[Raw, hardly edited stuff.]

Mallory chuckles. Not a problem.

<<Scene Start>>

<<OOC>> arcangel says "If you want to check backlog... http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~emccoy/IOU/FutureMal1.html"

<<OOC>> Mallory already checked, thank you.

<<OOC>> Mallory has Our Girl nicely resonanced.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Yup."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Amberlynn has just said, "If... if you didn't like it, then I'd safeword.""

Mallory grins. "But only if I didn't like it. Regardless of whether or not you liked it."

Maya has connected.

Amberlynn frowns and rubs at her forehead. "I don't understand," she complains.

<<OOC>> arcangel recalls that the CD was a mere 2 on the resonance -- that's... 2 minutes? (I can't check my books due to baby position...)

<<OOC>> Maya thinks so, yes.

Mallory says "Not an hour ago, you would have refused both of these things, to your closest friend or client. Now you would do both for me, now, so long as I enjoyed it, regardless of your own pleasure."

Mallory says "Or, for that matter, discomfort and outright pain."

Amberlynn runs her fingers through her hair, agitated.

<<GAME>> Arcangel rolls the d666 and gets 6 5 CHECK: 6.

<<OOC>> Mallory !

<<OOC>> arcangel snickers. Well, that answered that GM's question to herself.

<<OOC>> arcangel warns that with an awake baby, as she is (though kind of sleepy), she may need to go quickly. Esp if said baby gets messydiaper. *sigh*

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Fair enough."

It quickly becomes obvious that Amberlynn is confused enough not to reply.

Mallory just smiles, and has some more popcorn. Then he states, "That's why you should pay attention to the bits about authority figures. Once you begin to deal with them, your options, regardless of your choices, tend to rapidly shrink.

Amberlynn pulls at a lock of hair. "_What?_"

Mallory offers Amberlynn more popcorn.

Amberlynn takes it and eats it absently, clearly trying to figure out the 180-degree turn the conversation took into the Weird Zone.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Going to let the resonance wear off?"

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Yes."

<<GAME>> Arcangel rolls the d666 and gets 4 3 CHECK: 4.

<<OOC>> arcangel tsks.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "If for no other reason than the bit with the bugs sounds unpleasant for anyone who isn't a lustie or a shedite."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "You should ask her _why_ they, ah, bug her..."

<<OOC>> Mallory says "All right."

Amberlynn pulls away from Mallory's leg after a few minutes, but stays sitting on the floor. Occasionally her hand comes up for popcorn, while she is clearly trying to think things over. It is also clearly not working.

Mallory says "So why do these Unars and Hive Beetles disturb you so much?"

Amberlynn says, "Unars are polysexual, and the hive beetle notion of courtship is practical jokes. I'm not sure _what_ they do with the drones after, either. Hurricanians are just weird."

Mallory says "Ah. Amusing."

Mallory says "So these things are more 'displeasing' than actively disgusting or offensive to you."

Amberlynn says, "Okay, so I can't hack lizards and bugs that much except intellectually. So sue me." She grabs two handfuls of her own hair and pulls on them, scowling at the table leg.

Mallory smiles a bit. "How about serpents?"

Amberlynn says, "What, Kaa? No way. They're non-consensual."

Mallory says "Do tell."

Amberlynn says, "They're slavers, not to mention cannibals. Xenocannibalism, too. _Not_ my type."

Amberlynn complains to the ceiling, "How many hyperjumps has this conversation _had_??"

Mallory looks amused. "It's good for you. Just make sure you pay attention to the bits in your classes about authority figures."

Amberlynn says, "Those bits aren't in the classes, they're part of the tests, and I _still_ don't understand what they have to do with the tests!"

Mallory says "Authority figures are tests."

Amberlynn hauls herself up into her chair again, still nude except for the body-paint. "That makes less sense than any other explanations I've heard."

Mallory says "Do you consider yourself a free woman?"

Amberlynn eyes Mallory. "No, I consider myself an expensive one." She continues, "Free to do stuff that doesn't get into non-consensuality with other people, sure. That's the _point_ of the colony."

Mallory says "Yet an authority figure could order you to do something, and even if it pleased you, it would not be consensual."

Amberlynn says, "I'm not sure I follow this train of reasoning. You mean like a cop writing me a ticket for speeding, or station security sending me out of a dangerous spot?"

