Daimon says "We need to go find the girls and ask them about the soprano."
Daimon says "That's the quickest way to do anything - the dressing rooms."
Liz nods. "And keep an eye out for Math, who you'd recognize."
Liz says "Right. Let's go."
Demiurge says "Daimon doesn't know what Math's Vessel looks like."
Daimon will just resonate on EVERYONE, that's all.
Liz says "Really?"
Daimon says "I see someone... I resonate on 'em."
Liz drats.
Demiurge says "Okay. The two of you head for the female dressing rooms."
Daimon says "If they need to smack someone, then that's the start of the Habbie trail."
Demiurge says "Does Daimon, a man, _really_ want to try walking in there?"
Sephar is still scampering about the dressing rooms?
Demiurge nods to Sephar, you are.
Daimon says "No, I'll stand outside."
Daimon says "And resonate on everyone who walks by. :)"
Daimon says "If I can, oh, I dunno, touch 'em? Look 'em in the eyes?"
Daimon says "I'm going to be doing a lot of touching. :)"
Demiurge says "You can try and meet their eyes or accidentally brush against them, sure."
Daimon says "I do lots of brushing."
Liz will help run interference for Daimon, she supposes.
Daimon does not explain to Liz how this works.
Demiurge says "Okay. Daimon waits outside, Liz goes inside?"
Liz says "Um, sure."
Liz will look for the Soprano's dressing room, for one.
Daimon does the catch the eye and bump people, looking for SOME random clue.
Demiurge says "Liz, there are several dressing rooms: two general ones for the female chorus, and three solo ones for the soloists."
Liz says "All right. I know what Tania looks like, right?"
Demiurge says "There is a similar set for the male chorus and soloists."
Demiurge nods.
Liz says "And what was the name of the Female Soloist who we believe has the necklace. Victoria?"
Demiurge says "You spot Tania in one of the general chorus rooms. She's busy going over her score, while some friends chat near her."
Demiurge says "Victoria Montagni, the lead soprano."
Demiurge says "Daimon, you pick up an interesting subset of Needs. Most deal with the opera going off _well_ and nothing dreadful happening."
Liz checks the names on the three soloist dressing rooms. (Are they labeled?)
Demiurge says "They aren't labelled, but one is fairly definitely larger than the other two. Probably the lead's room."
Liz will knock on the door.
Daimon waits for a Need that will help lead him to Math. If someone is really angry and wants vengence, or in other emotional disarrays, then it's time to talk to that person.
Sephar watches with little mousy eyes.
Demiurge says "No answer, Liz."
Sephar thinks he'll scramble up Liz when she's close enough to do so without the folks in the dressing room noticing...
From afar, Shannen wonders if I am involved this evening (ie, did I get tickets :))
You paged Shannen with 'I don't know if anyone got you tickets, no, but you know where and when the opera is due to be, and you have people's cellphone numbers.'.
You paged Shannen with 'You could always phone Pat or something if you wanted.'.
Sephar says "I found the earrings in the biggest of the solo rooms?"
Demiurge nods to Sephar, you did.
Sephar sighs sadly, but goes up Liz, to sit on her shoulder and squeak at her if she doesn't knock him off automatically.
Demiurge says "Daimon, you're getting some odd looks for loitering outside the female dressing rooms, but so far nobody as yet is giving any major signs of emotional shock."
Daimon says "I'll take the odd looks. Besides, if I grin back at them in a disturbing way, it might be passively Funny. I keep waiting."
Demiurge says "Roll a d666, Daimon."
<
Liz fails to notice the mouse on her shoulder until it squeaks at her. At that point, she swiftly steps
back out of the way.
Liz doesn't want people to notice her conversing with a mouse.
Sephar squeaks, "Liz. Earrings, in corner hole. No necklaces in the rooms. Someone's been here
before us, marks on the lock."
Demiurge says "Daimon, you just picked up serious Needs from the bland-looking guy who just
passed you. Make the Prank work. Return to Kobal's favour. Hurt the Game badly. Punish the
Weak."
Daimon starts to follow him, and gets a nice, friendly looking grin.
Sephar also squeaks, "Someone already through the manager's office, too. Don't know who."
Daimon says "Hey, hi, don't I know you from somewhere?"
Daimon fingers the morphine in his pocket, and looks easy going.
The bland-looking man heads towards the corridors that will lead to the backstage area - then he
turns at Daimon's question, and shrugs. "Can't say I remember you, I'm afraid."
Liz frowns.
Liz sighs. "Okay. No use staying here. Into my pocket?"
Daimon says "You look really familiar."
Sephar dives into Liz's pocket.
Daimon grins in a really friendly way.
Liz walks out of the dressing room.
He shakes his head. "Sorry, can't say I recognise you. You on the staff here?"
<
Daimon says "I'm on the staff somewhere."
Daimon continues to look friendly.
He nods. "Look, I'm sorry, but I've got to get up to the flies. Catch you later?"
Daimon says "I work for someone really Funny."
A wary look flicks across the bland man's eyes. "Hey, that's neat. Glad to hear you have a good
time."
Daimon says "Certainly. And sometimes we all need a little help."
He nods again. "Truth, absolutely. Look, perhaps we can talk later..." He begins to turn.
Daimon reaches out to grab his arm. "I'm sorry, but there is no later."
Demiurge says "Roll to grab him, Daimon?"
Daimon laughs. Yeah. Roll. Funny.
<
Liz pages to Demiurge and Sephar: Let me know when sephar and I come out of the room?
You paged Liz and Sephar with 'Probably in time to see Daimon try and grab this guy.'.
<
Liz blinks.
The bland man neatly avoids the grab, backstepping. A nice obvious indignation shadows his face,
and his voice rises. "Hey, what do you think you're doing!"
Liz whispers to Sephar, 'If Hitherby's still in the Stage Manager, find him and get him down here,
okay?'
Daimon's look darken, but he continues to look very... friendly. "Convincing you that it just might
be safest to stay and listen to me for a few more minutes."
Sephar's pigeon flies for the stage manager...
He says, icily, "Talk, don't grab, and talk fast. I'm busy and I get nervous real easy."
Liz reaches into her purse, flicks open the cover on the morphine syringes.
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you will be receiving Sephar's pigeon in a couple of poses."
Daimon says "Your partner is dead. The Game and angels are crawling all over the Opera. The
Boss does not approve of your Prank. Come with me, and maybe we can straighten this all out."
Hitherby nods. Probably through one of her birds on the nearby roof?
Demiurge nods to Hitherby.
Liz withdraws one of the triple-dosed syringes.
The bland man backs a step further away. He says, with the air of rote, "Sorry, I haven't got a clue
what you're talking about, and if you go on like this then I'm calling Security."
Liz is careful to stay as much to the rear of the Habby as she can, out of sight. The expression on
her face is 'innocent bystander'.
Liz is shielding the syringe with one hand.
Demiurge says "Liz, you're the other end of the conversation."
Demiurge says "That is, you're Daimon's end of the corridor, not the Habbalite's."
Demiurge says "Unless you want to run round and try and get behind him."
Daimon grins. "But wouldn't it be nice to _get_ the Game?"
Daimon has a syringe in hand in his pocket.
The bland man repeats, again, "I don't know what you're talking about. Now get the hell away
from me or I'm calling help."
Hitherbird lifts off the roof and croaks an interrogative in bird at the confused-seeming pigeon
(since the stage manager is inside a house at the moment). If it doesn't understand, as Sephar
wouldn't, she offers, "Yes?" in English.
Liz says "Is there a fast way around these two, to get behind the Habby?"
Daimon decides he officially 'tried'. He looks vaguely disappointed.
Daimon flicks his eyes back and forth, looking for bystanders quickly.
Demiurge says "Not really, Liz, without shoving past them, unless you want to try and circle them
by going round a side corridor."
Sephar flutters to the, "Yes." "Liz needs you near the dressing rooms, perferably as the stage
manager..."
Liz will try and circle.
Demiurge says "There are no obvious bystanders, Daimon, but you are just down the corridors
from the populated dressing rooms."
Demiurge says "Roll d666 to see how quickly you do it, Liz."
Liz gives a 'minding my own business look' and resolutely goes the other way.
<
Sephar saays to Hitherby, "They have the Habbalite."
Liz ergh. Not quickly.
Hitherby swears, "Winter," in bird. Demiurge, how far along is her rather vital conversation with
the potential Soldier?
Demiurge says "Reasonably fast, Liz, but not blinding speed."
Demiurge says "You've probably just finished, Hitherby."
Daimon says "Hey, you know what I'm talking about. Now come on, one more chance to be
civilized. Come with me and maybe we can work this all out. If you don't, someone _will_ get
you. Someone not so funny."
Hitherby smiles with faint tension at the young man. "I'm being Called," she says, simplifying
things somewhat.
Demiurge says "Hitherby, the young man nods to you, accepting it."
Hithermanager breaks for the Opera at a run, even if she has to open several of those door things.
The bland man shrugs at Daimon. "You want to be useful, man, you leave me the hell alone and
stay out of the way, or you might get in trouble."
Hitherby's bird croaks, "Where?" Or, "Yurr?" -- but Sephar is a Kyriotate, and understanding
Kyriotates in animal hosts is an occupational skill :)
Daimon says "I told you already, your Prank will not get you back into the graces of your Prince."
Daimon says "Not this Prank, not this way."
Daimon is just stalling for time, now.
The bland man says, with the air of one who wants the conversation over, "I have no idea what
you are talking about. Now get out of here." With half an eye on Daimon, he begins to back away.
Sephar says "By the dressing rooms, just a bit more to the back, I think..."
Daimon stalks the Habbie.
Daimon resonates on him AGAIN.
Hitherby makes an Int roll to see how well she remembers the route?
Demiurge says "Liz, you've now circled around, and are about twenty yards away, behind the
Habbalite."
Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby and Daimon."
<
<
Hitherby hopes it's an easy task :)
Demiurge says "Hitherby: oh dear, you're fairly sure it's one of those doors... whoops, looks like
you're off course a little, but it can't be far away."
Sephar could wing down with the Hither-bird...
Demiurge says "Daimon: sorry, nothing new."
Hitherby OOC giggles.
Sephar wings down, anyway, just in case a bird can help....
Hitherby follows Sephar in a few bird hosts, because three birds With A Purpose isn't weirder than
one.
The bland man glares at Daimon, eyes blank and furious.
<
Demiurge says "Daimon, make a Will roll, please."
<
Hitherby . o O ( Doom on a stick. )
Sephar (agh)
Daimon says "JESUS CHRIST. NOW I fail a roll like that."
Shannen . o O ( Is Hell exothermic or endothermic? )
Daimon . o O ( I have to get out of the Hell business. )
Liz says "Okay, things have gotten out of hand."
You paged Daimon with 'It's Emptiness time.'.
Sarah . o O ( Yup. Again. )
Daimon pages: Oh, yeah.
Liz moves with ofanite speed, and sticks 'Math' with one of her syringes.
Daimon starts looking blank and bland.
You paged Daimon with 'It'll last till I say otherwise, though it won't be _that_ long.'.
The bland man is taken by surprise, and receives a syringe in the target area.
<
The bland man staggers against the wall, barely propping himself upright. He calls, faintly,
"Help..."
Daimon looks bored, and sticks his hands in his pockets. He'd help if he cared.
Sephar hrms.
Liz says "Sephar, get a human host, quick. Preferably Opera Security."
The bland man's eyes turn to Liz. He reaches out, grabbing for her arm.
Liz dodges.
<
Hitherby charges through the opera house.
<
Sephar 's pigeon comes across a security officer?
Demiurge says "Where are you trying, Sephar?"
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you're almost there. You're at the end of the corridor, and can see the
scene."
Sephar is going to try for a security officer, rather than Math himself.
Liz waits another couple of seconds to see what effect the morphine is having.
Sephar thinks Liz has things in hand.
The bland man seems to be just about staying upright, pupils wildly dilated. He calls again, voice
a little stronger, "Help! Assault!"
Demiurge says "Sephar, where in the opera house are you trying to look for a security officer?"
Liz sighs, adds a second syringe.
The stage manager stops his charge with an effortlessness that belies momentum, and demands,
"What is going on here?"
Daimon looks around, completely uncaring.
<
<
Sephar says "As I'm winging in from the outside, towards the dressing rooms... when I come in
the window, is there a guard at the back door?"
Liz thinks she gets the second syringe in okay, too.
The bland man groans, "That bitch, she..." His eyes roll up, and he sags to the ground as the
second syringe goes in.
Demiurge nods to Sephar. There is.
Sephar takes him, then.
Liz tucks the syringes away.
<
<
Demiurge says "You're in, Sephar."
Liz looks over at the stage manager. "Hitherby?"
Hithermanager says, wryly, "I see."
Hithermanager nods. "Yah."
Sephar then runs for the area everyone else is, and puts a pen in his breast pocket.
Liz says "This one's the Habby. He got Daimon With Apathy, I think."
Liz says "We need to get them both to a private area."
Hitherby assumes she recognizes the Habby, actually.
Demiurge nods to Hitherby: you do.
Hitherby says, "In or out of the house?"
Daimon leans against the wall, looking bored.
Hitherby pulls the Habby upright and loops his arm over Hithermanager's shoulder, unless this is
difficult for some reason.
Liz says "A Tether would be *really good* right about now. I don't want him pulling anything
Funny when he wakes up."
A young woman pokes her head out of the dressing room, to see what's going on.
The bland man can be limply pulled around, yup.
Liz lets Hitherby handle the woman, and walks over to Daimon.
Liz says "Daimon, Honey?"
Daimon says "Hmmm?"
Liz says "How are you feeling?"
Hitherby says, "He's *drunk*," disgustedly.
Daimon shrugs. "Okay, I guess."
Liz says "Okay, well, come with me then. We're going to help the nice manager with the drunk
person."
Sephar runs in and when seeing the lady, makes it just a brisk walk and half bows to
Hitherby-manager and Liz, "May I help with that, Ma'am?"
