Log:Pawns of the Ice Fox, Scene 3

Pawns of the Ice Fox 2007/05/31 	 Amber and Azure Dark Horse Kibin Sword Dancer Rebound Dancing Voice Howl an elderly extradimensional couple 3

Bridgend, outside Past Times

Jennifer steps out of Steel's gym on yet another coffee run. Sure they have vending machines but given a choice between instant brew and Lisa's coffee... it's a no-brainer.

Alex squints as he steps out of his house and under the sun. He walks down the street, taking in some fresh air before he gets back to work.

Dark Horse is seated, perched atop the dojo, his mask pulled upward, exposing his mouth. It's pulled up just far enough to eat. And eating he is...apparently having a sandwich.

Jennifer waves, "Hi, Alex. How's it going?"

Kihzra steps out of the coffee shop, moving not quite like her normal self. After a couple of steps, she staggers, then doubles over, grasping her stomach.

Jennifer starts racing over towards Kihzra pulling her medikit out.

Kihzra gasps, "Ajah! A tattayht!"

Jessica says, "Runs out of the Gym moments after Jennifer starts moving."

Kihzra collapses on the ground.

Alex waves to Jenn. He shrugs. "Taking a break from..." He watches Jennifer run over to Kihzra; he's starts running over as well.

Jessica says, "The coffee shop again. Heaven knows what's inside it now."

Jennifer says, "reaches Kihzra and uses the medikit. It's got diagnostics built in. It can worry about what if anything is needed."

The medikit appears to get to work as it should. But Kihzra doesn't seem to be getting better. At best, it's stabilised her.

While Jennifer treats Kihzra, Alex crouches by the sword dancer's side. "Kihzra, what happened? How are you hurt?"

Jennifer looks over at Alex as he comes up, "Over to you. I never trained in paramedics."

Kihzra seems to have passed out.

Alex nods, "Right." Alex starts to check on Kihzra's condition, starting with her vitals.

Dark Horse glances over at the relatively sudden commotion as he finishes his sandwich. "What the heck?" He pulls down his mask, and starts to just observe...but decides to swing down to the street, instead. He swings down, landing on the sidewalk.

Dark Horse coils up his swingline, and walks over to the group, "What's the situation?"

Kihzra lies unconscious on the ground in front of the coffee shop, being examined by Alex. The twins are also in attendance and Dark Horse is approaching.

Jessica looks over at the new arrival, "Kihzra collapsed after leaving the coffee house. She appeared to be injured on exiting. Cause unknown. Best guess, the coffee house has gone walkies again."

Augustin walks down the street. He quirks a brow once he sees the group around Kihzra.

"I think it's poison," Alex pronounces. He looks up. "My guess is that the source of it is inside the coffee house. Jenn, can you put a call for an ambulance and watch over Kihzra?"

Jennifer says, "I can. Do you have that rift detector handy? The one you built for SG."

Dark Horse nods, "I'll take a look inside the place." He moves over to the coffee house, and takes a look inside, without opening the door.

Kibin enters from Wharf Street North.

Jennifer places a call for an ambulance

Augustin approaches the fallen Kihzra. "Well. This doesn't look good."

Kihzra lies unconscious on the ground in front of the coffee shop, being examined by Alex. The other are also in attendance.

Jessica nods in acknowledgement to Augustin as he approaches.

Augustin nods in return, folding his arms and waiting for the others to work.

Alex stands and looks up to Augustin. "She's been poisoned. There're be a first aid kit inside the coffee house, and probably the poisoner as well." He starts heading towards the Past Times.

Dark Horse furrows his brow, "I don't see anything out of the ordinary, but that's not conclusive." He opens the door, and steps inside.

Jessica turns her head away and mutters quietly.

Dark Horse walks over to the person behind the counter. "The young woman who just stepped outside...where was she seated?"

The most remarkable thing in here seems to be you - people look up as someone enters in costume. The girl at the counter looks surprised for a moment and then says, "Over there - by the window."

Dark Horse looks over at the table in question, and walks over to it, seeing if anyone else is seated there. He doesn't seem overly concerned about the stares.

There isn't, though two cups (one coffee and one tea) are at the table, and a couple of small plates with crumbs.

It all looks remarkably normal in here. Dark Horse draws a few stares examining a table window.

Dark Horse is looking at a particular table, examining the table and the surroundings closely.

The twins enter going through the door as close to simultaneously as they can manage.

