Log:Pawns of the Ice Fox, Scene 7

Pawns of the Ice Fox 2008/06/22 	 Dancing Voice the Living Firework Nexus Akeno Yolanda Jennifer 7

Buckingham Gardens Park

It's a sunny summer Sunday afternoon, and the park is full of people celebrating, amoing other things, the weather and the school year coming to an end.

The burnt patch of woods from the fuel drone crash doesn't seem to be bothering most people, though gardeners and landscapers seem less happy.

Yolanda waits, sitting on a park bench, looking around for Dancing Voice to show up.

Jennifer glances over at the burnt patch with a frown. Then she looks for Yolanda.

Yolanda catches sight of Jennifer. She raises her hand and waves.

Akeno frowns as he walks around the park. The cop has circled the park at least twice already probably. He's now getting back to the meeting point to see if anything has happened. With only reports to go on, he might be more appreciative towards negotiations. Mentalists were always trouble for him, though.

Before too long, Yolanda can spot Dancing Voice's chubby form on the far side of the "lake". He sits on a bench and throws food to the ducks. A girl with a hoodie over her head despite the warm weather sits beside him, looking down at the ducks too.

Jennifer waves back and heads over that way. "Hi. He hasn't turned up yet? I'll just fade out into the background over there, close enough to hear but not pressurizing him."

Dancing Voice seems to have seen Yolanda too: he gives a cheerful wave across the water.

Yolanda rises to her feet. "There they are. It's funny, but they seem to blend in nicely," she says to Jennifer. She returns the wave to Dancing Voice.

Jennifer frowns again, "Cheeky blighter."

Dancing Voice seems content to let Yolanda come to him. The girl keeps her head down in a seemingly sullen attitude suggesting a teenager.

Yolanda walks over to him and an easy pace. She looks around at the nearby people casually looking for anyone who might be out of place.

Jennifer follows a few steps behind Yolanda, scanning carefully for another who might be a threat.

Akeno follows after. He's probably at least half-way well known. The detective does casually keep an eye out, eyes having an unfocused look as he keeps his eyes on Dancing Voice somewhat.

No one seems to stand out as out of place. Of course, if that thief is among the crowds she might be all but invisible: it's quite busy here today! But not so much on this side of the lake.

Yolanda walks up to Dancing Voice. "Good afternoon, Dancing Voice. I hope you don't mind. I've invited a friend or two along to help watch over things. I'm just here to talk, however. I'm hoping that we can reach an adequate compromise."

"Hello! Lovely afternoon, isn't it?" says Chjehzevor. "Not at all. Good afternoon, detective, Miss Markham. Did you enjoy the opera?"

Jennifer smiles coolly, "Up until the interruption it was better than I expected. After the interruption it was most enjoyable."

Yolanda nods. She looks over at the girl wearing the hoodie at Voice's side. "Hello there. What's your name?"

Nexus walks into the park from the once-well-hidden trail nearby, having been checking out the debris of what used to be a campsite. Observing the collection of metas, he ports over to see what's up.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it - oh forgive me - how rude. May I present - if you haven't met before - my friend, Julie."

Julie looks up. Not so teenaged after all. Her face is almost human, but the burning of her eyes is unmistakeable as she fixes them on Jennifer. It's the firework-woman!

Nexus has to get through gardeners and landscapers trying to set that part of the park to rights.

Jennifer steps forward dropping into a crouch to get on the same level as Julie, "I'm truly glad to see you again. I wish the circumstances could be better but I have been worried about you."

Yolanda nods. "I understand now... your friend with the fiery disposition." She looks to Dancing Voice. "So, I'm thinking that it would be best for everyone if you were able to return to your home, Dancing Voice. Here's what I've been thinking..."

Julie's response is rather less kind. "You left me for dead," she says, still with a crackle in her voice but more comprehensible than she used to be. Still, she's cold, not explosive: an improvement perhaps.

Dancing Voice listens to Yolanda with a benign smile.

Jennifer sighs, "You floated away in a cloud of smoke. What was I to do. If I tried to hold any of that smoke would you have recombined fully? So I let it all drift away and hoped you would eventually be okay."

Nexus thinks. o O (So this is Dancing Voice, huh? Hm. I wonder if everybody else has already been mind-controlled...)

Akeno hmms as he watches. "So, the only one to steal sword from Kihzra's hand is a kid. Interesting." He looks at Dancing Voice, listening to him and Yolanda talk. He does look at Julie at her words, though. "That is not Jennifer's way, kid. She doesn't leave people to die. I've seen her go through a fire to save people before, let alone risk her life so things didn't explode."

Yolanda says, "We have the materials required for you to return home. You give us a list of all of your... friends... in Colonial Bay. We give you the materials that you need to return. You and the pickpocket girl can return home. We'll have some Starguard Gamma people on hand to observe your return, to ensure that you actually return. I'm afraid that your friends who are already in custody will have to remain in jail."

