Dragonball M, Chapter 2: Lighthouse! Across the Shores of Shattered Time!

[MrSandman]

Smiling wryly, and with a raised eyebrow, Meagan casually poitned to Midori and asked, "Are YOU okay?" then she walks in closer, "Midori, I gather something happened, you certainly look different."

Walking in from the side, Etrina spots Meagan and waves while jogging towards her.

"Oh hey Meagan, did you see Erosa and Ishtar pass this..." Etrina stops mid sentence and stares at Midori for a few moments, then her head jerks back towards Tami.

"Oh hey Meagan, did you see Erosa and Ishtar pass this way?

[The Dog]

Smiling wryly, and with a raised eyebrow, Meagan casually poitned to Midori and asked, "Are YOU okay?" then she walks in closer, "Midori, I gather something happened, you certainly look different."

Midori realized why she was confused and smiled sheepishly as she said "Oh yeah. Something happened, I went offline for a short time, and a minute or two after I woke up I transformed to look like this. As for if I'm OK... well, the extra weight on my chest is still a little distracting, and when this first happened my skin tingled, but otherwise I'm fine."

"We were going to look into what happened after we found you and the others. Midori here felt like someone was being kind of creepy towards her, and we're hoping that being around the others would help it." Shiro explained.

[Tami]

Midori realized why she was confused and smiled sheepishly as she said "Oh yeah. Something happened, I went offline for a short time, and a minute or two after I woke up I transformed to look like this. As for if I'm OK... well, the extra weight on my chest is still a little distracting, and when this first happened my skin tingled, but otherwise I'm fine."

"We were going to look into what happened after we found you and the others. Midori here felt like someone was being kind of creepy towards her, and we're hoping that being around the others would help it." Shiro explained.

"With this full body makeover of yours, nearly every guy in the area is going to be kind of creepy towards you. Every guy and a least one female Saiyan. I woudln't worry about it if I was you, at least not unless someone comes on to you inappropriately."

[Tami]

Walking in from the side, Etrina spots Meagan and waves while jogging towards her.

"Oh hey Meagan, did you see Erosa and Ishtar pass this..." Etrina stops mid sentence and stares at Midori for a few moments, then her head jerks back towards Meagan.

"Oh hey Meagan, did you see Erosa and Ishtar pass this way?

"I last saw Isthar and Sarada going into the GP ship to talk to the Oni child. I didn't notice if they came out or not. Maybe Erosa is with them." Meagan shrugged slightly. Then spoke to all three, "With the Galaxy Police arriving, it would be best to start getting ready, getting everyone ready, to leave soon."

[The Dog]

"With this full body makeover of yours, nearly every guy in the area is going to be kind of creepy towards you. Every guy and a least one female Saiyan. I woudln't worry about it if I was you, at least not unless someone comes on to you inappropriately."

Midori sighed as she heard that and said "I was afraid about something like that." She smiled weakly as she added "Though this will probably help my studies into organic mating and its related topics."

[Tami]

Midori sighed as she heard that and said "I was afraid about something like that." She smiled weakly as she added "Though this will probably help my studies into organic mating and its related topics."

"Well, good luck with that. Just make sure that whomever you are studying understands your reasons, so that there aren't any misconceptions."

[The Dog]

"Well, good luck with that. Just make sure that whomever you are studying understands your reasons, so that there aren't any misconceptions."

"Of course! It would be terrible to do otherwise." Midori said, looking shocked at the implication she wouldn't do so.

[Lord Falcon]

“I would like that.”

Asha'rah nodded slowly. She did not know Sihn personally. He was from another universe, and had taken no part in her rebellion. All she knew was that he was extremely old himself, and had apparently stepped in after her fall to manage her universe. She had issues to raise regarding said management, of course, but also no idea how much discretion he was left with. There was nothing now but the task asked of her. She made as if to draw a deep breath through non-existent lungs, and began.

"There are so many factors to consider when creating a universe. What elements shall you use? How much energy will be infused? Under what conditions will life be able to flourish? Forging celestial bodies is what I...we...came to be known for. Such works were what our creations witnessed after all, and marvelous works they could be. But planets, stars, the power to make these things was but a simple camp fire in the wake of of the inferno that came before."

