The Moonlights Shadow

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:32 am

[new edit] *If people wish to comment on this story, make suggestions or come up with something helpful, then post in the OOC forum under Moonlight Shadow feedback. Thanks

*

*This is a draft of a story that has been rattling around my head for a while now. Since WotC have nerfed our Dark Lady, I'm going to write about her even more now.
The content here is mine and it is not for profit but I would ask that the intellectual property be respected. Thanks

edit: this is not your typical fantasy story but more of a blend of fantasy and science fiction

*

The goddess drifted aimlessly in the astral sea. Her consciousness was numbed as her thoughts meandered without purpose. She floated effortlessly, her body drifting with the vague eddies and currents that flowed in the astral sea. A being with a vast mind, an omniscience was reduced to a slumbering giant, barely aware of her surroundings. The uniform grey and lack of any sensation had lulled her into this comatose state.
Suddenly next to her head, something popped into existence for a micro second then vanished again. This tiny flash of change sparked off a stirring of interest in the lethargic goddess and she gathered her thoughts to focus on what had just happened. To a goddess, time can be immaterial and so she replayed the event in her mind. An infinitesimal fissure in the fabric of the astral sea had opened for a split second and the tiniest particle had existed in the astral sea for the briefest of moments before vanishing again through another fissure.
She replayed the event again and grew more alert. There was something different about the fissure that appeared in the astral. It was not magic, something she was familiar with and why would anyone want to open something so small and send something so tiny through the astral sea in the first place? As she pondered these questions the event occurred again in the same place, this time something slightly larger appeared for the briefest of moments before it too vanished from where it had originated from. Again she narrowed her vast consciousness onto the tiny event, honing in on it and studying it in detail what had occurred. The same force had been involved; not magic but raw energy and again, the same puzzling purpose lay behind these two events.
Summoning up the last of her strength, she now stopped drifting by an effort of her will and became more aware of her surroundings. She now waited, watching carefully for the strange event to reoccur. Her patience was rewarded soon enough with a number of the mysterious events occurring in rapid fashion, each one following a larger particle which appeared for an instant before vanishing. With each event, the level of power and the size of the fissure grew and soon enough the time it took for the fissure to open began to take longer as larger particles began to be pushed through.
Now fully alert, she watched carefully for each event and noted the increasing frequency between them. At times there would be a lull between events but they would return in a relatively short period, often increasing in number. The size of the particles had now increased dramatically as well, so that now actual objects began to appear for that brief instant. She noted that at first they were extremely simple things, often nothing more than a single element and a tiny amount but each time the amount of the element grew and often the elements themselves changed with rapid frequency.
She began to formulate a plan. The intervals of the time it took to open each fissure had grown to a point where she believed she could begin to perceive where they were coming from. She deduced that there was logic to these events; a sort of testing was going on. To what purpose though she was uncertain at this point but travelling between the planes was not uncommon however it had never been done in the fashion that was occurring now to her knowledge. Unwilling to share this discovery and also afraid that she would be noticed by the one who would end her existence if she was ever found here, she resolved to see what was on the other side.
She waited until she saw a large number of more complex items begin to pass through the astral sea. Now she was ready. She could now predict when the fissures would open and readied herself to project a portion of her consciousness through the fissure the moment it appeared. She watched with infinite patience until she could sense the build up of power pressing on the very walls of the astral sea.
There, she thought, it comes.
Gathering her will, she divided a piece of herself off and honed it into a silvery shaft of light and held it ready for the event to occur.
She felt the walls of the astral begin to rupture as the fissure opened. In a blur, she hurled the shaft of light through the opening fissure and sat back to wait and see what she would learn.

*********************************************

Australian National University High Physics Laboratory, 2004

“Bringing up the power now professor. We should be able to transport the sample in a moment. Hey wait, I’m getting some unusual readings here. Do you see th…”
Sally was stopped in mid sentence as an enormous bolt of silvery light suddenly flashed though the teleporters energy field, momentarily blinding her. She reeled back as the bolt reflected around the lab then it struck her full in the chest causing her to cry out before she collapsed unconscious to the floor.
Stunned silence fell over the remaining lab technicians and Professor Dereck Mawson as the teleporters field generator began its emergency power down sequence. Then, in a burst of frenzied activity, they converged on the crumpled form of Sally.
“My god did you see that?” exclaimed Professor Mawson as he stared unbelievingly at the computer read outs which had recorded the event. “Quick, check on Sally. Is she alright?” he asked anxiously. That’d be the last thing he wanted was for his brightest PhD student to be injured or worse right at the point where they were about to prove the teleporters technology was ready for its next stage in trials. He hovered helplessly around the huddle that had formed around the unconscious young woman.
“She’s still alive professor. Must have gotten one hell of a nasty shock though by the looks of things. I’m calling for an ambulance,” Said Charles the head technician as he positions Sally’s body into the recovery position and covered her in a lab coat. He stood up and quickly dashed over to the phone on the wall, dialling the emergency number.
“Yes, we require an ambulance on the ANU campus High Physics labs. One casualty apparently from an electrical discharge. The patient is breathing on her own but is unconscious. Yes, we’ll have someone to guide in the paramedics when they get here. Thanks” He hung up the phone and returned to the huddle with a concerned look on his face.
Sally began to stir, her eyelids fluttering as though she was dreaming. They suddenly snapped opened wide, as almost in terror as she cried fearfully out in a voice that seemed not to be hers, “A l' orthae isilme, vel'klar tlun Usstan?” before she sank back into unconsciousness.
The people around her again where stunned into silence again.
“What in gods name was she saying?” asked Professor Mawson slowly.
“Buggered if I know Prof, maybe the shock has done something to her neurochemistry, much like EST would do,” replied with deep concern Charles as he looked down at his friend who was back in the REM state once more. Shaking his head slowly he turned back to the remaining lab technicians. “You lot had best switch off all the power now and start printing out all the data from today’s test. There is going to be a full investigation and this will be treated like an industrial accident.” Professor Mawson winced visibly when those words were spoken. His life’s work appeared to be rapidly falling apart. He sighed deeply as the other scientists and technicians quickly set about switching off the power and began the process of collating the data for the investigation which was to follow.
The doorway to the lab burst open as two paramedics, pushing a gurney came into the room in a hurry.
“Right, stand back please everyone, we need room to work here,” said the first paramedic as he knelt down next to Charles and Sally. “What’s the patients name please?”
“Sally” replied Charles.
“Sally, can you hear me? My name is Gavin and I’m here to help you,” Gavin said as he began to examine Sally for signs of injury. He got out his stethoscope and felt for her pulse. He listened and then satisfied her heart was beating with a standard cardiac rhythm, he proceeded to inspect her closely. He noticed a small burn mark on her blouse, just below her left breast. He began to remove her blouse to check on the severity of the burn but stopped when he saw what was there. Instead of cauterized flesh, all that was there was a small silver mark roughly over where Sally’s heart was. He looked carefully again, making sure that he hadn’t missed anything but could not find any trace of wounds that would normally be associated with an electrical burn. Very odd he thought to himself but that didn’t matter right now as they had to get her to hospital.
“Ok Jeff, lets get her onto the gurney and get her back to base,” he said as he prepared to move Sally onto the trolley bed. “Alright, one two three lift.” As they lifted he felt a minor tingle in his arms as he gripped her shoulders gently and for the briefest of moments, thought he could hear the faint sound of a woman signing but it vanished as he let go of her as she settled onto the trolley bed.
“Clear the way folks, we need to get her back to the emergency department for observations,” Gavin said as he packed the rest of his equipment away while Jeff wrapped a blanket around Sally and placed an oxygen mask over her face.
“She’s alright then? She’s not seriously injured?” stammered Professor Mawson worriedly.
“I can’t say for certain sir but she’s got a strong regular pulse and no apparent damage or burns. Sometimes with shocks the brain trips out, much like a circuit and it takes time to reset.” Replied Gavin carefully as he began to wheel Sally out of the lab.
Charles looked on mournfully, the shock of the events beginning to settle in. What a bugger he thought, Sally getting zapped. She’d be really peeved to know that the experiment had gone haywire. He sighed as he turned to gather his things and to help prepare the reports for the coming investigation. But then he paused, something about the whole accident didn’t add up.
He went over to the lab TV recorder and hit the play back to watch the event. He saw Sally place the sample in the chamber that was to be teleported across the lab and watched as she flicked the safety switches to increase the power of the device. Then, just as the event horizon was forming, when the quantum universe began to open up, something flashed out of the fissure from OUTSIDE!
He sat back on his office chair stunned, his mind reeling at this incredible revelation. This was no ordinary accident, something that had not occurred in the hundreds of tests that had gone before had just happened, something unique and possibly dangerous.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:53 pm

*this is developing into something larger than I thought

*

Present Day:

Captain William Jefferson of the United States Marine Corps Force Recon regiment sat uncomfortably in his airliner seat. His massive muscular 6’7” frame barely fitted in the chair which was no doubt design with people with less heroic physiques. The elderly female Australian tourist who was unlucky to be seated next to him chatted interminably with him the entire flight which made the four hour flight from Perth to Kununurra very dull. He had to stick to his cover story that he was just another American tourist here to visit the Kimberley region and catch up with some friends. She had remarked that she hadn’t met many African Americans before but he departed husband who had served in world war II alongside US forces in the pacific theatre had done so. He nodded politely and tried to avoid further conversation with the old dear but this silver haired old woman would not be that easily put off.
Towards the end of the flight, as the plane began to descend towards its destination, she suddenly laid her hand gently on his forearm and spoke to him intently in a low tone.
“Mr Jefferson, I know I’m an old woman but I know things about people. Some say it’s like second sight. I see something about you that you are not who you say you are. Living for over fifty years with my husband and attending many old soldiers’ reunions, I know a military man when I meet one and I know you are still serving your country. I won’t ask what you do my dear boy but the past few years I’ve felt a change, as though something new has happened.” She paused for a moment while Will looked at her intently. He felt a sense of disquiet, something akin to being in combat. She closed her eyes and her grip on his arm tightened.
“You have a long journey ahead of you my son, a dangerous but wonderful road you will travel. You must not dismiss what you see and you must learn to trust and befriend strangers, even if they seem…different. And you will find that most precious of all things from the most amazing and unusual source but take heed, trust not those who would give you the easy way out for that will end in death for all,” she intoned lowly. She shivered briefly as she let go of his arm, blinking her eyes as she seemed to not know where she was for a moment.
“Oh dear, did I have one of my turns again? I’m dreadfully sorry Mr Jefferson, I am so embarrassed. When you get to my age not everything works as it should, the old grey matter does strange things,” she smiled apologetically at him.
“That’s quite alright maam, no need to apologise at all,” replied Will. “It’s been a pleasure sharing the flight with you,” he said with an earnest smile. The stewardess’ voice came over the intercom, asking for people to fasten their seat belts as they where about to land in Kununurra. He sat back in his seat and reflected on what the old woman had said. He dismissed it as pure coincidence and focused his thoughts on the upcoming mission. He turned his head and searched behind him for the other members of his team. Two rows behind him and fast asleep was Gunnery Sergeant Mike West, a tough as old boots lifer in the corps who seen over twenty five years of service. Across the aisle from him was Second Lieutenant Consuela ShiningMoon, the technical advisor for this weird little trip and seated behind her, Staff Sergeant Vince D’Amato, another die hard lifer in the service of the corps. He considered his little team and the previous missions they’d been on. Last was in Afghanistan in the Tora Bora region, hunting Taliban infiltrators. It was unpleasant and dangerous work yet they’d got results as they’d been utilising new technology. A satellite tracking system that gave a gods eye view of the battlefield, making it almost like a video game for those back in Command and Control. His team’s job was to test the tech out in the field under battle conditions.
He wondered now what new bit of gadgetry he & his team would be required to road test to destruction and why was he being sent to the remote corner of North Western Australia? Still, he just followed orders and at least this mission was not going into enemy territory and that meant he & his team regarded this mission as a coffee and cake run. He looked out the window at the countryside unfolding beneath him. It was so different to his native state of New York. It was a parched land with incredibly weathered red rock mountains which jutted out of the land like mouldering bones out of sand. Low scrub dominated the plains, here and there were dried out creek and river beds, meandering their way across the barren landscape. It was hard country but he knew that in the wet season it all changed. The plane level out for its final approach and he caught a glimpse of the Ord Valley region, an area dedicated to farming and a minor miracle of engineering that made this hard land fertile. He saw the Ord River flash beneath them as they came in for the landing.
The plane landed with a little bump and soon the aircraft was taxing towards the small terminal.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have now landed at Kununurra. We ask that you remain seated till the aircraft has come to a stop and the captain has switched off the seatbelt sign. We trust you have enjoyed your flight with AirNorth and for those passengers continuing on with us up to Darwin, we ask that you disembark and retain your boarding pass. Once again thank you for flying AirNorth. Have a pleasant afternoon.”
The aircraft came to a stop and almost straight away the passengers began to unbuckle their seatbelts and start to stand, opening the overhead luggage lockers as the seatbelt sign finally switched off.
Soon everyone was filing out to disembark. Will put on his sunglasses and stooped in the cramped cabin space so as to avoid hitting his head. The dry heat hit him instantly as he left the air-conditioned cabin of the plane. He made his way across the tarmac, following the line of passengers to the terminal. Just as he was going to enter the gate, he felt a hand on his arm and as he turned, he saw that it was the old woman who’d been sitting next to him during the flight. She smiled at him and seemed to say something which he didn’t quite catch.
“Will you old bastard! Get your ass over here mate,” bellowed a voice nearby. He turned to see his friend, Duncan Wilson heading towards him beaming a broad smile. He turned back to speak with the old woman but she was gone. He blinked in mild astonishment, looking about the milling passengers for the old lady but she was gone as though she had never been there. He looked down and saw she’d pressed a silver chain with a tiny silver crescent moon charm into his hand.
“You jetlagged or something old sport?” asked Duncan quizzically as he stood next to Will and gave his friend a bemused look.
“Did you see a silver haired old woman enter the terminal Duncan? She was standing next to me when you called out,” Will said absently as he scanned the thinning crowd for the old woman.
“Nah mate, just saw your ugly mug. What’s this about old ladies anyway? You going on a grab a granny sex spree now you sick bugger?” teased Duncan with a wicked grin. “I mean, I knew you marines would shag anything with a heartbeat but banging sweet old ladies just to qualify for the mile high club sounds a bit desperate even for you mate!” Duncan roared with laughter at his own joke. He was a fit looking man with a tanned face and sandy blonde hair. His sea green eyes where hidden behind Police sunglasses.
“Screw you Duncan, you know you’d have shagged her mother if you had half a chance you evil mo’fo’,” grinned Will back at Duncan.
“C’mon mate, everyone’s waiting for us. Let’s grab your bags and get going out to the project,” said Duncan as he led Will out the side gate of the terminal.
Gunnery Sergeant West had already secured the team’s luggage and was waiting for his commander with the rest of the team. Two white Toyota four wheel drives with darkly tinted windows and government licence plates waited nearby.
“Will, you’ll ride with me. Mike too. Consuela and Vince will be riding with Mat in the second troopy. If you need to use the head do so now as next pit stop is two hours away folks,” said Duncan as he helped Mike load the luggage into the back of the Toyota. Mat Hales helped Consuela and Vince load up their bags into the back of the other vehicle.
“Will, I’m gonna hit the head,” rumbled Mike West.
“Yeah, me as well,” added Consuela as she tied back her shoulder length black silky hair into a pony tail. Will nodded as they headed back into the terminal. He turned back to Duncan as the leant against the side of the Toyota. He looked out at the panoramic vista that stretched before him. Two small mounts of crumbling red rock marked the boundaries of the small outback town. Bordering the airport, fields of sugar cane waved gently in the late afternoon breeze.
“So then Duncan, tell me and don’t as you Aussies put it “piss in my pocket, what the fuck am I and my team doing out here in this little patch of rugged outback beauty eh? And why is an SAS captain and his senior Warrant Officer showing up to act as chauffer to us?” asked will in a casual low tone. Duncan just grinned that wry grin which William knew so well. They’d met ten years earlier on a joint operation in Iraq conducting covert ops and if they were captured, their respective governments would completely deny all knowledge of their involvement. They’d had some close calls and gotten into some pretty fierce fire-fights with the enemy. Over the years they had run into each other again, often on special ops. They’d developed close friendship that only comes from sharing the experience of combat as brothers in arms. On their off duty time, they visited each others home towns and enjoyed going sports fishing together as often as possible. Both men were single, deciding that any long term commitments were unsuitable to the life they had chosen for themselves but they enjoyed going out on the prowl together, charming young women with fantastic stories they’d invent for themselves.
“Well me old cobber, let me just say what you’re going to see soon will make you believe that almost anything is possible,” said Duncan with a mysterious half smile.
Will shrugged and didn’t press the matter any further. He knew the score, all would be revealed in due time and besides they could be under electronic surveillance which could be recording their conversation via a laser listening device.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:44 am

