Dragonball M, Chapter 3: In Blood, Bone, and Ash! The Way Forward Unlocked!

[grampagen]

OOC: TIME MAGIC, son

Damask’s Head is capsuled, the body crumbling away.

Gero looks at Ochazuke, sneering but answering.

“Dozens. Though it seems all for naught, now.”

She looks at Parsley.

“They are renegades. Rebels. Dissidents against President Grinthorn. As to my involvement......a mutual relationship. I supplied tech, they supplied willing volunteers for cybernetic experiments. I helped them with certain security hacks and features, they...listened when I suggested certain info and strikes against Jinzi Pantaloon and Capsule Corp. in fact, one of their members is stealing from CC right as we speak.”

"Rebels with a cause," Parsley commented before falling into silent contemplation.

These Red Raiders were dissenters, bucking against the tide in opposition to President Grinthorn. From just one meeting with the man, Parsley knew he wasn't to be trusted. She also knew that he wasn't what he appeared to be. What that meant, she wasn't sure. She did know that whatever he was beneath the surface of his ill-fitting skin and too-wide smile, it wasn't good.

However, simply because the Red Raiders went in opposition to a clearly malevolent force didn't mean that they themselves were a force for good. There was a saying on Vocado, "The best friend is an enemy of an enemy". It simply meant that just because two people happened to fall on the same side didn't mean that they were allies. She would have to look more into the Red Raiders to make a more concrete, informed decision, but going by her interaction with Cher Gero, she was likely to dislike them. Which, of course, meant their existence would probably come to an end soon.

"It's my understanding that Pants also opposes Grinthorn. You're cutting off a potential ally at the knees. Not that it matters anymore as far as you're concerned, but perhaps I'll bring this to your leader's attention. What's their name?"

"More than a little petty, all things considered," Blizzar commented. "Either way, I mist thank you for the information. The Red Raiders are known troublemakers to Earth's law enforcement but...their true goals are of interest, however..." Blizzar thought for a moment...in all this confounding time business, he had forgotten one potential foe still lay in the present.

Grinthorn. And once they wrapped up any and all grievances with the Doctor there was still that World Summit to attend. Blizzar had certainly hoped it had not slipped Grinthorn or anyone else's mind for it was certain to be quite the gathering.

Gero's first remark passed, stated as clinically as any matter on those crumpled papers within her laboratory. When it came to the question of the Red Raiders, however, she was all-too willing to speak. The incrimination would be mutual. And the folly would pass from her hands to another. Her flippancy struck Ochazuke, and though it all but confirmed with her own words that which was plain to see in her own confined space, there was something just below the surface, hidden beneath a smirk, reflected twice behind the lenses that framed her face where she stood at a remove. What have you got to hide?

After a point, he raised his hand before Parsley and Blizzar.

"If you're hear to speak of politics, you're wasting time," he said with a grunt. The blemish, after all, remained Earthbound. Even after all this time, the imposition of offworlders continued to bristle him. "It's clear nothing matters to her beyond coffers and her subject material."

His arms fell to his side as he took a few steps forward, standing directly in front of Gero. "Not all are taken with the task of examining this world, least of all any who seek to find a deliberate cause for every pronounced effect. One begins to understand with observation, and the examination of the matter made closely, uncover its shape, its affect...its weaknesses."

Ochazuke lift his hand. Glibly, he pushed the nanite-concrete dust from the struggle off his cloak. "That's your specialty, isn't it? Knowledge of that smallest, fundamental aspect. Soon one begins to search for flaws in everything for the basest of reasons. How else would anybody know the sight of such common weakness...if they were not shown it, one way or another?"

His gaze continued to pour down on her, his meditational field examining everything within the space Jinzi had mandated for her. He grew aware of each fine detail of this conveyed vision. "I suspect that is why you were taken with Adam. Why you sought to create life, and sculpt it to your vision. Perhaps Pantaloon was aware of this as well."

His hand brushed it over to the left, as if to indicate his heart, and the quicksilver pulse he knew animated hers.

"Dozens of failures. Your work would be little more than an unrealized scrawl...until you were forced to test it on yourself. And yet despite that, those who would hear you and support this vision, you'd toss them aside if it no longer served you. If nothing matters, when what good is your craft, Gero? What end does your science serve?"

[Yun Lao]

The Sphinx sighs.

“Rex, take a chill pill for two seconds. You’re a disembodied spirit in a psychic realm right now. Lay the strongest bit aside for two seconds so we can all talk civilly.”

A light, almost musical giggle involuntarily erupts from Cyanna as she places her hand over her mouth to try and quiet herself.

"Civility? Nothing more than the prattling of those who do not have the strength to truly speak their minds!"

"Please don't antagonize the dinosaur living in my head," Charco said, knowing he would be on the receiving end of Rex's wrath.

"Oh? I had almost forgotten about the coward who hides behind others." Rex said, amused, "That's right, they can pretend to stand up to the Strongest, knowing that the only one that will suffer in the end, will be you..."

[KingofPie]

Gero nods frantically at this.

