Re: A Rescue, A Capture and Bad Choices IC Thread 13

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley:

He nodded. "I'll use the same basic structure as we did before, then."

"Very well, that works for me."
Adjan said and nodded.

"Thank you both," he said. "I'll start after you close the door," he said to Adjan. Once the door was shut, he turned to Loretta and gave her a nod. He began to make shapes with his hands for Auram and Rego as he spoke an incantation from the Mithras Liturgy from the Greek Papyri. After what the Chief had told him of the Cult's ancient roots he figured that those words might work. Plus the Greek had a good stretch of words and repetitions that might be good for trance. Turning to each of the Directions from him as the center point, not unlike the star shape they'd landed on when they first got to Morningstar.

"As you will, I will see what I can hear."
Adjan said and stepped outside and closed the door. Loretta sat down on the floor and made sure her skirt was still elegantly covering her to her knees then she just watched you as you worked, you could feel her there a dynamic swirling presence. Slowly you see her eyes sort of unforcusing, as if they saw more than where in the room with her and her energies grew stronger as she joined her energies with yours though her part of the ritual was still just as an observer.

At first it was what he'd become used to being 'normal' for him, then as he thought about the sound blanket reaching out further from himself, by line of sound, his voice got louder and more pervasive, impressing the area with it his mix of resonance. If the Cultist had been perplexed as to why he'd not spoken anything in the other room, it might be more than apparent now as they worked. He built it as far as he could, going for a room size, until he gave the signal they had agreed upon, which was the same one in both versions of the working.

You could feel the forces you where invoking grudgingly giving in to your commands, various systems had entities being more or less aggressive towards the mages that used them and vice versa and the Greek papyri had very much the relationship between forces and caster as that between an ancient merchant and customer, admiration and respect yes but also a guarded nature lest one got taken advantage of by the other party and allot of the spells had ways to make sure the magician came out on top in those negotiations. Grudgingly the spiritual forces gave in and gave you what you desired, however just as you feel everything clicking into place and you feel forces inside and without flowing to obey your words and gestures you see Loretta lift one of her small, crystal beads to her lips and lightly kiss it and there was a shift, a sudden swirl of her own energies and then nothing. You felt the spell had been cast, it was a bit disorienting in fact for while the sound around you where as it always had been and your rote had not taken effect now, you still felt as if you had cast magick...only it had been cast into the future and lacking an understanding of those areas of reality it felt odd, probably that oddness meant it had worked at least.

Colin:

Colin paused, only for the briefest moment, "He's safe for now... I can't promise anything beyond that."

"O...ok...are you sure he is safe?"
Martha sobbed.

He waited for Martha to try to compose herself, "Martha, some associates of mine want to ask you a few questions about what Larson is up to... I want you to cooperate with them; they are your best chance of seeing justice for your Avatar, and those of your friends."

"I do not understand..."
The woman said as she finally managed to press out a few words between her sobs.
"Cooperate with who...someone coming...the...the Traditionalists...."
She muttered sounding afraid.
"No...I...I will not be a prisoner again...not again..."
She gasped clearly near hysterical.
"B...but is they are your associates and you...then you are with the Traditions...what have happened to my student...what...do you have him?"
Martha yelled clearly very distraught.
"D...do not harm him please..."
She begged and started crying again.

(OOC: Well right now the spell is cast in the future so everyone can hear fine...for now..."

[Warpmind]

Colin grimaced; lying by omission was still a pain, even if it wasn't outright untrue, "David is well out of reach - he sought out capable help when he got your phone call."
He softened his voice, "Yes, we are Traditionalists... We need your help to expose the Italians. If you help us, you can help give your fallen friends some peace; closure. For yourself, as well as the other widderslainte who have come into Larson's grasp. As you told David, you are an Eater of the Weak no more... But you can still set things right as far as the bullies who did that to you are concerned. And as I said, David has escaped. I could not reach him to hurt him, even if I wanted to..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grimaced; lying by omission was still a pain, even if it wasn't outright untrue, "David is well out of reach - he sought out capable help when he got your phone call."