Daimon nods, vaguely, uncaring, and proceeds to follow Liz.
Hitherby says, brusquely, "Take his other shoulder. We'll get him somewhere where he can -- do
drunk things, or whatever."
The young woman retreats back into the dressing room, shrugging.
Sephar moves under his other shoulder.
Hitherby thinks. Where's the closest Tether she knows of?
Demiurge says "Closest Tether of Jordi, or of anyone?"
Hitherby . o O ( Of anyone. )
Liz says, quietly, once the woman has gone. "I promised Daimon we'd take him to a tether, and
eventually return him to Hell. But how about a Divine tether first, for questioning.
Liz says "Trade would be good."
Liz says "For one think, I think Daimon will freak less when he comes around."
Demiurge says "Liz knows the Securities and Exchange Commission as a Tether of Marc."
Liz says "Lighting would also work, since Daimon helped Sephar with the Vaputech computer."
Hitherby says, "I have to be here at 5. Not good with cahrs, anyway. I'll give you some birds,
though."
Sephar says "Sure. Do I know of one?"
Demiurge nods to Sephar. You know the local Lightning-Tether.
Liz says "That's fine. Sephar can come with me."
Sephar says "Sure."
Liz says "We'll go to the SEC. It's fairly close."
Hitherby diverts her two birds who were with Sephar's pigeon to wait on ... Liz's car, if she can
recognize it.
Liz says "Let's get 'Math' out to my car."
Daimon wonders if he cares enough to give Liz the keys. Probably not.
Demiurge says "Where is Liz's car parked? Round the front or the back?"
Liz says "Out back."
Liz says "Daimon has the keys."
Hitherby drags Math out back. (That doesn't sound good.)
Demiurge says "Okay."
Sephar helps Hitherby drag...
Daimon trails behind the group.
Demiurge says "As you are dragging him towards the back door, this brown-haired thug in
leathers moves out from the cubbyhole where the guard normally sits. (Before Sephar removed
him.)"
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you recognise him. It's The Calabite."
Liz . o O (Major bummer.)
The thuggish type squints at the group, and his eyes narrow as he catches sight of the lolling
Math.
Liz has her hands free, so she slides one into her purse, near the last syringe, and her gun.
Sephar says "Hey, thanks for taking over the job, gotta get this drunk out to his car..."
The thug grunts, "Hey, I know that guy. Isn't he that convicted murderer on tv?"
Daimon just shrugs.
Sephar grunts cheerfully and hefts the boyo for the door... and blinks at the words and looks at
the guy, "Uhm... I don't think so."
Hitherby says, "If only he was. He'd deserve what he's going to get for pulling this on performance
day."
The thug says, "We'd better call the cops. I'll keep an eye on him if you want." One hand slides
into his pocket.
Liz says, quietly. "Daimon, hand me your keys, would you?"
Liz says "Demi, how close am I to the thug?"
Demiurge says "Probably ten-fifteen paces."
Liz says "Okay."
Sephar says "Ah that far. Okay... then I'll keep working him towards the door as I'm able."
Hitherby has all her birds in the air just outside.
Daimon reaches into his pocket, and hands Liz the keys.
Hitherby (not at door *level*, though.)
The thug maintains a door-blocking attitude.
Liz says, "Nevermind," to daimon, and slips her hand into Daimon's jacket, plucking out the case
full of syringes as well.
Liz smiles at Daimon. "Thanks, sweetie." She kisses him on the cheek.
Hitherby says, calmly, "If you have a problem, mister, we'll settle it outside. This guy needs some
air."
The thug grunts, "He isn't going noplace till I've called the cops. You theatre types, you stick
together. Well, this time he's going down for it if he's guilty."
Demiurge says "Thug, by door and pretty much in front of it. About five-ten paces away, Sephar
and Hitherby, with Math hanging between them. Behind them, Liz, steering Daimon."
Liz pulls out her cellphone, and walking towards the thug, she says. "Fine. I'm calling Detective
Eduardo of the D.C. Police. Here, you can talk to him." Her other hand is turned palm-away from
the thug, holding yet another syringe.
The thug's face settles into deeply-hewn grooves of sulkiness. "Sure." He takes half a step
towards Liz, muscles tensing.
Hitherby says, "You," and glances at Sephar. "Leggo for a minute?"
Sephar lets go of his half of Math.
Liz hands him her cellphone.
Liz looks sweet, innocent, and non-threatening.
The thug takes the cellphone with his free hand. His other hand is still in his pocket.
Daimon searches his pockets, and lights up a smoke.
Liz waits while the Thug talks to Det. Eduardo.
<
The thug brings fist and cellphone both round in an arc, aimed to crash into the side of Liz's head.
Sephar lets go of the guard and then leaps, with all his forces to possess the Calabite.
Liz dodges.
Demiurge says "Dodge roll, please."
<
<
<
Demiurge says "Sephar, you fail, and are also now out of your security guard host."
The thug's fist crashes into the wall, making a mess of the cellphone, and leaving a big dint in the
plaster. He grunts, nastily.
The security guard who Sephar has just left glances about him, totally dumbstruck.
Liz flicks up under the punch, and inserts the syringe into his neck, pushing down the plunger.
Hitherby swings Math at the guy, face red with the extreme effort, like some kind of giant meaty
club.
Daimon finds a wall to lean against, and lights up a cigarette.
<
<
Hitherby hms at that. Depends on the Accuracy of Math. Some philosophers claim that Math is
always accurate.
<
The thug, surprisingly light on his feet, dodges both Math and syringe. His free hand comes out
of his pocket, some sort of golden wire wrapped round the knuckles. He takes a return-swing at
Liz.
<
Demiurge says "Dodge, Liz?"
<
Liz makes it again.
The dangling Math's eyes begin to slowly come open, wide-pupilled and blurry.
The security guard, unpossessed, yells, "Break it up, you lot! Now! I'm going to call the police!"
Liz says, "I just *tried* that and he broke my phone and tried to hit me.
Sephar possesses the security guard, then.
Demiurge says "Sure. Roll."
<
Liz says "Let me know when I can try and stick the Calabite again."
<
Demiurge says "You're into the security guard again, Sephar."
Hitherby's next action will be: let off a string of curses inside her head and spend 2 Essence on a
Song of Corporeal Charm against the Calabite and Habbalite simultaneously. (Agility.)
Demiurge says "You can try now, Liz. He's attempting to plough past you, towards the
semi-conscious Math."
Liz says "Fine, then he's distracted."
<
Liz yes!
Demiurge says "Okay, Hitherby, roll."
<
Liz is just going to *decorate* this guy with syringes.
Demiurge says "Unfortunately, Liz, he just dodged your syringe _again_."
<
Liz says "What? Oh hell."
Sephar says "Fast puppy."
Demiurge says "Perception roll, everyone."
Hitherby yells something along with that song, or sings a note.
<
<
Liz <-- oblivious, as usual.
<
<
<
<
Demiurge says "Okay. The Song goes off. The thug's movements suddenly slow dramatically, and
he lurches rather than pouncing athletically."
Liz aha.
Liz says "*Now* I decorate him with syringes."
Liz says "Three in the big ugly calabite, one more in the somewhat roused Math."
The thug staggers towards the slumped Math. He flicks his hand at him, and the loop of gold wire
coiled round his knuckles drops round Math's throat. It looks like a practiced movement.
Sephar is courier-boy, not fighter-boy, but attempts to knock the loop away.
You paged Daimon with 'I'm feeling generous. You can start coming out of it.'.
Liz says "Demi, let me know when I may decorate, please."
<
There is the sound of running feet in the distance.
Daimon pages: Thanks. :)
<
Daimon blinks a couple of times, and starts looking around, now with a little more interest.
Demiurge says "Liz, you manage to plant a syringe in the thug, and are gearing up for another."
Liz says "Oh good."
Liz shall keep syringing him until he's down, or she's out.
There is a full-blooded female shriek, from a female who Sephar will probably recognise as that
nice sweet Focals girl. "What's going on here?"
Daimon stands up from leaning, and rubs his temples with the fingers of his left hand.
<
Shannen . o O ( Wilkommen zum Hoelle. )
Sephar will let the Stage Manager take care of things, and will do his best to get that loop off
Math again?
Pat . o O ( Mein Gott ein Tiefel. )
Demiurge says "As you dig the second syringe firmly into the Calabite, Liz, his form begins to
shift into that of an ugly, red-skinned, vile and nasty Calabite. He's going Celestial."
Demiurge says "He still has a firm grip on the noose."
Demiurge says "Sure, Sephar. Try a Str."
<
Sephar (laughs)
<
Demiurge . o O ( Woe to those who buy their stats at 4 or below )
Daimon swears, and looks around. Then his next step is to help get that noose off of the Habbie's
neck.
Liz growls, and helps with the noose.
Sephar goes Celestial on seeing the Calabite going Celestial, that he can do...
<
The young woman shrieks again. She pulls a pistol from inside her coat, for anyone who is
watching, and assumes firing stance. "Off him! Now!"
Liz . o O (Oh, this is just going to be so noisy.)
Demiurge says "Perception roll, btw."
<
<
Daimon looks over his shoulder at the young woman.
<
<
<
Hitherby (did the woman come in through the back door?)
Demiurge says "The young woman came from deeper in the opera house."
Demiurge says "Okay. You all heard the Calabite go Celestial."
Daimon says "Can I see the woman with the gun?"
Demiurge says "Daimon, Sephar, you manage between you to pry the noose off Math's throat,
as the Calabite begins to vanish. You both begin to feel an odd tugging sensation yourselves."
Demiurge says "You see her, Daimon."
Daimon says "I resonate on her, if I can get eye contact."
Demiurge says "Sure."
Liz says "Demi, I put two syringes into the Calabite, two into the Habby, so I've got two left."
Sephar will do his best to stop the Calabite from 'disappearing'.
<
Demiurge nods to Liz.
Daimon says "DOH."
Hitherby raises his hands, if the Calabite is gone.
Demiurge says "Oh dear, Sephar. Are you really, really trying to hold onto that noose?"
<
Demiurge says "The young woman meets Daimon's eyes for a moment."
You paged Daimon with 'Level 4 Needs, please.'.
Daimon says "ARGH!"
Sephar says "No. I went Celestial, and amgoing to whack him on the Celestial plane, if I can..."
Sephar let the others with good strength take care of the loop.
Daimon says "Screw the Game. Bring Math into the Boss. Find the Artifact. Have another night
of sex with Liz."
Hitherby mutters, "Anteaters," and abandons all hosts. Sephar is a *friend*.
Daimon is eternally screwed.
Hitherby doesn't have the Essence to manifest otherwise.
The young woman yells, "Fall back!" She begins to retreat, gun still in firing position.
Daimon says "If the noose is off, I'll fall back."
Demiurge says "Sephar, Hitherby, as you both assume physical form, the Calabite begins to vanish
downwards, leaving the Corporeal plane."
Math's eyes flutter open again, slightly more focused this time, and looking very, very unhappy.
Hitherby does nothing for right now.
Hitherby is willing to let the Calabite get away. :)
Demiurge says "Sephar, Hitherby, you are both in celestial form."
Demiurge says "The Calabite is _running away_, heading down Hellwards."
Daimon watches what is going on, keeping a hand on Math.
Sephar says "Ah. Hokay."
Liz sticks another syringe into Math, then.
Sephar doesn't do anything, then, just wanted folks to get through okay.
Math's eyes close again, his breathing stertorous.
Liz smiles. "We're leaving now, Daimon. Into the car. *now*
Hitherby says "As soon as the Calabite is gone, I try to get back into the stage manager, who is
probably very confused and scared."
The Calabite is gone. The Lilim retreats around the corner. There is a brief silence.
Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby."
Liz says "Sephar, catch up if you can."
Sephar will also try and get back into the guard...
<
Demiurge says "Roll, Sephar."
<
<
Daimon nods at Liz, and starts to make his way to the car.
Demiurge says "Hitherby, this time he manages to resist you."
Liz grabs Math.
<
Demiurge says "Sephar, you're in safely."
Liz hands Sephar the last syringe. "Put this into anyone who looks like they're going to interfere.
The stage manager looks around, totally bemused.
Sephar tucks it into his pocket and peers at Liz and waves....
Hitherby sighs celestially, but what can she do? No available hosts except maybe ...
Liz smiles at the Stage Manager. "Hi. Sorry for the mess, but with any luck now your opera will
go off as planned. We're leaving now. Back for the curtain."
Sephar says "Liz. My mouse!"
Liz says "Ah, sure."
The stage manager takes a deep breath, then says, "What the *fuck* is going on here?"
Sephar jumps his mouse onto his shoulder.
Sephar says to the air, "Hitherby, the mouse?"
Liz shrugs. "Show business, on a larger scale."
Liz says "Watch out for the bitch with the gun around the corner, and don't let her do you any
favors."
Daimon gives Liz a _look_.
Liz hefts Math over one shoulder, and pulls him out the door.
Sephar says to the manager, "Sorry sir, things are a bit odd at the moment..."
Hitherby leaps into Math.
The manager says, with the air of one barely holding onto stability, "You." He points at Sephar.
"Keep this lot here. I'm calling the police." He stalks down the corridor, presumably towards a
phone.
Hitherby . o O ( What's one more disaster? And he kept waking up! )
Sephar says "Uhm..."
<
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you don't seem to be able to control him."
Sephar lets him stalk away.
Demiurge says "He must be higher-Forced than you, or something."
Hitherby eep!
Liz says "Right, we're leaving. Sephar, Daimon, the car."
Daimon would get into the car, but he has discovered that he no longer possesses the keys.
Hitherby will leap into the mouse if it's easily available.
Sephar has it on his shoulder and will not resist.
<
<
Liz says "Daimon, there's the rest of the morphine and spare syringes in the trunk."
Hitherby (le sigh.)
Daimon says "Okay, I need the key."
