Log:Psychic Crystals, Scene 2

Psychic Crystals 2020/08/21 	 Artemis Ascendant Fauna Golden Girl Korkoro Spirit Emissary of the Allstone 2

A large meteor appeared above the Earth completely by surprise, having been spotted by none of the early warning systems. While the Rex ambassador's ship managed to shoot it st it entered the atmosphere, this merely broke it up into thousands of smaller chunks, the bulk of which were on a direct course for Newtown.

The heroes collectively caught, slowed and/or deflected the various pieces meterorite pieces, averting all but slight property damage. Meanwhile, they began to notice something odd about the meteorites. For starters, they weren't the typical iron-nickel type, but some sort of crystal. Living crystal, as microscopic examination then revealed!

Spirit suspected that the Rex know more about this than they are willing to share. He contacted them to say that the meteor landed in a populated area, and was advised to quarantine anyone who has been affected by the rocks and to close of the area. Spirit has learned that the Rex have been urging EarthGov to 'sterilise' the area, though he hasn't shared this with the group yet.

Ascendant, meanwhile, has made contact with the rockpile's consciousness, though it's a sufficiently alien consciousness that communication has so far been rather limited in understanding.

Several of the heroes felt an urge to gather the meteorites together, and began doing so. While Starlight shook off the influence and helped others break out, Fauna has collected a nice big pile. Starlight took a substantial piece into space, but then had difficullty actually throwing it away, though she has managed now. Other people have been seen collecting rocks as well, including a small girl who managed to shove a small boy about 12 feet when he tried to get a rock from her. 

Nohrbor senses his connection to the rockpile fading somewhat as Fauna carries it off.

Golden Girl arrives on site belatedly. <> She lands by the SGG commander, "Hi. Sorry I'm late. I was on the other side of the city. Is there anything I can do?" she asks Spirit.

The MegaFauna is present, and gathering rocks into a pouch worn at the chest.

NNS grumbles as his attachment to the meteoric being slipping.

He opens his eyes to reveal them glowing brightly and he locks on th elarger pile.

"If you all must persist with gathering these stones I implore you to at least stack them nearby. I am communing with the mind of this meteor." He announces before closing his eyes back and trying to focus harder. He drifts toward the larger pile to reattune his connection.

Spirit says to Golden Girl, "We need to collect these bits of meteorite that landed moments ago. I advise not touching them, based on what we've seen so far. Starlight mentioned that something about it trying to control us. And the Rex, up in orbit, seem to want this thing destroyed. That means...if we leave the rocks around, we'll have issues." He looks around. "Again, use a tool to pick them up, not your hands, if possible."

Golden Girl nods. "No touching. Got it. Perhaps you can give a talk to the senior boys at my school when this is sorted out." Casting her gaze around she spots a curbside trash can. Uproots it and quickly bends the metal to form a makeshift shovel. Then starts looking for loose chunks of space crystal.

Artemis looks down at the few pebble-sized pieces she collected in her palm as her mind clears from their influence.

Spirit pauses for a moment, and looks at hte rock he's carrying. "Okay...not touching it doesn't make you immune. I just felt it."

MegaFauna begins moving toward a larger chunk that isn't in reach, noticing it rather than the tiny pieces nearby.

Golden Girl starts collecting the scattered fragments, including asking the little girl to hand over the piece she has.

Artemis goes about collecting some of the items she deflected away.

The little girl shoves Golden Girl away. "No! It's mine!"

Korkoro is smart enough not to play nice. She eyes the big pouch into which Fauna is putting all her pieces. Her cloak ripples and shifts, slowly altering to a new configuration.

Golden Girl was leaning down to talk to the girl when she's shoved by a telekinetic force, lifted off her feet and tossed onto an ornamental flower bed. She's not hurt but definitely surprised. "Uh.. You shouldn't do that young girl."

The little girl runs away!

Ascendant finally get through to a more conpensible level with the mineral mind, which promptly locks on in return. |One hears you, fleshmind.|

"AH! Excellent! Thank you for noticing." NNS says in reply mentally. "It too a good deal of doing to return to my meat-based existence. Now, my Stony Friend- tell me again why it is you've come to this Earth and why those above want you destroyed without question."

Artemis tracks down one of the bigger rocks she deflected and hoists it up.

