The ride from Omni-Prime back to Rubi-Ka had passed uneventfully, and to Malcom "Alamexis" Age, quite quickly. He found himself burried in the myriad of dilemmas raised by the latest "release" by the Council of Ares, and had completely abandoned his normal routine of reviewing Rubi-Ka's news en route home.
As he stepped off of the transport and onto the landing platform in Omni-1, his stomach growled angrily. In the day's excitement, he had resorted to a miserable diet of coffee, and with the cancellation of his lunch meeting, had not eaten since the previous evening.
Alamexis paused, considering his options. Early evening thunder ruptured overhead, shattering the calm inherrent in the accoustomed sounds of daily life on Rubi-Ka and temporarily muting the air traffic overhead. Being ever mindful of the words of his informant back on Omni-Prime, he turned away from his apartment and walked quickly to the much closer Rompa Bar.
His comm had flashed as soon as he sat down in his usual booth, and within ten minutes he had been joined by Kiyoko "Barlau" Grebel.
19:56: Alamexis: So tell me - how rough was waking up for you this morning?
19:56: Alamexis chuckles
19:56: Barlau: Well... not too bad, actually. But I didn't go to bed until very late.
19:57: Barlau: And I had about two glasses less than you did.
19:57: Alamexis sighs
19:57: Alamexis: That was the problem...
19:57: Alamexis: ...I went to bed much too early. Should have let the wine work its way out of my system.
19:57: Barlau: But Logan is getting his first teeth, and was fussing until late. Nanny couldn't get him quieted, we were up for several hours trying to settle him down. Little monkey.
19:58: Barlau chuckles
19:58: Barlau: And yes, you should have...
19:58: Alamexis smiles
19:58: Alamexis: Poor little guy
19:58: Barlau: I know. He's such a darling, otherwise. He almost never cries.
20:18: Alamexis: What do you and your husband have planned for the holidays? Anything special?
20:19: Barlau: We hadn't really planned anything special. If he's home, that's special enough..
20:19: Alamexis smiles
20:19: Barlau smiles back
20:19: Barlau: What about you, Malcom?
20:20: Alamexis: Me? I don't know, actually. I've never been one to celebrate occasions - let alone archaic ones. Even still, I might throw on a Santa hat and give presents to all the poor Council of Ares people I've picked on all year
20:20: Alamexis smirks
20:20: Barlau chuckles
Alamexis glanced upwards, turning his gaze from Barlau to a visitor who had just walked up to their table, Randa "Lesentia" Forejt.
20:37: Alamexis smiles
20:37: Alamexis: Good evening, Ms. Forejt.
20:37: Lesentia: Hello Mr. Age
20:37: Alamexis notices the concerned look on Lesentia's face
20:37: Alamexis: Is everything okay?
20:37: Barlau smiles up at Lesentia
20:37: Lesentia: It could be better
20:37: Barlau: Hello, I don't believe we've met. I'm Kiyoko Grebel.
20:38: Halo101: im halo
20:38: Barlau pauses, weighing her words...
20:38: Lesentia: Greetings Ms. Grebel
20:38: Barlau: Is something wrong?
20:38: Alamexis: Oh, pardon me for being rude...Kiyoko, this is Randa Lesentia Forejt.
20:38: Alamexis: And Lesentia, this is Halo101
20:38: Halo101: hey
20:39: Lesentia: Yes, have either of you herd of the unnamed cult of vampiric nanomages?
20:39: Alamexis glances up in thought
20:39: Alamexis: Not off-hand, no.
20:39: Lesentia flips though files
20:39: Alamexis: When you say "vampiric", you mean "sucking blood" vampiric?
20:40: Lesentia: Yes
20:40: Barlau: Actually... I have... but they did have a name...
20:40: Alamexis' eyes go wide
20:40: Barlau: They call themselves the Vampire Legion.
20:40: Alamexis snaps his fingers
20:40: Alamexis: Yes! That's right.
20:41: Lesentia: The one I am referring to is not ordered
20:41: Barlau: Trentain, I believe, is still their leader. A very nice man, actually. I'm sort of surprised he ascribes to that metaphysical rubbish.
20:41: Barlau: Ah, there's another one running about?
20:41: Lesentia: Yes
20:41: Barlau shakes her head
20:42: Barlau: It seems there's no end to the cult-weirdos that run around this place. They fade, and another comes along to take their place...