Liz hands Math to Sephar-guard, unlocks the car doors, pops the trunk.
Daimon says "Oh, well..."
Liz slides into the driver's seat, starts the car.
Demiurge says "Hitherby, there are pigeons outside. You can stream out and grab one."
Daimon gets the stuff out of the trunk. He closes it, and climbs into the car.
Demiurge says "Math is easily manhandled."
Hitherby nods. That's her next step.
Sephar pops Math into the car.
Liz says "Sephar, Daimon, stay in the back with Math. If he stirs, give him another syringe
worth."
Sephar settles his mouse in after, in the back.
Liz says "Oh, and buckle up."
Demiurge will assume that Hitherby can catch a pigeon.
Liz rolls.
Daimon messes with the syringes, and then puts on his seatbelt.
Sephar says "I'm putting my host back, or he'll get messed up..."
Liz says "Okay."
Liz says "Hang onto him until we clear the street."
Sephar says "Okay."
Liz says "And if anyone has a cell phone, I could really use it."
Daimon says "Okay, I have him."
Hitherby nods. Over the next several minutes, she tries to get two birds into the car, one in the
area, and croak to Sephar, "The manager? Get him?"
Sephar says "Why?"
Hitherby croaks, "Math might not talk."
Sephar says "Ah...right."
Liz smiles grimly. "He'll talk."
<
Liz resonates, and zooms directly for the SEC.
Daimon says "Uh, Liz? Where are we going?"
Liz says "Tether of Trade."
Sephar walks back into the Opera House after the car is off and looks for the Stage Manager to
possess him.
Daimon says "Oh.""
Daimon pauses, and then says, "Why?"
Liz says "My word that once we find out what the prank is, Math here gets dropped at a Tether
of Comedy, along with you, both safely. You may then send Math off to whatever punishment
your Boss deems fit."
Liz says "Trade is pretty happy with you right now. I don't think Comedy is so happy with me,
Sephar, and Hitherby."
Daimon shrugs, and nods. "Good enough."
Hitherby starts gloomily collecting birds outside the opera house again with the one she had.
When she has five, she'll stop, and reassess, because with the two in the car that'll leave her just
barely able to float her celestial form into the opera house and grab somebody. She's not sure who
yet.
Liz says "And did you have that cellphone?"
Demiurge says "Sephar, you reencounter the stage manager, who is talking into the phone."
Hitherby croaks, idly, in the car, "Math's *strong*."
Sephar says "To the police?"
Daimon says "What cellphone?"
Liz says "Any cellphone."
Daimon says "Nope."
Liz says "That thrice cursed Cabalite shattered mine."
Sephar possess him in the middle of the conversation, then.
Daimon is feeling vaguely useless.
<
<
Daimon says "Sorry. Maybe your Seneschal will give you a new one."
Demiurge says "You're in, Sephar."
Liz says "Hope so."
Sephar says "What's going on on the other end?"
The voice down the other end of the line says, to Sephar, "And what precisely is going on at your
opera house, sir?"
Liz says "Okay, Demi, I had a nice resonance roll, so I should be able to get to the SEC fairly
quickly."
The security guard blinks across the room at Sephar, trying to work out what's going on.
Sephar says "Oh... I guess it's something my security has just handled."
Demiurge nods to Liz. You get there fast.
Sephar oopes quietly and beckons the security guard closer.
The voice on the phone says, "Very well, sir. Thank you." It rings off.
Sephar hangs up the phone.
Sephar then pulls the syringe out of the guard's pocket. "Very good work! I'm so glad you caught
them."
The security guard says, "What's going on, sir? Last thing I remember, I was by the door..." He
blinks.
Liz will pull into the basement garage of the SEC when she gets there, and use the guard phone
to contact the Seneschal for an 'instant appointment'.
Liz says "Birds and mice out of sight when we get to the garage, please."
Demiurge says "Liz, you get his secretary. Unfortunately, the Seneschal is busy supervising a
business meeting elsewhere in the building, but he can arrange a private room for you to wait."
Sephar says "You were quite heroic and managed to chase the druggies that had camped out in
the practice room right out. I'm glad you were conscientious enough to gather their goods. Thank
you, so much."
Hitherby bobs her heads and drops down to the footspace.
Liz says "That's fine. I bring spare syringes and the rest of the morphine supply."
Liz says "Is the Secretary also angelic?"
Demiurge says "The Secretary is a Soldier with a good understanding of what's going on."
Hitherby will attempt to accompany Liz, however, rather than being left in the car. It's one of
those birds-don't-belong-in-closed-empty-cars things.
The guard pauses for a moment, thinks, and decides that this sequence of events makes more
sense than him being amnesiac for no good reason. He nods, and heads back to duty.
Sephar whews quietly.
Liz has several duffel bags in the trunk with supplies.
Liz asks the Secretary to arrange that we not be disturbed.
Liz also brings her sunglasses.
Hitherby decides to look for the lead soprano's room while she's got a celestial form roaming
about anyway.
Sephar wanders about backstage, then, making slow rounds through the preparations being made,
looking here and there for the necklace and the lead soprano, anyway.
Hitherby has no idea what a lead soprano is, except for her importance and (I think) her
femaleness, so this could take a little bit.
Hitherby sneaks her birds into the duffels, perhaps?
Sephar 's mouse will snug into Liz's pocket for the SEC trip...
Demiurge says "Liz, you and crew are shown into a private conference room, which has all the
amenities, including a lockable door, and a nice view."
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you're roaming, sure."
Demiurge says "Sephar, you're investigating."
Liz says "Most excellent."
Daimon attempts to look as cool and calm as possible.
Hitherby doesn't like that, but she can burst the duffels if she has to. Unlike a car door.
Liz asks the Secretary for some fairly strong rope, as well as some tape.
Demiurge notes that it is now about 5.30 pm, and that the Stage Manager is attracting some
comment for not attending the traditional pre-performance meeting.
Demiurge says "Such are provided, Liz."
Hitherby trusts Sephar to handle the stage manager's duties as well as she herself would.
Daimon will help Liz out, and try not to get underfoot.
Hitherby will get jostled about a bunch and then eventually get let out. (Or else. :))
Sephar goes to the pre-performance meeting, takes one step into it and then gets stage fright and
leaves the Stage Manager for one of the performers sitting along the edge of the group.
<
Liz says "Daimon, you know more about this sort of thing than I do. What's the best way to keep
Math here from working his resonance on us?"
Daimon says "Actually, I don't know how to actively block Habbalite resonance. If I did, I would
have earlier."
<
Liz hmms.
Liz says "All right, we'll here's a start."
Demiurge says "Sephar, you're in one of the chorus members. The stage manager is in a state of
mild shock, and is given coffee by others."
Daimon says "He's going to thrash, and use it on us. Past that, I'm not sure. Maybe your
Seneschal will have some idea."
Liz gets the duct tape, makes sure Math's eyes are shut, and tapes over them.
Demiurge says "The whole meeting is a pep-talk for the performance in 1.5 hours."
Sephar nods and watches curiously, thinking that putting him into a familiar environment might
get him going okay.
Math begins to stir, as he wakes.
Liz gets out the rope, and secures Math's hands.
Daimon says "What I'm afraid of is that he'll go Celestial."
Liz says "If he wants to go Celestial in a Trade Tether, he's welcome."
Daimon says "Oh, true."
Hitherbirds are perfectly silent, reasoning that what he doesn't know about, he can't resonate.
Liz takes one of the prepped syringes, slides it into Math's neck, but doesn't push down the
plunger. (Anyone remember 'Terminator 2'?)
Demiurge says "Sephar, the meeting goes much as normal, the stage manager calming somewhat."
Liz says "All right now."
Math takes a slow breath. "Where.. am I?"
Liz says "You're in a Tether of Trade."
Math swallows.
Liz says "If you even attempt to resonate, you'll get another triple dose of what you got before."
Liz says "Ditto if you thrash."
Liz says "So stay calm and quiet."
Math says, "Is the Lilim with you?"
Daimon tries to sound reassuring, "It's going to be okay."
Math says, fast, "I want to make a deal."
Liz says "We're listening."
Daimon says "No. No deals. You talk, and that's it."
Daimon rolls his eyes, and shrugs.
Liz says "What Daimon said."
Liz says "Tell us everything, and we'll go from there."
Math says, "The deal is that I talk, and then you get me somewhere the Game can't touch. I don't
care if it's a Tether of the Boss."
Daimon looks at Liz and raises and eyebrow.
Daimon says "Untape his eyes. I'll make it binding."
Math doesn't shrug, but his voice suggests it. "I gambled, okay? I lost. Now I'm screwed. But I'd
rather be screwed by Kobal than by Asmodeus."
Liz says "When you talk, you tell us -everything-. The Prank, the artifact, the violinist, etc."
Math says, "My sex life and the colour of my boxers?"
Liz says "Only if that's how the Game caught you and the Shedite."
Daimon . o O ( Do all Kobalites wear boxers? )
Math grunts. "We should be so lucky."
Sephar . o O (with big smily faces?)
Daimon says "All of it. The whole story. Everything you think is relevant."
Liz says "All right. Deal."
Pat . o O ( I'm not saying anything. )
Liz smiles.
Math says, "Deal." He doesn't nod.
Liz says "Okay, I'm going to take the tape off. Do not flinch, or you'll get a neck full of drugs."
Liz says "Daimon, ready?"
You paged Sephar with 'Things are otherwise going quietly at the Opera, or fairly so.'.
Daimon says "Sure."
Liz pulls the tape from Math's eyes in a smooth, quick motion.
Hitherby . o O ( I'm just a bird. I'm just a bird. )
Daimon leans over and stares in Math's eyes, to get the Need, presumably, to keep living.
Demiurge notes to Sephar: the lead soprano turned up for the meeting. Now that it's just ending,
she's heading for her dressing room.
Liz stays behind the Habby, out of sight, and ready to inject.
Demiurge says "Daimon, what you get is not so much the Need to keep living, it's a Need not to
be in the hands of the Game. But it's there."
Daimon says "How big is it?"
Demiurge says "Real Big."
Sarah . o O ( you had to ask? )
Daimon says "Aha. Well, I take it, and make a Geas out of it."
Sephar follows the lead soprano.
Daimon says "I think I can make the deal stick like this."
Demiurge thinks so, Daimon.
Daimon says "Okay, I do this thing."
Math doesn't sag, probably because of the needle in his throat.
Daimon leans back, sighing. "It's done."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "She turns as she comes to her door, giving you something
of a glare. "Anything the matter?""
Math sighs. "Where do you want me to start?"
Daimon says "Okay, Math. You know what I want. Tell us everything. Why you stole the artifact.
What you did with it. The Prank. How and WHen the Game got involved. Everything. Just start
from the beginning."
At the Opera House, Sephar bobs her head a bit, "Uhm... just that Richie sent me to double check
that drated emerald necklace for before the performance..."
Hitherby, after a while of drifting, attempts to use her knowledge of equivalent hive and hill
structures to find the locations of most importance.
At the Opera House, Sephar says "He's getting a bit paranoid about some of the bits, I think.""
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The woman nods. She taps her pocket. "Don't worry, I've
got it right here.""
At the Opera House, Sephar possesses the soprano.
<
Math takes a deep breath, again. "Okay. We were going through the old relics, right? We found
this neat one, and we borrowed it, to see if we could be Funny with it.
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge blinks. Sephar, you fail. ;)
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Maybe not.
At the Opera House, Hitherby sees Sephar appear next to this guy/girl?
At the Opera House, Sephar repossesses the girl... then...
At the Opera House, Demiurge nods, as Sephar leaves the chorus member it was in. Ah. Roll.
<
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You're back in."
Demiurge notes: timewise, it is now 6pm.
At the Opera House, Hitherby is a Kyrio. She groks this. She attempts to possess the lead
soprano.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby."
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "(As the only other person nearby, yes?)"
Daimon waits for Math to cough up the story.
At the Opera House, Demiurge nods.
At the Opera House, Sephar nods.
<
Hitherby . o O ( I don't believe this. )
Math sighs. "So, the problem was, someone checked up on the records and found it was gone."
Sephar (jumps UP and DOWN on the dice.)
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Neither of you are in her. ;)"
At the Opera House, Hitherby just *floats*, then, darn it. :)
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano says, "Anything else?""
From afar, Shannen wanna go opera if it kill her :)
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "(Sephar, you presumably saw me, too, when you were
disembodied.)"
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Can I just see it?"
Math says, "And they traced it to us, so we sort of were in a bad spot. We needed to Prank and
make the Boss really, really happy, before he just took us apart."
Daimon says "So you didn't take it?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "She shrugs. "Why not?" Fishing in her pocket, she brings
out a leather jewellery pouch, and removes from it a necklace of greenish stones."
At the Opera House, Hitherby thinks, "These 'lead soprano' people must be very high-Willed. No
doubt this is the cause of their importance to the tribe."
Daimon says "Oh, you did. Never mind."
Math half laughs. "Oh, we did take it, we just didn't plan to get caught taking it quite that soon."
Liz smiles. "What's the Artifact, Math?"
Liz says "What does it do?"
Math says, "So, we were running. And we ended up in that Opera House, and there we found
these people."
Liz smiles, her voice does not.
Math's eyes move to Liz. "It affects Songs of Thunder. It makes them work Corporeally."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Try a Perception roll, both of you."
<
<
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "Like, *ha*."
Liz is standing behind Math. He can't see her unless he wants to turn his head, which would be
unwise.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Alas, you both fail. No idea."
Math rolls his eyes somewhat, then.
Liz says "All right. What about the people?"
Daimon says "Describe the Prank, and the people you found."
At the Opera House, Sephar then just tries to grab the necklace, having run out of subtleties...
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll?"
<
<
At the Opera House, Sephar misses.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Well, you both fail. ;) The soprano screams at the top of her
voice, hanging onto it. "Lisa, what are you doing! Help!""
At the Opera House, Hitherby *beams*.