Mallory says "No. I mean, for example, being ordered to unclothe yourself and provide whatever sexual favors you are ordered to provide, without thought for your own well being, compensation, pleasure, or sanity."

Amberlynn rubs her head again. "You're not an authority figure," she mumbles.

Mallory says "Power is fungible. An authority figure is anyone who has the power to order this and have you obey."

<<GAME>> Arcangel rolls the d666 and gets 4 6 CHECK: 4.

<<OOC>> arcangel tsks.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Perhaps our 'lynn needs a few clue bonuses."

Amberlynn says, "Authority figures are, like, cops. Security. Ship captains."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Either that, or I need to translate her into GURPS. But that'd be a lousy fail even then. O:>"

Mallory says "Power is the only definition of an authority figure worth using."

Mallory says "If you have power, you have authority. If you do not, then you lack authority."

Amberlynn says, "Well, they're the ones who tend to have licenses for stuff above stunners!"

Mallory says "So, there is no man, woman, or other being on this planet who could order you to do against your will who does not have a weapon?"

<<GAME>> Arcangel rolls the d666 and gets 2 3 CHECK: 6.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "A CLUE!"

Mallory says "Truly against your will, mind you. Not just something you would consider disabreeable, such as an assignment at school."

Amberlynn stares at Mallory for a good long time. Very levelly and flatly, she says, "Room, call cop delay point three psionic."

Then she says, "Telepathic assault is illegal here."

Mallory says "I think you'll find it was not telepathic in the least."

Amberlynn says, "Oh? Then what was it?"

Mallory says "The universe changed, to suit my whim."

Amberlynn says, "Mind-control is illegal."

Mallory says "And if you were threatened with physical violence? Economic deprivation? Loss of your family or friends? These are all 'mind control'."

Amberlynn points at Mallory. "That falls into the weapon category. _Telling_ someone to do something and twisting their brains is telepathic assault and I'm going to complain to my bioguard company."

Mallory says "Your bioguard company did nothing wrong, if I understand the term correctly."

Mallory says "Your mind was not controlled. Your protection did not fail. The universe itself merely changed."

Amberlynn says, "It _should_ have registered hostile intent. Clearly, it didn't."

<<OOC>> arcangel giggles at the Balseraph mindset.

<<OOC>> Maya snickers.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "And is Mallory making anything of her comment that included "cop" in it? O:>"

Mallory gives a very unpleasant smile. "Oh, I hardly have hostile intent, though if this 'cop' should show up, I will be most displeased. You are not harmed, nor do I plan to harm you. I am teaching you a lesson about authority. You would do well to complete the lesson."

Amberlynn says, "You did something that made me want to go past a squickpoint. It seems to have worn off. I don't care what you call it, it walks like telepathic assault, and it smells like telepathic assault, and it sounds like we're both going to have a lesson about authority figures."

<<OOC>> arcangel tsks. Poor Mal. Culture-clash.

<<OOC>> Maya says "Quick, Mallory! Descend to your Heart to escape!"

Mallory says "Logically, if I wished you to cancel your call, I could force you to do so, could I not? Your defenses did not register the last time, nor would they again."

Amberlynn smiles tightly. "Maybe. Maybe not. And maybe the call is already gone through."

Mallory says "Very well. My word that, if the call is cancelled, you will not be harmed, nor will your reality be altered, by me, at least. If not, I will naturally have to protect myself."

Amberlynn says, "And what's your word worth?"

Mallory says "All that I am."

<<GAME>> Arcangel rolls the d666 and gets 4 1 CHECK: 4.

Amberlynn frowns for a long moment, then says, "Room, delay cop 6 psionic."

Amberlynn says, "I'm going to think about it a little longer. And if you don't mind, I'd like to call my bioguard company from the other room."

Mallory says "As you like, though you will understand if I remain between you and the exit? I gave my word, but the prerequisite is 'cancelled', not delayed."

Amberlynn says, "Go ahead and stick around if you want. Help yourself to the beer. Call up the law site on the computer." She stands up. "I'm going to be in my bedroom."

Mallory says "Off you go, then."

Amberlynn turns and does so, closing the door firmly behind her.

Mallory sips a beer and makes a slight face. "Awful food, puerile beer. How do these humans survive?"

<<OOC>> arcangel goes tsk tsk at Mallory. Intimidating poor little human wenches like that.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "One of the Kintaran beers, Mal?"

<<OOC>> Mallory offers free lessons, without harm. What could be more benevolent and honorable?