Consuela & Mike soon returned from the terminal and got everyone got into the vehicles. The little convoy pulled out of the carpark and onto the Victoria Highway, heading out of town. They soon crossed the diversion dam which was built in the early 1960’s to provide water for the irrigation scheme. Will looked out at the expanse of water on his left and the raging torrent of the released water flowing into the Ord River on his right. He noticed some people perched precariously rocks casting fishing lines into the turbulent water.
“So what’s the fishing here like Dunc?” he inquired as the river quickly disappeared from view.
“Yep, dam good at times. Those jokers down there are after Barramundi. The other day someone landed a 1.2 meter fish from that spot. The trouble with that spot is that the rocks are dammed slippery and the place is infested with crocs so one slip and chomp or you’ll be sucked under in the current and the crocs will slip chomp you later,” said Duncan cheerfully.
William gave a low whistle. “Crocs eh? Is it legal to hunt them?” he inquired.
“Nah, more’s the pity. They’re a protected species now even though their numbers are reaching plague proportions. However, if you go out hunting with some of the local indigenous fellas, they may let you bag one and not tell the rangers you shot a protected animal,” Duncan added with a sly grin. “Your best bet for some good sport though is feral pigs. Some of the razor backs can get to quite a decent size and they are fierce beasties that often require armour piercing rounds to bring down.”
“No shit?” exclaimed Mike from the back seat. Being an avid woodsman from West Virginia, he’d hoped to do a spot of hunting in the Kimberley and he wasn’t aware that crocodiles where on the off limits list but feral pigs where good sport indeed and he’d be doing the environment a favour by shooting a few of them as they were a pest species.
Duncan nodded. “Yep, no shit Mike. Although there are some aficionados that swear by using bow & arrow or hand guns only like .357 Magnums to make the hunting more thrilling,” he noted as he slowed down to take the turn off to a dirt track that just headed into the bush. “We’ll set up a 2 day hunting trip for after this little mission is all done with.”
Leaning forward from the back seat and asked Duncan, “Well then el Capitano, what’s this coffee and cake mission we’ve been dragged out here to lend our splendid talents for hm?”
“Teleportation,” said Duncan simply as the Toyota began to bounce about as it hit some corrugations on the track.
Both William and Mike laughed aloud for a moment but then stopped when they realised that Duncan wasn’t joking at all.
“Teleportation? No shit? The real deal, like Star Trek’s “beam me up Scotty’?” ask Will incredulously.
Duncan nodded as he concentrated on driving on the rough and bumpy track.
“Yep fellas, teleportation just like in Star Trek. I am proud to announce to you that thanks to Australian genius for invention, we are about to enter a new age of transportation and of course, I don’t need to spell out the potential military applications of this tech to you guys which is why this is blacker than black and beyond top secret,” he added cheerfully as he swerved to void hitting a monitor lizard which was sunning itself on the side of the track.
“A few years back, some bright sparks at ANU managed to successfully teleport a particle across a room. Now most people said wow, very neat and that was that but these physicists keep on with their experiments and had reached a stage when they were actually successfully beaming a few grams of raw materials across the lab. Then a weird little accident happened which almost derailed the project but it seemed to inspire one of the people working on, a really intelligent young lady who soon came up with a way to expand the field and increase the distance and amount that could be transported via the teleportation field. Her name is Sally Hollingsworth and she is the brains behind quite possibly the greatest scientific achievement humanity has seen since the splitting of the atom,” explained Duncan to his stunned companions.
“So….teleportation…it’s real…we can do this?” asked William slowly, still trying to mentally digest the concept and the enormous implications this technology held for humanity.
“Yep old son, its bona fide and all honky dory.” Duncan affirmed with a smile to his old friend.
“So what in gods name do you need my team here for if it works? Surely you’ve got even of your own troops to conduct these tests?” William wondered what in the hell was going on now? Black operations plus ultra top secret technology that represented quite probably the ultimate in weapons delivery technology. No more airforce would be needed anymore. Want to drop a bomb? Just beam it to the target and boom! There was no defence against that. Want to insert a special ops team into a highly defended site, sure no problem. Just name the place and hey presto, instant insertion. He shook his head, staggered by the implications of what he had just learned.
“In answer to your question me old mate, what you are needed for is partnership. Who do you think bank rolled this in the first place? The Australian Taxpayer? No chance! There was no way the Australian government could afford such a project and keep it secret. There were just too many leaks in the public service to entrust this to us unfortunately. So a special tri-partite agreement was reached. Uncle Sam stumped up the cash, Australia provided the initial technology plus the team who had done the initial ground work and Japan chipped in with their genius for electronics and engineering. So it’s going to be our three nations that end up ruling the world my friend!” Duncan laughed for a moment but grew serious again. “It is true, once we’ve perfected the technology, we’ll be able to lay down the law to anyone who pisses us off. Now I’m not normally in favour of being Dr Evil and wanting to rule the world but you fellas both know that the state of the planet is a bloody mess right now and I’d rather it be us that smack the rest of the world into shape for its own good rather than the Chinese, Indians or the Russians and god save us all from the French!”
William sat in silence while Duncan spoke. It’s all going to change he thought but will it lead a brave new world or would all go to hell and become a descent in to global war in which possibly billions may die? Only time would tell and he hoped that people who made the big decisions would make the rights ones.
“I know what you’re thinking mate and I share your concerns. This is a Pandora’s box of trouble the likes we’ve never seen yet it could represent a way to enforce a peace and like old Chairman Mao so quaintly put it, power comes through the barrel of a gun which happens to have been teleported into your living room with a mean son of a bitch behind the trigger.” Duncan mused philosophically. “Anyhow, I’ll fill you in on what we’re going to be doing so you can ignore the briefing session. Basically what the brass wants is an insertion test run. A twelve man squad with full load out plus a mobile mule platform will be beamed into the Blue Mountains where we will make our way through the bush towards Lucas Heights Nuclear facility, infiltrate the site and set demo charges and get out. Now we’ll be won’t be dodging any patrols because no one knows we’re coming but the idea is not be seen or our cover is blown.”
“Why not just beam straight into the site and deal with it there and then?” ask Mike as he rocked in the back seat due to the bumps on the track.
“Ahh you’ve hit on the one weak spot of the new technology. The teleportation field gets unstable around radiation sources. You can’t beam into an area where there is high level radio activity, nor can you beam out a nuclear weapon. It just doesn’t work. Something about the quantum state collapsing or some other science jargon which means bugger all to me. All I know is don’t beam nuclear material or get beamed into a radiation site. Oh, the other thing is that it’s a one way trip at the moment. You need a machine at both ends to make a return journey. So it’s not quite beam me outta here Scotty,” Duncan added with a wry grin. “Anyway, relax lads and enjoy this. I specifically lobbied to have your team on this Will, sorta like giving your lot a working holiday. I mean how often do you get to make history and have fun at the same time?” Duncan laughed affably and switched on the cars stereo as he piloted the vehicle through the blood red dirt that characterised this part of the Kimberley.

* I realise that so far we haven't seen any drow yet but bear with me here folks, all will be revealed soon enough

*

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:02 am

After a couple hours on the bumpy track, Duncan slowed the vehicle down to a stop.
In the distance, was a huge mountain that appeared to have been cut in half. The other Toyota pulled up behind them in a cloud of red dust. As if out of nowhere, figures in desert camouflage sprang out from concealed positions in the ground and surrounded the vehicles, weapons at the ready. A figure approached the driver’s side of Duncan’s Toyota. Duncan opened the window.
“Bluey you old bastard! I was wondering when you where going to show up! For a minute there I thought you were off trying to hump sheep again,” quipped Duncan with a cheeky grin.
“And g’day to you too Captain Wilson,” replied Bluey dryly. “I see you have got the final part of the team.” He looked inside the vehicle at Will and Mike and compared them to photos that he had on a small clipboard. The process was being repeated in the vehicle behind them. “Alright, you’re cleared to go through. The brass hats are waiting for you so don’t dawdle on sight seeing trips Captain Wilson.”
“No worries old sport, we’ll be at the site in 45 minutes. I’m sure they already know that anyway.” Duncan nodded with a smile as he shut the window and started the engine. With a roar of the engine and a spin of the wheels which kicked a cloud of choking dust, he took off at speed leaving Bluey and his guard detachment swearing at them in the swirling dust.
“I take it he’s not a friend of yours eh Dunc?” Will smirked as they barrelled down the dusty bumpy track.
“Oh Blueys alright but he’s one of those sorta blokes who walks around like he’s got a stick up his arse. A Dudley do right as you seppos would call that sort.”
“Ahh right…gotcha. We know the type right Mike?”
“That’s right Cap, tin soldiers who are best left guarding things like rocks. Pretty fuckers on a parade ground but that sort, especially officers, end up getting their men killed when the shit goes down,” said Mike grimly. “Military cemeteries are full of them and the good men they got killed before they had the decency to get shot.” Mike peered ahead at the looming mountain. “So Captain Wilson, what is this place then?”
“Ahh glad you asked Mike. It’s Argyle diamond mine or was till a few years ago. The mine was approaching the end of its viability. All the good diamonds had pretty much been mined out and they had started tunnelling underground to get at the rest of the lava pipe which the diamonds where in. The corporation though found that it wasn’t very profitable, lower quality diamonds where being pulled out and the costs kept going up. At the same time, the defence industry R&D division was looking for a secure site which it could establish to install the labs and such to build the worlds first large scale teleporter. This site proved to be the best. You see the mine gets its power from hydro-electricity. It’s also remote and easy to secure, it has all the infrastructure like accommodation and machine shops plus it was easy to swap over the regular work force to defence personal as most of them were contract based and they knew that the mine was going to shut down. So it was the best place to hide this project. To all those who look at it, it appears that it’s a diamond mine still in production. Hell, we even still lets tourists come on special guided tours to see the mine works and sell them diamonds and other crap. No one around here suspects a thing. The locals are happy because they think the mine is still running and generating income for the area,” said Duncan as they came off the dirt track onto paved road. He slowed down now and drove normally.
“I’m impressed Duncan, I really am. To pull something like this off without a major leak is impressive,” replied Will as he gazed out at the mine workings and machine sheds that they were rapidly approaching.
“That’s right. This is why we didn’t let the poms in on the deal. Their intelligence service is leakier than a sieve and is riddled with double agents and traitors and their government is as spineless as a jellyfish,” Duncan sneered contemptuously.
“Poms? Who are they?” asked Mike from the back seat.
“Poms are Brits, you know, tea drinkers, the English is what he means Mike,” noted Will.
“Yeah that lot of useless wankers. We know about the “special relationship” Uncle Sam has with Old mother England but it was decided that this technology was just too dangerous just let them into it because they simply can’t be trusted to keep the secret. Oh I’m sure once it’s been tested and proven, we’ll let them in on the act but we can’t afford to have the Russians, Chinese or anyone else, get a whiff of what we’re up to out here.”
Duncan slowed down and took turned left onto a side road which took them away from the main mine site towards some large non-descript buildings. He pulled up in front of a set of large metal double roller doors. Switching the engine off, he called out,
“Alright chaps, this is it. This building here is the place where dreams come true. We’re expected for a briefing at 1830 hours which is an hour or so away. So jut head over to the next building along where you’ll find the barracks and the mess. I’ve got to report in but Warrant Officer Mat Hales will show you and your team where to stow your kit and which rooms are yours.”
Will and Mike nodded as they got out of the dirt streaked four wheel-drive and stretched their legs. The second Toyota had also pulled up and its occupants where getting out and pulling their bags out from the back of vehicle. Duncan waved in their direction then strode off towards the double doors.
William’s team had gathered their gear and followed W.O Mat Hales towards the barracks area. They looked about, taking in the impressive sight of the mountain and mining operation. Heavy trucks rumbled nearby, still carrying ore off to be processed and maintaining the cover of the true nature of the facility here.
Pausing while Mat swiped a key card which opened a door, they noticed small security cameras tracking them as they waited. “Follow me folks,” Mat said with an easy smile as he waved them inside.
They followed him down a short corridor which ended a pair of sturdy fire doors. Opening them, the entered the mess hall. It was relatively empty yet they could smell the evening meal as it was cooking. There was still food available in bay maries and ice chests had platters of cold meats and cheese and fruit and next to that was a basket full of bread and crusty rolls.
“This way please. I’ll let you stow your gear first and hit the showers and then you can come back here and have some food. I can honestly say it’ll be some of the best you’ve ever had and if you stayed out here for any length of time, you’d be fighting your own private version of the battle of the bulge,” remark Mat as he lead them across the large mess hall to another pair of fire doors. Opening them, they walked down another corridor which had doors leading off to adjoining rooms. “Alright, the next four on your right are your rooms. Each one has its on bathroom. I’ll see you all at 1830 hours for the briefing.” Mat handed them a key card each and then went back down the corridor and into the mess hall.
“Well Captain, this has to be the weirdest assignment you’ve gotten us into,” remarked Lt. Consuela. Will regarded his second in command. He’d known her for two years since she’d joined the unit. She was a rare commodity in the US military as being one of the few female personnel which were sanctioned to go into combat. Her speciality came from her college background in electrical engineering and being pure Navajo and having excellent fieldcraft skills made her an invaluable asset to the team.
Squaring his shoulders and looking at his watch, “Ok marines, it is 1725 now. Hit the showers and get into BD’s and assemble in the mess hall for chow at 1740. Move out marines” William said quietly. They nodded and headed to their various rooms.

William looked up from his meal as Duncan approach the table which he and his team were seated at. Duncan had a small plate with a meat & salad roll and was now dressed in battle fatigues.
“Hows the tucker then guys? All good I hope?” He asked as he sat down with them and took a large bite of his roll.
“Sure beats the shit out of MRE’s and airplane food Captain,” replied Staff Sergeant Vince D’Amato happily. “I can’t believe you have 12 flavours of ice-cream here and the selection of the food is just awesome. Tell me, where do I sign to join the Australian Army?” The rest of the marines and Duncan laughed.
“Cripes, if we’d known all we had to do is put on a good spread of food to poach talent from the US Marine Corps then your ranks would be thinning out in rapid fashion I think Will,” joked Duncan.
“Duncan my friend, you tell me what sort of mess hall has fresh lobster, shrimp and Barramundi on its menu? My god man, there’s even mudcrab here! This ain’t a normal mess hall and don’t even think of trying to steal my marines you thieving bastard.” He looked down at the pile of seafood that he’d just wolfed down with relish. Consuela and Mike didn’t bother to speak as they were too busy cracking crab claws and sucking out the sweet juicy flesh inside. “I think we died and have gone to five star gastronomic heaven,” he said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. There were murmurs of ‘hell yeah’ and ‘dam right’ through full mouths.
“Excellent. Anyway, enjoy the rest of your dinner and take your time. Briefing has been put back to 1700 hours. By the way, I recommend the stick date pudding and custard. It’s simply amazing.” Duncan chewed away on his roll while Consuela’s eyes bulged at the thought of this fabulous desert.
“Gee Dunc, anyone would think you’re giving us the last meal of the condemned or fattening us up for the slaughter with all this fancy food,” remarked Will with a raised eyebrow as he regarded his old friend closely.
“Now would I do that to me old mate?” Duncan replied in hurt tones.
“Maybe not you but the brass hats have always seen us grunts as mere pawns on the chess board and pawns are always sacrificial,” Will rejoined insightfully. Duncan slowly nodded in agreement as he finished his roll.
“Alright gloomy, there you go again, always looking for clouds in every silver lining. You can look all you want in this gift horses mouth but you’re no gonna find anything that will make you doubt this is a god send of a mission for us,” said Duncan as he stood up and headed over to the desert section where he helped himself to a large serving of sticky date pudding and piled on the custard. Consuela followed him and helped herself to a less heroic portion of pudding and instead of custard, added whipped cream and some fresh fruit salad to her bowl then they both returned to the table.
“Your ass will be bigger than ever Leuitenant if you eat all that.” Mike West frowned as he watched her shovel the pudding away. Consuela gave him the finger in reply and carried on eating. “Well then, I can see that PT tomorrow at 0530 will have a few extra miles tagged onto it and I want us all to climb the mountain as well just to work off this meal,” said Mike eliciting a groan from Consuela and Vince. William just nodded in agreement. He wanted to climb that mountain too.
“Actually, you’d best set off at 0430 if you want to see the sunrise from the mountains peak. Takes about an hour to get up there if you follow the trail. My lot will come with you and so will the Japs. Be good for building a little team cohesion.” Duncan added between mouthfuls of pudding. “Ahh speaking of the sons and daughters of the rising sun, here they are,” he nodded in the direct of four Japanese military personnel that had just entered the mess hall.
The marines stood up and as William and Duncan walked over to the Japanese team. William gave Duncan a questioning look as he saw who was in charge of the Japanese team. A beautiful yet petite Japanese woman with long flowing jet black hair stood in front.
“Captain Jefferson, I’d like to introduce you to Major Mayumi Gyoto,” said Duncan formally. “Major Gyoto, this is Captain Jefferson of the US Marine Corps.”
“I believe we’ve met previously have we not Captain?” asked Mayumi with a fixed polite smile as they briefly shook hands. “Wasn’t it when you came on leave for a day with Duncan & myself?”
“Yes indeed it was major. I recall the time. Port Douglas in Queensland wasn’t it?” replied William with a hint of guardedness. It was the one time when an R&R weekend between Duncan and himself had crashed and burned. Duncan had started dating Mayumi two years ago, then just a Lt. herself as she was secondment to the RAAF and they’d fell for each other in a bad way. Duncan had suggested a weekend of diving and fishing on the Great Barrier Reef but had neglected to let Mayumi know that William would be joining them. She had been polite but it was obvious to all that William was the intruder to what she saw as a weekend for two. It got even worse when Duncan and Will had gotten drunk back in Port at a bar. She excused herself and went back to her hotel suite. Will excused himself as well and drove back to Cairns the next day while Duncan went back to the hotel and had an argument with Mayumi. Duncan and Mayumi lasted another year but the strain of a long distance relationship ended things between them with neither willing to end their career in the military.
“I’d like to introduce the rest of my squad to you Captain Jefferson. This is Captain Hiroshige Fujimori and this Lt. Kaori Hatamoto our medical officer and finally Lt. Junchiro Watanabe, signals officer.” Each bowed their heads briefly as they were introduced.
“Well then, I believe we all have an early start tomorrow if we are all going to climb the diamond mountain. See you in the briefing room gentlemen.” She smiled again and then lead her team off to collect plates and food for their meal.
“See you then,” Duncan said as he and William walked slowly back to their table.
“You never said Mayumi was on the mission!” whispered William to Duncan as they made their way back to the table. Duncan gave him a surprised look.
“Didn’t think it’d matter mate?” he replied with a slightly puzzled look. William sighed and said nothing further. Of course it would matter. It was perfectly obvious to him. For a start Mayumi was the ranking officer in the combined team thus she’d be in charge and William knew she didn’t really like him all that much even though he’d done nothing to offend her except get drunk with his friend.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:59 am

