Log:Pawns of the Ice Fox, Scene 5

Pawns of the Ice Fox 2008/05/28 	 Jennifer Kihzra Lightray Narosia Rebound Citadel Yolanda Smith son of Smith Trueshot Wild Man Breeze's Carress Big Bad Wolf 5

Joseph comes walking out of one of the many office buildings here in Downtown Colonial Bay. He has a sheaf of papers in hand that he is looking at rather than at his surroundings.

Jennifer taking a walk down York Blvd after a SGG meeting that was, yet again, cancelled at the last minute.

It's Alex's lunch break from Starguard -- he would have taken it earlier, but he ran into an interesting theoretical problem in the SG extradimensional studies lab. So he finds himself walking down York Boulevard with Jennifer, loking for a place to grab a bite.

It's not very busy, relatively: the lull before the storm of rush hour. The heat, built up between the buildings, is summery. Ad and vids light up the building sides.

Joseph stops after a moment and then shakes his head. He mutters to himself, "What a load of..." Joseph just stuffs the papers into his coat pocket with a fair amount of force.

Suddenly half the moving pictures splahed on the side of the buildings change. "BREAKING NEWS - COLONIAL BAY ZOO" read the banners. There are pictures of a large empty cage.

Jennifer sighs, "Meeting was cancelled again, Alex. They still haven't replaced Random."

Joseph looks up at the breaking news on the sides of the buildings.

Alex nods. "It's not the easiest job in the world. I just hope they find someone good. Have you heard any rumors about who they might be..." His voice drifts off as he reads the giant bulletin.

Other screens show "LIVE - BIG BAD WOLF ESCAPES". There are pictues of some being rushed to an ambulance in a stretcher.

Jennifer says, "That's ridiculous. How many times has that gotten out now?"

More images: more wounded people. A great hole in the outer fence of the zoo. A perplexed zoo official trying desperately (and seemingly uselessly) to explain.

Alex's eyes narrow, and he shakes his head. His shoulders sag a little in frustration. He looks to Jennifer. "I've got to suit up." He pulls out his PDA and starts dialing as he walks, looking for a coffee shop with a bathroom to duck into.

Alex tries to call Kihzra.

Jennifer nods. "I'll get my bike and meet you back here."

Jennifer sprints away to where she left her bike parked. Returning to the starting point to give Rebound a lift when he returns.

Joseph looks around for a convenient alley and ,when he finds an out of the way spot with no one apparent, changes into Lightray.

By this point one of the news channels has helicopter shots of the path the wolf took through Harrisburg.

Joseph lifts off the ground with a sweep of his wings and flies over York Boulevard. He glances at the buildings for more information as he flies along.

For the most part it doesn't look like it's been too destructive, except when something or somebody got in its way. Then it gets messy.

Alex slips into a coffee shop as quickly disappears into the bathroom. After he changes, he slips out through the ventilation system and unlocks the door on his way out. Shortly thereafter, Rebound springs down from the building rooftop to rendezvous with Jennifer.

Jennifer says, "It's being tracked. That's good. I wish Jess was on hand. She's doing a qualification jump out at Foxfield airfield."

The helicopter chases the path into the Student Quarter, and still hasn't caught up to the wolf.

Rebound smiles slightly, "You mean there's a kind of jumping that you aren't qualified for already? I can give you a lift, bike and all. Things will be easier to spot from the air."

Joseph seems to spot something down on the ground as he flies and swoops back. He stops to hover near Jennifer and Rebound. "Hello. What is this Big Bad Wolf?"

"It's a giant hunting wolf," Rebound says, "Sent from another dimension to hunt down Sword Dancer by her enemies there. It's hella tough, but we managed to capture it before. I wonder how it got out."

Jennifer grins, "It's a periodic thing. To stay current as an instructor you have to make at least six jumps a year. I've been letting that kind of... Huh. Alex. did you see that?"

Rebound hmms. "See what?"

Jennifer says, "I thought I saw a face I recognised on the zoo pictures. Not it wasn't visible long enough for me to be sure. And that cage door doesn't look ripped or clawed to me either."

Rebound says, "Right. Somebody let the wolf go."

Jennifer nods. "Item 1. Take down wolf. Item 2, go investigate. You agree?"

Lightray nods to Jennifer.