"How do...you know this? If you are with...the Traditions how would you know if a Nephandus have escaped?"
Martha asked it seamed her singular focus now was the well being of her student and she sounded skeptical of your tale.

He softened his voice, "Yes, we are Traditionalists... We need your help to expose the Italians. If you help us, you can help give your fallen friends some peace; closure. For yourself, as well as the other widderslainte who have come into Larson's grasp.

"Closure will not ease this pain..."
Martha said sadly.
"I...wondered if I wanted revenge...but I found I just do...not care...there is nothing to..."
The Nephandus started crying again softly this time and she whimpered as you mentioned the Italians.
"Nothing....can stop them anyway...and...and I do not want to be imprisoned again...to be poked and prodded and restrained...I just want to die in peace...leave me be."
She begged softly.
"Just leave me be...I am not a danger to anyone...not anymore..."

As you told David, you are an Eater of the Weak no more... But you can still set things right as far as the bullies who did that to you are concerned. And as I said, David has escaped. I could not reach him to hurt him, even if I wanted to..."

"If...if David is safe...that is all I care about, I do not know if I can trust you that he is...but nor do I have any other way to reach him so I can do...nothing more..."
She muttered then trained of then muttered softly.
"I...I should go...before...your friends get here...."
The woman sounded tired as if she could hardly muster the strength to walk or hold a conversation.
"W....why...do you talk with me...Traditonalist?"
She muttered.

[Adley]

The feeling was odd in several respects. The words were still on his tongue, almost as if he could taste it, still there sitting at he tip to let the rote go/had already let the rote go but here he was, standing in the room and he could hear everything around him. And the added disorientation oin the sense of having cast the rote with a different kind of flavor than the other incantation he had used the last two times. The former had the flavor of an appeal, this one he felt as if he had haggled reality for it and eventually won. This time. Or, in a future time. Or was it now for a future time? Or in the now-time? He decided to keep the flavor issue in mind for the next time he tried to use it. And indeed for the working they were about to do with Adjan included, next.

He blinked and returned to his normal body language, raising an eyebrow at Loretta. "I think that it worked, we packed the picnic. Let's see how loud it got..." He walked over to the door to let Adjan back in.

// lol...

[Warpmind]

Colin paused for a second, "Because I was there when we let him go... We had to choose between getting him and saving one of our own from other members of your Labyrinth; we could not do both... We saved a child's Avatar, and prevented cementing an alliance between Abigail and Nicolai through an offered child bride - I don't regret my priorities."
He shook his head softly, "That's where you are wrong... We do not wish to poke and prod you, as it were, we need your help. They are not unstoppable, they are just bullies hiding behind a veneer of authority, preying on those they think weaker than themselves... You are more dangerous than you think; you might not be an Eater of the Weak anymore, but you can still deliver a dreadful blow to the ones who so stole your power."
He sighed softly, "I talk with you because I think you are still needed; because I think you can still help... us and your fellow widderslainte. What's happening in Boston is wrong from both our perspectives, I think - and you can help thwart the ones responsible for the atrocities."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley

Loretta nodded she drew a deep breath to return her mind to the hear and now though her voice was still a bit far of as she said.
"Yes it worked. The spell was cast in the future then you activate it, well future for now, a different place in now."
She said and handed you the small bead, it was slightly warm from her hand and felt tingly with her energies and yours.
"Just crush this and as you said speak the last word of your spell when you feel the need to activate it, and that will be the time when it is cast."

Adjan smiles to you as you open the door and entered the room he ever so slightly shivered as the residues of the rote that had just been done floated though him.
"Well the first pat I did not really hear, only a murmur. I guess that if someone stop by the door and really pay attention they might hear something but someone guarding the door should fix that problem, the later part of the ritual I heard rather clearly and so did probably the group of young girls playing a board game three doors down, they popped their heads out to see what was going on."
Adjan said and scratched his head and gave Adley a slightly apologetic look.
"I do not mean to be rude my friend but your voice do carry."