*If people wish to comment on this story, make suggestions or come up with something helpful, then post in the OOC forum under Moonlight Shadow feedback. Thanks

*

“Welcome everyone to tonight’s briefing. My name is Dr. Sally Hollingsworth leader of the quantum velocity project.” She looked hesitantly done on her notes which were loosely scattered on the lectern. She glanced up at the assembled men and women before her, blinking in the bright lights. Her inner voice spoke to her, calming her nerves and soothing her with the eternal song. She smiled slightly and launched into the briefing.
William studied Sally as she spoke at length on quantum theory. She was pretty in a bookish kind of way, wearing fairly ordinary looking glasses and it seemed she hadn’t really been paying attention to the latest trends in female fashion. He was though a little intrigued by the silver streak in her long blonde hair and she seemed to have a calm presence about her.
He had stopped trying to keep up with the science within the first few minutes of her talk. It was way above his basic understanding of physics and quickly looking about the room, he could see that many of the military personnel at the briefing were feeling just as lost as he was. He did notice that Mayumi was furiously typing away on her laptop and seemed to understand what Sally was explaining.
Duncan saw him looking about and winked and mimed a yawn. William smirked slightly. Seated in the row ahead of him where a number of high ranking officers, including a few generals. He recognised General Harry MacLean, one of the joint chiefs and next to him was airforce brigadier general Rick Anderson. There were also a few Australian generals and two Japanese high ranking officers as well as obvious civilian government officials who were there to no doubt report back to their political masters. His attention refocused on the briefing as he sensed it was drawing to a close.
“And so the test that is scheduled in two days time will test the full capability and range of the Teleporter by beaming the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol over 3000 kilometres to the desired target area 50 kilometres west of Lucas Heights Nuclear Facility. By using a satellite relay and conventional point to point microwave directional finding, we will be able to have the patrol arrive exactly in the target area in complete safety. I’ll hand over now to Major Mayumi Gyoto of the Japanese defence force to outline the tactical mission and data collection of the test. Thank you all.” She smiled shyly as the audience applauded politely and quickly left the lectern and made her way out of the briefing room. William & Duncan noted her departure and then refocused on listening to Mayumi’s briefing.
Mayumi quickly relayed the very sparse mission brief which had been set up as a test of the Teleporter. All the team had to do was move 50 kilometres undetected and infiltrate the facility and plant the explosives and leave without a trace. Of course the explosives would be on safety and not set to detonate. Just another mindless drill cooked up by high level staff officers who thought that sending in a cobbled together special forces team into a Nuclear Facility was a good test.
The mission was expected to run for between 3 and seven days and they would be making cold camp and also testing how useful the “mule” would be. She had personally though it would be rather pointless as soon as they encountered any difficult terrain, it’d be incapable of traversing it. Also, LRRP’s relied on speed and stealth and not using a remote control device to guide a half ton machine through rough terrain. She quickly wrapped up the mission briefing as there was really not much to add. She bowed politely to the audience and left the lectern, her eyes briefly catching Duncans as she walked towards her chair. She felt a slight emotional pang as he smiled his raffish grin at her. Not good she thought to herself, be professional, be strong, it’s over and will stay that way.

With the briefing concluded, the gathered members of the military and civilians wandered over to the refreshments table and helped themselves to tea & coffee and proceeded to talk shop in little groups. William spoke with General MacLean.
“I agree sir, this could be the most amazing development in military technology,” he affirmed politely as the General raved about the potential.
“My god Captain! When I first heard of this, I thought those technical geeks where blowing smoke up my ass but I’ve seen a demonstration of it and I can’t wait to see this field test confirm that it’s more than just safe, that its praticle and we can beam in whole platoons right into the enemies backyard. Jesus tap dancing Christ! I just can’t wait to be able to launch a few ops into Pakistan so we can go after those fuckers across the border. The Paki’s won’t know what the fuck is going on but they’ll know that the shit has hit the fan when the bodies of those rag-head scum-bag Taliban start to stink up the place,” crowed the general with evil glee. He positively radiated savage delight at the prospect of being able to instantly beam his troops into dangerous places and let his warriors mete out death to the enemies of the United States.
“The President is going to shit gold bricks when he hears that the operation has been a complete success. Captain, just don’t fuck this up. Run this by the book. I want this one to go by the numbers and I want it to be fucking shiney, d’ye hear me?”
“Loud and clear sir!” said Will with a nod.
“Excuse me General McLean, could I borrow Captain Jefferson for a moment as there are some small operational details we need to square away,” Duncan requested.
“Oh sure Captain Wilson, no problem. You guys do what ya have to and make this a winner and I’ll be the first to great ya all with cigars and whiskey at the end of the mission,” said General McLean happily as he waved them off and turned to speak with some of the other generals in the room.
Duncan and William strode out of the briefing room, opened a door and stepped out into the cool night air. The moon was rising, bathing the site in its pale luminescent glow. William looked up at the sky and sighed.
“Man that’s beautiful,” he said quietly. “Thanks for getting me away from old McLean. That old bastard should be a registered as a weapon of mass distraction ‘cause the fucker can be so boring.” They both chuckled as they wandered away from the main building. Duncan pulled out a silver hip flask and handed it to William. William unscrewed it and took a swig.
“Mmm… that’s good. Rum is it?”
“Yeah, local brew. Made with some of the worlds freshest water. Funnily enough it’s made by a yank who immigrated out here back in the 1970’s. He’s been slowly getting it right and now makes quite possibly the best rum in Australia.”
“I’ll drink to that,” smiled William as he took another swig of the sweet potent rum. He passed the rum back to Duncan who took a couple of quick drinks then recapped the flask and slipped it back into his pocket.
They climbs a small hillock that was behind the main building and sat on top, just staring off up at the glowing moon and the few stars that could be seen.
“I love it out here Will, I think this would be the country I’d want to retire too. Great fishing, clean environment and no one trying to kill you,” said Duncan eventually.
William turned to his friend and laughingly asked, “You getting sentimental on me in your old age hmm?”
Duncan gave a small rueful chuckle. “Nah mate, just thinking aloud is all. I suppose its also having Mayumi around which is messing with my head. I’m so glad that this mission isn’t going into the shit zone else I’d seriously be thinking of taking myself off the roster. But it’ll be a doddle, 3 days we’ll wander through some bush, cold camping and then we’ll be at Lucas Heights, wait till nightfall and sneak in, set the timers and be out in 10 minutes. Then we’ll radio in the success code and 3 blackhawks will swoop in and evac us to Sydney where we’ll have hot showers and hot food, debrief and some decent food and a rum or three,” he added with another laugh. “Come on old sport, time for us to get back and get some sleep.”
“I hear you.” William yawned. The rum and the days travel had finally caught up with him. They made their way back to the barracks building of the facility.
“See ya at 0430 mate.” Duncan waved and wandered off to his quarters.
He turned the key to his room but found the door was open. He stepped inside and found Mayumi sitting on his bed waiting for him.
“Hello Duncan, I’m sorry to break into your room but I just wanted to speak with you before we start training.”
“What do you want to talk about Mayumi? Haven’t we said everything already?”
She looked at the floor for a long moment then returned her gaze to his face.
“I suppose so. I just wanted to make sure that there would be no problems between us that may compromise this mission.” She sighed as she stood up and started to walk towards the door.
“There will be no problems Mayumi-chan, I’ll follow your orders and we’ll get the job done,” he replied gently. He started to reach towards her but stoped and withdrew his hand. She saw the stalled gesture and for a moment thought about taking his hand and to hell with the consequences but she swallowed her feelings and instead opened the door. “Goodnight Captain Wilson, I’ll see you with your team at the base of the mountain at 0430.” Duncan just nodded once and closed the door as she left.

The next two days went past in a blur. The mountain race had proved to be a tough little challenge with Staff Sergeant Vince D’Amato winning the race. The combined team had enjoyed the sight of the sun rising over the Kimberley landscape from top the diamond mountain. Vince had pocketed a rock as a souvenir. He said it would be his good luck charm.
The rest of the two days had been filled with familiarisation of team procedures, equipment and the motorised mule which would carry their supplies. Gunnery Sergant Mike West said it looked like a piece of reject stage props from the set of StarGate. A frowning and miffed technician tersely replied that it was indeed based on the device used in the TV show much to Mikes great amusement. The evenings were briefings again, going over the effects of the Teleport device and map references being logged into the teams laptop computer.

[url=http://www.eilistraee.com//forums/viewt ... 2:3uft2z7d][color=blue:3uft2z7d]Link to OOC comments thread[/color:3uft2z7d][/size:3uft2z7d][/url:3uft2z7d]

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:35 am

Major Mayumi Gyoto waited outside for the rest of her team to assemble. She heard someone approach and turned to see her friend, Dr Sally Hollingsworth, walking towards her. Her silvery hair seemed to almost glow in moonlight. She smiled at Mayumi.
“Good evening Major Gyoto, how are you this tonight?”
“I am well thank you Dr Hollingsworth,” Mayumi replied with a polite short bow.
“Please call me Sally, I always find the name Dr Hollingsworth such a stuffy title.” Sally laughed slightly and stared up at the moon lit night sky. “Such a wonderful sight isn’t it? I always feel at peace when I am under her gaze.”
“Her?” Mayumi frowned slightly.
“Oh I mean the moon. She was revered long ago as a goddess you know, watching down on us at night. Her faith has long since faded from the world but I think on a night like this, when something special is in the air, it is nice to think that she is watching over us, that she cares for us.”
“Ahh so desu. I understand. My mother used to tell me stories about the moon when I was a small child,” Mayumi reflected fondly. “There was something always magical in the way she would weave these tales that her grandmother had taught her. Mother used to say the stories went back many generations but never knew how far back.
In one of the tales, the lady of the moon, on nights like this, would come down to earth and dance alone in the woods beneath the mountains. Those that saw her would forever be in love with her.”
“Maybe she did do that many years ago. I’d like to believe that,” reflected Sally as she continued to gaze at the glowing gibbous moon. “I know I’m a rational scientist but there is a part of me that want there to be something magical, something that is greater than the sum of our understanding. Maybe one day we’ll find it.”
“Indeed Sally, I agree. The world today is a hollow place filled with violence and mistrust and hate.”
Sally turned to look at Mayumi. “Please forgive me but I find that a little strange coming from you, after all, you are a solider trained to kill. You volunteered for the life.”
“Ah that is so but I can say that almost all soldiers do not love war and I only serve for love of my homeland, to be there in times of need and not to be the aggressor.”
“Yet this test tonight, if successful will no doubt lead to more human suffering. I had so hoped that when we had made this wonderful discovery that we would be ushering a new age of instantaneous transportation which would reduce pollution and the use of fossil fuels. Yet my dream is being turned into a nightmare by men who only see it as a way to kill other people,” she sighed sadly. “I stayed involved in the project because I thought I could make a difference, perhaps persuade those who would turn it into a weapon that instead it could be a way to bring people together.”
Mayumi nodded as she listened to Sally. She could see that Sally was unhappy with the direction her discovery was going in.
“Sally, All I can say is that we must do what we believe is right for ourselves and for others. We should try to be a force for good in the world and if possible persuade others to share our views.”
Sally nodded slowly then closed her eyes for a moment. A subtle change swept over her face. Sally looked up back with shining eyes at Mayumi who was staring back at her with a concerned look as she hadn’t seen Sally like this before. Sally reached out and took Mayumi's hand gently and spoke in a voice which sounded quite different, almost ethereal.
“Mayumi Gyoto, you are a good woman and I have enjoyed your friendship and kindness over the past year. Tonight will see the beginning of a change for the world, a change for the better. Change is always frightening but I know you won’t be afraid for I will be with you while you undertake this long journey.” Mayumi felt Sally’s hand grow warm in hers and blinked in mild confusion as she thought she could hear the sound of a woman singing off in the distance.
“Sally…what’s goings on? Are you alright?” Apprehension lined her face as she searched her friends face for signs of disquiet but only saw a calm serene smile as Sally continued to speak.
“I have not told you everything Mayumi Gyoto but tonight will be unlike any other previous test you’ve undertaken here. Your team will need your insight and your calmness to guide them. You must also let go of your attachments and fears and all the other attitudes that cause you pain and discomfort for they will be the weakness your enemy will use against you. Duncan and William will be there to protect you but they have their own destinies which they must follow. I wish I could tell you more but it would not help you understand any better. Just know that I will be with you always.”
Mayumi gawked at her friend and was just about to ask if Sally had been drinking when a shout rang across from the large building where the Teleport device was.
“Major Gyoto! The team is assembled and ready to begin the final briefing.”
Startled, Mayumi dropped Sally’s hand and turned to see Captain Hiroshige Fujimori striding towards her. The pommel of his Samurai sword jutted from behind his left shoulder, its golden tipped hilt glinted in the moonlight. Mayumi always thought it was ostentatious and unnecessary, a throw back to the bad old days of Japanese militarism. She looked him over professionally as he approached. He was dressed in camouflage fatigues and came to attention as he halted a few paces away from Sally and Mayumi.
Mayumi looked back at Sally who was now staring back at the moon. “Sally?”
“Yes Mayumi? Oh, are we ready to start the mission? Ahh hello Captain Fujimori, I didn’t notice you standing there,” she smiled apologetically as she spoke in her regular voice. Mayumi stared back at Sally with a puzzled look and then shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“We are ready Captain. Let’s go inside.”
Captain Fujimori curtly nodded then turned on his heel and marched back towards the main entrance. Mayumi watched as he strode off towards the open massive double doors, the light from inside the building spilling out illuminating the parking lot and reflected off the various vehicles which resided there.
“Is everything alright Major?” Sally asked. Mayumi blinked and hesitated, uncertain as to what to say. Shaking her head she started to walk back to the main building.
“No Sally, everything is fine. Come my friend, lets go and make some history.” Sally smiled and stole one last glance at the huge silver disc in the sky and listened to the ever present gentle song that continued in her mind.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:52 am

