Log:Bedivere's Folly, Scene 3

You're on a stone floor. There's a vaulted wooden beamed roof over you leading down to the level you are on at one side. On the other side there's a drop. To the front and rear the stone floor continuies for about 2o metres each way. Sharing the floor with you are chucks of building stone, old wooden chuch seats, storages cases.

Bullet has headed over to look down over a drop. He's not going to fly over the drop though, landing instead just short of it.

Moments afterwards, Rebound appears roughly in the spot where Bullet was. He walks up behind him and asks quietly. "Spot anything?"

Bullet says, "Not yet. I'm thinking this isn't Kansas. Or Salisbury Plain or whatever."

Gemini was sneaking up on the probably unauthorized strangers on the army firing range. When they enter the old building she waits for a moment and then follows. There's no sign of the strangers. They cannot have left from any exit on her side of the building so she quickly hurries across the floor wading through the shallow pool and aiming for an exit on the other side. The sudden lack of a solid footing under her feet takes her by surprise and she tumbles through the portal a few seconds after the others arrive. Conditioned reflexes and training take over. Rolling back to her feet she takes up a posture standing back to back while activating her force armors.

Bullet says, "Not far down. Hang on."

Bullet zips across to the other drop to see if that differs.

Bullet does a quick zip around the room looking for a way people may have gone other than down the drop.

Gemini calls out, "You are in a restricted area." A moment's pause as she takes in the new surroundings, "...were in a restricted area... Okay. Where is this place?"

[To Gemini] Bullet says, "I'm thinking this area's kind of more than restricted. Who are you?"

Rebound turns. He's expecting the other to show up, so he's not too alarmed by Gemini's appearance. Until he sees who it is.

Gemini says, "Officer Cadet Gemini. 22nd Airborne Regiment, Hereford. On exercises on Salisbury Range."

Rebound just stares. "Jenn? Jess?"

Gemini stares back at the complete stranger who knoes their adopted names, "Uh..? Yeah. How did you know!?"

Akeno drops down from no-where, arms crossed as he stands up slowly, looking towards Rebound and Bullet. "Rebound and Bullet? Detective Akeno Matsuya, I'm here to help." He pauses, his eyes going vacant before he looks towards Gemini, eyes widening. "Oh no... don't tell me that thing...?"

Bullet says, "Right. Well, we got permission from the English army - Spirit's got the paperwork, wherever he's got to."

Rebound blinks. "It's me..." He looks down at himself at remembers that he's changed his shape to appear female. "Well not exactly me." Hmm. He puts a hand to his chin and starts thinking. "Hmm."

Gemini is aware of everyone but her attention remains on Rebound. "Who are you? I've never seen you before. How did you know my names?"

Rebound asks Gemini. "We've met. Or will meet. Tell me -- what year is it?"

Bullet shakes his head, not following much of this weird conversation, and flies over to check the bit down the drop.

Rebound nods to Akeno. "Greetings, Detective."

Gemini answer sarcastically, "2057. I'm not falling for that one. Try another line. Errant time travellers I won't believe. Nor Messengers from the Gods. How about from another dimension. That I might fall for."

Bullet sticks his head up again and says, "Greeting, Detective." Almost forgotten about him.

Akeno frowns a little, "Rebound, Bullet, stop for a minute and think." He looks at Gemini to wait for her answer. He looks towards Gemini evenly. "Hate to say it, but we do come from the future. Some sort of magic portal near as I could tell." He considers, then looks at Gemini, "If you want proof, I can tell you one thing that might help."

Gemini asks Akeno, "Yeah? What's that?"

Akeno shrugs, "Before you hear it, remember, we did not attack nor harm you. So far, we have simply appeared out of no-where and claimed to be time travellers." He waits a moment, then says quite simply, "You're either a current or former Wolfguard Assassin. I'm hoping for the latter personally."

"Hm. That's the same year as us." Rebound says. "So we're not time travellers. Maybe one of us has crossed dimensions. I don't think it's me because my PDA is still getting reception..." He looks aside to Akeno. "Hey, careful with the W word..." he glances over at Bullet to see if he's heard.