Colin:

Colin paused for a second, "Because I was there when we let him go... We had to choose between getting him and saving one of our own from other members of your Labyrinth; we could not do both... We saved a child's Avatar, and prevented cementing an alliance between Abigail and Nicolai through an offered child bride - I don't regret my priorities."

"Well that sounds plausible and are good priorities."
Martha said seemingly accepting this explanation.
"Thank the Aswadim he is safe...Larson would have...sold him as well..."
She muttered sadly and whimpered.

He shook his head softly, "That's where you are wrong... We do not wish to poke and prod you, as it were, we need your help. They are not unstoppable, they are just bullies hiding behind a veneer of authority, preying on those they think weaker than themselves... You are more dangerous than you think; you might not be an Eater of the Weak anymore, but you can still deliver a dreadful blow to the ones who so stole your power."

"What do...it matter...why won..."
Martha muttered endless pain in her voice and she sounded quite hopeless.
"My own betrayed me and I have lost...everything, I...got my apprentice to flee, he is safe, other than that nothing really matters...I...would like to see my Mentor again, but I do not want her to...see me like this...they took...everything."
She said despair clear in her voice.

He sighed softly, "I talk with you because I think you are still needed; because I think you can still help... us and your fellow widderslainte. What's happening in Boston is wrong from both our perspectives, I think - and you can help thwart the ones responsible for the atrocities."

"You...want to make me a prisoner...to be force fed when I do not eat, to be hurt and humiliated...I have had enough."
The Nephandus said and sobbed.
"I just want to...feel something...anything...it is strange I have spent my life looking for...nothingness...and yet when I feel that inside of me now...I am not so sure I..."
She trailed of softly whimpering.

[Adley]

"Yes it worked. The spell was cast in the future then you activate it, well future for now, a different place in now." She said and handed you the small bead, it was slightly warm from her hand and felt tingly with her energies and yours. "Just crush this and as you said speak the last word of your spell when you feel the need to activate it, and that will be the time when it is cast."

"Thank you," he said, looking at it curiously as he held it in his hand. Then he searched for a safety pin or clip, so that he could affix it to his sleeve and make sure it did not get lost or mixed with the other one. "This is probably a moot point in some ways or a question from an amateur, but does the hold on time fade? For example, if we don't use this tonight, should I expect degradation or it to wear off?"

"Well the first pat I did not really hear, only a murmur. I guess that if someone stop by the door and really pay attention they might hear something but someone guarding the door should fix that problem, the later part of the ritual I heard rather clearly and so did probably the group of young girls playing a board game three doors down, they popped their heads out to see what was going on." Adjan said and scratched his head and gave Adley a slightly apologetic look. "I do not mean to be rude my friend but your voice do carry."

"It's not rude, you are only telling me what we need to know. Three doors down, really..." Someday he might try to see how far it could go on its own without augmentation by forces, just on principle. That day was not today, though. There was a reason why he tried to have his room far away from other people. "Well, that should hopefully do it then for future needs. And as for someone guarding the door, if they stand right across from it, it should be good then, you think?" He looked at the Cultist, wondering if that was suitable and indeed if she was feeling alright. "Is the resonance left still too strong to work the next?" he asked, having seen Adjan walk in and give a shiver as if he walked through a cold spot.

[Ashan101]

(ooc Sorry,  have my post not gotten on again.... last i remember ( not saying much, my memory has been bad last long while ) was going back on guard duty after talking to maya.... then notification etc went silent ... apologise for being a pain

[Warpmind]

Colin grimaced, briefly glancing at the nearest clock, hoping the team from Steelhaven would reach Martha soon, "They haven't taken everything... Not yet, though likely not for want of trying... Lisa Larson is not your own, nor are the Italians. Right now, helping us deal with Larson would be the best thing you could do for Abigail, to protect the last widderslainte she sent to Boston... There might yet be time to save some of them, if not all... I don't want you taken prisoner and have cooperation forced from you. I want to plead for your help in setting things right, to put an end to the treachery in both our midsts... As you say, the emptiness you have is not the one you sought - I'll wager it's the same for the others. For me, that bloody rite is an abomination in its senseless viciousness, for you, it's an abomination in its false oblivion. It's in our mutual interest to cooperate. And just perhaps... I might be able to arrange somewhere peaceful for you to spend the remainder of your days, without anyone to bother you, if you like..."