She summoned an image of nothingness. To call it pure black would be inadequate, for it had existed before Asha'rah had ever created the color black. There was simply nothing there, and that nothing would appear black to most mortal senses for lack of comprehension. Then came an eruption of energy, which would have appeared divine in scale but for the lack of anything to compare it to. The Heavens had seen less than twenty such eruptions in all the eons of Asha'rah's time.

"Before the Forging, there was the Founding. It was then that we lay down the natural law. Space, time, gravity, countless rules were woven into being. I was at the forefront of this process, but others including the Grand Priest and Zeno himself still wielded authority over me. They made changes as they desired.”

Reality remained undefined within the eruption, a place of infinite possibility. Anything could be done, and nothing could last. It was a time of wonder and chaos. Bit by bit, however, the eruption began to calm, forming limits and boundaries. Some things remained easy. Others became inevitable.

“There are creative differences in any collaborative work, of course, and I strongly objected to a pattern they were creating. It was not apparent at first - an imbalance born not of one or two factors, but a multitude working together to produce an inevitable result. For much of the early times, this imbalance would not show itself. But eventually, individual martial might would grow exponentially in just a few individuals, and they would be as deities among men. After a point, no nation, no species, no collective would stand a chance against their sheer destructive power. Tyranny would follow, with de facto gods of destruction annihilating eons of progress on a whim. There would be those who rose to oppose them, of course, not all would necessarily be consumed by such power. But even if such good won, it would simply be to save a flower that would never fully bear fruit.”

Asha’rah shook her head, recalling her greatest regret.

“No matter how great a civilization, how far they progress in the arts and sciences, they will always be subject to a few people whose strongest means of enforcing their will is the destructive force they can personally exert. Nothing else can compete. This is the template upon which all of Creation is built. My objections were overruled, and I acquiesced.”

The image changed again, the eruption fading into the black of space, only for pinpricks of light to begin dotting its expanse.

“For a time, I buried myself in my work. I forged nebulae and black holes, asteroid belts and quasars. I admired the beauty of the cosmos, and the young creatures that began to populate it. But with time, my conviction only grew. Life is at its best when it strives. It evolves, is broken down and builds itself back up stronger than before. And the living can strive in such bounteous ways. Generations of artisans will champion ever-changing forms of expression. Physicists will find increasingly true ways to understand what the gods have wrought. Chemists and engineers will find new ways to put the building blocks together beyond even what We have contemplated. In time, I hope to see them grow beyond even Us.”

Asha’rah turned her gaze to the window.

“Without competition, life tends not to strive. It settles into its comfortable habits, and in itself there is nothing wrong with that. But too much for too long, and life stagnates, regresses even. Zeno has no competition whatsoever – his power is supreme, his will supreme. Small wonder he acts like a child.”

Her attention returned to the image in the center of the room. Seconds had passed in the real world, yet time unfathomable had passed in the simulation. The pinpricks of light within the settling universe began to die off, not naturally, but seemingly at random.

“Growth takes time and an understanding of one’s surroundings. The factors promoting martial might would not allow the species We created that time. They must become the strongest individual, or they will be at the mercy of someone else who does. And once they are the strongest, there lies no one who they need tolerate to help them grow in other ways. The Kami system was a stabilizing platform…and a stopgap measure. I knew it would not hold back the tide forever, but my pleas continued to fall on deaf ears. Eventually, I determined that I needed Zeno to see my resolve.”

Images of Kamis, angels, oni, Kais, all materialized, banding together around Asha’rah.

“And so for the sake of Creation, I rose in rebellion and sundered the heavens. Many flocked to my banner, more than I expected. But not all otherworldly beings shared my concerns, and others cared not for the fate of “lesser” creatures. Gods died for the sake of mortals. I took Indar’ens’ power for myself and transcended even the limits of a God of Creation. Yet from the start, I knew my rebellion hopeless, for in martial might there was and always had been a single supreme being: Zeno. So when we were not granted a seat at the negotiating table, we stormed Zeno’s Palace, where I knelt before him and stated my case. I was not privy to all of the deliberation that followed, but in the end Zeno sided against me. For my crimes, I was bound within this metal frame and cast down into the universe I had nurtured personally. There I slumbered…until now.”