Rebound nods. "I agree." He looks back up to the news bulletin to try and get a notion of where the wolf is in the city. "It might be that guy who tried to poison Kihzra. He escaped from Starguard back when Roger was in charge."

Jennifer kickstarts the bike and starts driving. "Yeah. I'd forgotten about that. Well I try to forget everything that Roger was involved in."

The helicopter catches up with the wolf at a very recognisable point - jumping across Main Street right by the courthouse! It's on the rooftops now.

Lightray takes out a battered PDA from the pouch at his belt. "Shall we stay in touch?" His eye then catches sight of the wolf leaping from rooftop to rooftop. "Amazing."

Rebound says, "Jennifer, think you can get a Delta unit to check in on Kihzra, just in case? She's either at her place on Ming Street or at the Fallen Angel, by Serafina's"

Jennifer nods. "I'll put in the request." she promises and gets in touch with SG over the comm link to pass on the message.

Rebound springs into the air. He shouts, "I think it's making a beeline to Chinatown -- Kihzra's apartment. We might be able to head it off by getting there first and then working our way in the wolf's direction."

Jennifer says, "Alex, if I pull up outside a restaurant do you have the reach to grab a pepper pot off a table?"

Rebound nods. "Sure."

Lightray stays near the tow younger heroes, just hovering in the air as his wings slowly beat. "Pepper to throw off its sense of smell?"

Jennifer pulls up briefly at the door of a restaurant for Rebound to grab a pepper pot. Then it's full speed to Chinatown.

Rebound stretches his arm inside the restaurant to sweep up as many pepper shakers as he can.

Jennifer floors the bike and starts moving - fast. The twins have recently switched to wheeled bikes and that helps, wheels allowing tighter turns and at one point when the road is effectively blocked, she drives up a loading ramp to jump over the vehicles blocking her progress.

Rebound bounces along, following Jennifer, pepper carried under arm.

Lightray flies down from above to hover over Ming Street. He keeps an eye out for anyone he knows.

The street are getting busier, but Jenn negotiates them with ease. Ming Street, of course, is another matter: it's alway crowded in the daytime. That said, there seems to be something of an abnormal commotion here, even though there's no sign yet of the Wolf.

Lightray shouts down to the street below. "Clear the street! The wolf is heading here!"

Jennifer points forward, "Looks like more company."

The crowds haven't dispersed as much as one would like when there's trouble. A lot of them seem to be looking on. Tourists take photos of the guy in armour.

"Yeah." Rebound says. "I'll bounce over and check on Kihzra's place, real quick.

Lightray curses in some language. He then shouts down to the street as he points "Bowman on roof! Armor on street! Kizhra in hand to hand!" A glowing field of sunlight hardens around Lightray as he shouts.

Rebound tries bouncing up to Kihzra's apartment to check if she's in. o O ( With any luck, she's been alerted by all the commotion already. )

Jennifer parks the bike. Much as Jenn likes Kihzra and the prospect of a fight, she loves her bike more. Then she draws out the ranger staff and proceeds towards the guy in armor watching out for other treats. . o O(One at the zoo. One here in sight. How many more?)

Lightray keeps an eye on the various figures as well as he can. The divided majority of his attention goes to the the figure on the rooftop and the direction the Big Bad is coming from.

Lightray may not have ben able to ahout loud enough for Jenn and Alex to hear, but he *did* draw the attention of the bowman. Who proceeeds, quick as a flash, to notch an arrow and fire it at him.

Jennifer plots a route towards the guy in armor that will result in her being shielded from sight as far as possible by stalls and vehicles from the rooftop archer as she closes to six metres from him and takes a quick look at the situation from the nearer perspective.

Lightray is struck by an arrow that pierces the sunight around him. Its sinks deep into his chest near the glowing gemstone with a meaty thunk. As the field around Lightray flickers, he slumps and begin to fall, his wings trainling after him.

Qrmomosk hefts his hammer as he sees Jenn approach with purpose.

Jennifer says, "Hey, big guy. Which side are you on?"

Rebound springs into action, leaping into the air and trying to descend on top of the archer. His body stretches like a net, and he tries to float down over the archer and tangle him up.

"Qromosjuk zek Qromozgof Ehbbuhntu!" says the man.

