:: The Seraph Chronicles: RealmWars Log ::

:: Saturday, January 25, 2003 ::

~Realm Wars Update~

Kartacian/Vehlah’Ran Ties

My, oh, my! Things are not going very well for anyone at the moment. Where do I start? There’s just so much to say on this subject.

Alright, first out of the start gate is Draxx. While we still don’t know very much about him yet, the ex-Defender’s stance is far too smug for my liking! The man is up to something, oh yeah.


In the post “Draxx is not happy”, we get a small but decent glimpse into this evil emperor’s psyche once more. As an example, he ends up snapping the neck of one of his poor console operators for the officer’s inability to detect the good guys’ escape - which happened to be orchestrated by a renown Dornian strategist, the Prince von Fernley. Draxx, on the other hand, seemed well aware of his adversary’s cunning nature and yet despite that understanding couldn’t find it within himself to save the life of one of his lowly, and much needed crewers! Draxx is a mean, mean man. A chilling moment to see such disregard for life but you know how it goes. It’s tough being the king!


Taking out the trash and clearing up some of the paperwork is always good business though and we can’t fault Draxx for keeping his den clean. Draxx just needs to be careful in not stripping himself completely bare of assets - I mean, the ones that breathe are so hard to come by these days!


What concerns me though is Draxx’s non-chalance throughout the escape attempt of Hans and his party. Not only is it learned the Prince of Dornia, the Duchess of Mosely, the Psyseer Seran and the Wing Commander Torrin have escaped their makeshift cell but that Prince Stuart, the Caledite Kalen and the Colonial warrior Alvis have landed aboard the Harrow to help in freeing them. You’d think Draxx would be a little more anxious about such a threat but alas, in true Draxx fashion, he enviably remained cool as a cuke.


LOL, for as cool as Draxx is in his duty toward his agenda, Stuart and Kalen are altogether different stories! Ever since the two of them have been thrown together, and since Stuart did not heed the Andomina’s request to return the Caledite, it would appear Stuart has made his own mess of things in forcing a partnership between them. It is no secret by Stuart’s tone that he dislikes the Caledite very much. The stubborn prince has said numerous times before that Kalen is of no value to anyone. So why then rely on him during a rescue mission of great import? You see, where Draxx is cool, Stuart is fire. Kalen is fuel for that fire. By either choice or circumstance, Stuart and Kalen are forced to work together to free his friends.


Be that as it may, Stuart, Kalen and Alvis are all that stand between freedom for the Harrow captives and probably death by slow torture at Draxx’s leisure. Given Stuart and Kalen’s nearly brotherly antics, I’m really not sure what fate would be the more ideal! All throughout the rescue we see instances of name calling, bullying and even slapstick. That is until they have a common enemy to throw their frustration with each other at.


Coming to land aboard the Harrow with Necromancer - a sleek, technologically advanced ship very much in line with Vehlah’Ran grade equipment (uh-oh!), Stuart breaks from the group and heads out on his own to do as he must. Alvis and Kalen are left back at the Necromancer to await Stuart’s return with those who had been held captive. Stuart lands himself on one of the Harrow’s double bridges and from there is able to locate his wayward friend and future bride. A comedy of errors ensues as each group make toward the other, Draxx in the background waiting like some deviant predator out stalking his prey.


In Stuart’s search for his friends, he ends up being led farther down into the ship to a specific point by Draxx. In an old galley kitchen aboard the Harrow these two mortal enemies go at it with each other. Using what are called Torrs (the Kartacian version of a light saber), the two men do battle. Quite quickly Stuart finds himself disadvantaged he having lost his Torr and he's forced to take cover while Draxx opts to fire laser volleys at him with a rifle that had been previously discarded. Not only that but Draxx, well aware of the Kart (the Kart is an extra, small, inner lobe of the Kartacian brain and is used for processing electromagnetic frequencies), drops a dampening field down around them forcing Stuart to fight without it. Man to man. Kartacian to Kartacian. Defender to ex-Defender.


Stuart might have been down but he was not out. Having access to a horde of kitchen ingredients, while Draxx is spouting off at the mouth like all good bad guys must do, Stuart is busy gathering and compiling the necessary substances to put together a makeshift bomb of a sorts. When Draxx finally has Stuart cornered and when it appears as though our hero might meet his end, that is when the young prince trumps in. The end result is that both Draxx and Stuart are equally disadvantaged, their weapons having gone dry and both their Torrs out of reach.


The tension is palpable as the two stare each other down until Stuart’s Kart is reactivated and he calls his Torr back into his hand. Now armed, Stuart turns the tables on Draxx finding his freedom after burning a hole into the wall behind him and escaping through it.