Dark Horse glances back over to the person behind the counter, "Who was seated with her?"

"Oh - I don't know his name. He's been in here a bit over the last week though. Funny man with a round face, smiles a lot. Always drinks tea."

Dark Horse says, "Where did he go?"

"Out the front door, I think - paid his bill and left, by himself."

Dark Horse grumbles a little bit, speaking to himself more than anything, "Stupid of me to assume that the other person didn't leave first." He hurries over to the door, and steps back outside, looking around for the immediate suspect/witness.

Dark Horse comes too, to show the exact chair. But there's no longer thw two cups or the plates on the table.

Augustin eyes the table. "Check the chair. I'll go chew out whoever bussed the table." He heads for the counter.

Kibin goes over to the chair, sniffing it to try and pick up the most recent, strongest scent, ignoring any stares that he might recieve.

Augustin catches the girl just in time, taking the cups and plates away on a tray. No one told her not to!

Augustin reaches out to touch the girl on the shoulder. "Those cups and plates. I'm going to need them. Rather, the police will need them."

Her eyes widen. "Why, what happened? Is that why there are sirens?"

Kibin hmmms... that's odd... ah well. He sniffs around, following the trail of the person.

Augustin nods, reaching out for the tray. "We suspect there's a not insignificant amount of an unidentified poison in one of those cups, so I'll take them off your hands."

She seems all too happy to hand them over - indeed she almost drops them!

Augustin smiles as he takes the tray. "Thank you. Now, miss, could you be a dear and call the police?"

She nods and runs to do so.

Kibin continues following the trail, outside of the coffee shop.

Augustin sets the tray down at a table and takes a seat, watching over it.

The ambulance can be heard leaving.

Augustin picks up the tray and decides to wait outside.

Augustin emerges from the coffee shop carrying a tray with a couple cups and a plate. "These were on the table."

Rebound nods. "Kihzras's on her way to the hospital." He starts to follow Kibin.

The trail leads northwards up the street.

Kibin has left.

Jessica tries, just as an experiment, stepping into the coffee shop without her sister.

Augustin waits behind for the police to hand over the evidence.

Rebound nods. "I'll hang onto those Augustin... unless you want to stay back."

Augustin nods to Rebound. "You're better off following our dino."

Jessica steps outside again.

Kibin continues uneventfully following the scent trail north. People tend to stay out of his way and not slow him down.

Kibin isn't at all surpised when the trail veers east onto the boardwalk!

The boardwalk is pretty busy by this time of year, and following the scent is much harder with all the people about.....

Despite the complications, Kibin's nose leads him straight to the Beach Hotel!

Kibin continues following the trail, until stopped.

Rebound follows Kibin. He stays a few steps behind the dinosaur.

You get a few looks as Kibin follow the trail to an elevator.

Kibin hmmms. An elevator. "I guess I could just stop at every floor, until I pick up the trail again on one of the floors... though it might be more convienent if we take the stairs."

Rebound says, "We could split up. you do the elevator, I'll check the stairs... Or..."

Kibin says to Rebound, "You don't have as keen of a sense of smell as I do, do you? How were you planning on helping?"

Rebound heads over to the front desk to talk to the receptionists. "Excuse me. I think that one of your guests may be a visitor from another dimension. I'm wondering if you can tell me how many people you've had check in since (the date of the Docks rift). And which floors they are on?"

Rebound says, "A woman's life may depend on it."

Kibin ahs... that would indeed help a lot...

The man on the desk helps, but there are rather a lot. It's been a couple of weeks, so most guests are in that category.

Rebound tries describing the autograph hound, morphing his face to match his features. "he looked something like this."

"Oh - him.... let me see.... here we are. Mr Jones, room 413."

Kibin waits impatiently for Rebound to finish, maybe it'll help single down on the number of floors he... oh, that was easy.

Kibin walks over to the elevator then, waiting for Rebound.

Rebound nods to Kibin. "I'll take the stairs, meet you on 4."

Kibin nods at Rebound, taking the elevator to the 4th floor.

Rebound bounds up the stairs to the 4th floor.

Kibin finds the scent again, sure enough, on the 4th floor.

Kibin then follows the scent, a little less carefully than before, towards room 413. Just to make sure.

Jessica and Jennifer head up to the fourth floor where Rebound said Mr Smith was staying. "The autograph hunter is up on the fourth floor according to Rebound, Augustin."