William rechecked his gear for the final time. He thought going out fully equipped with live ammunition in a friendly country was insane however two of the previous tests on transporting had shown that the ammunition alone didn’t always seem to be “live” once it had been beamed to the target site. No one could come up with a viable explanation so it was decided to send a fully equipped team through and for them to test fire their weapons at a rifle range after their LRRP was complete. He slid a clip into his IMI Desert Eagle but did not chamber a round. Holstering his pistol, he checked his backup, a Glock 18 9mm.
Mike West was also going through the final process of chambering rounds into his spare clips for his old Colt 1911 .45 ACP. A family heirloom since WWI that had seen service in all the major conflicts that the United States had been involved in, it was almost a piece of Marine Corp history. He tucked the .45 into his shoulder holster and then picked up his M249 squad support weapon. He held the light machine gun easily and adjusted the shoulder-strap. Consuela and Vince helped each other adjust straps and tighten them to ensure the load of the pack was distributed evenly. They both picked up their M4’s, snapped clips into them and shouldered their weapons. They stood ready as William looked them over.
“Ready Marines?”
“Hoo-rah! Semper Fi! Locked & loaded sir!” they barked out in unison.
“Let’s roll,” he said quietly and led them out into the main staging area where the device was set up.
Captain Duncan Wilson stood next to his team who were all geared up and had just finished applying their camouflage face-paint. His helmet was cocked at a jaunty angle and he gave William a thumbs up as the marines approached.
“Ahh glad to see you could make it old chap. We were beginning to wonder if a search party would be needed to locate you but then we heard all that marine chest thumping and knew you were all just getting over your stage fright,” he quipped with a raffish cheeky smile.
Consuela gave him the finger with a sweet smile while the rest of the marines just laughed.
“Aww lay off the seppos Captain. You know they’ll only get narky if you stir ‘em up and I don’t want to be looking for scorpions in my sleeping bag,” Lt. Gavin Sanderson chipped in. Being Duncan’s second in command was both a blessing and a curse according to Gavin. Duncan was a great leader and a brilliant soldier but his sense of humour often bounced back, often collecting those near him in the repercussions. “I just want to get through this walk in the woods without any of your shenanigans and be on Bondi beach in 7 days time laying back drinking cold beer.”
“Dam right Gavin, you know that’s the plan,” affirmed Vince as Mike nodded in agreement.
Duncan just grinned and turned on his heel and wandered over to where the technicians were prepping the mule. Warrant Officer Harry Nichols was testing the batteries for the remote control and added a few extras into his pockets. The mule was equipped with deployable solar panels so it could re-power itself and some of the other electronic devices the team would be tacking like the GPS, laptop and the night-vision goggles and laser sights. Inside the mule was packed with extra ammunition for the teams small arms, various types of grenades, explosives like claymore mines and four 60mm LAW anti tank rockets. Ration packs plus 120 litres of water completed the load out. Harry winked at Duncan and the technicians snapped the hatches closed. Duncan nodded slightly in reply. His attention was diverted by the call over the loudspeaker.
“Alpha team, please proceed to the Teleport device. All personnel, standby for stage one of power up. All non essential personnel please evacuate the main testing area.”
Duncan saw Mayumi lead her team over to where the others had gathered. Time to get all formal he thought as he adjusted the shoulder strap of his M-14 sniper rifle.
He strode over to where Mayumi had halted and snapped off a formal salute.
“Captain Wilson and team all present and correct sir.”
“Captain Jefferson and team are ready to go.” William saluted Mayumi while his and Duncan’s soldiers stood to attention. Mayumi returned their salutes. Behind her stood the rest of her team, all dressed in camouflage fatigues, weapons holstered.
She nodded briefly as she quickly glanced over the assembled combined teams.
“Good. Everything is all prepared and you are all ready. Let us not delay any further with false bravado speeches.”
Without anything further to say she marched over to the centre of the huge space where the Teleport device was sited with the rest of the team following close behind her. It was a large circular platform measuring some 5 metres in diameter. Around the circumference and evenly spaced every 2 meters were large copper columns all wrapped in wiring making the device look like something out of a bad science fiction movie. The mule had already been driven up the ramp and was standing in the middle of the platform. Duncan looked about at the various technicians who were making their final adjustments to the many devices that were connected to the intricate machine. A tinny tangy scent of ozone permeated the air around the platform and the soldiers could feel the hair raising prescense of static electricity. Tiny blue spark flashed about the mule and their equipment, making them feel edgy and a little nervous.
“Alright, no one piss your pants! High electrical hazards are present,” quipped Lt. Junchiro Watanabe with a nervous grin. That elicited a small laugh from the rest of the team as they stood about waiting.
“All personel stand clear of the main platform. Powering up to stage two will commence in 1 minute. Will Alpha team please don their protective goggles and earplugs now,” came the announcement of the PA system.
They quickly donned heavily tinted flash proof wielding goggles and inserted foam earplugs quickly. The tension rose along with the increasing pitch of the device as it slowly powered up.
“Stage three is about to commence. Open the hanger roof doors and increase to full power.”
The copper columns sparked into life and the air around them grew thick and wavy. Above the platform, the ceiling split apart and the cold night air spilled into the large chamber. The doors quickly finished opening revealing the brilliantly moon light night sky.
Duncan felt the fillings in some of his back teeth begin to ache, as though he was chewing on tin foil. He stoically endured the mild discomfort and looked about without really being able to see too much through the dark goggles.
“Stage four in one minute. Increase power to 90%. “
Sally heard the song grew louder in her head as she sat in her chair observing the device charge up to full power. Her computer displayed all the multitude of readings from the many sensors and scanners that recorded every detail of the process. She felt relaxed, at peace. As if in a dream she saw herself reach up and begin to make alterations to the program which controlled the device. She was not worried as she had already surrendered herself to the will of the goddess all those years ago, and had done so willingly once she understood what the plan was. She smiled serenely, letting Eilistraee take control of her body. Her hands began to fly over the keyboard and her body began to glow in an unearthly white luminescence.
“Stage five in one…hang on…I’m reading elevated power fluctuations on my screen. Begin the abort process….what?...power readings beyond 110 percent and climbing? Shut it down! I don’t care how you do it just shut it down? What the fuck is going on? What is that sound?” Confused babble rang out over the PA system.
Duncan felted time begin to slow down. Around him the team were beginning to show signs of the increasing pain they felt. They could barely hear or see anything but they felt as though ants were crawling under their skins. He felt a wordless groan of pure agony building within yet he could not release it as his jaw was clenched tight, biting down on his teeth. He swore he could hear a female ethereal voice in almost deafening triumphant song.
Then the whole platform exploded in a massive flash of blinding white light.

- [i:iw5hbaqc]discontinuity[/i:iw5hbaqc] –

[i:iw5hbaqc]A sensation of weightlessness and feeling disembodied as though floating in air, as though dreaming while being awake. [/i:iw5hbaqc]

Gravity took hold and down fell Duncan, William and the others onto a soft leaf covered forest floor. They lay about stunned for a few moments trying to get their limbs and brains to work again. Slowly and painfully, one by one they managed to struggle to their feet. Casting off the dark goggles, Duncan stumbled forward to lean against the mule which had managed not to tip over in the landing. He took in a huge gulp of air and worked his jaws, trying to get his ears to pop and equalise the pressure.
He looked about. William was on his knees removing his earplugs. Mayumi was leaning over retching as was Vince and Harry. Mike West and Junchiro still looked stunned and were wobbly on their feet. Hiroshige was helping Kaori to her feet. Consuela had also managed to get to the mule and had uncorked her canteen and was splashing water on her face. Gavin and Mat were up and about seeming no worse for wear at all. Duncan pulled the ear plugs out and took another deep breath. His heart rate had returned to normal.
“Is everyone alright?” asked Lt Kaori as she began to open her medical kit.
Captain Hiroshige gave her a curt glance and spoke in a low harsh whisper, “Quiet Leiutenant, we’re on operational duty now!”
She bowed her head in apology, her cheeks red with embarrassment at her gaff.
“It’s alight Captain, we’re miles from anywhere and the amount of noise we would have made in getting here would be louder than Lt. Hatamoto’s voice,” said Mayumi as she wiped her mouth with a small cloth. She looked about, taking stock.
Lt. Junchiro winced as he was being helped to his feet. His left ankle was sprained, not badly but it ached. HE gritted his teeth and said nothing trying not to draw attention to himself.
Warrant Officer Harry Nichols eyed the surrounding forest warily. HE was an experienced outdoors man but he knew without a doubt that what he was standing in now was not Australian forest. It appeared to be more like a European forest, with Oak and Beech trees, not White gums and Marri eucalypts. The smells and sounds were different. The moon above shone brightly but the stars looked wrong. He walked over to where Duncan was standing and indicated silently for Duncan to speak with him quietly.
“Captain, I think we’re not in the Blue Mountains. In fact I think we’re definitely not on target at all.”
“I know, something is off about this. I think this mission is a bust. We aren’t in Australian bush at all, maybe a New Zealand forest perhaps? Who’d have thought the targeting would have fucked up so badly eh?” Duncan muttered tersely in reply.
“Get out the GPS and see where the fuck we are.”
“Duncan, what the hell is going on? That whole trip was a mind fuck and a half!” William said darkly as he took in the alien forest about them all. Mayumi came over to where Duncan, William and Mat were standing, trying to get a signal on the GPS.
“Whats wrong with the GPS?” she inquired.
“Can’t get a signal from the satellite,” Mat replied absently as he struggled with the settings on the GPS. “The bloody thing is working it’s just not receiving any signal!”
“That can’t be right? That GPS is linked in SATNAV Globestar. The only reason you can’t get a signal is if the all the satellites where destroyed or you were 100 metres below ground. It must have got fried in the jump,” William theorised as he pulled out his own GPS unit and switched it on. He frowned as it vainly tried to lock onto a signal.
Mayumi felt a sense of dread, her first time in command and the mission was a failure. Even if it was not her fault, the stain on her record would always be there.
“I shall call up Command & Control and break radio silence as we are not on target,” she announced reluctantly. Captain Hiroshige Fujimori started to protest but gave up when he saw William and Duncan agree to Mayumi’s course of action. He felt cheated that she was giving in so easily however lost they may be. Mayumi got out the shortwave radio and started to send out a coded signal. She waited for a response. Nothing came. She sent the signal again. Still no reply. Her sense of frustration was building. “I can get no signal out either. Your summation was correct Warrant Officer, the jump has scrambled all out communications equipment.” She replaced the radio back in its pouch with a sigh.
“It’s another SNAFU!” griped Staff Sergeant Vince D’Amato sourly as he stood next to Lt Gavin Sanderson and Sergeant Mat Hales. “Typical FUBAR alright!”
“Hey, shush everyone. I hear something,” said Lt Consuela as she held her hand up as she called for silence. Everyone stopped immediately.
A soft wind rustled through trees and then ever so faintly, the sound of music could be heard. They stood listening, straining to hear this unusual sound.
After a few minutes Mayumi spoke quietly, “Alright, I think we should at least check out who is making that music. Maybe the people who are nearby will have working telecommunications.”
“I’ll scout ahead, we may not be in a friendly country Major. I’m buggered if I know where we are but we’re not in Australia anymore,” replied Duncan as he unslung his M-14 and switched on his electronic listening aid. HE fished out his night vision goggles and clipped them onto his helmet. Switching them on, he waited for a moment until his eyes grew accustomed to the green lit screen.
“Very well, please scout ahead Captain Wilson, the rest of the team assume patrol formation and maintain silence,” ordered Mayumi quietly.
Duncan moved ahead without a sound while the others quickly prepared themselves.
He moved quickly but quietly, honing in on the direction from which the music seemed to be coming from. Moving through the lush forest, he carefully scanned ahead, pausing for long moments before moving forward. The sound of the music grew louder and was emanating from behind a small ridge which rose up sharply in the forest ahead of him. Boulders and rocks jutted out from the ground. Patiently he searched the area with his night vision but saw nothing ahead but trees and rocks.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:07 am

:edit - most of this passage has been reworked -

Quietly as possible, Duncan stealthily climbed up the crest of the stony, tree lined ridge. As he grew closer to the top the sounds emanating from the other side increased in volume. Must be some sort of weird hippy festival he thought briefly as he listened to the ethereal music playing. Tiger crawling forward, he snaked his way to the bole of a large tree which crested the rise of the ridge. Looking down, he saw that the reverse side of the ridge fell gently away from him and opened up into a large open glade surrounded by dense forest. A huge bonfire blazed at the centre of the glade and he could see figures whirling and dancing around the fire. The brightness of the fire interfered somewhat with his NV goggles so he removed them and looked down the Optical sights of his M-14.

“Well fuck me!” he breathed quietly in astonishment. Naked lithe dark skinned female figures danced and whirled with surreal grace around the bonfire much to his amazement. He’d seen many odd things in his life but nothing more fantastic as the scene below. In stunned incredulity, he broke radio silence in a bemused whisper.

“Unhh…Major…guys…I think we’ve ‘ported near some sort of weird geek dance party. You have got to come see this to believe it. There’s at least 30 or more really hot naked women almost all dancing around this massive bonfire, all very pagan. They appear to be in some sort of make-up as they almost all have dark skin and long flowing silvery hair. My guess is that it’s a bunch of role playing geeks having a live action role playing party or something ‘cause all these girls are wearing pointy elf ears. Look, you’d best all double time upto the ridge and see for yourselves.”

“Copy that Captain, we’ll follow your signal and find you and this party. Maybe they’ll be able to tell us where we are and give us a drink as well? Mayumi out,” Mayumi replied in a questioning tone. Shouldering her equipment and weapons she turned to the rest of the team who were getting ready to move out.
“Alright everyone, Duncan thinks he’s found what appears to some sort of role players dance party going on over a small ridge ahead. Let double time to see what he’s found and hope these geeks aren’t all whacked out on ecstasy or freak out when we pop out of the bush.” That got a chuckle from a few of the team as they jogged off towards the ridge.

Duncan lay on the soft loam of the forest floor completely transfixed by the sight below him. The make-up and prosthetics are first rate as those elf ears looked absolutely real he thought to himself. All the girls who were dancing carried what appeared to be a longsword and he watched as they moved with unnatural elegance and poise. He’d seen ballet before but these women were simply beyond anything like he’d seen before. Seven female musicians sat off to the side of the glade playing a number of instruments, flute, harp plus a two drums and a couple of stringed guitar like things he couldn’t quite identify. Most of the band looked normal, although the two women playing the odd guitars seemed to belong to the elf ears bunch and again, all the girls were nude. HE began to notice now that a few of the dancers although dark skinned didn’t have elf ears. Mustn’t have been able to afford the prosthetics he pondered as he scanned the dancers through his telescopic sight. HE took out one of his ear pieces so he could hear the music better. It was really beautiful he thought, a soothing haunting melancholy melody that had quite an energetic rhythm behind it.

As he observed the dancers, one of the “elf girls” caught his eye. All of them were beautiful but she had a quality that made his breath catch in his throat. She danced with fluid grace and her smile shone out as she whirled and leaped around the bonfire with the rest of the dancers. My god he thought, what a stunner! Her svelte athletic body was flawless, her breasts small but perfect and her hair, long and silvery flowed down halfway her back. He turned as he heard the sound of the rest of the team making their way carefully up towards where Duncan was positioned on the crest of the ridge.

“Hot DAM!” William quietly exclaimed as he stared down incredulously into the glade. The rest of the team had stopped and were all gob smacked by the sight below them. He watched admiringly at the gorgeous nude forms through his sights and the rest of the men in his squad grinned appreciatively at this free display of female flesh. Consuela rolled her eyes at the blatant ogling but was still intrigued by what was going on in the glade. They are so beautiful she thought and she felt as though she should be down there dancing with them.

“I thought you were exaggerating Duncan but I stand corrected. You have indeed found a LARP dance party in full swing,” said Mayumi as she watched the dancers through her binoculars. “I can’t understand their need to delve so deeply into fantasy though? Why put on elf ears?” She shook her head with a degree of dismay. “Anyway, everyone deploy along the ridge. Once this lot have finished their little party, I’ll go down and try to find out where on earth we have been Teleported to.” Mayumi slithered across the ridge, keeping low as the others moved into positions which could afford them the best view. Captain Hiroshige Fujimori grinned leeringly at her as she past by him. Pig she muttered under her breath. Hiro was a typical Japanese male, always stuck in the rigidity of his male culture and completely sexist when it came to women. She really loathed the way she saw him leering at women, undressing them with his eyes. She’d managed to avoid being groped by him only because she was his superior officer and she knew that rankled him immensely, having to salute and obey a woman. She smiled secretly to herself at that thought of making Hiro’s life as hard as she could.

Just as she was sliding into position, Mayumi suddenly felt uneasy. Her sense of imminent danger rose alarmingly and a feeling of dread welled within her. She felt as though something was trying to warn her, like a voice in her mind crying out from a vast distance to be on her guard. Pulling on her NV goggles, she scanned beyond the glade and zoomed into the tree line past the dancers. At first she saw nothing. Then, deep in the forest but moving forward carefully, she saw signs of movement. A large number of figures were stealthily approaching the glade. She increased the magnification to its maximum and could make out that the figures were wearing armour. Most were huge hulking brutes carry an assortment of hand held weapons had their faces obscured by helms and here and there amongst the large figures where smaller lithe figures in almost invisible gear. The only way she could see them was because they moved, thus made an absence of light which her Night Vision goggles registered. She lost count quickly as to their numbers but guessed it was over a hundred.

“Heads up team, there is movement beyond the tree line. Something is about to happen. I estimate over a hundred individuals approaching,” she quietly radioed to the team.
“Maybe it’s the rest of the nerds come to join the party,” mocked Hiro.
“Probably they got too stoned out in the woods and have only no finally managed to get to where they’re supposed to be,” chuckled Master Sergeant Mike West as he scanned the tree line with his scope.

Mayumi looked long and hard out into the forest, her sense of disquiet and alarm rising every moment she sat there. Something was not right about this whole scenario. If the new comers were going t join the dancers and party on, why were they moving with such care and stealth? And that voice in her head, she couldn’t shake it. Must be the stress of the teleporting and the mission going all haywire she grimaced.
“Duncan, get further forward if you can. I want you to see if you can ID the newcomers from close up.”

“Okey dokey.” Slithering forward and down the ridge, Duncan snuck carefully towards the edge of the glade. Moving up behind the base of a large tree, he saw that he could quickly get up onto one of its lower branches without being noticed. He quickly clambered up the tree and slid along the main branch. Gingerly and carefully he unslung his M-14 and peered down the scope and scanned across the glade. He quickly spotted a number of the large armoured figures crouching low about 100 feet from the edge of the clearing, clutching their weapons in their brawny hands. This looks very iffy indeed he thought. Those weapons look real enough so this doesn’t quite look like a role playing dance party anymore. What the hell was going on? He could see that the dancers were still in full swing, leaping and twirling with no indication that they knew that they were being watched now by two groups.