Gemini says, "Oh come on! I'm supposed to be convinced by that? You're a detective or so that one," A finger is pointed at Bullet, "said. Every police officer in Europe would recognize my force armor. Now dimension I can believe. This isn't Salisbury Range for sure."

Bullet stick his head up again. "Look can we can the chatter? We're good guys, ok? And we came in here looking for folks who probably aren't so good. So let's find 'em before they get still farther ahead."

Akeno nods, "What month is it, then?" He seems to be considering as he looks around, then he pauses as he looks at Bullet, "Wait... if she joins us and fights here, that could be trouble."

Rebound holds up his hands. "Ok, ok... maybe we won't figure this out so quickly. Bullet's right. We need to keep moving. Jenn, we're heroes from Colonial Bay, Virginia. If you want to help us, we're on the trail of a mystery woman who appeared out of a transmat one day."

Akeno sighs, "Rebound, that's what I've been trying to hint at. This could be before they come to the Colonial Bay. Preserving history should be our priority whether we like it or not."

Gemini sighs dramatically, vastly overstated. "I've been to Colonial Bay. That's where we surrendered to Starguard. Well I've been to my Colonial Bay. Is Random head of Starguard Gamma when you come from?"

Bullet says, "Not any more, is he? Isn't it some normal guy?"

Rebound says, "Don't worry, Detective. Time travel doesn't work quite that way. We don't have to worry about the universe exploding in a paradox. Random was the head, but now he's on leave."

Gemini bends and taps the solid floor where the lake portal dropped her. "I hope you know the way back..?"

Rebound nods to Gemini. "Don't worry. If anyone can get you back, I can. Assuming there isn't another explanation for what's going on. Bullet. Take point?"

Bullet grins. "I can bring up the rear as well if you like."

Gemini nods, "I'll stay with you then. You seem my best chance of getting back."

Bullet realises he's forgotten to have a look at the storage cases and has a quick check of them while waiting for other people to get a move on.

Akeno frowns, "Bullet, wait. They could be trapped somehow."

Bullet, of course, is checking the first case even before Akeno can speak his warning.

Bullet says "Anyone need candles?" and dashes to the next.

Akeno frowns. "Candles?"

Akeno considers as he looks around, then starts walking towards one of the walls to begin investigating them and looking for a way to look outside.

Bullet has ripped the lids of half a dozen boxes in as many seconds before he loses interest. "All church stuff. Weird - why's is all packed up?"

Akeno considers, then moves towards the nearest wall of the church to look for windows or some way of viewing out, "Because, it's all from a church. Just not one we know... some things are starting to make sense. Magic portal of water, church pews, storage boxes full of church materials... whoever we are dealing with has a way of doing their magic based around a church. Probably common Christianity and Biblical themes."

Bullet says, "Church I go to, they have the bibles out of the boxes."

Bullet goes back to check where the ladder is again.

Akeno glances back towards Bullet as he continues his search. "Then, that's the problem. Whoever you followed came through here, right?"

Gemini sits on a couple of the boxes, "So what are you looking for?"

Bullet abruptly rushes to the part of the room with the drop and attempt to fly right into the person there, slowing a bit in case he's not all that tough.

Bullet slams into his opponent and comes to a halt while the other guy goes flying away. "Now, what were you doing creeping up on us?"

Bullet thinks. o O (Damn - hope I didn't hit him too hard....)

The man is knocked backwards against the wooden bannister on the landing at the top of the staircase beneath the room where the other heroes are gathered.

The bannister holds, for now. He's dropped the crumpled up piece of paper; it lies on the floor between himself and Bullet. He eyes it for a moment. He tries kipping up to his feet quickly and drawing his sword.

Bullet(#1079PenACcF?)

Bullet stands 6"3" with a muscular build; his grey bodysuit, if rather drab by superhero standards, shows off his physique well. His face is mostly hidden by a matching helmet, slightly pointed at the top. Typically even when at rest he floats in the air, seemingly effortlessly.

