Game Date: 11.10.2002 - 11.17.2002

A Light Against the Darkness

Warders' Team Members: Allyson Michelle (Blue Rose), Chris Hamilton (Brasidas), Eve Smith (Shadow Tiger), Frank Flaherty (Silver Star), Horatio Eon, Marina Forlon (Dawn), Tom Sawyer (Impulse)

Guests: Armstrong Moorland, Maria Onoronto (Ocelot), Elba Alonzo (Pantera), Miguel Jimenez (Puma), Christian Vazquez (Tigre), Jaxton Gray (Mr. Gray), Eldon Walker Sawyer (Shockwave), Dr. Andrew Kensington (Surge), Blaine Kirby (Gauss), Dr. Arron Jenson (Volt)

In the last couple of months the plans for both the Wardens and the Warders had been moving along.

Brasidas continued running the Wardens through intense training sessions and the new three-member patrol teams were beginning to take shape. Ocelot, Tigre and Shockwave comprised the Blue team while Pantera, Puma and Mr. Gray were the Gold team. The new patrol team assignments allowed for patrols without the whole group being present and also made it possible for the group to breakdown in two small tactically integrated units to achieve multiple objectives during a mission.

The investigation of the Olmetec avatars was moving from the planning stage to the tracking and information gathering stage. Blaine Kirby helped Volt recalibrate the extra-dimensional energy sensor net in San Francisco before heading north to recalibrate the sensor nets in Vancouver and Yellowknife. Volt recalibrated the Milledgeville sensor net setup a new sensor net tuned to the Olmetecs signature frequencies at the Northstar facility in Nevada.

Frank, with input from the other members of the group, worked with Armstrong Moorland to put together the support network for the Warders. The Warehouse headquarters and the Northstar facility were assigned to the Warders and decisions regarding the staffing of those facilities were also made. Thanks to Horatio's participation in the Warders, the group already had use of the Gryphon and the Eon E-3 but other support vehicles were needed. A battle van and a modified recreational vehicle was ordered for the Warders as well as several railroad cars specially designed to accommodate both the Warders and most of their specialty vehicles.

Eve and Tom took a working vacation in Vancouver, British Columbia. It gave the two of them some time alone as well as time to work on expanding through intensive training Shadow Tiger's cloaking abilities. The desired goal was for her to develop her abilities to the point of being able to "cloak" herself and another person that she was touching at the same time.

Dawn spent most of her time attending Wardens training sessions and working out with the new members of the Wardens. During the training sessions, she studied Brasidas both his words and actions as she had come to realize that her life might depend on his lessons. After all, the Wardens were the team that was being left behind. They were getting the easy mission, if there was such a thing when dealing with paranormal criminals and terrorists. The Warders would be getting the hard one. Marina began to cherish the times that Ally would come into town for a shopping spree, it gave her time to unwind and relax.

Horatio was still spending most of his time locked in his lab continuing his work to develop a device to neutralize his father's technology. Ally continued to maintain her sanity by hopping back and forth between Northstar and North Bay with an occasional trip into San Francisco to go shopping with Marina.

Moorland has questions about the team both as a unit and as individuals. He speaks with Silver Star and Brasidas at length trying to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Warders. He knows that challenge that they would be facing and wants to ensure that they at the very least have a chance to succeed in their mission. One thing keeps coming up and needs further investigation. How much of a taint had the Darkling Entity affected Dawn and could the Olmetecs turn her or the tainted energies against the group?

Moorland calls Silver Star and tells him that there is a need to test the effects of the Darkling Entity taint on Dawn. He asks Silver Star to invite her to a meeting at his Napa Valley estate. Moorland also gives his permission for Silver Star to inform Dawn about the purpose of the meeting, if she asks.

Moorland sends a car to pick up Silver Star and Dawn. The ride is only an hour but seems to take forever, as Dawn is a bit apprehensive about the meeting. Once at the estate, the two of them are ushered in to Moorland private study. Moorland explains in as much detail as he thinks that someone untrained in the arts will be able to understand about the tests that he wishes to perform on Dawn and the bonding bracelet as well as the reasons for the tests. He goes on to explain that the tests will be very exhausting and maybe even a bit painful. Finally, he explains that the tests will take about a week and Dawn will be required to stay at the estate and consume only certain types of food and drink during the testing period.

