end. Garrick was a clone of a clone who was released into the desert of another dimension without any particular plan or allegiance to any country... and even with the later additions of canon we've seen in SSQ, he never particularly deviated from that mindset, not even here. Also let's not forget how evil Big Boss was. He was not just a soldier, but an obsessed one who wanted eternal war just to appeal to his need to fight for all eternity.
Statue: "You over-complicate the simple. There are simple objectives, ones any soldier can understand. You already know them. Then you doubt yourself and believe that if someone dies of a completely unrelated cause, it is your fault, and destroy yourself."
"That is what destroyed Julian. He could not take the existence of outside variables."
Garrick Fy`aar: "So much blood is on my hands..."
Statue: "Nintendus blood? ...The world there is made out of fake energy. The people can be revived instantly from death."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then what about Alsa, huh? What about you?"
Statue: "All that die here are united with my energy. I cannot bring them back, but they are not in any pain anymore."
Garrick Fy`aar: "... ...you know I mean well, right?"
"You know that I'm just trying to do the right thing, right?"
Statue: "That is why I have taken the time to explain that that is all that really matters. I have destroyed many other Questers. At first, I hated them."
"I wanted them to suffer."
"But as I dismantled them, I realized I was wasting them. You can bring an end to the problems."
"So do so. Do not let my behavior control you."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...tell me what to do."
Statue: "I no longer have any use for driving Questers to their deaths..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm a soldier... I need orders, I guess."
Statue: "I know you wish to go to Kanto, a region often neglected. Go there, do what you must. The pokemon there can act as better tools than your magitek or laser guns. Xavier and the Questers have never managed to defeat the Pokemon Trainer Max and his team. And it is entirely possible to obtain your own team here. There are other pokemon who have helped before. They almost managed to save Panzer from herself."
"They would be even more helpful to someone like you, who is not a slave to their past."
Garrick Fy`aar: "And after that?"
Statue: "Then you can do whatever it is you have to do. You will know it--you can tell Xavier the misunderstanding. You will have the ability to end this without destroying everything."
"Illian does not understand, because he did not really create me to solve this problem. Yet when he gave me sentience he made this possible."
Garrick Fy`aar sighs softly...
"...alright."
"...look, I'm sorry if I... did something to upset you back during the Jack thing."
Statue: "Jack ultimately upset me more than any other mortal ever will. This is absolute across time and space. He tried to do the exact opposite of what you seek."
"Destroying me, you, the entire universe, everything."
"Beware, his goal is shared by others. They hide from me, but I know they exist."
Garrick Fy`aar stands up, stretching his arms over his head.
"I know. Grey."
"Sloan."
"...Borne."
Statue: "They are your ultimate foe, not Xavier. Xavier is ignorant. He destroys without thought. He must merely be contained."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I have a score to settle with Borne."
Statue: "You may settle it. But if he falls, another must fill his spot. They can be anyone. But if you wish to save this world. Then they must both be beneficent and effective at their job."
Garrick Fy`aar picks up the bracelet and pockets it for now.
"I know."
Statue: "A better choice may mean a Time Cop organization that can do its job properly. And remove the need for Autumnus ever existing."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I suppose we'll see."
Statue: "This is up to you, or anyone else who wishes to do this task."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Anything else you wanna fill me in on before I go?"
Statue: "There is one last thing."
Metal Man (GM): The statue looks over the horizon.
Statue: "Once this conflict is over, you and all the others who do not plan to stay here forever must leave forever. This planet will be sealed off to protect its continuity."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...yeah. I figured that much."
Statue: "Otherwise, it would be destroyed as Nintendus would. There are too many beings out there, that make us and Xavier look like dust particles."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm sure no one would object."
Statue: "I know of the Emperor and the world of 'Orkz.' I had Jack destroy some form of 'Dark Eldar.'"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Heh... yeah."
Statue: "All of these would destroy us all if not eventually sealed off for good as Nintendus has done."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...alright. I'm going to head out. I have NO IDEA how Oak is going to react to me."
"...might make it worth it just to see the look on his face."
Statue: "Good luck on your journey. I will not spoil what is there--it would make it boring."
Garrick Fy`aar reaches to his wrist computer and punches in a few things, linking up with the Eternal Dauntless' warp system and selecting Pallet Town as the place to end up. He gives one last nod and wave to the statue before disappearing.
Metal Man (GM): The Statue would stand there for a moment, before walking off.
And... we pause here, since that's all I have in mind at the moment.