The small group gather around a a wooden garden table that some one materialises
in the center of the darkness. Drinks appear as people settle down to wait.
Andi looks round the group. It hardly seems big enough to take on anyone, let
alone Teeth and all his Necanthropes. He can only hope that this group Kendric
found can do every thing their leader boasted about.
Looking round the group things don't look to hopeful.
Ray coughs. "Honestly Dad, how high do you rate thier chances?"
The dark haired man, Aaron looks up. His fingers toy with the top of the saki
glass.
"Oh." Ray responds.
"It's not totally hopeless." He states softly. "But we do need
a plan of action in case they fail."
Kendric suffels uncomforably. "Ok, so if the hardest group in the multiverse
can't take themout then what do we do."
Imogen smiles "We send in the hardest individals." She looks at her
brother with a knowing grin. He just shrugs and suffles.
"Blakk. We hit Blakk himself." Aaron responds. "Haldayne will
be going up against the necanthropes as a group. That is what the kindred were
bred for. With the Nec's either wiped out or seriously weekend depending on
how well the kidred so. Blakk will be weakened....."
"....And really pissed off..." Ray interjects.
Aaron shrugs.
"I can;t beleive we are even thinking of going up against a pissed off
Blakk." She exclaims.
"What are the options?" The man's attitude leaps form calm almost
indeference to a surpressed violence. "Do you really want to let him get
away with this? Do you really want him to wander through with th realities with
a whole army of Pauls?"
"No but...." She looks over at the twins.
"Look Ray, I know you are worried about this. I know you are scared about
the kids, but be honest, they are more a danger to us than Blakk is to them."
"Hey!" Imogen protests.
Aaron just looks at her. "Besterin." He states.
She guiltily turns back to her tall glass of blue liquid.
"Have confidence in your family Ray." He smiles. "I have to have
confidence in mine."
He reaches for his drink and then stops, looking towards the center of the table.
A small golden glow appears, espanding and solidifying into a large golden cup.
Aaron clicks his teeth."Looks like Haldayne didn't make it then."
"Oh shit." Ray drops her head forward on to her hands.
Maggie gently pats her back.
Aaron and Karl look pointedly from the goblet to Kendric.
"What?" He asks.
"Well I don't want it back." Aaron states firmly.
Karl shuffles guiltiy. "And I doubt it would want to come back to me, I
broke it last time."
Kendric sighs. He reaches out his hand closing it around the goblet. It twists
and shifts in his hand, almost as if it is alive in some way, assuming the form
of a bracelet.
He closes his eyes for a few sconds, a shudder running down his back.
"You ok?" Ray asks softly.
He nods. "The grail just told me how Haldayne died." He takes a deep
breath. "Well Blakk is still alive, but the necanthropes are mostly toast."
He swallows, looking paler. What ever he is seeing is obviously not pleseant.
"They have retreated to Slayers Crib. But I think Blakk is planning on
moving on from there and leaving Mr Slayer and his friends to face the music."
"So Now what do we do?" Rich asks.
"We have to work quickly, we don't have long." Aaron turns to him.
"The best thing you lot can do is go and find every one you value and get
them out of the reality and to saftey."
"Why?" Andi asks.
"Because when Slayer and his cronies go there will be nothing left to hold
the reality together?" Ray responds.
"What?" Andi and Rich echo each other.
Ray looks at Kendric. "You didn't tell them?"
He shrugs uncomfortably.
"It's all a belief thing Andi." Aaron explains "Tenet. Most realities
are stabalised by the Mercari within them. Take away the Mercari and there is
nothing to hold the reality together. It starts to fall apart, eventually becoming
to unstable and disolving in the lea."
Andi stares at the small group before him. "So what you
are saying is that if you go and get rid of all the necanthropes, this reality,
my reality, and every one in it will stop existing."
The solos look at him. A pause as all of them wait hoping some one else will
confirm his suspision.
Aaron shrugs. "There might be enought Mercari...." He starts.
Ray shakes her head. "No. From what I have seen any thing potent is being fed
towards Necanthrope. Has been for years. They go. It goes."
Andi slumps in the chair. "I don't believe his. My entire life is one fucking
no win."
"Don't swear." Maggie chastises softly. He stares at her in disbelief. Even
the impending destruction of every thing he has ever known is not reason enongh.
Ray sighs. "There is always the Optika option." Ray observs softly.
"Well yes." Aaron responds "There is always that, but where would you find some
one willing to do it?"
Andi looks up clutching at the straw. "Wait, tell me about this Optrics option."
"Optika." Ray corrects him. "He was a friend of mine. He integrated himself
into his native reality. Using his will to Stabalise it."
"And this would stop it disolving when the Necanthropes go?"
Ray shrugs. "If the solo was strong enough yes."
"Ok I'll do it." Andi states.
"Wait, Andi," Aaron looks at him."This is not a little thing. You wont exist
any more, you will just be the glue that holds the reality together."
"Yeah." Andi sighs. "But its my fault you lot are here, and from what I have
seen I'm not going to stop you taking out the necanthropes, so if it is either
that or every one dies......." He takes a deep breath. "My job isn't it."
Rich leans forward "No I'll do it."
Ray looks at him. "With all due respect Rich, you just aint got what it takes.
Andi, well unity, might just be able to pull it off."
Andi looks at his friend. "Besides Rich. You've got to make sure that he doesn't
pull this stunt again some place else. And you do that reality walking shit
loads better than I do." Andi looks down at Maggie. "And at least this way I
get to be with Maggie for ever."
She smiles up at him.
He takes a deep breath and looks at Ray. "Ok How do I do this thing then?"
"Unity knows." Maggie whispers. "One of the other Andi's was a usafian close
to Optika Prime."
Andi looks down at her and blinks. "Really?"
"Now why doesn't that surprise me." Ray comments darkly staring at Aaron.
He just shrugs.
"Ok. Ms Haven, Ray and Rich will go for Slayer. Kendric, Karl, and Twins
will take on Blakk. I will take Unity and set up the optica option, and then
I'll come and join you."
Karl nods.
Ray swallows her coffee. "Well then if every one is ready lets get this shit
over with shall we." She stands up.
A black Samurai armour forms around her as she does so. Plates unfolding from
thin air and then dropping back against her body, the leather strps lacing themselves
perfectly. The face plate appears on the table before her.
She looks across at Aaron. "All set Dad?"
He nods, swallowing the small glass of Sake that has been sitting infront of
him throught the briefing. "Ok." He sighs. "Lets go save the multiverse." There
is a tone in his voice that makes it sound like he has done this all too many
times before.