The images fell away, leaving Asha’rah and Sihn alone in the office again.

“Some memories remain missing, details left out. But that is a summary of my tale, fair from my own perspective.”

[rhyvurg]

Adam speaks up over the PA. "This facility was being monitored and controlled from another location, I advise we leave before they attempt to retake their merchandise."

[Tami]

Adam speaks up over the PA. "This facility was being monitored and controlled from another location, I advise we leave before they attempt to retake their merchandise."

Reiterating his words, Meagan called out, "You heard the man, or whatever he is, everyone on the transports. Spread the word, makes sure no one is left behind. Lets' go, people."

At her words, those Chromakai who weren't already on the Cruiser either headed there or they spread out to make sure everyone else heard the message and was boarding the ships.

[The Dog]

Adam speaks up over the PA. "This facility was being monitored and controlled from another location, I advise we leave before they attempt to retake their merchandise."

Reiterating his words, Meagan called out, "You heard the man, or whatever he is, everyone on the transports. Spread the word, makes sure no one is left behind. Lets' go, people."

At her words, those Chromakai who weren't already on the Cruiser either headed there or they spread out to make sure everyone else heard the message and was boarding the ships.

"Let's get going Midori. We can see about your change of appearance on the ship." Shiro said, and Midori nodded as she replied "Alright. Might as well get the introductions to the 'new' me over with."

With their decision made, the two began walking toward the Cruiser, Midori's hips once more swaying from side to side.

[Ptrvc]

While everyone else was talking and socializing and whatnot, Jack decided to root through the pockets of the defeated, looking for information, clues.

And money.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Asha'rah nodded slowly. She did not know Sihn personally. He was from another universe, and had taken no part in her rebellion. All she knew was that he was extremely old himself, and had apparently stepped in after her fall to manage her universe. She had issues to raise regarding said management, of course, but also no idea how much discretion he was left with. There was nothing now but the task asked of her. She made as if to draw a deep breath through non-existent lungs, and began.

"There are so many factors to consider when creating a universe. What elements shall you use? How much energy will be infused? Under what conditions will life be able to flourish? Forging celestial bodies is what I...we...came to be known for. Such works were what our creations witnessed after all, and marvelous works they could be. But planets, stars, the power to make these things was but a simple camp fire in the wake of of the inferno that came before."

She summoned an image of nothingness. To call it pure black would be inadequate, for it had existed before Asha'rah had ever created the color black. There was simply nothing there, and that nothing would appear black to most mortal senses for lack of comprehension. Then came an eruption of energy, which would have appeared divine in scale but for the lack of anything to compare it to. The Heavens had seen less than twenty such eruptions in all the eons of Asha'rah's time.

"Before the Forging, there was the Founding. It was then that we lay down the natural law. Space, time, gravity, countless rules were woven into being. I was at the forefront of this process, but others including the Grand Priest and Zeno himself still wielded authority over me. They made changes as they desired.”

Reality remained undefined within the eruption, a place of infinite possibility. Anything could be done, and nothing could last. It was a time of wonder and chaos. Bit by bit, however, the eruption began to calm, forming limits and boundaries. Some things remained easy. Others became inevitable.

“There are creative differences in any collaborative work, of course, and I strongly objected to a pattern they were creating. It was not apparent at first - an imbalance born not of one or two factors, but a multitude working together to produce an inevitable result. For much of the early times, this imbalance would not show itself. But eventually, individual martial might would grow exponentially in just a few individuals, and they would be as deities among men. After a point, no nation, no species, no collective would stand a chance against their sheer destructive power. Tyranny would follow, with de facto gods of destruction annihilating eons of progress on a whim. There would be those who rose to oppose them, of course, not all would necessarily be consumed by such power. But even if such good won, it would simply be to save a flower that would never fully bear fruit.”

Asha’rah shook her head, recalling her greatest regret.