Meanwhile, back in the trenches, Hans, Alycia, Hia’a and Jade are dealing with their own setbacks. In their escape attempt both Hans and Alycia ended up wounded to some degree or other. The potential for even more damage being inflicted upon them escalates when Hans informs Jade that they will be leaving without the Colonial doctor - something Jade decides she won’t allow. The quartet go over the possibilities of freeing the Colonial doctor but it is Hans who somehow manages to placate Jade with his decision. Despite the need to leave the Harrow as quickly as possible, Hans agrees to a quick search to appease Jade, though he seems to know how futile the effort will be. Jade, in true Jade fashion, threatens his life should he renege.


Draxx for his part heads back to the bridge after the debacle with Stuart. There he is informed the Necromancer is aboard with two passengers inside her who Draxx suspects are waiting for Stuart’s return with the prisoners. Putting the Harrow on alert, Draxx is want to curb the damage Stuart could do here. Draxx doesn’t need the aggravation, not while Avren remains in the Battle of Phillipi right off his flank and basically within monitoring distance! It wouldn’t do for Draxx to be shown up by his arrogant rival, especially not before that Lord Avren. While Draxx is powerful in his own right he still lacks the necessary support to take on Kartacia in a war and therefore Avren becomes important not so much because of what he is but rather for what the Chrysalis would be able to afford the rebel with regard to intelligence and munitions. Playing the player... you go Draxx!


So with regard to Draxx’s rationale at this point, he orders his men not to interfere with the prisoners' escape efforts - plainly stated, Draxx prefers them off his ship before they manage to ruin everything. This edict leaves me to believe that ultimately Draxx got what he wanted from his prisoners... whatever that might have been....hmmm...what are you up to Draxx!!


Eventually our good guys, Stuart, Hans and gang, come together in a conduit somewhere in the ship. Stuart leads the rag tag group of escapees back toward Necromancer, however, typical of the misunderstandings so prevalent in the Caledite and Kartacian’s relationship, Kalen mistakes the approaching group for hostiles and begins shooting at them! Now how funny is that?! These poor guys. I laughed my ass off, I’ll admit it!


NOTE: the author who writes for the Kartacians has done a wonderful job with humor. It seems to be Bruce’s niche. A well done segment.


Finally able to gain access to his own ship, Necromancer lifts off and is away without anything more untoward happening to it... but that, as it turns out, was just the beginning for them!


Now aboard the Necromancer, Stuart has Kalen plot a course back to Talon, the prince’s residence, where they will be safe. However, before they are able to land, Kalen’s body, used to the cold and without his proper meds, shuts down he going critical in under seconds. In the midst of this medical emergency we see some crucial interaction between Jade and Stuart. It seems those two would be on the opposite ends of an argument just for the sheer hell of giving each other grief! Not a way to win allies you two!!


As it turns out, with Hia’a’s help Kalen is stabilized and just in time too although his near death experience has left Hia’a very taxed. Immediately upon landing on Talon Prince Stuart gives the Psyseer permission to aid in the Caledite’s recovery. It is learned as well at this point that the Talon system has been shut down because of Cylon movement. Jade is unable to open communications to Vehlah’Ra which would have enabled her to inform the Andominaen that both she and Hia’a were safe.


The need to call home dies a quickened death when Stuart and Hans’ conversation is overheard on Talon's tarmac. Jade finds out that while aboard the Harrow waiting for Stuart to show up Kalen had authorized a search - but a search for what remained to be seen. Either way, when words such as “Non Maker” are tossed out by Hans who should not have known of the term, to say Jade’s curiosity has been peaked is an understatement. Something happened to Prince von Fernley, Jade’s infernal appetite for answers demanding resolution. We know by reading that the Dornian prince had just come back from meeting with the Kobollians. Hans had mysteriously felt the urge to take out one of the vipers Kartacia was experimenting with, he taking off in it shortly after landing back at Talon and hence his knowledge about the Non. But what has me speculating here is what might have happened to him while onboard the Harrow with Draxx. Maybe it’s just me being the suspicious person I am, but I think Draxx wanted Hans to have his freedom - and his life... I’m just not sure why!


But I digress...


Stuart makes the decision to take Necromancer out to the region of space Kalen’s search parameters have indicated while the Caledite is busy in the infirmary. Against Stuart’s recommendation, both Hans and Jade join in his journey of discovery. I think this was much to Stuart’s dismay, LOL!