<<OOC>> arcangel snickers.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "If that was a Kintaran beer, then give me a roll. Any old roll."

<<GAME>> Mallory rolls the d666 and gets 1 6 CHECK: 2.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "After a few moments to contemplate, and sip the beer another time or two (it grows on one, really), Mallory begins to wonder why this beer seems to have the alcohol content of, say, things that should be served in tiny little shot glasses and not beer bottles."

The door remains closed. Faint noises as of someone having a heated conversation come through now and again. There is no sign of any cops.

Mallory mutters something about wanting a really decent brandy, and slows down rather a lot. Being drunk when the authorities on the way, while entertaining, usually requires some unfortunate interruptions of one's schedule.

<<OOC>> Maya laughs.

There is an incoherent shout in the bedroom that sounds something like "Room" and some string of commands. The word "cop" does not seem to be in them.

Mallory has another (smallish) sip of beer.

The flavor definitely improves with experience. It has interesting notes in it, of mint and copper and sun-warmed grains.

The door to Amberlynn's bedroom opens. Amberlynn is there, dressed top-to-toe in what looks like a black snakeskin catsuit. The collar sports a tiny padlock. "If you don't want me to have a chance to go running to the cops or something on my own, you can come along. I need to pick up a new bioguard at the spaceport."

Mallory suspects this is the sort of thing one tries as a joke with friends when down in the southern provinces, and recovers from after waking up in Sardinia, dressed as an English ship's captain, with a mule and a short Corsican.

<<OOC>> arcangel chortles.

<<OOC>> Maya grins.

Mallory chuckles softly, takes one last sip, sets the bottle down, and says, "I rather like your outfit."

Amberlynn says, "Good, 'cause it ain't coming off for a while. Ready?"

Mallory says "Let me finish putting your food away. I wouldn't want to cause you financial strain."

Mallory gathers up the remainder of That Which Should Be Chilled, and places it in the chiller.

Amberlynn says, "Aside from the beer, it's gov standard. If it spoils, I'll toss it in the recycler and get more. The financial strain is my new bioguard." But she lets him tidy up.

Mallory tidies up only as much as needs, then (mostly the beer), and then follows along, looking amused.

Amberlynn stalks out of the room, with enough attitude for one of his own noble Band, and heads back for her 'cycle.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Baby awake -- need to go change her diaper."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "I can try to come back and see if she'll play on the floor while I type."

Mallory waits for Amberlynn to mount her steed, takes his spot, and knowing what she's likely to do, hangs on rather carefully. (Besides, he's just got to find out if that snakeskin outfit has the texture to go with the look.)

The outfit does, indeed, feel like the finest, softest snakeskin possible.

<<OOC>> arcangel idle.

Mallory approves.

Mallory must bring back an outfit or two for Jolie and possibly Daria.

<<OOC>> Maya snickers.

Amberlynn, contrary to what Mal might be expecting, waits for him to fasten his leg straps (as she has fastened hers), and does not attempt to turn the thing upside down after taking off.

She heads for the tall buildings, and at a speed which seems safe enough.

Mallory enjoys the view, such as it is.

For tall buildings, they are not horribly ugly -- many are curved, or have decorative balconies and landing pads. They are also very clean. Other traffic appears, both on the ground and in the air. Soon enough, they veer around a building, and the buildings begin being smaller again, so that Mallory can detect flat areas and, in the distance, one tall spire with a lot of flat around it.

Shortly, they pass above a flat parking lot filled with all sorts of... UFOs, really. An archway off of the ground-road into the lot reads, "Honest Al's."

<<OOC>> Mallory says "One of Uncle Al's descendents?"

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Uncle Al?"

<<OOC>> Mallory says "New & Used Autodueling Supplies."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Ahhh. Possibly!"

Mallory asks, as the landing approaches, "Is this bioguard of yours an import from elsewhere?"

Amberlynn says, "Station, yeah."

The landing area looks like a parking garage. A very clean, tall, airy parking garage. It is, however, as full as its lower-tech predecessors are. Amberlynn cruises around it towards the middle levels, looking for an empty parking spot.

Mallory is yet unfamiliar with the concept of 'parking garage'.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "True. What _does_ he make of it? Parking lots stacked on top of each other?"

<<OOC>> Mallory is continually astonished by the amount of material wealth people have managed to amass, though as usual, such material wealth seems to be eternally offset by the little indignities of life which are best handled by servants.