Nexus hrms. . o O (Nah, probably tough to mind-control a mentalist.)

Chjehzevor gives it some thought, but shakes his head after a moment. "I'm afraid the deal's not good enough. Now, if I could take Qromosk back with me as well, perhaps I could agree." He adds to Jennifer, "And don't worry about Julie. She's much better now - she just needed a little help with her temper to hold herself together. Why, she's almost her old self again!"

Nexus wonders who Qromosk is, but decides not to interrupt anybody by asking.

Jennifer nods, "He's kind of the important one isn't he? Like he's the guy who can actually do the cross-over, right?"

Akeno considers a bit as he looks at Chjehzevor. Akeno's thinking perhaps. o O (Hmm... Kihzra wields a sword... these guys have formidable powers... and from the way Kihzra showed up dressed supposedly along with some of the other showings... I wonder.) O o. "I have a question, honestly. For all intents and purposes that I have seen, you and yours seem to be very honorable individuals in some ways. Is this true or not?"

"Well, as no doubt you've worked out, he has the equipment. I could use it myself, though."

Yolanda sighs. "That is a hard sell, Voice. The authorities here have a policy of not releasing prisoners in this sort of situation. I have another possible idea, though." Yolanda pauses, thinking for a moment.

Nexus thinks. o O (Hm. Wonder what this guy actually did? Maybe an unofficial breakout would simplify the whole mess.)

Dancing Voice adds to Akeno, "Well, I'd like to think so." To Yolanda he says, with curiosity, "Have you indeed? Now, what could that be?"

Akeno considers a bit. Police procedures plus honorable intentions. Yeesh. That's probably one big headache for him.

Yolanda says, "There's a wasting disease that exists on your world, one that causes its victims to age rapidly. We've managed to develop a cure for it."

Nexus blinks at Y's comment. . o O (Wow. I really have _no_ idea what's going on. OK, Doc... your show...)

Yolanda says, "We can give you a batch of the drug, with instructions on how to use it."

Dancing Voice nods. "Ah yes, I read about that. I should thank you. If that had spread it could have been unpleasant, most unpleasant. Now.... hm, interesting. But just the one batch, you say?"

Yolanda says, "How widespread is the disease on your homeworld?"

"Well, it's not easy for me to say, since I've been stranded here for a year. But outbreaks, when they occur, tend to be quite considerable. I've heard of whole cities being wiped out."

Yolanda says, "Just the one batch, so you can see how well it works. When your sorceror is willing to respect our citizens and our boundaries, perhaps we can send more."

"And how would you send more? No, I'm afraid if this is to be any use I would need not just the sample but the directions for making more."

Nexus raises a somewhat impressed eyebrow. . o O (Nice. Yeah, she's _definitely_ the one to bring on negotiations.)

Nexus hrms. "If you can get here at all, there's gotta be some way to set up trade shipments."

Dancing Voice says to Nexus, "Now, I don't believe we've been introduced."

Akeno seems to consider, "I'll talk with the Marshalls and see what they say. It's Citadel that's in charge in this region, after all." He looks at Yolanda. "Hmm..." He looks at Dancing Voice. "Actually, I am curious as to what you would do with the cure?"

Nexus nods. "Nope. They call me Nexus."

Yolanda nods. "Your people have mastered the means to go back and forth... Dancing Voice? This is Nexus."

"Good afternoon, Nexus." To Yolanda he says with a cheerful smiles, "Well, I'd hardly say *mastered*, or I wouldn't still be here."

Nexus nods. "'afternoon." He frowns. "So, if we _could_ get the tech working to trade medicines for y'all not sending hit-squads to kill friends of ours, would you go for it?"

Yolanda says, "We can either develop the cure for you, or teach you how to do it yourselves, if it's possible given the difference in our technology. But doing either depends on our being able to trust your leader to leave us alone."

Nexus hms. . o O (Man, that really does sound better when she says it. Wonder why?)

"Well, you must understand, that decision isn't mine to make. But it's not impossible.... For the moment, though, that's outside the sphere of this negotiation. I remain most eager to go home, and with something to show for it. Without that I doubt that my employer would even consider listening to your terms."

Yolanda hmms. "Why him and not any of the others? If you could explain that to me, it might be helpful."

Yolanda says, "Qromosk, that is"

"Well, of course, all of them would be preferable. But Qromosk's ancestors have been in my employer's service for many generations: is it any wonder that of all of them he'd most want him back?"

Akeno frowns. "You are not telling us something, apparently. His being in the employ is not the only thing, is it?"

He turns to Akeno, curiously. "Why would you think that?" Then he smiles. "Oh, I forget, things are different here. Where I come from, bonds of tradition are very strong."

Akeno frowns a bit. "I can understand that." He looks at Yolanda. "From what we have seen of Kihzra, he is more than likely telling the truth."