They asked us too. But when we said we would join, they deceived us, they turned against us, cast us out, attacked us.|
 * The fleshbeings from other worlds have asked you to join their worldgroup.

MegaFauna has wandered off in the direction of large deflected rock chunk. Keeping up with her is not difficult. She moves at a fair pace but she is mindful of creatures underfoot.

Spirit continues to collect the rocks, but tries to hold them further away from him. "I think we need to get a mentalist specialist, unless one of you has some ability in that regard?"

Golden Girl goes after the little girl. This time she doesn't try to take the rock fragment from the girl. She just scoops the girl up and flies her back to Spirit. "Give the crystal to Spirit and you can have a selfie with Spirit and me in it." she tries bribery.

Spirit gets an urgent communication from Starguard: "How is the containment going?"

Spirit responds back to STarguard over comms, << In progress. The rocks clearly cause some kind of mental complusion to cause people to want to gather them all up. We need a mentalist specialist on site ASAP. >>

Staguard replies, <>

(These Guildlings aren't as benevolent as they make themselves out to be? I should have known they were as treacherous as the lot who pretended to be them before.) NNS Says mentally to the Stones before shouting aloud.

"Be careful with these boulders, stones & pebbles. Each one belongs to someone who hast journeyed a long way to bring us ill-news! We must hear this being out or their sacrifice will be for naught! HEAR ME GUARDIANS! These Guildlings promised the stones a place among their commonwealth only to stab... or jackhammer these beings into dust... or so they claim."

The girl is excited enough by the offer to be jolted out of the mind control. Seems she's actually a bit of a fan of Golden Girl!

Korkoro flies high above Fauna, focusing her attention on how the megabag is fastened and carried. Deciding to target the strap, she sends a kinetic ripple Down to sever it.

Golden Girl lets Spirit take the fragment as he can do without touching it. And take the selfie with Spirit and herself with the girl. Keeping promises is important.

The rockpile continues. |They do not offer true belonging. If you truly seek to join with those of other worlds, do not join with the false worldgroup - join with us! We still seek union.|

Artemis returns with a large-ish retrieved piece, hearing Nohrbor's warning abut the rocks. "So this was the result of treachery?" she gasps.

The girl asks if she can have photos with the other heroes too!

Golden Girl promises the girl she will ask when the other heroes aren't busy.

<&lt;I will ensure that you are protected and that the leaders of this world will hear your words, even if I must translate them myself.>> NNS says to the stones. <&lt:I am not of Urth, but I protect it all the same - so I thank you for your warning. What shall I call you?>>

Nohrbor Nanuran Surryx speaks to Artemis wihtout opening his eyes. "Aye, Sister. The Stones tell me they were welcomed among this Guild and then attacked, but this one has come to offer Earth an alternative alliance."

It does not take MegaFauna long to notice the strap being struck, catching the rock carrying bag and refastening it to herself with a moment's interruption of stride, reinforcing sack and making it part of a great vest rather than an easily unstrapped chest pack.

The rockpile replies, |I am an Emissary of the World, a Fragment of the Rock.|

NNS nods and says mentally to the Stones, "It is a pleasure to meet you. I too was trained, in the ages before the arena- fated to be an Emissary of my as well, or so I beleived."

He focuses a bit more. "Tell me, Emissary, can I look deeper into your mind- to see for myself that what you say is true? Then I can intercede on your behalf- tell the Mortals of Urth truth of what I found."

NNS maintains his vigil- hovering in a meditative position.

Korkoro frowns down at the enormous figure, considering the effect she just witnessed. Perhaps if she tore a hole in the pouch itself...

the worldgroupfleshminds.|
 * Yes, fleshmind. See that the truth in my mind is not maleable, as it is in

MegaFauna increases her distance-going, causing a bit of damage to city streets as her stride and impact grows. It's not more than superficial, at least.

Nohbor senses the the rockpile's mind and memories opening up.

NNS nods. <&lt;I will not invade your mind any more than necessary.>> He says before he focuses his mind and tries to dig deeper.

The others, meanwhile, can make a reasonable effort at collecting up the remainder of stray rocks in Newtown.

Spirit keeps moving about collecting hte rocks. He contacts Starguard again, << Any orders on what to do when we've collected what we can? >>

Artemis drops off the rocks she collected with the current collection.