Taking off once more in Necromancer, Stuart, Hans and Jade quickly arrive at the proper co-ordinates. As it turns out, the co-ordinates bring them into the Veil. From their location they are able to see into both realms, the corporeal and the incorporeal. Both Stuart and Jade react in time with the image of the cloned Non lurking about and just waiting...


Vehrik immediately senses his scion. Jade’s presence aboard the Necromancer is what tips the cloned Non off to Stuart’s position. Had Jade of not been present, it is unknown if Vehrik would have been so eager to attack. If attacking them was truly its goal. In short order the Non’s dark essence is working on pulling Jade into it. Unable to escape, not even with the combined strength of the Defender and herself, she is forced to rely on Stuart and Hans to save her.


A wondrous sight then ensues as all the Makers rally to Necromancer’s side forcing Vehrik to back off on its attempts. Jade collapses as she and all aboard Necromancer are violently yanked free of her father’s grasp. Back in the mortal realm, Vehrik graciously sends a Kraken after them as recompense for their meddling yet once more.


Without recourse against a creature of such raw power, Stuart is unable to fend off the Kraken. Just as the incredibly huge maw of the mythical beast closes around them we are brought face to page with an intriguing twist. Instead of the trio dying they end up being saved by what I’m guessing are the Kobollians. Now, I say guessing because I’m not really sure. The male who speaks to Stuart and Hans about what is going on has been portrayed in a very “Gandor the Gray” sort of way. There is even an elfin woman tending to Jade who is recovering in another room. What has me thinking they are Kobollian though is the type of speech the wizard styled character engages in with Stuart by using what is distinctly a Caledonian dialect. And we know the Caledites are descendants of the People of Light. Much is touched upon in the conversations that take place here but as of yet, there are still no concrete answers....


NOTE: In all, this thread was an interesting read. It had elements of action, humor and pathos. The action was fast paced and tense. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to learning the secrets we know Kartacia is hiding!


As for the Vehlah’Rans, things haven’t changed much for them. Joshua has learned one of Vehlah’Ra’s newest battle cutters has gone AWOL and the incident has sparked fear into the hearts of all who know about it - especially if their technology was to fall into the wrong hands. With the Kartacians formally accusing the Vehlah’Rans of attacking their relay stations, Joshua is want for a quick resolution to his problem. Not knowing the whereabouts of Nian’s Hand means he cannot definitively say with any degree of certainty whether or not one of his team is truly at fault for the attacks against what is hoped to be their ally.


Out of options, Joshua’s second in command, First Class General Anula Azari, volunteers to take out Cira’s Hand, the youngest battle cutter in the Vehlah’Ran fleet and the most technologically advanced. Unwilling to bring any more eyes and ears into what has all the earmarks of a Poison’s attack against them, until it is proven, Joshua must tread very, very carefully.


The Vehlah’Ran common thoughtbond has been polluted with anti-orgon and this shift in alignment has turned many a loyal Vehlah’Ran into a tool of the Non’s. Figuring the captain of Nian’s Hand has been compromised, and with Kartacia’s accusations of aggression hanging around their necks, Joshua needs to quell the rising tide of bad luck they have been experiencing. In an effort to bring Nian’s Hand in before she can do any more damage, Joshua assigns Azari to take over Cira’s Hand and hunt the sister ship down using whatever force is necessary.


Just when things couldn’t possibly get worse, just after passing Azari her orders, AFP Fleet Admiral Chaic rouses the High General from his rage to bring forth allegations of treason.


Imari, submerged in her duties as Andomina is still unaware of the circumstances concering Nian’s Hand but she is about to find out. Word has yet to filter back to the Andominaen with regard to Nian’s Hand last known location and antics. Under the guise of a drill, Captain Rohl has used her ship and officers to inflict even more damage on the Kartacian listening posts lining their borders and inner empire. This time, the targeted relay station was just outside of Mosely, a system under Kartacian rule. By taking this particular station out, the crew of Nian’s Hand, and by extension the Vehlah’Rans, have effectively made it easier for the Cylons now threatening to overrun this sector to do some real damage. These actions only serve to erode the foundations Imari is struggling to build with the Kartacians - and this all according to the Chrysalis Avren’s plans.

The Freighter Harbinger

Hehe... these poor souls...


Alright, so Gerard sides with Devon on the Seraph Athena’s request to tinker with the Harbinger. We shouldn’t be surprised by the decision either. Devon, the ship’s engineer, can get downright ornery about who gets stroking rights, something I think Athena can appreciate, she having a penchant herself for all things that go ‘vroom’!


Not long after they are allowed some quiet time in their own separate quarters, Athena finally gets her meeting. With everyone called into the Harbinger’s conference room, once again we see the dynamic personalities of each character put into play.


