Andromedan Orbiting Operations Center (and offworld adventures)

[Universe]

"Easy. What if all three of our biggest opponents appear at once?"

Firuthi thought for a second.

"I think you're best to take on Izrador, given how many beings she's bound over the eons.... Morgoth's mine for his direct interference with the kids.... Universe, if all three of our opponents arrived at once, you comfortable taking on your tormentor Hastur?"

“It’s payback time”

 

[Universe]

*I could feel power I never knew was there*

 

[Universe]

“I’m not that scared little kid anymore”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“It’s payback time”

*I could feel power I never knew was there*

“I’m not that scared little kid anymore”

"And I'm not the puppet I was built to be."

Firuthi cracked his knuckles.

"Given I was able to impress the kids even before any of us knew our full potential... Morgoth doesn't know what he's in for."

 

[Universe]

"And I'm not the puppet I was built to be."

Firuthi cracked his knuckles.

"Given I was able to impress the kids even before any of us knew our full potential... Morgoth doesn't know what he's in for."

“Ok”

 

[Universe]

“Hastur will regret ever trying to bind me”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“Ok”

“Hastur will regret ever trying to bind me”

"And if I understood the kids' claims properly, Izrador will regret sharing the binding knowledge with him. And Morgoth will regret continually messing with the kids' work."

Firuthi snorted.

"If they are not part of this war.... we will deal with them afterwards. We do not want them operating when the kids are unbound. Especially not Izrador."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

The time has come.

To war.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

The time has come.

To war.

Firuthi mentally broadcast the order to the Architects.

The responses came in.

"The sea squadrons are ready."

"This is a moment we all dreaded, but tragically an inevitability. Let us know when it's time to pacify the common folk, we'll cover that."

"It's payback time. They should have known better than to crash the party. Let me know when it's my turn."

"The Shantaks are ready for action and the Thulcans actually begin to understand the ships at their command. Dural says the leopard commanded the last fight with this empire... shall he head the tactical command this time? It's up to you."

"I have relayed the orders to the Lords. Ahrakas, it is your call whether the Asgard gets involved or if it stays a remote command ship."

"Looks like the kids are all situated. We dragons are ready if any of the big heavy hitters take the field on their side, or if anyone tries to strike the kids directly."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

Firuthi mentally broadcast the order to the Architects.

The responses came in.

"The sea squadrons are ready."

"This is a moment we all dreaded, but tragically an inevitability. Let us know when it's time to pacify the common folk, we'll cover that."

"It's payback time. They should have known better than to crash the party. Let me know when it's my turn."

"The Shantaks are ready for action and the Thulcans actually begin to understand the ships at their command. Dural says the leopard commanded the last fight with this empire... shall he head the tactical command this time? It's up to you."

"I have relayed the orders to the Lords. Ahrakas, it is your call whether the Asgard gets involved or if it stays a remote command ship."

"Looks like the kids are all situated. We dragons are ready if any of the big heavy hitters take the field on their side, or if anyone tries to strike the kids directly."

It seems all of our forces have arrived.
Let us rendezvous with the Duchies fleet.

 

[Universe]

*I groaned*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

It seems all of our forces have arrived.
Let us rendezvous with the Duchies fleet.

*I groaned*

"Tyrim, do you know the course?"

Tyrim's eyes flashed with raining code.

"Well I do now. Kurt sent me the coordinates of where he got stopped in Duchy territory. Man this cosmic thing is going to take a while."

"Looks like you set them just fine. We're ready."

"Engaging."

The ship proceeded to go through a wormhole. During wormhole travel, Firuthi approached the Rukbatian captain that had been beamed aboard.

"You said you had the Liber Mutandis... you might want to give that to the High Imperator, he'll need that later."

A four-armed merganser drake in a captain's uniform approached Ahrakas, carrying a massive tome of rituals.

Rukbatian Captain: "A witch pursued us when we uncovered this ritual book. The dragons talked about said witch, Izrador - are you familiar with her?"

 

[Universe]

"Tyrim, do you know the course?"

Tyrim's eyes flashed with raining code.

"Well I do now. Kurt sent me the coordinates of where he got stopped in Duchy territory. Man this cosmic thing is going to take a while."

"Looks like you set them just fine. We're ready."

"Engaging."

The ship proceeded to go through a wormhole. During wormhole travel, Firuthi approached the Rukbatian captain that had been beamed aboard.

"You said you had the Liber Mutandis... you might want to give that to the High Imperator, he'll need that later."

A four-armed merganser drake in a captain's uniform approached Ahrakas, carrying a massive tome of rituals.

Rukbatian Captain: "A witch pursued us when we uncovered this ritual book. The dragons talked about said witch, Izrador - are you familiar with her?"