Korkoro watches futilely as the big beast carries the bulk of the stuff away.

Suddenly, from the midst of the chaos Nohrbor Nanuran Surryx gasps as he watches the Emissary's memories.

<> NNS says, losing much of his boisterousness to something many who know him as Godflora would be surprised to hear- compassion.

His hovering falters but not enough to have him strike the Earth.

"Yes. Surely this is..." He murmurs at the sentiment imposed on him.

The MegaFauna adds the brainstone to her collective, further wrapping them into a few layers of canvas-like material sealed now by zipper, worn beneath a thick layer to protect it from further air strikes, and over that a MegaFauna-sized poncho. Tied at the waist. She begins wandering the city outskirts, in search of more.

Spirit sets the rocks down that he has collected in a pile. He then looks around to take stock of who else might still have some, and where they are.

....since he hasn't gotten instructions from SG yet.

NNS stands straight up. "HALT!" He shouts. "The Stones are alive and I do not believe they mean us in harm, but..." He says, striding to Spirit and severing the connection to the World's Emissary. "...they are dangerous & treacherous all the same I barely escaped with my mind, Lord Commander. They harbor a great mistrust of the Guild & seem to be seeking more than just peace & trade."

Korkoro, wandering back towards more rockpile, narrows her eyes at what the Godflora says.

"Who be dangerous and treacherous? These basaltian entities?" Artemis asks.

"Aye Sister. I felt a great power within the stones. Enough to dwarf even my own mental might a thousand times over." NNS says in explaination. "They are much more than what they appear- but they come in peace. I jsut don't think they understand that what they want is the antithesis for beings such as we. They seek a Commonality- as my people enjoy, but Complete. Not passive as it is for the Doj'on."

Starguard gets back to Spirit finally. "Can't get anything more out of the Guild. Say they can't say anything more with specific clearance from the security council. All they'll say is: break the rocks up, scatter them, and don't let anyone collect them together!"

Spirit relays that to the other heroes. "I heard back from SG. They said to break the rocks up, scatter them, and don't let anyone collect them together. Easier said than done, since if we don't wnat random people to find them, it'll be tough to scatter them. Maybe I can take it into space in batches?"

Artemis looks to the pile they've collected. "That may be wise for you to do, Friend Spirit."

"Aye, Lord Commander- we should not destroy these things. We should return them to the stars, or plant them upon another, world devoid of life so we all might find peace. They act with instinct- intelligent but consumed by its need to 'join' with others. THat's what started all this. In the memory of the stones, they came to merge with the Guild collective en masse. The Guild was forced to fire upon the stones- or chose to. I cannot say, but they may have been justified seeing what it is I have seen in the stones."

Spirit tilts his head, "IT might be best if we can get it out of the solar system. I don't want to destroy it, but we can't have it here."

Korkoro blinks at the realization that, even without touching it, the stone has been influencing her. Her expression grows terrible, and she gathers her power around her, gesturing thus and so, an aura of rippling electric blue surrounding her, then streaks into the sky with incredible rapidity.

"A wise choice." NNS says to Spirit while looking at Artemis.

"I wish to commune with it again, tell it what we intend. But if it tries to take me again- then I need you two to do what is necessary. End me and let the Stygian Gift renew my sanity." He says darkly serious. "But it came, thinking it was helping us. I would be remiss if I did not offer it an amicable & peaceful path."

Artemis nods and draws her sword at Nohrbor's suggestion. "I will be prepared to do my duty and usher you to Hod's halls if you cannot free yourself, Brother," she assures him. She moves over to him to take position in preparation.

Spirit nods to Nohrbor, "I'm not going to kill you, if that's what you're talking about." He glances over toward Artemis. "No killing."

Artemis looks over at Spirit, clueless as to his issue with it. "I am honor bound to do as he requests, to free him should his mind be trapped in his attempt to aid."

Spirit shakes his head, "No. Killing."

"Then you will doom us all or you doom this worldmind. But I will not try to bring understanding to this being. Call it professional courtesy or whatever you like, Commander. My Sister has the good sense not to fret over a momentary respite. We are Godflora- we RISE. As surely as your Sun. No matter."

NNS retakes his flaoting meditation stance and begins focusing ont he stones, confident his Sister will do what is necessary.