((OOC: Poor Colin... I'm spending a Willpower point for him to go through with this. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin:

Colin grimaced, briefly glancing at the nearest clock, hoping the team from Steelhaven would reach Martha soon, "They haven't taken everything... Not yet, though likely not for want of trying... Lisa Larson is not your own, nor are the Italians. Right now, helping us deal with Larson would be the best thing you could do for Abigail, to protect the last widderslainte she sent to Boston... There might yet be time to save some of them, if not all...

"I...can not help anyone."
Martha said softly.
"I could not help myself, I could do nothing...she sold me to them...the others...will suffer the same...it is their payment and Larson do...not care..."
The Nephandus said between sobs.
"I can do nothing about that."

I don't want you taken prisoner and have cooperation forced from you. I want to plead for your help in setting things right, to put an end to the treachery in both our midsts...

"I can...not...I..."
Martha sounded scared and confused.
"Nothing can be set right...nothing...ever"

As you say, the emptiness you have is not the one you sought - I'll wager it's the same for the others.

"You are right...it is not the same...not the same...there is just coldness in this...loneliness. My insides are dust..."
The escaped Nephandus' spoke very softly now and again sobbing.

For me, that bloody rite is an abomination in its senseless viciousness, for you, it's an abomination in its false oblivion. It's in our mutual interest to cooperate.

"It is...an horror..."
Martha said barely audible.
"But what...can I do? I am nothing now..."

And just perhaps... I might be able to arrange somewhere peaceful for you to spend the remainder of your days, without anyone to bother you, if you like..."

"Y...yes I would like this...but how?"
She said though she did not seam to have the mental strength to really doubt your words.
"Why would you do that for me? They all just want...to harm me..."
She added quietly.

You then hear footsteps and Martha gasps before she called out.
"Stay back...I will put this glass shard right through my throat I doubt you can heal that in time...just leave me alone...leave me alone!"
She sounded quite frightened then you heard the distant voice of Tyrone Smithson a pleasant young Akashic you did not really know much about save that he worked at a physical therapist and sometimes visited the local veteran's hospital and did some volunteer work.
"I am staying back...see I am not coming closer..."
He said calmly to Martha.
"I am not going to hurt you."
Clearly the Chief had sent his men...and women...to search through the area and Tyrone had found the escapee but she was not having it just being dragged back.

Devon:

You had gone back to guard duty and Rosa Olson had come down to the basement offering the mages standing guard some food and coffee, simple sandwiches but food none the less saying that the Chief had asked her to make sure the guards where fed.

(OOC: Yes poor Colin he is going to need a stiff drink at some point.)

(OOC 2: No problem Ashan.)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley:

"Thank you," he said, looking at it curiously as he held it in his hand. Then he searched for a safety pin or clip, so that he could affix it to his sleeve and make sure it did not get lost or mixed with the other one. "This is probably a moot point in some ways or a question from an amateur, but does the hold on time fade? For example, if we don't use this tonight, should I expect degradation or it to wear off?"

You find a safety pin among the other things in your pockets. Loretta looks at you and nods.
"It is a rote like any other Mr Roth Hicks, with dynamic magick unless fixed in place with the use of Tass or free Quintessence a rote will always eventually fade, eventually time will go back to it's regular perception, that is just how things are but it will be longer than one night, give it a week or so and then the hanging spell will dissolve and the effect will activate as it is already cast, it have just been moved to a different now."
She explained.

"It's not rude, you are only telling me what we need to know. Three doors down, really..." Someday he might try to see how far it could go on its own without augmentation by forces, just on principle. That day was not today, though.

"Yes you are able to spook what I assume are apprentices three doors down."
Adjan said with a bit of a grin a bit teasingly.
"I am glad you did not take offense though."

There was a reason why he tried to have his room far away from other people. "Well, that should hopefully do it then for future needs. And as for someone guarding the door, if they stand right across from it, it should be good then, you think?"