The archer darts to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding Rebound.

Jennifer grins, "Sure. I'll have that with rice and some dim sum. I guess you don't understand me a bit more than I understand you. But since you don't have any arrows in you and Lightray does I'll mark you down as being on the away team."

Lightray shakes his head as the filed strennthens around him again. With a flap of his wings he steadies himself. He growls, "Alright, that is the way we will play it then."

Qromosk clearly declares his side by charging toward Jenn and striking at her with his hammer, not so much like a warrior as like a smith at the forge.

"Ghravvruhohs!"

For all Jenn's pull the hammer doesn't leave the man's iron grip.

A clang resounds in the street as Jennifer hits the man and he's knocked back a couple of yards and crashes ot the ground.

The man doesn't even try to stand but rather slams his hammer into the ground at he falls, throwing up chunks of tarmac straight at Jennifer.

Jennifer dodges the flying chunks of tarmac from the impact of the hammer.

The archer, looking rather shocked at Rebound's abilities, quickly notches an arrow and shoots it at him paractically point blank.

Narosia descends from the MagLev station.

The man looks a bit worried that that didn't put Rebound down.

Rebound steps back, placing a hand over his ribs where the arrow has pierced him.

Jennifer needs a higher vantage point for a moment. She runs forward across the prone armored guy and up onto the bamboo canopy pole of a market stall so see over heads. "Kihzra, catch!" She calls out and drawing out the sections of a English Longsword assembles it and tosses it high, turning end over turn in the sunlight with the gleam of polished metal, over the intervening heads and down to Kihzra's grip.

Kihzra grabs the sword and tries to hit the guy in the loincloth while she has the element of surprise.

The loincloth-guy goes flying clear out of the circle of spectators and down the street, so hard did Kihzra hit him.

Rebound makes his body inflate like a giant beach ball, hoping to belly-bump the archer and knock him over the edge of the building where he's made his roost.

The archer goes flying across the street only to collide with the building at the far side and then start to fall. Somehow he hangs onto his bow.

Qromosk gets up off the ground and pursues Jenn.

Amazingly, the archer lands on his feet after all that, unharmed by the fall.

A slender girl steps out of the crowd and - somehow - grabs the sword from Kihzra's hand! Hey - she has Kihzra's sword too! She's running back through the crowd almost as soon as she's done that.

The archer spins about and fires at the one enemy he can clearly see from his new position: Rebound.

Jennifer runs along the bamboo pole and drops down to close the distance on the Archer. Her ranger staff comes around in a hard punch aimed into his ribs.

Jennifer feels relieved as the archer folds up around the ranger staff and collapses to the ground. She wasn't pulling her attack on him, not after seeing what his arrows had done to Lightray and Rebound.

Kihzra tries to grab the kid before she disappears again disappears again!

Rebound hops down in front of the man with the hammer. He lands, coils, and springs upwards, trying to throw all of his strength into a wicked uppercut to the brute's jaw.

Rebound connects, lifting the man's hulking form three stories in the air, briefly, before he falls back to Earth.

At the point the Big Bad Wolf comes bounding in over the rooftops, heading straight for Kihzra's place.

Rebound risks a quick glance to Jennifer. "Oh brother... They pulled out all the stops this time." He looks back to the man with the hammer. "This is Chinatown.. If there's a place in town you could find a sword in a pinch, I'm sure it'd be here."

The loincloth guy rolls to his feet and jumps over the heads of the crowds to fly at Kihzra once more.

Jennifer nods to Rebound. "I'll see what I can do against the club man. You still have the pepper for the wolf?

His club connects hard with Kihzra, who failed to dodge.

Rebound shows Jennifer his off hand, the left, stretched around a handful of pepper shakers.

The slight girl giggles and disappears into the crowd with both swords.

Qromosk once again gets to his feet and slams his hammer into the ground, the shockwave carrying to Rebound's feet.

Rebound, however, is a bit too quick-footed.

Narosia runs nimble from the crowd, those who do not part at the sight pushed aside in uncommon bad manners. The girl is irritated and it shows, in her effortless teleportation towards the giggling other, vanishing in a splutter of dark energy.

Lightray shakes his head and looks down at the crowd and the various fights. He raises a hand and tries to bring beam of sunlight down on Qromosk.