Math says, "One of them's a Remnant. Seraph, I think he was."
At the Opera House, Hitherby drifts into the doorway.
At the Opera House, Hitherby cranes an eyestalk around the corner to see who responds.
Math says, "The other could have been a Soldier, perhaps, if she got trained. He seemed attracted
to her, or at least, sort of interested. He was teaching her."
At the Opera House, Sephar just hangs on as best she's able...
Daimon says "Math, was he teaching anyone else?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Given this is just round the corner from the general chorus
changing rooms, people come running. A dozen or so. The soprano is loud."
Math says, flatly, "No. Just the girl Tania."
Daimon says "What did you do with the artifact, Math?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby frowns. The numbers aren't on her side here.
Math says, "The lead soprano's got it at the moment."
Daimon says "And what is the Prank?"
At the Opera House, Sephar just jumps from the girl. This isn't going to work.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Several people attempt to separate Sephar's ex-host -
looking bemused - and the soprano. There is much fussing."
At the Opera House, Sephar tries to posses a hanger-back...
<
At the Opera House, Hitherby drops the birds outside and the bugs talking to Shannen, so she can
possess one of the crowd and keep her celestial form.
Math takes another breath. "We worked on the Remnant. He didn't remember what he had been,
any more than the rest of them, but he could believe that he'd been an angel once. We persuaded
him to teach the girl the Song of Thunder."
Daimon says "And? Go on. Elaborate, please."
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Sephar, you're in. Hitherby, please roll."
At the Opera House, Hitherby aims for a girl, particularly.
<
From afar, Shannen wonders how much tickets are being scalped for .. if it's sold out ..
Math says, "We convinced him that if she performed the song, on stage, while wearing the Relic,
then the song would return him to the glories of Heaven." He sounds amused.
Daimon says "You are a complete moron. Did you know that?"
You paged Shannen with 'You can probably get one if you pay through the nose.'.
Liz stays quiet.
Math smirks. "You think the Boss just has your sense of humour. Greenskin, he gets a _lot_
darker than that."
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Hitherby, you're in."
Daimon says "Oh, I realize that. I'm not stupid. Of course, I'm not tied to a table in a tether of
trade, either."
At the Opera House, Hitherby scolds loudly, "Lisa, what are you *doing?*"
From afar, Shannen has a rather large nose. Remind me to hurt Pat (out of love, of course :)
Daimon says "It's amusing. It's almost interesting. But it's also stupid."
Math says, "Yeah, well, _you_ predict such a mess as this."
At the Opera House, Hitherby bustles forwards, making mother-hen noises. "Come on, come on,
everybody away, just back off, you *especially*, Lisa."
Daimon says "It's fairly obvious, considering what you stole."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Lisa is escorted out. The soprano shows a tendency to want
to get _everyone_ out."
Daimon says "Renegades? Nah. You don't look like Renegades to ME."
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Are there any mice around?"
Math sighs. "That's the story, anyhow."
At the Opera House, Hitherby takes the soprano's hand, saying, "Come on, let's get you inside,
I can't *believe* something like this would happen ..."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Not in the line of sight."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano attempts to shake Hitherby off, and slam the
door with her outside. "Out, out, I want _five minutes peace and quiet_!""
At the Opera House, Sephar didn't think so. Hokay.
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "How many people are left?"
Daimon looks at Liz. "We need to get rid of either Tania or the Violinist. And deposit this guy
at a convenient Comedy tether."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Perhaps half a dozen yattering away outside. Only the
soprano inside."
From afar, to Demiurge and Pat, Shannen leaves a message on Pat's cellphone along the lines of
'Paaaattt, hey, it's me. Shannen. You doing anything tonight - like going to hear that lovely
singing? You .know. you want me to come along *giggle* Call me back, hun. Eeek! .. I need
tickets. Umm .. I might be out paying through the nose .."
Liz says "All right."
Daimon leans down, and looks at Math. "Next time, choose your artifacts with better care."
Math hesitates. "There is one other thing."
Daimon says "Yes?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby steps inside before she can close the door. She's probably more
agile than the soprano. If the soprano pushes the matter, she'll look *really* hurt and say, "Come
on, it's *me*."
At the Opera House, Sephar puts a pen in his pocket and stands around a little uncertainly,
knowing what the mouse just heard.
Math says, "We wanted to make sure Tania got the lead. She's the understudy."
Liz says "Uh, oh."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano says, "Get the hell out of here, bitch. I want
five minutes without anybody, and that includes you.""
Daimon says "I know this. What did you do to the lead?"
Liz says "Where's the Lead Soprano, Math."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano looks as if she's about to start screaming
again."
Math says, "She's a closet alcoholic. I dosed the bottle she keeps under the floorboards in her
dressing room. A few swigs like she normally has, and she'd never be able to perform tonight."
At the Opera House, Hitherby sighs. Utter disaster. She shouts, "Sephar, stall!" and attempts to
grab the necklace and run.
Daimon frowns.
Liz says "Will it kill her?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby realizes half a second too late that what Math's just said makes this
a real mistake.
Math says, "Naah. Just leave her talking to the pretty walls for a few hours."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll to grab, Hitherby."
At the Opera House, Hitherby looks sternly at the dice!
Liz says "Congratulations, for that you get to go see Kobal instead of Marc."
At the Opera House, Hitherby says, "Be good dice!"
<
At the Opera House, Sephar hits the door from the outside...
<
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Yet again, both participants fail their Grab rolls. ;)"
Daimon says "Liz, can you con someone into giving you a new cellphone?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano backs away from Hitherby's host, and starts
screaming again, full volume."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Sephar, you fail to break the door down."
Math sighs.
Daimon says "Hey, man, it could be worse. We could drop you off giftwrapped at Focals. Lucky
for you, I hate the Game just as much as you do."
At the Opera House, Sephar urghs.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "People are, again, beginning to come running."
At the Opera House, Hitherby grabs again. What kind of superior being *is* this?
At the Opera House, Sephar stands outside the door then and tries to calm them...
Math swivels his eyes to look at Daimon. "I'll be grateful for small mercies."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "How, Sephar? :)"
<
Liz says "Math, close your eyelids please."
Daimon says "My sarcasm meter has just gone off the scale."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Hitherby, you too now have a grip on the necklace. You're
playing tug-of-war with it at the moment."
Liz waits a half second, and then tapes Math's eyes shut again.
Math obediently closes his eyelids. He also sticks his tongue out at Daimon for a moment.
Daimon grins slightly.
At the Opera House, Sephar hrms and then thinks a bit... it wants *in* there anyway... "She's just
screaming again... excitable this close to the performance. It might be best to leave her alone..."
Liz calls the Secretary, says she could use a temporary cellphone, and needs a very private place
to load Math back into the car.
At the Opera House, Sephar figures either way, put the focus on the soprano...
At the Opera House, Hitherby picks up the soprano by the neck with her free hand. (Reasoning:
the host is *less* likely to get in trouble if the soprano claims she did impossible things.)
Daimon says "I can't hate anyone, no matter how annoying, who is still loyal to the Boss."
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Not the necklace..."
Liz says "Math, I'm going to have to put you back to sleep. When you wake back up, you'll be
in the Comedy Tether."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano stops screaming and starts making choking
noises."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The group begin to try and force the door open."
At the Opera House, Sephar helps the group try and force the door open...
At the Opera House, Hitherby yanks the necklace away, hopefully definitively this time. (You
never know.)
Demiurge says "Liz, the Secretary provides the cellphone, and the private lift down to the
carpark."
At the Opera House, Sephar wants to be first in, if possible.
Liz drugs Math back into dreamland.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "As Hitherby yanks the necklace away, holding the struggling
soprano by the neck, the group bursts in through the door to see this scene."
At the Opera House, Hitherby shouts, "My God, a bomb!"
At the Opera House, Sephar tackles Hitherby's host.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Sephar manages to make it in first. Roll for tackle."
At the Opera House, Sephar is trying not to hurt her...
Liz merely drugs Math back into unconsciousness, and gets us all back down to the car.
<
Demiurge nods. This all goes as planned.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Sephar misses."
Daimon does not hang around to chance running into anything angelic.
Liz makes sure to thank the Secretary, and to give the Seneschal her warmest regards.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The people do not seem to believe that the necklace is a
bomb, Hitherby."
At the Opera House, Sephar drops to the ground? or?
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Sephar, I think you go crashing to the floor, yes."
Daimon pretends that He Isn't There.
At the Opera House, Hitherby tosses the necklace into the crowd, watching to see who catches
it.
Demiurge says "The secretary nods, makes the usual noises, Liz."
Liz says "Good."
Liz, once in the car, asks Hitherbirds and Sepharmouse how things are going back at the Opera,
while she drives to the Comedy Tether.
At the Opera House, Hitherby sets down the soprano.
At the Opera House, Sephar oofs... and watches the necklace go over, too, and can he see who
catches it?
Daimon says "I'll give Liz directions."
Sephar squeaks dolefully. "Not well..."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "A blonde young man catches it. You spot the Focals woman
at the back of the crowd."
Liz says "What's going on?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby sees absolutely no way to get out of this if she *is* going to get
dissonance, so she leaps for the young man.
At the Opera House, Sephar on the floor tries to find the loose floorboard.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano has hysterics, the red marks from Hitherby's
hand still on her neck."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Int roll, Sephar."
<
At the Opera House, Hitherby has a clever idea!
At the Opera House, Hitherby will have to take over the man first.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Given you are currently lying on the floor... you spot it. In
the corner."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby."
<
<
At the Opera House, Sephar pulls up the board and gets the bottle.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Hitherby, you're in."
At the Opera House, Hitherby shouts, "It's the hallucinogen from the other night!"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The soprano has yet further hysterics as she sees Sephar
prying up the floor. Some people are trying to calm her."
At the Opera House, Sephar says "(okay... she's going to need a replacement *anyway*... but...
oh man...)"
At the Opera House, Hitherby shouts, "Everybody get out of here!"
At the Opera House, Hitherby tucks the necklace in his pocket and beats feet.
Hitherbirds croak, unhappily, "Sopranos have *power*."
Liz blinks. "You're trying to get the necklace from the Soprano?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The door is abruptly jammed with people trying to leave at
speed."
At the Opera House, Sephar tucks the bottle into his pocket... and blinks at the people jamming
to get out of there...
Daimon says "Uh oh."
Sepharmouse squeaks, "I got the bottle."
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "Am I in the back or front of the crowd?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Middle."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The Focals woman makes a grab at Hitherby's host as he
staggers into the corridor, calling, "Wait a moment...""
Sephar squeaks dolefully, "But I think she's going to need a standin anyway... marks on her
throat... and I don't think I'm as good at healing as I should be..."
Liz says "Oh, Sweet Jesus..."
Liz makes a concerted effort to get to the comedy club in a hurry without technically breaking any
laws.
At the Opera House, Hitherby thinks she'll just Dodge that, and not push her out of the way.
Unless that'd be really difficult in the crowd?
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You can try dodging, but the crowd is jamming you."
Liz says "How bad is it, Sephar?"
Liz says "And is there any sign of the game?"
Demiurge says "Liz, you have drawn up at the Comedy Club."
Sepharmouse squeaks, "She's hysterical, too, and there's the girl from Focal's here..."
Demiurge says "It is now 6.30 pm."
At the Opera House, Hitherby will push her firmly out of the way with a strength that belies his
lean form. And will attempt to do this without seeming like he noticed her as individual from the
crowd, too, which is -- I dunno what that is.
Demiurge says "Those wanting to turn up at the opera may now do so."
At the Opera House, Hitherby will not look at her if he can help it. Even if that reduces his roll.
Daimon helps to get Math out of the car.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll, then."
Sarah walks, calm and focused and unsuspecting, on Pat's arm.
Pat says "Do you have the tickets?"
<
From afar, Shannen was able to find tickets?
Long distance to Shannen: Demiurge nods.
<
At the Opera House, Hitherby hsm. If it's Fighting, that's not bad. If it's raw strength, I might be
in trouble.
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "Yee!"
At the Opera House, Sephar walks up to the soprano and sings an off-key-off-beat song of
Corporeal Song of Healing and puts one Essence into it to make it a better than even try of it...
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "She spins round you, jamming you up against the wall, with
a strength that belies _her_ form. "Hey," she calls, "Nick here has the necklace!""
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll, Sephar."
<
Demiurge says "Perception rolls, Pat, Sarah, Shannen."
Demiurge says "As you walk into the opera house foyer."
<
At the Opera House, Hitherby yells, "Like Heck! Get out of my way!"
Liz stops in front of the Comedy Club.
Pat is all over that.
Liz says "Need a hand getting Math inside, Daimon?"
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You see the red marks on her throat heal away, and her
screaming dies down to faint sobs."
Shannen arrives at the affair, dressed in a simple blue evening dress that matches her eyes with
a soft delicacy.
At the Opera House, Sephar strokes her comfortingly.
<
Sarah shakes her head. "Liz should have them."
Daimon says "Yeah, I do, thanks."
Sephar pages: Will Celestial healing give her the will to do the performance kind of thing?
Demiurge says "Shannen and Pat both hear _something_ happen: Shannen can tell it's in the
backstage area, Pat can tell that and also that it was a Song."
Liz says "Okay. Get him inside."
From afar, Sephar is a bit concerned with her hysteria.
Liz says "I'll wait here."
Liz says "Unless you need me to go with."
You paged Sephar with 'It's a tossup, but she seems to be calming now that her throat is healed.'.
From afar, Sephar nods then.
Daimon says "No, that's okay. This should only take a second."
Liz says "Okay."
Daimon tries to manhandle Math into the tether,
Liz hands Daimon another syringe. "Just in case."
Sarah indulges her ear-ringing oblivion.
Pat pauses. "No."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The meleeing crowd swarms round the Focals woman and
Hitherby's host. One man says, "Hey, well done for saving it!""
At the Opera House, Sephar says "All right everyone... shoo... give her her peace for a bit."