20:43: Lesentia: and Sezmra believes that they were the ones who captured Mr. Sid "Tisantous" Sarr
20:43: Lesentia: e****ally after last night
20:43: Alamexis raises an eyebrow
20:43: Barlau: I heard a little bit about that, but only a little. What's happened?
20:43: Barlau: Although I didn't know anything about a capture...
20:44: Lesentia: I believed that he was kidnapped on Monday
20:44: Alamexis: Mr. Saar had many enemies, though. What makes you certain it was them?
20:45: Lesentia: The trouble began with a Demoneyes
20:45: Alamexis glances at the datapad readout, nodding
20:45: Barlau: "Demoneyes"? Nice name
20:45: Barlau makes a little face
20:47: Lesentia: anyway, it all began after Drlog arrived last night
20:54: Alamexis: Now then, Lesentia, please continue.
20:54: Lesentia: yes, as I was saying, last night Demoneyes was at Rompa
20:54: Barlau: What is he like?
20:55: Lesentia: to say the least, creepy
20:55: Barlau: Another one of those religious nuts, proclaiming the end is near and all about higher powers?
20:55: Alamexis nods
20:55: Alamexis: I can imagine.
20:55: Lesentia: I'd not like to go into more detail
20:55: Lesentia: It was just all to creepy
20:55: Barlau studies Lesentia's face for a moment.
20:55: Barlau: He really spooked you, didn't he?
20:56: Lesentia: Of course, even Drlog was for a moment.
20:56: Alamexis raises an eyebrow in shock
20:56: Alamexis: Must have been quite disturbing to affect him
20:57: Barlau: What was it about him that made you all feel this way?
20:57: Lesentia: the way he talked mostly
20:57: Lesentia: and his little actions
20:57: Lesentia: such as sniffing the air.
20:58: Lesentia: and what he said
20:58: Barlau: Perhaps he was congested?
20:58: Barlau: What did he say? And how did he talk?
20:58: Barlau is intrigued by all of this
20:59: Lesentia: He spoke of "your politician" to Sezmra
20:59: Barlau: Whose politician? Raquel's?
21:01: Lesentia: and "When darknessss fallsss, with blackend sunsss, something wicked thisss way comesss"
21:01: Barlau blinks
21:01: Barlau: That's from a very old tale
21:01: Lesentia: with the hissing sound on the end
21:01: Alamexis leans back in thought
21:01: Barlau: Almost a legend...
21:02: Barlau tries to recall the story
21:02: Lesentia: He also mentoned that "Expossure can be a deadly thing"
21:02: Alamexis: Exposure to what, though?
21:03: Barlau shakes her head, unable to re-capture the memory.
21:03: Lesentia: We don't know
21:03: Lesentia: He spoke in very cryptic language
21:03: Alamexis: And deadly to you, or deadly to him?
As she walked up from the bar to their table, Alamexis breathed a sigh of relief. This evening - this entire day - was proving very taxing on so little sleep and so many events. He watched her graceful approach, and she smiled as she did so, lighting up the room in a manner that only Corrine "Treylla" Svancara knew how to do.
21:03: Treylla: Greetings all
21:03: Alamexis smiles at Treylla
21:03: Treylla smiles
21:03: Barlau smiles
21:03: Lesentia: Hello Ms. Svancara
21:03: Treylla: Hi Barlau
21:03: Treylla: How are you Sir
21:03: Alamexis: I don't quite know yet.
21:04: Alamexis smiles, puzzled
21:04: Treylla: i've been there myself
21:04: Treylla: Can I get anyone a drink?
21:04: Barlau: No, I'm good, but thank you
21:04: Alamexis: Well, the fact that you've lived through it is solice enough for me. I'll have a coffee please.
21:04: Alamexis: Thank you, Treylla.
21:05: Treylla: My pleasure Alamexis
21:05: Barlau: "Expossure can be a deadly thing"... it sounds as if he were warning you....
21:05: Alamexis: Indeed...but what could he expose you to that would harm you? Usually, when one speaks of "exposure", it means to something like the weather, or radiation.
21:06: Lesentia: We have no idea
21:06: Barlau: Or viral...
21:06: Barlau bites her lip
21:06: Alamexis looks worriedly around the room
21:06: Barlau: You don't suppose he was carrying any sort of booby-trap, do you?
21:07: Barlau: Any biological-type weaponry
21:07: Lesentia: He also mentioned "You dont have mush time"
21:07: Lesentia: We could not get much out of him
21:08: Alamexis: Where is he now? Were you forced to set him free?