The guy with the club once again tries to attack Kihzra, who once again tries to dodge the blow.

A beam of sunlight squarely hits Qromosk. While it does not kncok him down, he obviusly feels its effects.

This time Kihzra dodges easily, though she still hasn't got into the rhythm of her perfect dodging again.

Narosia unfurls her 'extra limbs', their dark ink colour tainting the surrounding area, edges whirling into new, mini tendril of their own discretion. They grope for the swords the girl holds, curling round the hilt.

The dark tendrils grab the girl, who looks, surprised but still laughs, and says something in some strange language.

She tries to wriggle free without success.

Jennifer moves from the fallen archer towards loincloth and sends a flurry of strikes at his chest, head, and club arm.

Jennifer strikes the man in the loincloth in the chest knocking off balance, and before he recovers from that he is struck in the head and one the arm. The combination of blows sends his reeling away to sink unconscious to the ground.

Rebound hits Qromosk with everything he's got.

Qromosk goes flying back hard into the wall of a restaurant and doesn't get up.

Jennifer glances around, "That leaves the big bad wolf."

The wolf sniffs at the air and locates his prey. A few bounds later he's face to face with Kihzra, saliva dripping from his jaws.

Lightray sweeps his wings and lifts into the air a bit to get a better look at the BBW. He then sends a blinding flash of sunight towards it.

But apparently he is still a bit rattled by the arrow still in his chest as the flash of light goes wide.

Anger abated now her target after all, is just a slip of a child, Narosia takes the weapons, holding her until the second exchanges owners. Then, the force dissapates. "Please...wait."

The girl doesn't wait. She darts off into the crowd!

Jennifer spins after striking at the man in the loincloth and used the momentum to arc the ranger staff down at the wolf's neck.

Jennifer misses as the wolf slips nimbly out of the path of the staff. Jennifer grins, "This might be interesting." She seems to be having a terrific time.

The Big Bad Wolf - no surprise here - goes for Kihzra's throat.

Kihzra just barely avoids having her throat torn out.

Lightray flies forward over the heads of the crowd, his wings moving through solid objects as if they are not there. Once a bit closer, he pushes a bolt of sunlight from his hand towards the Wolf.

Lightray sighs as the sunight lances fro his hand, over the head of the BBW, and into an innocent noodle stand.

Narosia looks from her failed diplomatic mission, and sees Lightray injured, Kihzra hair's breadth away from mauled throat by some slavering beast and stares, teleporting herself again. There the red eyed spectre taunts Mr Wolf by a wide toothed smile.

Jennifer lets the momentum of the staff strike carry her around in a turn and uses the backswing of the staff to strike at the wolf's flank.

Kihzra tries once again to get into the full dodging dance, knowing that the wolf will keep trying to attack her - and that this will mean the others will be free to bring it down.

Rebound concentrates on getting innocents safely out the way of the wolf.

The wolf gets back to its feet and leaps at Kihzra.

Kihzra dodges aside and the wolf fails to trample her.

Lightray flies closer still and tries to take a better shot. He gathers the sunight around his hand and then releases it at the Wolf.

Lightray misses yet again and the beam strikes the ground to one side of the wolf.

Narosia watches the wolf a moment, expression taut. Then shooting from her very pores comes strange...veins of violent hue, attaching themselves towards said creature.

The wolf howls in pain!

Jennifer strikes at the wolf again.

Kihzra finally gets into the swing of her dance!

The wolf tries to bite Kihzra but can't catch her....

Lightray flies forwards just a bit more and then lets loose with another bolt of sunlight. His featurs are grim as he lets it fly.

Lightray lets out an audible sigh. "Gods above and below," he muttters as the bolt misses yet again. "I never used to be this bad..."

Narosia softly murmurs, "We must end this d-dance." A concentrated beam of dark energies lash at the thick hide, biting and slashing with fervour.

The wolf seems to feel that as much as it did Jennifer's harder blows.

With bystanders to safety, Rebound is free to join the fray, wrapping his elasticated body around the wolf and holding it still enough for the heroes to get it firmer blows. Soon it's once again subdued.

Lightray looks at the subdued wolf and then at the other 'villians'. "Were you very unpopular on your world, Sword Dancer?" He reaches up as he speaks and removes the arrow from his chest with a wince. Blood oozes fro the wound along with wisps of sunlight before sunlight flows from his hands and the wound closes.