Math goes along willingly, and doesn't make a fuss.
At the Opera House, Hitherby shoves the woman away, ideally right in front of someone who isn't
looking at me.
Daimon starts to frantically look for the Seneschal.
Liz should hope he goes willingly, given the great huge Gease.
Sarah tilts her head, looks to Pat. "No?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "People leave you alone with the woman, Sephar."
Pat says "Someone Sang."
Demiurge says "The Seneschal is easily found, Daimon. He gives you and Math a funny look."
At the Opera House, Sephar settles her and looks at her carefully, as (I think) she knows I'm the
one that got her bottle.
Shannen looks at her watch, then in the general direction of the backstage and then looks around
for anyone she might recognize, tapping her feet a bit nervously and chewing on her lip slightly.
Daimon says to the Seneschal, "Look, this is a present for the Boss from me. Giftwrapped and
everything. Tell 'im it's an early Christmas present."
The Seneschal sighs. "Sure. We've got enough problems as it is. Best of luck, see you round." He
grabs Math, manhandling him into a chair.
Daimon stops. "What problems?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The Lilim goes stumbling away, but you are currently
somewhat surrounded by crowd, Hitherby, paying attention to you."
The Seneschal shrugs. "The Boss is sending a lot of people earthside. We're having to do a fair
amount of orientation. Look, not right now? Later?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby says, "Come on, everyone. Let's get some *air*, okay?"
Daimon blinks. "Sure. Later."
At the Opera House, Hitherby heads towards the exit.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The stage manager, still somewhat fragile-looking, comes
along the corridor."
Daimon looks confused. He finds a piece of paper or a post-it note to stick on Math, if he can.
Demiurge says "A post-it note is findable."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Hitherby, you're running, and attracting yet more attention."
Daimon pins it to Math's lapel, with the note, in Helltongue, 'A Present! Love, Daimie.'
Daimon says "Then I'm out to the car."
Sarah might be recognizable, though she looks rather different from Shannen's image - hair loose
in waves, beige and white replaced by an elegant, beaded gray dress.
Demiurge says "Through the foyer of the Opera house comes a well-dressed man with good hair,
who shows his ticket to the people at the door and is admitted."
Sarah says "Oh. Oh, dear."
Demiurge says "(yes, Pat does recognise Mr Focals)"
At the Opera House, Hitherby slows to a fast walk, gesturing people to come with him.
Liz has been filling syringes and restocking her and Daimon's crushproof containers, this time with
four syringes, instead of three each. So eight total.
Daimon slides into the seat. "We've got other problems, but I don't know how big they are.
At the Opera House, Sephar settles her, then, makes sure he has the bottle and then goes out to
see what's going on outside the soloist's rooms.
Pat makes no sign of recognizing him, and looks around for Liz, who has tickets.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "People follow Hitherby."
Liz hands Daimon his case. "Here. Something funny to give to the Game. I'm sure they'll get a
laugh out of it."
Liz says "And now we are late. Curtain's in 30 minutes, and we're not changed."
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Do I see the folks following?"
<
Daimon takes the case and puts it into a pocket. "I'm sure they are. To the Batcave!"
Liz laughs.
Liz rolls for the opera.
Daimon says "I love you. but sometimes you make a sucky Ofanim. :)"
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "Is the logical exit to head for the back door or the front?"
Liz snorks.
Liz says "Hmm."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Back door. And Sephar does see the guys following."
Sarah joins Pat in glancing around, for Liz - or Daimon - or a stir in the crowd, or for that matter
(little does she know) for a certain Habbalite's or Calabite's vessel.
At the Opera House, Sephar follows, then, not quite sure... does he see the Stage Manager?
At the Opera House, Hitherby makes for the back door just fast enough to stay ahead of the
people who are coming with him -- and not fast enough to lose them.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You do notice him, yes. Several people are following
Hitherby and trying to work out where he's going."
Liz passes tickets to Hitherbirds. "Here. These are supposed to be for Pat and Sarah."
Daimon laughs. We're socially useless.
Pat says "I don't see her."
Liz says "We need to drop by the hangar to change."
At the Opera House, Sephar possesses the Stage Manager, then. Poor man...
Demiurge . o O ( bye bye speed limits )
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll, Sephar. :)"
Sarah says "Neither do I." She pauses, glancing up at Pat. "You don't think..."
<
<
Liz says "Get these to Pat or Sarah asap."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Poor stage manager. You're in. ;)"
Pat frowns. "Dear Lord, I hope not." He reaches for his cellphone and tries to call Liz.
Shannen most likely wouldn't recognize Sarah in her new guise.
At the Opera House, Sephar turns to get to the head of the group, and calls in a medium voice,
"Hitherby?"
Pat isn't very recognizable either. He's groomed. :) And wearing a tux.
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Or do I need to roll to get to the head of the group?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You can yell, Sephar, and shoulder."
At the Opera House, Sephar does so, then.
At the Opera House, Hitherby continues to head for the back door. Same pacing rules: just slow
enough so as not to be running away.
Sepharmouse squeaks to Hitherbird, "Can you give it to the manager?"
Shannen . o O ( A -real- Ofanim could change while driving ;) )
Sarah . o O ( Sistine's, Liz! :) )
Liz ahas.
Daimon says "That's an idea. What about that bar?"
Liz says "Oh, wait."
Liz nods.
Sepharmouse squeaks, "Then your host is off the hook and we can do something with it later..."
Liz says "Nevermind birds. Wait a sec."
Liz goes great gangbusters for the bar.
Hitherbird says, "Got a plan."
Sephar mouse hrms and okays.
At the Opera House, Sephar lets the manager hang back a bit, then.
Sarah asks Pat and cellphone, "Any luck?"
Daimon is happy he bought insurance on the rental car.
Demiurge says "Liz heads at top speed for the bar, yes."
Demiurge says "Roll, Liz?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "How close am I to the backdoor? All I have to do is get
outside for 20 seconds ... :)"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "It's in sight."
<
Liz whew.
Daimon says "YES!"
Demiurge says "You get there in four minutes."
Liz wow.
Demiurge says "And god help the speed laws."
Daimon kisses Liz!
Liz grins.
At the Opera House, Hitherby marches determinedly.
Liz pulls up outside Sistine's (and even gets a prime parking space!)
Daimon says "Woo hoo! Now let's get sexy, and then grab a drink, and GO!"
Liz gives the tickets to Hitherbirds. "Okay, get these to Pat and Sarah."
Liz says "We'll meet you there before curtain."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You reach the back door. The people are right behind you."
At the Opera House, Hitherby opens the door casually, steps out, looks up at the bird-roof. Tries
to possess one.
Liz hustles inside Sistine's to use the ladies' room.
Shannen will move towards the opera house foyer, mingling with the crowd in an appropriate
manner.
At the Opera House, Sephar watches as Hitherby goes out the door... to see what happens.
Daimon similarly hustles, into the men's room.
Demiurge says "Make an Int roll, Shannen."
Pat assumes he has no luck contacting a shattered cellphone?
Liz puts on her makeup, and changes into the creme colored silk gown, complete with all the
trimmings.
Demiurge says "Nope, Pat."
<
Hitherbirds take off for the opera, if that's what they're supposed to do? The bar is nearby?
Pat folds the phone up and pockets it. "No answer."
Daimon changes into the tux, trying to at least make himself look passively sexy.
Daimon will probably get out before Liz, and will therefore go up to the bar for a quick drink.
Demiurge says "Aha! Shannen has spotted Sarah and Pat, despite their cunning disguises."
Demiurge nods to Hitherbirds.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Hitherby, your human host also manages to notice and
possess a bird."
Shannen squeals (yes, squeals) happily, but softly, and tries to make her way over to them,
grinning brightly.
Demiurge says "Pat, Shannen, you probably hear the battle-howl... oh, wait, Shannen's squeal of
joy."
At the Opera House, Hitherby stops outside the door, with room for other people to get out. He
says, loudly, "Good thing I saved this," as the bird swoops down towards HitherNick. Then he
pulls out the necklace. Then, with people watching, the bird grabs the necklace and swoops away.
If it can.
Pat turns to look at the incoming squeal.
Sarah murmurs, "I hope the song wasn't --" She also turns, with a step or so; perforce, as she's
still attached to Pat's arm.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The bird grabs the necklace. It begins to pull away. The
Lilim, in the crowd behind Hitherby, wrenches a pistol from inside her jacket, taking aim."
At the Opera House, Sephar can reach the Lilim?
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You can try."
At the Opera House, Sephar will push at the crowd or whomever is near to try and spoil her aim...
<
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The Lilim's shot goes awry, missing the pigeon. There are
screams of shock from the crowd."
Shannen opens her arms for a moment, as if in a hug, and then closes them, woahing softly "You
two look fabulous. I'm .. jealous." Her grin fades to a warm smile as she continues "Seen anyone
else or noticed anything unusual?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The Lilim calls, "Someone get a net or gun or something,
quick, it's stealing the jewellery!""
At the Opera House, Sephar whews quietly. And then yells in his stage manager voice, "WHAT
are you doing??"
Pat nods, slowly. "Yes. Hello, Shannen."
At the Opera House, Sephar says "What are you doing firing a GUN for a pice of stage jewellery,
young woman?"
Demiurge says "Daimon, Liz, you are now changed and can make haste to the Opera."
Demiurge says "Hitherbirds, you may arrive with the tickets."
At the Opera House, Sephar says "It's just paste. You're endangering lives for a bit of *paste*!"
Daimon says "Cool. I finish my drink, and zoom! Off we go."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The Lilim turns, biting her lip. "You mean they aren't real
emeralds?""
At the Opera House, Sephar says "Of course not."
At the Opera House, Hitherby gets the bird out of there ASAP, moving to a place where she can't
shoot, if it can, if not, pulling aerobatics as it heads away. Nick turns ferociously on the woman
and shouts, "Ow! Oh my God, she *shot* me." He holds his hand to his side.
Sarah smiles to Shannen. "You do look lovely in that color," she comments, approving.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The Lilim's gun vanishes with astonishing speed. "I shot the
bird! And I thought they were real emeralds, so I wanted to save money!" She looks on the edge
of tears."
Liz steps out of the Ladies' Room, looking for Daimon. She's dressed in a creme colored gown
with a pillbox hat and half-veil, sheer stockings, and matching pumps and purse (in which reside
a Glock 17 and enough morphine to drug a stallion). Her hair half-covers her face, sweeping over
one eye and off over one shoulder.
Daimon tries, very hard, after looking at Liz, not to just say 'fuck it' to the Opera and take her off
and ravish her. :)
Liz has a pair of matching sunglasses in her purse, too, in case of Balseraph Sightings.
At the Opera House, Sephar goes over to the guard at the door and says softly, "Would you
please check if that woman has a license for that gun?"
Liz smiles at Daimon with a sort of icy 'come hither' look, and waits for him to offer his arm.
Daimon says "You look... beautiful, my lady."
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "Nick slowly sinks to the ground, holding his side, wincing
and whimpering and being a terrible baby. The bird flees. Hitherbird #1 (with the tickets) looks
for Sarah and Pat; Hitherbird #2 goes up to the bird-roof to collect more."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The guard nods, and moves across to speak with the Lilim
rapidly."
Daimon offers his arm.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Hitherbird #1 spies Sarah, Pat, and Shannen."
Liz turns, brushing a soft kiss over Daimon's cheek. "And you're quite the most handsome devil
on the planet, my lord. Now let's be off."
At the Opera House, Sephar goes to check on Nick, calling attention in the crowd to the possible
injury.
Hitherbird drops down to hang in front of Sarah, Pat and Shannen with a thunder of wings, two
tickets clenched in its talons.
Liz slides her hand (complete with matching glove) through Daimon's arm, and off they go to the
opera.
Sepharmouse is in Liz's pocketbook, too?
Shannen blushes softly, spinning slowly "You really think so? It's just something I threw on.
Thank you so much, though." She gives Sarah an approving nod "You are simply amazing,
though. Where did you find that dress?"
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "One chorus member says, "Let me look. I've got medical
training. Where's the bleeding?" He attempts to move Hitherby's hands aside."
Liz has Sepharmouse, yes.
Sephar happies.
Liz hates to be out and about without at least one Kyrio on her person at all times.
There is a certain amount of attention towards the bird-delivered tickets.
At the Opera House, Sephar nods and fades back... puts the stage manager in the position and
direction he was going and then fades out...
At the Opera House, Hitherby leaps for the chorus member. Confound the enemy! :)
Sarah answers Shannen, "There's a shop in Annapolis - I can show you later if you -" She blinks
and stops at the sudden flurry of feathers.
One voice drifts from the crowd. "That's better than fucking FedEx."
Shannen takes a step away from the bird, trying to blush deeply and look as surprised as possible
(which isn't hard, since she is) while whispering "This is a little .. public .."
Pat blinks at the bird, lowering a hand for a perch.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby. Sephar, where are you going?"
The Hitherbird drops the tickets, where they lazily float towards the ground (but she does this
away from any sewers.) Then it lands on Pat's wrist. (Or, if his hand was open, it puts the tickets
in it and flies away.)
<
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "You're in, Hitherby. Your previous host looks in shock."
At the Opera House, Sephar is just moving back to the part of the backstage area where he picked
up the Stage manager.
Pat closes his hand around the tickets and straightens. "Well."
Sarah says, looking somewhat stunned, "I've heard of homing pigeons, but - my."
Shannen clears her throat a bit and nods to Sarah "I'd .. like that .." and then looks at Pat "That
was .. amazing."
At the Opera House, Hitherby confirms, "He's hurt bad! Nick, don't move, you're in shock, that
woman *shot* you."
Pat says "Thank you. The others should be here shortly."
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Nick says, blankly, "But I'm not bleeding." His hands fall
away to show a definitely not-bleeding body."
Liz naturally should have used Sephar as a delivery Kyrio. Sephar at least knows the definition
of subtlety.