Grinthorn hums quietly and pulls a puff off his cigar.

“Well.....I can maybe see an agreement here. She'll have to be arraigned to local custody until the proper paperwork for Galactic transfer can be filed though. Say tomorrow and she’s yours?”

"Why wait for tomorrow, when paperwork can be filed to day?" Blizzar smirked beneath his faceplate. "P-Cee?" he called as the diminutive officer grew to full size before Grinthorn. "The girl has a particular aptitude for making sure everything's filed neat and orderly in record time. She could whip up the proper paperwork and have it done in the next five minutes."

Blizzar shrugged. "I know you're on a busy schedule, so I know you'll appreciate the process being expedited, won't you?"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

She can make her way back to where Gero is being held.

Praxat tunnels under the ground and makes her way to where Gero is being held." Dammit, I really need to get my Level A Hazmat suit clean and disinfect it's filthy. I also need to grab a new pair of boots," Praxat said.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OOC: TIME MAGIC, son







Gero's first remark passed, stated as clinically as any matter on those crumpled papers within her laboratory. When it came to the question of the Red Raiders, however, she was all-too willing to speak. The incrimination would be mutual. And the folly would pass from her hands to another. Her flippancy struck Ochazuke, and though it all but confirmed with her own words that which was plain to see in her own confined space, there was something just below the surface, hidden beneath a smirk, reflected twice behind the lenses that framed her face where she stood at a remove. What have you got to hide?

After a point, he raised his hand before Parsley and Blizzar.

"If you're hear to speak of politics, you're wasting time," he said with a grunt. The blemish, after all, remained Earthbound. Even after all this time, the imposition of offworlders continued to bristle him. "It's clear nothing matters to her beyond coffers and her subject material."

His arms fell to his side as he took a few steps forward, standing directly in front of Gero. "Not all are taken with the task of examining this world, least of all any who seek to find a deliberate cause for every pronounced effect. One begins to understand with observation, and the examination of the matter made closely, uncover its shape, its affect...its weaknesses."

Ochazuke lift his hand. Glibly, he pushed the nanite-concrete dust from the struggle off his cloak. "That's your specialty, isn't it? Knowledge of that smallest, fundamental aspect. Soon one begins to search for flaws in everything for the basest of reasons. How else would anybody know the sight of such common weakness...if they were not shown it, one way or another?"

His gaze continued to pour down on her, his meditational field examining everything within the space Jinzi had mandated for her. He grew aware of each fine detail of this conveyed vision. "I suspect that is why you were taken with Adam. Why you sought to create life, and sculpt it to your vision. Perhaps Pantaloon was aware of this as well."

His hand brushed it over to the left, as if to indicate his heart, and the quicksilver pulse he knew animated hers.

"Dozens of failures. Your work would be little more than an unrealized scrawl...until you were forced to test it on yourself. And yet despite that, those who would hear you and support this vision, you'd toss them aside if it no longer served you. If nothing matters, when what good is your craft, Gero? What end does your science serve?"

She grits her teeth.

“It serve me. It serves my name in the History books. You’ll see. This isn’t the end of me. One way or another.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Civility? Nothing more than the prattling of those who do not have the strength to truly speak their minds!"

"Please don't antagonize the dinosaur living in my head," Charco said, knowing he would be on the receiving end of Rex's wrath.

"Oh? I had almost forgotten about the coward who hides behind others." Rex said, amused, "That's right, they can pretend to stand up to the Strongest, knowing that the only one that will suffer in the end, will be you..."

“Rex, sit down.”

The dinosaur finds itself sitting down hard on nothing. Morgana smiles.

“Civility, Rex.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Why wait for tomorrow, when paperwork can be filed to day?" Blizzar smirked beneath his faceplate. "P-Cee?" he called as the diminutive officer grew to full size before Grinthorn. "The girl has a particular aptitude for making sure everything's filed neat and orderly in record time. She could whip up the proper paperwork and have it done in the next five minutes."

Blizzar shrugged. "I know you're on a busy schedule, so I know you'll appreciate the process being expedited, won't you?"

Grinthorn’s eyes narrow.

“Impressive.”

He glances at Gero.

“Than just a word, if you would please. I have need of an answer from her over an issue.”

[Yun Lao]

“Rex, sit down.”

The dinosaur finds itself sitting down hard on nothing. Morgana smiles.

“Civility, Rex.”

"You can repeat your human word as much as you can. It changes nothing. Now let's get on with this. I tire of looking at you four."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"You can repeat your human word as much as you can. It changes nothing. Now let's get on with this. I tire of looking at you four."

“Fine. State what it is that you want from your cohabitation with Charco?”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Grinthorn smiles creepily.

“I have a wealth of information and informants, what can I say.”

He gestures to his men to take Gero, still held by Adam who had yet to relent.

His smile unnerved her. It was inhuman. It wasn't like anything she had seen before. More distressing was his insistence that he had a network of informants feeding him intelligence on various criminals. Which she didn't believe for a second.