Kihzra says, "Cha, am not popurarr wiv evirr wizards."

Kihzra says, "Vese peopre work for Ghravvruhs!"

Narosia says, "...Ghravvruhs?"

Jennifer grins at Kihzra, "We've got your back, Kihzra."

Lightray nods as he goes over to Rebound and offers to heal him.

Kihzra says, "Is *very* evirr wizard. Kirred my famiry, my tribe."

Narosia fails to twist her tongue round Kihzra's brand of speech, heading off with Lightray to check Rebound.

Jennifer chuckles, "But next time I throw you a sword try to hang onto it."

Jennifer spins around, "Killed?" she asks instantly sober and horrified.

Kihzra frowns. "Chirrd is *very* good fief. No one can take sword from me! Except chirrd."

Kihzra says, "Kirred."

Kihzra says, "Now wants to kirr me."

Lightray looks back over his shoulder. "Evil wizards do that, Jennifer. Ask anyone who has fought DEMON."

Jennifer says, "I guess that's because of the prophecy that you're going to return and cast him down into the deepest pit of a dungeon there is."

Kihzra sighs. "When get back home. If get back home."

Jennifer says, "Time for me to talk to Alex. If anyone can find your home dimension it's him. And Starguard can get you there if we know where there is."

log date: 05/30/2008

Starguard holding cells

Amber arrives a few moments late. "Hi. Sorry. Got held up in traffic." She drops a crash helmet onto a table. "Is everyone cleared for the Cell Block?"

Lightray smiles slightly. "Well, since we are standing here, I assume we are."

"Yes ma'am," says the SG officer on duty.

Citadel arrives into the area, and looks around. He finds a seat and sits down. o O (This better be quick.)

Amber looks at the people in the security area. "I was expecting Kihzra. We have a monitoring facility. Kihzra's knowledge of these people could allow her to spot nuances that we might miss."

Yolanda says, "Good afternoon, Amber. I'll be translating today."

"She's outside. Given she was seemingly their target, we weren't sure if it was a good idea to bring her in.

Amber smiles, "Ah, there you are. Kihzra, if you follow Agent Willard he'll take to to a room where you'll be able to see and hear everything that happens. It's probably a bad idea for you to be in the cell block."

Kihzra says, "Why is bad idea?"

Amber says, "John, see Kihzra is shown how to use the communicator in case she has something to relay to us."

John goes and shows it to Kihzra. Twice, since she seems a bit doubtful.

Amber tells Kihzra, "If you are in the cell block the people imprisoned are lucky to be more on their guard and thus less likely to reveal information."

Kihzra shrugs, but goes to the other room.

Amber collects the key combination. "Lightray, Citadel, Yolanda, please follow me. Is this your first time here Citadel? Not yours I know, Yolanda, although this is not as stressful as the time when the kids were locked up."

Amber says, "Oh, the wolf is back at the zoo. For now at least."

Citadel looks over and says, "No. It is not."

Lightray murmurs, "It is my first time in this part of the facility, ma'am."

Yolanda nods as she follows Amber. She responds, "Absolutely. How are the kids adjusting to their new home?"

Amber nods to Lightray. "I was certain that was the case." She grins at Citadel, "You know, words aren't that expensive. You are allowed more than three or four at a time." Then she tells Yolanda, "They're doing well. Fitting in. They'll be back in the US in a month or so. The school is having a summer trip over here." As she talks she leads the group into the cell block and to the first of the cells containing the prisoners.

Amber says, "The cell doors can be opaque like there are now or made transparent. Likewise the sound to and from the cell can be turned on or off."

Citadel looks back at Amber, "Yes, words are free, and often talk has no value, I'm here to make sure things are done correctly."

Amber checks the display at the side of the door. "This is the big guy. Who do you want to see first?" The cells are staggered along a wide corridor, about fifteen feet apart alternating on each side.

Yolanda says, "I don't have any suggestions. Why not start with the big one."

Amber looks at Citadel. "You are here as a guest. These prisoners are XDs and this is under SG jurisdiction. I don't tell you how to run Marshall business and you don't tell me or Horatio how to handle SG matters."

Lightray gestures silently to Yolanda as if to indicate he agrees with her.