The voice in Mayumis head was louder now, urging her to act, to warn the women below of the danger that was just moments away but she couldn’t trust herself. I’m going insane she thought wonderingly. It must be the after effects of the transport. She shook her head, trying to ignore the voice and the song that was growing in intensity. She focused on the clearing and the tree line beyond, watching through her NV goggles for signs of movement. Scanning the assembled figures, she noticed that one of the smaller ones suddenly became visible and began to make signalling gestures. She quickly zoomed in of the figure and saw that it was a petite woman, very much like the ones dancing. Her face was fine boned, her skin a dark hue and as Mayumi studied her, the figure slowly stopped gesturing and turned to stare right back at her. Mayumi felt a chill as she gazed at a dark skinned woman with a hauntingly beautiful face with pale red luminescent eyes that glared back directly at her with pure malice. Mayumi shivered as she could almost feel the palpable hatred emanating from this evil looking woman clad in glistening black plated armour. With a cruel mockery of a smile directed at Mayumi, the dark elven woman suddenly shouted out something harsh and gestured forward to those about her in a flick of her arm. The dancers below faltered in their movements but the music continued playing.

An instant later, a guttural blood chilling roar rose up from a myriad of voices at the forests edge as a hail of arrows whipped out of the tree line, falling like deadly rain amongst the dancers. Many of the arrows missed their mark as the dancers nimbly dodged and wove out of the way of the deadly shafts but some found struck home. The music abruptly stopped and screams of shock, outrage and anger sprang up from those women in the glade. Many of them women quickly began chanting and began what seemed to be a new sort of dance, whirling about in a blurring frenzy, their silvery blades arcing out and snapping the arrows out of the air whilst others seemed to almost fade from sight. The musicians sheltering at the far side of the glade began to play a rousing tune, lifting their voices to the chanting.

The voice in Mayumi’s mind drowned out her own thoughts and she suddenly felt like a passenger in her own body. She saw herself pull out her flare pistol and fire it into the sky whilst at the same time screaming in a voice that wasn’t quite her own, “Open fire, OPEN FIRE! Kill the l'puul orbb serisen!”
She then stood up and shouted in an unearthly voice to the women below in the glade, “Dalninin, inbau pholor l' eairthin lu' zexen'uma harl!” The rest of team gaped in shock momentarily but then training kicked in and they quickly selected targets through their scopes and sights and began to open fire. A deafening cacophony of gunfire rang out at 11 ultra modern automatic weapons spat out leaden death, their muzzle flashes lighting up the ridge in brief bursts of yellow fire.

Duncan saw the flare go up as he heard Mayumi shouting in some weird language and suddenly the remaining unhurt dancers and musicians looked momentarily stunned in their direction then instantly dove for the ground as a hail of gunfire erupted from the crest of the ridge. The clattering roar of gunfire from the ridge and heard the screams and shouts of the dancers in front of him. This wasn’t an act, this was real! He saw that at least 8 of the dancers were lying prone, their lovely bodies twisted in a rictus of agony having been pierced by arrows while the others who were unhurt dodged and weaved, avoiding the hail of missile fire. Huge figures leapt out from the tree line at a run, roaring inhumanly and swinging their weapons as they charged towards the dancers in the centre of the glade.

“Fuck it!” he muttered as he sighted the first large one out of the tree line and opened fire. The M-14 cracked loudly and the armoured figure he had targeted was stopped dead in it’s tracks as the armour piercing 7.62 full metal jacket round blew its head clean off. The headless corpse staggered forward a couple of more steps, blood fountaining from the neck before its knees buckled and it collapsed to the ground dead. Duncan calmly squeezed the trigger of his M-14 firing in semi automatic mode, carefully aiming as he began scything down the charging hulks with a rain of leaded death. He could hear Mike West on the M-249 and saw that Mike was hosing down a dozen of these bruisers in seconds. The Squad support weapons rounds were tearing huge wounds in the massive figures. They fell writhing to the ground, roaring and squealing in agony from the terrible gunshot wounds. The deafening roar of automatic gunfire was punctuated with the dull thump of under-slung grenade launchers being fired and were quickly followed by enormous flash bangs as the 40 mm grenades went off amongst the charging figures. Bodies were flung about like rag dolls, some being completely blown apart by the massive explosive force of the grenades. Gut wrenching howls and screams joined those who were already wounded.

*********

“By the goddess, defend yourselves!” screamed Hallesia as the arrows hissed in around the faithful. Screams and moans of pain emanated from her companions who’d been hit. She started to weave and spin in a graceful economy of movement, dodging arrows as they sliced in her direction. Her surviving sisters danced defensively, whirling and leaping out of the path of the incoming shafts while at the same time lifting their voices in prayerful song of defensive harmony. The bards had ceased playing the song of celebration and had started a battle hymn when they heard a powerful female voice shouting from the top of the ridge behind them. The first words were incomprehensible but soon they resolved in language they understood, “Sisters, get on the ground and stay below!” They blinked for an instant in confusion but the voice had such a compelling force that overrode any hesitation and they dove for the ground. An instantly later they were deafened as the ridge line erupted with a terrible noise and flashes. They screamed in confusion at this awful sound, pressing their hands over their ears to block out the roar and clatter of whatever was up on the crest of the ridge. Hallesia shifted to look behind her as the attackers charged forth from the trees and stepped into an invisible curtain of death. She lay there stunned as she watched massive armoured Orog warriors bodies being punctured by seemingly invisible missiles. The wounds being inflicted were appalling to behold. She watched in horror as great gaping bloody holes appeared in the chests and heads of her attackers. Then a new terrifying dimension was added as frightful explosions went off amongst the panicking and dying Orogs. The concussion and force of the blasts made her ears pop painfully and left her and the others dazed and groggy. She looked up and saw that Uluvae, the youngest priestess, had taken cover behind the bonfire. However, a number of Orogs had miraculously survived the deadly onslaught of fire and were running towards Uluvae.
“Run Uluvae! Run to the tress!” shouted Hallesia, praying ferverently that Uluvae not be harmed.

Uluvae had been huddling on the ground, barely controlling her panic at the frightful situation that was happening all around her. Only moments before she had been floating and flying about in ecstatic dance in praise of her fallen goddess and then the horrendous assault by the slave soldiers of Lolthian Drow but even worse, eruption of the thunderous flashing roar that smashed and cut down the charging Orog slave soldiers plus the ear splitting and bone jarring explosions and the horrific screams almost broke her mind. She sobbed in terror but then heard Hallesia calling out for her to run. She sprang to her feet and began to flee towards the trees, away from the hellish scene behind her and the half dozen Orogs that lumbered after her yelling and howling their war cries. Stumbling towards a large tree near the edge of the glade, she looked up and saw that there was a figure perched on one of the large lower branches of the tree. It looked like a human male dressed in mottled green and brown fabric, wearing weird looking goggles over his eyes and was holding a long strange looking device which he press to his shoulder and looked down the length of the device. She staggered forward and stopped in shock as the device he held spat out a roar of fire and deafening noise.

*******

Duncan emptied the clip, ejected it and inserted another. He saw that one of the dancers, the achingly beautiful one, was running towards his position and was being pursued by 6 of the armoured large figures. He sat up in the tree and flicked his weapon to full auto fire. Holding the trigger down, he sprayed leaden fire at those charging towards the terrified woman. He cut down four before his rifle suddenly jammed. The woman ran to the base of the tree and looked straight up at Duncan’s camouflaged painted face pleadingly. He pulled out his IMI Desert Eagle in one fluid movement and fired on the last two assailants. The pistol reported with deafening bangs as the .45 ACP rounds slammed into the figures, blowing them off their feet. Seeing that they were down, he quickly jumped off the low branch and landed next to the woman who was looking at him in utter astonishment. She then screamed something as she pointed behind him. He whirled about to see that 3 more figures were hurtling towards him. These were the smaller lithe ones wearing black mail armour. They had a similar appearance to the female next to him, fine features and silvery white hair but their faces were twisted in masks of rage. He steadied himself and drew a bead on them as they charged in swinging their swords. The pistol barked again, two rounds smacking into the chest of the first one and the last round striking the second square in the face, turning the head to explosive bloody pulp. The barrel slide forward indicating that the magazine was empty.

In moments the last warrior had closed on Duncan swinging viciously with a wickedly curved short sword. Duncan barely managed to avoid the slash as his martial arts training took over. Stepping forward, he pivoted on his heel, moving inside the reach of the swordsman and punched his fist into the nape of the man’s neck. A sickening crack followed as Duncan’s strike crushed the man’s windpipe. Duncan spun about and swept his right leg out, sweeping the man off his feet. The small lithe man fell to the ground gurgling terribly, clutching feebly at his ruined airway.

“Lor doeb! Rathrea dos! Natha ilharess ilhar!” screamed the girl next to him as she pointed at yet another incoming attacker. Duncan turned to see a female similar to the dancers running towards them with the same looking elven ears and dark hued skin. This one though was screaming at him in a language he had no comprehension of. She was wearing glistening black plate armour and her beautiful face and glowing red eyes glared balefully at Duncan and the girl next to him.

“El dos l'puul rivvil jaluk! Lloth plynn dosst quortek” she yelled, her face distorted with rage. She pointed a what appeared to be a bone white wand at him and from it a sickly deathly green ray shoot forth, striking Duncan full in the chest. The unearthly sickly green light enveloped him and he felt himself grow cold for a moment but then nothing else. The green light dissipated as fast as it had formed. The armoured female who had just zapped him with her wand stood in slack jaw amazement, seeing her attack had done nothing. He swiftly slid a new clip into the Desert Eagle and snapped it up and sighted her.

“My turn bitch!” Duncan said simply.

He shot her twice, a double tap, one round to the chest and the other in her forehead. The .45 slugs punched through the metal armour she was wearing as though it was mere cloth. She reeled back from the force of the slugs, the back of her head a bloody ruin and collapsed dead on the glades floor.

He glanced about and saw that the rest of his team were up and moving forward, firing short aimed bursts at the remaining attackers who were fleeing in terror. The bullets struck with deadly accuracy, punching through armour and flesh without remorse. In a matter of moments it was all over. The smell of cordite, blood and excrement hung in the air. The blubbering sucking sound of people dying of massive chest wounds plus the screams of agony of the other wounded rent the night air. Duncan glanced around warily, slightly shocked and on edge like he was after any fire-fight at the level of carnage that had just been inflicted on their enemies. He bent over and removed the helm off one of the large figures he’d shot and almost stepped back in revulsion. The dead figure’s face was unlike anything he’d ever seen before, a massive jutting jaw with protruding fangs. It was an ugly and probably the most fiercesome face he’d ever seen and even in death it was giving him the heebie geebies. He felt a soft touch on his arm and turned to see the woman he had just saved from these things.

“L' quar'valsharess tlu laoles. Dos inbal ussta g'rftte rivvil whol saving ussta dro,” said the smiling dark hued girl next to him. He blinked in incomprehension to what she’d just said but her smile dazzled him and he felt his heart almost skip a beat. She was so beautiful it nearly made him weak. She cocked her head askance and looked at him questioningly. She said something else to him in another language but still he couldn’t understand a word she’d said. He smiled back at her and then noticed she was still holding his arm.

“Umm…you’re safe now miss. Sorry about all the mess,” he grinned apologetically at her. “I don’t suppose you speak English by any chance?” he asked hopefully. “Or know where the hell we are and what the fuck is going on?” Duncan tried not to stare at girl in front of him who was still completely naked and seemingly unconcerned by her lack of clothing.

Uluvae frowned slightly and shook her head as she tried to understand this mans words but could make no sense of what this he was saying at all. She had a knack for learning and understanding languages but the words of this man were beyond her for now. She looked at him anew. Never before had she seen a human like this. His face was painted in dark green and brown streaks breaking the outline but his sea green eye shone out and he smiled at her kindly. His clothing mirrored the patterns of colours on his face. He appeared to wearing some sort of breast plate and around his waist were many small bags and pockets. She marvel at the weapons he and his companions had used! By the goddess, she’d not heard or seen anything so loud or lethal as that in her many years. The way that this human had calmly dispatched all those Orogs with that weird and wonderful looking weapon and they way he’s dealt with the last male drow was remarkable but more so, he’d been completely unaffected by that matron mothers Death Spell. A spell of such power should have had left a dried up husk of a corpse but it had spluttered and failed when it hit this man. She looked around the clearing and took in the scale of the battle and the suddenness in which it was over. She glanced back at Duncan, thought for a moment then gently took his hand in hers and indicated with a shy smile that he should follow her.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:16 am

:edit - a lot of this passage has been re-written -

Duncan marvelled at the soft touch of the girls hand as she gently lead him back to the centre of the clearing. Her hair was matted with leaf litter from the forest floor but it was still stunningly beautiful. I must be dreaming he thought as he gazed at her. He noticed her eyes were golden in colour and her skin was more navy blue in shade and tone rather than black. He tried not to stare at her naked form but couldn’t help but peek at her. She caught his furtive glances and quirked a bemused eyebrow as he looked away hurriedly with a forced cough. Shaking her head at the oddness of men, Uluvae led him over to the centre of the glade where the rest of her companions had gathered. She watched as more humans came out of the trees. All were similarly dressed as the man she was holding hands with. All were wearing the same sort of coloured fabric and carried similar looking weapons which they held loosely in their hands, pointing down at the ground. They chatted quickly amongst themselves but kept a watchful eye on the edge of the tree line. Looking carefully at them, she noted the subtle differences amongst them and saw that 3 were female humans. A huge man, one of the biggest humans she’d ever seen spoke something and immediately of the humans nodded quietly and jogged off in a couching gait, their weapons up as they moved towards the trees where the Orogs and drow had attacked from.

Uluvae and Duncan just stood there watching for a long moment before she let go of his hand with a slight apologetic smile and went to help her companions. The priestesses were moving about the glade with their long swords, delivering the coup de grace to their wounded attackers and setting aside any valuables they found. They started throwing the bodies onto the bonfire. Duncan saw that of the eight dancers that had been felled by arrows, two were now sitting up and looked no worse for wear while 2 more were moaning in pain and the other four were silent in death. He noted that 4 of the women moved quickly to the next gravely wounded woman and they laid their hands on her and began to chant in a low soft melodic song. Soft blue light slowly enveloped the fallen female and within moments, the terrible wounds that covered her body began to close.

“Holy crap!” exclaimed William in astonishment as he walked up to Duncan and saw what was going on with the dark skinned women healing their comrade. He stood there in amazement as he watched the once grievously woman sit up and smile in thanks to her friends, her wounds not longer in existence.
“This can’t be real!?” he breathed in wonder. Duncan just watched and silently nodded in agreement.

The rest of the team had seen this miracle and there were whispers of incredulity and bewilderment from them. They had loosely gathered near where William and Duncan were standing except for Warrant Officer Mat Hales and Lt. Gavin Sanderson who’d had moved off to secure the perimeter. They looked with a mixture of wariness and admiration at the dark skinned women around them who in looked back at the special forces soldiers with a mixture of bewilderment and apprehension.

William looked askance at Duncan and the girl who had returned to be standing next to him, and had taken to holding his hand again and examining Duncan closely with a great deal of curiosity. William raised an eyebrow and coughed politely to get his friends attention.

“Dunc old mate, what the hell have we blundered into here? These women…they look like something outta Lord of the Rings what with their freaky ears and such,” he muttered in a low tone all the while smiling in a friendly manner to the naked women who still view the humans with a degree of suspicion and curiosity.

“Elves! Yeah, my younger brother played some sort of game with wizards and elves and all that fantasy crap. Now we’re standing here right amongst it all?” Consuela added as she watched the blue light fade from the now fully healed girl.

“This is bullshit! Elves? What sort of halfwits do you think we are Lieutenant?” barked Vince in a dismissive tone. “It’s gotta be make up and prosthetics. For fucks sakes, we opened fire and slaughtered a bunch of people we don’t even know and now we’re standing about here and you say we’re fuckin’ faerie land? You’ve fuckin’ well lost it L T!”

“At ease soldier! Stow the bullshit and stay frosty! We don’t want to freak out the pretty ladies who are holding a whole lot of very sharp looking swords,” commanded William in a flat voice as he stared hard at Vincent.

“Hoo-rahh Captain, aye aye sir,” grumbled Vince darkly as he eyed the women around him. Elves whatever these freaks were, it was still great to see all this naked flesh up so close he mused to himself.

“Look everyone lets just keep a grip and try not to freak out ok?” Duncan turned to the girl next to him.
“Miss, can you understand me?” he asked slowly. She cocked her head as she listened carefully to his question. She repeated the words, her accent sounding alien and outlandish as she mimicked his question. He sighed but smiled at her all the same. She beamed back at him and repeated his question, this time a little more coherently. Duncan nodded slowly in encouragement but then noticed Mayumi wandering about with a vacant look in her eyes and gently held up a hand to stop the girl repeating the same question.
“William, what’s going on with Mayumi?”

“I have no idea. She looks shell shocked. Maybe the jump has friend her brain? Lets see…hey major Mayumi, you ok?” He walked over to where Mayumi was standing and gasps slightly as he saw her fully since the battle had begun. Her hair was streaked with silver and her eyes were slightly glowing a with a silvery luminescence. He then notice that the tallest of the women had walked over to where he and Mayumi were standing and was looking closely at Mayumi with a searching, penetrating gaze. Across her lovely face a mixture of emotions played, both incredulity and hope.

Mayumi, still a passenger in her own body, watched as though in a dream. She had walked down the ridge and wandered about the glade in a daze. The voice in her head had faded but she still had little control over herself. She could hear William asking her a question but it was as though he was a thousand miles away. She turned to see a dark skinned woman staring at her intensely. She somehow felt she knew this woman but could not know from where. She felt as though her mind was in a fog, concepts and names flashed in and out of her consciousness but one seemed to repeat, drow. This woman was a drow.