"Curious that you claim to have a network of information, yet failed to deliver it to those to whom it would prove pertinent." She eyed him critically and fell silent as he and Blizzar talked.

"...."

"Mister PResident..." Blizzar interjected. "Perhaps, if we may, the Galaxy Police would like to keep her in our custody for a few days. We still have a few questions of our own to ask of her. Once our interrogation is overwith, we would gladly turn her over to you."

Gero nods frantically at this.

Grinthorn hums quietly and pulls a puff off his cigar.

“Well.....I can maybe see an agreement here. She'll have to be arraigned to local custody until the proper paperwork for Galactic transfer can be filed though. Say tomorrow and she’s yours?”

"Why wait for tomorrow, when paperwork can be filed to day?" Blizzar smirked beneath his faceplate. "P-Cee?" he called as the diminutive officer grew to full size before Grinthorn. "The girl has a particular aptitude for making sure everything's filed neat and orderly in record time. She could whip up the proper paperwork and have it done in the next five minutes."

Blizzar shrugged. "I know you're on a busy schedule, so I know you'll appreciate the process being expedited, won't you?"

She had nothing to say in this regard, but did not trust Grinthorn to be alone with Gero. She didn't know what his game was, and likely wouldn't until it was upon them in a more overt manner. Blizzar's offer still gave Grinthorn time with her, and only delayed the inevitable.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Enoki smirks.

“Playing chaperone on a recon slash retrieval mission. GP requested. How’s it going, Queen?”

Recon/retrieval mission. The recon sounded boring, but the recovery part had the potential to be exciting. Likely not, if it went routine and according to plan. "Sounds boring," she commented. "It would be going a lot better if I could finally get back home. I'm stuck here with this all-important mission to save the universe, one that's kept me away from Vocado for a week now."

She spared her great-aunt the details, saving her brain the trouble of trying to come to grips with the time-fuckery that had been thrust upon her for the last week now. It was almost over. Just one last fight to go before she could finally go home. And stay home.

"It's almost over, so I should be able to go home soon. Speaking of, have you been back since I pardoned you a few years back?"

[Yun Lao]

“Fine. State what it is that you want from your cohabitation with Charco?”

"Aw ****..." Charco hissed, knowing immediately that Morgana had asked the wrong question. Surprisingly, however, Rex instead laughed. For quite some time, the infinite void surrounding their minds echoed with his cackles and only after some time would it die down, although the dinosaur struggled not to begin anew.

"Cohabitation? Do you believe my actions are a misunderstanding?" Like a knife, his words cut through the mirth he had previously displayed, his tone betraying the insult he felt from such a question, There will be no cohabitation. I WILL do as I have for countless generations and when I do take the vessel I have given this coward, I will feast on existence itself! You.cannot.stop.me!"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

She baps Ishtar in the nose with a hand held fan that appeared out of nowhere.

“None of that, now. Asha’rah can’t use the shard, she’s being asked to help find and secure it. That is why Nunlil and Slak and Ronin Kai are going. Enoki is their ride and supervisor.”

“Shimmer, the Red Namekian? Ahh, yes he’s been in contact with Sihn. The two of them are quite fond of drinking exotic alcohols while looking for the missing or hidden weapons. One is being gotten right now. One is on the Arcosian homeworld right now, but......something blocks travel there.”

"Hitting me on the nose hardly invalidates the point, mother." Ishtar muttered. "That Shimmer is alive is good however. He was useful last I recall, and simply the pawn of one of the thousands of vultures."

As for mention of the artifact on the Arcosian world, Ishtar sighed before nodding.

"Grinth- Alakazah confirmed that one I was once acquainted with, has come into possession of the Arcosian artifact. A 'peer' he called him. Which means he is a threat, and a dangerous one at that. In any event, once this matter with the Doctor is sorted ... I feel I will be busy still."

[Tami]

"Aw ****..." Charco hissed, knowing immediately that Morgana had asked the wrong question. Surprisingly, however, Rex instead laughed. For quite some time, the infinite void surrounding their minds echoed with his cackles and only after some time would it die down, although the dinosaur struggled not to begin anew.

"Cohabitation? Do you believe my actions are a misunderstanding?" Like a knife, his words cut through the mirth he had previously displayed, his tone betraying the insult he felt from such a question, There will be no cohabitation. I WILL do as I have for countless generations and when I do take the vessel I have given this coward, I will feast on existence itself! You.cannot.stop.me!"

"Then why haven't you already done that?" Cyannna spoke up, not showing any sign of fear, "Way I see it, existence is still, well, existing."

[Tami]

"Why wait for tomorrow, when paperwork can be filed to day?" Blizzar smirked beneath his faceplate. "P-Cee?" he called as the diminutive officer grew to full size before Grinthorn. "The girl has a particular aptitude for making sure everything's filed neat and orderly in record time. She could whip up the proper paperwork and have it done in the next five minutes."

Blizzar shrugged. "I know you're on a busy schedule, so I know you'll appreciate the process being expedited, won't you?"

Stopping short, Dash watches with some uncertainty and a bit of curiosity as what is going on.