Ascendant fails to make contact, but the rockplle senses the attempt and locks on his mind instead.


 * One hears, fleshmind.|

Artemis keeps her sword in hand as she looks to Spirit in silence. She knows her duty. She waits and watches Ascendant for signs of his mind or soul being lost to the rock entities.

<> NNS replies, trying to get everyhting out he can in one big psionic package in case he needs to cut the connection. <>

join?|
 * One does not understand. These beings too speak of joining but do not wish to

<> NNS says emphatically over their telepathic connection. <>

Spirit watches patiently, trying to get a feel for whether or not Norhbor is acting 'strangely'. Yes, that determination should be easy. No. No, it won't be.

this world says it does not, one will leave.|
 * One has no wish to join with entities that do not wish to join with one. if

Ascendant hovers, focused on the stone held aloft before him in his telekinetic grasp.

<> NNS says to the worldmind's harbinger.

its hold on Fauna's mind, then, now unified enough to so, collects the other nearby fragments of itself to itself.
 * One will leave. One does not trust beings that want to be other.| It releases

Spirit stares as the rocks start to move. He looks at Nohrbor, "What is happening?"

Far away, at the Earth-Sun L3 point, Korkoro pauses to release her 'passengers', then flickers away once more.

MegaFauna gets a puzzled look as she feels it withdraw from control, or nudging, continuing her search for the pieces that fell beyond the city's perimeter.

The rockpile assembles itself like a jigsaw - with some pieces missing - above Newtown.

Ascendant steps back to the Earth and holds his hand out and lets the fragment free of his telekinetic grasp to rejoin the mass.

"I have explained the situation to the Emissary. It did not understand what we or the Guild are and now it does. It does not wish to stay any longer." He explains unhelpfully.

Once they start trying to escape, MegaFauna releases them to float away.

Artemis sheathes her sword at last. "Well done, Brother," she says as she claps him on the back.

"Tell the Guildlings that this being did not intend to harm them- and it will pose no threat to any of their number, or our own." NNS adds to Spirit before nodding to Artemis. "My thanks, Sister. My faith knowing you stood at the gates to damnation gave me the strength to go on." He says graciously but smiling happily. It is not often he gets to play the Emissary.

The reunited (mostly) emissary glows white and flies up, faster and faster, into space back to its homeworld, marked only as a navigation hazard on Guild charts.

Regular-sized Fauna returns by flight, landing near to Spirit with a chirp sound.

Golden Girl asttempts to gather all the heroes together for a group photo with the girl.

Spirit relates what he can to both Starguard and the Guild ship. << The alien rock is leaving. Of its own volition. Do not engage. Just let it go. It didn't understand what our cultures were like, and one of the metas here was able to communicate with it. >>

Artemis flashes a smile at Nohrbor. "You do your people proud by stepping into the role of diplomat," she chortles.

Spirit does make a point of making sure that selfie gets taken with Golden Girl and himself, though.

NNS grins at his Sister & reaches out with his mind to say, ("I feared I lost the knack for such after so many cycles in battle. It does my heart good to know that some part of that young hatchling you once knew is in here somewhere.")

He claps her on the shoulder happily and joins the group photo, finding himself in a jovial mood. "Let us say, coagulated milk product!" He says from his position in the back of the group.

Fauna is easily gathered in the interest of photograph, dressed in something colourful and loosely fitting.

Artemis smiles warmly at Nohrbor's psychic confession. ("I still see the hatchling I knew in the Bloodlit before me") she assures. "Oh, I enjoy the one of rocky paths!"

Korkoro descends from the sky, warily looking around for the megabeast.

Fauna, upon noticing Korkoro descending from the sky, waves emphatically.

Spirit looks to Artemis, "Are you sure he is his normal self? I'm still not sure."

Artemis chuckles at Spirit's question. "As much as he is known to be," she grins at Spirit.

Spirit nods and chuckles, "Fair enough."

NNS hears none of this, finding him self distracted by a glimmering object nearby.

He floats over to it and calls the object to his hand. He lights up finding a fragment of the Worldmind's Emissary.

Amused he takes it into his palm and turns toward his Sister, Spirit & the others.

"Farewell, Guardians of Urth!" He shouts. "Until our paths cross again, Sister." He adds before taking wing and flying off into the Sunset.