NOTE: Chris’ use of conversation and description in these posts is phenomenal! He’s done a wonderful job giving each of his characters a unique perspective via their not so savoury backgrounds. Each was allotted an appropriate amount of time in the sun so allowing us the opportunity to really get to know them as well as providing us a decent feel for the situation. Chris’ grasp on each of his characters has made for a very easy read. Great job, Chris!


At the meeting...


Denna, the counsellor sent to help evaluate Alerick’s mental status, seems to be the odd man out. Not liked because of her profession this woman is left to fight the crew’s insecurities on her own. And she doesn’t have much luck with the flighty crewers either. Empathic, Denna is forced to not only battle the crews misconceptions of her but she must also find a way around the emotions assaulting her from all sides. She is highly sensitive to those feelings around her and as such they have lead her to react like she might be unstable herself. Her efforts appear to be genuine with regard to wanting to help the crew unfortunately the situation that ensues deprives her of any opportunity.


Devon, the engineer, is present with his ever faithful sidekick, Za’Dir, a Vehlah’Ran engineer.


Goran comes along quietly too with Castor running interference between him and the cantankerous engineer. Devon and Goran are not the best of friends at the moment it is learned. Having already gotten into a fight earlier, they are sure to sit on opposite sides of the conference table effectively out of each other’s reach.


Pilla, one of the Harbinger’s shuttle pilots, stays pretty much to herself during the meeting and not much insight is gained with regard to her.


Athena, having already debriefed the crew about her and Alerick’s plan gets sidetracked during the meeting when Devon turns to Gerard, the inexperienced acting captain, and asks him if he can feel the Harbinger’s engines driving hard. Gerard at this point tries to raise Shawna who had been sent to the bridge on watch hoping to find out the answer. When she responds, it is not with what anyone could have ever expected.


For reasons of her own, Shawna has turned against the crew. We discover she had been given orders in her past to get close to Alerick and that when the time was right she’d receive further instructions by her contact on what to do and how to proceed. Well, those instructions finally came through while the crew were in the meeting with Athena.


There are many factors driving Shawna at this point but chief among them are her feelings of unrequited love from Alerick. While it was her objective to get close to Alerick, it was not her intention to fall in love with him me thinks. In her own twisted way, now that she sees Alerick will go to the ends of the universe to get to the Seraph Cerina, she uses that feeling of abandonment to fuel her resolve and take out her anger against the crew.


Once Shawna received her orders from her contact, she went to work locking the crew members in the conference room. Ironically, we discover too that this conference room was also the ship’s brig. According to Devon’s explanation, at Shawna’s urging, and knowing about each of the crew’s less than illustrious history, Alerick gave her permission to secure the room just in case it proved a necessity.


It turns out Devon built the room while Shawna did all the electronics and programming. She knew the lock-out codes and so took advantage of the situation and the room once her orders came through. Locking them in with no way out, the jaded shuttle pilot plots a course that will send the Harbinger onto a direct path with PC-5. With no one to countermand the order, Harbinger has effectively become a missile.


Under her own rationalizations Shawna decides that end is not good enough. She wants them all to suffer. With the possibility PC-5 could actually derail her grisly plans for the crew by stopping the ship from impacting with the planet, Shawna ensures the kill by activating the rabbit whose parts have all been removed by the AFP earlier. If PC-5 doesn’t get them then the rabbit surely would. Without the rabbit in place, and with Harbinger’s engines at full and pumping fuel into her drive lines, the ship has become leathal on it’s own merits. According to Devon and Za’Dir the ship will either explode from uncontrolled burn and kill them or they will die from the pictides being produced by the remaining components of the rabbit as it tries to convert the fuel into something the HD drive cylinders can use - namely tactides. These pictides, if released into the air, are deadly. With the engines inproperly converting the fuel and with Harbinger's already corroded drive lines, the engine room has become a deadly arena, it saturated with pictides. Pictides will act as a corrosive agent not only on the ship's internal structures but should a being come in contact with them they will also erode an individual's physical composition. Not a pleasant death and reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West as she's doused with water!


Locked in a room and gunning for PC-5 like a freakin’ missile, the crew needs to find a solution and fast. With the only viable way out being a tiny vent in the ceiling the decision is made to have the two smallest people crawl into it and hopefully free them from the other side. Gerard, acting captain, must make a decision. One person would head to the bridge while the other would head to engineering and quite possibly their death.