He manages to get to his feet. He eyes Bullet, and then turns to run down the staircase.

Bullet thinks. o O (Maybe I didn't hit him hard enough.....)

Akeno turns to look as Bullet takes off and then moves quickly, running at first as if to get closer and get an idea of what's going on before he suddenly vanishes mid-run, although it looked like he turned just before hand as he reappears blocking the stranger's path. "Identify yourself." He quickly takes a fighting stance in case the guy attacks.

Akeno is indeed in the swordsman's path, glaring at him and daring him to just try to get by apparently.

The swordman levels his sword at Akeno. "I am William, son of Charles, of the House Dunhill. Stand aside, or suffer the consequences."

There's a man, dressed in RenFair garb as a nobleman. It looks ornate and expensive, like the genuine article, rather than something a hobbyist put together. He's wielding a finely crafted broadsword.

Gemini comes up off the boxes she was sitting on and looks over to where Akeno and the swordsman are facing off. "Hopeless stance. That sword's an inch low at the tip." One of the twins says disdainfully. "You're fast but you hit like a normal." The other twin tells Bullet. "Opponents don't get up again when I hit them."

Bullet says, "Was trying not to kill him."

Rebound bounces down from the room above and stops on the landing. He looks around for a moment to assess the situation. "Give it up, Mister. You're outnumbered and surrounded!"

The swordsman doesn't seem terribly impressed.

Akeno says, "Gemini, does House Dunhill ring any bells for you?"

Akeno frowns, "I offer one chance to surrender, William. Most wouldn't. We don't wish to harm you, we simply want to ask some questions. We are following some woman through a pool of water to this place. I'll ask only once, do you know anything about her?"

Gemini shakes both her heads, "Nope. I'm assuming this is your dimension not mine. Dunhill... nope never heard of it. You still haven't told me what you're looking for. Or why you're got a fancy dressed swordsman after you. Oh, and if you take him out can I have that scarf he's wearing. It looks neat. Probably silk."

William casts a disdainful look at Gemini. "Children should remain quiet while adults are speaking. As for you..." He turns towards Akeno. "I'd rather give you the end my my sword, than my surrender."

Bullet says, "We don't really know. Just this joker and a few others turned up in *our* dimension too, and seemingly with something in mind."

Akeno shrugs, "You asked for it." He seems to move forward, only to disappear and reappear beside William as he reaches out for the man's sword to try and take it away in what could only be a martial arts move, although it's definitely not one that's systematic, so to speak.

Akeno takes the sword away, frowning as he looks at the blade. "Nice blade. European." His eyes have a vacant gaze, though. "It's made for more than human strength, though. Care to tell us who you are again and why you are here?"

Gemini tells Rebound, "If you keep getting into fights I can look after myself, no problem, okay. But unless any of you are military officers with command authority over me I'm going to remain mind-locked since this looks like a civilian site. That means although I'm better than any of you, probably better than all of you put together, I can't actually hit anyone unless they attack me first. Unfortunately."

Rebound nods to Gemini. "Got it. Hopefully things won't get too hairy." o O ( 'Mind-locked'. That's a creepy thought. )

Bullet flies over and grabs the piece of paper the guy, and reads it quickly, in case it's important.

The paper has some sort of complicated rune written on it, in bold black ink. As Bullet reads it, the ink begins to glow red, faintly at first, but then growing in intensity until the rune, paper and all, explodes!

Rebound tries to bounce up into the area where the portal emptied the heroes to. (4")

You're on a stone floor. There's a vaulted wooden beamed roof over you leading down to the level you are on at one side. On the other side there's a drop. To the front and rear the stone floor continuies for about 2o metres each way. Sharing the floor with you are chucks of building stone, old wooden chuch seats, storages cases.

Bullet says, "If he drops any pieces of paper, don't read them."

The man runs down the stairs, passing Akeno. At the foot of the staircase, there's a door, and he runs through it.

Gemini says, "It looked like a scrap of paper. It went bang like a grenade. Neat! I want a bottle of the ink he used."