Hallesia had followed the huge human male over to where the peculiar human female was standing. She felt drawn to this woman and stared at this mysterious, exotic woman with facial features and eyes she’d never seen before in a human. She instinctively knew this woman had been touched by the goddess and held her wonder & surprise at this revelation of the goddesses favour which was obvious by the silvery glow in her eyes. Why had the goddess chosen to return through a human female she wondered in bewilderment? Hesitantly she spoke to Mayumi.

[in drow] “Goddess, is that you? Are you with us now in the body of this human female?” Hallesia asked Mayumi.

Mayumi heard the words and understood them as they were spoken. Her mind started to clear somewhat as she struggled to reply. “I….understand….you…..I feel dizzy.” She felt a pain in her head and moaned as she lurched forward. Mayumi slumped to her knees as blood began seeping from her nose. She shivered, her eyes rolling back as she fell into unconsciousness. Hallesia and William her as her body slumped lifelessly to the ground. She began to sing a gentle incantation.

Lt. Kaori ran up as Mayumi had collapsed. She pulled open her medical kit and pulled out a penlight as she knelt next to Mayumi and the naked dark skinned woman who was gently singing to Mayumi in an alien sounding language. The singing woman looked at Kaori for a moment before she closed her eyes and concentrated. Kaori stopped, momentarily taken aback and was about to say something when she saw that same blue light which had enveloped the injured women start to radiate from the woman’s hands. It quickly covered Mayumi’s body and the nose bleed stopped but Mayumi remained unconscious and the light quickly faded. The woman stopped singing and looked confused as what she had expected hadn’t quite happened. Seeing this as her moment, Kaori quickly lent forward, taking Mayumi’s head in her hands and shone her torch in her eyes.

“How is she Lt. Hatamoto?” asked Captain Hiroshige Fujimori as he strode up and stood next to the little crowd who had now gathered around her and the other woman holding Mayumi.

“She’s breathing and I don’t think she’s suffering from any neurological damage sir but I won’t know for certain until she comes out of this.”

“Well then, until she resumes consciousness, I will assume command of this team,” said Hiro bombastically.
There was a moments silence from the remaining team members before Duncan exploded, startling the girl next to him.
“Like fuck you’re taking command you jumped up little shite! You couldn’t organise an orgy in a brothel let alone command a team in the boonies Hiro. Now do us all a favour and shut the fuck up while William and I try to figure things out!” snarled Duncan at the astounded and furious Hiro. Bunching his fists in rage, Hiro fought down the murderous impulse to shoot Duncan right there and then for this insult. Kaoru and Junchiro carefully looked away and Hiro’s shame but secretly knew the little bastard had it coming to him and watched as Hiro stormed off in silent rage.

[in drow] “Uluvae, what are these human arguing about? Can anyone understand what they are saying?” asked Hallesia irritably as she watched Duncan berate Hiro. She could tell Duncan was being extremely insulting as the smaller man’s hand tightened on his weapon and for a moment she thought the smaller human male would attack the one shouting at him.

[in drow] “I am sorry Hallesia, I have no idea what tongue or language these humans are using. Perhaps Imrae or Ysolte the bards might know or even Geiselle since she is human? Replied Uluvae as she looked about for the women she’d mentioned. On hearing their names the women stepped forward but shook their heads.

[in drow] “Sister Uluvae, even though I’m human, I’ve never heard this tongue nor seen men or women like this,” replied Geiselle. Both the other bards, Imrae or Ysolte nodded. Another though, who had been absent jogged over to where the main crowd had gathered.

[in drow] “What is it you have there Olonis?” asked Hallesia inquisitively.

[in drow] “When we were attacked, I was going to summon Anyaterimataxia to our aid but since these people proved to be our allies, I stopped but now I think we may need her help,” replied Olonis breathlessly as she held a silvery horn in her hands.

[in drow] “Yes, summon her at once. I will feel more comfortable with her here,” command Hallesia as she sat there cradling Mayumi head in her lap. Olonis nodded and put the horn to her lips and blew softly. A pure note rang out in the still night air and a ripple of excitement ran through the drow and human women.

[in drow] “I would also suggest Hallesia and sisters that we get dressed and armoured just in case the Lolthians decide to return. Also I think our nakedness is causing the males some discomfort,” she added with a smirk while looking at Duncan who looked back at her then away in a hurry.

“Any idea what all that jibber jabber was about?” asked Mike West as he watched cautiously the women talking amongst themselves in their weird sounding language. “Oh man, they’re putting their clothes on,” he lamented wistfully. “I suppose it was too good to last.”

Turning to Duncan and speaking in a low voice, “Well, now that you’ve pissed Hiro off, any other fancy moves or plans you going to spring on us, eh old mate?”

“Nah…I just wasn’t going to let that puffed up prick try to take charge. He is a fucking walking disaster and it’d only be a matter of hours of him in charge before someone like Mike West or Gavin Sanderson fragged his arrogant arse,” muttered Duncan darkly as he looked over to where Hiro was standing.

“Aside from that, do we have anything resembling a plan?”

“Weeeeelllll……. yes. We wait until Mayumi regains consciousness and try not to piss these women off and perhaps maybe try to work out a way to communicate with them. I think that is a workable plan, don’t you?” quipped Duncan. “Look, the way that one held Mayumi and the fact they’re not trying to kill us means that we’ve got a chance with these women.”

“You sure you’re not being influenced by that really cute girl that keeps holding you hand when she’s next to you? Oh look, here she is again.” William smirked evilly as Uluvae, now dressed came over to stand next to Duncan. Duncan smiled triumphantly back at William when she didn’t reach out for his hand.

“I have a plan. Hang on a moment,” said Duncan as he began to search the various pockets and equipment satchels that were attached to his combat webbing. “Aha!” he smirked with jubilation as he pulled out a Snickers bar. William rolled his eyes and shook his head laughing.

Uluvae watched him curiously as he unwrapped the bar, broke it in two pieces and offered her half. She took it in her hand and looked at it.

“She has no idea what it is you idiot!” crowed William.

“Silence you thunder stealing galoot! Just watch and learn.” Duncan took his half and took a bite from the chocolate bar.

Uluvae sniffed the dark looking piece of food in her hand. It smelled slightly sweet. She watched Duncan eat it and deciding it was safe to eat took a bite. She chewed for a moment then squealed in delight, her eyes widening at this delicious taste sensation explosion going on in her mouth. It was unlike anything she’d ever eaten before. She quickly gobbled the rest of the chocolate bar, her cheeks bugling as she munched happily and looked at Duncan with pleading eyes, and said something with her mouth full.

“Brilliant Duncan! You’ve won the natives over with candy! Now if only we had a lifetimes supply.”

“Look, I know everyone has got rations and there plenty more stuff back in the mule so how about we hand over some of our goodies and win some hearts and mind through taste buds and stomachs eh?”

“Good thinking Captain Wilson,” noted Lt. Consuela as she started to get out her ration pack. She had packed more snack bars than rations as she always felt that the higher calorie count was better for rations out in the field plus they were lighter and tasted a lot better than the ration packs that they were normally issued with. Soon the team were handing out candy and snack bars to the women who shriek with gleeful relish at these new taste sensations. Hallesia, who has relinquished her spot in keeping Mayumi comfortable, had gotten dressed and was slowly savouring the delicious after taste of her first chocolate bar. She looked at the strange runes that were printed on the wrapping of the bar but decided it wasn’t worth pondering at the moment. Kaori had made Mayumi comfortable and Imrae and Ysolte has brought some blnakets over to make Mayumi more comfortable.

[in drow] “Uluvae, these foods these humans have….by the goddess they’re simply heavenly!” said Hallesia as she happily ate a second Mars bar. The sweetness of the food made the women momentarily forget that they’d just been attacked by their mortal enemies and for one instant, they felt simply content.

[in drow] “Mmmmmph….yeesh…you could not be more right,” said Uluvae who was onto her third Snickers bar.

Duncan grinned at William. “See? I told you it would work. Hearts and minds! Sheer bloody genius if I may say so myself!”

“Alright smart ass! You were right; your chocolate offensive will no doubt go down in history as a pivotal point in the meeting between our two peoples. And confectionaries everywhere will lift up their voices in praise of your name!” chortled William as he watched the women scoff the various snack barts the team had handed out. “Yet, I spot a cloud in your silver lining, oh great communicator to elven looking chocoholics, you still have yet to be able to speak to these charming ladies yet have you?” he chided Duncan with a wry grin.

“Curse your foul and insightful logic!” mocked Duncan.

“Oh for crying out loud, will you morons start acting like military officers and not a pair of clowns?” Consuela fumed at William and Duncan. “How about you fools start treating this situation seriously huh?”

“Oh dear William old boy, I do believe our Lieutenant here is about to get herself in a bother,” said Duncan in a upper crust British accent. “By Jove, George and jingo, could it be that the men are revolting?”

“Well not all of them are such bad chaps Duncan old chap!” laughed William in his mock British accent. “tickety-boo eh what? Pip pip, cheerio and smoke me a kipper, I do believe my second in command has forgotten the first rule of military life, “If you can’t take a joke, you shouldn’t have joined in the first place!” Both more roared with laughter with Vince and Mike joining in. Kaori smiled while Junchiro just nodded. Hiro sat off at the edge of the glade glaring balefully at Duncan.

Consuela rolled her eyes and swore softly in Spainish. She saw that Uluvae and Hallesia and many of the other women had been watching the exchange between Duncan and William closely. Oh crap she thought, the last thing these women need is to see us arguing.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:02 am

“If my erstwhile superior officers have finished acting like a couple of morons, perhaps you might like to observe that our new elven and other lady friends have been watching us quite closely. Maybe we should can the laughs until we have established a dialogue with these people hmm?” asked Consuela nicely.

“Alright Lieutenant, we’ll behave….for now,” said William with a sly smile.

[in drow] “I think that the two males were making a joke about their female companion, Hallesia,” noted Uluvae. She’d been listening intently to the words spoken by the humans and although she didn’t understand much, she did instinctively grasp the idiom and intent of what was being said and had already learned the words chocolate, Snickers and yummy. “I think I will be able to speak their language soon enough Hallesia, it’s not too difficult to comprehend, its just a matter of learning the words and putting them together in the right order.”

[in drow] “That is good to know. I am thinking that the goddess has sent these humans here to us. It is obvious she has touched the woman who is asleep now. The touch of the goddess on this poor woman’s mind must have been too much for one so unprepared.” She paused and reflected for a moment. “Sisters, I sense divine purpose here. This was meant to be. Unexpected & extraordinary as the appearance of these humans is, you should know that the goddess is behind this. This means she is returning to us!” There was a murmur of joy amongst the faithful and spirits lifted even further. “Little did we know sisters that when we began our ceremony tonight, that we would be witness to the beginning of the return of the goddess,” said Hallesia with her eyes shining in devout fervour.

The faithful sat quietly well away from the bonfire which was now reeking due to the stench of the burning corpses and sat contemplating the return of their beloved goddess. Hallesia though joyful at this revelation, was still perplexed by the nature of its manifestation. Why would a drow goddess choose humans to be her messengers and why select such people who clearly could not communicate with the faithful of the goddess? She quietly sighed and accepted that the ways of divinity were often unfathomable and it was best to accept the miracle of the good news and to go forth and spread the message that the dark dancer was returning.

Hallesia regarded the exotic humans again. So unusual, so alien they were. She felt as though they’d never seen drow before and even more so, did not have the ingrained prejudices that most humans on this world felt towards her people and often rightly so. Followers of Eilistraee were less than a fifth of the approximate population and since the goddess had been killed by foul treachery, the numbers of the faithful had been in slow but steady decline. Although the other gods of the Seldarine had stepped forward to aid her followers, it was a struggle to keep the flame of belief alive in the face of the renewed onslaught by the abominable, repulsive spider queen and her twisted, treacherous followers. Many of her friends and the faithful had been slain or enslaved by the spider kissers. Often under constant attack, it was hard to retain a belief in your faith let alone see to the return of your deity. The followers of Eilsitraee were under siege and the Lolthians were slowly winning. She had silently despaired in those dark hours of the night, when she was alone, that there would be no succour and respite and all that awaited for her and her companions was death and enslavement.

As she sat brooding melancholy thoughts, Uluvae suddenly perked up, her ears twitching. Quickly she too concentrated, focusing on pushing out all sound and listening for a specific sound. There. There it was, a slow whoosh and beat. A broad smile spread across her dark face. Her eyes glowed in excitement as she leapt to her feet. Her sudden movement startled the exotic humans momentarily as the other followers quickly rose to their feet, scanning the night’s sky.

“What’s got the elf girls all riled up Captain?” asked Mike West warily as he quickly checked his weapon, making sure it was fully loaded.

“I have no idea Sergeant. Ok campers heads up. Looks like something is about to happen by the way our lady friends are acting. So stay sharp!” ordered William as he strode out from the tree line pulling on his NV goggles and unslinging his HK 416. Duncan followed him, moving off to Williams right while the rest of the team spread out around the clearing. Uluvae, seeing that Duncan had moved off, lightly skipped after him.
She pointed to the sky and smiled re-assuringly.

“Yummy!” she said and nodded. She smiled and waited for Duncan to respond.

“Unnhh…it think my little friend here say that something good is coming from the sky. Lets not open fire OK? Safety’s on but be alert.” Turning to Uluvae Duncan slung his M-14 over his shoulder and began to speak.

“Yummy [pointing to the sky] is good? Yes? [nodding] Yummy [pause] good.”

Uluvae nodded and smiled. “Yes…good.”

“Not bad [shaking of head frowning] no?”

She still smiled, “No not bad.” She affirmed with nodding. She paused then pointed at herself. “Uluvae.” She repeated her name so that Duncan could pronounce it properly. He pointed at himself and spoke his name. Uluvae got it right the first time. They laughed as a barrier to communication had fallen.

Duncan was about to start naming things in English when his ears picked up chatter on the comlink from Gavin and Mat.

“Captain Wilson, Dunc…I’m up a large tree and looking…well…westwards I think and there is something big and shiney coming this way, coming fast,” keyed in Gavin Sanderson.

“Roger that Gavin, I see it too. It’s about the size of a small passenger jet and silvery in colour…wait a sec…I’m getting a better look at it now……..oh fuck me! FUCK FUCK FUCK!” yelled Mat Hales in rising panic as he suddenly went off the air.

“Report Mat! Gavin! Say again” Duncan requested urgently. He turned to the direction in which they’d seen the incoming object and pulled on his NV goggles but he didn’t have the same field of view that Gavin and Mat had. Then something huge blocked out his sight through his night vision goggles. He ripped them off to stare unbelievingly up at a thing from legend come swooping in. His blood ran cold and he stood rooted to the spot gaping slack jawed up at the incoming behemoth.

William stood transfixed as he beheld quite possibly the most incredible, terrifying and beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life. A huge silvery reptile was flapping his massive wings as it came into land at the edge of the forest glade. He felt a surge of emotions as he watched the creature land with delicate grace. Its wings had fanned the air, causing dust and debris to swill about but they quickly settled. His mind was racing.

“A dragon….a fucking silver dragon!” he breathed in absolute awe. It was at least 80 foot long from nose to tail and stood over 30 foot high. He couldn’t guess at its wing span as he’d stopped trying to quantify this marvel that rested regally on its haunches gazing about the clearing. It turned to look directly at him and he felt himself transfixed by its penetrating gaze. Without thinking, he bowed to this magnificent creature. Raising his eyes again, he could have sworn he saw the dragon smile for an instant. Meanwhile, the drow women had run forward with gleeful shouts of welcome. William shoulder his weapon and marched forward and stood just apart from the milling crowd of excited drow and human women. He noted that Duncan and the others of his team were still unmoving, standing there absolutely stunned by what they were seeing. He tapped on his comlink.

“Duncan, are you ok?”

“Will old sport…I’m past the capacity for rational thought right now.” Replied Duncan woodenly on the radio. William chuckled quietly, which caused the dragon to turn its huge head and regard him once again. William just smiled and waved at it.

“Well hello there dragon. My name is Captain William Jefferson of the United State Marine Corps and on behalf of my nation and the rest of the team, I’d like to extend friendly greetings to you.” He said with friendly charming smile. He turned as Hallesia too began to speak to the dragon.

[in drow] “Well met Anyaterimataxia,” said Hallesia as she and the others bowed low in deep respect.

[in drow] “Greetings and well met to you priestess and followers of our Lady. Tell me, who is this strange man standing there? Why is he speaking a language I do not know?” boomed Anyaterimataxia.

[in drow] “We do not know where this human or his companions have hailed from however, their coming also heralded a sign from Eilitsraee! She had possessed one of their number, a human woman and left her mark on the woman. We were being attacked by Lolthians and their slave soldiers when these strange humans came to our defense with their incredible and fearsome weapons. We summoned you, mighty Anyaterimataxia, as your races knowledge of worlds beyond our own is vast and perhaps you may be able to speak with these exotic humans and learn from them why Eilistraee has sent them here,” said Hallesia quickly.

William watched the dragon and the drow woman speak. He marvelled as he heard the dragon speak. Its voice was loud but he suspected it could be much louder. Absolutely incredible he thought in admiration of this majestic creature. Well this proves we are no longer on earth. He opened the comlink again.

“Well folks, this dragon conclusively proves we’re not in Kansas anymore.” He chuckled briefly as he heard the others agree over the comlink.