Sephar grins.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "The guard mutters to the stunned-looking stage manager,
"Sorry, sir, she's got a license and all.""
Pat . o O ( Sephar would have /been/ the FedEx man. )
Sephar squeaks, "But would it have been as fun?"
Hitherby uses Hitherbirds to gather her full complement of seven. Four, counting the one with the
necklace, will fly for the nearest Tether of Jordi, as high as she can take them.
Demiurge nods to Hitherby.
At the Opera House, Hitherby frowns. "Nick, you're delirious. I *saw* her shoot you."
Sarah . o O ( hitherYAY! )
At the Opera House, Hitherby says, "Maybe -- it just grazed you. But you're definitely in shock."
Pat . o O ( Hitherby, you're the man. Er, men. Er, birds. Whatever. )
Daimon, taking Liz to the Opera, thinks up little bits of 'Liz Poetry'.
At the Opera House, Demiurge says "Nick says, regaining his wits, "But I'm not shot. Look. No
hole." He pulls his jacket up to show unmarked skin."
Demiurge says "Daimon, Liz, you are now arriving at The Opera."
At the Opera House, Sephar giggles.
Sarah says, more or less to Shannen, "We'll... talk about it after the opera?"
At the Opera House, Hitherby decides to leap to someone else before the Lilim resonates her. She
does so. She's confused the issue enough.
At the Opera House, Hitherby dunno if it *mattered*, but it was definitely enough :)
At the Opera House, Hitherby says "When I have the full complement of seven birds, I will take
one over and take over someone in the crowd outside, so I can talk to Pat and Sarah an' stuff. In
the meantime, I'll just settle for someone who can listen in here."
Shannen nods to Sarah, her smile returning "Oh yes, thank you." and looks towards the opera
house, biting her lip "Do you think it's going to happen?"
At the Opera House, Sephar leaps into a passing person... the guard if there's no one else... and
then finds a way to get up into the same lighting crew guy I had during the rehersal.
Pat says "If it can be stopped, it will be."
<
<
At the Opera House, Demiurge will assume Hitherby manages it. Backstage is .. in confusion.
Demiurge says "Now 6.45pm. 15 minutes to go till curtain."
At the Opera House, Demiurge nods to Sephar. Will assume you get up there safely.
Daimon looks very pleased about stuff.
At the Opera House, Sephar sighs happily and works the lights in familiar territory again.
Hitherrandomperson walks up to Pat and Sarah and says, "Hi, guys. We *got* it."
Pat says "Got it?"
Sarah nods to Pat, with a little smile. "Preci--" She blinks at the person. "Hello?"
Hitherrandomperson is ... a young red-headed woman, unescorted, in formal dress.
Sephar squeaks from the purse.
Hitherby smiles. "Hitherby," she explains.
Demiurge says "Daimon, Liz, your car pulls up outside the Opera house."
Pat says "Ah."
Pat says "What did you /get/?"
Hitherby looks around to see how private this is.
Sarah looks abruptly decidedly relieved. "Oh. Good. Ah, whatever 'it' is, yes."
Daimon says "I assume Liz, with her infinite coolness, can find a parking spot."
Liz can!
Sepharmouse squeaks, "The diva's likely to sing, and the artifact's gotten, now!"
Sephar squeaks it to Liz.
Shannen ugghs softly and nods to Hitherperson, then to everyone: "We should begin going in,
yes? Wait .. what did you get?"
Demiurge says "To the side of the crowd going into the opera, Hitherby."
Daimon figures he should give Liz another kiss, but not enough to mess up her do'.
Liz says "Nice job, Sephar."
Sephar curls up smugly and snugly in the purse.
Liz kisses Daimon back, and then gets out of the car.
Daimon also gets out of the car.
Hitherby whispers, low, "The Comedians are gone. The artifact is on its way out. No one else is
hurt, except maybe the lead singer, a little. And some reputations."
Hitherby whispers, low, "But there is Game presence. And a Seraphic Remnant. I don't know
what the Game wants."
Pat says "They want Lightner, for a start."
Hitherby winces.
Shannen ohs softly, frowning a little "Poor dear - is she hurt badly?", pausing to listen more, her
eyes widening "Oh .. my." and looks to the opera house thoughtfully "Oh my indeed.."
Sarah murmurs, "Speaking of whom," and looks out to the crowd again.
Hitherby sets the three available birds (since four are winging for a Tether) to circling, looking
for Daimon and Liz.
Liz locks the car, hands the tickets to Daimon, and walks with him up to the Opera House.
Daimon leads Liz into the Opera House.
Hitherby says, "I was -- distracted -- when the Comedian was talking about the Game's goals."
She blushes. "But ... it's not just the Comedians, I think."
Demiurge says "Hitherbirds probably spot Daimon and Liz going in."
Pat says "There's more?"
Hitherby whispers, "They're here. In. Quickly. So we can warn them. A bird would be like a
lighthouse."
Hitherby starts fast-walking for the Opera House, fumbling about in her human stuff for the ticket
thingie.
Liz keeps an eye out for the others, including known Gamesters.
Liz slips on a pair of sunglasses while she's at it.
Sarah says "I suppose that's our cue," to Pat and Shannen. "Shall we?"
Demiurge says "Liz and Daimon and Pat and Sarah and Shannen probably all spy each other."
Demiurge says "At least, those of them who know each other."
Pat says "There they are."
Daimon does the same with his own sunglasses, wondering why the hell he didn't do this
EARLIER.
Shannen ugghs softly and looks at Sarah and Pat with a small bit of confusion, before moving
after Hitherperson "Can you tell me more about the," a touch of sadness, "Remnant?" to
Hitherperson quietly.
Pat starts moving for Daimon and Liz, not too quickly to tumble Sarah.
Hitherby mutters, as she approaches Liz and Daimon, or the House if she can't catch them, "He
wants to be an angel again. We should help him. He's the lead violinist."
Sarah is intent on much the same direction, so speed is likely not an issue.
Hitherby stumbles once or twice in these bedratted heels.
Liz smiles at Pat and Sarah when she approaches. "My, don't you two make quite the couple."
Liz says "Sarah, I had no idea. You look stunning."
Daimon says "Wow. No kidding."
Daimon looks stunned!
Pat flaunts his good hair.
Hitherby joins the group.
Pat smiles at Liz and Daimon. "Good evening."
Daimon didn't know Elohim could have good hair.
Sarah drops her eyes, smiling; offers Liz an embrace, then Daimon. "Thank you, both of you. Liz,
that's beautiful."
(And Sarah attunes herself to Daimon.)
Liz hugs Sarah back. "Thank you."
Daimon looks a little surprised, and then also hugs Sarah back.
Shannen winces at Hitherperson's stumbling and nods quietly, sighing softly "Poor poor poor
dear. Yes yes we should .. We need to think --" She pauses as Hitherperson stops "-- how." She
looks to Liz and Daimon and then to Sarah and Pat, blushing faintly.
Liz smiles. "I doubt anyone will recognize us from earlier, save perhaps the Game."
Daimon says "I thought you'd still be offended over me eating those poor flowers."
Shannen blinks, her mouth opening a little.
Liz smiles at Shannen. "Hello."
Daimon grins at Shannen in a charming have-lots-of-charisma sort of way.
Hitherby asides to Shannen, "If I can get to a Tether before the opera completes, I might be able
to ask -- upstairs --"
Liz determines from the trouble with the heels that Hitherby is inhabiting the redhead.
Demiurge says "6.50 pm. A bell is sounding to remind people that the opera starts shortly."
Liz says "Shall we go in?"
Sarah steps back to reclaim Pat's arm. "I think the flowers may have forgiven you by now, Mr.
Lightner. Yes, let's."
Pat looks at Daimon, friendly greeting gone from the expression. "A moment."
Hitherby nods firmly.
Shannen recovers a bit and grins back at Daimon and Liz "Hi there. I'm Shannen, friend to well,
everyone, but specifically these three." She nudges in Otherpersons' direction." and starts a little
"Oh yes, we should."
Liz cocks an eyebrow at Pat. "Is there a problem?"
Daimon raises his eyebrows.
Daimon says "I haven't betrayed anyone, Pat."
Pat says "Yes. The Game."
Pat shakes his head. "They've taken a particular interest in you."
Liz says "Ah, yes. I assume they're still running about. However, their scope of responsibility
should be gone. The Renegades are dispersed, the Artifact is gone."
Daimon says "Well, certainly. I helped to remove their job, and now they have to go home."
Sarah pauses; looks to Pat. "Oh, dear."
Liz says "And given that I saw Daimon walk into a Tether of his Boss not an hour ago, he's not
exactly a Renegade."
Daimon says "Not last I checked."
Hitherby says, quietly, "The Game is not the Inquisition. Do they need a reason?"
Pat says "Regardless, it's something you should be aware of."
Daimon says "Pat?"
Pat says "Yes?"
Daimon says "How much have you been talking to them, Pat?"
Pat says "Less than you're afraid of."
Daimon says "Why did you talk to them at all?"
Hitherby says, suddenly, "Someone come in with me who can point out the lead violinist. Before
the performance. Hurry."
Hitherby looks around.
Sarah says mildly, "Could we perhaps have this chat on the way in, or here-- What?"
Daimon says "We should go in."
Sarah looks to Hithergirl. "Yes. We should. What's wrong?"
Liz sighs.
Pat holds his face expressionless, resonating on Daimon quickly.
Hitherby says "He's never going to trust a celestial again if we can't warn him *before* his plan
to become an angel again fails."
<
Liz says "Remnant?"
Hitherby holds out her hand for anyone who will take it.
Pat . o O ( Show me that heart, greenie. )
Shannen uh ohs softly, frowning and looking to Daimon and then Liz before brightening again
"Boys, can we please chat on the way in." and tries to arrange herself to guide the big brutes
"Nicely.." and then nods to Hitherperson "Oh dear oh dear.."
Hitherby grabs Shannen's hand, making a snap decision, and starts dragging her towards the
Opera House.
Sarah swallows, hard. She draws gently on Pat's arm.
Liz says "Right, in we go. Remnant first, then Opera, then Game. You two can talk later."
Shannen eeks "Heyyyy, I don't know who it isssss.."
Liz draws on Daimon's arm.
Daimon is, on one hand, extremely turned on by Liz and trying to fight it with nice normal
reasoning. On the other hand, he's extremely agitated and paranoid, and starting to get really
pissed off at Pat. Is that enough for a check 6, or do you need more?
Shannen will grab for any friend she can as she's grabbed along.
Daimon follows Liz.
Hitherby says "The *lead violinist*."
Hitherby says "He'll be wearing a special outfit, won't he?"
Pat says "I know him."
Pat follows along.
Liz says "All right."
Liz stays with Daimon.
Demiurge says "You all shuffle into the auditorium. Most people are in their seats already, and
there is a quiet buzz of conversation. Hitherby's host and Shannen both have seats away from the
other four. The orchestra are in their seats in the orchestra pit."
Daimon sits between Liz and Sarah.
Hitherby asks the group once we're inside, "Where is he? Which one?"
Pat looks towards the pit, trying to spot the empty one from rehearsal.
Liz lets Pat or Daimon point out the remnant. She keeps an eye out for People with Good Hair.
Sarah murmurs, "Pat, you might be able to get to him with Hitherby better alone? I'll save you the
seat closest to the aisle."
Daimon pages: As soon as I see Tania on stage, I want to invoke the geas/2, and make her not
sing the Song of Thunder (or anything else the remnant has taught her.)
You paged Sarah with 'Make an Int roll?'.
Long distance to Daimon: Demiurge nods.
Demiurge says "You can spot him, Pat, and point him out."
Backstage, Sephar peers from above to see if he can spot who is sitting in the first violin chair.
Shannen frowns slightly, looking out over the orchestra "Wouldn't he be in the middle, or right,
or left, or something like that?"
Demiurge says "Liz, there are many people here tonight with Good Hair."
Backstage, Demiurge says "You spot him."
Pat points, as subtly as possible. "There."
<
From afar, Sarah fails!
Backstage, Sephar goes down quietly, then.
Daimon sighs, and knows that there isn't much to be done while the Opera is happening.
You paged Sarah with 'Ah well. ;)'.
Backstage, Demiurge says "Going down to backstage?"
Backstage, Sephar says "How much time 'til the performance? Not much?"
Hitherby kicks off her heels when Pat points out the Remnant. How far does she have to go to
get within 50 yards of the violinist *next* to him?
Backstage, Demiurge says "Three minutes."
Demiurge says "You'd have to go right down to beside the orchestra pit, Hitherby."
Backstage, Sephar possesses the violinist next to the first violin.
Demiurge says "Ushers attempt to show you lot to your seats."
Backstage, Demiurge says "Roll."
<
Shannen says to Hitherby "Call me if you need anything." and smiles sadly "Good luck.."
<
Backstage, Demiurge says "You're in."
Backstage, Demiurge says "The first violinist looks oddly tense, oddly distracted."
Hitherby jogs down the aisles, if that can be done, to get there. Not an all-out run, more like
someone who feels that they're late -- but not a walk.
Backstage, Sephar leans over to tap the nervous violinist on the knee, "Sir... just a moment."
Backstage, Demiurge says "He looks across, twitchily. "Yes?""
Backstage, Sephar sighs softly, "It's not going to work."
Daimon closes his eyes, and wishes for a vacation away from everyone in the universe.
Liz takes Daimon's hand in hers, and squeezes gently.
Shannen moves along to her seat, giving the others polite waves and goodbyes (an especially nice
smile for Daimon) and watches Hitherwoman.
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you notice him bend over to talk to the violinist beside him."
Backstage, Demiurge says "He is still for a moment, then says, "I don't understand.""
Backstage, Sephar says "It's not really known if there is a way for one who has lost his past to
gain them back through a single or simple ritual or way."
Sephar puts a pen in his breast pocket absentmindedly.
Hitherby . o O ( Let me know when I'm close enough, or if someone tries to stop me. )
Demiurge says "You're close enough, Hitherby. You notice your target put a pen into his breast
pocket."