<<OOC>> arcangel giggles.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Such as no servants?"

Eventually, the landing is accomplished, and Amberlynn waits for Mallory to get off her 'cycle, unfastening her leg-straps.

Mallory dismounts smoothly.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Servants are excellent labor saving devices, if difficult to find."

Bootheels clicking, Amberlynn leads the way to a small room in roughly the center of the layered parking lot. Mallory recognizes this as an elevator, akin to the one that services Monty Hall...

Mallory looks at it dubiously, but enters.

Mallory subtly braces himself in one corner.

Amberlynn gives Mallory an odd look, and presses a button marked with a starburst. The elevator starts smoothly down, without a shudder, bump, ding, or odd whining noise at all.

She says, "Bad experience with elevators?"

Mallory says "Conveyances have the oddest ways of going awry when not directly controlled by someone who is reliable."

Amberlynn says, "Bad maintanance will glitch you every time, yeah. The spaceport staff'd probably get lynched by the spacers if their stuff were poorly maintained."

Mallory says "As you say."

At the bottom, she leads the way through the ground level parking, and to a sidewalk (one of two, as it happens). She steps on, and begins moving towards the low building there, just _standing_ there...

Mallory follows, again with the same care.

The sidewalk is... moving. Like the escalator in the Mall.

Once Mallory is on board, Amberlynn starts walking along the sidewalk as well, boosting the speed from a brisk walk to a brisk walk plus another brisk walk...

Mallory follows along smoothly, half prepared for it to come to a screetching stop, much like the bus.

The trip is fairly brisk, and strangely, Mallory will note that for all the vehicles evident in the layered parking lot, it doesn't _smell_ like the street and cars do.

Mallory thinks that a definite improvement. Perhaps humans in the time of IOU have not figured out how to properly 'muck out their stables', as it were.

<<OOC>> arcangel giggles.

And the walk does not come to a scratching halt. At the end of the sidewalk, Amberlynn slows, pauses, and steps off smoothly at the edge of the mosaic'ed area in front of the large glass doors into the low building that somehow reads (with strange blurring around the edges of the letters) "New Garavar Spaceport."

Mallory manages, with his hideously refined reflexes, to mimic Amberlynn, and follows along.

<<OOC>> arcangel _laughs_

The interior is (though Mallory doesn't know it) rather like a large, clean, somewhat artistically archetectured airport. It is not horribly crowded, though. Amberlynn consults what appears to be a map stand, rather like the one at the Mall, and heads off in a direction.

Said direction winds up debouching out to where various smallish (i.e., bus-sized) vehicles are parked, each within marked lines that bear numbers and letters. Down the middle are another two moving sidewalks, one going towards the building and one away. Amberlynn steps onto the appropriate one and waits until she gets to the space marked 23. It's empty. She steps out and assumes a position of waiting.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Is there room for multiple people in the space?"

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Quite."

Mallory joins her in the space.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "She's standing in front of a parking space that could fit about three busses side by side."

<<OOC>> arcangel babylags.

The wait is a bit longer than Mallory might have expected from Amberlynn's haste to get out of the apartment, but eventually a bright speck resolves itself into a bright blue... craft. It does look rather bus-like, really, except for not having wheels, and being a bit more streamlined, with stubby wings.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Keen, a GEV."

Mallory's sense of wonder has been radically impacted of late. He slots it as 'bus', and hopes it shows the same improvements on that conveyance as the local elevator does on the one back in the residence hall.

It swoops overhead with a high whine, wheels about tightly and comes in for a flashy landing directly in the middle of the space (on three sturdy wheels). The "nose" of it ripples into a pattern -- a blot of black upon which a bright white dot and a blue-green one swing about, the blue-green one eclipsing the white spot till it forms a crescent. With a flash the crescent elongates slightly out of "true" (more an oval crescent segment) and is bisected by a delta-form, rather like a bow and large arrowhead.

Then the animation repeats.

Mallory looks unperturbed. This is a demon who has seen Shedim frolic on the battlefield. There is very little more disturbing than that.

<<GAME>> Arcangel rolls the d666 and gets 5 1 CHECK: 6.

<<OOC>> arcangel chuckles and asks Mallory for his general emotional state. (Okay, it's not Elohite resonance, but the effects will work...)

<<OOC>> Mallory is calm, somewhat amused by all this, curious, and every so slightly cautious should these 'cops' show up.