"Across the door should be enough for someone guarding the door yes."
Adjan said.
"If you use the volume you did at the most quiet part."
He corrected himself just to be sure.

He looked at the Cultist, wondering if that was suitable and indeed if she was feeling alright. "Is the resonance left still too strong to work the next?" he asked, having seen Adjan walk in and give a shiver as if he walked through a cold spot.

"Yes it should be fine and it is our own Resonance anyway."
Loretta said then she noticed your look.
"Someone standing across from the door are acceptable to me, as long as it is someone I trust, and I would not mind if you had someone you trust there as well."
She said politely
"And since you seam worried I am just fine it takes a few moments to get out of a trance, that is just the way it works but it is not problem I can talk and function anyway, I am just a bit spaced out for a few minutes after a working."
She explained.

(OOC: Oops sorry, forgot about you. )

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Tane after the bus ride you get back to the docks and then your small home. You find Alessa cooking something while she was on the phone.
"Yes...I can do that...yes...ok give me the address..."
She said and fumbled for pen and paper.

Paula you see lay curled up on the floor happily sleeping. Coawa nodded to indicate the other Rokea and muttered to you in a soft voice to not disturb Alessa's phone call.
"She sure sleeps allot."

[Warpmind]

Colin shook his head, "You cannot change what has happened, and it cannot be set right, this is true... but you can help prevent it from happening again - to set the record straight and help enact justice on those villains."
He said softly, "You can talk; you're still something, someone... you can give us the information we need to stop Larson and the Italians, key pieces we might not obtain elsewhere. "
His voice took on a firmer tone; a touch of authority, "We don't all want to hurt you. When you were an Eater of the Weak, you were my enemy, and I would have to treat you as such on the battlefield. Now, however... you are a victim of the dirtiest part of the war, no longer my outright enemy, and someone for whom I can offer compassion."
He listened briefly to the talk in the background, "Martha... Please put down the glass shard and go with my friend there. He's a good man; a healer more than anything - he's not liable to do anything that would hurt you. Besides... David wouldn't want you to bleed out painfully on the sidewalk, would he? Nor would Tian, another who escaped tonight... Good kids, both of them, the state of their Avatars notwithstanding... Please, let us try to help you find some closure, some dignity in your final days... Please... Drop the shard and give Ty the phone..."
He grimaced as he gave her even a part of Tyrone's name, but merely the first syllable might be safe enough...

((OOC: Quite; he'll take his liquor harder than Chinese algebra. ))

[Adley]

"It is a rote like any other Mr Roth Hicks, with dynamic magick unless fixed in place with the use of Tass or free Quintessence a rote will always eventually fade, eventually time will go back to it's regular perception, that is just how things are but it will be longer than one night, give it a week or so and then the hanging spell will dissolve and the effect will activate as it is already cast, it have just been moved to a different now."

"Good to know, thank you." He pinned it into the inside cuff of his sleeve.

"Yes you are able to spook what I assume are apprentices three doors down." Adjan said with a bit of a grin a bit teasingly. "I am glad you did not take offense though."

"At least they didn't try to find out what was going on, then again perhaps they spotted you standing outside and thought better of putting their nose in something that did not concern them. I did not anticipate it reaching quite that far, actually, I am sorry to have startled them."

"Across the door should be enough for someone guarding the door yes." Adjan said. "If you use the volume you did at the most quiet part."

He gave a nod."Good, that's the plan."

"Yes it should be fine and it is our own Resonance anyway." Loretta said then she noticed your look. "Someone standing across from the door are acceptable to me, as long as it is someone I trust, and I would not mind if you had someone you trust there as well." She said politely "And since you seam worried I am just fine it takes a few moments to get out of a trance, that is just the way it works but it is not problem I can talk and function anyway, I am just a bit spaced out for a few minutes after a working."

"Very well. I suppose then the next step is your person coming here to assist us and we three can make sure we are all on the same page with what we are doing next," he suggested, not wishing to waste their limited time. "I don't want to send off any friendly spirits around here by accident but I assume it will be similar to what you did for the other spell. Pack the picnic here and now so we can unleash it later contained in this bead...which means we should agree on some signal for the end--or near end of the  working."