“No matter how great a civilization, how far they progress in the arts and sciences, they will always be subject to a few people whose strongest means of enforcing their will is the destructive force they can personally exert. Nothing else can compete. This is the template upon which all of Creation is built. My objections were overruled, and I acquiesced.”

The image changed again, the eruption fading into the black of space, only for pinpricks of light to begin dotting its expanse.

“For a time, I buried myself in my work. I forged nebulae and black holes, asteroid belts and quasars. I admired the beauty of the cosmos, and the young creatures that began to populate it. But with time, my conviction only grew. Life is at its best when it strives. It evolves, is broken down and builds itself back up stronger than before. And the living can strive in such bounteous ways. Generations of artisans will champion ever-changing forms of expression. Physicists will find increasingly true ways to understand what the gods have wrought. Chemists and engineers will find new ways to put the building blocks together beyond even what We have contemplated. In time, I hope to see them grow beyond even Us.”

Asha’rah turned her gaze to the window.

“Without competition, life tends not to strive. It settles into its comfortable habits, and in itself there is nothing wrong with that. But too much for too long, and life stagnates, regresses even. Zeno has no competition whatsoever – his power is supreme, his will supreme. Small wonder he acts like a child.”

Her attention returned to the image in the center of the room. Seconds had passed in the real world, yet time unfathomable had passed in the simulation. The pinpricks of light within the settling universe began to die off, not naturally, but seemingly at random.

“Growth takes time and an understanding of one’s surroundings. The factors promoting martial might would not allow the species We created that time. They must become the strongest individual, or they will be at the mercy of someone else who does. And once they are the strongest, there lies no one who they need tolerate to help them grow in other ways. The Kami system was a stabilizing platform…and a stopgap measure. I knew it would not hold back the tide forever, but my pleas continued to fall on deaf ears. Eventually, I determined that I needed Zeno to see my resolve.”

Images of Kamis, angels, oni, Kais, all materialized, banding together around Asha’rah.

“And so for the sake of Creation, I rose in rebellion and sundered the heavens. Many flocked to my banner, more than I expected. But not all otherworldly beings shared my concerns, and others cared not for the fate of “lesser” creatures. Gods died for the sake of mortals. I took Indar’ens’ power for myself and transcended even the limits of a God of Creation. Yet from the start, I knew my rebellion hopeless, for in martial might there was and always had been a single supreme being: Zeno. So when we were not granted a seat at the negotiating table, we stormed Zeno’s Palace, where I knelt before him and stated my case. I was not privy to all of the deliberation that followed, but in the end Zeno sided against me. For my crimes, I was bound within this metal frame and cast down into the universe I had nurtured personally. There I slumbered…until now.”

The images fell away, leaving Asha’rah and Sihn alone in the office again.

“Some memories remain missing, details left out. But that is a summary of my tale, fair from my own perspective.”

Sihn nods, contemplating the story.

“So you didn’t kill Indar’en out of jealousy. I had heard you coveted his power. He and I went way back. Like brothers, we were. I hated you for a long time, hearing you killed him.”

He tilts back in his chair, looking her over with a critical eye.

“No, I can’t say I hate you anymore. I can read people, and you’re nothing but honest.”

[Tami]

As the remaining ex-prisoners begin moving into the transport ships, Meagan seeks out one of the newly arrived Galaxy Police officers. She has questions and hopefully they will have at least some answers.

OOC: Cleric?

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Adam gave a second message, stating that the asteroid was being monitored from a distance by those at the very top of this entire sordid organization. It would be prudent to leave as soon as possible before they made an attempt to retake the asteroid and the cargo. That was a sentiment that Sarada could agree with. However, before she could leave, there was something she needed.

Disembarking the ship, she quickly left the hangar and went to the armory for one of those Neural Stunners. A device that could render someone more powerful than the user unconscious for a time -- even a short time -- was invaluable. She would take it to Jinzi and ask him to analyze it and replicate it. If he could, she would take one to each of the Saiyan colonies and tell them to use it on Jagam when he arrived.

It wasn't the Saiyan way, but it was their best chance at survival.

Stunner in hand, she returned to the ship and sat down to look it over.