Amber waits a moment and then enables sight and sound to and from the cell.

The big man stands up - about 7' tall even out of armour, and with a black beard. He crosses muscular arms across his broad chest and regards the heroes sternly.

Yolanda quirks an eyebrow at Amber's response. She glances briefly to Citadel for his reaction. As the big warrior appears, Yolanda looks to him. "You weren't kidding... he is big. Let me establish contact." She narrows her eyes, concentrating.

Lightray takes a battered PDA out of the pouch at his waist. He looks at Amber. "Do you mind if I record what he says?"

Yolanda reaches out to the big lug's mind with her own, trying to read his surface thoughts.

Amber nods to Lightray, "Go ahead. We will. SG will reserve the right to view and if it seems required, edit any recording made however. Can't see it being needed but I ought to make the disclaimer.

The man turns his gaze on Yolanda.

Lightray nods to Amber and then mutters to himself. "Alright, now if I can remember how to do that."

Yolanda thinks to the man. << I'm Dr. Yolanda Simmons. I'll be acting as a translator today by reading the surface thoughts of your mind. I promise you that I will not delve any deeper than the surface of your mind. Do you understand? >>

The man nods. "Grodyt."

Yolanda nods. "We're ready." Yolanda will provide a running translation for both the prisoner and the heroes.

Amber looks at Lightray and Citadel, "I'm a military grunt. Investigation is not my area of expertise. So speak up freely."

Lightray smiles slightly as he finally activates the PDA. "Well, name and rank is considered traditional. Assuming they are part of an organized group and not just hired assassins."

Citadel looks over and says, "Two questions, why did they come to this dimension and were they under orders from someone or a government?"

The big guy waits.

Yolanda mentally poses the question to the big guy.

"Qromosk zek Qromozgof qhest. Bogmyt Ghravvruhsof."

"Dvohjhe qhessta?"

Yolanda translates: "He's Smith son of Smith. He says he's 'Arctic Fox's' man."

Yolanda repeats his words. "He asks, 'What's your name'"

"I'm Doctor Yolanda Simmons." Yolanda says, thinking those words to Smith simultaneously.

"Chyte jahst

"Chyte jahst, a Johranda."

Citadel shakes his head, "Wonderful you two have met. Why did they come to this dimension, were they under orders, and who is this Arctic Fox, a leader of sorts?"

Kihzra says, "Vis is working? Is evirr sorcerer! Very evirr!"

Yolanda says, "He says... It's a form of greeting."

Citadel thinks. o O (God, this is going to take forever.)

Yolanda thinks to Smith, << He asks, 'Why have you come to this dimension? Were you under orders?' >>

"Dymta."

Yolanda says, "'Yes', he says."

Amber thinks. o O (Memo to self. Get Tech Div to work on a Universal Translator.)

Citadel nods and says, "What were his orders and who gave him orders?"

Yolanda translates Citadel's questions and projects them to Smith's mind.

"Ghravvruhs. Doq, rahzgot."

Yolanda says, "'Artic Fox. And, I'm not saying'."

Citadel nods and says, "Who is this Arctic Fox?"

Kihzra says, "Have torrd you! Is evirr sorcerer!"

Yolanda still translates the question for Mr. Smith.

Lightray looks down at the PDA as he says, "Ghravvruhsof is the sorceror who has been tryuing to kill you, correct Sword Dancer? The one who sent the Big Bad Wold to this dimensino to hunt you?"

Yolanda doesn't translate Lightray's statement. Instead she poses a question to Smith. "How did you plan on returning home?"

"Ksahrzosk grim qakots."

Yolanda says, "'A great sorcerer and king.'"

Kihzra says, "Is, yes - qhah - is not king! Is... cha.... what is word? Not rearr king!"

"Rahzgot."

Yolanda says, "'No comment.'"

Lightray murmurs, "Usurper? Someone whontook the throne form the rightful ruler?

Yolanda turns to Amber and asks her, "Were they found with any equipment or instructions that might have been used as a way back?"

Kihzra says, "Yes, is usurper!"

Amber says, "I'll check."

Amber speaks on the intercom asking the question to the security chief.

Citadel nods and says, "Is he a member of their military?"

Yolanda asks Smith, "Are you a member of their military?"