// Colin drew a short-end on this one D:

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin:

Colin shook his head, "You cannot change what has happened, and it cannot be set right, this is true... but you can help prevent it from happening again - to set the record straight and help enact justice on those villains."

"I...can stop them from...going after David...and the others?"
Martha asked though she did not sound convinced.
"Justice do not matter...it...it is just a word...I just want me back I do not want to feel this way."
She whimpered.

He said softly, "You can talk; you're still something, someone... you can give us the information we need to stop Larson and the Italians, key pieces we might not obtain elsewhere. "

"I...can't talk about what happened...I do not want to think about...about...no!"
Martha screamed then her crying got louder, more panicled.
"You can not...make me...talk about it."

His voice took on a firmer tone; a touch of authority, "We don't all want to hurt you. When you were an Eater of the Weak, you were my enemy, and I would have to treat you as such on the battlefield. Now, however... you are a victim of the dirtiest part of the war, no longer my outright enemy, and someone for whom I can offer compassion."

Martha cried but as she spoke she did seam to calm a little, what you said made sense to her.
"I...guess I am no longer a threat..."
She muttered sadly.
"I...I did not want to...go out like this...I was good at what...I did...I was very good, I wanted to go out fighting not like this...with nothing but dust inside..."

He listened briefly to the talk in the background, "Martha... Please put down the glass shard and go with my friend there. He's a good man; a healer more than anything - he's not liable to do anything that would hurt you. Besides... David wouldn't want you to bleed out painfully on the sidewalk, would he? Nor would Tian, another who escaped tonight... Good kids, both of them, the state of their Avatars notwithstanding... Please, let us try to help you find some closure, some dignity in your final days... Please... Drop the shard and give Ty the phone..."

"Tian...got away?...He is a good kid the little Verbena brat."
Martha muttered though she sounded afraid.
"D...David...no he...would not want that...but they were doctors the ones at the hospital...the ones who continued to hurt me..."
She said cautiously...hesitantly.
"As long as I have this glass...no one can take me...back there..."
She said and you heard Tyrone in the background saying.
"No one will take you back to that hospital...and I am not going to hurt you or force you to do anything. I just want to take you somewhere warm before you freeze to death in that nightgown and give you a bed to sleep in...food if you want...the rest is up to you. I doubt my leaders will have the heart to force you to do anything even if they need the information you can provide...please just put the piece of glass down and come with me...if you still want to die after we have made sure you are safe we have three Euthanatoi at our Chantry I am sure they can do it...easier that using a shard of glass from a broken window in a telephone booth."
He said softly and matter of factly. Martha at least seamed less hysterical than earlier.
"Are you sure he will...not hurt me?"
She asked you hesitantly.

Adley:

"Good to know, thank you." He pinned it into the inside cuff of his sleeve.

Loretta nodded at that.

"At least they didn't try to find out what was going on, then again perhaps they spotted you standing outside and thought better of putting their nose in something that did not concern them. I did not anticipate it reaching quite that far, actually, I am sorry to have startled them."

Adjan shrugged at that.
"I think they are rather used to living at a Chantry one of them muttered something about one of the Hermetics where probably drunk."
He said with a half amused, half apologetic look on his face and a wry grin.
"In either case they have heard the sounds of ritual work as well.

He gave a nod."Good, that's the plan."

Adjan nodded.
"Very well."

"Very well. I suppose then the next step is your person coming here to assist us and we three can make sure we are all on the same page with what we are doing next," he suggested, not wishing to waste their limited time.

"They should be on her way. I suspected I would need assistance and asked one of my apprentices to come up to this floor and find me or send a member of my Cabal to do so in..."
Loretta checked her wrist watch.
"One minute or so. Precognition can be so practical."
She said and sounded quite pleased.
"But yes we should make sure we are ready by the time they get here. So you where thinking the same style of ritual then Mr Roth Hicks?"
The Cultist asked. Adjan nodded.
"Yes though I am more used to working with the death Gods of the given pantheon and need to evoke their names not invoke them."
He explained.