Athena was out as a choice since she was needed to get her sister under control. Pilla was the best shuttle pilot they had so that ruled her out. Denna was small enough to fit through the hole but she's needed to help evaluate Alerick should they ever recover their wayward captain. Devon was one of the last Colonial engineers left alive and therefore too valuable to lose and Goran was the next best thing they had to a computer whiz. That left Gerard and Za’Dir as the only two who were technically redundant and small enough to fit into the vent.


With Za’Dir and Gerard being the only two viable options, the decision is made. Gerard orders Za’Dir to crawl into the vent and to head for engineering while he takes the bridge. Devon is beside himself with Gerard’s decision, the ol’ engineer having grown quite fond of the Vehlah’Ran. Like it or not, however, Gerard’s decision was the right one.


Not used to the strains of command it is surprising to see Gerard rise successfully to the challenge. We get a glimpse into Old Smoothie here and find out that perhaps he’s not the brash young man he has lead everyone to believe he is. The man does some serious soul searching in the short time he’s allowed and it is at this moment we see the diamond through the rough.


According to Old Smoothie's creator, Gerard seems to be at the beginning of what promises to be a truly amazing metamorphoses and we can only wish him luck.


Now, with Harbinger in imminent danger, the race is on. Since Shawna is already aware of their movement through the duct system, will Gerard and Za’Dir be successful in their attempts to slow the ship?


Poor, poor Athena... not one for the sidelines, the stress of not being able to help at the moment is having its affect. If she’s not given something to do soon, my guess is she’ll blow and then no one will have to worry about the status of Harbinger, lol! Mind you it’s not like Athena will let anything happen to her or the ship, especially not with little Kiimo nesting in her silvery tresses. No harm can come to Kiimo after all, not after she rescued the pocket dragon from a similar fate decades ago.


During the unfolding crisis and with no assigned task to perform for the captian, Athena gets busy herself. She raises her cousin Kayle on her Guard issue head-set whereupon she is told Kayle and Riven have Alerick in tow. The conversation between Alerick and Athena is still unfolding and we’ll find out what becomes of it when next they post.


And finally that leaves Jaquita who is still sitting in her stolen ship waiting for someone to give her the time of day. Oh Jaqui, being the last one invited onto the dance floor will have its advantages this time, lol. Good luck!

The Bad Guys

Twisted. Twisted. Twisted. I will be the first to admit any relationship between Avren and Cerina is a scary thing... but to see them get along so well of late is just NOT RIGHT! Avren and Cerina each have their own agendas and what’s so funny is that it requires the both of them working in tandem to make it all work. Well, if they don’t end up killing each other then the realms are doomed if they have their way! All I can say is - SOMEBODY STOP ‘EM! –> a la Jim Carey in The Mask.

The New Kid in the Realm

Axel is quite the new addition to RealmWars! What an outstanding job Raven, the author, has done bringing to life this most unique and wonderful character.


From the word go Axel was thrown into the belly of the beast and she performed admirably. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Axel had been dragged along with Cerina on her quest to retrieve Jaquita. Unable to accomplish their goal, the dark Seraph displaced them to the Battle of Phillipi, the Chrysalis Avren’s temporary berth. Now before Lord Avren, Axel learns from Cerina that with the Horizon’s current status she has no work. To make it up to the tech wizard and to score brownie points with Avren, Cerina offers her a position with the Chrysalis’ crew knowing Avren would not turn the deal down given Axel’s rather unique knack with inanimate objects.


Accepting the new job, Avren dismisses the young she-animal whereupon Axel retires for the night in her own quarters aboard the Phillipi. While napping an explosion erupts aboard the vessel and the repercussions of it are felt in her dreams. There, in her dreams we see into Axel’s past, to a father who gave his life for her. We learn some of how Axel came to be in the situation she is now in and truly it is a sad tale. Awaking from what turns out to be a vivid nightmare, Axel is confronted with the aftermath of the explosion.


Not wanting anything at all to do with what is going on, the young Arkine looks for an escape. Noting the security at either end of the corridor Axel is forced to consider another route. Searching out her room she makes for the vent and effortlessly scales the wall to it. What remains to be seen is where she exits, lol! Is this a case of going from the frying pan and into the fire or is it true and the grass is always greener on the other side? Hehe.


**********


K, that’s it for now. Let’s see what the next few weeks bring us. Right now things have slowed down for our writers since many of them are involved with a behind the scenes project of a sorts. Their schedules will be free shortly and hopefully we’ll see some resolution to what is going on! I don’t think I can wait that long though... this story arc is turning out to be tight race and as such a real nail-biter!!!!
:: The Seraph Chronicles 10:40 PM [+] ::
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