Yolanda adds another question for Smith, "Won't your family be worried when you don't return?"

He says through Yolanda, "I am no soldier, but I am Arctic Fox's man."

To the question about the family, he simply says nothing.

Amber nods and hangs up the handset. "The prisoners had several items on them. They'll be ready for you to examine by the time these interviews are concluded."

Citadel nods and says, "What does he mean, he is Arctic Fox's man?"

Yolanda says, "A hitman or problem solver, I take it."

Yolanda says, "Or blacksmith"

Citadel nods and says, "I see, then he is not an enemy combatant."

This takes some working out, due to cultural differences. But it appears he is Arctic Fox's weaponsmith - though in this instance sent out as a combatant.

Yolanda asks Smith, "Where are the others... Would they return home without you?"

"I don't know. I'm in a cell."

Citadel shrugs and says, "As he is not military, he is either an assassin or mercenary."

Yolanda says, "Was there a contingency plan, for if you got separated?"

"No comment."

Citadel pulls out his PDA, and starts inputting data. "I'll need to consult the UE Magistrate."

Yolanda looks to Amber and Citadel and speaks, without providing a translation. "He's worried about not being able to return home. Here in the cell, he's stranded. We might be able to use that concern as leverage."

Amber looks over to Citadel, "For what, exactly?" she asks in curiosity.

Lightray looks over at Amber. "Shall we move on to the next one? See if we can get names and verify the information we have?"

Citadel looks at Amber, "Is he an enemy combatant or not."

Kihzra says, "Is enemy! Is combatant!"

Amber nods. "Might as well. We can return. They aren't going anywhere, Lightray."

Yolanda nods in agreement to Lightray and Amber. "Let's move on..."

Citadel rises, "I would suggest you cease any more questions, beyond name and rank." and heads off, "I need to consult the magistrate."

Yolanda says, "Citadel, what's going on?"

Amber nods in reply to Kihzra's words. "They are enemy combatants as far as Starguard is concerned. It was an invasion. A small invasion maybe but an invasion neverless. Citadel, I suggest you consult Horatio, This is Starguard jurisdiction, not UEMS."

Citadel shrugs and says, "Take your arguments to the Magistrate." then heads out of the room.

Lightray puts away the PDA with a soft sigh. He looks over at Amber. "This is one of the things I did not miss. Interagency squabbling." He looks at Qromosk, then bows slightly to him.

Yolanda says to Smith. "They won't be able to help you unless you begin to you help them, I'm afraid." She looks to Amber, "On to the next one?" she asks, not translating.

Qromosk looks somewhat bemused by all this.

Amber sighs and picks up the intercom. "Security, this is Amber, SGG. Citadel is not to be permitted access to the Security Section except by the direction of Horatio as from this time. Log that under my name."

Yolanda notes Qromosk's reaction. o O ( Great, now we look like idiots... )

Amber opaques the cell door and leads the way down to the next cell.

Yolanda puts a smile on. "Let's hope we get further with this one."

The archer looks up as the walls clear, but doesn't stand. He looks thoroughly dejected.

Yolanda establishes a telepathic link with the archer, repeating the language she used to explain her ability to Qromosk.

Lightray bows slightly to the archer. In an abstract tone, he murmurs, "I am guessing he hates being locked up. I would imagine that he is a huntsman on his homeworld."

Amber says, "He came close to being a killer on ours. My sympathy is limited."

Yolanda thinks to the archer. << I'm Dr. Yolanda Simmons. I'll be acting as a translator today by reading your surface thoughts. I promise you that I will not delve any deeper than the surface of your mind. Do you understand? >>

The man nods. "Dymta."

Yolanda says, "What's your name?"

"Prohzhevrehehs qhest." The name seems to mean something like true-flight or accurate-shot.

Yolanda says, "What are the names of your teammates?"

He seems surprised by the question. "Why don't you ask them?"

Yolanda says, "We intend to, but for now, we'd like you to answer the question."

"Why? If I am to die here, why should I tell you? Perhaps it's for the best."

Amber steps forward, "You will not be killed here. You will not be tortured. You may be imprisoned for some lengthy period. Cooperating will help us decide what to do with you, and hasten your release if that is what happens."

The man's eyes dart about as he thinks.