"I don't want to send off any friendly spirits around here by accident but I assume it will be similar to what you did for the other spell. Pack the picnic here and now so we can unleash it later contained in this bead...which means we should agree on some signal for the end--or near end of the working."

"Indeed we pack the picnic here and then it is ready to transport to another location in the now. The spell will not activate here unless I mess up and I am not in the habit of doing so."
Loretta said and nodded.
"Well the signal you used earlier worked for me so if that also work for Mr...ehm...Terach?"
She asked and Adjan nodded to confirm that it was indeed his name then looked at you.
"What signal was it Adley?"
He asked.

[Warpmind]

Colin frowned, "I believe you can protect others, yes... Justice is more than a word - it's an ideal I happen to subscribe to. I can't force you to talk about what happened, but we still need your help to punish the guilty."
His voice hardened a little again, "Martha... you might not be able to use magic, but the fight is not over yet. You can still deal a crippling blow to the betrayers. You can still go out fighting and spitting defiance in their eyes."
He grimaced, "They may have been doctors at that hospital, but so was Mengele. Doctors are not always healers, and that so-called hospital is more of a holding pen with guards than a place of healing. The Sleeper police sent you there because they did not understand what had happened... We do understand - some more than others - and there's no way we would send you back to that place. Please... put the shard down... Let our people make you a little more comfortable."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "I believe you can protect others, yes... Justice is more than a word - it's an ideal I happen to subscribe to. I can't force you to talk about what happened, but we still need your help to punish the guilty."

"I...I want to protect David...and the others like me...and my Mentor she...is a widderslainte to."
Martha said to upset to think about what information she might be giving out.
"Punishing the guilty though will not restore anything...it will not cure the emptiness inside..."
She muttered in a desperate...lost voice.

His voice hardened a little again, "Martha... you might not be able to use magic, but the fight is not over yet. You can still deal a crippling blow to the betrayers. You can still go out fighting and spitting defiance in their eyes."

The Nephandus started bawling when you put words to it, that she was no longer able to work magick, but after a few moments she managed to calm herself enough to croak out.
"I...I can go out...fighting? H...how they took all I have...."

He grimaced, "They may have been doctors at that hospital, but so was Mengele. Doctors are not always healers, and that so-called hospital is more of a holding pen with guards than a place of healing. The Sleeper police sent you there because they did not understand what had happened... We do understand - some more than others - and there's no way we would send you back to that place.

"Just...long...cold corridors...and pain...people screaming...so much noise..."
Martha muttered probably speaking about the hospital.
"I did not want to...eat...but they forced me...and they did things to me...I..."
Her voice trailed of then her voice got even softer.
"You will not send me there?"

Please... put the shard down... Let our people make you a little more comfortable."

There was silence for a while only interrupted by Martha's sobbing then finally you hear glass fall to the ground and shatter and she cried harder then you hear Tyrone's soft voice.
"Shh...now do not be afraid...good I am only going to place my jacket around your shoulders so you do not freeze..."
He said and Martha whimpered but apparently she stood still for the next you heard was Tyrone that muttered.
"Ok if you give me the phone Martha just for a moment and we will get you somewhere warm and have someone look at that hand of yours, you are bleeding."
He said then you hear the phone handle be passed from the unfortunate Nephandus to Tyrone and he said.
"Ehm...hello...I am not sure who you are but thank you for talking her down...I need to get her inside now though, I just wanted to to know that she is in good hands and will be treated well."
He said as he had not heard your voice or at least not recognized it.

[Warpmind]

Colin nodded, "Punishing the guilty won't help those who have been hurt... but it can stop them from hurting more people, more Avatars..."
He smiled, "They took your Avatar... you still have your mind, your knowledge of their activities. That can be far more deadly than a fireball."
He nodded, "We have no love for that place. You will not be sent there."
He sighed, "You're welcome, Mr. Smithson. It's Wainwright here; you know, the scarfaced silversmith? We've met at the Veterans' Hospital a few times, and a few VA meetings, I believe, as well. Just... make sure to treat the poor woman gingerly; she's had a rough time of it."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "Punishing the guilty won't help those who have been hurt... but it can stop them from hurting more people, more Avatars..."