Augustin nods to the twins, following behind them. "Hotel. Doesn't seem very reputable."

Kibin peeks through the little peekhole thingie on the door to see if he can see anyone inside, and listens carefully to see if he can hear anyone inside.

Kibin asks quietly to Rebound, so that no one inside can hear, "So do we knock?"

Rebound whispers back. "One moment we've got back-up coming."

It only moments before Augustin and the twins get there.

Jessica and Jennifer pop into a bathroom en-route, "It's room 413, Augustin. I'm going to quickly slip into something less comfortable but better armored, just in case."

Augustin nods, and contines on to room 413 quietly.

Azure and Amber finally catch up.

Kibin says quietly to Amber and Azure, "I followed the trail to this room."

Azure nods to Rebound, "Knock or pick?"

Rebound stretches out his ear and places it to the door, lstening for anyone inside.

Rebound looks to the others and tries to say quietly. "Bust it. He's in there."

Augustin hangs back, letting the heroes break.

Kibin hmmmms.... he comments quietly, "Why do I smell sulfur..."

Azure looks around, "Ready?" she whispers as her energy whip starts to extend.

Rebound nods

Kibin nods at Azure.

Azure steps to the side so outgoing fire through the door can hit her, both twis activate force armor, and the whip lashes out at the door.

Augustin hmms at Kibin, mouthing the word 'bomb'.

Kibin does the same thing as Azure, after he realizes why she did that.

Amber gains entrance to the room. The hotel won't be happy thought.

Amber tries to hit her dismay. Maybe the others will believe she intentionally went for the wall instead of the obvious entry point of a door.

The hotel management won't be happy about other things, either. The circle and mystic symbols probably weren't part of the original carpet decoration, and the brimstone smell will probably take ages to get out of the room. Mr Jones is in the middle of the circle, smiling happily. He tips his hat to the heroes. "Too late, I'm afraid. The sword dancer is dead, and I'm off home. I must say, this dimension was a pleasure to visit. Thank you for all your help. Ta-ta!" He seems to be fading out.....

Kibin tries going for a running tackle to stop him from escaping before he finishes leaving.

Kibin goes for a dramatic midair tackle of him, hoping to knock him out of the circle.

Kibin runs at him, swiveling and hitting him with his tail away from the circle, so he can't teleport out. Or whatever he's doing. It can't be good.

With a crack of breaking bones the formerly smiling man is knocked hard into the wall.

The man slides down the wall to the floor, his right arm at quite an unhealthy angle.

The air in the circle (where Kibin is) shimmers and the room outside it seems shrouded in shadow....

Azure snakes out her energy whip and, hoping for a little better accuracy this time, attempts to grab Kibin and pull him out of the circle before he goes travelling.

As Amber yanks Kibin through the edge of the shimmering region - which *now* seems to be hardening - the "wall" seems to shatter, spraying rainbow shards over the whole room. The relative light of the circles fades....

Augustin removes his sunglasses once the light dies away. He blinks at something on the other side of the room, and waves.

The old woman - must be in her eighties - who now stares at you all in astonishment for a moment. "Thieves! Burglars! Ruffians! How dare you break in here!" The old man with her looks up from his book and reaches for his cane.

And then the old woman's hands glow orange - and she lobs a bolt of energy at the person who made the immediate threatening action. Well, waved to her.

Psiforce enters from Boardwalk.

The blast of plasma narrowly misses Augustin and blasts a hole across the corridor.

Augustin blinks. Didn't expect that. He dodges to the side and slips his glasses back on. "We mean no harm!"

The blast of plasma narrowly misses Augustin and fizzles on the wall across the corridor.

The old man scrambles to his feet. "Don't worry, Min, I'll protect you!" And then he hobbles at about 50 miles per hour in the direction of Kibin, lashing out with his cane.

The old man thwacks Kibin and keeps hobbling round the room at super-speed.

Augustin blinks at the goings on. "Holy God."

Kibin stays where he is, readying to move when the time is right.

The old man lines up to strike at both Kibin and Augustin. He bypasses the twins for some reason.

The old man stumbles as Kibin blocks his attack and doesn't get the chance to attack Augustin.

Augustin lunges forward once the old man stumbles, trying to slip a full nelson onto him.

Augustin holds the old man tightly, exercising his strength to keep him place. "Now, let's all calm down and have a little talk."

Azure says, "Steps inside the room bracing herself just in case she's wrong."