Yolanda says for Amber and Lightray's benefit. "He wants to know if his companions can hear what we're saying." She responds to the archer. "No."

Yolanda says, "He's willing to talk, so long as we don't let the others know."

Lightray murmurs, "Then let him talk. I have no problem giving him my word that I will not share it with them."

Yolanda looks to Amber for her decision.

Amber nods, "I agree."

Yolanda tells the Archer, "You have our word."

"Tjasivju," says the man. But preferring not to risk being heard, thereafter his responses are silent, mental. "What do you want to know?"

Yolanda looks to Amber and Lightray. "He's willing to talk, but he seems to prefer telepathy for privacy. I'll ask him about their plan."

Yolanda thinks, << Tell me about the plan to attack Kihzra. >>

Amber nods.

"Make sure you can't be heard by Dancing Voice especially!" he thinks. "He can speak your language - any language... The plan.... Our orders were to come here and kill her: I know little more than that. Smith was in charge. When we arrived in this world, Dancing Voice was there to meet us very quickly - how he knew where we would be I don't know. He took us to his dwelling, and gave us some clothes so we could hide for two days. He and Smith came up with the plan."

Lightray looks at the Archer. "Was dancing Voice one of the people at the fight?"

"Dancing Voice knew where there was a great Deathwolf in captivity. He said he would go and release it to act as a distraction because there were [concept somewhere thing metas] who might interfere."

Yolanda says, "Was there a contingency plan, in case you got split up during the fight?"

"He knew where Great-She-Tiger (this seems to be the literal sense of Kihzra) lived too and - yes... we were to go back to Dancing Voice's dwelling, if possible."

Yolanda nods. "Where is the dwelling?"

"I couldn't tell you. I could find if from Ming Street though, I think."

Yolanda nods. "How were you supposed to return home?"

"I don't know. Smith would know."

Yolanda says, "I'd like to know how many of you there are still loose in the city. Can you tell me about the composition of your team?"

"We were four - five if you count Dancing Voice."

"Me, Smith, the one we call Man-from-no-Land, who has no real name, and the girl, Breeze's Caress."

Yolanda nods. "Why are you on this mission. Did you volunteer? Are you being compensated somehow?"

"I am in Arctic Fox's army. Not through choice - he has my family. That's why I'm telling you all this - maybe you, far from our land, can help me.... OFten I'm with the regular army but he called me for special duty this time."

Yolanda nods. "I'll see what can be done. Are any of the others being forced to serve Arctic Fox?"

"Many. Many more serve him through fear - or just because they think soon he'll be king of the whole land. Maybe they're right."

Yolanda says, "Soon...? Do you mean that he's not yet king, or that he is the king and he's expanding his control to the entire land?"

"His realm is ever expanding. His army's are already in the valley of the great river. The City of Jhorbagh and the City of the Islands will soon fall - the great winter is breaking them...."

Yolanda says, "How is he able to send people to our world?"

"He is a sorcerer! He calls upon demons who know the paths between worlds."

Yolanda says, "I think our next step is to catch out with Dancing"

Yolanda says, "I think our next step is to catch out up with Dancing Voice and Breeze's Caress. Are they armed? What can they do?"

"I don't know them well. Dancing Voice, I know, can speak any language and can be very persuasive. He's from a merchant family, but I think he serves Ghravvrhus as more than that."

"Breeze's carress is a thief - maybe the best pickpocket in four hundred lands. She can even take my bow from my very hands! And she runs like the wind, even through crowded streets."

Yolanda says, "Alright. I'm going to interview the others nows."

Yolanda thinks, << Thank you for your help. We'll see what we can do to help. >>

"Don't tell them I said anything! It would be death to me and my family."

Yolanda says, "I understand."

Yolanda says, "You have my word."

The man inside is almost as we was before, lacking only the club. Even as he comes into view, he's scratching at the corners of the cell with his long nails. He bares his teeth at everyone.

Yolanda moves down to the next cell. She tries to establish a mental connection to the next prisoner. << Hello. I'm Doctor Yolanda Simmons. I'm speaking to you mentally so that we can understand one another. You have my word that I won't read anything more than surface thoughts from your mind. Do you undertand? >>

Yolanda nods to Amber. "He's feral... I don't think I'll be able to reach him. You can shutter his cell."