Dawn understands that she might be a threat to the team because of the Darkling Entity's taint and agrees to the tests. A part of her wishes that Eve could be there for the tests but she knows it is for the best that she cannot. Dawn realizes that she has come to rely on the support she receives from Eve through the bracelet and it is now time for her to start standing on her own. Besides Eve is in Vancouver with Tom and they deserve their privacy.

Silver Star has Moorland's driver take him to North Bay. He needs some time away from the city and also wants to go through some more of John Battle's memoirs. He knows that he is about to face the biggest challenge of his life and even though he will have luck on his side, he also knows he can benefit from the experiences of his deceased friend.

The next morning, Dawn is lead by Moorland to his private sanctum, the practitioner of the mystic arts laboratory, where the tests will be performed. Before the start of the testing, she reveals to Moorland that her name is Marina and that since she is spending the week with him "poking and prodding" her then he can call by her name instead of her codename. Moorland thanks her for letting him into her confidence. He then erects a circle of protection and begins his examination of Marina.

As soon as the circle gores up, Eve knows that something is wrong. The presence that she has come to associate as her link to Marina through the bracelets is gone. Her communicator shows no alerts or emergencies, so she tries to contact Marina. After getting no response, she contacts Whitney and asks him where Marina is. Whitney tells Eve that Dawn and Silver Star went to the Moorland estate yesterday and Silver Star had checked in from North Bay last night. Whitney explains that Silver said that he would be at North Bay for a few days and that Dawn would be at the Moorland estate for several days. Eve asks to be patched through to Silver Star at North Bay.

Once Frank is online, Eve explains her loss of contact with Marina and demands to know what is going on. Frank explains that Marina has agreed to some testing by Moorland to determine what effect the Darkling Entity's taint is having on her and if she might be a threat to the rest of the group in their mission against the Olmetecs. Eve continues to grill Frank on what he knows about the tests. Frank recounts the previous day's meeting with Moorland and Marina's voluntary submission to the testing. It takes a little over two hours before Eve is satisfied that Frank has told her all that he knows and there is nothing more she can learn about what is happening to Marina short of going to Moorland's estate and confronting him directly. After she disconnects from talking with Frank, it takes Tom another two hours to convince her not to go to Moorland's.

It ends up being a pretty long week. The tests are exhausting and a little painful for Marina. Eve is very distracted by feeling Marina's presence when the tests are not being conducted and then not feeling it when they are. It makes it almost impossible for her to continue her practice sessions with Tom. Frank just hates having to wait; being use to throwing himself into a situation and relying on blind luck to help him succeed has not made him a champion of patience.

The week comes to an end and the testing is complete. Moorland calls Silver Star to come to his estate to discuss the test results. When Silver Star arrives at the estate, Marina greets him and leads him to Moorland's private study. He is surprised to see that she is not wearing her Dawn costume. Moorland tells Silver Star and Marina that she is free of any taint from the Darkling Entity and that she no longer needs the bonding bracelet. Moorland theorizes that Marina's powers are not the paranormal ability to manipulate light but rather a type of psychic projection ability that bears a strong resemblance to light manipulation. In simple terms, Marina is projecting a "psychic light" and not manipulating ambient light. This psychic light protected Marina when the Darkling Entity tried to drain her life essence and the "light" also seems to have erased the taint of the Darkling Entity from Marina. Silver Star is pleased to hear that Marina is free from the taint and then another possibility of what happened to the taint hits him. He asks if it is possible that the taint could have "jumped" across the bonding bracelet from Marina to Shadow Tiger. If so, Silver Star requests that Shadow Tiger also be tested.

Moorland smiles inwardly, Silver Star had shown that he did not rely solely on his luck but also had the ability to analyze a situation. "Yes... yes, we do need to check Shadow Tiger, just in case."

PLAYER RESPONSES

Brasidas

2002.11.19 - A Little Bit of Crow