Azure ignores the woman and the speed crazed old man. She heads straight across to the no longer smiling Mr Jones. "I'm impressed. Pretty good for someone with a broken arm." she tells him while unleashing a pulled punch to the side of his head.

Amber holds action while re-evaluating the situation.

"What are you DOING?" shouts the old woman. "Get away from that poor man - whoever he is!" This time she blasts at Azure.

Azure gets slammed back into the wall as the old woman's bolt of plasma hits her.

Kibin says loudly with a bit of growl behind his voice, trying to get mainly the old man and woman to listen, "Can you all just stop fighting already, and let us explain ourselves?"

The old lady looks at Kibin - he's certainly got her attention.

says, "Very well. Explain yourselves then.""

Kibin says to the old lady, pointing at the man with the broken arm, "That guy posioned someone here. Nearly killed her, if it wasn't for her getting swift medical care. He was trying to get away through some sort of ritual, teleporting away. I and the other people here stopped him from getting away, but we seem to have broken some sort of barrier in the process, which is probably why you are here right now."

Augustin nods to Kibin. "We're sorry, you seem to be caught in the middle of something else." He keeps hold of the old man, though.

The old man says, "So what are you saying? We're in some other dimension?"

"That's about the size of it, sir." Augustin tells him. "We seem to be having trouble with that. Can I let you go knowing you aren't going to strike us?"

He nods. "Honestly, what kind of crazy country is this? Not only aren't the streets safe, but you can't even stay in a hotel without getting sucked into another dimension.... Despite all the money they spend on defense - I don't know."

Augustin releases the old man. "Things certainly were better in the old days."

Kibin says to the old man, "We're having some... problems with dimensional rifts here. It's only in this city. We're working on it."

"I don't know about that - saner, maybe. But in the old days I'd probably be pretty much housebound by this point...."

"Hm? So why don't you call the proper authorities and have them fix it?"

"They are the proper authorities." Augustin gestures at the others. "They'll probably want to take the guy who started this whole mess."

Rebound checks on Mr. Jones's condition.

"Well, if you're the proper authorities, send us home this minute!" says the woman.

Azure sighs, she got it badly wrong. But that was *so* like the mental games her adoptive father would play with her when she was younger. She really had thought the assassin was faking unconsciousness. Bending down she starts using her medikit, "I'm healing him." She tells the old woman." Didn't intend to injure him. Bit of a misjudgement on my part."

Kibin says to the woman, "We, ah, can't. None of us have the ability to cross planes. Most of the people in this dimension are 'normal' with no extraordinary abilities, in fact I used to be until a year or so ago."

Kibin adds, "Well, normal for US. As in, they can't shoot bolts of energy, and can't move super fast."

"You poor dears," the old woman says. "The Event never happened in your dimension, then?"

Kibin asks the woman, "The event?"

Rebound looks up from the man to Azure. "He's in a bad way." He makes room for the twin to treat the man. "I don't think won't have to worry about him waking up anytime soon."

"You know - the Event of 2009? No?"

Kibin shakes his head at the woman, saying, "This is another dimension, that event never happened. Whatever it is."

The old man looks about. "Are you sure this is your dimension? It looks the same, mostly.

"I mean, other than the hole you made in the wall."

Kibin says, "Most likely, you come from a dimension where only one event has changed. That would be the event that happened in 2009. I think multiple dimensions are something like different starting conditions, as well as all of the different possibilities that could ever happen..."

Kibin says, "Thus, in this dimension, said event never happened, but everything else remained mostly the same."

Amber steps out of the room through the hole in the wall and along the corridor to just beyond the change of wallpaper, where she tries her SGG comm link to HQ, after recovering from separation shock if need be.

The old man pokes his head out the door. "Wait - I think it's our world. At least this direction...."

Azure staggers and looks disorientated for a few seconds. "Ugh. We're not at home folks, in this room. We're the visiting team. There's a rift boundary outside in the corridor."

"Oh, that's a relief," says the woman. "That means we can get this matter fixed up in no time."

Rebound says, "Ok. Let's take Jones back then."

Augustin shrugs at the woman. "Maybe not. I'd start selling tickets if we can't get things under control."

Kibin says to the old woman, "Again, it's probably identical, except that said event never happened. And only a small percentage of the world actually has supernatural powers."

Kibin says, "Or extraordinary powers, rather. Though there are people with supernatural powers."