Bullet, angered by the trick with the paper, flies right down the stairs after the man.

The staircase leads to the main hall of what looks like a cathedral. The force of Bulet's flight powered punch sends him crashing through several rows of church pews.

From the ground, William shake his head, regaining his bearing. He's still up.

Gemini with her face slightly blackened by the blast she failed to avoid watches Bullet slam into the fleeing swordsman. "Better. You benched him!" she laughs.

Bullet says, "I wish. Reminds me of a guy I once knew - too dumb to stay down."

Rebound bounces down into the main cathedral hall. (half holding).

Gemini points at all the broken pews the swordsman crashed through. "He got benched. Not downed but definitely benched."

William gets up to his feet quickly and begins to look around. In the main cathedral hall there are other people -- about four of them. They are tied up next to the alter at the head of the main hall. William looks to them, and then turns to run in a different direction. He disappears behind a door in the side of the main hall. It appears to be a normal wooden door, but when it shuts, the outline of the wood frame glows.

Akeno moves around to the door at a run, blinking as he pokes his head in, calling back, "We have hostages!" He disappears in another of his odd teleports to near the people, looking for any signs, symbols or the like that depicts a bunch of magic for him to deal with.

Gemini runs over to the edge of the drop and leaps off, reaching out with energy whips to stop their fall and lower themselves downwards. "You guys have fun like this all the while?" one of the twins asks. "If I ever stopped being an army officer I'd give it a try. You come from Colonial Bay you say. I wonder if that city is as interesting on my dimension."

The people seem like the people who would normally be found at the cathedral. Two priests and two custodians. They look hopefully up to Akeno, mumbling through cloth gags.

They seem to simply be tied up with ordinary ropes.

Rebound bounces over to Akeno's side to check on the people as well.

Rebound says, "We do it so often, it's not so much fun, Gemini."

Bullet chases after William, not bothering to stop for the door but simply trying to blast through.

Akeno frowns, "Stay back!" He calls to Rebound as he sees him nearing. "And LISTEN this time. The man's obviously a sorceror. And you don't believe that, you should try lifting that sword." He still has the sword at that. He finally tries to move towards the people and reach to ungag one of the priests first.

One of the twins says, "I still want his scarf."

"Thank you!" The ungagged priest says.

Bullet shatters the timbers of the door, strong though it was, and ploughs on through.

On the other side, the are stairs, leading downward.

Akeno nods, "Who is that man and what is he after?" He starts ungagging the others first, then begins to work on the ropes to untie them all.

"He came here after a woman who showed up, just a couple of days ago. There were two other men as well, but they've left!"

A twin tells Akeno, "I can do that, detective whatever your name was. You can go with the others. If that guy you're chasing stands and fights I'm too mind-locked to be able to help there."

"I think he has her down there, in the crypt!"

Akeno shrugs, "They seem to have it in hand." He turns to head towards the doorway, 'porting as much as he can to catch up to the others.

Gemini split up. One goes to finish untying the priests and church people, the other goes with Akeno to watch the fun.

Bullet flies down the stairs, once again planning to plough through William if he catches up.

Bullet, true to his name, hits William full on and send him flying back into a wall. "And stay down this time!" he says.

The twin who followed the group claps in applause as Bullet KO's the ex-swordsman. "Hey, neat. You can hit nearly as hard a girl after all. Even if the girl is me."

Downstairs, in the basement, Bullet can hear a muffled voice calling. "MM-rmmhf!"

Bullet is there in a flash. Or less.

Welcome to the crypt. The basement ont his cathedral is a stone chambered burial vault, divided into two sections...

The first area seems like a small chapel of sorts. The second area, beyond the chapel, is the source of the muffled voice. It's a tomb, dominated by a giant stone coffin in the center. In one corner of the room, there's woman tied up and gagged.

She appears to be the same woman dressed in Renaissance clothing from the Universal Transmat security tapes.

Bullet dashes over to untie and ungag the woman - the latter first. But has a quick look round for traps on the way over.