Jennifer thinks. o O (Well, apart from the fact Kihzra is a straightforward warrioress and this guys boss is a murdering evil son of a magical using warthog))

Nexus hrms. "So, do the 'bonds of tradition' allow for any way for your boss and Kihzra to put an end to this grudge-match they got going?"

Nexus says, "I mean, jeez, they've each got their own freakin' _universe_ at this point. It's not like the entire infinite damned cosmos ain't big enough for the two of 'em."

Yolanda nods. "Qromosk will be convicted and his sentence will be deportation back to his home world, with you escorting him. If he comes back here, he goes straight to jail and stays there. I think that this should work for all parties involved."

Nexus looks at Yolanda incredulously. . o O (Jeez. It can't be _that_ simple, can it?)

Akeno sighs, looking at Nexus. "You don't understand a thing about codes of honor, do you? There seems to be more to this than what is apparent."

Dancing Voice says to Nexus, "Well, there's nothing in the bonds of tradition to prevent such a thing, but I fear my employer does desire the Sword Dancer's head on a pike, and I've no doubt the feeling is mutual."

Jennifer grins, "I have an idea to cover that."

Yolanda looks to Nexus meaningfully. She'll try to establish surface thought telepathy with him. << What's on your mind? >>

Nexus pointedly ignores Akeno's challenge, and shrugs to DV. "'xcept she ain't the one invading _his_ home town to keep the grudge-match goin'."

To Yolanda he says, "But your proposal seems acceptable."

Dancing Voice says pleasantly to Nexus, "I've already said that you can end this more simply by the removal of Kihzra's head. Why, I'm sure Ghravvruhs would reward you amply for it, too!"

Yolanda nods. "Alright then. All that remains is to finalize the details with the Marshall Service. You can take the cure with you when you return."

Akeno sighs. "That's going to be tricky."

"Dear me. Am I negotiating with the wrong people?"

Yolanda shakes her head. "I'll make sure that it happens."

Nexus shakes his head. "Trust me, you're negotiatin' with the right people. The _simplest_ thing would be to trace your interdimensional signature and go on a fishing expedition for your boss's head, but we're not gonna do that. See? Negotiation's working pretty well already. Anyway, the lady's made you a pretty good offer, and I ain't heard you say 'yes' yet."

Dancing Voice stands with a smile. "Excellent!" He offers his hand to shake.

Yolanda nods and shakes Dancing Voice's hand.

"Excellent. Well, how long will it take for all this to be put into effect?"

Julie says to Dancing Voice, a little sadly, "So you *are* going then?"

Dancing Voice says sympathetically, offering a fatherly hug, "You'll be all right, my dear. You don't need me any more."

Nexus thinks. o O (Damn right she doesn't, slimeball.)

Jennifer asks, "If she wanted to go with you would she be allowed to?"

Nexus decides he's going to say more than he should if he sticks around much longer, and nods. "Great, glad to hear it. I'll get the paperwork started, then." He vanishes.

Dancing Voice looks at Jennifer. "I don't see why not, but I wouldn't advise it. She's better off here..."

Akeno considers a bit as he finally speaks again, "I can watch over her or Jennifer can. From the reports, she is formidable. If she wants to help out in the city... we're the best bets. Jennifer knows most of the heroes. I'm on the police force and sometimes... eh, I do need more help than normal."

Julie says, "I don't know if I belong here either, any more...."

Akeno chuckles. "Do you think Kihzra does? And, quite frankly, you've seen things that most of us don't. You've seen the worst side of the city, I imagine. Wouldn't you rather try to fix that? Gain experience doing that, then return to your home and help there?"

Dancing Voice says, "Of course you do. And if you *do* have any more trouble, I'm sure this formidable lady here can help..." He indicates Yolanda. "She's already 'helped' a friend of mine at the zoo, so I know she's very good."

Dancing Voice realises Akeno's misapprehension, and smiles.

If looks could kill... Yolanda fixes an icy stare on Dancing Voice. Her expression softens as she looks to Julie. "That's right, I'd be happy to help."

Yolanda says, "In fact, Julie, you can come with me after we leave here."

It's Dancing Voices's time for an icy stare. "Oh, there's no need for that, I'm sure. No need to say goodbye, Julie, until it's time for me to go. Come on, let's go home."

He and Julie head for the MagLev station.

Dancing Voice calls back to Yolanda, "Do call me once everything's arranged!"

Yolanda think. o O ( Oh, the gall... It's ones like that who give mentallists a bad name. )

Yolanda says, "I will."

Jennifer watches Chjehzevor depart. "You know, he really was quite charming, as psychotic evil sobs go."

Yolanda says, "It makes me sick to think about how he was using that poor girl."

Jennifer looks at Yolanda. "I think he may have saved her life. For his own purpose of course. But she was heading for a nasty demise and it's just possible he prevented that."

Yolanda says, "To serve his own purposes, I'm sure."

Jennifer nods to Yolanda, "I'm sure you're right. But I'll take the accidental benefit if its offered. It won't stop me taking him down if there's a chance to do so."