"Oh, I'm sure even the *American* authorities can close a simple dimensional rift. Of course, back home they wouldn't have let it happen in the first place."

Kibin blinks, just remembering what Azure said. He hmmms for a moment, and then steps outside the room.

"Now Henry, be polite, you shouldn't say things like that."

Augustin shrugs. "I'm technically Spanish, so no offense taken. Anyway this should be taken care of soon."

"I'll find the number...."

Rebound nods. "Alright then." Rebuond checks to make sure it's safe to move Jones.

The old woman puts on a pair of glasses and starts studying her PDA.

Amber can't go without asking, "Ma'am, what was the Event? Briefly."

Kibin ahs. He goes back inside the room. "Okay... so apparently its

Kibin ahs. He goes back inside the room. "Okay... so apparently it's not just an instantanous rift, it's a continuous rift... er, if this rift is about to be sealed, perhaps we should go outside of said rift?

"Well dear, no one knows, exactly. Most people thought aliens did it, till the aliens turned up and said they didn't. Just one day people woke up and found they pretty well all had superpowers."

Kibin says, "That must have been a fun day."

She frowns. "Actually it was about the worst day in history. But we got over it. And it got fun afterwards."

Augustin turns to leave the bubble, leaving the others to question history.

Kibin says, "In our dimension, there are a few people with superpowers, either by a random fluke of genetics, magical powers, technology, or by being an alien."

Rebound nods. "I think it's time to go. Sorry for any trouble we may have caused. We have a sword dancer to heal."

Rebound will grab Jones and carry him out, being careful to mind his arm.

Amber smiles, "Ma'am, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. Under other circumstances I have no doubt it would have been a pleasure meeting you."

Kibin hmmms. Idea for opportunity. "By any chance, do any people here have the ability to travel between planes?"

She smiles. "I don't doubt it dear - oh, I've got through to them. Excuse me. Yes, hello? I'd like to report a dimensional intrusion - in my hotel room. 413, Beach Hotel....."

Kibin asks, "Maybe one of them could come over to our dimension for a bit, and help us with our dimensional problems?"

"Certainly not - we have a closed door policy to other dimensions. Safer that way. They'll plug the hole as sooner as they come over."

Kibin ahs. Well, it doesn't hurt to ask. "I'll be seeing you, then."

Azure shakes her head at Kibin's words, "Probably not. And that's a bit of a shame."

"No, you won't. They'll see to that. Well, unless they're really useless here...."

Kibin says to the woman, "What I mean is bye... or something... bah, used to being able to see people again. Bye, anyway."

Azure and Amber left and pass through the rift border. "You know they were a pretty great pair. I liked them. And she sure packed a heck of a wallop."

Augustin nods. "Certainly not what I expected. I was lucky I got a hold on the guy."

Rebound carries Jones out.

Kibin hmmms, curious about something. He takes a piece of the rubble, and then places it just on the dimensional boundary, to see what happens to it when the rift is sealed.

Things return to normality. (Anything you still can't cope with is therefore your own problem.)

Rebound says, "This happened the last time someone from U-946 came across."

Kibin asks Rebound, "What's U-946?"

Augustin quirks a brow. "You're calling it U-946?"

The piece of rubble rather boringly does nothing special. It ends up in your own dimension. Maybe their dimensional tech are too competent accidentally to cut things in two.

Rebound says, "It caused a rift that opened a secondary rift to another dimension. U-946 is the dimension that Kihzra," He raises Mr. Jones in his grip, "... and supposedly this guy is from."

Kibin hmmms, picking up the piece of rubble. "Well now I have a souvenir from another dimension."

log date: 06/04/2007

Starguard holding cells

The "autograph-seeker" is sitting up on his bed as you enter, and incongruously has his usual smile.

Alex sits down in a chair outside the cell. "So I'd like to ask you a few questions. I'll be recording this session. You've already been briefed on your rights, correct?

He nods, still smiling. "A quaint little custom. I must suggest it to my lord Arctic Fox. He may be quite amused."

Alex says, "Arctic Fox? Ok, first questions first. What is your name?" He says, "Does it really matter? No one in this world know it."

Alex says, "Yes, it does. It's for the records. We don't get many visitors from other dimensions, regardless of their intents."

He says, "Well then, do you want to hear my name in your language, or mine?"

Alex says, "Both, please."

"Very well. Ash Chjehzevor qhest. My name is Dancing Voice."