Pat sits down, looking around.
Backstage, Demiurge says "The violinist sets his teeth. He says, "If you are what you might be,
then give me some sign.""
Sarah sits between Pat and Daimon, with a sort of vague smile and a not at all vague look around.
Hitherby leaps for the violinist on the other side of him.
Daimon sits between Sarah and Liz. Look! Boy girl boy girl!
Demiurge . o O ( Focals is in a box up there to the right, scanning the theatre with opera glasses.
There's a demure dark-haired woman beside him. )
Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby."
<
<
Demiurge says "You're in."
Backstage, Sephar sighs and then sings a Song of tongues in Celestial, giving the Remnant one
point of essense...
Demiurge says "The red-haired woman blinks, coming to herself. She looks dreadfully embarassed
as she heads for her seat."
Backstage, Demiurge says "Roll, Sephar."
Backstage, Sephar tells him, "There are Angels." in the message...
Pat leans near to Sarah and whispers. "Behind us and to the right. Up in the box."
<
Liz . o O (I wonder if the proper terminology is 'a mob of kyrios' or 'a confusion of kyrios'.)
Hitherby likes a confusion of Kyrios.
Sarah does not look back, but her smile acquires a little more focus.
Demiurge . o O ( confusion, definitely )
Sephar thinks that an adequate term.
Backstage, Hitherby says "Sephar is Singing?"
Backstage, Demiurge says "The violinist goes stock still, then slowly lowers his head."
Backstage, Sephar is.
Demiurge says "Perception roll, everyone."
<
<
<
Shannen pouts slightly in her seat, lifting up slightly to look for the others before resigning herself
to watching the orchestra and opera.
<
<
Pat squeaks by.
<
Liz makes a perception roll for the first time in the game.
Backstage, Sephar says "Is that adequate, sir?"
Backstage, Hitherby leans over from the other side, and says, in English, "The plan won't work.
But we will help you. I swear." Quietly, of course.
Demiurge says "Pat, you hear a disturbance in the orchestra pit. Liz, you hear it and realise it's a
Song. Sarah, you recognise the Song of Tongues."
Pat doesn't react.
Shannen remains blissfully pouting.
Backstage, Sephar smiles at the whisper, "Yes, we will do our best, but the truth is that it isn't
going to be as simple as a single action... just so you know the truth."
Backstage, Demiurge says "He says, very slowly, "Very well. I submit, and I will believe.""
Liz blinks.
Liz whispers to Daimon, "Someone just put off a song in the Pit. Probably one of the Kyrios."
Daimon leans into Liz. "What are they up to? Do you know?"
The conductor enters, and the orchestra turn to him.
Backstage, Sephar nods quietly.
Liz shakes her head.
Pat says "Sh."
Liz says "No idea. I think they're trying to keep the Remnant from doing something unwise."
Backstage, Sephar says "We'll have someone contact you soon after..."
Backstage, Hitherby says, softly, "If you are put in danger, flee. Go to --" She names the closest
angelic Tether's location that she knows of. "Unless you know a better place, Sephar? And ask
for --" She names the Seneschal.
Sephar's mouse squeaks.
Backstage, Sephar names the Tether for Lightning as well.
Liz whispers to Sephar, "If you can't play the violin, get out and wait until the break."
Backstage, Demiurge says "He says, quietly, "Yes. Now come, it is time to play.""
Backstage, Sephar says "Not better, just another."
Liz says "Ditto Hitherby."
Sarah murmurs, "Tongues," just the one word. Very low.
The conductor raps his baton on the stand, and the orchestra begins to play as the curtain rises.
Sephar squeaks, "Of course... but he knows that there are Angels, now."
Backstage, Hitherby smiles. "Okay. We will not necessarily speak through these men again." Then
she leaps to an audience member.
Backstage, Sephar fades from the violinist.
Sarah sets her hands loosely in her lap, upon her beaded gray purse.
Backstage, Sephar jumps up into the rafters again for the light-hand.
<
Daimon reaches out for Liz's hand, and squeezes it, once.
Shannen's face goes to a smiling expression as things beings to move, glancing to the violin leader
on occasion.
<
Liz smiles. "Good." And she settles down to enjoy the opera. For an Ofanite this means listening
to every part simultaneously, and keeping an eye on all the actors, and enjoying the texture of the
seats.
Demiurge says "The first act goes very well, unless anybody plans to do anything during it."
Hitherby will, then, do the "Kyriotate Walk," leaping from host to host to wind up in someone
next to the others, or across the aisle.
Daimon briefly considers doing several Funny and Unorthodox things to Liz during the Opera.
Sarah thinks Demi can guess what she's doing during it.
You paged Sarah with 'Watching Da Game.'.
Sepharmouse nudges the battery from Liz's cellphone and sleeps in her purse plugged into the
cellphone battery. Heh.
Sarah pages: Warily. Oh yes. And not assuming that's all that the Game has here.
Demiurge says "The first act finishes. There is a twenty-minute interval during which one can hit
the bar."
Daimon pages: Any sign of Tania yet?
Hitherby will stay put, unless the others leave?
Liz needs to stretch her legs.
You paged Daimon with 'You saw her come on in the chorus. She didn't try and do anything
unorthodox.'.
Liz says "Sarah, can you keep an eye on the violinist with Pat?"
Daimon pages: I would have done my thing, anyway.
Long distance to Daimon: Demiurge nods.
<
Daimon pages: A 2 is an entire DAY.
You paged Daimon with 'It activated.'.
Daimon pages: Excellent.
Sarah hesitates. "We have," she observes, "too many people who need eyes kept on them."
Pat says "We have two. Which would you like?"
Daimon says "Then we clearly need more eyes. In jars."
Liz says "Yes, but if I don't take a walk, I'll scream."
Demiurge says "Focals and the Lilim disappear from their box, heading through the door behind
it and out of sight."
Daimon says "Okay, Liz, I'll take a walk with you."
Pat frowns. "Daimon."
Pat says "It's not safe."
Sarah suggests mildly, "I'll keep an eye on them, Pat?"
Hitherby says, suddenly, "Wait."
Daimon looks at Pat, and then Liz.
Liz waits.
Hitherby says, "The artifact lets you perform the Song of Thunder corporeally, he said?"
Liz says "Yes."
Pat says "Don't go to the lobby."
Daimon sighs. "Fine. I'll stay here. No biggy."
Hitherby says "I think it's already effectively Corporeal."
Liz says "Okay... so, where's Tania?"
You paged Hitherby with 'Your birds are just reaching the Tether, btw, and can hand it over.'.
Sarah suggests quietly, "Amplified, perhaps."
Shannen will move to the others during the intermission "How are things?"
Liz smiles at Shannen. "Little tense."
Daimon says "She was in the chorus, onstage."
Hitherby says "I hope so ..."
Liz says "How are things going with the violinist?"
The orchestra have filed out of the orchestra pit, and backstage, to get their own refreshments.
From afar, Hitherby will pass the artifact on to a nice Seneschal of Jordi and free three of the birds
there. "Captured from Dark Humor, of all things," she comments, pigeon-companionably. But we
can handle the convo there some other time:)
Backstage, Sephar is going to go backstage during the small break too, get a drink of water, mill
with the musicians?
Daimon looks down and examines his fingernails in detail.
Long distance to Hitherby: Demiurge nods. ;)
Backstage, Demiurge says "Who as, Sephar? The lighting man?"
Backstage, Sephar says "If possible."
Backstage, Demiurge says "The musicians are a bit elsewhere backstage, but you can track them
down."
Sarah glances up the aisle, considering briefly.
Backstage, Sephar does so, then.
Liz excuses herself, and begins to pace up and down the aisle, though she's careful to stay in sight.
Shannen sighs a little and looks to the orchestra pit, biting her lip, before looking back "Does it
look like things are going to be alright?"
Hitherby thinks. "If she sings it without the necklace, --"
Sepharmouse plugs the battery back into the cellphone and wakes up.
Pat says "As long as we're careful, Shannen."
Daimon says "Heh."
Hitherby says, quietly, "Um, what if -- the Game is planning to do something while the Thunder
masks all disturbances?"
Daimon says "I'm sure they are planning something."
Backstage, Demiurge says "He's sipping orange juice, and looking quietly thoughtful. He's not
talking to the others, but they're acting like this is normal behaviour for him."
Hitherby says "I could try to possess the apprentice and make her complain of being sick."
Sarah hesitates. "Daimon and Liz and I," she offers, "could try to find her now."
Backstage, Sephar sips a drink as well, and stays well to the sides, and tries to just stay out of the
way of the musicians.
Pat says "If she's backstage?"
Hitherby nods. "You could!" she agrees.
Shannen looks at her watch, frowning "I hope hope not - the Game thing." and nods to Sarah.
Liz says "All right, Sarah, Daimon, Sephar and I?"
Daimon says "Sure."
Daimon peers at Shannen. "Look, the Game is here. It's too late to worry about if they'll show or
not."
Hitherby nods. "I will stay with Pat and Shannen, unless you fail and I have to possess her."
Liz has been keeping up with the conversation by walking fairly close to everyone.
Liz nods at Hitherby.
Sephar squeaks, "Sure!"
Liz says "Good. If we're not back by the next curtain call, take my seat. It should be close
enough."
Pat says "Do you know what they look like?"
Shannen smiles at Daimon "I'm not worried about showing. I just hope nothing happens. I'm an
optimist." She pauses for a second and gives Daimon a super bright smile.
Liz nods. "I saw the Lilim in the box. I assume the man with her is the Bal."
Pat says "Bal?"
Sarah says "Balseraph. The - thug - mentioned there was one."
Daimon says "Fan-tas-tic."
Pat begins to frown. Very slowly.
Pat says "I see."
Daimon says "Well, of course. If you tangle with the Game, what else are you going to talk to?
Except a pointman?"
Sarah holds up a hand, stands from her seat; she gives another glance around. "Later. Let's find
the girl."
Daimon says "If I find him, I'm given' him a noogie he won't forget. Kiss goodbye to perfect hair,
baby."
Pat says "I believe more than a noogie is in order."
Liz smiles. "I can arrange for that."
Daimon says "And Fun With Bal's Cellphone."
Shannen frowns softly "Guys, something besides violence, please."
Liz says "All right, we should go before they lower the lights."
Daimon says "Violence? Do you know what these people DO?"
Liz says "Daimon, shush."
Pat pulls out his own phone, handing it to Daimon and rattling off a number.
Daimon . o O ( Of course, do you know what WE do? )
Sarah says firmly, "Later, Daimon."
Daimon looks at the phone. "What's the story with this?"
Pat says "Fun with Cellphones."
Daimon says "Ah.... HA!"
Daimon gets a funny grin. "And that number is his number?"
Sarah half pleads, "The girl?"
Daimon says "Sure. Let's go get the girl."
Shannen frowns somewhat deeper at Daimon, then gives him a pouty look combined with a soft
sigh "Violence breeds violence.. It's good to be nice to people.." and then shuts up, taking a small
step back.
Daimon says "Some people you just have to be Funny to."
Daimon gets a dark look.
Sarah joins Liz in the aisle.
Daimon follows Sarah and Liz.
Liz quickly walks to the back, and then around to the wings.
Pat rises from his seat. "Actually, Daimon...We have time for a cigarette."
Daimon looks back over his shoulder. "You're right."
Daimon says "Um..."
Hitherby thinks. She needs a host that can be in the Opera House, but not a human. Unobserved.
She starts running her local birds past windows, looking for cats lounging in the light.
Daimon thinks for a moment. "I'll talk to you girls in a bit."
Shannen shakes her head just a little at Daimon's dark look, looks at his face. "Kindness and love
first.. please?"
Liz looks at Daimon.
Liz says "If you're sure."
Liz sighs. "Shannen, perhaps you'd like to come with us?
Daimon leans down and kisses Liz. "It's time for a cigarette, I think."
Liz nods. "Be careful, Daimon."
Pat nods to Liz. "Good luck. Godspeed."
Hitherby looks thoughtful. "I'm not going to be very effective alone, here, if something happens
involving a Calabite, a Balseraph, and a Lilim. Although it could be much worse."
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you spot a nice cat in a passing window."
Daimon says "I will. I promise."
Liz says "Okay, Hitherby, stay with Daimon and Pat."
Backstage, Demiurge says "The break is going quietly backstage."
Hitherby nabs the cat, and nods agreeably in the theater. "If you two don't mind?" she wonders.
Backstage, Sephar likes it that way.
Shannen begins to nods to Liz, then looks to Hitherby "I .." and then to Liz "That's a good idea..",
beginning to move with her.
Pat says "Not at all, Hitherby."
Sarah glance back and forth between Liz and Daimon and Pat, frustrated; nods to Hitherby with
a sigh, though.
Hitherby tears off around the house looking for a cat door. Humans don't notice when Kyriotate
cats tear around the house at top speed, because, well, regular cats do it too. Unless there's an
open window whose screen she can leap through.
Demiurge says "You find a cat-flap, Hitherby."
Hitherby scoots for the Opera House, en feline.
Liz leads Shannen and Sarah off to find Tania.
Daimon gives Pat a look of unabashed amusement.
Hitherby follows Pat and Daimon, and the cat -- well, its *goal* is to get in and hide behind a
back-row seat so that no one sees it.
Pat smiles, wry. "Let's go."
Daimon says "Sure."
Sarah follows Liz; continues glancing about, abruptly and distinctly agitated.
Daimon follows Pat out for a smoke.
Demiurge says "Hitherby, you manage to get the cat inside."
Pat says "Demiurge, any trouble getting to the outside for a cigarette?"
Demiurge says "Liz, Shannen, Sarah, you penetrate Backstage Territory, though you're getting
odd looks, because you're clearly opera patrons rather than actors or backstage workers."
Demiurge says "No problem, Pat."