"Yes...protecting the others...I..."
Martha said and hesitated.
"I am not sure I can do it...I am nothing now..."

He smiled, "They took your Avatar... you still have your mind, your knowledge of their activities. That can be far more deadly than a fireball."

"Yes they...took..."
Martha begun then she got very quiet for a moment.
"I...do not know how what I...know would help, and it had been kinder if they had taken my mind, then I would not be...this lost..."
She added softly.

He nodded, "We have no love for that place. You will not be sent there."

"T...thank you."
The unfortunate Nephandus got out between sobs.

He sighed, "You're welcome, Mr. Smithson. It's Wainwright here; you know, the scarfaced silversmith? We've met at the Veterans' Hospital a few times, and a few VA meetings, I believe, as well. Just... make sure to treat the poor woman gingerly; she's had a rough time of it."

"Ah yes the Englishman...you are in a Cabal with the Chief's apprentice are you not? I know who you are and one day you have to tell me how you ended up on the phone with our guest here."
Tyrone said then he sigh.
"Yes...she needs help."
He muttered.
"And she will be treated with all possible courtesy, the only plan right now is to get her to a warm bed."
He assured you.
"And you know the Chief will not allow her to be mistreated in any way."

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled softly as Martha was taken care of by Tyrone, "Quite so on all counts. Suffice to say, her apprentice left his phone behind, and we managed to confiscate it on this end... And I know, the Chief is a good man."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"He is indeed a good man Mr Wai...hum no perhaps not wise with names over a pay phone...Mr Englishman..."
Tyrone said and then he added.
"Well I should get this woman inside before she gets to cold or we get noticed...take care."
He said and you hear Martha sobbing in the background. Tyrone waited to see if there was anything else you had to add before hanging up on the call.

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled wryly, "Godspeed, Mr. Smithson."
He hung up with a sigh and handed the phone back to Hans, "God... I hate deceiving people like that... Especially when it's a vulnerable, badly hurt person. That... was no Nephandi. Not anymore..."
He glanced up at Joe with dark shadows under his eyes, "The needs of the service can be a hell of a burden on the soul at times... Anything either of you would like to ask me about that conversation?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Hans sigh, he took the phone back and nodded.
"Well imagine how devastated she would be if she knew her apprentice was dead, it is better to let her have the small mercy of thinking the boy is safe."
He said softly.
"There really is nothing else that can be done for her."
The Virtual Adept and put his phone back into his pocket.
"No I suppose she was not a Nephandus anymore indeed...poor woman..."
He said sounding rather uncomfortable.

Joe looked rather pale and shook his head.
"N...no questions."
He muttered. Hans sigh he stood and brushed several paper clips and an assortment of colorful tacs into a clean paper cup and then pressed some keys on his lap top that stood balanced between two of the screen on the bench before him then he handed you the cup.
"No questions from me Mr Wainwright, the Chief might have some though, before that though you look like you need a sip of this."
He said and what had once been paper clips and tacs now smelled like whiskey.
"It is not bitter so it should taste fairly right, trust it to the young collage student I once was to learn how to make alcohol with magick."

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled sadly, "Well, it is true, after a fashion - no one can hurt the boy anymore... Still, lying by omission is still... stressful."
He nodded to Joe, "You just witnessed some of the dirtier aspects of the war... While circumstances sometimes makes these things necessary, never forget kindness and compassion. Always strive to minimize pain and suffering, even when... no, especially when pain is inevitable."
He accepted the cup, "Thank you... I usually prefer gin, but I expect that would be difficult for you to get just right. This should settle my nerves quite well nonetheless..."
He gulped down a small mouthful and felt the burning sensation in his gut, "That... helps... Say, do you perchance have a small chapel in the Chantry?"

[Tane Karyak]

maybe that's her specie's ways. Tane said and got to help with the food so that alessa could be relieved to attend her call.

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