Alex nods. "Ok. Voice. Tell me about the purpose of your visit. Did you come here at Arctic Fox's request? What's his relationship with you?

"Why, I already told you! He is my lord."

Kibin walks into the Security Area, remembering about Alex wanting help with interrogating the prisoner.

Dancing Voice looks up as Kibin enters. "Ah, the lizard man too."

Alex says, "What's your position in his court?"

Kibin says, "Dancing Voice.... oh, autograph seeker."

Kibin says to the man in the holding cell, "Dinosaur, not lizard."

"Why, a very humble one. I would hardly describe myself as at his court, indeed."

Alex says, "How would you describe yourself?"

"Oh, about so high, of ample proportions and a jovial nature."

Alex says, "Ok. Let me ask you this - we know that you were sent to kill Kihzra. What is Arctic Fox going to do now that you've failed."

"Now then, I can't presume to speculate on my lord's private counsel!"

Alex says, "Well, what if it were you?"

"Well now, for myself I would have had no cause to kill the Sword Dancer! So you see, the matter wouldn't arise."

Kibin watches behind Alex.

Alex sighs. o O ( Jenn, what would you ask here... )

Alex says, "How did you come across to our world?"

"Oh, I can't pretend to understand the details of it. I am no sorcerer, as you may have gathered from my thinking my escape was assured several moments too early."

Alex says, "So you signalled them to pick up you up, so to speak"

"So to speak. I don't suppose I could have some tea? If I am to answer your questions, I shall be quite parched."

Alex says, "Maybe when we're done."

He looks doleful. "I shall have to be more economical with my speech then."

log date: 06/23/2007

Rebound returns to check on the autograph hound, pulling up a chair and sitting down facing the cell. "So, have you decided to cooperate?"

Chjehzevor sits up on hsi bed and smiles benignly. "Have I been uncooperative? Goodness me! And I thought I was being a well of information."

"..None of which related to why your boss wants Kihzra dead." Rebound says, "Or what it's going to take to convince him to stop."

"Oh, well, now you come to the point! That wasn't so hard, was it? Let me see - why he wants her dead. Yes, I can't really see any harm in telling you that - certainly I wasn't told not to say. It's because of the prophecy, you see."

Rebound says, "Hmm. Tell me more about the prophecy."

"I'd love to, but, comfortable as your prison is, I find my throat dray, as I think I remarked last time we met. Now, if you could be so kind as to provide some tea, I'll tell you all I know about it."

Rebound says, "Yeah? I'll see what I can do...."

"Thank you." He smiles and waits.

Rebound stands and leaves the room. Once outside he tries calling up Kihzra.

After a few seconds, a voice says, somewhat hesitantly, "Herro, tjasivju."

Rebound says, "Hey, it's Rebound. I'm a Starguard, interogating a prisoner here. Does the name Chjehzevor mean anything to you?"

She says, "Cha... means, voice vat dances. Is man vat poisoned me, yes?"

Rebound says, "Yes. That's the one."

"Is vhat you vanted to know? Vhere is man now?"

Rebound says, "He's here at Starguard. It's been a little difficult to get him to talk about anything meaningful."

Rebound says, "Mainly I wanted to know what you might know about him."

"Vhy? He talks Engrish, no? Qhah - have never heard of him. He vorks for Ghravvruhs vough, I bet."

Rebound says, "I might need to put a little bit of a scare into him. Are you available?"

"Yes, can come."

Rebound gets a cup to tea ready to bring into the cell.

Kihzra arrives. "Vhat you me me to do?"

Kihzra suspects what she would like to do wouldn't be allowed. And anyway wouldn't help much with questioning.

Rebound says, "Mostly, be quiet and look menacing... Voice is a prisoner of Starguard. It means that we can't let him suffer any physical harm while he stays here. But he may not know that. Understand?"

Kihzra says, "Understand. Vill change cloves, ven."

Kihzra goes to get changed.

Rebound has some tea, himself.

Sword Dancer forgies the tea. "Am ready."

Once Kihzra returns, Rebound asks, "Hmm. Before we head back in: what's this prophecy?"

Sword Dancer says, "Vhat prophecy?"

Rebound says, "Voice said that was the reason Gravvus wanted you gone. You don't know about it?"

Sword Dancer shakes her head. "What is prophecy?"

Rebound says, "Hmm. Wait here for a few? I'll go find out. He takes two cups of tea with him, a full one for Dancing Voice, and his half-full cup."