Hitherby . o O ( Demiurge says, "You get outside, and Baal is lounging against the door ..." --
well, I guess she doesn't. )
Shannen speaks to Liz "What does this woman look like? .. and .." she blushes faintly at all the
odd looks "What are we to do with her?"
Pat offers Daimon a cigarette, after finding a suitably uncrowded spot to stand and talk and
smoke.
Liz smiles the smile of a well heeled opera patron with backstage passes.
Daimon accepts the cigarette, and lights up, still looking highly amused.
Hitherby says "Nice, er, burning sticks."
Liz says "We ask her, on Daimon's behalf, to not sing the song tonight."
Daimon . o O ( But I've taken CARE of that! )
Pat says "It's an excuse to be outside. Mister Lightner, I believe, has some concerns."
Liz . o O (Yes, but you didn't tell us that.)
Hitherby says "Ah."
Hitherby says "About your dealings with the Game?"
Daimon says "Certainly."
Liz says "We're also looking for the violinist."
Daimon . o O ( I need my seeeeeecrets. )
Liz says "Shannen, if we see him, will you go speak to him, please?"
Sarah says, somewhat confused and considerably distracted, "We are?"
Sephar squeaks up from the purse, "He's in the musician's lounge, they're doing just fine back
here..."
Demiurge says "The females come across a group of chorus members backstage. Liz can spot
Tania in it, bright-eyed and chirpy. They're drinking orange squash and gabbling."
Liz says "Offer him... hmm. He's a Seraph. Offer him a pass to a Tether. We'll return him to
heaven."
Shannen nods slowly "Sure." and chews her lip slightly "He's a Seraph .. oh .." a smile "Okay ..
but aren't we promising a bit too much?"
Pat says "The Game was interested in the Renegades. I am assured that they are beyond the grasp.
There was also quite a bit of interest in Daimon, and I would be hard pressed to call it pleasant
attention."
Daimon says "That's probably because we blew up their computer this morning with much
fireworks, took away their prey, and removed the artifact. And they just adore _my_
Organization."
Sarah says quietly, "We can offer him what assistance we can, at least," her attention called back.
Daimon says "Hey, if someone did that to me, I'd be irritated to. What an easier way to get to me
then take away my new Angelic pals. You think?"
Sephar squeaks gently, "I already offered him all that."
Sephar squeaks, "And gave him proof."
Sarah says "Good, then. Good."
Liz says "All right, Sephar. Then let's just do a once around the backstage, and make sure the
Game isn't going ot muck things up, fair enough?"
Pat says "I don't doubt it. I want this to be clear though, Daimon. I did not engender this interest.
You have not overstepped, to my knowledge."
Sephar squeaks, "Yes. very good. I can't keep the Game off him..."
Hitherby frowns at Pat. "Um, I don't like that word, 'overstepped'."
Daimon says "And let me tell you, Pat, that there is something major going on, and the Game is
trying to clear a path so they can work uninhibited."
Sephar squeaks, "And I promised him that someone would talk with him after the performance."
Liz strolls by the cluster of girls, and gives them her best impression of an opera patron, "You're
all doing a wonderful job. Very nice. I'll be sure to tell Mister Guther the next time I see him."
Hitherby says "He's not an angel. Overstepping would be *good*."
The girls giggle, and generally act as one might expect.
Pat's phone begins to buzz.
Liz nods benignly (love having Savoir Faire, yes) and moves on with Sarah and Shannon in tow.
Shannen frowns slightly "I really would like to speak with him.. maybe, just maybe there's
something that can be done. There's always hope.."
Pat's phone is still in Daimon's hands.
Daimon pulls it out of his pocket and hands it to Pat. "It's your Bal buddy."
Pat says "Answer it."
Daimon does not answer it.
Hitherby grins. "Let me?"
Pat says "I have no reason to speak with him at the moment."
Daimon er well, okay, he does.
Sarah says "After the opera, I think? That's when he expects it."
Daimon says in a sing-song, cute voice, "Hello big boy."
Pat would pay good money to see the look on Focals' face right now.
Sephar squeaks, "Hyup."
Demiurge says "Liz, Sarah, Shannen, there's a well-dressed man with neat hair approaching you,
also backstage. (Yes, it's Mr Focals.)"
Sephar (would, too.)
Liz says "Is he on the phone?"
Liz slips on her sunglasses.
A female voice replies, "Is that Mr Murphy?"
Demiurge says "No, Liz, he isn't using a phone."
Sephar hides in the purse.
Liz says, quietly, "Battle Stations everyone. Nobody do anything rash, and let's just amble off over
thataway."
Daimon continues in a sultry voice, "No, this isn't Mr. Murphy. I'm afraid he's tied to the bed right
now. Who is speaking?"
Hitherby . o O ( *giggle!* )
Pat maintains a rigid expression. He's started inhaling the cigarette smoke, though.
The voice replies, "Tell him that Dominique will be coming by shortly." The phone hangs up.
Sarah (DIES)
Daimon blinks at the phone, says, "Oh shit," and then starts laughing out loud.
Liz ambles at sort of an angle to Focals.
Pat says "What?"
Shannen doesn't know Mr. Focals, but tries to act as nonchalant as possible (hugging Emote and
Savoir-Faire), speaking softly "Afterwards, then.. okay. I really really hope we don't miss our
chance.."
Daimon starts laughing so hard he starts to choke.
Pat says "Daimon?"
Daimon wipes the tears from his eyes. "Sorry, wrong number. Uh... that wasn't the Game."
Sarah smiles as vaguely as she can manage - not very - and drifts after Liz.
Pat says "Who was it?"
Shannen . o O ( Oh, Kobal will give Daimon much Infernal cookies. )
Daimon says "I have a message for you."
Mr Focals heads at the angle, towards Sarah, Liz, and Shannen.
Pat says "Go on."
Daimon says "Apparently you're about to get debriefed."
Hitherby bites her lip. Hard.
Daimon says "I thought it was the other one! I swear!"
Pat swallows. "Pardon?"
Sephar
Shannen does the nonchalant thing.
Daimon gets a hold of himself, and clears his throat. "Dominique will be coming shortly. Versus
Daimonique, who is already here."
Hitherby says, quietly, "I *refuse* to hurry you out of here. But I would advise it -- personally."
Liz sighs.
Pat says "Oh. Oh dear. Did she say how long?"
Liz says quietly, "Don't meet his eyes. It might help. It might not."
Demiurge says "Liz, Shannen, Sarah, there's a corner you could turn just ahead."
Daimon says "Nope. Man, I swear, it was an accident."
Liz pulls out her borrowed cellphone, speed-dials Pat's number.
Sarah turns if Liz does.
Liz turns the corner, yes.
Shannen follows as well.
Liz opens her purse, and hands a syringe of morphine to each of the others. "Here. Triple dose
of Morphine. Should put him down for 3-5 minutes. Very quietly."
Pat says "I see."
There is a lounging thug in leathers who you will all three recognise, loitering at the far end of the
corridor.
Liz says "Only use it if you have to. I have two more with me."
Pat says "She's early."
Daimon hands Pat's phone back to him.
Daimon says "This is dangerous in the wrong hands."
Pat takes the phone gingerly.
Pat says "Clearly."
Mr Focals comes round the corner behind you three, though staying a few paces back. He says,
mildly, "I only want to talk."
Daimon says "But hey, there's no argument about the Renegade question."
Pat says "Pardon?"
Sarah glances down toward the thug, and loses anything resembling a smile.
Daimon says "You thought the Game was after me because I was screwing with the Boss. Now
you know better."
Liz waits impatiently for Pat or Daimon to answer his phone.
Pat looks at the ringing phone, swallows again, and answers. "Yes?"
Sephar just squeezes his eyes shut and huddles in the purse.
Mr Focals says, blandly, "I assure you that I do not intend to offer you any violence. We have
been operating at cross-puropses.
Daimon fishes out a fresh smoke out of his pocket, and lights up.
Shannen smiles at Mr. Focals, and attempts to step somewhat in between him and the others "Hi
there. Just what is it you want to talk about?" She's not trying to hide the syringe, but definitely
not holding it out in the open.
Sarah murmurs, "Generally so, yes."
Liz smiles. "Hello, Pat? I'm back stage with the others. Mr. Focals and his Calabite acquaintance
is with us as well. We're chatting. Feel free to drop by, if you like. No rush."
Liz puts the phone back in her purse, and says, "Fair enough, but I've an idea."
Mr Focals looks mildly unhappy. "I wish to take in the third Renegade, before he returns to Lust.
While I cannot say that I like angels, I have no particular animus against you."
Liz says "There is no 'Third Renegade', Mr. Focals."
Shannen pouts slightly "There's nothing wrong with us, you know. We're just misunderstood."
before smiling again "What --" and stops as Liz speaks.
Pat hangs up the phone. "Shit."
Focalor says, blandly, "I am sure that is what he told you. He has served both Lust and Dark
Humor for a while now. I suppose that it is natural to wish to build his own power base."
Liz sighs.
Liz says "Mr. Focals, I've an idea."
Focalor says, very mildly, "You should trust me. I have your best interests at heart."
<
Daimon says "Yeah? Anything else funny?"
Demiurge . o O ( so near, so near, so near )
Daimon laughs out loud!
From afar, Sarah tweak resonance tweak tweak
Shannen . o O ( Thank you God. )
Sephar . o O (thinks that that's pretty funny...)
<
Daimon does the Bal Fails Happy Dance!
Liz says "How about your friend down at the end talks, and you stand menacingly in the
doorway."
Pat says "No. Focals is backstage with Liz."
You paged Sarah with 'Daimon is thataway, and not as yet in danger. :)'.
Daimon says "Oh boy. I suggest we go save the happy angels from the Bad Guys."
Focalor smiles. "But I talk so much better, and he merely mumbles."
Daimon says "Besides, I haven't been able to really Prank all day."
Sarah says, perfectly calmly, "Would you all excuse me, please?"
Pat reaches into his coat for a moment. "I concur."
Liz nods to Sarah.
Hitherby's cat bolts for backstage. She's fast enough it can probably hurdle across the stage before
anyone can catch it. Birds head for her human body, to accompany it inside.
Sephar possesses Liz's phone to call Pat again.
Focalor turns towards Sarah. "My dear young woman, you have been lied to. Daimonique wishes
to corrupt your friend."
<
Daimon gestures with his almost done smoke. "Lead the way."
You paged Sarah with 'Roll time.'.
<
Demiurge says "Sarah resists! Yes!"
Liz brings out a gun.
Pat moves back into the theatre, taking a turn towards the offices, and backstage.
Liz says "Mr. Focalor. Another word, and we'll all be in a very awkward situation."
Liz says "I suggest you cease talking."
Daimon follows Pat, hands in pockets and smirk on face.
Sephar calls Pat, using the phone in the purse?
Focalor eyes the gun, and nods, taking a step slightly back. The Calabite at the end of the corridor
moves, trying to get a better view of the action.
Sarah walks, calmly, toward whichever end of the corridor - Balseraph or Calabite - Daimon is
closest to. She does not answer Focalor.
Pat hands the phone to Daimon as he leads backstage.
Demiurge says "Closer to the Balseraph end, Sarah."
Hitherby waits -- unless it'd be more than a little bit -- for her birds to reach her shoulders before
she goes inside herself. If it'd take a long time, as these things are measured, she'll just go in with
Pat and Daimon.
Sarah slips the syringe into her purse as she does.
Daimon, if the phone is ringing again, he'll answer it. If not, he'll call Focals.
Shannen uh ohs softly and kinda nods, but continues to smile at Focals "Please everyone, no
violence. Especially not here.. Mr. Focals, will you please depart."
Demiurge says "Hitherby, your spitting cat arrives at the action to see Sarah advancing on
Focalor."
Liz holds the gun trained on Focalor's left eye.
Focalor raises one hand - almost mildly - and concentrates.
<
Demiurge says "Liz, Will roll?"
Sarah says mildly, "'Ware the disreputable, Liz."
Hitherby would love to do this the clever way, but instead she just leap-rams Focalor.
<
Daimon uses the power of the phone!
Liz shoots Focalor, the moment he raises a hand.
You paged Liz with 'You have just been hit by a Song of Celestial Entropy, and are in really nasty
hallucinations for the next short while. I'll tell you when they stop. Evil evil evil stuff.'.
Daimon is sorry, really, about the phone call. Well, not real sorry, but just enough.
Sephar grins.
Focalor gets struck by Liz's bullet, as she fires, and it takes him squarely in the shoulder. He is
thrown backwards, with a spray of blood. Just as Hitherby's cat crashes between his legs, sending
him tumbling.
The Calabite growls, deep in his throat, heading towards the women.
Pat frowns at the gunshot, drawing his 1911 as he moves through the backstage labyrinth.
Shannen pages: Ethereal Song of Harmony?
Daimon follows behind Pat.
There are screams and yells backstage at the sound of the gunshot. Some people start running
towards the action, some away.
You paged Shannen with 'On whom?'.
Shannen pages: Cabalite.
Hitherby continues holding until Demiurge says whether her birds were close enough to make it
feasible to wait for them before taking her human in.
Demiurge says "It's not really feasible to wait, Hitherby."
Liz drops her gun and shrieks as it grows fangs and attempts to bite her, and then runs screaming
for the other end of the hall, towards the Calabite.
Hitherby nods. Then her human is with Pat and Daimon.
You paged Shannen with 'Roll. :) Spending any extra essence?'.
Shannen pages: 2 extra 8). Oi, my poor essence reserves :(
Shannen . o O ( C'mon good dice.. )
<
Demiurge . o O ( Perhaps it would be poetic if Daimon could recognise Liz's shrieks from those
of any other person. Ah well. ;) )
Sarah throws a glance over her shoulder; her jaw tightens, but she continues, toward the fallen
demon and past him if she can.
Daimon . o O ( We need to talk about your definition of poetry. )
You paged Shannen with 'Sorry, you miss it by one point.'.
Liz . o O (It would be nice if someone picked up th