"Shh..." Cephie shushes and presses the pill to your lips. You swallow -- the world swims as a cloud descends. Colors blur and brighten, then swim together until you shut your eyes. You focus too much on the reflections, the feelings, the rays of light twisting down only to be hindered by Cephie's face. A grin curls her lips --
[1]--you scream yourself awake, clawing at the bed, and struggling against sleep paralysis. Too much-- too much-- you twist and writhe as fires begin to lick at the edges of the sheets.
Cephie wraps her arms around you, gently. Your struggles cease -- a center of wood smoke in a vortex of fear. You pass into the eye of the storm, slumping against her. Your hand shakes. Weakly you murmur, afraid, "I don't want to sleep al--"
"Don't beg." Cephie murmurs, "Just kiss me and shut up."
She's gone in the morning, and you rise to find a bundle of clothes on your bed, topped with a towel. A cold meal of what you assume was dinner lays on one of the tables nearby. You rise, eat, and step into the corridor. Last night is a blur. Your head pounds, painfully, but the cold shower of stale water helps. You drink some -- and spit it out.
You dry yourself with the towel, pulling on the stiff, heavy fabrics of the Pirates. It itches, but the weight is comforting, as is the number of straps and belts -- the formality of it all. A wrapping, an undershirt, a vest, a coat, and an overcoat all weigh you down. You lace and wrap the boots, strapping them to your feet.
They're functional boots too -- a spacer's pair of boots. Steel, leather, and plastic, all set atop a magnetizing base that hooks you to tethers should there be a sudden loss of gravity.
You return to the lent room, examining the new console on the desk. Cephie, or someone else, has set your armor aside in a blood-stained duffle bag and cleaned the pool of blood from the floor.
Cephie returns, grinning from ear to ear. She draws a square plastic container from her coat pocket and fishes out a roll of paper. A heavy herbal smell lingers in the air. She flicks one to you, then claims a seat on the couch and opening her datapad. "After that stunt last night -- well, you were monitored. They put that up on the big screens though-- they cut out a few pieces, but these bastards love that stuff. Spitting in a Noble's face, defying them -- eat it right up."
"I barely remember it."
"Those pills help with trauma. Makes it easy to forget. Blurs the details.
What are you planning on doing now?"
You examine the tube of herb and paper, lips quirking as you consider Cephie's question. You have a question for her, but...business.
Right.
You are Pheobe Gainer and Pheonix
Local Time: [1100] 1/3/2011
Personal Time: 7 months
Empyreal Time: NO NETWORK CONNECTION.
You are missing your left arm.
Laterally, across your chest, is an ugly scar.
Your hair is a darker neon blue, speckled with gold, black and reds.
Cohesion: 75%
You are satiated.
[14] Nano-Feast charges remaining.
Over Body:A heavy naval coat of black fabric.
Over Shirt:A black, spider-silk vest
On Torso:A white, airy shirt
On Legs:A pair of heavy blue pants
On Feet: A pair of gray spacer boots
Max Willpower Linear Distance: [20 meters]
Max Willpower Diameter: [20 meters]Overload: Trained
Bird of Sol's Reign: Great
Conquerer's Aura: Initiated
-
Voice of the Queen: Initiated
Inferno : Great
-
Slayer's Blade : Initiated
-
Controlled Fusion Reaction : Initiated
-
Uncontrolled Fusion Reaction : Initiated
Healing Factor: Initiated
-
Endurance Boost: Amateur.
-
Strength Boost: Amateur.
Matter Manipulation: Silicon:: Experienced
-
Silicon Sunder: Novice
Skill:
Charisma: Apprentice
Skill:
Attrition Warfare: Apprentice
Skill:
Marksmanship: Proficient
Cephie Lavoisier's Verbal Oath Grandmother(adopted): Mother Nicole Gainer
--Contactable in Person
--High Influence with Scholars, Crusaders, the Thornton Family
Ruled Nation: Pheonix's Holy Fortress-State
A dominant power on McCreary's Planet, despite its recent foundation. Currently pursuing a policy of aggressive reclamation.