<<OOC>> arcangel nods.

The side-door, placed roughly where busses keep theirs, slides open after a moment. Out bounces (and yes, there is a bit of bounce) an _extremely_ attractive brunette woman, dressed in a skin-tight full bodysuit of the exact same blue as the "advanced bus," with the silver crescent & arrow "coat of arms" atop the curve of her chest.

The new woman holds a small box in one hand.

Mallory blinks. Aha, a flunky.

<<OOC>> arcangel giggles.

The woman strides over to Amberlynn and presents the box with a flourish. "Artemis Enterprise, atcher service, express priority delivery, no extra charge for suf

I don't see that here.

for suffiently weird cases!"

Mallory's suspicions are confirmed. Definitely a flunky.

Amberlynn takes the box, opens it, and pulls out a bracelet and a small flat device. She puts the bracelet on, takes the flat object in that hand and holds that arm stiffly out in Mallory's direction while poking at the flat thing with her other hand.

Meanwhile, the flunky is checking Mallory out with an experienced (and apparently appreciative) eye.

Mallory looks back, with equal experience.

Mallory's thought process generally goes 'could be entertaining, for a fling. Not enough power for anything serious'.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "She _is_ at least a step above Amberlynn, in raw physical intelligence. Tall, graceful, and her stance does not (contrary to her clothing) bespeak humility."

Amberlynn frowns at the device. "He's not reading right."

<<OOC>> Mallory is only hanging about Amberlynn for the amusement value. Which should shortly become much more amusing if this new bioguard fails to work properly.

Mallory says "Quel surprise."

The flunky blinks. "What's it supposed to read?"

Amberlynn says, "He's a 'path! But it's not reading that!"

Mallory says "I believe I told you that I am not a 'path' earlier."

Amberlynn glares. "Or, right, you just change the universe."

Mallory says "Precisely."

Amberlynn glares. The flunky blinks in Mallory's direction, blinking again; she then smiles hugely. "Oh, man, the boss is going to be sorry she missed this."

<<OOC>> arcangel eeps at the time. Must go in 10 minutes to get ready to go pick up spouse's car.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "No rush."

<<OOC>> Maya snickers at the play, though.

The flunky swagger-sways over to Mallory and grins at him. "So, what dimension are -you- from?"

Mallory says "The really important one, naturally."

The flunky laughs. "Name's Diana Falcon -- F-A-L-K-A-Y-N-E. What's yours? Or do I just call you cutie?"

Mallory says "I'm generally called Mallory."

Diana calls over her shoulder, "Mind if I take him off your hands, Miz Lee?"

Amberlynn snaps, "He's a 'path with no ethichs. Sure."

<<OOC>> arcangel, the GM, typos. *sigh8

<<OOC>> Maya says "And Amberlynn can prove this _how_? :)"

Mallory tsks. "I have excellent ethics. If I did not, you would be hip deep in Unars, and very probably enjoying it."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Interesting question..."

<<OOC>> Maya wonders if there are laws about false accusation. :)

Amberlynn says, "I _doubt_ it."

The flunky peers at Mallory, back at Amberlynn, and says, "I've got an idea. I kidnap you..." (she points at Mallory) "...and take the price for the scanner out of my pay, and then I get to interrogate someone privately and find out what's going on. Maybe at a good bar..."

Amberlynn looks amenable.

Mallory likes like he's about two and a half seconds from informing Amberlynn that she does, indeed, wish to go find this out.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Yes, but would she be able to find some before the effects wore off?"

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Depends on the CD, I suppose. :)"

<<OOC>> arcangel grins.

Diana looks to Mallory. "Hey, be a good interdimensional being and come along quietly so I don't have to use earplugs, hm? When they've got bioscans like that, it's a better idea to beat a hasty retreat." She winks at him, with the eye the other woman can't see.

Mallory allows his scales to be soothed, as it were, and inquires as to the availability of brandy at this bar.

Diana assures him that any good bar she goes to will have brandy, taking his arm and steering him to the opening of the "bus"...

<<OOC>> arcangel must go now.

<<OOC>> arcangel hugs all.

Mallory goes off with Diana, any interest in Amberlynn fading quickly.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Take care."

<<OOC>> arcangel giggles.

<<OOC>> arcangel hopes she will be well enough to manage, tomorrow. *sigh* Wish her luck.

<<Scene Stop>>