[in drow] “Who is he speaking to Hallesia?” inquired Anyaterimataxia.

[in drow] “I don’t know?” she replied. “They seem to be able to speak to one another over a distance but I haven’t seen how nor seen them use any magic.”

[in drow] “Hmm…no matter…I know a spell which my race uses to speak with beings from beyond our world. I shall cast it now and speak with this bold human male.” Anyaterimataxia then began to quietly rumble an incantation in an ancient and forgotten language. A minute later, the spell was complete. The dragon turned back to regarding William and lowered its head down so it was almost face to face with him

“Who are you and what is your name human male?” asked Anyaterimataxia, quietly startling William somewhat.

“You…you speak English? How is that possible?” He stammered.

“Through the use of a magic my race knows, I am able to speak to you and you are able to understand me quite clearly. English is your tongue then?”

William quickly regained his composure. “Unnh..yeah…um…let me re-introduce myself. My name is Captain William Jefferson of the United States Marine Corps and on behalf of my nation and the rest of the team, I’d like to extend friendly greetings to you.”

“Well met Captain William Jefferson of the United States Marine Corps. I am Anyaterimataxia and these women around me are followers of the dark dancer, Eilistraee. This one,” she indicated towards Hallesia,” seems to believe that you have been sent here by our goddess as harbingers of her return. Is this true Captain William Jefferson?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you a little slow or perhaps hard of hearing? I asked what message or signs you bring back from your world from Eilistraee?”

“I do not mean to offend but I have no idea who you are talking about. My team are soldiers who were taking part in an experiment in teleportation and something went haywire and now we find ourselves on your world. Please do not take this the wrong way but on our world, you and your lady friends are just fantasy to us, not real. You are myths and legends, you do not exist on our world and we certainly do not have goddess giving us directions and commands from Mt Sinai or any other place for that matter. My world is called Earth and I come from the United States of America. We have many religions but none that worship this goddess who you call Eilistraee,” William said carefully.

“Let me assure you Captain William Jefferson that I am quite real and so are these drow and human women that stand in front of you. So you say that you have not heard of Eilistraee at all? Yet you say there are myths and legends about dragons and other such beings like the drow here. How can this be? Are there no keepers of lore and knowledge on your world?” inquired Anyaterimataxia.

“Keepers of law? We have judges and lawyers if that is what you are referring to?”

“No no…lore as in arcane knowledge.”

“Oh right…well I don’t rightly know the truth to that question. We do have historians and books of knowledge and stuff…I suppose they would count as keepers of knowledge. But as I said earlier, in my world, elves, drow and dragons just do not exist nor has there been any concrete proof that they ever did exist except for stories handed down to us from thousands of years ago which we treat as merely myths and legends.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:26 am

“That you have tales and legends of my race and other beings that existed on your world surely indicates that once long ago they did walk your world. The mightiest amongst my race have travelled between the planes and worlds of the multiverse. Did you think that what you see around is all that there is?” asked Anyaterimataxia in a dry tone.

“I don’t know much about all this existential crap or parallel worlds but the fact that I’m here, speaking with a talking dragon who is surrounded by a by of elves suggests that you have a point,” conceded William.

“Aha! You show the beginnings of wisdom Captain William Jefferson. Admitting you do not know a thing shows a sign that you are perhaps open to learning and understanding. However, your education on extra planar and other worldly realities will have to wait for now. We still have yet to resolve the question of Eilistraee and her involvement in your coming to this world. Hallesia here says that one of your companions has been possessed with the goddess.” William turned to look at Hallesia who had become alert at the mention of her name.

“Major Gyoto is unconscious right now and is being attended to by our team doctor, Lt. Hatamoto. If what you say is true, then Major Gyoto was possessed by this Eilistraee as she spoke in their language,” he said, indicating towards Hallesia, “and her eyes were glowing with this weird silvery light. She seemed to know that the attack on the ladies was coming.”

“I see. It is unfortunate that this Major Gyoto is unable to speak right now however it is understandable that she is insentient as having a goddess touch ones mind, especially one who is unprepared, can be devastating. Some never fully recover from the experience,” Anyaterimataxia warned. “Yet there is hope. We will have to wait and see. I suggest that we leave this place and travel back to our temple. It is a days walk from here. We invite you and your followers to accompany us. There Major Gyoto will be cared for until she has recovered. Is this acceptable?”

William nodded in agreement. A days march to a place where Mayumi would be able to rest more comfortably and for the team to get a better understanding on their situation and perhaps learn where they were was the best course of action for now. Meanwhile Duncan and the rest of the team had recovered from their stunned state and had ventured towards where William and Anyaterimataxia were. Consuela, Mike West and Vince stood to one side. Kaori and Junchiro remained with Mayumi while Hiro remained apart from the group but was still able to hear what was going on. He marched up to William with a dark look on his face.

“You can not be seriously considering following this creatures suggestions now Captain Jefferson? We have no idea of their intent and may I remind you, it might be more prudent to remain in this location as a rescue party may be sent through. We must make every attempt to return to Earth and inform them of what has happened here. This is the greatest discovery of the century, perhaps ever and we have a sacred duty to ensure that our governments are informed that other worlds exist beyond our own,” stated Hiro in a manner of fact tone. He folded his own certain own his position.

“You can stay here in this glade if you want to Hiro. However, we have no idea what else is out there in this forest, we have limited supplies and above all, no way of knowing if a rescue will be mounted. We will leave a message at the site where we arrived and listen on the Com link if any signal comes through. Staying out here is not an option. We will learn more about this world and be able to formulate a better plan once we have established a base and have made some allies with the local people,” replied William calmly.

“No! We must stay here! I do not trust these creatures Captain Jefferson! The Japanese team are in charge of this mission and as second in command I order you to stay here and hold out until the rescue comes!”

“Hiro, don’t be a dick,” sighed William. “Just stow your delusions of grandeur in a dark place and accept that no one here will follow your orders.”

“My own soldiers will obey me!” he fumed.

“Nope, they won’t. Look behind you Hiro,” said William. Hiro spun about and saw that Kaori and Junchiro were being helped but some of the faithful. A large glowing disk had appeared and they were gently placing Mayumi on it. Hiro gaped with a mixture bewilderment confusion and anger and shouted at them in Japanese. “Stop what you are doing. Lt. Hatamoto, Lt. Watanabe, you will obey your superior officer! I order you to stand down. I order you to remove Major Gyoto from that floating disk at once!” Hiro was growing more and more enraged. The women who had just placed Mayumi on the float disk, looked at Hiro warily while Hallesia had walked up to them and placed herself between Hiro and the disk. Kaori and Junchiro both looked ashamed and bowed their heads.

“So sorry Captain Fujimori but we can not, in good conscience, obey your orders. I must consider the welfare of my patient,” replied Kaori apologetically. Junchiro remained silently but chagrined.

“You will obey my orders! This is mutiny! You dishonour the Japanese armed forces!” he screamed hysterically, his face mottled with rage. He pulled out his pistol and pointed it at Kaori. “You will obey me or I will execute you as a unnghh,” he grunted as Duncan slammed the butt of his M-14 into the back of Hiro’s head, dropping him unconscious to the ground.

“I was getting really sick of his screaming in Japanese,” he muttered as he kicked Hiro over. Kaori ran up to examine Hiro’s head.

“Lt. Hatamoto, I believe Captain Fujimori has become afflicted by unknown side effects from the teleportation and is a danger to himself and this team. Can you sedate him until he regains his wits?” asked William as he strode upto where Kaori and Duncan and Hiro were. The elven and human women had watched this exchange with trepidation.

“It will be done Captain Jefferson. I believe your diagnosis is correct. Captain Fujimori is under enormous stress and has had a mental breakdown,” she agreed.

[in drow] “Is everything alright with the humans Anyaterimataxia?” asked Hallesia nervously.

[in drow] “Yes, I believe so. One of their number has had some sort of mental breakdown, as evidenced by his hysterical behaviour. It was the quick action of that one over there that resolved the situation and let Captain William Jefferson take control of events. You are right, these are interesting humans indeed old friend,” remarked Anyaterimataxia in a bemused tone. Anyaterimataxia stood up and indicated for the faithful to stand back.

“Captain William Jefferson, I request that you and your companions look away from me for a moment.”

“Why?” asked Duncan

“Because you may be blinded by the light when I transform human,” replied Anyaterimataxia.

“Ahh…ok…understood but what are you going to change in…” Duncan failed to finish his question as he grabbed by and turned about as the rest of the faithful averted their eyes as Anyaterimataxia began to glow with an increasingly intense light. The soldiers quickly spun around, averting their eyes as the brightest flash flared, instantly followed by a loud pop of inrushing air.

“Ahh that’s better,” said a beautiful female voice. Duncan and William turned back and again were dumbstruck. Where a dragon had just been now stood a stunningly lovely elven woman with abalaster skin, long flowing silvery hair that went half way down her back. She was wearing in a delicately ornate white linen gown. Her shining bright icy blue eyes regarded the stunned human soldiers with amusement. Her sensuous willowly figure made her stand out as she taller than the drow women who stood next to her and her voice was exquisite to hear. She watched Duncan and William with an amused quirk of her full lips.

“William…..this night is just full of surprises,” mumbled Duncan dazedly.
“Too right old buddy,” agreed William as he gazed with rapt admiration at this vision of this woman of flawless and unearthly beauty. The elven woman gracefully wandered up to where Duncan & William were standing starring at her with enraptured smiles. Kaori looked up at Anyaterimataxia and her eyes widened in utter surprise. Consuela, Mike, Vince and Junchiro all stood there with looks of disbelief.

“No one is ever going to believe a word we say about this,” said Gavin as he and Mat walked back to the clearing.

“You got that spot on mate! They’ll throw us in the loony bin for sure if we say anything about dragons and elves,” Mat replied morosely. “It’ll be happy pills and electrodes to the testicles all the way when they throw us in the loony bin!”

“Why the shocked looks?” asked Anyaterimataxia with a coy innocent smile.

“None of us have ever seen a 80 foot dragon turn into a beautiful woman before,” replied Kaori hesitantly. “Please forgive us as this is all extremely unsettling for us to say the least.” There were murmurs of agreement for the rest of the team.

Ahh….Anyateri….mataxia….please…would it be permissible for us to address you as Anya? Your name is rather hard for us to pronounce,” asked Consuela as she still couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

“Anya?” Hmm…normally I would insist that you speak my full name however since you might mispronounce it, you may address me as Lady Anya,” she said magnanimously. “Might I inquire as top the rest of your names then?”

William quickly introduced the soldiers to Anya and the faithful and in turn the faithful stepped forward one at a time and gave their names. In all there were 24 drow females, including Hallesia and Uluvae plus 4 human women who it turned out had dyed their skin dark to honour their goddess.

The night was drawing to an end as the night sky began to slowly lighten. Birds began their dawn chorus. Both Mayumi and Hiro had been loaded onto the floating disk. Hiro had been given a sedative shot by Kaori while Gavin and Duncan had gone back to fetch the mule. The came back about an hour later as the sun was rising guiding the mule. The sight of the little wheeled vehicle caused great interest amongst the women.

“What magic powers this horseless cart Captain Jefferson?” asked Anya as she watched it rumble into the clearing.

“No magic Lady Anya. It runs on electricity, a series of batteries that have power stored in them which power the motor.” He saw her blank look of incomprehension and struggled to find a way of trying to explain the concept of electrical power.

“Lady Anya, perhaps you are familiar with lightning? The bolts that come from clouds during storms?” asked Consuela.

“Yes indeed Lt. Shiningmoon, I know of these things.”

“Well electricity is lightning, just in a different form, harnessed if you will and thus we are able to use it to make our machines work.” Consuela explained.

“How ingenious! A simple element used to move a machine. It seems you have marvels of your own to dazzle us with then eh?” Anya smiled with encouragement as the mule came to a halt next to the gathered crowd who watched it expectantly, whispering amongst themselves with curious interest. Gavin quickly released the bolts that secured the cargo hatches and opened them up. He quickly handed out extra ammunition to replenish what they’d expended in the battle earlier.

“Snickers?” asked Uluvae hopefully as she smiled sweetly at Duncan.

“Sure thing sweet thing,” he replied. “Gavin, get out a few more chocolate bars, I’m sure Lady Anya would appreciate trying one. Oh and while you’re there, get out the iPod and the dock plus the laptop. Perhaps a small demonstration of technical wizardry will impress the locals.” Gavin nodded and opened one of the compartments inside the mules cargo hold. He removed the laptop and the iPod plus its docking station. This should prove interesting. He grabbed another ration pack containing more snack bars and took 3 more out of it, handing them to Duncan. Passing it over to the excited drow girl, Uluvae quickly snatched up the chocolate bar and tore off the wrapping with her shinning white teeth. She bit into the bar with relish, making cooing sounds of delight as she chewed the sweet candy. Anya looked on amused.

“Never have I seen a drow more content Captain Wilson. What miracle food have you given her?” Anya asked as she noted the other drow girls were watching Uluvae with mild envy as she quickly devoured the rest of the chocolate bar.

“Try it and see,” he replied as he handed her another Snickers bar. She took it and examined it closely before carefully opening it. Taking a hesitant bit she chewed thoughtfully. The chocolate, caramel, nougat and nuts swirled in her mouth causing her to close her eyes in satisfaction. Indeed this was something incredible, so sweet and delicious. She savoured the rest of the bar, taking small bites and slowly chewing each one.

Meanwhile Duncan had connected the iPod to the Bose dock and was humming to himself as he scrolled through the music selection. “Hey guys…what do you think the ladies might like to hear?” he asked.

“How about something nice and easy to start them off eh? No heavy stuff. Play [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZHw9uyj ... d:2tsbql0y]Pachelbels Canon in D major[/url:2tsbql0y], that’s a really nice piece,” replied Vince.

“Well well well, I never took you for a classical music lover Vince?” joked William with a smile.

“I like all sorts captain, but that piece is really sweet and I think the ladies will like it.” Vince replied with a grin. Duncan nodded as he quickly selected the track on the iPod, turned up the volume and pressed play.

The music started to softly play. A hush fell over the faithful and Anya as they looked at the odd device that was now playing this heavenly music. They sat quietly, closing their eyes as the music swelled and rose. The bards Geiselle, Ysolte and Imrae had tears rolling down their cheeks as they listened. Many of the other faithful were also similarly moved by this exquisite piece. Anya could not believe what she was hearing. She felt deeply moved, emotions that had long stayed deep inside welled up. How can these human have made something this wonderful she pondered as she fought to hold the tears back. Hallesia felt the raw emotion of the music move her. She turned to see Uluvae openly weeping with tears of joy at the sheer beauty of the music. The piece soon finished and the faithful rose up silently, many wiping the tears from their faces but none were sad. Uluvae hugged Duncan, much to his surprise and secret delight.

“I think they liked that one Vince,” whispered Mike West to his old friend.

“Yeah, I wonder if they will like Bach’s Prelude for Cello Suite No. 1? Put that one on please Captain Wilson, I don’t think they’ll start crying again” Duncan nodded as he selected the next track and pressed play. Uluvae watched as Duncan deftly scrolled through the tracks. She was amazed by this tiny white box with all the pictures and moving runes could make music. Truly a magical device! The music began to play and again the faithful listened attentively. Not as moving as the first piece but still lovely to hear for the first time.

[in drow] “Ysolte, Geiselle, we absolutely have to learn these melodies!” whispered Imrae emphatically. Her sisters nodded in agreement.

The music quickly finished playing. The women looked at Duncan expectantly. Uluvae smiled her dazzling smile at him, urging him to play more music.

“Alright, one more tune and then we pack up and head off back to your temple,” he said. He heard Anya translating as he pondered as to what music to play for the final track for now. “Ahh…how about this?”

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiFTXckh0zU:2tsbql0y]Watermark[/url:2tsbql0y]

All there gathered stopped again as the music played. The splendour and loveliness of the music washed over them. Duncan felt Uluvae take his hand, her fingers entwining with his as she stood next to him, her eyes closed humming softly only with the music. The track finished and again there was silence before the faithful all started to sing. Glorious harmonies rang out and the team looked about and at each other mystified. The song finished quickly and seeing the perplexed looks on the human, Anya spoke up.

“They were singing a prayer to Eilistraee, offering that last piece of music to her as a devotion to the goddess. You must share this wonder with us. I have never heard such sublimely perfect music. The faithful thank you as do I.”

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:16 am

**

Leaves fell softly, swirling on the gentle breeze around the quiet temple courtyard. Here and there were signs of decay and neglect. Weeds grew amongst the flowers and trees and forced their way through the now faded and cracked opulent paving stones of the courtyard. From an alcove, a solitary figure regarded this scene with a soft sigh. She gracefully walked out of the alcove across the courtyard, the hem of her long gray silken cloak dragging through the leaf debris. She slowly sat on the edge of a once elaborate fountain that had long ceased to flow. The fountain was dry and full of dead leaves and twigs.

“Contemplating past splendour again ussta obok yatharil?” a gruff stern voice asked from out of the shadows of the doorway to the inner sanctum. “You know that is a pathway to sorrow and although you have cried for many years, even that river of despair will not fill the fountain.”