-Ruled by a council, headed by yourself.
-Theocratic Dictatorship
-The citizens revere you as their new God.
Organization: The Children of SEED
Ten individuals, with the minds of automata and the bodies of men and women. Their very presence grates on your nerves.
--Contactable in person, or by radio.
Organization: The Thornton Family
--Contactable through Emma, radio.
--High Influence within Steelworks 9 Region
--Subservient to you
Organization: Thornton Warmachine
--A complement of hulking Thornton soldiers turned into cybernetically augmented heavy-duty infantry. Equipped with fusion reactor based las-gun assault rifles, Inferno Shotguns, super thick armor, and technicians standing by. They are also equipped with inter and intra-squad radio communicators.
--Lead by William Thornton
Servant, Friend?: Cephie Laviosier.
--An Ascended under contract to you for the next twelve years. She manipulates carbon and carbon-based structures.
--Contactable in person, or by radio.
Ally, Subservient: William Thornton
Leader of the Thornton Family of Businessmen.
--Contactable in person, or by radio.
--High influence within the Thornton Mercenaries
--High influence within The Thornton Family
--Feared within Steelworks 9 Region
Personal Scientist, Ally: Silas Thornton
--High influence within The Thornton Family
Consort, Annoying Oracle: Emma Thornton
--Contactable in person, or by radio.
--High influence within The Thornton Family
Pet, Threat: Mitch, the Barker
A bristly furred, stubby faced hellion of a canine that will possibly mutate in the future. His fur is a rusty red, mixed with brownish gray. His eyes are starting to be tinged with bright, electric blue.
-10/50 Obedience
-?/50 Affection
-5/50 Respect
Pheonix's Fortress-State (McCreary's Planet)
Theocractic Dictactorship
Capital: Fortress City of Stormmont
Population: 4*10^6
Military: One (1) Corps of Active Duty Hover Craft Deployed Crusaders (Baseline, Mark 1, Hardened){Stationed in Stormmont, Fortified}
Three (3) Corps of Active Duty Defense Militias (Baseline, Mark .5){Stationed in SEED Holy Land, Fortified}
One (1) Corps of Active Duty Hover Craft Deployed Crusaders (Baseline, Mark 1, Hardened){Stationed in SEED Holy Land, Fortified}
One (1) Corps Reserve Crusaders (Baseline, Mark 1, Underequipped){Stationed in Stormmont, Fortified}
One (1) Company of Thornton Warmachines (Baseline, Mark ~1, Hardened Veterans){Currently Fighting in Steelworks Number Nine}
Commodities of Note: Nutrient Bar Rations [Food Stuffs] (equilibrium), Hydrogen Fuel Supplies (deficit), Medical Supplies (equilibrium), Consumer Goods (deficit), Electronics (deficit), Steel (equilibrium), Bioplastics (deficit), Chemicals (surplus), Luxury goods (low deficit), Alchoholic Beverages (surplus), Slug Weapons (deficit), Beetle Products (glut)
Quality of life: Food, clean water, lighting, sanitation, universal literacy, universal healthcare, universal higher education, lack of culture, lack of luxury, religious restrictions, and lack of universal rights
Population Morale: Medium
Government Legitimacy: Moderate.
Economy: Non-existant, survival focus
Territories: SEED Holy Land
Ethnic Groups of Note: Thornton Family Group (Unified, Loyal, Criminal), Sandsper Family Group (Unified, ? ? ?), Hoganson Family Group (Unified, Remnants), Sandsper Family, (Unified, Crimina, ? ? ?), Twenty Minor Families(Unified, Criminal), Western Outlanders (Remnants, ? ? ?), Eastern Outlanders (Twenty Clans, ? ? ?)