21:08: Lesentia: He continued speaking like that the whole night
21:08: Lesentia: no, he was killed
21:08: Barlau: Any idea whether he was insured?
21:08: Barlau: Something has occurred to me... and there is legal precedent for it....
21:09: Lesentia: Just after he left, we saw him run out of an apartment complex and then fall lifeless to the ground
21:09: Barlau: If he did insure, and you happen to see him again... if he's still acting bizarre, why not have a doctor sign "involuntary commitment" papers?
21:10: Alamexis glances at Kiyoko and smiles proudly
21:10: Barlau: It would require a doctor's signature, and an official arrest by two law enforcement officials. Oh, wait, so you do have him in custody?
21:10: Barlau smiles back
21:10: Barlau: I've done some studying, Malcom.
21:09: Alamexis: Have you investigated the complex?
21:10: Lesentia: We have not been able to find any trace of his vital signs
21:10: Lesentia: No, we have no sign of him
21:11: Lesentia: I would ask Sezmra to talk herself, but I don't believe that she is ready to yet
21:11: Lesentia: the psycholgical stress is too heavy
21:11: Alamexis gets a concerned look on his face
21:11: Alamexis: "psychological stress"?
21:11: Alamexis: Is she okay?
21:12: Lesentia: I don't know, I havent had the chance to speak with her yet
21:12: Alamexis: Please, if you hear anything, let me know. And give her my best wishes, as well.
21:12: Alamexis glances off, dazed
21:12: Barlau: Hmmm... come to think of it, I haven't talked to her in awhile.
21:13: Barlau: Yes, give her my regards when you see her.
21:13: Lesentia: what worries me though, is when he bit her
21:13: Barlau: Ew
21:13: Barlau finds the idea repulsive
21:13: Alamexis looks back at Lesentia
21:13: Alamexis: What?
21:14: Alamexis: He bit her?
21:14: Lesentia: Yes
21:14: Lesentia: as we all were standing there
21:14: Alamexis: Where is she now? Omni-Med I hope?
21:14: Alamexis looks visibly upset
21:15: Lesentia: I have got no response from her comm yet
21:16: Lesentia: Demoneyes called it "payment for what you knew not"
21:16: Barlau: Well, I hope she cleaned the bite. Human bites are supposed to be among the worst, of any animal bite.
21:16: Barlau: What a nasty-sounding person...
21:16: Alamexis: I hope that was nothing more than a petty warning...
21:16: Lesentia: But what of psycho, crazed nanomage vampire...
21:16: Barlau blinks
21:16: Lesentia: He seemes to be able to smell blood
21:17: Barlau: Vampire? But... no. Those don't exist. It's just wishful thinking.
21:17: Lesentia: He even tried to bite me before anyone else got here
21:18: Lesentia: If you wish, Malcom, I can send you my comm's log of the conversation
21:18: Alamexis pauses, glancing down at the couch uneasily
21:19: Alamexis: I'd...rather not read it.
21:19: Alamexis: I just hope she's okay....
21:20: Lesentia: You can try to message her, but I dont think that she is answering.
21:20: Alamexis: I wouldn't want to disturb her, in case she's resting.
21:21: Barlau: If you don't mind, I'm curious to see a log. That remark, "something wicked this way comes", it's from something, it might mean something. But the memory is just beyond my grasp.
21:21: Alamexis: From William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" actually.
21:21: Barlau shakes her head
21:22: Alamexis: "By the prickling of my thumb, something wicked this way comes..."
21:22: Barlau: No... that's not what I'm thinking of...
21:22: Alamexis: It's an ancient-earth play, b--
21:22: Alamexis raises an eyebrow
21:23: Barlau snaps her fingers
21:23: Lesentia: are you sure you dont want a copy, Malcom?
21:23: Alamexis sighs
21:23: Alamexis: Yeah. I'll read her thoughts on the grid, and if I need clarification, I'll contact you.
21:24: Lesentia: ok.
21:24: Barlau: I need to research it, but the story was something about being careful about what you wish for, lest it come true.
21:24: Lesentia: Thank you both for your time
21:24: Alamexis: If anything comes up, please let me know.
21:25: Lesentia: OK, I will
21:25: Alamexis: Thank you.
21:25: Alamexis leans back on the couch, sighing heavily
21:31: Barlau hugs Malcom
21:31: Alamexis smiles, worriedly, hugging her back
21:31: Barlau: I'm sure she's all right...
21:32: Alamexis: ...I hope so, Kiyoko.
21:32: Barlau looks worried too