*I scooted back*

 

[Universe]

Cosmos:”I don’t like her”

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"Tyrim, do you know the course?"

Tyrim's eyes flashed with raining code.

"Well I do now. Kurt sent me the coordinates of where he got stopped in Duchy territory. Man this cosmic thing is going to take a while."

"Looks like you set them just fine. We're ready."

"Engaging."

The ship proceeded to go through a wormhole. During wormhole travel, Firuthi approached the Rukbatian captain that had been beamed aboard.

"You said you had the Liber Mutandis... you might want to give that to the High Imperator, he'll need that later."

A four-armed merganser drake in a captain's uniform approached Ahrakas, carrying a massive tome of rituals.

Rukbatian Captain: "A witch pursued us when we uncovered this ritual book. The dragons talked about said witch, Izrador - are you familiar with her?"

Izrador, that name seems familiar. But the familiarity you only know through barely heard whispers.
I remember stories from the old reality that spoke of an ancient being with that name. However I cant remember more, and those stories are most likely lost to history.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Izrador, that name seems familiar. But the familiarity you only know through barely heard whispers.
I remember stories from the old reality that spoke of an ancient being with that name. However I cant remember more, and those stories are most likely lost to history.

"Perhaps you should ask the kids once we're done with this war. The only thing I know about Izrador is that she sold secrets to Hastur - secrets he tried to use to bind Universe. And that comes second-hand from the kids' stories of when they were training Universe."

Firuthi snorted.

"So naturally, I consider Izrador a hostile."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"Perhaps you should ask the kids once we're done with this war. The only thing I know about Izrador is that she sold secrets to Hastur - secrets he tried to use to bind Universe. And that comes second-hand from the kids' stories of when they were training Universe."

Firuthi snorted.

"So naturally, I consider Izrador a hostile."

Do you think they are working together now? Or do you think she is a rouge agent seeking to profit off of the current chaos?

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Do you think they are working together now? Or do you think she is a rouge agent seeking to profit off of the current chaos?

"I'm not sure. I presume her to be in cahoots with Hastur, personally."

Firuthi suddenly reeled.

"....oh good lord. Cooper told me about the binding of hers that got used on Universe and how the kids beat it in that reality. Something he called 'Fenwater Bile'. He's listing off ingredients.... I don't recognize these names.... Cooper, what would we use to replicate it in this reality?"

Firuthi retched suddenly.

"Well, I did ask. He said if he were going to try making it in this reality, he'd mix Fernet-Branca wine, something he calls 'seraphic nightshade' - apparently a Solaris plant - and... something he calls 'Carapichea Ipecacuanha'. If 'ipecacuanha' is the same plant I think it is, this version of Fenwater Bile would have horrifying side effects."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"I'm not sure. I presume her to be in cahoots with Hastur, personally."

Firuthi suddenly reeled.

"....oh good lord. Cooper told me about the binding of hers that got used on Universe and how the kids beat it in that reality. Something he called 'Fenwater Bile'. He's listing off ingredients.... I don't recognize these names.... Cooper, what would we use to replicate it in this reality?"

Firuthi retched suddenly.

"Well, I did ask. He said if he were going to try making it in this reality, he'd mix Fernet-Branca wine, something he calls 'seraphic nightshade' - apparently a Solaris plant - and... something he calls 'Carapichea Ipecacuanha'. If 'ipecacuanha' is the same plant I think it is, this version of Fenwater Bile would have horrifying side effects."

What kind of side effects are we talking about? Hallucinations? Insanity?

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

What kind of side effects are we talking about? Hallucinations? Insanity?

"Severe vomiting and profuse sweating."

Firuthi seemed nauseated.

"Cooper tells me the concoction can have worse effects, but I refuse to discuss them. The fact that he references the notorious ipecac flower is bad enough. I believe that's originally one of the nastier Earth plants."

 

[Universe]

*I was about to hide in a closet again*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*I was about to hide in a closet again*

"You're awfully on edge for this, Universe. Are you perhaps familiar with this Fenwater Bile concoction? Or is the fact we're headed to the Duchy the greater problem?"

 

[Universe]

“I just don’t like Hastur”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

“I just don’t like Hastur”

"Well, hiding isn't going to do much good against that guy. The kids hinted he's a reality dragon too... Cosmos may not consider him a brother, but I get the feeling that statement's just to make it easier to combat him. We're going up against someone that imitates the kids' darkest moments, the kind of person that considers Aten to be the kids' norm. Remember that."

 

[Universe]

"Well, hiding isn't going to do much good against that guy. The kids hinted he's a reality dragon too... Cosmos may not consider him a brother, but I get the feeling that statement's just to make it easier to combat him. We're going up against someone that imitates the kids' darkest moments, the kind of person that considers Aten to be the kids' norm. Remember that."

*I’ll just beat him up”