Sword Dancer nods and remains outside.

Rebound heads back into the cell. "Here. I've got your tea." He puts the paper cup into the small drawer for passing items into the cell and closes the outside door of the drawer.

The man looks at the paper cup dubiously. "An odd use for paper - still, let's hope the tea is better."

Rebound says, "Sorry... the five-star hotel was overbooked. So... tell me about the prophecy."

He takes a sip of the tea. "Ah - well, it's a prophecy about Arctic Fox and a woman, or, to be more precise, a descendant of Brun on both her mother's and her father's side. A warrior woman."

Rebound nods. "What is she destined to do?"

"Why, to defeat Arctic Fox, of course, assuming she isn't first slain. Why else would he be so worried about her?"

Rebound says, "'First slain'... If he can kill her, then what is he so worried about? It there some mention of when she's to return in the prophecy?"

He smiles, and takes another sip. "The prophecy, as is the wont of prophecies, is rather vague and open to interpretation. But you will understand that my master would sooner take care of this matter at a safe distance and not become personally involved."

Rebound says, "It don't suppose I could convince you to tell your boss you'd succeeded in your mission."

"I can foresee some slight difficulty in that, not least because you prevented my return home."

Rebound says, "So we caught you -- it doesn't mean that you didn't deliver the poison and that Kihzra didn't die from it. How did you expect to return?"

"I was using the magic my master gave me, of course. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite as safely away as I thought I was, and was thrown clear of the circle."

Rebound says, "What's the mechanism for activating the magic?"

"I'm sure you saw that when you burst in on me. It was quite an involved ritual. H had to write it all down, and even so it took longer than I thought."

Rebound says, "What are the steps of the ritual?"

"Well, let me see, I had so make the circle on the ground in a certain way, then place the censer and burn the powders and brimstone, all while chanting the words I had written down and making certain gestures - a bit like this -" he demonstrates. "I can't tell you more without the notes."

Rebound nods. "I'll be right back." He rises and goes to get the notes.

The (presumed) notes prove to be written on parchment in little cross-shaped figures.

Rebound bring the notes to Kihzra, paging through them as he walks. "Hmm." He's careful to keep them in order and he hands them to Kihzra. "Do these make any sense to you? We got them off of the Voice." he explains. "It supposedly details a ritual for him to go home."

Sword Dancer takes one look at them and shakes her head. "Don't read."

Rebound frowns slighty. "Oh. Ok. Hmm." He starts to think.

Sword Dancer says, "Is important?"

Rebound says, "Well, I think so. I mean, if we could figure out the ritual we could travel back to your home dimension."

Sword Dancer's eyes widen. "Rearry?" Then she does something that sounds like swearing. "Never fought reading could be important!"

Rebound says, "I think that the Voice might be only one available who can translate it. I'm not sure what's going to happen to him next...."

Rebound says, "He's probably go to jail, maybe with the possibility for getting a reduced sentence for cooperation."

Sword Dancer says, "Must make him terr!"

Rebound says, "I wish it were that simple. But frankly, if he doesn't want to talk, there's no way to legally compel him."

Rebound sighs. "I'm sorry."

Sword Dancer says, "Ven make him vant to talk!"

Rebound sighs. "It doesn't work like that... I'll see what I can do."

Sword Dancer says, "I vill make him if you don't."

Rebound heads back to the cell.

The man is just finishing his tea.

Rebound says, "So... I have your notes."

"Excellent. I was afraid they might have been lost."

Rebound says, "I'd like you to translate them for me."

"Ah, I see. Yes, I imagine you would. May I save you from wasting your time?"

Rebound says, "What are you talking about?"

I believe you wish me to translate that so that you can open a gate to my world - am I not correct? Well, unfortunately, you see, that won't help. As I said, there were certain powders involved in the ritual, that were given to me - and I don't have any more."

Rebound says, "What were the powders called?"

He chuckles. "I didn't ask, and wouldn't have been told if I had. Why, that would have defeated the purpose!"

Rebound nods. "Alright. I'm not a lawyer, but I can tell you this. You're going to go to jail - and for a long time too. If you can figure any way to help us, then it will be taken into consideration. We can't have invaders come from other dimensions trying to kill people."

He smiles again. "Not even other invaders from other dimensions? But certainly, if translating those instructions will make my life easier, I see no reason not to do it. "

Rebound nods. "I'll set it up with the people here."