The cloaked figure seated by the fountains edge idly pushed back tendrils of her long silvery hair that fell over her face as she starred mournfully at the fountains centre piece where once silvery water had flowed and danced. It was a glorious statue of a nude drow female with long flowing hair holding a silver ewer in a pouring pose with a serene smile gracing her flawless face. Moss and lichen had covered the once graceful & luxuriant obsidian and white marble sculpture, the silver ewer was tarnished and tendrils of dried thorny weeds entwined around her willowy legs.

The mournful drow woman shook her beautiful head as if to dispell dizziness, her silvery hair flowing languidly. She rose slowly and turned to look back at the tall brawny male drow with flaring red eyes. He was encased in elaborate black platemail armour ad around his narrow waist was hooked a a number of small items and pouches but also full faced helm as well as two long-swords sheathed in rune covered scabbards. He had quietly walked out to the steps which led down to the courtyard and looked down at the lonely figure with his arms folded across his broad chest.

“As always you are right ussta zhuanth abbil. It is hard for me to not to fall into reverie and despair. Only your firm hand keeps me from deteriorating into melancholy. For that I will always be grateful but lately I wonder if perhaps we are wrong to fight against the inevitable but perhaps we should accept that we are the among the last of the faithful of the dark dancer and we should just fade with grace and dignity into the night,” she replied with a tired hollow voice. "This temple, once a bastion of hope lays in dereliction. Our numbers grow ever thinner with each passing year, we lose more followers in battles than we gain in converts. Even our human converts are not enough to replace what we have lost and with each defeat the forces of our enemies wax with strength. "

“Never give into the night obok yatharil! You always preached that hope was the one thing that could never be destroyed. Besides, Hallesia and the faithful have yet to return from the dance of worship. Perhaps the ceremony may have had some success in communing with the goddess?” he responded carefully. “We still have access to some of our lady’s magics so that proves she is still out there.”

“You know that those powers are only granted to us by the gods of the Seldarine my faithful guardian. You seek to bolster my failing faith, to blow the embers into a flame but there is barely the glimmer of a spark of faith left within my heart and I am tired, so very tired Bhaeryn.” He felt his heart grow heavy as he watched her rise and stare off towards the gateway that lead outside from the courtyard to the temple grounds which had also fallen into entropy. Only the herb gardens and vegetable patches were well tended these days. The formerly magnificent gardens were now over run, shrubs left unpruned for years, the fruit & flowering trees looked sad and neglected. Here and there an effort had been made to rectify the neglect but it was never enough. Hardening his resolve, he strode over to where the high priestess was standing and tenderly laid his hand on her shoulder. She tried to smile bravely at him as she placed her hand on top of his in a gesture of acknowledgement.

“”A rightful place awaits us in the world above”…I’ve always remembered those words and held onto them from the day we left our lives behind in the world below. This is our place and we will dance again, of that I am certain Shir’le,” he softly promised. She nodded silently, biting her lip to hold back the tears that threatened to flow once more. She took in a deep breath and straightening her shoulders, she turned sharply on her heel and walked back into the inner sanctum to resume her vigil of prayer to the goddess, her spirit fortified once more by the true faith her eternally loyal & steadfast guardian had shown her.

Bhaeryn watched her go then followed to take up his place as the guardian of both the temple and his high priestess.

After they had departed, a zepher of a breeze blew across the courtyard with a tender sigh and almost imperceptably, bits of moss and lichen started to fall away from the statue as tiny trickle of water began to drip from the tarnished silver ewer the statue was holding.

**

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:46 am

A second float disk was just being finished loaded with the loot that had been recovered from the bodies of the drow warriors and Orogs that the team had gunned down last night. A third was loaded with the two bodies of drow women who had died from the wounds they’d received in the initial onslaught.

“Are you taking those poor women home to be buried Lady Anya?” Consuela asked sadly as she watched the drow women’s bodies being laid carefully on the disk.

“By the goddess no! We will take them back to the temple in order to raise them back from the dead.” Anya replied casually. Consuela’s tanned face went pale with shock and incredulity at this stunning revelation.

“Madre di dios!” she murmured in Spanish while crossing herself.

“I’m sorry, did I hear you right? You said raise from the dead? You’re not joking right? That’s just not possible!” Vince inquired sceptically as he starred stony faced at Anya.

“Of course we can raise the dead you foolish man! The power of the gods of life and light can be channelled to return a soul to its body. Such is the nature of life and death on this world,” she answered tartly, not caring for Vince’s tone.

“Lady Anya, please understand that we only have a legend about one resurrection and that happened two thousand years ago on our world,” Duncan said as he regarded Vince and Consuela coolly.

“A legend!?! You’re saying that our lord Jesus Christ did not die and be raised?” Vince snapped at Duncan.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. It’s only a legend Vince, just a very old story. You have seen here with your own eyes magic and miracles, so what is the problem with these people being able to resurrect their own?” Duncan retorted.

“The bible says, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch”…this is the devils work…witchcraft!” Vince growled.

“Atten-HUT! Now then marine, get off your holy high horse you bible bashing fundamentalist fuckwit!” yelled Mike West to his friend. “This is not witchcraft and these people aren’t in league with the devil, you got that! Now stow that attitude in a very dark place and don’t ever bring this sorta crap up again, do you read me loud and clear marine?”

“Aye Aye Gunny!” barked Vince as he stood at attention, a sour look on his face.

[in drow] “These human are very argumentative aren’t they Hallesia. It’s a wonder they haven’t already killed each other already?” asked Imrae as she watched the argument without fully understanding the context of what was being said. Hallesia just nodded slightly and watched without comment.

“Ahem…as I was saying, on our world, our religious stories do speak of resurrection and the soul however I have never believed a word of it. I call myself an atheist, a non believer in any sort of supreme being or gods.” Duncan stated. That drew in a sharp intake of breath from Anya.

“A faithless!” The drow women near by glanced at Anya’s reaction but did not understand what she’d just said.

[in drow] “What did he say to cause you anxiety Anyaterimataxia?” Uluvae inquired with concern.

[in drow] “The man named Duncan is faithless. He believes in no god…none at all,” said Anya gravely as she regarded Duncan critically. “His soul is doomed to limbo or worse unless he embraces a faith before his death,” she added with trepidation.

[in drow] “Oh no! The poor man…we must show him the error of his ways. To be faithless and alone…how has he managed all these years with no faith to guide and comfort him? Surely the goddess will accept him if he embraces her wisdom Anyaterimataxia?” Uluvae asked with hope in her eyes. Anya was about to speak when she saw Hallesia step forward about to say something and defered to her.

[in drow] “He must choose to accept the goddess first and surrender to her will my dear Uluvae. Maybe he will find redemption or perhaps he will continue down this road to oblivion, only time will tell,” cautioned Hallesia. She looked at the novice priestess with a mixture of kindness and anxiety. Uluvae was young and naÃ¯ve and had clearly, for whatever addled headed reason, had developed affection for this man called Duncan. This would have to stop, the sooner the better. These humans were outlanders being not of this world and Uluvae was, in her opinion, far too young to have her heart broken by falling in love with a human male who would only age and wither before her eyes. Love was possible between drow or elf and humanity but more often than not, it ended tragically.

Duncan watched the exchange between the drow women and Lady Anya and suspected that he was the topic of conversation by the way the rest of the drow women were regarding him with sympathetic and pitying looks.

“Looks like you’ve put your foot in it somehow Dunc,” quipped William as he wandered up over to where Duncan was standing. “The ladies are looking at you like you’re a dead man. What did you say to them?”

“I said I was an atheist. What’s wrong with that?”

“Well it seems that it’s a big deal to these ladies. I was raised a Baptist and was told to love Jesus. Now I ain’t a holy roller like Vince but I do believe in god and my belief in something greater than us all has gone up hugely in the last 12 hours. I don’t know if that was god or this goddess these ladies worship but I do know that powers greater than we can begin to imagine are at work here. My friend, perhaps its time you had a good long think about faith and belief. You may not believe in gods or gods but here at least, they do believe and I’m joining the congregation.” William said as he smiled charmingly at Anya.

“Well said Captain Jefferson. It seems that you and many of your team members believe in a god. Tell me, who is this god Jesus you mentioned, is he a powerful god? And what is a Baptist?” she enquired. William hesitated, uncertain as to where to begin. Duncan laughed.

“Aha! Talk about feet in mouth, try and explain Christianity to these folks in 1 minute without confusing the hell out of them!” chortled Duncan as he hoisted his pack and rifle and marched off to the exit of the glade chuckling to himself.

“Heathen! Philistine!” called out William with a laugh as Duncan walked away. Turning back to Anya, he took a deep breath and began to speak. “Lady Anya, first of all Jesus is not a god but the son of god. We believe that there is only one god who made the universe and Jesus is his son made in human form and he was sent down by god to redeem man from original sin. Jesus was crucified and died but was raised from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven and will come again when he last judgement is held on Earth.”

Anya frowned slightly as she listened carefully to William. “So you claim that there is only one god who created everything and this Jesus was his only son? Are there no other gods worshipped on your world?”

“Well yes….there are surviving cults who follow gods and religions that have not been widely worshipped for generations. Mostly though there are 3 major religions on our world, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. All of those accept there is only one god,” replied William.

“I see…so there were many gods in the past but it appears that just one has driven the rest away,” she said flatly. “We have had experience of similar such evil deities on this world and my race has encountered other worlds where a single minded deities has killed or driven off the other deities and forced the peoples of that world to worship it and it alone.”

“Evil? Hold your horses there a moment lady…I never said that god was evil. God is merciful and…”
Anya stopped him by raising her hand.

“Does your deity reveal himself through his priests of followers with acts of healing or miracles? What acts of mercy does this deity encourage hmm? It lets its only son be murdered by the people he was supposed to save from original sin, what ever nonsense that is eh? No William, unless I know more about this god and its religion, I will not trust it and neither should you.” Anya stated as she dismissed William’s stammering explanations. Consuela was clearly upset and Vince was livid but William was thoughtful. The other team members kept their thoughts to themselves.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:32 am

Lt. Kaori Hatamoto, who had been attending her two patients during the religious discussion, finished her work and marched over to William and Anya. “I think its time we start moving off now, don’t you agree? Let’s leave talking about Earths religions for later.”

“Indeed, your healer is right Captain Jefferson. We must strike out and march to the temple. The surrounding forest is not always safe these days and a large band such as we are, may attract unwanted attention,” said Anya as she reached into a soft blue velvet bag that she was carrying over her shoulder. From it she slowly withdrew a tall gnarled oak staff which had a large blue crystal embedded within the top of the staff. Kaori and the others from Earth just watched with amazement as the incredible piece of magic took place.

“I’ve seen it but I just can’t believe it,” muttered William. Consuela, Mike and Vince all agreed with silent nods. Anya noted their stares and smiled. She twirled the staff effortlessly in her hands for an instant with a girlish grin and looked back at William with a raised eyebrow.

“Have you not seen a simple staff before Captain Jefferson?”

“Not one that is six foot tall and comes out of a shoulder bag! What are you going to pull out of there next, a white rabbit?”

“Why would I keep a rabbit I in a bag of holding?” she asked puzzled but then she dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “Never mind Captain, it would take too long to explain to you why small creatures are not put in bags of holding. Now it looks like the group is ready to set off. Let us be away from this place as I am sure you will be keen to see the temple and speak with the high priestess there.”

The faithful were ready, all armed and equipped for the journey ahead. Most of the women wore sturdy looking hauberks of chain mail and held their long swords loosely. A few, like the bards wore no armour but dark coloured robes and like Anya, held onto staves. Two of the faithful were dressed in leather armour and held long bows. They moved off first, running without a sound and skipping ahead of the column. The two girls quickly ran past Duncan and Gavin who had already walked a few hundred meters ahead of the column. He shook his head and indicated to Gavin they should shadow the girls. Gavin shrugged and followed after his Captain. “Amateurs,” he muttered disdainfully but he picked up his own pace, breaking out into a gentle jog, pausing every fifteen meters to scan the trail ahead.

William watched as the two women ran ahead silently. He shouldered his pack and M-4 and made sure that his team was prepared to move out. Kaori walked alongside the floating disk that carried Mayumi and Hiro. He signalled silently to Mike and Vince to take up as rearguard of the column while the rest of the team fanned out on the flanks, moving carefully and scanning ahead for signs of danger. Anya observed the team fan out then turned to speak to William.

“Captain Jefferson, your soldiers have no need to leave the main group, Balaena and Lledrith are fine scouts and masters at their craft. They will warn us of any approaching danger.”

“With all due respect Lady Anya, these soldiers are also masters of their craft and they are good at what they do. You don’t get to their level by being careless. They trust no one but themselves,” replied William as he walked alongside Anya. Anya nodded in acceptance of Williams assertion and instead changed the topic of conversation.

“I would like to know more of your world Captain. Tell me, who is your king?”

“We have no king Lady Anya,” William chuckled. “The United States of America elects its leaders and our commander in chief is known as the President. He is a servant of the people as are the members of congress and the senate. We are a democracy.” Anya struggled to comprehend alien the concept of democracy. Seeing that she had not quite understood, William explained that democracy was the votes of the citizens of the nation that elected the leaders who acted on the citizen’s behalf. She listened carefully as they walked along as William tried to put into plain words what democracy actually meant but gave up fairly soon as he could see that as he brought up one concept, he had to use another one to explain the previous one and it became all too hard.

“I think I will have to give you a history lesson first before trying to explain democracy and the American government to you Lady Anya,” he said with a rueful smile.

“I would appreciate that Captain Jefferson. Learning about new people and their ideas helps one grow as an individual. You paint a fascinating picture of your home-world and I think I begin to understand democracy and think it is a system that has obvious flaws but also some notable merits too.” A quaint method of ruling she thought and perhaps it could be examined in greater detail but not today.

The sun rose higher in the sky as the column followed a shady trail through the forest. Birds sang and zipped through the forest canopy and a light breeze blew, rustling the leaves of the trees. Duncan inhaled deeply the fresh scent of the forest as he made his way cautiously along at the front of the column. He saw Gavin off to this right, about 10 meters away and noted that he was doing the same, just enjoying a beautiful morning in a beautiful forest. Suddenly Duncan sensed that there was someone almost next to him. He turned to see one of the drow scouts just appear from the bushes that were beside him as though by magic. She grinned impishly at him, her amber coloured eyes flashing with mirth and motioned for him to be quiet. She waved to Gavin who carefully made his way over to them. Then, in a clearing not far ahead, the two men looked to see a small white horse whose head sported a shining silvery horn grazing peacefully in the clearing.

"A bloody unicorn! What next, Tinklebell?" Gavin whispered as he watched the beautiful creature. As soon as the words had left his lips, the unicorn looked up and in their direction, sniffing the air and acting extremely warily.

Talwyn Aureliano · Post by **Talwyn Aureliano** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:39 am

Balaena shot a disapproving glare at Gavin, her amber eyes glowing fierily. He almost flinched at her withering stare of reproach. Then, out from the tree line, the other scout Lledrith stepped out slowly, her hands up palms facing the anxious unicorn. She sang softly to it, her voice sweet and melodious, the tune soothed the restless & uneasy beast. The unicorn stood quietly, allowing Lledrith to approach it. It looked back over to where Duncan, Gavin and Balaena sat for a moment, then appeared to nod at them. Balaena’s eyes widened in surprise. She turned to the two men and indicated that they follow her but very carefully. They nodded and slung their rifles, removed their helmets and walked very slowly behind her. Balaena joined in with Lledrith’s song as she approached the unicorn. The two soldiers kept a few paces behind her and had their hands out to show they were unarmed. The Unicorn snorted and fixed its dark eyes on them. Gavin and Duncan had the odd feeling, it was as though they were being judged, assessed by the unicorn. They stood silently, barely daring to breathe. The unicorn moved forward, tossing its head from side to side, then fixing its gaze on Duncan who felt a wave of peace and contentment flow over him as he locked eyes with this wonderful creature. Both Lledrith & Balaena watched on in astonishment. Never before had a unicorn allowed a stranger to approach and it was so extremely rare that it would let a human male get near it.

Duncan slowly smiled at the unicorn. With delicate care, he reached inside his vest and took out a muesli bar. He gently unwrapped it and held it out to the unicorn. The beast sniffed the air, its foreleg pawing at the grass before slowly moving forward and taking the honey and oat bar from his fingers. It chewed it it moments and neighed aloud.

[in drow] “Why is the unicorn behaving this way sister?” whispered Balaena. “It would have never taken food from us, what makes thus man so special?”

[in drow] “I have no idea Balaena. Perhaps this male is touched by something greater…look…the unicorn is blessing him!” she exclaimed in a strangled whisper as the unicorn briefly stepped forward and gently touched it’s horn to Duncan's chest. The was a brief silvery glow then the unicorn stepped back snorted again then turned and galloped off from the startled people.

“Well Captain, it looks like your secret is out, you’re a bona fide virgin!” chuckled Gavin. Duncan ignored Gavin and tried to concentrate on what had just happened. He could feel that the unicorn was trying to communicate with him, trying to speak with him however something was blocking it. When it touched him with its horn, he felt as though a shot of power had run through his body. It was not a painful experience but electrifying none the less.

“I don’t know what to say to all that,” he murmured. The two drow women walked up to him, their eyes wide and searching. They stood close to him and gestured for him to follow them. He nodded and moved off after them as they set to scouting the trail ahead once again.

[more to follow - got interupted today so I will have to finish this installment later]