Gemini asks Rebound, "What your name?"

Here are the entries which match 'woman says, once freed. She rubs her wrists as she climbs to her feet. "By what name are you known? So that I may properly thank you?""':

Once freed, rhe woman rubs her wrists as she climbs to her feet. "By what name are you known? So that I may properly thank you?"

Bullet says, "Um, they call me Bullet, ma'am."

Bullet thinks. o O (Well, that's what I tell them to call me, anyway.)

The womans says, "Bullet? It is an odd name, but the name of my savior, nonetheless. I am Juliet, daughter of Francis, or House York. Thank you." She curtseys.

Bullet says, "You're welcome, ma'am. Could you tell me - what's this all about? Why were you tied up? Where are we?"

"I am from a realm far distant from yours," she begins. "I have travelled her once before, to deliver an item of great importance. And now I have come back to retrieve it. There are others who are after this item, and would use it for their own purposes."

Bullet says, "What item is this?"

Gemini goes over to the KO'ed swordsman and takes the brightly colored silk scarf, fasting it around one of her own necks.

"It is the Sword of Kings... But perhaps you are familiar with it by another name.. Excalibur.

The woman continues. "The sword was needed here, once, to grant the rightful king of Camelot his reign. And now it is needed at home, so that the legitimate king may ascend to the throne."

Bullet doesn't know much Arthurian legend, but knows enough. "*YOU* broughtit here?"

Bullet thinks. o O (Not bad-looking for someone over 1500.....)

She nods. "That is correct. And I seek to reclaim it, as would others. Members of House Dunhill have followed me here to your realm. They seek the sword to install their own leader as king."

Bullet says, "Yeah, we took down one of them, but the other two aren't about."

The woman adds, "And they would have surely succeeded had you not intervened. There is still hope. Are you familiar with the story of Sir Bedivere?"

Bullet says, "Can't say I am."

Gemini is listening. She interrupts to ask, "You're the lady in the story? The one in the lake?"

"After the death of Arthur, Sir Bedivere was entrusted to return Excalibur to me. But instead he switched it with his own sword, and kept Excalibur for himself..."

She pauses to nods to Gemini. "Yes, child."

"Because of Bedivere's deception, a terrible curse befell him and his descendants, until the sword was sealed away here, by powerful magic."

Bullet says, "Didn't know that."

"The seal is too powerful for myself or any of the Dunhill men to undo. But there is a way to bypass the magic..."

Bullet says, "What's that?"

She says, "In Glastonbury Tor, the signet ring of King Arthur is hidden. With the ring, one may bypass the magical seal. That is where the other Dunhill men have gone."

Gemini says, "Been there. Bleak place. Up on top of a hill."

Bullet says, "Where is it?"

Gemini says, "Just outside of the town. A mile or so. Not that far from Salisbury really."

Bullet says, "I can get us there fast - how long have they been gone?"

"An hour. Perhaps two."

Bullet nods. "We might just beath them! That is, if we can get out of wherever the hell we are."

"This is Norwich Cathedral... To leave, you can simply walk out.

Bullet says, "Norwich? Where's that? How'd we get there?"

"I'm not certain... If you were following us, then you arrived here by the portal that I created."

Bullet says, "So you went to Salisbury Plain to create a portal to Norwich?"

Gemini says, "If this dimension is like mine Norwich is in the East of the country. About a hundred miles from London and maybe two hundred and fifty from Salisbury."

Bullet says, "I can still get us there fast. But it's harder to navigate at my top speed."

The Lady says, "I shall remain here, in case they are already returning."

Bullet says, "Won't you be in danger?"

Gemini says, "hey, they kicked your bu.. uh... they beat you the last time. If they come back why can't they do it again?"

"This time I will be prepared."

Gemini smirks, "Yeah. I say that every time I spar with my older sister. And she whips me just the same."

"Very well, then. How quickly can you get us to Glastonbury?" she asks Bullet.

Bullet grins. "As fast as someone can tell me the way, pretty much. One at a time, though - don't want to drop anyone."